//------------------------------// // The Reveal (16) // Story: Monster // by BlackWing //------------------------------// The Reveal After getting lessons on humanity, and several days in the hospital, Celesta and Luna had fully recovered. Lyra stopped by, saying that Twilight and her friends would be over later. They were going to rush over, but when told that there was no urgency to the issue, they decided to wait till later. This gave Lyra some time alone. After reporting to the princess, she looked around. "Umm, where's Nightshade?" She asked. Celestia motioned to the bed next to Luna's. This was the moment she had been waiting for. For all the time they had spoken in his mind, she had never seen him in person. She was shivering at the prospect. Lyra brought her hoof to the curtain separator, used in hospitals for privacy, and slowly pulled it back. There he was. He was covered in slight burns, and new skin growing in. (Healing magic was very advanced due to the number of ponies who overworked themselves, had crash landings, or magical mishaps, and so what would have taken weeks only took a couple days.) She could hardly believe her eyes. His cloak was lying on a chair, all charred and shredded. "It's all real." Lyra said. "It's real, you're real." "Yes, I am." he responded. She slowly walked up, and touched him. "I'm not dreaming." She said. "No, you're not." He said with a smile. "I'm..... not crazy?" She said, with tears of joy forming in her eyes. "Yes, you definitely are." He joked. "Just not for the reason you think. Besides, throughout history every genius was called crazy, because they challenged established beliefs. Because of that, I'm here." Lyra reached around to give him a hug, but his new skill was still tended, and stung when she touched it. She backed off, not wanting to hurt the best thing to ever happen to her. Scootaloo, who was sleeping in the chair, wrapped in the coat, woke up. "Hey dad." She said. "Hey kiddo. Guess what? Two more days and I can finally get outta the hospital." She seemed happy at the fact that they could soon leave, as even though she spent a great deal of time in hospitals due to her antics, that didn't mean she liked them. Scootaloo settled down on Nightshade's bed, going back to sleep, and he asked Celestia a favor. "Hey Celestia, since you're a telepath and all, do you think you could teach Lyra after you get out? Not that I mind all that much any more, but it's a little awkward having her in my head EVERY time she sleeps." Lyra agreed it was a good idea. It's not like she couldn't talk to him anymore, it just meant she could choose, and the princess decided to allow it, but she would have to go to Canterlot for a time. Besides, Lyra had written everything she knew about human culture in a book, and she needed to give her results to the Canterlot library. She left to pack, and bumped into Twilight on the way out. "Oh hey, the princess is waiting for you. Go on in." When Lyra had told Twilight to go meet Celestia at the hospital, she immediately began freaking out, thinking her mentor had been hurt. When she was told that the matter she needed her to attend to was not urgent, she still couldn't get it off her mind. Seeing both Celestia and Luna is hospital beds, right next to the monster they had apprehended almost two weeks ago, she put the pieces together, and was very angry. "What THE HAY!" She screamed, waking Scootaloo. She charged a spell, but was interrupted by the ever calm voice of her mentor. "Wait, Twilight. I invited you here so that you could get an explanation, not cause a stir." Twilight calmed down, but was also confused as to why her mentor hadn't had her come immediately when she had first been injured. "Nightshade, perhaps you would like to do the honours?" Celestia said. "Well, I'll just give you the simplified version. Me and the princess had a bit of an argument, which resulted in us trying to kill each other. She went a little too far, and we all wound up in the hospital. Then, the the princesses and Lyra spent the past three days in my head, getting to know me, and now we're all friends." He said monotonously. Twilight and her friends were stunned. This creature had put both princesses in the hospital, along with himself, and now they were friends? She strained trying to wrap her mind around the fact that this creature was actually capable of harming her mentor, had done so, and now they had just gotten over it? Nightshade swore he could hear her mind breaking. Rainbow Dash butted in, putting her face right in his. "So let me get this straight, first you tried to kill the princesses, and now you're all best friends? How do we know