-Surprises-

        Rainbow Dash walked through the door to her house, wrinkling her nose at the smell that wafted around inside it. She recognised the smell, it would be hard to forget one like that. She followed the stink of Coalback’s white sticks. She found him next to the window in his room.

        He had pushed it out wider so that he could sit in it. He was laying in a reclined position, his back against the window frame. He was staring out toward the Everfree forest, the sun cast shadows into the trees. The stick in his mouth was burned down halfway, and his eyes looked toward the forest with thoughtful distance.

        His tie was loosened, the shirt unbuttoned slightly to reveal his light gray chest. He had remade the necklace that held his crystal, it hung down just under where the shirt would cover it. The jacket lay strewn over the top of the wooden wardrobe.

        He let out a breath, the cloud of smoke swirling out the window. “They’re called ‘cigarettes’. I figured out the translation.” He turned to her, breathing smoke out from his nostrils.

        “Do you have to light one of those now?” She said, putting a hoof up to her nose.

        “It helps me think, helps me relax. But no, I don’t have to.” He reached up with a hoof, grinding the smoldering end against it. The smoke stopped as he ground out the end. “What is it?” He asked, turning to her fully. He spat the crushed cigarette out onto a plate sitting next to the window, two other burnt down cigarettes sat on it in a pile of ashes.

        “Well, I wanted to see if you wanted to go to the town hall with me. The mayor wanted to talk to you, about registry stuff or something.” She waved a hoof as she spoke.

        “Okay,” Coalback said, jumping down from the window and starting to button his shirt. “I need to stop by Twilight’s library afterwards, there are a few things I want to look up.”

        “Yeah, sure. She’ll probably still be up for studying after the sun sets.” She said, walking up to him. She put her hooves up to him, tightening the bow tie around his neck. “Now let’s go.” She said as she walked toward the door.

        “Okay, just let me get my jacket-” He started toward the wardrobe, but Rainbow stopped him.

        “You won’t need it! Come on, let’s get this over with.” She grabbed onto one of his hooves and pulling him out the door.

        They walked out to the porch, taking off toward the town. The flight was at a slow, easy pace. And maybe it was just the nicotine in his bloodstream, but he couldn’t stop himself from staring at Rainbow Dash as they went. She cut her wings through the air in graceful arcs, not like his cumbersome flaps. He felt like a stumbling giant around her.

        They banked slightly, dropping in altitude as they passed over the river. The tiered building loomed before them, all the lights off. They landed outside, a few meters from the porch. Coalback did his best to slow down before touching down, but still ended up skidding a short distance.

        Rainbow waited for him to catch up to her at the door, she had her hoof resting against the door handle.

        “Are you sure anyone is here?” Coalback asked, indicating the dark windows.

        “The mayor said to meet her here, so there has to be someone here.” She said as he walked up to her.

        She pushed open the door, letting the darkened room fill the space it once hid. The lights lit suddenly, revealing a large crowd. Ponies were everywhere, in the balconies, on the main floor, even flying in the air. They all called in one unanimous shout.

        “SURPRISE!!”

        Coalback jumped, his wings flaring slightly in an instinctive attempt to flee. Confetti fired from a cannon, startling him further as his eyes darted around the crowd.

        “Now that the super special guest is here,” Pinkie shouted, her form peeking out from behind the confetti cannon. “Let’s get this party started!”

        Her announcement was met with a cheer of approval from the crowd, and the music kicked on. Rainbow Dash moved to his side, guiding him into the party. His eyes roamed around the room, taking in the details of the surprise party. A banner hung across the large room, it read; ‘Thank you, Coalback!’  in large painted letters.

        At the far end of the room, several tables were set up. They were covered in foods of all kinds, but mostly baked sweets and candies. A side of the stage to the right of the door housed a DJ stand, a white unicorn with a jet blue mane worked at it. The lights were many colored, candles burning behind colored lenses and aimed into the crowded building.

        Games were set up at the left of the door, more games than he had thought possible. And ponies mingled, danced, ate and played everywhere.

        Rainbow Dash led him into the crowd, where he was surprised by the general mood of the ponies around him. Every one they passed attempted to greet or thank him in any manner of ways.

        “Hello!”

        “Great party!”

