Fangs and Blood and other Things

Chapters

Bey bey, Canterlot
New home: Sweet Apple Acres
Big and small Fights
Past
Masters and students
What a day
What it really means
Those, who we love
A night to remember
Filler #1
Filler #2
Filler #3
Filler #4
Prologue
The beginning of the end

Bey bey, Canterlot

The sound of armored hoofes striking the ground in a fast trot could be heared through the castle as one member of the unicorn guard made his way towards one of the most isolated sections of the castles quarters. At the end of the long hall way was a simple wooden door with a magnificent hoof crafted shield with a symbol that looked like a drop of dew or a tear, or whatever, also made of wood, over the door leaves.

The silvery coated unicorn guard with blue mane and tail raised a hoof to knock at the door, but was intercepted by a voice faintly calling his name from inside.

''Come on in, recruit Silver Shine.“

Wait, what? How did he even knew I was there? And where did he get my name?

"That does not matter, but I do not approve if you keep me waiting. Tell me what the Princess wants you to tell me," the voice spoke again.

With a nervous look on his face, the guard lumbered in clumsily. He saw the source of the charming voice sitting before the window, a book opened on a pillar. Seeing only the backside of the pony, the unicorn delivery colt gasped slightly. He knew his mission was nothing ordinary as his guard captain ordered him to send this message. It was too easy, too trivial. He wasn't into the guard long enough to judge his superiors for giving him easy jobs like cleaning the canteen or training in the fields, but carrying a massage seemed unfitting for a soldier. So it must be something rather difficult. Although he certainly did not expect to meet a pony like this: easily topping himself by a head's height, the stallion sitting before him outgrew pretty much everypony in the guard.

''P-P-Princess Celestia w-wishes your immediate att-t-tandence'', he stammered.

''Well, why didn't you say so in the first place? I will be there at once.'' The white stallion turned to face Silver with an encouraging smile.
Frightful, the silver stallion gazed upon the pegasus strolling casually past him to the door. Stopping shortly he turned around again.

''Anything else I need to know?'' he asked as Silver caught himself and shook his head. He smiled jovially. ''Then off you go, take a day off the training and take a walk through Canterlot or whatever you want to do, Guard Captain Shining Armor is already informed.''

As the unicorn shot him a confused look, he just winked and passed onward, leaving the startled colt behind.

Smiling to himself, Hazel trotted through the castle's wide hallways taking in every beam of light the sun sent through the high windows. After a short walk he arrived before the gigantic hall which Celestia was used to give orders from. Stepping right through the portal, Hazel entered the room. As he did so, he was greeted by the looks of three noble looking unicorns kneeling before the Sun Princess.

''I am here as you requested, your Majesty,“ he stated, walked through the shocked looking nobility and slightly bowed before the princess.

''You sure took your time,'' the princess answered with an unmistakeable cold in her tone. Turning her head towards her visitors, she spoke, ''You may leave now, the business I have with this one is far too urgent as it could be moved. We will continue this conversation sometime else.''

''But your highness-'' a grey unicorn stallion tried to contradict but was cut off mid sentence.

''Are you disobeying your princess?'' Hazel purred in a challenging, almost playful tone.

When the unicorns only met their princess's waiting stare he bowed down low. Not without shooting a nasty look at the white pegasus, he looked up at the princess again. ''As you wish, your h-highness,'' he stammered, quickly bowed down again and signed his companions to follow suit as he trotted out in embarrassment. Hazel could swear hearing him mumble something about a queue lasting around three months at least and smirked sadistically.

''You may leave, too,'' Celestia told the guards, standing on both sides of the door wings. The guards were smarter as to question the command. They nodded and left the room, closing the large portal behind them.

''Now we are in private, your Majesty. What is that business you were talking about?''

Celestia sighed and suddenly looked a lot older. She closed her eyes. ''You see, Hazel, this day had been rather stressing for me, more exhausting than usual and I think some sort of relaxation is more than appropriate.''

While she was talking, the white pegasus slowly strolled up to her, making his way over the stairs and and stood right before her. Lifting her left eye lid halfway, she glanced at the smirking stallion.

''There is but one problem... I have pressing issues to take care... of and I do not have much time...''

Hazel lay his muzzle onto the base of Celestia's neck and began to nuzzle and kiss it softly, while caressing the other side, causing the princess to shiver and exhale from time to time. With a steady pace he made his way up to the top of the princess's alabaster neck, gently kissing and pecking.

He put his snout away and stared directly into Celestia's eyes. ''So, what is your Majesty planning to do then?'' The color of his eyes shifting and swirling, turning into the shade of amber, hued with chestnut. Celestia met his gaze with one of her own. After mere seconds she turned her face to the side, revealing her defenseless flesh to him. He could see every vein shining through her incredibly soft skin. ''I want you to take a good bite and help me relax from all these annoying duties that bother me.''

When nothing happened, she turned her head back and stared impatiently and slightly frustrated at the bored looking pegasus. ''Well, I am waiting,'' she tried to catch his attention, but he just stood there, gazing around at the painted windows, representing historical moments in the history of Equestria.

Slowly, Hazel turned back to face her again. ''You know, Princess, I do not feel very hungry, so maybe we move this over to tonight when we can have all the time we need and being undisturbed by any cause...''

A look of disbelieve crossed Celestia's face until she realized the he was toying around with her.

She took on a stern look and focused on him. With a voice as cold as the ice in the arctic north, she addressed him. ''Are you disobeying your princess?''

''Touche, well I guess a small zip will not hurt,'' he teased again.

In the blink of an eye, her the first layers of skin on Celestia's neck were pierced as the white pegasus started to catch the small droplets of blood with his tounge. The princess gasped from the shock, but only for a moment when the short pain vanished and was replaced by the pleasuring feeling of pure lust rolling over her body. All the frustration that had built up in the past days was crushed by the waves of pleasure of several orgasms rolling over her. Hazel sucked almost for a whole minute. When he finally let go, Celestia sunk to her knees, but a tight grip from a strong hoof held her upright. Shivering and more than satisfied she lay in Hazels arm, panting heavily.

''That was surprisingly intensive,'' she put out in between the gaps of her heavy breaths.

''It is rather easy when somepony is not paying the proper attention,'' he replied helping her to stand properly again. "And you know how the saying goes: Good things come to those who wait."

''Whatever, thank you for you 'help'. I am sure to survive this day on my own. You are free to do as you please.''

Hazel licked the last drop of the princess's blood off his lips and quickly stroke a hoof through Celestia's mane, brushing it over the two little marks on her neck. They would be healed in no time, but until then it was wise to not let the civilians know about an injured ruler. He bowed slightly and trotted out of the throne room in a casual pace.

When the door closed behind him, Celestia fell into a state of deliberation. He seemed bored, almost frustrated. He would never admit it, but after a millennium in Canterlot she couldn't blame him for becoming restless. There had to be a way to liven up his spirits.

Materializing in a burst of green fire, a letter enrolled before her.

''Dear Princess Celestia,

~~we are at the preso- thre-~~ Something really bad is going to happen..''
Smiling Celestia took a quill and began to write, when an epiphany struck her mind...

Sitting on his hind legs, front legs clutched together, eyes closed and wings spread, Hazel sat on top of a rock right beneath the strongest waterfall under Canterlot. He was in absolute focus, the water crushing down on him, but the only thing moving was his chest, slowly heaving and sinking with every breath he took.

A devastated land. Nothing but ashes and dust remained. No trees, grass or other plants. The wide plains were lying dead beyond a dull sky that let through not a single beam of light that could touch the destroyed fields. There was no water, every last drop had evaporated in the heat of battle, that had raged over the land a few decades ago. But there was not only dust that covered the hills.

Corpses lay around. Everywhere there were deformed bodies. The corpses didn't look pony shaped, however. If there were doubt, one had to just look at the horns and fangs that grew off their heads, wings and several other body parts, which couldn't be defined.

Forlornly walking between the dead bodies was one creature. It stood upright, walked on two legs and only had two arms. Swaying in the sharp breeze behind him was his long black hair, that when quiet, covered his whole back. He continued his walk up to one specific corpse that had the same shape as him. He fell to his knees, carefully reaching out to the body's face with one of his hands. A sudden shiver struck him and he clenched his fist and quietly began to sob.

When the sobbing subsided, he put out his hand again to touch the creatures face, but before he could do so, another hand lay on his shoulder and as he turned around, everything was sucked into a bright light, blinding out his environment and leaving him with the feeling of falling down endlessly.

Gasping in shock, Hazel sat up from his comatose state. With an immense jump, he catapulted himself through the downpour. The rock couldn't stand the sudden pressure and burst. Flying up through the stream, Hazel hit the surface of the river falling down in mere seconds, breaking it, whirling around and dashing off, flying laps around Mount Unicornia.

''Damnit, not this dream again! Is there no chance of escape from this? After so long a time it is still haunting me.'' Hazel beat his wings ever harder. The wind whipped the ends of his mane, and blasted the damp wetness out of his fur.

Hazel started a gradual descend towards the meadows beneath Canterlot, heading towards the nearby forest.

Without lowering the speed , he suddenly pulled his wings to his body and crashed right into the middle of the trees, breaking of the tips, boughs, and branches.

Leaving behind a swath of destruction, he slithered and was finally stopped by the foot of a humongous bolder in the middle of the forest.
Without even the slightest whiff of exertion he just raised up and quickly shook his head to get rid of the dirt he got onto his fur.

Just wanting to start again he instead sat down, sighing in frustration. He tussled his head in between his front hooves and began to whimper. ''A thousand years and nothing has changed. I cannot dream, I cannot sleep, all I can do is wait for the next day to pass, and then the next after that and so on. Eternity is such a bothersome friend to have.''

He got up on his hooves, head hanging low, and began his walk towards Canterlot. Hazel didn't quite feel the spur to fly back, and a nice comfy walk just seemed right to clear his head.

Impatiently pacing around at the front gate, Blueblood set his snobby looking gaze towards the arriving foreigner.

I swear to my silver forks, if aunty ever asks me again to take on something as humiliating like this again, I'll play sick! Gosh, what is all this fuss about this colt? He's not even royalty, so why should I waste my time and do something so low as escort him to aunty Lestia?

''I hope you know how late it is! I had to give up on my beauty sleep just to stand here and wait for you to finally make your way up here!'' Blueblood sneered.

''Excuse me a thousand times, Prince. They really should have sent somepony else when it is so obvious how badly you need your beauty sleep. Even though I doubt it would change anything.''

Jaws dropping, Blueblood stared at the black maned stallion simply stepping past him.

''Oh and before I forget: You do not have to bother with escorting me, I will find my way.'' Hazel didn't even turn around to look at Blueblood while he simply entered the castle.

The doors closed and left behind a shocked prince of Equestria, staring in disbelieve at what the buck just happened.

''You will leave Canterlot.'' The answer caught Hazel completely off guard. For a few moments he remained silent.

''Is this some sort of revenge for all the teasing I have been providing you with?'' he managed to bring out as he looked at the princess suspiciously.

''Not at all. You will travel to Ponyville alongside with my most faithful student, Twilight Sparkle. I am sending her there to discover the magic of friendship. And I have a task for you as well: Find something that is worth dying for. I have already made arrangements. You will be staying at Sweet Apple Acres and earn your living there. Do as Twilight does, make some friends!''

Hazel sighed, he knew that there was no sense in talking back, and even if Celestia was playing a game with him, what did he have to lose? It was not like he had more of a pastime here than there. ''When will I be heading off?''

''There is no point in going agai- wait, you don't resist?'' Celestia asked a bit surprised.

''How could I? You've given me a direct order and as your subject I am to fulfill it, Mistress.'' Celestia's eyes narrowed as she heard the title Hazel addressed her with.

''Alright then... your journey will begin immediately. Go to the carriages and wait there for a purple unicorn mare. You will be traveling together. As soon as you reach Ponyville, you will part. Twilight will be living in the towns library, if you have any questions or want to send me a letter just ask her assistant to send it to me.''

Hazel simply nodded and was already heading for his destination when Celestia called for him another time.

''One more thing: Keep your true identity a secret, I told the Apple Family that you're not an ordinary pony, but I left it to you to explain it further. They are the only ones who are allowed to know about you. I trust in your skills when it comes to camouflage, but please be careful anyways.''

He nodded and finally left.

When he arrived at the stall with the carriages, however, said purple unicorn was already standing there. When he came near she turned her gaze upon him and examined him with a disapproving look. ''Are you Hazel Eyes? '' she asked impatiently.

Hazel put on a friendly smile and answered.

''White coat, black tail and mane, wings and hazel eyes. Yep, that would be me. And I assume I am to deal with the princess's most faithful pupil, am I not?''
With a huff and a scrunch she turned around.

Hoo, boy, this will be a long ride....

They sat on the carriage, carefully watching neither one touched the other. The pegasus guards flapped their wings and took off the ground.

Oh, Celestia what have you put me in?

Author's Note

Hello, everypony ^^/)
This is my first fanfic and I really hope you like the scribbling I do here.
For improvement from my side, I ask you to leave comments with constructive criticism.
Thank ya in advance
yours, Kinetic Heat ;-)

New home: Sweet Apple Acres

The arrival in Ponyville was rather unspectacular, with Twilight hopping right out of the carriage, nodding at the guards. She walked away without further ado and left Hazel on his own.

Not as bad as I feared it would be. Maybe not the non plus ultra when it comes to technology, but the rustic flair has it's charm.

Hazel took off the ground and circled around the town to get himself a better look. Because of the Summer Sun Celebration, the small village was buzzing with ponies galloping around and making preparations for the upcoming event.

He easily spotted the neatly ornamented towns hall, the library that seemingly was caved out of a tree, a building that looked like it was made of ginger bread and a house that was shaped like a fancy carousel.

This settlement sure has some interesting architecture.

When he turned his attention to the west, he saw what he was looking for in the first place. A huge field overgrown with hundreds, maybe thousands of apple trees. Unmistakeably the place of his destination. He took a good flap of his wings and flew towards the green hills.

Hazel landed before the gate of the barn and looked around wearily. The smell of apples of all sorts nearly overwhelmed his sensitive nostrils, but there was something standing out, a delicious scent of freshly backed dough, sugar and apples. Hazel sniffed around and spotted an orange mare with blonde mane putting down a delicious looking pie on a window ledge.

She looked up from the pie and waved her hoof when she saw the visitor at the front door. A few seconds later she came galloping down the small path leading to where Hazel was standing.

''A friendly howdy there, sir. How I may helpya?'' she asked with a cheering tone and a charming smile.

What in the name of- It cannot be! How is this possible?! I thought I lost- No, this is not the same...

Completely out of composure Hazel stood there like a statue.

''So you must be that special guest the princess was talkin' 'bout. Ah wondered whatya would be lookin' like. Ah must say Ah wasn't expectin' somepony so huge. You coulda even be taller than mah brother, Big Mac! Come on in, though we've got some work pressin' hard, ah still wantya to meet the famly!'' she trotted towards the barn house signing Hazel to follow track.

It was true, Hazel towered over her easily half the length of a pony. He strolled from behind right next to her, taking in the comfy scenery.

A step through the door brought up what Hazel had imagined it would be: Clearly the work of a pony whose skills were in wood crafting. Almost everything was made out of wood. The ceiling, the walls, the floor and the furniture; everything was hoof crafted and painted in different colors. It certainly wasn't what he was used to after over a dozen centuries in Equestria's capital.

''Applebloom, Big Mac, Granny Smith!! Come and give a warm Apple Famly welcome to our guest!!!'' Applejack yelled. A few seconds passed and from what seemed to be the living room came three ponies.

The smile on the face of the light yellow fillie's face vanished as she looked up at the huge stallion that now stood in their kitchen. With a squeak she hid behind a tall red earth pony stallion who seemed quite surprised that somepony could could stand up to him at eye level. The only pony who wasn't struck by awe was a light green mare with grey mane, who looked like she had been around since the town's foundation. The geriatric pony stepped forward and took a good look at Hazel. ''Now look at this. A pony who's even taller than you, Big Mac. Never thought I'd ever come to see that. And look at these strong legs! That sure is a fine apple bucker. What's your name, youngen?''

Youngen? Oh lady, you have no idea....

''The name is Hazel Eyes. I am quite pleased to make your acquaintance.''

''What a fancy voice! I bet the fillies are overunnin' you, huh?'' the old mare asked with a sly grin.

''Ah think that's enough, granny, you should go back and- Applebloom! It ain't nice to whisper in presence of guests!'' the orange pony scowled her little sister. Said foal immediately withdraw her muzzle from her brothers ear and blushed.

''Ah'm sorry, I just noticed he hasn't got a cutie mark.''

Everypony in the room turned their gaze at Hazels flank and watched in disbelieve. The first one to recover was Applebloom. She looked up to the white pegasus and asked innocently, ''How come you don't have yer cutie mark yet? You're a full grown stallion!''

''I am afraid this story will be taking some time, my dear,'' Hazel answered apologetically.

''Then you better save it for later, we've got some work to do. Granny Smith, go back into the kitchen and take Applebloom with ya. Mac, take Hazel and show him around at Sweet AA, when yer done show him how to buck those apples we need for the pie. Ah'll be doin' the same. Now evrypony: spread out!'' Applejack slammed her hooves to the ground and all of them headed out as they were told. Hazel had no other choice as to keep track of the crimson stallion bursting out to the fields.

''And that over there's Apple Fritters, howdy!'' Big Macintosh called in his deep bass of a voice. Despite him being a rather quiet fellow, Mac was one of the kindest ponies Hazel had ever met. After they arrived at the plantation, Mac had showed him around to almost every member of the gigantic Apple Family. It was straining Hazel to make so much contact with so many ponies in such a tiny amount of time, but the sort of ponies he met was rather refreshing.

''Come on, I'll show ya how da buck these apples from the trees. You might ask what we do this for; well, you see, these apples go into the barn, where Applebloom and Granny Smith make wonderful pies of it.''

Wow, what a complicated and difficult process...

Hazel chuckled.

''Now what's so funny 'bout that?'' Mac seemed a bit confused.

''Nothing, really. I was just looking around and noticed everypony working so hard. In Canterlot you would have to travel for ages to see a pony breaking a sweat,'' Hazel replied and hoped this simple answer would satisfy Mac to the point where he wouldn't ask further questions.

Seemingly pleased with the compliment, Mac moved on to stand before one tree. Several baskets were scattered around the tree to catch up the falling apples.

''Now you stand back and just watch,'' Mac told him. He reared up and with a powerful kick of his hind legs left the tree shaking. A few dozen apples rained down to the ground, half of them caught up by the baskets.

''Impressive," Hazel admitted and let his hoof clop on the ground in mild applause.

Big Mac just nodded and began picking up all the apples which hadn't made their way into the baskets. ''Now that's the second job. Pick up all apples that didn't make it into the basket and then bring the full ones to the barn. Got it?''

''I think I get the idea.'' Hazel nodded.

''Good, then do as I showed you and bring down as many apples as you can!''

Hazel brought himself into position, fixed his front hooves on the ground, reared up and-

A high pitched tinkle from the barn let everypony freeze. Surprised by the sudden lack of action Hazel almost lost his balance and flapped his wings to maintain on two hooves.

''SOUP'S ON, EVRYPONY!!'' he could make out Applejack's call from afar. The whole Apple Family stampeded towards the barn leaving Hazel in confusion.

''What is going on?'' he asked Big Macintosh.

''AJ's calling up on a family meeting. You stay here and practice while we're away. Make sure no apple's left behind.'' Mac stormed away without another word.

Well, fine then. Let's see if this is really oh so difficult...

Again Hazel reared up and gave it a strong buck. The sound of bursting wood followed the feeling of his hind legs extending. Shocked, he turned around to see what had just happened. Right before him lay the tree, cleanly broken off where Hazel's hooves had struck the trunk.

''Er, woopsy?''

Oh, oh, not good. If I continue to buck apples like that, then that's gonna be the last harvest they're gonna have in a long time. Maybe there is another way... What if I just...

When the Apples returned, theycame to a sudden halt, jaws dropping, not believing what they were seeing.

All the trees were out of apples to buck. The baskets under the trees, however, were full of them.

A carefree whistle drew their attention on the white stallion, carrying two of the baskets like saddlebags, and one on each of his wings.

''I am glad you are back. How did the meeting go?'' he asked with an innocent grin on his face.

''Did you just pick up all of these apples?'' Mac asked, ignoring Hazels question.

''Why, yes. You asked me to pick as many as I could, so I did.'' Whistling again he, began to walk towards the barn. When he noticed nopony was following him, he turned around. ''What is the matter? I thought you were glad that I did what you told me to do. Now come on let us get these apples moved!''

One of the ponies took up two of the apple filled baskets and began following Hazel.

The others did so as well, silently mumbling with each other. ''How did he do that? We were only away for around twenty minutes!''

''I don't know, but this is some strange feller over there. Did you notice he hasn't got a cutie mark?''

Hazel overheard every comment made by the Apples, but he just kept on walking, silently laughing to himself.

When he came back, Mac was waiting next to the broken tree, lying on the ground.

''Care to explain what this is?'' he asked with a stern tone.

''This is the result of my first attempt. I am sorry, I may used more force than necessary. In order to prevent other trees from my 'harvest technique', I figured out a way more efficient style.''

''And that is?''

''Picking every single apple by hoof.''

Mac's eyes widened. He stared in confusion, trying to figure out if this craze of a pony was playing a prank on him, then he burst out in laughter.

''Hoo, hoo, that's a good one, I almost believed it. Now tell me, how did you manage to bring down all of those apples in such a short time? You're not a unicorn, or can you do that fancy magic, too?''

''I told the truth. I picked every single apple from one tree after another and lay them into the baskets. The only trick I used was perhaps that I am really, really fast.''

''Fine, then keep your secret. Ah'm just mighty glad to have such a great apple picker in the famly, now. Maybe you'll get your cutie mark in apple picking!''

Mac kept chuckling the whole way up and down carrying the apples to the barn.

Far beneath Canterlot, even beneath the deepest reaching mines in Mount Unicornia, a weird looking creature made it's way to a cave of incredible size. Certainly, the cave was big enough to give home to fit Canterlot Castle into it entirely. The cavern was illuminated by several crystals at the walls, which radiated a dull, purple light. At the center of the circle shaped ground lay a statue.

It was humanoid, except it had worn-out looking wings with a length of at least nine feet each. Several horns that formed a crown grew out of it's head and it's tail had spikes all over it.

The creature sleeking towards it walked upright, had to very thin arms with very long fingers extending from them. It slurped forward on two legs that looked extremely fat and short, carrying an enormous pouch.

It traveled to the statue sticking out of the ground and brought out what shared similarities with the crystals at the walls, only it was absolutely black.

''Master, I found another one!'' The voice of the creature sounded like the aching noise of a nail scratching over a blackboard.

Suddenly what appeared to be the eyes of the statue, flashed in a scary red, as if they gave permission to walk further. The creature dragged itself forward, lay down the orb and took back a few steps.

A bright flash of light and the black stone was gone. Small cracks began to tear through the crust of stone as an frightening, deep rumble came from the statue.

Not long until he awakens from his slumber... Soon I will get my revenge...
Beware, Alea, beware....

The evening of the Summer Sun Celebration was soon to be taking place as all of Ponyville streamed into the towns hall. Eagerly awaiting the speech of the princess herself, the folk of Ponyville stared at the curtains that would be lifted soon.

Almost half of the apples they had bucked that day had gone into delicious pies. One piece was now shoved into the mouth of a pink earth pony mare with a candy cotton like mane and matching tail, silencing her.

Hazel kept himself in the dark, silently watching the crowd.

He couldn't quite lay his hoof on it, but he had the awful feeling that something was about to go terribly wrong.

The birds that were directed by a yellow pegasus with a pink mane began to sing and a white unicorn pulled a rope to move the curtains to reveal... nothing.

Everypony in the room gasped at the lacking of Celestia.

What is that thing...

Hazel narrowed his eyes and took a closer look at what seemed to be a cloud of black and blue smoke appearing on the balcony.

Wait, where have I seen this already? Was it not the last time when Luna- Oh for the love of-.

Everypony else in the hall seemed to be seeing it now, judging from their shocked gasps.

A black armored alicorn manifested on stage. She wore a blue armor and her mane and tail were made out of smoke.

Her voice, an enchanting sing-sung began to flow through the room. ''Oh my beloved subjects, it's been so long since I've seen your precious, little, sun loving faces.'' The most colorful pony Hazel had ever seen in his entire life stood up to the dark mare.

Hazel already steadied himself to attack Nightmare Moon but withdrew the idea, as a fight between him and this opponent would cause damage, that could easily kill somepony. Thinking about strategies, he noticed he wasn't the only pony who knew the ruler of the eternal night.

Twilight Sparkle gulped and slightly backed off. As soon as Nightmare Moon flew from the celebration, Twilight headed out to the library.

What is she up to? Does she not know what threat Nightmare Moon proposes? No, she seems acquainted with the old folklore to not be aware of the danger. Do not tell me Celestia sent me here to fulfill a foal sitter's duty.

With a beat of his wings, he followed them, unseen in the shadows.

Big and small Fights

What is it with these six fillies? Do they not understand it is far too dangerous to encounter Nightmare Moon in combat? First, falling off a cliff, then attacked by a manticore, endangered to lose their sanity by Nightmare Moon's illusion techniques, almost talked to death by a sea serpent and to round it up torn apart and hunted down one by one of Nightmare Moon herself!! I must do something against her, otherwise they will not be able to see the sun rise again by the end of tonight. But I got to admit, that rainbow one has some good taste in humor.

Twilight and the others were about to walk up the path that would bring the to the chamber that bore the elements of harmony. Hazel moved as a shadow, impossible to be seen by any of them and flew into the once so beautiful throne room.

''Luna, I know you are there, I can feel your presence. Save us the time and do not make me search for you!'' he shouted into the seemingly empty hall.

''So, the mighty and oh so charming Hazel Eyes decided that I was worth being talked to...'' A small cloud of purple and blue smoke floated from the half way fallen apart ceiling and began whirling and growing until Nightmare Moon in her full terrible glory stood before the white pegasus.

''I suppose talking will not bring you back to consciousness, so let us skip this troublesome part and move right into close combat,'' Hazel mocked with a wry smile.

''But why fight? Aren't you glad to see me after such a long time? It's been a while since we last came together,'' she snickered about the reference she just made.

Great mistake...

The moment her snicker began, Hazel steadied himself and took a step towards the night's ruler, appearing just a pony's length besides her. He slammed hard into her right wing, throwing her off her hooves and sending her tumbling over the floor. But the attack wasn't over yet; reappearing on her other side, he sent her flying with a powerful kick into her ribs. As soon as she was airborne he flapped his wings and flew above her, knocking her down with a punch with one of his front hooves. He repeated this strategy several times until he snatched all his legs around her and heaved her high into the air. Nightmare Moon was in a shock of pain and therefore the mere thought of resistance was out of question.

Holding her tight in his grip, he spun around, heading towards the floor. With every foot they lost in height, they spun faster. Not even a pony's length away from the ground, Hazel let go of the badly beaten tyrant, smashing her into the ground and taking a sharp edge to prevent him from doing so as well.

He landed several feet away from the crater,that had formed from the impact.

''Last time we met, you were much more of an opponent. I guess the long time on the moon has made you as tame as a kitten.'' Hazel shook his head.

''I … am … not done … yet.'' her voice was suppressed by her clenched teeth, but she arose rather quickly from her injuries.

The confident smile on Hazel's face vanished and he took on a hardened expression again.

''Now it's my turn.'' The small scratches and streams of blood on her nostrils disappeared and she fell into a battle stance.

The black mare dashed forward, horn aglow to run Hazel over.

What is she intending to do? I am way taller and heavier than her, so what sense is there in meeting me in direct combat?

Hazel waited for the dark alicorn to come close and in the blink of an eye, he took a small jump into the air, whirling around to her left side and clutched his front hooves around her neck. Positioning his hind legs next to her's, he rammed her horn into the ground with a fierce strike.

The only thing that touched the ground was Nightmare Moon's forehead as she waved her hooves furiously.
It was such a ridiculous sight, seeing the once so terrifying bringer of eternal night horn stuck in the ground.

''You dare to humiliate me? Get me down or I swear I'm gonna rip out your kidney and give it to the timberwolves!!'' she demanded, flailing wildly. A stream of insults was released, every new one more cruel and bloodthirsty than the last.

''As you wish, your highness.'' Hazel leaped forward, ready to kick her off her horn and breaking her ribs. But just before he could have landed the killing strike, Nightmare Moon dispensed into the characteristic smoke she used to travel around.

Taken out of balance, he stumbled from his own force. The smoke that was Nightmare Moon began swirling around him, completely shutting off his surroundings.

''Welcome to my world of darkness, Hazel Eyes. I've been waiting for this moment a long, long time. You are in my kingdom now and you have no power here. Beware encountering your worst nightmares!!'' Nightmare Moon laughed manically.

Something was pocking on the surface of Hazels consciousness, pushing against his mental barrier, striking forcefully against it.

Attacking my mind, huh? Well, two can play that game...

Hazel pushed back her presence with all his might, concentrating on nothing but the feeling of the dull pressure laying on his thoughts. He suppressed every possible distraction, not allowing himself to quiver so she could undercut his block and take control over his body.

Nightmare Moon was an expert in illusions and mental combat, but so was he. They held a battle of minds for several seconds in which each one leaped forth and back, partly attacking their opponent with strikes of pure mental force and then withdrawing and strengthening their mental blockade.

Damn, if this goes on any longer, I might end up being distracted by one of her illusions. I have to end it right now!

Slightly lowering his stance, he allowed Nightmare Moon to draw in closer. Suddenly he gripped on her mind with ever new force, pinning her down and robbing her of any possibility of attacking again.

Hazel opened his wings with a sudden strike, sending the smoke around him to disperse.

Slowly heaving his eyelids, he revealed his now full aglow pupils, effusing a blood red light. ''Another mistake you made: Darkness is my favorite element. Attacking me with it is similar to pouring oil on a fire. You should have thought of that when attacking a vampire. But do not worry, it is the last mistake you will have ever made.''

Just as the smoke formed the body of the black alicorn, Hazel dashed forward, fangs fully extended and bit down on her neck.

This is the end, Nightmare Moon. I am truly sorry, Luna, I just was not strong enough to return you to your old self. Please forgive me, my dear...

When he began to suck out the essence of her life, he noticed something strange: there was no blood pouring out. In fact, her whole body seemed way too light to be actually there.

He withdrew his muzzle in confusion and stared at the fallen mare. There she lay obviously on the border to death, but no blood seeped out from the two holes on her neck.

''Ha hah ha, you really fell for it!!'' Appearing several feet in the air before him hovered Nightmare Moon, an evil grin on her face.

A quick glow of her horn sent a blinding flash at Hazel. When he opened his eyes again, he was imprisoned by a cage of pure light.

''How did you- what is this thing? How could you escape from my attacks?'' he yelled at her in rage.

''Oh it was so easy, really. I haven't forgotten how fast and strong you are, so I just sent out a doppelganger. The only time when you were under my attack was when we had our little mental wrestling.''

''Impossible, I was beating you to a pulp. Double magic can not create mass, that can stand my attacks!''

''I had much time during my stay at the moon, so I took it and used it for training. You can see the results yourself. By the way the cage that is holding you is made of pure sunlight. If I were you, I wouldn't touch it. As far as I know, vampire skin doesn't react good to light.''

''Sunlight? But that is Celestia's realm, you have no power over the sun!''

''Yet another benefit of my imprisonment. Small fact: moonlight is nothing but sun rays, reflected by the moon's surface. It's like the moon is a giant mirror.''

''You will pay for this, Nightmare Moon!''

''Do you have any idea how pathetic you sound right now? Last time when we met, you were much more of an opponent. I guess the long time in Canterlot has made you as tame as a kitty.'' She chuckled again and flew off.

Oh horseapples, I have got to get out of here. But Nightmare Moon did not seem like she was making jokes. Dammit, the only thing that can save me now are the elements of harmony... Please let those six be worth bearing them.

On the edge of giving up, just as he was about to admit his defeat an idea came to his mind.

''Today is not my brightest day,'' he sighed and began to dig. Moving more and more of the stony ground, he shoved away small rocks and dirt. When he had reached around ten inches of depth, a searing pain struck his hoof. Drawing back the hurting limb, he found the cage going through the ground, locking him in completely.

Frustrated, he gave up; there was no escape from his luminous prison.

Hazel bumped his flank on the ground with a thud- and suddenly, the cage was gone.

''What in-'' His eyes widened as a rainbow soared through the sky and a multicolored light came from afar.

They really did it. They really do have the right to be called Elements of Harmony. Now I should get moving, before somepony sees me like that.

Hazel beat his wings and flew over to the chamber of the, once, Elements of Harmony. He clothed himself in the shadows once more and became a witness of the return of princess Luna.

After a tear jerking reunion and after the elements had left the scene, he revealed himself before the now two rulers of Equestria.

''Your Highness, I am reliefed you are back,'' Hazel took a deep bow and knelt before the younger of the sisters.

''Why so formal, Hazel? Get up, you are embarrassing yourself.'' Luna gave a soothing smile.

''After what I threatened to do a thousand years ago I feel ashamed. Please take my most sincere apologies. I deserve every punishment you imply to hand out to me.''

''Hazel, I think my sister doesn't hold a grudge against you. Now would you please get up and welcome her back as it is fitting for a personal guard like yourself?'' Celestia admonished him.

Hazel got on his hooves, looked Luna in the eye and embraced her in a tight hug. ''I am so sorry I wanted to kill you, Luna! I should have never even thought about it! It was the monster inside that spoke, but I swear it will never happen again!''

A single blood tear ran down Hazel's cheek, dropping to floor. Luna backed away and took a hoof to his face, wiping away the trace of blood.

''Now, now, I'm not angry. In fact I hereby vow that I shall never let my jealousy get the better of me.''

They dove into another hug and remained there a few more moments. Then Celestia came to speak. ''Now, Luna, I think it is time we get home. You are tired and so am I.''

They took off, but when Luna noticed that Hazel stood back, she turned around. ''What are you waiting for?''

''I cannot join you, your Highness.'' With a calm voice and a warm smile he looked up to her. ''I have a mission to fulfill. I must stay here in Ponyville. It is my duty.''

A sad looked crept on Luna's face, but she didn't falter. Turning to follow her sister, she continued to flap her wings and veered away from their former residence.

''Spike, take a letter, please. I, Princess Celestia, hereby decree that the unicorn Twilight Sparkle shall take on a new mission for Equestria. She must continue her study in the magic of friendship. She must report to me her findings from her new home in Ponyville.''

Wow, she does not even know them all for longer than about two days and yet they behave as if they had known each other for eons. Perhaps there is some magic in friendship...

Hazel giggled to himself.

It was the day after Luna was turned back into her former self and a celebration had been set up to welcome her back on in Equestria.

As always, Hazel stood aside, watching everything in his usual glare.

After the party was over, he took flight and headed towards Sweet Apple Acres. When he landed on the ground, Hazel saw Big Mac plowing the fields with something that looked like somepony had thrown a chunk of iron ore into a forge, waited two days and stuck two wooden sticks into it. Thus, the rope looked more than worn and several strings were about to get loose.

Mac obviously was in great labor and tugged as hard as he could, but the plow only moved slightly.

Then, the disaster happened: The rope snapped with a flick and Mac, who had turned sidewards in an attempt to put more strength to the plow, fell to his side.

Suddenly, he let out painful gasp.

The tip of nail that had been stuck into the ground by Applejack and Applebloom when they had played their game of throwing horseshoes at it, pierced itself deep into Big Mac's flank.

