Sunlight streamed through the hut, casting shadows throughout. One beam had managed to hit me straight in the face, taking the place of my worst enemy, my alarm clock, and managing to wake me up. As I sat up and groaned, I felt a twinge in my chest, where the monster had struck me in the chest. I knew that I would be feeling that for a while. Getting out of the bed I looked outside, seeing Zecora sitting in the clearing around the home, humming sort of tune. Looking up, I saw that the sun was sitting about a third of the way through the sky, meaning that it couldn't have been past eleven. I contemplated sleeping for a while longer, but decided against it. I knew I needed to get up and figure out what I was going to do, and sleeping wouldn't have helped me that much. It especially wouldn't help me if I had a nightmare, like the first night I was here.

I moved away from the window and began to search the hut for food. After a minute of searching, I realized just how ridiculous the search was going to be. Zecora seemed to have a habit of leaving her ingredients on the counter, leaving a massive mess all over. Her potions also lacked labels, so I decided not to risk drinking anything on the counter, just to be on the safe side. The kitchen was even worse than the laboratory area, with leftovers from dinners past, along with what looked like even more ingredients, just as unrecognizable then the others. I managed to find the fridge, and upon further inspection, I found some apples. Taking a careful look, I didn't find anything wrong with them. Snagging two for me and one for Zecora, I went outside.

As I exited the hut, I felt slightly bad about taking her food. After all, I've already taken advantage of her hospitality. However, the voice in my head had another point of view on the matter.

" Don't worry about it. Seeing as she's willing to nurse you back to health, taking a bit of her food shouldn't bother her. Not to mention, you did find an apple tree in the forest, so you can always pay her back if you need to"

Deciding I couldn't find a fault with that logic, I approached Zecora. She didn't seem to notice me, as she kept her head down and continued humming the tune. I couldn't see what she was working on, but I decided not to look. After all, as long as I stayed near her, I'd see it when it was finished. I pulled out an apple and began eating, the wheels in my mind turning. Here I was, stuck on some sort of alien planet, my first and only friend a zebra, who so far I owed my life to already. I had nothing but the clothes on my back, and a little magic.

As far as my skills went, all I had were the skills I had learned when I was in school, so unless they education system here was terrible, or I managed to get a job working with children, I had zero practical skills. I didn't have any fighting experience, as the fight with that creature showed me, and I had no idea how half the things I used to use at home worked, so I couldn't become a famous inventor. It seemed like my only options were either manual labor, child education, or learn some skills. Seeing as I hated work and children, none of these options seemed very tempting. Though, I'd rather learn new skills then dig ditches, so I guess I had better hit the books.

I finished the first apple before I noticed how hungry I was. Seems like getting stabbed took more out of me then I thought. Sparing a glance at Zecora, I noticed she was still focused on her project. Shrugging my shoulders, I left the apple near her, and went back inside the house to try and find some more food.
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Hearing the footsteps depart, Zecora felt her focus once again switch totally over to her project. All night she had felt some sort of spiritual energy from the young man, and she decided that she would need to take steps to deal with it. All the negative emotions stored in the energy could have adverse effects, on both him and those around him. She theorized that that was how the manticore had found him, as that wasn't there usual hunting grounds. She knew she needed to finish the project, before his energy output increased, and summoned more creatures. Interestingly enough, she had noticed that his energies had seemed to reduce some time last night, and while not completely leaving him, they were reduced so that they wouldn't attract animals unless they had already strayed from their usual patterns. Hopefully, this talisman would help keep the energy inside him low, and insure that no more creatures followed him.
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My search for food proved fruitless, as I only found a few tomatoes, along with some sort of lettuce. While I would have preferred more apples, I discovered that only two of the remaining were still good to eat, and I'd rather not rob Zecora of what was one of the best things I had eaten. So, settling for a salad, I sat down for another meal. I continued to think of my situation; I knew that if I kept thinking, eventually I'd think of some sort of practical skill I could learn, or one that I had already mastered. I'd considered asking Zecora if I could study under her, because if the potions surrounding me were any indication, she seemed fairly proficient at her craft. However I didn't really want to learn about plants and medicines, because as sure as I am that they would benefit me in the long run, I knew that I'd get bored quickly, regardless of how hard I tried. I tried to think of any other skills I could learn from her, but without more knowledge of the area and the level of technology I was around I knew I wouldn't be able to make a decision. I decided to question Zecora as best I could when she came back inside, leaving me to my own devices inside the house.

