Blackest Knight

Chapters

Abduction
Curse
Training
Enhancements
Briefing
Mission
Dreams
Train
Wedding
Blood
Discussion
Ponyville
Revelations
Dream(y)
Friends
Party
Discoveries
Herbs
Colors
Prank
Starswirl
Boredom
Crusading
Time
Flutterbye
Death
Life
Endings
Fluttershy

Abduction

Blackest Knight
Chapter 1

John left his girlfriend’s house shortly before nine. This had been one of those rare nights that she invited him in, but he had another pressing concern. John loved her more than anything, and hated to tear himself from her embrace, but his actions tonight were also for her.

His brisk walk to the quaint little shop took less than thirty minutes, but an eternity seemed to stretch while his hands got ever sweatier. John looked upon the building before entering, triple checking to make sure it was the right one. The shop was neither small, nor big, and while not fancy, was a step above some of the surrounding buildings. John picked this shop because the product was flawless. The owners chose better products over a fancy building, and John had almost missed the store during his search before. This shop held the perfect product for John, and he finally knew it was the right time to purchase it.

“Hello! Welcome to…” the girl at the counter began before she recognized John. “Ah it’s you again! Is the big day coming up?”

John smiled as he replied, “Tomorrow in fact.” His deep voice cracked a little before he cleared his throat. His girlfriend did all of the talking, but even that wasn’t much over the movie they watched. He still didn’t know why she found his silence cute. The cashier perked up an eyebrow, but said nothing. “You still have it in stock?” John asked.

“Of course! Some guys were looking at it, but I made sure none bought it, I would have only sold it to anyone cuter than you though, so you needn’t worry.” John chuckled at her answer. She always flirted with him when he came in, which was often. His nervousness always apparent, and her teasing did not help.

“I think I will buy it then.” She went to the back to get the product, and John looked over the others while reflecting on his choice. He had checked out almost every shop in the city, starting from the flashiest mega-chains, and going down to the littlest of shops. He had nearly exhausted the long list before he found this one. The instant he walked in, his eyes fell upon the perfect one, and he knew that his first visit would not be his last. After a month of setting everything up, then another of waiting for the custom order to come in, John’s product was finally here. His mouth became dry when he realized that tomorrow was the big day. He had taken all the necessary steps, and now the only person who didn’t know was her. As he was thinking, the cashier returned.

“Here it is,” she said, placing it upon the counter while John walked up to the register.

“Thank you.” His voice cracked again, though this time was not from underuse. The cashier giggled, but spared him this time. His face burned as he completed the purchase and did not stop until he returned to the crisp night air with a bag hanging from his hand. He smiled as he realized once again that tomorrow was the big day. It would not be the biggest day of his life, nor the happiest, but it would be big. He laughed aloud before turning and continuing along the sidewalk. His walk this time was slow, the bag hung from his closed hand, and he was ready to return to his home. He did not notice that the sidewalk, along with the street next to him, were both completely deserted. The quiet city night hung uninterrupted for several minutes before a voice from an alley cut through the silence.

“Well hello handsome.” A feminine voice came from the darkness. John was snapped from his reverie as a tall, slender woman stepped from the shadows of the alley he was passing. John’s cheeks flushed again at the flirtatious greeting, and he turned to address the woman. She would have been described as beautiful by any other man, but John’s eyes were only for his girlfriend. She noticed this and frowned slightly while flicking her dark blue hair out of her eyes.

“I thank you for the compliment, but I’ve got a girlfriend,” John stated gently but firmly before turning from the strange woman, already dismissing her as a woman of the night. She was not, however, and would not be deterred. He noticed that she had begun to follow him, so he turned back. “Forgive me if I was rude for turning away if you needed anything, I assumed you only wanted to hit on me.”

“Oh, no offense taken,” The woman replied, “But I was only hitting on you. Though…” She began to slip into a seductive voice, “there might be something you could do for me.” Her eyes began to travel his body.

“I don’t like the way this conversation is beginning to go, so I am going to leave.” John replied, beginning to become uncomfortable. He turned once again to walk away. The strange woman began to follow again, however. John did not like the way she followed him, and could not stop thinking about her appearance. Her voice chilled him to the core, while her eyes seemed unnatural. They were green, which was unnatural enough, but the pupils almost looked like slits. He glanced back and confirmed the feline appearance, while discovering her gaze was directed a tad south, and he could hazard a guess it was still north of his knees. John turned back forward. An uncomfortable feeling beginning to gnaw at him. Her entire presence felt unnatural, as if she were not from Earth at all. He quickened his pace, hoping to deter her interest. There was no one else in sight to help deter any potential crime either.

‘Why tonight?’ John thought, ‘Why tonight of all nights, right before tomorrow.” His thoughts began to drift to his girlfriend, hoping the thoughts would help give him the strength to resist any temptations this strange woman would throw his way. As soon as his thoughts touched upon his girlfriend warmth began to fill his heart, but energy began to leave his limbs. The strange phenomenon was compounded when the woman who was following him suddenly began to ‘mmm,’ as if eating something tasty. John glanced backwards and saw her walking with her eyes closed, and her mouth open as if to catch falling rain. The warmth filling his heart began to grow stronger even as strength left John’s limbs. He stumbled and fell as his leg buckled underneath him. The bag in his hand fell into a nearby alleyway, but John did not have the strength to get up to go after it.

“That was tasty, lover boy, but I think it’s time you come with me.” The woman grabbed John’s hand, which he had stretched out after the bag. His vision failing, John was dimly aware of himself being dragged past the bag. He stretched his free hand toward it, but was now too far from it. The bag became the second most important thing in his life at that moment, right after his promise to himself to never fail the woman he loved. His vision failed at the moment he realized he would only ever get farther from the bag. Darkness overcame him with the realization that he failed the two things he could not fail.

Queen Chrysalis dragged the human deeper into the alley before opening a portal back to her hive. She glanced back briefly before stepping through the portal. Her eyes fell upon the bag the human had been holding. It had fallen from his grasp, and a small box fell out when it had hit the ground. The box rolled a foot away, becoming open in the process to reveal a flawless diamond ring.

Author's Note

Thanks for reading, I plan on making this into a good story, and I appreciate constructive criticism. This will help me become a better writer, while giving you guys a better story. Any feedback is appreciated as well.

Curse

Blackest Knight
Chapter 2

John opened his eyes slowly. He could not feel anything below his neck, which held a dull throb akin to the throb in his head. Two blue orbs seemed to hover in front of him before his eyes slowly adjusted. The orbs slowly grew a head. John closed his eyes and shook his head. His eyes began to adjust to the darkness and John opened them to the sight of a mutated horse. The strange creature seemed to have the basic shape of a small horse, but had long white fangs, a webbed mane, a curved horn, insect-like wings, and a hard carapace. John’s mind was conflicted between insect and pony.

‘I have to be dreaming,’ John thought, ‘Right?’ John shook his head once more, opening his eyes once more to the strange being, but it was smiling this time.

“Think you’re dreaming or something?” the bug-horse said with a grin. John could only stare. He had never done drugs before, but he was sure this was what it would be like. Surely bug-horses did not exist, and they definitely wouldn’t talk. The hallucination spoke once more, “It seems you have no idea what I am,” it laughed. The voice seemed to be male, but John had no way to be sure.

“What are you then?” John replied. He might as well play along while the dream/hallucination lasted. He took a look around the room as well. It seemed like a small room, reminiscent of a castle, but almost seemed like a bee hive. He also seemed to be stuck in some form of goo, and could not move. His eyes returned to the bug/horse as it answered his question.

The … thing laughed again before replying, “I am a changeling of course,” the now identified changeling said, as if that was the most obvious thing in the world. “More importantly,” he continued, “I am the one chosen to take care of the Queen’s pet.” The changeling laughed again.

‘Pet?’ John thought. Only after the changeling looked at him did he realize he had spoken aloud as well.

“Of course you are her pet. The queen traveled to your world to collect a little human pet, and you are the one lucky enough to be chosen.” John did not feel lucky, but the changeling continued, “I was chosen to teach you your place before you officially serve her. I trust you are potty trained,” The changeling laughed at his joke.

“Better than…” John began his snide remark, but was unable to finish it as a blinding pain began to burrow into the base of his skull. John could only scream as the equivalent of a red hot sword seemed to be driven into the base of his brain. The changeling only sneered until John’s screams subsided. As the pain lessened, John was vaguely aware of the changeling laughing.

“It seems I do not need to punish you for your insolence now,” the changeling taunted while John returned to full awareness. “The curse has almost finished its duty, soon you will be bent to the will of the Queen.”

“What curse?” John asked through his panting. “What have you done to me?” John began to realize this was no dream or hallucination. The changeling only laughed and began to walk away before John was racked with more pain, worse than the last. The changeling only chuckled before returning to his regular duties.

John awoke several hours later, the pain still fresh in his mind. He had passed out during the fourth pain surge. He could only wait for another surge, but none came. He opened his eyes to find the room empty. He tried to break from the strange goo once again, but realized he could move anything below his neck. He looked around the room again, but nothing changed except the changeling was gone. This was soon remedied as a door opened, revealing another changeling. John realized this one was taller, had a long dark blue mane and tail, and the horn was longer and straight, but punctured like her legs. John felt her presence was familiar, but could not remember meeting a bug-horse/changeling before the one from earlier.

“Well, you’re awake.” The changeling’s feminine voice clicked with John’s mind, and he connected the voice with her traveling green cat eyes.

“You’re the one that kidnapped me!” John accused. The changeling only laughed at his accusation.

“Yes, but I had good reason.” The seductive tone slipped once more into her voice. John glared angrily at her. She began to walk around him, forcing him to turn his head until she disappeared behind him. “I’ve been a bit lonely,” she reappeared on John’s other side, and he continued his angry glare. “I needed someone to comfort me in the night.”

“Forget it.” John growled. He would not fail his girlfriend a third time. The changeling only laughed as she continued to circle him.

“You are too easy to tease John.” She chuckled darkly.

“Who are you? How do you know my name?” John’s anger only grew.

“My name is Queen Chrysalis. I am the queen of the changelings. And I know your name because I have been watching you,” Chrysalis stopped in front of John. “I do not need you to bed me, because I have a more important duty for you. I have seen the strength in you, and I have seen that there is something within you that will react positively with the enhancements.” Chrysalis continued her slow circling. The steady clopping was punctuated by their conversation as she continued, “Your strength, when amplified, will be exactly what I need to conquer Equestria.”

“What enhancements? What strength? What the hell is Equestria?” John’s angry questions elicited a chuckle from the queen. She paused before answering him, the only sound was the steady clopping of her hooves.

“Equestria is the kingdom ruled by the princesses Celestia and Luna. That kingdom will be mine once you are ready. As for the enhancements, you will see soon enough. And the strength is something inside of you that will allow you to survive the enhancements.”

“Survive?” John did not like the sound of that word. What exactly were these enhancements? And more importantly, even if he could help conquer a nation, how would she make him?

“You are not the first human chosen for the enhancements,” Chrysalis laughed. John just looked at the ground as she continued. “If you survive, you will be my tool in the coming campaign. If not, I still have plenty of time to choose another candidate.” Chrysalis laughed again before exiting the room. Leaving John to contemplate her answers. His mind wandered to the curse the first changeling had mentioned. Whatever it was, it had burrowed inside of his head. He realized that it was what would help influence him to Chrysalis’s will. The only question was, would he be able to resist it?

Author's Note

As always, constructive criticism is appreciated. Comment your thoughts, as this will help me be a better writer, while providing you a better story

Training

Blackest Knight
Chapter 3

“Wake up maggot!”

John was awoken by the sudden yell. He snapped awake and was greeted to the sight of the changeling from yesterday. He never got a name, but the changeling right now looked angry, but John had no idea why. He was stuck in the goo, so he had no way of inciting the changeling’s anger. He soon realized however that it was more of a drill instructor angry.

“Time to get up and train,” the changeling ordered. He had brought a bowl of oats with him, with which he spoon fed John, who was forced to chew and swallow quickly to be ready for the next hurried spoonful. After John was fed, the changeling’s horn flared with energy and the goo around John was dissolved. John fell to the ground while the changeling moved to the door.

“Train?” John asked. His whole morning was fractured and he was still trying to figure out what was happening.

“Yes train, now get up.” The changeling ordered, opening the door leading out of the room. John hesitated and was rewarded with a sharp pain in the back of his head. He yelped while the changeling laughed. “That’s what happens every time you disobey an order, now get up.” John quickly got up and the pain instantly stopped. “Come on.” The changeling walked through the door.

“What are we doing? Why are we training?” John questioned while he followed the changeling through the hall beyond his room. The whole building seemed to resemble a castle with the texture of a bee hive. Understandable considering bugs built it.

“We are training you so you have a better chance of surviving the enhancements,” the changeling answered. “Last time we had an unprepared human, it got quite messy.” John had no idea whether the changelings were helping him in this respect then or merely pursuing their own goals. They walked in silence before reaching a large courtyard.

“Is he ready?” another changeling came from the other side of the courtyard to meet the two. This changeling seemed to be a bit bigger than the one John had been following, leading John to believe he might be a soldier, and had a large scar across his left eye, which was a cloudy white. The changeling was also eying John as well, and looked more than a little disapproving.

“Yes Halberd, now take him, I need to attend to my other duties.” The changeling returned through the doors and slammed them behind him.

“Now, have you ever handled a sword before?” The changeling, whose name John guessed was Halberd, asked.

John turned to Halberd before answering, “No.”

“That’s too bad,” Halberd went into a shed in a corner of the courtyard and returned with a large wooden sword and wooden halberd in his hooves. John was going to ask how he was holding them until the changeling threw the sword at him, nearly knocking him off his feet by the weight.

“This thing is nearly as tall as I am,” John stated the obvious.

“Yes,” Halberd replied. “We will train you to wield that and maybe smaller swords.”

“Wouldn’t it make more sense to start me off with the smaller ones?”

“Celestia and Luna will not fall to weak weapons, and the weapon you will wield later on has been enchanted to kill both the sun and moon,” Halberd replied. John had no idea how to respond to the last statement, but realized that Halberd meant to spar with the way he was standing. He quickly grabbed the hilt of his sword with both hands while Halberd continued his explanation. “That wooden sword has been weighted and balanced to mimic the God Killer.”

“What?” John had no idea why he needed a sword that could kill gods. Didn’t they want him to overthrow the princesses?

Halberd obviously thought he was talking about the wooden sword, “The wooden sword feels exactly like God Killer does, so you will have no trouble switching between the two.” John was about to explain his question, but Halberd gave him no chance before saying, “Defend yourself,” and readying his halberd.

“Wha…” was all John could manage before pain exploded in his knee. Halberd had struck his knee with the staff of his weapon. John barely had enough time to fall to his knees before Halberd spun his weapon in a mighty ark, the axe head connected with John’s head the second his knees hit the ground.

John was revived a few minutes later after the medic changeling arrived. He awoke to a conversation between Halberd and the new arrival.

“He probably has a concussion,” the unfamiliar voice stated.

“I guarantee he does,” Halberd’s gravelly voice came as John opened his eyes.

“It looks like he is waking up,” the medic said, getting closer to John. “Don’t get up too fast, let me heal your concussion first.” John felt the headache he just now noticed begin to fade. “Name is Ditto,” The medic said.

“The maggot doesn’t need your friendship Ditto.” Halberd cut in.

“He needs my name, how else is he going to refer to me when he finally knocks you out cold.”
Halberd shot daggers at Ditto for the snide remark. “I haven’t been beaten once in combat, even unfairly. This maggot is far from beating even our novices, it will be a long time before he could hold himself against me.”

“Then why did you spar with him?” Ditto cocked his head.

“I needed to see what his skill were before I partner him with anyone else. As it stands, he’ll be training with the novices for a good while.”

“After only one sparring match?”

“Of course. He fell in only two strokes, didn’t even move his sword. He obviously needs to learn the basics first. A lot of basics.”

Ditto chuckled, “Did he even know you were sparring?”

Halberd paused before answering, “What?”

“If I know you, you probably just said ‘Defend yourself’ before assaulting him, right?”

Halberd paused before grumbling. “Fine, I will give him another round.”

John felt that no one asked his opinion, he was fine with the novices, as long as Halberd wasn’t teaching. Before he could voice his opinion, however, Ditto pressed the large wooden sword into his hand and stood him up. John still felt awkward having lost so badly to a miniature horse barely up to his chest.

Halberd was obviously more than a little angry that his judgment had been questioned. He readied his halberd again, giving John enough time to ready his weapon as well. The large sword was a bit unwieldy, but John almost felt it becoming more of an extension of himself. The feeling felt almost natural, but John had never seen a real sword, much less wielded one. He was snapped from his contemplation as Ditto said, “ready.”

“I will not hold back maggot,” Halberd threatened.

“Spar!”

Halberd rushed at John immediately, aiming at his leg once again. John felt the world slow slightly as the staff targeted his knee once again. He reflexively brought his sword across his body and barely got it between the staff and his knee in time. The staff was deflected with a solid Thwok. John’s amazement was cut short as the changeling quickly spun and used the staff to sweep his legs. John was suddenly upside down in the air. The world seemed to slow again as he saw the head of the halberd coming to meet his face. He quickly blocked it with his sword, but the force spun him faster and knocked the sword from his grip. John landed upon his face and cartwheeled a few feet before sliding to a stop on his back.

“Good, but not good enough,” Halberd suddenly appeared above him, pointing the spear tip of the halberd at John’s throat. They stayed in this position, with John on his back and the changeling standing over him, before Halberd withdrew his weapon. He reached out his other hoof to help John up.

John sparred with Halberd for a few more hours, Ditto standing to one side in case John was knocked unconscious again. John felt himself improving slowly. The weight of the sword began to feel natural, though John knew not why. Ditto finally called an end to their session when he noticed both human and changeling were tiring, the latter less than the former.

“I think it’s about time to get something to eat,” Ditto went to get them food.

“Do you mind if I ask a couple questions?” John asked after Ditto departed.

“You have earned a bit of my respect, not many learn sword fighting so easily, especially with swords of a heavier caliber. Ask away.”

John mulled over his questions briefly before asking, “The sword you are wanting me to use is called God Killer, right?”

“Yes.”

“Why? Aren’t I supposed to just overthrow the two princesses? I was never told about any god.”

Halberd laughed heartily before answering. “I forgot you do not know much of these lands. Let me tell you a little story.” Halberd launched into a summarized history of Equestria. John was incredulous of the fact that the princesses controlled the sun and moon, and stated so, which elicited another laugh from Halberd. Ditto returned during the story with three bowls. Two held a pink, milky substance, while John was given another bowl of oats. Ditto helped provide information where Halberd was lacking, and answered John’s many questions. They finished and focused on eating until John caught a glimpse of what the changelings were eating.

“What is that that you two are eating?” John asked.

The two changelings looked at each other and laughed again before Ditto explained. “We do not require the regular sustenance of normal beings, changelings feed instead upon love. Usually we draw it from the air, but hunters must bring it back to the hive somehow. They capture the essence in special jars before bringing the jars back to the hive to be processed into a liquid substance and stored for those who cannot hunt themselves, or have other duties that prevent them from hunting.”

John could not help but ask, “Love?”

The changelings laughed once again before simply answering yes. John decided to drop the subject before he became even more confused. Ditto looked downtrodden that he would not be able to launch into a biology lecture. Halberd looked relieved. Though John dismissed that topic, he had another question.

“How can you hold weapons with your hooves?”

Ditto seemed to perk up that he could answer this question, “We have inherent magic within us that we can channel into our hooves to create a sort of selective telekinesis field. This allows us to manipulate objects like weapons much akin to your hands, but we are a little more nimble. The strength of the field is also tied to our strength, much as it is to yours. We can pick up a brick, but not the entire castle.”

John guessed that made sense, if he did not dwell upon the fact that magic was prominent in this world. “One more question.”

“Okay,” Ditto responded.

“Why is your name Halberd?” John looked at the changeling in question and noticed he became grim, Ditto looked nervous, and was about to change the subject until Halberd answered.

“I don’t tell many about the origins of my name. Few outside Ditto and the Queen know. But you have earned enough respect to know. My original name was not Halberd, and I was once a captain of the Queen’s army,” Halberd got a faraway look in his good eye. “One day, I was leading my squad in a patrol when we were attacked by assassins. They outnumbered my squad almost three to one, and over a quarter were slaughtered before we knew what was happening. We began fighting back, but it was nearly hopeless. That was when my best friend, my second in command, was killed in front of me. I lost control, and should have called a retreat, but I only saw red. I was the only living thing to leave the battle, my only serious injury was the scar on my eye. When I returned, the Queen stripped me of rank to punish me for the needless loss of the soldiers. She also stripped me of my name to shame me, and dubbed me after my weapon. To the rest of the hive, I was pronounced dead. Only a nameless soldier had returned. Now I am only useful to the hive as drill instructor and quartermaster.”

John was left nearly speechless, “I…I’m sorry…”

Halberd dismissed it, “Let us return to training.

John continued training under Halberd for almost two months. He steadily improved, and spars against Halberd got longer and longer, but were always one sided. John also sparred against other changelings, but more losses were recorded than wins. Physical training was also a daily exercise. John preformed the training four times a day to improve his strength, stamina, and speed. His body became stronger, yet his heart always traveled back to his home. His girlfriend was always on his mind during any breaks he got, and he could feel any changelings in the vicinity draining upon his love, but he was no longer weakened by the feeding.

Days before the mark of his second month in the hive, his caretaker, whom thought John was below him and could not be graced with his name, disrupted his morning exercises.

“Come with me,” The changeling commanded. John obeyed, only because he learned the changeling was not above punishing any hesitation. He followed the changeling to a room in a different part of the hive than he had been before.

“What is this room?” John asked.

The changeling smirked, “This is the room in which we will inject the enhancements.”

Author's Note

This one was a bit longer, but I had a lot of things that I felt needed to be connected. I also put in some of my theories about the pony universe, such as how changelings bring love back to the hive, as well as how ponies and changelings hold things with their hooves. Sorry if I got some of the facts wrong, but I haven't done much research except reading other fan-fics.

As always, constructive criticism and feedback are appreciated. I want to make the best story I can for you guys.

Enhancements

Blackest Knight
Chapter 4

John laid down upon the cold operating table. He had stripped down to the underwear that someone in the castle had fashioned for him, along with several sets of simple clothes. His back met the cold metal of the table, and he shivered. He was surrounded by four changelings that he assumed were doctors, his yet-to-be named caretaker standing by the door. They strapped him to the table, and John found he was not able to move a fraction of an inch. Once they fastened his head, only his hands were free.

“We will not be able to sedate you, because our previous subjects had a one hundred percent mortality rate under sedation,” The calm voice of the doctor looking down upon him only succeeded in elevating John’s nervousness. He had been told before that the entire process had a ‘one hundred percent mortality rate’ whether or not the subject was under sedation. The doctor chuckled, seeing John’s expression, “I mean they died a lot faster than the un-sedated patients.”

“So how exactly is that supposed to calm me?” John asked.

“It isn’t” the doctor replied before preparing for the procedure. John had a sinking feeling about the entire thing, but he had no choice, since his unnamed handler had control over
John’s curse and would force him to comply anyways. John tried, but failed, to relax as a multitude of metal arms glided toward him, guided by the changeling doctors’ magic. Slid from the ends of the metallic arms, and the doctors positioned each carefully before plunging the needle into John’s skin. He gasped and would have recoiled as eighteen needles punctured him at once. Two were in each arm and four in each leg. Three lined each side of his abdomen. He would have recoiled, but the straps constricted all movement.

“Perfect accuracy, if I say so myself,” The head doctor remarked before throwing a switch on the wall. “Now let’s begin the injection.”

A low humming came from the machine the arms were attached to, and John could feel fluid being injected. The doctors began to mark incision points all over his body after the needles receded.

“You are going to cut me while I am awake as well?” John asked, knowing he was in for pain.

“The areas we operate upon will be magically frozen, so no muscle spasms will disrupt the procedure, and blood loss will be minimal, plus the fluids we injected will wash out the pain of the incisions.”

“I thought you couldn’t sedate me?” John was confused, but could feel what felt like pinpricks all over his body. The feeling was akin to a limb that had fallen asleep.

The doctor chuckled before replying, “The injections were not sedatives, They will merely hurt more than what we are doing.”

John suddenly realized what the changeling meant as pain erupted inside his chest. Screams began to rip from his throat as the pain spread throughout his body.

Two of the doctors began the incisions as the third cast a constant Waking Spell upon John. The fourth was the relief for when the spell caster got fatigued. The procedure would not last long, but the spell was draining when used constantly. John’s caretaker was inside the room to cast a muffling spell around John’s head, to silence the inevitable screams.

John was lost inside himself. The only thing he was conscious of was the unbearable pain. The drug they injected him with felt like it was tearing him apart atom by atom. Unconscious could not bring relief, as it was warded off by a magical force. John felt himself being torn apart from the inside, and was barely aware of things being implanted into his arms. The pain was the only constant. John realized the pain was surging and pushing him toward an invisible cliff. The only thing john knew was that he could not fall from this cliff. John pushed against the pain. His vain struggles not evident in the waking world. John felt himself slipping ever closer to the cliff. Using every ounce of his strength and will to push against the wall of pain, only vaguely aware of his throat being torn by the force of his screams. His effort did little to slow the advancing wall. He approached the brink of the cliff.

A picture flitted through his mind, a small box. Having fallen from a plastic bag, the little box was open, containing a flawless diamond ring.

The wall of pain seemed to hesitate. John was inches from falling off the cliff. Looking down would reveal the face of Death itself. He realized that the wall was no longer advancing. He began pushing once again. The effort held no reward.

Another picture flitted in and out of memory. This one was the same ring, held within the glass counter of the small jewelry store. Faint emotion was attached to this memory, his feeling of excitement from laying his eyes upon the perfect ring.

The wall of pain began to recede. John felt the pain coursing through his body beginning to ebb as well.

Another picture, this time of his girlfriend. The woman he loved. His heart began to warm.

The wall’s speed increased, widening the gap from the edge.

Their first date, a simple affair, just a movie and dinner. He felt the joy and excitement once again.

His pain was beginning to disappear, though it still racked his body, it seemed the drug was beginning to reconstruct his body now, instead of tearing it apart.

Their first kiss. He still felt the brush of her lips against his. It had been short, but it was one of the happiest moments of his life.

The wall of pain disappeared at the exact moment that all pain left John’s body. He was left floating inside the black of his mind before slowly coming back to awareness.

“It looks like he’s waking up!” a voice came from the waking world. John’s awareness peaked as the voice spoke.

“He…He’s alive!” The head doctor spoke in astonishment. The four doctors broke into cheers, as they finally had a living subject. John smiled weakly, just glad for it to be over. The doctors hugged each other while John’s caretaker walked over. He was completely indifferent to the success. His loathing of the inferior creature canceling out his joy that his queen finally had a surviving pet.

“Well, it seems, if you can survive the other treatments, you will be of use to the queen.”

John’s face fell as the changeling spoke, “Other … treatments?”

“Of course,” the head doctor butted in, “several more treatments are needed to complete the enhancement process, but this was the worst one. And we will give you some time to recuperate, otherwise your chance of surviving would be zero percent without chance of miracle.” John gained little comfort at the idea of having a break. He knew he would have to be subject to the enhancements whether he wanted to or not though.

“Come,” the caretaker ordered, “You must return to your chambers and rest for training tomorrow.” John didn’t quite like the idea of training so soon after his harrowing experience, but followed nevertheless. He slept well through the rest of the day before being woken for dinner. As he ate, he began to feel extremely ill, but finished his meal. He would need the energy for the coming days.

Author's Note

Thanks again for reading. People have started reading faster than I thought they would, so I'm going to do my best to keep the chapters coming as quickly as possible.
As always, constructive criticism is appreciated. It will help me be a better writer so I can provide you a better story. Any feedback is great too.

Briefing

Blackest Knight
Chapter 5

John awoke early in the morning. The pain of yesterday’s enhancements had completely disappeared, as well as the small incision marks, so he immediately set into his morning routine. Fifty pushups, fifty sit-ups, seventy-five pull-ups, one hundred squats, and one hundred jumping jacks later, he performed several stretching routines the changelings had shown him. The changelings were far more flexible than normal humans, and being advanced techniques, the routines were quite difficult. They proved extremely effective, however, and provided limber arms and legs for strenuous training. His caretaker brought him his breakfast soon after John finished.

“Eat up,” the changeling commanded with a sneer. John would have cracked a joke about the wrong side of the bed, but this changeling kind of hated him. He decided to simply eat. The changeling filled the silence, “Your training is going to be altered.” John looked up from his meal, feeling sick as he had the night before. The changeling continued obliviously, “Halberd is going to teach you the art of espionage.”

John would have laughed if his breakfast wasn’t threatening to come up. “I don’t think I will be able to blend in to any crowds.” John was two feet taller than the changelings, and it would probably be the same if he infiltrated another hive, “Unless I am being sent back to the human world.”

The changeling laughed before replying, “Queen Chrysalis has no interest in the human world, so you will never be sent there.”

“Then it’s an Equestrian hive I am infiltrating?”

The changeling looked at John as if he was stupid, before laughing again, “No, Equestria has no hive, you fool.” He offered no explanation except telling John to report to Halberd and left. John finished his meal and waited for his stomach to settle before heading for the courtyard.

John met with Halberd and Ditto in the courtyard. Ditto was no longer needed, as John rarely got knocked out anymore, but he always came to watch John’s progress.

“You’re late.” Halberd glared at John. John had to resist clutching his aching stomach before apologizing. Halberd dismissed it and began the lesson, “Today I am teaching you about espionage. Your duty to the queen will require you to infiltrate and scout towns across Equestria. Assassinations may also be required during the campaign, though that is doubtful.”

John had to ask a question before Halberd continued, “Towns? I thought all changelings lived in hives?”

Halberd looked at Ditto, who shrugged, before replying to John, “We are the only changeling hive in existence. You will see our enemy soon enough.” John did not like that answer, but had no choice but wait. “Continuing with the lesson,” Halberd continued, “I will be teaching you stealth, camouflage, and effective scouting techniques. First, a scout must have excellent stamina, so we will add twenty laps around the courtyard before every session, starting now.” John nodded and began his laps. His breakfast constantly threatened to come up, but John held it in and was soon panting in the middle of the courtyard as Halberd allowed him a moments rest. They then moved to a larger courtyard, filled with shrubbery, trees, and faux buildings.