Hazel rushed over to him and helped him sit up. The wound was deep. Blood was oozing out of the huge hole and Mac flinched in pain.

''Mac, this is bad, we have to get you to the hospital. Like right now. I need you to get on my back, so I can fly you there.''

''Nnnnope,'' was the only answer.

''Please, or otherwise there is a high chance that the wound could get infected and that means a secure death.''

Big Macintosh blinked. He lowered his gaze to inspect his flank and quickly withdrew his look.

An idea came to Hazels mind. ''Do not tell me you cannot see blood.''

''Eeeyup.''

''Oh, dear.''

Faster than he could react, Hazel took two hooves to Mac's chest and heaved him up. He then quickly placed himself under Big Mac, front hooves over his shoulders, hind legs behind his wings. He gave a hard flap and took off.

Whoo, this colt is heavier than I thought. I have to get him to a medic pretty soon.

They flew plain across Ponyville, the shortest way to the hospital. Big Mac held tight onto Hazel. Too tight, in fact.

''Mac... please... I cannot... breathe...''

''Ah'm sorry!''

When Hazel looked on his back, Mac's eyes were clenched shut and he quivered. ''Oh please, do not tell me you are afraid of height as well,'' he pleaded.

''Nnnope, Ah'm afraid of FLYING!!'' He clenched around Hazel's neck again, cutting off any air that would have possibly filled his lungs.

For Celestia's sake.....

Hazel nearly crash landed from the dizziness that came with the lack of air. He entered the building with Mac still laying on his back.

''How may I help you?'' a white earth pony mare with a nurse's cap asked suspiciously.

''Well, you see, my friend here got a pole stuck in his flank and it is of utmost urge that he is treated right away!'' Hazel plagued the nurse and showed her Mac's blood crusted side.

She went pale and after she rushed away for a few seconds she came back with a barrow and a caramel unicorn with a white cloak.

''Put him on this and then let's move. Nurse Redheart, bring me some string, a needle and bandages.''

Without further ado they rushed into some far away part of the hospital, leaving Hazel completely on his own.

There they go. I hope everything goes well.

He sat back into the lounge for visitors and kept waiting for a sign from the nurse, the doctor or anypony else.

Wait, did I call Mac 'friend' just back there? Hmmm, this friendship thingy is getting to me...

Half an hour passed when the door finally opened and Nurse Redheart stuck her head inside the room to call on Hazel.

Mac stood in the atrium, thighs wrapped in white bandages and his usual calm face.

''He is to not work hard for the next four weeks. Keep him calm and don't let him do anything exhausting. The wound could open again and I am not sure if can fix it this time.''

Hazel listened to what the doctor said and memorized everything.

''I will keep an eye on him. Thank you for everything,'' Hazel nodded in gratitude.

''Oh, please, it's my job to do that. Now off you go, I have to see after that ball of pink fur that seems to have found it's new home in here.''

They arrived at home when the sun was about to set. ''Hello, we are home. Where are you?'' Hazel stepped into the kitchen.

''Big Mac!!! What happnd? Why are ya wearin' these bandages?'' Applejack came running into the kitchen and pushed Hazel aside.

''He had a little accident on the field today.''

Hazel told Applejack everything that had happened so far. When he mentioned that Mac had to rest, Appljacks face grew concerned. ''Four weeks?! That's horrible! Apple Bucking Season starts next week!!''

''Apple Bucking Season?'' Hazel asked incomprehensibly.

''It's the time when we Apples have to harvest all apples before winter comes. Otherwise they'll foul on the trees and we Can't sell 'em. I'll have to do it all by myself this year.''

''Well, I can help you. Princess Celestia said I should earn my living here, so that is what I am going to do.''

''That's mighty nice of you, sugarcube, but this is Apple Famly business only. You can help store 'em apples, but leave the bucking to me.''

Mac intervened. ''AJ you can't buck those apples all by yaself. They're too many.''

''Is that a challenge?''

What? Where did that come up from? I guess Neighton was right when he established his fourth law: For every action of a stallion, there is a mare overreacting.

''Ah'm not challenging you, AJ, Ah'm just afraid you're bitin' off more than you can chew.''

''We'll see 'bout that. This year, Ah'm gonna buck evry apple all by my own!''

Gosh, this mare is as stubborn as a mule...

Past

''This year, Ah'm gonna buck evry apple all by my own!'', Apple Jack slammed her hoof onto the ground making her point as clear as an icicle.
''Cool yaself down, little hot head. We can discuss that tomorrow, now get up yer flanks, dinner's ready.'' in her graspy old voice Granny Smith ordered them all to take a seat in the kitchen.
Soon the table was filled with all sorts of delicious dishes.
There were apple fritters, left over apple pie, candy apples and of course, apples.

Applebloom had just left for her sleepover at twist's when everypony came to sit on the large wooden table.
''Finally, Ah'm starving here! After all this fuss we had with Nightmare Moon Ah was really lookin' forward to eating with mah famly again!'' Applejack stated and took a big bite from a pie.
''So, the letter from the princess said you were somewhat special.'' She rose her gaze and stared directly at Hazel.
''Care to explain how special exactly?''

Hazel froze. So, this is the moment, is it not? I wondered how to tell them, but as it seems, that problem is no longer present. Well, time to clear things up...

He inhaled broadly and began.

''First off: I am not a pony. I am, in fact, a demon. A crossbreed between two demons, to be exact.''
Everypony on the table looked at him with their mouths opened, not sure how to react to this.
Then a roaring laughter was to be heard through the entire barn.
As they caught their breathe, the Apples turned to him, still snickering.

''Please forgive us, sugarcube, but do ya really want us to belive this? Be honest, what's it about you? You some sort of relative to the princess? Have you done something wrong, so that Celestia sent you here?'' Applejack still giggled but was obviously expecting a reply.

''I did no such thing and I certainly not am related to either princesses. It is as I already said. I am a hybrid of two demons who had a little felatio before the great war took place. My father's name was Kato and he was one of the blood lord's elites. He commanded the hordes of the east and was stricken by Kalea, the second in command of the heaven's army. My mother was a low born Succubus who just strifed through the land making her living by selling her body. My father took me away from her as soon as I was born and raised me.''

Hazel's eyes gleamed to seemingly nowhere as he told them about his origins. He already expected them to not believe him, but he had to try anyway.

''Come on, now. Is it really that embarrassing? You can tell us, I promise we won't laugh at you. Especially after that joke, that was just hilarious!'' grinning and badly hiding a snicker, Applejack looked at him.

''If I show you what happened 4000 years ago, will you believe me?'' in a quiet tone he looked at each pony.

''If you then tell us the truth. But how do you wanna show us?'' Applejack now looked bit annoyed.

Hazel took on a sly smile. ''Just trust me. I want you all to close your eyes. What you are about to see soon, are my memories from the past.''

When he saw that everypony followed his orders he began.
Reaching out with his mind, he soon found their presence around him. As he connected telepathically with them, he heard each one give a short gasp because of the unfamiliar touch.

''You have no need to be scared. You are in my head. Nothing will hurt you. The current black that you are experiencing, is my mind. When you wish to tell me something, just think what you want to say.''
As soon as he told them how to communicate, a flood of woolly thoughts and mental screeches threatened to overwhelm him.
''Calm down. You will get used to it pretty quickly, trust me. But first things first: Think of opening your eyes.''

They did. Taken aback of the sharpness of the colours, the three apple ponies flew into each others tight embrace. They were on the farm. But everything seemed more...extreme. The red of the dog roses seemed way brighter, the sky looked more pressing and the sounds and smells were almost painful.
''What in tarnation is goin' on here?'' Applejack found her point and glared angrily at the white pegasus.
''What I told you before. I will show what is so special about me. Therefore I show you memories of the time before Celestia, Luna or any other pony found their way to this world.''
''And why is it so stingy 'round here? We're at Sweet Apple Acres but it's not the same! What is this place?''
''This, my dear Applejack, is how I see the world. My senses are way more sensitive than those of a ordinary pony.''
The rest of the family seemed to relax slightly and looked around more confident but still kept close together.
''So, are you feeling good enough to follow me into a time, where war rages, blood spills, monsters fight each other and no light is to be found?'' he took on a wry smile looked each one into the eye.

''Talking about drama queen, you could even rival mah friend Rarity. Let's get going, Ah'm just glad Applebloom isn't around to see that.....''
''Well then, prepare yourselves. And remember: What you are about to see are my memories, so there is no possible way that anything can touch nor notice you. We are nothing more than mere observers.''

Hazel walked over and took Applejack's and Big Mac's hoof and closed his eyes.
He concentrated on the part of his mind he had pushed away for so long, breaking open the mental lock that he had put on this corner of his memory. The feeling of long lost fear, anger and loss washed over him and once again he was in the middle of a battlefield.

''Alright, I have it. Think of opening your eyes when I say so.''

''Now!''

Hell. That word seemed perfectly fitting for the sight that lay before them. It was as if they were staring right into Tartarus, the ultimate chaos, the doomed underworld, or simply put: Hell.

Creatures of all forms clashed against each other. There were so many forms: Those who looked like spiders, others which looked like birds with enourmous legs, bulls and bats and some that were impossible to be described. All shared one similarity: they were much bigger than a pony: in fact, if a pony were to stumble upon this field of slaughter, it would be trampled down by even the smallest of those abominations. And then there was he. Walking upright, black armor covering his chest, waist, legs and shoulders. Hair that reached his knee caps, eyes glowing in aterrifying red, long fangs that reeked out of his mouth and enourmous bat-like wings sticking from his back.
Once you saw him he vanished only to appear right behind another opponent, slashing him down, no matter the shape, height or any other fact. It was mesmerizing to see him dance through the battle, bringing down foe after foe with an elegance that sought his kind.

''I was quite an eye candy, was I not?'' a sheepish grin sneaked on Hazel's face as he noticed his companions watch in awe.
''What?! That can't be you! This thing is-''
''A monster? Yes, he certainly is, but my father did quite a good job. He taught me everything I know about fighting. Look! Over there he is!'' Hazel cut off Applejack and pointed his hoof towards what seemed like moving shadows that weavered around a dozen of bull-like monstrosities and engulfed them completely. The shadows only lasted there for three seconds and as they flew, not a single one of the bulls was standing.

''He loved to do that move. You see, a full blood vampire can turn into mist. My father brought that ability to perfection. When you were in the fog, he drained you of every last drop of blood.''
It seemed now that there were to sections: Those which shared similarities with animals and vampires.
Eventually, the hordes of creatures were driven back by the vampires, what was indeed amazing set the fact, that there were only two dozens of blood suckers against nearly over hundred other demons.

When there were only around thirty left, the monsters fled in an unorganized pattern only to be slaughtered down. There were no survivors.

''What a satisfying hunt! I haven't had that much fun in weeks! How was I? Have I done good?''
The Hazel from ancient times jumped to his father and looked up to him with an eager glow in his eyes.
''Good? Well, you certainly survived out there, but keep a closer look to your comrades. Amaimon almost took a hit to his wing.'' the impressive figure pointed a finger onto a vampire that had more than a few similarities with Hazel.

''This is me. How I was back then. Always looking to please my father. I was one of the best. And that was getting to me. I was not boastful, but I certainly was a narcist.'' the pony Hazel let his ears drop and stared to his father in melancholy.

The image blurred and all sounds became numb. After a few moments the haze vanished and revealed an enormous hall with easily a dozen spherically twisted pillars on each side. In the the middle was a huge table with burning candles. The ceiling was impossible to see as everything, except the faces of the thirteen figures that sat around the table, lay in complete darkness.

''No, no, no!! I tell you, we have to attack now! The clan of the Hemadomini drove back their strongest warriors, we can crush the Minotaurs now when they're at their weakest and drive them to extinction!'' a balled man slammed his fist on the table sending a shock through the wood the left the candleholders trembling.
''And I tell you we cannot do this! Think again. The Minotaurs are masters when it comes to forging. May I remind you that our armors come from the Gorgons and they import it from whom? Right, the Minotaurs. Even if we really destroy them, who will be running the mines? The forges? Can you do that, Lord Yue?'' Hazel's father kept a calm tone although it was obvious he burned with anger inwardly.

Next to one of the pillars stood four ponies, invisible for anyone in the room, and watched.
''What is this here scene, now?'' Applejack shot a confused look towards Hazel and raised an eyebrow.
''This is the council of the thirteen clan leaders of the vampiric empire. Once after this last battle against the Minotaurs all of them gathered to discuss how they should be dealt with. You see, Gehenna, as the land was called before you ponies arrived here, was divided into many small tribal territories. There were the wolf pack, the centaur herd, the zombie tribes, the vampire clans and so many more. Each clan had one leader and he passed his rulership to his oldest son when he felt that the time was right.''

''What do ya mean with 'When the time was right'?''

''Well, vampires cannot die by any natural cause, we are, in fact, immortal. There is but one weakness that we have: Sunlight. If we are in contact with it for too long, we burn to ashes.''

''But why aren't you going off in flames then?''

''That is, my dear Applejack, an excellent question, but if you wait a bit longer, it will solve itself. Right now, you should really watch, because of what happens next is one of the reasons as why we came to meet each other. ''

Applejack shot him an unsatisfied look but followed his plea.

A shadow from behind Kato emerged from the surrounding darkness and strolled towards the gigantic wings of the entrance.

''Brother where are you going?'' a second shadow kept track with him and reached out to stop him.
''I'm leaving. These old geezers bore me, I wanna get out and have some fun. Why don't you join me, Amaimon? I'm sure we'll find some nice little chunk of meat you can chew on.'' He laughed.

One of the council members, the one who suggested to destroy their enemies earlier, gave a disapproving snort.
''I knew that letting the half blood join our gathering was a bad idea. Someone so unworthy as him will never be a good leader.''

''Lord Yue, I advice you to think before you speak to my son in this way while I am here to hear you. It is not wise to insult one of the best soldiers in our army.'' Kato starred directly into the other leaders eyes, making unmistakeably clear that if he would keep on turning a bad light on Hazel would end in painful consequences.

Hazel put on a confident smirk. ''He's right, you know? I might consider not taking part in the next battle and you know how this is gonna end.'' He wanted to open the portal but was stopped by a freezingly cold voice.
''And where do you think you are going?'' Kato was now watching his son.
''What I just said I was going to do. Anything wrong with that?''
''Indeed it is. Leaving now is an unforgivable insult towards the whole council, including me and you brother. Come here and sit down behind me.'' his tone prohibited any resisting. Shoulders hanging low, Hazel scuffled back to his seat.

The image blurred again.
''Now, where's my answer?'' Applejack frowned and looked up to Hazel. ''I still don't know-''
''Wait just a little bit longer. I promise everything will be clear, but you have to be patient.'' he gave her an encouraging smile.
''Fine but Ah still don't know what this all thing has to do with-'' she stopped watched in surprise, ''Oh.''

The image became clear and four ponies were watching as a very happy Hazel Eyes paced towards a very big wooden door. He pulled it open with both hands and stepped in, the four ponies following. Bright torches illuminated the inside and revealed the luxorious furniture:
With gold covered chairs stood around a massive desk of the darkest marble there is, the windows were ornamented with several pictures, that were embedded into the glass, showing scenes of a battle and a canopy bed huge enough to fit at least eight ponies into it without them even touching each other. The sheets were of golden and black silk with white laces at the brink.

''So, where we here? Is this some sort of bedroo-'' As Applejack turned her head to look at him, the pony Hazel was frozen to the spot. ''Hey, what's it with ya?''
He shook his head as if he wanted to get rid of some annoying flies buzzing around his head.
''It is nothing of matter, I was just a bit dazzled from the memory and what is going to happen soon.'' when he finished, a smirk spread over his face.

The ancient Hazel slowly strolled into the almost beaming room and stopped before the bed.
''Victoria....'' the name slipped from his lips not as a whisper, more like a sigh and his arms spread to embrace something that wasn't visible yet.

At first nothing happened. But then like a breeze moved the silken bed sheets. It was then that something emerged from the bed. The outlines of a human body arose from the bed, head hanging on it's back, and sat up.

''You sure love a great intro, don't you?'' he climbed sat down onto one border of the bed and lay next to the figure while leaning onto his elbow.

With a whip the now fully set up thing on the bed flipped her head and turned it sidewards immediately.

Every pony in the room gasped. For the first time, Big Mac said something. ''What in the hay? This thing over there look's exactly like-''
''You.'' Granny Smith finished his sentence for him.
They all gazed at her but Applejack was just staring at the woman. Her family was right. Blonde hair that fell down her back, emerald green eyes, long lashes, and a curveous body that left much room for imagination. If there had been an Applejack back in the times of the Pugni Demonicorum, this would be how she'd look like, Only one thing didn't match: Victoria didn't have freckles.

''You sure took your time.'' her voice was smooth and sent down a shiver Applejack's spine. ''What kept you so long? I've been waiting here so long, I almost fell asleep!'' she reached out a hand to stroke down Hazel's cheek, who lowered his head and closed his eyes.
''Excuse me, beloved, but father insisted on me attending this boredom of a meeting. These old fuckers think that the Minotaurs will run us over if we don't prevent that by killing evry single one of them!'' his voiced turned from a cooing purr into a disapproving hiss. ''What is wrong with their heads? I am the greatest warrior in the history of Gehenna, there is no equal to me, except my father!!''
The sudden outbrake of rage made Victoria flinch and she pressed the sheet tighter to her chest.
Hazel noticed her behaviour and quickly stroke a hank behind his ear before he called himself to quiet.

''I am sorry. I didn't mean to scare you, it's just- don't they see that there is nothing that is to be feared as long as I am there?'' he sought agreement in Victorias eyes and leaned over to place a soft kiss on her lips. They melted into each other for a moment, enjoying the presence of each other before they parted. Victoria put her arms around his neck and drew him closer into an embrace.

''You're using your charm, aren't you?'' she looked up to him suspiciously and lifted an eyebrow.
''You know me too well, beloved.'' he gleamed down on her placed another kiss on her soft lips.
Their connection lasted another few moments, but then Victoria broke the kiss and panted for air.
''It is true, you know? Incubi are the best lovers.'' Victoria shot him a seductive look and waited for him to move on.
''Was there ever any doubt?'' Hazel ripped his robe open and spread his black, bat-like wings.

The scene blurred again until the sight of the bedroom vanished completely. Again they stood in complete darkness.

''Now tell me: who was this Victoria gal? Is she the reason why you were so shocked when ya saw me the first time? And why did ya show us somethin' like....that?''
Bombed with questions from the orange mare, Hazel raised his hoof.
''First: Yes, your appearance is the reason why I was taken aback on our first encounter. Second: Victoria meant the world to me. She was my everything, there was nothing that could have parted us. She was the daughter of a high ranked commanding officer in the vampire army. We met each other on the battlefield when we defended one of our cities against a wolven batallion. We were a dozen or so against fifty of them. The fight didn't last longer than a few hours, but in that time, they decimised us until only she and I were left. That was when we felt in love. We kept fighting long enough and managed to survive without a single scratch until reinforcements closed up on us and crushed all that were left. After this battle we started to see each other more often and go out to...places. It was so wonderful having her by my side. We had no secrets, no things needed to be hid. It was the purest kind of love you can imagine.'' tears began to form at the corners of his eyes, but he blinked them away before they could roll down his cheeks. He had cried often enough in the last days.
''What happned?'' Applejack caught herself wanting to lay a hoof on his shoulder but set the halfway raised hoof down again.
''War. That happened. I will explain it further in the next and last memory.''

And with these words the blackness faded and lightened up until they stood in complete whiteness. Slowly shadows began to develop and forms came to life.

A rocky plane, seared bushes and a few dead trees nearby was all that has been left of the vegetation. Another battle, vampires, clearly outnumbered by their foes, fought against a huge army of either wolves, minotaurs and a third kind of demons.

''This is the last big slaughter before the end. The Minotaurs had made allies with the Lycans and the Harpies. Therefore I have to explain: the Lycans had a pact with our kind to never meet us in battle. They broke the deal and so, the majority of the council forced our army to go against them. At first everything went as planned: hardly any losses, the weakened forces on the retreat and a lot of bodies to feed on. But then the Harpies came. Unbeknown to us, the Lycans had a deal with them, if they would get a part of our defeated land.''

''But Ah thought you vampires are immensly strong! How could you have been defeaded?'' Applejack tilted her head sideways and looked at him.
''We were indeed the strongest warriors in all of Gehenna, but against over fiftythousand Lycans, seventhousand Minotaurs and over eighthundredthousand Harpies even we are powerless. Especially when there are only around eightythousand soldiers to stand against them. Harpies are not really dangerous when you meet them in duel, but they attacked in a swarm and when they do that, they are not easy to get along with. And then it happened.''
''What do you mean, it?''
''Why do you not look over there?'' he pointed a hoof at the ancient Hazel, who fought side by side with Victoria, obviously on defense.

''Traitorous bunch of flee polluted fur balls!! I will kill every single one of you if you dare to lay a claw on her!!'' They were surrounded by a dozen wolves which took a brave lunge every now and then. But everytime they did, the one who dashed forward was soon to be found headless laying on the ground. However, this changed almost nothing, for every enemy stricken a new one took his place. The fight strained both of them and soon one of the wolves got a lucky hit on Victoria, leaving her with a deep cut on her left shoulder.

''Watch out below!!'' a full, deep voice roared from above and Amaimon landed right next to the badly harried couple.
''Brother, I'm so glad to see you. Help me get rid of these mutts!! I'm starting to get tired.''

Amaimon reached out both arms, palms upwards and slowly began raising his hands. Then in a sudden move he clenched his fists. A disgusting gargling from the wolves followed.
The ponies watched in awe as their bodies were perforated by their own blood, shaped into needles as hard as diamonds, piercing through their veins, flesh and skin.

''How did he do that?'' nausea spread all over Applejacks face as the blood soaked bodies sunk down into a pool of their own blood.
''Every clan has a special skill that is related with blood. The Hemadomini were able to change the structure of blood at will. Others could trace blood down over a long distance or simply control the body it flew in.'' Hazel explained in an almost casual tone.

Back in the battle, the three of them headed towards another group of comrades when suddenly a huge swarm of Harpies attacked them.
Fully overwhelmed by the pure mass, Amaimon wasn't able to use his ability. With a burst, Hazel opened his wings and sent them flying, killing several from the impact.

''Watch out behind ya!!'' Applejack saw what the others hadn't: one of the Harpies survived the bone shattering strike without so much as a broken wing and was now pulling out it's long, curved sword from the leather sheath.

A swift lunge and the blade pierced Victoria's chest. Not a single sound came out of her widely opened mouth and then, all of a sudden, she burst into dust.

''NOOOOO!!!!!'' Hazel stood there and screamed. Blooden tears streamed down on the sides of his face as he picked up a handful of dust from what was Victoria just seconds ago.

''Now wait just a gol' darn minute! I thought you vampires don't die from such a little poke?''
''This blade was covered in silver. That is one of a vampires weaknesses. They cannot walk across flowing water, are allergic to garlic and burn in the sunlight. As you see, there a lot one has to watch out for.''

While they talked, Hazel had risen and stared onto the harpye with pure, cold hate. His fangs shot from his mouth, his eyes turned red and claws snapped out of his fingers. In a split second he was standing before the harpye. The poor thing didn't even have enough time to be scared as Hazel stuck both his hands in the harpye's chest and teared her in a half from the neck to the loins. Blood streaked out of the rift, painting the ground in the metallic color of the scarlet fluid.

''Brother, come and follow me, it's a bad idea to stay here any longer! If we don't get moving, more of them will come and I'm not sure if I can take on them.'' Amaimons metallic voice didn't quite seem to get through to him. He just knelt there, tears of blood falling down to the small pile of ashes and dust of Victoria's leftovers. ''Let us-'' before he could have finished the sentence, he caught a glimpse of something that made him freeze on the spot. His father, in full black armor, was faced with the three leaders of their enemies: A bull that was nearly five times his height, the Harpye Queen and King Tromerolykos, a gigantic wolf who's paws were already as big as Kato's torso.
Amazingly, the vampires' commander held back all of them at once, dodging claws, jumping over ground shattering strikes and whirling sideways when a lance was launched towards him.

''Father hold on, I'm coming!!'' Amaimon yelled and dashed forward. Disturbed by his son's voice Kato reacted not fast enough and the tip of the silver lance burried itself deeply into his arm.
A sharp hiss merged from the wound and the vampire lord fell to one knee. The minotaur chief stampeded onwards, struck out his right arm to crush him under his humongous fist.
The fist stopped in midair, held by Amaimons strength and the attempt to defend his father.
Sweat ran down his forehead, his cheeks and trickled down from his chin.
''Father... get..away...I...can't... hold him...any longer'' Teeth clenched shut, he hissed to his father who was still kneeling on the ground and watched his son in fear.
Seeing no other way, Amaimon let go of the fist, grabbed his father's wrist and jumped away as far as he could. When they landed, they were immediatly caught by the other two leaders. The Queen nailed down Kato with her lance by pinning his shoulder to the ground. Amaimon was held down by Tromerolykos, who sunk his teeth deeply into the soft flesh of his hind neck.

Eyes wide with fear Amaimon screamed out to the still paralyzed Hazel ''Brother, snap out of it!! Help us!!''
That short beg for help managed to free Hazel of his stasis. Panic shot down every other thought that may have developed in his sorrow filled mind.
When Amaimon thought they had a chance to survive this all his hopes got shattered by what he saw.

''TRAITOR!! I curse you for all eternity!! You shall live on and be ever reminded of what you have done to your family!! Never shall you find peace, you are to wander around and seek for forgiveness that you shall never get!!''

The image blurred for the last time and when they all opened their eyes, they were sitting in kitchen of the barn again.

''Welcome back again.'' Hazel grinned at the stunned expressions of the Apple Family.
''Whe- whoa- what happened?'' Applejack looked around, eyes clenched half shut and tried to orientate herself.
''What happened after my dear half brother lay a curse on me is following: I fled. I flew as far away of the battlefield as I could manage. I hid deep inside a cave and let myself fall into stasis. You see, if a vampire does not get a good mouthful of blood every week or so, he dehydrates and falls into a comatose state. That is until he comes in contact with blood. It was the closest to death I was able to reach. And then, my slumber was broken.'' he gulped.
''By whom, if Ah may ask?''
''Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. Though they didn't spill any blood on me and both of them would not tell me how they did it. At that time, my come lasted 3000 years. As it seemed, they both had just appeared after Queen Platinum, Commander Hurricane and Mayor Pudding Head had passed away. They were on the edge of a civil war and needed to set up a mark of their rulership, so they decided to build a castle. You have been there, it is the ancient ruins where you found the elements. This castle was to be built ontop of a mountain that had formed while I was asleep. When they set up, they found my cave and woke me up. You have to understand: the creed of vampirekind demands that if somepony saves your life, you are forever in their debt. And so an oath was sworn that I would never allow anything to hurt both of them. I served them for half a century, watching over enemies, recruiting and instructing the guards and other things....''

''Ah still have two questions. One: What do you mean by 'other things' and two: you haven't answered my question from before. Why don't ya go of in flames when sunlight touches you?'' Applejack was now getting annoyed and had obviously no patience left.

''Two questions, one answer: Incubus.''

''In- what?''

''I am a daywalker. That means, I am not a fullblooded vampire. As I told you, my mother was a low born succubus who seduced my father while he was on a trip.
Succubus is the word for the female kind, Incubus for the male. They are lust demons; they live, breathe, are sex. No other creature is a finer lover than an Incubus.
Coming back to the daywalker-aspect: Because of my mixed blood, I have all powers a vampire has, but not a single one of their weaknesses. I am immortal, exorbitantly strong, so fast that one might think I could teleport and can charm everypony to make them do what I want them to do.''

''So, you were sleeping with the princesses?''

''Is that your only question out of this? Yes, when ever they ordered it, I-''

''Alright, Ah don't need to know any further, just wanted to make sure.''

''Alright then. With all these things there is but one disadvantage: I am the sprout of two kinds of demons, so I have two hungers to take care of: Once, my need for blood and second: cohabitation every once in a while.''

''What happens if you don't get ta sleep with somepony and by the way, how come you look like a pony?''

''Well if I do not get to make a mare very, very happy, I will lose all my strength and slump down like a wet cloth. Bad things will happen then, so I make sure to release some steam every once in a while. Do not worry, I only feed of criminals who do not deserve better, and there are many nightclubs with all too permissive fillies. As for your second question: Celestia came to the wise conclusion, that if I stepped out in the form I was in, her subjects would get suspicions and start to wonder what kind of allies she has been making. So she turned me into a pony; sadly, as I was born long before you even came to existence, the magic of the cutie marks did not reach me, so I have to stay a blank flank forever.''

''Well that ain't so bad, I guess. I mean you know what you're good at, so..''

Granny Smith snorted audible.

''Eeyup, she's doin' jus' right. I think we all need some sleep now. You the most, AJ. Hit the hay, I don't wanna hear anything else 'bout vampires, or any other spooky things.'' Big Mac seemed dead tired and overwhelmed by what he just experienced.

Applejack gave a nod, yawned and helped him drag their grandma up the stairs.

''See ya tomorrow, sugarcube; please excuse us, but we can't take any more now. I need to think this over and right now, sleep sounds great to me.''

''No problem. If any of you have questions do not be shy and just ask straight.''

Applejack nodded again and blew out the candles on the wall and everything went dark.

Now let's see how this will be working out...

Masters and students

''Are you really sure, you can handle this on your own?''

Three ponies were standing on a clearance on the southern fields of Sweet Apple Acres and viewed through the incredible amount of apples.

Applejack gulped. ''You know, I can help you any time; in fact, that is exactly what the princess told me to do.'' Hazel shot her an expecting look and waited for her to answer.

''No can do, sugarcube. I said I'd do this on mah own and that's it! If Ah broke that promise, I couldn't be considered the Element of Honesty!'' she smiled at him confidently, but Hazel noticed the little drops of sweat building at the border of her forehead.

More like the Element of Stubbornness....

He sighed. ''Fine, but how can I make myself of an use?'' Hazel looked around, ''Is there any work I could do?''

''Hmm...'' Applejack put a hoof to her mouth and looked around. ''Ah think Granny Smith sure would appreciate yer help in the kitchen! Oh, and you could take care of those nasty cracks in the barn's wall. Or you could help Big Mac fix up the wheels of that ol' wagon!''

''I think I get the idea, there is lot of work to be done around here.'' he lowered his head in defeat ''I have another question, though.''
''Spit it out already.'' Applejack gave him an encouraging smile.
''What do you want me to do when I am done?''
''I think that's plenty of work for one day, but if you think you're that fast, go out and find some work on your own. You're old enough, Ah think.'' she winked at him.

He gave a smirk of his own and bowed slightly, ''As you wish.''
Standing up he turned over to Mac.''Shall we start then? I assume the wagon to be a good thing to begin with.''
''Eeyup.''
As expected... he smiled inwardly.
He threw a last look over his shoulder towards Applejack when they left for the barn.
This is impossible, I must find a way to help her out...

Given the fact that he had literally no experience in craftsmenship, Hazel didn't do so badly. Sure, the nails were a bit crooked, the pies tasted a bit floury and the wheels still had a little squeak to them, but it wasn't all bad. He did as fine as he could and everything else would be learned as time passed.

Despite his merely average job, the work Applejack had assigned him to only took him a couple of hours, noon wasn't even over yet, but neither Granny Smith nor Big Macintosh had anything else to offer that could have been done. Big Mac still had to recover from his injury, but the geriatric mare asured him, she would be doing a much better job on her own when he offered his help on making Mac as comfortable as possible.

''Take a walk, Ponyvill's a beautiful place. But keep out of the Everfree Forest, strange things are goin on in these woods. It's dangerous to go in there. But what am Ah talkin', go out, have some fun!''

Fun, huh? Well dangerous sounds like just like the right fun for me. Besides, perhaps I could go on a visit....

It couldn't have been easier to find the Everfree Forest. Like a suffocating green blanket it lay over the landscape of Equestria. It ends reached from the border of Ponyville to the far ends of the lakes beyond Canterlot, a blurred silhoutte in the distance.

Hazel flew over the first few trees, ever following his instinct to guide him to the place of his choosing. Clouds didn't concern him much, but the nature of the clouds of the Everfree Forest had something strange to them, as if they were alive. He pushed that thought aside and simply whizzed through the cotton candy formed moisture.
It didn't took him long to reach the entrance of the small cave right beneath the ruins of the old castle, that had been abandoned after Luna's transformation.

He walked in. The complete darkness inside the cave didn't bother him the least, as he could see even better when blackness surrounded him. Finally, he hit the dead end of the dark cavern and sat down, his backside against the wall.

Here it all started; my awakening, my oath to pledge my life onto my mistresses' provision and the long age of my duties by their sides. How much has already happened, how much will be happening, how few I have got to do with this all.

He shook his head. No, this wasn't the time to fall into melancholia, he had a mission to fulfill.
Dashing out of the cave, he sat his hoofes on the other side of the bridge. He didn't look back.
Taking the first hoof forward, he decided to do what Granny Smith had told him to do: take a walk. These promenades of his seemed to affect him in a positive way: Becoming ever calm and restful, he went through his memories, thinking of situations he experienced with Canterlots elite, how he acted, how they reacted, how he could have acted, how they would have reacted. Some of these scenarios made him smile, imagining the stunned faces of these oh so beneficent ponies.
He took in a deep breath and continued his walk with closed eyes, soaking in the scent of the woods, listening to the sounds of the many living things in the forest.

He had walked for a while, when an odd smell caught his attention: It reeked of the moldy stench of decay, wavering towards him from all sides.
He opened his eyes. Hazel found himself surrounded by canine creatures, that seemed to be sewn together of branches, roots and other parts of a tree. Their eyes had a discomforting yellow glow, and they snared and growled while they drew the circle around Hazel ever tighter.

Now look at that, what a cute bunch of doggies. But simply rotting them out would be too easy, let's see if I can make this a little more fun...

He closed his eyes again and listened carefully to every move they made. Nothing escaped his sharp perception, not the stink of their breath, the creaking of their limbs, nor the cracks of the little branches they stepped on while coming ever closer.

One of them saw it's chance to attack and leaped high into the air, aiming for Hazel's back. His mouth only a foot away from his shoulders, a wing extended and hit the timberwolve's chest. The impact made it burst into pieces.
However, this was the sign for the rest of them to attack. Three jumped at him, trying to get a bite off his neck, left wing and left hind leg.
Hazel was quick to react, as he took out the one that was lunging at his leg by whirling around his own axis, raising his right hind leg up and smiting it down onto the wolf's snout, hammering it into the ground. The other two ones where still airbourne and so, he smacked them both down with his wings, letting them fall on their backsides and smashing them down. All three of them burst. Only three points of his body now touched the ground: the tips of his wings and his right hind leg. Kicking the ground with said limb, he put his front hoofes onto the ground, resting there in a handstand, and waited.
A crack. That was all he needed, to know what he had to do. Hazel took a swing of his wing and rotated himself, spreading his hind legs and kicked the two wolves ,that jumped him, simultaniously.
He fell back into the fighting stance he had begun with and waited once more for the perfidious cracks of lose branches.

The following moments, Hazel was a whirl of hoofes and wings, dodging jaws, hitting chests, nostrils and tighs, shattering the whole pack into little sticks and leafes. When there was no wolf left he opened his eyes.

Not too shabby, but no challenge, I wished they had lasted longer.

He sighed and wanted to move onto his walk, but was stopped when he heared a crackling and rumbling sound behind him. As he turned around, he saw that the branches and roots were connecting with each other again, building up to the wolfes he had just slain. The horde, now full rebuilt, began sneaking towards him again.

