"Daddy, why are we here?" The young kirin asked his father. Ignus chuckled and patted Von's head as they continued onward to a large building.

"Well, your mother has gone to spend time with a few other dragonesses and I certainly couldn't let you stay home alone." He told him. Von pouted and looked up at his father.

"But I wasn't going to be alone. I was gonna go play with R--"

"Exactly. I couldn't let you stay home alone. You are too young to be staying in the house alone with a mare....or filly, in this case." Ignus said. "Now come. Now you get to see where your daddy works." The two of them continued forward until the large building came into full view, appearing to look similar to a castle but it was not. All around and inside it, there were sword-wielding stallions and mares and even a few nurse mares.

"Wow! What is this place?" Von asked. Ignus chuckled and stepped in front of them before they entered.

"Welcome to Sacred Guard Headquarters." He exclaimed proudly.

BGM 1

"Well well well. If it isn't Ignus." A stallion's voice called out. Ignus turned around and smiled while Von stood there and stared at the stallion. It was an armored unicorn with a somewhat muscular build that stood at about Ignus'. He had a dark red-coat, a striped mane of silver and gray and emerald green eyes. To his sides were two large axes and adorning his side was a Cutie Mark in the form of a medal. "You aren't on duty today. Why are you here?"

"Well my wife has gone out, so I brought my son here to see the line of work I'm in." Ignus explained. The unicorn stallion looked to Von with a glare of utter disgust and hatred that caused the young kirin to hide behind his father.

"So that's the demon child you bore, huh?" The unicorn hissed. Ignus looked to his companion.

"Now now, Bastion. I would appreciate it if you didn't call him that. He's like any normal colt. Just trust me on this." He pleaded. Bastion looked to Ignus and back at Von before he turned his back to them.

"Whatever. Just make sure he doesn't break anything, got it?!" Bastion declared as he walked away. Von's ears dropped down but perked back up when Ignus whispered to him.

"Don't mind Bastion. He's always cranky. But his mood always lightens when I do this. Watch." Ignus straightened himself back up and called out to Bastion. "Hey Bastion! I heard Sheryl's been looking for you!" Bastion's ears perked up and he glanced back towards the father and his child. Von could hardly see it, but a blush appeared on Bastion's cheeks before he continued onward. Von smiled and laughed at that little display, earning a smile from his father. "That's my boy. Now come on. It's time you learn an important part of being one of the Sacred Guard."

"What's that, daddy?" Von asked. Ignus chuckled and took Von further into the headquarters. After some time, Ignus led Von into a part of the building that seemed almost like a church. The area gave off a gentle and peaceful aura. Inside this part of the building were many stallions and mares and in the very front was an old stallion, dress almost like a preacher.

BGM 2

"And to finish off today's sermon, I would like to ask for one of you to come up here and speak the final prayer. Is there anypony willing?" The old pony asked. None of the Sacred Guards spoke or raised their hands.

"I'll do it." Ignus called out. The entire crowd looked back towards Ignus and Von, their eyes widening in shock upon seeing the kirin. Ignus walked to the front of the room with Von following close behind him, completely aware of the stares that he was getting until they reached the podium the preacher had stood at. Ignus and Von turned to face the crowd, all of them now focusing on Ignus.

"Dad....." Von mumbled, hiding behind his father. Ignus turned his head and looked back to the young half breed.

"Watch closely, Von. I'm hoping you'll carry this prayer with you when you get older." He whispered. He turned back to the crowd and began to speak the prayer, the crowd repeating his words in unison.

Von watched intently as his father recited those words with ease and took them to heart. Von could see the underlying message in those words but before he could say anything to his father about it, Ignus got the jump on him.

"You know it too, right? That is the motto of the Sacred Guard. To fight for what you believe in, no matter the odds. If anyone gets in the way of your dreams or your hopes, don't let them. Stay strong and let that hope be your guide. No matter how bleak things look, no matter how hurt you are, even if all is lost........you must never surrender." Ignus told him. Von nodded his head in response. The two of them talked amongst each other a bit more, Von prancing around his father until another stallion came up to them.

"Lieutenant Ignus?" The stallion called to him. Ignus looked at him.

