After walking for several minutes, Scorpan led Doc to a series of cliffs that they never would have spotted in the dark and constant shift of sandy winds blowing in the sky. As they got closer, Scorpan wasted no time in directing them to a cave seemingly located in the upper midsection of less jagged parts of the cliff. Doc was unsure how he could follow Scorpan up knowing that must be where he resided. It had to have been over 100ft off the ground. However, while he tried to see if there was some hidden staircase he was quickly thrown off from looking when a strong brown arm wrapped around his waist, hoisting him up like a buck ball. He found himself being carried up into the air with little effort at a sudden clap of wind from Scorpan’s wings as they flew up to the cave entrance.
'For once I am grateful I haven’t had my dinner yet…' Doc thought to himself at the sudden shift in gravity and G-force, making his stomach turn. Within seconds Scorpan made his way up, landing firmly in the cave entrance and plopping Doc down roughly inside.
“Oomph...Goodness…” Doc huffed as he dusted himself off from the rough handling, and watched as Scorpan proceeded to carry the still unconscious Bliss to several throw rugs covering the rocky floor, what he could only assume was his bed.
The cave was much larger than it looked from the outside, and well lit with torches and a center campfire area, while the rocky smooth walls sported shelves of books and scrolls. Doc could even make out the makings of a kitchen area, also carved and polished from the cave walls themselves. It wouldn’t win any fashion designs by Rarity’s standards, but it looked civil enough. He followed Scorpan over as he placed Bliss down onto the rugs, then proceed to leave for a moment to come back with more pillows and blankets. Doc relaxed and sat next to Bliss as Scorpan would retreat several more times to come back with stems, branches, some bandage wrapping, and ointments, then quickly went to work bandaging her wing up and making sure she was sleeping quietly. Cautiously he removed the once purple, now red vest, and stared at it for a moment in confusion.
“Hmm?” He grunted showing it to Doc for an explanation.
“Ah...erm, yes well...that was my vest. It was all I had...” Doc replied.
“Hmm” seeming disappointed in Doc’s attempts, Scorpan shrugged at the makeshift splint and tossed it into the open fire.
Doc gasped and reached out for it, but it was already too late to save his vest now. After watching it burn he sulked back and continued watching Scorpan work on the alicorn’s wing. Once finished, the gargoyle started going through a shelf of pots and pans, assumably to make some food. Taking the opportunity, Doc looked over at Bliss. Her fever was still there, and her muscles seemed to ache and tremor from the effort, but at least she was no longer whimpering in her sleep. He breathed a sigh of relief and decided while their host wasn’t focusing on him to further inspect their new surroundings. Then in a darker part of the cave, Doc managed to spot a picture on the far wall. Although the picture was slightly hidden in the dark, he could make out the face of Tirek.
“So DrWolf was it?” Scorpan’s commanding angry voice jolted Doc back to face the one who was offering him a bowl of food. “Here”
“Oh, th-thank you kindly.” Doc slowly took the food and sipped cautiously. It was sour but had a pleasant sweetness and tanginess to the broth. He frowned realizing there wasn’t much meat, but more of a vegetable texture shifting in the light brown soup, but at this point, he wasn’t about to complain, let alone insult the host who rescued them.
In a huff and a growl, Scorpan dropped on his rump across from Doc on the other side of the fire, examining him for a moment as he ate.
“So,” his gruff voice breaking the silence, “You were explaining to me how...you two got here?”
Doc pulled the bowl away from his eager muzzle, “Yes,” he tried to answer only to raise the bowl up again. I must be more hungry than I thought. Finally, he took the bowl back down, “Apologies ahem. It’s a little complicated. You see my friend here is an-”
“An alicorn. I can see that.” he cut off the white wolf, “Odd, I thought Celestia and Luna were the only alicorns in Equestria.”
“Actually, there are now three more alicorns,” Doc realized how outdated Scorpan was. “There’s Princess Twilight, her sister-in-law Princess Cadence of the Crystal Empire, and Princess Cadence's daughter, Princess Flurry Heart.”
