*Bam! Bam!... Wham!*

The door? Who is thrashing? at my chamber door? “What is it?! I’m still asleep.”

*Bam! Bam!* “Get your lazy ass out of bed man! You are going to be late to work!”

“What part of, hold up, it’s Saturday! There is no work for the sleeping today!”

*click pop!* “fine, ya ASS! If you will not say anything and make horse noises at me I’m heading in to drag you to work! If I suffer so do you!”

Horse noises? The hell is Kevin on about? “Don’t come in man, I’m sleeping in today!” Carpool or not why did I ever give him that key? I thought.

The door to the small bedroom swings open slamming into the wall behind it and a short dark skinned man with short black hair walks in with a sudden surprised look on his face. He stumbled back in shock as he looks at the bed and what is held within. The occupant on the other hand slowly looks up to him as he wakes up.

“You love to kill my sleep right? Ya dick!” the covers are thrown off in a sudden motion as the once sleeping being sits up to look at the intruder. “Can’t you just let me sleep Kevin? Bloody hell its Saturday there is no work! Ya clod!”

With a look of confused fear Kevin steps back pointing “Horse! The hell is a small horse doing in Malone’s bed!”

“What! The hell are you on about?” looking down the man spots his hooves and short tail. His breathing shutters and then speeds up, cold sweat covers his face as his heart starts to race. His lungs start to fail after the first few panicked breaths and his breathing grinds to a halt. Gasping for air proves worthless and the stallion’s hooves shoot to his neck in some ingrained response to breathing failure. As his vision starts to blur and his mind flickering from lack of oxygen in his blood. The pony collapses back onto the bed still gasping for air that cannot be caught. Limbs twitch as he tries to move them only to feel gravity holding them down as if they were made of stone and lead. Only able to wheezes out the last his words, from his now burning lungs, before he slips into deaths brisk embrace as she suffocates in a tariffing grip of fear.

“Why… why can’t I… Why. Can. I. Not… Sleep?”

*GASP*

My eyes shoot open as my mouth gapes wide open taking in two lungs worth of air. Quickly pushing myself up with my front hooves I exhale and takes in another gasp of air as cold sweat drips off my brow and slides down my muzzle, eyes darting around to verify the surroundings to be sure I was not in another dream. Yep, still in Ponyville, its morning, it feels brisk but I think my coat has something to do with that and it not being just bone cold instead. After five minutes of this I finally calm down and slowed my breathing along with my pounding heart. Wiping the sweat from my face I slowly look around to actually comprehend my surroundings as opposed to just looking for key threats. Slowly standing up from the soft grass under the golden oak’s balcony and gently rubbing my stiff neck I clear my thoughts right as my thrashed flank throbs. “So help me if this turns into a common thing.” Looking over my shoulder and rubbing my eyes, I blink a few times to be sure I was seeing things properly.

“You done screaming there buddy?” the emerald reptile asks in a bit of a groggy tone. “You are the guy who twilight was talking about right? The one with a strange club?”

Slightly nodding I respond in a bit of a strained voice. “Well I guess that’s me then spike. Though I wish folks would stop calling this a club” using my magic the shotgun floats over my head and spins a bit. “But in a way I guess it kinda looks like one. Meh, oh well.” the firearm gently places itself, pointing down, over the blank scared flank on my right, as if to hide the large mass of bandages from sight, unsuccessfully by the way.

“Well come on.” spike waves to follow as he turns around “Twilight wants you inside for breakfast and all the food is getting cold. So hurry up!”

Tilting my head I could only wonder. Food? oh gods what is going to happen now? I don’t think I can handle a vegetarian diet! Oh gods help me keep sane. Well, all I can do now is just follow Spike I guess. It did not take long at all to get to the front of the library and threw its door. After getting inside I stared at the handle of the open door behind me. “If I just will it? Would that work?” I mutter as I tried to move the door with my mind. Nothing moved after a minute of trying to imagine the door moving so with a shrug I pushed the door shut with a front hoof and turned around to see Spike still walking towards the kitchen. Following the dragon towards the kitchen my nose is suddenly assaulted with the smell of something fantastic! “Man it has been too long since last I had eaten anything! Something smells out of this world!” Rearing back a bit I took off in a short lived gallop to see what it was that smelled so delicious!

Sliding on the hard wood floor into the kitchen I almost bump into Twilight’s assistant as I skidded to a stop to observe the table filled with what looked like breakfast. But it was not something I was familiar with.

“Good morning Blank! Thank you for joining us.” Twilight beams from the far side of the table behind a stack of pancakes covered in maple syrup and strawberries. “Have a seat and talk. We made a little too much, we did not know what you would like or what you could eat. So we made a little of everything.”

“Well that may be the start of a problem.” I walk over to the table taking in the sweet scent of the breakfast that had been made for me. But I was obviously showing a look of confusion that Twilight picked up on in a flash. “Nothing here is what I would normally eat. Well aside from the pancakes, which look fantastic.” Reaching over for a plate of the flat food that had not been claimed I could not help but get a whiff of the other foods. It was not just the flapjacks that smelled lovely, it was all the strange herbivore kinds of food that did as well. Why? Taking a seat with the pancakes I take a bite awkwardly out of the round food without using any utensils.

“So all you eat are breads? That’s not much of a diet.” Spike comments “And if that’s so why where you drooling at the whole? table before you got the pancakes?”

At this point I was starting at the silverware next to the plate in front of me and making odd faces as I was trying to move the fork using my magic and not touching it. “Well that’s just it little guy. The thing is,” I stop and look up to twilight, who is just going to love hearing any information about where I had come from. “Ok first off.” I point to spike. “How much does the dragon know about me? I know I can trust him, mostly. But I would rather keep what I am, was? Hidden.”

Twilight looks to Spike then to me with an odd look. “He was with me when you came through the portal. He has seen the real you, or was the real you.” The mare levitates a fork to cut and pluck a bit of pancake from her plate and takes a bite.

Hmm, I don’t recall seeing him at the gate. Well that’s no matter to me. Hell I was eating the ground a lot more than normal that day so perhaps a concussion or two may have erased that bit of information. Taking another bite of the pancakes I cleared my thoughts after a moment and started to elaborate. “Ok here is the facts, Twilight, where I come from we are all omnivores. Me to be more specific, I was more of a meat person then veggies. Liked fruit, but I was manly a meat consumer. That said.” I take a look over the table again spotting what looked like a sandwich filled with daffodils and daisies. “I am finding some of the things on this table to look, well, just plain savory! And I normally don’t like half the food here, let alone able to digest the other half.” I point to the sandwich that was out of my reach. “Mind hoofing me that? I want to try some.”