Well, this is interesting already. Seems like I indeed could get some fun now...

Meanwhile, not so far away from the old castle, the multiprismatic colored mane of a cyan pegasus mare waved in the wind of speed as she zig-zagged through the sky, diving into a triple-backflip, then stopped and launched herself up into the air. The zig-zagging from before had the effect, that three clouds stood perfectly in one straight line. On the top of her flight she glanced downwards and clenched her wings to her body. Rainbow fell right through the clouds, drawing a stream of waterdrops behind her. She took a hard edge before landing on the ground, then spread her wings and came to a sudden stop. The small dropplets hit her rump and she watched in awe at the glimmering image of a rainbow above her head.
Rainbow was sure, this trick might come in handy sometime and would definitely advantageous when it came to her assignment for the Wonderbolts.

Now there was one more routine she wanted to perform before heading back to Ponyville for her afternoon nap. Rainbow steadied herself. The trick she was about to do was held a ponytale, but she knew she could do it as she had long ago. The last week she non stop trained for this act, always in the Everfree Forest because she didn't want any spectators before she wasn't sure it would work the way she wanted it to. She jumped. The cyan mare with the magenta eyes flew ever higher, leaving the ground far beneath her. Higher as any bird could reach, her wings took her into the sky. Finally she came to a stop, at a height were Rainbow feared her feathers would freeze from the chilly air. Her breath formed small clouds before her nostrils and she rested there for a short moment, readying herself for what would be following now.

The fall was liberating. Rainbow could hear the wind howl into her ears as she opened her wings and flapped to become even faster. She fell ever deeper and kept on beating her wings to their limits, muscles already burning from the exertion, but still she went on. Suddenly, she felt it. There it was, the feeling she had almost gotten used to to already: The air around her became somehow more dense as if it was holding her back from slamming into the ground. She was close and she knew it. Like a missile she rushed towards the closer coming ground, the air building up in a sharp cone around her, but the rainbow maned fillie held on.

Just a little bit faster, that is all she wished for. But this simple wish was crushed and thrown away by the abrupt stop Rainbow found herself in. Just like her hopes for accomplishment, she got stuck at the tip of the cone and was shot back with an incredible force that launched her towards the trees beneath her. She hadn't noticed how close she was to the ground already, but now it hit her in form of the trunk of an oak.

Again she had failed miserably at performing what would sure be the ticket to the Wonderbolt's ranks: a Sonic Rainboom. She had lost count of how many times she had already tried it, but she was sure to not give up. She was Rainbow Dash! The day she would give up on something, was the day she would cut off her wings!
Rainbow Dash had never imagined it would turn out to be that hard, however, as she knew, she had done it when she was just a foal.

She leaned back on the tree, resting her head at it's rough bark and took a deep breath.
The smell of rotting grass and withered leaves made her jump, however. She knew that smell just too well, having had some unfaithful encounters with the forest's wildlife when she started training here the first time. She remembered the nasty bite marks she had left with and had learned the hard way, that Timber Wolves are of the worst kind of enemies.

Because of that, she was surprised to hear several of them gasping and whimper. This couldn't be right! She had a black belt in Karate and even she got beaten up pretty badly, so who would be stupid enough to mess with them?

She had to risk a peak. Flying up into the nest of a tree, Rainbow peered to the source of the noise and watched in awe as she saw a single pegasus beating a whole pack of wolves into piles of sticks and roots. Never had Rainbow seen such a grace in a fight. Sure, she wasn't an easy opponent, but this stallion just made it look like it was a walk in the park. Another thing she noticed were his eyes: they were closed all the time as if he hadn't even to see his foes to know where to land his kicks and punches.

He barely dodged the fangs and claws grasping at him, but never was he touched by one of them. Like a phantom he moved around, not doing anything more than necessary, but still shattered a wolf every time he he raised a hoof. Or a wing.

He had just destroyed the last of the wolves, when their parts connected again and the pack was complete again. But rather than attacking him again, they fled, tails between their legs and ran for the better of it.

Finally the white pegasus opened his eyes and pulled a face in played dissapointment.

His voice was deep and soft like silk and sent a shudder down Rainbows spine down to the tip of her tail.

''Ooh, why are you already leaving? I was looking forward to round seven!'' he laughed and threw his had back as he did so. ''I hope to see you again some time!!'' snickering even more he turned the other way and started to walk in a relaxed pace.

Rainbow couldn't control herself anymore. With a wild scream she jumped out of the tree and landed before the white stallion. Her voice nearly flipped from excitement as she spoke.

''You. Were. AWESOME!! Like this totally awesome kick with that turn and then the jump and you were like HAH! HEYUH!! HADAAAA!!'' Rainbow cowered down, jumped up and struck the air furiously with her hoofes.

''The name's Rainbow Dash, if I may ask, where did you learn to fight like that? You knocked out like thirty of these mutts! I've been training my whole life and I couldn't stand a chance against these mutts. But you, you were awesomely amazingaticly fantastic!!''
She looked up to him and with shimmering eyes as if she was fillie, seeing the presents beneath the Heart Warmings Eve tree on the first morning.

Hazel backed off slightly, overwhelmed of the excitement the rainbow-maned mare brought upon him.

He shook his head and took on a polite smile before he spoke.
''I only counted seventeen, but to answer you question, well, I have come around quite a bit and picked up some tricks every now and then. I was even in the royal guard once, so this explains it quite well, I think.''

Her mouth opened even wider. She scuttled around and her wings opened up with an audible pompf. All of a sudden Rainbow stood up straight and looked at Hazel with a challenging spark.

''Hey big guy, how about you fight me?''

He didn't expect something like that, but the rainbow maned pony seemed like nothing could change her mind, so why not? It would make up for the cowards of wolves.

He nodded and grinned at her.''Agreed. And my name is Hazel Eyes.''

Both fell into a fighting stance, lowering their fronts, waiting for the other one to make a move. Slowly they began circeling around each other, gazes locked.

''Fillies first.'' Hazel broke the silence and bowed before Rainbow. That little move was invitation enough for her to attack. Rainbow dashed forward, planning on landing a strike with her right front hoof against his cheek. She had seen what he was able to do, so she would not be holding back.
What followed , however, was not what she had planned.
Just when she saw her hoof hitting it's target, the image of the white pegasus before her faded and she felt the touch of a feather on the back of her head.
Startled she turned around to see said pegasus standing right before her very eyes still in the same position when she attacked him. He arose and fell back into his fighting stance, seemingly expecting her to make her move.

Did she just imagine her attack? But even so, why was he behind her?
She clenched her teeth and started anew. This time, she jumped up into the air, flapped her wings and stretched out her hind leg to land a hard kick on Hazel's muzzle.
Hazel, although, merely leaned his head to one side. The move he made was so fast, that Rainbow couldn't keep track with her eyes.
She lay on her back, the air had fled from her lungs and a white hoof rested lightly on her chest.
Hazel stood above her, a sheepish grin across his face, and simply watched her while she slowly came to taking breath again.

Hazel backed away from her and simply stood there.

''Come on now, you can do better than that. Try again.'' he gave her an encouraging smile.
''Try again my rump...'' grumbling under her breath she sat up and fell into a fighting stance once more.
She jumped forward. What followed next was a storm of punches, kicks, strikes and smites, all but aimed to confuse her opponent and make him dizzy so she could land the finishing blow.

But Hazel simply refused to be hit by any of her his. Whenever she thought she had beaten him, her hoof touched nothing but thin air while he dodged the next several strikes, always keeping up that confident smile that soon drove her insane. No matter how much she tried, what complicated moves she took or which feint she tried to use, nothing worked.

She broke down heavily panting, gasping for air. Rainbows muscles burned from the session, she couldn't even manage to stand up, so all she did was lie there, looking up to her opponent in quiet anger.

How was he doing this? She had put all her skills into this fight and although he never lifted a hoof to attacked her, her she was, bathed in sweat, laying on the cold ground while he towered over her, reaching out with a hoof to help her sit up.

Rainbow had too much pride to allow herself taking the help of the stallion that had just defeated her like it was the easiest thing in the world. She knew that she would have a hard time fighting this guy, but he simply outplayed her. He hadn't even needed hitting her for his victory.

She came to breath again and somehow managed to ignore the pain from her strained limbs as she sat up to face him.

''No fair! This wasn't a fight! You just dodged my strikes and avoided getting hit! You had to strike back!'' she yelled at him, not being able to take his stupid grin anymore. Oh, how she wanted to beat the living hell out of this guy.

''Would you like a rematch?'' he snickered.

''Ah, forget it!'' she turned around and had to put all her effort to not let him see the small tears that started to build up in the corners of her vision, part from the pain that seared through her body and part from the humiliation she had just experienced. Rainbow had always thought of her as one of the best fighters of Equestria. She was sure she could even take on most of the guards. Being dismantled like a beginner put a bad sting to her confidence.

As she started to walk away, Rainbow felt the softness of light feathers brushing over her back.
From out of nowhere, Hazel walked right next to her, holding one of his large wings over her.

''Please excuse my absolutely terrible behaviour, Miss Dash. What I did was certainly not what a gentlecolt should. I beg for your forgiveness, mylady, and I offer to make up for my rudeness from before. If you may give me a chance, I shall do my best to comfort you in any way you please.'' with the last words said, he kneeled down onto one knee and waited for her to answer.

First Rainbow as taken aback by this well formulated excuse and after the first shock had settled she began to laugh.

''Oh, gimme a break! Stand up and talk properly, I don't want Rarity to translate everything you said into proper Equestrian.'' she still giggled.

Then an idea came to her mind.
The cyan mare trotted up to him and put a hoof at his chest. With a lascivious grin, she ran up his front until his chin while letting her gaze travel all over his body. Hazel stood there, looking curious at the mare before him. When Rainbow had finished her sight-seeing tour she gleamed at the tall stallion.

''You said, you'd do anything to make up for it, does that mean really anything?'' she grinned.

Well, well, well, look what we have here.I must say, she has a pretty nice flank. A bit skinny, though....

''Yes, I did and yes, it means anything.''
He bowed down, inching ever closer to her face and so did she. Just before their lips met each other, Rainbow turned away quickly and gave Hazel a brush with her tail.
Spitting out a hair, he shot her a confused look.

She smiled at him and walked away slowly making sure he'd get a good look of her behind.
''Cool, then it's settled, by tomorrow afternoon, you will teach me how to fight like you. Don't be late, I hate waiting!''
A streak of colors followed the disappearing pegasus with the magenta eyes as she flew back to her home town.

Hazel looked at the slowly fading silhoutte and hesitated with what to do next.

What in the name of Celestia just happened? Did this fillie... turn me down? When was the last time something compareble happened?

It didn't help. A bit deflated by the rejection, he continued his walk, but all the spirit had vanished from his steps.

The scuffing of heavy feet, dragging along a massive paunch, filled the dome with a cascade of echoes. The disgusting servant of the statue brought out another three black gems which he held in his way too long and thin arms. He tumbled towards his master and let the gemstones roll over to the center of the cave.
''Master, I have bad news: These are probably ones of the last I can find. The hoard is close to empty and I can't find any more.''

He fell on his knees and wrung his hands as if he had committed a terrible crime.
Suddenly, a deep voice spoke in is head.

''Blood.... I need.....blood....''

The creature jumped. He gazed around in the dome, but the only possible source was the statue of his master. A shiver took ahold of his disgusting body and again he lowered his head until it touched the ground.

''You order, I obey. Blood is what you desire, blood is, what you get.''
He stood up and headed out to the only exit in the cave. This was the final part. Soon, he would awaken and then....

The creature drooled.

What a day

A light yellow foal with a pink ribbon in her mane galloped down the small path to the well. She hung the bucket she had been carrying in her mouth onto the hook on the end of a rope and let it down into the clear water. Thoughts of worry circulated through her mind. Mac wasn't doing well. In fact, it had become really bad. Though the doctor promised the wound would heal very fast, the pain wouldn't go away. Mac was in trouble. She could tell easily. Not only was the injury a hindrance for him, but he had also caught a bad fever.

She pulled at the handle and the bucket made it's way up to her. She grabbed it with her mouth again and was just about to head back to her granny and her brother when she noticed three figures at the gate.

She sat down the bucket and trotted towards the strangers. Applebloom could now make out more details: Three stallions, a bulky brown earth pony with copper mane and tail, a muscular, caramel pegasus with white feathers on the borders of his wings and a dark blue unicorn with even darker blue mane that had some lighter accents to it.
The odd thing about the unicorn was his horn. When he turned his head to look at Applebloom, it shimmered as if it was polished.

''May Ah help yer?'' she tried to subdue her accent as much as she could, but failed horribly.
They looked at her and grinned. The unicorn with the shining horn spoke to Applebloom.
''Oh, yes, you can. Flit and bring me your parents, we've got a small message for them.''
Applebloom shuddered. She didn't like his voice. He had a little whistle whenever he pronounced an 's' and all together was it as if he constantly sneered.

Applebloom looked up at them and whispered more than actually spoke.
''I cain't, they're... not here'' she looked away.
The unicorn lifted an eyebrow. It was clear that he was getting impatient. Applebloom tried to put him on ease as she could tell that she was talking to somepony important.
''Ah could bring ya to mah granny, though. She's handlin' evrythin' here.'' that seemed to please all three of them and Applebloom lost no time as she quickly galloped to the barn.

Upon stepping in, she heard her grandma's rusty voice from the living room.
''Applebloom? That you? Come here and bring that water, Big Mac's gettin' worse an' worse!''

''Imma here, granny, you need to come with me! There're some strange fellers at the front gate. I'll have an eye on brother. Can you just go an' talk to 'em? I'm scared and they look really nasty.'' Applebloom shuddered as she brought forth the news to Granny Smith.

''What you talkin' about? Let me see these fellers and you keep an eye on your brother!'' with that, she stampeeded out.

Applebloom looked at the gently closing door. Wasn't that, what she had just said? She shook her head and trotted to side next to Mac. Granny Smith was right, it had become pretty bad.
From the look of it, Granny Smith had taken off the bandages, which revealed the injury in it's whole terrible glory. The edges of the wound had sprung open as the thread with which it was sewn together at the hospital couldn't manage to hold it closed. A red border had built around the soar flesh and small black veins were fleeing from the wound. It was clear that Big Mac wouldn't be able to lift a hoof for a long amount of time.

He had his eyes closed, mumbling in the fevery dreams that haunted him for the last three days and nights.

It was too much. She had finally admitted it to herself. Her back ached, her legs ached, she had a bad headache and to round things up, she now began hallucinating. Life wasn't easy during Apple-bucking-season, but doing it all by your own was simply crushing. Applejack had worked a week, eighteen hours a day, barely ate, barely slept. This couldn't go on any longer as she was not even half way through the fields. If she didn't hurry, the apples would foul on the trees, but it was so hard and she was so tired....

She shook her head. No, this wasn't the time for day-dreaming, she still had a lot of work to do. She promised her family and Hazel, she could do this on her own, and so she did.

Hazel.

This guy was in her mind more often than she wanted him to be. He sure was hoofsome, but she didn't had any romantic feelings towards him. At least she hoped so. The visit to his past had set her in a rather uncomfortable state. Seeing that she really was the perfect copy of his former love made her wonder. She sure didn't believe in this reincarnation fuss some of those Luna's Witnesses were bubbling about, but still... And how about him? Did he have this sort of feelings for her? Applejack had to admit, the thought of snuggling up against his broad chest before the chimney on a cold winters day, while he held her softly in his embrace-

For the second time this day she shook her head fiercely. She didn't like the way her thought's were going, but she knew just the right thing to clear her mind. At least, she hoped so.

Making her track back to the farm, two baskets with apples strapped onto her back, she kept a steady pace. The sun was already approaching the horizon and she sighed in relief as Applejack knew, this day would be over soon.

There was something strange, though. When Applejack came in range, she could see three stallions walking away from a very mad Granny Smith.

''And don't you ever dare tah come near this here barn ever again!'' she waved a hoof after them. The blue pegasus turned around and shouted while walking away.
''You will pay for this, one way, or another!''
It was obvious that they were more than upset and the pegasus shot her an unforgiving look as he tramped past her.

Confused, she walked over to her grandma.
''Say, granny, who were these grumps ?''

''No need tah worry ya little head, Applejack. They were kinda wrong in their heads, thinking they could buy up the barn.'' she took on her usual smile.

''Buy up the barn?! How could they come up with something as ridiculous as this?'' her irritation turned to anger and she frowned.

Applejack walked inside and headed for the stairs, but the thought of her brother brought her to the couch he was laying on.
She hadn't seen him very often since the beginning of the harvest, only two times to be exactly, and the last time he had been recovering pretty good, so the sight she found there shocked her to the core.

Applejack stood there, jaws dropped to the floor, a thousand worried thoughts crossing her mind.
Her eyes were being dragged to the terrible opening in his side and she shuddered as she tried to imagine the horrible pain her brother must feeling right now. But what concerned her the most were the small little black lines that surrounded the infectious flesh.

''Big Mac! That's a full grown septicemia you got there!''

Woken by the outburst of his sister, Mac jumped. The flash of pain that shot through his body, however, made him sink down on the sofa again and he fought down the urge to press his hooves to the injury. He growled and bit his teeth in agony.

''Seriously, Mac, you need a doctor!'' she screamed and looked around for Granny Smith or Applebloom.

''Can't...afford...'' was all Mac managed to press out between his lips.

Applejack's first reaction was to look baffledly at her brother but then the conclusion hit her.

''Are you saying that-''

''Applejack, what are you doin' here? You've worked all day, time for bed! Ah can take care of Big Mac by mah self! Off with you!'' Applejack was interrupted by her grandma's rusty voice and she noticed by her tone that any talking back wouldn't end well.

So she trotted upwards to her room, scorning at her stubborn granny, and mumbled to herself.
''Blood poisoning....blood.... maybe he could...''

''Very good, again!''

Standing on the clouds before Rainbows house, Hazel let his wing snap before Rainbows face and she ducked lowly to avoid getting hit by it, then jumped up just in time to dodge the fast coming hind leg that was aimed for her face. The next strike however, caught her when she was out of ways to escape and so she found herself crossing her forelegs and take the backhoof with a slight shiver in her hindlegs.

Both of them parted again and fell into the fighting stance they were used to.

''That is enough for today. You are doing better than last time, I admit.'' he bowed slightly before the cyan mare.

''Heh, I know, right? You saw this awesome-''

''Although,'' he raised a hoof, ''you made the mistake to think you were out of danger when you were in the air. Always keep a trick up your sleeve, or it will be the last mistake you will ever make.''

He watched her confident smile fade into a foalish scowl because of the objection that followed his praise. He wasn't a saddist, but teasing her around had become a very amusing way to spend the gaps between sparring rounds.

''Hey, cheer up! You are learning faster than most of the recruits I have trained. Your strength lies in your agility, keep moving and none of your future opponents will ever be able to land a hit on you.'' Hazel gave her an encouraging smile.

He had learned pretty fast that praising her too much would end in her lying under paralyzed him only able to give him the meanest stare she could afford. She easily lost her head when it came to compliments and that was seemingly her greatest weakness.

The confident smirk from before made it's way up her face again and soon she smirked at him again.

''You bet your flank I do! I mean look at it: this is our third lesson so far and I'm already almost as fast as you!''

Yeah, but only almost...

''Very well then, have a nice day and we meet again here the day after tomorrow at the same time.''
Hazel took a moment to stare into her eyes and give her a small dose of incubus-charm, then, he turned around and made ready to soar into the sky when the sound of Rainbows voice hit his ear.

''Wait!'' Rainbow held up a hoof to stop him. ''Don'tchu wanna come inside?''
The question clearly embarrassed her as her cheeks turned into a dark crimson and she circled the floor with her hoof.

He put on a his bedroom-look and slowly strolled towards the now very shy Rainbow Dash. Covering her back with his right wing, he lead her to her houses entrance and she opened the door.
Rainbow stepped inside and he followed suit.

Incubus-charm. Works every time, even with the most difficult ones.

He smiled as he kicked the door shut and the room was only illuminated by the beams of the sun that shone through the curtains.

Ever so quietly the white pegasus with the pitch black mane sneaked out of the cloud that was Rainbows house. He felt a small sensation as a fluid was about to escape the corners of his mouth.
Quickly, he licked up the drop of blood, enjoying the sweet taste. He had to admit, this fillie was one of the best he had tasted in years.

He looked at the sun and noticed that it was already halfway to the horizon. The family he was supposed to live with hadn't set any rules about how long he was allowed to stay out, but his manners demanded him to be back before sunset.

He left the floating house and flew across Ponyville, taking in the snug sight of the slowly creeping shadows that strifed the small town.

Upon landing at Sweet Apple Acres, he noticed something was wrong. An electricity lay in the air. He couldn't tell for sure, but it seemed like the harbinger of something big. Hazel stepped in and was immediately greeted by a completely out of composure yellow filly. Tears almost burst from her eyes as she clinged to his right leg and covered her face in his chest.

''Now, now, Applebloom, what is the matter?'' he slowly stroke her head and eased her until the steams of tears ebbed away and she could speak again.
''It's Big Mac! He's dying and Granny won't lift a hoof to help 'im!'' again she was shook by a wave of sobbing.
''At ease, little one. Now tell me again, what is happening to Big Mac? Why would Granny Smith do such a terrible thing as to let him die?''

Applebloom sat up straight and gulped down her last sobs. She dragged him by the hoof and lead him to the living room.Then, after quickly clearing her throat, she began.

''The injury has been gettin' worse an' worse, it's so bad, that Mac got a blood poisoning. Evrythin' is pointing towards his death and Granny- she just doesn't know what to do. We need a docter right now, but we're short on bits. Then we thought, you're a Canterlot pony! One in the Princess' favor as well! Maybe you could lend us some money, so that we could afford a doctor.''

''Short on bits? But I thought you-'' Hazel stopped as the meaning of the sight he got struck him.

They had arrived and Hazel saw that she was right. Big Mac's breath was going flat and his forehead gleamed from the sweat that was running down his face. The wound had become a lot bigger, he could even make out the small pulsating and the stench that came from it. It had swollen up to an enormous degree and the black veins that ran across it were more than horrifying.

Next to him sat Granny Smith, holding his hoof and from time to time she dabbed his forehead with a cloth.

Hazel sat near the injury and examined it carefully. This was bad. He was sure, even if they got a doctor right then and there, he would be powerless. The injury was too deep, too big, too lethal.
He knew only one thing that would save Mac's life.

''Applebloom, my dear, could you please go and get me your sister? I need her for what I will have to do now in order to keep you brother alive. I will explain it further when you are gathered here all together.''

Applebloom looked confused, but didn't dare to ask any questions.

She came back with a seemingly half asleep Applejack, as her tousled main stated. Once she saw Hazel, her lids snapped up and she stormed towards him.

''You! Thank you you're finally here! Please, help mah brother! You're the only one who could save him!''

Hazel raised his hoof. All eyes were on him. He sat down on his haunches and looked at the floor for a moment and began to talk.

''I know with absolute certainty what to do. Applebloom, even if I got a doctor here, he would not be able to do anything for Mac, besides ease the pain. Mac can only be saved, if I drain him from all of the infected blood and insert new into him. I am able to do this, but it has it's price. What brings me to you, Applejack.''

He looked directly in her emerald eyes.

''Are you willing to save your brother's life?''

She shivered slightly but her voice was firm.

''I am.''

''Good. I will need a rather big amount of your blood, as Applebloom is too small and Granny Smith could not bear the loss without any painful side effects.''

He was interrupted by a high pitched voice that hurt his ears.

''Wai', wai', wai', wai', what? Blood transfusion? Drainin' him of his blood? What in tarnation are yer talkin' about? How could you do that?'' Applebloom shouted angrily and her orange and red eyes seemed to glow like a fire.

Hazel looked at her concernedly, then turned to look at Granny Smith, who hasn't said a word since, then gazed back at Applebloom.

''Listen carefully know. Take your granny and leave this room until I say so. She will explain everything to you, I promise. And one last thing: please leave a bucket at the door.''

She still looked like she was just about to punch him in the face but he followed his orders. When he heared the rumbling of the bucket placed at the door, he faced Big Mac again.

''Hello, big boy. How are you?''
Mac's eyes shot open, but the fever's haze blured his vision. He just attempted to smile and nodded his head.

Oh, boy, how could this happen? You need a little anesthetization...

Hazel's eyes flashed in a mollyfying orange as he looked deep into Big Mac's and the red stallion stiffened for a moment, then sunk into a deep slumber.

Sweet dreams.

''Applejack, reach me this bucket, would you?'' Hazel's head swung around to face the terrible injury.

Slowly, he lowered his head just a breath away from the hot flesh. His fangs shot from under his lips and he took a moment to concentrate. At the base of the swollen flesh he too the first bite and sunk his teeth into Mac's skin. As soon as he felt the blood streaming, he put his fangs away and began sucking at the two little holes. The blood tasted sour and it almost made him choke but he ignored his gagging reflex and continued to drink the dark fluid.

When his mouth was full, he spit the blood into the bucket Applejack had positioned next to him.
The next bite he placed his fangs on the opposite side of the wound and repeated the procedure until he had four sides sucked out. The bucket was almost filled with the darker than normal blood and Mac's face had turned rather pale.

The black veins had vanished and even the bulge had decreased. But he wasn't fished yet. Gesturing her to come sit next to him, Hazel waved a hoof at Applejack.

''I have freed him of the bacteria, but now I need you to fill up his stocks. I would lend him some of my blood, but if I did that he would turn into one of my kind. Trust me, he does not want that.''

Applejack could just nod as she saw her brother's condition. She knew what he wanted her to do. Sure they were siblings, so their blood type must be similar. But was she willing to trust him on this? She had seen him in the heat of battle, would he feel the same heat when he sucked her blood? Would he be able to stop himself?
A grim expression snook up her face and she steadied herself. This was for the life of her brother and she wouldn't be the reason he died. She stepped forward and turned her head to give him better access to her neck.

''Ah trust ya. Take as much as ya need.''

In a heart-beat he was besides her. Again, he let his fangs extend. But then, he hesitated.
A moment later, Applejack hadn't really realised it, she lay her head in his left arm, lying on her side. Hazel sat right next to her and held her tightly in his, she couldn't believe it, soft embrace as he sunk his teeth into her amber fur.

Applejack had expected any sort of pain, from sting of a needle to the melting sear of a burn. What she didn't expect, was the feeling that followed suit with sensation of Hazels fangs piercing her skin.

It was like a warm wave of water was spilled over her, taking away all the pain of her labour on the fields. All the stress, the agony went down the drain of this heavenly feeling that started at her neck and ran down over her whole body. It was so intense and so comforting, she never wanted it to end, ever. In her dazzled state she didn't notice how she put her front legs around hazels neck and drew him even closer.

As good as it felt, Hazel had to withdraw; otherwise, Applejack wouldn't be able to do much more than lying in her bed, recovering, for the next three days. He carefully unlocked her arms from his neck and licked away the last drops of her blood that were pouring out from the little marks and stood up to stand next to Big Mac. His mouth was half full with Applejacks blood and so, he sunk his fangs into Mac's crimson neck and poured in the blood from his mouth into his veines. As a everything was in, regurgitated what he had stocked in his belly and poured it into Macs blood circuit.

As soon he was done, he sat down again, a bit dizzy from the sudden gain and loss of the red fluid.

''Wha- What was that?'' a weak whimper behind him made hazel turn his attention to a weal Applejack. Her lids had covered half of her eyes and it was obvious that she needed sleep and quiet more than anything right now.

The dizziness weakened and so Hazel stood up to comfort the mare in question. He offered a hoof to help her lift herself up and she accepted it thankfully. However, as soon as she stood, a sudden wave of giddiness took ahold of her and she stumbled. Hazel was quick enough to catch her before Applejack could fall, but he knew, she wasn't going to bed by herself.

''Easy there, here let me take care of it. I do not want you to hurt yourself.''

Soon Applejack lay on Hazel's back, his wings extended to guarantee more space for her as he brought her up the stairs and into her room, where he lay her on her bed. He dragged the blanket up to her chin and was already heading for the door when he heared her call his name. He trotted back to her bed and bent down to ease the task of speaking for her.

''Mah brother, is he goin' to be alright?'' what found it's way out of her mouth was merely a whisper.
Hazel smiled and spoke in the same audibility.
''Yes, he will be. The blood- Your blood, I mixed it with a special kind of saliva. Not only will it speed up the recovery and healing of the wound, but also will it prevent him from catching any other infection. Big Mac is sure to survive.'' in a sudden wave of familiarity, he stroke one of her cheeks with his hoof and placed a soft nuzzling kiss on her forehead.

Applejack blushed, but a tender smile spread across her face and she closed her eyes.

''One last question, though. That feeling when you bit me, what was that? I mean, it was amazing, so warm and comfy- but I always thought being bitten by a vampony would hurt pretty bad.''

''Another prejudice against my kin. You feel what I decide for you to feel. I can let you feel anything I want, as long as I experienced it before.''

''And what was it that you let me feel there?''

''The feeling of when I was with Victoria. What you felt, was love.''

Applejack sunk into her pillow and shortly after, Hazel could make out a soft snoring. He stepped out of her room and closed the door without making any sound, then headed for his own bedroom.

Three stallions, an earth pony, a pegasus and a unicorn, stood in a expensivly decorated meeting hall. Before them stood a large wing chair. An earth pony, beige fur, shining black mane that was combed back, sat on the massive desktop, his head rested on his hoofes, that built a triangle beneath his chin.

All of them looked down as the pony with three money bags as a cutie mark rose from his desk and stepped in front of them.

''So, they don't wanna sell, huh?'' his voice was deep, strong, dangerous. It was perfect for lulling somepony and stealing away all their money with their own agreement.

''It's not our fault! This greesy old mule was stubborn as hell! She won't give away the farm at all.''

The unicorn had spoken, what seemingly upset the beige pony to the limit. He slammed a hoof at his minions face and scowled at the others.

''How often do I have to tell you that the sound of your voice is a torture to me? If she doesn't want to sell this farm, then force her.''

The unicorn got up again and rubbed his quickly reddening cheek.
''And how shall we do that?''

''Take as many of my stallions as you need and do whatever is necessary. Now leave and get me this bucking farm!''

He nearly sent them out flying while they hurried to get out of his range.

Whatever was necessary? Now that's what was called 'clear orders'.

What it really means

The beams of the morning sun fell through the red curtains with white squares on them and lay warm on Applejack's sleeping face. The warmth tickeled her freckles and she rubbed her still closed eyes. What a wonderful- Wait. Sunlight? Oh, buck! She had overslept! And just during the most important time of the year! This day would be a huge loss if she didn't get up right now and got bucking on the fields. She had already lost valuable hours and she had to work even harder today to make up for it. Quickly, she sat up and wanted to throw the blanket off of her but it was like she had hit her head on a wall of weakness. Stars danced before her vision and everything in her head felt numb.

A white hoof carefully lay on her shoulder and softly pushed her back into her pillow. As soon as she had recovered from the sudden swim, she looked to her side and saw a tall white pegasus smiling at her.

''It is alright. Stay still, you are still suffering a great loss of blood. Lay back and relax.''

He pushed her back, softly but with certainty, and pulled up her blanket again. He was right, but Applejack wouldn't give in without a fight.

''Ah can't! Ah'm already far behind mah schedule and Ah'll never be able to buck enough apples before they rot on the trees! I can do this, trust me!''

Applejack stared at him desperately. Her eyes were filled with determination. What she didn't understand was why he kept on smiling. He even chuckled! How could he dare to make fun of her situation! The existence of her home was depending on her work and just sat there, giggling like a foal!

Hazel just said, calm as ever: ''You do not need to worry about your work. I have made arrangements. Bic Mac is out, bucking the apples since sunrise. I even got your friends help here. I recommend strict bed rest for at least two days. At that point, your amount of blood should be restored.''

Again, he dragged up her blanket and just smiled. Applejack lay back, still in concern, but his words put her at ease.

''Very well then, Ah guess Ah- Wait!'' she shot up again but was immediately greeted with another dizzy spell and held a hoof before her face. Holding her head with one hoof, she looked to Hazel.
''Did ya just say that Mac was doin' mah work? How's that possible? He was nearly dead just yesterday!''

Hazels ears perked up and his smile grew even wider.
''Why do you not ask him yourself? He entered the house this very moment. Oh and as it seems, he is already approaching your room.''

The same moment Hazel had ended, a gentle knock was to be heard from the door. Applejack answered the call and Big Macintosh, glowing with glee, entered the room. He was sweating, but that didn't seem to bother him much as he roughly hugged Hazel. Blandly pushing him back, Hazel sat there with an awkward smile.

Applejack stared at Macs flank. Only a small spot of red skin where the fur hadn't grown back yet whitnessed that there once was a life-threatening wound. She couldn't believe it. Here he was standing, covered in sweat from the hard work in the fields and only little bit of lacking fur was left of the injury that almost killed him. And he smiled!

Hazel noticed her stare.
''I told you I have taken care of everything. Mac is fine,'' he looked at Big Mac, ''Are you not?''
Mac nodded more than enthusiastically.
''Eeyup.''

''But how?'' Applejack was still unable to comprehend what was happening and stared at Hazel.
''When I injected your blood into Big Mac, I did not only mix it up with my saliva, that negates any infection what so ever, I additionally let some drops of my blood slip in. That is the reason why his wound not only healed so fast, but it is also the source of his strength and stamina. As soon as he woke up this morning, he wanted to go out and continue your work. Do not worry, the effect will disappear in about a week. I even got Twilight, Rainbow and the others to help.'' He looked out of the window ''As it seems, they have done a pretty good job. I will finish tonight, what you do not get done today. Is this fine with you, Big Macintosh?''
A charming smile curled his lips as he looked at the crimson stallion before him.

Again, Mac just nodded.

Finally, the news had settled in for Applejack when a question popped up in her mind.

''Tonight? And what if Ah might ask, are you doing during the sun's up?'' a challenging look found it's way on her face.

''Well, since I know you good enough now, I was thinking about keeping you company. I know that you do not approve of being stuck in one place for too long, so I thought it would be a good idea to help you spend your time.'' He gave Mac a nod and the tall red stallion almost bounced out of the room.

He was right. She hated being put to doing nothing. She was a work horse and being useless made her go nuts. Only, how did he knew that? They hadn't seen each other much in the last few days and she certainly knew more about him from the memories he had shown her. But did she really? Those memories were from a long lost past and she didn't have any idea of what he had been doing in the last millenium. Maybe this was really a good way to get the time down.

''Well that is easy. Every time I drink somepony's blood, I automatically consume all their memories they had up to this point. I know about there character, their wishes, hopes and dreams, what the like, what the dislike, even their physical feelings; when they were in pain, love or when the were just bored. Everything flows into me. Does that answer your question?''

Applejack's eyes nearly rolled out of her head, her jaws dropped and she stared at Hazel in complete
incredulity.

''How- wha- why-'' Applejack was, again, startled to the core. Hazel, however, was in utterly amuse by her bafflement, as a growling laugh escaped his mouth.

''A little mind trick. I am able to read minds if the pony in question is not paying enough attention, or does not know how to counter it at all.'' again, he laughed.

Applejack shivered. This was getting creepy. Nopony should have such a power, except gods like Princess Luna or Celestia. But then again, he actually was older than both of them together! Ugh, she couldn't get a clear thought out of this whole thing.

Hazel noticed her struggle and knew in an instant, that he had gone too far.

His laugh disappeared and made way for an apologizing countenance. He let his ears drop and bowed slightly.

