Three days have passed since Hearts and Hooves Day. Since then, those who got pranked during their Hearts and Hooves Day picnic went over to confront Discord, believing that he was the one responsible for it. However, they were surprised to hear from both him and Fluttershy that the exact same thing had happened to them too, leaving them to wonder who it was that did that without the use of a magical aura. Dark briefly thought that it might've been Aero since she could turn invisible, but was told soon after telling Pyre that such pranks weren't really her thing. Especially on a special day like that one.
Today, though, on this Saturday, Dark was closing up his forge early for the afternoon. While it was a slow week for him with Hearts and Hooves Day being that week, he wasn't all that bummed by it as it gave him time to help Spike. However, unlike the usual sparing matches they would normally have, Spike wanted to try out blacksmithing to help him get stronger. Of course, Dark wouldn't allow for him to do it on his own, so he allowed for Spike to assist him as long as he was present.
Allowing for Spike to walk through, Dark closed the doors to the forge behind him and locked it up. Making their way over to the castle for some lunch, Dark began subtly eyeing Spike. While he thought that he'd noticed something different about him when he returned from his Hearts and Hooves Day with the Crusaders and dismissed it, during the time Spike stood by his side helping him, Dark knew that he didn't imagine it.
"So, Spike," Dark began, trying to word it correctly. "How are you feeling?"
"Pretty good, actually," he answered, rotation his shoulders. "I see why you like to work as a blacksmith now. That was one heck of a workout. Hey, do you think that if I get good enough at that blacksmithing and forging that I can make something of my own?"
Dark winced. "I'm not sure, Spike, and I'm sure that we would have to talk about it with Twilight first."
"Aww, really?"
"Yes, really. If we didn't and she found out, it wouldn't be very good for either of us."
"Yeah, I suppose you're right."
"Besides, what if she needed your help for something? I mean, you are her assistant after all, not mine."
"I know, but I like hanging out with you. Incase you haven't noticed, there aren't many guys around Ponyville to hang out with, let alone any of them being a dragon."
"Half-dragon, but I can understand where you're coming from. And I doubt that you'd want to hang around Big Mac since he'd probably give you the protective big brother treatment."
"Ehhh, yeah, pretty much."
"Well, at least you have me and Pyre," he chuckled, giving Spike a pat on the back with a wing. "Now then, back to what I was asking. We kinda got ourselves steered away."
"About how I've been feeling?" Spike asked, getting a nod from Dark. "Like I just said, I'm fine. Why are you asking?"
"Well... how to best say this... well, you've gotten taller."
"... say what now?"
"I'm serious, Spike. I thought that I had imagined it Wednesday when you came back from your Hearts and Hooves Day with the Crusaders, but after watching you today, I think it's safe to say that I was wrong."
"Do you think that I really have grown?" Spike asked hopefully.
"It isn't by very much, but yes."
Jumping and cheering, Spike ran on ahead of Dark down the road and into the castle.
Though initially confused, Dark picked up the pace to try and catch up to him. When he got inside the castle, he followed Spike's voice into the kitchen where Twilight and Pyre both listened to him at the table.
"I thought that I was just imagining it," Twilight said before noticing Dark walking in. "How long did you know, Dark?"
"I had my suspicions on Wednesday," he began answering, "but I just dismissed it as me just seeing things. It wasn't until today when we spent some time together that I knew for sure."
"You're right, the squirt did grow," Pyre confirmed. "Tell me, Spike, did anything happen lately?"
"Not really," Spike shrugged.
"What about that box of gems the Crusaders got for you for Hearts and Hooves Day?" Dark wondered.
"Oh, yeah. That's up in my bedroom."
"It's not your greed again, is it?" Twilight nervously asked.
"I don't think it is. I still feel like myself and don't have any urges to grab everything that I see like last time."
"It's not his greed," Pyre answered. "This growth is natural. I'm actually surprised that this hasn't started sooner from my understanding."
"How so?" Spike asked curiously.
"There are a few ways that a dragon can grow. One is using your greed to help increase your hoard-"
"Which I've already done and overcame," Spike interrupted.
"The next is increasing your hoard naturally without your greed taking control." Pyre paused and waited for Spike to interrupt him. When he saw that he wasn't, he continued. "And the final one is finding yourself a mate."
"Now hold on a second!" Twilight exclaimed. "Spike is too young to be taking on a mate of any kind!"
"Perhaps I should rephrase that," Pyre said, holding a claw up defensively. "What I meant to say was when you take on a girlfriend, or in your case, three of them."
"So you're saying that Spike being in a relationship with them is what's causing him to start growing?"
"That, and the small hoard of gems he has stored away, but the change will be slow and healthy for him. That, I can assure you of."
"So I don't have to worry about growing up too fast and going on another rampage?" Spike asked.
"If you keep going at the rate that you currently are, then no, you won't."
"Thank Celestia," he sighed in relief. A moment later, another question came to mind. "Umm, hey, got a question for you."
"Hmm?"
"If I continue to grow like this, will I get my wings?"
Pyre shook his head. "I'm sorry, but your species doesn't have wings."
Spike's heart sank. "W-What? But why me? Every other dragon that I've ever met has wings of some kind, so why can't I?"
"Although the name for your species of dragon has been lost over time, what I do know is that yours is special. Not because you're the only one without wings besides my sisters, but because you're far more magically adapt than the other species. Why do you think that I agreed to train you with Dark?"
"Wait, do you mean like how I send letters to the princess?"
"That's barely scratching the surface, but yes."
"But he doesn't even have a horn," Twilight pointed out.