you didn't use you monster mind control on her?" "Because I'm not the one with freaky mind powers, she is." He said, motioning towards Celestia. "If anyone's been mind controlled, it me." As he said it, Celestia shot him a look. "Aww come on, you know I'm joking." Twilight had finally recovered. "I just don't get it. How could he possibly hospitalize even one of you, let alone both?" Scootaloo decided to answer. "Well, he knocked Luna out with a nightshade plant, then Celestia got mad and torched my house. I got hurt pretty bad, but dad pulled me out of the wreckage and healed me, then Celestia took some of his injuries to heal him. They weren't actually hurt that bad, but the guards overreacted and put them in the hospital. They would have recovered on their own, but they needed to have a chat with dad, and since he did need to stay in the hospital anyway, they stayed." The mane six looked stunned. Rarity asked. "Dad? What are you talking about dear? It's just Celestia, Luna, and the monster." "Duh, he's my dad." She said, pointing at Nightshade. "And he's not a monster, he's awesome!" The group of ponies looked confused, but finally understanding that Scootaloo meant the 'monster' was her dad, they were even more confused. Nightshade decided to explain. "Well, I met Scoots in the forest, after Gilda tossed her in there. She was knocked out and had a concussion, but I healed her. Now, I didn't want to scare her, so I decided I'd just watch out for her till she got out of the forest, but she couldn't leave because she couldn't fly, and got attacked by timerwolves, so I saved her." He said, thinking back. "We talked for a while, then we heard you lot coming for her, so I sent her back with you. We didn't say anything because I don't think Ponyville would be too impressed if they found out she was hanging out with a monster." He continued. "A while later, Scoots, Applebloom, and Sweetie Belle showed up, deciding to try and find me. Well, they found me, and they took off my hood, wondering what I looked like. Then they got attacked by a pair of manticores, and I fought em off, but I got stung. I can't use my powers to get rid of poison, just it's effects. They ended up taking me to Zecora's to get better." "They noticed I was starving, and I said I loved apples, so Applebloom told me to stop by the farm and get some. I couldn't go during the day because I didn't want to scare anyone, and that's when I met Applejack, and got bucked in the apples." He motioned over to the orange farm pony, who had been silent the whole time. "Aww shucks, if I had known Applebloom sent ya, I never woulda bucked ya." She said. "By the way, what did'ja mean when you said bucked in the 'apples'." Trying to think of a way to say it while children and royalty were present, he gave an fairly vague answer, but just specific enough for the mare to understand. "Lets just say I'm lucky I'm not sterile." Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Twilight's manes all went limp, and their eyes as wide as dinner plates. In their world, they knew how important fertility was to males, since they made up only about 10% of the population. That and a bludgeoning to that area was the most excruciating thing a male could experience. Considering Applejack kicked him with the force of a cannon, they all got the idea fairly quickly. "Oh horseapples. I'm sorry sugarcube, I didn't know." Said the now distraught mare. "It's fine, it's all in the past, no damage done. Besides, I passed about half the injury to you, so I kind of owe you an apology as well." He said, genuinely sorry. "So that's whay I was hurtin after I bucked ya. But why only half?" She asked. "Hey, I may be a monster, but I'm not heartless." They all had a laugh, feeling much better that she hadn't robbed him of his 'stallionhood'. Rarity, however, wasn't paying attention to their uncouth conversation. She couldn't take her eyes off the perforated, slashed, stained, and now burnt robe. "How long have you been wearing this atrocious..... thing?" She asked. "Well, for as long as I've been here, plus three months before, so two and a half years." He said weakly. She was obviously disappointed in his choice of fashion. "To be fair, it wasn't always this bad. It was actually quite stylish, until it was put through a blender, with me in it. I guess once the forest animals had their way with it, and being burned, it just couldn't hold up any more. I'll kind of miss it." "Well, I've seen you wearing it, as well as some of your less destroyed clothing. I think I can tell what it's supposed to look like, and judging from the scraps, I can tell your sizes as well. Yes, I should be