Looking at the sandwich then back to me the book pony just gives me a confused look. “An omnivore hmm? Meat? As in other animals?” she leans back in her chair with a bit of concern and disgust as she uses her magic to give me the plate. “You can’t levitate it yourself? You are a unicorn you know. Don’t you know how to use magic? You must have had that back in your world or you would never be turned into a unicorn.”

“Don’t worry Twi,” shaking my head as I take the plate in one hoof and set it down in front of me. I lift up the sandwich in my hooves. “The animals around here can think, there sentient to a degree and oddly, thinking about slaughtering and eating them makes me a tad, sick?” inspecting the greens between the slices of bread I continue to ramble a bit. “So I don’t think you need to worry about me eating any one. As for the magic? I can’t use it. Tried a bit just a moment ago on the front door and silverware and I can’t use it. As for magic back home? Well nothing like what you can do here exists in my realm. Magic is the stuff of fairy tales back home. I have no clue as to why I’m a unicorn. I figured it was just a role of the dice kinda thing.” I shrug a bit as I continue. “But that is not to say I’m not wondering how it works here. I would like to try and learn it so I could use it.” taking a bite of the sandwich paints me surprised. “It’s good, how!?” I could not help but almost shout.

“Thanks, made it myself” Spike boasts puffing his chest out a bit with pride.

“Not a problem Spike. But like I said, I should not like this, or even be able to eat it! Maybe the plant life in this world is different somehow?” looking over the sandwich more and more as if it contained the secrets of life itself that I could not figure it out. “I am human, was human, human at heart? Or just in my mind and memories now?”

Twilight brakes in after swallowing more pancake delight. “Well it is probably the spell the princesses used on you to make you what you are. And I have seen you use magic to hold that gun of yours. What is holding it to your flank right now?”

After inhaling the rest of the strangely scrumptious sandwich I looked back over my right shoulder to the bullpup magically holstered to my side. “Hmm? Oh! Well, I’m not sure. It just happens. I’m not really thinking about it when it moves. It just sorta happens.” my horn lit up in a deep crimson glow as I pulled the gun from my side and pulled it forward to inspect it. After a moment and a poke from my hoof it floats back to my side and sticks back into place. “Not sure I can do anything other than that right now with magic.” With a shrug I look back to the forgotten neglected pancakes and dig in. After a moment something flickers into my head. “Say, would you happen to know what the name of the spell they used on me was twilight?” one eye brow lifts as I tilted my head slightly. “There was a chat about it before it was used. I could discern that much. But at the time I could not understand a word of it, still don’t. anything helpful said?”

“A Reformationem spell I think” twilight scratches her chin with one hoof. “Other than it being powerful and able to change any creature into a pony body and mind, No.”

“Sounds like another language and failure somehow.” using my hooves to grab a small cup of what looked like tea and sipped it happily. “hmm…good.” again I noted how simple it seemed to be to pick up a cup with a pair of hooves. This was getting annoying how this worked, kinda. Happy that things where just happening like I knew how to all my life. But annoying at how simple it was. No transition period of me being clumsy like in fan fictions and others of that ilk. Things just worked and I knew how to do them.

“Well it is old equestrian, translates to reform in more current language” the librarian point out.

There was a moment of silence as my head rapped around what I was just told. Suddenly the gears in my head spun at over a thousand RPM. Choking on the tea in surprise I wipe the remaining liquid from my lips rendering a stunned look from Spike and Twilight. Clearing my thoughts I was almost shouting “A reform spell?!” getting up from my chair and almost falling over my own hooves in the sudden process. “Those two cast the REFORM spell on me?!” stomping a hoof to the ground causing a small pop of light I bit my lip trying to contain my anger. “Now I think I know why Discord was so quick to eat that book to hide that spell!”

“There it is again. What or who is Discord?” Twilight questions as she glances at my hoof then back to me “I’m starting to think it is something I should know about.” she slips off her seat to leave spike hiding behind the table from my little outburst.

“Hold on a moment.” my head shot up looking twilight dead in the eyes “That spell is only meant to mess with somepony’s will, right? How in Tartarus did it CHANGE me? And forget about discord!”

“For not knowing how to use magic you seem to know a lot about it” Spike comments as she pokes his head out from behind his makeshift barrier.

The unicorn glances from Spike back to me “Indeed, well I don’t know what that spell really does. I did not know about it until it was used on you. The princesses did not say much before that. Luna seemed to know something, like it was harmful, something about it would change him too much. Celestia convinced her quickly that it was the only option.” With a gentle shake of her head the mare looked back to me, more confused now then a moment ago.

“Well, I’m glad the spell was interrupted. I don’t think you fully understand what that spell was supposed to do! I think I know but that’s not any better.” was that spell meant to change me into a pony body and mind, and on top of that reform me for follow there commands and will like what was intended for discord? This idea flew through my mind but I knew only two ponies could answer this for sure. “And I knew Celestia was the motive force in this! Ggaaaa! That’s it! I can’t stand this! No wonder things just worked without me dropping things or tripping like a fool! Darn near brainwashed me just to talk to me if I’m right about that spell! Gods! Might as well cast a mind control on me and take away my free will!” with that I spun around and started to stomp towards the door.

“Hold on, where are you going? You need to calm down first. We can talk about this and fix it, I’m sure this is just a misunderstanding!” twilight pleads.

“Ya, come on Blank, sit back down with us and eat more and cool off. We can figure this out.” Spike asks holding up another plate of pancakes.

“Sorry, but no! I’m pissed as all hell and sitting around here eating is not going to help at all! I’m going for a walk or something! Anything!” I tuned to get out of the library but the door knob was posing a large challenge as my hooves slipped on its polished surface. “Why a knob on the inside but a handle on the outside?! Ggraaa!” With a sudden flick of my horn my shotgun was at the ready and safety disengaged.

