Fluttershy was still in her house, occupied to feed and take care of all her animals and check on Unified, maybe more than necessary but she couldn't help it. He was a newborn after all. He had been asleep since he hatched in the morning and it was already noon. Fluttershy would have loved to keep watching him at all times but she had to go help Applejack to deal with some annoying vermin in her orchard.
"Could I ask you to keep an eye on Unified? I'll try not to be too long but I'm sure he'll be happy to have some company if I'm not back" She asked to all the animals present in her house.
"Don't worry, he won't go anywhere" Assured the little bunny Angel puffing out his chest.
"Oh I'm sure it'll be fine, he is too young to move."
"You can go easy, we will take care of him" Said a little sparrow with red wings flying right in front of her.
"Thank you very much Brightwing. I'll see all of you later" Fluttershy said before leaving, closing the door behind her.
The many animals gathered around the sleeping dragon. They had all agreed to give him a chance before judging him so they would let him stay here as long as he behaved. Most had been convinced by Unified attitude despise many having concerns for the right head of the dragon named Skaly, more agressive than the other heads.
After five minutes they all separated and went outside or just to do something else but both Angel and Brightwing choose to remain around the dragon and each with a different reason.
"Do you think he'll be hungry when he will wake up?" Asked the sparrow in a whisper.
"Maybe but it doesn't matter right? There's no gems for him here so he'll have to wait." Replied Angel a bit harshly.
"Can't you be a bit more tolerant? He's just a baby."
"A baby that speaks! That's not normal, I don't think we should trust him too much."
"Keep it down, we don't want to wake him up!" Brightwing scolded him.
"Pshh relax. He's a dragon just like Spike, it means he can't understand us."
"We can hear you." Said a groggy voice on the cushion.
The duo of animals looked at the dragon to see that Skaly was awake and visibly not very happy.
"You understand what we say?" Asked Angel in disbelief.
"Yeah? Is it that weird?"
"What are you talking about?" Sage said also waking up, raising his neck and forcing Rex to wake up too.
"The fact that you can understand us perfectly but still speaking in Equish. Before you I've never heard of a dragon understanding our language but don't worry, it's just a little surprising. Nothing to worry about." Reassured him Brightwing.
"Guys? Where's mom?" Asked Rex suddenly very aware of his surroundings, looking around frenetically.
"Oh no." Sighed Skaly already knowing what was coming.
"Mom?" Called Sage starting to panic.
"MOM!" Screamed Rex.
As no answer came, both him and Sage started to call for her with great screams and big tears, completely panicking.
"Mom where are you?" They both cried.
"Oh both of you are just crybabies! She probably just left to do... something, just stop crying!" Admonished Skaly getting angry at them, yelling for a different reason.
"Rex, Sage, calm down. Fluttershy just left to help Applejack, she will be back soon alright?" Tried to calm them Brightwing much more nicely than Skaly.
"Could you just stop crying?! You two are way too loud!" Added Angel.
"Angel you're really not helping right now."
"Mom!" They kept crying while Skaly was literally shaking his head angrily, incapable to stop the cries to enter his ears as he tried to go under the cushion without success.
"I swear you two are completely useless!"
What none of the three heads realized what that their cries attracting all the animals of the house, birds flying above them and landing on the beams above the dragon. The many mouses, bunnies and other critters gathering around Unified. When a ferret showed in front of them, Skaly finally noticed their presence and he did not appreciate that.
"Get back!" He hissed furiously as the two other heads kept crying.
"Unified, you need to calm down. Everything is alright, no one is here to hurt you, we are all your friends." Tried to calm them Brightwing.
"Don't come closer!" Continued Skaly.
All the animals stopped except for Brightwing who get getting closer very slowly, watching Skaly growling and not leaving her out of his sight. Carefully, she landed in front on Unified and tried to get the attention of the three heads.
"Rex, Sage, there is nothing to be sad about. Yes Fluttershy isn't here right now but she will come back very soon, you just need to be a bit more patient." Continued the sparrow, getting the attention of Sage.