able to do this. I've never made clothing for another species before, I'm so excited, I'll get started right away!" With that, the fashionista grabbed the tattered cloak from the chair, as well as his shirt, pants, and undergarments which had been removed to apply bandages, and ran off to her boutique. "I'll have them finished in two days, just in time for you to get out of the hospital." Twilight looked at her mentor. "Speaking of which, when are you getting out princess?" She asked. "Actually, right now. Luna and myself have been released, we weren't injured that badly in the first place." Celestia answered. She could see the look of relief on her student's face. Twilight always was a worrywort. She and the princesses walked out, wanting to get the full story from her mentor on what had transpired. That left Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy. Pinkie Pie asked. "So, do you like cupcakes?" "Yes, yes I do." Nightshade answered calmly. Scootaloo has warned him about the bouncing pink pony, and how to be very careful what he said around her. "And pies?" "Yes, my favorite pies are apple cinnamon and key lime." When he talked about the apple pie, Applejack suddenly became interested. Pinkie Pie was getting more and more excited. "And, do you like..... parties?" she asked. Oh boy, here it was. His answer would determine his future, and possibly the future of Ponyville. If he answered wrong, Pinkie Pie would throw a party that could destroy half the town. He decided to play it on safe side. "Well, I don't know. I didn't have any friends before I came here, so I've never been to one." he said. That was absolutely the WRONG answer. Pinkie Pie had a frown come across her face, and he swore he could hear the sound of glass shattering, like he had just destroyed this pony's entire world. Suddenly, she perked up again, her smile becoming so wide he didn't think it was possible. She opened her mouth and took a huge breath... "I'll throw the biggest party ever! A glad you're better and not a big mean scary monster party! And I'll invite everypony in ponyville so they can get to know you better! And we'll have streamers and balloons and pin the tail on the pony and" She was rambling to herself as she ran out the door in a pink blur, intent on throwing a party of apocalyptic proportions. "Merde." Nightshade said. He didn't want to swear in front of the ponies, so he did it in a different language. "I'll go make sure she doesn't destroy the town." Said Applejack with a sigh as she chased after her. Scootaloo was still just sitting there on the bed, she didn't care what happened, just so long as her dad was okay, and wasn't going to leave. Just then, Sweetie Belle and Applebloom barged in. "Ohmygosh, is it true, huh? Is it is it is it?" Said the hyper yellow filly. "Did you really fight the princesses?" "Yeah, it's true. But we talked everything over and we're friends now. So it's all good." Nightshade wasn't to happy the news he had fought the princesses had gotten around. "But not before I crashed through her window and fell two miles. I thought I was gonna die, but I figured something out real quick." "Wow, you're right Scootaloo, your dad is awesome!" Said Sweetie Belle. "Not more awesome than me right?" Said Rainbow Dash. The crusaders and Nightshade just looked at her with an 'are you serious?' glare. "Come on, nopony is more awesome than me!" "Yeah, but he's not a pony." Added Scootaloo spitefully. Rainbow Dash looked a little depressed. Nightshade told his daughter that he'd be okay, and he still had two more days in the hospital, and that since she hadn't seen her friends in a while, and she should go out and have some fun. The trio left, so now the only ones left were Nightshade, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy, who was still quiet. "MORE AWESOME THAN ME?" Rainbow yelled as soon as the fillies were gone, putting her hooves on his chest, and her face right in his. He winced as she stepped right on his burn, and she backed off. "How could she think you're more awesome than me?" She was completely dumbfounded. "Have you ever done a sonic rainboom?" "No I haven't, but I did save her life on four separate occasions, gave her a home, taught her to fly, and fought both the rulers of Equestria at the same time to be able to stay by her side. She idolized you, but what have you done for her?" Nightshade returned, in a calm voice. "Hmmph, I could have taught her to fly." Said Rainbow, trying to make it seem like giving someone the gift of flight was no big deal. "Then why didn't you? She only asked you about three dozen times. You have no idea how often she came home crying because