//------------------------------// // Chapter 10 // Story: A New Dragon in Ponyville // by Vedues //------------------------------// Once everything had been put away, Cliff checked the scroll. It was a reply from Celestia, if a rather short one. The Solar Princess loved the idea of wyrms and ponies living together and would begin searching for volunteers to live at the Redstone Coven immediately. As for more dragons living in Ponyville, she felt that Twilight and the Mayor should discuss the issue and come to a conclusion themselves. It should have been good news, but Cliff was too concerned about Spike to really think about it. He flopped onto one of the couches in the living room. “You know,” he said to no dragon, or pony, in particular, “I think this is the first time Spike has really asked for my advice.” He yawned. “Why did it have to be on something I know nothing about?” “Uh huh,” Twilight said without looking up from her book. “Will Spike blame me if things don't go well?” “Okay,” the alicorn replied. It was almost like having somepony to talk to. Cliff decided to run with it. “I guess you're right.” He had no idea what he was agreeing to, but saying it made him feel better. “Celestia is going to support the cultural exchange program, by the way. All you need is the Mayor's permission to have a few dragons come and live here.” “Yep.” “It shouldn't be too hard to find volunteers. I think River Wind wanted to come back to Ponyville with me. Fire Eyes would probably come with her if she asked.” “Sure.” “The only problem is,” Cliff sighed, “even with everything you and Spike have done, I think the town is still uneasy about me. I can't even imagine how they would react if new dragons suddenly arrived.” “Yeah.” Cliff sat up so that he could see the purple alicorn. “You know you're just agreeing to everything I say, right?” “Uh huh.” He rolled his eyes. “You and Egghead are nearly copies of each other that way... except for your species, and gender, and age, and never mind.” He lay back down. “Now that I've spent time with you I just don't understand why dragons and ponies have always been separate.” “Yes.” “Wyrms and drakes barely tolerate each other most of the time.” Cliff rolled onto his stomach. “Maybe the problem lies with us...” “Sure.” “But then again my coven was willing to accept Rainbow Dash. Maybe they just need somedragon to break the ice for them.” He yawned and shifted again. “I'm probably the wrong dragon for the job, but Spike and I are all we've got, so I'll do my best.” “Yes.” Cliff laughed softly. “Thanks, Twilight. I'll be sure to tell you all this again, when you take a break from reading.” There wasn't anything else that needed to be said. He fell silent, still fidgeting with nervous energy as he waited for his brother's return. A few minutes later, Cliff heard the front door open and shut. He rushed downstairs to find his little brother holding a ruby and looking glum. That can't be a good sign. He knelt in front of the younger dragon and hugged him gently. “You don't have to tell me what happened if you don't want to.” Spike shook his head. “No, it's okay.” He didn't meet Cliff's eyes as he spoke. “She said that she really does care about me, but she isn't sure if her feelings are romantic or not, and since...” he sniffled and tears began to form in his eyes, “I'm so young... she said we should just wait for a few years, and then see what happens.” Cliff wordlessly embraced his brother once more. There was a lot that he wanted to say but he knew that none of it would change what Spike was feeling. It was a while before the younger dragon gently untangled himself from the hug. “Thanks Cliff.” He looked embarrassed as he held up the ruby. “Rarity gave me this. Do you want to split it?” “You should eat it.” Cliff closed his brother's claws around the gem. “There's also something we should talk about.” “Of course there is.” Spike sighed. “What happened now?” “Nothing happened,” Cliff assured him. “There's a spell that would make you grow up faster.” Spike's eyes widened. “Really? Awesome, let's use it!” “Hold on a moment. This spell is one-way. You'd be leaving your childhood behind forever.” “I don't care,” Spike said immediately. “Just think about it,” Cliff told him. “If you still want this tomorrow after dinner, I'll cast the spell for you.” Spike exchanged a long look with his brother. Eventually, he looked away. “All right, fine, but I'm still going to want it tomorrow.” “I know you're hoping that Rarity will like you more as an adult, but what if she still only thinks of you as a friend?” “I don't care. I have to at least try!” Spike blinked away his gathering tears. “I'd do anything for the chance to be with her.” Cliff squeezed his brother's shoulder. “Spike, think about it. If you do this, Rarity would probably agree to date you, but she'd be doing it because of guilt, because she feels like she owes it to you, regardless of her actual feelings. Do you really want to put her in that position?” A look of horror passed over Spike's face. “No, I don't want her to date me because of that.” He paused, and looked up at Cliff. “So you're saying I should stay a kid?” “I'm saying that your decision should be because of what you want for yourself, and not what you think Rarity wants.” He squeezed Spike's shoulder again. “Whatever decision you come to, I promise I'll support you in it.” Spike nodded slowly. “Okay Cliff. I promise to think about it for real.” “Good.” Cliff tousled his head spikes. “I hope you don't mind but I'm going to bed early.” He returned to the living quarters, followed closely by the younger dragon. Twilight hadn't moved an inch. Cliff turned to his brother. “Oh, Spike?” “Yeah?” “I really meant it when I said I was proud of you.” -_-_-_-_-_- Cliff woke early the next morning. He wasn't surprised to find Twilight still reading, but he was impressed that she had gotten through eight books already. None of those metal tomes could be considered light reading. “How's it going?” he asked, not really expecting an answer. Much to his surprise, however, he got one. “Amazing!” The purple alicorn beamed. “I never knew that dragons had such intricate religious and philosophical beliefs!” “What, did you expect us to worship rocks or something?” Cliff asked in good humor. Twilight blushed a little. “Well no, of course not. I didn't know what to expect.” “I suppose I can't fault you for that,” Cliff said. “Did you ever read that letter from Princess Celestia?” “Yes, I have a meeting with the Mayor late Saturday morning.” Twilight checked her schedule again just to be sure. “I'll ask her about inviting more dragons to live in Ponyville then.” Cliff nodded. “I'll let you get back to your reading then. Let me know if you have any questions.” “Actually...” a rather large list floated up to the dragon. Each point was a question, though Twilight had already written answers for most of them. “Would you mind helping me with this?” “Sure.” Cliff skimmed through the list until he reached the first unanswered question. “'What is the religious stance of dragons in regards to alicorn ascension?'” he read aloud. “I don't know. I had never heard of normal ponies becoming alicorns before I met you.” Twilight looked a little disappointed. “I was afraid of