The Court Jester

Chapters

Court Jester Chapter 2: Last Call
Court Jester Chapter 3: Realization
Court Jester Chapter 4: Family Ties
Court Jester Chapter 5: Long Forgotten Sons
Court Jester Chapter 1: Welcome to the Family

Court Jester Chapter 2: Last Call

Court Jester

Chapter 2: last call

“I’ve never found the answer to any problems at the bottom of bottle!”

“well I’ve never found one in a fortune cookie. You so quick to judge do you know me? Do you know the things I’ve seen, the things I’ve done. I expect people like you to find comfort in your friends and family now tell me: What happens when their all dead?”

He calmly got up and left the bar the man sat for a long time before putting a fifty dollar bill on the bar, “keep the change.”

Twilight’s friends had started to get worried Twilight had been gone for almost 2 hours. “I told you something was wrong!” Rarity finally broke the silence.

“Ya, I... I think we should look for her,” Fluttershy quietly agreed. “She has been gone for a long time.”

“I’m not worried,” Rainbow tried and failed to sound detached. “But, uh... if you really want me to I’ll go look for her. For you of course.”

“I’m sure she’s just... getting ready,” Pinkie tried to calm everyone down. This would have worked if her hair had not visibly reduced in puff and gotten considerably less pink.

“Yaw, shoot I’ll bet she’s right ‘round the corner,” Applejack’s words very different from her voice. “I’m sure she’s right ‘round here somewhere. But, uh... I'll go with Rainbow jus’ cuz I... need... some... air!” She never did get better at lying especially to her friends.

“Well if your both going I’d like to go,” Fluttershy mumbled, “I... uh.... really need the... fresh air.”

Pinkie spoke still a little deflated, “um, and I need to go make sure the shop is alright.”

“I suppose if everypony is going I could go with Pinkie.” Rarity rolled her eyes very unbelievably.

The groups set out Fluttershy, Rainbow, and Applejack headed south. Rarity and Pinkie headed north both groups quite as they walked. “I’m going to head toward the book shop, Fluttershy you go towards the forest, and AJ you head to the farm meet back at the library in a half hour ok?” Rainbow gave the orders sounding awfully like a drill pony.

“Sounds good.” Applejack headed off.

“Um, okay that's... uh fine... Rainbow.” She gave Rainbow one last look that said ‘don’t do what I think you’re going to do.’ She was the only one who knew, Rainbow’s oldest friend the one that she had known since Cloudsdale. The only response she could muster from the guilt was a simple nod. She did however; fly towards the book store for awhile. She struggled for as long as she could but there was no way around it she had been empty for a long time now. She made absolutely sure Fluttershy was not around before she headed toward Sugar Cube Corner.

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Pinkie and Rarity headed toward Sugar Cube Corner they were supposes to search for Twilight but, had less ground to cover so they decided to get something to eat first. They both had nothing more than a cookie even though they both could stand to eat much more. They simply sat quietly and ate even Pinkie seemed to have nothing to say. “Delightful pasties.”

“What are we doing!? Rarity we need to look for Twilight!” Pinkie jumped up and ran out the door she was headed east. Rarity sighed she left the bakery and watch pinkie run not bound away she was truly concerned for her friend. After Pinkie rounded a corner and ran out of view Rarity headed west. She had a feeling this was going to be a long night.

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Rainbow looked down at Sugar Cube Corner though she felt guilty she could disperse her demons. She had given in to that terrible memory again and she lived it again and again. She wandered into the bar wanting nothing more than to forget what it meant to be living.

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Fluttershy wandered across the sky searching for her friend she wondering where she could be. The Everfree Forest was approaching faster and faster and she would soon run out of time and have to turn around and head back to the library.

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Applejack searched through the fields headed to her barn and home. She wanted to lay down and sleep after all this had been taken care of. She had other problems right now though and had to track her friend down and bring her home.

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Pinkie wondered the streets and was deeply concerned for her friend “Oh, Twilight where are you?” She had to find her and bring her back safely she didn’t know what she would do if she couldn’t find Twilight she had grown fond of the pony after all.

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Rarity wandered the streets and hoped her instincts were wrong. They were telling her that her friend was in trouble and needed her help but, no matter what she did nothing was going to work. “Twilight!” she called every now and again, “where are you my dear,” she wondered.

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Rainbow had her third drink, then decided that was enough it numbed the pain but it was not enough to get her drunk. She decided to leave the bar with what was in her head now silenced she was under control. She left to continue the search from her friend she pushed the door open and took a step outside. She smelled the cool night air and watched Luna’s beautiful moon for about 5 minutes before taking off. “One who puts on the brave face for everyone can be seen through by those who are loyal to you. But, when loyalty is challenged by fear friends can turn... Hehehe.” Rainbow looked around but found no one anywhere everypony seemed to have disappeared.

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Fluttershy was nearly there only about 100 yards till she reached the Everfree Forest she didn’t like getting so close. ‘This is for Twilight’ she kept telling herself as she got closer and closer to `the forest. She hated that place she never liked going there and she avoided it at all cost. “She wouldn’t have gone into the Everfree Forest,” she kept telling herself. She did finally reach the edge of the unnatural place. “Living in fear is no way to live, life is what you make of it. Kindness is a trait not a consumption... Hehehe.” Just then she saw what looked like Angel Bunny go into the forest, she didn’t like it, but she followed him in no matter where the voice came from.

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Applejack was almost home just around the corner and she would be there it was almost in her grasp. She was so close no much further she loved the sweet night air mixed with apples. She lived for the moments like this there was nothing better in all of Equestria. ”One more turn then ah’ll see mah home,” she thought aloud. She took one long breath of night air in and, she smelt it... fire not a small one either it couldn’t be far. She ran now fast as her legs could carry her nothing else mattered she needed to help her family. “Honesty run deep and lies even deeper. There is a difference between what we need and what we get... Hehehe.” Applejack didn’t have time to care as she rounded the corner her fear confirmed the barn was burning.

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Pinkie desperately wanted to find her friend if for nothing else then to get on with the party. She no longer bounced down the street instead she ran she wanted to party but, she wanted to find her friend more. She knew how to party but she also knew when a friend was in trouble. Well, she didn’t actually know Twilight was in trouble but she was pretty sure. Just then she had three ear flops in a row. She ran faster searching for her friend, that was the Pinkie Sense for a friend it trouble. She ran and ran her endless energy supply was starting to become depleted she felt empty. She was forced to slow down, “What happened? This has never happened before.”

“One who never slows down never sees what life has to hold for them. They never slow down for those who need her... Hehehe.” Pinkie then saw somepony round the corner up ahead she chased after it she was happy to just see anypony.

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Rarity walked through the streets she was concerned for her friend but she knew she would be alright so there was no need to get sweaty for the whole occasion. She tried to think like Twilight where would I go or hide? She went to check out the quill and scroll shop and no one was there. She checked a few other shops that she thought Twilight might go into all closed. She wondered where the pony might be at this time of night. Everything was closed, absolutely everything and nopony was anywhere to be seen. She was confused about this but she still needed to find her friend. “She who needs everything correct will be disappointed when she fails. The difference is she must be able to pick herself back up... Hehehe.” Rarity was caught off guard but could have sworn she saw a white and purple pony run around the corner.

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Rainbow searched the whole town nopony was anywhere she was searching for her friend any of them really and found none. “Twilight, Fluttershy, Pinkie, Rarity, Applejack!” Nopony could hear her nopony was even around to hear her she started to grow desperate. She searched everywhere every shop, house, gathering place, everywhere. No one was around, “where did everyone go? Did I miss something?” Rainbow flew over the town and found nopony anywhere.

“What does loyalty do when no one is left to be loyal to?” A course voice spoke in her head and she wondered where it had come from. “Listen Rainbow you are now a part of the test. You must not drink any alcohol no matter what happens that is the only rule. If you do not pass then you will relive the memory for the rest of your life every minute of every day. Think of this as a challenge Rainbow you love to compete. If not think of this as rehab with great challenges and a lot of pain. That is the last I can tell to you goodbye Rainbow and good luck.” As soon as the voice left she had the memory forced into her mind she watched it play like a move.

She thought of what the voice was saying then headed to the bar. She wasn’t about to give in yet but, she might get some more answers there she didn’t know. She walked through the door to find her bar tender he looked... different. He had a huge grin on his face he never smiled never he had been in the war; seen things nopony could have ever wanted even on their worst enemy. “Welcome, Rainbow Dash,” now that was weird he spoke... warmly and welcoming. “ You are just on time. Here's the deal: you get to go back to that day. Every time you want to go back just ask me there’s a catch though, every time you go back you gain more of a need you’ll have to get rid of it. If you know what you mean.” He said with a wink, “same rules as before apply got it? Oh ya I’m allowed to answer a few questions as well.”

“Uh, okay, Shot,” Rainbow spoke very slowly at first. “What the hay, is going on?”

“You are currently part of ‘the test’.” He spoke coldly that was the only thing that was normal about him right now. This was weird just... strange she felt like she had been teleported to some strange new universe and everything had gone screw ball.

“What is the test?” Rainbow was confused and had about a million questions.

“It is a test designed to help you learn something I am not allowed to tell you what.”

“How do I ‘win’?”

“You must learn what you have been sent here to learn, once again I am not allowed to tell you what that is.”

“What happens if I lose?”

“Your friends will all leave, your memory will fester in your mind, you will become cold and uncaring, and you will become your own personal nightmare.” That made Rainbow stop in her tracks she had no idea it was this serious. This contest would make her or break her as a person.

“What can I expect when I get there?”

“You will relive that day as many times as it takes for you to either ‘win,’” he said it nearly sarcastically. “Or, you drink.”

Rainbow was done with the questions she had been over this in her head a million times she knew exactly what she had to do. “Do it.” Rainbow said determined to beat the game.

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Fluttershy was flying over the Everfree Forest searching for her dearly beloved pet. Angle Bunny was nowhere to be found no little cotton ball she loved that rabbit. “Where did she go?” Fluttershy didn’t know if she would even be able to go into the forest to help her friend. She was so terrified of the forest she would shriek even if a tree moved in the breeze. “Why am I such a scaredy pony,” she wondered to herself. She knew she would do just about anything for her friends but she was scared all the time.

“Kindness is a virtue many can lack.” Fluttershy nearly screamed, “listen Fluttershy, you are now a part of the test. You must learn to face your fears even if you don’t want to. Fears a weakness it can be exploited to hurt you or your friends. Your goal is to find your friend there you have one hour. The only rule is no flying you’re going to have to walk through the forest. I suggest you land now. If you fail your fear will engulf you it will consume you it will become you.”

“Wait! What’s going on here?” Fluttershy frantically asked. “What am I supposed to do? What do you want? What does consumed by fear mean?”

Her wings seemed to evaporate she fell toward the ground moving faster and faster screaming the whole way. She managed to crash into branches on her way down each felt like a whip. It stung and the pain was almost unbearable but it probably saved her life. She hit the ground with a dull thud and struggled to her feet, every part of her body ached. “I... I guess I’m supposed to find Angle,” she ran her gaze over everything searching for something to hurt her or harm her. She saw nothing and eventually set out on her way to find her small friend, “I hope Angle’s ok.”

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Applejack ran faster than she had during the Running of the Leaves she pushed herself beyond what she thought she was capable of. She had the fear of god running through her veins and it felt like fire. She could smell something big burning she didn’t want to admit what she thought it was as she pushed herself father. She was almost around the last corner she was almost there she could put it out it would be fine she kept telling herself.

“Honesty is as good to you as others.” Applejack was too upset to really notice, “Listen Applejack you are not a part of the test. Those who are truthful to other have to be more truthful to them. The hardest way to accept a bad truth is to hear it from yourself. You have to learn to stop lying to yourself AJ; or you’ll never be able to tell anypony the truth again not even yourself.”

Applejack didn’t have time to pay attention to silly voices in her head she had to get to the farm. “Faster Applejack faster!” She was yelling at herself she knew she needed to help them. She was there she rounded the corner and looked up expecting to see the barn engulfed in flames. She finally figured out what that crazy voice was talking about as she looked up to the same turn she had just taken. She stopped and started to turn around only to see the same thing in the other direction. She screamed in anger, “What duh ya think yer doin’!? Lemme help mah kin!” She ran toward the same turn and took it only to reveal the same mirror effect. “Lemme go!” She was furious more so than she had ever been in her entire life.

She ran and ran taking the turn over and over nothing seemed to change. She began to think how to go around this obstacle and came up with nothing. “Think Applejack, What would Twilight do?”

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Pinkie ran after her friend as fast as she could and was catching up. "Twilight!" Pinkie chased after her friend as quickly as possible. "Why is she running away? Does she think this is a game?" Pinkie was confused but needed to catch her friend. She was gaining on Twilight she would catch her soon. Around and around Twilight ran with no specific direction. Twilight took one corner especially hard and ran into the town hall building Pinkie seconds behind.

"Laughter is not always the best medicine." Pinkie froze with hoof on the door, "listen Pinkie you are now a part of the test. You seem to enjoy fun things because you have had a very hard life before Ponyville. Sometimes you have to be serious. Laughter can fill the cracks but you need to repair them." Pinkie was confused.

She looked around to who had said these things to her but found no pony. "What is that support to mean?" She wondered thinking back to her farm the good and bad times. She loved her parents and sisters very much. Her dad always pushed her to do better. Her mother taught her to be lady like. Her sisters had taught her to play pranks.

She always felt she had been close to her family though they always did was felt like the hardest work in Equestria. Her father always told her somepony had to do why not them. She snapped back to reality, "I need to find Twilight!"

She burst through the door and saw Twilight. She gave her a sickly smile and went into one of the side rooms. Pinkie had a bad feeling as she approached the door. She though back to what she had heard and that strange smile. She slowly opened the door and her mouth dropped open at what stood before her. "H-h-how?" She simply stared at what was behind that dreaded door.

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Rarity chased after her sister around the corner, “Sweetie belle!” She was concerned because she was supposed to be spending the night with Scootaloo. She was wondering what was going on as she chased her younger sister street to street. She rounded the corner to find Scootaloo now running from her. “What is happening?” She wondered as she ran to her sister’s friend who also turned and ran from her. They seemed to be playing a trick on her and she wondered what they were planning as she rounded the corner to see Applebloom. She was starting to get angry as she chased after the new pony.

“Generosity is not always as easy as it seems.” Rarity was too overly concerned with the three ponies but, still listened a bit. “Your selfishness led to a big mistake. That’s why you give so much to your friends and to your sister. You gave everything to the flame and have nothing left. You can’t just give everything away or you become hollow. You can feel it grow to consume you leaving nothing but ash left.”

Rarity stopped dead in her tracks. She knew what this voice was talking about something she had tried to keep from everypony. She had tried but one of the people in her life knew, and only one. She had tried to avoid it all this time-

“Your dumb big sister.” Sweetie belle had the strangest look on her face she had ever seen. It was like she had a smile that said: run, stay, and hide all at the same time. “What, sis? Is there a problem something you need to get off your chest?” Rarity opened her mouth to say something and Sweetybelle took off like a shot. “You’ll have to catch me first!”

Rarity charged after her sister tears streaming from her eyes. “What is happening?” echoed over and over in her mind like yelling in a glass box. It seemed to reverberate from every angle no matter what she tried to get it out of her mind.

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Rainbow’s head felt like it was going to explode every part of her body ached her mind seemed to have a fog thicker than cake batter. She was vaguely aware she wasn’t in Ponyville anymore. More like being thrown through air at about a million miles a minute. She shook her head and started to fly up her vision was still blurred. But she was back never the less she knew what was happening. Her stepfather had just tried to kill her.

She had not liked him since day one her used to beat Rainbow’s mother. She remembered that day the first day he seemed like he was nice nothing out of the ordinary.

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“Rainbow!” The voice of a pony who had found a light in a dark tunnel. That tunnel was their life she had been running out of time on the mortgage and she was struggling to keep food on the table. Rainbow couldn’t afford most of the school supplies needed most ponies wouldn’t even look at her. Thank god for Fluttershy or she would have been out of school. “I have somepony I want you to meet!” Her mother broke through the hate and loathing that was in her head at that moment.

Rainbow trotted down the stairs head hung low and not wanting to comply with her mother’s demands. The light was brighter than she would have liked. It clashed with her currently black mane and grey coat. “Rainbow I told you not to dye your mane again.” Helena, her mother, sighed but continued, “I want you to meet Jack.” A stallion gave her a bright smile. He wasn’t even a pegasus he was a unicorn they had started to become more and more popular up here. His eyes seemed endless and void they were a dark blue that seemed to have little beyond except for thought. His coat was dull grey like concrete and his mane was a jet black cut very short. He didn’t even have a mark which Rainbow thought was weird. His grin looked like it had been cut out of a magazine it seemed to shine brighter than light.

“Hey,” Rainbow was distant Couldsdale may have been her home but she was not dumb enough to trust everypony. She didn’t recognize this one though he seemed... off like he didn’t belong. He was the piece of the puzzle that didn’t quite fit it may have been close but it never actually did. Something was definitely different from this pony he seemed like her understood things normal ponies would not.

“Hello, it’s great to meet you.” His grin holding strong and his voice powerful and commanding. “Your mother has told me a lot about you.”

“Cool,” Rainbow was not one for small talk. She didn’t like talk of any kind for that matter she didn’t like people. She had one friend Fluttershy other than that Cloudsdale was nothing to her. Nothing was anything to her. Her life was just a hole as far as she was concerned everything could go to hell. There wasn’t a point for anything so who cared life was so endless nothing meant anything to anypony.

“So Rainbow...” Her voice trailed off and Rainbow could take a guess at what was coming next. “He’s going to be... moving in at least for the time being.” Not abnormal her mother had many cultfriends since her dad. She really didn’t mind having them around she simply knew not to get attached because they usually left shortly after.

“I just know we are going to get along just great Rainbow.” Something felt off again but Rainbow shrugged it off as she headed back up stairs.

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The wedding was a small one nothing too fancy just a few ponies friends of her mother. Rainbow’s only friend didn’t like social gatherings. Jack didn’t seem to have too many friends he had moved from a country mostly in anarchy at this point. The wedding went off without a hitch no big disasters. Rainbow was somewhat disappointed about that part she loved to pull a good prank. Her mother had spent what seemed like an eternity last night begging not to pull any pranks and she finally agreed if for no more reason than to sleep.

They all sat around at the ceremony, then ate cake and danced, and then left. Nothing special, nothing big it was just a run of the mill low budget wedding. Rainbow was half expecting the whole thing to just blow over when she woke up the next morning. That however would seem to not be the case and it seemed that they would be ‘together forever’ in her mother’s words. Rainbow could careless she was almost done with school and could leave forever.

Then everything changed he seemed more distant even more than usual. He and his mother had a long fight it was more of a yelling contest. Then she heard it a single slapping noise it seemed to echo over everything. Her mother fell silent she simply was simply defeated something in her had snapped she didn’t care anymore she knew right then how dangerous Jack was. She took it for two years for Rainbow she had failed in her step-father so now all she could do was try to keep her safe. It worked for two years Jack never even seemed to look at Rainbow he simply beat on her mother. Rainbow was more than usually locked in her room during the whole time even if she tried to break the door down it was enchanted.

