The Phoenix Project

by Cydon

Chapter 9 Another Day With Ponies

Chapter 9 Another Day With Ponies

Sky Dasher

The door to the room opens with a creak as an orange pony steps in. "Well would ya look at that." She whispers looking at the human and pony curled up next to each other. "Rise an shine sleepyheads." The human groans and rolls over.

"What is it AJ?" Cyd grumbles as he sits up.

"I figured ya'll would want some breakfast." I lift my head from the pillow and check the window, the sun is still below the horizon a faint glow announcing its coming. 'This early?' I glance at Cyd and can tell he is thinking the same thing.

*yawn* "Sounds good." I stand up and stretch my wings hearing a satisfying pop I fold them back to my sides and hop off the bed. Cyd was still stretching as AJ and I walked out the door. We enter the kitchen and I sit down, Big Mac and Applebloom are already waiting for us and Granny Smith was still asleep in her rocking chair. AJ sits down and nods to Big Mac he nods back and continues eating.

"We got pancakes and apple jam if you want toast."

"I heard pancakes." Cyd says as he pops up behind AJ. She jumps as Cyd chuckles.

"What in tarnation! Don't be sneakin up on me like that." I giggle quietly.

"I'm sorry, but it was funny." AJ glares at Cyd and sighs as he sits down helping himself to some pancakes.

"So do we have a plan for today?" I ask, I receive a blank stare from Cyd.

"After breakfast me an Big Mac here gotta get to work bucking apples. If ya got nothin else ta do I would be grateful for some help."

"Well I certainly don't have any plans today... why not? By the way, how do you buck apples?" Cyd says after swallowing his mouthful of pancake.

"To make it simple, ya kick the tree."

"Ohh, I get it, but uh humans are not built to kick trees." He says scratching the back of his head and smiling sheepishly.

"How about you help carry baskets then?"

"Now that, I can do." Cyd says smiling. After we finished breakfast we went outside to work. Celestia's sun was just peeking over the horizon as we enter the orchard.

"Okay Big Mac you take Cydon with ya to the west field and I'll take Sky to the north."

"Eeyup." The big stallion says as he turns and trots off Cyd following close behind.

"The north field is just over this hill Sky." I spread my wings and take to the air. I flap hard and quickly fly up the hill as AJ trots along below. I fly up until I reach a cloud where I land with a soft. *pfffh* The north field stretches on for miles and off over the horizon, off in the distance Canterlot sat upon Mount Canter. After taking in my fill of the view I gently glide back to AJ who was waiting for me.

"Good view from up there?" She asks a small grin on her face.

"This field is massive! You guys must work really hard to keep up with it."

"We sure do and that's why we should get started if we wanna stay on schedule." AJ doesn't try to hide her smile as she gets started placing baskets around the first tree.

"Right." I trot up to the nearest tree and put the baskets in place, rearing a leg I gave the tree a quick. *Thwack* The tree shakes and all the apples fall landing in and around the baskets, I pick up the stragglers and move to the next tree.

"Well shoot that's pretty good have you done this a'fore?"

"Nope."

"Huh." AJ turns and bucks the tree all the apples falling neatly into the baskets.

"How did you?"

"How did I what sugar cube?"

"All the apples, in the basket." AJ laughs.

"S'just lots o practice." AJ goes back to work placing baskets and bucking the trees. After snapping out of my amazement I get back to work too.

"AHHHH!" We hear a yell come from the west field and stop working.

"GET BACK HERE!" Cyd comes over the hill at a full sprint with Rainbow Dash not far behind.

"NO!" Cyd ran up to us. "Hi can't talk right now gotta run, bye." He runs past us and goes deeper into the orchard.

"YOU CAN'T RUN FROM ME!" Rainbow screams as she zooms past us after Cyd.

"I'M SORRY! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Cyd's voice starts to fade as he runs further away. Big Mac calmly trot over the hill and walks up to AJ.

"Let me guess he found Rainbow sleeping in a tree and woke her up?"

