Fighting Freedom

Chapters

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 7.5
Chapter 8: A wild plot appears!
Chapter 8.5: Even more problems appear.
Chapter 9
Chapter 9.5
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Prologue
Chapter 4
Chapter 12

Chapter 1

AN: If you skipped the prologue, then well Idk how well you'll get on without it. Anyways onwards and all that jazz (Man I'm tired. I hate going for runs. Drains me so much).

This is now the edited version. This one got a changed a lot. @_@

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I fell through the purplish tunnel for only a few moments. Then I fell through another rip into a very bright world. I was only about 5 ft from ground so I took the time to begin a roll. However when I didn't hit the ground right away I stopped. I looked down again to see I was stuck in midair. All of the sudden I was flung upwards. I don't know how, but I went flying. I was going higher and higher, and the wind was pushing as hard as it could against my body. I almost thought I was going to break the sound barrier or something. When I was so high up I could make out a castle in the far distance I stopped.

Of course everyone knows what goes up, must come down. I stayed in that awkward not flying or falling spot for only a second. Then I began to fall. My first reaction was to once again use the sword to cleave the universe. I stretched my arm back and swung it forward again. To my horror the sword was back to its wooden form. At this moment I realized that I could feel the texture of the wood. I was still in my human body it seemed, but I was different. My skin seemed rather… not real. More like cartoonish skin honestly. I wouldn't be able to tell except that I had just seen it in real form. Well in a more real like appearance anyways.

I looked down to see I still had quite a ways to fall. The wind was blowing my hair upwards in what I'm sure was a comical way. That was another thing that had changed. I now had lovely flowing hair. The dark brown strands went down to my shoulder. Well they would have if gravity wasn't screwing with me at the moment.

As I fell I couldn't help but think that falling like this was a grand sensation. Most likely it would hurt after, but the right now was worth it. I went back to focusing on the fact I could actually feel my body again. Instead of just controlling it like I had in… that place. It was then that I realized I could feel the wind everywhere. Which meant that I wasn't wearing any clothes. It took a quick look at my body to confirm this. I just face palmed at this. This was almost naked skydiving… except that I didn't have a parachute.

As I started to near the ground I could make out the buildings that were in a village close by. The village was circular in shape. There were several rings of the city. I was getting a great view of the entire thing. In the very center there was a rather large tree. In between the tree and the first ring of buildings was a large ring of pavement. Kind of like a town square, but circular. Then a small river separated the first and second ring of buildings. There were four bridges across the river, and when the river went away from the village a water mill could be seen. The third ring of buildings was very large, and all the buildings were crammed close to each other.

There were some characters walking around, but I was unable to make them out at this point. I looked off in the distance and saw that same castle. It extended of a large cliff. It was very familiar looking in a way. I just couldn't remember from where. I pondered this as I fell even closer. When the ground was really close I finally focused on it and did what I had been waiting to do.

I opened my mouth and screamed, "Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!"

I stretched my hands out towards the ground bracing for impact. Right before I hit the ground and splattered myself on another world, I stopped. At this point I was not amused. The wind that had been trailing behind me as I fell brushed against the ground. The grass all bent outwards from the soon to be impact spot. After it settled again I fell the rest of the way. It was only about 3 inched so it didn't even hurt. I was just sprawled out on the ground barely believing what had just happened.

I looked down at myself again and was reminded I had no clothes. This was so unfair. I mean in every story the hero doesn't have this problem. Clothes just stay with them magically. Not for me though. I looked behind me and saw a large forest. I heard voices coming from ahead and decided I would rather not be seen like this. I grabbed my stick (The Bokken) and ran for the forest. I made it in before anyone could see me.

I spent a little bit of time looking for something that could be used as temporary clothes. Eventually I found a very large tree whose leaves could be used to fashion something. By using several of the large leaves I was able to make a toga like thing. All I needed was the flower crown and a ukulele. I had always wanted to go to Hawaii. Never got to go sadly. Maybe some time in the future. There didn't seem to be a time limit for me anymore. Huh, now there's an odd thought.

I found my way out of the forest, being careful not to get caught on any thorns or anything of the sort. I walked back to where I had first come into this world and sat on the grass. My leafy toga wasn't exactly comfortable, but for some reason I really liked it. Like I was more in tune with nature or something. I was deathly afraid the thing would untie itself at the exact wrong moment, but I had done my best. Maybe someone would be kind enough to lend me some clothes. This village here looked nice enough.

I was looking at the village from a higher vantage point on a hill. There were four roads leading out of the village. One led to the forest behind me. Another one led towards the cliff that housed the far away castle. The road opposite me led to a much brighter looking forest, but seemed to go through it. If it led to anything I couldn't see it. The last road seemed to just go on and on in the last direction.

I began to study the village in more detail now that I could without being near close to death. I could no longer see any characters walking around, but the village was close enough for me to make out details. In the first ring there was a house that looked like a kid's gingerbread house. I had made one of those once. I had filled it with red gummy bears who were the communists who lived there. They had to fend off the green bears of the capitalist forest. I was a very weird child.

Huh this entire village looked incredibly familiar. On the tip of my tongue so to speak. In fact if that tree in the middle was actually a library, I would say this was… Well I'll be a shark up a river. I was sitting on a grassy hill overlooking Ponyville.

My first reaction was to think of everything that I had ever known about My Little Pony. I had been in more of a Doctor Who stage before, but I can dig this. I really wished I had read more fics about people who go to Equestria then. Would've made doing this all that much easier. Then again, no one said I had to go introduce myself. Who was I fooling though. I just had to go down there and see everyone. Everypony rather. I was never one for being sneaky. So I figured I would literally just walk down there. I did decide to leave my stick behind. It did look rather like a weapon. However when I went to grab it and hide it, I was shocked. It was no longer a wooden replica of a weapon, it was just simple long wooden shaft. A staff if you will.

I took a moment to look myself over. I was wearing a leafy toga, and had shoulder length brown hair. My beard hadn't been trimmed in quite some time and was growing wildly. The staff just completed the look. Someone once told me I could be the reincarnation of Socrates. I guess I was just embracing my inner Greek. Too bad my skin tone wasn't the right color.

I walked down the hill to the road. Once on the road I began walking towards the village. Before I could get really close I saw a stallion pulling a cart towards me. I waited for him to freak out when he saw me. He didn't even glance at me though. He never even looked up at me! He just passed by and saw my feet. He simply said,

"Morning to Ya Martin!"

If you could see my face you might laugh. I was incredibly confused. The stallion just passed a creature he should have never seen before and greeted me. Even had a name too. Wasn't my name of course, but it made me think. Obviously I wasn't in "cannon" Ponyville. There was something fishy going on here, and I hate fish (It’s the texture that gets me. I hate how it just falls apart. I want my meat to at least take some effort to eat).

I continued on walking towards the village. I reached the third ring without another incident. Several ponies were walking about, and they all saw me. Most of them stared at me, but none freaked out. Is it strange that I would be happier if they would've screamed in terror? The fact that they just stared made it uncomfortable. I was kind of glad I had my staff now. Although if it came down to a fight, the thing would be useless. Then again I'm pretty sure I would be useless in a fight. I can dodge all day, but I can't throw a good punch to save my life.

I continued walking around the village just admiring everything. At the moment I was only in the third ring where all the buildings were crammed together. The few ponies that stared at me were the only ones out around here. I went around the entire circle, but not much stood out. If I had to wager a guess these were condos or something similar. Must not be much real estate choice around here.

I walked to the next ring of buildings and found much more interesting things. One half of the ring was made of nicer homes and large mansions. The rich district if you will. The other half was the shooping district. The very prestigious stores were in the first ring, but several shops could be found here. There was a grocery store and the infamous Quills and Sofas store.

There was a very plain looking building that had a neon sign above it. It was called 'The Night Coop". I was pretty interested in that building, and almost just went in. Some other places caught my eye as well. There was a pub and a gymnasium. Stuff that you know are in almost every city, but you never think of.

Even though I wanted to check out 'The Night Coop' I decided to stop by the Quill and Sofa place first. I open the door, and a small chime greeted me. The first thing that caught my eye was a very nice display of some Sofas. Before my eyes could wander more, a relatively tall pony got in my face,

"Welcome! My name is Quill! How can I help you today?"

Conveniently his name was Quill. The only way I could forgive the store was if there was another pony here named Sofa. I answered the pony by saying,

"I'm just checking the place out. In case I ever need a sofa… or some quills."

The sales pony nodded vigorously, "Well thanks for considering us. We do sell more than just those two things though. I say though Martin, you sure have changed since I saw you last week. Much taller, and that's some beard."

There's that name again. This Martin dude must look a lot like me or something. Obviously he has to be human. Maybe he's lived here for awhile so ponies are used to humans. Either that or ponies just handle strangers better than humans. They do deal with griffons, dragons, and diamond dogs. Well Martin, whoever he is, has been here at least a week. He must have had the same mindset as me to come here. Which most likely means he is knowledgeable about the show. My logical brain knows no bounds.

After looking through the store I said goodbye to the pony. I didn't bother correcting him about my identity. As long as he wasn't freaking out, I was fine with it. I decided I had explored enough for the day. I had some severe trouble debating on what I should do. I could go to Twilight and explain myself, or since everyone here seemed to know about humans, I could just chill for awhile. Chilling sounded like a good idea, but part of me wanted to see Twilight. If only to make sure this was real.

I decided on at least visiting Twilight. Whether or not I would explain details was really up to what she already knew. On one hand I didn't really care if she knew all about the show and Earth. On the other hand I was really hungry now. All I had was that rice cake, and I'm not entirely sure that was real.

I reached the library without interruption. I decided to knock softly on the door. Might as well come off as a nice guy if I was going to do this. The door was answered, and I comically looked around before looking down. Owlicious was on the ground looking up at me.

"Now how did you do that?" I asked.

All I got in response was, "Who?"

Before I could think about it I responded, "You! How did you open the door? And aren't you supposed to be asleep?"

Again I got a, "Who?"

I didn't bother to ask again, "Ahh I see. Maybe some other time my worthy opponent."

I walked inside the library and looked around. A little bell ringed when Owlicious hit it. I heard a voice from upstairs call out,

"Be there in a sec."

I frowned. That wasn't the voice of Twilight Sparkle. Her voice was more… feminine. This voice was still light, but was definitely male. Maybe Twilight had gotten herself a colt friend. Who knows, anything was possible in this world. I stayed standing, as my choice of clothes weren't really meant for sitting. I was starting to get rather attached to the toga thing though.

Footsteps echoed out and someone came down the stairs. Funny, because substituting somepony there would be incorrect. The thing that had come downstairs was male, and definitely human. I looked him up and down. The features that stood out to me was that he was rather short and young. Pitch black hair and glasses. I wouldn't put him past 15, or below 13.

Remembering what the stallion had said, I said, "Martin?"

While I was busy studying him, he had been studying me. When he looked at my face I could tell he was confused. After I said the name he gave me another confused look and said,

"Aristotle?"

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No lies, I have been referred to as the reincarnation of Socrates. Wasn't because I was incredibly smart, or wanted to know many things. I would just constantly ask 'Why?' to whatever people said. Then they would get stuck answering me for a loooong time. Cheers everyone!

Ediiiiiiiiit….. @_@

Chapter 2

We stared at each other for a few more awkward seconds. In all truth the young dude looked just as confused as I felt. I'm sure I looked the same. I decided to break the ice with a little humor.

"Actually it's Socrates, but close enough."

The small guy couldn't help himself and he giggled. He stopped instantly and went a little red. After this he said, "How do you know my name? And what's with the get up?"

"Oh so Martin is your name then. I just heard some stallion mention it when he saw me. I assumed that since your another human he thought I was you. He must really not have seen that much of me though. As for the toga, I was in need of some quick clothes."

Martin said nothing in response, but continued to eye my leafy toga. Before I could say anything more, the door opened again. We both looked to the door to see Twilight closing the door behind her.

I took in every detail that I could. I had always debated with people about ponies vs. my little ponies. I was glad to see that I was a little bit right. Her body was somewhat like a real pony, but it was the head that really stuck out. It wasn't a human head on a long neck, but it sure wasn't a normal elongated pony head. It was much more round and she her nose and mouth stuck out a little bit. Besides that I couldn't see much else.

"Martin I'm ba…." She stopped talking as soon as she saw the two of us. She simply just stared at me for a few minutes. Personally I think it was the toga that had everyone silenced.

Finally she broke the silence by saying, "Martin is this a friend of yours? From Earth?"

Well at least that confirms Martin is a Earth human. Also that he was not a natural inhabitant of this place. There always was the possibility.

Martin spoke up, "No. I've never seen him before. In fact he looks like he came from the past of my world."
I just tried to make myself as unnoticeable as I could. Which with a toga is very hard to do.

Twilight turned to me and said, "Hi I'm Twilight Sparkle. What's your name?"

I nearly told her my name before stopping. I did that comical open my mouth and raise a finger, then stop moment. I thought about it long and hard, before deciding to stick with an alias.

"My name is Socrates"

Twilight smiled at me while Martin smacked his face with his hand, "Well Socrates, it's nice to meet you. Would you mind telling me where you came from, and how you got here?"

Before starting to explain myself I commented, "It didn't go this smoothly when you met him did it?" I jerked my thumb over at Martin when I said this.

Twilight smiled again, but Martin said, "Not by a long shot."

I thought about how I was going to explain this. I usually tell the truth, but sometimes a lie is more believable. I couldn't really told them I got crushed, woke up in a not place, met up with a rice cake eating lizard and a tree named frank, and then ripped a whole through the fabric of the universe to drop in. (If you didn't read the prologue… I want to know what you think of that paragraph.)

Instead I said, "I don't really know. I went to sleep one night, but this annoying buzz was keeping me awake. So I got out of bed and looked for the source. Apparently there was a crack in my wall that was emitting the noise and a blue light. When I touched the crack I ended up here." (A crack in the wall. How original.)

Twilight wrote all this down on some paper and most likely more. She rolled it up with magic and the scroll flashed out of the room in purple light.

Before she could speak I turned to Martin and said, "Just curious, how did you end up here?"

Martin pointed at Twilight, "All her doing. I was just sitting at a park by myself when I felt something grab me. Then I started seeing two different things at once. I could see the park, but I could also see this library. I thought I was dying or something."

Twilight took over at this part, "I had been trying out a spell that could apparently connect two different worlds when he just dropped in my room. I may have overreacted a little."

Martin laughed, "A little? She screamed and teleported me outside. I had to explain myself through the window."

I poked Twilight and said, "Bet you had a headache too."

Twilight gave me an odd look, "Well yes, but I don't see…"

I laughed at my own little joke. Then I turned to Twilight, "So did you keep working on that spell?"

She shook her head, "No. After I dragged Martin in I decided it would be bad if I accidentally dragged someone else in. I'm just lucky that he wasn't upset, and that he doesn't mind staying here."

"How long have you been here Martin?"

"Only about a week now. I've been out and about a lot though. So all the ponies know about me. It was an awkward first few days though. Had the mayor call a town meeting and everything."

Twilight inserted herself in the conversation, "Well before you get too comfortable Socrates and explain yourself, I want you to wait. I don't want you to have to retell your story 5 times or more. I sent Princess Celestia, who is one of two princesses of Equestria, about your arrival. I'll round up anyone else I think should know this stuff, and then you can tell your story."

She raced out the door before either me or Martin could say goodbye. When the door closed I looked back at Martin. Assuming that he knew everything about My Little Pony that I did, we had to have a little talk.

I began speaking right away before he could say anything, "Alright Martin, a few quick questions. One, is this basically normal Ponyville except for you? Two, have you told them anything about the show or anything? Three, Anything important I should know? And finally, who is your favorite pony now that you've lived here for a week?"

Martin stood there with his mouth open waiting for me to finish. Once I did he finally spoke, "I was going to suggest we take seats, but since you seem so eager. One, if by normal you mean cannon, then yes. My arrival is the only thing out of place. Two, no and I would appreciate it if you didn't. Three, not that I can think of. And four, nice try, but no."

"I think we should tell them about the show. A hidden lie only does more damage with time."

Martin raised an eyebrow at me (I can't even do that), "Then why did you lie about how you got here? Come on, a crack in the wall? Had Dr. Who written all over it."

Smart boy. In response I said, "Well honestly, the truth is a bit much."

Martin took a seat on a nearby couch and said, "Try me."

I took a seat on the couch next to him. It was a bit small as it was meant for ponies, but we managed. I told him everything from how I got crushed to my troubles with falling. As I told him more and more, his face showed more and more disbelief.
When I finished all he said was, "Ya, I think the lie was better. So does that mean you died?"

I shrugged, "I can't really be sure, but I'm going to say yes."

Martin just thought on this for a long time. I didn't say anything while he pondered as I realized that it might take some time to sink in. I just thought about how odd it was that I get to Equestria, and there is already a human here. I don't get my own little world. Then again maybe there is a good reason for this. Knowing that there is another human here could make things a lot better.

I broke the silence by saying, "So before you came here, what was life like?"

He paused on that for a little bit, as if choosing his words carefully, "I don't want to say horrible, but it wasn’t lovely either. I know you probably don't want a sob story so I'll just say this. When I saw Twilight's library, I nearly cried from happiness. I mean who wouldn't want to come here."

I looked down at my toga and said, "People who have left much behind."

Martin was proving to be smarter than the average teen, "Did you leave someone important behind?"

I laughed, "If your implying a romantic someone, then guess again. Nah, I'll just miss some friends for awhile. I mean at some point I'll go back and visit."

Before we could continue talking further Twilight busted back into the room. She looked at both of us and said,

"Well the princess sends her regrets that she can't arrive today. She's busy with her royal duties. Same with everyone else actually. Everyone seems to be busy. I must say Socrates you're handling this very well. Now that I think about it you too Martin. If I ended up in a world with creatures that were completely different from me, I would freak."

I spoke up saying, "Well you see Twilight there is something I actually need to tell you…"

Martin interrupted me, "Which can wait for later. Did you tell your friends about him Twi'?"

Twilight looked between us before saying, "Well… yes, but most of them are busy at this time of day. I'm sure we can all meet up tomorrow or something. Now Socrates if you want I can start looking for a way for you to get back to your own world. Martin refused this offer so I don't have anything yet."

It was probably a horrible idea for me to go back right now. If I was in a coma than there might end up being two mes. If I was dead than obvious reasons are obvious. So I simply said,

"Don't worry about it. If there comes a time I need to leave, then I will have a way."

Twilight looked like she doubted this and said, "And what way is that?"

Oh see I have this neato sword that can rip the fabric of the universe! I actually said,

"An old man has his ways."

Twilight gave me another once over and said, "You don't look that old…"

"Well I'm older than both of you."

Twilight scoffed, "I doubt it. I'm 17, how old are you?"

It was my turn to scoff, "Well that's rude. Regardless I'm at least a few years older than you which gives me age rights. So get under me."

I didn't really want to point out that my age was debatable at this point. I mean who knows if this body really is the same as mine on Earth.

Twilight looked confused, "Why would I get under you…?"

I decided not to make any jokes seeing as we just met, so instead I said, "It’s a saying we have where I'm from. Basically it means I'm better than you. I'm just messing with you though. They say laughing is good for you y'know."

I spent some time talking with Twilight and Martin. I answered any questions I thought appropriate. I did assure them that I was not actually from the past Earth. I did have to retell the story of the toga. When I told Twilight about when I first arrived here with the falling thing, she just told me she had no idea.She tried asking me a lot of questions about Earth, but I refused to answer anything too sensitive.

When Twilight was pestering me about cars, which was kind of a sensitive topic for me, the clock in the house chimed. Twilight looked at the clock and said,

"Well look at the time!"

The clock read about 11 p.m., but it wasn't like I was tired or anything. I had just been stuck talking all day. Although come to think of it I hadn't eaten yet. That's when my stomach decided to make its situation known. Twilight heard my stomach and laughed. I feel weird saying this, but she has a really nice laugh. Huh, go figure. She handed me some bread and what might as well have been grass. Life was going to be very difficult if all I was going to eat was bread and grass.

They both began munching on their small meals while I just eyed the food warily. I don't like being rude to someone who is having me as a guest, but this was a bit ridiculous.

"Do you have anything more substancey?" I asked.

Twilight said, "I'm sorry, but I don't usually have much to eat here. Tomorrow though I'll show you around town and I'll pick something up."

I looked at Martin curiously. I wondered if he had a job or something.

Twilight looked at me again and said, "Oh and feel free to stay the night tonight. I know it can't be easy being thrown into a different world. We'll talk more tomorrow about your situation though. For now just get some rest."

She closed the door to her room and I began munching on the bread and grass. The bread was normal bread, and was perfectly fine. I hesitated on the grass though.

Martin saw me hesitate and said, "Eat it, trust me."

I picked up a small bundle and brought it to my face. After smelling it and eyeing it I decided it was just normal grass. I stuck it in my mouth just for the hell of it. I tasted… absolutely nothing. Seriously I was chewing it, but nothing was there. I gave Martin a sour look.

Martin laughed and then said, "I know right? It's packed with nutrients though. The stuff grows everywhere I hear. It's already all around here. I've been told that it can even grow in snow and ice conditions. Seriously you never need to buy food, this stuff has it all. The only problem as you can see, or rather taste, is the lack of one."

I swallowed the rest of it without problem. "So Martin do you have a job around here?"

Martin stuck his chest out, "I'm the mailman! I do my rounds every day, well except Saturday. I even got an official mail bag. I'm just lucky ponies don't send to much mail. Although Twilight says I can stay here for as long as I need. Since its her fault I got stuck here."

I was thinking it was more of the fact that he was still a kid. I'm certain Twilight wasn't about to let an older guy like me bunk with her. For some reason this didn't really bother me. Hell if this grass really did grow everywhere, what was the point of getting a job? Sure this stuff doesn't taste… at all, but its free!

"At some point Martin we're going to need to have a serious talk, but not now. Is there a blanket or something I could have?"

Martin handed me a blanket and then went to his own respective room. At least I hope he did. Otherwise we would need to have a serious talk of a whole different type. I went outside and smelled the fresh night. The moon shone down on me bathing me in its light. I found a nice patch of grass and laid down. I pulled the blanket over myself. Martin came outside to join me for a little bit after a few minutes.

"So... Socrates. What are you going to do tomorrow?"

"I honestly don't know right now. Some part of me is comforted by that."

"So really, what is your name?"

"I can't answer that either. It's almost as if I don't have a name. I'm starting a whole new life, maybe several. I'm not the same as I used to be on Earth, Maybe I'm just being difficult. I'll tell you this though. See all those stars? I'm going to visit every single one someday."

Martin looked at me carefully, "When you told me about Scales, you told me that you gave him that name. I think you need someone to give you a name."

I turned my head to face him, "And you're that someone?"

Martin shrugged, "Maybe. If you're so focused on those stars, maybe you should be named after them."

I shook my head, "I don't think Sagittarius or Scorpio would fit me. Although Orion is pretty cool."

Martin laughed, "Not exactly what I meant. Besides I don't think those constellations are up there. I'll have to ask Twi' some time. No... how about Silver?"

I pondered this. It was almost as if it couldn't have been anything else. The name just seemed to really appeal to me.

"Silver it is. I like it. Simple, but meaningful. Thanks for coming out here Martin, but I have a feeling tomorrow will bring strange winds."

Martin laughed again then said, "Whatever that means. Nice talking to ya Silver."

He got up and headed back inside. For a first night it seemed really…. laid back. I mean here I was in a whole new world, but for some reason it wasn't super exciting. Maybe the full reality of it had yet to hit me. Then again, was I just trading one world for another by staying here? I was thinking too much. I simply closed my eyes and cleared my mind. Concentrating instead on the sounds of the night.
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ERGHH. Every time I write this it feels wrong. Either I feel that I'm not covering everything, or that it isn't how it would happen. I'm giving up on this chapter because I'm fed up with it. Hopefully the future will bring better times.

Well this one got through the edit pretty much unchanged. Odd as I hated this one the most @_@

Chapter 3

AN: Just a warning the previous chapters are subject to change. I don't know why, but it was giving me a really hard time. Nothing too major though. Anyways…

AN2: And now they have @_@
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I'm not really sure how, but I managed to sleep through the sun rising. It was probably around 10 a.m. when I woke up. The sun was high in the sky and shone down on me. Obviously Twilight had yet to wake up or decided it was time we go. However, I doubted she would mind if I took a look around without her. I mean what's the worst that could happen?

I started by getting up off the grass. The leafy toga wasn't holding up so well anymore. It didn't smell so great either. Which made my first stop a very easy decision. I walked through the town square and waved to the ponies I saw. Some wave back awkwardly, and others just stared at me. Perhaps they thought Martin had randomly grown in one night. As far as they know, that's normal for humans.

I reached the front door of Rarity's Boutique and was glad to see an "open" sign. I opened the door and a wire bell went off. Rarity must have recently opened up shop because she was still setting up mannequins.

She didn't turn to face me, but said, "One moment please."

I waited patiently for her to finish. It was interesting to watch her use magic. Everything floating every way, going where it needed to go. Once she was finished she finally turned to face me.

"Now how can I help youuuaaaaahh!"

The end of her sentence turned into a gasp of either fear or disgust when she saw me. Obviously my appearance was less than pleasing. I hope it was just the leafy smelly part. I was getting rather attached to the idea of a toga. Lot of freedom if you know what I mean. Maybe I could invest in a kilt.

Before I could speak Rarity began talking again, "Never mind dear, I know exactly how I can help you. You must be the new human that arrived correct? Unless Martin had some growth spurt."

I nodded at her, but didn't say anything.

Rarity looked me up and down before motioning for me to follow her. She walked to the front door and flipped the sign so it read closed.

"Your name is Socrates yes?"

"Nope."

Rarity turned and looked at me. I was looking up at the ceiling, or anywhere that wasn't her. I should never let ponies lead me anywhere. Well unless they decide to wear clothes. I'm just glad we weren't going upstairs.

"I'm sorry that was what Twilight told me. So what is your name dear?"

"That might be because Twilight thinks that is my name."

Rarity seemed annoyed at me, "Why does she think that?"

"Probably because I told her it was."

Rarity didn't say anything, and I simply stared at the ceiling.

"Well why did you tell her that?" Her voice was less consoling now.

"I didn't know what my name was. The toga and beard made me feel like this guy who's name was Socrates. So I kinda just adopted his name for awhile."

Rarity's voice went back to soothing, "You don't know your own name? "

"Well I do now."

Rarity stomped her hoof down in annoyance when I didn't elaborate.

"And…?"

"Oh right. My name is Silver, pleased to meet you Rarity."

Rarity smiled when she finally knew my name. Almost as if she had accomplished something rather difficult. (That moment when you realize your hand has been off by one key the entire time. AHHHHHGGG)

She led me into a back room that looked like it was for makeovers. There was a small bath and one of those standing curtains. There was a desk with several mirrors on it. Plenty of those weird things that girls put in their hair were laying around. Rarity stopped in the middle of the room.

"First things first. Get that horrible contraption off your body."

I looked at my toga and then said, "I'd rather not."

"Don't be ridiculous darling, how could you want to stay in that?"

I looked down again, more for emphasis than anything. "Well if I remove this toga, then I'll be naked in front of you. While I don't want to be rude, we have only just met."

Rarity just scoffed at me, "Don't be silly. I see plenty of naked stallions every day. I'm naked right now if you failed to notice. Now take off that horrible excuse for clothes."

"I've been trying to. Besides I'm not a stallion, I'm a human. We're a bit different anatomically. So I think I'll leave this on. At least give me something to change into"

Rarity scoffed louder this time, "You'll be getting a good wash before you put anything else on. So…"

She stopped talking and her horn started glowing. Maybe if I was had been paying attention I would have noticed my toga glowing. Which would have allowed me to act, but alas, I was not. The toga fell to the floor as it unraveled itself. By the time I noticed it was too late. On the bright side, Rarity's face was priceless. Her eyed had gotten big and her mouth was slightly open. She fell on her backside and just stared blankly.

I won't be a fool and say anything about my physical qualities. I seriously doubt I could compare to a stallion in that regards. However my set was indeed much different from a stallions, and it probably shocked her.

I sighed and just stood there feeling the breeze. I became really interested in the nails on one of my hands and leaned on my staff. Rarity had finally covered her eyes with her hoof, although I could swear she was still peaking.

"You're lucky I'm a chill guy. Otherwise we would be having some issues here." (I think that counts as like a quadruple entendre)

Rarity just stammered at me, "Just-- just get in the bath."

I barely fit in the bath. At least the shower head protruding from it was a hose like one. I pulled the standing curtain around the tub. As I began washing up Rarity threw several things over the curtain. Bottles of shower stuff came close to hitting me.

"Oi, watch where you're throwing things. Just hand them to me next time."

Rarity's high pitched voice called out, "Sorry!"

She must still have been deathly embarrassed about the whole thing. Which is odd as I was the exposed one. After I felt I had cleaned myself more than I ever have, I stopped the water flow. Rarity flipped a towel over the standing curtain. I grabbed it, and dried myself off. I wrapped it around my waist and stepped out. Rarity began looking me up and down for longer than necessary.

I sighed and drawled, "Are you done ogling me yet?"

Rarity turned bright red again and walked off. She returned with a measuring tape and began taking measurements. We didn't say a single word throughout the entire ordeal. When she was finished measuring me I did point out that I had no money.

In response she said, "I think I owe you this darling."

Not sure if to call that luck or not. Whatever free clothes are free. Of course I had no idea what she would be making.

"Uhh Rarity, what exactly is it you are doing."

Work seemed to be a safe topic as she began talking right away, "Well from the clothes I got from Martin when he got here, I was able to make some decent clothes for him. Now I just need to write down the adjustments I need to make, and I'll make a pair for you to wear. I suppose for now you'll need something to wear though… wait right there."

Ya, don't worry. I'll just go run around outside in only a towel. When Rarity came back she had a fairly long piece of green fabric. She handed it to me and went back to work. I made another toga out of the material. Looks like I wasn't giving the Greek look up yet. I didn't bother asking about shaving. I rather liked my beard like this at the moment.

Rarity looked at me when I was finished and said, "It'll have to do for now. If you come back later today I'm sure I'll have these finished."

Before I left I said, "I know we got off to a bad start, but I think we should try this again sometime. Hopefully with a little less of you forcibly removing my clothes eh?"

With those last words I left Rarity red faced again. I laughed as I walked back into the town square. Several ponies gave me odd looks, but apparently they had remembered that staring was rude. There was a fountain on one section of the square and I went to examine it. There was a white pony with a reddish mane next to the fountain who was with a cart full of flowers.

I walked up to the fountain and stuck my hands in the water. The water was cool and felt good. I cupped my hands and splashed it against my face. It didn't feel refreshing. I always see people doing that, and I thought it must be the best feeling ever. Well it isn't, especially when the water is freezing. I shook my head attempting to get the water out of my beard. The white pony let out a small chuckle at my actions.

I looked over and gave her a glare. She covered her mouth with a hoof, but I could tell she was laughing even harder now.

"I'm glad someone here thinks I'm funny. I'm Silver if you were interested."

Stifling some more chuckles the pony said, "I'm Roseluck, and I think it's fair to say I'm quite interested. I don't mean to be rude, but are you another one of those who-mans?"

I gave my beard a good squeeze and said, "Nope. I didn't even know this place had who-mans. I'm what they call a human. However I don't mind the term hairless ape if you feel it necessary to compare me so."

Roseluck laughed again. It was a sweet laugh that seemed to chime in the air. I liked the way these ponies laughed. Of course they've got nothing on pirates, but they have a special charm.

"I hadn't even thought of that."

I sat down on the side of the fountain and motioned for her to join me.

"So Mrs. Roseluck, what are you doing out here so early in the day?"

She just looked at me confused, "Early? It's nearly noon."

I pretended to look at a watch on my arm. "Well what do you know!"

Roseluck just giggled again. I couldn't tell if she thought I was actually funny, or was one of those giggly types. She seemed nice enough though, so I decided to chill around the fountain for awhile. All I needed was a dove or pigeon now. If I found one I was going to name it Archimedes. Once again I had yet to eat a meal. I was always bad at remembering to eat. I was lucky if I got two meals in a day. Although I don't think my stomach has ever made so much noise.

Roseluck heard my stomach and let out another laugh. I know laughing is good for you, but this girl was over doing it. I don't think I've ever heard of someone ODing on laughter. Roseluck looked at her cart of flowers and then back at me. In the distance I could see a restaurant. One of those that has the outdoor section in front.

To my disappointment Roseluck decided to ignore the situation. Instead we sat in silence for a few seconds. Eventually she opened her mouth and asked,

"So Silver, what do you think of Ponyville?"

The corners of my mouth twitched upwards. I don't think I could even describe the things I felt about this place.

"Well it's a lot cheerier than where I come from. Although where I come from is a bit debatable now that I think about it. However if we're talking about Earth then that statement still stands. Everyone here seems to be nice enough."

To be fair on Earth, there used to be a time where life was like that. Before technology really took off. Even during WW2 there was a good neighbor feel to most neighborhoods. Back when travel wasn't so easy and you lived next to the same people for most of your life. However, as we all know, that changed quickly. Everyone is suspicious of everyone else nowadays.

Roseluck looked at me as if she was trying to read my mind. When that apparently failed she said, "So you really are from a different world. Forgive me if I'm being rude, but I never really got what was going on. A week ago this strange creature shows up. Then we had that town meeting where he introduced himself and told us all that he wasn't here to harm us. Beyond that I don't really know anything."

I looked up in the sky, "Well when you put it that way, it makes me feel like an alien. Which in truth I really am. Creature from a whole different world. I suppose to you it isn't that big of a deal though. I mean you guys have magic so this can't be that weird."

Roseluck eyed me curiously, "You didn't have magic where you were from?"

I shook my head, "Not a single drop. Although to be honest some of the stuff we had might as well have been magic to simpler species. I won't go into too much detail about how humans as a species started off because there's a lot of debate about that. However man eventually established himself as top of the food chain by using tools. Way back tools used to be bone hammers. Now we have tools that can send messages across the planet instantly."

Roseluck replied, "I didn't really need the history of your race you know. I only asked if you had magic."

Roseluck giggled a little bit after finishing her sentence.

I shrugged, "Sometimes we get more than we ask for. Sometimes we don't get what we ask for. And sometimes we get something completely unexpected."

"Wow you just got all serious on me."

"Me? Serious? I don't think such a thing exists. It was the toga talking. It requires that I make a philosophical (Hate that word) statement at least once a day."

Roseluck giggled again. I was starting to lean towards her being the giggly type. She seemed nice enough though.

It was my turn to ask Rose something as I said, "I'm curious Roseluck, are you scared of me? Does my appearance frighten you or disgust you? You can be honest with me, I won't judge your judging of me."

Roseluck shook her head, "Not at all. So you look funny, big deal. I've met some other funny looking creatures that are nice enough. Some dragons can be incredibly nice. On the other hoof, I've met ponies who can be really nasty. My mother used to tell me that it's what's on the inside that makes someone beautiful. Not that outward appearances don't help."

I've heard that saying before, but never so seriously. I never really thought about it like that before though. I mean I applied it to humans in general, but never between two races. Then again it wasn't like there was multiple intelligent species on Earth for me to compare. Not like I can strike up a conversation with a dolphin. Besides he would probably want to talk about fish, and I hate those. Rose interrupted me by asking,

"Do humans usually wear togas?"

"They did a very long time ago. Now they only do it if they get really drunk."

Again she giggled. The way her body vibrated a little each time made me think she was going to fall into the water. I don't feel bad knowing that I would enjoy seeing that. But I don't think we were on 'you can push me into a lake and still by my friend' terms. I mean if she did it I would be fine. Then again as long as nothing valuable was broken, anybody could push me in and I wouldn't care.

As much as I was enjoying this discussion with Roseluck, I wanted to do a bit more exploring. And possibly find a snack. Depressing that meat was out of the question. That isn't to say if bacon magically fell from the sky I wouldn't eat it. No one should ever refuse free bacon. Unless it's turkey bacon, but I might be a bit prejudice.

"Well thanks for chatting with me Roseluck. Hopefully I'll see you around and we can do this again." I got up from the fountain and picked up my staff. I didn't really use it as a walking support, but I did make it look like I did.

Roseluck got up and said, "Wait just a moment Silver, I want to give you something."

She walked over to her cart and picked out a flower from the cart. I'm not really much of a flower person, I doubt many guys are, but this one did look really good. It had a deep red bulb surrounded by yellow leaves. Black dots spotted the yellow leaves. She carried the flower in her mouth and dropped it in my open hand. I tried to avoid the saliva on the stem, but it was everywhere. I took the flower making a mental note to wash my hands.

Roseluck said to me, "That's a very special flower. I call it the Red Spring Blossom. Only give it to someone who is special to you."

I looked at the flower and thought this over in my head. On one hand she was giving it to me implying that I was special to her. On the other hand she could just be being nice and thought I would give it to someone else. Which of course brings focus to the idea of someone special. Did that mean a romantic interest? Roseluck was looking at me expectantly, so I stopped thinking and took the safe course of action.

"Thank you Rose." I kneeled down and put the flower in her mane behind her ear. I continued speaking,

"I'm only supposed to give this flower to special people. A good friend told me that. I may have only just met you Roseluck, but that has been enough time for me to know you're very special."

Rose looked away from me blushing, but smiling. I can be such a charmer when I want to be. Only problem is that I rarely want to be. Unless its snake charming. I've always wanted to try that out. I stood up and began walking away.

My stomach made its position known to me again. I think it has made more noise today than ever before. Must be something in the air. Deciding to please my stomach I headed to where I was pretty sure I could get a free snack.
On my way I ran into a light brown pony. I nearly bumped him on the head with my staff when I wasn't looking. He ducked in time and said to me,

"Watch where your swinging tha…."

Oblivious to his words trailing off I said, "Sorry about that. Have my head in the clouds so to speak."

I continued walking towards my destination looking up at the sky. The mention of clouds had me looking out for pegasi. The pony trotted up to me and kept pace with me.

"Is that you Martin?"

I looked down at the pony and said, "Do I look like a young teenager to you?"

I wasn't trying to be mean, but come on. If I knew one pony, and then I saw another one, I wouldn't assume they were the same.

"Well no, but…"

I stopped walking and looked down at him, "Then I'm most likely not him. Name's Silver if you were interested."

"I'm Caramel. I didn't realize there was another one of you big guys walking around. Are you from the same place? Is there more of you coming? When did you even get here?"

He wasn't talking fast, but he was talking loud enough to making it hard to talk over him without shouting. When he was finished I said,

"First of all I'm really not that big. I'm average height for a human, and probably a bit on the scrawny side. Secondly yes, I am from the same place that Martin is. Personally I think it's just coincidence, but I have been wrong before. Thirdly I have no idea if more are coming, there could be, or maybe not. Finally, I got here yesterday at about noon."

He nodded his head, "Well that explains why I haven't seen you around. I was out of town until just today. Still have a few days off from work though. I was visiting some family out in the country. My Uncle and Aunt live out there and they just had a new born foal."

This was one of those moments that I was talking about. Where you get a bunch of information that is seemingly random. However, I listened to him talk without interrupting. He was nice enough to walk the road with me, so I decided to be nice to him. When he stopped talking after mentioning the foal I said,

"What did they name him?"

Caramel laughed then said, "They still haven't decided on a name. He's a tough little fellow though. Doesn't have wings or a horn, but he was walking upright on his third day."

He stopped talking again, but seemed more in thought. After a little bit he said,

"Why am I telling you all this? I don't even really know you."

I shrugged, I seemed to be doing it a lot, "I doubt you'll believe that it's my charming personality and dashing good looks. My best guess is that you're just so excited you want to share the news with everyone. I can't imagine what you'll be like when you have your own kid."

Caramel just stared at me, "That kind of makes sense. Well thanks for listening Silver. Nice to talk to you!"

With those final words he turned around and headed back home. If I could remember correctly he worked at the farm. Wasn't sure if he was related or not though. I filed that question in a find out later folder. I had arrived at my destination. I looked up at the sign and read 'Sweet Apple Acres'. I walked through the archway and down the path. After the entrance disappeared from view, I walked off the path.

Most of the trees around here were empty of apples. Hopefully it was just the middle of Applebuck season. After walking in for a few minutes I found the perfect tree. It had a low enough branch that I could reach, and it was full of apples. I reasoned that they wouldn't miss just a few apples. I plucked one from the tree and sat down to enjoy the snack.

I don't want you to think I'm a horrible person and steal anything I want, but I'm not exactly the greatest guy ever. I can't resist all the temptations in life. Besides these apples looked just too good to be left alone. One could argue that I was planning on thievery since I deliberately headed here, but whatever. Better than eating at a restaurant and not paying.
I threw the core from the apple on the ground and had started on the second one. When I was about halfway through it a I heard a voice,

"Just what in the hay do you think y'all are doing?"

I looked up from my snack to see Applejack only a few feet from me. My first thought was to wonder how she had snuck up on me. The second came out vocally as,

"Oh bugger."

_________________________________________

AN: I like this much better. I'll probably be going back and editing the other chapters. If you were wondering, I don't have anything pre written. This is a fic after all. Something that I do in my free time. Although it might be a good idea to have someone check over it for errors for you guys. Remember to comment! I do so love them... even if I'm not sure what they mean.

Chapter 5

"Wake up sleepy head! It's time to wake up!"

Twilights voice dragged me from my peaceful slumber. I out stretched my hand in attempt to not fall on my face. I stood up lazily, and nearly fell back down. I don't function well when I wake up unnaturally. Twilight waited patiently for me to gather my bearings.

"I brought over the clothes Rarity made for you. She says that you should come back if you ever need anything else. She seemed really nervous when I mentioned you told me about your visit. Did something else happen?"

I had decided not to tell Twilight about me and Rarity's incident. Mostly because I was going to let her tell that one. I looked down at the small end table and saw a small bundle of clothes. I picked them up and simply stood there.

"Uh is there a place I could change into these?"

Twilight led me down a hall to a bathroom and said, "Feel free to use the shower too. Honestly you humans are so weird. What's wrong with not wearing clothes?"

I stepped inside and said, "Let's just put it this way, down there we are very exposed." I then closed the door behind me.

At least she didn't point out my smell right away. The sweat and dried blood wasn't a very good combination. I stripped off the cloth that had served as my toga and threw it on the ground. I stepped up to the shower and tried to figure it out. Luckily it was tall enough for me to fit in it. It was plain enough looking. Built into the wall with a glass door. I stepped inside and closed the door.

There was two levers underneath the shower head. They functioned much like you would expect. I guess twisting knobs would have caused some issues. I cleaned off my wound which had nearly healed by now. I didn't bother rewrapping it after I was finished with my shower.

The clothes Rarity had made for me were… alright. I guess they were what Martin would prefer to wear. I put them on and looked at myself in the mirror. My hair was going wild and my beard wasn't much better. I either needed to find a razor or a barber. I was wearing a plain green tee shirt that hung just a little past my waist. I had on a pair of brown cargo shorts, the kind that go past your knees and have too many pockets. Unfortunately a pair of shoes was lacking. Socks were no wherer to be found either. I'm just glad she had been able to make some boxers as well.

I stepped outside the bathroom and found Twilight waiting for me.

"Well what do you think?"

"Honestly? The toga fit you better. You need to get cleaned up."

Well thanks for your comforting words. I followed Twilight back into the main room of the library. At first I grabbed the staff without thinking about it. Then I realized the staff really didn't go that well with my apparel. When I thought this the staff began to glow again. It shrunk itself down even smaller than it had been before. When it was finished shrinking I was holding a spiral bracelet. I just raised my eyebrows at it and said,

"Sorry, but I'm not a big fan of accessories."

I suddenly lost my grip on the thing and it fell on my foot. Right on the toes too, just for maximum pain. I swore loudly in my mind, but outwards I just threw my hands up in the air. For me it seems if I do more wild motions, the easier it is to not say anything. When the brief pain had passed I reached down and picked up the bracelet. I slipped it on to my left arm without any trouble. When it was up on my wrist it stayed there securely. It looped around my arm 3 times in a diagonal way. It was tight enough to stay on, but not so much that it would get annoying. I glared at the thing one last time before turning back to Twilight.

Said pony was just staring at me with her mouth slightly open. I opened the door and motioned for her to leave saying,

"Magical artifacts. Can't get along without 'em, but they sure have attitude."

Twilight seemed to accept this answer… for now. She walked past me and out the door. I bowed my head to avoid the door frame and followed her out. I stepped out into the light of the outside, and blinked a few times. The sun seemed to be greeting me by shining directly in my face. I put my hand over my eyes to block out the fiendish thing.

"I wrote down a list of all the places we can go in Ponyvile. First I though we would start…"

I interrupted her by saying, "Why don't we just walk around? You can point out anything you think is interesting. Although honestly I would like to go to a barbers. If you even have those that is."

Twilight looked hurt that I didn't want to use her list. I sighed and decided to let her have her way. I just couldn't refuse such a cute thing.

"Fine we'll use your list."

Twilight broke out in a big smile and clopped her front hooves together excitedly.

"Yay! This is going to be so much fun! Well first on the agenda was to clean you up. You already visited Rarity so we don't need to go there…"

I stopped Twilight before she got to far ahead of herself and said, "Uhh Twilight. I don't actually have any money."

Twilight just waved me off with a hoof, "Oh don't worry about that. I'll take care of everything."

Well that's one way to take care of a stranger. Then again most strangers wouldn't still be here. Not like I had any other place to be though.

After Twilight finished looking over her list she said, "Alright so first we go to Harvey's Hair Care! You really need a haircut, and a beardcut."

I refrained from pointing out that I had wanted to go there first as well, but instead smaked my face with my hand. I had a feeling that today was going to be a long one. I couldn't even get away from Twilight because as she said, she was taking care of everything. I got the feeling I was more her pet project than a friend, but I said nothing. I just followed her as she led the way.

The barber's shop was in the second ring, not too far from Q&S. We went in and a bright oarnge unicorn stallion greeted me.

"Weeeelcome to Harvey's Hair Care. I am your host Harvey! Now what will it be for you today madame? A nice little trim? Or a more radical change?"

I couldn't really put a name on his accent. He wasn't French, but he did have that flair about him. Twilight simply shook her head and said,

"I'm not actually here for anything. It's my friend here who needs the service."

I broke into the conversation saying, "Silver, if you were interested."

The unicorn laughed at me with gusto. Almost as if he was putting force into his laughs.

"I am very interested my friend. This is the first chance I get to work on such a creature! I have done griffons, and even dogs. There once even was a dragon who stopped by. You are my next greatest challenge. It would be an honor to service you."

Well that was… nice? The dude seemed eager enough. "Well then, shall we get started?"

The unicorn led me to a chair that looked quite like a regular barber's chair. If I had to guess, I would say this was the dog station. Assuming that meant Diamond Dog anyways. I just told the unicorn I wanted a clean up of the face and to tame the hair. This seemed to please him even more. No doubt he enjoyed difficult customers.

After a relatively quick wait, he was done. He had gotten rid of most of the facial hair except for a thin goatee.

"You must still look like a grown… man yes?" He said when I questioned him.

My hair had been cut down to lay flat. I was never one for hair styles so just believe me when I say it was basic. I was never one for appearances, but I had to admit I looked good. Then again I always think I look good.

I turned to Twilight and said, "Well what do you think?"

She raised her hoof and said, "You look… fine?"

I scoffed, "I was looking for dashing, or heroic. Maybe even fabulous."

Harvey waltzed up to his cashier and said, "You look all those things and more! Even I cannot remember the wild looking man who came inside when I look at you now."

Twilight paid him some bits, but wouldn't tell me how much it cost. Not that I would even be able to judge if she had. I don't know the currency exchange between dollars and pounds, much less bits. Next on Twilight's list was the general goods store. Not much interesting happened in there. I saw Caramel and waved at him and received a wave back, but no one else was in the store. The cashier sure didn't look like he wanted to talk. It was kind of weird having Twilight buy me toiletries, but I wasn't going to ague.

As we walked out of the store I pointed at 'The Night Coop' and said, "We should totally go in there. I want to see what's in there."

Twilight shook her head, "That's a night club. It doesn't even open till night. Besides I don't think you and me would fit in there."

"Nonsense! I have amazing dance skills!"

"That isn't exactly what I meant."

"Well I guess we'll have to come back at night and find out. Have to explore these sorts of things to find out."

Twilight ignored me and continued on with her list. We went to the grocery store and picked up a few things to stock her food supply. She really only bought enough for two, and I took the hint. She was letting me stay for a few days, but that was it. Well until something could be arranged I didn't have a problem sleeping outside. As long as it wasn't raining anyways.

Next we stated the trek to Sweet Apple Acres. I hoped Applebloom had told them what happened. Otherwise this would be kind of awkward. Unless Pinkie had yet to inform them that she did not receive the apples. In any case, I kind of hoped we met Big Mac first. If there was someone on this planet who was chill, it was him. Neither me or Twilight said anything on the trip. She trotted next to me the entire time though.

Her body was about the height of my waist. Which put her head in a spot where I could rest my hand comfortably. I had to resist the urge to pet her head like some sort of dog. I wondered if she would take offense to that. Or maybe it would be taken as a gesture of romantic inclination. In either case I wanted to avoid doing both. Instead I inspected my bracelet more closely.

It looked like normal dark wood, but if I looked real close I could nearly see something written on it. When I couldn't make it out I thought to myself,

'I get the feeling that sticking this into a fire in an attempt to light up the letters would not end well.'

Twilight just continued to look ahead and a bit down. Her head wasn't hung low, but it was obvious that she was in deep thought. Before I could start guessing what she was thinking we arrived at the archway entrance. Applebloom was waiting for us under it, and it made her look even smaller.

"Oh hi Mr. Silver. Is yer leg any better."

I couldn't tell if the pain I was feeling in my chest was phantom or not. I just wanted to pick her up and hug her close. Once again I resisted the urge and instead pointed at the red mark on my leg.

"It's healing just fine. Another day and you won't even be able to see that."

Applebloom smiled at me and began heading towards the farm.

"Ah told mah sis what happened in town. She seemed mighty upset when I told her you were attacked. She sent mah brother to go to the town hall and tell the mayor about it."

Did Ponyville even have a police force, or a prison? For some reason I felt like if they did it would be sad. I mean I always imagined this place to be pretty peaceful. Sure they had some odd encounters, but for the most part they all seemed happy.

We reached the farm to see Applejack loading crates into a wagon. Said wagon was attached to a harness around Big Mac. He waited patiently, chewing on his wheat stalk. When they saw us Applejack stopped working and said,

"Good to see y'all are up and about Silver. When Applebloom told me what happened she made is sound like you'd be out for awhile."

I simply replied, "I'm made of pretty tough stuff. I think I can handle a few ponies."

She raised her eyebrow at me and said, "Ya you sure seemed that way when Ah met ya."

I gave her a cheeky grin and turned to look at Mac. Looking over him I said,

"So what's going on here."

"We need to deliver these crates to the post office. From there they'll ship em out."

I shrugged thinking ,'fair enough'. I wasn't actually particularly interested how things worked at the farm. One of those things that I felt I never needed to know. Twilight had taken Applejack a little ways a way and was talking to her in hushed undertones. From what I could see Applejack looked a little uncertain.

I simply laid against the barn door next to Mac. Neither of said anything, but it wasn't awkward. There was just nothing to say, and that suited me just fine.

Twilight and Applejack finished their discussion and trotted back over to us. Applejack spoke to me ssaying,

"Well Silver you should thank Twi' here. She's just secured you a job here."

A job? At a farm? Well there have been worse things.

"Well thanks I guess."

AJ continued talking, "Applebloom will be keeping an eye on ya though, so no more funny stuff."

I just shook my head, "You don't trust me, so you place your little sister in charge of making sure I don't do anything."

AJ nodded at me. I don't think she realized that I was questioning the intelligence of her actions. I suppose the ponies were just more innocent all around.

"So is there some sort of contract? Any sorts of rules?"

Mac spoke up behind me, "This here is a farm. You bring in apples and we pay ya. There ain't no employment terms."

Strangely that made sense. They could probably get fine without me. So instead of pay me by the hour, they paid me by how many apples I could bring in. That way they didn't lose potential profit on slow workers. Then again they didn't gain anything on faster workers. I kind of liked that. If you didn't show up what did they care? At first I had been hesitant about taking the job. I always thought they would have me work from the crack of dawn or something. Maybe do a little bit of their paper work. This though seemed more like my kind of job. I got to choose how much money I made in a day. Of course at first I assumed I would be working quite a bit. Twilight probably wanted me out of the library ASAP. Although I'm not sure on the Martin position.

"So when do I start?"

AJ just shrugged, "Whenever you want. Just bring the apples to Granny Smith and she'll pay ya. Don't be getting any funny ideas though. She's sharper than a bat that one. Baskets are in the barn if ya need 'em."

Twilight interrupted us by saying, "Well we still have a few things to do before we're done for the day. I'll be seeing you later right AJ?"

AJ nodded and we began walking back towards town.

"So where else do we need to go Twilight?"

"Well I want to introduce you to the rest of my friends, but I would also like to stop by the library again. Is there anywhere you can think of that you would like to stop by?"

I thought about it and got a great idea,, "Actually yes there is. I want to stop by the town hall."

Twilight didn't question this and led me to the tall building. I thought it looked a bit fancy to be a town hall, but this was a small village. They needed something to look good. (Took break to go for a run.)

I walked inside the building and into a circular room with a desk in the middle. There was a set of stairs to one side, and a few doors on the other. Behind the desk sat a younger stallion in a suit. Well the little neck suit thing anyway. I approached him and he started speaking to me,

"Welcome to Ponyville's town hall. If you don't have an appointment then take a number."
I looked around at the empty room. I shrugged and then took a number. Almost as soon as I took the tiny piece of paper, he yanked it out of my hand.

"Sorry, but we have to keep our records straight. Now how can I help you?"

I didn't even get to see what number I got. It's something that would haunt me for about the next minute. Until I found something else that attracted my attention.

"Actually I was wondering if you could tell me about the real estate around here."

The pony gave me a blank face so I clarified,

"I'm interested in buying a house, or some land. I need to know availability, locations, and prices."

It kind of irked me that he nodded when I said this. Did they seriously not have real estate here?

The stallion pulled out a folder and looked through it for a few minutes. While he did so he said,

"Well first of all there is the multi-living complexes. Sadly we don't have any houses open in the second district. There is always land out by the forest. You could also buy some acres in the hills. If you do decide to do so, we could refer you to some great carpenters."

I assumed that the first forest he was talking about was the Everfree forest. I could assume the land there was cheap, but a bonus would be living close to Fluttershy. The grass-lands must be the area between Ponyville and Canterlot. At least it looked like something you would call the hills. Well compared to the other side anyways. I wasn't actually to keen on buying a house or land, and even if I was I severely lacked the funds.

"So what about the land to the east?"

The stallion looked at me for a few seconds, and then began going through even more files. After a few minutes he threw the files down and said,

"All I can see is that someone owns the land, and they aren't going to sell. Sorry but that isn't part of this township. Now if you were interested in land, might I suggest a small plot next to the forest? It would be cheap and you look like the quiet type."

I guess they didn't need agents if all secretaries were as good as this guy. I discussed prices with him, but I made no promises on anything. The condo things were inexpensive for their size, but I had already been in the neighborhood. If I actually decided to buy, I could use that to knock off some of the price. Although I had yet to see the inside of them. I was correct about the land being cheap outside the forest, but then I would have to build, or get someone to do it for me, a house. Which when I thought about it sounded like a great idea.

When we left the building Twilight said to me, "I had no idea you were that intent on getting out of the library."
I poked fun at her saying, "Oh it's not the place I mind, it's my roommates. Would you believe it if I told you I live with a dragon?"

Twilight laughed at first and then paused. She looked at me curiously and said, "How do you know about Spike? He's been in Canterlot for the last few days."

I need to stop doing that. I covered again by saying, "Oh Martin told me about him."

She kept on looking at me suspiciously, but eventually accepted this answer. She led me back to the library and went inside. I wasn't quite sure what she was doing here, so I just sat back down on the couch. I was starting to become attached to the couch. It was incredibly comfy, and the arm rests were just the right size. All it needed were those extended bottom things. You know where you pull the lever on the side?

I laid back on the couch and waited for Twilight to finish whatever it was she was doing. She eventually came back into the main room and motioned for me to get up. I did so and she joined me on the couch. I made sure to stay a respectable distance away. Still though I couldn't help but fall into the couch.

"I'd like to ask you some questions if you wouldn't mind."

I raised an eyebrow, "Didn't we already do this? I told you anything you asked about Earth." Well mostly anything.

Twilight shook her head, "Not those kind of questions. More like where you got that bracelet, staff thing."

I looked at my arm and said, "This? Oh I just found it."

"What?"

"Oh just on the ground, y;know."

"What are you hiding?"

I sighed and said, "A lot of things Twilight. All of which I don't know if I'll ever be able to tell you. Like you said though, when the time comes to explain myself, I'll tell you everything I can."

Twilight didn't seem satisfied with this answer, but accepted it.

"Can I at least inspect it?"

I shrugged, "I don't see why not."

I went to remove the bracelet, but it just got tighter. I began pulling harder, but it refused to come off. I even tried unspiralling (that's a word now) it. Nothing I tried would make it come off. Eventually I gave up and said,

"I don't think it wants you to. Sorry."

"What do you mean it doesn't want me to? Are you telling me this thing has a mind of its own?"

"Seems that way. Anything else you want to ask?"

"Actually there is. You were going to tell me something, but then Martin interrupted you. What was it?"

"Well this might sound strange, but…"

The door opened and Martin walked inside. He waved at us and sat down on the floor.

"What's up guys?"

I eyed him suspiciously and said, "Do you have like a sensor in your head that tells you when something suspicious is going on?"

Martin just gave me a confused look, "Whaa…?"

I shook my head, "Never mind. Anyways quick question for you two. Are you in a physical relationship by chance?"

They both stared at me mouths slightly open. When they didn't answer I shrugged and said,

"What? It's just a question. That pegasus who attacked me mentioned something about it."

Twilight said to me, "First of that was highly inappropriate. Secondly no!"

I held up my hands and said, "I won't judge. Seriously I don't care about the whole inter species thing. You can tell me the truth."

Twilight continued with her frustrated tone, "Even if I didn't have the species issue, Martin is only 13! There is a very serious age issue there."

I put a finger to my chin and said, "In hindsight, I should've thought about that. To be fair though our races could mature at different rates or something."

Twilight face hoofed and said, "Where would you get that idea?"

I shrugged, "Well to be fair most humans don't live on their own by 17. Heck most don't even have a good job by then. The fact that Martin got a job as a mail man at 13 is kind of surprising to me."

Twilight said, "If anything that makes me even older than him."

I shrugged again, "Whatever. I was just curious is all. Didn't have to get defensive about it. I'm sorry if I offended you though. I guess our cultures are a bit different on that certain subject."

Twilight just huffed at me and looked to Martin, "Is everything ready?

Martin nodded, but didn't say anything.

Twilight got off the couch and said, "Well Silver, I think it's time we had that meeting. Everyone is waiting for us."

She walked out the door with me and Martin following her. She led us to Sugar Cube corner and said,

"We just have to pick up my friend Pinkie Pie, and then we can be on our way."

She opened the door and went inside. Martin winked at me and then followed her in. I was almost positive this was a surprise party. That meant there was several paths I could take. I could sneak in through the back or something and pretend like I was one of the people waiting. I could just not show up and frustrate everyone, but that seemed a little mean. In the end the best situation seemed to just go inside.

I opened the door and stepped into the darkness.
_____________________

AN: I was actually going to write in the party, but I thought you guys might want another chapter sooner rather than later. Cheers!

Chapter 6

"SURPRISE!!!" (No one here is surprised. The problem with this is that it is so cliché, that you HAVE to use it. I mean what kind of story is it without a welcome Pinkie party? See the trouble we have gotten ourselves into as writers? This situation happens every time, and every time we try to make it different. The question is, what happens when we run out of things to do? Eventually people will eat cupcakes that turn them into fishbowls at one of these parties.)

Lights flared and voices shouted. I have only had a total of two surprise parties, including this one. The first time I walked into my house and was somewhat startled. I didn't fall down or anything though. However, from that moment on, I have always wanted to do something at a surprise party. It seemed rude to do it, but I couldn't let this opportunity pass me by.

When the lights turned on and nearly blinded me, I screamed. A great loud scream too. Not one of those little girl screams you do when you're having fun with friends, but a true deep scream. I continued to scream as I turned around and ran out the door. My arms waived wildly in the air as I ran. I really wish someone would've recorded that, because it was hilarious. I took about 5 steps outside before bursting into laughter. I walked back in to the room full of ponies with shocked faces saying,

"I'm just messing with you guys."

Some of the ponies laughed nervously at me. What do they know about good humor anyways? Before I could even move I was assaulted by a pink monster. It tackled me to the ground and then stood above me. It's mouth moved so fast that I wasn't even sure the words coming out of it could keep up.

"Hi there! I'm Pinkie Pie and I threw this party just for you! The sign says Socrates because that was what Twilight told me your name was. Then she told me you went and changed it! I didn't even know you could do that. Maybe I should change my name. Oh! I could be Bubble Blast! Do you think that name fits me?"

My brain had a time keeping up with her words, and connecting them to things I already knew. The very first line already had me thinking of 'Just-a for you!' Eventually I was able to comprehend what she was saying, and formulate a response.

"Well thanks Pinkie, and I think you should keep your name just the way it is. The correct name is Silver if you were interested."

Pinkie got off of me and began bouncing around.

"Well of course I'm interested silly. I can see we'll be the bestest of friends."

Pinkie bounced away from me before I could respond. I looked around the room for someone familiar. There was a lot of ponies I recognized from the show, and even more that I didn't. Caramel was chatting up some mares by the punch table. I was somewhat disappointed when I didn't see Rose anywhere. Before I could do the awkward introductions, someone approached me and said,

"So you're the new human in town? I'll be honest, the first one scared me. Now that there's two of ya, it feels more natural."
I turned around and looked at the stallion who was talking to me. He was a burly earth pony with a deep blue coat. His mane was black and was cut short. I said to him,

"More natural eh? Well if you ask me, I'm a bit scarier than the other one, and better looking. The name's Silver if you were interested."

The stallion chuckled, "Well you are a mite taller. So are ye really from a different planet?"

I don't think Twilight had covered that point particularly well.

"Yep."

"So how did you get here?"

Oh the story behind that question… will not be told to this guy.

"To put it simply? Magic."

The stallion just shrugged, "I understand. I never got along with them unicorns. Too much weirdness going on. I knew I had to leave Canterlot when my tea kettle started speaking to me."

"You're from Canterlot? What are you doing down here?"

"Well like I said, the magic got to me one day and I left. I settled down here after awhile. Bought myself a nice plot of land and work my own farm. Not enough to sell, but enough to get some good grub. I prefer to stay away from that grass stuff. More spooky unicorn magic in that stuff than in the princesses' blood."

Well… that's a bit of a creepy analogy. "I guess that's one way to put it. I never got your name, what is it?"

"You can just call me Peg. That's what everyone else does."

"You wouldn't have happened to be a sailor would you?"

"Didn't I just tell you I ran a farm? I can see where you're going with that though."

Peg put a hoof to his chin and thought about this. I told him goodbye and continued to mingle. I was never really a big fan of parties. Well parties like this one anyway. It was like speed dating, but for friends. At least that's how I looked at it. I managed to wander my way to the food area quite quickly. I had once again forgotten to eat anything. I really needed to set up an alarm system or something.

There was quite a selection on the food table. One section was more lunch like foods and the other was all treats. If I had to guess, I would put the time around 3 p.m.. Don't hold me to that though. There was several different flowers and quite the selection of fruit. To my disappointment, there was no pineapple to be found. There was also a cake, cupcakes, cookies, and all other kinds of desserts. I was about to pick up an especially delicious looking cupcake when somepony behind me said,

"So how are you liking Ponyville so far?"

I turned around to see a pegasus mare looking up at me. It felt kind of weird being taller than everyone here. Although to be fair, if they stood on their hind legs they would be nearly as tall as the normal human. I'm just glad I can fit in the buildings comfortably. Then again I suppose most of the buildings would have to accommodate the larger beings of the planet. Such as diamond dogs, or griffons (gyrphons?). Hell even the princesses were taller than the average pony. Dragons might be a bit ridiculous though.

The mare was (I feel like I'm forgetting colors here.) a light purple with a faded yellow mane. I had made it a habit to not look at their cutie marks. One it's kind of rude to stare at their flanks, I think, and two I'd rather know them by name, not by a mark.

I shrugged, "It's a nice enough town I suppose. Could use more windmills though."

She gave me an odd look, "Windmills?"

I motioned my arms in a circular motion, "You know, really big fans?"

She shook her head, "I know what they are, I want to know why we need them."

"I don't know. Windmills are just cool. They even use them in mini-golf! Anyways I'm Silver if you were interested."

She looked me up and down. "I'm Vanilla. So tell me a little about yourself."

She walked up closer to me, and her tail brushed against my bare leg. I knocked any thoughts out of my head and chalked it up to an accident.

"I'm just your normal multi-world traveler. Sarcastic, funny, dashing good looks., and just a tad bit weird."

Her tail continued to brush against me, "Mine eh? Have you met anypony that you really… liked?"

This better be one hell of an accident, better do some damage control before something happens.

"Well uh… sure I have. I think I've made a few good friends."

She came even closer to me, which I didn't even know was possible at this point. I tried not to pay attention to how soft and warm her body was. Especially how soft it was, man it was so soft.

"I meant in a more… romantic way." Her voice dropped into a near purr when she said romantic.

"Uhh… Well I haven't really thought about that. You know me being a different species and all…."

She didn't back off which I'm not sure if that was disappointing. She was really soft.

"Oh that's not such a big deal. Sometimes ponies get with other species… for fun interactions so to speak. As long as you have the right parts."

I think it would've been better if she would've been blunt about it. The way she controlled her voice made me think things I probably wouldn't have otherwise. Thankfully I didn't have to handle the situation any more, and I was doing a bad job of it in the first place.

