"Twilight! its an emergency!" Rarity bellowed, alongside an equally worried Fluttershy.

"Huh? What's wrong?" Twilight raised a hoof in question, keeping her distance from the panicking mares who had just barged into the Library. Bon Bon finally entered the library as well, heavily out of breath and lowly hanging her head in exhaustion.

"Can you girls stop taking off like that?"

Bon Bon's comment went ignored, much to her displeasure. Twilight widened her eyes blankly as she awaited reasons for the intrusion.

Rarity took the hint. "Those foul creatures we encountered in Canterlot are here in Ponyville!"

This caught Twilight completely off guard and she fell to her flank as if the words Rarity spoke were a powerful gust of wind. She quickly shook herself out of her disbelief and snapped to her hooves. "That's impossible Rarity; the Changelings were thrown a strew after the spell my brother and Princess Cadence cast together. It's hardly possible they would come back at all, and to Ponyville of all towns."

"Twilight you must believe me!" Rarity shook Twilight with both her hooves, ensuring that the honesty of her words were understood. "Fluttershy saw them in the field near her Cottage as well!" She pointed a hoof to the yellow pegasus near the doorway flaring her wings at the mention of her name.

"It's true Twilight..." the yellow pegasus sulked her head as if she had done something wrong.

"Um, this is impossible! How could they have come back?" Twilight rubbed her temple with a hoof as she tried to process the reality of the situation, "And why in the hay are they in Ponyville? What could they possibly want, or earn, by coming here?

"I am so dearly sorry for this misunderstanding," Princess Celestia lowered her head slightly, but still held a noble poise. "I will arrange to have both of you returned to Ponyville immediately. There will be a chariot waiting outside." she pointed a hoof down through the hall, to a pair of very tall double doors leading outside.

Lyra bowed her head, "It's alright Princess, it was all just a misunderstanding. I assure you no harm was done."

Yeah, I don't really feel as forgiving as Lyra does; I've been through too much shit since I've came to this place. Like really, just one god damn step at a time please.

Both myself and Lyra turned away and started down the corridor, and I took a quick hard look back at the Princess.

Yeah I know, she's royalty and all that, and she probably feels bad for having us been taken into custody for no real reason, but still. I'm pretty pissed off, and I'm severely on the edge; I'm definitely not diggin' any of it. I need to get back to work to clear my head. That, or alcohol abuse. I think I'll go with the former.

I looked over to Lyra as we started our way out of the hall, rolling my eyes at the whole situation and looking away. She gave me a puzzled look.

"Uh, you alright?" She raised a brow at me, keeping her voice low as any sound could easily carry through the large corridor.

I sighed sharply, "I just need to settle down a bit."

This got an even more puzzled look out of the green mare. I flailed a hoof, gesturing to her not worry about it. Two unicorn guards opened the doors for us, letting us into the warm sunlight of Canterlot's busy streets.

Sure enough, there was a chariot waiting outside.

Huh, that was quick. Whatever though, not going to say I'm impressed or anything of the sort.

Lyra and I stepped into the chariot led by two royal guard pegasi, and we were quickly and finally off towards Ponyville.

Princess Celestia had once again started reading the scroll she was reading earlier, only to stop on a certain sentence. She turned her gaze from the scroll to the blue stallion now making his way alongside the mint-green unicorn out of the double doors of the exit. For a moment, the Princess thought she should stop him, but the realization hit her that both of them probably have had to endure much more than any one pony would, or should, need to in a single day, let alone a matter of hours. Instead, she picked up a quill with her magic, and began writing a return letter to her apprentice.

My dearest student, Twilight Sparkle...

"What in the hay are y'all doin' in here Big Mac!?" AJ stomped a hoof on the ground, awaking the red stallion laying on his side on the barn floor.

"Huh? Buh--Wha??" Big Mac blubbered as he rubbed his forehead with a hoof, trying to regain his bearings. He arose and cringed in pain. "Ahhhh... Mah head..."

Applejack took notice to a single barrel of cider lay toppled over and empty, with a small trail of cider leading from it to a small puddle forming in the dirt floor of the barn. She glared at the red stallion, who was having trouble keeping his balance.

She sighed deeply and shook her head. "Big brother, ah know yer stressed, but y'all know we gotta sell this here cider, not be drinkin' it all ta ourselves! What's gotten inta you?"

