Chapter 12

Leafwind left the building and flew off, feeling the cool relaxing tranquility of the wind in her mane when she saw Infernalo high on a hill. She flew down and landed next to him.

"Have fun at your first party, kid," he asked. She nodded.

"Everypony here seems so nice," she said. "I just needed some time to myself. Is that why you're here?" he nodded.

"When I was your age, I always used to just go up to a hill like this and look up at all the stars," he said.

"I didn't know they had stars back then," Leafwind said giggling. Infernalo playfully pushed her aside. "What are you thinking about?"

"Leafwind," he said. "you aren't really old enough, but once you are and you've seen just how much the world around you has changed, you start to wonder about everything that you could've done but now you can't."

"Growing up sounds hard, huh?" Infernalo nodded.

"You don't even know the half of it yet. You're young, you got a lot to learn, a lot to see, a lot to experience. It's times like this where we just have to stop trying to keep up with the world and just watch things run their course before we wake up one day from our casket and realize that we never did anything worth being remembered for." he laid back against the cool grass, Leafwind doing the same, deep in thought about what he'd said. The two just gazed up at all the beautiful stars in the sky as Infernalo was able to identify all the constellations. He looked down at noticed Leafwind snuggling up next to him, hugging him close to her.

"Frostburn was right," she said. "She is lucky to have a big brother like you." Infernalo put his hoof around her.

"I'd be lucky to have a baby sister like you, kiddo." she nodded.

The guests slowly started leaving, most saying how surprised they were by how familiar the Trossels had seemed. Rarity looked around the empty room with Applejack, neither one finding their sisters.

"I can't find Sweetie Belle anywhere," Rarity said frantically. "What if something terrible happened to her? I just wouldn't be able to live with myself."

"Rarity, relax," Steelmind assured her. "I'm sure that she probably just went home or is with her friends."

"Ya think she'd be with Apple Bloom," Applejack asked. Applejack was no less worried than Rarity about her little sister, but was much better under pressure. Steelmind nodded, more to console the two than out of genuine fact.

"C'mon," Stonebolt said to Applejack. "I'll take you home." Applejack nodded while a Twilight and Steelmind accompanied Rarity.

"Leafwind," Scootaloo called. The Cutie Mark Crusaders had been searching for their friend for a while now after she didn't come back, worried about what might have happened. Scanning their surroundings, they realized they had started to enter the Everfree Forest.

"Maybe we should turn back," Sweetie said, seeing a pair of threatening eyes peaking out from some nearby bushes.

"Not till we find Leafwind," Scootaloo said. They heard a distant noise that sounded like a wolf. "We can't turn back now." As the group reluctantly continued to advance, Apple Bloom stepped on a twig. They all looked around and heard something swop past them, as they screamed. Leafwind perked up at the sound.

"Did you hear something," Infernalo asked. "it sounded like it came from the forest on the outskirts of town."

"We have to go check it out," Leafwind said urgently. She climbed onto his back and they vanished into a dark void. The three fillies were huddled together in a cluster, shaking with fear as a manticore advanced on them. A dark void opened up from the ground and Infernalo rose up, hurling a dark wave of energy at the beast, knocking it away. He turned to the three, who still cowered over him, before Leafwind stepped off his back.

"Leafwind, you're okay," they said relieved.

"It's okay, guys," she assured them. "This is the pony I was telling you about, Frostburn's big brother Infernalo." they looked up at him in amazement, especially Scootaloo, who clung to his leg gratefully.

"Thank you so much for saving us," she said.

"You weren't sacred, were ya," Apple Bloom asked curiously. Scootaloo opened her eyes and released her grip on Infernalo's leg.

"You were scared too," she shot back.

Rarity was pacing back and forth nervously, before Twilight stepped in front of her.

"Rarity, calm down," Twilight ordered. "I'm sure that Sweetie Belle will be back sooner than you think."

"I know, Twilight," Rarity said rationalizing with herself. "It's just, I just wouldn't be able to live with myself if anything were to happen to her." there was a knock at the door, and Rarity opened it to find Infernalo standing in the doorway with Sweetie Belle.

"I assume this is yours," he said. Rarity lit up, tears of joy welling up in her eyes.

"Sweetie Belle, you're okay!" the two embraced tightly, Rarity relieved to see her sister was unharmed.

"Twilight, I'll meet you back home," Infernalo said. Twilight followed, Steelmind entering with Zephyroak.

"I see Sweetie Belle's okay," he said.

"It was a very, very nice gesture of yours to try looking for her, Steelmind," Rarity said. He nodded and went up to his room.

"I should probably follow him," Zephyroak said. "I'm so exhausted that I don't think I'll wake up until next August, or noon; whichever comes first." the Sky Trossel trotted after him up the stairs.

Infernalo entered the house via another of his portals and silently tried to creep up the stairs, careful not to disturb Leafwind, who was sleeping soundlessly on his back. When he got back up to his bed, he dropped Leafwind in her small makeshift bed beside Frostburn's and tucked her in. Just as he got in bed, Stonebolt hugged him.

"That was really sweet what you did," she said. "I told you it'd be nice to give this place a chance." Infernalo smirked a bit.

"Anypony would've done it," he said modestly.

"Anypony brave or stupid enough to stand up to a manticore maybe," she said. "By the way, what do you think of Twilight's friends?" Infernalo thought for a minute then answered.

"Rarity seems very nice, Fluttershy's pretty cute, Rainbow Dash is very fascinating to me, as is Applejack, and Twilight..." he trailed off, not knowing what words he could use to describe her.

"What about Pinkie," Stonebolt inquired. Infernalo scoffed in disbelief.

"I already have somepony bouncy, childish, and annoying in my life," he explained. "I call her Frostburn." he chuckled a bit at his own joke. Stonebolt rolled her eyes and went to sleep. Infernalo shut off the light and saw Frostburn tossing and muttering because of a nightmare. He used his magic to tuck her in, and she relaxed.

"You're the best big brother in the world," she said sleepily, falling back asleep. Infernalo drifted off himself, smiling at how the day had transpired.