"If you're interested come find me sometime. It would be quite the night."

She walked away from me, swaying her flank a bit more than necessary. She did however have the decency to hide herself using her tail. I just stared after her, more shocked than anything. Well until I remembered the cupcake. I turned around to feast on my delicious treat when another voice interrupted me.

"I see your making an impression with the local mares."

I sighed and turned away from my snack for a second time. Roseluck was standing behind me where Vanilla had just been.

"What can I say, it’s the dashing good looks. Besides she was just being friendly… and soft."

Roseluck gave me a disbelieving look, "Uh huh… So what would you say if I decided to get 'friendly'."

I'd say LET ME EAT THE DAMN CUPCAKE. I didn't actually say that though, instead I said, "I'd probably ask what was wrong with you. Obviously you're not in the mood to get friendly with me."

Roseluck snorted, "Would you like me more if I was?"

"Probably not. I liked you when you were all giggly. Which is strange really. I used to associate that trait with the less pleasant women on my planet. If it makes you feel better, I have no intent on taking her offer."

Roseluck seemed to calm down a little. At least I think she did. She could be harboring secret emotions and a plan to get back at me. Gotta stay on top of these things.

"Well… thanks I think."

"No problem Rose."

"Just curious though… Would you get 'friendly' if the chance appeared?"

She seemed genuinely curious, rather than offering such a chance. Although my ability to decipher hidden messages hasn't been that great in the past. Remember Jamanji the board game? I don't think I ever won that.

"Hmm most likely no."

"Is it because your human?"

"Nope."

Rose stomped her hoof, "Well then what?"

I raised an eyebrow at her, "Aren't you a curious thing. You seem awfully interested in this."

Rose blushed and backed down, "I was just... interested."

"I was just teasing. Although I see you still have that flower."

Rose looked up at me and said, "Well someone special gave it to me. I thought they would appreciate me wearing it to their party."

Was it me, or was I hitting it off great with this pony? 20 years on Earth and just a big headache. A few days in Ponyville and I've found some great friends. There's probably something wrong with me getting along with fake ponies rather than real people. Although that's assuming these ponies are fake. They seem real enough to me. I've even seen a side of them that I really didn't expect to see.

"I'm sure he appreciates it greatly."

I reached out to put my hand on her head, but I pulled it back. That odd moment when you don't want to treat an intelligent being like you treat a pet. Rose saw my action and then pushed her head into my hand. I felt kind of bad for taking pleasure in running my hand across her head and through her mane. Heh heh, if only my friends could see me now. That thought immediately drove the pleasure out of my mind.

When my hand stop moving Rose nudged me, "Something wrong?"

I put my hands at my side, even the cupcake didn't look good right now.

"I just need some air. I'll see you around Rose."

I walked to the door and went outside. I sat down and leaned against the building. Thinking of my friends brought along some troubling thoughts. A lot of the time I ignore the displeasing emotions, but even I can't ignore them all. Back on Earth I was dead. I had known this, but only now did I think of the true consequences.

I hate to say it, but my family would be fine. I mean of course they would be devastated at first, but I had a big family. Maybe not sibling wise, but cousin wise I had a lot. My aunts and uncles all wanted big families. They sure got them. A bigger family than I could even count. For some reason that idea never appealed to me.

Before I could continue my musings, someone sat down next to me.

"Don't enjoy the party? It seems a lot more chill than mine was. Pinkie kept trying to get me to play games like Pin the tail and truth or dare. Like she thought I was some sort of kid."

I raised a finger but before I could say anything he said,

"Yes I'm aware I'm only 13. I'm older than that mentally though."

I smiled and then said, "I was going to say that you act older than you are, but yes that too. And I don't mind the party. It was nice of all these other ponies who don't even know me to show up. Especially because I'm not Y'know, a pony. I was just thinking on what I left behind."

Martin shook his head at me, "What's there to miss? You're in Ponyville now."

"A problem like this is much like a weed. If left alone it can grow much bigger and drain the other plants of their needed nutrients."

Martin just said, "You lost me."

I sighed, "What I'm saying is this. The longer you ignore what you have left behind, the more it will trouble you. As it troubles you more and more, you lose sight of any other problems you have. A problem like this can't be solved conventionally. Well unless you can travel between worlds that is."

Martin shrugged, "Then I'll deal with it when I deal with it. Besides can't you do that?"

I shook my head, "Even if I knew how to do this who travel thing, I couldn't. Imagine if I showed up at my own funeral! I can't just pop back in. They have my body for fuck's sake."

The last line I nearly shouted. I stopped talking just in case anypony heard me. That would be fun to explain. When no one came around I continued,

"What if I come back months, or even years later? It would be like tearing open an old wound. Even if my friends, who might be a little bit insane, understood, what would my family think. I don't think it would even be worth the trouble to explain it to them."

Martin said, "All I hear is what-ifs. You need to roll with things as they happen. Even if it is something as big as coming back from the dead. What-ifs can be fun, but that's all they're good for. Worrying over them is pointless."

I mulled over his words for a little. Eventually I spoke up saying,

"I suppose you're right. You really are smarter than your age suggests."

Martin pulled something out from behind him. It was that delicious looking cupcake. My mouth built up quite a saliva deposit just looking at it.

"The things I had to do to keep this safe from other ponies was ridiculous. Seriously it was like fighting off a mob. Just a mob that decides to attack you one at a time, and with a few seconds between each attempt. And the attacks are actually requests to have the cupcake."

I chuckled at his explanation. I probably should have offered him half, but I had already stuffed it in my mouth. As I munched on it Martin got up and said,

"I hope I see you back inside. "

Once again that stupid 'appearances can be deceiving' lesson makes an appearance. I know they teach those lessons all the time in books, but does anyone actually learn them? After watching the sun start to lower, I got up and went back inside.

There was a lot less ponies hanging about, but a few were still there. Rose had disappeared though. I'm not sure how to feel about that. On one hand she was pretty soft, but on the other hand I felt like it was too good to be true. I mean Ponyville should be too good to be true, but still. Seemed like we were getting awfully friendly awfully fast. Meh, maybe I just look into things too much.

I walked up to the punch stand and leaned back on it next to Rarity.

"Sup?"

Rarity just raised an eyebrow at me.

"I know what you're thinking. That you're a strong lady who doesn't deal with ruffians."

Rarity just continued looking at me and said, "Whatever are you on about?"

"I have no idea."

We stood next to each other for a few awkward seconds. I doubt many guys would have a lot in common with a mare like Rarity. Sure she's beautiful and all that. But how many guys are interested in sewing and all that?

"I like the clothes you made for me. Very um… Clothey."

I think I may have accidentally frozen her eyebrow in the up position.

"Clothey? If you don't like them you could always request…"

I put my hands up, "No I really do like them. The color scheme is nice and the fabric choice is perfect. Tough enough to withstand repeated large movements. Which at the moment is exactly right. Almost like you knew I would be working on the farm.

Rarity finally put her eyebrows in the right position and said, "Well dear it was quite obvious. Anyone could see that you needed a quick job and the farm is the most obvious place. Only took a little of thinking ahead. I mean imagine if I just made you something without planning. With this kind of work you can't just handle problems as they appear. You need to be prepared!"

She may have taken the praise a bit far, but she had a point. Being prepared is always a good thing. Even better if you know something about what's going to happen ahead of time. Kinda contradicts what Martin said. Maybe there is some sort of lesson of balance to be learned. Too bad I'm too lazy to figure it out.

I nodded, "Fair enough. Maybe when I get some money I can request some clothes."

That was why I needed to work. Even if there was plenty of food, I needed clothes, shelter, and all the other little things in life. I didn't have anything against a job really. Especially one like at the farm. Most jobs tie you down in one place. How am I supposed to travel when I can't leave the city I live in?

Is that irresponsible of me? Most likely. People always told me to grow up and act like the adult I was. Get a job, a house, and even a spouse. They told me that in order to live I would need to do these things. Question is, is it living if you aren't happy doing it?

Rarity interrupted my thoughts saying, "Well darling since you did just get here, I suppose I could make a few more free…"

I put my hand up, "No. The generosity is most appreciated, but you have done enough for me. I need to be able to support myself. Although… a discount would be appreciated."

Rarity gave me an understanding smile and said, "Of course."

Looking out over the room I could see that all but a few ponies had left. It was just me, Martin, the mane six, and a pony who was starting to clean the place up. It was probably Mr. Cake, but I couldn't remember what he looked like.

Twilight walked over to me and said, "I think we should head back to the library now."

I led the way outside and waited for her to follow. I stood outside and took a deep breath of air. The air was just a bit dry. Which could possibly mean a storm, but I'm not a weather genius. It just felt like a storm was coming. Then again if pegasi control the weather, was it even possible to feel that way?

Twilight walked past me and towards the library. I followed her, but I wasn't really paying attention. We entered the tree, and I laid back on the couch. I nearly vocally expressed my delight as I sunk into the couch.

The door opened again revealing the rest of the elements. First the ones I had already met, AJ, Pinkie, and Rarity. Then Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy followed.

I looked over at Twilight and said, "An intervention? I didn't know you cared."

There wasn't even a cough. They all just gave me funny looks. I thought it was pretty funny, and that's all that matters.
They all took seats in a circle. I sat on the couch next to Twilight, and AJ had taken a seat on the chair. The rest of the girls had sat on the ground in a half circle.

Twilight said, "Now we're just waiting on…"

The door opened again, revealing Princess Celestia. She was more like a horse than a pony. She was taller than me, and that's when she was on all four hooves. Her white coat was nearly glittering, and the mane was dazzling. It was hair, but hair that moved on an invisible wind. Oh and that changed colors, and had a glow consistent with celestial lights. I'm was somewhat terrified of how tall she would be if she reared back. Her size was kind of on the ridiculous size, and she must have a huge…

"My little ponies! How good to see you. Is this the new arrival you were telling me about Twilight?"

It's like she knew what I was thinking! All the ponies stood up and bowed. I tried to, I really did. However, the softness of the couch held me back. If she was irked by this, she didn't show it.

"Yes Princess. He arrived just two days ago, out of nowhere."

Rainbow dash interrupted her, "So this one isn't your fault?"

Twilight sighed, "Yes Rainbow, I told you that yesterday."

"Oh it must have slipped my mind."

Princess Celestia laid down, completing the circle. She was now at about eye level with me. Which honestly kind of made it uncomfortable. She had the ability to send me to the moon if she really wanted. I just hoped that if it happened, I could get out.

Celestia looked at me and said, "So you are Socrates yes?"

I did a mental face palm. I suppose that makes it a brain palm. In either case I was pretty sure that name would keep coming back. No matter how much time passed, there would be someone who thought that was my name.

"Silver actually. Had a bit of a name crisis."

The princess pulled her head back a bit and raised an eyebrow. Her head was definitely more real than the smaller ponies heads were. However her eyes definitely showed intelligence. I couldn't help myself but stare into them. They sparkled as I looked into them, keeping my attention. She looked directly back at me, and if I hadn't been so mesmerized, I would probably have been embarrassed.

"Uh huh… So tell me Silver, how did you get here if not by Twilights mishaps?"

Ouch I bet that one hurt., brushing this off as just another mistake. I was going to tell my crack in the wall story, but for some reason I felt the need to be honest about it. Something just told me to be 100% truthful, no matter what the subject.

"Well… this is going to be a long story. I'm sorry Twi', but I lied to you. The real story of how I got here is just so… messed up. I hope you can forgive me."

I didn't wait for her to respond and told my tale. Everything from getting crushed on Earth to ending up here. However, when I got to the part about Scales and Frank the tree, I couldn't say anything about them. It was an even more overpowering feeling than wanting to be honest. Like I had to keep their identity a secret no matter what. All these different feelings were making my head woozy. I simply told them that I had found the magic sword/staff/bracelet thing.

When I finished silence fell over the room. I looked around and noticed that we were a member short.

"Hey where's Martin?"

This was a comfortable subject and Twilight said, "He was helping the Cakes clean up."

Likeliness of that statement being true? I'm not really sure. Maybe they were comparing our stories for some scientific thing. Princess Celestia said nothing to me, but instead was in deep thought. The one question they all wanted to ask was asked by Dash,

"So… you're dead?"

You'd think it would take some time to get over this, but for me it was just a whatever. Being dead wasn't a big deal, it was the ramifications of it that got me.

"Yep. I went ka-splat and am now six feet under. Well at least there I am. I'm not really sure how this all transfers over. I mean I'm not a corpse right now. This body has a beating heart and a working mind. So in simple terms, I died, but I'm alive again. Does it count as a resurrection though if I'm in a different body?"

"How can you be sure?"

"I can't really. This could all be a dream state in a coma, but what's the point of pondering that?"

Twilight raised a hoof, "Ignoring the fact that you somehow avoided death, how does this travel work?"

I shrugged, "I assume much like how I got here. Cut a hole through the universe and jump through."

Twilight's curiosity got the better of her even when faced with such odd circumstances, "Could you demonstrate?"

I looked down at my arm, but the bracelet just tightened. "Well, I don't really know how to control it…"

"How do you not know?"

"Hey I only know as much as you do. Not like someone is showing me the ropes or anything."

AJ said, "So y'all can travel between different worlds, but ya don't know how to control it?"

"That about sums it up. Like I said, I know as much as you."

Celestia finally came out of her stupor and said, "I think that's enough questions. Obviously Silver can't answer any more on that subject."

Smart lady she is. Well obviously she would be.

"I'd like to know a bit more about the world you came from."

She stared into my eyes, and again I saw those sparks behind her eyes. I thought about: my friends, my family, about MLP, about TVs, about cars, planes, trains, about skyscrapers and big cities. Anything I ever knew about Earth flooded through my head.

"There's a lot to tell. How do I describe a whole world in one sitting?"

Celestia just nodded her head, "What seems most important to you?"

Once again that feeling that I should tell the complete truth flowed through me. I didn't necessarily disagree with it either. Sometimes lies could help people yes I agree with that. Maybe just to save them a headache. However, in this case it seemed appropriate to tell the truth.

"Well for the most part, it's not all that different. I mean humans don't have magic, but we used our intellect to build machines that make our life easier. Of course we've always had issues with sharing, so there has always been fighting between ourselves."

AJ said, "Ya mean like stealing each other's stuff?"

I shook my head, "Worse than that. Stealing is a pretty low crime compared to what has been done. I mean more like destroying entire cities and then stealing all the resources."

"Why that's just horrible."

I looked at AJ and shrugged, "Life is as life does. You wouldn't really understand. I'm not saying that war and fighting is the right answer, but we can't just magic up a solution. Fighting is what we had to do to survive. Still though in the future when we have so much you'd think we could solve problems peacefully. Sometimes I think fighting is all we know."

Celestia once again was in her pondering position. Rarity said to me,

"Well you don't look all that violent."

"In all honestly not a lot of people are. They just want to live their life in peace, doing what they want. Personally I love to travel. See awesome sights and meet even awesomer (that is also now a word) people. Sadly those aren't the kind of people in charge. Although I doubt putting me in charge of a government would be a good idea."

"So why don't you put the right people in charge?"

I laughed at this, I really did. Oh yeah we'll just start a revolution right? For The United Brony Kingdom! Although now that I think about it, that right there is a total possibility. I mean most Bronies are of the older type, I think, and they are everywhere. If they pooled are their knowledge and money together, they could build a settlement. Hell maybe even a small country. Don't think so? I know for a fact there are Bronies that are farmers or carpenters. While it doesn't seem like it, at first that's all we need.

You can keep making excuses on why it wouldn't work, but that's all they are. Of course there are some legitimate reasons to not do it. Such as family or maybe the fact that you like your current living spot, but I digress.

"It's more complicated than that."

Celestia stood up from where she was sitting.

"Well this has been a fascinating night. Thank you for your time Silver."

She lowered her head a little bit and then walked out. I only feel a little shame to say I took a peek. Ya it was huge.

Before the rest of them could decide to leave as well I said, "I need to tell you something really important. However, I need your word that you won't tell anyone else."

I deepened my voice and narrowed my eyebrows. I was trying to look serious, but I wasn't sure if it worked. Regardless they looked at each other and nodded.

I motion for them to come closer, and they do so. When I'm positive that no one can hear me I say,

"I know everything about you."

They all looked at each other, and laughed. Perhaps that wasn't the best way to say it. I don't really think there is a right way honestly.

"Seriously I do. 5 bits I can tell you something about your past that I shouldn't know."

Twilight just shook her head at me, as did Rarity. Pinkie Pie who I don't think had been paying attention to anything, was bouncing up in down around the room. Fluttershy just hid behind her mane. Rainbow Dash and AJ nodded at me though.

"Alright. First of all, you six are the elements of harmony. More specifically AJ is the element of honesty and Dash is the element of loyalty."

AJ and Dash just snorted at me. Dash said, "Anypony could figure that out."

Tough crowd, "Well you two competed in the running of the leaves race, and both of you cheated extensively. After you made up by running again."

AJ snorted again, "Lucky guess."

Seeing an opportunity I said, "Tell you what. If I can l guess something so absurd, it's 100 bits. I'll even let you do the judging of absurdity.

Rainbow and AJ nodded their heads at such a deal. I wasn't really worried about the money, but I did want them to believe me.

"Alright. A while back you took a trip down to Appleoosa (how in the blazes do you spell that?). You took a train there and rented a luxury bed car for a tree you named Bloomberg. Rarity confronted AJ about treating the tree like it was alive, which she had a point because you were reading the tree a story. On the way Rainbow Dash made a sarcastic comment about Fluttershy being a tree, at which point she said she would like to be a tree. On the way to town the train was ambushed by a group of buffalo. They stole the tree and accidentally kidnapped Spike."

I took a deep breath, but held up a finger when Twilight tried to speak.

"The town had planted their apple orchard on buffalo trails and there was a feud over this. Eventually this led to a battle in the town square. However a truce was made that the town would share some its fruit, and the buffalo would only run through a small section of the land. Furthermore Applejack had a cousin named Breaburn who has a habit of talking very fast and not letting people interrupt him. He also loves to shout, Aaaaaappeloosa! Also Spike really loved the Turquoise the buffalo gave him."

AJ and Rainbow Dash just stared at me mouths open. When someone spoke it was Twilight,

"How do you know all this?"

I looked at her, "So you believe me then?"

"Well you really haven't given me a choice."

I laid back into the couch and said, "Well back on Earth we basically had a way to look in on your world. Not at anytime mind you. And it was very episodic. Mostly it was used for entertainment purposes. People didn't even think it was real."

Fluttershy, who had not spoken a single word to me the entire time said, "So… do you know if they're watching us right now?"

I put my hands up, "No way to tell really. I mean it's possible that it is. Heh, an episode with a human in it. That would go over real well. In my opinion though? I doubt it. I have several reasons, but the main one being that this place seems a bit more… mature than that one did. This could even be a different version of that world. Although I suppose this could be a book, but I doubt we'll ever find out."

They all stayed silent, most likely just digesting the information. I wonder what I would do if I found out someone was watching a show about me. Either laugh about how much time they were wasting, or worry that they were watching me do private stuff. That's probably what they were doing right then. Going through every private moment and wondering if someone saw it. I debated on whether or not if I wanted mind reading powers.

I simply laid back for a bit waiting for one of them to speak. AJ was the first saying,

"Ah think Ah need to sleep on this. Ah'll see y'all later."

She then walked out of the library. The rest of the girls followed suit. Well it was better than all of them freaking out. I had been hoping for some vocal reaction though. As Pinkie Pie bounced out through the door, I was left alone with Twilight.

I turned to her and said, "I'll be honest. I don't think Pinkie heard a thing I said."

Twilight didn't comment on what I said. Instead she just got off the couch and walked upstairs. I decided not to push anything, so I picked up my book from the couch end table and began reading again. I had left off on Diamond Dogs, which was the last species Grizzle covered. He did mention that there were many more examples though. I couldn't help but want to get an extensive animal guide.

Diamond Dogs weren't very magical, but they did have some ability. It was a very useful ability too. In addition to their heightened sense of smell, Diamond Dogs could remember any scent they ever picked up. That's about it though, they weren't very impressive. Maybe there were some out there that were intelligent enough to use their superior strength to their advantage.

After this section Grizzle went into more detail on how unicorns used magic. I'll try and abridge even more than he did. I assumed it was a he anyway. Grizzle didn't sound like a feminine name. Basically the magic unicorns used was infused in the planet. It was in the air and in the ground. Their horns provided a medium of using the magic. Any spell that was cast required the caster to round up some of the magic in the planet, and then release it. How much and how fast depended on the spell. Concentration was obviously one of the key points to this.

I drifted off at some point, and the book laid open on my stomach. Once again at sometime during the night, someone removed the book and covered me with the blanket. However, I was more than half asleep and could only just acknowledge their presence.
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AN: No idea why this took me so long. I would write some, and then go do something. Then I would come back and just add on a little more. There are some things I want to say.

I don't plan on doing a clop-fic, unless you guys really want it to be. I don't even know if I'm planning on having any interactions like that in the story.
I know I point this out like every chapter, but I really appreciate the comments guys. I check way to many times a day to see if there is anything new. So leave a comment! I do so enjoy seeing them.
I love you guys ._.

Chapter 7

I woke up the next morning to a hacking cough. Very unpleasant as it shocked me awake, not to mention my stomach that was writhing in pain. I brought my hands up to my mouth and covered it. Twilight came down the stairs as I finished.

"Are you alright?"

I shook myself and said, "I'm fine, no worries. Must have swallowed a bug or something."

Twilight just nodded at me. She began trotting around the library, moving books around. She didn't say anything else to me, and I looked down at my hands. I was mildly surprised to see a little blood on them. I could've cut my mouth or something when I slept, at least that's what I told myself. I looked at the clock to see that it was 9 am. I wasn't quite sure what time it was when I went to sleep, but I knew it wasn't that late. Well I sleep in if I can help it.

I stood up off the couch and asked Twilight if I could use her shower. When she confirmed that I could I did so. Once I finished with that I threw my clothes I had worn yesterday on. They didn't smell too bad. I walked back into the main room, but Twilight was nowhere to be seen. I stepped outside and took a deep breath.

I had two options at the moment, but I wasn't sure what to do. I could either go to the farm and start on that simple job, or go explore. One seemed like the responsible thing to do, but the other sounded like a lot more fun. I decided that I would make just a little bit of cash first. How hard could picking apples be?

I started on the trek to the farm when I saw Caramel doing the same. I approached him and said,

"Hail stranger!"

Caramel waved at me, and we began walking together. As we walked he said,

"So you planning on working at the farm for awhile?"

I nodded my head and said, "Just for a little bit yeah."

"A lot of people do the same when they first move here. Same with the people who are too young to know what they want to do. They work here for a few days and then move on. Usually they find a job doing what they want to do, or they move on to the next town. Always seems to be enough jobs to go around."

"Well that's good to hear. Although I'm not particularly sure what I want to do can earn me money."

"Well what do you like to do?"

"I love to travel and explore. If I'm not doing that, I love to hang out with my friends. I think that's about it. Oh and I love to eat, even if I do forget to do so sometimes."

Caramel laughed and then said, "Plenty of things to do with that. You could write articles about places you go, or be a photographer."

I responded by saying, "Me a writer? I don't think so. And I don't think I've ever touched a camera in my life. Besides that would kind of mar the journey."

Caramel shrugged, "Maybe you aren't the type to hold down a steady job then. I know a pegasus who doesn't ever stay in one town for more than a week. Just keeps on going and going. If you want my true opinion, you may not even need a steady job. We got food everywhere, and the weather will never turn against you."

"I still need clothes though. And what if I want to own a house around here?"

"I'm just calling it as I see it. What good is a house if you're never gonna be there?"

"I would just like to know I have a place to come back too. The only issue I see is that I'll need to work for quite some time if I want to own my own house. Especially since I'll have to build it from scratch.

Caramel raised an eyebrow at me, "Living spaces aren't that expensive, and land is pretty cheap around here. Just call up one of the carpentry services recommended by the town. They'll stop by and set up the house according to your plans lickety split."

"Where I'm from, houses aren't cheap. They take teams of men to set up over a long period of time. Then you have to pay for all those materials."

Caramel chuckled and said, "Well you haven't seen a team of unicorns in action then. They just conjure everything up and set everything in place. A few magic spells later and the house is done. Course you have to furnish it, and then paint it, and all that stuff after."

Well that would be bloody convenient. I was worried about having to build a house myself.

"So question. If unicorns can just conjure anything up, then how does the economy even exist? They could just magic anything anyone ever needed."

"Well I'm not a magic expert, but I imagine there are some limits. I know that they can't conjure up living things. You'd have to ask a unicorn about that though. Honestly what we have now works, and works well. So I don't really care about why."

I would have some questions for Twilight when I got back. Although he had a point about not questioning what was going on. I'm just too curious for my own good.

We reached the farm and Mac was waiting for us. Caramel picked up some baskets and headed off into the forest of fruit trees. Mac handed me a basket, and Applebloom bounced out of the house. As I walked off in a separate direction she began to follow me.

"Mornin' Mr. Silver!"

I sighed, my body didn't want to work yet, "Hi Applebloom."

I didn't try to start a conversation hoping she would entertain herself, but no such thing happened.

"Ah heard about your party from AJ. How did ya like it?"

"It was fun. Met lots of interesting ponies."

"Mah sis says you were being awfully friendly with one of the mares."

I wanted to slap my face in an effort to wake up. "Rose? Nah we're just friends. Nothing special."

Applebloom was quickly trotting to keep up with me. My legs were longer than the average ponies, but she had to nearly run to make up for the size. It was so adorable that I almost stopped and put her in one of the baskets I had. I might have collapsed f I did that though.

"So do y'all plan on staying around for awhile."

I shrugged and said, "I'm not sure yet. Part of me really wants to, the other part wants to leave."

"Where would y'all go?"

"Oh that's the fun part. You never know where you'll end up. It's the journey there that makes it worthwhile."

"Well if it counts Ah hope ya stay."

"You only just met me. Don't say my dashing good looks got you hooked that fast."

I said that without even really thinking. When I realized I was talking to a little pony, I just shrugged it off.

"Wha…? Nah Ah just think y'all would get along real well with everypony in town. Ya seem to be friendly enough."

"I am pretty friendly. Well if it makes you feel any better, I don't think I'll be making that decision for a couple of days."

I reached the end of the barren trees, and looked out over the forest of red and green. I put my basket down and looked at a nearby tree.

"Now how do I do this?"

"Aren't ya gonna kick it?"

Worth a shot I guess. I walked up to the tree and gave it a kick. The tree just shook, but nothing fell. I tried a spin kick, and even a running kick. Nothing I tried by kicking it seemed to work. I looked at the bracelet and said,

"I don't suppose you could turn into an apple magnet could you?"

The bracelet just tightened on me. I took that as a no. Instead of wasting more time smacking the tree, I decided to climb the tree. I put the basket handle in my mouth and began to ascend. Once I reached the branches with apples in them, I began picking them and putting them in the basket. After I had emptied the tree of apples and filled up the basket to the brim, I jumped down.

I looked at Applebloom and said, "Now what?"

"Well now ya fill up some more baskets and take 'em back to the barn."

I looked at the barn in the distance. It was probably about a mile away by my guess. Couldn't really be sure. The best way to do this would be to fill up two baskets, and then run to the barn. I clambered up another tree and filled up the next basket. Once that one was filled I jumped back to the ground.

"Wow ya didn't bruise a single apple! Them hands must be awfully handy (HA!)."

"I wouldn't give 'em up for the world." Ya sorry to disappoint, but there was little that would make me give up my hands to become a pony. I don't care if unicorns have magic, or if pegasi can fly. I like my hands, and they're here to stay.

"Y'all could make some quick money if you could get the baskets back quick enough."

Too bad there wasn't two of me running around. Now there's something to look into. I could form my own band!

"Well for now I'll just have to run 'em back myself."

"Ah could try ta…."

"No way. I don't even know if you could lift one of these. Besides then I'd have to split the pay!"

Speaking of which, this work was going to be one heck of a work out. Seriously, like running with weights. The apples didn't weigh that much, but they would stop me from using my arms. I picked up the baskets in my hands and looked at Applebloom.

"I'm taking these back now. If you want you can come with, or you can stay here."

Applebloom decided to go with me, but I wasn't sure how long that would last. I began at a slow jog, but when I realized that it would still take forever, I ran at a brisker pace. Not at a sprint, but still pretty fast. I felt somewhat silly doing so because my arms were locked at my sides. Applebloom had a hard time keeping up with me, but somehow she did it.

I reached the barn and saw Caramel talking to AJ in front of it. I didn't bother listening it, but brought the baskets up to them.

"I brought you some apples… obviously."

"Well if ya take them to Granny Smith, she'll count them out and hand ya the bits. Oh be sure to tell her how many trees you bucked as well."

"Well not so much bucked, but picked."

"Ah forgot y'all acted like a monkey. So how many apples did ya bruise?"

"Uh… None?"

None of the apples were damaged actually. No worms or anything. I guess the old fashioned way is the best way.

"Well Ah suppose if y'all were in the trees, the apples wouldn't have ta fall down. Granny is outside the house."

I walked away from the two, but blocked out what they said. I was more interested on the money system thing. I kind of hoped Martin hadn't already made a conversion factor. I wanted to invent one. I walked up to the house which was only a short distance from the barn. Granny Smith was in her rocking chair in front of the house. I walked up the stairs on the porch and dropped them in front of her.

Granny took one look at me and said, "I didn't know we were hiring small bears to work here."

"Actually it's more like a monkey, but bear is good. I like being a bear."

Granny got out of her chair and examined the baskets, "Now let's see here."

She dragged them into the house one by one and stayed inside. I waited outside for her on the steps. A short time later she came back with a pouch in her mouth. She dropped it on the porch next to me and said,

"52 bits fer 52 apples. How many trees ya buck out there"

"Only 2 ma'am." I don't know why, but I didn't want to annoy her. So I treated her with as much respect as I could.

"What did ya do? Catch every single one before it fell?"

"No ma'am, I climbed the tree and picked out each one."

"We ought ta get more of ya fellers. Waste a lot of good apples by bucking the trees."

"Thank you for the money ma'am."

"Nonsense. Ya did the work didn't ya? And none of this ma'am stuff. I'm not that old. Just call me Granny."

"Yes ma… I mean Granny."

"Now there's a good boy. Well up and at 'em."

She sat back down on her chair, and I walked away. I decided to do another two baskets and get around 100 bits for the day. Then I needed to figure out how much things cost.

I picked up Applebloom from the barn, and then together we walked back to where I had left off. Applebloom initiated conversation almost instantly.

"So how much did ya get?"

I think it's rude to ask people about how much they make, but I didn't care.

"52 bits for 2 trees."

Applebloom just said, "Wow. That's really good."

I shrugged, I would figure this out later. I didn't say anything, but Applebloom kept on talking,

"Ah was listening to my sis talk ta Caramel. She said that you were a bit creepy."

Well thanks AJ. That was actually a very fair judgement in all honesty though.

"She wouldn't say why though. Do ya know why my sis thinks your scary?"

Applebloom's voice was becoming ingrained in my head. I'm not usually a huggy guy, but she was asking for it.

"It might just be how I look." Or that I knew everything about her. I wasn't really sure how everypony was going to react to that. Apparently AJ still needed some time.

"Caramel vouched for ya though. He said you were just confused."

Looks like no one is on my side. Why can't anyone just compliment my good looks. 'Oh hey there goes Silver, doesn't he look dashing today?' I never get any of that though.

"Then he went and asked my sis out ta dinner."

WHY ARE YOU TELLING ME THIS! That was what I shouted in my mind anyway. Can't people just walk in silence and be okay? I finally answered her by saying,

"What do you think about that?"

"Ah like Caramel, he's a bit silly. Plus he and Mac are good friends. Ah think that's why he hasn’t asked her out yet. Too afraid of mah brother."

"Well that's good. At least your sister isn't going out with a jerk."

We reached the trees and I clambered up another one. When I filled both baskets, I began running back. I figured out that if I sprinted the apples would fall out of the basket. Before I reached the barn I stopped and waited for Applebloom. When she reached me I said,

"Do you think AJ would mind if I had an apple?"

Applebloom just shook her head and said, "She usually lets the workers have a snack."

I pulled out two apples and handed one to Applebloom. I stuck the other one in one of my many pockets.

"Thanks for keeping me company today. I know you would rather have been with your friends on your day off from school."

Now that I thought about it, it must have been a weekend. Whether it was Sunday or Saturday was a good question though. I've been here for four days meaning I arrived on either Tuesday or Wednesday, I think.

"Ah don't mind helpin' out on the farm. It's a family business after all."

I left her at the barn again and brought my baskets to Granny. She counted them out, and brought me another sack of coins.

"At this rate, Ah'll need ta write you a check."

I told her not to worry, and that I was done for the day. I began walking away from the farm when I saw Caramel. I gave him a wave as I passed by. He waved back with his hoof. I began the trek back to the town on my own.

When I reached town I stepped into the Boutique. I knew the land back by the forest was only 300 bits per acre. The land through the hills was much more than that though. I really hadn't known anything about buying land back on earth, but I assumed that was dirt cheap. I mean you are living next to a forest full of deadly mythological creatures. I was more interested in the section that seemed to go nowhere though.

The forest behind where I had landed was the everfree forest, and the opposite one was actually the farm. Both of these touched the last road. Both thinned out when they got somewhat close, and stopped before getting very close to the road. Same was true for the road that led to Canterlot.

When I opened the boutique the bell rang. Rarity came out from the back room and said,

"Welcome to Rarity's-- oh hello Silver. To what do I owe this pleasure?"

I smiled and waved. Then I realized that was a stupid thing to do. I said,

"I was just wondering how much it would be to order a few more sets of clothes."

Rarity clopped her hooves together and said, "Well that depends on what you want dear. I hope you don't want multiple of the same clothes."

I thought about this, and had a few ideas of some things I might want to wear. Rarity got excited when I told her I had several things I wanted, and that I would need to go over them with her. I described to her in the best detail I could what I wanted. She just wrote everything down on a note pad with her magic. When I finished she read over it.

"I must say dear, are you sure about this? It seems rather… odd."

"I am certain. How much will that run me?"

"Well the fabric choice you made for the first few is very high quality. However you didn't put any gems in anything. Are you sure about that? I think emeralds would go great with the-"

"I don't want any gems, of this I am also certain."

"Alright then, if you say so. Since I'm giving you a discount, I would say 30 bits for everything."

Huh, for some reason that seemed really cheap.

"How much of a discount are you giving me? I don't want you to lose money."

Rarity just waved me off, "I assure you I am not losing money on this transaction. Besides this will be quite the challenge. I estimate these will all be done in three days. Maybe more if I don't have everything necessary."

I nodded and said, "Thanks Rarity, you're a doll!"

I walked out of the boutique and towards the market. I wanted to do this conversion thing on my own. I walked up to a stall and said,

"How much for a loaf of bread?"

The owner told me it was only one bit. I've bought bread for only a dollar before. I was kind of disappointed on that. I wanted to feel smart when I did the conversion. That's when I remembered how much the land cost. I could buy an acre of land for only 300$? With deadly mystical creatures included? That wasn't dirt cheap, that was… something worse than dirt cheap! Then again, I wasn't exactly sure how big that was.

My math skills aside, that meant getting land would be much easier than I thought. Before I did so though, I wanted to check out the eastern area. I made my way to what I assumed was a bank. It looked like one anyways. After a very complicated hour inside the bank, I had my own account. I put the rest of my money inside the account.

I stepped outside again and headed for the eastern road.

__________________

I'm sorry if this seems rushed or something. I was trying to finish it quickly and I wasn't even able to. I cut it here so you guys could have another chapter. I'll try to get more work done on the rest later. Weekends are pretty busy for me though so I make no promises. Sorry ._.

Chapter 7.5

AN: the second piece.
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The path to the eastern road, which is the one that just went on and on, had a very extravagant archway at the end of town. Wooden totems held up the gems that went across. First an emerald, than a ruby, sapphire, topaz, and in the center, a diamond. A gold band intertwined with a silver band, and ran up the length of each totem.

After I finished admiring the archway, I pulled a brown unicorn aside.

"I was wondering if you could tell me where this path leads."

The unicorn looked through the archway and said, "Well it goes on for quite some distance, but eventually it'll bring you to Hoofdale, which is the next town over."

"Thanks."

"No problem."

The brown pony walked off and I scratched my goatee. I would only just go a little bit down the road. See if I could spot anything. It felt kind of weird to be leaving town with nothing on me. Well except for the apple in my pocket. I suppose I had the magic thingy, I didn't really count that though.

At first the road seemed normal. However, quite soon the road was beginning to become overgrown by grass. Which I suppose was almost like a weed. I reached down at one point and sniffed the grass. I didn't smell anything, and ripped a chunk out. I cleaned off any dirt and roots that had clinged to it, and looked around. When I was positive no one was watching me, I shoved it in my mouth.

The same nothing taste… didn't fill my mouth. I assumed that meant it was the edible kind of grass. Although my stomach had been giving me some trouble, so maybe it would've been a better idea to avoid the plants.

After walking far enough for the archway to become just a sparkle in the sunlight, a path went off the main road, and into the everfree forest fringe. It had been well used by somepony, because the trampled grass wasn't growing back. This trail bent around a few trees, but kept going forward. Eventually I was unable to see the road at all. I walked around one last bend, and my jaw dropped.

"No way. I have to be dreaming."

I had walked into a rather large clearing in the forest. To one side there was a small shack that had rotted away to almost nothing. That was probably the only unsightly thing around. Directly in front of me was a sheer cliff. There was a small waterfall running from the cliff into a pool at my level. This pool was big enough for several people to swim in comfortably. That wasn't even the best part though. There was a very tiny trail behind the shed that went behind a small patch of trees. Once again the sheer cliff stopped any further advancing.

A trickle of water flew down this cliff into a rocky pool. Several more rock formations made pools until the water ended up in a big pool in a big rock bowl. Difference between this water and the pool, was this water was steaming.

"Natural hot springs… I think I'm in love. If I do decide to build a house, it's gonna be right here. In this most wonderful of places."

I decided that taking a quick relaxing bath wouldn't be such a bad thing. I stripped and hung my clothes up on a nearby tree. I felt the water before getting in. It wasn't perfect, but with a little body heat it would be. I lowered myself in, and was delighted to find that the rock had a little shelf going in for me to sit on.

I can't be sure how long I was in there, because I might have fallen asleep. However, at some point I heard twigs cracking, and leaves moving. I hoped they wouldn't come this way, but I wasn't about to get up. And if I was being honest with myself, I would've known they were coming to the hot springs. Either that or the pool.

I opened one eye to see who was coming. To open both eyes would've been a tremendous effort. Whoever it was, was having some trouble apparently. They kept tripping or something. I just knew that I wasn't going to get up to help them anytime soon. The voice sounded feminine too me, but I couldn't be too sure. Besides I wasn't sure if I was hoping it was a guy or girl.

Eventually they came round to where I could see them. I was surprised to see that it was two someponies. My vision was clouded for me to make out anymore. All the steam was getting in the way. I could see the relative shape of something being slung in a tree. I had put my clothes on the tree behind the shed, so they probably missed them. I couldn't hear anyone talking, but a head did pop through the steam.

She looked at me for about a whole second before screaming. While I was debating on whether or not to wake my body up to scream with her a voice said,

"Something is in there!"

I splashed the water and said, "This something has a name you know. Silver, by the way."

Two heads popped into view this time. One was a light blue with dark blue eyes and the other was white with light green eyes, this head also had a horn. I raised an eyebrow at both of them when they said nothing.

The white head then said, "Are you that new thing that's been walking around town the past few days?"

I coughed and said, "Human, and yes that's me. I prefer the usage of a name, such as Silver."

The heads looked at each other and then back at me. The blue one said, "What are you doing here?"

Plotting my secret plan to clone myself and take over the world. What I said was,

"Just chillin, or heatin rather." I just smiled at my own joke, and then went back to entertaining thoughts about how to clone myself.

They looked at each other and then back at me again. It was almost like they were communicating with telepathy. Which I suppose was a possibility.

"You know this is private land right?"

I smiled and said, "I am very aware of this."

They did the head thing and then the blue one said, "Are you the owner?"

I shook my head this time, "No but neither are you. The owner of this land hasn't been to this particular spot in a long time. Otherwise that shed would be gone, or better looking."

They both shrugged, and then hopped into the spring. It was big enough to probably let 5 people sit in it with a comfortable amount of space in between, so I wasn't that worried about it. They both let the water rise to about their necks and then sighed contently. When they were done with that the white one said,

"I'm Delilah and this here is Lily."

I simply nodded, and then laid my head back. I would've preferred to just sit in quiet, but that wasn't going to happen anytime soon. When I didn't say anything the blue one, Lily, said,

"So when did you start coming here?"

With my head still tilted back I said, "Just today. Found it while doing a little exploring. This place is amazing. I think it a little bit I'll go check out the top of that cliff."

Most of the time, a little bit means like 10 minutes. While in a hot spring, a little bit means about an hour.

Delilah said, "We've been coming here every day for awhile now. This place is just so relaxing."

I agree, when people aren't distracting you all the time.

Once again they felt the need to keep the conversation going so Lily said, "So… have you been here long?"

"I have… no idea."

They both giggled at this, and I brought my head back up. They had both risen above the water to their necks. Their manes had become soaked and stuck to their necks. Lily had spread her wings, which I didn't know she had, and was soaking each feather thoroughly. I put my arms out across the rock and allowed my body to sink in a little lower.

Lily pointed at the bracelet, which no matter what I had tried, refused to come off, and said,

"What's that?"

I looked down at it and grumbled, "My universe traveling device, with an attitude."

The bracelet just tightened a little bit on my arm. I was pretty sure it could only hear what I said, not what I thought.

They looked at each other, unsure if I was telling the truth or joking. Eventually they just ignored this and laid their heads back. Seeing that they were going to shut up, I put my hands back in the water and laid my head back as well. Once again, some amount of time I can't be too sure of passed by. That's when I felt a hoof touch my leg. I instantly retracted from the contact. I ignored it though and tried to relax again. Then a hoof touched my other leg. I raised my head and glared at the two ponies. They both giggled and brought a hoof to their mouths.

Why was everyone so insistent on touching me? Yes I have good looks, but personal space people. Well reasonable space anyways. I lost the ability to care about close contact with people after a while. When you go traveling in places like Alaska, you end up cuddling with whoever you are with. Even if its someone you don't even know. Besides I don't think physical things ever bothered me that much. I always attempted to ignore the body and listen to the mind. Except when the body complains about food. It usually makes its displeasure about that known.

I put my head back down, but picked it up right away. Instead of allowing this to continue I said,

"Can I help you?"

They looked at each other and laughed. These are the kind of people I dislike usually. They shook their heads at me and kept laughing. Establishing vocal communication would make this end quickly, but I was too lazy to do it. I laid my head back a final time. I ignored their poking me for some time. That is until they stared poking higher. Noting to big, just my thighs, but I was stopping this now rather than later. I picked myself up fast and splashed both them.

They looked at me with sour faces, and I let out a roar of laughter. It wasn't that funny, but I needed a good laugh. They decided to stop teasing me and started talking again,

Lily went first saying, "So Silver… what do you usually do on a day like this?"

The day was just as beautiful as any other. At least I think it was. Which put an idea in my head for later, concerning this area and the weather.

"Hmm let's see. So far most of my days here have just been wandering around."

Delilah said, "So where did you come from?"

Apparently these two missed the town meeting so I just said, "Far far away. I doubt I'll be able to go back for a long time."

Lily then said, "Leave anyone behind?"

"Just a few good friends."

Delilah took her turn and said, "Do you miss them?"

I shrugged, "In a way yes, in a way no. I miss them because we had some great times together, and I hope one day we will again. However, since I came here alone I have plenty of new great friends. That's probably why I used to travel alone so much. I liked meeting new people and friends. Then I could go back home to my old friends. If I took my friends everywhere, then I wouldn't be as likely to make new friends."

They kept switching back and forth, "What do you think of Ponyville?"

What was this? 20 questions? If it was then I was thinking of a tarp at the time.

"It's a nice enough place. A bit crowded though. I'll probably visit this place quite a bit in the future. Now it's my turn to ask questions. Are you two sisters?"

They both shook their heads.

"Friends?"

They nodded their heads and looked at each other and then winked. I raised my eyebrow again at them,

"So where do you two live?"

Lily said, "We share a complex space together. We pretty much share everything."

Good for you. That's the golden rule isn't it?

"What do you two do for a living?"

Delilah answered me, "We work as waitresses at a local restaurant."

"Do you like working there?"

Lily spoke this time, "We love it. It never gets that busy, and we get to talk to all sorts of ponies. Great place for meeting boys too."

I cared about this why? Wasn't like I was going to go meet boys there. Well unless some time in the future I decided a romance was a key part of my life. Even then chances were still low.

"Well at least you enjoy what you do."

They both nodded. I laid my head back again, finished with the question session. The sun was still high in the sky, but definitely on the lowering side. I was just going to lay here until it got really late. I heard splashing and I looked up again. The two ponies had disappeared. I assumed they had decided it had been long enough. They were stronger willed than I. I could lay in a hot spring forever.

I was about to lay my head back when I heard splashing again. Their heads reappeared above the surface. They were now thoroughly soaked from head to… hoof.

"What did you two just do?"

They both giggled and said, "Nothing."

I glared at them both for a few seconds before giving up. I just wanted to lay down again. I laid my head back when I felt two hooves touch my legs. I didn't even bother getting up to speak,

"This again?"

They both giggled. There was a reason I disliked giggly girls, I had just forgotten for awhile. Thankfully I could now remember. There was movements in the water, but not splashes. I lifted my head just a tiny bit to see the two had moved closer to me. Instead of letting the delicate situation continue, I said,

"Don't even think about it. I'm here to relax, and nothing else."

They both giggled, but didn't stop moving towards me. Regrettably I had been relaxing for quite some time, so I found it hard to want to get forceful. I regrettably tried to get up, but by the time I was trying they were right next to me.

"We just want to relax too."

I didn't even know which one said it.

"Whatever, as long as you two just lay down and be quiet, I don't care where you are."

I should've seen this coming, but they both laid their head on my shoulder. I cursed whoever had decided to give me such dashing good looks. Who knew I would be so attractive to ponies. Thankfully they didn't do anything else.

I laid back in an uncomfortable position. Eventually I gave up and let my arms wrap around them. I had almost fallen asleep when one of them began running their hoof across my chest. They moved it lower, and I moved my arm to stop the wary hoof. Before I could though, a loud knock echoed out. I couldn't feel the hoof anymore, but a small vibration went across my body. Several more knocks and vibrations went out.

Delilah looked at me and said, "What is that?"

I shrugged and moved my arms to feel. I noticed that the bracelet had somehow come off of my arm. I felt my body to discover I was wearing a loincloth, made out of wood. I stood up to get a better look at it. I had forgotten about Lily who had fallen asleep. She fell into the hot water, and woke up instantly. Now that I was up, I decided to get out. Next time I would bring something to wear into the spring. Maybe I would bring Martin or something. He could get the attention, and I could relax. The sun was starting to sink lower anyways.

I dried myself using my shirt. I walked behind the shed to get changed. That's when something really weird happened. The loincloth glowed and turned into a wooden strip. It slithered up my body and back around my arm. It took the form of the spiral bracelet. While I put my clothes on, minus the shirt I said,

"Okay now I'm starting to like you. That was pretty damn helpful, if not uncomfortable. I guess I can't expect you to turn into a silk garment though."

The bracelet heated up just a tiny bit. I guess that was supposed to be affection or a confirmation. Whatever, the mere fact that I was talking to a bracelet was weird enough.

I stepped back into view to see the two mares had gotten out as well. Delilah was using her magic to dry both of them off. Lily glared at me for a second, but Delilah looked down.

"Would you two like to walk back to town with me?"

Lily nodded, but Delilah said,

"Aren't you mad at me?"

I shrugged, "I suppose I could be, but nothing really happened. Besides I just spent several hours in a hot spring, I don't think I can get angry for at least a few hours. I would just appreciate if you asked next time."

She looked at me and said, "Would you have said yes?"

I laughed and then said, "Hell no. We only just met, at least buy me some food first."

Lily looked between us, but Delilah whispered in her ear. Lily's eyes widened and she giggled a little. I began walking back towards the road when the two caught up with me. I looked at both of them and said,

"So are we going to do this again sometime?"

Lily said, "Well we go there nearly every day after work."

"Well as long as I can bring a friend or two I think we'll be okay."

They both looked between each other and then said,

"We were hoping you would keep it a secret. So not every pony goes to use it."

I nodded, "Fair enough. I'll only show people I trust then."

They looked at each other again and Lily said,

"Is there anything we can do to change your mind?"

Her voice dropped when she said this, and they both were giving me odd looks.

I looked at them for a second, and they began advancing on me.

"No way!" I said this, and then began to run towards the distant archway.

Lily ran after me shouting, "Stop! I was only half-serious!"

We reached the archway panting. My stomach was burning, but I ignored it. I did need to do something about it soon though, and I got this feeling that tums weren't the answer. As the sun cast out its final rays I walked back into the library.

I stepped inside to see Twilight sitting on the couch. I joined her when she said,

"And where have you been? After you left Rarity's place, no one knew where you went."

I shrugged, "I was exploring."

Twilight raised an eyebrow, "Exploring?"

"You know… like looking around. Besides what's the big deal. You don't need to wait up on me. If you want to lock the door or something feel free to do so. I'll just sleep outside for the night, or crawl through your window. Both are a possibility."

Twilight just looked down, "I just like to know where you are. I mean you are still an unknown really. You know so much about us, but we know so little about you.

"I told you everything you asked me. I used to live on Earth with a bunch of other people. I used to have a job at a restaurant, but I got fired. I took a lot of trips around the continent, but I never got the chance to visit the other side of the world. I…"

Twilight shook her head, "I know I know. I just feel so… vulnerable I guess."

"How so? You've got magic that could blast me out of here. I've got a bracelet that likes to disagree with me."

The bracelet warmed up again. Well at least we could agree to disagree.

"It just feels weird knowing that someone knows so much about you before you have even met them."

Fair enough, can't say I've had that feeling.

"If I make you uncomfortable I can leave. If I really need to I can skip town. I'm sure there are plenty of cool places to see in your world. I might even go check out the castle."

Twilight shook her head, "I don't want you to leave. I'm just confused."

She laid her head down on my lap. I just threw my hands up in the air. I know there is someone who would be loving all the attention I'm getting, but that's probably the reason I'm getting it, because I don't enjoy it. She laid down on her side and said nothing.

I am not a good person to deal with emotions. I barely have any myself. Not that I repress them, but I don't let them control me. I feel them, but I ignore them. I'm not very understanding of others either. Once I had a friend who was dealing with depression. I bought him a pie and told him to get over it.

I laid my hand on Twilight's neck and ran my fingers through her mane. She closed her eyes and just laid there. I was honestly quite confused. One moment she was yelling at me, and then the next she's laying on me. Women, don't even make sense as ponies. Well they do, but if I suggested why, I might get yelled at again.

When I managed to, I grabbed my book from the night stand. I finished the rest of the book that night. There wasn't much else Grizzle could tell me though that book. He would only refer to magic as this feeling inside that you felt when managing the magic around you. I was curious to learn more, but I wasn't getting up anytime soon. I laid my head back into the couch and closed my eyes. If I had to guess, it was probably around 10 p.m.

This body must be different from the other one. I used to stay up well into the morning. Maybe I'm just not used to living without caffeine. Either that or relaxing takes some serious energy.

At some point Martin came in and nearly fell over when he saw me. He mimed laughing, but he did throw me a blanket. Still silently laughing he walked up the stairs. The darkness of the room over took me, and I fell asleep. At some point I heard Owlicious hoot, but I don't know at what.
_________________

AN: That moment when you ignore even sleep to keep writing. I think I have an addiction problem. I'm going to need an intervention soon.

I know it seems like there is a lot of friendly situations in here, but believe me they all serve a purpose. And that purpose isn't for clopping.

Chapter 8: A wild plot appears!

Know what you should do? Comment. That would be a good idea.

AN: Warning severe use of plot may be contained. It may be bluntly shoved down your throat.

I woke up to the sound of movement. Twilight had abandoned her position and I was left sleeping in a sitting position. I raised my head to see Martin walking around the main room.

"Don't you like have a job?"

He shook his head, "No post on Sundays."

So that made yesterday Saturday, which meant that I got here on Tuesday. I think that's how it worked. I pulled myself off the couch. I went inside the bathroom and showered. I looked at my clothes and shrugged. I would just wash them at some point in time.

I stepped out to see Martin waiting for me. I pulled him aside and said,

"I need to ask you something serious."

"Uh.. What?"

I looked around making sure no one was listening and then said, "I haven't had to use the bathroom in days. There isn't even a toilet in the bathroom. Just a shower."

Martin looked at me for a few seconds, and then he laughed. He put his hand on my shoulder to keep himself up. Which was kind of weird as he had to reach up to do so.

When he finished he said, "I may have forgot to mention that. That probably freaked you out a bit. Ya there's something in that grass stuff that makes your digestive system go out of whack. Maybe just a bunch of fiber or something."

I shook my head and said, "I don't think massive amounts of fiber could do that. Well not having to piss anymore is kind of cool, but it makes me wonder where it's all gone."

Martin put his hand up, "Don't even think about it. Just be happy with it. I don't want to know where it goes."

I raised a finger, but Martin just shushed me.

"Seriously. No questions."

I shrugged and let the thought go. "So what are you going to do then?"

"I don't know. Usually I work the route and then go bake things with Pinkie. I've also been helping Twilight research a certain spell."

"Well if you have nothing to do later, I want to show you something. It'll be awesome, trust me."

Martin nodded and went back to looking through the books. I walked out the door and headed towards the farm. It was pretty uneventful, and I met noone on the way. Big Mac was setting up his plow when I reached the barn. He waved at me and pointed at the place where the baskets had been yesterday. They laid in a pile, and I picked up two.

I worked quite a bit longer today. Applebloom wasn't with me today, so I worked in silence. It would have been nice to have some music though. Instead I just entertained myself with my own thoughts. For the first few days I had just been rolling with things. However, if I really thought about it, I had the ability to travel through the universe. I didn't need a simple job or simple living. Although there is a simple honor in simple living.

At the end of my work period I left the farm 150 bits richer, and with sore muscles. The whole money thing threw my mind for a spin if I thought on it too long. I decided that I would just try and keep a minimum of 100 bits in the bank. Besides that though, I figured I didn't really need anymore. Maybe at some point in time I would have some project that would require more money. Although I suppose by that time the farm would be out of work. I'd just deal with that when the time came.

I headed back to town with money in my pocket. I stopped by Rarity's place and bought several towels. I also bought some food from the market. Only enough for two people at most though. Just a few pieces of fruit. I was starting to be certain that this wasn't a normal human body. I had yet to eat any protein, unless it was in that grass. After I threw the rest of the money in the bank.

I walked into the library looking for Martin. I found him sitting on the couch with Twilight. They were both reading through several books.

I waved at them as I entered and sat down on the chair.

"What are you two researching?"

Twilight began to speak, but Martin interrupted her, "Oh nothing in particular. So what did you want to show me?"

I ignored his interruption and said, "Well I need to show it to you."

Twilight looked between us and said, "Don't you want to show me as well?"

"Sorry, it's an exclusive thing. Besides it involves physical effort, I'm sure you don't want that."

She snorted at me, but looked down at her book. Martin put his book down and whispered something into Twilight's ear. She smiled at him and waved her hoof. He got off the couch and walked up to me. He motioned for me to lead the way, and I walked outside.

"So where we going? And what's in those bags?"

I waved my hand in front of my body and said, "To a mysterious place, and don't worry about it."

I was planning on just heading to the natural heaven, but I spotted Rose by the fountain. I decided that she could also use some relaxing time. I walked up to her and said,

"Lo Rose!"

She looked up and waved at me. She went back to arranging her flower cart, taking caution to not tip anything over. I walked around the cart examining what she was doing.

"Can I help you?"

"Woah you sound so tense. I know exactly what you need."

Martin raised a hand and said, "She doesn't sound tense at all."

I waved him off and said, "I think you need to relax."

Rose just raised her eyebrow at me and said, "Can I help you?"

I poked her head and said, "You could come with us."

The poked me back saying, "I'm working here."

"Aww come on. You work all the time. Besides it's a Sunday, take a break. I'll help you carry the cart back to your house."

"But…"

"No buts! Today is a day of relaxation!"

I picked up the cart handles and began rolling it towards a street. I turned to look at Rose and said,

"Uh.. wouldn't mind telling me where you live?"

She rolled her eyes and said, "Fine, but you owe me. Follow me."

I followed her with the cart to one of the many living complexes. Instead of stairs, there was a ramp to the door. She opened the door and held it open for me. I walked inside and left the cart by the wall. I didn't really look around, but there was a couch in the center of the room. I walked back outside, and she followed me, closing the door behind her.

"Aren't you going to lock the door?"

"Uh.. no. Why would I?"

"Never mind. You ready?"

"For…?"

"Fun of course, now come on."

I led Martin and Rose to the archway. I stopped in front of it and said,

"Isn't that awesome?"

They looked at each other, and then back at me,

"Uhh… what?"

I looked at the archway just to make sure it was still there.

"You really can't see that?"

"The sun….?"

"Uhh… sure. Whatever, let's go."

"Where are we going exactly?"

I waved my hand again, "An amazing place! Trust me, you'll love it."

They both shrugged and followed me as I went down the road. They questioned me when I went off to the side, but I ignored them. They continue to follow me until I reached the shack. They both gasped at the waterfall, but I put a hand up and said,

"This isn't even the best part."

I led them around the shed and to the hot springs. Rose gasped and clopped her hooves. Martin just said, "I don't get it."

I lowered my eyes at him saying, "Hot springs, you relax in them."

Rose giggled and then said, "This place really is wonderful!"

"Yeah, it is. But don't tell anyone about it though. This place needs to stay secret to stay amazing."

I pulled out the towels and slung them on a nearby tree. Rose immediately got inside the hot spring, but Martin just shrugged.

"I guess this place is cool. I'm not one for water though."

I slapped him on the back and said, "Great, then you can climb the mountain with me."

I removed my shirt and shorts and slung them in the tree. Clothed only by my boxers I headed for the sheer cliff. It was easy to get up by the hot springs as they made a natural staircase. We both began to climb, Martin elected to keep all his clothes on though. Rose didn't even bother watching us, but instead just laid back and soaked.

I kept shouting to Martin as we climbed the cliff, but he seemed to be ignoring me. Relishing the feeling of danger from the height, I surged up the cliff. I reached the top, and turned around to help Martin up. I waited for a little bit, and when he neared me I grabbed his arm.

"Took you long enough."

He brushed himself off saying, "Well I'm sorry that I'm not a very athletic guy. I don't enjoy climbing mountains like you do."

I followed the edge of the cliff to the waterfall. Martin slowly followed behind me. When we reached the starting point, I took everything in. I just looked out over and down at the nature before me. I took a deep breath, soaking it all in.

"Isn't it great Martin?"

He just said, "Ya sure. Nature's beautiful and all that."

I shrugged when he said that, "Well it does get kinda boring. Anyway now for the best part."

I looked behind me to examine the pool before the waterfall. It was moving quickly enough, but there was a gate where the water went over the cliff. Just in case a stray pony fell in up river. I decided to explore up river just a tiny bit before going back down.

I walked back a little bit, when I ran into something. I literally mean I ran into something. I banged up against something that I hadn't seen, and hurt my nose pretty bad. I clutched at is saying,

"What's the big idea?"

Martin caught up to me and said,

"What's wrong?"

"I ran into something. Like an invisible wall. There's a force field guarding something!"

Martin shook his head and walked forward,

"There's no invisi-"

He too ran into something and stumbled back. He had managed to only hit the side of his face into the invisible wall.

"See, I told you so."

He looked at me with an eyebrow raised, "Told me what?"

"There's an invisible wall right there."

He chuckled and then said, "There's no invisible wall. Look!"

He then walked right back into the wall. He stumbled back again, and then turned to face me.

"Why are you just standing there?"

I walked forward with my hands outstretched in front of me. Eventually they made contact with the wall. I ran my hands over it, and it felt a lot like smooth stone. Martin looked at me weird and said,

"What are you doing?"

"Feeling this invisible wall."

"There isn't an invisi--"

Martin ran into it for a third time. As he stumbled back, I removed my hands from the wall. He looked at me and said,

"What are we doing back here?"

"Besides slightly enjoying your predicament? Nothing really."

"What does that mean?"

"Don't worry about it. Now come on, follow me."

"That's what I've been doing!"

I lead him back to the start of the waterfall and leaned over it. I looked down at the drop, and was satisfied to see no sharp rocks waiting for me.

"Ready to jump?"

"What?! No! Are you crazy? That could have rocks at the bottom or something."

I shrugged, "Suit yourself."

I took a moment to take in the anticipation and fear. I looked back down one last time, before backing up. I cleared a few rocks out of the way before making the leap. After a final third look, I prepared myself. I sprinted to the edge, and then gave a small leap. I didn't want to jump too far, but far enough. I didn't do a dive, but I did curl my body into a ball. As I fell I shouted wildly. I contacted the freezing water with a loud splash. I sunk underneath the water for a few seconds, and saw that it was quite deep.

I swam back up to the surface and breathed again. I looked up the cliff, but I couldn't spot Martin. I swam to be under the waterfall to enjoy the water hitting me. As I brought myself under it, I inspected the cliff face. As soon as I passed the waterfall, I gasped. There was an entrance to a large underground tunnel.

"Wicked…"

I almost forgot to keep swimming as I stared. When I regained my bearings, I pulled myself out of the water, and into the tunnel. It wasn't dark, but it was very dim. I couldn't see very far down, but I decided to explore just a bit. It would take Martin a bit of time to climb down the cliff again, and I doubted Rose was going anywhere anytime soon.

I kept going deeper into the tunnel, but the light never darkened. The tunnel went around a bend, and then led to something I didn't expect to see. Not quite sure what one should expect to find in that kind of place, but definitely not a vertical tunnel carved upwards with a staircase going round.

I looked up to see a door at the top, and my curiosity got the better of me. I began ascending the staircase at a decent pace. Eventually I reached the ceiling of this tunnel, and there was a section of the stone jutting out. There was a door in this section, a very colorful door. In fact it almost looked like colors were swirling through the door.

I didn't hesitate and turned the knob. Sadly it didn't open. Steadying myself against the wall, I kicked the door. It didn't fall down, but to my satisfaction it did open a little. I pushed the door open a bit more, and peaked through.

I couldn't see much, but what I could see was lots of books. Lots and lots of books. The building was covered in them. I opened the door the rest of the way and steeped through. I was surrounded by books on the floor as well. Large stacks of them littering the place. The staircase continued to go upward in a spiral, stopping every once in a while to meet a small platform. This staircase was made out of wood, and was also littered with books. Some of them were open on the ground, and others had been haphazardly thrown.

I tsked at the state of the place, but made no vocal comment. I approached the beginning of the staircase and took a good look up. I couldn't even see the roof of the place. It just seemed to keep going up and up. As I looked up I thought to myself,

'It would be so much nicer if I was just at the top.'

I looked back down in front of me, and nearly stepped back when I was face to face with another door. I looked behind me and say that the staircase now went down forever. I looked back to the door, which was a plain wooden one, and tested the handle. This one opened up right away. It swung open at the lightest touch. I walked inside a plain enough looking room. A large four poster bed lay to one side, and a large telescope looked out a window. There was also books all over this room as well.

There was a man hunched over a table who was muttering to himself. I only caught snippets of what he was saying.

"Can't…Bother….No….Fix…Damn….Core"

I didn't make a move, somewhat afraid to bother the man. He was talking to himself, and he lived in a giant tower which apparently no one could see. And judging my Martin's actions, find either.
Suddenly the man pointed behind himself directly at me,

"You are most curious. Just give me one second."

I stood patiently, but I probably wouldn't have moved in any case. I got the feeling that messing with this guy would be a bad idea. He righted his body and turned to face me. He was about as tall as me, and was wearing long purple robes. His hair was jet black and smoothed back. His beard was the same color, and was tied in a knot after his chin. His face was very sharp looking, especially his ears.

He looked me over and said, "Well done stranger. You managed to get past all my defenses!"

"Really?"

His face turned sour and he said, "No you dolt! You think I would leave the protection of my tower to some lame memory ward? If I had even thought you were a threat to me, you would've ceased to exist instantly!"

Well that was kind of rude. I suppose the robes really gave him away as a wizard. The beard just confirmed it for me. He continued speaking,

"You couldn't even be bothered to wear real clothes. You aren't the first to stumble in here, and you won't be the last. No most definitely not the last. Now explain yourself."

As he was speaking he reached out and grabbed a robe from nowhere. It was a deep green with a white lining. He threw the robe to me as he continued to speak. I put it on when he told me to explain myself. The robe was actually very comfortable. It fit almost perfectly, and didn't touch the ground. It seemed to stay on no matter what I did as well.

"How did you do that?"

"I said explain yourself, not ask dumb questions. Although I doubt you would know a smart question if it slapped you. I conjured the robe. I'm a wizard, we do these things a lot."

Well someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed.

"But you're a human, just like me."

"I assure you we are nothing alike. My appearance is just similar to yours by chance. And I fail to see how this is important."

Recalling what I knew from my book I said, "The ponies here do magic with their horns which is a medium that can control the energy in the world."

The man raised an eyebrow at me and said, "So it would seem. I see you are not a mindless ape, but a minded one. Even if it is a rather simple one. Still, a learning mind is always better than a dumb one. The magic these creatures use does indeed require a medium to be used properly. Either that or the species body must have adapted to use the energy in a special way. However, inside this tower I am not confined to such a basic method of magic."

A wizard that lived in a big tower full of books. Who would've guessed?

"There are different methods to magic?"

The man threw his hands in the air, "There are hundreds! Thousands! Millions! There is no limit to the number of magics in existence."

