A Whole New World

by Canine

Rating: teen
Tags: Scootaloo, Adventure, Princess Celestia, Main 6, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark, Alternate Universe, Human, Sad, Lyra, Romance, Original Character
Length: 191520

A human named Dutch finds himself in a mysterious forest. Will his life turn for better or worse?

Douglas Jones has everything he needs in life; family, friends, and is looking forward to the future. But after a series of unfortunate events unfold, he feels he needs some time by himself. When he finds himself in a mysterious forest, he doesn't know where to go or what to do. But luckily, all it might take is a hand - or a hoof - to help him find his way.

Additional characters and categories will be added as the story progresses. Rated teen for language and violence. Rating might change further along the line.

This story will take place a few months before the first episode of MLP: FiM. I may add one or two episodes in, but I will not do a copy/paste from the show, and will be primarily from the protagonist's point of view.

Published 2012-03-17 11:54:02 UTC
Last updated 2013-06-20 21:39:38 UTC

Chapter 5: A Close Encounter

My senses returned to me momentarily as I heard something. It sounded distant, but at the same time, very close.

After listening for a while longer, it sounded like a dog barking. I tried to move, but not a single nerve in my body would respond, not even my eyes or my voice. All I could do was lie here, in the barn, and let this dog bark.

Eventually, I heard something else. Footsteps. I held my breath (metaphorically speaking, seeing as my nervous system was, well... dead) and hoped that whoever was coming would help. I heard them getting closer, and the noise of their feet changed as they entered the barn.

"What is it, Winona?" A man, with a deep, soft voice. But there was something off about it, it sounded... different. It sounded like an accent from somewhere like Texas.

Whoever was there must have seen me, as I heard a loud yell and something getting dropped. There was silence after that, but I felt something poking me, probably the farmer. It felt harder than a hand though, must've been his boot.

Eventually, the person started to walk away, but I heard his voice, louder this time, as he called out to someone, "AJ, get out to the barn! There's somethin' you need to see."

The footsteps returned to me, and after about a minute, I heard someone else coming. It was probably this "AJ" person.

"What's goin' on big brother? Ah swear, if those caterpillars got into the apples again, Ah'm gonna have to find a pest remover." A woman this time, younger, but with the same southern accent.

I heard these footsteps stop too. They were sudden, but there was no cry of surprise this time.

"Oh my." I heard the new voice speak, "What do you think it is Big Mac?"

Huh? That was an odd question. They couldn't have been talking about me, maybe there was something else in the barn.

"Ah don't know sis, but Ah ain't seen nothin' like it." I felt "Big Mac" poke me again. "Do you think it's dead?"

What? I'm not dead. I willed my body to move. If they thought I was dead, they might just leave me, and I needed their help. I focused myself and channeled my energy to try and shout, to prove I was alive. My weak body meant it only came out as a groan, but it was enough.

Immediately I heard the two people jump back in shock, until "AJ" said, "Well, Ah guess that answers yer question." There was a pause, then, "Go and get Granny Smith. She's older than both of us together, she might know what it is."

It's obvious they're talking about me now, but why were they acting so surprised?

I heard Big Mac leave, and AJ started to wander round me, probably examining me. I felt her lift my left arm, and a sharp pain went along it. She must be looking at the bite marks, along with my crude attempt at bandaging them. *thud* Ow, thanks for that! I thought sarcastically, as AJ dropped my arm back onto the earth, sending through another shot of pain.

Finally, I heard Big Mac returning, along with another person. I heard this lighter set of feet approach, but I didn't hear any pause in their step, no gasp or yell. They almost didn't seem surprised, like the other two did.

"Well?" I heard Big Mac again, "Any ideas, Granny?"

"Ah don't know young'un," I heard "Granny Smith" this time. She sounded like she was in her eighties, at least. "Ah've seen a lot of things in my life, but Ah ain't seen anything like this."

"Well, what do we do with it?" said Big Mac.

"Maybe we should take it inside," I heard AJ speak again, but there was no reply from the others, "Take care of it until it wakes up."

"AJ! You can't be serious." Big Mac didn't seem to like this idea one bit. "We find a... thing in our barn. We don't know what it is, and you wanna take it inside? What if it attacks us?"

"Then we'll defend ourselves, we're perfectly capable of that!" AJ replied, sounding aggressive. "Look, whatever it is, it's hurt. It looks like it was bitten by something, probably those wolves we heard last night. It's tried to bandage up the wounds, so it probably has some form of intelligence. And it's wearing clothes, so we can assume it knows a thing or two about how to live. Besides, we can't just leave it out here, it could die. And imagine how the rest of the town would react if they found out we just let an injured animal die on our farm."

Thank god. It sounds like they want to help me. Or at least one of them does.

Granny Smith had remained quiet throughout, but now she spoke, "Ah think yer right AJ. Big Mac, you get it on yer back and carry it into the house. Put it next to the fire, it's soaking wet."

I heard Big Mac grunt in annoyance, but he complied with, "Eeyup." I felt my limp body get picked up, but it felt wierd, like they were trying to wedge something under me. When the thing was supporting my stomach, I felt myself get tossed in the air and land on something. It felt hard, but it shifted as it adapted to my shape.

I heard Big Mac stuggle from my weight, and he said with a groan, "Geez sis, have you felt this thing? It's as cold as ice."

"Probably from being out all night." I felt something touch my cheek. it felt like short hair, like that of a horse or a pig. It retracted quickly. "The sooner we get it inside and next to the fire, the better."

Thanks. I thought. These people were willing to help me. As soon as I got my strength back, I would thank them properly, find out where I was, and carry on home.

I didn't think that strength would return anytime soon however, as I felt my mind entering the void again, and I returned to full unconsciousness.

Big Mac carried the creature on his back into the house. Upon entering, he went into the living room and placed it next to the fire. It still didn't wake up, and secretly, Big Mac was hoping he wouldn't. At least, not for a while. This thing was found in their barn, and they didn't know what it would do when it regained consciousness. The creature was stiff and tense when he was carrying it, but when it sensed the warmth of the fire, it seemed to relax. Big Mac then left the room and shut the door; there was a child in the house, and she might freak if she saw it.

Meanwhile, Applejack was still in the barn, thinking about would happen when the animal woke up. Would it attack them, or would it be scared? It might even be able to communicate in some form with them, the clothes and the bandages suggested it was smart enough to know something.

She was brought out of her trance when she heard Granny Smith calling her from the front door, "You comin' Applejack? There's work to be done."

"Yeah, Ah'm comin'," she replied. She went over to the large object they had found next to the animal. It was made of some tough fabric, and looked like it was meant to carry something. She tried to pick it up and put it on her back, but the weight of it was staggering. It must've weighed more than her, definitely the weight of a few fillies. Eventually, she just settled with dragging it indoors, resting it against the nearest wall she saw.

She then went back outside and retrieved the pieces of cloth that were also next to the creature. They had a fairly similar shape to each other, but one was larger and thicker. They were soaking wet, but she picked them up and carried them in. She had a hard day's work ahead of her and she was going to sweat, so what was the point in worrying about some wet rags. At least they were light enough to carry.

She found the creature in the living room next to the fire. She placed the objects (she guessed they were clothes) on a hook near the heat so that they would dry, and whistled to the dog, who was wandering round the house. Almost immediately, Winona was sitting in the doorway, waiting for orders.

"Winona, Ah need you to keep an eye on our... guest. Come get us if he wakes up."

The dog barked happily and jumped on a chair in the corner, watching the animal patiently. Applejack then left the room and pulled the door until it was only ajar, so the Winona could get out. She then walked over to Big Mac and spoke in a whisper.

"Big Mac, can ya'll go and get Fluttershy? Tell her we got a wounded animal at the farm." Big Mac simply nodded and headed out the door.

As she was about to leave too, she heard her sister from the top of the stairs, "What's goin' on Applejack? Ah heard some commotion downstairs."

"Everythin's fine Applebloom. We dropped a glass and Ah was just clearin' it up." Applejack hated lying, but it was better than telling her that there was a strange creature in the house. As an afterthought, she added, "Could ya'll stay out of the living room today? Ah think there might still be some broken glass and Ah don't want you steppin' on it."

"Alright sis." Applebloom seemed to believe her, "Ah'll get ready for school." She left the stairs and returned to her room.

Hoping that everything was now in order, Applejack left the house and went to start her work on the farm.

Oooooowwwww...

I woke up on my back, and it felt like I had moved, again. It took a while for my vision to return, but when it did, I noticed I was in a house. Did someone find me? I couldn't remember much from last night, I recall the wolves and entering a barn, but nothing after that.

I felt warmth next to me, and turned my head to be greeted by a glowing fire. The sight of it alone was enough to give me strength, and I sat up, rubbing my head. Man, feels like I drank myself under a table.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw something move. I looked over and saw a dog sitting on a chair. It had the coat of a brown border collie, but it was smaller than one, probably a puppy. Upon noticing me however, it jumped off and ran out of the room barking.

Maybe it's gone to find the owner of this farm, I thought. I got on my knees, and slowly rose to my feet, using a nearby shelf as support. I then took this moment to inspect myself. I almost took a step back in surprise.

I don't remember much, but I knew that I didn't do all of this to myself. The bandage on my arm had been removed, and replaced with a new one, but it was wrapped cleanly this time. The wound on my shoulder was also covered, as the cloth ran over my shoulder and around my chest to hold it in place. My face was throbbing, and I ran my fingers along the area where the wolf had scratched it. I felt thin bumps along the cut, they must be stitches. I counted seven or eight of them. This is going to leave one hell of a scar.

At this point I heard the dog's barking. It was coming back, and I could hear another set of feet following it. The sound slowed as I heard the front door open, and the person approach.

Wait. That didn't sound like footsteps. They sounded more like... horseshoes?

The door was pushed open to reveal an animal standing there, not a person. It didn't do anything, it was just staring at me, and I took this time to have a good look at it.

It had four legs and a tail, those were easy enough. It had a short coat, with an orange hue, and its mane was a pale yellow, along with its tail. It's head was perhaps the largest part of its body, with a small snout and large green eyes. Overall, it looked like a horse, but much smaller. It only came to about four feet tall. My memory began to flash something into my vision. My dream in the woods. Was this what I had seen by that light?

There were, however, two things that were off about this... horse. The first was that is was wearing a cowboy hat. It looked like a stetson, but twice as big as a normal hat. The second thing was what I saw on its flank. It looked like it had been branded, but I didn't know of any hot metals that could brand three red apples, complete with a green leaf on each.

The horse was still staring at me, so I took this opportunity to look around the room. I saw my shirt and fleece hanging on a hook near the fire, and picked them up. The flames had dried them along with my jeans, and even the boxers underneath. They felt warm and comforting as I put them on.

My back was to the door, and I was just finished putting my arm through the final sleeve when I heard a voice, "So, yer finally awake. How do you feel?"

That voice. I recognised it, and the memories I had of when I was temporarily awake returned. It was the younger woman who had suggested to take me inside. It was her. I turned round, but there was noone there, just the horse, still looking at me.

I walked over to the doorway, only just noticing that it was only about five feet high, and stooped to poke my head through, ignoring the horse. The living room connected into a dining room, with stairs near the table, what looked like a kitchen further on and a door leading outside in the other direction. I looked around, but I couldn't see the source of the voice. Odd, it sounded like it was close.

I felt something tapping my leg, and looked down to see the horse prodding me with its hoof. I was starting to get annoyed with it now, but then it moved its lips.

"Ah said, are you ok?"

HOLY SHIT! I backpeddled at these new words and tripped over my own feet, landing on my arse and sending pain along my arm and shoulder. I crawled to the other side of the room. It talked! The horse just fucking talked! I drew my knife and held it in front of me.

What? If you met a talking horse, you'd panic a bit too.

The horse looked uneasy when it saw this new weapon, but it didn't run. Instead it started talking again, this time with a soothing voice.

"It's alright. We ain't gonna hurt ya. Just put the knife down and take a deep breath."

I felt slightly calmer after this, but I wasn't giving up my knife. I slipped it back into the sheathe and stood up. I had to balance myself on the shelf again.

"Good." The horse carried on, "Now that that's outta the way, my name's Applejack. You got a name?" She held out her hoof, as if offering a handshake.

I didn't reply. This thing was probably a hallucination, and I didn't want to talk to it unless I had to. Applejack eventually lowered her hoof, took another look at me, and left the room.

Ok, talking horses. That's new for me. I had to figure out where I was. I walked out of the room and noticed my pack leaning against the wall. I knelt over it and searched inside the pockets for my map. The pack had a waterproof lining, so everything inside was dry, even after the river. I found my map, unfolded it, and laid it out on the table. I was just about to examine it, when another wave of dizziness washed over me, and I nearly fell over again.

Applejack noticed me, and took my arm in her hoof. "Woah there, Nelly. Why don't you lie down for a bit. Ah'll be back to check on you later."

She led me back into the living room, and instructed me to lie on the sofa. I obeyed, and as soon as my head hit the cushion, I fell asleep.

Applejack spent a few minutes staring at this animal now sleeping on her sofa. She hadn't expected it to react the way it did, but at least they had avoided any incidents.

Eventually, she decided to let it rest. She left the room and closed the door behind her. Wandering outside, she made the decision to go and tell her brother what had happened. The sun was setting now, casting a vibrant pink across the sky.

She found her brother inside the barn, stacking barrels of apples in a corner. She approached him and simply said, "The animal woke up."

Big Mac almost knocked the barrels over in surprise, and took a moment to compose himself. Afterwards, he replied, "What happened? Did it try to attack you?" His tone gave an impression of concern.

"No Big Macintosh, Ah'm fine." She gave him a reassuring look, and he relaxed. "Ah don't think it can talk, it didn't reply when I spoke to it. But when it heard me speak, it jumped out of its skin. Ah've never seen so much shock from anypony. Anyway, it tried to look at what Ah thought was a map, but it was still really out of it. It's sleepin' in the livin' room now." She decided to leave out the incident with the knife.

Big Mac didn't reply. He simply nodded, like he always did, and went inside with Applejack to prepare dinner.

Feel free to leave comments. I welcome criticism, as I'm always looking for ways to improve. Just don't go crazy. Sorry these chapters have been short. I want to make them longer, so any advice on that will also be appreciated. Also, I don't know how frequently I'll be able to upload, college work can pile up. However, I'm going to be putting as much spare time as I can into it.

Chapter 6: Getting my... Bearings?

I couldn't believe where I was standing. Everything that had happened, the chase in the woods, the talking horses, it must've all been a dream. What I was looking at now confirmed that.

I was home.

It looked exactly how I remembered it. The gravel driveway, the immaculate garden. I was having trouble getting my head around it, but it didn't matter. I was standing on the road just outside, and I could see my dad's car parked outside, with my brother's alongside.

I walked round to the back door and found it unlocked. As I entered the kitchen, I called out, "Hello?" There was no reply. I looked in the dining room, but there was noone there. The living room was empty too. I walked up the stairs, getting curious as to where everyone was. I saw my bedroom, and temporarily abandoned my search as I wandered in.

Everything was exactly where it had been when I left. The bed was made, my laptop sat on my desk, and the dozens of books on my shelf were still there, though a little dusty. I was tempted to stay here, but I left and continued to look for everyone.

One after the other, I entered my brother's room, then my parents' room. Both of them were empty, just furniture and wallpaper. I was starting to get worried now. Where is everyone? I was about to give up and leave when I saw movement from a window. I went over to it and saw my brother, down in the garden, just walking out of sight.

My heart leapt, and I ran downstairs and out the back door. I saw my whole family this time. Dad, Chris, even mum. I saw them posing for a group photo next to an ash tree, dad was just about to press the timer on the camera.

"Guys!" I shouted. They all turned to look at me, "I'm so happy to see you again, I--"

My words were cut short as I got close. I looked in their eyes, each of them was wearing a look of anger and disgust. My happiness was drowned in surprise and sorrow as each of them slowly turned, and began to walk away.

"Where are you going? I'm home now." I tried to follow them, but I couldn't move anymore. It felt like my feet were stuck in the ground. I could only watch as my family slowly walked away, fading to dust as they reached the bottom of the garden.

I gasped as I woke up. My face was gathering cold sweat, and my hands were shaking. I felt a lump in my throat, and I had to control myself and fight back the tears. It had all been a dream. I swore to myself that I would find a way home, wherever I was.

I looked at where I had been sleeping. My mind had trouble recollecting the events of what had happened earlier. They slowly returned as I looked around the room. There had been the fireplace, the dog, and...

...the talking horse.

I felt my strength returning, and managed to lift myself off the sofa and onto my feet. I was still wearing the clothes I had from when I had started the walk, but my trip through the river in the forest had given them a bit of a wash, and they didn't smell as bad as they had before.

I left the living room and walked towards the door leading outside. On the way, I passed a mirror hanging on the wall. I looked at myself, and almost didn't recognise the person I saw. I still had the round, but chiseled face, the fair hair and hazel eyes, but my face had streaks of dirt. Most of it had been washed off though, probably by whoever had treated me when I was unconscious. I also noticed the stitches in my cheek. The attack from that wolf had left a cut about an inch under my left eye, and it traveled downwards, stopping in line with my mouth.

"Whoever stitched this knew what they were doing. I'm going to have to thank them for it later."

I imagined the scar that would be left by the cut. I would look kinda cool, but it would always serve as a reminder of what happened.

As I opened the door and bent down to get through it, I took a moment to take in my surroundings. The sun was high in the sky, so I guessed it must have been the afternoon. This was a big farm. Fields of vegetables and barns were in every direction, and I could hear a variety of animals. I took a second look, but I couldn't see any horses. Maybe it was just a hallucination.

I walked round to the other side of the house and was greeted by a huge orchard. I had never seen anything quite like it, apple trees stretched as far as I could see, some were even planted on the hills in the distance. I felt my stomach rumble, but I ignored it. I couldn't bring myself to eat this farmer's produce, they had taken me in and helped me.

I started walking along a path through the orchard, and heard a noise. I stopped, but I heard nothing. I carried on, and heard the noise again, closer this time. It sounded like someone was hitting the trees with something, hard. I came over a small hill, and saw the same horse I had seen earlier. It was kicking the trunks of trees in its path with its hind legs. Each time it did, apples would fall out of the tree and collect in pre-arranged buckets at the foot. Once the horse was finshed with one tree, it would move on to the next. Every time, it would manage to knock all the apples out in one kick

I kept my distance, but watched with a strange amount of interest. How is something so small able to do that? Every apple, in one go.

I must have strayed a bit too close, because the horse saw me out of the corner of its eye. However, it didn't seem surprised, and beckoned me over with its hoof. I shuddered when I remembered the talking, but I thought I might as well talk to something, real or not.

I walked over to the horse. I think I remember it calling itself Applejack. As I got closer, a smile appeared on its face and it opened its mouth again.

"Good to see ya up and about. How do ya feel?"

I simply nodded, and instantly regretted it. This thing probably thinks I can't talk, because the smile disappeared and was replaced by concern. But it quickly got back to kicking the trees. I tried to think of something to say, but I ended up going for something simple.

"Thank you."

Applejack was surprised by this, and she missed the tree she was about to kick. She looked at me again, and walked over to me, the smile returning to her face.

"So ya can talk! Ah had a feelin' ya could."

"Really? How so?" I was surprised that this was her first statement to me.

"Well, ya had a first aid kit, and yer wearin' clothes, so Ah guessed ya had some smarts about ya. Ya gave me quite the fright when ya talked outta the blue like that."

I chuckled at this, "Likewise. You're the first talking horse--"

"Pony."

"Pardon?"

"Ah'm a pony, not a horse. But carry on."

A pony. Ok, something else I'm going to have to get used to.

"Well, I was saying that you are the first talking pony I've ever come across."

Applejack looked shocked, "Whaddya mean? Everypony talks around these parts. Where have ya'll been where we don't talk."

Crap, that reminds me. I still need to figure out where I am. I quickly tried to change the subject, "It doesn't matter, but it does remind me of something. I was wandering if you could help me with my map. I still need to find out where I am."

Applejack gave me a look of suspicion, but didn't pursue the issue. "Sure thing, lemme just finish up here and Ah'll join ya." She went back to bucking the trees. After another five minutes, she took a breather and said, "Alright then, that oughta do it fer today, let's get back to the house and take a look at that map of yers."

As we wandered back along the path towards, I could feel Applejack's eyes examining me. I turned to her, but she didn't break her stare.

"Why are you staring at me like that?"

"'Cuz Ah ain't seen anythin' like ya. What are ya? Ah didn't even get a name from ya."

I didn't feel comfortable about telling her my name just yet, but I couldn't avoid this question. I thought up the nickname I had when I was in college.

"My name's Dutch. And as for what I am, I'm a human. But how come you haven't seen a human before?"

"Why? Are ya common?"

"Common? There's seven billion of us on Earth."

She seemed surprised. "Well, Ah ain't seen a single one. None of mah friends have mentioned animals like you, and Ah haven't read anythin' about ya in the news."

I didn't reply, I just contemplated what Applejack had been saying. So none of her friends or anyone she knew had seen a human before? Where the hell am I? And if there weren't humans, who did she know? Surely not more ponies. And if they are, how do you stitch a wound with hooves?

We remained silent until we reached the house. When we entered, I went over to the table where my map was still lying and sat down to look at it. Applejack told me that their farm was called Sweet Apple Acres, so I started searching for it. I spent the next hour looking at my map, but I couldn't see anything that went by that name. There were farms and forests, and I found the farm where I had practiced my archery, but no Sweet Apple Acres. Applejack had been doing other chores around the house while this had been happening, and was just finishing up now. She trotted over to me and saw the look of confusion on my face.

"Ya look like yer strugglin'," she said jumping up and placing her hooves on the table. She looked at the map with me, "Ah had look at it while you were sleepin'. Ah couldn't make heads or tails of it either."

"It's not that," I replied, not drawing my gaze from the map. "I can't seem to find a farm like this on the map at all. It's like I'm not even in Britain anymore."

Applejack looked at me when I mentioned Britain, "Bri-tun? Ah ain't heard of anywhere in Equestria like that."

What? Equestria? "Hey Applejack. Do you have a map of Equestria?"

"Sure. Wait here and Ah'll get it fer ya." She promptly left.

While Applejack was gone, I thought about this "Equestria" she had mentioned. I had studied Geography, and I knew there was nowhere on Earth by that name. But after getting rescued from death by talking ponies, I guess I was willing to believe anything right now.

Applejack quickly returned with a rolled up parchment in her mouth. She placed it on the table, and I rolled it out to reveal a landscape I had never seen before. The terrain was extremely varied; there were forests, mountains and flatlands, and I quickly found Sweet Apple Acres.

"That can't be right." I said aloud. I remembered my Ipod in my pack, that had a world map on it, maybe I could show it to Applejack. I grabbed it from the top pocket and turned it on. It still worked fine, and I quickly found my photo folder. Meanwhile, Applejack was eyeing the Ipod with intense curiosity.

"What is that?" She finally said.

I didn't want to go into detail about my Ipod, not when there were other, more important things to do, "It would take too long to explain, but I was wondering if you recognised this." I showed her the picture of Earth. She spent a few moments looking at it, then cocked her head.

"Now Ah'm confused. Are ya sure we're talkin' about the same Earth here?"

I paused. I was about to reply with a yes, but now I wasn't so sure. I sighed to myself, "I don't know. I just... need some time to think about this."

Applejack seemed to understand, and told me she was going to prepare some dinner for her family and me. As she left, I took another look at both the maps now lying on the table. I was still trying to wrap my head around this. What if I wasn't on Earth anymore? To anyone else, that would've seemed to be physically impossible, but I had already experienced my fair share of the impossible.

I was still contemplating all this when another pony walked in through the back door. It was taller than Applejack, and had a considerably larger build. It also had a red coat, a short, orange mane, and half a green apple branded on its flank. It was giving me this stare as it entered, but I was curious about something. I asked him, "Are you Big Mac?"

He seemed surprised, but he quickly put on a neutral face and replied with, "Eeyup." He wandered into the kitchen where he started talking to Applejack, but I couldn't make out what they were saying.

Eventually though, dinner was served. I cleared away the maps and Applejack placed a steaming apple pie on the table. As we were sitting down again, a third pony appeared to join us. She looked older than Applejack and Big Mac, and had a bright green coat. She introduced herself as Granny Smith, and asked where someone called Applebloom was.

"She's in her room," Applejack answered, "She wasn't hungry tonight."

The same couldn't be said for me. My rations on the walk had been used up faster than expected, and I suddenly felt ravenous. I had never tried apple pie in the past, but I didn't care about the taste at this point. I wolfed my food down, but made sure to keep my manners in front of my hosts.

We remained silent as we ate. I assumed they had questions for me, but they didn't ask anything. Good thing too, my mouth was so full of pie I wouldn't have been able to answer. After dinner, my body clock felt like it wanted to mess with me, and I suddenly felt tired. I asked if it was ok if I went into the living room to sleep, and Applejack granted me leave. I shut the door behind me, took off my shirt to keep it clean, and went to sleep on the floor. I know I had slept on the sofa before, but it felt rude to assume I could do it again. As I lay there, I couldn't help but think about the dream I had had before.

My family was rejecting me, what did that mean?

The moon was shining down over the farm, but sleep didn't take hold for a several hours. It usually doesn't for a troubled mind.

Chapter 7: Guided Tour

I had the same dream again that night. I tried to figure out what I was doing wrong, but my family still looked at like I was a freak of nature. All I could do was be held in place as my family disappeared into the wind again.

I heard a rooster calling in the distance, and it was enough to wake me up; I didn't want to go back to sleep. I almost yelled out, however, as I saw a large orange face staring down at me. Applejack moved out of the way as I sat up, a look of concern on her face.

"You alright Dutch? Ya had cold sweats goin' on and you were mumblin' in yer sleep."

"I'm fine Applejack. Just a bad dream." I didn't want to discuss the issue.

"Well, Ah'm not surprised. The floor ain't built fer sleepin' on. Yer welcome to lie on the couch until we get the guest room cleared. Then ya can sleep there, and hopefully have a better night."

I was surprised at this. They were going to let me sleep in their home properly already? "Are you sure AJ? I wouldn't want to impose--"

Applejack cut me off, "Ah'm sure sugarcube. You seem civil enough. Big Mac wanted you to sleep in the barn but Ah wasn't havin' any of it."

Wow. She really meant it. I'd have to find some way to repay them later.

"Anyway, Ah was wonderin' if ya wanted me to give ya a tour around our farm. Ah've got a day off today, and Ah want to learn more about ya."

I was interested in learning more about ponies too, so I accepted her offer, and we both left the house, wandering down the path towards the farm. I had a question that had been bugging me since we had left, so I decided to speak up, "Applejack, can I ask you something?"

"Sure Dutch, what's on yer mind?"

"Why are you helping me so much? If a human found me they would either chase me off their property, or make sure I was ok, then chase me off their property. But you're offering me shelter and food until I find a way home. I've never met someone offering so much hospitality so quickly."

Applejack looked at me with astonishment. She hadn't expected something so polite to come from a species that sounded so mean. "We found ya injured in our barn, and it wouldn't have been decent to leave ya out there to freeze. We saw it as our responsibility to help ya." She gave me a soft smile.

"Well, regardless, I can't thank you enough for everything you've already done. I wish there was someway I could repay you, but I don't have anything to offer you."

"That's alright Dutch. Ya don't have to repay us."

I was shocked. Her family had saved me from certain death, and she asked for nothing in return? I paused for a moment, but decided I wasn't going to take no for an answer. "I want to repay you though. I would feel so guilty if I just walked away."

Applejack looked me in the eyes, and rubbed her chin. Eventually she said, "Well, if ya really wanna help, we could always use some extra work around the farm. There's crops that need harvestin', and apple trees to be bucked. It's good if yer lookin' fer money too."

Excellent. I always enjoyed manual labour, I seemed to be able to find some sort of freedom in it. "That sounds great. But you don't have to pay me. After all, I owe you."

"Well, if yer sure about it. Oh, we're here."

I looked forward, and found myself in the orchard where I had met Applejack yesterday. This must have been the largest part of the farm, because they wouldn't have named their farm after apples for any other reason.

"This here's our orchard, and one of the largest in Equestria if Ah say so mahself," Applejack said, her face filled with pride. She pointed over to a few patches of trees, with several dozen in each group. "We harvest those throughout the year to keep our farm runnin'. Of course, when Applebuck Season comes along, we take those trees over there." She pointed in a different direction, where there must have been hundreds of apple trees, all standing in perfect lines until they reached the horizon. I couldn't get my mind round how they would manage to harvest so many trees in one period of the year.

We kept walking, and eventually reached the edge of a forest. I almost wasn't aware of it, but I stopped in my path when I realised that this was the forest I had come out of. It looked completely different in the daylight, but that didn't stop me remembering the wolves.

"Applejack, do you know what this place is?"

"Yeah, it's the Everfree Forest. Almost everpony avoids that place. It just ain't natural compared to the rest of Equestria." Applejack shuddered when she mentioned its name.

"I remember coming out of here before I found your farm." I said, peering in through the trees. They were still as bleak as they had been. Applejack looked at me with surprise, "So it was you! Ah was wonderin' what had made the wolves so uptight. They were howlin' somethin' awful the other night." I didn't reply, and I certainly wasn't going to mention that I had killed one of them. I don't think that would've worked in my favour.

We continued with the tour, and as we came over the crest of a hill, I saw a town in the distance. It was small, but I hadn't seen or heard any vehicles, so I assumed the towns and cities would be slightly smaller to accomodate the lack of fast transport. Applejack came over the hill and saw the town too.

"That's Ponyville," she said, "That's were most of mah friends live, and were I go locally to sell our apples."

The town would mean more ponies, and I wasn't sure if I wanted to meet more of them just yet. Three was already more than enough, "Uh Applejack, is it ok if we don't go there yet. I'm just not sure how everybody... everypony will react." It felt wierd saying it like they did, but it wasn't something I wouldn't get used to.

"Don't worry about it Dutch. Most of 'em would probably be pretty darn scared of ya. You can stay at the farm until yer ready."

After a few hours, the tour was complete, and we had returned to the farm. We were sitting in the shade of the barn, eating some apples Applejack had offered. We sat in silence, until she decided to break it.

"Dutch, Ah've been meanin' to ask ya. Ya mentioned that yer kind was distrustful, but Ah was wonderin'. What was your life like?"

I hadn't been expecting this, and I almost chocked on the piece of apple in my mouth. I wasn't scared of telling her though, so I got comfortable, and started what was going to be a long talk.

"Well, if you want to know about me, I guess I should start at the beginning. I had a pretty normal life until several months ago. I lived with my mum, dad and an older brother in a nice house in the countryside. I could never really get used to living in a large city. All the noise and bustling of people didn't seem appealing to me. I lived in rural areas for all my life, but that didn't mean I could get away from the world's problems.

"Just as I was becoming a teenager, hormones kicked in. My temper dropped to almost non-existant. I hated everything and everyone because of how badly we told ourselves we were doing as a species. It wasn't helped by the news. It was the papers, the radio, they made it so easy to get bad news. There was so much of it that I just stopped caring.

"It was only a few years ago that I realised how wrong that was. After hearing more stuff in the news one afternoon, I just thought to myself "What's the point in listening to all of this if you're not going to do anything about it." I felt guilty that I was doing nothing while the world tore itself apart."

Applejack's face was covered in a mixture of emotions: confusion, surprise, but sadness was the most noticable. She took this pause in my talk to ask, "What did ya do?"

I continued, "I decided I wanted to become a soldier." Applejack looked surprised at this, and I knew why. "The country I lived in was a peaceful one, and we weren't all about fighting wars. Our soldiers did their best to help people who needed it.

"I started seeing recruitment posters for the Army, and hearing reports; good people doing good things in bad places. Making sure to be in the right place at the right time to help those who needed it. I figured all I had to do was follow orders, and I would be helping these people too. I immediately started working on my fitness, training myself so that I could stand with these men, and be there for someone. My parents thought it was a great idea, and supported me. But I could see, they were always worried that if I went away, I might not come back. We may have been helping people, but our kind still waged war."

Applejack was looking sympathetic now, and I think she was getting a little emotional. "Ya haven't mentioned yer family much. What were they like?"

Part of me was telling me to stop, but I wanted to go on. It felt good to let out this burden to someone.

"I loved my family, I still do. They treated me with the love and kindness that any parent should give their children. They never gave up on me, and were always there when I needed them."

"Why are ya sayin' this in the past tense?"

I sighed to myself, and I could feel a lump forming in my throat. "It all started about five months ago. I thought it was going to be just another day. But then, my mum got sick. Really sick. There was nothing we could do for her, her illness was already too much to be treated. I think she passed away peacefully, but life only seemed to go downhill from there." I felt a tear rolling down my cheek.

"Without mum, my dad fell apart. He lost his job, started drinking, and eventually became aggressive towards me and my brother. One day, about a week ago, it went too far, and I decided to leave. I only planned to be gone for a few days, just to clear my head, but I got lost and had to find somewhere to shelter myself. I found a forest, fell asleep, woke up somewhere else, and made my way here," I looked over at Applejack, "I suppose you know the rest."

Applejack was on the verge of tears now, and she moved closer and leaned on my shoulder to comfort me. She looked up at me, and stared straight into my eyes as she spoke, "Ah'm so sorry Dutch. If Ah had known, Ah would never have asked ya about it."

I rested my head on hers, letting the tears flow freely now, "It's ok AJ. It feels good to let the weight off your shoulders sometimes, you know? I'm glad I could say it to someone, and I'm happy you understand. Thank you."

I know what you're thinking: "Lockbox, are you going to put in a human/pony relationship?" In truth, I'm still thinking about it. I'm veering towards doing it, but it might still be some time.

Chapter 8: Search and Rescue

Author's notes: Now things get started properly. Sorry if it took too long.

After thanking Applejack for listening to my story, she went back inside. I stayed by the barn, thinking about everything I had said. I just poured my heart out to a pony. Does that mean that I trust them already?

I thought about this for about an hour, but eventually decided that I needed to do something to stop myself thinking about it. It would only get worse if I stayed here. So I did something I hadn't done for a while, before mum had gotten sick. I went for a run. It would feel uncomfortable in boots and jeans, but I needed to think about something else.

It started with a simple warm-up, some stretches, and I started going at a steady pace along the path. After about five hundred metres I reached the orchard, and decided to pick up the pace. Now, I'm definitely not the best runner in the world. If I had become an athlete, it would have involved strength rather than speed or stamina. I had been expecting my legs to start aching now, but they weren't, so I kept going.

After running for a mile, my legs still weren't tired, and I paused to check myself. My breathing was fairly normal, and my heart rate was slow. I was getting quite confused now, but at the same, amazed. I decided to go all out, and broke into a sprint. I must have run another two miles, but when I stopped, I was showing no sign of fatigue. I had only a small amount of sweat on my brow, but it was a hot day, so that didn't count.

When my brain admitted that I could run like this, I just burst out laughing. I found that I had run in a circle, and I was a short distance away from the house, so I decided to head back. I kept laughing as I walked. All previous thoughts about my past and what I had said to Applejack just didn't seem to matter anymore. I felt like I could take on anything right now.

When I got closer to the house, I could hear raised voices. It sounded like Applejack and Big Mac were arguing. I approached the door, and the voices became understandable, "Well where else could she have gone?" That was Mac, he sounded pissed.

"Ah don't know. If ya didn't see her on the farm she must've--, oh no."

I walked in at this point and immediately both of the ponies were looking at me. AJ spoke first, "Dutch, while you were out did ya'll see a yellow filly with a red mane?"

Her voice was filled with fear, and I felt terrible as I answered no. I inquired, and Big Mac took over.

"It's our sister. She's missin'."

That's never good. They must have talking about Applebloom. "What happened?"

"Appleboom and Ah had an argument. It got heated and she ran off. Ah figured she was just in the orchard sulkin', but it's been hours now. She must have gone into the forest."

Shit. I've had first-hand experience of the Everfree Forest, and if Applebloom's just a filly... I didn't want to think what could happen. I walked straight over to my pack and grabbed my bow and arrows, attaching the string to the limbs. I also made sure I still had my knife on my leg. I wanted to be ready this time, for whatever was in there.

I noticed the two farm ponies were staring at my bow, "Dutch, what is that?" Applejack asked.

"There's no time, but I'll explain later." I had to take charge now, a life might well depend on it, "Applejack, you're coming with me. We're going to look in the forest for Applebloom. Big Mac, you stay here in case she comes back. If she does, come find us."

AJ and Big Mac were surprised by this sudden assertion, but they didn't want to oppose. Applejack followed me out the door and we headed towards the forest. We reached the treeline fairly quickly. Applejack was fast, but my added height made up for only having two legs.

I noticed some markings on the ground, and kneeled down to investigate, they were small and round, and Applejack identified them as a filly's hoofprints. Looking forward into the forest, I pulled an arrow out of the quiver on my back and attached it to the string. I slowly moved into the trees, making sure Applejack stayed behind me.

We followed the hooves for an hour, but we had been moving slowly and cautiously in case any creatures decided to attack. As we progressed, the mud that had been pressed down by the hooves slowly became wetter, and I assumed that we must have been getting close. I felt worried, however, when we came to a fork in the path, with hoofprints leading off in both directions.

"Which way did she go?" Applejack asked. She had kept herself controlled during the search, but I could hear the fear rising in her voice again.

"I don't know, but I've got an idea." I replied. "Applejack, how well can you fight?"

"Ah can hold mah own if that's what yer asking."

"Ok, take this," I took my knife out of its sheathe, and offered it to her. She seemed unsure at first, but took the handle in her mouth, "I'm going to head down the left path. You wait here in case Applebloom comes back from the right. If she does, come find me and we'll go home. If she doesn't and I come back, we'll head down the other path together, got it?"

Applejack couldn't reply, but she simply nodded as I wandered down the path alone.

After several minutes of walking, I reached a cave. I had a bad feeling about it, so I was just about to walk away from it when I heard a noise. The adrenaline in my body was making me jumpy, so instinctively I pulled back my bow and aimed it into the cave. Nothing. The noise sounded again, more clearly than before, but it didn't sound like an animal growling or anything dangerous. It sounded like...

...crying.

I lowered my bow, and wandered towards the cave. I thought of something as I got closer, and I called out, "Applebloom?" Crap, my nerves made that sound aggressive, that's not going to work.

There was a rock sitting at the edge of the cave's entrance, and I watched as a small head poked out from behind it. It's eyes were a golden orange, and it had a bow on the back of its mane. This must be Applebloom.

Upon seeing me however, the pony gasped from silent terror and ran further into the cave. Well, that was half expected. I ran over to the entrance, but I couldn't see anything. I called again, this time making myself sound comforting, "It's ok, I'm not going to hurt you."

"Leave me alone." The voice sounded scared, she didn't trust me. I tried again, "I just want to take you somewhere safe."

"Please don't hurt me."

I probably looked quite intimidating standing here, so I knelt down, "It's ok, I know Applejack."

The crying stopped when I mentioned Applejack, and I heard a soft patter of hooves. A moment later, Applebloom came running out of the darkness and jumped at me, wrapping her forelegs around my neck. I returned the hug, and found her coat to be freezing.

"Come on," I said, "Let's get you home."

No sooner had Applebloom released me than I heard a deep rumble from the cave. I think we had woken something up, and it didn't sound happy.

"Get behind me!" I ordered Applebloom, as I pulled the string back on my bow and aimed into the darkness. What I saw almost made me need new underwear.

A lion, with a dark yellow mane, and standing at about ten feet tall, was walking towards us, the ground shaking every time it took a step forward. But it wasn't just a big cat. It had a pair of huge dragon wings, both of them so black I could barely see them in the shadows of the cave. There was a glisten behind him, as the light reflected off what I saw to be a long scorpion's tail, slowly moving back and forwards as it moved.

Well, this seems a little one-sided. I remembered the history lessons I had bothered to listen to at school, and recognised the creature as a manticore from Persian mythology. Great. So now we've got wolves and mythical creatures? That's just not fair.

I aimed my bow at the manticore's leg and released the arrow. Hopefully it would serve as a distraction while we could escape. The arrow entered just above the manticore's paw, but it must have felt like a pin prick, because the beast simply pulled it out and cast it aside. It looked at me and let off a roar that left my ears ringing. Now it was angry. I turned to Applebloom.

The filly was staring at the manticore, too petrified to move, "Applebloom!" She didn't respond, she just continued to stare at the monster. I guess I was going to have to get assertive. "APPLEBLOOM!"

She seemed to snap out of her trance after that, and looked at me, "Run! Follow the path back to the fork, Applejack's waiting there. Tell her I'll be right behind you." She nodded and ran out of the cave as fast as she could.

I turned back to the manticore, but didn't have time to react as the beast smashed me with the back of its paw. I felt bones break as I flew through the air and impacted on the wall of the cave. When I hit the ground, I fell to my knees and coughed. Blood spattered the ground beneath my mouth, but I ignored the pain. If I stay here, I'm a dead man. Come on Dutch, get up!

I forced myself to my feet, leaning on a rock for support and saw the manticore lunge at me with its tail, the sting hurtling towards me like a bullet. I pushed myself off the rock to get some momentum. But I wasn't fast enough.

Just as I started to move, the sting hit me somewhere on my outstretched hand, and I yelled out as I felt pain tear through my arm. The tail forced my hand back against the wall, but I tugged at it and I felt myself get released. I didn't stop to look back, I just grabbed my bow and stumbled out of the cave.

Only when I exited the cave did I look behind me, and saw that the manticore wasn't following me. I half walked, half jogged back along the path, my body hunched over and my arm clutching at the pain in my torso. My vision became blurred, but it became focused again when I blinked, and I saw Applejack and Applebloom running towards me.

"Dutch! Are ya'll alright?"

I coughed, but held my arm up to hide the blood that came out of my lungs, "I'm ok, just a bit of bruising." I lied, my body was in total agony, and I was amazed that I was still moving.

Applejack explained that she had found a shortcut out of the forest, so I followed her lead, trying to hide my pained expressions. We finally reached the edges of the forest, and another wave of pain came over me. Applejack hadn't noticed, she was busy talking to Applebloom about... something, I couldn't hear her.

I was starting to feel dizzy now, and my vision was really blurred, no matter how much blinking I did. I turned towards the forest again, and saw something that stood out from the trees. It was a silhouette of a pony, and I could only just make out its appearance. It was wearing a large, brown cloak, and I saw a black and white striped muzzle sticking out from the hood. It was watching me.

"Appleja..."

Applejack heard Dutch's slurred word and turned around in time to see the human fall to his kness, then collapse in a heap. She ran straight over to him, dropping the knife as she went, and saw blood starting to drip from his mouth. He coughed, and more blood stained the grass. She started examining him further, but stopped when she got to his left hand, and almost retched from the sight.

"Applebloom, Big Mac's at the house. Go get him, tell him Dutch is hurt and Ah need his help. Go!" Applebloom acknowledged, and started to run back to the house. Applejack wedged her head under Dutch's stomach, and lifted him onto her back. He weighed a ton, but she forced herself to get as close to the house as she could, it might reduce the time between now and getting help. Proper medical help this time.

She looked back at the unconscious body on her back, "Looks like that trip to Ponyville just got rescheduled," she said to herself as she trekked back to the farm.

Wow, I'm writing these chapters quicker than I thought I would. I need to start planning more in my notebook. I'm also thinking of adding links leading to music for that added effect, but I'm still learning how to use the links. Let me know what you think.

Chapter 9: Wounded in Action

The first thing I could hear was a high-pitched beeping. It happened every second or so, and it was starting to get annoying. What the hell is that? Can't I enjoy this comfortable bed in pea... Wait, bed?

I looked at my surroundings. I was lying in a bed, with my toes sticking out of the sheets at the end. The room was empty and bare, except for a heart monitor, which turned out to be the source of the beeping. The entire room smelled like it had been cleaned recently. Wait, I know that smell. I took a sniff of the air. This smells awfully like a hospital. There was a door in the wall opposite me, and a window on my right lit the room. I could hear birds singing outside, it sounded peaceful.

I tried to sit up, but my stomach screamed with pain, and I almost collapsed again. I lifted the bedsheets off, and was shocked by the sight. My stomach was a mass of purple and black, which started just above my waist, and ended in line with my sternum. Almost the entire area was covered in bandages, and I could see where blood had escaped through split skin. I ran my fingers along it, but it was tender, and the stinging discouraged me. I threw the sheets back over me; I was starting to feel sick just by looking at it.

I tried to focus on something other than my wounds, and started to hear voices outside my door. It sounded like two ponies, both in a heated discussion. I recognised one voice as Applejack, but the other one was new to me.

"I'm not sure if we can Applejack. The doctors have never seen anything like it before."

"Ya mean you've never seen anythin' like him before." Applejack almost sounded angry, "Ah've spoken to him nurse, he's a pony in every way except how he looks! Plus, he saved mah sister's life! You've treated donkeys here before, why is he any different?"

I heard the nurse sigh, "Alright, we'll treat him here. But he can't stay forever, I'm afraid he'll have to leave as soon as he can walk. He's been making doctors and patients alike nervous."

"Thanks Nurse Redheart. Ah'll have to buy you a drink later."

"Ha, more than one."

I decided I should let them know I was awake, "Hello?" Almost immediately the door swung open and Applejack trotted in, followed by a white pony with a red cross on her flank. Applejack went over to my side and propped herself on the edge of the bed. "Thank Celestia yer awake Dutch. How do ya feel?"

That's quite an odd question considering where I am now, "Actually, I feel like I got punched by a manticore, but apart from that I feel fine."

Applejack chuckled at the answer, and replied, "Speaking of which, is me standing over your body nursing you back to health going to become a regular thing?"

I felt I had to make a comeback to that, "That depends how many times I think up crazy ideas, like fighting a lion that's twice my height!"

We both laughed now. I felt pain in my stomach after every laugh, but it was worth it. I turned to the nurse, a smile still on my face, "So, how am I?"

The nurse reviewed a clipboard she had been carrying on her back, "Well, we did some x-rays of your torso, but we could only make rough guesses because of how... unique you are."

"Well, it's better than nothing." I replied. I'd rather they knew something rather than nothing.

"But it doesn't look good," she took some X-ray photos off the clipboard and hung them on the wall in front of a light. My smile vanished and I almost fainted. Was that my rib cage? Where was the other half?

"You're lucky to be alive after whatever hit you," the nurse started. She pointed up at the x-ray, "I'm going to assume that these are you're ribs, but six of them have been shattered from the impact. Four more have broken, with another three cracked. You're also suffering from a huge amount of internal bleeding. We've tried to do as much as we can, but I think you're going to be here for a while."

Wow. I've never been in this bad of a shape, not even close. "Jeez, is that all?" I asked rhetorically.

The nurse didn't seem amused by this however, and shut me up by saying, "No. Unfortunately, the damage to your... hand is permanent. We managed to seal the wound, but there's no way to get it back."

"What do you mean? I don't feel any--, oh." I was cut short as I looked at my left hand. I hadn't been paying attention before, but I think I heard the heart monitor flicker.

My left ring finger was missing just above the first knuckle, and all that was left was a stump. It looked like something out of Assassin's Creed. My mind went back to the fight in the cave. The manticore had hit me with its tail, but I broke free. A shiver went up my spine. It must've been when I was pinned. As I pulled, I must have wrenched my finger off. I asked the nurse if they had a bucket. She understood, and galloped out of the room. When she returned I barely gave her time to back off as I emptied my stomach into the bucket. When I was finished, she pushed it to the corner of the room, acting like it was biological waste.

At this point, Applebloom walked in, and her face lit up as she saw me, "Dutch! Yer awake!" That southern drawl sounds cute on her. She leapt onto the bed, causing me to wince as she brushed my stomach. She apologised, but I brushed it off with a smile.

"It's ok kid. I'm just glad you're not hurt. That manticore did a serious number on me." I coughed, and Applejack started looking concerned, but I thought nothing of it.

We continued to talk for some time, but I felt pain rising in my stomach again. I let out another cough, this time it was longer, and more violent. Applejack had a look of terror on her face. I noticed my hand was covered in blood from my lungs, and I started coughing again. It was getting uncontrollable, and my breathing was becoming faster and more ragged. The heart monitor next to me almost doubled in speed, and started blaring an alarm. The nurse ran out of the room, looking for a doctor. The Apple sisters started looking fearful, and Applejack wrapped my hand in her hooves.

I started feeling light-headed, "Woah, so this is what it feels like," I turned to Applejack, "Hey AJ. I think this is it." Even I was amazed at how calm I was, considering I was dying.

"No, ya can't go. Ya just can't!" Tears were running down Applejack's face. I felt sad now, but I rubbed her hoof to comfort her, "Shh. It's ok AJ. I'm sorry, but I don't think I have a choice in the matter, which completely sucks."

Applebloom was lying next to me, and she was starting to cry too, "Thank you Dutch, fer saving mah life."

I used my free hand to rub her mane, and smiled weakly, "You're a sweet kid Applebloom. It was nice to meet you."

The pain had disappeared now, and the heart monitor was slowing down again. I tried to muscle out a few last words.

"Applejack, Applebloom. I can't thank you enough for helping me. I wish... we could've met... under... better circumstances."

I closed my eyes to let the darkness take me, and the last thing I heard was a doctor's voice shouting, "Bring me the paddles!"

Nurse Redheart ran out of the room and immediately started looking for a doctor. She had only been a professional nurse for a few months now, and she started to panic. She didn't know what Dutch was, but he was dying, and she was determined to prevent that.

She saw the staff room, and burst through the door, where she was lucky enough to catch Doctor Whitebone getting himself some coffee.

"Doctor! We've got a Code Blue in ward 17!" she said. The doctor dropped the cup, and followed the nurse back down the hall, where he found the unusual animal that had been brought in earlier. It's heart rate was slowing, well below that of an animal that size.

"Bring me the paddles!" he shouted, and another pair of nurses arrived wheeling a defibrillator between them. He ordered the Apple ponies to move away, and picked up the paddles. They let off a high-pitched whine as they charged, and he shouted, "Clear!" as he placed them of the animal's chest.

*thump*

I opened my eyes, and looked around. I was in the same black emptiness I had been in before the Everfree Forest. I looked around, but there were no family members, and no ponies with me.

I turned, and saw an eerie light in the distance. I started walking towards it, and in turn, it moved towards me. As I got closer however, I got this feeling of uncertainty. The light felt cold, and it was piercing rather than warming. Is this the light in the tunnel that dead people talk about? I didn't want to find out. I just turned and ran.

I was running as fast as my legs could move, but the light was still gaining on me. It felt like my attempts to flee were hopeless.

Suddenly, there was a deafening bang. I almost fell over from the noise, and my ears were ringing. I looked behind me, and saw that the light had retreated some distance, but it was still moving. I kept running, and this time, I heard a muffled voice before another explosion. The light fell back further. I stopped and turned after a third explosion, and the light was just a tiny flicker in the distance. There was one final bang, and I felt myself getting dragged away by some unknown force.

"Clear!"

Doctor Whitebone placed the paddles on the human one final time, and released the charge. Almost immediately, Dutch started breathing again, and the heart monitor bleeped back to life.

Nurse Redheart let out a sigh of relief, "We've got a rhythm, we've got a pulse."

Whitebone sighed with content, and placed the paddles back onto the machine. The nurses wheeled it out the door, and he followed them. I think I've earned that coffee.

Meanwhile, Nurse Redheart stayed with Dutch to keep an eye on him. Applejack and Applebloom returned to his side too. He was still unconscious, and Redheart explained that it would take some time before his heart would regain strength. They simply nodded, and went to the window to listen to the birds singing.

None of them noticed the hooded figure with the striped face from earlier walk past the door, staring in as it passed.

I yawned as I opened my eyes, and looked around. I was still in the hospital bed, and the moonlight shone in through the window. I switched on a lamp next to me, and saw that the room was empty. But something was different. I don't know how, but I suspected that someone had been in here recently. My suspicions were confirmed when I saw a bottle on the table, next to the lamp. It was filled with a red liquid, and there was a picture of a heart on the side. Underneath the bottle was a note. I picked it up, and focused my eyesight to read it.

Your soul is brave, and your heart is true
And for that I will reward you
Drink down this potion, my friend
And all those broken ribs will mend

Creepy, but ok. I picked up the bottle and removed the cork covering it. The contents smelt of cut grass and blood, so I was concerned whether the mystery delivery pony had been truthful. I remembered a method from a bit of survivalist training to test for edible plants, so I decided to test it out on the potion.

I dipped my finger into the mixture, and wiped the drop across my lips. I waited for fifteen minutes, but I didn't feel any burning or discomfort. I figured it was ok so far, and went to level two. I took a small sip of the potion, waiting for half an hour to see what would happen. I felt something move in my stomach, and something stung, but it almost felt beneficial.

After another hour, I thought, "Fuck it," and drank the fluid. After about three minutes, my stomach began to move. It felt like my ribs were shifting, and the movement made the experience excruciating. I buried my face in the pillow to stop myself screaming out, and almost passed out from the pain. Suddenly however, the pain stopped, leaving me gasping for air in an empty hospital room like nothing had happened.

Out of curiosity, I eventually sat up and looked at my stomach. I was amazed. All of the bruising had disappeared as if it had never been there! My hopes rose at another thought, and I looked at my left hand, running the other one across my face.

My hopes dropped again. The stitches were still there, and the finger wasn't. I sighed, but tried to be optimistic with myself. It's just going to be a scar, and when are you going to use your ring finger now?

I felt tired again. Surprisingly, being unconscious doesn't get counted by your body as sleeping. I wasn't going to resist though, at least there was no risk of dying in my sleep now. I relaxed, and let the dreamworld take me away.

I didn't see my family that night.

Thanks for all the feedback. We've passed fifty trackers now, so thanks! It sounds cheesy, but you guys are the ones who keep me going *brohoof*

Chapter 10: A Generous Soul

Author's notes: In the next few chapters, we will meet most of the mane 6, with the others coming in later on.

I groaned with comfort as I opened my eyes. That was the best damn sleep I've had in months. Who'd have guessed it would be in a hospital? I noticed the morning sunlight coming in through the window, and I closed my eyes as I felt the warmth through the glass. I still remembered last night, and because of that, I didn't have a care in the world.

I sat up, feeling no pain whatsoever as I shifted my legs off the side of the bed. They were bare, as was my whole body except for my boxers, and I felt heat rising in my face. I was surprised it had taken me this long to notice; I had been semi-naked in front of talking ponies. Just when I thought it couldn't get any wierder.

I stood up, and it took a moment for me to balance myself. Luckily, the bedside table had wheels, and I used it as a makeshift crutch to walk up to the window. It was a beautiful day. The hospital was located on top of a small hill, and I could hear the birds singing from a nearby tree. The sunlight was blinding, but I didn't care. Whether it was the potion or my own emotions, it would take a lot to ruin today. I saw the town of Ponyville at the bottom of the hill. I figured today would be as good a time as any to go down and see what was actually there. I wonder how everyone's going to react. Should be pretty fun.

At this point I heard the door open and I turned round to see Applejack and Nurse Redheart trotting in. Upon seeing me, they stooped in their tracks.

"Dutch," Applejack started, "Yer outta bed!" Then she saw my stomach, "And yer alright! How are y...? When did...?"

"Believe me AJ, I have no idea!" I said, a huge grin on my face. I walked back over to the bed and picked up the bottle and note, "I woke up in the night with these next to me. They were what healed me." I handed her the note, "Any idea who it could be from? I'd like to meet them."

She took the note from me, and read through it several times. She eventually handed it back to me, saying, "Ah ain't got a clue Dutch, but they're certainly right; yer definitely brave, if a bit crazy."

She nudged my leg, and I was reminded that I was only wearing boxers. I felt the blush coming back, "AJ, are my clothes anywhere nearby? I'd like to feel the comfort of wearing them again." She gave me a look, but left, saying they were in the waiting room. The nurse watched her leave, then said, "Are you sure you're alright?"

"I'm pretty sure, yeah."

"Could you let me take a look at you anyway? There might be other damage which isn't showing." I wasn't going to oppose, so I knelt down and let her run her hoof across my stomach, while she did a running commentary.

"Hmm, no signs of bruising, ribs feel organised, and I can't feel any cracks or breaks. The area under the ribs is soft, so no internal bleeding." She pressed a little further into my stomach, and my nerves involuntarily recoiled, resulting in me falling backwards onto the floor. She looked up at me, "Did that hurt?"

"No, I'm ok," I said, picking myself up, "I'm just a little ticklish."

"Well, you seem fine, but I'm still not sure how you pulled it off."

I laughed, "Neither am I Miss Redheart."

Applejack returned through the door at that moment carrying my clothes on her back and my boots in her mouth. She set them down and I started dressing.

"Whew, those boots are heavier than they look. Hey Dutch," Applejack asked, "Why do ya wear all that stuff? Most ponies only wear clothes on special occasions, like meetings or formal parties."

Sounds understandable, seeing as they have a coat. "Well, I'm sure you've guessed that humans don't have fur like you. Couple that with our species general opinions of each other, and you'll find we're much more conscious about our nudity. We wear clothes as part of our daily lives, and not wearing them in public is considered a crime. Indecent exposure, we called it. My boots are kinda like armour for my feet, because we don't have hooves." I finished dressing, and noticed that they felt clean. They were also giving off a fragrant smell. "Did you wash these AJ?"

"Nah, mah friend Rarity did, she's the clothes expert in this town. Ah took them to her whilst you were out of it, and asked if she could also take some measurements fer new ones; Ah assumed that the ones you were wearin' were all you had." She paused, "Hey, that reminds me! Ah was wonderin' if ya wanted to meet mah friends today. Ah was gonna do it when ya had recovered, but yer up and about now, so we can go and see 'em whenever ya want."

I think I was ready to handle seeing more ponies now, "Sounds great AJ, I'd like to thank Rarity for this, as well as whoever stitched my face up."

"That would be Fluttershy, we can see her afterwards."

We left the hospital, bidding farewell to Nurse Redheart, and made our way towards Ponyville. When we reached the outskirts, I realised it was a lot bigger than it had looked from the farm. As we made our way through, I noticed that, sure enough, there were more ponies wandering through the streets. Some of them had quite... imaginative coat and mane colours, but they carried on with their lives as if it was normal. Upon seeing me however, they would stop and stare. I could feel dozens of eyes following me, as well as hearing gasps, screams, and ponies whispering amongst each other. One pony even ran inside their house, where I could hear a hammer and nail being banged on the door. I was expecting some surprise, but isn't that just a little bit overreactive?

After twenty minutes of walking, we reached a building with blue walls and a pink conical roof. Above the door was a sign with what I assumed was a pony version of a mannequin on it. This must be the place.

"Alright, we're here, Ah'm gonna go inside and let her know yer comin' in. Just do me a favour."

"Yes?"

"Rarity and Ah have a... fragile friendship. We have absolutely nothin' in common, ya see. We can get carried away with our arguments, and it's turned nasty before. If we start raisin' our voices, just cough or somethin' to remind me."

"Oookay..." I was puzzled, but I complied.

Applejack walked inside, a bell jingling as she entered, and closed the door behind her. But I was still able to hear the events unfolding inside.

I heard a voice from inside, high-pitched, with a trans-Atlantic accent, "Good morning! Welcome to Carousel Boutique. I'm sure I have something in here that will--" Her enthusiastic voice was replaced by one of complete disinterest, "Oh, it's you Applejack. What do you want this time? Come to make me create more freaky clothes? That's what you called them, wasn't it?"

"Yes Rarity, they were clothes fer a friend of mine." Applejack's tone suggested she wanted to spend as little time around Rarity as possible.

"Well, whoever this friend was, not only do they have the oddest shape for a pony, they'll also feel completely ridiculous in these clothes. I've never made anything so plain and boring. You wouldn't let me put on a single gemstone!"

"Rarity, someday yer gonna realise that you shouldn't make everythin' all fancy-pants." Applejack's voice was sounding annoyed now, "What if somepony likes simple clothes?"

I heard Rarity scoff, "Of course. What should I have expected from a simple-minded farmer?"

"Ah swear Rarity, one of these days Ah'm gonna--"

I figured this is what Applejack was talking about, so I leaned over to the door and knocked sharply on it. There was silence inside, but Rarity called out first, "The door's unlocked darling!"

Applejack interrupted. I think she knew what I meant, because she had calmed down again, "Erm... actually Rarity, that's the friend Ah was talkin' about. He wants to meet ya."

"He? Is there something I should know?"

"What? Ah mean... no! Ah just wanted to warn ya, he's... not exactly a pony."

"Whatever do you mean Applejack?"

I heard Applejack shout, "Come on in Dutch!" and I promptly opened the door. Applejack was standing next to a white pony with a purple mane that was beyond curly. She looked like someone who put maybe too much thought into their appearance. I also noticed that she had a horn on her forehead. So unicorns exist here? When Rarity looked at me, her face turned to terror, she almost screamed, but Applejack covered her mouth with a hoof, so it only came out as a muffled squeal.

The squeal lasted for several seconds, but she eventually regained her composure enough for Applejack to take her hoof out of her mouth. She continued to stare at me though, with those huge eyes that every...pony had. I'm still trying to get used to that.

"Erm, hello... I am, um, Rarity." Rarity said, at a loss for words after seeing a human for the first time.

I had already met other ponies, so I was completely calm about all of this as I knelt down to her height, "Nice to meet you, Miss Rarity. Applejack informed me that you were kind enough to make some clothes for me." I figured if I spoke like she did, I might make her confidence return, "I would be most grateful if I could try them on."

It seemed to work, because she stood a little straighter and said, "Of course darling, let me just fetch them." before heading upstairs. Applejack gave me a look that said, 'How did you do that?' I simply answered her silent question with, "It was the decent thing to do. Something I learned from a certain friend of mine." I gave her a wink, and she chuckled.

I took this opportunity to look around the room. I saw a cat in the corner, eyeing me with suspicion. I had always been quite good with animals, so I thought it might be the same here. I walked over to the cat and knelt down. There was a purple bow on its head and it had... eyeshadow on its eyelids? Its hair raised on end, but I ignored it and held out my hand.

"Hey there kitty, what your name?" I figured if ponies could talk, maybe other animals could too. I don't think cats were on the list however, as this one simply hissed and swiped its claws, almost giving me another injury to worry about, "Fine, jeez."

Rarity returned from upstairs carrying a pile of clothes, except they weren't on her back, they were floating alongside her. I had a look of utter confusion on my face as I asked, "Rarity, how are you doing that?"

She looked over at the clothes and replied, "Magic of course, my dear." She gestured up at her horn, which was now glowing a soft blue aura, the same colour as her eyes. Before I could inquire, she levitated the clothes over to me and placed them in my arms. "You can try them on over behind that curtain."

I gave my thanks and walked behind the curtains to change. The material didn't feel like anything from home; it felt lighter, but still strong. The fabric also felt smooth to the touch, even the trousers were surprisingly soft, considering they were modelled off jeans.

As I began to try on the clothes, I heard Rarity and Applejack talking.

When Dutch had disappeared behind the curtain, Rarity shot Applejack a look of annoyance. Applejack realised it almost straight away.

"What in the hay are ya givin' me that look for?"

"Thank you so much for the warning you gave me about what would be entering my shop." Rarity answered sarcastically.

"What? Ah told ya he wasn't a pony!"

"Yes, but it would have been nice if you had told me he was six feet tall, didn't have fur and talked! I could've had a heart attack!"

"At least Ah told you at all. Maybe Ah should have just let you faint."

Behind the curtain, Dutch suddenly coughed, and after Rarity asked if he was alright, he simply said he was fine.

She turned back to Applejack, who was wearing a look of realisation, and decided to change the subject, "So, where did you say you found him?"

"In mah barn. He was in bad shape, he had been attacked by wolves, but he was alright by the next day. He didn't seem to know about ponies before he met me though, Ah think he might be from a different world. He calls himself a human."

"Another world?" Rarity pondered the statement, "Well, that would explain why I've never seen one before, but are you quite certain about looking after him? He seems a bit... intimidating."

"Ah'm quite sure. He's a kind-hearted fella, you've seen that yerself, and he hasn't been in Equestria for four days and he's already almost died savin' Applebloom."

"He did WHAT? What on earth happened?"

They heard Dutch's voice from behind the curtain, "I thought it would be a good idea to have a fistfight with a manticore."

Rarity had a look of shock on her face, "But, nopony's ever fought a manticore and lived!"

Applejack explained, "Well, by rights, he shouldn't have neither. He was on death's door one night, but the next mornin' he was fine, with an empty potion bottle from... somepony next to him. But whatever happened, he saved mah sister, and..." she walked closer to Rarity, and spoke in a whisper so Dutch wouldn't hear, "And Ah trust him."

"Applejack, you can't possibly be serious!" Rarity replied, also whispering, "You only just met him."

Applejack looked her in the eyes, "Ah know that look Rarity, so quit it. Ah'm happy to call him mah friend, but Ah don't like him like that. He's a completely different species. Ah just feel Ah can depend on him when Ah need to."

At this point, Dutch walked round from the curtain, wearing his new attire. The trousers looked like the ones he had been wearing before, but with a lighter shade. He was also wearing a brown, long-sleeved T-shirt and was carrying his new fleece under his arm. He moved his limbs around to test the clothing, and said, "This is great Rarity. I've never had clothes tailored for me before, but they fit me like a glove." The girls gave each other a look of confusion at the expression, but Dutch didn't notice, "I'll have to find a way to repay you."

"Oh, it's quite alright Dutch. Any friend of Applejack is a friend to me. Let me just fetch a bag for your old clothes." After folding and packing Dutch's original clothes (he had offered to do it himself, but she insisted), she apologised for the simplicity of the clothes.

"Don't worry about it Rarity, simple means practical, and I'm just that." He gave her a friendly smile, which Rarity returned. She had to agree with him; despite being so plain, they did look stylish. She thought to herself, maybe she could open a new fashion line like this.

Applejack mentioned that they were planning to meet Fluttershy today too, so Rarity decided not to keep them any longer. Dutch thanked her again, and he and Applejack left the boutique.

"Thanks fer remindin' me about the arguments Dutch," said Applejack.

"Don't worry about it AJ, I'm happy to help," Dutch replied, "Now, you mentioned that Fluttershy was the one who stitched my face?"

"Yes, we'll go see her next," Applejack looked closer at the cut, and noticed it was starting to heal nicely, "And by lookin' at yer face, Ah'd say those stitches are ready to be removed."

Dutch felt slightly happier as they wandered through Ponyville, where they were greeted by more uncertain stares.

Oh, I almost forgot. You should check out "A New Point of View" by cyber5555. He's done a pretty good job with his own HiE story.

Chapter 11: Pegasus Peril

It seemed we had run out of conversation after that, because we remained silent as we walked to the outskirts of Ponyville. I began having concerns as we got closer to the Everfree Forest, but we took a detour and headed towards what I assumed to be Fluttershy's house.

It looked like at had been modelled off a tree. The walls were short, and the roof was thick, green and thatched, designed to look like a tree's crown. As we approached, I noticed a number of bird houses and rabbit warrens around the house, all teeming with life. It all disappeared, however, when they saw me coming. Wow. I guess even the animals haven't seen a human.

"Alright then, this is the place. Now, Ah have to warn you, Fluttershy is extremely timid. Pour soul's afraid of her own shadow. Ya don't mind hangin' back again so that Ah can tell her?"

I had known what it was like to be shy, so I felt sympathy for Fluttershy, "Sure Applejack, take as long as you need." I sat down next to a tree and let her walk up to the house alone. She knocked on the door and waited for a reply.

As she waited, I noticed a small, white rabbit approaching me. It was taking small, cautious steps, eyeing me with suspicion. I reached out my hand to it, but instead of jumping back in fear, it got up on its hind legs and started swinging its paws at me as if to say, "Don't try anything pal."

I laughed at this and said to the rabbit, "I've taken on a manticore buddy, but I'll tell you now, you look like a fighter."

The bunny was surprised when I talked, but its ears perked up at the mention of a manticore, and it hopped onto my shoulder, looking me up and down. Despite being a rabbit, I could tell the expression was saying, "I doubt that!"

"I did! Look, I have the scars to prove it," I said, showing him my missing finger, "Honestly, I'm surprised you could think such a thing!"

The rabbit took one last look at me, and nodded, his face saying, "You're alright kid," before jumping off and making his way up to the house.

Just before it reached the door, it was opened by a yellow hoof, and Applejack said, "Howdy Fluttershy!"

I strained my ears, but I heard a small whisper reply, "Oh, good afternoon Applejack. What can I do for you?"

"Well, do ya remember that hairless bear that ya treated at our farm?" What? A hairless bear?

"Y-yes. Why? Is he ok?"

"Yeah, he's fine. Actually he's just outside, he wanted to thank ya personally. Wait here and Ah'll get him."

Applejack walked back over to me. When she got closer, I laughed and said, "Hairless bear?!"

Applejack blushed, and said, "Well, she's good with animals, and it was the only way Ah could coax her into helpin' ya."

I simply replied with another laugh as we walked up to the front door. I was greeted by a pale yellow pony with a long pink mane that reached down to her knees. Despite being so long, it looked natural, and complimented her soft eyes. She had a look of shock on her face, and she started stepping back in fear, "So, t-t-tall. H-He d-didn't look so tall when he was lying down."

I understood that I was scaring her, so I sat down on the ground so that Fluttershy was slightly taller than me, "It's alright Fluttershy. I won't hurt you, and I just wanted to thank you for helping me. My name's Dutch, but if you want, you can still think of me as the hairless bear." I gave her a friendly smile.

Fluttershy giggled at this, and gained enough confidence to walk up to me, "Um, I was wondering if I could take a look at your injuries. They might have healed by now, that is... if you don't mind."

"It's alright Fluttershy." I said as I took off my shirt, showing the bandages that had still been tied round my arm and shoulder, even during my time in the hospital. She unwrapped the bandage around my arm, and I saw that the bite marks had gone, leaving a few spots of scar tissue. She removed the bandage on my shoulder, and it was the same thing.

"Ok, those look good," Fluttershy said. All previous fear of me seemed to have vanished as she examined the cut on my face, "I think I can take those stitches out too, if that's ok with you."

I nodded, and she went through to another room to fetch some scissors. Except she didn't walk, she flew. I hadn't noticed them before, but she had a pair of feathered wings on either side of her body, which flapped gracefully as she left.

Applejack had been silent, so I decided to remind her that I hadn't forgotten about her, "Hay AJ, you never mentioned that Equestria was home to unicorns and pegasi too."

Applejack looked at me with confusion, before saying, "Ya said ya had ponies in yer own world, so Ah thought Ah wouldn't need to."

I chuckled, "Yeah, we have ponies, but they're only like you. Equines like Rarity and Fluttershy are just creatures from myths and fairy tales."

Applejack looked a little stunned, but regained herself and said, "Well, you did look a little shocked when Rarity was carryin' them clothes, so Ah had mah suspicions."

Fluttershy returned shortly after, holding a pairs of sharp scissors that looked better for cutting up large pieces of paper rather than performing precise surgical procedures. She noticed my expression, and said, "S-Sorry, these were the only ones I could find. I mean... we don't have to do it if you're not comfortable."

"No, it's fine Fluttershy. I'd like to get these out sooner rather than later." I turned my head forward and held as still as a statue.

I was genuinely worried as the blades came within millimetres of my face, but Fluttershy looked like she knew what she was doing. She cut the first stitch just beside the knot, and removed it with her teeth. She continued this routine again and again, until finally, the last stitch slid out.

Fluttershy handed me a tissue to collect the blood seeping out of the holes, and I stood up to find a mirror. When I did, I removed the tissue, and saw that I now had a long scar down my face, just below my left eye. If I hadn't been looking at myself, I would have felt concerned for my well-being. I can't imagine how Fluttershy's feeling right now.

"I hope this doesn't frighten either of you," I said, turning towards the two ponies.

Both of them shook their heads, but Fluttershy spoke afterwards, "It's alright Dutch, but while you're here, are you hungry?"

I was about to reply, but my stomach was faster, letting out a loud rumble. I realised I hadn't eaten anything since I had my talk with Applejack after the tour of the farm, and I was suddenly ravenous.

Applejack and Fluttershy laughed at this, and I asked what was on offer, "Well," Fluttershy started, "I've got hay, flowers, fruit, meat, salad--"

"Wait, what? Did you just say you kept meat?"

"Y-Yes. Is there something wrong?"

"No, it's just that I thought you wouldn't have meat. The ponies in my world are herbivores."

"So are we sugarcube, but Fluttershy takes care of bears and eagles too. She needs to have meat to feed the carnivores around these parts."

"I suppose that makes sense. Humans are omnivores, but I won't eat any meat around you guys. I would just feel so guilty. I'll be alright with just a salad."

It was midday, so Fluttershy decided to make lunch for all three of us. We were grateful, and the salad gave me a surprising amount of energy, despite it being essentially leaves and vegetables. After the meal, Applejack realised the time and told me that we had to leave. She had arranged to meet with another friend of hers, who I was going to be seeing.

I bid farewell to Fluttershy, and we left the house, wandering back down the path. We carried on for a few hundred metres, before Applejack motioned to a small mud path through the trees. We walked through, and emerged into a huge clearing with grassland and a large lake in the middle. Applejack's friend had arranged to meet us here, so we waited.

After ten minutes, Applejack said, "Where the hay is that featherbrain?" As if she had been heard, a whooshing sound came over our heads, and a light blue object flew past us at an unbelievable speed.

"Ah, here she is, probably been sleepin' somewhere. Dutch, meet Rainbow Dash." The object known as Rainbow Dash continued to fly above us, occasionally flipping and spinning. She came around back towards us, passing over the trees we had emerged from, and turned for another performance.

Just before she reached the trees, however, one of her wings stopped moving, and she started to tumble through the air. She entered the trees, and I could hear her yelping with pain as she hit every branch on the way through. As she reached the other side, I heard an especially loud snap as she hit a thicker branch, and her limp form exited the trees, still travelling as fast as it had been. She landed on the lake, skipping the water a few times from the velocity, before breaking the surface and sinking.

After ten seconds, she still hadn't resurfaced.

Applejack started panicking, and I didn't even think as I threw my boots off. They would only weigh me down. I ran towards the lake and dove in, heading towards the place where Dash had sank. When I reached it, I took a deep lungful of air, and dived.

The water was well lit from the afternoon sun, but my eyes still stang when I opened them. I continued to swim down, searching for anything that looked like a cyan pegasus. My ears were starting to hurt from the pressure, but after diving another five metres, I saw Rainbow Dash. She was sinking, belly up, and she was still out of it. I wrapped my arm around her body, and pulled her towards the surface.

My lungs were burning for oxygen now, and when I broke the surface, I took huge gulps of air. I didn't stop to relax though, I started swimming towards the nearest shore, making sure to keep Dash above the surface.

When I reached the edge, I lifted the rainbow-maned pony onto solid ground before getting out myself. I rolled her onto her back and checked her pulse by placing my ear on her chest. It was weak, and irregular, so I put my face close to her mouth.

Fuck. She's not breathing.

Under any other circumstances, I would have seen the crowd of ponies gathering on the opposite shore, but I was too busy with Dash to notice it. I placed my hands on her chest, and started to press down at regular intervals. Now, granted, I've never performed CPR on a pony before, but that certainly didn't mean I couldn't try. I gave her fifteen compressions, then tilted her head back. I placed my lips over hers, and forced air into her lungs. I could see her chest rise and fall, so I took another breath, and tried again.

When I did, Rainbow coughed, and my mouth was filled with water from her lungs. I took my head away and spat out the foul-tasting liquid. Dash was coughing and spluttering violently now, so I turned her away from me to let the water out, "You're alright, take deep breaths." I told her.

She obeyed, and after regaining her breath, she turned towards me, "Thanks. I must've pulled a muscle in my wing, but I guess I--"

She saw me, and immediately leapt up onto her hind legs, her forelegs held up in front of her, like a boxer, "What are you?! What did you do to the pony who saved me?"

I was just about to reply, when she swung a left hook into my jaw. The punch dazed me, but she didn't fight like she was experienced. As I turned my head back to her, she attempted a right cross.

If you recall earlier, I mentioned that archery was one of the few things I was good at. I had two others: snowboarding, and unarmed combat. With the latter, I didn't care much for the complexity of things like Kung-Fu or Judo. I was only interested in the self-defence techniques, because at the end of the day, that's what kept you alive. Rainbow's first punch had given me a chance to assess her strength, and it was slow enough that I was able to catch her hoof as she moved in with her cross.

Rainbow stopped for a second. It looked like she was staring at my hand with surprise. I didn't give her a moment to recover, though, and I pulled her towards me and wrapped my arms around her. I hadn't been in the water as long as her, and my body was still warm. She needed that warmth.

She struggled as I held her close. She shouted, "Get off me!" But I didn't, "Relax Rainbow, I'm trying to give you my body heat, and I can't do that when you're squirming like this." She seemed to understand, and stopped moving, but was still tense. After another minute, her coat felt was as warm as mine, and I let her go.

She didn't say anything. She just gave me one final look, shook herself like a dog, and took off again, heading back towards the town. I followed her with my eyes, and saw Applejack approaching me, carrying my boots in her mouth and Rarity's bag on her back.

"Dutch, ya'll alright, where's Dash?" She was really freaking out now.

"She's fine. After I resuscitated her she took off back towards Ponyville. Also, does she normally attack her rescuers?"

Applejack seemed to understand the word resuscitate, because she pulled me into a hug, tears falling down her face, "Thank ya Dutch, Ah don't know what would've happened if we lost her," she gave a small laugh when she registered my question, "She's quite brash sometimes, facin' danger head on. She didn't hurt ya too bad did she?"

"Nah, but with practice, she'll get a mean hook." Applejack laughed at this, and released the hug, "Come on, let's go home."

"Agreed," I replied, as I got up and followed her back towards the path, "I didn't know I could get so tired after a single day."

Interlude 1: The Fires of Guilt

This section is far too short for me to call it a chapter, but this subject needed to be on its own, so I thought I'd just make it an interlude of sorts. I might have some later, but I'll try and make full chapters if I can. Plus, I think this one will require me to put up the Dark tag. I'm planning other moments later, so it's probably going to stay.

As we walked back towards the farm, I asked Applejack if there were any other friends of hers that I could meet.

"There's one more, but Ah've said we're gonna meet her tomorrow. Fer now, it looks like ya need some sleep."

When we reached the farm and entered the house, I barely had time to react as a yellow filly leapt into my arms, "Dutch, yer alive! Ah'm so happy to see ya." Applebloom realised what she was doing, and immediately let go, "Oh, Ah'm sorry, Ah'm so sorry. Ah didn't hurt ya did Ah?"

Aww. She must think I'm still injured, "Actually, Applebloom, you didn't hurt me at all." I lifted up my shirt, which was still damp from the lake, and showed her my lack of wounds. Her eyes lit up, and her jaw hit the floor, "Oh mah stars! When did that happen?"

"Last night. Somepony left me a potion which healed me. Even I'm still trying to get my head around it," I said, with a huge grin on my face.

Big Mac called us through into the dining room for dinner, which was more apple pie. I wasn't complaining though, it warmed me up, and filled my stomach. While we ate, Applejack said that the guest room had been cleared while I was in the hospital. I could sleep in there tonight.

"Thanks AJ, but if it's ok with you, I don't want to stay here too long."

"Why? Is there something wrong?"

"No, your hospitality has been great. It's just that I would prefer to have my own place. I don't want to be a burden on you any longer than I have to."

Big Mac cut in, "Why on earth would ya think yer a burden?"

"Well, I'm going to be helping you around the farm, and you give me food and a roof over my head. I don't see that as a fair deal. I figured if I found an apartment or something, and got my own food, the deal would be balanced."

The Apple family continued to debate with me, but I remained resolute. Eventually, Applejack dropped her head in defeat and chuckled as she said, "Alright Dutch. But yer sleepin' in the guest room tonight. In the mornin' ya can go and speak to the mayor about findin' a place."

"Thank you." Dinner was finished by now, so I helped them clear away and wash the dishes. Afterwards I climbed the stairs up to the guest room and went inside. It was surprisingly roomy. The bed was small, built for a pony, but I didn't mind. I looked around, and saw my pack resting next to the door, with my bow and arrows alongside it. I also noticed my knife and sheathe on the bedside table. I was wondering where that had gone.

I changed into my old clothes again, and went back downstairs to put my wet ones next to the fire. The Apple sisters were on the sofa, and I said goodnight to them both, rubbing Applebloom's mane as I passed. I went back upstairs, stripped down to my boxers, and climbed into bed.

It was that same dream again. I was standing outside my house, but something was different. The sky overhead, which had been clear and blue, was now dark and ominous. I walked over to the garden, and I saw my family. They were still sat down by the pond, posing for the photo. I walked over to them, but I didn't need to call out before they noticed me.

I don't know what it was, but after seeing them there, with that look of disgust that I had seen so many times before, I just snapped. I felt anger rising in me, and I turned it on my family.

"That's it! I don't even fucking care anymore. I give up! I've tried being nice, I've tried to be reasonable, and all you do is turn your backs on me! Why do you hate me like this? Why do you keep leaving me?"

My family didn't reply, they just turned and looked towards another figure, walking up the garden towards us. He was hidden under a shadow, but when he got closer, I recognised him faster than I would've with anyone else.

It was me.

He walked over to my family, and embraced them in a hug. I could feel guilt and anger rising in my chest. But, like before, I couldn't move. When my copy released them, they all turned towards me, and he spoke.

"We didn't leave you Douglas," he said to me with my voice, "You left us."

Before I could reply, the grass around them turned black, and stated to burn. The embers encircled my family, and I could only watch with dispair as their clothes caught fire. The flames rose up their bodies, and their skin turned to ash. It fell away to reveal their skeletons, though I could still feel the hate from their empty sockets. The fire rose higher still, as I witnessed my family become engulfed by the flames.

Chapter 12: Praise and Parties

I almost screamed as I shot out of bed. The sun was just appearing over the horizon, and I could hear a rooster calling from the barn. As I sat on the edge of the bed, I heard Applejack knock on the door, "Ya'll alright Dutch, we heard ya yell somethin'."

I sighed, "Another nightmare AJ. I'll... I'll talk about it when I come down. Just give me a minute."

It took about ten minutes for me to collect myself. I decided while I did I would take a look through my pack. I rummaged through the pockets, finding the old map of Portsmouth, ha, I won't be needing that anymore! I tossed it to one side, and found my sleeping bag. I put that next to my pack, and delved deeper inside, finding my waterproof clothes too. I continued to rummage around until I found something that made me pause.

The picture of my family that I had taken off the fridge.

I still remember that day. Dad was having fun with a new camera, and had decided to issue a challenge. He set the timer on two seconds before the camera would automatically take a picture. Each of us would press the button, then try to get back to a seating position with the rest of the family before the timer ran out. Each time my other family members tried it, they wouldn't be fast enough. Then I had a brainwave. As I pressed the button, I ran round and slid in front of everyone, so that I was lying down with my head in my hand. It worked, and we decided to keep that picture as the winner.

From that day onwards, everytime I had looked at that picture it would get a smile on my face, because the smiles in the picture were filled with genuine laughter. But now, I only felt sorrow as I moved my fingers across my family's faces. I didn't know what I wanted anymore. In this new world I had found, these ponies would accept me without hesitation, judging me for my actions rather than my appearance. I had already found happiness and friendship here, and it hadn't even been a week.

But at the same time, I missed my family. I didn't know if I was able to return to them, or if I had died and this was my afterlife. If there way no way I could go home, I would at least try to contact them. I promised myself.

There was a mirror in the room, and I noticed I had a small beard forming. I called downstairs to see if they had a razor, and Big Mac said I could use his (yeah, ponies have facial hair, go figure). The razor was surprisingly easy to use, and after another ten minutes I was clean-shaven. After using the shower - as well as other essentials - I went downstairs and had a couple of apples for breakfast. Applejack was there, so I asked her if she knew anything about dreams.

"Hmm. Ah'm afraid Ah don't sugercube. Is this what's been botherin' ya?"

"Yeah. I keep having the same dream about my family. They're rejecting me, but last night it got worse. I'm trying to figure out if it's supposed to mean something."

Applejack rubbed her chin, "Well, there's a library in Ponyville, but it's been closed since the old librarian moved out. Do ya want some help with this?"

"I appreciate it AJ, but I think I need to figure this out on my own," I got up and went to the door, "I'm going to see the mayor about that apartment. I'll see you later today."

Applejack waved to me, and I made my way towards Ponyville. The town hall was fairly easy to see, as it was the tallest building in the town. As I walked towards it, I noticed movement in the corner of my eye, and look over. I saw a unicorn in the street, watching me. Her coat was mint-green, and her mane was the same, with a streak of white on one side. She was making no attempt to hide herself, and she continued to stare at me until I walked around the corner of a building.

Apart from that, the walk was fairly uneventful, and I was surprised by how few ponies there were on the streets. It had been bustling with activity yesterday. I opened the door to the town hall, and was greeted by a huge, empty room, with balconies lining one side of the wall.

I noticed a door on one side of the room, with "Mayor's Office" stencilled on the glass. I knocked, and heard a shrill voice say, "Come in," I entered, and saw a tan pony with curly white hair sat at a desk. She looked a few decades older than the other ponies I had seen. Her head was faced down on the desk, where she was writing with a quill in her mouth.

"What can help you wi--" She stopped as she noticed me, and the quill fell from her teeth. She sat there for a few moments, but quickly regained her composure and cleared her throat, "Oh, you must be the um... new arrival in Ponyville."

"Yes, and I was wondering if you could help me with something. I was hoping to stay here for some time and--"

I was cut off as the mayor interrupted, "You're staying? Well, in that case, follow me." She hopped down from her chair and motioned me to follow her out of her office. We left the town hall and headed towards what looked like a stage on the other side of some houses.

"I heard we had a new animal arriving in Ponyville, but when I was told it wasn't anything anypony had seen before, I didn't believe them. Guess I was fooled," she laughed to herself.

I chuckled nervously, still unsure why we were walking, "I appreciate your kindness towards me Miss Mayor, but where are we going?"

"Well, everypony has been very anxious to meet you. News of your bravery saving Rainbow Dash and Applebloom travelled like wildfire. We've set up a stage nearby where you can give a speech to everypony."

What? A speech? I don't do speeches. "Um, thank you Miss Mayor, but I'm not sure about this."

Before she could reply, we emerged from the houses and saw the stage had a couple hundred ponies standing in front of it, chatting amongst themselves. When they saw me, the talking stopped, and I could hear them whispering again.

"I'll go up and tell them your name," the Mayor said, "Then you come up, introduce yourself and tell everypony about yourself," she paused, "What is your name anyway?"

"Dutch,"

"Right then," the Mayor walked up to the podium and said in a loud voice, "Fillies and Gentlecolts, we are gathered here today to give our thanks to someone who risked his life to save two of our citizens. Please give a warm welcome, to Dutch!"

There were a few cheers from the crowd as I made my way onstage. I almost felt like running away, and my knees were shaking, but I didn't want to let them down. When I reached the podium, I started my 'speech'.

"Good morning everypony. My name's Dutch, and I'm extremely new to Equestria. I'm not entirely sure how I ended up here, but about a week ago I woke up in the Everfree Forest with no idea how I got there. I don't know how long I'll be staying here, but I want to help you and prove to you that I'm not a danger while I'm here. If anypony has any questions, feel free to ask."

"What are you?" came a voice from the crowd.

"I am part of a race called humans. In my world, there were about seven billion of us," I heard a few gasps from the crowd, "We didn't have magic were I came from, but we made up for it with technology. We were also the only sentient species on the planet."

"How old are you?" I heard another voice say.

Odd, but nevermind. "I'm about twenty years old." I guess they thought I was some mythical creature that lived for hundreds of years.

I continued to answer questions for some time, until the Mayor indicated that I was out of time by tapping her wrist, "Well everypony, that's it for today. If you're still curious about me, don't be afraid to ask."

I got down from the podium, and saw the Mayor, Applejack and Rarity waiting for me.

"Bravo on the speech Dutch," Rarity said.

"Thanks, but I've never done a speech before, so I don't know how it went."

"Ah think it went fine, everypony seemed happy enough." Applejack gave me a smile, and she and Rarity went on their way.

The Mayor turned to me, "Now, what did you want to see me about?"

"Well, I'm planning on staying in Ponyville for a while, and I was wondering if you knew of any apartments where I could live. Anything will do."

"Hmm. Try the Bannered Mare. Last time I heard they had a few rooms to spare, it's just down that way," she pointed towards a large brown building that looked like a cross between a pub and a block of flats.

I walked over and went inside. It was fairly empty, and there was a dark blue stallion at the bar, cleaning glasses.

He saw me approach and said, "Hey, you're that human, Dutch right?" I nodded, and he shook my hand, introducing himself as Full Pint, "So, what can I do for you?"

"I heard you had some vacant rooms. I'm looking for somewhere to stay."

"Well, you came to the right place. We charge fifty bits a week, which is a pretty good deal in case you're unfamiliar with Equestria's currency."

"Sounds good. I don't have any money though, so I'll come back at a later time when I do."

Full Pint waved his hoof, "Don't worry about it. You can stay here now, and I'll just collect what you owe me when you get enough."

"Alright then, thanks."

I left the Bannered Mare, and decided to sit on a nearby bench and just zone out for a bit. I did it all the time at home; I would just sit and stare at nothing, thinking about anything that popped into my head.

After about ten minutes of this, I noticed I had slid forward into a slouched position, with my head on the backrest. I looked around, and saw the same mint-green unicorn from earlier. I figured I would try to make friends where I could, so I beckoned her over. She didn't seem the slightest bit nervous as she approached, and gave me a smile when she was next to me.

"I noticed you've been watching me," I said.

"Yeah, I have," I asked her why, and she said, "Because you just look really interesting is all. Oh, my name's Lyra."

She climbed up onto the bench, and tried to imitate the position I was in. She ended up resting on her forelegs, swinging her hind legs back and forth.

"Huh, this is actually more comfortable than it looks. Do humans sit like this all the time?"

"Well, they don't usually slouch like this, but yes." I noticed she had a picture of a lyre on her flank. These marks had been piquing my curiosity, and I thought I would find out what they meant, "Hey Lyra, what are those marks everypony has on their flanks?"

She looked at her own and replied, "They're called cutie marks. Everypony gets them when they find that certain something that makes them unique from other ponies."

"So what's the story behind yours?"

She shifted a bit to get comfortable in her newly found position, "When I was a filly, I wasn't very good with magic. I could barely lift stuff compared to other ponies my age. Then one day I went to a music class at school. All the instruments had been taken before I had a chance to try them, except for a lyre, which the teacher said was a difficult instrument to use. I thought I might as well give it a try, and strings are much lighter than books, so I could move them with my magic. I started to learn how to move each string on its own, then moved onto some notes, and before I knew it, I was playing a short melody with one of the hardest instruments in the school," she laughed to herself. "All the other students were amazed, as well as the teacher. Then I felt a tingling on my flank, and this appeared."

She smiled proudly at her cutie mark, "I've been playing the lyre ever since." She turned towards me and said, "What about yours?"

I chuckled, "Humans don't have cutie marks, but we could use devices to draw marks onto our bodies. We called them tattoos. I always wondered what I would have if I decided to get a tattoo, but after hearing your story, it would probably be something to do with a talent," I noticed the time was starting to get on, so I stood up and said, "I have to go back to the orchard now Lyra, but it was nice meeting you."

She smiled, and got down from the bench, "Yeah, you too Dutch. For something I've never seen before, you're pretty cool," she held out her hoof, "Friends?"

I shook it, "Friends."

Lyra went back to her house, and I went back to the farm. When I arrived, the house was deserted. I wandered into the kitchen, and noticed a calender on the wall. I didn't know how the years worked here, so I had a look at it. I saw that they too had twelve months in a year, with 30 or 31 days in a month. But the month names were different. The calender said that it was currently the "15th of Spring's Apex". Well, April is the middle of Spring, so it must mean that.

I wondered through into the dining room, and saw a note on the table. It was addressed to me, so I read it.

Dutch
When you read this, can you come and help Big Mac and I in the barn. There are some wooden beams we could use your help with.
AJ

I put the note down and walked back out the house. I was looking forward to talking with Applejack about a job. I reached the barn door and opened it. It was completely black inside.

"Hey Applejack, I just got your note. Why have you got all the windows--"

"SURPRIIIISE!"

I fell flat on my arse as the barn was lit up to reveal dozens of ponies waiting for me. There were tables everywhere, covered in punch bowls and cakes, and the air was filled with streamers and confetti.

I was just about to get up again, but I was bowled over as Applejack, Fluttershy and Rarity came up and tackled me in a hug. As I hugged them back, I saw a fourth pony next to them, with a pink coat and mane, though the latter was a hot pink colour.

"Wow. I've never had a party like this thrown for me before, especially a surprise party!"

The three girls let go of me, and I stood up again, "Well, what did you expect darling?"

"Yeah, it was the least we could do for the town hero," Applejack said.

"We just wanted to say thanks for everything you've done. Do you like it?" Fluttershy asked.

I was about to reply, but I was knocked over again as the pink pony jumped on top of me, "Hi! I'm Pinkie Pie, and I'd like to welcome you to your super-duper surprise Welcoming Party! Were you surprised? I bet you were, you fell flat on your flank!"

"Pinkie, I was more surprised than I've ever been in my life!" I said, and Pinkie got off me with a huge smile on her face, "Well then, let's par-tay!" She shouted, throwing her forelegs in the air. She then announced she was going to talk to some of the readers, and wandered off into the crowd. I was just about to ask AJ and Rarity what she meant by 'readers', but they cut me off.

"Ah suppose we should warn ya before ya confuse yerself."

"Quite right. Anyway, Pinkie is by far the most unpredictable pony we know. It took some time to get used to her antics, but never try to use logic to explain them."

Applejack thought for a moment, "Actually, don't try to explain them at all. Ah seen that pony defy gravity without even tryin'."

The rest of the ponies were coming over now, and each of them shook my hand or said how thankful they were for me helping the town. After greeting all of them, Pinkie gave me a plate with a large slice of cake on it, "Eat up Dutchy! It's gonna be the best cake ever!" I was stunned when she called me 'Dutchy', and when I bit into the cake, I found she was right. The flavour was amazing, and I had to restrain myself from trying to eat the whole slice in one.

The party was great. We spent the next few hours dancing, talking and laughing. The music was much slower than most human music, but it was still cheerful, and it made me want to dance. Eventually though, everypony became worn out, and went to have conversations with their friends. I ended up talking to Applejack with a glass of punch in my hand.

"Hey AJ, I was wondering if I could talk to you for a second."

"Sure Dutch, what's up?"

"I was thinking about the possibility of working for you on the farm. I managed to find an apartment, and the stallion there is letting me use it straight away. But I'm going to have to pay him sooner or later."

Applejack thought for a moment, then said, "Ok then, we'll take ya onboard. Ya can start by pickin' crops and feedin' the animals. While ya do that, Ah'll see if ya got the potential fer apple buckin'."

"Thanks Applejack. It'll feel good to do some manual labour." At this point I felt something tap me on the shoulder, and I turned round to see Rainbow Dash hovering above me.

"Hey big guy, Dutch isn't it?" I nodded, "Can I talk to you for a second, privately?"

I agreed, and we exited the barn and sat down around the corner. Dash started, "I just wanted to say sorry for acting the way I did yesterday. You saved my life, and I owe you for that," she said with an apologetic look on her face.

I smiled, "It's ok Dash, anyone could've done that," I leaned in closer and said in a whisper, "The first time I saw a pony, I almost fainted," she started laughing, "I'm not kidding. You guys have tiny bodies, and huge heads. I took me more than a bit off guard."

Dash laughed even harder, and we bumped our fist/hoof together. When she stopped, she smiled at me and said, "I guess I misjudged you Dutch. Sorry for punching you."

It was my turn to laugh now, "Well, if you don't mind me saying, it wasn't a very good punch. But you've got potential, and I can teach you a thing or two about how to fight properly if you want."

Dash's face lit up at this, "You mean it?" She gave me a hug, "That's sound so cool. I can't wait to start." She released the hug, and went back inside to the party, leaving me to my thoughts. This turned out to be a bad move, as the only thing I could think of was my family, and the dream I had had. I forced those thoughts out of my mind. Now isn't the time Dutch, there's a party going on inside. Get back there and enjoy the moment!

I agreed with myself, and went back into the barn to have fun with my new friends.

Hope you're all enjoying it so far. Brony points if you can find the reference to a recent game.

Chapter 13: Sparring

I'm going to be doing time jumps here and there to keep the story going, I don't want it getting too slow. If there are any important time jumps, I'll put in the new date at the beginning of the chapter.

21st Spring's Apex, 2012

It's been about a week since that party, and I'm starting to settle into Ponyville quite nicely. Everpony's been friendly to me since the speech, and I was surprised at how confident they were around me; humans would never be able to accept a new species this quickly. Me and Lyra have been talking a lot too. She seems more interested about my species than any other pony in town, and I've been more than happy to tell her about my history and culture. I decided to leave out the wars; I didn't want to damage a healthy friendship.

The slouched sitting position I was in when we met seems to have rubbed off on her, and she's sitting like me every time she gets a chance. She even tried to convince her friend, Bon-Bon, to try it, but she wasn't having any of it. Every time Lyra tried it she would reassuringly say, "It does look comfortable, but I don't think it's for me."

Working on the farm has been quite enjoyable too. The pay is more than enough to cover the rent at the Bannered Mare, and I'm managing to keep a little extra on the side. I've found that the stamina thing I had when I went running is a massive help. My strength is still limited to what I could carry before, but I just don't seem to tire. I've found it especially useful when I let the pigs into the barn. I have to lift up a gate to let them eat from the trough, then start running before they trample me.

As well as feeding the animals, I've been picking crops too. I haven't been bucking apples yet though; it was the most important job on the farm, and Applejack wanted to make sure I was up to it. Today, however, she approached me as I was woking in the corn fields.

"Hey Dutch, wanna try yer hand at apple buckin'."

She was blunt about it, but she didn't need to be elaborate, and I liked that, "Sure AJ. I'll just finish this patch of corn and I'll join you." I threw a few more corn cobs into a cart, and pulled it over to the barn. I entered the orchard, and saw Applejack standing next to one of the smaller apple trees.

"Ah thought Ah should start ya off with somethin' simple."

"Thanks," I looked at the tree, "So I just... kick it?"

"Yup."

I got into a combat pose, and launched my leg at the tree, impacting it with my sole about mid-way up. I felt the vibrations tear through my leg, and the tree shuddered. I was rewarded when I saw a bunch of apples fall out into the buckets around the trunk. It didn't look like much, so I counted them up. There were...

"...seven?" I was devastated.

Applejack chuckled. I had no idea why, "Not too bad Dutch. First time too."

"Not too bad?! I've seen you get every single apple after one kick. How is this..." I gestured at my measly collection, "...not too bad?"

"Because Ah haven't shown ya the Apple family secret yet."

That part shut me up. She pointed to a particular section of the trunk. Upon closer inspection, I saw the bark went down the tree at an angle, rather than being vertical. It was only a few square inches wide, but it was still visible.

"This here's the sweet spot," Applejack explained, "Very few ponies know about it. Kick here, and see what happens."

I readied myself again, and gave another kick. I felt all my force enter the tree this time, and apples fell from the branches like rain. The buckets were filled to the brim, and when I walked under the tree, I saw that every apple had fallen off, along with a few loose branches. I pumped my fist in the air, letting off a cry of victory.

Applejack laughed at this, "That's one heck of a kick ya got there Dutch. Ya might even rival me."

"Ha, I'll hold you to it!" I replied.

I moved onto another tree, and searched for the mark on the trunk. Upon finding it, I gave the tree a kick, and every apple fell out again. I felt my spirits soar, and I continued to buck apples for another hour before Applejack said we were needed back at the house.

Big Mac was waiting for us, and Applejack asked what we needed to help with.

"We got a message from Red Gala's farm. A herd of rabbits just hit them, and they're headin' our way."

"What?" Applejack sounded worried, "Ah thought they wouldn't arrive for another month."

"Nope," Big Mac replied, "Their migration came early, they'll be here within the afternoon."

Applejack turned to me, "Dutch, get that map of the orchard now!" I wasn't going to argue, this really had AJ on edge. I grabbed the map from a shelf in the living room and spread it out on the table for the others to see, "What's going on guys?"

Big Mac replied, "Every year, rabbits come through here on their migration path. We usually hear about it in advance, and it takes us a few days to create a path where they can get through without damaging the orchard. But now, we've got nothing, and they'll be hear in a few hours. They could do some serious damage to our sales if they get onto the farm."

They gave me all the details, saying the herd would come from the northwest, and that it would be about 75 rabbits. I studied the map for any way to prevent the rabbits getting to the farm. It was then that I noticed there was a brown line on the map that went around the farm.

"What's this mark here?"

"That's an old riverbed," Big Mac replied, "It dried up a long time ago, and it's more of a trench now."

"What's the ground like in there?"

Big Mac shrugged, "Pretty solid. Flat too."

I thought for a second, "Is there any chance we could funnel the rabbits in there and around the farm?"

"Ah don't know," said Applejack, "It'll be a hard time keepin' them in there, but it's the only chance we got."

"Eeyup."

"Alright. We're probably going to have to dig an entrance and exit, then herd the rabbits in there. Applejack, can you do that with Winona?"

"Sure thing." Applejack seemed more confident now.

We headed outside and grabbed the shovels from the shed. We managed to find the riverbed fairly quickly, and wasted no time digging a large ramp into the trench. We spent about an hour digging, but I just kept going, I wasn't feeling any fatigue. When the ramp was nearly finished, I told the ponies that I was going to start on an exit, and they could join me when they finished. After finding a suitable part of the river on the other side of the farm, I set to work. Ten minutes later, Applejack and Big Mac arrived. I could see the sweat pouring off their coats, but they managed to work just as hard as me. This farm really meant a lot to them.

As we got close to finishing the exit ramp, we heard Winona barking in the distance. The herd of rabbits was approaching. I told Big Mac and Applejack to go over there and get them in the riverbed, whilst I finished the ramp.

"Just stay on the edges of the trench, don't let any get out!" I called as they ran through the orchard.

I need to get a move on now. I started digging again, but I could hear the thundering of paws heading down the riverbed. I forced myself to dig faster, and just as I was finishing, I saw Big Mac coming through the trees, with Applejack on the other side of the trench.

"Ya better have that ramp ready Dutch," I heard them calling.

I jumped down into the trench as stood past the exit, banging my shovel on a rock to try and stop them running past me. Applejack and Big Mac did the same, stomping their hooves on the ground. We were creating as much noise as we could to deter the hoarde approaching us.

I saw a few rabbits at the front start to divert into the exit, and the other rabbits started playing Follow the Leader, as they all merged into the new path. We all cheered as the herd left the trench, and continued on their migration path towards a forest.

After celebrating for about ten minutes, I said, "Right then. I'll go to the entrance to the riverbed and see if they did any damage to the orchard. If you two do the same here, we'll meet halfway." They agreed, and I set off back towards the beginning.

I scanned every tree, but it quickly became apparent that the rabbits weren't even given a chance. The trunks were intact, and the apples on the ground had no bite marks in them. It followed the riverbed around the orchard, and saw Big Mac and Applejack coming the other way, both with a look of amazement on their faces.

When we got closer, Applejack jumped into my arms and gave me the tightest hug I'd ever had, "Let me guess, there was no damage."

Both of them started laughing, so I took their answer as a 'yes'. Applejack eventually replied, "Ah don't know how we did it Dutch, but we owe ya big time. We woulda lost hundreds of bits worth of apples if they got through here."

She reached up and pecked me on the cheek. I was taken aback by this, and she released her hug, blushing profusely. I laughed, and replied, "I'm just glad I could help. And after that kiss, I think we can call it even." Applejack went an even deeper shade of crimson, and we all laughed harder. Even Big Mac was rolling around in stitches.

The day's shift was coming to an end, and the Apple ponies started to head back to the house to celebrate. They asked me if I wanted to come along, but I had to decline.

"I've arranged to meet up with Rainbow Dash this afternoon, but I should be free tomorrow," they nodded, and walked back to the house. I waved goodbye, and headed in my own direction towards Ponyville. I had planned to meet Dash in the town centre at 5:30.

As I entered town, I got waved at and greeted by passing ponies. Some even walked up and congratulated me for managing to save the farm. Credit where it's due, news travels fast in Ponyville.

I walked into the town centre and sat on the edge of a bridge near the town hall. Rainbow was going to meet me here, so while I waited for her, I thought I would just relax and listen to the birds singing. It was always a calming tune, and I closed my eyes as I listened.

Big mistake.

If my eyes were open, I would have noticed the large cloud moving overhead. There was a deafening crack of thunder and I shot up like a rocket. Luckily, my legs were on the bridge and not the other side, otherwise I would have been climbing out of the river.

My ears were still ringing as I looked round to see a cyan head poke over the cloud. Rainbow Dash floated down from her mobile pranking device, clutching her sides as she landed.