"That's because he's a dragon, not a pony," Pyre countered. "Different races have different sets of rules."
"Umm, if I can use magic, then shouldn't I be studying magic books?" Spike questioned.
"... I actually don't know. No dragon has ever tried to study or attempt pony magic before due to us generally advoiding you ponies. However, I suppose it wouldn't hurt for you to give it a try."
"That's great!" Twilight beamed. "Alright, Spike, after you're done with your lunch, we're heading to the library to begin your magic lessons." Stifling a giggle, Twilight watched as Spike groaned and made his way over to make himself something to eat before turning her attention to Dark. "Oh, by the way, Dark, I was hoping that you could help me with something?"
"Sure, Twilight," Dark smiled. "What is it?"
Using her magic, Twilight levitated a piece of paper over to him. "I was hoping that you could make a trip into the Everfree Forest for me. Zecora has some... special herbs, that I need."
"'Special herbs'? What do they do?"
Twilight blushed a little. "They're used in a tea."
"Ah, tea leaves then," he concluded with a nod. "Sure, I can do that for you."
"Thank you. I was going to go there myself, but if Spike really can learn magic, then I'll be busy with him."
"It's okay. Will Zecora be expecting me then?"
"She's actually expecting to see me, but it'll be okay. When was the last time you two talked anyway?"
Bringing a claw to his chin, Dark began to think on it. After a few moments, he looked back to Twilight with only one time in mind.
"If I recall, the last time we met was during Nightmare Night."
Twilight blinked. "Dark, that was about four months ago."
"Yeeaaaaahhhh."
Twilight shook her head and gave a small sigh. "Well then, all the more reason for you to go instead."
"Okay. See you when I get back then," Dark waved.
"See you soon," Twilight returned, waving to Dark as he turned the corner and made his way towards the castle doors. "And try not to get into any trouble with the Everfree creatures!"
Giving a small chuckle, Dark reached into his Shadow Storage for his saddlebag and tossed it on before taking a look at the list of herbs that Twilight wanted him to get from Zecora. As he looked it over, he blinked in confusion as he saw the two items on the list.
"Neem leaves and Nettle leaves? Never heard of a tea that uses them, let alone what those leaves are. Meh, probably some kind of exotic tea leaves or something."
Standing at the edge of the Everfree Forest, Dark looked down the dirt path that lead into it and activating his Soul Eyes to scan the area for any forms of life. Unfortunately, the life forces of the trees were blocking his sight. Thanks to his training from Nocturne, though, Dark adjusted the spell so where it wouldn't pick up on the trees. Seconds after adjusting it, he could see the spirits of some nearby birds, some rabbits, and a few scattered bugs through the trees and underbrush.
Not seeing any kind of Everfree predator, Dark dispelled his Soul Eyes and began his walk into the forest. As he ventured deeper into the forest, he began to notice just how unnaturally dark the forest felt. Seeing it as non-threatening to him, though, Dark ignored the darkness of the forest and continued his way down the dirt path. After about twenty minutes of walking, he came across another path leading off the dirt one that went directly into the forest. Figuring that that's where Zecora's home was at, Dark left the dirt path for the other one.
It didn't take him too long, for after another five minutes had passed, Dark came across what looked like a hollowed-out tree with a door and windows. Figuring that this was Zecora's home, Dark walked up to the door and gave it a few knocks. Hearing something moving inside it, he waited until the door opened up to show that it was actually Zecora's hut.
"Well now, isn't this a surprise," Zecora said with a smile. "Dark Flame, a sight for sore eyes."
"Hello to you too, Zecora," Dark happily returned. "How've you been lately?"
"I have been rather well, thank you. Though usually alone, there's always something for me to do. But this is rude of me. Would you like to come in and have some tea?"
"Thank you, but if it's okay, I'll skip the tea," Dark politely declined as he was allowed into the hut. Once inside, he began looking around at all of the unique decorations scattered in the hut. "Whoa. What are these things?"
"Treasures from my homeland. To me, each is precious and grand."
"I would bet so."
"Now then, I doubt that you came here to see my décor. So tell me, what brings you to my door?"
"Huh? Oh, right." Reaching into his saddlebag, Dark grabbed the piece of paper Twilight gave him and handed it over to Zecora. "Twilight was going to come and ask for these, but something came up and she asked me to get them for her instead. I've never heard of these plants before, but she told me that they're for tea."
Looking up from the list she was given, Zecora blinked a few times as she eyed Dark. As she continued to do so and find that he actually didn't know what he as asked to get, Zecora chuckled for a moment before she burst out laughing.
"I-I'm sorry my friend," she apologized, "I didn't mean to offend. I just didn't think that you would be so blind as to what Twilight as asked you to find."
"I don't get it," Dark said confusingly. "What's so funny about these plants?"
Getting control over her laugher, Zecora shook her head with a chuckle and went over to one of her many shelves.
"I could very well tell you, but it would be funnier if you found out yourself what they do." Zecora smirked as she found the jars of herbs she was looking for. "I must say that as the Lord of Death, your lack of knowledge is amusing to make me short of breath."
Dark's body stiffened as she referred to him by his title. "How'd you know about what I am?" he asked surprisingly. "I don't recall telling you when we last met. Was it Twilight or one of the others?"
"No, it was not them. I knew about you, even before back then," Zecora replied. Seeing the confused look on his face, she went on to explain to him. "I am in tune with the world around me, so it's of no surprise who Death would be."
"But aren't you afraid of what I am?"