The look on Scorpan’s face shifted to one of surprise, making Doc slow down so he could catch up. It was clear Scorpan was truly unaware of the latest current events.
“Things have certainly changed since my last visit…” he replied breaking the silence “So I take it this is Princess Lightning Bliss?”
“Well not exactly,” Doc corrected. “She is an odd situation I suppose you could say. But she has no claims to royalty.”
“I see… So how did you two get here?”
Doc held up a finger to Scorpan to take another sip of his soup, then politely continued. “Like I said, Lightning is an odd situation. Though a talented alicorn, she’s still rusty with using her magic. There was an incident and...well, here we are.”
This response did not seem to sit well with Scorpan, who crossed his arms and puffed out his chest at the smaller white wolf being.
“Is that so? Well, that incident you claim has left your friend with a damaged wing and a fever if you haven’t noticed.”
The tone and pronunciation in Scorpan’s voice forced a choke out of Doc as he was sipping, prompting him to place his bowl down. Scorpan’s words were like daggers in Doc’s heart, and in that moment he felt responsible for what happened to Bliss. He looked towards her, seeing her still out cold and seeming to be battling nightmares as she slept. He held himself tightly, feeling a familiar anxiety and guilt well up inside him. The sudden change in body posture did not go unnoticed by Scorpan, whose face went from angry and disappointed to concerned and guilty.
“My apologies…” the gargoyle mustered out of his long muzzle, “I tend to be blunt when I don’t mean to be. Your friend will be fine after some rest. It’s just a shame that it happened to such a small, fragile thing like her. I can’t stand the thought of any pony getting hurt. I can tell you feel the same way?”
“Yes, of course,” Doc looked back at Scorpan, “I would never want to put any of my friends in danger.
“Hmm…”
Silence fell into the cave once more, with only the sounds of the fire, and Bliss’s wheezing as she breathed. It was starting to feel awkward and uncomfortable at that moment, something that didn't sit well with Doc. He was growing idle, one of the few things he detested. He could see in Scorpan’s eyes that he was a being that was not used to company but seemed content with them being there.
“Forgive me for asking Mr. Scorpan,” Doc spoke up breaking the silence, “but I believe you have been to Equestria before haven’t you?”
“It was a long, long time ago.” Scorpan shifted, not making eye contact with Doc.
“I see…” the bipedal wolf waited for a moment. Not sensing any signs of Scorpan disagreeing with having a conversation, he continued. “So the last time you were there...was with your brother Tirek?”
"Yes. So...you mentioned my brother's name earlier…"
“I’ve...actually spoken to him once upon Princess Celestia’s request.” Doc continued, “Sadly I fear my visit was not welcome nor wanted by your brother. Things I’m afraid have not much improved since he attempted to-” quickly Doc coughed at the end of the sentence, realizing he was about to reveal something rather sensitive. With how Scorpan had behaved thus far, mentioning his brother was now encased in stone for crimes against all of Equestria, now did not seem like a good time to bring it up. Quickly pulling his fur back and composing himself, the wolf continued with “I apologize if this topic is...sensitive. You seem...upset Mr. Scorpan…”
“Hail to the wide-eyed canine!” Scorpan blurted out, “Of course I’m upset! My brother was going to harm Equestrians, innocent creatures, for his own selfish gain. My friend Star Swirl would have suffered the same fate had I not-”
The gargoyle's roars echoed as he cut himself off to catch himself from screaming, trying to avoid waking up Bliss or shake the cave ceiling further.
“I’m sorry,” Scorpan mustered out after a moment.
“It’s quite alright,” Doc sat up, taking a seat on a bigger rock off the floor to elevate himself to cross his legs, much like he would do during his therapy visits back in his office. Being the Ponyville wolf therapist had its moments, such as helping him recognize a being that needed his help. He took the initiative upon seeing Scorpan’s inner struggles and decided to offer him aid to talk; he leaned forward, his hands supporting his chin, “I can’t imagine being on that end of the story...where a family member puts you in a situation where you have to decide what’s right? So Mr. Scorpan...tell me what’s on your mind.”
