The morning after was probably the most silent morning that Alex has ever been apart of. In his long years of life he has not felt so awkward in all his life. Sure he had participated in unsavory things before but nothing compared to the...incident a few nights ago. He could understand if she was completely drunk. He could even understand if they knew each other longer, like a month or two. But after a week of knowing each other and she just completely takes him into a kiss. Alex tried not to dwell on it too much. He felt childish that he let himself get so vulnerable. He did not hold it against Rarity, he very well knew it was an accident. But Rarity however took it hard.

She shamed herself and refused to even talk to Alex. It wasn't until a few days following the event that she even resumed talking to him. eventually they sat down and talked about it. She was doing a rather stressful order and was getting a little stressed. Alex could understand her in that respect. He lead Paladins against the Scourge after most of his brothers and sisters were killed. And that was what nightmares plagued him the most. He tried confronting Ashbringer about it but he said that it was a side effect of the resurrection that took place. A month or two and he would be able to rest easier.

He had done a few jobs around Ponyville, getting him to gather a small collection of their mint. They were called bits. They looked a lot like the gold pieces of Azeroth but they were much lighter and more shiny than gold. The jobs were usually just being a farm hand at Sweet Apple Acres. Alex believed that he broke the ice well with Applejack, all feelings of mistrust were banished. Alex found a lot in common with the farm pony. And after each back breaking job he was sweaty and each time he took a shower, still suffering those images in his mind of making out with Rarity. They had made a pact that it would stay a secret between them and Alex was glad to keep it that way.

He even helped out Fluttershy with bringing in a new animal. She was possibly the shyest pony Alex had ever met. Alex had to try hard to have an extended conversation with her. He eventually cracked her shell and they were talking to one another. She seemed very down to earth and happy, there were small similarities between her and Rarity. Which is quite possibly the reason he connected with her the most. He had apparently met them all except for Rainbow Dash. Alex suspected that she would be a tough nut to crack. From the stories that Rarity shared, Rainbow Dash was very stubborn and head strong. Immediately he thought of Abbendis' kid, Bridgette, they were very similar. He loathed to think how well he would talk with Rainbow Dash.

Alex read through all of the books that Twilight had lended to him. He found Equestrian history very interesting, and oddly enough found that he had a lot in common with Princess Luna. But he also saw his sons when he thought about what happened a thousand years ago. One sibling jealous of the other, forced by fate to fight the other.

But what remained on his mind constantly was where he was going to find the Ashbringer. If he was going to get any answers, he would get them from that blade. But he doubted he would be able to wield the blade, he was not a Paladin anymore. He had thought about trying to reconnect with the Light, reread his vows as a Paladin. Alex lowered his head as he stared out at the setting sun, his eyes filled with longing and a sense of woe. He leaned his elbows on the railing. A sigh released from his nose and he said, "Ashbringer...where are you..."

A voice announced, "What was that darling?"

Alex turned and saw Rarity at the doorstep, she was leaning against the doorframe with an innocent look on her face. Alex responded looking back at the setting sun, "He uh...was a...comrade of mine."

Rarity stepped next to him and said, "Ashbringer...why was he called that?"

Alex kept his distant gaze upon the twilight sun, "He was called that because he was the most merciful out of all of he comrades I was with. Instead of having...um...dead bodies thrashing on the floor. He turned them instantly into ashes. He was apart of me, we went through so much together. Good or bad."

Rarity smirked and said, "He sounds like a good friend."

Alex shook his head and said, "Yes, but none of them could compare to you."

Rarity looked over at Alex and her cheeks went rosy before she turned her head quickly, "Don't...don't say that..."

"Why? It's the truth." Alex shrugged, "You are the kindest friend I have yet to know-"

"Stop!" Rarity said keeping her eyes away. Alex was confused at her reaction, normally she would just change the subject if he said something that deep or she would just say thank you. She never reacted like this. Alex offered a friendly hoof and said, "Rarity...what's wrong?"