that.” Her mood lifted almost immediately. “Well, what do you think of it?” The draconic religion centered around continuous improvement towards a state of perfection, embodied by the stars. He reflected on what he knew of Twilight's ascension before answering. “You're one step closer to the divine,” he said at last. “The Immortal Sisters are probably a step or two above you.” “Hmm... Interesting.” Twilight tapped her chin thoughtfully. “Not to mention, kind of flattering. Is there any kind of dragon alicorn?” “That's actually the next question on the list,” Cliff pointed out. “I know.” She motioned for him to continue. “Not that anydragon knows of.” He pointed to the biology pile. “You should find information on several hypothetical ascended dragons in there somewhere.” “Really? What do they look like?” “I depends.” Cliff looked through the stack until he found the right book, Possible Draconic Sub-Species. “Some scholars believe that there's a third type of dragon somewhere, and an ascended dragon would reflect the characteristics of whatever that is along with a wyrm's magic and a drake's wings.” He flipped to the first diagram, which was in full color thanks to magic. “This is a rock dragon. Some ancient artwork shows creatures like these.” The diagram was of a thin, tailless dragon, with enlarged front claws and a muscular chest. “No hard evidence exists to verify that these creatures are real, but they are believed to live deep underground.” He flipped the page. “This is the ascended version.” It looked like a wyrm with a rock dragon's front claws and a drake's wings. Twilight laughed softly. “That's impressive, but shouldn't this book be in the fiction section?” “Either that or mythology.” Cliff returned it to the pile. “I only ever read it because I liked to imagine myself ascending into one of those forms.” “Did you have a favorite?” Twilight asked. Cliff picked the book up again. “Yes...” he flipped through the pages until he came to it. “Here it is.” The creature was drawn standing upright, with a blue gemstone embedded in its forehead, and large wings spread behind it. Its body seemed to glow softly. “They're the ascended version of sapphire dragons,” he explained. “The legend goes that they can use the stone in their forehead to swim through dirt and rock like water, and they can make their scales glow or change color with only a thought.” Twilight studied the picture, noting the amount of detail that had gone into it. “Do you think they're real?” “Not likely.” Cliff gave the book to her. “I just thought their abilities sounded cool.” The two shared a chuckle over that. “By the way,” Cliff said, “when will you be sending all this to Princess Celestia?” “I'll actually be sending it to a publisher first. We want to get at least one copy of everything, so we won't have to risk damaging the original records.” She frowned. “That reminds me, I need to make room in my schedule to go see him today.” Cliff could only assume that a publisher made copies of books. “Good idea. I guess I should start working on breakfast.” He paused. “Fluttershy will be coming over this morning. Should I... invite her to eat with us?” “Of course,” Twilight replied. “Why is she coming over though?” “Rainbow Dash convinced us both that we should get to know each other better. Since she's dropping off that food anyway, we decided it would be a good chance to talk.” “That's an excellent idea.” Twilight smiled broadly. “You know, most social scientists agree that sharing a meal is one of the best ways to strengthen relationships of any kind.” “Really? I guess inviting her to breakfast is a better idea than I realized.” A thought occurred to him. “What do I do if she has eaten already?” “Just invite her back for lunch or dinner,” Twilight laughed. “You must be nervous about this.” Cliff shrugged. “Well, yes. Of the five times we've talked, two were disastrous, two were rather awkward, and only one could be described as a positive experience.” “You shouldn't worry so much,” Twilight told him. “Once you get to know Fluttershy better you'll agree that she's one of the most kind and loving ponies you've ever met.” “That isn't saying much at this point,” Cliff reminded her. “I know maybe a dozen ponies total.” Twilight rolled her eyes. “Fine, fine. She's one of the most kind and loving ponies, or dragons, that you've ever met.” She gave him an amused smile. “Better?” Cliff returned the smile with one of his own. “Much.” -_-_-_-_-_- Apparently Twilight had made a couple of midnight snacks for herself. Cliff washed her dishes and put away some leftovers before staring on breakfast. He didn't know what Fluttershy might like, so he decided to make a bit of everything: fruit smoothies, oats, hay, flower sandwiches, and an assortment of fresh vegetables. It gave his nervous energy a productive outlet, and if Fluttershy didn't eat any, at least the leftovers would serve well for lunch. He had just finished laying everything out when he heard somepony knocking. “I'll be there in a moment!” He made his way to the door and opened it. Fluttershy stood outside, holding a basket in her teeth and hunching down slightly, like she was trying to hide. “Oh, uh, hello, Cliff.” She said without meeting his gaze. Even though it was still early in the morning some ponies were out and about. Maybe they're making her nervous, or maybe she's still afraid of me. Probably both. In any case, talking at the front door didn't seem very polite. “It's good to see you, Fluttershy.” Cliff stepped back. “Do you want to come in for a moment?” She nodded and stepped inside, setting the basket down in front of her. Cliff shut the door. It suddenly occurred to him that he didn't know what to say. Thankfully, Fluttershy spoke up. “I brought your food.” She pointed to the basket. Food. As conversation topics went, it wasn't bad. “Thank you,” Cliff said. “Uh, by the way, have you ever tried eggs?” Fluttershy nodded. “Rarity made some for me once.” “Did you like them?” She looked kind of sad. “Not really.” “Well, uh, there's nothing wrong with that.” “But Rarity worked really hard on that meal.” The yellow mare stared down at her hooves. “I could tell that she was disappointed.” “Don't blame yourself for that. I've been trying to get Spike to eat dragon food for a while now. He doesn't like it but that isn't his fault either.” He walked over and picked up the basket. “Anyway, we should put these in the kitchen.” She nodded, and followed after him. “What kinds of dragon food have you given him?” “Just what you bring me,” Cliff replied as they reached the kitchen. “I really do appreciate your gifts, by the way. They remind me of home.” He started unloading the eggs and fish into the fridge. “Oh, I'm sorry.” Fluttershy said, then she blushed. “Uh, I meant... I'm sorry that you miss your home.” Cliff looked down at the basket in his claws. “I understand, and thank you.” He moved away from the fridge and gestured to the freshly set table. “Uh, would you join us for breakfast? I made some extra food.” “You didn't have to.” “It was no big deal,” he said quickly. “I didn't know if you'd be hungry or not. It's alright if you aren't, by the way. I wouldn't be upset.” “No, I haven't eaten yet,” she assured him in return. “If you don't mind... I'd be