I woke up in the morning, groggy and tired from all the applebucking I had done in the past two weeks. To put it short, my hind legs were so tight and knotted, they were like Cobble’s Knot from Maniac Magee.

I slowly awakened, looking to my left, at the wall. I spent about thirty seconds blinking the crust and tiredness from my eyes before I felt a shiver down my spine.

I felt breathing on my neck, and it made my senses just about explode.

I quickly turned around to a sight that shocked me. Twilight Sparkle was in the bed next to me, with her hooves on my shoulders!

I started to panic, and she woke up, smiling. “Hey Jordan, how’d you sleep? No nightmares I hope?”

I then started to slowly but surely remember what had happened. I had let her sleep with me since we both had bad nightmares last night.

“Yeah Twi, I slept good. What about you?”

She nodded. “Me too. I uh…. I’ve never been in a bed with anypony before. It felt nice.”

I simply nodded back. “It kinda did, didn’t it?” I then got lost in thought. I thought for a good minute before I sighed.

She then looked at me. “So…..are we….. you know?”

“Twi, we need to talk” I said bluntly. We had said our words at the same time. She nodded and followed me to the living room.

I sat down on my favorite chair as always, and she did the same. I sighed heavily. I knew what I was about to say would kill me.

“Twilight….. listen. I don’t know why what happened last night happened. But it did.”

She nodded, listening.

“And I want you to know, no matter what happens I’ll always be your friend. Even your best friend if you want.”

She smiled at me gratefully, but her heart stopped at what I next said.

“But I just….. I don’t think we can be more than that..... I’m so sorry Twi.”

She looked at me for a few seconds, and for a moment I thought she might cry. I sighed and held her hoof in mine. My heart felt like it was about to die.

“Twilight…..” I sighed. “Please don’t cry, let me explain.”

She gulped and nodded, letting me continue.

I sighed and took a sharp, deep inhale. “Twilight Sparkle…..” I said as I rubbed her hoof gingerly. “I….. I do like you. I like you a lot. Hell, I more than like you. I find you…. Intoxicating. You….. you just have a way of making me happy when I am sad. You always wear a smile no matter what happens, you never complain. You just…..”

I then looked deeply into her eyes. “…..You’re just amazing.” I said softly and tenderly.

“It’s not because of you Twilight, it’s because of me. I can’t get close to anypony! For one, LOOK AT ME. I’m not even good looking! For two, I’ll just hurt you….. you don’t even know the kind of stuff I’ve done, that story yesterday was the tip of the iceberg!”

She looked at me deeply before placing her hoof on my lips to shut me up. I tried to talk before giving in.

Then, it happened again, just like last night. The room around us disappeared, we both started to feel hot. Then, our faces got closer, and closer, and closer still, until we could feel the hot breath from each other’s noses.

Then, as if a repeat of last night, we kissed. We kissed deeply, and exchanged fluids.

Her tongue quickly entered my mouth and intruded it, wrestling my tongue for dominance, which she quickly won, and explored every inch of my mouth.

As she did this, I felt powerless, in a good way. I moaned softly as her tongue overpowered me, staring into her eyes the whole time. She did the exact same thing to me, staring.

After a few minutes, she slowly pulled away and I gazed at her in wonder. “T…..twilight that was amazing. You’re a natural kisser.”

She blushed bright red and smiled. I then sighed.

“Twilight, listen. I….. feel for you. I truly do. But….. it’s just too soon for me! I….. need more time. To be honest….. please don’t get your hopes up. It might be that I don’t want a marefriend at all. I just have to see. If not, I’ll always be your friend.

She then looked me in the eyes and caressed me with her hoof. “I understand Jordan. I’ll try to lay off. Besides….. I don’t want to hurt my best friend.”

I looked at her in shock. “B…..best friend?”

She smiled widely. “Yeah, you’re my best friend, duh!”

I smiled at her. I was in shock. Yes, I had offered to be her best friend, if she wanted, but I never thought she would actually want me to be her best friend. She has five mares as friends who would all make way better best friends than me!

And I thought deeply. This unicorn took me into her home, made me feel welcome and makes an effort to make me happy when I’m sad, and now has confessed her feelings for me. I have GOT to do something special for her. But what?

I then smiled at her. “So, Mrs. Egghead, what about that magic 101?” I smirked at her.

She rolled her eyes. “You know, just because everypony thinks Rainbow Dash is cool, acting like her doesn’t make you cool. Anyway, let’s go outside!”

I complied and walked to the patch of grass outside. She used her levitation spell to bring a vast assortment of books. They were all different colors, different sizes.

“Jeez Twi, how long have you been collecting the books in the library? And how’d you get them, some of them look ancient!”