Leaning back, I began to contemplate the chair I was in. While none of the furniture really fit me, the chairs held me pretty well. The backs just manage to reach the middle of my shoulders, and the base seems strong enough to hold me. The beds are just as good, so long as I either curled up or let my feet dangle over the side. I wonder, could I build furniture? It seems easy enough, and I'm sure that I could master the craft. As soon as this idea began to take hold however, another popped into my head; what good is building furniture my size if the creatures around me are far smaller, if Zecora was any indication?

Shaking my head, I stood up and put the dishes in the sink. Looking around the room, I gave the room a disappointing tut. I wasn't a neat-freak by any means, but still, the level of disorganization still irked me. As much as I would have liked to clean it, I feared that doing so mat overstep my bounds. Perhaps she knew where everything was, and preferred it this way. Or maybe this helped her to create her potions, with the controlled chaos being a source of inspiration. I left it alone for now deciding that I'd talk to her about cleaning up later.

Finding nothing else to entertain me or give me a stroke of genius as to what to do for my time here, I sat down and tried to meditate. I'd never really had much success in my earlier attempts, but I was hoping that the change I'd undergone might help me to focus. Taking deep, calming breaths, I focused on a small void inside my mind, attempting to block out all the sounds and sights around me. Slowly, the noise began to fade, until all that was left was a hum. Thoughts began to take shape in the void, though not those that I expected.

I wonder if everyone at home misses me? Do they think I'm a monster for what I did? Do they think that I deserve my fate? I hope not, but I guess I'll never know. I wonder if Jenny managed to get to Heaven? Even if what the Devil said wasn't true, having your best friend tell a killer to kill you instead of him should earn you a free pass into the pearly gates. God, I miss home...

My thoughts slowly began to spread out, leaving behind the more depressing ones in favor of the new powers I had gotten. I was sure there were limits, but what were they? I decided to try and talk to Grifith, and see if he would fill me in.

Grifith, I need some help. I've got a couple of questions that I know you can answer.

I waited for a minute before I got a response. " I suppose I could answer a few questions, seeing as you caught me in a good mood."

I know that I'll regret asking, but what put you in such a good mood? Seeing as you can't leave my head, I can't really see what could put you in such a good mood.

"The fact that your actually using your brain for the first time since I've known you. Your finally considering where you are, and what you're going to do. Admittedly, you haven't had the easiest time yet or the most time to think about it, but still, I'm glad you've finally started thinking."

I don't know whether to be happy for the compliment, or angry at the insult. Still, I need to have you answer a few questions. First, how much can I actually do with the power I've got? Secondly, why does it affect my skin?

" The limits of the power you've been given are twofold: first, your imagination, secondly your strength in magic. Getting strength is relatively easy, simply use the powers more often, and you'll gain more strength. Also remember that your body needs to be kept in shape as well, as the magic will also cause a strain on it. If your healthy and relatively strong, the strain shouldn't have that much of an effect, unless you use a large amount at once, or over a short period of time. After that comes imagination; so long as your able to see what you want, and are able to project it, you can create it. Of course, to summon forth a giant meteor would take a massive amount of magic, so that's out of the picture. And, for you, the real danger is in the way you think. While you have a great imagination, you fall into clichés with your thought patterns, and while you have a good grasp on them, you can become far too dependent on them instead of your own intellect."

How would you know how I think?

" Like I said, I've been in your head since you've gotten here. What else do I have to do other then read your mind, watch what happens, and look into your memories? After going through all that, it isn't hard to notice that some of your more idle thoughts revolve around video game characters, and using your abilities to fight like Ermac, or maybe Smoke. Not to mention, your idea of magic is rooted in uses related to how several of your favorite characters use them."

