The Exile of Daimon

Chapters

Episode 01: The Punishment
Episode 02: The Exile
Episode 03: The Challenge
Episode 04: The Forest
Episode 05: The Writer
Episode 06: The Family
Episode 07: The Dream
Episode 08: The Talk
Episode 09: The Return
Episode 10: The Chapter

Episode 01: The Punishment

“Hey! Daimon!” one of his classmates had called him. “What are you going to do after school?”

Daimon was an eighteen-years-old boy, a strong and fast one at that. And if it wasn’t enough, he was still one of the best of his class and very handsome. The attractive light brown skin over his defined muscles made most of the girls of the whole school look at him and sighs as in wanting a part of that body for themselves.

But as the world normally is, no one can be perfect. Daimon was one of the most famous troublemakers of his school. No one was able to run from him whenever he wanted to play a prank or just give someone a nice beat up.

“Still haven’t quite thought of that,” raising his feet and placing them over the back of the chair in front of him, ‘accidentally’ hitting the head of another student, that said nothing. “I guess I have no plans as yet. Why?”

“There are two very good options. First is this new arcade that opened just down the street,” said one of the three boys surrounding Daimon’s chair. “The other is… this new guy on the other class. He claims to be at our grade, but he likes those girly shows you said made you sick.”

Daimon looked at the one who said that and raised an eyebrow, “You said a boy likes My Little Pony? You gotta be kidding me!” Using his left foot to call the attention of the boy sitting in front of him, Daimon asked, “Hey you! Can you confirm this story?”

“Yes, Daimon… I heard about it too…” said the boy, mostly afraid of really being trashed if he said something different.

“Damn… It’s already bad enough that I have to hear whenever my little sister is watching those shows…” Daimon commented. “I’m starting to know a few names of those damned horses.” Then Daimon’s eyes lighted with a sadistic smile, “Maybe it’s time for him to see that they’re nothing more than horses at a girly show…”

The trio that always followed his plots chuckled at what was about to happen. Another hit on his head by Daimon’s foot and the small boy looked back.

“What now, Daimon?”

“Don’t forget to do my homework, okay? I will be kinda busy playing with a horse lover.”

As the boy nodded and turned, Daimon hit him again just for the fun of it.

***

After the class finished, Daimon and his friends walked past the gate and waited. When one of his followers saw their victim, they began to follow him.

A few minutes and turns later, Daimon’s group made as if to pass him but actually turned and pushed him inside an alley where there was no movement.

Throwing the small boy against the wall at end of the alley, Daimon looked at him with a large sadistic smile. “Hello there, friend!” he started. “I heard you’re new at our school!”

“Yes, I am…” the boy said afraid of what would happen to him.

“Well, let me tell you one thing. We are the big guys of the school. My name is Daimon and I don’t like girly boys around. And it came to my knowledge that you’re a fan of those girly shows…”

“My Little Pony isn’t a girly show!” the boy said sure of himself. “It has a proper history, with adventures and battles of its own way!”

“Oh yeah, we believe…” and the trio behind Daimon burst out laughing. “Tell you want, boy. Call any character of that show of yours that you think has the power to stop me. But until that character appears or my arm gets tired, I will punch you. We have a deal?”

Not even waiting for an answer, Daimon started punching the guy in the belly. He tried the best that he could, but couldn’t quite stop the bigger and stronger guy.

After very long five minutes of punches and kicks, when finally the boy was at the ground, Daimon and his, now laughing, friends decided to leave. However, Daimon stopped when he heard the boy whisper, “You’re just like Luna… Right now… you are the same… as Luna’s Nightmare… Moon…” There was a small pause. Daimon walked to him slowly, “But… maybe you could return to… your equivalent… of Luna’s gently…”

Daimon got the boy by his collar and, pressing him against the wall once again, looked angrily at his eyes. “You never dare to compare me with something of that fucking series!” Daimon said in pure fury. “If this repeats, I swear you won’t return home ever!”

“May Luna… help you see… your own light…”

Furious, Daimon put all his strength in a last punch that rendered the boy unconscious.

***

After that, Daimon went back home. There, he first went to his room, just to find her little sister playing on his own computer a chapter of the very same show he had just spanked a boy.

“Elisa! What are you doing in my room?” he asked. On the screen had just appeared the name of the episode: 'Magical Mystery Cure'.

“Dad’s using the computer at the living room and mommy allowed me to watch there!” the young girl answered her brother without any hint of fear at all.

There was only one person that Daimon respect: his own mother. While he was an athlete by option, his mother wasn’t. She didn’t have the resources that her children have to study. Besides she knew that it would be up to them decide their own futures, she decided to give them the best chances to choose correctly.

“At least put the headphone!” he then turned his back to her sister and started the video-game. Not wanting to annoy his brother, the little girl did so and they got intertwined into their own way until she saw the episodes she wanted and left.

There were a few things that Daimon had to do on the internet before he could call his day officially done. Then, he took a long bath and decided to sleep.

***

He had never been one to dream during his sleep. But this time he did dream. He was in a long and beautiful plain, an occasional large shadowy tree. At distance, he could see a lake with a bit more trees around it. Quickly he decided to get there.

Then, everything got dark. Suddenly, he looked up. The sky, once clean, was now completely covered in clouds that he could only judge as strange. They were dark blue, and were moving in various directions, not in one direction, blown by the winds. It was like they wanted to close the sky.

“Very interesting,” said a female voice. It seemed to come from everywhere at once. “You know, often we only hear pleas of our subjects. But one time or another, pleas from peoples of other worlds can reach our mind.”

“Who are you?” he asked.

The voice that answered him wasn’t the same that had said before, “You should speak more carefully to us. We could easily turn you into nothingness right there, right now.”

“Try your luck!” Daimon said, getting in a defensive stance.

From nowhere, a small cloud of dark blue clouds started spinning and, from it two creatures left. Horses. One was a bit smaller than him, wearing a quite cute crown with obsidian in the main focus. The deep blue coat was slightly darker than the long mane and tail that moved along the non-present wind in the plains, as if they had a life of their own. The horse also had a rather long horn and a pair of wings, carefully folded on its back. At this small horse’s side, there was another, this one a lot taller than him, with pitch black fur and apparently the same color of mane and tail, wearing a armor on most of its back, and also being a winged unicorn, or a horned pegasus, he didn’t know exactly. Both also had same turquoise eyes, besides the taller one had lizard-like pupil and the smaller pretty normal big round eyes, and a drawing of a moon in their flanks.

“You were using your size and mass to cause harm to those weaker than you,” said the pony. “We could hear his distress from where we live.”

“Horses? I’m talking to frigging horses?” Daimon grinned and burst out laughing.

The taller mare downed her horn and shot at him a light ball that, upon hitting his chest, threw him about ten meters behind and a few more once he hit the ground. He felt how much that had hurt and then got up surprised. When you’re hurt in a dream you wake up, right?

“Most of times, yes,” said the mare that had hit him. Looking up, Daimon saw her already in front of him. Trying to back away, he hit the smaller pony. “But since we’re rulers over the night and dreams, we can keep you under a bit more deeper sleep, so you can enjoy small pleasures, as pain, without waking you up.”

“Likely story…”

“Don’t you believe in us?” Daimon turned to look the cute small pony in surprise. Her horn started to glow in a phantasmagoric blue light and he began floating slightly above the ground. “Should we warn you that, if you happen to die in the dream world, you will never wake up?”

“If I was to die, I would wake up!”

“As with the pain,” said the horse with a sadistic smile. “No. I really don’t believe that you wanna to be proven wrong.”

“Maybe we should punish him in some other form?” the pony asked with a smile.

“Let’s bring them to our world,” suggested the larger mare. “At least until he learns that his feelings shouldn’t be imposed into others.”

“Seems pretty good to me,” was the small pony’s reply. Both horses then began chanting something he didn’t understand and soon a bright light took virtually anything that he could see…

***

The only thing he could remember was that his head hurt like hell. He touched his head and felt his fingers caressing his hair gently. There was no blood and no bumps, so it should be a headache only.

Opening his eyes, he saw he was in a large room, with wooden ceiling. And that was not his room.

Looking around, he saw nobody else. The only things there were medical objects, but they were… different. As if they would be used by something not human, something without hands…

He shook his head and took off his blankets. He was nude, but his clothes were just at his side, already cleaned. Judging by the sun through the window, it was about midday and he hadn’t had his breakfast. Putting his clothes on, he had just finished his pants and was getting his shirt when the door behind him opened.

“Oh… You’re awake now. Feeling any better?” asked a gently female voice behind him.

“Yeah. Where am I?”

“Canterlot’s hospital,” she answered. “You were found by Princess Luna unconscious.”

At that name, his eyebrows raised. Turning around, he saw a yellow unicorn with white mane and tail and a small mallet with a red cross on it. Then his eyes widened a lot and he tripped on his own feet when trying to back away, falling on the ground once again.

“Are you alright?” the pony asked, getting to him.

“Stay away from me, freak!” he menaced, holding his fist closed.

“What?”

Getting up, he quickly looked around and noticing the wooden bed, quickly broke its fancy leg, ready to use it as a crude club, menacing the pony in front of him with that.

“Listen, and listen well!” he called the pony. “You will take me to this Luna person right now!”

Frozen in fear, the pony barely nodded. Daimon then placed the club on his back, held by his belt against his body. It wasn’t comfortable, but at least, it wouldn’t show that much over the clothing. However, to their surprise, he was enveloped into a gently golden glowing magic field and slowly lifted from ground. A blue magic field took his weapon from his back and handed it to a lavender glow, which restored the bed’s leg as if it was new.

A large and tall horse entered, her horn covered in a golden glow and stepped aside, so her followers could enter. She was majestic in her walk and he couldn’t help but notice that she also had a pair of wings a large horn like the mares in his dream. Her completely white fur made her mane and tail looks like the aurora boreal and on her flank was a marking like a small sun. On her head was a golden crown with a few small gems adorning it and around her neck she also had some kind of ornament with a large purple stone on.

The next to enter was another of these winged unicorns. This one, though, didn’t had a crown, was completely covered in lavender fur and her purple hair was cut in half by a pink stripe. On her flank was a big purple star, with smaller stars all around it.

And then his eyes widened again. The next one to enter was exactly the small pony he had seen in his dream! “YOU!” he exclaimed, trying to point at her, but found his arms restrained.

“Are you sure of your researches Twilight?” the one holding him in the air asked while looking at the lavender pony.

“Yeah. The magic flux inside his body is completely different from ponies. If he knows how, he can cast magic by each of those appendages, as if they were a unicorn horn each,” was the answer of the lavender filly.

“So we meet again, don’t we?” the dark blue unicorn said with a smile. Opening her wings and flapping it, she was quickly at his face’s height, holding a large smile. “Good to know you accepted our invitation. Had you made a safe trip?”

“You brought me there! Send me back!” Daimon tried attacking her, uselessly.

“I can’t,” she said with a smile. “Not until you learn a valuable lesson.”

Twilight then turned to the medical pony, “Go. We take care of things here.”

The scared pony nodded and ran outside the room.

“Luna, you shouldn’t talk to him like that. He can be dangerous,” said the voice of the larger mare.

“Come on, ‘Tia. We both know that his world doesn’t know magic. He would have a hell of a time trying to learn it on his own!” Luna answered with a sadistic grin. For the briefest instant, Daimon could see her pupils turn to slit and return to normal.

“I don’t need magic to take you down!” Daimon tried once again break free, without success.

“You should calm down,” the one that he heard being called ‘Tia’ answered. “You still don’t know where you stand with us. Your position is not that much strategic to defy the only ones that could help you.”

“Help me… Help Me…? HELP ME?” he then looked at the mare with the sun mark. “Fuck you! If you wanted to help me, you would send me back to my world!”

“As it was said already, you are here because you need to be taught a very important lesson,” the white mare continued. “You will be learning with my personal protégé about all the characteristics of a true friendship.”

“And if I happen to say ‘no’?” he said and tried to spit at Luna’s face. She, though, only focused her magic on it and threw his own spit at his face.

“It’s so cute how you think you have any say in the matter…” Luna said chuckling, while she slowly returned to the ground and to the other’s side. “Where should we place him, sister?”

“You are taking this rather personal, Luna,” the white princess commented. “What happened?”

“You know how I’m responsible by ponies’ dreams, ‘Tia,” Luna answered. “What I never told you was that sometimes, dreams that are strong enough can reach my consciousness and my curiosity take me to peek at them.

“Last night, I was reached by a very peculiar one. A human boy was having a nightmare about another one attacking him for something he didn’t like,” her grin then widened and she looked deep into his eyes. “He even asked me that I helped this other boy to see his light.”

“What? So other worlds know about us?” Twilight asked.

“This can be a very close coincidence, my dear. Anyway, I am inclined to follow my sister in helping recover this boy. My name is Celestia. And who are you?” Celestia asked looking at the boy.

“Who I am doesn’t concern you!” Daimon answered.

“This is going to be a tough one. Are you sure I can help you, Princess Luna?” Twilight asked.

“If anyone can, that is you, Twilight,” Luna answered with a smile. “And you have the help of Fluttershy.”

“I won’t change who I am just because you want me to!” he said.

Luna looked deep into Daimon’s eyes and, without any of the other Princesses notice, her eyes turned into slits again and she smiled sarcastically. “Then you’re never going home. You’ll be trapped in this girly show forever!” Daimon heard inside his head. His eyes widened when he noticed that maybe they were serious.

Celestia noticed that he wasn’t trying to get free as much and downed her captive slowly. Luna then returned to herself and just smiled. “You seem to have understood that you don’t have that much a choice,” Celestia said gently, and slowly freeing him from her magic field. “You’re going to live in Ponyville with Princess Twilight Sparkle. She and her friends are the ones that will help your change.”

Twilight nodded. “That’s a great idea!”

“And before you think on faking yourself so we will return you home early, remember that we have magic of our own,” Luna said looking him in the eye. “We’ll make sure that you’re true to your word before sending you to your home."

"Twilight, I'll have transportation so you can go to Ponyville as soon as possible and he can start his… exile… can we say it?” Celestia said with a smile. “For now, I guess that Daimon needs something to eat.”

Episode 02: The Exile

Daimon and Twilight were in a train directed to Canterlot. The human sat at the window and watched the scenery roll by. Twilight sat in front of him and seemed quite exited.

“So… Daimon, right?” Twilight started. “What are… well…”

“Listen here, you,” he turned to face the lavender pony in the eye. “I’m not here to enjoy this ride. I’m not a guy of many friends and I like being myself just the way I am. If you dare to change that, I’ll be sure that your horn stays in somewhere else in no time. Got it?”

Taken aback by the sudden assault at her, Twilight opened her wings as if preparing to fly, but haven’t took off. Inside a train’s cart, there’s not much height to help you stop a creature that walk on its hindlegs only to reach you. She managed to get a hold of herself and looked back at him.

“We never asked you to change,” she restarted, now trying to be a bit more careful on hear approach. “We only want you to learn what true friendship is.”

“Friendship… Wanna know what friendship is? It’s only a fancy and beautiful way to say ‘I will support you for the time being so I can have something in return in the long term’,” Daimon said a hit of fury and sadness in his eyes before he broke eye contact and returned his gaze to the scenery.

“And why would you think that?” Twilight asked innocently.

There was a pregnant pause. She even thought that Daimon wasn’t going to answer, but in the end he said, “My mother is an athlete. She competes in different sorts of games and she’s very good in all of them. However, she has a problem. She is a smart woman and all, but she doesn’t learn new things very fast, including the tricks they play on her for her money. No matter how much her supposed friends hurt her, she always forgives them. They got it easy on her for some time and then they restart, so she can forgive them again…” Twilight couldn’t help but notice a tear crossing his face when he said about his mother. “After my father’s death last year, both me and my sister come taking care of her… but my sister is only seven years old! She still believes that, in the end, everything ends in sunshine and rainbows, while I had seen the truth. The world only uses sunshine and rainbows so you look up to see them and that masks the true horrors that exist under them…” he stopped for a bit.

“And don’t come with that shit about your friends being different,” he continued before Twilight could say anything. “That damned blue princess of yours took me away from my mother and my sister… and none of them have really any conditions to look after themselves!” he then turned to Twilight, and she felt that same mix of fury and sadness. “I will make the friends you so much want. I learned to accept the consequences to each of my actions. But doesn’t hope for me to like it or ask for you to send me letters when I’m gone. As far as I know, you’ve kidnapped me and are trying to break my true self for your very selfish reasons.”

Wide eyed, Twilight only saw his gaze return to the rolling scenery and soon her gaze followed. She had planned a lot of sceneries, how to act in each of them, but she never foresaw the possibility that he had hardened himself not for selfishness, but for utter love and protection of those who couldn’t do that by themselves.

Even love can be corrupted, after all… Twilight thought. Seems like that his own virtue is what causes him to not trust anyone. The love, a feeling that born from trust and care, can also lead you to not trust anybody else…

***

“We’re almost at Ponyville,” Twilight warned him. “Just for the sake of introductions, my name is Twilight Sparkle.”

“Daimon Gryffin.”

“What?” Twilight’s left eyebrow lifted a little at the name. “Are you sure? You don’t look like a griffin…”

“It’s Gryffin, with a ‘y’ and not an ‘i’,” he explained. “I had half suspected you would have griffins there. All that magical nonsense…”

“That will case a lot of confusion until everypony get used…”

“Every… pony?” he looked curiously.

“Yes. They won’t understand before--”

“You mean everyone, right?”

Now it was Twilight’s time to get confuse, “Why would I want all the ones when I’m talking about the ponies?”

Daimon placed his hand in his face. This will be a very hard exile… he thought.

“Anyway--”

“Tell me about those friends of yours,” the human cut her again. “If I need to make friends, better that I find some common background with them already.”

“My friends… Hmmm, there is Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie,” Twilight answered him and then quickly added, “Oh, and there’s Spike too!”

“Twilight… I’ll need more than just names if I am to see any common background…” he quietly remembered her. Daimon quickly thought that, if not for his intervention, she could name the whole town.

“Oh right… sorry… Well… Spike is my assistant, almost a son and a brother. We live together since he hatched. For a baby dragon he’s quite smart and has a talent to organizing books and documents.”

“A baby what now?”

“A baby dragon, you know; small, cute, breath fire… bipedal like you…”

Daimon shook his head, thinking: Great… it wasn’t enough to be ponies, but it also had to bring giant chickens and lizards…

“Continuing,” Twilight said. “Applejack. She’s one of the apple family residents on Ponyville and responsible for the Sweet Apple Acres, the farm that produces the best apples of all Equestria! She’s kind, strong, athletic and real honest. Whatever she says to you, you can be sure it’s the biggest truth ever.”

“I doubt that.”

“Well… yeah, she’s not perfect, but she used to represent the Element of Honesty…”

Turning to her, Daimon’s eyes were filled with pure curiosity, “Element of what now?”

“Don’t you know about the Elements of Harmony? The most powerful magical artifacts from…” then Twilight trilled off. “Of course not… You’re not from Equestria after all. There are six Elements known as Elements of Harmony. Each of these is a virtue of Ponykind. The six elements are Honesty, Loyalty, Generosity, Kindness, Laughter and Magic. I used to represent the Element of Magic and each of my friends one of the others. Applejack was the honesty.”

“I see…”

“Then there’s Rainbow Dash, a lover of speed and all kind of adventures. She can’t stay still for long, unless she’s being lazy, of course. Then she’ll do nothing the whole day. She represents the Element of Loyalty, which I guess says tons about her.”

After a small pause to see if he would say anything, she continued.

“Rarity is a wonderful dressmaker. She has a large creativity and really loves her work. A bit too much dramatic some times and others a bit too much worried about her own appearance, but all in all, a very good person and the pony which represented the Element of Generosity.

“Very timid around new people, Fluttershy has a talent to understand and to be understood by animals in ways that no other pony I know can. She’s gently and scares easily, but is a very good pony and represents the Element of Kindness.

“At least, Pinkie Pie. The most random of all ponies you will ever find. She’s always happy and making others happy. Seems to be everywhere at every time and finds pleasure in breaking all known basic laws of the universe. As the bearer of the Element of Laughter, she normally is preparing a party or another for the most random circumstances you can ever dream.”