happy to join you.” Cliff's claws relaxed. He hadn't realized he'd been clenching them. “Thank you.” He checked the clock. “Twilight will be here in four minutes with Spike. What would you like to do until then?” “Well,” Fluttershy fidgeted, “you could tell me about your home, if you want.” “I'd love to.” He mused about where to start as he took one of the seats around the table. Thinking about Redstone and about stories naturally led his mind to a certain hatchling. “There's one dragoness, even younger than Spike, who has always been like a little sister to me.” “Really?” Fluttershy took the seat opposite him. “What is she like?” “Her name is River Wind.” Cliff looked at the far wall without really seeing it. “She's the cutest little thing, with dark green scales, white spikes, and bright blue eyes...” As he spoke, Cliff forgot about the awkwardness that had been plaguing him. He described how her eyes lit up whenever she heard a new story, and how she followed him and Fire Eyes around, begging to be included in whatever they were doing. Sadness crept into his voice as he talked of the pegasus attack that had nearly killed River, and how he and Fire Eyes had both blamed themselves for letting her go off on her own. His smile returned, however, when he spoke of his visit with Rainbow Dash and how she and River had bonded so quickly. Twilight and Spike arrived for breakfast somewhere in the middle of it all but they both motioned for him to keep talking. He was happy to comply. “You must really love her,” Fluttershy said when he was finished. “She drives me crazy sometimes,” Cliff said wistfully, “but yes, I do.” “I wish I could meet her,” Spike said between mouthfuls of oats. “She sounds really nice.” “You'll meet her sooner or later,” Cliff promised. “Just be warned, she'll want to hear your whole life story.” Spike, Twilight, and Fluttershy looked at each other and exchanged a short laugh. Cliff didn't get it. “What?” “I told my whole life story to Fluttershy the first time we met,” Spike explained. He turned to the yellow pegasus for confirmation. Cliff had always assumed that his brother's first encounter with Fluttershy had been much like his own. “I had never met a baby dragon before.” The yellow pegasus smiled shyly. “I wanted to know everything about him.” Cliff smiled back as he gathered up their plates. “By the way, Spike,” Twilight said. “Could you visit Noteworthy today about the printing job? I just won't have time to do it myself.” “You need the extra time for reading, right?” Spike gave her a knowing grin. The Princess blushed. “Well... yes. I hope that's okay.” “Don't worry about it.” Spike waved a clawed hand. “I was going to spend some time in town anyway.” He turned to Cliff, becoming more sober. “There's somepony I should talk to. I hope that's okay.” Cliff met his younger brother's eyes and nodded. “I understand.” “Uh,” Twilight looked at each of the dragons, “am I missing something?” “It's nothing,” Spike said quickly. “Just something I need to think about.” Twilight was obviously not convinced. “Okay... well, I'm going to get back to reading.” She gave Fluttershy a hug. “Thanks for joining us today. You should come over more often.” The pegasus returned the hug. “Thank you, but I wouldn't want to intrude.” “Nonsense,” Twilight said. “We like having you here, Fluttershy, and I know Cliff was happy that you two got the chance to talk.” Cliff nodded in agreement as he gathered the last of the dishes. “You see?” Twilight assured her friend. “Maybe you could join us for breakfast on Saturday too? Unless another day would work better? Or maybe we could do lunch or dinner?” Fluttershy smiled sweetly. “Saturday... for breakfast, would be nice.” “Perfect!” The alicorn produced a calendar from somewhere. “I'll make a note of it... and there we are. All scheduled.” She said her goodbyes and hurried back to the living room. “When will you be leaving?” Cliff asked his younger brother. “Soon. Just a second.” He ran off, and returned moments later with a small emerald. “Here, Cliff. It's a welcome back present...” he swallowed, “and a thank you, for your advice.” Cliff accepted the gemstone, and tousled his brother's head spikes. “I'll see you at dinner?” Spike nodded and bid him and Fluttershy farewell before leaving. Cliff pressed the gemstone against his chest for a moment before he sighed. “I guess I should eat this now.” “Why?” Fluttershy asked. “You must already be full.” “Greed,” the dragon replied. “Owning anything of sentimental value carries the risk of making me go berserk like Spike did that one time.” He held the gem up to the light. It was the first time in years that he had wanted to hang onto a trinket, which only made it the more dangerous. He was about to eat it when his companion's soft voice reached him. “Um, if you want to, I could keep it at my house.” Fluttershy got out of her seat and approached him. “That way, you wouldn't really own it but you could still see it whenever you want.” “...That's perfect,” Cliff breathed. I can't believe I never thought of that. “Yes, thank you.” He gave her the gem. She placed it in her basket, smiling happily. “It's good to see you happy again.” She looked around, apparently realizing for the first time that they were alone. “Oh, I guess I should be getting back to Angel. He must be worried about me.” “Okay,” Cliff nodded. “I'll come by in a few hours with your potion. Is there some specific kind that you need, or just the usual?” “Just the usual,” she hesitated, “but...” “Did I do something wrong?” Cliff asked. He suddenly felt nervous again. “No, it's just...” She visibly forced herself to say the next words, “You shouldn't get me things because you feel obligated.” Cliff relaxed. “I don't. You're doing something nice for me and I want to do something nice in return. Among dragons, at least, that's part of what it means to be a friend.” Fluttershy's nervousness lifted as well, and she stood a little taller. “Thank you. Maybe we can talk more when you come by?” “I'd like that,” he replied. -_-_-_-_-_- It was easy to find the maturing spell. Page Turner had marked it with a piece of red fabric just like she promised. Cliff spent some time making sure he could cast it correctly before he said goodbye to Twilight, who hadn't noticed him the entire time, and stepped outside. As he did his morning stretches, Cliff tried to ignore the fact that everypony who walked by fell silent. He was starting to wonder if they had all gone to a different meeting than the one Spike and Twilight had described. Approaching hoof-steps made him look up. A pair of golden eyes that didn't align correctly looked back at him. They belonged to the local mailmare, a gray pegasus that Cliff had seen from time to time. She held out a letter to him with a warm grin. “Welcome back.” Cliff was at a loss for words as he accepted it. “I, uh, thank you.” “Please read that.” She gave him one more smile before continuing on her way. “I will,” Cliff said lamely after her. I really need to get better at making first impressions. Opening the envelope, he found a neatly written page addressed to him. Dear Cliff Runner, I want to thank you for defending our town, and say sorry for the way everypony is treating you because of it. I think we all dream of