Zecora shook her head. "I've been told that you are gentle and kind, to fear you wouldn't be necessary in my mind. During Ponyville's attack, you didn't hesitate to fight them back. You heedlessly protected both friends and strangers alike, like a pony familiar to situations that are warlike."
"Comes from years of fighting dragons I guess," he shrugged.
Giving a nod, Zecora gave Dark the jars of herbs Twilight asked for. "Though it is sad and true, it doesn't change my view of you."
"Thank you, Zecora," Dark gratefully thanked. "And thank you for these leaves too. By the way, how much do I owe you..." Dark blinked a few times, recalling his choice of words before facepalming. "Oh great, now I'm rhyming too."
Zecora chuckled in amusement. "It's not so bad to rhyme. I find it refreshing to see ponies do it from time to time. As for what you owe me, all I ask is that you come by someday to talk over some tea."
Putting the jars into his saddlebag, Dark gave Zecora a claw/hoof shake before thanking her again and heading on out. Walking back down the path away from the hut, Dark looked back and chuckled. He easily enjoyed the short time spent with her, and was already looking forward to their next visit.
I'm sure that Twilight will be happy when she hears about this, Dark thought to himself with a smile. After all, we've barely spoken to each other before. Now, if only I knew what these leaves were actually for. If Twilight isn't wanting to tell me, and Zecora is finding it funny that I don't know, then it's probably a mare thing. Dark shuddered as several implications came to mid. And if that's so, then perhaps I'm better off not-
"AAAHHHHH!!!"
Snapping out of his thoughts, Dark began snapping his head around, trying to find the source of that scream. A few seconds later, he heard it again.
Sounds like a colt, he thought, but why would he be this far in the Everfree Forest?
As Dark continued to look for the colt, a horrific scent caught his nose. Recoiling from the unexpected smell, Dark was about to clamp a claw over his nose when he began to recall smelling it before. After a few more sniffs, his eyes widened as he recognized the scent.
"Timberwolves. Why does it always seem to be timberwolves?" he muttered before realization struck. "Wait. If I can smell timberwolves, and that colt is crying out in fear like that... crap."
Recasting his Soul Eyes, Dark glanced around the area in search of the souls belonging to the colt and timberwolves. It only took him a few seconds of scanning the area to find a colt running away from a small pack of four timberwolves. Deciding to try a new spell Nocturne taught him, Dark used his death magic to turn his body into shadows before gliding over in the direction that the colt was running.
With his new shadowy body, Dark was able to easily slip through the dense underbrush, vines, and tree branches as he closed in on them. Another fifteen seconds later, Dark managed to catch up to the pack of timberwolves just as the young colt ran into a small cave, where he then ducked down into a freshly-made burrow beneath a patch of shrubs that were growing off to one of the sides.
Racing ahead of the timberwolves, Dark's shadowy body landed between them and the burrow, causing his shadows to spread across the ground upon impact while his body returned to normal. With the glow from his eyes from his spell and a thin layer of shadows covering the ground around them, Dark glared at the timberwolves who went from barking and growling to going silent.
Good. So they do remember me, Dark thought with a mental smirk. "This colt is off limits to you. Leave him be and none of you will be harmed."
While three of them whimpered and cowered back, the fourth snarled at Dark and started to prowl around him.
Hmph. Either this one is new around here, or is just plain stupid.
Letting out an audible sigh, Dark waited for the timberwolf to make its move. Turning his head just enough to keep it within his sights, Dark watched until the timberwolf suddenly leapt up into the air to pounce him. When it got in mid-air, Dark sprouted several shadowy tendrils from the surrounding shadows on the ground, each of them impaling the timberwolf before tearing it apart. When the pieces of the timberwolf hit the ground, the tendrils then attacked each piece individually, making sure that it wouldn't be able to reassemble itself afterwards. With no chance of the timberwolf being able to reassemble itself, Dark returned the shadowy tendrils back to the shadows and turned to the remaining three.
"Any others?" he asked, only to hear more whimpering from them. "If not, then you can go. However, should I catch you chasing another pony again, I won't hesitate to tear you apart like I did with this one."
Hastily nodding their heads, the three timberwolves retreated back into the forest, none of them daring to look back.
Once their souls had moved out of his sight's range, Dark scanned around him to make sure that there weren't any other timberwolves or other predators around them. Seeing that the area around him was clear, Dark dispelled his Soul Eyes and turned around to the burrow. Hearing the small whimper coming from inside, Dark sighed and sat down in front of it.
"It's alright, you're safe now. They're all gone so you can come on out," he spoke gently.
Hearing some shifting from within, Dark waited until he saw the young colt that had been running from them. However, upon them making eye contact, the colt quickly retreated back into the safety of his hole. Thinking that something had snuck up on him, Dark turned around to see that they were still alone.
Is he afraid of me? Dark wondered. "Hey, it's okay. I'm not going to hurt you if that's what you're afraid of."
"I'm not suppose to talk to strangers," the colt replied from within the burrow.
"You're not suppose to be this deep in the Everfree Forest either, especially if you're alone, and yet you are," he countered.
"It's not like I have any choice. And besides, if I did come out, how do I know that you won't do something to me when I do?"
"If I wanted to, I would've done it already," Dark sighed. "Look, kid, I just heard you shouting and saw you begin chased down by timberwolves. Do you really think that I would do anything harmful to you after I just saved you?"
Hearing and feeling the sincerity of Dark's words, the colt cautiously peeked his head back out of the hole. Seeing the gentle smile he was giving him, the colt slowly made his way out until his upper-half was just barely visible.
"W-What are you?" he asked Dark nervously.