"What is it, soldier?" He replied.

"There is somepony here to see you... she says it's urgent." The stallion nodded his head back towards the pony in question and she stepped forward to them. It was a white mare with matching wings and a multi-color mane. She wore a white dress with golden trimmings and it had a long slit up the side of her legs. But something was odd about her. Von knew about earth ponies, unicorns and pegasi but he'd never seen a pegasus with a unicorn horn before. She was tall and wore some kind of royal jewelry and adorning her flank was a Cutie Mark in the shape of the sun.

"May I help you?" Ignus asked. The mare giggled and looked at him.

"Indeed you can. I would like to speak to you in private." She told him. Ignus looked at her in confusion.

"And your name would be?" The mare giggled again and smiled.

"How rude of me. I grow tired of formal introductions, but I suppose I must." She cleared her throat and smiled at Ignus and even Von, much to his confusion as she spoke her name.

Von awoke from his slumber and looked outside. A new day was dawning and it came to mind that today was the day he and Reina would go on their date. He sat up in the bed and yawned, scratching his side with his claw.

"Another dream....." He muttered. He looked at the ceiling, thinking hard about the words his father spoke.

"Never surrender, huh?" He repeated. He chuckled at the thought when another crossed his mind. "Princess Celestia.....what did she want my father for anyway?" He sighed, rose up from the bed and went over to the window. "Well....whatever. It was in the past. Right now, I got more important things to worry about. The main thing on today's agenda: get ready for my date!" He squee'd and ran out of the room so he could speak with Lyra about the pegasus he met. His heart was leaping for joy and his eyes glimmered with hope. Today was going to be a good day.....

"WHAT?! Are you serious?!" Lyra yelled at the sudden news. Von nodded sheepishly.

"Yes. I'm going out on a date today."

"Oh wow. Just one day as a normal stallion and already you found yourself a mare." Lyra praised. "I'm impressed. So where are you going to take her?" Von lifted his finger in an attempt to respond, but nothing came to mind. He hadn't thought about it. Where WOULD he take her?

"I'm so screwed...." He groaned. Lyra giggled and looked back to Bon Bon, who was still quite stunned about Von's appearance.

"Bonnie, mind helping me out a bit here?" She asked. Bon Bon didn't respond. Von lifted his head and looked to the earth pony and frowned a little.

"It's my fault she's like that." He said. Lyra immediately smacked him in the back of his head with her hoof. "What was that for?!?!"

"Don't go pulling that crap. It's not your....well....maybe a little. But that's because she's never seen one of your kind before. Come on Bonnie. Pull yourself together." She called to her marefriend. Bon Bon quickly regained her composure and looked to the unicorn.

"Huh? Oh. Sorry." She apologized. She looked over at Von, still a tad uneasy but willing to speak to him. "So who is this mare?" Von sighed a love-filled sigh as he looked to the both of them.

"Her name's Reina. She's a pegasus, a weather pony from Cloudsdale." He told them. "She's sweet, funny, athletic, has never been asked out by a stallion and most of all, she's beautiful." He nearly fell to the floor upon emphasizing that last word and his tail wagged with excitement. "And get this: she's from Hollow Shades, just like me."

"Hollow Shades? But nopony has been there in years." Bon Bon exclaimed. Von lowered his head again.

"Yeah, i know. There were alot of residents there, even while I was around. But eventually, everypony started leaving. I think the reason for it was because of all the events that had been going on. Things in Ponyville, events in Canterlot, the rise of the Crystal Empire...." Von trailed off and began thinking hard about the Crystal Empire. I want to see that place for myself, he thought. He shook the thought out his head and looked into the eyes of the two mares. "But I do know that mom goes back there on occasion. She goes to visit out old home and think about all the memories we made there. She leaves violets, dad's favorite flower, by the doorstep and usually stays for about an hour." Bon Bon and Lyra looked at each other and back at Von, waiting for him to continue but he didn't. He didn't want to say and he didn't want either of them to ask why, but it was too late for that.

"Why does she wait there?" Lyra asked. Von sighed and turned away from them.

