The days passed, and little by little the town of Ponyville was rebuilt.
It took a lot of time, but Daiko did his best to redeem himself in the eyes of the ponies. Some were a little unsure of him, and if he was being honest, he could not blame them. Daiko himself was not sure if he could trust them either. After all, the punishment he had received had been pretty, well, weak. Then again nobody had been killed, so maybe that was the reason he wasn't locked away somewhere.
Even if that was a plausible explanation, Daiko still felt uneasy about having been let off the hook so easily. He didn't share these feelings with Fluttershy, or any other pony for that matter. Fluttershy was a good pony, and had been watching out for him. Daiko found himself liking her a lot, she was very kind to him, and did her best to make sure he had everything he needed.
Fluttershy was also less judgemental when it came to his diet. Working with animals, she understood some creatures needed meat, and so had stocked up on meat she bought from griffon traders. Other than that, Daiko liked to fish. Taking a page out of the classic manga, Daiko used his tail to lure the larger fish. So Daiko didn't miss anything when it came to his diet habits, and Fluttershy seemed to accept him without any conditions.
At times Daiko wondered why she was so supportive of him. She had told him she wanted to give him a chance, not wanting him to be alone. It was a very kind notion, and Daiko had learned to trust her a lot more than he did other ponies. Whatever her reasons, Daiko knew he owed her a lot. She'd not only given him a home, but a chance to live a somewhat normal life in this world.
Her friends were less enthusiastic about him, with the exception of Pinkie Pie and Twilight Sparkle. Not that any of them were unfriendly, but Daiko could tell they had a harder time of trusting him. Pinkie seemed all too happy to help Daiko feel as part of the community, while Twilight seemed more interested in knowing about his species.
Not that Daiko minds that. It was pretty cool to explain more about what he knew about Saiyans, though he didn't like lying about his life there. He kept the details about his none exciting life on planet Vegeta on the downlow, making sure to keep his answer on that topic brief and easy to remember. Anything else about the planet, he gladly shared as that was just geek knowledge. Mostly when it came to specific questions, he just reused lines from the show. Like about how Saiyans could fight in heavy gravity, Twilight was utterly fascinated by it.
She in turn was good enough to answer any questions he had about their world, which he discovered had an immense history. Twilight sort of became his tutor in all things that had to do with Equestria. Funny enough, he had also found a bond with her assistant/adoptive brother, Spike. The two liked comic books, and had a few other general interests.
Pinkie was of course very positive, as Daiko quickly learned. She was very supportive of Fluttershy and Daiko, even going so far as to call herself for Auntie Pie. Other than that, she was always a laugh to be around, and she often made him forget about the fact he was no longer human, he was in another world, and he had to turn his whole image around.
Applejack was the first out of Fluttershy's friends to forgive and forget. Largely it was because she could see how hard Daiko was working, seeing him doing his best to make amends with the ponies around him. Another part of it was her friendship with Fluttershy, like Pinkie Pie, Applejack wanted to support her friend. If that meant letting go of her own doubts, then she would take that chance. She even got him a pie once!
Rarity quickly followed. She was very generous, and offered to get him some new and more practical clothes. She wasn't a fan of his Saiyan armor, and Daiko remembered what Granny Smith had told him. He agreed to have some outfits made, but he needed something specific. While Rarity rather wanted to come up with the designs and colors herself, she gracefully relented, though only if she could design some formal wear too! Daiko agreed, though sadly it would take time to make, so for now he was stuck in his jumpsuit and armor.
The last one to come around was Rainbow Dash. She had been stuck in hospital because the stubborn mare refused to rest while she was healing from when he was in his great ape form. That had earned him several red flags in Rainbow's book, as she was blaming him for all of this. Though she did find a love for some sort of book, Daiko couldn't remember which.
When she was finally released she had missed a lot of what had been going on. Ponyville was pretty much back to normal, and when Rainbow found out it was in part thanks to Daiko's effort, she felt somewhat miffed about it. Then she learned about the fact that he could FLY! Somehow Rainbow Dash had missed that detail, but then again, she had been in the hospital.
This did more than catch her attention, not to mention interest. While she did not doubt who was the best flyer, she was curious to see what this new flyer could do.
Daiko stood from the breakfast table, taking his plate with him as he did so. "Thank you for the food!" He called, hurrying into the kitchen.