*Chick, chlak!*

*BLAM!*

*Chick*

With blurred movements the buckshot made fast work of removing the latch from the door all together. A smoking shell popping out of the gun and clattered as it fell to the floor as the KSG floated right next to my head. After a flick of my ear that was right next to the gun I used a front leg to kick the door open and walk out without hesitation. “Will fix that when I’m not so pissed. Sorry sparkle.” I deadpanned as the firearm stuck itself back to my side, its breach left wide open and empty.

Twelve shells remaining.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cowering behind the table from the tremendous blast Spike looks at the mare hiding next to him as she rubs her ears from the loud blast of sound. “What was that?! Sounded like a spell backfiring!” Spike askes as he slowly looked out from behind the table and sees what is left of the door. “Oh no! He blew up! Now what do we tell the princess?” Spike starts to panic as Twilight rests one hoof on his head.

The future princess rolls her eyes to her assistants concussion. “Relax Spike, he is fine, and that was not a spell but his gun, that club looking thing on his side. All I know is that thing is loud and you don’t want to be in front of it as it goes off.” Getting to her hooves and walking over to the door to see what the angry stallion did, she just looks out the door with a worried look as Spike slowly walks up to her and holds onto her front leg hiding behind it. “He gave me his word he would not hurt others with that thing. But have I made a mistake in trusting somepony I hardly know?”

“Should we go after him then?” the dragon asks only to clutch the mare’s leg tighter.

Twilight shakes her head and uses her magic to pick up the bits of the door handle and reform them back into the door and their previous form. “This may be the time to trust his word and let him be for a little bit. But I will still send a letter to the princess.” pushing the door closed Twilight’s face shifts more to that of worry, was it wrong to give him that gun back? Or was she worried more for the stallion then what may happen to others?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Anger is an odd thing if you ask me. Makes you want to pummel any one, more often anything, in sight for no discernible resin. Hell punching the air kinda did something now and again. It also tends to feed itself by making any slight gesture similar to someone flipping you the bird. And over all it makes the sight of happy jolly pastel ponies going about their lives just infuriating to no end! I mean why the HELL do others get off scot free as I get the entire gantlet thrown in my face? “Why so care free? Gods all mighty, I know this is not fair but I need to get out of this town be for I do something incredibly stupid!” grumbling under my breath was barely the definition of what I was doing and it was starting to bring unwanted eyes my way. “I hate anger so much” I start muttering to myself as if to vent the hatred safely. “Why change me like that? Was she so blind to what fear looks like and what it may mean?” I kick up my voice and octave to mimic sun butt “We did not understand you and also wanted you to do as we say with a spell to reform you.” dropping my voice back down as a spa pony trots by.

“Good morning!” was spoken in sort of a chiming way by Lotus Blossom.

Gritting my teeth and nodding with a smile was about the safest thing I could do to keep from biting any poor bystanders head off. So help me if I snap and some poor passerby. I would never let myself live that down. Just simply keeping my pace and passing her was not the simple end of it as I hoped. I could tell she stopped in her tracks, possibly looking back at me so I keep trudging forward as if nothing was amiss. Not even going to look back.

“Excuse me sir! But are you ok? You look very stressed for being up this early” slowly looking over my shoulders…hunches? Meh. I could see she was talking to me and was closing the gap between me and her as well.

“God’s help me to not snap, and at a spa pony no less.” I mumbled under my breath as I turned to her “sorry I just woke up on the wrong side of the bed today, that’s all. Nothing to worry yourself about miss…?” pretend you don’t know anypony and you will look fine. I muttered in my head.

“Lotus Blossom, I have not seen you around but if I may be so bold, you look like you could do with a day at the spa to unravel.” She catches sight of my bandaged side and gasps a bit covering her mouth with one hoof.

Yep, meets a pony for the first time and already drumming up business, go figure. And did she realize that she made a small pun? I could swear my eye was twitching a bit.

After letting her hoof set back onto the ground she continues. “I run a simply luxurious spa around the corner and I can give you a deal for an early morning massage, mister?” she leans forward batting her eyes and giving me what I had to admit was a quite a becoming face in an attempt to lure me into a sale.

Nope! No way was this how I was going to be calmed down. Stepping back and still gritting my teeth threw a fake smile I responded a little more gruffly then I would have liked. “Yep, I’m new so I’m not sure where it is but don’t worry, I will be fine Miss Blossom. Well would you look at that I need to be going on my way, bye!” Before she could get another word in I was taking off at a good trotting pace. Could not have others rubbing out my muscles in my world or this one, and not in this pissed off mood ether. The cerulean mare tilts her head and shrugs as she continues on her path in the other direction.

Turning around a corner to be sure I was out of sight just about made me crash into another pony. Spinning on one hoof to avoid contact was almost automatic. Nodding to the passerby I wondered to myself. What is it with this town? It has got to be a little after sunrise and there had to be half the town up and about. Or was I just in the wrong part of town to be avoiding the pastel patrons? This was suddenly all irrelevant as I had realized what building I had wandered in front of. Looking up the front shudder doors to spot that all too familiar ginger bread looking roof with what looked to be icing around the edges, with a giant cupcake topping the entire thing.

“Sugarcube Corner!? You have got to be kidding me!” looking back and forth I started to back away from the sugar filled sweets shop. I need just a little bit more time before I run into pinkie! “Another time I swear! But not now!” Turning and rearing back a bit as I got ready to run I had a sudden thought as my front hooves meet with the earth. No! Don’t run, she will see, hear, or sense it. That’s not what I need, stay calm and this may work. Slowly I continued walking away trying my best to keep calm as I trotted away from the shop. A moment later my ears swivel back to catch the sound of an exacerbated gasp, freezing in place I look around to see others looking back to the shop with confused looks. Painfully my head turned out of pure curiosity just to see what it was. Good thing I’m not a cat or I would have been killed.

Out of the corner of my eye I can see the front door wide open with a pink mare standing on her hind legs just behind the threshold pointing dramatically with one extended hoof the other holding the side of her head. My eyes shrank in panic as I could see she was pointing right at me and a grin a mile wide was forming on her face.

“Oh buck me.”

Just those three words deadpanned out of my sandy muzzle at that moment. Now I knew there was no point in running from Miss Pinkamena Dian Pie, but darned if I was not already running at full gallop by the time this ran through my head. I figured had an extremely tiny window to lose her and it may only last ten seconds at my best guess. Rounding a corner and slipping down the next corridor behind some buildings was going to be my best bet. Diving into a trash can seemed like just enough to slip away in the small time frame I may have had. Doing my best to calm my lungs and catching my breath was done none too soon. Outside the steel can I could hear hooves bouncing outside and a light humming.

