//------------------------------// // Chapter 17 -I Know You- // Story: Shattered Skies // by Arctikfox //------------------------------// -I Know You- "When are we going to get a chance to talk?" River growled into Skyfall's ear as they both poured ice into a large cooler. "As soon as Cadance is gone long enough for us to talk." Skyfall whispered. "That filly sticks to you more and more everyday! She's like a dog humping your leg." River yelped when Sif smacked her with her tail. "You know I didn't mean it like that!" "What are you two talking about?" Cadance asked, pointed more towards River than Sky. "Sounds important." Sky glanced back. "Yeah, I forgot to pick up sunscreen and coconuts for today." "Oh, I can get them." Cadance chirped brightly, her ears swiveling like little pink radar dishes. "Would you? That would be amazing." Skyfall smiled. Cadance’s smile lit up like a Christmas tree. Skyfall pointed at the house. "There’s a bit bag on my desk. Take what you need." River scowled at Innocence. "Inko, go with her." "Aw! But-" "No buts! Go, young lady." River commanded. Sky gave Inko a small pout to lighten the mood. "Okay, I'll go for Sky, not you. You're cranky." Cadance clapped her hooves in delight. She liked Inko and Honos, or Honny as he liked to be called. But River, on the other hand, seemed constantly irritated with Cadance. She was unsure what the mare's problem was, but River was one of Skyfall's close friends, so it wasn't her place to interfere. Part of Cadance dreaded the walk into Ponyville. She wanted space from Shining, but he tried to follow her every time she stopped in to visit the town. She desperately wanted to make up with him, but he still needed an improvement in attitude. "Ready, Lovebutt?" Inko asked. Her cream coat and auburn hair were already groomed for the walk. As soon as the door shut behind Inko and Cadance, River spun around. "Alright, spill." "I think this conversation is best meant for the cave." Skyfall sighed, making his way towards the waterfall. "Fine." River said. "Let's go then." "I'm coming too." Nimbus stood to follow, along with Honos. "Inko left behind one of her finches." Honos said, pointing at the bird on his shoulder. "Technically, she's my little songbird. Isn't that right, Lea?" Sky said, making the finch chirp and stick her chest out in confirmation. "You still using the animals to report on that farce in Ponyville?" Nim asked. "Kinda. Celestia's captain of the guard is really smart. He doesn't let any animals near anything sensitive. Funny enough, sweet little Fluttershy is their biggest information leak." "Liar." Nimbus laughed. "That shy little filly is a spy?" Nimbus asked. "Of course not." Sky scoffed. "She tells her animals everything to get it off her chest and they then come to me. Nothing of any real importance." Sky, River, and the others grew quiet as they entered the waterfall. The cool water washed over them as they passed through the falls. The three spirits transformed when they entered the cave's main chamber. Skies and Storm stood, staring at their long time friends in their true form, once again. "I see you still keep your fur as messy as you like." Skies laughed upon seeing Flowing Streams’ messy coat. She was a giant otter with long fur and light green markings on her paws and tail. Flowing Streams stood on her hind legs, easily double the height of the others and stretched. "I’d much prefer if we got to business, Cadance will not be gone long." "I agree." Honos said, transforming into Feather of Truth, a large, hollow set of ornate armor. His eyes burned with an ethereal fire as he beamed around. "I get a weird feeling from her. It’s almost familiar." "I agree." Flowing Streams said. Skies waved a hoof, summoning roots out of the ground to form a table and chairs. "Then let us begin." As the Spirits sat, they each carved notes magically into the wood so they would remember their talking points. Since the meeting was initiated by River, she was the first to speak. "Shattered Skies, I have come to you in this hour of need to seek your allegiance. I have been informed that you have already denied one request and I ask you to reconsider your decision on the matter. Only we few can face this threat and stop it. What say you?" Skies sat silently, Flowing Streams spoke to him in the same official manner as when they were on the Spirit council, likely to relay to him the magnitude of the request. "My answer..." Skies paused and sat back, feeling truly conflicted. Had he not seen and heard the things that he had in the past few months, then his answer would be a firm ‘no’ like it was with Storm Front. However, Flowing Streams was as calm and collected as she usually was. She didn’t normally act on knee jerk reactions, so she had likely been thinking about this for some time. "I do not have an answer as of yet." Storm Front nearly choked. "What!? How come she gets a maybe and I get a no?" Flowing Streams glanced over at Storm. "Because you would fly a dumb suicide mission into Canterlot and Skies knows that isn't what I’m asking him." "Yeah, okay." Storm Front scowled