Big Mac stumbled around, until catching himself upright against the wall of a closed barn stall. "Ugh..." He rubbed his forehead again and groaned. "What? The barn? How... How in Equestria did I come ta bein' here?" Big Macintosh took a glance around the barn, then cringed as his head throbbed.

AJ glared unconvinced, "Likely story Big Mac."

Macintosh took another look through the barn while still keeping a hoof to his aching head, taking notice to the empty barrel of cider lay on the ground. His eyes widened as he quickly came up with assumptions to Applejack's disappointment.

"Y'all really don’t assume that I drank--" She cut him off.

"Look Big Mac, jus' go ta the house 'n get yerself cleaned up. I have ta find Braeburn." AJ rubbed her forehead, pointing out of the now-open barn door towards the farmhouse.

The red stallion groaned but complied, hanging his head and sluggishly making his way out of the barn. AJ shook her head as the red stallion made his leave. She then proceeded to dispose of the empty barrel. As she trotted up to it, she noticed a strange glimmer of green off the small pool of cider. Her curiosity took the best of her and she knelt down and sniffed at the liquid.

She whiffed a few times, immediately noticing something amiss. She snapped back up on all fours, glaring at the small pool in the dirt. "The hay? This ain't our cider!"

Suddenly, things started to become clear to Applejack. Somepony, or rather, something, had modified the cider.

"Somthin' wrong cuz?" a certain tan stallion asked from outside the open doorway, startling AJ enough to snap around and face him.

"Braeburn!" she stomped a hoof, "Ah need ta talk wit' ya." She glared at the stallion, not really making a great attempt at covering up her suspicions of him.

This seemed to catch Braeburn somewhat off guard, as he took a half-step back upon hearing those words come from the orange mare now trotting up, within inches of him.

"Now, ah'm only gunna ask ya this once... What in the hay have y'all done with Braeburn?" She glared through him, as if somehow she could see the Changeling in plain sight.

Braeburn collected himself and equaled the mare at eye level. "Y'all leave me with no choice cuz. I'm afraid I can't let ya go 'round tellin' everypony what we're up to."

Now it was Applejack's turn to be the one off guard. She took a step back, raising a brow. "Huh?"

Braeburn's eyes glimmered a merciless blue, and a smirk grew across his face. "I'll be sure ta take care of yer family for ya."

AJ snapped. She stomped a hoof on the ground, and her rage exploded. "Mah family? Like hay ya are!" Applejack stood on her front hooves, bucking the tan stallion across the face, knocking him to the ground, completely unconscious.

Braeburn was down for the count as Applejack took off towards the library to warn and confirm that Braeburn was in fact, not himself in the slightest. There was only one way to be completely sure, and Twilight was the only unicorn AJ knew that was capable of revealing Braeburn's true identity.

Ponyville. At last.

Lyra and I stepped off the chariot, which quickly set back off to Canterlot. Lyra and I watched as it took to the air, and out of sight. We looked at each other for a moment, before she broke the silence.

"Well..." she shuffled a hoof on the ground as she tried to come up with something to say, "That was surly one of the most...interesting...dates I think I've ever been on." she scratched the back of her head and chuckled.

"Heh, I'll say."

...Well that’s an understatement...

"I had fun though." She momentarily reassured any doubts I had, and gave me a peck on the cheek. "Well, other than the getting lost and arrested part." she giggled.

"Yeah, no kidding." I shook my head and forced a chuckle.

I guess Lyra could tell it was forced, because she shot me a slightly worried look. "Care to tell me what's on your mind?"

Fuck. Well I'm defiantly not ready to talk about this yet. I'm still in an argument with myself if it's even alright for me to take a liking to the species of this world. They somewhat resemble the horses of Earth, but horses are next to nothing in comparison to the pony society here; they are sentient, they feel, and I'm sure they're capable of everything that humans are, but still. In a way, it almost feels like...God, I hate this word...bestiality. Ugh, I mean, yeah I'm one of them and all, but at heart I'm still a human, I think... I'm stuck between that, and my actual feelings for Lyra. God, what is wrong with me...

"I-uh... I'm just..." I bit my bottom lip as I attempted to prepare myself to at least get Lyra to understand.

This was not going to be easy to explain... Ugh, I really hope I can put off telling Lyra my true history and why I'm struggling so much right now. I know I'm not acting like the level-headed person I once was.... Breaking it to her, or anypony else, is a day I'm going to regret; be it inevitable or not...