She smiled at me. “Since I was a small filly. I love books Jordan, they comfort me. There’s nothing better in the world to me than a new book. The smell of the ink and paper, the feeling of the paper as I touch it, the excitement of reading it for the first time. Books are my love in life!”

I nodded at her. I could relate very much to how she felt with video games. Every time I got a new video game back home, I would play if for days on end until I got tired of it (This was especially the case with Tony Hawk’s American Wasteland, I love that game!).

I smiled. “You know Twi, I’ve never been very into books. But whenever I did find a book I liked, it was like they consumed my attention. So I do know how you feel.”

She smiled at me before she laid the books out. “There are a couple different ways we can start and, quite honestly, it all comes down to what sounds the most interesting to you. So look at them and decide, ok? I’ll answer any questions you have.”

I nodded and started looking. One book talked about defensive spells, such as magical barriers called Wards, another about transfiguration (with an example of turning a bird into an orange), another about offensive attacks (nothing that can kill, just simple beams of magic that can stun and/or repel an enemy).

There was one that especially caught my eye, however. I looked at it and brushed the dust off the cover with my hoof.

I read the title out loud. “The Salute to Truth spell?” I put a hoof to my chin curiously. Twilight grabbed the book and sighed.

“I didn’t mean to grab this one. This is very sensitive spell. I barely ever use it. It….. acts as a lie detector. If any pony you talk to when using the spell is lying, your horn will spark a red color. It….. is a very immoral spell.”

I then got even more curious. “I could always know the truth! This could be a very useful spell! Teach it to me Twilight, please!”

She rubbed her chin with her hoof and sighed. “I don’t know, Jordan. It’s a very difficult spell, besides the fact that it’s wrong to use…..” she continued to contemplate.

I held her hoof in mine. I gave her the best puppy dog eyes I could. “Please Twi?”

This made her heart melt. She groaned and sighed. “Fine, but you owe me big time!”

I sprang up in excitement. “YAY! Oh, this will be SO awesome!”

She chuckled. “Ok ok, calm down there boy. Magic requires lots of concentration, not energy.”

I complied and started to focus on my breathing to calm myself down.

“Before I can teach you this spell, I need to teach you the basics of magic. Stand right here and look at the tree, ok?

I did as she said, looking right at said tree.

“Now. Read this book. See the description of the spell? I’m going to let you in on the secret of magic Jordan.”

I looked at her curiously before she laughed.

“The secret is that there is no secret! Truly, all you have to do is think deeply for what you want to happen, and with enough focus, it will happen. Once your horn starts to glow and your magical aura appears, try to focus your aura onto the object. So, try to do something to that tree. Anything you want.”

I then closed my eyes, and started to think. What to do with this tree….. hmm. I decided, and started to concentrate.

I groaned as I focused on what I wanted to happen. Finally, after a couple seconds of focus, BAM. My horn lit up and a surge of magical energies left it!

The beam of energy left my horn and hit the tree. In an instant, the tree changed. It transformed, it discombobulated. Then, it happened. It became part of the library, an extra wing if you will!

It was essentially now a hollow, new room, an addition to the library. Twilight had her mouth open in shock.

“H…..how in the name of celestia did you do that?!” she yelled. “I’ve tried to do just what you just did before, expand the library, and I couldn’t even do it! And this is your first time trying magic!”

She then looked at me. “Jordan, do you realize what this means?!”

“What?” I asked, innocently enough.

“You have so much magical ability, it’s hard to comprehend! With enough work and practice, you could become as powerful as the princess, more powerful than I am! That spell you performed is an expert level, even I can’t perform it! Transfigurating objects like that is a very advanced level of magic.”

I gasped. “Really?! You’re serious?!” I then jumped around with joy. This was incredible! I….. had potential. No one has ever told me I had potential before, I was always just worthless.

I felt like a child who just got a new toy to play with, I was so naively excited!

“Ok Twi, what now?”

She smiled. “Now, you try the spell you wanted. This spell is more difficult, because you’re trying to alter yourself, a living pony, instead of an inanimate object. You need a lot more focus. Go ahead, try.”

I started to think deeply, once again. “I want to be able to see and tell the truth no matter what!” I told myself, over and over again, until finally, half a minute later, I felt something in my brain click.

I smiled at twilight. “Let’s go test it out!” I said happily.

She nodded and followed me to town.

-MEANWHILE, CELESTIA’S THRONE ROOM-

Celestia was sitting on her throne, humming softly as she thought. She was deep in her thoughts, occupied and consumed by them.

She was thinking of many things, but the things that stuck out were mainly about her student.

“I hope Twilight Sparkle is doing ok today, I have not spoken to her face to face in some time.”

Then, as if by fate or, in this case, magic, a note appeared in front of the princess.