"I suppose I do look a bit strange, huh?" Dark chuckled. "My name is Dark Flame, and I'm a kirin."
"What's a kirin?"
"A kirin is a hybrid of a pony and a dragon."
"A half-pony, half-dragon? That's kinda weird."
"I know it's rare, but I'm a... guess you could say that I'm a bit of an exception."
"Oh... so he's like me then."
"Sorry, did you say something?"
"Nope! Nothing!"
There was a moment of silence between them before Dark spoke up. "So, I told you my name. Do I get to know yours?"
The colt shifted around nervously in the hole. "Umm... I'm not sure. Do you promise not to hurt me?"
"Of course. Why would I anyway?"
"... because reasons." Seeing Dark give him a nod and not pressing it, the colt crawled out of the burrow and sat down in front of Dark. "My name is Clear Soul."
Now getting a better look at him, Dark could see that even though he was covered in layers of dirt, mud, and leaves, Soul was a silvery-white pegasus with dim-blue eyes, and a spiked, shiny-bronze mane and tail. Another thing that he noticed was that this colt was roughly the same age as the Crusaders.
"Nice to meet you, Clear Soul," Dark said warmly, holding out a claw.
Seeing his intent, he tentatively reached out a hoof and nervously shook Dark's claw. "Thank you. And you can just call me Soul."
"Alright then, Soul. So, would you mind telling me what you're doing out here in the Everfree Forest?"
"I live here."
Dark arched an eyebrow. "... why?"
"Well... I don't really want to talk about it."
"It's dangerous enough for you to be out here, but to live here is just... ugh."
"But that zebra does it."
"She's an adult and has dealt with this for Celestia knows how long. You're a young colt living here in a cave... and where are your parents?"
Wincing, Soul's defensive attitude turned downcast as his gaze fell to the ground. "They're gone."
"Okay, so when are they coming back?"
"They're not gone like that!" Soul half-shouted with tear-filled eyes. "They're dead! That's why I'm here! I've been living on my own here for years now!"
Taken aback slightly by both his answer and outburst, Dark looked wide-eyed at Soul as he began to start sniffling. While he'd heard from some of the ponies and guards around town about orphans, Dark never thought that he'd actually find one living on their own. Just as he was about to start thinking of what to do, he was brought back by the sounds of Soul starting to break down.
Giving a sympathetic sigh, Dark reached out, picked Soul up, and brought him into a hug. And while Soul struggled to free himself from his hug at first, his strength quickly faded and gave in. Feeling him bury his wet face into his coat and starting to bawl, Dark gently patted Soul as he softly spoke words of reassurance to him. After a good ten minutes of letting him let it all out, Dark loosened his hug as Soul shifted around his arms to look up at him with red puffy eyes.
"Feeling better?" Dark softly asked.
"A-A little," Soul said with a hiccup.
"Good. Now, can you tell me why you decided to live out here in the forest?"
Wiping his eyes clear, Soul began to explain himself. "M-My parents were..."
"It's alright. Take your time."
Taking a few moments to steady his breathing, Soul continued. "My parents were hunted."
"By what?"
"Who, actually. Have you ever heard of Queen Chrysalis?"
"Just from a story that I heard."
"W-Well, the queen didn't like my mother, and even more that my parents were together. When she found out, she ordered for them to be hunted and... and..."
Understanding where he was going, Dark gently patted him on the head. "Do you know how it happened?"
"Sorta," he sniffled. "One day, one of Queen Chrysalis' changelings just fell out of nowhere from the sky. Mom found him very hurt and decided to help him, despite the risk."
"That was very kind of her to do, but how'd he lose control and crash like that?"
"He didn't tell us, but it turned out that he talked in his sleep. When he did, me and mom heard him say something about Queen Chrysalis and their failed invasion at an important wedding in Canterlot."
An invasion at an important wedding? Why would the queen... wait. Dark's eyes widened and his body stiffened. If what Soul had told him was correct, then this wedding would be the same as the one Twilight told him about. And if that's the case...
With a sad frown, Dark gently hugged Soul tighter. "I'm so sorry that happened to you, Soul. I understand why you're on your own now. But I am curious, though, as to why are you're still here and not at an orphanage."
"B-Because of h-how different I am," Soul stammered. "You may not be able to tell, but like you, I'm not a normal pony. I did live in an orphanage once before, b-but the other kids kept making fun of me and teasing me. Then one day, one of the other orphans found out what I am on accident and told the Headmistress about me. They were going to call the guards on me because of what I am, not because I did something wrong. That's why I came back here to the Everfree Forest. Mom and dad made this cave our home because of how dangerous it was, believing that the creatures here would keep the queen's minions from finding us."
"But Ponyville is just outside of the forest," Dark pointed out. "Why didn't you guys live there instead? I mean, I get that they thought that the dangers of the forest could help keep the changelings away, but surely the town would've been safe too."
"It's... it's complicated," he said nervously. "While I have made some friends, I doubt that they would welcome me if they knew. Just like when the orphans and Headmistress found out about me."
"If you're worried that the changelings will find you, then don't worry about it, you'll be safe there. Definitely safer than it is here. And I'm sure that they wouldn't mind you. I heard you say that you have some friends, so do you go to Ponyville often?"
"I actually go to school there. Miss Cheerilee is my teacher."
Giving a small sigh, Dark shook his head. "Okay, so let me see if I have all of this right. You're an orphan who's been living on your own in the Everfree Forest, supposedly the most dangerous forest in all of Equestria, for a few years now, and you still manage to attend school. Oh, and you're hunted by Queen Chrysalis and her changelings. Is that about right?"
