Weeks had passed since I had helped the Flies out and got them out of the Crystal Empire, they had adjusted well. They occasionally send me a message through a messenger bird, they were looking a lot healthier too, they slowly integrated into Ponyville and eaten ambient love. Some of them were even learning, after my suggestion of transforming into birds and listening to Cheerilee then using their secluded hivemind to teach the younger ones. Zecora had already known about the Dragonflies and with her help she created a potion for all of them to become cut off from the hivemind of the other changelings, that way the Flies wouldn't have to actively block out any intrusive Changelings that tried to find out where they were at, what they were doing, and most importantly, let Chrysalis know.

So they had their own hivemind and eventually had to elect a leader, they chose me and I informed them that it was a terrible idea. I wasn't a leader I was a paranoid fucker that actively rallied against the most powerful person in the country and was too curious for my own good. I wish I could say that they heeded those words, they however did not. I was also getting used to intimacy with my herdmates and yes I eventually had to forgive Dash for spying on the love making session between Fluttershy and I. But not before I thoroughly humilated her to make sure she wouldn't get too big of an ego again. Not only did I have Twilight ground her for a week, during the entire week she had to wear a chicken outfit, in public. When anyone decided to ask why she was wearing a chicken outfit, she had to do the chicken dance and sing about how she didn't respect other people's privacy.

If she took it off in public the week was reset, now I'm not a sadistic asshole so I allowed her to take it off when she got home. However, she had to go out in public for at least 5 hours, eventually the public caught on to how to make her do the chicken dance and Applejack scared them off. Rainbow was red in the face and puffing when she looked up at Applejack standing by her stall in the market, "I'm tired of this AJ." Rainbow commented, "It's embarrassing."

"Well, it sucks for you. But imagine how embarrassed Fluttershy musta felt when she heard that her best friend revealed what had happened in her bedroom." Applejack chastised. "What I don't understand is exactly why you would go and do something like that." Rainbow could only mumble something in response. The orange mare crossed her arms, "Now you're acting like Fluttershy, dangit girl speak up!"

"I was jealous okay?!" Rainbow shouted, "I just...I wanted to feel that too...don't get me wrong I love you girls, but when I saw what I did I just felt like I was worthless."

"So you decided to drag Fluttershy down with you?" I asked, and I popped my head up from behind the stall and set another crate of apples onto the wagon.

"M-Mickey?" Rainbow stammered, "I-I didn't know you were working the stall today."

I dusted my hands against one another, straightened out my back, and looked at Rainbow. "Dash, there's one thing you need to understand." I walked right up to her and stared her down, "The world doesn't revolve around you. Your ego, is getting in the way of your life and it hurts your friends as well. So, this public humilation is the perfect way to make up for how you publically humilated Fluttershy."

Rainbow looked down, "I-" She started and by the time she looked at me I was already back at the stand, bagging up apples as Bloom negotiated the sale. "Okay, but can I please get some applejuice?"

I pulled a cold bottle of said thirst quencher from underneath the stall in a cooler and handed it to her. "Here." Applejack gave me the stinkeye, "Take it out of my pay." I told her.

Applejack relaxed a bit. "Alright. But you gotta attend dinner this evening."

"Can I have something other than apples?" I asked.

"If you bring something we can cook it up and eat it, just keep in mind our dietary habits." Applejack suggested.

"Eh, fine." I aquiesced, "Maybe I can bring some of those mushrooms that guy who also does piercings. I heard he was selling eggs now."

I continued to help with the stall until it was time to close up at the market. Because it was just AJ, Bloom, and I. Mac was able to stay at home and take care of more chores at home. He also got a new sweetie recently, so he had a small herd going on with Cheerilee and Sugar Belle. So anything I could do to allieviate his burdens would we a great help to me as well. I scratch your back you scratch mine situation, so we packed up the cart and Applejack and Apple Bloom started to pull the wagon back as I kept an eye on the back of the wagon itself, just to make sure nothing falls out of the back. We got to Sweet Apple Acres decently quick and the cart slowed to an immediate halt when we got in eyesight of the house. "Oh dagnabbit, not those two again!" I heard AJ complain, "Apple Bloom can you get the cart back into the barn by yourself? Last time Mick tried he darn near threw out his back." Did not.

"Sure thing!" Bloom said, as AJ unhooked herself. The cart started to move again this time at a much slower pace. I looked at the 'two' that AJ was complaining about only to see two lanky pale yellow unicorns that look like they were missing the other two to their barbershop quartet. Flim and Flam, AJ told me about these two. Con artists and snake oil salesmen. The fact of the matter is that those two are in need of a good scaring, and me with my anti-magic would be good against two unicorn con artists. I walked alongside the wagon until it got pulled into the barn, then when Apple Bloom unhooked herself she looked at me. "Mickey, you got a crazy look in your eye. I don' like it."

