//------------------------------//
// Thought and Memory 
// Story: A Pup Named Fenrir 
// by MisterEdd 
//------------------------------//

BA-DEEP...BA-DEEP...BA-DEEP 

I continued to watch Tyr, my head resting on the unclaimed right side of his bed. Sitting silently beside me was Fluttershy, her hoof slowly stroking my back as I continued my seemingly pointless vigil of the comatose figure before me. Like clockwork, Tyr's chest steadily rose and fell, the cycle of his breathing bringing some level of comfort in the fact that he continued to live and thus had a chance of recovery, the simple action offering me but a fraction of peace of mind. Every now and then, I could make out the slight side to side movement of his eyeballs beneath the shut lids, a phenomenon that one of the pony nurses informed me was "rapid eye movement sleep," or "REMS." In essence, it was a deep phase of sleep that apparently all living things experience, something to do with high brain activity and neurons and a whole bunch of concepts that I found myself struggling to follow despite my best efforts and slew of questions.    

Who knew that biology could be so detailed and complicated? 

After my startling realization of his true identity, Princess Celestia was ready to escort everyone to the dining hall when I asked her if I could stay with Tyr and she rather graciously and accommodatingly acquiesced, ushering everyone out of the room save for Fluttershy, who elected to stay by my side for emotional support. I don't know what I would've done without her at that time and I was eternally grateful for her selfless benevolence. Doctor Life Support also remained behind, asking me a few questions about her patient's physiology and day-to-day activities, jotting down notes while I provided her with as much data as I could. She then cordially thanked me for my input and made her exit, presumably meeting back up with Princess Celestia to share her newfound information. In truth, I was happy to see her go as I felt too emotionally drained to answer anymore questions.   

BA-DEEP...BA-DEEP...BA-DEEP...

Ugh, that stupid EKG was getting on my last nerves and if it were not for the fact that it was monitoring Tyr's condition, I would've already smashed the bloody contraption to pieces. It reminded me too much of my ordeal following the battle with the chimera, an experience that I had no desire to repeat and thanked whatever cosmic force that existed here that I got off lucky, especially when compared to my late opponent. In retrospect, that was a good fight and the chimera, despite being a bloodthirsty psycho that attempted to devour three innocent fillies, had still been a worthy adversary and I couldn't help but praise it (her? Them?) for its ferocity and combat prowess. Tyr once told me that to honor a fallen foe is to acknowledge the victory one has achieved over their own weaknesses, a sentiment that I'd never really understood until now and found myself grateful for the chimera and even privately thanking the beast for its sacrifice. Now it was only a matter of time before the next fantastical inhabitant of this land picked a fight with me and I hoped that it could live up to and perhaps even exceed the chimera's capabilities.       

Aside from the continuous droning beeps of the electrocardiogram, the room was as silent as a burial mound and just as cheerful. Fluttershy continued to say nothing, apparently reading the field of despair and sorrow that I generated so she merely kneaded the skin of my back, her touch more reassuring than a million sympathetic words. Until the day that Tyr first befriended me, I never knew how much I truly craved affection until I'd received it and even then it was as if I was afraid that it was going to be snatched away. Now I felt the exact same way about the home that I made here, that this period of happiness was ephemeral and I would once again be resigned to an existence of hatred and violence. That, I think is my greatest fear: to lose all that I'd gained and become the Fenrir that I was before.

Perhaps a part of me believes that I deserve such a fate.  

"Could you tell me a story about him? Tyr, I mean."

The unexpected arrival of that melodious voice into the abode of dead air momentarily startled me. 

I peered down at Fluttershy and nodded, taking a moment to collect my thoughts. 

"The day I'd first arrived in Asgard was the scariest day of my life up to that point. I'd been dragged away from the only home I'd ever known, watched Odin toss my brother into the sea and was escorted into the dwelling place of the Aesir. Add in the fact that I was accompanied by the most feared jotann-slayer in all the Nine Realms, someone who kept his focus on me and his hand on his hammer of might and it was positively mortifying. People stood and watched as we four, that being Odin, Thor, Tyr and I, entered Asgard, with me being led on a leather leash and a muzzle strapped around my jaws, trying desperately to keep on a brave face even as I felt the pressure of a hundred eyes locked onto me. Until that instant, I'd lived in isolation with my mother and two siblings so being surrounded by so many staring faces filled me with an ineffable terror."   

"I know how that feels," Fluttershy stated sympathetically and I knew she understood.

"The gathered Aesir and Vanir all stood around as Odin explained that I'd be living with them and apart from Tyr, not one of their number glanced at me with anything other than anger, fear or disgust. Freyja called Odin a madman, Bragi looked like he wanted to vomit and Thor continued to glare in my direction with seething rage, his fingers twitching on Mjolnir's shaft. After that, Tyr alone led me to the stables, removed the lease and muzzle and promised to return posthaste. Before he left, he actually smiled at me, not one of malice or condescension but a real smile, one that was meant to be comforting. Apart from Angrboða, no one had ever given me such a look before."

As I told the story, things became much clearer. I don't know if it was a side effect of the dark magic that still had me in its iron grip, mental issues or my own distaste for ruminating on my past but I'd unwittingly reawakened memories long forgotten, recollections that I didn't revisit for fear of becoming consumed by my bitterness. However, I was wrong as that meant ignoring the good that came of it as well, namely my friendship with Tyr. This was also one of the few times that I relayed my past that wasn't in the form of exposition but rather an anecdote about my experiences.    

"That night, Tyr indeed returned, bringing with him some beef and water. Naturally, I scurried away from him, even issuing a warning growl but he patiently set the food and sat some distance away from me, remaining calm and pleasant. I inspected the meat and dug in after deeming it safe, scarfing it down as quickly as I could out of fear that it'd be removed.