"But m-mom, *sniff*, mom isn't here."
"Flutt- Mom didn't left you. She had to go help her friend Applejack, just because she is not here doesn't mean she won't come back right? Look around you, we all live with Fluttershy because she is a good friend and take good care of us. Do you think I would lie about that? That she would leave all of us?"
"N-no but-" Tried Rex still sobbing heavily.
"No but. She will come back, you just need to wait a bit. Do you think you can do that?" Brightwing asked with a genuine smile, just a bit more stern than before.
"Promise?" Both Rex and Sage asked, slowly stopping their tears.
"Yes, I promise."
"Well that's a relief. I swear Fluttershy never had such a baby in years." Said Angel getting closer.
"Be careful of who you call 'baby', little bunny." Growled Skaly.
"You're not that much taller than me so don't call me little. And you are a baby, a loud one too."
The two kept starring at each other for a few seconds before the sounds of hoofs trotting nearby were heard. Forgetting all the other animals around him, all the heads of Unified looked toward the door with an extreme anticipation until it finally opened. But it was quickly turned into a little deception as a purple unicorn wearing a saddlebag entered.
"Fluttershy? Are you here? I got some gems for you." Twilight happily said.
Her eyes quickly looked around Unified and she lost her smile, worried as why two of his heads had clearly been crying and looking at the dragon surrounded by animals.
"Is everything alright?" She asked, closing the door before coming closer.
"Aunti Twilight, do you know where is mom?" Asked Sage.
"Aunti? I'm not- *sigh*. No I'm sorry, I thought she would be here." Answered Twilight taken aback by how the dragon was seeing her.
"The little bird told us that she was helping Applejack." Replied Skaly calm again, relaxed by the presence of the unicorn.
"Oh that's great, I'm sure she won't be long."
Right after she said that, Twilight froze. It was another mystery, or an abnormality, that she couldn't understand. The fact that Unified could speak Equish was already shocking enough but for him to also be able to comprehend the animals language didn't made any sense. She looked at him with wide eyes as the three heads were getting uncomfortable by her reaction.
"Twilight? Are you alright?" Asked Rex.
"She isn't." Replied Skaly.
"Maybe she's sick?" Suggested Sage.
The small conversation was just enough to bring back Twilight who shook her head before addressing the dragon again.
"Huh Unified? Do you mind if I ask you some questions?"
"Sure! I love games!" Said Rex.
"Right. First, how do you know how to speak?"
"Why not?" Answered Sage.
She did not expected that. Of all the answers he could have gave her he just stated the obvious. But maybe that wasn't the right way to do.
"Yes but babies aren't supposed to talk right after birth right? Do you know why you can when nopony else can?"
"Huh..." Rex had no idea of what he could say so he looked at his brothers.
"Don't look at me, I don't know that either!" Avoided Skaly.
"I think I know but I can't describe it. It's like it's there but was already there before." Answered Sage as he looked to focus a lot, eyes closed tightly and with an uncertain voice.
"Before? Do you know before what?" Continued Twilight feeling that she was on the right track, her magic writing notes on a piece of parchment she took out of her saddlebag. She wouldn't admit it but she came here more to satisfy her curiosity than bringing the gems.
"No. It's like I always knew that." He finally replied, giving up as he couldn't remember or know anything else that could explain that.
"Too bad. I suppose it's the same with how you can understand animals?"
"You can't?" Asked Rex surprised.
"Well no, only Fluttershy can thanks to her cutie mark." Explained Twilight.
"Cutie Mark? What's that?" Asked Sage.
"Here." She said showing her flank, showing a mark representing a purple star surrounded by white ones. "My cutie mark represent my talent with magic while Fluttershy's represent her kindness and talent for animals."
"Incoming!" Somepony screamed outside.
Not a second after that shout a blue pegasus crashed into the cottage, passing right in the open door and right next to Twilight before landing on the ground brutally, slowing down with her hoofs before hitting the wall. Unified's reaction was of surprise before growling, Skaly apparently still extremely wary of everypony. Standing up with a groan, pushing aside her rainbow mane, the pegasus looked around excited before noticing Twilight.
