//------------------------------// // Book1. Chapter4. Home sweet home. // Story: The journeys and adventures of Grand Shield. // by Equestriapatriot //------------------------------// Buuuuzzzzzzz.......Buuuuuzzzzzz... Is the only sound I can hear in the waiting room at the hospital. My mind wanders as the hours goes, and i think back at the rescue. I never thought that I could have done anything like that in a million years. As a human I was never anything close to an athlete, and how could i move like that in the air? I was terrible at it just minutes before. But the more i thought of it, the more questions popped up in my head, so I decided to let it go for now. Instead I was about to break the silence, when the doctor came in the room smiling. Ember dance was up on her hooves as quick as lightning and was just as fast in front of the doctor and said. "How is she doctor?! How is my little filly?!" "your daughter is fine. as i said her wing was broken in several places and on top of that two of her ribs got fractured.... But.", He said before she could interrupt. "they were all clean. So she will recover in no time, and I think that her wing may become even stronger than before." We all sighed in union as we heard the good news and the tension that had been built in the room disappeared. "Can we see her?", Flapping asked doctor Stable. "Of course you can, right this way." He showed us the way to the room where Wish was located, who was awake, alert and well. "Hi mom, hi dad." "Oh, sweety!", her mom exclaimed and hugged her daughter tightly as Flapping did the same. "Ow! Ow! It still hurts you guys!" "Sorry.", they both said, loosening their grip a little bit. I just remembered when i had broken my leg once from falling off a tree. I was knocked unconscious, and woke up at the hospital where I found my parents standing by my bed looking really worried. When they saw that I was awake they embraced me in the same way as Wishes parents did now and my mom was telling me over and over again how worried I've made her and dad, and that I should never, ever do it again. I felt sad and just a tiny bit of regret. But I am home, and well. My parents would not begrudge my happiness. I just wish I could have told them this, and show them that everything is fine. "Why are you crying?", I heard Ember ask me with concern. *Crying?! I'm not crying....*, I thought and searched my face with a hoof to find the tears that was pouring from my tear ducts. "Um, um. i'm just so happy that you're all well.",I said in attempt to save the situation. "That is so sweet of you.", Ember said and smiled again, as did Flapping, but I could see in Wishes face that she saw I was hiding something. She didn't look pleased. Doctor Stable told us that Wish needed to stay at the hospital over the night and that we could come and get her to morrow. While leaving the room so that she could rest I could feel her glare the whole way out burn into the back of my head in the search for an answer to what I was hiding. -------------------------------------------------------------- "And this is our house.", Flapping said with warmth. "It may not be much, but it is our home." Not much was a serious understatement. It was two times higher than the neighbors houses, and was in a surprisingly good shape to be left alone when they are out on the road. The facade was in a beautiful bright yellow color and the roof was made by what looked like still fresh straw, neatly laid by hoof. The garden was full of different kinds of flowers in all the colors of the rainbow and no weeds were to be found. "It is beautiful." "Thank you, but don't stand there all day. Come with us and we will show you the inside." I followed the couple as they showed the rest of the house which was just as beautiful as the outside. The kitchen was small but cozy and very neat, although Ember dance said that she was not much of a cook. The living room was well furnished with plush armchairs and one big sofa in front of a big fireplace. They also had a room dedicated to their years as performers, with walls covered with posters and pictures of their group, and display cases were filed with old outfits and gadgets. They also showed me the bathroom, in case I wanted to wash of some of the dirt. I politely declined the offer because I didn't want to show them my blank flank. "Here is your room boy.", Flapping said when the tour of the house was over. My room was just as i liked it, big, bright and with a big bed. "It may be a bit spartan.", Ember excused. "No, i like it this way." "That's good then. And remember, you can stay for as long as you want.", Flapping said. "Now if you excuse us, we must go to the market to buy some food. You should also go out and look around for a while.", Ember told me. I followed them out and then walked the opposite direction to were they were going. The town was lively, and full of ponies in all the colors of the rainbow wich almost every singel one of them was looking at me as I passed them. I tried not to think about it as I awed over the colorful and magnificent town of Ponyville. *Wait a minute.*, i thought as I closed in on a building. *I recognize this shop... It's sugarcube corner* And that's when i felt how hungry i was. *A muffin or two should be nice.