doing something heroic, like fighting a hydra all alone to defend four children. It's kind of sad, but I think we focus so much on those big things that we ignore smaller chances to be heroes, like giving somepony a shoulder to cry on when they need it. If we can't even be heroes in small ways, why do we think we could manage the bigger ones? I don't know much about you, but I think you must do those smaller things every day. You probably don't even think about it. Twilight and Spike were crying at the town meeting as they told everypony how selfless and loving you are. It made me cry a little too, because I was a bit afraid of you when you first came to town. I was actually happy when I heard that you left, until I heard the whole story. Then I just felt sad. It hurts sometimes, when you realize that you've been so wrong about something. I thought you were scary, then you nearly died protecting us all. I thought I was a good pony, then I saw the hydra coming, and I just wanted to grab my sister and fly away. I never even thought that other ponies might need my help. At least I'm strong enough to admit when I'm wrong. I bet some ponies will be so afraid of that that they'll keep pretending you're the real problem. I bet a lot of others will want to say sorry and thank you, but they'll feel so guilty that they won't know how. That's how most ponies treat me, because of my eyes. They just assume that I'm mentally handicapped, and then they get all awkward when they find out that they're wrong. It took me a long time to realize this, but if I was just willing to take the first step and start talking to them, they usually got over their awkwardness and became my friends. I know you shouldn't have to do this, after all, we were the ones who were wrong, but if you reached out to the ponies in town, I'm sure a lot of them would want to be your friends, no matter how they're acting right now. I know I would like to be your friend, if you don't mind. Sorry if I sound preachy. I hope you're feeling better, and thank you again for showing Ponyville what it means to be a real hero. -Derpy Hooves/Ditzy Doo (I respond to either) Cliff read the letter through twice before the walked inside and placed it in his room, so he could respond to it later. Charity, the emotion for when you give or receive a heartfelt gift, rose up inside him, and he let a few tears drop to the floor. He hadn't known just how powerful a 'thank you' could be until that moment. He hadn't wanted praise or thanks. His only goal had been to protect Spike and those fillies. For some reason though, just knowing that there was at least one pony in town that didn't know him personally, but still thought well of him, made all the difference. Several minutes later, Cliff returned outside to continue his stretches. The day seemed brighter somehow. It wasn't long before Rainbow Dash dropped out of the sky. “Heya, Cliff,” she said as she landed near him. “You look like you're in a good mood.” “Yeah, I guess I am.” Cliff realized he was smiling. “Awesome! So what happened?” “You know that gray mailmare pegasus?” Cliff asked. “Do you mean Derpy? The one with the weird eyes?” He nodded. Rainbow nodded as well. “Yeah, I know her. Super nice mare, but,” she shuddered, “also super clumsy.” Come to think of it, Cliff had seen her crash into a building once. “Anyway, she came by to thank me for defending the town.” “That was nice of her, and it was pretty awesome that you took on a hydra by yourself.” Rainbow patted him on the back. “How much longer until you're ready?” “I'm just finishing.” Cliff rose to his feet. “Lead on.” -_-_-_-_-_- Their run was a relatively simple that day, just out to Sweet Apple Acres, and around the farm once before returning to the palace. Rainbow Dash barely broke a sweat the whole time. Cliff Runner, on the other claw, could hardly stand when they finished. “You know,” he croaked, lying flat on his stomach, “not all of us could fly to Redstone and back. Magically enhanced sprinting takes its toll on your legs.” “Yeah, you're just sore because I trounced you so bad,” Rainbow joked, leaning back against the wall of the palace. “Remind me to challenge you to a fire breathing contest sometime.” Not phased in the least, Rainbow said, “Eh, I'm awesome enough that I'd find a way to win at that too.” “You probably would.” Cliff rose gingerly to his feet. “Anyway, what will you be doing for the rest of the day?” “I've got some weather duties to take care of, but after lunch I'm going over to Sweet Apple Acres to help AJ water the trees.” “Maybe I'll join you after I drop by Fluttershy's.” Cliff started walking around to keep his muscles from cramping. “How did it go with her today?” Rainbow asked. “Well, I think she's starting to feel more comfortable around me.” Cliff shrugged. “It's hard to be sure though.” Rainbow Dash rose to her hooves. “Don't worry about it. Fluttershy just takes time to warm up to new, uh, dragons.” She flexed her wings. “Anyway, I've gotta head out. I'll see you at AJ's later.” She took off, leaving a rainbow contrail in her wake. After his cool-down stretches, Cliff went back inside for his grandmother's notebook. He pulled it out of his cloak, and read the first page. Cliff Runner has a natural gift for speed and agility but often lets it go to waste by remaining in close quarters with his foes. He also has a talent for maintaining multiple spells at once. However, this wears out his willpower quickly. Given that he shows little skill in long range combat magic, but excels at personal enhancement, he could best capitalize on his abilities by focusing on hit-and-run combat. The first obstacle to overcome in this style would be his relatively limited reserve of willpower. Short bursts of power are useful, but hit-and-run combat is often drawn out and relies on being able to outlast one's foe(s). To improve this weakness I recommend activating and maintaining at least one tier two spell for as long as possible during the course of day-to-day activity. Good choices for Cliff include: Scale Armor, Spider Climb, and Aura of Silence. Once he is able to maintain three spells at minimum power all day for an entire week without falter, he will be ready for exercise two. In the meantime, he should continue with his physical training as normal. Cliff winced. His grandmother's observations had always leaned a bit towards brutal honesty. Also, her suggested training methods certainly made sense, but that didn't make it sound any more appealing. He would describe himself as a sprinter in terms of magic; able to create, but not maintain, large bursts of energy. To continue the running metaphor, Fire Claws was essentially asking him to spend the entire day jogging. I did ask for this, Cliff reminded himself, and cast Scale Armor. It would be the easiest to maintain over time. He took a moment to write a short reply to Derpy's letter, letting her know that he would love to be her friend and warning her that he wasn't nearly as heroic as she had made him out to be, though he was flattered that she thought so highly of him. Cliff put his cloak on and slipped the letter inside. After asking Twilight several times, he finally caught her attention long enough to ask where Derpy lived. Apparently the mailmare