The rest of the morning was filled with lessons in stealth. John quickly learned how to muffle his footsteps, and impressed Halberd with his ability to camouflage himself. He put this newfound skill to use during Halberd’s next lesson as Ditto lured in an unwitting changeling guard. The second Ditto lured him past his hiding spot, John quickly knocked the changeling out. Ditto commented that the guards were likely not to listen to any of them now as he revived the unconscious guard. Halberd only continued the lessons.

Lunch quickly approached and Ditto went to fetch their meals while John and Halberd quickly refreshed the course. Ditto returned minutes later and they sat down to eat. John merely looked at his meal. His stomach had never settled, and he doubted he could keep two meals down.

Ditto noticed John’s lack of appetite, “You may want to eat, Halberd probably has an even more intensive afternoon planned.” Halberd confirmed his theory.

John looked at his meal again as he responded, “Ever since yesterday’s enhancements, I have had trouble keeping my food down. My breakfast still feels like it’s trying to come back out.”

Ditto looked confused and decided to scan John’s body. He gasped, “Your body has not digested your breakfast. I even see your dinner.” John didn’t know much about biology, but he was sure his breakfast should be partially digested, much less his dinner. Ditto scanned his body again and his face scrunched up in confusion, “It seems your body is rejecting the food, but producing its own energy.” He continued his scan before looking at Halberd, “We need to get him to the doctors.”

“My training will be no good if he is dead,” Halberd agreed.

The doctors studied John for most of the rest of the day. The head doctor finally explained his hypothesis, “It seems the enhancements have had some side effects, your healing factor has increased by a slight factor, seeing that the incision scars should have lasted a few days, but were gone this morning you said. Your body also seems to be producing its own energy. We do not know how, but it seems you no longer require sustenance. Consuming food could overfill your stomach in fact, and cause it to burst. It seems you might still need to sleep, however.”

John’s head spun as he processed this new information. Everything he knew about biology revolved around the fact that the body needed food to produce energy. “So how am I producing the energy?” He asked, “Photosynthesis or something?”

“We do not know. My only theory is that the enhancement unlocked an inherent magic within you. I do not know how, or why, but that is my best guess.”

John shook his head, “Any other side effects?”

“None that we have noticed yet, but tell us if you find anything.”

“Will do.” John left and returned to train for the rest of the day.

John was due for another session of enhancements by the end of the week. The procedure was a little less painful, and the doctors did not make any incisions. The injections were still agonizing for John, but he did not come close to death this time. He slept for the rest of the day and awoke early the next morning.

“Wake up!” John’s caretaker burst through the door, interrupting John’s final stretching routine.

“I’ve been up,” John remarked, standing up straight. The changeling did not seem amused and barked orders for John to report to the courtyard. John’s walk to the courtyard was disorienting. Something was off, but he could not tell what. He entered the courtyard and was faced with Ditto and Halberd. John immediately set into his laps and finished while Ditto was giving him a curious look.

“You will be sparring me again today,” Halberd stated before John could question Ditto. Halberd fetched their wooden weapons and threw John’s sword to him.

John gave it an experimental twirl and noticed something was off. He held it and realized it was still perfectly balanced. He had gotten used to the large sword, so it felt like an extension of himself. It felt no different today. Halberd merely looked at him while John tried to figure out what changed in his weapon. John held the sword out parallel to the ground and dropped it. The time it took to hit the ground seemed longer than normal.

“What are you doing?” Halberd demanded, angry because he thought John was going to refuse the duel.

John realized what he did and quickly picked up the sword. “Sorry, it just seems like something is off with the sword.”

Nonsense, the sword is fine,” Halberd calmed down a little bit. “Ditto, call the duel”

“Ready.” Ditto complied. “Duel!”

John’s adrenaline started pumping as Halberd began to lunge at him. The world seemed to slow, but John felt as if it was moving at a snail’s pace. He easily sidestepped Halberd’s lunge. The changeling landed and whipped around to swipe at John’s knees, but the human was not there. Halberd felt a sharp pain in his abdomen as John’s giant blade made contact with the bottom of his gut. John carried through with the swing and brought Halberd up into the air. The changeling traveled in a semicircle over John’s head until the sword smashed him into the ground on the other side of the human. All three stayed in this position, awestruck, for a few moments until Halberd coughed from the force of the blow.

“That…” Ditto began.

“That was a…” Halberd began before coughing again. “That was a killing blow. He cut me in half.”

John could only stay frozen as Halberd pushed the giant sword off his gut and stood up shakily. Ditto rushed over and cast a healing spell on the injured changeling. “That duel was over in a second,” The medic enthused, “I’ve never seen anyone move so fast!”

“The speed wasn’t his only feat,” Halberd’s ribs were a bit sore, but he could stand straight now. “John achieved his first victory against me.”

Halberd’s confession broke John from his trance, “But … I didn’t …”

Halberd interrupted John’s stuttering, “This was the first time I have been beaten in a duel. You were right about how the sword felt weird.” John looked at him shock. “Only it wasn’t the sword being changed. Whatever they put in your enhancements yesterday, seems to have augmented your reflexes and reaction time.” John realized he was right, that was why everything seemed to move slightly slower while he moved the same speed.

The training continued, and John’s skills in both combat and espionage were becoming honed, though Halberd volunteered some of the more elite soldiers for duels. John held an undefeated streak after his duel with Halberd. Each week, he attended another enhancement procedure. Each procedure seemed to enhance his speed, strength, and stamina. The weekly sessions continued, the gaps between filled with his stealth/combat training, for three more months before John was free from the painful surgeries. Training continued for a few more weeks until his caretaker interrupted the routine one day.

“Come with me,” the caretaker commanded after John completed his morning routine. John complied and was led to a room that held a large chalk board and table. Halberd sat at the head of the table. Ditto stood to one side of the room, and every place but one was filled by other changelings. They stared at John as he entered. His handler decided to stay outside. John took the empty seat and felt the gaze of every changeling in the room. None of them but Halberd and Ditto were accustomed to his presence. They obviously had nothing to fear, as John’s curse would not permit him to harm a changeling except when dueling, but they distrusted him all the same.

“Let’s start the briefing,” Halberd began, and all eyes moved to him. “We will need to familiarize John with the enemy first, though.” A file was handed to John and he opened it to a picture of a miniature horse, similar in shape to changelings, but without wings or horn. It looked to be about the same size as a changeling, and the next paper, filled with assorted details about the race, confirmed it. Halberd explained while John read the file, “The first race is earth ponies. They hold an inherent magic that grants them increased strength than other races. They excel in melee combat when trained, but can still be dangerous even if not.”

John flipped to the next race. This one was similar to the earth pony, but had feathered wings and a leaner body. Halberd continued the identification, “This is a pegasus. They have a lighter bone structure and leaner bodies compared to earth ponies. They rely upon speed when engaged in combat. They can strike from the air, so it is essential to prioritize them over earth ponies. They are prominent within Celestia’s Solar Guard.”

The next picture showed a pony vastly different from the other two races. It seemed to have the basic form of pegasi, but the ears and wings resembled those of bats. Halberd elaborated, “Next is a bat pony. Same basic tactics as pegasi, but they are more organized and militaristic, so they take slight priority over pegasi. They are the only type of pony in Luna’s Lunar Guard.”

John was almost not surprised that the next picture showed a pony with a horn. The body seemed to be the same size but weaker and less muscled than the other races, but judging from the changelings’ horns, he guessed the horn on this pony would control magic. Halberd confirmed that, “This is a unicorn. This race channels magic through their horns. Their bodies are weaker than any other race, but they can protect themselves or their allies with a shield. They take top priority under the princesses, as their offensive magic is destructive. Luckily, a unicorn that is good with offensive magic is usually bad with defensive magic, and vice versa. Unicorns and pegasi form the bulk of the Solar Guard.”

John flipped to the last picture in the file to reveal a large white pony wearing royal regalia. The pony sported both wings and a horn. The body seemed strong like an earth pony’s, but sleek, akin to a pegasus. The file stated that this pony was six feet tall, like him. Halberd elaborated, “The last picture is of Princess Celestia. Her kind is known as alicorns. They have the strengths of each race, but none of the weaknesses. Only two are known to exist, Celestia and her sister Luna. They won’t fight us until our campaign reaches Canterlot Castle.”

John closed the file and wondered, none of the photos were taken with soldiers. Halberd talked about the ponies like they were soldiers, but not even the ‘militarized’ bat ponies held weapons or wore armor. The pictures were of civilians. Chrysalis wasn’t leading a charge against the innocents, was she? He decided to ask about it, but knew he couldn’t call out that fact directly. “Why am I being told about the different races now?” He looked Halberd in the eye.

Halberd returned his gaze with a grin, “You’re about to get your first mission.

Author's Note

Another long chapter, but I am starting to get everything ready for what's coming up next. John's mission will finally bring him into contact with the ponies. This will be a big step for John, and he will be tested in more ways than one.
As always, Thanks for reading. Comment your feedback and I'd appreciate if you could post any mistakes or errors my stories contain. Fixing them makes a better story, and makes me a better writer. This will allow me to bring you a better story.

Mission

Blackest Knight
Chapter 6

John stared at the set of human armor sitting on the mannequin. The changeling blacksmith had forged the armor for Chrysalis’s first ‘pet’ and it belonged to him now. Halberd had explained that it was forged from a rare metal only the blacksmith knew of. The plates were light and maneuverable, but harder than steel. The helm’s visor was shaped into a thin Y shape, and wrapped around where the eyes would be located. The design helped enhance peripheral vision without sacrificing protection. The spaulders were different from each other, the right was heavily armored to protect the sword arm, but the design did not inhibit movement. The left spaulder was smaller, to provide maximum maneuverability. The left arm’s bracer was large and hardened, meaning the wearer could use the bracer as a shield against blows. The right bracer was smaller to allow efficient use of a sword.

John’s eyes moved to the sword he would wield. The God Killer was a large hand-and-a-half sword, made from the same metal as the armor. The design allowed the weapon to be used effectively with one hand, while using two would provide a stronger, more devastating slash. Both metals were colored of the purest black. The light around the metal seemed to be sucked into the weapon and armor. The wearer of the armor would be nearly invisible, even on a night of a full moon.

The old blacksmith came up beside John as he viewed the armor and sword. “Beauties, aren’t they?” The blacksmith asked, drawing John’s attention. “Many changelings today don’t need armor or weapons anymore, so these are the last shining achievements I will probably ever forge. Only the older warriors like Halberd use my services anymore.”

“They are a beautiful set,” John replied. He had never seen this level of quality before. Strange that it had come from a species that could never use it.

“The God Killer is enchanted, you know? It has the strength to cleave the moon in two and extinguish the sun. The armor is similarly enchanted. The metal is muffled, and the wearer will not make a sound if he were to jump off a cliff. The color imbued within the metal also draws in the light around it, making it nearly invisible in low light conditions.”

“That is impressive. In my world, enchantments never existed, so blacksmiths had to hone their craft into the metal only, but I’ve never seen any armor designed as well as this. Armor in my time was lightweight, because soldiers didn’t use swords, they used guns, so needed mobility more than protection. Armor from the medieval period was heavy, but limited mobility and perception.”

“Guns?” The blacksmith asked.

“I forgot, they are human mechanisms that shoot little metal rounds, we call them bullets. It’s a lot like a crossbow, but more powerful, can shoot multiple bullets without reloading, and the bullets travel faster and with more force.”

The blacksmith hummed, “You will have to show me how to make one.”

John laughed, “I’m sorry, but I don’t know how to make them.” The blacksmith looked crestfallen.

Halberd walked up and dismissed the aged changeling before commanding John to don his armor. “We are moving out soon. We need to make it to the town before nightfall.”

Four changelings and a human moved silently through the woods, coming to a stop on a hill within view of the town their target was currently residing in. Their mission was to observe the town and find a high ranking official of the Royal Guard. The official in question was a white unicorn, who was supposed to meet with another pony, whose name and race were unknown. John’s head swum with a few questions as he withdrew a telescope from a pouch on the chest of his armor and laid down to steady his arms as he surveyed the town.

Halberd approached and laid down next to John, “Anything?”

“Not yet,” John replied. The other changelings stayed back, making sure nothing snuck up on the two laying on the hill. John spoke while he could, “What is the difference between the three Guards?”

“The Royal Guard are more of an army. They reside in Canterlot to protect the princesses, but can be sent out to deal with issues that arise anywhere in Equestria. The Lunar and Solar Guard never leave their respective princess. They are smaller groups. Only the best of the best from the Royal Guard are chosen to serve in the Solar Guard. Only the best of the best from the bat pony caverns are chosen to join the Lunar Guard.”

“The unicorn we are tracking is from the Royal Guard?”

“Yes, his name is Shining Armor. Ironic given he is your first mission,” Halberd gestured toward John’s armor.

“Is he planning an attack on the Hive?” John was skeptical. “This town like a vacation spot, and I see no guards. It would be unwise to hatch a plot here, especially this close to their enemy’s home.”

“Unlikely, we are watching him because we have intel that he is meeting with a high profile contact. This contact could get us close to the princesses.”

John was still skeptical. This was a resort town. It was similar to one John had taken his girlfriend to on Valentine’s Day one year. “This town looks like were a guy, er … stallion, would take his gir … mare … friend?” John still didn’t understand how the ponies referred to themselves as.

Halberd chuckled softly, “Yes, but the fact is that our target is here. It could be an act, to prevent suspicion.

John continued to watch the town. Around an hour passed before a carriage arrived. ‘A horse drawn carriage for horses?’ John thought before chuckling softly. A white unicorn stallion stepped out of the carriage. “Target acquired,” John informed Halberd.

“I see him, is he with the contact?”

John watched as the unicorn moved to the other side of the carriage, presumable to open the door on the other side. The carriage left, leaving the unicorn with a pink pony that had a multicolored mane. “Are there more alicorns than just the princesses?” John asked.

“What? No, none that we know of, let me see.” Halberd took the telescope and looked through it. John waited until Halberd spoke again, “It seems that we have confirmed the contact.” Halberd returned the telescope.

“How do you know, what if it’s just his date?”

“Unlikely, if there is a third alicorn, she is most likely a relative of the princesses. Maybe one of them had a daughter in secret. Either way, she takes priority over any other target. She will get us closer to the princesses than any other pony.”

John understood and watched as the couple entered a building. “They entered the hotel.”

“Alright, it’s nearly night, so we will move once the sun falls. They will most likely stay in the hotel for now.

The two watched over the town until the sun dipped below the horizon.

Morning Dew yawned as she sat up in her bed. The yellow unicorn filly couldn’t sleep. She had seen the pink alicorn enter the hotel with the white unicorn. Thinking the pink alicorn was a princess, Morning Dew wanted to meet her, but she had to finish her chores and come inside before dark. Her mother promised to take her to meet the alicorn tomorrow, but Morning Dew was impatient. She silently dropped off her bed and made her way out of her room.

Morning Dew tip-hoofed past her parent’s bedroom. She had plenty of practice sneaking out to explore, so she knew she would be back before her parents awoke. She could only hope that the alicorn was still awake as well. She opened and shut the front door quickly and quietly and turned around.

A large shadow swooped down upon the little filly before she could scream at the sight of the monster before her. She felt her mouth be clamped shut and closed her eyes as well before the monster could gobble her up.

John led the group of changelings into the town. This mission was a test for him, so he was expected to lead. The changelings were more of a support if he failed. They made their way quickly between the buildings. The hotel got closer with each step.

John was sneaking around a corner when the door in front of him suddenly opened and closed, revealing a little yellow unicorn filly with light green hair. John had no time to retreat, so he rushed forward and clamped his hand over the filly’s mouth. Her eyes widened before shutting tightly. She froze in his grip.

“Shh.” John gently shushed the quivering filly. Her eyes slowly opened as she heard his gentle voice. John tried to bend down as much as he could to make himself appear less threatening. He gently calmed the filly before trying to explain his presence, “My friends and I are playing a game right now, hide and seek, but we don’t want to wake anybody up. So you can’t scream or it will ruin our game. Do you understand?”

The filly stopped shivering once she realized he wasn’t going to eat her. He could feel her nod under his hand. John felt relieved that he calmed her down. “Okay, I’m going to let you go, I want you to go back inside and go to sleep. Okay?” another nod. John sighed a breath of relief. He would be quick to catch her again if she tried to scream, but he trusted the little filly. He was about to release her when a bag appeared and swallowed her whole. John was pushed back as a changeling tied the sack while another cast a muffle spell upon it.

“Good reflexes,” one of the changelings praised him in a whisper.

“What are you doing?” John hissed, “I calmed her down!”

“We couldn’t just let her go, she would tell her parents. Don’t worry, two of us will carry her out of town and release her once you return. We will meet you back at the hive.” Two of the changeling flew up and away. John had trusted the filly, but he could not bring himself to trust the changelings. The curse would prevent him from stopping them however, so he continued with the mission, hoping the changeling had spoken the truth.

John’s group reached the hotel without another incident. The lobby was closed and dark, so Halberd picked the lock with his magic before John rushed in to grab the guestbook. He returned it to Halberd.

“It says here that Shining Armor checked in himself, as well as one Princess Mi Amore Cadenza.”

“So there is a third princess?” John asked.

“I guess so, but she obviously has little to no influence. We would have heard about her by now if she did. She is of no importance other than getting close to the princesses. We will mark her as an observation target and report to Queen Chrysalis.”

The changeling that stayed with them, whose name was Vice, asked, “You said they checked in together?”

“Yes, in the same room,” Halberd answered.

“Someone’s a lucky stallion tonight,” Vice and Halberd chuckled lightly as John replaced the guestbook. The three quickly left the town and started the march back to the Hive.

“So the guard is dating a princess?” Chrysalis asked.

John and Halberd stood before the queen, having arrived minutes before. “Yes, it would appear so,” The changeling answered his queen. “They are booked into the same room, and are likely sharing the bed as we speak.”

“That is good news,” Chrysalis mused. “Through him, we may be able to reach Canterlot. He will be an easier target to manipulate than a princess.” She smiled, “Now it is time for John to complete his first interrogation.”

“What?” John asked as the doors to the throne room opened. Halberd and John looked back to see the two changelings from the mission carrying a bag that seemed to move of its own accord. “No.” John breathed.

The changelings expelled a small yellow unicorn from the bag. “Where am I?” the small voice carried through the room.

“John!” Chrysalis commanded. “Question her about the princess.”

John’s stomach churned as he knelt in front of the terrified filly. She recognized him and calmed a little. John’s armor shifted as he removed his helmet. He placed it on the ground and turned to the filly. The act calmed her a little more, seeing that he was not a terrifying metal beast.

“What is your name?” John asked.

The filly stuttered as she answered, “M…M…Morning D…Dew.”

“Why did you come out of your house, in the middle of the night?”

“I had seen the alicorn earlier today, and I wanted to meet her. I think she might be a princess. Like Princess Celestia and Princess Luna.”

“So you don’t know who she is?”

“No, I haven’t heard of any other alicorns. Are there more? And what are you? And you?” The filly’s last question was directed at Halberd, who was standing behind John.

“I do not know if there are any other alicorns,” John began, “and I am a human. My name is John. Halberd here is a changeling.”

The filly seemed to become scared when John told her of Halberd. “A … A changeling? I’ve heard about them.”

“And what have you heard?”

“My mom says they are monsters that take the form of someone you love and feed off your love. They …” The filly began.

“ENOUGH!” Chrysalis commanded. The filly cowered behind John as he looked back at the changeling queen. Chrysalis looked at the two changelings that brought the filly, “Place her on the block.” The changelings looked at their queen in shock before she shouted “NOW!” The changelings jumped to action and picked up the filly between them and began to walk back out of the doors.

“Where are you taking me?!” The terrified filly struggled in their grip.

Chrysalis, Halberd, and John followed the changelings, and Halberd spoke, “Should I get the …”

Chrysalis interrupted, “No, John shall do it.”

“Do what?” John asked, but he was not answered. Halberd only looked at him with pity. John was afraid about what was going to happen.

The group reached the doors leading outside. They entered a small clearing that contained only a stone block sitting upon a stone platform embedded in the ground. The platform looked like it was cleaned often, the block was chipped, as if an axe had struck it several times. John’s stomach began to churn again with renewed vigor. The changelings stopped, and the filly’s neck was placed upon the block. She had to stand to reach it, but it seemed an adult would have to kneel to rest their necks on the stone.

“John, draw your sword and execute her.” Chrysalis stated simply. The filly’s eyes widened and she began to cry.

“What?! I can’t …” He was interrupted by a blinding pain erupting in the back of his head. He fell to his knees before the pain subsided. He felt himself stand up without doing it himself. He tried to stop his legs from advancing toward the block. His hand moved against his wishes over his shoulder to draw God Killer from the sheath on his back. His body did not obey his commands. “No! You can’t make me …”

“Do it John.” Chrysalis commanded, an edge in her tone.

“Please no!” The filly pleaded, her back held by one of the changelings. Tears streamed across her face as she watched a sideways John approach her.

John stopped before the block and his arms raised themselves above his head. His hands gripped the hilt of God Killer against his command. John used every ounce of his strength and will to prevent them from falling. He closed his eyes as he felt his arms move of their own accord. He could only hear the sobs of the small filly until the felt the edge of his sword meet a small resistance. He heard and felt his sword hit the stone block as the cries of the filly stopped.

John did not sleep the rest of the night. His caretaker came into the room solemn faced and asked John to follow him. John followed in silence. They walked slowly through the empty halls.

The caretaker broke the silence after a few minutes of silence, “I am sorry you had to do that.” John did not answer. The changeling paused before speaking again. “My friend, Vice, went with you on the mission. He said you wanted to stop them from taking the filly, that they promised to release her.” John did not answer. They walked in silence before reaching to door to the enhancement room. The changeling stopped in front of John and spoke, “My name is Versa.” John looked at him. Versa continued, “I used to look down upon you, but I think it’s time I stopped acting like a larva.” John did not respond. Versa looked away, “The doctors said you are due one more enhancement procedure.” He began to walk away.

“Thank you.”

Versa looked back at John, “What?”

“Thank you for telling me your name.” John turned and entered the enhancement room.

John was lost in his mind again. The enhancements seemed to be centered on the left side of his chest and his left arm this time, as they only used a single needle in on that side of his chest and two needles of the arm below. The pain did not spread from there, but it was almost as painful as the first enhancement. He could feel them cutting into his arm, but did not put anything inside. He felt the bone of his forearm being cut and removed instead. He felt them putting something else in as a replacement. The replacement was fused with the top and base of the cut bone. The flesh was sewn back together with magic. John awoke soon after as the pain began to recede.

“All finished,” The head doctor commented. “We recommend you rest for the rest of the morning.”

John exited the room with plans to return to his room. He was passed by a changeling nurse pushing a trolley covered with a sheet. The sheet rose and seemed to cover the shape of a small pony. The head was a little farther from the body than it should be, and blood ringed the sheet at the neck. These details did not catch John’s attention however. His gaze fell upon where the head was covered. The sheet fell flat against the head. It was clear that the head did not have a horn. If John could eat, he would have lost his last meal as he looked down at the scar on his left forearm, where the doctors had replaced the bone.

Dreams

Blackest Knight
Chapter 7

“Again.” Halberd ordered.

John held his arm out, palm forward, and focused the energy through his left arm. His forearm tingled as magic surged through it. The energy rested on the palm of his hand. He tried to focus the energy through the air to lift the small wooden sphere. The training sphere shuddered as his magic touched it. John tried to lift the sphere with his mind. The sphere slowly lifted an inch before dropping back to the ground. John dropped his arm.

“This is an exercise for larvae John,” Halberd stated. “You need to focus.”

John could not focus. Every time the energy traveled through his arm, the memories flooded back. The terrified face of the little filly. The sounds of her crying being cut off. The feel as his sword hit the stone block. The covered head with no horn. John clenched the hand of his altered arm and looked down at the scar. His previous scars from the first enhancement had healed overnight. This scar still showed after three days. Three days of constant magic practice. The nights were filled with memories, not just his anymore. He felt her memories, her dreams, her goals.

“Again.”

John raised his arm and focused the energy. His arm tingled as the energy passed through again. Even his body knew he was not supposed to wield this foreign energy. The magic pooled in his palm and he directed it to the sphere. The sphere slowly lifted an inch before the magic fizzled and dropped the wooden orb once again. His arm lowered.

“I think that will be enough for today,” Halberd said. He could tell John had other things on his mind. “Take the training sphere to your room. You can train with it if you want later on.”

John picked up the sphere and left the courtyard without a word. Ditto, who had been watching the proceedings, walked up to Halberd.

“He hasn’t spoken a word since the enhancements,” The medic noted.

“That idiot nurse pushed the trolley right past him,” Halberd replied. “I was going to pick him up for training, and I could see the look of disgust he gave his arm.”

The changelings were silent before exiting the courtyard together, heading to the meal hall.

Chrysalis viewed the training session through a window on the second floor overlooking the courtyard. John left silently and the two changelings talked quickly before leaving through another door. She was angry with the human’s progress. She needed him now more than ever.

Her scouts had confirmed that the unicorn and new alicorn had in fact been on a date, but they reported that the stallion had proposed. They were staying in the resort village for another week, but Chrysalis already had plans. They needed to be set in motion soon before the couple left. They were completely unprotected on their little vacation, but once they returned to Canterlot, they would be nearly untouchable.

The proposal had advanced Chrysalis’s plans further than she could have hoped. The royal wedding would leave both princesses off guard. The only problem was the stallion, Shining Armor himself. He was reported to be able to shield an entire city himself. She would need to weaken him at the same time she confronted the princesses. She couldn’t just kill him because she needed the wedding to go off without a hitch to get at the princesses.

Chrysalis grinned as her plan came together. The ponies were almost making this too easy. Everything was within reach, but the only problem lay with John. He was not essential to the plan, but he would ensure success. He was the one powerful enough to kill the princesses.

John sat on his bed and stared at the little wooden sphere. He had dropped it and it had rolled across the floor. It sat there, mocking him. He stared at it and felt anger rising within him. The sphere just sat there. It had done nothing to elicit his anger, but it was the object of his hate. The shaped chunk of wood was a testament to his failure. He could not lift it more than an inch. No magic he had tried would work.

The sphere laid where it was.

John wanted to smash it. To crush it to pieces. It was nearly weightless, hollow. It should have been easy to pick up. Halberd said that larvae could pick it up, that it was used to train them how to control magic. It was a lesson that lasted less than a day, but he had been stuck on it for three.

The sphere still lay there, unmoving.

John didn’t even want to learn magic. It felt wrong it use it. His body felt unnatural whenever he channeled it. He was always aware of magic in the air around him, something he never noticed before. He didn’t like the new texture it added to the air. He also felt blasphemous toward the little filly for having taken her horn.

The sphere never moved as John made a revelation. He was not angry about the magic. He did not hate the wooden orb. He realized he hated himself. He hated the fact that he had taken the life of a little filly. He was angry at Chrysalis for forcing him to not only kill an innocent, but also take the filly’s horn. John looked at the wooden sphere once more before turning around and laying down, facing the wall.

John’s dreams were turbulent. He shifted unwillingly through the memories of the filly. He knew her friends, her family. He did not want these images. He saw through the eyes of a filly a pink alicorn and felt himself the joy of potentially meeting a new princess. He remembered sneaking through the filly’s house, quickly opening and closing the door. He saw a dark monster swoop down on him. He felt the filly’s fear of the lying, murdering metal beast. The scene shifted and he saw the beast drawing its sword. The giant dark blade reflected the lies of the monster. It grinned in murderous glee as the monster raised it high above its head. The scene changed again and John was left in a black void.

Throughout the dream, John felt a presence, hovering outside the dreamscape. The presence seemed to be trying to enter the dream, but it could not. He could feel concern coming from the entity, but he did not know what it was. While the presence continued to try and enter, John felt another presence succeed as he entered the black void.

John was no longer in the body of the little filly. He had taken the form of the giant metal monster. He saw the little filly sitting in the middle of the void. He made his way to her and she spoke.

“You should not be having these dreams,” The filly looked at him with a look of sadness on her face.

John was taken aback that the filly spoke to him. She seemed like she did not belong in this dream. He felt an otherworldly presence coming from her.

“These memories are not yours, and I am sorry that you have to suffer them.”

“Why are you here?” John asked.

“I have come to take the memories back. You should not have been burdened with them.”

John hesitated before saying, “I … I … I killed you.”

The little filly stood up and smiled at him. “You were not the one to deliver the strike. The curse forced you to. I cannot blame you for not being in control of your body. You do not need to burden yourself with guilt that is not yours.”

“But I took your life.” John could not look the filly in the eye.

“The curse took my life. But you can atone for what your body did by promising me three things.”

John looked at the filly, “And what are they?”

The filly smiled, “Promise me that you will use my magic for good. It is my gift to you. And promise me that you fill not give into the curse.”

“I … I promise.”

“And promise me you will not blame yourself for my death. Blame the curse, and that meanie queenie Chrysalis.”

John hesitated. He stood for a moment before answering, “I promise.” The dream began to break around him. His last glimpse of the filly revealed that she was smiling.

John awoke, it was early morning. He looked at the wooden sphere. It had not moved since the night before. He reached out his left hand and it floated quickly into his grasp.

Luna was in the world of dreams. The dreams of all the ponies in Equestria surrounded her. She noticed none of them as she focused on a single one. She had felt the presence of this individual many months ago, but could not enter its dreams. She could not tell where this dreamer was, or if it was even a pony. She had tried entering its dreams several times, but she was always blocked by something.

Tonight, Luna could tell this dreamer was having terrible nightmares, as it had been having for the past three nights. Its dreams were turbulent and dark, but Luna could not tell what they were about. She wanted to enter and dispel the nightmares, but every attempt was blocked.

Suddenly, the nightmares stopped, but the dreamer was still dreaming. Luna attempted to enter again, but was once again blocked. This time, she caught a glimpse of a little filly. For some reason, Luna knew that this filly was not the dreamer, nor was she part of this world.

Author's Note

Another chapter is out. I hope you guys like where its going.
Thanks a lot for reading. Comments your thoughts, and tell me if I made any mistakes.

Train

Blackest Knight
Chapter 8

Six changelings surrounded an armored John. Three were equipped with spears and two with a sword, one of which had a shield. The last wielded a large battle axe with both hooves. The three spear changelings lunged at once.

