Can You Love a Demon?

by OtherWorldsCrazyMinds

Poisons, Fruits, Some Nice Time Outside and Apologizes

HATSEAL’S POV
It’s been three days since talking to my father. It hasn’t been eventful and I haven’t been able to think of anything to create yet so I made breakfast and left some for Adora as usual. I decided to see if anything would come to mind; just play around with some of the other automatons that I had created before. It was fun.

Working with the autmatons is really fun. They work on a sort of crystal memory like thing, it really hard to explain. What happens is you basically input memories magically into the crystal that act as the main power source and the integral information complier. What happens is you continue to put a continues stream of magical energy that is also intertwined with memories which then creates one strand of sequence data meaning when activating, it will do that specific memory strand. So if you imbed the memory of stacking books, the automatons will do that when commanded. So say if you made a whole lot of stranded memories then you would have told it which ones to specifically do. There are ways to get the automaton to do some of these things automatically. This is called stranding. What you do is you get the strands of sequences and then make is like to a specific event or to a specific phrase or the finishing of an event and it will do another one or repeat another. This takes a long time for you have to attach every single strand and tell each and every single one to do a specific action once it is complete, like if you want it to redo the specific action or to continue this action until certain thing is over or link it to another sequence or a the return of one of the other sequences. This takes a lot of time so imagine how long it took for me to do the centurion. I decided to screw around with one of the older prototype and see if I could create a smaller device that would allow me to transmit a message of short to medium distances with it being noticed by anyone at all except of the intended recipient. Then rang the doorbell. I figured that Adora would get it but it looked like she was still asleep as the doorbell kept ringing. I got up and decided to open see who it was.

“Hello. I have package for someone named Mia Amata Figlia Adora. Is she here?” a mail pony asked.

“She is here but asleep. Let me sign for the package” he gave me the passage as I signed for it. He left and plopped the package on the desk and yelled upstairs, “HEY, GET UP!” I knew she had heard me and had woken up thanks to a low groan and steps moving across the floor of the upstairs rooms. I decided to leave it at that and go back downstairs to the workshop, I had just decided that if I modeled automaton after a bug then it wouldn't be noticed and I could get to either store voice recording or a message that it would in turn write down in the air. I heard a squeal from upstairs and then though to would be Adora opening her package. I figured I wouldn't go upstairs and ask what it was because of our little talk that happened at some time ago. I felt bad about it, I had just threw most of my trouble and most of my stupid emotional stress at her expecting to feel better but I didn't. I guess I knew it wouldn't help but everyone does some stupid thing. They do what they know won't help because of the thought that it might actually help. I felt bad for what I had done, I wanted to apologize but I really did t know how. You don't just say sorry for throwing your emotional trouble on someone. I thought about for some time before I heard a loud thump, as if someone had fell. I figured that it was nothing and that I should get back to work. After a couple minutes of me screwing around with the prototype, Sandra the phoenix came flapping down and started pecking and squawking at me. I tried to shoo her away but she avoid me lazy attempt and peck me again and again.

"What do you want dammit?" I finally said. Sandra began pulling my horns toward the stairs and I followed her reluctantly. She took me upstairs and I saw what she was trying to tell me about, losing all sense of reluctances or annoyance. Adora was lying on the ground, no movement what so ever. I went down to her and checked her pulse; there but it was slow and getting slower. I decided to the try something Fiora taught to immediately distinguish the group of poison. I gave her a quick, hard slap to the flank. No reaction. Usually, even if unconscious, the body will react to more damage done to it. Then I did the other test, I closed her mouth, the nose reacted but I took some time to realize a steady flow of oxygen wasn't there. I went through the list of poisons that I was told taught when I was at the castle. There were only three I could think of at the moment that would exhibit these kinds of traits.
I looked at the surrounding room and saw the package was ripped open and contain what seems to be a tart. From her favorite pastry shop. I went to it took a sniff. The smell of sugar and fruits were the first thing that come up but, the there was another smell that didn't make any sense. I smelled the greasy sent of cooked bacon, and the sour fragrance of an Oran berry which I knew wouldn't be used in a tart made by ponies because they haven't established enough trades with us to make that berry wide spread. For the bacon, that was obvious, ponies are herbivores, why would they have bacon on a tart?
“Though that would taste amazing.” I said under my breath.
I flung her over my shoulder and went outside knowing which poisoned they used. Luckily, thanks to the attack on the mall, Shining Armor thought that it a good idea to post guards around the estate and a carriage ready outside at all time. I ran toward it screaming, "Get set now! We need to get her to a hospital state!"
I got in the carriage and laid her down on the seat opposite me. A guard came in and what looked like a field doctor came into the cart. He took out some medical equipment and began inspecting the normal things; pulse, the iris check, breathing. Then he use some sort of detection or identification spell as a magic blanket involved her. He turned to the guard and said, "She been poisoned. I don't know what it is so I am going to draw blood" he took out a needle and was about to put it in.