*, I thought as i walked over and in to the shop. It looked just as it looked in the show, with desks full of pastries and cakes of all sorts, I walked to the counter and rang the bell, and was soon greeted by mr cake. "Hello there, what can i get for you today?" "Hi, i would like two chocolate chip muffins please." "Coming right up, that will be four bits, mr?" "Shield, Grand shield.", I said as I was reaching for the wallet I did not have. Mr cake stopped in his effort to get me my muffins and stared at me with his mouth wide open. "Oh, sorry. It seems I've forgot my money at home and... "Did you say Grand shield?!", He interrupted. "Um... Yes i did. Why?" "Why?!.. You're a hero, that's why! Honey! Honey! You'll never believe who's here!" "Who is it!", she asked. "It's that hero, shield!" "Oh! I'll be right there.",she said excitedly. "I'm just going to put the finishing touches on the cake." I think i speak for both of us when I say, your money are no good here mr shield, here have as many muffins you want.", he exclaimed and swooped with his hoof to emphasize his words. "In that case.", I said and shrugged. "I will have a few of those over there." "Coming right up.", he said and started to fill a bag with the goods. As he filled the bag to the brim I heard a well known voice coming from behind me, and the sound of hooves coming closer. "Oh I hope that that Grand guy will like the party.", I heard Pinkie pie say really excitedly to somepony. "I highly doubt that he will do anything but love it Pinkie.", Twilight assured. "Your right, besides....", she stopped. I turned around to see what was the matter and saw her looking at me. It looked like she was thinking really hard, and without any warning she lifted from the air, just like she did the first time she saw Twilight and exclaimed. "NEW PONY!! DOUBLE PARTY!!" And then sprung out of the shop with a big dust cloud following her until she was gone. All three of us was looking at the door with raised eyebrows, until Twilight spoke. "You must excuse my friend, she really loves parties and making new friends, and we were about to make a party for some colt named Grand... shield I think. Anyway, when she saw you I think she got the idea to make it into a double party instead." "Well that won't be such a good double party then, since I can't duplicate, at least last I checked." "I'm sorry?", she said and looked confused. "Im the one you were throwing the party to in the first place. I'm Grand.", i said and put my hoof in front of me to shake hers. "... Oh. So you're Grand." She said and blushed. "Um, I'm Twilight sparkle." She took my hoof and shook it as she studied me as she have studied the countless books she read over the years. "I've heard what you did. That was really heroic of you, standing up against a worgen on your own like that to save some strangers." "I did what anybody else would do." "Anybody?" "Um, i mean anypony." She forgot my blunder and continue the conversation. "I highly doubt that. Even Rainbow dash would think twice before doing something like that. In all of my books about monsters it always says that the fastest and easiest way to deal with one is with magic, and even then it's hard. You must be a really skilled flyer and warrior to pull something like that of without any magic." "Yeah, something like that.", I said and scratched the back of my head. While i was talking to Twilight Mrs cake had entered the room and started to fill another bag with a bunch of other sweets. "Anyway, I gotta find pinky and stop her before she does something way beyond a normal party when she thinks there are two of you. Bye." she waved her hoof and started to walk. "Cya at the party.", I said and winked. She looked me in the eyes for a split second and then turned away, and I could swear that she blushed. I didn't know why though. "Here's your goods.", Mr cake said and handed, or shold i say hoofed me the bag which was filled to the brim. "Plus some extra, hero.", Mrs cake added and gave me the bag she had filled. I thanked them and small talked for a bit, and with the bags safely hung around my neck I said my goodbyes as I was on my way to find some nice place to sit down and eat some of my pastries. I found a nice spot near the river, where i sat down and digged in. It was delicious. Way better than all of the things my favorite café Günter's could make, and Günter himself was the one who made the wedding cake for the Crownprincess victoria's wedding, so that is not a small feat. As i was about to grab my second croissant i felt something fussy in the bag. I looked down and saw a snow white rabbit munching to it's hearts content. "Hey there little guy.", I said and caught the rabbits atencion. "I think i know you." "Angel!" I heard the the soft voice all bronies known so well as the voice of fluttershy. "Where is your manners!? You can't just... Iiiph!" She reacted just as I thought she would when she found out that I was a stranger, by screaming in her own little way then cower and hide her face behind her hair and look away. "Is this your bunny?", I asked and nodded at Angel. "Mhm.",she nodded. "I'm s. .o.y .. sh. .ous.. y.u a.. tr....e", she whispered with no way for anyone to understand. "I'm sorry, what did you say?" "I'm so sorry if she caused you any trouble." "Not at all.", I said, picked up angel in the angle scruff and carried her to fluttershy. "Here you go." I said and put her down. "Thank you." She murmured and watched her hoof as it kicked the ground softly a few times. I was just about to say something when Angel darted towards town and fluttershy chased after her trying to convince her to stop. "Angel bunny! Wait!" My glance followed them as they moved away from me and I smiled. I decided that i was full and i took a few of the pastries and throw them in the river to a few ducks and took the rest of them with me to share with the family I had saved. I could still not believe what i had done, but there was no denial that so was the case. *Maybe all the time I spent in the arcade was paying off.