        “You saved us!”

        The requests, greetings, and praise all aimed toward him made him feel flustered, he had been to few parties and none of them had been like this. The music pounded in his ears, some sort of machine generated sound stitched together in a way that resembled music. It wasn’t bad, but it was too loud. Coalback lowered his ears, the sights and sounds overwhelming him somewhat.

        “Coalback, over here!” Rainbow called, he had drifted away from her. She waved to him from one of the supporting pillars that sectioned off an area with tables for sitting.

        He pushed through the crowd, trying not to bolt as even more ponies greeted him. He smiled weakly to them, trying not to insult them by simply ignoring their thanks. It seemed like an eternity before he pushed through the crowd and off the impromptu dance floor.

        “Coalback, the others are over there.” Rainbow said, her voice just audible over the music. She began walking toward one of the tables that held food in overflowing amounts. The other five mares stood around it, examining the crowds around them with smiles.

        Coalback eyed the table of food, his stomach twisting as he remembered how long it had been since his last...meal. He walked with Rainbow Dash letting her guide him toward them.

        “There ya are!” Applejack called as she spotted their approach. “Come on over, Coalback.” She motioned toward the food.

        “Oh, the suit looks even better in this light!” Rarity commented, looking over him as he approached. The others nodded in agreement, Coalback felt his warm and rubbed at his neck.

        “I’ve never been to a party like this.” He said, speaking over the music as it vibrated through the air.

        “Pinkie throws the best parties, I’m sure you’ll enjoy yourself if you give it a chance.” Twilight said.

        “Yeah!” Pinkie said, popping up in front of him. “This party is gonna be awesome! Come on, let’s go play some party games!” She grabbed onto one of Coalback’s hooves, leading him back to the crowds and the rest of the party. He looked back in a helpless gesture for support, the others waved to him as he left with Pinkie Pie.

        She pulled him through the crowds, weaving their way toward the games. He tried his best not to look like he was cringing at every pony that thanked him. He didn’t like this at all.

        They reached the area of the building that had been dedicated to party games. They ranged from some sort of pin-the-tail game, to a strange game that involved a mat with dots on it. She walked him over to a group that was gathered around a pile of small bags, they were attempting to toss them into marked rings on the floor.

        “Try this one, Coalback! I bet you’re really good at it!” Pinkie pointed toward the sacks, drawing the attention of the group around the game.

        Many of them were children, but a few adults were also throwing around the sacks. Coalback picked up one of the sacks, feeling the dry rice shift around inside of it.

        “What do I do?” He asked, one of the colts in the group spoke up.

        “Try and throw it into the circle, the smallest circle is worth the most points!” He yelled, his scratchy voice rising above the music.

        Coalback looked back out to the cleared floor ahead of him, several circles were taped out in a seemingly random pattern. The smallest circle was farthest from the pile. He narrowed his eyes, feeling the weight of the bag on his hoof.

        Coalback pulled his arm back and threw the bag. It sailed through the air in a high arc, and landed in the exact middle of the smallest circle.

The colts stared with open mouths at the bag in the circle, Coalback wondered if he had somehow insulted them. Then one of the youngest of the group turned to him.

        “That was awesome!” He yelled, throwing his hooves in the air and cheering. He was quickly followed by the other young ponies. Coalback lowered his ears as they crowded around him, apparently he had been the only one in the entire party to get the bags into the smallest circle.

        “It wasn’t that impressive, really.” Coalback said over the music, drawing another response from the gathered children.

        “I’ll tell you what was impressive! That fight at the station!” The opal colored colt shouted, his shortly cropped orange hair falling in front of his round face. “You were like: Pow! And then you were like: Chop Chop!” He said, mimicking the sounds with movements of his arms. This only started the entire crowd of ponies again on the subject.

        “Coalback! Let’s try another game!” Pinkie Shouted over the young ponies, reaching in to pull him from the crowd.

        “Can I get some food? I’m really hungry, Pinkie.” He said as one of the songs began to die down.

        “Of course we can!” She said. “You have to try a cupcake, they’re extra-special-fantastically-good!” She spun around, pulling Coalback back to the food tables.