John drew his large wooden sword at the same time he jumped over the trio. He spun in the air and landed a blow to the neck of the middle changeling. He landed behind the two ‘surviving’ changelings and deflected a blow from the sword wielder with the blade of his sword while blocking another from the changeling with the shield by using his armored gauntlet. The blade would not have even nicked the reinforced armor had it been a real sword. John was forced to jump back as the last changeling swung his axe at John’s head.

John took a moment to survey the positions of the changelings as they tried to track his enhanced movements. The changeling that had taken the ‘killing’ blow had barely hit the ground as John executed his second maneuver. He turned toward the two spear wielders and dashed toward the left one faster than their eyes could track. The human’s sword was brought across the changeling’s body at the same time that John’s magic took a grip of his spear. The spear was wrenched from the changeling’s grasp and sent hurling toward the last spear wielder. The unlucky changeling was driven into the wall twelve feet away, and would have been impaled to it if the spear was not wooden. John dodged another attack from the aggressive axe changeling.

The two sword changelings tried to flank John as he dodged another overhead axe slash. John jumped backwards and landed between the two flankers and blocked both their attacks with his sword and gauntlet. An armored foot struck out and hit the unshielded changeling under the jaw. John then sidestepped an attack from the other before stabbing his sword past the shield. The changeling fell to the ground ‘dead’ as John brought his sword across the body of his comrade.

The axe wielding changeling was the final opponent, and tried to capitalize on John’s distraction dispatching the other members of the changeling team. He swung his axe in a mighty arc toward John’s thighs as the human turned towards him. John tossed his weapon into the air and bent his body backwards until his body was horizontal from his head to his knees. The axe blade passed over his knees as John placed a hand upon the ground. He struck his legs out and spun upon his hand. His left leg swept under the changeling and his right kicked the now ungrounded changeling into the air. John used his arm to throw himself into a standing position before catching his sword and driving it into the airborne changeling. The sword brought the black body back to the ground and pinned it. The sword would have driven through the black carapace and into the ground, but John wielded his wooden sword.

“Very good John,” Halberd stepped in from the side where he had watched the sparring match. “Though next time I suggest you don’t try to hit me with a flying changeling.”

“I say the last maneuver was a work of art though,” Ditto stepped in as well. The medic changeling had attended John’s sparring matches in the beginning to revive the human if he were knocked unconscious, but John’s sparring partners were the ones who needed the awakening spell nowadays.

“Either way,” Halberd interjected before Ditto got carried away on how and why each of John’s blows would have killed his opponents, “we just received word we are going on another mission. Let’s get to the briefing room.”

A courier pony burst into the throne room as Celestia held her day court. All eyes were cast upon the pony as he made his way to the throne and threw himself into a bow. “Princess Celestia! We just received word that someone has made a threat against Canterlot!” the proclamation elicited gasps from the ponies attending the court. One fainted while the royal guards shifted uncomfortably.

Celestia’s eyebrows furrowed as she asked the courier, “Do you know who made the threat?”

“We do not,” The courier rose.

Celestia looked down in thought for a moment before declaring, “Clear the court. Day court is over. ” The ponies quickly filed out of the throne room. The princess called her assistant, “Get a message to Captain Shining Armor, tell him to return to Canterlot immediately.”

The assistant hesitated before asking, “What of the wedding? I thought the ceremony was going to happen after he returned.”

Celestia thought before replying, “It will go on as planned. I do not want the ponies of Canterlot to be afraid. When he returns, we will have him cast the shield, but I believe he will be able to handle the shield as well as the ceremony at the same time.” The assistant rushed off and Celestia turned back to the courier. “Thank you for reporting to me immediately. You are dismissed.” She turned and exited back into the castle.

The courier exited the castle and took flight, quickly exiting Canterlot. He chuckled to himself as he shed the disguise and returned to his natural changeling form.

John sat in a box. Their current mission brought his team to the train station in broad daylight, so John obviously could not just walk in. The changelings in his team could change their appearance, but he could not.

Halberd posed as a wealthy businessman who rented a private car next to the private car reserved for Shining armor and the Princess Mi Amore Cadenza. John’s caretaker, Versa, and the changeling from John’s first mission, Vice, posed as Halberd’s personal advisors. John’s battle axe wielding sparring partner, Mimic, got to be a nameless peon who hauled a giant, unmarked, very important box. What an honor.

Halberd’s successful ‘business’ greased enough palms to earn complete privacy in the rented car, as well as getting normal inspections of the cargo waived. The box was quickly loaded into the car by a struggling Mimic while Halberd and his advisors seemed to do a little too well in acting the pompous nobles who couldn’t sully themselves with hard labor. John could hear several mutterings about lazy good-for-nothings and an overeating human. He had to stifle a chuckle at the last one. “It’s my armor that makes me look fat, I’m on a diet,” he whispered through the wood.

“Shut up,” Mimic retorted. “Boxes aren’t supposed to talk.” He huffed with a final push that brought the box into the car and closed the door. He knocked on the wood to signal the coast was clear. John rose from the box and retrieved God Killer from the bag Vice had been carrying.

“Isn’t this bag supposed to hold very important documents?” John shared a chuckle with the changelings. The only thing they could do now was wait.

John walked out of the door to the back of the train. Their private car ‘just so happened’ to be the end of the train. He looked upon the open country as it sped away from him before gazing upwards to behold what looked like a large flock of birds some distance behind the train. He waved and a single speck broke off from the group and sped towards the train. The flock dispersed and seemed to disappear. The speck grew larger until John could discern the features of Chrysalis. The changeling queen landed next to John.

“I don’t see why we couldn’t just have two boxes,” John commented. “The bird flock illusion was impressive, but risky.”

“Do you think a queen would lower herself to hiding in a box?” Chrysalis responded haughtily before striding into the car. John followed. The other changelings bowed as their queen entered. Halberd quickly morphed back into his businessman disguise and strode to the door on the front of the car. John followed through the door but hid behind the wall next to the door to the next car. Halberd entered.

“I am sorry to disturb you two, Captain Shining Armor, but I was hoping to meet the captain of the Royal Guard.” John listened to Halberd initiate the distraction.

“It’s okay,” John heard a stallion, presumably Shining Armor, respond. “It is good to meet you, but this is a private car. I would appreciate a little fore warning before you barge in.”

“My apologies, I thought your car was the next one forward. I was not aware anyone was in this one.” ‘Good cover for not thinking,’ John thought.

“A simple mistake I guess,” Shining Armor paused before speaking again. “I assume that you are also here for something else?”

“Yes,” Halberd responded, “I am a businessman interested in investing into Royal Guard weaponry. I was hoping we could get a few drinks and discuss matters.”

Shining Armor paused before answering, “Yes, I suppose we could discuss this over drinks.”

John heard three sets of hooves begin to move before Halberd interrupted them, “I apologize ma’am, but I would prefer to keep this between the Captain and I. Maybe you could stay here and I will order a drink to be brought.”

Shining Armor comforted the mare, “It’s alright Cadence. I won’t be long. Stay here and I’ll be back.”

John heard two sets of hooves get further from him before a door opened and closed. John could barely hear another door open and close over the sound of the train. He waited a few moments before entering the car.

“If you are looking for the businessman, he just …” the pink alicorn cut off as she saw the hulking metal beast that had entered her car. John rushed over to the princess before she could utter another sound and clamped her mouth shut.

“I am not here to hurt you, but I must ask you to come with me.” John could see confusion in her eyes that the metal monster could speak. He could feel her shake her head no. he sighed and drew God Killer from his back. “I will give you one chance before Shining Armor loses his horn.” John felt sick uttering the threat, but the curse would force him to take drastic actions if she did not comply. She started nodding frantically and John helped her up gently, He kept his hand over her mouth as he led her to the next car.

Chrysalis walked up to the alicorn as John entered with her. The princess’s eyes widened at the sight of the changeling queen and Chrysalis chuckled darkly as she took the form of the pink alicorn and made her way into the car John had come from.

The human led the alicorn to the back of the car. The Vice and Versa clamped a device around her midsection to keep her wings from moving. Mimic slipped a magic restricting ring onto her horn. John sat her down at the back of the car and sat down next to her. All they could do now was wait.

Author's Note

Another chapter is out! Things are starting to pick up and John is bout to have his first real experience with the princesses and the mane six.
Thanks for reading! I'd appreciate if you could offer some constructive criticism if you have it. Your comments help me become a better writer so I can provide you guys a better story.

Wedding

Blackest Knight
Chapter 9

John sat in silence next to the captured Princess Mi Amore Cadenza. It was an awkward silence that filled the car. The changelings had cast a muffle enchantment over the car, so they did not need to gag her. Halberd had returned some time earlier and the princess jumped as she realized the ‘business stallion’ had been in on the plan. Otherwise, she did not move until John spoke to break the silence.

“So, Miss … er … Amore Cadenza?” The pink alicorn glared at him. “You know what, I’m just going to call you princess.” The glare did not falter. “I heard Shining Armor call you Cadance, is that your nickname?” She continued her glaring.

John sighed and got up. He spoke a few words to Halberd, who nodded permission. John returned and sat next to the princess again. He cast a muffle spell around them and the mare looked at him in confusion. “I don’t want to do this you know.”

The princess snorted, “Then why do you do it?”

“I have no choice. The changelings implanted something within me that forces me to comply with the wishes of their queen.” He took off his helmet and set it beside him as he spoke. The alicorn was shocked to discover he was a being of flesh and blood.

“So what even are you then?” The she asked.

“I am a human, from a world called Earth. I was kidnapped by Chrysalis, and forced to train and suffer augmentations that boosted most of my physical attributes.”

“Why do you comply? Why not try to find a way back to your homeworld?”

“The curse will not let me. If I try to refuse a command, or do something that would hinder Chrysalis’s plans, the curse will stop me and take over my body to comply. I have tried to fight back before, but I was forced to …” John stopped and looked away. The alicorn could tell he was in pain from a memory. He moved his left arm and looked at the underside, as if trying to view under the armor.

“Maybe it is not something you can fight with just strength.” The pink alicorn spoke quietly.

John looked at her, “What do you mean?”

“I have a feeling that you will understand in time.”

The two sat in silence for a minute before the mare spoke again. “Cadance is a name I allow my friends to call me.” John looked at her in confusion. “Princess Mi Amore Cadenza is just my title.”

“Thank you for telling me that princess.” John smiled at her, and she smiled briefly back.

The pink mare had a feeling that there was more to this human than meets the eye. She also felt that not all of it was bad.

“My name is John, by the way.”

The princess smiled again, “I am pleased to meet you then, John.”

Halberd signaled to John. He lowered the muffle spell. “The train will be stopping soon,” The changeling said.

“Well I guess we need to be moving then,” John replied, putting his helmet back on. A thought struck him, “How will we be moving the princess?”

John realized why the box wasn’t uncomfortable the first time he had ridden inside it. It never struck him before that the box seemed to be just big enough to move around in. Now, though, the wooden crate seemed all too small when filled with a human in full armor, a large sword, and a pink alicorn princess trying to keep as far from both previous objects as she could. She succeeded in no regard.

“Quit poking me!” The changelings had been smart enough to enchant the box with a muffle spell and strap it down to a trolley. The princess had the sense not to yell, but her cries of discomfort would not leave the box.

“I am not doing it on purpose.” John considered casting the spell on his helmet, but he needed to hear if anything was going wrong.

The princess pushed John as far into the corner as he would go. He helped by bringing his knees to his chin and wrapping his arms around his legs. The princess was still not happy that he could not get smaller, but decided to curl into the other corner. She glared at the human before harrumphing and laying her adjusting her legs underneath her. The position reminded John of a cat with its paws tucked underneath it.

“So why did you capture me anyways?” The mare asked.

“I don’t know. Chrysalis neglected to tell me exactly what her glorious plan was.”

“So you don’t know what you are doing?” She asked incredulously.

“Flying by the seat of my pants.”

“What?” She looked at John in confusion, and he realized he had never seen a pony wear clothes.

“Uh, pants are a type of fabric that humans form into a covering that covers our waists,” He pointed towards his, “down to our ankles.” He pointed to said part of his anatomy.

The alicorn thought for a moment before answering, “Wouldn’t that cover up your cutie mark though?”

“My wha…” John was interrupted as the trolley hit a bump. The crate was rocked, frightening both inhabitants. The alicorn flared out her wings, which only succeeded in hitting John in the face. Repeatedly. The tussle was quickly over, but the alicorn somehow found herself in the lap of the human. She retreated haughtily to her corner and glared at him.

“It’s not my fault,” the human tried to defend himself. She pointedly looked away and they rode the rest of the way in silence. They soon found themselves in a small crystal cave on the other side of Canterlot. The location would serve as a base to allow the team freedom to operate within the city, as well as hold the captured princess.

Chrysalis had predicted that Shining armor would be ordered to cast a shield over the city in response to the threat, so the team would not be able to enter and leave the city. Scouting efforts had found the forgotten cave, and it allowed free access to the city, while being inside the shield.

John watched as Chrysalis’s prediction was confirmed as a large magic shield slowly enveloped the city. He turned as he heard Halberd approach.

“We will be going scouting,” The changeling said. “We need to get a lay of the land.”

“What happens if I am seen?”

“I will keep my business stallion disguise.” Halberd pulled out a leash, “You will play the part of exotic pet.”

John tugged on the leash. It was humiliating. He tried to forget about it, but he could almost feel it clipped to his armor, feel its dragging weight. He sighed as he checked another corner. No one had spotted them yet, so they had no need to test the disguise.

John spotted Shining Armor on a bridge, talking to a lavender colored unicorn. He was not close enough to hear them speaking, but it was clear they knew each other. Chrysalis came onto the bridge, disguised as Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, and the lavender unicorn seemed to recognize the disguise. The unicorn jumped toward the disguised changeling and started preforming some odd ritual. The unicorn clearly meant for the pink alicorn to perform the ritual as well. Instead, Chrysalis dismissed the unicorn. It seemed Chrysalis did not even pretend to remember the unicorn. John could see the pain in the small pony’s eyes from here. He had a bad feeling that the unicorn would start to suspect something.

John and Halberd continued to follow the new unicorn and the disguised Chrysalis. Shining Armor had departed, and the unicorn and Chrysalis were checking on preparations for the wedding. John found it strange that the ponies were still going on with the wedding, but he supposed it was more to keep the populace calm. The duo checked with several ponies in charge of various elements of the ceremony. The unknown unicorn seemed to know some of the ponies. Chrysalis had been outright rude about their hard work, and the unicorn would talk with them after the disguised changeling left. She pled with them to believe her that the alicorn wasn’t the same alicorn she used to know, but Princess Mi Amore Cadenza’s withdrawal from the public eye meant none of them knew who she was supposed to be.

John had gotten close enough to one conversation to identify the unicorn as Twilight Sparkle. It seemed she was a sister to Shining Armor. Luckily, this Twilight had no luck convincing her friends. They all believed she was just being too overprotective of her brother. John had a sinking feeling though that the mare would not give up. The curse imbedded into his brain itched to take care of her before she became a threat to Chrysalis’s plan. He voiced his concern later to Halberd.

“We cannot touch her,” The changeling answered. “Her disappearance would be noted, and she has been selected to be Shining Armor’s best mare. She cannot be missing from the ceremony.”

John’s mind felt torn. One side of the curse was telling him to dispose of the unicorn, while the other was saying that doing so would interfere with the plan. His head pounded as each half of the curse fought the other.

John lay prone on a rooftop across from the castle. He could view the practice ceremony through the large windows. Halberd was casting a cloaking spell over himself and the human. The spell bent light around them, and rendered them nearly invisible as long as they didn’t move.

The practice was running smoothly, except for the fact that Twilight Sparkle had not taken her position as best mare. John worried that the mare would interfere. As feared, the lavender unicorn burst through the doors in the middle of the ceremony. John could not hear what was being said, but he knew she was accusing the face pink alicorn of something. John’s head hurt again as the curse was torn in half once more.

The disguised Chrysalis rushed past a smug Twilight crying. Twilight’s smugness disappeared as Shining Armor turned on her. Twilight’s friends filed past her with angry glares as well. Celestia was the last to leave after having a few terse words with the unicorn. Twilight sat down on a step and John could see pain on her face.

“It seems they are all angry at her now,” John commented, “If she disappears now, everyone would assume that she merely didn’t want to show her face after that stunt.”

“You’re right,” Halberd replied. “Let’s get her now that everyone else left.”

Halberd was about to move, but John stopped him. “Wait, look.” Chrysalis, still disguised, had reentered the room alone. She spoke to Twilight, and suddenly green flames erupted around the unicorn. Twilight sunk into the ground and disappeared. “What did she do to her?” John asked.

“I think the queen sent her to the crystal cave.”

John’s curse stopped fighting against itself.

John paused before he entered the door into Luna’s chambers. While he had been scouting with Halberd, Vice and Versa had disguised themselves as Royal Guards and got a layout of the palace. They memorized patrol routes and planned the fastest discrete route to Luna’s chambers. Mimic was the only changeling not to leave the caves, as he was finishing the spell to close Princess Mi Amore Cadenza into a crystal room. He had left to meet up with the team shortly before Twilight was sent to the caves. They gathered together to capture Luna.

John had led the team through the path set by Versa. They did not encounter any patrols and quickly made it to the door. John’s team prepared to enter the room and the human opened the door and rushed in.

“We have made it clear we are not to be …” Luna tuned and her vision was filled with a helmet blacker than her night sky. She could not react before a hand joined the helmet and clamped over her mouth. She tried to scream, but the hand glowed and she could sense a muffle spell. A second hand slipped a ring over her horn before she could cast a spell. She shut her eyes like a filly in a nightmare, expecting foalishly to be eaten.

“I will not hurt you, but you mustn’t struggle.”

Luna opened her eyes as the creature spoke. She felt something close around her wings and body, but her eyes could not leave the Y slit in the helmet. The darkness within the slit was unbroken, but she could feel a presence she had felt before. She looked into the darkness and it seemed to stare back.

“I am going to let go of your mouth,” The darkness spoke, “but I have already cast a muffle spell around us. It will be of no use to scream because it will only force me to gag you.” The hand withdrew.

Luna had no intention of screaming, her curiosity made her forget about the monster’s intrusion. “We have felt thy presence before.” As she said it, she realized she could not remember where.

The metal head cocked to the side, “What?”

“We don’t know where,” Luna said, “But we have felt thy presence.” She thought about it for a moment, then realized, “Thou art the mysterious being from the dreamscape!”

The darkness repeated its question, “What?”

Luna explained, “We are the princess of the night, we possess the power to traverse the dreamscape and interact with the dreams of our subjects. We found thy dreams some months ago. Lately they have been turbulent and dark. We would have come into thy nightmare and dispelled it, but some force prevented us from entrance.”

“We?” the darkness asked.

“Er … I. I was using the royal we again, wasn’t I? I meant that I could not enter thy … I mean your dreams.”

“Royal we? Never mind we don’t have time to explain things.” The helmet turned and Luna finally realized that four changelings had entered the room as well.

“What are thou foul creatures doing in our chambers!” Luna slipped back into the royal we.

“These foul creatures,” the helmet tuned back to the princess, “are with me. If you didn’t know, we are kidnapping you.” Realization sunk into Luna as the metal creature turned back to its companions. It barked a few orders and Luna was blinded.

John and his companions quickly left the palace using the same path they had taken in. The wedding was in progress and John noticed thousands of changelings battering the shield. The team was halfway back through the empty streets when the shield broke. The team left the shadows and hurried to the crystal cave as changelings flooded the city. They trapped Luna within the cave before a changeling found them.

“Human, you need to come with me.”

“What’s wrong?” John asked.

“The lavender unicorn broke Princess Mi Amore Cadenza from the crystal cave.” The changeling led the human and his team through the city.

“Great.”

“Don’t worry, since Queen Chrysalis has been feeding off Shining Armor’s love, she had enough power to defeat Celestia. But the six bearers have gone to retrieve the Elements of Harmony.”

“What are those?”

“The only things that can defeat Chrysalis now. We need to stop them. Luckily, we are closer to where they are held.”

Twilight and her friends ran to the large golden doors. Beyond these were the Elements of Harmony. Twilight reared up and pushed open the doors. As they swung open, she was disheartened to see hundreds of changelings swarming the chamber. Her eyes widened as she saw the large bipedal creature standing before the horde. Its skin seemed to be an armor made of a metal so black, it sucked in surrounding light. Twilight could feel Fluttershy cower behind her as the giant metal monster drew a sword from its back. The sword was larger than her body and sharp enough she could nearly feel its cut from where she was standing.

She looked back and saw another horde of changelings cutting off their escape. She looked back at the metal monster and saw it advancing on the group of ponies.

“You will come with me,” The darkness within the helm commanded.

John led the captured ponies into the hall where the marriage had been interrupted. He heard the real Princess Mi Amore Cadenza speaking to Chrysalis while Princess Celestia hung from the ceiling in a green pod.

“You won’t get away with this!” The pink alicorn proclaimed. “Twilight and her friends will …” She cut off as she saw John leading the mentioned ponies.

“You were saying?” Chrysalis mocked, turning to Twilight. “You do realize the reception’s been cancelled don’t you? Go! Feed!” The queen commanded the changelings within the hall. All the changelings but those from John’s team flew to devour the love from the inhabitants of the city. A green energy surrounded the doors and slammed them closed as Chrysalis chuckled. “It’s funny really,” she lifted Twilight’s head with a hoof, “Twilight here was suspicious of my behavior all along,” Twilight smacked her hoof away. “Too bad the rest of you were caught up in your wedding planning to realize those suspicions were correct.” She turned to John as she spoke, “Now her reward is to watch her friends be executed before her eyes.”

Mimic grabbed the yellow pegasus that had hidden behind Twilight earlier and brought her forward. A cyan pegasus tried to stop him, but was grabbed by Vice and Versa. “Fluttershy!” She called out.

“What are you doing?!” Twilight cried, Halberd stepped in front of her.

“John,” Chrysalis commanded, an edge in her tone, “execute her.”

John looked at the queen. “No, No you can’t …” Pain exploded in his head and the curse took over his body. “No, please! Not again!” John cried. His legs brought him toward the yellow pegasus mare. His arm brought itself up and gripped the handle. He fought against the movements of his body, to no avail.

“You monster!” The cyan pegasus fought against Vice and Versa, reaching toward her friend. “Fluttershy!”

Mimic forced Fluttershy to lay on the ground. His magic forced her head forward to stretch her neck. She froze as she watched John approach slowly. She could tell he was fighting his own body.

“No! I can’t do it again!” John cried. Silence filled the hall as he stopped before Fluttershy. Her friends looked on in horror while Chrysalis held an air of triumph. His arms reached themselves up and gripped the sword high above his head. John could not close his eyes and looked down at the yellow mare. Her blue eyes shone through her pink mane. Tears glossed them and fell down her cheeks. John stared into her eyes as he struggled to keep his arms from bringing the sword down. Their eyes were locked until John’s sword fell.

Author's Note

I almost hate myself for this cliffhanger, almost :pinkiecrazy:

Blood

Blackest Knight
Chapter 10

Twilight could not believe her ears.

“Now her reward is to watch her friends be executed before her eyes.” Chrysalis’s cold tone resonated through the hall.

Twilight turned as she heard commotion behind her. One of the changelings had grabbed Fluttershy. Rainbow Dash rushed forward to stop the changeling, but two others grabbed her. “Fluttershy!” She called out.

“What are you doing?!” Twilight stepped forward as well. Another changeling stepped in front of her, brandishing a large spear that had an axe head.

“John,” Chrysalis looked at the large metal monster that led them here. “execute her.”

Twilight’s mind shattered at the command. She looked at the metallic biped as he snapped his head toward the changeling queen. She heard his voice get shaky as he said, “No, No you can’t …” His body went rigid, and Twilight thought she heard a grunt of pain be uttered from the darkness of his helmet.

“No, please! Not again!” Twilight heard pain in his voice, not just physical pain, but pain that seemed to come from a distant nightmarish memory. The metal legs started to move rigidly toward Fluttershy. They seemed to be moved by an invisible force while their owners struggled against his own actions. A gauntlet gripped the hilt of the giant sword on his back.

“You monster!” Rainbow struggled against the changelings and reached toward her friend. “Fluttershy!” Pain emanated from the cry.

Fluttershy was forced to the ground by the changeling that brought her forward. His horn flared and Fluttershy’s head was stretched forward. The metal beast continued to advance, crying, “No! I can’t do it again!”

Silence filled the hall as the monster stopped before Fluttershy. Twilight looked on in horror as his gauntlets met on the hilt of his sword above his head. She could see one of Fluttershy’s blue eyes through her mane. She was looking into the dark visor. Twilight expected to see fear in the eyes of the timid pegasus, but she found only acceptance. Tears flowed unhindered down her cheek. For a moment Twilight saw a flash of something else pass through her friend’s eye, but it was gone in a moment.

A large metal sword came crashing down.

Blood spattered everywhere. Everyone in attendance could only look on in shock as the sword tore through flesh. A head rolled across the floor. Everyone’s eyes tracked what was once part of a complete body as it made its short trek. The silence of the hall was broken only by the small sound of blood spattering the floor.

Chrysalis looked on as the head came to a stop by her feet. Sheer luck dictated the face to come to a rest looking up at her. The eyes looked into her own. Her gaze was not torn from the eyes as John began to scream in pain. The changeling queen saw only the deep blue eyes.

All but two pairs of eyes focused on the human. His cries of pain broke the silence. The force of his cries drove everypony but Chrysalis back a step. John fell to his knees as pain racked his body. He clawed at the back of his neck and his fingers caught the edge of his helm. The helm raised, leaving a gap between the helm and the back of his chestplate. A small black orb burst through the skin. The orb was launched into the wall, where it stuck into a small crater of its own making. John fell forward, unconscious.

Chrysalis was still looking into the blue eyes of the severed head.

Everypony was motionless until Twilight caught sight of Cadance and her own bewitched brother. She skirted around the motionless Chrysalis and made her way to Cadance. She zapped the changeling goo around the pink hooves and told her, “Go to him.”

Cadance did not hesitate to run to her fiancé. She touched her horn to his and he closed his eyes. He opened them and saw Cadance smiling weakly at him. “What happened?” He asked. “Is the wedding over?”

He was about to turn towards the gore, but Cadance stopped him. “You need to cast your shield spell Shining.”

“I don’t think I can, I don’t have enough magic.” Shining admitted.

“I will help you,” Cadance touched her horn to his again. A heart erupted from the contact. Their horns flared together and a shield enveloped the couple. The shield started to grow as Chrysalis tore her eyes from the blue eyes of the severed head. The changeling queen realized what was happening as the shield reached her.

“No!” She cried as she was thrust through the window. The other changelings that stayed in the room followed her. The shield spread throughout the city. Every changeling was caught and expelled from the city. Their goo dissipated, freeing captured guards as well as Princess Celestia. The goo covering the crystal cave dissipated as well and Luna erupted out to find her sister.

Soon, the only evidence that remained of the changeling was an unconscious, armored human, his blood soaked sword, and the body and severed head of a changeling named Mimic.

John awoke and saw lavender hooves. He tried to look up but his head would not turn far enough to look at the face of whoever was standing next to him. He was face down and tried to get his arms under him to pick himself up. The lavender hooves uttered a gasp as he moved and stepped back. John focused on picking himself up, he raised himself a few inches before his strength failed him and he fell back to the ground.

“He’s waking up!” The lavender hooves ran away from him. His head swam as he tried to remember where he was. More hooves surrounded him. A warm yellow field enveloped him and he was lifted from the ground.

“I am going to sit you up,” a set of white hooves spoke softly to him. He could sense a hint if uneasiness in the voice though.

John was spun around and his back met the wall. His vision cleared and he saw Celestia surrounded by two ponies. He recognized Twilight Sparkle and Princess Mi Amore Cadenza. Both did not look exactly happy to see him.

“What exactly are you being?” Celestia’s voice held authority and benevolence.

“My name is John,” he answered. His head pounded as he spoke, but he ignored the pain. “I am a human from a world called earth.”

“What were you doing helping Chrysalis if you are not from this world.” Celestia had heard this from Cadance, but she wanted to hear the human’s own words.

“Chrysalis abducted me from my world several months ago. She implanted a curse within my mind. The curse forced me to do her bidding.” He looked down. He could not remember what happened after her last order. He did not know if he carried it out. His breath caught in his throat as he thought of the blood of another innocent on his hands.

“Curse?” Twilight asked. She walked to the crater in the wall and retrieved the black orb in her magic. “You mean this?” she floated it over to John.

John took the orb and looked at it. A small tendril rose from the orb and reached towards his face. He could feel the dark energy that had once been in his mind emanate from the orb. “Yes, this is it, how did you extract it?”

“We didn’t,” Twilight answered. “It shot out of the back of your neck.”

John felt around his neck, but he could only feel skin.

“The hole it created seemed to heal itself as quickly as it was created,” Twilight answered the unasked question.

John looked down at the orb again. He gripped it harder and squished it in his gauntlet. The curse uttered a small scream before it was crushed. John’s hand opened and revealed a dark green goo. He sighed and rested his head against the wall. It was finally over.

“Are you alright?” Princess Mi Amore Cadenza asked.

“Yes,” he answered. “Thank you Princess.” He remembered the yellow pegasus and looked down again. “No.”

“No?” The pink alicorn looked concerned.

“I … I …” He could not finish. The three mares looked at him before he quietly muttered, “I killed her, didn’t I?”

The ponies looked at each other. Celestia was the one to respond. “No, your sword did not draw blood from Fluttershy.”

He sighed in relief. “What happened then?”

Celestia hesitated before answering. “Your sword found the flesh of the changeling who had brought Fluttershy forward.”

“Mimic?” He looked down.

Celestia nodded, “If that was his name, then yes. In Chrysalis’s resulting confusion, Twilight freed Cadance and Cadance helped Shining Armor power the shield to expel the queen and the other changelings.

“Why was I not expelled with them?”

Princess Mi Amore Cadenza answered, “The shield we used was meant to expel evil. We knew your actions were not your own, so you were not expelled.”

John looked at the pink princess. “I thank you then Princess. The changelings would only have replaced the curse had I been expelled with them.”

The pink alicorn asked, “Do you remember what I told you about my title on the train?” John nodded. “Good, because I would like you to call me Cadance.”

