Chapter 6
Treating a Guest
The wind was flowing on her face, while the pegasus ponies pulled the golden chariot. It was the same chariot that was used when Twilight first came to Ponyville. They only flew mere minutes until they reached Ponyville. After they landed, Twilight thanked the two solar guards as she proceeded to walk off. One of the guards wanted ask her a question before they left. This guard was Phalanx.
“Miss Sparkle, before you trot off, I wanted to ask you a question.” Twilight stopped in her tracks and gave him a warm smile as she waited for the question. The solar guard immediately returned the smile and asked her. “The princesses looked really desperate to find you before. May I ask you what happened that Luna… had to fix me?”
Twilight wondered a moment what he meant by 'fix' but she didn’t bother and didn't ask about it. “I don't really know either, but I fell asleep in the library, so maybe they were just worried that I was nowhere to be found all of a sudden.”
Phalanx smiled with relief. “I'm glad to hear it, I was a little bit worried when they couldn't find you.”
Before Phalanx could say anything more his brothers in arms wanted to go back home. “Phalanx, stop flirting with the personal student of the Princess! She will throw you out of the royal guard if she knew that!”
Twilight and Phalanx both showed a heavy blush before Phalanx broke the awkward silence. “Well, I hope you will be all right, we have to take off now.” Again Twilight couldn't do anything but smile at him. The guardians turned around and slowly took off.
Phalanx’s partner smiled at him in mid-air. “Got-cha,”
Phalanx, still red in his face, blushed even more. “Stop it! I'm just nice to her! You could do this at least one time...”
Again the other Guardian flashed him a wicked grin. “I don't have to. I'm married.” Both began to laugh until Phalanx said his final words for the flight.
“I wonder what she is doing right now, I hope she will have a stress-free day. Ah... and before I forget. Sometimes I really hate you.” The only thing the two guards could do was grin the entire way back.
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Back in Ponyville, Twilight went to her library. She was very happy that she would see Spike again, but before she could open the door to her home, it opened from the inside and smashed her right in her face.
“Oh my gosh Spike!” The little dragon ran out of the door, terror in his face. Even through his scales everypony could see how pale he was in this moment. Her anger was forgotten in an instant as she listened to Spike.
“Twilight! Something terrible happened! Since you were gone, I slept since yesterday afternoon, as I stepped down I saw him lying on the floor.”
Twilight got very curious and looked inside the library. What she saw there shocked her for a lifetime. Dispersed on the floor were shattered pieces of a midnight blue armour. In the centre of it lied a old black stallion with a dirty grey mane. He was barely conscious and looked at Twilight without moving his head, only his eyes stared at the unicorn.
He was able to mutter. “What have you done … you fool?” Before he completely blacked out.
“How is that possible? It was a dream! Only a stupid dream!”
Spike stood still behind her with a curious face. “What do you mean? Twilight, what happened?”
In her rush of adrenaline, Twilight decided that it would be the best idea to call for help. “Spike, the hospital is too far away, we can't loose any more time. I’ll get Fluttershy to help.”
Before Spike could have possibly have answered, Twilight disappeared in a sudden flash of purple light. Only to reappear with a confused butter-coloured pegasus at her side.
“Twilight what are you talking ab..-” Fluttershy stopped mid-sentence as she saw the massive injured stallion. “But Twilight, I can nurse my little friends, but this is a full grown stallion. I can't do this.”
Twilight put on her best begging face. “You have to do this, can't you see? He is dying! I will explain later, but please help him.”
Fluttershy already wanted to cry, but her instincts told her to go on and to try her best. “Help me to take off his armour. But be very careful.”
Twilight’s face beamed with glee as Fluttershy began to remove his armour. “Is there anything else I can help you with?”
As Fluttershy and Twilight removed the parts of his armour, Fluttershy’s expression grew only darker. “Twilight, take Spike with you and go to Zecora. We will need herbs that mend cuts and burns, many of them!” The librarian nodded quickly and lifted Spike on her back by her magic and ran as fast as she could out the door.