'You must've been very hungry,' Tyr remarked and smiled once again. 

I didn't answer and just studied him. Unlike his ilk, he seemed to hold no ill will towards me, not even a shred of fear. At the time, I had no clue as to the reason why the gods were so spooked by the presence of a mere pup and just chalked it up to me being a warg. Anyway, it must've been an hour before Tyr stood up, dusted off his trousers and left, promising to come back later to feed me again. We continued this little ritual for about a week before I said my first words to him, them being, 'Thank you.' It was another week before I allowed Tyr to pet my head and we became fast friends after that."  

"That's so sweet," Fluttershy commented mirthfully. "You must've really loved him." 

I turned away, my joy at the memory replaced once again with sorrow. 

"I did. He was the closest thing I had to a father. Then I learned the truth about why I was there."

Nearly a year had passed following my arrival in Asgard and I was no longer the tiny pup that had initially entered the realm but now a wolf the size of a small mountain. I'd long since outgrown the stables I was kept in and was instead moved to Thrúðvangr, the home of Thor, and placed inside of a specially made kennel to accommodate my enormous stature. Thor was beyond furious at this but seeing as this was a direct order from Odin, he could do nothing but obey and pout like a child. "Step one paw out of line and I'll give you a thrashing that will make you regret being spawned," he warned me on my first day, one hand balled up into a white-knuckled fist and the other resting on Mjolnir. It was obviously an empty threat from a red-headed paper tiger as he wouldn't dare defy the Allfather so I smugly told him that I'd be on my best behavior and then took a nap right in front of him. 

I later learned he cleaved the top off a mountain in Jotannheim due to my disrespect. 

One day, after finishing off a slice of whale meat, I decided to go for a walk as I waited for Tyr to return from a god-thing at Valhalla. Tanngrisnir and Tanngnjóstr, Thor's prized goats, were grazing in a field as I lumbered past them, throwing my shadow over the pair like a giant cloak though since they'd gotten used to my presence they were not perturbed by my being there. In fact, I sometimes chatted with the two while they grazed, or rather, chatted at them considering the fact that they couldn't talk and did nothing more than bob their heads and peer up at me with their big dumb eyes. I had a half-brother Sleipnir who lived in Asgard I'd only ever seen the eight-legged stallion a handful of times but his being my blood-relation meant diddly-squat as I hated him and he I. Putting it in the nicest of terms, I thought he was a pretentious dick that thought he was oh-so high and mighty just because he was the Allfather's steed.    

I may've been permitted to wander Thrúðvangr but I was forbidden from going anywhere near Bilskirnir so I was left with little to do but aimlessly trample across the massive expanse of grasslands. I soon became fed up with this and headed back to my kennel with the intention of taking a nap. Yeah, I couldn't do much without Tyr around except eat, sleep and go for walks. Very enthusiastic walks. I curled up and closed my eyes only to be interrupted by the sound of voices outside my window, one of the speakers bearing the unmistakable baritone of Thor. 

"Absolutely ridiculous! This has gone far beyond intolerable!" 

"What did the Allfather say?"

I recognized the second speaker as the valkyrie Thrúd, the daughter of Thor and his wife Sif. She inherited her mother's admittedly stunning good looks and her father's red hair but also his contempt for me, referring to me exclusively as "Dog". That's alright, I usually call her "Bitch."  

Thor grumbled to himself. "We can't kill the mutt. I've tried again and again to convince him to put that over-sized mongrel down but he refuses to listen to reason." 

That got my attention. Peeking through my half-closed lids, I listened to the conversation with rapt interest. 

"It can't be helped," the third speaker, also a woman, groaned with exasperation. That would be Skaði, goddess of the hunt and, as I understood, the most ardent enemy of Loki as he orchestrated the death of Baldur, who Skaði was infatuated with and swore horrible revenge against the trickster. "Odin is incredibly set in his ways. Once he has decreed something, he will stand by it. There aren't many who could change his mind." 

"He's a fool!" Thor bellowed, smoke practically pouring out of his ears. "He knows what Fenrir is capable of, what he's going to do!"

What am I going to do? 

Thrúd placed a hand on her father's forearm. "Each man reacts to news of their demise differently. If Fenrir is fated to kill Odin at Ragnarok, then so be it. Grandfather wishes to go to his end with courage not cowardice."

"There is a difference between courage and pride, young one," Skaði remarked. "Fenrir will become Vánagandr. It is his destiny to join his siblings at Ragnarok, that much I do know. It'd be preferable if Odin allowed me to put an arrow in that warg's head and be done with it." 

Wait, what? Me, kill Odin? And what is this "Ragnarok" they keep talking about? I'd heard that word used but no one bothered to tell me what it means, not even Tyr, who merely alluded to it being some sort of calamitous event involving the jotnar. Was this the war that Mother spoke of? 

"You're just saying that because you're still upset about what Loki did to Baldur."

Skaði rounded on Thor, fixing him with an icy glare colder than Thrymheim.  

"Do not speak his name, Hlórriði! That bastard does not deserve even that much!" 

"Let's all calm down and reconvene back in Bilskirnir. I'm sure Mother wishes to hear of this too." 

I clamped my eyes firmly shut and let out a fake snore. Although I couldn't see it, I was certain that Thor was glaring daggers in my direction. 

"Stupid fleabag. The sooner I can bash your brains in, the better I can sleep at night." 

Once their footfalls receded into the distance, my eyes shot open and I arose with fury in my heart.

That was the reason for their animosity towards me? All of their insults and death threats were because of something that they'd been told that I'd yet to do?! They all knew but chose to keep me in the dark. 