"Uh huh… So could you teach me how to…"

"No. I do not take on apprentices."

"Just show me how to shoot lightening out of my…"

"No. I tire of such babble. Now explain yourself."

I sighed, unlimited power had seemed so close.

"Well my name is Silver. I was swimming around outside when I found this cave. Then I came up…"

The man nearly smacked me when he threw his arms up again, "No you fool. Why are you here? I am quite aware of how you got here."

"Oh well, I didn't really mean to come here."

The man shook his head, "Nonsense! The universe didn't just drop you in on this planet. You must have gone through tremendous effort to get here to find me."

"Wha…?"

"Don't play the fool with me. I can sense the energy around you. So tell me, what is it you want from me?"

"Nothing. I didn't come here to find you. I didn't even mean to come to this world. Although I certainly don't regret it."

"How can you not mean to come to a world? Did someone throw you down here?"

"Does this mean you know about that whole plane of existence that apparently isn't a plane? Because I've been really confused on that and…"

"Of course I know! Although I haven't been there. Don't tell me that you have."

"Well kind of. I'm not really sure on what was going on though."

"You have got to be kidding me."

"Uhh… no?"

"A incompetent fool like you has unlocked the soul."

"Uhh… I guess?"

The man put his hands to his beard and looked me over again.

"I suppose anyone can get lucky. Tell me then, how did you get here on accident?"

I took a seat on the floor as the man did the same. We sat across from each other with our legs bent.

"Well some tree told me to go find someone named Morkar…"

This time the man did slap me.

"I am Morkar you idiot. Why do you think a mage like me is on such a world?"

"Oh… well I guess now I've found you."`

Morkar raised an eyebrow at me. He then drawled, "Why yes, you have. So what is it you want? I don't have all day."

"I guess it would be nice if you could explain the whole 'I died, but then didn't actually' thing."

Morkar held up his hand when I finished and said, "I am feeling nice today, so I will tell you what I know. You will not interrupt me to ask questions until I am finished yes?"

I nodded at him and he said,

"Good boy. Now listen closely. I don't want to repeat myself. Although I doubt no matter how many times I do you won't get it. First of all, you have most assuredly died. The only way to reach the spirit stream is to do so. Even then it isn't a guarantee. Not even I know what determines if someone can access the stream or not. First of all, do I need to describe the basics?"

"The basics?"

"I'll take that as a yes. Well then…"

He reached out his hand and grabbed a tea kettle that appeared out of nowhere. With his other hand he reached out and grabbed a cup. He poured some tea and handed me the cup. He then let go of the kettle and it disappeared.

"This might take some time. First of all, any intelligent creature has a soul. This soul is the very essence of that being. It is what gives a perspective. Essentially the soul is you in bare form. No memories, no sensed, not even any thoughts. The soul in its basic state is simply just you. Now when the soul inhibits a body it simply puts you in a body. This is when you begin to take on memories and experiences. These things temper you into the thing you will become. At this point it doesn't matter if you become a snob prince, or a kind chef."

He took a deep breath and continued,

"The important thing is that through all of a normal life, the soul goes unchanged. Take the statement 'I hate beavers.' The 'I' part is the soul. It is the perspective of you. It is you existing in that time. The 'hate' part is just an opinion. The mind, which is in control of this part, has taken your memories and experiences, and with them formed an opinion. Before you even think of interrupting me, the 'beavers' part is just the subject. They are just beavers."

I was going to interrupt him to say that.

"When a body dies, so does the mind. This means all those memories, experiences, and opinions are gone. The soul then moves on to find another body. Souls cannot exist in the physical world, so they take on physical forms to do so. In such a basic form souls have to find a body, they cannot just make one. Sometimes as you have experienced, the universe will provide one. This cycle continues on and on, potentially forever. However, in rare cases, the soul becomes more than basic. Some say it has been unlocked, others say it has been awakened. Whatever the case, it is more than it used to be. A normal soul will collect all your experiences, and then remove them when the current body dies. An unlocked soul collects experiences, but when the body dies, keeps them. It takes on the function of a mind to store memories when there is no mind. As you no doubt have experienced, this allows you to remember yourself from the first body you had since the awakening, or unlocking."

In simpler terms that meant we all reincarnated when we died. Somehow one could escape this process, most likely via enlightenment.

"Now no one knows why a soul becomes unlocked. Some believe it is when one has achieved peace with all life. Others think it is random. Some even think that a choice is given to the soul when it dies each time. Well either all this or we are actually all in comas. Now you may ask questions."

I had finished my tea by this time, and when I did the cup vanished from air. I was never a big fan of tea, but that stuff wasn't too bad. And the last thing I wanted to do was insult this guy.

My first question was to ask, "So can I actually die?"

Morkar rolled his eyes, "Quite easily I imagine. You don't look that strong in my opinion."

"What I meant was, can I revert back to not remembering everything?"

"I have yet to hear of such an occasion when it was not the soul's own choice. I do not think there is anything in all of existence that could do such a thing."

I had already known this really. Just wanted to make sure though.

"So how do I leave this planet without dying?"

"Essentially the body has to die. Every soul has the innate ability to return to the stream, unlocked souls even more so. However if the soul is inhibiting a body at the moment, the energy left from the soul returning will kill that body. Well in most cases anyway."

"Is there anything that could let a body go into the stream without dying?"

"A long time ago unlocked souls could rip a hole in this plane of existence to the stream. However this too results in the death of the body. The body once in contact with the stream would be torn to nothing. Some disciplined souls could travel by barely even touching the stream. Almost like teleporting, but from world to world."

"What if like two planets worked together to create a bridge to each other?"

"They are both then termed a single world. Any planets or stars that are connected to each other are termed a world. Entire galaxies can be one world. It makes things easier that way, trust me."

"Well I think I have this thing that could cut a hole to the stream, but I'm not sure how to work it."

I pointed at the bracelet on my arm and Morkar inspected it. After about a second he said,

"I fail to see your humor. That is a hunk of wood. Nothing special about it."

I looked at the bracelet suspiciously. It was up to something, I could just taste it.

Morkar waved it off and said, "Now I am quite busy at the moment with issues you would not understand. Is there anything else you need help with? Quickly, before my good mood fails."

"You could teach me how to do magic."

"No. I do not teach anyone. Even if I myself came to learn, I would not teach me."

I guess that makes sense. I'm sure it did in his head at least. I gave him my best puppy dog eyes, but those weren't exactly good.

"I can however give you a medium. The magic here may be primal at best, but I'm sure you'll manage to do something."

Morkar reached out again and he handed me a small stick. I looked down at it before saying,

"A wand? Couldn't I get something more… manly? Maybe a staff or something bigger?"

Morkar looked offended and said, "I would never trust a physical ruffian with a staff. You would probably smack someone on top of the head with it. And let me assure you, one should never hit something with their staff. If you really dislike the wand though, I can just take it back.

"Oh no this is great. I don't even know why I complained."

I reluctantly reached out and took the want. It didn't feel like anything special. I wouldn't be surprised if he had just given me a stick. If I heard one Harry Potter joke though, someone was going to get hurt. I stood up as Morkar did. He tilted his head to me and I did the same. He waved me off, and I headed for the door.

"Oh and one more thing. I need to remove that trap enchantment you fell into."

I looked at him and said, "The whaa…?"

"Oh its nothing. Just a little something to distract anyone who might want to bother me. I can see that it failed to do so though. It doesn't do much really. Only amplifies any potential affections by any of the locals by a sizable amount."

"Oh sure whatever."

It took me a moment to realize how what he was talking about had affected me.

"Wait what?"

"It simply takes any potential affections any of the locals could have for you and amplifies it. Makes them like you a lot more, a lot quicker. I know it seems rather ineffective, but it works wonders. Especially when you need to get away. The person chasing you is mobbed by almost anyone he talks to for more than a second. Often times they get distracted for a long time. Until the spell wears off anyways."

"What happens then?"

"Well I suppose it depends on how the affected person treats those that are snared. Those that were snared will continue to love the person as long as the spell lasts. If the person treated the snared badly, then as soon as the spell wears off they will most likely hate said person. If the person treated the snared with respect, then I don't think they would have a problem. The snared remember everything that happened, but they won't notice that they felt more for said person than they most likely should have."

"So you placed fake emotions in the ponies heads?"

My voice had become very calm. I was a little bit mad, but I was more worried. I was mad at the guy for messing with the ponies, but in his perspective he was just defending himself in case someone came looking. I had just stumbled into his trap.

"Not at all. It amplified anything that was already there, or could be there. In the simplest terms it just sped up their feelings for the affected one… which I just realized in this case is you. Well at least now you know right?"

"Well I guess that makes it better? I don't really know. Question though, did your trap involve flinging me in the air?"

"Hmm? Oh no that would be to obvious. That would be the world trying to kill you. My trap is probably what saved your life."

This time I did a triple take. This guy seemed to announce the unimportant things, but glaze over the important things.

"Wait… are you serious?"

"Quite. Why do you think your body is currently turning itself to mince meat? Well outside the tower anyways. The world sees you as a dangerous object and is trying to remove you. When a direct approach didn't work, via falling, it took a more biological approach. Basically your body will eventually tear itself to pieces."

That was some very unpleasant, not welcome news. That would explain the blood that I coughed up though. Possibly the pains in my stomach as well. At least I think it did.

"But why is it doing this?"

"I told you already. It sees you as a dangerous threat."

"Why am I a dangerous threat?"

Morkar went back over to the desk he had been hunched over.

"That's actually what I am working on right now. Something very odd is going on with this world. The inhabitants haven't even noticed it has been time locked for more than 1000 years now."

He looked at my questioning face when he said, "That means that while they days go on and seasons change, time stands still. No one ages, and no one is born. Everything is stuck this way until the time lock ends."

"What's causing this… time lock thing?"

"Even more to the point of what I have been investigating. This world has what I call a peace core somewhere on it. In simpleton terms a peace core is something that generates peace. Keeps everyone alive and happy. The locals don't even notice that they have been living for centuries, they've been having too much fun. In normal cases this would be fine. The core has been here when this world first started, and it has always been influencing the world. This is just your average peace filled happy world. There used to be more of these, mostly for travelers of the universe to rest at. They have fallen out of use though. Most of the cores just shut down as more and more travelers disappeared. Some are still active and working fine to this day."

I interrupted him saying "And this one?"

"This one seems to be malfunctioning. Now these cores are incredibly ancient. Even older than I am. I don't even know what could be wrong with it. I would need to be able to study it first in order to fix it. I'm not even sure if fixing it would be the best course, but something has to be done."

This all strangely made sense to me. I had always envisioned Equestria as this peaceful place, where not even death could mar the happiness. When I got here though it seemed just a tad down. Then I got mugged by some ponies. That didn't seem very peaceful at all. I mean sure they had minor problems, but nothing like that.

"What are the options?"

"Well number one is to just let it be. The core would most likely continue to malfunction and slowly cease to work. This is a problem because the core generates an energy that the world feeds off of. If the energy disappears slowly then the world will slowly consume itself and turn to star dust."

Probably not the best course of action there.

"The second option would be to find the core and destroy it. If the energy was destroyed quickly, the time lock would be lifted. The world would no longer require the energy of the core. However, this would also remove the peacefulness of such a world. This world would become much like any other world. The locals would start to age and die, and the world would advance."

That didn't sound much better honestly. That was killing the world in a whole different way. I don’t think I could handle seeing all these ponies losing their peaceful lives, and begin to die.

"The third option requires the most effort. First the core would need to be found, but I would have to study it, and figure out how to fix it. Once I have done so I would fix it and replace it. This would keep the world in a peaceful state, and would stop it from trying to end potential threats such as you. The core is nearly alive in the way it acts. When it is injured it fights those it thinks would cause a problem."

"Well then the choice is obvious. We should take the third option."

Morkar looked at me and said, "We?"

I shrugged, "Unless you want to do this alone. I'm not sure how much help I could be, but I would be willing to help."

Morkar scratched his chin, "Very well. I was simply going to observe, but if you bring me the core, I will do my best to fix it. Sadly if I cannot figure out how to do so, then there are no replacements. It will need to be destroyed."

I nodded and said, "As long as you try right? What does this thing look like?"

"I can't be 100% sure. Most of the drawings and diagrams I have seen though have been of a large diamond like stone surrounded by a circle. It would most likely be where ever the magic is most plentiful. I warn you though. The core will defend itself to it's very best. It will even turn the locals against you if it must. Another word of note. You cannot tell anyone about the core. If you do the core may mark them dangerous as well, and try to remove them."

"So basically you're sending me on a dangerous mission, which I have to do alone, and all the details of which are unknown?"

"Well more or less. I did give you some good loot though. You got a magic wand after all."

"Okay just one more question. How much longer will this body last, and can you stop it?"

"I have no idea, and no I can't. Well I could, but if I did the core would try even more ways to end you. This one is relatively slow and painless. Well until the end anyway."

"So what if I die?"

"What if you die? Just come back like you did the first time. Might I suggest dying where no one can see you though? Don't want them to have a dead you and a live you at the same time. However if you feel the need, my tower is free from the core's influence. Now that is enough, I must get back to my research."

"Another thing, is this your land?"

"My tower is on it, so yes it is."

"Could I possibly get the area below this?"

"Silver is it? I live in my tower. I hardly care what goes on outside it."

I opened my mouth to ask another question, when I was suddenly on the ground floor. Books shifted around me of their own design. I looked around myself to be sure I wasn't dreaming or anything. I did the pinch thing too just in case. When I was positive I was not asleep I headed for the door that lead down. Before I could make it out, a book came flying into my back. I turned around and picked the book up.

"The Elements and You. A Wizards Guide."

Another magic book. Well maybe I could actually do something with this stuff. Shooting fire would be fun. I guess I had to watch the amount of time I spent though. Didn't want to drop dead in front of somepony. I didn't ask Morkar how long the peace core had either.

I reached the tunnel and was about to walk out when the bracelet glowed. I looked down at it and said,

"That guy doesn't know what he's talking about. You are much more than a hunk of wood, even if you don't act like it."
The bracelet unwound and dropped on my bare foot again. I grabbed my toe and glared at it. I stopped glaring when the bracelet turned into a very ornate sword again. I supposed that meant I was free to leave whenever I wanted too. I was a bit hesitant to do so though. What if I got stuck outside of here. I'd rather not risk it until I have to.

I picked up the sword, but didn't use it. After a few seconds of not activating it, the sword returned back to its wooden staff form. The wand in my pocket (HA!) levitated out of its own accord. It then began to merge with the staff. I wasn't really sure what was going on, but it was quite the light show. When it was done, I was left with a wooden bracelet.

"I suppose this means you count as a magical medium now. Or a magical magical medium."

The bracelet just glowed in response.

I pointed at it and said, "You're lucky I already had a habit of talking to inanimate things. Otherwise I'd be questioning my sanity right now."

The bracelet did nothing this time. I just shook my head at my own actions. I realized that I was still wearing the robes that Morkar had given me. I wasn't sure if they would stay after a while. I took them off and set them on the floor of the tunnel. I folded them all nice and neat too. I set the book down on top of it. Wouldn't want the book to get soaked as well.

I stepped out of the tunnel and jumped back into the water. I quickly swam to shore. The sun was still high in the sky, and I assumed that no time had passed since I visited the tower. I decided to be safe and just not mention it.

I walked around the shed and approached the hot springs. Rose was still soaking there. Although I guess she must have only been in there for several minutes her time. I grabbed a towel and stripped. I wrapped the towel around myself and stepped inside. The hot water burned where cold water had originally frozen. Rose opened one eye to watch me. I took my usual spot against the cliff and laid my head back.

"That was a quick swim."

"I just need a quick break to rest my mind."

That much was seriously true. I had some mind food that needed some chewing and digesting.

___________________________________________

AN: Attack of the plot! Once again this is actually only half of the next chapter. If your mind is still capable of following this, then congrats. I hope this doesn't put you off from reading if you've come this far. There will most likely still be plenty of normal moments to come.

Chapter 8.5: Even more problems appear.

I soaked in the water for a few minutes, just mulling over what I had learned. Martin reached the bottom of the hill, but refused to join us.

"I don't even feel remotely sore, or tired."

"Sometimes the mind needs rest too. You've been studying all day right? Well relax your mind. Let all your problems float away."

Martin shook his head, "Sorry, I can't just clear my mind or whatever. I'm focused on real problems right now. I can't just wander off like you do."

"First of all you don't need to do that. Secondly? You need to calm down. May I suggest taking a look around. You might notice that you're in a whole different world. Your real problems are just an illusion my friend."

"What are you, some kind of monk?"

"Not really. I'm just extremely smart."

Rose was either asleep, or was just listening in on our conversation. Either way she didn't offer any input in until now,

"Well don't you have a big ego?"

"And an even bigger…"

Martin interrupted us saying, "Look I'm just a bit anxious. Me and Twilight are working on something big. If it works it'll be the best thing. I don't think relaxation is what I need right now, even if my mind is tired. Maybe once this project is finished I'll relax."

I shrugged, "Fair enough."

Martin walked away from us, and back to the road. His footsteps faded away leaving me and Rose alone. She didn't seem to be moving anytime soon, and I wasn't planning on it either. Normally I would relish the chance to relax in silence, but something was nagging at me.

"Rose can I ask you something?"

She giggled and said, "You already did."

I just sighed at the joke, "What did you think when you first met me?"

She opened both her eyes and stared at me for a few seconds.

"What's bothering you?"

I sighed, "Some wizard told me he was manipulating the emotions of those around me."

She gave me a blank stare, unsure if I was serious or not. She giggled a little bit before saying,

"You're weird."

"Just humor me. It'll make me feel loads better."

Or worse depending on the answer.

"Alright. Well when you were at the fountain I thought you were weird, in a funny way. When I talked to you after I just got this feeling."

I lowered my eyes, "Feeling?"

She shrugged, "Nothing too big, but I got this feeling that you would be friends with anyone friendly, but that you wouldn't give anyone who wasn't a moment of your time."

I looked away from her and laid my head back. I guess that made me feel better. I don't think I was ever going to really figure it out though.

"Nothing else?"

She splashed a little bit, "Well that depends."

"Depends on what?"

I felt some of the water splash over my face. It was hot, but it didn't burn.

"On you."

I raised my head to glare at her, and saw that she was giggling. Well as long as it depends on me, that means I don't have to worry anymore. I laid back my head, and smiled a little bit. Sometimes the simplest things in life can be the greatest moments.

I probably only soaked for around 10 minutes, but for some reason, I couldn't relax. Thoughts were racing through my head. I was eager to read through the book and begin learning. I was also worried about the core thing. Then a final part of me was happy. Just that blissful feeling that flooded through me.

I stepped out of the water and dried myself off. I dressed again and headed for the pool. Rose had apparently fallen asleep, and I decided to leave her there. I looked across the pool and into the waterfall. I couldn't tell that there was a tunnel behind it no matter how hard I tried. I was trying to figure out the best way to get the stuff out of that tunnel. I couldn't just swim back with it.

I tried to inch around the pool, but that didn't really work. I was more likely to fall in than to get across. I wondered if there was a way in from the top, but even if there was, I would have to climb up and down again. It was possible that the tunnel went all the way through, but there was really no way for me to know how far. Eventually I came to the conclusion that I would have to leave the stuff in there. Until I could walk across water or something.

My mind wasn't going to calm down anytime soon at this rate. I mean there was potential fireballs to be throwing around. It was almost a dream come true. Magic, right there in that cave. Well assuming I figured everything out.

I removed my shirt and pants again, and swam across the pool. I went through the waterfall and into the tunnel. The robes and book were laying right where I had left them. I dried as much of myself as I could using the robes. When I was satisfied I picked up the book.

I read through quite a bit of the book, and a lot of it was very interesting. I'll sum it all down for you though.

Elemental magic is one of the most common forms of magic. Anywhere where magic exists, it exists. There are several ways to learn and perform the magic, but It's the same in the end. Many start off their magic career learning elemental magic. At first it is the easiest to learn, and understand. Eventually it reaches a plateau where you can't advance any farther until you really master it. Then it becomes exceedingly difficult to learn and perform.

Other magic such as the magic Twilight does is more complicated. Every spell is different and takes a different understanding. A levitating spell is very different compared to a spell that controls wind speeds. Whereas lifting something with air magic isn't much different from throwing air around. Although a levitation spell is much easier to control than lifting something with air magic.

I was just starting with the basics. Apparently there were limitless amounts of elements out there. However the most common would be what you expect, earth, air, fire, and water. The book suggested picking out one element to learn first, instead of trying them all at once. It said that choosing an element most like yourself would make it the easiest.

I think it was all pretty obvious, but I'll explain it to you just in case. On most worlds, elements represent certain philosophies, or personalities. Air is a free element. Unbound from the things that keeps others down. It never stops moving, and it's everywhere. Earth is the very opposite. It is stubborn, and moves for noone. It is also very reliable and strong. Water is somewhere in between the two. It can move freely, but can also solidify. Water can be found in many places, but not everywhere. It is an element of change and adaptability. Fire isn't always considered an element. It is oftentimes referred to as the element of heat. Fire in itself is uncontrollable. Fire magic is much the same. It takes discipline to master, and perfect control. However, for all of this, fire is very powerful.

There are some worlds that do differ from this though. On some, controlling one element is no different from the next. Sometimes air is referred to as the most violent of the elements. Usually it is accepted as the most peaceful. Most of the time air magic is used to redirect something. However, under the hands of a master, air magic can sharpen winds so much that it can cut anything clean in half. Even more deadly as one cannot see the invisible blade.

In the end I couldn't pick which one I wanted. They all sounded like fun to use. In the end I decided to just go with practicality. While air was my preferred element, water would be the better choice. If I learned how to make ice, I could get the stuff out of the tunnel. The book wasn't very clear on how to perform the magic, as it mostly depended on the world one was on. It did however give tips and basic ideas based off the most common usage of elemental magics.

The first was that controlling an element was much easier than creating if from thin air. The second was that elemental magic that focused on controlling an element, instead of spells, was much easier to perform when in a calm state of mind.
Finding my element wasn't really a big issue. There was a waterfall right next to me. My mind however wasn't likely to start calming down anytime soon though. The first thing the book recommended trying was to simply change the direction of a current. It just so happened that the waterfall was going down. My goal was to make it go back up.

I put the book down with my page marked. Water was a recommended first element. Learning it took aspects from both earth and air. So learning it would make learning those two a bit easier. I wasn't really sure what to do at first. Like I said the book was vague on how to actually perform the magic, since it was depended on the magic the world had. Obviously a world without magic would be out of the question.

I knew that ponies had to have a medium to perform magic, and that medium was a horn. It also seemed like it took a lot of concentration to use the magic. At least from what I had seen. It didn't really look like pointing the horn really affected the magic though. I looked down at my bracelet, considering on what to do. It had absorbed the wand, which assumedly gave it the ability to control the energy of the world. When this energy is controlled to do something, that's when it becomes magic.

At first I just made a lot of physical motions and said things. I would point my left arm at the waterfall dramatically and say,

"Up!"

That didn't work at all. The bracelet especially didn't do anything. Next I tried sitting down and imagining the water flowing up instead of down. I didn't feel anything, and when I opened my eyes the water was still going down.

I could pretend like it took weeks of practice to do even one trick. However, once I got the hang of how to do magic, it became incredibly easy. I had just tried doing a rather radical physical motion, which involved a lot of arm swings, when I was about to give up. Nothing I had tried seemed to be working.

Frustrated I threw my arms in the air and said, "Why won't this water go up!?"

The bracelet heated up, and the symbols in it glowed. I turned around to see the water was stopped. It wasn't going up, but it had done something. In the end what worked for me had been to imagine the situation, and then with a physical motion, will for it to happen.

After I stopped the water, I was able to do all kinds of things. I took some water from the fall and began spinning it around me. This must have been the plateau the book was talking about. You learn how do something, and everything related comes easy. However when you try to learn something different, it becomes much harder.

I had learned how to control the water. However I quickly learned that turning it to ice was nearly impossible. Still though, to see water flying around wherever I pointed was pretty bad ass. I could control it in any way I wanted to. The bracelet glowed brightly as I did this, and was only somewhat annoying. It might just have been the light level of the tunnel though.

I was busy tossing a ball of water around when I heard voices from outside. I lost concentration of the water and it splashed on the ground. I put my book back on the robes and left the tunnel. I swam back across the pool to where I had left my clothes.

I didn't bother to dry myself or put them back on. I followed the voices to the hot springs. The shed was starting to get on my nerves. Only half of it remained standing, and the roof had caved in. It was so rotted that it looked like it had been scorched. I rounded the corner to find Rose chatting with Lily and Delilah in the spring. All three of them must have been in there for a little bit because they were soaked.

When I came into view Rose waved at me. The other two turned around and Lily said,

"Oh hi Silver."

I waved at them, and got into the spring. I pushed Rose aside so I could take my spot against the cliff. She huffed at me and said,

"So you three have met already?"

I said, "Ya we met here yesterday when I found this place. They've apparently been coming here for awhile. I was relaxing when they showed up and joined me."

Rose watched me suspiciously and then said, "So where did you go? I woke up and you had left."

I scratched the back of my head and said, "Oh you know, just playing with water."

Rose just nodded and said, "Uh huh."

The three of them began to chat and I laid my head back. The water was slowly swirling around the pool. I put my arms behind my back, attempting to hide the bracelet. I started making the water swirl ever so slightly faster. Oddly, the bracelet didn't glow this time, just heated up. The girls failed to notice, and I just sighed in relaxation. I blocked out their chatting for the most part. Just simple introductions and idle chatter.

Swirling the water around slowly was making my mind start to slow down. I was starting to drift off to sleep. Everything became background noise to me. Lost in the swirling mess that was my thoughts. My eyes closed and I lost myself to the universe. Well until I was brought back to reality by a splash in the face.

I shook my head to clear the mist inside it. I looked up to see the three ponies giggling. I was kind of upset. I felt like I was in touch with all of existence. I guess that's what sleep really is. Coming into contact with the collective consciousness of everything. Or the collective consciousness of nothing.

"What was that for?"

They continued to laugh, and I felt tempted to use my new found powers. I stopped myself though. One I didn't want to show off that I could do magic. Two, what kind of person would I be if I fell to temptation that easily? Resist temptations for so long, only to be given magical power and abuse it right away. I know I'm not perfect, but I'm not that bad.

Rose said, "We couldn't resist. You just looked so peaceful."

"So you decided to ruin that?"

Lily said, "Well ya. We were bored and in need of entertainment."

"So entertain yourselves. I was trying to communicate with the cosmos."

They all gave me odd looks, and decided to ignore that statement.

Delilah took her turn to say, "Besides, we can't entertain ourselves, we need you to do it."

Lily mumbled something in Delilah's ear, and she blushed. Rose eyed them warily and scooted closer to me. I stayed put against the cliff, which put Lily and Delilah opposite me. Rose stopped close to me, but a comfortable distance away.

I put my arms to the side to hold myself up a little bit more, and I sat up straight on the rock shelf beneath the water. I was still relaxed, but not so much as to fall asleep. Lily and Delilah seemed to be preoccupied with something, but it wasn't bothering me. Delilah's face got redder and redder, and I looked over at Rose who was also blushing.

"Am I missing something here?"

"Not- not at- not at all." Delilah stammered.

Lily pulled away from her and was trying to contain her mirth. She then looked directly at me and smiled innocently. She bumped her hoof against my leg and said,

"Don't worry about it."

Rose suddenly pushed her head against my chest. I was a little bit pleased by this, but mostly confused. Rose pulled my arm around her neck, and gave Lily a death stare. They were probably having some territory fight or something. A bit unnerving that I was the territory in question, but whatever. Truth is, the only person I belong to is me, and that's a fact. Rose was half laying on me and half sitting down. Lily gave her a sour look, but shrugged it off. Nobody said anything after that, and it got a bit uncomfortable. Delilah was still blushing furiously though.

The sun finally started to set, and I announced that I was getting out. Aware that all eyes were on me, I got out and picked up the towel that had been used several times. Luckily it had mostly dried out. I put my shorts back on, which didn't really smell that great anymore, and pulled some food out of the bag I had brought. I munched on a piece of fruit while I waited for them to finish. I had just finished it when Rose said,

"Silver, could you do me a favor?"

I turned around to look at her with my mouth full. She had the towel in her mouth, but was still soaked. Her mane clung to her neck, and her tail drooped heavily.

"Could you dry me off?"

I shrugged and swallowed my food. I walked up to her and took the towel from her mouth. I put it around her head, and laughed a little. I remember when I used to give my dog a bath. He was a big dog, and he hated getting wet. He would always run away from me splashing water all over the place. Eventually I would have to cover his head with the towel just to get him to stay still for a second.

I began drying her off, making sure to not push on her too hard. I dried her head, and her back off completely. I stepped back from her, but she said,

"Aren't you going to finish?"

Her stomach was still wet, and so was her tail. I was stuck looking at her face. Her face was all poofed out, and it was quite comical. She lightly kicked me with one of her wet hooves and said,

"Well?"

I wiped a tear from my eye and said, "I'd really rather not."

She shook herself and said, "You already started though. Come on just finish me off."

I just shrugged again and bent down on one knee. I dried her legs off one by one. I stood back up and wrapped the towel around her stomach. She giggled as I rubbed her down. I stepped back and threw the towel over her head. She moved it with a hoof and said,

"You didn't finish."

I shook my head saying, "And I'm not going to. You can do that part yourself."

She gave me a sour look and said, "How am I supposed to do that?"

"Figure it out. Ask one of them to do it."

I pointed to Lily and Delilah who were still in the spring. Rose looked back at them and back to me. She motioned for me to come closer. I kneeled down next to her again. She motioned for me to come even closer, and I bent my ear to her mouth. Suddenly she grabbed my head and twisted it. I tried to pull back, but her leg muscles won over my neck muscles. Which I suppose as a pony, isn't that surprising.

She turned my head to face hers. Her eyes were closed, and she pulled my head to hers. My eyes went wide with surprise when she began kissing me. I tried to pull away, but she pulled on me even tighter. I won't lie, it wasn't very pleasant. Her lips on mine felt very weird, definitely not normal. Her mouth opened a little as she continued to kiss me. I glanced at Lily and Delilah who were staring at us. I just kneeled there until Rose pulled away from me. When she did her eyes were half open, and she was smiling stupidly at me.

When I did nothing, her smile faded. Tears started to swell in her eyes. She looked down at the ground and sobbed a little. My brain was screaming for me to do some damage control, but my body was still confused as to what had just happened. If my body could talk I think it would say something along the lines of,

'What the fuck just happened, and why?"

When I still didn't move, Rose ran away from me. She galloped past the shed leaving me behind. I looked up at Lily and Delilah. They both stared at me like I was an idiot. My face was probably still in its shocked state. Lily finally shouted at me saying,

"Well go get her!"

I was still confused as to what was going on, but I did know that Rose was probably feeling worse than me. All this probably took about 5 seconds. It just looks like a long time in text. I ran after Rose, only stopping to grab another piece of fruit. I sprinted back to the road, and saw Rose crying as she walked down the road. I stepped in front of her, and thought of several options.

One I could fix this fast by kissing her. I didn't really want to do that though. It would send all the wrong signals to her. Two, I could pick her up and hug her. That also seemed less favorable as I would probably be physically injured a few times. I really wanted to avoid hurting this body anymore as it was. Third option was to try and talk sense to her. However that just wasn't going to work.

She looked up at me with tears in her eyes. I decided to sacrifice my own comfort for hers. I knelt down and put my hands on her head. She tried to shake me off, but not very hard. I took a deep mental breath and steeled my gut. I brought her head to mine and kissed her furiously. It wasn't any more pleasant than last time, especially because she had been crying. However I ignored my body's reaction of disgust and kept it up. Some part of me had hoped she would just stand there in shock as I did. No such luck though. She put her hooves around my neck and began kissing me back.

I tried to pull away after a bit, but again she held me down. I mentally sighed, and complied. It was when she opened her mouth that my mind shouted at the unfairness. Praying that I wouldn't vomit, I opened my mouth as well. Her tongue clashed with mine and she pushed me on my back. It would've been very weird if someone had seen us.

I was laying on my back and Rose was laying down on top of me. Her hooves ran through my hair and down my neck, and my hands did the same with her mane. I could feel the heat coming off of her very closely. Somewhere in my mind I realized I hadn't thrown my shirt on. She must have explored every section of my mouth. After what seemed like forever she pulled her head away from mine and took a deep breath.

I did the same, but for a different reason. My mind was having a total war on itself. One side was screaming that I had just kissed an animal, and the other half was screaming that since it was intelligent that it wasn't really an animal. Regardless of what my mind was thinking, my body was not happy. I kept taking deep breaths to make sure I didn't spill the fruit I had eaten. I hadn't realized that the situation would elicit such a response.

Most of it was probably because she was a pony like creature, but a part of it was that I didn't like kissing in general. Do you know how many germs are in the mouth? The only thing I wanted in there was my own tongue and food. It was supposed to be off-limits to anything that wasn't edible.

She smiled down at me, and I smiled nervously back. She didn't get up though to my disappointment. My mind eventually told me that I needed to say something.

I looked up into her eyes and said, "I'm sorry about earlier. I was just so shocked that I couldn't even move."

She still didn't get off of me and said, "You more than made up for it. I was worried that you were disgusted by me."

Her worries were well founded. I wasn't about to tell her that though. It would probably take some time before I was used to that, or a new body. Besides I wasn't sure if I wanted to get used to it.

"I wasn't prepared for that."

She tried to kiss me again, but I held her back and said,

"I think we should get off the road."

She smiled at me and finally got off. The loss of contact was disappointing, but also appreciated. I stood up and looked down at myself. My pants were soaked and I raised an eyebrow at Rose.

"That better be water." (Is that another quad entendre?)

She blushed and giggled. I pulled the piece of fruit that I had grabbed out of my pocket. It didn't look that good anymore. I handed it to her and said,

"I'll be right back."

I walked back to the springs and grabbed the rest of the stuff I had left. Lily and Delilah gave me questioning looks, and I gave them a shaky thumbs up. I still wasn't sure if that was the outcome I wanted. They turned their backs to me and I left. I caught up with Rose who had apparently eaten the entire fruit, and walked back to town with her.

She walked slightly in front of me, and I followed her. She led me to her house, and led me inside. She motioned for me to sit on the couch and I did so. I was prepared to run out the door though. Sacrificing my comfort would only go so far. My stomach had finally seemed to settle on not throwing up. I was glad it had decided to come to this decision.

I sat back on the couch and Rose walked back in. She pushed a tray inside the room with two cups of tea on it. I would've preferred something cool, but apparently ponies are tea crazy. I took the cup and began sipping a little. The best thing to do was make this last as long as possible. It was hard to do so, because that stuff was amazing.

She laid against me as we drank the tea. She just nuzzled her head into my chest every once in awhile, but neither of us said anything. She finished her tea first and put her cup down on the tray. Mine was still almost full and she sighed as she laid into me. This I was okay with. The comfort of being close was good enough for me. She got tired of waiting for me to finish though.

When Rose saw that I wasn't going to finish my tea anytime soon, she took it from me. I tried to grab it back, but she put it on the tray out of reach. The couch allowed me to sink into it and get comfortable. At first she just laid against me again. I probably could've fallen asleep in that position. However it only lasted a few minutes. When I didn't move for a bit, Rose did.
She got up and maneuvered herself so she was sitting on my lap. She put her hooves behind my head again, and mentally I sighed. Out loud I said,

"Now Rose, let's not rush anything. I don't want to do anything that we'll regret."

Rose looked deep into my eyes and said, "I won't regret anything."

I certainly was going too. She leaned into me again and started kissing me again. I was really starting to wish this place was as mature as a kids show should be. My mind had given up arguing, but my body was giving very mixed signals. As she leaned into me she wiggled a little bit. She had positioned herself in a very precarious position and part of me really liked that.

I tried to kiss her back for awhile, but my stomach was starting to make its displeasure known. Rose began running her hooves around my chest. It was like she got drunk or something. That was how she was acting anyway. She invaded my mouth again, and my stomach let out a jolt of pain. Rose thankfully pulled off of me after sometime.

She was searching my eyes when she pulled back. I gave her a nervous smile, and she smiled back. She tried to keep the situation going, but I was starting to get scared. If this kept going I was pretty sure I knew what would happen. I put a finger on her lips and said,

"While this is fun, I told Martin I would help him with his research."

Rose gave me puppy eyes. Or pony eyes rather. I just shook my head at her and said,

"Maybe some other time Rose."

She winked at me and said, "Well if you ever need a place to stay, you could always sleep with me. Tomorrow maybe?"

I missed good 'ol Rose that just laughed when I did stupid things. I was going to need to talk to Morkar to make sure he removed that spell thing. I got up off the couch and made to leave. Rose stopped me and kissed me one last time. Another jolt of pain later, and I was out the door. She closed the door leaving me alone. I started to walk back to the library, when the urge to vomit overcame me. I ran to the nearest bin, which wasn't too far because every complex had one outside of it. I emptied my stomach into the bin, and grimaced when I saw it. Blood was mixed in with the rest.

Rose must have taken off at least a week with her actions. How could she have known though. Besides I was probably over reacting to this whole situation. I reached the library as the sun went down. I opened the door and felt the urge to vomit again when I did.

Twilight was laying on the couch in the hooves of a deep purple unicorn stallion. They were very engrossed with each other's mouth, but when I opened the door they leapt away from each other.

I covered my eyes and said, "Sorry! I was just looking for Martin."

Twilight got defensive and said, "We were just kissing, you don't have to cover your eyes."

I kept my eyes covered and said, "For my continued health, I refuse to look. Also that was more than simple kissing. You two were exploring every inch of the other's mouth. And who is this stallion anyway?"

I peeked through my eyes to see Twilight looking between me and the stallion. The stallion sighed and said,

"Silver, it's me. I'm Martin."

My hands dropped to my side and my mouth dropped open. I pointed at him and then at myself.

Twilight huffed and said, "Take him outside and explain would you?"

Well she certainly wasn't under the influence of something to like me more. Her tone was nearly seething with venom. Martin, now as a stallion led me outside. We sat down on the grass, and I waited for him to explain.

He eventually started speaking, "Well, now you know what spell we were looking up."

"Did it hurt? Or does it feel really weird now?"

"Well it did a little, and ya it feels as weird as you would expect. Are you weirded out by this?"

I shrugged, "I was just surprised is all. I wasn't expecting this after everything else. So you and Twilight eh?"

"Well, I mean we really hit it off well when I was human before you arrived. But as you know she had an issue with the age thing. When we found out that we could convert me and age me, well she expressed her opinion quite physically. That wasn't the best experience."

I laughed and then said, "I know what you mean."

Martin looked at me and said,

"I hadn't realized you were involved with anypony."

"Neither did I till tonight."

"Was it that Rose mare?"

"Yep. Took me by total surprise."

"So… how did it go?"

"I vomited."

"Ouch…"

"Yep."

"How did she take that?"

"Oh she didn't see me do it. Luckily I was able to get away first."

"So what are you going to do about it?"

"I really don't know man. I'm so lost it isn't even funny. Maybe I'll just avoid her like the plague."

Martin shook his head, "That isn't a very good idea."

I looked at him, "Why not?"

"Well besides the obvious? Ponies here have a weird look on things like that. Basically if you get them started, they nearly have to finish it with you."

I gulped. She had been serious about the tomorrow thing.

"Did you ever… start Twilight?"

"Oh no. After she kissed me the first time I told her I would rather be a pony than continue on."

"Well crap."

"I'm guessing things got out of hand."

"You could say that."

"Well you can either man up, or run like hell."

For some reason this seemed hilarious. The entire situation I was in even. I've been told that the entire world is in danger, and that I could drop dead any moment, and I was worried about a mare. I let out a great roar of laughter, and couldn't bring myself to stop. I had always imagined I would never get into situations like this. Where I would be having issues with a romantic interest. Back on Earth I had avoided relationships at all costs.

When my laughter died down I said,

"Well I might just choose the running option. I can't see myself doing the other option."

"You could let Twilight transform you into a pony. Then your body would probably be much more willing."

"I was more worried about my mental state of health. I don't think that certain body part will be an issue. Besides no way am I turning into a pony. I'm keeping my hands thank you."

Martin pointed at his horn, "But you might get one of these. You could do magic. Or you might get wings."

News flash, I can do magic. I have yet to accomplish the flying aspect though.

"Not worth it. I like my hands to much to let them go."

"I'm out of ideas then."

I stood up and said, "Well I don't want to keep you from Twilight. She seemed pretty started when I walked in."

Martin blushed and stood up as well. He was even shorter now that he was a pony. It was kind of weird knowing at one point he had been human, but I would get over it. He went inside the library and closed the door. There was no way I was going to go in there the rest of tonight.

I walked around the town for a little bit wondering where I should go. Rose had offered me a place to sleep, but I got the feeling sleep was the last thing on her mind. Besides going back would just be tempting fate.

I supposed I could just sleep outside again. I would miss the comfort of a blanket though. Or the comfort of anything really. The sun had cast its final rays, and the moon was rising. I stared up at it and was mesmerized by its light. It seemed to infuse me with something, I can't say what though. I was tempted to try and grab the light from the moon. Not sure how that would work, but it sounded like a great idea. I ignored the pull of the moon, and headed towards the hill where I first arrived. When I reached the top, I laid down on the grass.

Until I eventually drifted asleep, I stared at the moon. Maybe it was because Luna was using magic to move it, but that thing felt weird. It gave off this odd vibe that flowed through me. Not a powerful vibe, or a weak one. It just made me feel, odd.

___________________________________________

Chapter 9

The sun rose as I woke up. Its rays seemed to flash in my eyes. I tried to pick myself up, but there was a weight on by chest. I laid back down waiting to wake up fully. That was when I realized that the weight on my chest was generating heat, and breathing. I looked down to something incredibly cute, and confusing.

Rose's head was poking through the rather large neck hole of my shirt, and she was sleeping lightly. My shirt covered half of her, but her legs were sticking out from the bottom. There wasn't anything sensual about her. She was just cuddling up close to me. It was cute, but I was rather uncomfortable. I took off my shirt and moved her to the ground, She kicked out, and I d'awwed.

Kinda confused on how she found me though. Not like this hill was very conspicuous or anything. I just shrugged the thought off. I don't understand how she could stand the scent of the shirt though. It wasn't exactly the freshest thing I had. It was in my best interest to go see if Rarity had finished my clothes. Either that or wash these ones. Hopefully both if I was lucky.

I slung the shirt over my shoulder and began walking back to town. It was still pretty early though, so no one was outside. I was worried that Rarity wouldn't be up early as well. I stepped in front of her shop, and sighed when I saw the closed sign. The lights in the place were off as well. I looked over to the tree next to her house, and a great idea hit me.

I clambered up the tree, or at least I tried to. The nearest branch was too high for even me. It was at times like these where I wished I was a ninja. Running up trees was not my specialty. That was always a dream of mine, to train in the ways of kung fu. Of course I knew that such training was physical and mentally extreme. Totally worth it after though. Never got the chance obviously.

I looked around for something to support me. The closest thing was Rarity's trash can. Reluctantly I flipped it upside down and placed it next to the tree. Using it I was able to grab the first branch. After a lot of effort I pulled myself up. I guess running doesn't build arm muscle that well, who would've guessed?

I climbed around the tree, proving the usefulness of hands again. I reached a branch that was at the height of Rarity's bedroom window. I looked through to see Rarity still in bed. What was a little surprise wake up between friends? I broke a twig off the tree and threw it at the window.

The first didn't really wake her up, but one of the next five did. I think I might have accidentally cracked her window with the last one. If I did she didn't notice though. She got out of the bed and rubbed at her eyes. Still groggy, she looked at me through the window.

She was wearing that frilly bathrobe, and one of those eye coverings. If she was trying to get beauty sleep, she failed miserably. Her mane was going out in every way, and her tail wasn't much better. Her eyes were drooping and her coat was stuck up. She trotted up to the window and opened it. Sticking her head out she said,

"Why Silver dear, I almost mistook you for a monkey."

Sitting on the branch I said,

"Wouldn't be the first time."

She smiled, and then looked at herself.

"Oh but look at me, I'm hideous. I shall meet you downstairs when I am beautiful again."

I shrugged, and leapt down from the tree. I opened the front door which had been left unlocked, and entered the store. The place was a mess. Pony mannequins and fabrics were strewn on the ground. I probably waited for almost an hour on Rarity. At some point I did hear water running, but it was still some time after until Rarity came down.

She came down the stairs nearly leaping. Light shone down the stairs as she did so. Her horn was glowing softly as she reached the bottom of the stairs. She struck a pose and flicked her mane and tail. Sparkles flew from her and she flashed me a smile.

"Tada!"

I clapped slowly and said, "Bravo. An hour of preparation and you look the same as you do every day."

She fake flinched from me and said, "Why you hurt my feelings."

"I'm just saying. Don't you ever want to do something different? Maybe some dreadlocks, or one really long ponytail. Heh, ponytail."

She stomped her hoof and said, "I'll have you know that it takes quite the effort to be this beautiful."

"What's the point? Not like you're going to meet anyone or anything."

"Even if others don't appreciate my beauty, I do."

Damage control, "Well if it makes you feel better, I think you look great. Nice flare with the sparkles."

She gave me a smile before looking around her boutique.

"Why this place is a mess. Would you mind helping me clean up a bit?"

"Can't you like use magic to clean everything?"

She gave me a sad look and said, "But you're so strong, and I'm tired."

I shook my head, "Not gonna work on me. I had a hard enough time doing a pull up in the tree. I know my own strength."

Rarity then said, "Well then I've almost finished your clothes. If you set up my shop, I'll get to finishing them. I'll also wash those clothes for you when I finish."

I shrugged and then nodded. Rarity walked off singing to herself. I began picking up the mannequins and setting them upright. Once they had all been up righted, I began picking up all the fabric on the floor. I folded the pieces of cloth and stacked them neatly against the wall. When I was just finishing Rarity walked back into the room.

"I'm finished!"

She sung her words out loud. Her voice had a nice ring to it, pleasant to the ears. It seemed like a lot of ponies could do that. Something to look into later. She led me into the next room over, and I saw my new clothes.

"Change and throw me your old clothes."

"Don't worry about it. I can do my own laundry."

Rarity just walked out of the room leaving me alone. I slipped off the modern Earth clothes, and put on something more my style. Well actually I've never worn something like these, but they look cool.

I heard the front door open and Rarity say, "I'm sorry, but I'm not quite ready yet. Maybe come back in an hour?"

I didn't hear what else was said, but I assumed she had it taken care of the problem. Well that is until I heard Rarity say,

"Silver? Why yes he's here, but how…"

Then the conversation cut off. I guess I'm just a popular guy around here. I finished dressing and looked at myself in the mirror. I was wearing solid black pants that were very slack. They were made out of a very soft fabric. They did leave a bit of room so they wouldn't get caught beneath my feet. The shirt was made of the same soft fabric and was a deep green with a white lining. It folded over itself and was tied around the waste with a white belt. Put simply? I was wearing kung fu robes. I felt pretty awesome, not gonna lie. Now all I needed was some shoes.

The bracelet, which was hidden under the long sleeves of the robes, began to glow. I couldn't see what it was doing, but it was moving. The light moved from my arm to around my neck. The glow stopped, and I reached for my neck. There was a circular pendent hanging there. The necklace itself was made of wood as well. Didn't feel very rough though.

I folded my arms together and bowed to myself in the mirror. With my arms folded together I walked back into the main room. I was surprised to see Rose talking to Rarity. Some R&R action anyone? I'd feel better if I could remember what that means.

They both turned to me and I bowed to them. Rose gave me about 3 seconds before tackling me to the ground.

"Watch the robes girl!"

She wasn't watching the robes though. She hugged me tightly as I fell down. I know monks are supposed to have perfect balance, but that was like 50 pounds tackling me. I'm not very good with judging weight, but I was sure she wasn't too heavy. I could lift her at least. She smiled down at me, but I only returned it with a grimace. Talk about clingy.

She got off of me and smiled sheepishly. She didn't move farther away though. I raised an eyebrow at her and said,

"Um… hi?"

I stood up, and dusted off my robes.

Rose just continued to look up at me smiling. It was kind of creepy in a way, but incredibly cute in another.

"Don't you have flowers to sell?"

Rose nuzzled her head against me and said, "I just wanted to say good morning."

"Well good morning."

I patted her head. I was trying to understand things from her point of view. She thought I was infatuated with her just as much as she was with me. That's what I get for making her feel better. It wasn't that I didn't like her. She was just acting really strange at the moment.

While I was distracted she pulled me down and kissed me. It only lasted for a short second thankfully. She let go of me and walked away. She swayed as she walked and said,

"I'll see you tonight then."

She closed the door behind her and winked at me as she walked out. I just watched her walk away as my mind caught up with me. Rarity looked at me and said,

"Well isn't this just juicy?"

I waggled a finger at her, "Don't think you're getting any. I'm still confused as to what's going on."

"What do you mean?"

I threw my hands in the air and said, "She's crazy! I woke up this morning and she was sleeping on me. I had gone to sleep on a hill outside of town! Then she just comes into this shop looking for me? I think I just got glomped too. How does she know where I am?"

Rarity blushed just a little and said, "I don't think I should be the one to explain this to you…"

I raised an eyebrow, "I don't need the birds and the bees, just why she's gone crazy."

"Well… She's ah… how to say… marked you."

"That better not mean what I think it does."

"I really don't think it is appropriate for us to be having this discussion."

"We're both adults. Well at least age wise. Just tell me, I don't know how ponies work."

Rarity sighed and said, "At some point during your contact with her… she left her scent on you. It tells other mares to back off, and lets her find you when you are nearby. If you don't mind me asking, when did you get close enough for this to happen?"

I looked at her and said, "This means you get to be my friend that is a girl that hears all my relationship problem."

Rarity laughed just a little bit and said, "As long as it works the other way too I'm fine with this."

I shook my head, "I doubt I'll be much help with stallion problems, but I'll try."

"Who said anything about stallions?"

My mouth dropped open as I contemplated that statement.

She waved a hoof and said, "I'm just kidding darling… or am I?"

I shook my head again.

"Whatever. Anyways I'm not really sure when she started really liking me, but…"

I told Rarity everything that had happened between me and Rose. Even the throwing up part, although I did leave out the blood. She listened attentively as I told her everything. She didn't even interrupt once. Talk about a good listener. When I finished she pursed her lips in thought.

She said to me, "Well the most important question I have for you is, do you like her back? From what you've told me it sounds like you're just being nice."

If things were going to be solved, I needed to be as honest as I could be.

"I really have no idea. Part of me does, and I enjoy the close comfort when she's around. However, the other part of me wants to just run away. Back on Earth I avoided physical relationships at all costs. They only brought pain and confusion.

Rarity nodded and said, "Well, have you considered a non-physical relationship?"

I shrugged, "I don't think she has. I really like it when she just cuddles, but she always wants more."

Rarity said, "Well I advise you find out which part of you feels stronger. First you need to work out if you like her for who she is. Then you can worry about physical things. However, have you ever thought that physical relations might be better if they are with somepony you love?"

I laughed when she mentioned love. I almost slapped her back in appreciation of a good joke.

"Sorry, but you just mentioned the wrong thing. I don't believe in all that love crap. Sex is sex, no matter who it's with. The only way it gets better is if the other person is more experienced. I can appreciate people liking each other. I can understand how people can connect to each other. I can see how personalities match, and how they make people match. I can't see there being some invisible feeling that brings people together."

Rarity seemed rather taken aback by my little tirade. While she formulated a response, I calmed myself.

"You really don't believe in love?"

"No. Am I a horrible person for that?"

Rarity shook her head, and her voice had lost all of its push.

"No, it's just really sad."

I shrugged, "I haven't needed it before, don't need it now."

"What about family love? What about your parents?"

"That's just responsibility. No one wants to say it, but the only reason they care for family, is because they feel responsible in some way."

Rarity kept on shaking her head at me, "I won't argue with you, but you're wrong. I hope one day you realize that. I stick by what I said though. Get away from Rose for a bit and figure out what you really want."

I stood up and bowed to Rarity.

"I really appreciate this Rarity. Even more so that you don't try to convince me that love is real. You have no idea how many people will get on you for that. I'll take what you said into consideration."

I started to walk out, but Rarity stopped me and magicked some boxes into my hands.

"The rest of your order. You really like the color green don't you?"

"I really do. No idea why though."

There was another set of the robes I was wearing now, and there was also a suit. The suit was obviously a deep green. I walked out of the boutique, when I realized I didn't really have a place to keep this stuff. I headed towards the library to see if I could keep it there for now. I opened the front door, and saw Twilight sitting on the couch.

"Where's Martin?"

"He does have a job, unlike some people. Applejack told me you haven't really been working."

I waved her off and said, "Don't worry, I'm working on the whole living space thing. I was just wondering if I could keep this stuff here for right now."

Twilight shrugged and said, "I don't see why not."
She levitated the stuff into a corner for me. I watched her horn glow when I got a great idea. When I used magic it was the same as she did, just not with a horn.

"Twilight, have you ever dabbled in elemental magic?"

She raised an eyebrow at me, "Why?"

"Just wondering."

"Well only a little. Its considered weak magic around here, since it's so easy to use. I moved on to spells very quickly for my age though. Usually a unicorn foal will spend a month on each element before moving on. I only spent a week on all of them together."

"So if you wanted to freeze water, how would you do that."

Twilight shrugged, "Elemental magic is a lot different from spells. It does take more concentration to perform them. Normally I would imagine something very cold and freeze whatever needs freezing."

I nodded and bowed to her in thanks. I was taking the whole appearance very seriously. I was in character if you would.

"Why is this important?"

"It's not. Just doing some research."

"But you haven't borrowed any books!"

"It's more of a field position."

I left the library and headed towards my nature outpost. My mind was racing extremely fast. I wasn't even paying attention to where I was going. Rose waved at me, but I didn't even notice. When I failed to wave back she ran up to me. She pushed her head into my hand, but I still didn't notice.

When she spoke it brought me back to the world, "Something heavy on your mind?"

I looked down at her and into her eyes. I had no desire to lie to her, but I didn't know what was a lie and what was the truth. I just nodded my head at her. She stepped in front of me, and the dragged me back to her flower cart. I sat down on the fountain ledge where I had first met her. Those memories weren't really helping at all. She laid down half on the fountain, and half on me. She tried to kiss me, but I held back.

"Rose, I need to be honest."

She said, "You can tell me anything."

I wasn't so sure about that. She was running a hoof over my leg, and was oblivious to me.

"I might be taking a trip soon."

For two very different reasons. I hadn't forgotten what Morkar had told me.

"Well I could always go with you. Where are you going?"

"No, I need to do this alone. And I can't say, because I don't know."

Rose looked down and she said,

"Well I can't say I'm surprised."

That shocked me. I thought she was going to fight this tooth and nail… or hoof I guess.

"What?"

"You're a traveler Silver. Anyone who knows you can see that. I can't hold you back from what you enjoy. Promise me a few things though."

That, was probably the most selfless thing I had seen someone ever do. Well in a romance situation anyway.

"Hmm?"

"First of all, I want you to promise you'll come back."

"No problem. I'll always come back."

"Second, one day, I want you to take me with you."

"I can't promise, but if the chance ever arises, I will."

"Third, don't leave without saying goodbye."

"I can promise that though. You'll always know when I'm going to leave."

She smiled at me and tried to kiss me again. I complied this time. She had really shown a side I hadn't expected to see. It wasn't that clingy mare that had tackled me in Rarity's shop. This was Roseluck right here. The kiss was about as bad as it had been last time. Part of me felt that it was worth it though.

I left her at her cart, a lot happier than I had been. However, my mind was even more confused than it had been. I traveled to my nature outpost, and sat down in front of the pool. I didn't get my stuff yet, and I wasn't sure if I was going to need it today.

I sat down and thought over what was troubling my mind. People often times get the wrong idea about meditation. They think it's clearing your mind of everything. Personally I blame Harry Potter for that. In my opinion there are various forms of meditating. As long as it relaxes your mind, I would count it in. Some like o concentrate on a single thing, such as their breath. This makes one forget everything else temporarily while they focus.

Some clear their mind of all troubling thoughts. Not everything though. They just focus on what is troubling them, and then let it go. Which basically means not letting it bother them anymore. My preferred method is to consider the problems I have at the moment, and then try and figure out how to solve them. To consider every approach and angle of the issue, not just my own point of view.

I won't lie, meditation is boring as it sounds. It can't be explained very well either. I usually resort to it only when I have something big on my mind. I never studied how to properly do it, but I think everyone has their own special way.

When I finished, I stared at the pool of water in front of me. At first I practiced moving water around. I was met with instant success and soon I had a circle of water spinning around me. Seeing that there was little I couldn't do with controlling, I moved on to attempting to freeze the water. I tried imagine several cold things, but nothing worked. Physical motions just moved the water, and imagining the water freezing did nothing. I was going to have to look for something in the book.

I stripped and swam across the water. I reached the tunnel and got in. The wizard robes Morkar had given me were still there. I used them as a towel again and picked up my book. According to the book, magic that was affected by temperature could often times be affected by breath. Fire magic was the best example of it. Since building heat was integral to the magic.

It took me longer to get it to work, but eventually I managed to freeze a puddle of water. I had to calm my body, and then blow the coldest air I could. I would need to get a better control of my body's own temperature. While I felt the cold air, I clenched my fists, concentrating on the idea of ice.

The water froze on the ground, and I got so excited that the ice turned back into water. I wasn't worried though, I had gotten it once. Next I tried freezing water while controlling it. This wasn't very hard to accomplish once I had the knack of freezing things. Controlling the frozen water was a bit more awkward though. It just took a whole different mindset than liquid water. I had to push it more forcefully, instead of just letting it flow with me. It made sense really. The harder form took more force to move. The book had said that water took aspects from both earth and air.

I played around with the water for awhile, freezing it into different shapes. I wasn't too sure on how outside temperature would affect the ice I made. While I was playing, I noticed that a faint glow was going through the tunnel. Deciding that more magic would have to wait, I headed towards the stone staircase.

When I reached the top of them, I opened the door casually. I stepped into the tower, but Morkar was waiting for me at the bottom floor. He held up a hand, and I waited for him to finish what he was doing.

________________________________________

AN: I'm stopping this here. I keep doing half chapters because I simply don't have time to write it all in one sitting, and I'm sure you all want another piece ASAP. Besides this way you don't get huge chapters. The bigger they are, the more potential errors to be found. Anyways, cheers!

Chapter 9.5

"I see you have returned, again without pants." Morkar turned to face me.

"For some reason I got the feeling you wanted me here."

"What purpose would I have with a pitiful magician?"

I shrugged, "To offer some of your wisdom?"

"You want my wisdom? Don't play with the moon. I sense faint traces of its energy on you."

"The moon?"

"Yes the moon. The energy of the moon is an element. Often referred to as… never mind. Basically, do you want to release a nightmare on the world? No? Then don't play with moon magic!"

I raised a finger to ask what he meant, but he waved me off. He turned around and picked up a random book. Stars swirled around the cover in an ominous way.

"Don't you have a core to be finding or something?"

"Actually I was going to leave soon. I was just playing with water."

Morkar scratched his beard while reading. Without looking at me he said,

"Many make the mistake of assuming elemental magic is weak. While it is true that even a brute can master a few techniques, the ease of learning should not be taken as a weakness. In the hands of a clever mage, elemental magic can be very powerful. Remember that, it might help."

"Uh… right. Anyways just curious, is there anything I should be looking out for? Like I don't know, ancient demons protecting the core?"

Morkar shook his head, "Demons? Not that I'm aware of. Besides unless the core is very directly threatened, I doubt it will attempt to kill anything. It will try to distract you, and make you forget about it."

"Anything in particular?"

"Correct, it will try anything. And I do mean anything. Don't be surprised if gravity flips or something."

I was hoping that was a joke. Flipping gravity didn't sound like fun. Morkar threw something at me, and I caught it in my hand. It was a small diamond.

"Oh and take this. Just in case there really is ancient demons."

"Uh… what is it?"

"Magic in adrenaline form. One time use though, so choose wisely."

I pocketed the gem and tucked it away safely.

"Thanks I guess. I'll assume it'll come in handy."

Morkar lifted a finger and said, "One more thing. There is another magic around you, yet I cannot identify it. What is around your neck, and what did you do with that bracelet?"

I fingered the wooden necklace and said,

"The necklace is the bracelet, duh. And it's the thing that allowed me to cut through the universe."

Morkar bent down to look at it. Apparently wizards don't do personal space. His head bent down right next to mine.

"Most interesting. I would like to get a closer look at it if you don't mind. Take it into my study for further research."

"Actually, I would rather keep it right now. Seeing as I could die at any moment, and this is the only proven method of travel. Besides, it was a gift."

Morkar leaned back and said,

"Maybe when you return with the core then. You can stay safe in my tower and allow me to study this. I'm sure I can find something to give you in return."

"You'll teach me some things?"

"No."

"Magic artifact that will allow me to control gravity?"

"We shall see. Now leave me to my work."

I just gave him a wave and headed towards the stairs. Magicians, ponies, and the entire existence. I was probably biting off a bit more than I could chew. Maybe take some time off to learn some things. Before I could leave, Morkar said one more thing to me.

"Remember, power corrupts even the best of men if used unwisely. One wrong move, and you will be consumed."

It might have been more ominous if Morkar hadn't said it in such an offhand tone. I waved off his warning, I was a man of reasonable peace. I had no desire to rule over something. Do you know how much work it is to be in power? Those guys look old for a reason.

I walked back through the tunnel and towards the waterfall. The mage robes and book were still where I had left them. I kept thinking that they were going to vanish. Some pony would find them and take them or something.

Deciding that it was time, I donned the robes. and put the book in the folds. I took a deep breath and put my hands together. I threw my hands forward and up. The waterfall stopped and I grinned just a little bit.

There was something I had always wanted to do after watching TV as a kid. I took the opportunity then to do so.

"Frost fist!"

I clenched my hands and threw them in front of me, and towards the pool. The waterfall turned to ice, leaving a small gap for me to walk through. A thick ice bridge formed across the pool in the middle. My grin stretched into a full blown smile at my success. I always knew that shouting a move name made it more bad ass.

Cautiously, I walked across the ice bridge. I managed to not slip and fall thankfully. When I reached the other end, my smile faded. Freezing the water had been easy, but melting it would be something else. That would qualify more as fire magic, something I was wanting to stay away from. I decided to just let the bridge lie as is, and picked up the rest of my clothes.

At the moment, I really didn't know what to do. The sun was still high in the sky, and I had nothing else to do. Relaxation was the last thing on my mind, and I didn't want to go back to town. When I could come up with nothing else to do, I read through my book a bit more. Water had been fun, but I was ready for another element. Learning another one would be even easier now that I had one down.

Earth would be a fun element to control, but I wasn't great at being unbendable. Fire seemed a bit dangerous to be practicing in a forest, and I didn't really have the discipline to control it. Air seemed like a good start, and it wasn't deadly. Before starting, I munched on some of the grass stuff to calm my stomach.

After what seemed like hours of trying to do anything with the air, I had yet to even rustle up a small breeze. The book said air magic was all about being free. Not being held down at all. Believe me I tried a lot of things, even jumping around.

Eventually I just gave up on it, and walked back to town. I walked through the archway and stopped. I wasn't really sure what to do at the moment. After a bit of wandering I found myself walking into what seemed to be a pub. The sign hung from a rusted pole, marking the place as 'The Grey Mare".

I opened the door and took a look around. The counter in front of me had no chairs, and ponies stood around it. Actually there were no chairs in the entire place. All the tables were positioned so that the ponies could stand over them. Even the booths were like this.

When I walked in, a lot of ponies turned to stare at me, but conversations didn't cease. I spotted Caramel at the bar and walked over to him.

"Hey magic man."

"Magic man? I can't do magic."

I eyed him suspiciously when I finished speaking.

"I was talking about the robes."

Caramel turned away from me, and focused on his glass. From what I could see, the liquid was green and frothy. I pointed at it and said,

"What is that?"

Before Caramel could answer me, a voice behind the bar did.

"Sap Slop. Only 2 bits a pint, or you could order our cider specialty to wash away your troubles."

I looked up at the mare behind the pub. She was a musky yellow color with a grey mane. She didn't look too old, but she was definitely on the older side.

"Eeh not right now thanks. I was just dropping in for a second."

She huffed at me and walked away. She was probably muttering something about cheapskates, but I couldn't really bring myself to care.

"Don't mind Bale, she's just a grumpy mare all the time."

Caramel was chuckling just a little bit as he drank the rest of his liquid. He coughed a little bit when he put the glass down, but he was in no danger.

"So what have you been up to Caramel?"

"I could ask you the same thing. You haven't show up to work on the farm recently. You know that work is only seasonal. You're supposed to save for the winter."

"I think I'll manage."

He had a point though, winter is very cold. Would be a good idea to invest in learning some fire magic. Even novice fire mages know how to control their internal temperature. Experienced users could lower their temperature enough to make 'cold flames'. No idea what that really meant, but it sounded cool.

"If you say so. Anyways I've just been working on the farm and hanging with the guys."

"You spend an awful lot of time at the farm. You funding a secret mob organization or something?"

Caramel blushed a little when I mentioned the time he spent at the farm. I could probably logically deduce something from that, but I was too lazy.

"I just don't mind doing the work. I've got a nice boss."

A voice spoke from behind us saying, "I'm sure yer boss is real nice when the sun goes down too."

Caramel jumped in surprise, and I turned around to see Peg trotting up behind us. He joined us at the bar and flagged down the bar mare. He ordered three drinks and threw the bits on the table. I didn't even see where he pulled them from. The mare used magic to deliver 3 mugs of that green stuff to us.

"This round is on me boys."

The burly blue pony picked up the mug and began draining it of its contents. He drank the entire thing in one go and slammed the mug down on the table. I eyed mine warily, suspicious of the froth. Caramel grabbed his mug, but didn't take a drink. He was starting at the floor avoiding eye contact with anyone.