Slowly looking out from the can but staying hidden I just catch a glimpse of a cotton candy tail hopping past. Sweet stars I did it! Heck yeah I dodged Pinkie! Slowly and quietly I slipped out of the trash can and dusted off the debris from my coat and started trotting down the corridor. Accomplishing that feet had more then killed off most of my anger for that morning, but it was not too last as my ears perked up yet again to some heavy hoofsteps behind me. Far too heavy to be Pinkie and I can hear the clank of something metallic along with it.

Glancing back just enough to see it was actually a royal unicorn guard! And he seemed rather disappointed, but that could have just been a default look for the guard. Ok I’m not one to make these guys mad any more then need be, they are not pushovers by any means like in the show. Turning around but still slowly walking backwards, forcing a smile to the approaching guard I call out to him. “Hello Mr. Royal guard sir! Sorry for causing a small commotion back there but did I do anything wrong?” I lower my head a bit trying to seam unintimidating as he keeps walking forward silently. I make it out of the corridor between the buildings and chuckle a bit to try and disarm any malice. “Ah, hahaha. Ok your starting to worry me sir, what do you need?”

Leaving the shadows of the buildings something catches my ear behind me right as I bump into something sharp poking my flank. With a bit of a surprised gasp I spin around only to find three earth pony guard, swords and spears drawn, surrounding me. Looking back to the one walking out of the corridor I watch as he pulls his sword as well and points his horn to the sky. I wince back as a bright blue flair screams into the sky from his horn and pops like a firecracker. “You are to remain still until the princess arrives. And we know about your weapon so it better not move from your side.”

“Is that so?!” I started to remember why I was pissed a moment ago and now I could ream the source of my anger. “good, beca-“ I was suddenly cut off by a sugary sweet voice.

“Oooohhhh! What does the princes want with this silly new guy here?” Pinkie chimes in right next to my right side making me jump a bit “Hi! I’m Pinkie pie, who are you? I have not seen you around so you must be new.” she starts to bounce up and down right next to me.

This not only caught me off guard but also all the guards as well. But in a moment they all snapped back from the confusion of the pink mare suddenly appearing next to me. “Sorry Pinkie but I don’t think this is the time to be making friends, especially when said pony is surrounded and held at spear point.” I comment looking back to the guard a bit mad. “But I would like to know why the princess wants me. I did nothing wrong and it’s not even noon! In fact I would like to ask her about what she has done wrong.”

A calm motherly voice breaks through the background noise of the town and Pinkie’s bouncing. “But you have done wrong, so there is no need to play dumb. As for what I have done? Now what could you mean by that?” slowly turning my head as an annoyed look started creeping its way onto my face as Pinkie and I look to the left to see Celestia herself landing gently on the ground. “First, I am unsure how you did it but I would like to know how you broke into the castle vault and stole that gun without tripping any alarms and leaving me unaware until Twilight Sparkle informed me with a letter this morning among other things you told her. May I remind you that I barred you from entering Canterlot.” Stepping forward she outstretched her wings to try and intimidate me, I think? It did not work much as she stayed behind the guard who scared me more than her. But that was beside the point.

“Hold on a moment your highness.” Pissed as I was she still ran an entire country so I could not help but respect her a bit, as fleeting as that was. That and the idea of making the guard mad was an incentive. “Stole? What are you talking about? This gun is MINE in the first place! Hell, you don’t even know how it works let along how to use it.”

“Well dugh! You point it towards the sky like my party cannon.” Pinky chimes out as she points the gun into the air and pulls the trigger”

“NO!!!” Eyes widening all around as I try to reach for her to stop her but I was too late. Confetti had shot out and sprinkled all over the guard and the princes. We all hold in place as the paper shrapnel falls to the ground, Pinky simply giggling and slaps the gun back onto my side where it sticks. Shaking my head and looking from the gun to the baker I just sigh.

Looking back to the higher ark with a shrug “Anyhow, you took it from me and then gave it back after Twilight sent you a letter last night saying I could be trusted with it. And how am I supposed to get there and back all in one night? Me and Twi where on the last train out of there when I left.” I pointed a hoof at her accusingly. “You GAVE me MY gun back last night so don’t you DARE accuse me of going back on my word! And on that note, care to explain what you were planning to do after using a REFORM SPELL on me? Mind you I do NOT take lightly to others wanting to control my free will!”

The princes narrows her eyes at me in thought as the guards take a step forward as if to tell me not to talk to her in that tone. “We will talk about this in the privacy of the library, Miss Pie,” her smile returned as she looked to the pink mare “would you excuse us for now? I wish to talk to Twilight and this stallion alone for a while. You can have him back after that, if, he is still around.”

Pinkie nods quickly and bounces away “Oki doki Loki! But I Need to throw him a big welcome party so make sure he does not miss that princes!” with that the bouncing ball of pink was hopping back to Sugarcube corner.

With a gentle chuckle the princess nods “I will Pinkie, but that must wait for another time.” After a small wave of her hoof she then looks off toward where the library is and nods to one of the guard. “Come along blank, I think we have some things to discuss.”

“Darn right we do, and can you get your guard to back off a tad. I don’t want to be cut if I sneeze” I use a hoof to push away one spear pointed so close I could shave my face with it. Only to have it thrusted back into position with a grunt from the guard holding it, thankfully Celestia nods her head and the sharp implements are pulled away and sheathed. “Thank you princess.”

It was too long after, that we made it back to the Golden Oak Library. Would have been faster but the princes had to keep up her kind demeanor and talk to some of the towns ponies on the way back. All the while I was just getting looks from all the others in town. Confusion, wonder, maybe disgust? Well that’s what happens when you are surrounded by four guards following a princess. Or it could be that I was a full grown stallion with no butt tattoo. I’m sure that after this, everypony was going to ether despise me or be scared of me, I hopped the latter if I had my way but here is to hoping right? It was fun to see the surprised look on Twilights face as she walked up behind spike, who had opened the door when Celestia knocked, which was fantastically funny to me. Am I bad for that? After that we all filed inside, aside from two guards who stood guard just outside the door. The other two followed inside to keep me surrounded and to keep between me, the princess and Twilight. After some explaining about that nights actions there was an odd silence for a moment.