“I do not deserve for you to call me friend,” John replied.

“Whether you deserve it or not doesn’t matter. What does is that I still call you one. You are the one who stopped Chrysalis. You saved my wedding as well.”

“I thank you then.” Silence filled the room until John addressed the looming question. “So what is to be done with me?”

Celestia answered, “We have not decided yet, but we will after the wedding. The real one. It will be happen once the hall is cleaned and windows fixed.”

John stood in the back of the wedding hall. He did not pay attention to the ceremony, nor did he pay mind to the looks that the ponies attending gave him. The hulking metal monster was largely ignored in everything but uneasy whispers before the ceremony. He was snapped out of his thoughts by a loud sonic boom. He looked out of the window to see a rainbow stretching over the newly married couple standing on a terrace outside.

John waited as ponies filed out. The five ponies he had been ordered to execute were the last to leave. The orange earth pony glanced at him before looking forward and walking quickly out. The pink earth pony’s wild mane seemed to deflate a little and she stopped bouncing as she passed him. A white unicorn with a styled mane simply ignored him. The cyan pegasus glared at him angrily while stomping out. He could not look at the yellow pegasus that tried to hide behind her cyan friend as they exited together. Twilight, Celestia, Cadance and Shining Armor did not leave, approaching him instead.

“So you are the human?” Shining Armor asked tersely. John merely nodded.

Cadance smacked Shining before saying, “John was the one who stopped Chrysalis. If he hadn’t fought his curse, then he would have been made to execute Twilight and her friends and Chrysalis would have taken over Equestria.” Shining rubbed his smacked head and looked away.

“Yes,” Celestia began, “we do thank you John. I only wish we had met under lighter circumstances.”

“As do I Princess.” He bowed.

“You have our gratitude for stopping Chrysalis, but I’m afraid we still need someone to keep an eye on you to make sure no lingering effects of the curse remain.”

“I understand.” John figured that he’d probably end up in jail, but he was glad he wasn’t going to be executed.

“Twilight, Cadance, and I have talked about this at length. Twilight does not like our decision, but we believe it is for the best.”

John looked at the lavender unicorn and could tell she was not happy with whatever the arrangement. “And what is your decision.”

“We have decided,” Celestia answered, “That Twilight and her friends will keep the Elements of Harmony with them, and keep an eye on you in Ponyville.”

Author's Note

Another chapter is out! Everyone probably hates me after the last one. :raritycry:

Discussion

Blackest Knight
Chapter 11

A fully armored John sat on the train heading for Ponyville. Celestia had requisitioned a private car for the human and the six Bearers of the Elements of Harmony. Said six ponies huddled in a corner of the car. This corner just so happened to be exactly opposite the corner where John sat, looking out the window.

John’s mind wandered as he stared at the passing countryside. He thought of the recent events that had happened at the wedding. To say Luna was angry when she returned was an understatement. He almost thought he would be spending the next thousand years on the moon. Celestia had calmed her sister down and explained that John would be moving to Ponyville.

Luna had stiffened and asked, “With Pinkie Pie?” Celestia had confirmed her question and Luna looked at John with pity. “We hope thy race does not rely upon logic,” The lunar princess had said sadly. John had suddenly gotten the feeling that the moon might not be a bad place.

The human’s thoughts drifted back a little farther and remembered the events of the changeling invasion. He shuddered as he remembered the look of betrayal that flashed across Mimic’s face the instant he discovered John’s choice. John had not wanted to kill any of the changelings, but he wanted to protect the ponies. Chrysalis would have ordered the other changelings to execute the ponies if the human had broken the curse, and he knew he would not be able to stop Mimic without striking first.

John’s mind wandered again to the Hive. He wondered how many of the changelings wanted his head. Halberd would definitely be the angriest. Though John had stolen the blacksmith’s prized armor and weapon. John revised his previous assumption, Halberd would definitely be the second angriest.

As John was lost in thought, he did not notice that the ponies were having a hushed conversation on the other side of the car. They kept throwing glances his way to make sure he wasn’t approaching as Twilight cast a muffle spell around the group.

“I don’t trust him,” Rainbow Dash said the second the spell was in place. “He tried to kill Fluttershy. I say Celestia should have locked him in a cell to rot, or banished him to the moon.”

“Now sweetie,” Rarity began, “He didn’t try to kill Fluttershy, he was being forced to. I don’t agree that he should come with us to Ponyville, but he did help us in the end.”

Rainbow turned angrily on her friend, “Are you trying to defend him?! He almost killed Fluttershy! He DID kill the changeling! Who knows how many other ponies he’s killed!”

Twilight interjected, “We haven’t heard of any ponies being killed or going missing recently, so we know he hasn’t been going on a killing spree.”

“What about that filly from the resort town near the changeling hive?” Applejack countered.

The ponies were silent as the question hung in the air. Twilight finally answered, “He broke the curse when he was ordered to kill Fluttershy. I’m sure that he couldn’t bring himself to kill a small filly in cold blood. Could he?” The ponies looked back at John again. The human had not moved since boarding the train.

“Even if he didn’t, Ah still believe he can’t be trusted.” Applejack crossed her hooves.

“Even so, Celestia ordered us to give him a chance.” Twilight looked at the human again.

“Maybe he just needs friends?” Everypony looked at Pinkie Pie. “What?” The pink mare asked.

“I’m not gonna make friends with that … that thing!” Rainbow huffed.

“Me either,” Applejack agreed.

“So I guess that means you won’t let him into your barn?” Twilight asked the farm mare.

“Hay no!” Applejack confirmed.

Twilight sighed, “Well he’s gonna have to stay somewhere in Ponyville, and we can’t just let him sleep in the streets.”

“Who says we can’t?” Rainbow earned an angry glare from Twilight.

The lavender unicorn answered, “We can’t. We need to find somewhere he can stay. I guess none of you will let him in with you?” Rainbow, Applejack, and Rarity shook their heads. Pinkie lived with the Cakes, so she couldn’t. Fluttershy just looked at her hooves. Twilight sighed again, “I guess he will have to stay with me.”

Rainbow muttered about the Everfree forest and Twilight glared at her again.

“And I guess none of you will come for the tour of Ponyville either?” Twilight noted Pinkie’s raised hoof. “I figured only Pinkie would come.”

“Can we throw him a Welcome To Ponyville …” Pinkie began.

“No parties for that monster!” Rainbow cut Pinkie off. The pink mare’s mane deflated. Twilight glared at Rainbow again. “He doesn’t deserve a party.” The cyan pegasus would not relent.

Silence fell over the group and Twilight dissipated the muffle spell.

John had never moved during their conversation. His mind was turbulent with dark thoughts of his haunted past. The movement of the padded bench he was sitting on announced the arrival of a visitor. John was torn from his thoughts as he looked to the lavender unicorn that had taken the seat next to him. “Hello Miss Sparkle.”

The unicorn shook her head. “You can just call me Twilight.”

“Alright, Twilight, what warrants your visit?” He saw from the corner of his visor that the cyan pegasus and orange earth pony were both giving him glares of contempt. The pink pony was smiling at him.

“I just wanted to see how you were doing,” Twilight answered. “I was also curious, because I felt strange magical energies emanating from you.”

John glanced down at his left wrist. The movement was not unnoticed by the lavender mare. “It’s probably just my armor. It was enchanted to strengthen the metal, as well as muffle movement.” He avoided talking about anything under it.

“I could tell it was enchanted,” Twilight replied. “I was meaning that I felt strange magical energies coming from underneath it. From you.” The human did not reply. “I was wondering if you could let me magically scan you to determine what they are.”

“No,” John simply replied. He glanced over at the other mares again to see that they were chatting amongst themselves now. Only the pink mare continued to stare at him. Her smile grew as he looked, as if she knew he glanced, but that was impossible for her to know. Inside his helmet was a black abyss that hid his features, and his head had not moved a fraction. He dismissed it.

Twilight was disheartened to hear his rejection. “Okay then.”

“So what are we going to do in … er … Ponyville?” He suddenly felt a presence next to him. He turned his head to reveal two large eyes and a smiling pink face.

John had been trained his entire stay within the Hive to continually scan his environment and be unsurprised by anything. This was the first time he was actually surprised by anything since beginning his training and it would not be too far of a stretch to say he nearly jumped out his skin.

“You are going to live with us and we are going to be friends!” John could swear the pink mare in front of him had been across the car just a fraction of a second earlier. John could not even move that fast. He had also not noticed her move, despite being able to pick up minor movements from the other side of a crowded room.

Twilight also seemed to be surprised from Pinkie’s sudden appearance, but she shrugged it off. “Pinkie, get back to your seat.”

John glanced at the unicorn, flabbergasted that the seemingly logical mare could dismiss the destruction of physics so easily. His glance lasted less than a tenth of a second, but when his eyes turned back in front of him, the pink mare had already made it back to the other side of the car. She waved at him.

John blinked a few times as Twilight explained, “Don’t worry, it’s just Pinkie being Pinkie.”

John glared at the unicorn, “That does not explain how she broke nearly every law of physics. The G force of that movement speed alone should have killed her!” The unicorn shrugged. John could not fathom these ponies, but had no time to dwell on it further as the train whistled.

“We’re almost to Ponyville,” Twilight said.

Author's Note

And, John's first interaction with Pinkie Pie! :pinkiecrazy:
Thanks for reading, I'll try to get another one out today, because this one was a wind down from the previous chapters. Next time, we will see how John adjusts to a (semi)normal life again! :pinkiehappy:

Ponyville

Blackest Knight
Chapter 12

“So this is Ponyville?” John looked upon the small town. The old rustic buildings helped create an image of a historic town that had stood the test of time.

“Yes,” Twilight answered as she stepped off the train behind the armored human. “And I am proud to call it my home,” pride did in fact permeate her voice.

“I can see why.” John chuckled, “I’ve always wanted to live in a small town myself.”

Twilight was about to ask him about his home world, but she noticed a growing crowd surrounding the platform. They had no doubt heard rumors of the strange being that had saved Canterlot, but they didn’t know how terrifying he actually looked. “I think it’s about time we headed to the library.”

John arched his eyebrow before remembering she could not see under his helm. “I figured you were a knowledgeable mare, but I thought you would return home and rest before hitting the books.”

Twilight blushed as she realized he didn’t even know where he was staying yet, much less where she lived. “Actually, I live at the library. And it seems that it will be where you will be staying until we find you a permanent home.”

“But Twilight!” His voice dripped with mock shock, “We haven’t even gone on a date yet! We can’t move in together!”

A few ponies in crowd giggled at the being’s sense of humor. Twilight’s entire face began to grow a red hue. “But I … I didn’t … I mean … We weren’t …”

“Relax Twilight,” John calmed the flustered mare. “I was joking.” He kneeled beside her and spoke low enough so the crowd didn’t hear, “I was actually trying to calm the crowd. I can feel their uneasiness around me.” As he spoke, he removed his helm and cradled it under his arm. The crowd gasped, but was calmed further than the joke by seeing that the being was not an indestructible metal monster, but a creature of flesh and blood.

Twilight realized he had never seen his face either. His light grey eyes looked into hers as his short brown hair swayed slightly in the wind. His skin looked slightly tanned, but not quite pale. She gasped at the scene. He seemed less threatening without the helm.

“Are you two gonna move anytime soon?”

Twilight looked back into the train to see that she was blocking a very impatient Rainbow Dash from exiting. She quickly stepped out of the way. Rainbow shot out and took off. Applejack walked out and immediately turned from the human and walked away. Fluttershy tried to hide behind the orange mare, even though they would be heading away from her home. Rarity silently looked at John’s face before turning to return to her Boutique. Pinkie Pie jumped out and hopped in place while studying John’s face before noting, “You look different,” and hopping away.

“Well,” Twilight said, “I guess we should get home.” John nodded and began to follow her.

The crowd parted before them. She heard snickering amongst them but could not tell from whom. A voice mockingly said, “I guess we should get home.” Multiple giggles permeated the crowd as Twilight’s face flushed. Another teasing voice rung out, “Gotta get ready for the date!” Twilight quickened her pace and John slipped his helm back on. The giggling stopped immediately. Twilight would never know that John was still smirking.

After they broke from the crowd, it began to dissipate. Twilight and John were free to talk again. “So do all human look like you do?” Twilight launched immediately into the questions.

John answered as he removed his helmet again, “Not really. You see, we have different races as well. It’s kind of like the differences between the earth ponies, pegasi, and unicorns, except that the difference is really only skin color.”

“So none of you have wings?”

John chuckled, “A lot of us wish we did, but no.”

“Are all humans able to cast magic?”

Twilight noticed a look of pain race across his face before he answered, “No. Magic does not exist in our world.”

Twilight was confused. “Then how can you cast magic then?” She felt several magical energies from him. One certain energy was one that could be used by conscious action, much like the energy that unicorns channeled into their horn.

John hesitated before answering. “I … I cannot tell you.” He glanced down at his left arm again.

Twilight decided not to push the issue. She did however change the topic, “Then, are grey colored eyes a dominant trait in your race?”

“No, mostly brow… Wait, grey?”

Twilight looked at him and saw confusion etched into his face. “Yes, your eyes are grey, so I wondered if it was dominant in your race, if not your species.”

“Twilight … My eyes are brown.”

John looked into the first mirror that he could find once Twilight brought him to the tree house. His eyes were indeed grey. Could this be a side effect of the enhancements? He also noted his short hair. His hair always had a tendency to grow fast, but he had never cut it since coming into this world. He shook his head and marked it down to the magical energies that Twilight had mentioned earlier. He considered letting her scan him, but he could not take the chance of her finding what was in his left arm. He unconsciously touched his arm again. Though the first enhancements had improved his healing rate, the large scar of the last surgery remained.

Twilight passed by the open door to the bathroom in time to see John grasp his left wrist again. She really did not like not knowing why. She coughed lightly to get his attention. She noted that he quickly withdrew his grasp. “I was just going to tell you that you should probably take the guest room. If you want, you can take off your armor and take a shower as well.”

John thanked her and she led him to the guest room. The bed was obviously too small for him, but he could probably curl up on it. Twilight left as he began to strip his armor, leaving him is a simple shirt and pants. He laid it neatly in a pile in the corner of the room before exiting to take the proposed shower. She heard Twilight yelling something about a spike, but paid it no mind.

John entered the bathroom to discover that the shower seemed a little too small. He opted for a bath instead, as the tub seemed to be barely big enough, and began to run the water. He waited until it reached a comfortable temperature and let it fill the tub. He noticed bubble bath sitting on the edge of the tub and chuckled to himself as he stripped his clothes. He sunk into the warm water and realized just how long it had been since he cleaned himself. Months of constant training, sweating, and not washing had left its toll on the human and he decided to relax in the water, eyes closed.

John’s eyes lazily opened and he looked sideways to see a purple figure. He closed his eyes again, figuring it was probably Twilight, and she would get flustered again before closing the door. He realized that the door stayed open and opened his eyes fully and turned his head to behold a small purple dragon. He remembered seeing this dragon before, it was the ring bearer from Cadance’s and Shining Armor’s wedding. What was it doing here?

“Twilight?!” It yelled, eyes never leaving John. Its voice seemed to resemble a child’s, and the human guessed that the little dragon was a male by the pitch.

Twilight trotted up, saying, “There you are! Where were …” She cut off as she realized that Spike was looking at John in the bath. Her face flushed again and she quickly ushered the baby dragon away and closed the door.

John chuckled as they left. “I have a feeling that Ponyville will be an interesting place.”

Author's Note

Another chapter! I promised you guys I'd get it out today, three hour night class be damned! :pinkiecrazy:
All joking aside, don't take night classes from six to nine then write caffeine induced fanfics. :pinkiesick: Especially when you have to wake up at six in the morning for a programming class with a droning professor. :derpytongue2:

Revelations

Blackest Knight
Chapter 13

John exited the bathroom and stretched. His back cracked with a sound like thunder under his shirt. He would have to ask Twilight where, or how, he could get new clothes as well later. Right now though, he felt clean for the first time in months. He decided to find the unicorn and maybe meet the little dragon she had neglected to tell him was a housemate.

“He is a human, from another planet Spike,” Twilight’s voice seemed to come from the main hall. John made his way there.

A young male voice spoke, “Like the metal monster from the wedding?” John flinched before entering the room the voiced were coming from.

“He is the ‘metal monster’ from the wedding.” Twilight blushed as she saw John had entered the room right as she said that. The little dragon yelped and hid behind Twilight’s legs.

John chuckled as he strode up next to Twilight. He bent down and sat on his heels to make himself less imposing as he addressed the small dragon. “Hello, my name is John. Can I ask for yours?”

The little dragon seemed to calm a little as he realized that John had no ill intent. “S-S-Spi-Spike.”

John chuckled, “It is good to meet you Spike, but I think you should come out. I think Twilight is getting annoyed that we are talking through her legs.”

The lavender unicorn was indeed annoyed, but said nothing as Spike retreated from her legs. “Well I think it’s nearly time for bed for you Spike.”

“But …”

“No, you are a baby dragon after all.”

“Yes,” John interjected, “and baby dragons need their sleep so they can grow up big and strong,” John flexed his muscles in a dramatic pose. “You want to impress the ladies, don’t you?”

Spike’s eyes began to shine. “Like Rarity?”

John chuckled, surprised at his answer. “Yes, especially Rarity!”

Spike scampered up the stair to the bedroom he shared with Twilight. The lavender unicorn looked at the human in disbelief, “Usually I have to drag him to bed when he wants to stay up.”

“I guess I just have a way with words.” They laughed before John asked, “So is it our bedtime as well? Or were you wanting to talk?”

“We can stay up for a bit.” Twilight led him to a sitting room and immediately began with the questions. “So what is your world like?”

“It is a dark world,” John answered, the humor left his voice slightly. “Even though the changelings invaded, I can tell that your world is usually peaceful, am I correct?”

“Yes.”

“Well Earth is a lot different. Plague and famine can sweep through entire countries in an instant. War is almost a constant ordeal. When two countries stop fighting, two others start. Many countries can enter the wars, and twice in our history has the entire world been at war with itself. Death is a constant reality.” John paused, and he could see that Twilight was shaken by his description.

“That’s horrible!”

“Yes.”

The pair stayed silent for a few minutes as John’s description of Earth sunk into Twilight. After a long hesitation, she asked quietly, “Do you want to return there?”

“I …” John hesitated. He had lived in this world for so long. He had changed in many ways through the trials he was put through. He had spilt blood here, innocent blood. Could he go back to that world? He stayed silent as he thought. He glanced down at his arm again, quickly hiding the scar. Twilight noticed this action.

John’s mind wandered to his girlfriend. He had bought a ring for her before he was taken. He was going to ask her to marry him, but seeing the way Cadance and Shining Armor acted around one another, he realized that he had never shared such intimate moments with her. The realization hit him in the stomach.

“No.”

Twilight tore her gaze from his arm, shocked at his answer. “Why would you not?”

John looked away from her. “I do not belong in that world anymore. I don’t think I ever did.”

Silence fell upon the two before Twilight asked, “Does it have something to do with your left arm?”

John looked at her, “ … Yes.” She was about to ask but he cut her off. “No, I will not tell you what. There are some stories about me that you don’t want to hear.”

The two sat in silence again. Twilight’s curiosity was killing her. She quickly drummed up a scanning spell that he could not feel. Not even advanced unicorns would be able to know that the scanning had been cast, even while knowing what to look for.

She slowly began the scanning at his fingertips. She felt resistance blocking her spell and John’s head snapped toward her. His grey eyes bored into hers and she gasped, withdrawing the spell.

John growled at her, “I told you not to scan me.”

She hesitated, scared at his sudden change in tone and surprised that he felt her spell. She had cast this spell on Celestia before as a test and the alicorn had never felt it. “I … I … You … You shouldn’t have even been able to feel that spell.” Twilight realized too late that that was the wrong thing to say.

John’s eyes burned with anger. “Why are you trying to deceive me?”

“I’m not,” Twilight felt like crying, “I just wanted to make sure you weren’t hiding something dangerous.”

The fire in John’s eyes began to cool as he realized he was scaring the unicorn. He sighed, “I’m sorry for snapping at you like that.” He looked away.

Silence hung over the two. Twilight was about to excuse herself, but John stopped her before she could open her mouth.

“What I am about to tell you does not leave this room, okay?”

Twilight hesitated. The weight in his voice gave her the impression that she would not like what he was going to say. She briefly considered rejecting the offer, but she knew he was offering a chance to trust him. She nodded. He cast a muffle spell around them.

He sighed again before beginning. “You told me that you could feel magical energy coming from my body, is that still correct?”

“Magical energies, as in multiple.” She replied.

“Before I tell you what I am going to tell you, I want you to scan my body and tell me what they are. But you have to promise not to scan from my left elbow down. Okay?”

“I promise,” She began another scanning spell, this one was designed to be felt. Her brow furrowed as she completed the scan, except for his left elbow down. “That is strange.”

“What is?”

Twilight looked at him. “Many different magical energies reside within your body, more than should be able to live inside one being. But they all work together. They all complete a separate task without getting in the way of others. They seem to be enhancing your strength, stamina, speed, all your physical attributes. Then there are passive ones that seem to have strong effects. One, centered around your digestive tract, seems to be providing your body with energy, it seems to be sucking in the air you breathe and converting it into the most efficient energy I have ever seen.”

“Yes, I learned that the hard way when I was suddenly unable to eat.”

“You can’t eat?” John shook his head at Twilight’s question. “That makes sense, your body is producing its own energy at an extreme rate. Any extra energy would just be wasted.”

“What are some of the other passive energies?”

“Well there is one that seems to be regulating your entire body, it seems to destroy anything that could cause you to become sick. It’s like a defense system.” Twilight rescanned his body. “There is one that permeates your entire body as well, but I can’t tell what it does. It just seems to be sitting there.”

“Any other energies?”

“Yes, one more.” Twilight scanned the last energy again before continuing, “This one seems to be centered around your left shoulder down your arm. It becomes more powerful as it travels down to your elbow. I think it would be more powerful around your forearm. It also seems to be like the magical energy that unicorns channel through their horns.” John flinched at that word.

“I told you about the enhancements, right?”

“Yes, the ones that the changelings did to you.”

“Well I think that those enhancements are what created all these magical energies. The last energy is why I can cast magic.”

Twilight looked at him. “You said your world does not have magic, how come you took so well to these magical implants?”

“I don’t know. But I was not the first to receive the enhancements, I was only the first to survive.” Twilight gasped, John continued, “I was told she tried them on several changelings, and even a few ponies, before switching to humans. I was not even the first human.”

“Ponies?” Twilight was disgusted.

“Yes, that is why you must not tell anyone about the procedures.”

“I won’t, that’s horrible.”

John grimaced, “It will be like describing paradise compared to what I am about to tell you.”

Twilight’s stomach sunk. She didn’t think she could hear anything worse than what he had already told her. She was so wrong.

“I want you to scan from my elbow down.” John looked at the scar that stretched from his wrist to just below his elbow.

Twilight hesitated before scanning. Her eyes grew twice their size as she realized that his bone was a lot different from the bone in his right arm. Melded to the natural bone of his arm wan a unicorn’s horn. The horn of a filly.

“Did you hear about a filly that went missing from a resort town near the changeling hive?”

Twilight nearly lost her dinner as she realized where this conversation has heading. She nodded.

John looked down. Sadly he said, “Her name was Morning Dew.”

Author's Note

The truth is out. :twilightoops:
How will Twilight react to John's revelation?

Dream(y)

Blackest Knight
Chapter 14

Twilight was horrified as John explained the disappearance of the filly, Morning Dew. “You were spying on my BROTHER!?” She yelled the question, but John’s muffle spell cut out the sound.

“Yes, because Chrysalis ordered us to find a way to get close to the princesses,” John could not meet her eyes. “This was before we knew about Cadance.” He shifted back into the story, “The little filly came out while we tried to make our way to the hotel in the middle of the night. She wanted to meet Cadance because she thought she was a princess.” He paused.

Twilight broke the silence, “What did you do?”

John sighed, “I closed her mouth with my hand before she screamed, then tried to calm her down. Once she was calm, I was going to send her back inside, but two of the changelings on my team scooped her into a bag. They told me they would release her after the mission was completed, but they took her back to the Hive instead.”

Twilight gasped. “They killed her?”

John looked pained as he continued his explanation. “Once we returned to the Hive, Halberd and I reported to Chrysalis. She ordered the two changelings that had kidnapped her to bring her in, and for me to interrogate her.” Twilight was silent, but her eyes grew. “I tried to be friendly, and asked her about the pink alicorn. She knew nothing, so Chrysalis ordered the two changelings to carry her outside the hive and place her head on a block.” Twilight gasped and John fell silent, unable to continue.

“That … That’s why you said not again?”

John nodded confirmation, looking at his feet. Silence filled the room. John dissipated the muffle spell and got up to go to the guest room. Twilight retired to her room as well.

Twilight slept fitfully. Her dreams were filled with a large metal monster, a bloody sword, and a filly’s horn. Her tossing and turning woke Spike, but he could not wake the lavender unicorn. Suddenly, Twilight stopped tossing and turning. Spike assumed that Luna had entered her dreams to calm her.

Luna was visiting the dreams of John, however. The pony that calmed Twilight was a small yellow filly with light green hair. The stump of a horn was visible on her head. “Hello Twilight Sparkle,” the filly’s voice fit the body, but her tone was more akin to a pony that had lived for centuries.

“Who are you?” Twilight and the filly stood in an empty abyss. Her dreams had scared her, but this empty abyss seemed to be soothing.

“I am Morning Dew,” the filly said simply.

“Why are you here? I thought only Luna could walk between dreams.” Twilight wondered why the dark alicorn was absent.

“Princess Luna has entered the dreams of the human, John. I came here to quell your fears.”

“How? Didn’t John … well …” Twilight realized that the filly probably didn’t need to answer questions like that.

“Do not fear that I am too young,” the filly answered her unspoken question. “And no, it was not him that killed me. My murderer was the curse, and through the curse, Chrysalis. John had no fault but being an unwilling tool. I have told him so, but guilt still haunts him.”

“So why did you come to me?” Twilight asked.

“You will be important for John. You will have to help him through his journey, but another pony is who will be his greatest influence. Your importance is for John, not to him, another will claim that role.”

“I don’t understand, what is the difference between for and to?”

“You will understand soon Twilight Sparkle,” The small filly was beginning to fade. “Just know now that the pony that will be important to him will be a Bearer.”

“Wait! Don’t leave!” Twilight began to run to the Morning Dew, but each hoofstep seemed to bring the filly farther. “There are so many questions!” Twilight yelled to her ceiling.

“Were you having another dream about talking books?” Spike glared at her for waking him up.

Twilight looked out her window and saw that Celestia was raising the sun.

John’s dreams were filled with a dark alicorn mare.

“So you are the presence that had been shielded from me for so long.” Luna circled in his dreamscape.

John was not happy that his dream had been interrupted. He had been laying in a grassy field looking up at the stars when the alicorn drifted down from among them. He knew it was not exciting, but the peaceful dream had been a nice respite from some that had haunted him during his time in this foreign world. It was also a pleasant dream for someone who lived their entire life in a large city, but didn’t quite belong there.

“Art thou not going to answer us?” The annoyed princess slipped back into the royal We.

“I was hoping that my mind would force you away, but I guess some dreams are persistent.”

“We are no dream. Though …” She tried to reestablish a modern dialect, “Though I guess you did not know that.”

“Wouldn’t that be what a dream says?” John knew it was the real Luna, a fake Luna wouldn’t have trouble with differing dialects.

“We are Princess of the Night! We … er … I am not a dream.” She kicked him to illustrate her point.

John chuckled as the pain quickly faded away. “I knew it was you from the start.” He picked himself up to avoid more kicks while he was down.

“Then why did you accuse me of being a dream?”

“Well I was holding out hope that you were, and that maybe the dream would start to get a little … warmer?” He winked.

John had to stifle another chuckle as the dark princess quickly turned red. “We … I … We …” She stopped her stuttering when she caught a glimpse of John’s smirk. Her red face turned to one of rage as she realized he was teasing her. She huffed, “You will not laugh when I figure out how to cut your anatomy.”

“You’ll have to find it first.” The princess became absolutely livid, and John decided to head her off before she carried out her threat. “Relax princess. It’s been too long that I’ve been able to let my sarcasm flow freely, and I guess I’m a little rusty on knowing when to quit.”

“You are rusty indeed. Anyways, I have come here for other reasons. If I wanted to be teased, I would have stayed with Tia.”

“Celestia?” John asked, “I guess I need to talk to her some more.”

“NO!” Luna’s rage returned, but she calmed herself down before continuing. “As I was going to say, I will visit your dreams once a week. I want you to report to me while Twilight will report to Celestia.”

“What is the point of two of us reporting?” John’s question was serious this time.

“Twilight will be reporting on how she feels you are adjusting and interacting with the residents of Ponyville. You will report to me how you feel you are adjusting, and your thoughts about this life.”

“That makes sense.”

“Good, now I will leave you to wake.” Luna began to withdraw from the dream.

John had one last thing to say, “Luna?”

“Yes,” she stopped.

John smiled. “You’re welcome to visit my dreams more than once a week,” he winked.

John snapped awake to see the sun raising through the window. His chest was still a little sore from the powerful buck the dark alicorn had chosen to wake him with.

Author's Note

John found a new target to tease :facehoof: Just wait till he gets to Rainbow :pinkiecrazy:
I'm just gonna head off any LunaJohn shippings here: Not gonna happen (well maybe :raritywink: )

Friends

Blackest Knight
Chapter 15

“YOU SAID WHAT?!”

John realized that telling Twilight about his conversation with Luna may not have been the smartest idea. Maybe he should have at least kept his sass a secret, but Twilight was almost as fun to tease as Luna. Almost.

“She is a princess!” Twilight looked as if she was about to have a panic attack. “She will be angry and that will get Princess Celestia mad as well. They are probably on their way over here right now to banish you to the moon! And since you’re living with me, and that means thatCelestiawillalsobanishmetothemoonorworseshe’llsendmebacktoMagicKindergartenandIcan’tgobacktoMagicKindergartenbecause …” John placed a hand over the lavender mare’s mouth. She had not taken a breath the entire last few sentences and rushed the words together.

“I am sure that all will be fine,” The human reassured her. “Luna is a big girl and can take care of herself.”

He released Twilight and she took a deep breath. “I guess you’re right.”