Soul gave a small nod. "Well, the queen only knew about my parents. I don't know if she does know about me or not. But other than that, yeah, that sounds about right."
With another sigh, Dark put Soul back down on the ground in front of him. "In that case, I want to ask you something, and before you say 'no', I want you to at least consider-"
"I'm not going back to an orphanage!" Soul snapped.
"I never said that," Dark calmly told him. "I was going to ask if you wanted to come and stay with us for a while?"
"... who do you mean when you say 'us'?"
"Myself, my fillyfriend, and both of our brothers."
"Ar-Are you asking me to come live with you?"
"Only if you want to. Look, I understand that you have a connection to this place, but after what just happened, I think that it'll be much safer for you to come with me."
Soul shuffled a hoof nervously. "Are the brothers and your fillyfriend nice?"
Dark smiled. "They are. My fillyfriend is smart, kind, and loving, her brother is the same and actually about your age, and my brother is... different, but in a good way."
Sensing his hesitation, Dark placed a claw on Soul's shoulder and gave him a reassuring smile. Noticing that he was visibly relaxed from the small gesture, Dark removed his claw and continued to sit in silence, patiently awaiting an answer. A few moments of letting him think in silence, Dark was given an answer.
"Umm... if I do decide to go with you," Soul nervously began, "what then?"
"You won't be sent off to an orphanage if that's what you're worried about," Dark assured him. "You'll have your own bedroom and three meals a day like the rest of us. That, and I'm sure that the others will enjoy having you around. Even with us, the place can feel a little empty."
Though Soul was feeling a little unsure, he could feel that Dark was being earnest and sincere with him. That, and if what he saw him do to the timberwolves was any indication, he would be safe with him.
"Can I get my stuff before we go?"
With a warm smile, Dark gently ruffled Soul's spiky mane. "Of course. Take your time. I'll be here whenever you're ready to go."
Giving him a small nod, Soul turned around and made his way back into his burrow to fetch his things.
While Soul was busy gathering his belongings, Dark glanced around the cave, now noticing that it looked like something had actually lived here. From near the back of the cave where a blanket of hay lay, to the large rock with three smaller rocks around it, Dark was beginning to tell the signs of Soul's family having lived here. A few moments later, Dark's attention was brought back to the burrow as he heard shuffling coming from it. Not long after, Soul popped out with a worn-out saddlebag filled with books and papers.
"Is this it?" Dark questioned.
"Yeah," Soul nodded sadly. "Since we were on the run before and later lived here, we didn't really have time for a family photo."
"I see. In that case, are you sure you're ready to go? You're not forgetting anything, are you?"
After taking a moment to think about it, Soul shook his head. "No. All of the really important stuff is my school books and homework."
Giving him an understanding nod, Dark took his saddlebag into his magic and placed it in the empty slot of his own saddlebag. With Soul's belongings secured, Dark walked with him out of the cave until they came to the mouth of it. After letting him have a moment to say goodbye to his home, they began their walk through the forest. Not long after they started, though, Dark heard a soft yawn coming from Soul, and turned around to see him almost half-asleep.
Guess being chased down by timberwolves and the emotional stress of talking about his past has taken a toll on him, Dark figured.
Hearing another yawn, Dark used his magic to lift Soul and sit him down on his back. Then, to Dark's surprise, he felt Soul snuggle down on his back. Turning his head around, he saw that Soul was indeed tired and looked like he was about to take a nap before he looked up with tired, half-lidded eyes.
"How about a story to pass the time?" Dark suggested, getting a small smile and nod from Soul. "Alright, what do you want to hear?"
"Um... if it's alright, could I hear a bit about yourself?" he asked. "I've never heard of a half-pony, half-dragon before, so I'm curious about you."
Giving a small chuckle, Dark began to think about how to best tell him without revealing any of the more disturbing details. Figuring out a decent starting point, Dark began to tell Soul about his foalhood spent in Stonewall Village, which he had to explain to him. And while Dark continued his story, he noticed that Soul was having a hard time staying awake, but was able to keep his interest with stories of how he used to fight dragons.
As the story progressed, they began to lose track of time, and soon enough, they came to the edge of the Everfree Forest. However, about half-way through their walk, they were unaware of the dark clouds forming overhead. That was, until Dark felt a raindrop hit his ear, causing him to look up and actually pay attention.
"Guess the pegasi decided to schedule a surprise rainstorm this evening," Dark commented, feeling another raindrop hit him. "And it looks like it's about to start." Lighting his horn, Dark created a magical dome over the top of them to prevent them from getting doused in the rain and continued forward.
"So, how're you doing back there?" Dark asked, but didn't get an answer. A few moments later of not getting any reply, Dark looked back to see that sometime along the way, Soul had fallen asleep. Giving a soft smile at the sleeping colt, Dark turned his attention back in front of him and made his way through the rain to the castle.
Despite the heavy rain making it a little more difficult to get there, it didn't take him too much longer. After a good fifteen minutes of walking, Dark finally reached the castle doors with Soul still asleep on his back, both of whom were still dry thanks to Dark's barrier. Removing the water and mud from his claws and hooves with his magic, Dark made his way inside and dispelled his barrier. While he tried to walk quietly though the halls so he wouldn't wake Soul up, the closing of the doors were just loud enough to echo through the crystal walls. And soon enough, in a flash of light, Twilight appeared in front of Dark.
"There you are. What took you so long?" she asked half-worried, half-scolding. "You should've been back almost an hour ago. What happened in the Everfree Forest that-"
Dark interrupted Twilight by covering her mouth with a claw. Once she was calm and quiet, he gestured for her to be silent with his claw before motioning towards his back.