she wanted to hang out with you, but you were always too busy. You were her idol, and you let her down." He was getting a little mad at how thoughtless the cyan mare had been, but he didn't let it show. She needed to learn a lesson, not be punished. Thinking back at how many times the orange filly had approached her, watched her fly, and asked to spend time with her, and all the times she had shot down her attempts at affection, Rainbow Dash had only one thing to say. "I'm an feather brain, aren't I?" "Ya kind of are, but you know, it's not too late to do something about it. She still thinks highly of you. Why don't you go catch up with her, ask her if there's something she wants to do? I think she'd appreciate it." he said. With that, the rainbow maned pony dashed out of the hospital to catch up with the orange filly, and make amends. Now it was just Nightshade and Fluttershy. The two seemed to avoid making eye contact. She was absolutely adorable when she was nervous. She noticed he was blushing, and started to do the same. "She is way too cute when she does that." Nightshade said quietly. Fluttershy noticed what he said, and began blushing even more. "Umm, did I say that out loud?" He blushed even more, realizing that what he said was completely embarrassing not just for him, but for her as well. "Do, do you really think I'm cute?" Fluttershy said quietly. She was blushing even more. Her cheeks look like they were on fire. "Umm, well yeah." he replied, also embarrassed. They were both silent for a time, and just stood there, staring into each others eyes, much like that time at the castle. This time, the stare was not one of fear or anger, nor of sadness. This time, it made them both feel warm and fuzzy inside. They both just stayed where they were. After an hour had passed, Nightshade decided to make the next move. "Fluttershy, do you think you could come over here a minute. I have something I need to tell you." Clearly nervous, she slowly walked over to the bedside. "Yes?" She said softly. What happened next took her completely by surprise. Instead of whispering something in her ear, be brushed her mane over her ear like he was going to, but instead kissed her on the cheek. Her eyes went wide, her cheeks redder than before. He was, kissing her? Even though it was really just a peck on the cheek, to her, it felt like an eternity. Fluttershy turned bright red, then fainted. Nightshade called in a nurse to come and take her home. Oh My Gosh! So cute! Well, if you couldn't tell by now, you know who I'm shipping. I've seen plenty of ships out there. Most are Rainbow Dash or Rarity, a few are Applejack and Luna. I've even seen a Twilight ship. I haven't seen any Pinkie Pie or Fluttershy ships though. Am I just looking in the wrong places? I don't know. Either way, Fluttershy is my personal favorite, so I decided right at the beginning of the fic that it would be a FluttershyxOC. I told you they'd have a rocky start. Here we have the tough and rugged Nightshade, with deep emotional wounds. And over here we have the gentle and timid Fluttershy. First she tames the beast, then she cares for his pains. Besides, when he's not running for his life or fighting monsters, Nightshade is actually pretty shy himself. His personality is a lot like Fluttershy's, except that he's been forced into the 'flutterrage' half of it for a great deal of time. Now, he's not nearly as shy as she is, and will actually talk to others, but most of his avoidance of the ponies came from a fear of rejection. Either way, they're cute. I like it. Well, now that Dash is over her jealousy, Twilight is still confused as to how the princesses could go from trying to kill him to being his friends in less than a week, Pinkie Pie is going to destroy the town with a party, Applejack is going to try and stop her, Rarity is locked up in her shop for the next two days making clothes, and Fluttershy is passed out because all the blood went from her brain to her cheeks, how will the rest of Ponyville fare? Is Nightshade really ready to go out into the town? Too bad, he has no choice. The real question is, will he be able to handle it? He lived in the forest all this time, and even though Scootaloo told him a bit about Equestria, he still doesn't know it's history, it's customs, or anything really. Twilight's going to have a hay day with him. Get it? HAY day? Will I ever stop making lame puns? Find out next in the next chapter of 'Monster' PS, I am going to get to the big issue, but not before some hilarious antics. The actual issue, (the whole core of the story, the reason why fate put him there) is coming up. Although I'm not sure when. NACHOS!