The next morning Twilight had gotten out of bed without upsetting her rib.
The sunlight shone in through the window bathing her in its warm ray's. She whipped the crust from her eyes with her hoof and headed down the stairs to find that Spike had made breakfast again, this time it was a nice fruit salad. She could see Spike fixing her a plate from the base of the steps. She looked over to Cassius and found he appeared to be asleep again. As she let out a sigh and started to walk by, he turned his head and she saw the wrapping over his left eye.
"Miss. Sparkle are you alright?" he asked with a normal version of the apparition's voice.
It was raspy, but normal and didn't echo. She jumped at the reaction of what she thought was a sleeping stallion.
"How do you know my name?" she asked as she took a step back.
"Spike told me and...I wanted to thank you for saving me back in the forest." Cassius said as he laid his head down.
"Y-you're welcome, but you don't have to sleep on the floor in here, you can come upstairs and sleep there." Twilight said as she examined his wounds.
"Twilight, is Cassius awake? I made enough for both of you." the baby dragon said from the kitchen.
"Well if you're awake do you want to join us for breakfast?" Twilight said.
"That sounds lovely Miss. Sparkle." Cassius said as he slowly stood up.
"You can call me Twilight, or Twi if you'd like." Twilight said with a sly look on her face.
They both headed to the kitchen where Twilight sat in a chair. Cassius was tall enough to sit on the floor and reach Twilights height when she sat down looking eye to eye. Spike placed two plates and a pair of forks in front of them. The plates had a nice arrangement of strawberries placed over other fruits in a circular pattern with a thin stream of chocolate sauce dabbled over it. The dish look like a master chef had prepared the meal. It was indeed tantalizing especially for Spike to have made it.
"Spike, where did you learn to cook like this?" Twilight asked in astonishment.
"Pinkie taught me." He replied.
"Do you mean Pinkamena Diane Pie?" Cassius asked after swallowing the content of food in his mouth.
Both Twilight and Spike looked at him with a shared look of surprise.
"How do you know Pinkie?" Twilight asked.
Cassius looked her in the eyes and replied, "I meet her last night when I went on my stroll of this fair town."
He then took another bite of the delectable meal. Twilight found herself looking into Cassius's uncovered eye. The unusual pattern in it made her almost forget her words.
"That reminds me, if you would like I'll take you on a real tour of Ponyville." Twilight offered after finishing a bite of her salad.
"I would like that Twilight." Cassius began with a yawn.
"However that will have to wait until I awaken. After this I intend to got to sleep again. I am very tired and if you don't mind its early so I'm going to excuse myself."
With that Cassius finished his plate and before he could wash them Spike grabbed it and said, "You need your rest, I'll take care of this you get some sleep."
"Thank you kindly Spike. Miss. Spa..er Twilight, thank you for your kindness." Cassius admitted then slowly walked over to the cot in the other room.
He carefully climbed into the cot and almost instantly fell asleep.
Hours passed since Twilight had finally talked to Cassius. She was fixing up the library when a knock on the door grabbed her attention. She calmly walked over taking care not to knock over one of the few book towers she had created, or to disturb the sleeping Cassius. Twilight made a mental note to move his cot upstairs when she had the chance. She approached the door and using her magic she opened it to reveal a very exited Pinkie Pie who was bouncing with a basket in there teeth. The basket was a weave using some sort of pink twig, inside were some letters. Twilight knew exactly why the bouncing party pony was here.
"Surprise, its a party and you're invited!" Pinkie Pie yelled.
Twilight's face distorted in anxiety as she turned to see if the party pony had woken up Cassius, thank Celestia she hadn't.
"Pinkie Pie, what is the occasion?" Twilight asked calmly and in a slightly quiet voice.
"Well, last night I met this really tall pegasus. He was hiding in the darkness for the shadows of Sugar Cube Corner. Which sounds creepy, but he was doing it to avoid me seeing him. But my Pinkie sense told me he was there. We got to talking about how he was lied to about my house looking like a gingerbread house, but not tasting like one. Which if funny but gross at the same time because I tried it once and well I haven't done that again. Any who, the party is a remember soon party. I asked him to meet me at the Sugar Cube Corner at noon." Pinkie Pie managed to say without taking in a single breath.
Twilight looked over to Cassius and asked, "Are you talking about Cassius Pinkie?"
"Ya, how did you know?" The pink pony asked.
"He may be late Pinkie Pie, he is asleep right now." Twilight said pointing to the ball of blankets and wrappings near the entrance to the kitchen.
"He lives here!? Twilight when did you rent out the library!?" Pinkie Pie asked in astonishment.
"He is recovering from his incident, as am I unfortunately." Twilight said shifting to show her bandages.
"Oh my are you ok? Hey maybe I can make it a get well party." said the pink mare excitedly.
"Pinkie, we will make it, but it maybe around dinner when we do. Is that alright with you?" asked Twilight.
Pinkie's face lit up like the sun and she exclaimed, "Sure Twilight It can be a Remember/Get well soon/Dinner party."