"Haha, you should've seen the look on your face," she said, gasping for air, "Priceless!"

"WHAT?!" I asked, sticking my finger in my ear. All I could hear was bells.

This only made her laugh harder, so I pinned her wings to her side as I picked her up and held her over the river upside down. Realising she couldn't move her wings, she started flailing her legs, saying, "Ok, ok, I'm sorry! But in all honesty, the opportunity was just too good to pass up!"

I set her down on the bridge, and when my hearing returned I asked, "So, you ready?"

"Sure. I know this empty field where we can do some fighting," she jumped in the air and started swinging her forelegs.

I laughed as we set off, "I'm glad you're so eager for this Dashie, but rule number one: Don't fight if you don't have to. Always try and talk your way out of situations. Using your fists should be a last resort, otherwise you're just looking for a fight."

She nodded, and we left the town towards the field. As we walked through a patch of trees to get to the field, a branch on the ground snagged my bootlaces and they came undone. I groaned with annoyance. Now? The field's right over there.

"Let me sort out my boot Dash. You go on ahead, I'll catch up."

"Alright. Just don't take too long, I hate waiting," she flew to the centre of the field and started practicing some flying.

As I sorted out my boot, I heard a male voice call out from above the trees, "Hey, Rainbow Crash!"

I looked up to see three pegasi - one brown, one tan, one grey - flying down towards Dash. They didn't look like the sort to be friendly, and I could see Dash rolling her eyes. They landed next to her, but I couldn't hear what they were saying, not from the trees.

I got up and quietly walked out onto the field. The pegasi's backs were to me, so I decided I would surprise them. As I got closer, I managed to make out what they were saying.

Rainbow Dash sighed, "So what are you guys doing here? Did you get suspended for cloud misuse again?"

The tan one laughed, "Yeah, we were--"

He was immediately punched in ribs by his brown friend, who spoke next, "It doesn't matter what we're doing here Rainbow Crash. What are you doing here? Still trying to get the Wonderbolts to notice you?" They all laughed.

"No, I was actually waiting for a friend of mine. He--" Dash saw me walking up behind them, and I raised my finger to my lips, indicating that I needed her to stay quiet. She changed her sentence, "He was going to teach me a few new flying tricks."

The three stallions laughed again, "Oh, I never thought I'd see the day. Rainbow Crash, hanging out with a colt. It's strange, I always thought you were a filly-fooler." Ok, that does it.

I was right behind them now, and I took the opportunity to lift the brown one in the air by his tail. He could only say, "What the hay?" before his eyes went wide and his mouth sealed itself shut.

"Oh, here he is now. Guys, I'd like you to meet Dutch." Rainbow said proudly.

I simply stared into their eyes, "Is there a problem here?" I made myself sound as scary as possible.

The bullies simply walked backwards, while the one dangling from my grip said, "Um, n-n-no. No p-problem."

"Good," I dropped the colt, and he quickly got to his feet and ran to his colleagues, "Now why don't you run along and play?"

They didn't reply, they just nodded, and took off back into the clouds. Once they were gone, Rainbow and I looked at each other, and just burst out laughing.

"That was awesome!" Rainbow said, and she gave me a high-hoof.

"That was a live demonstration of using words over fists," I replied, "Not only do you not get hurt, it can be pretty funny sometimes. Anyway, who were those guys?"

Dash waved her hoof in front of her face, "Just some guys from school who teased me and Fluttershy. Rainbow Crash was their nickname for me whenever they saw me."

"Ha, talk about unoriginal."

"Tell me about it. Now, how about some sparring."

I let her hover in line with my head as I instructed her to throw a few swings so that I could assess how much she already knew. She threw some jabs, as well as some hooks, but her punches were exaggerated, so after five minutes, I paused for some advice.

"You're certainly putting strength behind your hits," I started, "But you're telegraphing your moves."

"What does that mean?"

I brought my fist back past my head and held it, "When you bring your hoof back here, you're letting your opponent know what you're about to do. Keep your forelegs in, and move quickly." I stood up and gave her a demonstration, keeping my arms into my chest as I performed some jabs and a cross, "Now, try that."

We started again, and her moves were much faster and sudden. At one point, she even managed to glance my jaw, and I said, "Nice! I wasn't expecting that."

After some more offensive moves, I started showing her some blocking. I told her I would start an attack, and I would walk her through how to block and counter it.

I raised my right arm, as if to bring it down onto Dash's head, "What you do here is bring your left foreleg up and block it," she did so, "Then you use your other foreleg to push it out the way across your body, and use your left leg again to hold it down," she pushed my arm across, smiling as she did so. When she had brought her left hoof over and had my arm pinned, I said, "Now, I'm being blocked by my own arm. This gives you an opportunity to attack," she acknowledged this by putting a cross into my chest.

"Ow! I didn't mean literally Dashie."

She giggled, "I know, but I just wanted to do that."

We practiced the punches and blocks again, taking turns to be offensive and defensive. After half an hour of sparring, we both sat down to relax. I noticed Rainbow kept looking at the space where my left ring finger should have been, "Why don't you have one of those things there?"

I looked down at my missing digit, "It happened a couple of days before I met you. I had a brush in with a manticore in the Everfree Forest, and he cut it off with his tail. Considering my odds, I think I got off lightly."

Rainbow Dash was shocked, "Doesn't it hurt?" her tone was becoming more sympathetic.

"At first it did, but I don't really notice it much now. Seems a bit selfish to get worked up over losing a finger. I got nine others when I was born."

"You're acting like it doesn't bother you."

"That's because it doesn't. Humans only used this finger for wedding rings," I looked at Rainbow, "And let's face it, I'm not going to be getting married anytime soon." We shared a small laugh.

I continued, "Besides," I held my hand out in front of me, clenching and unclenching it, watching how the stump moved with the rest of the hand, "It looks kinda cool once you get used to it."

She took my hand in her hooves and started bending the fingers, examining how they functioned, "I guess, but I think the whole thing looks cool."

I noticed the sun was starting to set, and I stood up to leave, "I think that's going to be it for today Rainbow, but you've learned fast. We're going to have to do this again sometime."

She rose into the air above me, "Sure, that would be really cool. I'll see you around Dutch."

I waved to her as she flew home, and left the field back to my apartment.

Chapter 14: Summer Sun Celebration

Now things get interesting. You can probably guess what's gonna happen in this chapter.

21st Summer's Dawn (June) 2012

As I woke up, I couldn't help but think the same damn thing I have in the past. It didn't feel like two months. It felt like yesterday I was driving south away from my family, but at the same time, I can barely remember my old life. I don't regret coming here, but it just doesn't feel right.

Christ, quit being such an emo Dutch!

I got out of bed and put on my clothes. After preparing some breakfast - turns out ponies have a cereal similar to museli - I cleaned myself in the bathroom and prepared for the day. As I was exiting, I heard a knocking on my window. I walked over to my bed to see a grey pegasus with blonde hair tapping her hoof on the glass. I pushed the window open and let her in.

"Morning Derpy, what brings you to my humble abode?"

The mare landed on my bed and looked at me with her signature cross-eyed stare, "Hi Dutch! I brought you a letter," she reached into her saddlebag with her wing and pulled out a letter with a smart-looking red seal, "It came all the way from Canterlot."

The capital city of Equestria? Why would someone send me a letter, or even know about me?

"Anyway, that's all I have for you now, but I'll hope to see you soon."

"Thanks Derpy, I'll see you around."

"Byeee!" Derpy flew back out the window and continued her deliveries.

I opened the seal and took out the letter. It must have been written by a unicorn, the writing was extremely neat. As I read through it, my curiosity rose.

Dear Citizen
It has come to our attention, that the pony known as Dutch has displayed exceptional skills in leadership and planning. Because of this, we would like you to assume the role of organising security at the town hall, during this year's Summer Sun Celebration, taking place in the town of Ponyville. You will be assigned three soldiers from the Royal Pegasus Guards to manage security with you, and the event will take place early tomorrow morning. We advise you to start preparations at once.

Yours Faithfully

Scroll Sender, Aide to Princess Celestia

The princess is coming here? I wasn't sure whether to feel excited or worried. Meeting the princess would be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and everyone spoke so highly of her, she sounded like a good leader. But how would she react to seeing a human? The letter said I was a pony, so they must not know about me yet.

Nevermind that now. I left my room and walked out onto the streets of Ponyville. I was planning to go to the town hall, grab some blueprints of the room, and see what I could do to make sure nothing happened. As I wandered towards the hall, I saw Applejack dragging a cart filled with food towards her orchard.

She saw me as I approached, "Howdy Dutch, how are ya this mornin'?"

"Not too bad. What's with the cart?"

She looked back at the pile of food behind her, "Turns out Ah've been selected for preparin' food fer the Summer Sun Celebration. It's quite coincidental really, the Apple Family Reunion's happenin' this week, so we'll be able to sort it all out in no time."

"Really? I got a letter this morning saying I've been chosen to organise security. Apparently someone high-up heard about what happened with the rabbits, so I got picked. I don't think they know I'm a human though."

"Wow, that's a big responsibilty. Ya sure yer up to it?"

"They think I am, otherwise they would have chosen somepony else."

Applejack nodded and continued on to her farm, while I carried on towards the town hall. As I entered, I saw that the room had been filled with huge decorations. Flags hung from the walls, and ribbons were tied up everywhere. This looks like Rarity's handiwork, maybe she got a job from Canterlot too.

I entered the mayor's office, and asked if she had any blueprints of the town hall. She grabbed a large piece of paper from a nearby filing cabinet and handed it to me. It was a birds-eye view of the town hall, showing the locations of balconies and entrances. This would be good enough.

"Thanks Miss Mayor, I'll get them back to you after the celebration."

I left the hall, heading back to the apartment. When I got there I went into the dining room and laid out the plans on the table. I started looking at any areas where trouble could arise, and figured that the balconies would present the biggest problem, as they would be the closest to the princess. I found the two highest balconies, and began thinking of places to position the guards.

I spent the next couple of hours planning, all the while listening to some Guns and Roses on my Ipod. After everything that had happened, I had forgotten about it until a week ago. I had expected it to be dead, but the charge just seems to keep going. I was just going over the finer details, I heard a knock at the door.

Twilight Sparkle groaned as she finished her apple pie. She wasn't keen on spending so much time with other ponies, she had more important things to do, but she had decided to have brunch with them out of common decency. Now she just felt fat, and her stomach was hating her for it.

She looked at the dragon sat next to her, who was still enjoying his meal, "Come on Spike, we need to get a move on."

Spike grumbled at the thought of leaving early, but he knew there were other things on the checklist. Reluctantly, he finished his caramel apple, and they got up to leave.

"It was nice havin' ya Miss Twilight," Applejack said, "We look forward to seein' ya at the celebration."

Twilight faked a smile, then turned to her assistant, "What's next on the list Spike?"

He looked at the parchment in his hands, "Umm, oh, security."

Applejack overheard this as they left the farm, and called out, "Say hi to Dutch fer me, just don't freak out when ya see him."

Twilight considered asking what she meant, but decided she wouldn't. She wanted to get these checks done quickly so that she could research about the Elements of Harmony. She figured she would find out what she meant herself.

"So, what does the checklist say about this 'Dutch' guy?" Twilight asked.

"Not much," replied Spike, "Just that he lives in a place called the 'Bannered Mare'."

"You're kidding. The pony in charge of security for the princess lives in a pub?"

She sighed as they approached the building. When they entered, Twilight asked Full Pint which room Dutch was in.

"He's on the second floor, room 17," the bartender said, "Just don't scream or anything when you see him."

"Why does everpony keep saying that?" Twilight asked herself as they ascended the stairs. She reached room 17 and knocked on the door. They heard a voice from inside shout, "Come on in," and Twilight opened the door.

There was a hallway on the other side, and three doors leading into different rooms, "Uh, hello?" Twilight called, hoping to find out where the mystery voice came from, "My name is Twilight Sparkle. The princess sent me to check on security for the Summer Sun Celebration."

"Oh, great," called the voice, "I'm in the second room. Just going over the plans now."

The voice sounded odd, it didn't have the same drawl as other ponies she had met. Twilight walked over to the door, opened it, and immediately closed it again. There weren't any ponies in the room, just some thing that stood twice as tall as her that she hadn't even seen in the books at the Canterlot library.

The creature spoke again, "Oh, I forgot. You've never seen a human before, sorry about that."

The human opened the door again, and this time Twilight got a better look of him. He didn't have a coat, just skin underneath the clothes he was wearing, and his light brown mane was extremely short, it barely went past his ears. His face was pretty intimidating too, he had a long scar on his left cheek that looked like it would frighten a minotaur. Despite this, he put on a friendly smile and said, "Nice to meet you Twilight, my name's Dutch. Come in and I'll show you the plans for the town hall."

Twilight shuffled inside, not sure what to expect from Dutch. He walked over to a table and flattened out the plans of the town hall, "We're going to be getting three Pegasus guards for the celebration," he began, "I'm going to assign one of them with me near the entrance to the hall. The other two will be positioned here," he pointed to two of the balconies, and Twilight saw his hand had fingers like Spike, but he had one extra on each hand. Something seemed odd though, there was a gap on one hand, where the other hand had a finger.

"The two pegasi on the balconies will be able to see over the ponies in the other balconies, while the third pony and I will monitor the ground floor," Dutch sat down in a chair and rested on leg on top of the other, "Any questions?"

Spike spoke first, "Yeah. What are you?"

Dutch simply laughed at this, "I'm a human, but I said that part already. I arrived in Equestria about two months ago, and I've been living in Ponyville ever since."

"So how come I haven't read about anything like you?" Twilight asked.

"Probably because I'm from another world, or at least I think I am. I fell asleep in a forest back home and woke up here. The ponies in Ponyville were kind enough to take me in, and they treat me like any other citizen."

Twilight had stopped listening. She just wanted to leave, she was actually preferring the company of ponies now. She was about to leave, but Dutch spoke again, "Hey, you mentioned the princess sent you. How well do you know her?"

"I'm Princess Celestia's personal student," Twilight replied, "She sent me here personally to check on the preparations."

Dutch let out a low whistle, "You must know a thing or two then," Twilight nodded, "Well, any chance we could sit down and talk sometime? I'd love to know more about this world."

Twilight was starting to feel quite nervous now. It was bad enough ponies wanted to hang out with her, let alone some... thing, "Uh, sure. But we can't right now, there's other items to check."

"Sure, don't let me keep you," Dutch called as she left the room, "See you at the celebration."

Twilight shuddered at the thought, and left without replying. When she shut the door, she let out a huge sigh of relief, "Thank Celestia that's over. I wasn't sure what would happen."

Spike walked up to her, "I don't know, he's seemed cool enough."

"Spike! How can you say that?"

"Because I'm a dragon among ponies, and he's a... human was it, among ponies. I just feel I can relate to him."

Twilight sighed again, she'd been doing that a lot today, "Nevermind. What's next on the list?"

Spike looked at the scroll, "Weather."

"Good, hopefully that should be simpler." Twilight said, as she walked back down the stairs and out of the pub.

As I watched Twilight leave, I couldn't help but feel sympathetic for her. She didn't come across as the type to socialise. That would weigh her down in the long run.

I was about to look over the plans again to see if there were any flaws, but before I could, Pinkie burst into the room.

"Hi Dutchy!"

"Woah! Don't do that Pinks, you scared me."

Pinkie giggled, "Well, I thought I would surprise you, because I was just coming here to give you an invitation to a surprise Welcoming Party! There's this new unicorn in town, and I only saw her once, but when I did I went," she gave a massive gasp, "And I knew I had never seen her before, so here I am, giving invitations to every pony in Ponyville to welcome her here!"

She gave me the invitation, and bounced back out of the room to find more ponies to invite. I looked at the invitation, which said the party was taking place at the library at 6:00. I've got some time, I think I'll just wander round the town for a bit.

I took one last look at the plans, and decided that everything was in order. It didn't take long after leaving the pub that I saw Lyra walking through the streets, so I thought I would make conversation until the party was ready.

"Hey Lyra!" I called. Lyra looked over and smiled.

"Hi there Dutch, looking forward to the Summer Sun Celebration?"

"Of course. It will be exciting to see the princess face-to-face. Have you seen that new unicorn in town?"

"You mean Twilight? Yeah, I saw Rainbow Dash crash into her just now."

"Wait, do you know her already?"

"Sort of. I just came back from a two week holiday in Canterlot with my friend Sparkler, and she told me about her," her ears drooped slightly as she paused, "She didn't say hello. She seemed like a bit if a hermit really."

I sighed, "Yeah, I got that impression too," I felt I needed to lighten up the mood, so I said, "Pinkie's organising a surprise party for her at the library, you want to come?"

Lyra ears perked back up again, "Sure!"

We arranged a time to meet there, and she carried on through the town. I looked at my watch: 5:30. I decided to go to the library early to see if I could help with the party decorations. Pinkie was more than happy to let me in, and I used my height to pin ribbons on the wall.

As 6:00 approached, more ponies began to arrive, including Lyra and the rest of my friends except Fluttershy, she would arrive later. At 5:58, we switched off the lights and waited in the darkness for Twilight to arrive. At 6:04, the door opened and a fimiliar voice was heard.

"...without a bunch of crazy ponies trying to make friends with me. Now, where's the light?"

Pinkie saw that as her cue to switch the lights on, and we all shouted, "SURPRISE!" as Twilight almost jumped in the air from shock. Upon realising what was going on however, I noticed her expression become one of annoyance. Don't worry about it, I thought to myself, she'll open up eventually.

While Pinkie started another rant to Twilight, I walked over to Applejack and the others. Fluttershy had now arrived too.

I learned that each of my friends had also been chosen to organise something for the celebration. We discussed how we had performed our responsibilities, until we reached the subject of the town's new arrival.

"So," I began, "What do you guys think of Twilight?"

"She seems like a friendly pony," Applejack said, "But Ah don't think she's had too many friends. She didn't come across as the type."

"Yeah," Rainbow continued, "She was kinda cool and all, but she seemed a little boring," she giggled at the thought of the Rain-blow Dry.

"She left my boutique before I could even have a decent conversation with her," Rarity pouted, "I didn't even get to inquire about her time in Canterlot. I've always wanted to live there."

"I didn't really talk to her very much," Fluttershy whispered, "I get very nervous about meeting new ponies. I spent most of the journey talking to her dragon Spike."

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Twilight going upstairs and out of sight. I was going to ask Pinkie what had happened, but she was too busy eating a cupcake dripping with hot sauce to answer. The spicy flavour didn't seem to phase her though, and she wolfed down the cake without even blinking.

The party carried on without Twilight, and everypony started having fun and games. I tried my hand at Pin the Tail on the Pony, but I ended up putting the tail on the drawing's face.

The games seemed to last for hours, but as the morning approached, I announced I had to leave early. The guards were going to arrive soon, and I needed to get there ahead of them. I entered the town hall and examined the room, locating the balconies where I had planned on placing the guards. I climbed the stairs to them and looked out over the hall. There was a wide view, and all the other balconies were in sight, especially the centre one. That was good.

I climbed down and waited for another ten minutes, before I heard heavy hooves landing outside and a male voice say, "Now, we wait here until Dutch finds us."

I opened the door back outside to see three identical pegasi in gold armour standing outside. Upon seeing me, they took a step back in fright, before lowering into a position to charge.

I remained calm as they prepared to attack me, "Let me guess, you were expecting a pony?"

One of the ponies stood up and slowly approached me, eyeing me with suspicion. I held out my hand, "Name's Dutch, I'm the guy in charge of security."

The stallion tentatively shook my hand, "Captain Wingfleet, reporting for duty."

I motioned them to follow me into the town hall. As we entered, I pointed up to the two highest balconies, "Captain, I need you and one of your guards to position yourselves on those balconies up there. You should be able to monitor the ponies higher up. I'll take your third soldier and stand at the entrance. We'll keep an eye on the ponies on the ground floor."

Wingfleet simply nodded and flew up to the balcony with one of the guards, whilst I stood by the doorway with the other pony. I noticed he kept glancing at me, but I had gotten used to receiving funny looks.

Soon afterwards, the Mayor arrived, along with other ponies from the party. Everypony was chattering excitedly amongst themselves, and I saw my friends appear, along with Twilight. Fluttershy flew up to an empty balcony with a small group of birds, and Rarity went to the central balcony where Princess Celestia would appear.

When everypony in town had arrived, the Mayor began her speech, and ponies started cheering. I saw Lyra in the crowd bouncing up and down in a way that would give Pinkie a run for her money. I continued looking at the crowd, my height allowing me to see over their heads. I noticed Twilight among the ponies, and Spike on her back. She was shifting on her hooves, but she didn't seem excited, she seemed nervous. Then I saw her face.

It had a look of fear on it.

The Mayor announced the princess, and Rarity tugged on a rope, pulling back on the curtains to reveal... an empty balcony. The crowd began to murmur, my adrenaline spiked, and I looked around. The princess was missing; she didn't sound like the type to arrive late. I looked up at Wingfleet, he had the same look of concern as I did.

I looked back at the balcony, and saw a faint blue cloud begin to appear from the ground. I slowly grew into a rough shape of a pony, and split to reveal a large, winged unicorn with a black coat. Alicorns were new to me, so I was as surprised as everypony else.

And I only needed to take one look at this one to tell it was trouble.

Chapter 15: The Elements of Harmony

The black alicorn looked over the crowd. A small smile escaped form her lips.

"My beloved subjects," she eyed the crowd, "It's good to see you again after so long."

I looked back up at Captain Wingfleet. He had a look of uncertainty on his face, and he wanted to attack. I subtly raised my hand at him, telling him to hold his position. I had my knife on me, but it was hidden under my coat. Over time, and with the help of Rarity, I had modified the strap on my sheathe so that the knife was fitted under my right arm. I wasn't sure what was going to happen, but I was ready in case things turned ugly.

The alicorn carried on talking, "You surprise me. I expected at least somepony to recognise me after one thousand years."

She started to move among the ponies in the crowd, each of them stepping back in fear, "Do you not show me respect because I have been imprisoned for so long?" She moved to another group, who shrank away form her, "Did you really forget me? Did you not see the signs of my return?"

"I know who you are," came a voice from the ground floor. I looked over, and saw it came from Twilight Sparkle, "You're the Mare in the Moon: Nightmare Moon!"

The whole hall gasped. I didn't know who this 'Nightmare Moon' was, but she was obviously feared. Even Captain Wingfleet looked nervous. Nightmare Moon turned to Twilight, and the smile returned.

"Well well, somepony remembers me," the blue cloud engulfed her again, and it rose back to the central balcony, where she reappeared, "Then you also know why I'm here."

Twilight shifted where she stood, "You're here to... to..." she didn't finish her sentence, fear was starting to get to her too.

Nightmare Moon chuckled to herself, "Remember this day, my little ponies, for it will be the last time you see it, as well as your precious princess." She let out an evil cackle, and the blue fog around her rose to cover the entire ceiling.

Ok, it's official, she's a threat. I looked over at the guard on the other side of the entrance. He was staring at me, waiting for orders. I pointed at him, then at Nightmare Moon. I glanced up at Wingfleet and did the same. The three pegasi flew towards the alicorn to restrain her.

She saw them coming.

Her eyes glowed white, and lightning bolts flew out of the fog above us. They struck the pegasi, and sent them flying against the wall. I heard something crack as they hit. Nightmare Moon took this opportunity and turned to fog, flying out the room and into the darkness.

I ran over to Wingfleet, who was still dazed from the fall.

"Are you alright?" I asked, helping him to his hooves.

"Yeah, I've suffered worse. Just some bruises," another guard was getting to his feet, but the third was groaning on the floor, and his hind leg was bent at an unnatural angle, even for a horse.

I was about to speak, but Rainbow Dash flew in and came straight up to me, "Hey Dutch, that purple unicorn's hightailing it to the library. I think she knows something we don't."

My mind was racing, "Right. Wingfleet, stay here, tend to your wounded guard and keep everypony calm. Rainbow, get the others who were organising the celebration. We're going to the library." Rainbow nodded, and flew into the crowd.

She quickly returned with our other friends, and we left the town hall. As we approached the library, Rainbow flew on ahead and burst through the door. When we got there, Dash was right in Twilight's face, "Are you a spy?" She said accusingly.

Sensing peace was required, Applejack trotted up and grabbed Rainbow's tail, pulling her down, "Simmer down RD. Twilight ain't a spy."

"Agreed," I added, "But you know something, don't you." I made sure my tone wasn't aggressive.

Twilight sighed in submission, "I was researching the tale of Nightmare Moon before I came to Ponyville. One thousand years ago, Princess Celestia used some objects called the Elements of Harmony to imprison her in the moon. As far as I know, they're the only things that can stop her."

"What's the catch?" asked Rainbow. Everpony gave her a look, "What? It's never that easy."

"The catch is that the Elements were lost hundreds of years ago," Twilight said, "I don't know where they are, what they look like or what they do."

Suddenly, Pinkie bounced over to Twilight carrying a book on her head titled, The Elements of Harmony: A Reference Guide. Twilight stared in amazement, "How did you find that?"

"It was under eeee~." Pinkie sang.

Twilight opened the book with her magic and turned to the introduction, "Let's see," she read the book aloud, "The Elements of Harmony contain the most powerful magic known to ponykind. They are used to bring balance and peace to the land."

She flipped over a few pages before continuing, "Ok. There are seven Elements of Harmony, but only six of them are known: Kindness, Honesty, Laughter, Loyalty, Generosity and Bravery. The properties of the seventh element have eluded scientists for centuries," she moved further into the book, "Ah, location. It is said that the last known resting place of the Elements of Harmony is in the Ancient Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters."

"Great," I said, "So where's the castle."

Twilight kept reading, then shock came over her face, "I'm afraid that's another catch. It's the Everfree Forest."

We stood outside the entrance to the forest. It looked as uninviting as ever, and the darkness didn't help. The ponies seemed releuctant to go in, and for a moment, so did I.

"D-Do we have to go in there?" Fluttershy whimpered.

"We don't have a choice," I said, "If we don't find the Elements, we'll never see the sun again."

We started to enter the forest, but we heard a voice behind us say, "Wait everypony," we all turned to see Twilight still standing in the entrance, "I appreciate the help guys, but I would rather do this alone."

"No dice Twilight." I replied. The others nodded their heads.

"Yer a friend to us," Applejack added, "And we ain't lettin' a friend walk in there alone." We carried on into the forest, giving Twilight no choice but to follow.

We walked for about thirty minutes, before arriving at a cliff. It got extremely narrow at one point, and I volunteered to go first to test the strength of the earth.

"So, has anypony else been here before?" Twilight asked, trying to ease the tension among us.

"Not really," Dash replied, "But I remember Dutch saying he's been in here once or twice."

I laughed, "Yeah, but that doesn't mean it ended well."

"What happened?" Twilight inquired.

I stopped walking, forcing everypony else to as well. I pointed to the scar on my face, "Day one in Equestria," I showed them my missing finger, "Day three," I resumed walking along the path, finally reaching a wider path, "Let's just say that me and bad luck are old acquaintances."

Fate must have heard me say that, because the ground we were standing on suddenly gave way, and all of us except Rainbow and Fluttershy started rolling down a steep hill towards a cliff. I pulled out my knife and tried to dig it into the ground, trying to find soft earth to create an anchor. The pegasi managed to grab Pinkie and Rarity, but Twilight, Applejack and I were still going.

Applejack managed to grab onto Twilight's forelegs, and they stopped rolling. After grabbing Applejack's tail, I managed to do the same. We were still heading for the cliff though, and as Twilight and Applejack slid over the edge, my knife found soft ground, and we came to a halt. I was dangling off the edge with one arm holding onto my knife, the other supporting Twilight and Applejack as they hung in mid-air.

"Phew," Applejack let out a sigh of relief, "Dutch, can ya lift us up?"

"I'm afraid not," I replied, "You guys are too heavy."

I could lift a single pony with both my arms, but with twice the weight and half the strength I was surprised my shoulder wasn't dislocating. I gritted my teeth and tried to ignore the pain.

"What do we do?" Twilight was panicking, and with good reason. It was a long way down.

I couldn't see Applejack's face, but I heard her say, "Twilight, I need you to let go."

"What?!"

"Let go, and you'll be safe. I promise."

I looked past Twilight and saw Rainbow and Fluttershy underneath Twilight, ready to catch her, "It's ok Twilight," I said, trying to reassure her, "AJ's telling the truth."

Twilight looked Applejack straight in the eyes. Her panicked expression disappeared, and she closed her eyes as she let go. She still screamed the whole way down, but the two pegasi caught her easily.

Without Twilight's weight, I managed to swing Applejack back onto solid ground, before pulling myself up. As I dusted myself down, I saw Applejack climbing down the cliff on an easy path to the others below, and I quickly followed her.

"Everpony alright?" I asked, checking everyone for injuries. Rarity had grazes on her stomach where she had grinded on the rock, and Pinkie had a few scratches on her legs, but they were only minor, and we continued through the forest.

While Dash boasted about how they had saved Twilight, I kept scanning the trees. I was suspicious; the cliff didn't just collapse by chance, and I had a feeling someone was trying to stop us getting to the castle, I wonder who that could be.

As we approached a gap in the cliffs, I heard a faint growling from a cave halfway up the face. I didn't have to guess what it was, as a manticore leapt from the cave and landed in front of us and let off a loud roar.

"Stay back," I shouted, drawing my knife again, "These things don't mess around."

The ponies started to shuffle backwards, even Rainbow seemed a little scared. Fluttershy however, gave me a look of confusion before flying towards the manticore.

"Fluttershy!" Twilight called, "Get back. He'll kill you."

"No he won't," Fluttershy sounded confident as she appraoched the manticore. It growled at her, and raised it's paw to strike, but she stood her ground, a calming smile appearing on her face.

The manticore noticed this, and his anger disappeared. He lowered his paw, and Fluttershy noticed a thorn embedded in the pad. She removed it, and the manticore roared with pain. I was about to intervene, but the manitcore simply picked Fluttershy up and started licking her in the same way a dog would lick its master.

I couldn't help but smile as we walked past the manticore, giving time for Fluttershy to catch up.

"How did you know that thorn was there?" Twilight asked.

"When he shouted, it sounded more like pain than anger," Fluttershy answered, "Sometimes all it takes to end a conflict is a little bit of kindness."

As they walked through the forest, no one noticed the small blue cloud following them. It skulked from tree to tree, watching the ponies make their way toward the castle.

Nightmare Moon had heard them talking about the castle and the Elements, and was bent on stopping them. At first she only meant to hinder them and give herself time to find the Elements and destroy them. But after seeing what they could do, and how determined they were, she was thinking about other means of taking them out of the picture.

On their own, these pathetic ponies wouldn't be much of a threat. But when they were together, they supported each other, and that thing that was travelling with them made them all the more dangerous.

She had seen this creature attempt to defend them from the manticore, and had saved two of them when she had collapsed the cliff face. She had also noticed that he had a weapon, that made him a serious threat.

They had beaten her two times now, and they were getting close to the castle, but it didn't matter. She had several plans in place for when they got close, with a contingency if they failed, and she made sure that wouldn't happen.

The rest of the journey through the forest has been slightly more bearable than my previous experiences. It turns out that having company when travelling through a dark and hostile place can really liven things up.

After Fluttershy had dealt with the manticore, we came across two other incidents where something tried to stop us. The first one involved trees which had been disfigured with terrifying faces. The girls were about to run for it, but Pinkie showed us that you can deal with scary things simply by laughing at them. I was more than surprised when it happened, but we still managed to get rid of them.

Later on we found strong rapids blocking our path. It turned out that the currents were being caused by a giant purple sea serpent, who was distraught about losing half his moustache. Rarity was deeply hurt by this "crime against fabulosity" and used one of the serpent's scales to cut off her tail as a replacement. The serpent was more than grateful, and assisted us in crossing the river.

Now, finally, the castle was in sight. It was a few hundred metres away, on the other side of a chasm, with a broken rope bridge being the only way across. Rainbow quickly flew down and brought the bridge back up. As she tied it to the other side, I spoke to Twilight.

"What do you expect we'll find in the castle?"

"I'm not sure. I doubt the Elements of Harmony will be just waiting for us on shining platforms. I don't even know if they'll be there at all."

We waited for another minute, but Rainbow still hadn't returned. I squinted through the fog, and saw Rainbow talking to three figures, each of them wearing a dark outfit.

"Uh Twilight, do you know who those guys are?" I lifted her up to see through the fog. Upon seeing them, her eyes went wide.

"Rainbow, no! Don't listen to them!"

Before Rainbow could register what she had said, the mist in front of us became thicker, and we lost sight of them, "What do we do now?" Applejack asked.

"I guess we have to wait and see if she returns," I answered.

"Don't worry," Rarity said, "Rainbow Dash might behave like a ruffian sometimes, but she knows who her allies are."

Shortly afterwards, Rarity's words were confirmed as Rainbow reappeared through the fog, "What had you guys worried? I'd never leave my friends hanging."

Suddenly, a blue cloud of smoke shot out of the mist and smashed into Rainbow Dash, disappearing just as quickly. I ran over to Rainbow, and found her to be conscious, but dazed. I turned back to the others, and saw them backing away in fear from something. I went back to them, and found them facing three wolves.

Except they weren't wolves. They were more like something out of a nightmare.

They were big. Slightly larger than a Great Dane, and as thick as a Rottweiler. Their bodies weren't covered in fur, but whatever it was glistened in the moonlight, which was reflected off their black, shark-like eyes. Their mouths hung open, with sharp, serrated teeth jutting out beyond their lips. Their heads were high and uneven, their bulging skulls topped by two tiny ears, like horns. Slowly, one of the creatures raised its head to the sky and released a ghastly howl. Then, as one, they moved towards us, their heads slanting unnaturally as they walked.

I pulled my knife out from under my coat, flipping it so the blade pointed downwards, "Get Rainbow across the bridge, now!" I ordered, not even turning to look at the ponies. I heard the pattering of hooves though, so they must have registered my command.

The first wolf leapt at me, strings of saliva dangling from its jaws. I was more ready than I had been with the wolves on my first night in the forest, and I sidestepped the beast, bringing the knife down into its neck. It left of a howl of pain, but I didn't stop. I stabbed it a few more times before it turned into cloud and floated back into the bushes.

The other wolves decided to attack as a pair, and pounced at me. They were faster, and I was knocked on my back with one of them standing over me. I brought my leg up and kicked it in the stomach, throwing it off me. But before I could get up, the other one landed on top of me. It also landed on my knife. It let off a cry of pain, and I used its weakened state to roll over and land on the wolf, slicing its neck as I stood up.

The third wolf was still trying to stand up from the kick, and I used this opportunity to run across the bridge. As I ran, I felt the bridge shake, and looked back to see the wolf gnawing on the ropes. I forced myself to run faster, and I started to make out the girls on the other side. I felt the bridge give way, and I flung myself at the other side. As the bridge fell, I grabbed the edge of the earth and lifted myself up, with Twilight and Applejack giving me support.

"Thanks," I said, looking around, "How's Rainbow?"

"She's fine now," AJ replied.

"Good, let's go."

I got a look of surprise from the others as I stood up and walked towards the castle. I stopped when I realised that nopony else was following me. I turned round and noticed their confused expressions, "What?"

"Honestly Dutch, how do you do it?" Rarity asked.

"Do what?"

"Just keep goin'," Applejack said, "We just got attacked, and ya don't even stop fer a breather."

"I don't need one," I replied simply.

"H-How about the fact that you almost died?" Fluttershy joined in.

I sighed, "Alright then, I'll tell you. But first, tell me what inspires you?" I got looks of confusion, "What drives you to keep going? To never give up?"

"Mah family and farm."

"The animals that I care for."

"The day I join the Wonderbolts!"

I chuckled at the last one, "Well, when I was younger, I found inspiration in a poem."

"A poem?" Rainbow asked, "You didn't strike me a the literary kind of guy."

"Neither did I when I read it," I said, "But this one stood out for me, and it told me to keep going in life when everything and everyone around me was saying "give up"," there was no reply from the girls, "Nevermind, let's get to the castle."

We crossed the last few hundred metres fairly quickly, and walked through a rotted wooden door to reveal a huge stone hall, with a stone sculpture in the middle. When we got closer, I saw that there were six stone spheres resting on platforms attached to the stone.

"Is this what we've been searchin' for?" Applejack asked.

Twilight looked at the spheres. Each one had a different symbol on them, "The Elements of Harmony, we found them!"

Fluttershy, Rainbow and I lifted the stones from their platforms and rested them in front of Twilight.

"Wait," Pinkie counted them out loud, "There's only six. Where's the seventh?"

"Well, the book said that when the six are together, a spark will cause the seventh to be revealed."

"Great," Rainbow said sarcastically, "I hate cryptic metaphors."

Twilight lay down in front of the Elements, "Can you guys give me some room to concentrate? I want to try something, and I don't know what will happen."

"Sure thing Twi," Applejack said, and we all left the room, leaving Twilight alone. We sat down outside, and saw a faint glowing from inside as Twilight cast her spell.

"So how are we going to find the seventh element?" Rarity asked.

"I'm not sure," I said, "But we've come too far to fail now."

"Maybe afterwards, we can throw Twilight another Welcoming Party," Pinkie said, "I think the last one could've gone a little better."

We all started laughing, but it was cut short as we heard Twilight cry out from the hall. We all got to our feet, and ran back into the castle, where we saw Twilight disappear into a large blue tornado, along with the Elements.

"What they hay just happened?" Rainbow said.

We called out for Twilight, and Rarity saw that a tower further up ahead had started to glow from its windows. We ran down a hallway, which connected into what looked like a banqueting hall. The long wooden table had long since rotted from neglect, and the room was covered in cobwebs. We heard Nightmare Moon cackling from the tower, along with a large bang. We quickened our pace, and went into an outside area to climb a stone set of steps to the tower.

As we got closer, we started calling out to Twilight. We didn't know where she was, but she was our friend, and we needed to be there for her. As we got closer, we saw Nightmare Moon standing on a podium, the Elements lying in front of her, in pieces. Then Twilight spoke.

"You didn't destroy the Elements of Harmony, Nightmare Moon. Only their bodies. But the spirits of the Elements live on, inside them!" She gestured to us, and the shards of the Elements began to rise and glow.

As Twilight described our events, each of the Elements drifted towards us, one at a time. Applejack became the Element of Honesty, Fluttershy got Kindness, and it continued until only I was left, at which point Twilight said, "And Dutch, who defended us from your nightmarish minions, represents the Element of Bravery!"

The final shards of the Elements began to circle me, giving off a dim white glow.

"And what of the seventh Element?" Nightmare Moon demanded. She tried to remian calm, but I could see her becoming nervous, "Without the spark, you'll never find it."

"It wasn't that kind of spark Nightmare Moon," Twilight continued, "The spark came from inside me." She turned to us, each of whom had the Elements surrounding us, "I felt it when I heard your voices. I felt so happy to hear you, and I became proud to accept you as my friends."

There was a shine of light above us, and a seventh stone sphere appeared. It drifted down towards Twilight who turned back to Nightmare Moon, "You see, when the six Elements are combined and ignited by the spark, the seventh Element will reveal itself. The Element of Magic!"

Each of the Elements gave off a blinding glow, and I felt myself getting lifted off the ground. A beam of light shot from the Elements surrounding me, and joined with identical beams from the other five ponies. They all headed towards the seventh Element, and the light intensified. I closed my eyes as I recalled all the memories of my friends. All the events that had happened over the past two months, and how happy I felt to be part of this world.

I heard Nightmare Moon scream, and I was thrown back by some unknown force. When I came to, the other ponies were lying around me, and Nightmare Moon was nowhere to be seen. I groaned as I lifted myself up, and walked over to the others, helping them to their hooves.

"Is everyone alright?" I called.

"Everything's better than alright," Rarity said, and I turned to see her hugging her tail, which had returned to full length, "It's like I feel complete again."

I then noticed that Rarity had a golden necklace around her neck, "Hey Rarity, what's that?"

She looked down at the necklace, gasping, "I don't know, but it must be something to do with the Elements. We've all got one."

I looked around, and sure enough, the other ponies had similar gold necklaces, each one emblazoned with a symbol that held resemblance to their cutie marks. I looked down at my own neck, and saw a necklace their too. It had a thin, gold chain, which carried a gold plate with a picture of a shining white shield on it. I figured this is what my cutie mark would have been if I had been a pony.

We all turned to Twilight, who now had a golden diadem on her head with a purple star, "Well Ah'll be," Applejack said, "Ah guess we do represent the Elements of Harmony."

As she spoke, the sun started to rise in the distance. I noticed a second light break off from it, and it drifted towards us. It floated through the window, and came to rest on the stone. The light grew, and then disappeared to reveal a white alicorn, as tall as Nightmare Moon, though much less intimidating. The alicorn spoke, "Indeed you do."

Everpony gasped at the sight, and Twilight cried, "Princess Celestia!". She ran up to her, and I saw everpony else bowing before her. I did the same, lowering myself onto one knee.

While Princess Celestia addressed Twilight, my mind was racing. How would the princess react to me? Surely it would be positive. After all, I did help defeat Nightmare Moon.

I had my head facing the floor, so I only heard the hooves approaching me, and a voice said, "Rise, Element of Bravery."

I stood up, and came face to face with the Princess. She was as tall as me, but her horn gave her additional height. Her mane was a mixture of green, blue and pink, and it seemed to flow gracefully, despite there being no wind. She stared into my eyes, but her expression remained neutral.

Finally she spoke, "I don't know who or what you are, but you have helped my little ponies, and for that, you have my thanks." Her voice was calm and soft, but at the same time, it was strong and demanded attention.

I nodded, and replied, "My name is Dutch, and I am part of a species from another world called humans. I have already been told about you, and you have my thanks for accepting me.

She smiled warmly, and turned to the rest of us, "You have done well to allow this friendship into your hearts, enough for the Elements to choose you as their bearers," she turned to the back of the room, and I noticed a small figure lying there, "Now if only another would do the same. Princess Luna."

Where Nightmare Moon had been standing, there now lay a pony about the size of Twilight and the others. Her coat and mane were shades of blue, and she had a small crown resting in front of her horn.

"Wait, Nightmare Moon is Princess Luna?" Twilight said to herself, "But Luna is Princess Celestia's sister."

Celestia walked over to Luna, who shrank back in fear, and began talking to her. I couldn't make out what they were saying, but Luna's face went from fear, to regret, and finally sadness as she embraced her sister, "I'm so sorry for everything I did. I've missed you so much."

Celestia released her sister, and walked over to us, with Luna at her side, "Come. We should return to Ponyville," she glanced at Pinkie, a smile appearing on her lips, "I think we need to have a celebration."

Chapter 1: A turn for the worse

Author's notes: The first few chapters are going to take place on Earth so I can get a decent backstory and describe the events leading up to the protagonist ending up in Equestria. Just thought I'd give you a heads up.

It was an unusually cold Autumn this year. The rain pattered against the window, and made puddles in the road. The days were getting shorter, and the morning was still bleak and dark.

I thought today would just be normal, like every other day. I got up, had breakfast, washed, and got into some formal clothes. Despite being normal, today was still very important, I had a list of companies I had to get to for application interviews. I know, twenty years old and I still didn't have a job! It's fairly easy to explain:

It was no secret that the British economy wasn't doing well. Unemployment was still rising, especially amongst young people. I had been looking for a job, every day, for the best part of 4 months now, but it wasn't a surprise that I wasn't getting anywhere.

As I drove into town, I took a moment to think about this country. The British were always known for their ability to make do with what they had and not be bothered by a lot of stuff, in fact, we were almost famous for it. But life must've seen this as an excuse to give us all the bad luck. As I watched the rain spatter on my windscreen, it's noise drowning out the sound of the engine, I sighed to myself. Typical British weather.

My first interview was for a job as a receptionist. Not the most exciting career, I know, but it was better than nothing. At least I would be getting paid until I had enough fitness to apply for the Royal Marines. I walked into the building and wasn't even given the chance to approach the front desk before I was approached by a thin, short woman in a crisp office suit.

"Name?" She said, looking down at a clipboard.

"Um, Douglas Jones." I replied, a little taken aback by how blunt this woman was.

The woman flicked through the papers on her clipboard, before looking at me again and saying, "Follow me please."

I was led up some stairs and down an endlessly long hallway before entering a small room with a table, two chairs, and a dead plant in the corner. She told me to take a seat and promptly left.

I must have waited for an hour, before a large man in another suit waddled into the office. He walked over to the other chair and somehow managed to wedge himself into it. It wasn't far from the front door to this room, but he was still perspiring from the effort. I stood up and offered my hand for him to shake, but he just told me to sit down. I recognised this kind of body language like I had in countless other interviews. He wasn't interested in me, why would he want to recruit a twenty year old kid when there were other adults out there who were also after the job. I would just cause trouble, not learn anything and leech money from the rich people.

God I hate my stereotype.

The interview was fairly uneventful, I'd danced this routine dozens of times before. Same questions: Why are you here? What are you hoping to acheive? Where do you expect to see yourself in five years?

I answered the questions almost automatically, and in all honesty, I was bored. After what seemed like an eternity, the man somehow unstuck himself from the chair and thanked me for taking the time to see them. Don't be fooled, he was acting the same way so many others had. He'd already decided; he wasn't going to accept me, he was going for the cocky, 37 year-old arsehole with disposable income who only needed to support his own life banging hookers!

Wow, that was unexpected. I'm a lot better than I was, but I was cynical for a long time. When I was about 13, I hated everything. The media certainly didn't help, only talking about the economic decline or the death of another soldier overseas. One day I just stopped caring, and became one more pessimistic kid. It was only recently that I became more open-minded when I realised that there was no point complaining about stuff you couldn't change.

I suppose old habits die hard.

Christ, what a day! Six interviews, and each one as boring as the rest. I don't know how all of them went, only that I couldn't guarantee a place with any of them. After the interview with the fat guy, I went to the local Tesco. They needed people to work the counters and by the looks of it, that would be my most promising application. The other four were for jobs that needed some form of qualification, so I doubt I would get those. Even though I had more than enough to meet their requirements, they would probably do what the first guy did and go for someone older.

I was contemplating all of this on the way home. I really hope I got a job soon. I was getting too old to live with my parents, and if I didn't find an apartment or something I would have to start paying rent. That was one of the main reasons I needed a job. It was also to just support my family in general. My brother Christian was only a couple of years older than me, so he was facing the same problem I was. My parents didn't have the best jobs. They didn't get paid much, but it was enough to pay the bills and keep the food cupboard full. Regardless, I still felt guilty for not being able to do more.

Suddenly I spotted the turning into my village coming up, and wondered where the rest of the journey went. It's wierd when you do something so second-nature, you forget what you're doing. As I pulled into my driveway, I noticed there were no other cars there. I would have the house to myself for a while, at least I could take comfort in that. I forced all the thoughts I'd had on the trip home out of my mind. Now that I was back, I could get some tea, put my feet up... and start looking for more jobs. I sighed to myself; it gets so mundane sometimes.

As I unlocked the door to my family's house I was greeted by a familiar and friendly sight: my terrier jumping up at me. She was an awesome dog, twelve years old and she acted like she was half that age. I gave her a smile and a hug as I set my keys on a hook by the door.

I was just boiling the water in the kettle, when my phone vibrated. I normally didn't get many texts; most of my friends had moved on and I only talked to them through Facebook. My family members were also quite independant, and would only contact me if they needed serious help with something.

I pulled the phone out of my pocket and selected the new message. What I read made the blood in my veins run cold.

Doug
Need you to get to Swindon Hospital now! Mum involved in car accident. Going to contact Dad
Chris

Fuck! My brother would normally use text language when he wanted to contact me, so he must've been serious. He wasn't one to pull pranks like this either.

I didn't even switch off the kettle, I raced to the back door and grabbed my car keys off the wall. My dog looked at me with raised ears.

"Sorry Nikki, I need to go somewhere. Don't worry, I'll be back soon." I told her. She cocked her head and let out a small whine. I swear, that dog understands everything I say. I gave her a small smile as I shut the door behind me and locked the it.

I don't think I've ever driven that fast before. I was lucky I didn't get pulled over for speeding. As I saw the hospital I pushed a little further down on the pedal. I pulled into the car park and found a space in record time.

I had to force myself to slow down as I walked through the front doors of the hospital. I went up to the front desk where the receptionist gave me a look of sympathy upon noticing my panicked expression.

"Who are you here for?" she asked

"Eliza Jones" I replied.

She spent a moment looking on her computer, then said, "She's still in A&E, but you should be able to see her. She's on the first floor, room 26."

I thanked her and made my way to the stairs. I was too busy thinking about what could have happened that I almost walked straight into a doctor coming the other way. I ignored the grunt of annoyance from him as I reached the first floor and carried on down the hall. When I found the right room, I walked straight in without even knocking.

My brother was sitting next to a bed, with my mother lying there. She managed a weak smile as I entered, and my brother got up and walked over to explain her condition.

"How is she, Chris?" I asked

"The injuries she got weren't too bad," Christian said in a hushed voice, "She's got some scatches on her face from the glass and her left wrist is broken. She's going to recover from those, but the doctors said there was... something else."

My heart skipped a beat, that didn't sound good. I was about to inquire when a tall man in a white coat entered carrying some x-ray photos.

He looked at me and Chris and said, "Could I speak to you, privately?"

He was probably the best person to get answers from, so I followed him further down the hall while Chris stayed with Mum. When we reached an area where there were no other staff or patients, he showed me the x-rays.

"We located a fracture in the left wrist. I'm sure you already know about that." He said, showing me an x-ray of my mother's hand. He then moved the photo to the back to show the next one, this time of her ribcage, "It was when we were scanning her torso for additional injuries we noticed this." He pointed to a section of the ribs. Upon closer inspection, I realised what he was pointing at. A lump, about the size of an orange, and fainter than the white glow of the bones, was sitting in the area where my mum's lung would be. I had studied science, and I knew what it was. I just didn't want to believe it.

"She's got cancer?"

"Yes. We noticed this tumor after a second scan. Judging from the size, it's already several months old. In all honesty, I'm surprised she's still walking around in her condition."

"Isn't there a way you can treat it?"

"I'm afraid not. It's already passed the stage of treatment, and any attempt now would do more harm than good. The only thing we can do for her is make her as comfortable as possible."

I had a habit of being fairly placid, but I was only just managing to keep myself standing at this point. "How long does she have?"

"Not long. My best guess would be about six months. She doesn't know. I'm very sorry, but there isn't much else we can do."

I didn't know what to say or feel as I walked back to the ward. When I got there I silently asked my brother to come outside with me. When he did I just broke down, and told him everything. He pulled me into a hug, and I could hear him fighting back the tears. Dad arrived shortly after, and we told him too. It just ended up as three men crying into each other's shoulders.

After we'd calmed down we went back into the room, where mum had been waiting for us patiently. I always admired that about her; no matter how long you took, she was always willing to wait. We eventually plucked up the courage to tell her what was going on, and she just listened to all of it. After all this time I still don't know how she was so calm about it. It was like she had known it was coming, and simply accepted it.

We all stayed with her that night. Dinner was chocolate bars and water from the vending machines, and we slept in some chairs we took from the waiting room. None of us wanted to leave my mother's side. Morning came eventually though, and dad had to leave. He had a job to get to, and his clients weren't going to wait forever.

His final words to us before he left were: "Don't worry, we'll get through this."

Chapter 2: Some time alone

It had been a few months since then. Winter had arrived, and the cold with it. But, being Britain, there was no sign of snow to even out the good/bad scales. Just rain. Lots and lots of rain.

Our family's luck hadn't improved much either. Mum's condition had steadily been declining, and it had been affecting all of us. I was becoming more despondent in my interviews, sometimes I would completely zone out and leave the interviewer asking questions to the wall, which didn't have much interest in conversation. Chris managed to find a few odd jobs, but the pay wasn't anything to celebrate over.

Dad was affected the worst. He'd known mum longer than anyone still alive, and the thought of losing her was almost too much to bear for him. I would arrive home to find him sitting on the sofa with bags under his eyes and a bottle of strong alcohol in his hand. This must of been having an effect on his work, but whenever Chris or I asked about it, he would say he was fine with a false smile and change the subject.

This carried on for a couple of weeks. We were hoping, praying that mum would make some miraculous recovery. But eventually, time catches up with all of us. It was a Tuesday, I'll never forget that. I was waiting outside an office for another interview when I recieved a text. It said that mum needed us at the hospital, and I had to drop whatever I was doing and go there now. I didn't even bother with a reply, I just put the phone in my pocket and ran down the hall just as the office door opened, leaving a bewildered interviewer watch his next application taking off around the corner.

I arrived back at the hospital in less time than I thought was possible. I left my jacket and tie in the car and went to room 26 on the first floor. Chris and dad were already there, as well as the doctor who I met the first time I came here. Mum was lying in her bed, she looked asleep, but I already knew otherwise. I didn't say anything. I just walked over, sat down in a chair next to the bed and cried into the bed covers.

The doctor was doing a good job maintaining his composure through all of this. "She passed away sometime last night. If it makes you feel better, her last hours wouldn't have been in suffering."

"It does," my dad replied, "Thank you."

The doctor said he would give us a moment, and promptly left. We just sat there, in silence, for what felt like hours. None of us knew what to say, but nothing needed to be said.

We held a funeral for mum the week after. All of our cousins attended, even my dad's sister came all the way down from Scotland. Nobody wanted to miss out on saying goodbye. It took place inside the church, and we had arranged to sing her favourite song: Everybody Wants to Rule the World by Tears for Fears. As we sang it, I forced every memory I had of my mother into my mind. Every time we had comforted each other, every time she had wiped my tears when I was a kid, every time I had told her, "I love you mum" and she would say the same. Near the end of the song, four men started walking down the isle carrying a coffin. I didn't know if she was in there, but she had said she wanted to be cremated.

As they placed the coffin on the tray to be cremated. I couldn't take it anymore. I went outside and just stood there. I didn't cry, I didn't do anything. I didn't know what to do. I noticed Chris coming out to comfort me. His eyes were red from the tears, and he gave me a look of complete understanding. As we gave each other a hug, I noticed smoke and ash coming out of the church's chimney.

Mum had always said she wanted to fly.

As if life wasn't satisfied enough from our misery, life only seemed to go downhill from there. I still hadn't found a job, the stereotype for my age-group was still performing perfectly. Chris had had some luck; he'd finally found a proper job. He had been accepted as a mechanic and fitter for an aeroplane company. He had always been interested in aircraft, and this was his perfect job, the pay wasn't half-bad either.

Dad on the other hand, was looking terrible. The funeral had pushed him over the edge, and he had begun to drink more now. It was having a clear effect on his work now. Dad was a self-employed gardener and builder, and his work was appreciated. But lately his attitude had started to decline, and his clients were getting annoyed. One day a client pushed it too far, and he attacked her. Her injuries didn't need any medical treatment, and she was kind enough not to press charges. But she was still a little shaken up, and news traveled fast in our area. Next thing we knew dad was losing clients left, right and centre. Nobody wanted to hire him, noone trusted him.

Not the best Christmas ever.

So, I guess it's no secret that life was pretty shit at the moment. Mum's dead, dad's out of a job and the only income is my brother's career. But fate wasn't satisfied just yet, oh no. Our savings started to dwindle. One job between three men just wasn't enough. Dad was still drinking heavily, but now he was buying anti-depressants by the bucketload. I was worried that the two combined would do serious damage, but it never happened. He did, however, become more aggressive. He started shouting at me and Chris - me in particular - and said that I was the reason we were losing money because I didn't have a job. He didn't mention his current position, he was either too angry or didn't count himself as fired.

This carried on into mid-January, but one day, it came to a boil. Dad arrived home that day from who knows where, absolutely pissed, both from alcohol and anger. I didn't know how he got home without crashing, he was so drunk. I wasn't sure what had set him off, but all his fury was directed at me. He started shouting all kinds of things; I don't really want to talk about it, but after he had had his rant, he went to the kitchen draw and grabbed a knife. This was new, and I was genuinely scared for my life now.

"Calm down dad" I said, "Put the knife back in the draw, and calm down."

"SHUT THE FUCK UP DOUGLAS!" Dad shouted back. He started taking blind swings at me, and I did my best to evade them. "You're the reason everything has happened!"

He took another swipe at me, and I could feel the blade cut the air as it missed my face by inches. Luckily, Chris had arrived after hearing the commotion, and tried to intervene. He went to wrap his arms around dad, but he ended up getting a deep slice in his arm. What happened next surprised me.

Upon seeing the blood flowing from my brother's arm, dad just stopped in his tracks. He dropped the knife, and almost fell over after realising what he'd done. Me and Chris lifted him up, and between us, we carried him through to the living room. When we set him down on the sofa, he just burst into tears. While Chris gave him some moral support, I went to the medical cabinet to get somthing for his arm.

On the journey back, I began to think. Maybe dad needs some time alone. After what happened tonight I certainly could. I thought some time outside in the wilderness might help me clear my head, somewhere away from here. Perhaps I could go south, to the coast. Apparently the sea air does you good. I was pondering this as I placed a bandage around Chris' arm. I was still thinking as I went back into the hall, telling Chris I was going to be in my room for a bit.

I grabbed a road map and took it up to my room. I never would have traveled this far from home on my own, but I would be alright, all I had to do was follow the roads and I would be fine. I went into the hall and looked through the list of Ordnance Survey maps in the bookshelf, eventually finding one the showed the area near Portsmouth. That seemed far enough. I spent the next few hours plotting a route to where I was going, paying more attention to how I would get to the coast rather than where I would go when I got there; I could make that up when I arrived.

I was surprised by how little I was disturbed during this time. My dad was still downstairs recovering, and Chris probably thought I wanted to be alone. He knocked on my door at one point, forcing me to hide the maps under my bedsheets, but he didn't come in. I simply told him I would be alright, and he left it at that. After plotting a route to Portsmouth, I went up to the attic and grabbed a pack I used to use for expeditions. I would wait until the others were in bed before I would pack.

Right, time to get to work.

I started grabbing the essentials I would need for the walk: a tent, sleeping bag, boots, you get the idea. I put on one of my favourite fleeces and a pair of jeans; I didn't have any hiking trousers. I also grabbed enough food to last me for a few days, and some cash in case I needed to go to a town. After I got all that there were only a few other things I wanted.

Dad had fallen asleep on the sofa, so this gave me the perfect opportunity to go to the drawer in his room. When I opened it, I took out my dad's old survivalist knife. I say old, but he barely used it, and kept it in pristine condition. It was about eight inches long, with a black blade that was serrated on one side. I was lucky dad hadn't thought of this when he attacked me. I didn't want to go into a town if I didn't need to, so the knife would be useful if I decided to hunt for food. Next, I took it's sheathe out of the drawer, placed the knife inside, and strapped it to my left leg.

There were only two other things I wanted now. They would certainly keep me entertained if I needed to stop and got bored. I went back to my room and opened my bedside drawer, where I grabbed my Ipod. I didn't have a passion for any particular genre of music, I liked anything with a nice beat. I had stuff ranging from classical piano music, to electro and dubstep. I put that in the top pocket of my pack. Finally, I went to my cupboard. There, I picked up my pride and joy: my Bear Encounter 2012 compound bow.

I gained an interest in archery when I was ten. I used to play a medieval video game, and I always wondered why people would get close with swords when they could just use a bow and arrow. Of course, we have guns today, but when I first went to an archery lesson, the bow felt so natural. It was one of the few things I was really good at. I instantly loved the sport, the way I would ignore everything else when I pulled the string back, the feeling of satisfaction when I got a bullseye. I managed to pick up on what to do so fast, even I was amazed at how quickly I learned. When I was 15, my parents decided to place me in a competition for the county. I thought my skills were only average, but it turned out I was way ahead of everyone else in my age group, and easily won first place.

Next thing I knew I was competing in tournaments across the country, and by the time I was 20, I already had half a dozen trophies on my shelf.

I took the bow out of the cupboard and slided it down the side of the pack. I took the string and put it in the top pocket with my Ipod, along with the eyepatch I used when aiming longer distances. I also grabbed my arrows - I figured 30 would be more than enough - and placed them in a sealed quiver strapped to my pack.

So, all set. I wandered down the stairs as quietly as I could, making sure not to wake dad, and grabbed a peice of paper from the kitchen. I set it down on the table and wrote a quick note:

Dad
I think we both need some time away from each other. I'll be gone for a few days, hopefully that'll help you recover.
Chris, give dad support, and try and get him off the drink.
Doug

Just as I set down the note, I looked over to the fridge and saw all the pictures of our family stuck on it. I thought it would be nice to take one with me; yes, dad did just try to stab me, but I wasn't going to give up on him just yet. He was my father after all, I wouldn't exist if it weren't for him and mum. I went over to the fridge and noticed one picture in particular: the whole family, mum, dad, Chris and me sat in the garden posing for a group photo. Yeah, that would be a nice one. I plucked it off the door and placed it into an empty pocket on my pack. If I was going to be away from home, I could use some form of reminder to help me relax.

Well, I had done everything I needed to do, and walked towards to the back door. I gave Nicole a soft stroke as she slept, then went outside, and locked the door behind me. After that I got in my car, put the road map on the passenger seat, left the village, and headed south.

"Bye dad. I'll see you in a few days."

It was about midnight now, barely anyone was on the road apart form the occasional delivery truck. Even the motorway was practically empty. As I drove, I wondered if I was doing the right thing by leaving my family. I quickly forced it out of my mind, I was already doing this, there was no going back. Besides, I would feel better when I got out of the car and started walking.

The journey took about three hours. I had never driven for that long in one sitting, but it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. As I got close to the coast, I started to smell the sea. I took another look at the map, I was pretty far from any towns or cities, so I decided that this would be a good place to stop. I pulled into a lay-by, grabbed my pack from the rear seats and locked the car. It looked pretty empty here, so I wasn't worried about it getting stolen.

I grabbed the country map from my pack, looked at it, and planned a route to take. After I had found a path that was a couple dozen miles long, and would take me a few days to complete, I put the map around my neck on a cord, and started walking.

Chapter 3: Unfamiliar Territory

I'm trying to put more dialogue in now, it seems a bit dry. And any thoughts from characters will now be in italics.

*40 hours later*

I'd been walking for about a day and a half now, and I must say, I had never felt better. The countryside has helped me forget everything that had happened over the past few days. I'd forgiven dad for what happened, he hadn't been his usual self. But that didn't mean I was ready to just jump back into his arms, I still needed some time to think about what has happened over the past few months.

Wandering around the country has been... refreshing, to say the least. I had found that by placing my tent on top of my pack rather than in it, it made my load feel considerably lighter. I had never thought it, but my Ipod also helped me sleep during the night, surprising considering I was listening to The Killers during most of it.

At one point I came across an old barn filled with hay bales. I went inside and leant my weight against one of the bales. It felt pretty solid, so I thought I would practice some archery to pass the time. It had been a few months since I used my bow, and I had felt bad letting it gather dust in my cupboard.

I walked about 30 yards from the bale and pulled out my bow, attaching the string and readying an arrow. All the memories I had of archery came flooding back, and I quickly zoned out as I chose a particular point on the hay and loosed off an arrow. It embedded itself in the bale about a foot to the left of where I aimed.

"Hmm, the sights must be off" I said aloud to myself. I had a look at the sights and adjusted them accordingly. After another five arrows, I managed to land an arrow dead centre in the hay. I felt a warm feeling of satisfaction wash through me, making a nice change from the sharp winter air. I retrieved the arrows, and spent the next half hour just having fun. I even tried to make a smiley face in the bale with my arrows, but it ended up looking like a Picasso painting of a man with a bad mole on his lip.

As I retrieved the arrows and went back to start another round, I heard a shout off to my right. Looking round, I saw a man, probably the owner of the barn, running at me brandishing a shotgun.

"Get off my land!" He shouted at me. Classic line.

Always one to take good advice, I turned and ran across an open field, not even bothering to put my bow in the pack. Fortunately, the farmer wasn't exactly in running condition (let's just say he could use a bit more of it, if you catch my drift). But he wasn't giving up on me that easily.

As I reached the other side of the field, I heard a loud crack as the farmer fired his shotgun, I heard the pellets hit the trees around me, and dig into the dirt at my feet.

Fuck. I thought to myself. Now he's shooting at me? That's not exactly a warm welcome.

That shot was the only one he fired though, so after running a bit further, I stopped to catch my breath and slide the bow back into my pack. I also took the moment to check the map. I hadn't realised how far I'd run until I looked at the route I had chosen and found I'd deviated off course by at least a mile.

I began to recall the run in my head, while saying it out loud, "So, that must be the barn there... ran through those trees.. that sign looks familiar. I must be riiiiight here then."

Seeing as I was already off course, I thought I would take a detour. The cliffs would make for an exciting walk, as well as an excellent view across the sea. After all the time in the countryside, it also felt like a bit of variety.

After walking for another couple of hours, I reached a rocky cliffside. I actually gasped a little bit. The postcards and photos couldn't hold a candle to the real thing. The height, the air, the smell, all of it added to the experience. I looked down to see a small beach about 200 metres below, with tiny people, like ants, lying on the sand and jumping through the waves. I smiled to myself. Maybe when I got back, and dad had recovered, him and Chris could come here with me on holiday. The three of us, and just leave our troubles behind.

Mesmerised by the sight, I started walking along the edge of the cliff, taking in everything that moved. I thought I was paying enough attention to where I was going, but if I had, I would have noticed the patch of rock I was on starting to crumble.

As I noticed a rather large stone fall away from the cliff beneath me, fate decided to toss its coin. I only had a moment to react as the rest of the cliff started to move upwards at an alarming rate. I instantly flung out my arms and managed to, somehow, find a chunk of rock to grab onto. After a moment, I came to my senses and found myself hanging off a cliff face by one hand, the rest of me swaying back and forth in the wind. I breathed a sigh of relief; the coin had landed in my favour.

Unable to see any other stones to grab, I drew my knife out of its sheathe and dug it into the earth above me. Finding the strength from somewhere, I pulled myself up the wall and rolled back onto solid(ish) ground. Realising what had happened, I quickly got up and searched for more stable terrain. I wandered back away from the cliffs a few hundred metres and sat down to inspect my gear. It had felt strangely lighter than usual.

Crap. The bag I stored my tent in was missing! I got up and ran back to the cliff. Taking care not to have the same bad luck, I shuffled closer to the edge and looked over. There, about fifty metres down, on the sharp rocks, was a small red bag. I could only watch in dispair as I became caught by the waves and was washed out to sea. Bollocks, I had my suspicions about that loose cord.

I looked back up to see the sun setting in the distance. Starting to panic about where I was going to sleep for the night, I made the mistake of saying that phrase. The one you should never, ever, ever say:

"Well, at least it can't get any worse..."

Me and my big fucking mouth.

As if on cue, the clouds above me started to become dark and angry, and I saw a mist of rain coming in from the ocean. It reached the coast in no time, and I was quickly soaked by the downpour. Accompanying this rain was a gust of wind, one that seemed to rip into my bones, it was so cold. My clothes were drenched, so they didn't do much against it.

I knew I had to find shelter, and fast. I was miles from the nearest town, so my only option was to find some woods or something. I could already feel the first symptoms of hypothermia already settling in, as a wave of shivers tore through my body. It was almost painful. I got up and started to look around for somewhere to hide from the cold. I must have wandered for thirty minutes, but it felt like hours, I was having trouble focusing now.

In the distance, I saw a large clump of black against the red sunset. A forest! That would help, even if it was just a bit. I felt myself begin to focus a bit more. If I could get there, I might just make it through the night. I had to hurry though, too long out here and my mind would start playing tricks on me. I steeled myself and trekked towards the forest.

After what felt like an eternity, the rain lessened as the trees offered some protection from the elements. I found a tree near the edge with a large, thick canopy and decided that this would be a good place to rest, making sure I could still see outside the forest. I pulled my pack off and went to open it to get at my sleeping bag, but I couldn't. My fingers weren't responding. I couldn't feel them at all.

That's not good. I had to get warmer or I would become delirious.

I fumbled with the zip more, but my fingers were frozen. I ended up resorting to moving the zips with my teeth. I saw my sleeping bag right in the middle, but when I tried to pull it out, it became wedged on something. Even if I did find the culprit however, my arms were getting tired, like I'd spent the whole day doing push-ups.

Oh well, I thought to myself. I'll just sit against the tree and sleep here. After all, it is fairly comfortable. Wow, it is really cold. Hehe, I can't feel my arms anymore, that's kinda funny. Why is it funny? I don't know, but I can still laugh about it. My eyelids were getting really heavy now. I yawned, I'll feel much better in the morning.

The night before, as I was going to sleep, the only thing I was thinking about was my family. I missed them, but I would've been home in a few days, and I would see them again. That night however, all I could think about was the cold. Did I mention it was cold? Because it was really....

....really....

....

I opened my eyes, but I was quickly confused, all I could see was black. I thought my eyes were still closed, so I brought a hand up to my face. No, my eyes were open, the space around me was black. As my senses adjusted to the darkness,I heard footsteps behind me. I span around, and saw a figure approaching me. When they got closer, I almost fainted from seeing her.

"Mum?"

That was all I could say. She looked as beautiful as she always had before that day in the hospital. She took one look at me, and gave me an expression of disgust and dissapointment. I felt my heart twist as she turned and began to walk away.

"No, wait. Please!"

I tried to run after her, but it was no use, she was already gone. I must've run in that direction for hours, but I never found her. I was about to start crying, when I saw something out of the corner of my eye. A faint light, so small I could only see it if I wasn't looking directly at it, like a distant star. I didn't know what it was, but it was better than the dark nothingness I had previously experienced.

I immediately started to run towards it, rewarded as its light grew stronger. When I started getting closer, however, I noticed something else was there.

A silhouette of... something, contrasting against the white light, standing right in the middle of it. After closing the distance further, I began to make out its shape. It was some sort of creature, with four legs and a tail. At a rough guess, it looked similar to a horse, but far too small to be one.

I was now right next to it, and noticed it wasn't a silhouette. It was a figure. The light curved round its body, but it still looked as black as the rest of this place. Its head was currently turned away from me, so I thought I would get its attention.

I felt silly talking to an animal (if this was one), but I thought it was worth a try. I approached it cautiosly and asked, "Hello? Can you tell me where I am?"

The creature's head turned as quick as lightning, and that's when I saw it's eyes. Describing them as "bright white" would've been an understatement. I tried to shield my own eyes from the intense light, but it still pierced through and blinded me. I was then knocked back with the force of an explosion, but instead of hitting the ground, I kept falling. I only had a moment to scream before I was engulfed by the darkness again.

I woke up as if someone had slapped me across the face. It was still dark, but I didn't feel tired, or even cold. I felt alert. As I looked around, a mixture of shock and confusion entered my mind.

I was still leaning against the tree, but the rest of my surroundings were unfamiliar. I was still in a forest, but which one and where I had no idea. I stood up, and saw trees in every direction. That can't be right. I could see fields when I came in here. I wondered where I could have possibly ended up.

Confusion wasn't the only emotion I had. Fear was the other one. I know they were only trees, but there was something about them. They looked... unnatural, like someone had torn holes out of them and stuffed them into other trees. I started forcing myself to think rationally. They were trees, big pieces of wood and leaves. I knew they wouldn't attack me, but that didn't stop me feeling like they were watching me.

I sighed to myself. Wherever I was, I could surely find an exit if I just walked. I studied my map, still tied round my neck, but it was hopeless. The map showed dozens of forests in the area, and it was impossible to single out any of them. I was in the middle of the woods, and there were no landmarks to help me. Crap.

Chapter 4: Fight or Flight?

I'll be doing stuff from the perspective of other characters now to help explain things a little better. Whenever this happens, the story will be all third-person. Also, the next chapter will have ponies, I promise.

Okay, I'm going to admit, this place is pretty wierd.

It looked like a cross between a forest and a tropical jungle. Trees stood in all directions, and I couldn't see much else. The canopy was incredibly thick, and I could barely see the sky. The flora was also unusual. Not only did I not recognise them from anywhere else in England, I hadn't seen any of this vegetation at all, not even in the documentaries that talk about places like the Amazon. One plant was a brilliant bright blue with several petals going both up and outwards. I decided not to touch it, I had no idea what was poisonous out here, and I didn't want to find out the hard way.

I began to wonder how I could have moved from my original spot on the edge of the woods. I thought the cold was still playing tricks on me, so I stood next to the tree I had slept under, closed my eyes, and counted out twenty paces towards where the fields would be, counting aloud as I walked. After twenty steps, I opened my eyes.

The field wasn't there.

That couldn't have been possible. I looked behind me at the forest. The trees stretched on endlessly. I looked left and right, only greeted by the same view. I took another five steps. More trees, all of them identical, running as far as the eye could see... and probably further. The field had disappeared as if it had never been there. Either that, or the trees had somehow grown over it. I looked back at the map around my neck, making a note of where the cliffside was. There were several forests nearby, I must've been in one of those.

I took a deep breath, I had to keep my head, keep myself focused. I walked twenty paces forward again, turned right and walked another ten. Still no field. No matter where I looked it was the same damn thing: thick, intimidating trees and unidentifiable plants. Gloomy corridors between them. I had any direction to go in, but no real choice. I stood still and quiet, hoping I would hear a distant vehicle or the talking of other hikers, anything that would help me return to civilisation. I heard nothing. A single owl hooted, somewhere far above me. Otherwise, the silence in the forest was as thick as fog.

"Fantastic!"

I shouted out the single word because I wanted to hear the sound of my own voice; it gave me some comfort. But at the same time, it didn't sound like me, it sounded weak and fearful. Whether my mind wanted to admit it or not, I was scared in this place.

No, that wasn't how I should think. I will find help. I'll get out of this place and I'll find someone who can help me figure out where I am. After that I'll go back to the car, go home, and reunite with my family. We would wipe the slate clean of conflicts between us and start anew. Dad would stop drinking, I would find a job, our lives would get back on track.

Yeah, that sounded nice.

I walked back over to the tree and took the map off from around my neck. I picked up my pack (at least I still had that), placed the map inside, and started walking, a small line from a child's poem entering my mind:

If you go down to the woods today
Be in for a big surprise.

I quietly hummed to myself as I wandered through this alien ground.

The wolf lay in the taller parts of the grass, making sure not to move too much and give away his position. He had been lying here for hours, quietly studying this new creature that had appeared on its turf. An owl landed next to him on a branch, unaware of his prescence, but still the wolf didn't move. Sure, an owl would make for an easy meal, but it had been a while since he had last eaten, and it would only serve as an appetiser. He may be an alpha male, but he still had the rest of his pack to consider.

This new creature, one he had never seen before, was much bigger than a common owl. When he had found it, it had been sitting against the tree, unmoving. He was starting to assume it was dead, and his pack would have an easy meal scavenging off a corpse. But as he was about to signal to his brothers and sisters, the creature sat up suddenly, as if it had been awake the whole time.

The creature stood up, and the wolf was surprised by its height. He had expected it to be another four-legged animal they could hunt, but the height made him unsure. He quickly pushed his doubt aside, he wouldn't be able to control the pack if they went any longer without food. The animal was starting to look around now, as if examining its surroundings. He continued to watch it, trying to learn everything he could about it's movement, its shape, anything that could tip the balance of the hunt.

Suddenly the creature started to walk towards him, making strange noises with every step. The wolf was worried he had been spotted, but remained in his hiding place. If he was seen, he would simply pounce and let the rest of his pack attack.

But the creature hadn't seen him, it just walked by him, eventually stopping both the pacing and the noises. It took another look around, and carried on walking, changing direction at one point. Eventually it let out a noise that sounded like annoyance. The wolf didn't understand its language, but the word sounded similar to words used by some of the inhabitants of the nearby town. But why was that? This... thing didn't look anything like them.

Eventually, the creature wandered back over to the tree it had been slumbering under, picked up a large object, put it on its back and wandered off into the trees, away from the wolf. When he knew he was out of earshot, the wolf let out a quiet growl to his pack.

Slowly and smoothly, five wolves moved out from their hiding places, as if they had risen out of the ground itself, and looked at the alpha for instruction. He simply motioned for them to follow their target, and they let him lead. He would be the one to make the kill. Once the animal was dead, the rest would move in for their fill of meat.

They barely made a sound as they skulked through the trees after their prey.

I've been walking for a while now, and I'm still trying to figure out where the hell I am. This forest has been going on for miles, and it's still showing no signs of stopping. Every time I think I'm about to reach a clearing, guess what: more trees!

"How long is this going to go on for?" I said to noone in particular, "Why wasn't a forest this big on the map? I should at least be able to hear something by now. Christ, mental note: Never go to Portsmouth again! Seriously, this is just getting stupid now."

I was just about to start complaining about the neverending darkness, when I heard something. It sounded like a rustling in the bushes right behind me. I span around, but didn't see anything. While this was happening, I heard another noise off to my right, it sounded like animal footsteps. I then heard a noise where my back was now. It was a low, continuous growl. This time, I didn't rush.

Turning round, I came face to face with four wolves. Each of them had a dark coat, and the moonlight reflected off their eyes, making them look like something out of a horror story. One of them, larger than the others, probably the alpha male, was standing closer to me. It looked like it was studying me. I looked off to my sides, looking for somewhere to run. Those thoughts were quickly extinguished when I saw another wolf on either side of me. As I was distracted by these two, the alpha saw this as an opportunity to attack.

I looked forward again to see a large set of jaws heading towards my neck. I did the only thing I could at the time and tried to dodge it, but I wasn't fast enough. The wolf missed my neck, and instead embeeded its teeth into my right shoulder. I cried out as the weight and momentum was enough to knock me over. As I tried to wrech the wolf off, it brought a paw up and clawed at my face. Its claws felt incredibly sharp for a canine, and my face stung as one of them found my cheek and tore the skin.

I started to punch the wolf in its ribs, and was rewarded when it finally let go. It wasn't showing respite however, and moved in for another attack. But I was ready this time, and brought my arm up to catch his bite. It hurt like hell, but it gave me the opportunity to search the ground for a weapon. It came in the form of a rock, slightly larger than my fist. It brought it down on the wolf's face. It yelped at the sudden strike and let go, trying to recover. It was then that I remembered that I still had the knife on my leg.

I pulled it out and held it with the blade facing forward. The wolves didn't seem phased by it though, in fact, I think the other wolves were getting impatient, as the wolf blocking off my right exit took it upon itself to finish me off. As I saw him pouce at me, I brought the knife round and plunged it into the wolf's stomach. It howled in pain and writhed on the blade, as if trying to remove it. I twisted the knife for good measure and, using strength I didn't know I had, threw the dying beast at its packmates. They moved out the way, but their body language gave one of fear. I had just killed one of them, and they didn't want to end up the same way.

I took advantage of this moment of hesitation, and ran. I don't think I'd ever run so fast in my life.

I could hear the wolves howling and mourning for their fallen brother, but I didn't stop running. I needed to get as much distance from them as I could. Eventually I heard twigs snapping behind me as the remaining wolves started to gain on me. I couldn't see them when I turned round, but I knew they didn't need to see me; they could just smell me out. I remember hearing somewhere that water could help hide your scent.

I kept running, hoping I could find some water. Fortunately, my luck turned, and I saw water glistening in between the trees. I ran towards it. I turned out to be a river, about ten metres wide, but with a fairly slow current. I wasn't wasting time, I threw off my pack and pushed it in front of me as I swam across.

If the water was cold, I hadn't noticed. I also thought the pain in my arm and shoulder would be more distracting. But I wasn't feeling any of it.

I'll take adrenaline over painkillers anyday.

As I reached the other side, I saw the wolves reach the shore. They seemed hesitant at first, not knowing how to get across. Then one of them plucked up the courage to just jump straight in. The rest of the pack saw this and followed suit. But I was already on the other side and running again. My jeans and fleece were soaked, and rubbed uncomfortably as I ran, but I was pretty sure I had lost my scent.

I took another look behind me, and was so distracted I tripped over a root and fell off a small ledge. I landed on my right shoulder, and I felt a stab of pain from the bite. As I rolled over to get up, I noticed the earth under the tree had been dug out. It was just big enough to fit inside, so I crawled in and dragged my pack in with me.

Almost immediately after doing so, I heard the wolves approaching. I huddled into myself further and prayed I had lost my scent. The thumping of paws came closer, and five wolves jumped off the ledge above me. The ground shook as they landed, but they kept running through the forest. I held my breath until they were gone, and slowly crawled out from my hiding place.

Right then, I thought, If they went that way, I'm going this way. I put my pack on and headed off to the left of where I had been running. I continued to run; I didn't want to risk the wolves doubling back and finding me again.

I must have run for another half hour. But eventually, I saw a light in the distance. I wasn't used to running long distances, and I felt my adrenal glands running empty, but I forced myself to keep going. If I gave up now, those wolves would surely find me.

I continued to head towards the light, and felt relief as, finally, I exited the forest. I found that the light was coming from a building, it looked like a farmhouse. As I got closer, I noticed a large barn nearby. I decided that would be my source of shelter tonight. If the owners of this farm found me... well, I hadn't thought that far ahead, but surely they would take sympathy on an injured traveler.

As I entered the barn, my body thought it was ok to rest, and the signals of pain that had been blocked before all flowed into my brain at the same time. Indescribable pain exploded across my body, but I tried my best to ignore it. I had to get my top off so I could bandage my wounds. I almost tore my fleece and shirt apart to get at the bite marks on my arm and shoulder. The cold wind also hit me hard, but I forced it out of my mind. I was probably going to pass out soon, I could already feel myself getting weak, and I had to treat these injuries.

I managed to pull my first aid kit out and crudely wrapped a bandage around my arm. It wasn't my best work, but it would hold the bleeding for now. I then moved onto my shoulder; this would be trickier. I tried to hold the bandage in place with my chin as I wrapped it round my torso, but I was starting to feel drowsy. Eventually I figured I wasn't going to get my shoulder covered, so I gave up, and took comfort in the fact that I had found some proper shelter, and maybe civilisation.

As my mind slowly drifted away from the world, the sun finally started to shed its light across the land. I absorbed what little heat I could from it, and thanked whoever had been looking down on me that night. Pain and fatigue finally overcame me, and I collapsed on my face in the barn, unconscious.

Chapter 16: Duty Calls (under revision)

12th Summer's End, 2012

Twilight, Applejack and I exited the orchard and returned to the farm. Both of them had buckets filled with apples on their backs, whilst I was carrying more in my arms. It was getting close to what Applejack called Applebuck Season, and we were trying to gather as much stock as we could before we got tied up in the larger section of the orchard.

"Thanks a bunch fer helpin' us out Twi," Applejack said, "Me and Big Mac have a bet on. Twenty bits says Ah can get these apples back in the barn by lunch."

I hadn't heard about the bet, so I looked over at her, "Does he know you've been getting help?"

She giggled, "Not exactly,"

Twilight laughed too, "Well, regardless, I'm glad this is going to be done by lunch. I've been getting hungry just thinking about it."

We reached the barn and unloaded the apples. We were about to return to the orchard, but Spike came running into the barn, panting and clutching a scroll in his hands, "Twilight, *pant* I got *pant* a letter *pant* from the Princess."

Twilight took the scroll with her magic and unrolled it. She spoke as she read it, "My Faithful Student Twilight, could you please inform your human friend, Dutch, that I request him to stay at Canterlot Castle for a few days. I have become very interested in learning more about his world and his species. I have sent a pegasus carriage to escort him to the castle, and I hope to see him soon. Yours Sincerely, Princess Celestia."

Twilight turned to me, "Wow Dutch. The Princess rarely asks for somepony personally, so whatever this is, it's important."

We decided to wait for them at the barn while we had some lunch. After five minutes, a golden chariot flew overhead and landed next to us. The two pegasi had completely neutral expressions.

"Are you Dutch?"

"Yes..." I said, not sure what to expect.

"Get on," Blimey, I like it when people were to-the-point, but this is a little too much for my liking.

I climbed onto the chariot, and we immediately took off. I clung on for dear life, and was barely given time to wave to Twilight and Applejack before I disappeared above the clouds. As we travelled, I contemplated what I would say to the Princess. She wanted to learn about my species, and I had no problem with that. The problem was with human history. How would she react if I told her about the wars? Equestria didn't seem like it had experienced much of that, and I was worried that ponies would disapprove of me if they found out my race had self-destructive tendencies.

Twilight and Applejack watched Dutch leave, and returned to the orchard. While Twilight worked, she couldn't help but think about Dutch. After the Summer Sun Celebration, she had asked him to come to the library whenever he had spare time so that she could learn more about him. It had been about six weeks since then, and she had gotten to know him quite well. But something was off. She remembered when he had fought the creatures in the Everfree Forest, and she hadn't seen that sort of tenacity before.

She paused for a second, is there something he's not telling us? She remembered one day when she had asked him about his personal history. They were talking about a time several years ago, but before Twilight could persue it, Dutch grew a blank stare, and deflected the question, moving on to another point in his life. Twilight was going to inquire, but Dutch had already started talking, so she left it.

She thought about the fighting and the dodged question. Maybe there's a connection. She was about to ponder more, but Applejack's voice called from the orchard, "Hey Twi, where ya got to?" She shook the thought from her head, and cantered through the trees after Applejack.

Canterlot was a lot bigger than it looked. When I saw the main castle, I hadn't expected there to be an entire city hidden in the mountains next to it. There were hundreds of ponies in the streets as we flew over them towards the castle. As I watched them, I couldn't help but think of people back home. The type who would go about their lives, totally oblivious to the world around them.

We arrived at the castle and the pegasi landed on a large balcony. I saw Princess Celestia waiting for me, and I jumped off the chariot and approached her, giving a bow when I reached her.

"It's alright Dutch. You don't need to be so formal." She walked into the castle, and I followed her.

We walked down a long hallway, and I saw the walls were covered in portaits. Most of them were of Celestia, but I noticed a few with Luna, as well as others who I didn't recognise. It was eerily quiet, so I tried to spark up a conversation.

"So... you wanted to know about my species."

"Yes," Celestia replied, "As Princess, I see it as my duty to learn everything I can about all of my subjects. That includes you."

We continued down the hallway until we reached a room with two large chairs, big enough for Celestia and me. She gestured towards them, and I took a seat in one, with her sitting opposite me.

"I could use a memory spell to find out about humans, but I think it would be better if I found out from you the conventional way; talking. Tell me about your kind, from the beginning."

I told her about the family of homosapiens. How we had evolved from primates in the Stone Age and learned how to use tools and fire. I moved through into Roman Times, and the introduction of the AD date system. I skipped the Dark Ages, they were essentially one big war, and a prime example of a collapsed society. All the while Celestia watched me. Her expression remained unreadable as I spoke, and I could only imagine what she was thinking.

I carried on like this for about an hour, but when I reached the early twentieth century, I paused, and looked at the Princess. She was smart, I could tell that just by looking at her. She'd be able to tell if I was lying, and I sighed to myself, I wouldn't have been able to dodge it forever.

"Of course, my species isn't perfect, but some of our worst has happened in the last 100 years. It started when the leader of a country was assassinated by radicals from another. The anger that erupted from that caused a four-year war that got an entire continent involved, and resulted in 35 million people getting killed, soldiers and civilians alike. The world never truly recovered from that, and ten years later a man from one of the losing countries decided to try again. He came to power, and invaded country after country, commiting genocide on a colossal scale. Thankfully, he didn't reach ours, but it sparked another war that covered the globe, and another 60 million people were killed, more than half of which were civilians. Those two wars have been engraved into the memories of every human being on the planet, and we have tried ever since to never commit anything like that again."

Princess Celestia had been quiet ever since I had started, but during my pause she asked, "Did you succeed?"

"No. There have never been any other wars on such a large scale, but it seemed our leaders couldn't go five years without fighting each other," I took a deep breath, "It was like war was a part of who we were."

I looked into Celestia's eyes, "I'm sorry I told you all of this Princess, but I felt that I wouldn't have been able to hide it from you. I understand if you don't look upon me with the same light as you did before."

Celestia continued to stare at me in silence. It was as if she was staring into my very soul, like she was evaluating me.

Fianlly she spoke, "On the contrary Dutch; I now see you in a better light. It would have taken a lot for someone to admit what a species like yours has done, and I commend your honesty."

I couldn't believe what I had just heard. I also couldn't believe myself when I stood up, walked over to the Princess, and wrapped my arms around her in a hug, "Never, in my twenty years of existance, have I met anyone as understanding as you Princess, and I've met a lot of people. Thank you."

Celestia was surprised at this sudden display of affection, but she returned the hug, and I felt warmth spread through my body, "Well, I didn't become a princess for nothing."

I chuckled, and released the embrace. Celestia gave me a look of surprise for some reason, but it quickly turned into a smile, and she gestured towards the door, "Come, I'll show you to your quarters." We exited the room and walked down another identical hallway. As we walked, I saw a familiar pegasus coming the other way.

"Captain Wingfleet," I said, shaking his hoof, "It's good to see you again,"

Wingfleet gave a bow to the Princess, "You too Dutch. I suppose the security thing didn't go quite as planned, eh?"

"You could say that,"

He gave a laugh, "Well, I guess "Attack from Nightmare Moon" is an acceptable excuse," he glanced at the Princess, who gave a slight nod, "I have to get back to my men, but I hope we can work with each other again." With that, he carried on down the hall.

We reached a large, oak door and I opened it to reveal a magnificant bedroom. The ceiling was at least thirty feet high, and the bed in the middle of the room was big enough to lie down in without curling up. There was also a large balcony, with a view across the gardens.

"I hope you don't mind, but we teleported your possessions to this room while you stay here," Celestia said, and I saw my pack, bow and all my other equipment lying next to the bed. Even my knife was resting there, still in its sheathe.

"Feel free to get settled here. If you'll excuse me, I have some royal duties to attend to," Celestia quietly left the room, and left me alone to explore my new surroundings.

I walked over to the balcony, and looked over the castle gardens. They were immense, almost reaching the horizon. When my vision reached it, I noticed the sun was setting, and an orange hue was cast over the sky. I always enjoyed watching the sunset. It was a calming view, and a good way to take your mind of things.

I suddenly realised I was tired, and wandered over to the bed, taking a moment to examine my stuff. They had teleported everything, even the clothes Rarity had made, and I placed some of them on a chair for tomorrow. I stripped down to my boxers and climbed into bed, staring at the ceiling, and despite being somewhere unfamiliar, I drifted off fairly quickly.

I haven't had the nightmares for some time now, and I'm not sure whether to be relieved or worried.

Princess Celestia exited the castle via a side entrance, and made her way towards the armory. There was a craftsman there, and he would be able to do exactly what Celestia needed.

She entered the building, and saw a dozen ponies standing around, having conversations with each other, and basically enjoying some downtime. They saw her, however, and immediately snapped to attention, kneeling before her.

"If you would excuse us gentlecolts," she said, "I would like to speak privately with Black Smith," the ponies nodded, and they all left. All except one, a unicorn, with a black coat and a dark grey mane.

"Yes your Majesty?" he said, approaching Princess Celestia.

"Do you know about our guest Black?" Celestia asked.

"Yes, the human. May I ask why?"

"I carried out a memory scan spell on him, and I found something that piqued my interest," she approached Black, and touched her horn with his. They glowed, and a moment later, she backed away again.

Black paused. Whatever this device was, the princess had been interested in it enough to show him, "I've never seen anything like this, your Majesty. The mechanisms of the device are extremely precise."

"Can you build it?"

"I'm not sure your Highness. I've never had to construct anything with such minute components. I'm usually used to crossbows and--"

"Can you build it?" The Princess' voice was more stern this time. Black was silent, but simply nodded after a few seconds, "I should have it done by tomorrow morning."

"Good. I would like to see what Dutch does with it." She left the armoury, leaving Black to start building the device, and returned to her quarters.

Chapter 17: Ambushed

As I woke, I stared at the unfamiliar ceiling. I rolled out of the bed and put on a fresh t-shirt, as well as the work trousers I had been wearing the day before. I got dressed, and wondered what I would do toady. Maybe Celestia wanted to have another talk, or maybe she would tell me about the history of ponies. I opened the door to the hallway and left my room.

I wandered down the corridor, and saw Princess Celestia coming the other way, she smiled as I approached, and said, "Good morning Dutch. I hope you slept well. I was just on my way to wake you."

I tilted my head, "Don't you have servants to do that?"

"Yes, but I would like to talk to you again."

She turned round, and I followed her back the way she had come, "Alright, shoot."

Celestia thought for a moment, then said, "You mentioned that humans waged war with each other, but I was curious. Have you experienced anything similar to war in your past?"

I flinched, "What are you talking about?"

"Twilight told me about how you fought those creatures in the Everfree Forest the night you were searching for the Elements of Harmony. She said how you acted without hesitation, and defended them with your life. Someone doesn't act like that unless they've seen things," she turned to me, "So tell me Dutch, have you seen things?"

I stopped dead in my tracks, and retreated into my mind, back to when I was fifteen. I had seen stuff, stuff no one should have seen at that age. Or done. I had locked it away for years, but Celestia was bringing it back up. She was suspicious.

"I don't want to talk about it." I said simply, carrying on walking.

Celestia paused for a moment, but nodded, and continued with me down the hall, "I actually wanted to show you something, but I want to give you a warning beforehand. It might startle you."

She led me outside, where two guards were waiting for us, with a case on a table in front of them. They bowed as the Princess walked up to them. She looked down at the case, then to me, then she turned to the guards and said, "Open it." The guard removed the latch and lifted the lid. What I saw made my heart stop, and my blood run cold.

It was a rifle.

I took a second look. It wasn't just any rifle, I knew about this one. It was an L1A1 SLR. I had used guns before when I was an army cadet, but I remembered how this specific rifle worked, how it fired...

...what it did to a human body.

I knew all of this, because I had to use one in the past.

"Where did you get this?" I asked, my voice flat, devoid of feelings. I didn't remove my eyes from the weapon.

"When you hugged me yesterday, I used a memory spell on you--"

"AND YOU THOUGHT IT WAS OK TO READ MY MIND?!" I shouted. I turned to Celestia, who had taken a step back at the sudden outburst.

"I apologise Dutch. I wanted to know what your world looked like through your eyes, and my curiosity got the better of me. When I found this, I became intrigued, but now I realise my mistake." She stared into my eyes, "I am truly sorry."

Her apology made me calm down a bit, and I turned back to the rifle, it's black shell staring back, "What else did you find in there?"

She paused, "There was something else. Close to the memory of this device was another memory, but it was protected by something. Even I couldn't reach it. I assumed it was something you had locked away, and I didn't pursue it any further."

"Good. I'm not at all comfortable about what you've done, but I am grateful that you left that part of my mind alone."

I picked up the rifle. It was as heavy as I remembered it, but it felt smaller due to my extra height. All at once, the memories of those days came flooding back.

So much shooting, so much fear...

...so much death.

I looked across the garden, and saw a row of apples lining a fence, like targets. I looked at the Princess, who said, "I understood from your memories that it is a weapon, but I thought you could show us how exactly it functioned."

The guards brought up another box, and opened it. This one had several magazines lying in it, all filled with brass rounds. I picked one of them up and inserted it into the rifle, pulling back the charging handle. The knowledge of what to do had never left me, even after five years. I walked over to the apples, until I was standing about thirty yards away.

"You might want to cover your ears."

Being left handed, I pulled the rifle up to my left shoulder, lining up the sights on the first apple. I steadied my breathing, flicking off the safety catch, and squeezed the trigger.

The rifle let off a loud crack, and the recoil kicked into my shoulder. I was older now, stronger, and it didn't feel like as much as it did before. As I saw the empty casing eject from the weapon's side, I gave credit to whoever built this. They had crafted it perfectly, and the mechanisms functioned exactly how they were supposed to. But that didn't mean I had to like it. I saw one of the apples on the fence explode, and a vision flashed in front of me.

Those people, sleeping in their beds, unaware of me, standing over them, with the same rifle in my hands.

I snapped out of my flashback, and turned to see the Princess and the guards still standing by the table. I walked over to them, removed the magazine and the round in the chamber, and placed them back into their respective boxes and closed the lids. I looked at the Princess.

"How many did you make?" My voice was flat again, just like when I had first seen the rifle.

"Just the one."

I thought for a moment, "If you don't mind, I'd like to get some breakfast."

Celestia simply motioned for me to follow her, and we reentered the castle.

I was now sat in a carriage, thinking back to the events after that.

Breakfast had been fairly quiet; I had spent my time thinking about the rifle. Why had Celestia built it? It was a weapon of war, designed for pain and death. I didn't see how or why it would serve a purpose here in Equestria. But, it was the Princess who had decided for it to be made, and who was I to question her?

Shortly after breakfast, the Princess had offered to take me back to Ponyville. I had accepted, but I asked to take the rifle with me. If anyone was going to use it, it was going to be me. I couldn't risk anyone getting hurt because of unfamiliar technology.

Celestia had agreed, and placed the rifle in a carriage, along with all my other gear. She said I would be travelling in a supply convoy. There was a guard camp near the northwest border that needed resupplying, and some of the soldiers were eager to see me. After we had reached the camp, the carriages would head south and take me back to Ponyville. I was planning to take the rifle and lock it up somewhere. Too many bad memories came from it.

So that's were I was now. In a carriage, with another one behind it, heading along a dirt road. The rifle and its ammunition were in their cases next to me, my knife was strapped to my torso, and the rest of my stuff was in the carriage behind us.

I had been so busy thinking about what had happened that morning that it took a moment to realise that the guard next to me was talking to me. I looked over to him, "Sorry, I zoned out for a minute. What were you saying?"

"I was wondering," the guard said, "In your world, where did you live? What was your country like?"

"I lived in a place called the United Kingdom. It was a small group of islands off the coast of the main continent. There was a Queen, but she didn't have nearly as much authority as Celestia. There was a seperate government that did all of that."

"Did you have a family?" I looked over at him, "Sorry, I was just curious is all. My name's Silver Cloud," he held out his hoof, and I shook it.

"Dutch," I released my grip, "My dad, and a brother. My mother died from an illness a few months before I came here."

"I'm sorry," said Silver, "I've got a daughter living in Ponyville at the moment. Her name's Scootaloo. Do you know her?"

"Some of my friend's sisters talk about her, but I haven't seen her face-to-face."

"Well, she talks about you quite a bit when I'm home. Almost as much as that rainbow pegasus she idolises. When you get back, see if you can find her," Silver's expression suddenly dropped, "She needs a many role models as she can get."

"What do you mean?"

"Her mother left me, took everything except her and the house in the divorce. I think she ended up running off with another stallion. Whenever I'm not here, on duty, I'm in Ponyville, trying to help her get a good life. When I heard this convoy was taking you to Ponyville and needed guards, I signed on for the ride. I'm hoping to see her by the end of the day."

He was cut short as the carriage came to a sudden stop. I climbed out, and saw another, overturned carriage blocking the road. Two of the guards were in a deep argument with two other ponies, who I guessed owned the carriage. There were trees lining one side of the road, and a steep hill on the other. Silver climbed out after me, and examined the situation.

"Darn. This is going to slow us down. I'll go and tell the guys in the other carriage." He trotted down the road to the second vehicle.

I turned back to the wreck. The guards had finally convinced the ponies to move it, and they said they had to get some rope from inside. I saw them run round behind the carriage, and I turned my gaze towards the forest. It was unmoving, quiet, and not a single bird was singing.

Too quiet.

Something's not right here. I was about to inform the guards who had been talking to the ponies, when I saw something fly over from behind the wrecked carriage. It only took a moment for me to realise what it was. Oh shit!

Everything seemed to slow down. The bomb took an age to travel in its arc as it flew over me, and it was close enough for me to see the fuse burning. A small, black, spherical package of misery, the size of an orange. Other ponies had seen it, and I heard a voice shout, "BOMB!"

Silver Cloud was the last to see it. He had been standing behind the second carriage, with his back to it, enjoying the peace and quiet. As he turned round, the bomb bounced off the roof of the carriage and hit him on his helmet with a metallic thud.

Silver was left momentarily frozen on the spot, open-mouthed with shock. It deflected off the metal plate, down onto the dirt road before slowly rolling underneath the carriage itself, right in front of him. Instinctively, everypony, including myself, threw themselves on the ground and covered their heads. There was another second of total silence.

Then the bomb exploded.

A blinding flash of light, followed by a deafening bang and the pulse of a shockwave. I imagined the shrapnel, hundreds of pieces of red hot metal and splinters flying in all directions. I feared for Silver's life, he had been standing right next to it.

My ears were still ringing, and I was dazed from the shockwave. I looked around slowly, like I was half-asleep, and saw a guard taking cover behind the front carriage. His voice sounded distant as he yelled, "Ambush!" and I shook my head, rising steadily to my feet. As my vision cleared, I crouched down next to the guard.

"What the hell's going on?"

"Bandits," the soldier shouted back, "They're coming from the trees, with crossbows and magic."

I looked through one of the windows onto the other side, and saw at least a dozen ponies coming from the forest. Some were brandishing crossbows, but a few of the unicorns were firing bolts of magic from their horns, creating scorch marks in whatever they hit. I looked over at the second carriage, and saw that the bomb had gone off right under the passenger area, where all my stuff was. I ran over to it, and heard Silver Cloud shouting, "I'm hit! They bucking got me!"

I saw Silver lying in the road a few yards back from the new wreckage. Blood was starting to form on his white coat, and he tried to stand, screaming with pain as he did so. Ignoring the wall of death heading our way, I bolted out from the safety of the carriage and dragged Silver behind it, resting him against a wheel.

I looked over his injuries. His chest armour had a couple dozen holes in it, and blood was slowly leaking from each of them. His legs were also fairly torn up, as they didn't have any protection, with metal and wood protruding from several puncture wounds. His face also had a gash along it where a piece had sliced him. He coughed up blood as he sat up, and looked at me.

"Let the medic help me, you get out there and buck those guys up!" He forced a smile through the pain, and I let another pony examine his wounds.

I pulled open the door of the second carriage and looked around. It was a real mess, most of the supplies inside had been torn apart from the blast. I saw my pack in a corner, and pulled it out, finding it to be pretty much intact. Unfortunately, my bow, which had been seperate, had been shredded by shrapnel, and only a few pieces remained. Bollocks. My bow's trashed, and these guys aren't close enough to use my knife. That only leaves one other option.

I threw my bag on my back, and I ran back to the front carriage. I saw some of the guards had begun to fire back with their own crossbows. I opened the door, and saw the two cases still sat where I had left them. I pulled them out and rested them on the dirt road. I pulled the rifle out of its case, ignoring the memories my mind forced up, and placed all of the magazines into my pockets. When I came to the last one, I slid it into the rifle and loaded a round.

I saw the guards had the front and centre of the convoy covered, so I ran back to where Silver was, and covered the back, peeking out when I arrived. It was a good thing I did too.

A bandit was slowly making his way towards us, darting behind each tree and hiding for a bit before moving to the next one. He was wearing a brown cloak and hood, and a piece of cloth was covering his face. He had crossbow on his back, and kept moving as stealthily as he could. It was obvious what he was planning to do: creep up on Silver and the medic and finish them off. I will always remember the expression in his eyes. It was one of complete intent.

Oh no you don't, you son of a bitch. I flicked the safety off the rifle, and paused. That was when I realised I was about to kill a pony for the first time.

I leaned out from cover and aimed down the sights at him, letting him get closer. When most of his body filled the sights, I decided he was close enough, and pulled the trigger three times. I soaked the recoil into my shoulder, and kept my eyes on the bandit. I saw the three rounds enter his chest with dull thuds, his body absorbing them like a sponge. It forced him backwards, a look of surprise in his eyes, and he crumpled on the floor in a lifeless heap. I fired a few more rounds into the trees to stop anypony else getting the same idea.

I moved back to the centre of the convoy, and looked to see where the other bandits were. As I poked my head out, another bomb came flying out of the trees and landed next to me. Now I was the one frozen, but I forced my legs to move, and ran towards the hill on the other side of the road. The bomb exploded, and the shockwave caused me to stumble just as I reached the edge. My extra momentum resulted in me rolling uncontrollably down the hill, with the rifle tumbling after me.

I must have hit my head something on the way down, because as I reached the bottom, my vision blurred, and I felt pain in my skull. I came to a stop, but found that I couldn't move. I could only lie there, listening to the sounds of shouting guards and blasts of magic as I drifted into unconsciousness.

Chapter 18: Final Wish

Most ponies would find the constant reading books to be boring as well as mentally straining, but to Twilight, it was as natural as eating or breathing. Being Celestia's personal student, she saw it as her responsibility to cram as much knowledge into her head as she could.

She was currently going through a book that would offer more insight into teleportation spells. She had managed to do it a few times, but it left her dazed and exhausted. She was hoping that these books would help her get more practice, but she knew that while teleportation was a good spell to know, she couldn't overdo it. Besides, walking everywhere was nice.

She was just reading a chapter that would allow her to teleport to places that weren't in her direct line of sight, when she heard a loud belch from upstairs. She groaned.

"Honestly Spike, do you have to do that?

Spike came down the stairs, carrying a scroll, "I do if it involves the Princess."

