//------------------------------//
// Chapter 15: Lunch with the Fletchers 
// Story: The Pony Loa 
// by Leila Drake 
//------------------------------//

"If you're not a bird then what are you?" Levinia demanded, spreading her wings. "And why the pretense? That's kinda suspicious, you know."

"I apologize," said the raven. It had a friendly, deep, smart voice that sounded like that of an elderly pony. "I don't want to harm you or your friends, Levinia. But I had to make sure that it's the same way for you. Protecting Azeroth is my job after all."

"Your job." Levinia snorted incredulously. "Right. And you did that by basically spying on us."

"I'd rather not transform on a slippery roof if you don't mind. How about we meet tomorrow? Then I can explain everything."

"Fine," Levinia sighed. "And where?"

The raven thought about that for a moment, tilting his head.

"Let's say two o'Clock at the gazebo in the cemetery. That's quiet but in the centre of the city. If you feel like leaving at some point you can do that, no problem."

"Alright. And how the hay do I get there?" Levinia scrunched her nose.

"I'm sure you and your friends will figure that one out," said the raven with a chuckle.

"What's you real name anyway?" Levinia asked.

"You'll know soon enough. Just call me Spunky if you want. By the way, Darren's cooking is quite tasty."

"I'll make sure to tell him that."

"Well," the raven spread his wings, "I need to go. Busy schedule. And it looks like it's going to rain... But I'm looking forward to meeting you properly. Good night, Levinia."

"Good night, Spunky."

Levinia watched the bird taking flight, deciding that this was one of the stranger things that had happened to her so far.





"Guys! You won't believe what happened to me yesterday!" Levinia's excited shout snapped Eclipse awake like a slap in the face.

"Light have mercy," groaned Darren, turning over under his sheets to bury his face in the pillow.

"Wha?" Eclipse muttered. "Why're you shouting so early?"

"Early?! It's a quarter to nine," Levinia retorted, bewildered. "I waited extra long so you could sleep in."

Eclipse managed to get himself into an upright position. His eyes only slits, he staggered over to the washing bowl to clean his face. Darren turned again and stared at the ceiling, his gaze unfocused.

"So, what happened?" Darren asked, sitting up. The blanket fell away, exposing his scarred chest.

"Uh..." Now that she saw how disoriented they still were, Levinia deflated a little. "Well, I met Spunky again," she said finally.

"That's nice..." Darren shuffled over to the closet, holding the blanket in place to cover his private parts. As he rummaged in his backpack to find his toothbrush, Levinia sat on her haunches.

"Darren. He talked! The raven talked."

"What?!"

"I was really surprised. I mean, we shared our food with him and he behaved like a normal bird back then! I feel kind of misled." She crossed her forelegs. "But he wants to explain everything and make us an offer. Today, at Two, in the park."

"Sounds fishy." Darren ran the brush across his teeth in swift circles. "Did he shay who he wash?"

Levinia shook her head, shrugging.

Darren spat into a metal cup he had withdrawn from his backpack. He frowned as he wiped his mouth. "Did he tell you anything? Any hint?"

"He said his job is to protect Azeroth," Levinia offered hesitantly. "Is that really a hint? I mean, he could be lying. But what would be the point?"

Eclipse dried his face with a towel and sat down on the bed. He preened his wings with his hooves, brushing a loose feather out. Now he could make a new quill. The only thing missing was ink and then he would be able to draw.

"That doesn't really sound useful," he commented, stifling a yawn. "Why is it so late?"

"Maybe because of the rain." Levinia pointed at the window. "It's kinda dark outside. I already flew a round and it drizzled the entire time." She made a face. "So what are we going to do? Should me meet Spunky or just forget about it?"

"Would you turn around, please?" Darren asked. Wordlessly, Levinia and Eclipse turned towards the window to watch the drops hitting the glass panels. "If he managed to follow us this far he won't give up that easily," Darren mused. "Better figure out what the fuzz is about. The more we know the safer it will be for us."