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Then, that day came that terrible day when everything about this strange pony had become clear. He came home a little later than usual it was almost two years on the dot a little over by about a month. He was furious he had just lost his job because he had an early beat down session on Helena. He of course blamed her for the whole ordeal he was so furious he forgot to even enchant Rainbow’s door almost a big mistake. He hit her harder than usual only twice before he was hit in the back of the head. He fell to the floor head spinning and even more enraged. He turned to face Rainbow her courage immediately gone. A single hard hoof print was left on her face as her head hit the cabinet she was knocked into. The next thing she knew she was falling.

She screeched toward her house. The mistake she had made the first time around was that she had tried to get her head in order. She knew she had to just get back and everything would be fine she could save her mother and they would both flee to Ponyville. Everything was fine and even if she had to fight that son of a bitch she would.

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Fluttershy practically jumped from tree to tree. Every move seemed to be eons away from the next. Hiding behind each one she was so deathly terrified she shook violently. Each breath a gasp but still the forest didn’t make a noise. Her teeth were chattering so badly they could probably be heard from nearly ten hooves away. She didn’t want to keep going but she knew she had to. Angle though he was tough but he was just a bunny he would need help to get out of here. She felt like just collapsing and waiting for all this to go away but she knew she had to keep going.

“Boo!” Fluttershy jumped higher faster than even Rainbow Dash could take off. She was running she didn’t care what she was running from she was just running. She ran farther and farther into the forest until she couldn’t run anymore she collapsed deeper in the forest than anypony had ever gone before. She found a cake that was just big enough to hide in and she did she couldn’t run anymore even if whatever it was that had scared her was right on top of her. “You sure can run!”

She used the last of her strength to slowly turn herself expecting death or certain doom. She saw nopony there who was it that was talking then? She looked all around but found nothing out of the order. “W-w-w... who’s th-there?” Fluttershy was praying she didn’t hear a response.

“I’m your mind... well more like your subconscious... sort of. I wasn't told what part of your mind I am I was told I just need to... enlighten you?” The voice sounded like her own but it was a little bit duller like when she had been changed by Discord.

“O-oh okay, so what are you... enlightening me on?”

“Your very kind Fluttershy but- I’m not allowed to tell you... sorry! I just want you to know that I exist and I’m going to try to hurt you.” The voice simply sounded... happy about this.

“W-what?” Fluttershy was startled hearing this from her own head. Why would she want to hurt herself and then not tell her why?

“Well more like I’m going to try to get you to hurt yourself and your friends.” The voice seemed completely unfazed by what it was saying. “It’s for the best... apparently.”

“Why?!” Fluttershy screamed at the top of her lungs.

“Well... I’m... not... allowed... to... tell.” It definitely seemed to be getting orders from somewhere. “I am sorry I have to lie to you or is it me?”

“O-oh well that’s okay I guess.” Fluttershy felt like she had just had all her sense slapped out of her. She didn’t know what to make of this whole thing. She simply sat for a moment thinking to herself. “So how does this work?” She asked after about three minutes of thinking.

“Okay here are the rules: I can’t tell what you’re thinking, you can’t tell what I’m thinking, and I’m going to try to control you. The deal is that I am going to do everything in my power to hurt you and your little bunny friend.” The mean part of her was nearly laughing. “Oh yeah, and I know where the bunny is you have to to convince me not to harm the bunny by the time we get there or you fail ‘the test’.”

Fluttershy thought of what this meant for about a minute. “What is ‘the test?’”

“It’s a test to... I’m not supposed to tell you. And your next question will be who is holding this test am I correct?” Fluttershy simply nodded. “And I’m not allowed to tell you that either.” She kept Fluttershy was being kept in the dark for a reason though she didn’t know why. Nothing made sense anymore the whole world had been turned upside down. She didn’t know what to say or how to begin.

“Shall we begin? If you have no more questions that is.” The other part of her seemed to start getting annoyed a little.

“Um... I guess so...” Fluttershy was trying to brace for whatever came next she had no Idea what was going to happen. She was terrified that she would do something she would later regret and would never forgive herself for.

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Applejack ran turn after turn after turn there was no way out of this mess. The hills of both side were too steep to climb. That was strange as well they were not normally that tall either. There was something going on here and she was determined to figure out what after she saved the barn. She just had to keep running faster and faster. She was pushing herself more than the Falling of the Leaves but, she knew she couldn’t keep it up for long and she would start to slow down soon. She gasped for air each step felt like she was moving a mountain.

“You seem to need some help.” Applejack was focused and hardly noticed the voice that was now speaking to her. “Applejack you’d better think smarter not harder.” It sounded like Big Macintosh but he wasn’t fast enough to keep with her at this speed. She finally stopped and looked around but no pony was there.

“What the hay?” Applejack was confused and was about to start running again.

“Listen Applejack you have to work smarter not harder.” It was definitely Big Macintosh but he was nowhere to be seen. “I’m not allowed to tell you a lot but, your workin’ harder than ya need tah.”

“And what the hay is that supposed to mean?” Applejack was confused and was getting angry. “What am I supposed to do?” She was getting more and more upset. She was tired, confused, determined, and afraid.

“Remember what the first guy said I can’t tell you more and I have to go... I’m sorry AJ. Get out safe.” And just like that Big Macintosh was gone.

“Great... just great... now what am I supposed to do?” She tried to remember what the voice had said. Her head was turned upside down the world seemed to be crumbling beneath her. She was trying to cling to the last shred of anything that made sense. “What is happening?” She wondered what she had to do. She was lost in her own head searching for answers.

She searched her memory and remembered what, for the most part, the voice had said. “How the hay is that supposed to help me?” She tried to think but everything made it nearly impossible. A combination of: the smoke, the worry, the anger, and the fear made thought nearly impossible. She took a few deep breaths trying desperately to clear her head. She eventually sat down and kept breathing deeply nothing seemed to work. She decided to try and think through the problems around her.

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Pinkie was staring into the thing that rocked her to her very core. She had so many emotions flood her at once; the biggest being dread. She was staring at the one thing she had never expected to see again: her parents. She had learned to smile on the rock farm but, she had left after he parents had passed. They were only about a years apart they just... got old. Her father had died in his sleep very peacefully. Her mother’s heart had given out when Pinkie was out getting ready for her birthday party that was just a week away.

They didn’t have any other relatives and only a few friends so the funeral was small her sisters stayed to run the farm. About three months later Pinkie felt that it was her time to move on. She wasn’t much for grieving and she had become nearly completely gray. She had hair flatter than a table top. Nothing seemed to bring her joy anymore she was just going to walk she decided. Just walk and walk till she couldn’t walk anymore that was the plan. She had given up and at least her sisters wouldn’t have to mourn for her as well.

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She had never actually expected to find a new home she expected to just walk forever. Pinkie was never any good with grieving she had just started to get over her dad when her mom passed. She had that guilt hanging on to her forever never expecting to get rid of it. Her parents would have been so disappointed.

She finally collapsed after about three days of walking. She managed to roll onto her back and stare at the sky it was so beautiful. The clouds were like cotton balls and the blue was so clear to her left. To her right the moon was about to sprout and the sky was a wonderful orange and red. If she squinted it seemed like the atmosphere was on fire. She started to fade into the void that was nothingness she was about to see her parents she could hear them calling her. It was all so peaceful her vision started to fade black. She felt numb but at the same time at peace was so surreal. The last thing she saw before blacking out was a ruffled and messy main, a pair of wings, she also vaguely remembered yelling.

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Rainbow had saved her life she had been flying from Cloudsdale to find a home and ponyville was the only place around that had a hospital it made sense. “Pinkie Diane Pie,” her mother was first to speak it seemed weaker than it had in life. “It’s been so long since we have seen you, how have you been?”

Pinkie didn’t know how to respond at first. “U-u-u-uh h-hi mom and dad,” her father gave her a nod that wasn’t cold he just never seemed to talk.

“We need to talk Pinkie.”

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“Sweetie belle!” Rarity ran and ran as fast as she could after her sister no longer concerned for Twilight or for herself for that matter. The guilt seemed to be pouring out of her. She remembered how she was never there for her sister when she really needed her. When her parents left on their very first trip and how Sweetie belle had been so sad she was younger than she had even been now. She wanted to help with everything and Rarity had just shoved her aside.

For a whole month after Sweetie belle said nothing to anypony. She just sat in her room and did nothing. She had been crushed she barely ate it was like she had given up. Rarity had done nothing to help either she had been so busy that month she hadn’t even noticed. Her parents informed her about a week after she had started to eat and speak again. She had felt horrible about it she had crushed a little filly and didn’t know how to make it up.

She was now chasing the same Filly who was running the opposite direction and had no idea how she was going to even start to apologize. She was just going to have to try; Sweetie belle really looked up to Rarity because their parents were gone so much of the year. They were always gone because of work or for recreation. She had never been much of a sister or a role model for anypony especially her sister.

Sweetie belle was important to her though she didn’t act like it she was very proud of her sister she was ambitious and she was determined. She was like herself at that age though she didn’t seem to understand design too well even though Rarity did. She seemed more like a singer just a little too shy. She was determined to make it up to her sister even if she didn’t know how she would figure something out.

They went around and around and around the town up ever street at least twice and they were then headed out of Ponyville. Rarity hardly noticed all she could even concern herself with was catching up with the smaller unicorn, and she was doing just that. She would be able to catch her sister using magic soon and then they would talk whether or not she liked it. She was about to be in range in about thirty seconds. Sweetie belle glanced over her shoulder and gave her sister that same sickly grin.

Rarity was determined and she knew whatever was happening for whatever reason Sweetie belle was not going to make this easy on her. She was finally able to cast a levitation spell o her sister cursing at herself for not practicing this spell from father distances. She didn’t want to hurt her after all. As gently as she could, she lifted her sister off her feet. “Now then Sweetie belle I have something I need to apologize to you for.”

“I don’t think so,” Sweetie belle said. Her horn flared a pink color and the levitation field was broken. Rarity was baffled she couldn’t cast magic yet! She was too young she would have just gotten a small sputter of sparks out of her horn. Rarity was now confused on top of everything. “Surprised, sis?” Sweetie belle said with a mocking tone. “You’re not going to get away that easy.” she said as she dashed off again. This was going to be an all night ordeal Rarity could tel but she knew what she had to do and she couldn’t give up.

The whole world seemed to be turning against Rarity as she ran after her sister yet again. She had a bad feeling about this whole thing. She remembered the voice and was getting upset there was going to be bigger problems tonight than catching her sister. Her life was like a piece of fabric she had frayed or slit and this was going to be one of the hardest test she would ever have to take in her entire life.

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“So what is your whole plan?”

“If I told you that would be no fun at all.” His grin spread teeth showing, “you don’t want to ruin the surprise do you? I’ll just let you sit back and relax for now.”

“You said you would tell me EVERYTHING!” He took another shot, “don’t you think you have had enough for one night? I don’t even know how you are still able to even sit up right!”

“Enough? I haven’t even started. This whole ordeal is like... a match. Just a single match in the middle of the match factory. This whole place will be up in flames and then a little more when I’m done with it.” His grin spread, “figuratively speaking of course.”

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Authors note: Well there’s chapter 2 hope you liked it. This is nothing though I have some big plans for this whole story and I imagine it will be interesting. I don’t want to give any spoilers I hope you all liked it. I think this knew character is going to be pretty cool though I don’t think anyone will be able to guess at this point what he does. I will tell you this new character is very important to the plot though keep an eye on him. Most characters and places belong to Hasbro aka: The greatest company ever.

Court Jester Chapter 3: Realization

Court Jester

Chapter 3: realization

“Keep your head up kid, you’ll go far”

“Probably not the best advice given the current situation.”

The grin spread, “hehehe, probably not,” he laughed as another shot went through the window.

“Bastards got a 50. Cal.”

“Yep,”

“Probably not gonna make it,”

“Sure we will, give ‘em hell kid!”

Princess Luna awoke and rose quickly. She had not felt that kind of power anywhere for a long time. She gazed out the windows, “it’s just a coincidence,” she said. She felt nervous she didn’t know if this meant something or not. She thought about whether or not to wake Tia deciding against it. She had one last secret from her sister and decided to keep this one. It was something that would not be easily forgiven but, it needed to be kept. The last thing her sister didn’t know, the thing she needed her sister to not know.

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“Hehehe!” He placed a cigarette in his mouth he looked up at the sky. “Yep, here I am Luna it’s good to be back.” He lit the cigarette and took the first breath slowly. The taste was very sweet he always made sure they were the good kind. These were the kind of things he loved to preoccupying his time with thoughts like these that really had no point. They were all open ended never an answer to any of these. He held the match he had used to light it, it burned brightly and seemed to dance. He blew it out with a puff of smoke and laughed to himself.

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Rainbow was back, “send me back! Now I can fix this!” The weight in her heart was growing larger and larger. This was the fifth time she had failed and she didn’t know if she could keep going on like this.

“Okay you asked for it,” the bar tender seemed to be getting slightly bored.

“Do it.” Then just like that she was back falling out of the sky. Air rushed into her wings and lungs she gasped and started to fly toward her house again. She was almost at Sonic Rainboom speed when she had to stop because she was about to crash into the house. She kicked the old fashioned oak door down that was a lovely green. The brass hinges broke with a sickening crack and she charged at the stallion who as standing over her mother. She slammed him into the wall so hard she heard a snapping noise.

He fell to the ground limp Rainbow didn’t need to make sure his back was broken in about five places she had lived this before. She sat next to her mother with tears in her eyes. “M-mom,” she choked, “you're going to be okay mom! I promise.” Her mother just blinked in response. She lifter her mother onto her back and raced her to the hospital. They got there as quickly as possible and she was put into the ER immediately.

Rainbow was back in the bar; she sighed in relief but still felt the weigh grow deeper. “Hey what gives I won!”

“You really want to know what happens after?”

“Of course!”

“Here.”

Rainbow was sitting in the waiting room she calmly tried to read a magazine. She had turned down all medical care they had wanted to give to her. She was fine nothing was wrong with her just a big hoof shaped bruise on her forehead. The magazine was just for show she was so lost in her head. Was her mother alright? Was everything ok? What is going on? A doctor came into the room. He was looking for someone Rainbow prayed that it wasn’t her she didn’t know if she was ready.

He looked at her and just to double check asked, “Is there a miss. Dash here?”

Rainbow just nodded as the doctor walked over, “w-what’s the word doc?”

The doctor just looked at her at first. “How old are you kid?”

“I’m sixteen,” Rainbow was so anxious and terrified for what came next.

The doctor just sighed and looked at her. Her hair was still black it had been a lot of work to get it like that. “Your mother...” He trailed off. Rainbow just wanted him spit it out she was still clinging to some hope that everything was fine. “She... she died about ten minutes ago... There was nothing we could do... Somepony beat her so traumatically that about five internal organs were ruptured. We have some options for you but, more than likely I assume you will want to head out on your own.”

The new hit Rainbow like Celestia had dropped the sun on her. “W-wh-what?”

“You’re going to need some help getting by; my sister lives in a village... There’s some work around there look for her, her name is Ditzy.” The doctor was really trying his best to comfort her but; he also had to get back to work. “If you don’t want to get caught by child services you had better get going. I’m sorry I can’t do more for you and I know this is a hard time for you but, you need to get out of here. If you get put into child services there’s no guarantee you’ll be ok.” He was right the program didn’t work at this time it was wildly corrupt and there were many problems with it.

He put a map on the cyan pony’s lap. The doctor turned and started to walk away, “she tried to give you a message... ‘I love you’.”

With that he was gone never again to be seen by Rainbow. She just sat seeming to wait for the end of the universe. She looked up at the clock it had been about an hour when she simply got up and started to fly towards the village the doctor had talked about. Somewhere along the way she noticed a pink pony that had collapsed on the ground and was staring at the sky.

“What the hay! Nothing changed!” Rainbow was shocked. Nothing had changed she had not even been able to do anything it had all played out like a movie. “What gives?”

“You failed if you failed then that was the path.” The bar tender was smiling yet sounded distant.

“Then I want a do over from the beginning!”

He just sighed, “Fine Dash.”

She was back in that time she flew so fast this time she only didn’t start a Sonic Rainboom because she stopped at the house. Again she killed her step father unlike the first time where he was gone when she arrived. She leaped down to gather he crumbled mother and again flew to the hospital. Faster than before she pushed herself as hard as she could. The only thought that went through her head was that she must save the person she cared most for. Regret from times long ago crept in again as she reappeared in the bar.

“Starting to get it yet?” Shot seemed to be getting bored.

“No! Again!” Rainbow was furious but she couldn’t go on like this she was practically throwing herself over the bar. She had maybe two more in her if she physically held herself back.

“Here you go, be careful! I know you will have to cave soon.” Shot gave her a wink and she was back.

Faster this time she made a Sonic Rainboom and hardly slowed down as she kicked her step father and scooped up her mother. The Rainboom didn’t even seem to have fazed in the slightest as she landed through a window of the ER.

“Wow, and you were so close!” Shot was trying to push her over the edge at this point. She was about to protest and make him send her back because she was about to grab the nearest bottle. “You should really pay more attention this time. That’s all I’m allowed to say... just take it slow okay kid?”

“Fine,” and she was back it didn’t matter about his advice she had to move slower this time. She had no more will it was over as far as she was concerned. She forced the door open to find an empty this time she was so much slower than before. Looked down at her mother she was broken and was starting to lose the fight. “You're going to be okay.” She started to pick her mother up when she noticed something. Her mother was not nodding she was shaking her head.

______________________________________________________________________________

Fluttershy found herself walking deeper and deeper into the forest against her greatest of struggles. Against her will she continued though she made each step a little more labored than the one before it. “Still struggling?” The cruelty within her was obviously starting to get annoyed. “You really should give up, you’re so weak. More like pathetic really, how did you get this far in life anyway? Probably fed of your friends and made them carry you.”

Fluttershy would have been crying if she had control of her body. The voice was so mean but it was telling the truth and she had to accept that. “I know and, I’m trying to get stronger but...”

“No you’re not, you’re weak. You have never tried and your parents might have accepted you but I won’t. You are so weak and the most useless thing I have ever seen. We are almost there by the way then I’m going to kill that stupid hare.”

“No! You can’t! I won’t let you!” Fluttershy was starting to think she was going to lose this fight. She would in no way make this easy for her cruel and evil self. She tried with everything she could from where she was. She was trapped in her mind she could see but, she couldn’t control anything; it was like it had all been put on autopilot and she couldn’t take it off. She strained for anything she could at least get a hoof hold on. She tried first to get her wings under control. That failed as she seemed to be trying to get through a brick wall with a pocket knife.

“Oh, I think you made a dent in trying to get something under control there.” The voice said using her mouth and just laughed at her. It certainly wasn’t going to make this easy. “God you’re pathetic. You are a nopony you don’t do anything. Nopony likes you why are you such a failure?” The voice was really starting to break her down emotionally and physically. She was on the brink of giving up but she couldn’t for Angel. It was the only thing keeping her going she had nothing left to try and fight with.

“You’re just a big meany!” Fluttershy countered. “Who do you think you are? You are not me because I don’t act cruelly to ponies because I have been treated the same way!” She remembered the times at flight camp. She also remembered Rainbow Dash leaving suddenly. She never paid attention to the news it depressed her too much and, she was on the ground too much anyway. Her parents were supportive but also seemed disappointed.