Half-annoyed that she was interrupted, Twilight glanced back to see a colt sleeping on his back. With a look of surprise and curiosity, looked from the sleeping colt back to Dark.
"That's why I was so late," Dark explained.
"Who is he?" Twilight asked, looking over him again.
"His name is Clear Soul. I found him being chased by a pack of timberwolves in the Everfree Forest. And from what he's told me, he's been living alone in that forest for a few years now."
Shocked by this bit of news, Twilight walked up along side Soul and began casting a scanning spell to check on him.
"Why would a colt his age be living in the Everfree Forest alone?! And where are his parents?!" she quietly shouted.
"They're both dead, thanks to a wounded changeling his mother found in the forest."
Hearing that race again, Twilight's body stiffened as her fur bristled and the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end.
"Queen Chrysalis' changeling?"
"From what Soul told me, yes," Dark confirmed. "He told me that the queen had some beef with his mother, which led to his mom and dad to being hunted. That's why they lived in the Everfree Forest, because they believed that the changelings wouldn't venture in there due to how dangerous it is."
Dark paused as he braced himself for what needed to be said next, but Twilight noticed his hesitation before he could speak.
"Dark? Is there something else?" she cautiously asked.
Giving a small nod, Dark looked sadly at her. "Twilight... he said that the changeling they found... it was..."
"Was what?"
Steeling himself as best he could, Dark looked her dead in the eyes. "He said the changeling was apart of Queen Chrysalis' failed invasion in Canterlot."
Her eyes slowly widening in realization, Twilight's magic fizzled out as she looked back between Soul and Dark. After almost a full minute of this, Twilight's eyes settled on Dark, who just nodded, answering her unspoken question. Her legs feeling weak, Twilight fell to her rump, the weight of the news crashing down on her.
"Y-You mean that his parent's are dead b-because of... of us?" she quietly asked.
"No," Dark firmly told her. "This isn't your fault."
"Yes it is. It might've been Shiny and Cadence who repelled them, but I had a hoof in it. I'm just as responsible for their deaths."
"No you're not," he repeated, using his magic and gently setting Soul off to the side. With him free of his cargo, Dark wrapped his arms and wings around Twilight in a comforting hug. Feeling her bury her face into his coat and starting to cry, he began to gently stroke her mane. "What happened was an accident. Nopony knew that they were living in the Everfree Forest, or that the explosion would blast one of those changelings over to them. So please, Twilight, don't blame yourself over this."
Remaining in place, Dark sat in silence, doing his best to comfort Twilight as she wept into his chest. Thankfully, with the sounds of her weeping muffled by Dark's coat wings, Soul wasn't woken. A few minutes later, Twilight pulled away and wiped herself free of her tears. Giving a sad sigh, Twilight shook her head and thanked Dark with a quick peck on the cheek. Feeling herself calm down, she left his embrace and went over to Soul to cast another scanning spell on him A few moments later, her magic faded and she turned back to Dark.
"According to the scan, he seems to slightly malnourished, but otherwise healthy. We should probably bring him to the hospital tomorrow, though, just incase."
"Yeah," Dark agreed before a thought came to mind. "If you want, I can go there now and set an appointment for him."
"Okay, but before you go." Twilight used her magic and placed Soul onto her back while relieving Dark of his saddlebag. "There."
"Thanks, Twilight," he thanked with a nuzzle and a kiss. "Also, his own saddlebag is in the left bag, and your jars of leaves are in the right.
"Oh, right. Thank you again for getting them for me."
"You're welcome, though I'm still curious as to what they are. I asked Zecora, but she just said that it would be funnier if I found out on my own."
With a massive blush, Twilight turned Dark around and began pushing him towards the door. "You'll find out eventually, but until then, you have an appointment to make."
With a final push, Dark was back in front of the castle doors again with Twilight walking down the hallway with Soul and the saddlebag. Giving a headshake, Dark left the castle before looking up at the dark sky. Then, with a small smirk, he Shadowported himself over to the Ponyville Hospital, reappearing at the front doors before walking into the main lobby where Nurse Redheart was looking over some medical files.
"It's been a while, huh Nurse Redheart," Dark said with a smile, gaining the mare's attention.
"Hello, Dark," she returned with a small smirk. "So, what are you in for this time?"
"Very funny," he chuckled. "No, this one's not for me. I'm actually here to setup an appointment for somepony else."
"Oh? And who would it be for?" she asked teasingly. "Is it for Twilight? OH! Is she getting a pregnancy test?"
Hearing that, Dark stumbled and fell flat on his face. "What?! No! Why would you think it was?!"
"Because of how long you two have been together, and how close you are. Honestly, I'm actually a little surprised that you two aren't married yet, or at least engaged."
Dark got back up before he facepalmed with a groan. "I swear, you're almost as bad as Twilight's mom and Spike."
"You should take it as a compliment," Nurse Redheart said with a small giggle. "Now then, all joking aside, who's this appointment for?"
"Long story short, I found a young colt living alone in the Everfree Forest today."
Nurse Redheart let out a small gasp. "Is he alright?"
"Yeah, he's fine. He's a little malnourished according to Twilight, and is currently over at the castle. Poor guy fell asleep on our way over here."
"Alright, give me a moment," Nurse Redheart said, looking over the schedule. "Okay, we have two openings for tomorrow. One is mid-morning, and the other is later in the afternoon."
"Let's go with the morning one then," Dark said. "Probably be better to get him checked out sooner than later."