"...She waits there in hopes that my dad would return." He deadpanned. Lyra and Bon Bon kept quiet, as did Von. Silva missed Ignus with a passion. The days they spent together, the time they spent talking with one another, the nights they would cuddle together and the evenings they spent as a family. But the one who probably missed Ignus more was Von. His father left while he was of a young age. Something like this would leave a deep scar in a child's heart: Growing up without his father, his real father for most of his life, dealing with the ridicule from others because of his origins, suffering the abuse from the stand-in that keeps calling himself his father. It was all too much and he'd had it.

Von shrugged off those thoughts and smiled. It would do him no good to dwell on the past, not when the most amazing thing was going to happen for him today.

"Anyway," He started, "where do you think I should take her?" The two mares started tapping their chins and thought about it. Where could Von, a first-timer in the dating world, take a pegasus who has also never been on a date before?

"Hmmm." They both hummed. Suddenly, wide smiles spread across their cheeks as they looked at him. "A picnic." They said in unison.

"A picnic?" He repeated. But doesn't that seem kind of cheap?, he thought to himself. "Why a picnic?"

"Well think about it for a second. The two of you go on a picnic together, head up to one of the tallest hills in Ponyville, all alone and you eat your food together." Lyra started. She nodded her head to Bon Bon, who started to speak.

"Then while you guys are there together, you confess to her how you feel and admit what you really are. But only do it when the mood is just right. And if anything she'll confess to you, too." Von just stared at them in shock.

Do they seriously believe that something THAT sappy is actually going to work?, he thought. That's probably how they got together anyway. Might as well humor them. "Yeah. That might work." He lied. Lyra giggled and proceeded to the front door, Bon Bon tailing behind her.

"Well, I'm gonna see if I can get Zecora to make some more of that brew. I'll see you in a few." She said. She waved goodbye and they both trotted out the door. Von smiled and sat down on the couch, daydreaming of the event that would soon come about. Him and Reina, side by side, sharing a romantic moment. And then when the time would come, Von and Reina would share a kiss as the day went by. She'd caress his cheek with her hand and then--

"Whoa! Heh. Better keep those thoughts out of my head." Von told himself. He looked down and facepalmed at the sight of his shame. Even though he told himself not to think of such things, his body could not hide its arousal. He sighed in irritation. "Perfect...."

About an hour passed when Lyra and Bon Bon returned. Von had gulped down the potion that she brought back and once again gained his stallion form. He donned the clothes Lyra had given him and grabbed the basket that he prepared while they were gone. He lifted one of his hooves and waved goodbye to the two mares as he left the house. Lyra smiled as he departed and turned to sit on the couch when she noticed something. There was a white spot on the couch that she never noticed before. She leaned closer to it and sniffed. It was musky....and fresh......

"He didn't...." She mumbled. Bon Bon walked over to Lyra, still looking back to the door and accidentally bumped into her mare, causing said unicorn to hit the white spot with her nose. Lyra's eyes shot wide open the moment she hit it and a blush appeared on her face.

"Something wrong, Lyra?" Bon Bon asked. Lyra gasped and used her magic to grab a napkin and wiped up the white spot and what was on her face before she turned and smiled nervously at the earth pony.

"Oh....nothing." She lied. She giggled nervously and started cursing mentally. I'm going to kill him when he gets back!

Von strolled through Ponyville, as happy as can be. He was finally going to go on a date with the mare of his dreams. ...In a sense. He always DID dream of being with a beautiful mare and now he was GOING OUT with a beautiful mare.

"This is so awesome! I can't believe i'm going on a date! And with a pegasus." Von told himself. As he trotted down the street, he started humming to himself until the mare he was thinking of came into view. "Reina!"

"Von!" She replied as the stallion called out to her. "What's with the basket?" Von smiled sheepishly and looked her in the eyes.

"Well....I just thought that maybe we could go on a picnic. You know, sit on the hill, eat some food, get to know each other and make out." Reina's face flushed red and raised a brow at him.

"Um....what was that last one?" She inquired.

"....eat food." Von lied. Reina giggled and smiled at him.