"Eeyup."

"He didn't do it gently did he?"

"Nnope."

"I was afraid of that."

"In all the time I have known him he has never run that fast before." I say staring where they ran off to.

"When you have an angry mare chasin ya you can be motivated to do all kinds of things. Especially if it's Rainbow whose angry." I giggle and Big Mac chuckles.

"Come on, we should make sure she doesn't hurt him too bad." AJ and Big Mac agree and we trot off after Cyd and Rainbow. We walk around for a few minutes looking for them when AJ gets an idea.

"Hey Sky why don't you fly on up an see if you can find em."

"Right, back in a flash." I spread my wings and take off, I fly up until I can see most of the north field. looking around I spot a rainbow blur chasing a black dot headed for the barn. I close my wings and fall into a dive, the wind whips past my face as I fall, when I'm almost to the quickly approaching ground I open my wings coming to a quick stop before settling down for a soft landing.

"Hey you should teach Rainbow that trick, maybe it will stop her from crashing so often. I take it you found em?"

"Yeah they were headed for the barn, if we hurry we can catch up." The farm ponies nod and start running to the barn, I fly off after them. We reach the barn a minute later. Cyd was backed against the wall with a slowly advancing Rainbow Dash closing the distance.

"Now I got you right where I want you." Rainbow says as she grins evilly.

"Rainbow I said I was sorry, really I am." With his back against the wall he raises his hands between himself and the angry mare seemingly trying the push her away.

"That's not good enough." Rainbow says as we finally get close enough.

"Rainbow!" The blue mare turns her head towards us and we stop when we see her glare. She smirks and winks at us before returning her glare and looking back at Cyd.

"Now it's payback time." Cyd looks around panicking, but seeing no way to escape he accepts his fate.

"Eh fine you got me, no where to run now." Rainbow walks up the the human who stood there head down fists clenched and legs locked. She raised her hoof and he flinched, then Rainbow lightly taps his arm before falling to the ground rolling around and laughing.

"BWAHAHAHA I got you!"

"Wait what? You mean, your not angry?"

"HAHAHA no I was just pranking you for waking me up HAHAHA."

"Phew for a minute there I was worried, I gotta say Rainbow you are definitely scarier than a Changeling."

"Got that right!" We all share a laugh. AJ checks the position of the sun as her stomach rumbles.

"I reckon it's time we break for lunch who's hungry?"

"You know it!" Rainbow exclaims.

"Eeyup." Big Mac nods.

"I could go for lunch." I say.

"Can I get more pancakes?" Cyd says with a glint in his eye.

"I'll see if we have any left, lets go." We trot back to the house, as we approach a shrill shout was heard coming from inside.

"TAKE COVER!" Applebloom runs out the door as a loud KER-SPLAT fills the air followed by a cloud of flour billowing out the open windows.

"What in tarnation? GRANNY ARE YOU OKAY?" A flour covered pony with a walker exits the building and comes up to us.

*cough* "HA HA I'm just fine young'un, I ain't had this much fun in years." AJ goes inside to investigate the damage, she returns with a grim look on her face.

"The kitchen's a mess it'll take the rest of the day to clean it up. Thanks for helping but I think you two should go on to Twi's."

"Are you sure? We don't mind helping." I look to Cyd and he nods in agreement.

"Nah it's all right sugar cube you've done enough, Rainbow do you mind showin em the way?"

"No problem I can be there and back in ten seconds flat."

"Now that we got that settled." AJ turned to the trees. "APPLEBLOOM WHERE DID YOU RUN OFF TO!" Rainbow led the way to the dirt path back to town and we headed off.

"I get the feeling stuff like that happens often?"

"Yeah Applebloom and her friends are always getting into trouble and making a mess, they mean well though."

"We'll have to keep an eye on them Sky, if they get a hold of my gear somepony might get hurt." I thought for a moment.

"You need to find a safe place to store it." He nods.