"I agree. Alright, his appointment is all set. I'll see you tomorrow then?"
"Yep. See you tomorrow, Nurse Redheart, and thank you."
"You're welcome. Have a safe trip back. Don't want for you to return with a cold," she joked.
Giving her a smirk, Dark walked out into the darkness of the rainstorm. "Thanks, but that won't be happening."
Casting his Shadowport, Dark vanished from sight, leaving Nurse Redheart sitting in her seat, shaking her head in amusement.
Shadowporting back to the castle, Dark made his way down the hallway to find Twilight and Soul. Hearing voices from the kitchen, he figured that he might as well start there. As he made his way around the corner into it, he was met with the sight of Soul standing close to Twilight while Spike and Pyre sat at the table looking strangely at him.
"Did I miss something?" Dark asked, gaining everyone's attention and causing Soul to race over and take cover beside him. "What's going on?"
"He's just a little nervous of Spike and Pyre," Twilight answered, walking up to Dark and giving him a quick peck. "Is it all set?"
"Yep. His appointment is set for mid-morning tomorrow."
"Good to hear," she said before looking down at Soul. "Well, dinner is just about done. Would you like to join us?"
Nervously peeking around Dark at the two dragons at the table, Soul gulped before feeling a claw on his head. Looking up, Soul saw Dark giving him a warm smile and an encouraging nod. Turning to Twilight, he gave her a small nod, eliciting a smile from her in return. Following Dark to the table, Soul took one of the chairs opposite of Spike and Pyre while Dark went to go help Twilight.
"So who are you?" Spike asked.
"M-My name is Clear Soul," he answered, his shaky and fearful face causing Spike to sigh.
"Look, you don't have to be afraid of me. I'm not like most other dragons who'll try eating you. Actually, I'm probably the nicest dragon that you'll ever come across."
"A little too nice if you ask me," Pyre commented.
"Dude, not helping. We're trying to make him feel better around us, not cause him more panic."
"Fine," he huffed.
"So, you're not going to eat me?" Soul nervously asked.
"No. I don't really like to eat meat much anyway."
"Why not?"
Spike shrugged. "Guess that's what happens when you're raised by ponies."
"You were raised by ponies?"
"Yep. It was actually Twilight who hatched me. Ever since then, I've been living with her as her assistant and little brother."
"So you're her brother?"
"Well, she does have an older brother who's a pony, but yes, I am."
Feeling the assurance and honesty coming from Spike, Soul allowed himself to relax a little. A few moments later, Dark and Twilight came back to the table with several plates in their magical holds. When his plate was placed before him, Soul looked at his food with wide eyes as a little string of drool leaked from the corner of his mouth. Hearing the sound of Twilight giggling, Soul slurped it back into his mouth and looked between her and his food. Almost immediately she understood what he was silent asking for, and with a nod, Soul began digging into his food. Less than a minuet later, almost half of his it was gone.
"Wow, somepony is hungry," Twilight commented.
"Sorry," Soul apologized, his cheeks puffing out with food.
"It's fine, just try not to speak with your mouth full."
Gulping the food down, Soul apologized again for his table manners.
"What did you normally eat?" Dark asked him.
"Mostly grass and any berries that I could find. That, and the occasional apple tree that I would find inside the forest," he answered.
"There are apple trees in the Everfree Forest?" Spike questioned.
"It's not that hard to believe when you think about it, Spike," Twilight said. "After all, the zap apples originated from the Everfree Forest, so it wouldn't be much of a stretch to say that it also could also have a few normal apple trees."
"I suppose."
Returning to their dinner, they all ate in silence with the only sound being that of silverware on plates. Once they were all finished, Dark and Twilight led Soul up to the bathroom for him to get himself cleaned up. And while he was resistant at first, a few words from Twilight convinced him otherwise. Remembering how to work a shower, Soul assured them that he would be fine on his own as he walked into the bathroom and locked the door behind him.
Making his way further in, Soul looked around, seeing how big the bathroom was, the cleanness of the toilet, the sink and towels hanging up beside it, and most importantly, the wide shower just ahead of him. Walking over to it, he took a moment to look over it before remembering how to work it. Soon enough, he had the shower running, and after a few tweaks on the shower nobs, he got the water to a perfect temperature before walking in and letting the warm water run over him.
Relaxing, Soul sat himself down and sighed from the warmth that was being washed over him. After a few moments of simply soaking himself in the shower, he reached over for the soap and shampoo bottles and began cleaning his coat and mane. It took him a while, but he was eventually able to clean all of the dirt and other gunk off of his coat. Letting the water run for a little longer to drain out the dirty water, Soul later turned the water off and began drying himself off with one of the towels hanging from the wall before a knock came from the door.
"You doing alright in there?" Dark asked.
"Yes, I'm fine," Soul returned.
"Okay. We brought your stuff to your room, so when you're done, we'll show you to it."
Hearing this, Soul began to dry himself off faster. A few minutes later, he tossed the towel into the hamper and made for the door. Once he'd unlocked it and opened it up, Soul was met with both Dark and Twilight waiting for him.
"You look refreshed," Twilight commented, getting a better look of his silvery-white coat now that I was clean of all of the dirt.
"Yeah. Thank you for letting me use your shower."
"Not to sound rude, but when was the last time you had one?"
Soul tapped his chin with a hoof. "... I'm not sure. I usually clean myself in the creek."
"Well, not anymore. As long as you're staying here, you can feel free to use it whenever you want."