Twilight's annoyance disappeared, and she suddenly became excited, snatching the scroll from his claws and unrolling it with her magic.

My Faithful Student Twilight

I need you to come to Canterlot immediately. A serious incident has occured involving Dutch, and I fear he may be in danger. A guard will teleport you directly to the castle; I need you to be here as soon as possible.

Princess Celestia

"Danger?" Twilight dropped the scroll, staring at nothing, "What could have happened?"

She heard a pop from outside, and she opened the door to see a unicorn in Royal Guard armour standing in front of the door.

"Twilight Sparkle, you must come with me at once." His voice was serious and Twilight wasn't going to argue. She told Spike to look after the library, and followed the guard outside. His horn glowed, and a blinding light surrounded him and Twilight. She closed her eyes, and felt herself being twisted and pulled in various directions. She knew it was a process of the teleportation spell, but her attempts in the past had always been more violent. She still hadn't gotten used to it though, and when the light disappeared and her vision cleared, she was lying on the floor with the guard standing next to her.

She picked herself up, and found herself standing in the Princess' quarters, with Celestia herself in front of her. She gave a bow, and the Princess ordered the guard to leave.

"I'm sorry for disturbing your studies Twilight," she said, "But this is a matter of great importance. Whatever happens, I would prefer it if you didn't tell anypony else what I am going to tell you. That's one of the reasons your friends did not accompany you here. Do you understand?"

"What's going on Princess?" Twilight asked, "Is Dutch ok? What happened?"

Celestia raised a hoof, and she fell quiet, "Dutch was on a supply convoy heading towards a guard camp near the northern border. They were planning on resupplying the camp, then bringing him south to Ponyville. I became suspicious, however, when the camp sent a message saying they had not arrived."

Her horn glowed, and a vision appeared in front of them. It showed Dutch dragging a pegasus guard behind a wrecked carriage, a small trail of blood following them.

"This happened shortly before I called you here," Celestia said, "They were attacked by bandits on their way there. Dutch and the rest of the guards fought bravely, but they were outnumbered and overpowered."

Twilight gave a small gasp at the sight, "But... what about Dutch? Did he make it?"

The vision continued to play out in front of them, and Twilight saw Dutch use a device she had never seen before to kill a bandit. She almost felt sick; she had never experienced death before, but Dutch's face showed no emotion as he watched the pony collapse. He returned to the other guards, then ran towards the side of the road as Twilight saw a bomb land next to him. There was an explosion, and she watched him fall down the hill and out of sight.

The vision disappeared, "I couldn't find him after that. The spell only works on beings who are alive and conscious. Dutch is in danger, but I don't know how badly."

Twilight sat back on her haunches and slumped. Did that mean that Dutch was dead? ...No. She forced that thought out of her head. Dutch was tough, he would be ok.

"So, what do we do now?" she asked.

Celestia looked at her student, "For now, we can only wait, and pray he's alright. I will wait a few hours, then try the scrying spell again. If he is alive, hopefully he would have woken up by then."

She left the room, leaving Twilight to contemplate what had happened. She wished there was something she could do to help Dutch, but like the Princess said, they could only wait, and hope he was ok. Slowly, she followed Celestia out of the room.

A splitting headache was the only thing I felt as I slowly came to my senses. I picked myself up, using a tree for support, and observed my surroundings, trying to remember what had happened. I had fallen down the hill, after being with the convoy. Why had I run from the convoy?

Then I remembered the bandits.

A sudden spike of adrenaline woke me up, and I saw the rifle lying nearby. I picked it up, checked for damage, and started climbing the hill. My pack slowed me down, but I refused to stop. Those guards were in trouble, I had to help them.

As I got closer to the top, I became unnerved by how quiet it was. There was no shouting, no noises of battle, and I was worried I was too late. I came over the top of the hill, and finally saw what had happened.

The guards had been beaten.

The carriage that hadn't been blown up was missing, and I assumed the bandits had taken it. There were pieces of wood and other debris strewn everywhere, and the destroyed carriage was still lying there, looking a sorry as ever. There were a couple of bodies, some were guards, others were bandits, but there weren't nearly as many as I had seen earlier.

The sun was setting, and I was blinded as I looked down the road and saw a bunch of objects lying in the middle of the road. I walked closer, and the objects slowly came into view. When I reached them, I collapsed to my knees.

They were the remaining guards. The bandits must have overpowered them. Those that hadn't been killed in the fight now lay here, each of them with a crossbow bolt in their backs. These guys weren't killed, they were executed. Shot in the back and left to rot.

I heard a noise from the wrecked carriage, and spun around, pointing my rifle down the road. There was no one there, but as I approached, I heard a voice, "Dutch... is that you?"

I spotted a guard - specifically, Silver Cloud - lying against the wheel, right where I had left him. There was a large pool of blood under him, and he looked pale even through his coat. He still had a lot of shrapnel in him. I suppose the medic wasn't given much of a chance to help him.

I ran over to Silver and knelt down, grabbing his hoof, "Yeah Silver, I'm here."

Silver coughed. It was weak, and filled with pain, "Those buckers messed me up. I took a few of them out... played dead so they wouldn't find me, but now I'm not sure how long I have left."

"Silver, don't say that," I held his hoof tighter, and stared straight into his eyes, "I'm going to get you back to Ponyville, you're going to see Scootaloo again. You're going to be a good father for her."

"No I'm not," he replied weakly, "I'm barely around her. I'm not a proper dad for her to have."

He grabbed my hand with his other hoof, "You tell my daughter... that I fought well today," a tear rolled down his face, and his features scrunched up with pain and sadness, "That... that I fought hard."

I shook my head, "You're going to tell her that yourself, you hear me?"

"Quit lying Dutch, you're not that good at it," he forced a small laugh, then returned his gaze to my eyes, "Just, promise me something. Two things. First, you take care of Scoots for me. Tell her what happened, and look after her, the way I never could."

"...I will."

He took a deep breath, "Second..." he coughed again, but it was quiet, "Second, I want you to kill those bandits. They took the carriage west towards Froggy Bottom Bog. Follow the tracks, find them, and kill them all."

I paused, thinking about what he wanted me to do. He wanted me to kill more ponies, but they had killed these guards without mercy. I couldn't refuse a dying pony's request. Eventaully, I nodded, "You have my word, they will die."

Silver gave a nod of appreciation, and his head fell to the side. His eyes were still open, but I could see all life was gone. A blank, empty stare into space. I reached over and moved my hand over his eyes, closing the lids, and hung my head, "I'll come back for you, give you a proper burial."

I stood up, filled with a new sense of motivation, and looked towards the sunset. It was disappearing now, and darkness was starting to set in. I picked up the bodies of the other ponies and laid them next to Silver, giving my condolences to each.

I was just about to head off, when I had an idea. I went over to the wrecked carriage, and looked inside, quickly finding what I was looking for. I pulled out a piece of cloth, and used my knife to tear it into strips, wrapping one around my head, and tying others to my arms, legs and torso. Then I went over the trees, and started pulling out clumps of grass, sliding them into the strips, and covering my body in vegetation. After ten minutes, I stood up and looked down at myself. I was planning on getting close to the bandits, but I couldn't go in guns blazing. This would help me blend in.

I picked up my rifle and headed west, noticing the marks of the carriage that had been taken.

Twilight was pacing back and forth across a long hallway, her hooves being the only thing to break the silence. Night had fallen now, and all the possibilities of what could have happened to Dutch were running through her head, and it was driving her crazy. Is Dutch ok? What if he was caught by the bandits? Would they torture him? Kill him? She was so wrapped up in these thoughts that she walked straight into Princess Celestia.

"Oh, I'm sorry Princess. I wasn't looking where I was going."

"That's alright Twilight. I came to tell you that Dutch is alive and unharmed. I managed to get another scrying spell on him."

Twilight's spirits soared, and she followed Celestia back to her quarters, "When I activated the spell, he had returned to the convoy, but all of the guards were dead. He spoke to one of them, then gave them his respects. After that I came down to find you."

As they entered Celestia's room, Twilight another vision sat floating in the middle of the room. As they looked through it, however, they became confused. The vision showed a forest, and rain was pouring down, soaking everything in sight. Every now and then, there was a flash of lightning, but no sound came through. They examined the scene, but Dutch was nowhere to be found.

"Where is he?" Twilight asked.

Her question was answered as they saw a patch of ground start to move. Eventually, they saw a human figure rise from the ground, covered from head to toe in grass and leaves. The two ponies watched as Dutch slowly moved through the trees, carrying his rifle in his shoulder.

"He was hiding right there? How didn't we see him?" Twilight spoke again, but Celestia was focusing on the magic, and didn't reply. She watched as Dutch moved behind a tree, then moved to another. After doing this for another five minutes, the vision changed angle, and they saw that Dutch was heading towards a light in the distance. He moved closer, and slowly raised the rifle to his head, waiting for something. There was another flash of lightning, and after a pause, they saw Dutch fire the weapon. Again, there was no sound, but Twilight gasped as she saw a pony in the distance fall to the ground.

"What's he doing?" she said.

"Taking revenge." Celestia simply said.

"Can't we do something?"

"We are to far away to intervene," the Princess replied, "We can only watch."

Twilight was horrified at the scene, but neither of them moved away from the vision. They simply stayed where they were, and watched events unfold.

100 trackers! Yays all round!

Chapter 19: Vengeance

*Ten minutes earlier*

I reached the forest fairly quickly, my limitless stamina being a beneficial factor. I found the carriage, it had been stripped of any usable parts. The wheels, doors and gold plating had been removed, leaving a wooden shell sat on the outskirts of the forest.

As I entered, the uncontrollable weather of the Everfree Forest arrived, and a downpour started. If it had been cold, I hadn't felt it; I was too close to my goal to let cold air put me off, and my fury at these bandits was enough to heat my body.

I found a patch of wet mud by a tree, and used it to smear my face. The mud would hide any shine my skin would make in the rain. I pressed forward into the forest. On the ground, I saw the round imprints of pony hooves, and they were fresh. A clap of thunder broke the silence, and heard voices in the distance.

I threw myself onto the ground, using the grass strapped to my body as a means to hide in the roots and the mud. I saw the silhouette of a unicorn wander towards me, carrying a crossbow in his magic. He slowly approached where I was lying, getting to within a few feet of me. When he got close enough for me to hear his breathing, he said, "Dear sweet Celestia I hate this rain," and turned back round, returning to where he had come from. After waiting a few more minutes, I slowly stood up and followed him. He would lead me straight to the rest of them. Except he would never get there.

I kept following him, moving between the trees, keeping myself hidden as much as possible. Eventually, I saw a light in the distance. The faint, orange glow of a campfire. The pony had stopped, and would probably turn round soon. I raised my rifle, aiming the sights on his head. I had heard enough war stories to know about drowning out your shots, and this storm would provide the perfect cover.

I waited for about thirty seconds, and the bandit started to patrol back to me. When he got within ten metres of me, there was a flash, and the forest was lit up. The bandit paused, looking straight at me, but I didn't move. He was about to investigate what the unusual shape was, but thunder always comes after lightning, and as the sound of the storm tore through the air, I pulled the trigger.

The bandit wasn't even given a chance. The round tore through his head and he collapsed in the dirt, his blood mixing with the puddles. I held still and silent, waiting to see if anyone had heard, but no voices came, and I continued through the forest.

As I got closer to the fire, the outlines of more ponies started to form, and voices began to break through the darkness.

"...was too easy. Without the armour, you wouldn't have guessed they were 'highly trained' Royal Guards."

"You're telling me. Best raid we've done in weeks. The way that last guy was begging for his life as I put the bolt through him," I saw the one talking laugh, and my blood boiled.

The fire was burning in a clearing, and I saw three ponies sat around the fire, with a couple of tents next to them. One of them - a unicorn - was using his horn to put a sheet of magic over the fire, protecting it from the rain. I don't think he'd noticed the water collecting on top of the forcefield. I leaned next to a tree on the edge of the clearing, and aimed down the sights at him, waiting for another clap of thunder.

The bandits were celebrating their latest raid, and had just finished contemplating what they would do with the supplies they found. Bored with deciding whether they should sell or keep it, Blackeye figured it was time to move on to a new subject, "Did anypony see that thing that tagged the new kid?"

"Yeah. It was about twice the height of some of the ponies, and it dropped the guy just like that," the unicorn protecting the fire said, "One minute he was sneaking along, the next he was dead."

"Wierd-lookin' thing. Any idea what it was?" The earth pony next to him was just as confused as the others.

The unicorn was about to reply, but a clap of thunder overhead drowned him out. Blackeye jumped, and looked at the night sky, "Darn weather. That's the one downside about this forest; you never know--"

He was cut off when he saw the unicorn collapse on the floor, a small pink cloud floating in the air where his head had been. Immediately, the forcefield covering the fire flickered, and died with him. The puddle on top fell onto the fire, and the two remaining bandits were plunged into darkness.

"Buck! Did you see what just happened to Horizon?!"

Blackeye walked over to the unicorn, and prodded him with his hoof, "He's dead! Something killed him."

They heard a rustling in the trees, and the other pony span around, firing his crossbow into the forest, "What the hay was that?" He turned to Blackeye, "What the buck is going on?"

His voice was flooding with fear, and Blackeye was starting to get nervous too, "Dunno, go and check it out."

The other pony was freaking out, but he knew better than to question his superiors. Shakily, he reloaded his crossbow, and slowly walked into the trees on his hind legs, his forelegs supporting his weapon.

Less than a minute later, Blackeye heard a gasp from the trees, then silence. He called out to the pony, but there was no reply. Fear was starting to get to him too now, and he backed up until he was pressed against a tent. He called out again, but only the sound of the rain reached his ears. He gripped his crossbow tighter.

Blackeye was frozen solid now, and out of the corner of his eyes, he saw movement. He turned and attempted to fire at the disturbance, but his crossbow was pulled out of his hooves and tossed into the night. He watched it disappear, then turned back to the threat, but something wrapped itself around his neck and lifted him off the ground. He couldn't even scream as he saw a creature that looked like it was part of the forest, staring back at him.

Right after I saw the unicorn crumple, I moved to another position. As I pushed through a bush, I heard one of the ponies fire his crossbow, but it passed harmlessly by behind me, I was moving too fast for him.

I hid behind another tree and came to a stop. I heard the bandits talking, and one of them ordered the other to search the trees. Big mistake, separation was just what I needed. I waited for another twenty seconds, and heard the fearful breathing of a pony pass by. Sliding my knife out of the sheathe, I slowly followed him, shortening the distance between him and me quickly.

When I got within a foot of him, he turned his head to me and let out a gasp. He tried to fire his crossbow, but I pushed it out of the way and plunged the knife into his neck. A look of shock covered his face as he looked into my eyes, but his gaze slowly drifted towards the sky as his life left him. I lowered his corpse to the ground quietly, and removed the knife, turning my attention to the final bandit.

I heard him shout to his comrade, "Hey, Quick Hoof, you out there?" I kept silent, and slowly moved around the camp to get behind him. My nightvision had kicked in now and I could see him backing up against one of the tents. As I moved closer, he spoke again, but it was quieter now, and filled with fear.

"Anypony...?"

I felt no sympathy however, as I rested my rifle against the tent, and came round the corner to face him. He saw me, and tried to fire, but I simply grabbed the crossbow and wrenched it out of his grasp, throwing it aside. As he turned back to face me, I grabbed him by the throat and lifted him up, his legs dangling uselessly.

"Where are the others?" I asked him, my voice slow, and filled with cold fury. He didn't reply, he was just staring at me in terror. I shook him violently, "Where?" I raised the knife to his throat, its blade still dripping with Quick Hoof's blood. Slowly, he raised a shaking hoof off into the trees. I turned to look where he was pointing, but couldn't see anything.

"Are you telling me the truth?" He nodded his head, "Sure?" I pressed the knife deeper into his neck. He nodded again, and I dropped him onto the floor.

As I picked up my rifle again, I heard him speak, "Are you going to let me go?"

My voice became flat as I said, "My friend is dead, and his blood is on your hooves. But before he died, he asked me to do something. I promised him I would fulfil that request."

"What...?"

I didn't reply. I simply raised my rifle, and put two rounds into his skull.

"Why is he doing this? How can he be so cold?" Twilight didn't like this vision at all, and was starting to feel dizzy after they saw Dutch shoot the unicorn by the fire.

"I suspect he has experienced something in his past," Celestia replied, "We constructed that weapon from his memories, and there was another memory that had been locked away. I am not certain, but it almost certainly has a connection. When he returns, we will have to ask him what happened that has made him this way."

Twilight was feeling ill from all of this, and asked to be escorted to somewhere she could sleep. She needed time to wrap her head around what was happening, and Celestia didn't blame her. Twilight wasn't even twenty years old; something like this would have been too much for her. Celestia, however, had participated in war, and was no stranger to death. She had heard reports of bandits in the area, and she had seen these ones wipe out the convoy from the vision.

She understood the principle of justice, but as she watched Dutch kill the final pony, even she began to question his actions. How could he be so used to this? It must affect him to some extent.

She had to find out what that memory was, but she could only find out if Dutch told her. Whatever was blocking it was strong, but for Equestria's safety, she had to know. She asked the servant standing nearby to fetch a unicorn guard, and he left with a bow.

She contemplated what she would do when he arrived.

I had arrived at the bandit's main camp, and saw ponies running backwards and forwards in the darkness, between tents and other strctures. Those last two shots had alerted them, and they had sent another pony to investigate. I killed him quickly, but the rest of the bandits knew I was coming, and I had decided to take a more direct approach.

They outnumbered me, so resorted to moving between the trees, picking off ponies whenever there was a clap of thunder. I had been watching them run around, and counted eight of them. Seven of them now lay dead, and the final pony had come to a stop in the middle of the camp. He threw his crossbow onto the ground, and yelled out, "Where are you?!"

His question was answered, as I walked out from the trees and let him see me. To my surprise, his eyes showed no fear or sadness, only acceptance. I briefly considered letting him go, but I shook the thought from my head, and finished him off with a final bullet.

Looking around, I saw the death that I had inflicted, and I thought back to those days when I was fifteen. When it had happened. I stood over the final pony's corpse, should I have shown him sympathy like I had before?

No. You let that man go because he had shown kindness. The others hadn't. That was why you killed them, and not him.

My thoughts were interrupted as I heard a yell behind me. Before I could react, something smashed into my back, and the rifle flew from my grip as I fell into the mud. I rolled over, and saw metal flash in the moonlight and lunge towards me. I dodged it, and lifted a boot, smashing my assailant in the stomach. I scrambled to my feet, but before I could grab my rifle, the attacker came at me again.

I grabbed whatever was holding the metal, and identified the threat. It was a pegasus. His body was large, but his wings were powerful enough to hold him in the air. His eyes were filled with hatred and rage, and he had a piece of jagged metal strapped to his hoof, which he was using as a knife.

I pushed him away, and he charged again, slashing at me with his makeshift weapon. I jumped back, but the metal sliced through the grass and clothing attached to me, and I felt a burning pain in my chest. I yelled out, and raised my hand to the pain, finding it to come away darkened with blood. I looked at the bandit, and I could see an evil smile escape his lips.

He made a third attack, but I was ready this time. He raised his blade, and swung it downwards towards my face. I raised my arm and blocked his attack. At the same time, I used my other arm to push his hoof down and across his body, imitating the move I had instructed to Rainbow Dash. While he was distracted, I pulled my knife from under my arm and countered his attack, slicing his throat in one quick motion.

The pegasus collapsed on the floor, and put his hooves to his throat, as if trying to stop the bleeding. I knelt over his writhing body, and pushed the knife into his heart. I may have been merciless to these bandits, but I wasn't sadistic, and I didn't let him suffer. His twitching slowly came to a stop, and he closed his eyes.

I stood back up and walked over to my rifle, picking it up and letting the rain wash off the mud that had caked it. I stood there for several minutes more, letting my body slow down, thinking about everything that had happened over the past 24 hours.

In the war stories, they would say that you're supposed to feel sorrow and remorse for taking a life. You're supposed to contemplate the act that you have commited, and have regret for it. But the truth is the only emotion I felt was satisfaction. These ponies had ambushed us. They had killed those guards without mercy, and they had intended to kill me too. There were now a dozen families who would never see their husband or father again. I had taken revenge for what they had done and it felt good. I didn't feel a single second of guilt. They were my enemy, and now they were dead. Full stop, case closed.

Suddenly, there was a flash of light behind me, and I spun round to see unicorn in shining armour standing in front of me. I barely had time to react as his horn glowed, and I saw ribbons of light engulf me. I felt my feet leave the ground, and my vision began to twist and blur. I felt like I was getting stretched and pulled in every direction, then compressed into an impossible shape, only for the unknown force to yank me apart again.

After what felt like hours - but was probably only a few seconds - I felt my body hit something, and the light around me dissipated. As I came to my senses, I found myself lying on hard ground. My vision cleared, and the surface revealed itself to be a tiled floor. As I lay there dripping, I heard a couple of voices, and I raised my head to find the source.

Princess Celestia was standing over me, and her expression was unreadable as she stared down at me.

Hope you enjoyed this. Dutch's mysterious past will be revealed in the next chapter.

Chapter 20: Memories Long Forgotten

Author's notes: This chapter involves a trip down Memory Lane. Past versions of Dutch will be referred to in third person. Writing 'I' and 'me' for both Dutch and his past selves would just get confusing.

"Take him to the medical wing and get him cleaned up," the Princess said, and I felt myself get lifted into the air and carried away by a unicorn's magic. All the while, Celestia's gaze never left me, and I could only imagine what she was thinking.

I watched the ceiling pass over me as I went through a number of doors. I eventually got lowered onto a bed by the unicorn guard, who promptly left, taking my weapons with him. As he closed the door, a pair of nurses came into the room and started to remove my coat and shirt, as well as all the grass strapped to my body. They binned the latter, and one of them took my clothes to be washed. The other nurse proceeded to wrap bandages around my chest wound. It stung as she treated it, but I was too tired to oppose.

When she had done as much as she could, she gave me a few painkillers and told me to get some bedrest. I did as I was instructed, and rested my head on the soft pillow as I drifted off.

If this was a dream, I wanted to wake up right now.

It was pitch black, and the ground beneath my bare feet felt like concrete. I was only wearing what I had on when I was in the bed, and my top half shivered. I fumbled around in the dark, and managed to find what I assumed was a wall. It was metal, but it felt rough, and smelt of rust. Slowly, my eyes adjusted to the darkness, and I found myself in a long hallway, about ten feet wide, and stretching as far as my eyes would allow me to see. I turned round, but only saw the same rusty wall, leaving me with only one direction to go in.

I spent the next hour or so wandering aimlessly down this hallway, trying to figure out where the hell I was. Soon, however, the hall broke off in three different directions. Straight on was still pitch black, and so was the right, but I could see the faintest of light in the left hallway, so I headed in that drection.

The light slowly amplified, and it turned out to be a dying lightbulb. It was dangling in the middle of the hall, and illuminated a table, which was in as bad a condition as the rest of this place. As I got closer, I noticed a small piece of paper sitting on the table, the only thing of interest in this bleak place. I picked it up, but as I read it, a chill ran down my spine

Run!

Before I could think about what it meant or who had written it, a heard footsteps heading in my direction. In the darkness, I could make out a human figure walking towards me. His clothes were torn, and his posture was bent. It was too dark to make out who he was, but as he locked eyes with me, the person let off a scream of rage and pain that would make a manticore whimper. He leapt at me, and tackled me to the ground.

As I tried to lift him off me, a memory flashed into my vision, followed by another, and another. I screwed my eyes shut as they appeared, and found a pattern. Every time I had lied to someone when I was younger, every time I had made a mistake, or done something I would regret later, was playing out in front of me.

With a yell, I threw the person off me, and ran off into the darkness. I could hear him following me, and forced my legs to move faster. The darkness meant I had to slow down now and again so I didn't run into any walls on the corners, and I could hear him gaining on me. He got to within a foot of me, and I suddenly turned round and swung a fist into his face. While he was dazed, I launched a kick into his leg and sent him sprawling. The contact made more visions flash into view, but I ignored them as I carried on running, leaving the person to lift himself off the floor.

As I ran round another corner, however, I heard a voice.

"Dutch, are you in here?" It was Twilight.

I ran in the direction of the voice, and made out the outline of the pony standing in front of me, "Twilight, what are you doing here?"

She was about to answer, but I heard the man scream again. I didn't stop to think as I picked her up and continued running down the hall. She struggled briefly, but as I went round another corner, I saw the same table I had found earlier. Not keen on the idea of being caught again, I dived under it and pressed myself into the shadows.

"Dutch, what's going--" I wrapped my hand around her mouth and motioned for her to be quiet. We lay there in silence, and heard heavy footsteps approaching. I saw a pair of feet slowly come to a halt by the table, and I quietly poked my head out to see who this person was.

It was me, but it certainly didn't look like me. Every injury I had was visible on him, but they hadn't been treated. His face had a long streak of red down it under his eye, and the stump on his left hand bled freely, creating a small puddle on the floor. His clothes were also collecting patches of red where they had been torn. It was a good thing I was still covering Twilight's mouth, because I almost heard a squeak of terror from her. The copy of me stood there for a few more seconds, before releasing another blood-curdling scream, and walking back the way he had come.

I gently released my grip from Twilight, and she stared into my eyes.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"I came into the hospital room to check on you, and you were lying there, sweating and panting," Twilight explained, "You had a look of fear on your face, but I couldn't just let you lie there. I used my magic to enter your mind, and I found myself in a dark hallway, then you found me."

I simply nodded in reply, and said, "If you can get in here, can you get us out? I've had enough of this place already."

"Likewise. Hold still," her horn glowed, and my eyesight was filled with light. After being in such darkness for so long, it seemed beautiful.

I awoke in the hospital bed, with Twilight lying next to me, an aura around her horn slowly dissipating, "What was that thing?" She asked me, hopping off the bed.

"He gave me flashbacks of my mistakes in the past, so he might be a physical representation of my guilt. I don't know for sure, but I do know I don't want to be near him again."

At this point, Princess Celestia entered the room, and Twilight gave a bow.

"Rise, Twilight," Celestia said, before turning to me, "Dutch, there is something of great importance we must discuss."

I immediately knew what she was talking about, but I wasn't sure if I was ready to talk about it, "I'm not sure if I want to Princess."

"I wasn't asking Dutch," Celestia said sternly, but her voice turned calm again, "If you do not want to talk about it, show us the memory, and we can see it for ourselves. I understand that you are not comfortable with the matter, but in order for us to also understand you, we must know what happened. You are the Element of Bravery, Dutch. Show us that courage now."

I hesitated, and looked at Twilight. Her face said that she was agreeing with the Princess, and with me lying in the bed, I wasn't exactly in the best position to argue.

"Alright," I said reluctantly, "I'll show you."

Celestia nodded, approaching me, and her horn glowed, along with Twilight's. My vision turned to black as my consciousness faded away.

I was standing in a large room, almost the size of a warehouse. There were hundreds of boxes and crates stacked on top of each other, all the way up to the roof. I looked around in confusion, "Where are we now?"

"We are in your mind," Celestia appeared next to me, with Twilight alongside her, "I came here the first time we talked. Each of these boxes contains memories. Some are good, some are bad."

"It's very organised in here," Twilight added, and I chuckled. She was right, I didn't know my mind could be so tidy.

I walked through the isles of boxes, curious as to how they worked, "So what happens if I open one?"

"We will relive that memory," Celestia simply said.

I found a small, cardboard box labelled "Christmas 2002". I picked it up, but it felt empty. I opened it, and images started to fly out of the box. They covered the piles of crates around the room, and the room changed shape. After a few seconds, the images came to rest, and I found myself in the sitting room of my house, with Twilight and Celestia next to me.

Wisps if smoke moved through the room, and gathered on the ground to form people. The people started to move, and I saw a child grab a present out from under a Christmas tree. I gasped in shock; I was looking at a ten-year-old version of myself. The child pushed the present over to another boy, who looked like Chris, and read the label on it.

"Dear Chris and Doug, Merry Christmas. Love, Mum and Grandma."

Two more figures appeared, and I recognised my mother, along with her mother, sat on the sofa opposite my younger self. I saw us rip open the wrapping paper, and a silver PS2 emerged.

I still remember that day. Getting that game console was like a dream come true, and I even recall pinching myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming. My brother and myself hugged our parents, and the vision began to dissolve again. I was left standing in the warehouse again, holding the box in my hands. I put it back on the pile, and turned to face the ponies.

"You looked so sweet when you were younger," Twilight said, and even Celestia allowed herself a quick smile. It soon faded back to her neutral expression though, and she cleared her throat.

"I know you may wish to experience other memories, but there is one we must attend to before all others," I was a bit put off by her sudden mood change, but I followed her nonetheless.

The Princess seemed to know where she was going. After all, she had been here before. We followed her for another ten minutes, before she stopped and said, "There it is."

I looked forward, and saw a small, black safe sitting on its own, the other boxes lying separate from it. I approached it, and sure enough, it was labelled, "27th October, 2007". This is it.

We all walked right up to the safe, and Celestia looked at me, "Only you can open it Dutch, but when you do, there is no going back."

I turned towards the safe, and took a deep breath. I reached out for the handle, gripped it, and pulled the door open with all my strength. Instantly, the images flooded out of the safe, and quickly surrounded us. The images were still blurry as they formed, but I knew what would appear.

When everything came into focus, we were standing at a services station. I recognised it, and decided to explain it to the ponies.

"We were heading back home from a school trip. We had been visiting a zoo; looking at the animals, taking pictures. It had been fun," I turned round, and saw myself at fifteen years of age, walking with a group of friends towards a coach, "We had stopped here to stretch our legs, those buses can get pretty cramped at times." We watched Doug and his friends climb onboard the bus, followed by all the other students and the teachers. It totalled at about thirty people.

"What went wrong?" Celestia asked.

I sighed, and saw a familiar white van come round the corner, "What didn't go wrong?"

We were about to climb on too, but before we could, the van pulled up alongside, and five men wearing masks and holding guns ran onboard the bus and started yelling at everyone. I could hear children screaming, as clearly as I had that day. One of the men jammed his rifle into the driver's head and shouted at him to drive. He did as he was instructed, and pulled the bus out of the station, heading down the motorway.

After a brief silence, Twilight said, "You were foalnapped?"

"Humans refer to it as 'kidnapping', but yes, we were." I lowered my head, and the images began to shift and change. As they did, I turned to Celestia and Twilight.

"Later, I found out that the people who took us were radicals from another country. They were holding us to ransom, and demanded that our government release a group of prisoners who supported their beliefs. They threatened that if they didn't do that, they would kill us."

The vision had rearranged by now, and became a medium-sized building on the edge of a forest. We saw the coach pull up outside, with the van behind it, and the men herded us out, forcing us into the building. I saw Doug, fear plastered onto his face, as one of the teachers wrapped her arms around a group of students to try and protect them. The men simply pulled her off, and threw her on the ground, carrying her inside.

We followed them in, walking slowly, and watched the men force them into a hall and tie each of them to a pipe along the wall. They spoke with Middle-Eastern accents, saying how they wouldn't harm any of them, and that they would be safe. I now knew that was a lie.

The images changed again, and we saw Doug and the others tied to the same place. I noticed a calender on the wall, and told the ponies that it had been two days now. The kidnappers had kept them fed and watered, but some of the kids were starting to become weak. I saw Doug, staring at one of the men. He looked younger than I was now, probably only eighteen at the time, and he simply stared back at my younger self.

I spoke, "I found out this guy's name was Ahmed. I didn't know it at the time, but he was becoming conflicted about what he and the others were doing," another change, and I saw myself talking to Ahmed, "After all of this, I found out he had developed a mental condition called Stockholm Sydrome."

I got a look of confusion from Twilight, "Stockholm Syndrome sometimes happens in hostage situations. It's when the kidnapper takes sympathy on the hostages, or vice versa. They can start by talking or entertaining each other, but friendships have been made like this. Unfortunately, the other men noticed this, and forced him to stay in line. We managed the occasional conversation, but nothing more."

The vision changed again, and I saw two of the men enter the hall, walking quickly. They grabbed one of the teachers by the hair and dragged her out of the room. She was screaming the entire time, and it hurt me to hear it now as much as it did before. Celestia was about to ask where they were taking her, but she was cut off when a gunshot tore through the building. Twilight gasped, and the entire room went silent, and I spoke, "It seemed our deadline had run out, and they started to execute us." I looked at my younger self, whose expression showed a mixture of fear and anger.

The sky suddenly darkened, and it became nighttime. The calender showed it had now been six days since they were taken hostage, and Ahmed was on watch while the rest of the men slept. He walked over to Doug, and noticed his wrists were bleeding from the tight rope. Making sure nobody else could see, he knelt down and loosened them.

"If you need anything, I'm just through the door," he said to Doug. He didn't reply, so Ahmed left the hall. My younger self sat there for another hour, before slowly twisting his arm and pulling himself out from the rope. He stood up, rubbing his wrist, and slowly tiptoed out of the hall. I saw a fire burning in his eyes, and followed him, with Celestia and Twilight close behind. We watched Doug peek out of the hall, making sure no one was there, and climb quietly up a flight of stairs. The floorboards creaked, and he winced every time he took a step, but he managed to make it to a door without anyone noticing.

We followed him inside, and saw five men sleeping in beds and on the floor. As we watched, my younger self picked up one of the rifles lying next to them. He approached the sleeping men, and aimed the rifle at them, lifting it as high as his young arms would allow. He took a deep breath, and I closed my eyes as he pulled the trigger. I heard the gunshots, imagining each of the bullets tearing through the men. The noise was deafening, but it ended as soon as it started, and in less than ten seconds, five of the kidnappers lay dead where they had been sleeping.

We heard someone running up the stairs, and we turned round to see Ahmed standing in the doorway. I saw Doug point the rifle at him, and a look of fear came over his face, while mine became anger. However, it softened, and my younger self lowered the gun, saying, "Go. Get out of here."

Ahmed didn't even nod. He just turned and ran. We followed Doug out of the room and back down to the hall, where most of the hostages had woken up. He took a quick look at them, and walked towards a door leading out of the building, where he was swarmed by men in black body armour.

"The police had been surrounding the building, but I think Ahmed managed to escape," I explained, as we watched the police begin untying the hostages, "They almost couldn't believe what I had done, and for a while, neither could I."

We watched the children get ferried out of the building, as Doug was carried away to a separate vehicle. I stayed where I was, and watched the car leave with Doug inside. Slowly, it faded into smoke, as well as the building and the people. We were left in the warehouse again, standing in front of an open, but empty safe. I turned to Celestia, her horn glowed, and my vision faded to black.

I woke up in the hospital bed again, with Twilight and Celestia standing where they had been before.

Twilight looked absolutely shocked, and ran out of the room. As we watched her, Celestia said, "I hope she will be alright. She is new to the concept of death, most ponies are," she began to follow her, but stopped and asked, "What happened afterwards?"

"We were taken to a nearby hospital and treated for injuries. There was also a funeral for the teacher who was murdered. The police wanted to know everything that had happened, and interviewed me about my intervention. It was treated with the strictest confidentiality. The media was told there was a rebellion among the kidnappers, but only a handful of people knew what actually happened.

"A few weeks afterwards, I started having flashbacks. I don't think my mind could accept what I had done. My parents took me to a doctor, and after a few months of therapy, I had managed to lock the memories away," I chuckled, "Literally it seems."

"So you let that final man go?" Celestia said.

"Yes. If it wasn't for him, I would never have managed to beak free. He may have helped the kidnappers, but he showed me kindness, and it felt wrong to kill him too."

Celestia nodded, "You have a strong conscience. I will let you rest now, but tomorrow, you will have to return to Ponyville."

Sorry this one took longer than the rest. College work is starting to crawl back into my mind. I've got exams right around the corner (May to be precise), so I'm going to have less time to write chapters now. I'll try to post one chapter a week, two if I'm lucky, but it probably won't get any higher than that. After May, however, I'll be a free man, and it'll get going again.

Chapter 21: Long Time, No See

I know I have had a lot of bad dreams in the past, but this one was the worst. How could I tell? I legitimately screamed as I woke.

It had been the same nightmare as before. The dark hallways and the creature that carried my guilt. I had run from him for hours, but Twilight wasn't there to save me this time. The hall I was running down became a dead end, and I pounded on the wall before turning to face the abomination that was my copy. He sprinted towards me at full speed, but when I thought he was about to ram me, he disappeared.

What happened next was even worse. I felt myself collapse to the floor, and the memories of my past mistakes all came back at the same time. If mental pain could be translated physically, I would have passed out from pure agony. I curled up into a ball as I tried to focus on something other than my guilt, but nothing worked. I tried to shout, but when I moved my lips, no sound came. All the things I dreaded the most, all the things I feared would happen to others manifested in such vivid detail that I couldn't help but believe they were real. Each time one would disappear, I would think, At last, it's over, but it only resulted in more torture. How many ways could I watch people die? The people I had murdered?

It wasn't just what had happened either, there was also what could have happened. I watched my body getting torn apart by the wolves in the Everfree Forest if I had lost, followed by the manticore beating me into a bloody pulp. I couldn't resist any of this, I could only lie there and witness each memory flash for less than a second, before moving on to the next. There must have been hundreds, but the final one lasted longer. It was also the most painful.

I saw my family in the garden, like I had all those months ago in the dreams. They were burning again, and as their skin turned to ash their bones continued to stare at me. Their black sockets, though empty, were filled with hate. I was forced to stare at them for a few seconds, before the dream threw me out and I woke up.

I got out of the bed in an instant. Someone had left my clothes on a chair nearby, and I pulled them on and pushed the door open, storming down the hallway, my head filled with conflict. I found a balcony, and walked out onto it, letting the cool morning breeze hit my face.

I leant against the stone rail and let my thoughts flow. How could I have forgotten about them? My own family, for Christ's sake! I'm so selfish, so narrow-minded. I have to see them, no matter what. Maybe Princess Celestia has a spell.

I heard hooves approaching from behind, and turned around to see Celestia standing there. Her normally expressionless face now wore a look of concern.

"Are you alright Dutch? One of the nurses heard a scream from your room, and saw you leave with haste."

I slumped against the stone wall, "I can't believe I forgot about them. I don't even know if they're still alive, but I don't care, I need to see them."

"Who?"

My voice went quiet, "My family."

Celestia thought for a moment, "We do have spells that can allow such a thing, but they are difficult."

I didn't care about the second part, and my heart leapt, and I straightened up, "You mean I can see them?"

"Yes, but only briefly."

"I don't care," I ran at her and gave her a tight hug, feeling a tear roll down my cheek, "Thank you."

Celestia and I were now sitting in her quarters. We were waiting for Twilight, who Celestia had said would enjoy visiting my world. The door promptly opened, and Twilight entered. Judging by her walk and how her head was lowered, she hadn't got a decent night's rest.

"Ah, good morning Twilight," said Celestia, apparently not noticing the sleep deprivation, "I would like you to take part in a session of magic with me."

At the mention of performing magic with her ruler and mentor, Twilight's head shot up as if she'd had a gallon of strong coffee, "Princess... I would be honoured!"

"I'm glad you are," Celestia answered, giving a warm smile, "We are going to be visiting Dutch's homeworld so that he can see his family. We would like you to accompany us."

Twilight's ecstatic expression dropped again, and she became nervous, "His h-home, Princess?"

"Yes," Celestia saw Twilight's face, "You do not have to come with us if you do not wish to."

"Oh no, no. I-I'll come with you." She walked over to us, and took care to sit next to Celestia rather than me.

Celestia nodded to her, then turned to me, "Are you ready Dutch?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," I replied.

Celestia closed her eyes, and her horn glowed to an almost blinding level. I felt light-headed, and I fell softly to the floor as my vision turned to white. It felt like I was floating momentarily, before the brightness faded, and I found myself standing on the driveway of my house, next to the garage. Except it wasn't a dream this time.

I looked around, and saw two strange-looking humans standing next to me. One was a tall woman in her thirties with long hair that was pink, green and blue, wearing a long, white and gold dress. Her face was young, but at the same time, she looked strong and wise, "Princess?" I asked.

She looked down at her body, "It would seem so."

The second human was a girl who looked slightly younger than me. She was wearing navy blue jeans and a purple jacket. Her hair was still purple with a pink highlight, and her expression was one of both awe and surprise as she looked at her arms and torso. As a human, Twilight actually looked quite pretty.

"Why are you both human?" I said.

"I do not know," Celestia replied, "My guess is that while we are in this world, we apply by its rules. I'm guessing there are no unicorns or alicorns here."

"No."

"Then the magic had to make a substitute," she opened her mouth to speak again, but she paused, and glanced to the side, "We should find your family, the spell does not last long."

We started to walk towards the house. Celestia walked surprisingly well, as if she had been a human all her life. I noticed Twilight lagging behind, trying to put one leg in front of the other, and went over to help her. She took a quick step back, "Don't worry Dutch, I'll be fine."

She started to walk a little better, and we entered the house. Everything was exactly where I remembered it when I left. The only thing missing was the picture I had taken off the fridge. I walked into the hallway, with Celestia and Twilight behind me, and heard voices coming from the sitting room. I walked through, and saw my dad and my brother watching the news.

I had never felt so happy to see them, but then I noticed their faces. The sadness in their eyes as they watched the TV broke my heart. They hadn't noticed us, despite standing in the doorway, and Celestia seemed to hear my thoughts.

"They can't see us now, but if you want, I could make you visible to them, so you can say a few words."

I sat down on the sofa next to my dad while they remained in the doorway, and looked at him. He continued to stare ahead, and I knew I had to do this now. I looked at Celestia and said, "Do it."

She closed her eyes, and I felt my body tingle. After a brief moment, Dad felt a presence next to him, and turned as a look of shock covered him.

"Douglas? I-Is that..."

"...hi Dad." I said nervously.

Chris looked over too, and wore the same expression as Dad. They stared at me a moment longer, before Dad spoke up again, "But... it can't be. You... you died!"

Now I was the one to be surprised, "What do you mean?"

He wrapped his arms around me, and pulled me into a bone-breaking hug, "The police found you in a forest near Portsmouth five months ago. They said the cause of death was hypothermia."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I died? So... how did I wind up in Equestria? The most logical explanation is that it is my afterlife, and even that's farfetched.

Dad released me from his arms, and looked me over, "What happened to you? That scar on your face," he paused, "And your finger!"

"Long story, but that can wait until later, I don't have much time," I looked into his eyes as I said, "Listen Dad. It is great seeing you again, but... I hope you understand that I can't stay here."

"Yes, but..." Dad said, shuddering a bit. He thought for a moment, then looked back into my eyes, taking a deep breath. His voice was quiet and calm, "Douglas, I have to ask you something very important now."

I felt a tear collect in my eye, "I know what you're going to say. You don't have to say it."

"No, I do. I... I want to say it. Douglas, tell me what you want me to do. Do you want me to just grieve? Drink my sorrows away, see how long I last?"

I looked at him in confusion, but my voice was soft, "Why would you think something like that?"

Dad looked at the floor. He had always been a little religious, and he had always hoped to go to heaven at peace, "On the day of my reckoning, when I stand before God, he is going to ask me questions. When he asks me why I... I forgot one of my own children, what am I going to say? Because I wanted to?" He turned to me, "Because I was told to?"

I thought about how I would reply to this. I wasn't religious, but after a moment, and out of common decency, I said, "You tell the Lord, our Father, that you did a kindness, for all of us," I pulled him into an embrace, and I could feel my shoulder become damp from his tears, "I know you're hurting inside, I can feel it on you, but you ought to stop now," I let go, and looked back into his eyes, "I want you to move on and have a happy life. I do."

I sighed, and looked forward. I couldn't hear the TV as I spoke, "When I left home that night, I was tired. I was tired of feeling guilty for not being able to do more. I was tired not being able to help as much as you or Mum did. But, most of all, I was tired of people being so ugly to each other. I became sad from all the hate I could feel in this world, every day. There was too much of it. It felt like... like splinters in my head.

"I'm sorry that I left. I wish I could come back, but I don't think that's possible now. Where I am now, they accept me for what I do, and don't cast me aside because of who I am or what I look like. I've found happiness and friendship here, and I don't want you to live the rest of your life in misery. I want you to be happy too, for Mum. Can you understand?"

Dad's tears stopped, and he looked back into my eyes, "Yes, Douglas. I think I can."

I hugged him again, "Thank you."

I looked at Celestia, and got the feeling that my time was running out, "I'm going to have to go soon, but I want to see you again."

Chris had been silent throughout the entire conversation, but as I stood up, he said, "Wait!" and walked out of the room, not noticing Celestia or Twilight as they moved for him. He disappeared upstairs for a moment, but came down shortly carrying a thin, black bag about five feet long. I instantly knew what it was.

"What are you doing with that?" I asked.

"Hoping you can take it with you," Chris said, "To remember us by, and let's face it, you were the only one who was really into snowboarding."

I looked back at the bag. He was right, this snowboard had been for the whole family, but I used it more than anyone when we went on holiday. I wasn't half bad with it either. I could pull off a few tricks when I got enough air. I also knew that everything to maintain the board would be in there too, we wouldn't have kept it anywhere else. I turned to Celestia again, and she gave me a soft nod.

My brother and father looked confused as to what I was looking at, but I said, "Yes, I can take it," and a smile appeared on their faces. I took the bag, forgetting how heavy it was, and felt myself fading as I gave them one last look.

"This isn't goodbye. I'll see you again. I promise."

Chapter 22: Paying Respects

My vision returned to normal, and I was back in Celestia's quarters. Celestia looked quite tired from performing the spell, and Twilight was staring at the floor, as if trying to figure out what just happened.

I quickly checked my surroundings, and sure enough, the black bag containing my snowboard was lying next to me. Opening it, I saw the board was intact, and the other stuff like wax, goggles and straps were also present. I gave a silent thank you to Chris and Dad, and was looking forward to using it. Unfortunately, I didn't know any rideable areas in Equestria, so that was going to have to wait.

While I was examining the board, I heard Celestia speak, "Dutch, would you mind giving me a moment alone with Twilight? I need to speak with her regarding an important matter."

"Sure, I need to have a moment to think anyway," I zipped up the bag and began to take it out, but Celestia said, "You can leave your gift here. I will make sure it is among your possessions when you return to Ponyville."

I left the room and walked down the hall in the direction of the gardens. I didn't know if I was going in the right direction or not, but I figured if I walked long enough, I would find a door. After about five minutes of walking along identical carpets, I saw Captain Wingfleet walking towards me.

"Hey there Dutch, it's good to see you're alright." He extended his hoof, and I shook it.

"Thanks," I said, and we carried on walking together, "I suppose you heard about what happened."

"Yeah," his face remained the same, neutral like you would expect from a trained officer, but his voice showed a hint of sadness, "Damn shame, but I also heard about what you did afterwards. While I may not be a fan of conflict, I appreciate it when somepony has a sense of justice."

"I promised Silver Cloud I would do it, and when I make a deal, I keep it."

"I understand," Wingfleet said, "Sergeant Silver Cloud was a good soldier, and a good pony," he paused. Wingfleet and Silver must have known each other outside the Royal Guard, "The rest of the Guard are holding a burial for the ponies who were killed in the ambush. I was wondering if you wanted to come."

"...Sure. It would be nice to pay my respects." I followed him through a door leading outside, where a large group of ponies were crowded round a row of coffins. Each one was open, and I could see the bodies of each guard inside.

I got a few odd looks from other ponies around the coffins, but when I sat down among them, they seemed to calm down. One older pony wearing a white collar walked onto a podium and started a speech.

"We are gathered here today, to remember the bravery of ponies who have fought for their Princesses, and who ultimately gave their lives for that bravery. As their souls leave Equestria, their bodies remain here, to become part of the land. They will be missed, but we shouldn't grieve that they have left us. It is more important that we should thank Celestia that these ponies lived."

It was brief, but he didn't need to say anything else. He stepped down from the podium, and a few ponies stood up to say goodbye to their loved ones. I stood up too, and make my way over to the coffins. As I walked, I heard sobbing among the crowd, and a female voice explaining to someone why daddy wouldn't be coming home.

I found the coffin containing Silver Cloud, and looked at his face. It had been cleaned since the attack, and the cut on his cheek was hidden. Seeing him like this brought a small tear to my eye, and I closed them as I recited a small prayer for him.

Twilight was watching from the crowd as Dutch walked among the coffins. She didn't know any of these ponies, but she had attended anyway out of respect. She saw Dutch walk over to one of the coffins, close his eyes and start moving his lips. No noise came from them, but Twilight figured he was praying.

She couldn't understand Dutch. Even after all the things he had told her about the human race, she couldn't figure out their mentality. She had seen what Dutch had done, commiting those atrocities on his own people, but there were other times when he had shown compassion and mercy. If this was how all humans acted, she was amazed they ever managed to get anything done.

She'd need to think about all of this when she returned to Ponyville. But for now, she walked among the crowd, comforting the families and friends of the deceased.

After I finished the prayer, I left the crowd and made my way over to where Wingfleet was standing.

"I'm sorry about what happened to your soldiers."

"It wasn't your fault Dutch."

"I know, but... I just can't help but think; I survived through blind luck. How am I alive when everyone else around me died?"

Wingfleet placed a reassuring hoof on my arm, "Fate's one thing none of us can control or escape. You just have to accept it and move on."

As I thought over what he said, I saw Celestia beckon me over to her. I asked Wingfleet if he would excuse me, and made my way over.

"Is there something you need, Princess?"

"Actually, I have a proposition for you Dutch," Celestia said, "I understand that you wanted to be a soldier when you grew up, and I know Silver Cloud was a friend," I didn't remember telling her about my life ambition, but I nodded anyway, "I would like you to consider the offer of becoming a soldier under my command. We used a spell to observe you as you fought the bandits, and I believe you would make a valuable contribution to the Royal Guard. Your skills in leadership also means that I could make you an effective officer, rather than a guardsman."

I took a moment to digest what she had asked of me. I've wanted to become a soldier for as long as I can remember, and Celestia is giving me this opportunity right now. After a few minutes of consideration, I looked at Celestia and said, "I've always wanted to do whatever I can to make people, or in this case ponies, safer. I accept your offer Princess."

She nodded, "Your father called you 'Douglas', is that your name?"

"Yes. Dutch is my nickname. My full name is Douglas Jones."

Celestia told me to take a knee. When I did, she placed her horn on my right shoulder, then on my left, "Rise Douglas," I stood back up, and she gave me a friendly smile.

"It'll take a while to sort out the formalities, but let me be the first to officially welcome you into the Royal Guard, Lieutenant Jones."

The journey back to Ponyville was quiet. I had found that the Pegasus chariots had spells to stop ponies falling off, so I sat on the edge with my legs dangling below me. Twilight was sat next to me, still staring at the ground. I had no idea what she was thinking, and she didn't look like she wanted to talk about it.

We arrived next to the Library, and gave our thanks to the guards as we walked inside. Twilight immediately pulled a book off the shelf and buried herself inside it.

"Are you alright Twilight?" I asked.

"Hm? Oh, yes, I'm fine."

"Are you sure? You don't sound like it."

"I'm just eager to get back to my studies," she blocked her face behind the book, which was currently upside-down, "You should go and see everypony else. No doubt they'll be looking forward to seeing you again."

Not wanting to pursue the subject, I went quiet and left the library. Twilight was right though, it would be nice to see everyone. I also needed to find Silver Cloud's daughter and break the news to her.

I headed towards the park, hoping to find one of my friends. As I walked over a bridge, I heard a soft melody being played nearby. It sounded like a lyre, and I only knew one pony who played that. Sure enough, I saw Lyra in the distance, sitting on a bench like a human. Her eyes were closed, and the lyre was wrapped in a golden aura. While she played, I slowly walked over, and sat down next to her. She seemed to be completely in the zone, and didn't notice me at all.

After a few more minutes of music, she came to a finale and let out a sigh as she finished the final piece.

"That was beautiful."

Lyra's eyes whipped open at the sound, and she turned to me with a gasp, "Dutch!" She quickly put her lyre in its case, then wrapped her hooves around me in a hug, "I haven't seen you in ages. How are you?"

"Great, I just got back from Canterlot. The Princess wanted to know more about humans. At this rate, I wouldn't be surprised if all of Equestria wanted to know who I am."

Lyra giggled and released me from the hug, "Oh! I want to show you something."

She hopped off the bench and walked over to an open space, where she promptly stood up on her hind legs.

"What do you think?"

I was impressed, "Nice. It must be difficult for a quadruped do that."

She shifted on her feet to keep her balance, "Yeah, it took a while to get it down, but it means I can be taller than everypony else. Check this out."

She started to walk in a circle, staying on her hind legs the whole time. Her forelegs hung in front of her chest as she walked.

"So how long have you been practicing this?"

"A couple of months now. Bon-Bon's keeps telling me to walk like a normal pony, but I do it anyway. I swear, if we were some sort of couple I would have sent her crazy weeks ago."

She picked up the pace, and her walk became a slow jog. She had a silly grin on her face the entire time. She eventually broke into a run, and started running laps around the bench and the trees, doing an occasional jump to surprise me. After another minute, she went round a tree and started running back towards me. When she was about five feet away, one of her hooves scuffed the ground and she tripped. I leapt off the bench and knelt foward, catching her in my arms.

"Easy there Lyra. You did good, but you don't want to go overboard with it."

Lyra didn't reply, she just lay in my arms with her head leaning on my chest.

"Hey Lyra, you alright?"

Lyra's heart skipped a beat as she tripped. A bloody nose certainly wouldn't help if she ever got selected for a musical performance, and if she chipped her horn, it could be weeks of pain before she could play the lyre again properly. She braced herself for the impact, but something cushioned her fall, and she felt Dutch's arms support her weight.

She let out a sigh of relief as she relaxed. She could hear Dutch talking, but there was something else making noise; a steady thumping. She listened, and found it to be Dutch's heartbeat. It was slower than a pony's because of his extra size, beating about once every second, and she decided to listen to that instead of the voice.

The beat sounded soft, but powerful. She had learned to zone out while she was playing her lyre, and she allowed herself to do it now. The sound of his heart was calming, and she was quickly lost to the world around her. At the same time, she felt something strange in her own chest. She didn't know what it was, but she felt it when she hugged Dutch, and she was feeling it again now.

She wanted to listen to Dutch's heart a little longer, but a sudden shake brought her back to reality.

"Lyra?"

Lyra let out a soft moan, the same way someone would in their sleep, but she didn't reply.

"Lyra, wake up!" I shook her, and she seemed to snap out of her trance.

"Huh? Oh, sorry Dutch. I must have tripped."

I lifted her back onto her hind legs, "Don't worry about it, but I think you've done enough human walking for one day. Why don't you sit down."

She agreed, and we returned to the bench. Lyra was out of breath, so she sat like a pony while she calmed down. That didn't stop her talking though.

"Hey Dutch."

"Yeah?"

"I was talking to Twilight about a week ago, and she said that you mentioned a poem when you were searching for the Elements of Harmony. Was it a human poem?"

"Yeah, it's called Invictus. It was written about one hundred years before I was born by a man called William Henley. The moral of the poem was to never give up, no matter what."

"How did it go?"

I noticed Lyra was sitting closer to me now, and I assumed she eager to hear a piece of human literature. I leaned back on the bench and recalled how the poem went, staring at nothing as I spoke.

"Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutches of circumstance
I have not winced, nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the horror of the Shade,
And yet, the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find me, unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate,
I am the captain of my soul."

I turned back to Lyra, and saw her horn had a golden glow around it.

"Memorisation spell," she explained, "It helps when I need to remember a melody, but that poem was too good to forget."

I chuckled, "A guy called Nelson Mandela thought the same thing. He was imprisoned for 27 years because of something he didn't do, and he said that this poem was his inspiration to keep going."

Lyra gasped. She had never heard of a pony getting locked up for that long, guilty or innocent, "What did he do afterwards?"

"It's funny really. He went on to become the leader of the country. But every time I think about that poem, I can't help but think about an innocent man who was thrown in prison, only to come out ready to forgive the people who put him there."

I glanced at my watch, and saw that it was approaching three o'clock, "Lyra, do you know which way the school is? I need to see someone."

"Sure. Just head down the path and turn left as you leave the park."

"Ok then. See you later."

Lyra waved to me as I left, but if I had taken a second glance, I would have noticed her ears fold with sadness as I went out of sight.

The school was fairly easy to find, and the bell started ringing as I approached. I saw a group of fillies filing out the door, and I recognised Applebloom and Sweetie Belle among them. There was another pony next to them, an orange pegasus with short purple hair, similar to Rainbow Dash's mane in length.

They noticed me as I walked up to them, and all three of them ran over to me, huge smiles on their faces.

"Hi Dutch!" Applebloom and Sweetie Belle said together.

"Hey girls," I replied, and turned to the third filly, "You must be Scootaloo."

"Yep," Scootaloo said, before looking at the others, "He taller than you said he would be."

I laughed, but then I remembered why I was here, and I stopped.

"Hey Scoots, can I talk to you privately for a moment?"

"Sure," Scootaloo said, the smile still present. It tore me apart to see this sweet young girl, unaware of what I was about to tell her.

I told the others not to wait, and the walked away to their respective homes. Meanwhile, Scootaloo and I walked round behind the school and sat down against the wall.

"What is it Dutch?"

"We need to talk. It's about your father."

The smile disappeared, "Y-yes?"

I took a deep breath, "I suppose I can't lie to you about this, or make it easier to understand but... your father was killed two days ago. I'm sorry."

Scootaloo stared at me in confusion for a moment, before the tears started pouring down her face, and I pulled her into a hug. She started pounding her hooves on my shoulder, but it didn't hurt, so I just sat there and took it.

"No! No! He said he would come back and see me. He promised!" Scootaloo was getting both angry and upset at her father's death, and I let her cry into my arms.

After about five minutes, she had calmed down, and I said, "He was a brave pony Scoots, you should be proud of him. He asked me to take care of you after he left, and I gave him my word that I would."

She sniffed, "Thank you."

We sat there for a while longer, and I saw something move out of the corner of my eye. I turned my head, and saw a bubble floating down beside us. It was quickly accompanied by another, then six more, then a dozen, until the air around us was filled with bubbles. Scootaloo still had her head buried in my arms, so I said, "Hey, Scootaloo, take a look at this."

She looked up just as a bubble burst on her nose. She looked around in surprise, but slowly, a smile started to form on her lips. I let her go, and she walked into the middle of the cloud, letting them fall around her. She began to giggle, and started catching the bubbles, popping them with her hooves and teeth.

I smiled as the happiness returned to the filly, and I looked around for the source of the bubbles. I saw them originating from a single cloud above us, and as I watched, a gray head pop over the top, looking down at us.

I smiled, and gave Derpy a nod of thanks for what she did. She smiled back, and disappeared again, making more bubbles for Scootaloo to play with. I sat back against the school wall, and let her enjoy the moment.

I needed to make sure there were plenty more for her now.

Interlude 3: Acceptance

"We should get you home, Scootaloo. It's getting late."

Scootaloo had returned to my arms and was trying to calm down as much as she could after hearing the news. The shower of bubbles had cheered her up somewhat, but she was still pretty upset, "C-Can I come with you?"

"Sure."

I picked her up and carried her back to the Bannered Mare. The sun was setting, and an orange glow was being spread over the town. Ponies were starting to close their stores and return home, paying no attention to me as I cradled the filly.

I entered the Bannered Mare, and saw Full Pint behind the counter.

"Hey Dutch. Haven't seen you in a while."

"Yeah, I was staying in Canterlot for a few days," Scootaloo shuffled in my arms, and Full Pint noticed her, "This is Scootaloo. Is it ok if she stays with me for a bit?"

Full Pint shook his head, "Sorry Dutch, I'm afraid she can't."

"What?"

"Look, my policy is one pony per room. Unless you've got a good reason, she can't stay with you."

Oh, you want a reason? I leaned close to Full Pint and lowered my voice next to his ear, making sure Scootaloo couldn't hear me.

"She just lost her father."

Full Pint's eyes went wide, and he thought for a moment, "Alright. She can stay, and I won't charge extra."

"Thanks. I owe you."

I carried Scootaloo up to my room, and set her down on my bed. I asked her if she wanted anything to eat, but she wasn't hungry. I didn't blame her, so I made myself some dinner and got ready for bed. Upon entering the bedroom however, I noticed Scootaloo was asleep on my bed. I silently laughed to myself, and decided to leave her in peace.

I walked back into the living room and caught sight of myself in a mirror. I had a few days of facial hair, and as I took my shirt off, I saw the slice in my chest from the bandit with the knife, Great, another scar to think about. I shifted a few cushions on the sofa and let my body relax as I drifted off.

Oh hell no. Not here again.

I opened my eyes, and found myself already running. The metal wall and concrete floors surrounding me. The creature was hot on my heels, and I could hear him grunting as he chased me.

I pulled round a corner and hid in the shadows, allowing him to run past me. I knew I only had a few minutes before he would find me again, so I took off in the other direction. This continued for some time, before I came to a dead end, and I threw my arms in the air. Bollocks. Now he's going to catch me.

Suddenly, I heard a voice in my head, and instantly recognised it as Wingfleet.

"Fate's one thing none of us can control or escape. You just have to accept it and move on."

What...? Of course. It made perfect sense now. That's why I could never escape him before. I turned round and started walking back the way I had come. I wasn't worried anymore, I knew what I had to do.

"Where've you got to pal? I'm right here!" I called into the darkness. He took the bait, and I saw him appear round a corner. I didn't run this time, I simply turned to face him.

"Let's get this over with."

He started to run at me, but just before he reached me, I closed my eyes and whispered, "I'm sorry."

This time, no images flooded my vision, and after ten seconds, I opened my eyes to see the halls becoming illuminated with light. The concrete floor started to grow tufts of soft green grass, and the rust on the walls slowly crumbled, revealing white stone walls underneath. I turned round, and saw my copy standing in front of me. His clothes were no longer torn, and the wounds were healed, so that he was now identical to me.

He gave me a small smile, and nodded. I then watched as he walked down the hall, a faded away.

I awoke with a start. I was still on the sofa, and I couldn't feel any cold sweats. I shifted to get more comfortable, and felt something press on my shoulder. It was then that I realised that Scootaloo was sleeping next to me. I figured she must have come sometime in the night, and I saw her hoof was pawing at something in her dream.

I wasn't sure how I would do as an adoptive father, but I swore I would do my best. Scout's honour.

Chapter 23: Making Up

20th Summer's End, 2012

I woke up to the sound of a rooster outside. I found it much more appealing to wake up to this rather than an alarm, and at least this rooster only called in the morning. Back home on Earth, my neighbours had a rooster that wouldn't shut up for the entire day. God, did that get annoying.

I rolled out of bed and went to check on Scootaloo. I had bought a small matress for the filly shortly after taking her into my care, and let her use my sleeping bag until I could get some proper blankets. She seemed to accept it pretty well, but she wasn't always happy. I didn't blame her, she was still a little depressed from her father's death. But she was a tough kid, and would put on a brave face for me when she needed to.

She was still fast asleep. Apparently she hadn't heard the rooster, so I nudged her to get up, "Come on Scoots. Time to wake up."

She pulled the hood of the sleeping bag over her head, "Mmmmmfiveminutes,"

I laughed at the sight; she reminded me of myself when I was her age, or around that age. I think she's around 10-12 years old, I can't believe I haven't asked her yet. I unzipped the bag and put on a fake stern tone, "Come on. I gave you five minutes yesterday and you were late for school."

"..."

"Ok, you leave me no choice."

I started to tickle her belly. She immediately began to convulse from the contact, and was soon laughing uncontrollably, "Ok, ok, I'm up!"

She stood on the bed and punched me softly in the stomach.

"That was mean!"

"If I make you eggs on toast, will you forgive me?"

Her eyes narrowed. I knew that was her favourite, and a smile formed on her face, "...Maybe."

I get dressed and went into the kitchen while Scootaloo filled her saddlebag with the things she would need for school. By the time she joined me, the eggs were sizzling, and I put the bread in the toaster. When it popped back up, Scootaloo banged on the table with her cutlery, mocking impatience.

"Hold your horses there Scoots, I'm almost done." I buttered the toast and layered the eggs on top, placing it in front of her with a glass of apple juice. While she ate, I grabbed a bowl of cereal for myself and sat down with her.

"Hey Scootaloo, thinking back, I still don't know how old you are. I feel terrible that I haven't asked yet."

"It's ok," she said, "I'm twelve, a year younger than Applebloom and Sweetie Belle."

"Well, you're older than you look, kid."

"Don't call me 'kid'."

I was in no hurry, and Scootaloo finished quickly, picking up her bag and heading towards the door. She promptly came back with a letter in her mouth.

"Mmmffmmm."

"Thanks 'kid'," I was rewarded with a playful scowl, and I promptly took the letter from her. As she started to leave, I called out, "Are you going to be ok walking to school?"

"Of course Dutch! I'm not a baby," she laughed as she closed the door, and I opened the envelope, reading the letter out loud to myself.

Dear Dutch

I conviced Applejack to give you a day off today, as there is an important issue I need to discuss with you. Could you please meet me in the library as soon as you get this letter.

Sincerely, Twilight Sparkle

That was odd. Twilight hasn't spoken to me since we returned to Ponyville, and I couldn't figure out why she wanted to see me now. I dismissed that puzzle; I'll find out soon enough.

I grabbed my Ipod and headed to the door. Before I left, however, I went to a large box next to the door and used a key tied round my neck to open it. My rifle lay there, and I did a quick check of the hairs I had placed on it to make sure it hadn't been disturbed. This was a human weapon, no pony should use it, it was too dangerous.

Satisfied that no one had touched it, I closed the box and locked it, placing the key over my head again. I left the apartment and selected some music on my Ipod, saying hello to Full Pint as I passed him. He hadn't asked about Scootaloo since I had told him about her father, and he seemed ok with letting her stay with me.

I stepped outside and breathed in the cool morning air as I headed towards the library. Not many other ponies were up yet, so my journey was quiet, the only noise being my music and the songbirds in the trees.

When I reached the library, it already had its lights on, and I knocked on the door. It became surrounded by a purple aura and opened to reveal Twilight sitting next to the table, reading a book. Without looking up, she said, "You know, this is a public library. You don't have to knock."

"I'll keep that in mind."

She finally broke her gaze from the book, "Oh, hello Dutch. I should have known it would be you."

She closed the book with her magic, and placed it on the shelf. She turned her gaze to me, and said, "Now, I suppose you're wondering why I asked you to see me."

"How did you know?" I said sarcastically.

Ignoring my comment, she continued, "Spike's still asleep, so I thought I would take this opportunity to ask you if..." her voice trailed off, and she looked at the floor.

"Yes Twilight?"

"I was wondering if you wanted to help me with a spell," she blurted out, and her eyes widened, "I mean, you don't have to, but I just wanted to ask."

I laughed at her nervousness, "Calm down Twi, you're starting to sound like Fluttershy. Helping you with magic sounds pretty fun, and I don't mind taking part."

She visibly relaxed upon hearing this, "Thank you. Go and take a seat over there and I'll explain what we need to do."

I sat down and leant against the bookshelf, while Twilight selected another book from the shelves opposite me and carried it over.

"So what's the spell?"

Twilight opened the book and began to skim through it, "Are you familiar with lucid dreaming?"

I became curious, "You mean the ability to control your dreams? Yeah, I've heard about it. Always wanted to do it, but all the 'official' advice and tips humans had just didn't work."

She giggled, "Well, you're in luck. I found a spell that does just that, and I've been wanting to try it out for some time, but I was hoping somepony to come with me so that I can document multiple perspectives and opinions."

I get to lucid dream? Hell yes! Wait, one problem, "It does sound very appealing to be your partner in crime for this," Twilight gave me a funny look, "Human expression, nevermind. But how are we going to fall asleep? I just woke up."

"The spell puts the user into a forced sleep for however long they choose. All you have to do is cast the spell, and it takes care of the rest. But before we start, I want you to tell me something you've always wanted to do, but would only be possible in a dream."

I thought for a few moments, but only briefly. I covered multiple possibilities, and always came back to the same choice.

"Flying, without technology, like a pegasus or something."

Twilight nodded, "That sounds fun," she lay down next to me, and her horn started to glow, "Ok, just relax and I'll sort everything out."

Her horn became brighter, and despite waking up less than an hour ago, I felt my eyelids become heavy, and I saw Twilight's head rest on the floor just before I too drifted off.

I opened my eyes again almost instantly, but the library walls were gone. Instead, there was sky and clouds. I took in my surroundings, and found myself standing on a small patch of earth about the length of a house. There was grass beneath me, but I saw that the ground suddenly ended after several metres. I walked over to an edge, and looked down. I couldn't see the ground, just cloud as far as my vision could reach.

A patch of earth floating in the sky? Yep, definitely dreaming.

"What do you think?"

I turned round to see Twilight standing behind me. A smile was forming on her face, and she had a bounce of excitement in her step.

"It's quite a view, but how do we get down?"

She sighed, "Look behind you and you'll find out."

I looked over my shoulder, and saw something white right behind me. I turned, and it turned with me. I reached round to grab it, and instantly let go when I felt nerves react not just from my hand, but from whatever this thing was too.

I saw Twilight create a tall mirror out of thin air, and I waked over to inspect. I could see Twilight's grin get larger as I apprached the mirror, and when I looked into it, my jaw hit the ground.

On my back, sticking through my jacket were two huge, white, feathered wings. They were folded at the moment, but they were still long enough to reach down to the back of my knees. I felt pure joy flow through me, but it was quickly replaced by curiosity. And suspicion.

"Twilight. Of all the ponies you could have done this with, why choose me?"

Twilight stiffened, and her eyes started to dart around, "You? Um, well er... I was eager to experiment with this spell and erm, who better to do it with than a good friend, right?"

I folded my arms. I wasn't conviced, "Honestly Twi, you're worse at lying than me. Just tell me the truth, I won't mind." Probably.

She knew she was defeated, and she sat down on her haunches, "I wanted to apologise," she explained, her voice quiet, "When I saw you killing the bandits in the forest, and what you did to those humans when you were a child, I thought you were just some kind of mindless killer. That's why I avoided you afterwards, I was scared. But when you spoke to your dad and brother, as well as when you paid your respects at the funeral, I realised that I was just being too narrow-minded to see the truth.

"I realised that you did what you did because you had to; others might have been hurt or killed if you hadn't. I judged you too soon and without looking at the bigger picture, and I'm sorry for that. I hoped doing this might help me prove that I'm sorry for that."

She stared at the ground, refusing to make eye contact, so I knelt down in front of her and lifted put my hand under her chin, lifting her gaze to my eyes.

"I understand. In your place, I would have done the same thing, and I accept your apology."

She blinked, and the smile returned to her lips as I stood back up, "Ok. Now that that's out of the way, how do I use these wings?" I looked round at the wings, which were still folded against my back.

Twilight stood up with me, and the energy she had before returned, "Well, because we're dreaming, it should be quite easy. Let me try something," she closed her eyes, and a pair of purple wings appeared on her back and unfolded, making her look like a miniature alicorn. She opened her eyes and looked round, "Well that works. Ok, just imagine your wings unfolding. It worked for me, so I see no reason for it not to with you."

I closed my eyes, and formed a mental image of the wings on my back extending. After a few seconds, I heard Twilight gasp, and I opened my eys to see if it had worked.

I was right. My wings were fully extended, but what really amazed me was the size. The were already big when they were folded, but now, each wing was at least two and a half metres long, and I could see the individual feathers fluttering in the wind. I imagined them flapping, and they responded by each giving a powerful flap, pushing me backwards and kicking up a cloud of dust from the ground.

"Ok, that is pretty impressive." Twilight said, jumping out of the way of the dust.

"Thanks," I replied, "Now let's see what they can do."

We walked over to the edge, and I looked down over the empty air before us. Twilight, standing next to me with her own wings extended, ready for flight.

"You ready?" She asked.

"Oh, hang on a sec," I checked my pockets, and found my Ipod still sat where I had put it when I was awake. I pulled it out, and started to flick through the list of songs.

"This one will do," I said to myself. I put the Ipod back in my pocket, but before I could put my headphones in, I heard the music being projected from around us; in the air, out of the grass beneath us, everywhere.

"So that thing plays music?" Twilight said, "I was always wondering what it did."

I laughed, "Honestly, I'm surprised I didn't show you sooner. Tell you what, after this, I'll show you what else it does," I looked back down over the edge, seeing the endless clouds below us, "Now I'm ready. Are you?"

Twilight looked down, and I saw her gulp, "N-Not really."

I followed her gaze back down, "Actually, neither am I."

With that, I gave Twilight a big, stupid grin...

...and jumped.

Gravity immediately took hold, and I started to plummet through the air. I allowed myself to relax in the freefall for a few seconds, and closed my eyes. The wind rushing past my face was enough to get my adrenaline flowing, and despite being immune to fatigue, my heart was going at a mile a minute. I forced the wings on my back to open, and I suddenly leveled out, decelerating like a skydiver opening his chute. The g-force gave quite a kick, but I overcame it quickly. I imagined myself turning, and I saw the wings out of the corner of my eye tilt and bend as I curved round.

I looked back up at the floating island, but I couldn't see Twilight. I was about to turn and fly back up, but just before I did, I saw a small purple dot jump off the edge at a running pace. It started to fall, but quickly curved up and began to glide over to me, and I turned to meet it.

Twilight had an expression of fright and awe as she flew up alongside me, "You are crazy Dutch, you know that?"

I replied with a laugh, "Took you that long to figure it out?"

I looked over at Twilight. Her wings fluttered in the breeze, and she had her forelegs out in front of her. Not one for the cheesy superman pose, I kept my arms to my side.

Twilight looked down at the empty air below us, "I can see why Rainbow Dash spends more time in the air than she does on the ground," she shouted over the noise of the wind, "This is incredible!"

"You're telling me," I yelled back, "I used to have the occasional flying dream out of chance when I was a kid, but they can't hold a candle to this," I did a barrel roll, whooping as I did, and watched as Twilight did the same thing. She seemed to be enjoying this as much as I was, and all signs of her previous regret had vanished.

We continued to fly around for what felt like hours, but I couldn't get enough of it. The graceful movement was calming, and the feeling of absolute freedom was unrivalled. The music made it almost euphoric, and I was tempted to do another freefall. I eventually decided not to; as fun as it was, I didn't want to lose sight of the island.

I found myself lost to the world around me. I would have gone on like this forever, but I knew all good things had to come to an end, and I felt Twilight nudge me on the arm. She motioned back to the island, and I followed her lead as we returned to solid ground.

We landed, and I had to take a moment to collect my footing. After flying for so long, walking felt strange and slow. I wanted to jump back off the edge, but Twilight noticed this and shook her head.

"We should wake up now. Spike will be getting out of bed soon, and I need to get back to my studies. But I will admit, this was fun."

"Agreed," I said, "We should do it again sometime, but with everyone else. I'm sure Pinkie would be ecstatic at the prospect of flying."

We shared one final laugh, and Twilight's horn started to glow. The world around us turned to white, and my vision faded as I felt the grass beneath me fall away.

I felt myself wake up, and looked around to find myself back in the library. Twilight was already standing, and extended a hoof to help me up. I took it, and stretched my back as I stood, hearing the joints popping.

"Ok, after that, I definitely accept your apology, Twilight."

Twilight didn't reply. She just stared at me, her smile turning to a look of shock.

"Twi, are you alright?"

Again, she didn't reply. She just pointed a hoof at something behind me. I turned around, but the only thing I could see was the books lining the walls.

"Seriously Twilight, what are you looking at?" At this point, Spike came into the room, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. I saw him enter and said, "Morning Spike. Hey, do I have something on my face? Twilight keeps giving me this funny look."

Spike looked up at me, and the same shocked expression grew on his face, "Woah..."

"I know," said Twilight.

Ok, enough of this, "Twilight, do you have a mirror?"

She floated one over to me, and I held it up to my face. I looked exactly the same as I remembered, the scar being the only thing that really stood out. There was nothing out of the ordinary as far as I could tell.

"Ok guys, is this some kind of tease?"

"No," said Twilight, and she adjusted the angle of the mirror, still clutched in my grip, "Look."

It was then that I noticed something growing out of my back. I looked like Quasimodo. Ok, that's out of the ordinary. I took my jacket off, as well as my shirt, and picked the mirror back up to inspect my back. Over my shoulder, I saw something large, and white.

"Woah..." I could only say.

"I know," Twilight repeated.

The entire library was in silence for a few more seconds, before two loud thuds broke it as 165 pounds of human impacted the ground, out cold.

Hey guys, Locky here. I'm going to be adding more music links in throughout the rest of the story. Some will be incorporated into the story, while others will be background music.

Chapter 24: An Interesting Development

My vision was blurry as I regained consciousness. The first thing that hit me was the smell. It was a familiar one: soap and rubbing alcohol. I'm back in the hospital aren't I?

I sat up, and saw Nurse Redheart leaving the room, confirming my suspicions. I felt a throb of pain from my forehead upon resting myself on my arms, and reached up to feel a large, tender lump under a bandage. I'm going to have to keep a tally of how many times I've been unconscious. That must've been my fourth.

I took this opportunity to look around. I was in the exact same room I had been in after the manticore attack. It was still empty except for the bed I was lying in and a machine in the corner I had never seen before. My chest was bare, but I could feel my trousers under the bedsheets, and I got a sudden urge to stand up. As I did, I felt something hanging off my back, giving it extra weight.

I turned, and remembered part of what had happened. Twilight had used a lucid dream spell on herself and I in order to test out her magic and to make up for judging me too soon. We had gained wings in the dream and enjoyed flying around in an empty sky to our hearts' content. We woke up some time after that, but somehow, I had been in the library, and the wings on my back had followed me. I didn't remember much after that, but another quick look over my shoulder confirmed that the wings were still attached to my back.

As I pinched myself to confirm that I was in fact, actually awake, I heard multiple voices coming from the hallway, slowly approaching my door.

"So what is actually wrong with Dutch?" I recognised that voice as Rainbow.

"Ah'm sure he's alright, RD," Applejack replied, "He's a trooper. Takin' on a fully-grown manticore is no mean feat, so a simple case of faintin' ain't gonna keep him down."

"Guys, he's fine," Twilight interjected, "It's just that I thought it would be better if I showed you, rather than trying to convince you something that even I can't get my head round."

"I hope I don't have to throw him a Get-Well-Soon Party," I heard Pinkie say, "I mean, it's not like I don't enjoy throwing parties. In fact, I love throwing parties for everypony, because I love seeing everypony smile, but those parties are for super-duper happy fun moments, not sad, 'My friend is in the hospital' moments."

At this point, all six of the ponies walked into the room, followed by Lyra and Scootaloo. My first concern was what Scootaloo was doing out of school, but after checking my watch and seeing that the time was 3:27, my thoughts changed to, How long have I been out?

As the ponies entered the room and noticed my new appendages, all of them except Twilight put on the same expression of shock she and Spike had been wearing in the library. After a moment of silence in which you could hear someone blink, Rainbow spoke up.

"That. Is. Awesome!" She said, a huge smile apprearing on her face. Lyra had broken out of her trance too, and her stare had changed from shock to one of admiration.

Slowly, each of the ponies began to regain their senses. Pinkie Pie bounced over and began to examine the wings up and down, occasionally going, "Ooo,". Applejack and Scootaloo were prodding and pulling at them, and despite never having them before, I could feel nerves reacting from the touch. Everyone else just seemed content to remain where they stood, but the ones messing with the wings were interrupted as a white unicorn wearing a doctor's coat entered the room.

"Alright everypony, that's enough," said Doctor Whitebone, "I still need to examine these wings to see what they will do. Miss Sparkle informs me that they just appeared on his back during the spell, so I'll need to run some tests to find out if they are functional or even permanent. Dutch, I'd like you to stay here. Everypony else will need to stay out of the room until the procedure is complete."

Everyone groaned, but followed his orders and left the room. They were replaced by two nurses, and Whitebone said, "Dutch, could you turn around and show me the wings please."

I turned, and heard the hum of unicorn magic as a light cast my shadow on the wall. After a few seconds, it faded, and I felt the two nurses grab the tips of the wings, pulling them out to full length. As this happened, I turned to look at one of the nurses, noticing the look on her face as she wondered how far the wings would actually go. They eventually reached full length after two and a half metres each; the same length they had been in the dream. Whitebone's horn glowed once more, and as it finished, the nurses lowered the wings and left the room. The eight ponies immediately came back into the room.

"Well?" Twilight quickly said, "What did you find?"

"Hang on a second," Whitebone said impatiently, "I may be good, but I'm not that fast."

He walked over the the machine in the corner and wheeled it next to the bed. He plugged his horn into a hole in the side, and it immediately lit up. A small lens began projecting images onto the wall, and I recognised them as the human anatomy. At first glance, it would seem normal, but it was quite easy to see the anomalies of the wings.

As more images appeared on the wall, Whitebone was commenting on what they showed, "Interesting. It seems that the wings not only have feathers and skin, but also contain bone, muscle, blood vessels, and even a complete nervous system. I don't know how you ended up them but, theoretically, they should be fully functional."

I thought for a moment, and closed my eyes, imagining them opening like I had in the dream. I didn't feel anything, and no one else reacted, so I opened them, to find the wings still pinned to my back.

"You won't be able to fly straight away," Whitebone explained, seeming to read my thoughts, "But I don't see much reason to keep you here any longer. I'm sure one of your friends here can show you how to use those."

Even though I couldn't see her, I could sense the grin on Rainbow's face growing as she floated right behind me. My instincts were proved correct as I heard her say, "I'll do it!"

"Then it's settled," Whitebone concluded. He pulled a notepad out from his coat and quickly examined it, "I have other patients to attend to now, but you're free to leave."

Rainbow grabbed my wrist and began to pull me out of the ward, much to the entertainment of everyone else. I tried to get her to slow down, but she refused to stop for anything, "Are you kidding? Those wings are huge! They're bigger than Celestia's. I want to see them in action, now come on!"

She pulled me out the door of the hospital just as Twilight caught up. Ignoring Rainbow's pleas, I turned to her as I walked.

"Any idea how I got these?"

"No," Twilight replied, "We woke up and they were just... there. You fainted, and as you fell you hit your head on the table. It sounded like it hurt, but it didn't seem like a concussion, just a lump and a really big bruise."

I reached up to the tender lump on my forehead, "Well, that explains the bandage."

"I am going to try and find out how you got those wings though. There must be a book or two in the library about how magic affects different creatures. I'm sure they'll shed some light on what's going on."

I looked to where Rainbow was dragging me, and saw the same field we had used to practice hand-to-hand combat. I wasn't going to complain, it was quiet, and wide open enough to practice potential flying. We walked out into the middle, and Rainbow took me to one side so she could go through the basics with me, while everyone else formed a crowd a few metres away from us.

"Well, we're here," I said, "Shall we get started?"

"Sure, um... hang on a sec," Rainbow seemed so eager to be my instructor that she had forgotten what she was going to actually instruct me on, "Ummm, let me take a look at those wings."

She flew around behind me, and pulled one of the wings out to its full length, "Ok, see if you can move that wing. Try starting with your shoulders and back, then move through to where the wing attaches. If that works, we can move on to the rest of the wing."

"Wow, you sound so professional now. Who are you and what have you done with Rainbow Dash?"

She gave me a deadpanned expression, "Do you want to fly or not?"

"Ok, fine," I started to work my back and shoulder blades, trying to focus the movement of the muscles towards the wings. After a few minutes, I felt something new move, and looked over to see the wing moving up and down with the muscles in my back. It was only small though, so I kept at it.

After another ten minutes of focused back movements, I managed to move the entire wing. It felt great to move these new limbs, so I turned my attention to the other wing, moving that one a few inches at a time too. After another twenty minutes, I was able to move both of my wings in unison, and I was rewarded by cheering from the ponies in the crowd.

It wasn't enough though, I wanted to do more, "Rainbow, do you think these things are flight worthy?"

She tapped her chin with a hoof, "That depends on whether you can flap them fast enough, and if they're strong enough to support your weight."

She moved round to the front of my to avoid getting hit by the wings, "Ok, when you flap them, you need to catch as much air under them as you can. Just try to move them up and down at the moment, I'll give you a few extra pointers when you get there."

I focused on moving the wings again, and they responded by swinging downwards. They could already move fine, so I tried to put a little purpose into their movements. I closed my eyes and made them move more forcefully. I felt them flap with more force than before, strong enough in fact, to make me take a step back to catch my balance. I looked around again to see Rainbow approach me.

"Pretty good, but now you've got to get in the air. Easier done than said really, just jump as you flap your wings, then keep flapping."

She flew a few metres above me to act as a target to reach, and I positioned my footing for the jump. I bent my knees, and as I jumped, my wings flapped with the same strength they had before, lifting me a good few metres off the ground. My heart leapt, but I reminded myself to stay focused, or end up faceplanting painfully into the ground. My wings beat faster, and Rainbow slowly came in line with me. When she did, I heard everyone on the ground cheering for me. Rainbow extended a hoof to offer me a high-five, but as I took it, I briefly lost concentration, and dropped a few feet before clumsily flying back up to her.

"I think that's enough flying for today," she remarked, "I would knock a few points off you score for that last part," wait, what score? "But since this is your first time flying, I'll let you off the hook."

We slowly descended back down to the rest of the group - going down involved slowing the rate of flapping and letting gravity take over - and were immediately hit by another round of applause.

"That looked so cool!" Lyra said.

"This is going to make quite a letter to the Princess," Twilight added.

"Woohoo!" Fluttershy cheered, albeit quietly.

Pinkie could barely contain her excitement, "This is the greatest day ever! We need to celebrate your 'I just got wings and I can already fly' party! We can hold it at Sugarcube Corner, we'll have cake and ice cream, and balloons and games. We can invite everypony in Ponyville, and it'll be the bestest of all best parties yet!"

Rarity sighed, "Honestly Pinkie, you've said that about every party you've hosted."

"And every party was better than the last one!" Pinkie replied, bouncing around the group in ecstacy.

I caught her mid-bounce, and set her down on the ground, "Calm down Pinkie, we can have the party in a few days' time."

"Huh? Why not now? It would be super-duper fun to have a party now."

A sudden realisation hit me, "Oh, that's right! I've got so caught up with everything happening recently that I never told anyone."

"What's happening?" Twilight asked.

"It's my birthday in about a week. I'll be 21 years old."

The gasp of joy that escaped Pinkie's lips would have been impossible to replicate by anyone else.

Chapter 25: Happy Birthday!

28th Summer's End, 2012

A fresh dawn greeted my eyes as I climbed out of bed. I stretched my limbs - all six of them - and wandered over to the window as I put on my clothes. The sun was shining brightly over the streets of Ponyville, and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. Rainbow had said that the weather team had scheduled a dry day, and that they would bring the rain in for the farms over the next week or two.

All in all, it was the perfect day for a birthday.

I smiled to myself. If someone had told me one year ago that I would be in a world full of talking equines, I would have called the men in white coats. Thinking back, I guess I would've owed that guy a drink or two. It was a shame that I was dead to Earth, but something gave me this second chance, and I wasn't wasting it.

I looked in the mirror to examine my new wings. I had taken every opportunity I had over the past week to practice flying when I wasn't working at the farm or looking after Scootaloo. Rainbow woud occasionally be on hand to give me a few tips, but she had a job too, though I did believe in learning on the job.

I could fly around no problem now, and Rainbow had suggested taking it to higher levels, literally. At one point, we reached what Rainbow said was the altitude of Equestria's cloud city, Cloudsdale. I had been expecting to feel dizzy from a lack of oxygen or cold, but it felt exactly the same as it did on the ground. It was a little chilly, seeing as I couldn't wear a shirt while flying, and it could get uncomfortable when I was wearing one, but I could pay Rarity to make some holes for them.

I left the bedroom and was almost immediately hit by the smell of cooking. I entered the kitchen, and the smell was accompanied by the sizzling of eggs, and a soft humming tune. The stove came into view, and I saw Scootaloo standing on a chair, poking the eggs with a spatula.

"Something smells good," I announced as I entered.

Scootaloo turned to see me and jumped off the chair, buzzing over to me with her wings and wrapping her hooves around my neck, "Happy Birthday Dutch! I was just making breakfast for you."

I chuckled and rubbed her mane, "Thanks Scoots."

I poured a glass of apple juice and sat at the table while Scootaloo scraped the eggs off the pan and put them on plates, carrying them one at a time on her back. I lifted them off when she reached the table and we both began eating.

"So what are you thinking of doing today?" Scootaloo asked.

"Well, it's Saturday, so there's no school. We can go and see everyone, but I haven't really thought of anything to do. Maybe practice some flying, though I'm pretty sure Pinkie is going to throw a party at some point."

We shared a laugh and finished the rest of breakfast. After completing the various necessities in the bathroom, I grabbed my coat and headed towards the door with Scootaloo in tow. I figured Twilight would be the first pony to see, as the library was a common meetup point for most of us. Then the park, which is where I would usually find Lyra if she wasn't already at the library with the others.

I turned the handle and pushed the door open. I only just registered the whispering on the other side before six party whistles were all blown at once, followed by a shout of "Happy Birthday!" that caused me to jump back in fright.

"Hey girls!"

Twilight and the rest of the Elements trotted into the apartment, each of them giving me a hug as they entered. Pinkie was especially enthusiastic, and as I motioned everyone into the living room, I noticed her quickly leaving out the door again. I was about to inquire, but she returned, dragging something heavy with her. It came into view, and I instantly recognised it as...

"Pinkie, why are you bringing a cannon into my apartment?" I asked.

"Silly," Pinkie replied, "This is my Party Cannon."

With that, she aimed the cannon into the living room, and I saw everyone taking cover behind the sofa and chairs. Pinkie pressed a button on top of the cannon, and with a loud bang, it launched a cloud of confetti into the room. At the same time, balloons and ribbons shot out of the barrel and attached themselves to the walls, making the whole scene look like a party.

"Such an appropriate name," I said, as Pinkie placed the cannon back outside. I entered the living room, where everyone was returning to their seats, and saw five boxes wrapped in decorative paper lying on the coffee table.

"Thanks for coming everyone," I said, as I sat down and looked at the gifts in front of me, "Now, which one do I open first?"

"Mine!" Rainbow Dash quickly replied, picking up a bright blue present and dumping it in my arms. It felt suprisingly heavy for its size, so I pulled off the paper and a metal dumbell appeared.

"Using your arms is more important than you'd think when flying, so I thought I'd lend you a hoof in that department," Rainbow stated.

"I'm sure it'll come in handy," I said. I lifted the dumbell, and found it to weigh about five kilograms. Heavy enough for a single arm.

"Right then, who's next?" Twilight said.

I tapped my finger against my chin, "Ummm, Rarity." I answered, and a blue aura surrounded a box and carried it over to me. I lifted the lid off, and pulled out a dark green piece of clothing. Unfolding it, I found it to be a jacket. It was made of a material that felt like it wouldn't be easy to tear, and there were two pockets on the chest, one of which had a white shield stitched on it.

"Now this looks cool," I said, looking it over, "Can I try it on?"

"By all means," Rarity said, "I sewed a layer of softer fabric underneath so that you could wear it on its own."

I pulled of my shirt and began to put on the jacket. It felt suprisingly comfortable, despite it being against my skin, and it fitted me perfectly. There was also a hood, and the material on the elbows and shoulders had been waxed, making it tougher than the rest of it. I also noticed the buttons on the pockets were made of onyx, giving a black and green shine that complemented the dark, olive fabric.

"Seeing as you mentioned humans wear clothes more frequently than ponies, I thought I would design something that could manage a little bit of wear-and-tear. Now, normally I wouldn't make something in that particular shade of green, but it seems that colour fits well on a human," Rarity explained, "I also took the liberty of adding a feature to accomodate your new wings."

My wings felt like they were sticking through the jacket, so I turned to see two long slits in the back. A smile covered my face, and I pulled the wings through. After shifting them around, I folded them back down, and they rested against the jacket.

"Very nice," I said, "Now I can fly even higher without fear of getting cold. Thanks Rarity."

We continued with the presents. Applejack gave me a bottle of Apple Family Cider. Whether she was hinting at something or not I don't know, but I hadn't realised Equestria had alcohol until now. Pinkie's present was a box containing eight cupcakes, each of which were coloured to represent each of my friends and Scootaloo. Finally, Fluttershy gave me a book, and I looked at the title.

"Advanced Flying Techniques," I read out loud, and we all looked at Fluttershy, equally surprised. I had expected someone like Rainbow to give me something like this.

"I-It was the only thing I could think of," Fluttershy stuttered. The poor mare must've thought she had offended me, "I mean, I-I thought it might come in useful." She squeaked, and lowered herself to the ground.

I couldn't bear seeing this. Sensing the situation needed resolving, I walked over and pulled Fluttershy into a hug, "I'm certain it will Shy, thank you."

I released her, and, noticing the smile returning to her face, sat back down.

"Oh, there's also this for you," Twiligth said, pulling out a scroll with a royal seal, "It came from the Princess this morning."

I unrolled the scroll and read the contents for everyone to hear.

To my Faithful Subject, Lt. Dutch Jones
You will be pleased to hear that all of the necessary formalities have been completed, and you are now an official member of the Royal Guard Officer Corps. You will be required to report to Canterlot Castle on the 30th day of Summer's End to begin training, with Captain Wingfleet being your commanding officer. The training should last no more than a few weeks, and you will be ready to serve Equestria upon your completion. Good luck.
Yours Truly,

Princess Celestia

I rolled the scroll back up and placed it on the table.

"The 30th?" Rainbow said, "That's only two days away."

"Don't worry Dashie," Pinkie said, "That's still plenty of time to party! Now, let's get back to Dutchy's birthday."

"I'm planning something for later today," Twilight said, "In fact, I think Lyra mentioned organising something for everypony this evening as well."

"Well, why don't we go and see her," I suggested, "It would be great to have everyone together today."

We all agreed, and left the apartment, Scootaloo riding on my shoulders not just for fun, but also so she wouldn't have to try and keep up with the older, taller ponies. As we passed Full Pint, he called out, "Hey Dutch, what was that explosion I heard?"

I smiled, "Pinkie Pie."

He gave a nod of understanding, "Fair enough."

The sun was higher now, and cast a wave of heat down on all of us. Lyra's house was a five-minute walk away, and we were greeted by several ponies as made our way there. Soon after, her house came into view. It looked fairly similar to the other houses, but was distinguishable by the lyre painted on the door. I lifted Scootaloo off my shoulder, knocked on the door and waited.

The door was wrapped in a golden aura and it opened to reveal a beaming Lyra standing in the doorway. I knelt down and welcomed her hug.

"Happy 21st Dutch!" She said, and nuzzled against my cheek.

I was surprised by the rubbing of her soft coat against my face, but it felt nice, and after feeling something flutter in my chest, I decided to do the same. She eventually let go, but I didn't notice the blushing on her face.

"Thanks Lyra," I said, "Twilight said you were planning something for everyone."

"Yeah, but it will have to wait until tonight."

"Well, we've got some spare time until then, shall we all just wander round town for a bit?"

"Sure!" Rainbow exclaimed, "I wanna try something anyway."

"Oh boy," Applejack said, rolling her eyes as she leaned over to me, "She's been wantin' to do this ever since ya got them wings o' yers."

"Do what?" I asked, my interest piqued.

"A race!" Rainbow said, doing a loop as she said it, "You've had those wings for about a week now. I wanna see how good you are."

"Sounds legit," I said, "What did you have in mind?"

"A simple sprint race. We start at the library, fly to Sweet Apple Acres, round the main barn and back. No pulling or obstructing. First one back wins!"

I accepted, and we made our way to the library. I saw Rainbow out of the corner of my eye doing multiple stretches while flying above us. I simply carried on walking, not needing the stretch or warm up. As we walked, Rainbow began getting unnervingly excited at the prospect of racing, and by the time we reached our starting point, she was darting around in the air, eager to begin.

"Come on!" She shouted as she raced ahead and took a position in front of the library, "Let's go, let's go!"

I stood next to her, and hunched down, ready to push off the ground. The rest of the ponies caught up, and Pinkie pulled a chequered flag out of her mane.

"Ready?" She said, raising the flag above her head. I glanced at Rainbow, and saw her eyes narrowed and a thin smile appearing on her lips. I flared my wings, ready for flight, and she did the same.

"Set!"

I looked at the path ahead. I would have to get a running start before I had enough momentum to take off. Rainbow was lighter, so she would be able to get off the ground quicker. I shifted my footing and steeled myself.

"GO!" Pinkie swung the flag down, and two figures launched past her.

Rainbow took off quickly, while I was still on the ground, gaining speed. I was clearing several metres with every flap of my wings, and after three seconds I pushed myself into the air, clearing a building and pushing off the roof for extra speed.

I saw Rainbow quickly heading towards the farm, and I forced myself to fly faster as I attempted to catch her. The gap between us slowly closed, and I shouted to Rainbow as I drew level with her, "That all you got?"

She looked over at me, and a brief look of surprise was hidden away behind a sly smile, "In your dreams!"

The barn came into view, and Dash and I took up a position to go around it. My size and the length of my wings meant I would have to take a wider curve than Rainbow, and she knew it. She grinned as she turned at an impossible angle for her speed, and I could only watch as I slowly banked and began to circle the barn.

As I leveled out, I kept myself above the orchard and noticed Rainbow about ten metres in front. She had slowed slightly, thinking I was gone, so I picked up the pace and tried to close the gap between us. Ten metres became five, then three, until I was level with her again.

"You didn't think you could get rid of me that easily, did you?" I shouted over the sound of the wind.

She turned to me, and I noticed her smile had become a decietful grin, "I was just saving my energy for the grand finale!"

"Wait, what?"

And with that, Rainbow shot off at a speed I wouldn't have been able to hold a candle to. She became a speck in the distance, and I cursed to myself as I attempted to catch up.

The library came back into view, and I could see a cyan figure standing on its hind legs, bowing to the rest of our friends. I flew over and touched down next to them, hearing Rainbow gloating about her victory.

"Of course, Dutch could never hope to beat me! Flying takes speed, agility and guts. He's gonna need more of that if he wants to challenge me again."

Guts, huh? I could sense an idea forming in my head as Rainbow struck a pose, "Alright hotshot, you beat me. Now why don't we try something else?"

"So I can beat you again? Why are you even asking?" Rainbow replied with a smirk.

"Just shut up and follow me," I took off vertically, pulling myself upwards towards the clouds.

I was focusing on the sky above when I heard the familiar raspy voice say, "So what are we doing?"

"I'll tell you when we get there."

We continued to climb, watching the clouds pass us. I stopped to take a look down, and saw the library was now a tiny dot in the middle of the town.

"This is high enough." I said, and we hovered in the air.

"So what are we doing now?" Rainbow repeated.

"You want guts? How about a game of chicken?" I asked. Rainbow responded with a raised eyebrow.

"The rules are simple," I said, "When I say go, fold your wings in and let gravity take over. First one to pull up before the ground loses."

"You mean freefalling?" Rainbow said, her eyes widening. I nodded, "Oh, it is on! I can't wait to smash you again."

I put myself at a good angle, ready to fall, "Please Dash, remember who you're talking to. I'm not the Element of Bravery for nothing."

"We'll see."

I laughed, "Ok, three, two, one, GO!" I folded my wings into my back as Rainbow did the same, and we both plummeted towards the earth.

I brought my arms to my side, making a rough shape of the Greek letter Delta as I fell, gaining as much speed as I could. Rainbow was alongside me, laughing with glee as she fell. I drew her attention to me as I did several rolls, and watched as she did a few flips of her own. I saw the clouds rapidly appraoching, but I kept my shape, maintaining my speed as we broke through.

"What Equestria could they be doing up there?" Rarity asked.

"I'm not sure," Twilight said, "I lost sight of them as they flew into the clouds."

Suddenly, Pinkie's tail started to twitch eratically. She turned to look at it and gasped.

"Uh Pinkie, what's up with your tail?" Twilight asked.

"It's her Pinkie Sense," Applejack stated, "It means--"

"Twitchy tail!" Pinkie shouted, "Twitchy tail! Something's going to fall!"

"What do you mean something's going to fall?" Twilight asked, looking at the sky. This was her first encounter with the Pinkie Sense, "There's nothing up there except Dutch and Rainbow."

"Exactly," Lyra replied, and pointed a hoof in the air, "Look."

They all looked up, and saw two tiny specks falling towards the ground at an alarming rate.

As the library became larger, I brought my arms round into a star shape, feeling the air catch me. I was still falling, and I looked over at Rainbow to see she was doing the same thing. She occasionally glanced at me, and I could see that behind the determined grin, there was a flicker of doubt.

"Scared, Dashie?" I called over the rushing of the air.

"Not a chance!" She shouted back. I swear I could hear a tremble in her voice, "I'm just not used to being in the air without using my wings."

I looked back down at the ground. It was getting much closer now, "Open your wings on three," I looked over and saw her nod, and gave her the same decietful smile she had given me, "Three!"

There was a flash of surprise as I spread my wings. Their size meant that I decelerated much faster than Dash, and I watched her disappear out of my sight as I pulled up. I glided over the group of ponies below and banked round, descending as I turned. When I reached the ground, I flapped my wings forward and came to a stop. Everyone gave a cheer, and I saw Rainbow Dash approaching us from the library, pulling twigs and leaves out of her mane.

"Oh my. Um... are you ok Rainbow Dash?" Fluttershy asked.

Rainbow didn't reply, she simply scowled at me and gestured back up at the library. Following her hoof, I noticed a pegasus-shaped hole in the canopy. Putting two and two together, I burst out laughing, "Oh man, I didn't know karma acted that quickly."

"What's karma?" Scootaloo asked.

I calmed myself down before replying, "It's a human belief that for every action someone commits, there is an equal and opposite reaction. In this case, Rainbow's bragging, followed by her crashing into the library."

"Yeah, yeah." Rainbow replied, giving me an icy stare, "I let you slide this time because it's your birthday, but I'll be getting you back for this!"

I grinned at her, "Looking forward to it."

Our staring contest was interrupted by Twilight, "Dutch, seeing as we're at the library, why don't I give you my present now."

"Sure," I replied, "I assume it's inside?"

"In a way, yes."

We entered the library, and I saw Twilight lift a scroll off the table with her magic, "When we were in Canterlot, the Princess gave me this. She told me to learn from it and give you the opportunity to use it every now and then."

"What is it?" I asked.

She turned to look at me, "The spell she used when we visited your family."

My heart skipped a beat. Not only did I have the ability to see my dad and brother again; now one of my friends could do it, "And this is your gift to me?"

"Yes."

I had to put effort into keeping my balance, before walking over and picked Twilight up in a hug, "Thank you."

She nuzzled me affectionately, and I set her back down, whereupon she said, "Shall we get started?"

"Do you even need to ask?" I said, while taking a seat next to a bookshelf.

Twilight turned to everyone else, "Before we start, I'd like to say that three of us can go at the same time, if anypony else wants to come."

Almost immediately, Lyra stepped forward, "I'll go."

"Alright then," Twilight said, "Is that ok with everypony else?"

There were a collection of 'it's ok' from the rest of the ponies, and Lyra took a seat next to me, with Twilight on my other side.

"We should be out for a while," Twilight explained, "A few hours here will get us about half an hour in your world. I just wish it could be longer for you."

"Just giving me this at all is enough." I replied, and Twilight smiled. She lit up her horn, and I felt a familiar feeling wash over me, heavier than sleep, and my vision turned to white. When it cleared again, I was standing in the garden of my home. Twilight was standing next to me, her human form wearing the same clothes as before, but on my other side was another girl. She had a beautiful face, and was slightly older-looking than Twilight, though still younger than me. She wore a mint-green t-shirt that complimented her hair and a tan pair of jeans.

"What do you think Lyra?" I said as she looked down at herself.

Her shining gold eyes moved down as she lifted one of her arms and flexed her fingers, "Hands are wierd."

I laughed, "Humans would be screwed if we didn't have them though."

I put an arm around her for support as we walked up to the house, and I noticed that my dad's car was missing. I walked inside, and saw Chris sat at the kitchen table, writing on what looked like paperwork for his job. Nikki was lying in a bed next to him, and as I approached, her ears perked up and she looked around.

"They can't see us yet," I explained to Lyra, "But Twilight can change that whenever she wants."

"When she does, can they see us as well as you?" Lyra asked.

"I think so." Twilight answered.

"Ok," I said, "I'll go first, then you can use the spell on yourselves so he doesn't freak out."

They nodded, and I stood next to Chris. He noticed Nikki, who had began walking round the room, trying to find what she could sense.

"What's up, Nikki?" He asked, and I gave a nod to Twilight. I felt the tingling sensation return, and just as Chris returned to his work, his gaze suddenly snapped to me.

"Doug?"

"Hey Chris, it's good to see you again."

He stood up and wrapped his arms around me, but quickly retreated when he felt the feathers on my wings.

"What the...?" He turned me round and looked at my new limbs, "How did you get those? Are you some sort of angel now?"