"Well, you did put alot of effort into this. So yeah. I'd like to go on a picnic. I know just the spot, too. Come on." She spread her wings and started flying, but at a low enough speed and altitude so that Von could follow her. He happily followed, walking behind her with the basket in his hand and smiling.

This is so awesome!!!, he thought.

~15 minutes later~

This is horrible!!!, he thought. The entire time we've been up here, I've barely spoken a word and being so close to her is.....well, wonderful but embarrassing at the same time! Von had been internally cursing and screaming at himself some time after he and Reina arrived at their dating site. They shared a few words of conversation until things went quiet. Reina started eating some of the food, paying no mind to the fact of how silent Von was, while Von himself was panicking. Ok. Calm down. Stay calm. You're on a date. You're here with the mare you have a crush on. She seems fond of you. Sure, you're lying about what you really are just to be around her but it's not so bad.........right?

"Hey." Reina called out, snapping Von out of his train of thought.

"Y-yes?" He replied.

"What do you think of me?" Von's face flushed with red, but it went away when he mentally slapped himself.

You idiot! She just asked what you think of her! Now's your chance to confess. Tell her how you feel! "Um...well....I think you're really sweet and kind. You seem really smart, too. I actually find it cute how athletic you are and you're really funny and...." Come on, Von! Bring it on home!!!! Von swallowed hard and looked into the green eyes of the pegasus. There was no turning back. He had to confess or Reina would never know how he felt.

"And?" Reina asked, wanting to hear the rest.

"And.....I think you're the most beautiful mare I've ever met, so will you go out with me?" Von spat out all at once. He stopped to catch his breath, his gaze meeting Reina's and she was shocked. Her face was completely flushed with embarrassment, her wings spread out to her sides and she stood completely still.

"You......you think i'm.....beautiful?" She asked with a stunned tone. Von couldn't find words, so he nodded his head slowly. "And.....did you....just ask me....out?" Von nodded.

"I......want you to be my marefriend." He confessed. The two of them continued to stare at each other, both of them completely red with embarrassment and gazing into the others' eyes. They stayed silent for a moment, Reina beginning to move closer to him.

"You really want me?" She inquired. Von nodded in response and took a step forward of his own.

"Yeah. I really mean it." They stepped closer and closer to each until there was little distance between them.

"You don't know how long i was waiting to hear that." Reina said, giggling. She closed her eyes and leaned closer to Von, her lips pursed. Von's eyes widened with shock as a sudden realization struck him: he was about to receive his first kiss. It was all about to happen. All he needed to do was respond the same way and it was official. As he leaned in and pursed his lips with his eyes closed, something came back to mind. He stopped and looked at Reina.

"Hold on, Reina. Before we kiss, I have something I want to say." Reina fixed her face and leaned back, staring at him puzzled.

"What is it?" She asked. Von swallowed and looked at her.

"I'm.....I'm not really a--"

BOOOOOM!!!!!!

BGM 3

A loud explosion echoed through the air, interrupting Von as the two looked around.

"What was that?" He asked. The two kept searching the area until Reina pointed her hoof outward.

"Look!" She shouted. Von looked to where she pointed and saw a pillar of smoke coming from the center of Ponyville. Von sniffed the air and caught the scent of the smoke. It was most certainly caused by a fire, but not just ANY fire. No....this was different. Something more lethal....and much more powerful. Sensing something terribly wrong, Von started to sprint down the hill and proceeded towards Ponyville. "Hey! Wait! It's too dangerous!" Reina called out, chasing after the disguised kirin.

If this is what I think it is.....then everypony will know the truth!, he thought as he continued on. He had a feeling in his gut that he was right. And that wasn't the only thing he was feeling. He could feel the potion wearing off again.....but it didn't matter anymore. All that mattered was making sure that no one would get hurt.

The two of them continued running through the streets of Ponyville, more pillars of smoke forming in town. They followed the path of destruction until they reached the source of the flames. Von's eyes widened in horror and Reina took a step away from the beast.

"W-w-w-what's a...." She stuttered. Though she was about to retreat, Von did not as he knew that one day he'd confront this foe once more.

"I knew it..." He murmured.