was staying with the Carrot family just behind Sweet Apple Acres, which was convenient. Cliff thanked her and left. The young dragon debated for a moment between skirting around Ponyville, like he usually did, or cutting straight through it. Eventually he shrugged and started walking around. He would be getting an overdose of crowds tomorrow, so he may as well enjoy the solitude today. He reached Zecora's house quickly. After a short visit, and thanking her for her advice the other day, Cliff made his purchase and left for Fluttershy's cottage. She was out front, watering the plants as he approached. “Good morning, Cliff,” she said as he drew near. Her pet rabbit was at her hooves. It glared at him. “Good morning, Fluttershy,” Cliff replied, ignoring the rabbit. “Where should I put this?” He held out the potion. “Oh, I have a medicine cabinet inside.” She put the watering can down and walked to the front door. “You can come in, if you want, that is. I'll show you where it is.” “Okay.” Cliff followed her into the cottage. He hadn't gotten a very good view of it last night, just enough to know that it was rustic and comfortable. In the light of day he saw that impression had been dead on. Bird cages and miniature houses lines the walls, with tiny stairs leading up to them. Several small tables, chairs, and a sofa were scattered around the room, sitting on rugs of warm browns and reds. Part of one wall near the sofa had been converted into a bookshelf. Fluttershy walked to a writing desk on their left and pulled open the lower drawer. Quite a few bottles were lined up neatly inside. She reached out for the new potion, which he gave her, and placed it with the others. “Thank you for these, Cliff,” she said as she closed the drawer. “They've helped my critter friends so much.” “I'm glad, but it seems like you already have plenty.” “I have stocked up a lot, thanks to you,” she said, “but it's always good to have some extra.” “True...” Cliff scratched his cheek thoughtfully. “Maybe I could do something else for you for a while though; just until you need more potions.” He looked around. “I could help with your animals, or cook meals for you, or... something.” “Oh no. I could never ask you to do something like that.” The pegasus blushed. “Why not?” Cliff asked, genuinely confused. “I... I haven't done anything to deserve those sorts of things.” His expression went from confused to incredulous. “Friends shouldn't have to deserve help. I have the free time, so I may as well lend a claw. Unless you'd rather I didn't, like you're afraid the animals would be scared of a dragon. I promise I wouldn't be upset if that's the case,” he added quickly. “No, it's nothing like that.” Fluttershy assured him. “I wasn't expecting it, but... if you want to help with my chores sometimes... I'd be happy to let you.” “Great, I can come over on Saturday if you want.” Cliff looked around again. “Unless you have something that needs doing right now?” Fluttershy shook her head. “No, I already finished my chores for today.” Then, in a voice barely above a whisper, she added, “uh, would you like to see your emerald?” “It's really your emerald now,” Cliff reminded her, “but yes. I'd love to see it.” The yellow mare led him upstairs to a small bedroom with even more birdhouses hanging from the ceiling. She walked past the bed, which had butterfly patterned covers, and reached up to grab a small box on a shelf over the fireplace. “I put it in here,” she explained, “so none of my critters could run away with it. Some of them like to collect things.” He took the offered box and opened it. The emerald sat inside atop a velvet cushion. “Thank you, for holding onto this,” Cliff said, smiling as the gem reminded him of Spike. He could only hope that his little brother would find his answers today. “It means a lot to you,” she observed with a timid smile. “Maybe you should keep it.” “I wish I could, but no.” Cliff gently closed the box and gave it back to Fluttershy. “I wouldn't be safe with it around.” “But you aren't greedy,” Fluttershy objected. “You only want it because Spike gave it to you.” She seemed to realize what she had just said, and sank to the floor. “I'm sorry. I didn't mean to argue.” Cliff felt a surge of nervousness. Please don't start crying. “We weren't arguing,” he said as gently as he could. “It was just a discussion, and you weren't wrong. I probably would be safe keeping it,” he gave the box a wistful look, “but I'm not willing to risk the safety of you all on a 'probably.'” Fluttershy looked at the box in her hooves, and then back up to him. “I'm sorry.” “For what?” “I- uh...” She looked away as she returned the box to its place on the shelf. “I'm sorry that... you...” “It's okay,” he cut off her stuttering. “I understand.” Cliff had to sympathize with her plight. There wasn't any nice way to say, 'I'm sorry that you're a dragon.' She smiled gratefully as she walked past him to the door. “So, um, will you and Spike be doing anything fun today?” Cliff followed her downstairs. “No... Spike is going to be gone all day. He has something he needs to think through.” “Oh, uh,” the yellow mare clearly didn't understand, but she didn't press the issue, “will you be helping Twilight with her research?” “No. She'll be reading all day.” “Oh... what will you do then?” “I don't know,” the dragon admitted. “After lunch I'll see if Applejack could use some help on the farm. Until then, I'll probably go back to the palace and read.” A look of concern crossed Fluttershy's face. “I, um, if you don't mind, that is, you could read a book here. That way you won't have to be nervous about walking past all the ponies in town, and you'll be closer to Sweet Apple Acres.” She blushed and looked away. “But, uh, you don't have to.” Cliff was legitimately shocked by the offer. “Are you sure I wouldn't be in the way?” Fluttershy nodded, still looking to the side, rather than directly at him. “I just hope I have something that you'll like.” She led him to the bookshelf. It was larger than it looked from the door, and was packed two layers thick with books. “What do you normally read?” Cliff scanned the titles. “Historical fiction and romance, mostly.” “You... like romance stories?” The yellow mare turned to him in surprise. “Not exactly masculine, I know,” Cliff said without embarrassment. “My mother got me started on them. She actually wrote some of my favorites.” “Wow,” Fluttershy said. “I didn't know that your mother is an author.” “I guess I haven't told anydragon other than Spike and Twilight,” Cliff reflected. “My father is a painter, by the way. They met at a gathering of the covens, when Mom asked him to do artwork on one of her books.” “Was it love at first sight?” she asked longingly. “Yes,” Cliff smiled. “I suppose it was. Dad said she was so beautiful that he asked her to be his model on the spot.” “How romantic.” Cliff looked from the bookshelf to Fluttershy, who had a dreamy smile. “Do you want to hear the story?” She nodded. “Yes please. If you don't mind, that is.” “I would love to tell it.” Cliff moved to the center of the room and sat on the floor. “Feel free to ask if there's anything you don't understand.” “Okay.” She moved towards the sofa, but then seemed to change her mind, and sat on the floor