I shuddered as the final insult that'd been lobbied against me sank in:

Tyr chose to keep me in the dark too...

I don't know how long I paced the kennel until my supposed friend entered. I turned and glared at him, a low growl emanating from my throat. He stopped dead in his tracks, though still maintained his composure. 

"Fenrir? Is something wrong?" 

"So I'm supposed to kill Odin at Ragnarok?" I spat with my hackles raised. 

His gray eyes widened in shock.

"Oh yes, I know the truth."  

"Fenrir-..." 

"You never told me," I snapped venomously. "You knew the truth, yet you kept me ignorant." 

Tyr remained planted where he was. "Yes," he admitted softly. "I did and I'm sorry. You were too young to have such knowledge heaped upon your shoulders and I couldn't bear to give you such a burden." 

To think, this man who I'd idolized and come to love as a friend had betrayed me like this. Crackling flames burned around my eyes while smoke seeped out of my mouth, every furious pant sending a little cloud into Tyr's aggrieved face.  

FEED...FEED...KILL..., The Hunger whispered, demanding fresh Aesir blood.   

"Who are you to decide that for me? I trusted you and you did this!"

Holding a hand out, Tyr took a step forward.

"Fenrir, please listen to me..."

I lunged forward and snapped at the air in front of his face, the loudest, most savage growl I could deliver booming inside the kennel.   

"Go away," I threatened him. "Do not come back..."

I sighed, "I learned about my role in Ragnarok and confronted Tyr about it. He said that he never told me since he wanted to protect me but at the time I was too upset to listen. I told him that I never wanted to see him again and I could tell that my words devastated him." 

Fluttershy leaned her head on my right foreleg and gave me a gentle hug.

"We all say things we don't mean with we're hurt, Fen. You were angry that Tyr withheld this information from you but he did it because he loved you."

"I know. It still makes me feel like an ass." 

"Please watch the language." 

"Sorry, Mother. Old habit." 

Her embrace tightened around me, drawing me into her warmth.

"It's alright. I'm sure that if Tyr was awake right now, he'd tell you that he forgives you and is sorry for lying. It's not too late to make amends." 

My gaze found Tyr's unconscious form.

"I don't know about that."

It was hours, perhaps even days after the gods managed to bind me with Gleipnir, the enchanted ribbon that even I, with all of my impressive jotann strength, couldn't break and I was left trapped on a deserted island. The real kick in the teeth, however, was my unintentional maiming of Tyr and the deprivation of the Nine Realms' greatest swordsman. Even in my anger towards him, both from his concealment about the truth of Ragnarok and the deception that left me bound, I didn't wish him ill and I certainly didn't mean to hurt him. Though I'd bitten off his hand and permanently left him crippled, Tyr refused to allow Thor to kill me, pleading with his half-brother even as the former was wracked with pain and bleeding profusely. Thor did, however, deem it fit to prevent any further injuries by jamming Tyr's sword in between my jaws.      

"Bloody bastards! Curse you and all your kin!" I screamed, at least in my head. It actually sounded more like, "Buddy asdads! Cuss oog in ah yuh ken!"  

I'd been sleep deprived since then and drooling nonstop, my saliva creating a literal river in the grooves I'd created in the ground during my mad struggle. So there I was, miserable, tired and hungry, burning with equal parts rage and regret but unable to do anything with those troublesome emotions gnawing away at me. I should've bitten Thor's head off back at Thrúðvangr and devoured both Bitch and Skaði. I should've run away from Asgard long ago or killed Odin in his sleep. A million should've's or could've's rattled around in my skull before I gave up, the possible what-if's doing more harm than good.  

A tell-tale hollow croaking call heralded the arrival of two rather smug-looking ravens, the pair landing atop the great stone Thviti that stood beside me. I groaned internally at the ravens, because I knew who they were. Huginn and Muninn were the little birdies that flew around the world and reported their findings to Odin, incessantly jabbering into his ears about events great and small. And did they enjoy hearing themselves talk.

"Ho-ho, look at who we have here," Huginn clicked with his thick tongue. "Is that who I think it is?"

"Indeed, I remember him well," Muninn responded in kind. "The wolf that unarmed Tyr." 

"Soos av beetss," I gurgled through the sword. "Peez uv!"

"Huh, what was that? I can't hear you." Muninn leaned forward, the scruff about his neck puffing up like his vast ego. 

"Talking with something in your mouth is poor manners," Huginn cackled, his laughter sounding like water droplets hitting the bottom of a stone bowl. "Try chewing your food next time."

"Ah wull chuh yuh oop, yuh fehvered bustahd." 

This only made the two burst into a round of obnoxious rattling chortles.  

"'Ah wull chuh yuh oop,'" Muninn imitated with near perfect accuracy, his pantomime interrupted by his uproarious giggling. "So-so hilarious!" 

Huginn began sucking in gasps of air. "I-I c-can't br-BREATH! HA HA HA!" 

Urge to kill...RISING...  

The chorus of amused honking eventually died down though that did little to abate my murderous rage. 

"Well, this was fun but sadly, we must depart, eh Muninn?"

"Yes, we must, Huginn. Lots to report back to the Allfather." 

The ravens took to the sky, staying a moment to hover just out of reach of my teeth.

"No, no, please don't get up," Huginn glibly remarked. "We'll see ourselves out."

"Such a generous host," Muninn mockingly observed. "Though it's a shame that he stays rooted where he is. Perhaps he should take a walk or some such action." 

"Ha! 'Take a walk'. Good one, brother!" 