" Secondly, to understand that, you need to understand the power itself. Humans have no natural magical ability, not now, not ever. To compensate for that, your minds developed differently; instead of magical theory, you created science. Instead of using your magic to solve your problems, you turned to your intellect and ability to make tools. Now, since humans have never developed their bodies to house energies, the magic inside you is more akin to a virus. It infects your body, taking over the cells one by one, until your body becomes saturated with magic. With the small amount of magic you've gained, the only noticeable difference is your skin. However, the more magic you use, and the more it infects your system, the more changes you'll see. So long as you continue to suppress your aura, the effects will recede. However, I'd re-think the way you went about it. Locking it away into a small hole, while effective, doesn't allow the power to build, leaving you weak. Instead, imagine that it's a massive ocean that has been dried up. Allow the power to over time fill the ocean, and when your skin changes back, imagine the shoreline receding, and they should go away."

I sat there puzzled by the amount of information I had gotten. After a while I decided that I should follow his advice. I searched within myself until I found the hole where I hid my powers. I imagined the hole disappearing, but instead of allowing the power to flow out of me, I imagined a dried out ocean, with my power being just a small drop of water in the middle. I set it there, and took a step back, appearing at the edge of the ocean. All around me all I could see what a limitless expanse of sand, so I assumed it worked. Opening my eyes, I bid goodbye to Grifith for all the advice.

" Of course," he said as I departed, "after all, we are in this together."

As I opened my eyes, I noticed that Zecora had entered the hut, and was giving me an odd look.

I smiled at her and said, " Good morning, or I suppose I should say good afternoon. Did you eat the apple I left for you?"

She nodded once before speaking. " Indeed I did, and many thanks; I only I had had a drank!"

I gave a small chuckle, giving the potions around the room an eye. " I suppose finding something to give you wouldn't be hard. No guarantees that it wouldn't kill you, however."

She gave the room a quick once over and nodded her head. " I have been working hard as of late; as a result my home no longer gleams like a silver-plate."

" Speaking of working," I spoke as I turned my head sideways, " when I went out to give you some food you seemed to be working on something. Mind telling me what it is?"

She turned towards a small bag on her side, and pulled out some sort of necklace with her teeth. Turning to look at me, she tossed it into my lap. I picked it up and noticed right away that some sort of energy was coming off of it. The iconography of it was even more noticeable. It was carved as some sort of creaming face, the expression revealing fear, pain, and what seemed like hunger. The mouth was opened freakishly wide, almost as if it were ready to consume me.

" The design is meant to be a ward; a protection against anything untoward." She said, deciding against telling the truth of the item, out of fear that it would not be accepted.

Looping it around my neck, I immediately felt a change. Looking at Zecora, clearly something happened, as the look on her face was one of pride, almost like she completed an extremely difficult puzzle.

" Mind telling me what that did?" I ask, slightly worried that she might not have given me the full truth.

" It did just as I said it would; I did not think you misunderstood."

" I understand that part, but how? I feel different, like something is applying pressure deep inside me. And while it isn't uncomfortable, I'd rather be sure it isn't dangerous."

" Ah, now I see; your fear me! Do not fret my new friend; this necklace shall not spell your end. All it does is contain your aura; it shall repel the fauna and flora. The reason for the spell is twofold; to protect you and those around, and to keep your aura controlled."

It took me a moment to realize what she was saying. While I was glad that the necklace would protect me, I was worried that if she could sense my aura, then so could others. It would make hiding my powers much, much harder.

" Zecora, how can you tell what my aura is? I thought that only Unicorns could sense magic."

" If your magic was of the norm, that would be true; however your magic is something unique and new. And with the strength behind it, it can easily be felt by all; however do not yet start to bawl! For sometime last night a large portion seemed to stray ; my necklace shall take the rest away, and keep your identity safe!

As I puzzled out the sentence, relief washed over me. I was worried that I'd be found quickly, but it seemed as if Zecora and I had managed to remove most of the danger, even if it was unintentional. However, I still had one concern that I needed to address.

" Zecora, when you found me, could you detect any of the aura from anywhere else?"

She looked at me, and said quietly " I could feel the power in the air, and I must admit, it gave me quite the scare: so now I believe that for all I've done, an answer would make us fair. From where do you come, my newest friend? And how did your time there end?"

This was the one question that I really didn't want to answer, but I knew that I'd need to. I decided that a mixture of truth and deception would work best, and if I pulled it off right, she would be none the wiser. Deciding to keep the story simple, I used the classic formula; one part truth, and two part lies.