"Agreed, carrying it everywhere is kinda tiring."

"Maybe Twilight will know a place." Rainbow says from the air next to us.

"Maybe." The walk back to town was uneventful with nothing but grass and apple trees to look at. Rainbow told us all about some of the tricks she could show us later as we slowly approach Ponyville. The townsponies still look at Cyd with worried glances but some wave, and we wave back.

"I guess they still need a little time to warm up to me. Oh well, we have plenty of time to go around at least." As we approach the library Cyd gets an idea.

"Hey do you guys want to prank Twilight?" Rainbow leans in.

"What did you have in mind?"

"I need you to ding dong ditch her house, while she is busy at the door I'll sneak in a window and then... I'll improvise."

"That's clever I like it."

"I aim to please." Rainbow flies ahead and waits by the door as Cyd gets into position below a window I giggle inwardly and fly up to a branch to hide in the leaves. Cyd gives Rainbow a thumbs up and she takes it as a sign to go ahead. Rainbow knocks on the door with her hoof. *BANG BANG BANG* From inside the library we hear Twilight shout.

"Spike! Can you get that?"

"Sorry Twilight a little busy at the moment." *BANG BANG BANG*

"Hold on I'm coming." Rainbow quickly flies up to the branches of the tree and hides next to me, down below Cyd quietly opens the window and climbs inside. Twilight opens the door.

"Hel...lo?" She stops and looks around and seeing nopony she shrugs and turns to go back inside.

"How's it going Twilight?" Twilight jumps high enough to hit the top of the door.

"AHH where did you? How did you? RRRRGGGHHH Don't do that!" Cyd, Rainbow and I start laughing as Twilight glares at Cyd upon hearing us she looks up at the shaking leaves. Rainbow was laughing so hard she falls out of the tree landing with a thud. I glide down beside her still laughing all the way.

"You should have seen the look in your face Twi, it was priceless. And hey I didn't even know you could jump that high! HAHAHAHAHA!"

*sigh* "Fine you got me. So what are you doing here so early? I thought you weren't coming until supper time."

"Applebloom and Granny Smith had a bit of an accident in the kitchen."

"What happened?"

"I don't know the details but their was flour everywhere." Our stomachs grumble reminding us of our missed lunch.

"So you came by for a late lunch, well come on in I'll see what we have."

"Thanks Twilight."

"That's what friends are for." We go inside the library to see Spike up a ladder with a mountain of books.

"Oh hey guys what's u-whoaaa." The ladder Spike was on wobbled and Cyd rushed forward bracing it. "Thanks that was a close one." The mountain of books Spike was carrying decided that now was the time and collapsed to the floor on top of Cyd.

"Cyd are you okay?" A hand burst out of the pile followed by the arm it was attached to as Cyd dug himself out.

"I'm okay it will take more than that to hurt me." He said brushing off the dust.

"Sorry about that, the books just didn't want to say still."

"No harm done, now about that lunch."

"Oh right be right back." Twilight trots out of the room. She comes back a minute later with a tray of food floating behind her.

"Okay I've got apples, carrots, and daisy sandwiches help yourselves." Twilight levitates the tray to the table and I grab a daisy sandwich taking a bite and chewing slowly. Rainbow and Twilight grab a sandwich as well. While Spike bit into a gem.

"Well I can't eat daisies but apples and carrots are good." Cyd grab some of both and takes a big bite out of an apple. We spend a few minutes eating and having small talk when Rainbow stands up.

"It's been fun guys but I have to go, see ya later." In a rainbow blur she was gone.

"Hey Twilight?"

"What is it Sky?"

"Cyd here needs a safe place to store his more dangerous equipment."

"You mean like that, what did you call it, your Gauss rifle?"

"That and a few other things." Cyd says standing up.

"Well..." Twilight got an anxious look on her face as she trailed off, she wanted to learn everything she could but Cyd's weapons were very dangerous.

"They are completely safe if you leave them alone and in return I can tell you more about them." Twilight's eyes lit up and she smiled.