I must've blacked out because the next thing I knew, I heard a male grunt and the sword was being yanked out of my mouth. With a pained groan, my jaws clacked together, the muscles screaming in dull agony but all I could feel was relief from the torment. To my surprise, I found Tyr leaning against the sword with his remaining hand on the pommel before he began struggling to sheath it. After fumbling with the sword for a bit, he rested the blade on his right forearm and finally managed to slide the sword back into its sheath, which he now wore on his right side for obvious reasons. I gave my mouth a few experimental bites.

"Aaaaabout time! Agh, what took you so long?"

"I'm sorry, I came as soon as I could," Tyr responded, automatically wiping his brow with the leather-wrapped stump of his right hand.  

My irritation dipped at the sight of his injury. 

"Tyr, I..."

"I know. I'm sorry too." 

Despite all of the differences between mortals, jotnar, gods, elves and dwarfs, keeping true to one's word was deeply vital to all society within the Nine Realms and to go back on a promise was taboo. Tyr, the most honorable man I knew, had used deception in order to imprison me and had broken a sworn oath, now rendering him unfit to be a promoter of settlements amongst people. Among all of his supposedly bold and strong peers, he was the only one valiant enough to take such a huge risk and was paying the price for it. I may've been robbed of my freedom but Tyr lost his self-respect, his prowess as a warrior, his role as leader of the Einherjar and his honor all in one fell swoop. Any anger that remained within me over his previous offense evaporated, leaving me abashed and remorseful. 

Awkwardly, we slipped into silence. 

"How is Tysha?" 

At the mention of his wife's name, Tyr visibly went stiff, untold grief adorning his features like a mask. 

"We...split up," he managed to choke out. "She was unfaithful." 

There was more he wished to say but his lips had become restrained by fresh sorrow. I was shocked by this. Unlike most other gods or even jotnar, the two of them had been exclusively monogamous in their marriage and lived as such for many years. What could've caused Tysha, a lovely and demure young lady, to take another man as her lover and betray the trust of her devoted husband, I did not know.  

"Tyr, I...I didn't know. I am so, so sorry."

I wanted to comfort him in some way but Gleipnir tightened when I tried to move forward. 

The war-god stiffly nodded and sniffled. "Yes, as am I." 

Again, my gaze fell to his stump. Guilt welled up inside me like a babbling brook. Why did fate deign to punish such a good and noble man whereas far more unworthy types profited and thrived? 

"Huginn and Muninn told of this river in their report to Father," Tyr stated, likely so as to change the topic. "They actually named it too: Ván." 

Huh. So they called the river "Hope." Odd choice.

"Bird brains," I muttered, which actually made Tyr smile. 

Such a sight filled me with jubilation, especially given the fact that I put it there, before it was just as quickly dashed by regret. Tyr had lost so much and was now spending his time with the fell creature that took his sword-hand. He was a well-beloved figure in Asgard but he did lose some popularity due to his conscious association with me, something that I imagined he'd regained with his sacrifice and fortitude. I wasn't about to allow him to forfeit his newfound reputation just because of his sentimental attachment to a future Allfather-killing warg. So what I did next was for his own good.  

"You should go home, Tyr," I said through my teeth, ignoring the heartache that was developing. 

Puzzlement crossed Tyr's countenance. "What are you talking about?" 

"Leave this island and never return. Don't visit. Just forget about me." 

"Fenrir..."

I looked him square in the eye. "If you are truly my friend, truly hold any love for me, then you will grant me this boon. Swear that you will leave now and never return."

The pain that was etched on his face was far worse than when he lost his hand to my teeth. Stretching out his left hand, Tyr gave the top of my muzzle a soft stroke, the fingers lightly scraping through the fur with a practiced tenderness. Despite the growing tightness of my restraints, I leaned into his touch, my ears folding backward as I savored our last moment together. 

"I swear on my good hand that I will leave now and never return," Tyr stated in a hollow tone. 

With a heavy heart, I watched Tyr depart.

"Goodbye Fenrir."

And like that, he was gone. 

"Goodbye...Father," I whispered, no longer able to hold back my tears.

I stared down into the glittering surface of the river I'd inadvertently created.  

"If the river is Ván," I decided, "Then I shall be 'Vánagandr.'"

There was a moment of sheer panic when Tyr's chest rose in a shuddering janky fashion, almost like a broken wind-up toy with a misplaced gear. Then, his breathing resumed its normal pace and the panic dissipated. Was he having a nightmare? Do individuals in comas dream?  

"I've caused Tyr so much grief. How can he possibly forgive me?" 

"When you love someone, you love their flaws as well as their benefits," Fluttershy began in a sagely manner. "You love them because of their flaws, not in spite of them. Forgiveness is being able to look past the issue and remind yourself why you love that person to begin with."

Gently, Fluttershy placed her brow against mine.

"You are so special, Fen. I know it, our friends know it, Tyr knows it. I'm sure that when he wakes up, he'll be so happy to see you and will readily forgive you for everything that's happened in your past."   

She said, "when," not "if." Well, if Mother believes that Tyr will awaken so I must believe it too.

"I love you, Mother."

"And I love you, Son." 

We both jumped when the door was kicked open, revealing a green mare standing triumphantly on her hind legs.

"Where is he?!"

It was none other than Lyra Bucking Heartstrings. Notice the lack of surprise?

She then tumbled forward and landed on her stomach, causing her heavy saddlebags to jostle and nearly deposit their contents.

"Oof! Dang it, so much for my awesome entrance." 

"My apologies," the royal guard behind her sputtered, both he and his compatriot looking very befuddled. "She just showed up with a signed document from Princess Celestia..."

"Bam!" 

