Heart is where the home is.

The next few weeks was pure hell for Kyle,Oxhorn would wake him up before breakfast and make him exercise.Push ups squats and anything else the minotaur could think of.After the workout he had breakfast which consisted of oatmeal and an apple or some other fruit then he helped pack up and then he would jog beside the wagon.

After a couple weeks just when he thought he was getting used to jogging Oxhorn added a new twist making Charm Feather ride on his back much to her delight.She would blow in his ears or tell him dirty jokes or about her life and family.

Although he complained he did enjoy it,it would leave him to tired to think about his past and that suited him just fine and on the days of their performance he would hide in the cabin of Oxhorn's personal cabin doing what the minotaur called required reading.

Books on the various species of Equis and battle strategies,and about battle magic which he found the most interesting considering his shock when discovering magic existed.Seeing a unicorn levitate a bunch of supplies and just break every law of physics he knew.

"Earth ponies are the strongest of all ponies but their agility is lacking so always move around and aim for their barrel.Pegasus are both fast and agile and use quick strikes and diving maneuvers so aim for the wings and the have a small spot between their wings on the small of the back when hit just right will lock their wings in place for a moment.Unicorns require a lot of concentration so movement is the key and a strong enough blow to the temple around the horn will incapacitate them for a minute or two."Kyle read trying to absorb all the information.

As he placed the book down he listen to the sounds coming from outside,the cheers or boos the sounds of hoofs stomping on the crowed after what he assumed was a good performance by the so called gladiator.Smiling he remembered Oxhorn and Charm Feather telling him about how the show works,it was like pro wrestling in his world only with weapons.

Kyle watched the group practice one evening when the caravan stopped for the night and had to admit he was impressed.Steel Claw, Oxhorn's blacksmith explained about how most of the weapons were collapsible and how he and his sister Steel Hoof modified the armor with heavy pads letting the performers have a safe place for harder hits.

He also proceeded to explain the art of turn a sword at the last second to hit with the flat of the blade.He also pointed out the gloves the minotaurs and griffons wear to keep their sharp claws from doing ant serious damage to anyone they are performing with."It's a fine line we walk making the battles look real with no serious damage to the fighters it takes practice and repetition."He said between him hammering out dents in some armor.

"That's only part of it ."Oxhorn spoke walking up to the blacksmith with more armor to be repaired for the upcoming show."One of the hardest things to do is hook the crowd,to get them emotionally invested in you,either cheered or boo it takes talent to get the audience behind you."

With that said he ordered Kyle to help prepare the evenings meal and and get plenty of rest, they was starting early and was going to push hard to make the next town on time.

That night as everyone was bedding down, Kyle was looking at the night sky.The full moon and the stars really stood out here,it was truly a beautiful sight and Kyle had a feeling if he lived a thousand years this image of the night sky would still be one of the most beautiful sights he'll ever see.

Charm Feather was just settling down herself looked over at Kyle and smiled.Ever since he decided to join Oxhorns group she took it on herself to look after him,like the little brother she never had."Luna makes a beautiful night doesn't she."Charm said breaking the silence.

Kyle nodded still a little freaked out that a princess can control the moon."Yeah there's to much light pollution where I lived to fully enjoy the night."Then after a moment he added."Lets hope your mistress of dreams will keep me from having another nightmare."

Charm Feather gave him a sympathetic smile and knew that for the first week he was here he would wake up terrified,drenched in sweat unable to remember why he was scared."If it gets to bad hon you could always crawl in bed with me."She said giving him a wink.

Kyle laughed used to her flirting nature and just shook his head.You just want to sleep on my belly because its so soft."

She just smiled looking at the big human,well not as big as he was before after four weeks of Oxhorn training he was slimming down,already he had to take a cord and wrap it around his waist to keep his pants up and without a shirt on his upper body it was changing to a nice bronze.She was starting to see what Oxhorn saw when he first encountered Kyle the faint lines of muscle hiding under the fat.

"I won't be able to for much longer if Oxhorn has anything to say about it and then you shall be of no use to me."She said with a chuckle.

"Good night Charm."He said with a smile,settling himself in for the night.

Kyle was surrounded in a blackness so thick he could have cut it,he started to panic fear raising in his chest he thought his heart was going to burst but the worst was the silence,not a sound only his heart beat fast and irregular,Then a silver light filled the area and to his horror he could see,

all around him was the bodies of his friends There laid Razor beak his throat slit,Oxhon laid out, his head broken,Silver Whisk chopped up in little pieces and many more .That's when he heard the sound,it was as if he was in a buffet and everyone was eating at once.For some unexplained reason he headed towards the sound and that's when he saw it.

There lay Charm Feather surrounded by what looked like mutant unicorns around her,eating her flesh,her guts lying about.He felt sick in his stomach he tried to look away but he couldn't turn away and that's when all the unicorns turned to look directly at him their black fur stained in blood the broken horns on the tops of their heads pointing at him like accusing fingers.