''Forgive me. I had no intention to make you feel uncomfortable, I was just used to it after all this time in the castle, standing at guard, watching over Celestia, listening to these annoying, never-changing anecdotes of the always same wealthy ponies, trying to get favors of having a little talk with the princess. I am truly sorry for my actions. It will never happen again, I promise.''

''Apology accepted, now get here and tell me a story.'' She looked at him with a demanding glow in her shiny, green eyes.

''Pardon me?''

''You said you would spend some time with me and I want you to tell me a story.''

He sat down on his haunches next to the bed and looked deliberately at the floor.
''What kind of story do you wish to hear? A romantic story, a horror story, maybe something funny? Or are you more into a much more mature kind of storytelling?''

Hazel smirked at her wryly, teasing her around, but that plan failed as she just shook her head and snickered at him.
''No, sugarcube, I wanna hear somethin' 'bout you. How life's been at the castle with the princesses, what you hadda do, maybe friends you've made. Ah'm curious, maybe not so about these fru-fru things Rarity wants to hear, but I certainly do appreciate a lil' gossip.''

A frown stole itself on Hazel's face as he cogitated about what he should tell her. The past millenium had gone by without much action, Luna's treason set aside, with him only supervising and training the royal guards, but when a certain blue maned unicorn entered the guard a while ago, he gave up on this job and returned to the exhausting practice of meditation and his usual duties of watching over the city, taking care of Celestia's needs and always keeping up on his combative skills.

Hazel cleared his throat and began to narrate.

''Life in the castle.... Well, you could compare it to golden cage. Sure, the sight is marvelous, the talks I had were with the highest intellectuals and the beds are very comfortable. But there is this nagging feeling of something that is missing. When Celestia woke me up, I swore an oath to do whatever was in my might to protect her. And so, I did. They began their regency around fifteen centuries ago and during that time, much had to be settled. There were different races like the griffons, the dragons and others. All of them did not want the ponies to settle in and steal away the land they had so long fought for. Celestia, however, needed the space to start a settlement for her little ponies. The debates lasted long, over two years and when nothing had happened, the griffons declared war on her. Of course this was a harsh insult, seeing as the griffon army counted half a million soldiers whereas Celestia only had a thousand. Still, we won.''
He took a moment to breathe. Applejack saw that this was way harder for him than it may seemed.

After he gazed around in the room, he went on.
''I vanquished all of them. There was not a single casualty on our side. The griffons... noone survived. If this had happened around three thousand years earlier, I would have doven into it and I would have laughed at their torn bodies, but the loss of my beloved had changed me more than I wanted to admit. I had become a tool in Celestias hooves and I did whatever she decided for me to do. Now do not think that the princess is a tyrant! She did what was necessary to give her ponies a living. The others got alerted by the clash and let her have the land that you now know as Equestria. She split the rulership between three ponies and their assistants, you know them as Princess Platinum and Clover the Clever, Commander Hurricane and Pansy and Major Puddinghead and Smart Cookie.''

''Wait, are you tellin' me, that ya know the founders of Equestria in person? How were they? Ah mean what were they like?''

''Let me see.... Princess Platinum was kind of missy, for example, she would shriek in horror if there was but single grain of dust on her crown. She was not all bad, though. She was very open-hearted and took all the time it needed when one of her subjects needed help on a emotional base. Then we have Clover; she actually was a lot like Twilight, pretty bitchy at first sight, but when you knew her better, she was always there for you. Furthermore, she was an excellent chess player. Then, Hurricane; he was strong, agile and the best fighter among ponies I have ever encountered since. We spent so many days fighting that I lost count. He was always good for a laugh and did not shy to make fun of others, but in away they could laugh, too. Pansy, hmmm let me see... Saying Pansy was shy would be an understatement. Everything Hurricane had in confidence he seemingly stole it from her. If I recall correctly they married sometime. My I should add that Pansy had a real dirty mind.'' he broke into a melancholic giggle.
''Aah, that mare. Scaring her was the best fun you could have, besides the sparring sessions with Hurricane or the chess parties with Clover. But we still have another two. Major Puddinghead was exactly that: A pony with absolutely no brains at all. If you had told him that there was a reservoir of Cupcakes deeply burried under Mount Unicornia, he would be digging there up to this very day. Oh right, he was a glutton as well. Not that I did not like him, he was funny to watch, but got on your nerves if you spent too much time with him. And last but certainly not least: Smart Cookie. I was always a great entertainment, seeing how she got mad over Puddinghead for almost everything he did. They were like a mother with he child, although I think to remember that Puddinghead was about ten years older than her. However, Smart Cookie was really born into that role. Always caring, always a smile on her lips and a great listener. We talked often about several things. I really enjoyed these little talks. She may was not as clever as Clover, or as beautiful as Platinum, but she had a charm that made you tell her about your worries and she always had a solution to whatever issue you may had.''

He sighed. Talking about his past was straining, but something felt right about it. Sure, he had had multiple conversations with the Princess, but they were more of the lord and vessel type.

Applejack smiled at him.
''Seems like ya got some pretty good friends back then. How about today? Ya got any ponies back at Canterlot you lookin' forward to seein' after your order?''

The smile vanished from his face. He looked into her emerald eyes and a deep sadness took ahold of him.
''No. Nopony, besides the princesses, is waiting for me. I am alone. I have the ability to manipulate others' minds. They could have met me and talked to me countless times, but they would neither remember my face, nor my name.''

Astonished by his sudden change of mood, Applejack put a hoof on his shoulder.
''Oh, sugarcube, Ah didn't mean to rip open any wounds. Isn't that a terribly lonely life?''

A ironic grin made his lips lift.

''Yes it is, but I would rather take the permanent feeling of being alone than always getting hit by the death of my friends. Immortality is not a blessing but a curse. There is one enemy you cannot defeat with fists or wings or hooves or fangs.'' his initially grin turned into a grim face that sent down shivers on Applejack's spine.
''I had friends once, but then, one by one, they died. It just does not end. I had to watch all of my friends being torn off my side by an invisible beast. No matter how many bones I crushed, how many skulls I cracked open or how much blood I spilled, I could never defeat death itself. All these things I did, it is like death is mocking me, laughing at me. Everywhere I am, death is all around. Forever, I am damned to reside in this world, watching the never-ending decay of the things around me.''

Hazel clenched his teeth and desperately tried to hold back the tears. He couldn't show his weakness in front of her. First, because she deserved a happy way of killing time and second, because he didn't want to be seen as a weakling that can't get over something so long ago.

He straightened up and took on his usual, kind smile. He saw that his sudden outburst had scared Applejack. He seeked for words to calm her down.

''You know, I cannot afford the luxury of having friends. Their life span is like a snap to me. I gave up on it. I have myself and that is all I need.''

He kept on talking but Applejack didn't pay much attention. It was now that she understood his behavior. He was kind, but always a bit distant. He feared the aching feeling of loss and so, he was avoiding it by never bonding to much to somepony. One door to this mysterious guy from another time had just opened, and she was definitely going to get to him completely and utterly.

''Yer name.'' It wasn't a question. Something made her wonder.

''What is wrong with my name?'' he looked at her in puzzlement.

''Of what Ah've seen in your memories, I was thinkin': All these fancy names ,like Hkn-whatsoever or Ama-something, how come you got a name like ours?''

Hazel smiled.
''That is a very good question. You are right, the name I have is not the same as the one I was born with. But in my slumber, I seem to have lost it in the eons that had passed by. When Celestia woke me up, I was not able to tell her who I was. So, after she had transformed me into a pony, she named me after the first thing that she noticed about me.''

''Now that's just cute, Ah like it.''
Applejack giggled. The gloomy mood from before had disappeared completely. The room was filled with happiness, that affected both of them. They kept on talking, chatting about all sorts of things and before they noticed, it had become dark outside.

''Hoowee, that was a mighty nice day! Ah still can't believe that somepony can kick the flanks of a bunch of dragons and at the same time write a symphony even Ah heard of!'' She snickered and slapped a hoof on his shoulder.

He smiled as well. But as nice as it was, she had to sleep now. The moon was already proceeding it's way over the firmament and he still had some work to do.

Hazel raised and walked to the door.

''Wait! Are you gonna here tomorrow, too?'' Applejack reached out a hoof and her eyes shimmered with anticipation.

''Of course I will. I promised, if you may recall. Now sleep tight, you are still pretty weak and need the rest. We shall see each other as soon as you wake up. Good night.'' he winked at her and stepped out.

What on earth am I doing? I never had such conversations with the Princesses, not with Luna and certainly not with Celestia. The only one I could be myself like this was with...... Victoria.
Can it be true? Am I...falling in love? I? Absurd.

Hazel stepped out into the orchard and began his work. Every apple that was still hanging in the trees was grapped and stowed in the baskets that lay around. Not a single ripe apple stayed on it's branch after he was done. Despite his speed, it was midnight by the time every basked was secured.

''Hazel.'' a melodic voice wafted over the fields and made said pegasus' ears perk. He knew this voice all too well. He hadn't heard it for a long time now, but never would he forge this symphony of beauty and grace. First she was only a silhouette against the full moon,but soon enough the curveous body of the princess of the night descended before him.

Slowly she walked over to him. They stared at each other, faces unreadable. Luna took another step towards him. Then another. And another. She closed her eyes and her face came ever closer to his. Under usual circumstances, Hazel would have taken her to place further away from the barn and made hear scream out his name to the stars in pleasure and euphoria right then and there. But these weren't usual circumstances and so, he turned away from her.

Luna was taken aback by his actions. Never had she been rejected. But then she noticed something. It was like a glow radiating from him, a heat that waved over her and made her feel ticklish all over her body. She knew in an instant what was going on. An impish smile raised the corners of her mouth. She put a hoof to his face and inspected it from all sides.

''Now what do we have here? Can it be? The great Hazel Eyes, breaker of hearts, conqueror of royal beds and stallion with the longest list of benefited mares in all of Equestria is now lovestruck himself?'' she laughed at his surprised look and almost rolled over the floor.

''What? How did you know? I have not given you access to my thoughts!''

''Oh, dear, you didn't have to, your face is all it needs! That little smile that you try to hide, the uncommon spring in your steps and most of all, that adorable blush on your cheeks!'' again, she fell into laughter.

After her paroxysm of laughter she stood up straight and took on a much softer face. She swayed her tail against his chest and spread her wings to take off but was held back as he called her name.

''Luna, wait! Why are you here? Besides making fun of me, you did not do anything, so what is it that brings you to me?''

''Well, in the first place: Sex.'' she giggled. ''But as things are looking now, I don't think I can get you to do that. It's alright, have your fun, I can wait, as I have proven enough, I think.'' she giggled again, but this time a certain dullness swung with it.

Hazel strolled beside her and pulled her into an embrace. No words were needed. Everything was said with this simple gesture. When they parted after some time, Luna was ready to take flight but was held back, again.

''One thing I beg you to do. Please, grant Applejack joyful dreams. That is all.''

Luna nodded and finally took off. Hazel watched her fading to where she came from and as she was out of sight, he himself spread his wings. He felt the hunger raising inside him, but feeding now would only leave a awful aftertaste. Maybe it was time for him to sleep as well.

As he lay in the bed the Apples had placed at his disposal, his last thought was about his his hopeless situation. Even if he admitted that he had fallen in love with that mare, what he still refused to believe, how could this possibly work? As he had told her , the time she was going to spend in this world would be a mere heartbeat to him. No, it was better to feel the constant sting of solitude than losing another beloved. There was one way to cheat on death, however. No, he was never going to do this. Never could he burden her with the curse of immortality. Even so, what if he turned her into one of his kind? Would she love him in return? He could always force her to do so, but that would be a hollow love. No, this was impossible and he knew it, the best way was to accept that he would never find a suitable partner.

Screw this! Why has love to be so complicated? All I ask for is someone I can truly trust, is that so much?

Soon a dreamless sleep took over him and the moon shone brightly onto his peaceful face.

Those, who we love

Thank you, Luna.

When he woke up the other day and checked on how Applejack was doing, Hazel was surprised to see that her blood stock had fully recovered. He could only assume, that this was Luna's work, as the Princess of the Night was not only capable of manipulating dreams, but also possessed the strongest healing magic there was.

Applejack had found to her former shape and was already stretching her limbs. Hazel watched closely as she hopped around in her room and looked carefully at every detail that may reveal any sign of weakness. He didn't found one, though.

Hazel smiled at the orange mare.

''Alright, Applejack, you may have regained your health, but take it slow at first.'' to make his point even clearer, he raised a hoof and looked at her with a stern face. Applejack laughed and waved her hoof dismissively.

''Ah'll watch out, don'tcha worry yer pretty lil' head!'' all of a sudden, her happy behavior became a lot more...angry? ''Let's go, I wanna get some talkin' done and Ah want ya to come with me.''

She didn't leave him any time as she galloped right out of her room.

What is she plotting now?

''Granny Smith! Move yer butt over here, you gotta explain some things!'' Applejack shouted from the base of the stairs and throughout the whole house. Said green mare shot up from the leather studded armchair and looked startledly at her granddaughter. She rose up and trotted over to her, seemingly having no clue what was going on.

Applejack slammed a hoof on the ground yelled at her. She was in a rage as her lightly reddened cheeks told.
''Granny Smith, what in tarnation was in yer mind! Big Mac coulda been dead by now, if Hazel hadn't been there! Why the hay didn't you let'im help earlier?''
Her eyes shimmered with anger as she stared at her grandmother.

Granny Smith's first reaction was an intimidated cowering from the fury of the orange mare with the blonde mane. Then, she straightened herself again and took on a huffy expression and mumbled something inaudible under her breath. Applejack raised an eyebrow.

''Wha' was that?''

''Ah said, Ah have my reasons.'' Granny Smith gleamed at her unforgivingly. That answer only managed to fuel Applejack's furor. Her face had turned as red as the red delicious that were stowed in the hall at the backside of the barn. Applejack looked like she was about to explode, but then took in a deep breathe and exhaled slowly afterwards.

With a dangerously calm voice, she asked her granny.

''I would really appreciate it, if ya could tell me these 'reasons'.'' Applejack crossed her front hooves in an expectant pose and waited for her grandmother to start talking.

The elderly green mare struggled for words and downright spat it into Applejack's face.

''Because it's a vampire!''

Well, duh, great discovery, lady. Somepony give her an award, please.

Applejack seemed to have the same thoughts, but she held back the comment, that lay on her lips. She sighed and sought out for Granny Smith's eyes again.

The noise of Applejack's yelling had managed to reach even Big Mac and Applebloom. Together the siblings stumbled into the living room and watched in bewilderment as they became aware of the situation. Applebloom hid behind her brother's front leg as she saw how mad her sister was.

Applejack shook her head and sighed again.
''Yeah, Granny, we already know that-'' a squeaky voice interrupted her as she was about to tell her grandmother to go on.

''He's a vampire?!'' Applebloom had jumped from behind Mac's leg and sat now before Hazel and stared at him in awe. ''Ah always wanted to see one, but Ah thought they were jus' an old ponies tale!''

Hazel nodded at her. This situation was awkward to say the least least and furthermore a question came to his mind. He looked at the green mare on the other side of the room.

''You did not tell her? I thought I had told you to explain things to her when I was taking care of Mac?'' the reaction he earned from her, however, was only a snort as she stared in the opposite direction to avoid her grandchildrens' looks.

Mac trotted over to her and put a hoof on her shoulder.
''C'mon now, Granny, it's ok. We just wanna know whatchu've got 'gainst our guest here.'' the calm voice of the red stallion seemed to comfort Granny Smith. She losened up her stance and looked at each member of her family seperatly.

''It's because of mah parents.'' she started, took a deep breath and went on. ''As y'all know, Ponyville was founded by our famly. Remind me to tell y'all this story some time. It's a very funny story 'bout how I discovered the zap apples and-''

Applejack slammed a hoof against the ground. Her anger was beginning to boil up again.
''Granny Smith, to the point, we don't have all day!''

Granny Smith pulled a scrunch of the hostile behavior of her granddaughter, but she still went on narrating.

''Ya see, when mah parents were called to the castle, mah father tried tah hit on Celestia. My Mah gat jealous and wanted to pay him back, so she started making eyes on this one!'' she pointed her hoof at Hazel and her eyes shot bolts of hatred at him.

''When my Mah died, mah paps was by her side, and do y'all wanna know what her last words were? She said 'Bite me one more time'! Mah Pap's heart broke! You are the one who destroyed mah parents!'' she broke out in tears. Mac held her firmly in his embrace as all the long hidden emotions from within the old green mare broke free.

Applejack looked at Hazel and stared at him with an unreadable expression on her face. She walked over to him, pulled his gaze from Granny Smith to herself and looked deeply into his insecure brown eyes.

''Is that the truth?''

Hazel blinked blankly at her. He couldn't tell. Good heavens, he had had so many mares, if some members of the Apple Family wouldn't be among them he would have been surprised, but to remember individuals from his prey was out of his possibilities.

''Maybe.'' it was all he could manage to say without lying. His answer didn't seem to satisfy her in any way, but she let him be for now. She went over to her brother and grandma a lay a hoof protectively around her shoulder.

Applebloom strolled over to him and tugged at his wings for him to bend down.
''What's wrong with Granny? Ah've never seen her like this, what have you done to her?'' she looked up to him in incomprehension and and her lower lip quivered.

Hazel tussled her hair, carefully watching out not to untie her pink ribbon, and whispered into her ear. ''Perhaps you will understand when you are older. I think it is better if I go now, I do not intend on making it worse.'' he wanted to walk out but Applebloom followed him.

''Is there something else, I can do for you?'' he gleamed down on her holding his voice as low and as gentle as possible.
''Maybe Ah know a way, how you could make up for it. Remember when Ah told ya about how short we're on bits?''

''So, tell me again what exactly you want me to do.''

Hazel sat behind a table on the market place in the center of Ponyville. Applebloom had made him pull a huge amount of apples in a hay cart to a stand where a sign showed a red delicious.

''You sell all these apples today and earn a huge chunk o' money for the farm! Whatever you did, when ya can sell all these apples, Ah'm sure, Granny will forgive ya!'' she smiled at him confidently.

I hope this has better results than your crusading adventures...

''Don't worry, Ah'll be here helping you all the time. If ya have questions, ask me, but let me do the talkin', you just pack their bags, ok? Ya'll just help the customers carry their ordering when they want more than they can carry on their own.'' Applebloom stood before him with a confident smile and waited for him to accept her orders.

He just nodded and accepted his forfeit. If this was a way to wander up some ranks in Granny Smith's list, he would be a fool to not take his chance. Although, something about this made him feel like it was going to go horribly wrong, but of course that could only be his imagination.

Applebloom positioned herself right next to him and sat down on her haunches. Her face froze in a somehow creepy smile which she obviously wanted to attract customers with. The only thing she would be accomplishing with a expression like this, though, was giving foals some pretty bad nightmares.

Hazel looked at the eight baskets of apples that lay to his left. Each weighed a centner and held around a hundred ripe, juicy apples. He sighed. And I am to sell all of this by the end of the day? I hope all of Ponyville is starving, or else we will make a huge loss.

Suddenly Applebloom let out a squeak and galloped from behind the stall towards a magenta mare with a white mane and lavender accents to it. Her cutie mark showed three smiling flowers.

''Miss Cheerilee, Miss Cheerilee, how ya doin'?'' she hopped around her teacher. ''Care for an apple?''

The magenta mare chuckled of the eagerness in her pupil's tone and walked over to the stand.
''It's nice to see you, Applebloom, I do would like some apples. By the way, how's Bic Macintosh doing? I heard he hurt himself rather badly.''

When she arrived at the stall, she took a curious look at Hazel. Her gaze traveled over his whole body and he made sure to cover his flank in order to hide the lack of his cutie mark, as he always did when he was in public. Cheerilee tilted her head slightly and with a warm smile she offered to shake his hoof as she reached out hers.

''I think we haven't met, yet. My name's Cheerilee, I'm the teacher for the little colts and fillies in this town. May I know your name, too?''

Hazel took her hoof and placed a gentle kiss on it's tip, making her blush. ''My name is Hazel Eyes. I am a temporary guest, until Princess Celestia tells me to move back to Canterlot.''
Cheerilee's eyes grew wide. ''You're from Canterlot? Oh, my, what an honor, this whole village must seem like a dirt-pit after what you must be used to. I only hope everypony's nice to you, having such a hoofsom-'' before she could go on and flirt away with her guest, Applebloom intervened.

She had jumped behind the table again and picked up five especially tasty looking golden delicious for her favourite teacher. Cheerilee reached out in one of her saddlebags and pulled out for bits.

''Mac's fine again.'' She winked at Hazel. ''That's gonna be ten bits then.'' Applebloom smiled at her with the most innocent smile one could imagine. Cheerilee, however, froze to the spot. She looked at Applebloom, wondering if she had just made a joke.

''Ten bits? But it had always been one bit an apple! What are you thinking, Applebloom? That's profiteering!'' she glared angrily at Applebloom and put the money back into her saddlebags.

''Yeah, but the market's tough, so it's ten bits now.'' she she leaned her head boredly at a hoof, she had placed on the table, and didn't even bother to look at Cheerilee.

It was so adorable and cute, Hazel had to hold back the laughter that built up from inside him, seeing how the light yellow filly acted like she was some big fish in business. On the other hoof, if he didn't act fast, the first profit of this day would slip away from them.

He shoved Applebloom aside and looked deeply into Cheerilee's watery, green eyes. He let lose part of his might to let flashes of his incubus charm take over her. With a voice as sooth as gold-dipped silk, he whispered to Cheerilee.

''How about we make it seven bits? The little one here is still a bit down because of what happened to her beloved brother and the medicine was rather expensive. Will you not be a nice teacher and do something for your pupil's well being?'' he purred into her ear so that Applebloom would be unharmed of his influence.

Immediately, Cheerilee's whole face became blank and she struggled to stand properly. ''Of course, I'll pay the full price. I don't want my precious Applebloom's achievements in my class to fall.'' she answered, but her voice was drained from all emotions and somehow sounded hollow.

She placed the money on the table, grabbed the apples and walked away without another word. Applebloom looked after her and seemed to wonder what just happened. Then a complacent smile took over her face and she looked back at Hazel.

''See? I told ya I got this, just leave the talking to me and we'll get all them apples sold by the end of the day.'' she rubbed her hoofes and looked around in search for her next victim. In the meantime, Hazel prepared his charm to be used a lot this day.

Applejack pulled the pie out of the oven and placed it on the window ledge to cool down, before she would store it back in a chamber where she would come and take it to the market tomorrow, to keep her family's heads above the water. She sighed. Granny Smith had been all gloomy throughout the day and sunset was already approaching. If this didn't change soon, it would become a very awkward stay for Hazel as well as for her entire family. First she was shocked about what she had heard about him, but it came into her mind that it wasn't his fault. She imagined how her great-greatmother fluttered her lashes on him and which stallion would resist such an offer; additionally it lay in his nature.

As soon as she had convinced her brother that Hazel's good attitudes overweighed the actions to which he was forced to by his blood, Applejack had tried to pursuade her grandmother as well. Needless to say it was a lost cause. As it seemed, stubborness ran in the family. She had breathed fire and brimstone when Applejack and Big Mac had tried to point out his helpfullness and caring when Mac was injured.

Eventually they gave up and focused on their daily tasks, which, in Applejack's case, was baking the pies and other sweet apple products for the market.

Suddenly, the ring of the doorbell made her shift her attention. Smiling, she trotted towards the door. ''Imma comming!'' She had expected her sister and Hazel to come home after they went missing after Granny Smith's collapse. What she didn't expect, was the caramel hoof that slammed her face as soon as she had opened the door and made her tumble. She fell to the ground and almost instantly felt the hoofcuffs closing around her legs, leaving her in a completely helpless state. A second punch made her vision fade.

Applejack's head ached. Only opening her eyes and holding them open meant a huge straining effort for her. She looked around. She was in the hayrick among her family, laying on her side, her front and hind legs each tied together. The next thing she noticed were the nine other ponies that were with them. Four of them held Big Mac in place, who put up a huge fight, thanks to the leftovers of the vampire blood within him. Two earth ponies stood next to Granny Smith, who lay on the ground, captivated as well. Right before her stood three ponies, a brown earth pony, a caramel pegasus and a blue unicorn, with an oddly shimmering horn. As soon as she had noticed them, the unicorn turned around and grinned wryly at her.

''Ah, finally you're awake, wondered how long you'd take. Now then, Blast, wake up the old hag!''
His voice only managed to worsen the pain in her head.The yellow pegasus to Granny's left side gave her a rough kick and she woke up.

''Fine, now that I have your utmost attention, let me submit my offer once again.'' he turned to Granny Smith. Said mare just stared grimly back at him.

He walked towards her. ''You see, we can keep up that circus as long as we want. We got'yer and we can do whatever we like to do. So, you have two options; option one: You sell this rusty old barn to Filthy Rich, we find a nice retirement home for you and your grandchildren can stay here, where they work for us, in exchange they, well, can keep their home. Option two: You keep up this futile resistance and we have a little fun with you before we kill all of you and just take the barn. I myself prefer option two, but Mister Rich wants me to at least give you a chance. So what do you say?''

Granny Smith looked down for a moment. When she looked back up, her expression was as hard as steel. ''Ah'm never gonna sell this barn! My father built it! We live in it! If I sell it, you'll exploit my grandchildren! Kill us if yer want, we still have more dignity in the tips of our mane than you have in yer whole rotten bodies!'' she literally spat out the words to him.

All she earned was an awfully sadistic smile from the obnoxious unicorn. ''Great, that's just what I wanted to hear. Now then, Muddy, untie the hind legs of the filly, I'll show her what a real stallion looks like. You can have your turn when I'm done.'' his ears perked up. ''Wait, I've got an even better idea! You all get your turn!''

Oh, no...

Applejack desperately fought back the tears as she felt how her hind legs were spread and bent over a hay bale.

The bits on the wagon jingled in the two big bags all the way home to Sweet Apple Acres. Applebloom nearly bounced next to Hazel, who trotted along with the heavy cart firmly tied to his back. They had sold all apples thanks to his charm, and the constant use of his ability had managed to tire him. It was a feeling he wasn't used to anymore. Everything was so easy thanks to his incredible strength, but the siege from the towns mares was somehow way more exhausting than a whole day spent fighting with the guards. With the amount of apples they had sold today, Ponyville's stallions were sure to be eating apples for the next two weeks.

''And you really just walked out?'' Applebloom's eyes shimmered in anticipation as she looked up to the white pegasus.

''Oh, yes, I did. The council members were not pleased and Victoria had to do a lot of persuading and calming so they would not execute me for my behavior.'' he chuckled.

''Wow, being half vampire and half incibus must be awesome! That Victoria gurl must've been beautiful if she could catch your eye! How was she?''

''Well, first it is 'incUbus'.'' he pronounced the 'u' in particular. ''And for second: Victoria was my better half. She was exactly like your sister; honest, humorous, straight forward and sometimes a bit blunt. But she was also kindhearted, caring and she would never let those who stood close to her get hurt.''

''You're right, that really is mah sister!''

They had arrived at the gate that led to the small line up to the farm house. As soon as they reached the gate, Hazel sensed it. He froze to the spot and scanned his surroundings as careful as possible, sending out his mind to locate any living creature in and around the barn. The realization hit him and he began to shiver. There was one problem though and that problem had stopped bouncing before him and was now curiously staring at him.

''Hey, what's wrong with you?''
He looked back at her and feverishly searched for a solution. Then an idea came to his mind. ''Applebloom, go to the Cutie Mark Crusaders HQ and lock yourself in. Do not open the door until I or one of your family comes and takes you with him. No matter the cause, do not come out. Do you understand?'' his look couldn't have been more clearly.

Applebloom looked intimidated by the sudden change of his mood, but she got that something was wrong and trusted him enough to not talk back or ask any questions. She nodded and galloped off. With her out of the way, Hazel unzipped the cart from his back and flew to the hayrick as fast as he could. Upon attaining his destination, he glanced through one of the windows. Hazel saw Granny Smith directly beneath him, flanked by two pegasi; Mac, held down by three earth ponies and a pegasus and another earth pony standing next to him. The same moment he was overlooking the scene, he worked out a pattern to knock out their invaders and free the Apples.

Then Hazel saw her. Applejack lay on her belly on a hay bale near the opposite wall and a blue unicorn leaned his front hoofes against said wall and stood upright right before her heightened behind. Hazel didn't need to count one and one together to know what was going on.

Like a switch inside him, something clicked. Like a ravaging storm, all dams broke down and something ancient inside him awoke. All rational thinking was washed away, every clear thought he had had in mind, carried away by the overbearing rage that envenomed his body. One last thought faded before he could catch it.

Applejack.....

There she lay, deprived of all possibilities of escape. What had she done to deserve this? Now she just waited. For the pain, for the humiliation, the traumatization. She was a full grown mare and the years of hard work had shaped her body well. Despite her rather good lookings she had yet to have a coltfriend, as the work on the farm was way too important to her than anything else. Just when her affection towards a certain white pegasus was about to rise, this had to happen. She wanted her first time to be with somepony she truly and utterly loved, not ripped away from her by a dreadful brute.

So she waited for him to begin and concentrated on something else, something happy. A day out with her friends at the Spa, a cattle round-up with Winona, something, anything that would keep her distracted. She could feel how her tail was shoved aside and how she lay bare.

''I once heard that earth ponies have the best ass, let's check if that is true, shall we?'' he purred into her ear. There was no holding back anymore. She let the tears flow and accepted her fate.

Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip.

Warm drops hit her back. Then a rattle clung to her. Again a warm fluid dripped on her back. She looked over her shoulder. Her eyes widened in horror.

Behind her stood the blue unicorn, his face in shock, looking at his chest. Emerging from his chest, was a blood covered, white hoof, holding a chunk of meat of the size of an apple. As she looked closer, she noticed it was his heart. The hoof withdrew and pulled out the unicorn's heart through his back. The blue stallion collapsed. Applejack hadn't thought that there was something that could deepen her shock even more, but the thing that stood behind the corpse of the unicorn with the polished horn did so.

It looked like Hazel, but at the same time it wasn't him. His eyes had become completely red, this time not only the pupills, but his whole eyeballs were red flashlights. His fangs were fully extended and easily six inches long. But the most remarkable thing was his composure. After he had killed the rapist, one would think he would drop down on his hoofes again, but he kept standing on his hind legs only.

Then the massacre began. Taking advantage of his short pause, the caramel pegasus appeared from beside him and tried to punch his left cheek. The thing that looked like Hazel leaned slightly backwards, let the hoof pass his face and wrapped his hoofes around the pegasus's wings. There he stood, back to back with the other pegasus, one arm around each wing. He extended his wings and with a sharp snap, ripped them off the caramel stallion's back. Said pegasus fell to the ground and screamed in agony. The thing threw away his wings and was standing right next to him. He raised one hind leg and let it crush down on his head. Crack. Blood and parts of his brain covered a small area around the now dead body.

The four ponies that had held down Big Mac had come to their senses and were now attacking in a cone. What they hadn't reckoned with, was the speed their opponent had. Not even a heartbeat later, too fast for their eyes to catch up, Hazel was behind them. He positioned himself between the furthest on the left and his neighbor. The thing wrapped his hoofes around the neck of the pony on his right and with a snatching noise like a wet branch, he broke his neck and teared off his head.

As soon as the pony to his left had turned around, he put his right hoof ontop of his head and slammed his left against his throat. The impact ripped away half of the pony's neck and a disgusting gargeling sound filled the air before he bled to death.

Hazel whirled over the back of the next one and suddenly stood in between them again. Facing the side of the left one, he smacked down his forehoof on his backside and like a suitcase the body of the pony folded as his spine was broken.

The thing didn't even bother to turn around. Instead it kicked the last of the four against the chest, not unlike Applejack used to buck apples, and he flew several feet through the air and hit the wall of the hayrick. There was not even enough time for him to fall down to the ground again, as a powerful hoof pierced his mouth, the backside of his head and the wall behind him. With a thud, the body hit the ground right before the two ponies, that were to keep an eye on Granny Smith.

Like a shadow, Hazel rose from behind the body of their fallen companion and instantly vanished again. They didn't have a chance to look around and search for him as he appeared right behind them and wrapped his hoofes around their necks. Three breath-taking seconds later, their faces had gone all blue from the lack of oxygen that followed suit with the suffocation he had provided them with.

Only one survivor remained. The whole act had only lasted around eight seconds. Eight seconds, eight corpses. The last one was the bulky brown earth pony that now ran for his life. He only came to the door, when a powerful strike sent him flying against a pile in the center of the building that secured the stability of the roof. A blood-covered forehoof pressed firmly against his throat, as the thing nailed him against the pile. Now reaching out very slowly, it raised the other hoof to do whatever it was the thing intended to do.

''Hazel!''

What was that?

''Hazel!''

There, again. It almost sounded like something was calling him.

''Hazel! Don't do it!''

Hazel. That seemed to be his name. Two soft amber hoofes reached out and grabbed his free hoof. Then, a face came in sight. What a beautiful face. Her eyes were tear-soaked and her voice was still shaky, but underneath lay a beauty, no creature could compare to. The animal inside him fought with all it's might as Hazel slowly began to win back his sanity. But the beast was not defeated yet. With a last uproar, it forced him to sink his teeth deeply into the brown pony's neck, sipping up all his blood in one swiff.

Memories flashed Hazel's now recaptured mind. An old-fashioned looking room with expensive looking decor. A leather studded armchair. A name. Filthy Rich. A route to his house. Bingo.

''Hazel get yerself together, boy. It's over, they're all dead.'' Applejack rubbed her cheek against his.
Then Hazel noticed her hoofcuffs. With a swift strike they were broken and she was free again. He freed the other two as well and led them out of the hayrick. He would clean up the mess soon.

''What happened with you? That thing, that monster, that killed them, that wasn't you!'' Applejack leaned a hoof against his chest and looked up to him with those wonderful emeralds she called eyes. ''I guess that is some part of me, I have completely forgotten about. Perhaps it was some kind of security system.'' he couldn't face her. He had killed thousands and more before, but that was in a battlefield, among other soldiers, but never this way. He killed fast, efficient and painless. It wasn't the fault of his opponents to fight him, they were forced by their leaders and so, he granted them a death as easy as possible, since he had had orders himself.

''Security system? What'd you mean?''

''A security system to protect those who are close to me. When Victoria was murdered, I think that was kind of the same situation. Seeing what was happening with you, I think that was enough to trigger it again.''

Applejack's expression softened. She pulled him into a hug and lay her chin on his shoulder. He answered the hug and embraced her, too. Quietly, she whispered into his ear. ''Now, now, it's all ok again. Let's get in, Ah want to catch some sleep.''

''Do that. I will come soon enough, I just want to get rid of those bodies before Applebloom discovers them.'' And take care of somepony else, too. He wanted to go, but Applejack didn't let him, yet. Again she whispered. ''When you're done, maybe, could you sleep in my bed tonight, please? Ah just ... need somepony to hold me.'' the desperate look in her eyes told him everything he needed to know. He nodded and turned to walk back to the hayrick.

After he had bond the legs of the bodies together, he flew over to the Everfree Forest and dumped them into a sick-looking bog. Nopony would ever discover them there.

And now, to you Filthy Rich.

The beige earth pony with the oily, combed back mane sat in his armchair and enjoyed a glass of Cognac, while he read through the daily statistics and price of shares. It couldn't be better! By tomorrow, Sweet Apple Acres would be his, securing him the lead in the apple centered industry. Finally he could get rid of this nasty, cherry-farming, fat- No, where were his manners? He was a businesscolt, he did what he did to grant him and his daughter the life they deserved.