“You really should grow a back bone its kinda fun!” The voice seemed completely unfazed, “You’re just spineless that's the whole issue here. You should just grow up, what else do you have going on?” The voice might have had a point; though it seemed like it had taken the very extreme form of that. “Guess you will just be worthless forever though.”

“I’m not worthless.” Fluttershy could only manage that a response to the cruelty she was being shown. “I have lots of things that make me helpful...”

“Such as?” The voice seemed now amused at the very thought of her being useful. “What can a spineless little nopony like you possibly do?”

“I’m an Element of Harmony and I can take care of animals very well.” Fluttershy was searching but those seemed to be her greatest achievements in life. She wasn’t sad about it she was just content she never needed more than she really needed,

“Oh yes, HOW could I have forgotten the only things you can do.” It was the most sarcastic thing she had ever heard in her entire life. “You got a metal for being useless and you take care of other worthless things.”

“I take care of other! That’s more than you can say! I have friends ponies that care about me!” Fluttershy was angry but she didn’t exactly scream at herself. “I have something that will care about me after I deal with you and get control of myself back. You will still be locked in the deepest part of my mind never to be seen again!” Fluttershy said it triumphantly. Her body stopped at this so suddenly it startled Fluttershy.

“You know what Fluttershy? You are so right you have shown me the light my entire life I have been so mean to everything I am so sorry Fluttershy you win! Here’s control of your body back.” And just like that she was in control again nothing was holding control over her head. “Please return to Ponyville and take my apology.”

“Really?” Fluttershy was thrilled she started to take off and suddenly plummeted to the ground.

“Nope!” The voice got a big laugh out of that one. “You really bought that? I mean come on are you really that Naive?”

“I still think you’re just mean!” Fluttershy was getting frustrated and she wanted to deal with this and get on with her life. She had a bad feeling this was not going to go away anytime soon though. “Can’t you just leave me alone?”

“Dear let me explain something to you: I am you. So you telling me to leave you alone is like you making part of yourself just disappear though it may be possible it can’t be done in the blink of an eye. Even then if you did then you will feel empty you would just seem to evaporate. Every part of you makes you if you take one part the rest is likely to crumble down on top of it.”

“But, you are not me you are some evil and wicked version of me.” Fluttershy simply wasn’t getting it in the other’s eyes.

It sighed, “You really don’t get it do you? I AM YOU! The other way around is also you though you chose to focus on what you are instead of your polar opposite which is me. While this is one way of being you simply could not survive without me it would be like the sun without the moon. Your mind would simply crumble upon itself. Everything seeks equilibrium it is the only way to exists. Though you seem to be nice on the outside no matter how nice you are I must be exactly as mean as you are nice. Don’t you see this is how everything in our universe works?

“From the smallest piece of matter to the very ideals that found the government to how your brain works. It’s that simple you need equality there and even if it seems out of reach it becomes clearer. If not and the differences become too large then everything falls and is rebuilt in order to try to achieve equilibrium. I don’t know how to try to make this any clearer to you.”

“I... I think I understand... How do you know these things?” Fluttershy was curious as to how it had been able to reach such a conclusion.

“When you don’t have to control a body you have a lot of time to think. Plus you think with your heart not with your brain as much so I get the logical part and you get to decide through your heart. It makes it easier for me so I figured who cares anyway?” The voice cheered up suddenly, “I think we are almost there.”

Fluttershy’s heart dropped as her body rounded to the corner to see Angel. “I won’t let you... I will never let you!”

______________________________________________________________________________

Applejack had never wished for her brother’s help more now than she did right now. She was a lost soul and she was trying to find they path home. She thought and thought how was she going to do this? She remembered something about truth from herself the hardest thing to take. She didn’t understand she was the element of honesty.

This whole ordeal made no sense how could she lie to anypony especially herself. She scowled at nothing in particular. It was like trying to go through a maze with no walls. That only made her even angrier. She was starting to get furious. She was stomping the ground every time she came to a dead end which started to be more and more. She soon almost had a beat going and was getting more and more frustrated.

“Maybe if ah’ run ah’ can clear mah head ah’ bit.” Applejack then did just that and started running down the path to no great surprise not receive that luxury. “Consarnit!” Applejack was already starting to think again as she came to halt. “Okay, think back how many times yah made that turn?” She had lost count and she was going to try her luck at digging her way through the narrow path’s steep sides.

She wasted no time and tried to dig her hooves into the side of the pass and was almost knocked backwards. The side of the hill felt like it was made out of steel. “Now that’s outa place.” She groggily said as she rose to her hooves. The air was starting to scrape her lungs and she could feel ash shredding them. It was like trying to breathe through sand.

“You seem to need a lot of help.” A vaguely uninterested and yet harsh voice spoke.

“Who in the...?” Applejack was now annoyed farther than she had been in a long time.

“Did you even listen to the message?” The voice was bored and seemed widely uninterested in everything. “It seemed pretty clear to me: ‘Honesty is as good to yourself as others. Listen Applejack you are not a part of the test. Those who are truthful to other have to be more truthful to themselves. The hardest way to accept a bad truth is to hear it from yourself. You have to learn to stop lying to yourself AJ; or you’ll never be able to tell anypony the truth again not even yourself.’

Fairly straight forward as far as I thought then again you are just a work horse.”

Applejack now knew who was talking and she turned to face the one pony she really didn’t want to see right then. The pony that was almost the exact opposite of Applejack her stuck up cousin. She even had a blonde coat and orange hair though; it was better done up than Applejack’s. She even had oranges for a cutie mark. “Hello, cuz.” Applejack said hostilely.

“Good evening, Applejack.” The reply smug and confident. “I didn’t know what that crazy pony was ranting about but, I’m here now so can you just get me out of here already?”

“I truly and deeply wish I could get you outa here cousin but the situation don’t call for it.” Applejack rolled her eyes her think skin was coming in handy again. “Seein’ as you don’t know hind or tail of this how do you suggest we go about this?”

“Do I really have to do everything? Did you even go to school like at all?” She was starting to scrape against that thick skin pretty hard.

Applejack then giggled to herself, “Ya know the funny thing is I didn’t even go to school as much as yah’ but; I probably know a whole lot more than you. Cuz the little I did go to school I paid attention unlike y’all” She thought back of the nearly a year she spent in Manehatten she had learned a lot in the school. Much more than the pony in front of her right now anyway.

The other pony simply scoffed Orange was good at that at least. “Ya, obviously you can’t even talk right... y’all,” she mocked.

“Ya know cuz, if yah weren’t such a stuck up pony you might see that fer y’all self.” Applejack knew she could easily out work, fight, and think her cousin she had proved it on a number of occasions. Just because she had pretended to be an Orange didn’t make school any easier for her. She learned to survive her kind there and she could easily beat her in almost any contest.

“As if.” the other pony dismissed everything with a single remark. Applejack knew more than enough to see that she had won the fight no matter what her cousin said. She knew that was many of their ways of dismissing a pony’s point by saying a statement that had no power but observed by others appeared to have much.

“Ya, a pony like yah would say somethin’ like that.” Applejack countered. They were in a duel of words and both side thought them self to be the winner. Applejack however didn’t have time for the world to revolve around her. “Why yah here anyway?”

“Like I said I don’t know. What can you not hear either? Somepony knocked on the door I answered he laughed weird and I appeared here.” Orange was more upset about being near her cousin than being miles from where she lived. “I think I may have to press charges: Pony Napping I have rights here!”

“Well the next time ah talk to Princess Celestia again ah’ll be sure tah tell her.” Applejack had thrown a low blow and knew it. “Yah know cuz the whole ‘work horse’ being a close friend to the princess an’ all.”

“You’ll always still be just a work horse.” She had a slight pause and Applejack was about to respond when she started up again. “But, anyway that pony said something about how you are lying to yourself and so stop it and let me go home already.”

Applejack sighed, “Ah really wish ah could send yah back home right now but it seems that ain’t and option considerin’ I ain’t lyin’ to anypony specially mahself. Now help me try an get outa here so ah can save the barn!”

“Is that all you can think about is that stupid barn? It would be better if it just burnt to the ground.” She had just enough time to give a triumphant look to Applejack before she was almost eating dirt. “D-did you just hit me?!”

“Yep! You want another one? Jus’ make another remark ‘bout the barn again an ah’ll be happy to oblige yah.” Applejack was unable to shake almost anything off; unless there was a possibility her family was in danger. Then she would sure as sugar resort to fighting and fighting dirty. That just another one of the many skills she had learned at that preppy school.

“You just really don’t get it do you cousin? The barn isn’t going to be all right that's the whole test you have to admit it and I know that will just eat you up.”

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“How have you been Pinkie?” Her mother asked she still cared at least. They even seemed a little shocked to see their daughter.

“I’ve been fine mom how are you?” Pinkie was still in shock over seeing her parents that had been dead for about five years now. She had missed them very much but, the farm wasn’t meant for her.

“I have been fine...” The conversation was very awkward after all two of them were dead. It was to be expected that it would be strange at first.

“That's... Good. How about your dad?” The small talk was more like minuscule talk.

“Fine.” Her dad put things simply. He was a very basic pony he never sugar coated anything. He even seemed awkward about the whole thing he was always to the point. He had lightened up in his later years but he wasn’t exactly the closest pony. He was always distant.

“Pinkie I think it’s about time we really talked... About everything.” Her mother was always right to the point as well. She usually was nicer about things than her father though she put things down more gently.

“Um... Okay what do you mean?” Pinkie started to hide behind her very strait and gray hair. She knew what her parents mean but she was trying to avoid the subject. She didn’t like the idea of her and her parents having this conversation. It needed to be said now that she was able to talk to them for the last time.

“You know what! Pinkie I’m not angry I’m not even disappointed.” Her father really meant what he said he was mad because she had lied more than... other things. “Pinkie I have been gone for awhile now and I know this is weird but you shouldn’t lie to me anyway.”

“Pinkie your father has a point we have been gone for a little bit but, we still love you.” Pinkie got a little poofier as her mother told her that. “See there’s my filly,” her mother smiled brightly at her. Pinkie started to grin a little.

“Okay mom, what do you want to talk about?”

“Well let’s start with how we are sorry we had to leave you so quickly.” Her mother started and her father simply nodded. “So Pinkie we are really sorry we had to leave you but we don’t want to get your hopes up too much; we have to go again after this.” Pinkie smiled sadly at her mother, “I know it seemed cruel to leave you and your sisters alone at such a young age. It made you who you are today you wouldn’t have become an Element of Harmony.”

“I know it’s not your fault mom.” Pinkie was glad to be talking to her parents that they would be gone again soon. “Let’s just do what we can in the time we have.”

Her mother smiled one of the brightest smile she had ever seen from her. “Yes, let’s do that.”

“I’ve missed you both so much!” Pinkie was the happiest she had ever been. At the same time, she was so sad she could have died right there. She was gray and yet she still had a certain glow of pink on the edge of her mane. It was still long enough to nearly touch her hooves but at least it was starting to be pink. “So what do you want to talk about?”

“Let’s talk about what you have been doing recently.” Her father right to the point again, “We know what you have been doing. We have been... informed by a... friend of yours... Though I don’t think you know him yet, he’s delightful I assure you. But, back to the point.”

“Um, I went to live with the Cakes after you passed and I’ve been there for about five years now.” Pinkie thought of what else was going on, “I also still throw parties more than before even. I also have quite a few friends all over this town. I became an Element of Harmony about three years ago.” Pinkie thought that just about summed up her life from a brief perspective. “But, who’s this pony you’re talking about?”

“Yes, that’s very... nice Pinkie.” Her mother ignored her question, “I am proud that you found your calling Pinkie. How are your sisters doing?” She tried to avoid the subject and even Pinkie could see that. She was curious but decided to drop it.

“Um... they are fine I guess I haven’t seen them since I left the farm.” Pinkie was confused as to why her mother refused to answer her question.

“I see don’t you think you should stop by every now and again?” Her father asked in a neutral tone, “I suppose they should possibly have come to see you as well though.”

“Well, ya I guess dad,” Pinkie felt she had disappointed her parents and gray slightly darker.

Her father smiled, “Pinkie you haven’t disappointed me when my parents died I couldn’t go home for almost ten years.”

“It took me almost five,” her mother agreed.

“Okay, what... What do you think I should do with myself?” Pinkie asked timidly.

Her father smiled again, “Pinkie, I don’t tell you what to do.” He spoke slowly, “This is your life Pinkie you get to decide. If it’s any help I approve of what you are doing with your life.”

“I do two Pinkie, though I think you should help your friends more than you do right now.” Her father nodded in agreement.

“What does that mean?” Pinkie started to get brighter as she thought of how to have her parents approve of her.

“You need to watch your friends carefully some of them will need your help. Your strong Pinkie, stronger than you or many ponies think. Be there for your friends when they need you.” Pinkie nodded her mother had a point.

“I will mom, Pinkie Promise.” She went through the motions and made a promise.

Her father chuckled, “What are your friends like?”

“Well... One of them is a book worm, one is an animal lover, one is Equestria’s best flier, one is one of the best fashion designers I know, and one is a farmer. I have way more but those are my best friends.” Pinkie brightened thinking of them.

“Well, it’s good to see you are having fun.” Her mother had a warm smile that still seemed to be sad somehow, “I wish we could meet them. But it’s time we got serious... Pinkie...” Her mother was starting to get awkward.

“Why, Pinkie why?” Her father finished for her. The smile was gone it was quite in the room for a long time.

“What do you mean?” Pinkie had faded back to gray.

“You know what we mean Pinameana Diane Pie! Why Pinkie?” It was going to be a long conversation.

______________________________________________________________________________

Rarity was now had scratches stretching down from her shoulders to her flank. She had been chasing her sister through the forest for almost an hour now. She was exhausted mentally, physically, and emotionally. She had managed to catch her sister in her magical grasp three times now but all failed. Sweetie Belle despite her name was not making this easy on her.

“Let me just talk to you! Sweetie Belle come here!” Rarity was starting to get discouraged. She didn’t know how long she could keep up with her sister. Her sister was younger and more energetic than she was. “I am begging you dear please just come here for a second.”

“Not a chance sis!” She didn’t even appear to be tired in the slightest and Rarity knew she had to make a move if she wanted to catch her sister. “You can’t even catch me sis! You are always so lame I can’t believe you are my sister!” It stung but it was true they were hardly alike Rarity had hoped that the Sisterhooves Social had fixed that but they were still mostly incompatible. They did enjoy spending time together but they didn’t like many of the same things.

“It wasn’t negotiable!” She yelled as she started to cast her last chance spell. “You are going to stay put young lady and we are going to talk!” With that the spell crackled to life and a cage swallowed Sweetie Belle up and locked her inside.

“No fair!” Sweetie Belle seemed discouraged at this she had no way to escape after all. This was advanced magic and Rarity thanked Celestia it worked because she now dropped to the ground next to the cage. She was completely out of energy she had spent the last of it on that spell.

“It didn’t have to be dear, that wasn’t a part of the deal.” Rarity was breathing heavily and she was covered in sweat. She had some idea she looked terribly right now and she sighed at that realization. “You were quite hard to catch my dear now: why are you running from me so bad from me?”

“I felt like it. Do I have to explain myself to you every time I take a breath of air?” Sweetie Belle was being unusually hostile Rarity was taken aback by the ferocity of the verbal attack.

“Sweetie Belle look I know I haven’t been the best sister even after the Sisterhooves Social and I’m sorry.” Rarity was sincere with her apology and she knew that alone was not enough. “Sweetie Belle I didn’t see how much a terrible sister I have been but somepony I will have to thank showed me. Though I understand you may be upset with me I want to make amends with you, if that is okay?”

“No, I hate you sis! I don’t ever want to see you ever again!” Sweetie belle’s words were cutting deep. Rarity felt each word like it was an actual blow from her sister.

“Well then Sweetie Belle perhaps you can listen while I talk for a while?” It was a rhetorical question and before Sweetie Belle could protest Rarity had started. “I was a lot like you when I was your age though I didn’t have a sister. I was very lonely I didn’t have a whole lot of friends it was just me and the fabrics for a while. I tried to make friends but I never got good at it so I was all alone in the world and I threw myself into my work to try and compensate.

“It worked which was not a good thing in retrospect but I am now a better designer because of it. Then Pinkie moved in with the Cakes she saw how much of a loner I was and had a really good idea.”

______________________________________________________________________________

“Welcome to Carousel Boutique! How may I help you this fine day?”

“I was wondering if you were free today?” The pink pony seemed to be ecstatic about something though Rarity was unsure what.

“Um, who are you?” Rarity was caught off guard but such a strange question from some she didn't know.

“Just meet me at the spa at about four okay? I promise it will be TOTALLY fun!”

“Um, okay I guess I can be there at around four.” Rarity had no idea what to expect but decided to show up anyway she needed a friend.

About two hours later Rarity arrived at the little spa Ponyville had. “Nothing special just the basics and then I will just be in and out.” Rarity had a little work she needed to get done anyway.

She walked into the spa and was greeted immediately by the owner, “How may I help you?”

“Oh, I am here to spend some time with a... friend.” Rarity was slow to use the word partially because she really didn’t even know that pony. She really only knew that her name was Pinkie Pie or something like that.

“Oh, yes I think I know which one!” She was then led into another room. She looked up to not see a pink pony but a yellow one. There was a long silence and the owner left.

“Um... Hi.” The other pony was very quiet and Rarity barely heard her as she spoke.

“Uh, so who are you,” Rarity was caught off guard by this unknown pony. She was a pale yellow and had pink hair. She seemed to be even more timid than Rarity.

“Oh, I am uh... Flutter....” She trailed off a little bit. “Fluttershy!” She exclaimed like she had just remember her name.

“Okay... I am Rarity I seem to just have been placed in the wrong room I’m afraid. I’ll just go correct that problem.” She turned to leave the room.

“Um no I don’t think you are... Were you here to meet Pinkie Pie?”

“Um, yes how did you know?”

“Because... She sort of... Set this up...” Fluttershy was nervous. “She both saw we kind of needed some friends and neither of us had any so...”

“I see well it is a pleasure to meet you Fluttershy.” She stuck her hoof out to shake and after a moment of careful observation she took it. “Shall we have a good time with or without Pinkie?”

______________________________________________________________________________

Twilight stumbled out into the street, “hehehe there you are!” She laughed.

The stallion nearly dropped his cigarette as he tried to hold back his laughter, “How many more did you have?”

“I don’t know like five or six?” It was more a question as if he would know.

“Um... I think we better get you home.” He no longer tried to contain his laughter. He stood back up only to be forced to sit back down. “Uh, oh.”

Twilight giggled, “Uh, oh!”

He snickered, “Looks like it’s going to be an interesting walk back. It’s about time to start heading home anyway, your friends will start to be worried.”

“Okay!” Twilight started to sway as she walked farther out of the bar. “I almost forgot about them.”

“Yep, definitely going to get much more fun.”

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“Learned anything yet?” Shot was bored now Rainbow could visibly see it he leaned on the bar. Which was a rare sight he was always standing upright. Old habits die hard.

“Ya, pour me a shot... Vodka straight.” Rainbow sat on the stool next to the bar she was broken. Nothing left inside she had been consumed.

Shot only smiled sadly as he poured very slowly. “Well you’re giving up?” It was said in a sort of pity as her passed the glass to the multicolored mare. “I thought you really would have made a break through with that last one.”