"Don't!" I said commandingly, shielding her with my darklight. As I said this, the guard that was with us pulled out a Lachcymite pistol and shoved it below my chin.

"Look mate. I am under direct orders to not let you near her if any harm comes to her, and being poisoned is harm. I am also under order not to harm you but I am pretty sure the General wouldn’t mind a shoot on you once or twice. I heard you can heal pretty fast." he threatened.

"We can't risk doing anything just yet. We already took a big risk moving her into the carriage. The poison is from the poison berry known as Namaria's Kiss. The more we move her them more the blood with be poisoned. How long will it take for us to reach the hospital?"

"It will be about two hour"

"She will be dead by then!" I yelled. I slammed my hoof into the side of the carriage.

"Can't we fly her over there? It would take twenty minutes" the guard said not removing his gun from my chin.
"I already said that I don't want to move her any more than I have to. The poison works like a big off switch but it moves on blood. The more active you make her body the more the blood will go the worse she will get. Flying with her will make her immune system act up against the cold activating her shivering which would move more blood like crazy."

"Then is she going to die? There is nothing I have to cancel this type of poison."

"The only way to cure her is to remove the blood itself. It is easy to find where the source is as it will usually turn black."

"I could check now where it is" the doctor said preparing to move her body.

"Don't do that just yet. We have to get stabilized by giving her a certain fruit that stops the blood flow through the body."

"What is it? I can have one of the men find some" the guard asked.

"Nakatar fruit and also get some Duranga fruit, it's more common name is Blood fruit" untold him. He nodded and then opened the carriage door and yelled at the other guard who was flying with the carriage. He pulled his head back it as I was beginning to think of a way to slow down the process. I knew that my darklight wouldn't heal the poison or remove it, but I knew that I could slow down her blood to an almost stand still, I just wondered how long I could keep it up. Healing flesh wounds are generally easy. Broken bones are hard but bearable. Now healing the body from poisons is a lot hard because it requires focus and energy. Put too much darklight into it and the blood might boil. Too little, the virus or poison will be empowered. I went to place my hooves on Adora but the guard pulled his gun out again.

"I am not allowed to let you near her." he said

"Sorry, shot me if you must but I have to try to slow down the poison spreading, she is important....." I didn't finish what I was about to say since I really didn't know what was coming out. He put his gun back and I placed my hooves on her and began to summon the darklight. It took some time but I manage to get the perfect power stream of darklight to almost stop her blood flow. I knew that this was terribly draining for I could feel my body weakening; my back hooves were already becoming numb. It was also evident that Adora condition wasn't worsening either as her breathing remained steady for as long as my power was coursing through her. I don't know how long I stood there, pouring power I to her but I know that it was a long time, I couldn't waste my thought on anything else unless I wanted her condition to worsen. All I know is that it felt what seemed like years until I felt the guard's hoof on my shoulder said, "You can stop now we are at the hospital"

"Thank you. Please save her. Give her the Nakatar fruit, this will stop the poison's spread, after a bit of time it will be visible which is when you use needles to extract it." he nodded and followed the stretcher that help Adora limp form. I smiled then passed out, falling out of the carriage and landing somewhere on the gravel.