"Troubled?" Lyra gave me a slightly understanding look.

"Ugh, yeah..." I sunk my head, despite the fact I much rather would have liked to punch myself in the face.

God damnit, I'm such an idiot! Why can't I just explain things clearly like everyone else can? Why can't things just be easy for me for once! Ugh, fuck sakes!

"It's ok, Davin. I understand." Lyra managed a smile and rubbed my shoulder comfortingly with a hoof, "Just know I'm here for you whenever you need me, ok?"

See what I mean? If anything, they're more understanding and well natured than humans are! I don't even know what to think. Perhaps I'm just making this a lot harder for myself than I need to. Damnit brain! Shut up!

"Thanks Lyra."

Jeez Dav, that’s all you really have to say? Be a fucking man! Stop being such a little kid--colt! Foal? Fuck!

"Anytime. Anyways, I'm sure Bon Bon is in a panic over me being missing, so I better go catch up with her and tell her what happened."

"Alright. I'll see you around then."

I should really let her know how thankful I am of how understanding and caring she is, but my fucking emotions are more stubborn than even my willpower is at times. I really hope that fact doesn't exacerbate things even more than they need to right now, or I'm going to snap.

Before Lyra made her leave, she gave me a quick kiss on the lips. "Cheer up Davin. Everything will be okay."

Now that got a smile out of me.

Lyra is amazing. I don't know why I ever doubt myself. Oh wait, now I remember why. Ugh...

Lyra and I went our separate ways; I headed for Sweet Apple Acres to catch up on all the work I should probably have completed hours ago. Luckily it was about mid-morning, so I still had a lot of time to catch up.

I'm sure AJ wouldn’t mind if I wanted to work late today to make up for the time I lost, but then again I might not even have a job to go back to, anyways! Sure, if I worked well for a solid 3 months, then yeah things might be a bit different. but they're not. so I don't know. Ugh, fuck it! Whatever happens, happens!

I was about halfway to the farm, when Applejack came running my direction at a rather alarming rate. She stopped in her tracks, nearly knocking me over as she skidded to a halt.

"Davin! Where in the hay have ya been?!" She wasn’t even really out of breath.

Great. Well she's pissed. "I uh--" she interrupted me.

"Never mind, ferget it. When ya get ta the farm, keep an eye on Braeburn! Make sure that he doesn't move ah single inch!" She took off again towards Ponyville.

Before I even had a chance to question what she had requested, she was long gone. Wherever she was headed, she was headed there in a hurry.

I better get my sorry ass to Sweet Apple Acres; whatever she was on about can't be good, especially if it involves Braeburn... There's something completely amiss about that stallion.

"I really think you ponies are just overreacting," Twilight tried to play off Rarity, Bon Bon and Fluttershy's concern, "If they were to come back, if at all, they would surely strike at Canterlot before even thinking of coming to Ponyville."

"Nonetheless Twilight, they ARE here in Ponyville! We must let the Princess know!" Rarity pleaded, "We must!"

"Alright, alright!" Twilight threw both her hooves to the air in surrender. "Spike, take a letter!"

"Go ahead Twilight." Spike had already gathered a piece of parchment and a quill, ready to write.

"Dear Princess Celestia; An urgent and important matter has come to my attention regarding the safety of my friends, Ponyville, and potentially all of Equestria. It seems the Changelings that we encountered during the Royal Wedding have returned, and sightings of them just outside of Ponyville have caused great concern. I will do my best to try and subdue the situation while I await your reply. I apologize for the sudden urgency, but it is something that just happened to come up. Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle."

Spike relayed the message onto the parchment. With a deep breath, the scroll was engulfed in a ball of green flames and disappeared.

"What do we do now?" Bon Bon raised a hoof.

"Hmm..." Twilight thought for a moment, before quickly coming up with a plan. "Lets see... First, Fluttershy and I will go find out where they came from."

"Meep!" Fluttershy squeaked as her ears lied flat against her head, trying to hide herself behind her pink mane.

"Rarity, you and Bon Bon go find out if anypony has noticed any strange activity in--"

Bursting in through the door of the library and cutting off Twilight, Applejack came to a skidding halt. "Twi', ah need y'all to come wit' me ta the farm an' use that spell y'all used on them Changelins in Canterlot, on Braeburn!"