"Ok, you got a deal come with me, we can keep them in my lab."

"You have a lab?"

"Yeah in the basement."

"Weird, never took you for the mad scientist but now that I think about it." Twilight scoffs and opens the basement door.

"Spike I'm going to my lab keep an eye on things will you."

"Sure thing Twilight." We follow the lavender mare down, being careful not to trip on the small stairs.

"You can keep your things in this chest I will lock it with a magic spell so only the three of us can open it."

"Excellent!" Cyd pulls off his rifle from its mount on the backpack. "This is my Gauss rifle it operates by using a super magnet to propel a small metal projectile at supersonic speeds." He places the rifle in the chest as well as a few other odds and ends of his equipment briefly explaining a little about each as he went. But he kept his knife, pistol, and backpack.

"I had no idea you had so many dangerous things with you. How did you get it past the guards?"

"The same way I got it past you, you didn't know it was a weapon." Cyd said as he closed the chest. Twilight's horn glowed briefly and flashed brightly.

"You didn't want to put those in the chest?" She says pointing to the things he kept out.

"No I don't want to be completely defenseless and this pack does all kinds of things besides carry stuff."

"Alright then, well the chest is locked lets go back upstairs."

"Oh yeah hey Twilight I had one more question for you."

"Yes?"

"Celestia said she sent a team to build a house for us do you know where?"

"Hmm let me see I know the princess sent me a letter with the details just let me-" Twilight heads up the stairs and goes over to a nearby desk she searched the papers stacked on her desk shuffling them around with her magic. "-AHA found it lets see, My dearest student, I will be sending a team blah blah blah. Ah here it is, it says here that it is being built on the edge of town not too far from Fluttershy's cottage."

"We get to be Fluttershy's neighbors? That's great!" Twilight glances at her clock.

"I would take you to check it out but it's getting late and the sun will be setting soon, I can take you in the morning though."

"That's very kind of you Twilight, thank you."

"It's no problem I'm always happy to help a friend. Spike it's getting late are you ready for bed?" She shouts we wait for an answer but after not receiving one Twilight gets a worried look and goes upstairs. "Spike?" I go over to the pile of books Cyd had crawled out of earlier and found the baby dragon curled up on one of the larger tomes sleeping peacefully.

"Twilight I found him."

"Where?" She says poking her head out of the second floor doorway. I step to the side so she can see him. Her lips form a soft smile as her horn glows levitating the dragon up to his bed. I quietly fly up and land next to Cyd who was standing by the doorway. "Good night Spike." Twilight kisses the baby dragon on the forehead and switches off the light with her magic. Twilight bobs her head towards the stairs and we nod before heading back to the main room.

"Well now what do we do?" Cyd asks.

"You could tell us a little more about yourself, we know a lot about your people but what was your life like?"

"I suppose it's only fair I tell you, but I warn you I am a soldier so some of my past is a little disturbing."

"I'm sure we can handle it."

"Says the pony who was involved in a war fought using pies." Twilight froze.

"How did you know about that?"

"Braeburn told me about it." Twilight grins sheepishly.

"Oh, but I'm sure we can handle it, please please please please." Twilight says sticking out her lip and making her eyes sparkle. Eyes that begged him to do what she asked.

"Fine but don't say I didn't warn you. I grew up in a small town in a country called The United States of America."

"I remember that one, you said it was a democracy."

"Yes, my childhood was nothing special I had a few close friends and went to school. After I graduated I signed up for the army, boot was rough but I made it through. Upon completion I received a letter asking me to consider joining the Rangers, the pay was good so I signed up. Let me tell you boot was rough but Ranger training put it to shame."

"What did you do when you finished your training?"

"I was a Ranger, I was assigned a squad and we went on missions. We didn't have any formal wars with any other countries but we did have an enemy. New terrorist organizations were popping up all over the globe and they sent us to take them out. During those missions I became close to my squad mates we became brothers in arms and would fight to protect one another."