and crossed his arms. "What could I do to aid in your decision?" Streams asked, turning back to Shattered Skies. Skies looked at her with a sad look. "Bring my family back." Flowing Streams inclined her head. She didn’t need to ask what he meant. "I have seen too much death, Flow. Last time I tried to help the world, I was impaled on a scythe and locked in sleeping exile for a thousand years. Aside from small things, I don't have a drive anymore to help." Shattered Skies intoned. His voice lightly cracked as he finished speaking. Flowing Streams saw the defeat in Skies' eyes. She walked over to him and wrapped her body around him in a hug. "You never told me how torn up you still were about your family." "You know I keep things to myself." Skies said with a wry look. “And some things you can’t leave behind you completely, no matter how much you might want to.” "I know." Streams nuzzled Skies beneath his chin. "In the meantime, while Skies is working towards a decision, anonymity should be our prime focus." Truth broke their somber moment. "With that being said, I'm making a nod towards the elephant in the room." "Or in this case, Princess in the room." Sif’s voice emerged from the depths of the cave. "So this is where you've been at night, Sif." Skies made an attempt at humor as Streams retracted herself from him. "I'm not sleeping in that house until the ghost is gone." Sif stated. "I was wondering what was going through my stuff." Truth said. "But back to the issue. My lord, why do you have an Alicorn in your house?" "Aside from it being the perfect cover?" Skies said. "She's having marital issues and, unlike many of the ponies I've met so far, I don't have to pretend to like her." "And the fact that she looks like Anara." Flowing Streams fixed Skies with a soft gaze. "I know you want to have a family again, Skies, but please don't try and force a mold on others to fit what you need. It cannot end well." Skies sighed. "I guess you're right." "It isn't the first time either." Flowing Streams said, transforming back into River, signifying an end to the meeting. "Every so often you treat a filly or a mare like a daughter because you can't let go." "I know." "You need to let it go." River hugged Skies. "If not for yourself, then for the world. Because it needs the mighty Shattered Skies from the war and not the grouchy old stag you've become." "I'm not grumpy. Storm is grumpy." Skies flicked a hoof at Storm, who scoffed in return. River reached into her bag and brought out a small package wrapped in cloth. "Skies, you gave this to me years ago and asked me to give it to you when you needed it. I believe now is the time." Skies started to tremble. "No, I can't look at it." He said, shaking his great shaggy head. River shook her head and placed it in his hooves. "Then don't.” She said gently. “But eventually, Skies, you will." Skies shrank back from her and took the the package gingerly. "I need to go talk to Cadance." "Why?" River asked. "She's probably back and I think it's better for everyone if I send her home. I should put an end to the act." Sky said as he walked back towards his house. Sif stood to follow, but stopped when River walked into her path. "You and I need to talk." River glanced back at the others. "One on one, if that's possible." "Then let's go into Ponyville and chat." Sif smirked. "We can drag sweet little Innocence with us like we used to." "And we can go terrorize the ponies." River mused. "But first, we should go and back up Sky, in case Cadance goes nuts." "I was thinking the same thing." Sif said before she grabbed a potion from a nearby chest and drank it to transform. "If my nose is right, she should almost be here." Both River and Sif trotted out of the cave, past Storm and Honos, to reach the back of the house. They both stopped when they heard a pony scream. "But why?!" "It has been a while since you've been here and you should go and make up with Shining." Skyfall said monotonously. "But you said as long as I wanted I could stay here?" Cadance's voice cracked and threatened to break. She stopped looking into Skyfall's eyes and started to tear up. "Don't kick me out." "I'm sorry, Cadance, but you need to go home." At those words, Cadance started crying. Sky tried to lift her chin, but she jerked away and ran past Skyfall and into the room she had been staying in. The door slammed before a soft crying echoed through the hall. "I got the feeling she hated being a princess, but I never knew how much." Sif muttered as she and River rounded the corner. "I think it's best to give her some time." Inko said before tapping Nimbus on the shoulder. "As for you, we're resuming your lessons on anger management, Mister." "Fine." Nim huffed. "No breathing exercises this time." "Maaaybe." Inko tucked a clipboard under her wing. "Now scoot, to the waterfall." As Nim and Inko left, Honos walked up to Sky. "Speaking of things to do, we need to up your training regimen. Grab some weight vests from the closet and meet me in the training room, my lord." Sky laughed under his breath. "See you in five minutes." Sky stopped and