“So, let see if I got it right…” Daimon called after she finished saying. “A baby dragon that is your assistant, a strong honest farmer, a loyal sloth adventurer, a generous dramatic dressmaker, a kind and timid animal tamer, and a random laughing party-maker? Those are your friends?”

“Well… there’s a few more around Ponyville, but these five are the main ones, I assume.”

“This is going to be great,” Daimon said with a bit of sarcasm, returning his gaze to the passing scenery.

“Doesn’t it?” Twilight, in her happiness, missed the sarcasm on his voice. “And you? What were your friends like?”

“I don’t have friends. Just some followers that are more afraid of me than they actually respect me,” Daimon said without looking at her. “I know that the day I appear to them sick and weak, they will attack me so that I can’t menace them again.”

“Your life must be lonely…”

“I’ve learned to enjoy it that way. It’s quiet and nobody bothers you,” he said.

Twilight gently touched his shoulder with a hoof. Daimon looked at her and saw a gently smile on the mare’s face, “Don’t worry, Daimon. You’ll know true friendship with us.”

***

As they saw the other ponies going their ways, Daimon turned to Twilight. He may not be friendly, but he was raised in a specific way and picked Twilight’s baggage. Twilight, surprised, turned to him.

“You know… You don’t have to do it…” she said.

“My father said that it’s a man’s job to assist women,” Daimon answered. “You may not be a woman, but you’re female still and I kinda feel in need to follow what my father taught me.”

Twilight felt a bit embarrassed but had a smile in her face anyway.

“Just one question, Twilight,” Daimon looked at her curiously. “Where I’m going to sleep?”

“Maybe you could--”

“LOOK OUT!” there was someone yelling, the voice somewhat distorted, probably by extreme speed and when Twilight and Daimon looked in the general direction, they noticed a rainbow streak coming straight at them. Before any of them could react, Daimon left out a loud ‘ufff’ and was flying back inside the train they had barely left, making Twilight’s luggage fall.

With quite a few of curious pony heads looking at him, Daimon himself decided to look at whatever had hit him. On his lap was a cyan pony with mane and tail colored as a rainbow. The pony in his lap shook her head and looked up at him.

“Oops… sorry…” she said somewhat embarrassed. Flapping her wings, the pony was just flying above him by now and extended a hoof at him. “There… let me help you.”

Mostly ignoring the hoof, Daimon placed his hands on the ground and got up. Accepting the hoof then, he shook it gently, “Don’t worry. I already took things worse than a headbutt to my belly. Am I right to assume you’re Rainbow Dash?”

“Oh, so my name is starting to spread through Equestria?”

“Err… not quite,” Daimon answered. “Twilight told me about you and a rainbow streak coming straight at me as fast as a train… well… Put two and two together…”

Rainbow Dahs got a bit more embarrassed at that. Only then he seemed to notice that it was not a pony she was talking to, “You’re… not from Equestria, are you?”

Daimon just shook his head, “I came from a bit further from the farthest place from your world.”

“Dash! Daimon! Are you two alright?” Twilight asked making her way back into the train.

“Yeah, we’re alright,” Daimon answered as they slowly walked outside, with Rainbow Dash flying behind them.

“Dash! You could have hurt somepony!” Twilight said at the light blue pegasus. Daimon registered the word. Somepony to someone, as everypony to everyone… he thought. Probably there are things like anypony and nopony as well…

“Well… I was trying to make a ground-side version of a Sonic Rainboom, so I got the Crusaders to help me get this high speed rotation and…”

After a small pause, Daimon looked at her, “And you decided to release your grip and be shot at three hundred kilometers per hour and straight in my belly.”

“All the hitting you thing was an accident actually, but… yeah… That’s what happened,” Rainbow Dash admitted.

With Twilight walking forward and opening their way, Rainbow Dash and Daimon looked at each other.

“May I know what are you?” Dash asked.

“I’m a human, my name is Daimon.”

“Daimon eh? You seem pretty tough,” the mare flying at his side noticed. “Probably as strong as Big Mac, don’t you think Twilight?”

Daimon just shook his head, “Yeah, I am quite tough. Had to be, after all,” Daimon said. “I’m just the usual troublemaker. The evil tough guy that uses his strength to make life of others as bad as his own…”

“That’s not a good thing, friend,” said another mare, this one bringing behind her a chart full with bright red apples. She was an orange pony with blond mane and tail both tied in… ponytails… and a cowboy hat on her head. Daimon closed his eyes. Yeah, this place would be lots of fun.

“Take it easy on him AJ!” Rainbow Dash called. “I’ve almost took the poor guy to hospital already. And he seems to know Twilight somehow!”

“Oh, so he’s that princess subject you had to go for?” the orange pony looked at Twilight.

“Yes. This is--”

“HI!” Daimon’s eyes widened and he couldn’t help but to fall down on his butt after that pink blur came out of nowhere from bellow him as if to hug him.

Looking at the newcomer from the ground, she now was back at her four hooves and looking at him expectantly, he noticed that this was a pink-on-pink pony with rather puffy mane and tail. She had a smile in her face that he usually called annoying, and this time was no different.

“Pinkie!” Twilight called the pink streak pony.

“What? I’m just saying ‘hi’! You know, it’s polite to answer back when somepony say ‘hi’ to you!” and then she looked back at him.

Deciding not to try and get any worse on any of the mare’s friends, he got up and said, “Hi. I guess you’re Pinkie Pie then…”

“Wow… He’s good…” Pinkie Pie said.

“Actually, I told him about all of you…” Twilight said. “Well, we’re heading to library now. If you go fetch Rarity and Fluttershy, we could introduce everyone to him at once.”

“On my way!” Rainbow Dash said and zoomed out.

“I’m going to Rarity!” and the pink pony went bouncing on all four legs in another direction, letting Daimon to wonder how that was ever possible.

“Ah have a few more business around there, Twi. But as soon as Ah’m free, Ah join ya,” the pony, which accent Daimon placed as the equivalent of southern American accent, not quite able to pinpoint a more exactly location though, answered.

“That’s okay, Applejack. See you soon.” Twilight said and resumed her walk to where Daimon assumed was the library.

“And may I know why we’re going to a library?” he asked.

“Because I live there, of course,” Twilight answered. “I’ll have to fetch for the extra mattress, though. It has been only spike and me there for so long…”

Daimon’s eyebrow lifted a bit, “You live in a library?”

“Yes, I do.”

The best exile ever, Daimon thought sarcastically. At least I will not have to walk too much when I learn about this world…

Then, on his walking and thinking, Daimon accidentally bumped into a unicorn mare, dropping a few scrolls and books she was bringing in a levitation magic field.

“Sorry, I was--”

“Oh! Sorry… I did--”

Their eyes met and they looked deep into each other’s for quite some time, before he broke eye contact and reached for the scrolls and books. Offering them back to her, which quickly lifted them, he gave a gently nod.

“Thank you,” the bright white, lightly yellow, unicorn mare with white slightly curly long white mane and tail left.

“Who’s she?” Daimon asked. “Not one of your friends?”

“Not actually,” Twilight answered. “She’s Romantic Lily, author of a moderate fame, known for some very lovely romance books. Besides, some say that something is blocking her creativity and she has problems writing recently.”

“And where’s her husband to help her?”

“As far as I know, she’s single,” Daimon looked at Twilight. “A few of her fans believe that this is her block. How can you possible write about romance when you don’t live one?”

Daimon nodded. It was like teaching how to fight without ever facing a fight before. There’s something on the practice that is a lot different from the theories and makes such a large difference in the final result.

“May I know why the interest?” Twilight asked.

“What? I have no interest on ponies at all. I’m just a bit curious,” was Daimon’s answer.

“Okay.”

They then resumed their interrupted walk to the library.

***

“No way!” Daimon said upon understanding that they were heading straight into the biggest tree in the whole town.

“Yes way. That tree is Ponyville’s Golden Oak Library,” Twilight answered as they approached.

Getting closer, Daimon could point windows and doors, as well as a balcony high into the tree. A whole library with a house attached to inside a big damn tree? It could only be a joke!

Daimon saw the door opening before he even managed to reach close to it and a small purple reptile creature with green spikes along its back exit and then rush to somewhere else, not paying them much attention. Twilight looked at that a bit surprised.

“Strange… Spike isn’t normally like that…”

“Oh… so that’s a dragon… I thought they would be a bit more… you know… dangerous looking and all…” Daimon commented.

Twilight only shot him a glance. “Spike is only a baby dragon, Daimon,” she started. “Once, he had grown a lot in so little time and let me say to you that he was very scary. Don’t ask to see an adult, or even a teen dragon. That could be the last thing you will do.”

Not quite trusting in Twilight, Daimon just decided play silent and follow her to the library. There he saw the amount of books properly placed in their shelves, ordered very carefully. Taking some time to look around, he just noticed another couple doors and a stair. If this was a house, probably there was a kitchen and a bathroom somewhere and, of course, a room.

“A bit bigger than I thought it would be inside a tree, actually,” Daimon commented.

“This library has a nice collection of books as well,” Twilight commented with a hint of pride in her voice.

“If you say so…” he said, looking around and quickly finding a book with tittle ‘Equestria’ in large golden and well-drawn letters, well curved. He then gently pointed at the book.

“This is The History of Equestria. This book brings all the most important moments of Equestria’s story, since its foundation,” Twilight said. “Go ahead, you’re welcome.”

Taking the book from the shelf, Daimon noticed that on its cover was a map of Equestria, on the left upper corner a sun and on the right a crescent moon. Opening the book, he saw the title ‘The History of Equestria’ in very big bold golden letters and the face of Celestia above and Luna under it.

Before he could be immersed in his reading though, the door opened again. Spike was entering, panting a little after what appeared to be a sprint.

“Twilight… Why haven’t you called me when I passed?” he asked.

“Sorry, Spike. But it seemed something important that you were going to,” Twilight answered.

“I was going to see what has happened to Rainbow Dash after Sweetie Belle and the others had tried to help her with some kind of new stunt and…” Spike then noticed the strange creature reading a book, sat at a corner. “And what is that?”

“We’re waiting the others for a single introduction,” Daimon said, not taking the eye from the book. “Can you wait for your friends?”

“For a quick short version, his name is Daimon and is here to learn about friendship,” Twilight said.

“An’ with that talk about bein’ the evil guy he’s not quite reachin’ his goal.” Applejack’s voice came from the door. She was then quickly followed by other four ponies, two of them being Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie, the other two were a rather timid yellow pegasus with pink mane and tail and the other a white unicorn with long purple mane and tail.

“I never said I was,” Daimon said, closing the book he had barely finished the first page and placing it over the table. “That’s how I can be seen some times. My name is Daimon Gryffin.”

“Griffin? You’re not a griffin silly!” Pinkie Pie said. “Griffins have feathers beaks and talons! Besides you too have talons…”

“I prefer fingers, thank you. But no, I’m not a griffin, I am a human and my family’s name is Gryffin, with ‘y’ instead of ‘i’.”

There was a rather chorus for understanding.

“Well, Mister Gryffin,” the white unicorn said in a mostly gently voice. “I am--”

“Oh! No!” Pinkie Pie cut Rarity but jumping in front of her “Let’s see if he can say your name!”

Rolling his eyes, Daimon quickly pointed at the white unicorn. “The unicorn is Rarity and the pegasus is Fluttershy. The others we already met on my way there.”

“Told ya! He’s good!” Daimon just shook his head.

“So, Mister Gryffin, why would some people call you evil then?” Rarity continued from where she was interrupted.

“Because, for some personal reasons I’m not about to discuss right now, I had to put a hard face during my life,” Daimon answered. “I’m not a person of many friends and it’s not easy for me to place trust in anyone. I created a persona of a troublemaker guy at school so people won’t bother me at all and so I can scare those that keep insisting in using my family in a way or another. If you asked my sister, she would certainly say I’m something like a hero or the like.”

The mares looked from one another. “But why would you need to do som--”

“SHHH! Fluttershy!” Pinkie Pie cut the timid pony. “He said he wasn’t going to talk about these personal matters!”

“I don’t know why yet, but Daimon had opened up to me a bit during the train trip,” Twilight said. “I will not say what he told me, but I can assure you that, if what he told me is true, he has a very good reason.”

“If what you told me before is any truth, you could always cast a spell of truth or something like that…” Daimon suggested.

“You’re right, I could. But I learned that it’s not just because I could do something that I should do that,” Twilight answered. “We’re trying to show you what true friendship is, and that starts with trusting.”

“Yeah!” Rainbow Dash said with a large smile. “If it was not for my friends, I wouldn’t be able to do a Sonic Rainboom as easy as I can nowadays! Friends are ponies you can support yourself when you’re feeling down!”

“Or that ya could expect help even if ya haven’t asked for…” Applejack said with a smile as well.

“They even can sacrifice the opportunity of something they would really love to do to help you!” Rarity continued.

“And remember that friends can also give you a confidence you don’t normally find in yourself,” Fluttershy said from behind Applejack.

“Also, parties are always better when you have friends!” Pinkie Pie grinned and hugged all the five mares in front of her. “Because without friends, you won’t have anyone to laugh, hug or have fun with!”

“I’m sorry to break your illusions of friendship, but I’m not falling for any of this,” Daimon said. “When you trust anyone, you create an opening to be stabbed by your back. Having others as support can have you falling when you need them the most. Expecting help of others instead of being able to do it yourself can grant your ultimate fail in whatever you’re doing. If they have to sacrifice anything for you, they will eventually demand something back. If you don’t have confidence in yourself, work yourself until you are confident. And having someone to hug, laugh or have fun with can lead you to putting masks so they can laugh and have a good time.”

Noticing their saddened faces, Daimon sat back at his corner and took his book, opening it again, “I’m not saying that you’re wrong. What I’m saying is that it doesn’t quite work this way where I come from. There is the law of the stronger; the one able to impose more fear and respect is the one who dictates the rules. People most of times doesn’t work as a group, but as a reunion of individuals. And as far as I know, there’s no changing that.”

Daimon never noticed the mares and the little dragon leaving the library as he resumed his reading.

***

“I guess we all agree that this will be a hard case?” Twilight asked as all the other five mares and spike nodded.

“But at least he’s honest,” Applejack commented. “He said how he see things, and never assumed it was always like it.”

“We’ll have a big task ahead of us then,” Fluttershy said.

“I’ll try talking to him later. From cool pegasus to cool human, our coolness can see about start breaking his shell!” Rainbow Dash said sure of her plan.

“OR I could throw a ‘welcome to Ponyville’ party mixed with a ‘don’t feel so grumpy’ party! And maybe even a ‘try making new friends’ party!” Pinkie Pie offered.

“Not that they are bad ideas, darling,” Rarity said looking at Pinkie Pie. “You know how much all of us enjoy your parties. But maybe we could try something that he likes first.”

“He did say he was a tough guy…” Rainbow Dash said and then an idea hit her and she grinned. “Why don’t call him and Big Mac to see who is the toughest of them? At one side an earth pony that worked on fields all his life, and at other a human that says he had to be the toughest and scariest figure he could!”

“And with that maybe they can break the ice!” Twilight said with a large smile. “Applejack! See if you can have Big Mac helps us with this!”

“No problem, Twi!” Applejack said with a large smile.

“And for the winner a ‘you’re the toughest of Ponyville’ party!” Pinkie pie said and just disappeared from view.

The others laughed at that. “It’s settled then,” Twilight said with a smile. “Let’s just hope that everything runs fine.”

Episode 03: The Challenge

“No. I won’t do anything like that,” Daimon sad as Twilight told him about the challenge.

“What? Why not?” Twilight asked surprised. “I thought you were the toughest human of your school!”

“Yes, I am,” Daimon agreed. “However, I’m not at my school right now, am I? And by the way, he is a horse, and one that spent his whole life working on field! I’m not about to try defying him at all! He’ll just trash me!”

“Ah, come on! That’s just the time for you to be not only the toughest of your school!” Rainbow Dash said looking at Daimon. “You could be the toughest human of all Ponyville!”

“I just don’t care about it!” Daimon shot back. “I’m just here for some punishment because some girly boy cursed me. And as soon as you think my punishment is done, I’m going home!”

“What? I thought you were cool!” Rainbow Dash looked at him somewhat furious.

“That’s a matter of view point, I guess,” Daimon turned his face from them and returned to his book.

Looking at him, Twilight had an idea. She enveloped the book on her levitation field, closed it and lifted the book from his hand, returning it to its proper shelf. Daimon looked at her.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

“It’s supposed to be a punishment, right?” Twilight asked back. “So you won’t be doing anything you like when there’s something to learn about friendship.”

“And how a challenge like this can teach me anything about friendship?” Daimon looked at Rainbow Dash and back at Twilight.

“Easy!” the cyan pegasus said with a large smile in her face. “The rivalry of competitions can create valuable friends! I have a few friends back at Cloudsdale that once upon a time were rivals!” then Rainbow Dash chuckled. “And some of them still are my friends and my rivals!”

Daimon let out a sigh. “There’s no way I’m talking myself out of this, there is?” he asked looking at the duo. They only shook their heads though. “Fine. Whatever.”

***

Twilight had dug out, after some hard time cursing, a spare mattress from the basement. Handing him the bedding that he could use, she helped him upstairs where they could sleep. The night had come sooner than they thought, and the next day promised to be rather exhaustive, at least for Daimon.

“There. Place your mattress somewhere,” Twilight said as she took Spike’s basket and placed it closer to her bed.

“Are we going to sleep in the same room?” Daimon looked somewhat puzzled.

“Do you have any problem with that?” Twilight asked. “It’s either there or downstairs at the lobby.”

“It’s just a bit surprising that you are inviting me to share a room,” I looked at her. “Not that anything would happen, but its tradition…”

“Don’t worry. Spike will keep an eye out for you,” she said with a smile.

As he prepared his bed, Daimon couldn’t help but to think there was actually a joke out there, somewhere. After his bed ready, the human just went to bathroom to take a quick bath before sleeping and then, remembered he had no clean clothes at all. Returning with his clothes wrapped to the room, with only his underwear on, Daimon commented that to Twilight.

“Well… If you haven’t noticed, most ponies walk around nude,” was her answer.

“It’s a human thing you know?” Daimon answered back, getting under his blanket. “First, we don’t quite have a fur coat to hide our skin from the cold and such. Second, our… parts, get all upfront. Everyone… I mean… everypony can see it.”

“You, humans, are so strange…” Twilight chuckled.

“Funny… I was about to say the same…” Daimon answered. Then they decided to just shut up and get some sleep. Daimon would need all his energy the following day.

***

After a breakfast, Daimon prepared himself mentally for the tests the following day. As Twilight kept telling him, ponies and humans had about the same size, so their muscles should be equally strong.

Daimon, though, knew that wasn’t quite true. Equine musculature is denser and, because of that, stronger than human. He was going to be totally pounded.

However, he had a surprise when he saw who was going to be his challenger. There was the blond orange mare with the cowboy hat, smiling at him, with forelegs crossed.

“Hey there, big boy!” she called upon seeing him. “I had a talk with muh brother. He seems to agree that it would not be fair with ya, so Ah decided to challenge ya muhself!”

Daimon looked around. There was quite an amount of ponies waiting to watch the challenge. He then focused on Applejack, “So how are we going to do it?”

“A better o’ three. Ya pick a challenge, Ah pick one and Twi pick the last. The one that win two is the winner,” Applejack offered.

“I agree with some rules,” Daimon said. “First rule is not a pony or human-only challenge, as for example a singing egg-run or things like that. I know that would be kinda impossible for you to sing and held a spoon with an egg in your mouth at same time.”

Applejack nodded, “You’re being fair, pardner! I like that!”

“Second rule: let’s try making something productive. Not strength or endurance only tests. Make something worth doing and that both has chances to put skills on the test,” there was another nod from the orange pony. “Is that fine for you Jack?”

“Let’s get this show on the road!” Applejack said with a large smile.

“Ladies first, choose your destiny,” Daimon said with a challenging smile.