“So you sent me a letter during your journey back home explaining how you believe Blank Space to be trusted with the gun? Strange, I have not received such a letter from you.” Celestia was gently looking down at twilight a bit confused as the two stood in the main room of the library.

“MY gun, thank you very much!” my tail swished from side to side as I responded in a slightly annoyed tone as I was the only one sitting on the floor, and not on a pillow. I blame cake butt.

“Be that as it may it was ceased to be placed in royal custody to be guarded and studied. You had no right to just take it back.” as this was spoken she did not even look at the sandy colored stallion. Yet no malice or anger was expressed.

“You had no right to take it.” I shot back. This garnered a slight hit to the back of my head from the mare guard to my left. I glared back at her as I rubbed the back of my head.

“But he was here the entire time princes. In fact he woke me up in the middle of the night whining and making noses just under the balcony outside.” The unicorn looked at me with a bit of concern “I don’t know what he was doing but I can vouch for him being here all night”

Looking out of the corner of her eye Celestia raised a brow in my direction. “Is that so? And would you care to explain what the cause of such noise was?”

“None of your business cake flank.” as she looked to me I looked away from her only to have a hoof jab my side courtesy of the mare guard next to me again. Flaring my nostrils to the mare I stared back at her as angrily as I could. “My thoughts are my own. If I choose to let you in I will, until then that’s not yours to know” I swat the guards hoof away and looked away from her and the princes.

With a slight sigh emanating from the princess she looks back to twilight and smiles a bit more concerned than happy “well, I will trust my star pupil with the matter of overseeing Blank. But the matter of how the gun got into his position without any one knowing and this letter you sent that I have not seen is still a big problem. Are you sure Blank did not teleport in some way or cast some strange spell?”

Twilight shakes her head and looks over to me. “He can’t cast spells so I don’t think he could do that. He can’t even levitate anything aside from his gun. I’m sorry princess but I don’t have a clue as who could have done this. But I don’t think Blank could have done it.”

“Well, I will have to…” Some muffled shouting interrupted the princes mid statement. Turning around to see what interrupted the princes left me, Celestia, the guards, and twilight all looking at the door. I don’t think spike heard as he was on the upper floor of the library sorting books or whatever it was that twilight told him to do as we chatted. Walking over to the door twilight uses her magic to open up the door to see what all the commotion was about.

“…a duty to find her! She left this morning and is still not back. Something is wrong and you need to find her fast!” looking over the shoulder of the unicorn guard to my right I could barely see out the door past the other two guards. It was Aloe from the spa. What was she doing here and what does she mean morning? After looking around to find a clock I was shocked to realize we had been there for just less than three hours! How did that much time pass so fast?!

“Look miss, we are personal guard to her highness. You need to find the ponyville guard to help in this matter. We cannot help you at the moment.” One of the guards responded as Celestia looked back and forth from the guard, to twilight, then back to the guard outside the door holding back Aloe.

Twilight steps forward and bushes by the two guard “Aloe? What’s wrong? Did something happen to somepony?”

“Oh Twilight thank Celestia! It’s my sister Lotus! Like I told these guards, she left this morning to get some more herbs for the luxurious herbal bath that Zecora had shown us. But she is still not back! I think something just terrible has happened to her!”

Now Celestia chimes in with a slight look of concern. “If I’m mistaken that means your sister is somewhere in the Everfree forest correct?” Aloe nods with a look of surprise to see the princes and fear as the Princess words reminds her of where her sister may be. With a nod Celestia looks to one of the guards “Private Steadfast! Go to the Ponyville guards and gather there forces to the Everfree forest at once.” With a slight salute the earth pony was gone in a puff of dust. Looking back inside the princess points to the unicorn guard “send word to Canterlot and have two Wonderbolts scrambled to aid in the search, double time! And…” Celestia looks around surprised only to spot a window that was not open a moment ago. Snapping back to the mare guard she slowly asks. “Quick Hoof, where is Blank Space?” the guard’s eyes shrank and she quickly looked to her side to find the stallion in question was gone.

“But he was right here when you got up your highness!” she looks around frantically only to have Celestia stop her.

“We will deal with him latter, for now just help in the search.” The solar ruler looks back to Twilight and the two start talking search and rescue plans.

Personally I found it kinda genus to use old sun butt’s hoof steps to mask my own so I could get out that window. I did not care what she did but I knew if it involves the Everfree forest, there was no time to gather forces. With that place you had to act fast with what you hade at that moment. Seeing as her highness would not go in there by herself like this and her guards where off getting back up. I was the only one brave enough to fit the bill.

“Pfff AHAhahaha~! Gods who am I kidding? If this forest is like the guard I’m dead!” galloping as fast as I could I make it to the path leading from Ponyville to Everfree in surprisingly fast time. “Well what do you know? This town is minutes away from ever free.” Not even stopping I charged headlong into the shadows of the forest. As far as I knew there was only one path in and out of Everfree so Zecora’s place must be on this path too right? Had to be, it was the same path the main six followed Apple Bloom after she followed Zecora the first time. If that’s so then Lotus had to be somewhere along that path. At that moment I heard low growls and what sounded like someone pleading. Slowing down just before a turn in the path I could see the trail was clear ahead. Then I heard the sounds of a dog whining like it had been struck. Turning to look to the right I could see a pale blue mare cornered by about five Timberwolves. Behind her was a large cliff face that was unclimbable.

She was still a ways off the path, must have tried to run but picked the wrong direction. It looked like she had managed by bucking them as they got close but it was looking to me like she was getting tired and just delaying what would have been inevitable.

Running at full tilt, my gun pulled from its hilt position at my side. My crimson magic gripping the stock and the pump as the iron sighs popped up from their folded down position. Sliding the pump forward locks a shell of buck in the breech and the clack rang out making one of the timber wolves turn toward me. Bringing the shotgun up to sight the first hound, my magic squeezed the trigger. A fraction of a second latter the first timberwolves head explodes into bits of bark, wood, leaves, and strange green sap looking ooze. The defining boom makes all but me jump at the sound and spin to look at me.

Eleven shells remaining.