At this point, Nikki had returned to the kitchen upon hearing voices. She saw me and paused, but when I crouched down, she leapt into my arms, licking my face and wagging her tail like there was no tomorrow. Twilight and Lyra were trying to suppress their giggling at the sight.

"Good to see you too Nikki," I put her down and stood back up, "No, I'm not an angel. This was just an unexpected side-effect from a spell. You see, magic exists in this world I'm living in. It's also how I'm able to see you now."

"Magic?" Chris repeated, "There aren't... elves or anything, are there?"

"No, thank god," I replied, "Most of the population are creatures from Greek mythology, mainly sentient equines like pegasi and unicorns. In fact, two if them are with me now if you want to see them, though they've taken a human form for this world."

Chris paused for a moment to take this in, before saying, "So where are they?"

I gave another nod to Twilight, and she closed her eyes. Their forms flickered for a brief moment, and Chris' eyes widened.

"Chris, I'd like you to meet Lyra and Twilight," I said, gesturing at the ponies-turned-humans respectively, "They're both unicorns in their world."

Chris walked over and tentatively shook their hands. He shook Lyra's first, and as he approached Twilight he said, "Twilight, huh?"

"Yes sir," Twilight said politely.

He cupped her hand in both of his, "I'm so sorry," a small smile appeared on his lips.

"What do you mean?" Twilight asked, but Chris had already turned back to me.

"Shall we go for a walk in the garden? I've got some things to talk about."

"Sounds good," I replied, and we walked out the back door with Twilight and Lyra behind us. As we sat down next to the pond, I asked, "Chris, out of curiosity, what's the date here?"

"17th May, why?"

"That would explain it," I said out loud, "Their world is a few months ahead of ours. The date over there is 28th August."

Chris eyes went wide again, and he gave me another bone-crunching hug, "Happy Birthday! I wish I had known so I could get you something."

I hugged him back, "Just seeing you is enough of a gift. Speaking of which, where's Dad."

"Working," Chris said with a smile, "Since you last came to see us, he's stopped drinking and has started repairing his relationships with his clients. So far it's been working out really well, and we owe it to you."

"What do you mean?"

"Seeing and talking to you has helped us move on, and our lives have been getting back to normal. You gave us a second chance, and we're not wasting it this time."

I smiled at this, and Chris patted me on the back, "So how's my little brother been spending his birthday?"

"Having fun mainly," I replied, "I came to see you after being challenged to a race with these," I flexed my wings, and Chris took a moment to look at them, "I lost, but after a game of chicken, the tables were balanced."

"Can you give me a demonstration?" He said, not taking his eyes off them.

"I suppose I can. I can't fly too high, otherwise the whole village might see me. Don't want everyone thinking they saw an angel or a ghost, now do we?" I lifted into the air and started circling around the garden.

Chris stayed sat down by the pond as he watched his brother flying around the garden. Part of him still couldn't believe he was seeing him, He's actually flying, with wings. My own brother. He turned to the two girls, who were sat next to him, watching the spectacle.

"So you two are actually unicorns?"

They both looked over at him, "Yes, we are," said the girl in green, Lyra, wasn't it?

"So how did he get those wings?"

This time, Twilight answered. He pitied her for having a name like that, "I was practicing some magic about a week and a half ago and he was helping me with a spell that involved lucid dreaming. He dreamed he could fly, but when we woke up again, he had wings coming out of his back. I'm still doing research into how it happened."

He paused, "What's you world like?"

Twilight thought for a second, "Well, from what I've seen, humans are more advanced than us. That might be because our knowledge of magic means we don't need to advance. Our land is ruled by two sisters, who control the sun and the moon, and we've lived in harmony for hundreds of years."

"You mean you haven't had a war for that long?"

"Goodness no."

Chris smiled absent-mindedly, "I envy you guys."

At this point, Dutch came landing next to them, giving a quick bow, "Thank you for being a lovely audience." Chris smiled at his brother's wit, he had always been pretty good at thinking things up on the spot, even if it was a god-awful 'CSI Miami' style pun now and then.

They were just standing back up, when Twilight suddenly turned her head to the side, "I think we have to go now Dutch,"

A flash of sadness crossed his face, "Ok then," he turned to Chris, "Give Dad my love, and tell him I'm sorry I couldn't see him and that I'll try and visit you guys again soon."

Chris pulled him in for one final hug, "Will do," he looked over at Twilight and Lyra, "Look after my little brother, and don't let him do anything stupid."

They both gave a short laugh, and Lyra said, "We might be a bit late for that, he's off for training in a couple of days."

"Training?"

"Yeah," Dutch said, "I've been accepted into their world's army."

Worry crossed Chris' mind, but he pushed it aside, "Well, it's what you always wanted to do."

He broke the hug, and watched his brother as he and the girls faded away, leaving him alone again in the garden.

I opened my eyes, and the walls of the library had returned. The sky was an orange hue, so we must have been out for a few hours, and everyone else had left except for Scootaloo, who was napping on a sofa. Lyra and Twilight were sitting up next to me. Speaking to my brother had left me a bit emotional, and before any of us knew it, I had picked them both up in a hug.

"Thank you," I said, "You guys are some of the best friends I could have."

Lyra giggled, "The day isn't over Dutch. I still need to give you my present."

I set them back down, "What does that involve?"

Lyra thought for a moment, "Have you been to the nightclub in town yet?"

Bloody hell! A 5k chapter?! When I started this story, I never thought I'd write that much in a single chapter.
Anyway, I'm uploading this early for you guys because my exams are starting now. You can probably expect no updates for the next two weeks. I'd also like to say that we're getting close to 200 favourites, so a big thanks for that, as well as all the thumbs-up and people watching me.

Chapter 26: A Night to Remember

A nightclub? I didn't know these ponies were the sort to go out raving. But then again, maybe their definition of a nightclub was different to a human's. I hadn't been to many nightclubs back on Earth, so I was a little out of practice when it came to things like these.

"I'm afraid to say I haven't Lyra."

"Well there's a first time for everything," she climbed to her hooves and offered a hoof to help me up, "Come on, me and Twilight will get everypony else, you can take Scootaloo home. She looks like she could do with a proper bed instead of a sofa."

I lifted Scootaloo into my arms and carried her out the door, going in one direction while the girls went in another. I began walking, but Lyra quickly came running back to my side, "One more thing, Twilight mentioned you had some little box that made music. Maybe you could bring that too."

I nodded, and carried on through the town. The moon had just begun to rise over the horizon, and it cast a grey and blue glow that replaced the orange dusk. Despite the darkness, the air was warm, and felt comforting as I entered the Bannered Mare. I quietly carried Scootaloo up to our apartment, and tucked her into the sleeping bag.

I stood up to leave, but a voice from the sleeping bag caught my attention, "Dutch?"

I turned back to Scootaloo to see her sat up in the sleeping bag, giving me a nervous look. I sat down next to her, "What's wrong Scoots?"

"That letter... it said you were going to become a soldier. And... my dad..."

I made the connection. She was scared I wouldn't come back either, "Don't worry Scoots, that's not going to happen."

She jumped off the bed and sat next to me, resting her head against my leg, "I know, but... can you promise me that you won't let what happened to Dad happen to you?"

My heart skipped a beat. What she was asking of me had shocked me, but I knew that it was one of those impossible promises. I put a hand under her chin and raised her head so that she looked me straight in the eye, wrapping a wing round her as I spoke.

"I can't promise that I won't die Scootaloo. I don't like making promises I can't keep. But what I can promise is that no matter what happens, I'll always come back, and I'll always be there for you."

She continued to stare at me a while longer, before slowly nodding, "Ok Dutch."

I gave her a warm smile, "Get some sleep. Tomorrow we can spend some time together."

"Really?"

"Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye." I had heard the Pinkie Promise before, but this was the first time I had actually used it, though I understood what kind of a promise it was.

She nodded again, and climbed back into bed. As I zipped up the bag, a thought entered my head, and I did something I never thought I would do. I leaned down and gave Scootaloo a kiss on the forehead, "Goodnight Scoots, I'll see you in the morning."

I left the building to find only six ponies waiting outside for me.

"Ready to go?" Lyra asked.

"Yeah, but where's Fluttershy?"

"She didn't want to come," Rainbow explained, "She's not the biggest fan of crowds or loud places."

We began walking down the street. Ponies were slowly disappearing from sight, entering their homes and ending a hard day's work in whatever method they chose. As we walked, everyone was chatting amongst themselves. Twilight was curious about trying alcohol for the first time, and Applejack and Rainbow Dash were arguing over who was better at holding their liquor.

Lyra was next to me as we walked, "Honestly, I'm not surprised you haven't heard about this place yet. New nightclubs have a habit of keeping themselves low-profile, if you know what I mean."

"How come?" I asked.

"The media's full of critics when it comes to new things, and nightclubs are no exception. Most of them like to keep on the down-low until they've gotten popular with the locals. If they don't, the newspapers will learn about them and create an opinion for them, and not always a good one. This one we're going to is only a few months old, so it's still a secret, kinda."

Twilight walked up alongside me, "Dutch, why did your brother apologise when we met him? Is the name Twilight a bad thing there?"

I chuckled, "I don't want to go too deeply into it, but what I can tell you is that Twilight is the name of a series of poorly written novels involving vampires, werewolves and bad romance. I won't tell you any more for fear of damaging your young mind."

"Sounds a mite like the Dusk books, don't ya'll reckon?" Applejack said.

The rest of the group giggled, while Twilight had a look of confusion and curiosity on her face. Luckily, she had the sense to drop the subject.

Since the Summer Sun Celebration, the spark inside Dutch had been growing, gaining strength and learning what it could about its host. It had been a few months now, and it had grown enough to form its own conscience.

The being it was inhabiting was brave, that much was certain, otherwise it wouldn't be here. He had suffered severe mental trauma when he was younger, but he was strong-hearted, and had overcome that, as well as the guilt of leaving his family. And even if he wasn't part of this world, he had found a home here, as well as friends, maybe even a family, of sorts.

It concluded that he would make a suitable host, and decided it would reveal itself to him tonight. It would only be brief, but long enough to contact him. As it chose a physical form, it wondered if the other six would do the same with their hosts.

We pushed open the door to the club and were greeted by swinging disco lights and the cheering of ponies. I looked around at the interior. It wasn't as crazy as a human nightclub, and wasn't crowded to the brim, but populated well enough to make it busy. Upon further examination, I saw a bar, a dancefloor, and a DJ behind a set of turntables; the essentials. Lyra motioned us towards the bar, where we each took a seat and ordered a drink.

"Hey Dutch, I'll get you the first round. Birthday treat!" Lyra shouted over the noise of the music. I was happy to oblige, and the bartender passed me a pint of cider. I took a mouthful, and savoured the taste. It had been a while since I'd had alcohol, but I could guess this was weaker than the average human cider. Maybe that was because I could hold my drink pretty well, or because I usually drank strong cider, who knows. What I did know was that it would take a while before I was on the floor.

The distinct flavour of the alcohol gave me a brief flashback of home, but it wasn't a bad memory. In fact, I found myself smiling. It was when my family was celebrating my eighteenth birthday, and we had gone down to the local pub. I had been eager to legally buy my first drink, and I felt sorry for people like the Americans, knowing they'd have to wait another three years before they could buy the stuff.

"Thanks Lyra," a thought occured to me, "You know, you're actually the first female I know who's actually bought me a drink."

We shared a laugh, and Twilight set her own drink down as she turned to me, "Hey Dutch, when we were back at your house, your brother called you 'Doug'. Why did he call you that?"

I rested my half empty glass on the bar, "Doug is my real name, Douglas Jones. Dutch was an old nickname I had at college that I started using when I first arrived in Equestria. It just sort of stuck from there."

"Sounds like a tough-guy's name." Rainbow remarked.

"Well, I was the one who carried all the heavy gear whenever we went on expeditions," I said, flexing my arms jokingly, "I was also a champion at British Bulldog."

"What in Equestria is 'British Bulldog' darling?" Rarity asked.

"It's like tag, only with more tackling and pain and less actual tagging."

Rarity was aghast. "That sounds absolutely horrid! Inflicting pain on somepony else just for a game?"

"I'll admit, it sounds bad to someone who hasn't played it, but it was our game, and we loved it all the same." I replied, taking another sip from my cider.

I was halfway though my second pint of cider when I felt a hoof tap me on the shoulder. I turned around to see a white unicorn with magenta eyes and spiky, electric-blue hair looking up at me.

"Hey big guy," she shouted over the music, "You're Dutch right? Lyra mentioned that you had some kind of musical box."

I pulled my Ipod out of my pocket, "Yeah, got it right here."

"Cool," she said, eyeing up the Ipod, "Any chance we can listen to some human music?"

"Lead the way," I hopped off the chair and followed the mare towards the turntables.

"I'm Vinyl, by the way," the unicorn said, "Vinyl Scratch. I run this club."

"Nice to meet you Vinyl," I said, "So how do you know Lyra."

"Anypony that works in the music industry is good at making friends with other musicians," Vinyl explained, "Lyra mentioned you a few weeks after I arrived in Ponyville. She seems quite fond of you."

I paused, "What do you mean by 'fond of me'?"

Vinyl's answer was drowned out as the current song reached its finale and released a blast of bass, but before I could reply with, "What?!" She had already reached the turntables and was donning a pair of large purple goggles. She asked to take the Ipod, and after a bit of glowing from her horn, she handed it back to me.

"There, just select a song and it'll play."

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"Totally, just hurry up, the crowd needs their music," she picked up a microphone with her magic, "Hey guys. Big D over here's going to show us a taste of human music!"

I found a good song in the jazz genre, and picked up the microphone, "Here's an old classic," I pressed play on my Ipod, and put on my best Lou Bega impression as I spoke to the crowd, "Ladies and Gentlemen, this is Mambo Number Five"

As the main beat started up, I could already see ponies bobbing their heads. The rest of the music began, and I went down to the dancefloor to join them. Twilight, Pinkie and Lyra came out to join me too, and we began dancing. As the chorus started, I did my best attempt at the Carlton Dance. I wasn't the greatest of dancers, so it involved a lot of arm flailing, but the ponies seemed to be doing something similar, and were just enjoying the music.

Lyra was standing on her hind legs, her forelegs in the air and her mane swinging back and forth. Pinkie was on all fours, and her dancing involved a lot of bouncing. Twilight on the other hand... well, I didn't know what she was doing, because it certainly wasn't dancing. Lyra had a huge grin on her face, and we locked eyes as we danced. I saw a fire in the gold of her irises, and whether it was because of the music or the alcohol, I didn't know, but she had confidence written over her.

After the song, Vinyl put on some of her own music, and the three ponies were out of breath. After retrieving my Ipod, we returned to the bar, and I saw Rainbow Dash and Applejack were about to start a drinking game involving some of the stronger Apple Family drink. Lyra decided to partake, and I sat down next to them as they took their first shots. All three of them managed to remain strong after three shots each, and I started to give encouragement to whoever looked like they were about to fall off their chair first after the fifth shot.

"Come on Lyra, your not going to let them get the better of you, right?"

"Not a chance!" Lyra shouted to me, as the sixth shot went down.

"Ah'm gonna get ya both, Ah drink this stuff all the time!" Applejack said with a speech impediment that was known as 'being drunk'.

"Nu uh!" Rainbow replied, just as intoxicated as the others, "I don't lose remember?"

Another two shots later, and there was a loud thud as Applejack collapsed to the floor in a drunken, mumbling mess. She was quickly followed by Lyra who, out of fear of joining her, let Rainbow Dash win by forfeit. Rainbow attempted to hover in the air as she celebrated, but quickly returned to her hooves after some unstable wobbling. Meanwhile, something similar was happening over at the bar. Pinkie Pie and Twilight seemed to have swapped personalities because of the alcohol; Pinkie being surprisingly calm, while Twilight was practically bouncing off the walls. She seemed to enjoy her first time getting drunk.

Rarity and I were perhaps the closest to being sober. The cider had affected me less, though I still felt tipsy. Rarity, being a lady, had limited her alcohol intake, and was still able to compose herself appropriately. She and I looked over the other five ponies.

"Perhaps we should call it a night?" Rarity suggested.

"Agreed," I said, and walked over the Twilight and Pinkie, "Are you two going to be alright getting home?"

"Suuure," Twilight slurred, "The library's only that way," she gestured out the door, Really? I didn't know it was outside the club.

"Don't worry Dutch," Pinkie said, sounding surprisingly sober despite the amount of alcohol she had in her system, "I'll make sure she gets back safe."

"Thanks Pinkie," I said, before turning to Rarity, "Rare, do you think you can get Applejack back to the farm?"

"Must I?" I nodded, "Ugh, very well." She lifted Applejack off the floor and put a foreleg round her as she carried her out the door. That left only Lyra and Rainbow Dash.

"Come one you two," I said, picking up Lyra, who couldn't support her own weight, "You ok with getting back to your cloud home Rainbow?"

"Sure," she followed me outside before taking off, occasionally wobbling as she disappeared into the night sky.

I saw another couple exit the club. I recognised one of them as Derpy, the other was a brown earth pony with a dark brown mane and an hourglass cutie mark.

"Hey Dutch," Derpy said. Her voice was slurred, and her eyes were perfectly straight, Yep, definitely been drinking, "You have fun too?"

"Great fun, I'm just taking Lyra home now," I said, gesturing at the unicorn in my arms.

Derpy let out an 'Aaawww' and stumbled before being caught by the stallion next to her.

"Come on Derpy," he said, "It's late, and Dinky's going to be waiting for you." They walked off, leaving me alone outside the club.

I looked down at the mint-green ball of fur in my arms, "Right then, that just leaves you and me."

I began walking back through town, while Lyra shifted in my arms to make herself more comfortable, "Hey Dutch. You said you'd never been bought a drink by a girl before. Surely your special somepony must have at some point."

I was familiar with the term 'special somepony', referring to a girlfriend or equivalent. I smiled at her drunken silliness, "To tell you the truth Lyra, I've never had a girlfriend."

Her eyes went wide, "Huh? Never?! A cute, polite, strong guy like you?"

Cute? Ok, that's a new one, "I'm afraid not. I guess I was just unlucky when I was younger."

"It doesn't matter what you were. At least tell me you been kissed."

I shrugged, "Sorry to disappoint."

I carried on down the street towards Lyra's house, but my journey was interrupted as I felt a hoof on my cheek. Before I could react, Lyra had lifted her head and planted her lips onto mine, pulling me into a kiss, and I stopped dead in the middle of the street out of shock, eyes going wide. She had her eyes closed, and her lips felt soft, despite her being a pony. She held the kiss for a few seconds longer - I was too shocked to break off - before pulling away.

"Well, that solves that problem," she said with a giggle. She also mumbled something about 'the Pegasus thing' as she nestled in my arms again, but it was too quiet to hear.

"Erm, ok... thanks," my heart was pounding, and I had to take a moment to compose myself before continuing down the street. Lyra's house came into view, and I quickened my pace towards it. Lyra had fallen asleep into my arms, and I took care not to wake her as I opened her door. I was about to walk through, but I felt my wings get caught in the door. Looking over, I saw they had stiffened for some reason, and were just a little too wide to get through the door. Huffing in frustration, I turned to the side and shuffled inside.

I carried Lyra upstairs and searched for her bedroom. Upon finding it, I carefully placed her under the sheets and made my way towards the door. Just as I was leaving, I felt something tug on my hand and turned to see it wrapped in a golden aura.

"Please don't go," Lyra mumbled from under the sheets.

I smiled, and sat down next to the bed. My wings were still a little stiff, but after a few minutes they returned to their original position, I wonder what caused that. I felt Lyra rest her head next to me, and a long line of thoughts entered my head.

She kissed me! My first kiss, and it was from a bloody pony!

Calm down. Maybe this is your lucky chance to actually get a girlfriend.

Are you kidding, she's a pony, it just wouldn't work. Besides, that was probably the alcohol talking; she didn't mean it.

And if she did? At least go for it, the worst that can happen is she says no. You were turned down by girls back on Earth three times. Maybe your luck will take a turn for the better this time round

I don't know. I'm going to need some time to think about this if that's the case.

"I honestly think you'd make quite a cute couple."

The voice snapped me out of my mental argument, and I looked around for the source. Someone else was in the house.

"Who's there?" I whispered aggressively, taking care not to wake Lyra.

"Relax pal, I'm over here," I saw a pony step out from the shadows. It was a tall, well-built Pegasus stallion, about the same height as Big Mac, though not as bulky, with a dark green coat that had a few brown stripes on it, almost like camouflage. His mane was short and brown, as well as his tail, and he had deep, hazel eyes. His wings were larger than the average Pegasus, and looked comparable to Princess Celestia's.

"Who are you?" I demanded.

"My name is Valiant. I've been watching you for some time."

"Uh huh."

"You can drop the hostilities Dutch, I'm not a threat."

I was still suspicious, "How do I know that?"

"Simple. Meet me at the library tomorrow, I will explain everything then."

I felt Lyra wrap a hoof around me, and I looked over to see her resting her head on my shoulder, still asleep. I turned back to the mysterious pony, but he had already disappeared back into the shadows, as if he was never there. I was still unsure as to whether I could trust him, whoever he was, but I figured I would find out more tomorrow.

I shuffled in my seating position and let myself drift off.

Author's notes: Zhayce, you asked for it in comment #136, and you got it!
Plus, big story development next chapter.

P.S. Exams are over! Woot!

Chapter 27: Allies

Sorry guys. This chapter took longer to write than I wanted it to. It's easy to lose track of time when you're reading 'Background Pony'.
Damn good fic.

29th Summer's End, 2012

My peaceful sleeping was interrupted as a sharp beam of sunlight cut through the window. Grumbling, I straightened my back and remembered the events of last night, looking over to see Lyra still resting her head on my shoulder. Her mouth hung open, and a small patch of drool was starting to form on my jacket. Smiling, I slowly lifted her head and set it down on the bed, hearing a mumble escape her lips as I left the room.

As I descended the stairs, I got back to thinking about last night at the club. Lyra was going to have the mother of all hangovers when she woke up. I thought about making her a cooked English breakfast, but there was the problem of meat.

Doesn't matter, there's still other stuff I can use, I thought to myself as I searched the cupboards for food. I quickly found the bread and eggs and began cooking what I could of the dish. I even managed to find a tin of beans and some mushrooms, as well as a few tomatoes.

While everything cooked, I wandered around the kitchen. A frame on the wall immediately caught my attention, and I discovered it to be a certificate with golden writing, which had been very well written.

This certificate has been awarded to the unicorn:
Lyra Heartstrings
as recognition of her graduation of Fillydelphia Music Academy

I smiled, and looked up the stairs towards Lyra's bedroom. My thoughts returned to the strange pony I had talked to the night before. If this 'Valiant' was someone I could trust like he said I could, I figured the only way I could find out was by going to the library like he said. Twilight would be there, so maybe we could get some answers together.

I was close to finishing the breakfast when I heard horseshoes entering the room, and I turned to see Lyra standing in the doorway, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

"Morning sleepyhead," I said, and she immediately winced.

"Agh, not so loud please Dutch. I feel somepony bucked my brain in," she rubbed her temple.

"Sorry," I whispered, "I made breakfast. It's an old human recipe that's supposed to help with hangovers, though there are a few things missing," I poured a glass of water and carried it over to Lyra. She took it with her magic, and I returned to the food, placing it on a plate.

"Thanks," she mumbled as I put the plate in front of her, before rubbing her forehead again, "I hope you had a good birthday. Ugh, how much did I drink last night?"

"Let's just say you entered a drinking contest and lost," I said. A thought occured to me, "Do you actually remember anything from last night?"

Lyra narrowed her eyes in thought, "I remember the dancing, and being carried, but not much else."

"Yeah, that last part was me taking you home. I took you to bed, but you didn't want me to leave, so I slept here." Does that mean she doesn't remember kissing me?

"Oh, thanks." Lyra said, and I swore I could detect... something in her voice.

"Don't mention it," I looked at my watch, it was approaching eight o'clock, "Well, I'm famished. I'm going to get back to my apartment and check on Scootaloo. I'll try and see you again before I leave for Canterlot tomorrow." I stood up, and Lyra waved to me as I opened the front door and left the house.

Lyra watched Dutch leave, and let out a long sigh as her ears folded against her head. There's that familiar feeling again, she though to herself. That same wave of disorientation and sadness she had felt the last time the human had left her. She couldn't understand it, she had lived in this house, on her own, for several years now, since she had first moved to Ponyville from Fillydelphia. Before she had met Dutch, she had only had one friend: Bon-Bon. She should be used to this.

So why, whenever Dutch wasn't around, did she feel so... alone?

Could it be that... No, she pushed that thought aside, How in Equestria would it even work? Not only is he a different species, he's from another world. Sure, Dutch was a good friend; he was considerate, kind, and had introduced her to six other ponies, each of whom was now a friend to her too. But these feelings... they couldn't mean that she liked him more than that...

...could they?

Lyra finished her breakfast and headed towards the door, grabbing her lyre as she went. She needed some time to think about this. Maybe a bit of practicing in the park would help clear her head, or at least get rid of the hangover.

I opened the door to my apartment, and made my way to Scootaloo's room. Sure enough, she was still asleep, so I set to work preparing another pony's breakfast, as well as my own.

After the breakfast was done, I woke up Scootaloo and we both sat down to eat.

"So we're going to spend some time together today right?" Scootaloo asked eagerly.

"Yes, but," I saw the light in Scootaloo's eyes fade, "I need to see Twilight today about something important. Don't worry, I'll be sure to see you this afternoon. Tell you what, if you play with Applebloom and Sweetie Belle this morning, we can meet back here at say... noon, then we can have the rest of the day. I'm not in any hurry to break a Pinkie Promise."

Scootaloo gave me an honest smile, "Ok, I'm sure you know what happens when you break a Pinkie Promise."

I shuddered as I remembered Twilight's experience a month ago. She had made a Pinkie Promise without fully understanding the gravity of what she was doing. She broke it not one hour later, and had a surprise practice session in teleportation magic as she spent the next several hours being chased around town with an angry Pinkie in pursuit. It took me, Rainbow Dash and Applejack to restrain her while Twilight apologised.

"Don't remind me kid," I said, and Scootaloo giggled. The smile was gone after a short while when another thought entered her mind.

"You're leaving tomorrow, aren't you?"

I nodded, "I'm afraid so Scoots, but I think Rainbow Dash would be more than happy to look after you while I'm gone. I'll talk to her about it before I meet up with you."

A small smile returned, "Ok,"

We both finished breakfast, leaving the apartment and headin downstairs. As Scootaloo walked out the door, I stopped to speak to Full Pint.

"Hey Pint, I'm heading to Canterlot tomorrow, and I'm going to be gone for a few weeks. Do I still have to pay the rent for those days?"

Full Pint thought for a moment, "Is the kid going to be staying here?"

"Probably not."

"Then that's fine. You can start paying the rent again when you get back."

"Thanks Pint."

I headed outside to see that Scootaloo had already disappeared to find her friends. I made my way towards the library, my thoughts returning to the mystery pegasus. I guess now was the moment of truth, unless this guy was lying and I'd never hear from him again. But the majority of me said that probably wasn't going to happen.

I approached the library and knocked on the door, watching it open almost immediately to reveal Spike standing in the doorway.

"Morning Spike, is Twilight around?"

"Yeah, she's in the other room, come on." I followed him through the library, where I saw Twilight sat down by a table reading several books at the same time. Our footsteps didn't seem to attract her attention however, so Spike cleared his throat.

"Twilight, Dutch is here," his announcement snapped the purple pony out of her trance as she looked over to us.

"Oh, good morning Dutch. I'm glad you're here, you're just the guy I needed to see."

"What happened to your hangover?" I asked, puzzled at Twilight's lack of wincing or head-rubbing.

"I used a simple spell on myself that dulls the pain, if not completely removing it," she replied with a smile.

"That is so cheating," I said, "If you're going to do that, you might as well teach Lyra the spell. I had to whisper so I wouldn't rattle her brain."

"I'll keep that in mind," Twilight said with a giggle.

"So anyway, what's up?" I asked. Twilight's horn glowed, and a book floated off the shelf towards me. I plucked it out of the air and saw the title read Applied Magic: Magic's Effects on the World Around Us. I saw there was a bookmark about three quarters into the book and opened it to that page. The chapter was 'How Magic Affects the Creatures of Equestria'.

"I found something in there you may want to read," Twilight said, returning to her studies.

With my interest piqued, I began to read through the chapter. It described how every species was affected by magic differently, whether it was the natural magic that existed throughout the land, or through direct exposure from a caster. It mentioned the three types of ponies; unicorns having the ability to control magic directly, pegasi being able to control the weather and walk on clouds, while earth ponies were given natural skills with plants and animals, as well as extra strength or endurance, depending on their role.

"This is all very good, but is there something I'm supposed to be looking for?" I asked.

I saw Twilight roll her eyes, "You obviously haven't found the right section yet."

My eyes returned to the book, and I kept reading until one particular section caught my attention. The title was Magic's Effects on Non-Magical Beings, and I began to read out loud, my interest too high for me to keep quiet.

"'If a non-magical creature gets exposed to ambient magic, they can occasionally take on abilities similar to those they encounter. There have been several instances in history where a being who has not encountered magic before (usually somepony from a distant land, the most recent being a zebra) has gained unique magical abilities based on ponies they met.'"

I paused, and Twilight saw this as an indication to add her input, "When you first arrived in Equestria, who were the first ponies you came across?"

"The Apple family," the pieces started falling together, "So when I met them, I took on some of their abilities?" I looked at Twilight, who nodded, "Well, that explains why I can run a mile flat-out without breaking a sweat."

"But there's more," Twilight said mysteriously, and I returned to the book.

"'Direct exposure to magic can also have an effect on non-magical beings, especially if said magic affects or alters the being's physical form. However, both of the above cases are extremely rare, as there are very few creatures who do not become infused with natural magic at birth.'"

My eyes widened, and I saw Twilight had stopped studying and had now turned to face me, "Is this implying that when you gave me wings in the dream, my lack of exposure to magic made it a permanent effect?"

"In laypony's terms, yes,"

I smiled, "Well, I guess I owe you one."

She smiled back, and was about to return to her books, when she suddenly drew a distant gaze, as if remembering something. Her tone became serious, "Dutch, there's something we need to discuss," she turned to Spike, who was busy dusting the shelves, "Spike, can you leave the library for a minute? Dutch and I have a private matter we need to talk about."

"Alright then," Spike said, but his young, curious mind got the better of him, "What kind of private matter?"

"Spike, stop being awkward!" Twilight snapped, getting irritated, "Just... go out and buy an ice cream or something."

Spike laughed, "Now that, I can do." He quickly left the library, the pattering of his scaled feet slowly becoming quieter.

I turned to Twilight, "What is it Twi?"

"Last night, after the club, did anything... unusual happen?"

"Well, Lyra was drunk enough to kiss me as I carried her home. Luckily, she doesn't remember that, but-"

"No!" Twilight said, blushing, "Not like that. I mean did you see any strange ponies?"

"Oh." I had an idea of what she was referring to, "Yeah, there was this pegasus that appeared out of nowhere and told me to meet him here, then disappeared like he was never there. He said his name was Valiant."

Twilight rubbed her chin, "Interesting. Eclipse mentioned that one of them was called 'Valiant'. I guess that was who you met."

"Wait, wait. Who's Eclipse?"

"I am," said a female voice behind me. I turned round to look at the source, and my jaw hit the floor.

Standing before me... was a human. She was young, with purple hair and pink highlights. She looked identical to the human version of Twilight when she visited my world. The pegasus from the night before was standing next to her.

"Wha...?" Was all I could say as I focused on maintaining my balance.

"As Twilight explained, my name is Eclipse," the human explained, "Twilight Sparkle is my host, just as you are Valiant's. The other five should be here shortly, as we have arranged each of our hosts to meet here at this time."

Wait. Eclipse, plus Valiant and five others meant seven. That number held significance.

I finally found my voice, "So there's seven of you? Does that mean that...?"

"Yes," said Valiant, "We are the Elements of Harmony."

My mind was on the verge of melting, and I turned to Twilight to see a distinct lack of surprise on her face, "How long have you known about this?"

"Eclipse explained everything to me last night after I had calmed down from the alcohol a bit. Why? Didn't Valiant do the same?"

We all looked at the dark green pegasus, who raised a hoof, "In my defence, you and Lyra looked cute together, and I didn't want to bother you."

Eclipse sighed, "Please excuse him. Valiant was always a bit like that."

At this point, we heard the door open, and several sets of hooves enter the library. We entered the main room to see the other Bearers of the Elements standing in front of us, accompanied by five other humans - two men and three women, all in their late teens or early twenties - each of whom held some similarity in appearance to one of the ponies.

"Twilight!" Pinkie said, bouncing up to us, "This totally amazing thing happened last night! I had just taken you home, 'cos you were sooo drunk, and when I got back to Sugarcube Corner, there was this wierd thing in my room. It kinda looked like Dutch, 'cos it was tall and wore clothes, but I knew it wasn't Dutch 'cos it had really big pink hair, kinda like mine, and it said it was a 'she' and then she said I had to go to the library, and then she disappeared and I was really--"

Pinkie was immediately silenced as a pink-haired girl wearing a pink t-shirt and matching skirt placed a hand over her mouth, "I think that's enough Pinkie," she turned to us, "It is good to meet you. I am Morale, the Spirit of Laughter."

The other two women in front of us introduced themselves. One had curly purple hair and wore a white evening dress, calling herself Charity, the Spirit of Generosity. The other had long, pink hair, a yellow turtleneck sweatshirt and a long brown skirt that reached her ankles. Her name was Angel, the Spirit of Kindness.

Finally, the two male Spirits stepped forward. The first had short, rainbow hair, a bright blue hoodie and jeans. His name was Guardian, the Spirit of Loyalty. The seventh Element had blonde hair in a short ponytail, an orange shirt with a collar and also wore jeans. He introduced himself as Oath, the Spirit of Honesty.

Once the introductions were out the way, Charity cleared her throat and said, "I understand that you will inevitably have questions for us, but I think it is best if you all ask your seperate Elements if you have any queries."

"She's right," said Guardian, gesturing for Rainbow Dash to follow him, and each of the ponies went to a corner of the library with their Elements. It seemed Eclipse had already answered Twilight's questions, as they simply started a conversation about each other. I sat down with Valiant, and in the light of the day, I saw his cutie mark. It was a white shield, identical to the symbol that had been on the necklace during the Summer Sun Celebration.

"So," Valiant started, "What do you want to ask?"

I had already had my first question lined up since I first saw Eclipse, "Why are you a pony, while the others are humans?"

"Simple enough," he replied, "When an Element chooses a host, it cannot take the form of said host. Instead, it must take the form of whatever else it can find. We got unlucky when Princess Celestia was our host; we had to take the form of various insects that happened to be in the room at the same time. I pulled the short straw and became a snail. Can you believe it? Me, Valiant, the Spirit of Bravery, a damn snail!"

His voice had raised, and Oath called across the room, "Calm down Valiant. At least you don't have to worry about it now."

"Damn right!" Valiant shouted back, flexing his wings, "Oh man, that feels good. Anyway, finding a form for me was easy enough, as you aren't a pony in any way. But the others had to find something else, so they latched onto the first living thing they found."

"I assume that was me." I said.

"Exactly."

"So if you're spirits, who can actually see you apart from us?"

"No one," Valiant said, "Only the hosts can see the Spirits, and only if that particular host is present. For example, if your friend Fluttershy wasn't here, you wouldn't be able to see Angel. Celestia used to be able to see all of us, but now that you are our new hosts, she can't."

"Sounds harsh,"

"Not really, she's just passing on the flame. She'll still remember us, so you can send her our regards the next time you see her."

"So are you guys as old as Celestia?"

"Nope, older," Valiant said, almost boastfully, "I assume you've been told about the story of the three pony tribes that discovered Equestria," I nodded. Twilight had told me almost everything about Equestrian history, "We were born from the fires of friendship, when those three ponies discovered how important harmony is. Back then, we were simply part of the land, maintaining that harmony wherever we could. As a result, we were weak when Discord came to power.

"That's where the alicorns come into play. Celestia and Luna found us, and focused our power into physical objects, which became the Elements of Harmony which you found in the forest. We became stronger, and the sisters used that newly found strength to defeat Discord," he suddenly sighed, "I'll never forget the day we had to do the same thing to Luna, but at least she's back to normal now."

I noticed his expression, and tried to divert the subject quickly, "It's wierd. If you're thousands of years old, I would've expected you to speak more cryptic or old-fashioned."

He cocked his head, "What's wrong with getting with the times?"

I smiled, and another question entered my head as I noticed something, "Valiant, why have you got a chunk of your left ear missing?"

"Because you're missing that," he answered, pointing at my left ring finger, "Obviously, ponies don't have fingers, so I had to find something else to lose when I took a physical form. A piece of an ear seemed less important than, say, an eye or a wing."

We continued to talk for some time, but I realised I had to stop when I looked at my watch, seeing the hands approach twelve o'clock. I stood up and said, "Sorry guys, but I've got to go. I promised Scootaloo I'd spend some time with her today."

Everyone nodded in understanding, and I walked over to where Rainbow Dash and Guardian were sitting.

"Hey Dash, can you do me a favour?"

"Sure, what do you need?" She asked.

"Since I'm leaving tomorrow, could you look after Scootaloo while I'm gone? She sees you as a role model, so I figured you'd be my best bet."

"Hey, no problem," she said with a smile, "I'll take care of her. You only need to look at the guy next to me to know that."

I smiled, giving a grateful nod to both of them, and left the library. As I walked away, I looked over my shoulder, but Valiant was nowhere to be seen.

I only had to wait a few minutes at the Bannered Mare before three fillies appeared around the corner. They were talking and laughing amongst themselves as I made my way over to them.

Applebloom was the first to notice me, "Howdy Dutch,"

"Afternoon girls,"

"So now can we do stuff?" Scootaloo asked.

"Of course," I said jokingly, turning to Applebloom and Sweetie Belle, "Do you two want to come along too?"

"Actually, we were looking for our sisters," Sweetie replied, "Do you know where they could be?"

"Yeah, they're both in the library," I watched the two fillies disappear down the street, before turning to Scootaloo, "So, what do you want to do?"

"There was a shop in the town centre that I wanted to get something from," she said, "Can you come and help me buy it?"

"That depends on how much it costs, but yes, I can. Let me just go and grab some bits."

After grabbing enough bits to buy anything that was reasonably priced, Scootaloo and I had made our way to the town contre, where she immediately headed for a shop called, 'Acceler8 - Free Wheel's shop for any mode of transport'.

We headed inside, whereupon we were greeted by a blue earth pony with a tire for a cutie mark, "Hi Mr Wheel," said Scootaloo as she entered.

"Afternoon Scoots. You must be here for that scooter you've had you're eye on," she nodded, and Free Wheel turned to me, "And I suppose you're that Dutch fellow that she always talks about."

"I am indeed," I looked over at Scootaloo, "A scooter?"

"Yeah! Come and check it out."

She dragged me over to a corner of the shop, where a blue scooter sat. It was much simpler than a human scooter; it was essentially a plank of wood with four wheels and handlebars, but Scootaloo was practically drooling over it.

"Can we get it? Please please please?"

I rolled my eyes and looked at the price tag, Well within my budget, "Yes Scoots, we can get it."

Scootaloo was hugging my leg as I carried the scooter over to the counter and handed across the bits Free Wheel was asking for. As he gave me a receipt, Scootaloo snatched the scooter off the counter and ran outside, giggling uncontrollably.

"Kids eh?" Free Wheel said, giving me a wink and a laugh.

"Tell me about it."

I bid farewell and walked outside, but Scootaloo was nowhere to be found. I sighed to myself, and was just about to start searching for her, when I heard some commotion and a strange buzzing noise coming down the street. As I turned around, an orange and purple blur shot towards me and skidded to a halt at my feet. Scootaloo gave me the biggest grin as she leant on the handlebars.

"Have you been practicing?" I said with a sly grin.

"Nope. I guess I'm just good with speed," she took off back down the street, driving off a sloped plank of wood and doing a flip in the air, And acrobatics it seems. She's like a miniature Rainbow Dash.

I leant against the wall as I watched Scootaloo ride back and forth, laughing her head off with glee as other ponies leapt out of the way. One pony with a pink coat and yellow mane simply fainted in the middle of the street as she passed by, but I couldn't help but laugh. This was going to be one of the last times I would see Scootaloo for a while, I may as well enjoy it.

Chapter 28: New Recruit

30th Summer's End

"Hurry up Dutch! The train leaves in fifteen minutes." Twilight said.

"I know, I know," I shot back as I filled my bag with things I would need, "Christ, the one time I need to get up early and the bloody rooster doesn't call."

"You shouldn't rely on it so much."

I ignored her and continued to fill my pack, "It's like being later for school all over again."

"Aw come on," Scootaloo said, "It can't be that bad."

I took another look at the list of supplies Derpy had only given me this morning. It had the usual requirements; clothes, toiletries, even some bits if we wanted to go anywhere in Canterlot during the off time. They would supply food and equipment. However, at the bottom of the list, it said 'Any specialist items'. I could only think of one thing that would be referring to, and I had a feeling Celestia had a hoof in writing this letter.

I used the key around my neck to open the wooden box and pulled out the rifle. I did a quick check, and upon seeing no signs of damage or rust, strapped it to the side of my pack. I stuffed the magazines inside and zipped up the bag, lifting the whole thing onto my back, with my wings on either side. I did a quick scan of things in the room I may have forgotten, but I only saw the things I wouldn't need; my sleeping bag, the box I kept my rifle in, my snowboard, I still need to try that out.

"Ok, now I'm ready to go."

"Great, hold still," Twilight lit up her horn, my vision flashed, and that familiar feeling of being pulled apart engulfed me. When it ended, I was standing outside the train station.

I shook my head to get rid of the nausea, "I don't think I'll ever get used to that."

Twilight didn't seem bothered, however, as she trotted inside with Scootaloo, only turning back to give me a stern look, "Come on, the others are waiting."

We entered the train station and I bought a ticket for the Canterlot Express. After receiving the tiny piece of paper, we continued through the building and out onto the platform, where everyone else was waiting for us. They all had huge smiles on their faces, despite me going away for a few weeks.

"Ya take care now, ya hear?" Applejack said as she gave me a hug, "Ah don't wanna have to drag ya'll back to the hospital again."

"Will do AJ,"

"And make sure to have fun!" Pinkie exclaimed, "When you get back, we can throw you a congratulatory party!"

I laughed, "I'll keep that in mind."

I made my way down the line of friends, each of them giving their own message for me. The final one to say goodbye was Lyra.

She dragged her hoof along the ground, as if trying to think of something to say, "Um... good luck Dutch,"

"Thanks," I pulled her into a hug, which she returned, "I'll see you again in a few weeks."

"...ok," I pulled away, and, looking into her large, golden eyes, I swear I could see a hint of sadness. I gave her a reassuring smile as I stood up and climbed onboard the train.

Apart from a slightly lower roof, this train seemed similar to ones back on Earth. The carriages had a single, long hallway on one side of the train with passenger compartments lining the other. I quickly found one that was empty and lifted my pack onto the railing above me, the rifle making a clatter as it hit the metal poles. With that taken care of, I opened the window and stuck my head out just as the train started moving. I waved to the ponies on the platform as they ran alongside, each of them saying their goodbyes.

"See you in a few weeks," I shouted as they ran out of platform. The last thing I saw before the train rounded a corner was Lyra's mint-green coat contrasting against the brown station. I sat down and let my mind wander as the train made its way to Canterlot.

Except for the noise of the engine, the train was quiet. No other ponies entered my compartment, whether it was fear at seeing a strange creature, or respecting one's privacy. About five minutes into the journey, the train was plunged into darkness as it entered a tunnel cut through a mountain. When light finally returned to the compartment, I noticed Valiant sitting opposite me. I was slightly surprised, but I told myself to expect sudden appearances further down the line.

"What are you expecting when you get to Canterlot?" He asked.

"Don't know," I said, "But I'm a human, I can adapt. I'll cross that bridge when I come to it."

"In that case, there's something else I'd like to talk to you about."

"Sure. What's on your mind?"

"The same thing that's on your mind, seeing as I'm in your head: Lyra."

He hopped off the seat and climbed up next to me, giving me a deep stare, "You have feelings for her, don't you?"

I sighed, staring at the floor, "Now that I think about it, yes. I don't know why, but... there's something about her. I just can't put my finger on it."

"So what's stopping you from telling her?"

I gave a weak laugh, and gestured at myself, "This. Back home, humans were the only sentient creatures on the planet. We don't know anything about relationships outside our own species. "

"There's probably no difference between there and here," Valiant replied, "I'm not the best source of information for this kind of thing after being in that castle for the past thousand years, but there are other animals that walk and talk like ponies. I'm sure there's at least one pony out there who's dating a different species."

I broke my gaze from the floor, trying to think about how to solve this problem, "So you think I should do it?"

"Honestly, I'm not the one you should be asking," he shifted his wings a bit, before continuing, "Look, it was a bad morning for you, and this trip's going to take a while. Get yourself some sleep, and I'll wake you up when we get close to Canterlot."

"Thanks Valiant."

The train passed through another tunnel, and when we exited, Valiant was gone. I rested my feet on the seat beside me and used my wings as a makeshift backrest, placing my head on the wooden wall as I fell asleep.

I looked around, taking in my surroundings. I was in a rich, green meadow, hills and trees on all sides, the sun disappearing behind the horizon. One particular hill caught my attention, and on top of it I saw a faint green dot, paler in colour than the rest of the land. I started making my way up the hill, intent on finding out what the speck was.

I reached the top, and the shape revealed itself to be Lyra. She was sat on the top of the hill, staring at the horizon. I followed her gaze; the view was magnificent. I was looking over the town of Ponyville, and all of the buildings were in view. In the distance, I could see Sweet Apple Acres in all its glory, the orchard spreading for miles.

As I sat down next to Lyra, and she turned to look at me, "I'm glad you're here Dutch. I wouldn't have been the same without you."

I found myself replying as I smiled, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and resting my head on hers, "I wouldn't have missed this for the world, Lyra."

Her eyes met mine, and I became lost in her golden irises. The sunset reflected off that gold and accentuated their beauty as I saw her head slowly moving towards mine. I copied her movements, and I saw her eyes close. Our faces slowly moved closer together until...

"Hey, wake up, we're almost there."

I felt something tapping my head. Waving my arm, I opened my eyes to see Valiant poking me with a hoof. I shifted in my sitting position and heard a pony somewhere down the hall of the carriage shouting, "Next stop: Canterlot!" I lifted my legs off the seat, taking a moment to think about the dream I had had. Only one thing was going through my head as I sat there: Wierd.

I saw a pair of Royal Guards dressed in their golden armour as I approached the castle. Someone must have sent word ahead of my arrival, because as I got closer, they pulled their spears apart and let me through. I gave them a brief nod of thanks as I passed them, but they didn't even make eye contact. They only placed their spears back across the entrance, These guys are just like the British Royal Guards back home, only without the hats.

I made my way through the castle grounds until I saw a group of guards being ordered about by two pegasi, a stallion and a mare. I looked at the officers, shouting commands, and imagined myself standing where they were. I soon began to rethink my decision to do this, wondering if I could be a leader, but I quickly squashed that thought, I'm here now, no going back.

I looked at the officers again, and recognised the white coat of one of them. Captain Wingfleet saw me too. He marched his soldiers around for a few minutes more, before dismissing them and making his way over to me, the female officer behind him.

"Morning Dutch. I heard you were coming here for training," his gaze turned onto my wings, "How long have you had those?"

"Almost two weeks now," I said. I looked at the symbol on the shoulder of his armour - a full moon, which I guessed was the rank for Captain - as a thought occured to me, "I suppose this means I call you 'sir' now, huh?"

"As of now, yes," he gestured to the mare at his side, "This is Captain Bright Skies, my second in command."

The female pegasus had a bright blue coat and a white mane. She offered a hoof to shake, "There are those that speak highly of you, Lieutenant."

"Really? I haven't even started training yet."

"Captain Wingfleet!" The new voice travelled across the grounds, and I saw a dark red earth pony with a black mane making his way towards us. I stole a glance at his rank slide, and saw two full moons. The pony reached us and said, "Captain, where is your platoon?"

"Dismissed, Commander Ironhoof," said Wingfleet, giving a salute to this new officer.

Ironhoof turned to me, "And what the hell is this?"

Taking the initiative, I saluted too, "Lieutenant Jones sir, reporting for training."

"Yes, I know who you are," Ironhoof snapped, "The Princess mentioned some creature coming here for training," he shifted closer to me and narrowed his eyes, "But frankly, I don't care who, or what you are. When you're here, you're just like everypony else. Don't expect any special treatment just because you know the Princess."

"Yes sir." I already wasn't liking this guy, but his approach seemed fair.

I saw another pony approaching us. He was a tall, white unicorn with a blue mane wearing unusual purple armour. There was something about his cutie mark that seemed oddly familiar.

"Commander. May I have a word with our newest recruit?" He asked. His voice was strange for an officer, and would have sounded more appropriate with a surfer.

Ironhoof seemed to pause, before saying, "Yes Captain." He took one more look at me, as if to say 'I'm watching you', before walking back towards the castle.

The unicorn stallion approached me, "Don't worry about Ironhoof, most of his family history is Equestrian military. I guess it's just his nature to be like that," he extended his hoof, which I shook, "First Captain Shining Armour. I already know about you Dutch; Twilight Sparkle's told me a lot about you, but it's still quite a shock to see something so... different."

I cocked my head, "How do you know Twilight?"

"What, she never told you?" He asked, "I'm her brother."

Surprised, I took another look at his cutie mark: a blue shield with a purple, six-point star on it, similar to Twilight's, "She never mentioned any siblings."

Shining Armour chuckled, "That sounds like Twily, no doubt too busy studying. It's nice to finally make your acquaintance."

We shared a quick laugh, before Shining said, "Captain Wingfleet will escort you to your quarters. Get settled in and we'll send somepony to collect you for when we issue your equipment."

I followed Wingfleet round the back of the castle and towards what I assumed was the barracks. It was a fairly large building, seperate from the castle, which overlooked a large field, a forest and an assualt course. I saw a flying carriage taking some soldiers up into the mountains, so they must have had training areas up there too.

We entered the barracks and walked down a series of hallways, and I took mental notes of which turnings to take so I wouldn't get lost later. After a few minutes, we came to a door marked 'Emerald Squad'.

"This will be your dorm throughout training," Wingfleet explained, "Each new officer recruit is assigned guardsmen to train alongside them. You will be designated Emerald Squad for your duration here, and the ponies in this room will be under your command during and after training. Lead them well, and you'll be able to rely on them when you need to. Good luck Dutch."

I saluted, "Thank you sir."

He left, and I entered my new quarters. There were five beds inside, and two pegasi had already arrived, and were now in some sort of argument over who owned which bed. One had a light grey coat, a black, slicked-back mane and a thunderbolt cutie mark. The other one had a black coat, a mohawk that was two shades of pale blue and a cutie mark of a storm cloud with lightning. The one with the lighter coat noticed my presence, and nudged the other one as he continued to stare at me.

"Morning gents," I said as I sat down on a bed. It was designed for a pony, but I had gotten used to the small size, "My name's Dutch Jones. I guess I'm your squad leader from now on."

The two pegasi stared at me for a few seconds longer, before the pony with the mohawk shook his head and stepped forward, "Well, um... it's good to meet you... sir," he noticed the other pegasus was still staring, and slapped him on the back of the head, "I'm Thunderlane, and this is my little brother, Rumble."

Rumble managed a weak smile and a wave, "Um... hi."

I figured I'd try and break the ice a bit, and said, "So, you're brothers? What made you decide to join the Guard?"

I turned out that both of these pegasi had wanted to become part of the Royal Guard from a very young age. They had always had dreams of adventure and brotherhood in the military, and I didn't blame them. I had had very similar views when I was younger; stories of courage and heroism filling my head, making me want to be part of that. And here I was now.

We carried on talking for some time. Rumble had become much more relaxed around me, and was more light-hearted than he had been before. He began talking about their family. They had come from an average family in Manehatten. Their parents hadn't been able to do much to dissuade them from joining the army, but it wasn't like they wanted to anyway. They were proud of their two sons becoming soldiers.

Soon afterwards, the door opened and another pegasus stepped inside. He had a blue coat and a black mane, which was cut quite short compared to other ponies. On his flank was a picture of two swords, crossed over each other.

"Steel Sword, reporting to Emerald Squad," he said, his tone making him sound like a professional soldier already.

"Good to see you again Steel," said Thunderlane.

Steel narrowed his eyes, "Thunderlane?"

"The one and only," he replied, giving Steel a hoofshake, "I saw you as I approached the barracks, but I thought I would surprise you the next time I saw you."

"I assume you two know each other then," I asked.

"Yeah, we were friends from school," Steel said, "We haven't seen each other in what... seven years? But I'd recognise that mohawk anywhere."

I looked towards the fifth bed, "So any ideas who our final squadmate is?"

Thunderlane looked at his brother, "Bet you a bit that it's another pegasus."

"You're on," Rumble said, "We've got four flyers already. Chances are we're not going to get a fifth."

As if on cue, the door to our room opened, and another pegasus entered. He had a dark grey coat and a striped mane, which was black and ice-blue. His cutie mark was a white dove on top of a black heart, and was perhaps one of the more complex marks I had seen. As I expected, his eyes widened upon seeing me.

"Um... i-is this Emerald Squad?"

"Sure is, make yourself at home," said Thunderlane, before turning to Rumble, "Pay up, bro."

While Rumble muttered something under his breath and handed over a gold coin, I turned to the new arrival, "So what's your name?"

"Shadow Breeze," said the pegasus, putting his bag on the remaining bed and making his way over to us.

"Well Shadow, it's nice to meet you. I'm Dutch, and this is Thunderlane, Rumble and Steel Sword," I gestured at the three pegasi next to me, "You and Steel don't seem that surprised to see me."

"There were a few soldiers down the hall talking about some six-foot-tall, two-legged creature in the barracks." Shadow said, "But it's still a surprise."

"Yeah, my dad was in the Royal Guard," Steel said, "He said the if there was anything that spread around the barracks faster than germs, it was rumours. Chances are everypony will know about you before day's end."

We continued to talk, making sure everyone could get involved in the conversation and learn about the ponies they would be serving with. After half an hour, we heard the door open again. This time, a pony already wearing armour poked his head in.

"Come with me. Your gear's being issued now."

We all got up and followed the soldier down the hallways. As we walked, I noticed Thunderlane hang his head and hand over to Rumble the same bit he had just given him. I became curious, and nudged Steel Sword.

"Were they always so quick to place bets?"

"Don't worry about that," Steel replied, "They were using that same bit when I knew them in school. I lost count of how many times it's changed hooves."

The guard led us outside and round the back of the barracks. As we rounded the corner, we saw a large group of ponies crowded around a door, undoubtedly other recruits. Some of them noticed me, and began whispering amongst themselves. Steel was right; more ponies knew about me since I had arrived.

The queue into the room was pretty big, and it took a while before Emerald Squad managed to collect their gear. My team was given identical sets of navy-blue uniforms, both for formal and informal parts of training, as well as other equipment, such as a pack and waterproof clothing, and something that resembled a chest rig.

When I reached the front of the line, the quartermaster took one look at me and walked through a door at the back. He returned carrying a pile of human clothing and kit; trousers, tops, and a pair of black boots. All of the tops had slits in the back to allow my wings to move freely, so I could only assume Twilight had sent a letter about them. The pony also handed over an empty pack similar to the one I had brought with me, and webbing that looked very similar to army cadet webbing. Seeing this made me wonder if Celestia had read more of my mind than I had initially thought.

Collectively, all of the new gear weighed a fair amount, but it was nothing I couldn't handle as the squad returned to our dorm.

"So," Thunderlane said, turning to everyone else, "Ready for training tomorrow?"

"Definitely," Rumble replied, giving his brother a high-hoof.

Author's notes: Grr, why does writer's block exist? On the plus side, alcohol is an excellent cure.
Also, many thanks to AnonJ17 for letting me use his OC: the one and only Shadow Breeze.

Chapter 29: A Difference in Opinions

8th Autumn's Dawn

"Get a move on, Emerald!"

Ironhoof called to us from the top of the hill. Wingfleet might have been our commanding officer, but it was the Commander who was primarily in charge of our training. At the moment, we were running up a steep hill towards him, aiming for a metal flagpole that stood next to him. I was wearing a thin t-shirt and shorts that had been issued by the barracks, though I was still wearing my boots, which scraped uncomfortably on my ankles.

Every morning so far had been like this. Get up at six in the morning for an early breakfast, before getting into our PT gear for morning exercise. Ironhoof almost seemed to enjoy watching the recruits groan in pain as they finished their push-ups. After that it was a 'good old-fashioned morning stroll'. The stroll in question involved running a mile and a half up this hill we were now ascending, before running back down.

I paused for a moment to look behind me. My squad was in the lead, with the others some distance behind. There were four other squads that were training alongside us, each of them named after a precious stone, like us. There was Ruby, Sapphire, Onyx and Diamond Squad, and each of them held a rivalry towards us and each other. This rivalry wasn't just born from competition; there were rumours of some sort of prize for whichever squad performed the best. Needless to say, it made each of the squads more enthusiastic about their training.

I heard Ironhoof shout again, "Lieutenant Jones, why are you stopping?"

"Sorry sir," I faced back up the hill and led my squad toward the flagpole. Upon reaching it, I looped round it and paused to let everyone else catch up.

"Come on Emerald, you're doing great! We're in first place, and it's downhill from now on," I imagined Ironhoof was glaring at me, but I ignored it as I motivated my team. Steel Sword came first, his head held high as he focused on his objective. He circled the pole and started to canter back down the path. Thunderlane and Rumble came next, supporting each other and giving me tired grins as they passed. Shadow Breeze was last. His face was drenched in sweat, and he looked ready to collapse.

"Great work Shadow, the hardest part's over now!" As he circled the pole, I fell in beside him and we both descended the hill.

"I... This is..." Shadow panted, trying to find space to let out his words between breaths.

"Don't try to talk," I said. Fatigue was now just a memory to me as I looked down at him, feeling guilty for my unfair advantage, "Just focus on breathing."

He didn't reply. He simply nodded and focused on the path, trying his best to avoid the roots that stuck out of the ground as we passed through the forest. One of the other squads had learned the hard way to watch out for them. Two days earlier, an earth pony from Ruby Squad had tried to muscle past us on the way back down the hill. His hoof caught on one of the roots, and spent the rest of the day walking around with a painful limp. He didn't get much sympathy from Ironhoof, who yelled at him for letting his team down.

The downhill incline gave us additional speed, and ten minutes later, I saw the rest of my team slowing down to let us catch up. I smiled at this. Despite them still being in training, they already understood that a team needed to stick together. The trees disappeared as we left the forest, leading out into a clearing, where I could see Captain Wingfleet waiting for us with a timer.

"We're almost there guys. One last push!" I started to run faster, and the rest of the team followed suit, breaking into a gallop. Even Shadow managed to grit his teeth and muscle on, overtaking the brothers as we crossed the finish line. As he came to a stop, his legs finally gave out and he collapsed on his side, letting the morning dew cool his body.

I heard Wingfleet click to timer he was holding, "27 minutes and 45 seconds. Not as good as yesterday, but you're still first. Go and get yourselves cleaned up, you'll be learning CQB and communications today. Be back here in two hours. "

"Yes sir," I turned to the four pegasi and helped Shadow off the ground, "Fantastic work Emerald! Come on, there's showers and cool drinks waiting at our dorm." The ponies could only smile and nod at the thought of such luxuries.

We got back to our dorm and I threw off my PT gear. I wasn't self-conscious anymore about not wearing clothes, even in the presence of four ponies. The same thing happened when I would go on two-week trips to army bases with the cadets back on Earth. Spending so much time around people - or ponies - that I would be sleeping, eating, and training with tends to make you forget being concerned about your appearance around them.

"I got dibs on the shower," Rumble shouted, grabbing his towel and heading for the door.

I stopped him, "No, Shadow did the best, he's earned it."

"What?!" Rumble was about to protest, but Thunderlane put a hoof on his shoulder, and he sighed, "Fine, just don't take forever, Mr. Explorer."

I watched Shadow leave, and frowned at Rumble's nickname for him. It had started on the second day of training. As it turned out, Tunderlane and Rumble were both avid fans of a fictional superhero called Mare-Do-Well. From the sounds of it, she was an Equestrian Batman, guarding the streets of Manehatten from criminals and protecting the innocent. Shadow had different opinions, more interested in the adventurer and explorer, Daring Do, their equivalent of Indiana Jones.

Inevitably, this had led to a clash between them as they argued who was better. Thunderlane, being older than Rumble, was smart enough not to get involved, but Rumble was bent on defending the honour of Mare-Do-Well. I almost had to break up a fight at one point.

After our showers, I picked up my rifle and we left to go back outside for CQB training. I had made a habit of taking the rifle with me as much as I could. Call me paranoid, but I wanted to keep an eye on it at all times. I had even taken a strip of cloth and used it as a sling to keep my hands free.

We all went round into the field we had just finished the run from to see the other squads forming up around Wingfleet. I saw Onyx Squad appear behind us, and took a moment to look at them. It was strange; Emerald Squad was the only team with only one type of pony.

We arrived in front of Wingfleet, and I could see some of the other ponies getting ready for the lesson. Two ponies from Sapphire were even starting to spar.

"Cut that out you two," Wingfleet said to the recruits, "There will be plenty of time to fight during the lesson."

He instructed us to form a circle around him, and took a volunteer to show us some basic moves. Most of them involved self-defence, such as getting out of a choke-hold, or how to make someone tap out quickly. After he was finished, he let his volunteer return to the crowd, who gladly accepted while rubbing his aching foreleg where Wingfleet had twisted it.

"Ok, new partner," he eyed the crowd, "Jones, you just volunteered."

"Yes sir," I set my rifle down and walked out into the centre of the circle and faced the Captain. What he did next surprised me.

He pushed up from his forelegs and balanced himself on his hind legs, making him almost as tall as me, "How much do you know about hoof-to-hoof combat, Lieutenant?"

"A decent amount. I took some self-defence classes back home."

"Good," he took a step towards me and jabbed at my face. I assumed he was taking it slow, as I managed to dodge easily.

Still balanced on two legs, Wingfleet turned to the crowd, "Sometimes, you're going to have to get into a hoof-fight. Now, normally, your first reaction would be to simply buck them, right? It's not always the best choice though, as it's slow and you take your eyes off your opponent. If you can learn to balance like this, it gives you two spare hooves to fight with, as well as a height advantage."

He turned back to me and swung his right hoof at my face again, faster this time. I dodged, but I was off balance as he attacked again with his left. I only just managed to block it, but he came back in with his right and caught me in the stomach, knocking the wind out of me.

While I recovered, Wingfleet dropped onto his hooves, "Now that the demonstrations have been concluded, I want you to practice these moves with your squads. It's important that you learn how to stand on two legs as soon as possible. Remember, this is simple sparring only! I don't want to see any blood."

My team then took it in turns to spar with each other, practicing the choke-holds and grabs. Despite fighting ponies, a lot of this felt familiar, and I quickly managed to get the hang of things, taking to standing on the sidelines giving pointers to my squadmates.

After half an hour of drills, I saw Shadow get knocked on the floor by Rumble with a hit that seemed too hard to be simple sparring. My suspicions were confirmed when I saw Shadow clutch his side and groan in pain. Wingfleet had seen it too.

"Lieutenant, get your squad under control!" He shouted from across the field.

I didn't need telling. I grabbed Rumble and pushed him back, standing between him and Shadow, "Is this because of those bloody story characters again?"

Rumble didn't reply, but continued to look past me at Shadow. His silence was enough to answer my question, "You two behave like a pair of children sometimes! Tunderlane, you're sparring with your brother. Shadow, can you still participate?" He nodded, "Good, you'll be with me and Steel. I DON'T want to see this happen again!" I was fair to my squad most of the time, but like with any group, there were times I had to be assertive. Sometimes it's the only way you learn.

Shadow looked a little winded, but still fought well as we restarted our session. He even managed to get a few hits on Steel, who was more than happy to respond in kind. I looked around at the rest of the squads, seeing how they were doing with their new bipedal postures. Diamond and Ruby had almost perfected it, Onyx were starting to get the hang of it, while Sapphire had paused on the fighting to get the hang of it.

As I sparred with Steel and Shadow, I saw Commander Ironhoof walk out onto the field and begin talking in a hushed voice with Wingfleet. I couldn't hear the conversation, but I could see Wingfleet face become one of concern as his lips moved. A few seconds later, his expression became one of acceptance as I saw him say, "Yes sir."

He and Ironhoof walked over to the five squads, and Ironhoof announced his presence.

"Alright fillies," he shouted, "I've been watching you spar, and I have to say I'm not impressed. Do you think your opponent will simply take it lying down. If you come across a threat, you neutralise it, and so far I haven't seen a lot of that. I think it's time some of you experienced losing some blood."

I instantly knew what was coming as I saw Ironhoof's eyes make contact with mine. There was something about me that made him hate me with a rare passion, "Lieutenant Jones, you will enter the ring with Guardsman Arcane."

I walked into the centre of the circle and watched a large unicorn join me. He was from Diamond Squad, with a sky blue coat and an electric purple mane that seemed to pulse in the light. He came up to my shoulder on all fours, and was easily the tallest pony in training. He gave me an evil grin as he approached; Emerald and Diamond Squad had seemed to form one of the stronger rivalries, and the rest of his team was egging him on as he stood on his hind legs, giving him a distinct height advantage over me.

I looked over at my squad. Shadow looked a little nervous, Steel had a small smile appearing on his usually neutral face, and Tunderlane and Rumble were clapping their hooves together at me. No doubt they had already made a bet over who would win.

Wingfleet stood between us, preparing to start the match, but me and Arcane were both looking straight past him, staring into each other's eyes. I was only vaguely listening to Wingfleet's words as he counted us down. When he reached zero, he jumped out of our way and Arcane immediately threw a hoof at me. It was a predictable move, as I ducked under it and launched a left cross into his stomach. I had put a human on the floor before with that move, but Arcane seemed to shrug it off as he punched again and forced me to take a step back.

The unicorn advanced, throwing his hooves forward without pausing. I did my best to block them, but eventually one of his hooks got through, slamming into my cheek and sending me sideways. My vision blurred, and I put a hand out to keep my balance. My mind was racing as I returned to the centre of the ring. I had speed and agility over his bulky frame, but when he hit, it bloody hurt.

I shook my head and looked back at Arcane. The evil grin had returned, and he tried to hit me again with the same move. Expecting it, I ducked again and moved to the side, bringing my leg into his midsection. It hit harder than my fist, and he bent forward from the impact. I took advantage of his lowered form, and gave him a hook of my own. It hit his jaw, and he fell forward onto his forelegs. There was an, "Ooooh," from someone in the crowd, and I heard Emerald cheering at my temporary victory.

This carried on for another five minutes of solid fighting. Arcane would throw a few hard-hitters, whilst I would attack with faster, but weaker punches. With our advantages, it had become a fairly even fight, with neither of us showing signs of stopping.

That all changed after the sixth minute. I held my fists in front of my face, preparing for another onslaught from Arcane, when I saw something move towards my face out of the corner of my eye. I instinctively moved to stop it, and Arcane noticed this, using my distraction as an opportunity to swing his right hoof at me. It connected with my jaw, and my head twisted from the force. I fell to the floor, and I heard a cheer come from the general direction of Diamond Squad, while everywhere else was quiet. The cheer was silenced as Wingfleet's voice became louder. I was disorientated from the hit, but I could make out a few words, including 'stone' and 'distraction', and I assumed that someone had thrown something to divert my attention from my opponent.

I slowly lifted myself up with my arms, and I felt several hooves support my body. My vision returned, and I saw Emerald Squad surrounding me, each of them with a look of concern on their face.

"You ok Dutch?" Shadow asked. I tasted iron in my mouth, and I spat out a ball of blood from where I had bitten my tongue.

"Lieutenant Jones, are you alright?" Wingfleet said as he trotted over to me. I stood up shakily and stretched my neck to get rid of the pain from the sudden twist.

"Yeah, I can still fight," I looked over at Arcane, Wingfleet's words drowning out as he began to say that I needed to stop. I'm not going down now. If Ironhoof wanted to prove something, he's got another thing coming. I began to think up ideas of how I could win. One thought stood out from the others. It was high-risk, but if it worked, it would also be high-reward.

"...you have to go to the medical wing," Wingfleet voiced became audible as I returned to reality.

I looked down at him, "With all due respect sir, I'd like to finish this. Besides..." I looked back over at Arcane, who was giving his squadmate at hoof-bump, "...he owes me."

Wingfleet sighed, "If you're sure. I can't stop a human if I know nothing about their physical capabilities."

"Thank you sir."

He returned to the side of the ring, as did Emerald Squad. Just before they left however, I stopped Thunderlane and Rumble.

"Hey guys, can I borrow your bit for a second?"

"Uh, sure." Thunderlane said, confusion evident in his voice. He reached into a pocket and handed over the small gold coin.

"Thanks. I'll give it back to whoever bet I would win," I gave them a wink and approached Arcane, the bit hidden in my hand.

"Back for more, eh freak?" Arcane asked with a smug grin on his face.

"It's not over until it's over, pal," I brought my clenched fists up, and waited for Arcane to attack. He kept his smile as he stood on his hind legs again and made his way over to me. I watched his hooves as he got closer, waiting for the opportune moment to strike.

He brought his hoof back to punch, and I threw my plan into action. I flicked my wrist and tossed the bit at Arcane's face. His eyes closed automatically from the foreign object heading for his face, but his hoof was still coming forward, thrown off by his self-induced blindness. I grabbed his hoof and pulled him down, giving a cross into his cheek. Before he could get back up, I cupped my hands and brought them onto his ears. The attack would leave them ringing from the sudden change in air pressure and noise. He folded them against his head and reeled back out of my grip, coming back in with a wild hook. I easily dodged it, and brought my foot up between his legs. He cried in pain from the impact, and bent forward again. I followed with two mean hooks, and an uppercut that created a sharp, cracking noise in his jaw and lifted him back up again, leaving his torso exposed. I stepped forward and delivered a final kick to his stomach, knocking him backwards onto the dirt.

Arcane lay there, groaning in pain as the entire field went silent. I looked round at the recruits' shocked faces, allowing myself a small feeling of satisfaction to dull the pain in my jaw, before leaning down and picking a small piece of gold off the ground, wiping off a smear of mud on it. I walked back over to Emerald Squad, who looked as surprised as everyone else, and passed the coin back to the brothers.

"I think this belongs to one of you," Rumble took it and stared at the bit for a few seconds, before handing it over to Thunderlane. I gave a small laugh as I picked up my rifle.

"Alright," I heard Wingfleet's voice behind me, "That's enough sparring for today, you're dismissed. Return to your dorms and get ready for communication training. Diamond, get your squadmate to the medical wing."

The entire squad was silent as we returned to the barracks. As I walked, I saw Ironhoof off to one side, giving me the same glare that he usually reserved for me. Upon reaching the dorm, I fell onto my bed and let out a long sigh, still surprised that my plan had actually worked.

Finally, Shadow was the first to break the silence, stepping out of his usually quiet demeanor and saying, "That was bucking awesome!"

This seemed to wake up the others. Thunderlane slapped me on the back, while Rumble apologised for his bet, saying he would never doubt my fighting abilities again. Steel remained quiet, sat on his bed, before saying, "How did you do that?"

"Improvisation," I simply said, grinning despite the pain it created in my jaw, "That and a huge heap of good luck for once."

"Man, I can't wait to see the look on Arcane's face the next time he sees you," Thunderlane said, "If we had alcohol, I'd totally suggest we party over this."

Half an hour later, Emerald Squad was stood in one of the many rooms of Canterlot Castle. The room was fairly large, with a length of about a hundred metres, long enough for whatever type of communication we would be doing. The other four squads would probably be in rooms like this, waiting for the same training. As we waited, I rubbed the spot where Arcane had hit me. The skin was already starting to turn purple, and I was lucky nothing was broken. I was surprised when I found out I had cracked Arcane's jaw in my own attack.

I heard the door open, and Wingfleet, Bright Skies and another pony entered the long room. He was a unicorn, with a brown coat and a cutie mark of what looked like a tranverse wave.

"Recruits, this is High Frequency, one of our communications specialists," Wingfleet said, gesturing at the unicorn, "He'll be teaching you how to communicate between your squadmates over long distances."

I had been curious as to how this was managed. I hadn't seen any signs of modern radio systems, and the sight of High Frequency's horn made me suspect it involved magic.

"Right," Frequency said, "Before I start, I should warn you, I'm going to have to cast a spell on each of you. This spell has a permanent effect, so you mustn't take this decision lightly."

After a brief silence, we all nodded. We were already into our training, and none of us wanted to back out now. Frequency instructed us to approach him one by one. I was last in line, and I watched as he placed his horn against the forehead of each of the ponies, followed by a brief glow. When my turn came, I kneeled down and felt the tip of the horn touch my head. I instantly sensed a buzz move through my brain, and it left my skull tingling as I stood up.

"Did it work?" Shadow asked, "What happens now?"

"Simple," Frequency said, "Think something, but imagine saying it out loud."

We were all skeptical as to whether it would work or not, until a loud voice echoed in my head which sounded unusually similar to Rumble.

"Pickles and broccoli!"

We all looked over at Rumble, who was wearing the same look of surprise as the rest of us. It seemed that even Frequency and the officers had heard him.

"I... I swear I wasn't expecting it to work the first time."

I stifled a laugh and tried this new enchantment myself, "Testing one, two. You guys hearing this?"

"Got you loud and clear Lieutenant," the female voice of Bright Skies sounded through my head as she looked at me. It was disconcerting hearing voices in my head without seeing their lips move, but I knew it would be important as a soldier.

"Jones, Steel, I want you to head to the other end of this room and practice the communication enchantment with your squad," Wingfleet said, "We'll be back in one hour to view your progress." With that, he, Bright Skies and High Frequency left the room.

"Alright, let's get started," I reached the wall on the far side of the room and turned to Shadow, Thunderlane and Rumble, "Can you lot still hear me?"

"Yep," Thunderlane thought to us, "This is easier than I thought it would be."

At this point, we heard a sing-song voice enter our heads, "I am the very model of a scientist Equestrian, a dee de da deedeedee... you can all hear that can't you?" Rumble's voice, despite being in our heads, sounded nervous.

"We certainly can Pavatrotti." Shadow's voice this time, and I could hear faint laughter from the other end of the room.

"Just make sure you think what you want and not some random thought." Steel thought, and I could imagine Rumble blushing from embarassment.

We practiced telepathic communication, finding few problems after we managed to seperate our own thoughts from those we wanted to broadcast. This new ability almost seemed fun, and we managed to make a lot of progress in the brief hour we had been given. I was curious as to whether I could communicate with my friends in Ponyville, but I would only find that out after training.

Quick question, are you guys ok with the frequency of chapters? I feel like I'm letting you down when there's five days between chapters.

Chapter 30: Small World

12th Autumn's Dawn

Twilight sat in the main room of the library. Rain was pattering on the window outside, the result of a small malfunction from one of Cloudsdale's raincloud factories. She double-checked the letter on the table, checking for any mistakes.

Dear Dutch,
We all hope you're doing well in training. A lot has happened in Ponyville while you've been gone. Applejack and Rarity have managed to form a much stronger friendship than what they used to have after I had a sleepover with them. Rainbow Dash has been teaching Scootaloo to fly, but she said it would take a while for her to be able to remain airbourne. In the meantime, her, Applebloom and Sweetie Belle have formed some sort of organisation to help them get their cutie marks. They're calling themselves 'The Cutie Mark Crusaders', and they've spent the last week and a half coming up with ideas for special talents. So far they've been unsuccessful, and their antics have usually resulted in stuff getting broken.
Another big development was Lyra's birthday yesterday, making her 19 years old! It's funny how it's so soon after yours. She was a little upset that you weren't able to attend, but she said she enjoyed it nonetheless.
We're all looking forward to seeing you back. Oh, and Lyra told me to tell you she said hi.

Twilight Sparkle.

Satisfied, Twilight folded the piece of paper and placed it in an envelope, ready to be sent to the post office. She didn't want to inconvenience the Princess by sending a letter for Dutch, using her as a messenger, no matter how fast it was. She would wait until the rain had stopped, then use the more conventional means.

Her thoughts turned to the training Dutch would be going through right now. Her brother had mentioned that some of it had been especially gruelling, sometimes leaving him wishing he was dead. Of course, Dutch couldn't suffer from fatigue, but Shining Armour had always talked about the mental stress it put you under too.

"I hope he's ok," she muttered to herself as the rain was interrupted by a crack of thunder.

"THIS IS AWESOME!" I shouted as I stuck my body out of the open door of the airship, letting the goggles around my neck swing in the wind.

It was getting close to nightfall, and we were about one thousand feet off the ground, getting ready for our next phase of training. Emerald Squad and any other pegasi from the other teams had to perform something similar to a HALO jump into the forest behind the barracks. The unicorns would be using teleportation magic to get themselves there, while earth ponies relied on their endurance to move on foot.

I pulled myself back into the ship and returned to my squad, putting my game face on, "Check equipment."

We all looked each other over, making sure our webbings wouldn't come loose during the fall. I knelt down next to Steel and made sure the straps on his rig and saddlebags were tight while Shadow checked over my webbing and rifle strap. I saw the pegasi from the other squads doing the same, and felt Shadow pat me on the back, telling me everything was alright.

"Ok, pegasi of Sapphire Squad, you're first to jump," Captain Bright Skies said as she positioned herself next to the door, "Spread your wings when you reach 200 metres." Two ponies gave each other a nod before following each other out the ship.

"Emerald, you're next." We stood up, making our way over to the door and putting our goggles over our eyes. I paused to look at the sky, and could see rainclouds being collected by instructors over our destination. This was primarily a fieldcraft lesson, learning to live in the wilderness and sleep under the stars.

"Remember, 200 metres," Bright Skies shouted to me over the noise of the wind. I gave her a nod and turned to my squad.

"Three, two, one, go!" I shouted and jumped out the door, spreading my arms out and slowing myself down, letting the rest of Emerald catch up. The goggles helped to keep the wind out of our eyes, and I turned my head to see Thunderlane and Rumble leveling off next to me. I rolled over and saw Steel and Shadow falling towards us, both of them spreading their hooves out as they came in line with me.

I rolled again to face the ground and estimated in my head how far we were from the ground. 200 metres arrived quicker than I thought, and I used the communication spell to say, "Now!" Spreading my wings and watching Emerald do the same alongside me.

"Good job. Descend in circles and keep the landing zone in sight." We slowly moved round, moving in a single direction so as not to hit each other. From the ground we must have looked like a pack of vultures circling a carcass. We reached the ground, and I saw the two pegasi who went before us along with a few other recruits making a circle round Captain Wingfleet. There was a crackling noise nearby, and I saw a group of unicorns teleport into the forest and trot over.

After another five minutes, all of the recruits had gathered, and Wingfleet began the lesson.

"Glad you could all make it," he started, "Today and tomorrow are going to cover basic fieldcraft. You've already been taught some basics, and now I want you to put these into practice in the field. You'll have one hour to start a fire and get your shelter up. After that, the rainclouds above you will be triggered. Any of you want to be sleeping in the rain?"

There was a cry of, "No sir!" From the crowd.

"That's what I like to hear, now get to it."

All of the squads set off in different directions, looking for somewhere to set up their shelters. We managed to find a patch of trees that were planted in lines, with a good interval of space in between them, and we got out our makeshift tents. These were essentially large, square pieces of waterproof tarpaulin, which we would tie between trees and the ground to become a sloped roof for the night. We worked in groups to set up one tarp at a time, rather than struggle on our own.

Twenty minutes later, we had set up the final sheet, and began collecting pieces of wood for our fire, starting off with twigs, then moving on to larger pieces of wood. The teams with unicorns had it easy, using their magic to create fire and tie their tarps. Diamond Squad were already finished, and were tucking into their rations.

With ten minutes left before the rain, we had gathered wood and created enough sparks to start a decent fire. We set it up under our tarps to keep it out of the rain and put a metal tin filled with water on top. We then pulled out our ration packs and examined our main meals. They were similar to boil-in-the-bag meals; solid chunks of calories left to heat and melt in boiling water.

"What did you guys get?" I asked. In the cadets, it was common practice to find out what everyone was eating. It wasn't a law of leadership, more like an unspoken tradition.

"Hay and oats," Thunderlane said, looking at the writing on the side of the bag

"Vegetable stew," Shadow answered.

"Ooh, is it ok if we swap?" I said, "I've got daffodil and daisy, and humans can't eat flowers or hay."

We swapped, and Steel asked, "So what do humans eat if not that?"

"We're naturally omnivorous, so pretty much anything." I replied as we put the bags in the water.

"You mean meat? What do you even get from that?" Rumble said.

"Protein mainly, for muscle development. Ponies would get it mostly from eggs."

By the time our food had boiled, the rain had started, indicating that time was up. Anyone who hadn't finished would have to eat their food cold, or go hungry. I fished the packs of food out and used my knife to cut the top off, handing them to their respectful owners. The stew I was eating consisted of potatoes, carrots, and a few other vegetables in some kind of sauce. If I hadn't liked the taste, I wouldn't have cared much anyway. I had no intention of skipping meals.

*4 hours later*

I hadn't been in much of a deep sleep, I never could when I was sleeping under a sheet in the rain. It didn't come as a surprise when I was woken, hearing a small rustling off to my side, and looked over to see a dark grey pegasus stand up from under his tarp and walk into the darkness, despite the rain. I slowly picked up my rifle and got up to follow him, pulling the hood of my coat over my head.

I found Shadow standing by the edge of the forest, staring out into the field. I walked up alongside him and extended a wing to shelter him from the rain.

"Can't sleep?" I asked.

"No. I feel weak saying this but... I'm homesick."

"It's not weak, I've felt exactly the same before, and on the first night of being away. Hell, I haven't properly seen my family for the best part of seven months now. I've managed to contact them with the help of the princess, but the spell that takes me between this world and mine is difficult."

Shadow turned to me, "So they're true," I looked at him in confusion, "There were some rumours going around that you weren't from Equestria."

I laughed, "I don't think I'm even from this universe. I was out hiking one day and got caught in a storm. I took shelter in a forest like this one, fell asleep, and woke up in the Everfree Forest. Later I found out that I had died in my world. Whether that means this is an afterlife or a reincarnation, I don't know, and frankly I'm starting to stop caring. This world is a good place, and I want to make the most of it without going mad with grief about never seeing mine again."

Shadow remained silent, so I knelt down next to him, lifting my wing to keep it over him, and asked, "What does your cutie mark mean? Most ponies I know have a fairly simple one, like apples or a musical instrument, so by my standards, yours is fairly complex."

Shadow gave a short laugh, "I'm glad you think so. It's actually got a lot of meaning to it. The black heart represents the love and kindness I try to show to everypony, while the dove shows my wish to make things as peaceful as they can be."

"So what made you decide to join the Guard?"

"Simply put, I want to make the world a better place. Not just for ponies, but for every species out there. I figured whether it would be by giving aid to somepony who needed it, or attacking a Diamond Dog camp to free slaves, I would be helping someone."

I gave a small chuckle, "That's exactly what my mindset was when I made the decision to join the military."

We went silent again, and my thoughts began to wander. They stopped on a certain pony, and I turned to Shadow once more.

"Shadow, can I ask you something important?"

"Sure. What's on your mind?"

"Does Equestria have any laws or policies on inter-species relationships? I've found that I'm starting to get feelings for someone, but I'm not sure how the rest of the world would react."

Shadow Breeze thought for a moment, before replying, "As far as I know, there aren't any against the idea. One of my cousins is dating a griffin, so I'm figuring it's ok. You're almost certainly going to run into somepony who's against it, but they're just the cynics that are present whenever there's someting new."

I smiled and said, "Thanks," before deciding to turn the conversation around, "What about you? Anyone special in your life."

He sighed, "Used to be. There was one pony, back when I was just a colt in Cloudsdale. I liked her, but I could never build up the courage to ask her out. When I did, she had already gone. Don't know where."

"What was she like?"

"She was quiet, and she got bullied a bit, but she always had a heart of gold, even for those who wronged her. She had a pale yellow coat and a pink mane," he sighed again, "Just thinking about her gives me butterflies in my stomach."

Wait, butterflies? "Her name wouldn't happen to be Fluttershy would it?"

Shadow's head snapped to me, "How do you know her?!"

"She lives in Ponyville, we're friends. She was actually one of the first ponies I met, and she fixed this up for me, as well as a few bite marks from wolves." I pointed at the scar running down my face.

Shadow had a look of disbelief on his face, "Wow, small world huh?"

"Getting smaller everyday," I replied, "How about you come with me to Ponyville after training? It could give you a second chance to talk to her if you've still got those feelings about her."

"I do," Shadow said, "And thanks. I'll be looking forward to it."

I smiled at the outcome of our talk, and motioned back to the rest of Emerald Squad, who were still sleeping under the tarps, "Come on, we've got more work ahead of us tomorrow. If you still can't sleep, just lying there will recharge your energy somewhat."

We walked back to the camp, crawled under our tarps, and I huddled myself into a ball to conserve heat as I slowly fell back to sleep.

Chapter 31: Put to the Test

20th Autumn's Dawn

The sky was absolutely cloudless as Emerald Squad made their way to the mess hall for breakfast. As we shifted along the line of food, I grabbed two pieces of French toast - though ponies called it Prench - and some fried eggs with a glass of juice. I noticed the rest of my team grabbing extra food as we found an empty table, and I didn't blame them. It was the last day of training, and they were treating themselves.

The instructors had one final test in store for us. An obstacle course set up in the corner of the field behind the barracks would mark the conclusion of our training. We all knew what would be waiting for us; we had practiced on it so that we knew what we had to do. But this time was for real, and we were against the clock. If we completed it in the alloted time, we would be official members of the Royal Guard. One second over, and we failed. We would be given a second chance later on, but if we failed that too, then three weeks of training would have been for nothing.

We ate in silence, too focused on building our energy to talk, but I could see they were all thinking the same thing. They were pumped at the thought of finally completing their training and becoming real soldiers. But at the same time, they were worried they would fail, and either be backtracked to another squad or leave the Guard, and none of them wanted to do either of those.

The sun continued to light up the field as we stood in file in front of the course. I had my rifle strapped to my back, and my webbing was tied around my waist, filled with weight to make the course more difficult. Wingfleet was pacing in front of us, giving us a little bit of motivation before we started.

"This is it gentlecolts," he said, "The final test. Everything you've learned over the past few weeks will mean nothing if you don't complete the course under the time limit. I'm going to need you to give this thing everything you've got if you want to finish. Guardsmen will have twelve minutes to complete the course, officers will have ten. The officers will go first, starting with Lieutenant Shield."

An earth pony from Onyx Squad stepped forwards and began to climb the steps of the tower in front of us. There was a pause as he disappeared out of sight, coming back into view after a few seconds, hanging by his forelegs as he slid down a rope zipline, dropping to the ground when he reached the bottom and galloping round the corner.

After five minutes, I heard Wingfleet shout, "Lieutenant Jones, you're next, let's go!"

I heard Emerald whispering me words of good luck as I fell out and walked up to the tower. When I reached the top, a unicorn instructor beckoned me forward, handing me a short piece of rope. I hooked it round the zipline that would take me to the ground and waited for the command to begin.

Time slowed down, and after what felt like hours, the instructor behind me said, "Standby, go!"

I pushed off with my legs and slid down the rope towards the ground, making a buzzing noise as the ropes rubbed against each other. At the bottom, the rope I was holding on to caught on a metal claw and took away my speed, sending me swinging forward. I hung there for a few seconds, allowing myself to swing back again, before dropping down and throwing the rope to one side.

I ran across the gravel and headed towards the next section of the course, which looked like a playground for Tarzan. I climbed onto a platform thirty feet off the ground and grabbed a rope hanging from a metal bar above me, pulling it towards me and removing any slack it had. When it was tight, I wrapped my legs around it and swung towards a wall criss-crossed with ropes. As the swing reached its peak, I reached out and grasped the wall.

"Up you go, get climbing," I heard an instructor call from below, and I wasted no time ascending the wall, moving myself to one side and preparing for the next obstacle: two thin wires, one of which was about four feet higher than the other. I positioned my feet on the lower wire, and grabbed the higher one with my hands. Normally, ponies would have to hook their forelegs around the wire, but I found myself at an advantage as I shifted to the other side, pausing halfway so as not to lose my balance.

The next part of the course was a single rope, tied horizontally from one post to the other, with a crash net some forty feet below me. I knew what to do with the rope, all of our training had prepared us for this. I slowly lowered myself down, resting my belly on the rope with my arms in front; I hooked a leg over the rope behind me for additional support, and began to pull myself along. Ten metres later, and I set up on another pair of ropes, this time tied side-by-side. I started to crawl across them on my hands and knees, taking it slowly as the ropes swayed from my movement.

The next rope was at a decline, with its end point halving the distance between me and the ground. The pony in the tower told me to mount it backwards, pushing myself away from the tower as gravity sped up my descent. The rope rubbed uncomfortably through my clothes, and I could only imagine how bad it would be for someone who only had a coat of fur for protection. I couldn't see where I was going, so I simply kept going until I heard the next instructor saying, "Keep going, keep going, stop."

I rolled off the rope and looked at the thin plank that would serve as my next obstacle. Pausing for a deep breath, I ran across the plank, trying to gain speed whilst keeping my balance as I jumped a three metre gap and wrapped my arms around a second rope net. I began to climb the net, swinging myself over the top and lowering myself the rest of the way down to the ground, allowing myself some satisfaction as I felt the solid earth below me.

A wooden ramp now stood before me, with a fake vine that would carry me over a log beyond that. I jogged up the ramp and jumped at the vine, letting go as I passed the log. Because of my additional height over ponies, my boot caught on the log as I let go. I instinctively wrapped myself in my wings as I fell, grunting with pain as I landed on my side with the rifle sticking into my back.

I heard a pony shout, "Get back up! Keep moving!"

I got up and began running again, covering 400 metres of flat ground and heading towards a tunnel that had been shaped through a hill. Despite all the climbing I had previously done, I was still only at the halfway point, and I had no idea how long it had taken. I dived into the tunnel and scraped forward, focusing on the light twenty yards ahead. I reached it, and pulled upwards, my head poking out of the hole and I climbed out. The instructor from earlier had caught up and said, "That's it. Twelve foot wall next, move!"

I ran towards the wall and pulled on the rope hanging from the wall, lifting myself up. Upon reaching the top, I jumped down and extended my wings, slowing myself down enough to make the fall manageable. Another short run later, and I vaulted a smaller wall - only five feet, but without the rope - and got down onto my stomach to crawl under a net. The gravel I was lying on slowed my progress, but I kept going, determined not to lose momentum.

When I felt the gravel become grass once more, I stood up and began heading towards the second-to-last challenge. Two ponies waited for me, the water they were standing in reaching their torsos. Under the water was a short tunnel, and I was required to swim through in order to complete it. I got down onto my knees and took a deep breath before the instructors pushed me down and into the tunnel.

I gasped as the cold water hit me. It was pitch black, and I could only squint to stop the filthy water stinging my eyes. I slowly crawled through the tunnel, my wings scraping the roof as I grabbed the random obstacles in the water and pulled myself along. Just as the light of the exit became visible, I felt something snag and my movement was halted. I turned around as best I could and felt into the darkness to try and find the cause of the problem.

My lungs were starting to strain from the lack of oxygen, and I forced myself to move faster as I discovered my rifle sling had caught on an iron bar sticking through the wall of the tunnel. I twisted my body and pulled on the strap, willing it to come loose. I was beginning to panic now, my thoughts turning to how I would drown in a dark, murky tunnel just inches away from air.

"Get a grip," I heard a voice say, which I recognised as Valiant's, "Stop thinking like that and get a move on!"

I turned back to the sling and gave one final pull as it came loose. Without thinking, I pulled myself forward, my limbs working on autopilot as I clawed my way out of the tunnel and broke the surface of the water, taking in greedy lungfuls of air.

I felt the hooves of one of the instructors from the beginning of the tunnel pull me higher out of the water, "You ok? You were under longer than what's normal for a pony."

I forced a laugh to help raise my spirits, "Yeah, I'm fine." I picked myself up and began running again, heading to the final obstacle: a thirty foot wall, covered it footholds with a rope hanging from above. With my clothes still dripping wet, I grabbed the rope and pulled myself towards the top. Captain Wingfleet was waiting for me, and he shouted, "Let's go Lieutenant, I'm requiring more from you. Move it!"

I gritted my teeth and pulled myself up the final few metres. I reached the top and finally let go of the rope, giving a sigh of relief at the thought of the last stage of training actually being over. I had no idea if I had completed the course in time or not, and I would only find out when all the other recruits had completed the course.

"Well done Jones," Wingfleet said, "Get yourself dry and into formal clothes. Back here at 1330 hours."

"Yes sir." I jumped off the tower and glided towards the barracks, letting myself enjoy the cool breeze in my face. When I reached my dorm, I grabbed a towel and a fresh uniform and made my way to the showers, stripping off my soaked clothes as the hot water warmed my skin. As I washed, I felt a wave of heat that didn't originate from the shower wash over me, and I turned to see Valiant standing in the showers with me.

"Nice job on the assault course," he said.

"Thanks," I replied, then paused, "And thanks for getting me out of that tunnel."

He chuckled and smiled at me, "I wouldn't be a very good spirit if I let my host die, now would I?"

I returned the smile, "I guess not."

After the shower, I used my towel to clean the rifle of any mud or water that could jam up the working parts and carried it back to the dorm, putting my wet clothes in the steaming room to dry as I walked. When I reached my room, I sat down on the bed and noticed a letter had been left for me, so I opened the envelope and started reading it. It was from Twilight, telling me about everything that had happened while I was gone. I smiled when she mentioned Scootaloo's new organisation, and I wondered if I could help in that department.

I wrote a reply and took it over to the mail room. The pony behind the desk took it without a word and put it on a shelf behind him. I gave him my thanks and returned to my room. When I got there, Steel Sword was lying on his bed, and he looked up at me as I entered.

"Hey Dutch, how'd it go?"

"Pretty good. I think I've got a chance," I replied, "How about you?"

"I think I did well, but I guess we won't find out until later," a cheeky grin appeared on his face, "It was absolutely exhausting, but I suppose you wouldn't know anything about that, huh?"

I laughed, "Stop making me feel guilty, damnit!"

At 1330 hours, all the recruits were stood in front of the course in their seperate squads again, waiting for the moment of truth. Wingfleet and Bright Skies came walking towards us, the latter carrying a clipboard in her hooves, no doubt with our times written on it. There was also a unicorn with them, carrying a box with his magic. I was curious as to what was inside, and wondered if my hunch was correct.

"We're going to be calling out your times now," Wingfleet said to us, "Anypony who has not completed the course in time will be able to try again at the end of the week. Failure after that will result in you being removed from training."

Captain Bright Skies handed over the clipboard and Wingfleet began to read off the names.

"Diamond Squad. Lieutenant Ice Pick, 9:14, pass, good job. Guardsman Arcane, 10:27, pass. Guardsman Pepper Snap, 12:02, fail."

There was a groan of annoyance from somewhere down the line, but Wingfleet ignored it as he read off the remaining members of Diamond Squad. Pepper Snap was the only pony who failed from their squad, and Wingfleet continued to read out times to Ruby and Onyx Squad. Both teams had at least one pony who didn't complete the course in time, and I became worried that someone from my squad would suffer the same fate. Eventually, the Captains walked in front of us.

"Emerald Squad. Lieutenant Jones, 8:47, pass, fast time, well done."

I breathed a sigh of relief, I was in the clear. My thoughts turned to the rest of my squad and what their times were.

"Guardsman Steel Sword, 10:28, pass..."

One down, three to go.

"...Guardsman Thunderlane, 10:43, pass..."

Two.

"...Guardsman Rumble, 11:55, pass..."

One more.

"...Guardsman Shadow Breeze, 11:39, pass. Well done Emerald."

I had to try and suppress the grin that covered my face as Wingfleet moved on to address Sapphire Squad, and after what felt like only a few seconds, he said, "Everypony who didn't pass, learn from your mistakes and get ready for the rerun, dismissed. Those who passed, stay here."

Half a dozen ponies left the field and returned to the barracks. The unicorn that had accompanied Wingfleet set the box down and opened it, revealing small metal pins.

"Now, I'm sure you've heard the rumours about some sort of prize for the best performing squad, am I correct?" Wingfleet asked. There were a few nods, and he carried on, "Well, you were right. Throughout training, we were assessing each squad, noting how everypony performed with teamwork and leadership. While all of you had your flaws, we've manged to come to a decision."

The unicorn approached Diamond Squad and pulled out a pin, which shined in the sunlight, and pinned it onto Ice Pick's uniform. I focused on it, and I could make out the shape of a half-moon, meaning that he was now an official Lieutenant of the Royal Guard, and was no longer a recruit. The unicorn pulled out additional pins - this time a single sword - and marked the other members of his squad as Guardsmen.

When the unicorn reached Emerald Squad, he paused as he looked at me. It was odd though, as almost everyone had gotten used to my presence here. He looked over at the box and pulled out a pin, which floated over to me and attached itself to my chest. While he went to get a pin for my squad, and looked down at my new badge, letting the full moon shine in the light of Celestia's sun.

...Wait, full moon?!

My eyes widened, and I looked down at the pin again. Sure enough, it was in the shape of a full moon, identical to the one on Wingfleet's uniform. I turned my head to the rest of my squad, and saw the unicorn pinning a pair of crossed swords to the uniforms of Thunderlane and Steel, identifying them as Troopers, the rank between Guardsman and Sergeant.

Wingfleet seemed to notice my surprise, "Congratulations Captain Jones, your squad won."

After a celebratory lunch in the mess hall, we were now in our dorm, playing with a pack of cards that Rumble had brought with him. The cards had the regular hearts, clubs, diamonds and spades that human cards had, but this particular pack had very... erotic pictures on it. Rumble had seemed pleased with them, while I spent most of the games covering the picture with my hand, trying to focus on the value of the card more than anything else.

"Oh come on Captain, you've got to like them at least a bit, right?" Steel asked.

"No thanks," I replied immediately, "When it comes to things like this, I'll stick to my own species, thank you very much."

Rumble shrugged, "Whatever, your loss," he examined his hand - which ponies called a hoof of cards - and said, "I think this might be my favourite hoof yet."

Shadow cocked his head, "I thought your right hoof was your favourite."

We all laughed while Rumble scowled at Shadow, and continued with our game. Thunderlane threw down his hoof and triumphantly declared himself the winner. While Rumble collected the cards and prepared to shuffle them, there was a knock on the door, and a pony entered the room.

"Sorry to bother you sir, but Commander Ironhoof has asked to see you in his office... on the double."

I gave my cards to Rumble, "I'll be right there."

I stood up and was about to grab my rifle, when the pony stuck his head through the door again, "One more thing, the Commander asked that you leave your weapon here."

I frowned. I didn't like to be seperated from the rifle, but an order was an order, and while I didn't like Ironhoof, I had to obey him, "Thank you Guardsman." As I walked out the door, I could hear Rumble saying, "Man, Dutch had some really nice cards."

As I walked down the hallway towards Ironhoof's office, I couldn't help but feel uncomfortable. I should have felt safe, being in a military barracks, but after spending so long with my rifle, eating, training, even sleeping with it, I felt vulnerable and exposed. It was like I was missing a limb.

Two guards stood outside Ironhoof's office as I approached, and one of them eyed my rank as I came to a halt in front of them, "Yes sir, what can we do for you?"

"Captain Dutch Jones, reporting to Commander Ironhoof."

"Dutch Jones?" The other guard, a unicorn, asked, "What the hell kind of name is that?"

"Look who's talking," a voice behind me interrupted as Captain Bright Skies came up alongside me, "That's a pretty strange question coming from a unicorn named Hard Horn."

Both of the guards laughed, and Bright Skies waved me through the door, "Never mind those two, Dutch. They've got to find something to do on guard duty, go on in."

The human said, "Thanks," and entered the office with Bright Skies. Ironhoof was sat behind an oak desk, and looked up form what he was doing as Dutch entered, meeting his eyes. When he stopped, he snapped to attention and said, "Captain Dutch Jones, reporting as ordered, sir."

Ironhoof leaned back in his chair and chewed the quill in his lips. This was usually the moment that most officers would have said, "At ease," and the fact that he didn't was a clear indication that something was wrong.

Bright Skies circled round to Ironhoof's left, where she leaned against the wall and watched the scene through narrowed eyes. Her mane was cut unusually short for a mare so it wouldn't be an inconvenience during combat, and her tail was the same. She had green eyes, a slightly flattened muzzle, and full lips. It managed to be both a soldier's face and a mare's face at the same time.

Ironhoof dropped the quill, and when he spoke, it was as if he could read the human's mind, "I suppose you're wondering why I've brought you here and what this is all about. That's understandable, I'd be curious too, especially if I knew First Captain Shining Armour and Princess Celestia like you do. Loyalty is a fine thing, one of the many virtues the Royal Guard is known for, and a quality I admire."

He got down from his chair and began to pace back and forth across the room, "However, there is a chain of command, which means that you report to me and Wingfleet. Not to Shining Armour, not to the Princess, and certainly not to yourself. If I ask you to jump, I want you to ask, 'How high?' Do I make myself clear?"

Dutch stared for a moment and clenched his jaw, "Yes sir."

"Good. Now, one other thing. I've noticed you're wearing the rank of Captain, so you were the one who got the after-training promotion. That means that there are those who think you're a good soldier, and I respect that. That being said, you're also a freak. The only member of your kind in a world not made for you."

Bright Skies watched Dutch's face as Ironhoof lectured him. His human mane was short, though not as short as hers, and his hazel eyes had a serious expression. They could tell a story is somepony knew where to look. Bright Skies had always been good at reading ponies, and could tell Dutch was meant to be a soldier from the way he controlled his emotions and what he showed on his face. He was good at it, but Ironhoof's words still hit him like bolts of magic striking a target. Nothing overt, just a slight narrowing of the eyes and a small, involuntary twitch in one of his wings. She looked at Ironhoof, but if the Commander was aware of the changes, he didn't seem to care.

"When you go out there, don't think for a second that you're above everypony else. You will serve alongside your ponies, but they will be the ones who win the battles, not some outwordly creature who got lucky in training. Do you understand?"

Dutch thought for a moment as he remembered the rest of his species. His friends, his brother, his parents, the people he'd grown up with and loved, all labeled as freaks. He may have been required to follow orders, but not this time. He took a deep breath.

"No sir!"

There was a long moment of silence as the pony and the human stared into each other's eyes. Finally, after a good five seconds had passed, the Commander nodded, "I understand. Ponies are loyal to their kind too, but that doesn't change the facts. You're on your own here Captain, so you might as well get used to it. In the meantime, I'll take every soldier I can get my hooves on, especially somepony who managed to take out an entire bandit camp by themselves."

Then, as if a switch had been thrown, Ironhoof's demeanor changed entirely. He said, "At ease," invited Dutch to sit down, and began to discuss what he had originally brought him to his office for.

While this was happening, back in Emerald Squad's dorm, the four pegasi continued to play cards. The game was going smoothly enough, but Rumble was getting distracted, constantly glancing at the rifle now lying on Dutch's bed. After a brief mental argument, he set his cards down and trotted over, picking up the rifle in his hooves.

"Rumble, what do you think you're doing?" Thunderlane asked.

"Relax, man, I just wanted to get a look at it. Dutch carries this thing around with him all the time and he's never told us what it is. I'm just curious is all."

"Maybe there's a reason for that." Shadow warned.

"Lighten up Mr. Explorer, I'm not going to do anything with it," he cradled the rifle as best he could and imitated the way Dutch held it as he lifted it into his shoulder, "You've got to admit this looks cool."

"Rumble, you don't even know what it does, let alone how to use it." Steel said.

"So? This lever here looks like it does something," after finding that his hooves didn't fit into the trigger guard, he shifted his wing in and pulled the curved lever. It moved, but nothing happened, "Huh, I could've sworn that would do something."

Thunderlane set down his own cards and joined Rumble, "Let me see that," Rumble tossed the rifle to him, and he caught it awkwardly in his hooves, "Man, this thing is heavier than it looks."

He was about to examine the weapon too, when the door opened and Dutch entered the room.

As I walked into the dorm, the first thing I saw was Thunderlane holding the rifle, with Rumble next to him. I only felt surprise though, as Thunderlane went wide-eyed at my presence and slowly placed the rifle back on the bed.

"Sorry sir," he said quickly.

"Yeah, we were only going to look at it," Rumble added.

I sighed, "It's fine. I should have shown it to you anyway. If I'm going to be working with you guys, you might as well know what it is."