Suddenly, the light faded. What was that? A power blackout? He reached around in his desk and found what he had looked for. Quickly burning a match, he set the candle afire. Then, the candle was blown out.

The only light, that was know illuminating one half of the room, was that of the moon that shone through the gigantic panorama window in his back. The light of the moon and the two little red dots that hovered before him.

''Filthy Rich,'' the deep, rumbling voice echoed through the room.

''Who goes there?! Show yourself!'' Panic was starting to creep up from inside the beige pony.

Step by step, the intruder revealed himself before him. Ridiculously long mane, white coat, huge wings. This colt meant trouble.

''Terrible things were done in your name. Your greed is, what brings your fall.'' he came ever closer to the oak desk.

''How the hell did you come across my bodyguards?''

''The ability of becoming shadows has lots of advantages. They are still alive, do not worry. The ponies you sent to take over Sweet Apple Acres, however; well let us just assume they will rest in pieces.''

''So what'cha gonna do with me, huh?''

''I will punish you.''

''Punish me? And how're you gonna do that? Kill me? Could you really take away the father from a daughter? Don't you have mercy?''

Suddenly he stood on the desk. The red coals pierced his eyes and like a ritual the white pegasus began to speak.

''This IS mercy! Dir, der du anderen Leid zufügen wolltest, mit Selbstsucht und Rachgier Schmerz brachtest, soll ein ehrloser Tod beschieden sein! Du wirst jenen Tod selbst über dich bringen! Morgen ist dein Schicksal besiegelt! Wer Wind sät, wird Sturm ernten! This is the end!''*

As soon as he had ended, he was gone. Filthy Rich sat there, unsure what just happened and emptied his glass.

Author's Note

*You, who you wanted to inflict suffering upon others, with selfishness and greed bestowed agony, shall die an unworthy death! You will bring this death upon yourself! By tomorrow, your fate is sealed! The one who sows the wind, will reap the storm!

A night to remember

The movement of Applejack's tender breathing traveled over to Hazel's body, starting at his wing, that he had gently covered her with, through the joint that connected the wing with his back, up to his shoulder, that heaved and sunk with every breath she took, as he hold her firmly but softly in his embrace. He didn't sleep like her; he did not need to sleep at all, since the blood he drank once in a while, provided him with enough energy. Even so, his dreams were almost always the same. A bright void, not a single shadow in sight, blinding him and putting him on edge. His dreams weren't comforting, even though Luna had used her magic to create dreams for him. But after Celestia had banished her to the moon a thousand years ago, the only thing close to dreams were his meditations.

Now he lay there, watching over this beautiful mare in his arms, her hooves pressed softly against his chest, the feeling of the air, leaving her nostrils on his neck and the sweet smell of ripe apples, and couldn't remember the last time he had felt this way. Wait, of course he could remember! He had lain exactly in the same position, only with another girl in his arms. No, this was now, Victoria was the past, Applejack was now.

Suddenly Applejack's breathing became irregular and her facial features turned into something completely different from the peaceful smile that had lain on her lips. Her lips slightly parted and she clenched her eyelids tightly together. She tried to roll around and pushed against Hazel. Hazel realized that she was having a nightmare. Hazel pulled her closer and sunk his mouth on top of her head. He closed his eyes and reached out his mind to touch hers, forming a telepathic connection between them to access the realm of her dreams.

It was almost the scenery of the hayrick again, but everything looked more horrendous, like a crooked version of the barn. Lights were duller, the air seemed stickier and shadows were darker than in reality. Applejack pressed herself into one corner of the house, before her lay the drenched corpses that were the only things left of the intruders from before. Amidst them, the bizarre monster that once was Hazel, slowly walked closer to her, it's hooves and coat dripping with blood. It came near Applejack, a sharp hiss escaping it's jaws, and she cowered low under it's gaze.

The real Hazel watched the scene from under the roof in worry, seeing how the beasts fangs drew ever closer to Applejack's face. His wings folded to his sides and suddenly, he stood right between the abomination of his self and the mare he had learned to adore so much. Extending his wings to let him seem even bigger than he already was, he made a clear stance. He raised his hoof against the wicked thing before him and his voice boomed through the building.

''Be gone with you! You will not hurt her! Vanish and be never seen again! You were once a part of me and I command you to disappear!'' he swung his hoof against it's shoulder and made a clear cut through it's whole front. The thing growled a last time and faded into small whirling shadow-particles. Hazel turned around and faced the still cowering Applejack. He reached out a hoof and gently stroked her shoulder. Applejack's ears perked up and she looked confusedly into Hazel's soothing eyes that promised warmth and comfort. Suddenly the environment became a lot more friendly. The shadows weren't so threatening anymore, the whole scene lit up and the scent of sweet apples wafted through the air.

''There, there, no need to be afraid, I am here after all.'' he helped her to stand up again. Applejack looked at him both relieved that her nightmare had turned out so well and a bit confused as how Hazel had managed to slip into her dreams so easily.

Applejack smiled warmly and shook her head. ''You really gotta stop savin' me all the time, ya know? It's kinda getting' embarrassing.'' she laughed and put her hoof to his chest.

His expression hardened. There was something she was trying to hide beneath her laughter, something she really did not want to talk about. He looked closer and saw the little frown that she fought down rather badly and the small shivers that, hardly noticeable, ran over her body, as well as a scent, that lay under the smell of apples, and that he knew all too well. Normally, this smell was empowering him and whenever he smelled it, Hazel knew everything was going as planned. Fear. What was like a field of flowers to him when his victims nearly lost themselves because of the righteous guardian before them, it was now more of a slap to the face. He shoved her hoof aside and stared directly at her.

''You are afraid of me.'' it was not a question, he knew for sure. Applejack tried to look away, but his face was all it took to detain her from doing so. She faltered and quickly tried to make up something, that would hopefully put him at ease; the moment was too beautiful to let it slip away.

''No, sugarcube, Ah'm not afraid of yer, Ah was just-''

''You are the element of honesty, do not make yourself a laugh by trying to lie at me, that does not fit you.'' Hazel cut her off. He turned around and walked a few steps away from her, without dignifying her with so much as a glance.

They both stayed quiet for a moment, Applejack just staring at the back of his head and Hazel looking at the floor before his feet. Then he began to talk again, but his voice didn't sound as firm as it ever was. When he spoke, it sounded more like a monologue, a sad sigh, maybe.

''You know, after all this time I came to spend on this world, I got used to being either loved or hated by those around me. There was no room in between. Those who feared me died quickly afterwards and those who loved me would have soon forgotten me. I accepted my fate to serve Celestia for all eternity, but now... All those mares that fell in love with me; not one of them was worth to be loved back! I did what I did because my nature demanded it.'' he turned to face her again and Applejack noticed the small red orbs that were building in the corners of his agate eyes. ''And now, the mare I want to protect the most trembles at my sight! Why, Applejack?! Do you not understand that I would give my life to save you if I had to?'' his wings had extended while he had yelled at Applejack, but now Hazel was slowly lowering them again and eventually let them rest on his sides. He sat down and let his head sink while he wiped away the small drops that were about to roll down his cheeks. ''I would protect you from any harm there might be, even from myself. Now this being said, I can leave your dream and delete what I just said from your-'' Hazels eyes grew wide as an amber hoof raised his face and a pair of heavenly soft lips locked with his own.

The kiss lasted only a heartbeat and it was over as soon as it had started. Applejack looked at him with a cocky grin and slightly reddened cheeks. ''Don'tcha dare doing that! I wanna remember evrything when Ah wake up, understood?''

Hazel sat there, completely puzzled by what just happened. Slowly his mind was managing to connect the loose sparks of thoughts that whirled around in his head. He opened his mouth a few times and pieced up something that hopefully sounded like a rational sentence.

''To be honest, No, I do not understand the least! You- I mean, I- What was the-'' again he was silenced by the angelic touch of Applejack's mouth. This time the kiss lasted much longer and he even got confident enough to brush his tongue against her pearl-white teeth, earning a surprised snort as she drew back. Applejack stepped away a bit and touched her mouth with one hoof, constantly tying to hold back a giggle.

Eventually, she looked back at Hazel again, now an expression of deep affection covering her blushing face. She looked so incredibly adorable at this moment, but also emanated an aura of self-esteem that made her hard to approach. Never had Hazel been in a comparable situation, seeing that he had always been the aggressor, the predator that hunted down and brought home his prey, at all points.

Applejack had caught herself and strolled back to him again. With a cooing purr, she whispered into Hazel's ear. ''Come on, Lover-boy, why so shy?''

Hazel stood his ground as well as he could manage to, struggling hard to not lose his whole dignity now. He didn't like the new role he was put in and already worked on a solution for his begrudging situation. But as hard as he tried, the scent of sweet apples, mixed with breathtaking taste of her lips as well as her exhilarating presence before him did a darn good job to block out any thought that might have come to his mind. All he could get out without embarrassing himself even more was a dumbfounded stammering.

''I'm not shy, I'm just a bit... surprised. I thought I had kept my charm to a limit. I was never intending to seduce you, please forgive me, I'll have a better look on it from now on.'' he was trying to gain some time until his mind came at ease and he could think straight again. The atmosphere was making him feel dizzy, so he had to get rid of it soon.

Applejack snickered again and lay her back against his front side and playfully rubbed her cheek against his chest. Her trademark Steddson hat lay in the corner she had cowered from the abomination a few moments ago. She sighed patiently and let her chin sink to her chest.

''Oh silly, you've kept your charm perfectly at hoof, it's got nothing to do with it. Ah guess you're just my type.'' she shrugged and wrapped her arms around his neck to draw him closer again, but this time, Hazel resisted. He threw his head back and with it, Applejack. She suddenly stood before him again and shot him a rather disappointed look. Hazel had made his mind up, this could not go on this way. He stepped back from her, it was time he ended this. With a loud snap, his wings spread wide and a steadied himself firmly onto the ground. Slowly at first, but then ever faster, Hazel began to strike his wings against the air, creating a gently breeze that soon turned into a howling wind. Applejack stumbled back and covered her face with a hoof to prevent her eyes from damage that may be caused by flying splinters or something else. The flurry became somewhat cold, so cold that she lay down and clenched her arms around her torso, hoping she could warm herself a little. But as soon as she had rolled together, the sound of the flapping wings had already vanished and the cold was no longer imminent; in fact, she felt quite warm. The next thing she noticed was the lack of hardness that usually came with laying on the ground. Moreover there were other things that did not fit the image of her current situation: there was the feeling of something soft and warm covering her body, the steady breeze that tenderly flowed over her head and the titillating sensation of sleek fur tickling her nostrils.

At once it came clear to her where she was. Laying in her bed, she was being held in a tender embrace, pressed against the warm, muscular chest of a certain white pegasus. Applejack fidgeted around to get in a more comfortable position and ended up resting her head on his arm, her nostrils picking up the mesmerizing musky scent his coat was emanating. She kept herself in this position for a while, simply enjoying the company he provided her with and the beat of his heart. But there was something that discomforted her anyhow, a queasy feeling in the back of her head made her restless and urged her to look up.

When she opened her beautiful mint-green eyes, her gaze met an even glance. A warm, but demanding, cairngorm flash of light held her head firmly in place as she looked into Hazel's eyes. Applejack sighed.

''Ah guess Ah won't be comin' around this one whatsoever, huh?''

Not a single glimpse of movement could be caught on his face as he stared directly at her. ''I do not think so.'' his voice was calm, motionless and crystal-clear.

''Well, what'cha wanna hear?''

''I, for once, think that an explanation is rather appropriate.''

Applejack pulled a scrunch and looked down at his chest. How should she tell him? What should she tell him? She hadn't been lying earlier on about his charm, she really liked the stallion behind it. Screwing it up now would end in a disaster for sure. Applejack's mind was blanking on what to say. Never had she talked to a stallion in this sorta way and she couldn't get a straight sentence out of her mouth.

''Ah- Well, the thing is- Have ya ever- Frankly- Oh, for Celestia's sake! Why is it so darn hard?'' she exhaled loudly and loosened herself.

Hazel chuckled. It was a rather rare amusement to see the ever so confident Applejack in such an awkward situation. Her discomfort made him giggle, and he enjoyed the little teasing she put herself into. However, he saw that she was struggling and he didn't want her to embarrass more than necessary.

''Just start at the beginning.'' his voice cut through the haze that had captured her thoughts like sunlight cut through mist.

Applejack looked at him in deliberation and took a moment to arrange the words she was about to say next. She took in a deep breath and began.

''The beginnin', right. So it was after you told us all who ya really are, and that lil' trip into your memories. I've never had a coltfriend before, but when Ah saw that thing between you an' Victoria, Ah was starting to think about what it would be to have somepony always being at yer side. O' course Ah never felt lonely, Ah have mah famly, but, you know, it's not the same...''

Applejack fumbled her hooves and looked away from Hazel. Gosh, she had never thought it would be easy to confess her feelings to anypony, but she was surprised it would turn out to be that difficult. She sighed again.

''And Ah was hoping that you could be that somepony. Ah know, Ah'm not the brightest of bulbs, or the sharpest of nails, and sometimes Ah'm as stubborn as a mule, but'' her glance shot up to his face with an almost desperate expression, ''Ah'm never going to cheat on yer, Ah know how to handle a household and Ah'll always be there if somepony needs me.'' Her lower lip quivered as she was forcing back the tears of excruciating anticipation of his answer.

Hazel took a long look into the shimmering green orbs that lay in her head. ''Yes, you wouldn't, yes, you do and yes, you are. But I cannot. Let us just assume I would say yes, what would happen? We would start a relationship, grow ever closer to each other and one day, a letter will flow in, telling me to come back to Canterlot. Or even more likely, my Incubus-nature makes me seduce some innocent filly because I cannot control myself.'' He jumped out of the bed and brought some room between him and Applejack. His gaze traveled out of the window and revealed that dawn wasn't so far away.

The sudden lack of his warmth made Applejack shiver and she wrapped the blanket tighter around her in order to get more comfortable. After the first shock had settled in, she stared at the back of his head. She had to say something, else she would lose him.

''Listen, sugarcube, Ah know you got some issues with that, but maybe I could-''

''Do not force yourself onto something. You were about to get raped just a few hours ago, I cannot expect you to throw yourself tail-first at me.'' Hazel interrupted her before she could say any more.

''Furthermore, my uncontrollable lust is not the only obstacle. As you may remember, I am immortal and you are not. Even if Celestia is in no need of my service anymore and we somehow manage to arrange something about my other problem, we can spend like fifty years together? Maybe sixty, at the maximum. And then you die and I am alone again.'' his head sunk low, his ears dropped and vacantly at the ground, tracing down the lines in the planks of wood that the floor was made of.

Suddenly Applejack jumped out of the bed, too and marched up at him. Her face was no longer in concern, but the red of anger had flushed her cheeks. She stamped her hoof right before his face to the ground, making him raise his head in surprise. She came up uncomfortably close and tapped with her hoof against his chest. She didn't bother if she could wake up the rest of her family as Applejack yelled at the white pegasus.

''Now listen here mister, Ah'm quite sick of you using your immortality as an excuse to not allow yourself any feelings! You're right, losing somepony close to you does hurt, but you gotta stallion up. Ponies come and ponies go and you are blessed with the unique possibility to meet all of them! Ah can't believe you'd let such a great opportunity go to waste. Just look at it from another point of view: for a friend you lose, you'll meet another one!''

Hazel stared blankly at her. Had he really been so blind? He tried to evade Applejack's stare, but as soon as he tilted his head, she locked his glance on her by keeping her hooves wrapped around his face. When he didn't answer, she let go of him but still kept his glare locked with hers. She loosened her hardened expression and tenderly stroke a strain of his hair out of his face.

''Ya wanna know what Ah think? Ah think when Victoria died, you died, too. When the princess woke yer up, she only woke up yer body. Sure, you are immortal, but you were dead the whole past millennium. You were dead inside! And Ah think, this is why Celestia sent yer here in the first place! Am Ah right?''

Her words hit the bull's eye. The longer Applejack talked, the more his doubts melted away. Hazel didn't need long to think about it to know she was right. Maybe it was time for him to really start living.

A sheepish smile stole itself on his lips. ''What was that about the brightest of bulbs? There you are, speaking with a wisdom that greatly surpasses your age.'' Hazel chuckled. He straightened himself before her and his determined face made no secret about him making up his mind.

''Fine, I will begin to see things your way, under one condition.''

Applejack's face turned into a wide smile as she nearly burst from anticipation. Her voice was shaky as she spoke. ''And what's that gonna be?''

Hazel reached out with one hoof and slung it around one of hers, drawing Applejack close to him and placed a passionate kiss onto her mouth, which she willingly returned.
''You help me getting started. That is all I ask for. Are you fine with this?''

In response, Applejack threw her hooves around his neck and pulled him into a tight hug. It was official now, she had her first coltfriend!

Applejack let go off him and fondly looked into Hazel's warm, soothing, brown eyes. She nodded and turned around, taking a few steps towards the bed again. ''Now how about we take a little nap before Granny Smith calls us?'' Hazel only smiled and just about to crawl beneath the soft, criss-cross patterned blanket, where Applejack would snuggle up at him, but the sound of something hitting metal nearly made him jolt. He and Applejack opened the window to see an elderly green pony slam a wooden spoon against some pans.

''What in the name of all good heavens is she doing down there?''

Applejack gasped. Her eyes shimmered and her smile grew wide as she turned to look at him. ''It means that the Zap-Apple season is coming!''

''Which season?''

Hazel looked puzzledly at her but Applejack was too excited about the news. He just looked at Granny Smith and followed the trail of her glare as he spotted a dozen pairs of yellow-glowing eyes in the bushes at the edge of the trees.

Now, these looked very familiar to him, but where had he encountered them already? Then it hit him. The timberwolves were trying to set foot on the farm! He chuckled. In any other case he had just jumped out of the window and chopped them down, but he had provided this barn with enough violence for one day. So he settled for sending out his mind and touched the thoughts of the wolves. He showed them what he had done to some of there fellow mates and in an instant they ran away with their tail between their legs.

Applejack had still locked her gaze on one certain part of the orchard, where huge, black bald trees were standing next to each other, so she didn't notice when Hazel looked at her with a wry smile from the side.

Well then, my second relationship. I hope this one ends better than my last one...

Filler #1

Author's Note

As the title implies, the next two or so chapters will be fillers, not because I ran out of ideas, but simply because throwing Hazel into new situations is so much fun. Please don't be angry, I promise after the things I want to write are over I'll headbutt right back into the main story, which is going to be [Spoiler Alert] pretty dark.

Either way, have fun ;)

Filler #1

Hazel snorted frustratedly as he put another basket under a skinny, black tree, the branches flowing in the steady breeze that had picked up earlier this day, and trotted back to the shed behind the barn house, where he picked up another one and carefully balanced it on his back while using his wings to stabilize it. The sun was almost trespassing it's zenith on it's way across the sky and the slow pace at which he fulfilled his work made him impatient. If it wasn't for her and his orders from Celestia, he would have just rolled his eyes and zapped through the trees, leaving three baskets beneath each of them. But Applejack's orders were strict: no use of supernatural powers like extreme speed, strength and no mind control to make them think he hadn't used any of it. Although Hazel recalled seeing Twilight using her telekinesis during Apple-bucking season, he did not dare to say anything against it. His relationship with Applejack hadn't lasted for even 24 hours and he was too smart to start a fight over something as trivial as the proper way of implementing some trees.

His relationship with Applejack.

Hazel let out an amused sigh as he recalled the scene from this morning again.

He and Applejack came trotting down the stairs into the corridor, heading towards the kitchen where Granny Smith had already set up a quite large amount of jars onto the table. At least, Hazel trotted, Applejack nearly fell down the stairs the way she set her hoofs. She had a kind of energy to her that almost burst from within her and Hazel could only call excitement as the source. Hazel shook his head; over the centuries he had learned the valuable lesson, that patience was the key to almost everything.

Another key was not to question anything that had to do with Granny Smith, even though it didn't take him hundreds of years to figure that out, so he didn't bother to say anything about the green helmet that sat on top of her gray mane. Hazel had entered a few moments after Applejack and as soon as Granny Smith caught sight of him, he could tell that a storm was brewing, telling from the deep wrinkles that started to form on her forehead.

Applejack seemed to have noticed it, too, as her excitement quickly faded and she worriedly shot a look between her grandma and her new found partner. The tense atmosphere that had overtaken the room at an instant almost discharged as a lightning bolt.

Granny Smith tossed what was left of her mane over one ear and slightly raised her chin as she snorted and turned to inspect the glasses on the table again. Without even so much as looking up she spoke into the room.

''Hope ya two weren't doing any funny stuff while you were up there, Applebloom could have heard ya and Ah won't be the pony to tell her where they come from.'' she poked another jar with her hoof and took a closer look at the cap.

Normally, Applejack would have marched right up at her granny to shut her up, but she was about to break some important news to her and that intent required way more finesse than just storming in head first, as Applejack had told him earlier. So she just bit her lip and drowned the comment that lay on her tongue, before she gave an adequate reply. Her tone was calm, but a firm determination clung with it.

''No, Granny Smith, we weren't doing anything of that sort. He's mah coltfriend.'' she pressed out the words a little bit too fast.

So much for finesse...

''Wha' was that?'' Granny Smith tilted her head and raised an eyebrow as she looked inquisitively at her granddaughter. ''Couldn't quite hear ya.''
Applejack soaked in a lungful of air and let it out again before she repeated her last words, only a bit slower and louder this time.

''Ah said, Hazel is my coltfriend. We're a couple now and Ah thought it'd be better if Ah told yer. You alright?'' Her expression had shifted from nervous to worried as she saw that her granny's face had turned to a pale tone once the words were out of her mouth. The elderly green mare let herself sink to the floor, sitting on her haunches, and stared at a lonely crumble of dust that lay in a corner.

After a few moments of deafening silence, she rose her head up again and looked at Applejack, then at the white pegasus, then back at Applejack and once more at Hazel. She sighed. But her sigh didn't sound like anything they had expected it to sound like. Applejack had reckoned with everything; Granny jumping up and attempting to throw him out of the house, or collapsing on the ground from the shock, likeliest an outburst of rage, then disappointment of her granddaughter, followed by lots of tears and then- Well she didn't had the courage to think of what could come after that. What she didn't had reckoned with was the smile that spread Granny Smith's crinkly cheeks. The face of the old green pony had regained it's former color rather quickly and now she got up from her rump and trotted towards the both of them.

Hazel was as surprised as Applejack was, but he did good in hiding is astonishment. He contended himself with shifting his weight onto his other side and slightly raised an eyebrow as he glimpsed at Granny Smith.

Said green mare now stuck her hooves at Applejack's face, turning it left and right in a cuddly manner and smiled warmly at her. ''Ah knew that yer had something for this colt before even you yerself have realized it, I think.'' Applejack's puzzled expression only served to make Granny's smile even wider. After some moments, she had gathered her thoughts again and shook free of her grandmother's touch.

''Wait, how?''

''Because ya have yer mommy's face, and Ah noticed your looks when this one here was around. Your mama made the same face when ya papa was around.''

Something inside Applejack seemed to fluster by her granny's words. A spark of unknown origin ignited in her tsavorit eyes and she began to smile, first at granny Smith, then at Hazel. She swung her head back at the elderly green pony and a sigh of pure relieve escaped her mouth.

''So, you're not angry or disappointed? You accept mah choice?''

Granny Smith's narrowed. ''First Ah was, but then, you an' yer brother tried ta convince me of his good attitudes and Ah kinda came ta think.'' her gaze softened again and she gave the both of them a warm grin. There was one thing that had still be bothering Hazel, however.

''And what about the slaughter I have wreaked?''

Her smile lost a bit of it's warmth and she fell into a rather deliberative pose as she sat up in front of him, looking at the ground first, then grinning at him and putting a hoof on his shoulder as a sign of forgiveness.

''Ya did what ya did to save Applejack, it only took me some time ta realize that. And although Ah still have some issues with trusting yer too much about how loyal ya'll be, Ah'm no such a dork as ta not see that Applejack really likes yer.'' Hazel's face softened and he nodded at her in understanding. ''One thing, though!'' Granny raised a hoof. ''If ya hurt her in any way, I swear by Celestia Ah'm gonna repay yer ten times as much, no matter how strong ya might be, got me?''

Hazel sighed and placed a bucket carefully in between two roots of a skinny tree, twisting it around a bit to secure a firm stand for it. He stared at the wooden border and once again let the scene pass before his inner eyes, a soft smile appearing on his face and his lids halfway shutting.

''Hey there, no daydreamin' while workin'! We still got plenty of chores before we can get to chillin', so move yer rump!'' Applejack's harsh but playful voice cut a trail into Hazel's trail of thoughts, snapping him out of his pleasant musing. He shook his head and grinned at his gorgeous marefriend, sarcastically bowing before her, averting his gaze to the ground.

''I am truly sorry for my lazy behavior, mistress, I shall deserve every punishment you may think of.'' his voice sounded so serious, though the words that came from his mouth left no doubt that he was joking around. At first Applejack looked at him suspiciously, wondering if he was pulling a prank on her, but then she shook her head in played annoyance.

''Five thousand years? Ya sure it's not five thousand weeks?'' she laughed. Hazel stood to his former stance and raised an eyebrow.

Is she being serious?

''You do realize that five thousand weeks are still approximately a hundred years, do you not?'' a moment of silence oocured between them, in which Hazel could hear the whispering of the stiff breeze, almost as well as the gears working inside Applejack's head. She stood there confusedly for a while. Then her expression somewhat lost a bit of it's brightness as she tapped Hazel's chest with one hoof and almost growled at the frost-coated stallion.

''I told mah brother and Ah'm tellin' you: Don'tcha use yer fancy mathematics on me! Either way, could ya be a dear and pick up Applebloom from school? Mac and Ah will deal with the rest.'' She turned around and badly hid the slight blush by drawing her hat halfway over her face. The posture was too cute to continue making fun of her.

Hazel just smiled and took flight after giving her a light kiss on her cheek that only served to redden her face even more. He jumped off high into the air, the strong wind brushing back his abnormally long mane, and sailed over to Ponyville's center from where he easily spotted the red rooftop and the ringing of the bell that sat on the school house. The children were already streaming out of the building, gleefully laughing at each other and walking their way towards home.

Hazel landed on a way where, underneath a bridge, a burbling river cleft it's way through the town. He had spotted Applebloom earlier on with two other fillies, a white unicorn with a curly pink and lavender mane and an orange pegasus with lilac mane and tail, whose wings looked almost too tiny to be able to carry her weight during a flight. The three of them where making their way up to him, as Applebloom had already recognized him from afar, but were stopped as two other fillies cut in their path.

''Now, now, look what we've got here, Silver Spoon.'' a bubblegum-pink filly with purple mane that had white strains to it sneered at them and looked at his companion, a gray filly with silver mane and lighter accents to it. Said foal smirked complacently and answered her with an equal sneer. ''Looks like the Cutie-Markless-Crybabies to me, Diamond Tiara.'' she laughed beastly, but was the only one to do so. Diamond Tiara threw a hoof into her own face and shook her head in annoyance before facing the other three again, that had backed off slightly and stuck together back-to-back. They stared intimidated at the bullies but didn't flinch or back off any further.

''Can't you two just cut it out for one single day? You know, it's really getting boring.'' the pegasus had stepped forth and tried to stand her ground.

Easily enough, Diamond Tiara closed the space between them and pulled her head up high in an arrogant manner and grinned at Scootaloo. ''Well, if you could finally get a cutie mark, we wouldn't have to remind you each and every day.'' She whipped Scootaloo's snout with her tail as she turned around and earned a high five from Silver Spoon, while both of them snickered. ''You know, since you're all blank-flanks.'' the last two words were spoken in unison, followed by a choreography of claps, clops and two rumps being stretched into the air.

The three fillies stuck their heads together and quietly endured the humiliation, not honoring them with so much as a quick glance now and then.

''So that means you are just an encouragement for them to keep on seeking for their special talent?'' A deep, sooth voice came from behind the two laughing fillies, undefinable in which emotional state the speaker was, making their heads spin around and drawing their attention to the new arrival. They observed the huge white stallion that came walking over to them and took a quick look onto each other.

''Well,'' the pink foal had spoken, ''you could say it like that, yes.'', she smiled innocently at Hazel. A nod from the stallion followed as he raised, or better, lowered his voice dangerously. ''That is indeed interesting. From where I stood, I could have sworn you were making fun of them and laughed about their lack of a cutie mark. Am I wrong?'' he raised an eyebrow. The two bullies were becoming nervous of the kind, but somehow cold tone of his voice and glanced around every now and then, seemingly seeking for an escape, should the situation get out of hoof.

The increasing awkwardness set the fillies on edge and deprived them of any chances to get out without giving their real intentions to him. Diamond Tiara broke free and took on a huffy face as she stepped up to Hazel, stretching out as far as she could and puffed her chest to compensate what she lacked in size. ''And who are you, if I may ask? Can't remember seeing you around here often.''

What has respect for the elders become?

He smiled predominantly at her and shot her a disapproving look. ''I am currently a guest at Applebloom's house and in charge of her well-being. It occurred to me that you were not being very nice to her and her friends, so it would be very nice of you if you could apologize to them.'' He smiled at them expectantly and waited for them to make their move. Despite his speech, Diamond Tiara didn't seem the least bit intimidated, furthermore she didn't show any sign of rue or anything that goes with it. She just stared at him in disgust, like his order was something way too low for a pony of her stance. She almost brayed as she replied.

''Apologize? To a bunch of blank flanks? They're not worth the effort! They are just a couple of talentless nags and a burden to our society! Either way, my daddy will be buying their barn as soon as he comes back and we'll see who's gonna laugh!'' she had clenched her teeth and stared at Hazel angrily.

Daddy buying the farm? Look who I found. They do not share many similarities, despite their bitchiness. Well, she is going to get a big surprise.

Every tiny feel of regret he could maybe have felt when he had hypnotized Filthy Rich fell off of him as he saw the offspring of this criminal, grinning satisfied inwardly. His expression hardened and he stepped right through them, making his way to the three other fillies that were watching in both delight of Hazel's reprehension and outrage of the cruel words Diamond Tiara had spoken.

He stopped in between of them and shot the pink filly a nasty look. ''I would really like to know which special talent is symbolized by a diamond tiara or a silver spoon. Do you not think it is better to have no cutie mark and a broad line-card of different ways to express oneself than having a cutie mark that shows no talent at all?'' Their jaws dropped and for the first time of the day, Diamond Tiara had no response.

He stepped up to the three giggling fillies and gathered them to walk on, staying behind a little. As soon as the four of them began their walk home, Hazel adjusted his wings and flashed the still shocked foals a glimpse at his bare side, the sharp gasps a melody to his ears.

The way back to Sweet Apple Acres proceeded to be rather uneventfully with Sweetie Bell and Scootaloo parting ways shortly after they had left the school's ground. Applebloom babbled the whole way back about what she had learned in school today and Hazel responded whenever he could catch an opportunity, which wasn't very often. They had almost reached the farm when a sudden wave of tiredness took a hold of Hazel's body and his knees dared to give in. To his reassurance, Applebloom hadn't noticed his faltering.

What in the-? Am I getting weak in my old days at last? No, this cannot be the case. Wait, when did I last spend a night with another mare? And my last meal? Was it... Oh my, it really has been quite a long time now, around two weeks maybe....

Hazel walked on a bit faster to catch up with the light yellow filly in front of him, taking care not to stumble. As quick as the attack had come, it was gone and only left a dull knock in his head. They entered the house and were greeted with the alluring smell of apple-themed dishes. The whole family was already waiting in the kitchen, already having taken a seat and gesturing them to do so as well. Everypony in the room was enjoying their meal, except for Hazel of course who couldn't digest anything else from blood without risking to overthrow and getting sick.

Suddenly, first a loud screech, followed by an even louder crash like breaking branches, echoed through the kitchen. All who were residing in the room stormed outside to see what had caused the ruckus.

Soon Mac had spotted the source of the noise: a multicolor-maned, cyan pegasus mare was dangling from a low branch of a strong apple tree, a few scratches covering her face. She hung upside-down from a branch and struggled to get more branches out of her disheveled mane. She eventually managed to break free and fell down on her back with a dull thud. Applejack galloped over to her and helped her up, giving her a quick check-up to make sure she wasn't injured.

Rainbow smirked and scratched the backside of her head with a hoof. ''Sorry to for blurting in, folks, I just wanted to try out a new move I saw Spitfire pulling off. Guess I still need to practice a bit more.'' Applejack smilingly shook her head and looked her over again. ''Ya got some nasty scratches there, Rainbow, let me get yer some band-aid, or you could risk getting' an even nastier infection. Ask Mac how bad that can be!'' she turned to run back and get the plaster, but Rainbow waved her off. ''Ah, come on, AJ. What doesn't kill me makes me stronger! Either way, it'll just be another scar of awesomeness!'' She smirked confidently again and suddenly shot her head towards Hazel. ''Hey, that brings me to a thought. You must be having tons of scars! I mean you have been fighting all your live if you are the royal guards' supervisor! Wanna compare?''

Hazel sighed and shook his head in an amused manner. ''I think that will not be possible.'' he chuckled.

''And why is that?''

''Well, I do not have any scars.''

Rainbow stared at him in confusion. Was he pulling a prank on her? Rainbow raised an eyebrow and strolled over to him, tapping his chest, shoulders and neck for some evidence of an injury he must have had at some point in his life.

''What? You got some sort of healing factor or something? You are a warrior! Your skin must be covered with scars, there is no way you are completely free of them!'' the blue pegasus' eagerness won the better of her and she searched furiously for the little lines she expected him to have.

But at one point she got too close to a rather private part of his body and Applejack quickly pulled her away from Hazel. ''Keep yer hooves to yerself, RD. He's got none of them scars, and I believe him. Ya know, there is one way how he has no injuries.'' Applejack pushed her away a little further, earning a suspicious glance from her friend. It had taken her a few moments, but as Applejack had put one and one together, she was ultimately sure of her conclusion. Hazel had noticed that, too, and gave her a nod, gesturing her to tell the irritated pegasus her finding.

''He's got no scares because he was never wounded, ain't that right, sugarcube?''

Another nod followed and he watched Rainbow stare at him in astonishment, opening and closing her mouth several times. ''Exactly, no creature has ever managed to land a hit on me. I am, in regard of wounds, a complete virgin. ''Rainbow recalled herself, shook her head and put on the cocky smirk again, that had become her trademark.

''You sure are something, Hazel Eyes. But you know, some day, I will break your record! I will be the first pony to ever punch your face! Just you wait!''

''Up until then, I assume you want to train some more?''

''You betcha! Regular time?''

''If Applejack lets me.'' He shot her a glance and Applejack tilted her head. ''Let you what?'' Hazel smiled at her. ''Oh, right I have not told you; I have been training with Rainbow Dash for quite a while now, but since you will not let me handle chores my way anymore, I have to ask for permission.'' Applejack's eyes narrowed but she gave her permission anyways, as long as he fulfilled his duties with the same quality as ever.

They watched Rainbow fly off with her prismatic streak following her and headed back to the farm. Applebloom jumped around Hazel and grinned gleefully. ''Wow, ya're super strong, super fast and super clever! Is there anythin' ya can't do?''

Hazel tilted his head in deliberation. ''Well, I am a terrible singer.'' All of them laughed and started their work again.

When they had finished with their work of implementing each Zap-apple tree with three baskets, it had become late afternoon and the sun had already passed the horizon to a half. Mac, Granny Smith and Applebloom had just gone back inside the house when Hazel stopped Applejack from doing so as well. She turned around and was greeted by a seductively smiling snow-white stallion, who reached out his hoof in an expecting manner. Cautiously, she raised an eyebrow.