Now Fluttershy could see the full extent of his injuries. His body was covered in cuts and bruises. His front legs were slightly burned. She fetched a wet cloth out of Twilight's kitchen to clean his wounds. As soon as she began to clean him, he woke up.
“Who are you?” While he spoke he raised his enormous body from the floor. She stepped back in fear of this massive stallion and curled up to a ball in a corner of the room.
“I'm sorry...” She began to sob slightly. Her voice hardly noticeable. He walked toward the defenseless little pegasus, but as soon as he lifted his leg a terrible scream of pain could be heard. Fluttershy immediately forget her fear and supported him with her own body. Her legs almost gave in, under the weight of the stallion.
“You! Will lay down now, and hold still until I'm finished!” Soul wanted to respond but was cut off by the stubborn mare. “You could die if I don't treat you!”
The massive stallion sank down on his knees. Eyes closed. There was silence for a few minutes. Fluttershy was still cleaning his wounds before he decided to ask her once more. “Who are you, Miss?”
She only hesitated for a short moment before she answered. “My name is Fluttershy.” Once again silence had fallen for a brief moment. “And your name?”
He opened his eyes and starred at her for a few seconds until he closed them again. “My name is Soul Tearer.”
Fluttershy didn't seemed to bother with his gaze and went on. “Where are you from?”
He took a deep breath before he stood up and placed himself on the coach. “Let's just say from long-forgotten times.”
The timid pegasus became even more worried now. “Is something wrong? Do you feel worse?”
Soul didn't responded any more, he just closed his eyes and fall asleep. Fluttershy began to clean his wounds again. This time he didn't woke up.
[/hr]
At the same time in the Everfree Forest, Twilight reached the hut of the zebra alchemist.
“Zecora!” The unicorn stomped through the door. Spike flew head-first in one of Zecora's shelves.
The surprised zebra turned around. “It's nice to see you, my dear friend. But what reason had you send?”
Twilight was relieved that Zecora already seemed to knew what she needed. “I need herbs and plants that mend cuts and burns, and many of them.”
Zecora pulled a huge bag from under her brewing place and gave it to the agitated unicorn. Without saying anything she teleported herself back to the library. Leaving a confused zebra and her little assistant behind.
[/hr]
A sudden burst of light, illuminated the library where Fluttershy was already waiting for Twilight. “You're just in time, give me the medicine.” She began immediately to grind the plants and rubbed it into the bandages.
Twilight began to tell Fluttershy about his origins and what happened in the castle. "I've met him inside this dream I mentioned to you before. I took him with me and this is the outcome. Please don't tell anypony else. Fluttershy wouldn't tell anypony about their secret visitor. But Twilight wanted to know about his well-being.
“I'm sorry that I took so long, how was it? How bad are his injuries?”
Fluttershy thought a moment about what she was about to say. “His injuries were bad, but he shouldn't suffer any more.”
Twilight could only let out a sigh of relief before Fluttershy continued her sentence. “He woke up for a few minutes.”
Twilight was stunned for a moment before she could comprehend what she had said. “What did he do? What did he said?”
Fluttershy decided not to tell Twilight about his threatening attitude at the beginning of their conversation. “Not much. He told me that his name is Soul Tearer, and that he is from long-forgotten times. I don't know what he meant with that though... .”
Twilight thought a moment about what Fluttershy said. “Thank you, Fluttershy. I don't know what I would do without you.”
Fluttershy was now back to her normal self and blushed instantly. “Oh no, please don't...” As she mumbled something in her mane Twilight continued.
“Would you mind looking after him from time to time?”
Again the timid pegasus hesitated. “Of course, a friend of yours is a friend of mine as well.”
Twilight and Fluttershy said goodbye to each other and the butter-coloured mare left the library.
Just seconds had passed before the door slammed open again. In the door frame stood a little dragon with an annoyed expression on his face. Twilight realized now that she had forgotten her number one assistant at Zecora's hut.
Before she could say anything, Spike cut her off. “Don't say anything. I don't even want to know what is going on. I'm going to my room.” Spike stomped upstairs and left the two of them alone.
Twilight looked at Soul with a puzzled expression. She threw a blanket around him and proceed to go upstairs as well.
“You will tell me your secret … sooner or later.”