"Yes, I think so, too. He sounded pretty kind, actually. I've got a good feeling about him," said Levinia, rubbing her chin.

"Well, then. I'm done."

Levinia turned around. Darren had put on his shirt, pants and socks. Now he was combing his hair.

"We better get some breakfast. I want to see if I can find out Janeck's address," he said, swiftly tying the hair into a sloppy bun.

"Oh," Levinia remembered, "and Spunky told me that he liked your cooking."

Darren exhaled, looking stressed.





Nylene was already done with her meal when Darren and Eclipse joined her. The lounge was crowded; apparently nobody wanted to go outside in that weather. Darren drank two pots of coffee, getting an incredulous stare from Eclipse, and ate his bread and bananas at a speed unusual for him. Eclipse had just finished his oatmeal when the human stood up and invited him to join him on his way to the City Hall.

Nylene wanted to go and buy some everyday necessities. Levinia decided to join her. Tarik was nowhere to be seen, something that Darren had somehow expected.





When they left the Gilded Rose, covered by their cloaks, it was indeed still raining. Darren was glad that the weather bothered neither him nor the colt. Ignoring the obnoxious drizzle and overhanging clouds, he walked across the plaza towards a guard who stood at the Auction House. The armoured human had taken shelter under the roof of the building's entrance. There was hardly anybody on the street and the few people that dared to go outside were in a hurry, covering their heads with scarves or hoods. Eclipse smiled vaguely as he watched a leaf swimming in a puddle.

"Excuse me, Sir, where do I find the City Hall?" Darren asked politely.

"Next to the Cathedral, on the right-hand side," was the curt reply.

"Thank you."

Darren drew a sheet of paper from his pocket and unfolded it. "That means we need to head north, cross a canal and then go straight ahead. Should be easy enough."

"If we don't get flooded into the sea first," joked Eclipse, shaking the edge of his cloak. Droplets sprayed onto the cobblestones. He grinned but still added, "I'm glad I left my stuff and robe in our room. I feel like a sponge. My mane's all drenched."

By the time they reached City Hall the water had soaked Darren's shoes, too. He made a mental note to dry the boots and apply fat to keep the leather from cracking. After stepping into a puddle, he felt a wet sock every time he made a step. So maybe he was impervious to the cold but this constant rain was becoming an annoyance nonetheless.

As Darren pushed the door open - it was not locked - Eclipse shook himself like a dog. He cantered inside, joining Darren, and grinned.

"Wish you could do that?" Eclipse asked, straightening out his feathers.

"Not really." Darren raised his brows and smirked. "So, we need to find out who keeps the city register."

"What's a city register?"

"Written records of who lives where... or at least who owns which place," Darren explained as his eyes wandered across the room. There was a large table with some chairs. Shelves with hundreds of books lined the walls. A slightly dusty chandelier hung above it all. Only half of its candles were lit.

"Can I help you?" The sharp question came from behind. Darren spun around. A man had been sitting on a chair in the corner with a book on his lap and a quill in his hand. An open inkwell stood on a small table next to him. As he saw Darren's face, the human seemed to regret his curt greeting. He put the book and quill aside and carefully corked up the inkwell. Standing up, he straightened his purple robes. He was mostly bald; his chestnut hair framed the back of his head like half a bird's nest. His bushy moustache twitched as he took off his monocle to inspect Darren and Eclipse.

"Mr..." Darren began.

"Bathrilor," the man introduced himself. "At your service."

"Mister Bathrilor, are you the one keeping the records of Stormwind's citizens?"

"Yes, indeed I am." Bathrilor grew serious. "But you need authorization or proof of legitimate interest."

"How?" Darren raised an eyebrow, confused.

"Why do you want access the records?"

"To find lost family," Darren said after the tiniest of pauses. Eclipse noticed that the air grew a little colder. Was his friend nervous? He nudged Darren's leg, just a poke with his elbow. Darren squinted his eyes, blinking as if something was caught in it. The air became warmer until is was back to its previous temperature.