''What's that supposed to be?''

His grin widened as he spoke. ''I want to show you something, will you take my hoof and come with me?''

Still not completely satisfied, she gave her hoof and Hazel pulled her close while rearing up. He positioned one arm around her shoulders as he spun her around and grabbed her lower back with the other. Applejack slung her arms around his neck to not fall down as he took off into the darkening sky.

Hazel carried her over the fields and orchards while pressing her tightly to his chest. Applejack was too surprised to resist and just held on as tight as she could. The speed at which hazel flew made her mane flow in waves and he imagined how they'd look like if she would remove the red band.

''Where're ya taking me?'' She shouted against the wind. He just smiled and made her look herself. Applejack's eyes widened and her grip became a lot tighter as she saw where they were heading. Before them lay the impenetrable green and black of the Everfree Forest, with some gray and white dots piercing through the trees where humongous rocks lay on the ground.

''The Everfree Forest? Are you crazy? It's becoming dark and Ah don't wanna encounter any strange things in these woods!'' she yelled into Hazel's sensible ear. Nothing could betray the confident smile on his lips as just looked deeply into her eyes. ''Oh, Applejack, by now, you should trust me when it comes to taking care of threats. Just have faith in me, I will show you something only few know of.''

She was quiet for the rest of the flight, although her whole body tensed whenever she caught sight of movement beneath the wicked trees. They reached what Hazel had sought for: a small clearing in the center of the forest. A dozen trees made the border of the small plain and soft grass grew around a big rock in the middle of it. Hazel landed and let her down, wandering around in sought of an appropriate spot.

He let himself down at the foot of the bolder and patted the grass beside him for Applejack to rest herself next to him. Still, she was in concern about her environment, but took the offer as she lay down alongside her partner, feeling the gloom that the forest provided her with melt away as she felt his warmth on her side.

''So, what is that special thing you wanted ta show me?'' she blinked up to him and he covered her back with one of his wings.

''Just close your eyes and you will see.''

''What? How can Ah see with mah eyes closed? That makes no sense!''

He chuckled. ''Silly, you do not need your eyes to see. Believe me, you will not regret it, I promise.''

She did as she was told and as soon as the black had darkened her vision, she felt a tender brush against the borders of her mind. She concentrated on the feeling and soon felt the presence of him. He pushed against her inner self, asking for entrance and she granted it to him. His presence flooded her whole thinking and quickly, they were connected on a mental line, knowing whatever the other was thinking. It was the most intense she could imagine, the feeling of the bond between them way more intensively than any physical contact could ever manage to attain.

''Now, is it not better?''

''Ah guess. Ah gotta admit, that really is something special, but you've already done that several times.''

''The mental connection is not what I wanted to show you. It is something different.''

''Now couldya please stop speaking in riddles? Just show me, wouldya?''

''There, there, a little patience. You will see soon enough. But first you need an introduction.''

''An introduction? What for, tell me already!''

''Fine. What if I told you that you can see the life-flames of every creature around you?''

''I'd be mighty surprised, because right now Ah can't see for good!''

''Well, then let me guide you. Just think of taking my hoof and I can make the darkness way more comfortable.''

Again, Applejack did as she was told and grasped for his presence. Her mind was soaked into another darkness, but this one didn't feel as hostile as hers. She realized that she was feeling what Hazel felt and the realization made her nervous.

''So you found out. Good, now we can start. Think of opening your eyes, then you can see life how it really is.''

She did. First, there was nothing, as she had expected, but then, one by one, little sparks ignited in front of her. She turned her head and saw one huge flame right next to her, sparkling and burning and causing a shiver to run down her spine. The black void before her had turned into an ocean of candles and a radiant sun to her side ruled them all.

''What is that?''

''Those, my dear, are lives. Every little star is the essence of a living creature. They surround us each and every day and with enough training, you can even take control of them.''

''That sounds amazing, but Ah don't know if a wanna have that ability.''

''Just because you can, does not mean you have to. Look at Celestia: she could stomp down and enslave her subjects, forcing them to do whatever she wants them to do and nopony could stop her. But she does not.''

She felt a soft kiss placed on her forehead and instinctively leaned in to get the most of it. ''Ya know, Ah'm really glad I've met ya.''

''Me too, Applejack, me too.''

They snuggled up to each other, savoring the warmth and simply enjoyed being together, whilst looking at the light-filled darkness that had lost all of it's gloomyness.

Filler #2

''I am still not fully convinced of your idea, Applejack. You know, I am not that much of what most ponies would call a 'social guy'.''

Hazel and Applejack trotted side by side along the main street of Ponyville. It was late afternoon when they had set off from the farm and the way into the center of the once so small settlement had taken them half an hour, as they were walking at a leisurely pace and chatting about what came to their mind.

Now that the huge oak tree, which was also the towns library, as well as a certain purple unicorn's home, came in sight, Hazel's discomfiture came to a steady rise. After Hazel had shown her the diversification of life all around them she wanted to do something for him, too. That something was introducing him to all of her friends and every pony in Ponyville. He, of course, was not so pleased with the thoughts of his following exhibition to the towns citizens.

''C'mon, sugarcube, It'll be just you, me and some of mah friends. There ain't no reason ta be scared! We're all friends here, after all.'' She smiled confidently at him, but the quivering of her lips and the struggle to keep her eyes from pointing into random directions betrayed her encouraging grin. She was a bad liar. Hazel didn't know what he should be expecting, but something told him that this 'little' setup was planned to be a huge 'surprise' party.

Maybe that something was the hurricane of wild thoughts that were clenched together in one room in front of him. The sensation of such a huge amount of individual minds at one point couldn't be overseen, and he readied himself for the storm of social intercourse that lay ahead. He took a glance towards Applejack. She could barely contain her excitement and clearly had no idea that her little secret was not so secret at all.

It will be ok, I mean, do it for her and for the others. She made her friends set up this colossal sort-of-welcome celebration, I have to honor for their effort in some way. I just hope they don't ask awkward questions...

The couple reached the horizontally divided door and Applejack slammed her hoof against the wood with her typical vigor, making the knock seem like she would burst down the door even if she wasn't let in. A singing, female voice, that sounded a bid dull because of the door, answered from inside. ''Come in!''

Applejack opened the door, waiting for Hazel to step in first and simply pushed him forward when he hesitated. The first thing that came to notice were the complete darkness they were standing in. One couldn't see one's hoof in front of his face if one were an ordinary pony. Luckily for him, Hazel was no ordinary pony and his eyes cut through the blackness as if the room was lit by a thousand candles. He could easily make out the faces of half of the towns population, who where stuffed together and holding their breaths, trying pathetically to suppress any sound from their breathing. Hazel chuckled inwardly.

Well, they do try their best to surprise me. Guess I will just have to play along...

With a flash the lights were being switched on and Hazel covered his eyes in played surprise of the sudden brightness to look up at the crowd around him that cheered in unison.

''WELCOME TO PONYVILLE!!!'' The noise from several dozen throats was deafening and managed to make Hazel falter, even though he was completely expecting it. He looked around with his mouth slightly opened and eyes gaping widely, glancing at each pony like he was a delicious prey to them.

''What in the name of Celestia?'' A hundred smiling eyes followed his every move as he carefully stepped around in the main room of the gigantic library, taking in the sight of the social attention he was getting.

Suddenly a cloud of pure pink brightness flashed into Hazel's vision and blocked his sight on the other guests, that had been starting to pick up a happy chat with others.

He stared into light blue eyes, that reminded him of the glaciers on the top of Mount Unicornia, while being awfully close to his face, despite the fact that he was easily towering over her with at least length of a head ahead. The pink Pony grinned from ear to ear and looked like she was going to explode any second now, while tilted her head. Her voice was a high pitched squeal that followed a sharp gasp as she drew in as much air as her lungs could fit and Hazel had problems with following track as the flood of words broke down upon him.

''Hi there, my name's Pinkie Pie, but just call me Pinkie, everypony does that! Wow, Applejack told me you were big, but I hadn't thought you would be that big! You must be having problems with doors, don't you? Boy, look at that mane! Aren't you stumbling over it all the time? Gosh, I can only imagine how long it must take to dry! By the way, I'm a certified baker and party-planner, so if you wanna try some baked goods or wanna throw a party, I'm your mare!'' The babbling went on, but Hazel couldn't comprehend what that sound was, that seeped out of the pink pony's mouth.

Suddenly an orange hoof wrapped around Pinkie's neck and pulled her away from him, the mass of words not even faltering in the least and she was pushed into a group of other party attendants who looked in surprise at their newest member.His look was drawn towards his gorgeous marefriend, who was followed by four other mares.

''So, ya already met Pinkie, Ah see.'' She winked at him understandingly. Applejack pointed her hoof towards her four companions, starting with a purple unicorn. ''Since ya already know Rainbow Dash, Ah'll introduce yer to my other friends. That's Twilight, she's the smartest pony ya'll ever meet-''

Applejack was shushed as said unicorn raised her hoof to silence her. She smiled knowingly at Hazel, who answered her with a smirk of similar nature, and turned her head at Applejack. ''I think we already know each other as well, although it was only a loose contact.'' She turned back at Hazel and reached out a hoof for him to shake. ''I am truly sorry about our first encounter, I was acting a little off that day.'' Hazel gave a warm smile. ''I do not judge you for that, everypony has a bad day once in a while, that is only naturally.''

''Well, then there's that, alright. Wonder how many of mah friends ya know as well!'' Applejack laughed casually. ''Bet ya don't know her, yet. Hazel, this is Fluttershy.'' Her hoof pointed at a light yellow pegasus whose mane and tail were almost as long as Hazel's. She carefully tip-toed towards him, her pink mane covering half of her face, and shyly reached out a shivering hoof. Hazel tilted his head of her intimidated composure and gently touched the tip of her hoof. As soon as their hooves connected, she withdrew her extended limb and jumped behind a white unicorn with a speed, Hazel hadn't thought for her to be possible, leaving him with a dumb face, while letting out a high pitched ''Eeeeep''.

Applejack rolled her eyes and quickly set on a happy expression again, moving over to her remaining friend. She flicked her hoof towards the white unicorn with the curly, dark purple mane who stepped forth with an elegant trot that witnessed high standards when it came to manners. She reached out her properly manicured hoof to him and gave a somewhat motherly, although coquettish, smile. ''If ya have any requests concerning fashion or other fru-fru stuff, she's ya mare. And Ah think she isn't all too closed about some gossip from Canterlot.'' She winked at him. Hazel tenderly grasped the bottom of the limb and bowed slightly before the fashionista, inching his mouth closely towards her hoof without touching it, only letting a gentle breath from his nostrils move the little hairs above the keratin of her hoof. Rarity blushed, but didn't withdraw, as she saw what he was doing. The others stared at him with surprise and a little bit concern, as they watched Applejack's coltfriend give one of her best friends a kiss to the hoof.

Hazel stoop up properly again, slowly nodding at Rarity, who returned the nod with a knowing smile.

''Whoa there!'' the one of a kind pegasus and Hazel's disciple shot the both of them a nasty glance, a cocky smile adorning her mouth. ''You really are a mares man, Hazel Eyes!'' She flew over to him and poked his ribs with an elbow. ''First the farm girl and now the designer! Gotta say, you got a fine taste, but I don't know if she is so pleased with that.'' The last sentence she had said whilst holding one hoof before her mouth and glancing towards Applejack. The mumbling from behind her arm, however, didn't serve its purpose in the least.

''Rainbow Dash! How dare you insult this fine gentlecolt of being a cheater!'' Rarity had raised her chin and was talking in a educational tone to her blunt friend. ''And you others, stop gawping or your jaws will fall down. What you just saw is the proper way of introducing yourself to a mare of high standards, like me, and Applejack,'' she turned her head and smirked at her country friend. ''You can really be proud of him. I know many mares who would give much to be with such a fine partner as him, he really does have fine manners.'' rarity winked at Hazel and he nodded once again with a thankful expression on his face.

Rarity's speech seemed to have calmed all of her friends, seeing how they looked away into random directions to cover up their poor knowledge of high society, and soon they were doing all the things ponies did on a Pinkie Pie party, like eating cake with delicious frosting, playing pin-the-tail-on-the-poy or just enjoying a dance or two.

Hazel, however, kept himself in the background most of the time, sitting idly by a table of his own, avoiding contact wherever he could and simply watched his new friends have fun. That was until a certain purple unicorn strolled up to him, placing her mug of cider on the table he sat on, and leaned casually towards him. ''So, when are you gonna tell me who or what you really are?'' Her tone was playful, yet piercing and left no doubt that she would not accept to be fooled by any cheap excuses. An awkward silence raised between the two of them as Hazel calculated his possibilities of distracting her with a made up story, but a simple look into her face told him that it would be of no use. He sighed and took on a neutral, yet confused look.

''How come you think that there is something wrong with me? I am just a permanent guest at your friends house and by coincidence her coltfriend. Is there anything wrong with that?''

Her eyelids shut halfway as she examined him thoroughly once more and he noticed her resting her gaze on his flank for quite a too long time than for a quick check up. She came to look directly into his brown eyes again, a sly smile on her face.

''Nothing at all, it's up to Applejack with whom she wants to spend her time. It's just so strange that there is this aura around you which I know just too well. Princess Celestia's magic is upon you, I have studied long enough under her wing to recognize it when it's in front of me. I don't know what spell she's using, but I don't trust you! What are you? A changeling, a terrorist, something even worse?''

Her glance had shifted into a nasty glare as she locked her purple eyes with his and stared inexpiably into his face. ''Furthermore, how come you haven't got your Cutie Mark yet? Even the worst of late bloomers don't reach your age, so what's up with that?'' Hazel kept his iron pokerface up, letting her dagger-firing gaze dribble down on a wall of neutrality and leaned back, taking a closer look onto the unicorn in front of him.

Rather average horn length, sleek neck, slight shoulders and chest. This pony was no fighter, indeed. Her eyes, however, told of overwhelming intelligence and determination. Hazel leaned back, putting his hooves behind his head in a casual manner, while always keeping eye contact with her. When he spoke, his voice was a neutral, yet subtly warning, growl.

''You do not seem to be very stupid, nor are you oblivious to most things around you. Think again, if I were a changeling, why would Celestia let me stroll around so freely? Same goes for your terrorist thesis. As to your Cutie Mark question: I bet, if you really are Celestia's star pupil, she has taught you in mind-breaking and -traveling, did she not?'' His look was a piercing stare that made Twilight shiver, but she didn't dare to look away now.

She raised an eyebrow and glanced suspiciously at the white pegasus. ''It was one of the first lessons she instructed me with. Why do you ask?''

''How about you take a look inside my brain? But don't wander around too far, you could get lost.'' His grin had turned into a devious grimace and Twilight suddenly felt like the temperature had dropped by a few degrees. The purple mare struggled hard to keep her stance and not simply wince like a foal who's afraid of the dark. This guy had a secret and if he was dangerous, she would be the one protecting her friends.

She swallowed to get rid of the frog that had accrued in her throat and with a last deep look she closed her eyes and sent out her mind to touch his.

With a sharp gasp, Twilight's mind found itself back in her head, processing what she just saw. He was right, without his guidance, she would have lost herself completely in the centuries he had gone through. It was amazing to see the rise of the empire she was living in with her own eyes. Or, actually to acknowledge it with the help of a certain stallion.

''Okay,'' Her voice was still trembling a little bit, ''I believe that you are not a changeling, nor a terrorist. But those things-'' Twilight shook her head. ''I never thought my teacher could be so...'' She stopped and struggled for words.

''Horny?'' Hazel helped her out, a knowing half smirk spreading his cheek.

Twilight stared at him incomprehensibly, once again an awkward silence arising between them. Suddenly both of them burst with laughter, Twilight's giggles and Hazel's deeper growls drawing them amused looks from the other guests.

The laughter subsided slowly and Twilight held her aching sides while trying not to choke as she gulped down a few mouthful of water to calm her sore throat. She took a deep breath and promptly another one, then settled down and stared with a wry smile at Hazel.

''I was actually saying 'demanding', but I think you found a better term.'' She giggled again. ''You don't like her much, huh?''
Hazel sighed. ''It's not like I do not like her, it is more that we have different points of views when it comes to making decisions. Do not get me wrong, she is indeed a great monarch and the best that could happen to Equestria, but-'' He looked away and fell silent for a short moment. ''Although I do not go off in flames and turn to ashes when the light of her sun touches my coat, I still am a creature of the night. She is my master and I owe her my loyalty in any case, but that does not imply that I have to come along with her very well. Princess Luna, on the other hoof...'' A sly grin dragged itself onto his muzzle as he thought about the younger one of the Celestial Sisters.

Twilight tilted her head. This guy was certainly not what she had expected, but she was sure that he would never hurt any of her friends, and of what she had seen, she imagined him to be a worthy opponent for a regal party of chess, if not a help in her studies.

Suddenly, a lilac claw interrupted her train of thoughts and she looked down onto her assistant, who was showing great concern, seeing how he fidgeted with his fingers and the frown that lay on his forehead. His anxiousness spread over to Twilight and she looked around in the library, though she couldn't make out the source of his discomfort. She stood up and walked over to his side. ''What's the matter, Spike? Is somepony causing trouble?''

Spike's gaze traveled from her to the white pegasus behind her, his attention shifting for a brief moment. ''Spike, pay attention, please!'' Twilight's voice made him turn his look again. ''It's Rainbow, she had a few too many cups of hard cider and now she's blabbering around and challenging everypony she sees to a one-v-one hoof fight!'' Twilight looked at the small purple dragon and facehoofed; she rubbed one eye with her hoof and then went off to rebuke her boozed friend. She had taken a few steps when she turned around once more. ''I almost forgot. Hazel, this is Spike, he's my assistant and was going for some grocery. Spike, this is Hazel Eyes, why don't you two have a little chat and get to know each other. By the way, Hazel, Spike's absolutely trustworthy, he deserves to know.'' She winked and was gone in the crowd.

''Do not worry, she will realize in time what a great drakefriend you can be, it just takes some time.'' Hazel gave Spike an encouraging smile of the warmest kind he was able to. The green scales on the sides of his head turned a light shade of red at hazel's words. ''You really think that'll ever happen? It's like I'm just air for her, she doesn't even recognize me!'' He leaned his head on his claws, grasping for the mug of cider that Twilight had left there. As soon as his claws had wrapped around the handle, something big and heavy pressed his arm firmly to the table. ''Don't. Drinking is no solution. If you really want some tips, listen up here.'' Hazel withdrew his hoof from Spike's hand when he let go of the cider. His ears perked up in anticipation.

''First off, Rarity is a lady, that means she would not go out with somepony beneath her standards. These standards incline finest manners, which you, as a former citizen of Canterlot possess. Be the noble gentledrake you always are, open the doors for her, offer her a seat and just stay as kind as you are. That is all you need to know. Simple, is it not?''

The corners of Spike's mouth fell down low and he looked at the frost coated stallion in disappointment. ''That's all there is?'' Hazel only nodded. He sighed as if he wasn't wiser than before. ''Man, I don't get this thing with love and stuff. All those romance books I read when Twilight didn't watch, always told a story of some handsome stallion that rescued the mare and in the and they just came together somehow.''

Hazel snickered. ''Oh Spike, there is so much you have to learn. Those books are written by escapist ponies who just write down their imagination of how they wished their relationships would have worked out. Do not have too much faith in them, or you will only have a sore heart. Find your own way and stay the way you are. If she does not take you how you are, then you are not meant to be together.'' Hazel's advice made him sigh, but after he had taken a deep breath, determination shone brightly in his green, reptilian eyes. ''Ok, you're an expert after all. One or two questions I may ask you though?'' Spike's scales turned red again. ''Sure thing, ask ahead.''

''How many mares did you get laid in your life?'' Hazel raised an eyebrow. ''So this is the way this conversation shall go from now on?'' Spike bit his lip in embarrassment, but Hazel just let out a growling snicker.

''Hm, let me think. Since I awoke around one thousand and three hundred years ago, when we take the word mare, and I had a little play time every three days, that makes around one hundred sixty thousand mares. Roughly. Maybe fewer.'' Spike's mouth opened of the sheer number he was presented. He shook his head and chewed a few times before asking his second question.

''Ok, that's a pretty large number. So are there any special spots on a pony's body that makes them.... you know...''

Hazel snickered again. ''Those spots are called erogenous zones and every race has their individuals. But may I ask you a something. How old are you to ask this kind of questions?''

The dragon fidgeted his claws again and mumbled something under his breath, but because of Hazel's superior hearing he could understand him without any problems.

''Fifteen years? Boy, you are going to go far. Well Pegasi have very sensitive wings, the spot where the bones collect with the joint,'' He spread one of his wings and pointed out the spot. ''hold a huge amount of nerves. Earth-ponies have almost the same amount at the beginning of their tails. If you tug hard enough, then it sends down a quite impressive sensation up to their brain. Unicorns can feel-''

Before he was finished a voice from behind him called his name. He turned around to see Twilight trotting towards him, her face in a deep frown. Something has gone terribly wrong, there was no doubt about that.

''Oh, dear, what did Rainbow do?''

''She wouldn't come to her senses! She's battling everypony to a duel and when Applejack volunteered, she had no chance.'' Hazel's eyes widened.

''Wait, Applejack fought Rainbow Dash?''

''Yes, she did, and it didn't look well for her. Rainbow is too fast, by Celestia, she was pulling tricks I never saw her doing! Now she demanded to fight you! Please, put an end to this, I can't-''

A cold breeze let Twilight's mane flow as Hazel rushed past her towards the center of attraction. There, among a circle of spectators, lay Applejack on her back, holding her arm, a small rivulet of blood come from her mouth and nose. On the other side stood a multicolored pegasus, a triumphant smirk on her face. As soon as she noticed Hazel her smile grew even wider.

''Hey, look who's showing his hoofsome face in the ring.'' Twilight's judgment didn't really apply to Rainbow's composure. Yes she was a little tipsy, but not as drunk as the purple unicorn had made him think. He looked over to his injured marefriend, who looked back in grim defeat. She nodded at him.

Hazel could feel the rage boiling up in him. Only with great effort, he managed to not yell at his apprentice. ''Rainbow Dash, I cannot believe you did this.'' His voice was deep growl. ''I am very disappointed in you, I taught you these techniques so you could rise above yourself! Not only have you dishonored my scholarship, but also have you abused my teachings to bring harm to my beloved! You are acting this way because you had a few too many drinks, quit this foolish behavior and we can all settle this down. Or you can keep on challenging me and therefore I expel you as my disciple, the choice is yours.''

In the silence that followed, one could have heard a needle fall to the floor. Suddenly the silence was broken by a fit of laughter, coming from the mouth of the very pegasus. After she was done she stared bluntly at her former teacher.

''Well, ain't that just too fucking cute? I don't need yer teachings anymore, I'm the best fighter in Equestria! Hey, come here, today is the day, I will break your flawless uninjured-ly spree!'' She fell lowly into a fighting stance.

Hazel's eyes shot daggers. ''You are not the strongest fighter in Equestria. You just a very overestimating, drunk mare. I give you a last chance, stop it and calm down.''

Rainbow remained were she was staring at her mentor. Then, in the blink of an eye, she shot forward into Hazel's direction, aiming a hoof onto his face. The alcohol slowed her movement and he had not the slightest problem to dodge her attack.

Hazel gave her a push with his shoulder as she landed next to him, sending her tumbling away from him. He flicked his mane and locked his eyes with hers. ''I offered you a peaceful solution not once, but twice; now it is time for you to learn exactly how far our skill levels differ.''

Hazel reared up on his hind legs, spreading them a little for better balance, and put one hoof before his body, stretching it towards Rainbow and held the other one behind his back. The audience, mostly the female part, let out sharp gasps as the skin on his chest and belly tautened and revealed the rock-hard muscle-packs beneath the white fur. ''There is so much you still have to learn.''

The smile on Rainbows face had vanished and she fell low into her former composure, readying herself for the fight.

The moment Rainbow's hooves left the ground, Hazel fell into a deeper state of mind. Everything around him happened like in slow-motion, be it the blinking of Pinkie's eyelids, the small drops of sweat on Twilight's forehead or the moving of Spike's larynx as he swallowed. Rainbow's leg was floating towards him with incredible slowness, and Hazel had all the time he needed to think about what was going to do to counter her.

Filler #3

It was like Rainbow's right hind leg was gliding through honey or another material with similar density. Hazel could count every little hair around her hooves, see the small cracks in the keratin on the bottom of her foot and the tensing of her muscles that shifted from the leap before. Rainbow had bent her other leg closer to her loins, her fists rested in a not unlikely position before her chest and her wings were clutched tightly to her back in order to reduce friction from the air and to be more aerodynamic.

He stood there, his right arm behind his back, the other half-raised on shoulder height, his hind legs slightly spread and his wings halfway opened. One arm. That was all he needed to show his disrespectful student her limits.

The tall pegasus waited patiently until her foot was close enough for him to reach, then he began his assault. With the pit of his elbow to her knee, he wrapped his arm around her leg, securing his hold by pressing the lower part of it firmly into his arm pit, whilst holding her tightly in his grip. Like a sword to its sheathe, Rainbow's leg slid into Hazel's grasp and she would be unable to remove it against his will. Rainbow floated in front of his face and Hazel used the force of her attack against her, taking a quick step to the right and slightly turned his left shoulder behind, while dragging her with him.

Fighting followed the simple laws of physics; by changing the way of the force Rainbow created by moving the mass of her body, said force would throw her out of the path she wanted to move. Or simply: By grasping her leg and turning around his own vertical axis, Hazel threw Rainbow into the same place she had started her attack from, being assisted by Rainbow's own force.

The whole action didn't even take a whole second, the leap, the turn, the throw, the fall and at last the sharp gasp as Rainbow's lungs let out their air when she hit the floor. The shock only lasted for a few moments but Rainbow quickly recovered and let her wings snap, rocketing her back to her hooves. She stared angrily at Hazel, her magenta eyes shooting daggers, while she readied herself for another jump.

Rainbow had fought long under Hazel's guiding to know a few of his tricks, but so did he. It was almost too easy to predict what she was going to do next. She had cowered lowly, her chest almost brushing over the ground, and was slowly, for Hazel even slower, approaching her opponent. With a fierce strike, her wings unfurled and she used the boost to take a high jump, aiming her right hoof towards Hazel's forehead.

It was a feint. Hazel remembered what he told her about surprising her enemies in battle and how they had practiced her improvising. It looked like she was going to punch him into his face, but actually she wanted to land in front of him with her hoof to the ground and then land a forceful uppercut at his chin, that would hopefully knock him out.

The whole scene had played in his mind when Hazel saw her attack. She was fast, one of the fastest he had ever seen, but not nearly a match for him. What came next was a tactic for winners: making the enemy think that he is doing just right. So instead of catching her midway, he let her do as she pleased. When her right hoof was about to strike his snout, he stepped back by a tiny bit, his nose almost touching her arm and saw her hoof smashing the ground only centimeters before his feet.

He awaited the next punch patiently, like a spider waiting for a fly to get caught in her net. The second strike followed briefly after her landing. She used the drive that she gained by stretching her legs as fast as possible to put an immense force into her strike, which she aimed perfectly onto the tip of Hazel's chin.

Meanwhile, Hazel was almost done with his plans how to end this fight. He stretched his head backwards, the fist striking only air and with the tip of his hoof, he hit a single, tiny point at Rainbow's arm, right were her biceps connected with the joint of her elbow, followed by a lighter hit with the whole hoof to her chest, sending her tumbling back a few steps, where she fell on her back.

It was a technique, only the elite of the crimson army of the council was trained for. By hitting special points on the body of an opponent, one was able to completely suppress any movement. The cause were trails of nerves, one only had to find them. Hazel had used quite a time to adapt to the bodies of ponies, but came to a conclusion, the ponies had even more of those 'Ki-pools', as they were called.

Rainbow stood back up onto her hind hooves, holding her left arm. When she tried to put her weight on it, it bent and she almost fell. Staring in disbelieve at her now useless and completely limp limb, her eyes widened understandingly. She was a fast learner after all.

What is she doing now?

Rainbow had reared up and was trying to stand on her hind legs just like Hazel, although it was obvious that she had huge problems with doing so. Not only did she lack balance, but also was her injured arm dragging her down and she used her wings to support her stance by resting the tip feathers on the ground. It was a lost fight, she knew, but she didn't give up. In some way, Hazel was proud of her, he wished more of his recruits would have been of her kind.

She tried to walk forward, but all that came out were a few clumsy steps, that ended with her falling to her hooves again. Rainbow pulled her useless leg closer to he body and eyed her opponent with much more awareness than before. She finally came to see that she had overestimated herself quite a bit, but backing down was no option for her, she was Rainbow Dash!

Suddenly, it seemed like an idea had sprung to her mind. She took off the ground, her wings flapping rather slowly, but with power to maintain her balance in mid air. Rainbow hovered to the side, slung her right arm around her shoulder and slowly approached the white pegasus before her.

It was a move Hazel recognized on first sight. This move was one of his trademarks. One would begin to spin around one's axis at a ridiculously fast pace, and while doing so, the user had to calculate how gravity would drag down one's limbs and pick up the movement to transform it into a punch or kick. Remarkable was, that he had shown it only one single time to Rainbow, he hadn't even thought about teaching her this move. The problem was, that the speed would make any normal pony dizzy in no time, but because of his supernatural senses, speed and strength, Hazel could use it with both deadly precision and grace.

Rainbows disadvantage quickly showed when he could see her legs flail harder than they should. It brought up another problem to her: Now that she was throwing her legs and arm at him, he could just stand there and wait for them to hit, dodging them with ease and then simply knocking her out with one single strike to the back of her head. Just wait and-

What the he-? What is this feeling? Ugh, I'm feeling tired.....

With a shock Hazel realized that his focus was gone and he was no longer able to see his opponent through the slowing sight that lay over his eyes just a heartbeat ago. The sharp sight of his surroundings had faded to a blurry kind of vision, where edges were softer, the light dimmed and his whole body felt like lead. He had problems keeping his hoof before his body and threatened to fall down on his hooves again. And then, a blue hoof was suddenly only a hairs breadth away from his nose.

Hazel hadn't got the time to think about a graceful maneuver, so he did something he almost hated himself for. He rolled to his side, giving in to the heaviness of his body and made a rather clumsy roll to the side, escaping Rainbow's hoof just in time. First his hoof, then his shoulder, his wing and then the bottom of his spine connected with the ground, the drive sending him standing on shaky legs again.

That this was happening again was no coincidence, of that he was sure now. He lacked something vital, the essence of life, so to speak. Hazel needed blood, as well as relief from the pressure that had built up in the area around his loins for the past three weeks, aching him to to let go of the pain with one-

No, not now. He had to focus on the fight, his other problem could wait a little longer, they just had to. If he faltered now, not only would his state of invincibility go down, but also what would a single hit from his student look like on him after his great speech a few seconds ago. This fight had to be a stomp, if he wanted to show Rainbow where she belonged.

But Rainbow was fast. Really fast. She had noticed that something was out of line with her mentor and exploiting every weakness was part of Hazel's curriculum. Her strikes, kicks and punches grew in fierceness as she mercilessly brought down a shower of wild hits on Hazel, who had lost too much energy as to try to counter her attack.

He spent the next fifteen seconds with dodging, rolling, jumping and turning around to evade the rather discomforting encounter with the front side of one of Rainbow's legs or hoof. The closeness at which he escaped her every strike decreased with each dodge, letting him move back ever more and still the exhaustion of his shortage on blood was not gone yet.

A light blue hoof came flying with immense speed towards his white muzzle and Hazel didn't have the time to move to one side or another. Like a fling, he bent backwards, his wings supporting his weight and his forehooves resting on the ground, while his legs still touched the floor with its tips.
Rainbow almost tripped over him, but could remain balanced as she flapped her wings, what prevented her from falling down on him.

Suddenly, as quick as the feeling had arrived, the down-pressing exhaustion was gone. The sensation of overwhelming spirit flooded Hazel's mind and he almost gasped at the shock that followed quickly after. He dove into his state of mental acceleration again and the whole world stopped for a moment.

He grinned. He was back, he knew it. The knowledge however mustn't reached his multicolored opponent. With a quick back-flip, he stood on his legs again, his left hoof before his chest, the other firmly pressed against his back.

He watched Rainbow approach and let his shoulders hang lowly, giving him the aura of tiredness. She flew towards him, her right arm already slung around her neck to gain momentum and released a hurricane of twirling kicks and punches on him.

This time, there was no way she could win. He waited for the perfect moment to strike and when she turned her bare chest and belly towards him, in that fracture of a second, he struck true. Many times.

To the surrounding watchers, his arm was hardly a specter, maybe a whiff of a white blur between his shoulder and Rainbow's stomach. Rainbow stooped in her movement for not even half a second, but when she saw Hazel lift his hoof to force a powerful uppercut onto her chin, she jumped back in midair, landed on three hooves-

And collapsed. It took the watchers a moment to realize that the fight was already over. A pink something rushed towards the fallen pegasus mare and held her head tightly in her hooves, tilting it from one side to another. When Rainbow Dash didn't respond, she looked at Hazel, her crystal eyes starting to fill up with tears.

''What did you do with Dashie?! I admit, she wasn't quite nice, but why did you beat her up like that?'' She looked at her friend once more and gasped. ''Is she.... dead?'' Hazel sighed and raised an eyebrow.

''No she is not, look at her chest, she is breathing. Her body just has finally caught up with the 128 punches which I disrupted her whole Ki-flow with, shutting her physical functions down completely. Every strike was to take out one knot of energetic stream, from the top where her breastbone meets her neck, down to the top border of her loins, above her bladder. She will be unconscious for less than a few hours, but when she wakes up, she is going to have the worst headache she will have ever had. I put her internal organs into a complete mess, so her brain will have a lot to do by bringing order into the contradictory signals that her body is sending. Exactly what she deserved for a punishment, if you ask me.''

Pinkie Pie still cowered next to Rainbow Dash, carefully caressing her scuffled mane with her hoof.
The mood had changed from cheery into a darkened, worried gazing on the past spectacle. The party guests stared at the Hazel, Rainbow and Pinkie with mixed feelings, murmuring among them. Some of them mumbled about the great show, even though it had lasted only a bit over five minutes, others were of more reservation, pointing out that it was quite brutal to watch.

''Alright, everypony, party's over!''

Twilight had stepped into the middle of the crowd, gaining everyone's attention, and her fierce expression made clear that she wouldn't take no for an answer. Some of the guests grumbled on their way out, but instantly shut up when they noticed Twilight staring at them.

Now there were only seven ponies and a purple and green dragon remaining inside the library. Twilight levitated one of the sitting-beans over to them, resting Rainbow's sleeping body on it and examined her thoroughly.

She turned over to Hazel. ''It's like you said. She's merely unconscious, though her internal organs are in an uproar. But she's far away from dying, so I think that's a good thing, but seriously, Hazel, did you really have to go that far? She admires you after all, you know? No day passes where she doesn't brag about what she's learned from you, it's almost getting annoying! I know, she lost her manners in the mug, but was that really a reason?''

Hazel looked around, taking a deeper sight into each face. Except Applejack, who looked away when he wanted to meet her gaze, all of them seemed to have the same opinion. His face hardened as he warranted his doing. He sighed.

''She misbehaved, and as her tutor and mentor, it is my obligation to correct her where she needs t be corrected. Furthermore, as I already told her, did she not only abuse her knowledge for a very unfitting purpose, but also did she hurt Applejack, which I can hardly forgive.''