“What about a little horseshoes game first?” Applejack called.

“Oh man… he’s getting trashed!” Rainbow Dash commented from somewhere above them.

“Bring it on!” Daimon said nonetheless.

After preparations ready, they were set a certain distance from the stake and each were given five horseshoes. Applejack went first, missing by little the first shot. Daimon doesn’t do much better though, also missing the first. Applejack’s next shot though hits the stake, but the horseshoe doesn’t quite stay on it.

“Aw… Horseapples…” she cursed.

Daimon just shook his head, taking aim and shooting his horseshoe. It land around the stake, earning him his first point in the game. Applejack then hits the stake dead-on with the next shot of hers. Daimon misses his third shot by very little, so they keep tied at one point each.

On the next shot, Applejack scores another point and all the ponies began to clap their hooves. Daimon giggled and shot his best. Two points for the mare, one for Daimon, though.

Daimon’s only chance was Applejack missing the next shot. If not, there was no way he could reach her. She prepared herself, took aim and lanced the horseshoe. Spinning it went and hit the stake, spinning one time. All eyes were upon it now. A second turn around the stake and most ponies were approaching. After the third spin, though, the iron horseshoe hit the others and stood. Everypony cheered and clapped hooves at that.

Daimon shook his head, but kept a smile. “So you have dexterity and aim,” he said. “And probably strength too and I’m not about taking you in a race. At least not in a clean track,” he said with a challenging smile. “Hey ponies! Help us producing a nice track with obstacles! That’s the challenge two!” Daimon claimed as the ponies ran towards somewhere to prepare the track.

Applejack approached him. “A race with obstacles? Are ya sure?”

“There’s more than plain speed in an obstacle course. Even more when it’s the first time you’re running. And I’m quite skilled at doing these kinds of runs.”

Applejack chuckled at that. “So ya will fight muh skill at last challenge with one ya had skills?”

“The best course of action,” he said with a smile. “Also, asking ponies to make a track, I assure you that a pony can do this.”

She just nodded and sat there while the track was prepared. It took a while, and then Twilight came to fetch them when the track was done.

“It’s pretty simple,” Twilight said with a smile. “Pinkie Pie marked the checkpoints with candy canes. Every candy cane is at sight line with the next. The start line has also two candy canes, so you will have to pick the first there, hold it until the next and give to the pony on the next check point, grab the next candy cane and so on. There is a total of two checkpoints plus the finish line. The first to get to the finish line and finish off his candy cane wins. Any question?”

“That’s a typical Pinkie Pie idea!” Applejack said with a smile.

They were placed at the start line and could see it wasn’t going to be easy. There was all kind of challenges, as things to crawl under or to pass over. Some had a proper way to pass as an additional challenge. And all this only to the first checkpoint!

“There are still chances for you to back off,” Daimon offered.

“In ya dreams! Give ya best shot!”

Both of them got ready. “The start will be given by Pinkie Pie’s party cannon,” Twilight said. “Ready! Set!” there was a loud sound of something exploding and lots of confetti started raining. “GO!”

And the two, pony and human, got their first candy cane and were off.

The first challenge was a wagon placed with crates upon it so only crawl would let you pass. Until there, though, Applejack got a nice lead. However, she slowed down to crawl under. Daimon though, just closed his eyes, braced himself and threw him sideway under the cart, rolling and, in the process, getting the lead. The ponies got crazy with that! He wasn’t done yet. Now was a rope-web he had to climb up and down and surely his lead would be reduced in there. He had an advantage, though: he had hands, so he could jump and grab the ropes. Then, placing himself in a position he could climb easier, he looked at Applejack. She was already getting close at him. Climbing as fast as he could, Daimon noticed that the orange mare was very good at climbing and was reaching him. He would have an edge on the changing of sides.

Or so he thought. When he was half way down, Applejack reached the top and just jumped down. Daimon cursed a bit and also jumped and resumed his running. The next challenge was another wagon. This time it was to be climbed as a rule and Applejack was half way through it when Daimon managed to reach. He, though, had advantage there, jumping and using his hands to climb to the next crate up and then to the next, mostly ignoring the middle boxes that Applejack had to use for step for the next level and was even easier to get down than for the pony.

Behind the boxes was the first checkpoint. At Daimon’s side was a cute white unicorn filly, rather like Rarity, only with dual colored mane. He handed her the candy cane, grabbed the next one and rushed to the next checkpoint. The first challenge after the checkpoint was to move a rather heavy chart to one specified side, not to get in the middle of the other’s way. The charts were named, so you should move yours only.

Daimon placed both hands on his cart and positioned his feet so they wouldn’t slip and pushed as strong as he could. It wasn’t all that heavy, but was a challenge after all. He managed to finish that a bit earlier than Applejack and still held the lead. However, there was a small part only for running, where the pony gained vantage. Both looked to each other and gave a smile. They were really enjoying this!

This one was a rather strange challenge and Daimon had to grin. If a pony set it up, a pony could do it. A medium sized pole had been covered in oil and had the next candy cane on its top. Looking to both sides, he saw another filly there, one orange pegasus with pink hair, that was rather eager to receive her candy cane. Giving the candy to the pegasus, Daimon took off his shirt and wrapped it around his neck with its sleeves, jumped and hugged the pole, using all his might to get up. He also noticed that Applejack was having the same problems.

Eventually they reached the top and managed to get the candy canes and, from up there, saw the finish line. Placing his candy cane on his mouth, Daimon began to slide down the pole and turned the corner to rush towards the finish line. Then he saw the next quick succession of small obstacles: a few crates to jump over, followed by a cart to crawl under and, of course, the candy cane itself to finish.

Daimon jumped and rolled over the crates, while Applejack just jumped above them. He then jumped and rolled under the cart, noticing that the pony had learned with him that trick, and quickly got up to rush at the end line, still with the candy cane in his mouth, already sucking at it to finish a bit faster.

Stopping at the finish line, both he and Applejack almost at same time started to suck the candy cane, trying to finish the sweet candy as soon as possible. Daimon was using his teeth to take small pieces of the candy while still sucking on it, making softer and easier to swallow. He ended up winning that competition for little more than half a minute and all the ponies cheered at how that human had managed to keep up with Applejack, and getting the lead more often than not.

Both exhausted, they just laid down and panting hard. Twilight, though, chuckled. “Well, last challenge will be restoring strength and replaying the route back to the start, the pole included,” Twilight said with a smile. “If both of you are that tough, you must restore your strength as soon as possible!”

Daimon and Applejack at first laughed at the very silly idea, but then began taking deep breaths, trying to restore their strength quickly. Daimon, though, surprised everyone by getting up a lot sooner than Applejack and rushing back the track. The pony decided to follow him and quickly got up as well.

Rolling down, getting up and rolling over the crates, Daimon quickly took off his shirt, already throwing it around the pole. Most of the oil they had taken off on their way up so with his shirt acting as a support, he reached the top rather easy, while the late-start pony still had a bit of work getting up. The sprint was Applejack’s chance to make up some of the distance, but all she managed to do was recover the time he gained with his stunt at the pole.

Pulling his cart back, though, proved to be a rather hard task for Daimon. Applejack approached dangerously close while he did so. Soon, though he was running again and before he knew it, he was climbing the boxes and the cart back. Going down was the tricky part: neither of them could easily jump out that height safely. Next was the rope climbing, which he jumped as high as he could and quickly made his way to the top. Panting heavily, he knew that Applejack wasn’t going to let him get over easily, so he got down a few steps and jumped out, placing his hands on the ground before resuming his sprint. Applejack was almost at his side by now.

It was the last challenge now, a cart to crawl under and a small sprint. Jumping and rolling under it, Daimon got up as quickly as he could and ran. Not losing his focus from the finish line, Daimon ran to it as fast as he could and only allowed himself fall to the ground, after crossing it.

Panting really hard, his lungs burning, and his legs not answering him at all, not counting the bruises for throwing himself at the ground so many times, he was recovering his strengths now.

“You’re… very tough… pardner…” Daimon heard Applejack’s voice.

He managed to turn his tired head and look at the mare with a large smile in his face. “You’re… not so… bad… after all…” he answered.

“WOW! This was an awesome race!” Rainbow Dash said flying above them. “I couldn’t even see who had won!”

“But I have!” Pinkie Pie said with a smile.

“That’s not actually the point, Pinkie.” Twilight said with a smile. “This challenge wasn’t to see who returned first. It was to see who recovered enough strength to do it all again first. Daimon won for getting up sooner than Applejack.”

“Aw… Horseapples…” Applejack said, trying to laugh while panting.

All that Daimon managed to do was to close his fist into a thumb up and open a wide smile while panting. “In your face…” was all he managed to say for quite a while.

***

To gather all ponies of Ponyville to a party, Pinkie Pie had asked for the Apples’ Barn. However, Twilight agreed that Daimon had more pressing problems.

After heading home and taking a bath, Twilight took the human to the Carousel Boutique. Rarity already warned about their visit was expecting them with the lunch ready.

“You sure are a tough pony… I mean, human, Daimon…” Rarity said while they ate. “Trust me, it’s very hard to keep up with Applejack, let alone win!”

“It has been a long time that I don’t do this just for the fun of it…” Daimon said with a large smile. “I had forgotten how much fun I used to have before, when I did this for the fun of it.”

“There in Ponyville, though, you will understand that we only wish the best for you, Daimon,” Twilight said. “Oh… And I sent a letter to Princess Celestia about your family. She told me that someone is taking care of them for you.”

“How are you sure of that?” he asked.

“She hasn’t brought the details up. You have two options to confirm it though,” Twilight said. “The first is writing to Princess Celestia yourself. Maybe for you she’s willing to answer. The second is getting to Canterlot and ask her in person.”

“Let’s try the letter first,” he said. “It was very good, Rarity. I’m afraid, though, that as a human I will need more than just vegetables and fruits.”

“Oh… I see…” Rarity said. “Well… there are a few griffin merchants and griffins need meat as well, so… You may get it from them.”

“Good to know. I will go find some myself and then find a way to raise some money,” Daimon nodded.

“While you don’t find a proper job, you can go making odd jobs around the town,” Twilight asked. “There are jobs that can only be done by unicorns because of our telekinesis. But Ponyville is mostly composed by earth ponies, so that help would be welcome.”

“I will consider it, Twilight. Thank you.”

“Now, Rarity, the reason for me calling you,” Twilight said looking at her pony friend. “Daimon needs some clothes more than the one he was wearing at the race.”

“Making clothes for humans? Hmmm… that would be a challenge,” Rarity said. “Well, if you need it, we should get started. We don’t want you getting to the party Pinkie Pie is preparing with this same clothing, right?”

Daimon only nodded. “However, I would like something simpler,” he warned. “I’m not one to enjoy calling too much attention.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Rarity said. “If you will come with me, I had to take some measures. And I would also like to have a look at your clothing, so I can see better how they are done to have a proper general idea.”

“Okay.”

After a reasonable time taking measurements, Rarity declared done. She made a few questions like tight or loose, and plain or many details. Then, Daimon helped Rarity with a few templates of both sleeved and sleeveless shirts, shorts and pants and some underwear as well. Then he had to explain why the underwear for Twilight.

His answer was simple enough, “I don’t know what purpose is the underwear. However, every human wears, so there must be a meaning behind it.”

Twilight insisted that he should think on the reason, but after the fourth time or so he answered ‘I don’t know’, she let it slip.

Daimon didn’t have to wait much for his first set of new clothes. Plain simple, Rarity offered them so he could prove. A simple plain moss green sleeved shirt and long light gray pants made a nice visual. After working a bit on his hair, and repeatedly dismissing Rarity’s help with that, Daimon made an appearance. His short black hair was now laid backwards with a few nice strands falling over his face. Rarity suppressed a wish to whistle at the bad boy face Daimon now had. Not menacing, not intimidating, but inexplicable attractive.

“Wow… such a difference view…” Twilight commented with a smile.

“This is just the typical me in fact,” Daimon said with a smile. He knew very well the effect it had on the girls and supposed it wasn’t that different from the mares.

“You’re going to turn a few heads at the party, that’s for sure!” Rarity commented. Then she whispered to Twilight, “Too bad he’s not a stallion though…”

Not wanting to embarrass his hostess with any comment, Daimon just registered that whisper and held a grin. “So, shall we go? If I remember right, the farm isn’t that close to Ponyville,” Daimon commented instead. “The party is to celebrate my victory, so I don’t want to seem like I put a tough face and show them I’m a lazy.”

The two mares nodded at him and they headed to Sweet Apple Acres.

Episode 04: The Forest

Daimon had never seen such a party in all his life. Many ponies were celebrating and having fun with each other. So different from the parties he had been where small groups would form, normally only visited by other people which knew one or another person for a few minutes.

This seemed to be one only large group where everypony had a nice time with everypony and not even with Daimon being human he was seen differently. As his first proof of such a thing, Applejack herself had called him to make a small speech in front of everypony else.

Not knowing what to say, Daimon just mumbled about being lucky that his exile could be far worse and that he was really enjoying being there among these ponies. After noticing he was getting uncomfortable, though, Pinkie Pie called that speech to an end and took Daimon mostly against his will to dance.

There were a few laughs as the human tried his best to emulate the pony’s style of dancing, but then Daimon thought better and improvised a bit of human style dancing. The laughs he received where soon exchanged by excited ponies cheering.

Daimon then decided to take a break. With a large smile, he decided to have some pouch and generally enjoy the atmosphere. Not that he had always been a good dancer, but when you’re the only human around, you tend to be the best.

Rainbow Dash was the first to approach him; Daimon noticed that she had been drinking. “So, Daimon, enjoying the party?” she asked.

“I can’t say I ever went to a party this lively, actually,” he answered sincerely, both having a little trouble to be heard over the music. “Nice music rolling! Who’s the DJ?” he asked, almost sure that his answer would be a question about what is a DJ.

“The DJ, of course!” Rainbow Dash answered. “DJ Pon3 is the best of all the Equestria!”

“Wow… never thought that the ponies would have this nice music…”

“Good parties need good music, duh!” Pinkie Pie said, coming out of nowhere with a pouch jar to exchange by the now empty one at the table. “Can’t have a party where everypony will be bored with a boring song, ‘cause if they get bored they won’t enjoy the party and then they will be unhappy and I can’t see my friends unhappy!”

“I… see…” Daimon said, besides in truth he got lost somewhere in the explanation.

Pinkie Pie smiles and suddenly opens her eyes. “Sorry! Gotta go! Itching left hind hoof means muffins needs to be replaced!” and just like she appeared, the pink pony left.

“What… was that?”

Rainbow Dash just laughed. “There’s no need to worry… nopony knows how she does that, but Pinkie Pie has a ‘Pinkie Sense’. She can foresee some… random things about the future. We learned to trust those senses without really asking why,” she said.

“You mean…”

“That if you managed to follow her, she would find a table that needed more muffins,” the cyan pegasus smiled.

Daimon looked around the party. Each pony was completely different from the other, so it looked like a rather broken twisting kaleidoscope, plenty of colors dancing in front of his eyes in different directions.

When he was about to say something else to Rainbow Dash, he saw the pegasus flying over the crowd. He just shook his head. Still staying by the pouch side, serving his glass twice more, Daimon was soon approached by a unicorn female.

“Would you be kind?” she asked.

He just nodded and served some pouch to the unicorn. Only then he noticed she had a white coat slightly mixed with a very faint shade of yellow all over her body and pure white mane and tail, both slightly curly. Besides her fancy dress and a headband with a small red feather with golden tip, he quickly recognized her.

“Romantic Lily, I guess?” he said with a smile.

She only nodded and gave him a smile. “Sorry for bumping into you yesterday,” she started. “I was kinda… distracted. My books are quite a bit behind schedule and I don’t quite seem able to think in a proper way to continue the series…”

“You should try to relax a little,” Daimon suggested. “You choose your career as writer because you love it, right?” at her nod, he continued, “But you’re nowadays treating it as a work, as a job?” again, Romantic Lily nodded.

“That’s why you lost inspiration then,” Daimon said with a smile. “You lost that magic that suddenly attracted you to writing. Back at where I came from, there was a saying: choose a career that you really love and you won’t have to work a single day of your life, or other words for that effect.”

Romantic Lily thought about it for a while, “Maybe you’re right…” she allowed. “I will try relaxing a little and not working. But you never struck me as the kind to give advices…”

“Because I’m not,” Daimon answered. “However, in order to return home, I have to fulfill some tasks, let’s say. I’m just trying to do that.” Looking at Romantic Lily, he quickly downed his head, “Sorry for saying it that way. I sounded rather selfish, didn’t I?”

“Well… a bit actually,” Romantic Lily answered. “However, you’re trying to return to your home. I guess I would be a bit selfish myself and maybe even a bit rude…”

Daimon shook his head. “Why don’t you play with that idea in your next book?” he suggests. “A pony that was took away from his original home and need to learn something totally new to get back?”

“It would be nice; however, my story doesn’t quite have that flexibility…”

“Maybe you should start writing a new story just to set your mind at easy, as a small side story to explain something from yours or just to take your focus from your work? It could even be a story just for yourself and close friends, just so you can allow your mind breath a bit of pure air?”

“I will think about it,” Romantic Lily nodded with a sincere smile. “And talking about pure air, I’m going to have some. See ya.”

Daimon nodded as he saw the unicorn slowly walk away. Only then he noticed that he had a nice chat with somepony that not even knew his name and, for her, that seemed to not matter at all.

The party continued like that for a lot longer. Daimon would often join somepony in a nice talk and share some stories, opinions and laughs. And that went on until, even over the loud music, everypony could hear a loud howl.

“A timber wolf?” Daimon heard somepony comment. “This was pretty close to the barn… What are it doing there?”

“Do not panic, my little ponies!” Daimon heard the voice from up and looked to see Twilight hovering above everypony. She was rather majestic in that position, he had to admit and remind himself that she was a Princess. “The timber wolf or wolves won’t enter this barn. There’s nothing for you to fear.”

Daimon, though, quickly remembered something and started looking around. Taking an advantage point to better see over the crowd of ponies, he quickly decided it would be impossible for him to single out one pony alone, so he started making questions.

After the tenth time he received the same answer, though, he got worried. But also it wasn’t in his nature to ask for help or to give any reason others should give it to him. Daimon just got to one of the stable windows and discretely as possible jumped through one of them.

Now outside of the barn came the hardest part, find track of the pony he was trying to find. From the barn’s door, he noticed couple sets hoofprints leaving. One was heading towards Ponyville, the other, though, was going deeper into the farm. And that he followed.

Suddenly, the hoofprints that were slowly walking turned to a side and become sparser. A bit ahead of the further change, he saw the reason, big canine-shaped pawprints. He shook his head, turned and ran towards the direction where now was a set of hooves and another of paws heading to.

Even at the dim light, he managed to see a small feather among the bushes at edge of what looked like a dense forest. Picking the golden-tipped red feather, he was to place it on his pocket, but remembered that Rarity didn’t know what those were for and never put one. Placing the feather between the pants and his skin so it wouldn’t fall, He kept running.

Inside the forest, while focusing his eyes to keep focus of the prints he was following, Daimon grabbed a large and sturdy wooden branch that worse came to worst, he could use as a crude club.

“I don’t know what are you doing, but back is where you should be going,” Daimon heard a voice say from somewhere of the forest. Raising his weapon to defend himself, he looked to the voice’s source and saw another pony, besides one rather different, like a zebra in truth. Basically a white body covered in stripes with a tribal sun on her flank and lots of golden rings on her right foreleg and along her neck. Daimon also noticed a pair of rather heavy-looking earrings on each of the zebra’s ears.

“Sorry, but that won’t do,” Daimon said, fighting to find again his track and return to the hunt. “Somepony needs help and I’ve tracked her down to this forest.”

“And why somepony would run to Everfree? This place isn’t exactly secure, not even for me.”

Daimon shot a quick glance at the zebra. Her rhymes will probably set him off sooner or later. But he had something else to look for right now. “I don’t know why she came there,” he answered. “But maybe it was because there was some big predator thing hunting her down.”