Scorpan blinked at the realization that the Doctor was willing to hear him speak, though seemed a little hesitant to proceed. He scratched the back of his head, seeming to think about it, sighed, and then responded.
“Don’t get me wrong Dr. Wolf...I loved my brother very much. Having the same goals much like he did...If you know my brother’s history then you’ll understand that I used to think exactly the same way he did in the beginning...Does that make you uncomfortable with me telling you this?”
“It does not,” Doc smiled softly, “I would like to offer my assistance to you if you’re not feeling well. It’s the least I can do after everything you’ve done for me and Lightning Bliss. It may not be much but I can offer you a friendly ear if you’d like to talk about it.”
It was hardly the first time Dr. Wolf had spoken with a reformed villain. Everyone from Diamond Tiara to Discord had come into his office at one point or another. So he had plenty of experience in that regard.
“Very well then…” Scorpan took a breath and continued, “It's been so long since I actually had a conversation with any creature. Might as well take this advantage. Many years back Doctor, I was a very different being. Tirek and I both had ambitions for power, and we searched long and wide to obtain it. It was our destiny he and I believed I suppose. We were always together, searching all over, never stopping till we reached our goal. We only had each other during those times. Friendship was a foreign thought, only loyalty spoke to us."
The Gargoyle seemed lost in his memories for a few moments until he jolted back. "Anyway...During our travels, we discovered the ponies of Equestria and their bountiful supply of magic. Unicorns with their magical talents, pegasus with their ability of flight, even the grounded ponies had canny talents tuned to the magic of their lands. However... we didn’t care if it belonged to the ponies, we merely viewed them as weak equines; farm animals that needed to be tamed… But then…”
“But then you...found something?” Doc continued his sentence.
“I did…” Scorpan continued. “Something I don’t think even he ever experienced. The ponies were so kind and open to me, despite the fact that I was nothing like them. I had no magic as they called it, no unique talents or cutie marks, and yet they accepted who I was...I even gained a best friend, who taught me the values of their magic and what they used it for. He was such a talented unicorn, and showed great promise to better his lands and his kind.”
“Star Swirl?”
“Yes,” Scorpan nodded. “He was a spunky unicorn. Tartarus bent on learning sorcery as much as he could, but he still made time to teach me the ways of ponies. Heh, I even remember this time he had me join a session with his prized pupils, Princess Celestia and Luna. I enjoyed my teachings so much and the company I spent with the ponies...and decided that while my brother Tirek was plotting on taking over the lands, I would sneak away to be with Star Swirl. I suppose I lied to him about gaining more information on the ponies to better understand how we could defeat them, but in reality, I was learning about them in general and the bonds these ponies made. Family was very important to them, much like me and my brother. They cared for each other, took care of one another. Shared homes and helped others that were in need. The more I watched, the more I realized the key to their powerful magic in the end. It was their bonding, their connections that made ponies strong. Their connections are what kept their lands safe all this time, as their people were no strangers to threats trying to take over their world."
Scorpan thought back, clearly trying to remember events from a millennia ago. Doc could relate, given how old he himself was. "I soon realized that if I were to allow myself or my brother to steal such power away from the ponies, it would end with complete disaster and devastation to Equestrian civilization. We wouldn’t just be taking away the ponies magic, we’d be taking away their hopes, their creativity, their abilities to better our world. I couldn’t allow this to happen and knew I had to confront my brother about our plans but-”
Doc had listened all the way through, though was surprised Scorpan chose to stop. He could see the strong brown being seemed to be getting angry, shaking with rage in fact.
“Are you alright Scorpan?” Doc asked.
“WHY DID HE DO THIS??! WHY DID HE HAVE TO DO IT?!” Scorpan suddenly slammed his fist into the wall, making the entire cave shake. Doc flinched at the display of physical power, even covering his face in fear of what would come next. But as the cave was slowly starting to cease its tremors, he heard a familiar whimper come from his right. Lightning had finally awoken from her sleep with an abrupt start.