Lyra leapt up and held said document in front of her. The light glistened off of the golden mark of the Equestria Royal Seal, a pair of alicorns, one holding a sun, the other a moon, chasing one another. Beside it, I could make out the neat and compact, not to mention large and frilly, gilded signature of Princess Celestia, the letters iridescently alternating between bright scarlet, deep sapphire, cascading emerald, luminescent ivory and gentle violet. I knew it was only a matter of time before Lyra came charging in like a mad lyngbakr, however, I never would've imagined that Princess Celestia would've personally invited her here. Did she know something the rest of us didn't?     

I could easily tell Lyra to piss off and have the guards drag her crazy flank to the dungeon but I'm not worried about her. Lyra, though eccentric, is relatively harmless and actually well-meaning.  

"It's quite alright," I replied calmly. "Come on in, Lyra."  

"Thank you," Lyra said as she grinned smugly at the guards. "Hi Fluttershy!"

"Oh, hello Lyra," Fluttershy replied somewhat shakily. "What are you doing here?"

Lyra trotted up to us as if she were some kind of queen.  

"Ahem, due to my expertise in the field of anthropology, Princess Celestia invited me to come here and study the homo sapien specimen." Lyra's demeanor then soured. "Unfortunately, Bon Bon hid the letter so I didn't arrive until a few minutes ago."

In all fairness, I couldn't one-hundred-percent blame Bon Bon for this. Here you have a mare that's had to put up with hearing her marefriend's crazy theories about a long-dead race, be laughed at and mocked for associating with "Professor Human-Lover” and to be constantly ignored for Lyra's search for said beings. On the flip-side, if Bon Bon had just been upfront and told Lyra that she didn't want her to go, then there wouldn't be a break in their trust. If I've learned anything, secrets and lies only hurt those around you rather than help them. I wondered if I could help smooth things over with the two, then decided that a lover's spat wasn't my business and that they could handle it. 

Lyra's face then lit up, a slight gasp escaping her lips as she beheld Tyr's inert form.

"Is that him?" 

As though caught in a religious reverie, she shambled over to the bed for a closer look, her eyes shimmering with awe and wonder. My natural protective instincts were kicking in and I had to repress the urge to leap in front of Lyra and give her a big ol' warning growl.  

PROTECT, PROTECT, PROTECT!

Wow, that's a new one. 

Reaching the other side of the bed, Lyra abruptly stopped and gave Tyr a quick once-over.

"Oh my Faust...he's hot! Why didn't anyone tell me the human was hot?" 

"Mama likey," she purred and squeezed his left bicep. 

I gave myself a good face-paw. 

"First off, he's not a human, he's half-Aesir, half-jotann. Secondly, please refrain from calling yourself 'Mama' whilst in my vicinity. Thirdly, stop feeling him up."  

"Trust me, I'll do my best!"

Lyra unslung her saddlebags and took out a pencil and a deep sea-green faux-leather bound notebook with the emblem of a golden human right hand on the cover. Honestly, I'm surprised it wasn't a little fuzzy pink notepad inscribed with, "I Heart Humans" or something to that effect.

"Ahem, ahem! Subject is a, what did you say he was?"

"Aesir-Jotann hybrid. He's basically a mix of god and giant."   

"Really?" She then made my blood boil by lifting up the sheet with her magic. "Does that include his-..."

I telekinetically wretched the sheet out of her grasp and tucked it back down before she could get a proper peek. 

"Lyra," I smiled through my exposed teeth. "Could you go five minutes without trying to molest my friend-slash-father figure?" 

"I...oh." Lyra cast her gaze downward. "I'm so sorry, Fen. I was so excited about finally being vindicated in my beliefs, to be taken seriously among my friends and peers. I didn't think about your feelings, or that of your friend. Please forgive me." 

Walking to the other side of the bed, I gave Lyra a gentle nuzzle against her cheek. 

"I forgive you, just remember to treat Tyr with respect. He raised me, befriended me when no one else would and made great sacrifices as both a man and a hero."

"I will," Lyra promised, giving me a gentle head-pat. "Do you think you could tell me a little about him?"

"His parents were Odin Allfather, chief of the Aesir gods and the giantess Hróðr, his foster father being the giant Hymir. Tyr has many half-siblings, including Thor, Vidarr, Baldur, Vali, Hermod, Bragi, Meili, Ítreksjóð, Höðr..."


~*~


So I told Lyra what I knew about Tyr, being careful to not slip up and not divulge any personal information such as his maiming or his wife's infidelity. This felt much different than the line of questioning with Doctor Life Support, who made me feel as though I was being interrogated, maintaining a sort of detached stoicism as befitting a medical practitioner. Lyra, on the other paw, was unsurprisingly extremely interested by what I had to say, stopping my interview a few times to ask about very rational and well-thought-out inquiries about humanoid culture, practices, biology, language and beliefs. It was so odd seeing the normally hyperactive and erratic unicorn become professional but still warm and almost fillyish in her curiosity. Dare I say, I was actually enjoying our time together, something I wouldn't have thought about months ago.  

An hour and a half passed, in which Lyra had managed to fill nearly every single page of her notebook with facts, witty observations, anecdotes and side-notes. She'd also included detailed sketches of Tyr's anatomy, at least what was seen above his hospital sheets. Lyra repeatedly begged me to draw the rest of his body for, quote, "scientific purposes" and the "posterity of the find of a century'' but I refused to relent. As much as I'd grown to like Lyra, I didn't trust that she wouldn't abuse her sketches for some weird kinky private time later on. To give Lyra credit, she didn't like my staunch refusal to exploit Tyr's body, especially in his current state, but she respected my decision and dropped the matter all entirely for the rest of our allotted time together. 