I woke up suddenly on a hospital bed with an some medical things attached to me. It took me a while to remember why I was in the hospital. Then it struck me with the force of a ranging hydra. 'Adora!' I thought and threw myself out of bed. However on the way down to the floor, I felt the terrible sense of dizziness and was unable to keep myself from falling over without latching on to the bed next to me.

"I need to eat." I said out loud, 'But I need to check if she is alright first' my more caring side of me said. I tried to summon some darklight to see if I could fly there but there wasn't even enough for me to lift my own two tails. So I sucked on my pain and fatigue and started to walk out of the room. Exiting the room I was in, someone stopped me and said "Excuse me sir but, you need to lay down."

"Can't. Need to check on her." I said hoarsely. The mare who I could now tell was a nurse looked over at some other doctor. The doctor came over and greeted himself "Hello my name is Cleans Song, I am sorry but I need you to please lie down. You conditions is-"

"Not as bad as hers" I interrupted as I tried to move past the two ponies. They tried to hold their ground but it didn't work as I was managing to slide them forward.

"Please sir, you can check on her after you have been checked up on" the doctor said. I didn't listen; I got to a desk till I realized that I didn't know where she was. I looked down at the nurse and doctor and asked, "Do you know where I can find Mia Amitia Figalia Adora?" The doctor look at the nurse, he thought for a second, then said, "Just wait here for a second. I'm go find out." The doctor back away slowly waiting to see if I would leave. He then turned and went around a corner, I stood there for a second before I grabbed the wall as I felt my body want to fall down and rest. 'Shut up!' I thought, 'Just wait till we have checked up on her. That all we have to do'. My body gave me another fit of dizziness before stopping.
The doctor came back with a plate of food and drink and said, "Please eat this first." he gave me the plate, and the drink. I took the drink chugged it down with even tasting it. Then I took the plate and bent into a u shape and slide all of the food into my mouth, chewed once, and swallowed.

"Now where is she?" I said, dropping the plate on the floor.

"She is upstairs on the third floor in room 329" he said. I nodes and forced my aching and tired body to the stairs. When I got there instead of climbing them I bounced over most of them. I used my darklight flight to just throw myself just high enough for me to land on the other level. I did this till I reached the third floor. I then walk as hard as I could to the room where she was in. The room was at the end of a long hallway and I stormed to it. As I got to the room I look at the monitors there to check her vitals, which showed that they were fine and steady. A doctor came into the room and asked "Excuse me are you alright?"

"Never mind that. Is she alright?"

"Yes. We have removed the poison and she is just in an unconscious state for lack of blood. Are you alri-" he was about to ask again but then some on shouted from across the hallway.

"Dremorian!" the voice screamed in rage. I knew who it was but I didn't really turn to see him. My body had done its task and knew it, I smiled in relief to know that she was ok and I fell sideways, passing out on the way down.

This time however, I didn't wake up on a nice bed, or from my own volition. I was awoken by a swift punch to my gut and then another straight to the face. I don't think I was out for that long because it sound like the doctor that I was talking to was trying to persuade Shining Armor to stop pummeling me. It knew it wasn't going to work, he sound pretty mad. I felt another punch to the ribs and then felt as if I was flying for a second then slammed hard to the ground. I guessed that he just performed an over the shoulder throw. He pulled me back up for another one before I heard some else voice to tell him to stop. I heard it cut through the doctors’ persistence and Shining's ragging breath and whatever he was saying. I knew the voice well.

"Hey. Mom." I crooked. I felt myself be thrown to the floor again, and then felt my mother hooves on me. Sound started to become clearer now as most of my body had been unconscious.

"Oh, honey are you alright?" my mother earnest voice said.

"You say 'yes' and I won’t make it so." I heard Shining Armor say from behind me.

"Dear please, stop that. We are here for Adora remember"

"And I can make so that you won't be able to see, so please Mr Armor refrain from injuring any more patients" my mother said putting a tremendous amount of authority in her voice. I smiled and said "Well I am in pain, most of my muscles are numb and I feel like a train hit me. So all in all I feel pretty fine." I felt a kick from behind me. I chuckle in pain as my mother gave Shining a glare as he replied "He was asking for it." I manage to get up and I nodded at Shining who came up close to me as asked in a very threatening voice, "What in Celestia name did you do to her?" I looked at him with a straight face, the I realize that he actually beloved that I poisoned her which made me laugh, "Do you actually think that I would do that?"