The zebra nodded. Then Daimon noticed her focusing her vision better at the ground. “Head there and you’ll find your pony,” the zebra pointed a direction. “I’ll you fetch help if I can find any.”

He barely nodded and rushed towards the north, his club firm on his hand. As between the leaves some of the moonlight entered at the forest, he looked to the ground and saw that the hoofprints suddenly turned in another direction, but he remembered the words of the zebra. ‘Head there and you’ll find your pony.’ He was decided to track down Romantic Lily, but and what if the zebra was trying to give him a shortcut?

‘We’re trying to show you what true friendship is, and that starts with trusting.’ That was the phrase that Twilight had told him at his very first day at Ponyville. Not knowing why he suddenly decided to trust strange ponies, he turned his eyes from the trial and kept heading north.

Avoiding strange noises not to engage any more problems than he needed to, Daimon suddenly reached the ruins of an ancient castle. Rushing to the ruins, he could hear the howling of wolves, seemed to be three of them. Getting from behind the tree, Daimon looked at the scene and saw, just outside the ruins, that Romantic Lily had managed to get up a huge boulder with a large tree covering her back and was now shoving every timber wolf that tried to attack her.

And Daimon cursed. “Damn… when they said timber wolves, I thought it was… wolves…” he whispered to himself.

The human was terrified at the vision of immense wolf-like wooden statues, only that they were completely covered in many different kinds of vines that seemed to work as muscles to move each of them around.

Cursing a bit more than usual, he tightened his grip on the impromptu club, he broke free and rushed to the wolves, screaming a battle cry and hit with his club the first timber wolf closer to him, stunning him and the others for barely a moment before backing away and registering what he had just done. Now there were three hungry looking wooden wolf-like monsters slowly getting at him. Holding his club with both hands, Daimon gritted his teeth.

When the wolf began rounding him, Daimon noticed he was done. There would be no tomorrow for him.

The wolf jumped and closed his eyes. Next thing he felt was something abruptly pushing him forward and suddenly he was… galloping? Opening his eyes, he saw that Romantic Lily had magically pulled him from the attack of the timber wolves and now was trotting with her on her back.

“Are you crazy? Do you wanna die?” she yelled while focusing on the path in front of her.

She decided to go inside the ruins to avoid being ambushed by the timber wolves: the bridge would only allow one of them to pass at a time. Daimon turned backwards and quickly moved his arm, giving another timber wolf a terrible headache, or he really hoped he had.

“No, but I wasn’t going to stay stopped and see you die!” he shouted back.

“I thought you didn’t care about ponies!”

“I never said that!”

“You sounded like!” the bridge was still a few meters ahead of them. Another attempt of getting at them was denied by Daimon’s strong hands and sturdy weapon.

“Sorry if I was a bit too harsh!” he said looking at her. “I had… family back at home that can’t exactly take care of themselves! Returning home is my first priority!”

Romantic Lily’s hooves now hit the wooden bridge instead of the dirty ground of the forest behind them. The wolves though weren’t giving up and kept following them. Strengthening the grip on the club, he swung and just not hit the wolf because it stopped. Not surprising with a large gorge down under the point and just no sound of water running at all. That, thought, gained time for him and the pony.

“DAIMON!” they heard a voice from somewhere.

The human though, knew this voice. Looking up, he saw a rainbow blur flaying at him followed by another pony, a purple one. He turned to Romantic Lily and said.

“Trust me! I’m not crazy!” he said to her.

“I kinda believe you! I also heard it!” she answered.

“Not that! But what you’ll have to do!” he said. “Turn and jump!”

“WHAT?” she asked in disbelief.

“Trust me okay? I’m not crazy!” he said one last time.

The wolves were closing on them again. Afraid of doing so, she still decided to trust him, “Now?”

“No!” he turned to the blurs in the sky and signed them down the bridge. When both flying ponies dived he shouted, “NOW!”

Closing her eyes and jumped over the bridge, her heart ponding hard. Daimon though managed to part from her and opened his arms. Rainbow Dash aimed at him and the other pony, now that they were close Daimon recognized to be Twilight, at Romantic Lily. They then slowly flew away from the ruins of the castle and returned to Ponyville.

Romantic Lily looked at them and then at Daimon, surprised as hell. Knowing her unasked question, Daimon just said, “Sometimes, you just to place your trust in somepony else…”

Twilight smiled and nodded. “Zecora came to us and told what happened. You’re insane, Daimon! Why didn’t you call for help?”

“I usually don’t need help… And I didn’t trust people… or pony… before,” Daimon answered. “Zecora?”

“The zebra at Everfree Forest,” Rainbow Dash answered him. “She’s a very good friend of ours. A bit reclusive, but a good zebra.”

“How did you found us?” Romantic Lily asked.

“Zecora said that she had sent Daimon straight to the old Princesses Castle,” Twilight answered. “She said, though, that the strange bipedal monkey-like creature didn’t seem to trust her too much, and she doubted we would find him there. He would probably be lost in the forest.”

“What made you follow Zecora’s suggestion, Daimon?” Rainbow Dash asked really curious.

He smile and nodded. “My sister said that… she was going to study to be very smart, like the character of some series she’s fan… Zecora… her name sounded like that character name so I decided to try…”

“So you trusted your sister instead of yourself?” Twilight asked.

“She’s family… if you can’t trust family, whom you will trust?” Daimon asked.

“Friends,” Twilight and Rainbow Dash answered together. Daimon just chuckled.

***

Daimon, Twilight and spike where just returning to the library after the party, which had suddenly turned into a ‘successful rescue’ party, completely tired and with the winged unicorn a bit drunk clipping about the human and the baby dragon sleeping on his arm.

Twilight kept insisting all the way that she was just fine and just needed some rest. He just chuckled. Before they could enter the library, though, they were approached by Romantic Lily.

“Hey… can we talk?” she asked.

“Come inside. I have to put these two on their beds,” he answered.

After a hard time helping a tripping Twilight upstairs to her room and placing spike on his basket, Daimon returned to the lobby where he met with Romantic Lily was waiting for him.

“I’m not exactly living here to actually offer you something, but for water,” he said with a smile.

“Don’t worry with that,” she said also with a smile. However, hers quickly faded. “I… just… Why had you made something as crazy as that? If I wasn‘t a unicorn, you would be dead!”

“I’m not used to stay still when I put something in my head,” he said. “I had done my share of bad things in the past, but everything for the sake of my family, I assure you.”

“And what put into your head that you should save me?”

“I just thought that saving you could grant me an easier away back home,” he answered. “Sorry, I’m sounding selfish again…”

“I would like to hear more about your story,” Romantic Lily said.

“Can it be later? The day had already raised and I have some sleeping to do now,” he said. “And maybe also has you.” She just nodded. When Romantic Lily turned to leave, he placed a hand on her shoulder. “Before you go, I guess this belong to you,” producing the feather he had held for her. “I found while tracking you down and you looked rather beautiful with this on.”

She blushed a bit, not hard to see when she had a white coat, and looked at him. “Well… thank you…” she paused a little. “Only now I remembered I never really learned your name…”

He chuckled. “Sorry. My name is Daimon Gryffin,” he said.

“Gryffin huh? Sounds imposing,” she smiled.

“You’re the first to say I’m not a griffin.”

“I had a guess that you already knew that.” They chuckled a bit before Romantic Lily floated the feather from his hand. “Well… better we part then.”

Daimon nodded. “Later, Romantic Lily.”

“Just Lily is good enough. Later, Daimon.”

***

Daimon was still the first to wake up. Since they went to sleep when the sun was already showing, he had the blinders closing the window and a nice shadow took place of the room. He saw both Twilight and Spike still sleeping and decided to go down for bathroom and a glass of cool water.

At the kitchen, though, he decided to try making a bit of the breakfast, but quickly dismissed the thought. They would be at lunch time by now. Deciding on wait and see, he sat at the lobby, picked his Equestrian History book and restarted his reading.

Twilight woke up not too much later and seemed to be nursing a terrible headache, and there was still no signal of Spike coming down.

“Aw… I hate when Pinkie Pie spice my drinks… I almost always end up with a hangover…” Twilight said.

Daimon chuckled not taking his sight from the book he was reading. “That’s it, blame others for your drinking,” he accused.

“They’re my friends, not saints…” she shot back before hitting the bathroom herself.

When Twilight returned, Daimon looked at her, “And about lunch?”

“Not in the right mood to cook… Wanna lunch out today?”

“Besides not being a typical choice, I would recommend somewhere with lots of sugar. It helps the hangovers, I’ve heard,” Daimon said.

“Lunch at Sugarcube Corner sounds fine…” she agreed.

“Shall we call Spike?”

“No… let him sleep…” she answered. “He’s just a baby dragon after all…”

“Then, let’s go.”

But Twilight quickly regretted that decision. As soon as the door was opened, the bright outside hit her as a baseball bat. After adapting to the bright view, she guided Daimon to the bakery. Upon seeing the building mostly likely made of gingerbread, Daimon couldn’t help but think of something else.

“Are you sure it’s safe? Last time I heard about a gingerbread house, two small children were almost turned into lunch…” he commented.

“What?” Twilight asked.

“Nothing… forget it… just some old fairy tales from my world… stories that you tell to children…”

“Strange… why would you tell stories like that to your children?”

“Later I tell you the full story so you can understand,” he said as they entered the shop.

“Hello, Twilight! Daimon!” the human was taken aback by the sudden pink face in front of them.

“Ouch… hi, Pinkie… A bit lower on the volume please?” Twilight asked. “Still nursing a headache from the party…”

“Oh, sorry for that…” Pinkie Pie quickly felt bad for that, but quickly put a smile on her face again. “Anything I could do for you?”

“I would like some of those extra chocolate cupcakes, please…” Twilight asked.

“Do you have something with a bit less sugar for me?” Daimon asked.

“Hmmm… Maybe I could offer you some apple pie?” Pinkie Pie offered to Daimon.

“That would be nice,” he answered with a smile.

“I’ll be right back!” and then Pinkie Pie went to fetch their orders.

Twilight and Daimon, though, made themselves comfortable at one table while they waited.

“So, Daimon, why had you ventured out with timber wolves outside the barn to save a pony?” Twilight asked.

“Can’t say it was for altruism exactly,” he said. “I just thought that with some heroic act I would be sent back home earlier.”

“Well, silly human… I could certainly say that you’re a step closer to returning home,” Twilight answered. “You’ve learned an important lesson and that will be with you until the very end of your life, be there or be anywhere.”

Episode 05: The Writer

Twilight returned to the library alone after their sugar-rich lunch. Daimon decided to explore the city a bit more and also stop by the town hall to let an announcement of him working as a temporary troubleshooter while he didn’t find a job. Backing him on, the mayor quickly had his request ready on the public board and he could enjoy his day until somepony needed his services.

Since then, he found himself walking around Ponyville without any particular goal, until he found a fountain. Sitting down around it, he looked up at the sky and thought I have to talk with Celestia or Luna as soon as possible to see the situation of my family.

When he downed his head enough, he saw Lily approaching him. Nude, as most ponies were, she walked with certain that wanted to talk with the human and had a rather large smile in her face.

“Imagine my surprise when I went to the library and you’re out?” she started. “I thought you had forgotten that I would visit you.”

“Never,” he answered. “I keep my words whenever I give them. And I told you that we would talk.”

“If it is that personal to you, maybe you would prefer to get to my office first, where no other curious ears could hear you?”

“Before that, I would like to see how you send letters to one another. I need to send one to Celestia as soon as possible.”

“A letter to Princess Celestia? Well… if it’s that important, you could have Princess Twilight Sparkle to send it… She’s the Princess’s protégé after all… or was before she became a princess herself.”

“Good to see that these social taboos don’t exist here and a bookworm can turn into a princess,” Daimon chuckled.

“Oh… And you would like to show a bit more respect when talking about the Princesses, all four of them. Some ponies may not like that you are that intimate to them,” Lily said with a smile.

“Twilight seems to like it just the way I’m calling her…”

“She was just a rumble student not too long ago. Princess Twilight Sparkle is the newest princess in all Equestria, and is still getting used to all of her position.”

“Good to know that,” Daimon said with a grin. “And thank you. I’ll keep that in mind when I need to treat them as such, or unless they ask me to.”

“So, want to write that letter already?”

“It’s at the library right now. Maybe Twilight had found it and sent already,” he answered. “If not, I can ask her when I return. Now, where is your office?”

Lily nodded and guided Daimon to a rather rumble house. It was a small house with a few windows to allow the sun enters and a small garden at front. Daimon quickly recognized the flowers.

“I can see where the Lily from your name came from,” he said with a smile.

“Nice guess, but no,” she said with a smile opening the door for him to enter. “It was my mother which loved lilies. I was born with coat particularly close to a particular kind of lily, the one in the door, and those were a gift from my father to celebrate another year together, I was named after both, the present and the flower.”

“A lily given as a romantic gift,” Daimon nodded, appreciating the interior of Lily’s house. Nothing that fancy, but very cozy, plenty of books of all kinds, most of them story books which she could use as inspiration maybe. Over a shelf was lonely two books called The Winter Whisper and The Spring Soul. Reaching one of them, he read the cover properly in very drawn beautiful silver letters: The Winter Soul by Romantic Lily. “These are yours?”

“The first exemplar of each, and they’re a bit… bulkier, than the other impressed,” opening the cover, with her magic, Romantic Lily showed Daimon that it was completely handwritten, or whatever ponies used to say the same. “I asked just to put the cover on it, but decided to keep my originals.”

Placing the book back on the shelf, Daimon smiled, “It shows that you really like your job. Or else, after writing them, you would not want a constant remember of the time you spent on these books.”

She nodded, “Writing is my passion. When I received my first book from my parents, I haven’t left my room before finishing it. Since then, I decided I would write my own books and be famous worldwide. Easier said than done though. And then, after a moderate success from both my previous books, I got a creativity block.”

Looking at her, Daimon saw that it wasn’t something she was happy about. It was like someone… somepony, he forced himself, had torn away her happiness from her.

“What would be your next book?” he called.

“The Summer Solstice. And the last one in the series The Autumn Apotheosis. It’s a romance collection about how small changes to one pony made him lose everything and now he’s fighting his old habits to change again and restart his life.”

“Seems a very good story. Not my kind, actually, but even so, never judge a book by its cover,” Daimon said with a smile.

She smiled, “If you want to read them, I have the original copy with me. They weren’t changed by the censure though, so they may contain whatever was in my mind when I wrote them.”

Noticing that it was just a joke, Daimon smiled. “Maybe I’ll try them some day,” he said.

“Now that you know about my history and my dream, it’s your time to share.”

He nodded, “However, I warn you that my life is a bit harsh…”

“I’m warned.”

After a deep breath, Daimon started, “My mother has a problem. She doesn’t forget everything or such, but she tends to have a lot of problem to register any information as a longtime memory. And she’s an athlete, a very good one at that. She made a nice amount of money joining many competitions and has many trophies and medals for her merit. My father was a business man. Some would think that he isn’t present or that he’s a bad father, but no. For him, his family always came first.”

Lily just nodded, “I see I’m getting the bigger version then. Let’s get to the kitchen so I can fix us something to munch on while you tell me.”

Following her to her kitchen, Daimon noticed the lack of chairs and quickly thought that being in a town of ponies, chairs exactly a need. They followed a human concept of comfort after all. For his surprise, though, Romantic Lily had a small box for him to sit on.

“Sorry… not exactly comfortable but the closest to a chair I have…” she said.

“Can’t blame you actually,” Daimon said with a smile, sitting down and making himself comfortable. “My father taught me absolutely everything he knew, and how family comes above of everything else. And then, he died in an accident while travelling to a business reunion. My mother and my little sister were left alone with me then.

“But I had learned from my father to be strong and suddenly I became the man of the house. So I started acting as such. And mysteriously, after my father’s death, they appeared: the friends. They started to approach our family, saying how sorry they were for our loss and that my father was a good person… And no more than two months later my mother was facing financial problems.

“They weren’t friends. They were parasites,” Daimon said closing his hand. “Suckling all the money they could from a poor woman that could remember they never had paid her. Then I began to act as the man of the house, and since my mother trusted me truly, she cut the laces with those friends. Since then, I began writing down whenever she borrowed money to others so she could claim payment. As a result, most friends disappeared.

“However, the ones that didn’t start to make a much worse damage. They tried to help giving advice how to better educate us. They started filling my mother’s head with ideas that we should be taught in a full-time school,” Daimon said and let a smile grow in his face. “When my mother brought that possibility to us, my father’s words played a token on our lives. ‘Family always come first’ I had said her and she said she would never part from us, for a wish of our dead father. The last of her called friends left her.”

Daimon took a deep breath before continuing. Noticing, Lily turned and looked at the human, which face was deeply in memory: he needed to open up more than he assumed, she thought. And, from that angle and without that bad boy face of the party, he was even kinda cute, she allowed.

“Not that I blame them. It’s not easy to be friends with someone that you will always be new friend to,” Daimon said. “But I was determined. Whoever would approach my mother would have a hard time. So I build up a troublemaker persona, the typical problem boy that don’t trust anyone and is sufficient by himself.

“I inherited my mother’s physical preparation and she often say I am as handsome as my father was. So it was easy to spread my new reputation, first, through the school, then for the neighborhood. Whoever happened to try and approach my mother thought twice after listening stories about me, but for my mother, it was someone else like me, since I kept my true personality while with her.

“More often than not, I would play it rough on some other boy at school, but after the audience was satisfied and had left, when I was alone with that guy again, I asked him forgiveness and explained why I did what I had. Some said I was crazy, others that I had a split personality, but none ever dared to approach me again, what suited me fine. I had to create a reputation for my persona.”

“So you placed yourself in isolation so you could use yourself as a shield to protect your mother and sister?” Lily asked more than a little surprised, serving sandwiches for both of them with some orange juice.

“More like a filter, actually. Keep the rough ones out, but those that I felt she could trust, I allowed closer to her,” he answered. Picking up a sandwich, he took a bite of it.

“And now that you’re there…”

“I’m afraid that my mother is abused again.”

“I guess I can understand your fears…” Lily also took a bite from her sandwich.

He though, let out a humorless laugh, “I really hope you don’t. It’s one thing that you only understand when you have to pass by. I often looked in the mirror and asked myself which one was the real me…”

“That must have been hard on you…” she commented.

“You learn to deal with this kind of thing when you have to…”

“However, you don’t have to around here, Daimon. You can be yourself,” she said.

“Easier said than done…” he answered her.

She only nodded at those words. Deciding to change the subject, he looked at him as he ate some more of the sandwich, “Well… Daimon, I’ve read your announcement for a troubleshooter. You see, I’m moving in a few days. I will pass through Canterlot and then make my way to a village close to Neighagra Falls. Would you like to help me with the moving?”

“You understand the concept of a job, right?”

“Don’t worry. I will pay you for your work. And if you decide to help me with settling in, I pay passage, food and a place for you to rest during our travels,” she said with a smile.

“I can understand you asking for help to pack things and transport them to the train or whatever you’ll use. But why asking me to go with you?”

“You said you want to talk with Princess Celestia,” she started. “As I said, I’ll pass through Canterlot. Princesses Luna and Celestia each took a time from their respective periods to hear to their subjects. You could talk with her directly there.”

“But and about you? Will you only leave your friends?” Daimon asked.

“Well… I said I can understand your fears, Daimon,” Lily answered. “My reasons are different, but I learned to trust mostly in myself or only in a few other ponies that had proven worth it… And now a human as well…”

Daimon shook your head. “Maybe it’s time for you to share the full version?” he commented.

With a deep sigh, she looked deep into Daimon’s eyes, “As I said, when I first received my first book, I haven’t left the room before I finished it. I was a filly at that time, didn’t even had my cutie mark as yet. And by then, I just hated to lose time to read, and thought it would be even worse to waste time writing a book that somepony else would think was also a waste of time. However, mom had given me two options: or I read a book, or I found a way of entering Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns.

“I just locked myself in my room. My mother was… is a hard pony to deal with and the book she put me to read had easily over two thousand pages,” Lily said. “She told me that it was for my own good and that everypony must like to read and all things like that. I took almost a full week to read the damn book, my father bringing me food by the window from outside the house.