Intrigued, she opened it and started to read.

“Dear princess celestia. I am pleased to inform you that Jordan is fitting in very well to ponyville. He has made an abundance of friends, and seems happy. However, I worry that his smile might be a forced, fake one, princess. Last night, he confessed some things to me. Some very sad, heart wrenching details of his past. I worry about him and just want to make him happy. Is there any way you could help me plan a surprise for him? I want to show him that we love and appreciate him! Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle.”

The princess smiled and started to write back. “Dear Twilight Sparkle, I am so glad that Jordan is fitting in to ponyvile well. I can sense your worry, and I feel quite similar. I worry about Jordan often. I think a special celebration would lift his spirits immensely! Perhaps, his birthday is coming up? Don’t be afraid to ask him and report back to me! Princess Celestia.”

With that, she sent the note to Twilight, smiling as she thought about her.

-MEANWHILE, BACK IN PONYVILLE-

Twilight and I were inside Sugarcube corner, waiting patiently for pinkie to come downstairs. And boy did she.

She hopped down the stairs like a Tigger, and hopped right to us. “HEY GUYS!” she shouted. “What’s going on!?”

I then noticed her hold something in her hoof. Once she saw that I noticed, she quickly hid it.

I glared at her. “What’s that pinkie?”

She blushed. “Oh, uh nothing! Absolutely positively nothing!”

Then, my horn flashed red. I smirked at pinkie. “Liar, tell the truth.”

Pinkie’s lip quivered. “I swear, it’s nothing!” Red flash.

She held her quivering lip before shouting. “OK, OK! It’s a surprise I was going to give to Mr. Cake!”

“And? Why were you gonna give it to him?”

“Because he needed cheering up!” Red flash.

“OK, OK, because it’s his birthday”! Red flash.

She was now crying from the interrogation. “OK, BECAUSE HE AND MRS. CAKE ARE HAVING A BABY!” she cried out.

I looked at her flabbergasted. “A…..baby?”

She nodded at me and Twilight gave me a stern look. “JORDAN! What the hay!”

I gave an innocent look. “What?!”

She then growled and started to drag me out of the shop. “I’m so sorry about that Pinkie Pie!”

Pinkie Pie was crying now and ran upstairs, too upset to reply to us.

She dragged me to the tree outside and glared at me. “Why the hay did you interrogate pinkie pie?! She obviously was trying to keep it a secret for the Cake’s!”

“I’m sorry Twi, I just really wanted to know, I couldn’t contain myself!”

Suddenly, I saw Applebloom running in the street. I walked towards her and intercepted her.

She smiled when she saw me. “Howdy Jordan, whatcha doin?”

“Nothing, what about you, where you headed?”

“Why, I’m just headed to school!” Red flash. I smirked.

“Oh really? Doesn’t sound like you’re telling the truth. Where are you really headed?”

She flushed her cheeks and gulped. “No, really, I’m just headed to school Jordan!”

Red flash once again. “Tell me where you’re really headed Applebloom!”

She shook her head. “No! I won’t tell you!”

I then bombarded her with questions. “Sugarcube corner? Home? The library? The spa? The train station? Carousel Boutique? WHERE, WHERE, WHERE?!” I shouted.

Applebloom then started to cry. “L…..LEAVE ME ALONE!”

“Not until you tell me the truth!”

She was now crying harder. “I’m headed to Fluttershy’s cottage, to help her feed the animals! Gosh, why couldn’t ya just leave me alone!”

She then pushed me aside and ran away, with her mane covering her face. The scene made my heart want to stop beating.

Twilight tackled me to the ground in anger. “JORDAN!? What’s the matter with you?! You can’t keep going around bullying everypony into telling the truth! You need to stop!”

I scoffed and blew a puff of air. “Oh relax Twily, Applebloom will cry about it for five minutes then forgive me.” I gasped as I said this. Was this spell having different, negative effects on me?!

Twilight then glared. “Jordan, I think you messed the spell up when you initiated it. It’s having negative effects on your personality! You’re not usually this nasty to everypony!”

I just rolled my eyes. “Twilight, you’re being a bit over reactive, don’t you think?” I then mumbled. “Like usual…..”

Thankfully, she didn’t hear my mumble, but she did stare at me. “I am not being over reactive! This spell is messing you up, and I don’t like it!”

I just rolled my eyes at her again and continued walking. She didn’t have to like it! I liked having this new power. It made me feel so powerful!

“Oh come on Twilight, I know that you’re just jealous!”

She rolled her eyes. “Am not!” Red flash. I grinned evilly.

“LIAR!” I declared. She quivered her lips and shook her head.

“OK, maybe I am a bit jealous you can detect lies, but I sure am not jealous of how you’re treating everypony!”