”HUH?! What?!” Bliss jolted her head up, laying on her belly, unaware of her location. Her eyes darted left and right, scanning her surroundings only for them to fall on Scorpan first and whinnied out in terror, scooting off and away from the bed, “TIMBER WOLVES!!!”
“BLISSY WAIT!” Doc called out to her, “Relax! He’s a friend!”
“I am?” Scorpan reacted in surprise to the title before diverting his attention back to the trembling alicorn, “Erm right…” Promptly he stood up and stomped towards her, looking more menacing as his wings extended out, “The name is Scorpan and you, little pony, shouldn’t be out of bed.”
“H-he brought us here, Doc?” Bliss blurted out having heard and spotted Doc on the other side of where she slept.
“Yes,” Doc replied calmly back. “He saved your life in fact.”
“Huh? He did? Gah!” She whinnied out again, forgetting that her wing was injured and had attempted to move it, only to be reminded of its injury from the pain. She looked down at the new brace her wing was tied and bandaged tightly.
“Yes,” Scorpan stomped forward towards her, “You shouldn’t be out of bed. You’re not out of the woods yet.”
“Technically I am,” the rainbow alicorn replied in an attempt to calm her nerves with humor. “I teleported us here and YIPE!”
Before Doc could stop him, Scorpan hoisted Bliss up by the scruff of her neck and promptly carried back to the bed, with her whimpering from the rough handle all the way. Doc leapt to his feet, clearly upset by her treatment.
“Get back under the blankets, right now!” Scorpan yelled at her before dropping her on the rug.
“OUCH!” Bliss cried out and shrunk down low as she could against Scorpan only to see Doc getting between her and the large angry brute.
“ENOUGH!” Doc snapped up at Scorpan. He didn’t care how tall Scorpan was, he was not having the mistreatment of his younger sibling go unnoticed, “Could you not be so physical in your requests Scorpan?! You said it yourself she is hurt, grabbing her by the neck won’t make things any better!”
Both Bliss and Scorpan seemed taken aback by the wolf’s brave stance. His chest puffed out, his tail up and alert, ears pinned back. If Bliss did not know any better she could have sworn he had bared his teeth in silence. Scorpan meanwhile seemed defeated, his pride damaged. He slowly backed away, lowered his head, then turned and headed back to the kitchen to grab another bowl from the stove. Doc continued to follow Scorpan with an unrelenting alpha stare as he made his way back, dropping another bowl of food at Doc’s feet.
“Make her eat.” He bluntly stated before turning away.
Realizing what was happening, Doc dropped both his tail and his arms, sensing Scorpan’s feelings had shifted to guilt. 'Did I go too far?' Doc thought to himself.
“Wait please,” the wolf pleaded to Scorpan, “I didn’t mean to be so blunt. I was just concerned for my-”
“Don’t apologize. Just make sure she eats.” With that Scorpan darted out of sight, into what seemed to be another tunnel into another set of caves.
Bliss blinked in confusion, looking at the cave this Scorpan ran into, then back to Doc, then back at the cave again. “What was that all about?”
Doc sighed but replied, “It appears that Mr. Scorpan just has a very blunt way of facing...challenges or obstacles. And likely has never been confronted like this before.” He leaned down and picked up the bowl, holding it to her, “But I am glad to see you are awake Lightning. I would also agree with him that you should eat something.”
“Oh...oh okay,” she took the bowl in her hoof and sipped before looking up to him, “Did I do something wrong to him?”
“No no,” Doc assured her. “Don’t you worry about it. I think he just needs time, and maybe a little practice talking to other beings. It appears he’s been isolated for many, Many years. Ever since he left Equestria after his brother was imprisoned.”
“Brother?” Bliss sputtered from a gulp of soup, “Imprison? Context!”
“Eat slowly Lightning…” the wolf sighed and sat down next to her. “I’ll explain everything.”