“Of course I am, now what’s on the schedule.”

Twilight pulled a checklist out of seemingly nowhere and started reading, “Spike is going to organize the library while I take you on a tour of the town, right after we double check the checklist.”

“That’s your checklist for the entire day?” John was still trying to figure out where she pulled it from.

“Yep.”

“And we need to double check it?” He gave up and just looked at her.

“Yep.”

“But there are only three things on it, and one of them is double checking the checklist.” John could already feel that living with these ponies may be a little harder than he first figured, especially if they were all like the teleporting pink one.

“And that one is the most important one.”

John tried to digest what she just said, as well as why she thought it was the most obvious thing in the world. He shook his head and decided to just return to the guest room and don his weapon. He did not need his armor, but he almost felt naked without some protection. He said so to Twilight when she asked him why he needed the large sword.

“Alright, well let’s go then,” the lavender mare led him into the fine town of Ponyville. “I already double checked the checklist.”

“Of course you did.”

Their first stop was Carousel Boutique. Rarity was one of the few Bearers not openly hostile toward John. That is not to say she was completely accepting of John either.

“Hello Twilight,” The white unicorn cheerfully greeted her friend. The biped didn’t even get a glance as the two entered the small clothing shop.

“Hello Rarity, I brought John to meet you.”

“I saw that,” her tone was not exactly friendly, but it was an acknowledgement. John was a glass half full kind of guy.

Twilight however, shot a very disapproving glare at her friend. The two locked eyes in silent argument until Rarity relented.

“Hello John,” she said tersely.

“It is a pleasure to meet you Rarity.”

“So do you have other business here? I do have many things I need to attend to.”

Twilight was about to leave, disappointed in her friend, but John noticed something about the white mare. His quick eyes had scanned the shop and he grinned as he said, “Actually, I was hoping to talk clothes.”

Rarity had to work very hard to resist the bait, and hesitated before answering, “Um … well … what kind of … clothes.”

John silently chuckled to himself, he could tell that fashion design was her passion. “Well, I was kind of big into human fashion myself, and I was wondering about the differences between the pony fashion culture and my own.” It wasn’t really a lie, he did have a girlfriend that always took him clothes shopping. For both of them. He suppressed a shudder at remembering that skinny jean fad.

Rarity’s eyes shone at the chance to learn another species’ fashion sense. She completely forgot that she disliked him moments ago. John was assaulted by question after question before Rarity dragged him deeper into her shop and began taking measurements. Her work did not stop the flow of questions, however.

John and Twilight didn’t get out of the Boutique until nearly lunchtime. Rarity had lightened up to John, and even began work on several pieces of new clothing for him.

“That was impressive,” Twilight noted. “Usually it takes Rarity a while to sway from disliking someone to liking them.”

John chuckled, “I’m just a good judge of character and personality.” He saw that the sun was high in the sky. “Where to next.”

Twilight’s grumbling stomach answered for her. “I guess we can go to Sugarcube Corner. You can meet Pinkie and we’ll get something to eat.”

“You can get something, I don’t eat,” John replied as he followed her to the establishment.

“I know your digestive system doesn’t need food, but you really don’t eat for at least flavor?”

“Well I would if I could, I actually can’t eat. My stomach just doesn’t accept the food.”

Twilight looked at him with wide eyes, “So you haven’t even been able to eat since the enhancements?”

“Nope.”

She was silent for a moment, “That can’t be easy.”

He chuckled, “I do find myself wanting to eat sometimes, but more out of craving than hunger. My stomach never gets hunger pains. Plus, I don’t have to take the time to eat, I can use that time elsewhere.”

She laughed, “I guess there are upsides.”

They quickly reached Sugarcube Corner and entered. The restaurant was empty except for a blue mare with a pink mane working the counter. The mare smiled as she saw Twilight, but the smile faltered when John followed her in. It quickly returned and she greeted them. “Hello Twilight! Hello mister …”

“My name is John, can I ask for yours?”

The mare’s smile widened at his polite manners, and replied, “My name is Mrs. Cake. My husband is in the back somewhere.”

“Can we ask where Pinkie is?” Twilight asked.

Mrs. Cake looked around, “Er … I actually don’t know where she is.”

Suddenly, John got the urge to check his surroundings again. He scanned in front of him to reveal only the shop and the blue mare. He looked behind him and saw only the door. When he turned to face the mare, His vision was filled by a pink face, blue eyes, and an extremely wide smile. He also suddenly felt weight being applied to his shoulders and waist, as if a pony was hanging off him. This was the second time since coming to Equestria that he nearly jumped out of his skin.

“Hello John!” Pinkie pie continued to hang off him. John heard Twilight yelp in surprise and Mrs. Cake groan.

“Uh, hello.” John stared into the large blue eyes, trying to discern anything about this mysterious earth pony. “Your name is Pinkie Pie?”

“Yes.”

“It is nice to meet you Pinkie Pie.” John felt her weight leave him as she jumped off. She then began to hop in place.

“It’s nice to meet you too John, even though we met before, but you didn’t know my name then.” She stopped hopping. It would not have been disconcerting to John, except for the fact that she happened to stop in mid-air. “You didn’t know my name,” she said as if a revelation hit her. Twilight rolled her eyes and went to buy a cupcake.

John waved a hand above her head, no strings. “Yes, you said that already.”

“That means that I never met you before.” She was still hovering.

John waved a hand underneath her hooves, nothing to stand upon. “That is so.”

“That means that you are new in town, because I know everyone in town.”

“I am, and I somehow do not doubt that you do.” John waved both hands around and in front of her, but felt no resistance.

The pink mare suddenly moved, still in mid-air, and posed in an expression of triumph, hooves raised above her head. “That means that I get to throw you a Welcome To Ponyville and Thank You For Saving Canterlot Party!”

“Does it now?” John finally gave up on trying to understand her physics. “Well I guess you need to get a big banner to write down the whole title.”

The pink mare finally dropped to the ground with a gasp, “You’re right.” She looked at him, “We’re going to be good friends.”

John smiled, “That’s good.”

The pink mare paused before asking, “Do you like pranks?”

“I don’t like pranks,” John’s smile grew to a mischievous grin, “I love pranks.”

Twilight had to drag John out of Sugarcube corner with her magic. “Come on, we need to meet the other ponies.” She had a really bad feeling about leaving him with Pinkie for too long.

“Alright, but I would appreciate being able to walk.”

Twilight looked back and realized she was literally dragging him. She let go of her magic and he picked himself up. “Who next?”

“Well I don’t really know where to find Rainbow Dash, so I guess we will see Applejack next.”

“Which ones are they?” John asked.

“Applejack is the orange earth pony. Rainbow Dash is the cyan pegasus with a rainbow mane.”

John chuckled, “I probably should have figured Rainbow then.”

Twilight laughed as well as they made their way to Sweet Apple Acres. They filled the trip with idle chatter. John tried to learn a little bit about the farming mare. Twilight told him that she was a hardworking mare that took pride in her work. Being the Element of Honesty, what you saw with her was the honest truth.

They approached the farmhouse and Applejack came out the door. She threw a cold glance at John before addressing Twilight, “What are ya’ll doing here with that thing.”

Twilight was shocked that her friend was immediately hostile. She stopped in her tracks at Applejack’s cold words.

John decided to try and ease the tension. “Hello, my name is John, and I would prefer not to be called a thing.”

Applejack shot him a glare before turning back to Twilight.

“Applejack,” The unicorn began, “Why are you being so rude?”

“Why did you bring a monster here?”

John sighed internally, “Actually I was here to meet you. And I prefer not to be called monster either, John is fine.”

Applejack ignored him. Twilight looked like she was about to burst into tears. She had never seen this side of her friend before.

John looked around at the apple trees surrounding them. “This is a nice farm here,” John earned another glare from Applejack. He had her attention, even if she assumed that he might threaten her farm. “I can see you do all the work by hand, er, hoof I mean.” He looked at Applejack. “I respect that.”

The orange mare blinked in surprise, taken off guard by the compliment. “What?”

John continued, “I respect that you put time and effort into your produce. Many farmers in my world rely more and more upon technology. Almost no produce is made by hand, whatever is, is grown in small personal gardens. To manage such huge, successful orchards by hoof is a job well done.”

Applejack’s glare softened as John spoke. She paused after he finished. “Mah name’s Applejack.”

John smiled and approached her, “My name is John.” He held out a hand. She took his hand with her hoof and shook it.

“Why don’t ya’ll come in? Granny Smith made apple pie.”

John looked back at Twilight. She stared at him in disbelief. He gestured to follow Applejack. They entered the farm house behind the orange mare.

John and Twilight left Applejacks house about two hours before Celestia lowered the sun. John had made a good impression with the mare. He wasn’t exactly favored in her eyes, but she was no longer hostile. John had a lot of work ahead of him before she would consider calling him friend.

“So should we try to find Rainbow Dash?” John asked.

Twilight looked at the position of the sun. “Yeah, we probably can for an hour or so.”

They quickly searched the town for the cyan mare, but had no luck.

“Is it just me?” John asked. “Or does it seem like the streets are empty?”

“You’re right,” Twilight replied, “maybe everypony is just in bed.”

They gave up their search and returned to the library. John walked in first. For the third time since coming to Equestria, John nearly jumped out his skin as a pink face with large blue eyes and a wide smile suddenly dominated his vision.

Weight suddenly occupied John’s shoulders and waist as multiple voices shouted, “SURPRISE!”

Author's Note

One more chapter for tonight. John has met THE PINKIE :pinkiecrazy: (And Twilight's other friends)
His sanity is safe, because he is beginning to understand that there is no understanding Pinkie Pie.

Party

Blackest Knight
Chapter 16

“SURPRISE!” Several voices yelled at once.

John could only stand staring at the pink face that had suddenly filled his vision.

“Surprise!” Someone yelled.

“A little late Derpy,” someone else deadpanned.

John’s heart finally stopped racing, “Do you jump on everyone when you see them?”

“No,” Pinkie Pie replied simply.

“Why do I get the special treatment?”

“Because you’re big enough for me to hold onto.” Pinkie stayed holding onto John for a few moments more before jumping down. “I found a banner that was big enough too!”

John saw the large banner, complete with large lettering, which read ‘Welcome To Ponyville And Thanks For Saving Canterlot.’ It was impressive that she had somehow managed to fit the title of the party onto the banner without cramping the words, as well as the fact that she could fit it into the library. He then noticed that there were a lot of ponies inside said library. If he was not mistaken, the entire population could have been invited to the party. He blinked.

“Pinkie,” Twilight, having gotten over the initial shock, was beginning to realize that she would have no time to study John some more that night. The realization left her more than a little annoyed. “Why did we have to have the party tonight?”

“Because silly,” the pink mare began, as if her answer was obvious, “Party rule number four hundred thirty-two under section A in chapter fifty-six on page two thousand eleven, paragraph three of the third book of Party Manuals specifically states that all newcomers to Ponyville should have a party thrown their first day of arrival!”

The room was silent as everypony and human tried to digest her explanation.

“There are three party manuals?” John asked.

“No, there are seven.” Pinkie answered.

“And they each have over two thousand pages?”

“Yes, the shortest has only four thousand three hundred twenty-one pages.”

“And you memorized every single one?”

“Yep.”

John shook his head as he tried to comprehend. He realized that there was nothing anyone could comprehend about Pinkie Pie but her name. “So you are throwing me a party?” He changed the subject.

“Yes, of course!”

John looked around and stifled a chuckle. Everything about the decorations screamed six year old’s birthday party. There were even games, a snack and punch table … How did she fit a bouncy house in here? The only thing missing was the children. John realized that this was probably considered an adult social party, or else the ponies just didn’t want him around their children yet.

“Are you ready to party?” Pinkie asked him.

“Uh, sure?” Pinkie immediately jumped away and everypony but Twilight and John joined into the festivities.

“This is going to be a long night.” Twilight facehoofed.

“I don’t know, maybe I’ll get a chance to socialize with some of the town.” John replied. Some of the ponies were already approaching, eager to learn about the human.

“Ugh, have fun.” Twilight left to find her friends.

John did have a bit of fun. He didn’t really join into the games, but he did socialize with many of the town residents. He met ponies like Mayor Mare, Derpy, Berry Punch (He thought he might be visiting her a bit more for some wine), and a pegasus called Cloud Kicker. The lavender pegasus with a blonde mane had greeted him with a disconcerting, “Hey sexy.”

While John was busy socializing, and avoiding a lavender pegasus that was a little too interested in his anatomy, Twilight had gathered her friends for a discussion. Luckily they had all attended the party. Rainbow was a little angry that she did not know that the party was for John.

“Why did we have to have a party for that monster?” The cyan mare asked after Twilight cast a muffle spell over them.

Pinkie gasped, “John isn’t a monster!”

“He tried to kill Fluttershy!” Rainbow pointed at the shy mare.

Twilight countered, “That wasn’t him, he was under the control of the curse. He fought against the curse, if he hadn’t then we all would have died.”

“How can you defend him?!” Rainbow looked angrily at her friend.

“Because he tried to defend us all,” Twilight returned the angry glare.

“By capturing Canterlot and nearly executing us?”

“No, by fighting the curse that was making him do that. By expelling the curse before he killed Fluttershy.”

Rainbow broke through the muffle spell. She left the party and her five friends could see that she slammed the door by the several confused looks that were cast after the fleeing mare.

Twilight sighed and looked back at her remaining friends. They looked at her with sadness, Pinkie’s mane deflated a little. Only Fluttershy did not look at Twilight. The lavender mare addressed the yellow pegasus, “And what do you think about John?”

Fluttershy hesitated before answering. “I don’t know.”

A silence fell over the group. Twilight broke it after a few moments, “I can understand if you don’t want to, but I would like it if you could meet him tomorrow Fluttershy.”

The pegasus hesitated before nodding and slinking away. She followed Rainbow through the door, heading to her own home.

Twilight looked back at her last three friends. “And how do the rest of you feel about him?”

Pinkie was the first to speak up. “I like him!”

“Of course you do sugarcube,” Applejack replied.

Rarity answered next, “I think that he is a fine fellow. If we had met him in a different situation, I think even Rainbow would have liked him.”

“Ah think he’s alright.” Applejack spoke up, “He convinced me to give him a chance, so ah think he might be able to convince Rainbow as well.”

Twilight smiled, “Well at least we are giving him a chance.”

Applejack looked at the lavender unicorn, “And why exactly are you so eager for us to like him?” The question brought the attention of the other two to Twilight as well.

“Well,” she began to respond, but she remembered that John had asked her not to tell anypony about the enhancements or about Morning Dew. “I can’t tell you exactly why, but John has made mistakes in the past that are not his fault. He is trying to atone for them. I think we should help him in his endeavor.”

“What exactly are these mistakes that he made?” Applejack knew when someone was skirting an answer.

“I can’t tell you,” Twilight answered. “John told me them in confidence. If he wants you to know, then he will tell you.”

Applejack dropped the issue, not wanting to put Twilight into that position. The grateful mare dropped the muffle spell and went to join the party.

Rainbow arrived at her cloud house. She threw the door open and slammed it behind her. She just couldn’t believe that Twilight was defending that monster like that. She raged for a few minutes before deciding to go to bed. She stomped into her room and threw herself onto her bed. She was immediately taken by sleep.

Her dreams were filled with darkness. Suddenly she could see, but the edges of her vision were black, as if she was wearing a helmet with a Y slit. She looked around and saw that she was wearing a deep black armor, standing in a large castle-like hall. She was following Chrysalis and three other changelings, but her body moved on its own. The two changelings in front were carrying a small yellow filly unicorn with green hair.

“Where are you taking me?!” The terrified filly struggled in their grip.

The other changeling spoke to Chrysalis, and Rainbow somehow knew that his name was Halberd. “Should I get the …”

Chrysalis cut Halberd off, “No, John shall do it.”

“Do what?” Rainbow heard herself say. Halberd only looked at her in pity. Rainbow fought against rising fear.

The group reached a set of doors, and the changelings in front opened them to reveal the outside of the building. They entered a small clearing that contained only a stone block sitting upon a stone platform. The platform looked like it had been cleaned often, and the block was chipped from many impacts.

Rainbow’s eyes widened as the changelings that held the little filly dragged her to the block and placed her neck upon it. Rainbow’s stomach churned as Chrysalis turned to her.

“John, draw your sword and execute her.” Chrysalis stated simply. The filly’s eyes widened and she began to cry.

“What?!” Rainbow’s mouth talked for her, “I can’t …” She was interrupted by a blinding pain erupting in the back of her head. She fell to her knees before the pain subsided. She felt herself stand up without doing it herself. She tried to stop her legs from advancing toward the block. Her hand moved against her wishes over her shoulder to draw the large black sword from her back. Her body did not obey her commands. “No! You can’t make me …”

“Do it John.” Chrysalis commanded, an edge in her tone.

“Please no!” The filly pleaded, her back held by one of the changelings. Tears streamed across her sideways face as she watched Rainbow approach her.

Rainbow stopped before the block and her arms raised themselves above her head. Her hands gripped the hilt of the sword against her command. Rainbow used every ounce of her strength and will to prevent them from falling. She closed her eyes as she felt her arms move of their own accord. She could only hear the sobs of the small filly until she felt the edge of the sword meet a small resistance. She heard and felt the sword hit the stone block as the cries of the filly stopped.

Rainbow’s eyes snapped open, and she expected to see her room, but she instead stood in a dark abyss. She looked around and saw the yellow filly from her dream. This filly, however had a stump where her horn should be.

“Hello Rainbow Dash.” The voice of the filly belonged to the body, but the tone seemed to be of a pony that had lived a long life, too long. “My name is Morning Dew.”

“I saw you,” Rainbow said, “in my nightmare, what are you doing here?”

“I have come to show you what you called a nightmare. It was actually a memory.”

“A memory?” Rainbow recoiled. “Who could be cursed with such a memory?”

“The same one that you call monster, Rainbow Dash.”

Rainbow realized who she was talking about. “John? He was the one who killed you?” Another thought presented itself, “You’re the filly that went missing from the resort town a few days before the wedding!”

“Yes, I am. And you felt what John felt the in the moments before John’s sword struck my neck. Who do you think really committed the murder.”

Rainbow looked down. “It wasn’t John. I felt the pain, felt my body moving by itself. I felt him fighting against the curse, but it was too powerful.”

The filly walked to Rainbow and looked up into her eyes. “John cannot be blamed for the evil of another, when he himself tried to fight it. He already blames himself, for everything he has done under the influence of the curse. Do you want to add to his burden when his actions actually saved your friend, rather than destroy her?”

Rainbow said nothing. Tears welled in her eyes. The dreamscape faded and Rainbow awoke. She looked out her bedroom window at the library. It was still night, and it seemed that ponies were just beginning to leave the party.

Rainbow rushed out of her room and shot out of her door. She needed to catch her friends before they left the party.

Author's Note

Another chapter is out, and right before I have to go to Calculus :facehoof:
Also, pulled Cloud Kicker's personality from this story

Discoveries

Blackest Knight
Chapter 17

John stood by the door, saying goodbye to the departing ponies. Cloud Kicker had invited him to her home, but he politely declined. He closed the door behind the last pony. Only he, Twilight, Pinkie, Applejack, and Rarity had stayed to clean up. Pinkie had already done … something … with the bouncy house. John looked around for some sign of it, but found none.

“So John,” Pinkie began as they began to clean, “You said that the changeling from the wedding was named Mimic right?”

“Yes,” John answered. Pinkie’s friends tried to stay close to the conversation.

“Were you friends with him?” The pink mare asked.

“Not really, I only knew him because he was on my team.”

“Were you friends with any of the changelings?”

John thought for a moment before replying, “Well, I guess I was kinda friends with my trainer, Halberd, and the medic Ditto. Maybe friends with my caretaker Versa, and his friend Vice.”

Pinkie began to laugh, “Their names were Vice and Versa?”

John and the other ponies looked at her.

“Get it?” She asked, “VICE VERSA!”

Silence fell over the group before they all started chuckling. “I never thought of that,” John said.

They continued cleaning and were nearly done when Rainbow Dash burst in the door. They froze at her sudden entrance and she walked right up to John.

“I know about Morning Dew,” she said simply. Three ponies were confused, while another pony and human were shocked. Rainbow stared into John’s eyes, but it was not a look of hostility. It seemed to be one of understanding. John sighed and lowered his gaze.

“Come,” he said, “all of you, I guess I have something to tell you. Twilight, make sure Spike is sleeping.” The purple unicorn nodded and went upstairs to check on the sleeping dragon. John led them to the sitting room where he had discussed the same thing the night before.

“How come Twilight isn’t coming?” Pinkie asked.

“She does not want to hear this again.” He paused before starting. “You all know of the filly that went missing from the resort town a few days before the wedding?”

Five ponies nodded their heads. They had a bad feeling about this story, both from Rainbow’s reaction, as well as Twilight avoiding hearing it.

John took a deep breath and began, “Her name was Morning Dew.”

As John finished his tale, three ponies looked at him in horror. Rainbow looked at her hooves, remembering how it felt to not be in control of her actions. John looked down at the scar on his arm. He had told them everything, the enhancements, his execution of Morning Dew, and the changelings implanting the filly’s horn in his left arm.

Rarity and Pinkie Pie were crying, their tears streaming down their cheeks. Applejack had taken off her hat and held it over her chest. Rainbow looked up at John as he finished. John could only look at the scar on his left arm. The permanent reminder of his failure to save the filly. He heard one of the ponies get up, and he figured that they were going to leave. He did not expect to feel a pair of forelegs wrap around him, and felt tears upon his shoulder.

John looked up and saw that Rainbow was hugging him, crying into his shoulder. Applejack, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie stood up as well and they hugged him as a group, the mares were still crying. The group stayed like this for a few minutes before Twilight entered. The mare stayed back as the group parted and the ponies sat down again.

“Rainbow,” Twilight asked, “How did you find out about Morning Dew?”

Rainbow wiped her eyes, “She came to me in a dream. I was having a nightmare, where I was stuck in John’s body as Chrysalis made him … kill her.” She paused for a moment, “Then she came and told me about the curse. Having felt the curse myself, I understood.”

“She came to me as well,” Twilight admitted. “She was the reason I wanted to help John so much.”

“She came to me as well,” John said, “the day after the last enhancement, Halberd was trying to teach me magic. I couldn’t use magic at all, but that night she visited me and said she gave me the gift of her magic.”

There was a pause before Rarity asked, “If a filly gave you her magic, shouldn’t that mean that you have the magical capacity of a filly? Or the magical knowledge of one?”

John realized he did not know the answer to her question, but Twilight added to it. “Yes, in fact last night, you cast a muffle spell around us. It’s an easy enough spell, but draining if not cast right. It’s very easy to mess up, but you cast it perfectly, so it barely took any energy. I barely know how to cast it perfectly.”

John thought about it. For some reason he knew many spells, but he realized he had no idea why he knew them. He was trying to remember how he knew the spells when an image flashed before his eyes. It was Morning Dew saying the word ‘memories.’

“I think I am drawing spells from Morning Dew’s memories.” John said.

Twilight looked at him skeptically, “Fillies aren’t taught the muffle spell, because its risk for magical backlash is high.”

John tried to think again, another image flashed in his mind. It was of an old unicorn.

“I think Morning Dew is trying to say something to me. I just got a picture of an old unicorn I’ve never seen before.”

Rarity asked, “Is she trying to say that you are learning spells through the memory of another unicorn?”

John was suddenly filled with a feeling of confirmation. “Yes.”

“Who?” Twilight asked.

John saw an image of a moonless night. “I see stars.” Another image, “I see a cup, being stirred.” Another image. “A … beard?”

Twilight gasped, “Starswirl the Bearded?”

John felt a wave of confirmation. “Yes.”

“Why is he giving you his memories?” Twilight’s eyes were twice as wide as normal.

John saw an image of science experiments. “Scientific … research? I think he is giving me memories in exchange for studying me.”

Rainbow started laughing, “Even in death, Twilight’s idol is still an egghead.”

Twilight ignored the jibe, “Why is he studying you?”

John waited for another image, but none came. “I don’t know, I’m not getting any images.”

Twilight glared at Rainbow, “He probably got angry about your comment.”

Rarity interjected, “Or maybe it’s because his reason is too complex to describe with an image?”

Twilight let it go, but turned to John, “Can you tell me some of these spells?”

John felt a wave of negativity. “I don’t think he wants me to.”

Twilight’s jaw dropped. “Why not?!”

John chuckled at the next image, “You look a little insane in that image. And I’m getting a slight feeling of fear, intimidation. Then an image of an evil Twilight.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Twilight glared at him.

John replied. “I think he’s trying to tell you that normal ponies shouldn’t have access to these spells. It would drive them mad with power.” He got a wave of confirmation. “He just confirmed that.”

Twilight harrumphed and let the issue go.

“I think it’s about time we should be going.” Applejack commented, the moon was at about a quarter of its rotation.

The other ponies agreed and they departed. John and Twilight retired to their beds.

Rainbow was flying back to her home when she suddenly got the feeling that she should see Fluttershy in the morning.

Fluttershy awoke the next morning and walked to her mirror. She brushed her mane quickly and went downstairs for breakfast. She fed her animals and settled down for her own meal. She ate and was about to wash the dishes when she heard knocking on her door.

Fluttershy quickly remembered that John and Twilight would be visiting her today. She suddenly grew nervous. She did not know why she was nervous, because it wasn’t fear. She cleared her head and opened the door to reveal Rainbow Dash. She invited the cyan pegasus inside.

“Hello Fluttershy,” Rainbow stepped inside and Fluttershy closed the door behind her. “Sorry for dropping by, but I just suddenly got the feeling that I should come talk to you this morning.”

Fluttershy tilted her head as she and Rainbow sat down on her couches. “What did you want to talk about?”

Rainbow hesitated while she thought about why she came over. “I don’t really know myself, but last night I was visited by a little filly in my dreams. I think that she wanted me to come here.

Fluttershy’s eyes grew. “Morning Dew visited you?”

Rainbow took a double take at her friend. “How did you know about Morning Dew?”

Fluttershy answered, “She visited me at the wedding. When John captured us and took us into the wedding hall, she appeared beside me and told me not to worry.” Rainbow’s eyes grew as Fluttershy spoke. “When the changeling grabbed me, Morning Dew told me that no harm would come to me. She told me to look into John’s eyes, and when I did, I saw something.”

“John was wearing that helmet though,” Rainbow said, “we couldn’t see anything in there”

“I don’t know why, but I think the light hit him just right, and I could see into his grey eyes.”

There was a pause before Rainbow asked, “What did you see in John’s eyes.”

Fluttershy tried to think about what it was, “I don’t know, but it made me feel safe.”

Author's Note

John is discovering things about himself, and so are the ponies.
Might also try to get a chapter out tonight, but I don't know if I'll be able to.

Herbs

Blackest Knight
Chapter 18

John was already awake when Twilight awoke. She met him in the sitting room, “Why don’t we get breakfast at Sugarcube Corner? I’ll let Spike sleep in for once.”

“Alright,” John followed her out the door and they walked silently to the bakery.

“Hello Twilight, hello John!” Mrs. Cake greeted them when they entered.

John made sure to scan the area as he entered. He checked everywhere around him and made sure that the pink mare was nowhere in sight. He even checked the ceiling. Not a flash of pink was to be seen and he returned the greeting to the blue mare.

“We decided to let Spike sleep in today, and I didn’t want to make a mess in the kitchen, so we came here for breakfast.”

“Breakfast?” A familiar voice called from upstairs.

John’s eyes snapped to the stairs. He was going to watch them until she came down.

“Hello John!” A pink face filled his vision. John hadn’t even blinked, she was just suddenly there. He managed not to jump this time. Barely. “Hello Twilight,” Pinkie said as John felt the familiar weight suddenly burden his shoulders and waist.

Twilight yelped again. She had been watching the stairs as well. “Uh, hello Pinkie. Um, where did you come from?”

Pinkie jumped off John. “Upstairs silly.”

John and Twilight exchanged looks. They decided not to pursue the question.

“So you said that you’re here for breakfast? That means I get to make John a super duper cupcake!” Pinkie rushed off to the kitchen.

John realized something, “I never told them that I can’t eat.”

Twilight facehoofed. “This is the worst time to tell her now.”

“Why?” John’s question would go unanswered as Pinkie returned with a large cupcake on a tray. She set it on a table and looked at John expectantly.

“Here you go John!”

John hesitated, “Um, Pinkie?”

“Yes!” Her eyes shone.

“Uh, I can’t eat.”

Pinkie Pie did not move. Her mane slowly deflated after a pause. It hung flat from her head before her face slowly changed to one of utter sadness. Her eyes grew as well as her pupils. Tears began to well as she asked, “Are … are you allergic … to cupcakes.”

John felt demolished to see Pinkie in this state. “No, I’m not allergic to cupcakes, I meant that I cannot eat at all. My stomach won’t accept the food.”

John didn’t think it was possible for her to look sadder, but she managed it somehow. Her head fell, “So you can’t eat my cupcake?” Her voice was tinged with tears.

John looked at the sullen mare. “Um, I guess I can eat your cupcake.”

Pinkie’s mane reflated instantly and she returned to the normal happy mare, except that her grin was wider than John thought physically possible. “Really?!”

He could, but he’d be in complete discomfort until he threw it up later. “Yes.”

Pinkie squeed in excitement and John sat down to eat. Twilight sat down with a daisy sandwich opposite him. John took the cupcake and bit into it. His taste buds flared to life. It was actually one of the best cupcakes he had ever had, but his stomach instantly began to churn. He ate it quickly.

“Was it good?” Pinkie asked before he swallowed the last bite.

“Yes,” John replied. “In fact, it was probably the best cupcake I’ve ever had.” It was not a lie, but his stomach seemed to have really liked its lax life and did not enjoy the intrusion of the tasty treat.

Twilight had finished her sandwich and they left before Pinkie tried to get John to try more of her treats. “Are you alright John?”

“Yeah, I think I’ll be - hurgh!” John’s stomach betrayed him by trying to return the cupcake.

Twilight sighed, “Let’s swing by the library before going to Fluttershy’s.”

John and Twilight left the library, and a dragon that was not happy about the toilet, and made their way to Fluttershy’s cottage. They arrived just as Rainbow Dash was leaving.

“Hello Rainbow!” Twilight hailed the pegasus.

“Hey guys,” She returned before flying off. Twilight knocked on Fluttershy’s door.