"Go on and drink up. Ya can trust me on this."

I steeled my gut and rose the mug to my lips. I took a swig of the liquid and let it linger in my mouth. After a few seconds I swallowed and said,

"Citrusy, not bad."

"So what brings ye to the pub Silver?"

I shrugged and said, "Nothing really. I just saw it and thought I would check it out."

"Ya should make a habit of it. Bale is the best bar mare in all of Equestria."

The mare in question just lightly slapped Peg's front hoof.

"I guess I'll have to see that for myself."

"Now what ya mean by that?"

"I'll be going on a trip soon enough I think. Can't just stay in this one town."

Peg nodded and said, "Adventurous youth. I'm fine staying here forever. I'll give ya some advice though, avoid Canterlot. That place gives me the creeps. All that magic flying around. Did I tell ya that my tea kettle spoke to me?"

"You may have mentioned that."

I answered him only half paying attention. His point about Canterlot gave me an idea. Both princesses who were both very magical lived there. Apparently there was so much magic there that inanimate objects began to speak. Or enough to mess with ponies heads.

"And I think I will check out Canterlot."

Peg huffed and said, "Suit yerself. How do ya plan on getting there?"

"Walking?"

"That's a two day trip, and that's just to the mountain. Climbing up to the city is not fun I'll tell you that right now."
Sounded like fun to me. Then again I'm the hiking kind of guy.

"Don't see a problem with that. It'll be good to get out in nature."

I drowned the rest of my drink, it almost tasted like sprite, but thicker, if that makes sense. Caramel slowly drank his, but wasn't really talking.

"Well if ye decide to go up there, would you mind doing me a favor? There's a lass who runs a tea shop in the big city. I want you to give her this."

Peg hoofed over an envelope that he seemingly pulled from nowhere. The name on it read Jasmine. Besides the name it was a regular vanilla envelope.

"No problem, consider it done."

I put the envelope into the folds of my robes. Even my other set of clothes were in the folds. Nothing had fallen out yet, and I was starting to think nothing ever would. I said goodbye to the two and left the pub. If I was taking a trip, I wanted to pack a few things. Like food that actually tasted good.

I stopped by the bank and picked up a bag of bits. I debated on searching for some sort of credit or something, but I was too lazy. I went to the market district to shop for some food. There was no central food store, just a bunch of stalls. Seeing as all they had was bread and various fruits and vegetables, I was having trouble, there wasn't even any eggs. I was starting to miss protein in meat form.

After I had shopped for food, I stopped inside the library. Twilight and Martin were both on the couch reading.

"Wow you two really know how to party."

They both looked up at me, huffed, and looked back down at their books. I put the food in the corner and said,

"This here is my stuff. Don't touch."

Twilight didn't look up from her book and said,

"This is my house you know."

"Technically this is the library which you live above. Does anyone actually come here to get books?"

"That's not the point. What do you have all that food for anyway?"

"Oh just taking a trip to Canterlot, nothing important."

A door from the side busted open and a voice sung out,

"Canterlot?!"

Rarity burst into the main room, sparkles flying from her mane and tail. She gave me a pair of puppy eyes and said,

"You would allow me to accompany you on this trip right dear?"

I shrugged and said, "If you want to go then fine. I'll be walking there though, and I'm not going to be staying in hotels."

Rarity huffed and said, "I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself. Besides if you let me go, I'll bring the tent."

"Alright I'm leaving tomorrow morning then."

Twilight put her book down and said, "This is very sudden"

I put my hands up and said, "What can I say, adventure calls."

She looked at Martin, and they both shrugged. I looked outside and saw the sun was making its descent. I waved goodbye to the group and left the library. Once I was outside, I headed towards the fountain. I sat on the edge and dipped my hands in the water. Only one place left to go, and I wasn't sure if it was a good idea or not. However, I had promised, and I do try to keep my word. All though, a better way to keep your word golden, is to never hand it out. Can't break a promise that was never made.

"Fancy seeing you around here."

I knew the voice, and I didn't have to turn around to know it was Roseluck. Seemed like the universe wanted us to meet up.

"Hey Rose."

She trotted up next to me, and her reflection stood next to mine.

"You don't seem too excited to see me."

I shrugged and said,

"And you aren't tackling me on sight."

Rose laughed and then said,

"I thought you might not appreciate getting soaked."

"Oh, that makes sense. I suppose I might have been just a little bit irritated."

Rose raised an eyebrow at me and said, "Maybe I'll have to test this theory."

I shrugged and Rose walked away from me. I stared at the water, almost mesmerized by it. I could've sworn my reflection winked at me. That's when I realized what she had said. I was just in time to turn around and say,

"No wai…"

Rose hug tackled me into the water. Water splashed above me and thoroughly soaked me. Rose picked herself up from me, and shook herself. Her mane stuck to her body and she giggled at me. I stood up, my robes a wet mess, and glared at her.

"I am now just a bit irritated at you."

She giggled even more and got out of the fountain. Luckily no one else was around to see that. I got out after her and felt though the folds. Everything inside was perfectly dry, that was incredibly handy.

"You asked for it."

"Indirectly I suppose, but now I need to dry these off."

Rose wiggled her eyebrows and said, "You could stop by my place. Plenty of room to dry things there."

I sighed, I should've seen that coming. I nodded and followed her to her house. She led me inside, and to a room I hadn't been in before. She pointed at a wire hanging across the room and said,

"Just hang your clothes there."

She left me alone thankfully and said,

"I'm going to dry off as well."

I heard her walk away, and up some stairs. I took off the robes, and threw on the monk clothes. I walked back into the main room and sat down on Rose's couch. I waited for some time, but she still didn't come down. Eventually I grew tired of waiting, and started looking around the house.

I walked into a bathroom, and nearly just walked right back out. Something caught my eye though. A small brown book was on the sink counter. I picked it up and opened to the first page. There was no title on the cover, but there was something on the inside. Drawings of flowers were all over the first page and Rose's name was beautifully written in the center. Before I could be tempted to find out more, I closed the book and set it back down.

I may have learned helpful things by reading it, but that would've been spoilers. Besides, it's very rude to look at people's secrets. I left and walked up the stairs. There was only one room on the top floor, and it looked to be decently sized. The entire place wasn't that big, but it was comfortable enough for one person.

I opened the door to a surprising sight. It was obviously the bedroom, marked by the large bed against the wall. A carpet with a sun insignia in the middle was spread out on the floor. There was a window facing out, but the curtains were closed shut. There were flowers everywhere too. The room smelled strongly, and I nearly had a sneezing fit. After taking all this in I focused on the bed.

"Hello Silver. Since you're going on a trip, I thought I would get you a send away present."

Rose's voice was a purr, and she gave me a very saucy look. She was laying down on her side on the bed. Her neck was upright and her head was turned around to look at me. Her tail was spread out on the bed as was her mane. The most surprising thing was that she was wearing socks. More like stockings really. They covered all of her legs, and were completely black. I wasn't about to point out that it didn't really fit her that well though. I then figured out why she was wearing them. Every time I looked at her, my eyes automatically followed the socks up. I was continuously focused on a certain body part.

Rose smiled at me and got off the bed. I was motionless as she trotted up to me. She seemed unconcerned that I had seemingly pulled another set of clothes out of nowhere. She didn't say anything, but instead grabbed the front of my shirt with her mouth. Part of me wanted to complain about the slobber on my shirt, but another part of me told that part it was stupid. Several things were going through my head at the moment.

First off was the very real situation that was happening at the moment. I was pretty sure I knew where this would lead if I didn't run interference. Then I was debating if I was okay with this or not. Then there were the several ways I could defuse the situation. Oddly the thought that was taking priority was thinking of what wouldn't melt or catch fire in contact with lava.

Rose pulled me onto the bed without much resistance. She laid on her side and just stared at me. I nervously smiled, not sure of what to do. When I made no motions, Rose rolled over me. I looked up at her still with a nervous smile. I looked around the room trying to calm my mind. I wasn't really looking for a way out, I was trying to decide if I wanted one. I was running out of time though.

She started kissing my neck and she worked her hooves underneath my shirt. Strangely, my mind wasn't being clouded by lust like people say happens. I just decided that they used that as an excuse. While I was stuck arguing with my mind, Rose had managed to open the shirt. I mentally cursed for not wearing a normal shirt. I finally moved to stop her wandering hooves and brought them back up. I just held her there while she gazed into my eyes.

I couldn't decide on what to do. All I knew was that I was being unfair to Rose. I was sending her all the right signals, while not knowing what I wanted. I was leading her on, and it might just end horribly. She yanked her hooves from my grasp and bent her head towards mine. I was getting mixed signals from my body again, which wasn't really helping my mind. When her back hooves started trying to move around as well, I decided that it was enough.

I stopped her head and sat up. Rose looked at me curiously, and I sighed. I put my shirt back on and stood up. I looked away from her and said,

"I'm sorry Rose, but I can't do this."

She sighed and said, "It's too weird for you isn't it? You must think I'm disgusting, being able to do this so easily."

I turned and looked at her,

"I don't think your disgusting."

Before I could keep talking she said,

"You have to understand though. I grew up in a place where relationships like this weren't uncommon. Ponies would often get with a different species, they didn't care. Here in Ponyville you don't see it, but it isn't looked down upon. With so many different intelligent species it was bound to happen."

I held up a hand and said, "Look Rose, I'm not disgusted by you. I'm just not sure if I can do this. I don't know if it's what I want."

She got off the bed and said, "I can slow down then. No more physical stuff."

I shook my head and said, "That's not the point Rose. I need to find out if I really want this, all of it. I'm really sorry about leading you on, but I need some time away."

Rose looked down at the ground and said, "So when you come back will you…"

"I don't know Rose. I need to think hard about this. I need to go…"

I left Rose alone in her room, and I closed the door behind me. I heard sobs from behind the door, but I couldn't cry myself. It still seemed kind of surreal to me. I grabbed the robes that were hung to dry and left the house. I got outside, and leaned against the house.

Most likely that wasn't the best way to handle things. I wasn't even sure if I had wanted to do that. A small part of me was laughing at the irony of it all. Back on Earth I was so sure of myself. I had everything under control, and even if I didn't, I didn't care. Life could throw anything it wanted at me, and I would just laugh in its face. I had so much to lose, but I didn't put value in what could be lost.

Now on a whole different planet where I have nothing to lose, I'm terrified that I will lose it. Each new decision brings a headache. I was starting to miss not caring about things. This was exactly why I avoided romance, it caused so much trouble.

I pushed myself off the building and walked away. I wasn't really going in any direction, and I wasn't paying attention. I was too wrapped up in my thoughts. My feet eventually carried me to Rarity's place. I knocked on the door, and Rarity opened the door.

"Oh hi Silver. I was just packing all my things for tomorrow."

I had forgotten to do that, looks like I would have to do it in the morning.

"I just finished talking to Rose."

Rarity gave me a look, and then motioned for me to come inside.

"How did that go?"

"Probably really badly. I may have just screwed that up royally."

"How do you feel?"

"I don't know. I should probably feel devastated or really bad, because that would be normal. Or if this was Earth I wouldn't even give it a second thought. I have no idea how I should feel. It's like I don't even know who I am anymore. If past me could see me now, he would laugh at me. I can't even decide if I like some stupid girl. It's like I'm a kid or something, this shouldn't be this hard."

"Love is confusing dear."

I just glared at Rarity when she said that. She continued,

"I still think some time away from it all will make answers appear. Now come, it's getting late. You can sleep on the couch."

She led me to a comfy looking couch, and I laid down on it. She left me alone and the lights went out. Darkness shrouded me, and I sighed. My thoughts continues to swirl in a maelstrom. Maybe I was just thinking about it too much. Maybe I had it all wrong. If I was anything like water, I would just go with the flow. Sleep was hard to come by, but eventually I drifted off.

Chapter 10

I woke up when the sun wasn't even up yet. The moonlight was fading from the windows, and the room I was in glistened. I struggled to get up, but ended up on the floor. The couch I had been sleeping on wasn't big enough, and my body was sore.

I stood up and stretched my arms. I groaned as my body woke up completely. Last night seemed forever ago, and the events seemed like a fading dream. I was able to remember that I needed to pack still. Which reminded me that I also needed a pack of some kind. I was doubting that I could find a backpack for myself.

After looking around the room I was able to find a light switch. Light flooded the room, and I blinked a few times. My eyes adjusted and I found the solution to one of my problems. A large sack, most likely meant to carry some sort of vegetable. I 'borrowed' some fabric from Rarity's work shop to make a strap. I slung the bag over my back and turned the lights off again.

I exited the building, which wasn't locked, and headed towards the library. I reached the door and tried the handle. I wasn't really surprised when the door opened with ease. I grabbed the food I had bought yesterday and chucked it all in the pack. I threw the extra set of monk robes, and the modern Earth clothes in as well. I left the mage robes behind as they were a bit heavy. The weather was very nice at the time. Out of the robes I pulled out the book and envelope. I stuck these in the sack as well. I debated on bringing any toiletries, but I decided that rotting teeth weren't really a big deal.

Satisfied with my packing, I left the library. I walked back to Rarity's house and stepped back in. I was surprised to see her waiting for me with saddlebags on her back.

"I heard you moving around downstairs. Are you ready?"

I looked around the room and said,

"What about Sweetie Bell?"

"How do you… oh right. Creepy knowledge thing. She's staying with our parents at the moment."

I shrugged and accepted this. I motioned for her to follow me, and we left the building. Rarity didn't even bother to lock up. I started walking in a direction, but Rarity stopped me.

"You do know Canterlot is in the other direction right?"

I stopped and turned around. I started to follow Rarity as she led me down the correct trail. The sun was just beginning to rise as we started our journey. I tried keeping a conversation going as we walked.

"I won't lie Rarity, I'm surprised you are coming with me. Getting up at the crack of dawn, camping out in the wild, and dragging your stuff with you on a journey."

Rarity huffed at me and said, "Just because I look delicate, doesn't mean I am."

"Well from what I've seen, you would prefer more posh accommodations. Maybe a nice taxi ride to a five star hotel."

"Well like you said, your knowledge of us isn't complete. I might be partial to the nicer things in life, but I can appreciate a good hike. And this might even be fun!"

"Wait, is this the first time you're doing this?"

"Well not the first time. I've done day hikes before. This can't be too bad."

"Crap."

Rarity kicked me with her front hoof and said,

"What? Don't think I can handle it?"

"Nope."

"Now Silver dear is that really fair?"

"Yep."

Rarity huffed at me and bent her head down. The trail was windy, and quite bland. There wasn't a lot of trees in sight. The land was mostly just grasslands through hills. A nice hike, if it didn’t go on for miles. We hadn't gone too far when Rarity stopped me.

"We should take a quick rest."

"We've only gone a few miles."

"Please?"

She gave me her pony eyes and I just shrugged. I set the pack down on the grass and sat down. I wasn't tired at all, but I was willing to sit down. Rarity began digging through her saddlebags and pulled out a piece of fruit.

"You're already hungry? Makes me wonder how you keep that shape."

Rarity just glared at me and took a bite of the apple. We had gone just a few steps off the trail, just in case someone decided to run down it. While Rarity stuffed her face, I laid down on the grass. I closed my eyes and listened to Rarity chew.

"You could've just eaten some grass couldn't you have?"

"I could have, but this tastes so good."

"Again my statement about your shape stands."

I was hit with an apple core and I chuckled. I picked myself up off the ground and looked around. I could see for quite a distance, even the town was in sight. I stood back up and threw the pack on. Rarity got up as well and said,

"Just a few more minutes."

"If we keep taking stops like this, then it'll be a three day trip, not two."

"Would that be such a bad thing?"

"For me? No. However, I think soon you will think so."

"So rude. Can't you have faith in me?"

"I could, but I don't."

Rarity huffed at me, but she magicked her saddlebags back on. They seemed like they could hardly carry anything, but she had spent some time looking through them. We continued on our trek for a little bit. We walked talking about nothing in particular. Rarity was just telling me about dresses she had designed for famous ponies. I was listening, but not paying attention. I would nod and offer my opinion when asked. It was actually kind of interesting if I'm honest. Rarity knew her work, and she described it in vivid detail.

"And then Fancy Pants told me he wanted me to design his tux for the gala! Of course I accepted, and started on several designs right away."

"Anything promising?"

"I've been debating between two designs, but I'm not sure which one to go with."

"May I advise going with the good looking one?"

Rarity huffed at me. She had been doing that a lot since we started walking. On the first day of travel, nothing interesting really happened. We just swapped pointless stories as we traveled. Rarity made us stop at least once every hour. By the third stop, I knew something was up with the bags.

"You did bring a tent right?"

"Of course I did dear."

"Then where is it? It doesn't look like those saddlebags could carry one."

"Looks can be deceiving Silver. You should know that."

"I need a reminder every once in a while."

In text, travel would seem very boring. I can't describe every single detail, and even if I could it would be a lot about grass. Me and Rarity did talk for most of the trip, but not a lot of it was important. However, going through it myself was fun. Just talking to Rarity as we walked down the trail was a simple enjoyment.

The sun was low in the sky and Rarity was incessantly nagging. I decided that stopping for the day would be prudent. We managed to find a nice little water pool to stop by. I told Rarity if she would set up the tent, I would attempt to make something delicious. I gathered some water in a bowl Rarity provided for me. Then I realized I had no way to start a fire. Cold soup didn't really sound that good. Then again I wasn't sure if fruit would make a good soup. Never know unless you try right?

While Rarity was distracted, I took a look into my magic book. I was only going to try to get a small flame going, what could go wrong? As I said before, fire magic was commonly rooted from breath. I took a few deep breaths and narrowed my eyes. I put my hands together in a cup, and concentrated. My hands began to heat up, and to my satisfaction a small flame appeared in my hands.

"YES!"

Rarity poked her head out and said, "What is it darling?"

I dropped the flame in surprise and watched it fall. It was heading for the grass and would probably cause a ridiculous fire. The fire spurted in mid air and an intense heat filled the air. The little ball of fire hit my pants, but instead of catching fire, a hole appeared in them. I was pretty sure I knew what was going to happen, but it still hurt. The fire wrapped around my leg and seared the shit out of it. I cried out in pain, not even able to formulate words. I dropped to the ground, my nerves in too much pain for me to move at all. Strangely enough, it felt like my stomach was on fire as well. Almost as if every time I was in pain, my body took more internal damage.

Rarity of course cam running, but there wasn't much to be done. I eventually managed to rip the pant leg off to avoid the contact with the leg. I did that weird thing were you put your hands around the wound, but you don't touch it. Eventually the pain subsided enough for me to concentrate again.

The first words out of my mouth were, "I should've seen that coming SO hard."

Rarity looked at me confused at first and then said,

"How did this happen?"

"I tried playing with fire, and I got burned."

"How did you start a fire?"

"Magic."

"You can do magic? I thought humans couldn't do magic."

"Not without a medium. I just so happen to have one. This necklace right here."

Rarity huffed at me and said, "You can tell me all about it while I sort you out. I'm not very good with healing spells, but I might be able to do something."

I tried to stand up, but my leg wasn't really up to supporting me that well. I was about to ask Rarity with a hoof, when the necklace glowed. It fell off my neck and onto the ground. It was now back in its large wooden staff form. I picked it up and glared at it.

"I bet you think this is hilarious."

The staff grew warm in my hands. I just glared at it some more.

"Ahem."

Rarity was staring at me curiously. I shrugged and limped after her. She led me back to the tent, which wasn't very impressive. It was basically a square blue tarp. There was a flap in front for an entrance. There weren't even windows on the thing. It was tiny too, probably wouldn't even be able to fit me. Rarity walked inside and I limped after her. My jaw dropped when I got inside.

I had just walked into a freaking mansion. A large hall with two sets of stairs going up greeted me. There was a door in between them, and several lined the room. The place was beautifully furnished, with oak and maple wood being the biggest contributors. Rarity had to grab me and pull me towards where ever we were going.

"But… what?"

Rarity smiled at me and said, "Magic."

"This isn't camping, and hiking. This is living large on the go, if that's even possible."

"This is perfectly acceptable camping. You thought I wasn't going to bathe for a few days?"

I would've argued some more if my leg wasn't still in pain. I was led to the living room kind of deal with a large fireplace. I laid down on one of the couches, and propped my leg up with a stool. Rarity walked away, and then returned with a bowl of water and a rag. She soaked the rag and said,

"This might sting a bit."

It stung a bit. She wrapped the towel around my leg and I hissed. When I was as comfortable as I could be Rarity suggested some dinner.

"Why didn't you tell me you had this mansion in a tent. And why don't you live in this thing instead of the boutique?"

Rarity handed me a salad bowl which I looked down at with distain. It was better than hot food though.

"I wanted to see what you would come up with. I didn't know you would hurt yourself. And while this tent is very pleasing on the inside, it is a horrible drab on the outside."

"So you don't live in an awesome house, because it looks bad on the outside?"

Rarity just pushed the bowl towards my face, "I don't really want a big house."

I tried to say something else, but Rarity stuffed my face with salad. She laughed at my disapproving glare. I chewed on the food slowly and swallowed loudly. Rarity patted me on the head and ate some herself.

A little later she asked, "So how can you do magic?"

I pointed at the staff and said,

"That nice artifact happens to be a medium that can interact with the energies of the world."

I decided not to explain the entire wizard tower thing just yet. I'd rather do it once, and only once. I didn't understand it completely myself. When she asked about the book I just said I got it from Twilight. A cover story wasn't that har to come up with. We finished eating and Rarity got off the couch.

"I'm going to take a dip in the pool."

I spat out the food in my mouth.

"This thing has a pool!?"

"And you're not going in it. Not with that leg. I wish I could do more darling, but I'm no Twilight."

I crossed my arms and stuck my tongue out at her. She laughed at me as she walked away. I finished the salad off and laid my head back. It was boring just sitting there in front of an empty fire place. When Rarity still hadn't come back from her dip after half an hour, I got up to wander. I limped around the mansion, getting lost on my way. I walked through a conservatory, which honestly scared the crap out of me. I wandered into a room that had a pool table set up in the middle.

"How do ponies even play pool?"

It was kind of a mini adventure exploring the mansion. Room after room of random stuff. Lots of bedrooms, a very fancy kitchen, and a dining room. I hadn't even been upstairs yet. I made it to the back of the mansion and was faced with two doors. I took the one on the left first and walked into a room with a hot tub in the center.

Rarity was in the tub with a towel wrapped around her waist and around her head. I instinctively covered my eyes and said,

"Sorry!"

Rarity laughed at me and then said,

"What are you doing up?

I smacked myself on the head thinking 'Oh right ponies' and hobbled up to the tub.

"I got bored of waiting for you, and I see you've been spending your time wisely."

Rarity sighed and lifted herself out of the tub.

"Fine I'm done now. I'll join you back in the living room in a few."

I shrugged,

"You didn't have to get out. I was just wondering what happened to you."

I left her to dry off and found my way back to the living room. I balanced my leg on the stool again and took a look at it. It wasn't a very bad burn, but it still stung a little. When it had burned me the first time it had hurt like anything, but I guess magic fire doesn't leave bad burns.

Rarity came back into the room a bit later, looking the same as always. If I was in a philosophical mood, I would contemplate how that represented how the world itself never actually changes. I was in more of a popcorn mood though. I didn't see that happening anytime soon though.

She laid down on the couch next to me. Neither of us said anything for a little bit. We just laid there, staring at the empty fireplace. I wasn't about to try and light the fire though. I was drifting off when Rarity said,

"How is your leg?"

"Better."

"Does it hurt?"

"Never seen a burn before?"

"Actually no."

"Really? Guess everypony is just really careful around fire. That's good, keep it up."

"I'll try."

"You can leave whenever, I'm ready to drop off."

She huffed at me and got off the couch. Her tail brushed against my burned leg and I hissed at her. She muttered an apology and walked out of the room. She was probably going to a master bedroom or something, with a big fluffy bed. Which sounded tempting, but not worth the travel. Rarity's hoofsteps disappeared and I began to fall asleep.

I woke up the next morning to a warm weight on my chest. For one second I thought Rose had followed me all the way out here. I looked down, and saw that a bundle of blankets were on my chest, and a plate of hot mash. I was never really sure what hot mash was, but I assumed it was potato based. Either that, or this wasn't mash.

There were no windows in the mansion, which was the only thing it was really lacking. Then again, years of living in a basement had gotten me used to having no windows. People used to say that I lived in a prison, and I would tell them the sky is just another set of bars. It sounded smart anyways, and that's the most important thing.

Rarity walked into the room with her usual entrance sing-song voice.

"Good morning! I made us some breakfast. Do you like it?"

I looked at the mash, which was lacking a utensil and said,

"If I could eat it, I would let you know. I'm not just going to dip my face in."

Spoons levitated in after Rarity and she raised an eyebrow at me.

"I wasn't expecting you to."

I grabbed the spoon out of midair and dipped it into the food. I stuck some of the gruel in my mouth, and wasn't impressed. It didn't taste like nothing, but it was quite bland. I reluctantly ate the entire thing without complaining. Rarity was eating hers with great care. I swear she was getting an equal amount in every spoon full.

I finished the meal and put the bowl down. I threw the blankets on the floor and took a look at my leg. It wasn't as red as was it yesterday, but there was an interesting scar. It looked just like a flame, half ball with wavy spiky lines above. The area around the scar was pulsating a light red.

"Another day and it'll only be a faint scar."

Rarity got another wet rag and applied it to my leg. I hissed just as the towel did. Steam rose up from the towel and I stared at in surprise.

Rarity just kept applying pressure and said,

"Just a side effect. The energy around you is remembering the magic that touched you."

I just nodded slowly, "Uh… huh. So what time is it?"

"Around noon I think."

I stood up and said, "Noon? Why we've wasted half the day away. We need to double time it if we want to make it to the mountain."

Rarity just ignored me and didn't move.

"You're not going anywhere on that leg. We can camp out another day here."

"One this isn't camping. Two my leg barely even hurts."

"We should wait until it's all better don't you think? Can't be too careful you know. Besides we aren't in a hurry to get there are we?"

"I suppose not."

More like I hope not. I wasn't feeling like I was in immediate danger. I hadn't been told a certain time restraint anyways.

"So what am I supposed to do for an entire day?"

"Do you know what rest is dear? Just relax and let Rarity take care of you."

I sighed and sat back down. I crossed my arms over my chest and huffed. Couldn't even just watch TV while I waited. Rarity got off the couch and walked away from me.

"Where you going?"

"To freshen up."

"But you already look like you usually do."

She didn't respond and she disappeared from view. I sat back for a few minutes, but she didn't return. I got up and left the mansion tent. The sun blinded me as I stepped outside. I raised a hand to cover my eyes, and stared at the pool. I sat down in front of the water and for a while and just observed. Eventually, almost without thinking, I made a ball of water float around me. It was entertaining to watch, and it felt good to swirl it around. I was starting to get dizzy after it went around so many times. I pulled out my book and started to read some more.

It was hard to keep the water moving while reading, and I dropped it several times. I was testing my concentration while focusing on other things. I had dropped the fire because Rarity had distracted me. Not saying it's her fault of course, but it was something I wanted to avoid in the future.

I was trying to figure out why the air wouldn't work with me. The book wasn't very helpful though. Just more crap about being above and free. I had half a mind to free the ink from its parchment. Fire had seemed to work, even if I did burn myself. Hadn't really tried throwing rocks around though. Maybe I was trying it wrong. Water was something I could see while controlling it, and doing movements I could see seemed to work.

I let the water splash on the ground and put my hands together. If I couldn't see the air moving around, then maybe physical motions were pointless. I called my mind and concentrated on making a breeze. By that, I mean I thought about literally just pushing the air against me. I felt a small tingle, but not the breeze I had been hoping for. Excited by even this small amount of success, I kept trying this method. The more I pushed, the less successful I seemed to be. I tried being nice and asking the air to make a breeze, but that got even less of a response. If I was crazy I would say the air laughed at me.

I tried pushing less, and that's when I got some better results. It seemed the more lazily I went about doing something, the more effective it was. It's hard to explain, but I'll try. It didn't actually take physical movement, so I was free to move around as much as I wanted without affecting the magic. It barely took concentration either, unlike controlling water. It was weird doing it, and honestly I much preferred water.

At the moment I couldn't really try out much with it, as I had already injured my leg once. Imagine flying up in the air, and then not having a way to stop the fall. Right now, playing it safe was the better idea. Maybe when there was someone who could catch me I would experiment more. All I really managed to do was blow wind around. After only a bit of playing around, Rarity came out to join me.

"What are you doing out here? I looked everywhere in there for you."

"I'm sitting by my element so to speak."

"Your element…?"

"Like yours is generosity, mine is apparently water."

"That doesn't really make sense."

"A demonstration then?"

Rarity nodded at me and sat down on the ground with her front hooves in front of her. I got up off the ground, and looked at the staff.

"Well you're going to get in the way."

The staff slipped out of my grip and knocked me on the head. As long as I was touching the medium the magic seemed to work. However, if I wanted to do anything advanced, I would need both hands free. The staff glowed and shrunk back into bracelet form. I felt kind of silly when it slinked around me, heading back to my arm. I was wearing pants that had half of one pant leg ripped off. My scar from the burn was quite visible, and I wasn't sure if I wanted to cover it just yet. It looked pretty cool, but its location was a bit awkward.

I took off the loose shirt, one because it was getting hot, two because I thought it might get in the way. The bracelet reached its destination and stopped glowing. I moved my arm around a little bit to make sure it wasn't going to fall off.

"Anytime darling."

I turned and glared at Rarity, after doing so I positioned myself in front of the pool. It was about 5 feet wide, and probably 3 feet deep. I hadn't really done much in the idea of artsy magic, but might as well try. I began drawing a thick stream from the pool and kept it going up. When the pool was emptied I brought the stream back down and formed a loop. Rarity was slow clapping for me, as if she wasn't impressed.

I flipped the loop so it was horizontal, and began expanding it vertically. It formed a large tube that was very thin. I began taking a thin tread from the top until I had a very long string of water. Using this sting I formed a ball of water that wasn't completely solid. I compacted the ball and the clenched my fists. The ball froze into ice and Rarity began clapping seriously.

I looked at her while holding my hands out if I was holding the ball of ice.

"I'm not finished yet."

She stopped clapping (clopping?) and put her hooves down on the ground in front of her again.

I looked back at the ball and concentrated. I flung my hands behind me and the ball shattered. Bunches of small icicles flew out, but I stopped them after a short distance. I let the ice glitter in the sun for a few seconds. Then I took a deep breath and concentrated on the heat that was exhaled from my breath. The ice melted to my satisfaction, and I made the water rain back into the pool. I put my hands down, turned to Rarity, and bowed.

She clopped her hooves together quickly saying,

"Bravo! Bravo!"

I sat back down and the bracelet fell to the ground, reverting back to staff form. I gave Rarity a smug look and said,

"I know, I'm good."

Rarity hit me with a hoof, "You're quite the rain dancer."

I gave her an annoyed look, and splashed her with some water. Her mane flopped to her face and she huffed at me. She just glared at me for a few seconds until I said,

"I prefer the term mage, and you're quite the wet pony."

Rarity tackled me and her wet hair soaked me. I held her away from me as she said,

"I'll make you pay for that."

I pushed her off of me and got up again. I limped back into the tent shouting behind me,

"Crazy ponies are on the loose! Run for your lives!"

I made it back to the couch and fell onto it. Rarity came in after me and jumped on top of me. We were both laughing hard as she tried to get at me. My arms were just a bit too large for her though. I let her fall on top of me, and I let out a breath of air when she made contact. She pulled herself off of me and looked down at me. I looked back up at her for a moment and then said,

"This could be awkward."

"It could be."

She continued to look down at me, but eventually her face broke out in a smile. She laughed and I pushed her to the ground.

"Geroff me woman."

She huffed as she picked herself up from the ground.

"I didn't know you were so rough. I thought you were a gentleman."

"Only in the presence of a lady."

She huffed again and I laughed at her as she went to fix her hair. I was silenced by a couch pillow magically thrown at my face. I peeled it off and chuckled as I put it behind my head. My best guess put the time at 4 or 5. I had spent quite some time outside. I reached for my pack and pulled out a piece of bread. I peeled it apart and looked through the rest of my food. There wasn't really anything to make a suitable sandwich. I threw it all back into the pack in disappointment.

I took out the modern clothes and went back outside. A quick soak in the water and a bit of soap, thanks to Rarity, and I hung them up to dry. I was going to wear those the next day during travel. Might not be my style, but it wouldn't touch the burn.

I went back inside and heard Rarity singing. She wasn't really singing a song, more of a tune. I wandered around and into the kitchen. She was standing in front of a bowl and was swirling a spoon. She brought it up to her mouth and tasted whatever was inside. She licked her lips and put the spoon back in.

"That's bad hygiene that is."

She gave me a sour look and said,

"You don't have to eat any."

"Oh you were cooking for me?"

"Well I was going to eat as well."

"Nonsense, ponies don't eat."

"I'm sorry?"

"I don't know. So what's for grub?"

Grub was some sort of flower based paste that was spread on bread. Not really sure what it was, but it was spicy. I drank quite a bit of water while eating. I was never really one for spicy foods, but this tasted fine. Rarity apparently had taste buds of steel or something. She didn't take a drink once, or even flinch.

We finished eating and cleaned up the dishes. After doing so, I returned back to the living room. My leg seemed to have given up on holding me. I was having to lean on my staff a lot more, and I was feeling tired. I sat down on the couch and put my leg up on the stool. Rarity came in shortly after and joined me on the couch. I stared at the empty fire place and said,

"Want to light a fire?"

"Not the best idea with that burn. Not for another day at least. It might react to the fire."

I sighed and laid back into the couch. I closed my eyes and put my hand on Rarity's head.

"Just to be clear, we're just friends."

I heard Rarity huff and say, "As if I would be interested in you that way."

"Well you did say you went the other way…"

"I was joking…"

"Oh you don't joke about things like that. Maybe you me and Rose could…"

"Oh shut it you pig."

She knew I was joking, but she made her voice all serious and lightly smacked me with a hoof. I laughed, but it was faint. I was starting to fade away into the night. I felt the couch move and heard Rarity walk away.

What felt like only hours later I heard Rarity moving around again. She called out to me and said,

"If you would like to get to the mountain by tonight, then I suggest you get up dear."

I picked myself up and took a look at my leg. The mark had faded away, but was still slightly visible. I got up, grabbed my pack, and left the tent. I picked up my clothes from the line and changed. There was a slight breeze which felt amazing. I threw my ripped pants and shirt into the pack with the rest of the stuff. I turned around to see Rarity taking down the tent with magic, her saddlebags full of whatever else she had brought.

"How does the mansion stay intact when you take it down?"

Rarity didn't even bother looking at me as the tent filled the bag it had come in.

"Magic."

"Fair 'nuff."

We walked back to the trail together and continued our journey. She talked about more of her radical designs as we traveled. When she asked about my life, I told her anything that would come to mind. The jobs I had weren't interesting like hers, but my school years were much better. We walked for a long time, but Rarity still had us stopping every hour at least once. She told me about how she had come to live in Ponyville and become friends with everypony.

Like I said, travel in text is rather boring. So I'll just skip to the end shall I? The sun was still in the sky, and my guess was 5 p.m. for the time. Canterlot had always been in view, but only the castle. The rest of the city was in or on the cliff out of sight. Maybe a valley in the cliffs that was hidden from view. The path to the city winded up the cliff and away from the castle. Eventually the path disappeared behind the cliffs.

The castle itself was almost directly above us, but still high up. Where the path to the cliff started was amazing, Equestria seemed to have so many beautiful natural sights. The castle was above a lake that expanded outwards and ended at a sandy beach in front of us. Sadly there wasn't a waterfall to finish it off.

Rarity set up the tent on the grass next to the lake. I almost wanted to stay an extra day just to enjoy it fully. I still had a few hours of sun left though. I took a deep breath, enjoying the freshness of the air. The lake seemed to be calling out to me, not in a magical way though, just in a 'come enjoy me way'.

I threw my pack on the ground and walked out to the water. I dipped my feet in which by now had built up calluses everywhere. It felt good to relax them. I was lucky though, the trail had been very soft. Not rough gravel, but oddly squishy dirt. I didn't sink in, but it felt good. Deciding that it was a good as time as any to get wet, I stripped myself of shirt and pants. Clad only in boxers, I wadded out in the water.

Rarity came out and saw me splashing around.

"Rarity, you should join me. The water feels… well I'd say amazing, but it's very cold."

"I'd really rather not dear."

"Suit yourself."

My staff had once again become a bracelet, and I was hoping I wouldn't need it anytime soon. I rather like not having to lean on something. While I was swimming I got a great idea. This water was very deep, the deepest I had been in yet. It was time to try more advanced magic. The first would be something very fun. I lifted my hands up, and water started to rise. It rose around me in a circle, and below me it started to solidify. I was lifted out of the water on a small pillar of ice. I didn't think I would be able to rise up to the castle, and even if I did, the ice might collapse.

I made a small diving board out of ice towards the middle of the lake. I was only about 4 feet above the water. I took a breath and then jumped off. A running start would have been difficult to manage, with ice and all. I landed in the water and it splashed above, the ice pillar splashed down as well. I looked back at the beach to see Rarity in a chair with sunglasses on.

"What are you doing?"

She picked her head up and looked at me.

"What does it look like?"

"Well I'd say tanning, but that doesn't work… does it?"

She lowered her sunglasses to get a better look at me.

"I'm enjoying the sun, you wouldn't understand the complexity of what the sun does for my complexion."

She laid her head back down, ending the discussion.

"I'm sure I wouldn't." I muttered.

I continued swimming around for awhile, but I was starting to get bored. Seeing that Rarity was either asleep, or secretly a statue, I got an idea. I began waving my arms in a circle, and the water behind me began building up. I was trying to do it quietly, but that was difficult. Eventually I had a large wave built up behind me, and I threw my hands forward. The wave carried me to the shore, and right before we hit Rarity looked up. Her sunglasses fell off, and her mouth dropped open. She let out a short scream, and then the water hit.

I hit the ground with a thump, and got a mouthful of sand. I was coughing and laughing as the water receded back into the lake. I was on my hands and knees, laughing and wiping away the sand from my face. I heard several small thumps and I looked to my side. Rarity was trotting towards me, anger written all over her face. I was always a man of logic, and I was able to deduce that running would be a good option.

I picked myself up, and took off. Rarity began galloping after me, screaming her head off.

"Of all the most foul things to do… I'll make you pay!"

I could hardly breath, and the want to laugh wasn't helping. My body was aching, and I couldn't keep going. I fell to the ground and rolled myself over. I was breathing hard, and laughing between breaths. When Rarity got to me I said,

"Don't… worry… I hear… sand is good… for complexion."

I couldn't even finish a sentence I was laughing so hard. Rarity looked down at me with pure malice. She levitated some sand in the air and grinned at me.

I held my hands up and said,

"Now now, no need to get violent. I'm sure we can solve this with some tea."

She ignored my words, and sand covered me completely. Only my head and feet weren't covered. I tried to move, but the sand kept me down. Rarity walked around me saying,

"Well dear, it seems you're at my mercy."

Without my arms, I couldn't move water, and I doubted a small breeze would help out.

"I could do whatever I wanted."

"Correction, you can do whatever you want with my head and feet. In order to get at the rest of me, you would have to move some sand. That would remove some of the weight, meaning I might be able to get up."

She gave me a huff and sat down on my chest.

"You just don't want me to have any fun."

"If you want to have fun, we could find you a nice mare in Canterlot."

She threw some sand at my face, which thankfully missed. Rarity was really a surprise I must admit. Before now, I would never have expected her to be so… wild. It made me think, maybe the show really wasn't that knowledgeable. This Rarity wasn't really the Rarity from the show, she was different. I might as well throw my opinions about everyone out the window. They were formed with incomplete knowledge, and that wouldn't do me any good. I wasn't in the show, I was in a world that just looked like it. The ponies here who weren't in the show, were just as real as the normal person.

Rarity poked me and said,

"I said, are you hungry?"

My stomach responded for me, and Rarity laughed a little. She got up and walked towards the tent.

"A little help?"

She turned to look at me and said,

"Maybe when I'm done with dinner."

However, she magicked enough sand off of me for me to get up. I had sand in places I really didn't want sand in. I picked up my clothes from the grass and went inside the tent. Rarity was once again singing in the kitchen, and I asked for directions to the bathroom. She pointed me in the right direction, and I took a long cleansing shower.

I joined her for food, feeling much better. The swim had been fun, but it had taken up the rest of the sunlight. Not like it really mattered though, the mansion inside had no windows. I ate some sort of soup, which reminds me, fruit does make a pretty good soup. When we had finished, we went our separate ways. Instead of sleeping on the couch this time, I wandered into one of the many bedrooms, and fell onto a bed. It wasn't quite big enough to fit me, but if I scrunched it worked well enough. I fell asleep in that awkward position, and the night passed quickly.

I woke up without interference the next morning. I got out of bed and wandered back to the living room. I debated on throwing on the extra set of monk robes, but I wanted to keep the shorts on, the burn might still have been a bit sensitive. I grabbed the pack and threw it over my shoulder, just as Rarity came down. She had her saddlebags ready, and she was all ready as well.

"Oh good, you're up. Ready as well. I'm surprised."

Rarity just gave me her trademark huff, and walked outside the tent. I followed her out and she took the tent down with magic.

"No breakfast today?"

Rarity shook her head. I reached into my pack and pulled out some bread, and began munching as we headed for the beginning of the mountain trail. The trail itself claimed to only be 2 miles, but a lot of the trail was going up. Going up isn't a lot of fun, gravity is using your pack against you. That doesn't mean going down is any better though, gravity is trying to make you fall using your pack. Basically the best trail, is a flat one.

Rarity was making us take a lot more stops on the trail, but I wasn't too worried. We would probably arrive in the city in the afternoon at this pace. I also made us take several stops on the way up, but not to rest. We would reach a point where you could see far out, and I would soak it all in. Like making a mental map in my head, for future use.

We had just started again from one of our rests, when we ran into some ponies going down. There was two of them, one was a black earth pony wearing a turban, and the other was a grey pegasus wearing a turban. They were quite a bit up the road and I said,

"I didn't realize ponies wore turbans."

Rarity said, "We usually don't, at least not fashionably. Only ponies from the far west wear them for some reason."

I scratched my chin, which interestingly enough, no hair had grown since it had been cut. Didn't look like I was going to get an awesome beard again. We continued walking, but when we got close the two ponies stood in front of us.

I waved at them and said, "'Lo there travelers. Mind if we get by, we're in a bit of a hurry."

The two ponies didn't move, but the earth pony said,

"Interesting creature aren't ya? No matter, just hand over your packs, and nothing bad happens."

Getting robbed again? I guess my luck had just gone sour. I looked at the bracelet on my arm, willing it to turn into a weapon, or at least a staff. The pegasus spread his wing, and something at the tips glinted in the sun. Lightweight knives at the tip of each feather, effective, but must have made flying a bit difficult.

This was different from the kids who wanted the apples. They had been grinning and laughing at each other. They had been eager, marking them as novices. These two weren't smiling, and were deadly serious. The pegasus didn't move his wings at all, he didn't play with his weapon. It made me assume he was rather skilled with his unique knife set. The earth pony just stood in front of me, not even in a stance. I could tell he was ready to take me down if necessary.

I wasn't about to give up my stuff though, and I doubted Rarity wanted to lose hers. I stood slightly in front of her and steadied myself. Those knives were starting to look really sharp though, then Rarity walked out from behind me, and past the two. They didn't even try and stop her, they just kept looking ahead. They weren't frozen, I could see them breathing. Rarity motioned for me to follow her, and I cautiously did. The two ignored me as well, and I slinked past them. When I was past them the earth pony suddenly said,

"Their running, after them!"

The two took off down the trail, leaving us alone. They disappeared around the corner and I turned to look at Rarity. She was smiling smugly and I said,

"What just happened?"

She continued to walk up the trail,

"Just a bit of illusion magic. I'm quite gifted in the art. You might say it's my element."

I looked back, and then ran to catch up with her.

"So what exactly did you do?"

"I just made them think we were standing there, and then ran away. They ignored the real us, because they were to focused on what they thought was us."

I smacked her on the back and said, "Nice moves. The battle not fought is the greatest victory, mind over matter, and all that other stuff. You've surprised me once again."

She glared at me when I smacked her.

"And hopefully I'll keep doing it. I've told you already that I'm not delicate."

"But I enjoy pretending that you are."

"Well just remember that I don't need protecting."

"No one really needs protecting. It's just that others want to protect you, for whatever reason. Now that's enough arguing I think."

She said nothing, and we walked in silence the rest of the way. We rounded one last corner, and we had arrived. Great gold gates in the middle of a white wall spanned the hole in the cliff wall. I was right, the city itself was on a plateau in the middle of the circular cliff wall. Odd that the castle was outside of such natural protections. I couldn't see beyond the gates, even though they were open. No guards were around the walls either. I guess not having war for awhile makes them feel safe. We walked through the gates and into the city.

Canterlot was a very big city. Large buildings everywhere, most made of stone. Market stalls also lined the streets that went through the city. They sold all kinds of trinkets, probably for tourists. Ponies were walking around everywhere, but I didn't see any guards.

The city was separated from the castle by a bridge, and a large hole in the cliff. The castle was standing on its own separate cliff that was barely attached to the rest. The bridge was definitely more for design than any actual function. Pearly white with a gold railing. The castle itself was very large. The main part was large enough, but several large towers were connected to it as well.

While I was doing some sightseeing, I lost Rarity. I wasn't too worried though, I would find her again. I was examining the stalls when a voice called out from behind me.

"You there, human!"

I turned around to see a pair of Royal guards advancing on me.

"Don't move, you're coming to the castle with us."

I won't lie, I've been in trouble before. I took one look at the guards, whose faces were all serious business, and then I ran in the other direction.

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Chapter 11

When I started running, the guards gave chase. Both of them were pegasi, but they hadn't taken flight. I ran through the streets, shoving ponies and stalls out of my way, and into the guards' way. Ponies cried out in surprise when I pushed past them and some in anger when I knocked them down. I ran into a side street, and blundered right into a dead end. Two buildings came together in a corner, and there was no wall to climb over.

I examined my surroundings quickly, and took everything in. The walls of the buildings that came together were both stone and weathered, and there was several windows on upper floors. The way back would soon be sealed off, and going that way wasn't advisable in any way. The guards came around the corner, and one pointed at me.

I looked back at the building one last time, and took a deep breath. I jumped up to one building, and grabbed at the wall. My hands managed to grab holes in the weathered stone wall, and my feet did as well. Without even thinking, I kept scaling the wall. I've never done anything like that before, but that wasn't going to stop me from trying. My advice if you want to try it at home, do not hesitate. Don't even think about it, because a moment pause could ruin it all.

I reached the window of a building, and jumped through it. I wanted to take a moment to just realize what I did. I wasn't going to get that moment as the guards how now taken flight. I ran through the room I was in, a nice kitchen, and flung open a door. I ended up in a hallway, and ran down it. I passed a door with a stair sign on it, and ducked inside. I heard voices from below, and went up. Always a bad decision, but like I said, I wasn't thinking. I raced up the stairs, and the voices followed me. I reached the last floor and flung open another door.

I was on the roof of the building, trapped. Once again I took a moment to take everything in, and then acted. I ran to the edge of the roof just as the door burst open again. Without looking back, I flung myself off the roof. I landed on a windowsill, and rolled into the room. I ran through this apartment, and out into the hallway. This time I ran down the stairs instead of up. I ran out the front door, and ended up back where I had started. I ran out into the street, but more guards were waiting for me.

Once again I surprised myself with my own agility. I clambered up one of the market stalls, and onto the roof of a smaller building. From this roof I jumped to another, and down to a side street. I ran down this street, but my stomach was getting to me. It flared in pain, and I wanted to stop. I had an idea though, one crazy enough to get me out of this.

I was chased across rooftops and down streets by royal guards. I ran through the city, making my way to the other end. The most guards chasing me at one point I think was 7. Can't be too sure though, they all looked the same. They had chased me to the bridge, and I was gasping for breath. 5 of the guards stood in front of me, leaving only the castle as a way out. Of course that was where they had wanted to go, and where they had been herding me. I knew what they had been up to though. I'm not a fool, well sometimes I can be, but not right now.

I stood on the bridge and one of the guards said,

"Just come with us lad, nice and easy."

I looked over the bridge and then back at the one who had talked.

"Tell ya what. I'll make it easy for you."

The guards all relaxed and took small steps towards me.

"If you catch me, I'll come quietly."

And then I jumped over the bridge. Air rushed to greet me as I fell towards the lake. There was quite some distance between me and the water, enough to kill me most likely. However, I was hoping I could pull of some sort of trick with the water to save myself. I began waving my arms to bring the water up to meet me.

Then I felt two weights on either side of me. Hoofs went under my shoulders and my arms stopped. I looked up to see that two guards had managed to fly down and catch me. They slowly flew back up with me to the castle.

"Damn you guys are good. I would've been stuck staring for a few minutes at least."

The guards said nothing in return, but just grunted as they flew upwards.

"Well fair is fair. I'll come quietly. Mind grabbing my pack?"

The guards put me down back on the bridge and landed behind me. Two guards were in front of me, and one on each side. They had me surrounded, and I didn't have a way out. Even if I did, I wasn't sure I would take it. That little adventure had me exhausted, and wanting to spill my guts. I could almost feel them writhing in my stomach.

They brought me inside the main chamber of the castle. It was large, and a red carpet ran up the middle to a throne. Large glass stained windows were behind the throne, and shone multicolor lights into the room. There were no grand stair cases, but several doors lined the walls. The throne was empty at the moment and I said,

"Shouldn't there be two?"

The guard nearest me seemed willing to entertain, because he spoke back to me.

"Only one princess works the court at a time. One during the day, and one during the night."

"Still this is a diarchy yeah? Need to keep up appearances and all that."

"Don't talk to him Fledge."

The other guard next to me scolded his compadre.

"Yes sir, of course sir."

His captain then. I had always thought the royal guards were more for show then actual function. I couldn't actually recall seeing any police or official civil protection. I guess before now they didn't really need it.

"So you guys going to tell me what I did? Do I even have rights here?"

They ignored me, and led me down a side passage. We got close enough to the throne for me to see it was more like a couch. Assumedly the princess in court would lay down on it. Everything in the castle was on the large size, which made the travel easier.

The corridors in the castle weren't in disrepair, which surprised me to be honest. I was expecting damp, dark, and maybe some mold. The stones were shining white, and were giving off light. The entire place screamed regal at me, and was starting to make me nervous. We reached a door and one of the guards opened it and motioned for me to go in.

I walked into the room and took a quick look around. Besides the grand fireplace, large four poster bed, stained glass windows, shag carpet, and gold chandelier, this was almost like a prison room. Well all it needed was some bars, and a toilet in the corner. After this quick glance I turned around and said,

"What exactly is going on here?"

The guards just slammed the door in my face, and walked away. I tried the door, but it was locked. I wasn't sure why I was stuck in the palace, but my mind was coming up with all kinds of theories. Like the idea that I was going to become some sick experiment. Basically, I wanted to get out of there, and then maybe find out what was going on. I looked at the windows trying to find some sort of lock or way to open it.

I wasn't able to find one, and I thought it was almost a shame to smash it. I took a poker from the fireplace, and approached the window. I wound up, and swung the poker. Imagine my surprise when the poker smashed into the window with no effect. It didn't rebound, but just smashed into the glass and stayed there. I threw the useless thing back into the fireplace and sat down on the bed. There didn't seem to be any way out of the room. Blowing air around did nothing, and I had no water to splash. Would have been a great time to get started on earth magic. I didn't have my book though, and I really doubted the princesses would appreciate me tearing up their castle.

Which brought to mind if the princesses even knew what was going on. There could be some political coup that was going on, but I'm not really sure who would be doing such a thing. Besides I was never good at politics, all that sneaky stuff and dagger and cloak things.

After a few hours, the door opened again. I sat up on the bed from where I had been laying down. I had been bored to tears just waiting for something to happen. If there was something that I hated, it was being stuck in one place with nothing to do. A guard walked into the room, and motioned for me to follow him.

"So are you going to talk to me?"

The guard was younger, but still had the appearance of white coat and blue mane. I assumed they just dyed themselves those colors.

"I'm not really supposed too."

"Just give me an idea of what's going on. I just want to know why I've been imprisoned."

"Imprisoned? You're the princesses royal guest."

"That explains the locked room then."

"Guests are not allowed to wander the castle."

"Then don't invite me in until they are ready to see me. I don't want to be stuck in a room for hours on end."

"Well the princess is ready to see you now."

He shut up after that, and led me back to the throne room. I walked into the main hall to see Celestia laying down on the throne.

"Silver, so good to see you."

"You guys should invest in mobiles. Y'know, so I don't wait for 3 hours."

The guard who had led me to the chamber was still next to me, whispered to me,

"I would suggest bowing."

Celestia looked to the guard and said,

"You may leave us now."

She got up off her throne, and walked towards me.

"Tell me Silver, what do you know of Equestria?"

"Well let's see. There's Ponyville which is the city down there, and Canterlot here which I assume is the capital. There is a diarchy, but with princesses not queens. You move the sun and your sister, Luna, moves the moon."

"I see you have studied a little."

"Just bits and pieces that I pick up."

Celestia was walking around me, almost as if she was inspecting me. The last thing I needed her to do was take a whiff. I didn't exactly smell that great at the moment. She moved her head to be level with mine.

"So how have you been adjusting to life here?"

"Well as one could be expected. Well no, probably better. I was always a traveler though, I consider this just another place to visit. Only this time, there is a whole new world."

I looked into her eyes, and I got stuck again. They sparkled and glistened, keeping me focused on them.

"I would say you've been adjusting very well. Considering that you're relations with some of my ponies."

"You know about that stuff?"

She bent her head even closer and whispered in my ear.

"I know a lot about you. You could say I know everything. I've been in your mind Silver, I hope you don't mind. I was just making sure you weren't a threat."

I shuddered when she said that, but more because her breath was cold. I was definitely creeped out at the thought of her looking through my mind. Suddenly the urge to think of everything I did not want her to know came up. Specifically inappropriate images of herself on the internet.

While I was thinking of such things, her eyes sparkled and she smiled at me. She was reading my thoughts! Which meant that she knew that I had seen those things. Even the ones where she wasn't a she. The internet, the defeat of any pure mind. I stopped thinking of things and cleared my mind of anything like that. By clearing my mind, I mean I imagined a wave clearing everything from my head.

When I hadn't said anything for awhile she said,

"And while there were some surprises to see, I think that you would make an excellent mate."

I nearly coughed in her face and I sputtered.

"Wait.. What?!"

Celestia moved away from me laughing.

"I was talking about you and the Rose mare. I'm 1000 years old, a bit out of your age range I think."

She winked at me when she said that, and my cheeks went red. I hadn't been expecting that, well maybe just a little. I took a deep breath and relaxed. No need to get worked up over a raunchy princess. Well unless I became directly threatened anyway.

"Silver if I could ask a favor of you."

"Yeah?"

"Close your eyes."

I gulped, but complied. I could see a glow behind my eyelids, a brilliant white. I opened them at the last second to see white heading for me. I was unable to do anything, and I was bathed in light. Seconds after I was once again bathed, but this time in darkness.

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I woke up, the memories of last night foggy. I was in a large bed chamber, even larger than the last one. The four-poster in this room was much bigger, and had silver curtains hanging down. Everything about the bed was silver, the sheets, the pillows, the covers, and even the railings around the bed. I got out of the bed and looked at my newest surroundings.

The room was circular, and the top was in a dome shape. My bed lay against the wall opposite the door, and in the center. There were three windows around the room, each with their own silver curtains. To the side was a fireplace embedded in the wall. Silver bricks lined it, and the chimney, up. Currently there was no fire lit. There was a desk against the wall as well, and it was also silver. The last piece of furniture in the room was a wardrobe, this was also silver. Looking at the floor nearly blinded me. It was a plush rug, that was bright silver.

The amount of silver things in the room was killing my eyes, and I had to get out. Unfortunately the door was locked once again. I didn't even bother trying the windows this time. I sat back down on the bed when I noticed I wasn't wearing the same clothes. I was thankfully wearing something though. A long robe, that if you can believe, wasn't silver. It was a deep green with a white lining. Suddenly the door was banged on, and a voice came from behind it.

"My liege, I'm sorry to disturb you, but the princesses request you're presence."

I opened the door, which strangely wasn't locked now. I looked down at the guard behind the door. He wasn't a day or night guard. He was a deep green color with a white mane. His armor was a shining silver, and it covered his head completely, only his bright silver eyes could be seen.

"They would appreciate it if you could hurry up sir. May I suggest getting dressed?"

I turned around and looked at the wardrobe. I opened it up, and let out a gasp. Only two outfits were in there, but what outfits they were. The first was a complete set of silver knight armor. Obviously it had been compiled from pony armor, with minor adjustments in places. It didn't have a helmet though. The other outfit was a very complicated set. First were silver pants that had a black belt. The shirt was a deep green with white lining. Over this was a hooded green cowl. Then after all of that was a large robe meant to cover it all, but not be closed up in front.

I clicked my tongue at the sight.

"I don't do regal dress, and I certainly don't do knight armor."

"Would you rather appear naked sir?"

"You make a good point… name?"

"Rivet sir."

"I'm Silver by the way."

"I know sir."

"Well, I guess I'll have to do some work on this then."

I pulled out both outfits, and began making some adjustments. Pieces of armor went flying as I dismantled it. I finished my work and I turned to look in the mirror.

"What do you think Rivet?"

He looked at me in the mirror and said,

"Very patchwork sir. You will certainly… astound the court."

I had thrown on the shirt and pants, but I had forgone the cowl and robe. I had also refused to put on the ridiculous shoes I had been supplied with. I was wearing the armored boots though. One pant leg had several pieces of armor strapped to it. It was the kind of armor that had straps in the back, so it only protected the front. The same went for my left arm, pieces of armor covering it. Except for the wrist which had a familiar wooden bracelet on it. I couldn't quite place what it was doing there though. I had put on the breastplate with some help from Rivet.

I looked more ridiculous then cool, and I decided that patchwork armor was something that could only be pulled off in video games.

"Maybe you can work something out with the royal seamstresses after the meeting sir."

"Or I could just make my own. These are rather restricting on movement if you know what I mean."

"We should get moving sir."

"Right, special meeting. Lead the way friend."

Rivet stepped out of the room and I followed him. We went down several flights of stairs before going through another door. Every time I took a step, a loud clang went out. Metal on stone is bad for sneaking. We walked through endless halls and my mental map of the castle became ruined. The place was more like a labyrinth than a castle.

"How do you know where you are going Rivet?"

"The castle has many passageways sir, but all of them originate from the court at some point."

There were no torches in the hallways, just stone bricks. It all looked the same to me, and if Rivet really knew different, then I had no idea how. He finally led me through one last door and into the main hall. Celestia and Luna were sitting on the throne, facing opposite directions.

Celestia called out to me,

"Silver so good to see you."

I smiled at her, she always greeted me the same way. Luna said nothing to me as usual, and didn't look me in the eye.

"The two of you is always a lovely sight. Might I say that you princess Luna are looking quite fetching today."

Luna just put her head down in embarrassment and I let out a hearty laugh.

Celestia put on a fake frown and said, "Stop teasing her Silver, lest I decide to do the same."

I put a finger up and said, "It is not teasing if one means the words they have spoken."

Luna tried to hide herself even more, and both Celestia and I laughed.

"If you don't mind me asking, what happened to your clothes?"

"There was an accident. I'll have it worked on later. So to what do I owe this pleasure?"

Celestia raised an eyebrow and said,

"Guard, what state was Silver in when you fetched him?"

Rivet stood even straighter than he had been, and looked completely serious.

"He was sleeping princess."

Celestia laughed again and said,

"I doubted that you took this as a pleasure."

I grinned at her before saying,

"Do be fair. I can't seem to recall much of last night, its details are quite in the mist."

Celestia got off the throne, and Luna followed her, trying to stay behind her.

"I'm sure it'll come back to you soon. Would you accompany us on a stroll through the garden?"

"You woke me up to take a walk? A walk with two lovely mares to be sure, but a walk all the same."

"I'm sure you will enjoy it."

"Let's get it over with then."

Throughout the entire discussion we had been grinning like fools. I couldn't help myself, but to do so. I hadn't even gotten a good look at Luna's face though. The worries of whatever happened last night were washed away as I went out into the garden.

As we walked through the flowers of the garden, I couldn't help but sneeze a few times. Flowers of all kinds were growing, and the scents were overpowering.

Without thinking I said,

"Rose would certainly love this."

Celestia looked at me curiously and said,

"Who is Rose?"

I thought about it for a second. I had never even heard of someone named Rose.

"I'm not sure, must be the sun getting to me. So what can my presence help you achieve today?"

Luna had been trying to get Celestia's attention, but she was ignored.

"Well Silver, as you know, the ceremony is the day after tomorrow"

The ceremony… it took me just a second to remember what ceremony that was.

"Yes I do recall."

"I just wanted to make sure you were ready."

"I've been ready for a long time, my anticipation peaks as it nears though. If I could just leave the castle, I'm sure that I would relax."

"You know you can't do that. What would I say to your honorary father if you disappeared?"

"You could tell him that I was up to my usual games. I'm sure he would understand."

"Regardless, I can't allow you to leave."

"You win this time Celestia."

We walked through the rest of the garden in silence. Luna seemed to be worried about something, as she kept looking around quickly. When we reached the castle again Celestia said,

"Well I must get back to my duties, and I'm sure Luna is quite tired. You should get back to your studies Silver."

I nodded at her and walked back into the main hall. Rivet was waiting for me and we headed back towards the room I had come from. He left me at the door, and stood outside. I walked inside the room and sat down at the desk. I picked up a random book, and opened it up. I wasn't actually reading it though.

The sun was still high in the sky, and the time was most likely noon. I could call for lunch anytime, but it wouldn't just come. I opened the door and Rivet looked up at me.

"I won't be requiring lunch today, so if they ask, tell them to not bother."

He nodded his head, and I closed the door. I went across the room, and looked out the windows. I was very high up, but there were several ledges that weren't too far from me. The city itself though was on the opposite side of the castle. I looked around my room, and began constructing something. When I had finished, I looked at my rope in satisfaction. I had thrown everything in the room into it, and I hoped it would go far enough. I tied it to the pole of the bed and threw it out the window. It seemed to reach down to the next landing, and I began climbing down.

I was about halfway down when I slipped. I began falling, but my hands were able to grab holds in the stone wall. After taking a few deep breaths, I began descending even more carefully. When I reached the landing, I gave a mighty tug on the rope. It fell down on top of me, and I bundled it up. Didn't want some guards stumbling upon it. I was just going to be out for a few hours is all. I came to the city a week ago, and I hadn't even been outside the castle.

I looked over the landing I was on to see the grounds below. There was no point going down because I would be stuck at the castle gated. They were usually open, but I guess they thought I was going to try and escape. Well they were right about that, but gates weren't going to keep me out. I cautiously walked around the landing to face the gates. There were two archways that spanned the gap between the castle walls and the landing I was on. I threw my rope over one of the archways until I could grab it again. I tied the two ends together, and scaled the rope.

It was difficult to do, but I eventually reached the top of the archway. I was surprised I hadn't been seen by any guards yet. I wasn't exactly well camouflaged. I crossed the archway, sliding the tied rope down it. When I reached the gates I threw the rope over them. I slid down the rope, and onto the ground. I had managed to escape the castle. I was now faced with just the bridge, and that was hardly an obstacle. I couldn't get the rope to come down with me, and I heard some shouts from inside the castle. I abandoned the rope, and ran across the bridge. I was worried that the noise my boots were making would attract attention, but when I reached the city, I was only given odd looks.

I slowed to a walk, as to avoid attracting attention. Ponies gave me odd looks, but none more than usual. I guess I was camouflaged well. I walked down the street, and my stomach clamored for food. It ached with pain, and I decided that eating would be a good idea. I stopped at a small tea shop called 'The Jasmine Dragon', and went inside.

There were several small booth tables, and a bar table at the corner of the building. At the bar was a white mare with a purple mane crying her eyes out. Her head was in her arms, and she didn't look up when the bell rang, signaling my entrance. The mare behind the bar waved at me. She was a light green with a yellow mane.

I walked up to the bar and ordered some tea, and a bowl of fruit. I placed several bits on the table, which I had taken from the pockets of my pants. While she went off to get my stuff, I turned to the mare.

"Why the tears young lady?"

The mare wiped her eyes, but didn't look at me.

"I've lost a friend."

"Maybe he lost you eh?"

"We got separated in the city, and now I can't find him anywhere. I even found his pack that he had been carrying. I just can't help but think something awful has happened."

"Were the two of you close?"

"We were friends."

"Special friends?"

The mare laughed before saying,

"No, although he was very friendly."

The waitress came back with my things, and I said

"Well I'm sure if he is half as good looking as I am, he'll be fine."

"Here's your order dearie."

"It's Silver."

The mare jumped up while the waitress said,

"All the same."

I started on a piece of fruit when I felt hooves wrap around my waist. The mare next to me cried into my chest and squeezed me hard.

"Uh… are you okay?"

The mare rubbed her head against me and said,

"Of course I'm not okay. Where did you disappear to? I looked for you all of yesterday. I was so worried when night fell, I couldn't sleep."

"I think you may have mistaken me for someone else."

"Oh Silver stop playing around. I'm being serious here."

I patted the mare's back uncomfortably. I didn't really want to make a scene, but judging how everyone was looking at us, I messed that up.

"Have we met before miss…?"

The mare huffed at me and said,

"Rarity. If you insist on playing this game, would you tell me where you disappeared to yesterday?"

Rarity was looking up at me, but she thankfully pulled herself off of me. Seeing that my food hadn't really been touched, I dug into it again. Talking with my mouth full I said,

"Well I can't really remember yesterday to be honest miss Rarity. All in the mist so to speak."