Fluttershy looked after him, smiling warmly. Daiko had gotten more used to life here, and he even seemed to have become comfortable with all the animals around. Today was Sunday, so everypony was taking the day off, which meant he was free to do whatever he wanted. Normally he helped out with the animals before he went out, but Fluttershy had told him he didn't need to today.
He was a bit hesitant at first, showing how considerate he was. Fluttershy was proud of his efforts, knowing in her heart he was a good colt. Angel Bunny was still not a fan, but at least he had stopped trying to ambush Daiko. "Where are you going, Daiko?"
The boy returned, having washed his plate in the kitchen. "Promised Apple Bloom and her friends that I would help with the roof today."
Fluttershy was about to ask what he meant, but then remembered what he had told her about the former treehouse. Almost everyday after working on repairing Ponyville, Daiko had left for Sweet Apple Acres to help with setting up a new clubhouse for the three fillies. Applejack had told her he was doing a good job, and it helped a lot that he could fly, making it far less dangerous for the cutie mark crusaders.
"Okay," Fluttershy replied, waving goodbye with her hoof. "Just be careful."
"I will!" He ran to the door, slid his armor down onto his torso. He still felt naked without it, plus, he still thought it was cool. Before he left, Daiko turned around and waved to Fluttershy. "I'm off, see you later!"
With his goodbyes out of the way, and the day ahead of him, Daiko opened the door and hurried outside, getting ready to fly off. He'd barely closed the door and ran two meters from the cottage, before a sudden blue figure appeared several meters from him. Daiko stopped in his tracks, looking at the cyan colored figure.
"Miss Rainbow Dash?" Daiko asked, recognizing her, even if he hadn't seen her much. As far as he knew, she was still angry at him, blaming him for her resting period in the hospital. "Uhm, Fluttershy is inside if you need to talk with her?"
She narrowed her eyes, looking straight at him. Daiko wasn't really sure about what to do, so he just started to move away. Before he took three steps though, Rainbow spoke. "Is it true you can fly?"
Daiko stopped, looking back at the Pegasus. He certainly wasn't expecting that question, and for a moment he doubted if he had heard her right. "What?"
"Can you fly or not?"
"Uhm, well, yes, I can fly."
Suddenly she moved towards him, but Daiko stood still, making no move to brace himself for combat. While he didn't know her well, she was Fluttershy's oldest friend, so he trusted she would not try anything. The mare moved around him, seeming to be looking for something.
"That can't be true," Rainbow then said. "You have no wings!" She had stopped in front of him, almost getting in his face when she said it, almost accusingly.
"I'm not using wings."
"Clearly."
"I'm using my Ki."
Rainbow frowned, looking rather confused. "Your what?"
Daiko took a step back, placing his hand over his heart. "My Ki. It is this spiritual energy that comes from within."
"Like magic?" Rainbow asked, sounding even more confused.
"No!" If there was one thing you do not say to a Dragon Ball fan, it is that Ki is magic. "Ki is made up of vigor, courage, and being in one's true mind. It is the natural lifeforce energy."
Rainbow just stared at him for a few seconds, then rolled her eyes. "Sounds like magic to me, but whatever! Here's the thing though, if you can fly, then show me."
At this point, Daiko had gotten slightly annoyed by her. He had a promise he needed to keep, and he didn't want to be late. Though a small demonstration would not hurt, hopefully she would let him fly off afterwards. Using his Ki to fly had become second nature to him, only after doing it a whole day did he feel fatigued. So with little to no effort, Daiko started to levitate off the ground, move up a few meters, and then came to a stop.
"Will this do?"
Rainbow simply stared at him, looking either outraged or shocked, perhaps both. Narrowing her eyes, she pointed up at him. "Fine! You can fly, I'll give you that. So, race me!"
"Race you?"
"You heard me!"
"That seems... Incredibly unfair.." Even though Daiko had gotten better at flying, not to mention faster, he had heard enough about Rainbow Dash to know she was much faster than him. "Listen, that sounds fun, but I need to get going. I promised to help with something, so.. Well.. Bye."
He flew away, surprising Rainbow Dash as he wasn't as slow as she had expected. Clearly he was a real flyer, and not just because he could lift himself off ground, but the way he moved, and how easily he cut through the air. He was maneuverable and was moving with little effort. This only increased Rainbow's curiosity, and she set off after him with a hard determination.
Didn't take long for the fastest flyer in Equestria to get closer to Daiko. Looking back, Daiko frowned, moved closer to the ground, hoping to lose her. She followed him of course.