His face seemed to be carved from stone as he walked over to said mare and took a closer look at her face. The area over her left eyebrow had swollen to an ugly bruise and he could smell the blood she had quickly swallowed down when it had started to ooze from the little wounds inside her cheeks where Rainbow's hoof had made a rough contact. He stroked over her neck, carefully watching out not to touch any other sore spots, as she settled down.

Now it was, out of the blue, Rarity to take word. She walked over and looked firmly into the white stallion's eyes, which wasn't as simple as it sounded, given the fact that he was already as tall as her when he was sitting, and raised a hoof to put on his shoulder, then rejected the idea and remained with staring at him.

''Darling, I may not know you very well, but I know Rainbow quite a lot. Yes, she is boastful, a show off, uncombed, a real ruffian, clearly needs a makeover-''

''RARITY!'' The white unicorn was interrupted by her friends, shouting her name in unison. With a slight blush, she continued.

''Alright, to the point. Rainbow may not be the fine lady that I am, but she's got her heart in the right spot. What I said about her bad habits is true and the alcohol only made it worse, but she still is your pupil after all! Every pupil makes a mistake once or twice, gosh, just ask Twilight how many spells she messed up!'' An angry growl from her purple friend stopped her in talking on and she quickly took on a sober expression again.

She chuckled about the little comment alongside her other friends and then turned to him again. ''What I mean to say is, only because your pupil makes a disadvantageous step, it doesn't mean that you can just throw them out! Look, as soon as she wakes up, we make her swear that this will never happen again, what do you say?''

Hazel looked up, gazed at her for a moment and then turned to Applejack. ''What do you say? You are the one who got hurt, after all?'' Applejack glared at him with one eye half shut, but determination shone through her. She smiled cockily and shook her head.

''Boy, if y'all thinkin' that these little scratches are gonna put me down, then ya'll have another thing comin'! Ah'm tougher than Ah look! If she says she's sorry, Ah'm okay with it, and seriously, ya were acting a bit too dramatically, to be honest!''

Hazel couldn't resist but to smile back. Yes, this really was the mare he adored. He got up on four legs again and walked over to Pinkie, who was still stroking Rainbow's mane. He looked around once more. Everyone's attention was sure to be his.

With a quick poke in between her eyes and a little snap to her chin, she jolted from her improvised mattress and stood in a fighting stance in a heartbeat. Like a hounded animal she glared around until she noticed where she was. Rainbow loosened up and sheepishly rubbed the backside of her head. Only a moment later, her eyes widened and she clutched both hooves tightly to her head, sinkin down on the pillow and wincing in pain.

Shocked, Pinkie turned to her once more, patting her head. The others just looked at each other, more mildly surprised than Pinkie's show of affection. They looked at the white pegasus. Said stallion only shrugged.''I told you.''

He went over to Rainbow, lay a hoof onto her shoulder and softly shook her. ''Hey, stop crying, you have gone through more painful situations, if I recall correctly.'' Rainbow's ear perked up and she looked at her mentor guiltily. Her trademark grin appeared on her face, though it was betrayed by her faltering eyebrows, witnesses of the still current pain.

''What time is it? Is that a hangover I got there? I mean, I don't think I drank that much...'' A nervous laughter echoed through the now empty library. When she noticed that none of her friends laughed with her she let her eyes travel down to the floor.

''Rainbow Dash, are you aware of what you have done?'' Hazel's strict voice let her raise her shoulders instinctively as she was scolded like a school filly.

''I think I kinda messed up?''

''Indeed you did. But can you remember what I said before you dared and challenge me to a fight?''

Her gaze shot up and her magenta eyes widened as the memories slowly dribbled into her mind. The fight with Applejack, how her leg hit her friends forehead, the moment when Hazel had sent her flying, his sudden reservation and the blackout when his hoof hit her.

''Oh, man, I did screw up big time, huh?''

''Is that all you have to say to defend yourself?''

''Wait!'' Another memory came to her mind: Hazel, standing before her, saying something.. What was it? Something about expelling somepony, her? But expel her from what? He couldn't mean... ''I remember you saying that you would...''

''That I would what?''

Rainbow hesitated. ''Expel me... as... your student?'' The words were like thorns in her throat. By the complete lack of movement in his face, Rainbow could tell that she wasn't anywhere near being wrong. As soon as she had proof, tears rolled up in the corners of her eyes, daring to spill down her blue cheeks, but she quickly blinked them away. Rainbow rubbed away the sadness and took on her most confident and determined face she had.

''Fine then. I know I screwed up and I know that I deserve punishment. I just want you to know that you were the best teacher I ever had, and I hope ya can forgive me someday, but until then, well.... Thanks anyways and, that maybe doesn't sound like much, but, I'm sorry ..''

''Oh by the stars, Rainbow, quit the drama, please!'' Hazel chuckled hard, small fits of laughter escaping his muzzle then and there. Rainbow stared blankly at him. She had reckoned with a disappointed shaking of the head, a stern nod that she was to go now or any other sign of disapproval from his side, but not that he would laugh at her.

''Rainbow, I know I said that you would not be my pupil anymore, but on second thought, after your friends made their point clear,'' he waved his hoof to the surrounding ponies, ''and after that speech right now, I am willing to see over your mistake, if you promise that something like that will never happen again.'' He reached out his hoof as a sign for making amends and was almost tackled to the ground by the storm-ish hug Rainbow gave him. ''Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you! I'll do everything you say to me, Pinkie Pie promise!''

When Hazel raised an eyebrow inquisitively, Rainbow jumped back and sat up on her haunches. ''Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!''

The rest of their friends fell in and what started out as a little embrace became a huge group hug, downright suffocating Hazel.
''But you are still going to do a lot of extra rounds next time.''

''C'mon, hurry up, or we're not gonna make it in time!'' Applejack's bell-like voice clung through Hazel's ears as they ran up the hill behind the barn house at Sweet Apple Acres. The sun had already set and the moon began it's journey across the star filled sky.

''Where are you taking me anyways?'' He yelled back, already beside her, his long mane flowing like it was fluid. She just smiled and nodded towards at tall tree on the top of the hill, the long, thick branches spreading in every direction, the leaves building an impenetrable ceiling of wood and bark.

Applejack settled down next to the massive trunk and signed him to do so as well. He sat down next to her and she looked firmly up into the air. He followed her gaze and noticed the birds flying in a strange pattern.

Wait, that form... Is that an.... Oh come on, you've got to be kidding me! Is everything on this farm shaped like an apple?

''Soon.'' Hazel swung his head around. ''What?''

''Soon it'll be time.''

''In the name of Celestia's horn polish, would you please tell me what we are waiting for?''

''Hey, ya teased me the same way when ya showed me those lights back in the Everfree, now it's you who's gonna wait, ok?''

Hazel tried for an answer but rejected the idea quickly, following the instructions he was given. But might as he tried he couldn't see anything special apart from the birds, not even with his heightened senses.

Wait, now there was something coming. A breeze? Strange, it seemed like the wind was carrying some kind of energetic-

With a zap, all the blossoms on the Zap Apple Trees sparkled and became gray fruits. The whole scene was over in mere seconds but it left Hazel deeply impressed. He felt how Applejack rested her head on his shoulder, her ear tickling the bottom of his chin, watching the last wave of apples throwing sparks and humming a foreign tone.

They sat there for a few moments, none of them wanting to break the peaceful quiet between them, where they just sat next to each other, listening to the others' breath and enjoying there company.

''Ah know,'' Applejack finally said, ''it's not as amazing as seeing souls, but, Ah wanted to show you something in return.'' She rubbed her cheek at Hazel's neck. He wrapped one leg around her, giving her small nibble at one of her ears, which made her giggle, and whispered into her ear.

''Do not be so modest, I never experienced something even similar to that. It was amazing in it's own, very kind. And even so, a relationship is not a trade, you do not have to give everything back to me, or return anything I do for you. You are my partner, payment is not needed.''

Applejack looked up at him, inching closer to his mouth and eventually slung her hooves around his broad neck.

They kept sitting there for a few more minutes, when Applejack, once again broke the silence. ''Ya know, we got a lot o' things to do tomorrow. I'd like you to help Applebloom build up the CMC Headquarters. Ah don't need ta mention that you're not allowed to use any of yer superpowers, do I?''

''Of course not, I will do as best as I can.'' They started their way down to the farm again, but one thing kept bothering Hazel's mind.

I really have to do something against these strange attacks of weakness. Though I know the source, I cannot ask her, or can I? No, the time is not ripe yet, I have to hold on... Only, for how long will I be able to do so?

Filler #4

Author's Note

Phew, the last filler, congratulations if you read through them all, now you know more than those who haven't read them. Either way, have fun with it. Brace yourselves, the future is going to be dark (literally).

Filler #4

The scent of flowers, mostly roses and daisies, filled the air as a certain frost coated stallion made his way to the center of the small town, heading for the town's library, in which he hoped to find the purple unicorn, who was not only the settlement's librarian, but also the personal student of the princess herself.

Hazel was aware of every move around him, every word that was whispered, every head that was shaken, even every thought that was thought. He enjoyed being around the towns population, the busy buzzing on the market, the cheerful chats in the small café near a store called 'Quills and Sofas'', whose owner was out, persuading a gray pegasus mare with yellow mane and a brown earth pony stallion with even darker brown mane and an hourglass as a Cutie Mark to buy a rather small sofa for obvious purposes.

The life around him made him feel alive after such a long time, and also had he noticed another phenomenon occurring to him. The time itself seemed to go by way slower than the hundreds of years he had spent in Celestia's duty. How much time had he spent in Ponyville already? Was it six months? Or less? That was just the thing, Hazel couldn't tell exactly anymore.

The source could only be his partnership with Applejack, as it made sense that now, that he actually cared what was going on around him, he acknowledged so much more. He certainly liked it. This was almost the same how it was back with Vic-

Hazel shook his head. No, the past had done for good, it was time he let it rest forever. He was here, Ponyville was now, Applejack was now.

The shadow thrown by the huge tree in the middle of the small town told him that he was near his destination. Majestically, the gargantuan oak stretched it's branches skyward, sheltering numerous varieties of birds, squirrels and other critters in it's crown.

Hazel came to a stop at the double-opening door and knocked gently on the wood. A few moments later the upper part was opened inwardly and the head of a rather young, green and purple dragon appeared in his sight.

''Ah, there you are, was already wondering when you would be here.'' He opened the lower half of the door and gestured for him to step inside. ''Come in, Twilight's in the basement, said something 'bout distilling cider and was off.'' He shrugged.

Hazel grinned and headed for the door that would bring him into the chemical laboratory of the library. ''Hey!'' He turned around and rise an inquisitive eyebrow at Spike. ''Shall I get the manure that you ordered?'' Hazel simply nodded at the eager drake.

He would have called her name, but Hazel knew that Twilight was down in the rather dark room. He liked this setting much more, only a few candles lit the walls and the resulting lack of light made him much more comfortable.

Suddenly, a sharp stench crept into his nostrils. There was a sour smell of apples behind it, but corrupted and poisonous. He wrinkled his nose and tried not to gag of the sharp aroma that filled the air the deeper he came into the basement.

When he came closer, he could see Twilight's horn glow in a lilac shine while she levitated two test glasses with transparent fluids closely before her eyes. To her left stood a test tube rack with another glass and several other chemical utensils were littered over the table she was standing at.

She put the glasses down in their individual places, looked at them for a moment and then levitated a bucket over to her. She let the three glasses fly into the bucket and pulled out three new ones from another rack nearby. A rather large bottle of a clear fluid floated over to her and she poured some of it into the smaller glass. The same process repeated itself with a second and a third glass and two other larger bottles.

''Interesting.''

Twilight jolted and spilled some of the fluid all over the table and the rack with the three tubes. She looked from the mess to Hazel and then back to the desk. She bit her lip and then rushed to a nearby sink, where she grabbed some sheets of paper and then galloped back to her working place.

''Oh dear, Hazel, you mustn't scare me like that, look at what I've done!'' Hazel walked over to see her levitate the three glasses and clean off the rack. ''Why did you sneak up on me like that anyways? But, sorry, my manners again, hello, nice to see you, would you please take a step aside for me?'' She walked past him and dumped the stinking, soaked sheets into the same buckets she had put the previous glasses in.

''I apologize. I am used to keeping my presence a secret, therefore I don't really look out for making a noise with my steps. Either way, what were you just doing?'' He calmly watched the purple unicorn clean up the spilled fluid and put the tubes back. Suddenly she hesitated and looked at the glasses again. She reorganized them, only to lift them up once more and put them back into another order, which didn't serve to satisfy her anyway.

''I was, um, doing some research on the separation of phases by using three different kinds of alcohol, but now...'' She swayed her gaze over the bottles and put them back into the rack, but seemed highly frustrated.

''What is it? Do you have a headache from the smell?'' Hazel walked beside her and took a proving look at her arrangements. At first sight, her desk was a complete mess, but at second thought, everything had it's order. Glasses stood together, all sorts of chemical compositions and pure substances stood along, as well as goggles that prevented one's eyes from taking damage from a splash of maybe acid.

''No that's not it, it's...'' She sighed. ''Well, I prepared three glasses, one with primary, one with secondary and one with tertiary alcohol, but when I cleaned the mess, I forgot which was which! And I used all of my leftovers, the next delivery will be in a week, but I just can't wait that long!''

Her ears dropped and she stared deliberately at the glasses in front of her.

''Perhaps,'' Hazel had raised his voice. ''there is a solution for your demise. Do you have potassium permanganate by any chance?'' Twilight looked at him suspiciously. ''Of course I do, who do you think I am?'' She levitated a tub of lilac-ish gray powder to her working place.

''Perfect. Now, what can you tell me about redox reactions?'' Twilight tilted her head. ''Well, it usually occurs when electrons travel, sometimes in sour, sometimes in alkaline dilution. One substance oxidizes, which means it loses some of it's electrons, for instance when copper is held over a fire.'' Twilight had changed into full pupil mode and was unstoppable now.

''If a material gets reduced, that means it gains some electrons. But what does it have to do with my proble-''

Hazel grinned and pointed at the experiment. ''Very good, you got it. The different structure of the alcohol molecule lets it react in different ways. If you would kindly split the permanganate into three portions?'' Twilight did as she was told and waited for him to go on.

''Now, I can tell you exactly which of those is the tertiary one. Put it in.'' Twilight let the lilac powder slide into each glass. Two of them turned into a sick brown tone, whereas one simply turned into the color of Twilight's coat.

''Ooh, that one right there!'' Twilight levitated the purple fluid into a separate rack and turned towards the others. Hazel raised his voice once more. ''Can you tell me what happened there?'' Twilight rubbed her chin with one hoof, her gaze trailing towards the remaining glasses. She let one of them float to her nose and carefully sniffed. Her forehead lay into a light frown, then she shot a look at Hazel.

''The primary alcohol reacted with the alkaline permanganate and got oxidized, meaning it lost one of it's Hydrogens and the permanganate-'' She stopped in the middle of her sentence, eying anxiously at the white pegasus next to her.

He gave her an encouraging smile. ''Go on, I am listening, what you said so far is right.'' Twilight bit her lip and took another look at the glasses with the brown fluids. She scratched the wooden floor with one hoof and stammered something under her breath.

''The primary alcohol loses the hydrogen that is linked with the oxygen, meaning it gets oxidized in an alkaline dilution. The permanganate gets reduced and becomes pyrosulite, therefore the brown color. What you get in the glasses is a mixture of pyrosulite, alcohol, water and hydroxid. By smelling at it, you can separate the nature of the alcohol further, I leave it to you how you can tell which is which, and when you found out-''

''-I just distill it and get the pure alcohol back! You're a genius!'' Twilight threw her hooves around Hazel's neck in a stormy hug, until she realized what she was doing and backed away with a slight blush.

Suddenly she tilted her head and looked at him with new suspicion. ''Hey, wait a minute, how come you're so experienced with chemistry?'' She raised an eyebrow inquisitively. Hazel chuckled.

''When you have nothing else to do than cleaning up dirty streets for over a thousand years, you seek something to kill time. I got so bored that I decided to read every single book in the library of Canterlot, a goal I accomplished around 200 years ago. I bet there are many new ones in the collection by today, but I for once have gathered quite an amount of knowledge by now.''

Twilight looked at him with jaws dropped, wondering if this was a joke, but the demonstration of skill he had just provided her with proved that there had to be something to it. She shook her head and guided him back upstairs. ''Boy, you are something, Hazel Eyes.'' She closed her eyes and slowly shook her head in astonishment. ''By the way, how's it going with Applejack?''

The question seemed casual, but it left him thinking. How was it going with Applejack? For the last week the only time when they were really together was at night, when she was peacefully sleeping beside him, while he watched over her dreams and made an appearance then and there.

''I assume it is alright, though I do not see her often during daytime. She is always out in the orchard, well I am, too, but we are normally on different ends. When I finish my chores earlier, then she sends me out, picking up things in the town, like today, or deliver apples to Fluttershy, or get some cupcakes from Pinkie. I usually take time in the evening to train with Rainbow, which is certainly a refreshing experience, but I just don't get to see her. Sometimes I think she does not want me around. Is there anything I am doing wrong, Twilight?''

Twilight frowned at the display of his worries and stopped in her tracks up the stairs. She looked to the ground and fell quiet for a moment, then her gaze shot up, a smile appeared on her face and she spoke confidently to the white pegasus.

''There is nothing you have to worry about. Let's be honest, there are few things that Applejack cares more about than the farm and her work in general, which is great, because otherwise we would starve.'' She giggled. ''But the way I see it, Applejack gives you these jobs, so you get to know all of her friends! She is trying to integrate you into her life as much as she can and this is one of these things she cares more about than the farm: her friends! Do you understand? She's not trying to push you away from her, the opposite is the case. She's got difficulties to express her means sometimes, but I think especially you will have the fewest problems in understanding her. Don't you think?''

Her tourmaline eyes shimmered in the few light that was sent out by the candles. What she said made sense, Applejack had no reason to mistrust him in any way. Looking at it from this point calmed him. He hadn't noticed that he was in stir just because he didn't see his marefriend all the time. Pretty dumb, looking back at it. He looked at the purple unicorn in front of him and pulled her into a soft embrace. ''Thank you, Twilight.'' He let lose and stepped back, watching how the mare started to blush again, but put on a friendly smile soon enough.

''Hey, can I ask you something more personal?'' Twilight asked just as he wanted to get going. ''Sure.'' Twilight swallowed. ''It's been a while since you and Applejack are a couple now and I wanted to know.... Have you done... the thing already?'' She made a vague gesture with her hoof.

Hazel raised an eyebrow. ''No not yet.'' His tone had grown a little colder, as he sensed that there was more than this. ''What are you driving at?'' Twilight scratched the wooden surface of the stairs with one hoof and gazed around. Hazel waited a few moments until he cleared his throat audibly, drawing her attention back to him.

''Well, you know, I was wondering... If this becomes a bigger thing, then...'' She stammered. Hazel sighed, annoyance starting to build up from within him. ''Please, just spit it out, Twilight.'' Twilight fidgeted with her hooves, opened and closed her mouth a few times and took a deep breath.

''Alright, I just want to know how you handle it with offsprings.'' Her tone had changed from hesitant to downright rude. ''I mean, by the amount of mares you had a little fellatio- You simply must have foals! I bet at least a third of Canterlot is related to you! And with your urge, I don't want Applejack to be hurt. Now I know it's not your fault, but please, Applejack would never cheat and I think it's just adequate that you don't do so either.''

Silence stood between them. An uncomfortable stare down later, a fit of laughter broke free from the white stallion. ''Oh dear, that was rich, I have not had such a laugh in along time. You are very clever, tell me, what does it need for two beings to reproduce?''

''To ensure generative offsprings, the species has to be the same, otherwise reproduction is not possible.'' Her student mode was activated once again, and Hazel already wondered if she switched every time she was asked a question.

''Correct. Furthermore, I have 46 chromosomes, a pony has 60. Thus, two reasons why there are no foals of me running around. And what you said about loyalty, well, if only you would know.''

He turned around and walked up the last part of the staircase, ending up in the living room of the library, where Spike was already awaiting the both of them with three rather large linen bags, which emanated a pretty sweet, yet earthy smell.

They quickly bound the bags together and Hazel threw them over his back, hardly feeling any weight, and was about to step out of the library when a thought sprung to his mind. He turned his head around and looked at the small purple dragon that was waving at him. ''By the way, Spike, when you have grown up and feel like letting out some steam, do not be afraid to ask me.''

Spike's hand stopped and he stared confusedly at the white stallion at the door. ''What do you mean, 'letting out some steam'?'' Hazel acceded the street and looked firmly ahead, a smile curving his lips. ''When the time has come, you will know.'' He spread his enormous wings and took off into thin air.

''A little more to the right- er, I mean left! No now it's too far! Just a pinch-''

''Scootaloo!''

The orange foal hushed when her two friends yelled fiercely at her. She waved her hoof dismissively and gestured the white pegasus to just rest the heavy plank right on the brim of the base plate of the clubhouse.

Even though they had given the building a whole roundup some time ago, the nails that held the construction together were rusted and needed to be replaced. They had spent almost three hours with pulling out the nails of the walls, leaving the tree-house only a board in a tree. The roof was relatively intact, though the shingles were in need of a cleaning.

They had arranged the walls beneath the tree and were now setting up one after another, carefully watching to place it the same way it was before. This job was assigned to Hazel, who had clenched the wood between his teeth and floated over the floor in the tree, while Scootaloo instructed him on where to put it.

Since Mac was needed to help out with the more delicate work at the Zap-apple orchard, that left Hazel to look after the small ones, an honor he didn't cherish too much. As much as he liked Applebloom and her friends, being around them for more than a whole day drained him and once more he was glad about his sterility.

''Ok, now pick up the second one and lean it against the first! Be careful!'' The squeaky voice of the young filly filled his ears as he flew towards the eastern wall and picked it up with his teeth. The sound of flapping of his wings was increased by the echoing of the air crashing against the wood and a booming reverberated over the whole place.

Hazel set the rim of the wooden wall to rest at the border of the base plate and was struggling to set it seamlessly against the wall that was already stood. Hammering in the nails was the job of the Cutie Mark Crusaders, he only was to put the walls in place and pull out the nails with them, as Sweetie Belle had ordered.

Oh no, not again....

A sudden wave of tiredness had washed over him, making his wings seemingly weigh a hundred times more than usual. He couldn't hold himself in the air and flailed. His consciousness faded away and darkness crept into the corners of his sight. Comforting, warm darkness he loved so much covered his whole mind and pulled him into it's soft embrace as it sang him it's lullaby.

No, it cannot be! The wall, the fillies! Come on, stupid, weak body! Work!

With all the strength he had left, he revolted against the loss of his power. It just wasn't enough. If he could only get the foals safe it would be enough. Falling down back-first, he could make out the silhouette of the suddenly so heavy wall that was coming ever closer to the heads of the three foals beneath him.

Hazel crushed down on the ground, the air being pressed out of his lungs, and got up on shaky legs as fast as he could. The wall was teetering, inching closer to the point where it would fall down onto the ground. The Crusaders had noticed, too, but were too shocked to move. Hazel did the only thing he was able to, when he saw how the wood tilted over the edge and was coming fast at their heads.

He gathered the three around him and spread his wings in a shield above them. The impact nearly knocked him out. With the weight of seemingly a dozen tons, the wall pressed down onto his back. Only the center of his vision was free of darkness as he whispered weakly at them.

''What...are you waiting..for? Get out... I can't hold...it much...longer..'' He coughed and nearly gave in when the three were gone and standing a couple of steps away. With a last uproar, he gathered what was left in him and dragged hit his drained body from under the massive plank. As soon as the wall hit the ground he collapsed. Applebloom ran besides him, her face a mask of horror.

''Hazel, what's wrong with yer?''

Said stallion could only manage to sigh out a faint whisper. ''Tell...Applejack... please...'' Then the world turned dark on him completely.

The orange light of the setting afternoon sun painted the walls in a warm light as the black maned pegasus opened his brown eyes and blinked of the unused brightness. He looked around to find Applejack on the left side of their bed looking warmly at him.

''Aah, finally you're awake! Didn't know what Ah'd have done if ya were to sleep longer than a couple o' hours. How ya feelin'?''

Her warm voice soothed the headache he was getting and he sat up. ''How long was I gone?'' Another thought crossed his mind. ''Are the girls alright?''

Applejack gently pushed him back into the pillow, only nodding at his last question. ''You were out for around one hour, hope ya had a nice dream.'' She winked at him. ''Hazel,'' Her tone had gotten a worried note. ''Can Ah ask yer something?''

He looked at her, already knowing what the question would be. ''This incident wasn't for the first, was it?'' He shook his head in deny. ''What is this? Some sort o' a fancy disease? Or ya ill? Is it that?''

Hazel rubbed his face with one hoof and sighed. ''Do you remember the last time that I drank blood?''

''Was it in the hay rick? That evening when-''

''Yes, that was it. It has been over two weeks now since I last got a meal. These attacks occur when I run out of fuel.''

''Then why didn't you ask me earlier? I have a lot of blood ta spend.''

Hazel looked at her in surprise. ''You would let me drink of you just like that?''

''Of course, why wouldn't Ah?''

Hazel stared blankly into those shimmering, green orbs of her, trying to comprehend what she was offering to him right now. Applejack leaned in to him, revealing the soft, fur-covered flesh of her neck. When he hesitated, she looked at him. ''What're you waitin' for? Didn't ya say ya were hungry?''

Hazel took a few deep breathes before he answered. ''I am indeed, but I cannot simply-''

''Of course ya can, silly!'' Applejack had begun to laugh. Hazel was in no laughing mood, however.
Applejack sighed. ''Ok, what's the matter, sugarcube? Ah'm here, Ah'm full of blood, you're a vampire and hungry, so why don't ya just take a lil sip?''

Hazel's gaze trailed off; this whole scene was so wrong. He felt a hoof touching his cheek and turning his look back at Applejack, who tenderly caressed his ear and the mane behind it. ''I can't! It feels so rude, ok? If I were to sink my fangs into you neck and drink your blood... It just does not feel right. Can you not understand this?''

''Not really, no. Hazel, when Ah asked yer to be mah coltfriend, Ah was fully aware of yer nature and Ah was absolutely fine with you drinking from me. You are what you are, and frankly, the time when you drank from me was really nice. I was hopin' we could repeat that some day.''

Hazel lay back, letting his partner stroke his mane and simply enjoying the feeling of her taking care of him. What a fool he had been. The scales fell off his very eyes as it dawned on him what a great mare he could call beloved. At once, a smile came back to his face.

''Wow, that is the second time in one day that I got schooled.'' He snickered. Suddenly, his expression turned darker again as he remembered the subject he was about to bring forth to Applejack.

''There is another task, though.'' Applejack's ears perked up. ''What's it, sugarcube? Ya know yer can trust me completely.'' Hazel bit on his lower lip. This one would be a toughy. ''My current weakness will not simply go away by drinking blood, I fear.'' He fidgeted at the blanket, while looking forlornly into the air.

Applejack tilted her head, waiting for him to continue. ''As you know, I am not only a vampire, which means, that I have more than one hunger to satisfy. Do you understand what I am saying?''

Applejack nodded slowly, the realization beginning to slowly dribble in. A cocky grin curved her lips as she looked down on her partner. ''So, ya need some adult fun, Ah guess?'' She giggled. ''Was wondering when you would ask me the question.''

Hazel lay there, face completely and utterly blank. Was this some kind of joke? ''Applejack, this is no laughing matter! I was wrecking my head on how I could bring it to you as carefully as possible and you just-'' He groaned. ''You were almost raped by some creep and here I am, only two weeks after that horrible event and... I just could not dare to ask you, I was afraid to trigger a trauma.''

Applejack lay beside him, wrapped her arms around him and rubbed her cheek against his. ''Oh, sugarcube, I am so flustered that you contained yerself for my sake, but it ain't doing you any good. Ya're right, Ah almost got raped, but you were there. If he had gone through with it, Ah would certainly be traumatized by now, but he hasn't. There is no other stallion Ah would rather like to do it with than you. Take the advise ya gave me yesterday: A relationship is no trade, we do things for each other because we like them so much. If Ah'm okay with it, why shouldn't you be?'' She gave him a peck to the nose and snuggled against his neck again.

Then suddenly, she jumped from her place and pulled the curtains closed, walked over to the door and locked. Hazel followed her with a suspicious look. ''Applejack, what are you doing?''

A mischievous grin appeared on her face as she slowly strolled over to him. ''Now, we gonna have some time just for the two o' us. And you won't leave this room until you've fully recovered, have Ah made mahself clear?''

She jumped on top of him and playfully stared down at him. ''Alright, ma'm. I will be gentle, don't worry.''

Applejack sat down and giggled. ''Gentle? Boy, if we gonna do this, then you better be ready for a ride!''

Prologue

Night. My favourite time of the day. Stars. Darkness. Beautiful darkness. How easy to hide in it, to become unseen by any mortal eye. There are many who fear it, I am not one of them. I was born in the darkness, raised by it. The darkness is my beloved, my immortal companion. There is no such beauty as a starless night.

Leaning over a rooftop on a house somewhere in Canterlot sat a snow white pegasus stallion with a mane and tail as black as darkness itself. Hidden in the shadows he watched over the sleeping city. He flapped his wide wings and took off into the sky in a splint second.

Flowing beneath him where the homes of the wealthy nobles of Equestria, slumbering in their beds, save because of him, even when they didn't know. With a speed that would even leave some members of the Wonderbolts startled, he kept heading to Canterlot Castle.

The doors of the balcony swung open as the frost coated stallion landed on the railing, flapping his wings repeatedly to create a small whirlwind that forced the loose leaves open. Casually strolling in, he suddenly stopped midway to his desk.

''You know you cannot hide from me, your highness,“ he growled with a voice as deep as the lakes at the foot of Mount Unicornia, and with a little smirk as he looked into one particular niche next to the pompous and ridiculously large bed that took almost half of the space in the small room.

The outlines of a slight horn, a flowing dark blue mane, two elegant wings and a tail made of stardust and the essence of the universe manifested right on the soft silken sheets of the bed, revealing a lustrous black and blue alicorn mare throwing a seductive look at the white pegasus.

''It was never our intention to do so, honorable Hazel Eyes,“ Luna cooed in her most beguiling voice. Hazel's smirk grew into a insinuating smile as he slowly paced towards the eagerly waiting Princess of the Night. ''I assume you are demanding the usual service, my lady?“ he asked in an even more lustrous tone.

Princess Luna locked her sapphire eyes with his. ''You do not really have to ask that, now do you?“

''I just wanted to make sure,“ he answered with a predatory look in his eyes, slowly climbing over to her.

With a glow of a horn, the whole room turned completely dark as the curtains that were moved before the windows, blocked out every last beam of light.

It was still around midnight when the door to the room at the end of the hallway slowly opened without making any noise. Taking a last look at the satisfied, slumbering princess, Hazel shut the door and walked to the castle's exit in utterly silence.

One down, one to go.

Passing through the gigantic entrance portal, the snow white pegasus spread his wings and took off, heading to Canterlot's nightlife scene. The streets became ever more winding with every flap of his wings.

''Please, leave me alone, you're scaring me!“

''You weren't so shy back in there, now show me this cute little flank you got there!''

''No, please stop!!''

A chubby mud brown earth pony stallion bent over a lavender earth pony mare. It was obvious that he was roaring drunk and she would never be strong enough to escape his grip. Lying beneath him, the mare was crying in horror.

''Excuse me, kind sir, but I think the lady isn't interested.“ A dangerously growling voice seemingly coming from nowhere was heard in the small alley behind a nightclub.

''Wha- who da buck shust talked? Show me yer face!“

''Right behind you...“ the voice whispered.

The drunk stallion turned around in confusion only to be staring at a lonely lantern illuminating the small lane.

''Where the he-“, before he could even finish the sentence, a light feather touched the back of the brown ponie's head. He hadn't turned his head halfway around when something really hard and really fast struck him into the right side of his head just beneath the eye. Sent flying over at least twice a pony's length, he crashed into a dumpster. As he got up, the light sent out by the lantern was reflected by something that looked awfully lot like a pony, but there were several things that didn't fit in with the image.

"I told you I was behind you, you should have listened more closely,“ standing right before him was the most beautiful pegasus the brown pony had ever seen: A coat of the color of freshly fallen snow, flawless, perfect, a mane darker than darkness itself, spilling around his neck and over his back, legs that looked like they could crush a whole pack of timber wolves in mere seconds and wings that would for sure be able to block out the sun if they were just stretched out wide enough. But the strangest things were the eyes. They didn't look any special but the brown earth pony caught himself staring far too long, as if there was some kind of attraction creeping inside his head, unable to focus on anything else.

The white pegasus blinked and the feeling was gone. He shook his head disapprovingly. ''It's always the same with the likes of you. You are born, raised by loving parents, but at some point you leave the right way. You rot and become scum. That's just what you are, scum, worthless, violent scum that deserves nothing but punishment. Just look at her," he pointed his hoof at the mare lying on the ground, too scared to move, ''she is but a filly. Your intentions are disgusting. For the sakes of all subjects of the great Celestia I shall be judge, juror and executioner. And my decission is: Guilty!!''

The brown stallion didn't blink. At least he thought he didn't. But there the strange pony was, suddenly standing right before him was the pegasus stallion, wings spread. Said wings slapped against both his ears, letting him tumble back, crouching against a wall. When he finally opened his eyes, which he had closed in agony from the shock of his eardrums shattering, he looked into a pair of glowing coals. Too late he spotted the two enormous fangs leaking out of the white pegasus' mouth.

At first there was no feeling at all, the brown coated pony just gazed into the air, an empty expression on his deformed and bleeding face. But then, slowly but steadily came pain. But not any kind he ever experienced, no, this sort of pain was something completely new, an excruciating agony never witnessed before. He would not have believed it was even possible to endure this amount of pain running through ones body. It almost felt like the monster that was sucking on his neck was not only draining him of all of his blood, but was also injecting pure fire into his veins. The feeling was way too much to take. With a scream, the mud brown earth pony stallion sunk to the floor, completely empty of every drop of blood.

''You even taste rotten. What a loathsome meal.“

He spit out. As he turned around he noticed the cringing lavender filly still shivering on the ground. ''A shame you had to see that, but I can't let you get away with the knowledge of my existence.''

Hazel strolled over to the mare who's eyes grew wide in shock. ''Please, let me go I won't tell anypony, I promise!!'' she pleaded, but the red eyed stallion kept heading towards her.

''Of that I am sure.“ Again there was not a blink when he appeared right in front of her locking his fiery gaze upon her.

The fall nearly felt infinite.

Lost in this pair of whirling fire the young mare quivered.

When he was sure he got her, Hazel Eyes spoke with silken voice, not growling or harsh, but demanding.

''Listen carefully now. As soon as I get away from here, you will be doing the same. Tonight you were planning to go out with some of your friends. You had a great night in the club, but you drank more than you could take and your friends brought you home. What you saw in this alley never happened. You were not in that small backyard. There are no such things as demons or any other supernaturals.''

The light purple earth pony shook her head but could only so much as see a fading silhouette before the bright moon. The sudden urge to go home hit her with incredible force and so she trotted forlornly through the hardly lit street, radiating an aura of awareness towards anypony who would be nearing her.

This city will never change. Though it is very funny when you look at it from another point of view. There are the rich houses and palaces of the elite of Equestria and on the other hoof you got the spineless bunch of cowards, robbers, murderers and rapists lingering in the streets. By the way I should order the guards to clean up the mess I made in that little backyard, somepony could get suspicious. But then, who cares about a drunk head lying in the streets? Now what to do? So much time left until dawn....