BGM 4

Standing before him and a crowd of terrifying ponies was none other than Von's step brother, Nova. Nova cocked his head back and took notice of the two ponies behind him. He turned to them, sword in hand and stepped forward. Reina was shaking just a bit, but she managed to stay tough. Von, however, was not shaking nor rearing back.

"You two. I have a question to ask you." Nova stated. "I am in search of a young half-breed. He goes by the name of Von. I know he has come here. Where is he?" Reina shook off her fear and stepped forward.

"There is only one Von here and that's this stallion here." She said, pointing to Von. "There is no half-breed or whatever here. So please leave." Nova continued to stare at her until his gaze turned towards the stallion. Their eyes locked and an intense flame roused up inside them both. It only took him a short while, but the black dragon instantly knew who it was. Nova took his sword and held it to his side, smiling down at Von with an anxious grin.

"Nice to see you again, little brother."

"...." Von stayed silent, staring back up at his step brother as the potion continued to wear off. Reina looked over at him and noticed that his tail was longer and no longer hairy.

"Von?" She called to him. He didn't reply.

"Why are you here, Nova?" Von demanded. Nova sighed and looked back at him.

"I was sent by father to bring you back. If you come without resistance, then father will forgive you." Nova explained. Von growled at him, his body reforming back to its natural state.

"Forget it. I don't intend on going back to that asshole." Von declared. Nova sighed and looked to his brother.

"I thought as much. I guess I really will have to use force." He said sorrowfully. He redirected his attention back to Reina and unleashed a torrent of flame upon the pegasus. She closed her eyes and covered herself with her wings, bracing herself for impact. But the fiery feeling never came. She opened her wings and saw Von standing over her, his form having been restored. He flapped his wings and shrugged off the burning flames before turning back to his brother. "You may have beaten me once, but I was holding back. Now you will face the real power of a true dragon!"

At the moment of his declaration, Nova's strength began to climb the charts. A fearsome pressure caused Von's body to shake. He had never felt anything like this before. So this was the power of Nova...

BGM 5

"Now come, brother. Come and be defeated by my blade." Nova declared, pointing his blade to Von. The potion had worn off, Von was back to his normal state but he was still stricken with fear. The power Nova had right now....it was on a whole different level. Von was about to face one of his toughest foes yet.....but he wasn't going to let that stop him. He got into his stance and glared at the sword wielder. "That's what I like to see. Now come! Face me like a warrior."

Von made the first move and charged at Nova. Nova grew a bit disappointed at Von's careless attack and countered with a whip of his tail. It struck Von's face and sent him tumbling over to the ground. Von stood back up and turned his head to Nova, noticing the crowd of ponies having backed away to give room for their bout.

"Come now, Von. I know that isn't the extent of your strength. Fight me seriously." Nova demanded. He was right. Von wasn't exactly fighting seriously. But he couldn't lose here. If he did, he'd have to go back to the mountain. Von snorted some steam from his nose and got back into his stance. Nova saw the determination in his eyes and realized that Von was about to get serious. This only strengthened his own fighting spirit and he snorted black smoke out of his own nose. Von charged him again, causing Nova to counter with his tail but Von leaped over it and flew up to Nova's face. Having been caught off guard, Nova stumbled back a bit and stared at the kirin.

Von lunged forward swung his fist at the drake, but he wasn't done there. He spun around and whipped Nova's face with his tail and lastly, he got closer to Nova and kicked his feet into Nova's chest, causing him to fall onto his back. When his feet made contact, Von flapped his wings to send him backwards in order to avoid a counter-attack and waited for him to get back up. Von panted heavily and looked to the dragon swordsman, who was starting to pick himself off the ground and was chuckling.

"I see that you actually know how to throw a punch or two." Nova proclaimed. "But I know you have more. Come on!" Nova made a preemptive strike, however and slammed Von's head into the ground before he could act. Von managed to pick himself up and proceeded to strike back. All the ponies, including Reina, watched in horror as Nova and Von went back and forth in their battle. Nova was hardly breaking a sweat while Von was putting in all his effort just to lay a single scratch on him. He managed to land a couple of blows on him, but nothing compared to the ones he got in return. The two dragons backed away from one another, Von being completely out of breath. It was a struggle for him to even stand.