“When I finished reading my book, I almost threw it at her face. We had a fight and, as expected, dad stood at her side. I had indeed learned that reading wasn’t a waste of time, but I wasn’t going to give my mother that taste. Joining a common school for common ponies, satisfied that I finally could read without my mother knowing I liked it. At home, though, all books that reached me were thrown carelessly around. My parents, though, got the grades they wanted from me and mostly let me alone.

“My cutie mark appeared during one of my classes. My teacher was teaching about the pleasures of creating complete new worlds perfects for us and how these worlds can take you away from your harsh reality.”

“And if reading wasn’t such a waste of time, maybe writing wasn’t also, right?” Daimon asked.

Lily chuckled, “Something like that. The way she talked with all that passion made me want to try it out and suddenly I had created my own world… When he read what I had written, he said I had the talent, if I wanted to focus it. One thing, though, is hide the fact that you like reading. Another completely different is to hide a cutie mark that shows your love for writing.

“When I returned home that day, I knew I would have another fight. My mother had already prepared my future, you see… I was going to be a doctor or something like that… I never saw anypony as angry as my mother when I told her I would be a writer. ‘Those damn sloths don’t earn decent money, stay day after day doing nothing useful, wasting paper to write books that nopony reads twice’ and kept yelling and shouting things like that.

“I just made what any adolescent pony furious with their parent and willing to face the whole world to live their dreams would do. I ran from home. It was a hard reality at first, but soon I found a job and had a nice home. My first typewriter came not long later and whenever I had some free time, I wrote my books. I have a lot of them published already, all with none to low success, until I started this new collection of mine. The Four Seasons granted me my moderate fame and a nice income so I could properly leave my old life behind. I moved to Manehattan first.

“Life there isn’t easy, big city demands high life cost. Then came my second book and I managed to hold myself very well. At least until my parents found me there. The letter came that they were about to visit me. I ignored it and took everything I got and moved again. Passing through Canterlot to see old friends of mine, I decided to embark in the first random train I saw at the station. Then I met with her for the first time, even if we didn’t talk at all. Princess Twilight Sparkle was just a unicorn at that epoch. She was talking with her friends and was distracted, so she never noticed me.

“That’s how I got to live in Ponyville, keeping a low profile there. However…”

“Your parents found you again,” he said, quite doubting there was another explanation.

“Yes. They are coming in five days, but I’m moving in three. With your help or not, I’m going, Daimon, but I really preferred to have the help of somepony… someone I trust.”

“Why would you trust me?” Daimon asked her. “The first time we met, I had bumped into you. The second, I showed you I can be a bastard. The third, I made you jump from a bridge like a suicidal pony.”

“The fourth, you opened your heart to me truly,” she continued from him, “and allowed me to do the same. Daimon, you’re the only po-person I’ve opened like this in a long time! And you understand my reasons. You would understand why I would always keep moving…”

The human took some time assimilating that information. Yeah, that sounded rather selfish. But she was right, and both of them had something in common, they had to harden themselves so they could protect themselves from a lot of worse harm. He closed his eyes.

“Okay. I will help you,” Daimon said but before her smile grew too big he continued. “I will help you, but I have one condition. We’ll leave in six days, not three.”

“What?”

“I know. In five days you will have to face your parents. And that’s why we’ll take six days. You will face them, and I will be at your side when you do, so you can have someone to support you, as your mother has your father.”

“And… why would you do this?”

“Because…” a thought crossed Daimon’s mind. “Well… because ‘Friends are ponies you can support yourself when you’re feeling down’… Aren’t they?”

He nodded. Rainbow Dash had said it at their reunion on the library. Maybe these ponies were really changing him somehow…

Episode 06: The Family

As soon as he returned to Twilight’s library, Daimon as looking for Twilight herself but couldn’t find her anywhere. So he looked for Spike, which was in the kitchen. Approaching making some bit of noise to announce his present, chuckled to see that it was the tiny dragon which worked the meals around here.

“So not only the librarian assistant, you’re also the cook?” Daimon asked.

“Trust me when I saw that Twilight’s magic can only take her so far,” Spike said with a chuckle turning quickly to see Daimon. “Wanna something?”

“Firstly, I would like to know if you have knowledge about preparing meat. I’m already getting sick of only eating vegetables. Also, I want to know where Twilight is. I was informed that she has ways to send a letter to Princess Celestia and make it faster to her.”

“About the meat, no, I don’t know. But I think there is a book about cooking meat for griffin there, somewhere, I’ll dig it up and see if I can make something,” the tiny lizard said with a smile. “And about your letter, that would be me. I can send this letter straight to Princess Celestia herself. Just bring it to me.”

“Oh good… I’ll be right back with the letter.”

Daimon then left to where he kept his bed. The letter was under his pillow and upon getting it, returned to where Spike was. The purple dragon was now preparing the table for the dinner, which Daimon knew pretty much would be vegetarian as well.

Upon seeing the scroll on his hand, Spike smiled. “You’re using one of Twilight’s scrolls, I see?”

“I thought she wouldn’t mind, and with this seal it would reach Princess Celestia faster.”

“Oh no, that’s no problem. Twilight will only like to be informed; she likes to keep track of what’s happening. Just hand me your letter and I’ll send it right away.”

Daimon gave him the scroll curious to see what this dragon would do, before he was took by a sudden rush of angry as Spike took breath and burned out his letter.

“HEY! What’s the big idea?” Daimon asked.

“What?”

“You burned my letter! For what reason you did that?”

“I sent it to Princess Celestia!” Spike said back.

“What you’ll send her? The ashes?”

“Daimon… you should take it easy…” it was Twilight’s voice from behind him. Looking at her surprised Daimon was about to start telling her what happened when she raised her hoof. “Spike is a dragon and as such has a bit of some proper dragon magic. Some things he burn are sent straight to Princess Celestia, that’s how I keep close contact with her. Right now, though, she may be busy setting the sun as will be Princess Luna raising the moon.”

Those bit of information took some time to sink. “Wait… You mean that it is the Princesses that make the sun and the moon raise and set?”

“Yes. Why the surprise?”

“Where I came from, it was a natural process. There was no need to someone raises the moon or the sun, they came out alone!” he answered and added mentally to himself: Also it’s kinda impossible to raise the sun since it’s the planet that revolves around it.

“That must be terrifying to know there’s nopony to take control over the sun and the moon…” Twilight commented.

Daimon noticed it would be a bit too much to want them to understand it was natural. They were raised where their rulers raise the sun at morning and the moon at nigh…

“Fine… Well, is dinner ready?” he asked trying to change the subject.

“Almost, just finishing a few things and it will be served,” Spike answered returning to the kitchen.

And as no surprise, veggies…

***

No longer after dinner, Spike went to look for the book he said and, to Daimon’s surprise, the dragon burped rather loud and a patch of smoke formed in thin air, slowly taking form of a scroll with which he learned was the royal seal and a red bow around it. Spike gave it a glance and handed it to Daimon.

“For you, straight from Princess Celestia…”

“I thought I would need to wait a few more days for the answer…” he asked opening the letter.

“Letters sent by Spike tends to drag the Princess’s attention a bit more,” Twilight answered. “Here Spike, the book you were looking for.”

The tiny dragon grabbed the book and opened the cover to learn a few recipes of how to make use for meat in food.

“Are you looking to start eating food now, Spike?” Twilight asked.

“I guess that’s for me, actually…” Daimon answered. “Humans are omnivore.”

“Oh… right… I remember you told me something about it before,” Twilight said.

Returning his attention to the letter on his hand, Daimon took of the lace and opened it.

Dear Daimon Gryffin

I assure you that your worries aren’t alien to us and we would never bring you without knowing about your family first. There is somepony… sorry… someone in your world which is looking after your family as we talk.

However, this is not a subject for us to talk about in letters. For this, and some other motives as well, I’ll be at Ponyville in six days. If you would be kind, could you warn my dear student for me?

HRH Princess Celestia.

Daimon let out a relieved sigh. Then he turned to Twilight and, with a smile, said, “Princess Celestia asked me to tell you she’s coming to Ponyville in six days.”

“WHAT?” Twilight bolted up instantly.

Daimon quickly thought on what he had said, thinking something had sounded wrong, and replied, “Princess Celestia… she’s your mentor, right? Or something like that? She asked me to tell you she will be coming to Ponyville in six days.”

“Ohmigoshohmigoshohmigoshohmigosh!” Twilight said rushing to her room. Surprised, Daimon looked at Spike.

“It’s always like this whenever Twilight is warned the Princess is coming,” Spike said with a smile. “She will start making plans and preparations for the whole town to get ready for this as if it was the most important event ever.”

“Should I tell her that one of the reasons she’s coming is for me?” Daimon asked.

“That will be irrelevant. The damage has already been done,” Spike answered him with a smile.

“Well… Guess I’ll have a little night walk through Ponyville… And let her work some of that before I try to sleep…”

“That’s wise…”

“SPIKE! WHERE’S MY CLIPBOARD?” Twilight yelled from the bedroom.

Daimon chuckled before walking to the door. “Go, Spike. Duty calls,” he said.

As he stepped outside, Daimon noticed the night wasn’t unpleasant. There were many stars in the sky, the moon was large and there was quite a light from it, but different from a big city, Ponyville didn’t have all that useless amount of artificial light.

Walking aimlessly thought the streets; Daimon never noticed when she had joined him, only when Rarity’s voice called his attention.

“Such a beautiful night isn’t it?” she asked.

“Where I came from, there are so many lights that we can’t see even a fourth of this amount of stars,” Daimon answered. “My sister would love to be there in my place. She’s young and likes this kind of things. I’m the wrong gender and the wrong personality, though.”

“You’re just being silly, Daimon,” Rarity replied. “First thing is there’s no such thing as ‘wrong gender or personality’ to anything. Mares and stallions can pretty much do the same things without much of a difference, and I really doubt it’s that different from humans.”

“That’s not exactly what I was talking about, Rarity. I never thought that women or mares were any less capable than men or stallions. The great problem is image,” he had noticed that the last word had really called the white mare’s attention. “For sake of image, there are things that you can and can’t do…”

“I can understand your concerns, Daimon. I made this mistake myself in the past,” Rarity smiled and raised her head. “I was at Canterlot at that time, the reason why not quite important right now. It was Twilight’s birthday on the following day and I was preparing her a special dress as a gift. But then I received an invitation to join Canterlot’s High Society events. Selfish, I decided to not attend to Twilight’s birthday to join the event.”

“And you live with this till nowadays?”

“No… it was a bit worse. If Rarity doesn’t go to the party, the party comes to Rarity. Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Applejack and Fluttershy, all of them moved Twilight’s party to Canterlot so I could join them. And simultaneously, a party of the high society was happening. Foolish, I tried to join both simultaneously. It was a disaster. I wasn’t enjoying any and suddenly started making mistakes, confusing which party I was in. At the end, the others saw the party outside and decided to join, what haven’t exactly pleased some of the other ponies there. But I learned a valuable lesson.”

Daimon looked at her expectantly. Rarity chuckled at his interest. “I learned that day that a lot more important of the image you bring to yourself is the image your friends have of you,” Rarity finally said. “As you said, you paint yourself as a monster to everyone. But you must remember that your true friends can see through it and see that you’re an angel in fact. They will just ask why you’re playing the monster and, probably, help you to be even more convincing.”

“This is another friendship lesson?” Daimon asked.

“No. This is just a personal story of mine with a hint of how to recognize true friends,” Rarity had an unusually big smile in her face. “You know, your best friends can come from much unexpected places.”

“Your friends included?”

“My friends mainly,” Rarity corrected him. “Twilight came from Canterlot by Princess Celestia order to learn about friendship, Rainbow Dash is a lazy but efficient member of weather control, Fluttershy is a rather reclusive timid animal friend, Applejack is devoted as nopony ever will to her farm, Pinkie Pie is a very active party pony and I am just a humble interior dressmaker that wanted to join the high society.

“However, during the first Summer Sun Celebration of Twilight in Ponyville, Princess Celestia was kidnapped by Nightmare Moon, the evil side of Princess Luna. Twilight was decided to venture out alone inside the Everfree Forest to look for the Elements of Harmony to stop the evil mare.

“We all had seen the villain and we all decided to help. Along the way, we were challenged and our virtues were shown: Applejack’s honesty, Fluttershy’s kindness, Pinkie Pie’s laughter, my generosity, Rainbow Dash’s loyalty and, when Twilight heard our voices and learned we never left her behind, she had learned that true magic comes from friendship and awakened the Element of Magic.”

Daimon stood there, looking at that. Not quite sure if everything she said was true or not, he decided to play careful and stay silent to see if Rarity had anything else to add.

“Since then, we’ve been learning about friendship while living with each other in Ponyville,” Rarity said with a smile. “We faced many problems… Discord awakening, Chrysalis’s attack at Canterlot, King Sombra’s attack at Crystal Empire, the whole Everfree Forest going mad… But we solved all them together,” Daimon nodded at what he understood would be the end of the tale. “Think about it. Maybe it’s time for you to break this ‘evil guy’ persona and try making new friends? You could be surprised. Now, if you allow me, I have to go. Sweetie Belle is waiting me for dinner.”

The human giggled at that and nodded. Yes, maybe it was time for him to change…

***

Different from his first agitated days, Daimon noticed that life in Ponyville was not that hard to live. He would be often be called to a work or another, earning him a few bits which he quickly placed in front of Rarity’s counter, asking a few more clothing pieces for him, and for some deserved meat for his lunch and dinner at the library.

He could really learn to like this life and, while working, he learned a bit more about the ponies he helped. As he was informed, not a single soul in this town was inspiring him the greedy or the wish to be the better and things like that. These ponies lived in harmony and their town grew better for that.

But then, came the day. He hadn’t made any plans for today, ready to help somepony he had already promised. Romantic Lily was glad that Daimon stood to help her put things in order and prepare the house to receive her parents.

House prepared, the duo moved to the train station to wait for Romantic Lily’s parents to arrive. The train arrived on time and lots of ponies disembarked. Getting a glimpse of their parents, Lily nudged Daimon and he followed her.

Romantic Lily’s father was a rather bulk unicorn, almost mistakable with an earth pony due to his strong body, with deep red coat and a large white cross with a syringe in the middle as a cute mark, his short mane and tail growing gray already in his advanced age.

At his side, a refined lean unicorn made company with a light gray coat and a vividly blond mane and a matching tail. With a knitting needle and a large ribbon as a cute mark, Daimon wondered if she was a rival to Rarity.

“Mom, dad…” Lily said, not quite sure if she should hug them or not. “I’m happy you could make it to Ponyville before I move. This one here is Daimon; he’s a human and is helping me with my things. Daimon, my parents Holy Cross and Velvet Ribbon,” she introduced first her father and then her mother.

Making a quick bow to the two ponies, Daimon quickly added, “It’s a pleasure to meet you. Hope you like your staying in Ponyville as much as I’m enjoying mine.”

Seemingly like she was above them, Velvet Ribbon cast a glare over Daimon, “At least you found some interesting help out there. It doesn’t change the fact you’re still avoiding your destiny.”

“Could we at least go to my home first?” Romantic Lily asked. “There’s no need to anypony else to learn about my problems.”

Daimon noticed the emphases on the pronoun. Maybe she was going to face them over it today? He only noticed that Holy Cross nodded before answering, “You seem to be learning some manners after all. We’ll accept your invitation.”

Romantic Lily guided her parents to her small house and Daimon noticed how they were already walking ready to pass her house when Lily surprised them by stopping and opening the door.

When everyone was inside the house and around the table, Holy Cross looked at Daimon, “We’re going to have a private chat with our daughter if you don’t mind.”

“She asked me to be there and support her when she talked to you,” Daimon answered. “And since she’s my friend, I’m inclined to help her.”

The two ponies looked at each other, but before they could open their mouth, Romantic Lily said, “He stays. This is not your house; you have no legal rights there. I used my very own bits to buy this house and I’m able to have whomever I want to visit me. Daimon helped me in a moment no other pony gave a damn about me and I learned to trust him.”

“It’s irrelevant in the end, Lily,” said Velvet Ribbon. “We’re taking you back at Canterlot.”

“I’m moving to Pound Trot, a small village close to Neighagra Falls. Maybe I find some inspiration to finish my books there.”

“Still thinking on this useless writing stuff?” Holy Cross asked.

“It’s not useless, Mr. Cross,” Daimon said. “Your daughter really loves writing, it’s her passion, and she seems to be talented in it.”

“It’s a gambling area to be a writer. You never know what people like and there’s no way you can create books to every tastes in the whole Equestria,” Velvet Ribbon said.

“As is the garment industry, Mrs. Ribbon,” Daimon replied, guessing by her cutie mark the area she worked. “Dressmakers doesn’t know the tastes of their costumers until they come looking for some particular piece.”

“You’re completely wrong, human,” Holy Cross said. “Velvet made fortune with her dresses because she knew what people liked and she gave them exactly that. She can satisfy anyone, pony, zebra, griffin and even dragons if they ever came.”

Daimon had a short smile in his face. “I doubt that she has something in her store to suit me,” Velvet Ribbon was about to say something but closed her mouth without reply. “If she can please anyone, I should be pleased by what she has to offer, right? So there you proved that, while your loved Velvet Ribbon had luck with her market till nowadays, soon the time could come that she would lost all that money because her costumers would not like her style anymore. So it is a gamble, one which she had luck so far.”

Romantic Lily smiled and stepped into kitchen to bring some snacks she had made herself. “How dare you say my work is a gamble, Mr. Daimon…”

“It’s Mr. Gryffin, if we’re being formal. My full name is Daimon Gryffin, Mrs. Ribbon,” Daimon answered. “And about saying your work is a gamble, I dare to add that life itself is. You place your bets and hope for the best outcome, but have to deal with just what you get. Some get more than others, but the real talent is to make the most with what you got, not getting more to waste in anything.”

Holy Cross and Velvet Ribbon looked at each other, before both turning to Daimon. “Mr. Gryffin, we would really ask you to leave so we could talk with our daughter alone,” Velvet asked one more time.

“And she already said that I’m going to stay, Mrs. Ribbon. And besides, what kind of friend would I be if I let my friend in the grasp of her possessive parents to double team her?”

“I beg your pardon, Mr.” Holy Cross said.

“I would give if it was not truth,” Daimon shot back at him. “She told me her story, how you always demanded from her to make sacrifices so you could manipulate her into something you wanted of her. And don’t come with that bullshit of knowing what’s best for her!” Daimon cut them before they could say. “This mare had lived from her own efforts for longer than you think and turned a bad situation into the best life she could! She’s strong and has an iron will, but even iron can only bend so much before breaking, and you’re bending her a bit too much don’t you think?”

Lily was only listening from the kitchen by now, hearing what Daimon was saying about her.

“Have you seen where she lives? She calls this home!” Holy Cross said.

“And what’s the problem?” Daimon asked. “For the time being, I’m living in a tree and I am willing to call it home if the situation calls it for. Our homes is where we can be ourselves and not give a damn about what others think of us. She calls this building home, because this is the fruit of her efforts. Lots of sweat and time spent writing and working at same time so she could have a place to call her own.”

“She doesn’t have any comfort there!” Velvet Ribbon shot.

“Because it is pointless to invest in comfort when you will live moving so yours possessive parents won’t find you,” he snapped at them. “Yeah, surprise, your daughter was actively avoiding you, because you were, and still are, too busy to notice what a great daughter you have! She’s beautiful, she’s talented and she enjoys life being who she is! I would give anything to find a human like her back at home. I would marry her on the spot!”

Taken aback by Daimon’s speak, not even Lily herself could move. Her heart was beating faster into her chest for reasons she didn’t know why. But when she regained her composure, she moved forward and placed a plate with some sandwiches between them, “Hope you like it.”

Thanks to Lily’s interference, her parents also found their tongues. Looking at Daimon, Lily’s father said, “Lily, my darling, we just want you to return home with us.”

“So you can insist on me getting a ‘real job’? No, thank you. I’m happy living there the way I am,” was Lily’s answer.