“Ya, I guess not.” She stared down at the glass running a hoof around the rim but, not taking a drink just yet. “You know what would have been her last words?”

“What?” He said a little happier than before.

“‘I’m sorry.’ As she was dying in my hooves. She knew she was dying I could see it in her eyes. What does she have to be sorry for? I kept asking and I think I just stumbled on it really.” She was staring into the glass like it was a crystal ball and it had the answers.

“What is that?” He had a grin on his face that stretched from ear to ear.

“She was sorry to leave me. She knew that I would have a hard life without her. She was sorry I was leaving her we couldn’t laugh or have fun anymore or do anything for that matter. She was sorry I would blame myself for everything. She was sorry I would have to live with myself.” Rainbow stopped going around and around and around and just stared.

“So? What did you learn?” Shot was excited for the response.

“Something I already knew I just needed to hear it from the right person.” She took the glass and poured it out over the floor. “I’m sorry but, not for myself or for anyone else just that life is too short sometimes.” With that she got up and walked out of the bar without another word.

______________________________________________________________________________

“And... Who is going to stop me?” This evil version of her approached the small rabbit. It was getting her hooves ready to stomp the thing out of existence. “Like I had said before you. Are. Nothing.”

It approached the unknowing rabbit who still thought it was the loving Fluttershy. It hopped over with not so much as even another thought. It still saw its owner it could not show fear to something that it had no reason to fear.

“I will stop you because I will never let you hurt something that is innocent. Angle has done nothing to you and never will I will not let you hurt him.” Fluttershy was using the most serious tone she had ever used with anypony. “You will not hurt him or me or any of my friends because I will not let you or anypony else do that.”

“Says you.” The hoof started to fall fast it was going to kill the rabbit. It was stopped inches away from the rabbits head. “Well played Fluttershy, well played.”

“I will never allow you or me or whoever you are to hurt something that does not deserve it I may be more flexible if it deserved it. That is not the situation however and I will not let this go on any longer.” Fluttershy then pushed beyond the hoof and claimed control of all four legs then up to the neck. “Anything else you want to say before I kick you out of the rest of my body?”

“Yes actually Fluttershy, I wanted to say it is good that you won. I can see you needed to win whether or not it is my decision. My job here was not to beat you but to teach you I am sorry I had to do it in such a brutish way.” The voice was now sincere. “I hope you like your new friend, good bye Fluttershy.”

With that it was gone like nothing was ever out of the ordinary. Fluttershy stood for a minute just trying to sort this whole thing out finally she just picked up the rabbit. She looked down at the small white puff ball in her arms she stared down at the rabbit for a long time just thinking.

______________________________________________________________________________

Applejack just sat unwilling to accept it. She could still fix this somehow she could put out the fire and the barn would be fine. “How could it jus’ be gone?”

“Things like this happen.” It was said so disconnected if Applejack had been even a little more conscious she wouldn’t have been responsible for what she would have done. “We just got to move on.”

“How can you jus’ say that?” Applejack had tears in her eyes. “That farms mah whole life?”

“Because Applejack I have had to learn to rebuild things before when it seemed like nothing was left it always worked out in the end. Now get up so I can get back to my regular life.”

“I... jus’... can’t.” Applejack was broken past repair there was no point left. She was a work horse for sure but now there was nothing left to work. “What will I do without that farm?”

“Rebuild Applejack you can always fix something even if you have to replace most of it. I thought you were supposed to be the tough one in the family”

“Y-your right... ah’ll just have tah rebuild it. With Big Mac and mah friends.” Applejack was quick to recover she would just have to keep working till everything was fixed. There was a point again something to work for: a goal.

“Great now I can get out of here.”

“Your right... The Barn’s gone, nothin’ left jus’ have tah rebuild.”

She got up against the will of her legs and started to walk towards the turn again not noticing as her cousin disappeared into thin air. Each step felt like she was trying to turn the planet under her hooves. She walked around the corner slowly looking out at all the apples on the trees each apple looking like a tiny moon. She expected to see just that same turn again but, much to her surprise she saw the barn. It wasn’t consumed in fire or completely charred as she had expected.

Everything was completely fine. There was nothing out of place. It was late and all the lights were out and everypony was asleep as far as she could tell. She couldn’t believe her eyes she had expected to have to rebuild her shattered life starting from scratch. Sometimes things just seem to work out in the end.

______________________________________________________________________________

“I don’t know dad I just don’t.” Pinkie was broken her parents wanted to know the one thing she didn’t have an answer for. “I guess I had just given up.”

“It’s okay Pinkie. The fact of the matter is that you didn’t your okay. Thanks to your friends and thanks to your determination you’re going to be okay Pinkie.” Her father had never said so many words to her in such little time.

“I know dad, and I sorry.” Pinkie was very nearly out of pink in her main and coat.

“Don’t be.” It was more of a command than a statement. “I’ve been there I understand.”

“Okay, dad.” Pinkie gained a little pink but not a lot.

“Pinkie...” It was nearly a whisper. “It’s time for us to go again.” Her mother finally spoke again.

“NO!” Pinkie exclaimed, “You can’t leave me again!”

“Pinkie the work we have been sent here for is over we will miss you and we are sorry we spent so little time. We have to go though Pinkie I’m sorry.” Pinkie’s mother had tears in her eyes.

“Be strong Pinkie for us.” Her father looked her in the eye until she nodded.

“Good bye Pinkie, we love you.” Her father nodded in agreement.

Then they just slowly dissipated they just seemed to evaporate in air around her. Then Pinkie was alone all alone in the place she had thrown so many parties before. She looked around the room remembering all the fun times she and her friends had here. She walked to the door and gave the room one final look around before slowly closing the door behind her.

______________________________________________________________________________

“You and I are not really that different when we look at it.” Rarity tried to explain to her sister. “We have had similar upbringings. Neither of us have had many friends and I have not been a very good friend to you I am so sorry Sweetie Belle I really am.”

Sweetie Belle was silent for a long time before she responded. “Okay sis.” It was simple yet well put. They simply sat for a long time without talking both thinking about what they had done to hurt their sister. “I’m sorry I ran away from you.” Sweetie Belle finally broke the silence.

“No need to apologize my dear. I did deserve it to some extent.” Sweetie Belle gave her a questioning look. “I did I ran from you as a sis when I should have been there for you when you needed it.”

“But, I should have at least tried to talk to you and work things out.” Sweetie Belle sounded tired as she yawn shortly after.

Rarity chuckled to herself, “Okay Sweetie Belle, but it’s late and it’s time we got you to bed.”

“Okay sis.”

______________________________________________________________________________

“Congratulations, you have passed the test I hope this has been an eye opening ordeal for you and you learned something that was the whole goal of this ordeal. I apologize for any inconvenience to you or your friends. You should all return to the library as soon as you can because your friend Twilight is going to need some help.”

______________________________________________________________________________

Rainbow was the first on scene as she crashed through the front door of the library to find it empty. The only life there was Spike and Owlicous who both nearly had a heart attack as she raced in. “What the-”

“Hoo!”

“Where’s Twilight?!” Rainbow searched frantically for her friend as Rarity and Fluttershy both appeared in the door way.

“W-what happened?” Fluttershy timidly entered followed by Rarity who muttered something about clutter.

“Twilight’s not here she hasn’t gotten back yet!” Spike was angry because the room was now a mess right after he had just finished cleaning.

“Well then where is she?” Rainbow was frantic and she seemed like she was about to explode.

“Simmer down Sally!” Applejack followed by the somewhat still dull Pinkie Pie

“Holly Molly! You really knocked the door down again? I thought she enchanted it!”

“She did.” Rainbow had finished her search of the entire library and was not headed back outside. “It really hurt to have to knock it down again.”

They then heard a familiar and a not so familiar laugh from down the street. Everypony then turned to pursuit the source of the noise. “Ah! There you are!” Twilight was being supported and supporting a stallion as they both stumbled down the street. “Hi girls!” Her speech was incredibly slurred and they could barley understand her.

“Who is this darling?” Rarity was very curious as to who Twilight was alone with in the dark.

The stallion with the green and purple hair gave a broad smile. “Name’s Jes I am not from here per say I am with the circus.” He had a thick northern accent from somewhere around Stalliongrad if not that itself. “I met this charming young mane here and invited her to have a drink. And it seems we may have had a little too much eh?” He laughed again.

“I see.” Rarity was confused Twilight usually didn’t do things like that.

“I don’t trust him.” Rainbow whispered in the tight group of friends.

“Yah but, I don’t think we got reason to keep ‘em here against his will.” Applejack agreed.

“Well ladies I think you can handle things from here?” Jes smiled at them looking each in the eye. He then turned to Twilight gave her a kiss on the cheek and left.

Twilight giggled and yelled after the stallion who was struggling down the road. “Goodnight, Jes!” She watched him go for a little before he turned out of view, “I’m tired I want to go to bed!”

“Awe, okay Twilight if you really want to!” Pinkie was already back to her fully inflated and pink self.

They all then helped support Twilight as they got her home. She laughed to herself as she saw her broken down door. They then tucked her into bed and helped Spike clean things up. “Well, I can’t even get home I will crash.” Rainbow simply collapses on one of Twilight’s couches. The rest of her friends agreed as they all realized how tired they were and fell asleep on various pieces of Twilight’s furniture.

______________________________________________________________________________

Twilight woke up the single worst head ache she had ever had. She thought yesterday was bad but, that was nothing compared to how she felt now. “What the hay?” She rose slowly and went down stairs to start coffee to find it was already done. She took the nearest mug she could find and started to drink the dark liquid inside. It was the worst coffee she had in the library and didn’t even notice.

She sat in the chair at the end of her counter and waited for the blurred world to come into focus. It took a long time but eventually it did. She looked around the room and found there were six mugs out. She wandered back into the living room to discover everything was cover in ponies. “What the hay?” She repeated.

______________________________________________________________________________

Author’s note: I have been able to pump out a chapter about once a week and a half but, that might be about to change. You can thank Skyrim for that I am sorry for this but I will try to keep up to date. I also had to do a lot of stuff for school recently actually having to do with ponies. It was a slide show thing, thanks Prezi. I also don’t own characters or places or anything really, it all belongs to Hasbro.

Court Jester Chapter 4: Family Ties

Court Jester

Chapter 4: Family Ties

And it was over just like that. The man stayed standing for about five seconds before falling to the ground. “Good kill.” The spotter had just a wonderful way with words.

“Yeah.” I could only agree, I was utterly speechless. He was in the kill zone and I had to it was orders nothing I could do. No matter how many times it played over in my head it didn’t stick. I had just killed someone. It was one of the many that would keep me awake for the next fifty years. It seemed almost like this wasn’t real this was just some dream and I would wake up any second. It was his fault he knew not to go into the kill zone he was an enemy. And, I couldn’t explain why, that was what cut the deepest.

“SPIKE!” Twilight really didn’t want to have to deal with her friends this early in the morning with her head feeling like it was going to explode. She was searching through the house for her tiny assistant and she wasn’t finding him. She had already been irritable but now she was just plain furious. “Spike where are you?”

She spent the next ten minutes searching the library not finding a single sign of the dragon. “Where did he go?” She wondered aloud angrily. She heard a small meep and flipped around to discover she had woken Fluttershy. “Good morning,” she practically growled at her friend.

Fluttershy only meeped again and tried to hide behind her hair. “Morning,” she eventually mumbled. She didn’t seem afraid of Twilight as something she seemed to be trying to remember. She looked around the room and seemed to be even more distressed as she realized it wasn’t a dream. “D-did anything weird happen to you last night?”

Twilight who was still searching for her prey only paid a little attention by saying, “I don’t remember anything from last night.” She was giving up on looking for the little dragon. She assumed he had left to go get some groceries. “Gimme a minute to think...” She thought about all she could remember from the night before. Her mind was so foggy the only thing she could remember was getting up this morning. “I need to let my head clear for a while.”

“Oh, okay.” Fluttershy hid behind her hair again.

Dash’s snoring was still echoing through the house and Twilight was about to fix that issue as she approached the sleeping pony. She aimed carefully and landed a kick perfectly into her ribs. Rainbow was awake instantly “Who the-! What the-! How the-!” She looked up to see Twilight and knew what she was going through. “Sorry Twi, I was snoring wasn’t I?”

“Now what’s all the fussin’ about?” Applejack added to the group of friends. Rarity followed behind and was headed straight to the bathroom.

“I need you all to leave... Now.” Twilight looked at each of the friends. She then herded them out of her home without another word simply with the look on her face. It was like she was shooting fire with her gaze. They seemed to tumble before her like dominoes against a steam roller. After the last of them was gone she used to magic to fix the door and lock it in the same movement.

“Well, that was interesting.” Twilight spun to see a purple and green pony sitting on a stool in her kitchen and drinking one of the cups of coffee.

“Who the hay are you and, what are you doing in my house?” Twilight was looking for things to throw at this earth pony with her magic. It seemed she had very many if she included her books that were around. She vaguely remembered studying the day before. Her head was too throbbing to continue thinking about it.

“Oh yes you wouldn’t remember a whole lot from last night would you? My name is Jes and we are going to become simply... great friends I think.” He gave her a crooked grin his voice was very Northern. Even though he had such a thick accent he spoke Equine very fluently. “Though I imagine this is a little weird so let me tell you all you learned last night because I believe it is a thick fog, yes?”

“Celestia only knows how right you are.” Twilight was about to ask him to leave as well when he continued. She put a hoof to her head to message her temple.

“I’ll see if my associate can fix that give me a minute.” He seemed to stare at a spot on the wall for about thirty seconds. After he blinked once or twice Twilight’s head seemed to clear it was like somepony had turned on a light.

“Thanks!” Twilight could immediately think back on to what she did and did not remember. She still, much to her anger, could not remember almost anything after arriving at the bar.

“Ya... I don’t think he can fix some things but your head should be a little clearer yes?” Twilight nodded. “Okay good let’s start back from the beginning: what do you remember?”

______________________________________________________________________________

“So... Anypony notice anything weird about Twi?” Applejack was the first to speak after they had gotten back to Sugar Cube Corner.

“Like how she pushed us all out of the house so early in the morning? Ya that would be normal for what I imagine she was doing last night.” Dash knew what she was going through right then. It got quite again for a long time everypony seemed to be trying to remember what had happened last night it seemed to be blurry. Though, they all had something different buried into their memory.

“U-uh does anypony remember what happened last night...? I’m having a little bit of a gap.” Fluttershy of all ponies finally broke the silence.

“Yah ain’t alone sugar cube.” Applejack agreed with her.

“Well, I have no clue just bits and pieces.” Dash seemed discouraged

“I can’t even remember and I usually remember a lot!” Pinkie finally spoke up.

“Well, that is quite odd, I’m sure we will all remember soon enough.” Even Rarity seemed to be confused as to what had happened. “Well who knows maybe we can get Twilight to help us. Though, after what just happened I don’t think we should go just yet.”

Just then they heard a knock on the door. Everypony looked up to see Twilight walk through the door. “Sorry about that this morning girls. But, I can help you clear some things up I’m going to cast the memory spell on all of you again.” She seemed to be in a rush which was weird considering she had just forced them out of her home at the risk of being set of fire. “Let's go! Hurry up!”

“Uh, are you okay Twilight?” Dash was the first to ask but, not the first to wonder.

“Yes, yes I’m fine I just need to go get Spike as well and then continue to talk with... a new friend.” She seemed to want to not really say the last part.

Rarity then had a large smile press the corner of her muzzle. “Yes,” she seemed to have some idea what was going on. Everypony looked to her to try and receive an explanation though she seemed to try to just move the group on. “Let's go girls Twilight obviously has some plans with her ‘new friend.’ What is the stallion’s name anyway?” She received a glare from Twilight but she didn’t protest when everypony started to move.

Each received the quick spell and each seemed as amazed as the last. The memory seemed to regrow out of nothing; though it was crystal clear now. How could they have possibly forgotten that much of a crazy night? They looked to Twilight for answers but, none came. “Sorry, girls but I have to go.” Rainbow jumped up to protest but Twilight was already out the door.

“What in the hay is going on here?” Rainbow dash kicked the edge of the counter.

______________________________________________________________________________

“Lemme buy you a drink.” The strange looking pony invited her into the bar. “I promise I don’t bite, and I’ll tell you some of the things you may want to know.” He gave her a grin; he knew it was killing her inside to learn what he knew. He held his hoof up offering her the way through the door.

“Fine.” Twilight was on edge ready to use her magic the moment she needed to. She didn’t trust this pony in anyway but she really didn’t have any choice. She entered through the door he held open for her he started to snicker. “What’s so funny?”

“Hehe, you, your attitude toward this whole thing anyway even your body language says you don’t want to be here. Name’s Jes by the way.” He laughed for another ten seconds then continued. “I am sorry I have to keep you in the dark about some things but, I would like to clear some OTHER things up. First of all I, or more like we, are not the bad guys no matter what you may think. I know it looks bad for ‘us’ but, I am not the enemy.” He gave her a warm smile and continued to walk till he was at the bar then sat down.

“Okay, how can I confirm that? And I thought you would tell me everything!” Twilight was confused but she continued to listen to the strange stallion.

“What can I get for you two?” Shot walked over to the two ponies. “Twilight? Well I never expected to see you in my bar good to see you! What can I get you?” He asked again.

“Um, I take a bottle of your best vodka.” He grinned at the bar tender. “And, by best I mean strongest.”

Shot looked at this strange pony for a few seconds. He then looked back to Twilight for confirmation who just shrugged. He then grabbed a bottle from the shelf behind him and gave it to him. “Here, for you Twilight?”

“Nothing for now thanks, Shot.” He nodded and left them alone. “So, what is this all about?”

“Well, to teach you something though I don’t know if your friends are quite as successful so far.” He said it like he was telling her that he had purple and green hair.

“You have my friends?!” Twilight screeched.

“Now Twilight calm down you don’t want to make a scene, calm down. I will explain that or you don’t I leave and you learn nothing.” He had her in a bad spot; she just nodded. “Good, your friends are all currently under illusions carefully and cleverly devised by my associate. They are all taking part of some sort of test I don’t know the details. They are all fine though I admit they may take a little longer to finish than I expected.”

“How do you know all this?” Twilight wanted to take him to her home then; torture him but, thought better of it. She was starting to get testy with this stallion that had lied to her.

“You know how that pony was talking to you in your head?” She nodded, “He can do the same to me except I don’t, nor can I, fight it. So, he keeps me more or less updated.”

He opened the bottle with his teeth and proceeded to pour the clear liquid into the glass Shot had left; though she hadn’t noticed it before. He obviously had a lot of practice with such techniques in how easily he had opened and poured. Twilight was trying to process what she had just heard from this strange pony and he was trying to pour his second glass. “So, your goal is to teach us something, yes?”

“Yes, more or less.” He gulped down the second glass before Twilight even had a chance to ask another question. “Though, I don’t know what that goal is or was. He tells me only what I need to know and ONLY what I need to know. And, yes he does make me as angry as he does you.”

“So what is your whole plan?”

“If I told you that would be no fun at all.” His grin spread, teeth showing, “you don’t want to ruin the surprise do you? I’ll just let you sit back and relax for now.”

“You said you would tell me EVERYTHING!” He took another drink, “don’t you think you have had enough for one night? I don’t even know how you are still able to even sit up right!”