"So they were your closest friends?"

"They were my family and you never forget family."

"I understand. How did you become a Captain?"

"The day I got promoted to Captain." Cyd's eyes glazed over as he recalled the memory. "It was a typical op, Intel had located a group of insurgents that were holding civilians hostage."

"That's horrible."

"It gets worse. It was a rainy February night in the Philippines."

_______________________________________________________________________________

Philippines, [Redacted] February 24, 2129

"Hey Cyd wake up!" A large hand smacked the back of my helmet bringing me wide awake.

"Watch it Ryan, one of these days I might not let that go." My best friend (or worst enemy depending on the day) grins broadly the six foot two giant known as 'Big Bird' was our demolition and heavy weapons expert.

"Were almost there." Ryan pulls the jeep up to the hotel. The rest of our squad was inside waiting for our arrival.

"Lets go." I grab my rifle and hop out the door taking in my surroundings. It was raining in the Philippines a monsoon was due in a few hours. "Come on Big Bird your slowing me down." Ryan grumbles and jumps out of the jeep.

"HEY, OVER HERE!" Woods called to us from the doorway of the hotel waving us over. We jog over and go inside. Woods led us to the room they had rented.

"It's about time you showed up." Our grizzled captain stood by a small window watching the rain.

"Sorry Cap." Captain Antonio was not a large man at five feet tall he was the shortest member but he made up for his lack of height with a powerful mind. You could never tell what went on behind his dark brown eyes.

"Alright boys here's what we got, at approximately 2300 local time yesterday a reconnaissance drone located the leader of the local insurgent group. The bastard is holed up in a warehouse on the west side of town here." He points to a small map of the city with a building circled in red. "The drone also picked up on civilian hostages being held somewhere inside so watch your fire. Our objective is to neutralize all hostiles and rescue as many civilians as possible."

"What's the plan Cap?" Woods was a scrawny son of a bitch but was quick on his feet and a master of close quarter combat.

"The plan is this, Cyd you and Big Bird will go along the south edge of town and enter the buildings across the street here. There you will provide fire support while Woods and I breach from the north. We will go out along this road and approach the warehouse from the opposite side. Any questions?" No one said anything.

"Out fucking standing. Lets get it done, Hooah."

"Hooah." Woods and the Captain took off out of the room and got into the jeep, they drove off into the night. Ryan and I Headed out towards the south side of town on foot. We carefully made our way through the empty streets making sure not to disturb the seemingly lifeless buildings around us. A pair of headlights rounded the corner and we took cover in an alley.

"Insurgents?"

"Maybe but you can't be too careful."

"Roger that, remember that time in Guam?"

"Yeah, that old guy was pissed."

"Yeah and here I thought taking two girls home was a good thing."

"I think he chased us all the way across the island." We chuckled quietly at the memory.

"Hey is this it?" Ryan asked pointing at an apartment complex.

"Looks like it." We slipped inside and took our positions overlooking the warehouse entrance.

"Cap were in position awaiting your go." I say through my throat mic.

"I copy.... Were breaching." We hear a muffled bang and a few shouts over the rain but can't make out anything else. The front doors to the warehouse open up and a dozen insurgents pour out. They try to make a break for it but we quickly mow them down.

"Cap warehouse door secure."

"..."

"Cap?"

"..."

"Somethings wrong, come on." We slowly make our way to the warehouse door using as much cover as possible. I carefully peek through the doorway to see a dark room filled with a few dead bodies. "Can you see anything?"

"No, I don't like this, it smells like a trap."

"Yeah but we can't leave Woods and the Captain behind. I'm going in you stay here."

"I Gotcha." I slowly enter the building checking the bodies for a pulse. I look around the room again and spot Woods, he was slumped against the wall a pool of blood beneath him. 'Shit!' I quickly get over to him, he was bleeding from a wound in his neck but still alive, the bullet had somehow missed both major arteries.