" Well, my memory is a little fuzzy, but I'll try and remember as best I can. I was going to school, and during first period, a man came into class. He had a weapon, and he used it to kill three students, and I was one of them. After that, my memory gets a little hazy, and I only remember waking up here." I said, hoping that she would buy it.

" Hm, while that explains much, still much is left unsaid: like how you found that beast, and left it for dead."

This would be the hardest question to answer, seeing as I couldn't afford to tell her how I managed to kill the thing. " I don't know. Like I said, I can't remember how I got here, and the first thing I remember is waking up in your house, lying down strapped to a table." I really hope she believed that, otherwise I was fucked.

She looked at me for what felt like hours, but then she nodded her head. It seemed that she believed me. " One last question, before you go; why is your skin no longer aglow?"

I nearly smiled, but I didn't want to end the act just before I managed to convince her. ' I think it has it has to do with the fact that I know I died, but came back. Whatever magic brought me back probably wasn't out of my system when I first got here, but most likely has been slowly disappearing. At least, that's what I think the answer is."

She shrugged her shoulders, and for once didn't rhyme when she spoke " For now I suppose that answer shall do, but I must warn you: if I find that you lied to me, I shall make you pay for your deception. Understood?"

I almost wished that she had rhymed, it might have taken away some of the fear I felt from that statement. Even though she had been nothing but kind to me, I knew that she wouldn't hesitate to make me pay if I had lied.

Snapping back to reality, I quickly nodded my head. " I understand."

Having said what she needed to say, she turned away from me and walked and went into the kitchen. " Perhaps it would now be for the best, if after haven taken such a long rest, if we put your stomach to the test.

I smiled and nodded. " I could do with some lunch."
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Twilight had finally gathered everything that she would need for her visit to Ponyville. She hadn't known what to pack for, and had decided that she would just need to take everything. And so, using her magic, she had managed to create a small inter-dimensional space with-in one of her saddlebags. That had taken longer then she had expected, and so she was running behind schedule. As soon as she had found out that she was behind by an entire day, she quickly degenerated to near madness.

It was in this state that Spike had found her. Needing to gather some things of own for their trip home, mostly gems and a few new comics, he had left yesterday. He had expected her to come home last night, but she had never shown. Because of this he had gone looking for her, finding her in the first place that he had looked: her bedroom.

Spike gave her a look, and asked " Uh, Twilight, what are you doing?"

She turned around and gave looked him in the eyes. It was worse than he thought. Her left eye was currently twitching, and both pupils had nearly disappeared, her mane had become frayed, and she had a very creepy smile.

Spike took a step back, having not seen Twilight like this in a very long time. " Twilight, maybe you should calm down, after all, it's just a day delay."

Twilight nearly screamed at him. " A day? Just a day? Spike, this delay is terrible! Who knows what happened, and I've already missed a day! I need to hurry to get back on schedule, I can't miss anything else!"

Spike had thought that she had gotten over these problems a long time ago, but he guessed wrong. He didn't know what it would take for her to calm down, but he would try anything.

" Twilight calm down, I'm sure everything is going to be ok. If the situation was that desperate, wouldn't Celestia have just teleported you there, and then sent what you needed after you had gotten there?"

The words seemed to have an effect, as she took a deep breath, and began to collect herself. As she was doing so, Spike moved towards her, and placed a hand lightly on her main.

" Feeling better?" he asked after her breathing had returned to normal.
' Twilight's face turned towards Spike's as she smiled. The creepy grin had disappeared, and in its place was her normal smile. In addition, her eyes had returned to normal, becoming full sized and twitch free. " Yes Spike, I am. Thank you for being here." she said, truly grateful for it. It had been a while since she had had anytime with Spike, and she was amazed at the differences she could see.

He had finally hit dragon puberty, and had grown to be only a few inches shorter then Celestia. His voice had deepened, while still retaining its ability to create high pitched noises, as Spike had found out. His claws had grown in, but as a dragon, he was able to sheath them. Wings had begun to sprout, the same green and purple as his body. Finally, his face and body had changed. Instead of having baby fat and being slightly pudgy, he had thinned out, and his face had become more rigid, losing the circular shape it had held for so long. His mouth had become more extended, and the fin on his head had grown, reaching his back. His tail had also grown, causing it to drag behind him a foot or so. Looking into his concerned eyes, she realized that while he had changed on the outside, on the inside, he was still her number one assistant.