She looked away from me and said,

"You remember coming here with me yesterday though right?"

"I arrived a week ago miss Rarity."

I looked around the room and leaned down to her ear.

"You may not recognize me, but I'm THE Silver."

She just looked at me weird, as if she had no idea what I was talking about.

"You know, 'honorary son of King Solaire' Silver."

She just gave me an ever more confused look.

"You really don't remember traveling here with me?"

"Not at all miss Rarity."

"Well I have your stuff, maybe a look at it will stop you from playing this game."

She handed me a white sack, which I was about to refuse, but then the door burst open. Two royal guards walked into the shop and one pointed at me.

"You're supposed to be at the castle sir."

I drank the rest of my tea, and pocketed the rest of the food. I threw the sack over my shoulder and said,

"Nice meeting you miss Rarity. Maybe you can come up to the castle sometime."

I followed the guards out, and back to the castle. One of them was berating me about how the princess was worried or something. They left me in the courtyard, and the gates closed behind me. I walked into the main hall of the castle and looked around. Celestia wasn't on the throne, and there was no one to lead me through the castle. I wandered throughout the castle trying to find someone. I ended up in a tower, and I climbed to the top. I reached a door, and was about to knock when I heard voices.

"The spell is failing."

"I can always apply it again."

"To what point sister?"

"We can keep an eye on him if he is here with us."

"I normally don't question you sister, but this is just too much."

"Enough Luna. I have made my decision about this."

I heard hoofsteps heading towards me, and I ran back down the stairs. Quiet wasn't going to happen with armored boots on, but I don't think she heard me. I was confused at what I had just heard. After some more wandering I found myself back in my room. Rivet was still standing outside the door, but when I waved to him, he did nothing. I threw the pack Rarity had given me on the bed, and I laid down on the bed. Could what she had been saying be true? No I knew who I was.

I was Silver, the odd, young human who had saved King Solaire from a land slide. He had taken me in as his honorary son, because he had no son himself. I had grown up in the desert lands, which had no official name because Solaire kept changing it. I had come to Equestria… for some royal ceremony. I couldn't quite remember the nature of it though. However, the more I thought about all of this, the less real it seemed. All these memories seemed thin as it were. I felt like there was something more that I couldn't quite remember. I couldn't help but think Rarity had been telling the truth. I looked at the bag I had been handed, and I opened it up.

I rifled through the clothes and food in it. I was looking for answers in some form, but nothing turned up. I threw the clothes in a corner, and laid down. I thought I just needed to relax some.

I opened the door and said to Rivet,

"Send in some R&R if you would."

Rivet only nodded, and walked away. I went back to my bed and tried to read a book while I waited. I was unsuccessful, my head was spinning with thoughts. I put the book down, not even aware of what it was. The door opened and revealed two young mares. They both looked very nervous which made me assume they were new at this. They were both a bright green with red manes. I waved at them, and one of them smiled at me nervously.

"Hellooooo ladies."

The one who smiled giggled just a bit, but was silenced by a look from the other. This one was the elder I assumed.

"Hello sir. I'm Phera, and this is my sister Mona. If you could just get ready on the bed, we can get started."

They turned around, and I stripped off most of my clothes. I laid down on the bed, and was soon joined by the two mares. I laid my head into the pillow and waited for them to start. I felt a cool sensation on my back, and it began to spread. When the coolness spread out all across my body, it changed to a mild temperature. I felt four points of pressure on my back, and they began to knead. I lost myself to the time, and eventually I was half asleep. The two started having a conversation, thinking I was completely out.

"Do you think he's ready for the ceremony?"

"I don't know, but its none of our business in any case."

"He is a bit dreamy isn't he."

Heh heh, my ego likes to be fed.

"Watch where your hoofs are going sister."

"Heh heh, they slipped is all."

They continued massaging my back for a while, probably about an hour's time in total. They stopped after a while and moved to get off the bed. I turned around and looked at them through half closed eyes.

"That was… amazing."

They both bowed and the elder one said,

"Thank you sir."

The younger one was smiling at me, but said nothing.

"Would you like to join me for dinner ladies?"

The older said, "We should really get going…"

The younger one said, "We would love to."

I stood up, and put my arms around both of them.

"If you wait outside my chamber, I shall join you shortly."

They left, and I started to get dressed again. They were both nice mares, and kinda cute to boot. I walked outside and put my arms around them again. Rivet rolled his eyes at me before leading the way. We walked in silence, the elder sister moving awkwardly. The younger sister seemed much more happy to push against me, maybe because she was on the side without armor.

We reached the dining room and I pulled out two chairs for the ladies. I sat between them, and awaited for the meal. Luna joined us at the table, and eyed us warily. She looked like she wanted to say something, but she refrained.

A waiter brought out a large tray of food, and began placing it around the table. Dishes of all the same stuff filled the table. Fruits, and more fruits lined the table. It was almost disappointing actually, there seemed to be nothing of substance. The waiter placed what looked to be a flower made of pineapple in front of me.

Luna began eating very delicately, but the two mares did nothing. I motioned for them to dig in, and then started myself. Rivet simply stood guard at one of the doors, and did nothing when I motioned for him to join us.

"Surely you would like some of this Rivet."

"Apologies sir, but it would be inappropriate."

I turned around and picked up a small piece of food. I took aim out of the corner of my eye, and threw it at him. He didn't duck in time and was hit directly in the face. Juice dripped from his face and he just sighed. He walked up to the table, and removed his helmet. He cautiously began eating, all the while watching Luna.

I'm sure the meal was awkward for everyone who wasn't me, but for me it was just tasty. I still felt like I hadn't eaten anything substantial. I waited for everyone else to finish, and Luna was the first to rise and leave. She gave me one last look before leaving the room.

"If you two ladies are finished, shall we retire for the night?"

They looked at each other and then back at me with confused face.

"By that I mean we shall go our separate ways. Get your minds out of the gutter."

I had said that part nearly instantly, which was weird because it didn't sound like something I would say. Well in public anyways. They left me alone and headed for the castle gates. I wandered around the castle a bit, and found myself at the gate to the gardens. A stroll before bed sounded like a great idea, so I went in.

The gardens were a whole different place in the evening. There were flowers that were in bloom that had not been before. It almost made me want to come back at night to see what it was like. As I wandered through the hedges, I started to hear voices. At first I couldn't understand what they were saying, but I eventually managed to get closer.

"That's six memories altered sister, how many more will it take before you see this is fruitless?"

"It only has to last until the ceremony, after that we can change them back."

"That's another thing dear sister. This ceremony of yours, it seems very sudden."

"I know what I am doing sister. Believe me when I say I am doing this to protect our fair land."

"Protect it from what sister? The human? He looks less likely to smack a fly."

"Trust me on this sister."

"You're spell over him is already failing, it won't be long until he remembers, and then what?"

"Then I will cast it again. Once the ceremony is over, I'll remove it anyway. After just a few alterations, everything will be fine."

"I trust you sister, but if this gets out of hand you must promise to stop."

"I do sister."

The voices stopped and thumps were moving closer to me. I quickly retreated from the gardens, and nearly ran into Rivet.

"Sir, you should be in your room."

My voice was quiet, almost to where Rivet had to lean in to hear me.

"Ya… my room."

I took a long time to think over what I had just heard. This entire Canterlot business was throwing my head for a loop. It was mind numbing to think that what I knew could be fake. What if these memories were really fake and I got rid of them? Would I become someone else entirely? Thoughts like those raced through my head through most of the night. When I got to my room, I didn't even move to get on the bed. I looked back at the clothes on the floor, and went through them again. They looked like my clothes, but they didn't bring any memories up. I threw them in frustration, and something fell out of the robes.
It was a small vanilla envelope. The word 'Jasmine' was written across it. I looked down at it for awhile, and formulated a plan in my head. Tomorrow morning I would leave the castle once more, but this time I had an objective. By this time tomorrow, I planned on knowing the truth.

____________________

I woke up bright and early with the sun the next day. It's rays were only just beginning to rise above the land. I quickly got out of the bed, and got dressed. I threw on the robes that had come in the pack. The armor was not only ridiculous, but noticeable. Then again, my very appearance drew attention to myself.

I opened the door, and was glad to see Rivet wasn't at his post. I quickly descended the stair, the stone cold against my bare feet. I would rather go without shoes then wear the fancy ones, and the boots, while surprisingly comfortable, made a lot of noise.

I reached the bottom of the tower, and exited the door towards the courtyard. I was lucky to be in a tower that went all the way down to the ground. Most of the towers jutted out from some point of the castle. Now that I was on the ground, I just needed to get past the gates. Climbing over them wouldn't work again, and I wanted to get away without being noticed.

I started to make my way across the courtyard towards the castle gates, when Luna walked around a corner. I stood absolutely still, hoping that she wouldn't look in my direction. She stopped walking, and stood in place for a few seconds. I was willing for her to just keep going and not turn around. She eventually just shook her head, and continued walking. I let out a breath I had been holding, and continued walking.

I dare not run, because if someone saw me running from the windows of the castle, they would be alarmed. However, if they just saw me walking, they might just think I was on a stroll. I reached the closed gates, and opened the door to the guard house. The lever to open the gates was easily reachable, but I didn't want to risk opening them. I looked around for another way out, but I was running out of options. That's when I got lucky. Someone was outside the gate wishing to be let in.

I could hear them calling from outside, and I opened the gates. I slinked back outside and waited for the brown stallion to pass. He didn't see me, and kept walking towards the castle. Right before the gates shut again, I slipped past them. I was hoping no one had seen me, and wouldn't check on my room for awhile. I most likely had several hours before anyone would try to bother me. Even more if no one needed me.

I walked across the bridge, still not bothering to run. However, once I reached the city, I gave up trying to be inconspicuous. There wasn't a lot of ponies out and about yet, but a few were walking around. I got some looks, but no one made a move towards me. I didn't have a head covering, and it made me think that Rarity was telling the truth. If I was nobility, the ponies around would be doing something. They wouldn't just wave me off as unimportant. This wasn't some town, this was Canterlot. Where everyone was trying to become important, and the easiest way to do that would be to know someone important.

I walked down the streets until I reached the tea shop I had been in yesterday. It wasn't open yet, and wouldn't be for another hour at least. At first I was just going to wait outside it, but then two ponies walked past me gossiping.

"Did you hear what was going on in the castle?"

I stood up and followed them out of sight when I heard that.

"No."

"Well apparently there is going to be a large party or something. Bakers can be seen bringing in all kinds of foods in preparation. Juniper said that she saw a wedding cake!'

"A wedding cake? Can't be the princesses'."

"No one knows. The castle has been very quiet recently. Apparently there's also one of those hairless bears at the castle. The guards apprehended him yesterday, and the day before."

"Sounds like he doesn't want to be there."

"Oh I know. Everyone is trying to figure out what's going on, but only bakers are getting into the castle."

They then went to talk about other rumors that I wasn't interested in. The ceremony tomorrow, why couldn't I remember what it was? I just knew that there was one tomorrow, nothing else. I sat down in front of the tea shop, racking my brain for answers. Everything seemed to be foggy though. I still felt like there was a thin veil in my mind, but now it was losing focus. It wasn't getting lighter, but less detailed.

The door to the tea shop opened and the light green mare put an 'open' sign outside. I walked inside and up to the bar. The mare waved cheerily at me and told me to wait a tic. She was definitely on the younger side, most likely living with parents. I was never any good at judging pony age though, at least I don't think I was.

When she came back she asked me,

"What'll it be dearie?"

The whole dearie thing seemed inappropriate on her, but I didn't comment on that.

"Actually I was hoping you could tell me something. I'm looking for somepony named Jasmine."

The mare laughed and said,

"I'm Jasmine hon. You are in 'The Jasmine Dragon' you know."

"Oh, well then I guess this is yours."

I handed her the envelope and she opened it up. She read it in front of me with a smile on her face. She laughed a little when she finished it, and put it away somewhere. Where I'm not sure, but I couldn't see it anymore.

"Thanks for delivering that for my dad."

"Not to be rude, but what was it exactly. See I don't know why I had it is all."

"Oh… Well it was just a letter from my dad in Ponyville. He was just asking when I was going to come and visit him. Did he not give this to you?"

"I don't know, that's the problem."

"You hit your head to hard or something? He calls himself Peg these days if that helps. Never did like his given name much. Can't say I blame him. Marcel isn't a very good name for him."

Peg… the name was familiar, and not in the object kind. I couldn't place a face though.

"It sounds familiar, and I'm not sure what's going on with my head."

"Well I wish you luck. Some tea might stir your brain up."

"A salesmare at heart eh? Well tea does sound good. Maybe a little something to eat as well."

"I'll bring it out soon."

She walked back into the kitchen where I couldn't see, and I laid my head down on the counter. A day ago everything had seemed fine, but now it was falling apart. Then again, I guess that's what happens when your memories are messed with. If that was even what happened. From what I had heard and seen, it sure seemed to be that way. However, I wasn't going to make any accusations just yet.

Jasmine brought out my tea and a plate of biscuits. Glad to see something that wasn't fruit, I dug in. While I ate I continued to ponder what had apparently happened. Even if my memories were changed, who would bother doing that? Had I found something out that made me dangerous? There would be a reason it had happened, and I was a bit scared of that reason. Then again, if it was big enough for me to be in danger, it was probably something scandalous. Just as I finished my food, Rarity from yesterday walked into the shop.

When she saw me at the bar, she rushed up next to me.

"Oh am I glad to see you again dear. Whatever did you do to get the guards after you?"

"I left the castle is all. They want me to stay inside at all times."

"Do you still not remember yourself yet?"

"I don't even know the self I used to know anymore. Everything's been thrown up in the air so to speak."

"Well dear, if you come with me I can tell you what really happened. Seeing as we did travel together for a few days."

"You're right. If we stay here the guards will eventually come back for me. You have a place or something?"

"Oh no I don't live here. I have rented a room at one of the hotels though. We can go there."

"Bringing me back to your place? I didn't know you were that kinda girl."

Rarity huffed at me and said,

"Even when you can't remember yourself, you're still you."

She led me back into the city, and down a few streets. The city was very confusing from my point of view. All the streets looked close to the same, and I couldn't see past the buildings. Rarity led me into another building, and up some stairs. I walked into a modest room with her. A decently sized bed laid against the wall, and there was a side room with a bath.

"Well here we are."

Unable to resist teasing her I said,

"You want to freshen up first?"

She looked like she wanted to smack me, but settled for huffing instead.

"I see we're off to a good start at least. If you can remember to tease me, then everything else can't be far behind."

She laid down on the bed, and motioned for me to join her. I laid down on my back next to her. Looking up at the ceiling, she began to tell me her story of what had happened. When she mentioned the bracelet, I remembered that I was still wearing it. I had forgotten it even existed. I tried to pull it off, but it wasn't going to go. In fact, the harder I tried, the tighter it got.

When she told me that I had done magic, I wanted to laugh. Only unicorns could do magic like that, and that was because they had horns. She seemed really adamant about it though, so I decided to try. She brought me a bowl of water and told me to lift the water. At first I was just teasing, making exaggerated motions and speaking gibberish. After awhile though, I decided that I would really try. I concentrated hard on the water, and did what Rarity was telling me to do. I willed the water to rise, and moved my hand with the bracelet up. The bracelet glowed faintly and to my surprise the water rose up.

Of course it splashed down once I lost my concentration, but all the same, further proof that she was telling the truth. She spent a good time telling me everything about the trip, and even some of the time before it. It all sounded so right to me, but it also sounded so impossible. She told me about a mare named Roseluck, who I had apparently been sweet on. Or rather who had been sweet on me. When she finished I said,

"Sounds like I was over thinking everything. Strange, I feel like that I would just go with it."

"I think you were more worried about the physical interactions."

"Why would I be worried about that?"

"Something about the planet you came from or something. Apparently it also weirded you out."

I had actually been okay with the whole different planet thing. As far as I knew, I was the only human on Equestria, so being an alien was very likely.

"What's weird about kissing?"

Suddenly Rarity was up against me, pushing her lips to mine. I nearly had a heart attack I was so shocked. If what she was saying was true, then I could see why I was weirded out by it. Her lips didn't feel like mine if that makes sense. It wasn't bad per se, but it would take time getting used to. Especially because my stomach wanted to bring up everything inside to vomit out. I supposed it was just a gag reflex or something.

Rarity pulled away from me and said,

"Mmm can't help but be a little jealous of Rose."

I backed up just a bit from her and said,

"Well if it wasn't weird before, then it's definitely weird now."

"Oh you're not mad are you?"

"No not really. No point in getting mad, it’s already happened. Freaked out just a bit yeah, but not mad. Don't know what I'm going to tell Rose though."

"So you believe me then?"

"Don't have a choice really do I? First the clothes, then the fire scar, the magic, and everything else. It all just adds up. I guess I'm really not who I thought I was. Kinda weird, knowing that your life has been altered."

"So you remember everything?"

"No I don't oddly. I can only just believe you. I feel like there is this white fog in my mind blocking everything. I can barely remember the memories I thought were real anymore."

"Well that doesn't sound pleasant."

"It's kinda like when you kissed me. Not good, not bad… just weird."

Rarity huffed and I lightly tapped her.

"Keep working on it and you might get better though."

She could only huff again and smack my hand.

"So what are you going to do now?"

"Confront the pony responsible, make them lift the fog."

"You know who did it?"

"I've got my suspicions, but I need to reaffirm them. So for awhile, I'll go along with this prince thing. I would like you to come to the ceremony at the castle tomorrow though, just in case they recast the spell."

"How can I do that? They have it sealed off to everypony."

"You said you were good with illusions, figure something out."

"I'm not going to fool the princesses with my magic."

"Fine, I've got another idea then."

We spent another good hour or two discussing the plan for tomorrow. I wasn't quite sure what was going to happen, but I tried my best to be prepared. We had spent a long time talking to each other, and the sun was lowering again. I wasn't hungry though, the kiss might have had something to do with that. When we finished talking I said goodbye and left the hotel. I was only on the streets for a few minutes when a guard approached me. I was somewhat glad to see it was Rivet this time. He was still in the odd silver armor, but from his eyes I could tell he was relieved.

"Sir I'm glad I found you. Once the princesses found out… Well never mind about that. We need to get you back to the castle as fast as possible though. If you would sir."

Rivet lead me back to the bridge, and into the castle. From there we went to the dining room where Celestia was eating her dinner and Luna was eating her breakfast. I sat down, but didn't move to eat.

Celestia noticed this and said,

"Why do you not eat Silver?"

"I just do not have the room today."

"That doesn't sound like you. What were you doing out in the town?"

"Simply exploring. Seeing the sights as it were. You have a beautiful, if not crowded, city."

"Well thank you Silver, but you really should eat something."

I reluctantly picked up a piece of fruit, and bit into it. I finished it and then excused myself from the table. Luna and Celestia just kept exchanging looks while I was there, and it was starting to unnerve me. On my way out Rivet approached me and said,

"Sir, the seamstresses have made your clothes for tomorrow, they are in your room. Are you going to retire soon sir?"

"I think so Rivet."

"Would you like some R&R sir?"

I almost laughed when he said R&R, but I waved him off. I stopped on my way into my room and said,

"Rivet, to whom do you swear loyalty?"

"You of course sir."

"Do you answer to the princesses?"

"Only after you sir. Your orders are my highest priority. Your father, King Solaire, appointed me your bodyguard sir. If you think you are in danger may I suggest…"

"I'm not in any danger Rivet. I just wanted to know if it came down to me or the princesses, who would you join?"

"The princesses are not our enemy sir."

"I know, it would just reassure me to know nothing would turn you against me."

"Well then sir, I will be by your side, no matter who opposes you or your father."

I felt kind of bad for Rivet. I was almost positive he was like me, fake memories and all. However, if the person who had laid this trap had given me a loyal guard, they were either very good, or very stupid. I closed the door to my room and put my back against it. On the bed was my new fancy clothes. The colors were still the same, green with a white lining. Only this time I had a tux to wear instead of some silly robes. I hung the tux, complete with shoes, in the wardrobe.

The sun was very low in the sky now, and I was starting to feel tired. Although my stomach seemed to be complaining a great deal. I passed it off as just not eating much that day, and laid down. For a while I just stared blankly at the ceiling. Eventually I nodded off, and time passed quickly.

At some point during the night, someone came into my room, a very big someone. I couldn't see anything in the night except a glowing horn. A spell was cast, but it didn't contact me. The mysterious pony left the room, with me worrying about the spell that had been cast. Eventually I did manage to fall asleep again, and this time I didn't wake up until the morning.

__________________________________________________________

AN: I hope this doesn't confuse the bullocks out of everyone. And I certainly hope it doesn't make you dislike the story. If you're confused about this, then know I should have answered everything in the next chapter.

Chapter 13

"And he's back! Baaaaaaaack, baaaaaack, well he's back in black!"

I heard the song in the darkness, and I picked myself. I opened my eyes to see nothingness again. A look down told me I once again had my body back. I couldn't feel it, but it was reassuring to see it. I looked behind myself to see a strange sight.

There was a man holding an ancient looking guitar, or banjo, and he was smiling at me. He had white hair tied in a pony tail that went down to his feet. A remarkable 4 and a half feet to be more exact. His face was rather small, and whiskers actually protruded from the center of it. He waved at me, and I could see his hands were rather small as well. He wore a white shirt that's sleeves hung down past his hands normally. He also wore white pants that were bunched up at his feet. A red sash went around his waist to keep the loose clothing still.

I scratched my head in confusion and stared at him.

"Uh... you are?"

The weird man laughed at me and said,

"You like names do you? Well have fun making one for me."

"Right, so what are you doing here mouse man?"

"I said have fun making one, not make fun."

All this time his eyes had been closed, but his eyebrows moved as he spoke. They had originally been up, but now they were angled down at me.

"Regardless of name calling, I won the bet!"

"Bet…?"

"Yes, I bet that you would succumb to the body disease, but not engage in any copulation even though there were multiple chances."

"You were betting… on my life?"

"It's what I do for fun, and I'm quite good at it. Take a peek anywhere, and make a bet."

"Tell me you at least won something good."

"Any type of pizza from Kamari that I want! The odds were against me."

"You bet against me for a pizza?"

"Not just any pizza, a Kamari pizza. Notorious for the hard to come by ingredients. In fact, Kamari has demanded that the customer start bringing the ingredients themselves. Says he is getting to old for such things."

"Because wheat is hard to come by?"

"Kamari only uses the best of the best. For the dough, he must get wheat that only grows in underground volcanoes on certain worlds."

"Right… well you have fun with your crazy pizza. I'm going to go back in there."

"Now just hold on a minute. You should wait for a bit."

The mouse man sat down on the nothing ground with his legs crossed.

"Why?"

"Because, everyone on that world thinks you are gone yes? Well soon they shall hold a funeral for you, and the castle will be empty. Meaning you have a chance to go in unhindered straight to the core."

"Oh… I guess that makes sense. Why are you helping me exactly?"

"Because the betting isn't over yet. I still bet that you would succeed in getting the core. Morkar thinks he's so clever hiding behind his magic. He didn't account for my luck though."

By this time, if I had been questioning anything this guy had been saying, I wasn't anymore. He just kept spewing out stuff that I didn't understand, and wasn't ever likely to.

"In that case, aren't you cheating?"

"I also won the ability to give you advice from my previous bet. Like I said, the odds were against me."

"Glad to know everyone thought I was going to go at it with the local flair."

"Well it is the nature of such creatures."

"I take offense to that I think. So why are you betting here instead of somewhere else?"

"It is the nature of the wandering lucky sages to do this. We randomly picked a world to look in on, and check it out."

Wandering lucky sages huh? I feel like people who gamble shouldn't be sages.

"So how long do I have to wait for?"

"Long enough for everyone to leave the castle."

"Can't I like choose what time I jump in at?"

"Ah ha hark what the monkey says. You certainly can't, besides I have more advice for you. I would suggest grabbing the female you were working with earlier. Good company is hard to come by. Even better if they offer physical bonuses eh?"

This guy, a sage? I didn't think so.

"Well I already have a plan so don't worry about that."

"Does that include the location of the core?"

"Well… I assume I would find it."

"Sit with me a little longer, and you'll have everything in no time."

I sat down with him, but I hardly paid any attention to him. Would it be right to just take all the answers from him? I thought that would be cheating for sure. In any case, I really don't like have any plans. Just dive in head on and all that. After he finished talking he laid back.

"So you ready to head back?"

"Uhh is it time now?"

"I can send you whenever you need to go."

"Why didn't you say that in the first place!?"

"Because then you would've demanded to be sent back immediately, and I can't stop you without breaking the deal."

"Well then let's go!"

"How do you want your entrance?"

"Umm… what?"

"Well for us that have been doing this for awhile, we can control how we enter a world. You want to drop from the atmosphere, come down with a heavenly light, or even burst from your grave?"

"I feel like there is so much potential for manipulation to happen with this."

"Oh there is, and it happens all the time."

"Never happened on my world."

"Well there is a small amount of manipulators compared to an infinite amount of worlds. What are the chances that you are going to be visited? Not even I would bet on that."

"Well then, just put me there normally."

"Well aren't you fun?"

"I am supposed to be sneaking around aren't I?"

"Hmm, good point. Well then, goodbye!"

The mouse man suddenly put his hands together, and a hole opened up behind me. He nodded at me, and I walked through the hole. Once again things went dark, and I kept my eyes closed. For a moment there was nothing. Then I felt cold wood against my feet. I was standing up, and I could once again feel my body. I looked around, but I could barely see in the darkness. I was able to tell from the night chill that I was once again naked. The only thing I was wearing was my wooden bracelet.

"I really need to figure that out."

I was feeling around myself when a voice screamed out.

"Ahh! Who's there?"

A small blueish light lit up the room. I looked at the source of the light and was relieved to see Rarity's face. Her coat and mane were back to their original colors. She looked at me in surprise and ran at me. She crushed me in an awkward hug, and I nearly fell down.

"Silver!"

At this point she realized my state of dress and jumped off of me blushing. She looked up at the ceiling and said,

"It's good to see you again. I was so worried that you weren't coming back. After all, I wasn't sure what had happened. Everyone had been saying you were dead, and I was clueless. Speaking of which, you need to explain yourself."

"Well apparently I have trouble keeping clothes when I travel."

"Do you usually show up in front of women with no clothes on?"

"Well it's not like there is a little shop for me to stop by before I come back. Besides you're naked too, not that you should get any ideas."

"You're different dear. You… uh… hang out so to speak."

I looked at the bracelet which had been relatively quiet for a while and said,

"Want to do the loincloth thing again?"

It glowed and heated up. The piece of wood slithered down my body and changed into the wooden clothing. It was uncomfortable, but it would have to do.

Rarity said,

"So why did you vanish at the castle?"

"Ah that. Well I was kind of dying, and then dead."

"WHAT?"

"Well you see my body was kind of attacking itself. It was supposed to take awhile, but I guess magic was speeding it up."

"WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME THIS?"

"It didn't really seem important at the time."

"NOT IMPORTANT!"

Rarity made an assortment of sounds before finally just giving out a long huff.

"I can't believe you."

"Neither can I sometimes. Anyway moving on. So where am I? And how long has it been?"

"Well at the moment you are at one of the inns in Canterlot. It's been exactly one week since you disappeared at the castle. Celestia declared you dead after a few hours of searching. She said you hadn't left any magical trace behind, so it couldn't be a teleport. I can't even recall the last funeral held anywhere, but yours is tomorrow. Of course it's all the way back in Ponyville."

"Wait… So everyone thinks I'm dead?"

"Well… yes."

"Brilliant. That'll make for some awkward conversations later, for now that works to our advantage. I assume the two princesses have headed down there?"

"Not yet, they'll leave by carriage in the morning."

"Then I guess we have to wait. And I definitely can't go out and about. By the way, we're breaking into the castle tomorrow. There's something we need from there, or rather near there that we need."

"What is it?"

"For now let's just say it's something that could benefit us all. I'll explain more when we are at a more opportune moment."

"After seeing Celestia like that… I think you're up to something. I don't know whose side to be on right now."

"You can trust me right?"

Rarity looked at the ground and said,

"Well I'm in this far, so I guess I really have no choice now do I?"

Rarity's light was the only thing keeping my visuals up, and it was getting faint. I could tell she was tired, by the bags under her eyes. However, she seemed to be genuinely relieved to see me again. I guess she really did think I had been gone for good.

"So you really were…"

She didn't have to say the omitted word. Death has a different feeling after you do it twice. Not that I wanted to start doing stupid things. I could still feel pain after all. However, at the moment I did feel a tad invincible. Of course I supposed that someone could just lock me up and keep me alive.

"Yea… At least that seems the most probable answer."

"Most probable…?"

"Well you can never be 100% sure of anything. I mean this could all be some crazy coma dream, or some really high form of magic stuff."

"Right…"

"Well in any case, I'm here now. So no need to worry anymore right?"

"Just don't go scaring me like that again okay?"

"I make no promises."

She just huffed at me and sat down on the ground next to me. Her light went out and I started to pet her head. It wasn't as awkward as it had been the first time, but I still hesitated a bit. I was running my hands through her mane without really paying attention to what I was doing. When I felt her breath regulate, I assumed she was asleep. I picked up her body and placed it on the small bed.

There wasn't room for two, and even if there was I wouldn't take it. I didn't want to encourage anything of that sort for sure. I couldn't just go around sleeping with other ponies when I told Rose I wasn't comfortable. Besides, I doubted Rarity was my type. Sure she was fun now, but what about when she went all high maintenance? That would be my cue to run and hide at a bar.

No, Rarity was just a good travel friend, even if her methods were rather… unorthodox. As long as she was away from it all, I could enjoy her company. However, as she ran her own business, she couldn't afford to be like that all the time. I usually make good friends with people who don't let the world drag them down.

I laid against the frame of the bed until my eyes closed of their own accord. I wasn't really tired, but it couldn't be helped. Waiting can get ever so boring.

______________

The morning sun wasn't very bright on this day. I woke up of my own accord (which is the healthiest way. Alarm clocks can mess up the sleep schedule >.<) and looked out the window. Clouds seem to cover the entire sky, and were threatening to rain all over. Rarity wasn't in her bed, and I had no choice but to wait for her.

After only a few minutes, Rarity came through the door with several bags floating behind her. One was full of fruit, my breakfast, and the other had a large black sheet in it. I began eating the food while Rarity unfolded the black sheet. Some very minor alterations later, and it was a very simple cloak.

"Well it's not my color, but I guess it'll do."

Rarity huffed and then said,

"You're welcome."

"I was just teasing. I appreciate it, anything is better than this thing."

I threw the cloak on, and my wooden bracelet returned. It had taken a liking to that form it seemed, and I couldn't really disagree.

"Now Silver, while the princesses are away, the city is still quite full. However, for the most part, the castle should be empty. I've been with you this far, so I expect some sort of explanation to what is going on."

"I'll give it to you once we are inside the castle. No time to chat now."

Rarity nodded reluctantly, and opened the door. I had finished the last of the fruit, and I followed her out. It was still relatively early, so few ponies were outside. We moved quickly through the streets, and towards the bridge.

"Rarity, how do you plan to get past the gate."

"Oh don't worry about that dear. I've got this handled. Just stay behind me would you?"

I just shrugged from behind her, and let her go first. We reached the gate and Rarity's horn glowed. I stood directly behind her. Light flowed over the both of us and hovered there for a second. Rarity once again took on the appearance of a fiery pony, and the light soon faded. Rarity called out to noone in particular,

"Excuse me. I seem to have forgotten my supplies in the castle. If you could be a dear and let me fetch them real quick, I would be ever so grateful."

The gate opened almost immediately, and a young guard jumped out.

"Uh… Hello miss. My name is Fledge, I… can uh… accompany you to get your supplies."

Rarity swooned at him and said,

"Oh that's ever so thoughtful."

I mimed a gag, but Rarity paid me no heed. It seemed that the guard couldn't even see me. His name sounded familiar to me though, and I had a hard time remembering why. He walked side by side with Rarity, and she kept a conversation going with him. I followed at a distance, making sure not to step out from behind Rarity. We entered into the main hall of the castle, which was back to its normal state.

Fledge led Rarity through a side door, and I managed to slip through behind her. After only 3 corridors we arrived in a large kitchen. Fledge turned around to face Rarity and said,

"Well here we are."

Rarity looked around the kitchen and then back at Fledge,

"If you would excuse me. A cook must never reveal her secrets right?"

Rarity gave him a wink and a nudge with her head. It was almost sad to see this poor young stallion be wooed by her. He nodded and managed to stumble out of the room. Rarity changed back to her normal color, and spoke softly to me.

"I can buy us a little time with an illusion, how much will you need."

"Probably not that much. A little friend of mine gave me some hints."

Rarity raised an eyebrow, but said nothing more. A light shone from her horn and a duplicate of her showed up in the room. She was seemingly grabbing stuff from the countertops and cupboards. She kicked a pan onto the ground, and the guard came running in. The duplicate Rarity laughed and excused herself. The real Rarity motioned for me to leave, and we left through the open door.

After a series of twists and turns that I had managed to memorize somehow, we were at what had been my room. Luckily it seemed no one had been in it, my bag of stuff was still in the corner of the room where I had left it. I dug through it and pulled out a set of nice fitting robes. I threw them on and felt around the folds. It seemed I still had my book, and the diamond thing from the wizard. I threw everything else back into the bag and slung it over my shoulder.

I led the way back to the main hall, and towards the royal throne. What seemed like only yesterday, this throne had been nearly mine. I doubted I would make a good prince though. However it had been a whole week ago, which I hoped would give me the upper hand. The upper hand in what I wasn't sure, but I was sure something would pop up.

I walked past the throne, and through the small wooden door behind it. After a few more corridors, we stopped at a spiraling staircase. It seemed to go up for awhile, but it didn't go down at all. I was faced with a wall made of the same bricks as the rest of this castle. I placed the bag on the ground and started to count the bricks on the wall. Rarity watched me in earnest as I just stared at the wall.

Then without warning, I made several jabs at the bricks. I hit a certain pattern that was much like a "T". The stairwell began to shake, and I picked up my bag. Rarity gasped as the stairs that went up seemed to slide down. They fell past us until the top of the stairs were even with us. I motioned for Rarity to go down and I said,

"Shall we?"

Rarity just nodded, mouth agape, and walked forward. She descended the stairs and I followed close behind.

"Better not close this. No way to open it from this side."

I heard Rarity swallow, but regardless she walked even faster. She had her saddlebags on, and they obscured her face. When we had been descending for about a minute she said,

"Where does this thing go?"

"To the ancient city below. Something about an earthquake or something blocking it up. I wasn't really paying attention to that part. I just know how to get in, after that I'm clueless."

"That's reassuring."

"It wouldn't be any fun if I knew what lay ahead."

"I didn't think we were supposed to be having fun."

"Of course we are! Why would we be doing this anyways?"

"Oh I don't know. Maybe because you mysteriously died, and the princess has gone crazy."

"Valid points. I suppose I should explain all that to you."

"I hope you really do have a good explanation."

We continued to walk down, and even I was getting sick of the stairs. I was disappointed there was no rail to slide down on. We continued our descent, which went into the mountain, and eventually below the lake. When we finally reached the bottom, we were faced again with a large wooden door. I put down my bag, and shoved against it. It was shut tight, but eventually I was able to bust it open.

Rarity gasped when it was out of the way, and despite knowing ahead of time, I did too. We were at the top of a hill that over looked a large sloping plateau. We came out of a small rock formation that was close to the cavern ceiling. From that point on, the plateau just sloped downwards for some time. There was an eerie light just all around, with no visible source.

Large, ancient looking, buildings sprouted up from the ground everywhere. Most of them had pieces of wall missing, or even half of the building missing. There were a few that had crumbled entirely. All the buildings were made with what looked like limestone, but I couldn't be sure. The maze they created was even worse than the city above, as most of the streets had become useless.

"What is this place?"

Rarity had yet to move, so I gave her a little push.

"I guess you could say it used to be Canterlot. Well the old Canterlot anyways."

"How did you know this was here?"

"Well some mouse man told me all about it."

"Mouse man…?"

"I suppose now is as good as anytime to explain it to you."

As we descended into the crumbling city, which was at least three times bigger than the city above, I began to explain everything to her. For the most part she listened attentively, and didn't interrupt. I covered everything from Earth to now that she didn't know about. Well anything important for the most part. When I had finished telling her about Scales and Frank the tree she said,

"Why didn't you tell us this before?"

"I really don't know. I just got a feeling that I shouldn't. Nothing too important in my opinion."

The next time she interrupted wasn't until I mentioned Morkar for the first time.

"There is another human living here without us knowing? And he's been here for 1000 years?"

"I don't really think he's human, but essentially that's the idea."

"But that's ridiculous. He would've died from old age by now."

"Like I said, I don't know much about him. Besides you've been alive for the past 1000 years too."

"Well now I know you're lying."

"No seriously, the entire planet is at a standstill. Time passes, but it also doesn't. The days past, but noone gets any older. Something about a time lock, which brings me to the most important part."

"There's more?"

"There is always more. Anyway at the center of this planet there is this thing called a peace core, not that I really know what that means. From what I've been told, it keeps that time lock in position. It's pretty much what makes this planet so happy and peaceful. Only problem is that it’s slowly breaking, so it needs to be fixed."

"What happens if it breaks?"

"Well if it slowly breaks, everything will disintegrate because the core will tear the world apart trying to suck up energy. It usually produces its own energy, but the more it breaks, the less it can produce, which means the more it has to draw from the planet. However, if it were to be destroyed quickly, the time lock would cease, and time would once again pass. The world would become much like my planet, and become much less peaceful."

"How much time until it’s completely gone?"

"I was told that I have plenty of time, but how much plenty is I'm not sure."

"So this core controls the planet?"

"Pretty much, I think it can also control the people born here. Well the things born here. Which would explain why Celestia went bonkers."

"I see."

I continued to explain about why I had suddenly vanished, and the decaying body. I also told her about what had happened after I died with the mouse man.

When I was finished with my explanation, we reached the wall that separated us from the city. The gate was still firmly shut, and there seemed to be no way past it. However, I counted some more bricks, and stopped at a place not too far from the gate. Once again, a rapid tapping in the shape of an "H" and a small section of the wall moved out of the way.

We moved into the city, and I couldn't help but look around. I entered one of the houses that was missing its top half, and Rarity called out to me,

"What are you doing? That could collapse any second!"

"It hasn't collapsed yet. Besides I am exploring, danger is a part of that."

I went inside the building, and spotted some stairs that had crumbled when the top half had slid off. There wasn't a lot that I could see, as most of it was indeed rubble.

"Should we be wasting time here?"

"We have plenty of time. We're in no hurry."

"What if you get sick again?"

"Then I'll come back again. Stop worrying and come explore with me."

"I think not. I may have gone traveling with you on a road, and I may have even helped break into the castle. However, all of those things were safe to a degree. That crumbled building looks like it will give any moment. I'm not a reckless mare you know."

I came out of the building empty handed and said,

"Could've fooled me."

Rarity stomped her hoof and said,

"What is that supposed to mean?"

I shrugged and kept walking. After another 4 houses, I still had nothing to show for my efforts. I was starting to think the place had already been cleaned out. I had no idea though who could get down here. I had to be given specific directions to come down. All of the buildings seemed the same to me in the first district. All of them were two stories, or at least used to be. The one road that I could use was the same color stone as the rest of the place. A lot of the buildings would be hard to get to from where I was because of all the rubble that had fallen down.

There was one building that had fallen onto the one next to it, and gave a great view over the district. After climbing to the roof of the first building, I managed to get on the slant of the second one. I ran up the rest of the distance, and was disappointed to see that I could only see the rest of the district. There was another wall around the next district with another gate. I climbed back down to where Rarity was waiting for me.

"Looks like we have a bit more to go. Why don't we stop here for a little bit?"

Rarity nodded, and magicked off her saddlebags. She pulled out some bread, and split it with me. I wasn't particularly hungry, but I ate anyways. I looked up at the cavern ceiling in slight concern. I hated having the rocky roof above me. It could've come down at any moment and trapped us in. Suddenly, a drip of water hit my face. I shook my head in surprise and then looked back up at the ceiling.

"What is it dear?"

"Hmm, I think we're under the lake right now."

"Oh."

"I wonder how long the ceiling will last until it collapses."

"Hopefully a bit more time."

"Oh I doubt it will be anytime soon, but still, that would be kinda cool to see."

"I suppose."

We finished the rest of the food in silence, and then picked up our stuff again. We continued walking at a leisurely pace, not too worried about hurrying. When we reached the next wall, I found a section and tapped an "E" pattern. The wall opened up to allow us passage and we went onto the next district. It was my guess that this was more of a market district, and the last one had been residential.

The buildings here were in much worse condition, and looked to be at the center of whatever had happened. None of the roads were usable, and it took a lot of detouring to get through. The buildings were probably only one story high, which was probably a good thing. If they had the towering buildings like they did in the city above, it would cause much more damage when it fell. There was obviously nothing left in this district as most of it was just piles of bricks. Only the occasional small building stood up. The streets were much wider, and I assumed market stalls used to line them. It took almost the same time to cross this district as the last one, even though it was half the size.

Without incident we reached wall to the next district. Once again I found a section of the wall and tapped a pattern in. This time it was in the shape of another "E". We walked into the third district, and I was surprised at what I saw. Almost all the buildings were still in perfect shape. They had cracks and little pieces missing, but they were all still standing.

Looking around at all the buildings, they were much more impressive than the earlier ones. Some stood taller than 5 stories, and expanded quite the distance. Rarity was looking around the same as I was and said,

"I think this is the upper district."

"Actually, I think we're lower than the other two."

Rarity just made a small huff and continued.

"I mean this is where all the "important" buildings are. The bank, post office, government buildings, and political figures' houses. Maybe a few schools and stuff like that."

"Strange that this place is lower, yet somehow avoided the destruction that ravaged the other two districts."

"These buildings might have had better structural support."

"I suppose, but not even one building has fallen. Even if whatever caused this didn't destroy them, time should have."

"Maybe buildings are affected like we are by the time lock."

"That is a possibility. I think we should explore just a little bit."

"Well it does seem relatively safe."

"To be fair, there is a potential cave in to happen any moment. This couldn't be considered safe at all."

"I would prefer if you didn't mention that."

We walked to the first building, which had three large rooms in front. The two on the side were only one story, and the center part had a domed roof above it. We went in and took a quick look around. My guess was that it used to be a bank of some sort. I deduced that from the giant vault door behind a counter with bars over it. I tried the door to get behind the counter, and to my surprise it swung open.

"Bank robbery anyone?"

Rarity came up behind me and said,

"Is it robbery if the person who owns it hasn't seen it for 1000 years?"

I shrugged, and tried to pull open the vault door. It was stuck, which meant that the security mechanisms were still working. Rarity pushed me aside and said,

"You have to be delicate with things like this."

She put her ear up to the door and tapped it. Some magic leapt from her horn and through the tiny cracks between the vault door and the wall. After she tapped it a few more times, the vault door suddenly hissed. The wheel in front spun violently and the door swung open. We both looked in with excitement, which dropped quickly. The vault was completely empty.

"So much for secret agent Rarity."

"Well a lady has her ways."

"Well if this is related to your relationship skills, I can see how you have failed to find a date."

Rarity huffed and walked out of the bank. I took one last look around the empty vault, and then followed her out. We looked through a few more buildings, and even a mansion, but all of them were empty of anything not set in stone.

"Well at least we know everyone evacuated."

"How do we know that?"

"I'm pretty sure that if the disaster happened without previous knowledge of it, there would be stuff laying around everywhere."

"What if others found this place and scavenged everything."

"It would take a bunch of scavengers and a bunch of trips to clean this place out. Besides, they would have left all the useless stuff behind. Everything, and I mean everything that was movable is gone. I assume there was plenty of time to get out, and everyone packed all their stuff up and left."

"That's feasible."

"A shame though. I really wanted to find some treasure or something."

After we looked around a bit more, we gave up on looking through the buildings. They were impressive to look at on the outside, but the inside was all the same. The last wall was now between us, and a very large building. I could just see the top of it, a glass dome. Which was very strange to see in perfect shape.

It took me longer to find the correct section of wall this time, but eventually I reached it. After an "N" pattern of taps, the wall moved aside. We entered the last district, which was up against the cavern wall. There was only one building in here, but it was a very large building. It covered more ground then even the palace above did.

Rarity looked up at it in awe and said,

"This must be the old palace."

I looked up at it and said,

"Looks like it."

We approached the front doors, which weren't very impressive, and swung them open. We looked inside, and saw large shelves everywhere. They expanded throughout the main room, far beyond where I could see. The only thing that wasn't a shelf was a stone counter to the right of the doors. There was nothing behind the counter, so I ignored it for the time being. Looking forwards, I walked into the maze of stone shelves.

Rarity who was following close behind me said,

"This is no palace."

I pulled something off the shelf, and brushed it off to reveal a large tome.

"No, it's a library."

I looked up from my book, and down the aisle I was in. I could even see then end of the shelves from my position.

"A very large library."

I took a closer look at the book I was reading, and opened it up. I blew more dust off of it, and revealed blue ink. The writing was English, or at least looked like it. I was horrible with fancy cursive type writing. I would always have to ask my teachers what they had wrote. I handed the book to Rarity, and pulled down another tome.

"The Accumulative Collection of Animals"

She magicked the book back into its place and said,

"Well we found your treasure Silver. The treasure of knowledge."

"Bull. If it doesn't shine, then it's not treasure. Although, I wonder why they would leave such a vast amount of knowledge down here."

"Maybe they couldn't be bothered to move it. There is an unfathomable amount of books here."

"I think we need to be careful not to get split up now."

"Why's that?"

"This place is massive. I think it would be easy to get lost for days down here. I don't see any obvious ways of organization, or a map of any kind. So just make sure to keep me in sight at all times."

We moved through the maze of shelves, hopefully heading in the right direction. Every once in awhile I would pull out a tome, but wouldn't be able to read the writing. I would hand it to Rarity who would look at it, and then put it back in place.

"We need to bring Twilight down here at some point."

"Are you sure dear? She may never show up again."

"Or I could tease her about it, but not let her in."

"Then you may never show up again."

"I think I could handle Twilight."

"I don't."

"Well thanks for the vote of confidence there."

"I'm just telling the truth."

After what felt like forever, we made it to the other side of the building. There were staircases going up every once in a while on this end, but that wasn't where I was heading. Rarity looked at them and said,

"There's a second floor?!"

"I think there are 3, not including the ones that go down."

"This library really is massive."

I found a door that had a stair well going down, and it didn't seem to be in bad condition. We both descended the stairs, and went into another room full of shelves. I started walking towards the other end of the room again, and pulled out books along the way. One of the ones I pulled out caught my eye though. It was rather plain looking, but had a torn up cover. I opened it up and was glad to see I could read it.

"Swirlz magic journal."

I started flipping through the pages, and eventually laid against the shelf behind me so I could read it. The handwriting was pretty shoddy, but it was more legible than the fancy cursive. I went back to the first page and began to read it out loud.

"Spell number 1: heat incurrence, useful for heating up water, or anything else. To perform this spell one must…"

After the description it gave details on how much concentration one should use, and other details on how to cast the spells. It gave some units that I didn't even remotely understand, and I realized that unicorn magic was very, very complicated. I would have to learn all about it, instead of just making it up as I went along. At first the spells were very basic, mostly to do with household things.

"Is this really the time to be reading?"

"We are in a library aren't we? Besides once we grab the core, we'll have to high tail it back to Ponyville. Where they are currently hosting my funeral. Which reminds me that I have no idea what time it is. Just pick out an interesting book and read for awhile."

Rarity complied and looked through a few books before pulling one down with magic. She laid down next to me, and began flipping the pages. I went back to reading my new magic book, and after flipping forward a bit, I found some very interesting spells.

There were some to make flowers appear, grow, or even sing. There was one to make moss grow, and another to summon a small cloud of rain. There were hundreds of spells in this one little book. Then I got to a very interesting part of the book. There was a spell listed that would let one see through walls, and it was located next to a spell that would make the user seem to be invisible. Both of these were conveniently located next to a spell about finding the nearest bathroom. I got a suspicion that this Swirlz guy wasn't the most modest of unicorns.

After reading for awhile, I exclaimed,

"I just found the best spell ever! Look here."

Rarity leaned over my shoulder and read out,

"Spell 235, the possum spell. Puts the caster in a deep sleep. Care to explain how that is the best spell?"

"Instant sleep anytime I want? I can think of so many occasions that would be useful. I'll have to get Twilight to show me how to do this."

"Ahem. I am also a unicorn capable of magic you know."

"I suppose you are, but you wouldn't teach me this anyway."

"And Twilight will?"

"It would be easier to convince her then you."

Rarity didn't say anything else, but folded up her book, and put it back.

"I think you've had enough reading time. Shall we continue?"

"Alright, let's go."

I bookmarked my page, and flipped the book closed. I put it into the folds of my robes along with the other book. I led the way to the end of the room, and looked both right and left. I spotted what I was looking for to the right. It was a small statue of a pony in guard armor. I went next to it, and counted the bricks again. When I reached the spot, I tapped a "D" into the ricks. The wall folded out, and revealed a staircase that led down.

We descended, and I got an uneasy feeling in my stomach. Not anything painful, but the feeling that something bad was about. I reached a small door, and I opened it to reveal a large hall. It was about the same size of the main hall of the castle, and had columns that went in two rows towards the other end of the room. The room was almost like a half dome in shape, and the columns varied in size depending on their location. At the end of the room was a large pedestal, that had spall spokes sticking up from it.

These spokes were lifting up a bright diamond the size of my fist with a gold ring around it. After seeing this, I pointed at it and said,

"There it is!"

Before I could move at all, there was a large crash. The very middle of the ceiling broke, and stone rained down. When the dust settled, and I was able to see again, I saw Celestia standing in the middle of the room. She was looking directly at me, and her eyes worried me. Almost the entire pupil was an image of that diamond. I took it to mean she was completely out of control.

"Yes you have finally reached it."

"So you knew about the core then?"

"Not the core."

"Then what?"

Celestia lowered her horn at me and said,

"You spelled it yourself."

It took me a moment to understand what she meant, and I heard Rarity whisper,

"The end."

______________________________________

AN: Just wanted to shout out Quilltastic who has taken up the task of pre-reading the entire thing to fix any errors. Of course, he'll Britishfy everything so I might have to go through everything after him. Also, I'll be posting interesting updates about the story on a tumblr (along with other crap). Link will be on FiM account page.

Quill here. I just have to point out that it was incredibly painful to leave the word, if it can be called such a thing, Britishfy in there. (Britishify would have been more credible. Come on) Also have alittle faith why don’t you silver?! *Huffs*

See that "alittle" right there? That's why there is little faith =P

Chapter 14

Celestia stood between me and the core, and didn't seem like she was going to move. Her eyes, nearly a perfect image of the diamond core, were narrowed right at me. Her horn was pointed at me, ready to fire. She spoke to me saying,

"I wasn't fooled by your so called death, you yourself told me about how you can come back. I don't know how you found out about the magic source, but I cannot let you take it away. Even if it means I must resort to violence."

I put my hands up and said,

"Woah, let's not get hasty now. I'm just going to repair it all right? Just a little tune up you know."

Rarity shouted from beside me saying,

"That's right! That thing is what's keeping our world so nice. However, its breaking so it needs to be fixed."

Celestia scoffed at Rarity and said,

"Is that what he told you? This jewel is the center of all magic in the world. If he takes it, we will lose it all."

Rarity looked between the two of us, unsure who to believe. It would be a tough choice for her. I had nearly proven my story, but Celestia was her princess. If she couldn't trust her, then who could she?

Trying to defuse the situation I said,

"I just want to fix the thing before the world ends up gone. Just a quick trip down to Ponyville, and an ancient wizard takes a look at it, and then we can return it."

Celestia stomped a hoof and said,

"If there really was an ancient wizard who knew more about the core than I, I would sense him."

I really didn't want to get in a fight with Celestia, especially because I knew I would lose. Unless she made a reckless move again, but for some reason I didn't think that was going to happen.

"I'll even let you hold it if you take it down there."

Celestia shook her head,

"Enough talking. I cannot allow you to hurt my subjects by taking this away."

With that she stopped talking, and sent a spell my way. I pushed Rarity aside, and dove out of the way. The spell flew by me, and blasted against the wall. She rapid fired the spells at me, and I ran around like an idiot trying to dodge them. I would leap out of the way, only to land on my face.

After only a few seconds of this, I decided that getting close would be a good idea. If I was too close to her, she couldn't aim at me. I rolled out of the way of another spell, and began sprinting at the princess. I didn't really know how to solve this besides knocking her out. The bracelet I had turned into the wooden staff, and I put it behind my back. I hit a spell with it, and was satisfied to see the spell fly off in another direction.

I ducked under one last spell, and tried to sweep Celestia's feet from under her. She jumped up, and I slid on the ground. She came crashing back down, and her hoof crushed the ground right next to my head. I heard Rarity gasp somewhere in the background. Deciding that up close wasn't such a good idea with an Alicorn, who had three conventional weapons, mouth, horn, and hooves, and I backed up quickly. The staff returned to its bracelet form to make movement room.

I was moving out of instinct alone by this time, and it was barely keeping me moving. I could tell Celestia wasn't going full at me, and that meant that I was seriously outmatched. I got an idea when I got a chance to wipe my brow. Celestia was still standing straight, firing off spells. I kept running around and dodging, but I didn’t move any closer to her. All the while, a trail of sweat began to follow me around. It was hard to keep it up while moving so much, but I was managing.

When I had enough, I flicked my hands forward, and the water strip wrapped around Celestia's front hooves. I clenched my fists, and smirked when it turned to ice. Celestia nearly fell over, but used her wings to keep balance. She reared forwards, and slammed her hooves on the ground. The ice around her legs shattered into pieces, and all the shards went flying for me.

Acting quickly, I dropped to the ground and dodged the shards. I definitely wasn't built for this type of confrontation. All this moving around was exhausting me quickly. I turned the shards back into water, and added more sweat to the collection. I stood up slowly after that, breathing hard. Celestia fired off a few more spells, and I moved my arms in a circle motion. The sweat spread out in a circle before me, and the spells clashed against the water shield uselessly.

Celestia narrowed her eyes at me, and began a steady stream of spells. I turned the water to ice and it circled me. The spells continued to ram against the ice, and I could hear it cracking. At the last moment, I shattered it myself, and sent the shards flying forward. Several spells hit me during that time, and I was thrown backwards. I landed hard against the ground, and slid back. Celestia raised a shield of light and the shards clashed uselessly against it.

I picked myself up and propped myself on my elbows. It had hurt when I landed, and I was worried that something was broken. Celestia had stopped firing, and was approaching me slowly. I tried to get back up, but my body cried out against me. Rarity jumped in front of me when Celestia got close enough. Rarity was shaking where she was standing, and was moved to the side lightly by Celestia.

Celestia towered over me, a stern look in her eye. Her horn began to glow, but this time it was a dark purple shade.

"I cannot allow you to stay here and threaten my subjects."

The spell began to grow on her horn, and it was flung at me. I couldn't move out of the way, and I felt it hit me. It didn't hurt though. I felt kind of weird, almost as if I was being lightly pushed somewhere. However my eyes were stuck closed, and I couldn't open them. I heard a loud pop, and then a small hiss. I felt the pressure lift, and I slowly opened my eyes. I gasped when I recognized where I was, and my hands immediately went to my throat. When I realized I was still breathing, my hands flopped uselessly to my side.

I was on the moon.
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Being alive being an anomaly by itself aside, I was surprised that I could breathe on the moon. I just assumed it would be like the moon by earth. However, here I could move around just fine, and it was delightfully cool. Not too hot, nor too cold. I even felt a little breeze go past. There was no grass to sway in the wind though. The appearance of the moon was about the same as the earthen one, bland with lots of craters in it.

At first, I just walked around the moon in shock. I probably stared at the planet that was what I assumed was Equestria for 5 minutes or more. The sun was also a long distance off from me. Made me wonder how Celestia moved it around. I assumed that all of space around me was filled with air. Although that didn't really help me get off the moon. One thing was for sure, I couldn't stay here for 1000 years.

I was tempted to just try jumping at the planet, but I knew that would be no good. Eventually I just sat down on a random rock, and rifled through my robes. I had 2 books, and a precious rock. Not exactly the best way to pass time. However, I knew that somehow, these things would have to be the key to my escape, unless my bracelet suddenly wanted to help out. Judging from its cold state, I was assuming it wasn't going to.

I first began looking through the book on the elements. The only elements I had around me were Earth, or more specifically moon rock, and air. Remembering what Morkar had said about the moon, I decided to seek a solution in air. Besides, moving the moon closer to the planet might be a bad idea. I flipped page after page, and was starting to lose patience. I finally found what I was looking for at the end o the section.

According to the book, on most worlds that used air magic, flying was almost impossible through elemental control alone. Reading that put a huge dent in my plan, and I nearly gave up. However, it did say that launching oneself with a jump, or using something that could catch air to fly was very common. Only problem was that both were complicated and required a lot of power.

I had a lot of power at my disposal though. I picked up the small diamond, and examined it closely. I didn't see an on switch anywhere on it, but there had to be some way to activate it. I squeezed the thing in my hand out of frustration, and I felt a tide of power wash over me. I opened my hand and looked down at it. It was nearly pulsating with energy, and I couldn't help but grin. I squeezed it hard in my hand again, and I felt huge swathes of power flood me.

In fact, I had never felt so great in my life. I felt like I could leap miles into the air, which was what I was planning on doing. Of course I would have to do it very fast as well. There was something else besides power going into me though. My mind felt like it was pulsating, which doesn't even sound right. However, at the moment, I knew a lot of things that I didn't before. It was weird in a way. I had all this knowledge, but no idea of how I gained it. I didn't read a book or hear it from somewhere, I just knew it.

I stretched my arms, and twisted my neck back and forth. Satisfying cracks resounded through the empty space, and I prepared myself. I was all glowing confidence now, which seemed like a normal thing if I'm to be honest. I did a little hop, and then a second one. However, now that I had all this knowledge, I knew that jumping back to the planet would be futile. I pulled out the other book I had, and quickly located a spell I needed. Normally, no one would be able to build up the necessary power to do such a long distance spell, but at the moment I was flooded with energy.

I put my hands together, and I felt power build up around me. When I knew there was enough, I released it in an instant. There was another loud pop, and a small hiss. I felt stone beneath my feet again, and I grinned madly. My eyes were nearly ablaze with fire, and I was ready for round two. I was back in the core room, and Celestia had a wing over Rarity's small form. They both looked at me in surprise when I came back in. Rarity looked relieved to see me, which I took as a good sign. Celestia however was glaring at me again.

I wagged a finger at her and said,

"Didn't think you would get rid of me so easily did you?"

Every second that passed by, I felt more powerful. More and more magical knowledge flooded my brain, and it felt good. I took off my shirt, and placed it on the ground. Celestia stood up, and turned to face me. She prepared a spell and it fired at me quickly. I flicked a finger and the spell flung downwards.

"Don't think it will be so easy again."

I grinned at her and she sent a steady stream of spells at me again. I spun my body around quickly, and the air around me followed my lead. It began to form a sphere around me, and the spells would go flying off when they hit the sphere. My arms were outstretched, as if I would catch more air in such a manner. It was strange, because only knowledge of air and water magic was available. One would think that with this power, I could do anything.

Celestia frowned, when none of her spells hit and she took off into the air. Her body began to pulsate more power, and I could tell she was going serious now. She flew around the air, but no spells came flying down. The air around me slowly died down, and I waited for her to do something. Suddenly a crack appeared in the ceiling, and water began rushing at me. The front of it formed into icicles ready to spear me against the wall.

However, she had just supplied me with the one thing I really needed. Which was of course, water. I once again spun around, but this time it was the water than swirled in a spiral around me. As I was spinning, I would clench my fists and then throw my arms outward.

This caused small icicles to continuously shoot out of the water sphere and head towards Celestia. However, while she was in the air, she had plenty of room to move. I stopped spinning, and icicles stopped shooting out. The water rush had stopped as suddenly as it had started. With the water I had left, which was a sizeable amount, I created a wave for me to float on.

I stood on a patch of ice as the water went around the room in a stream. I was at the front, almost as if I was surfing. I continued to go around the room, slowly going higher. It was at this point that I was starting to feel faint, but not because I was tired. The power was starting to become over bearing. Rarity had made herself into a small huddle on the ground, trying to avoid the magic flying around. Celestia reared back and beat her wings several times. She drew in breath and then pointed her horn at me. Fire began to fly out, and I kicked my feet up and spun around.

The water took the hit, and a large chunk of it evaporated. I fell back to the ground and landed softly. I was still flooding with power, and it didn't seem to be letting up anytime soon. My leg was also burning like crazy. Upon closer inspection, I saw that I still had the fire scar, strange that I would still have it after dying. I reached my hands out and felt all around me.

Any small amount of water hidden, suddenly collected in front of me. I threw it around the entire room, and the entire floor was soaked with it. Celestia was still in the air, out of reach. I turned towards my bracelet, and it turned back into a staff. I headed at the wall at a run, and I felt the air beneath me pick up.

When I reached the wall, I put a foot on it. I smiled when I continued to run up the wall. I wasn't going super speed or anything, but I was going at a decent pace. When I reached close to where Celestia was, I jumped at her. Her face was in shock, and she barely managed to get out of the way. She flew lower to the ground, and the staff revered back to a bracelet. While Celestia hovered close to the floor, I began to run down the other wall. I kept flinging my clenched fists in the air, and soon an icicle path towards Celestia began to form.

As the path neared her, the icicles began to get bigger and bigger. They were about the size of my body by the time they reached the princess.. She once again barely managed to get out of the way, and nearly fell to the ground. The icicles continued to follow her around, and it was all she could do to dodge. As I ran around the room, I made chopping motions at her. Slices of air continued to assault the princess, and she began to falter.

At this point, I could barely comprehend what I was doing. Everything had just become instinct with all that power and knowledge flowing though me. I just let it do all the work, and I barely even had to think. The princess nearly fell to the ground, and I knew I had her. I threw my arm out with my palm outstretched. A blast of air hit her hard, and she hit a wall. A crack went out, and the dust flew off the wall.

I stopped moving, and stood over Celestia. She was still awake, but her breath was short. A sphere of air formed in my hand and I drew it back. I could hardly even think anymore. Everything was just so automatic, and it felt so good. I wasn't flowing with power anymore, I was power. I was the very embodiment of magical force.

Before I could bring my arm down again, I was tackled to the side. Rarity slammed into my body and she shouted at me. When we came to a stop she looked into my eyes and said,

"That's enough Silver, you need to calm down."

I heard what she said, but I couldn't understand why this strange pony was stopping me. I had come to defeat the princess, and she was getting in the way. I brought my hand forward, and the sphere of air smashed into Rarity's stomach. She cried out as she went flying away from me. The sound of her cry woke up the small bit of me that was still around.

I realized that I could barely even control my body any more. It was like it had gotten a mind of its own. I had to struggle to stop myself from taking another step. I wasn't going to be able to fight much longer either. All that power, and it still hadn't slowed down in growing.

Seeing that I had become my own enemy, I had the perfect spell in my arsenal. Now that I had the knowledge to cast it, I could end this right now. I clapped my hands together, and used the last bit of my consciousness to form some magic, and released it quickly. Suddenly my body hit the floor and everything went black.
____________________________________

"Oooh, bad move."

"Good idea, but it was a no go."

I had a bad feeling about what was happening. I could no longer feel my body, but I was once again conscious. I picked myself up off of nothing, and glanced around. It seemed every time I wound up in this place, something even weirder was going on. This time there was a large couch and a few chairs that around 7 men were sitting in. They all looked like that mouse man I had met earlier, except each one's skin was a different color.

Adjusting to the sight of nothing but furniture, I walked over to them. The normal looking one waved me over to his chair. It expanded into a loveseat and I sat down next to him. He patted me on the back and said,

"Nice try champ."

I shook his hand off and said,

"What do you mean? And why am I here if I'm asleep?"

One of the other mouse men, a red one, said,

"Hate to break it to ya, but you're dead mate."

I feel like that would have more effect if it was my first time.

"I just cast a sleep spell though."

The mouse man next to me said,

"Which in normal cases puts you to sleep. However, when your body realized your consciousness wasn't aware anymore, it kicked you out."

I looked at him and said,

"I didn't even know that was possible."

"Once you used that shard, it became inevitable. I should've warned you about that. Your body is essentially dead at the moment. It's just a conduit of magic now. Completely inhabitable by any soul."

"So I should just jump back in there."

All of the mouse men laughed and one said,

"You would be right back here in a second."

One of them pointed forwards and said,

"Shh, he's coming to again."

I looked at where the man was pointing, and I almost gasped. A large opening in the nothing, was showing a limestone floor. Suddenly the view moved up and was looking at the body of a large horse. A hand came into view, and pushed against the ground.

"Change the view would you?"

Two of the mouse man fought over something, and suddenly the hole in front of us changed. I could see the form of Celestia struggling to get up, and what was worse, is that I saw my own body approaching her. I was a scary sight I have to admit. My eyes were literally ablaze with energy, and my clothing was moving rapidly in an invisible wind. Cracks sounded out from my body, and my face put on a grin. I noticed that the bracelet had vanished from his arm.

It was really weird to watch my body move around. It wasn't like watching a recording of yourself, because I had no memory of what the body was doing. Even worse that I knew it was just a shell now. A very deadly shell at that. One look around me told me that the rest of the mouse men were glued to what might as well be a TV.

I stood up and said,

"I got to get back in there."

I was pulled back down into the seat, and the mouse man said,

"To what purpose? Just watch and see if you can formulate a strategy. Besides you were blocking the view."

I turned to face the screen, and watched intently. I'll refer to my body as me simply to make things easy, but just know that I wasn't actually in control.

__________________

After I had picked myself up off the floor, I had formed another ball of air in my hand. I approached Celestia with a grin on my face, and prepared to shove it into her. Before I could though, there was a large crashing sound, and the room shook. I nearly lost my balance, and I glared upwards.