"Woods." I whisper. His eyes flutter open, he looks at me and I can see the fear in his eyes as he starts to panic. "Stay calm buddy you'll live." He didn't look like he believed me but he calmed down. "Where's the Captain?"

"I believe the man you are looking for is right here." A cold voice says from behind me. I stand up and turn around quickly raising my rifle. "Ah Ah Ah wouldn't want to cause a little accident now would we?" The insurgent leader we had been sent to eliminate stood near the center of the room with the Captain tied to a chair a revolver to his head.

"Grrr what do you want?" I say lowering my rifle.

"My dear boy, it's not what I want, it's what the people want. Why do you think you cannot stop these so called terrorist organizations? It's because they have the support of the people, they are tired of being ruled by Western Dogs!"

"We don't rule them, we give them freedom of choice. We give them freedom from monsters like you who only seek to cause suffering!"

"I had hoped you would be that way, it means I get to do this." He looked back down at the Captain and pulled back the hammer. Their was a bang and a bullet hole appeared in the head of the insurgent leader, he quickly dropped to the floor.

"Good timing Big Bird."

"It's what I do."

"The civilians are dead and Woods is injured lets get out of here." Ryan goes over to Woods and carefully picks him up. I go over to the Captain and untie him. "You okay Cap?"

"Battered and bruised but I'll live. Come on, we're Oscar mike." We left through the breach and crossed the street back to the jeep. I get in the drivers seat and look back at the warehouse, I see a glint in the window. Before I can get a closer look the window flashes and a loud bang echoes.

"SNIPER! EVERYONE GET DOWN!" I slam on the gas and speed off into the night. When we reach the edge of town I stop on the side of the road. "Is everyone okay?"

"I'm here and Woods is still breathing."

"Cap?" The Captain was slumped over in the passenger seat of the jeep I shove him and his head rolls over revealing a neat bullet hole in his forehead. "Shit."

"What?"

"The Captains dead."

"Your shitting me."

"No, he's gone. Fucking snipers."

"Damn, I guess your the Captain now Cyd."

"Fucking battlefield promotions. Dammit! *sigh* Lets go, Woods still needs a medic."

_______________________________________________________________________________

"We drove to the nearest base and took Woods in to the medical tent. It turns out the bullet had caused irreparable damage to his voice box making him a mute. We gave the commander of the base our report and he made my field promotion official." Twilight was stunned, in one night this man had lost a friend killed several people and one of his friends was no longer able to speak.

"I'm sorry."

*sigh* "Everyone always says sorry." He muttered quietly "Twilight, it was a long time ago and nopony here had anything to do with it. It was all our own faults we just couldn't learn to tolerate each other, that's why my world died it just took a Nova bomb to make it official."

"That's just so, depressing." She says squirming a little in her seat clearly uncomfortable.

"It is isn't it. But I'm not in that hellhole anymore, now I'm here, in a land of magical talking ponies with all sorts of mythical creatures and monsters. And now I have you guys, you are my family now, you Twilight Sparkle, Spike, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Fluttershy, Celestia, Luna, The Professor, and especially you, Sky Dasher." I felt the heat in my cheeks when he said my name and a quick glance at Twilight proved she was in the same boat.

"I..I... Thank you Cyd I would like to consider you like family too." Twilight stammers out still blushing.

"No one, no thing, and no pony will ever hurt my family without going through me first, I can promise you that." Cyd stares at the fireplace his glare cold enough to freeze fire, although it was not currently lit it still being summer. "So anything else you gals want to talk about?" Cyd's cold stare instantly fades away to be replaced by a warm and inviting smile.

"Oh um no I think we can call it a night." Cyd checks the watch on his wrist and nod, standing up he stretches and yawns broadly.

"It is that time, oh well. So where do we bunk tonight Twilight?"

"Spike set up the guest bed upstairs."

"Alrighty then off I go." Cyd trudges up the stairs to bed still yawning as he went.

"I'm afraid I don't have another bed but you can have mine if you like."