looked at Sif. "You two going out for the day?" "Yep, me and River need to catch up." Sif said. "Yeah, we gotta find a karaoke bar." River smiled deviously. "Oh no. Spare the populace from your shrieking, please. You'll kill everyone and we'll be the only survivors." Skyfall groaned as he opened the closet. "And Sif farts in her sleep." "I do not!" "You're asleep, how would you know?" Skyfall laughed at Sif's indignant scowl. "Seriously, it can melt paint and turn coal into diamonds." Honos laughed hysterically from upstairs while Sif stomped out of the house followed by a snickering River. "That stag, I swear sometimes he ruins my nerves." Sif gripped. River patted Sif's side. "Glad to see you two haven't changed." "I haven't changed." Sif's tone saddened. "Sky, on the other hand, he's become a recluse that takes everything so slow it hurts. It's almost as if he’s afraid to offend his own shadow." "You miss the antlers-first approach he had to everything?" River said. "Not just that, I miss our ship and the battles we waged. Massive undertakings with him orchestrating it all. There were more friends back then." Sif kicked a rock in frustration. "We still have friends, Celestia has just done a good job of hiding them." "Have you discovered where?" Sif asked. "We know for a fact that there are some of us in Tartarus and some of us living in a supervised situation in Canterlot, but the ones that gave Celestia real trouble are harder to pin down, something about a mirror that's being guarded closely. Trying to get a spy in is exceedingly difficult." River stated. "We've tried to find this changeling queen to get her help with a spy, but she's all but disappeared." As the duo neared the village, their conversation shifted to something more neutral. "Are there any mares that Skyfall finds an interest in?" River asked. "Even if he did, you know how he is." Sif rolled her eyes. "I know, but we need to get him back on the horse." "Don't you mean, back in the horse?" Sif bumped River. "You dirty girl." Sif winked. "Although, there are a few ponies that I think want a relationship. Even more would just like to mate." "Ah, I see that stud had some ladies that want to jump his bones, eh?" Sif shook her head. "You Spirits and your weird phrases." River and Sif heard a voice echoing through the forest. It sounded angry. They looked at each other and made their way into the forest until they found a treehouse. "What's this?" River whispered. "Local foals hang out here after school sometimes. And the town wonders why they go missing so frequently." Sif said, making her agitation for the village known. "Well, let’s say hi." River said as she exited the bushes. As the two crept up to the treehouse, they could hear the dulcet voices of three fillies floating to their eardrums. "Come on, Scootaloo, it isn't that bad." Sweetie Belle rubbed Scootaloo’s back, trying to calm her down. "Yeah, just like our cutie marks, it'll come to ya." Apple Bloom said. "No, I'm getting worse." Scootaloo lamented as she laid down. "What are you girls doing?" River poked her head in around the tree trunk. She resembled a Whack-a-Mole turned on it’s side and glued to a tree, to a degree. "AH!" They cried in unison. Sweetie Belle was frightened so badly that she actually flipped all the way over, landing on her back with her legs sticking straight up, and Apple Bloom’s mane frazzled out a bit. "Whoops, you scared them." Sif said as she stood beside River snickering. "Wasn't my fault, Fluffy butt." "Sorry, girls; River doesn't know how to not be blunt with her questions." Sif grinned. "Ah, that's okay, Sif. We were just helpin' Scootaloo try and fly." Apple Bloom said. "They call you Sif?" River whispered to Sif. "Yeah, the ponies understand that I'm not really a huge wolf, so I’ve been able to use the name my dad gave me." Sif said winking at River. "Oh, you really are a dirty girl." River whispered before turning to the smiling foals. "Weren't there more of you?" "Yes, Silver Spoon is up in the treehouse and Diamond Tiara is grounded." Sweetie Belle said. "Ouch." River said emotionlessly as she eyed Scootaloo. "So you can't fly?" "I can fly!" Scootaloo squealed. "OK, then fly." River taunted. Scootaloo readied herself and beat her wings as fast as they would go, lifting her six inches from the floor before they petered out. She stared at River, panting and sweating. "See, told you." "I saw a hover." River said, much to Sif's annoyance. "What's wrong? No one teach you?" "I have the best instructor ever!" Scootaloo cried. "Rainbow Dash!" "Never heard of him." River muttered as she circled Scootaloo. She poked the filly in the side "Extend your wing." When Scootaloo did so, River could see a small scar similar to Sky's. "Okay now slowly flap." Scootaloo looked at her friends, who gave her encouraging nods so she would do so. "No, put more power into the back. You're just pushing air up and down." River said, trying to help. Scootaloo waved River closer and whispered. "I can't." "Why?" River whispered back. "It...hurts." Scootaloo said. River tapped her chin and glanced at Sif who