Rocks descended from another hole in the ceiling, as did several shapes. Luna descended from the air, along with 7 guards, two of which were of the night guard. They forced me away from Celestia's body, and blocked me off. Two of the soldiers kept me busy while Luna sent a soft purple glow over Celestia's body. Celestia got to her feet, and seemed to be no worse for wear. They were talking to each other, but I couldn't hear what they were saying.
________________

Back to where I really was, sitting with the mouse men, one of them said,

"Because using the hole already there would be a ridiculous idea."

Some of the mouse men chuckled at this, and I said,

"Well now the body is screwed. Now way it can take on both princesses and 7 guards."

One of them said,

"I'm not so sure. That thing is the embodiment of magic on that world. It can probably come up with something."

One of the others said,

"Not in time though."

"Want to bet on that?"

After that, the mouse man went crazy. The screen had come to a pause as the men scrambled to place their bets. It was slightly amusing, yet somewhat horrifying. They were betting on lives after all. The screen resumed play after they had finished.

_____________________

I looked at the small force assembled before me, and grimaced. There was no way I could take them all on like this. They would physically force me down regardless of magic used. I jumped back a little, and using a combination of dangerous knowledge and extreme power, formed a few hand signs. When I landed, I shouted out a single word,

"Air!"

For a few seconds nothing happened, but suddenly, my legs and arms burst apart. Pieces of flesh and muscle flew away from me. However they stopped only a foot away from me. The ponies looked on in horror, and made no move to stop me. Fast swirling air formed around my exposed bones, and began to swirl faster and faster. When I was satisfied, the flesh and muscle came back together. My arms and legs bulged as they got used to the magical implants.

____________________________

There was a collective "OOOOOH" as the body blew apart. I was shocked at this display, and even more shocked when the body reformed. The mouse men exchanged more quick words and placed more bets. I had no idea what the body had just done, but it looked incredibly painful. I was glad that I was no longer in it.

______________________________

After I threw off the pain, I clenched my fists in anticipation. The new magical implants would make things very interesting. 5 of the guards didn't have horns, so it was likely that they would attack head on. I waited for them to move, and it wasn't until one of them screamed and charged that anyone else moved. The 5 guards charged me, and I waited till the last moment. One reached me first, and I did a back flip from him. The air that followed my feet was amplified, and he was thrown backwards. Two more came at me after that, but I quickly moved behind them. Faster than they could move, I grabbed them by their armor, and twirled them around. I threw them at the other two who were still coming at me.

They all clashed in a heap, and regrouped. Now that they wouldn't foolishly attack, things would be a lot more fun. They charged at me in a pre planned formation and I waited. One jumped over me, and tried to kick me from behind. I ducked, and put my hand on the ground. I kicked out while he was still in the air, and he went flying again. Three of them came next, and attacked me from three different sides. I dodged easily, and swung arms in a swirl. A thin line of air trailed behind my hands, and I spun around violently. My hand would narrowly miss a guard, but the air would send him flying.

The five of the pegasus guards kept up their attack, but they were way too slow. By the time they made a move, I had already moved positions. Thanks to the implants, I could move much quicker, and was much lighter. After I had continuously thrown the guards around for awhile, the unicorn guards stepped up. Two of them were of the night guard, and they lowered their horns at me. Rapid spell fire flew towards me, but it was still too slow. I was able to dodge the continuous stream of spells, and repel the guards.

_________________________________

As I watched the guards get thrown around, it was hard not to route for myself. I just had to remember that my body was actually an enemy at this point. Watching my body move at speeds that should've been impossible was entertaining though. I turned to the mouse man and said,

"How is it moving that fast?"

"Magical implants of an elemental variety, favored by mages who couldn't really do much physical activity. Basically he's filed his body with violently moving air, and is controlling that air to move so quickly, a whole different way of moving around really."

"That seems a bit unfair…"

"While magical implants are very advantageous in some cases, like most magic, they come at a price. Should one of the legs or arms get cut deeply, they will violently explode. Except this time, they won't reform. I'm surprised it decided to use such a technique instead of something to do with the stone."

"Well I never really used earth magic."

"That would explain it then."

"It would?"

"When you use magic for the first time, it opens up that kind of energy for you to use. You can use that energy in new ways, and open up new paths. However, once a body is like this one, it can no longer open up new paths. It can only use magic of the type, or elements previously used. That would also explain why it isn't throwing fire balls around."

I nodded at his explanation, and looked back at the screen.

________________________

I was getting bored of the guard’s repetitive attacks, and wanted something new. Throwing them around had been fun, but now it was getting tiresome. I threw all the guards against a wall with a heavy swiping kick. The air from such a kick was what sent them all flying. Only the princesses were able to resist the blow. While I waited for them to do something, I stretched my arms above my head. I began to spin again, and water began to come out of the air, and form around me.

Suddenly the two princess split apart and went in different directions. I felt them trying to control the water I had, but that wasn't going to work. I kept building up the amount of water I had, as they prepared an attack.

When I had enough water, I made it form a bubble around myself. Long tentacles of water extended from the bubble, and waved about. The two princesses dived at me, with light shinning from their horns. I sent tentacles after them, but they easily cut through them with their horns. However, I kept sending them out, and was eventually able to grab hold of Luna. I swung her around, and smashed her against Celestia. They managed to untangle themselves, and came at me again. This time they shot beams of light at me, and I had to drop the water to move out of the way. One of the beams narrowly cut my leg, and I sighed out of relief.

However, I paid for dodging by getting grabbed by Luna. Celestia was flying behind her, and Luna threw me at a wall. I smacked against it, and Celestia smashed against me. I held in my scream, and bit my lip hard. Blood started to seep into my mouth, and I got angry. The power and knowledge was still flowing into me, and I was going to destroy those two.

Suddenly, a fireball went past my leg, and I had to grab by leg as it burned. Strange as the ball missed me completely. I shook off the pain, and brought a wave of water to cover me again.

_________________________

I stood up off my chair and shouted,

"That's it!"

All the mouse men looked at me in confusion and one said,

"Huh?"

"I know how to take my body down. It's not using fire magic because that would cause self harm."

The mouse men conversed with each other, and then one said,

"If a large enough amount of fire was concentrated on that mark, then it would have the same effect as a deep cut."

The rest nodded in agreement, and I said,

"Well now all I got to do is get in there."

The bracelet suddenly turned back into the ornate sword, and I grinned. It was finally working with me to the fullest. I slashed downwards thinking of my destination and a hole appeared.

"No need to be so violent."

I ignored the voice, and tried to go through the hole. I was surprised when the hole refused to let me in.

______________________________________

With my new wave of water I formed more tentacles of water. However, at the end of these, ice claws formed. The princesses were still flying around me, and I kept missing my swipes. However, it was all they could do to dodge. While they were kept busy with those, I began to coat the ground with water.

___________________________________________

"What's going on here?"

"Tch, young people these days. Go around cutting holes instead of opening them. Then they try and create multiple of the same form on one world."

"What?"

The regular mouse man said to me,

"While your body is still intact on that world, you can't use it. If the body was still inhabitable, aka alive, you would be able to jump into it again. However, your body is currently going through a meltdown of sorts. If the dead body is destroyed, by fire or whatever, it can then be created again. Imagine if you just walked up to your own corpse with the same body. You'll have to use a different form for now."

I thought about this for a few seconds and then nodded.

"I know exactly what form to use."

The mouse men began talking fast most likely making more bets. For the first time, I thought about what form I would want as I walked through the hole.

___________________________

(At this point, first person pronouns refer to Silver, and not the body that's fighting.)

I felt good. Really, really good. I was on fire, but in a good way. It was a pleasing burning sensation that made me feel all warm and tingly. It was like truly being alive. Not only that, but I felt extremely strong too. My powerful limbs could destroy a building in one swipe if I wanted. I raised a leg to test it, and brought it down quickly. The earth around me shook, and rocks went flying. I nearly hissed in satisfaction.

I felt new appendages on my back, and I tested them out extensively. It felt normal to move them oddly, although I never had them before. I also now had a tail which felt immensely powerful as well. I swung it a few times, and was satisfied that I could control it. I moved out of the dark cave I was in and out into the light. I could see Canterlot from where I was, and I was eager to go.

For one last test I lifted my head upwards, and gave a mighty roar. Billowing fire shot out of my mouth and up into the sky. It’s crimson flames lit up the ground around me, and nearly screamed danger. I closed my mouth, and the fire stopped. The warm feeling spread throughout me, and it felt amazing. I spread my wings, and for the first time ever, I took off in flight.

________________________________

Chapter 15

Dragons have lots of various weapons to use in battle. The most notable one of course being the ability to breath fire. After that though, there are the claws, teeth, and horns to deal with. Even after those, there is still a very powerful tail. However, after being a dragon, I can tell you that the wings are the most powerful part of a dragon. Those wings have to lift the body of the dragon and are filled with muscle. I would hate to be hit with one of those. It's just a good thing that wings can't really be swung around.

Now I wasn't a dragon that was normally depicted in the show, one that stood upright. I had four equal sized legs, covered in green scales. My body stretched a good distance, and my head was rather flat. If anything, I was an oversized lizard with wings. Which is really what a dragon is I guess, besides the fire anyways.

I took flight out of a cavern that was embedded in the side of a mountain. I could see Canterlot in the distance, which was a stark contrast to the brown mountain behind me. It shone in the sun, just as my scales did. The light was nearly blinding, but I flew on.

Flying was a rather extraneous effort, and I nearly fell several times. I cast a great shadow on the ground, and animals below me scurried to get out of the way. It felt good to beat my wings, as if power was surging through me. It only took a few minutes to reach the castle, but I was presented with a problem. I wasn't exactly going to be able to follow the same path to the underground city as I had last time.

I hovered in the air, string down at the castle and the lake below me. My reflection was kind of scary I must admit. I could only think what the city ponies must be doing right then. Most likely screaming and running around. While I tried to figure out how to get down, I landed on one of the towers of the castle. I slipped off the first time, but the second time I was able to dig my claws in. Pieces of stone broke off and fell into the water. I watched it ripple out and spotted something on my head.

I had several horns that jutted out from my head, but circling one of them was a small wooden bracelet. I chuckled inside my head at the sight, but my expression remained the same. I assumed a dragon's smile wouldn't look so happy. After some time, I was hit by a great idea.

I leapt back into the air, and began to ascend into the clouds. Once I felt I was high enough, I locked my wings. Hoping that it wouldn't hurt too much, I began to plummet. Aiming for the center of the lake, I fell with legs flailing. The water in the lake moved out of the way at my command and built up in a circle. With just land in the way, I stretched my legs out.

Then the moment of impact came. Surprisingly, it didn't even hurt. I'm not even sure if I felt it. A resounding crash echoed out, and I smashed through the ground. To my satisfaction, I fell through the thin layer of ground. The old city was revealed for one moment before several things happened. For the first time in a long time, the sun beamed down on the old buildings. The chunks of the roof fell down along with the lake water. From below the ground also cracked and blew apart. Gigantic icicles rose up to meet me, and I was able to spot my evil rouge body (the ERB). I also managed to spot several bodies being thrown into the air.

I won't lie to you guys, I'm not a fighter. So far I had managed to survive… well in a sense, but that was just really luck. A dash of instinct too. I had believed earlier that I was a decent fighter. And in the case of a guy with a stick, I think I would manage fairly well. However in a case with pony princesses with magic AND big sticks, well… I was just hoping for an outcome. Indeed, much of the battle to come was me making split second decisions based off instinct alone.

This wasn't some dumb high school fight usually fought over some pointless reason. This wasn't even life or death really, as I had proven to myself at least, life comes after death. However, the mind is a powerful thing, and while sometimes it may not seem like it, it is a physical part of the body. It's just as inclined to keep the body alive, as it really is a part of it. So saying I felt no fear, or that I was thinking everything through, that would just be lying.

As you read try and remember that at the time, I had no idea what was going on. So as everything is described to you over a long time, know it only took moments for the event to pass. Action was taken before the entire situation was known.

I smashed one icicle to bits as I landed and crushed two neighboring buildings to dust. I watched the pony bodies hit the ground, but was unable to tell who they were. My vision was much more accurate, but I was pretty sure I was missing a few colors. Deciding that worries could come later, I let out another roar. It echoed out, and I felt pretty bad ass when the rest of the icicles shattered. The ERB turned and looked directly at me . It no longer had eyes, but instead the eye sockets were ablaze with silver energy.

I was surprised when it raised a single finger in a rude gesture. It took the moment, and headed right for me. The ERB moved extremely fast, almost too fast to see. It leapt from the ground onto the side of a building. It ran across the side of the building and then into the air. As it hovered above me, I drew in my breath.

It began to fall, and I released a torrent of fire. The fire spiraled towards the ERB, but somehow it moved to the side. It's face looked rather panicked, and I was glad to see that it was shaken. It didn't charge me again, and I took its hesitation as an advantage. As I opened my mouth to spew more flames, the ERB twisted its arms.

Suddenly water poured from the ground into my open mouth. I had tried to stop it using my own magic, but I wasn't very good at draconic magic yet, even with the aid of my old bracelet. The fire inside of me was doused, and I felt rather sick. Before I felt all warm and cozy, now I felt nauseous and rather heavy. I could barely even lift my tail without tremendous effort. A pitiful amount of steam erupted from my mouth. A sickening laugh echoed from the ERB, a very empty laugh. Now that I had been… doused, the ERB had no trouble getting close to me.

It charged at me again, and I tried to swipe one of my claws at it. I missed horribly, and it made a kicking motion at my head. I felt a very fast breeze, but nothing near enough to make me move. If I knew how to laugh as a dragon, I would have at that moment. However, I was still feeling rather out of it.

Instead of giving up, the ERB began to run around me, somehow avoiding all the fallen debris. I kept trying to hit it, but I wasn't going very fast. Eventually all I could see was a blur, and I felt the air beneath me stir. At first I thought this was futile, but when I felt one of my claws lift up, I got worried. The sick feeling was beginning to clear, but it still wasn't enough.

Eventually, the winds around me were moving at super speed, and I couldn't even see anything. Suddenly, I was picked up off the ground and thrown up. A tornado of air held me up, and the ERB suddenly popped into view again. I was in a vertical position, and the ERB smashed right into my stomach. His fist was covered in violently swirling air, and I was thrown violently back into the ground. However, as he hit me, I emptied my stomachs contents upon the ERB, which was mostly water.

Although smashing into the ground had hurt, it was worth it. I felt heat begin to spread throughout my body again. That pleasing sensation burned in my chest, and I was ready for round two. Pretending to still be sluggish, I up righted myself. the ERB approached me slowly, with a smirk on its face. It looked even less human now, with energy pouring from its mouth and nostrils. I moved suddenly, and was able to grab hold of it with one claw. Wasting no time I smashed it into the ground and dragged it across in a circle.

I thought for sure that would be the end, but when I picked up my claw again I saw that the body was still fine. In fact it had a thin coating of ice all over it. I wasn't even sure if I had hurt it at all. Suddenly the body was no longer in my claws. It was moving all around, seemingly punching me. Small ounces of pain hit me all over the place.

I thrashed wildly, as if trying to swat a mosquito. Which was what I was really doing in all honestly. Eventually my tail made contact, and I heard a satisfying crack. It was only the ice armor, but at least I had done something. I had to turn around to see the body smashed into the ground. Before it could disappear again, I snatched it in my claws.

I took off into the air and flew through the hole in the roof. Once I reached the height of the castle, I came charging back down into the old city. As I smashed into the ground a dust cloud went out into a circle. A few more buildings crumbled from the shockwave, and dust was scattered into the air. Silence settled for just a moment, and then I groaned as I picked myself off the ground.

To my very unsatisfaction, the ERB was perfectly fine. Well at least in the being able to move department. Some of the ice on the head had fallen apart and I could see behind it. Instead of my face, all I could see was blinding energy. I wasn't even sure if there was much of a body left. Regardless, the ERB was pissed. It slowly stood up off the ground and glared at me. One of the eyes was still intact, even if energy was pouring out of it. A narrow slit was glaring at me, and it spoke volumes of anger.

The ERB jumped away from me, and stood on top of a tall building. It let out a roar of its own, which was eerily hollow. The energy that had been pouring from every hole was suddenly sucked back up. I could see air around the ERB began to collect small ice particles as it swirled around the ERB. The air formed a small coating over the ERB's body, and it let out a hollow laugh.

Before I could even move, the ERB was suddenly in front of my face. Its arms were moving so fast and its palms connected with my head rapidly over and over again. it didn't really hurt, but I was being pushed upwards. Eventually I was standing on my back legs and the ERB was hovering in the air hitting my stomach. It still didn't hurt, but I couldn't force my body to go down.

The ERB did a back flip while hovering in the air, and that's when it all went downhill. Or uphill rather, as I was launched into the air. The ERB fell back to the ground as I flailed in the air. It didn't stay there for long, and it used its twice magically empowered legs to launch itself into the air at a blinding speed. It continued to pummel me with blows to my underside. I was continuously pushed upwards, but these blows were starting to hurt. For the second time we went up through the hole in the ceiling, up past the castle, and into the evening sky.

For one single moment, I hovered in the air, at peace almost. Then the ERB appeared above me, and drew back both arms. With a mighty shove, I was thrown back towards the ground. I could see the ERB above me as I fell. It was spinning upside down rapidly, with its head pointed at me. The ice that had been swirling around it formed a large ice spike on the head.

Before I became dragon shish kabob, I drew in my breath. I let out a torrent of fire as the ERB headed right for me. It flew through the fire, and I heard several pops, but I couldn't see anything. Something made impact with my stomach, and I was launched even faster to the ground. We missed the already made hole in the lake, and made a whole new one.

After smashing through that my speed was greatly reduced, but it wasn't enough. I smashed into the streets of the old city, and made a hole in those too. I finally stopped falling when I reached the chamber of the peace core. I landed almost right next, and was able to get a glimpse of it up close. It was a beautiful thing, and was teeming with energy. You could feel it humming from anywhere in the room. If you are wondering what that means, go find an electrical generator outside some apartments or the like. Almost like feeling of being near one of those, but much more intense.

I laid on the ground, not really in the mood to move just yet. My mental capacity, which had been miles behind, finally caught up with me. The entire time, I had been counting on dumb luck to see me through the day. Now it seemed like a really stupid idea, but even I have to admit, that was pretty bad ass. I had been flying around and smashing things like any awesome hero should.

From where I was I could see the ERB. It was missing an arm and a leg, but gore didn't litter the room. In fact, it looked like the arm and leg had been amputated a long time ago. The wounds didn't bleed and were perfectly healed. Besides the fact that a leg and arm were missing anyways.

It slowly picked itself up, and fell over again. It seemed like whatever had been happening was finally over. I had let myself go to instinct awhile ago, and dragons have pretty fierce instinct. It was surprising I didn't feel the urge to eat the ERB. Eating myself may have given me some serious indigestion.

The ERB, still determined to… do whatever it was going to do, started crawling towards me. I started to move as well, but stopped when the ERB stopped. It had laid its head in a puddle of water, and rested there. Its arm reached out and touched the water, and the water rippled out in answer. I waited for something to happen, and was not forced to wait long. The ERB used its one hand to make some signals, and then in a monotone voice, neither strong nor weak, said,

"Water"

At first nothing happened, and I sighed in relief. After I sighed, almost as if the water knew what was happening, the water began to wrap around the two stumps of the ERB. It continued to wrap, until there was a blob at the end of each stump. The blobs took shape into an arm and leg, and then turned to ice. The ERB, admiring its new limbs, stood up once more, and punched a nearby pillar. It cracked, but did not shatter. Satisfied, if not a bit disappointed, the ERB then focused on me.

Once again I sighed, but this time because I was still not done. However, before I could move again, the ERB fell to its knees. I stood on all four legs again, ready, but confused as to what was going on. It seemed to almost cry in pain as water flowed into its mouth. I just stared, hopelessly lost to any idea of what was going on. For another few seconds, nothing happened. Then a loud crack, and two icy stumps erupted from the ERB's back. Blood didn't spew out, but sparkles did.

My jaw almost dropped in disbelief when wings of water unfurled from the icy stumps. This thing had way too many tricks up its sleeve. Then again, I guess that was partly my fault, even if it was out of ignorance. The ERB picked itself up once more, and gave me what must have been a wicked smile. I wasn't really sure, as half its mouth didn't exist anymore.

Throwing mental awareness to whatever dark corner caution was at, I drew in breath again. I was unable to spew flames though, as I had a fist of ice in my throat. Opposed to the punches of air that had stung at best, this punch really hurt. I couldn't imagine what it would be like if I didn't have scales. Before I could even register the punch, the ERB was on my back, and tearing at one of my wings. Pain racked through me as it tried to rip off the wing. In a classic move, I tried to smack it with my tail, but only managed to hit myself.

I took a blind swipe, and got a clawful of air. The ERB hovered in place, its wings beating slowly. The regular arm rose and was clenched into a fist, the arm of ice hung limp. It didn't have a five fingered hand, but more of a three prong claw. I wasn't sure if the digits could bend or not, but it wasn't out of the question.

I shook myself a little, trying to prepare myself, but it did no good. The longer the ERB drew breath, if it even breathed anymore, the more powerful it became. That was what I assumed anyway, I wasn't sure if there was a limit to the power it could obtain. The one trick I had was used up, and it had little effect. There seemed to be no way to win now, but there wasn't much else I could do. If I had been thinking clearly, I guess running away may have sounded like a good idea, but that wasn't going to happen. Human instincts may be to run away, which is a fairly useful survival technique, but a dragon has no such instinct. Dragons are the top of the chain, and everything else runs from them. If something doesn't cower in fear, or even fights back, it's only instinct for a dragon to pummel the shit out of the thing.

Tired of waiting for something to happen, I let loose a stream of fire at the ERB, but it moved out of the way fairly quickly. It landed on the ground and closed its wings. It seemed that it couldn't fly for very long. I lunged at it, but bit into thin air. The ERB started spreading water all over the ground as it flew around me in circles. As it flew, I tried to hit it with swipes of my tail, or bouts of flame. However, my aim was horrible and I never hit once. The ERB took off into the sky, and raised both its arms. I looked around me to see that the water beneath me glowed. It rose up and around me, and soon I was in a glob of water. After the ERB clenched its hands, the water began to freeze.

I let loose a stream of fire, intent on evaporating anything wet near me. It somewhat worked, and the water that was left splashed back down to the ground. Before I could catch my breath, I had to clumsily move to the side. Icicles hailed down on me, and they didn't seem to be stopping. Most shattered uselessly against my scales, only leaving a small sting. I had to watch to make sure my eyes didn't get speared though. At least I wasn't the only one having no success.

We both stood still for awhile, acknowledging the stalemate for a second. Then the ERB touched the ground in two places, and water pooled there. After large puddles had gathered, they took a rough human shape. Then they both gained the features of my human body, only lacking the nice looking smile. They were smiling alright, but it was the smile that said bad things were going to happen. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I complained about how I never saw mention of any of this awesome magic. I also made a note to learn these tricks.

The two clones ran at me, normal speed thankfully. They didn't seem to have the magical implants, and I wasn't complaining about that. One was turned back into water the moment he reached me as my claw smashed down on it. I winced slightly at smashing myself into the ground. The other maneuvered around my tail, narrowly avoiding losing its head. It jumped on my back, and one of its arms turned into a rather sharp looking icicles.

While I struggled with the clones, the ERB set about making more. Moving rapidly around the room, clones began to form everywhere. They all bore down on me, and even though 5 of them would go down with one swipe, 10 more would take their place. I had never been so upset to see myself until this point. It was actually becoming pleasant to smash my smiling face into droplets. That thought unsettled me even more than I was.

This continued on for awhile, clones charging uselessly at me. Most wouldn't get near me due to be evaporated, and the ones that did get past usually got smashed. The lucky one that got through would find a spot and try to stab through my scales. That of course didn't work, but they weren't giving up. I kept swinging, and soon the ground around me was very wet from destroyed clones. They never stopped coming, but the numbers seemed to be letting up.

While I fought on with the horde, the ERB concentrated on a much bigger summoning. As the water around me began to pool, it clasped its hands together. In a classic moment, the ERB's remaining hair started to fly upwards. Small chunks of rock lifted into the air around it. Then it pointed at me with its good hand, and a small light shot towards me. It hit me in the rather large area of my chest. A few more clones were crushed under my claws while the water that was around me started to rise. Once again, it covered me, but much more tightly this time. I wasn't sure if the ERB was trying to make a dragonscicle, but I wasn't about to let that happen. I tried to evaporate the water with fire, but It proved hard for me to maneuver my head into the right place. Besides any water that was evaporated was replaced with more. Once I was covered completely, the water glowed a brilliant blue, and then flowed off of me.

Relieved that I wasn't frozen, I took a second to breath. I quickly changed pace when three more clones jumped in front of my head seemingly from nowhere. The pooled water retreated across the room, and began to glow there. While the three clones were enveloped in fire, it began to take shape. When all was said and done, I was staring at a copy of myself, but this time, in my current form. I had a feeling this one wouldn't go splat as easily. It roared at me, and I roared at it, or me rather. It was almost like looking into a mirror, if that mirror was intent on killing you anyways.

Instead of fighting in the now cramped core chamber, I flew out through one of the holes in the ceiling, and past the ancient city. Once again in the sky, but this time in a darker setting, I took a deep breath. I only got a moment repose to gaze in wonder at the city of Canterlot. It wasn't lit up like Vegas or New York, but it was filled with light anyways. Small balls of light hovered over the city, lighting it up fairly well. A large ball hovered over the castle, providing enough light for me to spot my copy flying straight at me.

When this was all over, it would take quite some time to explain what happened on that day/night. At first the citizens saw a dragon latch on to the castle somewhat clumsily. Then it smashed through the lake, revealing another city. Then two of the same dragon flew and fought in the skies much later.

The only difference between me and the copy, was that the copy dragon didn't have eyes. Instead, it had blue globes in the eye sockets, revealing its true nature. At first, we just cashed against each other, and then broke off. Nothing was being accomplished, and the scales proved to be too tough for claws or teeth. After a small bit of aerial combat, I managed to land on the back of my copy. I wrapped my front claws around its wings, and closed tightly. Unable to fly anymore, we plummeted once again. I could swear I could hear a broken record playing or something. The events seemed to repeat themselves, in slightly different ways.

This time we managed to miss the empty lake, and crashed into a few trees. They groaned in protest as they were ripped from the ground. I was unable to hold on, regardless of my powerful limbs. I landed on the ground, an turned to face the clone. It was busy picking itself up off the ground, but managed to spare the time to glare at me. Instead of being chivalrous, I just blasted the thing with fire. It was satisfying to see my fire actually hit something, and cover it. The fire was like a great wave that crashed against the face of the other dragon. It split after hitting the face, and several times afterwards. I continued to let loose, but I could feel the need to let up. It was like I had exhaled for too long, and I was running out of breath. Which made sense if I thought about it.

Eventually the fire ceased to light up the sky, except for the small flames that littered the ground. Those were soon stomped out by the clone dragon as it thrashed about. It seemed as if the fire had some sort of effect, if only to antagonize it. After it finished stomping about, it turned to face me with even more hate in its eyes. Which was quite an accomplishment, as it lacked pupils.

We slowly circled each other only for a few moments. The clone leapt as soon as it got a chance, latching its mouth to my neck. The teeth were stopped by the scales, but I could still feel them. We were evenly matched, at another stalemate it would seem. I was just glad the ERB had yet to show up again. If I had to deal with it, and this clone thing, I wouldn't last very long. Under the assumption they could manage to get past the scales anyways.

My tail managed to connect with the clone's head and it let go quickly. It backed up, rearing its head. It let out a roar of pain, which I was quick to answer. It hadn't occurred to me yet, but I hadn't actually spoken a word as a dragon. I had roared, which I suppose is speaking in one way, but normal speaking of any kind had yet to come.

Suddenly, a torrent of blue fire was heading for me. I turned my head away, and the fire clashed against me. I realized that it wasn't actually fire, but water in the shape of fire. How that worked I wasn't really sure, but I gave up asking such questions a long time ago. Once the water had stopped splashing against me, I was careful not to let any in my mouth, I turned to face the clone again.

I could only think of two viable options at the moment, both of which would be a challenge. The dragon clone had to be dealt with, and it was pretty much invulnerable. The good thing is that meant I was as well. However, it did have two points of weakness, the eyes and the mouth. If a torrent of water inside me could make me feel like crap, then what would a torrent of fire do to my enemy?

I lunged at the clone, a claw aiming for its left eye, but it just caught the leg in its mouth. It didn't bother biting down, but shook its head violently. After feeling like my arm was going to be ripped off, it finally let go. My leg was sore, and didn't feel like it was going to be useful. Going for option two, I drew in a large gulp of air. The clone did the same, and we both released at the same time.

Blue and yellow flames clashed against each other, and steam rose above. They clashed between me and the clone, neither one giving an inch. The fires seemed to twist and turn, as if filled with their own life. This continued on for a few seconds, an oddly beautiful combination of fire and water, that looked like fire, lighting up the area. Both torrents ceased at the same time, and I closed my mouth reluctantly. Small amounts of fire escaped from between my teeth, and I snorted. Black smoke rose up, and for a second, clouded my vision.

Several more clashes of fire and claws later, and nothing had been accomplished. Except for a small feeling of exhaustion anyway. Seemed this body had a bit more stamina then my old one. Then again, I wasn't moving nearly as much. That's when the situation got worse. The ERB flew up through the hole in the lake, wings of water beating slowly. A crude sword of ice rested in its good hand, and it was smiling at me. While I was distracted, the clone dragon managed to hit me with some fiery water breath. Which is less confusing then you might think. It splashed against my head uselessly, leaving a cold stinging sensation.

The ERB lunged at me when I turned to face the dragon. I saw him coming out of the corner of my eye, and by sheer luck, managed to grasp it in a claw. I smashed it against the ground, and held it there. It struggled, and tried to stab my claw, but the ice broke against my scales. I roared at the clone dragon, and drew in breath. It copied my actions, and again flames of blue and yellow clashed. This time though, I didn't let up even when I felt like I had no breath left in me. The yellow seemed to overtake the blue for a second, but only just. The blue orbs that counted for eyes of the clone narrowed at me, and it opened its mouth just a bit wider. The yellow flames backed off, and I had to force them forwards again. It was the oddest battle of wills I've ever fought, solely based on my ability to breath. Thankfully I've had a lot of practice at that.

The clone didn't seem to be running out of breath, and I cut my losses. I closed my mouth abruptly, and felt the water splash against me. Only a small trickle went inside, and was evaporated quickly. After it was over, I had a face full of clone dragon. It was trying to wrap its teeth around my neck again, which was futile in any case. Its open mouth gave me an idea, and I reluctantly let the ERB go. I didn't just let it up though, I gave it a good toss. Far enough to give me enough time hopefully. Now that I had both forelegs free, one notably better than the other, I grappled again with the beast.

After a lot of pain in my left leg, and a nearly clawed out eye, it was all over. While it tried to wrap its mouth around my neck, I drew in one final breath. I grabbed its neck with my claws and dragged its head down to mine, as if we were going to kiss. Before it could react, I held its mouth open with my claws, and let a torrent of fire loose. The flames spewed right into the open maw of the beast, and for a second nothing happened.

I continued to let the fire go, and in an instant the water dragon turned to vapor. While I had a moment, I took a deep breath, and let out a sigh. One incredibly difficult obstacle down, only a few more to go. All these impossible tasks I had to do, all I had wanted was to do a bit of travelling. But I guess I somehow became some sort f hero. Not that I'm not hero material, sexy, suave, and smart. I even provide my own comic relief.

While I was taking my breather, the ERB managed to make its way back to me. When it saw no sign of its dragon, it fled back into the ancient city. Giving a final sigh I chased after, just wishing that the day was over. Nothing sounded better right now then a nice long nap. I ended up right back where this had all started, in the chamber of the core, back when I actually had my old body.

The ERB to the right of the center of the room. The core was still on its small altar, untouched by the ravaging battle. The ERB pointed its good arm at the core, and a small stream began to flow between the two. I couldn't tell which way it was going, but I had a bad feeling about it all. The ERB suddenly lurched forward onto its knees. Its mouth was in a grimace, and its eyes narrowed. A battle of will seemed to be going on, but I wasn't about to pass up such an opportunity. I drew in breath, and prepared to release.

Suddenly I couldn't move or release my bout of flame. It seemed that the ERB was stuck as well, and the stream of energy stopped flowing. For only a second, there was a calm between the two of us. Frozen for an unknown reason, waiting to be let loose. Two unstoppable forces that had been brought to a halt. The world stood still as I glared at my enemy. Then a rift opened between us, and a blue oval appeared in the air.

Imagine my surprise when Morkar, complete with nose in book, stepped out of the portal. He didn't even look up at the room around him, or notice the current state of it. He walked across the room absentmindedly, focused solely on his book. His eyes did not wander, and he approached the altar. He tapped around it comically for a few second until his hand made contact with the core. Still without looking away from his book, he put the core in the folds of his robes, and walked back to his portal.

Even though I had seen a lot today, this had completely surprised me. The ERB seemed angry, but its expression may have been frozen that way. Morkar would be answering some questions next time I saw him, which would hopefully be sometime soon.

My limbs regained their motion just as quickly as they had lost it, and the fire spewed from my mouth. The ERB which had been unprepared, was hit full on. I mentally screamed a fuck yeah, and kept it up. I didn't let up until I had to for fear of suffocating. I was surprised that I had been able to hit the ERB, as it hadn't had trouble with such attacks before. Although it had seemed a bit drained right before the whole fiasco.

As the fire continued to swath around the ERB, I heard no screams, which worried me. I heard a clunk and then a hiss of steam. When the fire finally disappeared, I saw a gruesome sight. The ERB only had lost almost all of its body, except for the head, and that was going fast. It was dissipating into energy, but it wasn't all gone yet. They eyes narrowed at me as they disappeared, almost promising revenge. The scattered energy dispersed upwards, and I waited for something else to happen.

An anticlimactic end to a very climatic fight. I didn't care though, I was just glad it was over. I felt like I had just gone through a DBZ fight scene, and came out on top. I earned the right to a small nap at least, but I couldn't take it just yet. Now that the danger had finally seemed to pass, for the moment, my mind finally caught up with me.
It was interesting, realizing everything I had done before then. Almost as if I hadn't lived through it yet, and was doing so just then. It wasn't any clearer the second time around, if anything it was more confusing. However, I did realize just how incredibly crazy I was, and even more so awesome. I'm positive that if I had been aware for the battle, I wouldn't be breathing right now. Or I would be in great pain at least. The dragon instinct had saved my life, and I was most grateful.

After this small epiphany, I began searching for bodies. Hopefully just unconscious ones, but I wasn't getting my hopes up. It took a little bit, but I managed to find the bodies of all the ponies, which were in fact alive. A part of me sighed with relief, and a small primal part of me was displeased. Horse meat sounded really good. I almost gagged when that thought crossed my mind, and chalked it up to the dragon part of me.

While I laid the bodies on the ground of the ancient city, Rarity began to stir. She took one good look at me and tried to let out a scream. Instead she fainted and fell silent, which was probably a good thing. I might have instinctively moved to cover her mouth with my hand. Which would of course smash her with my claw.

My first goal was to get out of there before anyone else saw me. It was kind of late to avoid the city, but the city folk had no idea what was going on anyways. Celestia or Luna might have a few more questions as to why there was a dragon. Hopefully I could just let them wonder that forever, or it there even was a dragon. The core was also missing now, and I had no idea how Celestia would act. If the core was influencing her as suspected, would she even remember anything now? Or was she still under the control of it, and would be desperate to get it back. Either way, I didn't want to stick around. I carefully picked up Rarity, and put her on my back. I lifted my wings and beat them furiously. I was lifted up and into the sky.

The moon shone over me, and I was feeling rather tired. I don't know how long I had been awake, but the fighting had tired me out. In some corner of my mind I wondered why the moon and sun still moved if there was no princess' to move them, but I shrugged it off. There was likely a back up group of unicorns or something, and I honestly didn't quite care.

I made good ground as I flew over the trail back to Ponyville, and towards my destination. There was a certain someone I had to talk to. That could wait till morning though, but I was determined to make it to the forest near the tower before I fell asleep. So I continued to fly, going at least four times the speed I had when walking.

While flying, I managed to hear Rarity begin to shuffle. For the first time as a dragon, I tried to speak. Have you ever tried to speak without just doing it? I know that I never really thought about speaking as an effort. It always just happened, without me even thinking about it in detail. As a dragon, speaking wasn't that much different, but enough for me to notice. When I spoke as a human, there was only a slight vibration of my throat, not enough to be noticeable. As a dragon, my throat rumbled as words exited my mouth. The words were guttural, and sounded very imposing, and when I spoke, it didn't really fit the words.

"I would advise not looking down, and to not freak out."

Rarity who was still unaware of her location and situation, mumbled incoherently. I counted mentally to 5, and on cue Rarity let out a scream.

"Usually I'm doing something to make a girl scream."

Rarity screamed for a few more seconds, and then finally began to calm down... to a certain degree.

"I demand I be set down this instant!"

I felt a small tap on my back, and imagined her stamping her hoof down.

"Unless you want to jump, that isn't gonna happen. This a direct service flight to Ponyville, no exceptions."

Rarity said nothing for a second, and then

"You can't keep me up here against my will!"

I let out a chuckle, which came out more like a snarl than anything.

"Actually, you'll find that I can."

Silence. A few minutes passed before it was broken by Rarity.
"You're a very odd dragon you know."

"Oh go on, insult the thing with your safety in its hands, or claws rather. I don't see how that could go bad. I suppose it's because I've only been a dragon for a day."

"Wait… you've only been a dragon for a day? How does that work?"

"Well after getting kicked out of my body I needed a new one, which couldn't be the old one."

Disbelief laced Rarity's voice as she spoke again.

"Is that you Silver?"

"No, I'm his evil twin brother, Gold."

I could tell Rarity was relieved, if only a just a bit. I heard her trademark huff, and I mentally smiled.

"How did you… change?"

My wings continued to beat, and talking and flying was getting difficult. I pressed on regardless though, in both cases.

"Well what's the last thing you remember?"

"... It was you"

"Hopefully not attacking you."

"Actually yes now that think about it."

" I can explain that."

"I would hope so."

I couldn't see Rarity's face, or anything of her at all. But from her voice, which had gone from relieved to scared, I could tell she was confused. She put on a brave face, but she was moments from breaking down. In rage or sadness though I couldn't tell.

"Well to put it simply? My body got a mind of its own, and kicked me out. It attacked you, and both the princesses. That's when I came back, again, as a dragon and kicked its ass."

"I have a feeling it wasn't that simple."

"Well no, but it would take a while to explain. However, at one point, Morkar took the core. So we, or I rather, need to go have a chat with him."

Speaking of which, we had arrived in the forest near the tower. I found a small clearing, and laid down in it. Rarity was able to get off me by sliding down.

"Feel free to go back to town by the way. I'm waiting here until morning."

Rarity looked at me, and then back at the road.

"I want an explanation."

"I think we all do. Stick around and you'll get one. I'm just not looking forward to meeting the princesses again."

Rarity made her decision, and stayed with me. She didn't lay down against me, which would have been really smart. I was producing a lot of body heat, but instead she settled across from me.

"So can you go back to your old body now."

I hadn't thought about that one. Only time I had managed to change, was when I had died. I didn't really feel like doing that again if I was honest.

"Um... I'll have to figure that one out as we go along."

"I don't think Rose would appreciate your new form."

I had forgotten about Rose too. Man I had a lot of explaining to do. Twilight would want her own account I assume. Might have been a better idea to just skip town and leave everyone confused.

"I'll worry about that later."

Exhaustion pulled at my eyes, but I fought it. I explained what had happened to Rarity as best I could. But there wasn't much to discuss in all honesty, unless she wanted a blow by blow account. There wasn't much to discuss after that, and Rarity munched on mind food. It didn't take me long to fall sleep, knowing that tomorrow would contain even more explanations. Especially with a certain wizard.

_____________________

AN:

Hey guys, I'm really sorry that it took so damn long for this to update. Lots of things just decided to happen in tandem to distract me from writing (Class, Job, Diablo 3) . I hope you guys are still reading this, as I can see myself giving up on it. I promise I'll be better about it from now on.

Quilliam says. "I was so whiped when I read this that I was actually convinced that silver was a charizard"

Chapter 16

It was going to be a long day. Hell it was going to be a few long days. Might as well make that a long month. Explanations suck, mostly because its repeating the same thing over and over to different people. At least the first round of questions weren't directed at me. Well the first serious rounds of questions anyways.

As the sun greeted me in the sky, I could almost smell the panic and confusion coming from Canterlot. Even the princesses had little clue as to what happened, and now their precious core was missing. Rarity was sound asleep in the corner she had rolled up in. She was a mess, mane and tail in horrid arrangement. I could swear pieces of rock were in her hair.

I prodded her awake carefully, trying not to claw her up. She almost flipped again when she saw me looking down on her. Thankfully she didn't scream though, and my head was left in peace. She stood up groggily, and waited for something to happen. I tried to think for a second, about how to get to the tower in the first place. I wasn't exactly going to fit through the front door. Then there was a wall protecting the tower, although I had no idea how high it went. Then again, I had no idea how high the actual tower went on for.

I stared up in the sky, fighting the sun. I motioned for Rarity to get on my back once again. I felt like speaking would ruin the precious calm we had at the moment. As if my words would act as a knife to cut the thin veil. When she was secured, I stretched out my wings. My body was clamoring for some type of food, but I ignored it for the moment. I wasn't even sure what I could eat, besides gems that is.

Air rushed to greet me as I took off into the sky. Rarity held her breath as we lurched into the sky. It only took me minutes to find the location of the tower, invisible as it was, by finding the waterfall. I wasn't going to go through that, and even if I wanted, I wouldn't fit. I supposed the best thing would be to draw Morkar out.

I flew very slowly, trying to locate the tower. As I did so, me and Rarity discussed what I was doing. She sat on my head, and held for dear life onto my horns.

"So this is the other human you were talking about?"

"His, if he is a he, name is Morkar. Apparently he's some sort of powerful mage guy. At least he knows a lot of things, or is good at making stuff up that just happens to fit with the situation. He told me about the core, and the body issue."

"So if he knows all this, why didn't he just do it himself?"

"I don't know. Eventually he did, if in an unusual way. Right at the end, after all that work, he just steps out and grabs it. Could've at least said hello or something, but he just kept his nose in a book."

"That seems… Well I don’t know"

My wings kept beating slowly, creating a lot of background noise, and Rarity had to shout for me to hear. Me, being a dragon, just had to speak normally. My voice had this way of carrying itself through all kinds of noise.

"Anticlimactic? Annoying? Aggravating? I'll move on to the B's if those don't work."

She finished by saying,

"Unorthodox."

"I think aggravating fit better there."

She gave a small huff, and I was glad to see she was feeling a bit more comfortable. I looked down for a second, just to check my position, and that's when I hit the wall. Even though I knew it was there, on some level, it still surprised me when I seemingly ran into nothing. For a moment, I felt the urge to ram the wall, but I ignored the instinct. I doubted I would be able to break the wall by just slamming into it.

There was nowhere for me to land, the trees were too thick below. I put my claw up slowly and pushed it against the wall. I felt the solid wall underneath my claw, solid as stone. I pushed against it even harder, but it wasn't going to budge. I think Rarity was asking me something, but I couldn't hear her very well. It wasn't just the wings blocking her out.

When the wall failed to even bend, I gave a mighty roar through the woods. I probably scared the death out of a few small animals, and a few shaky ponies as well. Rarity nearly fell off, but I managed to keep her on. I wish I could've seen her face though, it must have been priceless.

For a few seconds nothing happened, except for a dull thumping on my head. I assumed Rarity was trying to get back at me for the scare. I didn't think I would have to tell her how useless that was though. If a crazy magic body couldn't bring me down, I doubted a dress maker could. Still though, I couldn't help chuckle in my head.

After a bit of waiting, something materialized in the invisible wall. It wasn't the wall itself, but was a large metal sheet. It looked much like a garage door as if…

The sheet opened, rising up into seemingly nothing. Proving my suspicions right, a large hanger waited behind the metal. There weren't any planes or anything, but the half cylinder shape of the roof made it clear. There was also the fact that it was big enough to fit 20 of me in my current form.

Morkar, in robes of brilliant blue, stood near the door, head still buried in a book. The cover of this book seemed to move, as stars swirled about it. He didn't look up at me once, not when I was outside, and not when I had touched down inside the, apparently invisible, flying, hanger. He still didn't look up when I turned to face him.

He only looked up when he heard Rarity hit the floor, as she had fallen off. He heard her huff at me, and then she greeted him warmly. He didn't even really look up then, just one pupil rose to look at her. After she said hello, he whipped one of hands out very quickly.

Black ropes flew out of nowhere, and bound Rarity. Her back legs were ties, as were her front. Her mouth was forced closed, and her horn was covered with a black sheet. If it wasn't for the nonchalant way he had done it, I might have moved to stop him. As it was, I could only stare, and chuckle a little as Rarity mmmed on the floor.

"I gave you too much credit."

Morkar spoke directly, with a small hint of discipline in his voice.

Working my rather large lungs to be quiet was rather hard, and I wasn't very good at it. So almost shouting at the man I said,

"What do you mean?"

"What did I tell you about the core?"

"… a lot of things I guess."

"What did I say it would do with the locals?"

"Use them?"

"Exactly, and what did you just do?"

His round of questioning was very stern, and I couldn't help but feel I was in trouble. He was just much worse than any teacher I ever had that's for sure.

"Um… landed?"

I heard him sigh, and he closed his book. Finally tearing his eyes away from it, he said,

"You brought a local into the place which might as well be a prison for the core. If it were me, I might use that mistake greatly to my advantage, don't you think?"

"Oh… You make a good point there."

"That's not the only mistake, no that’s the first of many. The fact you aren't imprisoned or mutilated merely shows the amount of luck you have."

I could tell he was ready to tear into me, and I made a effort to defend myself.

"So I made some mistakes, I won in the end though."

"Only because I came to get the core myself. It was starting to interfere with my towers first line of wards, and that can cause the alchemy room to get a bit volatile. So I needed to take care of that."

"Well at least I killed that magical thing."

Morkar looked about ready to smack me.

"How can you kill something that isn't alive? The golem simply dispersed because it had used up too much energy at once. The fact the golem was there in the first place is a monument to your mistakes. How you managed to do that is beyond me. Turning your own body into one of those."

"That was a golem?"

"It's what they're usually called. Any magical construct that can move of its own volition."

"Oh, I thought my body had gone crazy or something. And what do you mean it dispersed?"

"Its components are scattered now. It could reform, or it could simply stay dispersed. Never can tell with energy golems though. Since they don't actually have to have a bind."

"A bind?"

"A connection between… Never mind, you don't have the talent to produce one normally anyways."

He was talking rather fast, and in a very displeased tone. I countered him by saying,

"Technically this is your fault. You gave me the crystal thing in the first place."

"I told you to use it against demons did I not? Not to use it against some unicorn thing. I thought you might be able to actually do something. Too much credit as we can see."

At this moment Rarity gave a rather large MMmf. She was struggling in the ropes, and it may have been attractive. However, my mind was more likely to want to eat her then do her, so I tried not to think on it. Morkar looked down on her and nodded,

"This really is a rather uncomfortable place. Let's go inside shall we?"

The hanger door slid back closed, shutting out almost all light. Only a small blue light allowed me to see. Rarity was lifted into the air, still bound, and floated through a doorway. It wasn't big enough for me, that was for sure. When I didn't come through the door right away, Morkar poked his head back out and said,

"Aren't you coming?"

"I don't think I'll fit."

"Sometimes I forget you're useless."

With that he pointed at me, and I felt pain. Like I was being pressed down, and then stretched out. After that I felt like I was being molded into a ball, then all other sorts of shapes. When it all finally stopped, I was much smaller.

I was about 6'0 in height, and stood up straight. I was glad to see I had hands once again, even if they were clawed. I still had a tail, but had lost the wings. For lack of a better term, I was a humanoid dragon. I was still covered in scales, and I still had horns. After a test, I made sure I could also still breathe fire.

Seeing that I was still in need of something, Morkar handed me a robe that also came from nowhere. He was quite good at that, having things that weren't there. The green mixed well with the scales, but the robe overall didn't fit with the draconic appearance. It was more of a bathrobe if I'm honest.

I walked into a large room with plush couches and a nice fire place. There was no fire, and it wasn't really the time to have one. Rarity was laying down on one of the couches, still bound by ropes. Her eyes opened wide when she saw me, and then they narrowed. I could feel anger pouring off of her, but I did not move to free her. Instead I said,

"Don't worry, you look good in ropes."

I heard her mmf at me, but nonchalantly sat down next to her. I stared at her for a second, looking her up and down. Her mane and hair were still a mess, and her coat wasn't exactly perfect, but somehow she still looked good. My eyes lingered over her bound body, and they somewhat glistened over. Seeing her tied up and helpless like that gave me all sorts of ideas. I ignored those ideas though, deciding that eating my friend would be bad manners. Especially in someone else's house. As if he was reading my mind, Morkar said,

"Please do try to restrain your instincts here. I'd rather not have a mess to clean up. Besides I don't think you're friend appreciated that."

I looked over at Rarity to see a little bit of fear in her eyes. For her part, she was being very brave. After everything that had happened, she should've been scared. However, she put on a brave face and stuck with me.

I looked over at Morkar and said,

"Can you untie her now."

"Give me a few minutes, I'm working on something here."

Some very odd minutes later, and he returned.

"Alright then."

The ropes vanished from Rarity, and she stretched herself out a bit. Then she looked at me. I couldn't tell what was going on behind her eyes, and that made me sort of nervous.

"How dare you! I am a lady, not some ruffian from the streets!"

"The core can't influence things in my tower, but I like to be safe. After all that's why I'm still alive."

"You could at least show some respect. Your actions were just foul."

Morkar sneered and said,

"Like your stench you mean?"

Rarity narrowed her eyes, and I took the moment to scoot away from her. Powerful mage or not, I did not want to deal with an angry woman. She did nothing, but I could tell she was ready to explode. Seeing that she was going to be quiet, Morkar said,

"Now do you want to explain why you so rudely showed up here?"

Sitting on the couch was a weird sensation, with the tail in the way. The wings at least folded down, but the tail had to be pushed out of the way. Even then I was still sitting on it a bit. That was when I decided that I didn't like having a tail. In response I said,

"Well I was kinda wondering why you just showed up when before you hadn't even made an effort to help."

He looked at me with one eye and said,

"Didn't I explain that already? You were taking too long, and the core was beginning to become a bother. How was I supposed to know you would take a whole week to get what I wanted?"

"If you could just step in and take it, why didn't you?"

"I make a habit of staying out of world affairs. Keeps me breathing longer I find. Besides I didn't really feel like finding out where it was. You did that for me at least, so I suppose it wasn't a total waste."

"So have you fixed the core?"

Morkar let out a booming laugh.

"If only. The core is ancient magic, or very advanced magic, I'm not sure. I haven't had one up close like this before. I might start on it in a bit. I'm in the middle of something else at the moment."

"So what am I supposed to do in the meantime?"

Morkar shrugged,

"Do I run your life? Do whatever, as long as it doesn't involve me"

I sat up a bit, trying to make a point.

"What am I supposed to tell everyone? There's a missing priceless artifact, and a whole lot of unexplained stuff."

"I usually just let them figure it out. Why bother explaining what people don't understand."

I crossed my arms and laid back,

"I think your just lazy."

Morkar said nothing, and Rarity finally said something,

"So what now?"

Morkar looked between the two of us and said,

"Am I a counselor? No? Then why are you asking me? Go do whatever, eat, sleep, mate, whatever the locals do."

"People think I'm dead Morkar."

"Then tell them you're not."

"Because that'll go over well. I don't even look like me anymore."

"Yes you did rather screw yourself over."

I raised an eyebrow at him and he said,

"When you took the form of one of the locals, several things happened. The core stopped focusing on you, which is why the battle was much easier then it should've been. Secondly, you became for a lack of a better word, immortal. That body does not die, and the core makes sure of that. A serious advantage to be sure, but the easiest way out of this situation is also gone."

"Alright, so I can't just die now. What else can I do?"

Morkar scratched his beard and said,

"I don't really know. Not being an unlocked soul myself deterred me from learning about such things. I guess you better figure it out."

"How?"

"My word man. Do you have no independence at all? I think it's time for you to leave, before I have to feed you."

"Can't you just change me back?"

"I could I guess… but I don't really feel like it."

Rarity opened her mouth again, but we suddenly weren't in the tower now. I was dumped in the pool outside, still in my smaller form. A splash next to me confirmed Rarity was in the same situation. When we had dragged ourselves out of the water, we sat by the edge. I was lucky to avoid getting water in my mouth, either that, or I no longer had that weakness. Silence lingered for a few seconds as we thought about things.

I guess taking on the village would be the next big task, and then the even bigger task of the princesses. Morkar didn't seem to be willing to help much either. Then I didn't even have the core in hand, and the princess might not appreciate that. I looked at Rarity, whose damp fur clung to her in a almost sexy way, and then said,

"You really did look good in ropes."

She looked at me for a second, and then I was lifted up by magic, and dumped in the water again. She laughed hard, and continued to laugh. I joined her when I pulled myself out, and laid back on the ground. I took off the robes, which were now completely soaked, and threw them on the ground. They disappeared, almost acknowledging their ruined state.

After we had a long good laugh, I finally stood up. The sun was still high in the sky, and the day had only just begun. I would need to talk to Morkar again at some point, but that would have to wait. Me and Rarity got on the trail to Ponyville, but she didn't stay quiet.

"So what are you going to do?"

"Hmm… not really sure."

"Well you can't just waltz in there and say, 'oh look at me I'm Silver.'"

"Huh, best plan so far."

Rarity huffed and then said,

"Of course. No one is going to believe, you look more like an adult spike."

"I guess I'll have to prove it somehow. Too bad the funeral is already over."

"You weren't going to crash your own funeral?"

"The thought had crossed my mind"

Rarity sounded exasperated when she said,

"Is there anything you wouldn't do?"

I smiled at her, revealing sharp teeth,

"You."

She huffed at the response, but let it go for now.

"So who do you plan on talking to first?"

"I suppose whoever I meet first. Is there anyone who I have to talk to? Couldn't I just ignore the problem?"

Rarity's exasperation came back as she said,

"At least talk to Rose. She thinks you're dead now."

"I suppose that is an issue…"

"Of course it's an issue, along with the relationship in itself."

I scratched my now scaly chin and said,

"I stopped thinking about it."

"Sorry?"

"I guess I just got wrapped up in other things. Besides she's probably over me by now. It seemed like a fling if anything."

Rarity stopped walking and looked up at me in doubt,

"She certainly seemed to think there was more. Is that how you view it?"

I shrugged, "I dunno. She seemed to just want a certain something from me."

She huffed and didn't move to walk again,

"Well maybe she just wanted your attention!"

I turned around, shocked at the random outburst.

"Woah, where did that come from?"

"Rose really cared about you, anyone can see that. Now you just want to shrug that all off?"

"No, but…"

"But what?"

"It just all seems to be too good to be true."

"… That's your reason?"

"Well, everything happened so fast. I mean, I'm in a whole different world for one thing. Then this mare gets all over me, which is weird in so many different ways."

Rarity just shook her head at me.

"I think Rose just fell for you the moment you met, for whatever reason, and desperately wanted you to like her back. When you didn't show much interest beyond friendship, she tried to rile you up."

"Why does it have to go beyond friendship? We only just met, she can't be that interested. Besides magic was involved and its probably worn off."

"She might be afraid you'll find someone else. You should talk to her about this. Why don't you want this to work out?"

"Truthfully? Because it's not supposed to be me. I never wanted a relationship, why should that change on a new world?"

Rarity walked closer to me, as if to offer some comfort,

"Why not? Maybe you found somepony who makes you feel good?"

I looked at Rarity, trying to impose a serious face.

"But I love traveling."

"Take her with you then."

"What if she gets hurt?"

"Would you let her get hurt. Besides according to you, we can't get hurt, too badly. All I'm hearing are excuses."

"… Fine. You win, I'll talk to Rose. I'll be 100% honest with her and everything. Don't expect too much though."

Rarity smiled at me and then said,

"So what are you going to tell her?"

I looked at her, almost able to see the matchmaking gears whir behind her head.

"That's for me to know, and Rose to find out. I don't see how you are involved at all."

I started walking again, leaving Rarity to stand by herself for a moment, anger and disappointment on her face. After a small huff, she managed to catch up with me.

Ponyville wasn't much farther, but in the remaining distance, we managed to come up with a solution to the body crisis. Martin had managed to go from human to pony, so why wouldn't other transformations work? All I had to do was ask Twilight for a favor, most likely in exchange for my wondrous story, and presto, good as new, bio degradable human body.

We reached the archway in front of the town, which Rarity was able to see now, and we walked inside. I parted ways with a disappointed Rarity, and tried to find my way to Rose's house. Of course all the third ring condo's looked exactly the same, so it was a bit difficult. I was lucky however, when I spotted Rose through one of the windows.

She was sitting on the couch in the main room, just staring at the wall. Her eyes were puffy, but no tears fell from them. She made no movements, and didn't spot me through the window. I heard something behind me, and I turned to see Rarity behind me. She had the decency to look embarrassed about being caught snooping, but she didn't move to go away. Instead she looked through the window with me. I poked Rarity after a short period of time and said,

"See she's totally over me, she's not even crying anymore."

Rarity just stared, disbelieving, at me.

"Are you serious dear? She looks in worse shape than I've ever seen. Looks like she's trying to just deny the truth."

"Besides, didn't I tell everyone I couldn't die?"

"Well yes… but there is a difference between being told that, and actually believing it. I think it would have taken solid proof to get even Pinkie to accept it."

"I suppose, I guess I just assumed you would get it, being surrounded by magic and all."

"Silver dear. In the past few weeks, you've done more things with magic than I've seen in a long time. Sure we're always by magic, but never any complicated magic like being immortal. There's a big difference between that and levitation."

I turned to face the window to look at Rose before saying,

"She looks so…"

"Hollow…"

It was said in a whisper, but strangely it was the loudest thing said between us. It was true too, Rose did look rather empty. Like she was devoid of any happiness, but how could that even be possible? I don't care what anyone says, we weren't THAT close.

Rarity interrupted my thoughts by saying,

"Yes, that fits nicely, if in a grim way. I think you should go inside now."

"What if she doesn't believe me? Wouldn't be the first time someone's doubted me."

"Then convince her otherwise."

"Can't you just tell me what to say?"

"Just tell her about private moments or something, be clever, as hard as that is for you."

I nodded, and backed away from the window. I was still hungry, but I knew I probably wasn't going to eat for another few hours. I steeled myself, but I wasn't really feeling nervous. I guess as a dragon, I didn't really have much to feel nervous about. More to do with having a different body and mind I assumed. Although having a different mind altogether is a strange concept.

I knocked on the door, and had to wait almost a minute for the door to open. Rose just stared up and down at me before saying,

"Yes?"

Her voice was devoid of any emotion as well, and any part of me that was still human, was freaked out. It was like she had lost the love of her life, which was I guess supposed to be me. I supposed just shouting surprise wouldn't work very well then.

"Umm… Hmm… how to go about this."

I'm not world renown for thinking on my feet, but I think I do pretty well when I need to. Rose looked at me, her eyes betraying nothing about her thoughts.

"So… "

My voice sped up incredibly, and became more reptilian almost, as I lost more control of my lungs.

"I'm actually Silver, hi by the way, and I'm not actually dead. See I got distracted in Canterlot and ended up nearly marrying the princess. After a nearly dangerous encounter of a sexual kind, I managed to get away, only for my body to kinda self terminate. Which I guess goes back to the beginning that I was basically really sick when I first arrived. I met this old wizard guy who told me that, and so I died. Then I came back and accidently set lose a really powerful thing, that basically killed me again. Which yeah, by the way, I can't really die permanently. At least so far any ways. Then I came back as a Dragon and managed to defeat it, but got stuck in that form. I managed to shrink into this, but for now I'm stuck until I can figure something out. So… yeah, I'm not actually dead."

I took a huge breath at the end, and looked at Rose expectantly. Her face was blank, but her eyes showed her mind working furiously to decipher what I just said. When she still didn't say anything, I added a weak,

"Surprise?"

Rose finally did something I was extremely glad to hear. She giggled, only faintly, but it was there. And then barely in a whisper said,

"You nearly married the princess, how does that work?"

I smiled ever so slightly, forgetting that it looked much more threatening than a human smile.

"Let's just say she went a bit crazy for a little bit."

Rose became empty again and looked at me shrewdly.

"How can I be sure that's you?"

So I went on to describe every private moment we had together as best as I could recall them. Form our first awkward kisses, to when she tried to seduce me in this house. When I finished she didn't say anything for a few minutes. I could see her mind warring with itself on whether to believe me or not. I could understand, it probably seemed like it was too good to be true. When I felt like I couldn't wait a moment longer, Rose finally acted.

Her body collided with mine as she hugged me tightly. Tears that hadn't existed a moment ago fell freely from her eyes. She wasn't exactly the prettiest sight at the moment. Her hair was a mess, and her face was damp, or recently dried. I didn't point this out of course, and kept it to myself forever after. Neither of us said anything, I didn't want to interrupt her moment, and she wanted to just feel comforted. When she finally pulled away from me she said,

"So this sexual encounter with the princess… how did that turn out?"

I shook my head, suppressing the urge to laugh,

"It didn't. Rarity was in the room, and I was gone before anything could happen."

I refrained from mentioning that gone meant dead, and Rose didn't seem to catch that.

"Rarity was with you?"

"I had to make sure I didn't have too much fun on the way. Someone had to be the complainer."

I heard a squeak outside, and turned to face the window. I didn't see anything, but I could've sworn I saw a purple flash of hair. I turned to Rose again, who finally let go of me.

"I think we should talk somewhere else, away from prying eyes and ears."

I heard a groan outside, and mentally laughed. Rose led me up to her bedroom, and I left the door open as I followed her. I sat on the bed with her, and continued our talk. For awhile, I just told her of the adventure to Canterlot. I didn't leave out much, unless it had to do with the stranger side of things. I would just explain that stuff later.

I spent the entire afternoon talking to her, and at one point she brought up lunch. My draconic form accepted the food begrudgingly, even if it probably just got disintegrated in my stomach, offering no nutritional value. Then again, I guess dragons might need different nutrients. When we finished discussing my journey, Rose moved on to other subjects.

"So now that you did that, are you going to stay here?"

I laid back on the bed, and thought about that for a minute.

"I'm not really sure."

"Would you spend some time with me?"

And so we got to the heart of the problem. My face became serious, and I decided that I wouldn't hold back.

"Rose, this relationship we have can't keep going."

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AN: And that's the end of this chapter. I hope you enjoyed that…

JK everyone JK
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She looked at me, shook, but a small bit of understanding in her eyes. Before she could become all sad and depressed I said,

"That doesn't mean we can't be friends, or even more. It just can't keep going on like it has."

She seemed a bit more calm when I mentioned even more, and waited for me to continue.

"I haven't been being honest with you, and that's caused me some strain. Apparently that hasn't been affecting you though."

"What have you been lying about?"

"Well I don't know if you've noticed, but I've been avoiding your forward motions."

"If its about the physical things, we don't have to…"

"That's not the point. The point is that I'm not attracted to you. Not in any physical way at all."

Even less so from when I had been a human now that I was a dragon. Probably something to do with hormones and chemical things, which caused the issue in the first place. Or maybe it was something more, because Rose seemed attracted to me for sure.

"Then why are you with me?"

"Because as lame as it sounds, I'm attracted to you mentally. I like the person… pony you are. Your personality is uplifting, and I'm glad to have you as company."

Rose said nothing for a few seconds, and I let her think. Eventually she said,

"So how could we be something more than friends now?"

"Who said people in a relationship have to be sexually active with each other? Do I want to spend every day of my life with you? Honestly, probably not, but I'd like to spend a good amount of it with you. Whatever the case, I'm done worrying about it. I enjoy your presence, and am happy to see you happy. From here, it's your call."

Rose once again said nothing, and it took a few long seconds for her to do anything. I wasn't too worried about her saying no, but the longer she took the more my resolve shook. I guess I hadn't had time to consider what I would do if she would say no. And in the end I didn't have to worry about it.

Rose pressed herself against me, and she kissed me hard. This was even more awkward than when I was a human. One, I had a very long tongue and two, I had very sharp teeth. After some careful maneuvering, we managed to get comfortable. I noticed that I didn't feel the need to vomit, or anything of the sort. It still wasn't very pleasant, but I could work with it. I could feel Rose's hoofs against me, even if they felt very faint.

She backed off of me and said,

"Of course I want this."

I could see honesty in her eyes, and the knowledge that the core was locked away comforted me slightly. I decided that she really did just really like me for whatever reason. I gave up trying to reason against it, about why I shouldn't waste time on relationships. The truth was I was happy there, and I didn't want to give it up.

Rose looked down and said,

"I just realized, were both naked."

I looked down, and was very surprised to see she was right. Having the layer of scales made me feel clothed, and in a sense I guess I was. I never thought about how that might work, with the scales not actually being part of me. Maybe it worked the same way with fur, or just equestrian pony fur, who knows? I also noticed a very important change in my anatomy. Suffice to say, that I no longer hung out when not excited.

Rose looked back up at me, nervous. I made a quick decision, and got off the bed.

"Good, removes the bother of having to take any clothes off."

I walked across the room as Rose said,

"I thought you didn't want to get physical?"

I shook my head,

"I'm impartial to it. I can tell that you want to though, and I realize that in a relationship, you have to give and take. Besides I think I owe you this for being a lying prat. As a friend of mine once said, 'No matter what you rub it against, as long as its soft, its gonna feel good.'"