The door opened and Fluttershy greeted them. “Oh, um, hello Twilight.” John almost couldn’t hear her voice. “Hello John.” She waved them in.

“How are you doing today Fluttershy?” Twilight asked as Fluttershy closed the door behind them.

“Well … I was about to go out and collect some herbs for Angel, he’s sick.”

“Why don’t you let John and me help?” Twilight asked. “That will help it go faster.”

“Well, if you don’t mind.” Fluttershy looked between the unicorn and the human.

“We don’t mind,” John answered.

“Well, thanks then.” Fluttershy showed them a book with pictures of the herbs they would need.

“I know those herbs,” Twilight noted. “They are native to the Everfree forest.”

“The forest out there?” John asked. Fluttershy nodded confirmation. She looked a little nervous about going into the Everfree. “Is it dangerous?”

“Quite so,” Twilight answered. “Many dangerous beasts lurk out there, but if we don’t go too far in, we should be fine.”

“Well, I have my sword just in case, let’s go,” John said. Fluttershy handed out three glass jars each. John led the way into the forest. They split up to cover more area, John and Twilight went left and right respectively, Fluttershy went straight.

John searched for around half an hour before he found a large patch of the herbs. He gathered a bunch of them into two of the jars. He was about to gather more when he noticed a patch of bright blue flowers. He figured that two jars would be enough of the herbs, so he decided to gather six of the flowers. He could give one to each of the six ponies, as a symbol of friendship. He carefully plucked each one by the stem, so as not to disturb the petals, and placed them gently into his third jar. He secured the jars to a makeshift rope belt and prepared to leave when he heard a scream.

Fluttershy went forward while John and Twilight split off. Her saddlebags were filled with the empty jars. She walked slowly through the forest. The yellow mare had always been afraid of these woods, and always hated entering them, but the market had been out of these herbs and Angel needed them now.

Fluttershy quickly found a small patch of herbs, but they only filled one of the jars. She continued her search and found another small patch after around the twenty minute mark. She found a third patch in a small clearing ten minutes later, but as she was removing the last jar from her saddle bags, she heard a growl. She snapped toward the sound.

A large wooden timberwolf stepped from the shadows. Fluttershy’s eyes grew in fear and she was about to run away when her hoof caught on an unearthed root. The root twisted her hoof and she fell. The jar flew from her grasp and landed near the timberwolf. The wooden beast backed away to avoid the flying glass as the jar shattered.

Fluttershy tried to pick herself back up, but her injured hoof could not support her weight. She screamed in pain and fear. The timberwolf licked its teeth as it realized its prey was helpless. Fluttershy tried to crawl from the beast, but she backed into a tree. The timberwolf slowly approached her while four others emerged from the forest behind it, and she screamed again.

Suddenly, a jar filled with blue flowers struck the lead timberwolf’s head. Fluttershy recognized the blue flowers immediately as one landed next to her. She looked back at the timberwolf that had been struck as it shook its head. Its jaw fell off. The timberwolf looked down at the fallen jaw for a moment before yipping and retreating back into the forest. The other four timberwolves stayed however, and faced the direction the jar had come from.

John emerged from the trees and drew his sword. The large black sword made the timberwolves hesitate, but one launched itself at him. John deftly sidestepped and brought his left arm down on the leaping beast. His arm sparked and hit the timberwolf down to the ground unconscious from the knock out spell.

A second timberwolf lunged at John, but he caught his sword in its mouth. The timberwolf bit down on it as John grabbed its throat and delivered the same spell. He coated the timberwolf with the spell as well and picked it up off the ground. He threw the beast into another, and the coating delivered the knock out spell to its third victim.

The fourth timberwolf tried to feint John, who pretended to take the bait. The beast lunged at his exposed right side to find John ready for it. He sidestepped and delivered a final knockout spell in a punch that connected with the timberwolf in midair.

John sheathed his sword as he turned to Fluttershy. Twilight bust into the clearing moments after John dispatched the timberwolves. She saw John walking toward Fluttershy, as well as four bodies surrounding the duo.

“Are you alright?” John asked Fluttershy.

“I … I think I twisted my hoof.”

John knelt over her and took her injured hoof in his right hand to examine it. His gentle touch calmed Fluttershy, and he was careful not to hurt her. He raised his left hand over the hoof and Fluttershy felt it become numb.

“I healed it, but I think it will be numb for an hour or so, so that the pain doesn’t return.” He slung Fluttershy’s dropped saddlebags over his back and scooped her up. “Let’s get you home to rest.” He began to walk, carrying her in both arms and heading back toward her cottage.

“How did you know about the poison joke?” Fluttershy asked as they walked. Twilight caught up to them.

“The what?” John asked.

“The blue flowers, they are called poison joke. They infect ponies by playing a practical joke on them.” Fluttershy looked up as John chuckled.

“I was actually picking some to give to you and your friends. I didn’t know they did anything bad.” The two began to laugh and Twilight walked behind them, smiling.

Fluttershy fell silent and rested her head against John’s chest. She could hear his heartbeat. They walked on. His gentle heartbeat and the gentle movement of his arms as he walked lulled Fluttershy to sleep. She felt safe.

Colors

Blackest Knight
Chapter 19

John stifled a chuckle as Fluttershy fell asleep in his arms. He didn’t want to wake her up. The attack by those wooden wolves probably took its toll on the timid mare.

“I have a question for you John.” Twilight did not know that Fluttershy had fallen asleep.

John quietly shushed her, and she trotted up beside him to see the sleeping for of the pegasus. “Go ahead,” John said quietly. “Just be a little quite. She deserves to rest.”

“Well,” Twilight began in a lower tone, “I was wondering why you didn’t use your sword. The timberwolves were more of a threat to you without your armor.”

John looked down at Fluttershy, her head resting on his chest. “I knew that Fluttershy liked animals, and I knew she wouldn’t like it if any animal were to be harmed.”

Twilight stopped in her tracks. John had risked his life to keep from upsetting Fluttershy. She trotted quickly to catch up again, “Then what was the spell you used on them? I saw you dispatch the last one with it.”

“It was a spell that suppressed consciousness. It effectively knocked them out. They will awake in an hour or two.”

“I have never even heard of a spell like that. Could you teach me sometime?”

John waited to see if Starswirl had any doubts of teaching the mare. He got a feeling of deep thought, contemplation. Then confirmation. Lastly was a picture of a hoof touching something. “I think that Starswirl has no objections, but the spell only works through touch. I was able to coat one of the timberwolves with the spell and throw it at another though.”

Twilight contemplated his answer. “So it wouldn’t be of much use against someone trained at melee combat if they can block or dodge. Being able to coat objects and throw them may be useful though.”

They broke through the tree line and made their way into Fluttershy’s cottage. John set her on her bed and they left. Twilight asked John to return to the library and help Spike with his chores, as well as clean the toilet. She was going to talk to her friends.

Twilight’s friends gathered in Sugarcube Corner. Twilight recounted the events of the day. “I was only able to see him knock out the last timberwolf.”

“Wait,” Applejack interrupted her story, “John knocked them out? Why didn’t he use that big sword of his?”

“Yeah?” Rainbow added. “The way he always brings it with him, I suspected it would be the first thing he’d use to defend himself.”

“I asked him that as well,” Twilight answered. “He said that he didn’t use the sword because Fluttershy was there.”

Silence fell over the group. Pinkie broke it by asking, “Why would Fluttershy make him not want to use the sword?”

“He told me before that he is a good judge of character, and he knew that she really like animals.”

Rarity interjected, “And he didn’t want to hurt animals in front of her?”

“Yes.” Twilight’s answer brought another silence.

Applejack hesitated before asking, “So he risked his life instead of just killing them quickly, because he didn’t want her to be sad?”

“I guess so,” Rarity answered.

Pinkie burst into tears, “That’s so beautiful!”

“I’m sure he didn’t mean it that way,” Twilight quieted her friend. “He was doing it because he knew she was probably still scared of him.” Rainbow jumped as she said that, but Twilight paid no mind. “In fact, he threw a jar of poison joke at one of them, because he had picked one for each of us as a sign of friendship.”

Her friends looked at her and laughed at his naiveté. They were interrupted as Spike burst through the door. “There you are Twilight! Come quick! Something happened to John!”

The five mares looked at each other before jumping up and bolting out the door.

The five mares looked at John, each could only barely hold back laughter.

John noticed this and sighed. A blue cloud of breath escaped his mouth. “Well, are you just going to stand there?” A blue cloud escaped with every word. His normal, semi-deep voice was now high pitched, as if he had gotten hold of helium, and held a drawl akin to Applejack’s. His short brown hair, now pink, waved in a non-existent breeze. His skin was now a bright shade of cyan. His grey irises stayed the same, but the white around them was now lavender and the pupils were a butter yellow. His arm hair had turned a purple that seemed reminiscent of Rarity’s mane. “Yes, Ah guess Ah learned the effects of the poison joke.”

The mares couldn’t hold back their laughter. They rolled on the ground as the multicolored human glared at them. “Ah don’t know how to fix this mahself, so ya’ll better git up.” The high pitched drawl only fueled their laughter. Even Spike was chuckling from the other room.

John waited impatiently for the ponies to pick themselves back up, but each time they caught a look at him, they broke into even more laughter. John finally retreated into the guest room and donned his armor. He walked back out as the mares’ laughter began to subside.

Twilight wiped her eyes as she looked at the armored human. “Ahem, haha, ahem, anyways, I guess we better go to Zecora’s.” She turned to John. “We are going to take you to a zebra named Zecora. She can brew you a bath that will reverse the effects of the poison joke.”

John made the mistake of answering. “Alright, let’s go.”

After the laughter subsided once again, the five mares led the human to the edge of the Everfree forest.

“We’re going back in there?” John’s high pitched drawl asked, to she sniggers of the ponies.

Twilight answered, “Yes, luckily there is a path to Zecora’s, and it won’t take long to get there.”

The group quickly traversed the path and soon found themselves before the wooden hut nestled in the forest. Twilight knocked on the door.

A voice emanated from inside, “Ah, ponies have come to knock on my door. I can only hope that none of them are sore.” The door opened to reveal a zebra with a striped mohawk, a large gold earring, and gold rings adorning her neck and left foreleg. “Ah, friends are here instead of foe, though there is one that I do not know.”

“Hello Zecora,” Twilight said, “This is John. He’s the human that saved Canterlot from the changeling invasion.”

The zebra hummed and waved them in. she closed the door behind them. “So is it John that needs healing? Or have you come for another dealing?”

“Actually,” Twilight laughed nervously, “John got into a patch of poison joke.”

John forgot about his voice when he asked, “Do ya’ll always speak in rhyme?”

Zecora tried to stifle her laughter, but it came through as a coughing chuckle. “Yes, I usually speak in rhyme, it is a habit I acquired over time. Now, though, for you, a bath I must brew.” The zebra busied herself with gathering many ingredients and mixing them together into a large pot. She set a fire under the pot and stirred it occasionally as she went on.

“So Ah take it this aint the first time she’s brewed this bath before?” John’s voice brought more chuckles, but the novelty had worn off.

Twilight answered with a blush, “Yes, us five and Fluttershy wandered into a patch ourselves once.”

“Please elaborate.”

Twilight told him the story of their first run in with poison joke as Zecora readied the bath. She finished as Zecora poured the brew into a bath and John stripped his armor before entering. Zecora had to stifle another laugh as she saw John’s appearance.

John quickly entered the bath. He could feel a slight tingle in his body as it returned to normal. He dunked his head and came back up with a sigh. No blue cloud escaped his lips. “Well, that was an experience,” he said in his normal voice.

Author's Note

You know, I looked up some pictures of Zecora to help describe her, and found out that the rings on her foreleg will actually switch sides depending on which side faces the camera. :rainbowhuh: I decided to go off that it is on her left foreleg because it usually is when she faces the camera.

Prank

Blackest Knight
Chapter 20

John, Twilight, and her friends walked back into town. John had donned his armor again, but held his helm in the crook of his arm. He was back to normal and would not make any of the ponies burst into laughter, but he could hear Rainbow and Pinkie snickering behind him. He walked next to Twilight in silence. Usually the unicorn would pester the human with endless questions, but she decided to let John have a break after his poison joke experience.

“So what are we doing now,” John decided he could question the unicorn for a change.

“I don’t know, maybe you can go with the girls, and find something to do. I need to write a letter to Celestia.”

“I think I need to return to the Boutique,” Rarity interjected. “I am still working on some clothes for John and plan to have them finished by tonight.”

“And Ah’ve gotta get back to the farm.” Applejack added.

Rainbow shot between them and said, “Me and Pinkie will take John!” Twilight turned to see Pinkie nodding her head furiously. Both mares had wide, mischievous grins.

Twilight suddenly had a bad feeling about leaving the human with them, but John answered for her, “That sounds fine to me.”

Rainbow and Pinkie jumped into the air and highhoofed each other. They immediately dragged John away. Twilight, Rarity, and Applejack looked at each other nervously.

“Ah don’t think that may have been the brightest idea,” Applejack stated.

“I agree,” Twilight said. They split off on their separate ways.

Celestia was taking a break from day court when she received a report from Twilight. She quickly glanced over it and proceeded to take the report to her sister’s room. “Luna, wake up you lazy mule!”

Luna glared at her sister that had rudely interrupted her slumber. “What is it sister?”

“You know you had duties today,” Celestia answered. “You were supposed to finish the apology report to the bakery down the street.”

Luna groaned, “I forgot how strong my moonshine was.”

“That’s not an excuse for crashing through their front window,” Celestia stated.

“But …”

“Or eating the deserts.”

“I …”

“For crying out loud, not even I could eat that much cake at once!”

“That’s not …” Luna sighed, “Okay, that one is true.”

“And I’m not even going to mention what you did to the counter.”

“The …”

“That poor filly is probably scarred for life.”

“It couldn’t have been …”

“And you still need to pay for the utensils.”

Luna glared at Celestia. “Is that the only reason you came in here?”

“No, actually I just received Twilight’s first report on John.” Celestia looked at the report again, “It seems that he’s already made friends with the Bearers, though he’s admitted that Pinkie Pie worries him.”

“Worries him?!” Luna gaped. “She downright terrifies me!”

“Yes, anyways, Twilight also mentions that he saved Fluttershy from a timberwolf attack, and describes a … situation with poison joke. By her description, I wish I could have been there to see it.”

“Well maybe I can ‘convince’ him to show me when I visit his dreams for his side of the report. Though I do not like the idea of visiting his dreams before the entire week passes.”

Celestia looked at Luna in confusion. “Why do you say that?”

“Last time I visited his dreams, he made several … jokes. The last one was that I could visit his dreams more than once a week. He included a wink.”

Celestia stood looking at her sister. She suddenly burst out laughing. “If he is unafraid to tease you like that, it seems I need to chat with him more often,” she earned a glare from Luna.

John was dragged after Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash. He was amused by their enthusiasm.

“Pinkie told me that you like pranking, is that right?” Rainbow asked.

“Yes.” John chuckled, he had a feeling where this was going. Twilight probably wouldn’t like it.

“That’s awesome, we have a few plans, and some of them wouldn’t happen without you.” Rainbow dragged them into a bush. She peeked out.

John followed her gaze to see a light green unicorn with a white and green mane. He saw a stringed instrument on her flank, and it reminded him of a question he thought Twilight wouldn’t have liked to be asked. “Since I’m with you two, would you mind answering a question for me?”

“Yeah?” Rainbow asked, still watching the mare.

“I’ve seen markings on every pony’s flank, one that the changelings didn’t have, and I was wondering what they were.”

Pinkie answered him, “Those are our cutie marks silly! Everypony gets one when they discover their special talent!” She paused, “Don’t you have one?”

“No, humans don’t get cutie marks, so they just appear?”

“Yep!”

Rainbow interjected, “So why did you wait till now to ask?”

“Well, Twilight can get flustered easily, and I didn’t want her thinking I was checking her out.”

“Why would she get mad if you saw her cutie mark?” Pinkie asked.

John chuckled, it was a silly thought considering that the ponies didn’t wear clothes. “In my world, looking at a woman below her neck would make her angry.”

Rainbow shushed them, “Hold on, Lyra’s moving.”

“So why are we even watching her?” John asked.

“Well, Lyra is a huge nut about mythical beings like humans, so we decided that we could use you to prank her.”

“Wait, I’m a mythical being?”

“Yeah, we all thought that she was just making you up, but I guess you are real. Anyways, she was out of town until today, so she doesn’t even know you’re here yet.”

Pinkie elaborated on the plan, “We just need you to go talk to her. We’ve already got the town to join us in the prank.”

“Wait, the whole town?”

“Yep, just pretend that the other ponies can’t see you.”

“Wait, what?” The two ponies were already gone. John sighed and got out of the bush to follow Lyra, putting his helm on.

John walked behind the light green unicorn for a few moments before she felt his presence behind her. She turned around, expecting to see another pony, but her eyes widened in shock. John stopped several feet from her. The other ponies on the street were trying to hide smirks, having already been told by Rainbow and Pinkie. Lyra looked at him for several moments before blurting out, “You’re a human!”

John was a little disconcerted that she knew immediately what he was. Most other ponies had no clue, but he guessed that she was obsessed with mythology. “Yes,” John deepened his tone and spoke slower, to make himself sound more ominous. “I am a human!” He raised his arms in dramatic effect. He could see Pinkie and Rainbow hiding around the corner, giggling.

“Wow!” Stars shone in Lyra’s eyes. “I can’t believe I’m meeting a real human! I have to tell ponies.” She looked around, “Hey, everypony! It’s a human!” She pointed at John.

Surrounding ponies looked at Lyra, but they were in on the joke. Twilight rounded the corner, and waved at John before Rainbow grabbed her and dragged her into the alley. The ponies surrounding John and Lyra looked at the green mare, pretending not to notice John. They carried on with their business.

“Don’t you ponies see him?!” Lyra asked the surrounding ponies. They shook their heads, trying to hide smiles.

“Lyra,” John spoke.

She snapped her head to him. “You know my name?!”

“Yes Lyra, and you are the only pony that can see me.” Pinkie, Rainbow, and Twilight peeked back around the corner. Pinkie and Rainbow were giggling, Twilight looked disapproving.

“Why can only I see you?” Lyra asked. She did not noticed the three ponies that were watching them.

“I have come with grave news, Lyra,” John began, improvising. “Equestria is doomed, and you are the only pony that can save it.”

“Me?! What about the Elements of Harmony?”

“The Elements will not be strong enough to face the coming darkness Lyra, but if you do what I say, you can prevent utter destruction.”

“Just tell me what I have to do!” Rainbow and Pinkie were bursting at the seams, only barely able to contain their laughter. Twilight shook her head.

“You must bounce in place three times.”

Lyra looked at him, confused, as did Pinkie, Rainbow, and Twilight. “How will that help?”

“Do not question the human!”

Lyra hopped in place three times. Pinkie and Rainbow began rolling on the ground, trying to muffle their laughter. “Is that it?” Lyra asked.

“Close your eyes and spin around five times.”

Lyra obeyed, Pinkie and Rainbow were beginning to grow red faces. Twilight looked disapprovingly at John.

“Stand on one forehoof.”

Lyra obliged, believing it was for the good of Equestria. Tears were streaming from the eyes of Pinkie and Rainbow. Surrounding ponies were trying to stifle laughter as well.

“Now, there is one last thing you must do.” John leaned in next to Lyra’s ear. Twilight, Rainbow, and Pinkie looked on in wonder.

“I can’t do that!” Lyra cried.

“You must do it or Equestria will be destroyed!” John could barely hold back laugher himself.

Lyra looked around in desperation. Her eyes landed on Twilight. “Twilight! Thank goodness you’re already here!” Twilight could only look on in confusion as Lyra ran up to her. “You have to forgive me for this, it’s for the good of Equestria!”

“What are you talk…” Twilight was cut off and her eyes grew wide and pupils small as Lyra reached her head forward. Rainbow and Pinkie looked on in horrified glee as the green unicorn’s tongue came out and she pressed it to Twilight’s cutie mark. Twilight froze as Lyra ran her tongue up her body, ending on her neck, before Lyra withdrew.

“JOHN!”

Author's Note

I had so much fun writing this chapter, especially the last part :rainbowlaugh:
I will leave Luna's antics to your imaginations for now :pinkiecrazy: I may make a one shot about it if you want it badly enough.
Also, I will be leaving for the weekend, and won't have my computer. :fluttercry: This will be the last chapter until Sunday sometime.

Starswirl

Blackest Knight
Chapter 21

Lyra was not happy. To say she was absolutely livid was an understatement. However, she was not mad about the prank. She was not mad that John had convinced her to act like a fool. She was not mad that he made her lick Twilight from flank to neck (She secretly thought that was the best part). What she was mad about was that everypony already knew about the human but her.

“I swear, Bon Bon has some explaining to do,” she thought aloud.

John overheard, and asked, “You mean the mare that owns the candy store? She seems like a nice person though.”

Lyra was even angrier that her own marefriend had met the human and did not bother to send a letter to the one pony she knew would be excited about the appearance of a human. She stalked off the find Bon Bon.

“She doesn’t seem happy that we pranked her,” John noted.

“I thought she would be jumping for joy that she finally met a human,” Rainbow said. “She’s obsessed with them.”

Twilight, who was livid about her part in the prank, decided to add her opinion, “She is probably angry at being humiliated.”

Pinkie and Rainbow laughed. Rainbow answered, “I think that you are probably angrier about it than she is.”

Twilight decided to turn and return to the library. John, Pinkie, Rainbow, and several of the bystanders laughed for a few moments before returning to their days. John asked what the next prank was.

“We have a lot of pranks to do today!” Pinkie answered. “So many that the author probably is just going to skip tonight!”

“What?” John and Rainbow asked.

‘What?’ The author … ‘Wait …’

“It’s okay Mr. Author, you can interject into the story.”

‘No Pinkie, I can’t. That’s not my writing style. Now stop breaking the fourth wall before they throw you into an institution.’

“Who are you talking to Pinkie?” John asked, confused.

“Don’t worry, it’s just Pinkie Pie being Pinkie Pie,” Rainbow answered.

“So,” John paused, “Does this mean that the … er … author … is being lazy?”

‘No it doesn’t you little … Never mind, he can’t hear me. I’m just going to transition to night.’

That night, John’s dreams were filled by a black void. Morning Dew faded into view, along with a grey, white bearded unicorn stallion with a purple robe and purple pointed hat. Both were inlaid with starry patterns.

“Hello John,” Morning Dew greeted him. She turned to the grey unicorn, “This is Starswirl. He wanted to meet you.”

“Greetings,” Starswirl greeted him.

“Hello,” John replied.

Starswirl approached the human and looked into his eyes. “I have heard much about you, and might have tried to meet you sooner, but meeting you in this void is … uncomfortable. I have grown used to the feeling of afterlife. This little filly has not.”

Morning Dew offered a weary smile. “He has studied you for some time, but can only glean so much information without personally meeting you.” Her eyes turned to the unicorn, “Hurry with the questions though, Luna is trying to enter John’s dreams as well.”

Starswirl turned back to John. “I was just wanting to ask you if you knew anything about magic in your world.”

John replied, “There is no magic in my world. We had stories about it, but they were works of fiction.”

“So the only knowledge of spells is what I have passed onto you?”

“Yes.”

“That is strange, because I did not pass onto you my skill for casting spells, yet you seem able to cast spells advanced for many unicorns, even knowledgeable unicorns like Twilight Sparkle. I theorize that your kind have an inborn natural gift for it, but must unlock the ability somehow.”

John shook his head. “How can humans have an inborn skill they cannot use?”

“I think that your world merely has no magical energy. I believe every living being is capable of magic, but the world they live on must possess a magical energy they can tap into.”

Morning Dew interrupted the questionnaire, “You must wrap it up Starswirl, Luna is becoming angry.”

Starswirl looked angry that he could not ask more questions. “I will leave you with a warning then, John. Magic may be able to do many things, but there are some that it cannot, and some that it should not be used for. I have deemed some spells as forbidden for a reason.”

“And I will leave you with a warning as well,” Morning Dew added. “You are a being unbound by fate, but fate still binds those around you.”

John was about to ask them for explanations when he suddenly found himself in an open field under a large tree. Stars dotted the moonless sky, and he remembered the field as the same one from his first dream Luna had interrupted.

“John,” the human tuned around to see who had spoken, and saw the Princess of the Night herself, “Why did you block me from your dreams?”

John paused for a moment. “I didn’t block you, I was just speaking to Morning Dew, though. I think she was the one blocking you.”

Luna contemplated his answer. “Morning Dew is the filly from the resort town, right?”

“Yes, Cadence told you about her?”

“Yes. I have come, however, for your side of Twilight’s report. She claims that you have saved Fluttershy from a pack of timberwolves, am I correct?”

“Yes.”

“She also wrote that you had an incident with poison joke,” Luna began to smile, “I would like to know the details.”

John shrugged, “Not much of a story.”

Luna smirked, “I do have ways of controlling your dreams, you know this right?”

John suddenly felt a shiver run through his body. He looked down to reveal the cyan skin from the poison joke. He glared at Luna. She looked as if she was trying not to laugh. “Alright,” John’s voice changed to the high pitched drawl again, “Ah guess it was a bit of a story.”

His voice sent Luna over the edge, she collapsed onto the ground, laughing and rolling in the grass. John chuckled as well, and the sound sent Luna into hysteric laughter.

“Ya know, if ya’ll think this is sexy, then ah can get some more poison joke for your next visit.”

Luna’s laughter stopped abruptly at the tease, and she glared at John.

While John woke up with a sore chest again in Ponyville, Luna withdrew from the dreamscape in Canterlot. She walked to her sister’s room to deliver John’s report while she lowered the moon.

“So does John seem that he is fitting into Ponyville?” Celestia asked.

Luna paused as Celestia rose the sun. “I actually didn’t get a chance to ask him.”

Celestia looked at her sister. “And why not?”

Luna touched her horn to Celestia’s and shared the memory. When they broke away, Celestia collapsed to the floor, rolling with laughter. “Very mature sister,” Luna looked away.

“I was not only laughing about his teasing sister,” Celestia said between laughs. “It was the voice that cracked me up.”

Author's Note

I'm back! :pinkiehappy: And Pinkie is breaking the fourth wall to celebrate :pinkiecrazy:
I'm also still thinking about doing the Luna in the bakery one shot. Tell me if there is anything you would like to see.

Boredom

Blackest Knight
Chapter 22

John chuckled as he woke. Luna had, once again, kicked him awake. He rose, his chest sore, and walked down to the kitchen to prepare breakfast for Twilight and Spike.

As he was finishing preparing two bowls of a salad, Spike walked in, bleary eyed. “Hello John. Thanks for making breakfast, saves me from having to do it.”

“You’re welcome, why don’t you go wake Twilight?”

Spike left to wake the unicorn. She walked in with a bleary glare at John. “I was having a good dream.”

“Was it about me?” John winked.

“Wha …” Her cheeks flushed and she threw a more intense glare at the human. “No.”

“Then it couldn’t have been that good.” John chuckled as he served the two bowls.

“Thanks,” Spike dug in.

“Thanks,” Twilight copied through red cheeks.

John stretched and his back popped audibly. A satisfied grunt followed. “What’s the plan today?”

Twilight finished chewing the bite she took before answering, “I was going to do some studies, so maybe you can find one of our friends to take you out on the town or something.”

John nodded, grabbed his sword from the guest room, and headed outside. He looked around, trying to decide what to do when he noticed a light green head poking around the side of a nearby building. He looked at it and it disappeared behind the building. He was beginning to think it was Lyra from the other day when she peeked back out and confirmed it. She ducked back behind the building, but John was more perceptive than she took him for. He decided to humor the mare and started down the street.

John had meandered through the town for some time when he spied a large cloud house. It seemed to move of its own accord. “If that’s not the house of a pegasus, then I’m Luna’s uncle,” John spoke to himself before calling up to the house, “Rainbow Dash!”

A cyan head with a rainbow colored mane peeked over the side of the house. “Who’s there?”

“Celestia’s long lost brother!” John called back the answer.

Rainbow jumped from the house and glided down to the human. “Very funny.”

“She banished me to the sun for a thousand years. I came back to meet the ladies.”

“Too bad they don’t want to meet you.”

They both laughed until John finally asked, “So you doing anything today? Twilight’s studying so she sent me out.”

“Of course she’s studying. I’m surprised she hasn’t written an essay about you yet. And actually, I wave weather duty this morning, and I don’t think you could help with that.”

John laughed, “I guess I’ll have to find some other way to spend the day then, until you teach me how to fly.”

“Right after you teach me how to stick my head up my plot.”

“Ah, that’s the easy part. The hard part is getting it back out.” They laughed again before parting ways.

John walked down to Sugarcube corner, still followed by Lyra, and braced himself. He stepped through the door. He started scanning every inch of the room. Mrs. Cake was standing at the counter and noticed his actions. “Don’t worry, Pinkie is busy baking today, and she can’t leave the kitchen.”

“Ah,” John answered. “Well, I was going to see if she was busy anyways, and I guess she is. I’ll get out of your hair then.”

“Alright, I’ll tell her you said …”

Mrs. Cake was interrupted by a voice emanating from the kitchen, “Hi John!”

John called back, “Hello Pinkie.” He turned back to Mrs. Cake, “I’ll take my leave then.”

He exited and decided to check Carousel Boutique. He noticed that Lyra was still following him, but she didn’t know that he knew. John knocked on the Boutique and heard Rarity call, “Come in!” John entered.

“Well, hello John!” Rarity greeted him as he stepped in. “What brings you here?”

“Twilight kicked me out of the library today,” John answered, “so I was just wanting to see if you needed any help or something.”

“Actually,” Rarity replied. “I’m still working on your clothes, and I really don’t want you to see them until they’re all finished, so I don’t think I can use your help today. It is much appreciated though.”

John paused before saying, “You’ve been working on them for some time now, just how many are you making?”

“Well, I actually am not making very many sets of clothes, only enough to last between laundry days, but the designs are ones I have never made before, so I’m taking my time.”

John narrowed his eyes, “Just don’t go overboard with them, I just need clothes to cover myself, not to attend fancy parties.” He left as Rarity became flustered and gibbering about how she didn’t know what he was talking about.

Shaking his head, John started on his way to Sweet apple acres. Fluttershy’s cottage was closer, but he thought she could use a break from excitement after the day before.