"I can't.....give up..." Von muttered. "I.....I won't...." Nova groaned and looked down at the halfling.

"Why are you so insistent on fighting? Just give in and come back. Father will forgive you and I may be able to convince him to leave the ponies be." He pleaded. Von shook off his exhaustion and looked up at Nova.

"Because coexisting with ponies is my dream. And somepony told me to never give up on my dreams. That if all seemed lost....I was to never give up hope." He declared. "And my hopes and dreams matter more than what HE thinks. If he wanted me to come back, then why didn't he come here himself instead of sending the dog he never cared for after me?!" Nova's eye twitched upon hearing the word 'dog' and flames formed in his mouth.

"Do not speak of father THAT WAY!" He yelled, expelling the flames from his mouth and they consumed the young kirin in a wave of blazing heat.

"Von!" Reina cried as she tried to run to his aid, but she was stopped by an invisible force. She turned her head and behind her was Bon Bon and Lyra, who was using her magic to keep her in place. "Let me go!"

"I can't. I'm sorry, but..." Lyra looked away from Reina, as did Bon Bon and tears formed in all three of their eyes. Nova cackled as his flames continued to burn the body of Von.

"Perhaps you'll learn to respect my father....IN HELL!!!" He yelled. The flames started to die down....but not really. It looked like they were gathering....forming around a single entity. Nova's eyes widened in shock upon seeing this. "No...that can't be. You're supposed to be--" Before he could finish a large ball of fire collided with his chest, sending the dragon flying backwards into the side of one of the houses. The ponies turned back to the fireball as it landed on the ground and when the flames dispersed, Von was revealed from within.

"Von!!!" Reina, Lyra and Bon Bon shouted with joy. Nova rubbed his head and coughed up a bit of blood as he looked back towards Von.

Meteor Dash....now why would a non-fire dragon be able to use such a skill?, he thought. He looked down at himself, noticing the wound he suffered. It wasn't too serious, but if he kept fighting now, it would become just that. He sheathed his sword and looked past the crowd and at the kirin. "You win this time, little brother. I will honor the warrior's code and let you be. But the next time I arrive, I WILL defeat you." Von looked over at Nova, only to see that he had flown off after his declaration. Once he departed, all attention had been drawn back to Von.

BGM 6

It was all out there now. The truth had finally been revealed. After hiding it for so long, there was no way that he could anymore. He knew this day would come, but he wanted to admit the truth himself. Everypony now knew what Von really was. He looked around at the crowd. Every stallion and mare, every filly and colt was now looking at Von with fear in their eyes.

A creature of sin......why is THAT among us.....what if he attacks us.....don't look at him......he's just a monster. Those were the insults Von had suffered back in Hollow Shades. The insults he suffered back on the mountain. The pain he felt. The sorrow that flooded his mind. The rejection he got. It was all starting to come back. He had hoped things would be different....but it was all the same. He could see it in their eyes. Reina stepped forward to comfort him, but he looked back to her with tear-filled eyes. She could see his pain and this was hurting her as well.

"Von...." She said in a low-tone. She took another step forward, but Von stepped away from her.

"It was stupid of me to think that things would be different for me." Von said, crying. "I'm just a child of sin. A demon spawn. I'm just a monster!!!" Von turned and ran away from her and didn't look back. Reina stood there in the middle of the crowd, watching Von fade from her view. Lyra and Bon Bon came over to her in order to comfort her, for they knew that she was hurting as well. She was hurting because Von was hurt. All Von wanted to do was coexist with the ponies. To live among them. To understand them. To show that he was no different than the rest of them. All his efforts had gone to waste. His hopes had been crushed. All he wanted was to be accepted. But why did he even bother? What was the meaning behind his efforts? What was the point in it all?

Author's Notes:

There you have it. Von worked hard, nearly got himself killed, all so the ponies of Ponyville would be protected from Nova's wrath. But in the end...it was all for naught. Now he runs, turning his back on all that he worked for. Turning his back on his dreams. Turning his back on his love.....so that he wouldn't have to face his pain yet again. I felt so sad writing the last leg of the chapter. But i hope you all enjoyed it.