"I see," said Bathrilor. He folded his hands behind his back, trying not to look intimidated. Darren was not taller than him but could easily overpower the slender scholar if he wanted to. Of course, Bathrilor did not know that he would not. "Who'd that be, then?"

"Janeck and Emily Fletcher."

"How are you related to them, Sir?"

"Janeck Fletcher is my uncle," Darren said. "They left Andorhal twelve years ago, I think."

Bathrilor raised his brows. "Andorhal." He sighed and briskly walked over to a narrow shelf. Picking out a book the size of Eclipse's slim school books, he motioned for them to follow him. His voice grew sorrowful as he opened the book. "That will be quick to find out. Not many escaped the Scourge. Most families who lost someone already lived in Stormwind when Lordaeron's capital was razed."

"I know," said Darren quietly. "Still."

"Of course. You're not the first one who needs to know, Sir. Twelve years ago, you said?"

Darren nodded and watched Bathrilor skimming through the pages.

"Fletcher, Fletcher," the man mumbled, trying not to forget the name. He stopped eventually, pointing at a line in the book that war written in slightly faded ink. "Fletcher, Janeck," he read. He turned the book around and pushed it over to Darren. "See for yourself," he said evenly.

Darren's face fell. "Died in the year six-twenty-nine. Twelve years ago. Damn it to hell," he muttered.

Eclipse's eyes widened as he witnessed the former paladin cursing like that.

"What about your aunt?" he asked, his wings unfolding nervously. "Is she still alive?"

"Yes." Darren's eyes wandered over the page. "And living in the city. Stephen... her son is also alive and so is his wife." His mouth twitched. It was almost a smile. "They're living in the Old Town. Or at least, Emily owns half a house there..." He quickly drew his map from his pocket and asked Bathrilor for the quill. The scholar hesitantly handed it over to him.

"Thanks," said Darren, copying the address of the house onto the back of the folded map. The feather was loud and scratchy as he scribbled across the paper. "How much?"

Bathrilor shook his head. "Only access to the maps and official documents requires a fee." He frowned. "Although I'd wish for it to be otherwise," he added, his eyes wandering to the dusty chandelier and the worn out chairs. "In any case, good luck, Sir." He stretched out his hand to snatch the quill and quickly shut the book.

"Thank you." Darren nodded and ushered Eclipse outside into the persistent rain.

"Whoa." Eclipse staggered, trying to slow down. "You okay, Darren?"

The knight looked down at Eclipse, his lips pressed together. "Good news mixed with the bad," he just said. "Nothing new to me. Let's go."

"To the Old Town?"

"That's right."





"So, what do you want to buy?" Levinia asked happily as she cantered alongside Nylene. "Fresh tinder? Or maybe a piece of soap, your old one is getting really small..."

Nyleme smirked. "I was thinking of getting a proper robe," she admitted.

"Huh." Levinia was suprised. "Are - are we talking casual or formal?"

"There are no formal robes for demon hunters," Nylene said sourly. "The wings, you see."

"Oh... I'm sorry! Now I feel bad I asked."

"Never mind that. We shall have a grand time picking one out anyway."

"Definitely! I haven't been shopping in a lifetime!" Levinia grimaced as she realized what she had just said. "Oh, you know what I mean, don't you?" She eyed Nylene from the side. "You're going to need something that goes well with your skin tone and tattoos. Maybe dark blue, like your hair, or red. And a nice belt!"

"I was thinking brown or black."

"Really?! Rarity would disagree."

"Who's Rarity?"

"A fashionista in Ponyville," Levinia explained. "I watch her selling her dresses sometimes. You can learn a lot just by watching ponies doing their jobs."

"Does she sell only dresses?" Nylene asked. She halted for a moment to orient herself, then chose a narrow street that led towards the Cathedral District.