"Dammit!" Daiko made for the trees, moving in between them.
Rainbow was faster though, and the trees did little to nothing to slow her down. Before he knew it, he could feel that she was gaining on him. Grinding his teeth, Daiko sped up, trying to go deeper into the forest, trying to get himself lost within the trees.
It worked, or at least he thought. Despite not being able to see her, he could still hear her. If he could see her, he would be able to see a small grin appearing on her face, the same grin that was slowly spreading on his own face.
They moved through the forest for a few minutes, until they moved across a large grass field. Looking back, Daiko noticed Rainbow exit the trees, turn, and then set off after him with a new burst of speed. Digging deep, Daiko pushed himself harder, trying to gain as much speed as he could.
His heart pumped fast with excitement, while it wasn't combat, it was still pushing his limits. Looking above him, he decided he'd try to lose the mare in the clouds. He guided himself up, rising higher and higher than he had ever gone before. When ponies looked up, they would see a blue trail of energy closely followed by Rainbow's own trail.
Rainbow was gaining on him. Ten meters, eight meters, six meters, soon she would be able to touch him. Daiko let out a scream, not in anger or freight, but in pushing himself beyond the limit, until suddenly, he had no more to give. He suddenly came to a stop, his body becoming limp.
Everything was becoming dark, Daiko's eyes slowly closed as he had no more energy to use. Rainbow was surprised by the sudden stop, so much so that she did not manage to stop in time, but passed the boy and moved higher up than him. At first she thought it was a trick, but as she turned to look at him, she noticed that he was falling.
She'd seen enough Pegasi passing out mid flight to recognize the signs instantly. The way he was falling was not controlled, too chaotic, and his limbs were not in any position that allowed him to regain that control. Rainbow dived for the Saiyan, moving like a bullet until she finally reached him.
Reaching around Daiko, she spread her wings far, letting them guide her and Daiko into a controlled landing. It wasn't as elegant as Rainbow had hoped, Daiko was heavier than she had counted on, and so she landed with a bit too much speed than she had predicted.
They slid across the grass field, thankfully without any of them getting hurt. The thick grass kept them from getting any scrapes or bruises. Rainbow laid in the grass, panting, but then quickly got over it and turned to the still passed out Daiko.
"Oh, darn! Daiko?" She moved right next to him, looking down at the still passed out boy. "Come on buddy, talk to me." Rainbow shook him a little, trying to get him to come around. "Please be alright, Fluttershy will kill me if something happens to you!"
Slowly, Daiko's eyes opened, and Rainbow let out a relieved sigh. "Oh hey.." Daiko said, his voice low. "You're pretty fast.."
Rainbow snorted, a mix between laughter and disbelief. "Y-yes.. You too.. Are you okay there, kid?"
Daiko nodded. "Mhmm.. Just, really tired.." And with that, he closed his eyes.
"Oh, horse apples.."
When Daiko finally came around, he was greeted with the sight of Fluttershy's room. "Hmm, what..?" There wasn't anyone in here with him, he was just laying in her bed. His armor was on a chair, along with his scouter and boots. Other than that, Daiko still wore his jumpsuit.
"How did I get back..?"
Then he remembered. Rainbow Dash and him had been flying to catch up, and Daiko had pushed himself so hard that he could no longer draw Ki out to keep him in the air. He'd simply passed out from exhaustion. Rainbow must have saved him from a nasty fall, that was the only explanation to why he was not broken beyond repair.
As he sat up in bed, Daiko could hear voices from downstairs. He couldn't hear what exactly was being said, but it sounded like an argument of some kind. As soon as he opened the door to the stairs, he heard Fluttershy's angry voice. Which surprised Daiko, he'd never seen Fluttershy angry before, nor could he imagine her so.
Making his way down, he heard more of the one sided conversation, and what he quickly figured out was that Fluttershy was scolding someone.
"I just don't understand what made you think it was okay?!" Said Fluttershy, sounding both frustrated and disappointed.
Then a second voice responded. "I'm sorry, Fluttershy. I didn't mean for it to get out of hoof.."
Rainbow Dash? Fluttershy, the shy and timid pony was scolding none other than Rainbow Dash? Moving down the bottom of the stairs, Daiko kept himself out of sight, leaning against the wall and listened in.
"Listen, sugarcube." A third voice continued. "He might be an alien, but he's still just a colt."