“Enough? I haven’t even started. This whole ordeal is like... a match. Just a single match in the middle of the factory. This whole place will be up in flames and then a little more when I’m done with it.” His grin spread, “Figuratively speaking of course.”

She just glared, “I still think you were lying to me.”

“Think whatever you want I know it’s for the best and you would know it’s for the best.” They sat silently for a long time he had another few drinks and was starting to get a good buzz going. Twilight was looking down at the bar and was thinking very hard about all this. “You look like you could use a drink.” He poured her some of the clear liquid into another glass he had just grabbed.

She stared at the glass for a long time before finally picking it up and smelling the liquid. “It’s not tainted or poisoned.” He laughed aloud at how the unicorn was treating the unfamiliar drink. She finally levitate the drink to her mouth and started to pour back the liquid slowly. She immediately spit the harsh liquid back out and slammed the glass back down. Jes was laughing harder than she had ever seen he even fell out of his chair. He laughed for another minute or so before he sat back down. If his grin had been any bigger it would have went all the way around his head.

“Why would you let me do that knowing what would happen?”

“It was funny wasn’t it? When you have seen the things I have you would understand that.” Twilight didn’t know how to respond. “I can imagine that would give you a few questions though, no?”

______________________________________________________________________________

The green and purple colt had been accepted. He had just left the recruitment office he had made it. He had waited his entire life for this moment he was ready to be a soldier. He was not the strongest or the fastest of all the ponies there but he could actually hit the targets. He walked the streets of Stalliongrad looking over the city he had known for the last twenty years of his life. It was a very standard life not a large home but, he had food and a good life he considered.

He would be sent to boot camp soon and had to make sure he had everything sorted out. First his boss and friends though, he really didn’t have too many friends to tell. No pony would be too hurt when Jes went to war or so he hoped.

______________________________________________________________________________

Basic training was about as rough as he had expected it to be though he had gotten through it without too many problems. He looked down at the tags that were dangling around his neck and knew he would come back a changed stallion. He was one of the every few earth ponies to be accepted into a crossbow division. He did not expect to get sent to active duty so quickly but, there had been a shortage in recruits.

“Hey, kid how it going?” Spot approached him. He was a red pony with red-orange hair; it was cut short like everypony else.

“Fine, comrade, yourself?” He really didn’t care but it was common courtesy.

“Just chipper. You ready for this one? First to fight a dragon in the last hundred years, eh?” He was nervous and didn’t seem like he was from around here he was too... twitchy. Ponies weren’t like that around here death was just a step in the process.

“Great, so is the stuff ready?” Jes really didn’t like this spotter but, he got the job done. That was all that really mattered for the young stallion getting the job done. It was all he cared about was getting it done and it really didn’t matter how. It just needed to get done he didn’t even know it just did. The whole platoon was marching to the front that was not even established yet.

The dragons were a proud and dangerous race they stayed close to their mountain homes. The mountains were huge compared to the small settlement that was around them. It was a tiny village more like a camp really Ponyville or something. All the ponies there moved there to try and take advantage of the rich soil and the strange apples that grew there. They had passed by the sad little village of tents about an hour ago.

The village really had no future now that it was all going to be burned to the ground. Jes checked his crossbow that was slung around his chest one more time. They were new technology but, Jes was still good at using it. No matter how many times he looked at one they looked ode. It was long, bulky, and had a ring that was around butt and was just big enough for a hoof to fit inside. You were supposed to balance the thing on a front hoof and then pull with the second. Simple enough the issue was hitting the target he had worked on it for a long time before getting it right.

“Why the hay are we even going to try and fight them?” The pony who spoke was obviously an optimist as he continued. “All that’s out here is that back water ‘village.’ who cares they will all be dead soon anyway.”

“Cheerful,” Jes commented.

“Buck you man, buck you. I don’t want to die to protect some noponies.”

“Anypony ask you?” Jes retorted, “How about we leave your flank here for some of them to eat? That’s what you want to do to them anyway.”

“Hey, they made the choice to live this close to dragon territory.” He seemed unfazed at what he was saying.

“Ya, they did. But you also made the choice to join up before the drafting started.” Jes looked at the blue pony that was in front of him his mark was what appeared to be a cannon ball. “Plus if we don’t hold them here that means they get one step closer to your house.”

That succeeded in shutting the stallion up.

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They had marched another hour before they made camp for the night. “Alright, we are at least a mile into dragon territory. Am I the only pony who thinks it’s weird we haven’t seen one yet?”

“Maybe they’re not as organized as we though?” A young stallion suggested.

“Everypony just shut up and wait for the scouts to get back.” The sergeant had such a way with words.

Everypony sat quietly after that eating what was given to them which was not a lot but, it would be hard to get supplies up here. After an hour they were beginning to get worried. Ponies started to talk about sending a patrol to look for them. Shockingly, there were no volunteers. Jes finally stood up, “What the hay I’ll go.” Spot glared at him but, got to his feet as well.

“Guess that means I’m going to.” A few others got up and agreed to go but, they were all young and looked terrified beyond belief. There were five of them when the volunteers just stopped coming. “Really? No pony else?” They all headed off in search of the lost scouts. Everypony watched for any movement as they went over the rugged terrain. It all seemed so quite especially for dragon territory.

“What the hay!” One of the ponies finally did a whispered loud enough for all to hear. “We are at least six miles in this is horse apples. Where are these dragons?”

“Shh! You hear that?” Jes heard nothing but kept his eyes open. They walked a little farther before he finally heard it. Breathing very labored breathing. He rushed to see what the problem was. He found one of the scouts his back was at an ode angle and he seemed to be bleeding from every inch of his body.

“Go... back.... camp... attack.... I’m... goner.” With that he collapsed and died. One of the unicorns pushed past the others and crouched next to him. He felt for a pulse tried to cast a spell. It fizzed up and died with a sputter. He got back to his feet and shook his head.

“Double time it! We need to get back to camp.” Jes yelled and started to run back the way they had come. He didn’t even stop to see if the others were following him. They ran as fast as they could for a half an hour straight. They finally ran around the hill to reach the camp.

The entire thing was up in flames they could feel the heat from over a hundred yards away. Flames seemed to be trying to devour the moon. They all ran into the camp looking for any survivors. They found only a few charred corpses and ash. This would be the thing that would stick with Jes no matter what. Their faces as they begged him for help and he could do nothing.

After an hour of searching for any of their fallen comrades who would be able to be saved; they found one who could have almost have been saved if he hadn’t also had a massive bite wound on his flank. “W-we need to get this back to the commander.” The spotter spoke up he was obviously traumatized his voice seemed to shake at the mention of anything having to do with war.

“Let's move!” Jes had to keep them moving. He had to keep moving had to keep his mind off of this whole thing. They walked out of the camp to find something they had not expected to find. A massive corpse that wasn’t a pony. They had actually done it. They had killed at least one of them there was a cheer amongst the group. “There we go.” Jes thought.

The cheer was short lived as they were quitted by Spot who had seen something moving. “Just there,” he said, “Right under the tree, far right.” Jes leaped down crossbow already aiming that direction. He looked down the crude sight to see what his friend saw. A huge scaled wing he aimed a little right; where the heart would be and put hoof in the guard. He breathed in and slowly started to let it out.

He stopped as he saw a second pair of wings. His heart started to beat about a million times faster. He tried to get his breathing under control again as he started to move the bow from each heart back and forth slowly and steadily getting ready for a quick double. Spot getting ready to replace the bolt. He froze again a third and fourth pair appeared. It was going to be a long war.

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“It all went downhill from there.” Jes wasn’t smiling anymore he looked down at the drink in his hooves. “That's where I learned to drink that stuff. It may not taste good but, it’s better than reliving it over and over again. Spot died later in the war we were on a supply run when we were ambushed. I had told that crazy colt not to make any noise no matter what happened. He took the thing down but, it burnt him bad. He died in my hooves.

“He died defending me... we were in a pass and the thing was about to find me. He started shooting and yelling. It turned about five seconds from finding me Spot hit him right above the heart. The last thing it did was burn him right across the face. I had been motioning for him to stay put and stay quite. He never did like taking orders from me.

“The rest of those who were with us died I think. I know one of them died on the way back... another ambush. I didn’t keep track of the rest of them it was a bad part in my life. I made a few other friends in there but became distant after Spot I didn’t know who was going to survive. I stayed away from everypony became quite and was for quite awhile after the war. It was... tough... not a whole lot of fun. So I joined up with these guys in the circus because it was something to do and worked my way up from janitor.”

Twilight remained silent for a long time she looked down at the small glass in her hooves. “Fill it up.” She said it so quietly Jes almost didn’t hear her. He might not have been sure if she hadn’t lifted the glass up.

“Here,” He laughed again as he grabbed the bottle and started to pour the harsh substance slowly. “Don’t share my guilt Twilight and don’t share my grief. It isn’t good for you.” He gave her a big smile but, even Twilight could see it was hollow. He looked her right in the eye intently though as if he could read her mind.

“Ya, I know but, I... Just want a drink... I don’t know why.” Jes gave a real smile and chuckled a little to himself. Before she could argue with him.

“So what’s your story Sparkle?” He leaned back a little bit on the stool. He took another drink and eased himself in for a long tale.

“Um... Not a lot I just grew up in Canterlot with my parents. I applied to Princess Celestia’s school for gifted unicorns at about ten. That's when I hatched Spike and became Celestia’s Protégé. After that I was having trouble getting along with anypony and then she sent me to Ponyville and now I’m here.” She smiled to Jes sheepishly. She looked down at her drink and was about to swallow it when Jes laughed.

“You’re a bad liar.” He now had a very crooked grin and showed his teeth a little. “What’s your story Sparkle?” He repeated it, again looking her in the eye.

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Twilight had always been very close to her grandmother. She had been the one to help Twilight cast her very first spell. She was too young to understand when her parents said she was going away forever. The only thing she really remembered was with her family and they were all dressed in black. Her family was all very supportive of her and Twilight was sad because she would never get to see her grandmother again.

They had all gathered in a big field filled with fresh and beautiful green grass. It was so peaceful and quite some ponies had flowers. She had only a few friends and the family wasn’t very big. So there were not very many ponies at the funeral to begin with and ever fewer speaking. Her parents received little in the will of her grandmother but, Twilight had received almost an entire library. Her parents never said anything about and simply moved all the books into her room.

She had read and reread everyone at least ten times before she even ever heard of the Canterlot Library. She spent a lot more time with her books even before she was supposed to be making friends. She never really improved at making them until she moved to Ponyville. Though no matter how much time she spent in the library she never truly got over her grandmother. She still couldn’t stand to even have a picture in the library.

She remembered all the times she and her Grandmother had spent together. She had always pushed her to do the best she could and then a little more. She was also a good teacher not the best Twilight would ever have but, good none the less. She was one of the most influential figures in Twilight’s life and, she was gone just like that. Took her a while to get over it but, she poured herself into learning as much as she could about magic.

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“Not as good as yours but, it’s what happened. I don’t remember a lot because I was so young but, that’s what I remember.” Twilight nodded her head in approval of the story.

“No, it was better than mine.” Jes was blunt about the whole thing. She couldn’t understand why he would even make such a claim. His story could actually entertain a crowd. She was just some nopony who had got lucky.

“No way, you could write a book about your life mine was just too boring.” Twilight blushed a little.

He chuckled again, “Why? You’re a student of the princess herself. I’m just some jar head that shouldn’t be alive. Only reason I’m sitting here in fact is pure bravery anyway.” Jes was somehow still smiling during this whole event. Twilight just stared at him with open mouth. He took another drink before noticing the silence and looked back at her and saw her staring at him. He burst out laughing for a full minute before slowing down to a chuckle long enough to talk again. “What’s the problem? You look like you just saw a ghost or something.”

“You sound like you kind of regret surviving.” Twilight was utterly shocked at what she had just heard.

He muttered something about survivor’s guilt before continuing. “It’s not that I don't like being alive Twilight, I have lived a long time Twilight and seen many things. I am not sad or happy to be alive I am content, is that not enough?” Jes smiled at her another warm smile. What Twilight was hearing was some of the strangest things she had ever heard.

“So you don’t want to be happy? Let me just get that straight.”

He sighed, “It’s not that I DON’T want to be happy it’s that I am just fine with not being happy. Is that really that hard to understand? Everypony is so concerned with being happy and they ignore what is important. Happiness is one of the most temporary things you can experience it so why chase it? It’s not that I’m lazy either I just don't see the whole point. Everypony tries to be a player in the game of life we live in; I just want to be an observer.”

Twilight calmly sat and thought about what she had just heard for a long time. “I guess I can see how somepony would think that way. It’s not for me though.”

“And THAT my dear is the best part of it if it’s not for you it doesn’t have to be.” Jes gave her another goofy grin and chuckled again. “It’s only one way of thinking if it’s not for you that is fine. I won’t force you into doing anything or thinking in one way.”

Twilight thought about it for a long time. “Okay, Jes whatever you want to do.”

“Whatever I want to do? Okay I’m going to go smoke a cigarette really quick.” Jes just shrugged it off.

“Are you trying to kill yourself?” Twilight glared at him. “You drink a lot I can tell by how quickly you almost took out that bottle. And now I found out you're smoker as well?”

This time he tried to contain his laughter. He put a hoof over his mouth and was nearly choking he was trying so hard. His eyes were starting to water as he finally spoke again. “Yep, a death wish right here. How did you guess? Trying to kill myself that is truly funny Twilight thank you.”

Again she just stared at him as he walked out of the bar not looking back. He just calmly went out the door. He made sure he was out of sight of Twilight. And pulled out a pack of cigarettes and matches from seemingly nowhere. “Hehehe!” He placed a cigarette in his mouth he looked up at the sky. “Yep, here I am Luna it’s good to be back.” He lit the cigarette and took the first breath slowly. The taste was very sweet he always made sure they were the good kind. These were the kind of things he loved to preoccupying his time with thoughts like these that really had no point. They were all open ended never an answer to any of these. He held the match he had used to light it, it burned brightly and seemed to dance. He blew it out with a puff of smoke and laughed to himself.

He breathed through the small tube that hang from his mouth and looked out at the smoke coming from it. “Horse apples, this is getting harder the longer it takes. Doesn't help I have been drinking a whole lot.” The tube was shrinking quickly and it was almost gone by now. He dropped it and stomped it out with his hoof slowly. He then looked down at the last remaining embers as they burn out.

He then walked back into the bar to join Twilight. “Miss me?” He asked a little sarcastically. He then was a little surprised to see Twilight down a shot. She coughed after but, then laughed a little between cough spasms. “There ya go now you’re getting it.”

“Sort... of.” She coughed. She cleared her throat before continuing. “How strong is this stuff?”

“On a scale of one to ten an eight. You can only get ten where I come from.” He grinned to her. “I’m surprised to see you’re even able to stomach it considering it’s your first time drinking hard liquor.”

“Is it really that obvious?” She asked a little sheepishly. He laughed at her again it was starting to get on her nerves a little but, she shrugged it off.

“Ya, but, I don’t think anypony minds especially me.” He said looking around at the few other ponies in the bar.

“hmm.” Twilight dismissed the thought.

“Hey we have all been there we had to start somewhere.”

“So, I have been thinking.” Jes raised his eyebrows in question. “Since you got out of the military what have you been doing with yourself?”

“Ah, you want to know about my recent life? I am actually traveling with the circus right now they arrived late today. Well, my group did anyway. I don’t think I will be working there too much longer though.” He said it simply like he was reading it out of a book. It was said as though it was more memorized instead of being learned and enjoyed.

“Um... So what do you do there?”

“I’m the tightrope walker. It’s always fun when they let me go without a safety net. It’s rare but, it doesn’t have the same effect as with it.”

“You really are trying to kill yourself aren’t you?”

“I’ve been doing it a long time. Longer than anypony else at the circus in fact everypony else has left and I’m still there.”

“So, how old are you then? Because you only look like your late thirty’s or early forty’s. But, knowing that you have to be older than that especially because you were in the...” She noticed he was already starting to back out toward the door.

“Uh, I need to go smoke another cigarette, pardon me!” He avoided the question and ducked out before she could argue.

“That was close.” He said to himself when he was back outside. “I’m so close though I can’t give up now.”

He put another cigarette in his mouth and lit it like the one before it. He smoked this one slowly though. “What should I say?” He grumbled to himself before he suddenly stopped and smiled to himself. “Ahh, that’s good. Looks like our little test is right about over.” He let the smoke out in little smoke circles. He watched each one float up into space one after another. They floated up slowly and he saw how small he was in comparison to what all was out there. He chuckled to himself at the thought of this.

The cigarette finally was almost done and he stomped it out quickly and replaced it. He smoked this one even slower than the last and again watched little rings that seemed to be falling upward. He was quiet and at peace with the world. Suddenly he could have sworn he saw the outline of a dark blue and very large pony flying. He searched though the sky and was about to go investigate. “You're not supposed to be here yet!”

Twilight stumbled out into the street, “hehehe there you are!” She laughed.

The stallion nearly dropped his cigarette as he tried to hold back his laughter, “How many more did you have?”

“I don’t know like five or six?” It was more a question as if he would know.

“Um... I think we better get you home.” He no longer tried to contain his laughter. He stood back up only to be forced to sit back down. “Uh, oh.”

Twilight giggled, “Uh, oh!”

He snickered, “Looks like it’s going to be an interesting walk back. It’s about time to start heading home anyway, your friends will start to be worried.”

“Okay!” Twilight started to sway as she walked farther out of the bar. “I almost forgot about them.”

“Yep, definitely going to get much more fun.”

He held support the highly intoxicated Twilight as she tried to help support him. They slowly struggled up the road toward the library. It took them longer than he expected to get back to her house. He observed the broken in door and started to laugh a little. That was when he met her friends. “Hey there are your friends!” He grunted, and she laughed in response.

“Ah! There you are!” Twilight was still being supported and helping support Jes. “Hi girls!” Her speech was incredibly slurred and they could barley understand her.

“Who is this darling?” Rarity was very curious as to who Twilight was alone with in the dark.

The stallion with the green and purple hair gave a broad smile. “Name’s Jes I am not from here per say I am with the circus.” He had a thick northern accent from somewhere around Stalliongrad if not that itself. “I met this charming young mare here and invited her to have a drink. And it seems we may have had a little too much eh?” He laughed again.

“I see.” Rarity was confused Twilight usually didn’t do things like that.

“I don’t trust him.” Rainbow whispered in the tight group of friends.

“Yah but, I don’t think we got reason to keep ‘em here against his will.” Applejack agreed.

“Well ladies I think you can handle things from here?” Jes smiled at them looking each in the eye. He then turned to Twilight gave her a kiss on the cheek and left.

He walked back the way he had come though he took the scenic root and wandered the streets like he had lived there all his life. He looked at each of the houses. “A little different then what I remember. Though I suppose it did get burned to the ground; no idea why they would rebuild though.” He wandered through the streets another twenty minutes before he went back the bar.

He did not go back into the bar he simply sat outside. “Yes, I know, I know, I’ll just tell Twilight to cast the memory spell on them... Look I’m sorry your illusion doesn’t work well through your ‘beacon’ when it’s drunk... Well maybe you should learn to lighten up and have a little fun.”

