//------------------------------//
// Chapter Seven 
// Story: A Friend In Need 
// by Vietmane Veteran 
//------------------------------//

Chapter Seven

Rainbow Dash sweated as she worked on the device. Almost two months had been spent on the device, and now it was almost ready. She spat out the screwdriver she held in her mouth, and then, she very carefully lifted the power crystal and set it into the connecter. With a low hum, the machine started. Cold air came from the vents on the front.

“Welp, Twilight’s ‘Air Conditioner’ certainly helps keep things cool, but it sucks that it’s made of so many pieces,” Rainbow Dash complained as she enjoyed the machine’s air draft. She had just finished installing it in Sugar Cube Corner, to help keep things cool in the summer on days that called for high heat.

Rainbow stretched, popping her back and her wings. With a grunt, she went back to standing normally. “Well, I hope the twins enjoy this,” she muttered.

“Oh, they will. They are very sensitive to heat, and this will be a huge help,” Mrs. Cake said, gratefulness spread across her face.

“I hear a hum. Is it ready yet?” Mr. Cake’s voice sounded from another room.

“Yep. And if you ever need me to move it, I can do that. And with how much time I spent learning to construct this thing, I’d be able to get it moved and set up in less than a week. See ya, Cakes,” Rainbow Dash said. She opened the window and stepped out, falling for only a moment. She flapped her wings, keeping herself aloft. She went up and closed the window, giving another wave to the Cakes. Through the glass, she could see that the Twins were sitting in front of the machine, turning around and around as the cool wind cooled them down.

“Glad they’re happy. Dang, we ponies can get all kind of conditions. At least the Twins don’t mind staying out of the sun and heat.” Rainbow Dash turned and began flying. Some ponies were out and about, but not many, since Rainbow Dash got a few numbers mixed up with the last rainfall. Thus, the immense amount of sun and heat was necessary.

Rainbow Dash spotted Fluttershy down below, and it looked like a colt in a cloak was following her. He stayed close, turning his head to look at everything. He pointed at a tree, gesturing towards it, and Fluttershy giggled.

Rainbow Dash flew down, landing next to her friend. “Hey, Fluttershy. Did you and Eight-Directions adopt a kid, or did you manage to bring one of your knitting creations to life?”

Fluttershy looked flustered for a moment, and then confused. “Eight-Directions?” she asked.

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “Come on, it was on his cane at the Gala! The arrows pointing in eight directions, indicating chaos?”

Fluttershy narrowed her eyes in thought. “But, eight arrows seem more like a compass. North, North East, East, South East, South, South West, West, and North West. So it seems more like that would mean order.”

Rainbow Dash stopped and thought about that. “. . . Huh. Guess you’re right. You’re going to have to bring that up to Discord some time. I’m sure he’ll get a laugh out of it.”

Fluttershy giggled. “Oh, he probably will.”

“So, who’s the squirt?” Rainbow Dash asked, looking at the blue colt behind Fluttershy.

"Oh, this is Friend. I'm looking after him for a while. Say hi, Friend."

The colt peeked out from behind Fluttershy. "H- Hello, there, ma'am." Yeah, definitely Discord's and Fluttershy's. The oddness of its looks and voice and the shy personality just screamed 'their child.' 

And why was he looking so intently at Rainbow Dash? "Uh, kid? You alright?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. You remind me of when a shape is formed."

Rainbow Dash looked at Fluttershy. "Say what now?"

"I- I'm not sure," she said with surprise. She faced Friend. "Friend, you said Shapes are take a certain shape depending on the island they're from. What happens when they form?"

"They release a spectrum of light and colors, becoming a Shape of random color. Their shape becomes a certain one depending on the island. Say, one of the triangles-"

"Wait, wait! So, you're not created by Discord?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"No, he isn't. Pinkie says he's from another world."

". . . Huh. Okay, so start with the shapes from the start. I get that they're formed, but where do they come from? Or, is it, like, how ponies are made?" Rainbow asked.

"I don't know about ponies, but on Paradise, we have fields and a forest. The trees are made of three triangles, and the largest tree towers over all the others. This tree can shed some of its power, in the shape of smaller triangles. These hold great power, but when cared for, and treated like a small Shape, it will transform into a shape."

"Triangles, huh? Solid, or hollow, like the ones on your head?" Rainbow Dash asked. Were those ears? Why were they glowing?

Friend's head lowered, and, despite how different the face was from ponies, Rainbow Dash recognized the look of shame. Pink tears came from his larger eye. Fluttershy draped a comforting wing over his back, pulling him close. Rainbow stepped closer, lowering herself to look at him. "Hey, kid, what's wrong?"

"The Tree can be taken apart," he said sadly. "And my King found a way to corrupt them, spreading a virus that could affect anything. Being infected made the triangles more powerful, but any triangles were used for energy."

"Your king did that?! Why, that son of a Tartarus-" Rainbow began in anger.

"That's not everything. Hero was able to gain back two of the triangles. I was corrupted, and Hero fixed me . . . or so we thought. I was so pure, that my corruption left a break that could not be fixed. I was given the triangles, and then I turned on my friends. On my king, and on the only Immune. But I can't remove the triangles, save for healing others of the Pink Corruption. And my King has the third. Until we defeat him, there will be no more newborns. But I don't have the heart to fight." He cried heavily, his tears hitting the ground.

Rainbow Dash went up to him and hugged him, pulling him close. Where Friend's tears touched, the pink glowed red. "It's okay," she said. "Just let it all out."

The three of them stayed like that for some minutes, just sitting and feeling emotions.

Friend stopped crying. "Thank you," he whispered.

"Anytime," Fluttershy said.

Rainbow sniffed. "Why do we have to meet so many creatures with tragic back-story? Can't we have a normal month? Manehatten normal, even. Let someone else do this sappy stuff."

Fluttershy gave a soft laugh. "If not us, who else?"

Rainbow pulled away, standing back up. "Let's get you guys out of the sun," she said with a soft smile.