I rolled my eyes again and ignored her, walking to Applejack’s. “I’m not treating anypony badly! Lying is wrong. If you lie you should tell the truth!”

We arrived at the barn and I waved at applejack. She saw me and walked over to me. “Howdy y’all, what’s goin on?”

Twilight puffed and blew her mane out of her face. “Captain over here tried magic for the first time today and discovered a spell he shouldn’t be using.”

“Really? What’s that?”

I grinned. “I’ll show you. Tell me, Applejack, have you ever told a lie?”

She shook her head. “No, never!” Red flash once again. Me and Twilight gasped, as she was the element of honesty, but I smirked, determined to know the truth.

“Liar! What lie did you tell?”

“Ah uh….. I told somepony ah liked their painting, when I didn’t! It was borin!” no flash, she was telling the truth.

“Hm….. Interesting. Thanks AJ, bye!”

She looked at me with some hurt in her eyes as I walked away.

I puffed my breath before I laughed a little evilly as we walked on the dirt road back to ponyville. “Don’t you see twilight, I am the crusader of truth! I can tell whenever anypony is lying! This is great!”

Twilight looked at me with her mouth agape and stared. “Jordan….. what is happening to you?!”

I shrugged her off and walked towards town. “Nothing is wrong with me, I’m fine!”

She wasn’t buying it though. She could tell something was wrong.

As I walked through town, I decided to do something devious.

I saw Vinyl Scratch talking to Octavia. I listened to their conversation.

“YEAH, this party is gonna totally rock! Don’t worry, I promise I won’t be a nuisance Tavi!” Red flash.

“SHE’S LYING!” I called out. Tavi glared at Vinyl and Vinyl chuckled nervously.

I then walked past the café to see a man and a woman in an argument. “I promise honey, I’m just going to Manehattan for business!” red flash again.

“HE’S LYING TO YOU!” I called out. The wife looked at me confused till I pointed to my horn. She then glared at her husband and smacked him.

I laughed a bit evilly again as I was walking through town. “This is great, so great!”

I looked back to see the wife shout something to her husband before standing up and walking off in a rage. I felt a little bad, but my mind….. was being….. altered.

My mind felt cloudy and hazy, like all my thoughts were being severed from my conscious. I was getting a bad headache and my vision was getting blurry. Maybe I was just getting tired?

It was now getting late, so I decided to go home and sleep. “Twilight, I think it’s time to go to sleep. Luna is about to raise the moon!”

She yawned tiredly and nodded. “Ok, let’s go back to the library then.”

I nodded and started to trot with her home. We both had our ears down tiredly, needing sleep. Once we walked inside, I was so tired I quickly passed out, right there on the floor. Twilight was too tired to try to levitate me to bed, so she got some pillows and blankets and tried to make me as comfortable as possible. Which I greatly appreciated.

A couple of hours later, I woke up suddenly. I was forcefully snapped awake and I grabbed my head and groaned in pain. It felt like someone was ripping my brain apart! I saw something out of the corner of my eye. It was some sort of shadow being, and it was quietly laughing.

“Who’s there? Who are you? Oh Celestia, why does my head hurt?!” I cried out.

The creature walked to me and placed a shadowy hand over my mouth.

“Hush now, boy.” That was all the being said before I lost consciousness and fell back asleep.

Then, the creature disappeared.

-MEANWHILE, IN A FAR AWAY PLACE-

In the mysterious mountains in northern equestria, there was a castle. A grand, magnificent castle, one that could rival the castle in Canterlot in its sheer size and beauty. It stood many stories tall, and had so many rooms you could not count them all if you dared to try.

Without a guide, one could get lost in this castle very easily. However, that was never a concern. Why, you ask? Because NOPONY EVER WENT INSIDE.

The lord of the castle, who himself was as mysterious as the land surrounding his abode, was a powerful sorcerer. He cast a spell on his castle. Nopony from the outside world could see it, and nopony could tell it even existed.

He lived in a world of isolation, and he loved it. He embraced darkness, and soon, his dark shroud of black power would forever cripple the sun.

-MEANWHILE, IN PONYVILLE THE NEXT MORNING-

I awoke in my bed slowly, a painful headache shrouding my mind. My head felt like it was melting. I grunted loudly in pain, and I guess twilight heard me, because she came into the guestroom fast.

“Are you ok Jordan? You don’t look so good!”

Right then, I got angry. I don’t know why, but I got pissed. I started growling lowly.

“I’M FINE. GET OUT OF MY WAY!” I rudely pushed twilight out of my way, and she gasped.

“…..Jordan? Oh Jordan, what’s happened to you?!” She watched me leave the library and sighed before teleporting to me.

Outside, I was walking towards the middle of town, holding my head constantly. I found out the spell was still active, as it flashed red from time to time.