"No problem Twilight, but you are right, we should hurry up and get to the train station if we want to be there today. "

Twilight's ears had perked up hearing this, and her reply came incredibly fast. ' Wait, we're taking a train? Why? I mean, either of the princesses or myself could just teleport there instantly."

Spike smiled, and slipped his arms around her. " I haven't seen you regularly since you became a princess! I'm not letting an opportunity to spend time with you disappear."

Twilight returned the hug. " Ok, Spike, we can take the train." she said softly, simply enjoying the moment.
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I was already tired of sitting around Zecora's house. While I had no wish to go back into the forest, I was running out of things to do here. I had cleaned the house with Zecora, including the mess in the kitchen, talked with her for a while about Equestria, and then had walked around the clearing, thinking on what I had learned.

Apparently the last few years had been quite tumultuous, starting with the return of Princess Luna. According to Zecora, a thousand years ago Luna was banished to the moon after threatening to create eternal night, believing the ponies no longer cared for her night. She had become controlled by a being named Nightmare Moon, and Celestia had been forced to use the Elements of Harmony, magical artifacts of great power, to banish her from the land. She had returned, however she was defeated by a group of six mares wielding the Elements. This time, instead of being banished, she was freed, as the power of friendship had struck her. After all this, they also had to face the return of Discord, the God of Chaos, an invasion by Changelings, and the Plight of the Crystal Empire. All of which were solved by either the power of love, friendship, or some other nonsense.

While I didn't believe a word of it, I knew I couldn't afford to not listen, regardless of how stupid it sounded. How in the Hell could a group of girls beat a cadre of villains using nothing but friendship and their wits? Bullshit. Still, Zecora seemed to know the girls in question, which had raised the credibility of her story somewhat. Still, I was skeptical.

Zecora had noticed, seeing as I wasn't hiding it, and said that when she went into town later today, she would grab me a few books so I could see for myself. Along with the books on recent history, I had asked for books on herbs, geography, ancient history, a magic book for beginners, and a few others. While she had raised her in eyes in surprise at most requests and had attempted to question me on why I was interested in them, I told her that since I was here, I might as well take advantage of what I could learn while I was here. She was especially interested in the magic book, as I explained that humans naturally possessed no magic.

" Pray tell, if your species has no magic, why would you seek a book to teach; surely what you could learn would be out of your reach?"

I don't want to learn how to use magic, as I doubt I could, but I would like to learn about it. Like I said, humans can't use magic themselves, and I doubt I'll ever get a chance to learn about real magic. I couldn't care less that I can't use it."

She still looked suspicious, but she had relented, and promised to pick up all that I asked her from the local library. Apparently the local librarian was out, away on business. Zecora had told me that she was one of the Elements, and had recently been raised to a princess by Celestia, leaving the care of the library in the hands of a replacement from one of the nearby towns.

As I sat there, I tried to contact Grifith again. This time, instead of asking if he was there, I decided to just go for it.

Yo. I got another question for ya

" Let's hear what you've got this time."

Can I learn any of the magic here? Or am I just wasting my time?

" As I said, all that it comes down to is strength and imagination, so yes, you could. In theory, you could lean quite a bit, though every spell caster has areas that they do well in, and areas that that they don't.

Makes sense to me, thanks.

Before had had a chance to reply, Zecora walked behind me. Turning to face her, I noticed that she had an old brown cloak on, and underneath what appeared to be saddlebags.

Nodding to me, she said " I shall you here for a bit; try not be a nit."

Laughing I just nodded my head and turned around, saying " Good-bye to you Zecora, and be safe."

With that she turned and began to exit the clearing, leaving me to my thoughts.
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Zecora had quickly cleared the distance between her home and Ponyville, hoping to finish the shopping and get home quickly. However, she wasn't having the easiest time of it. While for the longest of time the ponies would ignore her, lately they had opened up to her, and while generally she would enjoy spending time and getting to know them, she didn't have time to do it today. As a result she was being quick and abrupt, while trying not to hurt any of the ponies feelings. So far, it wasn't going very well. Her latest victim was Roseluck, the normally shy flower pony. As soon as Zecora had turned her back, she heard the pony begin to tear up. Sighing, Zecora turned around, knowing she needed to fix what she had done.