was talking to Apple Bloom about something. "Sif." "What, you hussy?" "Has Sky met this filly?" "Yeah, though they don't talk much, unlike this one." Sif pointed at a waving Apple Bloom. River chewed the inside of her cheek. "Hunny, you should go and talk to Skyfall for help." "I don't need anypony’s help!" Scootaloo said angrily, making River smirk. Sif coughed. "I'm going into the treehouse with these two." River nodded and looked back at a scowling Scootaloo. "I can recognize surgical scars when I see them." River pointed to Scootaloo's wing. "If you continue to let your pride get in the way, you'll never progress." Scootaloo remembered Rainbow's stories of succeeding as a foal and Scootaloo hated the idea of having to ask for help, to her it felt like cheating. River leaned in closer. "You should see Skyfall, I doubt he would tell anyone." Scootaloo sat for a second in silence. River patted her head. "You ain't gotta answer." With that, River walked to the treehouse and up the stairs. When she opened the door, she busted out laughing at the sight of Sif in a pink dress that was too small and a little tea cup held to her lips. "Let's see what you remember." Honos said, ready to issue orders to an armored and armed Skyfall. "Ready?" Sky gave a curt nod in confirmation. Inko sat in the corner, having been ditched by Nimbus. She’d been drawing Sky in his armor while the rays from the sunset peered through the large windows. She’d had the penciled-in Skyfall strike a silly pose. "1. 5. 3." Skyfall drew a dull sword and slashed. "6. 4. 2." Loud thumping sounded through the house as Sky rolled and slashed as per Honos' commands. "And lunge!" The whooshing of air was followed by the sound of metal hitting wood when Sky impaled a practice dummy. "Not bad, my lord." Honos said. "I see years of vegetating hasn't let you forget your form." "All by accident, I assure you." Skyfall joked before his breath caught in his throat. "And so it happens." "What?" "Behind you." Sky said. “Prepare yourself: Winter is coming.” When Honos looked behind him, he saw that little white specks floated outside the window as the sun’s rays were slowly blocked out by the dark clouds rolling in over the valley. "I take it this is Storm's doing?" "You know it." Nim said as he pushed the room's doors open. "Took me all afternoon, but I've brewed up a snowstorm fierce enough to blanket the region for at least a month." Skyfall, Honos, and Innocence deadpanned him. "Relax, it won't be so bad it'll trap ponies indoors." Nimbus groan as he sat down. "I haven't done anything like that in a long time." "The world doesn't want us anymore." Sky said, taking a seat of his own. As he did, the front door opened and shut. "We all know how the world reacted when Discord returned. "I see the terrible twosome are back." Innocence hid her face in her sketchbook to hide her drawings as River and Sif trotted up the stairs and into the training room. "You know it!" River cheered as she and Sif posed in the doorway. "You two are a couple of doofuses." Sky chuckled. "I'm sure there are a few paintings in Neighpon of demons that resemble you from the shenanigans you used to pull." "That wasn't funny!" River jeered. "I still can't go there because you spread that rumor." "I did no such thing. You and Sif were the ones that painted a lord’s house with peanut butter, knowing he had a nut allergy. You're lucky all the dragon-ponies didn't hunt you down." River stuck her nose up. "He was a rude turd and he deserved it." Sif nodded along with River. "Who's side are you on?" Sky shouted playfully. Sif smirked and walked over to Sky before sitting between his legs. "Traitor!" River scolded. "Sorry babe." Sif shrugged. "I like my stallions big and horny." "Nice deer joke." Innocence smiled. "Whoever said I was talking about his antlers?" Sif returned sweetly. Everyone erupted into laughter when Innocence started coughing in shock and left the room. "So what do we do now?" River asked. "Well, night is rolling in, so I'm going to turn in." Sky stood before three sets of armored mannequins crashed to the floor behind him. "What was that about?" River asked. "Ghost." Sif muttered before trotting out of the room and down the stairs, trying to escape the house. "You have a trapped soul here?" River raised an eyebrow and looked around. "I can see some residue, but why doesn't it come out?" Sky shrugged. "They'll come out when they're ready, but in the meantime, there's a book calling my name." River looked around and scraped at the floor with a hoof, making her analysis. "Nimbus, you're my assistant tonight." "Fine, but I'm Scooby." Nimbus threw the magazine he was reading on a nearby desk. "No." River said. "I'm Velma and you're the glasses." Sky shook his head and left before the two could continue their bantering. He was beat from the day, his hooves pulsed and his eyes felt dry. It was time for some well-earned rest and relaxation. Sky exhaled hard as he reached his bedroom door, Cadance was still in the room next to his and had not come out since he had told her to leave. He could hear light snoring from within the room. She had likely cried herself to sleep. Sky felt terrible, and thought to make it up to her in the morning with hot cocoa. The door to his room swung open and he cursed to himself. He didn't have any ingredients for it. So he shut his door and trotted down the hall past River and Nimbus. "Don't burn my house down again, I'm getting food." "That was once!" Nim shouted. "And was technically River's fault." "Wanna fight about it?" River growled. Sky grabbed his bags and scarf and made his way down the little walkway from his house. The pathway was dotted with falling snow. 