Rarity shrugged his hoof away and said, "I...I can't...I can't tell you. It's as simple as that Alex."

Her voice was broken and sputtered, for the three weeks he has known her. He had never seen her like this, the only other pony he saw like this was himself. Alex wanted to prod and hope to understand what was wrong but there were somethings that needed to be left alone. Wounds that needed to be healed. He had no idea but he suspected that it had something to do with that night he kissed her. He dropped the subject and said, "So...I don't mean to be rude but-"

"Right. The reason I have come up here is to tell you something." Rarity said, "Follow me."

Her mood still seemed odd. But he followed Rarity with reckless abandon. On his way descending the stairs he asked, "Where are we going?"

In a lighter toned voice she answered, "It will ruin the surprise."

"What sur-"

"WELCOME TO PONYVILLE!!!" A chorus of voices rang out in Carousel Boutique. Alex jumped and a piece of his mind revived and pushed itself out into reality. His skin grew hard and his eyes focused on a springing trap. His head felt as though it was splitting his head in half. He remembered back to the night he and his knights went to Stratholme. The fires that raged filled with more than the vengeance,

"Move!"

"We are cut off from the others!"

He came back to reality as he saw the faces of so many ponies. The over jubilacious form of Pinkie, hopping up and down. He followed her movement and she rhapsodized, "Are you excited!? Cuz' I'm excited! This is your first Ponyville Pony Party (snort) that was funny! What do you wanna do first? I mean there are so many things to do at a party like this! Party games! Conversation! Eating-"

"I think I would like a really strong drink." Alex said having his head rest from his moment of brokenness. He did not feel like he was entirely there, he regretted that if he stayed near ponies he had quickly grown to respect and love. He pushed past the throng of partying ponies and headed towards the smell of alcohol.

Rarity had seen Alex do strange things. Flashbacks. Nightmares. PTSD trips of his past, he was one scarred pony. Forced to see things that should not be subjected to one pony. His two sons killing him. And him, killing other ponies. But this was strange. He seemed so lost, so out of reality that he was having troubles trying to make himself get back to the real. Rarity thought it was very strange. She wanted to walk over there and talk to him but that was done for him, for sitting right next to Alex was the one of her friends he was not introduced to, Rainbow Dash.

Alex took a pull from the large wooden stein of alcohol and felt the liquid run down his throat and felt it burn as it passed down his gullet. Alex slammed the mug on the table and he looked at the mug with suspicion. He heard a very tomboyish voice ask him, "What? Is that too strong for your foreign tastes?"

He looked over and saw a cyan mare with rainbow colored mane and tail. The one he assumed was named Rainbow Dash. His headache had cleared slightly and answered coldly, "Not strong enough."

Rainbow Dash seemed unamused by his answer as her gaze narrowed after a drink from her mug, "This is Sweet Apple Acres Apple Lager. This is quite possibly the strongest stuff you'll ever drink."

Alex's cold gaze set on Rainbow Dash and stated coldly, "I have drank things where it felt you were swallowing needles. I have drank things where it literally had you breathing fire. Trust me when I tell you that this is not the strongest thing I have ever drank."

Alex swigged down another swallow and did not even flinch at the alcohol that tried to get him into a haze but failed. He looked back over at Rainbow Dash as she asked, "Then you would not care to go for a bet?"

"Enlighten me."

"A drinking contest," Rainbow Dash said, "Who can hold the most of this stuff down."

Alex looked over at the very lightly tipsy mare and stated before taking another swig of the beverage, "Trust me when I tell you that you would lose that bet."

Before Rainbow Dash could say something quick witted he saw the little crowd of ponies gather around them. Apparently they wanted to witness this contest. The closest ones being his little group of friends. Rarity said, "I can't believe you would participate into something so vulgar as a drinking contest."