" My dear little Roseluck, do not despair; for what I did to you wasn't fair. Know however that my anger was not at you; but at some other fool."

Roseluck sniffled and wiped her tears away before looking at Zecora. " Really, you promise?"

Zecora smiled and nodded. " Promise."

Giving the pony a quick hug, Zecora trotted off to the library, hoping to finish her last bit of business and get home.
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From the moment Twilight had reached Ponyville, she had been hugged, waved at, yelled hello at, and generally every other type of greeting that she could have expected. However, one thing was missing.

" Where is Pinkie Pie? I assumed that she would have been here the moment I got off the train! As a matter of fact, where are any of my friends? I haven't seen anyone since I got here!"

" Don't worry Twilight, I'm sure they are just planning some sort of surprise. You know Pinkie, she probably knew you were going to end up here before you did!" Spike exclaimed, looking excited over the prospect of a party. While had hadn't told Twilight out of fear of hurting her feelings, the months since she had been crowned had been hard on him. He had no friends, nothing to do, and had gone through changes without anyone there to help him. Thankfully, several of the guards at the castle had found him, and helped him through his problems, both physical and mental, and had even taught him a few things.

While most guards had taught him about fighting, one had taught him something he valued more than anything else: she had taught him blacksmithing. The guard was called Eloi Baldamare, and was a recent recruit, having only been with the guards for around four years. Still, in that short amount of time she had moved up the ranks quickly, reaching the coveted status of Royal Blacksmith within only a year or so, record time. In his six month tenure at the castle, she had taken Spike under her wings, teaching him everything she could. Whenever Spike would ask her why, she would simply nod her head and reply " You'll see in time, I'm sure". Spike had wondered how she could seem to know so much, when she was only twenty two, barely older then Twilight. Still he couldn't complain after everything that she had done for him that she acted so wise.

"Your right Spike, I shouldn't be so worried." She gave Spike an odd look, and asked in a slightly stumped voice " When did you get so wise Spike?"

Spike just shrugged his shoulder. " Probably during the time you were being the princess I guess."

The answer had nearly knocked Twilight off her hooves, but she managed to stay standing. She quickly caught up to Spike, and with the same voice asked him another question. " You seemed to have changed more than I did, it seems. Was it hard going through them by yourself?"

Spike smiled when he replied. " I wasn't alone for it." Twilight felt her hopes rising up inside of her.

" Well, at least not for most of it. After a while, I got to know some of the guards, and they took me under their wing. Without them, I don't know how hard it would have gotten."

Twilight just nodded, and kept her voice level when she replied, " I'm glad you found them then Spike."

Twilight didn't know what to say. She knew she hadn't spent enough time with Spike, but her duties had kept her busy. And while she would never admit it, what Spike told her had hurt. Because of her, Spike had been forced to face all the changes by himself, until some guards apparently took a shine to him. How could she just forget him like that? Spike had always been there for her, and she had ignored him when he needed her most. She nearly broke down right then and there, until a thought came into her mind. While here at Ponyville, she only had one job, which was to investigate. She swore that she would spend as much time as she could with Spike, to make up for the time she had lost these last six months. Smiling after finding the answer to her problem she picked up the pace, forcing Spike to hurry as well.

" What's the hurry Twi?" Spike asked, worried she had broken down again.

" I can't wait a second more to see my friends Spike! Now come on, let's hurry!"
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Zecora felt bad that she wouldn't be able to attend the party for Twilight, but she needed to get home. She made a note to visit the Alicorn before too long, having missed her just as dearly as her friends did. After having picked up her books, Pinkie tried to convince her to stay and welcome Twilight. As much as she wanted to, she knew she needed to get home. After promising to visit sometime soon, she left. Unbeknownst to her, she had missed Twilight by about fifteen minutes, and had managed to reach the outer layer of the EverFree just as Twilight entered her home. Beginning her trek through the forest, she resolved to visit Twilight and inform her of her strange new guest.

Author's Note

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