Twilight sighed as she followed me. “What can I do….. he’s getting out of control fast. Maybe I should head back to the library and find a reverse spell!”

With that, she hurried back to the library. She grabbed the spell book for the truth spell, sat down and got to work.

“Hmm….. let’s see. It has the description of the spell, what it does, the history of who created it….. Star Swirl the Bearded, of course.”

Then, she saw something that made her heart drop. She looked at the next page of the book in disbelief.

“WHAT?! This can’t be right! ‘Warning, may cause severe changes in personality, and unforeseen side effects’?!” She started to panic over what could happen to me.

“Oh no! I have to find a reverse, now!”

Thus, she began to study the book closely, hoping to find the cure. Around noon, she finally found it.

“I GOT IT! I just have to erase his memory of the spell for good! This should be easy!”

With that, she ran out to the door and started her search.

She walked everywhere in ponyville. Town hall, sugarcube corner, the spa, the café, the boutique, fluttershy’s cottage, sweet apple acres. But I was nowhere to be found.

None of the ponies had seen me today, and had no idea why Twilight was panicking. Rarity offered her some tea, which she quickly refused and when Applejack tried to ask why she was freaking out, Twilight just kept running.

She was about to give up hope when an idea crossed her mind. “CLAIRVOYANCE, THAT’S IT! OF COURSE!” with that, she focused her magic and initiated her spell.

All of a sudden, a ball of light emerged from her horn, and started to move towards the library.

“Huh? Why would he be in the library! This doesn’t make sense!”
She walked inside and stopped dead in her tracks at what she saw. I wasn’t Jordan anymore. I now had red, glowing eyes, and my mane and tail were messy and curled. I looked like a mess.

“Jordan, what happened to you?” she asked.

I growled, and in a deep voice, replied. “Ah, Twilight, I knew you’d try to take my new gift away from me. You really should close books when you’re done with them!”

She gave me a shocked look before it turned to a determined one. “Jordan, this spell is messing you up, and I need to stop it now before it ruins you forever!”

“Ah Twilight Sparkle, you foolish unicorn. I know you’re just jealous of true power and knowledge. You have spent all your life on pointless studying of books, hoping you would become something you are not. A success.”

Twilight gasped and a lone tear fell from her eyes. “You’re not Jordan….. Jordan might not have lived here for long, and I might not have known him for long, but I know he’s a good pony, and would never hurt my feelings!” She then got into a defensive position with her horn glowing. “So, I’ll only ask you this once. Who are you? Leave Jordan alone!”

‘I’ chuckled at her. “Oh my, you are one smart little pony Twilight Sparkle. But, for your sake, let’s hope you never cross my path again, lest you want to suddenly disappear from everyone you love. And no, I will not let this puppet go. I have further need of him, before I cut his strings!”

Twilight growled in anger and clopped her hoof on the ground. “LET HIM GO, RIGHT NOW! I’ll fight you!”

‘I’ chuckled again. “No. There’s not going to be any fight. Oh very well, I’ll release him for now. But he will be of further use to me later.”

With that, I was slowly released back to my normal self by the being that captured me. My eyes turned to normal, my mane and tail went straight, and I was back to normal.

However, Twilight had had enough of this whole incident.

“Twilight, where am I, what happened?”

She then charged up her horn and glared at me.

“I’m stopping the spell, come here!” I then opened my eyes wide, screamed no at her, and began to run.

I quickly began running away from her. My hooves beat against the dirt road hard with each walk I made.

“JORDAN, YOU GET BACK HERE RIGHT NOW! THIS IS FOR YOUR OWN GOOD!” she declared as she chased me.

Thus began a wild chase. I quickly ran to the town hall, and using some bricks that were conveniently poking out in various places and heights on the wall, I used parkour to carefully ascend the wall, to the top of the building.

I hid in the circular rotunda at the top, panting heavily. “She’ll never get me now!” I foolishly declared out loud.

She heard me, and then focused her magic down below. Suddenly, she teleported and appeared next to me.

“GAH, WHOA THERE!” I cried out as she surprised me. I was against the fence, cornered with nowhere to go.

“It’s over Jordan, no more lie detecting!” She was now charging up her horn, and I did a desperate move I would come to regret.

Using some Assassin’s Creed skills, I quickly leapt up onto the fence and, in one graceful move, jumped down off the building.

Twilight looked at me in shock as I fell. “NO, JORDAN!” she screamed as she thought I would surely die.

However, in one moment Ezio Auditore would damn sure appreciate, I landed in a hay bale below that was conveniently located.

“OW, OUCH!” I shouted out as I landed. I had landed in the hay stack, but let’s just say, what happens in a video game should stay in a video game.