Steel and Shadow had joined us as I walked over to the bed and sat down, picking up the rifle and resting it on my lap, "It's called an assault rifle. It's a weapon from my world, and the Princess built it using my memories. While I won't go into specific details, I can tell you a few basics on how it works."

I fished into my pack and pulled out one of the magazines, "Imagine this weapon is a wierd-looking crossbow," I removed a round from the magazine, "This is a round, and would be the bolt for the crossbow. When this is loaded into the weapon, I pull on the trigger here and it causes a small explosion inside here," I pointed at the casing, "And it launches this part out of the barrel faster than the speed of sound."

I pointed at the bullet, and Rumble laughed, "That little bit there? That can't do much."

"You'd be very wrong," I said, "If you got hit with this, it would go straight through you and leave a hole the size of my fist," I clenched my hand to show them, "And because it's faster than sound, it'll hit you before you even know it was fired."

Thunderlane let out a low whistle, "From the sounds of it, you could put a hole in Mare-Do-Well with that thing."

Rumble snorted, "Nothing can put a hole in Mare-Do-Well," his curiosity apparently satisfied, he changed the subject, "So what did Ironhoof want you for?"

I didn't want to make a massive speech about it, so I kept it brief, "A briefing. He's got a mission for us."

"Already?" Shadow asked, "We only passed training a few hours ago."

"Well I guess he thinks we're good enough," I said, "They'll be an airship waiting for us in the field at 2200 hours. Captain Wingfleet will be going with us, so at least we'll have him if something goes wrong. Get your gear sorted and get ready for an airdrop. Let's prove to Ironhoof that we've earned these badges."

They all grinned and said, "Yes sir," moving to their equipment and getting ready for the evening.

*2200 hours*

This airship was larger than the ones used in training, about half the size of a barn as we climbed onboard with our equipment. Wingfleet was already inside, and he led us to one of the walls, where a map was pinned.

"Glad you could make it Emerald. We recently recieved intelligence from a member of the Equestrian Secret Service that there is a bandit camp operating in this area," he pointed at part of the map, which was circled in red ink, "Tonight, we're going to be raiding it."

"So what's so important about this one camp? There are dozens around Equestria." Thunderlane said.

"The ESS agent reported that there was an ancient magical artifact inside the camp, something that's been around almost as long as the Princesses. Something like that is of great importance, and could contain vast amounts of power. We certainly don't want that in possession of bandits. Our objective is to airdrop in, retrieve the artifact, and get out, simple. In the event that we can't fly back out, there will be a team of unicorns that have been performing reconnaissance in the area. We can contact them and get them to teleport us out."

"What kind of opposition are we expecting?" I asked as I studied the map of the camp.

"Not more than a dozen ponies. Should be fairly simple to get past them, especially at night. They won't be expecting a team of Royal Guard."

"What are the rules of engagement?" Steel asked.

"Non-lethal. We will send a larger force to capture them at a later time, but only fire if fired upon. That means don't kill them Dutch."

I gave a deadpanned expression as I looked at Wingfleet, "Understood."

The airship moved slowly to prevent us being seen before we reached the camp, and a few hours after taking off, Wingfleet motioned us to stand up and check our equipment.

"We're over the target coordinates," he said, "Operation begins."

He handed us each a small gem, which glowed in the darkness of the night, "These will keep us together. They'll flash when we reach 150 metres, spread your wings when they do."

I strapped the gem to my wrist and watched the pegasi do the same.

"There's not much wind in the jump area. Deflection will be minimal. Keep an eye on your gems and descend steadily."

A unicorn walked up to us and lit up his horn, giving the ship a red glow.

"Check your equipment and get ready," Wingfleet called to us, and we checked the straps on our webbings. I pulled a magazine out of my own webbing and inserted it into the rifle, pulling back the charging handle but keeping the safety on. The pegasi had crossbows for their own defence, as we weren't expecting much resistance.

"Shadow, Rumble, open the doors!" Wingfleet commanded. The two pegasi pulled open a large pair of doors on the ship, and we switched to telepathic communication as the rush of wind drowned out our voices.

"Stand by the door and get ready to jump. Remember, we don't leave without that artifact." We waited for the signal, and after another ten seconds, the unicorn turned the light in his horn green.

"Alright, go, go!" We jumped out of the ship and straightened ourselves out, falling as fast as our bodies would allow.

"Keep together, don't spread to far," Wingfleet called to us, and I focused on the glow of my squadmates' gems, as well as my own. After several seconds of freefalling, the gem started to flash vigorously, and the pegasus Captain said, "Now!"

We spread our wings, and our speed lowered dramatically. We broke through the low cloudline and the camp came into view. There were a few lights inside some of the tents, and in the corner was a more solid building. Its concrete shell made it look like a bunker. If anything valuable was here, it would most likely be stored in there.

We circled the camp once to spot as many bandits as we could, before Wingfleet said, "Head for the structure in the corner." I lowered myself and glided down to the bunker, dropping into the dirt and keeping myself low, listening for any signs of movement.

The rest of the team landed nearby, taking cover behind a wall or a tent while Wingfleet planned our next move. I hugged the wall and moved to a corner to keep lookout. Just as I was about to peek out, I heard Shadow say, "Watch out sir, you've got one heading straight for you!"

Wingfleet, taking cover behind a green tent next to the bunker, said, "Jones, take him out quietly. The rest of you, get ready to stack up on the door."

I slung my rifle and listened for the sound of hooves getting closer. They slowly became louder, and when I saw a hoof come into view, I acted. Darting round the corner, I quickly identified the bandit as a unicorn. As his eyes went wide and his mouth moved to shout, I smashed a fist into his face and pulled him round the corner, wrapping one arm around his neck in a choke-hold and grabbing his horn tightly with the other. Upon finding my grip was preventing him from casting spells, he tried to scream, but his windpipe was sealed, and his eyelids slowly closed.

"He'll have a headache when he wakes up, but he'll be fine." I said as Emerald Squad left their hiding spots and moved to my position.

"Jones, Thunderlane and Rumble, hold here and keep watch," Wingfleet instructed, "Steel and Shadow, on me." He pushed the thick metal door open with a foreleg and moved inside, his crossbow raised. The other two pegasi followed him inside and out of sight. As they entered, the weight of the door made it slowly close itself. I was thankful that it didn't make any noise.

After a moment of silence, Wingfleet spoke again, "We've reached another door, and there are voices on the other side. We're preparing to breach."

"Copy that." I replied. There were a few more seconds of quiet, before a crash of wood as the door was bucked in. A muffled yell could be heard, before silence once again filled the camp.

"Room clear, two bandits down," Wingfleet reported, "There's a crate here, standby. Got it, the artifact is secure, repeat, the artifact is secure. Let's get out of here."

"Wait, what's that?" I heard Steel's voice this time, and there was a pause. Eventually, Wingfleet spoke again, "Jones, I'm sending Shadow up to take your place. Get down here, there's something you need to see."

"Roger."

"Oh man, why are you leaving us with Mr. Explorer?" Rumble asked, obviously annoyed.

"Now isn't the time, Rumble!" Wingfleet answered, aggression abundant in his voice, "Captain, get down here, now!"

Shadow came out of the door, and I announced I was coming down, descending the stairs and walking through a broken wooden door. Wingfleet and Steel were waiting for me, standing over two unconscious earth ponies.

"Over here." Wingfleet said, using his voice this time as he directed me over to a dark corner of the room. Despite the darkness, I could make out the shape of a creature lying on the floor, passed out. However, its appearance shocked me to my core.

The creature was almost six feet long from head to toe, and most of it body was covered in dirty, torn fabric. Blood was visible on its body, which was completely hairless, showing pale-tan skin. It had a flat face, its mouth and nose shorter than that of a pony's, and its expression was pained. As I looked up and down the creature multiple times, a single thought entered my head:

I guess I'm not alone after all, huh Ironhoof?

Chapter 32: Brothers in Blood

Spike sat at the centre of a large banqueting table, happily helping himself to every bowl of gems and tub of ice cream that was in reach. He had never feasted so much in his life as he savoured the taste of each stone. He had never liked emeralds much; they always tasted like green vegetables. Rubies and sapphires on the other hand were much more to his liking, and almost felt like pure sugar as soon as they touched his tongue. But it was diamonds that really satisfied his cravings. To a dragon, a diamond had a taste that couldn't be compared to pony food, and they were wolfed down as soon as he saw them.

Suddenly, a brilliant plan hatched in his juvenile mind. He grabbed a large ruby and bit in half, spitting out the half in his mouth. He then used his claws to carve out the succulent insides of the gem, swallowing them down with glee. After that, he grabbed a spoonful of ice cream and filled the two halves with it before pushing them together again. Admiring his new creation, he stuck his tongue out and wrapped it around the gem, enjoying the taste of sugar and ice cream more than what was thought to be possible.

With all of the food within arm's reach now devoured, he shrugged and jumped up on the table, slowly walking along it and eating everything in sight, occasionally recreating his masterpiece whenever he came across a larger stone.

Just as he was about to consume a chocolate-filled diamond, he felt his stomach rumble and ache. Dropping the diamond, he clutched his belly and groaned.

"Oh man, now I start to think this was a bad idea," the sensation in his stomach rose, and just when he thought he was about to lose his delicious feast...

...he woke up.

Spike's eyes widened as his cheeks inflated and he gave a loud belch. Green flame erupted out of his mouth, slowly curling into a shape. It shrank to the point where it was almost microscopic, before expanding outwards and dissipating to reveal a scroll wrapped in a royal seal. Spike groaned again, this time with annoyance.

"I thought the Princess would have a better sense of timing," he said aloud as he got up out of his basket, picked up the scroll and made his way downstairs.

Twilight and Lyra sat downstairs in the library, deep in discussion about more precise uses of magic. Both were very good at it, as Lyra needed to focus on the individual strings of her lyre, as well as where to pluck them, while Twilight was skilled with magic in general, and would know all about its importance in everyday use.

Twilight smiled as she conversed with her unicorn companion. It was her first slumber party with Lyra, and after the success of Rarity and Applejack, she had made a mental note to try it on all of her friends. Lyra had been next on the list, and Twilight was thrilled that she could talk to someone about the complex topic of magic without losing them in words. It was past midnight and they were still going strong.

"I first discovered the lower-level mana leylines when I started learning how to use the lyre," Lyra said, Twilight nodding enthusiastically as she spoke, "It was difficult at first to convert the mana into a usable energy form for such a precise task, but after figuring out how to reverse the polarity of the receptor brain cells, I managed to play some really nice tunes."

"Wow, that's much better than the way I found it," Twilight said, "I found it when I was simply trying to turn pages in a book. At first I was just throwing the book across the desk, sometimes even tearing the pages. It became so much easier when I reversed polarities."

Lyra giggled, and was just about to open her mouth to speak again, when a loud belch came through Twilight's bedroom door.

"Is Spike always like that?" She asked.

Her question was answered as the purple dragon walked through the door and down the stairs, holding a scroll in his claws, "I am when I've just recieved a letter from Princess Celestia."

Twilight's eyes lit up, "Thanks Spike!" She snatched the scroll out of Spike's grip, who almost fell over from the sudden pull, "Whatever it is, it must be important for her to send it a such a time."

"So what does it say?" Lyra asked, as Spike walked back up the stairs, grumbling about gems and ice cream.

Twilight unrolled the scroll, and her brow furrowed, "It's not from the Princess, it's from Dutch."

"Huh?" Lyra trotted over to her side and looked at the scroll. Sure enough, the handwriting didn't look like it was written by mouth or magic, "Why did it arrive like that?"

"The Princess must have decided to use her own mail system for it, how nice of her." Twilight started to read the letter out loud as Spike let off an almost inaudible scoff.

Dear Everyone

Training has been a lot of fun, and I just got back from completing the final stage. If I pass, I'll officially be an officer in the Royal Guard! The squad I've been training with are a fun bunch, and one of them's going to be coming back to Ponyville with me so that you can meet him.
Tell Lyra that I'm sorry I couldn't say Happy Birthday to her in person, but I'll make sure to get something ready for her when I get back. I think I already have something in mind.
It's also good to hear about Scootaloo. While your remark about her success rate does worry me, I don't see any harm in helping her when I get the time. Also, tell Rainbow Dash I appreciate what's she's been doing, and I'll see you all soon.

Dutch

Both the unicorns smiled as Twilight rolled up the scroll.

"It certainly sounds like he's been having a good time," she said, "I was worried about him after what my brother used to say about the training involved, but it's a relief to hear he's ok."

"Wait, you have a brother? Why haven't you mentioned him before?" Lyra asked.

Twilight blushed with embarassment and tittered as she searched for an answer, "Well, I guess I've been so caught up in studying I must have forgotten to tell you guys,"

Lyra thought it was an odd answer, but accepted it nonetheless. Her thoughts turned to Dutch, and how he would be a soldier when he got back. She started to imagine the stories he might tell. Her great uncle had been in the military, and he always had a tale to tell. Stories of bravery, sacrifice and brotherhood. How a single pony would run back into the line of fire to rescue a wounded friend, or pull off impossible feats to complete their mission. She wondered if Dutch's stories would be any different.

"Hey Lyra, you in there?" Twilight waved a hoof in front of her face, and she returned to reality as she shook her head.

"Sorry, I must've zoned out for a moment," she thought a second longer, before saying, "Twilight, can I ask you something?"

"Sure, what is it?"

"Um, what do you think of Dutch?"

Twilight thought for a moment, "I don't know, it depends on the context of the question. Why do you ask?"

Lyra felt a heat rising in her cheeks, but figured there was no turning back, "Well, I think I sort of... like him."

"I like Dutch too," came the reply. Lyra's eyes widened, but Twilight kept the innocent smile on her face, "Of course, all of our friends like him. He is a nice guy, after all."

Lyra was silent for a few seconds, but felt relief when Twilight's smile revealed her naivety. She gave a large sigh as she prepared for her next sentence, "No, I mean... I like him." Her cheeks turned an even deeper shade of red, and would have made Rarity faint from the clash in colour with her coat.

"Oh?" Twilight was confused at Lyra's repetition until she saw the blush, then it was her turn to be wide-eyed. "Oh!" She blushed too, not sure how to approach the situation, "Well... that's er... great, Lyra. I'm glad."

Lyra managed to calm down after seeing Twilight's blush, and continued, "I'm just not sure how to approach him about it. You wouldn't happen to have some books for this kind of thing would you?"

"I probably do," Twilight said, fanning herself to lower the amount of blood in her face, "But it's getting late, we should get some shut-eye. Why don't you come by tomorrow and I'll see what we can find."

Happy that she had managed to get some of the weight off her shoulders, Lyra smiled at her friend and climbed into the bed Twilight had prepared for her. As she laid her head down, she suddenly realised how tired she was, and gladly let her eyelids close themselves. She fell asleep, and the only thing she could think about was the human.

"Captain Wingfleet."

"Yes, Captain Jones?"

"Any idea why there is an unconscious human in front of me?"

"I haven't the slightest, kid," I knelt down next to the human, and began to study the features. It was fairly easy to find out that this human was female, almost six feet tall with a thin, wiry build. Her hair was short and black, and pulled out a flask of water from my webbing, using it to wash away the dirt and dried blood on her face.

When the dirt was mostly gone, I was surprised by how young she was. She couldn't have been much older than me. However, that thought was soon crushed as a realisation hit me.

I know this girl.

I turned to Wingfleet, "Change of plans, we're taking this human with us. Steel, grab the artifact. Wingfleet, contact the reconnaissance team and get them to prepare a teleportation spell."

Wingfleet nodded and furrowed his brow as he tried to broadcast a message to the unicorns, "Horn 5, this is Emerald Squad, come in," he paused, "Horn 5, can you hear me?" After a few seconds he shook his head, "We're out of range, and this concrete structure certainly isn't helping. We need to get topside and head west, that's where they're set up."

"Right," I saw a rucksack next to the human, and opened it to find a collection of human items, She must have had these when she arrived. I put the rucksack on my back over my wings before grabbing the girl and lifting her onto my shoulders in a fireman's carry, making sure she was able to breathe while I kept a grip on my rifle.

I focused on my own thoughts, "Trooper Thunderlane, we're exiting the bunker now with the artifact and one civilian. Be prepared to head west on foot, we can't fly out of here," there was no reply, and I was worried the concrete was too thick for them too as I tried again, "Thunderlane, respond."

A voice entered my head, but it wasn't Thunderlane. It was Shadow Breeze, and he sounded like he was in pain, "Dutch... help me."

The hairs on my neck stood up as I looked at Wingfleet, who had also heard the message. Without a word, we ran back up the stairs towards the thick, metal door. Pulling it open, I stopped in my tracks as I tried to process the scene before me.

Shadow stood in front of me, unharmed, but with a look of defeat and sadness on his face. Lying next to him were the bodies of Trooper Thunderlane and Guardsman Rumble. Thunderlane had a single crossbow bolt through his skull, while Rumble was lying in a pile of his own blood, a large hole from another bolt leaking the liquid from his chest. There were other bodies of bandits further away.

"Mother of Celestia..." I heard Steel say next to me. Our shock ended as we heard a series of voices shouting from the other side of the camp.

"They're over there."

"Who are they?"

"Royal Guards!"

"We've got a lot of fight coming our way!" Wingfleet shouted, "Steel, give the artifact to Shadow. We need to get Thunderlane and Rumble out of here."

They ran over and picked up the bodies of the soldiers, tossing them onto their backs as I ran as best I could with a human on my back over to Shadow, who had collapsed onto his haunches.

"Shadow, we have to move, now!" I shouted, but he didn't seem to register me.

"They're dead. There were too many. Oh Celestia... they're both dead." His voice was shaking and his head was in his hooves, but I needed to get him moving.

"SHADOW!" I grabbed the box containing the artifact and pushed it in front of him, shaking his shoulders to wake him up, "We can mourn them later, but right now we have to get out of here!"

He looked at me, took a deep breath and nodded, fighting through his shock as he lifted the box onto his back and followed us. Luckily, we were already on the west side of the camp, meaning we didn't have to fight through the bandits to get out. But they would still chase us until we had reached the unicorns.

We ran through a gate in the camp's perimeter and began running across the open ground. We were all considerably slowed down due to the extra weight we were all carrying, but that didn't stop us moving as fast as our limbs would allow. Suddenly, we heard a yell from the camp, followed by a crack. We didn't turn round, but a beam of magic shot over our heads, followed by several crossbow bolts. None of them hit us, and we had the darkness to thank for that, but it would only be a matter of time before one of the projectiles found their mark.

Knowing this, I turned and dropped to one knee, shifting the weight of the human as I freed both my arms and raised the rifle into my left shoulder. Aiming carefully so as not to waste ammunition, I began to fire at the bandits persuing us, feeling the brass casings bounce off my forearm. The recoil absorbed into my shoulder, and I focused on only putting one round in each pony. I didn't have the time or rounds to make sure they were dead, and I only needed the single bullet to incapacitate them.

In the darkness, I saw a unicorn's horn begin to glow. I aimed directly below it and pulled the trigger. The glow instantly disappeared, and the fire began to let up. The remaining bandits scrambled for cover, scared of this device that killed their colleagues without apparently firing anything. After seeing no more movement, I stood back up, grunting under the girl's weight, and started running towards what was left of Emerald Squad, who had managed to cover a couple hundred metres.

"Wingfleet, where are those unicorns?" I almost shouted into my thoughts.

"Standby," Wingfleet replied, "Horn 5, this is Emerald Squad, come in!"

A new voice entered our minds, and relief flooded through me, "Emerald Squad, this is Horn 5. What's your status, we're hearing a lot of noise down there."

Wingfleet answered them, "Horn 5, we've retrieved the artifact, but we're compromised. It's like we've kicked a bucking hornet's nest here! Currently heading west towards your position with enemy forces in pursuit. Be advised, we have two KIA and one civilian, requesting immediate extraction."

"Roger, we're preparing to teleport to your position now, we should with you in a few seconds."

By now, the bandits had started advancing again and were closing on our position, putting fire down as they moved. I was still heading toward the squad, and was only a few metres away when I felt an incredible heat pass through my right thigh, followed by a searing pain. I yelled out and fell, the weight of the human landing on top of me, and she let out a groan in her unconscious state. Wingfleet ran out from behind cover and grabbed my collar with his teeth. I lifted myself onto my good leg and dragged the human behind me as I pushed myself behind the rock and leant against it, trying to keep my wounded leg elevated.

"Horn 5, we've got an officer down. Where the hell are you?!" Wingfleet shouted.

"We're almost there, standby."

I felt the air around us begin to crackle, and a flash in the darkness revealed three unicorns in Lunar Guard armour. They galloped over to us and focused magic into their horns again. Light engulfed us, and the pulling sensation returned. It felt even worse on my leg as it was twisted in all directions. It felt like someone was sticking a salt-covered finger in the wound. I tried to say something, but my body wouldn't respond as I was teleported. After what felt like an eternity of agony, the light disappeared, and I felt myself collapse onto grass. Finally able to command my body again, I screamed for all I was worth, everything around me becoming insignificant.

I heard a voice shout, "Medic!" and I was lifted into the air as a unicorn started to carry me somewhere. I opened my eyes and saw we were in the grounds of Canterlot Castle. Finally in the knowledge that we were safe, I closed them again and let the noises around me pass by. After a few minutes, I felt myself be lowered onto something soft, and the tingling of magic surrounding me disappeared. There was a sound of tearing fabric, and I opened my eyes and saw a unicorn doctor shining light from his horn onto my exposed wound as I lay in a hospital bed. It looked similar to the spell Whitebone had used when examining my wings.

After a few minutes, he gave a sigh and said, "Well, the good news is that the magic beam cut through clean. It missed the bone and the artery, and you'll be fine. The bad news is that you're going to be walking around with a stick for a while until it heals."

Damn. Looks like Lyra's present is going to have to be postponed. I looked down at the wound. It was a thin hole through my thigh, no wider than a bullet, but without the large exit wound that a round would normally inflict. The pain had subsided now, and was only a dull ache. The doctors must have used some spell as a painkiller.

"Is it possible for me to get a stick now?" I asked as I sat up, "I'd like to see the rest of my squad, as well as the human we found."

"Yes sir," one of the ponies left the room while the doctor wrapped a bandage around my leg. I winced as he tied the final knot, and a shifted out of the bed to try and stand. My leg throbbed, and I felt a pull from the damaged muscle when I moved, but a bit of pain wouldn't stop me from seeing my squad.

The pony returned with a pole about the length off a walking stick, and I rested my weight on it as I stood. Despite being only 21, I still felt like an old man as I exited the room, leaning on the stick, and followed the doctor to another ward. The remains of Emerald were inside, as well as the human, who still lay unconscious in a bed. Wingfleet and Steel were talking to another doctor next to the human, while Shadow was at the other end of the room, sat on a bed staring at the floor.

Wingfleet saw me enter and trotted over, "Shadow's still out of it. He said he wanted to be alone for a bit."

"I still need to talk to him about this," I said, and the doctor began to walk towards me.

"Captain Jones, I presume?"

"Yes. How is the human?"

"She's still unconscious sir," the doctor said, "She's got a lot of bruises and a few cuts, but nothing major. We've given her a basic universal sedative that should keep her asleep at least until the morning, but for now we need to let her recover."

"Good. When she wakes up I want someone to notify me immediately."

"Yes sir."

He left the room, and I limped over to Shadow Breeze. He continued to look at the floor as I sat down next to him. With my lowered height as I sat on the bed, Shadow was about as tall as me. I tried to make eye contact with him, but he wouldn't move.

"Shadow...?"

He shook his head, "They're dead... I'm so sorry." Tears were starting to form in his eyes, and I put an arm around him for comfort. We stayed like that for several minutes, and when he stopped leaning on me everyone had left the room except for the human. I looked over at him, and he met my gaze, staring at me with dispair in his eyes.

"Shadow... what happened?"

Interlude 4: Shadow

21st Autumn's Dawn

Guardsman Shadow Breeze trotted around the field, doing laps. He tried to focus on pacing himself, anything to help him take his mind off what had happened the night before. He looked down at his hooves as he ran, Just place one hoof in front of the other Shadow. Don't think about them.

But that was the only thing he could think about. The events that had unfolded at the camp, how Thunderlane and Rumble had died. He sighed and sat down next to a tree, hanging his head in defeat as the memories came flooding back. Their voices, their faces as they died, standing right there in front of him.

He buried his face in his hooves, but didn't cry, too filled with grief to do so. He was so wrapped up in his thoughts he didn't hear the hooves approaching him, nor the voice that accompanied them.

"Hey, are you ok?"

After a few seconds, the voice spoke again. It was slow and calm, and Shadow almost felt himself being soothed by it, "Buddy, are you alright? Do you want me to get somepony?"

Shadow lowered his hooves back to the ground, but kept his eyes focused on the ground, "No. I'm not hurt or anything like that."

The pony sat down next to him, "Well, what's bothering you then?"

Finally, Shadow looked up. The voice came from an earth pony stallion with a light-grey coat, a black, spiky mane and blue eyes. His cutie mark was a set of four-leaf clovers, "Who are you?" Shadow asked.

"Trooper in the Celestial Guard," the pony explained, "Out of all the places I could of gone in the military, my parents wanted me to become one of Princess Celestia's personal guards. Not exactly what I wanted, but I'm not complaining. So what's your name?"

Shadow couldn't keep eye contact with this pony, his coat and mane reminded him too much of Rumble, but the least he could do was be polite, "Shadow Breeze."

The pony smiled, "That's a good name. Tell me Shadow Breeze, do you believe in destiny?"

"What do you mean?" Shadow turned to look at him.

"I mean, do you think that there's something we're all supposed to do in life before we die? Maybe there's something that's supposed to happen to us, and fate won't allow us to leave until that's completed."

Dutch listened to Shadow Breeze as he explained what happened while he had been down in the bunker. As he progressed, the human's face became more and more concerned, and when Shadow finished, he didn't reply for several minutes as he digested those words.

Finally, he took a breath to speak. Shadow hoped they would be words of comfort or compassion, but what he heard made his ears fold against his head.

"Shadow, don't ever tell anyone what you just told me." His voice was quiet, and whether it was from the shock or to make sure no one else heard, he didn't know.

"Why not?" Shadow asked, cocking his head.

"You just... can't, ok? Promise me that you won't tell anyone. I don't know what will happen to you if you do."

Shadow stared into Dutch's eyes. They said the exact same thing his mouth did. Slowly, he nodded, "I promise Dutch."

Shadow thought for a second. What if what happened last night was destiny? What if they were supposed to die? He didn't know if that was true or not, and he didn't want to think about it. And what about Dutch? Was he doing the right thing by swearing him to silence. He didn't know.

He felt like he had to talk to somepony about it. Somepony who hadn't been there. His father had always said it felt good to let your problems out. Gradually, he turned his head back to the earth pony.

"Can I... tell you a secret?"

Author's notes: I hope AnonJ17 is ok with this.

Chapter 33: An Old Friend

21st Autumn's Dawn

I suppose the only good thing about today was that the sun was out. Of course, that had been arranged for the burial. I stood among the crowd of ponies, both soldiers and civilians alike. I was in formal dress, and for once, my rifle was locked away. I had done a check of it before the funeral, and counted the ammunition. Since first using it, I had used up nineteen rounds. I suppose it wasn't much considering what I had been through, but it was still nineteen more than I would have liked.

The funeral was similar to the one I had been to after the convoy ambush, but this time, the caskets were closed. After the pony at the altar had performed the same speech from the previous funeral, seven unicorns lined up alongside each other and charged their horns, each firing a blast of magic into the air and letting off a loud crack. This happened three times as the ponies gave them an equivalent of a 21 gun salute.

After the coffins had been lowered into the ground, I saw Wingfleet walking towards me with two civilians following him, a mare and a stallion.

"Captain Jones, this is Cumulus and Dive Bomb. They're the parents of Thunderlane and Rumble," he turned to the civilians, "This is Captain Jones, your children's commanding officer. I'll give you some time alone."

As he left, I took a knee in front of the two ponies. Cumulus was wearing a black veil over her face, and Dive Bomb was trying to force back the tears in his eyes.

"Sir, ma'am, I'm very sorry for your loss. Thunderlane and Rumble were good ponies, and I was proud to have them under my command."

"It... It's alright Captain," Cumulus said, before breaking down and sobbing into her husband's shoulder. He put a hoof around her and stared straight ahead, trying not to cry himself.

I reached into my pocket and pulled out a small object, something I had taken out of Rumble's combat gear as they were dressed into their funeral clothes. A single golden bit. The dried blood had been cleaned off, leaving it to shine in the sunlight.

"I don't know if this means anything to you, but this belonged to them," I said as I handed it over to Dive Bomb, "I think they would have wanted you to have it."

"We knew about their bets," Dive Bomb said, "They were throwing this bit back and forth between them when they were just foals. Thank you for giving this to us. Maybe, over time, we can use it to find peace."

"I hope you do sir," I said, feeling a lump in my throat, "If you'll excuse me, I need some time to think."

"You go ahead Captain," Dive Bomb answered, "We'll need the time too."

In an attempt to ease my mind, I walked around the Canterlot Gardens, finding the quiet atmosphere soothing. After a while, I found myself standing next to a single large wall, almost looking out of place among the flowers and statues. Upon closer inspection, I found the wall to be engraved with hundreds of names.

Golden Shield.

Razorwing.

Tundra Snow.

I walked along the length of the wall, leaning on my stick and looking at each of the ponies' names. I reached the end, and saw a group of names that looked to be recently engraved. One of them made me pause.

Silver Cloud.

Scootaloo's dad, I thought to myself. I took a step back and looked at the whole wall. It must have been fifty metres long, and twenty metres high. There were hundreds, maybe thousands of names. Each of them, a dead soldier.

"A memorial for fallen heroes," said a voice behind me, and I turned to see Celestia approaching me, "We try to honour their memories and deeds even as their faces fade into history."

I turned back to the wall, "I never thought there would be this many."

"Equestria might seem nice on the outside," Celestia said, "But, like your kind, we've had our fair share of conflicts. And after thousands of years, I began to realise that the real heroes of those wars weren't the ones covered in medals, but the ones who would never return home to their families."

I didn't reply, only thinking about past events, War is a horrible thing that no one should have to encounter, and yet here I am, fighting and killing, watching others die around me. Is it really all that necessary?

"I can see distress on your face, Captain," Celestia said, interrupting my train of thought, "Is there something wrong?"

"It's nothing ma'am," I quickly replied.

She gave a warm, almost motherly smile, "I understand that back at the funeral, I may have been your Princess, Dutch. But out here, I'm talking to you as a friend. Please don't fear that you need to hide something from me."

I sighed, "It's just... since the attack on the convoy, ponies have had a habit of dying around me. I'm not the superstitious type, but I still get a nagging feeling that I'm partially responsible."

"You are in no way responsible for the deaths of those ponies, or of Thunderlane and Rumble," Celestia reassured, "No one can predict who will live and die in a war. The best thing you can do is take care of those under your command. If you can keep them alive, you're doing enough."

I nodded, and we continued to stare at the memorial for several minutes. It ended when we heard galloping behind us, and turned to see a guard heading towards us.

"Sir, Your Majesty," the pony said, giving a bow, "I must ask that you come with me at once,"

"What is it Sergeant?" Celestia asked.

"The human you found, she's waking up."

As the girl's eyes fluttered open and her senses returned one by one, the first thing she noticed was how different everything seemed. First there was the smell; it was clean, and dry. Wherever she had been before was damp, and cold. Next was what she saw. While her captors had kept her bound and blindfolded whenever she was awake, she could tell by looking around this pristine, white room that this couldn't have been where she was kept. Her hearing returned next, and she could hear a constant beeping of what sounded like hospital equipment, as well as some brief footsteps. All she had heard before was a few male voices and the dripping of water.

She sat up and took in her surroundings. The soft, white bed she had been lying on looked too small for her, and her feet were hanging off the edge. There were other, identical beds lined along the room, but they were all empty. After flexing her limbs and making sure they all worked, she slowly pulled her legs out from under the sheets and looked herself over.

Her clothes were torn and bloodied. No doubt it was her own, but she was awake now, and felt alright, so she couldn't have lost too much. Her jeans were ripped, and her black hoodie stank of mud and rusty metal, but her skin was clean. It gave off a faint scent of soap, so someone must have been here while she was out, and it certainly wouldn't have been the people who imprisoned her. With a grunt, she pushed herself off the bed, taking a moment to maintain her balance. She was confused by what she saw, and blinked to try and focus her eyes, but they weren't lying. Everything in the room seemed... smaller. The tables, the bed, even the room itself looked a little short for a human.

"What the hell?" She said aloud, taking what little comfort she could from the soft, Scottish accent in her voice. She began to walk the length of the room, working the feeling back into her legs and examining the rest of the room. She reached the far wall, and was on the way back when the door began to open. She gave a sigh of relief, maybe she could find a doctor and figure out how she got from wherever she had been before to this miniature hospital.

The air that escaped her lungs in the sigh was immediately taken back in as she gasped when the door opened fully, revealing a blue unicorn wearing a white jacket. He looked up from his clipboard at her, and gave a smile, shutting the door with a hind leg.

"Ah, good to see you're finally awake," he said. He began to trot forward, his horn glowing as he approached.

The girl took a step back, surprised that there was a unicorn in the room with her, let alone the fact that it was talking. Was she dreaming? Was it a hallucination? She didn't care, right now there was a unicorn walking towards her, and she was freaking out.

"You stay back!" She shouted, not taking her eyes off the small equine in front of her.

"Calm down, I just want to make sure you're ok," the unicorn replied, keeping the smile plastered across his face. She wasn't having any of it. She stopped retreating, and let anger overtake her fear.

"I'm warning you, back off!" She said, leaning forward and taking a more agressive stance.

The unicorn didn't seemed intimidated by this however, and didn't stop, "Look, I just want to make sure you're alright. Come here and let me look at you."

The girl's fight-or-flight senses finally kicked in, and moved over to the former as she ran at the unicorn.

"Bollocks to that!" She shouted. She grabbed the unicorn by his jacket and, somehow, lifted him off the ground. His hooves flailed helplessly in the air as she lifted him above her head.

I walked down the hall of the medical wing with Princess Celestia beside me. As we approached the same room Shadow and the human had been in the night before, I noticed a couple of guards stationed outside the door.

"Why are these guards here?" I asked the princess. No sooner had the words left my mouth than there was an angry feminine yell from inside the room. Approximately one second later, the door exploded outwards in a shower of splinters. The projectile that had caused the damage now lay in the middle of it. A unicorn doctor, covered in wood from the door and looking like he should have stars circling his head.

"It seems that would be the reason," Celestia remarked. The two guards turned towards the room and readied their weapons. I quickly stood in front of them.

"Stand down. I'll go in there talk to her. Alone."

"With respect sir," one of the guards said, "She just knocked the doctor through a door. I don't think anypony will be in a talking mood if they did that."

"She'll talk to me," I replied, making my point clear, "You two will stay out here and will not enter unless I tell you to. I think it's best if you did the same Princess."

Celestia nodded, "You know your kind better than I do. If it is for the best, I will remain here."

I stepped over the remains of the door and looked around the room. The human was nowhere to be seen. One of the beds had been used, but the rest were clean and folded, and there didn't seem to be any signs of an escape attempt. Suddenly, I heard a noise - the shuffling of feet - behind a hospital screen, and slowly walked towards it.

"I know you're hiding behind the screen," I said, "Come on out."

"Screw you!" Came the reply, "Get back or I'll hurt you too."

"You wouldn't hurt someone who you knew was trying to help you, and you know it."

"Fuck off! You don't know me, you're a bloody horse."

I sighed, "Yes, I do know you," there was no reply, so I continued, "Your name is Sarah Clarke. You were born in Edinburgh on the 14th June, 1992. When you were sixteen, you attended Swindon College in Wiltshire and earned qualifications in Science and Languages."

The room was coated in silence, apart from the quiet, slow breathing of the girl behind the screen.

As my final act to convince her, I said, "Don't tell me you don't recognise my voice even after all this time."

The seconds felt like hours as the room remained quiet. Slowly, the sound of footsteps - human footsteps - broke the silence as Sarah Clarke stepped out from behind the screen.

She hadn't changed a bit from when I last saw her. She was shorter than me, like she always had been, but only by an inch or two. Her hair was jet black, and was short for a girl. It barely covered her ears. Her thin build showed signs of fitness, and as she looked towards me, her grass-green eyes showed a mixture of shock, confusion, and a hint of happiness.

"Doug?" She said, slowly walking forwards, "Douglas 'Dutch' Jones? From college?"

I held my arms out, smiling, "The one and only. Though it's just Dutch now."

All of a sudden, Sarah broke into a sprint. I hesitated as I thought she was about to attack me too, but her arms wrapped around me and she pulled me into a tight hug.

"I thought I would never see you again," she said, "I was at you bloody funeral!"

I had always liked her Scottish accent. It was noticible, but it wasn't so thick you'd expect her to start saying something like 'Och aye the noo'. I started to realise her grip felt like it was going to suffocate me, and I was surprised at her strength. I quickly tapped her as best I could with my pinned arms, and she let go.

As I recovered my breath, she said, "Sorry, I didn't realise. Ever since a few days ago I've felt, I don't know... stronger."

Something clicked in my head when I heard this, and I remembered one of the bandits in the bunker had been an earth pony. I said, "Sarah, this is going to sound strange, but can I challenge you to an arm wrestle?"

"Uh, sure. Why?"

"I have a theory I'd like to make certain. We can use the bed, and if I'm right, it'll be over fairly quickly."

"Yeah, because you'll beat me, like you always did."

"Not necessarily," I gave her a sly grin and we knelt down on either side of the bad, locking our hands together.

"Ready?" I said, "Go,"

I put all of my strength into my arm, but I still found myself on the floor from the momentum of Sarah's arm as she threw me down with little to no effort. I lifted myself up to see a look of shock on her face as she stared at her hand, as if looking for some answer to her unexpected victory.

"Just as I anticipated," I said as I stood up.

"H-How...?" She asked, looking at me with wide eyes.

"Long story," I said. She stood up, but looked a little wobbly from this new development. I quickly put an arm around her before she could fall, "Easy there. Come on, we'll go for a walk in the gardens, get you some fresh air. I'll explain everything when we're outside."

She nodded, and I carried her out of the room. It was a difficult task with my own limp, but it wasn't too bad. As we left the room, I could see Sarah giving a cautious glare at the guards.

"Don't worry, they're with me," I told her, then turned to the Princess, "I'm going to take her outside and bring her up to speed if that's alright."

"That's quite alright Captain." Celestia replied.

I carried Sarah out to the gardens, before she stood straighter and took a deep breath, "I'm think I'm ok." She started to walk unassisted, and looked over at me. I saw her eyes glance over the scar and my finger, as well as the stick I was leaning on, "You look like shit man,"

I cocked my head, "I could say the same to you,"

She punched my shoulder, which hurt more than it should of due to her new-found strength, "So, about that explanation."

I smiled, "I'll start from the beginning. Sarah, we both know you'll be able to tell if I'm lying, you know me well enough. Because of that, I'll cut to the chase. You're not on Earth anymore."

Sarah stared at me with confusion, "This place is called Canterlot, the capitol of Equestria. I'm sure you've already met the local population," I gestured at a pair of guards standing by an entrance, "Sentient equines. They all call themselves ponies, but there's three types. Pegasi, who fly and control the weather. Earth ponies, they're like the ones back home, and unicorns, like the one you met just now. Speaking of which, what happened in there?"

"Well, I had just woken up and he started walking towards me with his horn thingy glowing. I panicked, and may have... thrown him through the door."

I laughed, "I actually understand that. I pulled a knife on the first pony I met, so you're not the only one."

"So why are we here?" Sarah asked.

Ah, tough question early on, "That's not easy to answer. I got here after I caught hypothermia in a forest. Sorry for being so blunt about it, but I'm here because I died. I don't know if the same thing happened to you but--"

Sarah stopped in her tracks. She stared at the floor for a few seconds, before leaning against a nearby statue and sinking into a sitting position, "So that's what happened..."

"What do you mean?"

She scrunched her eyes shut, "I was in London, just... going home. I got stuck in a queue at the bus station," she gave a small laugh, "You know how bad it can get, especially in rushour. This man next to me started shouting something. The accent sounded Arabic. He was holding something in his hand... it had a button on it. There was a click, then... nothing.

"When I came to, I didn't know where I was. There were some male voices, a hard stone floor... stayed like that for a couple of days, then I wake up in some bed and find you," she sighed, "All in all, it's been a hell of a ride."

I didn't say anything. I sat down next to her put an arm around her shoulder. After a few minutes, she pulled away and stood up, "But enough of that. You were going to tell me about this," she gestured at her arm.

"Fair enough," I stood too and we began wandering around the garden again, "Simply put, magic exists in this world. To them, it's about as natural as breathing or eating."

Sarah thought for a moment, then said, "Ok," without a hint of surprise in her voice.

"'Ok'? I thought you'd be a bit more surprised than just 'ok'."

She punched me again, "Look Doug, or Dutch if that's what everyone's calling you now, I just woke up in a world with little talking ponies. Trust me, you can't get more surprised than that. Anyway, we're getting off-topic. Why am I so strong?"

"Fine, fine. As you know, magic doesn't exist on Earth, so our bodies aren't used to it. This means that we've both absorbed some of it upon arriving here. I can run as far as I want and not get tired, while you... well, you already know. Most likely you were sat around an earth pony for too long like me. Magic exposure also gave me these," I flexed my wings.

Sarah walked around behind me to get a better look at them, "So they're not fake? I was beginning to wonder why you had something so geeky strapped to your back," there was a sudden jab of pain, and I whirled around to see Sarah twirling a feather between her fingers.

"Ow! Jesus Sarah, that hurts more than a stubbed toe!"

"Oh, don't be a baby," she dropped the feather and looked back at me, "So who was the big pony back there? If books taught me anything, it's that characters dressed like that are important."

"You guessed right," I said, massaging the sting in my wing, "Her name's Princess Celestia. She's one of the leaders here, and can control the sun. It's her job to raise it every morning."

"Riiight. Magic?"

"Magic."

"And how about your war scars?" She asked, looking me over again.

"The trademark bad luck of Dutch Jones," I said, pointing at each of my wounds, "Pack of wolves on my first day, and a manticore not three days later. I've also got a big one across my chest after some bandit came after me with a sharp piece of metal." I raised my injured leg, "This one happened last night while I was pulling your arse out of the fire. You're welcome."

She punched my arm again. I was worried I would get a bruise from it, "Quit complaining, you'll live."

We walked around some more while I explained some of the facts about Equestria, after ten minutes she started to jump up and down on the spot, "God, I'm getting antsy. Can I run somewhere now?"

I laughed, "Sure, I'll fly alongside you. I haven't used these things properly for a while now, and I'm not exactly in running condition."

I jumped into the air and began to hover a few metres above Sarah. She said, "Ok, I admit, that is pretty impressive."

"Finally pay me a compliment, huh?" I asked. Sarah simply waved her hand and began running, while I flew over her, giving her directions so she wouldn't get lost in the gardens. After ten minutes of running around, she stopped for a breather and I landed next to her. I was amazed at how well she was taking this, and I would have to ask her about it later.

"Hey Sarah, I'm planning on going back to my home town tomorrow, any chance you want to come with me?"

"Uh, of course," Sarah said sarcastically, "You seem to know your way around this place, so I'm sticking to you like glue."

I chuckled, and nudged her shoulder, "Come on, I'll show you around the rest of the castle, maybe get your clothes cleaned. You're hardly looking presentable."

I was rewarded by a fourth punch, but I laughed it off as we walked back to the castle. I put my arm around her shoulder again, and we looked at each other with massive smiles on our faces.

"It's good to have another human here," I said, "Even better that it's you, Sarah,"

Her smile widened, "It's good to see you too, Dutch."

Chapter 34: Not What You Think

22nd Autumn's Dawn

It was, yet again, a sunny day in Ponyville, and Lyra was sitting in Sugercube Corner with seven of her friends, enjoying an early lunch. Pinkie Pie had suggested a little get-together for no apparent reason, but everyone was happy enough to attend, and were now all talking and laughing amongst themselves.

Spike, obviously, was sat next to Rarity, and was just about to start another story in the hopes of impressing the white unicorn, when suddenly his cheeks puffed up, and belched a large green flame that blackened a plate of cupcakes and dropped a scroll onto the centre of the table, ruining his chances with her for the day.

Twilight smiled as she picked it up, breaking off the wax seal and unrolling it to read.

Hey everyone,

Princess Celestia told me that she was sending my letters via Spike, so hopefully by the time you're reading this, I should be on the train back to Ponyville. I've got two friends coming with me as well. One is a pegasus who went through training with me, the other is someone I met in Canterlot. She's very friendly, and I hope you can become good friends like I have. The train ride will take a while, and I should be back around one o'clock.

See you soon,

Dutch

As soon as Twilight put the letter down, Pinkie started hopping around with a massive grin on her face.

"Two new someponies coming to Ponyville?! This means I can plan twice as many Welcoming Parties!" She began to zip around the shop, planning her next party, "We're going to need balloons, and cake, and--"

"Hold yer horses there sugarcube," Applejack interrupted, "We don't even know who these ponies are yet."

"Sounds like Dutch has finally decided to find a special somepony. He mentioned a 'she' somewhere in there." Dash said, her lack of tact making Lyra nervous.

Twilight shot a glance at the mint-green unicorn. She was still the only pony who knew of Lyra's feelings for Dutch. Her eyes had shrunk, and would dart nervously to whoever was talking.

"Rainbow Dash!" Rarity exclaimed, "He's only been gone a few weeks. Do you really think that just any pony, especially one from Canterlot of all places, would go out with him in such a short space of time? Don't get me wrong, I hold the utmost respect for Canterlot citizens, but I don't think they would find Dutch the most... appealing of characters."

"Ya know Rarity, Ah actually agree with ya," Applejack said, oblivious to the drop of cold sweat running down Lyra's forehead, "Ah mean, Ah've known Dutch the longest out of all of us, and Ah've never once seen him as more than a friend. Whether it's cuz he's human, Ah don't know, but that's the truth."

Lyra was getting extrememly worried now, What if Dutch has already found a special somepony? What if he doesn't share my feelings? "H-Hey guys, I'm getting a little hot. Do you mind if I go out and get some fresh air?"

"Sure thing!" Pinkie said, "We'll make sure to save you some cupcakes."

Lyra took her leave while Pinkie started planning her Welcoming Parties again. She trotted round the corner and sat down on a bench, sitting like a regular pony for once. As she sat there thinking about what could happen, she heard another set of hooves and saw Twilight sit down next to her.

"You ok Lyra?"

"Yeah," she replied despondantly, "Twilight, do you really think Dutch has found somepony?"

"I don't know," Twilight said, "But we both know Dutch, he wouldn't find somepony special just like that. He mentioned how long it can take for some human relationships to develop. This mare he mentioned is probably just a friend, nothing more."

"I suppose you're right," Lyra said. Her ears folded back, "But what about what Rarity said? What if other ponies don't approve of us if he says yes to me?"

"There's nowhere in Equestrian law that says you can't love someone from a different species. If you get together, you will have my full support Lyra," Twilight said, resting a hoof on her shoulder, "And I have no doubt that our other friends will feel the same. You have nothing to worry about."

Lyra smiled, "You're right. Sorry for getting so worked up. It's just that after hearing that letter, I'm a little on edge. I know I'm just being paranoid, but that doesn't stop the feeling."

Twilight giggled, "That's alright. Come on, we'd better get back before the others miss us."

Lyra hopped off the bench and followed Twilight back to Sugarcube Corner. She was still nervous from what the letter had said, but not nearly as much as before. She pushed the thought of this new mare aside; she'd burn that bridge when she reached it.

She only hoped it wouldn't be made of stone.

Shadow, Sarah and I made our way onto the train, finding an empty compartment and setting our bags aside. I looked over at Sarah, who was sat opposite me, staring out the window at the mountains. Her clothes had been cleaned, though there were still a few tears in her jeans, and her eyes glimmered as the sun reflected off them.

"You know, you've been taking all of this a lot better than I thought you would." I said.

She gave me a deadpanned expression, "Remember who you're talking to Dutch. If there's anything I'm good at, it's moving on. Besides, this place looks better than London, so it seems to be a good trade."

Satisfied with her answer, I turned to Shadow, "And how have you been doing since yesterday."

"Much better," Shadow gave me what seemed to be a genuine smile, "I guess I've managed to move on as well, sir."

"Glad to hear it buddy," I patted his shoulder, "And we're off-duty, you don't have to call me sir."

"You know what?" Sarah said, "I'm going to have forty winks. Jumping worlds really takes it out of you."

"I know how that feels. I might do the same," I said, before making myself comfortable.

"If you two are going to spend the trip sleeping, I'm going to go for a wander around the train," Shadow said, "Maybe see what they have in the food carriage."

He left the compartment, and before I closed my eyes, I took one last look at Sarah. Finally, a member of my own species, here in Equestria. I felt a wave of warmth wash over me just before I drifted off.

I found myself stood in a large garden. It was familiar, and I recognised it as the Canterlot Castle Gardens. There was just one thing wrong with it; it was empty. Not a single shrub or statue was in sight. However, after taking another look around, I saw to small pieces of stone, right in the middle of the empty garden.

As I got closer, the pieces of stone took shape, and became small headstones. There were two names engraved on them.

Thunderlane

Rumble

I felt a pang of guilt as I looked at the stones. Was it my fault that they were dead? If not, then whose. And what about Shadow? What had he done to deserve this? Did he deserve it?

"You can't keep thinking about this," said Valiant as he walked up alongside me, "It'll only eat away at you. Take your friend's advice, and move on."

"It was always easier for Sarah to move on, that was just who she was," I said, finally taking my gaze off the stones and looking down at the spirit next to me, "Do you think I did the right thing? Telling Shadow not to tell anyone."

"I have my own conscience Dutch, I cannot tell you what to do, or whether it is right or not. That is your decision to make, and yours alone. While I am obliged to serve my host, I can't decide or justify their actions for them. What I can tell you is that if you focus too much on what you have left behind, you never be able to see what lies ahead."

"I suppose that's one way of looking at it," I said, "Thanks Valiant. I don't know where I'd be without you."

"Probably slightly worse off than where you are now," he said with a chuckle, "I'll let you enjoy your dreams. See you soon."

He faded into dust as the empty garden began to change shape, trees sprouting out of the ground, and some patches of land rising into hills. On one of these hills sat a fimiliar figure, with a mint-green coat. As I got closer, they were joined by a pair of large, golden eyes. The scene played out exactly as before, and just as my lips were about to meet with Lyra's...

"Hey, wake up, we're here."

I must have slept for a few hours, because Shadow was waking me and Sarah up as some familiar buildings came into view.

The train slowly came to a halt, and I could see the faint colours of ponies standing on the platform through the steam. I grabbed my bag and stick and left the compartment, with Shadow and Sarah following me. Just before I opened the door to leave the train, Sarah put a hand on my shoulder.

"Can I just... wait here a sec?" She asked, "This'll be the largest amount of ponies I've been around so far, I think I need a minute."

"Sure, come out whenever you're ready." I stepped off the train and was immediately jumped on by a group of ponies. I lay there for a few seconds as several sets of multi-coloured hooves hugged me, before releasing me one by one. Lyra was the last, who sat on top of me a few seconds longer, nuzzling me and whispering, "Welcome home Dutch," before climbing off and letting me stand up.

"...Well, it's good to see you guys too," I said with a huge smile, "Feels like ages since I left this place," I looked at the group, then noticed somethng out of place, "Where's Rainbow Dash?"

"She got pulled away on last-minute weather duty," Twilight explained, "She'll be done soon, and we've arranged to meet at the library."

"What happened to yer leg?" Applejack asked, "Ah thought Ah told ya not to get into any trouble."

"Applejack, you of all ponies should know that trouble usually finds me." I said with a smirk.

"Enough chit-chat!" Pinkie shouted with a grin, "We've got new ponies to meet."

"Fair enough," I said, before gesturing to the dark grey pegasus next to me, "This is Shadow Breeze," he gave a wave to the group, "He trained with me, and is going to be staying in Ponyville for a while."

Each of the ponies said hello to Shadow, and when Fluttershy trotted over and whispered a quiet, "Hello," whilst hiding behind her mane, I swear I could see a hint of red in Shadow's dark grey cheeks.

"Your letter also spoke of another mare that was accompanying you. Where is she?" Rarity asked.

"Mare?" I asked, then I remembered what I had written, "Oh yeah, give me a sec,"

I poked my head back onto the train, "Sarah, you ok? They're ready to meet you."

She nodded, "Yeah, I'm fine." She put her rucksack on and followed me to the door. Before I stepped out I said to her, "Brace yourself, you're about to get a lot of funny looks."

I walked out the train again, and I could see the eyes of everyone in front of me widening. I took that as my cue to make introductions.

"Everyone, this is Sarah Clarke," I announced.

They all remained silent as they took in the sight in front of them. Finally, Applejack broke the silence, "Another human?"

"Yep!" I said, putting my arm around Sarah, "Fantastic, isn't it?"

"Cool!" Scootaloo exclaimed.

"I'll say," said Twilight. The rest of them nodded in agreement. I didn't notice the look of nervousness in Lyra's eyes, "Come on, we'd better get to the library. No point staying here and chatting."

We left Ponyville station and headed towards the library. As we walked, I noticed Shadow kept shooting glances at Fluttershy, so I decided to have a private talk with him.

"So, is Fluttershy as pretty as you remember?"

He blushed before replying, "Yeah, even better actually. I just don't know if I can muster up the strength to ask her."

"Well you'd better be quick before someone else does," Shadow's head whipped to me as I gave him a joking smile, before turning to Twilight, "Hey Twilight, can you hear this?"

Twilight kept walking. There was no pause in step, no hesitation, not even a twitch in her ear.

"Apparently not," said Shadow.

We shared a small laugh we arrived at the library and went inside. As I looked around at the books and scrolls lining the walls, I thought to myself, It's good to be home.

"So," I said as we sat down in the middle of the library in a circle, "Time for introductions." I gestured at each pony and gave Sarah their names. Applejack gave a tip of her hat, Pinkie waved ecstatically, and Scootaloo just stared in amazement. As I reached Lyra, who was the last pony in the circle, I heard a whooshing noise from outside slowly becoming louder, and could only turn my head as a cyan blur smashed through the window and collided with me, sparking pain in my wounded leg.

I raised my head to look at the ball of fur lying on top of me, "And lastly, this is Rainbow Dash. Ow."

"Sorry Dutch," Rainbow said as she stepped off me, "I was practicing a new trick and it didn't exactly go as planned."

"I think that's apparent." Sarah said, pulling Rainbow's attention towards her.

"Rainbow, this is Sarah, an old friend from Earth." I said.

"You found another human?" Rainbow gasped, "That's so rad!"

"Well now that we have introductions out of the way, why don't you tell us a bit about yourself Sarah," Twilight said.

"Not much to tell really," Sarah replied, "Anything in particular you want to know?"

"How about when you and Dutch first met." Applejack said.

"Sure," Sarah turned to me, "Hey Dutch, you always enjoyed telling this part. Want to tell it now?"

"Thanks," I looked at the ponies, "It was in the middle of the college year, I was about 17 or 18 at the time..."

2009
Wiltshire, England

It was just another day at college, teachers and students wandering the halls, either going to or from the classrooms. I was on my way from the bus stop, heading for my first lesson of the day.

I passed through the college gates and headed round to the back of the college, the quickest way to my lesson. As I turned a corner I saw a trio of students standing over a girl. They were kicking dirt at her, throwing insults and generally doing other things a normal bully would do. Of course, having a strong sense of justice meant I couldn't just walk past and let this happen, so I walked over to the three boys.

"Hey!" I called to them, "What are you doing?"

They all turned to me. The all looked about sixteen, with one of them being considerably bigger than the others. I wasn't intimidated by them though, I knew how to fight if things turned south.

"What do you want?" Asked the larger student, his voice carrying a thick chav accent as he sized me up.

"I want you to leave that girl alone," I said, not breaking eye contact.

"Who does he fink he is?" Said one of the other bullies, "Some hero ready to save the day?"

"I'm hoping it won't come to that," I replied, "Just leave her alone and we can avoid a confrontation."

The big guy laughed, "How about we beat the shit out of you, then leave her alone?"

I put my right foot behind me and got into a combat stance, "Not going to happen."

The biggest of the three started walking towards me, clenching his fists and getting ready for a fight. I watched his legs as he approached, and as he brought one forward, I lashed out and kicked it out from under him. He fell to one knee, and I smashed my knee into his face. He was thrown backwards and lay on the floor, groaning and trying to stand, without much success. One of his friends grabbed my collar and brought back a fist to punch me. Luckily, I was faster, and punched him first, before twisting his arm and kicking him in the stomach as he was bent over.

I turned to face the final threat, but he got to me first. I saw a fist appear into my vision, and tried to move with it as it connected with my jaw. The punch threw me off balance, and as I shook my head to clear my vision, and heard a scuffling, followed by a grunt of pain.

I looked back up to see the final bully on the floor, with the mysterious girl standing over him, looking ready to strike again. I picked up her bag and walked over, giving it to her.

"I believe this belongs to you," I said. Her green eyes twinkled as she looked at me.

"Thanks," she said with a Scottish accent, "Got me out of a tight spot there."

"Thank you for dealing with that last guy," I replied, "You know how to fight?"

"A bit," she said, "Took a few classes, but it seems you know more than me. Plus, they knocked me on the floor before I knew they were there."

"What was their problem anyway?" I asked.

"Just some dicks who think they own the place. You know, usual crap," the girl said, shrugging, "I only just arrived to this college and they're already trying to pull this off."

"Yeah, they'll do that," I said, taking a step towards one of the bullies as they stood up and watching him run off, "So you're new? What lesson have you got?"

She pulled a timetable out of her bag and examined it, "Applied Science, room 207."

"Really? Same here! Come on, I'll show you the way."

We entered the college and ascended a flight of stairs, heading for the science labs. The class was just starting as I sat down, and I saw the girl sit down next to me, giving me a warm smile as she pulled her books out.

"So what's your name?" I asked.

"Sarah Clarke."

"Well Sarah, it's nice to meet you," I stuck out my hand, "Douglas Jones. My friends call me Dutch."

She looked at my hand, "Do I count as a friend?"

"Do you want to?"

Sarah smiled, before shaking my hand, "It's good to meet you too Dutch."

I looked around the library at my friends as I finished. After a brief silence, Fluttershy was the first to speak.

"Oh... my,"

"That's... quite a way to make a friendship," Twilight remarked.

"Are you kidding?" Rainbow exclaimed, "Beating up a bunch of bullies and making a friend in one day? That's awesome!"

"So what happened afterwards?" Applejack asked.

"Not much," I said, "Those bullies never bothered us again, and they must have spread the word because it wasn't long before some of the more notorious students were stepping out of the way whenever we were walking down the hall together."

"Plus it was kinda cool to intimidate them like that," Sarah added.

Rarity gasped, "That's not a very ladylike thing to say."

Sarah laughed, "Rarity, if there's one thing I'm not, it's ladylike. I don't do make-up, and you won't catch me dead in a skirt or dress."

"You sound like Rainbow Dash in a human's body," Twilight said, giggling, "I think I can see you two pulling pranks already."

"Anyway, after a few weeks we were inseparable," I said, "We did everything together. Birthdays, meals out, I even trusted her enough to tell her what had happened to me when I was fifteen." I looked at Twilight, who gave a look of understanding, "I don't think I'd ever had a closer friend before." I smiled at the old memories.

"Did Sarah become your special somepony?" Scootaloo asked.

Everyone gave an audible gasp, though Lyra's was considerably louder. Sarah looked at me, confused.

"She's asking if we became more than friends." I stated.

"Oh," Sarah said, nodding, "Well, you answered the first one, so now it's my turn."

She turned to the group and cleared her throat, "To answer your question kid," Scootaloo's brow furrowed, "No, Dutch didn't become my 'special somepony'. Though he did ask me."

"What happened?" Asked Rainbow, "Did you end up fighting each other?"

"No, no, nothing like that," Sarah replied, "We were friends through and through. It's just that, when I found out his feelings for me, it got... awkward."

*7 months after Dutch and Sarah met*

This is it, I thought to myself, I'll tell her, and ask her out. How hard could it be?

The answer? Very hard. I found Sarah in the canteen eating lunch. She waved as I walked over, giving me that smile she always gave me. I returned it as best I could, but my mind was elsewhere. I had had weeks to think this over, and I still didn't know how I was going to tell her as I sat down.

Sarah seemed to pick up on my expression, "Hey Dutch, something bothering you?"

"N-No, I'm fine,"

She sighed, "Look Doug, I know you, and you know me. You've got something on your mind, I can tell by your face. Just tell me what it is, and I'll see if I can help."

"Alright," I took a deep breath, "How do you tell somebody that you like them? I mean more than a friend. There's someone I like, and I don't know how to tell her."

Sarah thought for a moment, "That depends on the person. Who are we talking about, and do I know them?"

"Yeah, you'd know them,"

"Is it that Rachel girl with the blonde hair? Please tell me it isn't."

"No, calm down. It isn't her," I decided to take the quicker approach, and tell her outright, "It's you."

Sarah stopped eating her food and set it down on the table, focusing on the wood and not blinking. Finally, she spoke.

"I see. Well, Douglas," she only called me that when she was being serious, "While I appreciate that you think of me like that, I'm afraid I have to say no."

I sighed, "That's ok. I mean hey, it's not the first time."

I got up to leave, but Sarah stopped me, "No Doug, listen," she took my hand in hers, "I know you been turned down before, but hear me out. You're a good friend, I couldn't ask for a better one. But trust me when I use a cheesy line and say that it isn't you, it's me."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"I'll be blunt about it too," she said, "I'm... not interested in guys."

My eyes widened and I cocked my head, "You mean you're..."

"Yup."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah, about four years now," I cocked my head, "Don't give me that look, you know I don't lie to my friends."

Neither of us said a word for a few minutes, until I said, "Thank you. You're the first girl to have a legitimate reason for it and not lie to my face," I held my arms out, "Still friends?"

That smile returned, and she hugged me, "Still friends."

The silence lasted considerably longer than it had for my story. No one was quite sure how to react to it.

"Um... that was er..." Fluttershy stammered, "I don't know what to say."

"Well... that was a great story," Twilight said, before composing herself, "As much as I would love to hear more, I need to get back to my studies. It was great meeting you Sarah."

"Ah agree," Applejack said, "It's good to meet another human, maybe Ah can get ya a job at the farm like Dutch. Speakin' of which, Ah don't want you workin' until ya leg's healed, it would only make it worse."

"Bugger, I was hoping to get back to work."

Applejack left with a tip of her hat, and Rainbow Dash approached me, her normally cocky expression replaced with seriousness.

"Dutch, there's something important I need to discuss with you," she said, "About Scootaloo."

"Is there something wrong?" I asked.

"I can't talk about it here, meet me tomorrow at 3:30 after Scootaloo finishes school, in the field where we usually spar. She'll be there with me, and I'll tell you then."

She left too, as did everyone else except Scootaloo and Sarah. As Lyra started to walk out the door, I said to Sarah, "Would you excuse me for a minute?"

She nodded, and I walked out of the library, catching up with Lyra and saying, "Are you alright? You've been awfully quiet since I got back, and I was starting to get worried."

"I'm fine," she said, "I was just having a bit of internal conflict. Don't worry though, I've managed to sort it out."

"I'm glad," I said with a smile, "But if there's anything you need to talk about, don't be afraid to ask, ok?"

"I won't be. I trust you enough for that."

I smiled, and pulled her into a hug. She gasped, but eventually wrapped her hooves around my back and wings, nuzzling me, "It's good to have you back Dutch."

"It's good to be back."

I released her, and she gave one final look in my eyes before turning and leaving. I watched her leave, thinking about how and if I should tell her. She rounded the corner, and with a sigh, I went back into the library.

"Hey Sarah, we've got a few hours to ourselves. Why don't Scootaloo and I show you around the town."

"Might as well," she said, standing up and following us out, "I should get to know where I'm going to be living for the rest of my life."

Chapter 35: Hidden Talents

I'm actually curious as to how this chapter will be recieved. Let me know in the comments.

23rd Autumn's Dawn

"Well, here we are. Sweet Apple Acres."

Sarah followed me onto the farm, looking at the huge expanse of trees before us. After showing her the sights of Ponyville, we had agreed that the Bannered Mare would be suitable accomodation for her. I lent her some money to get her through the first week, and she would have enough to pay for herself when she started working at the farm.

I was still resting my weight on the stick as I walked, and was wearing a pair of shorts so I could change the bandage if I needed to. I escorted her to the barn, where Applejack was waiting for us. She gave a friendly wave as we approached, which we both returned.

"So, ya ready to start work?" She asked.

Sarah shrugged, "I guess so. Dutch said my strength would come in handy here."

"Really? Exactly how strong are ya?"

Sarah looked around for a moment, before her eyes laid on a cart practically overflowing with apples. She walked over and lifted it over her head as easily as if it was a piece of cardboard. Even I was surprised; I had never seen her lift something that heavy yet. For an extra wow factor, she took one hand away and balanced it like a high-class waiter, "And that's only slightly heavy," she said.

Applejack was speechless, "...Well ok then. Ah guess there's stuff ya can do. Ah'm sure Big Mac has some heavy liftin' you could lend a hoof with. After a while, Ah'll see if yer up to buckin' apples."

"Thanks AJ," Sarah said.

Just before she left to help the red stallion, I tapped her on the shoulder, "Hey, word of warning. When she offers you to buck apples, don't kick too hard."

"I'm sure I can take care of myself."

I laughed, "It's not you I'm worried about. I managed to kick branches loose when I bucked my first tree, so I can't begin to imagine what you would do to it."

She held up her hands, "Fair enough, I'll be careful."

I left her at the farm and began to wander around Ponyville, putting my headphones in my ears and putting my Ipod on shuffle. With my busted leg, all I could do was kill time until 3:30.

When the clock in the town centre finally reached half past three, I started to make my way to the outskirts of Ponyville. My mind wandered what Rainbow Dash needed to see me about regarding Scootaloo. Her serious expression couldn't have been a good thing, and I began to wonder if there was something wrong with Scootaloo. My paranoia started to kick in, and it bugged me until the field came into view. I could see a scooter resting against one of the trees as walked through the cover.

In the distance, I could see the silhouette of a pegasus in the sky, which I knew would be Rainbow Dash. Walking through the trees, I could see the orange fur of Scootaloo below her. She was watching Rainbow fly, and would flap her wings to try and reach her, the cyan pony giving her motivation as she ascended.

But every time Scootaloo reached fifteen, maybe twenty metres, she would stop and glide back to the ground, looking absolutely exhausted. As I entered the clearing, Rainbow landed next to her and put a hoof over Scootaloo's shoulder, whispering something to her. Scootaloo simply hung her head low, and I quickened my pace to reach them.

As soon as I reached them, Scootaloo galloped over to me and wrapped her hooves around me as I knelt down, bursting into tears, "It's not fair. I tried so hard."

"Scootaloo, what's wrong?" I asked, putting my walking stick to one side and resting my weight on my good leg.

Rainbow slowly walked over to us, her face saddened by the sight in front of her, "The day before you got back, I took Scootaloo for a checkup. A simple physical that all pegasi need to do before they can do any sort of extended flying. When she came back out, the doctor gave me this."

She reached into a saddlebag next to her and pulled out a wad of papers, handing them to me. They were hospital files, with Scootaloo's name and picture inside. As Scootaloo continued to cry into my shirt, I put the file on the ground and read the report, reaching the most recent entry.

After a physical examination on the 21st day of Autumn's Dawn, the pegasus known as Scootaloo has tested positive for AWDD. This doctor's recommendation is that Scootaloo refrains from any extended use of wings, as this can result in illnesses or injury from fatigue.

I looked back up at Rainbow Dash, "What's AWDD?"

"Acute Wing Deficieny Disorder." Rainbow Dash explained, "It's a rare disability that affects pegasi at birth. The muscles in their wings never fully develop, and they can't fly properly. At Scootaloo's age, pegasi should be able to fly well, almost as good as an adult, but she can't reach that."

"I just wanted to be like you, Rainbow Dash." Scootaloo sobbed.

"I know squirt, I know." Rainbow said quietly, resting a hoof on her shoulder, before looking at me again, "I'll give you some time alone."

She took off and left the field, leaving me alone with Scootaloo. We stayed quiet for several minutes, embracing each other as her crying slowly calmed and became soft hiccups. When the only sound coming from her was quivering breathing, I said, "I'm so sorry Scoots."

She let go and sniffled, looking at the ground, "The doctor said I was lucky. Most ponies who get it aren't able to fly at all. But still, I'll never be like Rainbow Dash. That's all I wanted. And now that I can't, I don't know what to do," I pulled her closer, and she rested her head against my side, "First my dad dies, then I find out I'll never be able to fly. Maybe I should just run away and never come back."

I paused with shock from her last sentence, but put an arm around her anyway. I hadn't seen her this sad since I had told her about her father, and I didn't blame her.

"Scootaloo, look at me," she slowly raised her head, looking at me with massive purple eyes, "You can't give up Scootaloo, to do that would allow whatever gave you this disorder to win, and you can't let that happen. And running away won't solve your problems at all, only make them worse. You still have friends here in Ponyville who love you for who you are. Nothing can change that. No matter what happens, no matter how hard it gets, we'll always be here for you. Never forget that.

"I can't imagine what you're going through right now. I don't know what I'd do if I woke up tomorrow without my wings. But one thing that makes Rainbow Dash unique, is that she never gives up, no matter what gets thrown at her or the problems she faces. By keeping your chin up and ignoring the bad things in life, you can still be just like her."

"But... what about when I'm grown up?" Scootaloo asked, breaking the gaze and staring at the floor again, "What's a pegasus without her wings?"

I didn't reply. I couldn't. To see her like this broke my heart and sealed my throat. I could only pull her closer, and comfort her in silence. I hated it, and I felt this urge to do something. If only there was something I could do to help her. Something to cheer her up and show her that not everything is lost. That there's still hope.

Changing the subject, I said, "What about Applebloom and Sweetie Belle? Any new ideas on how to get your cutie marks?"

She shook her head, "I haven't been able to think of anything since the checkup. I can't think. I just... want to be free, like all pegasi should be. That's all I've got on my mind right now, to be free."

Then, as if fate decided to show some sympathy, an idea formed in my head. It was small, only a spark, but I grasped it with both hands. Being free.

"Scootaloo, I understand if you don't want to answer, but how well can you actually fly?"

She sniffed, "Gliding and turning are ok. I can get a few metres off the ground, but anything longer than a few seconds of sustained flight and I risk injury. It's more like a big jump than actual flying."

"And judging by how well you handle that scooter, you must have a knack for speed and acrobatics."

"Yeah... I guess so."

The idea began to grow, and I hoped that it would work, "I think I might know something that can help. Something that involves speed and acrobatics without the use of wings."

She looked up at me, "What?"

"I'll show you," I said, standing up, "But to do that, we need to go to the library. We're going to need Twilight's help for it. And before you ask, yes, it is awesome."

She got up and followed me out of the field, getting on her scooter and slowly pushing along the ground with a hoof. She remained silent, and her head was low, but I could see the hope forming in her eyes. I allowed myself a smile. I had an opportunity to give this filly another chance, to help her find something else to strive for, something that she could achieve. I wasn't going to waste it.

Five minutes later, me and Scootaloo arrived at the library. I knocked on the door, and Twilight opened it, a sigh escaping her lips as she saw me.

"I've told you before Dutch, this is a public library. You don't have to knock."

"Force of habit, it is your home too, after all."

She giggled, "Then it's a habit you're going to have to drop. Anyway, what can I do for you?"

"I need to ask a favour," I leaned in close and whispered to her about Scootaloo's condition. As I spoke, her face became more sympathetic.

"That's terrible," she said, "What do you need from me?"

"Do you still know that spell that allows for lucid dreaming?"

"Of course. I use it from time to time whenever I'm having a rough night. You want to use it with Scootaloo, don't you?"

"Yes, with your permission. I had something in mind to cheer her up."

"I'd be happy to help," she said, smiling, "Follow me."

She opened the door to the basement and trotted down the stairs. The room was unusually large for a basement, and there were several pieces of scientific equipment scattered around the room. The roof was quite high, and the ceiling probably became the earth outside.

"You can do the spell down here," she said, "I won't be able to come with you since I have to tend to the library, but you should be ok on your own. Just imagine being in the world you want to experience, and when you want to wake up, just imagine that too."

"Is it that easy?" I asked.

"You're only using the mind to imagine when you're dreaming, so yes."

I sat down on the floor, resting my back against the wall and unfolding my wings to make it comfortable. Scootaloo sat down next to me and said, "What are we doing?"

"I'll explain when we get there." I gave her a smile, and she rolled her eyes.

I looked at Twilight, "Thanks for this Twilight. I owe you."

"You're welcome, now hold still," Twilight said, aiming her horn at me and Scootaloo. It began to glow, and I felt the orange pegasus collapse on me as my eyes closed. I forced myself to remember where I wanted to go, and the image formed in my head. I focused on that and nothing else as my light-headedness left me, and I opened my eyes.

It had worked. Me and Scootaloo were standing on a large white block, suspended in the air. As far as the eye could see were other blocks of different shapes and sizes. Some were simply floating by themselves, while others had come together to form what could only be described as buildings and pathways. Like the previous dream, there was no ground below us.

"Where are we?" Asked Scootalooas she stared over the edge.

"This is a dream, something I've created for us" I said, "Back in my world, we used technology to interact with virtual worlds for entertainment and education. This was one of them. I always remembered this place because of how unique it is, and how free you can be."

"So what do we do?" She asked.

I smiled at her, "Absolutely anything. We're in a dream, so you're condition won't affect you here. You can fly around to your heart's content," I jumped into the air and hovered above her, "Come on, nothing's stopping you. I want you to experience this."

Scootaloo looked back at her wings, before giving them a flap and slowly rising into the air. She floated over the block for several seconds to make sure she wouldn't tire out over thin air. Eventually, a small smile began to form on her face from realisation, before she burst out laughing and started flying around at a speed that would make Rainbow Dash take a second glance. I smiled as I watched her circle some blocks that had formed a tower. I had given her a chance to do something she would never experience in the real world. She started heading back to me at a frightening pace, before colliding with my torso and hugging me. She was loving every second of this...

"Thank you Dutch. Thank you so much."

...but that wasn't the only reason she was here.

"Come on Scoots, let's go back to solid ground. There's something I want to show you."

We landed on a small collection of blocks. Well... I did, Scootaloo was happy with hovering at eye level with me.

"I didn't just do this for you so that you could fly," I said, "No matter how much you do, you'll still be held back out there," I gestured into the air to show her what I meant.

"But... why can't I stay here?" She asked, her smile faltering.

"Because that would mean staying asleep, and you can't let your dream become your reality," I told her, "I also brought you here in the hopes that you could take something from it. Something that you could have in the real world."

"Is this what you were talking about earlier?" I nodded, and knelt down as she landed next to me.

"In my old world, humans developed a sport called 'Parkour'," Scootaloo cocked her head, "It involves speed and agility to get from one place to another as quickly and efficiently as possible. For example, instead of walking around a fence to go somewhere, why not go over the fence?"

"I guess that makes sense."

I fished my Ipod out of my pocket and found a song to play while I showed her the art of freerunning. I selected a song, and placed the Ipod back in my pocket, smiling when I heard the song being amplified around us, exactly as before. Scootaloo gave a look of confusion as she heard the music, but smiled when she caught on to the catchy tune.

She began to look out across the blocks, and I figured I would give a demonstration of sorts about parkour, "You see that red block up there?" I pointed at a block about thirty metres away, slightly higher than us, "Say I wanted to get up there, but I couldn't fly straight over," I jumped off the block and motioned for Scootaloo to follow me, "Instead of flying, I could jump over to those blocks there, run up the ramp and leap across onto the block. Easy."

To prove my point, I jumped over with a flap of my wings, sprinting along the ten metre block, before running up the ramp and flapping my wings again to jump the five metre gap onto the platform. I had never done parkour before, but I suppose having wings might have given me a tiny advantage.

I turned to see Scootaloo standing where I had been, and called out, "You want to give it a shot?"

Scootaloo stepped backwards for a running start, before galloping forward and clearing the first jump with relative ease. After making her way up the ramp, she jumped across to reach me, but her back hoof slipped off the edge as she landed. Luckily, I grabbed her before she could fall.

"Not too shabby," I said, "How about I show you a few other things."

We flew over to a five metre wall and landed next to it. I used the power from my wings to climb the wall, before pushing off and grabbing a block floating above us. Pulling myself up, I looked down to see Scootaloo already ascending the wall. She pushed off nimbly and hooked her forelegs onto the edge, using her wings to climb up next to me. I was impressed by how quickly she was learning. It seemed the phrase 'watch and learn' could actually apply for both of us.

"I'm surprised at how well you can grip surfaces with just hooves." I said.

"They're more flexible than they look. I still can't get over that ponies in your world have hooves that are completely solid."

I dropped down to the block below us and did a roll over my shoulder to soften the fall, before looking back up at Scootaloo. It was about four metres, but she hopped off and did a similar roll to me like it was nothing.

"You're getting the hang of this quite quick Scootaloo," I said as she grinned, "You've certainly got a knack for freerunning. Maybe this is your special talent."

"I sure hope so!" she answered, "This is easy, and fun doesn't even begin to describe it. And you say I can do this anywhere?"

"Yep, only your imagination holds you back with parkour, and it gets better," I said, "How about you try out a course. See how well you can actually do."

Her eyes lit up, "Sure, where do we start?"

I took off, and she followed me to what would be our starting line. As we flew, Scootaloo couldn't stop giggling, occasionally pulling into a flip or a loop. I was patient, and let her enjoy herself. It wasn't like we were in a hurry. It was as if she didn't have AWDD at all, watching her perform tricks that she had seen Rainbow Dash do.

After five minutes of flying, we arrived at our destination. It was a large, flat platform, about 200 metres long, with bars and barriers lined along it. On the far end was a building, which had pillars lining the outside, and a curved wall on the opposite side. I closed my eyes and focused for a moment, opening them to see red beacons lining the course.

"In this virtual world, one of the more popular things to do was try and complete a set course as quickly as possible," I explained to Scootaloo, "That's what I have in mind for you. All you have to do is get to each of the red lights until you reach the finish line. You can take any route you want, just make sure you reach each beacon in order."

"Finally, a challenge," she said, giving me a cocky grin as she stood on the start line. I looked at my watch and began to ready the timer.

"Ok Scoots, on your marks,"

She crouched lower, readying herself for a chance to prove herself.

"Get set..."

"GO!"

Scootaloo practically launched herself off the start line and was immediately galloping along the platform, jumping over a small bar as if it were never there. She rolled under another one without breaking stride and ran towards an edge, jumping off without a second's hesitation.

She landed on the other side, but forced herself into a roll to maintain her balance and momentum, reaching the first beacon in what she thought was a good time. She could already see the second one up ahead, inside the building. To get there, she would have to clear a large gap between the platforms. Unfortunately, the path led down a level, then back up to reach the beacon, too slow for her liking. As she got closer to the gap, her mind raced. There must be a quicker way.

As fast as her brain would allow her, she looked for any alternative routes, as Dutch's voice told her that only her imagination was the limit. She saw a small ledge on the other side, and picked up her speed, if she could get onto that ledge, she could climb onto the roof of the building and drop down through a hole she could see, saving herself precious time.

She reached the edge, and gave a single, but powerful flap of her wings to propel her over the gap. She reached the other side, but only just, and grabbed the ledge with her forelegs, pulling herself up. She heard Dutch shouting from above her, "You're doing great Scoots, don't stop."

Allowing herself a sense of satisfaction, she jumped up the wall with her wings and climbed onto the roof, dropping through the hole and onto the beacon. It went out, and she continued running, heading along the building's second floor and round the corner. She saw the next beacon on a lone platform in the corner, and cleared the gap easily, before pushing herself off the wall and down a ramp.

After climbing onto another block, she had a quick moment to relax as she ran across flat ground. Up ahead, she could see the finish line below her, with Dutch waiting for her, beckoning her forward. But the gap she had to cross to reach him was larger than any of the ones she had jumped before. She steeled herself as it got closer, before taking a deep breath and throwing her body forward, her wings giving her the final boost she hoped would be enough.

Time slowed down as she looked down to see the endless abyss below her. She knew she would be alright if she fell, but it still thrilled her to perform such a stunt. What would have been less than a second felt like minutes as she noticed how her purple mane fluttered in her face, and Dutch's smile as she slowly got closer to him. Finally, the finish line reached her, and she rolled into the fall, allowing herself to stop.

She felt amazing, like she had just pulled off a Sonic Rainboom, twice. She had never felt this kind of sensation before. Her heart was pounding, and every sense was sharpened. She could see the first beacon glimmering in the distance, hear the click as Dutch pressed the timer on his watch. This must be what Rainbow Dash felt like whenever she went flying.

One thing was for sure: She loved it.

As soon as Scootaloo landed next to me, I pressed the timer on my watch, and it stopped. I sat down next to her, and saw her eyes were wide, darting everwhere and taking in as much detail as they could. She must never have felt the effects of adrenaline before, I thought to myself. I saw a manic grin on her face, and I knew she enjoyed it.

"How did I do Dutch? Did I do good?" She asked, her voice almost too fast to understand.

I looked at my watch, "51 seconds, now that's fast! I honestly wasn't expecting you to climb onto the roof either. You certainly didn't hold back any punches there."

"Can we do it again?" I swear her pupils were dilating.

"I'm afraid not, at least not here. How about we wake up and go back into the real world. You can put yourself to the test out there."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Scootaloo almost shouted, her adrenal glands still running, "Let's go!"

Fearing what would happen if I made her impatient, I closed my eyes and imagined myself back in the library. The light-headedness came around, and the walls of the library returned. Scootaloo was beaming as she stood up, and before I would say anything, she ran up the stairs and out of the basement.

"She must really like parkour," I said aloud. I stood up and pinched myself to make sure I wasn't still dreaming, before climbing up the stairs and following Scootaloo.

I left the basement to see Twilight sat in the middle of the library staring at the front door, which had been left open. Upon seeing me, she said, "Dutch, what did you do down there? Scootaloo just shot out the door saying something about 'perk-air'."

"Ok, I take it back; she really likes it," I said, "And it's pronouned parkour. Anyway, thank you for letting us use the spell. Now I've got to find an energetic young filly."

"Wait, where's your stick?" Twilight asked.

Pausing, I looked down to see that indeed I had left my stick in the basement. I rolled up the leg of my shorts and unwrapped the bandage. The wound was completely gone, leaving only the pale scar tissue on both sides of my leg.

"Well would you look at that," I said, bending my leg to test how well it had healed, "Must've gotten used to using it. But now I guess I won't have to look like an old man anymore. Thanks Twilight!"

I went back down to the basement to retrieve the stick, and promptly left the library to find Scootaloo. I walked five metres away from the door, before hearing a young voice call out.

"Hey Dutch, up here!"

I looked up to see Scootaloo perched on the edge of a balcony near the top of the library.

"How on earth did you get up there so fast?" I asked.

Scootaloo gave me a huge grin, "Oh, it was simple really. Just a bit of jumping, climbing, and my imagination."

She laughed, before jumping off the balcony, and swinging from the branches below, narrowly missing a beehive on the way down. From there she hopped on top of the porch, before gracefully landing next to me. I found that I had been holding my breath, and exhaled.

"This is amazing," she said as we walked through town, "I see things so differently now. Looking around here, what do you see Dutch?"

I did as she instructed, "Shops and houses. Why?"

"That's what I used to see," she said, "Now, I see pathways, opportunities, methods of going somewhere new every time. I could jump onto that cart of hay there and use it to climb on top of Sugarcube Corner. Then from there, I could slide down the bannister over there and be back here in no time. Just think of the possibilities!"

"I wish I could," I said, smiling, "You're acting very different Scoots. I think parkour might have affected your mind a bit."

She stopped walking and turned to face me, "And I wouldn't have it any other way."

She jumped up and hugged my chest, "I didn't know what I would do this morning. But thanks to you, I'm seeing things in a whole new light. Despite everything that's happened, I've never felt happier.

"Thank you Dutch. I love you."

I silently gasped as she hung onto my torso, nuzzling me and listening to my heartbeat. Slowly, I leaned my head forward and kissed her on the forehead.

"I love you too Scootaloo."

Chapter 36: A Dream Come True

29th Autumn's Dawn

My dreamless sleep was interrupted as I felt something shaking me, violently. I opened my eyes, and instinctively swatted at the source, which in turn grabbed my arm and shook even harder.

"Dutch, wake up!"

I came to my senses, and found Sarah standing over my bed, shaking at my shoulders and demanding a response from me. I lifted myself up and shook my head to get rid of the tiredness.

"Sarah, what the hell's going on?"

"This is what's going on, now get up!" She picked up my watch and shoved it towards me. I looked at it, and my eyes widened upon seeing that I had overslept, and the hands were close to reaching nine o'clock. Immediately I was out of bed and throwing my clothes on.

"I need to buy myself an alarm clock," I said as I pulled a shirt over my head and pushed my wings through the slits, "At least they know how to do their job."

"You're still relying on the rooster?" Sarah said, cocking an eyebrow.

"Hey, if it isn't broken, don't fix it, right?" I stated, "Although now it seems it's very broken."

"You got that right," Sarah said, "I'm off to the farm. If you don't want to be late, you need to get a move on."

"I'll see you there," I said as she walked out the door. I dashed into the kitchen and threw some eggs on the stove. It was going to have to be a fairly simple breakfast. Luckily, Scootaloo was ok with eggs. I walked into her bedroom and unzipped the sleeping bag, nudging her awake.

"Come on Scootaloo, you need to get ready."

She slowly opened her eyes, "Huh? What's going on?"

"We overslept," I said, my serious tone grabbing the attention of the filly, "We've got about fifteen minutes before school starts."

Scootaloo's eyes shot open and she was out of bed in a second, "What?!"

"You get your stuff ready for school, I'll finish breakfast for us."

Scootaloo was eating, washing and packing her bags so fast she was almost a blur. With seven minutes left on the clock, we finally left the apartment and went outside. Scootaloo was already on her scooter, while I was flexing my wings.

"I'll come pick you up after school, ok?" I said.

"Ok, see you later."

Scootaloo watched as Dutch ran forward a few metres before taking off, his huge wings kicking up a cloud of dust as he disappeared in the direction of Sweet Apple Acres. Remembering her own agenda, Scootaloo started buzzing her wings and sped round the corner toward the school...

...only to ride head first into a market stand.

She lay on the floor, clutching a throbbing forehead and making sure her nose and all her teeth were still intact. She shakily rose to her hooves and picked up her scooter, but her heart skipped a beat when she noticed one of the wheels had snapped off. It was unrideable, and she didn't have the time to fix it.

She began to think about running to school, but there were too many turns through the town, and not enough shortcuts to help speed up her journey. There was simply no way she would get to school on time.

Unless...

Leaving her scooter on the ground, she saw a stack of haybales next to a nearby house, and ran towards them. Her skill in parkour had improved greatly over the past week. She could go almost anywhere she wanted, thinking up new routes as she ran. But going on rooftops was something she had never done before. There was always the risk of falling, and Scootaloo didn't want to hurt herself unnecessarily.

But this was different. This was an emergency. No guts, no glory, she thought to herself as the mound of hay got closer.

Making sure her saddlebags were secure, she scrambled on top of the bales, before jumping at the drainpipe above her and climbing onto the thatched roof. It was a dry day, so it was easier to get a grip with her hooves than it would have been in the rain. She grabbed the reeds that made up the roof and quickly climbed to the top, seeing the school a couple hundred metres away. She would have to move fast.

She slid down the other side of the roof, ignoring the sting from the reeds rubbing on her fur, and at the last minute, pushed off with her hooves. She sailed through the air and landed on the building opposite. Climbing over and sliding down into the town square. She ran as fast as her legs would carry her, leaping across a fountain in a single bound and vaulting over a cart of vegetables being dragged to the market.

She had cleared the open ground now, but the school lay on the other side of a row of houses, all attached to each other. Scootaloo noticed an open window in one of the houses, and jumped through into a kitchen, eliciting a gasp of surprise from the startled, mint-green unicorn living inside.

"Sorrysorrysorry," Scootaloo said as she leapt over a table and ran towards another window, knocking the shutters out of the way as she jumped back outside without breaking stride. The school was in sight now, and she pushed herself on, despite the stitch in her chest from running on a full stomach. There was no doubt she was late now, and she could already see Cheerilee holding her back in detention. She mentally sighed; Diamond Tiara was going to have a field day.

She didn't slow down as she reached the door, instead knocking it open with a hoof and leaning on it as she caught her breath.

"Sor... Sorry I'm... late,... Miss Cheerilee." She gasped, as she looked up at her teacher.

Cheerilee sat at her desk, a look of surprise on her face as she pulled books out of her saddlebags, "Actually Scootaloo, you're the first pony here."

"Huh?!" Scootaloo looked around the rest of the classroom, only now noticing that all of the desks were empty.

"In fact, you're four minutes early," Cheerilee stated, placing the last book on her desk and walking over to Scootaloo, "Now why don't you take a minute to relax. I'll get you a glass of water."

Scootaloo nodded, panting too fast to say much more as she sat by the wall, taking deep breaths and slowing her breathing down to a speed at which she could talk. Cheerilee handed her the glass, and she gulped down the cool, transparent liquid.

"Now, why in Equestria are you so out of breath?" Cheerilee asked.

"I... I thought I was late," Scootaloo said, "It was seven minutes to nine, and my scooter was broken, and--"

"Well, however you managed to get here, you were fast," Cheerilee said, smiling, "Certainly faster than anypony else."

Scootaloo sat in disbelief at how she had managed to arrive not just early, but ahead of all the other school fillies. By the time it reached nine o'clock, every other pony had arrived, and were taking their seats in front of the chalkboard.

"Scootaloo!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed as she saw her friend, "We didn't see you this morning, what are you doing already here?"

"I overslept," she said, "I was worried I was going to be late, so I used that parkour thing Dutch showed me to get here. As it turns out, I got here a lot faster than I thought."

"Ya mean ya ran all the way from the Bannered Mare to here?" Applebloom asked, "And ya got here before us?"

"Well, I did kind of... jump over a few buildings, and through one," Scootaloo said nervously.

However, the other Crusaders were only impressed, saying "Cool!" in unison at the pegasus' acheivement before laughing. Scootaloo laughed with them as she made her way to her desk and sat down, pulling her book and pencil out of her saddlebag.

The other fillies were eager to hear her story of speed and acrobatics, and Scootaloo was more than happy to tell it to them in detail. It seemed Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon were the only fillies to seem unimpressed by her tricks, but Scootaloo didn't care. Even Cheerilee was avidly listening as she told of how she jumped through somepony's house to get to school, which caused more than a few ponies to giggle. When she finished, everypony returned to their seats. She smiled at her accomplishment, maybe when she grew up, she could show other ponies how to do parkour. It would certainly help other pegasi who had AWDD.

That was when she felt a tingling on her flank, and everypony in the room - including Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon - gasped.

I touched down at the centre of the farm and jogged into the barn, thankful that I had managed to arrive on time. Sarah was already heading off towards another part of the farm, carrying a hay bale in her arms, Don't they weigh about several hundred kilos? Applejack exited the barn and called me over.

"Glad ya'll could make it," she said, "Ah was worried ya wouldn't show up after Sarah got here without ya."

"Yeah, sorry about that. I had some problems at home before leaving." I said sheepishly, "So which field are we harvesting today?"

"Northeast side, right by the path to Ponyville." She said, and we both headed off in that direction.

Several hours and a few hundred trees later, and my shift was getting close to ending. The day had been scorching hot, and standing in the hot air under the trees had made me sweat more than usual, resulting in me taking my shirt off to work. At least I had had the sense to wear shorts.

I kicked one of the last few trees and picked up two buckets filled with apples, making my way back to the barn to store them. Once I had placed them inside, Applejack appeared from outside carrying a towel and a bucket of water. She tossed the towel to me, and I dried myself off before taking a drink from the water.

As I stood up, I noticed Applejack was staring at my chest, and I said, "Is something wrong AJ?"

"Sorry," she said, "It's just that every time ya leave Ponyville, ya come back with some new scrape on ya."

I looked down at where she had been staring, examining the six-inch scar on my chest from the bandit, before holding my arms out, "Bad-luck-magnet, remember?"

"Ah know," Applejack said, and her face fell, "Ah just can't help thinkin': What if a time comes when that luck catches up to ya? If ya know what Ah mean."

I paused, and my tone became serious, "That is not going to happen. While life may like to dump it on me every now and again, I have no intention of that happening anytime soon."

"Right," she said, before changing the subject and asking, "So how much is left on the field?"

"Just a few more trees," I answered, relaxing from my previous state, "I'll kick down what's left and bring the buckets up."

"Sarah's done with her work," she said, "I'll send her to help ya finish."

I smiled. Sarah's strength would certainly got the job done quicker.

"I'll get the last two buckets," I said to Sarah as she placed her six buckets on the floor, "You go and do your own thing and I'll see you later."

"Alright then, bye." I waved to her as she walked down the path back towards Ponyville.

As I went down to get the remaining two buckets, I saw Lyra appearing over the hill, trotting towards the farm. I waved as I made my way over, which she returned.

"Afternoon Lyra, what brings you here?"

"Just thought I'd visit my favourite human and see how he's doing." Lyra said.

"Right. Well, it's a good thing you're here, there's something I've been needing to ask you," I said, "I'll just take these two buckets to the barn, then I'll join you." I walked back up the path, unaware of Lyra staring at my bare torso.

I arrived at the barn, dropping off the buckets and shouting, "I'm done for the day AJ, I'll see you tomorrow." I got a shout of acknowledgement from the house, and returned to Lyra, putting my shirt back on and leaving the farm as she trotted next to me.

"I've got to go to the school now to pick up Scootaloo," I said, "You can come with me if you want."

"I might as well," she said, "Now what was this thing you wanted to ask me?"

"How well can you stand on your hind legs?"

To answer my question, she lifted herself up and started walking alongside me, staring down at her hooves, "Pretty good actually, I think I've got the whole thing down. I even managed to walk an entire day one time on my hind legs. They were stiff afterwards, but it was totally worth it."

"Glad to hear it. Next thing you know you'll be using magic to give yourself hands," I said with a laugh, "I had something in mind for a belated birthday present, and it would involve having to stand on two legs."

"Really? What is it?" Lyra was beaming as she dropped back onto her hooves.

"It's a surprise," I said, "Hopefully I'll have everything ready tomorrow, and I've got a day off on Sunday, so we can do it then."

We had reached the edge of town by now, and I could see Shadow Breeze approaching us from the bridge. When he reached us, he said, "Afternoon Dutch, I've got something for you," before pulling a letter out from under his wing and giving it to me. I unfolded it and began to read.

To Dutch and Shadow,
Hope you're both doing well in Ponyville. You're probably more comfortable than where I am, not that I'm complaining of course. Anyway, I'm writing this to give you some news. Do you remember that artifact we picked up from the bandit camp? Well, I did a bit of digging (as well as pestering a few senior officers) and eventually managed to find out what it is.
About a couple thousand years ago, there was an explosion in the population of cockatrices in Equestria. Within a few weeks, ponies were getting turned to stone left, right and centre. To combat the problem, the Princesses created magical objects that could counteract a cocktrice's stare when used by a unicorn.
That's what we found at the camp; a device that can turn somepony back from stone. It's supposedly the last one, after Nightmare Moon destroyed the rest, but at least it's now in the Princesses' possession, right?
That's the end of the history lesson. And don't worry about reporting back to barracks, Wingfleet told me he would send letters to everypony the next time we're needed for duty. Until then, enjoy yourselves.

Steel Sword

I handed the letter back to Shadow, who said, "Dutch, can I speak to you privately?"

"Sure," I said. Lyra had heard him too, and trotted over to a nearby fountain to wait for me, "What is it Shadow?"

"I can't help but think we wasted time and lives on that mission," Shadow said, "I mean, Thunderlane and Rumble are dead now, and for what? Some toy that the Princesses don't even need anymore."

"I understand your concern, but I don't see it the same way."

"What do you mean?" Shadow asked.

"Suppose those bandits wanted to do more than just a simple raid. With that artifact, what's to stop them from doing something like sneaking into the Canterlot Gardens and using it on that Discord statue?"

"I know, but..." he trailed off as I held up a hand.

"What happened to Thunderlane and Rumble was bad luck, you and I both know that," he looked away when my words reminded him of what happened, "But what we did at the time was the right thing. A friend of mine told me that if you don't move on from stuff like this, it'll eat away at you. We both need to grasp that fact."

I saw movement out of the corner of my eye, and looked up to see Fluttershy walking through the market, picking out an assortment of vegetables. Shadow looked in her direction too, and turned back to me.

"Go to her Shadow," I said. He looked nervous, and glanced back at her, "She can help take your mind off things."

"But..."

"Go on," I said again, giving him a motivational smile, "Good luck."

As Shadow walked into the market toward Fluttershy, Lyra and I continued on our way to the school to pick up Scootaloo. Lyra giggled as we walked, and I looked down at her in confusion.

"What's so funny?" I asked.

"Oh nothing," Lyra said, still quietly laughing, "It's just that I saw Scootaloo briefly this morning. She seemed to be in a bit of a rush as she jumped through my window."

"Wait, she did what?" I asked, stopping as she laughed again.

"I'm serious," she said, "She jumped through my kitchen window, over the table and out the other side, saying 'sorry' the whole way through. How much of that parkour stuff did you show her?"

"Only what I taught her in the dream, but she's been doing a lot of improvisation lately, almost well enough to rival a human. She seems to have taken to it like a fish to water."

"Do you think it might be her special talent?" Lyra asked.

"Maybe. At least it would mean she'll stop breaking stuff around the apartment."

The school came into view as we rounded the corner, and our timing was dead-on as the school bell rang. We heard a cheer from inside, and a stampede of fillies burst through the doors. We saw Applebloom and Sweetie Belle walk out the door behind them, closely followed by Scootaloo. She saw me immediately, and said something to the other girls before trotting over, an innocent smile on her face.

"Hey Dutch. Good afternoon Miss Heartstrings." Lyra smiled at her politeness

"Hey Scoots," I said, "How was school?"

"Oh, it was good," she said, "We did some Math, Literature, and a bit of Art before the end."

She was still staring up at me, the smile still covering her mouth, so I decided to investigate, "Alright, I'll bite. What's gotten you in such a good mood?"

I couldn't react in time as Scootaloo jumped up at and hugged my chest for the second time in a week, "Thank you, thank you, thank you!!"

Before I could even say, "Huh?" I heard Lyra gasp, and the other two fillies galloped over to me, shouting, "How did you do it Dutch? Can you help us too?"

"Wait, help you with what? I don't even know what you're talking about." I looked at Scootaloo, who had climbed up my chest to look at me at eye-level. Then I noticed something on her side, and spoke slowly, "Scootaloo, is that what I think it is?" She dropped down to the ground and stood in front of me, showing her side.

My jaw dropped.

I couldn't speak, laugh, or even gasp as I looked at the marking on Scootaloo's flank. It was a red horseshoe, with the curve facing upwards, and on either side of it were a pair of outstretched golden wings. I stared for a few seconds longer, before finally saying, "Is that a parkour cutie mark?"

"YES IT IS!" Scootaloo squealed, letting her excitement take over as she exploded with glee, "It happened after I arrived at school. I was thinking about how I could teach other ponies about freerunning after I had managed to get to school in three minutes with a broken scooter," she looked back at her new cutie mark, "I think it means that despite being limited to the ground, I can still experience the joys of flying."

"Three minutes?" I asked, still trying to sort out what she had said, "From our apartment, without a scooter, using only your own four hooves?"

"Yes!" Scootaloo shouted, her unrivaled happiness taking over as she flung herself at Lyra, hugging her too, much to the surprise of the green unicorn, "This is the best day of my life!"

Lyra giggled at the ecstatic filly and returned the hug out of kindness, "I think we can all agree on that Scootaloo."

When she let go, I said, "Tell you what, how about we go to Sugarcube Corner? We can get some cupcakes to celebrate, and maybe Pinkie Pie can throw a party for you."

Scootaloo bounced in the air, signalling that she agreed, and we made out way back to the centre of town. Scootaloo was more than happy to show us exactly how she got her cutie mark, and me, Lyra, Applebloom and Sweetie Belle laughed together at the filly's joy.

I had to agree with Scootaloo, today was a good day.

Chapter 37: A Moonlit Night

30th Autumn's Dawn

After finishing my shift at the farm, the first thing I did was to return to my apartment. Normally I would sit down and relax after my work, but at the moment, I was a man with a mission. I walked over to my wardrobe and reached inside, pulling out a five foot long, black bag, I finally get to use this thing.

I unzipped the bag and made sure my snowboard was still inside, before closing it again and slinging it over my back. I walked back out and headed towards the library, making a mental note to avoid Lyra if I caught a glimpse of her. Fortunately, it was a quiet afternoon, and I reached my destination without any incidents.

I pushed the door open to see Twilight in a deep discussion with Eclipse. I didn't hear what they said, but it wouldn't have been magical theory, as the spirit would have known everything the pony did.

"Hey Twilight, afternoon Eclipse." I said to announce my presence.

"Good afternoon Dutch," Eclipse said with a warm smile, "It is good to see you again."

"Likewise."

"What can we do for you today?" Twilight asked as she closed a book on the table.

"Well, as much as I hate to say it, I need another favour." I said as I laid the bag on the floor, "I understand if you decline, as I already owe you."

"Don't worry about it," Twilight said, "I was actually thinking of something you could do for me that would wipe the slate clean, so yes, I can help you."

“Really?” I said, “And what would that involve?”

“Oh, that’s for another time,” Twilight answered with a wave of her hoof, “Now, what was this favour you were asking me?”

I unzipped the bag and pulled out my snowboard, laying it down in front of Twilight. She gave the board a closer inspection, “That looks like a snowboard, only longer, and with different straps.”

“It is a snowboard,” I said, before a thought occurred to me, “Wait, ponies have snowboards?”

“Of course, though they're quite uncommon, as it takes a lot of practice to stand on two legs. You didn’t know?” Twilight asked, to which I shook my head, “Nevermind. Is this what you needed help with?”

“Yes,” I said, “I was here a few days ago, and saw a few books on magic involving duplication and morphing. I was wondering if you could create a copy of this board, then adapt it to fit a pony.”

“May I ask why?” Twilight said.

I looked around as if others could be listening, before leaning in close and whispering, “I’m planning on taking Lyra snowboarding on one of the mountains surrounding Canterlot as part of a belated birthday present.”

Twilight smiled, “I can do that. I’m sure she’ll love it, and if anypony can use a snowboard, it's her.”

I smiled as Twilight aimed her horn at the board, and it began to glow. An aura surrounded the board, and it lifted into the air, glowing with Twilight’s magic. After a few seconds, a cloud of dust began to seep out of the board, before slowly gathering beside it. The dust started to form a shape, coming together and solidifying, taking on colour and texture. When the final particles had left the board, they joined the collection and created a small flash of light. When it dimmed, there was another board next to the original, identical in every way.

"Wow," I said as I stared at the board's twin, "Is there anything magic can't do?"

Twilight, despite being so full of common sense, decided to answer, "We can't do advanced healing. Cuts and bruises are alright, but bone fractures and--"

"Twilight, I was being rhetorical."

"Oh," she blushed, then said, "Anyway, let's finish the other spell." She aimed her horn at the duplicate, and it turned completely white. It's length began to shorten, and the straps for the feet became taller and thinner. When the colours returned, the board was slightly smaller, and the straps were shaped for hooves instead of feet.

"Nice one," I remarked, "And this'll fit Lyra?"

"Most likely," Twilight said, "Apart from the bigger ponies like Big Macintosh, most of us have roughly the same hoof size."

"Good to know," I picked up the new board and managed to fit it into the bag, along with the original, "Thanks again for helping me. Just let me know when you want me to pay off the debt."

I picked up the bag and went to leave, but Eclipse stopped me, "Twilight, I believe there was something you wanted to do."

"Oh yeah," Twilight trotted up to me and said, "Hold still." Before I could say anything, her horn glowed, and I felt my body tingling, as if something inside me was responding to her horn. After a few seconds, the glow on her horn dissipated, and I shook my head to clear it.

"You going to tell me what that was?" I asked.

"Just a quick examination," Twilight said mysteriously, "But right now I should really get back to my studies. I'll see you later."

I shrugged and bid them both goodbye, leaving the library. I paused outside to pull a pencil and a piece of paper out of my pocket and wrote down a small message as I walked.

Lyra
Everything is ready for your birthday present. I'll meet you by the bench in the park at three o'clock on Sunday afternoon.
Dutch

P.S. If you've got warm clothes, I'd suggest you bring them. You'll need them where we're going.

I started to approach Lyra's house, and checked to see if she was around. I saw a brief movement in one of the window's of her house, and pushed the note through the letterbox and knocking on the door. I quickly turned around and made my way back to my apartment, hearing a door open as I rounded the corner.