"Nothing you need to worry about Bloom." I tussled her mane, careful not to offset her. "Say can you answer me this?"

"Sure what is it?" She questioned back.

"Where did your big brother put the axe?" I asked her.

"How many times have we told ya? We don't want ya around here! Ya nothin' but no good filthy varmints!" AJ cussed out Flim and Flam.

"Now see here missy we are nothing but good, honest, business ponies!" Flam argued back.

"Good, honest, business ponies with a good, honest, business proposal!" Flim echoed.

Mac just crossed his arms and I whistled like a bird, which caught his attention upward. I was behind the crest of the roof, showing the handle of the axe. And my wicked smile. I mouthed, 'back up.' He backed away and put his hand on AJ's shoulder. "Applejack." That caught her attention. "Back up." Then he aimed his eyes upward. Toward the roof, she backed up and then all four heard quick and loud thuds.

I jumped off the roof with the axe cocked behind my head. "MY AXE IS MY BUDDY!" I shouted as I came down, right betwen the two pairs. I lodged it into one of planks of wood on the porch. I stared at the axe for a few seconds, I slowly turned my head to Flim and Flam. Then I spread a slow grin across my face, "I never leave without him. Me and my axe will leave your head a bloody fountain!" I pulled out the axe and Flim and Flam took off I sprinted after them. "EVERYPONY, EVERYPONY, EVERYPONY RUN! MURDERING, MURDERING, MURDERING FUN!" I shouted again whilst waving the axe like a madman. "Swing, swing, swing, chop, chop, chop! Swing, swing, swing, chop, chop, chop!" I then stopped after one of them fell over, I think it was Flam.

"Get back demon! I have magic!" He shouted.

"Then use it." I said in the deepest voice I could muster.

He tried to ignite his horn but only got sparks. "Wh-what's going on?" He questioned.

"Oh, you didn't know?" I said once more, "I'm a special kind of demon, a vengeance demon. As for your magic? I ATE IT!" I pointed the axe at Flam and his brother. "You two, have lied and cheated good, hardworking ponies out of their bits for far too long! For that, I was sent to take revenge on behalf of those ponies that you swindled!"

"P-p-p-please don't hurt us!" Flim begged whilst crouching next to his brother, arms wrapped around him.

"Why shouldn't I? What happened to the ponies who begged for their money back? Did you give it back? Or did you abscond with the payday?" I asked.

"You're right!" Flam said, "We ran and we swindled. But we swear we won't do it again!"

"Yeah that's right!" Flim agreed.

Time to show them I wasn't messing around. I swung the axe and embedded it into the dirt between Flam's legs. "Not....good....enough." I growled.

"We'll give it back!" Flam blurted.

"What?" Flim asked and I growled again. "Yes, yes, yes, yes, we'll give it all back."

I looked at the pair, and then an idea came to my mind. Time to pull out a line from one of my favorite wrestlers of all time, "If you don't, I will find you. Then you will...REST...IN.....PEACE!" I said as I rolled my eyes into the back of my head. I pulled up the axe, sending small chunks of dirt flying. I hefted the axe onto my shoulder, and they took off running once more. When they were over the horizon, I sighed and looked back at the farm, then looked back where the brothers used to be. "Good fucking riddance." I looked down and kicked the dirt, displacing it to the point where there's only a slight divot. I brushed the dirt off the axe head as bes I could and turned back to the farm, walking back with axe in hand. Something moving in the corner caught my eye, it's nearly Zap Apple season so it would make sense that Timber Wolves would be out here. However, that was not the case this time around.

It was Apple Bloom with a camera in tow, she smiled and waved some pictures she took, "I'm glad I didn't throw away my camera for my photography cutie mark attempt. I think Flam peed himself." She giggled.

"C'mon kiddo, let's get back inside." I smiled, "It smells like dinner is almost ready. Plus it looks like it's gonna get dark soon, and you don't want any DEMONS coming after ya!" I joked.

She skipped out of the woods and walked alongside me back to the house, giggling at my joke. "Ya think you scared them off for good?"

"For good? Eh, probably not. Did I scare them straight? More than likely, I mean. When you first met me you were scared of me. But now? You're like my little sister." I wrapped an arm around her and lightly shook her from side to side.

"Yeah, and you're like my weird older brother." Bloom said.