across from him. It wasn't an especially complicated story, but it was a meaningful one. Cliff's mother had told him that there were some stories that seemed to make your heart glow within you. These were the kind of stories that needed to be remembered and retold. Even if the dragons (or ponies, in this case) forgot every last detail of such a story, they would always remember how it made them feel. The tale of two dragons falling in love and getting married might have had no impact on the world as a whole, but the two dragons in question were his parents. As far as Cliff was concerned, that was enough to make it special. Fluttershy proved to be an excellent listener. She was alert and attentive, and the questions she asked showed a level of insight that surprised the young dragon. Most impressive of all was her ability to leave preconceived notions behind. She freely accepted it when Cliff told her that sharing a nest was perfectly normal among dragons, and that his parents had done so for most of their courtship. The story of his parents' courtship led Cliff to talk about life after their marriage, and the circumstances of Spike's egg being stolen. While traveling between covens, the two dragons had awoken to find the egg, along with most of their supplies, stolen. Searching had revealed signs of a pegasus camp nearby but little else. Eager to leave the grim details behind, and because Fluttershy was looking guilty that one of her race had done such a thing, Cliff moved onto his own birth and youth. “I must be boring you,” he said after several hours had passed. “Oh no, not at all.” The yellow pegasus grinned. “You sounded so cutesy-wootsy as a hatchling. I wish I could have seen it.” Cliff smiled in return. He had to wonder why it was so easy to talk to her now when it had been so difficult back at the palace. “It was your first day of training,” Fluttershy prompted. If she doesn't mind... Cliff picked up where he had left off. With his parents frequently gone, looking for Spike's egg, Cliff had spent a lot of time in the care of his grandparents. As one would expect, Fire Claws had wanted to start his training as young as possible. Cliff hadn't shown a lot of talent or interest in fighting, unlike Fire Eyes, who had routinely beaten him senseless while sparring. However it was thanks to training that he discovered his love of running and earned his name, Cliff Runner, after mastering the Spider Climb spell. “Do all dragons have to earn their names?” Fluttershy asked. “Our parents all give us a birth name,” Cliff replied, “but we get our real name when we discover our passion in life.” Twilight and Spike had been surprised by this too. “It kind of appears in our mind, like an invisible cutie-mark.” “Amazing.” The yellow mare looked back at the butterflies adorning her flank. “I wonder if it's the same kind of magic.” “It might be.” Cliff shrugged. “Who knows?” “What was your birth name?” Fluttershy asked suddenly. “If you don't mind telling me, that is.” “No, it's fine. I was called 'Lone Brother.'” Cliff faked a shudder. “I never did like it very much.” “That's too bad.” Fluttershy rose to her hooves. “You aren't alone anymore, but you're a wonderful brother.” She walked past him towards the kitchen. “I'll be right back with some lunch for us. What would you like?” It suddenly occurred to Cliff that accepting her invitation to stay had also meant sharing a private meal with the pegasus mare. Red touched his cheeks as he tried not to think about what that meant among other dragons. “Uh, let me help.” Cliff followed after her. “I'll eat whatever.” “Well,” the pegasus smiled nervously. “If you really want, you can help me slice vegetables to make a salad.” Cliff's thoughts weren't helped by that smile. It was the kind of expression a dragoness might have when confessing her love for the first time. “I-I'd be happy to.” He embraced the Stillness just long enough to keep his emotions in check. Fluttershy gathered a few carrots and tomatoes on the counter, and passed him a knife. “Do you like your new name?” “Yes. Well, it suits me, at least.” Cliff focused on the carrots. Carrots were safe to think about. “Do you like yours?” The question seemed to take Fluttershy by surprise. “I- Well, I don't know. I never thought about it before.” She looked down at the lettuce she was cutting. “It suits me, at least.” They exchanged a soft chuckle at that. Cliff decided to open up a little. “I always wanted a name that had something to do with flying.” “Really? Why?” “I wish I could fly.” He shrugged. “I imagine most wyrms do.” Cliff had come to terms with his impossible desire many years ago. Fluttershy blushed. “It really isn't... so wonderful.” Crap, she's looking cute again! Cliff jerked his eyes away before he could get too distracted. Wait, 'cute'? He silently cursed every hormone in his body. Emotion control could only do so much to counteract their effect. Ponies aren't 'cute'. You're just reacting to the situation. “The other diamond is always larger,” Cliff quoted without really thinking about it. She looked up at him. “What?” He pretended to be too focused on chopping vegetables to meet her gaze. “It means that you appreciate the talents you don't have more than the ones you do.” Fluttershy nodded. “I suppose that's true. My friends all seem so amazing to me, but they all say that I can do amazing things too.” She blushed heavily and looked away. “Even though I don't feel that way.” “You are amazing,” Cliff told her automatically, but not cute. Well, maybe a little. She does have really beautiful eyes, and- He cut off that train of thought with a groan. Stupid, stupid hormones. “Oh no, I... I'm really not,” Fluttershy stammered, still hiding behind her mane. “Yes you are. You're just too humble to admit it to yourself.” She was willingly spending time with a stranger, and a dragon, in spite of her phobia, just because she wanted to be nice. That spoke volumes about her character, as far as Cliff was concerned. “...Thank you,” Fluttershy whispered. “I think you're amazing too.” “...Thank you.” Cliff felt his cheeks redden as he went back to chopping. Stop being cute, blast it! They worked on the meal in silence until Fluttershy spoke again. “What did you do after you got your name?” Cliff was about to answer when a better idea occurred to him. “Actually, I was hoping you could tell me more about yourself.” The yellow mare glanced at him curiously. “Why?” She looked away. “I mean, I'm not very interesting.” Because I'm guaranteed to say something stupid if I keep talking right now. “I think that you're very interesting.” Cliff finished with the carrots and moved on to the tomatoes. His answer left Fluttershy completely flustered. “I, uh, well...” Her attempts at speech grew so quiet that Cliff had to activate a spell just to hear her. “Why?” she whispered at last. Cliff considered her question for a moment. He couldn't exactly say, 'I just need a distraction right now because you inadvertently asked me to mate with you, and that's making it hard to focus.' “The other diamond is always larger,” he repeated. “Your life seems much more interesting than my own.” “Okay,” Fluttershy whispered, peaking out from behind her mane, “but promise you won't be disappointed if I'm more boring