Rose smiled at me, nicely at first, and then it grew more raunchy as I slammed the door shut. As an afterthought, solid tails like that of a dragon make for interesting experiences. Whether just trying to sit down, or doing… other things.

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AN: Once again, I'm sorry this took so long. It should have been posted like 3 days after the last chapter, but some things happened at the beta step. Btw, my pre reader has broken his knee, and I'm too lazy to do it. So the chapters are no longer being pre read to make sure they are all nice and neat. Unless someone else volunteers, or my previous reader fixes his knee, I don't see that problem being fixed in the future. I once again offer my promise to get better, but seriously this time.

Chapter 17

Feeling returned to my body, but I didn't open my eyes. There was an unfamiliar weight on my chest, and it was making sleep evasive. The only thing I have ever slept with before is a stuffed plushie that might’ve weighed a pound, max. So when I felt this heavy weight on my body while I was only half awake, I did the only reasonable thing. I pushed it off of me. Of course unbeknownst to me, that meant that Rose fell off the bed and onto the floor.

I dutifully ignored the cry of surprise from the floor, and turned on my side. The deep void had almost reclaimed me, when I felt something tugging at my tail. I wasn't fully awake until I was falling to the ground to join Rose. After shrugging off a rather feisty blanket, I managed to get a clear view of Rose. She was holding a hoof over her mouth, suppressing a laugh.

Once again the instincts of a dragon took over as my pride was wounded. Looking at the offending object, I let out a snort of fire. Rose stopped laughing and panicked as she tried to stomp out the fire. Part of me felt satisfied, and another part was asking why the hell I just did that. In either case when Rose had succeeded in putting out the fire, I just apologized and claimed it was a mistake. She seemed to accept this answer, and once again, I felt a bit satisfied knowing I had been successful. Rose bundled up what was left of the blanket and threw it in a bin.

After doing so, she said,

"Well at least the room smells like ash now."

I chuckled inside my head, the retort almost instant,

"As opposed to a.."

Rose silenced me with a look, which quickly formed into a fit of giggles.

"I guess we don't exactly smell that great."

Once again, a retort was ready before even I was,

"Certainly not like a batch of roses."

Rose let out one small giggle and said,

"That was just bad."

I folded my arms, and my tail swung lowly, moving in a slow motion that would quickly become a habit. When I didn't say anything, Rose looked me up and down before saying,

"Well, we should do something about the smell. A shower would do wonders."

Rose didn't exactly look great, a few nights of no showers, and then a rough night makes a pony look a tad crazy. Her tail and mane were sticking out in all sorts of directions, and her body was rather poofed out too. As a scaley dragon, I still looked perfectly fine. My scales might not have had as much sheen as they used too, but there was no grime.

"Maybe for you, but I still look just as dangerous as ever."

"Dangerous?"

"Something like that."

As we talked, Rose led me down the stairs and to her bathroom. She opened the door, revealing the shower.

"Besides, I was thinking that the shower could be for more than just getting clean."

She gave me a wink, and a small shake of her rear. I eyed her warily and said,

"What are you a teenager?"

"Actually I'm 18, so yeah I guess I am."

"Wow… Well there goes all my arguments against doing so."

Rose whipped her tail against my leg, which I felt dully, and stepped into the shower. It wasn't really big enough for both of us to fit comfortably, but I doubt she cared about that. Whether it was out of control hormones or some magical core related thing, Rose was being very raunchy.

When I didn't immediately step inside, Rose reached out with one hoof, and wrapped it around my waist. I was brought into the shower and roughly pulled up against Rose's body. She was leaning against the wall on her back legs. Her front hooves were wrapped around me, and were moving slowly. The water had yet to be turned on, and I wasn't sure how long it would take.

Before anything serious could take place, a loud knock on the door was heard.

Rose sighed and said,

"Maybe they'll go away."

After last night, I wasn't too reluctant to engage in such activities again, but that didn't mean I wanted to live every teenagers dream. I mean constant sex could be appealing… to be frank, it’s very appealing, but I can't just descend into that. Don't want my life to amount to a dirty fan fiction or something.

The knock came again, and I pushed Rose off of me a bit.

"I'll just go get the door."

Rose just got down on all fours and waived me off. I made sure I was decent looking, the disadvantages of not wearing pants, and went to the door. After opening said object, I saw Rarity on the other side.

"Oh my… So you spent the night then?"

I looked at Rarity suspiciously,

"Is this something important?"

"Not as important as what happened between you and Rose last night. Don't try to deny it darling, I can smell it."

I sighed and said,

"Look Rarity, I'm busy, can this wait?"

"Oh come on! Just give me some small details, please!"

Rarity's voice almost descended into a wine, and I wanted to get away from her.

"No. Now I'm going back…"

"Okay, okay. Just make sure you talk to the rest of the girls at some point today. It will be easier to convince Twilight if everyone else believes you. I tried to convince her, but she just said I was tired. She said that if Celestia said it, then it had to be true. Now go back to… having fun."

Rarity closed the door and I could hear her laughing as she walked away. Shaking my head, I walked back to the shower. Rose had started the water and I could hear it hitting the tile of the shower floor. I assumed she would gladly let me join, but I restrained myself. After last night, I was starting to see Rose as a bit more physically appealing, and I assumed that feeling would continue to grow, but I didn't want to push it.

Rose got out of the shower, steam dried, and gave me the evil eye. I shrugged her off and stepped in the shower after her. I might not need to get clean, but I needed to get the smell off of me. My human memories recalled me hating being covered in sticky sweat (ha ha ha), and as a dragon thing, it was unbearable, seeing as dragons don't actually sweat. Felt like I was covered in dirt or something. If I haven't mentioned it before, having the mind of a dragon was very, very weird. It didn't feel weird, but I knew it wasn't how it always used to be. Bah! Whatever, if you get it, you'll get it.

Rose seemed to be a little upset with me, or had just forgotten about me, and did not interfere with my shower. After my green scales shone light back at the walls, I was satisfied. Strange, because back when I was a huge dragon, water was something I wanted to avoid at all costs. Now that I was much smaller, I had no problem with it. It was something to ask Morkar about later.

I stepped out of the bathroom, feeling a bit odd at not putting on clothes, and saw Rose preparing her flower cart.

"Going out to work?"

"Well at least one of us has a job, besides I don't consider it work. Work is something that makes you money, what I do makes people smile."

"Sure it does. Listen I got to go tell other people that I'm not dead."

Rose turned around to look at me with a giggle.

"You make it sound so normal."

I gave her a serious look and said,

"Would you believe me if I said this wasn't the first time?"

She just shook her head at me and pushed her cart out the door. It was almost like we had been together for months now. I'd have to watch it, or I might lose myself in her routine.

Well whether she believed me or not, I had to go out and do it. I decided to follow Rarity's advice, and convince Twilights friends that I wasn't dead first.

Some of you may wonder why I even bothered to do so, and normally, I would be with you on that. I mean yeah, it's like, THE mane six, but they don't need to know everything. I hadn't even really spoken to half of the group. Stick with me though.

If I convince them, it'll be easier to convince Twilight. If Twilight believes me, then it'll be easier to convince Celestia that I'm not evil. If Celestia believes me, then she won't try and make life extremely hard for me. If she found out somehow that I was here, she might think I still have the core. Therefore she would try to get it back, and possibly send me to the moon again.

If that happened while I was still a dragon, then getting out of the situation might be a bit difficult. I didn't know how to teleport, last time had been a fluke. Being stuck on the moon for 1000 years didn't really sound fun, especially all because of a mistake. So a few days here, might save me 1000 years later.

I decided to start with Applejack, seeing as I had actually talked to her more than once. I opened the front door and walked outside. The morning sun greeted me, as did the view of the town. I saw Rose pulling her cart to the fountain.

I began walking towards the farm, following the path. I walked under the archway proclaiming to lead to Sweet Apple Acres, and started walking through apple trees. My feet dug into the ground, due to my clawed feet. However, I wasn't too worried about the ground, to be honest.

The barn was in sight when I was apprehended by someone. I jumped a bit when they called me out, as I had been distracted by my own feet.

"Now who are y'all?"

I looked around myself, and finally spotted Applebloom. She was beside one of the trees next to the path. Actually made me kind of glad to see her. Children are much more likely to believe the truth then adults. Of course they are also much more likely to believe lies, but in this case I was telling the truth.

"Is that the way ponies greet people around here?"

Applebloom checked herself and then said,

"Nah, but y'all aren't people."

Huh… hadn't thought about that.

"Well… I guess I'm not. In that case my name is Silver."

"Now that's funny, Ah know somepony named Silver. Except he isn't a pony, mah sis says he's a who-man."

I rolled my eyes and said,

"Well isn't that just a coincidence. Did he also happen to be really good at climbing trees and picking apples?"

Applebloom nodded excitedly and said,

"Well… ya!"

"I'll also wager a guess that you helped him one time, and even offered to carry the baskets. However, he refused because that wouldn't be right."

"Now how did y’all know that?"

"In fact, I bet he was incredibly handsome and dashing. A real hero."

"Well ah don't know about that stuff."

"I'll even put 5 bits down that he's standing right in front of you."

Applebloom actually looked around before turning to me and saying,

"No he's not."

I crouched down on the ground to get on Applebloom's level and said,

"Funnily enough, he is."

"No, he ain't."

I sat down on the ground, letting my tail curl around me.

"I can do this all day."

"Do what all day?"

I sighed and said,

"Obviously you aren't getting the message here."

"What message?"

"That I'm Silver."

"Well y'all already told me that."

"No see I'm the other Silver too."

"What does that mean?"

"I'm the Silver you knew before, just different looking now."

"Mah Sis said he wasn't around no more."

"Well that's because I had to go do something."

"But she said that you wouldn't be back for a long time."

"Well something came up and I came back."

"Well that's great! Have ya told anypony else?"

I got off the ground and stood up.

"A few, but not your sister, which is who I'm here to talk too."

Applebloom looked back to the barn and said,

"Well Applejack is up at the barn with Caramel. Ah think Big Mac was setting up the plow."

I started walking towards the barn, and Applebloom quickly caught up to me and followed. When I got close I managed to spot Big Mac who was indeed setting up the plow. I walked up to him and got his attention.

"Ey Mac."

Big Mac just nodded at me, and continued to adjust the straps on the plow. Applebloom whispered something in his ear, and he looked at me again. He once again said nothing, and went back to the plow.

"So uhh… Mac, gotta second?"

Big Mac finally stopped messing with the plow and turned to face me. I didn't have to tell him, but he was there, and I always liked Big Mac regardless of whether he was mostly made up in my head, or actually real right here.

"Just thought I should let you know, I'm Silver, the guy who worked here before, and I'm not dead. So… yeah."

Big Mac just nodded at me, and turned back to the plow.

"So that's it? You believe me?"

"Eeyup."

Should've known it was going to be that easy. After all it is Big Mac.

"Well hopefully your sister will be this easy to convince. You know where she's at?"

Mac left the plow, and headed towards the barn. The large door was open enough for us to slip through and we did so. Mac wasn't the type to call out names, and I didn't want to be rude. However, it may have been better if one of us had. We found Applejack, laying on one of the haystacks, along with Caramel. They were in flagrante so to speak, and I saw a bit more than I ever wanted to.

Although now that I know; it actually takes a bit of work to peek at a pony's private parts. I mean, they aren't hidden, but they aren't in plain sight either. Just mentioning it so you know that you aren't going to be staring at such things all day. Unless of course you’ve already dealt with ponies.

Before Applebloom could round the corner with us, I managed to cover her eyes before she could see anything. She gave an indignant cry, which startled AJ and Caramel, and they hid behind the hay stack. After they fell I looked over to Big Mac to see if he was going to kill something. In case I had to run away of course.

Big Mac however, just shrugged and walked back outside the barn. Probably to work with the plow again. He always seemed more than just a typical farm brother to me. As if he actually had some intelligence, which he does.

After a few minutes, Applejack walked out from behind the haystack, looking somewhat decent. She took a look at me, and then Applebloom. When she saw the latter, her face turned to worry.

"Applebloom? Oh no, what did ya see girl?"

I interrupter her by saying,

"Don't worry, she didn't see a thing. So you aren't screwed, but you already know that."

I laughed hard after that statement, and Applebloom just gave me a confused look.

"And who the hay are you? If ah didn't know any better, I'd say…"

"That you already know me? Well you kinda do. I worked here for a little bit, Silver's the name. Just got a little make over, which you could use yourself."

AJ fumed at me before saying,

"If Ah hadn't already known you weren't dead Silver, Ah'd believe it now."

I did a sort of double take and said,

"Wha?"

AJ shook her head at me, and started walking outside.

"Ponies… Ah mean people… Ah mean whatever y'all are, like you don't go so easily."

"Like me?"

"Insufferable like, self-centered and egotistical."

"I'm not egotistical…"

AJ ignored my protest and said,

"Now if y'all needed something, let it out. Ah got to get to work."

I pointed at her with a claw while saying,

"Because you were working really hard earlier. I guess Big Mac wasn't the only one working the plow."

AJ was suddenly in my face and said,

"Ah don't want you breathing a word of that ta anypony. If ya do… well recently alive or not, y'all won't be happy."

The implied threat wasn't really all that credible, but I let the subject drop. Obviously her brother didn't care, but someone else would if they knew. I wasn't going to rat her out though, assuming there was something to rat her about.

I left AJ alone and started to head back to town. Applebloom followed me to the archway, asking constant questions about where I was. I answered them as best I could, unless it was a bit sensitive. That meant two of the three ponies out of the mane six I’d previously spoken to, already knew. The third one had to wait until the end. I guess that meant Pinkie, being the closest was next. I had a feeling she wouldn't be that hard to convince.

I was just really assuming that they were the only ones who were invited to my "funeral". I really had this feeling that there was no ceremony or anything. I would have to ask Pinkie, or another pony. Rose was at her stall, talking to some colt that had come up to chat with her. I ignored them, and as a human I can honestly say I felt no jealousy. At least the memories I have of me being human told me that. However, as a dragon, I wanted to bash their heads together.

I resisted the temptation, and walked past Rose's cart. Thankfully she didn't turn around and see me. Once again, I was kind of surprised no pony pointed me out and screamed in terror. I guess you get one too many aliens, and you just give up on that sort of thing.

I found myself at Sugarcube Corner, and for once in my life, I wasn't really interested in treats. Not even the greatest of all great cheesecakes sounded that good. Neither did cheese pie for that matter. I opened the door, since it was a store, and a bell rang.

Mr. Cake was the pony to greet me from behind the counter, and he sounded rather chipper.

"Welcome to Sugarcube corner!"

I looked him up and down, feeling an unprecedented annoyance at his perkiness. He seemed to get just a teensy bit nervous as I stared him up and down. Then I remembered that I did look sort of intimidating these days. I smiled nervously at him before saying,

"Hi, I was just wondering if Pinkie Pie was around."

I then remembered that my smile was full of razor teeth, and looked much more threatening than calming. Cake looked at me suspiciously before saying,

"Who wants to know?"

"Well you might not believe this, but I'm Silver."

Cake just gave me a confused look as he searched his memories for something. Eventually he just shrugged and said,

"I've never heard of you."

It was at that point that I just decided to give it to him straight.

"Alright Mr. Cake here's how it goes. Princess Celestia thinks I have something very important, which I don't, but she doesn't know I'm here. If she were to find out I was here, she would tear me apart, so I need to convince her that I don't have what she wants. In order to do that, I need to convince Twilight, her faithful student. In order to convince Twilight, I need to convince all her best friends. Kind of like one of those really annoying roundabout quests."

When I finished talking Mr. Cake just stared at me blankly for a few seconds. Then he said,

"Alright, well I actually don't really know where Pinkie is."

Basically, he just wasted my time, and made me make a bad impression. Not that making a good impression is easy in the first place. I mean if a dragon came up to me, I might be a bit prejudiced toward it.

"Well thanks anyways I guess."

I walked out the door and looked around myself. My best guess was that Pinkie was with Rainbow Dash. But that left me with no clue where Rainbow Dash was. I would just have to get lucky to see either one. Therefore I would just have to go with Fluttershy.

I once again started walking outside of the town, past the large watermill. It actually took me a little bit to spot Fluttershy's hut next to the forest. Eventually I did manage to find it, and I went up to the door. I didn't knock though, because I heard singing. Before I could investigate I heard something behind me.

"Déjà vu man."

I turned around quickly, but nothing was there. I scanned the forest line carefully, before finally accepting that I was just losing my mind a little. A small part of me wanted to burn the forest down just to find whoever said that, but I reasoned that would be a bit extreme.

I stepped around the small hut, to examine the back yard. I saw Fluttershy singing to some small critters. At one point in time, I might have thought it beautiful, but at the moment it sounded rather lame. I stepped towards Fluttershy, and the small critters went berserk when they saw me. They ran in all directions, and I watched with mild amusement as they ran into each other.

Fluttershy turned around in a panic as all her critters fled. When she saw me, her eyes went huge. She hovered in the air, maybe an inch off the ground and stuttered,

"D-d-dragon!"

Her voice was almost impossible to hear, and after she finished, she fell to the ground. She lay on her back, one of her legs twitching. When she didn't move for a few minutes, I just sighed and picked her up. I threw her over my shoulder and started to walk back to town.

I rounded the house when I was accosted by a small army. By small army, I literally mean small. All assortments of small animals had gathered in front of me. A bunny that I assumed was Angel stood in front of them.

I shrugged to put Fluttershy in a better position and said,

"I just need to borrow her for a second. I promise I won't hurt her."

Angel didn't back down, and he started to pound his tiny foot.

"I'm guessing a dragon's word doesn't mean much to you."

Angel shook his head and pointed at me.

I bent down towards him and smiled at him. After doing so I said,

"Look, I just want to talk to her and her friends. I'm betting that if I walk around town like this, one of them will accost me fairly quickly."

After I had smiled, almost all the animals had run in terror. It was only then that I remembered that my smile was just as friendly as a lions. Angel still stood defiant, and I sighed. I put down Fluttershy in front of him, and he tried to drag her back to the hut. Even if she only weighed like 25 pounds, that bunny wasn't budging her.

Angel finally jumped on top of her, and began pounding his foot on her body. She woke up in just a few seconds and looked around wildly. When she saw me she just repeated her earlier actions. When she fell unconscious again, Angel face-palmed and proceeded to jump in front of her. He waved at me and pointed behind Fluttershy.

I obeyed him, and walked around the body. I waited for him, and he proceeded to kick Fluttershy's nose several times. She woke up again, and tried to look around. Angel grabbed her face, and it was enough to calm her down.

"Oh Angel it was horrible. There was a dragon at my house. Why am I out here?"

Angel started to play charades with her as he bounced around. First he took one side, and mimed a monster.

Fluttershy put a hoof to her chin and said,

"A monster… the dragon?"

Angel nodded and then moved to the other side of Fluttershy's head. He pointed at himself, and then waved to the other him. He took the position of the monster (me), and waved back. Angel then turned to Fluttershy and pointed at me.

Fluttershy saw me and screamed again. She fainted once more, and Angel threw his hands in the air. He left her laying there and hopped back to the hut. I shrugged, and threw Fluttershy over my shoulder again.

I headed back to town, my burden a lot heavier on the way, and entered the town. A lot of ponies gave me stares now, but none acted. I guess no one wanted to question a dragon. It only took a few minutes for what I wanted to happen, to, well… happen.

I got to the third ring of the town when my vision was blurred by a rainbow of colors. I gripped Fluttershy hard, just in case, and waited. Rainbow Dash landed in front of me, looking rather annoyed.

"And what do you think you’re doing with my friend?"

I put Fluttershy on the ground and said,

"Looking for you… well, and Pinkie Pie."

Dash dropped her guard and just looked confused,

"What?"

I brushed my hands together while looking at Fluttershy,

"Just needed to tell you that I, Silver, am still alive. I just happen to look different now."

Once again Dash just gave me a confused look and I said,

"You know, Silver the human? I'm just Silver the Dragon now."

Dash shook her head and then said,

"I get the dragon thing, but why would I think you were dead?"

It was my turn to look confused and say,

"But there was a funeral and stuff."

Dash shrugged her shoulders and said,

"This is the first I'm hearing of it. I know Princess Luna came by to tell Twilight, AJ, and some other pony something."

I crossed my arms and said,

"I'm not even worth a funeral. Whatever, you happen to know where Pinkie Pie is?"

So the whole funeral thing was a ploy the entire time. Celestia told Rarity that she was hosting one so Rarity would tell me. Celestia was smart, but then again that should've been obvious.

Dash shook her head and said,

"I haven't seen her all day."

"Oh well, 4 out of 5 is good. Mind telling Fluttershy what I just told you? Well about being a dragon anyways. And if she remembers anything, tell her I'm sorry too."

Dash looked at Fluttershy and said,

"Wait, you can't leave her with me. Besides, what did you do?"

I waved a hand and said,

"Nothing to worry about. Just make sure she knows about me. Maybe next time she won't faint."

I began walking away, ignoring Dash's cries. I headed to the only place I could think of. I wasn't too worried about Twilight spotting me, seeing as she didn't know anything yet. Besides even if she did. I would try to convince her right there of who I was.

I would wager a guess that the time was around 2 or 3, but without a watch, a guess was all I could manage. I knocked on the door in front of me, and it opened in only a few seconds. A much higher voice than I expected said,

"Welcome to the Carousel Boutique."

I had to look below where I expected Rarity's head to be and looked down at Sweetie Bell. She stared back up at me, apparently just now seeing me. She didn't scream, but she didn't do ‘nothing’ either. She bolted from the door, and out of view.

I ignored the response, and let myself inside the building. I patiently waited, and eventually Rarity came from the back door.

"Oh Sweetie Bell dear, this is Silver. There's nothing to be worried about. What do you need dear?"

At the last sentence Rarity turned to face me. Sweetie Bell looked out from behind her sister while she was talking. I looked directly at Sweetie Bell and said,

"I got to admit kid, I've never seen anything run that fast. Well besides your sister when she saw some slime."

Sweetie Bell chuckled a bit, and Rarity stomped a hoof.

"I did no such thing. Now seriously Silver, what do you need?"

I looked at her and said,

"Calm down, it was a joke. I don't actually need anything, but I don't have anything else to do."

"So you came here?"

I shrugged and said,

"I guess I did, imagine that."

Rarity huffed and said,

"Well I'm sorry, but I'm a bit busy at the moment. I'll talk to Twilight later for you. Now I have to get back to work. Watch the shop Sweetie Bell."

Rarity walked back through the door, and I was left alone with Sweetie Bell.

"Well I wonder how she gets any customers acting like that."

Sweetie Bell just stared at me, saying nothing.

I pointed behind me, saying,

"Right… well I'm going to go now."

Sweetie Bell still said nothing, but managed to nod at me. I left through the front door and looked around myself. Now that I didn't have a goal in front of me, I felt like some tension left my body. Seemed like I had less stress tolerance as a dragon, or I was finally taking things seriously.

With nothing to do, my mind wandered to something I hadn't done in a long time. I needed to go play with magic, assuming I still could. So I once again walked down a path, towards my favorite spot. I took the third out of four roads, and walked at a leisurely pace.

When I arrived at my destination, I was greeted by the same waterfall as always. When I reached the edge of the water, I instinctively tried to pull up a ball of water. Imagine my surprise when nothing happened.

It didn't take me to long to reason that being a dragon might affect me a little. After all, it was something I had thought about before. So obviously, as a dragon, fire must be my natural element. I had lost my book for the moment, and it was likely still sitting in an ancient city somewhere. However, I remembered enough to try and fail at doing something with fire.

At first I tried controlling my inner temperature and breath to focus on heat, but every time I did, fire would just come out of my mouth. After a few minutes of failing, I gave up on trying to use my breath as a focus. At this moment I felt my head to see if I still had the bracelet. I was happy when I felt the wooden circle around one of the horns on my head. At least I knew I had a medium.

I felt like I was learning from the start all over again. I tried so many different things to move the fire that came out of my mouth, but nothing did it. At the end I gave a small hiss and a tiny gout of flame came out. I then started breathing upwards, and the flame moved upwards. It wasn't all that shocking, as it made sense to me. If I breathed up, then the fire would go up.

However, after making the fire circle around me by directing it with my breath, I decided that I had accomplished something. It might not even be magic, but it was something. It didn't look the best either, as fire would always be coming out my mouth. Then there was the fact that I could only control it as long as I had breath. I had to stop at some point.

Satisfied that I hadn't wasted my time, I headed back to town. I'd say the time was about 5 now, but once again that was a guess. The rest of the day seemed to go by pretty fast, almost as if I wasn't there but watching it from the side.

I saw Rose on the way to the center of town and helped her pull the cart back to her place. I set it inside and sat down on the couch.

Rose pretty much demanded I let her make something, and I complied. After some time she brought out a salad. I was starting to get sick of plants, and was starting to crave a gem or two. I ate it anyways, and smiled at Rose as I did so.

After dinner, Rose dragged me upstairs, and behind closed doors. The rest of the night passed fairly quickly as well, but for very different reasons.

_____________________________________

AN: Just a few things to say.

First of all, a shout out to FrieD195 (Hope I got that right) for picking up the task of prereader. He did an excellent job, and everyone should give him praise for being awesome and stuff.
Comment more damn you!

Chapter 18

The weight of Rose on top of me once again made sleep rather uncomfortable, but at least this morning I didn't throw her off the bed. It was almost depressing when I woke up, and still felt dead tired. I managed to struggle out of bed without waking Rose up, and I fell on the floor. I picked myself up groggily and walked out the bedroom door.

I was starting to feel like sleeping on a bed was actually what was uncomfortable. Somehow my entire back was sore, and I swear it wasn't from last night. Maybe I was supposed to sleep on nice pile of treasure or something.

After a quick shower to make myself bearable, I walked upstairs again. Rose was still in bed, but she was awake now. She was half covered by a blanket, and her head was under a pillow. She lifted her head to look at me and said,

"Aww, you already showered?"

I shook my head at her, and took the pillow from her head.

"You need to get your mind out of the gutter. Don’t you want to do anything else?"

She rolled onto her back to look up at me and said,

"I can think of a lot of things."

"That don't involve me."

She put a hoof to her chin and thought for a second. After this second she said,

"Nope."

I put a hand on my face and sighed.

"Alright, well I think later today I might have to go out, but I could be wrong."

Rose just giggled at me and flipped around again.

"Well that's specific."

I shrugged at her and said,

"That's all I know."

I stopped moving for a second and added as an afterthought,

"I think that's how most of my life goes."

Rose giggled at me again, and managed to roll out of bed.

"I'm going to shower, wait for me would you?"

She walked out the room and I shouted after her,

"Hurry up then, I hate waiting."

I walked out the room and went down to the main floor. There I paced in front of the couch impatiently, just absorbed inside my own mind. I didn't have to wait long, as there was a knock at the door. I shook my head and reached for the handle. The open doorway revealed a frowning Rarity.

She looked up at me and said,

"Ah, Silver. Look dear, I just wanted to apologize for my actions yesterday."

She watched me, but all I did was scratch my head and say nothing.

"… I was working on a suit for an important client, and I didn't have time to waste."

I still said nothing and just stared at her. Her frustration was starting to build, and it wasn't long before,

"Well?! Do you accept my apology or not?"

I Shrugged and moved aside to let her in,

"Meh, I wasn't really offended in the first place."

Rarity stomped a hoof and then said,

"Then why did you make me do all that."

"It was entertaining to me."

Rarity's face contorted, and she let her frustration out by once again stomping her hoof.

I pointed at the offending hoof and said,

"That's got to be a bad habit."

Rarity took a deep breath and ignored the latest bait. At least she was learning.

"I talked to Twilight and she said she would be willing to meet 'you' tonight. As if she has anything else to do with her time."

I held up a finger and said,

"First, do you get up at like that 6 in the morning to talk to her?"

I held up another finger,

"Second, last time I checked she was with Martin the horse, providing for lots of things to do with her time."

I held up one more finger,

"Third, do you have any snacks on you? Preferably gems, I can't take much more rabbit food."

Rarity shook her head at me and said,

"Negative to all three of those. I talked to Twilight before I came here, so about 11:30. It's almost noon dear. Also, Twilight isn't with Martin anymore, I'm not sure what happened there. Finally, I make it a habit not to carry around gems. Spike always manages to get them from me somehow."

None of those answers surprised me, the first and last being obvious. The second had just been a matter of time. Every couple breaks apart, even if death is the departing factor. But for younger couples, I would feel safe on betting against them.

"Oh well, so are you working on anything today?"

Rarity just said,

"On the weekend? Not unless I have to."

At that moment Rose decided to walk into the room, smelling rather nice. Her mane seemed to shine just a bit in the light of the room.

"Oh… Hi Rarity, did I interrupt something?"

I looked between the two trying to sense hostile intent, but I was slightly surprised when I couldn't find anything.

Rarity shook her head at Rose and the two of them turned to look at me. I dropped my arms to my side and said,

"What?"

Rarity rolled her eyes and Rose giggled, but they still didn't clue me in on what happened. Rose started to walk out the door and said,

"Come on Silver, let's get some lunch."

Before following her out the door I said,

"But we didn't even eat breakfast."

Rarity pushed past me and I closed the door behind me. Rose and Rarity walked next to each other, leaving me to trail behind. It seemed as if Rarity was intent on joining us, and Rose seemed to have no problem with that. My memories told me something was wrong there, but I just ignored the feeling.

The two would occasionally look back at me, but nothing was said. I started to fall into step and withdrew into my own mind. It wasn't until I bumped into Rose that the world came back into focus. I looked up to see we had arrived in front of some small bistro. Mentally I slammed my head against a wall, I was seriously starting to want something more substantial.

The two mares looked at me curiously and Rose motioned for me to go first. I sighed and opened the door for the two of them. Rose talked to the waiter, and he led us back outside behind the building. The building must have been in the third district, as we could see far out across the fields.

They ordered their food, and I politely declined the offer. More lettuce wouldn't solve anything. I heard Rose say,

"So Rarity, Silver told me you went with him on his trip to Canterlot."

Rarity waved a hoof,

"For a bit I suppose, but after a while it got a bit hectic."

Rarity looked to me, silently asking for permission, and I just nodded slightly. I wasn't particularly interested in joining the discussion, in fact now I felt like going to sleep again. It was either that or find something that would settle in my stomach. I was hoping that gems would solve that issue. Eating meat sounded like such a great idea, but I knew it wasn't.

Strange as it was, meat kind of made me miss home. Or maybe I missed the freedom of doing what I wanted, whenever. Odd when the limiting factor is yourself. I have a decent amount of willpower, but I can't stop myself forever.

While I was stuck in my own mind the two mares bickered back and forth. At one point they stopped talking and just watched me as I stared at my own claw. When I noticed the background noise had decreased I looked up. I met their eyes and once again said,

"What?"

I don't know which one said it but one of them said,

"You look very bored."

I was starting to get restless, but I wouldn't go that far. I mean sitting in a small bistro isn't anything like relaxing in hot springs, but I can usually entertain myself for awhile.

"Not bored, just not interested."

"Well at least he's honest."

The two laughed at my expense, but it didn't bother me. However, I did pull myself out of my darker mood and joined in the conversation. Rose seemed very accepting of everything we told her, and never once questioned us. She would only laugh when a mistake I made came up.

When they finally decided to leave Rose paid the bill. They had looked at me at first but I just said,

"Does it look like I have pockets?"

Rose had responded,

"I can think of one."

I had just face palmed at that statement. We walked out the bistro and I said,

"What next?"

Rarity said,

"Well I was thinking right now would be a great time to go shopping."

Rose added,

"And then we can go to the spa!"

If only such things could keep me happy. I held up my hands and said,

"Then count me out. I'll meet up with you two later. Or maybe I'll just meet you Rarity at the tree house."

Before I could leave, Rose pulled me aside and said,

"Are you annoyed that Rarity came with us?"

I tried to raise an eyebrow, but I realized I didn't have those anymore,

"No, but I thought you would be."

"Why would it annoy me?"

"I don't know, female territory or something like that."

Rose laughed and said,

"I think she's more your competition then mine."

She walked away while I took a second to understand that. After I did. They had already left. I just let it go, what are you supposed to do if your girl cheats on you with another girl anyways? Not that I expected her to.

I had quite some time to burn, and I really didn't know how to do it. Couldn't practice magic, and sitting in a hot spring would heat it up and not me. I ended up walking towards the farm with the intention to work.

However before I could get there, I ran into Big Mac and Caramel on the trail. Caramel waved me down, and I approached him as he said,

"Silver, you're just what we needed."

I stopped in front of him and said,

"Wait how did you know it was me?"

Caramel shrugged,

"I'd say over half the town does. Word spreads quickly around here."

Big Mac slapped him on the back and Caramel said,

"But it helped that AJ told me, and I may have gotten a bit tipsy and spewed it out at the bar."

I shrugged,

"Not like I was trying to keep it a secret, actually that helps me out. So what can I help you out with?"

"Well were about to meet up with some other guys to play a game, but one of their players, Chance, got injured while at work. So they need a replacement?"

"A game?"

Caramel motioned for me to follow him,

"It's real easy, you'll have a great time. There's two teams…"

Caramel explained the game to me as I followed them back the way I had come. I wasn't against sports, in fact I was actually a bit excited. However I was still hungry. The game would be like soccer, if soccer had goals in the center of the field, and a track around the goals. Also if instead of a ball, there was a stick with a weight on one end. So really it wasn't anything like soccer at all.

I was to play goalie, and stop the weighted stick from getting into my net. The other ponies would run around the track and every time they completed a lap, they could move one ring closer. The teams would run in opposite directions and try to stop the opposing team, but they couldn't run backwards. Thankfully all I had to do was stand in front of a net and catch a stick.

That was probably the only way I could play, not like I can outrun horses. The field was out by the Everfree forest, and had obviously been heavily used. The goals faced away from each other and I took a position across from the other goalie. He was big, not quite ‘Big Mac’ big, but still pretty hefty. His dull grey coat actually somewhat imposing.

He just nodded his head at me as he took his position. The nets were about half the size of an actual soccer net, and the net was of a tighter mesh. I didn't really pay attention much to it as my back was to it.

The game started at the sound of a horn, and I was hopelessly lost when it did. Flashes of color went by as horses raced around the track. My team started on defense, which meant I had to watch for a flying stick. The ponies would toss it with their mouths, but I didn't think my jaw would be strong enough, so I would just use my claws.

The game was really fast-paced, but whenever the stick was tossed, the pony tossing it would slow down. Sometimes a pony would actually get lucky enough to snatch it out of the air, whether for a pass or interception. However, most of the time I just had to watch for the sign of a toss.

I wasn't very good, but I did manage to catch a few, and our team did manage to win. I think that was mostly due to Big Mac though. Whether it was insane math skills, or just luck, he managed to predict when he should throw the stick, and wouldn't have to slow down. I was just glad he was on my team.

Everyone was pretty cheery after the game, except for a few of the opposing team, and those who were up to it, took a trip to the bar. We entered the bar, a loud and chaotic group. Shouts and cheers erupted from our throats, and laughs went all around. Most of the patrons ignored us, but one or two actually got up and left.

Me and Caramel walked up to the table, and he slammed a hoof on the table.

"A round for everypony!"

The waitress grumbled, but obliged. However she turned to me and said,

"I suspect you'll be wanting something a bit different to soothe that stomach of yours."

Apparently they had serviced dragons before, or something. If there was anything that could do that, I'd take it.

"Bring me two of whatever ya got."

She nodded at me, and took the money I had. I had managed to stop by the bank and pick up a few coins. Of course I couldn't pick up that much without pockets, a dilemma that needed to be fixed. Our group managed to push together a bunch of tables and form a large circle where we continued to be loud and annoying.

Most of the guys ignored my curious form, and just accepted me as part of the group. I would venture a guess that they didn't get together too often, since they didn't have that many inside jokes. Either way, I didn't feel like much of an outcast.

Bale brought the drinks around and passed them around. Two glasses of a curious red liquid was set in front of me. Before the bar mare could walk away I said,

"So what exactly is this?"

She lowered her head and said,

"It's a special recipe that library unicorn gave me. It's for that little dragon running around, but I assume it will work with you as well. Supposed to soothe the hunger or something. You'd have to ask her for more info."

I looked down at the glass, and took a swig. It burned as it went down, which was odd, fiery insides you know. However when it reached my stomach, I felt an intense heat, and then satisfaction. My hunger had been sated, and the world seemed like a better place. I downed the first one in seconds, and the second was quickly following.

Caramel watched me do so and said,

"That must taste pretty good. Mind if I?"

I shook my head,

"I don't think that's a good idea, but go ahead."

Caramel grabbed the glass and took a small sip. His entire face turned red, and smoke actually started coming out of his ears. His throat was turning red, and he started gasping for breath. We all watched him hesitantly, not sure what to do.

Finally he opened his mouth, and a huge column of smoke came out. His face began to turn normal, and his breathing became regular again. Everyone at the table looked at each other, and then laughed in unison. Caramel turned red from embarrassment and someone shouted,

"Didn't take another sip, did you?"

Another chorus of laughter went out, and someone spoke from behind me,

"So are ye really Silver?"

I turned around and was face to face with Peg. I gave him a wink and said,

"Better believe it… Marcel."

He lowered his head and said,

"You've been talking to my daughter then. Ye best be off not using that name again."

I laughed and said,

"Your secret is safe with me."

"Well good to see yer still alive. Seemed to be a bit of confusion, all though now that I see you, I can see why. Wouldn't mind sharing that story would ye?"

I shook my head and said,

"Actually I would, tired of telling it over and over again. I think I have to do it again… speaking of which, I have to get going."

Cries went out, but I just waved goodbye. I took another two bottles of whatever that stuff was to go. Not being hungry seems to make life much better. I walked outside, and the sun was still in the sky, if not a bit low.

I headed over to Rarity's as I didn't know where else to go. I walked without knocking this time, and was met with giggles and cooing noises. A drastic change from where I had just left. The door jingled as I entered and a voice called out,

"Cooooming!"

Rarity waltzed down the stairs and then spotted me.

"Oh Silver darling, you're just in time! Follow me."

I shrugged and followed her up the stairs, but she stopped me before I could enter the room she went in. I waited outside for a second, and she waived me in. She pointed at a chair and I obliged to sit down in it. I was facing a wall screen, and I crossed my arms impatiently.

The lights suddenly dimmed, and my eyes focused on the only light left. A dim spotlight on the screen, which showed the silhouette of another pony. The pony walked out, and I'll admit, my jaw did drop.

Roseluck walked from behind the screen, wearing a silky red dress. It clung to her mid-section, and draped over her back. The dress split to reveal one of her legs, in a very seductive way. The red mixed really well with her creamy fur, and for the first time, I was wanting to do things to her without her starting it. This was the first time I actually really though she was attractive, and seductively so. Made me wonder just what was in that drink, after all it would explain Spike's crush on Rarity.

Rose raised a front hoof and winked at me, but I was still pretty much frozen.

"So do you like it?"

I nodded dumbly, but Rarity said,

"Even I can tell he does."

I looked down to discover a growing problem, but Rarity said,

"Don't worry, we got something for you too"

I was pushed behind the screen and handed a small package. I gave up sitting and drinking with the guys to play dress up. All though so far, it hadn't been so bad. I pulled the bundled up clothes out of the small box. When I had the unfurled clothes in my hands, my eyes widened and I said,

"You have got to be kidding me."

I was just met with giggles. I resigned myself to trying on the clothes, which I hadn't though even possible on this planet. After struggling to get the pants on, the tail is killer, I walked from behind the screen.

My flat voice sounded out,

"Ta da."

They had somehow managed to find tight black leather pants for me to wear. I doubted it was actual leather, but it was close to it. Maybe a bit tougher actually, which was good so I couldn't tear it. The two mares whispered to each other and Rose said,

"Turn around!"

I obliged again, and the two laughed again. I threw my hands in the air and I said,

"I've got scales, how is that even remotely sexy?"

They just shook their heads at me, and my arms fell to my side.

"Where did you even get these?"

Rarity replied,

"Well I bought pants for a stallion, and then made a few adjustments."

"That quickly?"

"I am a master seamstress you know."

"Fair enough… you wouldn't happen to have anything else would you?"

Rarity nodded and handed me another package. I opened this box, to find another set of leather pants. However, this pair was much looser, and didn't fall down as far. They were more like shorts actually, and they fit nicely. I was actually happy with them. The pants problem was solved, at least for now.

"Now I get to go again!"

Rose hid behind the screen and began putting on another dress.

"How much did you guys buy?"

Rarity looked at me and said,

"Darling, you're going to be here awhile."

I had to sit through a whole slew of dresses. First Rose had to show me a few, and then Rarity wanted to show off some of her own. A few of them made me react like before, and sadly Rarity was wearing some of those. Some of them were more casual, and one was very fancy, gala material. Rose whispered to Rarity and they both giggled.

"Now what?"

"Oh there's just a few more things to show off, but that will have to wait for later. We should go see Twilight now."

I shrugged in response, and led the way outside the shop. I had chosen to continue wearing the pants, and I think I honestly missed the feeling of doing so. Rose and Rarity followed me out the door, and towards Twilight's house. One step closer to Celestia, and one step closer to a moon free existence.

I approached the door and took a deep breath. I turned to face the girls and said,

"I hope you two are ready."

"For what dear, you're the one who has to do the convincing."

"I was hoping you would do that for me."

I turned around and opened the door. I took a step in, and then stopped moving all together. Both Rarity and Rose managed to bump into me, and grumbled. I just pointed in front of myself not saying a word. I was stuck staring at the body of Princess Celestia. She was one step too early.

_________
AN: I know this chapter is a bit short, and I apologize for that. In other news, still don't really have a plan for any romance action or where to go next, and I was hoping to get some feedback for that. O.O

Anyways, later.

Chapter 19

AN: This is basically how the story was supposed to go. Why am I updating this now? No idea. (Again)

___________________________________________

Know that feeling when you mess something up, and you turn around and do it again? Like walking into a wall, and then turning around, blinded by pain, and walking right into another wall. That's kind of how I was feeling. Blundered right into a trap, that I didn't even know about until much later, and then I did it again. This time it seemed a little less dangerous, but still. I mean a well lit library versus a huge underground ancient city. Speaking of which, I never did find out why that was there.

I was stuck pointing at Celestia, while Rose and Rarity looked from behind me.

"Ah Silver, so good to see you."

At least we weren't shooting fire balls yet. I put a hand behind my head, trying to think of a quick escape route, but I wasn't finding any options. I considered that I might actually have to stay and commit to this. Crazy right?

"Well I do tend to make people smile."

I spotted the rest of the girls sitting along the couch and on the floor. Celestia stood in the middle of the group facing me, as did the rest. None of them seemed relatively hostile, not even Celestia. In fact I would say the biggest feelings I was getting from Celestia was concern and confusion. So I continued,

"I didn't expect to see you here."

"Well, I've been wanting to talk to you. However I didn't want to just jump on you."

Well she tried that once before and it didn't work. I took a deep breath and calmed myself down. It didn't look like I would have to run anywhere, or start burning down buildings. Although burning down buildings did sound pretty tempting, but maybe that was just the dragon talking.

"I appreciate it I guess. So what's up?"

"Well I'm honestly quite confused, and I was hoping you could clear some things up. Like why there is an ancient city where my lake used to be."

She didn't remember? Or even know about the city? Well that changed things quite a bit. Unless it was all another trap, but getting paranoid wouldn't help me much.

"Umm… Well that's odd."

"A few of my subjects mentioned a large dragon, and Twilight here mentioned you having changed into one. An odd occurrence for a human no doubt. And, no disrespect, but you are quite the odd subject, and I suspect you're involved with this somewhere."

"Well I may have gone exploring down there."

Might as well keep the story as simple as possible. The more details, the harder to believe it would be. Telling the truth might have been the right thing to do, but lying was so much easier.

"I found an ancient book while I was travelling to Canterlot that showed an ancient passage. I went in and found the ancient city. I don't know anything about it. Although it looked like it had been abandoned rather than attacked. I found something there that can apparently control minds. At least it would explain why you can't remember attacking me."

Celestia drew back and said,

"I attacked you?"

"Well kinda, your sister and some guards helped. I defended myself, but the thing turned me into this form here, negating any magic ability I had. I managed to escape with Rarity in tow and got whatever the thing was to safety."

"Is that true?"

Rarity looked between me and the princess, and after a moment, nodded. Celestia took a moment to mull it over and then said,

"If that is indeed true, where is this item?"

I pointed in a random direction,

"Somewhere out there. I'm not really sure it’s there when I'm not there."

Everyone just gave me a blank look and I shrugged,

"That's the best I got."

Celestia shook her head at me, and then Twilight said,

"How could an artifact take over Celestia?"

I'll be honest, Twilight confuses the crap out of me. She is so magically skilled, yet has to have a logical answer for everything. Since when does magic and logic mix? I thought the point of magic was to be unexplainable, but I digress.

"I don't know. Possibly it has been affecting her for the past few centuries, and finally grew strong enough."
I had no idea what I said, but apparently Twilight did. She stopped arguing and I continued,

"By the way, I had previously been having issues with this body, particularly my appetite. However, the bar mare gave me some of this red stuff that apparently you made. I was wondering if you could tell me what it is."
I held up the container of the liquid and both Twilight's and Celestia's face went blank. I looked between the two and said,

"What?"

Twilight replied,

"You didn't drink it did you?"

"Why?"

"Did you?"

"Well yea, and it solved the hunger issue. Actually rabbit food sounds much more appealing now."

Twilight looked at Celestia, and then back at me. Her face showed interest in me, and I was starting to get worried.

"What's wrong with this stuff?"

I eyed the drink warily, now wondering what I had just put in my body. Celestia prodded Twilight who said,

"Well I made it originally for Spike. There's a reason he's different from other dragons. That liquid changes some of the genetic makeup in the body. Makes you less dragon, and more pony."

Uh oh. Wonder what that would do to poor Caramel.

"I didn't realize the bar mare had any left to give. I thought she had only made one."

I nodded and said,

"Alright, so who's genes are replacing the ones I had?"

Twilight looked down and her face grew red and she squeaked,

"Mine."

This time my face went blank. If coming to this world has done anything, its kept me surprised.

"So what, that makes us related?"

She nodded her head a little and said,

"Not exactly. I couldn't change too much otherwise obvious issues occur. To make it simple, I'd say you have 1/5th of my genes."

I scratched my chin and said,

"So does that make us siblings, or does it make you my mother?"

Twilight blanched,

"I'd rather not think about it."

Celestia interrupted us and said,

"Anyways, I find your story hard to believe. I don't want to brag, but I am rather powerful. I would have to see this item, as I doubt any artifact could overcome me."

I raised my finger to argue, but before I could another voice boomed out,

"That's because you're stuck in your own little world. You can't even imagine what else lies outside of your realm. Being stuck for 1000 years can do that."

I knew that voice, but I didn't know why that voice was here. We all turned around to look up the stairs, and Morkar, nose in book, walked down them.

"I, on the other hand, am much more capable."

All the ponies looked around in confusion while I said,

"Wait… what are you doing here?"

He still didn't look up,

"I wanted to ask you a question actually."

"You want info… from me?"

He finally looked up at me and said,

"Not because you accomplished anything let me assure you. I was making sure you were still around."

"Well duh, I'm still around."

He stroked his beard,

"Interesting…"

Morkar turned around and began walking up the stairs. Grey light flashed, and a sparkle followed close behind. Morkar vanished as he teleported out in a fashion that closely resembled Twilight's own teleportation spell.

After a few seconds, every head in the room turned to look at me. Each set of eyes staring me down, looking for answers which I didn't have. After a few seconds Celestia said,

"Ah… who was that?"

I shrugged,

"Mage dude who helped me out a bit."

"Could you explain?"

"Well I found him on accident, I think. He told me about that artifact and the rest is history. He told me he could take care of it, and I got it to him."

"How long has he been here?"

Once again I shrugged,

"No idea. You should really talk to him if you want to know. He's kind of hard to deal with though. I ca…"

Before I could finish, a loud bang went out. Several of the girls screamed, while me and Celestia just looked around quickly. Morkar once again seemed to step in from nowhere. He looked at me again, and scratched his beard.

"Now this is really interesting. There are two of you in one place."

I looked up at him and said,

"Huh?"

"Well at first I assumed the crystal resonated energies it picked up, but after an ioval purge, it should have vanished. Then I though it must have scaled echoes as if infused with thurmagist powers. A quick five point scan ruined that. Then I tried searching for a time shift…"

I held up a hand, not that he could see it, and said,

"Not to interrupt or anything, but what are you talking about?"

"There is ‘the you’ standing in front of me, and there is another ‘you’, in the center of my tower, right where the crystal is located. Well not exactly, but it’s beyond your understanding. Anyways, I had to bring you to the tower out of the world to check up on another theory. I'm actually starting to run out."

The past two times he had opened his mouth, I might have understood two of all the words he said. Celestia and Twilight might have caught more, if they weren't still on step one of who this guy was. The other girls seemed stuck in confusion, obliviousness, or in between. I didn't honestly even know why they were there. It occurred to me that I should spend some time with them, but I couldn't figure out why. I mean mane six duh, but did that really mean anything? Seems like the dream life becomes much more shadowy once you have it.

My name entered the background conversation and brought me back to reality.

"There is a Silver here, and a Silver there. It's really not that complicated."

"I'm asking about you, not him."

"There's only one me, I'm not the issue here."

I watched Celestia bicker pointlessly with Morkar for a bit, before walking up the stairs. I looked out the library window, and to my slight surprise, saw bookshelves outside the window. There was a blueish kind of color stone floor. The books on the shelves ranged from thick and leather bound, to small and paperback. I was glad to see that there was no skin covered ones at least.

I hopped through the window, apparently unseen by anyone. I only slightly jumped when the window to the library sealed itself. It was however kind of creepy because the wall sealed as if it was flesh healing itself.

I was now in a circular room, the walls lined with bookshelves all over. The only thing that wasn't a book in the room, was a large claw. It rose out of the ground, and clutched in its hand, the very core I had set eyes on what seemed like a long time ago.

"Seems smaller than the last time I saw it."

I spoke only to myself, but the room seemed to acknowledge my observation. Almost as if it was recording it down for further analysis. Now that I had time to look at it without getting blown up, it was actually kind of beautiful.

It seemed to pulse with life, little lines ran along the length of the crystal. Like brainwaves moving along, commanding the core to do certain things. An odd comparison, but seemingly the only one that fit. If the core was the brain, then that made the world it inhabited the body. Poetic justice or something like that.

"Almost alive isn't it?"

Morkar was standing right behind me, admiring the crystal. He didn't have a book in hand, and seemed genuinely interested in the thing. He never touched it, or even magicked around with it. What may have been a rare moment in his life.

"I'm surprised you aren't doing something else at the same time."

Morkar turned to look at me and said,

"Actually I'm just an illusion, as are the other… 379 at the moment. I believe the real one is out collecting… well doing work."
I spun around quickly,

"You're managing 379 different you’s at once?"

He shook his head,

"No, no, no…. 379,000 different illusions. Council meetings, war truces, and all other kinds of crap. All part of the job."

My mouth dropped down and I stuttered,

"3..379… thousand?"

"You act like it's hard. Only illusions that trick the world seriously start to drain power. It's just as well that I am the most powerful thing you will ever meet then."

"I'd say that's a bit egotistical, but I can't exactly refute you."

"Our time is up. Don't touch anything, I'll be back shortly. You've been deemed unimportant."

And with that, he phased out. He didn't pop or anything, but it was like he was part of an old TV show. He split unevenly and jaggedly, and he became more pixilated. Then it was like someone turned off the TV he was on, and with that he vanished.
I blew out some hot air and said,

"Unimportant my scales. Maybe once I burn down a few books."

I wasn't serious of course, my temper wasn't that out of control. I looked around, but the only thing interesting in the room was the core. Its shining brilliance marked it as gold amongst a pile of dung. I couldn't help but stare at it. It drew me in, almost beckoning to me. It chanted my name soundlessly, and not some made up name.

It didn't call for Silver, or for Socrates. It didn't even call what my earth name used to be. It called for something deeper, from the beginning of time. My heart began to throb along with the core. I didn't notice any noises, or see the rest of the room. The only thing I could see was my claw reaching for the core.

In an instant there was a flash. The moment my claw touched the crystal there was a flash of light. The crystal escaped the clutches of the ivory claw that had been previously holding it. Pulses of light flew out from the center and a voice shouted out in ecstasy.

"Yesss!"

I stepped back quickly as the core began to spin violently. It went faster and faster, and more and more light flashed. The voice which sounded eerily familiar shouted out again,

"Now while its weak! The breakage of the 72 point seal!"

There was a loud bang behind me, and Morkar came walking in. His pace was faster than normal, and several magicks floated around him. They beeped and flashed different colors, telling him something. Celestia was close behind, along with Rose, Twilight, and Rarity.

"What in the nine circles did you do?!"

Morkar didn't look at me, but it was quite obvious who he was speaking too. He didn't sound worried, or even furious. He just sounded… impatient would be my best guess.

"I have no idea! And nine circles?"

Morkar waved a hand and ignored me. Bright spots of light kept flashing around the core, and if I was quick enough I could have counted them up to 67. 5 more lights started to build around the core, and the core itself grew in size. It kept going until it was as tall as I was, and then stopped, as did the lights around it.

"The last 5 points!"

The lights around the core shattered in a way light shouldn't be able to, and a huge crack appeared in the core. For one longing moment, nothing happened. Then the voice said,

"The silver lance of Inkgrad!"

What happened next would have been unavoidable no matter what I did. The day had already been so hectic I was running on empty.

The core shattered into a million pieces and a figure flew out of it. Before my eyes could even identify what it was, I was being flung against the wall. Pain flowered in my stomach, and I felt gravity pull at me uselessly.

Besides the pain in my stomach, and shouts and gasps filling my ears, everything was normal. My eyes adjusted to the sights in front of me, but my mind had trouble believing it. I was about three feet above the floor, my feet dangling above the floor. A large silver lance had nailed me to the wall, and was being held by the last person I expected to see.

Do you know what a lance looks like? Well it’s pretty big let me tell you that. Knights used to use these on horses after all. Lances make spears look like sticks for firewood. They also happen to weigh quite a bit. So the fact that a normal human was holding one in one hand as if it weighed as much as a mouse was ridiculous enough.

The fact that the human holding the lance was me just added some bonus ridiculousness. The face I had once worn looked up at me, and grinned.

The short brown hair, the closely trimmed beard, the small hooked nose, and even the slightly crooked teeth were all mine. The only difference were the eyes. They burned a bright silver, and looking into them caused a small flair of pain.

I… or he rather let out a laugh. A loud and spaced apart laugh. he threw his head back and roared into the air. Everyone else was dead silent, and I was quickly approaching the first half. The man who was me finally came to his senses and looked at me. In my voice he said,

"Sorry chap, you should watch where you're standing around. Might get speared by an escaping convict doing that."

He let go of the lance, which still kept me against the wall, and looked around. He took in the scared ponies, and the many bookshelves. He took in a large breath and then said,

"Then again, being in the tower allows me too…."

He clenched one hand in a fist, and blinding light formed in it. I saw Morkar throw a shield around himself, and then the light pulsed. The lance seemingly disappeared, as did the wound I had received. I fell to the ground on my ass where I stayed. The core pieced itself back together, and then everything stopped.

The imposter me looked around and said,

"That about clears it up…"

He stopped talking when he looked at me. He saw the confusion in my eyes and he said,

"Crap. You just happen to be an I.S. Well then I apologize for stabbing you. Just know that besides me, you, and the old guy, no one else saw that."

I said nothing, my mind still at the point when the core shattered. Morkar on the other hand said,

"That was a time shift, and a complicated one. There aren't many who can do that without feeling some sort of affect. Who are you?"

The other me gave a once over the room and said,

"Well… This is really old. I've got to be farther out than I've ever been. Anyways, I'd love to stay and chat, but that would cause some issues. Like evil mastermind destroying the world . I'm sure Braxis is already on his way."

Morkar started preparing some sort of energy in his hand, but the other me seemed to not care. Instead he just continued,

"Anyways see you guys later. Oh I guess I should just…"

He turned and looked at the core, which shuddered and then turned to dust.

"A sick jail for a sick man. And I'm sure we'll all meet at some point in the future. Time does pass on no matter what they say. It'll be over in a snap!"

At this, he snapped his fingers and turned to dust as well. Morkar let his magic dissipate, and then gathered up a green sort of energy. A green pulse emitted from it, and covered all the walls.

"Hmm, he seems to be gone. And from your expression, I can tell you don't know a thing about this. I can't say I'm pleased a random intruder just broke out of my tower, but it's not the first time. Can't know everything after all. But now that the core is gone…"

Before he could continue, the entire tower shook. I was thrown flat on the ground, as was everyone else. Even Morkar fell to his knees during the quake. Before I could get back up, a wall of the tower vanished and I could see outside. I almost wished I couldn't see though.

In the plains near Ponyville, there was a large beast roaring down. It was like a Cyclops, but made of molten rock. A large fireball was flung from its mouth, as it tried to burn the small black dots around it. Flashes of light could be seen, but they didn't seem to have any effect.

Behind me Princess Celestia gasped, and then took off out of the tower. She flew incredibly fast towards the beast, to defend her land I assumed. However, before she got there, the beast and black dots faded away. More booms could be heard, although they were distorted. In the next few moments the booms stopped coming.

Morkar shook his head,

"Today just isn't a good day. Unknown invaders, intruders, and no morning tea. I should never skip tea, only bad things come of it. Well, I suppose we better get down there."

Morkar was awfully literal when he said things like that. Because one second I was in the tower with everyone else, and next I was in the center of town in front of the library. Morkar was next to me, but the girls were gone.

"Hey where's…?"

"I sent them back into the library. They won't remember me, or the incident with the tower. The core isn't here, and neither is their immortality. I also warn you that your relationships may change vastly now. However, no time to worry now, let us try and make sense of this madness."

I raised a finger and said,

"You're the magician here right? Isn't that your job?"

"You wish to be as skilled as me? You must learn to solve problems that seem to have no solutions. Now let's see… Mayhaps the library will have some new information."

"Information on what?"

"Hopefully on how this world ran before the core. There was peace here before, similar to the core. Or maybe they originally built the first one here. Let's be on our way."

Before I could comment on this though, we were in front of the library. As we walked inside I once again pointed dumbly at Celestia.

The rest of the elements were there as well, and Rarity waved at me. AJ also nodded in my direction, but the rest seemed confused at my presence. I hadn't really talked to them that much I guess.

Celestia spoke first,

"Ah Silver so good to see you. We were just talking about you."

I sat down on the floor, legs crossed, and Morkar stood next to me. His presence went unacknowledged, noone seemed to look his way, or show any indication they knew he was there.

"Oh?"

Celestia nodded,

"Rarity was explaining everything that happened on your trip. She told me all about how you found that ancient city, and that device inside it. I have some archeologists exploring it now, but I told them to be careful. It's just a good thing the device only affected you, I can't imagine what I would do if everyone in Canterlot was turned into a dragon."

It seemed Rarity had already invented a cover story for me. And it was a much better one than I had come up with. I wasn't too sure how to feel about that, but I went along with it.

"Well I'm not minding it too much so far."

Celestia nodded, and then addressed everyone in the room.

"I have called you all here for something more important though. My soldiers on the borders of Equestria have reported movement. It seems like the other rulers of the land are making odd moves. King Solaire to the south is amassing a large force in his capital, and King Terra to the north has blocked off all trade routes. I can only assume King Borealis to the east is doing something odd as well. I want you all to help discover what is going on. I doubt any of them would try a full assault on our land, but something is amiss. I would go myself, but reports of mysterious vanishings and odd sightings are coming in from all over Equestria I must attend to these, but I don't want to leave this issue unchecked."

She took a good long look at all of us,

"I trust all of you, and that is why I've chosen you for this task. It will be dangerous, but I know you will not fail."

The ponies seemed to be agreeable with this, especially Dash. I myself hadn't thought there were other lands besides Equestria, the more you know I guess. No doubt, this was somehow connected to the core or whatever.

We all nodded our agreement and Celestia said,

"If there are no questions, I must be off immediately. I leave you with a passage one of the scribes found in that ancient city. Twilight, use spike to contact me for any reason you deem necessary. I wish you all a good day."

With those words, Celestia stopped low to leave the room, and closed the door softly behind her. We all sat in silence for a second, before Twilight picked up the small paper Celestia had left. She read aloud,

Of time before

Shall three kings rule

peace and harmony aligned.

A struggle of power,

and the end of death

shall time cease to move.

Over two seas shall one king flee

and to northern heights shall another.

The eastern swamps is where the last shall stop,

all three waiting nevermore.

When she finished, the piece of paper was put down and she said,

"What does that mean?"

Rarity answered first saying,

"It might mean nothing. Possibly a child's poem from long ago?"

Dash backed her up,

"Ya, that didn't even rhyme. It was horrible."

Fluttershy said nothing, and Pinkie said,

"Well maybe it was a prank?"

I also said nothing, preferring to watch instead. Twilight held up a hoof and said,

"Well let's try and do it line by line then."

I wanted to interrupt, but Dash actually did it for me.

"Do we have to do it now? I'm starving."

Pinkie then produced a tray of cupcakes from nowhere and said,

"I brought snacks."

Everyone proceeded to dig in as Twilight said,

"So the first line Of time before is obvious. In the past a long time ago. And the next talks about back when the Three Kings used to rule all. Then they had a power struggle between themselves. I guess that's when the Princesses stopped them and created peace. That would be the end of death I guess. But what does it mean time ceases to move?"

I knew exactly what it meant, but I wasn't going to point it out. Granted Twilight had already solved half the damn thing on her own, even if it wasn't hard. I didn't even see the importance of it.

"Well skipping that one, the next few are obvious. Solaire went over ocean and desert, Terra went to the mountains in the north, and Borealis went east to the swamplands. But how can they be waiting nevermore?"

Rarity put in her two bits by saying,

"Well if it refers to the other line of time not moving, one can hardly wait for time to pass. So if this actually means anything, then the three kings have been waiting, but not."

I added my own two bits saying,

"That made sense."

I could've sworn Fluttershy said something, but Pinkie shouted over her.

"Of course it does silly! You can't wait because that means time is going. So they are doing something else since they can't wait. We need a word for waiting without passing time."

I wanted to put baiting in as a possible one, but I figured they would all get the innuendo too quickly. So again I stayed silent.

Twilight shook her hoof in the air and said,

"That doesn't really matter. What does is that the Princess gave us a task to fill out. What we should do now is figure out how to do it. I think we should split up into groups."

When she finished talking Rarity said,

"Well having been on an adventure myself so soon, I would like a moment to rest. My shop hasn't been open long enough, and what of Sweetie Belle?"

AJ agreed with Rarity there,

"And Ah can't just leave the farm sugarcube. We can't just uproot our lives."

Twilight stamped her front hoof,

"But this is a matter of utmost importance!"

I rose my hand and said,

"I'll do it."

Twilight sighed,

"I know, but you can't go all three places at once."

"No… but I can do them in order. Besides if these kings are up to something, they'll be in contact with each other. If they all get strange visitors at the same time… they might catch on."

Rarity nodded and said,

"He has a point. Besides this way, we can take turns so to speak. Two of us shall accompany him to wherever he goes. Although he may need a disguise himself."

Twilight sighed again, and gave in,

"I guess you girls are right."

I coughed and she corrected herself,

"And guy. I'll contact Celestia of our plans, and ask her about Silver's disguise. I guess that's settled then."

I stood up,

"Great that means I can get some real lunch now."

Morkar who had said nothing the entire time, followed me out of the library. Once outside he turned me around so I faced him.

"Well that was most helpful. It certainly gives us a new direction to look into."

I put a finger to my scaled chin,

"Us? To be honest I'm surprised you didn't know the entire history of this place already."

Morkar shook his head,

"No matter how I appear, I am very much normal. I must learn things the same as everyone else. I have yet to delve into this particular subject. You just happened to have found an ancient library on your previous travels as well. I shall attend to that place, and learn what I can. You shall start heading for one of the kings mentioned in the passage. Where better to learn the history but from the horse's mouth?"

Here he laughed at his own little joke. Once he finished his odd sounding chuckle he said,

"Before I depart I have a few gifts for you. The first is this gemstone. With it I may contact you when I have learned more of this world."

He handed me a beautiful sapphire, cut into a near perfect sphere. The light reflected off of it, and I was instantly mesmerized. I had to fight the urge to shove it in my mouth, and instead put it in my pocket.

"Secondly, since you have demolished the first medium I gave you, I have something better. Against my better judgment I give you The Grey Staff."

Demolished the first? That could explain why I couldn't do magic anymore. Besides the fire thing. Maybe it had happened when I had gone back to the nothingness. Maybe the medium could not go where I and the bracelet could. Regardless of that, I almost had to scoff at what Morkar handed me.

"This is a hockey stick…"

And indeed it was. A grey wooden hockey stick with red symbols carved into one side. It only reached my shoulder, and had grip tape placed in 3 strategic locations. I handled it with half care and half disbelief. Morkar didn't seem to notice my distain though and continued,

"Indeed it is. A very powerful one too. It was simple enough to make, however I think you'll find it very much to your liking. It's very efficient with elemental magic along with being fairly sturdy. Nothing like a good whack to the head to deter an enemy. I also managed to procure the books you had left behind."

Morkar handed me the small weathered journal and the book on elemental magic. I thanked him for the gifts but he held up his hand,

"I have one final offer. I can return you back to your human form, or even turn you into one of these ponies, or even a mix of the two. I would just say that your current form is the strongest. It may have an obvious weakness to water, but those scales will protect you better than any armor. And again, without the core, the immortality once had by the inhabitants will no longer be viable."

I thought upon it for a moment before saying,

"I've finally gotten along with Rose, I think I'll stick with this one thanks. Say, you're being awfully friendly you know. Not even 24 hours ago you were saying how terrible I was."
He looked at me with old eyes,

"Well I have learned many a thing today. I may have misjudged you at first, events today just showed me that mistake. After all the issue of that strange character up and disappearing is still in the air. I may need someone like you soon enough. Better to have you on my side. I really must be going though, I wish you good luck!"