Twilight jerked her head back at Applejack's strange request. "On Braeburn? What?"

"Is it true Applejack? Is he really not who he claims to be? Were our suspicions correct?" Rarity cut in-between the lavender and orange ponies.

"There's only one way to be sure, sugarcube. But ah'm afraid everythin' is pointin' towards him bein' one of 'em. He even managed to change somthin' in our cider, and who knows what for?!"

Rarity took a moment to process what Applejack had just said. At first she felt sorrow and pain, but that quickly turned into anger. "Let's go have a nice chat with that stallion." she said with a scowl. "C'mon Twilight."

Applejack nodded her head in agreement, leaving out the library door alongside an infuriated Rarity.

Twilight turned to the two remaining ponies in the library, who were both looking rather lost in what to do next.

"Um, Twilight... Maybe me and Bon Bon could be the ones to go around town and see if anypony has noticed anything strange?" Fluttershy suggested shyly, turning to Bon Bon. "I-If that’s ok with you..."

"Well I still need to find Lyra, so I guess I would still be searching for her in a way." Bon Bon shrugged, taking her leave out of the library.

"Um. ok." Fluttershy stepped towards the door after Bon Bon, but stopping for a moment to turn and face Twilight. "Bye Twilight. Do be careful around those creatures."

"I will. You two be careful too. The Changelings could be disguised as anypony. They could already know that we're on to them for all we know!"

Fluttershy squeaked in fear over hearing that, but managed to take her leave, quivering out of the library after the cream-coated earth pony. Twilight levitated her saddlebags from next to one of the bookshelves, and let them lay across her back. She also picked up the scroll she was once reading before Rarity's interruption, placing it into one of the bags. Spike jumped down from the staircase onto Twilight's back; the pair bolted out of the door towards Sweet Apple Acres after Applejack and Rarity.

I'll never understand why everypony is always in such a rush. I gave up running after about half way to the Apples' farm; not because I lacked the motivation, but because simply I was still tuckered the hell out from running after Lyra in that underground cavern, for god knows how long... I hope I don't ever need to go back there; it was creepy as hell; shit like that I really don't feel like having weighed on my already turbulent psyche.

I finally made my way to Sweet Apple Acres after what felt like an eternity of my joints aching.

Considering the rough morning so far, it was only 10 A.M.. So, I still had a lot of time to catch up on some work.

Thank God.

I immediately set towards the barn, when I noticed an obstacle just outside the barn door. It took me a moment to realize what it was, or rather, who...

I trotted up to the unconscious tan stallion laying just outside the open barn door. He awoke upon hearing me approach.

"Jus' stop right there, you!" He snapped up and around, his snout coming into conduct with mine. I backed off a bit, but he persisted and got in my face. His eyes were glowing a low blue, and his face was bruised in the shape of two horseshoes.

Looks like AJ already had a run-in with him. I definitely wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of that buck, that's for buckin' sure!

"Now ya better not be gon' off tellin' everypony what we're up to." He sneered.

"Dude, what the hell are you talking about?" I backed off again, but he still persisted. "Braeburn, what's wrong with you man, I thought we were cool!?" I pushed him away, trying to keep my distance.

"Stay away from me, ya hear?!" he stomped a hoof on the ground.

"No way man, after AJ told me to keep an eye on you, and now you getting in my face, I have every reason NOT to!" I shot back at the stallion, causing him to back off a bit.

Braeburn pawed at the dirt, and prepared to charge at me. There was no way that I wasn't going to hold my ground, or at least, try to.

If he wants a fight now, he's going to regret it! God damn it, why do I have to be so freakin' sore? I'm not going to be able to hold up much of a fight like this--No! I have to! Don't even think that I have the choice to lose, Strach! HERE WE GO!

My adrenaline rushed and my vision became a little blurry as he charged, knocking me to the side. I quickly got back to my hooves, and easily tackling the smaller tan stallion to the ground, pinning him down. I made him look me in the eye. One of my hooves lost their grip on him, and he quickly sent a crushing left hook across my face, completely dazing me. I fell to the side as I tried to shake off the haze, and Braeburn took advantage of the situation. He jumped atop of me and again and again he hit me in the face. Blood spattered as he opened a wound with a blow of his hoof, and soon my face was leaking red.

In one swift motion, I swung my right hoof out, connecting squarely with the side of Braeburn's head. He started bleeding from the ear almost instantly and he toppled to the side. After a few moments of the spar, I managed to pin him down again. My nose was bleeding profusely; a few drops of blood managed to spill onto the dirt.