"Oh, no, no, but the demand for those is the highest. I guess it's got something to do with us not needing clothes for, you know, decency reasons." Levinia grinned. "Many mares like to look fancy once in a while even when there's not really an occasion."

"They must feel quite confident about themselves," Nylene mused.

Levnia sighed. "Not everypony does. But I think it's great you've decided to look for something that suits you better than bandages. I mean, not that there's anything wrong with those," she quickly added.

Nylene chuckled. "Am I that transparent to you?"

"I'm the transparent one here," Levinia said. "No, really," she said, getting serious again. "You're a beautiful lady, you could probably wear a potato sack and still look good in it."

"Thank you," Nylene said, her voice scratchy.





As the name gave it away, the Old Town was the oldest part of Stormwind. The houses looked similar to the ones in the Trade and the Cathedral Districs. The roof tiles were darker, a reddish brown, and the district's roads were more on the narrow side but everything was well-maintained. Eclipse had trouble keeping up with Darren who strode along the streets with determination. He stepped into an unexpectedly deep puddle as they passed through an archway. Water splashed all over his legs.

"Darren!" he called.

Darren reluctantly slowed down, looking back at him from under his hood.

"Why are you in such a hurry? Shouldn't we take a break, think about what to say and stuff?"

"What for?" Darren raised a brow.

Eclipse rolled his eyes. "Seriously, I can understand why you wanna meet them fast. I'd want that, too, if I was in your place. I miss my family, too. Like, a lot. But don't you think they'd notice that you've changed? You said so before."

Darren froze. His jaw moved as if he was chewing on his words. "I don't know how to explain the differences away," he said eventually. "So there's no point in thinking about it." 

Eclipse felt something strange in his gut. Like warm and cold at the same time. He felt angry when he saw how torn Darren looked. So that was it. He wanted to hurry because he did not want to take the time... to be scared?

"Maybe there is a point," Eclipse said slowly. The rain kept falling but at least the archway was big enough to hold it off. The sound here had echoes in it as if they were standing in a cavern. "You know, when I don't know how to explain stuff my Dad practices with me."

Darren smiled lopsidedly. "Grace used to do that, too. With our kids."

"See? We can try it if you like."

Darren huffed. He nodded politely at a passing dwarf, a hooded figure with a bulky cloak that hid their belongings. Then, he turned back to Eclipse. "Alright, I'll humour you," he said quietly. "Go ahead, Eclipse. What would you ask if you were my aunt?"

"Uh... where have you been?" Eclipse offered.

"In the Plaguelands, fighting the Scourge," Darren said.

Eclipse nodded. "Okay. Why didn't you come back sooner?"

"I..." Darren fell silent, already looking miserable again.

Eclipse's ears went down. That was quick. He stammered, "N-nevermind. We can stop."

"No," said Darren. "I didn't look for them because I helped somebody else find their way home," he decided. "Twilight and Arcus - but they don't need to know that."

"Is - is that really the reason?" Eclipse asked very quietly.

"...No. That was only what happened in the end. I'll skip the parts in between."

Eclipse bit his lip. The puddle beneath his feet froze and he made a step to the side so his hoof would not get stuck to the ground. Darren was upset again. Eclipse remembered the time when Darren had explained his past to Eclipse and his parents. "I am deeply ashamed for what I did." That was what he had said. That was why he wanted to keep his time as a death knight a secret. And - Eclipse felt like a fool for not noticing it - that was why he was without armour and sword right now. Darren looked almost like the other humans in Stormwind. Almost.

"It's a good reason. And it's not a lie," Eclipse admitted. "Okay, I can think of one more question." He grimaced uncomfortably. "What's with the weird little horse?"

"That's my friend," Darren said instantly. "And he's a pony, not a horse." He smiled at Eclipse, nodding firmly. "Thank you, Eclipse. Alright. I'm going to do this."

Eclipse smiled back.