The rest of the timber wolf’s body shivers and falls to the ground in a pile of greenery. Ejecting the spent shell and loading the next was a blur as my magic reciprocated the pump. Just before I got to the next one in the line of wolves I jumped into the air. As I plummeted back to terra I brought my gun in front of me and, using the butt, slammed down with all the force my magic would muster onto the top of the next wolfs head. Instead of smashing it and breaking apart like I thought it would, the animal was just slammed to the ground head first. After landing next to it I stumbled a bit in the soft damp ground but a moment latter I pressed the muzzle to the wolves’ skull and let another round lose with another ear splitting boom. Pumping another round into the gun the wolves’ body disintegrated into twigs and bark. Now facing the wolves I glance back to Lotus behind me. “RUN!! I can hold them! Just run through the gap!” I shouted.

Ten shells remaining.

Lotus was petrified and shaking her head back and forth. She could not say a thing but it did not matter, she was too scared to move. Gritting my teeth I spun around and grabbed her front leg and hurled her forward toward the hole I had made in the line. “One pony can make it out safe if another stays to fight them, but you have to just run now Lotus! Just run!” she stumbles as she is tossed toward the gap and screams as one of the wolves finally snaps out of its confusion and pounces at her. “Just go now damn it!” I scream as several lead spheres rip through the timberwolves chest creating a gaping hole followed by the shockwave of the gunpowder explosion.

Nine shells remaining.

Twigs and sap fall to the ground as the wolf disassembles in midair. Peppering the scared spa pony with sap and some light sticks witch stick to her coat. Running up behind her I push her flank with both front hooves to get her to run “Oh come on, run already!” a second latter the mare shakes her head out of the daze and speeds off back to the path. “Yyaaaouch!” Suddenly I can feel something clamping down on my back leg, sharp wooden teeth sank into my hide and forced me to shout. The first fallen wolf was pulling itself together head first. And so its head was now clamping down on my back leg. Raising my free back leg I brought it solidly down on the head smashing it back into pieces and covering my back leg with green sap. With blood now flowing from the puncture wounds just above my hoof I look back to Lotus to spot one wolf making a dash for her. Pulling my gun close and Sighting carefully as the distance increased, I squeezed the trigger in my magic to fire another round of buck shot.

Eight shells remaining

I could barely make out two lead balls ripping out the back legs of the wolf, a few going wide and one tearing through its muzzle. Falling to the ground it struggled then spun to look at me, green glowing ooze pouring out of its shattered muzzle. Now that the pony in danger had gotten away, now it was my turn, but oh how fate had better plans for me. Suddenly I felt so much heavier and my breath was stopped. The last of the wolves had jumped on my back and was now clenching his teeth around my neck. To be fair, this was a wolf. Main strategy? Grab neck and choke target.

My nightmare from that night flashed threw my head as I struggled to take a step forward and fell to my knees. I could see the other wolves reforming themselves and starting to look my way. Eyes going wide and starting to tear up I spun the shotgun around and jabbed the muzzle brake into the wolves’ eye and squeezed the trigger. Its head exploded and what was left of its body fell limp onto the ground next to me the wolf then burst into sticks and bark.

Seven shells remaining

Brushing off the jaw remains in a bit of a panic from my now blood and sap soaked neck and head, I got back to my hooves to start moving away from the now half reformed wolves. I trudged forward trying to rain in my emotions. Fear was holding fast and not letting go as another wolf started its attack after pulling itself back together. Eyes shrunken from fear I spun around and blasted it away with another round. Shaking in place I started backing away as the other four stared me down from the remnants of there fallen friend. The smell of fresh cut tree limbs along with the damp smell of the forest was filling the air more and more as this continued.

Six shells remaining

“Get back! You can’t win this! Wolves will not attack if they can’t win a fight or will get hurt!” Oh, duh! Stupid me, the bloody things will just pull themselves back together! Shouting was going to do squat. The wolves keep up with me as I keep backing away a bit faster. One steps onto a twig and the snap rings out through the forest. In a spasm of fear and adrenalin the KSG snaps to said wolf and squeezes the trigger. My magic sprays a jet of energy backwards to counterbalance the anticipated recoil for the round but nothing happens, just the click of the hammer rings out as the gun jumps forward a bit. “No” I mutter as I quickly use my magic to flip the selector switch to the next feed tube. I could not pump the next round in time and a wolf was jumping at me. The other three split off in a dash to either side to surround me. Horn flaring with crimson magic I pulled the gun in front of me just in time for the wolf’s sharp teeth to wrap around the pump and barrel as it tried to gnaw threw the hardened steel of my gun.

Pushing back with my front hooves did nothing as the big wolf stepped forward over powering me and forcing me to fall backwards and off my hooves. Land square on my back I try to buck the wooden demon off but the hound was standing over me so much my back legs just missed landing between its hind legs. Pressing down on my shotgun and me in turn. I started to sink into the soft mossy earth of the forest floor. I spot one wolf lunging at me from the right side. Shifting my push to the stock and away from the barrel I force the muzzle down and with that the trigger was pulled. A one ounce lead slug forced its way right through the entire length of the wolf, right in its mouth, through its entrails, and shattering where I guess its pelvises would be, dropping it to the ground in a heartbeat.

Five shells remaining

As the wolf to my right coughed up sap all over my side the wolf over me was whimpering in pain. The recoil from the heavy round had make the gun slide through its mouth catching and breaking some of its teeth along the way. With its assault lessened I pushed back at the barrel and got the wolf to turn its head so much the muzzle was now pointing at the creature’s shoulder. Pinning my ears back and clenching my teeth I pulled the trigger and watched another slug fly, this time it tore right through the wolf taking the right side shoulder with it.

Four shells remaining

Now with the wolf over me falling to my left to block the other wolf on the same side I scrambled to my hooves. At this point my heart was beyond pounding in my ears and head. It was just about to explode out of my ribcage at this rate. I got up and started to run but there was another wolf dead center. Racking in the next round I aimed true and sent another slug into its chest a bit on the downward angle.
Three shells remaining

Ripping in and bursting out just below the rib cage the wolf let out a gargled howl as sap filled its lungs just before it dropped to the forest floor and popped into its components of forest debris. Leaping over the pile I started finally bolting towards the path in true fear. Seconds later I was skidding out of the forest onto the path and pressing my rear legs into the dirt of the path to carry me back to Ponyville. I was home free! “Four down and I’m…” I need to shut up.