Daiko knew the voice, it was Applejack. Had she just called him a kid? Then he remembered, he was just a kid, only ten years old. Daiko had completely forgotten about that fact, he hadn't allowed himself to be a kid for some time, so he'd just grown up faster than he realized. The thought made him sad, and for a moment, he thought about going for a walk to clear his mind, but the conversation caught his attention again.
"I know, I know!" Rainbow responded. "It was stupid, and I shouldn't have done it! I was just.. Caught up in the moment.. He's a good flyer, and.. Well.."
Before the discussion could continue, Daiko decided to join in, walking into the room. He was surprised when he saw not only Fluttershy and her two friends, but all of them. Twilight, Pinkie, and Rarity were also in the room. All of them looked at him, but it was Fluttershy who quickly made her way to him, embracing him harder than he had imagined.
"Daiko! Are you okay?" She started to examine every inch of him, as if he had gotten new injuries from resting in bed.
"Eh, I'm fine!" Daiko promised, feeling his face heat up a bit in embarrassment of being fussed over.
Once she had made extra sure that he was alright, Fluttershy hugged him again. "I was so worried when Rainbow brought you back!"
Daiko felt a pang of guilt, after all, he had decided to push himself. He could've just gone to meet Apple Bloom and her friends, then Rainbow would have probably given them space. Moving his arms around the pony, Daiko hugged her back. "I'm sorry.. Didn't mean to scare you like that.." He apologized, feeling a little conflicted. He'd never gotten this kind of attention back in his own world. It had been a long time since anyone worried about him.
When they parted, Daiko looked at Rainbow Dash, who looked slightly uncomfortable, but also relieved to see him up and about. She raised her hoof in greeting. "Hey, Daiko.. Sorry about before.."
Daiko just shook his head. "No, it's okay. I shouldn't have pushed myself the way I did.. Not so high up.. Uhm.. It was fun."
A smile appeared on Rainbow's face. "Yeah, it was."
Fluttershy placed a hoof on his shoulder, drawing his attention. "Daiko, that was really dangerous.."
Suddenly Twilight spoke up. "If Rainbow hadn't caught you, you might have died."
"Well.." Daiko looked to Fluttershy, then to Rainbow. "I don't think it's fair you blame her.. She was just following me, I was the one who went so high up." The room went quiet. "And other than that, no one was hurt.." He smiled at Rainbow, even grinning a little. "Besides, how will I get stronger if I don't push myself?"
Rainbow started to grin as well. "See! A kid after my own heart!"
It was quite the change in attitude, but thankfully the whole ordeal ended there. With no one hurt, and with Daiko not blaming Dash, things were pretty much settled. Although both Daiko and Rainbow had to promise not to do something so dangerous again.
Looking out the window, Daiko's eyes went wide. The sun hung low, casting the outside landscape in its orange lights. "Oh no! Is it already that late? I promised Apple Bloom that I would help out today!"
Applejack chuckled. "Don't you worry none. AB knows what happened, and she understands. She'll be happy to know ya right as rain again."
"Oh.. Well, alright then.. Tell her I'm sorry."
"I will, but not to worry, she'll understand." Then she stood up. "Well, I better get going."
"Yeah me too, I left Spike alone in the library." Twilight agreed.
"I should get back as well." Rarity nodded, then stopped herself, smiling as she turned around again. "Daiko, dear. I almost forgot, your clothes are ready!"
"They are?!"
Rarity giggled, levitating a large bag over to him. "Indeed they are. I made you enough for at least two weeks. I've seen how much you work, so I thought it would be best to give you plenty of clothes."
Daiko took the bag, then looked up at Rarity. "Wow, thank you so much, Rarity!"
"Oh, think nothing of it, darling. Why don't you go upstairs and change?"
Daiko looked to Fluttershy, who nodded, and so he hurried upstairs to do exactly that. He pulled out the clothing, smirking as he saw the familiar orange gi. He'd asked Rarity for a specific design, and she had done it perfectly. He'd even got a blue undershirt, blue wristbands, and shoes!
Quickly he changed, and he found they fitted him like a glove. He had plenty of room to move, and it was very comfortable to wear. Moving downstairs again, the ponies turned to him and smiled.
"Daiko, you look amazing!" Fluttershy smiled.
"I admit, it does look a lot better than I had imagined." Rarity agreed. "Do you like it?"
Daiko grinned, and answered. "I love it."