He spun around as he heard a pony land behind him. He was staring at the one pony he completely forgotten about. The pony he was looking directly at was Princess Luna. His grin spread and became more crooked as he saw her. His teeth seemed to glow in her moonlight. “Hello... sister? Never thought you would see me again did you?”

Author’s Note: Well there is the first big surprise. I hope you guys liked the chapter and I only plan for this to get bigger. Welcome to the part of the story where you have learned so much and yet so little. The plot is starting to take shape and I will be sure to mold it perfectly so it is an awesome ride till the end. I hope you guys like it and any feedback I am grateful for. I want to know what you guys think and what you think I should do to improve it. I will let you all know that the plot is only just starting I hope you guys think at least the idea was a good one. I don’t own them I wish I did I love them all but they are Hasbro’s. Still the greatest company ever and I would request some fourth wall breaking technology immediately.

Court Jester Chapter 5: Long Forgotten Sons

Court Jester:

Chapter 5: Long Forgotten Sons

“He’s dead man.” The words hit me like a brick. Everyone shut up then it was quite we had only been out here one day. How was somebody already dead? It was weird we were never really close but it was like I had known the guy my entire life. “He ran out after a civi and was just cut down. I couldn’t even go help him he was just down in a snap they had an MG at the end of the block.” No one said anything No one COULD say anything what was there to say?

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“Your lucky Twilight isn’t much of a history buff.” Luna was in a crouched position ready to move if needed. She didn’t trust this pony in front of her no matter how large he smiled. She didn’t recognize him though he claimed to be her brother and acted like he had known her all his life. He was completely relaxed except for his huge smile that was across his face.

“Ah, you don’t recognize me do you? But, I bet you could recognize my magic didn’t you? You were always good at that my dear sister Luna.” Jes no longer had his northern accent he now had a deep elegant voice. “As you can see I am not in the same form as I last saw you in. Do not worry my dearest sister everything will become clear soon enough.” Luna suddenly felt very tired yet did not know why. She tried to fight it but knew it was pointless. If he really was who he claimed who he was he would have the best illusion magic in Equestria if not the universe.

“Why...? Why did you come back?” Luna could only fight this for another thirty seconds at tops and had already collapsed to her knees. Jes didn’t bother to answer as he approached her smile still glowing in the moon light.

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“Good start, try breathing more air across your tongue and aiming it that way.” Jes watched the tiny dragon do as he was told; he successfully puffed a larger flame at the rock he was aiming at. “Good now breathe harder, as hard as you possibly can, while you aim.” Spike tried his hardest but still only managed to get a spark that time.

“I can’t aim and blow a lot of fire at the same time can we just work at one at a time?” Spike complained.

“Normally I would say yes, however we don’t have time to train each separately so you need to practice both.” He was calm about this whole thing it was a little weird. Spike had no idea how he knew how a dragon was supposed to use flame.

“How do you know how a dragon is supposed to... work?” Spike finally asked.

“I used to kill them.” Jes said it like he was talking to somepony who hated dragons with every fiber of their being. He then looked down at the dragon then smiled warmly. “That was a long time ago.”

“Oh... Uh... That’s good.” Spike had turned a light pink color and couldn’t take his eyes of this Stallion. His eyes were as big as dinner plates when he asked: “And Twilight likes you why?”

His grin spread, “Oh yes she just LOVES me can’t you tell.” His grin was spread nearly ear to ear. “Besides whom better to teach you how to be a good dragon than somepony who had to kill them?” He had a point though Spike didn’t want to admit it. “I mean think about it I know what is the hardest to avoid and what is the best way to kill. I had to watch my buddies die and had to learn from their mistakes.”

“Uh... Yeah...” Spike was still on edge after learning this pony had killed his species years ago.

“Anyway, like I said as much air as you can and aim it with your tongue.” He moved on as if it was nothing for all Spike knew he killed his parents. This strange stallion seemed to either be oblivious or didn’t care how he sounded to anypony else. “You need to be ready you know just in case. It’s just soldier’s mentality. I mean you’re a dragon after all and we are awfully close to dragon territory.”

“Well I have a few years before any of them would consider me a threat.” Spike didn’t really fear any of the locals even though he had a run in with a few. “I am so small they would think it would be disgraceful to kill me. Wouldn’t they?”

“It’s only disgraceful if another dragon sees it.” Jes sounded like he had experience.

“You sound like you know everything there is to know about dragons.”

“I was hunted and hunted dragons for six years of my life. I have seen friends burnt to ash and then some. I watched as some of them were torn in half with the movement of a claw. I am missing part of my tail because of one of their teeth. The simple fact is I know what it means to be a dragon more than you do.” That got under Spikes skin.

“Like hay you do!” He was furious. How could somepony who barely knew him make such accusations?

Jes gave him a wicked smile. “Prove it.” Spike did just that as he turned to rock and gave it such a fire it melted the surface and charred the rest. When was finished the first thing he heard was laughter. It was booming and it seemed to echo across the clearing they were in.

“What’s so funny?” Spike now turned to the pony and considered setting HIM ablaze.

“YOU! You did it! Look at what you did to the rock.” Spike turned to see the rock was not only burnt but it had started to melt. It was still white hot and it would have burnt even him if he touched it. He just stared for a moment. “That always is the best way to get under a dragon’s skin. Insult his honor doesn’t even matter the age he will just off a cliff without wings to make a point. It would do you well to remember that.”

Spike was still stunned, “I... I... Uh... did that?”

“Yes, you did there is a reason you were given as a test. Though they have little resistant as an egg dragons grow a certain magical resistance. You were given as a test because you were deemed to be especially powerful. Twilight’s test was designed for her to fail. It wasn’t about whether she could pass or not it was about how close she came.”

“How do you know so much about that test?” Spike was confused as to why an earth pony would know so much about a magical test.

“I... Uh read a lot?” He seemed to be guessing more than telling him. “Anyway let’s work on it again.” Jes moved on quickly but Spike dropped it.

“Well I can’t use this rock for target practice again.” Spike looked for another of proper size but found none.

“That’s fine I want to see how large you can make your flame. How did you even get to be part of that test anyway?”

“I don’t know I never met my parents after all I just seemed to come out of nowhere.”

“I see, unwanted.” Spike again turned to the pony.

“Do you want me to burn you?” Spike swelled his chest up and got ready.

“Go for it.” Jes challenged him with a cocky grin.

Spike let the flame go right after Jes had closed his mouth he blew flame all the way across the field. It almost burned some of the trees across the way it would have made Applejack very angry. He stopped the flame only to discover Jes wasn’t in the path of the flame at all he was behind him. He had even been able to get a stick and was now holding it roughly around the dragon’s neck.

“Nish.” He tried to complement them with the stick in mouth still.

“H-how did you get behind me?!” Spike was surprised and angry he had let the pony move so quickly.

“Oh, don’t feel bad about that you will never be as fast as me but, you have to make up for that. You are a dragon after all.” He had spat out the stick and walked around the front of Spike. “You’re a dragon you have a lot of force and I have speed the goal is to find a median for you. You will have a lot of brute force especially till your two hundredth year or so but, you will be able to start moving faster after that.”

“How did you learn all this from fighting dragons?” Spike knew a lot less than this pony and that frustrated him.

“I learn a lot quickly. It’s one of the things I am good at though I wouldn’t call it my talent.” Jes seemed to know a lot for his age.

Spike looked down at the stallion’s mark. He looked back up at Jes he was confused. The four mask mark had nothing to do with the stallion it seemed. “What is your talent?”

“I’m a performer, tightrope, I love it and it just kind of grew on me.” Jes’s grin grew more crooked it seemed every time he spoke. “Especially when they let me go without the net.”

“Are you sure you’re not suicidal? I remember Twilight mumbling about that last night.”

He was suddenly interested. “Ooh, what else did she say?” He looked him in the eye and seemed to just be sucking the information out of his brain. “So?”

“Uh, not a lot else I could understand though the girls where giggling to themselves as they left her room...” Spike felt awkward telling him this. “What did you do to her last night anyway? I have never seen her like that before she seemed like a lot more fun. If she had been able to stand that is.”

He laughed a loud and seemed to boom across the clearing. “I introduced her to something that I discovered after the war. It’s called alcohol I’ll give you some when you are older... maybe it will probably be expensive you will have a huge tolerance.”

“Um... Okay?” Spike had no idea what the pony was talking about.

He laughed again not a loudly. “And... if you tell Twilight she’ll kill me so don’t tell her.” He gave him a wink. “Now back to work I have a nice little test for your ability.”

“What do you mean? I have a bad feeling about this...”

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“Alright here is the plan: you stay out in the field and when I say when you are going to burn this.” He held a stick up. “I’m going to throw it and if you can get it to be lit before it hits the ground we are on track. Ready?” He waited for spike to nod before throwing it into the air. It flew faster than Spike expected and he flailed with his fire as he tried to hit it.

“Hey! That’s not fair you have to throw it at least a little slower!” Spike was caught off guard then angry.

“An enemy is not going to wait for anything! GO!” He threw another but; Spike was ready for this one and got the tip of it in the flame. “Closer! GO!” He threw again and Spike hit the stick but it did not ignite.

“Dang it! I was so close.” He braced himself for the next.

“GO!” Another flew and was hit with a more concentrated burst and it burst into flames. “Good.” Jes was already out of the woods around him and in front of Spike.

“You move quickly.” Spike observed.

“Yes, well I needed to a long time from now. Your... species have good hearing one of our friends learned the hard way.”

Spike cringed as he heard Jes refer the dragons as ‘his species.’ “Look I am sorry for what those dragons did to you!”

He laughed again, “Spike I do not blame you for them I don’t even blame them for them. They were defending their land and species so were we. We saw one another as the bad guy and it took me a long time to come to terms with that. We will always see those who we are fighting as the bad guy because we want to be the good guy. If you asked me now I would say we were more of the bad guys than they were. They killed hundreds for every one of them but we killed every last male, female, and child we found.”

Spike cringed again, “E-every last one?”

He looked down at the young dragon who stared at him. “Not all of them. Some of them survived after they surrender of course. We just had so many more than them it was brutal for both sides.”

“I... I see.” Spike considered asking a question and followed through. “D-did you ever kill any green and purple dragons?”

“No, I heard there were a few of them on the more eastern front than where I was. They were never killed as far as I knew. I tried to keep track of them they had kill rates in the thousands.” Jes gave him a sad smile. “Looks like you got power in your blood kid.”

Spike managed a smile. “Oh, you know it!”

Jes laughed, “Let’s get back to work kid.”

______________________________________________________________________________

Spike was exhausted he was tired Jes had been pushing him the last hour without any breaks. He had a lot of energy for his age apparently but, he was still running low. Each flame didn’t take a lot of energy from him although they were all adding up quickly. “You done yet kid?”

Spike huffed and managed to get ready again. “G-go for it!” Again the stick flew through the air. Spike blew as hard as he could and it immediately burst into flames. As soon as it hit the ground he collapsed.

“Now I guess you’re done?” Jes smirked at the baby dragon at his feet.

“What did you do to my baby dragon?” The vaguely annoyed and worried voice of Twilight Sparkle burst into the clearing. “You also said you would be at Sweet Apple Acers!”

“Well, technically we ARE at Sweet Apple Acers can’t you see the apple trees? And we were ‘training’ I guess you could call it I’m helping him with his flame.” He replied still examining the unmoving blob of purple before him.

“Why is a pony helping him with his flame?” Twilight was confused as to why he would apparently know more than Spike.

“Well, I spent around six years killing them so I know what is good and bad. The good survive and the bad died so I guess I would know a little better than all the dragons around here, huh?” Jes gave her a grin finally turning to her.

“I guess you have a point.” Twilight now examined the dragon before them. “What did you do to him I have never seen him so tired.”

“Well, that would be a few hours of making him use his flame. He is a strong one especially at this age he did come from a strong family if I am correct.”

“You killed his family?!” Twilight glared at the earth pony.

“I didn’t say that! I heard about them on the further eastern front they were both strong and had kills in the thousands from what I could tell. I tried to keep track of the other ends of the war and I could gather they were having a really tough time on those two. They are still out there to the best of my knowledge though I don’t know if they are or not for sure.”

Twilight didn’t drop her glare from him. “I don’t know if I believe you or not.”

“You were a lot more fun when you were drunk.” Jes chucked and Twilight’s glare got even sharper. He stuck out his tongue and Twilight couldn’t help but giggle a little.

“I think you still owe me a few more answers!” Twilight said defiantly.

“Such as?” Jes just rolled his eyes.

“How old are you?” Twilight wasn’t going to let him get away easily this time.

He looked her right in the eye. “I’ll tell you if you will learn from a friend of mine.”

“No! You said you would give me answers and I want to know.”

“Hm, that was last night I am not bound anymore I don’t think.” He grinned again. “But, if you let one of my friends give you some teaching when he gets here I will tell you.”

“Fine.” She growled.

“Oh, don’t be like that!” Jes rolled his eyes again. “I’ve got to go help get some stuff set up. We should be giving our first performance tomorrow if you’re interested I got you a few free tickets.”

Twilight gave him a confused look. “You are giving me things when I’m mad at you?”

“Yep, got a problem with that?” He gave her another grin. He pulled seven tickets out of a pair of saddle bags he had near Spike. “There you go I will more than likely be busy for the next two days so you won’t get to see me. However will you go on?” He gave her a sarcastic grin.

“Um, thanks I guess.” She levitated the tickets from the stallion over to her and put them in some saddle bags of her own.

“Did you bring me that stuff I asked for?” Jes walked back over to her.

“Uh, ya here let me get them.” She levitated him a small box she had to get from one of the circus members and a bottle of vodka. He grabbed the bottle with his hooves and gently got the box with his teeth. He put them into his bags and then threw them on his back.

“Well, I have to go... It was good to see you comrade.” He turned to walk away.

“Ya see you later Jes.” He turned his head and nodded to Twilight and she could have sworn she saw his green eye change blue for a moment.

______________________________________________________________________________

Twilight walked into Sugar Cube Corner trying to find any of her friends. She had already dropped Spike off at home. She then went to Carousel Boutique to find none of her friends there. She walked into the small sweet shop and discovered all her friends seemed to be waiting for something. “Oh, hello girls...”

“Welcome back Twilight, how have you been?” Rarity was the first to speak.

“Fine, what is all this?” Twilight felt awkward.

“Uh, we just wanted to make sure everything was okay with you.” Fluttershy said quietly.

“Well then let’s hear that from Applejack.” She turned to her orange friend.

“Look sugar cube we’ve had somethin’ mighty strange goin’ on ‘round here. We are jus’ tryin’ tah get tah the bottom of it.” Applejack then told her the story of what had happened the night before to her. Slowly the group of friends all shared their story with the rest of the group.

“Hm, I had a similar thing I was trapped in my head and had to get this thing that was in there out.” Twilight would have explained in more detail if she felt she wouldn’t have confused them.

“I think it’s got something to do with your coltfriend!” Rainbow Dash accused.

“Okay two flaws with that plan one: he is not my coltfriend. And two: he’s an earth pony you know no magic.” Twilight defended the pony she barely knew.

Rarity rolled her eyes. “Rainbow he obviously isn’t a direct cause of this whole thing.”

“Well maybe he is like acting like a sort of beacon or something!” Pinkie suggested

“I doubt that, it waters down the magic a lot if you try to do that.” Twilight objected.

“Well, Ah still don’ like it.” Applejack was angry she wanted to find out who was messing with her head.

“Neither do I but, we need some evidence before we go around accusing everypony for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.” Twilight again rejected the argument. “Besides he was nice enough to invite us to his act for free.” She gave them all a sheepish smile. “Maybe whoever it was will be there, who knows.”

“You may have a point Twilight, that is good idea I suppose.” Rarity agreed with her.

“It’s settled then; tomorrow we will go to that and find who is doing this.” Rainbow agreed.

“Uh... Okay.” Fluttershy agreed a little nervously. That gave everypony a little shock usually Fluttershy wouldn’t have been up for something like this. They all stared at her for a moment. “I’m uh, trying to be a little braver.” She mumbled.

“Then, if you don’t mind I have a little something I want to get some research done on some things. So I will see everypony tomorrow.”

She then returned to the library to find Spike still asleep. Jes must have really worn him out. She then turned her attention to her collection of books that were on the shelves all around her. She searched for a history book that would have something to do with history around the dragon war. She had never really studied history and she wanted to learn what made Jes tick. She searched though every book on history was checked out. She didn’t have that many to begin with but, the school fillies must had a history assignment.

She checked the records and she was right, every single history book had been checked out. Though she found something weird, they were not checked out by school fillies. They had been checked out by different ponies she had never heard of including one that wasn’t even translated. She looked down the list at all ten of the history books that would have to deal with anything like that were gone. “That’s strange.” She wondered why ponies had a sudden fascination in history.

She grabbed another book off the shelf and started to read it. It dealt with illusion magic she decided to try and find something out about this whole thing. It took an hour for her to get through the book. She found nothing in the entire book that was even close to the illusion she had lived and her friends described. She found a book that had the most advanced spells she could and discovered that wasn’t even as close. All the illusions had to deal with making a single sound or sight happening not a whole world.

She was amazed that all of these spells were so tiny compared to how powerful the one she had on her was. She searched through another few books and found the same result in all of them nothing nearly as powerful. She finally gave up after it started to get late and she decided it would be a good idea to go to bed. She lay awake for another hour lost in thought over this. She finally slipped slowly into a sleep with a dream where she was lost in the Everfree Forest. She was being chased by something even though she didn’t know what she only knew she was being chased.

______________________________________________________________________________

She woke up to the smell of coffee from downstairs. Spike was up before her as he usually was. She rose slowly and used her magic to brush her hair; then went down stairs. “Good morning Spike!” She greeted the baby dragon cheerfully.

“Morning Twilight.” Spike greeted his sister. “Your friend came by a little earlier today he had a note for you.”

“Jes?” Twilight asked. “What did it say?”

“I didn’t open it.” Spike replied, “It’s over there on the counter. I have some more chores I have to take care of, then are we going to the circus today?”

“Yes, we are, we even got free tickets. A plus of knowing the act.” Twilight levitated the letter and opened it.

Dear Twilight,

It is my pleasure to tell you I am getting to do my act without the net. I had to pull a few strings, hehehe, in order to get it done so I do hope you manage to make it.

-Jes

Twilight reread the letter and then sighed. “He’s going to get himself killed.” She took the cup of coffee from the table and continued to look through books on illusion magic. After an hour she knew she had to get ready to gather her friends and head out. She made sure she had the tickets and went to find Spike. “Spike!”

“Yes, Twilight?” Spike called back down as he walked down the stairs.

“It’s time to get going if we are going to get everypony and be there when it opens.” Twilight levitated the dragon onto her back and started to walk out of the library. She opened the door with her magic to fin all five of her friends waiting.

“Let's go, Twilight we are going to be late!” Rainbow flew in and pulled her out of her house.

“Wow, I didn’t even expect you to be awake yet Rainbow.” Twilight chuckled to herself. “I planned to have enough time to come and get you all.”

“Yes, but I thought it would be better if we were to get there early and see if we can discover anything.” Rarity was more serious than Twilight had seen her in a long time. “I don’t know if this pony would try a second attack but, I am more worried about him or her going after our friends and family.”

“Well, whoever they are they must be very tired considering I didn’t even have a spell that powerful in the entire library. I checked almost every single one except the one for the young ponies.” Twilight explained.