than you thought?” From what Spike had told him, she had fought changeling armies twice, tamed Cerberus, befriended Discord, won a staring contest with a cockatrice, and helped defeat both Nightmare Moon, and the Nightmare Force. “I promise,” he said with confidence. -_-_-_-_-_- Fluttershy began with her troubled youth in Cloudsdale. Bullies had tormented her all through school, and she had been too ashamed to tell her parents or the teacher about it. Even Rainbow Dash, the friend she had had for as far back as she could remember, couldn't stop the insults. Their words had obviously left deep scars. Tears appeared in her eyes and her voice shook as she spoke. Her pet rabbit climbed onto her shoulder, patting her cheek tenderly, while giving Cliff a death-glare. Cliff ignored the little fur ball and gently rested his claws on her other shoulder. “You don't need to force yourself,” he whispered. “We can talk about something else.” Fluttershy shook her head. “No... it's okay.” She blinked away the moisture in her eyes. “What happened next is much happier.” And so Cliff heard about the day when the young pegasus got her cutie-mark. Several bullies had been tormenting her during summer flight camp when Rainbow Dash challenged them to a race. Fluttershy had been knocked off her cloud right at the beginning, and her wings locked to her side in panic. Luckily for Fluttershy, a swarm of butterflies had caught her just before she hit the ground. Enchanted with the forest she found herself in, the young filly had quickly befriended every animal in the area. Even after her friend's sonic rainboom scared the creatures into hiding, Fluttershy's gift with animals allowed her to calm them and gather them back together. They remained that way for several hours before rescue pegasi found her and took her back home. Even as he listened, Cliff was staggered by the cultural differences. Back at the coven, bullying was simply not tolerated, and all hatchlings knew there was no shame in telling an adult about it. He almost wanted to track down the teacher in charge of that summer flight camp and burn his eyebrows off for not immediately diving after the young Fluttershy when she fell. Hearing about her cutie-mark, however, melted his heart. Cliff could almost see the young pegasus soaking in the unconditional love of her new animal friends. It suddenly clicked that she was very similar to himself in that respect. They both had an overwhelming need to care for the small and defenseless. The thought sparked a feeling of camaraderie in him, which he happily embraced. As they started on lunch, salad and a plate of orange slices, Fluttershy told him that she worked extra hard at flight camp so that she could get down to the surface and back on her own. Once she graduated from school, she got a job at the veterinarian's office in Ponyville and began saving up. Houses on the outskirts of town were less expensive, and since she wanted to be near her friends in the forest anyway, Fluttershy had bought this humble cottage with her savings, and some help from her parents. Her reputation as an animal translator had spread by then, and ponies were starting to come to her both to settle disputes with the local animals and to ask for her advice on the best pet for them. Even animals were starting to flood to her house, hoping she could find them a perfect owner. These side jobs didn't pay very much, but it was enough for her modest needs, and so she quit working at the vet's office and began caring for her beloved critters full-time. The young dragon had to smile at the uplifting turn of her story. True, there wasn't much that most dragons would consider exciting, but he couldn't see anything wrong with a simple life of pure love, and devotion to one's calling. He was so caught up in listening that he barely had time to think about the fact that they were eating together in private. “Will you be going to Applejack's soon?” Fluttershy asked as they washed the dishes. “I guess I should,” Cliff said, a little regretfully. “I promised Rainbow that I'd be there.” “Okay.” She gave him a sweet smile. “Thank you for listening to me, even if it wasn't very interesting.” “I found it very interesting.” Cliff smiled back as he walked to the door, retrieving his cloak as he went. “Would you mind telling me the rest on Saturday?” Fluttershy retreated behind her mane again. “Well, um, okay. If you want, that is.” “Yes, I do,” he promised her. “Will I see you at Pinkie's party tomorrow?” She nodded. “Take care, Cliff.” “You too, Fluttershy.” -_-_-_-_-_- After leaving his letter to Derpy in the Carrot family mailbox, Cliff walked the short distance to Sweet Apple Acres. He entered through the back gate and was making his way to the farmhouse when he noticed Big Mac pulling a cart filled with ropes, chains, and tools. “Afternoon,” the red earth pony said casually. “Afternoon,” Cliff replied, eying the cart. He had come to the farm to lend a claw after all. “Want some help with whatever you're doing?” Big Mac thought about that for a moment. “Eyup.” He started walking again, pulling the cart out into the orchard. Cliff kept kept pace with the large earth pony but remained silent. It was a lot like working with Steel Claw again. He didn't mind that. If nothing else, he wasn't crammed into a small, dark, foul smelling pit. Instead, Cliff was able to enjoy the fresh air and sound of wind through the leaves. Unsurprisingly, the whole area smelled of apples. It wasn't long before they reached a dead tree among the rows of live ones. Dozens of small holes pitted its trunk, making it seem that insects were at least partially to blame for its demise. Big Mac cocked his head towards the tree and then gave the dragon an idly curious look. He seemed to be asking how Cliff would handle the problem. The young dragon shrugged. “You'd know better than I.” Apparently satisfied with that, Big Mac pulled an ax from the cart and held it out to him. He accepted it, and set to work once his silent companion indicated the placement and size of the cut he should make. Meanwhile, the red earth pony was hacking at exposed roots on the other side of the trunk with a pick of some kind. He paused occasionally to look at Cliff's growing cut into the wood and always gave the dragon a satisfied nod before returning to his own work. Minutes flowed together as Cliff hacked methodically at the dead trunk. It was a good thing that his job was simple because maintaining the Scale Armor spell was starting to make it hard to concentrate. That, and his thoughts kept drifting back to Fluttershy. In spite of all their differences, he was starting to recognize her as something of a kindred spirit. The fact that he was a male and she was a female did present a problem, however. Camaraderie could easily mature into romantic interest if left unchecked, and Cliff was fairly certain he didn't want to wake that sleeping berserker. The difference in their lifespans alone would nearly guarantee heartache at some point, to say nothing of being from different cultures and having such drastically different bodies. He wouldn't even be able to sneeze around her without fear of causing painful burns, or run his claws through her coat without being careful not to cut her. He would