"Give me a reason why you wouldn't, you damn piece of mule turd" he said even fiercer the before.

"Wow, and here I thought you had some sense to you." I said still giving him that dumbass smile. He gave me a punch to the ribs.

"Tell me your mistake" he said. I sighed and looked at Adora who was still unconscious. I turned to the crazy father and said "How about a reason why I wouldn't poison her? 1; what good would come out if this. 2; I don't kill without reason, and trust me; your daughter hasn’t given any. 3; I don't feel like causing another war. Is that enough for you? For crying out loud, I helped save your daughter." yelling the last part.

"That's a lie!"

"No sir. Its not." said another familiar voice. We all turn to see the guard that was with me and the doctor when we were on the here. He turned to the Shining and said "Sir, without this dremoira's help the princess probably wouldn't have made it here much less been cured."

"Tell me what happened" Shining demanded, and so the soldier did. He told him about the poison and how I was one who told them what to get and how to treat it. He also told him how I managed to slow the poison down using what he called, black flames. The guard turned to me and said "I am sorry for doubting you" and bowed. I was a bit surprised but managed to say, "Thank you"

"I still don't believe it. Why would you know about the poison when my medical soldiers don't know about it?"

"It because it's a dremorian poison berry. We had brought it over by accident and I guess some people in the dremorian country are selling this as a poison."

"Or it was used by the dremorias themselves."

"That is true. There have been small groups of dremorias that have openly expressed their hate for the truce that we have created. But I don't think that this is possible since it was a poisoned tart that came from a fairly popular pastry shop and I don't think they would have taken an order from a dremoria much less let one into their kitchen."

"Why would a pony want to hurt their own kind, much less a princess?"

"Well I don't think it's just the dremoria that are angry about the war. And there could be a whole slew of other possibilities" I said feeling an onslaught of dizziness and black stars in my vision. I fell on to the wall, trying to keep steady. I knew that I wasn't going to up for much longer so I tried to finish the conversation, "look, I would really love to continue this conversation but I feel myself slumping away. Please, if you want to discuss more about this, please send me a clear date. Good night" I finished, walking into the room where Adora was being held and falling asleep on a chair.

ADORA'S POV

I don't really remember much of what happened, I remember eating something good but then not feeling anything and just passing out. It wasn't a very nice prospect, getting a favorite treat of yours that is poisoned. Really depressing because you really want to but you know it’s going to kill. Of course I didn't realize that the tart was poisoned till it was too late. I had believed that it was apology gift from Flame. I knew he wanted to apologize. He just didn't seem right; he almost burnt the breakfast twice and whenever I looked at him I would see him turning away to look at something else. Thanks to my mother’s ability to spread love; I grew the ability to apologize and get people to do it, mother also taught me to not do it a lot because it forces people to do it which is wrong. She taught me to help them by advising them on it, but Flame isn't the person who asks for help when he knows he can do it himself. He doesn't ask for advice nor does he ask for directions, I was taught this by Emerald. He never liked to accept help; even it was given to him on a silver platter with no consequences. I figured the tart was his apology. How wrong was I……

I woke up very slowly as my mind began working way before my body was even starting to wake up. My eyes were finally opening but the rest of my body was just waking up. I saw a doctor walk into the room and check on someone that I couldn't see. Then he turn and check the monitors that as strapped up to me. Finally my body wakes and I get up, stretching my body all the way.
"Oh, your awake." the doctor said. She was a pretty, maybe mid-forties or older. It was surprising but it felt like I knew her, like you know those nice old ladies. Then I decided to ask what had happened when I was asleep, "Excuse but-"

"What happened?" she cut off, "you were poisoned. Namarias Kiss. It is a dremorian poison fruit, it slowly shuts down the blood flow within your body and slowly begins to stop your organs from working. Quit potent as a poison."