"Hey Twilight! Have you seen Fluttershy?" Said Rainbow Dash.
"Apparently helping Applejack. What are you doing here?"
"Well it started because Pinkie told me that there was somepony new in town so we went to see Rarity. After that we choose to pick up Fluttershy but I didn't expected you to be here." Explained Rainbow Dash.
"Wait did you just said us?" Asked Twilight with a bad feeling.
Just after she said that, and just to prove her right, a pink glow passed before her and went through all the animals around Unified without even touching a single one. Twilight couldn't do anything as Pinkie Pie rushed before Unified and grabbed all the shocked three heads with her forelegs, a massive smile on her face before a torrent of words flowed out of her mouth.
"Ohmyyouresocute! My name is Pinkie Pie! I knew somepony new, or rather somedragon, was in town! I felt it this morning but it was weird, it was like if you were already here since a while but not here! That's crazy! And then I remembered the little egg! Do you like cakes? What's your favorite flavour? Apple? Chocolate or vanilla?"
Unified was too shocked by the large amount of words and the suddenness of the situation to properly reply but one head acted on pure instinct. Skaly lunged forward and chew Pinkie's mane furiously as his teeth went through the hairs without knowing what it was.
"Oh silly dragon, you can't eat that! Gummy do the same all the time but it's not good. Here! Have some cake!" Replied Pinkie pie taking a small cake out of her mane, forcing Skaly to stop his assault as all three heads were looking at the cake.
No need to say that it didn't took more for them to dig in, ferociously attacking the cake.
"Wait. That's the egg? A dragon with three heads? That's so cool!" Exclaimed Rainbow Dash not shocked by Pinkie's behaviour and flying above Unified.
"Pinkie leave the poor dear alone, he's just a baby. I'm sure he can't even understand you and you clearly frightened him. And now look at your mane!" Rarity said, already at the door as she came along with Pinkie.
"Well I'm sure she won't mind right pinkie? And could you just move back a bit? I'm sure they would enjoy a bit more space." Twilight called the pink earth pony.
"Okey dokey lokey!" Cheered Pinkie before jumping away.
"Is everything alright?" An almost inaudible voice asked at the door.
Right there stood Fluttershy not very confident and visibly quite worried followed by Applejack, both of them surprised to see the rest of their friends in Fluttershy's cottage. Unified however didn't seemed to notice as all three heads were still inside the cake.
"It's because I felt that there was somepony new in town!" Explained Pinkie before Twilight could even speak.
"Oh. That's very nice of you to think about it Pinkie." Thanked Fluttershy flying toward Unified, landing next to him and petting his necks and forcing all the animals to walk back a bit, leaving more space for the mares.
All heads suddenly got out, face and lips bathed in cake, to see who dared to pet them before seeing the warm smile that Fluttershy was giving them.
"Mom!" All three cheered, hugging and muzzling her, leaving a few trails of cake on her clean fur.
"Mom?!" Asked all the other mares except Twilight.
"Yes. Girls, let me introduce you Unified. So...huh... it's a bit weird but there is Skaly, Sage and Rex." Explained Fluttershy with her small gentle voice and pointing at each head accordingly with it's name. "They all have a name and their shared name is Unified."
"So... mind explaining why he- they called you mom?" Asked Rainbow Dash.
"Well it was a bit unexpected but considering that I kept watching on them for a few weeks I think it's not wrong."
"Mom who are they?" Asked Rex.
"They're my friends. There is Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Rarity and Applejack. Along with Twilight and myself, we are the Elements of Harmony." Answered Fluttershy.
"Howdy partner!" Greeted Applejack swiftly bowing her hat.
"Nice to meet you darling, the pleasure is all mine. Even if some manners could help." Continued Rarity looking at the spots of cake in Fluttershy's coat with a slight disgust.