When Sunday came around, I was sat on the bench in the park waiting for Lyra. The sun was out, and there were a few clouds, but where we were going would be quite different.

The boards had been easy enough to prepare, it just became tedious when I had to wax two boards instead of one. At least there were sockets in the wall, as well as the fact that I could find an adaptor that magically changed shape depending on the plug, otherwise I wouldn't have known how I was going to use the iron.

I did another check to make sure I had what I needed. In the bag were both boards, two pairs of goggles - one human set and a pair I had bought from a nearby store - and a set of gloves. I wasn't planning on doing anything extreme, so helmets weren't essential.

At one o'clock, I saw Lyra trotting down the path towards me. She had apparently listened to my suggestion of clothes, and was wearing a dark grey hoodie which covered her forelegs and half her torso. She was also wearing a pair of saddlebags, and she had a big smile on her face as she reached the bench.

"Glad you could make it," I said, "Happy belated birthday."

"Thanks." Lyra sat on the bench next to me. "So, finally going to tell me what you have planned or what's in the bag?"

"Even better, I'll show you," I got off the bench and crouched down, gesturing at my back, "Think you can ride me?"

Lyra gasped, and her eyes widened, "W-What?"

I mentally slapped myself upon realising what I said, "Sorry, poor choice of words. I meant to say 'climb on my back'. We're going to have to fly to where we're going. You don't mind riding me do you?"

Lyra thought for a second, "I guess not, but I have to say, it is a bit wierd."

She walked round behind me and placed her forelegs on my shoulders, wrapping her hind legs around my back. I stood up, taking her weight, and heard her gasp as I rose, "You alright Lyra?"

"Yeah, I'm just not used to being up this high, even when I'm standing like a human."

"Well hold on tight, we're about to go even higher." I picked up the bag and spread my wings. Taking off with the bag and a pony on my back would be difficult, but my wings were strong, and after a running start, I jumped into the air and flapped my wings as hard as I could. I held the bag underneath me as we steadily rose, and Lyra was holding on tight to my shoulders.

I flapped my wings again to gain more altitude, and Lyra wrapped her hooves tight around my neck. I was almost chocking from her grip, so I leveled out when I was high enough and and glided through the sky. Lyra didn't move, and her grip tightened.

I looked over her, and saw that she had her face buried in my back, "Hey Lyra, you're going to want to see this."

Reluctantly, she raised her head, whilst still trying to keep it as low as possible. Upon realising that my wings were no longer swinging right next to her, she slowly pushed herself up and looked around. I heard her gasp as she saw Ponyville, a mere speck below us, and her grip around my neck loosened, allowing me to breathe a little easier.

I passed a group of clouds on the way to Canterlot, and I saw Lyra's hoof out of the corner of my eye as it reached out to brush the cloud. Her breathing slowed, and she whispered, "It's beautiful."

I smiled as she admired the view. We eventually got close to the end of the flight, and Lyra looked over my shoulder as we passed over Canterlot.

"They all look like ants," she said, "Now I'm wishing I could fly."

"You're flying now aren't you?" I asked, and she punched my shoulder.

"Not what I meant."

I caught a thermal over the city, and used it to climb up to the mountains. Within another ten minutes, the summit was in sight, and we glided over. Lyra held tighter as I flapped my wings to decelerate and landed in the snow. I gave her a nudge as I knelt down, and she slowly let go and dropped onto solid ground, letting out a sigh of relief.

"That was... fun," she said, "In its own, special kind of way."

"And by fun, you mean almost throttling your source of transportation?" I asked.

She blushed, and changed the subject, "So, what's in the bag?"

I unzipped the bag and pulled out both the snowboards, sticking mine into the snow and placing the duplicate in front of Lyra. She gasped as she looked at the board, and a smile covered her face.

"Snowboarding?" She said, her eyes twinkling as she looked at me.

"Yep, I hope you like it."

"Are you kidding? I've always wanted to go boarding! I did a little bit when I was a filly, and it became my foalhood dream to ride down a mountain."

Well that's a stroke of luck, I thought to myself.

A gust of wind blew past us, and Lyra shivered. She reached into her saddlebags, pulling out a pair of earmuffs and a set of thick, fabric tubes, which she put on her hooves. I put on my own gloves, and pulled my zip up to my chin.

"So what did you learn when you were a filly?"

"Just a few basics, like starting, turning and stopping," she said, before trotting over to an edge and looking down the mountain.

I followed her and studied the hill. The incline was medium, and the snow looked to be solid enough, "This looks good. Let me try something," I dug my hands into the edge of the hill and pushed off a large lump of snow. It rolled a few metres, before coming to a stop on top of the original layer. This was a simple test snowboarders did to test for potential avalanches.

"The snow's stable here. Come on, let's get the boards on."

Lyra floated her board over and sat down to attach it to her feet. I did the same with mine, sliding my shoes into the straps and pulling the ratchet mechanisms tight with a click. I tossed a pair of goggles over to Lyra, and she looked like the DJ from the club as she pulled the polarised lenses over her eyes.

I pulled my hood over my head, and Lyra did the same. Standing up, I said, "Let's get this show on the road."

With the board attached to my feet, I shuffled to the edge of the hill and pathed out a route, noticing the lack of bumps on the left side and a small cliffside to stop on. I slid my board from side to side, noting the smooth movement across the snow, and turned to Lyra, who was sat on her haunches with the board on her hind legs.

"I'll go first and line out a path. Are you ok with following me down?"

"Sure, just wave to me when you reach the bottom and I'll start." I couldn't see her eyes, but the excited grin on her face told me how she was feeling.

I took one final look down the hill, before twisting the board in front of me and starting my descent. It had been a while since I had been snowboarding, but, like riding a bike, it was something you never truly forgot. I slowly moved in a slalom to control my speed, turning my shoulders to shift my weight and using my wings for balance. When I got close to the flat ground, I decided to chance it and lifted the nose of my board up, pressing my weight onto the tail. The result was a spray of snow as I turned, and I grinned as I brought it back down and came to a stop.

Still got it, I thought to myself.

I turned as waved up at the grey and green dot on the summit. It waved back, and started making its way down the hill. At first, Lyra took it slow, following the line I had made in the snow. When she was a quarter of the way down, she picked up speed, and I could see her looking down at the board. Overall, she seemed like she had it down pretty well. I became worried however, when she got within 100 metres of me, and didn't show any signs of slowing down.

I was about to reach out and catch her as she passed, but hesitated when I heard a whoop come from Lyra's mouth. She got closer, and shouted, "This is so fuuuuuuunnnn!" before riding off the edge of the cliff, falling ten feet, and continuing her descent.

So it’s a race you want? I sighed as I picked up speed and pursued her down the mountain. Up ahead, I saw a cliff off to one side, larger than the one I had stopped at earlier. I rode down around it, more concerned on keeping an eye out for Lyra than pulling off another trick.

My blood ran cold when I saw Lyra, on top of the cliff and heading for the edge. I tried to call out to her, but she was already moving too fast as she jumped off the edge. Time came to a standstill as she flew through the air at what felt like a snail’s pace. As she fell towards the snow, I saw her board become surrounded by a golden aura, and I could only watch as it detached itself from her hooves.

I was momentarily petrified as the distance between Lyra and her board increased, but that fear turned to curiosity as the board began to spin in the air. It hit me that she was using her magic, and I started to feel slightly calmer. I was still terrified, as she was now heading towards the ground, with no board. Lyra seemed to realise this too, and the board connected itself with her feet. There was the tell-tale clicking of the ratchet mechanism, and she landed back onto the snow just as she finished her trick and carried on down the mountain.

I let out a huge sigh of relief and went to catch up with her. Thankfully, she stopped at the next patch of flat ground and lifted her goggles over her horn as I came to a halt alongside her.

"What did you think of that?" She asked proudly.

"Mental," I simply replied, "Christ, you had me worried."

"Oh come on, I'm fine," she said giddily, "You just worry about yourself."

"I don't take my feet out of the board. I'm not worried about myself, just you."

"Oh, you're sweet," she said, and I assumed the adrenaline was affecting her mind, "I wanna go again. Can we?"

I sighed again, "Yes, we can, but no crazy tricks, ok?"

She stuck her bottom lip out and pouted unconvincingly, "Ok."

I detached my board and lifted Lyra onto my back. She was a lot more relaxed this time as took off and flew up to the summit again, landing next my bag and setting her down to strap my board on. When I finished, I looked over at Lyra and gave her nod. She nodded back as she pulled the goggles over her eyes, and we both jumped off the edge together.

Fortunately, Lyra was much calmer this time, and decided to follow me as I took a more relaxed route down the mountain. We passed where Lyra had tried to almost kill herself without too much trouble, and carried on further. After another two minutes of riding, the path became thinner, and cliffs rose on either side of us. I reduced my speed and made sure Lyra was behind me as we cautiously made our way between the rocks.

It was a bit of a bumpy ride, but after a while we emerged into a wide expanse of snow with little to no incline. Seeing this as the end of the mountain, I slowed down and let Lyra ride alongside me. She seemed to be in control now, with her forelegs simply dangling by her side as she balanced herself over the snow. The snow eventually flattened out, and we came to a stop at the bottom of the mountain.

I looked back up and admired our progress, "I think that went well. I hope that last bit helped you calm down Lyra."

She nodded, "Yeah, I'm fine now. In fact, I could do with some sugar after all of that."

"How about Sugarcube Corner? If that doesn't work I don't know what will." I suggested, and Lyra agreed, climbing onto my back as we returned to the summit. We packed the boards away, and Lyra was happy with putting the goggles around her neck as she took off the earmuffs and socks. After one final check to make sure we hadn't left anything behind, Lyra climbed on my back again and I jumped off the edge of the mountain.

Lyra was much more relaxed on the flight back to Ponyville, and I looked over my shoulder to see her resting her head on my back, a small smile on her face. Seeing her like this made my heart flutter, and I began to wonder how I was going to tell her about my feelings for her. After five minutes of coming up with nothing, I decided to put it to one side for now.

When we landed, it was a quick five minute walk to Sugarcube Corner, and we walked in silence. I looked at Lyra, who was looking straight ahead as she trotted through town. She was still wearing her hoodie, and despite being dark grey against the green of her coat, it looked quite good on her. The bell jingled as we entered Sugarcube Corner, and I saw Mrs. Cake poke her head through the kitchen door.

"Lyra, Dutch, good to see you both. What brings you here today?"

"Celebration cupcakes!" I said, "Part of a birthday present for Lyra."

"Of course. Just a minute." Mrs. Cake smiled sweetly before going back into the kitchen. It wasn't long before she returned, two cupcakes balanced on her mane. One of them had a candle in it, and Lyra giggled as she saw it. I handed over three bits and we took the cakes to a nearby table.

"Don't forget to make a wish," I said, and Lyra rolled her eyes as she blew out the candle.

As she did, a thought occured to me, "Hey Lyra, can you relight the candle for a second? There's something I want to show you."

She cocked her head, and her horn glowed, causing the wick to catch fire again, "What is it?"

"A little human thing that my dad showed me once. It's quite a fun little skill to have as a human." I put my thumb and index finger in my mouth to wet them before pinching the wick. There was a quick fizzle as the saliva evaporated, and I took my fingers away to reveal an extinguished candle, a trail of smoke rising into the air.

"That's pretty cool," Lyra remarked, "But are you sure that's safe? You're still flesh and blood like everypony else."

I chuckled, "How very philosophical of you."

Lyra eyed the smouldering wick, "Great, now I want to try it." She licked her own hooves before lighting the candle again. She held her hooves on either side of the flame cautiously, before clamping them shut. Immediately, she yelped and pulled them away. The wick had been put out, but now she was waving her hooves around frantically.

"Are you ok?" I asked.

"Yeah," Lyra said as she sucked on a hoof, "But that hurts."

"It's supposed to. It is fire, it wouldn't be very good if it didn't."

"But it didn't bother you, what's the trick?"

I smiled, "Well, to quote an old actor called Peter O'Toole..." I put on a posh accent, "The trick, Lyra Heartstrings, is not minding that it hurts."

She giggled again, and we dug into our pastries, both eating slowly so as not to offend the other. The cake had a hint of lemon to it, and the sweet white icing complimented it nicely. By the time we finished, the sun was beginning to set, and I could see the moon starting to appear in the sky.

"Dutch, can I ask you a personal question?" Lyra asked.

I wiped the crumbs off the table and put them in a nearby bin, "Sure, go ahead."

"How did you get your nickname?"

I smiled at the memory as I sat back down, "Now that's a fun story. It started back at college. Me and my friends were having a night out like we did on my birthday. Drinking, laughing, generally having a good time."

I paused as I recollected what happened, "One of my friends, Jasper, had had one too many. He tapped me on the shoulder, and tried to say my name. However, the alcohol made it come out as 'Dougsh' instead of 'Doug'. Everyone had a laugh, but he kept going; I think he found it interesting. He started to repeat it, slowly changing it every time. It started as 'Dush', then 'Duch' until he started saying 'Dutch' over and over again. Finally, he laughed and said 'Dutch, that's a good one!' before passing out on the table.

"We called it a night after that and took him home. He didn't remember a thing the next day, but everyone was happy to remind him how much of a joker he was, and, in turn, no one forgot what he called me. I guess it stuck with me."

"So..." Lyra said, "You got the nickname 'Dutch' because of a drunk friend's slurring?"

"In a nutshell, yes."

Lyra then proceeded to burst out laughing, "You're right, that is a fun story."

She yawned, and closed her eyes for a brief moment, "Man, I'm tired after that snowboarding. I think we should call it a night."

"Sounds good." We got up from the table, and went to the door. Just before we left, I called out, "Thanks for the cupcakes Mrs. Cake."

"You're very welcome," came the jolly reply.

It was pretty much night as we left Sugarcube Corner. The moon was just appearing over the horizon, and the stars were coming into view over our heads. As we walked down the street, Lyra began fanning herself with a hoof.

“Phew, being up on that mountain makes down here feel like a sauna,” she said, “And I thought the night was supposed to be cool.”

“It might help if you took off that hoodie,” I said. Lyra glanced at me, before pulling the hoodie over her head using her magic and tossing it over her back.

While she did this, I looked up at the stars that were appearing above us. When I was young, I would find myself getting lost among them, staring up at the thousands of little lights, each of which could hold a species of its own. They were rare occasions, as the British sky was usually covered in clouds, but out here, it was beautiful.

I was snapped out of my trance as Lyra prodded my side, “You ok Dutch? You seemed kind of distant there.”

I looked back up at the sky and smiled, “Just admiring Luna’s handiwork. We didn’t get a sky like this very often back on Earth.”

“If you like it so much, follow me,” Lyra said, “Our beds can wait, and I know a great place to sit and look at the stars.”

I wasn't worried; I had given Scootaloo a copy of my keys so that she could get into the apartment. I did as instructed, and Lyra led me to the outskirts of Ponyville, trotting up a hill and taking a seat when she reached the top. I sat down next to her, and found her to be correct. It was quite a magnificent sight; hundreds of stars, without any buildings or light to distract us. As I examined the stars, something caught my eye.

“You know, some of these constellations look similar to Earth’s.”

Lyra looked over at me in surprise, “I didn't think you were much of an astronomer.”

“I'm not, I didn't study it. But I saw a few drawings and remembered where some of my favourites were.”

I lay on my back with my hands under my head and began to search the sky. After a while, I found what I was looking for, and pointed into the sky, “You see that brighter star there?”

“Which one?” Lyra asked.

“Lie down next to me,” she placed her hoodie on the ground and lay on top of it, and I made her follow where I was pointing, “That one. I remember that one from my old world. We called it ‘Altair’. It means ‘Eagle’.”

“Nice,” Lyra said, and I felt her shift closer to me, "Any others you can see?"

“There certainly are,” I said, and moved my arm slightly, “Look just a little bit higher. You see the small clump of stars there in a diamond shape, with the brighter one on top?”

“Yeah?”

“Guess what we called that one.”

“I don’t know, what?”

“Lyra.”

Lyra immediately sat up and looked at me, “You’re joking!”

“Nope,” I gave her a grin as I sat up too, “It came from ancient Greek mythology. The lyre was supposedly an instrument used by the gods. Legend said that when the man who used it was killed, the king of the gods, Zeus, placed it in the sky along with him to remember who he was.”

Lyra continued to stare at me, before looking at the constellation again, “You’re not joking, are you?”

I laughed, “This is the day I give you a birthday present. Do you really think I would tell a joke about something like this?”

She smiled, and looked back at the stars “A constellation with my name. Now that's not something that happens every day.”

We stayed sat together for several minutes in silence, before Lyra leaned into me and said, “Dutch, I can’t thank you enough for today. I can only thank you in the way my heart tells me to.”

I turned to look at her, “And what's your heart sayi--“

I was cut off as Lyra leaned towards me and kissed me. It wasn’t like the one after the club; it was slow, intentional, and filled with love. My heart was pounding, and the only thing I could do was hold the kiss before Lyra broke away, her eyes wide upon realising what she’d done.

“I-I’m sorry,” she said, quickly staring at the floor, “I just couldn’t help myself. You’ve been so kind to me today, and you’ve been such a good friend since we met. I don't know how to describe it.” She closed her eyes, “I… I think I love you, Dutch.”

I was quiet for a few seconds, processing what she had said, Lyra loves me? I realised I had to do something to show her I felt the same way, but what? They always said actions speak louder than words, and it was now or never.

I reached across, my three-and-a-half fingers making contact with Lyra's chin, and turned her face to look at me, staring into her large, golden eyes. Slowly, I leaned forward and placed my lips against hers. She gasped when I did so, but her whole body relaxed after a moment, and she closed her eyes. After holding for as long as she did, I released the kiss and stared back into her eyes, “I love you too, Lyra.”

She stared blankly at me for a few seconds, before tears welled up in her eyes and she threw her arms around me in a hug, “Thank you. Thank you so much.”

"You don't need to thank me for anything Lyra."

I gladly returned the hug, letting Lyra nuzzle my cheek as I held her. My heart was pounding, and I felt my wings stiffen slightly as we embraced, but ignored it. I was here, now, with a girl I loved who, for the first time in my life, loved me back. I hadn’t felt happier, and nothing could have ruined this even if it wanted to.

Eventually, Lyra let go, and turned to look at the sky again, a big smile on her face, “I’m glad you’re here Dutch. It wouldn’t have been the same without you.”

My heart skipped a beat as I remembered the dream, but I still turned to look at her and say, “I wouldn’t have missed this for the world, Lyra.”

We briefly glanced into each other’s eyes, before we both leaned in and kissed. I closed my eyes as I let myself enjoy it. Both of us loved each other, and both of us meant this. Everything around us seemed to disappear as I put my hand on Lyra’s cheek and pulled her closer, as she put her tongue in my mouth and caressed mine. Even the stars seemed insignificant now, as we kissed each other under the moonlight.

After what seemed like an eternity sitting on top of that hill, we silently stood up, and walked back into the town. As we walked, Lyra stood up on her hind legs and wrapped a foreleg around my waist. I smiled as she leaned on me, and put an arm on her shoulder, letting her rest her head on me. Lyra's house was the first we reached, and she dropped back onto all fours as I knelt down next to her.

"Thank you for today," she said, happiness in her eyes, "I really enjoyed it."

I gave her a peck on the cheek, "I'm glad you did. Goodnight Lyra."

She responded with a kiss of her own, "Goodnight Dutch."

I watched her enter her home and shut the door, before turning and heading home. With my back to the house, I heard a noise that sounded not unlike a squeal of joy, and silently laughed to myself. I rounded to corner, and felt that familiar wave of warmth, looking over to see Valiant leaning on a wall, giving me a small smirk.

I smiled and shook my head, "Oh shut up."

Chapter 38: I'll Try Anything Once

10th Autumn's Apex,

I thought today was just going to be another normal day. Well, normal for Equestrian standards, not mine. After work, I had gone back to my apartment and decided to clean the rifle to kill time. It was also a good way to remind myself how it functioned, and it gave me time to think.

I was just about to reassemble it when I heard a knocking on my door. Still carrying one half of my rifle, I walked down the hall and pulled the door open to reveal a purple and green reptile standing in front of me.

"Hey Spike, what's up?"

"Hi. Twilight told me to come get you and bring you to the library. She said that the debt was ready to be repaid."

"Oh yeah. I was wondering if she had forgotten or something. Any idea what she had in mind?"

Spike's eyes widened, and he said, "I can't tell you. You'll find out when you get there. And you'd better hurry up, everypony else is there, waiting for you."

"Oh joy," I said, a hint of worry in my voice. I had a feeling that something big was going to happen if the others were going to be there, "Just let me finish this up and I'll join you."

I sat down on my bed and reassembled the rifle, pulling back the charging handle and releasing the action to make sure everything was where it should be. Satisfied, I put it back in it's box and locked it up, following Spike out of the room and outside. The first thing I noticed was a familiar unicorn waiting for me.

"Hi Lyra." I said, pulling her into a hug and kissing her on the lips, not noticing Spike sticking his finger in his mouth in mock revulsion.

She returned the kiss, "Come on, the others are waiting for us."

I raised an eyebrow, "So what is going on?"

"Spoilers~" Lyra said in a sing-song voice, "Everypony knows about it though, and what I can say is that they're looking forward to it." She looked up in the sky, "We'd better go. Cloudsdale had scheduled rain in a bit."

Spike ran on ahead towards the library, while Lyra and I were content with walking. After that night on the hill, we had spent almost every spare moment together, with Lyra sometimes coming over to the farm to see me while I worked. After a talk and an agreement, we had announced our relationship two days after that night, and much to Lyra's relief, everyone had accepted it well. Even Sarah, who I thought would find the concept of inter-species relationships peculiar, had congratulated me with a painfully hard slap on the back.

"It's about time you found someone, lad!" She had said.

We reached the library after a few minutes, and I immediately saw that Spike hadn't been joking when he said everyone. The main lobby was packed with ponies. There were the Elements of Harmony, and their individual spirits next to them, as well as Valiant, who had materialised as I entered the library. Scootaloo was sat next to Rainbow Dash, and Shadow Breeze was on the other side, next to Fluttershy. Sarah was standing, leaning against one of the walls behind the ponies.

"With this kind of crowd, I'm not sure whether I should be excited or worried." I said as I looked around at the group of ponies.

"I'm sure it's going to be more of the former." Twilight said as she gestured to a book on the central table. I picked it up, and the title read 'Transformations with Living Creatures'.

I slowly placed it back down, as if it were about to explode, "Actually, it's the latter. If you're going to do what I think you're going to do..."

"Oh for Pete's sake Twilight, would you just tell him?" Rainbow said, "He's pretty much figured it out already."

Twilight sighed, "Fine. I've been wanting to practice transformation magic for a while now, but it's been difficult to find ponies willing to be test subjects. And since you owe me, I thought I'd ask you."

"So what did you have in mind?" I asked, only becoming more worried, "You're not going to turn me into a flowerpot, are you?"

"No, I only did that to my parents when I was a filly."

"Twilight, stop. You're scaring him," said Morale, noticing the single drop of sweat running down the side of my head.

I let out a sigh of relief when Twilight became silent, "Thank you, Morale."

Lyra gave me a look of confusion, "Who's Morale?"

"One of the spirits of the Elements of Harmony," Rarity said, "All seven of us have one."

"They're sort of like imaginary friends." Rainbow said.

"Hey!"

"Oops, sorry Oath."

"Let's move on," I said, changing the subject, "Twilight, what do you want to turn me into?"

She blushed, before taking a breath and saying, "A pony."

I was silent for several seconds, so Twilight took the opportunity to go into detail, "It'll only be a temporary change, of course. I've quadruple checked everything, and I'm certain as to what I must do to perform the spell correctly."

"And you're sure it won't be permanent?" I said, now more suspicious than worried, "Even with my 'lack of magic' thing?"

"That's what the test was the other day," Twilight said, "I scanned your body for magic, and it seems you've absorbed as much as you can carry. Simply put, you're no different than any pony here. If all goes well, the spell should only last for 24 hours."

I didn't like the term 'if all goes well', but shrugged it off. This would only be temporary, and Twilight knew about the human anatomy, so she could change me back in the event it doesn't wear off naturally. At least... I hoped she could.

After a few minutes of deep thought, I came to a decision and said, "You know what? Screw it, let's do this!"

Twilight almost bounced with glee, "Excellent! Take a seat on the couch there and I'll get the spell ready. I'm also going to need you to take off your shirt."

I cocked my head, and Twilight said, "I need a clear shot at your skin, and I'm sure you won't be ok with getting shot in the face with magic."

I raised a finger and opened my mouth, then reconsidered, "Good point."

I pulled my shirt off, and heard a whistle of admiration from the general direction of Rainbow Dash, followed by half the room glaring at her. Lyra in particular could have murdered someone with her stare. Rainbow tittered nervously, before shifting her wings and silencing herself.

I looked back at Twilight, "Let's get this over with."

She nodded, and a shine began on her horn. It slowly became brighter, until I was forced to raise a hand to prevent myself being blinded. All of a sudden, the light vanished, and something punched me in the chest, followed by a tingling sensation flowing into my limbs. I looked down at myself, only to see I was still human.

"Huh, so what... happens... nn..."

I never finished that sentence as my tongue became unresponsive, along every other part of my body. I collapsed on the sofa, and felt my chest beginning to tighten, exactly where Twilight had hit me. It felt like my organs were being compressed into a space too small for them. The sensation of needles began to sting over my torso as well, spreading across my arms and legs. I screwed my eyes shut at the uncomfortable movements.

My hands felt numb, and any attempt to move them was futile. I also lost the feeling in my feet, and my legs felt like they were retracting into my pelvis, with my knees twisting into what seemed like an impossible shape. There was another sensation on my lower back, as if my spine was being pulled out. My wings felt like they were shrinking, although being crushed would have been a better description.

My entire body ached as the process happened, but my face was the worst. Obviously I had never known what it would be like to have my skull and brain reshaped, but it certainly wasn't painless. The sting crossed my cheeks and nose, my bones elongated, and I swear I could hear cracking as they changed. My skin felt stretched to breaking point, and I would have voiced my pain if I had control of my tongue.

Finally, the twisting and stretching stopped, and I opened my eyes. Everything was a blur, and I could make out distant voices as I tried to put movement back into my body.

"...he hear us?"

"He should. ...can get through to him."

I felt a hoof on my shoulder, and I blinked furiously to try and regain my vision. I could onlyjust make out numerous sets of eyes staring at me, while my limbs still timgled.

"How do you feel?" Said a voice.

I opened my mouth, but the nerves were difficult to control, as if I was speaking for the first time in years, "...hurts."

"Yes, the spell said that there would be some discomfort during the transformation, as well as speech difficulties to begin with," said another voice, which I recognised as Twilight's, "I thought I would leave those out so you wouldn't worry as much."

I could detect the sincerity in her voice, but I shook my head and said, "Never again."

My vision was returning, and I saw a pair of purple ears fold against a head, before she spoke again, "Can you move?"

My arms and legs were heavy, and the movements were delayed. I furrowed my brow and muttered, "Try to..."

I focused on my right arm and tried to move it, looking at the edge of the sofa. I went to grab the corner, but a dark green and brown stump came into view and simply pushed against it. I was confused, and attempted to rest my hand on the cushions to push myself up. Again, the stump pushed down, before buckling, and my weight fell onto the sofa again.

"It may take some time for his motor controls to return," said Twilight, "We might have to wait for a while."

I felt heavy, and tired. I wanted to rest, but I wanted to get up. I was about to try again, when a dark green pegasus walked into my field of view, staring into my eyes. His lips didn't move, but I heard Valiant's voice in my head.

You can do this, the voice said, Just take it slow, and try to get up.

I looked into his hazel eyes, before turning back to the stump and pushing down on the sofa again. Slowly, it began to support my weight, and I noticed a second stump moving as I lifted my other arm. They both shook from strain as I lifted myself up. This was harder than any bench lift, but I had to do this. The new limbs became straight, and the joints locked as I supported myself, looking around at the rest of me. Where my chest should have been was more dark green, occasionally split with stripes of brown. Below that was the blue cloth of my jeans, looking too big for me as I tried to remove my legs from them.

I began to kick my legs in an attempt to remove the trousers, before they were covered in a golden aura and pulled off by Lyra. I finally managed take a look at the rest of my new body, and paused to take in the sight.

Overall, it seemed the spell had worked. My body was covered in dark green fur, with brown stripes going along my torso and limbs. My arms and legs... no, hooves, were still a little numb, and I tried to flex them to get the nerves moving. I raised a foreleg, but misjudged where it went, and I rolled off the sofa, landing on my back with a loud thud.

I groaned as I felt a pair of hands grab me, and looked up to see Sarah picking me up to put me on my new hooves, "Sarah... this only time... you taller," I said, my lips pulling into what I assumed was a smile.

"Yeah, and I'm going to enjoy it while it lasts," she said, and I felt relieved that they could understand my rambling. She set me down on the floor, and my back legs immediately gave out, while my front legs were shaking from supporting the weight by themselves. I looked back at my hind legs, and slowly lifted them, one by one, before setting them on the ground as if they were made of glass. I examined the floor, looking for obstacles and noticing that I was only slightly taller than the other ponies.

"Well, I'm afraid that's the easy part over," said Twilight, "See if you can walk."

I nodded, and moved one of my forelegs forward, sliding it along the ground, before pulling my back leg along behind it. The edge of the hoof caught on the wooden floor, and I tripped again.

"Are you ok Dutch?" Fluttershy asked as she and Shadow helped me up.

"It's... difficult," I said, my speech improving, "Knees higher than human's, and feet are wrong."

"You can do it Dutch," Lyra said, standing a few metres in front of me, holding her forelegs out in the same way a mother would hold her arms out to a child learning to walk.

I looked down at my hooves, making sure I would get enough clearence in each step. I moved one leg forward, then another, followed by a third and a fourth. I did this a couple of times, then looked straight at Lyra, trying to walk without looking at my feet. The distance slowly closed, and with each step, Lyra's smile became bigger. When I was a single metre away, I picked up my pace and almost trotted into Lyra's forelegs. She pulled me closer, nuzzling my new face.

"You did well," she said.

"Love y..." I paused, then corrected myself, "I love you Lyra."

I pulled away, and managed to balance myself with considerably less effort before focusing on my speech again, "Can I... get a mirror?"

Rarity floated a full-length mirror in front of me, and I looked at the pony standing before me. The brown stripes also covered my face, and there was a single, pink line under my eye where the fur wasn't growing, as well as a piece of my left ear missing. There was another line on my chest, and I stood side-on to see a pair of large, green wings. I shifted my back, and they responded by unfurling and giving a flap.

"At least they're familiar to use." I remarked, and extended them fully, noticing the symbol of a white shield on my flank. To put it simply, I was almost a spitting image of Valiant.

As if on cue, Valiant said, "Well, who's that handsome devil?"

I gave him a deadpanned expression, before looking at everyone else. Something clicked in my head, and I said, "Twilight, did the book mention any mental alterations the spell would cause?"

"They hadn't mentioned anything due to a lack of proper research, why?"

I blushed, before saying, "You all look a lot prettier than before."

The library was silent. The first pony to move was Twilight, who produced a notebook and scribbled something down without breaking eye contact with me. This only made blush further. Rainbow was next, who walked over to Lyra and whispered something in her ear. She grinned, and whispered something back. Rainbow gave her a nod, before walking over to me, giving me a stare through half-lidded eyes.

"So you think we're pretty do you?" She asked, moving closer until she was almost rubbing against my fur.

"Well... yes." I said, answering honestly, but getting nervous.

"I bet I'm prettier than everypony else," she said, "Maybe even Lyra here."

Her face was mere inches from mine, and I was becoming extremely flustered. I looked over at Lyra, but she was looking away from me, finding the scenery outside to be very interesting.

"Rainbow, cut it out!" Applejack said.

Rainbow ignored her, "We're both pegasi, so I know all the right places," she draped a hoof over my shoulder, "Even... this one." Her hoof ran down the ridge of my back, and sparked the nerves there. Instantly, my wings extended out of reaction, and she promptly fell on the floor, clutching her sides in laughter.

It took a moment for me to figure out what had just happened, before looking at the rest of the group. Shadow and Lyra were laughing too, while Fluttershy was blushing profusely. I looked back at my wings. Unlike my humans wings, these were as stiff as a plank, and no amount of flexing would make them fold back by my sides. I remembered how my wings had stiffened before, and I started blushing too. Sarah looked to be the only confused one in the room, until Applejack murmured something to her, at which point she started laughing too.

"Oh, that's too good." She managed between laughs.

"Alright, you got me," I said, "Twilight, do you have anything that'll get rid of this?"

She giggled, "Oh, maybe."

I huffed, "Fine, how about this: If you shut Rainbow up, I'll let you do another transformation spell on me."

Twilight paused, and something glinted in her eyes and an evil smile crossed her lips. Her horn glowed, and Rainbow's laughing was immediately silenced. I turned to look at her, and saw that she was still lying on the floor, her mouth open, but no sound was coming from it. When the realisation hit her, she stood up and moved her lips, but her words were unheard by everyone. I let myself enjoy a laugh of my own as she scowled at me.

"And since you've been such a good test subject, I'll even let you choose the spell."

Feeling excited, I walked over to the central table and raised a hoof to turn the pages. I was still clumsy with their movement, and after scrunching the first page, Twilight gasped and pulled the book away from me before turning to the index. I looked at the list of spells, and one of them caught my attention in an instant.

"Twilight, can you turn to page 124 please?"

"Sure," the pages turned purple and flipped over as one. Twilight gasped as she reached the right chapter, "A wolf?"

Everyone else crowded round the book, and I did my best attempt at a shrug, "Wolves are cool."

I looked over at Lyra, "Are you ok with that Lyra?"

"I don't mind," she said, smiling, "My curiosity's got the better of me."

I grinned, and sat down in the middle of the room while Twilight cast the spell. When it hit me, there was the same feeling of stinging and twisting, but as I was already a quadruped to begin with, it was less painful than the first transformation. Another 30 seconds passed, and my vision was blurred again as I opened my eyes. I shook my head to get rid of the nausea and looked around, seeing a furry paw where the green hoof had been.

It seemed Rainbow had been given her voice back, as she said, "Ok, that is cool."

I lifted myself up, taking a moment to balance. It was certainly easier to stand on paws, as they were more flexible than hooves.

"It's wierd seein' him as somethin' outta the Everfree Forest," Applejack said, "Is that really you Dutch?"

I walked in front of the mirror, and a grin covered my face. The reflection showed a light-grey wolf, a timber wolf to be exact. Luckily, I wasn't an Equestrian timber wolf. Having a body of wood wouldn't sit well with me. The eyes were still a warm hazel, and a bushy tail involuntarily waved back and forth. I opened my mouth to answer Applejack, but the only noise I made was a bark, and my eyes went wide with shock.

"Uhh, Twilight, why did Dutch just bark?" Pinkie asked, and Twilight feverishly began to read through the chapter. I walked over and started reading too.

"Oh no," she said, "Because real wolves can't talk, anypony who gets turned into one can't talk either," she looked at me, "You have the body of a wolf, so you've got a wolf's larynx too."

My brain signalled my vocal cords to say, 'You mean I can't talk?' but all that came out was a high-pitched whine. I sat down on the floor while everyone stared at me and tried to say something, anything. The only thing that reached my ears were yelps and whines. Eventually, I gave up, and as I tried to yell in frustration, my head automatically lifted up and I howled inside the library. When I had finished, I stared at the floor, and my ears instinctively folded down. I knew that I would be able to speak again tomorrow, but it still saddened me more than I thought it would.

I heard trotting, and Lyra came up beside me, lifting my chin with a hoof before hugging me, "Hey, it's alright. At least you'll be back to normal tomorrow, right?"

I nodded, and rested my chin on her shoulder. Suddenly, an idea came to me, and my ears perked back up. I looked at Shadow, and tried to use the old communication spell.

"Shadow, is this working?"

His eyes widened, and he grinned, "Yes! I can hear you." I sprang to my feet, my tail wagging ecstatically.

The others seemed to notice, and Twilight said, "Shadow, Dutch, what are you doing?"

"Dutch's communication spell is still working!" Shadow exclaimed, "It's something we got when we joined the guard. It allows us to talk telepathically."

Twilight sighed in relief, before saying, "I'm sorry about this Dutch. I can turn you back into a human if you want."

The prospect of being human again was nice, but I shook my head, "You were kind enough to do this for me. I'll stick it out until the spell wears off."

Shadow relayed the message as I looked at her, and she nodded, "Alright, if you're sure."

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Shadow lean over and whisper something to Fluttershy. She giggled, and rested against him, nuzzling his cheek. It was subtle, and it didn't seem like anyone had noticed it. Funnily enough, I did.

"Woah, woah, woah, what was that? Was that what I think it was?" I asked. Shadow's face darted over to me and he blushed profusely. I only gave him a sly grin as I waited for an answer.

"Well... yeah, it was," Shadow said, and he became defensive, "As it turns out, we have a lot in common, thank you very much. We've been together for about a week now."

"Hey, in my defence, congratulations," I said, "And don't worry, your secret is safe with me."

"Dutch, what are you doing?" Lyra asked, noticing the silent stare between me and Shadow.

"Oh nothing," Shadow said, glancing me a look, "Just a private joke."

I picked up on the look, and nodded. Obviously he wasn't ready to announce the relationship. Shadow seemed to relax, and he and Fluttershy got up and headed for the door.

"I need to go and take care of the animals," Fluttershy said, "Shadow said he'd help me."

As everyone said goodbye and Shadow headed towards the door, I whined , "You can't leave me here. How will I talk to them?"

He gave me a shit-eating grin, "I'm sure you can still write. How hard could it be?"

He closed the door, and I silently growled. He was right, I could probably still use a pencil, but it would take some time to learn using my mouth. My spirits lifted when Lyra nudged my side.

"Cheer up Dutch," she said, "Let's take a walk round town, try out your new body. I just hope we don't scare too many ponies."

Chapter 39: Horse and the Hound

I will admit, only being able to communicate with barks, whines and growls wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. In fact, it was kind of cool.

Before we left the library, Twilight suggested that I get a feel for writing using my mouth. She floated a pencil towards my mouth, but when I lowered my jaws over it, I heard a cracking of wood. My sharp canines had bitten right through it. I tried again, putting as little pressure on the pencil as I could. At first, the words were illegible, and looked like a baby's scribbling. But after an hour of practice, my mouth-writing was becoming understandable at the least.

"'Can we go outside now?'" Twilight said as she read my note, "Are you sure? A lot of ponies wouldn't take kindly to seeing a wolf in their town."

I nodded, and wrote, 'Lyra can explain', on the paper.

"Don't worry Twilight," Scootaloo said, "Me and Lyra can keep him company."

"I hope you're right," Twilight said, and I yipped in response. She wrapped a belt around my torso and slotted a pencil and notepad into it, allowing me to communicate when I needed to.

Pinkie giggled, "When you make those noises, it's so easy to forget that the big bad wolf is actually just same old Dutchy." She rubbed the fur on my head, leaving it dishevelled and uncomfortable. I instinctively tried to raise my hand to scratch it, but found that my paw just wasn't flexible enough to reach it. A funny thought then occured to me, and I sat down as I brought a hind leg up and scratched my head with it. This brought a fit of giggles from the girls, and I walked over to the door, scratching it with a paw to show that I wanted to go outside.

"Aww, he's adorable." Lyra said as she pulled the door open with her magic. I went outside and sat on the porch to wait for her. As I looked around the town, I noticed that my senses felt... sharper. The air was filled with smells, and I could see more precisely than before, making out the shape of a pony a few hundred metres away. I heard the tapping of hooves behind me, and my ear turned in the direction of the noise, making it amplify. Lyra and Scootaloo appeared next to me, while everyone else left the library and headed to their respective homes.

I smiled at her, at which point she recoiled, "Agh! What did you do that for?"

I cocked my head, and remembered when my dog would try to smile. To a stranger, it would look like they were simply bearing their teeth. I quickly grabbed the notepad from the belt and drew a crude smiley face on it.

She saw the drawing, and said, "Oh, sorry. I'm going to miss your real smile."

I nuzzled her, then flicked my head, gesturing down the street. As we walked away from the library, Twilight called out, "I'll keep your stuff here for when the spell wears off. Just remember to be back here at three o'clock tomorrow."

I barked in response, and we carried on through Ponyville. Of course, it was anything but a leisurely stroll. The sun was gone, but the air was still humid, and I found myself sticking my tongue out and panting to find a way to sweat through my thick coat. It felt suprisingly refreshing, and Lyra and Scootaloo giggled as I looked at them.

"Well, this doesn't seem so bad," Lyra said, "If we're lucky, maybe we can--"

"WOLF!"

If there's one downside about the average pony, it's that they jump to conclusions far too quickly. Maybe it was how peaceful their lives were, but they were much more paranoid than humans. Granted, seeing a wolf wandering through their town might raise a few pulses, but watching everyone run screaming into their homes, even after seeing the two ponies walking alongside me, seems a little extreme. Needless to say, within the next minute, the entire town was empty.

"Let's just go back to my place," Lyra said, "The rain's starting to arrive anyway."

We all agreed without objection, and managed to reach the house just as the first few drops were coming down from the sky. Lyra let us inside, and we made our way into the living room, where she sparked her horn and got a fire going. I was content with sitting next to it, despite my thick coat. Lyra walked in, and I felt my tail wagging as she sat next to me.

She rested against my side, "You two can stay the night if you want. We can make it a little slumber party."

My heart leapt at the thought, and I rubbed my face against her cheek. My canine jaws made it difficult to kiss her.

"I guess we'd better make it a proper slumber party then. How about some s'mores?"

"Sounds awesome!" Scootaloo exclaimed, balancing on her forelegs on top of a chair's arm. She hopped off, and we went into the kitchen, where Lyra grabbed chocolate and marshmallows, Scootaloo carried the crackers on her back, while I took a bunch of sticks in my mouth.

Ten minutes later, and I carried another batch of cooked marshmallows to the table, where Lyra and Scootaloo were putting the different ingredients together. I propped myself up on the table and dropped the sticks in front of Lyra, who promptly pulled them off and spread them over the chocolate.

When we had a plate of a dozen s'mores, we walked over to the fire and began to eat. Scootaloo dug in immediately, as she was more interested in enjoying the taste rather than filling her stomach. Lyra and I were slower, watching the fire and enjoying one another's company, listening to the crackle of flames and the pattering of rain outside. Neither of us said anything, but nothing needed to be said. It was a classic romantic moment, we both knew how much we loved each other, and nothing was going to change that.

After a few hours, Scootaloo started falling asleep. I carried her upstairs, while Lyra found a spare mattress for her to sleep on, and I tucked her in for the night. Lyra led me to her bedroom, and I was about to lie on the floor, when Lyra stopped me.

"I'm not letting my coltfriend sleep on the floor," she said, and patted the sheets next to her. I was cautious at this, but after noticing a lack of bedroom eyes, I thought, What could happen? and jumped on the bed and lay down next to her. Lying down as a canine was unusual, but certainly not uncomfortable, and within a few minutes, I was already dozing off. I felt Lyra shift closer to me, and she sighed with contentment.

"I can't wait to see what happens tomorrow. I have a feeling it's going to be... interesting," Lyra said, "I love you Dutch."

I made what I hoped would be a noise to say the same thing to her, and she seemed to understand as she nuzzled me before we both fell asleep.

I stretched as I woke up the next morning. The rain had stopped, and Sweet Apple Acres would need to be worked harder to harvest the extra crop. I pushed myself up off Lyra's bed, only remembering at the last minute that I was still a wolf before falling on my face with a yelp and a thud.

As I stood up, I heard giggling behind me, and saw Lyra had woken up too. She was propping herself up with a foreleg, and despite her finding my misfortune amusing, I couldn't get mad at those gorgeous golden eyes.

I groaned, and she laughed again. I took this opportunity to jump back on the bed and stand over her, glaring. She had a brief look of shock, before I stopped and nuzzled her. She giggled upon realising I was joking, and wrapped her forelegs around my neck, kissing me on the nose.

"You'd better get Scootaloo up for school," she said, "Are you planning on going to the farm today?"

I nodded, and she added, "Then watch out for Big Mac. I think only those in the library know about you."

I nodded again, and walked into the next room to wake Scootaloo. She was still fast asleep when I nudged her, and when she moaned and pushed me away, I gave off a quiet bark.

"Huh?" She turned her head and saw me. She gasped at the sight of a wolf next to her bed, then said, "Oh yeah. Morning Dutch." Reluctantly, she climbed out of bed, rubbing one eye and yawning, which made me yawn as well.

"Those are some really sharp teeth," Scootaloo remarked, "Be careful who sees you with them."

We both went down to the kitchen, where Lyra had some food on the oven, "Hey Dutch? I didn't know what wolves eat apart from meat. Is there anything here that you can manage?"

I knew wolves ate fruit and nuts when potential prey was scarce, so I put my forelegs on the counter and grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl. I dropped it on the table and slowly managed to take a few bites out of it while Lyra and Scootaloo ate their breakfast. After three apples, I gave Lyra one last nuzzle before pulling on the door handle with my teeth and going outside with Scootaloo.

I pulled the notepad off my belt and wrote down 'Meet at library?' for Scootaloo to read.

"You mean after school?" I nodded, "Sure. See you later!"

I smiled to myself as she broke into a sprint and vaulted over a nearby fence. Freerunning was her passion now; she hardly ever used her scooter anymore. It only left the apartment if she was going on long-distance journeys across town that would tire her out on foot. The sun glinted off something metal and reflected into my eyes, reminding me of where I needed to be, and I went off in my own direction.

I reached the barn without any incidents, and Applejack met me from the house. She paused as she saw me, but recognition crossed her face, and she smiled as she trotted over.

"Howdy there sugarcube. Ah assume ya'll are lookin' fer work right now?"

I nodded, and she brought a hoof to her chin, "Hmm, not much ya can do when yer a wolf. Ah know Big Mac's gonna be diggin' holes fer some new trees. If ya take the tools over to the west field fer him, Ah'll see if there's anythin' else ya can do."

I walked into the barn and picked up a shovel, getting the weight right as it swung between my jaws. Holding my head high to make sure it wouldn't catch the ground, I walked out and round to the back of the building, heading west. It wasn't long before I saw the red stallion standing in a clearing among the trees. He had a tape measure in his hooves, and was examining how many trees he could fit in the empty space.

I got within ten yards of him and dropped the shovel, giving a bark to announce my presence. Big Mac turned round, but the normally calm, placid expression was replaced by surprise as he saw me, then anger. Slowly, he lowered his head and scraped the ground, snorting air out of his nostrils. I guess he didn't know it was me, and as he broke into a gallop, a single thought crossed my mind.

Oh bollocks.

Without even attempting to resolve the situation diplomatically, I turned tail and ran as fast as my four legs would carry me back to the farm. I managed to run faster than I thought I could, but despite Big Mac's bulky size and build, he was keeping up with me, hurling all sorts of insults at the predator that had trespassed on his property.

The barn came into view, and I began barking at the top of my lungs, desperate for Applejack to pull me out of the metaphorical hole I had dug myself. Unfortunately, no such luck. She must have been in one of the other fields, because she certainly wasn't in the barn. I quickly turned direction, taking advantage of my agility to circle the barn and gain some distance between me and Mac.

I searched through the north and east fields, finding no sign of Applejack. As I entered the south field, I could smell something else among the apples. The aroma of sweat. I followed it, and found Applejack bucking along the line of trees, letting off another series of barks to get her attention. Her head snapped to me, and she quickly ran over, stopping between me and Mac.

"Woah there Big Macintosh!" She shouted. He reluctantly came to a stop, but only because Applejack was standing between me and him. He expression was still filled with rage though, and I felt genuinely concerned for my well-being as I huddled behind Applejack.

"AJ, what the hay are ya doin'?!" Mac said, "There's a dang wolf right behind ya, and yer defendin' it?"

"That ain't just any wolf, that's Dutch," Mac took a step back in surprise, and Applejack continued, "He was helpin' Twilight with some magic, and she turned him into that."

"So why didn't he just tell me?"

"He can't," Sarah said as she appeared from a collection of trees. I whined, and Sarah went on to explain the downside I faced with having the anatomy of a wolf. With each question answered, Mac's expression softened. When she finished, he sighed.

"Alright then. You two got no reason to lie to me," I slowly walked out from behind Applejack, and he held a hoof out, "Sorry about that Dutch. Ah had no idea it was you."

I nodded, and pressed my paw against his hoof, writing on the notepad, 'Apology accepted'. He gave me a friendly smile, "Eeyup."

He trotted off with Sarah, and my ear twitched as I heard a twig snap behind me. I turned round to see a tree and growled at it, forcing whatever was behind it to come out. It was Applebloom.

"Now Applebloom, ya know better than to eavesdrop," Applejack scolded.

"Sorry," the filly replied, "Ah just wanted to ask Dutch somethin'. If that's really him."

"It is, don't worry yer head," Applejack replied.

I walked up to Applebloom, who was busy shifting her hoof in the dirt, trying to ask what she wanted to say.

"Well, since yer a wolf and all, maybe we could play a game of hide and seek. Winona's always good at findin' stuff, so Ah figured ya'll would be good at it too."

I looked over at AJ, and she seemed to pick up that I wanted her permission, "It's alright sugarcube. Ah'll be honest, there's not much ya can do here. Let the filly have her fun."

Applebloom grinned and guided me back towards the east field, "Do humans have hide and seek where ya come from?"

I nodded as we arrived in the middle of the orchard, and Applebloom told me to count to thirty. I lay down on the ground and covered my eyes with my paws. As I counted, I heard a pattering of hooves become quieter, and after thirty seconds, Applebloom was gone.

I tried to smell the air, and quickly found a scent. Using my newly heightened senses, I put my nose on the floor and began to follow it, only pausing when I thought I had lost the trail. After following the scent for a couple hundred metres, I spotted movement out of the corner of my eye, and the smell became stronger. Upon realising I had found my target, I let out a whine in mock confusion, and a small giggle came from inside a collection of bushes.

I carried on, making her think I missed her, before doubling back and coming up behind the bush. I got closer, and could make out the end of a red tail sticking out among the leaves. I lowered myself to the ground and crawled forward, keeping quiet, before biting down on the tail and dragging Applebloom out from the bush.

"Woah!" She spun around, before laughing at her defeat, "Ah saw ya followin' a trail. Do Ah really smell that bad?"

She laughed at her own joke, before scampering off to hide somewhere else. I gave her another thirty seconds, before slowly following her scent again. This lasted for several hours, and despite how many times I found her, Applebloom would always try to find the most unconventional hiding place. At one point, my nose led me into a wall, and I eventually found her on the barn roof. How she got up there I will never know.

At 2:30, Applebloom finally got tired herself out and headed back to the barn. She knew I also had my own things to take care of. Feeling that I couldn't do much else to assist around the farm, I walked back down the path and left Sweet Apple Acres. Walking under the sign at the entrance and back to town, Lyra met me halfway.

"What's the time Mr. Wolf?" She asked jokingly, and I rolled my eyes, "So I suppose we go to the library now?"

I nodded, and we ambled towards our destination. Our pace was quickened however, when a clap of thunder came from overhead.

"Another storm?" Lyra asked, "I understand we've had a lot of sun lately, but two storms in two days?" She glanced at me, "Race you to the library!"

She took off just as the rain started coming down in buckets, and I was surprised at her speed; she was faster than she looked. As I was a natural predator, however, I was still faster, and when the library came into view, we were neck and neck. Of course, being a gentleman, I slowed down at the last minute, and she skidded to a halt by the door.

"Yeah! In your face, Dutch!" Letting the lady win, I could handle. Watching her gloat was another thing entirely.

Only giving a sly grin as indication of what I was about to do, I flexed my shoulders and shook my body from side to side, ridding it of excess water. My eyes were closed, but I heard Lyra shriek as the water covered her. I stopped, and quickly took a punch in the foreleg for my actions.

"Not funny." Lyra said, though her attempts to hide a smile proved otherwise. Her mane was drenched, and it hung over her eyes and horn. She flicked it aside as she pushed the door open and went inside.

Twilight and Scootaloo were already waiting for us, and Twilight said, "Ah, glad you could make it. The spell will wear off completely in exactly..." she looked at the clock on the table, "...three minutes and 42 seconds. You might want to take your clothes and go into the basement, seeing as how conscious you humans are with nudity."

I lifted my clothes onto my back, along with a towel, before picking up my boots and carrying them into the basement. I set them down at the foot of the stairs, and started feeling a tingling all over my body. I lost my balance, and everything that I had felt the day before seemed to be coming back as its opposite. My legs were stretching to what felt like an impossible length, as well as my arms. The sensation of being pricked with needles covered my entire body, and I assumed the fur was starting to vanish by now. I felt my tail disappearing too, but it was akin to having my spine pulled up my back, my back itself feeling like it was splitting apart as my wings returned. Finally, my skull returned to its original shape, and my nerves ended their tyrade of pain.

It took a few minutes to get used to being human again, but after a few minutes I was standing again, and after a bit of gibberish, my voice returned. I looked over my shoulder to see white wings on my back, and gave them a flap, sighing like I had just scratched an itch.

Realising that I was now naked, I dried myself off and pulled my clothes back on. Ten minutes after I had transformed back, I exited the basement, where the three ponies were waiting for me.

"I'm glad everything went smoothly," Twilight said as she looked up from a book, "I was worried there would be another side effect."

I cleared my throat and spoke for the first time in 24 hours, "Side effects?"

"Well... there's always unknowns," she quickly answered blushing.

I lowered myself to my knees as Lyra and Scootaloo both hugged me. I ignored Lyra's wet coat as she nuzzled my face, while Scootaloo was wrapped around my chest, listening to my heartbeat. What the filly said next almost made me collapse with laughter.

"You smell like a wet dog."

Chapter 40: Called to Service

Author's notes: Next arc starts here. I hope it's a good one for you guys.

18th Autumn's Apex

After the storms that had hit over the past few days, the pegasi at Cloudsdale seemed to let up. Sweet Apple Acres didn't need much rain for a while now, and everyone was glad that the sun was back out. Rainbow Dash was especially happy about catching up on her naps.

Meanwhile, I was sat with Lyra on our usual bench in the park. Lyra was practicing with her lyre, and I had a day off from the farm and decided to join her. She was completely in the zone with her music; her eyes were shut, and she rested her head against me as her lyre floated next to her, the strings wrapped in gold and plucking seemingly at their own accord. I simply listened to the music with not a care in the world.

The blissful moment was destroyed however, when I heard the flapping of wings, and looked up to see a certain grey mailmare. Derpy descended from a nearby cloud, carrying her saddlebags with a postal hat on her head.

"Oh, morning Derpy," I said, "What can we do for you?"

"I've got a letter for you!" she said enthusiastically. She pulled an envelope from her saddlebag and handed it to me before flying off as gave her thanks. Lyra watched as I pulled the seal off and read through the letter. As my eyes descended down the page, my face fell, and she picked up on this.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"It's from my CO at Canterlot," I said with a sigh, "They want me to report there three days from now. We're going on tour."

Lyra's ears folded, "How long for?"

I read through the letter again, "Three months. We're going up to the northern border, close to the Griffin Kingdom."

"Oh, I suppose that's ok then," she said, and visibly relaxed, "Griffins and ponies are on good terms at the moment."

"If that's the case, it'll probably be a peacekeeping tour," I said, folding the letter and putting it in my pocket, "Shadow would probably have got one too. I'll have to go see him about this."

"Alright love," Lyra said, giving me a peck on the cheek, "If I'm not here when you get back, I'll be at home or in the market."

I gave her a kiss as I stood up and made my way to Fluttershy's cottage. I knew Shadow would be there; it was where he always was if he wasn't in town or out running. If he wasn't there, all I had to do was wait until he got back. Luckily, that wasn't the case. I knocked on the door, and it opened to reveal the dark grey pegasus standing in the doorway.

"Hey Shadow," he gave me a nod, and I pulled out the letter.

"So you got one too, huh?" he gestured at the table behind him, where a small piece of paper lay, "Let's go for a walk."

Without waiting for an answer, he shut the door behind him and walked past me down the path. I narrowed my eyes as I followed him. Something wasn't right, he wasn't usually this unresponsive.

"How's Fluttershy taking it?" I asked.

"As good as somepony like her can, I guess," he replied, "She's ok about it, but she's worried. I don't blame her, I am going to be about two hundred miles away for three months. What about Lyra?"

I shrugged, "She's worried too. But she says that griffins and ponies are friends, so by the sounds of it we'll just be there for peacekeeping."

"Don't be too sure," Shadow said, "Diamond Dogs live on the border. It's them that worry me and Fluttershy."

I knew about Diamond Dogs. Bipedal canines with a low intelligence, but fierce determination. They had become villains in the eyes of Equestria because of their tendency for slave trafficking. Hopefully they wouldn't bother us, but with the new information from Shadow, my gut was telling me otherwise.

I noticed Shadow had trotted ahead, staring at the floor, and jogged to catch up with him, "Alright Shadow, what's wrong?"

He looked up at me, "I don't know what you mean."

"Yes you do. You're being different today. Something's bothering you, and we both know it."

He held the stare a few seconds longer, before sighing, "I'm worried about Fluttershy."

"Naturally. But I'm getting the feeling that there's more to it."

He sighed, and sat down against a tree, "Fluttershy and I... we went further with our relationship."

"What do you mean?"

"Well... she loves caring for animals, and she's always wanted one of her own to care for."

I stopped as my mind came up with a theory, and I had to sit down next to him, "Shadow... are you saying...?"

He stared into my eyes, "Dutch, we took the leap. She's pregnant."

I tried to search for the right words, before giving up and saying, "That's amazing. Congratulations! When did it happen?"

"About seven days ago," Shadow said, his previously serious expression replaced with both embarrassment and pride, "She took a while to come out and ask me, but she said dreamed of having a foal since she was a filly. Five days ago they confirmed it at the hospital. I've never seen her happier. We still need to announce it to the others, but she's actually looking forward to it; she's not nervous at all!"

I patted him on the back, "That's just fantastic! Have you decided any names yet?"

"We've got a few on a list, but we don't know if it's a colt or a filly yet," he said, "We're going to be planning to add more while I'm away, and come to a decision. This also means I'm going to have to plan a wedding too. It's too late to do now, so I'm going to propose to her when we get back."

I simply grinned. Two of my friends were becoming parents! "I can understand why you were how you were earlier then. Having a child and planning a wedding is a lot for one mind."

His face fell again, "It's not just that. Three months can be longer than it sounds, especially for a pony in my position. A lot can happen in that time, even..."

I put an arm around his shoulder and smiled reassuringly, "Hey, come on now. We've been through thick and thin together. We can handle this. We'll just go out there, do our job, and go home. Simple."

He nodded, and stood up again, "I hope you're right."

We carried on down the path to town, until I heard a whooshing noise overhead, looking up to see Rainbow Dash heading in my direction. We jogged forward to intercept her, and met halfway.

"Hey Dutch, I need to talk to you about something," she said, glancing at Shadow.

Shadow seemed to get the message, "I'm going into town. I'll see you later."

"Good, we'll need to meet up two days from now to organise equipment."

Shadow nodded, and carried on down the path, while Rainbow took off towards a treeline. I followed her, keeping pace as we glided over the trees.

She led me over to the lake that she had crash-landed in when we first met, sitting down by the shore. I followed her, and lay down in the grass with my hands behind my head.

"Nice day," I casually remarked, "Fancy a dip in the pond?"

"You've obviously never seen me swimming," Dash said, "It involves a lot of flailing and splashing with the occasional bout of... sinking."

I sat up, "The one and only Rainbow Dash, and she can't swim?"

"...No," she admitted, "With so much awesomeness, I guess there wasn't enough room for swimming."

"Ok, so that's a 'no' to the dip," I concluded, falling onto my back again, "I suppose I'd just have to jump in and save your flank again."

"Well, it is a flank worth saving, right?"

Her cocky grin had returned, and I said, "At the risk of inflating your ego further, yes."

We shared a laugh, before falling into a silence. It seemed that Rainbow Dash was trying to say something, but her normally confident attitude was replaced by an unusual nervousness.

"Sooo..." she started, "How are you doing?"

"Good."

"And how is it between you and Lyra?"

"We're fine," I said, not sure where she was going with this.

"Good, good."

I eyed her suspiciously, "I assume you wanted to talk to me for more than just a checkup on my relationship."

She narrowed her eyes at me, "Ugh, fine."

She thought for a second before speaking, "Listen, you and Lyra are together, and from what I can see, it's going well. I was just wondering if you had any advice for others looking for that kind of thing."

"Oh, is there someone you've got your eye on?"

"Maybe."

"And you want me to be your matchmaker?" I grinned.

"Don't think of it like that!" She exclaimed, "I'd ask Shadow, but you've been here longer than he has."

"Fine fine." I said, "So who's the lucky stallion?"

"Uh, stallion... right." she said, shifting her gaze, and my eyes widened.

"Oh! Is it a mare?"

"As a matter of fact, yes!" she said, suddenly becoming defensive, "You got a problem with that?"

I held up my hands, "Calm down Dash. I'm friends with Sarah, so you know I don't. Before I start, what do you see in this mare?"

Dash seemed to calm down, "Well, I haven't known her for very long, but she's a bit like me. You know, tough, not a softie like Rarity."

I thought for a second, "Well, in the way of advice, I can't tell you much. Just the cheesy stuff everybody says, like 'Be yourself' and all that jazz."

"And what if that mare says no?"

I shrugged, "Then you can put your worries to rest. What I do know is that if you don't ask her, the answer is automatically 'no'. Lyra and I told each other, and I couldn't be happier now that we're together."

"So how am I supposed to tell her?"

"Take her on a fancy dinner, give her chocolate and flowers, I don't know. I'm sure Twilight has a book or something that can help you."

She raised an eyebrow at me, "Can you see me walking into the library and getting a book on relationships? It would totally cramp my style. Twilight watches the book 24/7 too, so I can't steal one."

I gave her a sly smile, "That shouldn't stop someone like you, should it?"

She opened her mouth to respond, paused, then said, "I guess not."

"That's more like it," I nudged her shoulder, "Now, I'm going to the library to talk with Twilight. If you still want a book, I suggest you do it now while she's going to be distracted."

Without waiting for an answer, I got up and returned to town, leaving Rainbow to make a decision for herself. My reason for going to the library was strictly personal. If I was about to go on tour, I wanted to see my family again before I shipped out. After everything that had happened, I also wanted to let them know I was ok. The library was empty as I entered, with only Twilight doing her daily studying.

"Good afternoon Dutch. Is there something you needed?"

"Hey Twilight, is there a way to see my family without using up too much of your time?"

She put a hoof to her chin, "I can leave you to go to your world alone, and have you return automatically after a certain time. I can take you down to the basement so you can see them in private too."

"That sounds great Twi, lead the way."

We started walking toward the stairs to the basement, but movement caught my eye. Looking over, I saw Rainbow sneaking in through a window, and mentally laughed. Twilight hadn't seen her, and I simply walked into the basement with her while Rainbow searched for what she needed.

"As you'll be on you own, I'm afraid I can only give about thirty minutes maximum," Twilight said as I sat down on a small sofa and got comfortable.

"That's ok," I said, "Thanks for doing this."

She giggled, "What kind of friend would I be if I didn't let you see your family?"

She ignited her horn, letting me fall into the sleep that accompanied me visiting my old world. Sure enough, shapes started appearing, taking forms and becoming a familiar sight. I looked over the driveway I had appeared in. No one else was with me, and I became worried as to how I would reveal myself to them.

Walking up to the house and opening the door answered that question however, as my dog started barking at me, her tail going like mad. I rubbed her head as I entered the kitchen, and heard voices coming from the living room.

"Go on, go on, keep running! YES!"

I headed across the hall, and saw the TV before I saw my family. They were watching the Six Nations Rugby tournament, and England had just scored a try.

Dad saw me immediately as I entered the room, and stood up to wrap his arms around me, ignoring my wings as I hugged him back. Before Dad had even released me, Chris came over and hugged me too.

"Hey guys," I said, "How's everything going in the land of the living?"

"Couldn't be better," Dad said, "I'm back at work, our accounts are slowly filling back up, and England is winning the Six Nations!" he sighed, "It's a shame you couldn't be here to see it."

I put my hand on his shoulder, "Don't worry about me. I'm here now, and I'm happy for you."

We sat down on the sofa while the rugby kept going, but none of us were paying attention.

"I've got about 25 minutes before I have to go back." I told them, "If there's anything you want to ask, go ahead."

"How are the rest of your friends," Chris asked, "How are... Twilight and Lyra, was it?"

"Twilight's doing fine," I said, "And Lyra's my girlfriend now."

"What?" Chris and Dad said in unison, before Chris added, "But... aren't they unicorns?"

"Well, yeah, but in every other aspect they're just like humans. Some of them can be a bit more naive at times, but if you closed your eyes and listened to them, you wouldn't think they were ponies."

"I suppose I can't argue with that. Well done all the same," Chris said, and Dad spoke next.

"Chris told me you joined the army in that world," he said, "At first I was worried, but now I'm curious. How is it going?"

"Great," I said, "I joined as an officer, like you wanted me to be, and now I'm a captain." Chris gasped, and I continued, "I'm also going on tour in a few days too, so there's that to look forward to."

"Any idea what it's going to be like?" Chris asked.

"By the sounds of it, hot and sandy. Now that I put it like that, it sounds a lot like Afghanistan."

"You'll be careful, won't you?"

I smiled, "Definitely."

We continued to watch the rugby until full time. England had won by 23 points, and I was glad that my family was enjoying life again. When Dad opened his mouth to speak again, I thought it would be words of happiness. I was wrong.

"Doug, we need to discuss something with you," he brow had furrowed, and this brought concern to my mind.

"What is it?"

"Me and Chris... oh, how do I put this?" He asked rhetorically, "We think it's best if you stop visiting us."

"What?" I almost shouted while standing up, "Why?"

Dad remained seated, but kept his cool, "So that we can all move on. You helped us get back on our feet by telling us to enjoy our lives. If you keep coming back, you'll only get caught up in the past, and we want you to have a good life too."

I could feel the tears welling up already, "But I'll never see you again."

Chris managed a weak smile, "It's a miracle that you're seeing us now."

"...I guess so."

Dad placed a hand on my shoulder, and for a moment, it felt like my form shifted. I had a feeling I was running out of time.

"The twenty years I had you were some of the best I've ever had," he said, "I'm proud of you Doug. Do this for us, and for your mother."

I sat in silence for a while - I didn't know how long - trying to tell myself to do this. I knew it was the right thing to do, but another part of my mind told me to say no, that I shouldn't give up on them. But then again, I wasn't giving up. They simply wanted me to move on, in the same way I had wanted them to all that time ago. I sighed. it had only been eight months, but I could barely remember my old life.

Deep down, I knew this day would come. I would have to leave them behind as I grew up in my new world. Part of me had already accepted that, but the rest of me hadn't expected it to hurt this much.

I knew what to do, and slowly, I nodded my head, the tears flowing freely, "Alright. I know it's the right thing to do, but that doesn't make it any easier."

"We know it doesn't," Chris said, "But we still love you, and we always will."

Both of them stood up and pulled me into a hug. I held them for all I was worth, until their arms passed through me, and they let go as my body became faint.

"Goodbye," I said, my voice shaking from my sobbing, "I'll never forget you two."

"Likewise," said Dad, "Take care, and know that we'll be with you here." He placed his hand on his chest, before fading away.

Waking back up in the library basement, my face felt damp. I wiped my cheek, and found I had been crying while I was gone. With a heavy sigh, I lifted myself up and climbed the stairs.

As I emerged into the main lobby, Twilight said, "Good to see you again. Lyra stopped by while you were out, she said she'd be at her house if you wanted to see her."

I nodded, still staring at the floor, "Thanks Twi. I'll go and see her now."

"Dutch, are you ok?" Twilight asked, "Your eyes are red."

"I'm fine," I answered, though it was clear I wasn't, "Thanks again for letting me see my family."

Twilight didn't pry further, and I walked out of the library. A flash of colour caught my eye, and I looked into the sky to see Rainbow Dash holding a book in her hooves, before saluting me and flying off. I managed a weak smile, At least you got what you wanted.

I didn't interact with anyone else as I reached Lyra's house. I knocked on the door, and she opened it, letting me in. Silently, I knelt down and hugged her, before she realised something was wrong.

"Dutch, you look like you've been crying," she said, "Did something happen?"

I sat down against the wall and proceeded to tell her what I had done. As I told her what my family's final request was, she held a hoof to her mouth in a silent gasp. When I finished, she didn't say anything. She simply pulled me into a hug, kissing my cheek.

"It's what they wanted Dutch," she whispered, "They were proud of you, and you should be proud of them."

I looked into her eyes. Seeing the gold of her irises seemed to cheer me up, if only a little, and I rested my forehead against hers. I felt her horn glow, and a warmth spread through my body. She gave me a smile, which I managed to return before kissing her.

Chapter 41: Must be the Heat

21st Autumn's Apex

Lyra and I stood alongside each other as the train pulled into Canterlot station. She had insisted to come with me, not wanting to say goodbye until the moment she absolutely had to. Unfortunately, that time was now. She needed to get back to Ponyville, and the train wasn't going to wait for her.

She'd been kind enough not to talk to me about my family, and had taken Twilight to one side to explain when she had asked before I had become too emotional. The rest of my friends didn't know, and I think I wanted to keep it that way, at least until I was recovered enough to talk about it. I tried not to let it get in the way too much though; that wouldn't help anyone.

I knelt down and looked straight into Lyra's eyes, a difficult task with the massive pack on my back, but it was worth every second. She was the first to speak.

"I suppose this is where we part ways," she said, "It's a shame you'll miss so much. The Best Young Flier's Competition, Hearth's Warming Eve."

"They'll have a postal system," I said, "We can keep up with each other through letters. I'll let you know how I'm doing. Twilight subscribes to all the newspapers too; Equestria Daily will probably talk about this place."

She nodded, and mumbled, "Be safe."

"You know I will," I answered softly.

Lyra broke down there and then, wrapping her hooves tightly around my neck, sobbing and sniffing, "If something happens, you just... keep your head down, ok?"

"I will, I promise," I said resting my free hand on her back. After several seconds, she pulled away, and I said, "I'll see you in three months."

We kissed, ignoring the other ponies around us. For me, only we existed at that moment in time. We held the kiss for a full minute before a stallion's voice said, "The train's departing. All aboard who's coming aboard."

We pulled away, and I noticed the tears were still present in Lyra's eyes. I put my hand on her cheek and gave her a reassuring smile, "Don't worry about me. I'm a human, remember? If I find a problem, I'll adapt."

She smiled weakly at my wit, and pulled me into another hug. It was shorter this time, and she whispered, "Bye Dutch, I love you."

With that, she turned and climbed back onto the train. I looked further down the platform, and saw Shadow Breeze talking to Fluttershy. Like Lyra, she had wanted to come too. I imagined what they were talking about, most likely their child, promising to take care of it until he got back.

Ten seconds later, she appeared at a window, waving at me through the glass. I shifted my pack and waved back, placing a hand over my heart. Another tear flowed from her face, and she copied my movement, moving a hoof over her chest. The train's whistle sounded, and it slowly pulled out of the station, heading in a circle back towards Ponyville.

I continued to wave as my view of Lyra became smaller, until she inevitably disappeared from sight as the train turned round a mountain. I sighed as the knowledge that I wouldn't see her again for three months finally hit me, and I turned and headed into Canterlot toward the castle. If any of the ponies who hadn't seen me before were giving me funny looks, I didn't notice. I simply looked ahead, my legs operating on autopilot as my mind thought of my friends. I heard a constant clopping of hooves behind me, looking back to see Shadow a few metres behind, a similar expression on his face.

The castle came into view, and I headed round the back towards the barracks as the guards let me through. I had hoped that I could reach there and get started without any trouble, but fate had other ideas.

"Captain Jones!" A voice I knew all too well sounded across the grounds. Commander Ironhoof strode towards me with purpose. I looked back at Shadow and gestured at the barracks, signalling him to go on without me. He nodded, and walked past me. Ironhoof paid him no mind as he approached me, his face showing that familiar expression of hate.

"I wasn't expecting you to come back after what happened with your squad," he said, though there was no surprise in his voice, "I didn't know the Guard was this desperate."

"With respect sir," I said, keeping my gaze ahead and trying to keep my cool, "I'm simply answering the call of duty, much as you are."

He stomped his hoof, "Don't even try to compare us Captain! We are nothing alike. I had hoped you had learned that lesson the last time I spoke to you."

He stared angrily at me for a few seconds longer, before saying, "They'll be issuing you equipment at 0930. I would recommend you stay out of my way until then. Any more remarks like that and I'll court-martial you for insubordination."

"Yes sir." I said through gritted teeth. Ironhoof began to walk back toward the barracks, and I almost found myself snarling at him. Whether that was just me or a bit of wolf instinct left over from the other week, I don't know. I shrugged it off and continued towards the barracks, though my mood was considerably lowered since I had run into the Commander. How dare he talk about Thunderlane and Rumble like that. He didn't even approach me for any specific reason, just some petty attempt to piss me off. Fortunately, he'd have to try harder than that.

I met up with Shadow and Steel Sword as we lined up for equipment. The first thing I noticed was that the armour the quartermaster was giving us was different. For one, it wasn't metal like the golden armour we had been issued before. It was a thick fabric vest, but it was heavy despite it's outward appearance. I turned it over, looking for any sign of the extra weight, but there was none. It had a sandy colour to it, its colour ranging from cream to dark yellow, with the occasional brown stripe. I put it on over my t-shirt, and tied the leather straps together on either side. It was a snug fit, and felt a lot like a military vest back home, only without the Kevlar, and it covered almost my entire torso. Only my shoulders and the small areas on my back where my wings stuck out were exposed.

"What is this, some kind of upgrade?" Shadow asked.

"What you are now receiving is your new combat armour," a voice instructed, "It is a fabric mesh enchanted with a new hardening spell. You will wear this at all times whilst on operation except for washing and sleeping. Anypony who loses their armour will be court-martialed for destruction of royal property."

"If we're shipping out soon, we might as well put this new gear on now," I remarked, "Saves us having to do it later."

"Suppose so," Steel said. I pulled on a pair of lightweight desert trousers I had been issued, as well as an under armour shirt, before putting on the vest. Despite its weight from the spell, it was surprisingly flexible, certainly unlike what I assumed a Kevlar vest would be like. I fished into one of the pockets on my pack and pulled out the badges showing my rank as a Captain, pinning them onto my sleeves.

Steel shifted in his new armour, pulling his wings through the holes in the side, "While it's still heavy, it's certainly not as clunky as the old armour we were wearing, and hopefully it'll offer more protection."

"I just hope we don't have to test that." Shadow remarked. I looked around to see that a few other ponies had tried on their new armour.

No sooner had I packed away my civilian clothes before we were ferried back outside. There was a massive airship waiting for us, and I noticed for the first time how many ponies would be coming with us. There must have been about two hundred ponies in the field, either wearing or carrying their new kit. I climbed onto the ship, wondering how it was going to lift such a weight. Ten minutes later, my curiosity was sated as the heavy thumping of the propellers filled our ears, and the ship slowly rose into the air. I chalked its unusual strength down to magic, and simply left it at that. Figuring that there wasn't going to be much happening on our journey north, I pulled out my Ipod, set it to shuffle, and rested my head against the wall, the music doing its best to drown out the propellers.

The airship touched down with a heavy thump on the patch of flat ground inside Fort Coltson. The impact made everyone shake in their seats, waking up the few ponies that had managed to sleep through the noise of the propellers. It was almost noon by now, the sun was high in the sky, and there was nothing but desert around us. I could pretty much guess what was going to accompany all of those.

I had found that wearing our new armour on the way over had been a requirement anyway. I wasn't sure why, but I wasn't going to argue with my superiors, especially if one of them was a certain dark red earth pony. It had been alright in the cool Equestrian morning, but as soon as the doors to the outside world opened, the warm air flooded through the airship and drowned out the air conditioning effect from the air at Canterlot within a matter of seconds. Even if we hadn't been wearing the extra weight, stepping out into the midday sun would have been like walking into a furnace. Winter was supposed to be only around the corner, and it was still about forty degrees Celcius. From the shaded interior of the airship, the sun was blinding, and within ten minutes, even I was covered from head to toe in sweat. I couldn't imagine how a dark-coated pony like Shadow would feel.

The first sight I saw was the relieved smiles of the members of the Celestial Guard we were taking over from. They were lined up outside with their gear next to them, getting ready to climb onto the airship we had just got off. They were going back home, and our arrival was final confirmation of that. Needless to say, the joy on their faces was abundant.

As we filed into a giant tent for our welcoming speech one of the soldiers called out, "Hey everypony, nice of you to join us." Another asked, "How long have you guys got here? Three months? Oh dear, that's such a shame, ain't it? Did you know we were flying out today?"

He got a laugh from his friends, and I smiled too. It was the typical winding up that had been present in the British Army, and it was no surprise that the Equestrian forces had it too. The next remark, however, definitely caught my attention.

"Hey, what's with the ape? You Royal Guards bring your mascot too?"

I looked over at the line as an earth pony began laughing with his mates, before noticing the symbol of a sword on his uniform. Holding back a grin, I lowered my shoulder to show him my own rank slide.

"That's 'Captain Ape Mascot' to you, soldier."

The pony went silent and stared at me for a few seconds, eyes wide, before his voice returned and he said, "Yes sir. Sorry sir."

The Royal Guards around me shared a loud laugh of their own, silencing the Celestial Guards as they made their way onto the airship. The tent we entered was large and featureless, apart from a giant white board along one wall, and an old-fashioned projector in the centre of the room.

We all sat down on the sand, while Ironhoof stood on a podium in front of the board. The projector came to life, and displayed a map of the local area on the wall. We could see Fort Coltson in one corner, with three other constructs marked out around the map. Smack in the centre of the map, west of Coltson, was a small city, with one of these constructs located inside.

"Gentlecolts, welcome to the North Border," Ironhoof announced, "Our superiors have sent us to this Celestia-forsaken hole of Equestria because it seems the griffins can't handle their own problems. I'm sure you all know about the slave trafficking that local Diamond Dogs have been taking part in. That's been going on for some time, but recently, they've been shipping illegal weapons too. Spears, crossbows, explosive chemicals, if it kills, they'll pay in gems for it. While our primary objective is to act as support for the local authorities, our secondary role will be to intercept and disrupt Diamond Dog operations in the area.

"Don't underestimate the Dogs simply because they're thick as bricks. They're tenacious, work in packs, and already have some control over the local population of griffins through intimidation. Extortion, vandalism and kidnapping are their most common methods. We'll also be working alongside local griffin forces when patrolling the city, as they know the area and what to look for. I'll give you a word of warning now: Don't screw around with the griffin military. If they think something's up, they'll shoot first and ask questions later, because that's how they're trained. Never give a griffin a reason to mistrust you. Just stay out of their way, and they'll do their job, just like us."

The slide changed, and zoomed in on the three smaller collections of buildings as Ironhoof continued his briefing, "These are our Forward Operating Bases, codenamed Gold out on the plains to the southwest, Silver in the northwest mountains, and Zinc in the city. After you get acclimatised to the desert environment, you'll be split into four platoons and sent out to each of the FOBs. After one month at each, you'll switch and move on to another. Whichever platoon is left over will return to Fort Coltson and act as a backup force should an FOB require it."

A Lieutenant stepped onto the podium and handed Ironhoof a clipboard. He took one look at it and said, "I will now call your names, along with the FOB you will be reporting to. When you hear your name, you will leave the tent and make your way to a designated area of the camp. Those who remain here will be the backup force, and will stay at Coltson."

He started reading names off the list, and one by one, ponies left the tent. I heard Steel's name get called out, and Ironhoof said he would be stationed at Zinc, in the city. Eventually, he called out my name, and told me that I would also be sent to Zinc. I stood up and shifted through the seventy or so ponies that were left, making my way outside. There was a convenient sign outside, giving directions to each area of the camp, depending on where you would be sent. The area that Zinc ponies would be occupying consisted of five tents, each with ten simple beds inside, covered with mosquito nets. I picked one at random and went inside, dumping my pack on the first bed I saw, giving a wave to Steel when I saw him in one of the other beds. As I took out essentials, such as water and my rifle, I heard a voice behind me.

"No matter how hard we try, it seems fate has a way of throwing us back together, huh Captain?"

I turned round to see Wingfleet leaning on the doorway of the tent, "It would seem so. You going inside the city too?"

"I certainly am, as is Captain Bright Skies, though I'll only be a commanding element," Wingfleet explained, "My new rank means I'll be needed in the base, rather than out on patrol."

"New rank?" I asked. He showed me his rank slide, and I saw a full moon with a single half-moon on top, "You got promoted?"

He chuckled, "It's Major Wingfleet now. I'm happy about the extra pay, but I can't say I won't miss going out in the field."

"I can understand that, sir." I sat down on the bed and began examining my rifle. It was important I didn't get any sand in the working parts, as the stuff was like glue for a weapon. Satisfied it was still clean, I wrapped it in some spare clothes and rested it against the wall before taking off my armour and shirt, putting on a vest and putting the armour back on top. It was simply too hot to wear anything else.

"Do you know anything about the city sir?"

"It's called Neighrut. An old city that was founded by ponies, before the griffins expanded their territories and bought the city from Celestia. The name stuck though. We've confirmed that there are several Diamond Dog packs living in the city, but not all of them are the slavers you heard about in the briefing. Some just want to live peacefully, but their stereotype has resulted in a few being lynched by the griffins. It's even worse when the real bad guys actually attack, as there isn't a lot of target discrimination with griffin soldiers.

"Most of our routine there will involve going out on patrols, keeping a presence and letting the civilians know we're still there to protect them. They're not entirely fans of ponies, but that's a sacrifice they're going to have to make."

A few minutes later, Shadow joined us too. It made sense that we stayed together after training, and I figured that the ponies from Diamond, Ruby and the likes would be going with each other if they had come with us. A total of about fifty ponies would be heading out to FOB Zinc, but first we had to get used to the heat. That would involve exercising in the sand, staying outside, and drinking water.

Lots, and lots, and lots of water.

Chapter 42: Keeping the Peace

11th Autumn's End

It seems I had underestimated how evil a simple map on a board during a briefing could be. The images must have been dated, because wandering through Neighrut was like navigating a maze. Every single part of the city looked the same, and I thought it a blessing that we had our own maps at FOB Zinc to look over whenever we went out on patrol.

After two weeks of acclimatising, our bodies got used to the intense heat of the desert. We began to sweat less, and in turn, didn't need to consume as much water, meaning we had more to spare for washing, cooking and shaving. Zinc had a basic kitchen, and the military chef who had been stationed with us certainly knew his stuff. I didn't know what his name was, as everyone simply referred to him as 'Cookie'. Despite being surrounded by sand and in a potential warzone, he would still send out three meals a day for fifty ponies without fail. You had to give credit where it was due.

Because of our... losses with Emerald Squad, three other ponies had been sent over to work with me, Steel and Shadow. They had joined us the day after the briefing, and we had formed good bonds with them already. Our callsign had also been changed to accomodate the new conditions. Our patrol was codenamed Element 0-5, with Zinc's call-sign being Element, or Ops Room if we were calling from inside the FOB.

Trooper Hammer Strike was one of the new members of the squad. He was a pale blue earth pony, with a black mane. The first thing I noticed about him was that he was an absolute ox of a pony. His height would give Big Mac a run for his money, and he was built like a brick wall. If there was some heavy lifting that needed to be done around Zinc, Hammer would be the first one picked. He said that when he was a colt, his school would play a game that involved two teams trying to bring down a certain pony on the other team. Naturally, Hammer was the one who was always getting picked, as it apparently took at least half a dozen other ponies to subdue him. He'd just fight them off, one by one.

Even though his size and strength made him intimidating, he was one of the most polite and reserved ponies I'd met, and insisted on calling me 'Captain' since day one. He had a huge respect for authority, and was very well-mannered. He was the kind of guy I liked and respected.

The two other ponies were Guardsmen, and both were unicorns. Guardsman Battle Plan had a brown coat and a maroon mane. I had found that he was a few years older than me, having gone to the Equestrian equivalent of university to learn medical science. He had taken a degree there through much persuasion from his parents, and had managed to get quite a good qualification. He could have made a great officer with his skills, but I got the feeling he played dumb so that he could be a soldier down on the front lines.

Despite this, Battle Plan was an effective tactician, and would often add his own input during a briefing before a patrol. If not, he would always have a question about the route or what to expect. His qualifications in medicine had automatically made him the patrol medic too. If he didn't want to be an officer, there would be someone out there who would turn him into one without waiting for an answer.

The final pony was Guardsman Quick Flurry. A yellow unicorn with a striped man of dark and light green, he was also a bit of a wildcard. He was certainly disciplined enough to be a soldier, no doubt, but he had a tendency to speak his mind a bit. He was also extremely good at fencing stuff. He arrived on tour with a stack of clothes, magazines and other items he had 'found' before shipping out. Despite being curious as to where he got all this stuff, the rest of the soldiers were eager to see what he had for sale. I even found myself buying a tan cap from him to keep the sun out of my eyes. If he was a human, he probably would have been nicknamed 'Pikey'. As well as being the patrol's radioman, he was also a skilled marksman, and could hit a target 100 metres away with a single shot from his horn.

All in all, I saw him as a good and dependable soldier, who didn't seem like the type to back down from a confrontation. This hadn't always been a good thing, as he had supposedly pulled a knife on another pony after a drunken argument back in his hometown of Trottingham. Apparently he would have gone further too, if one of his friends hadn't stepped in. But I got the idea that if you picked him out of the gutter, told him to light his horn and charge in a particular direction, he'd fight out of his skin for you.

He was also the first, and only, pony I knew who smoked.

They had spent the two weeks at Fort Coltson with us. All of them were as trained as us, so it was simply a case of getting to know them, and how they worked. After we arrived at Zinc, the six of us began patrolling together. Flurry in particular was excited to get out on the street and show the Diamond Dogs 'which pony owns this patch'. He was in for a rude awakening.

If anyone was hoping to be fighting straight out the gates, they would be wrong. Our role was peacekeeping, which meant that we had to keep up a positive image and show the civilians that we were there to protect them. This resulted in us trying to look as friendly and approachable as possible, which in turn meant no helmets, engaging in conversations with the locals, and smiling all the time. We had to smile on patrol, we had to smile inside the FOB, and at the end of each day I had to massage my cheeks to dispel the aching.

Today was no exception. We were out on another repetitive patrol, this time wandering through the downtown area. This was supposedly the shadier side of town, where the majority of the nastier Diamond Dogs lived, hiding from the public eye until they kidnapped or threatened someone. For that reason, our patrol had been given some temporary additions. Two members of the griffin military were joining us, giving advice on the recent goings-on, and warnings if we were entering a nastier part of town.

Unfortunately, that didn't mean that we all got along. Because of the gung-ho attitude of griffins and their training, they were more used to looking for fights, and considered being placed with us to be some sort of punishment. They were quick to voice their opinions, and started trying to wind us up as we traveled through the town.

"Look at you ponies," one of them said, "You'd think the soldiers of Princess Celestia would know a few things about actually being a soldier."

His mate laughed, but the rest of us kept our cool, not wanting or needing a conflict. Quick Flurry, however, was starting to get agitated.

"Come on boss," he said to me, "This is getting on my nerves. These griffins might be the first guys I shoot."

"I understand you're frustrated, Flurry," I replied calmly, "But we have a job to do, and these griffins are the only help we have for knowing what's around the next corner. Besides, I'd rather be with them than sat in the same room as Ironhoof."

"On that we can agree Dutch," Shadow said, "I know he's a good leader, but that guy can be a real jerk sometimes."

We shared a laugh, which resulted in us being given a look of confusion from the griffins. They hadn't been given the same communication spell as us, so they couldn't hear what we were saying. The simply shook their heads and carried on walking, mumbling something about our mental stability.

We continued down the street and rounded the corner. We only had a couple more blocks to cover before heading back to the FOB. Me and Hammer were at the front of the patrol, with a griffin behind us. Shadow, Steel, and Battle were in the centre, watching our sides, with Flurry and the second griffin taking up the rear.

As I laid eyes on the street, I began looking for combat indicators - warnings that gave away a potential enemy hiding in wait. Looking down the road and at the buildings, I couldn't see a single soul. There were no griffin children playing in the street, and the normally common sight of locals sat on their balconies was gone. This was a serious combat indicator, and my instincts were telling me that something was very wrong.

I spoke out loud so the griffins could hear me too, "I don't like this guys. Everyone keep your eyes--"

I only managed to get a brief warning out to the patrol before the whole world erupted around us.

Something small zipped past in front of me, burying itself in the stone wall before exploding and caking me in dust. Coughing, I saw that the wall now had a large chunk missing out of it. Turning my head to try and find the source, I saw a figure duck out of sight behind a window, followed by another appearing in the window next to him. It had a roughly canine face, and it's large, elongated arms were holding what looked like a modified crossbow.

"CONTACT LEFT!"

Acting on pure instinct, I lifted my rifle and flicked off the safety catch, wasting no time in putting two rounds into the Diamond Dog. The 7.62mm rounds cut through him like butter, and he collapsed below the window, his blood staining the wall behind him.

I managed to get a brief glance at the crossbow before I had dropped him. We had been told that Diamond Dogs had found a way to replace the heads of their bolts with a pair of extremely volatile liquids, stored in vials. When the bolt impacted a wall or a target, the chemicals would react and explode, acting almost like a miniature grenade. While the shrapnel wouldn't be much of an issue because of the size, a direct hit would have serious consequences. If one of them hit you in the arm or hoof, it would take it clean off. If it hit the body, you'd have a hole in you the size of a dinner plate. If that first dog had aimed a metre to his right, he would have cut me in half, and likely taken Hammer's head off.

The rest of the patrol, even the griffins, were paralyzed at the thought that they were being ambushed, and a few were looking at me for instructions, rather than watching their lines. We were out in the open, and an unknown number of hostiles were in the immediate vicinity. I saw the wall the bolt had impacted had a gate at one end, and began thinking ahead on how to get ourselves out of this mess.

"Everyone over to the right side of the road, through the gate. Take cover behind that wall!" I shouted. Steel and Battle moved, followed by the griffins, and stuck the weapons over the top of the wall, allowing me and Hammer to move. As we moved, and without me saying a word, Flurry and Shadow turned and stopped in the road, keeping their crossbow and horn trained on the window. I reached the wall and saw the second dog pop back up for another shot, only for a crossbow bolt to impale his shoulder, followed by a beam of magic through his heart. Flurry calmly called out, "Target down," before joining us behind the wall.

The first explosion seemed to be a signal for others to attack. As Shadow headed toward us, I saw more dogs beginning to appear from the windows and alleys. One appeared from an alley ten metres away with an ordinary crossbow and aimed it at Shadow. Before I could shout a warning, he fired his bolt, and Shadow collapsed as it hit him in the side.

"Shadow!" I called out, running out from the safety of the wall and dragging him behind cover. Battle Plan rushed over and began checking the area where he was hit. Shadow was breathing heavily, and the bolt was embedded under his wing.

"I'm alright," Shadow said, regaining his senses, "I'm alright... am I alright?"

I rolled him over and looked at the bolt. It had hit his armour, but hadn't gone any further. I stuck a hand under his vest, searching for the warm sensation of blood, but all I could feel was his dry coat. Patting Battle on the shoulder, I pulled out the bolt and tossed it aside, "Yeah, you're alright. That new armour saved your hide. You feeling alright?"

He sighed with relief, "Yeah. Quit looking at me like that, you had me worried." He picked up his crossbow, reloaded, and carried on firing bolts at the Diamond Dogs. He certainly wasn't wasting any time in getting back at them.

"Flurry!" the unicorn was by my side in a second, "Contact Zinc and tell them what's going on here."

He nodded and lit up his horn, amplifying his own spell, "Element, this is Element 0-5. We have been engaged in the downtown area, map grid 528491. Requesting assistance."

He paused, before saying, "Roger that, 0-5 out," and removing the spell, "They're sending Element 0-3 to our position now, ETA ten minutes."

"I want fire superiority," I ordered as Flurry returned to the wall, "Pick your targets, shoot when you can hit. Battle, Flurry, keep them suppressed."

This was the first enemy contact we had experienced so far on our tour. It was a textbook ambush, and it had damn near worked. But now the two most dangerous threats had been neutralised, thanks to Shadow and Flurry, and we could now engage the remaining hostiles. Despite being a first time for returning fire for a lot of these ponies, I didn't need to say a word to them. With the knowledge that their enemy could be killed, they were casually peering over the wall and returning fire with me.

I heard a few deep voices on the far side of the building behind us, and got the feeling that a few dogs were going to try and flank us at some point. I moved over to an alley - the only entrance to our position other than the gate, and kicked open a wooden door.

"Griffins," the two soldiers looked over at me from their firing positions, "I want you two here. Stop any dogs trying to flank us."

They followed my order without a word, setting up a new base of fire down the alley. With our flank covered, I moved back to the wall and carried on taking aimed shots at the contacts.

"Targets on the corner, two o'clock!" Hammer shouted. As he spoke, he altered his aim and fired a bolt at a dog trying to outflank us. It hit him square in the chest, and he crumpled before trying to crawl back behind the wall. These dogs are good. Good thing we're better. Another three dogs appeared from the same corner, and Battle began firing magic, forcing them to retreat.

I moved to one side of the wall to reassess our situation. We had what looked like a whole pack on us, which could total at twenty dogs. We'd already taken down a few of them, as well as two with heavier weaponry, so our job was slowly getting easier. As I peered over, a dog revealed himself from a window across the street and leveled his weapon at us. I did the same, and as the crack of my rifle reached my ears, I saw the bolt pass the side of my head. I was momentarily relieved that it had missed, but a cry of pain behind me made my heart stop.

"Pony down! Steel's hit!"

I whirled around and saw Steel lying on the floor. The bolt had gone through his front right shoulder, staining the sand with blood and making him unable to use his weapon.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid," he muttered to himself as we propped him against the wall. Battle Plan rushed over and sparked his horn, casting a spell on Steel that would numb the pain. Meanwhile, Flurry call Zinc again.

"Contact casualty, wait out," he said. 'Wait out' meant that more information would be sent, and no one should talk in case they disrupted the spell. Recently, the generals at Canterlot had come up with a new method for categorising wounded. P1 was reserved for soldiers who needed medical attention immediately or else wouldn't make it. P2 was for incapacitated ponies, whose wound's weren't life threatening. P3 would classify the walking wounded, and P4 was for the dead, as they needed the least attention. Steel's wound had put him out of action, but he could still move, and a bolt to the shoulder wasn't going to kill him.

"Casualty is currently P3," Flurry explained, and I agreed with him, "Hostile numbers are low. We are holding our position."

Another pause, then Flurry said to me, "0-3's two minutes out, sir. They've told us to hold until then."

I moved over to Battle, who had wrapped a bandage around Steel's shoulder and snapped off the ends of the bolt, "How's he doing?"

"I've done what I can, but this bolt isn't coming out until we get back to Zinc."

"Just pass me my crossbow," Steel said through gritted teeth, "I will put those buckers in the ground."

"As much as I'd like that, you'll only make yourself worse," I said, "Hammer, how're we doing?"

"Not many left Captain," he responded as he looked over the wall again, "I've hit three of them, but I think the rest of them are starting to fall back."

"Good. Griffins, what's your status?"

"Dropped one dog, but other than that it's been quiet," one of them said, Good, looks like we're pretty much done here.

All of a sudden, I heard a new voice in my head, "Element 0-5, this is Element 0-3, hold your fire to the north. We have you in sight."

I looked to my left and saw a group of ponies in military gear moving down the street, "Roger 0-3, we see you."

The patrol took cover up the street, providing fire where they could. I ordered Shadow to come with me as I left the cover of the wall and moved to their position. I recognised their officer as Lieutenant Ice Pick, Diamond Squad's leader during training.

"How's your wounded?" asked the Lieutenant.

"He's stable. Do we have an extraction plan?"

"Yes sir. There's a wagon a few hundred metres from here waiting to pick us up. Grab your team and we can get out of here."

Shadow and I headed back down the street and returned to our patrol, gathering everyone round, "Here's the plan. We move in intervals, covering each other as we fall back. Hammer, you and the griffins come with me on the far side of the street. Flurry, Battle and Shadow, you'll cover Steel and move as we cover you."

"I don't think that'll all be necessary Captain," a griffin said, "Looks like they're all gone."

"Regardless, keep your wits about you. They might come back. Any questions?" they all shook their heads, "Then let's go."

Both squads moved as one as we retreated, watching the street corners and giving others cover while they crossed. Me, Hammer and the griffins would aim our weapons down the street, while Flurry, Battle and Shadow would get Steel across the street, out of harm's way. We only allowed ourselves to relax once we came in sight of the extraction vehicle, slowing ourselves down to a jog. Making sure Steel was still stable, I climbed in and let everyone else do the same before shutting the door and sitting down, letting out a long sigh of relief. Opposite me, Quick Flurry pulled a cigarette out of his pocket, lit it, and took a drag.

"I guess we were wrong," one of the griffins remarked, "For a bunch of ponies and a monkey, you're alright."

It felt like a long way back to Zinc under the heat of the day, but we managed to make it back without any further drama from the Diamond Dogs. As we got out of the wagon, Battle and Flurry took Steel to a nearby medical tent while everyone else drank some much-needed water from their canteens. I leaned against a wall while enjoying the cool liquid, and noticed several of the ponies nearby were staring at me.

"Is there something wrong?" I asked to them.

"I think they're just worried about telling you," Major Wingfleet said as he exited the main compound, "Turn around and hold still."

He walked round behind me, and I felt something yank on my back, between my wings. He walked back to my front carrying a bolt in his teeth, which he spat into the sand.

"You've had that in your armour since you walked through the gates," he said, "I was hearing everything that was happening in the Ops Room. Sounds like you handled yourself well out there."

I picked up the bolt and examined it, giving a small laugh of disbelief, "This probably happened as we were falling back. Some cheeky bastard must have taken a potshot at me, can you believe that? At least we've proved the new armour works in combat."

"And the dogs will think twice about trying to attack us after today," Wingfleet said, "See if Cookie can make something for your team. They've deserved it."

"Thank you sir."

I waited outside the medical tent as the medics examined Steel. It had only been fifteen minutes since they had taken him to be examined, but I was still concerned about him, to the extent that I began pacing back and forth past the doorway. After another five minutes, a medic walked out of the tent and saluted me.

I returned the gesture and said, "At ease Sergeant. What's Steel's condition?"

"The Trooper suffered only minor wounds from the bolt, no bone or arterial damage," the medic explained, "He's suffered some muscular trauma, but not enough to send him home. He's going to have to go back to Fort Coltson until he's recovered."

Crap. We were going to be short of a pony for a couple of weeks, "Do you mind if I see him?"

"No sir, go right in."

I pushed the flap aside and walked over to Steel. He was sat on the edge of a stretcher bed with a bandage covering his shoulder.

"Hey man, you alright?" I asked.

"Annoyed," Steel simply replied, "First contact with the enemy and I get wounded. Now I'm going back to Coltson while you guys get to stay out here. It bucking sucks." He hopped off the bed and began to walk around on his remaining hooves, "Plus walking on three legs is a nuisance."

I laughed, "You don't get to complain until you're walking on two," he laughed too, and I saw his spirits were lifted from that remark, if only a little bit, "Come on. The others will be glad to see you're ok."

Steel received several pats on the back from the rest of the squad, before heading back into the medical tent under doctor's orders to rest. By tomorrow he'd be on a transport out of Neighrut and back to Coltson until he'd recovered, but until then, we would simply have to wait. Right now I had to deal with a debriefing with Commander Ironhoof.

I sighed as I headed towards the main compound, with his office inside, Fun fun fun.

Chapter 43: One Hell of a Day

"Come on, you bloody thing. I will find you."

Shadow looked up at me from his book and frowned, "You keep preening like that Dutch, and there'll be nothing left."

I rolled my eyes as I continued to search my wing for the source of the intense itching. It had been bothering me for the past few days, but this morning I had woken up to find it the only thing I could think about. I had now spent the past fifteen minutes searching my wing for a single feather, and when you're trying to find one among hundreds, you're there for a while.

"I'm getting close. I can feel it." I raised my hand a little higher, before feeling one feather shift and hit a nerve. Smiling triumphantly, I yanked and pulled loose the offending feather, only to find it was a simple lesser covert.

"Oh you've got to be kidding me," I said, looking at the tiny feather between my fingers, "All that trouble, for this? Hey Flurry, get over here."

As soon as the yellow unicorn trotted over, I dropped the feather on the floor and gestured at it. He seemed to get the message, and sparked his horn. In the blink of an eye, the feather burst into flames in the sand. Shadow simply watched from where he was sat.

"Ouch. I'd hate to see what you would do to a primary," he said with a laugh.

Over the past couple of weeks since the attempted ambush, things had seemed to change. The Diamond Dogs in the area became more active against us, and started taking their anger out on Zinc as a whole. Their favourite tactic was to pop out of the ground outside the base, throw one or two of their chemical bombs over the wall, before disappearing again down their hole. It was a cheap tactic, but no one had been wounded by it yet, which was a complete miracle. Cookie was the luckiest out of everyone.

He had just been leaving the cookhouse to grab some vegetables for the next meal when a dog appeared outside the wall closest to him. The ponies on the roof spotted him, but he was already gone before they could open fire. The bomb he threw sailed through a window into the cookhouse and exploded, destroying pretty much everything inside. It was a hell of a lucky throw, and Cookie would have been completely waxed if he was inside.

Despite almost being killed, Cookie didn't complain once. He was given a new place to set up shop, but it was only a tent with some basic appliances. It would offer no protection if another dog scored a hit, but Cookie settled in quickly, and still managed to get the food out on time. He was a persistent guy, and quickly gained a lot of friends for that.

In retaliation of the increased aggression, Ironhoof saw fit to start performing search raids. Using intelligence gathered from the locals, the battle group began sending out groups of ponies with the sole purpose of finding either supplies used by the dogs, or Alphas of the packs. At one point, Element 0-5 came across a large cache of weapons and gems hidden behind a fake wall in the backyard of a house. The canine owner unintentionally drew attention to himself by standing in front of it and looking very uncomfortable. Quick Flurry, being the street smart pony that he was, was the first to notice.

He walked straight up to the dog and prodded him in the chest. "Hey, what are you doing standing in front of this wall the whole time we've been here?" he demanded.

"What wall, pony?"

That sealed it.

After the small case of arson involving the covert, I stood up and extended my wing, giving a groan of pleasure at the distinct lack of itching. I sat back down and began tapping to an old tune, before Hammer Strike came trotting around the corner.

"We have visitors~" he said in a quiet, sing-song voice. I looked beyond him to see a pair of ponies appear round the corner. One of them was a unicorn mare, and had a small saddlebag on her side, while the larger earth pony stallion next to her was carrying a primitive film camera on his shoulder.

"Who are they?" Battle asked.

"A documentary team from Fillydelphia," Hammer replied, "They've spent the past few days at FOB Silver, filming the soldiers and taking their opinions. Now they've arrived at Zinc to learn what it's like in the city."

"And they're taking us for interviews?" Flurry asked, moving his cigarette from one side of his mouth to the other.

"More like filming us while we work," said Hammer, "They might ask some questions, but I met them just now, and they said they didn't want to get in our way any more than they needed too."

I looked up to see the pair of ponies trotting over to us, my fingers working on automatic as they disassembled my rifle. I watched them take a brief glance at me before turning to Battle Plan. The earth pony raised the camera to his eye.

"Excuse me," said the mare with the saddlebag, "My name is Film Reel. Me and my colleague are part of a documentary team filming soldiers on the front lines."

"Yes, I know," Battle said, "My friend told us who you are just before you arrived."

Film Reel blinked, "Oh, then that should save us some time. I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions about your time here."

They then spent the next few minutes asking and answering questions about what it was like living in Zinc. I sat a few metres away, cleaning my rifle, while Battle commented on the the sand and the heat more than anything else. I looked over at the stallion holding the camera, and could see him starting to sweat. After spending time out here with the Royal Guard, it had become easy to identify someone who consumed more than their body required.

The reporter continued to write down notes from Battle's answers, "I learned from one of the officers that your squad was involved in the first ambush of the tour a couple of weeks ago. What was going through your head when you came under fire?"

Battle exhaled, mulling over the question before answering, "A lot of things. Fear at the thought of dying, obviously. Anger at the Diamond Dogs for attacking us, and strangely enough, excitement. This might sound a bit odd, but there's nothing like being shot at to get the adrenaline going. Luckily, our patrol leader managed to get us out of it with only a minor wound to one of our squad mates."

"And where is your patrol leader now?"

Battle gestured at me, "He's sitting right over there."

I saw the reporter looking at me out of the corner of my eye, "The creature? He's a Royal Guard?"