Alex smirked at the remark from Rarity. He looked over at Applejack who gave him a look that said, 'Kick her ass.' Fluttershy tried to pay attention to something else. And Twilight was trying to read Alex, yet again. He opened as much as he could with her and still she wanted to know more. Eventually he would tell them all everything. But not that day. That day was a celebration for him. Alex looked over at the mare and said, "Alright."

Rainbow ripped the noisy atmosphere with a sharp whistle and as if answering her whistle the barkeep came over and slammed two mugs of cider onto the countertop. Alex and Rainbow kept sharp and cold gazes on each other. Testing each other to see who would start the competition. Alex had flashbacks of days of his youth when he was at the Brewfest. Trying to challenge any dwarf he saw. Alex's confident gaze outmatched Rainbow's and quicker than lightning they shot their hooves up and choked down their drinks. With no resistance he took it down.

He slammed the empty mug on the counter, followed by Rainbow Dash who was just a tad bit slower. Which seemed to aggravate her. Alex downed another one. And another one. And another one. Originally the crowd was rooting for Rainbow Dash but quickly changed to Alex as they saw he was the superior drinker. He at least kept his mind off of something. For the next few minutes it went on but ended with Alex: 14, Rainbow Dash: 8. She was completely drunk, her dazed gaze set on nothing in particular. She cried after half finishing another, "I...hic...I'm not...hic...done with you yet."

Alex, completely unfazed by the alcohol stared at her and watched as she almost fell over. Alex was confident that he was now well acquainted with the young flyer. Alex leaned over as Rarity rushed to Rainbow before she hit the floor. Rarity chuckled and looked over at Alex and said, "I'm going to take her home. I'll be back soon darling, and congratulations."

Alex smirked and nodded as the two went off. Alex felt a certain warmth enter him that was strange, it was not familiar. It was not love. And it was not friendship. It was something else he could not understand. He tucked it aside as he felt a hoof clap on his shoulder and Applejack said, "That there was impressive sugarcube."

Twilight asked with a shocked expression, "How are you able to hold that much alcohol and not be intoxicated?"

Alex shrugged and leaned back in his seat, "I have had a lot of practice."

Twilight kept an ever suspicious look and she sat near Alex and Applejack joining them as well. They sat at a table that had been set up, somehow. He did not want to question the ways of Pinkie. That was what his new friends told him at least. He was not exactly that keen on conversing with the pony anyways. She was strange. Even now when he brought up what she put into her "special" cupcakes. She would just burst into a fit of laughter and forget that he asked and tell him something about a stove or a pastry. The Ashbringer told him to keep an eye out for Pinkie, his cold voice still piercing through his mind.

Alex noticed that it had grown dark, well within twilight. So not quite night but very close. He had friendly conversations with Applejack like how the harvest was doing and what was new with Granny Smith. She answered that the harvest was doing as good as always, which was good. And that Granny Smith was not taking her medicine to keep her pancreas in check so she was not helping herself. Then, Alex asked anything with Twilight and she just explained that there was a new shipment of books to the library. She asked how he came along with reading the books she assigned him.

He thanked her for allowing him to borrow the books and he had finished all but one. He knew almost all there was about Ponyville and Equestria. It was still a strange place but one that had small amounts of conflict. It was strange to Alex, he still needed to grow accustomed to the peace that came with living in Ponyville. Alex chalked that up to be his first party he spent actually talking. Alex chuckled and looked around. He asked knitting an eyebrow, "Anypony else seen Fluttershy?"

He noticed she was not anywhere near by. Before Twilight and Applejack could answer they heard a sharp and high pitched scream. Alex rushed to his hooves and rushed forward. His adrenaline pushing him forward. He heard Twilight and Applejack on his hooves and they followed. Alex pushed open the door and saw Fluttershy looking on with her eyes wide with horror. Alex asked Fluttershy in a protective tone, "Fluttershy, what's wrong?"

Alex looked on and saw a sight that made his skin chill to the very core.

Author's Note

Cliffhanger!!!