As I walked through the streets I noticed a very heavy lack of ponies. I looked through the nearest shop window, a place called Quills and Sofas. "Dang is it really already nine at night? I'm already late for my meeting with Twilight then." As I began to take off towards the crystal castle in the distance my coat caught on the lamp post outside the small shop. Riiiiiiip "Dammit all to Tartarus!" I shouted and the rest of my coat began to fall of my body I gave a hard flap of my over-sized dark navy-blue wings to propel myself into the night sky, hoping my dark navy-blue coat would blend in with the darkening sky. Though, the slight trail of navy-blue, brown, and red probably gave me up to somepony in town.
To my luck nopony seemed to notice my quick ascent or flight to the castle. Just as I was about to reach the castle a thought struck me. Crap what are her guards gonna think. I mean I've got the credentials she gave me in her last letter, but I don't wanna make a scene and have my arrival already be public knowlege. Just as I was about to turn tail and flee into the nearby forest, named the Everfree Forest, I noticed the distinct lack of guards at the gate of the massive crystal structure. What the heck. Does she not have guards? That's a bit weird I mean she is a princess after all. I began to slowly descend to the ground near the front of the castle, trying to keep to the shadows. Stealth was never my special talent, but I was decent at it, due to my training with my mother's wolven pack. I walked up to the front door and perked my my pointy ears, as to get a sense if anypony was near it. I heard the fast-paced clopping of pacing hooves. I lifted my front paw up to the door and gave my best attempt at knocking, given that I didn't have hooves. There was a moment's pause in the pacing before I heard the flurry of wings flapping unevenly towards the door. Heh it seems she's still having a bit of a struggle learning to use her wings. The door opened to reveal a slightly frazzled looking Twilight Sparkle.
"Oh! Shadow you made it. A bit late but that's fine!" She seemed to turn about to yell deeper into the castle before she froze. A slightly sad look overtook her features, for the briefest of moments, before she turned to me smiling and welcoming me in. "We did make a house for you out in the Everfree Forest, like you asked. But it's a bit late for us to be traveling out there anyhow, so you'll be staying at the castle tonight." She seemed to pause for a moment before tentatively adding, "If that's alright with you, at least."
I had lived enough of my life reaching out for help and friendship to recognize that Twilight was doing just that. "Is everything alright, Twilight. You seem a bit, I dunno, sad or anxious tonight." I reached out a tentative paw a look of concern on my face. Did I really make her this anxious just by being a few hours late?
"Hmm? Oh yes, just a lot running through my mind tonight. It's just been a year, to the day, since Spike left for his century long nap." Another look of sadness crossed her face, but this time it stayed there as she continued, "It's just...I miss him being here. Golden Oaks was so empty without him, and now the castle is so much worse. I don't even have any memories with him in here to keep me company."
So she wanted some company for the night? Well, who am I to refuse a princess? I began to walk into the open doorway. "I would be honored to stay for the night, Twilight. After all, how often do ponies get to say that they got to stay in a princess' castle?" She began to look at me with a very strange expression, one that almost seemed to combine somber and thankful.
"Well then, right this way. I'll show you to your room for the night." She turned and began to walk into a corridor to the left. As soon as I turned the corner she was standing in front of the first door to the left. "Here you are Shadow, a room fit enough for royalty." She opened the door and I walked through it. An auto-light enchantment kicked in and the entire room was illuminated by a large elaborate crystal chandelier hanging in the main foyer. Which in and by itself could have eaten the entirety of his apartment in Cloudsdale, with room to spare.
I stared, slightly slack-jawed, for a moment before responding with a voice laced with shock and awe, "All this for me? I...I can't believe it!" As I entered further into the room I noticed a full kitchen, to my left, with a stove, microwave, and a dishwasher! To my right I noticed a full lounge area and a balcony. Directly in front of me i saw through an open door a bedroom with a full wardrobe and separate bathroom attached! I walked onto the balcony beyond the lounge, and Twilight followed close behind, seemingly trying to gauge my reaction to the room. I couldn't help it I started to feel tears welling up in the corners of my eyes. I let out a choking sob, looked at her and said, "Thank you Twilight, no one -except for my own flesh and blood- has shown me this kind of kindness." I looked out onto the view of Ponyville and felt my jaw fall slightly gape. The entirety of Ponyville was in sight, the few remaining lights in ponies homes and on the streets painting the town in a sort of glow. It's so beautiful! How could I ever repay Twilight for showing me such a kindness as letting me live here? I looked to my right and see Twilight looking out unto the view of the town as well. "How can I repay you, you've been so kind to me already and, you haven't even started giving me real advice on friendship yet?"
I look down to the floor and let a few tears fall off the tip of my muzzle and onto the floor, wetting the floor beneath me with a specks, as I felt a reassuring hoof fall on my shoulder. I look up and see a look of understanding and compassion in her eyes. "All you have to do to repay me, Shadow, is to allow me to help you." What? How is that a fair exchange?
"Twilight, are you sure there isn't some way that I can help you? Some way that I can even come close to paying you back for the kindness you've shown me so far?" The last sentence has a bit of my desperation to repay her slip into my voice. Wow I must really seem pathetic, I can't even accept a room without begging to repay her? What happened to me? Once I was so hardened to the ways of the world that even the most scathing remark couldn't make me flinch, outwardly. And now here I am border-line begging to repay her for a room! I must seem so pathetic. "I really am pathetic, aren't I?" I muttered out as I begin to track my way into the room.
"You are NOT pathetic! You are a wonderful pony, who has been through a rough time and is struggling. But you know what?" I looked up into her eyes. "You're still standing here, reaching out for help, that says something. It's my duty as a princess of Equestria to help you. Not just that, but...I would hope you would consider me a friend by this point?"
Pure and utter shock cover my face. Is she my friend? I mean, I've already shared quite a bit with her. I pause before I responded, "I had never really thought about it. I mean I've had so few friends -most being family, or close friends of my family- that I really don't know what to consider a friend. She seemed to sink slightly. "But, if I had to hazard a guess, I would say yes. Yes, we are friends." I smile as best I could, hoping it looked natural and held out my paw for her to shake. To my utter shock She ran up and hugged me. "Heh, how many ponies get to say that they've been hugged by a princess?" I ask dryly.
"Well I, for one, can. And if you really do consider me a friend, then it's a friend's duty to help another in need. You have been through a lot in your life, you deserve at least one friend who you can depend on." We both stand there in a hug for a while, neither one of us really wanting to break the moment.
I walked into the lush bedroom I begin to make a motion to take off my coat, only to remember that it had ripped in half earlier. Well, dammit all to Tartarus! How am I gonna go out in public now? I certainly am not going to go out without something to cover up. And there's no way I'm going to be able to stay hidden for long enough to find a shop, if I try and sneak around. Even if I did, how was I going to approach the owner? I draw up a list of Twilight's friends, and remembered one in particular that was a dressmaker, Rarity. Hmm maybe I can ask to owe a favor, seeing as how I'm dead broke. I did use all my bits to move here. Speaking of which the delivery ponies should arrive tomorrow. I crawl my way over to the bed and flop down onto the covers, slide underneath, and let sleep take me. It's good to finally be somewhere, where I feel safe. I think, before I drift off into sleep.