* I chuckled. ---------------------------------------------------- "Welcome home!", I herd Ember say as I entered the house. "I poured you a bath before the dinner, you are a bit dirty on your flank." *SHIT!*, I thought as my mind were going on overdrive to find a solution. "There's no need for that. I'm not that dirty." She stuck her head out from the kitchen. "I think you need it, and dinner is not done in at least half an hour so you got time. Go on.", she almost ordered, pointed with her hoof at the stairs and then went back to whatever she did in the kitchen. I stood still and considered my options for a while and was then stopped in my thoughts once again by Embers voice. "I don't hear anyone going up stairs and taking a bath.",she sung. I decided that it should be best if i did what she said and I dropped my bags on a bench and then walked up the stairs, went all the way the hall and entered the last door to the left where a big round tub was filled with hot soapy water. *I'll just take the bath and then figure out what to do afterwards.* I dipped a hoof in the water and i decided that it was just perfect. The rest of my body followed in with it and before I noticed I really enjoyed the means of the revelation of my blank flank. After I scrubbed my fur coat thoroughly for about twenty minutes I got out of the tub, shacked my body like a dog and then grabbed a towel that was neatly placed on a shelf for me and dried what was left of the water from my body. I saw that they had a full body mirror, so i wiped of the condensation from the glass and once again inspecting my body. Now my fur was shining along with my hair that i had combed to a backslick as i usually do when I lived in sweden and I also noticed that my eyes were blue as they were when I where human. I was glad for that, because I had always loved my eyes... My mother's eyes. "I have no time for this!", I snapped at my self. *I need to cover my flank.* I was looking around in the bathroom after something i could use, and a thinking of a good excuse to why. I looked behind the mirror and found a roll of bandages that I took and wrapped it around my flank until you could not see it. I tied it and thought it looked good enough. When I was just about done I herd Ember dance yelling. "Dinner's ready!" I took deep breaths from my nose as i walked down the stairs, it smelled outstanding. Only on my best days I could cook something that smells as good, and that don't happen often, and even though I had eaten myself full only an hour ago I instantly got hungry again. I walked into the kitchen where several dishes were placed on the table, to my surprise they also had one of my favorites, Ratatouille. "Come on and sit down lad.", Flapping said with his mouth full. Embers elbow found its way to his side as she said. "Manners honey, we got an honor guest in the room." "Ouch! Yeah, sure, sorry.", he said and rubbed his side. I sat down and helped myself to some of the ratatouille, which was just as tasty as it smelled, and listened and answered to what they had to say. "So where do you come from?", Ember asked. "Not that it is really noticeable, but you do have an accent that i can't put my finger on." "I come from a little village in the outskirts of Equestria, which has it's own dialect.", I lied. "What do you call this village?", Flapping wondered. "We called it Sweden." That's an odd name." Flapping pointed out. "Whait. What do you mean with called?" "It is no more. Sweden was destroyed by dragon a few years ago." I was shocked on how good i was att making these things up, and that they were actually buying it. *I guess that all those years on stage was doing some good.* "I have been moving on from village to village and from town to town since then." "That's terrible.", Ember said compassionately. "Why didn't you return to rebuild?", Flapping asked. "I had no family there, and i have not had any for a long time before. So the thought to return was just silly. so i left, and as far as i know it may still be in ruins." There were an awkward silence in the room, if you don't count the sound of teeth chewing until Flapping broke it by saying. "This food is truly wonderful honey." "Thank you love, you want another Grilled dandelion?" "Yes thank you honey. So just lived on the road, hu?", he said and turned to me once again. "Yeah, I guess I did." "It must be awfully lonely when your on your own like that.", Ember said. "Very.", I assured her and thought about how lonely I had felt on Earth. "But you get used to it." We keep on talking about several other things as we ate, and when we were done Flapping and I went to the living room as Ember prepared the dessert. "Your wife is a splendid cook.", I said to flapping who took his place in one of the armchairs. "I know, it's terrible." "Excuse me?" "Her cooking usually stinks, and when it's starting to taste good you know that something is wrong. I think she is worried about Wish." "Aren't you then?" "No, not any more. I have complete and utter trust in Doctor stable. Ember has that to, but she is the kind of mare that will not stop worrying until every scratch has heled on our daughter." "Vanilla ice cream and apricot sauce with chunks of sugar cube corner brownies.", Ember introduced while entering the room with three bowls hovering around her head. "Oh how i missed those cakes.", Flapping said with a longing smile. "Only in ponyville. You know what they say, home sweet home."