        He could feel his stomach gurgling as his nostrils picked out the smell of baked goods. He took the lead, his stomach driving him forward. He could vaguely hear Pinkie continuing to talk to him over the music but he wasn’t paying attention. He sidled up to the table, dropping Pinkie’s hoof as he took a plate.

        He began piling food onto plates, not even bothering to look at what he was grabbing. By the time he had moved through the tables, he had several plates balanced on his wings, back and head. He dodged and weaved through the crowd to find a table in the back, his initial anxiety gone at the prospect of food.

        He slid the plates onto an empty table, the stacks of random foods swaying with the movement. He took a seat in one of the chairs. The seat was low to the ground, obviously built for ponies, and was little different than sitting on the floor, just a few inches higher.

        He looked over the food in front of him, opting to start with one plate and simply keep moving. As he ate he examined the room around him, even if the music was less loud here, he wouldn’t be able to get much with his ears or nose. He stopped suddenly as he noticed a familiar unicorn walking toward him, although she looked slightly less crazed.

        He practically choked on the cupcake in his mouth as he ducked behind the table. He took a moment to realize how childish hiding under a table from a mare was before peeking back out at her.

        She stood at the other side of the table, not looking directly at him. Her light aquamarine coat slightly glowing in the few black lights that were aimed in this area of the party. She rubbed at her arm with a hoof, her face wore a look of guilt as she spoke.

        “I wanted to apologize for...earlier today.” She said, still not looking directly at him. “It’s just that...well, I don’t want to give you any excuses. But my heat sort of snuck up on me this year, and you were so...brave at that station.” She looked up at Coalback, who had stood up at the other end of the table to listen to her. “I’m really sorry about tackling you, and...well...you know.”

        Another pony walked up behind her, the cream colored mare waiting a few steps behind the unicorn.

        “That’s fine, miss. I’ve had experience with instinctive urges before, I can relate...to a point.” Coalback said, nodding as she visibly relaxed.

        “Well, I’m Lyra. But I sorta already know your name. And thanks, for understanding.” She turned around leaving with her friend.

        Coalback coughed. He hadn’t noticed that smell while she had been standing there, but now that she was gone it was obvious. The smell of heat must be a common one to the ponies here, because none of the other ponies seemed to notice.

        “Well that was awkward.” Rainbow said from behind him. “And that is a whole hay bale of food! You must have been really hungry.” She said as she took a seat at his table.

        “My last meal was a dragon heart. Gimme a break here.” Coalback replied, sitting in his own seat and continuing to eat.

        “Jeez, I guess it has been a while since you ate. You weren’t even complaining or anything.” She said, watching as he scarfed down three more cupcakes.

        “I have gone months without food, and while I would never wish to do it again, a couple days is nothing.” He crunched off a part of a caramel apple.

        “Maybe you should take it easy then?” She said, watching with concern as he swallowed the last of a cinnamon bun.

        “No.” He shook his head. “I had a dream last night that I was running in the forests. Not a good omen.” He scooped up several pieces of candy and ate them.

        “It was just a dream, why are you freaking out about it?” She asked, stopping her laugh as Coalback looked at her darkly.

        “Dreams are powerful things, Rainbow Dash. Not even the most ridiculous dreams are without meaning.” He pulled a cookie from the pile. “It is simply what can be determined from the images our subconscious produces that makes them innocent or not.” He stuffed the cookie into his mouth.

        “Deep.” She said, not bothering to question his sudden turn of mood.

        He was in the middle of eating a doughnut when the music stopped and Pinkie’s voice echoed across the room.

        “Coalback! Get your well dressed flank up here!” She yelled, the crowd laughing at her jolly demeanor.

        Coalback jumped, swallowing the doughnut whole. He looked up toward the stage, watching Pinkie jump and wave toward him. Standing behind her was a pale amber pony with a grey mane. He looked back at Rainbow Dash, not sure what to think of Pinkie’s request.

        “Go on. Everyone’s wants to meet you!” She said, gesturing with her hooves for him to go.

        He got up, looking nervously at the crowds as he moved toward the stage. They cheered for him as he moved toward the stage and onto it. He looked out at the gathered ponies, his eyes darting across the multi-colored faces.

        “Hey everypony, what can you say to a pony that, single-hoofed, saved Rainbow Dash from a raging dragon?” She motioned toward the crowd, whose response was a loud mix of cheers.