"You need to chill out Braeburn! Just fuckin' stop!" I screamed into his face.

His eyes still held that low bluish glow, and he growled unlike I've ever heard any usual pony growl. He tried to squirm out from under me, but that wasn’t going to happen.

Something definitely isn't right with this guy. No wonder AJ told me to keep an eye on him, he's definitely up to somthing! I mean, technically we've never seen totally eye-to-eye, but he never just came out and openly attacked me like this! Something's up, and now I'm involved; I'm going to find out what it is if it kills me!...Or at least, until AJ comes back...with help I hope! I wont be able to hold him down for long!

"Whats--"

He halted his attempts to get free then smirked, then in a greenish flash of light he disappeared from underneath me.

"The fu--? Mffrrrr--!" Before I knew it, he was on top of me, driving my face into the dirt. If it weren't for the fact that I was pumping with adrenaline and he wasn't that big of a pony, I wouldn't have been able to find the strength to buck him off. He came careening down, face-first into the ground. He was slow and shaky to get back onto all fours, and he was clearly done with being physical. I thought, anyways. He's not really in any condition to fight anymore.

Normally in this sort of situation, I'd be letting my rage take over and I'd be going ape-shit on whoever ends up pissing me off to the point of actually fighting; but for whatever reason I kept a cool head; well, for the most part.

"Braeburn! Th---!!"

"That’s 'nough outta you."

I couldn’t breathe, and I was beginning to panic. I tried to pull the strange substance covering the end my snout, but it was no use. Every yank and pull came with a bigger shortage of air, and I was already out of breath.

There was nothing I could do. In almost slow motion and through blurred eyes, I saw Braeburn mounting to buck me across the face.

The world went dark before I even had the chance to feel the blow...

Braeburn awoke in his cell to the sound of Cherry sobbing, and the touch of her hoof atop his. He kept his eyes closed as she spoke, ever so softly between her tears.

"...I just hate myself for f-feeling this way... I-I shouldn't have feelings for you, but... but I do. I'm so sorry Braeburn... You are really the only thing keeping me alive in this horrid place..."

Braeburn inhaled sharply upon hearing this, as if struck by a jolt of electricity. Cherry didn't seem to take notice, though.

"After, no..." She inhaled deeply, sobbing as she exhaled, "I-if we ever manage to escape from this tartarus, I don’t know if I could ever repay you for being here for me..."

Braeburn opened his now teary eyes at this, looking to the tattered and sorrowful mare in the cell next to him. "Miss Jubilee... Y'all got no reason to pay me back anythin'. You bein' here for me is more than jus' pay-back enough..."

She turned her head to meet eyes with the tan stallion through the bars separating the cells. "B-Braeburn, how long have you been l-listening?"

The tan stallion sighed, "That ain't what's important, Miss Jubilee. Jus' knowin' that we're here fer each other in this nightmare of a place is all we need ta jus' stay alive. Somepony has gotta know somthin's amiss; I bet they're already lookin' fer us! They jus' have ta be..." Braeburn sunk his head as his enthusiasm dropped, trying to convince himself to hang on to that little bit of hope.

Cherry tilted his head back up to her eye-level, and managed a short smile out of all the sadness and grief. "I don't plan on leaving your side until we make it out of this mess." She looked him softly in the eye. "That's a promise."

"Y'all stay put, ya dang varmint!" AJ commanded, keeping the out-of-control Braeburn pinned to the ground with the aid of Rarity's magic.

"How dare you tamper with somepony's feelings!" Rarity lashed out at the tan stallion, "The entire time you had just been using my feelings for the REAL Braeburn to your own benefit! And for what cause? To make you creatures feel stronger?! Ugh! You disgust me, you-you foul---Whatever you are! You monster!"

Rarity continued to scream her frustrations to the supposed Braeburn as AJ took a moment to address Twilight, who was at the aid of the blue stallion rendered unconscious.

"How's our lil' friend doin' over there, Twi'? He awake yet?"

"Almost Applejack, just one more..." Twilight gave one last spark of her horn, "There we go."

"Ugh... Fuhh..." I cringed as I came to, the sun shining directly into my eyes.

Why does a burning ball of fire, millions of millions of miles away, manage to always be just so-perfectly aimed, right into my fucking eyes?!

