Chapter Sixty-Five: Blind Faith

Normally, full grown dragons weren't even bothered as they were massive and powerful - generally, nothing short of a small army could take them down. Though Smokey was an adult, he wasn't much larger than an adolescent; possibly a dwarf breed. It was likely a small task force wouldn't have much difficulty with someone like him.

Fluttershy turned her large blue-green eyes brimming with dread to her draconian companion.

"… Smokey…"

"W… what am I going to do, Miss Fluttershy? The authorities are sure to take me away… and…" He paused as he dropped the handkerchief and curled up into a ball on the grass, tears spearing. "Ch-Chenoa will be w-without h-her d-daddy…"

The mare bit her lip and hung her head as tears pooled in her eyes.

"Y… you c-can't stay here," she said, trying to keep her voice as calm and steady as possible. "M… maybe… if… if you go now, you… you might be able to get to the mountains-"

She cut herself off with a half-choked sob, shaking her head. What was she saying?! She couldn't tell him to run away!

"Maybe," she began again, "Maybe we can hide you…"

Spreading her wings, she fluttered to his side, placing a hoof on the side of his face.

The weight of the reptilian's guilt finally pushed him to his breaking point, reducing him to sobs. Furling his arms around Fluttershy, he drew her into a tight embrace. He didn't want to leave… He couldn't leave his family and friends behind… But, if he didn't go… he would be destroyed.

"I-I… c-cannot b-believe I-I b-bit s-somep-pony…"

She shook her head in denial, stroking the top of his head with a gentle hoof. Closing her eyes, she pressed her forehead to his head.

"No. No, I don't believe you did, either," she whispered.

"Y-you don't?" Smokey shifted his head to glance up at her. "B-but… the b-blood…"

"I know you didn't," Fluttershy insisted, continuing to pet the frills and scales on the dragon's cranium. "I just know you didn't. Not at your heart. You'd never do anything of the sort!"

"Then… w-were did all of this… b-blood c-come f-from?" he queried, still able to taste the remnants of blood on his lower gums, resulting in another wave of nausea.

That, Fluttershy didn't have an answer to. Merely sighing, she nuzzled her forehead against his head, stroking his cheek.

"I don't know… I don't know…" After several long moments, she gulped and opened her mouth to shatter the still silence. "… C'mon, let's… let's go inside. I'd feel better if we were both inside. Maybe I can find a place to hide you before… before they come."

Sniffling once more, he released the mare and stood up.

"Alright…"

Reaching out, Smokey grasped onto Fluttershy's hoof as she began to lead him inside the cottage.

Just then, Angel emerged from the bushes. After spending a few hours with his woodland friends, he had stopped and remained hidden once he had seen Pendulum approaching. The rabbit had witnessed the entire ordeal between the stallion and Smokey. Eyes pinpointing the blood-soaked handkerchief the dragon dropped, he scrambled over to it to pick it up.

Once inside, Smokey took a seat on the couch, drawing in his legs to wrap his arms around his knees as he balled up again. Even though his feathered friend was certain he did not hurt Pendulum, he wasn't sure himself. The evidence had been right in front of him. He had tasted it.

Fluttershy fluttered into the kitchen, ignoring the mess she made earlier for now. Retrieving a washcloth and a glass of water, she glided back out to offer them to the dragon.

"Here. You can rinse your mouth out."

Biting her lip again as he accepted the items, the pegasus moved to sit down next to him. Leaning against him, she closed her eyes as she rested her head on his upper arm.

The dragon quickly got to work wiping the rest of the blood from his teeth, gums, and lips. Dipping his head back, he allowed the water to pour into his mouth. Swishing it around to get rid of the taste, he spat it back into the glass, nearly gagging during the process. Sighing, he set the water and washcloth down on the floor.

Fluttershy nodded once, remaining by his side for a few more moments. Sliding off of the couch, she quickly surveyed her home for any hiding spots that could accommodate Smokey's size. With a grimace, she came to the realization that everything available was far too small. If Smokey had been approximately Angel's size, then she would have had a far easier time…

"F-find any p-places I c-could h-hide?" he inquired upon Fluttershy's return, though from studying the look on her face, he came to the conclusion that she had not.

"No," she said, meeting his gaze. "… I don't even have a basement or a cellar, and that would've been the first place I would've thought!"

The rosy-maned mare flapped her wings and hovered over to the dragon to close her eyes and press her head to his neck, right underneath his head.

"Oh, Smokey, I'm so sorry. I don't know what to do. I can't let them take you away, I can't!"

"But… I d-don't want t-to h-hurt a-anypony a-again. W-what if I am b-becoming w-wild?" he proposed with a scared look in his eyes.

A deep frown pulled at her lips.

"You won't. In fact, if you'd like, I… I could call the rest of our friends over." A smile replaced her frown. "We could all gather together for a late night party. Just the eight of us, and Chenoa! I'm sure the others would agree you're not some dangerous beast!"

Smokey forced a small smile despite the guilt still pressing down on him and gently nuzzled her with a purr.

"I w-would like th-that."

Sliding her forelegs around him and issued him one final nuzzle.

"I'll go get Chenoa from Sugarcube Corner and inform Pinkie. I'll be back with the others shortly, alright?"

"A-alright."

Sighing, he watched the mare exit the cottage. Once she was gone, he broke down into another fit of crying.

It did not take long for Fluttershy to round up her friends. About twenty minutes passed after she had left, the door swung open again to reveal the mare, followed by her friends with Chenoa sitting comfortably on Pinkie Pie's back. With a bright smile, Twilight Sparkle, with Spike seated on her back, cantered over.