"How did I-"

"Survive?" she cut off again, "You were very lucky. If my sons hadn't stopped your body blood for you, you would have slowly perished."

"Your son?" I asked.
"I believe you know who it is." She said somewhat surprising me, "He has been in this room since you were admitted here." I turn to see Flame's sleeping figure, slumped over the arm of one of the chairs.

"He has been sleeping there for three days will you were recovering." she said.

"I have been asleep for three days?!" I asked somewhat incredulously. She nodded, and then came over and handed me a cup of a yellow fluid that flowed more like syrup than water. I took a drink and was surprised at the taste as it had a very docile sweetness. I drank the rest down slowly as my body was still in a stage of recuperation.

"What kind of medicine is this?"

"It's not medicine. It's fruit nectar."

"Nectar?"

"Yup. It’s a dremorian fruit that has a specific amount and combinations of proteins that make cell reproduce at an accelerate rate. It is needed for you to drink since we had to remove around 2 and a half pints of blood from your body."

"Why did you remove that much?" I asked somewhat worried. She took the cup once I had finished and refilled it while giving me some bread. While I was eating she gave me a small check up on my eyes and ears saying, "The blood was poisoned, the poison was stopped but the actual blood is still tainted so removing it is the only way to save you or else you would have to have to be attached to some sort of machine. It was either that or drain your blood. We thought this would be more efficient." she said. Then she walked over to Flame who was still asleep.

"He cares for you." she said not looking at me. I finished me bread and said, "Maybe, but I don’t think so."

"He does. You may not know it but he does."

"Well how do you know?"

"He did use the rest of his energy to stop the poison." she said giving me another piece of bread. I turned to him and said "He could just want to keep me alive for the peace."

"True but then he wouldn’t have given you all of his energy for a straight two hours and wake up just too pass out after knowing your fine." she said with a wry grin, "You are another one of his cherished friends. He would let you go easily." she said. She walked over and gave Flame a kiss on the for head and whispered into his ear, "Wake up dear." his ears twitched and he began to wake up, she turned to me and said "Don't hurt him please, I think he has had enough pain to last life time" the she left the doom. I watched till she had escaped my sight. I then turned to Flame who was still somewhat asleep but only barely waking. I waited till he snorted and just decided to fall back asleep; I laughed throwing a pillow at him. Instantly he got up and caught it. Then realizing that he had done and seeing me awake asked "You better?"

"I think so." I said. He smiled and then said, "Keep drinking the Blood fruit. It will help" and try to get up. It was meant with problems as he swayed like dangerously like very you g tree in the middle of a hurricane.
"I think you might need some too" I said handing him the cup. He pushed it back saying "No. I don't need the blood as much as you do. I just need some food."

"You can just call the other doctors to bring you some can't you?"

"I am not a patient here unlike you."

"Do you think I want to be a patient?"

"Do you think I or them really care" he said smirking. I smiled back with more hidden anger behind it. He could be so infuriating some times. He managed to get up and offered me a hoof, asked "Need anything?"

"Not really. Just a more secure escort"

"ha-ha, very funny. Your colt friend came by yesterday." immediately I perked up. As he helped me up I asked, "What did he do? Or did he say anything?" at this he turns away and opened the door saying, "I can't really remember but he asked what happened and when you were gonna wake up. Then I think he kissed you. I don't really remember" I thought to it and it didn't really faze me now but I looked up at him and asked, "Hey, what is this fruit nectar? And where can I get some fruit?"

"The fruit your drinking is called Blood fruit"

"Why is it called that?" hoping that it wasn't for the obvious reason.

"Well the story behind the name is pretty long. It boils down to a dremoria wanting to save his daughter from a poison procedure that didn't go to well. This was back before we could control the darklight well and poison removal was the old remove the blood trick. So he wanted to save his daughter from loss of blood as her bleeding had stopped but her blood was too little for her to live. So he prayed to the lord of healing, Trodenfuko, to give him something that would help her. The deity told him to make a large cut on his arm and let it bleed out onto the ground. He did so and then where his blood landed, grew a sprout and when his blood landing on an already birthed sprout it would grow. That’s where the story of the Blood fruit comes from."