'Okay, cane sugar, cream, granulated honey, and coconut oil. The rest I can grow on the way home.' His steps faltered for a second, but he continued anyway. "Why am I doing all this for Cadance?” He wondered aloud. "Maybe because you want to have a child again so badly, you make her into something she's not." Came a voice from the brush. Sky recognized the voice of a wolf when he heard it. "Reveal yourself." Quiet stepped out slowly and bowed. "Evening, my lord." "You think that I am treating Cadance like a child?" Sky asked curiously. "Somewhat. We watch you my lord, you fidget over her, you clean up after her, and last week she hit her arm on the fountain when she was decorating it and you acted like a father, cleaning her up and telling her to be careful." Quiet said. Sky nodded, remembering everything Quiet was referring to. "That has not escaped me. It has become more and more apparent that I have a problem. I should apologize to her as soon as I get the chance." Quiet nodded. "I am supposed to warn you that Luna of the Moon is here." "Thank you, Quiet." Sky smiled, a little worn from the day. "Anything else?" "Nothing official, my lord." "Oh, a personal question then?" Sky walked to the brush so it wouldn't be too obvious he was talking to a wolf. "It's not so much a question as it is a show of gratitude." Quiet fidgeted. Being this close to such a powerful and important being made her nervous. "You saved the Diamond Dogs, and in all my life I have never felt better about myself than when we helped them. But I'm confused." "What are you confused about?" Sky questioned. "If you're trying to hide, why help them? You knew Celestia's scouts were around, and you put yourself in the open.” Sky patted Quiet on the head. "Simply put, it was the right thing to do." The words hung in the air, Sky didn't even think about what he had said because they came out so naturally. He shook the thought from his head and turned. "Have a good night, Quiet." "You too, my lord." Quiet bowed. "Quiet?" "Yes?" "When it's just the two of us, you can call me Sky." Skyfall smiled. "Night, Quiet." Quiet's blue eyes were as big as saucers. "N-Night, Sky." Sky watched Quiet prance away into the darkness of the forest. "Silly pup. Now for those ingredients." "What do you mean, you're completely out of granulated honey?" Skyfall rubbed his temples as Mrs. Cake looked over her stock book once more. "I'm sorry, Skyfall, we used the last bag an hour ago and we won't have more ‘till tomorrow." Mrs. Cake smiled weakly. "I wish there was something more I could tell you, Dearie." "No, it's fine. It’s no one's fault." Skyfall sighed. "In that case, I’ll just have a small black coffee and a pumpkin donut, please." With donut in hoof, Sky sauntered over to a table and sat down. He looked out the window as the falling snow slowly blanketed the world in thin layers. Two mugs of hot cocoa smacked down next to Sky's hoof, grabbing his attention. "You looked a little lonely, so I thought I'd come and crash your party of one." Rainbow Dash said, trying to keep up her trademark tough mare persona. She plopped down and scooted her seat a little too close. "You're welcome to join." Skyfall grabbed a mug and sipped it. "You didn't drug this, did you?" Rainbow's head snapped around at the question. "W-What? Why would I drug somepony?" "Just asking. Wouldn't be the first time." Skyfall tried to not laugh while Rainbow muttered to herself. "Calm down, Speedy. I was joking about you drugging my drink." "Mhm." Rainbow Dash eyed Skyfall. "So what are you doing here?" "Drinking some cocoa before I go home and stare into the forest, slipping slowly into madness." "Sky?" "Dash?" "You're a very odd stallion, you know that?" Rainbow said, playfully punching him in the shoulder. Her smile was rather big, bigger than it usually was. Sky squinted a little and saw that she had put on mascara, and he also noticed that the pleasant smell of clean sheets wafted from Rainbow's direction. "What are you doing out on the town?" Sky asked. "Oh, nothing. I was training and felt like some hot cocoa, and since you were in, I thought I'd get you some." "Well, I have stuff to attend to." Sky chugged the rest of his cocoa and stood. A sudden commotion caused Sky to look down, Rainbow grabbed his hoof and pulled it down. "Please don't, I want to talk." "About?" "I don't know." Rainbow said solemnly, refusing to look him in the eyes. "Anything, anything at all. I want you to talk to me like you do Fluttershy or Sif and not the