"Hello, Smokey!" she greeted warmly. "It's been a-" She gave pause as she analyzed and acknowledged the addressed dragon's appearance. "… Is something wrong? You look like you've been crying!"

"I… have…" the red-scaled reptilian whimpered, rubbing at his eyes to relieve them. They were beginning to hurt from the salty tears coating them. He then went back to whimpering and moaning miserably.

"Gracious!" Applejack exclaimed, heading over with concern deeply etched into her face. "What's wrong with ya?"

"Um," Fluttershy murmured softly, now entirely unsure of what to say. "… Well…"

"Oh, my stars!" Rarity gasped, her horn glowing a brilliant blue to levitate the bloodied washcloth Smokey had used to wipe his mouth clean. "This is completely covered in blood!"

"I… I b-bit s-somepony, b-but I d-don't remember d-doing it!" he sobbed, his body trembling.

There was a collective gasp among the group, save for Fluttershy and Chenoa, the baby blissfully oblivious.

"You… you… what?" Twilight Sparkle pressed, shocked and horrified, and took a step back.

"No, Smokey!" Rarity sounded absolutely scandalized. "How could you?"

"I d-don't know! I c-cannot b-believe it e-either…" Smokey then summoned the courage to meet the gazes of his friends. "P… please d-don't hate m-me… I d-didn't m-mean t-to!"

"We don't hate you!" Fluttershy declared, and turned to the rest of their friends. "… Right? … Girls?"

There was no response. The air suddenly became very tense, and nobody spoke. Nobody would even meet the older dragon in the eyes.

"Spike?" the yellow-pelted pegasus prodded in desperation.

The younger dragon bit his lip, turning away from Fluttershy with an expression of disbelief and fear - not so much of Smokey, but at the concept.

Smokey slowly shook his head a few times, his face scrunching as fresh tears spawned in his eyes. He could hardly believe it. Those wonderful friends he had made through Fluttershy made no indication that they didn't hate him. Feeling his heart tear, he tucked his head into his arms and sobbed all over again.

Fluttershy inhaled a breath, as if calming her nerves, before returning to his side.

"I don't hate you," she reassured, nuzzling his neck. "I could never hate you - I don't care what anypony thinks."

"Are you kidding me, Fluttershy?" Rainbow Dash spoke up, snapping somewhat from her shock. "The guy bit somepony! What if he does it again?"

"Because he didn't," Fluttershy stated, a firmness in her intonation that normally wasn't there. "You don't know Smokey like I do. He's too kind, too gentle to do this deliberately. I don't believe he did it! I can't!"

Smokey peeked up from his arms to gaze upon his yellow-feathered friend in admiration. She really believed in him.

"Fluttershy…" he whispered to himself as more tears welled up in his eyes.

"Come on! The evidence is right there!"

The cyan pegasus pointed a hoof at the soiled cloth.

"You do have to admit, it does seem rather suspicious," the alicorn said. "I mean, Fluttershy, did you actually SEE him bite Pendulum?"

"Well, no…" Fluttershy replied.

"Then that should settle the matter, shouldn't it?" Applejack piped up.

"Not necessarily," the princess continued. "Just because she didn't see him, it doesn't mean he didn't do it. Fluttershy, where were you when this happened?"

"I… I was in the kitchen, making some tea…"

"So you only heard what happened and went to investigate?" Twilight Sparkle prompted. "You didn't SEE anything?"

Fluttershy emitted a whimper.

"No…"

"Then we're right back where we started." The lavender alicorn turned to the farmer pony. "She didn't SEE him bite Pendulum, but she didn't NOT see him do it either. For all we know it very well could've happened!"

"Hello! Blood!"

Snatching the cloth from Rarity's magical hold, Rainbow Dash waved it in front of Twilight Sparkle's face. Irritated, the princess shot the prism-maned pegasus a look that said "we know" and took it in her bubble of magic.

"Unfortunately, Fluttershy. THIS is really the only the actual evidence we have! And, despite your feelings to the contrary, I'm afraid gut feelings don't trump physical evidence!"

"I… I'm a-afraid sh-she is r-right, M-Miss F-Fluttershy…" Smokey sniffled, wiping his nose in one swift motion. "Th-the b-blood proves I d-did i-it…"

"No. No, I… I refuse to believe it. I… No!" Fluttershy squeezed her eyes shut, stamping her hoof. "No! I won't!"

"Fluttershy…" Twilight Sparkle sighed. "I'm sorry, but… you know what we have to do."

Fluttershy said nothing, merely shifting her attention to the window.

"Fluttershy…" the young alicorn resumed, both exasperated and sympathetic. "Fluttershy, this is-"

"One night." The pegasus whirled around to face her friends, tears streaming down her face. "… One night, please. It's all I ask."

With that, she sat down upon her haunches and took one of Smokey's hands between her hooves. Closing his fingers around a hoof, the dragon stared into her tear-soaked eyes. His broken heart went out to her, knowing that she was feeling his pain. Pulling her closer, he leaned his head in to press a kiss to her forehead. Despite the evidence that showed that he was guilty, his dear friend still refused to believe it. He felt even more admiration for her build up inside of him.

Fluttershy closed her eyes, leaning into the kiss. She didn't blush - didn't feel embarrassed. For the first time since meeting him, she wanted nothing more than to just be held in his arms, to hold him in return, snuggle him, cuddle him…

Wrapping her forelegs around him and pulling herself into a hug, she nuzzled him and buried her face into his chest.

"I trust you. You'd never do anything to harm me."