"Well that an interesting story. I didn't expect it to be so...."

"Caring?" he said as we walked down the corridor. I looked at him who didn't seem to have any facial changes to suggest that he thought anything and said "No" but I meant 'yes'. Then I had a bright idea, "Hey where can I get some more?" he looked at me like I was crazy. He shook his head saying, "You actually want more or are you just knotting my tails?"

"Knotting your tails?" I asked, trying to relate it to a pony saying.

"I think it's 'pulling your leg'" he informed.

"Oh, well actually, I really liked it. I want to try other fruits!" I said excitedly. He looked at me and shook his head smiling. As we got outside be asked, "Well I know a place but it's not on any main road. You still wanna go?"

"How far is it?"

"I would say a one or two hours fly if you can go around 25 mph." he said making the calculations in his head. I smiled, and spread my wings. He looked somewhat awed and I jumped into the air, I climbed for a hundred feet and said, "Well it has been a while since I have spread my wings. Dare to escort me?" he smiled and managed to jumped up into the air with me and replied "Yes milady." and he began to fly at a fast speed in north eastern direction.

It had been a while since I had last spread my wings. I think the last time I did was sometime before the wedding. I didn't think I would ever fly again but it turns out I was wrong. It wasn't that long and we did pass over some really nice scenery. The closer we got to the dremoria farmlands the easier it was to tell as their farms seem to have more of free flow planting style to them. After another half hour Flame pointed down and began his decent and we landed in front of an old house with a large plantation that looks more like a forest. Flame looked at me and asked, "How was your flight?"

"It was nice. I hadn't flown like that in a while" I replied with exuberance. He smiled and knocked on the door a couple of times. We waited for a bit an old somewhat angry voice called, "I'm coming. I'm coming" the door opened and a bitter looking old dremoria woman came out to the door way. She blinked a few times and looked at us.

"Good day Esmeralda. How have you been?"

"Oh Hatseal. You haven't been here in a while. What kept yah? You usually come here every two weeks. You been asleep for a month or so eh?"

"No. I am sorry. I was actually getting married so I figure she wouldn't enjoy me bringing in some new fruits that she wouldn't like."

"So what brings you now? Huh?"

"Well it turns out that she would like to try some of the fruits."

"Hm. Where is this wife of yours?" she asked rather harshly which made me dubious of presenting myself. Flame turned to me and smiled which somehow comforted me. I stepped onto the porch of the house and fretted myself, "Hello, my name is Mia Amata Figilia Adora, the betrothed of Hatseal." the old dremoria looked at me with very scrutinizing eyes. She walked around me a couple of time as if to judge my worth. Then she spoke to Flame, still examining me, "Huh! Not out of our own free will eh?" I was taken aback. I thought for a moment that she was insulting me. Flame laughed and replied, "Why yes. It's wasn’t my intention but it's for the people"

"I thought so!" she said, "You would never marry a women who's good for yah out of your own free will." Flame was taken a back and stuttered out a "Ex-e-excuse me?!"

"You heard me! You too stubborn for your own good. She’ll do you some good! And teach yah some good lesson while you’re still liven" she turned to me and said, "This boy may look like a genius and he smart in some but as dumb as brick in everything else" I laughed and smiled at me like a triumphant dog, "Teach the other stuff to him will yah? He's a rip old idiot he is." I burst out into more laughter as I saw Flame just smile and shake his head. Esmeralda began to float and hovered off the porch and started towards the garden.

"Well!? You two coming or what, I think most of them fruits are rip."

"How do you know her? She seems so...”

"Literal. Straight forward. True. Outspoken."

"Senile" we both managed to say at the same time. I was a little embarrassed but he smiled and began to walk to the garden. I followed and he explained, "I had decided to run away from once just to see more of the kingdom because back then, my father did feel it was right to exclaim to the dremorian world that their prince was a half breed. I flew for three hour till I felt my stomach call me for lunch and I landed in front of her house as she was making some soup. She let me have some without questioning me at all. But she did scold me a lot for doing things she didn't think was right or was straight out rude. Ever since then, I come here every once and I while to unwind and to get some more fruits. She never stops scolding me though."