"You're welcome. You're my friend, too. And hey, I bet it helps that you're bringing that friend along. So your family can see what a nice guy you are, you know?"

Darren raised his brows.

"Just saying," Eclipse muttered, his face flushing.





Darren checked the note on his map twice before he raised his fist to knock at the wooden door. Eclipse shook himself again, taking care not to spray Darren with the water he had collected in his coat. The door opened inwards, revealing a scrawny human. He was as tall as Darren but only half his weight. His skin was darker than that of most humans Eclipse had seen so far. Brown eyes mustered Darren but could not make out much under the hood. Eclipse hid a grin as he realized that the teenager's features were still very similar to his teacher's. His clothes were simple and light and he did not wear any shoes. Eclipse counted five toes on each foot. It seemed that every human had the same number of these. 

"H-hello?" It was more of a question than a greeting.

"Hello," said Darren. He cleared his throat. "Does Emily Fletcher live here?"

The surprised boy frowned. "Yeah?"

"I'd like to talk to her, please." Darren put his hood down to reveal his face. He offered a strained smile.

"I'll ask." He pushed the door closed except for a narrow crack.

"Daaad! There's a man here who wants to see Gran," the boy shouted over his shoulder.

Gran? Eclipse mouthed, exchanging a look with Darren.

Footsteps approached and the door opened again. The boy was replaced by Dad, presumably, who looked the same age as Darren. So he was probably about ten years younger. It was kind of hard to tell the age of humans, Eclipse decided, but at least the way they behaved usually gave it away. He had a rosy skin and grey eyes. His light brown hair was cut short like Jonathan's. He and Darren just stared at each other for a second, then, the man frowned.

"Have we met?" he asked briskly. His eyes wandered to Darren's tattoo, then to Eclipse who gave a hesitant smile, trying his best to keep his mouth shut.

"Y-yes." Darren nodded. "But you don't recognize me," he observed. "I suppose it really has been one hell of a long time."

"That's the problem," said the man warily. "You look like somebody I know. But that's impossible."

"I am your cousin, Stephen."

The color drained from the man's face. The door was shut with a dull bang.

Darren just stared at the door, his mouth slightly agape. His hand twitched.

"What? What'd I do?" he asked, completely flustered. "Also, why does everyone keep slamming doors in my face?"

Eclipse shrugged. "I dunno. Maybe he thinks you're a ghost."

Darren laughed bitterly. "That would be just the thing."

"I mean, it makes sense. Aren't you supposed to be dead? Like, missing in the frozen wastes of Northrend?"

"Yes, but - I'm not - obviously! And ghosts are transparent!"

Eclipse groaned, hiding his face in his hoof. There was something very strange going on with his teacher. He was usually so smart! When did he become like this? It was time to put an end to it.

"This is stupid," Eclipse declared. "I'm gonna try again." He raised his hoof and pounded at the door.

It swung open so fast that somebody had to have been waiting directly behind it. Eclipse almost fell over since he had put most of his weight into the knock.

The man was there again, his expression unreadable.

"Who are you really?" he asked.

"Darren - Darren Fletcher."

"By all the spirits!"

"Can we come in? Please?"





It was not a rich home. But they had a large table in the kitchen. The entire Fletcher family, consisting of the parents, three children and grandmother, sat around it, exchanging awkward glances. The only sound were the raindrops hitting the windows and the mewing of a black cat that strode around the room, looking for a hand to pet her. Stephen had invited Darren for lunch, provided that he explain himself, and told his children that "a friend of the family" was here for a short visit. 

Darren had insisted that they set a plate for Eclipse, getting a confused and slightly disgusted look from Stephen's wife. She was a beautiful, slender woman called Marina with long, curly black hair and brown, kind eyes. Those eyes currently rested on Darren, eyeing him with a mix of suspicion and expectation, while she put noodles and tomato sauce on everybody's plates with a quick hand.

Nobody said anything until the old woman at the end of the table cleared her throat. Her wheelchair creaked as she leaned forward, putting the palms of her hands together.

