Author's Notes:

Sorry for the wait, been putting this one off to deal with issues and slight writers block. Enjoy the new chapter anyway and let me know what you think.

Zerlinda watched the ponies of Canterlot go about their day from the top of a cliff overlooking the mountainside city. Secluded by the shadow of the top of the mountain she was able to watch them without disruption, allowed to enjoy a peaceful moment to herself. Although the peace was calming and cleared her mind, all it did was allow her to focus on her situation, ruining the sense of peace she had searched for when finding that spot of the cliff side.

Just when she found a world she wanted to call home the very thing she had been running from decided to show up in the form of Symph. She sighed as she picked up a flower with her tendril and held it up to her face to look at it while also staring over the horizon. "Maybe I can make this work..." She mumbled to herself as she twirled the flower in her tendril for a moment before stopping and looking to the ground. "Maybe it won't be so bad. I'll just need to be aware of my surroundings. Shouldn't be too hard right?" She used another tendril to brush some of her hair to the side.

"You..." She heard a dark, crackled, almost glitching voice speak from the shadows.

She immediately jumped up and held up her tendrils defensively. "Who's there?! Show yourself!"

There was no movement, but the voice spoke again. "You...you are Zerlinda Nightmare..."

"Who are you?! How do you know my name?!" She demanded, beginning to panic.

"Who I am is not the question...the question you should be asking is..." She saw the figure in the coat step out of the shadows while glaring at her. "...what...am I?"

Meanwhile

"Trust me, I'd never think of doing that with Twilight." Symph reassured Spike after that little joke he had made earlier. "Unless of course something were to happen and we got together then maybe, but I don't see that happening to be honest." He added before sitting across from the drake.

"Why is that?"

"I guess you could say that she is t really my type. Granted I'm still figuring out what my type is and I'm way too young for anything to actually happen, although I am ageless and can craft a more mature body at any time, I think I'd prefer something else." Symph answered while taking a sip of his tea. "But, there's no way to predict the future. I'll just wait and see what happens."

"Then what are your real intentions with my sister?" Spike asked with curiousity and concern.

"I merely seek to help her, to aid her when she needs someone to be there by her side. The type of pony that Twilight is needs to have someone around her most of the time, she can handle herself fine, but she needs someone there to keep her on track and to make sure she doesn't go too far."

Spike looked into his eyes and studied his voice, there was no dishonesty in either. "Twilght can go overboard if not kept in check by someone else."

"Indeed. I have seen many of the multiverses Twilights, and I have yet to see one without this flaw. It seems like reality has created her to be around others, to make friends and work with others to be in the company of someone else." Symph set his cup down while finishing the sentence with a smile. "And given her role in Equestria, it may very well be true."

"I guess you're right about that, she is the Princess of Friendship afterall." Spike smiled at the thought. "Alright, what would you do if Twilight was threatened for in danger?"

"I would protect her to the best of my ability, get her to safety as soon as possible and fight whatever dared to attack her."

"How would you protect her?"

Symph smirked as he grew multiple tendrils with sharp ends. "I have a few means of protecting her."

Spikes eyes widened at the sight of the many limbs and their ends. "Alright then...at least I know you can protect her. But know this..." Spike stood up and glared at Symph with a gleam in his eye. "...if you hurt her in any shape or form, I will hunt you down."

"I promise that an event like that will never come to pass." Symph retracted his tendrils as Spike slowly sat down again. "Your sister is in good hands Spike. I have no intentions of harming Twilight, if I do I will accept any punishment given to me."

"That's...reassuring I guess."

As they were about to continue, Twilight and Starlight walked in the door. "Spike?" Twilight rushed forward and took her adoptive brother into a hug, which he gladly returned. Starlight took a seat next to Symph as they watched the pair in amusement. "What are you doing here? Not that you aren't welcome I just didn't expect you over so early in the morning."

"I was here making sure my sis wasn't in any trouble, and to see who you had got to trail behind you all the time." Spike joked as he set Twilight down.

"Oh please don't tell me you threatened to hurt Symph if he did something wrong..." Twilight groaned.

"He did, but it's fine, I understand." Symph said calmly while eating a donut with chocolate icing and rainbow sprinkles. Starlight saw the treat and looked to Symph pleadingly, he then streched a tendril over and grabbed one for her.

Twilight glared at Spike for a mo,met before smiling again. "I expect as much. You have always been protective of me, not as much as Shining Armour though..." Twilight stopped for a moment. "Shining Armour..."

Symph shook his head and finished off his donut. "While you panic over something that obviously won't be a real problem I'm going to get your breakfasts ready." He got out of his seat and nodded to Spike who nodded hack and held down Twilight so she wasn't running all over the place in panic while Symph slipped off towards the kitchen.