Latios shook as he landed nearby the group, getting the last droplets of water off his feathers and coat. He made sure before he did so that he was far away enough from the mares, not wanting to get them wet.
“Wow, you really like swimming, don't you?” Fluttershy asked, with her voice warm.
The Eon Dragon wished he could purr to her in reply, but he was unable to do so in this form. So instead, he settled for nodding. As he made sure one last time that he was dry, Latios trotted over to Fluttershy and lay beside her. A yawn escaped him.
“Oh my, you must be tired.” he heard the pegasus say. “Why don't you take a nap?”
Latios had to admit that flying and swimming like that was a bit taxing to him, mostly due to the pain spasms he suffered earlier. Plus, it was really sunny today, and the atmosphere around the lake was making him drowsy. So he took Fluttershy's advice, deciding he could use some rest. Latios placed his head on his outstretched hooves, and snuggled up closer to the yellow pegasus, breathing in her sweet scent.
He fell asleep quickly, but before he did, he felt Fluttershy's wing stretch out over him.
“Aww, you two look so sweet.” Rarity exclaimed quietly, watching Fluttershy and Eon Guard.
Fluttershy blushed hearing the compliment, but she smiled happily. “Thanks.”
The shy pegasus took a glance at her coltfriend's sleeping form. She was surprised how quickly he had fallen asleep, but then again, she grown used to him being an unusual pony.
“Gee, he must have been really tired.” Rainbow Dash remarked, which pulled her out of her musing. She looked at her friend and saw her grinning. “What were you doing all night?”
“Rainbow Dash!” Rarity and Twilight both hissed.
“Nothing!” Fluttershy immediately replied; now even more red on her face. “I-I mean... we only snuggled...”
“Fluttershy, while it is perfectly normal to talk with your friends about everything, you most certainly shouldn't confine in a friend that asks in such manner.” Rarity lectured her, glaring at Rainbow Dash.
The cyan pegasus rolled her eyes and once again turned to Fluttershy. “So, I take you haven't asked him yet what he thinks about threesomes, huh?”
Fluttershy squeaked in embarrassment, and barely noticed that Rarity and Twilight looked aghast at Rainbow, while Applejack and Pinkie Pie snorted with laughter.
A sound of laughter stirred Latios from his sleep. He raised his head, looking around the company sheepishly.
“Oh my, I'm sorry, we didn't mean to wake you up.” his love almost at once said, looking at him worriedly.
“It's so cute that she worries over little things like this.” Latios thought, touched, as he flicked his ears. The noises of laughter had died down since he woke up. “Why is her head red?”
Seeing his crooked to the side head, Fluttershy quickly exclaimed: “We were just... talking about some things.”
The Eon Dragon could easily tell that she wasn't telling him the whole truth (a snicker that escaped Rainbow Dash was a big clue), but decided to drop it. He guessed that it must have been something really embarrassing for the female, maybe even something to do with him. Latios shuddered at the thought of being the reason for Fluttershy's discomfort, but quickly told himself that those ponies around her were her friends, so they wouldn't make any jibs at her expense that were too hurtful.
Due to his momentarily worry over Fluttershy, his sleepiness had cleared. No longer being tired, Latios took another glance around the lake, as he heard the females also relax. They'd again begin talking about something, but he wasn't paying them too much attention, until he felt Fluttershy tap his shoulder. Latios glanced at her and saw her holding an apple in her hoof, bearing a smile on her muzzle.
Latios nodded gratefully and accepted the apple, moving a bit to join the circle of friends. He might feel uncomfortably around so many creatures, but he knew how to properly behave while being a part of the group.
“So, Twilight,” Rainbow Dash was asking, “I've heard that a new 'Daring Do' book came out recently.”
“Yes, I know, I already ordered it.” the lavender female replied. “I should get it tomorrow.”
“Awesome!” the pegasus exclaimed taking the air and doing a barrel in her excitement.
“Why are ponies and humans so obsessed with those books?” Latios wondered as he chewed down on his apple. “I'll admit, this writing thing is useful, but why read about stuff when you can experience them yourself? Or those other books Bianca had read those... 'fairy tales', or what not. Why read about stuff that's impossible to happen?”
He pondered 'voicing' his questions, but decided against it. He didn't care much about that back in Altomare, he would care here. If Bianca and those ponies liked to read, it was their business. He had much more appreciation for the thrill of flight and coolness of water, of both silence and gentle hums of nature, of the warmth of the sun against his fur and the feeling of earth beneath him as he lay down like this, and of the sweet scent of the loved one lying beside him.
“So, what's the title of this one?” Rainbow Dash asked Twilight once she calmed herself.
“It's 'Daring Do and the Dragon's Treasure'.”
Latios ears perked up hearing that. “Dragon's?”
But all thoughts that came to his mind evaporated as he sensed the very next heartbeat his mate tense besides him. He looked at her, puzzled and worried.
“Oh, don't worry about it.” she said, realizing to what he reacted. “I just... don't really like dragons, that's all.”
It was a good thing she turned her head away from him, and that her friends were all too busy to notice.
To see the shocked and pained expression that was on Latios’ muzzle.
“Alright, see you later girls.” Fluttershy said her farewells as the group parted, the setting sun growing red over the end of the horizon, and she and Eon headed towards her cottage.
It didn't escape her notice that her coltfriend was feeling down. She couldn't understand why. All throughout the picnic, he seemed quite happy, and not at all bothered by the company of his friends.
“Today was really fun, wouldn't you agree?” she asked, hoping that she could figure out what was wrong.
Eon Guard nodded eagerly, and smiled to her, but when he turned his head away, his ears again fell down a bit, and there was a certain... pain in his trot.
“Eon, what's wrong?” Fluttershy decided to drop the subtle approach, her worry over him clouding everything else. “Don't give me that.” she said gently as the stallion began to shake his head. “I can tell you're feeling down and... I don't know why. Please, Eon I want to help you.”
Latios looked into her eyes, blue eyes that suddenly became teary, and was unable to look away.
He hated this. He hated that he was making her worry, that he was causing her pain. Latios wished he could just explain everything to her, but-
I just... don't really like dragons, that's all.
“I've been a fool.” Latios thought, pain clawing his heart, greater than if he himself used his claws against his chest. “How could I become mates with a creature so unlike me, while wearing her species shape? I lied to her, and... and I...”
“Eon?” Fluttershy asked in a voice barely louder than a whisper, as she moved her muzzle closer to his, her teary eyes searching his, now equally teary.
“Fluttershy...”
A moment before their muzzles touched, something interrupted them.
A loud shriek of terror and flashes of green light had erupted, both coming from Ponyville.