way you usually do to me." "And how do I usually talk to you?" Rainbow's hoof slipped off Sky's and she dragged it back to herself slowly. "I don't know. Like you think I'm not even worth a minute of your time." "You're not wrong." Skyfall said bluntly, sick of Rainbow’s advances. Rainbow's sad expression turned into one of rage. "Excuse me?" "What? You heard me." Skyfall said calmly. "So I am right?" Rainbow asked. "That's why you ignore me." "I haven't the time for self-centered ponies who are too self absorbed to truly care about others." Skyfall turned to leave, only to find Dash zipping to block his path. "I can care about others!" "Can?" Skyfall asked rhetorically. "I rest my case." Rainbow headbutted Skyfall's chest as he tried to walk past her. The only one in the shop was Mrs. Cake, but her belief on matters like this was to let ponies hash it out. "I do care for ponies." Rainbow squeezed her eyes shut. "Some a lot more than others." "I also don't like liars." Sky said, touching Rainbows mascara. "Training? I think not" Rainbow shuffled around as Skyfall left to return home. She fell into silence, mentally chastising herself for her temper getting the better of her. Mrs. Cake trotted over and placed a single slice of banana bread before her and patted her back. "Oh dearie." Mrs. Cake cooed. "Stallions aren't as dumb as we like to think they are. They just like to point things out less than we do. Trust a mare who married one." Rainbow gave a solemn nod and slumped into a nearby chair. "More cocoa, please." As Mrs. Cake trotted away, a shadow blocked some of the light that shined down from an overhead lamp. "May I join you?" Rainbow looked up and her eyes shot open as she got up to bow. "P-Princess?" "No bowing, Rainbow Dash, I believe we are familiar enough to skip the formalities." Luna said happily. "What brings you to Ponyville?" Rainbow grabbed the mug Mrs. Cake brought over. "Enjoying the snow?" "Yes, it is the first time that I have seen natural snow in a long time." Luna said, accepting a mug of her own from Mrs. Cake. "I had to write a few quick letters to the cities of Equus explaining the unscheduled snow." Rainbow looked outside. "Things are changing aren't they?" "Yes, but snow holds a special place for me, so I welcome it." Luna chirped and took a sip from her mug before raising her mug to Mrs. Cake, silently commending a job well done. "Oh. What does snow mean for you, Princess?" Rainbow asked. "It's my earliest memory." Luna said. "My mother played with me in the snow while I was a foal, throwing snowballs with me at my cousins. We used to make snow-icorns and snow angels together." Rainbow smiled. "You and Princess Celestia never talk about your family." "It's complicated." Luna said. "But enough about me. Who was that stallion you were trying to headbutt?" Rainbow smacked her own face, having not realized that anybody had been watching. 'Finally home, groceries put away, and snuggled under the covers.' Sky thought, curling up into a ball of blankets, but like every night before sleep grips him, thoughts and memories rush through his mind, this time they were of Cadance. 'Maybe I should check on her?' 'S-Shattered Skies, ah don't know how this works, but ah really need your help and ah hope you're listening. Ah was told to come out and ask for yer help.' Skyfall threw his pillow across the room, knocking over a trash bin. He thought about it for a second, the voice he heard sounded familiar. "Who needs sleep? Not me, apparently." Quickly, Sky trotted through the house and out the back door before stripping away his disguise. Skies flew through the forest, trying to pinpoint the source of his summon. Within mere moments, he established a general direction and looked east towards the Apple's homestead. Apple Bloom shuffled around on a hill that overlooked their house in the distance. "Mr. Skyfall was probably wrong, that Spirit ain't comin." Suddenly, a strong rush of wind kicked up and Shattered Skies emerged from one of the apple trees, startling the young earth filly. "You called, Apple Bloom?" Skies asked. "You know my name?" "Yes, I know everyone's name." Skies walked closer and looked down at the shivering filly. "Are you cold?" Apple Bloom nodded. "Are you scared?" Skies asked quietly. Apple Bloom nodded a little slower, yelping as she was scruffed by the Forest Spirit. She kicked and screamed before being placed between two large cloven hooves. Skies laid down and held the small filly, his warmth radiating out from his arms. "Now tell me what bothers you." Apple Bloom sat, staring into the two large, glowing eyes. "Y-You don't seem as bad as ponies make you out to be." "Thank you. I just wish others had the same open mind." Skies said sadly. "I bet many of the adults have nothing but bad things to say about me." "The only ones that ah know that have said good things are Fluttershy, Mr. Skyfall, and Nurse Redheart." Apple Bloom grabbed Skies' face and pulled on it. "You're really real." "Yes, as are the rest of the Spirits." Shattered Skies chuckled as Apple Bloom squeezed his cheeks together. "There are