"C'mon Kira let's get back inside." I said smiling, while a few feet away from the porch. With Applejack and Mac looking at us, they looked bewildered. Apple Bloom on the other had stopped entirely while I continued my stride for a bit more, only stopping when I noticed she wasn't alongside me anymore. "What's wrong?" I asked her.

"Who's Kira?" She asked.

I paused, "What?"

"Who's Kira? You called me Kira." Bloom said.

"No I didn't." I denied.

"Yeah, you did." Applejack piped up.

My heart skipped a beat, I looked to Mac he just nodded. I tossed the axe down onto the grass, "I gotta go." I said quickly and started to walk away.

"Oh, no you don't. Not this time." Applejack said as she hopped off the porch and started after me. "Mick." She said when she caught up to me, "Mickey." I ignored her and kept on. "Mickey!" Still walking. "MICHAEL FRANK YOUNG YOU STOP RIGHT THIS INSTANT!" She shouted and that got me to stop. Everything stood still for what seemed like an eternity. I remained stock-still Applejack slowly approached me, and slowly took my hand into hers. She could feel my heartbeat in my hand, I know this because I could hear it ringing in my ears. She slowly came into my line of sight, lightly took my other hand. "Look at me." She whispered, "An' don't you dare make me ask twice." I could feel as if my neck were creaking like an unoiled hinge as I looked up at her. Her beautiful jade eyes, they were full of sadness and compassion. She took one of her hands and brought it up to my cheek, slowly rubbing my cheek with her thumb. "It's okay." She whispered again.

"But what if it's not?" I asked her before thinking about my words.

"You still love her don't ya?" She asked.

"With all my heart." I replied with a mumble.

"Protect her with everything you got?" She questioned me again.

"And then some." I replied once more.

"You'd do the same with Apple Bloom too?" She asked and I just nodded. "Then you aren't replacing her. You're making more room in your heart." She pulled me in close, "An' that's okay."

I took a deep breath and slowly returned Applejack's embrace. I then let it out, "Okay."

She slowly turned me back toward the house. Then she led me back to the porch, Apple Bloom stood next to Mac. "Are you going to be okay Mickey?" The youngest apple asked.

"No, I'm not really going to be truly okay Bloom. But that's just fine, some days I will be okay, some days I won't be okay. That's why I'm glad your big sis loves me, and I love her. Because she knows when I'm not going to be okay. Then she helps me get back to being okay." I explained. She then blushed, her cheeks and ears getting redder and redder. "What's up?"

"You just said you loved Applejack." Apple Bloom muttered.

I looked at Applejack who was as red as Mac. "Izzat true?" Applejack asked.

"Well, you're the Element of Honesty. You tell me." I replied.

"I can't do that, you know that." She admitted.

"Well then, I said it. So I guess it must be true." I admitted.

"Well then," A deep baritone voice interrupted, coming from Mac. "I think supper's ready. So who's hungry?" He asked.

"C'mon everyone, let's go eat." I suggested and opened the door for Apple Bloom. Who rushed into the house. Mac followed in after her, and I held my hand out to Applejack who took mine and led me into house. The door closed behind me, I could smell the chow from here.

We all congregated at the dinner table and Apple Bloom recalled the story of me scaring off the Flim Flam brothers from her point of view. That got a few chuckles at the table with Granny Smith thanking me via giving me an extra slice of apple pie for desert. I smiled and graciously accepted, we continued on. I eventually gave up the reason why I called Bloom by my little sister's name. We soon finished our deserts and Bloom rushed upstairs to get in the shower and get changed for school tomorrow. Applejack insisted that I stay because it had gotten too dark and well I had to be here in the morning anyways so why not just spend the night? I couldn't and was too tired to argue with that logic so I stayed. I looked to Mac he nodded at me as Granny went to bed.

I found myself in a familiar spot, Applejack's bedroom. I didn't expect to go from one bedroom to another without stopping at my own first. Applejack came in, she was now wrapped in nothing but a towel. "Well then." She said, "Bathroom's open if you want to take a shower."

"I'll take one in the morning if you don't mind." I told her, "I'm just. Tired right now."

"That's fine." She said, then paused for a while. She broke the silence, "I'm proud of you."

I looked up at her, "Thanks."

"C'mon sugarcube. Let's get some sleep."

And so, we did.

Author's Note

The guy that Mickey is talking about, the one that sells eggs, mushrooms, and pierces people. Yeah I know him in real life, helped him move, great guy.

Also, Mickey was singing lyrics to the ICP song My Axe.

Finally, Kira is the name of my sister-in-law. She was named after The Dark Crystal.