The rifle made a loud clack as I finished cleaning it and snapped the pieces back together, stood up and walked over, "Captain Dutch Jones, ma'am. And I'm a human."

The stallion turned the camera on me and started filming. The unicorn looked a bit confused, before clearing her throat when I sat down again, "Well... Captain. How did you react when your squad came under contact?"

I tapped my rifle as I thought of an answer, "That's a difficult question to answer. There are so many factors to take into account, it's hard to imagine until you actually experience it. Battle Plan over there managed to sum up the emotions pretty well. But as squad leader, I have to take into account where my guys are at all times. Every officer who joins is taught how to lead, naturally. But when you're out there, all the stuff you learn just goes straight out the window, and if you're not careful, you risk panicking."

"So despite being the leader, you were scared too?"

"Of course. There are more than a few out there who are under the illusion that being brave in a battle simply means not being afraid. But that's not true; of course you're afraid. Anyone who says they aren't is either lying or needs to see a therapist. Sometimes you just want to dig the biggest hole you can and hide until it's over. But being brave means acknowledging that fear, and getting on with the job anyway. Doubly so if you're the leader, because your guys are looking to you to get them out alive. That's when the training kicks in, and you start fighting back. Considering how sudden the ambush was, I'm amazed we didn't get more wounded, and I'm proud of the guys here for doing so well under pressure."

"That's appreciated, sir." Shadow called over.

The reporter was flipping through pages as she filled her notebook, "So what would you do if they attacked you on patrol again?"

"The exact same thing I did before," I said, "Assess the situation, eliminate the threat, fall back to a safer area. If necessary, prioritise the wounded and call for an evac. It's what we were trained to do, and it's kept us alive so far. Hopefully we won't be under another direct contact for the rest of the tour, but with the tenacity these Diamond Dogs are showing, I'm not--"

CRUMP

The sudden, distant noise brought my interview to an abrupt halt, and I stood up, alert in the blink of an eye.

"What was that?"

"Sounded like it came from the south, sir. Close too," shouted Hammer.

I immediately called Captain Bright Skies, "Ops Room, Element 0-5. We're hearing explosions to the south, any Equestrian forces in that area?"

"Roger that 0-5. We had a resupply convoy scheduled to arrive at Zinc to fill us up on food and munitions. Diamond Dogs must have hit them. The Commander and the Major want a pegasi recon team overhead now."

"Copy," I cut the connection, "Shadow, grab two pegasi and get overhead. We need to know what's going on over there. Report what you see back to the Ops Room." Shadow nodded and galloped over to another group of ponies who were perking there ears up at the sounds, "Hammer, Flurry, Battle, get on the roof." I looked over at the two reporters, "Stay down here, don't put yourself in any unnecessary risk."

They simply nodded, their ears flattened as they flinched at the sounds of battle. As I climbed onto the roof, Shadow flew high into the air, leading two other pegasi in an arrowhead formation. I got down on my belly and crawled to the edge, grabbing a pair of binoculars and looking in the direction of the noises.

After a few minutes, the convoy appeared round the corner. It was a few vehicles, no doubt filled with supplies meant for us, and they were in a sorry state. There were scorch marks, lumps of shrapnel and even whole chunks missing out of the wagons. The lead wagon had lost a wheel, and there was an earth pony lifting up the damaged corner and carrying the wagon down the street.

"God, look at the state of that," I muttered, "What the hell have those guys been through?"

Apparently hearing me, Flurry said, "Never mind that, what in Celestia's mane is that pony doing out in the open carrying the damn thing?"

"It seems like it was a bit of a waste, attaching all of that armour," Hammer remarked.

When we arrived, every vehicle in our possession was given extra armour in case they came under contact. That basically involved bolting slabs of metal to the sides, and on the wheels to offer additional protection against the dogs' bombs. The engineers had spent a lot of time and bits doing it, but by taking a look at the earth pony, we could assume it hadn't exactly worked.

When they got within 100 metres of the gates, Element 0-1 and 0-4 left Zinc to give them some support. When they reached the gates, I prepared to move, "Battle, Flurry, get suppressing fire on any dog that pokes their head up. Hammer, on me."

"Yes Captain."

I jumped off the roof and opened the gates to let the wagons through. The ponies that had been serving as the security detail collapsed as we helped the wounded through the gates. They were muttering, "Thank Celestia that's over," as they lay their weapons down for a breather. After the distance they must have covered, I wouldn't be surprised if some of them were suffering from heat exhaustion.

I had expected the earth pony carrying the wagon to sit down as soon as he came to a stop, but he continued to help other ponies into the base until there was no one left to carry, at which point he passed out from heat stroke. Upon closer examination, I found no less than sixteen pieces of shrapnel in his armour, with another four in his skin.

With the resupply convoy safely inside, Shadow and the other two pegasi landed back inside Zinc, and the unicorns on the roof carried on firing magic until the Diamond Dogs left. A few minutes later, someone shouted, "Stand down," and we all let out a sigh of relief. I returned to the roof to meet Battle and Flurry, and Shadow joined us soon afterwards.

"How did we get away with that?" he asked as he sat down beside us.

Battle chuckled, "I don't know Shadow, but if anypony here's carrying a journal, they won't leave today out."

I heard another set of hoofsteps approaching, and saw Bright Skies stepping onto the roof behind us. The rest of my squad saluted her, and she returned it before saying, "At ease. All call signs are accounted for Captain, I'm just spreading the word."

"I thought you were in charge of the Ops Room," I said.

"Major Wingfleet said he would take over," she explained, "After today, he told me I earned a breather."

"You certainly did," I muttered, before saying, "How are the supplies?"

"Somehow we managed to keep almost everything intact. While the wagons will probably be scrapped, the stuff inside wasn't damaged."

"Sounds like the armour did make a difference after all," Flurry commented.

"I think that documentary team was filming the whole thing," Battle said, "They seemed awfully interested in you, Dutch."

"I'm fine with that," I said, "The more that ponies know about humans, the less funny looks I'll be getting when I go outside."

"Tell you what, that earth pony deserves a medal for carrying the wagon all the way to the base under fire," Hammer said, "He looked younger than you Shadow."

"Touché Hammer," said the dark grey pegasus.

"How are the casualties?" I asked.

"Not great." Bright Skies said, "We had a lot of ponies suffering from heat exhaustion after today's weather. About 90% of them are on a trip back to Coltson for treatment, with a few of them likely to be going back to Canterlot after being classed as P1. But it looks like they're all going to live."

Unbelievably, no one had been killed. Again, we could chalk that up to the training of the Royal Guard trumping the tactics of the dogs, just like our contact. It seemed that overall, they were pretty bad at teamwork and organising a fight that was entirely on their terms. Flurry boasted that if we had been out there, we would have wiped the floor with them. As the adrenaline from the battle started to ebb away, we started to let ourselves relax, thinking that our troubles were over for the day.

But today, we had spoken too soon.

By six o'clock, the sun was still up in the sky, but it had started to cool down. Bright Skies had gone to bed for an early sleep, while our squad was on the roof of the main compound, watching the streets for any signs of a evening contact. Suddenly, a series of cracks and quiet explosions came from our west. We immediately got down for fear of an assault, but it looked like the fight wasn't meant for us. Every now and then, there was a flash from the modified crossbows that the dogs used, as well as the occasional beam of magic from a unicorn's horn that had missed its intended target. The fact that there were unicorns out there set us on edge.

"Woah. Sounds like somepony's getting smashed over there. I thought all of our patrols were already inside Zinc, Dutch." Flurry said.

"That's what Bright Skies told me." I replied. To make sure I wasn't wrong, I called the Ops Room, "Ops Room, this is Element 0-5, can you confirm all call signs are inside the perimeter?"

There was a pause before the reply came, and I recognised Wingfleet's voice, "Confirmed 0-5. We can hear it from here. Whoever's out there, it's not one of ours."

The only thing we could do was sit and listen to the cracks. It continued for another ten minutes, before a louder explosion drowned out the rest, and a purple cloud of smoke rose into the air.

"Sweet Celestia, that's concentrated magical energy," Battle said, "They only carry those in gems, stored in massive containers. That must be a supply convoy, and a big one! Who the hay is that?"

Wingfleet had been right, the ambush hadn't been triggered by anyone from Zinc, as we were all inside the compound. It was only when a reconnaissance team was sent out the next morning that any of us managed to figure out what exactly had happened.

It was a giant convoy of Lunar Guard. Specifically, the 17th Battalion. They had been passing through here on their way out from further up north. It was the end of their nine month tour of duty, and they were going back to a base in Fillydelphia before getting sent home to their families. I could only imagine how happy they would have been at the thought.

At least 4 packs of Diamond Dogs, totaling at almost 70 hostiles, had been lying in wait for them on either side of the main road parallel to Neighrut, ready to attack anything that was a pony. They probably didn't realise that it wasn't the ponies from Zinc. If they did, they must have not cared, so long as they got to use their weapons.

When the bolts had started coming in, the ponies had abandoned their vehicles and took off into the city in a desperate bid to get away from the canines. Three were killed, a 20 year-old Guardsman, and two Sergeants, aged 29 and 35. Seventeen others were wounded. Most made it to relative safety, where they were picked up by either us or the relief team sent by Fort Coltson, but two were missing in action.

Both Zinc and the relief team launched a massive search party to try and find them. That meant going back into the city and baiting the dogs from the ambush to come get us while others would search the city. We covered ground at a good pace, but the two soldiers had ducked into the western districts, and it was like looking for a needle in a haystack. They were on the run for hours.

At first, the ponies tried to hide, but were soon spotted by a small group of dogs who had avoided the fighting. In a crazy flight for their lives, they were chased through the back alleys and sewage systems of the streets. I think the dogs wanted to publicly execute them for escaping the ambush on the convoy.

Eventually, at around midnight two days after the attack, they took cover in a house, only to find that it was populated by three Diamond Dogs. Normally, that would have been the end for them, but they got a lucky break. The dogs there were some of the very few who wanted nothing to do with the packs. They took them in, tended to their wounds, then escorted them to the front gates of Zinc and left them with us. It was quite a sight to see a trio of dogs walking with two Lunar Guard ponies, only to simply give them to us with nothing but a friendly wave. Some of the guys didn't believe them when they told us their story.

But that was probably the best part of what happened. Half of the convoy's 26 vehicles were nothing but burnt husks. They stayed on that road for the next few days, staining the sand with ash and leaving a line of burnt wood and mangled metal almost half a mile down the road. The smoke from the gem-filled container didn't stop for almost 48 hours.

We had also heard that the Diamond Dogs had been so anxious at attacking the convoy that they had killed eleven of their own in the crossfire. We thought that was astounding.

The battle group at Zinc had known absolutely nothing about the convoy. That meant no one had been informed about the angry hornet's nest they were about to walk right into. As they had come from the west, none of us had seen them from the sun's glare as it set. There was a hint of anger in all of us too; nobody should have been going anywhere near Neighrut without all of us knowing about it first. I wasn't a General, but it didn't take one to know that if you're passing through someone else's area of operations, you tell them. If you don't, this happens.

But it looked like the Lunar Guard weren't to blame either. When we asked what their story was, they told us their CO had told them that there had been no fighting in Neighrut for the past month, and no troops were based here. Now, three of their ponies were dead. Even more had holes in them, and thousands of bits in military equipment had gone up in smoke. Someone back at Canterlot had screwed up, big time.

With the drama of the Lunar Guard over, most of Zinc's newest arrivals settled down wherever they could while a transport came over to pick them up. It had been a very long day for all of us, and we were looking forward to getting our heads down. It wouldn't be long before the month was up, and we would all be leaving Neighrut and heading out to the plains, and with it, FOB Gold.

Chapter 44: Highs and Lows

Winter's Dawn
Canterlot

A single earth pony headed towards the Canterlot armoury behind the castle. His personal schedule would normally have him working out right now, but after learning of a new development, he had quickly abandoned that and started improvising. As the armoury came into view, the pony saw a lone guardsman standing in front of the door. It looked like he'd have to blag his way through him. There had been an accident the day before, resulting in the death of one of the forgers. Normally the earth pony would have simply chalked it up to bad luck, but the circumstances, coupled with the nature of his cutie mark, forced him to investigate.

"Guardsman," he announced his presence as he approached, "I need access to Black Smith's forge."

"I can't do that Trooper," the soldier replied, "I have orders that nopony enter until an investigation team arrives."

The pony's eyes narrowed, "I am under instruction from Commander Swift, soldier," he said sternly, before leaning closer, "Plus, it would also be a terrible shame if your wife found out about your current... experiences."

The Guardsman's jaw dropped, and he stood with wide eyes, "H-How...?"

The earth pony maintained his expression, and the guard sighed, "Fine. But you'd better keep your bucking mouth shut."

He stepped aside, and the earth pony walked into the armoury without a word. His words about Commander Swift giving him orders were lies, and blackmailing the guard had been unfortunate, but necessary.

Stepping into the forge, he ran a hoof through his spiky black mane and headed towards the back office, making sure not to leave marks of soot on his light-grey coat. Upon entering the office, he opened a nearby filing cabinet and began flicking through the files, his blue eyes scanning the labels on the folders for what he was looking for.

Finally, he found a file filled with blueprints. Pulling it out, he laid the papers out on the desk. He wasn't familiar with the designs, but it didn't take a genius to see that they were not Equestrian. Smiling, he looked back at his cutie mark, a set of four-leaf clovers, and smiled.

"You never cease to fail me."

Chuckling at his own wit, he put the file back in the cabinet and left the office. He wasn't planning on taking the documents with him; it would be obvious they were stolen, and the only pony who knew how to create the device - a unicorn named Black Smith - was dead. He was simply confirming some suspicions he had had since he spoke to an upset pegasus a few months earlier.

His job done, he walked out of the armoury and back to the castle, not even glancing at the guard as he left.

FOB Gold seemed a lot different than Zinc. It looked like a classic Afghan compound, with a few trees dotted around and fields of sand and earth covering most of the surrounding area. Inside the compound, ponies were joking, laughing, and playing games to celebrate the Hearth's Warming holidays. Even the threat from the dogs' bombs wasn't deterring them from standing outside where a blast would easily take down several soldiers at once.

With the arrival of Winter, the uncontrolled weather of griffin territory changed. The once clear blue sky was now covered in cloud, with an ominous, dark-grey one slowly heading towards Gold. I was sat in one of the corners with the rest of my squad, explaining the traditions of Christmas, when a pony walked over to us carrying an old camcorder.

Doing a commentary for the video, he said, "And here we have our local human, Captain Jones. Sir, any words for the camera?"

"Happy Hearth's Warming Holidays!" I shouted, raising my arms and grinning. The rest of the ponies around me did the same, laughing and cheering all the while.

All of a sudden, the heavens opened, and a downpour started over the base. There were several groans of annoyance, and a few ponies started covering items that could be damaged by the rain, like books and food. Shadow disappeared into our accommodation and stashed his own novel under his bed, before rejoining us outside. Despite the chill it gave us, it was nice to have some rain after the intense heat we'd had over the past few days.

After recovering at Coltson, Steel Sword was sent back out, and was more than happy to see us again. The bandages were gone, and he now had a small patch of thinner fur where the bolt had hit.

"This doesn't seem right," he said, looking up in the sky, "We're getting rained on... in a desert."

"If you ask me, it reminds me of British weather back on Earth," I said, "We could never control the weather, only predict it. In a way, our planet was essentially one giant Everfree Forest."

Flurry shuddered, "How do you humans cope?"

I just shrugged. We continued talking for another few minutes, ignoring the rain, until a carriage arrived at the front gate. They were promptly let in, and a pony swung open one of the doors and pulled out a sack, shouting, "Hey everypony. Mail's here!"

Any morale that was lowered from the rain was brought right back up at the prospect of receiving letters from family and friends. I don't think there was a single pony, myself included, who didn't attempt to run over and pull the sacks out of the carriage in an attempt to speed up the process.

Once the letters were safely inside, they were taken to the largest room on the base; the mess hall. We wasted no time in taking out letters and parcels, calling out the names of whoever we found. After a few minutes, I heard a pony shouting, "Captain? Captain Jones."

I waded through the crowd and took a envelope from the pony who had found it, giving him a nod of thanks. I quickly opened it, and found two letters, one with my name, and one with Shadow's.

"Hey Shadow!" He looked at me through the crowd, and I waved him over. When he arrived, I said, "They sent our letters together," and passed him his.

Unable and unwilling to hide the grin on my face, I read the letter addressed to me.

Hey Dutch,

We all hope you're doing well in the north. It certainly feels different without you and Shadow. I'm not sure what kind of different, but definitely not quiet. Pinkie more than makes up for that.

You wouldn't believe what Rainbow Dash has done. Since you left, she's gotten into a relationship with Sarah, your human friend! None of us saw it coming. It's not official, but they've told us they're giving it a trial run and seeing what will happen.

Fluttershy's doing well with the foal. She wanted to write her own letter to Shadow, and we sent it in the same envelope, along with something else that should raise your spirits, whether they were high or low to begin with.

And don't worry about me, I'm fine. It's you I'm worried about. We're all worried. I keep reading the news, and there's always something that talks about a soldier getting killed on the northern border. I know I'm just being paranoid, but I'm always thinking what could happen.

Anyway, I shouldn't talk like that, otherwise I'll never get any sleep. I'm looking forward to you getting back.

With love, Lyra.

Shadow trotted back over to me, apparently finished with reading his letter. Curious, I looked back into the envelope to see two more, smaller pieces of card inside. Pulling them out, both of us had to hold back a gasp.

They were identical pictures of all our friends back in Ponyville. Five of the six Element bearers were standing side by side, all smiling at the camera. Rainbow Dash hovered above them, with Sarah standing behind the row. Both of them had an arm and a hoof over each other's shoulders, and I couldn't help but chuckle at the sight. Fluttershy was on the end of the row, and I could see a slight but definite bulge in her belly. Shadow noticed it too, and the tear rolling down his cheek confirmed it. Seeing this, I rubbed his mane.

"Congrats buddy." He pushed my hand away, but the grin remained.

Lyra sat in the centre. She was resting one hoof on the shoulder of her old friend, Bon-Bon, with the other on top of Scootaloo's mane. Everyone had massive smiles on their faces, and underneath the pictures a small note was written.

With love from everypony at Ponyville!

After spending god knows how long looking at the photo, I put it inside my trouser pocket. Shadow put his in a pocket on his armour.

"Any idea where we can get some blank paper?" he asked me.

Any chance to write a reply was eliminated as Ironhoof strode into the room, "Element 0-5 and 0-2, gear up! You're moving out."

"...Well that's depressing," Steel commented as soon as the Commander was out of earshot.

"Don't worry guys," said one of the ponies who had arrived with the mail, "We don't leave 'til tomorrow. You can write to your friends when you get back."

"Well that solves that problem," Hammer said, "Let's get this over with."

The plan was for two platoons, consisting of ponies and griffins, to move east into Diamond Dogs territory in an attempt to find areas which the dogs could use for entry into their cave systems underground. It was essentially recon and baiting, but then again, both of those were part of our job description.

The griffins were primarily in charge of this patrol, so they were at the front with one of their two point soldiers being an NCO. My squad was closer to the back, mainly playing a support role. No one was going to deny that unicorn horns could get fire down faster than crossbows.

The other platoon, Talon 1 was a few hundred metres north of our location, patrolling through a nearby village. We were in the small orchards south of the village, surrounded by shoulder-high mud walls. We'd been walking for a couple of hours now, but couldn't find any signs of the dogs, or their entrances.

"Are you sure we're supposed to be out here, sir?" Flurry asked, "There's nothing out here."

"How should I know? I'm just following orders."

"Do you think Talon 1 is having any more luck than us?" Hammer asked.

"I sure hope so," Shadow said, a hint of negativity in his voice.

There was suddenly the sound of one of the dogs' bombs further down the line. All our heads raised, and I heard a distant voice shout, "Contact front!"

"Eyes to the side, keep our flanks secure," I said, springing into action, "Flurry, you're on rear guard."

"Roger that." said the yellow unicorn.

The patrol was spread out in a long line formation through the orchard, and while we had the griffins with us, that didn't mean we had the advantage. I just focused on keeping our flank secure, and hoped the soldiers on point would be able to assess the situation and send me a sitrep, hopefully engaging the dogs trying to outflank Talon 1.

"Boss!" Flurry called, "Talon 1 just had a ten-metre contact with the dogs on their southern flank."

Shit. Not only did that show how close we were with the enemy, but it would also mean that any dogs that retreated away from Talon 1 would run straight into us. Talon 1 would hold their position until they were clear of the contact, and since that wasn't happening anytime soon, we would have to put pressure on anyone who came our way.

Suddenly, voices started coming down the line. I could tell it was someone different every time, but they were all saying the same thing.

"Griffin down!"

My instincts as a leader suddenly kicked in, and training took over, "Steel, Shadow, keep our rear secure. Battle, Flurry, on me!"

As I rounded the corner, I shouted, "Where is he?"

Hammer Strike looked back at me, "Up front sir. I think it was one of the point griffins."

I passed a line of griffins taking cover by a mud wall and said, "Two of you, come with me." I came out from behind the wall to see the area in front of me was filled with tall vegetation, reaching up to my shoulders. There were a few griffins holding back, trying to get a good view on the enemy, but we could see nothing through the grass.

I looked at the two griffins who had followed me, "You two, with me. Battle, you too. Flurry, stay here and be ready to send a casualty report."

I ran into the brush, following the voice of the other griffin on point. When I reached him, I saw him firing bolts into the bushes in front of him. The other griffin was lying face down in the grass. There was blood flowing across his arm and wing, staining his armour.

"Who is it?" I asked. I probably wouldn't have known him, but other griffins would, and they would need to know who it was.

"Razorclaw." the other point griffin replied.

I crouched down next to him and rolled him over. A bolt was buried deep in his side, and I was worried they had found a way to breach our armour. There was no movement on his part, and his eyes were staring blankly into the sky. He looked completely lifeless.

"...He's dead," muttered one of the griffins.

Undeterred, I said, "Get his kit off him!" and let Battle do what he could to identify the griffin's condition. As the pony crouched over the body, we all held our breath.

After a few seconds, he said, "I think I've got something... yeah, he's still alive. I've got breathing and a pulse, but it's weak."

"Right, get him back, I'll take his kit."

The three griffins did their best to lift the wounded soldier and carry him back to our own forces. After two steps, the other point griffin fell with a yell of pain.

"I'm hit! I'm hit!" I checked him over. Another bolt had hit his arm, and I shouted, "Battle, help get Razorclaw back!" I put Razorclaw's kit onto my shoulder and lifted the other griffin, putting his arm on my other shoulder and carrying him back to our line.

When we arrived, Flurry was ready to send a casualty report, and he asked, "What is he? Is he P4?"

Before I could reply, I heard a few other voices saying, "Yeah, he's P4," and I felt something snap inside me. This casualty was their friend, and they were simply declaring him dead after a brief glance at his body. Something boiled inside me, and it could be described as fury.

Flurry was about to call the base again, but I stopped him, "Do not fucking send that yet! He's still alive! Battle, get him stabilised, now! Flurry, tell them we've got a P1 casualty and we need a medevac right now."

Battle was doing what he could for Razorclaw, saying out loud what he was finding, "The bolt's missed his armour and went under his arm. It's gone straight in. We need to move him back now, sir."

"Right. Get him on the stretcher and pull back!" I shouted. It seemed to snap the griffins out of their trance, and they carefully lifted Razorclaw onto the stretcher and started carrying him back down the line.

"Keep fucking moving!" I ordered, turning round and keeping my eyes peeled for any movement as the griffins moved back to a safer location. I saw a canine head appear through the bushes, and fired off a round from my rifle. The splatter of blood on the leaves confirmed my hit.

"Sir, they're sending an airship with medics aboard 300 metres west of our location." Flurry said to me.

"Copy that." I turned and ran to catch up with the griffins. When I got there, I couldn't believe what I saw. The griffins carrying the stretcher had put it down and were just standing there. They must have either been waiting for me, or taking a breather.

"What the fuck are you doing?" I shouted, "Get him up! If he dies because of you, there will be hell to pay later."

I knew that this was a first contact for a lot of these griffins, but they needed to get in gear if this griffin had a hope of making it out alive. Shock tactics were cruel, but sometimes necessary. There were no more complications after that, and nine minutes after the casualty was hit, we arrived at the LZ, where an airship was waiting for us. The griffin medics ran out to meet us.

"How is he?" one of them shouted over the thumping of the airship's propellers.

"Not good." I replied. The medic saw that as answer enough, and four griffins from the ship replaced the ones carrying the stretcher, taking Razorclaw inside to be treated. Once he was out of sight, the doors closed and the ship lifted off again, heading back towards the griffin's base.

We were on our own again. I looked over at the rest of the group. Shadow, Steel and Hammer still looked fairly alert, as they had been holding the rear and didn't see the casualty. Battle and Flurry were exchanging words, though I couldn't hear what they were saying.

A lot of the griffins were sitting against the wall, catching their breath. Some of them had the thousand-yard stare on them, so I started walking down the line, asking each of them if they were alright. Twice I had to stop and check a griffin after he didn't respond, but it seemed that the lack of energy after the adrenaline rush had made them fall asleep.

I nudged them awake, "Come on. We need to finish our patrol. Talon 1 is waiting for us."

"Sir, what about Razorclaw?" one of them asked.

"I'll take point this time," I reassured, "If anyone's going to get shot, it's me."

Nodding wearily, the rest of the patrol climbed to their feet and followed me and Hammer as we reentered the maze of mud walls. Upon entering the area where Razorclaw was hit, it was absolutely quiet. We passed through the grass, exiting the orchard, and we still hadn't been attacked. The dogs had simply up and left after doing their damage, burrowing back down into their network of tunnel systems.

Not a single word was spoken apart from orders until we reached Talon 1. After a brief talk with their patrol leader, we turned round and began the walk back to base.

As we walked into the base, I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding, and I had to focus to stop myself falling to my knees. Not from fatigue, but from stress. I had experienced my worst casualty since the tour began, and although he wasn't a pony, I still felt responsible. I didn't even know if he was going to make it or not.

I sat against a wall and took out my canteen, resting my head on the rock as the water moistened my mouth and calmed my nerves. Next to me, Shadow raised his own canteen, only to find it was empty. He sighed, and I passed him mine. He seemed too knackered to reply, and swallowed a few mouthfuls before handing it back.

Time seemed to just carry on without us after that. The rest of the ponies knew we had been in a serious contact, so they simply passed us by. After half an hour, Flurry was called to the Ops Room. He came back a few minutes later, with a somber expression on his face.

"Razorclaw didn't make it."

I gave a heavy sigh. We tried our best - Battle tried his best - to keep him alive, but to hear he had lost his life was a shock. It affected me, seeing as he was partially under my command, but I couldn't imagine how the griffins were taking it. Today had been an overall victory for the dogs. They killed one of ours, and we only found two possible entry sites for their caves. Not a good day at all. The only good thing was that the griffins from Talon 1 had managed to capture one of the dogs. I imagined they were going to ignore the rule book after today.

Battle nudged me from where I was sitting, "You ok Dutch? I've never seen you like you were back there."

"I'm fine," I said, "I was presented the possibility of someone dying under my command, and I guess I just snapped."

He nodded, "Fair enough. Just take it easy, got it? I've heard about soldiers who let it get to them."

I gave a small smile, "Yes doctor."

"Anyway, no good thinking about it now," Flurry said in a motivational voice, "Come on, maybe a letter home will take our minds off it."

I nodded, "Yeah, that sounds good."

I had barely given Ponyville or Lyra any thought since I had got here, with the letter they had sent being the first reminder. Now that I did, it felt very strange. My mind went back to Lyra's cosy little house near the town hall, the laughs we had at Vinyl's club, the time we spent in the park, her playing her lyre while she rested on one of my wings. It all seemed a very long way away now. It was only a couple hundred miles, but it felt like a completely different world, almost in the same way Earth did.

I walked into our 'bedroom' and put a blank piece of paper on a box by my bed, starting the letter.

Hey guys,

It's me. Sorry if this takes a while to get to you, I don't know how fast the postal system is over a distance like this. Anyway, I'm just writing to let you know that Shadow and I got your photos, and that we're both doing fine.

Rainbow Dash, congratulations with Sarah. Was it dinner and a show? Also, good luck at the Best Young Flyer's Competition. And Applejack, if I don't get back before Winter Wrap Up, promise me you'll get a new ladder. I've seen the pieces of string holding that old one together.

Fluttershy, you should have seen Shadow's face when we saw the photos. I've never seen anyone look so proud. He's writing his own letter while I'm writing this, and I can see the goofy grin on his face.

I paused. I was desperate to tell them all about what we had been up to; the excitement, the amazing highs and the grim lows. The warm satisfaction of helping the locals, and the thrill of a contact. But now, the sight of the griffin soldier lying face down in the grass made me stop, and I reconsidered. I just couldn't find any words that they would understand. How could they understand what it's like out here?

I let out another sigh as I rethought my words, and continued writing.

Look, I know you guys are going to be reading the news, and I understand that you're worried, but most of the fighting's been going on in the west, dozens of miles away. Our equipment's been collecting dust, and our biggest threats right now are the heat and the bugs. Most of the time I'm trying to find things to do to keep my guys out of trouble.

But if trouble does find us, these ponies are as tough as nails, and they'll be ready to defend themselves should the time come. But don't worry. We're Royal Guards; this is what we do. Besides, it'll take more than a few mangy mutts to take down this human.

Lyra, I love you and Scootaloo very much. I'll be home soon.

Happy Hearth's Warming Eve.

Dutch

P.S. Maybe the reason it feels different is that there aren't two handsome hunks nearby.

I folded the piece of paper and slid it into an envelope. Shadow came over and gave me his letter, which I put in too.

"They're taking pictures over there. Maybe we could send something back." he suggested, his voice monotonous.

I nodded, and we walked over to a pony holding a camera. As we waited for our turn to be photographed, I thought about what I had written. I didn't like the fact that I was lying, and that I could be dead by tomorrow, but I didn't want them to worry. I suppose that's what goes through every soldier's mind in these circumstances. That was also why I added the humour; to keep them calm.

When our turn came, I thought of Lyra, and managed a genuine smile as I crouched next to Shadow. Just before the picture was taken, I stuck two fingers up behind his head, and there was a flash as the picture was taken. A photo was ejected from the camera, and the pony pulled it out, waving it to get the image to form.

I took it from him and examined it, "I think that's a keeper."

I put the photo in the envelope too, before sealing it up and putting it on a pile of mail to be sent back.

"So what did you write for Fluttershy?" I asked Shadow.

He had a puzzled look on his face, "Just that everything was fine and that there was no need to worry. I don't know, I had all my stories lined up, but when I got there, I didn't write anything. I just didn't think they'd get it."

"Me neither. Weird."

Chapter 45: Going on the Offensive

It had been a few days since the death of Razorclaw, and things seemed to have settled down again. Everyone was back to celebrating the holidays, and even I was managing to enjoy myself. There had been a Hearth's Warming feast, which Cookie received ample amounts of credit for, as well as songs and dancing for the festive occasion.

Right now, it was morning, and we were on the roof of the compound, doing our shift as sentries. We only had another five minutes before our shift ended, and 0-4 would take over.

When said squad arrived, I didn't even have a chance to get off the roof before Wingfleet called from below me, "Dutch, Ironhoof needs your team in the briefing room."

"Yes sir." Wingfleet was a good guy, so I wasn't willing to argue with him, even if it did involve Ironhoof. The rest of the squad followed me off the roof and headed inside. Ironhoof was waiting for us.

"Gather round," he said. He spread a map out on the table in front of us and got straight to the briefing, "There's a road heading through the cliffs approximately thirty klicks from here. We've learned that the Diamond Dogs use it as a supply and trading route for weapons and gems as the terrain is too rocky to dig through. This afternoon, you will be transported to the cliffs to ambush and secure a convoy heading through here."

"Where did we get the intel for this, sir?" Battle asked.

"A dog we captured last week. He was surprisingly cooperative. He told us that there will be multiple vehicles, all carrying cargo. We don't know what it is, and that's what I need you to confirm."

"What kind of opposition are we expecting?" Flurry said.

"Not much. Probably less than a dozen dogs. Apparently they didn't think we'd ever know about this, so security will probably be low."

"And this dog just gave up this information?" I asked, my arms folded, "It seems a little too easy, sir."

"This intel has been confirmed by multiple sources, Captain," Ironhoof said, almost a little too aggressively, "It's trustworthy."

"Fair enough. What are the rules of engagement?" I said, doing my best to hide my annoyance.

"No wanton killing," the red earth stallion replied, "Try to detain as many as you can for interrogation, but if the subject is armed, you are authorised to engage. The terrain there is rocky, so they won't be able to dig down to their tunnel networks when you attack. When the convoy is secure, contact the Ops Room, and a larger force will arrive to extract the cargo."

Ironhoof looked around, "Any more questions?" we didn't reply, and he said, "Good. Get your gear ready, you'll be leaving at 1400 hours. Dismissed."

Glad that I could now leave Ironhoof's presence, I left the briefing room and headed for my room.

After we had been dropped off, we had gotten straight to work. I sent Hammer, Battle and Flurry to a suitable hiding spot next to the road, while me, Steel and Shadow flew up to the cliff above it to act as an overwatch. The area was perfect for an ambush. There was the cliff we were perched on, with the road below it, followed by another cliff that led down to the desert. If we attacked, the dogs would have nowhere to run.

Upon reaching the cliff, I noticed a large boulder teetering on the edge, and thought up a plan to push the boulder onto the road behind the rear carriage, effectively trapping the dogs. With everything in place and the trap set, the only thing we could do now was wait for the convoy to show up.

It was almost an hour of waiting before I heard Flurry's voice, "Sir, I have a visual on the convoy."

I looked up the road and saw three carriages, all being pulled by Diamond Dogs, slowly heading our way. I leaned on the boulder, pressing some of my weight into it and watched the dogs pass underneath us. I counted five of them now, but there could be others in the carriages.

"Flurry, Battle, standby to take out the lead wagon's wheels. On my mark."

I waited until the final carriage has passed underneath me, before saying, "Mark!" Within seconds, I heard the sound of splintering wood as the wheels of the front wagon were shattered from unicorn magic. At the same time, Steel, Shadow and I pushed on the boulder with all our strength. Eventually, it reached the edge of the cliff and tumbled down towards the convoy. It struck the rear carriage and came to a halt, blocking any attempts for the dogs to pull their cargo back up the road.

"Lead vehicle is down, Captain." Hammer reported.

"Copy Hammer, move in. We'll meet you at the centre. Steel, Shadow, on me." I hopped off the edge of the cliff and used my wings as a makeshift parachute to slow my descent. When I hit the ground, I shouldered my rifle and moved towards the centre of the convoy.

The two dogs pulling the rear wagon bolted when they saw us. We didn't chase them though, as Hammer and the others would cut them off. We'd capture and detain them when we reached the middle.

One dog however, reached into the carriage upon seeing us, pulling out a crossbow, "Filthy po--" he didn't even finish the sentence as bullets and bolts hit him. I could hear cracks at the front of the convoy, so there was obviously other resistance on their end.

We pushed on through, until we reached the centre vehicle. There had been a couple of others who had attempted to resist, but they had met a similar fate to the other dog. There were three dogs who had been smart enough not to attack when we reached the middle, and Flurry and Battle used their magic to tie them up, wrapping their wrists in beams of magic.

"That's it, we're clear sir." Hammer said as I pulled out the magazine in my rifle and inserted a new one. Satisfied that there were no more threats, I called Gold.

"Gold, this is Element 0-5. Convoy secured, 3 hostiles detained."

"Roger 0-5, get a visual confirmation on the cargo, then await reinforcements to secure." Bright Skies said.

"Copy."

I cut the connection and turned to the squad, "All round defence guys. I don't want any unexpected arrivals. Hammer, keep an eye on the dogs."

Hammer kept his crossbow trained on the dogs, while the rest of the squad faced outwards to spot potential targets, Flurry and Battle facing down the road, while Shadow and Steel watched the direction the convoy had arrived from. While they scanned the area, I opened the door to the carriage and walked inside, letting my rifle hang by my side. There were a number of boxes inside, held shut by a few rusty nails. I unsheathed my knife and used it as a crowbar. There was a moment of resistance, before the lid was wedged open far enough for me to pull it off with my hands. Inside were several crossbows, larger than a pony's version, along with quivers of bolts.

"Gold, Element 0-5. Can confirm cargo. We've got weapons and munitions here, including some of those explosive bolts they've been using, stand by," I pried open another crate, this one filled with gems of all shapes and colours, "There's also gems here. Rubies, diamonds. It looks like they were planning on making quite the deal."

"Solid copy 0-5, good job. Set up a perimeter and wait for friendly forces."

"Roger. There's one more crate here, I'm going to check that one out too, out."

I wedged the knife's blade into the third crate and pulled the lid off.

*shick*

A noise similar to a cigarette lighter was heard as I lifted the lid, and I froze when I identified the source. It was a simple flint and striker, attached to the lid and set to create sparks if opened with force, which was what I had just done. The sparks lit a metal fuse travelling along the box, which gave a green glow as it burned towards dozens of glass vials, filled with the explosive chemical the dogs used.

I wet my fingers and tried to extinguish the fuse, but it continued to burn, regardless of its condition. It was somehow burning with magic, not fire, and I couldn't stop it if I tried. Knowing this, I made the only decision I could.

"BOMB! GET OUT NOW!" I screamed as I jumped out of the carriage and ran down the road, trying to put as much distance as I could between me and the booby trap. The ponies followed suit, galloping alongside me.

"Keep running! Go go go!"

I caught no sight of Battle or Flurry however, and hoped they were right behind me. But my paranoia got the better of me, and as I turned round, the fuse reached its end.

There was a deafening explosion, something flew past my head, and my face suddenly burst with pain as I was taken off my feet and thrown through the air. I hit the ground, and blindly tried to grab onto something to slow my speed. My hand detected a rock, and I clung onto it as I felt the ground beneath my legs disappear, leaving me to dangle off the edge of the cliff.

Squinting through the pain, I saw that the convoy was now all but nonexistent. Two of the carriages were completely gone, and the third was burning furiously. Even a section of the rocky cliff side had been gouged out, and I assumed the dogs were completely obliterated.

As I began to look around for the rest of my squad, I caught something out of the corner of my eye. One vial that seemed to have survived the initial blast slowly rolled towards me, coming to a stop next to a burning piece of tinder.

"Shit," I said aloud. Any second now, the already disturbed chemicals would heat and react, causing it to explode in my face, no doubt leaving nothing left. I tried to swat it away, but it was out of my reach. It was almost like fate was taunting me.

"Shit, shit, shit!"

Thinking up other options, I looked below me. There was about 60 feet between me and the ground, twice as far as what would normally be survivable. If I was lucky, some of the rocks might slow me down, and I could wrap myself in my wings to a little bit of extra protection. No way I could glide down; by the time I'd rolled over and spread my wings, I'd have hit the ground.

Needless to say, it was still going to hurt. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and let go.

"Roger. There's one more crate here, I'm going to check that one out too, out."

Bright Skies instinctively nodded and cut the connection to Dutch. In a moment, she'd have to contact the support team and let them know that they were ready to move, but she allowed herself a quick breather. Communicating over such a long distance for extended periods took its toll on any pony that wasn't a unicorn.

She heard a soft rumble as she sat in the Ops Room, but dismissed it initially. It was only when there was another rumble that her ears perked up. Other ponies in the room turned their heads, curious as to the origin of the sound. Turning to look out a window, she saw a steady column of smoke rising into the air.

It was coming from the exact location of Element 0-5.

The pegasus' blood ran cold, and she reignited her communication spell, "Element 0-5, this is Gold, come in." There was no reply, and she tried again, "0-5, do you copy? What's your status?!"

Come on Dutch, talk to me, she thought to herself. Silence filled the Ops Room, and Bright Skies waited for a reply, a noise, anything from the human's squad. When there was nothing, she turned to the nearest pony.

"Get Commander Ironhoof in here, NOW!"

Chapter 46: Brothers in Bond

As soon as I had let go from the cliff, I pulled my wings round my body and curled myself up, hoping that the rocks I hit were flat enough that I wouldn't be impaled. I heard an explosion from the vial that had made me fall, and I closed my eyes as I braced for the inevitable pain.

It didn't hold back. I was gritting my teeth and covering my head with my arms as the rocks hit every inch of my body. It seemed to go on forever, and I think I felt something crack as I fell. Thankfully, it didn't last much longer after that, and I felt the ground level out as I rolled to a stop.

I waited a few seconds to make sure I was actually on solid ground, I let my wings relax and sat up. I managed to reach the bottom of the cliff, and I could make out another pony about 50 metres away. I stood up, trying to ignore the dull ache that covered my entire body, as well as the stinging on my face, and limped my way over.

The figure was Shadow Breeze, and he climbed to his hooves as I reached him, "You alright Shadow?"

"I think so. Just some bruises," he brushed himself down and turned to face me before gasping, "Oh... buck me,"

"What?"

"Your face is messed up. We need to find Battle and the others."

I put my hand up to my face, only to find it was caked in blood, "Yeah, that sounds good."

We headed round the corner, where I saw Steel, Hammer and Flurry heading toward us. Hammer and Steel looked alright, but the unicorn had a hoof on his head, wincing with every movement.

"Where's Battle?" I said as I approached.

"No idea sir," Hammer said, "Steel and I managed to get down ok, but Flurry wasn't so lucky. He's cracked his horn."

I looked over at Flurry, and sure enough, there was a long crack down the length of his horn. No doubt any attempts at casting spells would only result in pain. A special gel that filled in the gap until it healed was standard issue for each squad, but Battle Plan was the medic, and had most of the supplies.

"We need to find Battle, get ourselves patched up, then find out a way to contact Gold."

"Don't worry about that first part Dutch," Steel said, "Battle's over there."

We all looked in the direction of Steel's pointed hoof. I saw a brown unicorn stumbling in view from behind a rock. He looked a little dazed, but I didn't see any apparent injuries.

"Battle! You ok?" Flurry shouted as he galloped over.

Battle shook his head and coughed, "I... I think so. Just a bit shaken up," he looked back up the cliff, "How in Tartarus did we survive that?"

"Doesn't matter," I said, kneeling down and putting my rifle to one side, "Flurry's wounded. We need the gel for his horn."

"Sure, but I think you need tending to as well, sir. Your face is a mess." He levitated an antiseptic cloth from his pack and gave it to Shadow, who started to wipe the blood and sand out of the wounds. It hurt like hell, and the large area that stung made me wonder exactly how much of my face was still intact. While Shadow did this, Battle pulled a tube out of a pocket and squeezed the gel into the crack in Flurry's horn. He winced as it filled in the gap, and when Battle was done, he left it to harden. The medic then returned to me and lit up his horn again, and I saw a number of splinters getting pulled away from my face.

"Christ, how bad am I?" I asked rhetorically.

"You might want to see for yourself." Battle said, and summoned a reflective circle made of magic. Looking into the fake mirror, I understood why Shadow said I was messed up.

The explosion had torn my face apart. I could count at least six deep cuts on the right side of my face. They varied in length; the shortest being the length of an eyebrow, while the longest went from the bridge of my nose to my right sideburn. Two of them overlapped, and I could see flesh of my cheek starting to peel off where they met. There were smaller cuts that would heal fine, but the six that mattered covered the entirety of my cheek, and would leave horrible scars no matter what.

"How the hell am I still standing?" I asked to no one, tearing my gaze from the reflection.

Battle ignored me as he pulled out a bandage and wrapped it over my head, "How capable are you, sir?"

Shadow picked up my rifle in his teeth and handed it to me, "Thanks Shadow. I'm alright Battle," I stood up and began to take in our surroundings, "We need to get back to better ground, we're too exposed here. I'm going to go back up to the road and try to get our bearings. Steel, on me."

Steel jumped into the air and waited for me, but as soon as I tried to flap my wings, a searing pain went up my back, and I fell onto my knees again, "Argh, son of a bitch!"

Battle was by my side again in an instant, looking over my wings. He gave a heavy sigh, "You're left wing's also broken sir. That's going to need wrapping up too."

"God damn it all," I said, "Alright. Shadow, Steel, get up to the road, see if there's anywhere we can lay up. Wadis, rock collections, I don't care. Battle, get this bloody thing bandaged. Hammer, Flurry, all round defence."

We sat in silence as Battle tended to my other wound. I began to think how we were going to get ourselves out of this mess. Once we found somewhere to check ourselves over properly, we'd contact Gold and get extracted. Simple. Although with the current outcome of this day, I didn't get the feeling it would be that simple.

A few minutes later, Shadow and Steel returned, "There's a pretty long wadi a few hundred metres to our south. It looks like a dried-up riverbed, so it should be deep enough to hide in."

"Better than nothing." I said, standing back up now that my wing was bandaged, "Alright squad, move out. Hammer, take point."

Crossing the open desert to the wadi, I couldn't help but feel nervous. Unlike the rocky terrain of the cliffs, we were now on sand and earth. Diamond Dogs could dig through this like it was tissue paper, and made me worry that we were going to be attacked at any moment. Of course, being blown up hadn't helped my nerves.

Fortunately, that didn't happen, and we arrived at the wadi without hearing a noise. Taking turns to keep a lookout, we took inventory of our supplies. Because this should only have been a brief mission, I had left my rations back at Gold, along with most of the ammunition for my rifle. I only had two magazines with me, giving me 40 rounds, not including the ones I had used in the ambush. Along with the water in my canteen and a map and compass, it was all I had brought with me. My iPod had been in one of my trouser pockets, but a piece of shrapnel had gone straight into the middle of it, rendering it no more useful than a paperweight. I couldn't toss it though; if dogs came back here, they could use it to find a scent and follow us. The photo of my friends in Ponyville was still intact, and I smiled when I found it.

I looked over at the rest of the squad. They were battered and bruised, but they were still alert. I found myself feeling proud at their integrity, before focusing on the task at hand. I focused on my thoughts and tried to contact Gold, "Gold, Element 0-5, come in."

There was silence. We must have been out of range, "Gold, this is 0-5, do you copy?"

I gave up and turned to the one who would have a stronger connection, "Flurry, how's your horn?"

He brought a hoof up to his head, carefully running it up the crack, "It's going to hurt, but I should be able to contact Gold now."

"Are you sure?" I asked, "I don't want you getting any worse than you already are."

"I'm sure. If we don't contact them, they won't find us without attracting more dogs."

"Battle," the brown unicorn trotted over as Steel took his place as lookout, "Think you can dull the pain for Flurry while he contacts Gold?"

"Yeah, but it won't be completely effective." he lit his horn and prepared the spell.

I put my hand on Flurry's shoulder, "Alright buddy, it's on you. Whenever you're ready."

He took a few deep breaths, before lighting his own horn. He winced as the aura surrounded it, and sparks of magic sputtered out of the crack, but his face relaxed slightly as Battle cast his own spell. The gel managed to do its job well, and after ten seconds of silence, Flurry managed to concentrate enough to send out a signal.

"Gold, this is Element 0-5, come in."

Almost immediately, I started hearing a voice that didn't belong to my squad, "0-5, this is Go... ...read you."

I looked over a Flurry, "You ok?"

He was panting, and I could see sweat through his coat, "It's... difficult to keep a connection. We'll have to... make this quick, sir."

I tried again to contact them, this time using Flurry as a bridge, "Gold, if you can read me, the convoy was a trap. We're hiding in a wadi at map grid 244352. We have two wounded, including myself, classed P3. Requesting extraction."

"Roger 0-5," said the pony talking to us, "Aerial transport... ...the way. ETA..."

Before the pony could tell us how long we had to wait, the connection wavered and Flurry collapsed in the dirt, breathing heavily.

"Quick Flurry," I lifted him up and made him make eye contact with me, "Are you alright?"

"S-Sorry sir," he said between breaths, "My horn got the better of me,"

I patted him on the shoulder, "You did good. Just get some water down your throat and catch your breath."

He did as instructed, and I looked over the edge of the wadi, scanning for threats. I heard Flurry's breathing slowly go down, and Battle's voice as he checked his horn again.

"So what do we do Dutch?" Shadow asked, agitation in his voice, "Any idea how long it'll take for them to get here?"

"No, but they're coming. Just sit tight, wait for the ship."

We sat in the wadi, waiting, for thirty minutes, keeping our eyes on the ground and in the sky, looking for dogs or the ship. As time went on, we became more and more paranoid from the total silence around us. We kept our senses by each taking water breaks when we weren't keeping lookout. Flurry had volunteered to watch as well, but seeing as he couldn't use his horn, he would have no offensive capabilities if dogs attacked.

Suddenly, Hammer's ears perked up. He sat up straighter and shouldered his crossbow, "Sir, I think something's happening."

"Can you see the ship?" I asked.

"No Captain. I can feel something in the earth. There's something below us."

That wasn't good. Earth ponies have a natural connection with the land, and Hammer was too professional to pull jokes, especially at a time like this.

"Stand to, stand to." I said. Everyone was up on the ridge of the wadi immediately, their eyes scanning the desert. After a few minutes, I started hearing a faint rumbling in the ground. There was no denying it now. They had found us.

"Contact front!" Battle shouted.

Half a dozen had Diamond Dogs erupted out of the ground fifty metres away, armed to the teeth and swiveling their heads, taking in their surroundings.

"Take 'em down!" I ordered. We quickly opened fire, catching two as they turned to face us, while the others jumped behind some rocks. One of the dogs let out a howl, and the rumbling under our feet started again.

"I think he just called his friends." Steel shouted.

"They've been looking for us," I replied, "Be ready to fall back if this get ugly."

The dogs started peering over the rocks and firing their crossbows at us. We ducked as an explosive bolt sailed over our heads and took a chunk out of the opposite side of the wadi. As two of them kept us pinned, the other pair moved forward, taking cover at another section of rocks closer to us.

These guys are smart. They've been trained, I thought as the pair fired from their new position. The rumbling under our feet reached its peak, and more dogs burst out of the sand.

"I'm counting at least fifteen dogs, sir." Flurry shouted, "Scratch that, make it twenty!"

This was too much. Outnumbered and outgunned, we needed to move, "Fall back! Move through the wadi. Battle, on me, we'll keep Flurry covered."

While Shadow, Steel and Hammer fired at the dogs, we ran further along the riverbed, stopping by a collection of rocks and turning to give the others covering fire. They started moving as soon as they heard Battle and I firing. They shot past up and around the corner, taking up a position behind us to cover our retreat. When they started firing at the dogs again, we ran past them and took up another position further behind them. It was basic fire and maneuver, and I hoped it worked long enough for us to get away.

We ran for almost a mile, and the dogs didn't let up throughout; every time I confirmed a kill, there seemed to be one to replace it. At one point, my rifle gave a click, and I saw a casing caught in the mechanism. I had to fall back before I could clear it, and by then I was running low on rounds. I was beginning to wonder if it was actually going to end, when all of a sudden, it did just that. I turned to face the dogs, but none of them came. After the noise of the contact, the wadi became deathly silent. I tested the ground beneath me, to find we were back on top of rocks. The dogs couldn't dig through to us.

"Form up, all round defence."

We regrouped and formed a circle facing outwards. I took Flurry and Battle into the middle and said, "Flurry, I need you to get through to Gold again, let them know we had to relocate."

He nodded, and gritted his teeth as he readied himself. I looked at Battle, who nodded too.

"3, 2, 1, now."

Both unicorns sparked their horns up at the same time. While they did this, I tried to contact the FOB, "Gold, Element 0-5, come in."

"Roger 0-5, we read you."

"Be advised, primary LZ has been compromised. We're holding position roughly several hundred metres south, awaiting new pickup."

There was a moment of silence, before a new voice came on, "Element 0-5, this is Commander Ironhoof. That area is inside enemy territory. There's no way we can pick you up there without attracting more attention. Wait until nightfall, then move to grid 239517. There will be an airship waiting for you there."

I found the location on the map, but had to question that order. That couldn't have been right, "Sir, that's more than 15 miles east of here. We're in no condition for long range walking."

"There's no other option, Captain. You're a Royal Guard, act like it. Gold out."

I heard nothing else, and Flurry dropped the spell, breathing hard again. I took another look at the map, before sighing and pulling out my compass.

"What's the plan, boss?" Battle asked.

"If the dogs are chasing us, it'll be better to move fast," I said as I looked east, "We'll move as the crow flies and make it a straight shot across the desert. If we're lucky, we'll get there in good time. Until then, Steel and Flurry, get some rest, we'll take turns to watch every hour."

By 2230 hours, it was dark, with a clear sky and a half moon. Visibility was decent, and I could see at least 100 metres in front of me. However, as there were no clouds to hold the sun's heat, the temperature dropped like a rock, and I was beginning to shiver. If we didn't move now, hypothermia would set in, and that was not something I wanted to experience again.

"Right," I said, standing up, "Let's move out." I took point, with Shadow behind me, Flurry in the middle, then Battle, Steel and Hammer taking up the rear. I don't know why I decided to take the lead with my wounds. Maybe I just wanted to get out of this hellhole badly enough to ignore them. Checking my compass and making sure we were heading east, we set off, walking for our lives into the night.

We must have walked for at least two hours, and the terrain hadn't changed one bit. As far as the eye could see, it was still flat, featureless desert. As we walked, I thought back on my call with Ironhoof. It seemed odd that he would tell us to move such a distance, with wounded, to an extraction point. But I didn't know how far we had gone into enemy territory. If they tried to send the ship again, the dogs might shoot it down, then we'd be in a bigger mess.

Every now and then, to make sure everyone was still with me, I would call back to the rest of the squad, "You ok?" which would usually be answered with, "We're fine," or "Yes sir." At one point, I heard Flurry shout, "I'm freezing my flank off, but otherwise I'm fine!" which resulted in laughter from everyone else, and a bit of warmth against the cold.

But it didn't last long, and within minutes, we were shivering again, trying to move as much as possible to keep ourselves warm. After another ten minutes I heard Hammer shout, "Sir, I can feel them underneath us again."

I brought us to a halt and knelt down. Maybe our walking attracted them, and if we kept still, they'd pass underneath us without incident. Fortunately, that's exactly what happened, and as soon as Hammer gave us the all clear, we set off again at an even faster pace.

By now, visibility had gotten a little better as the moon rose higher, but the temperature dropped even further. By now I was focusing less on my squad and more on the route in front of us. I told myself that they would keep up and cover their sectors.

But then, disaster hit us without warning.

We'd been walking for some time since I had last called back to the rest of the squad, and something off to my side caught my eye. I couldn't make out what it was, but I didn't want to find out, and my pace quickened at the thought of it being a dog. I spotted a dune further up ahead, and made my way towards it. The high ground would give us more of a vantage point to survey the ground ahead of us. When I reached the foot of the hill, I turned round to tell the others what we were doing.

I saw Shadow behind me, approaching with his head hanging... but no one else.

Panic gripped me, and I said, "Where the fuck is everyone else?!"

Shadow looked around too, albeit a little sluggishly, and said, "I... I don't know Dutch. I thought they were right here."

Looking around frantically, I said, "Let's get to the high ground, fast."

I took one last look at the dark object, decided it was a rock, and began to climb the dune. When I reached the top, I stepped over the other side and sat down just below the ridge. I tried contacting them with the spell, but there was no answer. I began to wonder how we had separated so badly that we were already out of range, and if Flurry's horn was damaged, he wouldn't hear us either, even with his larger field of detection.

Shadow sat down next to me and shakily pulled out his canteen. After a few mouthfuls, he lay down against me like he was dead. While he rested, I kept scanning the ground below us, hoping... praying that I would see four dark figures trudging through the darkness. Ponies - especially one as big as Hammer - should have been easy to spot, but I couldn't see anything. It was like the desert had just swallowed them up.

A gust of wind came over the dune, and I felt Shadow shake violently next to me, followed by a quiet voice, "Dutch... can we rest for a sec? I'm just... really tired."

That wasn't good. I had felt like falling asleep back in the forest, and I had frozen to death. But I couldn't ignore him, or he would just pass out. I had to find somewhere which would provide a temporary shelter.

As if fate had thrown a rope, I spotted a small circle of rocks surrounding what looked to be the remains of an oasis. I roused Shadow from his state of tiredness and pointed at the oasis, "See that patch of rocks there? We're going to go down there. Then you can rest for a bit."

"Why do we need to go down there? Can't we just rest here."

"No we can't Shadow. There's no shelter up here. If we stay here, we'll freeze."

Slowly, he nodded, and got to his hooves. Making sure he was by my side instead of behind me, we made our way to the rocks. I gave Shadow constant words of motivation as we moved. Once we were in the shelter of the rocks, I pulled him towards me and wrapped my good wing around us. Shadow's wings were frozen stiff, and I hoped what little body warmth I still had would help him through cuddling in.

Things had gone from bad to worse now. It was just two of us left now. One was pretty much out of the game, and the other didn't want to play. My gun was probably damaged from the stoppage, and a crossbow wouldn't do much in a major attack.

I needed to find something to keep Shadow's spirits up, "Hey Shadow,"

"Y-Yeah?"

"Yours and Fluttershy's child... did you decide on a name yet?"

I could hear his teeth chattering as he tried to remember, "W-We d-did. Morning... Morning Dew if it was a filly. If it was a colt..." he paused, "...N-Nightstreak."

"Those are good names, Shadow," I said, forcing a smile on my face. I couldn't tell if he was smiling too.

"T-Thanks Dutch."

We stayed that way for only thirty minutes, but it felt like hours, before I figured that we needed to start walking again before we froze. Pulling my wing back in, Shadow curled up in my arms, and I shook him awake.

"Shadow, we need to get moving again."

"W-What?"

"We need to keep moving east, towards the extraction. They're still waiting for us."

"Alright," he stood up again, even slower than before, and said, "Just... give me a minute."

He then proceeded to start digging a hole in the sand.

"Shadow, what the hell are you doing?"

"Burying my crossbow," he replied, as if it was common knowledge, "It's too heavy, I can't carry it anymore. The dogs might find it if I just leave it."

"You've got to carry it Shadow."

"I can't."

I sighed, "Then I'll take it." I took the crossbow out of his hooves and put the sling around my neck so that it hang down my back. Giving Shadow a nudge and checking my compass, I checked which way was east and set off again.

As we walked, Shadow's condition continued to deteriorate. In all honesty, I was doing pretty crap myself, but Shadow needed my attention. If I could just keep him moving, he might keep his body temperature up enough to last until morning.

The moon was beginning to descend now, and I knew it would only be a few more hours until the sun replaced it. I was frequently checking my compass, and making corrections if it was pointing a little off. I heard Shadow, who was starting to lag behind again, calling me, "Dutch, you've gotta slow down. I... I need a rest."

I turned and let him catch up, "Shadow, we can't rest, We've got to keep moving, see if we can keep ourselves warm."

I kept walking, but no matter how slow I went, Shadow would continue to lag behind. He insisted I wait for him every time, and eventually, the cold got to me. I felt horrible for what I was about to do, but I felt it was necessary. I started using shock tactics.

I turned and gripped him by his shoulders, shaking him to his senses, "Shadow, if you don't keep fucking moving, you'll never see Fluttershy again. Think about your foal. He'll never see his dad. Now get a grip and start moving."

"Listen," he said, "I just want to go to sleep. I'm so tired, just... give me a few minutes."

I shook my head, "Shadow, we can't stop. If we stop out here, we are going to fucking die. Do you get that? We'll freeze to death, and no one will know."

We carried on walking for a bit, before I heard Shadow calling me again, "Dutch!"

"What?"

"My hooves have gone black!"

Frostbite! My own hands had gone slightly numb from the cold, but Shadow needed his hooves to walk. I went back to him to see him sat on his haunches, staring at his forelegs.

"They're black! They're bucking black!" he almost shouted, his voice shaking with fear.

I took them in my hands and had a look. They were cold as ice, but as I parted the fur, I couldn't see any black skin, just pink flesh. I realised he was delirious, and was mistaking his dark coat for frostbite. Despite this, I tore off part of my sleeve and cut it into two strips. It took longer than I wanted it too, but I managed to wrap them round his hooves.

"There, that should warm them up a bit, now let's go."

We started walking again. The strips of cloth on Shadow's hooves seemed like it had worked, but he was still in a very bad way. In order to keep him moving, I tried alternating between good cop and bad cop. One moment I'd say, "Get a grip!" and then five minutes later I'd be going, "Just keep going. Everything's going to be fine."

I lost track of time as we walked, but it probably hadn't been more than 20 minutes since he thought he had frostbite. My compass was still acting up, telling me we were going one way, then another the next time I checked it, even though I was certain we were moving in a straight line. It was starting to piss me off.

"Dutch."

...

"Dutch!"

That wasn't Shadow's voice. I looked down to see Valiant walking alongside me. He didn't seem to be affected by the cold, and it angered me that he looked so calm and healthy.

"What do you want?"

"I need you to look behind you, Dutch."

"Why?!"

Valiant's brow furrowed, "Just do it, Douglas!"

With a huff of annoyance, I stopped and turned around. A shiver that wasn't from the cold slowly crawled up my spine.

Shadow was gone.

AnonJ17, thank you for letting me do this. I owe you.

Chapter 47: Echoes of the Desert

Shadow was gone.

I stood dumbfounded for a few seconds, staring out into an open desert, before the severity of the situation hit me, and my brain kicked back into gear.

I stumbled back in the direction I had come from, hoping that I would see his silhouette in the darkness. How could I have lost him? He’d been right behind me a few minutes ago, hadn't he? In my frozen state, I had lost all sense of time. Five minutes out here could feel like thirty, and vice versa.

“Dutch, we have to keep moving,” Valiant said, “We’re dead if we stay out here.”

“No! He just fell behind, he must have.” I said angrily.

I started to follow the tracks I had made in the sand, following them in the hopes of finding Shadow. Naturally, I was worried, but I also felt angry at Valiant for suggesting that I move on without him. Where the sand was lying, it was easy to follow my footprints, but there were long stretches of bare rock which had been blown clear of sand. When I reached them, I had to scout around and find where my tracks started again. It was now that I realised how much I had been veering about as I walked. I had been zigzagging all over the place.

After 20 minutes there was still no sign of Shadow, and I was beginning to get desperate. I began calling as loud as I dared into the night, “Shadow! Where are you?”

I could see a reasonable distance because of the moonlight, but I suddenly realised that my quest was hopeless. The truth hit me with a jolt: it had been at least 35 minutes since I had last seen him, and I had no idea where he could have gone. He might have gone to the left; he might have gone to the right. There was even a chance that he had started walking backwards.

But the one the seemed the most likely was that he’d lain down in a hollow or a cave and gone to sleep. It had been all he had wanted to do for a while - stop and get his head down. If he had curled up somewhere out of the wind, I could spend all night walking in circles looking and never find him, probably killing myself in the process.

“…Valiant,” I said, “I’m making a decision. I’m going to turn around and leave him.”

There was no reply from my spiritual companion, so I added, “Fuck it, I’ll take the responsibility for it. I've got to leave him, or I’ll kill the pair of us.”

I sighed, “I... I hope you don’t think less of me because of this.”

“No,” replied Valiant after a few seconds, “As horrible as it sounds, this is the right decision.”

The right decision? That didn't make it any easier, but I saw no alternative. For some reason, my mind went back to the hikes I had done on Earth. It was almost always in forests or on small mountains. If the weather had gotten bad there, we could always find the cover of some trees or even a building to hide in until it got better.

But out here there was nothing of the sort. Nowhere to go, nowhere to escape the howling winds and freezing cold, nowhere to rest and warm myself up, nowhere to find food. A part of me began to say that if the weather carried on like this and was the same by morning, I would be dead too. There would be no way to keep my body temperature up if the sun didn’t show in time, and with nothing to light a fire with. With a heavy heart, I turned round and continued walking, leaving Shadow Breeze on his own.

“...Fucking hell.”

The lone Pegasus wandered through the desert. His head hung low to the ground, and his hooves moved automatically. He mumbled to himself deliriously as he trudged on.

“Gotta find somewhere... somewhere warm.”

“You will,” whispered a quiet, female voice, “You’re almost there.”

He carried on through the sand, not looking where he was going, only focusing on the steam coming out of his mouth, making patterns in the air. Suddenly, the bone-chilling wind stopped, causing the Pegasus to halt in confusion, and use a great deal of strength to raise his head.

On either side of him were walls of rock, which rose above him and connected in a curved motion. As he entered the empty cave, he felt himself warm up slightly, which caused a raise in his morale. He ventured deeper, and thought he could make out a silhouette in the darkness. As he got closer, it revealed itself to be a pony, with a pair of delicate wings on its side. He moved closer still, and when he was standing right next to it, he could make out the pale yellow coat and long, pink mane.

“…Fluttershy?” he asked weakly at the figure.

“It’s ok Shadow,” said the pony, “You’re safe now.”

“What are you doing here?” he whispered, sinking to his knees, “How did you get here?”

“Shh, it’s ok,” Fluttershy cooed, placing a hoof on Shadow’s cheek, “You need to get some rest. You've been walking for so long.”

“Yeah... yeah, I do,” Shadow said, nodding. He walked to the wall of the cave and rested against it, going limp as he let his body relax. Fluttershy slowly walked over and joined him, singing him a short lullaby she had once shown him as she lay on the ground in his hooves.

“Hush now, quiet now,
It’s time to lay your sleepy head.
Hush now, quiet now,
It’s time to go to bed.”

Shadow Breeze sighed as the song he heard in his mind calmed him further. He wrapped his hooves around the empty air and pulled the hallucination closer. As his heart rate slowed, and the last few puffs of steam left his nostrils, he smiled, and closed his eyes.

"I love you, Fluttershy."

My only hope was to get off the high ground and into warmer air. Gradually, as I continued through the desert, I did seem to be descending. I never went down any steep gradients, but all the same, it felt as if I was losing height. I hoped to God that Shadow was doing the same; that he would find somewhere warmer than up here to stop and rest, then wake up in the morning.

When the temperature of the air became slightly more tolerable, I took a knee and checked my map again. Realising I was in an exposed position; I looked around and saw a small hollow nearby. I walked over and sat down in it, only to find it was filled with mud. Somehow, in the middle of the desert, I’d chosen to hide in something equivalent to a bog.

The mud came up to my knees, and as well as weighing me down, made me feel even colder in the freezing night. I took a deep breath, and tried to force it out of my mind, reminding myself that sunrise was only a few hours away.

The entire time I was sat there, I wondered and worried about Shadow. I hoped against hope that, like me, he had come down off the high ground and found a warmer place. But deep down, in a small part of my heart, something told me he was dead. I imagined him lying in down in a hole in the sand, falling asleep, and drifting away, without any pain or knowledge of what was happening. At the back of my mind I kept hoping that I would see the rest of the patrol suddenly appear - that I’d hear one of them say something and they’d walk up and join me inside this little hollow.

I did a review of the map inside that hollow, trying to work out how far I’d gone, and more importantly, where the hell I was. There were no landmarks around me to get a decent figure, and it was getting dark again as the moon lowered, but I knew that I’d been moving for almost five hours. Some of that time had been spent laying up, as well as backtracking looking for Shadow. Eventually, I managed to work out my position to within a few klicks, and estimated that I had walked about 20 miles.

This made me both confused and panicked. Surely I would have at least heard the airship, let alone seen it. I pulled out my compass to try and create another route, but something was wrong. No matter which way I pointed the compass, it never changed which way it pointed, as if everywhere was north.

Then I realised what I had done. I’d kept the compass too close to my rifle. The metal that made up the weapon had screwed up the compass’ magnetic field, rendering it completely useless. My heart then skipped a beat when I realised that because of this, I could be pretty much anywhere.

Ok, keep calm, I told myself, If you panic, you’re dead. Taking a moment to calm down, I took another look at the map. There were a few small settlements south of where I had initially guessed I was. When the sun rose, I could figure out which way was south and start walking towards them. It was a long shot, but I was pretty much out of options at this point.

I drank some water from my canteen, and suddenly realised how hungry I was. I hadn't eaten since yesterday afternoon, almost 16 hours ago. Seeing as it would have been a short mission, I hadn't taken any rations with me either. I probably wouldn't be long before my body began using fat reserves to generate energy.

After another hour of waiting inside the hollow, I felt a heat on the back of my neck, and looked round to see the first few inches of the sun peeking out over the horizon. Seeing the sun behind me surprised me even more. Had I been walking west this whole time?

When daylight eventually came at 0530, I managed to look myself over properly for the first time since I’d started walking. I found that the mud I’d collected from the hollow had dried on me, aided by my body heat. My clothes were cold and stiff, and were covered in ice crystals, as if I’d left them out on a frosty night. Looking up, I saw that the sky was clear and blue, and thought, Thank god, at least the weather’s going to be alright now.

When the sun had risen higher, and the entire desert was lit up, I felt the heat begin to return to the air. Feeling that gave me such a surge in energy and morale, and probably saved my life. A few more cold, windy hours in the hollow and I probably would have fallen unconscious and never come round. The heat wasn't scorching just yet, but it was definitely preferable to the cold.

Before leaving the hollow, I took check of my inventory. My canteen was one third full, and my rifle was still in working condition. I only had eight rounds left though; I was going to have to use them sparingly if I came under contact, as Shadow had kept his quiver of bolts, leaving me with only one shot from his crossbow.

When I was done with that, I climbed out of the hollow and walked with the sun on my left, heading south. I tried to think of other things while I walked to try and take my mind off my aching feet and hunger pains. Funnily enough, I began to wonder what would have happened if I hadn't ended up in Equestria, and began to talk out loud. The sound of my own voice gave me comfort.

“How did I end up in the middle of this desert? I was supposed to be in the Royal Engineers, building bridges, before blowing them up five minutes later. I had everything planned out: move to Canada and find a wife who didn't want me for money or sex; live in a house in the country with a nice German car; give words of wisdom to my grandchildren when I got old. Actually, scratch that, getting old sounds crap.”

I laughed at the last remark.

After walking for God knows how long, I came across a small cave. By now, it had been about 24 hours since I’d slept, and I was absolutely knackered from walking throughout the night. My feet had probably gained blisters, and the ice on my clothes had melted, dampening them and making me feel cold again.

I yawned at the sight of the cave, and something told me I would be safe here until I’d gotten rid of at least some of this sleep deprivation. I walked inside, making sure it was actually empty, and set my rifle against the wall of the cave. Before letting myself completely relax, however, I decided to broadcast a message as a last ditch attempt to contact someone.

“This is Captain Dutch Jones of the Equestrian Royal Guard, sending an SOS to anyone who is receiving this,” I said slowly, “We were conducting a mission against the Diamond Dogs in the Sawtooth Cliffs. We were ambushed; my squad is missing, possibly killed in action. I’m taking shelter in a cave somewhere north of one of the settlements near the pony/griffin border. If there is anybody out there, I need assistance. Captain Jones, out.”

With that, I sat down against the wall of the cave and lay my rifle across my lap, ready to use if I needed to, along with Shadow’s crossbow next to me. I closed my eyes to simply relax, but sleep deprivation had got to me worse than I thought. Without even realising it, I fell asleep in the warm light of the sun.

Commander Ironhoof was not in a good mood.

One of his patrols was missing in action, including their commanding officer. As much as he didn't like the human, he was still a Captain, and he was his responsibility. Besides, the deaths of five ponies and a human under his command would not look good on his resume.

More importantly for him was the fact that the target convoy was destroyed. Countless amounts of gems, weapons and possible intelligence - if that’s what you could call it coming from Diamond Dogs - had gone up in smoke, thanks to the Captain. If he had kept his spindly, prying fingers off the cargo they wouldn't be in this mess.

But worst of all, he was cranky. He’d been up all night writing reports of the failed mission, and he’d sworn to himself he’d never drink coffee again. One report for the generals, one for First Captain Shining Armour, one for each of the princesses.

Stupid princesses...

There was a knock on the door, breaking the commander out of his thoughts, “Enter.”

The door opened, and Major Wingfleet trotted in. Before he had even come to a halt and saluted, Ironhoof said, “Whatever you’re about to say better be good news Major.”

“Well... I've got good news and bad news sir.”

“Yes?”

“The good news is that the patrol managed to reach the extraction point. The airship is on its way back to Gold.”

“And the bad news?” Ironhoof asked, resting his head on a hoof.

“Only four of them arrived, sir. Captain Jones and Guardsman Shadow Breeze are still MIA.”

“What?” Ironhoof asked, “What in Celestia’s name do you mean ‘only four’?! You mean to tell me that two Royal Guards are still out there?”

“The patrol was separated, sir.” Wingfleet explained, “Weather conditions degraded quickly after night fell. The extraction team reported strong winds and temperatures of -30 degrees. They were essentially in a blizzard of sand.”

Ironhoof groaned and rubbed a hoof on his face, as if he was pinching the bridge of his nose, “Alright. Debrief the four patrol members and prepare a search party ASAP. We’ll start at the target convoy and work our way from there depending on what they tell us.”

“Sir, requesting permission to join the search team.” Wingfleet said.

“Denied, Major. I still need you at Gold for command purposes.” Ironhoof saw Wingfleet’s eyes narrow, a sign of anger, “I understand your attachment to the Captain. For that reason, you will be in charge of communications with the rescue team. You’re too high of an officer to lose in the field.”

Wingfleet visibly relaxed with relief, “Yes sir.” He promptly saluted and exited the office.

Ironhoof watched him go, and sighed as the door closed, “It’s going to be a long day.”

"Alpha! I find something, come quick!"

A group of Diamond Dogs ran over to another dog, who was pointing frantically at something curled up on the ground, in the shelter of the cave, "Over here Alpha!"

When the Alpha got closer, he managed to make out a shape of its body. It was a biped, with clothing covering most of its body, and pockets lining its waist. Round its body was a pair of slings, one of which carried a crossbow, while the other was tied to a black object that had a cylinder at one end.

But that wasn't what the Alpha was most interested in. The clothing it wore was camouflaged to the desert, and almost had a military appearance to it. If he had to take a guess, this creature was some sort of soldier.

He looked at one of the beta dogs next to him, and made a simple gesture to the creature. The beta nodded, and started prodding it with his spear. The creature tensed and tried to move away from the spear in its sleep, before slowly waking up. It paused as it took in its surroundings, before its eyes widened at the sight of the dogs.

Immediately, it tried to reach for the black object it was carrying, but the Alpha was quicker, and brought a fist down on its face. Diamond Dogs were known to be surprisingly strong, Alphas even more so, and the result was immediate. The creature slumped against the rock, dazed, blinking furiously to try and dispel the stars in its vision. The Alpha brought its fist up again, and this time it connected just behind its eye.

As the creature went limp and lost consciousness, the Alpha turned to his pack-mates, "Bring it with us. If we can't get information, it will serve us in the mines. Coris, take his belongings."

The beta who had woken the creature picked it up and slung it over his shoulder. Meanwhile, a blue-furred omega picked up the black object and the crossbow, putting them both over his head.

The Alpha stood out in the open and a fresh gust of wind hit him in the face, "We must go. I smell a storm coming."

At his command, the dogs began digging at the ground and burrowed down into their network of tunnel systems, taking the new creature with them.

Chapter 48: A Light Amongst the Darkness

Captain Bright Skies stood by a window of the airship, looking down onto the charred wreck of the convoy. All this trouble because of those three wagons? It almost hadn't seemed worth the effort to ambush them.

The airship passed over the wreckage and headed towards the wadi to the south that Dutch had reported they had been holding their position in. As the wadi got closer, the airship descended. With a heavy thump, it hit the ground, and Bright Skies was out in a second, closely followed by the rest of her squad.

“Gold, this is Star 1, we've arrived at the wadi.”

“Copy, Star 1,” came Wingfleet’s voice, “The last transmission from Captain Jones was from that area. That was almost 18 hours ago. Proceed east towards the LZ and report any signs of the Captain’s location. If you find Captain Jones or Guardsman Shadow Breeze, report in, and we’ll send an airship for extraction. Good luck.”

“Solid copy, Star 1 out.”

The squad got in formation and entered the wadi, making their way forward and looking for signs of the patrol. It wasn't long before they had found them: scorch marks, crossbow bolts, and small, brass tubes that Bright Skies knew came out of Dutch’s weapon. She followed the signs of battle until one of the ponies behind her called out. Trotting over to where he stood, Bright Skies saw horseshoe prints in the sand that hadn't come from her squad, along with the longer, patterned imprint of boots.

Searching around the area of the prints, the search and rescue team managed to find signs of disturbed earth and rock leading up to the rim of the wadi. Bright Skies followed them onto the open plains and sighed as they disappeared, blown away by the wind.

She checked her compass, making sure it was pointing east, before looking back out at the desert and sighing, “I guess we're going this way,” she mumbled. Getting lost wasn't an issue; each of them had been given enchanted gems that showed their location on a map back at Gold, and the range was fairly impressive.

She gave a few hoof-signals to her squad before climbing out of the wadi and setting out across the desert, determined to find the lost patrol.

The first thing I noticed as I woke up was the distinct lack of light. Almost immediately, my mind began racing. Had I overslept? How would I know which way to go now?

I tried to sit up, but winced when I felt a throbbing pain on my jaw. It felt like someone had hit me with an iron pole. As I began to look at my surroundings, my heart rate spiked, and I became on edge. The walls were darker than they had been, and there was no sign of the entrance. The only thing I could see was a dim orange light through cracks in a door.

The bitter truth hit me like a brick wall. I’d been captured.

My hands had been bound tightly by thick rope. I began panicking over what the Diamond Dogs would do to me. Torture was something I didn't want to think about. They had been taking slaves recently, so maybe that was what would happen; they’d send me to work in their mines. Or they might just kill me because I was with the ponies. For some reason, between torture and death, the latter seemed preferable.

I looked myself over, and found that the dogs had stripped me of my possessions. My shirt, armour, boots and weapons were gone, as well as the bandage covering my face. Luckily, I was still wearing my trousers, and the resistance I felt in my broken wing told me that the other bandage was still there. It must have been camouflaged in the white of the feathers.

My pockets had been emptied too. My busted Ipod and webbing had been removed. Frantically, I put my hand against my other pocket, and sighed with relief; they hadn't found the photo of my friends.

Before I could inspect it, there was a heavy clunk of metal, and the door the light had been leaking through opened. All I could see was the silhouette of a Diamond Dog, looking down at me. He turned his head and barked into the room he had just left, before walking over and picking me up.

He dragged me into the other room and tossed me on the ground. I could sense the presence of other dogs around me, and I heard one pair of feet come to a halt just in front of my head.

“You are an interesting find,” said the owner of the feet, “I was almost unsure of what to do with you when we found you.”

A pair of arms grabbed my shoulders and lifted me to my knees. I looked up to see what I assumed was the Alpha of this pack. His coat was a chestnut brown, and his chest was a bronze colour. His arms were long, and about a thick as tree trunks with muscle bulging under every inch of skin. His face had a wolfish grin plastered on it.

“You seem to me like some sort of soldier. You’re certainly equipped like one,” he continued, “Some of the other packs said they saw something like you working with those ponies.”

He grabbed my jaw and pulled me closer, “Why are you out here? You had a mission didn't you? What was it?”

I said nothing. If these dogs were looking for answers, they definitely weren't going to get them from me. The only thing I did was match the Alpha’s icy stare.

“You know keeping silent won’t help you,” the Alpha said, his voice softer, “Listen. If you help us, we can help you.”

So he was trying the soft approach? It still wouldn't change my decision. Even if I wanted to tell them, I wouldn't be much use to them after I’d given them what they wanted.

The Alpha sighed and stood up, “Very well. If you won’t give me what I want to know, I’ll simply have to force it out of you. Togin, fifty lashes, now!”

A Diamond Dog with ginger fur picked me up the rope on my wrists and dragged me over to a wooden post. He raised me up and set the ropes on some kind of hook, while another pair of dogs pulled my wings open, leaving me to hang with me bare back exposed. I winced as the broken limb was pulled, but tried to hide my pain. The last thing I needed was them finding a weakness they could exploit. I heard the sound of something swishing through the air, before the whip cracked against my back.

I had to admit, it stung like a bitch.

Nevertheless, I told myself that they would have to try a lot harder than that. Each lash came as viciously as the last, but I closed my eyes, clenched my teeth and kept telling myself that there would be an end to it soon. I felt warm tears of pain rolling down my cheeks, the salt stinging the cuts on my face.

Eventually, the lashings stopped, and I was lifted off the hook. It took everything I had to stay standing, but a forceful shove from ‘Togin’ knocked back onto the ground. My back felt like it had been burned, and the air felt cool on the parts where the skin was tender or split.

“We will continue this until you tell us,” the Alpha said, “We can make it end right now. I don’t understand why you won’t say anything.”

I rose to my knees and looked up at the Alpha. He had a look of slight impatience on his face, and I decided to insult him further. I managed to force a grin at him, before collecting a ball of saliva and spitting at the Alpha’s feet.

The Alpha recoiled slightly, before wrapping a paw around my throat and lifting me to my feet. I could feel his claws digging into my neck as he snarled and backhanded me across the face, rupturing the deep cuts I’d sustained from the shrapnel. My symbol of disrespect had only resulted in more pain, but the fact that the spit had landed on the Alpha’s foot made it totally worth it.

The Alpha had some strength behind his strike, and in my dizzied state, I heard him whisper, “You will regret that,” before shouting at his packmates, “Put him in the mines, we might as well make him useful. And keep him alive, I want what he knows.”

A pair of dogs picked me up and dragged me out of the room. Fresh blood was running down my face, and my back was still burning, but, like everything else, I put it at the back of my mind and let myself get carried to wherever I was being taken. It was a few minutes before I was let go, and I could hear what I assumed were other slaves muttering as I picked myself up.

“Look at this fresh meat,” said a voice above me. Great, only five words out of this guy’s mouth and I’m already not liking him. I slowly looked around at the other slaves around me. They consisted of Diamond Dogs and griffins. I didn't see any ponies, which somehow made me feel better.

“So what are you supposed to be?” said one of the slave dogs, who turned out to be the source of the first voice, “You look like some sort of shaved monkey to me.”

The rest of the group around me laughed, leading me to believe that they were simply cronies for this dog. I stared at him and said, “Piss off. I've got no time for you.”

“Oh ho, the monkey thinks he’s a tough guy.” the dog said with a smug grin.

I pushed him away, “Probably a damn sight tougher than you, fleabag.”

He seemed taken aback by my reply, but didn't back down, “What? Do you know who I am?”

“Do I look like I care?”

“Stupid creature. Don’t talk to me like that. The pack may be in charge, but down here, you belong to me.”

“Correction,” I said through gritted teeth, “I belong to no one, and I’ll talk however I want to you. Now why don’t you run along with your little posse and get the hell out of my face.”

The dog the seemed to be the leader of this little group made a swing at me. It was slow and telegraphed, and it took no effort to block it. Angered that he had missed, he tried again. This time, instead of blocking, I ducked under it and flattened my palm before chopping into his neck, under the jaw. I hoped my knowledge of the human anatomy had also passed over into Equestria.

It seemed to work. As soon as my hand made contact, the dog went rigid and collapsed into the dirt. He lay there for a few seconds, before blinking a few times with a look of shock and confusion on his face. As he tried to get his senses back, I brought my foot down on his muzzle for good measure.

“And fucking stay down!”

Before I could revel in my small victory, I heard the crack of a whip, followed by a sharp pain across my back, along with a furry paw punching into my stomach. I joined the dog on the ground, wincing in pain.

“Creature not useful here. Will fight too much,” I heard a voice say, “Put him with freak-dog.”

“But those tunnels cursed,” said another dog, “We might not return.”

“Do it! Or I’ll rip out your tongues.” said a third voice, which I recognised as the Alpha, “I am in no mood for you whelps.”

A pair of strong paws picked me up on each arm and dragged me through the cave. As they carried me, I began to wonder who this ‘freak-dog’ was. If I was unlucky, it would be some stereotypical tough-guy that all prisons had. I began to imagine a ten-foot tall Diamond Dog that smashed people to a pulp if they so much as looked at them funny, and involuntarily shuddered.

If I was lucky... well, I didn't know how my luck could get much better right now.

After being dragged for a minute longer, I heard a door open, and one of the dogs carrying me shouted, “Freak! You have guest.” before tossing me in and slamming the door shut. The room was dimly lit, with a single lantern giving an orange glow to the walls.

There was a dull thud as something heavy was dropped, and I heard footsteps approaching. As I was expecting another pair of strong paws to grab me, I was surprised when they instead gently supported my arm and hoisted me to my feet. I blinked furiously as a drop of blood entered my eye.

“Relax. Take deep breaths, my friend,” said a calm voice. It was quiet, not a whisper like Fluttershy, but no louder than it needed to be. It also had what sounded like a slight Russian accent, “Your wounds tell me you have been put through many trials, but still, the Korral have little compassion for their prisoners.”

After resting my hands on my knees and regaining my breath, I raised my head to look at the source of the voice. At a glance, I would have dismissed the creature before me as a skinny Diamond Dog, but after my brain processed this dog’s appearance, I sensed that there was more to it than that.

Unlike the Diamond Dogs, who had large torsos, thick arms and short, stumpy legs, this dog looked more... human. His arms were a similar size to mine, and his legs were longer, with a human knee, but a canine ankle. The torso too, was a realistic size for the rest of his body. His back, ears and arms were a light shade of brown, while his face, chest, legs and the tip of his tail were white. He stood a few inches taller than me, and his face was sharp, with a long snout and ears that pointed up in the air. He wore a pair of tattered trousers, and I could see both muscle and bone under his skin on his chest.

As I collected myself, the door was opened again and a dog threw a mattock into the room. He looked at the both of us, simply said, “Dig.” and slammed the door behind him. My new cellmate returned to the opposite wall and picked up a pick of his own. He gave a few swings at the wall, before turning back to me, “It is not wise to ignore their orders.”

“Screw that!” I retorted, “I’m not doing shit for them.”

The dog raised his eyebrow at me, and said, “Judging by the tone of your voice, I will assume that you are refusing?”

“Yeah.” I growled.

He sighed, before looking back at the wall, “I may not know who or what you are, friend, but what I do know is that nobody in their right mind takes pleasure from pain. If you disobey orders, the Korral will lash you, and I doubt they will be as merciful as they were to you just now.”

After a moment of considering his words, I thought, Fuck it. Might as well play along, especially if it means less pain. I picked up the mattock and joined him by the wall. After watching his form, I raised it and began to chip away at the stone.

“So what are we looking for?” I asked, aggression still evident in my voice.

“The only thing they care for,” the dog replied calmly, not taking his eyes off the wall, “Gems. They have no preference of what you find, but you must have something to give to them by day’s end. If we have nothing, punishment can be severe.”

“Anything else they’ll lash us for?” I said.

“The list is too long to remember without experience, but many of them involve disrespecting the pack. Speaking without permission, disobeying orders, fighting. Never try to steal gems you find, that is a death sentence. There was a griffin who was brought here a month ago. He tried to hide a sapphire under his wing,” he suddenly sighed, “His remains were shared among the prisoners as a harsh reminder.”

I was surprised at how open this dog was being, and suddenly had a pang of guilt for shouting at him when I had been thrown in here. I looked over at him, and saw a hint of sadness on his face as he stared at the wall, slowly picking at the stone. It remained silent for a few minutes, and during that time I started to calm down. I chose my words carefully before deciding to speak again.

“Hey,” I said, “Sorry about my hostility just now. It’s been a rough few days, and I saw you and simply assumed you were just like them.” I gestured at the door, “I was too quick to judge, and for that, I apologise.”

The dog paused, before a small smile appeared, “Your sincerity is appreciated. And do not worry; the other prisoners have already related me to those traitors, though you are the first to make amends for it,” he put down his mattock and stuck a paw in my direction, “Perhaps we can start anew. My name is Kamots, of the Sandpaw clan.”

I shook his paw, “Dutch.”

He nodded before looking me up and down for a few seconds. When he realised I was still looking at him, he said, “Forgive me. You are a peculiar creature, and I have never seen something like you before.”

“That’s understandable,” I said, “My species is called the humans. There are only two of us, and we both live in Equestria. I’m not surprised you didn't know what I am.”

“Only two?” Kamots asked, confused, “What became of the rest of your kind?”

“They’re out there, somewhere,” I said, sitting down against the wall. I chose to avoid the explanation of them being in another plane of existence, “Further away than I can imagine. I don’t know what my family and friends are doing. I know they’re alive; we've kept in touch. But the last time I spoke to them, they told me to stop contacting them.”

“Why not go back to them?”

“It’s difficult to explain, but simply put, I can’t. I’m stuck here.”

“You miss them?”

“Of course. I've known them all my life.”

“I apologise,” Kamots asked, joining me as he sat down, “I should not have ventured that deep.”

“It’s fine,” I replied, “They told me to move on, not think about them with sadness. Maybe one day I will.”

Hoping to change the subject, I said, “What about you? You don’t strike me as an ordinary Diamond Dog.”

“You would relate me to the Korral?” Kamots asked, giving me a look of surprise and annoyance.

“Is that what you call the dogs?” I asked, “And to answer your question, you are both canine in appearance.”

“Hmph, I suppose,” he answered with a scoff, “My kind is called the Tymari. We live in the lands of Zebrica, east of your Equestria.”

“I suppose that explains why I haven’t seen one of you before either.” I said.

“Yes,” he said, “A long time ago, the Tymari were a proud and fierce race. We trained ourselves from birth to fight and defend our homes from anyone who tried to take away what was ours. Our armies were some of the strongest that ever existed. The males trained to be the best they could be, and passed that knowledge onto their sons, while the females raise and care for the children should the father leave or fall in battle.”

“You remind me of a group of ancient humans called Spartans,” I said. When I got a blank stare from Kamots, I said, “Don’t worry. That’s a good thing.”

He chuckled, and continued his story, “Well, that’s what it used to be. Everything changed 2000 years ago,” he paused, “There was a war. A terrible war with an enemy that matched our ancestors’ skill with sheer destructive power. They destroyed our armies, turned friends against each other, and drove the Tymari to the brink of extinction. If it were not for the intervention of your Equestrian princesses, I would not be standing here today.”

“Wait, Celestia and Luna saved your species?” I asked, amazed at such a history.

“They did. The stories of what they did have been passed down for generations, and we respect the ponies for their sacrifice.”

“How did your species recover? I've never known a sentient race to lose so many of its population.”

Kamots sighed, “We never truly did. Tymari females cannot give birth very often, and there are always the dangers of Zebrica’s deserts. Even now, I doubt that there is more than two million of my kind alive today.”

Christ, I thought, They must have really suffered, “So what happened after the war?”

“In the darkest hours of the war, when our forces were decimated, our ancestors took to hiding from our enemies. It was cowardly, to run and hide, but they had no choice. Caves and old mines became their greatest ally; they could conceal themselves in the darkness. After the war, some of our kind suggested they return to the surface, to begin anew. Most of the clans agreed, but there were others who wanted to stay. They were convinced there was no way back for our kind, that the world they knew was gone.

“They stayed, while the rest returned to the surface. The ones who stayed were wrong; our ancestors rebuilt what they had lost, and, despite everything we had sacrificed, we stood victorious. Even with this knowledge, the others remained underground, set in their ways. This was how it would be for the rest of time, and a life of living underground, crawling through the earth, twisted them into what they are now.”

“The Korral.” I concluded.

“Yes.”

“Have the Tymari ever tried to make peace?”

“Many times, but we have never been successful. They have forgotten their ancestry, what it means to be a Tymari. I do not care for them anymore. You heard their insults when they tossed you in here like a piece of meat; I am but a freak to them. ”

“Just because they treat you with contempt doesn't mean you should do the same.”

“You do not understand.” Kamots replied, “They do not share our wishes for peace. They care only for themselves; any contact from our kind has been met only with violence.”

As he finished his sentence, his ear twitched and he turned his head to the door. I hadn't heard anything, but Kamots had quickly jumped to his feet and grabbed his mattock.

“Get up, quickly!” he hissed. Not wanting to ignore sound advice, I picked up my mattock and began to chip at the wall again. Within seconds of me starting to dig again, the door opened and a Diamond Dog poked his head through. I could feel his eyes staring at me for a few seconds, before he grunted and closed the door.

“We should continue digging,” Kamots said, “We have wasted too much time talking.”

As nice as it was to talk to the only company I had, I had to agree with him. The lashing I’d received when I had woken up had hurt, and I was in no hurry to experience it again. Without further ado, I focused on the wall. Swinging the mattock sent painful jolts along my arms and back, and spending so long without food was taking its toll. I wondered how long I would be spending here. Maybe the Royal Guard were looking for the patrol, although I had no idea how far underground I was. It was likely that I wouldn't be found if I simply stayed here.

As the dogs had taken my watch, I had lost track of time. But it must have been about an hour before I managed to break off a large chunk of rock, revealing a small red stone.

“Hey Kamots, I think I've found something.”

He took a glance at the gem, and said, “Good. Use the tool in your pouch to remove the stone around it, then pull it out.”

I looked down to see a small pouch hanging from my trousers. I reached inside and took out a small piece of metal that ended in a thick, sharp hook. I began to scrape at the stone surrounding the gem, and was rewarded when it began to shift. After five minutes of this, I gave the gem a tug, and it came loose. It was a ruby, the size of a golf ball. When it was embedded in the stone it had looked dull and dirty, but now that it was out, it glimmered in the orange firelight.

“Put it in the sack with the others.” Kamots said. I opened a nearby sack and dropped it among a handful of other gems that I assumed Kamots had collected before I arrived.

“What’s the value of each gem?” I asked.

“Rubies like the one you found are common and considered petty, but still useful. Emeralds and sapphires hold more value to the Korral, though I do not know why. If you are fortunate enough to recover a diamond, however, you are rewarded, usually with extra food.”

Over the next few hours, we continued to dig at the wall of our cell, finding the odd gem to break up the monotony of swinging a mattock. It became a routine: dig, find gem, scrape gem out, continue digging. Without knowing what the time was, I had no idea how long I spent digging at the wall, but it seemed to go on forever. As time progressed, my hunger pains returned, and my mouth became dry from dehydration. But despite carrying such a heavy tool, I didn't see any sign of Kamots growing weary, and I became curious as to how long he had been here.

Eventually, after the blood on my face and back had dried into a crispy dark layer, we heard the sound of Diamond Dogs approaching. The door opened, and a pair of dogs stood in the doorway. Kamots dropped his pick and carried the gem-filled sack over to them. Without a word, the sack changed hands, and after a brief inspection of its contents, the dog holding it grunted to his packmate, who tossed a pair of small, dead animals on the ground, along with a sack filled with liquid and sealed with a cork. The grunted once more, before closing the door and locking it.

Kamots picked up the animals and the sack and made his way to the centre of the cell. Setting the items to one side, he reached into the pouch on his side and pulled out a handful of powder that glittered in the lantern’s light. He formed a small pile on the ground, before taking a pair of rocks from his pouch and striking them, creating sparks. The powder quickly burst into flames, and created a sizable fire, despite how small the pile was.

“A powder I have come across that the Korral do not care for,” he explained, “Come, eat your food while you still have time.”

I sat down next to the fire and picked up the dead animal. It was some sort of large rodent, which surprised me, seeing as I hadn't seen any forms of life during my time in the desert. Kamots had already begun to prepare his, using the scraping tool to skin and gut the animal. I copied his movements and slowly cut the skin off my meal. As the tool was designed for scraping loose rock rather than cutting flesh, the process was slow and messy. The smell became revolting in the small room too, but I tried to block it out by breathing through my mouth.

When the skin and organs had been removed, I dumped them in the corner of the cave on top of where Kamots had binned his, before skewering the animal with the tip of my mattock and holding it over the fire.

As our meals cooked, I said, “Kamots, why do the dogs think these tunnels are cursed?”

“Because they are.” he simply replied.

“Why? What goes on?” I asked. Surely he couldn't be talking about ghosts.

“There is something in these caves. It is… difficult to explain without seeing it. If we are fortunate, it may occur soon, and I won’t have to.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Just wait, my friend.”

Still confused, I simply shrugged and let my food continue to cook. The stench of animal guts was beginning to dissipate, being replaced by the smell of cooked meat. After that, it wasn't long before the animal looked ready to eat, and we became silent as I picked the meat off the bones. The rodent itself was tasteless, but the fire had given it a slightly smoky flavour. I wasn't going to complain; it had been a long time since I had last eaten meat, and the texture of another animal’s flesh almost brought a tear to my eye. I didn't realise just how much I had missed the stuff.

Kamots picked up the sack and pulled off its cork, drinking some of the contents before handing it to me. After taking a sniff, I found it to be water, and quickly drank a few mouthfuls, letting the warm liquid soothe my dry throat. It didn't drown my fears of being in this place, but it was better than nothing.

I finished the food and tossed the bones onto the fire, but suddenly, the air turned cold, and I shivered from the drastic change in temperature. Kamots was instantly alert, getting on his feet and darting to one side of the room.

“It seems I will not have to explain this curse on my own,” he said, his voice much more urgent than before, “Over here, quickly!”

I stood up and joined him by the wall, waiting with a mixture of anxiety, confusion, and fear. As I watched, a section of the wall began to darken. Slowly, it became completely black, as if something was casting a shadow, before it started to take a shape. After a few seconds, it formed a perfect shape of a griffin resting a spear on its shoulder. It stood still, as if standing guard, but I could see slight movements. It was as if some invisible being was casting a shadow against the wall, except that this shadow started at the foot of the wall, instead of the light of the fire.

“Who is that?” I asked, “Is that a griffin?”

“Yes,” Kamots whispered, “But I don’t think the word ‘who’ is applicable here.”

He slowly took a step closer, “You will have to move around it. Do not touch the shadow.”

I approached the shadow, and as I got closer, I realised something even creepier. The shadow wasn't being cast against the wall; it was appearing out of the ground, as if it was a whole being in itself. I watched the silhouette as it made a sharp right turn, march to the other side of the room, make an about turn and return to its original position.

“Is it aware of us?” I asked.

“No.” Kamots said, “But, as I said before, you must never touch one.”

“Why not?”

“Let me show you.”

Keeping his distance, Kamots moved to the pile of animal guts and picked up a handful of organs. As the shadow made another patrol, he tossed it in front of its path. The griffin carried on as normal, but when one of its feet touched the organs, there was a small flash of black light. A few seconds later, the guts turned black, and crumbled into a small pile of ash.

“And that’s how it goes, a live demonstration.” Kamots said, “There have been other slaves who have made this mistake. For a bigger object, it can take longer, sometimes hours, before the transformation occurs.”

The shadow of the griffin continued its patrol a few more times, before its head suddenly turned towards the door. It brought the spear to bear, and with a flap of its wings, it charged at the door and disappeared. Despite being a shadow, I still felt a gust of wind from its wings, and it made the hair on my neck stand on end.

“From what I can tell, a battle must have raged here long ago.” Kamots said, as warmth returned to the air and he sat by the fire, “It seems the defenders still man their posts.”

I waited a few more seconds to make sure the shadow was gone, before walking over to the pile of ash that had once been the animal guts. Taking care not to get it on my skin, I sifted through it with my scraping tool. Seeing the pile of black and grey dust unnerved me. I wasn't going to lie; something that could turn a living being to ash merely by touching them was scary.

“Wicked phenomenon, yes?” Kamots asked. When I nodded, he said, “But it only harms those who get in its way. So, you could say it’s only as ‘evil’ as fire or a frightened beast. You must try to get a better understanding of something before you cast your judgement of it.”

I sat back down next to the fire, and Kamots continued, “These caves have been reliving their past over and over again, and any other prisoners who do not heed the warnings usually join that past. They only seem to appear in the evening however, after the Korral have given food to the slaves.”

“How do you know it’s evening?”

“It’s evening for me.”

“What do you mean?” I asked, puzzled.

Kamots stared at the fire, and I could see the embers dancing in his eyes as his brow furrowed from thought, “You come from Equestria. That obviously means that where you come from, time is readily available. It is the same for everyone, like light. But down here, it is the opposite. There is no day or night, and nothing is anybody else’s business. Everyone keeps their own time here, and it is made based on their assumptions, but everyone is equally right. Since we have just received our meal, it is the evening for me, but it could be the morning for one of the other prisoners, and there is a very good likelihood that they are right, as likely as you would get one side of a coin over the other.

“Down here, in the mines, it seems foolish to keep track of time so painstakingly. If you expand your time, you will see how it transforms - it is very interesting. It changes so much, you might not even recognise it. It will cease to be broken up into hours, minutes and seconds. Time is similar to a river; try to scatter it and it will come back together, it will find its own integrity. Societies such as the ponies and the griffins have tamed time, shackled it and kept it within clocks and watches, but the Tymari learned to free it.

“Because of that, we have managed to see: it flows differently for different people. For some it is slow and viscous, counted in the footsteps they take or the days they live. For others it races, swift and sure in one direction. The time you had on the surface has no sense to it down here. So if I said, “Good evening,” to you, you could reply, “Good morning,” and there would be no fault to your thinking. To answer simply, there is no time here.”

Kamots went silent, still staring at the fire. I didn't know what to make of what he had said. The thought of ‘freeing’ your time and observing how people used it was something I’d never considered. Thinking back to Ponyville, I guess Rainbow Dash fitted into the latter category with her cocky and speedy personality, and her goal of being a Wonderbolt set first and foremost in her mind.

“That’s very… philosophical of you.” I said.

Kamots chuckled, “Something my father taught me.”

Curiosity got the better of me, “So what can you tell about me?”

Kamots raised his head, and I could feel his eyes boring into my very soul as he read me, “I think you understand and appreciate time, even if you do not think you do. You do not force it to move faster, nor do you try to restrain it. Rather, you let time lead you, and not the other way around. It is a rare quality, and something that I can respect.”

I didn't reply. I just remained where I was, digesting the words he had said. I was starting to see this being in front of me in a new light. I’d never met anyone with such wisdom. Maybe Kamots was someone I could trust a great deal, even though I had only known him for a few hours.

I found my hand reaching for my pocket and pulling out the photo I’d been sent. Seeing them all standing together, with smiles on their faces, made me feel both joy and sadness, and one of those emotions created a tear that rolled down my cheek. Did they know what had happened to me? And would they know about Shadow yet? Probably not; it had only been a day at best.

Kamots looked up from the fire again, “Your friends?”

I took a deep breath, trying to quell the lump in my throat, “Yeah, one thing the dogs didn't find. One or two of the ponies here I could actually consider family.”

“It is a good thing you care for them. It is important to never forget who you are, or who made you that way.”

“I know,” I muttered, thinking about the world I used to live in.

He yawned, revealing a large row of sharp teeth, before standing up and extinguishing the lantern, “We should get some rest. It will not be long before the Korral will be back to wake us up.”

I lay down on the rough ground and tried to get comfortable as Kamots kicked at the flammable powder and snuffed out the flame before lying down himself. The room was plunged into darkness, and the only noises I heard were the sounds of our breathing.

Kamots went to sleep fairly quickly, as his breathing deepened. I, however, couldn't sleep. Too many thoughts were running through my head. As if on cue, a familiar face appeared next to me.

“So what now?” Valiant asked.

“I don’t know.” I whispered, careful not to wake Kamots, “Play along, maybe look for a way out? I do know one thing: I’m not staying here any longer than I have to. I have no intention of becoming a slave to them, and I won’t let them break me.”

“And what about him?” Valiant said, gesturing at the sleeping Tymari, “Can you trust him?”

“He seems to be the only person I can put anything close to trust in right now,” I looked over at Kamots. At first, I had seen him simply as an ally in a hostile place, but now, after hearing what he said about time, and about me, I had a whole new respect for him. He was someone who knew the world around him, and respected everything in it, “And I remember hearing somewhere that the best friends you’ll ever have are the ones you make when your back is to the wall.”

“That is true.” Valiant remarked, before his voice became quieter, “How are you going to tell the others about Shadow?”

I paused, not wanting to talk about the subject, despite it being at the front of my mind, “…I don’t know,” I said, “I’ll just… Can we leave that for another time? You heard Kamots; the dogs will be back in a few hours.”

Valiant sighed, “Alright Dutch, I’ll hold it off, for now. But remember, you’re going to have to tell them when we get back, best start trying to find the best way of saying it.”

With that, he disappeared. I rolled onto my side, taking care not to lie on my broken wing, and closed my eyes, trying to get as close to sleep as I could.

Chapter 49: Trust

The Cider Stop was one of the oldest buildings in Ponyville. It had been sitting on the same patch of ground since the Apple family settled on the land almost 100 years ago. It had recently been refurbished with modern furniture and a new kitchen to keep up with other establishments. Despite this, it still had the same rustic feel that it had when it had first been erected. The derelict basement underneath the building had also been cleaned out and turned into an entertainment room, with a pair of snooker tables being the most popular addition. It was one of these tables that four friends were currently using.

"Oh come on!" shouted a cyan pegasus, "That was totally going in."

"Too bad sugarcube," Applejack said, as the last red ball bounced off the cushion and rolled into the centre of the table, "Pinkie, yer turn."