"Why?"

"I don’t know but the reason she scold me always changes. It always changes; you’re too tall, you’re not eating enough, your trying to solve some else problem again, you need to drink less beer. Stuff like that. I think she'll start complaining about not bringing a guest here before." I looked at him a bit stunned asking,
"No one? Not even Emerald?"

"Especially her."

"Why not? I figured since she is your friend for such a long time...”

"It because she has been my friend for so long. I have to keep this place my own little hide out. You know how she is, talking a lot letting one thing just slip. It’s part of the job of a bartender to do that but she can't always keep it off." I thought about what he said but then asked, "Why me then? What if I blab about this hide out of yours?"

"You wouldn't" he said flatly, "Not unless it was some sort of life or death situation" I looked at him disgruntled.

"How do you know I won't?"

"Because you are a trust worthy person who is good at keeping secrets." he said. I stopped and just watched him go, wondering how could he put his trust in me. I was known to be a very trust worthy person and was trustful towards many other but I never mentioned this in any of my talks with him. He was somewhat of a mysterious person when it came to knowing things. He turned and asked "You coming?" I smiled and trotted faster to catch up.

"Well you two took your time now did ya'" Esmeralda said, "Come one I don’t have all day." she turned opening the gate to what she called a garden. What it really was is a giant forest as the trees were growing in every direction and vines grew up everywhere. As we entered the forest the light suddenly dimmed do to the denseness of the trees leaves. Esmeralda went up to one of the tree and picked three purple spiky fruits from it. She threw the other two to me and Flame and bit into hers, "Hmph. It's ripping pretty well" she said. I was somewhat dubious about eating something that was looked sturdy enough to throw at someone; I looked over at Flame who managed to eat his in one whole bit.
"Go on!" Esmeralda said, "The Colbur Fruit doesn't hurt," I looked at her then back at the fruit and took a tentative bite. The mixture of flavors was interstate and new to say the least. The mixture was juicy and had a docile sweet to it that didn't make it too powerful. I unknowingly, moaned in delight and then realized what I had just done, blushed profusely. Flame laughed and said, "Well she enjoyed that, wanna take some home?" I nodded and he hit the tree with one hoof as it shook and many of the fruit that were rip just feel from the one strike. Instinctively I summoned my magic and managed to catch them all before any of them hit the ground. Esmeralda hovered over to Flame and hit a top the head with the cane she had carried, "You idiot! I told you to warm me before you go doing thing like that!" I laughed as did Flame. The rest of the time we spent there was going along through her 'garden' and trying new fruit. At the end of the day, Flame was carrion three ten different crates, each one holding a different fruit or berry. We had Colbur, Bulk, Sitrus, Chople, Enigma, Ganlon, Leppa, Lansat, Occa, Shuca and Ringo fruits.

"Come again, ya hear?" Esmeralda said in an angry tone.

"Ok, ok. I'll come back. I don't know when but I'll be back." Flame said with a smile. He turned to me and questioned, "Ready to go? Or do you wanna stay here for a bit?" I thought about it but then I yawned, which prompted me to think of the time. I looked at the sky which was becoming an orange purple, I looked at Flame and said, "No, I think that I have to go back to work tomorrow so I can't spend all day here. I am sorry Esmeralda but I can't stay any longer."

"Well alright, you better come back too, got it?!"

"I will don't worry" I replied chuckling a bit. She came closer to me and pulled me in, throwing her arm over my shoulders and said in a lower tone, "And remembers what I told. This kid is an idiot. You teach em what he don’t know ri?" I nodded and she smiled, "He is too smart for his own good and would never do anything to be happy so teach him that now would ya?"