The fifth wolf that had made a run for Lotus was running alongside me just off the path. Gasping for air as my neck dripped blood I took aim with the KSG and sent another round right for the wolf. But this one was picking up on my dropping stamina. Right as the round fired he banked behind a tree and the bark of the tree splintered from the slug making contact. Without losing a step the wolf then sped out from behind the tree and makes a beeline right for me and jumps baring his teeth.

Two shells remaining

Thinking fast I flip my gun over and pull the pump down solidly ejecting the spent round right at the wolf. The hot round finds its mark and lands inside the timberwolves mouth, warranting a yelp as the brass burns its mouth. Spitting it out was the distraction I needed to bring the butt of my guns stock to land square on its jaw throwing it to the ground. Now panting hard as I skidded to as stop I pull the pump forward to load the next slug and just like the others. I aimed the firearm and blasted the wolves head clean off. Stepping back I chuckled a bit as the animated wood fell apart. “That’s right ya bundle of sticks and magic! Human ingenuity will always win out! Ya mindless bitch!” stumbling back as blood dripped onto the ground from my neck and leg I slowly turned to walk away. Not too long after I was making one last turn in the trail. My eyes could see the end of the forest path just beyond the shadows. I had done it, saved the mare and gotten out alive. Hell yeah! Coughing I spotted blood splattering onto the ground and the taste of it in my mouth leading me to think that perhaps that darn dog had bitten through to my wind pipe and had put a small hole in it.

Suddenly things slow down, like the slow motion button on a play back, as I heard something snap to my left. Looking towards the sound I spot all five of the timberwolves leaping at once at me. Eyes slowly going wide my gun snaps forward and pulls the trigger. The angle of my gun that was hovering over my head would have allowed me to just barely take out two of the last wolves but due to my strained state my aim was off. I watched the lead slug zip right over the heads of the wolves. I rack the pump just before the wolves make it to me but my aim was not so quick. I watch as there front paws make contact all at once in the same spot and launch me from the path where I was walking and send me flying into a tree some thirteen feet away. Slamming into the tree back first my body wraps around the trunk a bit and I can hear a soft snap. “GGRAAAaaa!” Oh stars above let that be a tree branch! slipping down I slump down to my hunches soon falling to my side. Lying there I watch in now the normal speed of real life as the wolves slowly walk up to me. My shaky magic lifts my gun and the five stop, wide eyes as if to see who would be shot. Pff as if it mattered to them. Lazily I point at one and pull the trigger.

*click*

No shells remaining

“I’m out.” The words sounded shaky and weak as if a scared filly had spoken them. With that the wolves seamed to grin, realizing the only thing to stop them had ceased to function. One stepped forward and leaned toward to my right flank, opened his maw and sank his teeth into my bandaged side, the bandages suddenly turning red as blood soaked through in a matter of seconds. Yelling out in a blood curdling scream I smacked the wolf off with one hoof. As the wolf let go it tore flesh and the bandages off with it. “What is wrong with you?! What? Want to make me pay for your pain and lost food? Well go punch sand ya twig bitches!” what would explain the grins and bite. Pressing my hoof on the freshly opened gash I glare at the wolves. “ya, laugh it up timber fucks, If had the right shells I would burn you all for good! Rain a ballistic volley through your fucking heads and burn out your innards!!” gritting my teeth and shout was all I could do at the moment. Sitting up so I could reach out with my right hoof and pick up my gun just to swing it at them like a club to try and push them back a bit. Looking to one another confused one of the wolves shoves the others aside as if getting tired of dealing with me. “If I just had a slug of magnesium I could burn you all alive!” I hissed.

Well to my credit I did what I could. Saved a pony who actually mattered more then me. I’m sure some pony will find my gun and Celestia will have her day with it. Sitting helpless I watched as the wolves start to fight with themselves as to who would get to kill me first, I guess. Not like I was able to move any time soon do to my state and overwhelming pain and I bet they all knew it. As the bleeding from my wounds starts to make my vision blur from blood loss as I pass in and out of consciousness. My head falls forward and snaps back up as if I was try to fight falling asleep. With next to no strength my leg holding my KSG drops to the floor still holding my gun in my hoof somehow. Strange sticky hooves. Blood spurts from one of the holes in my neck as I chuckle a bit seeing the wolves finally sorting things out. “Guess I could have made a decent escort or body guard. Ya, that would be cool. To guard her for a job in this silly place. Pff, haha.” More blood seeps out from under my hoof that was holding my torn flank.

Lyrics from one of my most loved songs back home started streaming in my head and out my lips and I weakly sang threw gargled breaths. “It’s funny how these things can slip away: Our frail deeds. The last will wave good bye.” letting my head fall forward I cough up and spit out more blood. Looking down to my hind leg and gashed flank as crimson life flows through the holes in my hide. A grim smile flickers onto my face as my eyes start to go hazy. “It’s funny how the hope will bleed away, the citadels we build and fortify. Hahaha. Goodbye.” I could swear there was a flash of light just as my eyes slowly slid closed just as something grabbed ahold of my neck. By instinct I drew a labored gasp, but this was the last thing as I just lost strength to hold myself up.

It was strange to suddenly feel like I was just sitting all alone in the cold. Guess this was it for me then. Guess I can finally escape from this nightmare in a way. My eyes traced upwards to see stars over me, like it was night and I was outside. I chuckled to myself “All lies. I find no tunnel of light here, only a cold night sky. Well that’s cool I guess.” I smile to the stars and close my eyes again. “Nothing like a cool night sky to calm me as I drift off to my death.” I realized it was my chance to make my final words and I was not going to pass this up. I would feel a warm tear stream down the side of my face as I grinned.
“Send not to know for whom the bell tolls, for it tolls for thee.”

Nailed it.

Something tugged, and hard. Not my at body but at my being, just like the gate when it pulled me threw. But this time it felt like warm tendrils and not thin? wires. A warmth also started to return to my core of my body. No longer the icy cold of lost blood that had almost clamed me. And a voice, as if whispering from thirteen yards away.

“Don’t you dare let it end now. Push back, fight back. There is always somepony waiting for you to return.” It sounded like something a good friend had told me from years ago. But it was not the same voice. It was older, yet full of understanding to what was happening. Not something just read out of a script.