"I'm Rainbow Dash, fastest flyer of all Equestria and futur member of the Wonderbolts!" Proudly stated Rainbow puffing out her chest.
"And I'm Pinkie Pie but you already know that!" Finished the over-excited pony.
"They are like Twilight?" Wondered Rex.
"Well yes, they're my best friends." Assured Fluttershy.
"That's four more aunts!" Rejoiced the head, not a single mark of the tears left.
"Yeah I know!" Sage agreed also suddenly overjoyed.
"How can you two be so happy after crying and whining like babies?" Asked Skaly still annoyed at how his brothers were far too emotive.
"Cry?" Asked Fluttershy suddenly very worried.
"I think I can explain." Intervened Twilight taking a step forward. "When I arrived I saw that both Rex and Sage were crying all their tears and it seemed to have been the case for a little time already. It turns out that when they woke up, not seeing you anywhere made them afraid. I had to explain that you were occupied helping Applejack and that you didn't abandoned them but your animals had already started to ease their fears. To resume, they simply were sad to not see you when they woke up."
"Oh Unified, I am so sorry." Hugged him Fluttershy right after Twilight finished her explanations. "You don't have to be sad or to worry about anything, I will never abandon you. I may not be always near you, but I will always be here if you need me."
"It's okay mom, we're sorry too." Nuzzled her back Rex.
"Well it's not that I don't want to stay but I need to get back to my boutique, I promised Sweety Belle to help her with her homework." Announced Rarity.
"Ah think I could do the same for Applebloom but ah need to help Bic Mac finish bucking the fields." Agreed Applejack.
"Well... you're a cool little dude but- I- I also have some cool stuff to do." Said Rainbow Dash only managing to convinced Unified.
"Oh! Oh! I need to make more cakes! I'm not supposed to be on break!" Jumped Pinkie before running out of the cottage.
"I guess I'll take my leave too, I got some answers from Unified. I believe there is much more to discover about him. Oh and here are some gems for him, Spike made sure that they were of suitable size and taste!" Finally said Twilight putting back her notes in her saddlebags to take the gems, proud of her assistant's awareness.
"Oh, okay. I'll stay here for the afternoon if you need me!" Replied Fluttershy in an almost whisper, placing the gems on the table, out of the little dragon's reach.
"Us too!" Cheered all the three heads of Unified.
"Sure! I just have a reply from Princess Celestia, she said that she would have loved to be there for it's hatching and that she will try to come see Unified as soon as possible. But she also warned that if Unified would and I quote 'do something regrettable', she would take the matter into her own hooves." Twilight said talking to Fluttershy while addressing a glance to the little dragon who thankfully didn't seemed to get the point.
"What does she mean?" Asked Fluttershy worried.
"She's the one who who taught Spike of Ponies values and rules and not to act against them, I think she would offer a similar teaching. But don't worry, it's Princess Celestia after all. And I'm sure everything will be alright with Unified." Waved Twilight as her and all her friends leaved Fluttershy's cottage.
The shy yellow pegasus returned to her proteges and dedicated to them for the rest of the day. Unified didn't remained long on her mind as not long after her friends had left, he kept talking with all the animals of her house. Seeing how he acted this afternoon, they all considered he wasn't a danger and was just in need for a bit more help and support, leading to them staying around him and playing, each head playing a different game with different animals. At the end of the day, they were so tired that they fell asleep quickly.
Fluttershy listened to her animals, how they helped Unified to deal with her absence, how they kept him company through the day which allowed her to spend a bit more time with the other animals rather than focusing on Unified. She rewarded them with a bit more food than usual for their meal. But just enough to not be too much.
Once they were all fed, she took a bit more time to remake Unified's bed and placed a small cover on his body, looking at him with a warm smile and an almost motherly gleam in her eyes.
Fluttershy went to bed her mind at ease, happy that all her friends were able to meet Unified, that her animals acted very nicely without asking them and happy to be able to take care of Rex, Sage and Skaly. She might not have been taking care of a baby dragon before but she was confident she would make a great job, certain that she was up to the task.