With that, Pinkie Pie turned and bounced down the walkway and into the street.
To pass the time that hadn't been eaten up yet, Twilight had read some of the older books in the library. By now she was wondering how she hadn't read all of the books in the library yet.
The journal however was placed on a display column with a dome shaped glass lid was over it. Twilight wasn't sure if it could be trusted, it was like a magic sponge. She had to have spike place it there because when she tried to use her magic it threatened to explode again. Why did everything threaten to blow her up lately? she wondered.
The library was nice and clean books were organized again and the place was spotless. It was well past noon when she finished. She looked at the clock on the wall, it read 6:47 pm. and the sun was lowering. As if on cue, Cassius started to groan and was slowly getting out of the cot. Twilight walked over to him and watched as he got to his hooves. The sounds of bones snapping into place filled the air. The sound made her sick and the way Cassius bent his limbs and neck wasn't helping.
She walked over to him and asked while resisting the urge to vomit,
"Cassius are you ready to meet the others?"
With a yawn Cassius replied, "Yes, Twilight just lead the way and I'll follow. But if you don't mind I'd like to talk as we go, so I can learn as much as possible about this place of course."
"Well I don't see why not, but are you sure you are able to go? Your injuries are very bad." Twilight asked directing the conversation to his critical health.
Cassius looked himself over then back to Twilight and replied with a little chuckle, "It looks worse than it is. Trust me I can manage, but thank you for your concern."
The two headed off with Spike close behind. With Cassius's injuries being as bad as they were the trio moved in a slow walk. With the condition Twilight was in Spike was unable to ride on her back, but he was easily able to keep up. They had only been out for an hour and Twilight had taken Cassius to all of the locations he had gone to last night leaving Sugar Cube Corner last. She gave him a the history for each building as they passed them and answered the few questions he had asked.
"So, how was the gingerbread?" Twilight asked with a little giggle.
"Horrible, it lied to me and now I will no longer trust another gingerbread house for as long as I live." Cassius replied with the most serious tone he could muster.
Both Spike and Twilight burst out laughing.
"What? What's so funny?" Cassius asked in confusion to the joke at his expense.
"Nothing, nothing. Lets get inside." Twilight asked trying to calm herself and regain her composure.
"Stay here until I call you ok?" Twilight said to Cassius who only nodded once and sat down on the sidewalk.
Twilight opened the door and walked inside the shop with Spike. Suddenly she was assaulted by an explosion of confetti and streamers from the ultimate party ponies party cannon.
"Oh hi Twilight, where is Cassius? I made that for both of you. I didn't intend to shoot you, but the cannon fired early before I could aim it up." Pinkie Pie apologized as she galloped up to the piñata that was Twilight.
As she brushed herself off, Twilight looked around to see all of her friends looking at her with a hint of worry on their muzzles.
"How are you feeling Twilight?" a yellow pegasus asked as she flew over to her friend.
"I feel better than I did when I broke my rib Fluttershy. I never got the chance to thank you for your help." Twilight remarked brushing off the last of the party decorations from her coat and mane.
"Oh it was no trouble at all. How is he by the way." Fluttershy replied with a warm and happy smile.
"Awake and moving already." Twilight replied.
"So who are you talking about Twilight? The others told me he's a pegasus and a big on to boot." Rainbow Dash said as she flew over to the others.
"I heard he is a true gentleman from Pinkie Pie." Rarity stated as she walked over.
"Gentleman or not I want to race him." Dash boasted as she hovered a little higher into the air.
"Rainbow, I don't think he's in any shape to race ya." Applejack said from behind a counter next to a bowl of purple punch. "Anyway, Twi where is he?" The orange earth pony asked.
Twilight walked over to the door without a word and stuck her head out. The others watched and shared looks of confusion as they heard Twilight talking to somepony outside the door. Moments later she backed up and stepped aside. The door slowly creaked open and light flooded into the shop. Dash's jaw dropped as she saw how large Cassius was and that his wings could easily cover her. Rarity shared the same look when she saw his eye. Even Applejack and Fluttershy were astonished to see him walking after seeing his injuries first hoof. Cassius towered over Twilight and with the wrappings, they made him look like something from a horror movie. Cassius stood there with a small grin on his bandaged face. Even his cutie mark as covered in the questionable amount wrappings.
"Twilight, this is the pegasus?" Rainbow asked now sitting on the floor in shock.
"Everypony, this is Cassius." Twilight said with a smile.
"Its a pleasure to meet all of you, officially that is." Cassius said looking around at all of the decorations and a paneling of the floor with confetti spread across it with a Twilight shaped gap in the middle.
"Twilight, what happened over there?" Cassius asked pointing a hoof at the mess on the floor.
"PARRRRRRRRTY!" Pinkie Pie yelled as Twilight looked over to see and fired the cannon again, but this time she aimed it in the air before shooting.