“What happened to you, dear? You weren’t like this!” Velvet Ribbon tried.

“Playing the hypocrite isn’t your style mom,” Lily answered. “You fought with me more than once and often you tried to convince me in changing who I am to fit into the world!”

“Life demands changes, Lily! You should have learned that already,” Holy Cross answered.

“Yes, dad, I have learned and I have changed. But what you’re asking me to do isn’t to change a thing or two. It’s to change who I really am! Do you even know what my cutie mark is? A quill writing in a heart! That’s my love for writing! And why can’t you accept it?”

“A cutie mark doesn’t rule who you are, darling,” Velvet Ribbon said to her daughter.

“Then why don’t you go and try physically bucking some apples, Mrs. Ribbon?” Daimon asked with a smile. “After all, a cutie mark doesn’t rule who you are, right?”

“My cutie mark is a coincidence with what I enjoy doing, Mr. Gryffin!”

“And just because what I enjoy doing isn’t enough for you, I can’t live it?” Lily asked back.

Looking at Daimon and kinda tired of how he seems to always place their daughter against them, Holy Cross got up and looked at the human, “You better leave now, Mr. Gryffin…”

“Oh… so cute to see you playing the bully…” Daimon chuckled and got up from his box as well. Exclusively for this day, he had asked Rarity a special shirt, one that was a bit tighter on his figure so when he got up, his muscles showed up. “However, I don’t think you got the memo… A few days ago, armed with nothing more than a tree branch, I managed to save your daughter from three timber wolves…” placing his right hand on the table and downing his face to see the unicorn in the eye, he let out an evil smile. “Compared to them, you’re not even a warm up, Mr. Cross.” After giving them the impression he wanted, Daimon returned to his seat and gave a gently smile, “However, I’m not here to menace you or anything. This is just a family talk, right?”

“We’re going to have a talk with Princess about this!” Velvet Ribbon said a bit angry.

“Good! So you can stay in town until tomorrow!” Daimon chuckled. “Princess Celestia is coming in person to Ponyville, so you will be able to talk to her.”

“If She’s coming to Ponyville, the Princess will be too busy to hear us!” Holy Cross tried to counter attack.

“Oh, but I am one of the reasons she’s coming,” Daimon said with a smile. “And since this is a subject that concerns me, I’m sure she’ll want to hear. Or…” Daimon looked at them, “you two could just leave and don’t bother Lily again, unless it’s for asking forgiveness and to accept her as she is. This is not a menace or anything, it’s just an agreement, since nobody makes a menace to bring things to the eyes of the Princess, right?”

Holy Cross was about to reply when Velvet Ribbon placed a hoof on his shoulder, “Cross, dear, let’s just go home for now. There’s no way of dealing with a barbarian like him…”

A bit against his will, the large unicorn got up and just followed his daughter to the door. After seeing them out, Romantic Lily turned to Daimon and nodded to him.

“Thank you, Daimon. I think I really needed your support more than I realized…”

“That’s what friends are there for, Lily,” he answered with a smile. “However, I gotta go now. There are a few things I must do before lunch. And before you invite me to lunch, Spike is preparing something special for me today. I can’t really miss this.”

Episode 07: The Dream

Cleaning the sweat from his forehead, Daimon put away the tools he was working with and gave a step back to appreciate his work. It was a small, simple repair at a small shop, nothing all that hard. But it also gave him a few bits to invest on whatever he wanted.

After getting his payment with a rather friendly ‘thank you’ from the shopkeeper, Daimon left back to the library. It was lunch time and he couldn’t wait to taste meal again. He only hoped that Spike wouldn’t mess it too much.

Twilight was reading in the lobby with a smile in her face when he entered, “Hi, Daimon. Had a nice working day?”

“A small fix at Carrot Top’s shop,” Daimon answered with a smile. His nose quickly filled with the scent from the kitchen and he smiled. “So long I haven’t felt this smell… Sorry if it disturbs you Twilight…”

“I just ask that this doesn’t become a habit and we’re fine,” she chuckled.

Daimon nodded. He did need a nice amount of meat, but he couldn’t demand of Twilight that. However, on his way home, one visage has called his attention, “Besides you say that ponies are vegetarians, I saw a pegasi couple with a pair of fish bags walking…”

“Well… some pegasi says that eating fish is something good. I never tasted to tell the truth…”

“Fish isn’t vegetable, though. Maybe you ponies had a hint of an omnivore nature somewhere?”

“I guess when it comes to survival instinct…”

Daimon laughed at that, “Well… excuse me… I’m going to take a bath before lunch.”

When it was served, Daimon could savor the meat he so long missed. Not wanting to know what kind of meat it was, he just enjoyed its juicy reward and congratulated Spike for making such a nice meal at the very first try. The purple dragon, of course, wasn’t a pony and decided to try a bit of the meat and seemed to like it as well.

With a full belly and after an hour of nap, Daimon was up to return to his work. Also, he was preparing himself mentally to the following day. The Princess would come to talk to him and answer a few questions.

Yeah… He couldn’t wait till tomorrow…

***

It was a very worn out Daimon that entered the library’s door that night. The human at start thought it was hard for a small town such as Ponyville to have so much little problems, but by now he realized that most ponies were only wandering about how humans made things.

After a nice dinner with Twilight and Spike, with a nice chat and an apple pie dessert straight from Sweet Apple Acres, he had called it a day and all but crashed into his bed. Daimon could sweat that he was sleeping even before he hit the pillow and was thankful just to be able to sleep in peace for a while.

Or so was his plan. After all, again he saw himself in rather big plains the sky darkening slight. Remembering very well what happened last time he saw such scenery, he only wished he had a proper table with some tea to offer…

And suddenly one appeared at his side. Hitting his own forehead for forgetting this was his dream, Daimon quickly decided to conjure a chair for him and a pillow to his future company. Not long later, he saw the gently and rather cute frame of Princess Luna walking out of nowhere, her hair moving due to an inexistent wind. She walked to his table and sat at the pillow he quickly offered.

“What is this sudden visit to this humble human, Princess Luna?” Daimon asked.

“Not cursing and screaming at me anymore? I see improvements being made…” Luna said with a smile, lifting magically her tea cup and taking a sip.

“Ponyville has been showing me that sometimes friendship is useful, I admit.”

“I remember when I decided to play Ponyville a visit,” Luna said in found memory. “It was after my subjects had faced me in a rather… different light. Most of them were afraid of me, but it took me the light of Twilight Sparkle to show me that maybe, being scary is only another way of being fun.”

Daimon nodded and looked at the Princess in the eye, “Not that I really mind your presence in my dreams, after all if you can enter dreams, you must have a reason to do so. But I just wanted to have a nice night to rest from a hard day. And tomorrow your sister is coming to have a chat with me.”

“I know that ‘Tia is going to pay you a visit. I also know the reasons. Mine though are a bit different,” Luna said, turning a bit more serious. “As you said, we have the duty of protecting our dear subjects in more ways than just physically. There are monsters banished from Equestria that tries to use the dreams of innocent ponies to make them cause havoc. As the Ruler of Night, it is my duty to protect my subjects from such, which naturally occurs in nightmares.”

Wondering where this was leading, Daimon just nodded and waited the Princess to continue.

“Early, this same night even, I found a rather interesting nightmare to deal with, two nightmares, in truth. Both were about a bloodthirsty human with rather demoniac eyes summoning evil claws to slash open the body of their daughter and their loved ones before running after the ones dreaming.”

Oh, that’s where this was leading to. Daimon nodded and waited for the Princess to finish.

“May I ask why a rather famous doctor and a very good dressmaker of Canterlot dreamed about a demoniac version of you?”

“Do you want the full story or the short version to explain this?” Daimon asked.

Noticing that Daimon had conjured up a box at his side and pulled out a bottle and two glasses from it, she wondered if he could already guess his answer. Placing a black bubbling liquid into both glasses, Daimon served first the Princess before himself.

“Full tale, please,” Luna asked. “May I ask what is it?”

“Something I rather enjoy when I can,” Daimon chuckled. “It’s called Coke, a drink of my world. I guess you will notice it’s a bit different from other drinks you had. It’s not alcoholic, though.”

Deciding to try a bit, Luna was rather surprised by the sudden different taste of that drink. “Hmmm… it tastes rather interesting…” said the Princess. “You made this in your world?”

“No. We buy it already to drink. It’s better when cold like this,” he said with a smile, drinking a bit from his glass. “And about the story you asked about, well, I guess it started at the day after I set my feet in Ponyville. That day by morning, I had faced a challenge against Applejack to see which one was the toughest. I won by very little, I assume, and that same day at night, Pinkie Pie held a celebration party for me.”

Luna made herself comfortable and drank a bit more of that Coke while listening patiently to the tale.

“At the party I was around the pouch table when Romantic Lily, a writer unicorn mare, asked me to serve her. We traded a few words and she left, said she was going to have some air or the like. The party was being held at Applejack’s barn and not long after she left, there were howls from outside the barn. I heard Twilight calling those things timber wolves. Back at my world, we have a species of wolf called like that, but they are just one kind, and the most common kind of wolves at that.

“Anyway, I knew that Romantic Lily would be in danger if she was outside. I went looking for her inside the barn but nothing. Instead of ruining the whole party, I left by the window and went looking for her. Found her track rather easy and followed. A bit further the trail, she faced a canine-shaped paw and suddenly rushed in another direction. She went into the Everfree Forest.

“Grabbing the first and thickest tree branch I laid my hands on, I soon found a feather that belonged to Romantic Lily’s outfit. She was there, somewhere, with a hungry wolf behind her. Then I met this Zebra at the forest that pointed me to where Romantic Lily was. Imagine my surprise when I saw that your timber wolves were made of timber, actually… We managed to save each other and keep the timber wolves from reaching us until I saw Rainbow Dash and Twilight diving to our rescue. That zebra had called their help.”

After a rather long pause, Luna wondered what does that have to do with the nightmares and was about to ask when Daimon took a deep sigh.

“The following day, after the whole town had a late start due to Pinkie’s party, Romantic Lily invited me to her house so we could have a small talk. Generally, she wanted to know why I had risked myself to save her. Then I ended up telling her my full history…”

Noticing Daimon’s excitation, Luna nodded, “Twilight has written to us about your true history and asked us to not tell anypony else. We agree that it’s a bit personal, so unless you allow us, it’s your secret we’re keeping.”

“Besides it was basically the same thing I had said to Twilight, I had given a few more details to Romantic Lily. She kinda needed that, I noticed after she had tried to hide from me part of her history. She needed to see that it wasn’t only her to have a sad story on her back. And then, in return, she told me hers fully.

Basically, her parents never supported her choices and always expected more of her. When Romantic Lily decided to be a writer, at the same day her cutie mark appeared she told me, she fought with her parents and ran from home. Working for herself, she bought a passage to Manehattan and started life here, publishing a few books and even two of her main series. Upon receiving a letter from her parents that they were taking her home, she moved before they made it to her, getting to Ponyville. Before you ask, I know. It is strange that someone would send you a letter telling that they’re going to bring you back, you like it or not. But her parents are from Canterlot High Society. Their image makes them do that.”

Luna could only nod at that. She knew pretty well how some ponies thought they were above others.

“Five days ago, Lily received a letter from her parents. They had found her again. She asked my help with the moving, since I decided to work as a general troubleshooter around the town. I convinced her to wait and sort things out with her parents, and offered my support to her then,” Daimon’s face lightened with a chuckle. “What must have given them this nightmare was when Lily’s father, Holy Cross or something alike, decided to play the bully unicorn… I just showed him my muscles and told that I alone helped his daughter against three timber wolves. Even so, I said them that I wasn’t going to harm them… or haven’t I? I don’t quite remember… Maybe it was that then…”

“She should have brought this problem to us earlier,” Luna said. “We or Celestia would have made something about it sooner.”

“Sorry, Princess Luna, but I don’t think you can fully grasp the whole context. Even if her family isn’t what she would like, they are still her family. In her place, I would do pretty much the same thing,” Daimon said. “However, I was really planning to tell Celestia this tomorrow. So, if they decide not to back up gracefully, I can hit them where it hurt the most: in their images.”

“Excuse us?” Luna asked a bit puzzled.

“For now they live in the fake idea that they only get what they got by their very images. Having a daughter that doesn’t work and keeps always inside their house writing isn’t good for their images, as it won’t be if the Princesses themselves give them a lecture in how to be good parents in front of the whole Canterlot.”

Luna nodded as she understood, “Cleaver. Considering how you live up to your image as well, we should know that you were seeing something we were missing.”

“Err… Princess Luna… I remember that Rarity had mentioned something about an evil side of yours… Is it something I should be afraid?” Daimon asked.

Luna took a deep breath with that question before saying anything else, “Daimon, have you learned something about Equestria history?”

“In fact, I’ve been reading a book about Equestria history in my free time.”

“You have learned about how the two sisters ruled together since after Discord was defeated, right?” he nodded. Luna’s smile faded then. “Well… Have you learned about the second time the Elements of Harmony were used in Equestrian history?”

“I don’t quite remember about that…”

“As you might have guessed, yes, I and Celestia ruled together over the years, centuries after Discord’s defeat and we were doing fine. Until one day, I thought it was unfair. All ponies worked and played during the day, but when the night came they only wanted to sleep, recover the energy they had spent during the day.

“I grow angry and sometime back then, I lost control of myself and then I gave place to another, one called Nightmare Moon. As Nightmare Moon, I tried to make the night last forever but, of course, Celestia couldn’t allow that. We had the worse fight we ever had then and, in the end, ‘Tia used the Elements of Harmony to banish me to the moon, where I stood for a thousand years.”

“Wow… that must have sucked really…”

“You have no idea. But then the time came when I could break free. It was during the Summer Sun Celebration of the thousandth year…”

“Rarity also told me about it …” Daimon quickly cut the Princess. “Nightmare Moon kidnapped Celestia and after that, Twilight and her friends braved the Everfree Forest to find the Elements of Harmony to stop her.”

Luna nodded. “However, instead of banishing me again, the Elements of Harmony returned me to Luna form so I could rule alongside with my sister again. Nightmare Moon, though, is a part of every step I give…”

“So that mare with you when I dreamed with ponies for the first time ever…” Daimon formed.

“Yes, that was the Nightmare Moon form I once took. I thought it would be good to play the bad pony and the evil pony…” Luna them chuckled.

Daimon nodded, “And does Celestia has an evil part herself?”

“We are just lucky that Celestia has a lot more self-control than any other pony. She’s too much powerful and with the Elements of Harmony returned to where they belong, we couldn’t protect ourselves if she ever dared to turn on us.”

“Two thoughts surface on my mind, Princess Luna,” Daimon said after her comment. “First, what would be a name for an evil Princess Celestia? I mean, Nightmare Moon for the ruler of the night is nice and all… But what would the day ruler be called in those circumstances?”

Luna actually chuckled with that, “‘Tia and I played that a lot after I returned to my senses. She says that, if she turns evil, she would pick something like Hellmare Sun or the like.”

“Kinda makes sense actually. Now I’m afraid to ask the second question and you having a bad thought about me, however it’s just merely curiosity, I swear,” Luna nodded at Daimon’s nervous question. “How was your battle against Celestia?”

Luna kinda waited for that, but even so her head downed considerable. “We both a very powerful magical beings,” Luna started. “My sister, though, is older than me, so she had more experience, but also she didn’t want to kill me. I, on the other hand, wanted to destroy every fiber of my sister at the time.

“At the time, our castle was in the middle of where is now the Everfree Forest close to Ponyville, the one you visited. The first strike was mine and even before I had actually changed forms. A magical blast from my horn hit my sister squarely in the chest, throwing her across the room and right into the wall behind. As I remember, the wall cracked nicely and Celestia just hasn’t lost consciousness due to her powerful magic allowed her to create a small shield around her after the surprise attack.

“In the time she took to understand what happened, I made my transformation. My sister was adamant about not fighting me though, so she mostly avoided my attacks. She then went flying and I followed, attacking her with all my might. I managed to hit her one time, and she fell back into the castle. When she returned, thought, she had brought the Elements of Harmony with her. For the first time we engaged magic against magic, but it wasn’t exactly a fair battle. Enhanced by the power of the Elements of Harmony, my sister was able to banish me to the moon where I stood for a thousand years.”

“I see… I can’t say I properly understand what happened actually, but I’m kinda sympathetic for yours and your sister’s pain. I had to make a few hard choices myself…”

“Nopony blames you Daimon. Better… nobody does,” Luna said with a chuckle. “I took the liberty to see a bit more into dreams concerning humans since you’ve came. We wanted to see the impact you were having on our precious little ponies. Most just act as normal and don’t even have you in their dreams, and from the ponies which dreams about humans, only two so far had nightmares with it. A few even dreamed in falling in love with humans, I admit.”

“And what that’s supposed to mean?”

“That you’re learning what you came to learn. If you keep that up, you will soon be able to return to your world, Daimon. So… keep up the good work. And before I forget, thank you for the nice chat. But I have to go, I have a few other subjects to protect as well.”

Daimon nodded and saw the Princess slowly get up and walk behind a tree. He quickly followed her only to notice her gone. “I swear that I had seen someone else doing something like this…”

Episode 08: The Talk

Daimon was waked up by Twilight at a mostly frenetic shaking. Opening his eyes, he saw the lavender mare looking him up. “Come on, sleepy head!” she said. “You must get ready for the Princess arrival! Go take your bath, put your best clothes, have breakfast and--”

Daimon used three fingers to close Twilight’s mouth shut. “Hey… relax. I know what I have to do and I know the Princess is coming talk to me. However, I noticed that both you and Princess Luna prefer to be treated more personally, unless duty calls for it, so I will only get formal when Celestia also get formal. Until then, we will talk as with anypony else.”

Daimon’s strength wasn’t enough to hold Twilight’s mouth now. “You will WHAT?” she yelled at him.

Using his whole hand to hold her mouth shut this time, Daimon looked Twilight in the eye. “Calm down and relax, bookworm. Everything is certainly fine,” he then teasingly kissed her face. It had the wanted effect: Twilight half opened her mouth, eyes wide, wings quickly stiffened open, and one of her fore hooves was hold in the air as she tried to understand what just happened. Daimon used that time to get up and go take a bath.

Noticing that Twilight was probably in the very same place, he fetched for Spike with a smile.

“Hey, Spike, you could go and wake Twilight up? I finish up the table for breakfast,” Daimon called.

“Don’t be silly,” Spike answered. “Twilight has already waked up!”

“I’m not quite sure of that,” Daimon chuckled. “Last time I saw, she was frozen in place at my bed’s size.”

The small dragon gave in and went look for Twilight. Daimon kept preparing the table for lunch then when someone knocked on the door. By the hour it was quite strange to have costumers. Even so, Daimon got up to answer the call.

Opening the door, he was surprised again and almost froze in place as Twilight did; only that he hadn’t wings. But he wasn’t the toughest inhabitant of Ponyville by freezing like that.

“Celestia, this is a pleasant surprise,” he called.

The Princess in question let out a small chuckle. “It’s strange to have anyone not calling me Princess after so long,” Celestia confessed. “But for Luna, nopony does that actually.”

“Well… I was created much with the ‘do unto others’ teaching,” noticing Celestia’s puzzlement, he elaborated. “Do unto others only what you would like them do to you. For example, I hate being addressed formally, so I avoid doing so with others as often as I can.”

Celestia nodded, “I sympathize with that.”

“Please, Celestia, come in. We were about to have breakfast,” Daimon invited stepping aside.

“Thank you, Daimon,” Celestia said with a smile and followed him inside.

“PRINCESS!” Twilight quickly reached and gave a hug on Celestia. Daimon chuckled, though.

“Do unto others…” was all that he said and Celestia actually laughed at that.

“I guess I overdid a bit of that…” Celestia answered him.

“Err… am I missing something?” Twilight asked.

“Nothing important dear,” Celestia answered. “I was informed you were going to have your breakfast?”

Twilight fervently nodded. “Would you like some as well? I could have Spike to--”

“Everything’s fine, Twilight,” Celestia said with a gently smile. “You have tour breakfast and we can talk after you’re done.”