I felt that tug again but it was on my body now. My eyes shoot open and looked down just a bit to see one of the wolves gripping my neck, clenching tighter and tighter around my trachea again cutting of my breathing. Acting on instincts alone I pull a bloody shell from my right side and slowly load it into the breach of the gun that was resting under the wolf. My eyes filled with fog and tears as I pushed the pump forward locking the action. Pushing through the immense pain I slowly lifting the barrel to point up at the wolves’ chest. My horn flickers weakly as magic manages to grasp and pull the trigger. My hearing was muffled but I could hear a boom ring out through a relatively silent forest. Looking further down I can see the wolves eyes go wide and start to tear up with more of that green sap. It suddenly burst into flames and lets go of my neck to howl out in agonizing pain. Gasping for air for the third time today and spitting up more blood as I coughed moments later. I was surprise the wolf did not burst apart or anything, Instead it just held together and burned. Is this how you actually kill a timberwolf? I could not help but wonder. Other wolves looked shocked as I lazily looked to them and they bolted away in fear leaving the one to burn in pain.

The entire time I could not look away from it, don’t think I wanted to ether. My eyes continued to tear up and the tears run down my face, but I did not feel as if I was crying just, extremely said somehow. Wiping my eyes did nothing to stifle them ether. After a few seconds the burning wolf finally succumb to the flames and flopped down at my feet. One of its front paws trying to reach for something only to have it grab my bleeding leg. I wince in pain as the burning timber sears and burns my flesh and hair. Kicking franticly I knock it loose and kick it aside. With hazy eyes I look at my leg with a charred section just over my hoof still steaming from the heat.

“well, that happened.” I weakly whispered to no one.

Sitting there for a moment just resting I started to chuckle again as what happened hit me, and I started to sing again. “Night came and I broke my stride. I swallowed hard, but never cried.” Ok so that last part was a lie. Slowly over the course of I guess five minutes I was able to dry my eyes and stand on my own legs, using my gun as a makeshift crutch. That is, I was using it to lessen some of my shaking. Time dragged on as I made it back to the trail. Even longer to make it back to ponyville, coughing and wheezing the entire time from my neck which had more holes now. Through my darkening eye sight and hazy hearing I could make out two blue pegasus flying overhead. “Late and helpful as always, bloody wonder bolts.” Oddly they were headed toward Canterlot and away from town. “Yep, there goes my luck again.” Trudging through Ponyville at a pace so slow it alone was killing me. I was drawing just about all the eyes of every citizen in town as I left a trail of blood to my destination. “ya look but don’t touch, not like I’m bleeding out and in need of help.” Strange how no one even stopped to help or ask if I needed it. One or two ran off but I have no clue why. I’m going to have to ask about that if I make it out of this. Guessing by where the sun was I finally made it back to the library just after high noon with a small crowd following me. But why?

Right as I made it to the library the four guards rushed out to surround me and princess sun butt herself steps out and rushes over to me. “Hay guard guys?” I asked in a haggard voice just above a whisper. “Am I busted for something?” no reply “I am aren’t I? Knew I should have left a note telling mom I was out late.” I keep slowly walking forward without stopping and despite my sarcastic remark the guards don’t even crack a smile. Kill joys, all of them.

“Where in Equestria have you been!? And what happened to you?!” Celestia almost shouts but I think my still bleeding neck had something to do with curbing that to just a raised voice. “You are a mess, where you the one who helped that spa pony?” she points to one of the guard “Quick Hoof, get the town doctor and surgeon. Be quick about it!” said guard speed off but at this point I just did not care if I was tended to or not. I had something to do, I think? Hell I may have forgotten. Dang blood loss.

“Helped? No sun butt, it was that other tard that ran off with a gun to the forest.” At this I continued walking and pushed past the remaining guard. Their faces where not that stoic anger but instead a bit more shocked and concerned. Guess they do have a heart under that steel plate after all. It was easy to get buy them as I did not stop walking toward the library despite one of them trying to help me even after I decline the help. “Now if you don’t mind I have something I need to do.” I stagger to one side before catching myself and walk past the princess. I spat blood at the ground near the princess’ hooves but was sure none of it got one her. “Thanks for the concern and the backup that never appeared.”

Twilight pokes her head out of the front door of the library to see what was going on only to flinch back in horror as I walked over to her. “Blank!? Are you ok? You’re bleeding!” she rushes out to meet me halfway.

Looking myself over slowly I chuckle lightly “Hmm, would you look at that, so I am.” Turning my head abruptly to one side I coughed more to clear my lungs. “Well I’m back now so you can stop whispering into my head to pull me back from death now. Just going to, ya, take a nap now. Warm sun and all.”

“What in Equestria are you talking about Blank?” the lavender mare looks past me at the princes and her guard only to see all of then shrug with a confused look on their faces. “We need to get you to the hospital! You could collapse at any moment! Come on, we can get nurse Read Heart to help fix you up.” Twilight pleads as she tries to guide me back into the library.

“It was not you? Hmm, well that’s odd. But that nurse is going to hate seeing me again. And I’m not going to keel over at any moment” coughing more I slowly make my way under the balcony on the library despite Twilights nudging to re direct me. Grinning like a mad man, blood dripping from between my lips only helped make me look insane as I sputter “I-I’m going to keel over w-when I want to and that’s right n-now.” I trip with my last step as my eyes roll back into my head and I fall lip into the grass under said balcony. My gashed and blood smeared right flank was facing up but twilight could just barely make out something under all the blood sap and forest debris.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Is that what I think it is?” twilight points to one side of the stallion’s scarred flank and the princess along with some of the guard look at what she is pointing to.

With a gentle but sly smile the solar sister nods “He must have realized something in Everfree and is much more of a citizen then he wants to think. There is no denying that now.” Just as Celestia finishes medical ponies arrive and jump in and start to load the mangled stallion onto a stretcher to get him to the hospital to be mended. Among them was nurse Read Heart and she was indeed shocked and a little peeved to see the blood stained sandy coat of this stallion.

“not again”

Author's Note

So another train wreck leaves the station! Sorry this took so long. first few chapters where part of the original big idea. not this is where it slows down a bit.

Still need an editor

Next chapter will have a little surprise with it. and like always, if ya got comments or corrections just say so. I know how to take most criticism. no dream crushing realizations please.