“I’m still worried.” Fluttershy sounded firm and again drew stares.

“Well, let’s get going then.” Twilight led the small group toward the big tent now on the outskirts of town. “They sure got it up quickly.” Twilight observed.

Everypony else was too busy looking for anything out of place. They had a lot to look through ponies on stilts, ponies performing other random acts, huge rides, food stands, and various other vendors. They slowly approached the tent that was at the heart of the madness. It was still early in the day so everypony wasn’t there yet but it was still full of all sorts of ponies.

They went to the large opening at the front of the tent. There was a pony with a ridiculous wig and a painted face out front taking tickets. As they got the front of the line the clown grinned wildly and yelled. “HEY IT’S JES’S FRIENDS!” Immediately they received a huge yell from inside the tent. It was one voice in particular trying to avoid using as much colorful language as possible.

“GET IN!” Jes appeared at the front and dragged them inside. “I was hoping you might come around back I don’t know why but I can dream right? Suppose it was my fault for not telling anypony about how it works for a guy bringing friends. I will get it for weeks to come.”

“What makes you say that?” Twilight gave him a questioning glance.

“Well, after I left you home the other night I went back to the bar and then managed to stumble my way back here. I don’t remember what happened after that and they won’t tell me. Though they keep giving a grin every time I walk by which means something not good.”

Twilight blinked twice and then Jes burst out laughing. “What’s so funny?” Rainbow asked vaguely confused as to what the pony found so humorous.

“Twilight, I found her confusion funny. Is that a bad thing?” Jes gave her a grin over his shoulder.

“I say we move on with plan B this guy is crazy.” Rainbow lowered her voice a little.

That really got Jes laughing. “Good luck fillies. Anyway here are your seats; I will see you all after the show I only have two a day so I’ll see you all later.”

Before anypony could make another comment or ask a question Jes was already gone. They all took their seats and waited for the show to start. It took another twenty minutes before the lights dimmed. It was quite and music started to play it was a combination of many different types of things. First came out the clowns, then the miscellaneous acts, then the air stuns, then everything got quite again.

“Fillies and Gentlecolts we have a very special version of the following act coming up next. He is a veteran and is almost completely crazy in my book. Please give a warm welcome to our tightrope walker: Jes!” The crowd started to cheer. A spot light shown over a platform that was almost a hundred hooves above the ponies. Jes appeared over the ponies on a small platform. The rope could barely be seen from below.

“Today, he insisted in letting us do his stunt without any safety net. He is going across that from that platform to another across the way.” Another spotlight appeared over another platform almost a hundred yards from there. “The catch is that he decides how he’s going to get across. We don’t even know what he is going to do!” Everypony gasped as Jes started to balance on his forehooves.

Slowly he approached the rope sliding and taking tiny steps one after another. He moved slowly but he eventually got the rope and started to put his weight down. He balanced on his right leg first then leaped off his right and landed on his left. Everypony gasped and then started to cheer. He took another two leaps before he seemed to be getting ready to do something. He braced his whole body then did a cartwheel across the thin wire.

Everypony gasped in horror as he appeared to be falling backwards only to dip his rear legs. Leaping after this land again on his front legs after doing a back flip while simultaneously doing a cartwheel. Everypony went ecstatic Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Rarity were speechless. Spike, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie cheered loudly for the multi-colored pony. He grinned at hearing them he looked down at them and stared right at them for another ten seconds before continuing. He then did a flip, an actual cartwheel, and another spinning flip before reaching the end.

By the end of his act everypony in the place was on their feet stomping loudly. He gave a shallow bow on the other platform before disappearing again. The director came out again and even he seemed to be in shock. “I’ll be honest folks he’s always been impressive but, I have never seen him do something like that before. Give him another round of applause that was truly amazing.”

______________________________________________________________________________

“Well, that was very impressive to say the least.” Twilight was the first to speak after almost everypony except them had cleared out. Spike sat still awestruck on her back.

“I would have to agree, though it was not very artistic.” Rarity observed

Rainbow rolled her eyes, “That was awesome and you know it.”

Fluttershy nodded. “I have to agree with Rainbow, sorry Rarity.”

“Ah ain’t never seen somethin’ that impressive in a long time.” Applejack still looked up at the wire that was above them.

They all turned to watch Pinkie as she bounced around the whole place yelling. “OHMYGOSH OHMYGOSH OHMYGOSH OHMYGOSH DID YOU SEE THAT?!” She bounced around more before she skipped back over to her friends. She then began to bounce in place, “I haven’t seen anything that awesome since the Sonic Rainboom!”

“Hey!” Rainbow Dash started to argue when Jes walked up. “Hey you were awesome!”

“Ah, it was nothing too big. I just like how they let me go without the net. Though, next time I should probably tell him when I am going to do something that wild. He gets nervous about that stuff.” Jes rolled his eyes and snickered to himself. “Stupid stage managers. Never know how to have fun like anypony else.”

“I heard that you ungrateful little...” He censored himself.

“Ya, ya go back to killin’ the buzz boss.” They both chuckled for a little. “So, I only have a show a little later tonight do any of you want to do anything?”

“Ah got chores,” Applejack said a little glumly. “But, Ah’ll catch up with y’all later.”

“I have an order I have to get to as well so I will have to decline.” Rarity agreed.

“I have some animals that need my help...” Fluttershy sounded like she had offended somepony.

“I have some weather stuff I need to take care of.” Rainbow Dash sighed.

“The Cakes wanted me to help them with the baking stuff today.” Pinkie frowned.

“Well, that leaves just you and Jes it would appear.” Rarity gave Twilight a sly grin and received a glare in return. Rarity leaned over and whispered into Twilight’s ear. “Oh come on and lighten up I think he would be a good match for you.”

“No.” It was the only reply she really needed. Rarity rolled her eyes but didn’t push her any more.

“Well, are you free Miss Twilight?” He gave her a grin and Twilight grown. Jes then gave Rarity a sly wink. “Come Miss Twilight allow me to take you from his awful place. It is my dearest apology to try and make you like such a place. What was I thinking allowing you to be brought into such barbarianism?” He gently removed Spike from her back and placed him on the ground. He then flipped Twilight over using his back legs onto his back much to her protest.

He then turned and galloped away to Twilight’s friends’ amusement. When Jes looked over his shoulder back at them Pinkie was rolling and the rest were very nearly there. Twilight didn’t make the process easy as she flailed every appendage she had. He made the way out the back way after receiving a few relatively concerned looks. After he was out of the tent he let her off his back and then gave her a grin.

“Why did you feel it was necessary to do that?” Twilight asked in a very annoyed voice and glared at him as well.

“You’ve been doing a lot of glaring recently. And I know you wouldn’t have come peacefully if I had not.” Jes had a point though she didn’t necessarily agree with it.

“So what’s stopping me from turning around and leaving right now?” Twilight asked in a tone that was upset.

“Curiosity? I don’t know don’t you ever want to do something that isn’t reading a book? I mean come on? Don’t you want to have just a little bit of fun?”

She blinked he did have a point she had been studying especially because her friends had been busy. It was almost harvest time so everypony had been busy getting thing ready. “I-I hadn’t really thought of it that way but, ya I haven't had a whole lot of fun lately. Okay, Jes... Let’s go.”

He grinned, “There ya go!”

______________________________________________________________________________

They had spent the entire day at the circus. Jes had gotten them into things for free of course it seemed like every time he was seen there was a chuckle. He walked amongst the rides and acts and seemed to be known by every worker. He was obviously popular and liked by everypony that knew him. Twilight had to admit he was not hard to get along with though she had a feeling he was being secretive about something.

“Something on your mind?” Jes asked after Twilight had gone quite for a while.

“Um... Kinda how do you get everypony to like you so much?” Twilight decided to ask the source of her problem.

“I... Don’t know to be honest. I am not overly concerned with making friends so I just have them. I don’t make it my top priority I just have known a lot of these ponies a long time so we are sort of forced to as well.” Jes shrugged.

“So you... Don’t try?” Twilight sighed she didn’t understand this pony.

He laughed again, “Just treat them friendly and they should treat you friendly as well.”

“Hm, I guess that might work.” Twilight thought about it for a moment.

“If it doesn’t, you probably don’t want to be their friend anyway.”

“Your pretty smart, Jes.” Twilight noted.

“Ya, well I try you know how it is.” Twilight rolled her eyes and he laughed

“So now what do you want to do?”

“I have to go back to work again, sorry, I’ll see you later?”

“Sure, I’ll see you Jes.”

They parted ways and Twilight started to head home through the town. It was almost empty because everypony was out at the circus. It was kind of peaceful as she walked through the town though it was very quite in comparison to how it usually was. She sighed as she opened the door to the library. It was quite inside and she was grateful as the circus was so loud and she wanted to get caught up on studying.

“Welcome home my dear.” Rarity was in her kitchen.

“Who let you in?” Twilight asked though she already had a good guess.

“Who do you think my dear? That dragon is such a nice little guy.” Twilight held back a giggle.

“So, what did you need?” Twilight asked.

“I wanted to know how things went with your stallion.” Rarity stared intently at Twilight.

“I don’t own him.” Twilight rolled her eyes.

“I’ll take that as well. Good I knew you were perfect for one another.” Rarity had triumphant grin.

“We are not together Rarity! Nor do I plan on it we are friends that is it.” Twilight glared till Rarity reluctantly nodded.

“Fine, I can respect that I suppose Twilight. I am afraid I must get back to work though so I will see you later, okay?” Rarity trotted out the door and back toward the boutique.

Twilight sighed loudly after she was out of earshot and closed the door. She then checked to see if any of the history books had been returned none had been. She decided to grab a random book off the shelves and started to read. It was about some strange theory about how death was actually controlled by a pony. She rolled her eyes after she had finished it was relatively short only about two hundred pages. “Death being a pony? How ridiculous!”

______________________________________________________________________________

Spike had already gone to bed and Twilight was still awake reading. She had gone through another hoof full of book and was about to grab another. Suddenly she heard a familiar voice from outside singing in another language. She went to her window and looked outside to a drunken Jes stumbling down the road. It was very late for somepony to be singing as loud as he was. His voice boomed down the street and it was amazing somepony hadn’t already yelled at him. “Jes? What are you doing?” Twilight asked the drunken pony who was now in ponyville square.

“Chto? Da! I mean hello Twilight how are you tonight?” He laughed and tried to stand still but, couldn’t and decided to lay down instead. With another laugh he looked back up at Twilight his green eyes were know trying to hide something.

“What are you doing?” Twilight repeated.

“Me? I am... I don’t know... I forgot.” Jes laughed again and started to shift to get on his feet. “But, I should get back to it because it was important.” He got on one foot then started to get on the others then fell again. He started to laugh wild and heartily then looked back up to Twilight.

“I don’t think you should be going anywhere this late at night, it can wait till morning. I’ll help you out tonight how about that?” He shrugged and she started down the stairs to help him. She opened the door and approached the stallion lying in the street. Looking down at him he was even drunker than she had thought. She could smell the booze on him from five steps away. She was amazed to see he wasn’t drenched in the stuff.

“And, how do you plan on helping me?” He was finally serious about something.

“I’ll help you back to your... residence? I don’t know what you call it in your line of work.” Twilight saw his grin fade and then seemed to grow even larger than before.

“Well, I would normally accept, except I’m no longer employed. So that would definitely be one of the major issues with that idea there.” Jes then got to his feet and seemed as though he just wanted to leave. “Can I just continue walking? Just till I remember what I’m walking toward?”

“No longer employed? You quit? I thought you liked your job?” Twilight was confused as to why this pony would just quit his job if he loved it like he said he had.

“Yep, yep, and yep.” He chuckled to himself. “I have... more important matters to attend to from now on. I have had some... other work turn up which is much more important. So, I had to quit I said goodbye to everypony and then left. So I have no ‘residence’ if you must know so I thought I would have a nice little walk... Somewhere. And now I’m here after stopping at the bar for a drink or two of course.” He chuckled again.

“Okay then where did you plan on staying the night?” Twilight knew he had no plan outside of wandering the streets.

“I would ah... Rent a room at the inn?” He was lying and Twilight could tell.

“You're a bad liar what did you plan on really doing?” Twilight glared at the pony that stood about a hoof taller than her.

“Well, if you really must know I was going to spend the night in one of the few places I really find as home. You call them trenches it was the place I really grew up so I figured it is home.” His smile was gone and he shifted to be able to leave quickly if needed though they both doubted he would go far.

“Well, I have another bed you can stay in.” She said sadly and tried to give him a smile.

His usually warm and joyful eyes had gone cold and he gave her a bad smile back. “I don’t want to impose.” He shifted a little more and was ready to make his well planned get away.

Twilight stepped to get in his way she then received a pleading glance. “I insist it’s no trouble really.” He begged with his eyes for another thirty seconds then reluctantly nodded. She then led him into the library and got him some tea. “I hope you like it this it’s a favorite or mine.”

“I’m sure it will be fine, thank you, Twilight.” He was still awkward and seemed to only want to leave.

“What is bothering you so badly?” She asked as she passed the tea to him.

“I... Uh... I’ll tell you later. Could you please not talk about it I’m a little... uncertain about it.” Jes gave her a weak smile. He down the entire mug of tea in twenty seconds flat. “So... where am I sleeping?” He was really ready to just get this whole day over with.

“Ya you are upstairs let me show you after I’m done with my tea. In the mean time do you need to talk about something I mean you seem pretty bothered by whatever it is.” Twilight looked at the earth pony over her mug as she started to drink her tea slowly.

“I said I would tell you later and that’s the plan. You done with your tea yet?” He asked as Twilight looked down to realize she was. She didn’t think she had been drinking that fast.

“Um, ya I guess so... Off to bed then?” Twilight led Jes upstairs to the bed across from her.

“Here you are.”

“Thank you, again Twilight... Though you really didn’t have to go through all the trouble. I like to be alone when I can just think. I have to travel with everypony and there is no time to think. But, thank you, again, and good night, Twilight.”

He got into the bed awkwardly like he had never been in one before and was quite. Twilight got into the one across from his and they fell asleep without another word.

______________________________________________________________________________

Twilight awoke and looked over to see Jes was gone she got out of bed and sighed. She was even up a little early today and he was already gone. She went down stairs to find Spike making breakfast for her. “Did you see Jes by any chance?”

“Not really, he woke me up when he left. He was gone so early the sun hadn’t even thought about coming up yet.” He huffed and passed her the plate with the salad in it. It wasn’t a grand salad but, it still looked good. “He left a note I didn’t open it.” He then also passed her the note.

Dear Twilight,

I have decided I am going to go for a walk I have some things I need to figure out. I will be in the Sweet Apple Acres clearing we were in the other day when you receive this. I do hope you will join me there are some things I have decided I have to share with you. I am sorry I have neglected to tell you these before.

Your friend, Jes

The writing was plain but it had the most beautiful hoof writing Twilight had ever seen. The message seemed cryptic and it confused her but, she finished eating and got ready to go. She went to open the door when Spike belched. “Hey Twi, I think this is for you.”

Twilight walked back to Spike who was not holding a letter from the princess. She took the crisp fresh letter from the dragon with her magic and opened it.

Dear Twilight,

I am sorry I have to be brief but, I am afraid my sister has gone missing. She was not here almost at all yesterday and she had not yet returned. I know it is unlikely you would have heard anything but, if anything turns up please tell me.

Your teacher, Princess Celestia

“Luna’s gone missing and I’m tired of this I am going to get some answers.” She stormed out of the library without another word. She ran to the clearing as fast as she could and received many strange looks from the few ponies out at that hour. She finally arrived in the clearing to find Jes calmly sitting in the very middle of it. He looked up as she ran into one of the few places on the farm that lacked trees. He grinned as she walked.

“I suppose you have just received a letter from the princess telling you Luna is missing am I? Correct and now you want answers?” Jes could read her like a book.

“What are you doing?” Twilight was now very angry and she was no longer asking for answers.

“That, you will need to force out of me if that is your intention I warn you though I know the area around these parts very well.” Jes got to his hooves and Twilight took a few steps closer.

“Your some kind of terrorist aren’t you going to try and kill Luna and Celestia aren't you?”

He laughed harder than she had ever seen anypony, including Pinkie Pie, laugh before. “Yes, you guessed it I am a violent terrorist that has turned against the country he died for.”

“W-what d-did you just say?” His grin grew crooked and he then started to run.

Twilight took off after him but, he was fast and was headed for the Everfree Forest. She knew he would get away from her for sure if he got into the forest. She cast spells throwing things at and in front of Jes with her magic. He didn’t even seem to flinch as she threw rocks and branches at him. He seemed to be slowed slightly whenever she put something like a branch in front of him. She would never be able to stop him before he reached the forest.

She tried to trip him repeatedly and each attempt failed more than the last. He finally made it to the dense tree time and went inside. Twilight knew it was useless but, chased him deep into the forest anyway. She followed him for ten minutes before he appeared to be starting to slow down. She could see he was suddenly scanning the skies. He was obviously looking for something. Suddenly he stopped and looked back at Twilight with eyes wide in fear.

“Twilight!” He was whispering and was hiding behind a tree. “You need to run... Run and don’t look back and don’t stop running till your back in Ponyville.”

“Good tr-” He suddenly grabbed her and held a hoof over her mouth and hid them under a tree.

“Listen to me; you need to get out of here. I heard something I have not heard in a very long time-” She heard a massive roar and suddenly a huge shadow drifted over them. “Horse apples I thought I had more time.” He spoke rapidly and nearly hissed the words. “You. Need. To. Run. I am going to hold him off, go now. I’ll be right behind you.” He gave her a wink.

He didn’t wait for a response as he shoved her back the direction they had come and started yelling. “Hey long time no see! You want to try again here I am come get me you big lizard!”

She heard another roar and started to run as fast as she could. She didn’t look back even though she wanted to. She made it about three hundred yards before she heard a gruesome scream. She couldn’t stop no matter what happened she had to keep going at all costs she had to get help. She heard another another roar and heavy beating of wings and then the fear really started to take her over.

She stopped as a massive dragon crashed through the tree tops and look at her with one of its orange eyes. It was crimson red with black spikes and spines. “Your little friend has killed my mate. I shall kill you in fair trade, goodbye little one.” The fire seemed to come into existence as he opened his mouth.

“So, this is where it ends.” Twilight thought to herself. “I suppose I have had a better life than many ponies like me.” She accepted it as the fire got closer and close and she stared death in the face. Suddenly there was a rush of gold, white, and black there was a pony in front of her. It wasn’t that which surprised her when she focused more on the creature. It was an alicorn the wings spread wide and the horn glowing. The flames could not penetrate the invisible shield in front of it. It looked back at her with a very familiar grin then turned back to the dragon.

When the flames stopped the dragons eyes grew wide as it realized who it was looking at. “I have killed you three times now little pony!” It leaped forward with jaws wide and got ready to devour the whole alicorn. It was suddenly stopped as a golden glow appeared around it roots from the ground and seemed to come alive. They then bound the massive dragon to the ground and it started to move slowly. It still struggled but it seemed to be giving up and finally stopped moving.

“W-who? Did you kill it?” Twilight was surprised she had even been able to get all that out.