That didn't stop her from gazing at his muscles or crotch when she thought I wasn't looking though. 

"Well," Lyra finally stated, slamming her notebook shut and standing up. "I think I have everything I need to write my sure-to-be best-selling encyclopedia on hominid physiology and culture." 

"Good luck with that," I smiled, shaking her hoof. "It was actually nice working with you."

"Same. Ooh, we should have tea sometime!"

"Oh, erm, I'd have to check my schedule. Rain check?"  

"It was nice seeing you, Lyra," Fluttershy beamed, giving Lyra a hug with her wings. "I can't wait until your book is published." 

"Thanks, Flutters. I'm considering calling it, 'Humans: How Do They Work?'" 

That needs work, though I didn't tell her that. 

We said our goodbyes and I curled up into a ball on the floor, once again feeling drained from answering so many questions but at least Fluttershy was there to remind me of anything I'd missed. At best, maybe the ponies can take the information that I provided them with and use it to aid in advancing Tyr's recovery. Speaking of him, Tyr's breathing raced and slowed down a few times during the interview, at one point even snorting when Lyra asked if the Aesir could grow back limbs like a lizard. Did that mean he found her remark humorous and thus could hear our conversation? I hoped he could and that he wasn't insulted by the picture I'd painted of him and his kind.  

"Fen, why don't you take a break?" Fluttershy suggested. "I'll keep watch over Tyr in the meantime."

Naturally, I felt hesitant about leaving my friend's side. Still, I trusted Fluttershy to keep vigil over Tyr in my absence as she'd never allow anything to happen to one of her wards. I also felt weighed down by my apprehension and worry, every muscle in my body sore from just sitting around fretting about Tyr's condition. Reluctantly, I agreed and, giving Fluttershy a kiss on the head, left the room and began to wander the castle, not caring where I went or what I saw. 

In the middle of Lyra's interview, Princess Celestia stopped by to see how everyone was doing and gifted me with a dog tag bearing the Royal Equestrian seal in the event I wanted to leave the room. Said dog tag hung from my collar and, aside from letting all on- and off-duty guards that I was an invited guest, it also meant that I had carte blanche to walk through the castle unmolested, within reason, of course. There were certain areas, Princess Celestia explained, that I was forbidden from entering, even with the seal, such as her's and Luna's respective bedrooms, the Royal Vault, where the princesses stored their most powerful relics and weapons from prying and malevolently inquisitive minds, the dungeon, servants' quarters and the royal guards' changing rooms. Not that I needed to be told of that last one, considering my lack of carnal interest in ponies but I nonetheless agreed to the presented terms. I may not have completely trusted Princess Celestia but I wasn't about to disrespect the law of hospitality by going against my hostess' wishes. 

Passing through one of the castle's side entrances, I winced from the bright sunlight that left me momentarily blinded. Blinking the spots away, my vision was restored and I could enjoy the fresh air of Equestria's capital. My size was no longer an issue and I could walk the streets without anyone giving me an odd look, as most ponies took me for a stray dog, specifically something called a "Malamute" so I went with that. As I've repeatedly made it abundantly clear, I hate being compared to a dog but in this instance, as I was using the cover of a simple domesticated canine to evade any scrutinizing glances or troublesome encounters, I could let it slide and bore with it for the time being. At least now I could relax and let my worries about Tyr vanish for the moment, just enjoying the outside and the sights and smells I had yet to experience yet.   

Making a left turn, I happened upon a large wooden kite wagon parked halfway out of a large alleyway. It was sea-green with yellow stripes, with gilded trim and large arched wheels that were also gilded and painted a bright orange. A pair of dancing brass horses supported the porch roof, one on each side of the emerald green stable door, the top half of which had been left hanging open. The wagon's rear was decorated with scrollwork-laden with images of silver salmon playfully leaping out of raging argent waves. However, it was not the wagon itself, as extravagant and ornately designed as it was. Rather, it was the elderly earth pony who was resting at the bottom of the porch ladder who held my attention, merrily humming to herself as she was perched atop a short three-legged stool and tied knots into a half-completed fishing net.   

"Hello there," Madame Tarocchi cheerfully greeted, her one emerald eye twinkling in the sunlight. "Madame Tarocchi is happy to once again encounter the Hound of Gauti, he who gorges himself on the life of doomed men and reddens the gods’ dwelling with crimson gore." 

"Madame Tarocchi...why am I not surprised?" 

The old crone cackled lightly. "As it is with ill news and unpleasant tidings, Madame Tarocchi will appear when not wanted and present when needed the most. Madame Tarocchi is crafty but reliant; always she vexes her allies but brings gleeful ruination to her foes."  

"And evidently loves to talk about herself," I countered, earning myself another hollow cackle.

"True, too true, Ever-Prowling-By-Night. But when you are one such as Madame Tarocchi, then why not boast your accomplishments?"  

"Because," I countered. "One should let their deeds speak for them in place of their tongues."

Madame Tarocchi, evidently tired of her creation, tossed the net aside and slowly wobbled to her hooves with the aid of a mistletoe cane, the steel top of which was shaped in the likeness of a falcon.  

"You've grown in wit and wisdom, Lokisson," she mused, losing the accent she apparently adopted for her customers. "What has brought about this change, I wonder?" 

"Experience and friends."

"Friends, you say?" The ancient mare ruminated on this. "Friends...yes, the heralds of hope and bringers of doom, both rusted blades and battle-strong shields. Do you understand, Fenrir?"

"You're saying...friends are both a strength and a weakness?"

She flashed me a snaggle-toothed grin. "And here Madame Tarocchi thought you were just a dumb mutt when last we met."

"Do you not hear me speak? Do I look dumb to you?"