Two hours passed at Sugar Cube Corner with the party in full swing. Some time during the party, Pound and Pumpkin Cake found their way to the festivities. They had slipped past AJ and Fluttershy talking about how the last party ending with Gummy in the punch again and Rarity freaking out when she found him in her cup. They got past Twilight and Pinkie Pie dancing with pumpkin narrowly avoiding being stepped on by the lavender unicorn who was dancing as wildly as she did at her birthday party in Canterlot. Their minds were set, they needed to get to the other end to eat the taffy monster talking to the rainbow pony and curly mane white unicorn.
Spike sat next to Rarity, listening to the conversation before him, but most of his focus was on the lovely white unicorn in front of him.
"So Cassius, how fast are you?" Rainbow asked staring at the his wing in the splint.
"To be honest Miss Dash, I could not tell you. As I said to Twilight, the only thing I remember is my first name. As for what happened, that is a blur to me as well." Cassius told them before taking a drink of punch.
"You talk as though you are a Canterlot stallion. Why do you talk with such manners and appear to have almost lost a fight with Death himself." Rarity asked gesturing to all the bandages around Cassius with a hoof.
"To be truthful Miss Rarity, it only seems fitting to speak to you in this manner because it is only polite. That and well you seem to be of a finer quality of nobility and thus deserve no less." Cassius remarked.
Rarity blushed at the compliment and looked away.
"However, if you would prefer I can speed as a commoner and drop the formalities. Twilight prefers that." Cassius finished.
"Please, its hard to understand what we are talking about sometimes when Rarity does it. She uses words like uncouth. Well anyway just call me Rainbow Dash and her Rarity. You don't need to be so formal around us. You are not one of those stuck up little..." Rainbow started, but Rarity cut her off.
"Rainbow Dash! Don't speak like that about the Canterlot Elite. And how would you know if he is or isn't like them?" Rarity said with a raised voice.
"Have you seen the shape he is in Rarity. No high society Canterlot pony would enter a fight let alone come out with those battle..." Dash began but was interrupted once again, but by Cassius slamming his head into the table and falling over with a yelp.
Both RD and Rarity shoot over to see the baby cakes pulling on his broken wing and nibbling at his side. Cassius was both laughing and groaning in pain depending on where the foal's were attacking. Cassius pulled Pound Cake off his wing with a yelp and Rainbow pulled Pumpkin off if his side and set her down next to Fluttershy who took her with care.
"Well hello there little one. Having fun biting my wing." Cassius said as he lifted and lowered the foal in the air.
Pound Cake was giggling with joy as he was getting attention. Pumpkin waved her hooves at her brother and began to whimper. Fluttershy flew over to them when Cassius waved her over with an unoccupied hoof and she gave him Pumpkin. The party had stopped and all eyes found Cassius playing with the cake twins. The two were giggling as Cassius played peek-a-boo.
The others started to clean while Twilight and Rainbow walked over to them.
"You are really good with foals Cassius." Rainbow stated.
"Ya they are little bundles of fun. They are not corrupted by outside influences and and have so much more potential to do good." Replied Cassius with a smile.
Pinkie Pie walked over and said," I'll take them now, its time for them to get to sleep."
The two baby Cakes didn't even fight to stay with Cassius. Instead they simply yawn to confirm Pinkie's suspicion. The pink mare took the two and went upstairs to put them down for the night.
"It's late Cassius. I'll tell Pinky that Spike and I are leaving. If you want you can stay, the door to the library will be open." Twilight said as she followed Pinkie Pie.
Spike waited at the door patiently as Rarity left with Applejack. As they passed Spike almost fell over as he stared at Rarity walking away. Shortly after Cassius said good bye, thanked Pinkie for the party and left without another word.
Cassius walked down the road and thanks to Twilight, he knew exactly where he was. The moon was out again and still looked as radiant as ever. The light seemed brighter tonight as the entirety of the town was bathing in it. Cassius was humming to himself thinking about what he might see when his wings worked again. He was as calm as can be, and he loved every moment of it. Cassius could see an orchard in the distance and was about to go check it out when a multi colored blur flew past him kicking up fallen leaves and dust in its wake. Cassius closed his uncovered eye to avoid the dust from getting to it. When he closed it, time seemed to slow around him, he wondered what that blur was. When the thought entered his mind he saw scene replay. The blur flew much slower and he could see it clearly. Rainbow Dash had flown past him at high speeds. In response, as if out of instinct Cassius's wings unfurled. The broken one resonated no pain, but instead gave a snapping sound as the bones realigned and hardened. The brace fell off as the wing snapped the harnesses that connected it to the damaged appendage.
Rainbow felt so happy when she saw the look on Cassius's face as she flew past. She was determined to get a race out of him soon. Without warning Dash was almost knocked out of the sky by another pegasus, she caught herself and looked around. She didn't see anything in the sky, but when she looked down she saw Cassius ahead of her.
"Cassius, how did you get here so fast!?" Dash with the combination of surprise and to make sure he could hear her from the distance between them.
Just then Cassius flapped his wings once in the moonlight and Dash saw all she needed to.
The brace was off of his wing and a large grin was on his face.
"Do you still want a to see how fast I can fly!?" called Cassius with a twinkle in his eye that even in the light of the moon Dash could see clear as day.