A Reformed Evil

All he could see was darkness. That was how it always started in these endless dreams. Darkness, followed by fire, followed by screaming and people running. All it did was make him convulse as soon he saw the face again. The face of a demon, eyes orange and radiated demonic power. Throughout the nightmare, none of it made sense as each image screamed out 'Free us!' as if they were asking to be freed. Yet, as soon as that demonic face appeared and yelled 'Free us!' was when he woke up in a cold sweat.

It had been exactly one week since Daniel was somehow transported from his world to this one, a world called Equestria, where all the residents were mystical creatures from his world, but living. The little town he took residence in was called Ponyville, a town made up of only three races, all of which kinda surprised him, but that passed shortly. What did surprise him was the being with horn and wings, the proper term being alicorn as he was told from his gracious host, Twilight Sparkle. To say the first visit to town was weird, would be  vast understatement. As he walked through town with Twilight, all the ponies spoke in hushed whispers about the new creature. As if that was the weird part, for some reason a mint green unicorn wanted to quote unquote 'Lick his hands', which was quickly met with a hard thwack on her head by a blue and pink haired lady. As the tour she gave continued, Daniel had gotten a small meeting time with each mare who made up what the residents called The Mane 6.

The first meetings were.... unfortunate to say the least. A meeting with the mare called Applejack, who looked a little too much like Daisy Dukes from his world, ended up with him nearly getting a broken hand from her strength. As a sign of forgiveness, she did give him the best apple pie he ever had, yet Daniel was always one to forgive and forget accidents like this. Not even long after that, he had the wind knocked out of him by some crazy pink haired mare who jumped on him and knocked the air out of him. He could make out only every third word from her fast talking mouth as luckily Twilight stopped her from speaking to get off of him. As he got back up, he shakes her head and luckily was not in agony from the grip. Her name was Pinkie Pie and looked to be wearing a shirt that was a size too small and what she called shorts, he call a bikini from the design.

Luckily the next two weren't so bad as the door opened to some rainbow haired pegasi who claimed to be the fastest in Equestria. She had a ego and looked like a tomboy, yet she was fiercely loyal from what he could tell in her eyes. The part that really got him grinning was when Pinkie glomped Rainbow and started to nuzzle her as if they were friends who hadn't seen eachother in forever. Pushing him out the door was Twilight as she seemed to want to avoid such a fate as they walked outside of town to visit another friend, yet he just.... stopped. He sat down on the grass and just looked at the sky as one word left his mouth "Remarkable" as he looks at the clouds. Twilight had walked over and joined him as her head tilted in confusion, just for him to shake his head "I... can explain more during the Q&A as you called it" he explains. As they made their way to the small cottage, something unexplained happened. All the animals, from bunnies to bears, all ran away in fear from him, even Angel, as he stopped.

The sounds were all it took to bring out a pegasi who seemed quite worried for them as Daniel simply sat on a hill, watching the two exchange pleasantries. As he watched them, he felt something lull his eyes shut as if wanting him to sleep as he did so for a good minute as he felt someone shake him awake. His eyes opened to the alicorn and pegasi as he sits up. A brief meeting was all it was as the pegasi was quite shy, hiding behind Twilight as all she had was a long pink skirt and a green sweater. To try and make it less... fear feeling, Daniel rubbed the back of his neck and turned as he stuttered in his meeting, acting shy so she would not feel like the only one. It was a kind thing to do and felt right as Twilight just smirked and rolled her eyes, yet that seemed to help Flutters calm down a little. The final stop though was at a boutique where the pleasantries were all but pleasant. As he walked in, he met the fashion mare who wore a simple button up shirt and red frame glasses, who seemed to offer 'helpful' advice on his clothing as he retorts of her own clothing. All that did was span into a argument of style that spanned a good two hours before dissolving into a calm sit down for tea. Twilight was a bit confused as the mare who called herself Rarity said "Darling, we may disagree on fashion statements, yet that doesn't mean we can't be friends" she says.

All Daniel did was nod "Plus, she looked absolutely bored, so a bit of arguing to help take her mind off of things was felt needed" he says as he drinks his tea. After some more pleasant talking, the mare started to take measurements, as Daniel could swear she was lingering a bit too much near his crotch as he whistles and that seemed to snap her out of it. Out of curiosity, Twilight wanted to find what was interesting as he respectfully declined. It was bad enough for one woman and now two would be too much. As the tour came to a end, Twilight showed him to the large castle of hers and to his room, which was styled after all the others. A queen sized bed with purple sheets, a small bookshelf, a table and other such animosities of a room, even a private facility.

All that happened in the span of a week as today was time for questions and answers about him. As he got up, took a quick shower and looked at himself in the mirror, all he saw was the look of a man who had trouble sleeping. As he leaned down and splashed his face with water, his face came back up to see the demon in the mirror as it roared and recoiled as soon as it appeared, it was gone. He dries his face and got dressed in the clothes he had on the first time he came here as he exited the room. Just as he opened the door, he was met with the small kid like assistant of Sparkle, a dragon named Spike, who was about to knock. The dragon had quickly walked Daniel to a large meeting table where the others were, all six of them as he sits down. He was about to speak as Twilight stopped him.

She looks up as each member had a parchment as she explains "In order to better understand you. I have come up with a way to figure out more about you and of humans from these questions. Each member will ask you five questions and you are to answer truthfully. It's to understand you more" she explains. All Daniel did was chuckle as if  it was a joke, yet she had a serious look on her face as he leans over.

He looks at them "Tell me then. How do you know all humans are like me if I am speaking the truth?" he asks. That just made her smile. It was a smile as if she trusted someone fully as he just sighs and waves his hand "Alright... bring the questions" he says. The first few questions were simple like what is his name, what is his age, where did he come from as all he answered was "Daniel Gladesfield. Twenty-three. Barclay, Maryland on a planet called Earth" was all he gave. The questions kept coming of basic stuff. Profession, years working, birth date, till it got to more personal stuff.

Family, friends, all that as he leans back as his eyes found the floor interesting. Each question was answered with a simple answer. No. Daniel had no family to speak of because they kicked him out and wrote him out of all wills because he wanted to be a historian instead of a mortician. He had no friends because he was the quiet guy who passed through like a ghost. Put it simply, he was a loner with no connection. The next question hit him a bit hard as it was asked by Applejack "What were ya'll doin before being brought here?" she asks.

All Daniel did was look at them as he says "Looking for a bridge to throw myself off of" as he leans back. He was honest, he answered the questions truthfully, yet one question was all it took for him to stand "I think we are done here" he says. He ignores their voices as he walks out of the chamber and closes the door. As he walks down the halls, he felt something following him as he turns and finds nothing as he continued to walk, unaware of what is watching from another castle far in the distance.

Standing on a balcony, a mare whose body was graced with horn and wings on a body of navy blue fur. Her attire, a dress of regal design and a small black crown on her head as she looked at herself in the mirror, her mane and tail a starry sight for any to see. She should not be awake at this time, for she awoke at night, yet.... something troubled her. As she looked in the mirror one question came to her mind "Why... why could we not enter that one nightmare?" she asks herself. She had spoken of the night before where all the nightmares suddenly vanished in her hallway of her dreamwalk. One star though, black as night, was still in a nightmare yet try as she might she could not enter, as if something was keeping her out, but also getting stronger. It slightly intrigued her, but frightened her and the more frightened she was, the stronger she felt it grow. She would have to try again tonight to enter.... hopefully with better results.