As he approached the farm, he could see Lyra trying her best to dash stealthily between the apple trees. She even did a little roll a couple times. One of the rolls rewarded her with an impact into a tree and an apple falling onto her head. She stopped the rolls after that.

John was approaching the farm house as a large red stallion with a stalk of wheat in his mouth exited. “Hello,” He greeted the stallion, who was about the size of Luna. “My name is John. I was looking for Applejack, is she here?”

The stallion looked at the human. “Eeyup,” He said simply, pointing to the farmhouse.

The two stood looking at each other. “Can I get your name?” John asked.

“Eeyup.”

John waited. He realized this stallion had as much sass as he did. “Alright smart guy, if I can get your name, what is it?”

The stallion grinned around the stalk of wheat. “Big McIntosh,” he said simply.

John offered his hand, and Big McIntosh shook it firmly with his hoof. “Not much of a talker, Big McIntosh?”

“Eenope.”

John chuckled, “I’ll leave it to you then.” He walked past the stallion and knocked on the door.

Applejack answered, “Oh, hello John, what brings ya’ll out here?”

“Oh, just a thrilling, thought provoking conversation with your talkative brother. I never thought I’d get him to shut up.”

“Big Mac? If he said more than three words to ya, then ya’ve gotten more from him than Ah have this morning.”

“Well, I guess I was lucky enough to get five, four different ones.” They chuckled before John asked, “So you doing anything today? I’m looking for something to do since Twilight seems to need the entire library to herself.”

“Well, me and Big Mac are bucking apple trees today, and we really don’t have the time to show ya how to do it today, otherwise ya could help.”

“Ah, that’s okay, I’ll find something else to do.”

John noticed a small yellow filly with red hair that had a large bow in it walk up behind Applejack. “Who’s this Applejack?”

Applejack looked down at the filly, “This is John. John, this is mah sister Apple Bloom.”

“Well hello Apple Bloom,” John said.

“Ya’ll said ya’ve got nothin to do today, right? How about you come crusading with us?”

Applejack threw a glare down at her sister, but John replied, “That sounds okay, but who is us?”

“Me, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo!” Apple Bloom replied.

“Well, I guess that sounds fun. What exactly is this crusading we will be doing?” John noticed that Applejack was shaking her head.

“We’re gonna try and get our cutie marks!” Apple Bloom jumped into the air, overjoyed that the human would accompany them.

John chuckled, “Well, let’s go then.” Apple Bloom started to lead him away from the farm house.

Applejack called to the retreating human, “Ya’ll are gonna regret this John.”

Author's Note

Well, John is finally going to meet the Cutie Mark Crusaders!
Now taking suggestions for the next CMC ~~catastrophe~~ I mean crusade. :pinkiehappy:

Crusading

Blackest Knight
Chapter 23

Apple Bloom dragged John to a treehouse, and John noticed that Lyra was still following him. They climbed into the wooden structure. John followed the yellow filly inside and was instantly assaulted by two stares.

“Hey Sweetie Belle! Hey Scootaloo!” Apple Bloom did not notice that they were staring at the human. “Ah brought the human that saved Canterlot!”

“Hello, my name is John,” the two fillies looked at each other before the white unicorn with a purple and pink mane stepped forward.

“My name is Sweetie Belle! My sister is Rarity.”

“Ah, I have met her. I thought you looked like her.”

The orange pegasus with a purple mane stepped forward. “I’m Scootaloo!”

John smiled, “It is nice to meet you two.”

“So are you gonna go crusading with us?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“I guess so, Apple Bloom invited me and I had nothing else to do.”

The fillies chattered amongst themselves and walked over to a spot marked with a red and white target. “Come over here John!” Scootaloo called.

The fillies and the human flanked the target and John sat down while the fillies discussed their plans for the ‘crusade.’

“We could be Cutie Mark Crusader Firefighters!” Scootaloo exclaimed.

“Or Cutie Mark Crusader Movie Producers,” Sweetie Belle offered.

“Ah don’t know, Ah think Ah lost mah imagination.” Apple Bloom looked deep in thought.

“We could be Cutie Mark Crusader House Demolishers, or Bungee Jumpers!” Scootaloo seemed determined to do something dangerous.

Apple Bloom, the voice of reason, remarked, “Ah wouldn’t be surprised if explosions followed either of those.”

Scootaloo kept trying, “How about Cutie Mark Crusader Knights?”

John was amazed that the conversation kept spiraling. Sweetie Belle would offer outlandish ideas while Scootaloo would propose dangerous ones. John had no idea what a manticore was, but he doubted the fillies could fight ten at once. At least Apple Bloom was there to discuss why Sweetie Belle’s ideas were impossible because of monetary means, as well as why Scootaloo’s were too dangerous.

“Ah don’t know how we would be able to run one restaurant, much less a hundred,” Apple Bloom shot down Sweetie’s plan to run a super chain and looked at Scootaloo, “And Ah don’t think anypony’s gonna let us fight Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, and Princess Cadance at once.”

John looked out the window and saw Lyra’s head disappear behind a tree. She was out of hearing range, so John had an idea that would not only take care of his tail, but not endanger the fillies. He turned to the Crusaders and proposed, “How about Cutie Mark Crusaders Anti-spies?”

The fillies looked at him. “Anti-spies?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“Yes, you see, Lyra has been following me all day. She doesn’t know that I know, so this would be the perfect chance to get your cutie marks in espionage, as long as you follow what I say.”

The fillies started to grin as they began to understand what he was saying. They looked down at the target. “This is a good thinking spot,” they claimed in unison.

Lyra tried to discern what the human and the fillies were talking about. She couldn’t hear them and couldn’t get closer because the club house was housed within a clearing. John would see her for sure if she tried to get closer, and she had already had several close calls earlier that day.

She ducked back behind the tree as John and the fillies came out of the club house. She followed as they began the walk into town. Lyra was making notes on how the human walked, talked, moved, and spoke. Each individual action was dutifully marked down in her little notebook in excessive detail that would have impressed Twilight.

They made their way along the road, flanked by apple trees on either side. Lyra looked down to jot down how a slight breeze caught John’s hair and it swayed ever so slightly. When she looked back at the group, however, the human was gone. The fillies were chatting amongst themselves, continuing down the road.

Lyra looked around, but John was nowhere in sight. She was afraid that he had run off, but the fillies acted as though he were never there to begin with. With no other option, Lyra continued to follow the fillies, hoping John would return, or she would get a clue about where he had gone.

As the fillies made their way towards town, Lyra worked herself closer to hear their conversation. All they talked about was school work and the coming weekend as they reached the town. She looked down quickly to note the continued disappearance of John and looked back to reveal only the white and orange fillies. Lyra looked around frantically for the yellow filly. The others acted as if nothing was amiss. Lyra continued to follow them. She was beginning to become freaked out about the sudden disappearances.

The fillies continued to chat as they walked into town. Lyra vowed not to let them out of her sight, keeping the notebook held in her magic. They were walking straight down the street while her eyes were glued to them. They turned a corner and Lyra soon followed them. Only the white unicorn filly was walking down the street.

Lyra followed the filly, she kept taking sharp turns, but Lyra was right behind her. Lyra’s sight never left the filly until she heard a sharp whistle behind her. The sound disturbed her and she snapped around to see a bird go flying. Lyra snapped back around to see that the white filly had disappeared as well.

Lyra began running through the town, not even trying to hide anymore. She tried to catch sight of any of the fillies or John. As she was running through an intersection, she caught sight of the white unicorn filly rounding a corner to her left. She quickly turned and skidded around the corner the filly had taken.

The filly was gone, but the orange filly was at the farther down the road, taking another corner. Lyra dashed to follow the filly, but the new street held only a glimpse of the yellow filly disappearing around another corner. Lyra sprinted after the filly.

As Lyra rounded the corner, she was greeted with the sight of all three fillies sitting in the center of the town. They had their backs to her, chatting amongst themselves. Lyra hesitated before cautiously approaching the group.

Lyra heard the yellow filly speaking, “She wrote down a bunch of notes about John.”

“She even dotted all the i’s with hearts,” the orange pegasus commented.

“How did you even get the notebook, Apple Bloom?” The white unicorn asked.

The yellow filly answered, “After Scootaloo ducked behind the trash can, she followed you and the notebook was held behind her.”

The orange pegasus continued, “I grabbed it out of her magic as she passed me.”

The filly Lyra guessed was Apple Bloom laughed, “Ya’ll should have seen her face when Sweetie Belle disappeared.”

The fillies laughed and Lyra was beginning to get the feeling they were talking about her.

The filly Lyra presumed was Scootaloo spoke, “I would have thought she had noticed John standing behind her by now.”

Lyra turned around and was greeted with the chest of the human. She paled and shrieked. John chuckled and put a hand on her shoulder.

“You aren’t very perceptive, are you?”

Lyra looked up at John. “How long have you been there?”

“I’ve been following you since you since I split off from the fillies.”

She blushed, she had not noticed. “I … You …”

John laughed and the fillies walked over to them. “Once each of us split off, we got to where we could lure you here,” Apple Bloom said.

“I’m surprised Sweetie Belle didn’t give us away with her awful hiding spot behind a lamp post,” Scootaloo chuckled.

The filly that must be Sweetie Belle scoffed, “At least I didn’t hide behind a trash can.”

The fillies laughed, and John joined in. Lyra blushed. Then, the fillies suddenly looked back at their flanks and, seeing they were still blank, groaned.

“Do not fret young ones,” John said, “At least you all learned the importance of perception. Maybe sometime I will teach you camouflage.”

The fillies cheered at the promise and rushed to hug the human, who chuckled.

Author's Note

John's aided in his first Cutie Mark Crusader mission, and helped prevent both injuries and explosions
For some reason, camouflaged CMC scares me though, almost as bad as a camouflaged Pinkie Pie :pinkiecrazy:

Time

Blackest Knight
Chapter 24

Days passed as John lived in Ponyville. He quickly set into a routine, helping Twilight and Spike around the library in the mornings, then going out to help Twilight’s friends in the afternoon. Applejack was often his last visit, as helping her would take the rest of the day. If nopony needed help, he would watch the Cutie Mark Crusaders after they left school. The town noticed that the rate of dangerous incidents seemed to decline. There was an incident with an explosion, but nopony was injured.

John’s schedule kept him busy between the six Bearers and the Cutie Mark Crusaders, yet he found time to visit ponies around the town as well. He was becoming a public face, and ponies became accustomed to his presence. Some still distrusted him because of his role in the Canterlot invasion, but they did not show hostility.

Two months passed since John’s arrival, and Fluttershy asked him one day to help her bring food from the market. Her requests for his help were becoming more frequent in recent days, and Twilight noted that she was starting to come out of her shell. The purple unicorn wrote her observations in her latest letter to Celestia.

Celestia wrote back, “It is good to hear that John is helping Fluttershy overcome her nervousness. You have noted that he seems to be fitting into Ponyville, and getting to know the other citizens. Luna will ask for his report tonight, but I must ask you, do any of the citizens feel uncomfortable around him? More than they should at least?”

Twilight replied that she knew of nopony that was uncomfortable around him. She decided to go into the town and ask around while John was busy helping Fluttershy in the market. All the ponies she asked denied feeling strange around the human. Several called him friend, and Cloud Kicker even asked her to let him know he was welcome to visit that night.

Twilight reported her questions to Princess Celestia again, and the alicorns reply was a confusing, “That is good. And tell John that Luna and I may call for his presence soon. Luna had a question about human alcohol tolerance.”

John was carrying several bags of animal feed as he followed Fluttershy out of the market. Once a week, he accompanied her to stock up on the feed before she ran out, and ended up carrying enough to nullify the need for her standard wagon. They chatted while they walked to her cottage.

“So Angel has been feeling sick?” John asked.

“Oh, yes,” Fluttershy replied, in a voice slightly louder than it had been two months ago. “He came down with a cough two days ago, but I think he is getting better.”

“That’s good.” John chuckled. “I kind of like the little guy, even though he keeps throwing carrots at me.”

Fluttershy laughed, “I think he likes you too, but he just shows it differently.”

John laughed with her as they reached her door. He carried the feed into the little storage shed behind her house and met her inside. “I’m going to have to go help Applejack as well today with apple bucking. Do you need any more help before I leave?”

She hesitated before answering, “No, I think I’ll be okay. Thank you though.”

John noted her subdued tone, but decided not to push it. “Well, I will see you later then.”

“Goodbye,” she called as he left. The human did not see the look of sadness at his departure.

John swung his large hammer at the apple tree. The apples fell down into the waiting buckets, and he picked up the ones that had missed. He used to just punch the tree, but Applejack made him use the hammer after he broke his hand for the fourth time. John moved to the next tree as the orange mare came up to him, towing a cart.

“Ah think that’ll do it for today.” Applejack wiped her brow as John picked up the buckets and set them on the cart, “Good job.”

“Good job to you as well.” John took the cart from the tired mare. He towed it behind him as they walked back to the barn. He stored it inside the large building before following Applejack to the farm house.

“Ah’d invite you in for dinner, but I almost forgot you didn’t eat.” Applejack chuckled, “It’s a little weird seeing you do this much work on an empty stomach.”

John chuckled as well, “My stomach’s been empty since Pinkie’s cupcake, and I’d like to keep it that way.”

“She still isn’t happy that you can’t eat more of her treats.”

John shook his head, “I would if I could, you would never understand how much you could miss eating something. I’d probably even eat bugs if I could taste anything again.”

“Ah feel sorry for ya then.”

John said farewell and departed. He walked slowly on the orchard road, enjoying the evening air. His walk brought him to town as the sun was touching the horizon. Pinkie was throwing yet another party for something or other, so he would have to bathe and change into some different clothes before dark. He chuckled to himself, maybe he would try out some of the formal wear that Rarity had recently fashioned for him.

His walk back to the library was uneventful. Not many ponies walked the street, instead preparing for Pinkie’s party. He reached the library as Celestia began to lower the sun.

“John!” Twilight called to the human.

“Yeah?” John stepped out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped around his waist and damp hair signaled he had just gotten out of the bath.

“Pinkie Pie is throwing a party today for Mr. and Mrs. Cakes’ reunion.” Twilight raised her eyebrow at the towel.

“Yeah, Pinkie told me when I saw her today. I was about to get dressed.”

Twilight’s curiosity took over, “Why do you even get dressed? I’ve never seen anypony go so long with clothes. They would drive me nuts after so long.”

John stared at her before laughing. “I’ve noticed that most of you almost never wear clothes, so this may be a bit weird to you. On Earth, it was actually improper to walk around without clothes. They are just a social norm.”

Twilight gaped, “So all humans just wear clothes everywhere?”

“Well,” John paused, “Not all humans, there are some people called nudists that have beliefs that they should go without clothes. Special colonies are constructed to house them. Otherwise, it is illegal to go out without clothes in public. You just get used to it.”

Twilight shook her head in culture shocked amazement while John went into the guest room to don his clothes. He returned, and Twilight was dismayed to see that, even after two months, he still insisted on taking his sword wherever he went. She decided to voice her opinion, “You know you don’t have to bring the sword, right?”

John shrugged, “I feel naked without it. And I want to be prepared if anything comes up.”

“You aren’t exactly defenseless,” They both knew what Twilight was referring to.

John looked down at the scar on his left arm. “I don’t like using this magic against anything,” he paused. “I only want to use it to defend and help others.”

Twilight shook her head. She waved her hoof at John, “Come on, otherwise we’ll be late. Spike already left.”

Pinkie’s party had already started when Twilight and John arrived. They entered and were immediately confronted with slow dance music. The party seemed to have a more mature tone than many of Pinkie’s regular parties, because the reason was more mature than a foal’s birthday party. Elements of Pinkie’s signature parties were still present, including a large table filled with almost every imaginable desert.

“Let’s mingle then,” John said, and split off from Twilight to do exactly that.

John stood awkwardly over the short ponies, but his height allowed him to be seen by everypony that wanted to talk with him. He was soon engaged in friendly conversation with several town residents while they watched other ponies dance to the music. Mr. and Mrs. Cake waltzed together in the center of the dance floor.

John continued to chat idly with several ponies before Pinkie pulled him over by the desert table with the other Bearers. Only Fluttershy was absent, but Pinkie guessed she was too busy taking care of Angel. The pink mare immediately asked the ponies she dragged together, “Are you all enjoying the party?”

They all confirmed that they were, and Twilight asked, “Is that the only reason that you dragged us all here?”

“No,” Pinkie smiled. “I was also thinking that tonight would also be a good time for us six to celebrate that John is beginning to fit into Ponyville.”

Applejack laughed, “Ah think that is something to celebrate.”

Rarity commented, “And I see that you wore the formal clothing I fashioned for you as well.”

John chuckled, “Yes, I though tonight would be a good time to try them out.”

“Yes,” Rarity answered, “I fashioned them after tuxedos much like the one I made Spike. This one I made without a tail hole though.”

They all laughed at her little joke. “That’s a good thing, seeing that I lack one,” John replied.

None of them noticed that Fluttershy entered quietly through the door. Angel had begun to feel better, so she thought she could join the party. She saw John across the party and made her way to him, hoping her friends were with him as well.

Meanwhile, Pinkie passed out a new recipe that she had created. It was a breaded desert filled with an apple pudding and baked in apple peels. The ponies she gave them to complimented the apple flavored bread. Pinkie offered one of the treats to John, forgetting momentarily of his condition.

“No thank you Pinkie, I can’t eat anything. But back on Earth, my girlfriend made a similar recipe and …”

A voice behind him suddenly gasped, “Girlfriend?!”

John and the five ponies turned around to see Fluttershy staring, wide eyed, at the human. Before John or the ponies could say anything, Fluttershy snapped around and bolted through the crowd.

Author's Note

Another chapter is out!
Also, the side oneshot I teased in the chapter Prank is out as well! :pinkiehappy: If you haven't already, check it out, it's called Luna, Moonshine, and a Bakery.
I also teased a possible one shot in this chapter that would be a sequel to that one :pinkiecrazy:

Flutterbye

Blackest Knight
Chapter 26

Fluttershy pressed her lips to John’s. They stayed like that for a moment. Fluttershy could feel the human stiffen, his whole body rigid as Fluttershy kissed him. She began to pull back, afraid that she had overstepped the line.

“I’m sorry, I …” She was silenced as John pressed his lips to hers. Her body went rigid as well, before she began to press herself to him. They kissed for only a few moments, but it felt like years to Fluttershy. When they separated, it felt too soon for her.

“It’s okay,” John said softly. They held each other for a minute until Twilight and her friends snapped out of their shock.

“Um …” Twilight began.

John and Fluttershy snapped toward their friends, noticing them for the first time. John just stared while Fluttershy began to blush.

Silence fell over the group as everypony, and human, tried to digest what had just happened.

John was the first to break the silence, “Well I guess we don’t have to worry about keeping it a secret.”

The group walked slowly back into town in silence. John and Fluttershy walked side by side. Her flanks were brushing his legs with every step. The human didn’t mind.

Twilight broke the silence before they entered town, “John, Fluttershy, go ahead back to the party. It should still be going on.” The two continued on while the others stayed back, “Does anypony want to talk about this while we still have the chance?”

Applejack was the first to answer, “Ah admit, it is a little strange. Fluttershy would be the last Ah’d expect to do that. Rarity would be the first.”

Rarity glared at her friend, “Well, I think that it is … unusual.”

Pinkie piped up, “It makes them happy though. Why should we stand in their way?”

Rainbow looked after the human and yellow pegasus as they walked while Twilight spoke, “They do seem like they will be happy together, but what about his home world? What if Chrysalis comes back?”

Applejack responded, “Ya’ll heard him say himself he doesn’t want to go back to his world. He feels like he belongs here now.”

Rarity added, “And he’ll fight against Chrysalis even harder if Fluttershy is in danger. You’ve seen him around the Cutie Mark Crusaders, he nearly created a sonic rainboom when Sweetie Belle nearly fell off that cliff.”

The others looked at Rainbow to see her reaction to the sonic rainboom quip. Her mind was elsewhere, but she spoke as she turned back to them, “I have a feeling that John will keep us all safe.” She did not tell them that she had a bad feeling as well.

The ponies sunk into silence at Rainbow’s words. Twilight spoke, “We should get back to the party as well.” They began to move, and Twilight looked back at the road they had come from. She thought she could see Morning Dew smiling, but the filly disappeared before Twilight could really see her.

They started to walk back to the party when Pinkie suddenly froze. Her eyes widened and her pupils shrunk to pinpricks. Her entire body shook and her mane completely deflated as the other ponies looked back at her in shock.

“What is it Pinkie?” Twilight asked. “Your Pinkie Sense?”

Pinkie looked shaken, she nodded grimly. “I haven’t felt this before, but it felt like my heart was ripped in half. I think that whatever is going to happen will be worse than a doozy.”

John and Fluttershy paused outside the party, and John spoke before they went in, “Are you sure that you want to do this?” He looked at Fluttershy.

“What?” She asked.

“Are you sure that you want to choose me? I’m sure that there are many stallions that could catch your eye, but with me everything will be different. We come from two different worlds, are two different species. Many ponies will not like that we are, and two different species often don’t have the best track record at creating offspring. With me, you may never have a child.”

Fluttershy looked into John’s eyes. “I don’t care what other ponies think about us. And I don’t care if we can’t have foals, but what I do care about is you.” She kissed him again, “All I want is for you to promise that you will never leave me.”

John smiled, “I Pinkie Promise that I will never leave you. Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.” John made the movements Pinkie had taught him of the sacred vow. “If I know anything about Pinkie, she won’t let me break it.”

They both laughed and entered the party. The party was still in full swing, and many of the ponies were dancing together to the slow music. Both Cloud Kicker and Lyra had been waiting for the human to return and simultaneously jumped up to ask him to dance.

Cloud Kicker reached John first, “Well hello there sexy, wanna dance?” She raised an eyebrow seductively.

John was about to laugh when Lyra blurted out, “Wait! John is supposed to dance with me! I’m the one that’s obsessed with – I mean that likes humans.”

John chuckled as both of the mares glared at each other. “Actually,” he got both their attention, “I already have somepony to dance with.” John took Fluttershy’s hoof and guided her onto the dance floor. He was only a little taller than the ponies that stood dancing with their partners, so he did not draw much attention as he waltzed with Fluttershy.

Lyra and Cloud Kicker gawked at the couple. They looked at each other.

“You know,” Cloud Kicker began, “I really only wanted to see how he was in bed.”

“Yeah,” Lyra looked down. “I just wanted to study the dancing behaviors of humans.”

Lyra, however, did not get off that easily, because she forgot that Bon Bon had accompanied her that night. And Bon Bon had wanted to dance with her marefriend all night. Bon Bon had also followed Lyra when the green unicorn had jumped up. To say that the beige earth pony was angry would be a drastic understatement. She grabbed Lyra’s ear with her teeth and began to drag her to the door. Lyra was complaining about the pain the entire way.

Bon Bon dragged Lyra past Twilight and her friends as they entered. Soon after exiting the party, Bon Bon released Lyra. She had had plans to drag her all the way home, but what she saw appear before her left her speechless.

With a gasp, Lyra realized what Bon Bon was staring at. Black hooves wrapped around the two mares and dragged them away before they could scream.

Twilight saw Fluttershy and John dancing on the edge of the dance floor, and she smiled. She allowed herself to think that they could be happy together. She saw her friends smiling at the scene of the pony and human dancing together. The moment was interrupted when a pony that looked to be part of Ponyville’s guard walked up to her.

“Excuse me, but I need the Bearers to follow me. And the human as well.” He waited by the door for Twilight to go collect John and Fluttershy.

“John, Fluttershy, we need to go, one of the guardsponies is calling us.” Twilight really did not like breaking the two of them apart. They followed her and the group exited the party.

“What is this about?” John asked.

“I don’t know,” the guard answered, “I was just told to retrieve you.”

The guard led them down the road a ways before turning into an alley. Twilight immediately felt a sense of dread, and her fears were confirmed when she saw two unconscious ponies further down the alley.

A familiar voice that filled Twilight with terror spoke behind the group, “Well, it’s good to see all of you again.”

John spun around to face Chrysalis. He knew that voice from the months of his imprisonment. He glanced back to see that the guard had morphed into a changeling and several other changelings emerged from hiding. He turned back to glare at Chrysalis and drew his sword.

The changeling queen spoke, “You couldn’t have expected me to let you go without punishment for disobeying me John, could you?” She laughed. “Now why don’t you put God Killer away before you hurt somepony.”

Twilight gasped, “God Killer?!”

Chrysalis chuckled, “You didn’t tell them the name of your sword, John? It was forged to cleave the moon in two and extinguish the sun. It was designed to kill the princesses.”

The ponies gasped, but John answered, “The sword is no longer named God Killer.”

Chrysalis looked at him before laughing. “You cannot change what it was made for.”

“But I can change what it is used for,” John growled. “This sword will not touch the blood of another innocent. It is no longer a weapon of offense, but a shield used to defend the weak.”

“How pitiful,” Chrysalis sneered. “That means you are too weak to use it for what it is meant to do. This sentiment is what will get you killed.”

John glared at Chrysalis, “Any fool can wield a sword. It takes strength to put belief and will behind the swing and bring meaning to its use.”

Chrysalis smirked, “Then this strength will fail you.” She shot a blast of magic at John, which he deftly blocked with the enchanted sword, but his movement left him unable to deflect the second bolt that she fired. His eyes widened as he saw her deception.

The bolt never reached John. Something jumped in front of him, and the bolt was intercepted. John looked at the object that intercepted the bolt. Rage grew within him. The ponies that surrounded him could feel the rage, and the changelings that were sensitive to emotion grew fearful of the enraged human. They fled, ignoring their queen’s orders to stay and attack. Chrysalis felt fear growing in herself as well and fled after the other changelings.

John’s rage turned to despair as he fell to his knees as tears escaped his eyes. He scooped the object in his arms and settled back onto his heels as ragged breathing filled his hearing. The object looked into his eyes, and uttered, “I … I love … you,” before the head fell into the crook of his elbow.

John pressed his wet eyes to the unmoving chest of Fluttershy.

Death

Blackest Knight
Chapter 27

John burst through the doors of the Canterlot Library. Twilight followed him. The human had not said a word since the funeral except telling Twilight to take him to Canterlot. Twilight assumed he wanted to speak to the princesses, but John instead marched straight to the library.

“John! What are we doing here?” She asked.

John pointed to one side of the library, “Find me every book you can find on changelings. Their tactics, their biology, their way of life, anything.”

“What are you going to do?” Twilight was worried for the human’s mental state.

“I’m looking as well, just go. If you search that side, then we can find more resources. Put what you find on this table here,” he pointed to a table in the middle of the room.

Twilight complied, quickly gathering any books she could find. She knew that John’s side would have the books he probably wanted, but this side held some as well. She quickly set them on the table before searching John’s side of the library for the human. She had a bad feeling when she saw several books that contained important information on changelings.

During her search, she saw that the chained door to the forbidden magic wing was opened. She gasped as she realized what John was doing. She sprinted into the room to see the human opening a portal, he stepped through.

“Put what you find on this table here,” John pointed to the table in the middle of the room. Twilight trotted off to find the books he asked for. He didn’t like lying to her, but there was something he needed to do. He set off through his half of the library, not even glancing at the shelves as he passed them. He knew where he needed to go.

John drew his sword as he approached the chained door to the forbidden magic wing. Twilight had told him of it when she told him about her life in Canterlot, and he knew that what he was looking for had to be in here. He cut through the chain and opened the door.

John could feel a wave of magic wash over him as he stepped into the room. The books in the room felt alive, but John knew not which of them he needed. Suddenly, a book fell off the shelf to his right. He picked it up and looked at the cover. A grey stallion’s head looked back at him.

A voice emanated from the book, deep and hollow, “I know what you are seeking human.”

John nearly dropped the book, “You can talk?!”

The book chuckled, “Yes, many of the books here can talk to ponies, but they cannot give you what I can.”

“And what exactly can you offer me?”

“A way.”

John knew what the book was talking about. “So what am I supposed to do for you? A ritual? A sacrifice?”

The book chuckled again, “No, other books may require you to perform such menial tasks, but I will merely give you an offer for what you seek. Open me and I will open a portal to my domain. Speak to my master there.”

John hesitated, “How do I know I can trust you?”

“You cannot, but I will tell you that I cannot lie. Believe me or not, that is your choice.”

Moments passed as John thought about the decision. He opened the book, and a large grey orb grew from the pages. John dropped the book and backed away as the portal formed. He could hear a slight breeze pick up as the portal stabilized.

“Come John, find her again.”

John walked up to the portal, but hesitated.

Twilight came into the room just as John stepped into the portal. The portal collapsed and the book on the ground closed. On its cover was the head of a grey stallion. The runes inscribed on the spine read ‘Necronomicon.’

John found himself in a black void. A grey mist rose from the ground for a foot before dissipating. He looked around and could see nothing but the mist and the void.

A voice emanated from behind him, “You do not belong here human.”

John snapped around to see a pony he did not recognize.

Voices started emanating from all around him. “You do not belong here human.” Each voice revealed another unfamiliar pony.

“You do not belong here human.” John spun in circles, where before there was only void and mist, there was now ponies.

“You do not belong here human.” John saw earth ponies, pegasi, and unicorns.

“You do not belong here human.” He saw alicorns, changelings, griffins, draconequi, and minotaurs.

“You do not belong here human.” All the voices spoke at once.

A voice spoke behind the human, “You do not belong here John.”

John spun around, and every other creature disappeared. Only John and Morning Dew stood in the void.

Two other creatures emerged from the mist next to Morning Dew. “You should not have come here John.” Mimic and Starswirl the Bearded spoke together.

A cloaked pony almost as tall as John rose from the mist in front of the filly, the unicorn, and the changeling. The black cloak obscured all the features of the pony, but the hood that hung over its face was cut to let out a long, bone white horn. Two skeletal wings protruded from either side of the cloak. “I know why you are here human,” its hollow voice held no gender, “But this place is one where the living do not belong”.

“Who are you?” John asked.

“I am the Skeletal Alicorn, the Fourth Horse. I am Death.”

“If you know why I am here, then you know what I am willing to do.” John looked at the hooded face, but everything underneath was completely black.

“You are misguided.”

John stepped forward, “I will do anything to get her back. I will kill Death itself.”

The skeletal alicorn uttered a deep chuckle. “Even if I were to fight you, you would stand no chance. However, death will not bring you to her.”