continue to support Spike, no matter what, but for Cliff himself, dating a pony just didn't seem like a good idea. Once the cut was deep enough, Big Mac took over. He directed Cliff back to a safe distance, and then chopped at the opposite side of the tree for a few minutes until it came down with a thunderous crash. It took them several hours of sawing and hacking to remove all the branches, and cut the trunk into manageable sections. While they worked, Cliff reminded himself that he was likely making a diamond out of a dirt clod. Fluttershy was very sweet, but she hardly seemed interested in romance with a dragon. All the better, therefore, to stay just friends. His decision made, the young dragon checked his emotions for any part of himself that was hoping for more than friendship. There wasn't much, but he soothed it away just in case. After loading everything into the cart, both workers took a moment to enjoy the bottles of apple cider that Big Mac had brought along. As they relaxed in silence, Cliff was forced to admit that his willpower was fading. He might be able to maintain his spell for the rest of the day, but he couldn't hope to do so and still have enough strength to cast the maturing spell, if Spike still wanted him to. It was a difficult choice, but eventually Cliff let the Scale Armor spell fade rather than risk disappointing his brother. Once their break ended, Big Mac wordlessly gave Cliff a shovel and took a saw for himself. The dragon set about digging to expose the roots for his companion to sever. He had never realized it before, but trees seemed to have nearly as many roots as branches, if this one was any indication. After more than an hour, Big Mac tapped him on the shoulder and held out a length of chain. Cliff wrapped it around the stump and gave it back before climbing out of the hole he had dug. The large stallion secured one end of the chain and attached the other to the yoke around his neck. Cliff put his claws on the chain questioningly. Did he want some help? Big Mac shrugged and nodded. He didn't think he'd need it, but he wouldn't refuse the offer. The two shared a quick nod and then began to pull. Cliff rose to his back legs to strengthen his grip on the chain, his limbs straining against the seemingly immovable stump. In front of him, Big Mac dug his hooves into the ground and pulled with all of his impressive strength. At first their combined efforts seemed to be for naught, but then the stump began to inch towards them. Both workers found the strength to pull a little bit harder. They were rewarded with a SNAP as the stump came free of the ground, dragging broken roots behind it. Exhausted but satisfied, the two loaded everything into the cart. Big Mac tossed another bottle of cider to Cliff as they set out for the farmhouse. “Yer always welcome here, Cliff,” the large pony said suddenly. Cliff turned to his companion in surprise. The stallion's expression was sympathetic. He had to know about the situation in town, and was reassuring the young dragon that he still had allies in Ponyville. “Thank you,” he replied. They walked in silence until the barn came into view. “Hey Cliff,” Rainbow's voice reached them. “There you are!” The dragon looked up to see his multicolored friend flying towards them. Applejack was on the ground just behind her. “Howdy, Cliff,” she smiled as she approached. “Rainbow here has been tellin' me all about yer home.” “Yeah, where were you, anyway?” the blue pegasus asked. “I thought we were going to meet up right after lunch.” “Sorry, I ran into Big Mac,” Cliff gestured at the large stallion behind him, “and I offered to help him get rid of a dead tree.” “Eeyup,” Big Mac agreed as he continued towards the barn. Cliff followed after him, as did the two mares. “You two musta worked well together,” Applejack commented. “Ah wasn't expectin' ya ta finish today.” Big Mac rolled his eyes, as if to say, 'thanks for the vote of confidence.' “You could've just burned the thing down,” Rainbow said. “Nope,” Big Mac replied. “Not without burnin' down the whole orchard,” Applejack added. “Besides, we need the wood.” She pointed at a pile of it on the side of the barn. “Unload it there. We'll chop it up once its had a chance ta dry.” As Big Mac pulled up to the indicated pile, the others started unloading. It was quick work with all four of them joined in. “Well now that the work is outta the way,” Applejack turned to Cliff and gave him a tight hug. The dragon froze in shock. “I never did thank ya proper fer savin' mah little sis an' her friends.” She laughed when she pulled back and saw Cliff's stunned expression. “Don't ya'll dragons ever hug?” Rainbow Dash was chuckling as well, and even Big Mac seemed amused. “We do.” More than most ponies, actually. Cliff shook his head to clear it. “I just wasn't expecting it.” The orange mare rolled her eyes as she smiled. “I guess boys're still boys. No matter if they're dragons or ponies.” She started towards the house. “C'mon, ya'll helped us out today. I reckon the least we can do is offer ya both dinner.” Cliff glanced at the waning sun. “Actually, I need to go make dinner for Spike and Twilight.” “Seriously?” Rainbow asked. “We didn't get a chance to hang out at all today.” “Rainbow,” Applejack chided. “Takin' care a' family is what matters most.” She turned to the dragon. “Is there anythin' we can do ta repay ya fer all ya've done?” He thought about it. “You could let me drop by the orchard and help sometimes.” Rainbow smacked a hoof across her face. Applejack just chuckled. “Yer always welcome here, Cliff. A word of advice for your way back, though, ya might wanna keep an eye out fer mah sis an' her friends. They've been scourin' Ponyville for ya since they heard ya'll got back. Said somethin' about gettin' dragon cutie-marks.” Cliff thanked her for the warning, though he was actually curious what the three fillies had in mind. After saying his goodbyes, the dragon started on his way back to town. He arrived at the palace without incident. Twilight was still reading, but an empty plate nearby indicated that she had at least eaten something since breakfast. Spike was nowhere to be found. Cliff couldn't decide if that was a good sign or not. A combination of exhaustion and worry led the dragon to make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for dinner. They were simple and Cliff had actually developed a bit of a taste for them. He prepared a half dozen, set the table, and sat down to wait. Twilight stepped into the kitchen just as the hour struck, like she usually did. “Evening, Cliff.” She yawned. “Where's Spike?” “With Rarity, I would guess,” Cliff replied. “I'm sure he'll be along soon.” “Alright.” She turned on the coffee-maker before taking her seat. “Will we be having another magic lesson after dinner?” “That will depend on Spike.” Twilight yawned again. “Why is that?” “He might need our help with something instead.” Cliff had just finished speaking when they both heard the front door open. “Cliff?” Spike's voice called. “In here,” the older dragon replied. He breathed a sigh of relief when his brother appeared with a calm but determined expression. Whatever decision he had reached, Spike was apparently sure of it. “I want to be an adult,” the baby dragon said.