        “I didn’t catch any of that.” Coalback said, jumping as his voice amplified on it’s own.

        The crowd yelled again, gaining a similar cacophony of random yelling. The voices filled the room, their praise and happiness overwhelming in the enclosed space. Pinkie’s bubbly giggle echoed around the room.

        “I think that means: Thank you!” She said, laughing with the crowd. “Introduce yourself, Coalback.”

        “Uhm...My name is, Coalback. And I’m a pegasus.” He said, imitating a pony at an AA meeting. The crowd laughed, drawing a smile from him. “It’s been very strange coming to your country. Before this I never was able to enjoy myself like this, and it’s been...horrifying.” The crowd laughed with him again. “I just hope that you ponies can forgive me for what I did. I never wanted to have to kill that dragon, or those ponies at the station.” He said, his tone getting more serious.

        The crowd responded with a cacophony of encouragement. “I’m really starting to think that coming here was the right choice.” He finished, the crowd cheering to him.

        “Give it up for our hometown hero!” Pinkie cheered, her voice driving the ponies to another loud cheering. The ponies stomped on the floor, adding the sound of a stampede to their cheers. The entire building shook as the cheering grew almost deafening.

        Something above Coalback groaned, his senses suddenly sharp and focused. He froze listening for the noise again, the sound of the crowd drifting away from his concentration as he listened.

        There was a snap, like a bullwhip striking through the air. Or a support cable breaking.

        He looked up, his eyes immediately locking onto one of the candle lamps as it dangled from its final supporting cable. He looked down, trying to estimate it’s landing site. If the lamp fell, it would fall right on top of Pinkie Pie.

        The cable snapped, Coalback lunged.

        His shoulder pushed Pinkie out of the path of the falling lamp, and put himself where she stood only a moment before. The lamp impacted his back, shattering and spreading fire onto his clothes and the floor around him.

        Coalback let out a dog-like yelp, the fire burning all around him. The heat was unbearable, and he could feel himself burning. The fire stuck to him like glue, sending his whole back up in angry flames. He stomped around, trying in vain to shake the fire from his back.

        A stallion ran up the stage, clutched in his mouth was a bright red fire extinguisher. He emptied the foam onto Coalback, letting it’s coolness soak into him before directing the flow to the burning stage.

        Coalback sighed, the foam slowly dripping off of him and onto the floor. He closed his eyes, trying to take a moment to calm himself. He heard hoofsteps, and then Rainbow Dash’s panicked voice.

        “Coalback! Are you-” She paused, skidding to a halt before she could run into him. She gasped, the sharp sound causing Coalback to open his eyes.

        When he looked up the entire hall had gone silent, every single eye trained on him. He turned to Rainbow Dash, her eyes full of fear and trained onto his flank.

        He turned toward his rear, trying to identify what had caused a reaction like that. Then he took his own sharp breath. On his flank was something he had hoped would not have ever happened.

        The smell of fear is one that is hard to explain. It would be like trying to explain color to a blind man. But Coalback had always compared it to the smell of hot peanut butter, and dried blood. And that smell suddenly filled the room, assaulting his nostrils.

        Somepony screamed, Coalback turned back to them. He took a step away from the crowd, his eyes dilating and darting around the crowd.

        “Listen to that instinct, pup. That may be the only thing that saves us! RUN!”  The voice echoed in his head, stiffening every muscle in response to those words.

        He spread his wings, putting them high so that he could dart away at the first sign of danger. He was shaking, his wings rustling like dry paper.

        “Coalback-?” Rainbow said, her voice cutting off as he jumped. His wings came down in a blur, rocketing him up toward a high window.

He crashed through it, more ponies screamed. The glass fell onto the floor as the panicking ponies ran about in an attempt to hide or flee. Rainbow Dash stood very still, her eyes locked on the shattered window.

“Rainbow, what happened?” Twilight’s voice called, she ran up on stage her horn glowing as she shut off the amplification spell. “What happened to Coalback?” She asked again, Rainbow Shook her head.

“I-I don’t know.” She turned to Twilight, a look of determination firmly fixed on her face. “But I have to find him before he hurts himself!” She turned back to the window, opening her wings to take off.