This statement didn't really make much sense to me I decided to think upon it later. When I looked at Flame he didn't seem unhappy but more unfulfilled, like there was something just always missing, when he seemed happy it was still there just hiding behind his feeling of temporary happiness. I decided not to go into more because then it takes time and will slow me down during our flight home. I looked at Flame who was hovering a bit above the ground, he looked at me and our eyes meet. There it is I thought, The emptiness of something. He motion for me to hurry up and I spread my wings and began to fly up to him, just as I got close enough to touch him, he moved up higher. I climbed to reach him as if playing a game. After another few try at this he stopped and let me get close enough to fly right next to him on the same level.

"Look" he said, pointing with one of his tails. I turned to see what he was pointed at.
The sun was setting, but it wasn't a normal sunset. The normal sunset was there with the orange hues mixed with the signs or the purples hues mixing in with the other hues. Though what the deciding factor on what made this one different was the garden/forest fruits and vines were giving of reflections. It was amazing. It was as if the sun was setting on an ocean bed that managed to have it's before sun set. It was beautiful.

"Wow," I said without actually realizing it.

"Yup. One of the reason why I came here."

"The other for relaxing?" I asked.
"And for the best homemade alcohol in Equestria." he said triumphantly. I turned to see him un-quark a bottle and take a swig of it. I shook my head, "Isn't a bad idea to get drinking while flying?" I asked.

"True but I haven't had one of these in two years, she only makes them once a year so I got the first batch." he said, he turned away from the beautiful sunset and called, "Let's go before it gets dark ok?" I nodded and he escorted me all the way back to the Mansion Diablo. When we landed he use his tail to open the door and let me in first, all gentle man like, which wasn't like him at that me giggle a bit. Once he dropped the crates in the kitchen and we put all the fruit into an organized pile in the pantry, I felt extremely tired. This was natural as I had just come out of a poison endured coma, but I also felt energetic in an emotional sense. I don't really know what I meant by that but I felt like I could tell someone the meaning of love, which I know I couldn't. That's my mom’s territory but I felt like I could. I decided to go take a shower since it was getting late and due to the fall weather, I felt it necessary to begin to think up my new fashion line. As I headed to go upstairs I felt an ominous feeling appear before me and knew that Flame had set his shield up. I turned back to him as he was taking another swig of Esmeralda's brew. He either didn't seem to notice what he had just done or was pretending to do so. I coughed a bit and he turned a bit surprised and made a questioning face.

"The shield, lower it" I said in a calm yet demanding voice like that one you would use for a small infant that would obediently do anything asked of it. He looked puzzled and then looked around the room as if looking for someone. Then he realized what he had done and then his face grew red, which is almost impossible to see as his coat was as blacker than night. I felt the ominous feeling pass and I turned again to leave but was stopped when he broke the silence by calling, "Adora?" I turned again to see him looking down at the ground. He took a deep breath and said, bringing his head up to look at me in the eyes, "I'm sorry" he paused for a moment and then continued slower as if getting the right words, "I'm sorry for unloading my feelings on you the other day. I didn't mean to do it but I wasn't have a nice day l entirely and I was a bit cranky for waking up a bit early and I guess the long day made me forget my sense of judgment and other crap." he stopped again, took another breath of uncertainty, and continued, "I know you were trying to help. And it is my fault for not accepting it. Again I am sorry. So....." he didn't finish and let the silence hang in the air. I don't think he really intending for the silence but he couldn't think of anything just yet so I smiled and said, "Well, I accept your apology, and I am sorry for trying to force you to open up to me and I am sorry about that."

"So were back to being dorm-mates?" he said taking another swig of the drink.

"Why stay roommates?" I asked, "Why can't we be friends?" I came close and gave him a hug. He didn't respond right away but after a second or two he brought up his arms and returned the hug. We stood there for some time before he let go.

He let his arms drop and he smiled a bit, then my body just moved on it's on as I was supposed to do this. I got close and gave him a kiss. He didn't expect it and so was somewhat surprised it happened. He didn't recoil but he didn't move forward either. He didn’t try anything funny to which I was thankful for. We released each other after about the same amount of time when we hugged. I fled the room quickly yet I turned to look at Flame, he had a look of incredulity yet a relaxed one as well. He turned to me and just gave me a curt nod which was cryptic as it could be.