“Well, Twilight it seems I have some things I need to explain don’t I?” The White haired alicorn turned to her his golden main flowing in the wind. The burnt flesh covering its front seemed like it was being consumed by more of the white coat that covered his body. His colors seemed to change as well as being an alicorn but, his mark was not changed. He chuckled, “What don’t you recognize the pony you just let sleep in your home last night?”

Author’s Note: I have had a lot of fun with this and thanks to all of those who faved and reviewed. I really appreciate it and I hope to do a lot of things with this though I don’t know how long it’s going to be. Right now all I know is I’m five chapters in and I don’t think it is going to stop anytime soon. I am going to throw a few twists in here and there so have some fun. I apologize for this chapter taking so long that was due to technical issues (I managed to lose my laptop power cord). Also a lot of editing to the first few chapters. They are not mine: My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic all characters and places belong to Hasbro. Also I would ask for the next thing they produce is some kind of big fourth wall drill machine kthxbye.

Court Jester Chapter 1: Welcome to the Family

Court Jester

Chapter 1: Welcome to the Family

We were young then

We were bright then

We were leaving then

We were preparing then

We were ready then

We were dead then

We were what was left then

We were young then

Equality: a basic rule of the universe. Everything seeks equilibrium in one way or another. For every positive there is a negative. For anything that we are given something must be taken away even if it just the absence of that absence. For every night there must be a day. For every life there must be a death. For chaos there must be order.

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The morning was a cool one. Not so that it was cold but it could still be felt down to the bone. Twilight Sparkle was wandering about in the street. It was the most busy she had ever seen Ponyville. The circus was coming to Ponyville for the first time and everypony was getting their preparations in order. The streets smelled of a wonderful assortment of different foods from apple fritters to strange teas. Twilight personally thought that it was all a bit overdone. She wasn't one for the busy streets though; she preferred her books being alone with her tiny green and purple baby dragon.

Everypony seemed to be moving a little faster than normal. She had been bumped into on more than one occasion today alone. This was to be expected considering they had never seen the circus. Though she had enjoyed her time at the circus it wasn't very organized and she knew there would be cleaning for weeks after. “These are the things I'm thinking about,” she thought, “maybe I do need to get out more.” Her friends always bothered her that she was too much of a book worm and she was starting to believe them.

None of the circus crew had even arrived yet but everypony was already hard at work leaving Twilight the librarian with nothing to do. Twilight sighed aloud, thinking back on the whole Winter Wrap up ordeal. She wondered what her friends were up to right at the moment and decided to see what Fluttershy was doing. She turned down the path heading to Fluttershy’s cottage. Twilight was sure Fluttershy would have something for her to do there. “Yes,” she thought, “it won’t end up like-”

BANG! Twilight was knocked to the ground her head was still spinning wildly when she heard a familiar voice from one of her closest friends. “Sorry about that Twilight” the high-pitched and still enthusiastic voice of a certain party pony broke through the spinning in Twilight's head.

“It’s okay, Pinkie,” Twilight responded, “where are you headed in such a hurry anyway?” She had a good guess it was to run some of Sugar cube Corner’s goods to a stall or to another friend.

“That's a surprise,” laughed Pinkie, “and if I told you that then it would not be a surprise. Then when I try to use that surprise you wouldn't be surprised! And that would be terrible...” A pink pony with an explosion of a mane was in front of her. She had more energy than a young school filly and certainly knew how to throw a party even on short notice. She continued to ramble on for another half a minute or so of ‘then you would feel left out’ and ‘that would be sooooo sad if you were not surprised and everypony else was.’

“I guess that means there’s nothing I can do to help you then, huh?” Twilight asked.

“Nope, sorry Twilight,” she practically hummed. Whatever IT was Pinkie was extra excited about it Twilight didn't know whether she should be terrified or excited so she settled on something in between. “Bye Twilight,” Pinkie yelled over her shoulder and bounced a little higher than usual away.

“Hehehe,” Twilight heard somepony laugh from behind. It was a voice of somepony who had seen a lot of things in their life and was more then used to picking them self up. It was a mixture of gravel and nails on a chalk board. It made her skin nearly crawl. She glanced over her shoulder to face who was behind her but there was no pony there.

“Probably just somepony getting ready,” she disregarded it.

Twilight sighed, though she understood why her friend was in such a hurry; the circus was only two days away. “Everypony is going crazy,” she thought, “I still need something to do though.” she lay on the ground for about a minute feeling the cool breeze and admiring the view of Equestria it was beautiful this time of year. The birds were preparing to head south for the winter and everything was peaceful. The leaves had started to change colors as well wonderful oranges, reds, and yellows. But sitting here wasn't going to get anything done any time soon. Twilight decided she was going to have to get up. She took one long last look at the scenery then started to stretch her hoofs and rise. Before she could even take a step.

Bang! “Again?” asked Twilight, “Really, Pinkie you need to watch where you’re going!” Twilight said being extremely annoyed at the pony who had crashed into her. She heard a different laugh than Pinkie’s this time though, and she knew exactly who it was. “Wow,” she muttered, “feels like day one all over again.” As she faced her old friend. Rainbow Dash gave her a big grin as she got back to her feet. The cyan pony with the ruffled main in all the colors of the rainbow stood in front of Twilight giggling to herself.

“You want a Rain blow dry again?” she asked almost in a mocking tone. “I think Rarity needs SOMEpony’s hair to do.” That was a very.... Rainbow response.

“No, no, I assure you there is no need for that.” Twilight snickered, “after all shes got things she’s doing doesn't she?” of she knew Rarity like she thought she did, which she did, she would surly spend the rest of the day working on Twilight's hair, then make her a brand new ward robe. “But anyway Rainbow I was wondering what you were up to anyway?”

“Pinkie’s got me running all these errands,” Rainbow scowled. “The thing is she wont tell me what I’m doing any of this is FOR.” Rainbow was clearly annoyed. She sighed, “what are you going to do its pinkie after all.” They shared a small laugh. “But, anyway Twilight I better get this stuff done before Pinkie thinks I’m slacking.”

“I understand Rainbow it was nice to see you,” they parted ways Twilight was now concerned for her safety as she walked through her town looking every possible direction twice before she would walk into the street or onto another path after two crashes in one day. She would not be wondering through the town relaxed for the rest of the day and probably tomorrow too. Twilight could almost see Fluttershy’s cottage form here it was so close, she was almost there. Never the less, she was still careful as where she was going making sure not to get ran into again.

“hehehe” this time in front of her. Twilight swung her head forward then right then-

“Howdy, Twi!” a cheerful voice yelled making Twilight nearly jump out of her skin. “whoops,” Applejack said. “Sorry ‘bout that”

“N-no, it’s q-quite alright,” Twilight nearly choked. She cleared her throat before continuing. “I’m just having some issues I guess today.” Twilight turned to face the orange pony her hair tied in a loose bundle and somewhat clutter she had been busy apple bucking. Nothing out of the usual she usually kept busy one way or another. Her green eyes had bags big enough to travel cross Equestria so nothing different from her usual self.

“What are you up to today?” Applejack asked with a slight yawn at the end.

“Not a whole lot, I’m just looking for something to do.” Twilight said it in a sort of way that was somewhat asking if Applejack had something for her to do.

It was not to be Applejack just chuckled, “I would have somethin’ for ya but this here’s the last bushel of apple from the farm. Pinkie needs ‘em won’t tell me what for though.” Twilight could tell that her friend had been working hard. “I think Fluttershy was looking for some help earlier, though I don’t know if she needs it or not still.”

“I was actually headed over there before I bumped into you” Twilight said with a little of a giggle.

“Well, I won’t keep ya then.” Applejack and Twilight bid their farewells. Applejack headed toward Sugar Cube Corner Twilight towards Fluttershy’s Cottage. What on earth is Pinkie planning that she has recruited three of our friends? Twilight wondered.

“I guess I’ll find out sooner or later.” Before she even knew it she was there, Fluttershy’s Cottage. Twilight let out a sigh of relief as she knocked on the door to the cottage.

“Hehehe” now Twilight was sure she had heard something nothing was going on near Fluttershy’s Cottage but before she could investigate she heard the Pegasus land just off to her right.

“Oh I’m sorry Twilight, I’ve been out.” The quite voice of her friend she easily recognized.

She turned to the gentle Pegasus who had a talent with animals. She had her pink mane styled somewhere between Rainbow Dash and Rarity; it wasn’t as messy but not as clean. She at least tried to put effort into it. The rest of her was a pale-yellow color it matched her well. Her blue eyes seemed to comfort any situation with just a glance. “That’s fine Fluttershy what were you up to before I got here?” Twilight asked she had a guess though.

“Pinkie Pie wanted me to gather up some birds something about critical to her master plan that's all I know.” She giggled to herself, “you know how it is with Pinkie” she explained.

“Ya,” Twilight agreed, “she can be quite the secret pony when she wants to be.” She sighed again, “but I guess you don’t need any more help, huh?”

“Oh... umm,” Fluttershy thought to herself for a second. “No, I’m sorry Twilight.”

Twilight laughed “there’s no need to apologize Fluttershy,” Twilight half-faked a smile. “I’m sure somepony else will have something to do. After all I haven’t even been to see Rarity yet.”

“I’m afraid that's not quite true now either my dear.” Twilight grinned as she turned to see Rarity. The white unicorn with the amazingly well styled purple mane. Her blue eyes seemed to pierce whatever they fell on. “Hello, Fluttershy,” Rarity addressed the other pony, “I can’t BELIEVE I missed our spa trip this week.”

“Oh... no, that's fine” Fluttershy replied.

“We simply must reschedule for later,” Rarity spoke as if Fluttershy might say no. “How about after this? If you have nothing else going on I mean.”

“Oh... ok, that’s... fine” Fluttershy agreed.

“Great! As for you Twilight I must apologize I haven't a thing for you to do.”

“Huh.” Twilight said with a small ring of sadness in her voice. “That’s alright Rarity.”

“I am truly sorry, Twilight however, Fluttershy if we are going to make it today we must hurry there.” Rarity and Fluttershy left after saying their good byes and left Twilight alone.

She chuckled to herself, she had gone through the process of making all these friends and yet none of them needed her help. She had a hollow feeling in her chest that felt like it would grow to consume her she would be nothing but and shell. “Why, do I feel this bad all the sudden?” She was starting to get a little worried about herself hearing things and now this? She thought back to all the psychology she had learned from her books and the only answer seemed to be she was going insane. “No, no that can’t be it,” she laughed it off. Though, the hollow seemed to grow even more as she did.

“Hehehe,” Twilight Whirled around to see nothing but the tree in Fluttershy’s yard. Now, she KNEW she was going crazy. Reluctantly she turned and headed home. Things had started to decline slowly and she couldn’t find any of her friends they all seemed to have fallen off the face of Equestria. She had her head slightly hung as she walked back to her hollow tree. “Hollow, just like me,” Twilight nearly screamed at herself, “STOP IT!” She drew a few glances from various ponies nothing too serious. She had gotten used to Canterlot she remember her old home. People weren’t as nice there but it was much more quite without some of the crazies around Ponyville.

She missed getting to see the princess every day. She could focus on her studies there no distractions nothing but peace and quiet. She sighed, “Maybe I should just go back, seems like every time somepony is needed I am the last to be asked.” The already seemingly endless pit that was where her heart was supposed to be dug a little deeper. “Why am I thinking like this?” Something was up with her and she couldn’t even tell what. She shrugged it off, “I’ll just get myself checked out by a professional soon.”

She started thinking again “I should just go back to Canterlot, I don’t really belong here.” Her coat was starting to get blends of gray, “yes, I should just leave there’s nothing left for me here. WHAT AM I DOING?!” Her mind seemed to be in a battle something was wrong, very wrong. She immediately thought back to what the princess had said to her it seemed like it had been years. Had it? She didn’t know anymore her head was in a screaming contest her head ache felt like it was an axe being slowly driven into her head. “THINK TWILIGHT, THI-”

______________________________________________________________________________

“Twilight!” Princess Luna walked into her sister’s prodigy's home. “I was hoping I would find you here,” the younger of the princesses approached Twilight. Her long blue mane was not waving as her sister’s did. Her dark blue coat seemed to be getting a little brighter after the whole sorry-I-was-evil-and-totally-tried-to-take-over-Equestria-like-twenty-minutes-ago thing.

“Oh, hello princess,” Twilight started to bow but, Luna stopped her. Twilight was confused but went with it, “um, what is it you needed?”

The princess smiled warmly which Twilight thought was weird because she was the moon but went with it. Luna leaned toward her, “I’m going to teach you a spell,” Twilight could tell she had been drinking she could smell the alcohol. Though she really couldn't blame her after all she had just been changed back into Luna that night. Twilight was not the drinking type and neither were her friends; except maybe Rainbow she would go missing from time to time with no explanation.

“Um, okay princess but I think Celestia would prefer to teach me all the magic I know...”

“Yes, but I am better at this magic than she is. You see this is a spell that I learned when I was turning into Nightmare.” She cringed at the thought but continued, “I truly hope you never have to use it but I’m going to teach you anyway... You know... Just in case.” Twilight wasn’t sure what she was to do about a drunken princess in her home but decided to go through the motions.

“Ok, Luna show me what you wanted to.” She said nearly sarcastically.

Luna laughed “so, you know?” Twilight was confused, “Yes, I have had a little to drink but please Twilight I am trying to be serious.” Twilight immediately felt bad for trying to play this whole thing off as a joke, Luna lifter her head. “Don’t feel bad, we all make our own choices, now let me show you what you need to do.”

______________________________________________________________________________

Twilight snapped back she was sweating and desperately needed to cast this spell! The torment from her head had not weakened in the slightest. “Oh, thank you Luna,” she had to say this aloud because it hurt too much to think. Her horn immediately started to glow and the real battle would soon begin.

Twilight was now in her own mind or rather a recreation of her mind. The area seemed to go on forever things as far as she could see. Each was a memory or a thought or feeling all shaped like small rooms in a huge corridor though it was organized. She knew her mind and as far as she knew that was the only advantage she had. She had to search for the infiltration of her mind the thing that was causing her so much pain. Each step she took was another heavy blow she would soon have nothing left. She scrambled to find it though Luna had taught her the spell she though, was still very weak at the time she had almost no magic power left. She would have shown her but it would have been useless ‘too easy of a test’ she had put it. She searched through the walls of her mind but it was huge so many places to hide so many things she had learned. This was the first time she really was sorry for being such a book worm.

In truth this was Twilight's biggest fear all of her knowledge all the things she had learn from: friends, the princesses, books, and anything else she could get her hooves on. Though Twilight had been taught one key thing from the moon princess: a finding spell. She immediately cast it and was pulled toward her memory that was strange you were never to attack the memories unless searching for something. It then hit her: this is why Luna taught her. She was an Element of Harmony they wanted that information.

She ran faster and faster each step seemed to be tearing her apart and it was now in sight The Elements of Harmony and everything she knew about them. It had her own segregation in her mind she now that, that was a bad idea it was much easier to find. She ran into the area of her mind as fast as she could and as soon as she did the pain stopped. “YES,” she nearly collapsed as the pain faded though she had to keep going. She found the thing she was looking for a small orb of magic she crushed it using her own magic.

She was exploded back out into her own world she was again in control of her real body she was sweating and was exhausted. She had been completely spent there was nothing left. She gasped in a huge breath and exhaled just as quickly and she was back. She did not wait for a warm welcome and started taking inventory mentally and physically. Nothing seemed to be out of place and yet something felt... different. Never the less, she allowed herself to relax she was still panting and she ached. She lay in the ally she had been in for the past hour though she did not remember getting there. After what was an eternity she rose and started off to her tree she called a home.

“hehehe, good you have passed,” the ‘passed’ part was said as a laugh.

“Get out of my head!” Twilight screamed to her brain..

“Fine, Twilight Sparkle but, you may feel a little different now. We will meet,” he paused, “is it again or soon? Never mind we will be hearing more of one another soon, I am very proud.” with that Twilight could feel him leave her mind she could tell he was very meticulous on his way out.

“Good,” thought Twilight and headed home she only wanted to sleep for the next week.

She arrived home about ten minutes later it would have taken less time if she had been able to walk without nearly dragging herself. She walked to the door and looked at it as though it were a massive wall and could only bring herself to knock. Spike answered almost immediately, “Twilight!” He didn’t notice she was in pain and pulled her inside, “let me just turn on some lights.” As he made his way to the lights Twilight knew something was up. For one Spike was never that excited to see her except on special occasions, and the lights never were off during the day. He made it to the light switch as she put two and two together... Pinkie.

The lights Flipped on, “Surprise!” Her six friends all stood in the house, “happy birthday!”

“Pinkie... it’s not my birthday.” Twilight nearly grumbled

“Ya! But now it’s only 100 days away!” The pink pony was ecstatic and Twilight knew her friends have all lied to her. Well except Applejack more than likely she was just never told in the first place she always was a terrible liar.

“Oh, come now Twilight obviously has a problem can’t anypony see that?” Rarity now spoke up for her friend. “Now my dear, what is the problem you seem absolutely exhausted.”

Twilight was about to admit to her friends she had been attacked, “don’t do it,” the voice nearly sang. “I know you don't want to lie to them but it will be better for them in the long run.”

“And when did I start listening to you? More importantly, get out!” Twilight was now furious.

“Hehehe, feisty aren’t you?” Twilight was about to explode, the voice sighed. “Fine come down to the bar by Sugar Cube Corner and I’ll tell you everything. Just drum up a good lie.”

Twilight contemplated her situation for a long moment, “fine.” she did not like to admit defeat but, she held none of the cards and they both knew it.

“Ya, I’ll be alright girls I just have to run down to the store really quick.” She gave her friends a feeble grin, “I’ll be right back.” Before anypony could protest she was out the door.

She made her way down to the bar as fast as her legs could carry her. Every muscle in her body burned. She pushed all the way to bar and she would definitely feel that in the morning. She looked all around the bar and could not see anything out of the normal though she rarely went there. She decided that the pony must be inside and started to head to the door.

“That's far enough,” she was instantly filled with rage. “Now you’re about to feel a little bit of a tickle and all your pain will be gone.” There was a zap not a tickle but the pain did begin to fade.

“Thanks,” Twilight said clearly annoyed, “now what?”

“While I would love to meet face to face I’m afraid that is not an option.”

“You said you would tell me everything!” Twilight was so furious she thought she might kill the next pony she saw. She began to toy with the idea and thought of how she would do it images began to flash through her head.

“Damn, your sick,” the voice said slightly startled, “anyway, calm down I’m sending an... employee of mine. Cupcakes SERIOUSLY?!”

“SHUT UP!” Twilight was now beyond anger.

Just then the strangest looking pony she had ever seen appeared from the bushes. He was an earth pony so needless to say this was not the pony that had been mentally fighting with her just a half-hour ago. His mane was green and purple and stuck out in three separate directions. His coat was a purple that resembled Rarity’s hair. His mark was much like drama masks but there were four not two. Two of them were standard but the other two were angry and what seemed like soulless. He had a massive grin on his face that only grew when he saw Twilight. “Hehehe, lemme buy you a drink.”

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Author’s note:

I watched it and loved it, my first reactions were: WTF? Now I am the biggest brony I know. I chose to write this because I have recently been reading very many fan fictions all across the interwebs. This is my first story and my first time writing anything like this. I am always trying to become a better writer so I do thank for any helpful comments. All characters and places belong to Hasbro and the My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic ponies. (Except OCs)