With a big smile on his face, Soul gave Twilight a thankful hug. And though Twilight was surprised by the sudden act, she returned it with a hug of her own. Letting him go, she and Dark led Soul over to his room. Along the way, Twilight began to explain where everything was. Leading him to the top floor where their bedroom was, they walked past their door and Spike's before coming to the next one and opening it for him.
Walking inside, Soul looked around at how big it was. As he did, he saw a wardrobe closet, a writing desk, a dresser where his saddlebag laid, and a large bed with a nightstand and lamp. Turning back around, Soul faced Dark and Twilight with a look of bewilderment.
"Is this all..."
Twilight smiled at him. "This is your room while you stay here."
Feeling his joy swell, Soul propelled himself up to Dark and Twilight with his wings and tried to give both of them a hug. After returning the hug, they let him flutter back down to the ground.
"If you need anything, just remember that Twilight and I will be right over there," Dark said, pointing to the door to their bedroom.
"Okay."
"Now then," Twilight spoke, "why don't we all get ourselves some sleep? We've got a few things to do tomorrow and we can't have anypony sleeping in too late."
With a small yawn, Soul nodded in agreement before giving them a quick hug and making his way over to the bed.
Seeing that he'd be fine, Dark closed the door before he and Twilight made for their bedroom.
"So," Twilight began as they entered, "what should we do with him?"
Dark sighed. "Well, it's pretty obvious that we can't let him continue to live in the Everfree Forest alone like that."
"Yeah, I now. What about an orphanage?"
"How much of his past did he tell you?"
"Other than introductions, not much, really. He woke up not long before you got back."
"Alright. Well, as it turns out, he did go to an orphanage once before, but from what he told me, the Headmistress of the place called the guards on him."
"Why would she do that?"
"He said that it was because he was different, but wouldn't say how so exactly."
Letting out a sigh of her own, Twilight crawled into her side of the bed. "So that's a no on the orphanage then?"
Dark crawled in on his side. "I already told him that I wouldn't let him go back to another one. It also doesn't help that he doesn't know of any relatives."
"That doesn't leave us with very many options then."
"Well..."
"Hmm?"
"He could stay with us," Dark suggested. "There's plenty of room after all, and he'll be safer here than he would anywhere else."
"That's true," Twilight sadly replied. Sighing, she snuggled up against Dark while he wrapped his arms and wing around her. "If nothing else, I feel like I owe him that much. Plus, it'll give Spike a chance to play with somepony around his own age who's not a filly."
Giving her a soft smile, Dark leaned down and tenderly kissed Twilight's forehead. "Try not to feel guilty, Twilight. Remember that it wasn't your fault, just a freak accident."
"I... I'll try."
"Thank you. Also, perhaps we should wait on telling him until he's older."
"Yeah," she sighed, feeling sleep taking her. "It's probably for the best."
Several hours later, the intensity of the storm increased as it went from a heavy rain shower, to a loud thunderstorm. Startled awake by the thunder and lightning, Soul shivered beneath his blankets while peeking out of the edge. However, as soon as another flash of lightning showed itself, Soul retreated back into the safety of his blanket as the following thunderclap boomed. Scared and unable to sleep, Soul got out of his bed and made for the door. As he opened it, another bolt of lightning struck, causing him to yelp before darting over to one of the nearby doors.
Giving it a few gentle taps, Soul waited for somepony to answer. When he didn't get any reply, he was about to knock again when another thunderous boom echoed through the halls. Not wanting to wait out there any longer, he quietly opened the door and peeked inside to see Twilight and Dark peacefully asleep in their bed. Walking in over to the edge of the bed, Soul propped himself up on his back legs and poked at them.
"Dark? Dark?" he whispered, eliciting a groan from Dark as he looked over to him.
"Soul?" Dark said groggily. "What is it?"
Shuffling his hooves around, Soul was about to answer him when the crack of lightning sounded through the room, causing him to let out another yelp and begin to shake. And even though the sound Soul made wasn't very loud, it was enough to wake Twilight.
"Dark? What's going on?" she tiredly asked.
"Soul's here," he began answering. "Turns out that he's afraid of thunder and lightning."
Leaning herself up, Twilight looked over to see Soul looking up at them. "Are you really afraid of lightning, Soul?"
Soul nodded. "That's kinda why I dug out that burrow inside the cave, since the lightning wouldn't get me there."
"Are you able to go back to sleep?" Instead of getting an answer, Twilight watched as Soul shifted around and blushed in embarrassment. Then, seeing him wince and shake at the sound of another thunderclap, Twilight sighed and used her magic to lift him up onto their bed. "Just for tonight, okay?"
With a small smile, Soul nodded in agreement before burrowing himself underneath the blankets between Twilight and Dark. Turning himself around so that the top of his head was sticking out, Soul snuggled down and began to relax. Hearing the thunder again, he winced and scooted down a little further. When he did, though, Twilight to drape a comforting foreleg over Soul while Dark wrapped an arm and wing over him and Twilight. Feeling the warmth, security, and a hint of love from the both of them, Soul barely reacted when the next sound of thunder hit his hears. As he started to relax and fall back asleep, he became unaware of Dark and Twilight talking.
"Did you know that this would work on him?" Dark quietly asked.
"I had my suspicions," Twilight answered. "Spike used to be afraid of thunderstorms too when he was younger, and letting him fall asleep with me always seemed to help him."
"Probably because he felt safe with you."
"Kinda like how I feel with you," she said with a kiss before a light-snoring caught her ears. Looking down at its source, she smiled as she saw Soul sound asleep with a peaceful smile on his muzzle. "And I guess he does too."