With those last words, he vanished into thin air. No pop or flash of light, he simply just disappeared. Some part of me knew the gifts were bribes, he pretty much admitted it, but I couldn't bring myself to care. I mean the hockey stick was weird, but if I could do magic again who cared? I guess the bribes were working. I looked at the staff and said,

"I don't suppose you'll merge with my bracelet huh?"

I felt something tighten on my horn, and I got the feeling the answer was a no. Almost like the staff was too unique to be absorbed by the bracelet. I just sighed and turned to go back to Rose's.

Before I walked inside the place, I stopped myself on the porch. Morkar's words came back to me, and I actually started to worry a little bit. What if Rose didn't like me anymore I asked myself. I found myself starting to think life would be harder without her around as much.

And then I shook myself. ' Since when am I so worried about girls. Who cares?' I tried to convince myself with such thoughts, but deep down I knew it didn't work. Somewhere along the line I had gotten attached to the ponies here. Even if I hadn't noticed it when it was there. But now that It could be gone, I definitely noticed.

I knocked on the door, and I heard Rose shout for me to hold on. She opened the door and looked me quizzically.

"You don't have to knock Silver. If we've shared a bed, I think we can share a house."

Then again sometimes I just wished she wouldn't be so straight forwards. I didn't say anything for a while and Rose's face started to show concern,

"What's wrong?"

"Oh nothing, just being down I guess. So uh…"

I stopped myself from mentioning anything, not knowing if Rose remembered the tower incident at all. So instead I finished,

"What's up?"

She rolled her eyes at me and said,

"Well I've only been awake for 5 minutes. Not much time to do anything. After our little dress show, we had to skip that meeting. Where were you last night anyways?"

I fished around for an excuse and finally gave up,

"I really don't know."

Rose laughed and walked away from me,

"I didn't know dragons could get drunk. I'm going to shower now, wish to join me?"

Part of me wanted to, especially when just offered. But another part of me resisted, afraid that Rose might just be feeling after affect of a core induced spell. So I eventually just said no, and waited for her to get out. I tried to piece together Rose's timeline while I did so. When she came back, I was sitting on her couch, sharpening my nails.

Once again, she smelled great, and her hair seemed to shimmer just slightly. She sat down with me and said,

"So are you up to get some food?"

My stomach in good old Equestria fashion answered for me.

"I'd be glad to, but we have to talk first."

Rose looked down,

"You're leaving again."

My eyes widened a little at how monotone her answer was.

"Uh, yeah actually. Good call."

Suddenly, Rose turned her head to face me and put her front hooves on my chest, and shoved her face into mine.

"Well I'm going with you this time! I don't care where you're going, I'll follow you wherever you go. You aren't leaving me behind again! I'm not making that mistake again."

I had to think what she said over a few times. Then I wiped the small amount of spittle from my face nonchalantly and said,

"Alright, that's fine by me. What about your flower cart?"

Rose stared at me for a second, surprise across her face.

"Oh… Well… I can just leave it here. You aren't going to try and stop me?"

"Oh no, I know better than that. Besides who am I to deny anyone an adventure?"

Rose simply just stared at me.

"However now that you're part of the adventure party, you have to pick up some slack."

Rose nodded her agreement here.

"I'm gonna need to get a boat or a ride on one to cross the sea, and that's gonna cost money."

Rose laughed and said,

"You don't have any money."

"I've got some, but I don't think it will be enough for there and back again."

"Well I suppose I could help a little, is anyone else going?"

"No idea, I guess we could ask someone to go with us if you want."

Rose eyed me carefully and said,

"Rarity?"

I clicked my tongue in thought,

"She was amiable company the first time around. Even if her travel methods aren't to my liking. However I'll be honest, those dresses were something I wouldn't mind seeing again. However, she was talking about her boutique being closed for too long. And something about Sweetie Bell."

Rose waved a hoof here,

"I'm sure we can convince her to go."

It made me curious that Rose wanted her to go, but I said nothing about it. Rose continued to speak,

"Why are we going to the south though? It's only desert after the ocean."

I smiled then said,

"Well I've got to speak to some kings and learn some history. So why not visit my 'honorary father' first?"

Rose laughed and got up, and I was quick to follow. We chuckled quietly as Rose grabbed a few things and turned off the lights. I grabbed a bag to throw my books in, and put the hockey stick in my left hand. I took one last look around and closed the door behind me.

A wise man/horse/lion or whatever he was once said, "The true reward to an adventure, is a bigger and better one."

I had no idea how true that statement would stand.

~Fin~

AN: I'm sorry but that's where this story will close. Does it end here? Of course not. However, I don't think I'll be around to write the rest of it, nor do I know if anyone will even read this. Mayhaps one day I shall live through this story, and mayhaps not. The stream is an odd place, and who knows where it will take me. I wish you all good look on your future endeavors, and may you find happiness wherever you look.

Silver Skies, for one last time, signing off.

Prologue

Author's Two Cents: After like forever since I mentioned that I wanted to rewrite the story, I've actually decided to do it. Oh and feel free to just you know, skip ahead to the story right now. I had actually lost interest in MLP for awhile. I'm not quite sure why, but I was. Good news is that I am once again in love with the show. Oh and FYI this story won't be the same as the other one. Yes it's a rewrite, but I'll be following a different path. I don't want to tell you to much though… Also if you see a (____) That's what I'm thinking as I'm writing.

(Skip to the second chapter if you want ponies right away. This just provides some background on the character and how he arrives in Equestria.)

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A flash of lightning lit up the room, and thunder boomed out only a few seconds later. I woke up from the sound, and sat up straight. I looked around in dazed confusion as the sound of rain flooded my room. I took a few seconds to blankly stare at one corner of my room before acting. I got out of the bed and walked towards a wooden desk. The desk was attached to a bookcase stuffed with books. Several looked worn as if they had been read quite a few times, while others, still bearing the dog mark on the corners, looked much more preserved.

I reached over the desk and hit a button on a laptop. Instantly the sounds of rain and thunder stopped. Flashes of light ceased to… flash (Good job brain).

"I need to stop leaving my computer on." I said, and then sighed. The clock told me it was 5 in the afternoon. You wouldn't be able to tell just by looking at the room though. It was pitch dark now that the laptop had been shut off. Not a single window was in the room to let light in. I reached over and flipped a light switch.

The light flickered a few times and I whispered, "Lumos…"

The light stayed on after and I chuckled to myself. I stretched myself out and twisted my neck. No cracks came from the stretching, but I adopted a satisfied look. I looked down at the bed and laughed again. On the bed the covers were thrown to one side, and the sheets didn't fare much better.

I then went about an everyday ritual. I brushed my teeth and took a shower. I dressed myself in shorts and a tee shirt (t-shirt?). I pulled out a phone and began pressing buttons rapidly. After doing so I threw the phone on a nearby couch. I dragged myself to the kitchen and opened the fridge. I looked inside it and pondered it. I then closed the door and went over to a food cabinet. I looked inside this for some time as well. I switched between the two a couple times before giving up. A sudden ding went off from the couch.

I looked at my phone and saw what I had been hoping to see, at least that would explain why my face split into a grin. I grabbed a key chain and dashed out the door. Almost like a little kid does. I got into a small car and put the keys into the ignition. I turned the car on, but didn't start driving. First I plugged my phone into a pair of speakers which were hooked up to the cigarette lighter power source. I hit the shuffle button on said phone and music began to play. As I continued to hit skip several times I looked at my mirror. A small plastic figurine hung from it. It was another small pony, but pink in coat and mane color.

"Safe driving Pinkie." I said this and then strapped on my seat belt. I lowered the windows and opened the sun roof. I skipped several more songs before finally settling on one. I put the car into drive and pushed on the gas. I got onto the main road and began driving at a faster speed. As I drove to my destination I began singing in a deep voice,

"Get on your feet boy, rip it up, rip it up, rip it up if you're ever gonna make it. Get on your feet girl, rip it up, rip it up, rip it up if you're ever gonna make it!~"

The small black car raced down the cement and made several noises that would've made anyone cringe. The car did look severely beat up. The front was smashed flat from several encounters, and the back wasn't much better. The sides had several dents, but nothing to serious.

After about 30 minutes of driving, in which several red lights were ran, the car finally came to a stop. The engine coming to a stop sounded more like a great sigh. Almost as if the car itself had been holding its breath in fear. I stepped out of the car and looked forwards. I had arrived at a rather large park. As far as parks go it was pretty normal, except for the several tennis courts which lacked tennis nets.

I turned back to my car and opened the trunk. I took out some equipment and began heading towards one of the courts. There was already several others there waiting for me.

One of them called out to me, "Hey man, decided to catch a few hours of the sun?"

I shouted back, "Nah I woke up to eat. Thought I might get some exercise done though."

I reached the group and set the equipment down. Practice swords and small flags littered the ground. I reached down and picked up one of the wooden swords.

"Well exercise 1 first. I'm with you as always,"

At this point I lightly punched one of the other guys in the group,

"and I'll be the target first."

The rest of the group picked up their own equipment. They totaled six and worked in pairs of two. I threw the wooden sword to my partner and signaled him to start. My partner rushed me and began attempting to strike me. No matter what he tried, I was too fast. I either dodged or redirected the swing with my arms. This continued for 30 minutes with a few blows finding their mark, especially towards the end. After the 30 minutes we took a break and sat down. I opened up a water bottle and took a drink from it. After I had a sizeable amount I handed the bottle to my partner.

While doing so I said, "I think my arms and hands are building up calluses."

The partner finished his drink and threw the empty bottle on the grass. He turned to me and said,

"I think every part of my body is doing that. These things can hurt."

I shook my head, "Well we could wear padding, but why bother? Too expensive, besides this builds character.

The other guy replied, "Anything that isn't good seems to build character."

"Well even bullying builds character. Just think about it. Someone who gets bullied a lot will either never do it when he is older because he knows how it feels, or he'll take revenge on the smaller kids all the time. Either way his experiences have built up to that."

"I suppose."

"Sometimes I think I'm too smart for my own good."

"You wish. Although I'll admit sometimes you have freaky moments of insight. Then again other times you just spew nonsense."

"You don't think I'm crazy do you?"

"Of course I do! Well at least in comparison to the norm. Though to be fair, I'm probably not the best judge of this."

"Well from what I can see, the norm is to have your head stuck up your ass. To only care for yourself and think about all things physical."

"Sure looks that way. I have faith in the small part of the population that actually cares. Although most of them aren't involved in important stuff. Maybe that's how you avoid becoming an ass hole. Just don't become important."

"You have a point. That was kind of random though."

"I just get the feeling that we're explaining a little background to people without just blandly pointing it out. Like the fact that I'm 19 and you're 20, soon to be 21. Also the fact that we both have an occupation of doing absolutely nothing. No job or school until September. Oh and our 10 minute break is over, my turn to be target."

We stood up and began the exercise again. We continued like this for a few hours until the sun was giving off its final rays. We packed up the equipment and put it back into the car. Everyone said their goodbyes except for me and my partner.

I looked up and said, "You need a ride?"

My partner said, "It would be appreciated."

We both got into the car and the engine roared (More like whined -_-). I looked at my partner and said,

"Pinkie demands that seatbelts be worn at all times."

My partner sighed and put his seatbelt on, "You and your damn ponies."

"Hey, it's our damn ponies. Besides, ponies are cool. Then again a lot of things are cool."

"Indeed now hurry up and drive. I have yet to see the new episode of MLP, and I hear it’s a good one."

I chuckled as I began driving, "Implying there are bad episodes."

After around 15 minutes of driving a cop car speed past the small black car.

"Damn, that's the 5th one to pass us. I wonder what's going on tonight."

I replied, "Maybe the local wildlife has become a bit too active."

"Wait what?"

"I meant that some idiots got really drunk."

"Oh."

The car pulled up to a house and stopped. The passenger got out, said his goodbyes, and closed the door. The car sped off again making not so safe noises. I sighed once I was alone and dropped my smile. I drove through the night in silence. The time was most likely around 11 or 12. The dark night confirmed this and the moon shone brightly.

I arrived at my home and parked the car. I went inside and dropped the keys on the table. I didn't bother shouting "I'm home" or anything. I opened the door to the stairwell and headed down stairs.

I closed the stairwell door behind me and descended. Today so far was good, but it had only been 7 hours. It had plenty of time to settle down. Training always got me in a good mood, especially because I was with friends.

I grabbed my computer off my desk and brought it into bed with me. I brought my plushie who I had taken to calling Mac when no one was around. I turned the computer on again and the sounds of a storm greeted me. I don't know why, but I always enjoyed storms. They calmed me down and gave me more of a "free" feel. I began catching up on everything for the day.

For some reason the internet couldn't entertain me that day. I closed my laptop and set it on the ground. I simply laid back in my bed and held on to Mac tight. I began talking to him in low tones,

"One day Mac I'm going to get out of here. Just you wait, one day I'll be exploring all the stars. Maybe I'll come visit you some day. After all I'm sure Equestria is out there somewhere. Anything and everything after all. I'll be honest with you though Mac. I'm kind of scared to leave here. I'm kind of scared dying. I wouldn't be if it would just happen, but I don't think I have the guts to do it myself. Besides that would give off the wrong vibe. I mean I should be happy here, and in some ways I am. I have some great friends, and my life as of right now is incredibly easy. I don't have to do anything. Not even some dead end job. I'm just so bored here. Nothing interesting here on Earth. Imagine if I could get out there though. I might find some planet that has lava surfing or something! Well no probably not. That doesn't sound like a good idea."

I paused to think on the idea of surfing lava, and how one would do such a thing. Eventually I just threw that idea out the window. I continued on with my monologue,

"Some people might tell me to find enjoyment here, or some crap like that. I've been doing that for 18 years now, I'm getting tired of it. Besides I have my life set out for me here. How boring is that? Knowing what's going to happen. I can't even just leave. Imagine how my family would react if I just disappeared. I couldn't do that to them. At least my friends would understand .Then again if I leave this planet I think I might be able to do it. Sorry family, but the universe awaits! Something like that anyways. You know what would be cool? Ending up in the world with the Avatar. Oh and I could be a bender, but what type? I suppose it's kinda pointless to speculate eh? The here and now type of thing. Then again, if you aren't happy with your lot in life I think it's okay to dream a bit. Some might tell me to take action, but that's a pretty big action to take."

I looked down at Mac to make sure he was still awake. I was quite aware that he was a plushie, but I still treated him like a friend. Imagine if he became real and knew everything that he experienced as a plushie. I don't think that will happen, but I'm a bit of a dreamer.

"You see Mac I've got a sort of motto to follow. I call it "Anything and Everything". See I think that existence is infinite and anything that has ever been is out there. That's why I'm confident Equestria is out there. Out of infinite existence it has to be. Finding it might be a little bit difficult, but I'll figure that part out once I get there. Have to get off this planet first eh?"
Before I could continue having a discussion with a stuffed toy, my stomach made an interruption. I had yet to eat today. Even though it was near 5 a.m., it was dinner time for me. I didn't want to wake my mom up by making food, so I just figured I would go and get something to eat. There were only a few places open at this time. I decided that since my stomach was feeling rude, I was going to be rude to it. I looked for the keys only to find them exactly where I had left them. I got in my car and flicked the pink figure.

"Safe driving Pinkie."

I put on the seat belt and began to drive. I don't want to sound particularly evil or anything, but it was the last time I would be doing so for a long time. My phone shuffled through a few songs before I landed on one that I liked. The air flowing from the open windows blew my short hair backwards. I took a deep breath enjoying the sensation of the wind before breaking out in song.

"I've seen a lot a sights, and traveled many miles! Shook a thousand hands, and seen my share of smiles."

Maybe if I had been paying more attention I could've avoided what happened next. In hindsight though, I'm glad I didn't. Besides the if game in reference to "what if I did this instead" annoys me. No point in dwelling on the past. I was driving up a hill that I couldn't see past when it happened. I was near the top when something obstructed my view. With the scarce amount of time I had I did one last thing, and that was to think 'Oh the irony' (Because cars have iron in them).

The large semi-truck overtook my small car easily. Just one of the wheels was taller than my car. The truck easily crushed the small car beneath it. The driver in the truck probably didn't even notice at first. The resounding sounds however alerted him. He swerved the truck and smashed into a tree on the side of the road. The tree didn't fare much better than the car. It made a sickening crack as the truck slammed into it.

Sirens rang out through the night.

One moment there was a truck heading for me, and then a few moments of intense pain, then nothing at all. Well nothing at all would be wrong. I was still…. alive? I could still think at least. I couldn't feel anything though. I couldn't even see anything, and it wasn't just black. There was literally nothing. It was almost like all my senses had shut down and my brain was the only thing left.

My first thoughts were pretty standard I think. Mostly along the lines of 'what the hell just happened?' After I got over the shock I calmed down enough to think clearly. I began talking out loud to myself in an effort to keep myself calm,

"Well then, that's that. Kind of lame, cliché too. Hit by a damn drunk driver. If I could I would give him some a piece of my mind. Which is most likely not possible. I kind of have to assume that my body is a mere splat on the road now. If I'm really lucky, or unlucky rather, I'm in a coma. Always wondered what a coma patient is going through. I always thought it was just like a nap. If you wake up from it, it's like you had just been asleep. Then again if it's like sleep they would dream. Maybe they would dream of a whole different life in vivid detail. Then they would wake up to find out it was all fake."

Those last words echoed out and then it made me realize something. I was unable to feel a body of any sort, but I was talking. I hadn't thought about it before, but maybe I was in control. I tried imagining a nice big pizza for me to devour, but that didn't work. I sighed and stood up. I did that without thinking either. I looked down at myself and was comforted to see I did indeed have a body. The same body that had just been crushed. Well in its uncrushed form obviously.

I looked even farther down and was unnerved. There was nothing below me, or around me at all. Yet here I was, standing on nothing. Maybe I was standing only because I was used to having ground below me. Whatever the case I stopped focusing on the nothing beneath me. I did a 360 not actually expecting to see anything. However, when I was turned around I saw a small bundle on the… nothing ground.

It was a long bundle wrapped up in a white tarp. I undid the knot holding the tarp to the bundle. It felt weird. Like a bundle of sticks almost (Har har). The tarp fell off and whatever was inside fell on the ground. No noises were made, but several things rolled on the nothing ground. After a few seconds I was able to identify the stuff as the training equipment. I reached down and picked up my bokken. It was plain wood, but I had carved a small symbol into the handle. After admiring my own stick, I looked at the rest on the ground. After a little bit of back and forth, I decided to leave the stuff there. If my friends ever showed up here, they might need it.

At first I had no idea what I was going to do. All I knew was that standing still never got much done. I walked in a random direction for a while. I didn't even feel remotely tired after several miles. I wasn't exactly the most athletic person ever. Although I did rely on my legs a lot. I ran at least 3 times a week going at least 5 miles. I also loved to go on backpacking trips. Trekking 14 miles with a good 50 pounds on your back. Now that's what I call traveling. Just you, your pack, and some good company. Maybe a few musical instruments too. Too bad I don't know how to play any. I'll make a vow to learn one eventually.

I won't bore you with the details with the walk. Even if I did it might take up a sentence or two. It was mostly just me thinking to myself while I walked. I did check back every once in a while to make sure I was moving. I couldn't see the stuff anymore so at least I know something had moved. I'll be honest though. When something did happen, it did weird me out.
I had just been looking at my feet hitting the nothing ground when a voice called out to me.

"Hail strange spirit. You who walks in physical form in such a place interests me. Would you mind having a chat with me?"
I looked up and around to find the source of the voice. I saw a large bonsai tree growing out of the nothing ground and someone in the tree. It wasn't really a someone though. It was more like a giant lizard person. He was laying on a branch with his back against the trunk. He was holding a plate in one claw, and chopsticks in the other. His green scales allowed him to blend in very well with the tree. Of course the tree was very obvious in the middle of nothing. So it was debatable whether or not if he was well hidden.

"Um… hello lizard dude."

He jumped down from the tree balancing his plate carefully.

"My name is… well I don't really know. In this place that isn't a place do we have names? Or are we all starting anew?"

"I'll just call you Scales for now then. I don't suppose you could tell me what you are then?"

Scales let out a laugh. Weird thing was it sounded perfectly normal. No lizard like things about the laugh at all. Once he finished laughing he said, "In a place where nothing exists, not even the ground, you question the appearance of something. Maybe that is wiser than it sounds. The form I have taken was the very first I ever had. The species name you most likely could understand is 'Fulvah'. Although most will not take kindly to the use of that word."

Great. I found a lizard who likes to speak in riddles, what else is there?

He eyed me warily before motioning with his chopsticks, "Come stranger sit under the tree with me. Share some of my meal. As two travelers whose path has met, we must be respectful of each other."

I complied with his wishes, even though he was a bit strange. I didn't really feel scared of him, even if he did have claws and razor teeth. I mean I died and ended up here. How redundant would it be if I died here? Besides I'm not even sure if I had a body at first. I laid against the tree and the lizard handed me the plate and chopsticks. I'm not very good with sticks, but I made do. I picked up a white ball and stuck it in my mouth. I chewed on it for a little bit and swallowed.

"Rice cakes? For some reason I thought you were eating meat…"

Scales looked at me and said, "What is wrong with rice cakes?"

Besides the fact that you’re a lizard-man thing eating them? Absolutely nothing.

"Nothing is wrong with rice cakes, I love them." I passed him back the plate and continued talking, "So how did you end up here?"

Apparently I was hilarious because this guy kept on laughing. When he was done he said, "How does anyone end up here? Do you even know where here is? You must be new stranger. You are currently in the Spirit Stream, also known as "The Resting Place". It has many names, but in the end it’s a place between places. That odd plane of existence that doesn't exist. No one is sure about its true nature, but we do know that it is very relaxing. Travelers like you and me use it all the time. Well at least that's how it used to be."

I didn't really know what he was talking about but I listened politely.

"There used to be a great many souls traveling through this place, as many had awoken from the most basic life. However after the great cataclysm, many of them couldn't deal with the memories they had. They gave up their immortality and erased themselves from existence."

I was now even more interested, "What do you mean?"

Scales put down the plate, which still had as many rice cakes on it as when he handed it to me, and continued speaking, "They erased all their memories and gave up the ability to keep memories after death. It was easier to do this than live with what they had done. They locked their souls again to be forever gone. You may even be one of those souls, just unlocked again."

I stared at the ground as I munched on this mind food, "What did they do?"

Scales replied, "No one knows. There isn't a single soul out there who knows the details of what happened. Well… never mind. They came to this place one final time and used the energies here to lock their souls once more. As I said the nature of this place is unknown, but there is some things we know. One such thing is the fact that anyone who comes here is bathed in the energies of this place. These energies give them the ability to do exactly what I said. To relock their souls and cease to exist. Well most anyways. I gave up the ability to do so."

Something was nagging me and I asked, "How does something cease to exist?"

Scales nodded, "Well maybe that isn't the best term. Their souls are still out there, but they don't remember anything. Memories define a soul. All the experiences they had ever been through were erased. So they were essentially erased. Of course they still live on experiencing new things, but the lives they lived before are forever gone."

"You say lives in multiple terms. Is there some sort of reincarnation cycle? Am I enlightened or something?"

Scales eyed me even more curiously and said, "I think I have answered all I can. Thank you stranger for keeping us company."

I didn't move, "Wait you said you gave up the ability to erase yourself. How did you do that?"

Scales got a faraway look in his eye. As if he was recalling something from long long ago. After a minute or so he said, "When I first arrived Frank was here to greet me. He told me about the power to do this. Back then I was a fresh soul, unaware of the universe in its entirety. I announced to the nothingness that I didn't want this power. I thought I would want to live forever and ever. Well now that I have done so I have grown tired. So now I simply stay here in this place of great relaxation. Every once in a while a stranger such as you will arrive. No one uses this as travel anymore. To many better and easier ways to travel nowadays. I remember back when I first arrived. There was no other way to travel. Then again existence was a lot smaller back then."

Here he took a deep breath and didn't speak again. I studied his face in greater detail. Where I had seen sparks in his eyes I now only saw dull grey shines. He did look immensely tired. He also had that 'I'm an ancient thing' feel to him. I finally stood up and spoke out loudly,

"Hear me place that is not a place. I refute this power to relock my soul. Instead I give it to this soul here."

For a few seconds nothing happened, and I began to feel silly. However a light glow began to withdraw from by body. It flowed from me to Scales. I felt like I had lost some sort of power, but it wasn't necessarily bad. It was a foreign power leaving me. Once it was gone, I felt more like myself than I ever had.

Scales absorbed the power and he gave me a look of gratitude, "Thank you much stranger. I will not forget this kindness… well hopefully. However, I hope you know the severity of such a decision. There may not be a kind stranger when you are in my position."

I waved his words off and said, "Just do me a favor. Don't use that right away. I would like to travel with you a bit sometime. If you would want to anyways."

Scales looked back at the tree for a moment, "I shall think on it stranger. Now let me do something for you. Hand me that stick you carry."

I threw him my bokken and he caught it easily. He ran his claws up and down the length of the entire thing. A small glow encased the bokken. There was a flash of light and my jaw dropped. The bokken had become a very ornate katana. The handle was of a dragon with its mouth open. The dragon was completely made of small emeralds except for the eyes which were two brilliant diamonds. At the maw of the beast small gold flames encased the beginning of the blade. After the flames the blade went straight out. It didn't even curve a little.

Scales held the sword out to me, but for a few seconds all I could do was stare. He chuckled again, and set it in my hands. Once the sword was in my hand it turned back into the normal bokken.

Before I could say anything he interrupted me, "There is a saying about this place. It may not bring you to where you want to go, or even when you want. However, it will always bring you where you need to go. This blade will only be a blade when you need it to be. Now I sense that you need to be off now. Goodbye kind traveler. Frank says goodbye as well, and that you should search out a mage by the name Morkar."

I only had one more question for him, "Whose Frank?"

Scales laughed harder than ever before at this. I was getting annoyed at making jokes I didn't get.

Scales leaned on the tree and said, "Frank is the tree." He continued to laugh again and he pointed behind me. I turned my head to see more nothing. I looked back to see nothing there as well. I could still hear the fading laughter though.

I smiled a little to myself and looked down at my bokken. That same bright glow came back, and once again it became a very ornate weapon. I quickly figured out that just because it looked glittery didn't mean it wasn't sharp. For a moment the kid in me took over. I began swinging the sword around myself as if I was fighting invisible foes. After a few minutes of this I noticed that I had been scraping the ground. There were small rips across the ground. The rips began to close themselves. After several minutes of being dumbfounded I got a brilliant idea.

Using my impressive knowledge of fantasy books and cartoons I devised on how to leave this place. I concentrated on the name of the mage Frank had told me. I held up the sword high above my head and shouted,

"Golden Dragon Sword!"

The sword glowed a brilliant gold color and I slashed downwards. A large rip appeared in the air before me. I could only see purple swirls through the rip, but I decided to take the chance. I didn't even hesitate as I leapt into the rip. As I fell through the rip I thought about the landing. Then I thought about how this might be a bad idea.
_____________________________________________________

AN: 5000 word PAWNCH! I just wanted to include everything before ponies. I did say that this wasn't required reading right? Some things you might like to know.

The first song was "Rip it Up" by Jet http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7HkXI70t88

The second was "Going out in Style" by DKM http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWrPIju1Lgs

And the golden dragon sword reference was to Xioalin Showdown.

Chapter 4

AN: Not the Applejack dialogue, oh god anything but that! If I cut her out of the story you can't be mad at me.
___________________________________

"Oh bugger."

Applejack was only a few feet from me, and quite honestly she looked pissed. To be fair I was eating her food, but it was only a few apples. I quickly ran a few scenarios through my head before acting. I put down the second apple and grabbed my staff. I leaned on it heavily as I stood up, and continued to do so.

"I'm sorry I don't believe we've met. I'm Silver if you were interested."

Applejack snorted at me. She stomped one of her hooves impatiently. It was almost cute to see her throwing a fit. Of course she could most likely kick me into next week. Not to mention Big Mac. I did have a huge advantage with my height and hands, but still. Besides I don't think I could beat up a pony and feel good about myself.

"Y'all could say Ah'm interested in why y'all are stealing mah food."

I resisted the urge to comment on her accent and said, "I'm awfully sorry. I did not realize that this was your farm. I just wanted to rest my bad leg for awhile. If there is something I could do to make up for this intrusion, then please tell me."

I gave her a charming smile to go along with this. At the mention of a bad leg she seemed to calm down a bit. Always mention an injured body part if your caught snatching some food. People like to help others who are down on their luck. If you think that's taking advantage of them, then think about this. People only help others so they can feel good and be reassured about their own morality. So in one way, I'm actually helping them out.

Applejack was giving me a very scrutinizing look. After a few seconds during which I held my breath. Finally she spoke,

"Well Ah suppose Ah could let it go this time. Just don't be gittin yerself in more trouble ya hear?"

I shakily bowed to Applejack and said, "Thank you kind stranger. I will remember your forgiving nature."

Applejack just bowed her head and said, "Well why don't Ah show you the way to town? Ah can show y'all where to get that leg of yours checked out."

Well that was unwanted, but I decided to go along with it. However as I took my first step towards her I tripped over the staff. At first I just cursed under my breath and stood back up. I brushed off my toga and made sure it was still secure. I looked up to see Applejack giving me a very angry look. I looked back at the ground to see the staff still laying there. If I didn't know better, I would say the staff did that on purpose. I looked back up at Applejack and smiled cheekily then said,

"I don't suppose it's too late to say just kidding?"

Applejack stomped her hooves again, "Y'all got three seconds before Ah put the hurt on ya."

I gulped, guess not huh? I decided to take her up on her kind offer. I reached down and picked up the staff as I turned around. I took off before I was even fully upright. I did say I wasn't the most athletic person right? I mean I do my runs and stuff, but I don't do sprints. I also don't dodge trees while I run. Nor do I wear a toga while I do it. Although to be honest, it didn't get in the way as much as you think it would. The lack of shoes did make it rather painful though. I've built up calluses on my feet from various activities, but it wasn't enough.

Applejack kept to her word and counted to three. If I had the time I would've poked fun at the fact that she said apple after each number. As I sprinted through the forest of apple trees I could hear her galloping behind me. The staff was starting to make this really difficult. It kept hitting trees and nearly knocking me over. I knew I wasn't going to be able to out run Applejack, much less any pony.

I reached the top of a hill and sighed when all that was past it was more apple trees. Instead of getting incredibly lost and tired down there, I decided to hide. I climbed up one of the nearby trees that was relatively low to the ground. I climbed into the thicket of leaves and waited. I stuck another apple in the folds of my toga. All this running around was going to make me hungry again.

Applejack reached the top of the hill not long after I got in the tree. She stopped at the top. She wasn't even panting! She looked out over the forest below her. She was smarter than I gave her credit. She walked around inspecting the trees. Thankfully she was going in the other direction. The staff almost fell out of my hands, but I caught it quickly.

"Not this time." I muttered under my breath.

However, when I moved to catch it the apple in my toga was dislodged. It fell to the ground and made a louder than necessary thump. Applejack turned around and set her eyes on the apple. She looked at the tree I was in, and then straight at me.

"Well fuck."

Applejack raced towards my tree. I knew that she would just buck the thing and I would fall out just like one her apples. I don't think she was planning on catching me though. Well only one thing to do then. I looked at the tree closest to me and spotted a thick branch. With one hand I held on tightly to my staff and I jumped. I managed to land on the branch with both feet and grabbed the trunk with my free hand.

When I realized I had made it I wanted to jump for joy. I had bigger problems though. Applejack was still following me. I looked for the next branch I could leap to. I spotted one to my left and jumped. Both feet once again landed safely.

"I'm like a freaking monkey. I'm not so sure this isn't the monkey staff."

I leapt between three more trees. I was feeling incredibly confident. I wasn't one for parkour, but this was awesome.

"Scratch that, I'm a freaking Ninja--- Oof!"

I had slammed into the branch I had been aiming for. It caught me right in the stomach. I fell to the ground clutching at my stomach. I dropped my staff and laid there. That really hurt more than it should have. My stomach felt like it was on fire or something. Then almost as suddenly as it had came, the pain was gone. There was just a dull ache. I still couldn't get up though. The wind had been thoroughly knocked out of me.

Applejack trotted up to me laughing. When she was done laughing she said, "Thought y'all could get away from me? Maybe next time partner."

Applejack walked around me and tied a rope around my chest. It caught on my arms and she began to drag me back to the barn. I was kind of surprised she was able to pull me, then again she is a hard worker. I grabbed my staff as I passed by it. I even managed to grab an apple on the way back, well maybe two. What? I was hungry. My body may have been defeated, but my wit was sharper than ever.

"Ya well you talk funny."
That may have been a lie.
_______________

Applejack dragged me all the way back to the farm without much trouble. I suppose near the end I could've gotten up and run away again, but I wasn't particularly feeling like it. Besides who am I to refuse a free ride and snack?

When she put me down in front of the farm I finally was able to get up. Well halfway anyways. I leaned back against the farm and hung my head. Not because I was feeling shameful, but because that little trip had made me tired. You try getting dragged around for awhile, it gets boring.

Applejack just looked at me for awhile. When she still didn't say anything after a few minutes I butted in,

"If you're trying to figure out what to do with me, I can offer some helpful advice."

Applejack just shushed me with a look. As we sat there in silence Big Mac came up to Applejack. Big Mac looked between me tied up against the farm, and AJ who was standing over me. He then shrugged and went into the barn. He came back out with a plow attached to him.

AJ went to speak to him, but I interrupted her,

"Hail stranger. As you can see I'm a bit tied up at the moment, but greetings all the same. My name is Silver if you were interested."

Big Mac just shrugged again and ignored me. He would probably keep a cooler head that way.

"Ah hush it you. Big Mac Ah found this fella stealing some of our apples. What do you reckon I should do with him?"
I interrupted once again to offer my opinion, "To be fair I only stole a total of 5 apples. You have hundreds if not thousands here."

AJ looked at me, "Ah only saw you take three."

I shrugged, "I got hungry on the ride back here."

AJ shook her head at me and turned back to her brother. They talked in low tones so I couldn't hear what they were saying. When they were finished AJ walked back to me and looked down at me.

"Well we've decided that since y'all are new around here we would let you off easy. Ah just need you to deliver something for me. Ah need ya to take a crate of apples down to the bakery store in town. It's called Sugar Cube Corner. It's in the first ring, and it shouldn't be too hard to miss."

I held up my hand, "Hold up. I steal apples, so you punish me by giving me a whole bunch of apples to take to town unsupervised?"

AJ looked back at Big Mac and then back at me, and then nodded.

I shrugged, "Alright I can do that."

I slipped out of the knot easily and waited for them to give me the crate. Once again, their nonexistent reactions to me being human was unnerving. I suppose if you live with enough different species, you get used to it. Either that or Martin really has been out and about all week. They pointed inside the barn at a pile of crated. I picked one up, glad to know that I could do so without much effort.

I started heading back towards town and waved goodbye to them. Not how I would've dealt with a thief, but I'm glad it happened that way. I didn't see anyone on the tail as I headed back to town. It was most likely nearing 4 or 5 p.m.. I couldn't really be sure though. Every once in a while I would hear something behind me and turn around. Of course there was nothing there when I did so. I just assumed one of the Apples was following to make sure I did what I was told.

If I had to guess I would say it would be Applebloom. Since I didn't see her anywhere, and Big Mac definitely didn't seem like the sneaky type. I reached the town's first ring when I ran into some trouble. There was a group of stallions hanging out behind the condo's. When they saw me pass them with the crate they stepped in front of me.

"Hey there freak. Where did you get them apples?"

Freak? Have they seen themselves lately? One was a big earth pony whose coat was brown and mane was yellow. A horrible combination in my opinion. Another was a pegasus that had a grey coat and white mane. The third was a unicorn who had a pink coat and a red mane. I have no comment on that one.

"I got the apples from the orchard, imagine that."

I didn't make any sudden moves, I had already made the first error by stopping.

The pegasus spoke up, "Don't get clever with us Martin. We all know that you're in too deep. What I want to know is if you've been getting in deep with that slag of yours."

Woah woah woah. Talk about hostile environment. Not exactly what I expected from ponies.

"Okay first of all I'm not Martin. If you can't tell I have a beard and am much older. The name is Silver if you were interested. Secondly this isn't how you should be acting. You're citizens of Equestria, stand proud because of it. You don't need to be bad to look cool. You're already as cool as they come. And thirdly I hadn't realized that Martin was doing that kind of stuff."

I misjudged them for teenage punks around the age of 14-17. In reality they were probably between 19-21.

The pegasus seemed to be the leader as he was the only one talking, "Shut it freak. Who cares about your name. I think it's time you handed over that crate. Nice and easy now."

I wanted to back up, but that would further aggravate them. So instead I tried getting them to talk more, "You guys are horrible at this hold up thing. First of all its not even dark out yet. Your first error was simply talking to me instead of grabbing the box and running. I can forgive that since I look like a repeatable target who is more likely to be intimidated. After you realized you were wrong you should've either just backed off or charged me. You guys really need to learn how to do a proper hold up. How are you ever going to move up to the bigger stuff?"

They all looked at each other confused. Which was good for me. A confused target is better than a pissed off target. Either way I wanted to avoid a fight. I had hoped someone would come and the presence would scare these guys away. However, no such luck.

The pegasus seemed to have enough of me, "Whatever you had your chance, get him boys."

I wish I could say I awesomely and heroically beat the crap out of the three, but I don't think that would be accurate. The unicorn launched a spell at me which moved somewhat slowly so I was able to move out of the way. The earth pony took me by complete surprise. I thought he would have struck at me with his hoof or something. Kind of like a punch, but more of a kick.

Instead he wrapped his mouth around my leg and bit down, hard. I yelped in pain as he crunched on my leg. In the heat of the moment I brought the crate smashing down on his head. The sturdy box broke over his head and he let me go. Apples scattered out of the ground, and most of them rolled out of sight. He fell to the ground either knocked out or thoroughly dazed. I felt the pain in my leg, but oddly I felt pain in my stomach too. Luckily it was more of a shock wound then an actual bad one.

Before the fight could escalate any further a voice shouted out.

"What's going on back there?!"

The pegasus and unicorn looked at each other and split. They left their friend on the ground knocked out cold. There was trotting from the direction of the voice, and my savior popped into view. I nearly fell when I saw her,

"A-Applebloom?"

"Are you alright Mr. Silver? Mah sis said I should follow you just in case. Ah didn't know that this would happen. Wait… how did y'all know my name?"

I shook my head chuckling inside my head, "Martin mentioned you. I think I'm fine though, might have a bit of trouble walking though."

After I said that I felt something smack the back of my head. I reached behind me and grabbed the staff. I had forgotten I put it back there to carry the crate.

I just grumbled at it, "This doesn't mean I forgive you."

I propped myself up with it and looked back down at Applebloom. She was so tiny it hurt. Or maybe it was the blood loss. Regardless I just wanted to pick her up and squeeze her. I didn't think she would appreciate it though.

"Well now Sugar Cube Corner won't get their apples. Guess I'll have to go back and tell your sister about what happened."

Applebloom bounced up and down, "Don't worry Mr. Silver, Ah can tell her. You should probably get some help with that there leg."

Oh you think? I was just going to let it bleed for awhile. I didn't say that and I don't think I would even if I was in a horrible mood. Instead I said,

"I know where to go, you just get home before it gets late and those guys decide to come back."

Applebloom looked as if she wanted to stay, but I shooed her off. I moved as quickly as I could to the inner rings, which I assumed was safer than the back of the outer ring. I limped all the way back to the library and busted through the door. Twilight was in the main room, but I didn't see Martin anywhere.

Twilight did a double take when she saw me. When she noticed my leg she gasped,

"Socrates what happened? Are you alright? Do you need to go to the hospital?"

I mentally face palmed. I was going to regret using that name at some point I just knew it.

"First of all my name isn't actually Socrates. I just made that up. My name is actually Silver if you were interested. I don't think I need to go the hospital, but I should probably clean and wrap this before it gets infected. You wouldn't happen to have the stuff for that would you?"

Thankfully she did have a first aid kit. Considering that it was a pony that bit me I was lucky the wound wasn't so deep. Then again the face was a bit different, maybe the jaw was less powerful. Once my wound was cleaned and wrapped I laid back on the couch.

Twilight sat (laid?) down on the couch with me and said, "So where were you today? I thought I was going to show you around."

"Well when I woke up I decided that I probably needed new clothes. Oh which reminds me, Rarity has some for me."
Twilight looked at me questioningly, "Where did you get the money?"

I said, "Let's just say she owed me a favor. Anyways after that she gave me this cloth for temporary clothing. After that I met a mare by the name of Roseluck."

Twilight interrupted my story saying, "Is that the mare who runs the flower stand?"

I nodded, "Yep, she was pretty chill."

Twilight interrupted me again, "Chill?"

I shrugged, "Means relaxed. It used to be a popular slang term, I think its fallen out of use. I'm bad at keeping up with the times. I just use it because I like it. Any--"

Twilight interrupted me for a third time, "I'm the same. I mean with keeping up with what's considered cool."

I gave her my best disapproving glare, "Do you want to hear my story or not?"

Twilight just blushed and nodded. I spent some time telling her about the rest of my exploits of the day. When I got to the part with Applejack she couldn't help, but laugh. I patiently waited for her fit to end before continuing. When I finished telling my story she got off the couch.

"Well sounds like you had an interesting day. You need to stay off of that leg for a little bit though."

I protested that it wasn't that bad, but Twilight just held up a hoof.

"Do I need to tie you down?"

I just mumbled, "Kinky… Always the clever ones."

Twilight's ear twitched, "Did you say something?"

I put my hands behind my head and laid back, "Nothing, nothing at all."

Twilight nodded, "I thought so. Well I guess you can stay another night. Tomorrow though I want you here in the morning. I can't just let an alien wander around."

"To be fair, none of the ponies really seemed freaked by me."

"They already dealt with Martin, so you shouldn't be much of a problem. I'm going to bed now. If you want you can pick out something to read. I'll send a letter to Pinkie about what happened to the apples."

Sleep? I looked at the clock and it wasn't even past 9 p.m.. She trotted upstairs and I made sure no to watch her go. I looked around the library for a good book to read. There wasn't much that looked interesting to me. Lots of the books were about history or some sort of science. I definitely didn't want to read about math. I did find something that did catch my eye though.

"Grizzle's beginner guide to the unicorn foal. Huh. A guide book to magic? Why not."

I opened the book and began to read. It was actually pretty interesting. It definitely wasn't beyond beginner though. Grizzle never described magic as more than a deep energy. Something that you pull from inside. It did interest me to know that all creatures of Equestria used magic in some way. Obviously unicorns could use magic much more freely than other beasts though.

Pegasi used magic in their wings to control the air around them. It was also how they moved the clouds around. Apparently they were able to collect air under their wings and then launch it. Earth ponies were pretty obvious. They didn't use magic actively, but passively. It was more like a muscle stimulant that made muscle growth nearly 3 times faster. It also acted like a second shot of adrenaline, giving them an extreme boost of energy and strength in danger. That was on top of regular adrenaline too.

Dragons were also pretty standard. The magic protected their bodies from their own fire breath. It didn't actually create the fire though. Sadly this book didn't mention how the fire was made. Apparently dragons also had the ability to freeze other living creatures with their eyes. I wasn't too sure about that one.

Griffons were very interesting. They used magic in several different ways. They didn't have magic in their wings, as their wings could support their bodies. They could use magic to change how much their body weighed though. Making for some very interesting results. They also empowered their roars with magic, instilling fear in anything in hearing distance.

I was moving on to Diamond Dogs when I felt my eyes droop. I set the book down on an end table by the couch and laid down. I was kind of disappointed not to have a blanket, but eventually exhaustion put that thought out of my mind.

At some point Twilight or Martin came down and draped a blanket over me and put a pillow under my head. However I was too tired to realize who was there. The footsteps seemed a bit on the light side though. After they left through the front door I drifted back asleep.

______

Your comments, I feed off of them. ERRRGHHHH.... Commenttssssssss.....

I literally can't bring myself to stop writing. I've stopped everything else in favor of it. My laptop has managed to literally burn me I've been using it so long. I need to get away from this for a little while. I'm going to watch something. Maybe actually get something to eat.

Chapter 12

I woke up rather late the next morning, and my stomach wasn't feeling any better. I got out of the bed, and scratched my head. When he heard noises from the room, Rivet trotted inside.

"Good to see you're awake sir. Shall I fetch something from the kitchens?"

"That would be appreciated. Something light if you would."

Rivet nodded and said,

"May I suggest using the shower sir? Today is a rather special day if you recall."

Right the so called ceremony. I waved Rivet off, and he left me alone. Regardless of how I felt, I decided that a shower would be for the best. There was a door to the side of my bed that I had not noticed before, and I went through it. I was rewarded with a very large pool in the floor. At one end of the pool, several spouts went out at different heights. I stripped off my clothes, and stepped into the pool. It was delightfully warm, and I felt all my stress from the past few days melt away. I could've laid in there forever, but I decided that wasn't the best idea.

After one of the most refreshing showers I have ever had, I went back into my room. The next time I looked, the door to the pool had disappeared. Rivet had put a plate of biscuits and cheese on the bed, and I ate them greedily. The food did nothing to calm my stomach though, and it was starting to get on my nerves. Rivet came back into the room and said,

"The ceremony will begin soon sir. I would advise getting dressed."

I did so, and I felt very posh in my tux. I wasn't a very big fan of it though. It was restricting, and I felt like I was being squeezed. Especially in certain lower areas. I always preferred loose clothing, but not the kind that would hang past my body. I looked myself over in the mirror, and was disappointed. The formal look never suited me. It would have to do though, seeing as I didn't have a razor. When I was done, Rivet led me out of the room.

We descended the stairs and walked through a labyrinth of passageways. Rivet seemed to be staying closer than usual, almost as if he expected something to happen. Then again, after the way I acted yesterday, he was probably on edge. We walked into a small room and Rivet turned to face me.

"We shall wait here sir. The reception begins in 15 minutes. After that the ceremony will begin. It would please me sir if you allowed me to be by your side for the entire day."

I merely nodded at him and took a seat on a bench. Rivet stood still in front of me as we waited. I didn't really have much of a plan for this. I had merely planned on how to get Rarity inside the castle. Then again, I wasn't sure if there was a right way to do this. I tried to keep my mind off stressful things as I waited. By the end of the 15 minutes my head was in my hands. Rivet nudged me with a hoof when it was time for me to get up.

I walked through a door and into the main hall. The normally empty room was now packed with furniture. The throne had been taken away, and several large tables were pushed against the wall. Benches went in rows leaving an isle down the middle. A ridiculous amount of food was on the tables. From plain apples to éclairs. I don't think there is a treat that wasn't on the tables. The biggest one by far, was a huge whit cake. It had 5 layers and towered above me. I couldn't even see the top of the thing. I assumed that it was the wedding cake.

And that was when it hit me. I should've noticed it earlier, but somehow I had missed it. The ceremony that I had been hearing about was a wedding. The mares in town had mentioned a cake, and the masseurs had been talking about me, wondering if I was ready. That could only mean that I was marrying someone today. Surprise!

I think I would've taken it better if there had been someone to jump out and say that. I wasn't freaking out too much though. I think I handled it very well actually. The only problem was why there was a wedding in the first place. My brain was starting to hurt trying to figure everything out. I nearly just gave up and grabbed something to drink. Why would someone need me to get married? It just didn't make any sense. I was also quite curious as to who I was apparently making very lucky.

Rivet was still standing close to me, but far enough away to give me some space. He really was on edge today. His eyes kept shifting all over the room, watching bakers place things on the table. I thought his neck was going to crack because he was moving it so much. I walked right next to him and whispered,

"So the wedding huh?"

"What about it sir?"

"Just wondering about your opinion."

"Well I offer my congratulations sir. We all knew this was a long time coming though sir. After all your father has wanted this for quite some time."

An arranged marriage then? Well a fake arranged marriage. This web of confusingness was starting to become too big.

"So what do you think of her?"

I assumed it was a her anyway. I mean I can't say for sure, but I wasn't aware of the whole same sex thing in Equestria. I doubted they were against it, but you never know.

"Well honestly sir? She's beautiful in my eyes, but I'm not sure about you. After all you aren't the same species. I personally wouldn't partake in such a relation, but I have no judgment to pass. Although on a side note, if I'm to be honest, the physical differences seem a bit much."

"Well the right equipment seems to be there. I mean kids are most likely a no, but adoption is always an option."

I will never ever want kids. Never. Of course at the time, I wasn't really sure what I wanted. I only knew what Rarity had told me. I couldn't remember much of anything anymore. All I had left was some information. I was pretty much a blank slate, I didn't know what I wanted.

"Well sir, to say as you said, your equipment may not be sufficient."

"I take offense to that, I think."

"Sir, I think I just want to avoid thinking about it."

"Good point Rivet."

We were standing at the back of the room, simply watching ponies walk around the room. Bakers would place food on the table, and then walk through a side door. I wondered what they had been told about the wedding. After all I was the groom, and I had no idea.

While we waited, a mare baker walked up to the table and placed some regular apples down. Her coat was a very striking red, and her mane a bright orange. She looked around, spotted me, and walked up to me. Rivet stood in between us and said,

"Yes ma'am?"

She looked at me and said, "Silver it's me."

Her mane was very similar to Rarity's, but deciding that there was never a time to not tease, I said,

"Well hello me, I'm Silver, but you already knew that."

She huffed at me and turned around. I chuckled a little as I pushed pass Rivet and put a hand on her back.

"I was only teasing. I thought your illusions wouldn't fool the princesses."

She examined her tail with sadness in her eyes and said,

"This is no illusion. I had no choice but to dye my coat a new color."

"I'd say it fits you… but that would be a lie. You don't have the temper to be so fiery."

She just glared at me and said,

"I thought you would appreciate me getting in here like this. If we weren't at a wedding darling, I would show you just how fiery my temper can be.”

"That sounds like a challenge."

Rivet got my attention and said,

"Sorry sir, but you need to get on the podium now. The ceremony will soon begin."

I looked back at Rarity and said,

"If something goes wrong…"

"I'm not going to leave a friend dear."

"What? No. I want you to grab me, and get out of here."

She just huffed, walked away, and said nothing else. She walked through a door that the rest of the bakers had went through. Rivet walked with me towards the front of the main hall while saying,

"Remember sir, if something should catch your attention, do not hesitate to leave. If you think your safety is in danger, then get me. I shall be right next to you the entire time. I'm sure your father will understand if the ceremony goes wrong."

"Calm down man. If you're all stressed out, how are you going to enjoy this?"

"I'll enjoy it when it's over sir."

"Been a pleasure knowing you Rivet."

"Sir?"

"Marriage changes a man Rivet. Some more than others."

"Sir while life will be very busy for you from now on, I'm sure you'll find a way to be you."

We reached the podium, and I stood there with a grim look on my face.

"I'm not so sure."

I waited on the podium with Rivet close at hand. If things went bad, it would be nice to have him with me. I really wanted to sit down myself, my stomach would just not settle down. I was also tempted to grab some food really quick. Finally some fanfare started up, but at that point I was really only half there. I had made the mistake of looking at the food tables, and I was stuck looking at them. Rivet poked me with a hoof, and pushed my head forward. In comparison to all that food, I wasn't impressed.

Down the aisle came the two princesses. Celestia was draped in a gold and white dress, and Luna was in a dark blue and silver dress. They walked towards me, Celestia smiling slightly at everyone. Luna was the embodiment of stoicism. He face did not change at all, but was left in a frown. When they reached me, they both walked to the other side of the podium.

Celestia stood across from me, with Luna behind her. An ancient stallion stood between us and coughed loudly.

"As the elder scribe, it pleases me to announce this unification. Princess Celestia, daughter of King Terra, and Prince Silver, son of King Solaris."

I stood there and braced myself for the long speech. As he listed off names and titles I became sleepy. All these things had no meaning to the man who had no memory. They sounded impressive sure, but what of them?

"If at this time the rings could be presented."

Rivet walked out with a box in one hoof. After he nudged me, I took it from him. I opened it, revealing two golden bracelets. One lifted out of the box via Celestia's magic. I took the other out, and the box was taken from me. I held the bracelet in my hand, and examined it closely. It just seemed to be a golden loop, not even any engravings. I already had a bracelet on my left arm, and no matter what I did, it wouldn't come off.

The ancient stallion continued to drone on, and I was getting even more tired. Eventually I was able to pull off a special technique of mine. At the time I was unaware I had a skill for it, but it worked just the same. I fell asleep standing, with my eyes open. Of course, closer inspection would reveal my state easily. I was awoken from my state by something grabbing my arm. I looked down to see Celestia holding my arm up, and slipping the bracelet on. When she was finished, Rivet nudged me again. I picked up her right foreleg, and slipped the loop on. She put her leg back down and the bracelet surprisingly stayed on.

"With these never-ending bands, a never-ending promise is made. If there is anything to be said, now is the time."
The bracelets glowed a slight gold, before settling down. I held up a hand and said,

"I would actually like to say something."

Both Luna's and Celestia's eyes narrowed and stared at me. I motioned for Celestia to come closer, and I put my mouth next to her ear.

"Are you the one who wiped my mind?"

Her eyes got even narrower, but she nodded slightly. I felt a slight energy building above my head, and I pulled away from her. I smiled at the stallion and said,

"I'm good now."

He nodded at me and then said,

"If noone else wishes to speak out, then you may make good on the promise."

I looked at Celestia for one last time. She looked back at me, her eyes sparkling. Looking deeply into them, I could swear I could see something in her pupils. A small diamond enclosed in a golden circle. However, before I could get distracted, I acted. I felt the energy cease to build, and assumed it reached its max. As the energy dispersed, I lunged forward and kissed the princess deeply. I felt the energy disperse, and I mentally grinned as it passed by me.

Kissing Celestia was a lot weirder than kissing Rarity. Rarity's lips were at least somewhat shaped like mine, and contact could easily be established and maintained. Celestia on the other hand was much bigger than Rarity. Her head was elongated, and her mouth was too. Her lips were much bigger than mine and were pretty much non-compatible. There was no tongue action, but the action of just kissing the princess felt weird enough.

The kiss only lasted a few seconds, but apparently Celestia's breath had been taken away. As I had hoped, she seemed to have forgotten all about her misfired spell. As we pulled away, Celestia looked at me through satisfied eyes. There was some clopping in the background, but it wasn't very loud. Made sense as there was only 5 people in the room, well 1 person and 4 ponies. Rivet was watching all the doors anxiously, and Luna still wore a frown. The ancient stallion seemed to be smiling, but his white hair covered his face. All in all, it was a pretty shitty ceremony. I couldn't really bring myself to care though, because all the food came next.

Celestia pulled me aside and we walked down the aisle of empty benches.

"I know we didn't get to have a big ceremony, but as you know, circumstances were against us. However, I was thinking that we save the reception for another time. We can have more guests, and a proper ceremony."

Rivet was a few feet behind us, but he followed regardless.

"Would that mean missing the food?"

Celestia let out a twinkling laugh.

"Stomach first as usual Silver?"

"You know me."

I said that, and I meant it literally. She really did know me better than I did. Especially if she thought her newest spell had made contact.

"Well we won't get to dine on this special feast, but I'll have something from the kitchens sent up later."

That was disappointing to hear. I was really hungry, and my stomach was making that fact known painfully. We walked through a few doors and corridors, but I hadn't been paying attention. Out of the corner of my eye, I thought I had been seeing a fiery pony shadowing us. Celestia walked through a final door, but Rivet held me back.

"As the final part of the wedding, I shall remain outside this door. If anything bad should happen, just call me. If you think you are in danger, just shout."

"Why aren't you coming with me?"

"Because its the final part sir. That would be indecent."

"What exactly is the last part of the wedding?"

"Well as tradition goes, the newlyweds copulate."

My eyebrows shot up and I exclaimed,

"WHAT?"

Rivet just pushed me through the door and slammed it closed. I looked ahead at the room and gulped. In the silence, the sound of my throat was rather loud. I was looking at a small square room, with only a few pieces of furniture in it. The first thing I noticed was a rather large bed against the wall. The next thing I noticed was a folding curtain thing on one side of the room. Celestia's dress was hung up over it. I assumed she was changing behind there, and I looked for an escape route. There was a window covered by shades, but a look outside of it made my face droop. There was nothing to land on below it except for the far away lake.

I turned around to see a thin white thread going through the door towards the folded curtain. I investigated it, but I was pushed back when I tried to look.

A twinkling laugh came from behind it and she said,

"No peeking. Why don't you just lie on the bed and wait?"

Seeing as I had no other options, I did just that. I laid back on the bed, surprised at how comfortable it was. Just the right medium between firm and soft. I waited there for a little bit, and might have even fell asleep.

"Oooh Silver."

Celestia cooed my name, and I raised my head. Once again my eyebrows shot up in surprise. Celestia was wearing fishnets up all of her legs. She even had some weird looking lingerie on her flank. I can't really judge attractiveness myself, but I assumed a regular pony would think she was sexy.

"Yes?"

She moved smoothly towards the bed, and climbed up on it. I couldn't help but chuckle a bit when the bed groaned from the weight. She gave me a disapproving look, and laid down next to me. She was indeed, taller than me if we both laid down, by quite a bit too. I said nothing to her, and she rolled over me. She grinned down at me, but I gave her a frown.

"So this was your plan? Just keep erasing my memories and have a fake love?"

Her eyes widened in shock and she got off the bed.

"It seems no matter how many times I try, you keep throwing the spell off."

"Maybe you're just losing your touch."

"Or maybe I'm going about this wrong."

Her horn fired up and started to glow. There wasn't much room to move, and she was between me and the door. Deciding to call for back up, I shouted,

"Rivet!"

"He isn't there. I lifted the veil of memories. He's probably talking with his captain at the moment. Basically you are all alone."

"For a princess of a peaceful land, you sure are a bit-"

The door slammed open, and in charged Rarity. She was still all fiery, and a look of honest confusion spread on Celestia's face. I rolled off the bed, and stood next to Rarity. Celestia looked at Rarity and said,

"Who are you?"

Rarity huffed and said,

"I must say, this is not at all how a princess should act. It's very dirty, not something a royal person should partake in."

My opinion of just how dirty bureaucrats are aside, I thought it was funny that Rarity was scolding the princess.

"And how would a simple baker like you know how a royal person should act?"

"Simple?"

I heard imaginary cat growls, and I backed up just a bit.

"Regardless, I am just protecting my subjects."

"How so?"

I inserted myself into the discussion and said,

"I'm really confused on that too. Was I a dangerous person before all of this?"

Rarity said, "Not at all."

After Rarity finished, Celestia said,

"You had the potential to be. A lone member of a species might be a danger to himself and others. I thought the best action would be to give you a happy life, but also one where I could keep an eye on you."

"So your evil scheme was to make me happy? That seems either doubly twisted, or just nonsensical."

Celestia closed her eyes and said,

"One should solve problems peacefully. Violence isn't ever the answer."

Rarity huffed and said,

"I don't think you should be preaching right now."

I said,

"Besides, without my memories, you might as well have killed the me from before. He has ceased to exist and has been replaced with the new me."

Celestia shook her head and said,

"I didn't erase your memories. I just put a veil over them. I was planning on doing fine tuning later. You would be yourself again, but a safe one."

Rarity offered her opinion on it and said,

"And what gives you the right to mess with his head like that. How do you know he would be happy?"

The two were staring each other down, which was almost funny because of the height difference. It made me think she really did have a fiery temper. If she could forget that she was scolding the princess and nearly challenging her, then I wondered just how mad she really was.

I raised my hands in the air and spoke,

"Philosophy aside, can I just have my memories back?"

"That would erase who you are now though."

"Like I said, philosophy aside. Besides I would remember this me, meaning it would just become a part of the old, but new me."

Celestia looked between us, and sighed.

"Maybe you are right. Solving this issue with you as you are, really isn't solving it. I shall lift the veil from your mind."
Celestia's horn glowed, and a light stream flowed from my head. It flowed back into Celestia's horn, and she shook a little bit.

The fog in my mind lifted, and memories came into picture. They didn't flood me or anything, it's like they just came back into focus. Like if you have ever forgotten a certain detail, and you can't for the life of you remember what it is. Then one day it just clicks in your head. I could remember the past few days as well, including the whole not remembering thing. However, the fake memories I had been given, were now gone. Whatever cover story I had been given, was gone for good.
I shook myself, adjusting to the weirdness of the situation. Now that I knew myself again, it felt like I had been asleep the last few days. Like it had just been a dream that I was going through. However, with Celestia standing before me in such a state of dress, it was kind of hard to deny.

Of course all the important stuff came flying back to me as well. The peace core, my rapidly dying body, and the fact that Jasmine was Peg's daughter. I made a mental note to make fun of him for his real name. I also made a note to make fun of Rarity for kissing me. I also needed to brag about kissing with the princess to anyone who would listen.

I had some serious problems to deal with at the moment though. If my body was in this much pain, it probably meant I didn't have a lot of time. Also, I could assume that Celestia was being influenced in some way by the core. I couldn't really hold her responsible for any of her actions. I also needed to stop thinking of her as Celestia. A lot of people think I'm stupid, and a lot of the time I can be. However, every once in awhile, I'll use some of the intelligence I hide away. If ignorance is bliss, then I don't mind being as ignorant as possible. I clenched my fists a few times and said,

"Feels good to be normal again."

"Shall we continue then?"

Celestia stood before me, with another saucy smile on her face. I looked between the three of us and then said,

"Well it seems to me that it would be rude to do so in front of a guest."

Celestia's face didn't change and she said,

"She could join in, I don't mind."

She turned and winked at Rarity, who backed up a bit. Celestia turned and looked at me again.

"Besides, after seeing some of the things in your head, I know what would make this situation more pleasing to you."

Celestia's horn glowed again, and a bright flash went out. I had to cover my eyes to block the light out. When I opened them again, nothing seemed different. I just looked around a little bit, and gave Celestia a questioning look. She didn't say anything, and instead pushed me back on the bed. I was assaulted by her mouth, and tried to push her off. However, regardless of species name, Celestia weighed as much as a normal horse. She pulled herself off of me, and pushed off the bed with her front hooves. She was in a nearly standing position on the ground. I looked at her, and then looked down her body. This time my mouth dropped open in surprise.

I mumbled a few incoherent things, and then pulled myself away from her. I got off the bed and went to the opposite side of the room. When I was able to speak straight again I said,

"This is wrong for so many reason."

Celestia shook her head and said,

"Stop being so finicky. I've been in your head remember?"

"First of all, that's not even the biggest issue… well biggest may be the wrong word."

I shook my head and calmed myself down. After a few seconds of thinking I said,

"Okay, just calm down. Normally you might just be right. I was always a chill guy. I always looked at sex as a physical thing, so why should physical restrictions be put on it right? Even though I didn't indulge myself for other reasons, I hardly cared who or what people had sex with. However, in this position I have to admit to myself, this would take some serious getting used to. That's not the problem here though."

Rarity was stuck staring at Celestia's underside for a long time. It was like she couldn't tear her eyes away.

"You tried to mend my life to your wishes. I don't think we are on good terms at the moment."

Celestia shook her head,

"There is still a problem with you though. I need to be able to keep an eye on you, and the only thing that needs to be done for the wedding to be official is for us to-"

"I don't think I want to get married at just this moment to be honest."

"If you won't comply, then I will make you."

Celestia lunged at me, but water smashed in from the one window, and formed a shield of ice around me. The entire time I had been normal, I had been working on getting some water from the lake below to reach us. Under the assumption Celestia was being influenced, I also assumed things may resort to violence though. However, I was worried that I would be no match for her. After all she was 1000 years old and well versed in magic.

Celestia comically slammed her head into the ice wall, and it cracked loudly. I focused on fixing the ice, but I had to let it splash down. I dropped to my knees, crossing my arms over my chest. I had failed to notice the usage of magic burning up my stomach. I wasn't still sure on how the whole core thing worked, but it seemed it still wanted me dead. I coughed again, and a small amount of blood flew out. Rarity, who had finally looked away, ran towards me.

"Are you alright dear?"

"I'm… well no I'm not."

I was starting to feel faint, and I became aware of the fact that my time had seriously been cut short. In just a few minutes maybe, I would be testing out the bracelet's first function again. I could only hope that this time, my death really wouldn't be the end. I still had a nagging feeling that I was in a coma or something. I don't know how I would handle it if I woke up back on Earth. I just know I would have to tell my friends that I nearly got boned by Celestia. How ironic, before I died I had claimed I could be a bender. Not what I had meant, but still true.

Rarity looked down at me in concern and I said,

"Don't worry about me. I'll be fine in the end. Besides you need to be working on something."

She nodded at me, but didn't cry. That wasn't really surprising though. After everything that had happened, confusion was the biggest thing she was feeling.

"What is it?"

"You need to become a better kisser."

She huffed at me and lightly pushed me.

"Seriously, you've got nothing on Rose."

She laughed a little and said,

"I'll need someone to practice on."

"Don't look at me, and from what you said, I think I might know a few mares that would be willing."

She huffed again while chuckling. She said nothing this time, and it became harder to breath. Looked like that was my last use of magic. I just had to hope coming back was as easy as I thought it would be. I started coughing violently and I said one last thing.

"Rarity, just wait in the city for me."

I coughed more and more, but surprisingly more blood didn't come out. I started seeing sparkled fly past my face, and I looked down in surprise. My arm was starting to disintegrate into dust. I'll be honest, I was scared. I didn't feel it disintegrating, but I couldn't feel my arm any more. I had no idea what would happen when my body or head disintegrated. When would I be officially dead? I bit the inside of my mouth, and waited for something to happen. I nearly flipped when one of my eyes disappeared. I had just lost half of my vision in an instant. No matter how many times I died, I would always be a little scared. One, because of the primal instinct to survive, and two, because I would always wonder if it would be my last death. My other eye began to fade, and the world went black.