Then all of a sudden Charm Feather's eyes opened meeting Kyle's green ones,she said a single word."Why"

He woke up covered in sweat and to his shame piss,it seemed so real he quickly checked to make sure Char was alright.Breathing a sigh of relief,he striped down and went to clean his pants and blanket to the stream to clean up the mess he made of himself."It seemed so real."He thought.

Looking up he noticed that there was a few hours left till dawn, he knew he wouldn't be able to sleep anytime soon.

Twilight Sparkle sat by the bed in her room looking at the sleeping girl in her bed,her chest rising and falling in a peaceful sleep for the first time in weeks thanks to Luna's intervention.Rose Heart a name that Applejack came up with due to her hair and the affection the little child would show to other ponies,suffered nightmare's every night since she appeared on Twilight's kitchen table.

It was always the same she would wake up screaming but not knowing why and would not go to sleep until Twilight would read her a story and Spike would promise to guard her sleep.It got bad enough that the princess of the night Luna agreed to see if she could help by entering her dreams.

Although the nightmares stopped, Luna couldn't figure out exactly what their meaning was.It was always just shadows trying to take her from the one she considered her mother,Twilight herself.

Twilight could not figure out why the girl thought of her as her mother but Rose just acted like Twilight always was.At first Twilight thought to send her to Canterlot for study but both her and Princess Celestia thought it might traumatize poor Rose, so in the end they both agreed to let Twilight take care of her until of if her memories return to her,and Twilight had to admit she felt a deep bond with this child now her child.

Without realizing it she leaned forward and kissed her newly adopted daughter on the forehead and tucked her in,She then Headed downstairs to reread the book on how to raise a proper foal.

It has been two months since Kyle arrived to Equestria, Oxhorn had decided to put the human in the show .....sort of.

Kyle looked at himself in the mirror and saw a giant monkey looking back.wool painted a dark covered most of his body only leaving his hands and feet exposed.He was wearing what appeared to be a knit cap with fake ears on the sides and to top it off a red fez and vest.

"Perfect."Oxhorn said inspecting Kyle closely."You look the part just remember to play the part, your a monkey do everything a monkey does except throwing your own waste."

Charm Feather was applying some face paint to Kyle when she spoke up."You'll do fine hon just follow our lead, after all your with the fabulous Charm Feather the beast master and her diamond dog Ruff House.'

The diamond dog in question was wearing padded armor with a white and pink jerkin with Charm Feather's cutie mark on his chest."Just keep your eyes on us it's a great learning experience."Ruff House said.

Oxhorns operation consisted of a three tent,a larger middle tent where the performance is held and two smaller ones with the hero's on one side and the villains on the other.The crowd was cheering and stomping their hoofs waiting for the show to begin.

Charm Feather and Ruff House was the first act they walked out of their tent with the crowd booing them,She lead both Ruff and Kyle on a leash to the middle of the dirt ring and after pampering Ruff House and then cleaned his short sword with a rag making the crowd of ponies hiss and boo at Charms antics.

Then the hero emerged from the other side,a white earth pony with a long blonde mane and matching gold armor named Groundshaker. The earth pony held a sword in his mouth and lifted his head much to the delight of the screaming crowd hoping to see the diamond dog get his flank kicked.

While occasionally acting like an orangutan never took his eyes off the match.Even though it was choreographed,they made it look so real.He was amazed at the fast pace the diamond dog kept and the way Groundshaker used the sword even though it was in his mouth was fascinating.

The highlight of the match was when Charm Feather distracted the judge and Ruff House throw dirt in the earth pony's eyes to score a hard hit to his head causing the crowd to boo and scream at the judge.

Much to the crowds delight Groundshaker was able to make a resounding comeback forcing the blade from the diamond dogs claw,making him tap the ground in signaling his surrender,as the ponies in the crowd stomped their hoofs in approval.

After the match Charm Feather rushed in the ring yelling at the fans calling them brutes then at the judge for being blind and hooked a leash on Ruff House and left to the villains tent.

"Not to bad Ruff I think we hooked the crowd pretty good there,if we keep this up we,ll be moving from opening act in no time.What do you think Kyle?"

"That was awesome you guys I can't wait until the next show.'He said not barely able to contain his excitement .

"That's good."Oxhorn said emerging in the tent."Because starting tomorrow you'll start weapon training,"

That night Rose Heart was starting to have another nightmare although Luna was helping her duties also required her to check on other ponies and could look into Rose's dreams as often as she would like.

It started out the same,she was alone in a forest and shapeless shadows was trying to surround her.Fear was eating away at her she looked for an escape but seeing none she fell to her knees as the shadows crept so close she could see the beady red eyes and the sharp teeth ready to eat her.

Right before the shadows could get to her a golden light lit up the forest and there stood a creature like herself but bigger,clad in golden armor.

He stood over her protecting her from the shadow,when ever one got to close he would cleave it in half with a swipe of his sword.

Then Rose awoke feeling warm and safer then shes felt in a long time."Who was he,why is he like me?"she wondered softly looking at her mother."Maybe mom knows."