I kept my eyes clenched shut. My mind was hazy, and I couldn’t think straight at all.

"Where-where am I?"

"Calm down, Davin. You're ok."

"Mom? Is that you? I had this horrible nightmare... I dreamt I was stuck in this world of-of ponies..."

"You... What?"

I immediately sat up; memories of what had just happened finally returning to me. I noticed an itch on the end of my muzzle, putting my hoof to it. I looked to my hoof, which returned a fair amount of red.

"Oh for--God damnit..."

"You ok? Twilight placed a hoof on my shoulder. "You should probably clean yourself up..."

"I'm fine, Twilight."

Now she probably thinks I'm a pussy. Great. Join the club of other countless people and ponies who've all assumed I was at some point in either one of my lives! Braeburn is more-or-less three-quarters my size, and he managed to kick the shit out of me. God damnit! He did cheat by suffocating me with that--whatever it was... But still! I definitely do not look like much of a freakin' 'hero' right now!

I stood back up and made my way over to a small puddle in the dirt road and cleaned the blood off my face. Twilight trotted back over to where AJ and Rarity were subduing the tan stallion.

I joined the side of Twilight beside Rarity and AJ pinning down Braeburn, who still looked pretty freakin' pissed off. That bluish glow of his eyes had ceased, and he was trying to thrash to the left and right in attempt to free himself from Rarity's spell holding each one of his hooves down in a band of blue magic.

"Hold still, ya dang fool!" AJ yelled at the squirming tan pony, still not giving up his struggle to get free. "Do it Twi'." the orange mare nudged her with a hoof.

Twilight's horn began to glow, and a beam of purple translucent light beamed from her horn over the tan stallion, blasting away his appearance completely. What was revealed was an almost aquatic-looking dark figure of a pony, with glazed blue eyes. It perfectly fit the description Lyra told me about those creatures in Canterlot.

Changelings...

Rarity grimaced. "So much for your precious plan, you monster!"

"Twilight Sparkle!" a voice called a few yards from behind, coming from the dirt road leading from Ponyville.

"Well ah'll be..." AJ bowed her head.

Escorted by two white royal pegasi guards, Princess Celestia herself trotted towards us, her wings spread wide.

Rarity hadn't been taking notice to the Princess' approach, instead she continued glaring down the Changeling, yelling out obscenities and holding him down with her magic. Nothing said was all too brash mind you, she always seemed to keep a high-class demeanor about herself, even when infuriated. I can respect that; something I'll never be able to do when I fly off the handle.

"I received your letter Twilight. I'm afraid I couldn't let the safety of Equestria squarely rest on your shoulders. That's just too much to ask of anypony. I had to come down and personally assess the situation along with the assistance of my colleagues."

"I understand, Princess." Twilight bowed her head.

"Where is the Changeling, Miss Sparkle?" one of the guards asked.

Twilight pointed over towards Rarity, before giving the Princess a nod. Celestia took the side of the angry white mare, and placed a comforting hoof on her shoulder. Rarity immediately silenced herself, and bowed down to the Princess.

She knelt down to the dark figure, now being held down by both the pegasus guards. Celestia only had a few words to say to the Changeling.

"You have much explaining to do." Her tone was strict, and serious. She grimaced at the dark creature, looking as if she was staring right through him as the royal guards chained and dragged him off.

"Good riddance!" AJ stomped a hoof on the ground, yelling out to the dark equine-like creature being escorted away. He sneered and spat at the ground upon hearing Applejack's little quip.

AJ headed back into the barn and groaned upon her realization of not one, two, but three newly arisen problems. "Ahh, Dag-nab-it!"

"What is it, AJ?" Twilight called into the barn.

"All this here cider's been tainted by that dang Changeling! We're gunna have ta harvest all over again, and we're short one pony!" There was a pause for a moment, and I could hear AJ sigh deeply. "And!-and...mah c-cousin is-is missin'..." AJ's eyes began to water; a rather unnerving sight to see such a tough mare suddenly begin to crack.

Rarity seemed to have calmed down some, but her face still showed signs of anger. She joined Applejack's side in the barn, and tried to provide her with some comfort. "W-We will help you, dear!"

"Of course we will!" Twilight added, "I'll go get Rainbow Dash, Pinkie and Fluttershy, I'm sure they'd like to help as well!"