The hay stack was surprisingly solid! It softened my fall and avoided my death, but it dang sure hurt my back

“Ouch!” I shouted. I tried to get up and move but I couldn’t. I think I had broken or at least severely hurt my spine!

Twilight saw that I wasn’t moving and gasped. “Oh no, I'm coming, Jordan!”

With that, she quickly teleported down to the ground and ran to where I was.

“Oh no, Jordan!” she was feeling around my body, trying to feel where the most damage was. She gasped as she felt my back. I wasn't too badly hurt, but there was some damage from where I had landed.

Twilight realized this and got very, very upset. “N…..no….. Jordan, no!” she said heavily before looking for anypony to help.

Turns out, me and Twi had made quite the ruckus with our chase. All of our friends happened to be watching. Rainbow, Fluttershy, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, all of them.

They sprinted to us as fast as they could. “Aw no, what in tarnation happened to ‘im?!” AJ asked frantically.

I was panting as I tried to recollect my senses on the ground, gasping for air as it was hard to get any.

Twilight sighed. “He was using the lie detecting spell he used on you, Applejack, and well….. something crazy happened to him and I tried to get the spell to stop, and I chased him and he jumped and he’s hurt!”

“Well, we better get him to the hospital then!” Rarity declared.

“Yeah, he isn’t lookin too good!” Rainbow added in.

“Oh, he looks in so much pain.” Fluttershy cooed at me.

Twilight sighed. “I just have to get rid of the spell before we take him to the hospital”

I opened my eyes wide as she said this. I didn’t want to lose my power! And they would never understand why!

So, I quickly took action. I started to roll in the grass, to my left, to get away from them, army commando style.

The mane six looked at me funny for a second before following me. “Jordan, why are you acting so weird? Just let Twilight do her spell!” Rainbow yelled at me. Applejack quickly put her hoof on my stomach to get me to stay still.

“NO, I’m not giving up my power!” I yelled back.

“POWER!? Do you have any idea what this power has done to you!? It’s made you say rude and hurtful things to me, you got possessed by somepony, and it drove you to jump off the top of town hall to get away from me! WHY DO YOU WANT THIS SPELL SO BAD?”

I whimpered as she yelled at me and sighed. “You wouldn’t understand! None of you would!”

They all surrounded me and, right as I closed my eyes, thinking they were going to attack me, they surprised me with a tight group hug.

“Jordan, we’re your friends. We don’t care what you think or say or do, we love you, and we just want to help you and be your friend. It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been in Ponyville or what happened to you in the past. We love you and just want to help you.” Twilight said.

I sighed and fought back tears as I felt them come. “Ok….. fine. I just liked the spell and wanted to keep it because it made me….. feel secure, because I’ve been lied to my entire life, ok!? It just felt good to know when I was being lied to, because I hate lying! Dishonesty makes me sick, and I just liked the ability to know a lie. I didn’t mean to interrogate anypony or make them feel bad!”

Applejack came to my side and rubbed my mane softly. “Sugarcube, ah understand how it feels to be lied to. Believe me, ah do. Why do you think ah’m the element of honesty? Ah hate dishonesty also. So that’s why ah always try to be honest. But people sometimes just have things they don’t want others to know, like when Applebloom was going to Fluttershy’s yesterday. You just have to let somethings go, sugar.”

I groaned as I realized she was right and facehoofed hard. I felt like such an idiot! “You’re right Applejack. I should have just realized, I can’t always know the truth. I should have never interrogated anypony, and it was wrong of me. I’m so sorry guys, I’m a horrible friend!”

Rarity stepped in. “No, you most certainly are not a horrible friend Jordan! Ever since you’ve come to Ponyville, you have done nothing but good for everypony here! And yes, while this incident was troublesome, it doesn’t make you any less of a stallion!”

Everypony went Mhm and nodded their heads in agreement.

I was fighting tears. I had just screwed up so badly and hurt so many pony’s feelings, and they were willing to forgive me. Just like that! They’re truly incredible friends, and I hope nothing like this ever happens again.

I sighed and looked at Twilight. “Twilight, I give up…… go ahead and do your magic. I just want to get to the hospital so the pain can stop! Dag nabbit my back hurts!” I declared.

Twilight nodded and charged up her horn before touching it to my head slowly. I felt the magic pulse throughout my whole head, into my brain. After I let out a light cry, it was all over. I couldn’t remember the spell, and I felt happy again, which I showed to the girls with a blissful smile.

“Hey there everypony, nice weather we’re having, huh?”

They all cheered and hugged me. “Oh Jordan, I’m so glad you’re ok! I thought something would be wrong forever!” Twilight announced.

I looked down and pouted, my ears drooping. Everypony gave me concerned looks.