“Rainbow, wait!” Applejack called, but Rainbow Dash was already to the broken hole that Coalback had left.

        The moon shone over Ponyville, the silver light illuminating the night. Rainbow Dash looked all over the town, calling Coalback’s name as she flew. But she knew that even if he heard her, he probably wouldn’t respond. She stopped, hovering over the town center as she tried to think of where he could have gone.

        Her eyes locked onto the clouds, a particularly dark one hiding among the others. thunder and lightning rumbled from the cloud. There weren’t any storms scheduled for several more days.

        She darted up to it, but banked so that she could approach it from the side instead of from under it. She pulled around the cloud, spotting the pony slouched on top of the stout anvil shape. She turned towards him, and as she got closer she could make out more details.

        He had ripped off the ruined clothes, they lay supported by the thick cloud around him. The crystal hanging from his neck glowed dully through the bag it was stored in. The clouds let out another peal of thunder.

        She landed behind him, giving him a wide berth so that she wouldn’t startle him. His ears perked up and turned toward her, then they lowered back to his head.

        “Go away.” He said, his voice shaking as he spoke.

        “No, Coalback.” She said, her voice soft as she tried to draw him away from his anger.

        “I don’t want you to see me like this, Rainbow.” He said, his voice heavy with sadness.

        She walked along the turbulent surface of the storm cloud, moving to a place where she could see his face. He didn’t turn toward her, but his eyes tracked her. A tear slid from his eye and gave the cloud under him a slightly darker shade as it fell from his chin.

        He sniffled. “I thought...that maybe for just awhile, that I could belong again.” He said, finally turning to her. “That maybe here, I could escape from that.” His voice turned cold, a hint of anger entering his words.

        “It’s okay, Coalback.” She tried, but it only drove him further into his anger.

        “No! It is not okay!” Another tear slid down his face and onto the clouds, thunder rumbled below them. “You couldn’t smell it. The fear that filled that room. They knew as soon as they saw, what I was. That I was to be feared. And maybe they’re right to.” He stood up, fully facing her. The light of the crystal cast dull shadows all over him and the clouds. “When they look at me they see a predator, a monster. To be feared, and not to be cared for.

        “When they look at me they do not see a pony. They see death, and hunger, and incontinence!” He looked at her with sadness and anger shaking him. “They don’t see a hurt soul. They don’t see a scared little kid, looking for a place to fit in. They see something that isn’t worth being called pony, or dog, or human. They don’t see a broken mind. They. Don’t. See. Me.”

He stared at her, daring her to argue with his statement. “And it is the same, everywhere I go. I am chased, burned, and attacked at every turn. All because I am different, than anything else.” His voice cracked, more tears falling from his eyes.

        “That’s not right, Coalback. Not everypony sees you like that.” She tried, taking a step toward him.

        “Look at me!” He said, spreading his wings wide. “I am nothing like you!” He yelled, the clouds rolled under them.

        “But you are!” She said, taking more careful steps toward him. “Two eyes, two wings, and four legs. Same as any pegasis!” She was only a few steps from him now.

        “And what of the teeth, the scars, the voices? Do all ponies have those as well?” He asked, his voice falling as he began to sob again.

        “No...” She said softly, taking the last step to close the distance. “But that’s what makes you, you. And I like you.” She said.

She pressed her lips to his.

        At first Coalback pulled away, and she feared for a moment that he would run again. But he stopped, and leaned into the kiss. The light from the crystal slowly died, and the cloud began to spread to a less volatile size. She pressed harder into the kiss, wanting to make it last longer.

        Coalback wrapped a hoof around her neck, pulling her closer to him. She leaned into him, letting herself become lost in his lips. He broke the kiss, allowing them to catch their breath. She could feel his heart pounding in his chest, and her own fluttering against her ribs.

        He pushed his nose under her chin, nuzzling her neck as he caught his breath.

        “I don’t think any of those things, Coalback.” She said, her breathing returning to something normal. “Because I think, that you’re a good pony. Whether you, or anyone else doesn’t.” She nuzzled into his neck, feeling his warmth against the chilled night air.

        “We should go inside, you’re cold.” He said, pulling away from her. He moved his hoof to hers, pulling her from the cloud with him.