And with a powerful whip Hazel Eyes stroke the air and dashed over Canterlot's rooftops.

Author's Note

May be I should mention this: The prologue takes place shortly before Luna's transformation into Nightmare Moon, so don't get confused because the plot in the fanfic will be very parallel with the series.

The beginning of the end

Quick, hasty steps echoed through the gargantuan dome deep inside the mountain on whose edge the capital of the peaceful kingdom with it's graceful monarchic rulers was built. The steps became more eager as further as they came to the center.

''No... please..let me go... I didn't....do anything to...you...'' The weak voice of the white unicorn mare with the light pink mane with white accents, that had lost all it's flow and was now dragging over the sturdy floor just like her cracked hooves, frightfully squeaked from under a sack of cloth that muffled the sound even more .

''Shut up, lesser creature.'' Drops of spittle hit the badly abused face of the once beautiful model. Little streams of dried blood covered her swollen left eye, as well as the sides of her once so soft lips as the wretched being that had captured her one evening when she was taking a walk through the shimmering streets of Canterlot dragged her deeper down into the underground.

Tears streamed down her bruised cheeks as she remembered the last words she had spoken to her beloved Fancy Pants. ''I will be back in no time, my dear, I just need some fresh air. Would you kindly set up some tea? Yasmin is in order, what do you think?'' She had said. And then, after only a few moments into the city, a bony pair of hands wrapped a sturdy bag over her head and she lost consciousness due to the impact of a hard strike to the back of her head.

The next thing she could remember was the feeling of her feet being dragged over the surface of a stone floor. The whole left side of her face ached and she could only see half of her surroundings, that were, if she could have seen at all. The bag had been removed, but that didn't matter at all because where she was, light was absent. Pure blackness was around her, a never ending, impenetrable void of darkness.

She tried to stumble along her slave driver, who was relentlessly ripping on her mane. What had she done to deserve this? She had always been nice and gentle with the ponies around her; sure, she hasn't been the pony of many words, but she had never acted arrogantly or boastful, and if some gossip had escaped her, well that was totally normal, wasn't it?

Suddenly, she felt how the brute of a guide stopped and how she was tossed aside like a used towel and her limbs gave away under her as she tried to stand. The way down here had felt endless, the descent slowly, but constantly draining all of her spirits and strength, making her a defenseless object in the grasp of her master.

She could hear the disgusting voice of the creature that brought her down here say something that sounded like a question, but in a language she couldn't understand. It sounded harsh, fawning and yet had a ridiculous amount of growls in it. Suddenly, she heard scuffling steps coming towards her and in a last foolish attempt to escape, she tried to get on her hooves, pull the bag off her head and run for her life.

Sadly, the moment she was standing on shaky legs, a hand with long, thin fingers like the dried-out branches of a long dead tree, lay coldly around her alabaster neck, seemingly drawing her power out even more. She couldn't run, yet the thought of even trying to use magic in unreachable distance.

Her pointless struggling against the might that pushed her in an unknown direction only served to earn her another slap into her face, shattering what was left of her will to fight. She gave up and just let it happen, her mind already traveling to her beloved ones, a futile try to shield herself from the pain.

At once she was forced to her knees and the bag was removed. Her eyes grew wide as she took in her environment: A giant, subsurface hall of at least a few dozen meters in diameter, the ceiling approximately a hundred meters above her head, but that was just assuming, as the crystals that were embedded in the walls around her only illuminated the bottom a fifth of the cave. Never had Fleur thought that something this big would be laying under the city she was born and grown up in.

Her gaze wandered down from the invisible ceiling to the thing next to her. For the first time of her captivation, she saw who had snatched her so cruelly from her peaceful life. At the sight of the gruesome creature in front of her, words seemed to fail her. She dared not to breathe as she didn't want his fetid scent to catch itself in her nostrils.

As she turned her head in disgust, her look fell upon the gray, fearsome statue before her. It was almost three meters tall, resembling a creature of unknown origins, but not unlike a monkey, maybe a chimp, but its arms were shorter and slung around the upper part of its body, as well as its wings. It stood there with its legs firmly pressed together, its chin almost lay on its chest, its eyes indeterminable.

''Master, I have brought what you have demanded, fresh blood!'' Fleur didn't want to look at the filthy wretch to her left and kept staring at the statue, too frightened as to form a sober thought. Suddenly, two red dots flashed from the fave of the stone and a cold that chilled her to the spine washed over her. With horror she realized the complete palsy that had taken over her entire body, leaving her only able to stare at the monument before her eyes.

When a hand grasped her by her mane and mercilessly pulled back her head, a small part of her knew that it was over. The last thought that escaped her mind as the sharp splinter of a rock cut her neck open, spraying her crimson blood all over the stone before her, was simple, yet portentous.

Good bey, Fancy, I have always loved you.

And then, she was gone.

The fountain of deep red fluid that erupted from the deep wound in her throat continued to color the ground around the statue in its unique shade and as all of it had flown out, the wretched creature tossed her empty body a few meters away from the stone, the presence of the corpse a sheer insult to the event that was about to happen. Slowly he watched as the blood that clung all over his imprisoned lord vanished, being sucked and absorbed by him.

As all the blood had disappeared, he waited. And then he waited some more. And even more.

Crack.

His tiny eyes focused on the widening crack that had appeared on the rim of one wing.

Crack.

The crack spread over to the joint of the shoulder.

Crack.

Another crack, much larger than the first one, appeared straight over the crossed arms, spreading over the whole torso and with a burst, that raised a huge cloud of dust, the statue exploded.

The creature coughed, rubbed his eyes to free them from the small particles of rock and dust that had flown into it and then looked over to the spot where only seconds ago, the statue had been standing. At the sight of what was now standing there, the creature was awestruck of the sheer beauty.

Before him, his master knelt on the ground, his majestic, black, leathery wings shielding the form of his body from his servant. As he raised, his full presence flooded the cave. He was easily two meters tall, well built muscles as hard as cold steel visible under the sleeve of the purpure shirt he wore under the light chain armor. A set of thin metal plates covered his shoulders, chest and upper back, whilst not hindering his wings in their function. The lower part of his torso was covered in the gray of the chains of his armor, a solid belt holding his pants firmly to his waists, that were of a brown, leathery material, yet it didn't seem like it was tanned from the skin of any creature known to ponykind. Downward from his knees, a pair of rusty black boots with some metal plates added in the area around his ankles, calves and toes.

The creature wiggled over to his arising master, falling to his knees before him and almost kissing the floor. He waited in eager anticipation of the first words of his master.

''Servant! You have done good, the memories of this animal are fresh and uncorrupted.'' His voice was firm, yet soft. The servant rose his gaze to take a closer look. Although he had the body of a god, and if he hadn't known better, the creature would have easily mistaken him for an egghead than for a fearsome warrior. His whole appearance spoke of power, might and wisdom; if it hadn't been for the cold shimmer in his red eyes, the man before him could have easily been a philosopher or any other mental scientist.

None the less, this was his master and he was to follow every order, no matter his appearance. On second thought, though, this wasn't so unfortunate at all. If he could use his inconsiderable looks to his advantage, their enemies would probably not pay attention and could easily be overpowered.

Their enemies. Or better their enemy. Yes, he would suffer so much pain.

''Master,'' the feint echo of his screeching voice reverberating through the dome, ''We need to go, I have waited so long for this moment, please, don't torture me even more.'' He threw himself to his master's feet and started planting kisses all over said man's boots. The awoken lay a hand on his servant's shoulder, signing him to rise.

As he did, his head was merely at chest's height with his master's. The huge man towered above him, eying him curiously due to his plea. Suddenly he grinned brightly, flashing a pair of sharp, long fangs, and nodded approvingly.

''Yes, indeed, my departure is in great need.'' Tears welled up in the small black eyes of the disgusting thing as he would finally get his revenge. ''Then we shall lose no time, quick I will lead you to this son of whoremonger!''

His steps dragged him fast towards the only entrance to the cave, but when he noticed that his master didn't follow him, he turned around confusedly. ''Master, what is it? Aren't you coming for that filthy swine for what he has done?''

The lord had crossed his arms before his chest and stared at his servant with a blank face. Slowly he rose one finger and in a tone as cold as the arctic north he spoke to the minion. ''First: I am your master, as such I decide what to do. Second: it is unbecoming for anyone in my presence to speak in such a vulgar manner. And last: how do you even consider yourself to be thinking a disgrace like you would be allowed to follow me?''

The addressee froze in his step. What was he talking about? ''But, master, you told all those centuries ago that if I helped you getting powerful enough you would help me avenge the injustice that he brought over me! Over three thousand years I gathered all the hatred, fear and envy, in the world above us, manifested them into crystals and brought them to you so you could feast on their pain only to be rejected like a-''

''Silence!'' The voice of the just awoken vampire boomed through the dome, letting small rocks and debris gush from the ceiling. He walked over to his servant and stared at him, his glowing eyes seemingly piercing through his rotten soul and freezing him on the spot.

When he shook free of his stasis, he fell back a few steps, bending his knees and lifting his thin fists as a sort of cover. The sight was ridiculous to say the least. This small sign of rebellion only served to annoy his master even more and the foolish attempt of talking up was the last straw.

''I will not let you take away this moment from me! This wretched boy dishonored my sister! My whole family! And then he had the nerve to make a fool out of me in front of everyone in my village! I will not stand idly by while you-''

He didn't come to finish his sentence. He wouldn't come to finish anything. His skull cracked open and his spine shattered as he hit the wall after being grabbed by the neck, swung around like it was nothing and thrown against the nearest obstacle. The pulp that was left of his body slid down, leaving a sickly looking, almost black smearing on the wall until he hit the ground and a puddle formed around him.

The vampire wrinkled his nose of the awful stench that quickly filled the air. ''Well, I guess your sister was real bitch then.'' He walked over to the pile of flesh and ran a finger through the dark pool, holding the drop before his face and then quickly licked it up. Memories flooded his brain as he took in the single drop of his servant's blood.

Now knowing how to get out of his former prison, he ascended the long way up to the surface.

Celestia took a deep breath and strolled outside on her balcony, taking in the gorgeous sight of her sun melting into the horizon. It would only take a few more minutes and a whiff of her magic to make the radiant globe disappear beneath the long line in the far distance, giving away for her sisters reign.

She leaned over the balustrade and let her thoughts strive. She wandered back to the time where she and Luna had arrived in this world, when night and day had an unsteady rhythm, the ponies were haunted by uncertainty and fear of their chaotic ruler. She lasted in the moment of their first victory over the chaos as they defeated the chimera that had brought it over the land. Celestia liked to think of it as their first step into normality and peace.

Her mind went on and to the event that followed quickly after. Her victory over the dreaded king Sombra and the liberation of the Crystal Empire of his reign of terror. Though the king had managed to curse the kingdom to disappear with him, another evil was banned. She sighed of the battle that had raged almost a millennium ago. Hazel had been dancing through the rows of soldiers, mowing them down with his bare hooves, their losses ascending with every passing second. It had been a spectacle she hadn't been able to observe properly as she was to stand against the corrupted monarch amongst her sister, but the soldiers that she had overheard afterward had spoken of nothing else than the white and black Angel of Death that brought pain and suffer to their foes.

She smiled. Angel of Death was nowhere close to fitting him in any way; neither was he an angel nor was he a servant of death. He was Hazel Eyes, nothing else. He didn't long for a title, heck he didn't care about anything other then blood and more delicate things.

Oh how she desired these things right now. It were moments like these that she felt regret about sending him away. What was he doing right now, she wondered. How was his mission going? Had he found something he would give his life for? Had he even started? How she knew him he was most likely to sit in a dark cave, brooding over whatever crossed his mind.

She took a forlorn gaze on the blood red light that bathed the city below her in its luminosity, the reflections of the golden rooftops a breathtaking sight. Suddenly, although summer was just on its retreat, she felt a cold taking over her, like an arctic wind, a wave of chilliness washing over her.

She shook her head to free herself of the sudden attack and cleared her thoughts. What on earth has just happened? She didn't want to give it more thought than necessary, and just proceeded to walk inside again. It was time to give the sun the last push to slip it over the edge and Luna could take over the night, setting their realm at peaceful sleep.

As she arrived at the highest tower of the castle, Luna was already waiting for her. She nodded a quick welcome to her older sister and they both set their horns aglow. Combining their magical strengths, Celestia forced the sun to sink below the horizon and Luna assisted her. As soon as it had disappeared, Luna brought up everything inside her to help the moon climb over the other side of the now darkening sky. Celestia would have helped her with pleasure, but Luna refused her offer. She was back, and if she couldn't raise the moon on her own, she couldn't be considered the Princess of the Night, although stars set a big problem for her still. That is where she was thankful for the presence of her bid sister.

When Celestia had turned around and was on her way to her sleeping quarters, Luna took in the calming sight of the slowly falling asleep city and the ebbing of the lights in the windows, as well as the street lights that were lit up.

As her gaze wandered over the quiet streets, a little something caught her attention. It was just a faint dot in the distance, though it looked somewhat odd. It seemed to posses a pair of large wings, but the shape of its body was strange. But then again, it was dark and the thing was in far distance, and Luna didn't want to give it more thought than necessary. She turned around with a shrug and headed towards the chamber with the dreamscape, as it was not only her duty to bring out the night, but also was she in charge of providing her subjects with pleasant dreams.

Applejack snuggled tightly onto Hazel's chest, her mane, more scuffled and messier than usual, tickling his chin, while had lay one arm behind his head and the other wrapped around her shoulder, drawing her into a gentle embrace as he slowly stroked her arm up and down.

''Now, ain't that feelin' a lot better?'' she rubbed her cheek at the fur on his chest, and he rewarded her with a tender peck on her forehead, making her giggle ever so cutely. She leaned in on him again, enjoying his warmth and closeness as she closed her eyes.

Suddenly her head shot up and she looked at Hazel with a face like she had just remembered something awfully important. ''Oh, gosh! We need ta be careful, or someday somepony's gonna walk in on us, and Ah don't wanna give Applebloom 'the talk' yet. Ya hear me?''

Applejack's concern made Hazel laugh. With a sly smile he sat up and wrapped his arms around her again, dragging her with him as he lay back down, and whispered into her ear. ''You know, there are more places than the bedroom to have fun.'' Applejack blushed slightly from the meaning of his words, then took on a warm smile and rested her head on his chest. Yes this was exactly how she had imagined being in love, maybe even better.

Her peaceful slumber was roughly interrupted when her pillow shot up, almost throwing her out of the bed, and she struggled as Hazel rocketed up into a sitting position. With an annoyed frown she shot him an inquisitive look, questioning his strange behavior. Her annoyance quickly became concern as she saw his face.

Hazel wore a grimace of disbelief, realization and somehow, remorse had slipped into that mixture. He opened and closed his mouth a few times, then gulped and looked back at his mate. Said mare tilted her head and set herself in a more comfortable position on his lap.

''What's goin' on, sugarcube? Why the sudden change o' mood?'' She stroked his cheek with a hoof and ripped him out of his stasis. He took a few deep breaths before he signaled her to get off of him so he could stand up.

''Something is coming, something really big. I have to see myself.'' In a heartbeat, he was out of the room and she could hear the almost inaudible clops of his hooves on the wooden stairs down the hall. She quickly shook her head and drove a hoof over her head as a replacement for combing, then put on her hat and walked down the hall and the stairs as well. When she reached the base, she met up with the rest of her family, which had also gathered when Hazel had rushed past them.

They stepped out into the muggy air of the evening and saw the white pegasus gazing into the sky, the direction of his glare seemed to be towards Canterlot. Applejack and the others stood next to him, following his look, but couldn't make out anything.

''He is coming.'' Hazel's voice was a mere whisper, his eyes growing wide and his mouth opening in awe.

Then, he was there.

It took them a moment to realize that something was different. As they stood a couple of meters away from the door and watched the stars in the sky, another guest had arrived with not so much as the rustling of grass.

''Hallo, Bruder.'' With a sharp gasp, all eyes were on him. His huge, leathery wings just folded on his back as he smiled at them.

''Amaimon. It really is you.'' Hazel's tone was firm, yet Applejack could swear to have made out a small shiver in his voice. She looked from the monstrous figure to her partner, jaws dropped. ''Wait, Ah know that name! Who was Amaimon again.....'' With the realization, her jaws dropped even wider. ''Now wait just a goshdarn minute, this can't be... your brother?''

Hazel nodded at her. He turned to face the huge man and walked up close to him, just a couple of steps separating them.

''Brother, how did you manage to survive? I thought you and father and the others had died in the battle! Why haven't you come earlier? Where did you-'' Hazel was cut of by a hand being raised. As Amaimon lowered his arm again, he spoke with a scolding undertone. ''Schämst du dich deiner Muttersprache, oder wie soll ich diese barbarischen Laute, die da aus deiner Schnauze kommen, verstehen?''

Hazel fell silent for a moment, then opened his mouth again. ''Ich fürchte nach all den Jahren sind mir ein paar Begriffe abhanden gekommen, wenn du mir das vielleicht nachsehe-''

''Could ya please stahp yer fancy babbling and talk a word Ah can actually understand?'' For the second time, Hazel was cut off in the middle of a sentence, this time by the raspy voice of the elderly green mare behind him. He looked at her blankly, then back to his brother.

Amaimon just nodded and smiled knowingly at the white stallion in front of him. ''I was just teasing. I can understand and speak this language pretty well.'' He looked at the ponies behind Hazel, looking each one other carefully, then fixated his gaze back on his brother.

''A nice family you found there. I guess the orange one is your girlfriend?'' When Hazel nodded, he did so as well. Amaimon smiled straight into Hazel's face. ''Disgusting.''

Then, the fist hit the white pegasus. There was nothing Hazel could have done to prevent it. The fist of his brother hit him with a speed, he hadn't thought was possible and the force of a sledgehammer under his chin, catapulting him into the wall next to the door of the barn house. The only thought that escaped his shocked mind applied to his student.

Sorry, Rainbow, it seems you are not the one to put an end to my record....

Stars circled in his vision as he sat up and looked over his teeth. All of them were firmly in place, only a dull ache from the spot where Amaimon had punched him remained. That only meant one thing: He had held back; an assumption, that gave Hazel chills. He got up on his legs again, pushing the feeling aside and wanted to walk back towards his brother, but Amaimon was already at him, pressing an arm against Hazel's throat, cutting off his air supply and almost making him gag. Hazel tried to lift his arm and push back, but all he could accomplish was to look into his brother's eyes.

Now he could clearly see the madness in Amaimon's eyes, like a crushing maelstrom, the color in his eyes whirled in a black and red hurricane, drawing him into a world of no return. Hazel quickly looked away, a mistake he only realized when it was almost too late. The sound of metallic rattling let him open his eyes again to see how the giant in front of him raised a fist. Quickly, he stretched his head as far to the side as he could, evading the strike only by a hair's breadth, as the fist punctured the wall behind him.

Hazel had to get free of him as soon as possible. But how? Amaimon was holding him easily a meter up in the air by pressing him against the barn. Only held by the immense strength of the vampire, Hazel's mind was beginning to fade when no fresh air found it's way into his lungs. He drew his hind legs as close to his belly as he could, noticing in the corner of his vision that they were at perfect height with Amaimon's chest. He gave the strongest buck he was able to and managed to get his brother off of him, throwing him back like he was fired from a slingshot.

Finally able to breathe again, he fell to the ground, trying to stand up and looked over the scene. Applebloom had cowered behind Big Macintosh's leg, only her bow tie showing behind his knee cab. Granny Smith was yet to catch up with their movements and was staring in awe at the two brethren. When he felt a shoulder shoved under his arm, he looked up to see Applejack assisting him getting him up, her face in concern.

''You're weaker than I thought you would be. Pah, are now standing above proper training as well?'' Amaimon literally spit his words before Hazel's hooves. ''Amaimon, why did you do that? What has happened to you? I am your brother, not your foe, why do you attack me?'' Hazel's voice was still raspy, and sounded higher pitched than usual.

''Your brother?!'' Amaimon's face had turned from derision to cold hatred as he stared at him. ''The only thing we share is our father, whom you have left to die on the battlefield! You wanna know why I came back? I wanted revenge! You fled when the battle raged just because Victoria died! Well, surprise, brother, people die on the battlefield! You were our last hope! We believed in you! We needed you, and you had nothing better to do than run away like a little child! Well, surprise again, we lost the war! All of us were slaughtered.'' His outrage left him to breath heavily.

''And how did you manage to survive? '' Hazel looked blankly at his brother.

Amaimon chuckled. ''The same way you did, Alea. When the last of our kin fell, I swore an oath that I will avenge my beloved ones and punish the filthy crossbreed that caused their death. All of it was your fault and I am here to punish you! Cowards and freaks like you do not deserve to live.''

This time Hazel was prepared for his strike and ducked to the left side when Amaimon struck his right fist into his face. The arm closely gone by his cheek, he jumped into the air and simultaneously swung his leg at his opponent's head. Said vampire ducked, and used the momentum of the turn to smack his extended hand right into the pegasus' cheek.

Hazel tumbled away and rubbed over the aching side of his face. Truth be told, his attack was only a halfhearted attempt to hold his brother off of him. Suddenly he noticed the strange name Amaimon had addressed him with. He tilted his head and shot the vampire a curious look. ''Alea?''

Amaimon frowned and glared at Hazel. ''Yeah, don't you recognize your own name?'' He spit out.

Hazel looked back at the giant before him, baring his slowly emerging fangs. ''Brother, listen! My behavior was wrong, I know now. But please, you are here with me, don't fight with me. I couldn't feel more regret over my actions than I do, trust me, but holding onto long lost events is wrong! You cannot change the past, not even gods are able to do that! Won't you settle down? I bet you could stay here, all living things in this world are kind and nice to whomever they make contact with. Let go of your grudge, I beg you.''

For a moment, it looked like the lightly armored colossus actually thought about this opportunity, but then, when he raised his look at Hazel again, he laughed at him with a touch of madness that was impossible to oversee. ''You foul outflow of a whore! I'd rather rip off my wings than to make amends with the likes of you! First I will kill you, then these horses and then I will make this world mine, when all of it's inhabitants are going to be vampires just like me!''

This was the moment that Hazel realized that his brother had lost his mind. His whole being was driven by the urge of his revenge and he wouldn't stop until he had gotten it. There was no hope in trying to persuade him. Hazel straightened himself and glared firmly into his brother's glowing eyes. ''First: I am really sad about your view of things and your refuse to live together with me. Second: You will not turn a single pony into a vampire, heck you will go off in ashes and dust as soon as Celestia raises the sun again and third: If you dare to bring harm to any of these ponies behind me, then I will rip off your wings and stab you with your own fangs, got me?''

A fit of laughter broke free from the vampire's mouth as Hazel had ended his speech. Amaimon held his sides and, still snickering, looked back at him. ''You couldn't protect Victoria and you won't be able to protect her either!'' With a jump, faster than Hazel could follow, Amaimon was before Applejack and smacked his opened hand into her face. The strike sent Applejack flying against the same spot in the wall Hazel had hit, collapsing immediately.

When Hazel saw the little stream of blood that streamed down over Applejack's chin, his mind went blank. Suddenly he could hear a voice from inside him, a snarling monstrous voice that sounded more like a deep growl than an instrument to form words.

Let me out, I will slaughter him 'till nothing's left!

And Hazel, he let it out.

In a second, Hazel's fangs grew double their size, his wings extended and his eyes lost their pupils, becoming glowing red orbs in the sockets of Hazel's head. Not even a blink of an eye later he was over Amaimon, slamming a fist into his face. The impact made the vampire tumble backwards, where he caught another hit, this time a buck into his back, which sent him flying a few meters into the air.

He extended his wings and watched the white mass approach him with curiosity, then frowned as he noticed the changes on his brother. With the force of a train, Hazel's fist slammed into Amaimon's chest, sending him further into the sky, where he coughed and wiped his mouth clean of the blood that had oozed out. Hazel appeared from the side, but this time, Amaimon was able to grab him by his neck and hold him away.

He forced more pressure onto Hazel's throat, but the pegasus lay a hoof on top of his wrist and shot the other with immense strength at his elbow. The bone broke and Amaimon's limb was limply dangling off his upper arm. He clutched the other around the wound and quickly backed off of the monster before him.

The injured warrior took a closer look at his arm and analyzed his wound. The bones had been shattered in a complicated manner, little shards already scattered in the surrounding flesh. The sound of something zooming through the air made him look up and see his opponent flying with amazing speed towards him. He was able to reach out with his unharmed arm, but it was quickly shoved aside as Hazel whirled into his uninjured elbow and landed one of his hind legs onto his clavicle, breaking it as well and damaging several ribs under it, as well as denting the armor on his shoulder.

Amaimon crashed down on the ground, forming a little crater beneath him. Hazel landed a few steps away from him, ready to jump at his neck and landing the final blow, that would end Amaimon's life.

When the figure emerged from the hole in the grass, everything was like before Hazel's assault. His arm was in the right place and the only evidence that there had been an injury to his shoulder was the deformed metal plate, which he grabbed and threw away.

He grinned at the pony before him. ''Healing factor, didn't know I was able to do it, did you?'' He let his knuckles click and set a foot back, while raising his fists again. There he kept standing and awaited the knew attack. When he blinked, the clash began.

Only the outlines of their forms were visible as they flew over the whole place, the sounds of them punching each other echoing through the night air. Every here and there, their drive was interrupted when one struck the other especially hard, visible when a grimace attached to a badly deformed body stuck out of mid air, only to disappear a heartbeat later into a whirling mass of red, white and black.

Though the clash of the demons was second to none any other species could put up, not minotaurs, not dragons, heck not even Ursa Majors were able to fight at such brute, it was coming clear that Hazel slowly won the upper hand. That was due to the fact that Amaimon's healing factor was a double-edged sword. Yes, it was true that he could heal up from any minor or major injury, but it came with a price. Since healing meant to accelerate the speed at which his body recovered from a wound, it had to get this strength from somewhere. Simple put: You heal faster, you tire faster. And right now, that meant a huge disadvantage for him because the monster he had to fight simply didn't care about the scratches Amaimon got him.

Panting, he broke free from the pony, his body unharmed, but strained to it's limit. The white abomination before him bled from several spots, from lacerations in his face, over cuts and scratches on his chest where Amaimon had dug his claws into the soft flesh, to the cuts on his legs that oozed small streams of crimson blood.

He couldn't believe it; over three thousand years he had gained strength from the pain above him, only to vanquish this one foe he channeled all his hate in, and now he had to realize that he, who he thought would not be a problem, somehow managed to reach a mode where no pain mattered and power was an inexhaustible source. He didn't want to admit it, but he had to retreat. As he was taught eons ago, withdrawing from a hopeless situation to come back and finish what one has started was not cowardice or weakness.

''I shall come back, and then your life will end.'' He shouted at the pony that had still bared his teeth at him and gathered all his left energy to put it into his flying abilities. When the monster attacked him, he ducked, dug a hand into the ground and threw the dirt into Hazel's eyes, then, while his opponent was distracted he took off, shattering the sound barrier.

When the furious pegasus looked up, he couldn't make out his prey, only a flat scent of him was left in the air. Eyes still aglow and fangs grown to their fullest, the animal gazed around.

Applejack had got up from the slap that had thrown her against the wall of the barn when a wrinkled hoof carefully caressed her mane, gently waking her from her unconsciousness. She slowly opened her eyes, looking at her grandma who sat next to her, stroking her cheek where the hand of the vampire had hit her. Suddenly a headache she had never experienced in such a strong way took over her and she clenched her teeth in agony.

Crack.

The sound she heard so similar to a wet branch breaking, Applejack almost thought that Amaimon or Hazel had crashed into a nearby tree, but then she realized that it had been way too near for one of the nearby trees. She looked up and saw Granny Smith. Only, not her face.

Applejack gasped in shock as she saw the snapped and twisted neck of her beloved grandmother. Behind her stood the scary monster from her nightmares, speaking right into the elderly mare's ear.
''Don't you dare to touch her! I will kill everyone who brings harm to her...''

Granny Smith sunk to the ground, her whole body limp. Applejack watched in horror how she fell, then at the monster that looked like Hazel and back to Granny Smith's body. Just now she noticed how the monstrous twin of her partner slowly leaned over the corpse and started to bare his fangs, sinking them down on the twisted neck.

''What the hell do you think you're doin' ?!'' She jumped at the abomination and pushed him back. Grabbing him by his ears she shook his head wildly. ''Hazel, snap outta it! Ah know that ain't you! Hazel! Please, hear me! Hazel!'' She screamed into his face, not a moment stopping in her movement.

The red haze faded away as hoarse screams attacked his ears. He knew that voice. But it's sound was off, like a distorted echo of the voice he loved to hear so much. His senses came to rest and slowly he started to feel icky, like a swarm of razor blades was floating around his body. More of the bloody mist vanished and now he could see his mare shaking him. Tears streamed down her cheeks and she had a reddening spot on one side of her face. What was going on?

''A...Applejack...What is...'' His voice failed him and he sunk down, slipping through Applejack's hooves. With an audible thud he fell down, his legs too weak to carry his weight, his several injuries only adding to the strain.

''Granny Smith, are ya alright?'' The weak, high pitched voice of Applebloom ripped Hazel from his dozing, making him shift his gaze to the young filly. He followed track with the direction she was staring at, only now seeing the green body a pony's length aside from him. His eyes widened at the sight of the twisted neck of the former matriarch of the Apple dynasty and he jolted back on his hooves, all pain forgotten. He looked from face to face, seeing the incomprehension, sadness and fear and knew that this was his doing.

''I am sorry...'' The last word had just left his lips as he swung himself high into the air, heading into the opposite direction the other vampire had flown off.

''HAZEL!!'' Applejack screamed at the top of her lungs, but it was already too late, Hazel was too far away. With a last glimpse at the quickly vanishing figure, Applejack collapsed and broke down in tears.

Celestia was slumbering before a glowing chimney, her head rested on a soft silken pillow, while she lay on the crimson carpet that had been hoof-stitched just for her.

What had Alea said? Him being defeated as soon as Celestia rose the sun? Well too bad he knew from the memories of the other white pony that had been sacrificed to grant his awakening, where she was to be found and what she looked like.

After the flight back to the place of his former prison, Amaimon had reached out with his mind and searched for the most powerful being in the city. He soon found the source of the almost painfully burning bright light in one of the towers in the castle.

Rising from the darkest shadow of the room he neared his sleeping prey, his steps not uttering a single sound. He was standing so closely to to the ruler that he could already see the light blue veins on her neck, and the sight made his fangs snap out.

His plan was simple: Kill the animal that raised the sun and then there would be no sun ever again.

Before he could sink his teeth into the soft flesh of Celestia's bare neck, however, a booming voice nearly threw him off his feet. ''I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND NOT TO DO THAT!'' As his head turned around to see who had disturbed him in his moment of victory, Amaimon saw the smaller blue pony standing before him, it's composure not giving away if it intended to fight him.

He took on the most charming grin he could do and almost purred at the winged pony. ''And why wouldn't I, if I am allowed to ask, that is.''

''Because then she would die as well.'' A painful ache exploded in Amaimon's back, like fluid fire spreading all over the backside of his body. He jumped to the other side of the room and tried to catch a glimpse onto his back. The metal plates that had been to protect him had molten off and now a sweet scent of burnt flesh arouse from the leather that had still covered his skin from taking severe damage.

As he looked towards the two ponies again, he could see that the horn of the bigger one was glowing in a light yellow shine. It came to his mind that these animals were indeed able to channel energy into some sort of magic. Fine, be it that way, he could still deal with them like it was a walk on the park.

Driven into the corner of the room, he overlooked his chances. The room was big enough for him to at least use his wings to dodge those nasty spells, and the two of them didn't look like they were all too fast. He set up a grin and bowed to them.

''Interesting. So, if I kill one, the other would follow?''

''That is what I just said.''

''Well, then I have to take different measures. If I, for example, knock you'' He pointed his finger at Celestia, ''out, and kept you in an artificial coma, would that mean that, if I forced you'' He swung his finger onto Luna, ''to not lower the moon, that then there would be eternal night?''

''If you put it this way-''

''LUNA!''

Celestia's harsh voice cut off her sister as she wanted to respond the demon in front of them. She shot her older sister a confused look, but kept her mouth shut from then on.

''You have no chance, Amaimon.'' Celestia firmly glared at the man in her bedroom. ''We knew that you would come, when you were miles away. You should learn to suppress your demonic nature. Hazel mastered that skill centuries ago.''

''Who needs stealth when there is no equal?''

Celestia's eyes narrowed as she glared at the vampire. ''We'll see about that, Canterlot Castle is long since evacuated, we have all the space we need. Me and my sister are the rightful rulers of this realm and we will not tolerate your intentions!'' She slammed a hoof to the ground, the sound magically enforced, which served to hurt Amaimon's sensible ears.

As soon as Luna charged with her horn glowing in a dark blue shimmer, Amaimon stepped forward. There was no intermediate step when he appeared right in front of Celestia. His fist crushed into the side of her face and she collapsed on the ground. When Luna turned around, seeking for her lost opponent, she spotted him right there by her sister and he stared at her with these gruesome fireballs in his skull.

''How pathetic. And you call yourself rulers of this realm? Even a mutt would have put more of a fight. You, come here.''

Luna struggled with all of her might, but it was like her legs didn't obey her anymore. Step by step, she came closer to the monster in the black and red armor. She leaned up against it, but to no success. Like a black hole, his presence engulfed her and pulled her towards him. When he spoke, it she felt the word reverberate deep inside her.

''Und nun wirst du sie in das tiefste Verlies sperren, das es hier gibt. Du wirst sie dort einsperren, und dann wirst du einen Zauber wirken, der sie in ihrer Starre hält und du wirst ihre Magie unterdrücken. Des Weiteren wirst du den Mond nie wieder untergehen lassen. Und nun, Los!''

Luna levitated the limp body of her sister by her side, starting her journey into the deepest section of the Canterlot dungeons, like she was told. While stepping out, she could make out the faint sound of him speaking to himself again.

''All the space they needed? Ha, how impudent can one be? I'll show them what areal empire looks like. I think I will start off with the army and some confidants....''

A furious knock at the door jolted Twilight out of her fluffy pillows, a Starswirl the Bearded collector's edition, and she landed roughly on the floor at the side of her bed. Rubbing the backside of her aching head she traveled down the wooden stairs to the main entrance of the library.

''Who on earth is out on this time?'' She opened the door, her eyes still half shut and was nearly trampled over by an orange and yellow mass that rushed past her.

''Whoa, Applejack? What's going on with y-'' Twilight stopped when she saw that Applejack's eyes had the color of ripe cherries and the fur on her cheeks was tear-soaked.

''Applejack? What happened and why are you throwing me out of bed in the middle of the night?'' Applejack stared grimly at her, her gaze not once flattering. Her voice was hoarse when she answered. ''That's just it, it's almost noon, take a look at the clock.'' She pointed her hoof at the Ponyville Tower that stood barely visible near the town's hall.

True to Applejack's words, the clock hands showed that it was only a couple of minutes to high noon.

''That's wha Ah'm here,Twilight. Ah will tell ya evrything ya need to know, but the most important thing now is helping me find Hazel! Please, ya must have some fancy tracking spell! You must have...'' She stuttered. ''Ya must...''

Twilight walked over to her and drew her into a tight hug. Applejack kept crying into her friends shoulder as Twilight only stroked her mane carefully. Whatever it was that had put her friend in this misery, she would soon find out and meanwhile she concentrated on how she was going to solve the task of the tracking spell.

If I only had something that could get me a trace....