“What’s wrong?” Pinkie Pie asked me.

“Don’t you ponies see? This is just another reason why I’m not meant to be here. Why I’m not supposed to be friends with you! This just proves it. I’m a monster! And a monster can never live happily.”

Applejack then made me look at her. “Jordan, you ain’t no monster, and you do deserve to be our friend! Someday you’ll see it sugarcube, ah promise!”

I sighed, before I smiled widely and tackled her into a tight hug. “Thank you Applejack, you’re such a great friend. I’m so lucky that I got the chance to move here and become friends with everypony.”

Everypony then joined in on me and AJ’s hug and made it an amazing group hug.

Twilight then started to levitate me. “C’mon, we need to get you checked out at the hospital mister!”

With that, everypony galloped to the hospital. I was there for about an hour while the doctors tended to my back and screened me, but I was good to go afterwards.

The doctor gathered the girls around. “Listen, he’s going to be fine, but his back is pretty hurt and he'll be in pain. He should be ok to walk, but I need you girls to take careful care of him. If it seems like he’s having problems, bring him back here A.S.A.P, ok?”

Twilight nodded at him. “You can count on us, Doctor!”

After that, everypony met me in my room as I was getting ready to leave. I smiled at them. “How does lunch at the café sound everypony? If Jordan’s feeling better, and I think some time hanging out would be good for us!” Twilight announced.

Everypony smiled and nodded in agreement, so we all walked as a group to the café. Well, minus Dash who flew overhead but, nevertheless, we were all friends walking.

We walked inside, got a table and sat down. Clockwise, it was Me, Twilight, Fluttershy, Pinkie, Rarity, Rainbow, and Applejack. Yep, I was sandwiched between Twilight and Applejack.

After we ordered our food, I realized something. Besides Applejack with the apple bucking, I haven’t spent hardly any time bonding with any pony! So, I decided to announce something.

“Hey, girls. Listen. I’ve been thinking lately and, I realized that besides when I was apple bucking with Applejack, I really haven’t been spending time with any of you ponies. So, I’m gonna make an effort to spend more time with each of you, if it’s fine with you that is, I know you all have jobs and responsibilities and I don’t want to get in the way of them!”

Everypony immediately shook their heads. Rarity spoke first. “Oh nonsense Jordan, I think I speak for everypony here when I saw we can always spare time for you!”

Fluttershy smiled at me sweetly. “I need help with some of the animals at my cottage, and I would just love having you there!” I smiled at her. Fluttershy was just so cute, she made my heart melt!

Rainbow nodded. “Yeah! I know you don’t have wings so it’s hard to get a hold of me, but if you ever want to hang out, use this!” She handed me a whistle in the shape of her cutie mark.

I gawked at it for a few seconds. “A whistle? Interesting.”

“Yeah, just blow it whenever you want me to come and see you kid! We can hang out any time!” she gave me a little noogie and smiled.

“Thank you Dash, it means a lot to me!”

We then stopped talking for a bit and ate our food. I had a grass, sunflower, carrot, lettuce and cherry salad. That’s one thing that sucked, having no meat. “I could sure go for a juicy burger, or pizza, or…. No, stop it Jordan! Enjoy the food and stop making yourself drool!”

I listened to myself and finished my salad happily with a little burp. “Scuse me!” I said.

The girls giggled and continued eating. Twilight only stopped to say; “Wow, did you inhale all of that? You ate that whole salad in like five minutes!”

I chuckled and rubbed my neck. “Yeah, I always had a problem with eating too fast.” I smiled a bit.

The girls just all collectively rolled their eyes, smiling at me. Then, Twilight got an idea.

“Hey, Jordan, would you be interested in helping me with my letter to the princess this week? It seems you learned more about friendship then I did.”

I dropped my fork onto the table and gasped. I stared at my bowl for a while before speaking in astonishment. “You…. Want me….. To help you write your friendship report!? Oh my gosh, Twi, I’d be so honored!”

She smiled at me. “Good, I knew you would. We’ll do it once we get home, ok?”

I gave her my best salute. “Yes ma’am! Everypony done with their food?”

The girls all nodded and, as they got out their bits to pay for the food, I got an idea. “Girls, no, wait. This is on me. Think of it as me saying ‘I love all of you, and I’m sorry for acting like such an idiot today’, ok?”

They all looked at each other and, as Twilight started to speak for the group, I silenced her. “No, no resisting. I’m paying for lunch. Nopony is stopping me.”

They sighed in defeat and let me pay the waiter. I paid nearly ¾ of my bits, but I didn’t care. It felt nice to do a good thing for the girls, they really mean so much to me and I’m just glad I found a way to show it.

We all left the café and I looked at Twilight. “Twilight, would you be willing to help me practice my magic more? I really want to get better!”