"Light bless this meal and our community," she said solemnly. "And embrace the souls of our fallen." She raised her head and smiled. "Now everybody dig in!" she declared happily, completely oblivious to the tense atmosphere. "Nice of you to drop by, " she told Darren with a warm smile that made the wrinkles around her sunken eyes deepen. "Is Janeck coming, too?"

Darren frowned. "I thought he -"

"Mother, Janeck's not here," Stephen said in a suddenly very kind tone.

"Grandpa's gone," muttered the teenaged boy who had opened the door.

"I'm sorry," Eclipse said, feeling bad for them. He regretted it instantly as everybody gaped at him. The girl who sat opposite to him unconsciously opened her mouth. Noodles fell out and onto her plate but nobody noticed.

Eclipse blushed. "I mean, I'm sorry you lost your grandpa," he said. "That must have been really hard."

"It was long ago," said the girl, picking her noodles up again. "I was just a baby."

"Pretty much everyone we lost died twelve years ago," said the other girl who was little older than her sister. "I can't remember any of them really."

"Except for Darren, he went missing in action before that," Stephen told her. He turned to Darren. "We have no idea what happened to him."

"How's Grace?" the old woman interrupted him, her eyes shining. "Your wife always made the best strawberry pie."

Darren faked a polite smile. "She's gone, I'm afraid."

"Yes, of course, I know, darling! Give her and the kids my regards when you leave, will you?"

Completely confused, Eclipse salted his tomato sauce until the hand of the boy stopped him.

"You're using pepper."

"Crap," Eclipse muttered. He tried to brush some of the pepper off with his spoon but was unsuccessful. The sauce was too sticky for that.

"Grandma Emily gets a little confused sometimes," Marina said apologetically.

"I used to call her Auntie Em," Darren said lightly, stuffing noodles into his mouth.

The younger girl giggled. "Really?"

"Vera," Marina said quietly, putting her hand on her daughter's.

"Stephen, I don't want to lie to you," said Darren. "It will sound strange, perhaps even outrageous, but please. Hear me out."

"Darren, dear, whatever it it, you can tell us," said Emily warmly.

Marina took a sip from her cup with shivering hands, hiding her face.

Eclipse's eyes widened as he realized what was going on with the old woman.

"Missus Fletcher," he said, putting his fork down. "Darren's not a ghost. We're totally real."

"Are you a unicorn?" Vera asked curiously.

"Uh... I don't have a horn," Eclipse said, taken aback. "I got wings, see?" He stretched his wings a little.

Vera gasped. Her older brother grinned broadly.

"Didn't you say you were all grown up?" he teased her.

Vera frowned darkly at him. "What's that got to do with anything?" she snapped at him.

"Vera loves unicorns," her older sister told Eclipse, sounding annoyed. "She's now sitting across her life's dream, you know."

"I'm a pegasus, not a unicorn. My name's Eclipse. What's yours?"

"Beatrice." The girl threw her curly brown hair back, getting another amused smirk from her older brother. "And that buffoon over there is Carl."

Carl rolled his eyes and resumed eating.

"Enough of that," Stephen said, his voice strained. "Now..."

"Right." Darren cleaned his throat, raising his brows.

Eclipse frowned darkly at his mentor. His tomato sauce was a lump of rust-coloured ice around his spoon.

Marina stood up and put another log into the oven.

"Alright, kids, please excuse us," said Stephen firmly. "Vera, you still have homework to do."

"And Carl, your room is a mess. We can't clean it unless you tidy it up." Marina stacked the plates and collected the cutlery in the pot. As she put them away, the children stood up, not without half-hearted protest. The look Marina gave them made one thing clear: Don't embarrass us in front of our guest. As soon as the children had gone upstairs, Marina sat down again and faced Darren and Eclipse.

"Sorry about that," she said.

Darren and Eclipse could not help but grin. It was just all too familiar.