"Speech does not make one intelligent. Otherwise, any fool that opened their flapping lips would be considered a genius. You would be wise to remember this. The one who speaks first is usually the first to be rendered silent."  

I planted myself down on my backside and bent forward to better study the fortuneteller. 

"Why are you here? Are you following me?"

"My, my, how conceited this one sounds! Just because I happened to be here when you yourself are here doesn't mean that you're being followed. I was here to visit my youngest daughter." 

"I didn't know you had foals." 

Madame Tarocchi bobbed her head up and down. 

"So you see, it's a matter of the right place, the right time. Or is it wrong place, right time? Right place, wrong time?"  

Her babbling and double-speak had well worn out its welcome.

"Tell me, Madame," I questioned. "Are you here to tell me something?"

Grinning slyly, Madame Tarocchi's gaze became more focused, filled with a kind of unknown impishness. 

"Ah, so we get to the point of your willing interaction with an old mare. You want to know more, don't you?" 

I hated the blatant deceptive playfulness in her one good eye but I could not back down.

"Yes."

Madame Tarocchi held out her upturned hoof. "Give me your paw, Jotann-child..." 


~*~


I don't remember the rest of my second encounter with Madame Tarocchi or my subsequent trek back to the castle. Once I stepped foot inside of the great hall, I awoke as if from a dream and like a dream, I found great difficulty in recalling what it was that I did or said. All I knew for certain was that I spoke to Madame Tarocchi and was about to get another fortune telling reading from her and then...nothing, merely that I'd returned back to the castle. The guards all welcomed me back but that was the end of our interactions and I was glad that none of them pressed me for answers, chiefly due to my lack of answers to give them. I don't know what dark spell the crone wove around me but I was certain that she was the culprit behind my amnesia.   

However, in spite of my rage towards the geriatric miscreant, I was more concerned with resuming my watch over Tyr and so, I raced back to his room, ignoring the salutations of the guards around me. I would find Princess Celestia and tell her about Madame Tarocchi later, for right now my only concern was my friend's current state. In my panicked state of mind, I find myself bumbling around in one corridor to the next, temporarily forgetting which one was the right one until at last I found the correct hallway. Skidding to a stop, I halted before the door, my lungs aching and my heart hammering away in my chest. The guards on either side of the door glanced at one another before the one on the left (Battle Helm?) addressed me, finding my sudden entrance and loud panting very alarming. 

"Are you alright?"

"Yes," I wheezed. "I just...whew, I just got worried about my friend, is all."    

"...I see. Well, he's still there. Princess Celestia and the others are also waiting."

My ears perked up. "Really? Whew, thanks. Erm, Battle Helm?"

"Close. It's Battle Ready."

"Right. S-sorry about that."

Once my breathing became properly regulated, I gave myself a good shake and opened the door. Fluttershy was right where I left her, only now she'd since been joined by the rest of our friends, as well as Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, and two ponies I'd never met before. The first was a tall, white stallion dressed in royal guard attire, only his armor was much cleaner and more elaborate, with bigger pauldrons and a tall crest adorning his helmet. The second was, extraordinarily enough, an alicorn mare with pink fur and a tri-colored mane of violet, gold and rose. The stallion was standing right beside the mare and had his hoof on her shoulder in a manner that indicated to me that their relationship was not platonic in nature, which was strange considering the mare's tiara and the stallion's garb indicated that they were from two totally different social classes. 

"Ah Fen, there you are," Princess Celestia stated invitingly. "I'm so glad you've returned. There are two ponies I'd like to introduce you to. This is my niece Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, or 'Princess Cadence,' and her husband Captain Shining Armor. They came all the way from the Crystal Empire to see us."

"Greetings Fenrir," Princess Cadence cheerily addressed me. "It's so good to finally meet you. Twilight's told us so much about you."

Strangely, a kind of warmth developed deep within me from being near the mare, a radiant joy and serenity that I'd never experienced before. Her light purple eyes were full of unfathomable kindness and love, the twin orbs dancing playfully in the room's light and it became worse when she gave me a little smile, a gesture so simple yet so bewitching that I instantly returned it. I'm not positive about what it was that I felt for this complete stranger but I knew then and there that the mare before me was worth trusting, even with my life. Indecisively, I bowed my head before the mare, lifting my face slightly as to once more gaze upon her jubilant features.  

"That she has," Shining Armor agreed. "Hi, I'm Shining Armor. I'm Twilight's brother."

Snapping from the trance, I nodded stupidly and shook his proffered hoof. 

"Right, yes, Twilight mentioned that she had a brother. Erm, It's nice to meet both of you."    

Princess Luna, who still looked like she needed to get some much-needed shut-eye, interrupted the introductions.

"They are the rulers of the Crystal Empire, up in the Frozen North. Their reason for visiting has to do with your friend Tyr." 

"But why?" I turned to the royal couple. "What does Tyr have to do with your kingdom?"

"At first, my aunt wrote to us about the possibility of a human," Princess Cadence said in a gentle voice. "You have to understand, humans and ponies had a rather...complicated history, full of equal parts peace and war."

Oh, how I longed to hear more of her voice, the gentle chiming of a thousand tiny bells and-

"Excuse me, but if we could get off topic for a moment...what are you doing to me, exactly?"

"P-pardon me?"

"I feel so...happy around you. Alive. Like I've just awakened from the most peaceful sleep of my life and all of the world's colors are brighter and more vibrant than ever."

Princess Cadence considered this, then giggled. Curse her adorable giggling!

"I'm so sorry about that," she confessed. "You see, just as Aunty Tia is the Princess of the Sun, Aunty Lulu the Princess of the Night and Twilight the Princess of Friendship, I am the Princess of Love."    