Daimon, though, placed a hand on her shoulder, “I guess we’ll have to insist, Celestia.”

The Princess just nodded and joined them at the breakfast table. Twilight tried to bring up many things that happened in the town recently with rare, but really interested, interventions of Princess Celestia to ask about one fact or another. When they were by the end of it, though, Celestia turned to her once apprentice.

“Twilight, I would like you and Spike to go and prepare and--”

Whatever Celestia would say was interrupted when they heard a mare yelling outside. Daimon was up in an instant and went to the door. Opening it revealed a light yellow coated pony with solid white mane and tail being held by the royal guards.

“You stop that! I need to enter! Daimon is waiting for me!” Lily tried again.

“The Princess wanted privacy to talk with the human. You shall get back or wait to talk to her,” one of the two guards answered.

“I’m not trying to talk with Celestia! I must talk with… Daimon!” looking above the guards, Lily noticed that the human was looking at her surprised. “Daimon! Come here! These guards won’t let approach me more than this!”

“You should let her go,” the gently voice of Celestia inside the library and her face suddenly appearing at the door made the royal guards bow and nod. Lily also joined them in a bow.

“Princess Celestia…”

“Raise, my little pony,” Celestia said gently. “You wanted to talk with Daimon? We were going to have a private chat now, so if you could wait…”

“Sorry, your highness, but it’s just about it,” Lily said, her head still down in a bow as she talked. “When I needed Daimon’s support through a personal chat he stood at my side. I won’t be able to sleep if I can’t repay him in kind…”

Celestia then nodded with a sympathetic smile, “Then I am pressed to allow you in.”

Lily first looked at the Princess in surprise, but then nodded and walked inside the library. Following Daimon and Celestia, she was guided to the lobby, where Twilight and Spike where still waiting.

Continuing from where she stopped, Celestia looked at Twilight and Spike, “Sorry for the interruption. As I was saying, I want you both to prepare the town’s hall if there’s nothing important scheduled there. If has, this can be scheduled for later. And make sure that as many ponies as possible grant their presence there, please.”

Twilight nodded, “Consider it as good as done, Princess!”

The following second, the duo was out the door. The Princess, though, peek her head out, “Unless I call otherwise, no more interruptions please. That includes Twilight herself.” As the two royal guard nodded, she grinned. “Thank you.”

“May I ask what it’s all about, Celestia?” Daimon asked.

“Daimon!” Lily said surprised at his intimacy.

“That’s fine, Romantic Lily I assume?” Celestia said with a smile. “I’ve came today exactly trying to be a bit more personal with Daimon. To do so, I’m more than willing to drop formalities. I would like if you could as well, besides I can understand how a life of habit can be hard to forget.”

“Lily’s smart. She knows when to and when not to be formal,” Daimon smiled. Then his face hardened a bit. “Before we start though… About my family…”

“I knew you would ask about that,” Celestia said not surprised in the least. “I can’t show you your mother and sister, or even who I had asked to look after them. But I assure you it is someone you know. If I recall correctly, you had punched him unconscious after he had… cursed you?”

Daimon raised an eyebrow at that. “You had asked help of one that had all the reasons to seek revenge after me?” Daimon asked. “Are you serious or trying to pull my leg?”

“I’m pretty serious about it, Daimon,” Celestia answered. “His name is Karl Fox and he is actually taking care of your family and is particularly friendly with your sister for some reason I don’t understand.”

Rubbing his forehead, Daimon stood there, thinking in the implications of that. “At least he’s really taking care of them?”

“Luna is doing a great job at keeping contact with him most of the nights,” Celestia assured him.

“Where… did Daimon live?” Lily asked.

“Daimon does live in a different world, Romantic Lily,” Celestia answered. “A world ruled entirely by humans.”

“That’s why nopony has ever seen a human before,” Daimon chuckled. “Also the reason we’re somewhat tougher than some ponies. We don’t have magic in our world, so we have to compensate with strength and technology.”

“That… you haven’t told me…” Lily looked at him somewhat surprised.

“Sorry for that,” he said. “It just didn’t felt right at the moment and I didn’t want to scare you.”

Lily though nodded. Looking to Celestia, she asked, “And if Daimon’s family needed to be looked upon, why had you brought Daimon there in the first place?”

“I could easily say that it was because we had looked things through and we wanted Daimon to be a better person to better help his own family. But that would be lie,” Celestia said. “The truth is far worse than that. We all know that Luna once was transformed into Nightmare Moon. What nopony knows is that Nightmare Moon is still an influence on Luna.

“More often than she would like, Luna needs to relieve some of the stress and sadly, she learned about Daimon during one of those phases. She hadn’t thought clearly, acted more as an impulsive little filly than actually an Equestria Princess.”

“I could see this influence thing you said…” Daimon said, getting the attention of both Celestia and Lily. “In the dream where she brought me there, Luna was followed by Nightmare Moon. And that little chat we had as I woke up, I saw Luna’s eyes turn into that of Nightmare Moon, slit pupils and all…”

“She was worse than I thought, then,” Celestia admitted. “My sister doesn’t like talking about Nightmare Moon and it is getting hard to notice when she’s giving in. If it’s a natural process or she’s instinctively faking it from me is still unknown.”

“You said that Princess Luna needed to… alleviate the stress…” Lily said not sure she wanted to know the answer. “How you do that, may I know?”

“There are places in Canterlot Castle that nopony but we have access to,” Celestia answered. “Remember, Romantic Lily and Daimon: whatever I say here shall never leave this room. Whenever Luna feels the need to relieve the stress, we get there where she mostly destroy anything in front of her. Twilight knows the place, some underground caverns bellow Canterlot.”

“And why you get there with her?” Lily asked more than a bit afraid.

Then they heard the door opening and looked to see Luna entering. “In case I lose control over myself,” she said. “I thought I said you I would be coming with you, my sister.”

“You already stay up for the whole night, Luna,” Celestia said with a gently smile. “I couldn’t wake you up so early in the morning.”

“Most ponies keep awake a bit into the night, ‘Tia. I like to think that I can act like that and stay awake a bit into the morning.”

Celestia just nodded, “However, I’ll have to have a talk with my guards when we get back to Canterlot. I left it clear that they didn’t allow anypony else in.”

“You said ‘not even Twilight’, dear sister,” was Luna’s argument. “You would be a little more assuring if you had said ‘not even Luna’ and you know that.”

Daimon chuckled, “Seems like Celestia almost wanted for you to come, Luna.”

Luna looked at Daimon a bit surprised, but then remembered of their last talk, how he talked to her as a friend instead of as a subject would.

“Returning to our subject, Daimon, your family is under the care of a good person and they are doing nice,” Celestia said. “And now is the time to see how is you doing your part, besides I can already see that you seem to be doing great.” The Princess said with a smile and a quick glance at Lily.

“I seem to be learning a bit more each day,” Daimon answered. “The day I first came to Ponyville, Twilight and her friends gave me a quick glance at what true friendship was: Trust, support, help, sacrifice, strength and fun. I guess I’ve already understood five of these concepts so far…”

“Those being…” Luna half asked curiously.

“I learned that a friend can help you having fun, even when you’re taking it rather serious. I learned that when I was challenged by Applejack to see who was the toughest, pony or human,”

“Applejack is an athletic mare, that’s no doubt. Strong and agile, she’s also very smart and thinks quickly,” Luna nodded.

“But I’m better,” Daimon said with a chuckle. “I just smiled at her when we were facing the last dash to the finish line. It had been too long since I had made such a sprint just for the fun of it and I had relearned that we should be always doing.

“The second lesson was to trust other ponies,” Daimon nodded. “And I had to face some ferocious monsters to learn that.”

Daimon gave Lily a quick glance in time to see her shiver. “Those timber wolves really wanted to dig their claws in us…”

“I had to trust into a zebra… Zecora if I remember right, to reach Lily here before anything happened. I managed to reach her and help her just to face another problem: the wolves were guiding us deeper into the forest to some ruins there. Then I saw Rainbow Dash and Twilight, and I had to trust them blindly to save both me and Lily.

“The next was support,” Daimon said with a small smile. “Lily invited me, to discuss about my reasons of saving her and I told her about my history, after she also told me hers. I noticed she was holding back, though, so I supported her by being truthful and she rewarded me with her true history.

“After was strength, when Lily’s parents has come talk to her. I saw how she was more disposed to defend her dreams when I stood at her side. Her parents, though, didn’t like me that much. I guess they had a nightmare about me or something…”

Luna’s chuckle was only clearly understood by Daimon, which smiled in acknowledgement.

“The last one I’m sure I’ve learned was the help part,” Daimon said looking at Lily. “Friends are supposed to help you even when you don’t expect their help.”

Lily blushed gently but managed to give him a smile.

“That is far more than we really thought you would learn in such a small amount of time, Daimon,” Celestia said. “I knew you had learned a lot based on Twilight’s letters. I just didn’t know you had learned even more than that. It was only a few days, not much more than a week. But I knew that Ponyville would work its proper magic in you too. And now, I’m happy to say that I’m expecting you tomorrow at Canterlot, so we can take you back at your world.”

“What? But it is so… sudden…” Daimon looked at Celestia, confused. “I still haven’t made--”

“It’s not the amount of friends that are important, Daimon,” Luna interrupted him. “It’s the quality of your friendship. You made about eight friends in Ponyville, but you were ready to trust them with your life after barely a day with them.”

“So… that’s it? I’m going back home?” Daimon asked.

“Yes, Daimon, you are going back home,” Celestia confirmed.

“‘Tia… It would be better if we left them alone,” Luna commented.

“You’re right. Besides, I still have business to attend to at Ponyville. Wanna come with me, little sister?”

“Of course!” and then the two Princesses left the library.

Lily looked at Daimon with a smile in her face. “It seems that you’re going back home…”

“Yeah… seems like…”

“Daimon… are you alright?”

He looked at her, “It’s just that you’re my first true friend in a real long time, Lily. I can’t believe that I won’t be seeing you again…”

“Don’t be silly… If you came one time, you can return there. I know it’s possible and we’ll see each other again! And besides, you have your family to return to. I can’t be that selfish to want you there with me…”

“What?”

“I mean… I will miss you as my friend… you’ve been my best friend in quite a while as well… And I sure will miss you…”

Then there was a pregnant silence as none of them said anything.

“Just… don’t forget me…” Daimon asked.

“Don’t worry… Oh… but could you help me pack my things? I’m really going to move. Need to find a new fount of inspiration for my books…”

“Of course…” Daimon said and both of them left to Lily’s house.

Episode 09: The Return

Large marble pillars sustained the white roof that, as everything else, was a bit too much for Daimon to understand. Why does castles need to be so big? It seems like a giant build them! And the throne room of both Princesses was even more fabulous and… positively empty… than any construction he ever saw.

Daimon’s only regret was that Lily could not be present. She was busy reading her new home at Pond Trot and she needed that for her inspiration. Her books were her dream, she should fulfill it. And besides, Twilight had brought her friends and they were also Daimon friends. So he wasn’t quite alone.

But why did he felt so?

“My little ponies,” Celestia started, rising from her throne. “Today we are reunited to send back this human to his own world. Daimon Gryffin was brought to Equestria to learn a valuable lesson. And upon doing so, he’s now returning to his old life to spread that knowledge.”

Luna also got up from her throne, “There is some pony present that has any last words to tell Daimon before he departs? This will be your last words to him, be advised.”

Pinkie Pie tried with all her might but she couldn’t hold on any longer. She rushed and tackled Daimon in a rather fierce hug, cleaning the tears from her eyes in his shirt, “You should stay with us!”

Looking at Princess Luna, Daimon caressed Pinkie Pie’s mane, “I’ve promised somepony else that I would return, Pinkie. And I promise you as well.”

“You Pinkie Pie promise?” she asked at him.

“Sorry… never heard of it…”

“I promise to wait for you, Daimon. Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!” she said mimicking every movement.

Daimon chuckled and hugged Pinkie Pie, before he would himself do those same movements and repeat the promise. “It’s now a Pinkie Pie promise,” Daimon said with a smile. “I will go back someday.”

“Remember! Nopony breaks a Pinkie Pie promise!”

Then the pink pony returned to her place, her sad face completely disappeared and a smile was in place.

Luna looked at Daimon. ‘I don’t think will be able to bring you back, Daimon…’ he heard in his mind.

Daimon just shook his head. Then, looking to Pinkie Pie, he grinned and whispered, “I made a promise. Pinkie Pie or not, never break a promise. My father taught me that.”

Celestia waited a bit more to see if somepony would say something. When it was clear there was no more parting words right now, Celestia continued, “Daimon, are you ready to go?”

He closed his eyes and looked around one last time before turning back to Celestia, “Yes, I am.”

Celestia, Luna and Twilight together began to work on a powerful spell to send Daimon back. Seeing that, Daimon had wondered how Luna managed to bring him there alone. Maybe from his world there it was easier?

He hadn’t much time to think on it though. Closing his eyes, Daimon felt the magic wash over him and suddenly everything got silent. He remembered of the rushed ‘Good Bye, Daimon!’ party that Pinkie Pie had made for him, how many presents he would be bringing from multiple ponies so he could remember them. But what he praised the most were two rather bulk books. Lily’s gift for him where her horn written books, the one he kept to remember herself of all her hard work…

The last hours with the ponies of Ponyville reminded him of what fun was like… A pure sincere fun that he didn’t feel in a really long time…

***

Daimon opened his eyes. He was in his own room again. Was it all only one strange dream?

He got up and looked around. Everything was just like he had left back at home, but for two small saddlepacks thrown in the ground. He didn’t have one of those, did he? He went to open and see what was inside…

Ding! Dong!

Daimon looked at the door’s direction. With a kick, he shoved the saddlepacks under his bed for later.

Getting up, he went to answer the door. Opening it, he was rather surprised to see a guy smaller than him, blond with green eyes and the typical physique of a bookworm. Also, Daimon recognized a darker shade on the boy’s face, the exactly imprint of his punch on him.

The boy, though, had a smile in his face, “I was told you were back.”

It was not a dream. Daimon knew that it was not just a dream. He had lived it all and he had left his first true friends back there… Suddenly, Daimon couldn’t hold himself anymore and burst out crying. The boy in front of him just hugged him, gave a step inside the room and closed the door.

“Calm down, boy. If anybody saw that, all your reputation would be utterly lost…”

It took some time to Daimon easy up enough to have a proper talk. The boy helped him in a supportive silence all the while.

“Why…?” was all Daimon managed to ask.

“Why what?” Karl asked back. Daimon remembered his name from his talk with Celestia. “Why I’m helping you? Why I’m still there after what you’ve done to me? Why I don’t seem to mind whatever you and your friends ever did?” Daimon, though, just nodded. “Well… I guess it’s because I passed by the same thing as you, I think. Not exactly actually, but close enough, and after all, birds of a feather shall stick together, right?”

Daimon opened a smile and nodded. Then a thought occurred to him, “Where’s my family?”

“You know… My father is divorced, and in this last week, seems like he and your mother clicked.”

Daimon had to chuckle a bit with that, “So they’re out in a date? It will make her good, I guess…”

“My father quickly understood that your mother has a problem. He works with that kind of problems, though, and will try to help her.”

Daimon nodded and offered him a hand, “Daimon Gryffin.”

“Karl Fox.”

“Yes, I’ve heard about you.”

“You did? Where?”

“You wouldn’t believe…” Daimon chuckled.

***

When his family returned, Daimon was almost hugged to death. Since then, life fell into a routine. At least after a few breaks on old habits. Daimon firstly made sure to break his friendship with his old gang and that they wouldn’t cause more problems, he asked forgiveness to all people he had troubled along his years at school, and started helping every other student in need.

Upon returning home, he would continue his routine of helping his mother with her problems and such, would help his sister with the homework and only then he would leave with his friend. At night, he decided to another change. He would stay by her sister’s side during those shows she liked to watch. She was really delighted that his brother would stay at her side and would often comment on a few things that she never saw in the show, like how Pinkie Pie’s mane smelled like candy or how Twilight is utterly perfectionist.

He could notice two things immediately after he began to change: there were people that he really could trust, people he could call friends among them, and that he’s general life began improving. And then, suddenly, he remembered of his saddlepacks. Daimon got it from under his bed about four days after he had returned.

His sister entered in the room when he was opening it, “What are you doing, brother?”

Daimon smiled. “I’m going to see over the presents I got from some friends, Angela,” he answered. “Would you like to join me?”

Angela sat at his side and waited patiently. She saw him placing hands inside the saddlepacks and brings out first a small photography, and Angela’s eyes widened in surprise.

“These are…”

Daimon chuckled. “Yes, Angela. They’re my friends,” he said. “I learned why you liked them so much.”

Bringing the next item out, both Daimon and Angela chuckled. It was a small can labeled ‘for parties’. No doubt it was from Pinkie Pie and would probably be a lot of confetti. There were quite a few amounts of shirts and a few pants, all from Rarity, of course. Applejack’s gifts were a surprise even for Daimon, a smaller version of her hat and a bottle of cinder. Placing the hat on her sister’s head, Daimon chuckled, bringing the next object of his new possessions. Rainbow Dash gave him cool sunglasses and a golden insignia which Angela quickly recognized to be Rainbow’s cutie mark. Fluttershy had sent a gift that he also passed to his sister, a plush doll of Angel. Twilight’s gifts were three books, all of them teaching about magic.

Then Daimon’s heart got heavy. There were them, the two bulk horn written books that he would never get the full collection. Two books of The Four Seasons collection that was still being written by his first best friend ever…

“Who gave you those, bro? They’re not likely from Twilight…” Angela asked.

Daimon caressed his sister’s hair. “I stood in Ponyville, Angela. There were more ponies living here than you could think… I met one called Romantic Lily. She has a light yellow coat and a beautiful white mane and tail, deep blue eyes and pen writing on a heart as a cutie mark.”

“Did you have any adventures while there?”

Daimon grinned and began to tell his sister about how he had beaten Applejack in his challenge and about the time he ran after Romantic Lily inside the Everfree Forest…

***

A full week has passed. Daimon, though, wasn’t as happy as he thought he would be. He had a lot of new friends and his mother was now in love again with another man, one he trusted now to take care of her. However, his heart was still empty and he didn’t know why.

He closed his eyes to sleep and wished as strong as he could upon his dreams, as he had been doing ever since he returned, trying to call a certain Princess attention. However, he got nothing. He just had another uneventful night of sleep.

The school days were about to give opening for the summer vacation. He looked at the calendar; it was about the summer solstice right now, he noticed. They were getting ready to the Summer Sun Celebration, that’s why they couldn’t pay him proper attention. He couldn’t quite blame that on them.

Daimon made his best on his studies and, when not learning his school subjects, he was reading Twilight’s books, learning about pony magic. If he remembered right, Twilight had said something about how he could focus magic on his finger if he knew how. After reading a few chapters of the first book, Magic of Starters, he looked at his hand and closed his eyes. He had seen that magic exists, and now he truly believed in it. Using the book techniques, he tried to focus until he could feel what the book described a magic flux would feel like.

Suddenly, he felt it. On the palm of his hand, he had felt a heat wave crossing to his fingers. After his little moment of surprise, Daimon focused a bit more. The simplest of all spells were a levitation spell. It was basically focusing your magic around the object you wanted to move and make the magic moves the object for you. Deciding on the lightest thing available, he tried to magically pass the book page. After quite an effort, Daimon let out a relief sigh as the page moved alone. It was tiring! How Celestia does raised him up and held him solid so easily?

“Of course… let’s compare one that’s just learning about magic with one that had already centuries of years to practice! That is the best to do!” he chuckled.

But then, noticing that he was able to use magic, he wondered, “Maybe humans have their versions of the three kinds? The “earth humans”, the “magic humans” and the “flying humans” were after all a part of human society. The ones that love the earth above everything else, those that decide to take the sky and, of course, the magicians… maybe some of those shows I saw in the past weren’t just illusions after all…”

He passed the rest of the day practicing his magic, and decided not to show it to anyone. Humans are already dangerous enough without the aid of magic… Dinner soon was ready, though, and his sister called him. After dinner, Daimon went straight to bed, again hoping for a visit of Luna, but again he was out of luck.