more?" Apple Bloom asked. Skies nodded. "A great many. However, I believe I am here for you. What troubles you?" Apple Bloom winced. "This big stallion, Mr. Skyfall told me that I could ask you for advice. He lives in this big, old house by the Everfree." Skies faked a moment of thoughtfulness."I know the house you're speaking of. It’s a bit of an eye sore on my forest. But he has started a garden and he respects the forest, so I leave him be." "Yes, that’s the one." Apple Bloom smiled before shifting back to her solemn expression. "I need help with my family." "Family fighting?" Apple Bloom nodded. "That obvious?" "I used to have a big family that fought a lot. Two brothers and three sisters. I can read a pony’s home life easier than reading a book." Skies looked out at the Apples’ house. Even from the long distance away, he could see Applejack, Big Mac, and Gilda in a fierce argument with Granny Smith as the referee. "They won't let me sit in, but whatever they're fighting about is serious. My big brother has threatened to leave." Tears started to gather in Apple Bloom's eyes. "In life, sometimes creatures move on to start new families." "But I don't want him to leave!" Apple Bloom cried. "There, there." Skies nuzzled Apple Bloom. "Tell me what lead up to the fight." "Well, Gilda has been coming around a lot in the past year and she's been really nice to me, but Applejack doesn't like her. Lately, she's been staying for a month and Big Mac told us she was staying forever. Applejack tried to throw her out and Big Mac said that Gilda was his marefriend." Apple Bloom inhaled deeply so she could continue. "Then they whispered and Applejack screamed at Big Mac in a way I've never heard her scream and Big Mac said he would move if Applejack didn't stop being the way she was being and they told me to leave and now I'm here." Skies started petting Apple Bloom. Even though she gave a condensed version, he understood what was going on. Applejack found out they were dating and flipped. "Your brother loves Gilda, and from what I see, he wants to start a family with her." "You think so?" Apple Bloom asked. "How would they have a foal?" "You are far too young to know where babies come from." "I'm young, not stupid!" Apple Bloom pouted. Skies smiled. "Oh, of course. And to answer your question, they would make a hippogriff." Apple Bloom opened her mouth to question, but Skies interrupted her. "Top griffon, bottom pony." "Ohhh. I've never seen one." "’Cause they need medical attention the first few months of birth. If they do conceive, however, the baby will need a specific diet if it is to survive." Skies squinted, making a mental note to ask Big Mac about this later. "Wait, did you just say you've never seen a hippogriff?" Apple Bloom nodded. "Never." "Let me ask." Skies shirted, bringing his head lower to Apple Bloom. "How many other other sentient creatures have you seen?" "Creatures that guard?" Bloom asked. "Huh?" "You said sentient, doesn't that mean somepony that guards something?" Skies shook his head. "No, sweetheart, that’s a sentinel. Sentient means someone that is able to perceive or feel things. Make their own decisions. They can usually speak." Apple Bloom tapped her chin and looked at the sky. It took her a few minutes as she thought long and hard, trying to remember. "Ah've seen Griffons, Dragons, and Zebras." "That's it?" "Oh, and Diamond Dogs and Changelings." Skies gave the filly a vexed look. "Cattlekind, deerfolk, Sheeple, Longma, Woodland Unicorns, Alpaca, Dragonponies? None of these sound familiar?" Apple Bloom shook her head. "Should they?" "Poor child." Skies brushed his cloven hoof over Apple Bloom's head like she was a cat. "There is so much you don't know about the world. You probably think Equestria and Griffonia are the only continents." "They aren't?" Apple Bloom asked, her eyes wide. "Maker, no." "How many are there?" Apple Bloom cuddled into Skies’ arm and looked at him intently, completely unphased that he was a Spirit. However, it was still surreal for Applebloom to feel wanted by what she and other ponies considered to be a deity. "There are ten, each more mysterious than the last." Skies smiled. "It is a shame you do not have a well traveled teacher that knows this. A mind is a terrible thing to waste." "Ah do have a teacher that traveled places." Apple Bloom exclaimed. 