Pinkie Pie wasted no time in leaning across the table and lining up her own shot, sending the white careering towards the red. They made contact with a loud clack, and the ball bounced in all directions before settling in the corner pocket.

"Woohoo! Another point for us!" she squealed, trotting over to the chalkboard and putting a tally mark under her's and Applejack's names. They were currently leading by two points, but with all the coloured balls left, it was still anyone's game. Pinkie lined up to take her second shot, but as she brought her cue back, Rainbow Dash's partner thought up a fiendish idea.

"Pinkie, there's a spider in your mane!" Sarah shouted.

The reaction was instantaneous. Pinkie leapt into the air with an almighty shriek and began shaking her head back and forth. In the process, her cue brushed the white and pushed it a few measly inches.

"Spider! Big, scary spider! Get it off!!" she screamed, waving her hooves in the air. Rainbow and Sarah laughed at Pinkie's erratic movements, while Applejack gave the two of them a look of annoyance through narrowed eyes, although secretly she was trying to hold back a laugh of her own.

Once Pinkie realised it was all just a prank, even she started laughing too. Eventually, Applejack gave up and let out a chortle of her own.

"Alright, two shots for us then." Rainbow said, bringing Applejack's laugh to a sudden stop.

"What the hay? That's not fair." she protested, but Pinkie stopped her.

"Let them have it AJ. They've earned it after managing to prank me like that."

Sarah nodded in thanks, and took a sip of her cider, letting the alcohol warm her body. The one downside with the basement was the lack of heating, and all four of them could see their breath as they exhaled. Sarah leaned forward and aimed at the yellow ball. Her cue made a solid impact, but halfway along its journey, the white suddenly veered off to the left and landed in one of the corner pockets.

"What the hell?" Sarah said, looking around for a hidden unicorn.

Pinkie giggled as she reached into the table and pulled out the white ball. She put it on the green felt and gave it a nudge. Everyone in the room watched as it, once again, rolled to one side. Sarah picked it up and weighed it in her hand. It felt off.

"A weighted ball," Pinkie explained with a giggle, "Silly. You didn't think you could prank Pinkie the Prankster and get away with it, did you?"

"Wait, when did you swap the balls?" Rainbow asked, "It was fine a minute ago."

"I can't tell you that Dashie," Pinkie answered, "That would ruin the secret."

Applejack rolled her eyes and went to line up her own shot, but was interrupted as the door to the basement burst open, revealing an out-of-breath dragon standing in the doorway.

"Sorry to interrupt guys," Spike said, "But Twilight needs you guys at the library now."

"What's going on?" Sarah asked, picking up the urgency in Spike's voice.

"Perhaps it's best if I don't say. Come on, everything will be explained when we get there."

Not wanting to waste time, Sarah and the others left the basement and went upstairs, bidding goodbye to the bartender on their way out. Winter was in full swing by now, and everything was covered in snow. There were a few fillies outside building a snowpony with their parents, while another group of foals were having a snowball fight. Getting into the festivities wasn't on the human's agenda, however. Spike's expression had been grim, and if it wasn't something serious, he'd have told them there and then.

They reached the library, and Spike pushed the door open, leading them inside. The first thing Sarah noticed was a change in the atmosphere. It wasn't the temperature, but her gut told her that something was wrong. Her suspicions were confirmed when she saw Lyra staring at the floor, the wood beneath her spattered with tears. Twilight and Bon Bon were sat next to her, their forelegs draped over her shoulders. On the other side of the room, Rarity was doing the same with Fluttershy.

Lyra looked up as they entered, and Sarah could see the damp fur on her face, "Dutch and Shadow are missing," she said between sobs, "They might... they might even be..."

She couldn't finish, and Bon Bon pulled her closer, comforting her as she cried into her shoulder. Sarah felt like a bomb had gone off in her skull. Dutch had been one of her few friends in college. To hear he was missing made her limbs go numb, and a great ball welled up in her throat. She grabbed hold of a nearby bookshelf to steady herself, and Applejack, Rainbow and Pinkie sat down next to the wall. As soon as Rainbow sat down, Scootaloo galloped over and threw her forelegs around her neck, pulling Rainbow into a tight hug.

"What happened?" Sarah asked.

Wordlessly, Twilight floated a copy of Equestria Daily over to the newcomers, placing it on the floor so that they could all read it. None of them spent any real time looking at it, as the headlines said everything they needed to know.

Two Equestrian Soldiers Missing in Action

Looking back up, Sarah saw a small letter sat next to Lyra, with another, identical one next to Fluttershy. No doubt they were from Canterlot, confirming what the newspaper had said.

"But... the letters we got from 'em said there wasn't anythin' goin' on." Applejack said, confused.

"They probably didn't want us to worry dear." Rarity replied. Next to her, Fluttershy let out a choked sob.

"But now we don't know how bad it is at all out there," Rainbow said, "It could become an all-out war and we'd never know."

Both Lyra and Fluttershy shuddered at Rainbow's tactless words, and Sarah decided to add some reassurance.

"I don't think it'll be that bad," she said, "Dutch is a soldier. So is Shadow. They're trained, they've got their equipment and their teammates. They'll know what they're doing." her voice softened as she spoke to the two grieving mares, "The only thing we can do is sit tight, and carry on like normal until we hear something new. And if you need someone to talk to, we're all willing to listen."

The rest of the ponies in the room nodded, while Lyra whispered, "Okay," and Scootaloo nodded. After listening to Rarity's soothing words in her ear, Fluttershy also managed a weak nod.

By this time, Scootaloo had released Rainbow Dash and now sat on the floor, slumped and staring at the floor. She slowly looked round at her flank, her cutie mark reminding her of only one person.

"Please let them be ok..." she whispered.

I winced again as the mattock struck the rock, sending jolts of pain along the marks in my back the whip had made. It had now been two 'evenings' since I had been captured, and working in the mines was almost unbearable. When I had woken up for the first time, the dogs dragged me back to the room where they had lashed me and hung me up on the wooden post. The morning proceeded as it had before; lashes until my back wept, with a punch or a kick to liven things up. Again, I kept silent and gritted my teeth throughout the ordeal. They won't break me. They won't break me, I constantly told myself. I'd never give up on my friends and fellow soldiers.

After the torture, they had tossed me back into the cell with Kamots, and I was forced to return to digging. They had the decency not to bother us for the rest of the day, and in the evening, they gave us more rodents to cook and eat. The ghost - for lack of a better term - had been surprisingly helpful, getting rid of animal parts and... other things to stop the cell smelling so foul. I'd been racking my brain trying to think up why it existed, and had a couple of theories on why they existed. Kamots, however, was content not to 'question why the wind blows', so I kept them to myself.

Throughout the whole thing, Kamots managed to be the only thing making everything at least bearable. He was a complex guy too. Whenever I thought I knew enough about him, he would always say something to surprise me. I was beginning to think he had some sort of sixth sense too. More than once he would somehow know the dogs were coming before I could hear them at all. He would also tell me to dig at a certain part of the wall, only to reveal a gem a few inches later. I hadn't inquired on the subject, and I figured I would ask him in time.

On occasion, however, Kamots would completely zone out. I didn't know if this had anything to do with his 'sense', but every several hours, he would stop digging and stare at the wall, his eyes motionless, but glowing with a faint blue light. The rest of his features would crease and flex too, as if he was reacting to something he couldn't see.

He told me about his life to pass the time. Throughout his years as a pup, he had always been curious about what was beyond his home. After the training that was required of all males, he went on what was essentially a rite of passage that Tymari had to take to prove themselves.

It had been difficult for Kamots, almost costing him his life. But when he returned to his clan, he had realised that his destiny lay beyond Zebrica. So, he left, spending the rest of his adult years travelling. He'd been doing this for 14 years, leading me to believe he was at least 30 years old. In that time, he had traveled almost as far as his body would allow. The Arctic Tundra to the north, the Dragon Badlands to the west, and now the Griffin Kingdom.

He had even visited Equestria for a few years, but expressed his dislike of the country. While he respected the princesses, he wasn't keen on the rest of the population. Not that he didn't like ponies, but he found their comfortable lives and false sense of security too 'soft' for his liking.

I knew he had something troubling in his past too. On the second day, I made the mistake of asking about his family. He paused mid-swing and stared into space like he usually would, only this time, I could see sadness on his face. He remained quiet for the rest of the day. I apologised later, and he accepted it, saying that I wouldn't have known what would happen, but it was clear the topic was sensitive for him.

We were several hours into our third day when I saw Kamots staring again. However, this wasn't a blank gaze into space. Instead, he was looking at me, starting at my head, before moving down to my feet, and back up. I wasn't disturbed by it, but it was still strange.

"Uh, you alright big guy?" I asked, looking up at him.

"Yes. I was just curious about humans," he replied, "You say you became apex predators, yes?" I nodded, "Yet you have no claws, sharp teeth, or any other natural defences. How did your species thrive like you claim?"

"Well, it is true that we don't have many natural defences, but to compensate, we created our own," I stated. I began to tell him about technology. The Tymari had some technological advances over ponies, but only a few. They didn't have large cities like Manehatten, but had better tools and weapons. Kamots was impressed by what humans had achieved, which was something I hadn't expected from him.

I carried on digging as I talked, with Kamots listening intently. It was almost shocking to look at him; gone was the wise old philosopher, replaced instead by an young schoolchild, eager to learn. Seeing the spark of wonder in his eyes brought a smile to my own face too.

When I asked about the sudden change in attitude, he said, "Tymari take every opportunity to learn. If something will give us an edge in the future, we hold onto it with teeth and claws. Listening to human ingenuity has been very enlightening."

I smiled at his compliment, "Humans are nothing if not resourceful, and our need for knowledge is also immeasurable."

Finished with my explanation of modern technology, I carried on digging, but I was in for another surprise. Five minutes later, Kamots paused again, and began to run his paws on the wall of the cave, as if searching for something. I had a feeling he was sensing another gem, but he wasn't usually this energetic.

Eventually, he stopped, and a smile crept onto his lips as he pointed at the wall near where I had been digging, "There, Dutch! Keep digging."

"Why?" I asked as I picked up the mattock again.

"Just dig. You'll see."

He swung his own pick at the spot with renewed vigor, and I did the same, knowing that he wouldn't be this enthusiastic without reason. After a minute of swinging, a chunk fell away to reveal a glistening white diamond. Just seeing the light from the lantern filled me with strength, and all pain and hunger vanished. I pulled out the scraping tool and dug away as fast as I could, taking care not to scratch the diamond.

As two pairs of hands would just become an inconvenience, Kamots took a step back and let me scrape at the rock. Not that I minded; both of us would benefit from this, hopefully. The dogs still hated me, and I considered myself lucky I was getting fed at all. I had an idea that might get us both the extra food that a diamond would reward.

After ten minutes of determined scraping, the diamond came loose. Treating it as if it were glass, I removed it from the wall and held it in my hand, its weight giving me an odd comfort in my heart. It was the size of a pocket watch, and was just as brilliant and flawless as I imagined it.

A large grin covered my face, "Kamots. I don't know how you do that gem-finding thing, but it is awesome!"

Kamots had a smile of his own, "You did not think Equestria was the only land with magic, did you?"

I raised an eyebrow, "So the Tymari have magic too?"

"Not in the sense that ponies would use," Kamots replied, "Our traditions forbid us to demonstrate it to those who are deemed outsiders, like you. In simple terms, however, we can sense the energy and life of the world around us."

While I found the answer cryptic, I wasn't going to inquire if it conflicted with his culture. I noticed I still had the diamond in my hand, and gave it to Kamots.

"Sounds like an interesting ability. Anyway, I think it's best if you give them this. It's clear they hate me more than most, and any attempt to impress them will probably result in more lashes until I give them what they want. If you claim you were responsible for finding it, we can share the extra food they give us."

Kamots took the diamond and slotted it into the belt of his trousers, "A sound strategy. Though you are placing a large amount of trust in me."

I shrugged, "Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Besides, you seem alright from the three days I've been here."

Kamots only nodded, before picking his mattock up again, "We should continue digging. While the diamond has almost certainly guaranteed us a reward, we may gain more favour with additional gems."

We carried on digging for another couple of hours. While we didn't find any other diamonds, it didn't matter. Not a lot was going to dampen my good mood now. Neither of us spoke; my mind was too occupied with the thought of food, and I wouldn't have been surprised if Kamots was thinking the same thing.

Half an hour later, the dogs came in like they had done for the past two days, and Kamots handed over the sack of gems. They peered inside, inspecting the goods, and Kamots pulled the diamond out of his belt. The dogs were briefly surprised, but snatched the gem from his paw, examining its shine, before looking at Kamots.

"I found it," Kamots said, before gesturing at me, "The creature did not. He shouldn't be rewarded."

Either Kamots was an excellent liar, or the dogs that had been sent were dumber than the rest, because the dogs gave a simple nod as always before leaving with the sack. A few minutes later, they returned with the food. They tossed another rodent to me, while they gave Kamots the same, along with the water and a small loaf of stale bread.

I sat down next to the fire with my rodent, while Kamots tore the loaf in half and handed me some with a nod. After cooking the food, I split open my bread and put strips of meat inside. Kamots had the same idea, and we both ended up with a crude sandwich before the meat was cold.

"A dish fit for a king, yes?" Kamots said, before taking a bite out of his meal.

"Maybe if he's been overthrown," I quipped.

Then something strange happened. Kamots paused, swallowed his food, and laughed. It wasn't a scoff, or a small chuckle like usual. Instead, he tilted his head back and laughed at the ceiling. It was a deep, thumping laugh, and hearing a guy like him laugh at my joke made me feel pretty proud of myself. I honestly didn't find it that funny, but to Kamots, it must have been hilarious.

The laugh didn't last long - only a few seconds - but it was a lot longer than what I expected from him. When he finished, he stared at the fire again, before growing a thoughtful expression. In that time, we both continued to eat, and after a while, he spoke.

"It has been a long time since I have laughed like that," he said, "I thank you for that, Lakota."

I gave a nod to him, before I processed the final word, "I think my good mood is affecting my hearing. Did you just call me 'Lakota'?"

"Yes. It is a word from our old language, and it is not one we use lightly."

"What does it mean?" I asked.

Kamots opened his mouth to reply, before his eyes flashed blue briefly, and his eyes darted to the door. Instantly he was on his feet. Knowing he could sense something, I stood up too.

"What's wrong?"

"The Korral are coming. They don't normally come down here, except to collect gems. Something is wrong."

"So what do we do?" I said, confused and concerned.

"Just stay out of their way."

The door was thrown open, and a pair of large dogs walked in. Immediately, they rounded on me and grabbed my arms.

"What the hell?" I shouted, "Get the fu--"

The rest of the sentence was brutally cut off as one of the dogs punched me in the stomach. It completely knocked the wind out of me, and I could feel one of my ribs crack from the force. My vision became a haze, and I was only just aware of the dogs dragging me out of the room by an arm and wing each.

By the time I came to my senses and regained my breath, I was back in the lashing room. This time, I was hanging by my arms in the centre of the room, and I could already feel an ache in my shoulders. I turned my head to try and take in my surroundings, and the momentum caused me to swing. The walls were bare, with only wooden supports to prevent collapses. In one corner was a coal fire inside a small iron cage.

My movement must have grabbed someone's attention, because it wasn't long after that that I heard a door opening, and the Alpha walked into my line of sight.

"Do you know why I brought you here?" he asked casually.

I kept silent, watching his every move through my eyebrows.

"You've taken advantage of my hospitality," the Alpha continued, "I could have left you to die in the desert. Instead, I give you food, shelter, all in return for information. A fair deal, wouldn't you agree?"

He waited a few seconds, as if expecting an answer, before sighing, "But you squandered your gifts. You abused my generosity, and I don't take kindly to thieves."

He brought his fist back and gave a hook at my jaw. Knowing him, he could have hit me a lot harder, but it was still enough to make me spin, the sight of the moving walls making my already damaged body feel nauseous.

"So, here's what's going to happen," he said, pulling a knife with a ruby blade out of his belt and examining the edge, "You will stay here until you tell me everything you know. With every day you remain silent, I will make it more painful for you. And after you've given me what I want to know, after I've inflicted so much pain that you're begging me to kill you, only then will I slice your throat and leave you for the vultures."

He left the room, and a few minutes later a ginger dog that I recognised as Togin walked in, holding an iron bar. He placed the bar inside the fire cage, before pulling a whip off his belt and testing its strength. Apparently satisfied, he gave me an evil grin and walked behind me. I only needed to wait a moment before the whip cracked against my back.

It certainly wouldn't be the last time.

Chapter 50: Sheep in Wolf's Clothing

“Creature!” the Alpha prodded the human with the iron bar, “Creature, wake up.”

After several seconds with no response, the Alpha grunted in annoyance, “He’s unconscious again.” He turned to the beta standing next to him, "Keep guard outside. When he wakes up, come get me, and we’ll begin again.”

The beta nodded, “Yes Alpha.”

The Alpha walked out, rubbing his temples. Two days. For two days he’d been inflicting pain on the soldier, and for two days, it’d remained silent. At first, he had enjoyed torturing him, waiting for him to break, but now he was getting impatient. What drove this creature to be as stubborn as it was? Honour? Duty?

With a yell, he struck out at the wall, his strong claws leaving three long gashes in the rock. This creature was going to tell him something, or he would eventually stop being so merciful. He paw idly found the handle of his ruby dagger. He unsheathed it and inspected the blade, still stained with the creature's blood. If he still hadn't talked by day’s end, he might decide he just wasn't worth the trouble.

I had lost track of time since I had been carried off to the ‘torture room’. It could have been days, weeks even. I’m not sure if even Kamots’ theory of time would have made a difference here, especially if one’s in as much pain as I was.

I thought I could have made it as long as possible without screaming. I would simply close my eyes and accept the punches and kicks. They were dull and spread out, and eventually lessened to a soft ache. The lashes were worse; the sharp crack and sting on already split skin brought tears to my eyes. But again, I would bite my tongue and wait until it ended. I thought that would be as bad as it would get.

That was when they brought out the red-hot metal, and I screamed like I never had before.

They say people will do anything when they’re desperate. Until now, I hadn't truly understood that. But when I smelled charred skin and heard the hissing as the flesh on my ribs melted, I would've committed murder just to make it stop.

But even that wasn't the worst thing they did. Thinking back on the pain brought up a memory of what had happened at some point in the past; I had no idea when.

“We’re going to keep this up until you tell me what I want to know!” the Alpha said, emphasising his words with another cross to the face, “What was your mission? What were you doing all the way out here?”

I spat out some blood, before deciding to taunt him, “Have your fun while you can, dog. The rest of the Guard’s on their way here right now.” I didn't know if that was true or not, but it was better than nothing.

“Those ponies can’t save you,” the Alpha replied, thinking exactly what I was thinking, “If they were looking for you they would have found you by now. Besides, the Princesses forgot what courage was a long time ago. They wouldn't dare come out here unless they had a good reason."

"Fuck... you," I retorted, "This part of the world would have been peaceful if not for you and your mutts."

"Here I am, just trying to do business, and you go and insult me?"

I scoffed with disbelief, "You're a slaver!"

"But I'm honest with my business."

"Yeah, I can tell." He hit me again, but I egged him on, "Gotten into arms dealing now, huh? Did you really think Equestria would just let it slide? That we wouldn't intervene?"

"On the contrary, I was hoping you would. The more ponies fight, the more I get to sell weapons," he said with another punch. He use of 'I' confused me, "True Korral like myself don't start what they can't finish."

"Well now's the time to prove it, mongrel. Because I'm not telling you anything."

The Alpha growled, and drew his fist back for another punch, but he paused. After a few seconds, he lowered his arm and took a step back, before drawing the ruby knife from his belt.

“There’s a very little-known fact about the Korral,” he said casually, scraping his thumb along the blade as he paced, “We’re naturally perfectionists. Did you ever know that?”

He paused, as if expecting a reply from me before continuing, “It developed when our ancestors began mining the gems here. It was important to make sure the gems didn't have any flaws in them, otherwise it would've made them less valuable. Today, an experienced Korral can find even the tiniest of scratches on a stone."

"And you're telling me this because...?" I asked.

"Because if I see something out of place, it will bother me until I do something about it." he replied. He stopped examining his blade and looked me straight in the eye, "And there's something about you that's bothering me right now. I've always disliked odd numbers."

Before I could reply, he raised the knife up to my hands. A part of me hoped that he was cutting my restraints, but that thought was mercilessly crushed when a searing pain traveled through my right hand. There was a dry snap of bone, and I cried out as the Alpha lowered one of my severed fingers into my view.

"There, problem solved." he muttered to himself, a hint of amusement in his voice. I screamed at him through gritted teeth, shaking like a madman from where I hung, as if the movement would snap the ropes. Without another thought, the Alpha tossed the finger into the fire they used to heat the poker, before making his way to the door.

As the smell of burnt meat filled the room, he said, "Next time you speak, it will be something useful."

They had kept me alive with the bare essentials, small pieces of food and water had become rare luxuries, and the only moments I got any time to myself was when I had passed out from the pain, and I was left to my dreams.

But even they didn't offer much respite.

I was in a dark void. Featureless, cold, and unnerving. This was new; usually I would be back in the desert, slowly freezing to death, before waking up again. Wandering through this new environment filled me with both curiosity and uneasiness.

I didn't know how long I walked, but I was brought to a standstill as multiple voices reached my ears. They seemed to flow past me, like a strong wind, and came from all directions.

“Rumble, Shadow, get out of here, n--”

“Thunderlane, NO!

“I’m... sorry, Shadow.”

“Dutch... help me.”

I suddenly saw something out of the corner of my eye, and turned to see a pegasus slowly walking towards me. I couldn't make out who it was, but as they got closer, their coat colour came into view.

“Shadow?”

“Hey Douglas.” he said. It took me a moment to register the use of my real name, “You look like you're in a pretty sorry state right now, wouldn’t you agree?”

“...You could say that,” I replied tentatively.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

I raised an eyebrow, becoming more confused by the second, “If it’s all the same to you, I think I’m fine.”

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I am."

“Suit yourself,” Shadow said with a shrug. He started pacing back and forth in front of me, “I was in a bad way once. Two of my friends died a while ago. It was a... terrible accident, one that I felt responsible for. I didn't know who to turn to.”

I became on edge at his words. I knew who he was talking about; Thunderlane and Rumble. Why exactly he was bringing up such a subject I didn't know.

“My other friend, somepony I trusted, told me not to tell anyone what happened. That didn't agree with me. Sure, I tried to keep the secret to myself, but he made it very difficult for me.”

“Shadow...”

“But I realised something. It so much of a relief to just... get something off your chest, you know?”

My mind started fitting the pieces together, “Shadow... did you tell someone?”

Shadow stopped pacing, and let out a heavy sigh, “Yes, but I can’t tell you Douglas. I've already broken the trust of one friend. I don’t want to break another’s.”

He began to walk away, and I walked after him. But somehow, he was always faster than me, “Shadow, wait!” A sudden jab of pain went through my back, and I winced.

“We all have our secrets Douglas,” Shadow said, his voice now distant, “The question is, who are you willing to trust them with?”

A sudden sound woke me from my attempted slumber. It wasn't the door; I’d heard that enough to know what it sounded like. No, this sounded like a rumble. Distant, yet I could feel the vibrations travelling through the walls.

It almost sounded like... an explosion.

The sound of combat forced some adrenaline into my body, if only a little, and I tried to spin myself around to face the door. I quickly gave up though, as the movement sent bolts of pain all over my body. With no way to release myself, my only option was to wait, listening to the battle.

The explosion I had heard was the only one, but it was accompanied by shouting. The voices were muffled through the cave walls, but they sounded intelligent, much more so than the average Diamond Dog. I began to breathe faster at the thought of a rescue team. Maybe they had found me. Did that mean they had found Shadow too?

I could hear shouting from the other side of the door, but the thick walls, coupled with my damaged body meant I couldn't make out the words. After a few minutes, the voices died down, but the occasional explosion was heard, indicating the battle was still happening. No Diamond Dogs or other slaves came into the room, and I began to wonder if I had been forgotten, until the door opened with a bang and I heard a familiar voice.

“Dutch. Are you here?”

“Shadow...”

The owner of the voice walked round into my view, but, much to my sorrow, it was Kamots, “My friend, can you hear me?”

I was too shocked to reply, so I simply did my best to nod. Kamots reached up above me, and I began to feel the rope on my wrists slacken, before coming loose completely. The sudden drop caught me by surprise, and my legs, malnourished and underused, couldn't hold my weight as I began to crumple. Kamots saw this, and instantly slipped an arm around my back to take my weight, taking care not to touch the wounds the whip had inflicted.

“Kamots... you’re here.” I said, still not able to comprehend what was happening.

“Yes Lakota. I would not leave you behind.”

“Leave me behind? What’s going on?”

“Fate has given us an opportunity to escape. Can you walk?”

“I... I don’t know.”

I tried to put weight on my legs, but they would always buckle before I could support myself. Kamots noticed this, and clenched one of his paws, closing his eyes. After a few seconds, he began to mutter to himself in a language I couldn’t understand. As he did, the pads on his paw started glowing a dim, pale blue. He continued to speak until the light was seeping through his fingers, before saying one single word and placing his paw on my chest.

I don’t know what he did, but describing the feeling as adrenaline would have been an understatement. A massive surge of energy spread from my chest, and the pain across my body all but disappeared. I could feel my heart beating a mile a minute, and I took a huge breath to compensate.

My legs finally found some strength, and I managed to balance myself as Kamots slowly took away his support, "What the hell's going on?"

"Griffins are raiding the caves," Kamots explained, "The Korral are in disarray. We will not get another chance like this to escape."

I heard movement from behind the door. Someone was coming. In an instant, Kamots had darted forward and pressed himself against the wall next to the entrance. A few seconds later, the door swung open, and a ginger Diamond Dog walked in, who I recognised as Togin, the one who lashed me. His eyes lay on me, and a snarl crossed his face as he strode across the room towards me.

He didn't even make a quarter of the distance.

As soon as he had fully entered to room, Kamots stepped out of his hiding place and pulled him into a tight headlock. The Tymari twisted his shoulders, and a sickening pop was heard. Togin's body spasmed as the nerves from his brain were severed, before he went limp. Kamots held him a few seconds longer, before letting the corpse collapse on the earth.

Following him out the door, I found the room I had been kept in was connected to a cavern with several tunnels running through it. There was only one which went uphill, and I assumed that path would lead to the surface. However, Kamots went down another path.

"The room where our supplies are kept is down this way." he said, and I followed, looking forward to getting my armour and equipment back. We passed a number of other slaves on our way through the tunnels, each with similar looks of confusion on their faces. I ignored them as I followed Kamots.

The unusual magic Kamots had used on me felt like nothing I'd experienced before. The pain from my wounds was almost nonexistent, and all of my senses felt heightened. I couldn't remember the last time I felt this alive, and despite the life-threatening conditions, I was enjoying every moment of it.

I rounded a corner, and saw griffin in front of me. He was wearing a shemagh around his head, and the packs hanging under his wings looked like they had been built from pieces of other equipment. I raised my hand to wave at him, but as he saw me, he raised a crossbow at aimed it in our direction. I barely had enough time to duck as he pulled the trigger and sent a bolt sailing over our heads. Before he had time to reload, Kamots had leapt over and smashed his fist into the griffin's beak. With that single punch, the griffin was out, and we moved past his unconscious form.

"Why the hell are they trying to kill us?" I wondered aloud.

"They're Wastelanders. Nothing more than common bandits. If you thought this would be a rescue, you are wrong." Kamots turned another corner, and pointed at a door, "The supplies are in there. I will stand guard. You retrieve your supplies first. I will go once you have returned."

With a nod, I stepped inside. It was a large, featureless cavern, filled with random items of clothing, backpacks, and a few weapons. The dogs must have been holding onto all of this to sell for the odd gem or two. Without wasting time, I started searching for my equipment. It didn't take long; since I was a new arrival, my gear hadn't been buried under everyone else's.

I took my canteen out of its pouch and took a large gulp of water. After sitting in the bottle for several days, it was warm and tasted of metal, but I didn't care. In the desert, everything was either useful, or dead weight.

With my thirst quenched for now, I set about covering my wounds as much as possible. I pulled a long bandage out of another pouch and wrapped it around my head. It was only just long enough to cover the lacerations on my face, but it would hold. Next was a smaller piece of cloth for my finger, but before I put it on, I studied the new stump. I could almost feel what had once been there as I flexed my hand. I knew I had already experienced this, but that didn't make it any easier.

After a few moments of grim examination, I refocused on the task at hand. I had another bandage for the lashes on my back, but I'd need Kamots' help for that. For now, I began examining the rifle. There were a few scratches from the rough treatment, but after testing it, the mechanism still seemed to work. I'd have to use it sparingly; eight rounds wouldn't get me far in a firefight.

Unbeknownst to the human, another presence in the supply room was observing him. Coris, the Omega who had originally found the creature, was now watching him as he searched for his belongings. When the attack had started, the Alpha had ordered him to guard the room for anyone trying to break in. The noise of a door opening had caused him to hide in the shadows.

Seeing the creature caused something to ignite in Coris' heart. For too long he had been an Omega. Too long had he been at the bottom of the food chain. If a member of the pack was angry, he would always be the scapegoat for that anger. If there was a shortage in food, he would be the one who would miss a meal. If he got into trouble, he would be the one sent to work in the mines like the rest of the slaves. He wanted more than this. He deserved it.

He thought about killing the creature, proving his strength to the rest of the pack. He quickly deviated from that train of thought; the Alpha wanted the creature alive for information. Killing him would be a death sentence. Capturing him would be better. If he could show the pack that he was better than an Omega, his life would make a turn for the better.

Slowly, he stepped out of his hiding place and crept towards the creature. It now seemed to be looking over the strange black object Coris had taken from him. When he decided he was close enough to strike, he pounced.

I was brought out of my inspection when I heard movement behind me, accompanied by a growl. I spun round, but was knocked off my feet as a blue Diamond Dog tackled me to the floor. The rifle was knocked from my hands, and the dog took the opportunity to try and pin me. I grabbed one of his wrists out of the air, but the other wrapped itself around my neck.

"Get the hell off me!" I shouted. My free arm went for his face, and my hand covered what felt like eyelashes. Without even thinking, I plunged my thumb deep into his eye. The dog immediately recoiled with a howl of pain, and the weight of his body left my torso. Now free, I rolled over and grabbed my rifle. I had no idea if the weapon still worked, but there was only one way to find out.

The dog had recovered from its temporary blinding, and quickly tried to pin me again. As he came down, his chin landed on the gun's muzzle. Grabbing his muzzle and pushing the rifle forward to hold it in place, I closed my eyes and pulled the trigger.

I only heard a fraction of the gunshot, as the thick stone walls of the small room reverberated the sound, which viciously assaulted my ears and left them ringing painfully. The dog's corpse went limp, and the wind was knocked out of me as the dead weight landed on my chest.

I lay there for a few moments while I calmed down and my hearing returned. I put my finger inside my ear and checked for blood, making sure I hadn't ruptured my eardrums from the gunshot, before shifting the body off myself. Trying to avoid looking at the mess that had been the dog's head, I rolled out from under him and wasted no time in collecting the rest of my supplies.

Knowing that my lashes would now be covered in grime and require cleaning out, I left my shirt off and picked up the remainder of my equipment before walking back out of the storage room.

As Kamots saw me, his eyes widened, "Lakota, what happened?"

"There was a dog in the storage room. He got the jump on me." Looking down at my body, I realised that my skin was now spattered with the dead dog's blood and brain matter. Seeing the dark red liquid running down my body brought only one word to mind.

"Yuck."

"We need to get you cleaned up before the blood infects your wounds." Kamots said, "Come with me."

He led me down another tunnel, deeper into the caves. As the tunnel went deeper, the air became clearer, and the stagnant taste started to fade. I followed Kamots round one final corner and entered a massive cavern, with stalagmites sprouting out of the ground, and stalactites hanging from the ceiling. In the centre of the cavern was a large pool of water. It reflected the small light of the torches on the walls and cast smooth patterns across the stone.

Well at least I know how they get their water, I thought as I walked down to the spring with Kamots. Grabbing my canteen, I wasted no time in filling it up before using my shirt to wipe the blood off my skin. Kamots did the same with the dirt and dust clinging to my back. There was no pain as he did so, only the odd tingle whenever he ran over an open wound. His magic must have still been working.

"What happened to the rest of the pack?" I asked as I wiped my forearm clean.

"They must have fled into the desert, including the Alpha." Kamots replied with a growl, "They will have supplies, and knowledge of the land. They will most likely find a new cave system and continue their slavery somewhere else."

I heard the growl that escaped his lips, "Do you and the Alpha have a history?"

There were a few silent seconds before Kamots answered, "Yes."

Not wanting to pry, I left it at that. Kamots finished washing my back shortly afterwards, and I stood up, stretching my spine and hearing several satisfying pops.

"Keep your back bare," Kamots instructed, "Your lashes still need to be treated."

Nodding, I picked up all of my equipment and left the cavern, heading back up the tunnel. This time, Kamots led me into the uphill tunnel, and as we progressed, I could see the light increasing. My heart soared at the thought of seeing the sun again.

"Where did all the griffins go?" I asked, noticing the sudden lack of combat.

"Gone." Kamots said simply, "That is the tactic of Wastelanders. Attack quickly, then leave before they risk suffering casualties and return later for the supplies. We seem to have missed most of the assault."

I could hear commotion as the entrance to the cave came into view. It eventually became audible, and I dumped my gear in a disorganised pile next to me. The other slaves were having an argument of sorts, and Kamots and I sat against the wall to listen and avoid getting involved.

By the sounds of things, one of the other slaves was being accused of coming into contact with one of the ghosts in the mines, and had been 'tainted' by its magic. Everyone in the cave knew what that meant; if the accusations were true, the slave was already dead on his feet. It would only be a matter of time before he simply crumbled into ash, just as the rodent flesh had on my first day of captivity. Another slave - the Diamond Dog who had tried to fight me - had declared himself the leader, and was trying to get rid of the tainted slave in case there was a chance of him infecting others.

"What in Spirit's name are you talking about?" the slave - a griffin - was starting to panic at the thought of being killed or abandoned, "I'm not tainted! I never touched that thing."

"I'm not taking any chances!" the dog shouted back, raising a crossbow he had scavenged and pointing it at the griffin, "Either you leave, or I shoot you right here!" The dog was the only one within ten feet of the griffin. Everyone else had retreated to a safe distance, as if the ghost's magic could travel through the air. From the looks on their faces, they held a mixture of fear and respect for the dog, and that his proximity to the griffin was a sign of courage. That he was willing to do what no one else would.

"I'm telling you, I'm not tainted," the griffin flared his wings and turned side-on to the dog, "Look! No ash, and I'm not turning black. I swear, that thing never touched me!"

The dog's eye narrowed, "I don't believe you."

Now desperate beyond all measures, and threatened with death, the griffin began to tear out his feathers and fur, trying to expose as much skin as possible. I winced as he did; the pain must have been almost unbearable. Between his whimpers of fear, he managed a few words, "S-See? I'm... I'm fine. I'm not tainted! Y-You don't have to do this...

"...P-Please."

That last word struck a chord. The pleading look in the griffin's eyes sent a chill down my spine. The dog holding the crossbow faltered for a second, as if considering mercy. It was short-lived, however, and the weapon was quickly raised back up to the griffin's face, now even closer than before. The dog's face had an expression of someone willing to do anything to survive.

"No."

One simple word. That was all it had taken. One word that was thrown around in every day life with little to no care, had now determined someone's life, regardless of whether they were guilty or innocent of their crimes. The griffin, realising his attempts to dissuade the dog were fruitless, took a step back in fear. The dog replied by taking one forward, closing the distance.

The apparently tainted slave immediately turned and sprinted towards the entrance to the cave. He tried to flap his wings to take off, but his weak body meant he couldn't hold his altitude for more than a few seconds. Nevertheless, he never stopped running, and his silhouette was eventually washed over by the glare of the sun.

I sighed as I watched the dog returned to the group of slaves. Some reacted to his actions by congratulating him, while others simply stood staring, whether in fear, disbelief, or contempt I didn't know.

"It is done." I heard Kamots say from my side, "I will go to retrieve my supplies. When I return, we will treat your wounds properly before my magic wears off."

He disappeared into the darkness, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I sat down on the earth, keeping my back straight to prevent any additional pain from the lashes. It was quiet for several minutes, occasionally broken up by murmurs coming from the other group of slaves. A few of them glanced at me, and I grew concerned that they would try to do to me what they had done to the griffin. No attempts to approach me were made, however, and I felt more secure when Valiant appeared next to me.

He let a sigh which only I could hear, "I had forgotten how bad it could get beyond Equestria's borders."

"We should have done something," I mumbled, "I should have done something. That griffin didn't have any supplies on him, and he was already weak enough as it is. He won't last a day out there."

"There was nothing we could have done. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few." Valiant stated, and I rounded on him.

"How can you say that?" I hissed, trying my best to keep my voice low, "You're an Element of Harmony. How can you simply stand by and watch what happened. How do his needs..." I gestured at the dog with the crossbow, "...outweigh an innocent person's?"

"You not getting what I'm saying," Valiant replied, "I wasn't talking about them. What they did was vile, no doubt. I was talking about everyone back home. You're friends, and the other elements.

"If you had tried to help that griffin, you'd have only made the situation worse. You are already on bad terms with the Diamond Dog who condemned him, and the rest of the slaves would have supported him. They would turn on you just as they had the griffin. You would have been killed, possibly Kamots too, and I would have been left to wander through the land without a host."

I contemplated Valiant's words. It hurt me to say it, but he was right. I realised now that if I had intervened, events would have taken a turn for the worse. Thinking over his final statement, I replied, "Is that what happens if a Bearer dies?"

"Yes. An Element without a host could be compared Princess Luna when she was sealed in the moon. I would still survive, but I would not be able to contact the world, or even my brothers and sisters. I would just... wander. And without seven Bearers to hold our power, the Elements would be nothing more then fancy jewellery."

When he finished, Kamots returned, carrying a knapsack in one paw and an unusual looking crossbow in the other. It had a normal frame, and was already loaded and ready to fire, but I could see more bolts underneath, with a lever along the side. At a glace, it looked like the crossbow could be fired multiple times before needing to be reloaded.

Unaware of my conversation with Valiant, Kamots sat down and said, "Turn around. I have a solution to treat your lashes."

He reached into his knapsack and pulled out a small tin. Opening the lid, I saw it contained a mixture that looked like it had been made from mashed plants and water. I obeyed, and took off my shirt, exposing the ugly wounds to the air. I had expected the solution to sting like antiseptic, so I was pleasantly surprised when instead, it was cool and soothing.

"There was nothing we could have done." Kamots suddenly said, and I realised he was referring to the griffin, now long gone into the desert.

"Yeah. I figured as much," I replied, remembering Valiant's words, "But why didn't anyone attempt to stand up for him? I had expected one or two to at least try, but nobody?"

"Such is the mentality of the Korral." Kamots explained, "In times like this, they will look for someone to give guidance, leadership."

"Someone like you?" I interjected.

"No." he answered, "I could try, but they do not trust me. They have looked to the Korral with the crossbow, and as a result, have started to think like him. He recognised the griffin as a sick member of the pack, and in turn, so did they. A pack knows that the sick one will be a burden, dead weight, a threat to their survival. So they kill them."

"You're talking about them as if they're common animals." I said, "But they're people, just like us."

"...We will see." the bipedal wolf simply said, before focusing on treating my wounds. The effects of his magic were starting to fade now, and the pain was returning. It was not nearly as bad as it had been, and I had Kamots' medicine to thank for that.

There was silence for a few more minutes between us, before I asked, "How did you escape from the cell?"

"Luck had shown me favour today." Kamots said.

"So what happened?"

"I could sense a disturbance from above us, and a Korral came to our cell shortly afterwards. Seeing an opportunity to escape, I killed him with an axe and left to find you. I could sense your energy, and, though weak, I followed it to where you were being held captive."

The conversation was left at that, before Kamots started a new one, "What do you intend to do once we leave here."

I shrugged, "Dunno. I'm not even sure where 'here' is. I'm hoping to move south and back into Equestria. Maybe then I'll come across some ponies and contact the princess."

"Show me your map."

Without moving too much, I reached into my webbing and pulled out the map that I'd been given before the mission. I made sure there was no damage to it before passing it over my shoulder to Kamots.

I heard a grunt of disapproval as he unfolded it, "You have been ill-equipped, and your leaders require new maps of this area. I can see a river marked here that has been dry for as long as I can remember. This map is no more useful than firewood. If you had relied on it, you would not have survived."

Hearing that sent a chill down my spine. Why would the generals at Canterlot give us outdated equipment? If they thought nothing would happen in a desert, they needed to get out more. Sand dunes could rise and fall at the drop of a hat. I felt a tap on my shoulder as Kamots passed the map back, and I put it back into its pocket with a sigh. Maybe it could help start a fire later.

"Well that's my plan scrapped."

"The closest town is a few days from here," Kamots said, "I can take you there. Most populated areas of the Griffin Kingdom will have soldiers. There will be someone who can help you contact Princess Celestia."

"Alright. I'll go with you." I replied, relieved that Kamots was potentially saving my life. Again.

We remained quiet as Kamots finished applying the solution, and he helped me tie on the bandage I had been holding onto. With all of my injuries covered up, I was glad to put my clothes and armour back on. Getting my uniform back let a great weight fall off my shoulders. Looking over at the other group of slaves, I noticed they had begun talking among themselves, sharing looks of concern and worry.

"They're starting to get nervous." I observed.

"The topic has moved to the tainted griffin," Kamots stated, picking up on their conversations, "Doubt has infected their minds. Some of them will begin to fear that they have just condemned an innocent soul. Such thoughts interfere with rational thinking, and that does not bode well for their survival."

"We need to intervene." I said, "I already missed one opportunity, and it's cost a life. I'm not making the same mistake again."

"I am inclined to agree." Kamots said, to my relief, "If they do not come to a consensus, they may decide not to leave these tunnels. Weeks will pass by in an instant, and even if the Wastelanders do not return, the supplies still here will not last forever. Fortunately, we are no longer dealing with a collection of minds, but with a pack.

"A pack respects authority. Strength. If we can gain that strength, we can help them. The Korral managed to manipulate them to agree with him, and we can do the same. With their current psyches, the opportunity is too beneficial to ignore."

Within a few long strides, he was within the group, and pushed them aside to get into the centre of the crowd.

"We cannot stay here." His voice was louder than normal, and echoed around the cave, demanding everyone around to listen. There was total silence as he continued, "These caves are not safe. The dark magic that flows through these tunnels will kill us all if we stay here.

"The tainted griffin might have caused the magic to spread. It might only be a matter of time before we are tainted too. We cannot hope that someone else will find us; there is no hope! Our only chance is to leave this place and find a nearby town to take shelter in. They will protect us until we find a way back to our homes."

"And what about getting there?" came a voice from the group, "There's all sorts of animals past the desert. Timberwolves, manticores. We'll be slaughtered if we go out there."

"How many of you are there?" Kamots asked. There was a moment of silence as they counted, before finding that there were fourteen of them.

"That makes sixteen of us then." Kamots said, "No timberwolves would attack our numbers, and any larger predators will not find us worth the trouble. We will be safe if we travel as one. Now gather whatever supplies you can, and we will leave as soon as we can."

No one knew how to argue against Kamots' plan. They all moved to the other side of the cave, and Kamots returned to me.

"They'll discuss what you said now," I said as he approached, "They might reconsider."

"Alas, it is a natural reaction." Kamots answered, "Korral, griffins, they are all social beings. They will gravitate toward each other and talk. Trying to persuade them further will only result in them turning against us. All we can do now is wait, and hope they see the logic in what I said."

It was another twenty minutes before anything happened, during which I sat silently, watching the light coming from the cave entrance. I could almost taste the light, but I didn't want to leave Kamots' side. The sounds of footsteps broke me from my gaze, and I saw the dog who had sentenced the griffin to die approaching us. I didn't like the look on his face at all.

"Tymari," he called, getting Kamots' attention. Instantly, I could sense the air around Kamots start to buzz. Kamots didn't seem the type to become truly angry, but I didn't know many people like that. Steel Sword was the only other one, but his military personality gave off the impression that he would show the same emotion when fighting as he would making a sandwich. Considering it now, I couldn't imagine Steel in a full-blown rage.

"The group and I have been discussing your proposal," he said, "And we think you are chasing sandstorms. It's too inconvenient for all of us to leave. We have shelter here, supplies, and a source of fresh water. There is nothing for us out there, only sand and death. The rest of the group agree with me, right Talonfire?"

I looked over at the group, and saw a griffin nod his head, albeit rather hesitantly, "And your attempts to persuade us with the tainted griffin will not phase us. His possessions will be destroyed and taken far from here. And there is no way it could spread through the air; this is magic, not a disease. Even if it could, we would either all be tainted, or dead already. We have no interest in listening to your death sentence."

He started walking closer, and I shouldered my rifle, ready should he try to attack. Kamots recognised my combat pose, and raised a paw at me, silently telling me to stand down. I didn't like the idea of potentially being caught off-guard, but nonetheless, I complied, and lowered the weapon, letting my sling take its weight.

Then Kamots took a step forward, bringing him and the dog within a foot of each other's snouts, "You think these slaves believe they are safe with you, just like the griffin? What if he had been innocent? Why did you place such a sentence on him?"

For a split second, I noticed the expression on the dog change. It was almost unnoticeable, but I saw a brief flash of fear. It was quickly replaced by his stubborn face, and Kamots spoke again before he could reply.

"Why did you condemn him if you did not even know if he had been tainted?" he asked the dog. The aggression in his tone was clear, but his voice remained soft and calm, "If he wasn't tainted, he had no need to die."

"We were doing it to protect ourselves." the dog argued, "If he stayed, he would have killed us all."

"No, this was murder. His death was not necessary." Kamots replied, anger rising in his tone, "Even if he was tainted, what gave you the right to kill him?"

"What right?" the dog replied, equally enraged, "The right to survive! 'Survival of the Fittest'! The Tymari are supposed to be wise; you should know this already.

"And what about you? You spent months down in the cursed tunnels." he continued, "How do we know you have not been tainted too? We could just get rid of you and your monkey friend too. We would only be defending ourselves, and you would be forgotten. You're not the one in charge here! I am, got it?"

As if to try and prove his point, the dog reached behind his back. Everyone in the room could tell he was reaching for the crossbow hanging there. This time, even if Kamots hadn't wanted me to, I would have ignored him.

He didn't have time to stop me as I raised the rifle and lined the sights onto the dog's head. Instantly the dog froze. I found myself breathing heavily, and my heart was beating rapidly, causing my temples to thump with every pulse. At that moment, I only knew one thing: this dog was threatening to kill someone I trusted with my life, and that if even one of his claws touched the crossbow, he would be the one being forgotten.

It was then that I realised that the dog hadn't frozen because of my threat on his life. It was because of something different entirely. Kamots was staring straight into the dog's eyes, a fire burning there that I hadn't seen before. The tension in the cave was so thick it would be cut by a knife. Then something incomprehensible happened. Kamots took a single step forward, and came within inches of the dog's muzzle.

"Stop this needless act of false courage," he said quietly, "You will listen to me, or you will die."

The dog's furrowed brow relaxed, and his paw moved away from the crossbow, hanging limply by his side. The events seemed so unnatural, that I was certain it was Kamots' words and not my gun that dissuaded the dog.

When Kamots was satisfied the situation had been defused, he said, "Never decide who should live and who should die. You are too weak for that. You can not understand the courage needed to determine another's fate."

Then, without even taking the crossbow from the dog, he stepped back and looked over the group of slaves. They were still, and completely silent, waiting for what he had to say next. It was remarkable; with just a few words, Kamots had gained control over the entire group.

"An agreement has been reached. You all have 15 minutes to gather supplies. After that, we will leave."

He waited until the group had dispersed into the tunnels, before turning to me, the fire I had seen slowly fading, "Like you and I, you say? No, they are like a pack of Korral. They were preparing to kill us, and they would have too. But they had forgotten one fact. They are Korral, but I am Tymari. They hold no power over me, and they never will."

Without waiting for a reply from me, he picked up his knapsack and crossbow and walked towards the mouth of the cave. When he was only a few feet from the entrance, he stopped, and looked over his shoulder.

"But you are a Tymari cub, Lakota."

And with that, he stepped outside, into the glorious sunshine.

Into freedom.

Chapter 51: Smile, Smile, Smile

For most of the ponies in Ponyville, life was carrying on as normal. They worked, went to school, or met and talked with their friends and family. Exactly how things should be. But there were a few exceptions to those normal lives.

Lyra Heartstrings was one of those exceptions.

The mint green unicorn was lying on the couch of her living room, reading an old fantasy novel she used to like as a filly. She didn't know how she came to be reading about how Tight Draw the unicorn vanquished the ancient dragon of the Borfaro Mountains, but she needed something to distract her mind.

Despite this, her eyes would occasionally drift to a small photo resting on the coffee table. It was a picture of her and Dutch, which Pinkie Pie had sneakily taken when they had both fallen asleep on a bench in the park during a surprisingly comfortable afternoon. As soon as her eyes took the image in, they quickly returned to the book. She tried as much as she could to focus on the words in front of her, but the image that was burned into her mind lingered, and brought more heartache to Lyra.

With a heavy sigh, she closed the book and floated it back over to the shelf. Thinking back, it wasn't a very good story anyway. She looked at the clock, and noticed it was almost 4:30. Maybe she could take some sleeping pills and go to bed early today. She certainly needed it; it had been a few restless nights as of late.

But as she went to leave the living room and head for the kitchen, there was a knock at the door. Lyra paused in the hallway, considering whether she should answer it or not, before deciding to open the door. Standing on the other side were two of her friends, Bon-Bon and Twilight.

"Hello Lyra," Bon-Bon said quietly, "Do you mind if we come in?"

Lyra stepped to one side and let them in. As they entered, they both took note of how bleak everything looked. It was as if the house had taken note of Lyra's depression and turned itself grey to match.

"Lyra, we need to talk." Twilight said, finally breaking the deafening silence that was hanging over the house.

"What about?"

"You." Bon-Bon answered, getting straight to the point, "You've been cooped up here for days, only going out to get food. It's not doing you any good, and the rest of our friends are getting worried."

"I just need some time to think things through," Lyra mumbled, not even making eye contact as she returned to the living room.

"Lyra, please." Twilight said, trying not to make her voice sound aggressive, "You need your friends. Sitting here, tearing yourself apart with worry isn't going to achieve anything."

Lyra didn't respond as she sat back on the couch. Her attention was now fully centered on the photo on the table. Twilight and Bon-Bon exchanged worried glances before moving to join her. They both sat on either side of her and Twilight put a hoof over her withers.

Bon-Bon paused, figuring out everything she wanted to say before speaking, "Listen. Pinkie Pie's throwing a party at Sugarcube Corner. Everypony's going to be there, including Fluttershy. It would do both of you a world of good to be there and offer moral support."

Lyra was conflicted. The emotions running through her head were giving her an uncomfortable feeling of cognitive dissonance. She wanted to see her friends, Fluttershy especially, and they in turn wanted to help her. But at the same time, if she went and partied, having a good time, did that mean that she didn't care about what state Dutch could be in?

Twilight's eyes flashed briefly as she remembered something, "Lyra, I've been talking with Eclipse, the Spirit of Magic. You remember her?" Lyra replied with a nod, "She said that all the Spirits of Harmony have a connection with each other. That they can sense each other, sometimes even communicate. They just have to focus on the energy of the other Spirits."

Lyra's ears unfolded, and her head darted to Twilight, "You mean they can contact Dutch?"

"Not Dutch, Valiant. And no, they can't. At least not now. Eclipse told me that combined, her and the other Spirits were able to sense Valiant's energy, but they couldn't contact him. And even then, the energy was very weak. But the fact that they can sense him at all means one thing: Dutch is alive, somewhere."

"But you can't know more than that?" Lyra guessed. Twilight's fallen expression spoke volumes, and Lyra let out another sigh.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you this earlier. With everything that's been happening, it hadn't crossed my until now."

"It's fine," Lyra reassured, "It's better than not knowing at all. Thank you."

After a few seconds of silence, Lyra took a deep breath and let it out slowly, "You're right. I've spent too long staying in my house like some hermit. Maybe some time with my friends is what I've been looking for."

Neither Twilight nor Bon-Bon replied, but both had feelings of relief and satisfaction on their faces. Surprisingly, it was Lyra who got down from the sofa first, grabbing a scarf and hat for the cold. As the two guests passed her on their way out, Lyra took one last look inside the house before closing the door and locking it.

The journey to Sugarcube Corner was a quiet experience. Nothing was said, but nothing needed to be said. The only noise that was made was the crunching of snow under their hooves. Twilight and Bon-Bon were just happy they were able to get their friend out her self-imposed solitary confinement.

Eventually, they reached Sugarcube Corner and went inside. The Cakes immediately knew what they were there for, and gave a friendly wave from behind the counter. When they reached Pinkie's room, the party was just about to begin. Decorations had been set up, everyone else was already present, and Pinkie Pie was setting a pile of vinyl records on the table.

"Lyra!" The pink pony leapt over the table and pulled her into a hug, "It's soooo good that you came. Now we can get to work turning that frown upside-down."

Pinkie grip was like a vice around Lyra's neck, and try as she might, she couldn't release herself. Despite this, she still found a smile creeping onto her face. It seemed that no matter what condition you were in beforehand, Pinkie would always find a way to make you smile.

The rest of her friends gathered around her, giving their own form of greeting. Seeing each of them reminded Lyra just what she had been missing out on, and how wrong she had been to simply lock herself away. Fluttershy approached her last, wearing the same smile as the others.

"Thank you for coming, Lyra," she whispered.

"Thank Twilight and Bon-Bon," Lyra replied, giving her a gentle hug, "They were the ones who managed to drag me out of the house."

Everyone laughed at her response, and Pinkie put a vinyl record on the player, "Enough chit-chat ponies. Let's partay!"

The next few hours were filled cake, music, games and laughter. Throughout it all, Lyra kept smiling and laughing along with her friends. It was the best she had felt for days, since she had got the letter from Canterlot. At that moment, she didn't care about anything else. The fact that Dutch was at least alive was enough to keep her spirits up. She was amazed at Fluttershy. Despite not even having the luxury of knowing of Shadow's condition at all, she still had a happy smile on her face as she talked with Rainbow Dash about their childhood memories of Flight Camp.

"Lyra, might I have a word with you?" Rarity asked from across the room. Lyra obliged and joined her, passing Sarah and Applejack as they discussed plans to expand the farm's apple orchard.

"I was wondering if you could assist me tomorrow afternoon at the boutique." she explained, "A rather important mare has asked me to create a stunning new dress for her, and you have just the right build. I would be ever so grateful if you could do some modelling for me."

It didn't take Lyra long to reply. She was done grieving, it hadn't accomplished anything. Friends existed to help each other. They had helped her when she had been at her lowest; why shouldn't she help them when they needed it?

"Sure Rarity. That sounds nice."

It took a few minutes for me to adjust to the sudden increase of light as I stepped outside, but it was certainly not unwelcome. As I held my hand over my eyes, I took a large lungful of air. The clean, open smell was enough to give me energy as I took in my surroundings.

The entrance of the cave was situated on the wide ledge of a cliff face. There was a long, winding path leading down to the ground, some eighty feet below us. Looking down, I couldn't see any sign of the griffin that had left. If he was still alive, he was already somewhere out in the desert.

Kamots was leaning on one side of the cave entrance, inspecting a map of his own. I joined him and examined it myself, only to find that he had made several modifications to it. There were multiple lines and sketches where I assumed Kamots had made corrections to his map, as well as symbols that I assumed were in the Tymari language.

"There is a town a day's walking from here, but there's only one safe route." he said after studying the map, "The desert is too empty to cross, but the edge of the Everfree Forest is close. With the animals and rivers there, we will have plenty of opportunities for food and water, and the desert is less kind than the predators that roam there."

"Sounds good," I said, "The sooner we can get back to civilisation, the better."

Kamots and I descended the path down the cliff face slowly, with the rest of the slaves following some distance behind. From where I was standing above the ground, the Everfree Forest looked to be a considerable distance across the featureless desert, but after walking for so long all those days ago, I didn't phase me as much as it should have.

It took a few hours to reach the forest. As it came more into view, the slaves behind us became more and more agitated. I had a feeling they wouldn't like what Kamots had in mind, and when the dry sand suddenly gave way to earth and grass as we crossed the Everfree's borders, the group stopped altogether.

"Woah, woah, woah. We're going in there?" asked one of the slaves.

"It's the quickest way back to the settlements," I said.

"We won't even make it if we go in there," said a griffin, "We may have followed you two out of the caves, but we are not going into the Everfree Forest. It's just not natural."

Several other slaves nodded in agreement, and Kamots took the griffin to one side, showing him the map. I couldn't hear what they were saying, but when he was finished, the griffin returned to the group and talked for a few minutes. After that, they took

"What did you say?" I asked Kamots as he returned.

"I told them to go around the forest," he replied, "It's a longer route, but it's the only one he would settle for, and they would only slow us down would they have followed us in their mindset."

Internally shrugging to myself, I fell in behind him as he continued into the forest, not showing any signs of slowing down. Neither of us spoke as we walked; we had nothing to put into a conversation other than small talk, and that wasn't worth it if it meant attracting predators.

Progress through the forest was slow, but I constantly reminded myself that every step forward was a step closer to home. Closer to Ponyville. Closer to Twilight, Sarah. Lyra. The hunger and thirst were beginning to return, but those thoughts forced me to keep going.

I hadn't been keeping track of how far we had walked, but after a sizable distance, Kamots came to a sudden halt, his ears twitching sporadically.

"Dutch, stop!" he hissed. When I froze, he grabbed my arm and pulled me to one side, "Hide, now!"

We both hid behind the trees, watching the clearing for any signs of movement. After a few moments, I found what had made Kamots hide. The steady thumping of heavy footfalls reached my ears, and a pair of trees were violently pushed apart as a manticore shouldered its way into the clearing.

Seeing the creature from where we were hiding sent a chill down my spine. I had never been sure how I would react seeing my closest shave with death again, but part of me was trembling with pure, unadulterated terror. The manticore I had seen in the forest near Ponyville had swatted me aside like a fly, and this one appeared to be larger than that one.

I held my breath and didn't dare move a muscle as the manticore stopped in the middle of the clearing and sniffed at the ground. I subconsciously pulled myself closer to the trees, terrified that the beast would pick up our scent and find us. Kamots, however, watched the manticore with unblinking eyes, patiently waiting for it to leave.

The manticore's head suddenly snapped up as it caught sight of something, and gave a deafening roar before breaking into a sprint and carrying on through the forest. Kamots and I stepped out from our cover and carried on walking, thankfully in the opposite direction the manticore had gone.

"I hate manticores," I said with a shudder.

"So you've encountered them before?" Kamots inquired.

"Yeah." I replied, "It was... an extremely painful experience."

"You are lucky to be alive," Kamots said, "Manticores are some of the most dangerous creatures in the Everfree, rivaled only be a full pack of timberwolves. I have crossed their paths multiple times during my treks through the forest."

"So how did you fight them?"

"I didn't." I looked at Kamots with confusion, "If you come across a manticore - or two if you've angered fate - you must not fight them. But you cannot run from them either, they're too fast. Your only chance to survive is to look them directly in the eye. It is a challenge for them, and you must never let them out of your sight. Look away, even for a second, and you die. If they charge you, or become aggressive, stand your ground, and if you try to kill one... well, look if you want, but its claws will be the last thing you ever see."

I was silent as I processed this new information, "The manticore I met didn't chase me when I ran."

"Most likely it was protecting its young. It would have caught you otherwise."

We walked for hours, following Kamots' map. Eventually, the sun began to set over the Everfree. The temperature began to drop again, and chilling memories of my trek across the desert started creeping into the back of my mind. My instincts were telling me to find somewhere to shelter and start a fire. Luckily, Kamots had the same idea as he headed to a cave that had come into view.

"We should rest until dawn," he said, looking up at the sky, "The Everfree's magic will protect us from the desert's cold, and we can make it to the town tomorrow."

With a nod, I followed him inside, where he set up a fire and lay out a blanket for himself. With my military clothing, I was content with simply sleeping on the ground. The evening meal consisted of more rodents which Kamots had stolen from the mines before we had left.

As Kamots had been travelling for most of his life, he was used to the outside went to sleep quickly. I, on the other hand, took more time, and I spent it staring at the night sky. What little sky I could see through the canopy was filled with stars, and I could only imagine how much work Princess Luna put into it. It was common knowledge now that she had regained control of the moon, and I felt bad that I hadn't met her since the events of the Summer Sun Celebration. I told myself that when I get home, I would try to see her in Canterlot. After all, she now held the same rank and status as Celestia, and deserved to be treated as such.

Back at Fort Coltson, four stallions were wandering around the base. Since two of their patrol were MIA, the rest of Element 0-5 had no orders and nothing to do. To try and kill time and make themselves useful, they resorted to simply helping other guards around the base. Whether it was Battle Plan helping the armourers with keeping stock of supplies, or Hammer Strike assisting the engineers, they needed something to occupy their mind.

Right now, Steel Sword, Hammer Strike and Battle Plan were in the mess hall, while Quick Flurry was trying to get some information from superior officers about their two squadmates. Hammer and Battle were reliving past experiences, while Steel was content with just listening. The chef at Coltson was nowhere near as good as Cookie, but it was still edible, and right now, they needed something in their stomachs.

"You're kidding, right?" Battle asked, inquiring further about one of Hammer's stories, "You don't seem the type to willingly get into fights. I thought that would be more Flurry's shtick."

"They weren't street fights." Hammer explained, "I used to do a lot of hoof-to-hoof combat at the local gym when I was a foal. It was all supervised, of course; nopony wanted an injury that would put them out of action, even if it would mean days off school. Plus it was a good way to settle disputes and grudges. I won quite a few awards when the competitions started.

"I remember this one time. Me and another earth pony - a mare - were almost ready to tear each other apart after a series of arguments. My dad, finally getting sick of our quarreling, suggested we go down to them gym and fight the bad blood out of our systems."

"Let me guess: you absolutely destroyed her?" Battle concluded.

"Actually, she had just as many fighting trophies under her belt as I did. While I had strength and size on my side, she was fast, and more agile than a cat. We drew quite the crowd by the end of it, and disappointed a lot of ponies who'd placed bets when we called it a draw after seven rounds."

"Did it help fix up relations with her?"

Hammer chuckled, "I should hope so. We got married a year later."

The sounds of hoofsteps brought the three soldiers out of their little world, and they saw Quick Flurry approaching their table. A single bruise that hadn't yet healed was still visible on his shoulder, but the most notable sign of his injuries was his head.

If a unicorn damaged their horn to such an extent that it took an extended period of time to heal, standard medical procedure was to fit a metal brace onto the pony's head. Since the brace completely encased the horn, soldiers had lovingly dubbed it 'the Condom'. Most of the time this would have elicited jabs and teasing from other ponies, but Flurry's unpredictable - and sometimes violent - personality quelled most of those temptations.

"Hey Flurry," Battle called as he approached, "Any news from the higher-ups?"

"Definitely," he took a seat next to them and pulled a cigarette out of his armour's pocket, lighting it with a box of matches. Since the Condom meant he couldn't use magic until his horn was fully healed, he had to resort to using his hooves for everything. He took a puff before continuing, "I've got bad news, and I've got good-ish news, lads. Which do you wanna hear first?"

"Let's get the bad news out of the way first." Steel said, speaking for the first time in a while. Judging from Flurry's tone, he wasn't exactly pleased with what he had heard.

"There's still no word on the Cap," Flurry stated, "They have no idea where he is, or what condition he could be in. But it's been almost a week now, and the Generals are starting to call off the search parties." He put his cigarette back to his lips again, before adding, "Useless bloody nobles are just gonna give up on him."

There was a moment of silence as everyone at the table sighed, and Hammer decided to carry on the conversation, "So what's the 'good-ish' news?"

Another cloud of smoke came out of Flurry's mouth, and he turned his head, staring them all straight in the eye.

"They found Shadow."

When I blearily opened my eyes, Kamots was awake and had already packed his knapsack.

As I stood up and stretched my joints, he said, "I will scout out a path through the forest. If I do not return in fifteen minutes, follow the trail I'll leave you."

I looked up from checking my equipment, but the Tymari was already gone. With nothing to do, I focused on disassembling and cleaning the rifle. To kill extra time, I performed a maintenance check on the magazines too, only breaking my focus from the activity to glance up and scan the trees near the cave for predators. The only noises inside the cave were the scratching of parts, and the occasional snap of a twig would cause me to stop all movement and watch the mouth of the cave. When no trace of life presented itself, I would return to examining the weapon.

Another thing that occupied my time was my broken wing. It had become extremely stiff over the last few days, and I felt the need to stretch it. Something about it felt... wrong. It wasn't the fracture. I knew what those felt like, and this wasn't it. When I got back to Equestria, I'd have to check with a doctor.

I had just finished checking over the rifle for a second time when a thought suddenly occurred to me. It had been a while since Kamots had left to scout. I looked at my watch to confirm it; he'd been gone for almost twenty minutes. I knew he had told me to stay in the cave, but the part of me that wanted to find him won over the rest of my mind. I had lost Shadow, I wasn't going to lose another friend.

The forest was filled with noises as I trekked in the direction that Kamots had gone. Birds called, vegetation rustled in the wind, and the distant rumble of a waterfall made it seem more like a tropical jungle than the dark, foreboding forest it was supposed to be. As I walked, I started noticing obvious marks that had only recently been made. Snapped branches, claw mark on trees. It all seemed too consistent, and I figured these were the signs Kamots was leaving me to follow. But there was still no sign of him.

Now getting concerned for the Tymari's whereabouts, I took the risk of calling out, "Kamots. Kamots, where have you gone?"

There was a rustle in the bushes next to me, and I quickly brought the rifle to bear. As I did, a pack of timberwolves launched themselves out of the brush directly towards me. I was too shocked at the sudden arrival to react, but my shock turned to confusion as the simply barreled past me and carried on through the forest. I stood dumbfounded for a few moments, my mind trying to process what could be going on.

The wolves had gone straight past me without so much as batting an eyelid. Coupled with the fact that they weren't moving like they would on the hunt left very few possibilities, but one stood out the most in my head. Something was chasing them. Something so powerful and so frightening that it was enough to make a pack of timberwolves flee for their lives.

I heard a howl behind me, and could only assume a pack member had been slowed down and caught by whatever was chasing them. Movement above the treeline caught my attention, and I saw a line of smoke coming from through the trees. A lot of smoke.

That's when I felt the heat.

I squinted through the trees to try and see the source of the smoke, and sure enough, I could see an orange glow, which slowly grew larger over time. A wildfire. There was no doubt now. That thought alone filled me with dread. I needed to find Kamots, and fast.

Knowing that any potential predators would be running from the fire, I began shouting at the top of my lungs, "Kamots! Where are you?"

Then, through the trees, I heard a scream. It was deep, and male, but it was still filled with fear. That could only have been Kamots. I took off as fast as my legs would allow through the trees, ignoring branches and vines that whipped at my face. The further I moved, the more scared I became for Kamots. It was only when I saw a familiar brown tail that I breathed a sigh of relief.

When I saw the rest of him however, the fear returned. Kamots was sat against one of the trees, his arms wrapped around his knees, which he had pulled into his chest. He was staring in the direction of the wildfire, not even blinking, and he was mumbling something in his native language. I didn't know why, but the wildfire seemed to have him paralysed with fear.

"Kamots!" I shouted, grabbing his arm, "We have to move. Now!"

He didn't respond. He simply stared at the fire, not even acknowledging my presence.

"KAMOTS!"

Chapter 52: Kamots

"Kamots, come on! Snap out of it!"

The Tymari refused to answer. Nothing I said would rouse him from his catatonic state, and I was running out of both time and options. The wildfire was drawing ever closer. There wasn't a chance in hell that I would leave him, but then we would both die. What was I supposed to do? I had to somehow snap him out of it.

With a sigh, I muttered, "Sorry mate," and slapped him across the face.

As I waved my hand to dispel the pain, Kamots blinked, and grabbed my arm. "Dutch? Wha...?"

"You can thank me later!" I shouted, pulling him to his feet, "Right now we need to get the hell out of here. Can you move?"

Kamots paused, taking in his surroundings, before replying. "Yes. I am fine."

"Good." I stopped to look around too. Our only option was to simply run in the opposite direction of the fire. But we couldn't do that forever. I didn't know much about wildfires, but I knew that they were usually faster than an average human. We began to run while my mind tried to think of something to do.

Suddenly, I remembered; the sound of rushing water. A river! Too focused on running to speak, I simply gestured to Kamots the direction we needed to go. The vegetation did what they could to slow us down, but the adrenaline in our systems made us simply ignore the branches whipping at out faces. The further we ran though, the more intense the heat became on our necks, and I began to wonder if the rushing water had simply been a trick of the mind.

Our sprint thought the forest was brought to an abrupt halt as the ground in front of us disappeared. I had to grab onto a nearby branch to stop myself falling as I stared down at the raging river below us. We had found the river. It was a few dozen metres wide, a large enough gap to act as a natural barrier against the fire. The only problem was that there was a hundred metre drop between us and the water.

“We’re going to have to jump,” Kamots said. “It’s our only chance.”

I tightened my gear to minimise pieces falling off and slung my rifle across my back. “Ok. Hang onto me as we fall. I’ll try and slow us down before we hit the water.”

Kamots wrapped his arms around me as I counted down, edging closer to the edge. “3, 2, 1, go!”

We both pushed ourselves off the edge and into thin air. Time seemed to slow down as we fell, and all I could hear was my own heartbeat and the rushing of air in my ears. I kept the river in view, remaining mindful of the distance between us and the water. When I guessed we were close enough, I spread my wings as best I could.

My left wing extended and reached its full length easily, but my right seized up halfway out. As a result, we were pulled into a spin, and hit the water at a painful angle. I waited until the water had slowed our descent, before pushing back up to the surface, keeping one arm on Kamots.

We breached the surface, and I quickly started searching for a bank or tree branch to anchor onto. “Kamots, you ok?”

I took hold of the furry limb I saw in the water, but no reaction came from my grip. I pulled him closer, but Kamots' entire body was limp. Fearing for his life, I put my free hand onto the bank and dragged him to shore. I quickly noticed a line of blood running down his head. He must have hit a rock in the river. Thankfully, he was still breathing, so I attempted to rouse him.

“Kamots, come on. Wake up.” A rumble from the trees pulled my attention away from the Tymari, and a steady, familiar thumping made my blood run cold. It was identical to the noise we'd heard the day before.

Please don’t smell us, I prayed, Please don’t come this way.

But fate wasn't so kind. The trees and vegetation were parted and knocked aside as a large manticore stood before me. It growled as I caught its attention, and slowly started pacing towards me. The hair on my neck stood up under its gaze, but Kamots' words crept into my head.

"Your only chance to survive is to look them directly in the eye. It is a challenge for them, and you must never let them out of your sight. Look away, even for a second, and you die. If they charge you, or become aggressive, stand your ground, and if you try to kill one... well, look if you want, but its claws will be the last thing you ever see."

"Kamots, you'd better be right about this."

Keeping his advice at the forefront of my mind, I slowly stood up and returned the manticore's stare. It came to a stop no more than five yards away and narrowed its eyes, as if studying me. I felt extremely small under its glare, but I forced myself not to back down, knowing that doing so would be a death sentence.

The manticore figured out I wouldn't give up so easily, and it snarled at me. The snarl became a roar of anger, and it swung a massive paw at a nearby tree, smashing it into splinters. It did the same with another on its other side, before returning to me, teeth bared. After a while, it slowly started to walk away. For a brief moment, I thought he would leave, but he quickly spun around and charged me. Remembering Kamots' words and against my better judgement, I stood my ground. The manticore stopped a hair's breadth from me, snorting angrily.

"Back off, fleabag," I muttered under my breath.

The manticore stayed rooted to its spot for what felt like eternity. But eventually, my patience held out, and the manticore took a few steps back. Giving one final snort, it turned and slowly began to make its way out of the clearing, smashing one final tree before it left. When it was out of sight, I waited another thirty seconds in case it came back, before making my way back to Kamots.

He was still out cold. Deciding it was better to stay near the river rather than try and carry my taller, heavier companion into unfamiliar territory, I set my gear down and started to clean the wound on his head.

It was a while before Kamots regained consciousness. By that time, the wildfire had moved on, unable to reach our side of the river. Soot and ash floated down toward us. I had spent the time watching the forest for any other predators, and it was Kamots' groaning that pulled my attention away from the trees.

"Welcome back to the land of the living," I said as I crouched and put an arm on his back. "Take it easy. How do you feel?"

"My skull aches," he replied. I gave him my canteen, which he gratefully accepted.

After a few minutes of silence, I raised a subject that had been pestering me. "Kamots, what happened back there? No one goes catatonic and starts muttering to themselves unless they've got a good reason."

A flash of surprise crossed his face, but it settled, and he asked, "What was I saying?"

"I don't know. Something in your language. It was only two words." I did my best to remember the words, before repeating them to Kamots. After repeating them a few times, trying to get them right, Kamots' head snapped over to me.

"They mean 'mother' and 'father'. I was... I was calling for my parents."

"What do you mean?"

"Down in the mines, you asked me about my family." He let out a slow sigh. "There's a reason I didn't answer it."

I didn't respond. It looked Kamots was preparing himself for what he was about to say.

“It was 34 years ago. My father, Motomo, was the leader of the Sandpaw Clan, my tribe. He was a powerful and noble Tymari. Where most tribes would fight, he would seek peace. If another tribe struggled to feed its people, he would offer food, water, while making sure his own would also survive. He was the image of a leader that every Tymari aspired to be. And for that reason, he made enemies.

“One day, a rival clan held resentment for my father, and paid for an Alpha Korral to kill him. The Alpha’s name was Aphos. You've met him before. We both have.”

My eyes widened, “The Alpha in the caves?”

Kamots slowly nodded, before continuing, “His pack snuck into the village in the middle of the night. We all slept in the same room, and were all awoken from the noises. The first thing I saw when my eyes opened... was Aphos standing over my father, stabbing him with that ruby dagger he carries.”

He shuddered as the memory entered his mind, but he fought through it, determined to finish his story. “As my father lay bleeding on the bed, the rest of the pack entered our home. They... did things to my mother, Wyakin, and my older sister, Matsi. Then they strangled them while I watched.

“I was just a young pup all those years ago. Too small to be any trouble. So when Aphos saw me, he just smiled at me.” His cheeks rose as he looked at me, and I assumed he was copying Aphos’ smile. It quickly fell again, and he let out a sigh, not breaking his gaze.

“Then he set the house on fire.

“The rest of the clan found me the next me the next morning, hiding in a hole I had dug myself. I thank the ancestors every night that I was not also consumed by the flames. But Aphos still left his mark.”

He rolled up a leg of his trousers, and I saw a large patch of fur on his leg was missing, replaced by ugly scar tissue, "I hoped I had an opportunity to end his wretched life when I entered this land. But Aphos found me, and I'd been imprisoned ever since."

"He's wronged us both," I said, resting my hand on Kamots' shoulder, "He will pay for what he's done. To both of us."

"Of that, I hold no doubt," he replied. He placed his paw on the hand on his shoulder, "You've been a... friend in recent days, Lakota. It is... good to have someone who... just listens."

"That's what friends are for." I hesitated, and added, "You never did tell me what that word meant."

He chuckled lightly, "I will. For now, I have something to show you." He stood up and picked up his knapsack, "Come."

"You sure you should be walking around so soon?" I asked.

"I will be fine."

We walked a few hundred metres away form the fire, until we reached a clearing in the woods, where Kamots stopped and turned his whole body towards me, "Give me your hand."

Confused by the abrupt order, I slowly lifted my arm towards him. When he grasped it at the forearm, he said, "Tymari tradition forbids me to share my magic with outsiders." A smirk appeared on his lips, "But you are no longer an outsider, Lakota."

His eyes began to glow a brilliant ice blue, and I grabbed his own forearm as trails of blue energy flowed down his arm like glowing veins. I became more apprehensive as they snaked closer to my own limb, but as soon as the lines touched my skin, time came to a complete standstill.

My vision blacked out, and I gasped as the muscles in my arm instinctively tried to pull away, but Kamots' grip remained solid. After several seconds, he let go, and I stumbled and fell backwards as waves of colour in my vision formed strange shapes. I blinked furiously, trying to get my vision to return.

"Don't fight it." Kamots' voice seemed to come from all around me, and as he spoke, the colours distorted, "Let it in."

His words were oddly calming, and I forced myself to slow down. Only then, when my senses returned, did I start to realise that the colours in my vision weren't random. One wave of colour - ice blue - formed a tall shape standing a few feet away from me. Other waves of yellow, green and red settled behind it, and towered above me.

"Breathe, my friend." The blue shape extended an appendage towards me.

"Kamots?" I stared at the form for several moments, "Is that you?"

The appendage lifted me to my feet. Through my new vision caused by the magic flowing through my veins, I could sense tiny ripples flowing through everything; me, Kamots, the forest. The other colours took the shape of trees and plants, each giving off their own energy against the contrast of black where nothing existed.

That's when I realised I could sense the very magic of the world around me. I felt a gust of wind brush against my skin, and a wave of silver passed my vision like stardust, rippling against the other shapes before letting them settle again. A bird chirped nearby, and I could see the waves of sound as its call echoed through the forest like a sonar. I raised my own hand to look at it. I couldn't see the skin, but the bright green pulses of energy outlined its shape.

"Is this what you see?" I asked, staring at my body in wonder.

"All the time. We are all born with this gift."

"It's..." I couldn't properly describe what I was feeling, "Kamots, it's beautiful."

The chuckle that left Kamots' lips sent another ripple through the air, and I took a few steps forward, marveling at the vibrations that spread from my footfalls across the ground like a stone on water. Every sound, every smell, every vibration in the air, I could see, each with their own unique colour. It was like nothing I had ever experienced before.

The next few hours were spent trekking further through the forest. Walking with this Tymari magic inside me proved difficult; for all its beauty, it made objects like rocks and roots harder to see, almost resulting in me tripping on numerous occasions.

But of course, it was magic I wasn't supposed to own, and after a few miles of walking, the colours began to fade, and my senses dulled. The vivid blue glow of Kamots dissipated, and was replaced by his white and brown fur. I blinked a few times as the sensations faded, and he noticed my discomfort.

"The magic was never a permanent gift. It can only be used fully by those who are born with it."

I examined the texture of my hand as the skin returned. "Regardless, it's not something I'll forget. Thank you." Another though occurred as the Tymari magic stopped occupying my mind, and I said, "So what does Lakota mean?"

"My father would tell my sister and I the story on occasion. It was one of great honour, courage, and sacrifice," Kamots explained,

"Millenia ago, before the Great War, the Griffins invaded our land, intent on harvesting the minerals to fuel their tyrannical empire. Two brothers, Wahots and Lakota, were both high-ranking commanders in the Tymari military, and skilled warriors on the battlefield. They led their soldiers to the Griffin General. If they could defeat him, his troops would scatter, and the war would be over. When they cornered him, only Wahots and Lakota were left, but the general was not so willing to surrender.

"They fought in his throne room, but it became apparent that the griffin was too skilled for them, and both of the brothers were gravely wounded. In an act of self-sacrifice, Lakota summoned all of his energy - his strength, his speed, his skill - and gave it to his brother, giving up his own life in the process."

Kamots raised his arms, as if he was playing out the scene himself. His enthusiasm for the story was surprising. "Wahots, armed with only a broken dagger and a plank of wood for a shield, embraced his newly-given power, and slayed the general, once and for all. With their leader dead, the enemy broke ranks and fled. Wahots stood victorious, but a the cost of his beloved brother."

He lowered his arms, the story apparently over. "Lakota was given a hero's burial, and his name became part of legend. Today, it has a deep meaning, but in your language, its simplest definition would be 'brother'."

I looked up at him and cocked my head, "So you see me as your brother?"

"Not in its simplest form," he replied, "A Lakota is chosen by a Tymari if he sees it fit. It marks them as someone they trust, someone who has proven themselves worthy, or offered something that the Tymari sees as valuable."

"And what did I do to make myself worthy?" I inquired.

"I spent most of my life travelling, living a life of solitude for decades. I thought my life would end in those caves, working as a blind, obedient slave for Aphos until my body or my mind gave up. But when you arrived, something I had not felt for a long time stirred, and a spark was ignited. Do you know what that spark was?"

I shook my head. "Friendship. You recognised me as something more than just some beast that looks like a Korral. You listened when I told my tales. You humored me; a long-lost luxury for me."

"I still don't see what was so funny about that joke," I muttered.

If Kamots had heard me, he ignored it, "And you offered comfort when I needed it. You reminded me what it was like to have a friend. Someone to trust, to help you, to fight for you. I've spent too long thinking such things were unnecessary, but it seems I was mistaken."

The settlement was easily in view when we finally exited the Everfree Forest. I breathed a great sigh of relief as I felt its oppressive atmosphere leave me. No longer wanting anything to do with the forest, I picked up the pace and headed towards the centre of town. The sooner I could find someone, the sooner I could get home.

It turned out heading into the town, however, wasn't required, as a trio of griffin soldiers flew out to intercept us. The landed several metres in front of Kamots and I, armour on their chests, and crossbows aimed at ours.

"Halt!" the lead griffin shouted. "Holster your weapons at once."

I put my rifle behind my back, while Kamots slung his crossbow over his shoulder. Both of us raised our arms as I spoke, "We have no quarrel with your town. We only need a way to contact Equestria."

"Wait, I know you," said the griffin on the right. "You're that monkey that fought with the ponies."

He stepped closer, and I began to recognise him. He was one of the griffins on patrol with us during our first contact.

"It's ok, guys." He lowered his weapon, and the other two slowly copied his movements. "He's on our side. He's been MIA for almost a week now."

I closed the distance between us, and Kamots stayed close to my side.

"How did you know I was missing?" I asked the griffin.

"There are a couple of houses around here that are subscribed to the Equestria Daily. I picked up a copy a while back and saw your on the name on the front page."

After processing that information, I asked, "Is there somewhere I can contact the Equestrians here?"

"There's a unicorn in the communications building who can broadcast a message easy. It's this way."

"Who's the dog?" one of the other griffins asked.

I looked at Kamots. "He's with me. I wouldn't have survived if it weren't for him."

"Well, if you say so," the griffin said with a shrug, "The communications building is just up there."

The building in question was a simple, unassuming complex with a mast sticking up from the roof. Inside, the air conditioned room made a stark contrast to the humid air of the desert outside.

"Your friend will have to wait out here," the griffin said.

Kamots only grunted and sat down on one of the chairs lining the wall.

"See you a sec," I said to him, and walked into the main office. A red unicorn sat at the table, and he quickly got up from his chair as I entered.

"Captain Jones!" he exclaimed, "It's good to know you're alright."

I raised an eyebrow. "I didn't expect a civilian to be so concerned for me."

He gave a short laugh. "I suppose the lack of uniform might throw you off. I'm Lieutenant Relay, of the Royal Signals. I got sent here after I found I couldn't stand running communications in FOBs and on the front line. I monitor everything that goes in and out of this town. Never thought I'd be seeing you here though."

"And you can contact Equestria?"

"Sure. Give me a minute to work the spell." Relay's horn glowed as he summoned the spell. A small tear began to appear in the air next to us. A few seconds later, a picture formed in the centre, showing another room. It took a moment for anything to happen, but I felt mixed emotions when Commander Ironhoof stepped into view.

"Identify yourself," he barked.

Relay saluted into the window. "Lieutenant Relay, Chief Communications Supervisor at Outpost 9. I have somepony you need to see, sir."

I stepped into view of the window, and Ironhoof's eyes widened. "Captain Jones? Where the hell have you been?"

"Long story, sir. I can tell you everything in a debrief."

"Good. I want to know everything that happened out there." He looked away from the window for a moment, before continuing. "An airship is on its way to you. ETA thirty minutes."

"Copy that, sir." The window snapped shut as the connection was broken, and I nodded to Relay. "Thanks."

"No problem, Captain," the unicorn replied.

I stepped back out of the office to give Kamots the news, but an odd sight greeted me. The chair Kamots had been sat in was empty, replaced with a piece of paper and a small necklace. I briefly glanced at the necklace, before unfolding the paper. It was a letter, with a handwriting that managed to be both eligible and intricate at the same time.

Dutch,

By the time you read this, I will be gone. I am leaving this message because it seems I must depart earlier than I had intended. I would have preferred to tell you this in person. But since I can not, I will say it here. In any case, I do not like long goodbyes; they bring forth unwanted emotions.

I could hear everything that was said in the office. I am glad that you have found your people, but while your journey has come to an end, mine has not. Aphos is still out there, and every moment I waste is another chance for him to slip away into the shadows. We have both experienced his cruelty, so I know you understand how dangerous it is that he remains alive. But do not think of this as the end of our friendship. I believe we will meet again. Until then, I leave you a gift.

The necklace I have left you is the Mark of the Lakota. The symbol is from our ancient language, and any Tymari who see it will know what you have done, and that you are my brother. You are one of us now, and I welcome you.

Tymari beliefs state that when one parts from his Lakota, a part of their Lakota goes with them, and a part of oneself remains. Go anywhere in this land, and when it is quiet, just listen to the air. After a while, you will begin to hear the echoes of our past conversations. Every word, thought and emotion we have exchanged. Long after we have parted, those words will preserve themselves in our memories, for as long as we exist.

But I will admit; the part of myself that is leaving, will very much miss the part of you that is staying.

Until we meet again, Lakota, goodbye.

Kamots.

It took a few moments for the letter to sink in. Kamots was gone. Part of me thought that would be the end of it, but somehow, deep down, I knew he was right when he said we'd meet again.

But regardless... "I'll miss you too, Lakota."

I examined the necklace he had left me. It was a small piece of metal, with a simple symbol scratched onto the front; a vertical line with three dots running down its left side. The whole thing was tied to a piece of string, with I put over my head. Despite its size and unremarkable appearance, the cold metal on my chest still reminded me of the person who had trusted me enough to call me his brother.

With nothing else to do but wait for the airship, I sat in a nearby chair. Slumped over, with my head hanging down, the only thing I could look at was my uniform. There were scuffs and tears from the caves and forest, and a few minute holes showed where shrapnel from the explosion had been stopped by my armour. The forearms were missing too, from where I had ripped them off to tie around Shadow's hooves.

Shadow...

Needing something to take my mind off the though of Shadow, my hand instinctively reached for my pocket, where my Ipod would have been, before I remembered it was broken. It was then that a though occurred to me; I hadn't seen it since the desert. Could I have left it in the caves? No, I was running on all cylinders with Kamots' magic. I would have seen it. My brain drew forward another possibility. Aphos and his pack had taken it.

I openly laughed at idea. The dogs could have taken anything. My supplies, my weapons. They could have just taken everything. Instead, they took a piece of dead weight, partially because they would have no idea how to work it, but primarily because it had a large piece of shrapnel in the screen.

Thus, the next hour or so was spent waiting in the communications building. I wanted to sleep, but after our trek through the Everfree Forest, my body wouldn't let me, not until I was absolutely certain nothing would happen. As such, I would occasionally glance out the window at the forest, just to be sure nothing was coming.

When the steady thumping of propellers reached my ears, I jumped to my feet in an instant. I was already out the door before the airship had touched down. When I was a few feet away, the door opened, and a familiar pegasus stepped out.

I came to a halt and saluted him as best I could. "Major Wingfleet. Captain Jones reporting. Sorry I'm a bit late."

Wingfleet returned the salute. "At ease, son." He looked me up and down. "You're a mess. Let's get you home."

Home. I didn't realise until now how much I liked the sound of that word. Its simplicity in form, yet meaning so much, and its smoothness and softness as it rolled off the tongue. Home. That sounds good. As it stepped onto the airship and sat down, my body started to shut down. Fatigue washed over me at the thought of finally leaving the events of the past week behind.

"It's over," I whispered as I drifted off. "Time to go home."

Chapter 53: Reunion

When the conductor opened the doors of the train to let the passengers off at Canterlot Station, the last thing he expected was to be almost crushed by a large group of ponies clambering to get out. He managed to jump out of the way just in time, and watched in confusion as they galloped off towards the castle.

Lyra Heartstrings however, couldn't care less. It had only been two hours since Twilight had burst into her house saying she'd gotten a letter from the princess. Dutch had been found, and he was alive! Within seconds, Lyra was out the door and heading for the train station, which quickly became Sweet Apple Acres as she learned the others had yet to be told.

They reached the castle in record time, and after identifying themselves to the guards, they were let in without trouble. Twilight's knowledge of the castle meant they reached the medical wing without too much trouble, and a doctor was there to meet them when they arrived.

"You must be Twilight Sparkle, Princess Celestia's student?"

"Yes, doctor. We're here for the human, Dutch Jones."

"Ah yes, I was just checking him over." The doctor motioned for the group to follow him, pulling out a medical file as he walked.

"How is he?" Lyra asked.

"He's taken quite the punishment, but none of it is life-threatening." He examined the file. "Numerous fractures, burns, and lacerations. The most notable injury however, was his wing."

"What do you mean?"

"He suffered a fracture to the humerus of his wing," the doctor explained. "This wouldn't be an issue if it was properly treated, but this injury is about a week old, and has only been held in place by basic first aid. As a result, the bone hasn't healed properly, and the integrity of the wing is compromised."

Being pegasi, Rainbow, Fluttershy and Scootaloo managed to figure it out as soon as the doctor finished his explanation. Twilight realised what he was talking about a few seconds later.

"You mean... he's never going to be able to fly again?" Scootaloo asked.

The doctor looked down at the filly with sympathy in his eyes. "No, I'm afraid he isn't."

Rainbow sighed. She'd been looking forward to the possibility of another race with him. Everyone else either gasped or started at the floor sadly. Either way, the news had considerably soured the mood. But Lyra took comfort in the fact that Dutch was at least alive and well.

After that, the group was silent as they walked down the halls of the building. After a few minutes, the doctor reached a door to one of the wards and pushed it open, the rest of the group filing in behind him.

I'd been lying half-asleep on this soft hospital bed for what felt like eternity now, but was actually a few minutes. I didn't remember much after getting on the airship. I'd slept through the journey back to Canterlot, even when the medics waiting for us manhandled me onto a stretcher and carried me to the medical wing. Major Wingfleet had told me everything when I woke up. After that I was given a small meal, before more sleep.

My dreams hadn't been the most pleasant. They were filled with whips, fire pokers and sharp fangs. But I'd quickly learned that if I endured it all, there was a familiar face waiting for me at the end, right before I woke up. Kamots' reassuring smile.

In my daze, I heard the door to the ward open. I rubbed my eyes and looked over just as a bright green blob wrapped itself around me.

"Dutch!"

That voice. Lyra! I instinctively hugged the ball of fur attached to me. My vision cleared, and I saw the rest of the girls surrounding me.

"Hey guys," I muttered. "How are you?"

"We should be asking that question," Sarah answered. "The desert looks like it did a number on you."

"I was so scared." Lyra trembled slightly. "The thought of losing you..."

"It's ok." I stroked her mane reassuringly. "I'm fine. It was a little disheartening when I learned I wouldn't fly again, but humans weren't really built for flying. I guess... I guess it was fun while it lasted."

Pinkie, who had been bouncing up and down with a massive grin on her face, finally released her excitement. "This is great! With you back, I can plan a 'Lost but Found' party!"

"How's the food?" Rainbow asked, rolling her eyes as Pinkie continued her rambling. "I broke my wing once. Spent a few days in the hospital, but their food was enough to make me fly more carefully."

"It's not so bad," I answered, grunting as I pulled myself up into a sitting position. "While it leaves something to be desired, it's certainly better than the stuff I ate out there."

The necklace Kamots had given me still hung from my neck. I hadn't removed it since the desert. As I leaned against the pillow, I noticed Twilight cock her head.

"Dutch, what's that around your neck? The symbol looks familiar."

I took off the necklace and held it out for Twilight. It floated out of my grasp as Twilight examined it, rubbing her chin with a hoof. The necklace twirled in the air

"I know this symbol," Twilight mumbled, the others looking at her in confusion. "It's the Mark of... something. Lakeera...? Lekata...?"

"Lakota," I corrected, taking the necklace out of the air.

"Yes, that's right. The Mark of the Lakota." Twilight nodded as she remembered the phrase. It was a few seconds before she froze. "Dutch... you're a Lakota?"

"Woah, woah," Rainbow interrupted. "What's a Lakota? In Equestrian, please."

"Lakota is the title given to somepony by the Tymari race," Twilight explained to the rest of the group. "It marks them as someone they trust, almost like a brother. It's not something they hand out to anyone."

"And who are these 'Tymari' folk?" Applejack asked.

"They are - or were - a race from Zebrica. They looked like Diamond Dogs, but were much smarter, and were some of the greatest warriors of their time. Some of their tactics are still taught by the Equestrian military." Twilight's gaze turned to me. "Dutch, where did you find that? Tymari are some of the rarest sentient beings in the world."

"It was given to me by a friend," I answered, slipping the necklace back around my neck. Twilight eyes widened at the implications. "He saved my life more times than I care to remember."

"So you met one?"

"I did. His name was Kamots."

"What was he like?" Twilight asked.

I sighed. "He was... something else, Twi."

I began to tell them about Kamots. How I'd met him in the mines, the way he'd helped me survive despite not knowing who or what I was. I even mentioned that he had been like a brother to me. When I had finished explained who Kamots was, Twilight asked about Tymari magic. I wasn't sure if I was supposed to talk about it due to Kamots' traditions, but I told them it was something that had to be seen to be understood, and I knew I wasn't wrong.

The reunion with my friends was cut short when they heard a soft knock on the door. A second later, a stallion stuck his head through.

"Captain Jones?" the pony asked.

"Yes?"

"I've been told to tell you that there's an airship just arriving outside. The rest of your squad's on board."

I could see everyone's faces brightening up at the mention of the squad, and I moved to the edge of the bed. "Thank you."

When the pony was gone, the rest of the girls headed outside, and I shifted myself into a standing position. My body however, was still in recovery mode, so walking was painful and slow. I winced with each step, and had to lean on the door frame to take the pressure off my feet.

"Guys, wait up," I called.

They turned to see me leaning on the wall, and Lyra said, "Are you ok?"

"Yeah," I replied. "Just give me a second."

Sarah walked back to me and put my arm around her shoulder. With her supporting my weight, the amount of pain my soles were feeling was significantly reduced.

"Go on ahead guys," Sarah said. "We'll be fine."

As we began to make our way down the hall, she looked at me and said, "You realise how crazy Lyra's been acting since we got the news?"

"I can only imagine," I replied. "How are you doing?"

"Don't worry about me," Sarah reassured. "Ponies think differently to humans. I guess we're... adaptable? I don't know; bad stuff just hits them harder than us. Sure, I was worried for my friend, but now that you're back, I can rest easy."

"Yeah. I guess you're right there. How's the rest of the gang?"

"They're just glad that you're back. Lyra and Scoots especially." She sighed. "Fluttershy... not so much. She's still worried about Shadow. We haven't heard anything about him."

It was my turn to sigh now. "Neither have I."

"What? But you were out there."

"We got separated." Sarah didn't reply to that, and our conversation ended.

Despite most of my weight resting on Sarah's shoulders, I still felt pain with every step, and by the time Sarah and I got outside, the airship was about a hundred metres off the ground. When we stopped next to the rest of the girls and watched as it descended. I took my arm away from Sarah and stood a little straighter, nodding at the look of concern she gave me.

The airship landed with a soft thump, and its propellers came to a stop. I waited with anticipation as the ship cooled down and the ramp slowly opened. Then I saw them. My squadmates. Hammer Strike, Steel Sword, Battle Plan and Quick Flurry slowly walked down the ramp.

But Shadow Breeze wasn't with them.

Instead, balanced on the shoulders of the four ponies, was a coffin.

Everyone around me gasped quietly, and I felt weak at the knees. If it weren't for Sarah quickly wrapping an arm around me, I would have collapsed.

"N-No..."

A whisper, barely audible even with the silence hanging over us like a plague. Nearby, Fluttershy was shaking violently. Even Rarity's hoof over her shoulders didn't stop her quivering, and she buried her head in the mare's shoulder as the tears started flowing.

Meanwhile, I was feeling weak at the knees, and if it wasn't for Sarah's arm grabbing me again I would have collapsed. All I could do was watch as the four ponies carried the coffin

"Sarah, tell me I'm seeing things," I whispered. "Someone tell me this isn't happening."

"I'm sorry, Dutch," Sarah replied. "I'm so sorry."

I could only watch as the coffin was carried inside. When they disappeared, my legs began to move automatically as I followed them, ignoring the pain in my feet. I had to see them. I had to see Shadow.

I reached the building they had entered and pushed the door open. The guys had rested the coffin on a large table, where another pony was checking a list of some kind; I didn't care. When I got close, the ponies' ears twitched and they turned to look at me, solemn expressions on their faces.

"Guys..." I said when I reached them.

"Hey Captain," Hammer replied quietly.

Unable to say anything else, I stared at the coffin.

"They found him while we were at Coltson," Battle said. "The... medics said he's been dead for a while now."

"Christ..." I breathed. "He was right behind me."

Flurry rested a hoof on my arm. "Whatever happened boss, it wasn't your fault."

I didn't say anything in reply. I couldn't. My mouth had failed me.

"He'll get a full military burial tomorrow morning," Steel said. "Until then, try to get a few hours rest, Dutch. You look like you need it."

"Yeah... yeah." I started to walk away, though unable to tear my gaze from the coffin.

My mind was so stunned from what I had just seen, I didn't even remember returning to the ward. I just remembered lying back down on the bed, the girls giving some sympathetic looks, and then leaving.

A few minutes after everyone had left, I heard more hoofsteps outside, this time accompanied by the voice of a nurse.

"I'm sorry, sir. Visiting hours are over."

Another, quieter voice came through the door, but I couldn't make out the owner. I did hear the nurse sigh as they reached the door, before it was pushed open.

"You've got five minutes," the nurse said, and I saw the visitor was Major Wingfleet. As the nurse left, I sat up and gave him a nod, since I was out of uniform.

"How are you feeling, Captain?" he asked.

"As good as somebody in my position can feel, sir," I replied. "What are you doing back here? I thought you'd be getting called back up to Coltson by now."

"I decided now was as good a time as any to get some leave," Wingfleet answered. "I decided to use the time to check up on you again now that you've had some time to recover."

"Thanks, sir."

Wingfleet nodded before his expression fell. "I heard about Shadow too."

I sighed. "It's my fault. I should have paid more attention." I began to tell him what happened. How Shadow started suffering from hypothermia, became delirious, before disappearing altogether.

When I had finished, Wingfleet said, "Dutch, I know how you feel. I've lost ponies too, but it wasn't your fault."

"How could it not be, sir?" I asked. "We got up blown up, lost in the desert and separated, then I lost Shadow and got captured. Everything that happened out there was my responsibility."

"Captain, listen." Wingfleet placed a hoof on my shoulder. "Once you start blaming yourself for deaths that aren't your fault... well, that's a steep slope to come back from. I've seen it ruin a lot of good soldiers, and I don't want it to happen to you too."

He sighed as I thought over what he said. "Anyway, I came for another reason. The rest of your squad have given reports of what happened, but we still need to know your side of the story."

"Yeah. Ironhoof has a debriefing planned as soon as I'm checked out of here."

"I'm already concerned," Wingfleet suddenly said, and I cocked an eyebrow.

"What do you mean, sir?"

"I'll be honest, it's not exactly looking good for you, Dutch. The mission was a failure, one of your squad was killed, and you got captured. You've also permanently damaged your wing, which counts as a disability. Granted, you managed to escape from your captors, and you'll all probably get medals for your bravery and determination, Shadow posthumously, but if you're against Ironhoof, you're probably looking at an honorable discharge at best."

"What? A discharge?"

"I'm afraid so, and Ironhoof's within his rights to do it too. The Royal Guard expects a lot from its officers, and--"

The door to the ward opened, and the nurse form earlier stepped in. "Your five minutes are up, sir."

"Ok, nurse. I'm going." Wingfleet paused, before looking back at me and saying, "I honestly can't tell you what will happen, but you have to face the possibility that by this time tomorrow, you might not be a Guard."

"I understand," I said quietly. "Thanks for checking up on me, Major."

Wingfleet nodded and left. When he was gone, I let out a heavy sigh and sunk my head into the pillow. So many thoughts were swirling around my head, I didn't even know where to begin. The mission, Aphos, Kamots, Shadow, my wing, and now a discharge. It was enough to send someone mad. I even began to contemplate keeping a journal just so I could keep track of everything.

I was brought out of my thoughts by the sound of the door to the ward opening. I sat up from the bed to see Fluttershy slowly walking in.

"Fluttershy?" I got up from the bed. "How did you get in here?"

"I-I came to see you," she whispered. "To talk about Shadow."

I crouched down as she got close. "Fluttershy. I'm so, so sorry."

"What happened?"

I paused at her sudden sentence. She was looking at me with a mixture of sadness, anger and confusion. I sighed, and sat down against the side of the bed, resting my arms on my knees.

"We were out in the desert," I began. "We had to walk about twenty miles to get to the airship. But then we got caught in a storm, and it became cold." I shivered at the memory. "So, so cold.

"The team was separated. It was just me and Shadow, but..." I took a deep breath. "He was right behind me. But then I looked back and... he was gone. No noise, no nothing. Just... gone. I went back to look for him, but I couldn't find him."

"So you left him?" Fluttershy suddenly asked, her brow furrowing. "You left him to die?"

"W-What?" I looked at Fluttershy, startled by her outburst. "N-No. I tried to find him. I tried to save him, but... I couldn't."

"Why not? You're an Element of Harmony!" Fluttershy's voice was rising. "Shadow was our friend."

I could feel tears forming in my eyes. "I know, Fluttershy. I tried, I honestly did but..."

I pulled my knees into my chest, trying my best to hold back the tears. I heard soft hoofsteps next to me, and Fluttershy's weight rested on my side.

"I'm sorry." Her voice was barely audible, even when it was right next to me. Her voice was quivering from her own emotions. "I just... I don't know how to feel. Part of me is heartbroken, another part is scared for the future, and for the foal. But... part of me wants to be angry at you for coming back without him. I... I don't know what to do."

I let go of my knees and pulled Fluttershy close, taking care not to put too much pressure on her stomach. "Whatever happens, I'll stick by you, Fluttershy. If you need help, I won't hesitate to be there. None of us will."

"I m-miss him," Fluttershy whispered, tears pouring out of her eyes. "I miss him s-so much."

"So do I, Fluttershy. S-So do I."

I don't know how long we held each other, but it felt like eternity. Neither of us wanted to let go. Two souls, both mourning from the loss of a friend, and both there to support each other.

Interlude 2: Friends Once, Family Forever

Dutch smiled to himself as he looked at the scene. Pinkie Pie certainly didn't disappoint with this party. It was held over the entire town, and everypony in Ponyville was invited. They all crowded in the main square, eager to see the return of their princesses.

They arrived on a large golden chariot. Celestia was sat in the middle, with Luna next to her. Luna had been nervous throughout the entire flight over. She wasn't sure how everypony would react. She had been Nightmare Moon not 24 hours ago. She got down from the carriage, and almost immediately, two fillies placed a flower chain around her neck. She smiled as she looked up at her sister, tears of joy in her eyes.

Meanwhile, Twilight Sparkle couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt. She looked over at her six new friends, and knew that she would have to leave them again soon. Celestia noticed this, and while the crowd was talking to Luna, she walked over to Twilight.

"Why the long face Twilight?" The unicorn looked up at her mentor, "Your duties in Ponyville are finished, and you can now return to your studies in Canterlot."

"That's what's bothering me though," she said, "I've made my first true friends today, the only friends I've ever had, but now I have to leave them." She looked back at them. The five ponies, each with their own personality, and the human, truly unique, and yet, still accepted as one of them.

Celestia thought for a second, then turned to Spike, who was standing with the group, "Spike, take a letter."

Spike brought out a quill and scroll and began writing what the princess said, "I, Princess Celestia of Equestria, hereby declare the unicorn, Twilight Sparkle, to be a permanent resident in Ponyville." Twilight's face lit up with glee, but Celestia wasn't finished, "She is to continue studying the magic of friendship, and report her findings to me. I wish her the best of luck in her new home."

An almighty cheer came from the group as the ponies ran over and hugged Twilight. Then Dutch came up and wrapped his arms around all six of them. Celestia allowed herself a small giggle at the sight. She knew that this would be the beginning of something great.

Meanwhile, unknown to Dutch, something began to grow inside him. A spark. It had ignited when he had first arrived in Equestria, but it had been weak, like a dying ember. When he had used the Elements of Harmony, however, the spark had been strengthened, and it continued to burn in his very soul. In time, it would reveal itself to him, but for now, it let him enjoy the moment.