"So you cast a spell on me?"

"Oh no, nothing like that! It's more like I can generate an empathic field around me that calms those that approach its vicinity. I could sense your uneasiness on the other side of the door so I thought I'd alleviate your stress. Sometimes, depending on the individual, I have to 'turn up the dial' on my magic so I don't know how strong it can be. Sorry about that."

Just like that, those warm and alarmingly fuzzy feelings steadily declined until all I could feel was simple ease.

"Could we please return to the point?" Princess Luna groaned irritably. 

Boy, aren't you a joy to be around.

"Right, sorry Aunty. As I was saying, things were very chaotic when it came to our coexistence with humans. They were a magic-less race but very industrious, making their way in the world with their ingenuity and resourcefulness. It was really because of them that pony society ultimately became what it was, due to their many advancements in science and technology, which we still use and expand upon to this very day."

"Unfortunately, that also included warfare and conquest," Princess Celestia added. "There were humans that took advantage of the intelligence of their more scholarly peers, forcing them to create weapons and machines that could match our magic. My ancestors became so paranoid of a new, global-wide empire that they eliminated all humans, including our friends, lovers and allies."  

An uncomfortable hush filled the room. 

"All humans were wiped out, innocent and guilty," Twilight uttered morosely. "The many punished for the crimes of the few, depriving the world of untold new stories, inventions, songs, medicines and heroism." 

Princess Celestia patted her former student on the back. 

"Initially, when I thought a stray human had somehow ended up here, I was concerned about the future of Equestria. Would the world be plunged back into an age of ignorance or enlightenment? Could we redeem ourselves for the sins of our ancestors and create a new harmonious coexistence between two races? These were possibilities that came to mind, that is, until you explained who and what Tyr actually is. Instead of someone like a pony, we just happened to come across a being more on the level of  an alicorn, a literal god according to your word."  

"Look, I understand your concerns, Your Majesty, I really do." I exhaled through my nostrils, allowing myself a moment to choose my next words with care. "But Tyr isn't like the bloodthirsty humans of your world. He's a good man, the best of men."

"Did you not claim that he was a god of war?" Princess Luna raised a skeptical brow, though I could see some shred of doubt within her eyes of her own suspicions.  

All eyes fell on me. It was like entering Asgard for the first time all over again, only now I and my opinion mattered and what I said next could very well affect the fate of the whole world. I truly wished with all my heart to convince them that Tyr was trustworthy, that he could, in fact, hear my unbridled love and admiration for him and awaken him from his cruel fate. I felt a new source of heat on my left side and discovered Fluttershy had wrapped her legs and wings around me. She smiled up at me and nodded, telling me that it was all going to be okay and that she was there for me. 

Faust, sometimes I don't know what I'd do without her. 

"Yes, but not mindless savagery. He was just as much a councilor and negotiator as he was a warrior and military leader. Tyr was, and is, a champion of the common man, an advocate for justice and harmony. He fights when the need arises, makes peace if possible and defends the lives of the innocent with every breath. Most of you know what I did back in the Nine realms, the atrocities that I committed but despite all of that, despite knowing full-well what I would become, Tyr still chose to treat me with kindness, patience and loyalty, even though I deserved none of it." 

"He is the man who will literally give up his flesh if it meant saving the lives of others. He will allow himself to be humiliated, despised and rejected just so he can do what's right, not because he expects praise or worship but because that is what he believes he should do. Tyr is who everyone should aspire to be like, someone that keeps going no matter what tragedies befalls him. He is kind, loyal, honest, brave, generous, and selfless and I defy you to find someone better than that."     

"I think Tyr should be cared for as if he were one of us," Princess Cadence declared. "I don't have to be an empath to tell that Fenrir cherishes and respects him. Anyone that can inspire such devotion must surely be exceptional."

"I concur," Princess Celestia grinned broadly. "My mother used to say that the only way one should be judged is on the feelings that they produce in others. It sounds as though Tyr understands the Magic of Friendship far more than most ponies." 

I hadn't noticed until I turned that Princess Luna had inched herself over to me.

"Is Tyr truly as noble and virtuous as you say?"

There was an odd sort of desperation in Princess Luna's voice, in such a way that it almost seemed as though her own hope was hanging by a thread and would snap entirely solely depending on my next answer.

"Yes, he is. I'd wager my life on it."

Her face became uncomfortably close to mine, her eyes near-frantically searching my own brown peepers for the slightest hint of a doubt. I unblinkingly stared back into her cyan pupils and this sign of quiet resolution was apparently enough as Princess Luna regained her composure and strode back to her side of the room. I shot Princess Celestia a questioning glance and she gave me a subtle shrug in return. Apparently she didn't have a single clue as to her sister's bizarre behavior either, adding one more mystery to the pile that represented my existence. On top of that, it nearly slipped my notice that upon receiving that final confirmation, Princess Luna's features lightened up and there was a tiny spring in her step as she put distance between us. 

Just what was up with this mare? Are all females, regardless of size, race, species or place of origin, completely and utterly certifiable?   

"Very well then." Princess Celestia's soft but firm tone commanded the whole room's attention. "I believe I speak for everyone when I say that based on such a powerful testimonial, both Tyr and Fenrir should officially be declared citizens of Equestria, along with all of the rights guaranteed and afforded to them."     

Fluttershy's hug tightened and I gladly returned it as hard as I could without harming her. 

"Give me your paw, Jotann-child..."

"Fen, what's wrong? You're trembling."

I was indeed shaking like a leaf dangling from a tree branch during a mid-Autumn breeze.

"Attention, everypony," I declared. "There is one more thing we need to discuss..."