She smiled at me. “Of course Jordan, let’s just get home and write that letter!”

“Well, I better get going, I need to clear the rest of the clouds before nighttime, see you guys!” Rainbow called out before she rocketed away.

“Yeah, I need to help the cakes finish their cookies for a party! See ya!” Pinkie the bounced happily to sugarcube corner.

“I need to go home and feed Angel, he gets very cranky without his dinner!” Fluttershy said before she walked home.

“And I simple must finish my dress order before tonight, it’s critical! Bye, you two!” Rarity called out as walked to the Boutique.

“Yeah, and ah need to help Applebloom back home, she insisted on redoing her bedroom. See y’all!” she then galloped to the farm.

Twilight looked at me and giggled a bit. “Looks like it’s our turn to go home now.”

“Yep, seems that way” I said as I followed her to the library.

We walked inside, welcomed by the sweet smell of the candles. Twilight went upstairs and grabbed some ink and paper and a quill.

“Jordan, will you be my scribe?” she asked.

I smiled at her warmly. “Of course Twi, but excuse me if my writing sucks!”

She giggled and started talking as I took the quill in my mouth.

“Dear Princess Celestia, sometimes, the pain of dishonesty gets to some ponies. Nopony likes being lied to, especially by their friends. But sometimes, there are just some situations in life where a simple fib every now and then are necessary. As my friend Jordan learned this week, trusting your friends and letting their secrets be their own is a virtue to have indeed!”

She finished speaking and I finished writing. I smiled at her. “Wow twi, that was a good letter! The princess will love that!”

She giggled. “Thank you, I hope she does” she said before she used her magic to send the letter. She then smiled at me.

“So, how about more magic practice? If you’re up for it.”

I smiled widely. “Of course I am! What should we do first?”

“Well, let’s have you practice levitation. I’m going to place this book about ten feet in front of you. I want you to try to levitate it back into its place on the book shelf. Just focus your magic, and when you buildup enough magic in your horn, it will levitate. Got it?”

I nodded and started to close my eyes as I focused on the book. After a few seconds I felt my horn glow and some energy trickle out of it. It kept building up pressure until finally, BAM, magic surrounded the book!

It felt like there was ten pounds of pressure on my horn, it was hard to move my head. But, I strained it upwards and lifted the book up. I rolled my head slightly to turn the book upright, and slowly slid it into its place on the shelf.

Twilight smiled and applauded me. “Very well done, student!” She smirked a bit.

I rolled my eyes. “Student? Not in your wildest dreams! I bet I could school you in magic!” I challenged.

She just rolled her eyes. “You’re still in my magic kindergarten, so calm down and do your homework. Now, I want you to levitate these two books, switch them, and then place them back. Got it?”

I nodded and went through the same procedure. As I levitate the books, I found it challenging to alternate them, it was like juggling. It took some work, but I finally got it and placed them back.

“Good, you’re a fast learner! Now for the hard part” she said as she blindfolded me. “Now, do it blindfolded!”

I did the procedure again, and levitated the books once again. It was MUCH harder without my sight. I ended up dropping the books seven or so times, but finally after many attempts, I did it!

I cheered in happiness as I removed the blindfold. “I DID IT, I CAN’T BELIEVE I DID IT!” I then ran to Twilight and hugged her tightly. “Best. Teacher. Ever!”

She giggled and hugged me back. “Easy boy, down now. We better get some sleep, that took a long time, it’s night time already!”

I agreed, and after saying our goodnights, we both went to our beds.

As I laid in bed, cozy and under the covers, I couldn’t help but think about things. I mean, this is amazing. I’m here! I’m in equestria, I’m a pony! I’m friends with the mane six, I’m talented with magic, I feel so happy.

Then I got to thinking about other things. Like, what I’m good at. Everypony else has a cutie mark, but I don’t. Will I get mine soon? Will I discover my special talent? What will it be? It could be anything! Back home I had some skills, but they’re things that can’t transfer to this land, like video games, or computer software use. I guess it’ll come eventually though.

Then I also got to thinking about Twilight, and how much she means to me. She really is my best friend, and I just have to do something to make her see how much she means to me! I’ll buy her a gift, yeah, that’s it!

The only problem is that I spent all of my bits earlier on lunch. Well, almost all. I had very few left, and I don’t know how to get more.

Maybe somepony around town will have a job I can do for bits. That would be awesome. Yeah, things will work out!

Everything is gonna be alright from here on out, and I can’t wait for tomorrow to come!

The End Of Chapter Five

Author's Note

Believe it or not, this chapter used to be ever worse than it is now. A few months ago, i re-wrote this chapter because i just couldn't handle how bad it was. On to chapter six, cya there.