'Yeah, Cheerilee looks like a real Daring Do type.' Skies rolled his eyes. "Then why has she not taught you this?" Apple Bloom shook her head. "Ah didn't mean Cheerilee, ah meant Doctor Skyfall. He's been everywhere. Why, ah'll bet he would teach us everything if Cheerilee would let him!" Skies sat quietly, he forgot that she was technically his student. Suddenly an idea crawled into his mind, a terrible idea, a terribly wonderful idea. "Then why don't you ask this Doctor to teach you?" "Ah want to, but ah think it would annoy him." Skies gave a deep chuckle. "If he is a stallion of education, then he will be glad to teach you." In the distance, the open door of the Apple's homestead opened up, illuminating the freshly laid snow by the porch. Applejack, Big Mac, and Gilda rushed outside before looking in all directions. "Looks like our conversation is at an end." Skies sighed. He was enjoying his talk with someone who wasn't afraid of him. "Wait, no!" Apple Bloom cried. "Ah still need help with my brother!" "Would you like me to speak with him?" Skies asked. "You would do that?" Skies stood and patted Apple Bloom on the head. "I no longer have a family of my own, so I will do everything in my power to keep yours together. Let him know that he may summon me." Apple Bloom reached for Skies and he turned. "Wait, what if he don't believe me?" "Then give him this." Skies looked back and plucked a large feather and gave it to her. "Hold it near a plant and the plant will bow, making it clear this is no ordinary feather." "Goodnight, Apple Bloom." Skies smiled at the awestruck filly. After a pause, Apple Bloom shook herself and waved. "Goodnight, Shattered Skies. I hope I see you again!" Without another word Skies melded into an apple tree. He watched Applejack run along the forest before skidding to a halt in the snow when she eyed Apple Bloom. "There ya are, ya little miscreant!" "Applejack?" Apple Bloom said. "What are ya doin' out here by yourself? And at night!" Applejack started herding her little sister toward the house before signalling her brother. "Don't ya know there’re Spirits out here that want to eat us?" Apple Bloom smiled, knowing her big sister was wrong. "Ah was just playing guard." "So ya wanna be a guard now?" Applejack sighed, unable to remain angry at her little sister. "Yep, where's Big Mac? I wanna show him somethin'!" Big Mac stood on the porch, watching his little sisters walk back from the forest. He felt his heart slow once he found out Apple Bloom was safe. Gilda nuzzled his side, helping him relax further. That was, until he saw a pair of burning, golden eyes retreat into the forest. "What was that?" "Finally!" Sky exclaimed, doing a swan dive into his bed. "No more chores, tasks, or ponies that need my help. Just me and the warm sheets. I'm going to sleep in hardcore tomorrow." Soon the confines of sleep moved in on his mind, the light sensation of falling and the peace of mind washed over him. With the snowstorm picking up, it was cold enough to really enjoy sleep. 'There's that feeling again.' A mysterious presence had made itself known in the past weeks around his house. At first, he believed it to be a ghost, but ghosts don't have hooves. The light shuffling of hooves was almost too quiet to hear. Suddenly a creak echoed through the room, putting a halt on all movement until the intruder was comfortable enough to move again. ‘Assassin? Maybe. Celestia has probably pegged me and is just toying with me.' Sky mused to himself while he played being asleep. 'This one is good, I can't even sense their magic.' The sounds of breathing got closer and closer, when Sky felt that the intruder was within three feet, Sky snapped his eyes open and threw himself at the assassin, bringing them both to the floor. As both the assassin and Sky hit the ground, the assassin let out a loud girly yelp. "What?" Sky asked before flipping on a nearby light. "Cadance?" "Hehe, hey." Cadance tried to shy away into the floor while under Skyfall's massive size as he straddled her chest. "I could have hurt you, do you know that!?" Skyfall seethed. He was a sight, with his hackles up and crouched over Cadance. He looked like he could wrestle a grown minotaur into submission. "I-I'm sorry." "This has gone too far. In the morning, I’m taking you home." Skyfall stood and let Cadance roll out from under him. "Please, I just wanted to talk to you." Cadance pleaded. "By sneaking into my room at eleven at night?" Skyfall growled. "No, I believe you had ulterior motives, and frankly I am no longer in an accommodating mood. Now leave." "Not until you hear me out!" Cadance said firmly, trying her hardest to make Skyfall listen. "No. I have let this go on long enough. I do not know what you want from me, but whatever it is, I can't provide. The town already thinks we sleep together, what would they think if they found us in a compromising position?" Skyfall tried to reach Cadance. "You have a Prince and you are staying in a random stallion's house." "You aren't a random stallion!" Cadance proclaimed. "I love you!" "Cadance, I think it's best if I take you home now." Sky couldn't see it before, but it was now obvious that she harbored feelings for him. "I have only ever had two loves in my life and they were taken from me. Besides, you don't know me." "I do!" Cadance said, tears welling up in her eyes once more. "You're Shattered Skies!" Sky's heart skipped a beat, but he stayed the course. "I don't know why you're saying this, but you're wrong and I think you need help." Sky grabbed her arm to escort her out, but she spun around and stared him right in the eye. "I'm not leaving!" "Cadance, stop this." "Please don't push me away. I have been looking for you my entire life. I know you, you are Shattered Skies!" Cadance brought Skyfall into a fierce hug and started to sob. "You are… my father."