Honestly, I'm not sure what to say here. Everything that has been said is pretty much all that can be said. If I was any better of a person-er, pony, I'd think of something to say, or at least offer something... Ugh. Damnit. Nothing coming to mind...

The Princess and I pretty much just took a spectating standpoint as the three mares comforted each other and worked things out. Honestly, I felt a bit of jealousy.

God I miss my friends... I'm really so alone in this place... What I'd give to go back...

"Twi, Rar', thank ya kindly, but...y'all know ah can't jus' go askin' all that of ya girls."

"Oh hush darling, we would be happy to help you!"

"Exactly" Twilight agreed, "We've helped you before, and we're more than happy to help you again! Plus, Cider Season isn't until next Friday! That gives us plenty of time; over a week!"

AJ seemed to settle down some, "Y'all girls are the best, ya know that?"

The three shared a group hug in the barn, and I couldn't help but chuckle at it. It was kind of adorable.

After a few minutes of getting plans straightened out, Princess Celestia prepared to make her leave. I didn't realize how awkward it was until now, not even having properly introduced myself to the ruler of Equestria yet.

I guess it's kinda too late for that now...

"Yes, we have made our acquaintances already, but I regret, under quite unfortunate circumstances." The Princess giggled, partly covering her mouth with a wing.

The sound of her voice completely cut my train of thought.

Huh? Oh shit, she's talking about me!

"What do you mean, Princess?" Twilight replied with a mildly concerned tone.

"It seems that he was blamed for the derailment of the Canterlot Express, and himself and another were brought to me by the royal guard."

"Really?!" Twilight's mouth dropped.

The Princess giggled, "Yes, yes they were. It was thankfully just a misunderstanding."

I'm glad this is just a big joke to her. I'm sure if she knew how I actually felt about that, she wouldn't find it so funny.

"You didn't tell me that, Davin." Twilight jokingly nudged me with a hoof.

"Um, well I really didn't get the chance to, did I?"

"I guess not." Twilight shrugged.

Princess Celestia chuckled, and looked down to Twilight. "Have you mentioned the possible offer I have suggested for your new friend?" Celestia then turned her gaze towards me.

"Uh, what?"

"Oh of course! I almost completely forgot!" Twilight facehooved.

It took a while, and a good bit of convincing, but It came down to me deciding to take the offer; more-or-less because Applejack and I came to a consensus to allow me to finish the day repairing the final apple juicer while the girls would re-prepare for Cider Season. I can't believe she actually insisted to let me take the rest of the day off and still collect a day's pay! No way AJ, that ain't how I roll, girl! Oh man, I'm in a weird mood today. Anyways, I honestly felt extremely guilty for not only showing up completely late, but also being offered pay for the day. There was no way I was NOT going to finish the day after that; it was almost like AJ put me on a guilt trip! Ah well, worked out for her if that's the case.

Great. Now I owe both AJ and Twilight one. Shit. Oh right... Can't let myself forget about Pin Stripe and Big Mac too.

Anyways, I also considered taking the job because I was apparently the only pony in Equestria who could attempt badly-needed repairs to a train. A FREAKING TRAIN. Honestly, I don't even know if I have the resources even capable of it! Even in this world, it seemed like an overwhelming task, and I haven't even assessed the damage to the freakin' thing! Guess I really have my work cut out for me this time...

The following morning, I prepared myself for the long trek to Canterlot. Hailing a...taxi? Is that what they call them here? Probably not... Ah well, I'm sure I'll find a way to Canterlot some way or another. I'll take the pony express train if I have to.

I gathered my assortment of specialty tools and headed out of my apartment. After locking the door, I realized that there was a golden chariot waiting outside, and for me no less! Bribe much? Ah well, I'm not one to really disagree with pleasantries, especially perks of a job. Guess I'll be making it to my new place of work early today.

"Here goes nothing."

I stepped into the chariot, which immediately set flight for Canterlot. Then, another thought struck me.

Shit. I forgot to tell Lyra I was going to Canterlot. Damn it... She is NOT going to be happy about this.

Author's Note

I can honestly say, that I think this is probably my best chapter yet. Hopefully I didn't make any more of those spelling errors I keep finding myself doing, over and over...
That's just my personal opinion though, so feel free to share your thoughts! (You all know by now that I love feedback just as much as the writing!)
There's a good chance that the next chapter is going to be pretty dark... Just thought I'd give the heads up!