John was taken aback, “What do you mean?”

“When the souls of the dead confronted you, did you see a single human?”

John was silent, realization dawning upon him.

Death continued, “My realm cannot house the soul of a human, because the souls of humans are marked by another Death. The Death of Earth, the Death that belongs to Humanity. The Fourth Horseman.”

“So, in death …” John cut off.

“You will not be reunited with her.”

John sunk to his knees. Every one of his plans had crumbled around him. His soul could never join hers.

“You are different from humans, however.” Death’s voice brought John’s attention back to the skeletal being. “You have been cursed by being unmarked by fate.”

“What do you mean?” John asked.

“Have you noticed that your hair does not grow back?”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

Death continued, “When you were abducted by Chrysalis, fate released you, because your fate had been changed. What should never be broken was broken.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Twilight Sparkle scanned your body and found many magical energies working inside of you. Did she tell you of the inactive energy?”

John hesitated, “Yes?”

“This inactive energy is actually housed within every living being. It moves throughout the entire body, magical scans usually mistake it as part of a being’s blood. This energy is fate.”

“And mine is inactive?” John’s mind reeled.

“Because you have been broken from fate. Age and growth are spurred by fate.”

“My hair doesn’t grow because my fate is inactive?” John asked.

Death chuckled darkly, “None of your natural growth will proceed.”

John began to realize, “I cannot age.”

Silence fell over them before Death spoke, “Because you have broken fate, you have also broken your mark with death. You can still be killed, but no Death of any realm can take your soul. Your soul is currently doomed to forever drift in an abyss of nothingness.”

John looked up at the skeletal alicorn, “What do you mean currently?” He stood again.

John got the feeling that Death was smiling as it spoke, “And so we come full circle. I told you only that you are misguided.”

John paused, “Then you mean …?”

“There is still hope in your quest,” Death answered.

“How?!”

“Her soul is one of an innocent, but I once a soul has been brought into my realm, it creates a slot within the realm. This slot is permanent, and cannot be left empty. The soul within the slot can be replaced, however, but only if the replacement soul is less innocent.”

John was filled with hope as Death spoke. “I already know who can replace her.”

Death chuckled, “Yes, I have been waiting to punish that soul for some time.”

John asked, “So this deal is benefiting you as well?”

“No,” Death answered. “I gain no benefit from reaping souls, it is merely what I was created to do. I do gain a bit of pleasure from bringing justice, however.”

John chuckled, “I hold no sympathy for that soul.”

Death continued, “There is one catch, however.”

John sighed, “I should have figured.”

“The soul I release is still marked by me, and is still bound by fate. Once she dies again, I will reclaim her, and that death will be permanent.”

“So this is a one time deal? How do I know you won’t get her killed soon after she lives again, or that something is wrong with her body?”

“Her body and fate will last her into her old age. She only died now because she sacrificed herself, fate can only be bent by such.”

John felt he could trust the skeletal being. “So are there any other catches?”

“None, but there is one more thing that you should know.”

John paused, “What is that?”

“Because you have broken fate, Humanity’s Death hast lost his mark on you, but this means you can be marked by another Death.”

“And you would mark me?”

Death nodded, “Your fate would remain broken, but your soul would find rest in my realm once you are killed. There is only one condition.”

“And that is?” John asked.

“This mark does not bind me to take your soul. I will not accept your soul if you take your own life.”

Twilight ran to the book. She had to pull John back from wherever he had gone. She was about to open it when it shifted away from her. She stood staring at it as it shifted again. She placed her hoof on it.

“Take your hoof off my cover,” the book spoke.

Twilight jumped back, “You can talk?!”

The book chuckled, “Yes, I can talk.”

“What did you do with John?” Twilight demanded.

“I transported him to the realm of Death.”

Twilight gasped, “You killed him?”

“No,” the book scoffed, “I have no need to kill a human. He wanted to retrieve a soul, I merely took him to where he could.”

Twilight glared at the book, “And why did you help him? Did you take his blood? Did you make him sacrifice something?”

“No, I have no need for such idiotic tasks or rituals. Other books in this wing would ask for something in return, be it for sustenance, power, or enjoyment. I, however, do not need or want such mediocre things. I hold no desire but to serve the Skeletal Alicorn.”

“Who?” Twilight asked.

The book sighed in exasperation, “Death, you imbecile.”

Twilight huffed, “I am not an imbecile. Now, where is John?”

The book chuckled, “John will return when he returns. I cannot bring him back, nor do I hold the desire to do so.”

“So he is stuck there?”

“No, he can leave at any time, he just doesn’t want to yet.”

Twilight glared at the book. “Then let me in there to get him out then.”

“I cannot, but if you are patient, he will return soon.”

“What do you mean you can’t?”

The book lifted its cover slightly before letting it fall again. Twilight guessed it was supposed to be a shrug. “You do not need to visit the land of the dead, so I will not help you.”

Twilight harrumphed and was about to continue arguing when the book opened and a grey orb grew from the pages. The orb formed into a stable portal and John stepped out, holding an unmoving Fluttershy in his arms.

John strode through the large hall that led to Chrysalis’s throne room, unconscious changeling guards littered his path. His sword was still sheathed, because he had coated his hands with the knockout spell. His armor seemed to suck the light out of the air as four changelings stepped between him and the door. John recognized Vice, Versa, Ditto, and Halberd. Vice and Versa wielded spears while Ditto held two daggers. Halberd had his namesake weapon.

Halberd spoke, “We can’t let you pass John.”

“No innocents have to die today Halberd,” John responded.

Halberd hesitated, “I wish that were true John, but we have been implanted with the curse.”

John took a step back, “What?!”

Halberd’s voice was heavy, “Chrysalis forced the doctors to implant us with the curse, because we were the ones that were close to you.”

Ditto interjected, “And she won’t let you use the knockout spell on us, because we will be forced to revive each other.”

Halberd continued, “So either you kill us, we kill you. I’m sorry John, but the curse will not let it be any other way.”

Versa spoke, “We can still speak our minds, however, and I hope that you kill her John. Do not let us stop you.” Versa’s voice took an edge. “Don’t let her do this to another changeling. Don’t let her get away with her monstrosities.”

John’s mind raced as they all readied themselves for the coming battle. The human drew his sword.

Halberd lunged at John, purposefully leaving himself exposed with the overhead slash. John dodged to the side, but instead of dealing the killing blow, he kicked the axe head as it struck the ground. The weapon was knocked from Halberd’s grasp and several feet away.

John had to dodge another strike from Ditto, who delivered a diagonal slash with one of his daggers. His other dagger stabbed at John, but the human spun around Ditto’s hoof and used the changeling’s forward momentum to spin behind him and deliver a kick to the changeling’s back, driving him away.

As John spun around, he was met with Vice and Versa lunging at him with their spears. John sheathed his sword as he jumped over the spears, and grabbed one in each hand. His momentum ripped the spears from the grasp of their owners. As John landed behind the two changelings, he spun around and threw them. One went through a hole in Versa’s left hind leg. The other went through a hole in Vice’s right hind leg. Both spears traveled through the holes without harming the legs, then stuck into the ground, pinning each changeling.

Halberd had retrieved his weapon by the time Vice and Versa slumped to the ground, taken by the knockout spell that coated the spears. Ditto lay in a heap several feet away, kicked with a coated foot. Halberd looked at John. “Clever,” he said before he succumbed to the knockout spell that covered his halberd.

John turned back to the throne room door as he drew his sword once again. He kicked the door open, revealing a smug Chrysalis.

“So, you killed your friends?” She said the last word with a laugh.

“No,” John’s answer brought a look of confusion from the queen. “I am better than you.” He began to walk slowly toward the queen.

“But, how …? Never mind, if you didn’t have the strength to kill them, then you will not have the strength to kill me.”

Anger burned within John’s voice, and it terrified Chrysalis as he spoke. “Strength does not come from just being able to do something. True strength comes from doing what you do for the right reasons. I have sworn to never kill another innocent, and I stick by my oath.”

Terror permeated Chrysalis’s voice as the human approached. “If you have sworn not to kill, then you cannot kill me.” She tried to scoot away, but she was already sitting in her throne.

John reached the queen and brought his sword into the air on his left. “You are not innocent.” He swung his sword in a mighty arc as Chrysalis screamed. As his arm and sword reached his right side, the top of the throne toppled backwards, followed by the head of Queen Chrysalis.

In Ponyville, an unmoving body lay in the care of Twilight Sparkle. As Chrysalis breathed out her last breath, Fluttershy gasped in her own.

Life

Blackest Knight
Chapter 28

John looked down at the headless body of Chrysalis. He had expected a battle, a fight, but the changeling queen had hid behind her soldiers in terror. Her last ditch defense was that the human would think himself too noble to kill her. She was wrong.

Halberd stepped up beside John, having been revived by the human. The changeling stared at his queen before speaking, “You know that, by changeling law, the queen’s challenger is supposed to take her place if victorious.”

John sighed, “I don’t care for politics, ruling, or warfare. I concede the position to you Halberd.”

Halberd’s head snapped toward the human. “You can’t do that, you may not be a changeling, but I still have to abide by the laws of my kind.”

John looked at his old trainer, “Changeling law is that the victor of a duel is the one that takes command, correct?”

The changeling hesitated, “Correct.”

“But they do not say what duel is the deciding factor. I declare that our first duel be used to determine succession.”

Halberd was taken aback, “I suppose there are no laws against that, but why do you choose me?”

John looked into the changeling’s eyes, “I trust you. You will lead your species right.”

Halberd nodded, “I will do my best.”

“I will talk to Celestia,” John added, “Try to arrange a peace. Hopefully we can keep your kind fed somehow, without another attack on Equestria.”

“I hope to keep peace between the lands as well,” the changeling agreed.

John looked at the changeling again, “But I will warn you, if you or any changeling threaten me, my friends, or Equestria again, there will be punishment.”

Halberd nodded, “I understand.”

John chuckled, “Good, my friend, now go to the doctors and get that curse removed, and destroy all evidence of the curses. They are not to be used again.”

“I had the same plans.”

John nodded, and walked toward the exit. He started his trek through the forest to the resort town, where he would board the train to Ponyville.

“I can’t believe you would just break into the forbidden magic section!” Twilight yelled at John. “It’s called forbidden magic for a reason.”

A few days had passed since John went to go ‘visit’ the changelings. Fluttershy’s friends had been overjoyed to see her come back to life, but Twilight was secretly fuming at being deceived by the human.

Her rage boiled over when John told her what he had done at the Hive. After a half hour of ranting about not interfering in changeling politics, she suddenly switched to what she was really mad about. “We got lucky that Fluttershy seems to have been returned to us completely, but we still don’t know if there are any lasting effects.”

“Relax Twilight,” John replied, “I trust Death. It said that her fate and body have been completely restored. If we live in fear of how she might be harmed, then we lose the time that we could be celebrating how she isn’t harmed.”

Twilight sighed, “I suppose you are right, but your actions were still reckless.” She paused, “I’m just glad we don’t have to worry about Chrysalis anymore. I still don’t agree with your methods, but I admit that holding her for court would just be asking for trouble.”

“And holding her for court would not have honored my agreement with Death,” John added.

Twilight shook her head, “We can only hope that dying and coming back to life didn’t have any negative effects on her state of mind.”

John and Fluttershy lay together in a small clearing. They looked up at the stars, their picnic lay off to one side. His hand grasped her forehoof, and they smiled at each other.

They stayed in silence for some time before John spoke, “It is great to have some quiet, huh?”

Fluttershy giggled, “Yes, we have had too much noise since you came here.”

John chuckled as she snuggled against him. He threw an arm around the back of her neck, and he rested her head on his chest. She could feel John’s voice vibrating in his chest, “I am glad that everything has finally calmed. My life has been too hectic since I came to this world, but now I can settle down and make a real life for myself here.”

Fluttershy rose her head, “Am I going to be in this life of yours?”

John looked into her eyes, “Of course, without you it wouldn’t be much of a life.”

They smiled at each other, and she rested her head on his chest again. “I want to thank you.”

“For what?” John asked, “Tonight?”

“Yes, but also for saving me.”

John looked at her, but she was looking at the stars. “It was supposed to feel like paradise on the other side,” She began, “but without you, it just felt empty. Some of the ponies there told me that I could watch you, but I didn’t want to see you in pain. I was just wallowing in grief until I felt my soul being pulled from that place.”

John was silent, taken aback from her confession.

She continued, “When I came back, I was disoriented, but Twilight told me what you did.” She looked into his eyes, “I just want to thank you for risking your life to save mine.”

John answered, “I could not have lived without you. I was ready to fight Death itself to get you back.”

Fluttershy laughed, then paused before saying, “I love you.”

John kissed her forehead, “I love you too Fluttershy.” She rotated her head to kiss him on the lips, then they both turned back toward the sky.

They stared up at the stars in silence for the rest of the night, not needing or wanting to say a word. They merely cherished each other’s presence.

John felt Fluttershy’s breathing slowly change. He looked over to see that she had fallen asleep. He stayed in this position for a while longer, waiting for her to fall deeper into her dreams. After a half hour, he gently picked her up into his arms. The human carried the pegasus back toward her cottage.

After John set Fluttershy to bed, he quietly left the cottage. A short walk under the stars brought him back to Twilight’s library.

Over three years passed as John and Fluttershy courted. Trials came and passed. Their relationship flourished while everything around them changed. The Crystal Empire reappeared and King Sombra was defeated, Discord was reformed by Fluttershy, Twilight was crowned as Princess of Friendship and ascended to become an alicorn, and her six friends helped defeat Tirek, with John’s help during the battle. John had even stopped wearing his sword everywhere.

Now, as Ponyville had finished their reconstruction, John had a single goal in mind. He had toured the streets of Canterlot and Manehattan several times looking for something that he had no idea was so close to home. He departed Fluttershy’s house after yet another date, and made his way into the center of town. To say he was nervous would be an understatement.

John stood in the street, triple checking to make sure this was the right shop before entering.

“Hey, welcome to …” The mare at the counter turned around with the greeting before seeing John. The irony of Cloud Kicker taking this job along with weather duty was not lost on John as she kicked into her old stallion chasing style, “Well hello sexy.”

“Hello Cloud Kicker, but tonight isn’t the night to tease.” John walked to the counter.

Cloud Kicker perked up, “So tomorrow is the big day, huh?”

“Yep,” John confirmed. “Is it done yet?”

“Yeah, it has been for a week. Don’t worry, I would have only sold it to anyone cuter than you though,” Cloud Kicker teased, earning a glare from John. “Considering how many times you’ve been in here recently, I can tell you’re getting antsy. I’ll get it for ya.” The mare walked into the back room.

John waited for the mare to return, when she did, he took the package she brought and set the bits to pay for it. “Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it John.” The mare did not leave him with another tease.

John exited the store and made his way back to Twilight’s crystal castle. He still couldn’t get used to the giant castle that had seemingly sprung from nowhere. The dusk’s faint light caught the crystal, and it shone like stars.

John entered the castle and made his way to the room he had commandeered after the castle appeared. He settled on his bed and opened the top drawer on the nightstand next to the bed. He placed the box he had procured in the shop into the drawer. He closed the drawer and sealed away that box that contained the flawless diamond hoof ring he would need the next day.

Author's Note

Well, another chapter is out, and this one has a happy ending. It's been too long :pinkiesad2:
Also, thinking about writing another one shot sequel to Luna, Moonshine, and a Bakery (I know two alicorn princesses that are going to throw John a bachelor party, and neither is lavender :facehoof: )

Endings

Blackest Knight
Chapter 29

John awoke in the morning, feeling refreshed and ready for the day. He retrieved the ring box from his nightstand and placed into his suit pocket. He walked to Twilight’s breakfast hall. Both Twilight and Spike were eating when John came in.

“Good morning John.” Twilight greeted.

“Good morning to both of you,” John replied. “Twilight, how has the research been going?”

“It’s been going well,” the purple alicorn answered, “but it would probably go faster if you were helping.”

“I can’t help, you know my position. I need to spend as much time with Fluttershy as I can. I don’t mind if it doesn’t go slower anyways.”

Twilight sighed, “You know, if I were to research immortality instead …”

John cut her off, “No, immortality is not a fate to take lightly. Seeing ponies you love die around you can take its toll on somepony, and we have already discussed why giving it to everypony would be a bad idea.”

Twilight shook her head. “I’ll continue then, I still don’t know why you want to research interdimensional travel when you have already decided to never return to Earth.”

John replied, “I have my reasons.” He left the hall and made his way out of the front door. The human basked in the morning light for a moment before leaving the estate. Ponyville had barely changed since his arrival. Even rebuilding after Twilight and John’s fight with Tirek had brought the town back to its former self. John walked slowly through the town.

As the human arrived at the center of town, he saw Fluttershy walking up to Sugarcube Corner. They had planned to meet up at the restaurant the night before, and John smiled as he approached the yellow pegasus. “Well, hello beautiful.”

Fluttershy blushed, “Hello John.”

John bent down and pecked her on the lips. “Well, let’s go inside.”

Fluttershy asked, “Why do you always insist on taking me out to eat if you can’t?” She became nervous, “N … not that I don’t like it, but … well … I just thought that you would usually pick something we could both enjoy.”

John laughed, “Fluttershy, I enjoy just spending time with you. I would be happy watching grass grow if you were next to me.”

Fluttershy blushed again, “I understand.” They went into Sugarcube Corner.

John was immediately met with the sight of an upside down pink face. “Hello Pinkie,” he said.

The pink mare had stopped jumping on the human when he started dating Fluttershy, but still liked to surprise him. She jumped down from the ceiling and happily said, “Hello John! Hello Fluttershy!”

Fluttershy responded, “Hello Pinkie, can we get a table?”

“You sure can!” Pinkie replied. She led them to a table in the corner of the restaurant and took Fluttershy’s order of a daisy sandwich.

“So,” Fluttershy began, “Do we have any plans for today?”

John smiled, “We sure do.” Fluttershy was about to ask what when John put a finger over her lips. “Don’t worry, today will be perfect.”

He kissed her as her sandwich arrived, and she ate it quickly, anticipating the day.

John and Fluttershy walked through the Canterlot Gardens as the sun was touching the horizon. The human had taken her on the train to the city to catch a play, and she requested they visit the gardens after their dinner in a fancy restaurant. John had revealed that that was the plan, and they set off.

As Fluttershy looked at two birds building a nest, John put his hand on her shoulder. They smiled at each other before watching the birds. They moved on as the birds flew off to find more material, and Fluttershy spied a rabbit hopping lazily through a clearing.

They continued watching the animals in silence. John waited until Fluttershy was undistracted before asking, “Can I ask you a question Fluttershy?”

The mare looked at him, “Of course.”

John dropped to one knee, and she looked at him in confusion. “Oh, right,” John said, “I guess stallions in your world don’t do it like this, but this is a human tradition.” He reached into his pocket and withdrew the box. Fluttershy’s eyes grew as she realized what the box was.

“Fluttershy,” John began as he opened the box. “Will you marry me?”

Fluttershy did not hesitate to answer, “Yes! John, yes!” She threw her arms around the human and kissed him. His arms wrapped around her back as he returned the kiss with joy. The two lovers stayed in this position for a few minutes before parting.

“Fluttershy,” John spoke, “you have made me the happiest man in existence. I love you.”

“I love you too,” Fluttershy responded. They kissed again. “I just can’t believe it took you this long.”

John chuckled, “I wanted everything to be special, and you have to admit that a lot has been happening lately.”

Fluttershy laughed, “But we made it through, because you were there to help us.”

“I was there because you were. I could not have left you.”

They kissed once more.

John stood in the Canterlot chapel. This was the room that brought him to Fluttershy, and it was in this room that he almost killed the yellow mare. Now, he was in this room once again to atone for his past sins.

“John,” Twilight spoke, her wings raised high in an authoritative pose, “do you take this mare to be your lawfully wedded wife?”

John spoke, “I do.”

“Fluttershy,” Twilight turned to the yellow mare, “do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?”

Fluttershy did not hesitate, “I do.”

Twilight smiled, “You may now kiss the bride.”

John lifted Fluttershy’s veil as his best mare, Rainbow Dash, shrugged out of her dress. John pressed his lips to Fluttershy’s and Rainbow flew out of the open window. Applejack, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie, the flower mares, started the cheer that swept through the assembly as a sonic rainboom erupted over the chapel.

John tuned out everything but the feel of Fluttershy’s lips against his as joy swept through him. They kissed for several moments before breaking away.

And thus, they began their lives together.

It is at this point that many stories end with the traditional ‘And they lived happily ever after.’ This is not the case. John and Fluttershy lived together in happiness for many years in Fluttershy’s cottage. As Fluttershy aged, their love for each other grew, but John’s age did not progress. As Death had prophesized, John’s broken fate made him untouchable to time.

As the years passed, John spent his days in the company of the mare that he loved, but her remaining days dwindled. One day, Fluttershy felt Death’s touch once again, and John was left alone with the only surviving Bearer, the immortal alicorn Twilight Sparkle.

John began preparations to complete his end of the bargain with Death, visiting the grave of his love once more before departing.

John stared at the stone as rain fell around him. Two months had passed since Fluttershy’s death, and John felt as alone as he always had since her passing. He set a bouquet of flowers on her headstone before turning away. His daily vigil was over, and he had business to attend to.

John walked through Ponyville, barely paying attention to the empty streets or his own wet clothes. He arrived at the cottage that now belonged to him and entered. Many animals used to surround the cottage, even after Fluttershy had passed, but John had dispersed them the day prior. His business would not let him return to feed them.

John left the cottage several minutes later, donning his old black armor with his old sword slung over his back. The enchanted metal had survived the test of time just as John had, and he would need the equipment. John checked to make sure the metal was in good condition before walking to Twilight’s castle.

Twilight greeted the human as he arrived, and they made their way in silence to a small room within the crystal castle.

“Are you sure you want to do this John?” Twilight asked.

“Yes,” John said with no hesitation.

“You will not be able to come back.”

“I have no need to.”

Twilight began the spell she had been researching for years. She had made a breakthrough the day before, and the human insisted they begin as soon as possible.

“Alright,” she spoke as a blue orb of energy left her horn, “Take the orb with your left hand.”

John reached out his hand and the orb landed in his palm. It dissipated into his flesh, making its way to the unicorn horn fused to his arm bone.

“Now,” Twilight began explaining, “That orb has two properties, the first allows you to scour through dimensions to find beings of power. The second allows you to open a portal to their location. The spell is similar to how Chrysalis was able to abduct you.”

“Thank you Twilight,” John said.

Twilight stopped him before he cast the spell, “If traveling dimensions was what broke your fate and kept you from death in the first place, aren’t you afraid it will break your mark with the equine Death as well?”

John answered, “Actually, traveling dimensions isn’t what broke my fate, it was being torn from my fate that broke it. This is the only way that I can fulfill my bargain with Death.”

Twilight hesitated before asking, “So you plan on just traveling through dimensions and challenging every powerful being you can find?”

John simply replied, “Yep.”

“Are you going to kill them if they can’t kill you?”

John looked at the alicorn, “No, my blade will not kill another innocent. If I am victorious in a duel, then I will let them live, but if I am defeated, they will deliver the killing blow.”

Twilight stayed silent, and John prepared the spell. A blue portal opened and stabilized before them.

John stepped toward the portal, but stopped before entering. He turned back to the lavender alicorn, “Farewell Twilight Sparkle. This is goodbye, for I will not return.”

Twilight looked at the human, “Goodbye John. Good luck.”

John turned around and took a deep breath before stepping through the portal.

And so, John began his journey to find a being that could reunite him with his beloved Fluttershy.

Fluttershy

Blackest Knight
Chapter 25

John burst out of the door. Fluttershy was already flying away. He tried to follow her on the ground, but she was more mobile in the air, and he couldn’t just plow through the buildings. He saw Rainbow Dash trying to follow the yellow pegasus as well, but Fluttershy was soon lost to the dark night.

John was scanning the skies, trying to find any trace of the pegasus, when Twilight and her ground based friends trotted up to him. “John, do you see her?” The purple unicorn asked.

“No,” he replied as Rainbow landed next to them.

“I lost her,” the cyan mare added, “it’s too dark out.”

“We need to form a search party,” Twilight said. “We can fan out and find her. John, go see if she returned home.” The human was gone before she was finished speaking. She sighed, “Before we split up, we need to talk. Have any of you seen a change in Fluttershy recently? Anything that could help us determine why she would run off like that?”

Applejack noted, “Ah’ve seen that she seems to come out of her shell a bit. In fact, Ah think she’s less nervous around John than any of us are.” Rainbow jumped at that statement, but said nothing.

“I’ve noticed that too,” Rarity added. “Whenever I see them in town together, she always seems relaxed. It’s almost like she thinks she has nothing to be afraid of.”

Twilight spoke, “Lately she has always been asking for her help a lot more as well.”

Pinkie perked up, “And when I see them walking together, she seems to walk closer to him than she does with anypony else. If she walked any closer, her flanks would brush his legs.”

Only Rainbow Dash kept silent, looking down at the ground as realization began to strike her. Twilight noticed Rainbow’s lack of interest in the conversation, “What do you think Rainbow?”

The cyan mare hesitated before answering, “The morning after I had the dream about Morning Dew, I visited Fluttershy.” She paused, and the girls waited in silence for Dash to look up. Realization flooded her eyes as she spoke, “She said that she saw Morning Dew as well, at the wedding. Morning Dew told her not to be afraid. When Fluttershy looked at John, the light hit his visor just right, and she saw into his eyes.” She paused again and looked down. “She said that his eyes made her feel safe.”

John ran to Fluttershy’s house, but she was not there. He checked all around the premises, but found no sign of where she could have gone. He was about to leave when Angel came hopping out. John could see that the white rabbit was feeling better, and asked him, “Fluttershy ran out of Pinkie’s party, do you know where she would go?”

John had always been amazed that the rabbit showed heightened intelligence, and was not disappointed when the rabbit held his paw up. Three digits extended from the otherwise closed paw.

“Three places?” John asked. Angel nodded. “Can you show me where?” Angel nodded again and hopped back into the house.

John followed as Angel was pulling a map of Ponyville from a table. The rabbit waved the human over as he unfurled the map. John knelt by the bunny as he pointed to three points on the map, tapping them for emphasis. The first was the middle of the park. The second was a picture of Rainbow’s cloud house. John would need the cyan pegasus to check that one. The third was Applejack’s barn.

“Thank you Angel.” John left quickly, heading to the park. On his way, be found Rainbow and sent her to her house to check the second hiding place.

When John reached the park, he found no trace of the yellow pegasus. He ran through quickly and turned to Sweet Apple Acres. As he made his way out of town, he tried to understand why Fluttershy would act this way. His mind spun as he ran down the orchard road.

John reached the barn, and he could hear faint crying from inside. He hesitated before knocking lightly on the door. The crying stopped.

Fluttershy called out, and John could hear tears permeate her voice, “Wh … Who’s there?”

“It’s John.”

Fluttershy did not respond. He heard the crying return.

He waited before asking, “Can I come in?”

“No,” she answered.

John sat down with his back to the door. “I’m sorry if I did anything to scare or hurt you.”

Fluttershy did not respond, but her crying grew softer.

John had a certain way with words when he needed them, his sass knew no bounds, and the ponies already knew his strength to win friends, but situations like this left him utterly powerless. He tried to think of the right thing to say, but no words came to him. He decided to dig the words from his heart, “Of all the ponies I have met since I came to this world, you have been the kindest to me. When I broke my hand the first time, you fussed over me for days, even though it healed itself in a few hours. When I broke it again, you fussed over me again. Every time, even when I told you it would be okay, you fussed over my hand and tried to make me stop helping Applejack on the farm. Everypony else realized after the first time that it would heal itself, but you still fussed over it.” He paused.

The crying from inside had stopped again.

“That kindness shows me what kind of pony you are. Your kindness is why it breaks my heart to see you sad now, especially if it’s because of something I said.” He paused again.

No sound emanated from inside.

John sighed, “I don’t know why what I said upset you so much, but I apologize. I … I’m here for you. I promise that I will not hurt you again.”

No sound escaped the door.

John rested his head back against the door. He would wait until she wanted to talk.

Twilight was combing the town when Rainbow intercepted her. The cyan mare spoke quickly, “I think John found Fluttershy, he was sitting against Applejacks barn, talking.”

“Alright,” Twilight replied, “Gather the other girls and have them meet me at the road leading out of town.”

Rainbow flew away and Twilight made her way to the rendezvous point. Her friends joined her there and they set off on the road. When they were approaching Sweet Apple Acres, Twilight led her friends into the tree line to approach the barn stealthily.

“Why are we going through the trees?” Rainbow asked.

“I want to see how John is handling it before we barge in.” Twilight replied.

The group made their way close to the barn, John’s entire attention was devoted to the barn door, so he did not notice their approach. Twilight crept close enough to be in earshot, but neither John nor Fluttershy spoke.

Twilight was about to step forward when she heard Fluttershy speak from inside the barn, “John? Are you still there?”

“Yes,” the human replied.

“I … I want to ask you something.”

“Go ahead.”

Fluttershy hesitated before she asked, “Your … girlfriend … from Earth … do you still … still love her?”

A long silence fell over the two before John replied, “At one time, I thought I did. But seeing how Cadance and Shining Armor acted around one another, I realized that she and I held no real love toward another.” He paused. “I think that being kidnapped by Chrysalis stopped me from making what may have been the worst mistake of my life on Earth.”

Fluttershy asked, “You didn’t love her?”

“I thought I did, but since coming to this world, I have learned what real love was. If I were to return, then I would only see a stranger.”

Another long silence fell over the two of them. Fluttershy broke it, “Would you want to go back?”

John hesitated, “No. I do not belong to that world anymore. What I have done here, and the ponies I have met, bind me more strongly to this world than my entire life did back on Earth. If I returned, I would not fit in there. That world could just not accept me any more than I could accept it.”

Fluttershy paused before asking, “So if given the chance, you would not go back to that world, back to her?”

John did not hesitate in replying, “No.”

Another long silence fell over the barn. Suddenly, Fluttershy pushed against the door that John was not leaning on. The human quickly got up. Fluttershy emerged from the barn, puffy eyed from crying. She looked up at John, then stood on her hind legs to hug the human. John returned the hug.

Twilight was about to emerge, but Fluttershy’s next action shocked everypony, especially the human. She kissed him.