The next day held very important news for him. His mother decided to marry with Karl’s father and he was filled with joy. He knew his mother future was her own to decide, but couldn’t help to fell happy that she made a decision after asking what he thought of it. He approved without thinking twice and wasn’t exactly surprised to know that everything was almost settled. They were going for a ceremony at the open at June 21. Daimon got then even happier: he would have another reason to celebrate the Summer Sun Celebration.

His time then got split between helping the preparations for the coming ceremony and studying, both for his school and about magic. At June 20, Daimon’s magic was a lot more powerful and he seemed to be a one-tick magician, his levitation magic being the only spell he learned how to cast so far. He then remembered that he was still on the very first book and that it would probably take longer to learn more complex spells.

Positively tired, he went to sleep that day. And then, he saw the large plains with sparse trees and a lake at the distance. Recognizing the place quickly, he smiled and produced the same table and ice box from the last time he had saw it. Not too long later, he saw Luna’s figure walking from behind a tree with a smile.

“I see you’re doing well, Daimon,” Luna started sitting at his side.

“Not as much as I thought. Besides I truly missed my mother and my sister, they found care and love into the arms of another loving and trustful man. My duty there is over now, and I’m filling empty…”

“We told you that bringing you back would be hard, if not impossible, Daimon.”

“Then I’ll make it possible, Luna. I made a Pinkie Pie promise, you saw it. And you never break such a promise,” Daimon said. “Thanks to Twilight’s gift, I am learning magic now…” he raised his hand and focused his telekinesis to lift the glass of coke in front of him to take a sip before placing it back.

Luna smiled at that, “I never thought humans could use magic…”

“Maybe something happened to me in Ponyville that changed me and allowed me to do so…” Daimon chuckled. “Or maybe we always could, but we forgot how to do so…”

Luna nodded, “So you’re really sure about coming back?”

Daimon took some time to think and then let a long sigh. “Yes, I am,” he answered. “This time, though, I will be able to warn my family and friends… and also, I don’t pretend to be coming back to my world…”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. I was even going to ask if there is a transformation spell or something like that… I want to start over…”

“Well… There are two times in the year when both I and Celestia grow more powerful. The first is at the dawn of the longest day of the year… but we won’t be able to help you then, we’ll be busy with our own matters.”

“I know.”

“The second time is at the twilight of the same day. When there are both night and day at the sky simultaneously. Maybe, at twilight and with help of Twilight Sparkle, we can bring you back to Equestria.”

“And how have you taken me to Equestria that very first time?”

“There are very rare and special occasions, Daimon, when a small rip occurs between worlds. This allows for world travels if there is enough powerful magic in the scene. When I brought you in, there was one very large of these rips, so my powers alone were enough. When we sent you back, it was a smaller rip, but it still was one. However, tomorrow there will be none, and there is no knowing when there will be one… We can see when they’re about, but we can’t foresee precisely when they will occur. The next one can be far after your lifetime.”

Daimon nodded. “The Summer Sun Celebration… you are preparing for it as we speak, right?” he asked.

“Yes.”

“I’ll be talking with my sister about it. Maybe wake her up to watch the sun rise. In my world it doesn’t have that much significance, but it will have in our minds,” Daimon grinned. “Then I’ll join mom’s wedding. After handing her to her new husband, I’ll say my farewells to them and to my friends. I’ll be ready by the twilight. I Pinkie Pie promise.”

Luna grinned and nodded, “Farewell. We’ll do our best, Daimon, to bring you safe. If we can’t, don’t worry. Or at the next rip or at the next possibility, we try again…”

“You won’t need the time. I feel that you’ll manage.”

Luna then got up and left. She still had preparations to do. Daimon also woke up not too long later. He smiled at the hour. It was dark, but the sun should be rising soon. He quickly made sure to wake up Karl, who had slept with them that night, and his sister, asking both to follow him outside, to the courtyard.

They asked Daimon what was happening about three times when they saw the sun rising in the horizon. Daimon smiled, “The Summer Sun Celebration. This celebrates the longest day of the year…”

“Daimon?” Karl asked a bit puzzled. “We don’t celebrate that around here…”

“That’s why I woke you to join me… Karl, after today, you’ll be Angela’s big brother, and I pass to you the duty to look after her. Help her with homework every day after school, watch her favorite shows with her and protect her from harm while allowing her to grow.”

“But Daimon… why you are…” then realization hit Karl.

“Since the day I got back, I started feeling this emptiness inside of me. I’m not quite sure what is happening, but it only started after I returned from my exile…” he turned and hugged both of them. “I’ll need you to stay at our mother’s side when I’m gone. I’ll tell them after the wedding, no need to ruin their special day.”

Karl and Angela tightened their hug on Daimon.

“Will you come back, brother?” Angela asked, crying already. “Please… promise me you will!”

Daimon just chuckled. “I can’t Angela… But I do promise that I will never forget you, if you promise me not to forget me… Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye,” he said with the proper mimics.

Angela quickly repeated it in chorus with Karl. Then, the trio turned to see the sun raise a bit more that day. It would be their last time doing so.

The whole day was a typical rush of getting things ready for the wedding. It was mostly a symbolic one, and it was Daimon’s honor to bring his mother in. Proudly handing her to Karl’s father, he took his place at Angela’s side and watched the rest of the ceremony slowly pass. His smile never diminished.

After that was the party, but Daimon had managed to take his mother and step-father to a private talk before they got there. He explained how he felt hollow inside and that now he knew where to go and fill that emptiness. Thanking Karl’s father for taking care of his mother, he hugged him strongly. When he hugged his mother though, both of them began to cry. Daimon knew she wouldn’t hold him, it was his choice. Also, he knew she was proud of him for making his own path in life.

They parted after that. Daimon needed to get home and prepare whatever he wanted to take. He was alone there; Angela and Karl were at the party with their parents. He had left behind all his human clothes, only taking those that Rarity had made for him. He also left the gifts from every other pony to his sister and the cinder for his mother. However, he took a few bottles of Coke with him as well a photo of the whole family. He would miss them deeply…

When twilight came, he was at the courtyard, expecting patiently for the magic to happen. Suddenly, the wind began to get stronger and the sky darkened. He quickly felt the wind spinning around him and knew what was happening. He closed his eyes and, just to be sure, held his saddlepacks with both his hands and magic.

And then, his world turned to black…

Episode 10: The Chapter

The landscape was speeding outside the train’s window. He was once again happy to be where he truly wanted to be. Remembering the first moments of his, Daimon had to chuckle. Yes, this felt very welcome and the hole in his heart disappeared, and, of course, she was the first to welcome him, not counting the Princesses themselves…

***

Daimon found himself opening his eyes slowly on a large bed, one very fancy that he had never thought in using in his whole life. He quickly rose to a sitting position and looked around the room. He had no doubt: he was at one of Canterlot’s rooms.

“Feeling comfortable, Daimon?” he heard someone from the door. Looking, he smiled at the voice’s owner.

“A lot more just to know I’m back, Luna,” Daimon answered.

“That’s a very good thing actually,” Luna said with a smile and sat at his side.

“Where’s everyone?”

“You mean your Ponyville’s friends? They’re just waiting you to wake up and meet them. If you feel ready, I could take you there personally.”

“Don’t you have real duties to take care of, Luna? I mean… not that I don’t like your company or the like, but… you know…”

Luna just chuckled, “The night time is a lot more peaceful than you think, Daimon. I can have these little times for myself every now and then. It’s not always that ponies have nightmares…”

Daimon chuckled back, “Of course… It’s not always there’s a human to menace them…”

“About that, Daimon, we couldn’t find Romantic Lily. She left Ponyville and never settled into Pond Trot. Nopony knows where she is.”

“Well, seems like her parents used the time I left to pick on her…” he judged.

“I wouldn’t be surprised…”

“Maybe I should make them a visit?” he called with an evil smile.

Luna chuckled, “We’ll see about that. If you’re feeling that well…”

“Yes. And I need to show somepony that I had come back. So she can trust me I fulfill my promises.”

The duo then left the room towards the corridors of Canterlot Castle. Daimon was pretty sure that he would get lost left by his own there. His friends were all here, on the throne room, chatting with Celestia when he entered the room. Pinkie Pie was the first to react and a blur of pink was soon tackling the human to the floor, looking him in the eye and a smile so wide in her face that Daimon swears it could go from an ear to the other.

“YOU’VE CAME BACK!” she yelled.

“Of course, Pinkie!” Daimon said, giving her a hug. “I made a Pinkie Pie promise, hadn’t I?”

“Yes! As I promised to wait for you!” she said with a large smile.

“Can I meet the others now, Pinkie?”

“Oh… right of course!” she then left him to get up.

The other ponies were a bit more gently towards him, each one gaining a hug of him and exchanging how much they missed each other. Applejack even hinted that she wanted another race, against him.

Looking up to the thrones, Daimon noticed that Celestia was still smiling at him, but waiting patiently, and that there was a fourth Princess there that she didn’t know, along with what was probably her personal guard. Getting up and walking from his Ponyville friends, Daimon walked towards Celestia and made a quick bow, before getting up on his own and giving the Princess a hug.

“And here I thought you would have changed that much back at your world,” Celestia said with a chuckle.

“Do unto others, Celestia. The bow just means I will always respect you and your decisions, while the hug is that I really care for you.”

Celestia nodded, “You’re a real good friend, Daimon.”

“And not wanting to be rude but, who are you?” Daimon asked, looking at a light pink coated princess with a three-colored mane and tail: yellow, pink and violet. Her cutie mark was a crystal heart and Daimon really wondered what would be her special talent.

“She’s Cadance,” Twilight answered walking to Daimon’s side. “She was once my foalsitter and is now my sister.”

Daimon nodded and, as with Celestia, made a bow to her before offering a hug which she quickly accepted and returned in earnest. The human grinned and looked at her, “I just hope you don’t mind me not being so formal, Cadance. As I said to Celestia once, I was raised in a costume that you should only treat others as you wish to be. Since I don’t pretend to be formal around my friends, I will only be formal as the situation calls it.”

“That’s perfectly fine for me. Daimon, right?” she asked with a smile. “Twilight sent me some letters talking about you.”

“I have to say that my little sister is quite happy in having you as a friend,” the guard said. Daimon noticed he had a white coat under his armor and could see half of his cutie mark that looked like a shield and had a star like Twilight’s. “By the way, I am Shining Armor, Twilight’s brother and Cadance’s husband.”

Daimon nodded and quickly offered him a hand. After a shake, both then hugged as well, “Why haven’t I saw you on the last time I was there?” Daimon asked.

“Not your fault. We were busy with some royal matters at Crystal Empire. While Celestia and Luna rules there in Canterlot, and Twilight is still learning what is to be a Princess,” Daimon noticed the teasing voice of Cadance, “Shining Armor and I rule over the lands close to the cold regions.”

Daimon nodded with a smile. Then, turning to his friends, he grinned. “So, what have happened in this almost full month that I had left you?”

That opened a floodgate with all the mares trying to talk to him at once. Celestia turned to Cadance and Shining Armor then. “You two, I would like if you could try and find a particular pony for me,” Celestia said with a gently smile. “Her name is Romantic Lily and is the… best friend of Daimon, if you understand. I really want to reunite them.”

“We’ll do our best, Princess,” Shining Armor said with a quick bow.

And then, Cadance and Shining Armor left. Not too long later, Daimon and his friends moved to a room where they could sleep. After all, it was still night.

***

This travel was a gift from Princess Cadance to him. He said that he should take it, and that somepony would be expecting him when he left the train. He never said why though. However, his friends needed to get back at Ponyville and couldn’t follow him, since his train was going in the opposite direction.

It seems like things haven’t changed much around there… Daimon thought. Twilight said she would be looking in every book she could place her hooves on about a transformation magic…

He saw the scenery slowly cross by his window as he wondered what this place he was sent was. Maybe they’ve found Romantic Lily? If so, why not to ask her to join him in Canterlot? Maybe the Princesses wanted him to do some kind of job for them?

At the distance he could already see the beautiful waterfalls that he only could compare to Niagara Falls, now that he thought, it was really clear to be their counterpart there. He just enjoyed the sight as the train slowly approached their destination.

He had everything at hand to drop off the train by the time it stopped. His saddlepack was his luggage, so it wasn’t all that much to carry. Dropping out of the train, he was quickly met by an amused brown earth pony stallion with distinct green mane and tail. His cutie mark was a shovel and a hoe crossed and there was no doubt he was a farmer.

“I suppose you’re Daimon, right?” the stallion asked. “There are not that many humans around Equestria, so it wasn’t that hard a guess.”

“Yes, I am Daimon. And you?” he asked.

“Sorry… got a bit carried away…” he answered. “I’m Rare Harvest. I run a rather big farm on the outskirts of the town. And the Princesses asked me to take you somewhere. If you will follow me…”

Daimon looked around. As his first day in Ponyville, or in Canterlot as well, he was calling a lot of attention by being the only human around. Not that he minded, but it felt weird to be the focus of attention just for being what he was.

They walked for half an hour after leaving the town to a small shack built closer to the falls. Daimon could hear the faint sound of the waterfalls in the distance and gave a gently smile. He loved this sound.

“Here we are, mister.” Rare Harvest announced. “I have to go now, my farm needs me.”

Daimon god really puzzled. Maybe this is a shack where the Princesses wanted him to live? They had it right though, a place nice and cozy to call home and without many ponies peeking around to see what was happening. But he wasn’t said anything by them. Deciding to play it safe, he knocked the door instead of enter the door straight way. After three knocks and about ten minutes of wait, he opened the door and entered. It wasn’t locked actually and the first thing he noticed was that it was completely furnished and clean. But for that, it lacked any personal records of anypony living there. He did found, though, a small envelope on the table. Opening it there was of course a letter and, to his surprise, the keys for the house.

While we prepare your transformation spell, we really expect you to find this small shack comfortable. We’ve build and furnished it with humans in mind, you more specifically. We just hope you like it.

The best of luck for you, Daimon. From Celestia, Luna, Cadance and Twilight.

He gave a large smile. At least he wouldn’t be looking for a home in the near future. He was just curious to know how a whole shackle could be built in so little time and even more how this furniture was produced and moved in so quickly.

To distract himself a little from that, he decided to take a look around. The shack wasn’t a big one, had only a living room, a bedroom, a bathroom, a kitchen and, outside via kitchen’s door, a fenced backyard. He would, though, need to get to the town to buy food and later find a job.

He then began to undo his saddlepacks. While he placed his three books about magic on a shelf on his room, he quickly made sure that the two books of Romantic Lily stood proudly displayed in the living room. His clothes were quickly placed into his wardrobe and the photo of his family rested over his nightstand. In the kitchen, the first thing he filled was the fridge with the Coke bottles he’d brought and a nice amount of meat as well. As his saddlepacks finally were empty, he looked around looking for anything else to do.

However, that choice was taken from him. Somepony knocked the door then. He went to answer it, “Hello may I be useful?” he said even before seeing who was there.

“I heard you were…” the pony started but quickly stopped and looked better at the one staying in front of her. Then, her eyes widened, as did Daimon’s, and she all but jumped over him, hugging him as strong as she could. “YOU’VE CAME BACK!” she shouted at him.

Daimon quickly hugged her back as strong as he could without hurting her. “I promised didn’t I?” was his answer. His hands were actually caressing her mane gently.

“Yes you did but… I never thought you would come!” Lily answered with tears in her eyes.

“Silly pony… I was raised better than that…” he gently kissed her face. Her reaction was to return a kiss on his cheek.

“When did you get there?”

“There in Pond Trot, just now. I was just setting in. In Equestria, it must be two days ago… I stood about a day in the Castle with the Princesses and my Ponyville friends…”

“I… never received the news about you coming back… my new house is a bit isolated from the town, you see…”

“So seems to be mine. Found a letter telling me this was a house build for me exclusively…”

She then looked around, getting up so he could also rise from the floor. “The ponies of Pond Trot work quickly. This town was settled mostly by earth ponies and unicorns and when they combine their talents, they can do amazing things in very little time.”

“I see…” he chuckled. “How has been your life?”

She just chuckled, “Same old. Only good thing is that I had finished both lasting books of my collection…”

“What? You wrote two books in a month?”

“Not actually two books. More like one and a fifth,” she chuckled. Then her face downed. “I thought that moving there was going to be my inspiration… But it wasn’t, Daimon. The true inspiration for my books was you…”

He chuckled, “But you said it was out of your story for a dimensional traveler and such…”

“It wasn’t what I was talking about Daimon… I--”

Using three fingers to close her mouth, Daimon grinned, “Not yet. I guess I feel the same way for you, Lily, but we shouldn’t say it right now. It’s a bit… too soon. We’re just good friends for now, and we should make sure of things before rushing into them…”

She was a bit sad by those words, but just knowing that Daimon actually understood her without her saying was enough. She smiled at him and felt her mouth free. “Maybe you’re right…” Lily agreed. Then her eyes widened and she looked behind. On her surprise at seeing Daimon, the apple pie he had brought to the new neighbor was now totally splashed on the ground just outside the door. She got a bit embarrassed. “Sorry for that…”

“Don’t worry… Listen, Lily… I haven’t had lunch as yet,” Daimon said taking from his pocket a few bits and offering them to Lily. “So why don’t you go and buy something for us to fix a proper lunch? While you’re at it, I clean this mess.”

She quickly nodded, got his bits with her magic and quickly left, jumping over the splashed pie. Daimon chuckled and began using his magic to clean the most of the pie as he could. He then decided to see if he had at least the pots to prepare lunch and was relieved to see he had. The basic was all covered, now that he looked for it, including cleaning tools. He then finished cleaning the front door and after that was done; he began to prepare the table for the lunch.

Lily returned not too long later with her saddlepacks filled with many ingredients for a lunch. She knocked on the door and was quickly answered by Daimon opening it for her. They then moved to the kitchen, where they began preparing the lunch.

“You know, Daimon… Your idea was worth…” Lily said out of nowhere after a few minutes of silence.

“What? Of getting lunch? I was just hungry, not really thinking in anything…”

“No, silly! Your idea of writing other stories to clear my mind… That worked nicely in the end…” she grinned. “And also guided me to write a new series, but one I would need your approval and help…”

“Oh? And what would that be?”

“Your story, actually…”

Daimon chuckled. “So everypony can know the luck human that by pure dumb accident finished having the best friend ever?” he asked. “Go ahead. I don’t mind it at all.”

“Really? I thought you would be a bit more reluctant…”

“Are you sure your name isn’t Romantic Silly? It’s my history about, right? If I had any problems in telling ponies about it, why would I share it with anypony? Let alone a writer pony…”

Lily got a bit embarrassed at that, “Well… sorry…”

“No harm done,” Daimon said with a smile. Ready to eat?”

They had already finished the lunch and sat at the table to eat. Daimon, then remembered to get something for them to drink. Not wanting to get up, Daimon focused his magic, opened the fridge’s door and lifted two Coke bottles, closing the fridge again and placing the bottles on the table.

“Humans can use magic?”

“No, not normally,” he said with a smile. “However Twilight borrowed me a few books on the subject. I’ve been learning since then. Also, the magic flux in the human world is very low, it’s extremely rare to cast any spell there… In Equestria, it’s far easier.”

“Didn’t you tell other humans?”

“Oh no, they are doing great and are already causing plenty of damage to the world without magic aiding to that. If they learn, they learn, but it won’t be because of me.”

They then enjoyed the meal with a light chat all the while. None of them noticed, but their smiles never left their faces. The subject they were chatting then quickly remembered Daimon of something.

“You said you will be writing a book about me, right?” Daimon asked.

“Actually, I’ve already started…”

“And what is the book’s title?”

“Oh… look at the hour, it’s getting late… We can chat better tomorrow, Daimon…”

He quickly glanced at the window and noticed that the sun was already setting. He got up and guided Lily to the door.

“The story’s name?”

She downed her head still smiling, “I don’t know about the book’s title as yet… But I do know the first chapter’s title. What do you think of The Exile of Daimon?”