"Oh no that's ok Cyd and I can share a bed, it's all right."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, to tell you the truth he makes a comfy pillow." Twilight snickers.

"I heard that." Came down the stairs causing me to blush as I hide under my hooves and groan. Twilight's snickering became full blown laughter and she took a few minutes to calm down.

"Well *snicker* since the sleeping arrangements are taken care of I'm off to bed, good night Sky."

"Good night Twilight." I mumble from under my hooves. I rise to my feet after Twilight leaves. 'I need some air.' I open the door to the library and step out into the cool night. 'Luna the stars are fantastic tonight.' I take to the air flying around the library a few times just feeling the wind in my face. After flying around for awhile I set down on Twilight's balcony. The guest bed was across the room from Twilight's bed and the lumps in the sheets breathed in and out peacefully.

'How can you be so happy Cyd, you suffered through so much pain back on your world.' *sigh* I lean back against the railing still taking in the night air. The door behind me gently opens and I can hear footsteps behind me.

"Luna is really good at her job." Cyd says quietly as he leans against the railing next to me.

"..."

"You okay Sky?"

"Are you okay?"

"What do you mean?"

"Do you miss them?" A look of understanding dawns on his face.

"Everyday." He says quietly as he turns back to the sky.

"Then why are you so cheerful all the time!?" I say as my voice raises a little.

"Because I let them go, they're gone now, and nothing I do will change that. Why dwell on the past when tomorrow is a new day." He says still calmly staring at the sky.

"But how can you just let them go?"

"Sky, this isn't about me is it?" He says turning to look at me.

"I.." I stare into his eyes as he looks back at me.

"It's okay Sky I know you miss them."

"I..." I can feel myself starting to crack.

"Let it out Sky." And then the dam breaks.

"I miss them so much!" *sob* Cyd wraps me in a powerful hug as I cry.

"It's okay Sky, their little Sky Dasher grew up to be a wonderful mare. I know they are proud of you." I sat in his arms wrapped up in a powerful hug until I finished crying.

"It's just like the first night we met huh?" I whisper.

"Well, it is a little different." He says a grin starting to form.

"How so?" I think I know where this is going but I don't try to stop it.

"Back then I couldn't get away with this." He releases me from the hug.

"Wha?" Cyd launches into a dreaded tickle attack and before I can react I'm rolling on the ground laughing my tail off. "HAHAHAHAHA!" It didn't last long though as he stopped after a few seconds.

"Feel better now?"

"No, but I will." I say with a grin of my own.

"I know what's coming but we should stop I think we woke somepony up." He said jerking his head towards the door. I look over to see a groggy Twilight standing in the doorway.

"Just what are you two doing out here?" She grumbles.

"Oh nothing much just a little emotional support." He replies.

"Emotional support? Is something wrong?"

"No, I'm okay now, lets go to bed." I tell her.

"Well okay but I want a full explanation in the morning. Me and the girls are your friends too and we want to help however we can."

"I'm sorry Twilight I'm just not used to having friends like this."

"But you've got us now so get used to it." Twilight grins then yawns before heading back to her bed.

"Are you ready?" He asks.

"Yeah sleep sounds good right about now." Cyd scoops me up in his strong arms and carries me to the bed closing the door behind him with a foot. He sets me down on the bed and lays down, I curl up next to him and lay my head on his chest. "Still a good pillow." He chuckles softly and closes his eyes.

"Good night my little Sky Dasher." He says as he strokes my mane. It felt... nice.

"Good night Cyd." His breathing slowed and his arm stopped as he fell asleep. I lay there listening to his heartbeat as his chest rose and fell. Until I too fell asleep.

Author's Note:

Hello everyone Cydon here, It's been busy here recently so writing was hard to find time for (It didn't help that these are the longest chapters thus far) but hopefully things have calmed down a little now that the semester is almost over. Remember to keep calm and brony on my friends Cydon out.

Edit: March 11, 2013 HAHA! Another long one done!