Equilibrium, Book 1: The First Human.

October 13, 1000, C.E.
12:30 P.M.

Chancellor Neighsay stalked his victim from the shadows. He made sure to keep himself concealed at all times. As of now, his quarry was on the outskirts of the Everfree Forest taking a stroll with an elderly mare by the name of Granny Smith. Neighsay didn't personally know the old mare nor did he relatively relish the thought of this creature infecting the elderly with his evil.

"Just hold out a little while longer Ms. Smith." He bored a hole into the human with his stare for the depths of his hatred ran deep.

"I'll free you of this foul creature's influence once and for all." As Neighsay took aim with his spell he was suddenly stopped as a rustling above him caught his attention. Looking around he was surprised to see alone pegasus had been following them.

"Curious. Now, what business do you have with this fiend?" He wondered as he decided to sit back and watch the duo for now. When they had left the pegasus remained. The cobalt blue stallion just chuckled to himself as he turned around and trotted down the path towards Neighsays hiding spot. He stopped just a few feet away and smiled.

"You know being invisible can't hide your magical wavelength." He said catching the chancellor by surprise. With his ruse undone the chancellor dropped his spell. Soarin sized up the stallion before him. He was lengthy and skinny as a rail but he more than made up for that with his magical aura.

"So what's your story for following those two?" He asked. Neighsay just smirked.

"I could ask you the same?" Neighsay looked off to were the duo had left. He inclined his head behind Soarin.

"You a guard?" He asked Soarin just laughed right back.

"Of a sort." He replied. Their standoff was interrupted by a small voice making itself known.

"Bravo gentlecolts were all here!" The two stallion's turned around to see a small colt sitting there looking up at them with pure glee in its crimson eyes.

"Where did you come from little guy?" Soarin asked as he trotted up to him and reached out a hoof. Aion swatted the hoof away with a red flare of his horn. As he did so Aion grabbed Soarin with his magic and hauled him into the air. With Soarin in tow, Aion went after the chancellor who remained rooted to the spot. He tried to move but his legs just wouldn't obey him. The colt giggled as he trotted up to the chancellor.

"Tsk tsk tsk," Aion said as he circled the chancellor with Soarin in tow.

"I'm thoroughly surprised you two bumbling idiots have remained hidden this long." He dragged the chancellor behind him as he continued to trot down the path deeper into the Everfree forest. Soarin and the Chancellor could do nothing but stare in abject horror as this colt manhandled them on a whim.

Same Time Back At The Picnic.

The Picnic continued without a hitch even with the addition of Rainbow Dash. Aion regaled the group with tales from school.

"Ms. Cherrily is taking us on a field trip to Cloudsdale soon!" He said between taking excited bites of his sandwich. Applejack smiled as she looked over to Granny Smith.

"Well young'in you better listen to good ol' Cheerily on that trip," Granny said as she remembered a tale from her childhood.

"Why my great grandfather Golden Delicious Apple, why he went on up to Cloudsdale once, damn near fell to his death. Fool of a colt didn't listen to well." She smiled.

"Good thing he got rescued however because that's how he found his wife." Granny looked over all those present with a soft grin.

"Great Grandma Glider we called her." She chuckled as John looked at her with shock.

"Wait a minute your Great Grandmother was a pegasus?" He asked feeling excited as he got to know more of his adopted family's history. Dash to was hanging onto every word as she to was new to all of this.

"Is that how you have family all over the place?" She asked as Granny just nodded to both questions.

"Yes and yes young ones." She said her smile never wavering. She even grinned at Rainbow who looked suspiciously at the old mare.

"In fact, I wouldn't even be surprised if'n you, my daughter, and that pink one was all related somehow." She cackled as Applejack just shook her head.

"Very distantly of course." She added as she grinned at Granny who continued to chuckle to herself. Her laughter dissolved into cough's however and the whole family went over to make sure the elderly mare was ok.

"I'm fine young'in's just a little too much excitement for one day thats'll." She stated as she got her coughing under control. Aj gave Big Mac a nod and he gave her one right back. He trotted over to Granny and knelt down a little bit.

"Come on Granny let's pack it all in for today." Granny gave him a soft smile as she nodded her head.

"Yeah, maybe your right." She grimaced as she leaned against Big Mac for support getting to her legs with a slight tremble every now and then.

"Ok fam let's get everything packed up and ready to go." She ordered as the rest of the group got started. Soon all was packed up and they were ready to go. As they all trotted along Dash hung to the back of the group. John noticed and hung back with her.

"So how'd thing's go with you today?" He asked as Dash just chuckled.

"Well other than Soarin my day's been pretty good." She smiled as the two trotted behind the family. John was about to agree with her when he caught a scent on the breeze. It smelled like cinnamon, mixed with vanilla and orange spice. He looked over at Dash just now catching that she had her mane done up in a ponytail. Along with that, she seemed to have just got done with a work out seeing as she was still wearing her top and skirt. His face warmed up when he realized he had been starring and with all the grace of a kid caught with his finger's in the cookie jar, he quickly jerked his head forward starring off into oblivion. Dash meanwhile had noticed his wondering eye and couldn't help it as a small smile graced her muzzle.

"You smell nice." He commented as the two slowly caught up with the rest of the group. Dash's wings fidgeted as she held her excitement in. She simply nodded her head.

"Thank's." She said as the two continued to trot along in silence. Dash let out a nervous giggle as she thought about it.

"I got the shampoo from the spa." She said as they continued down the dirt path to Sweet Apple Acre's. John gave a nod.

"Ahh, that's why it smelled familiar." Dash let a nervous frown cross over her muzzle now.

"D-d-do you like it?" She asked as her nerve's threatened to make her freeze up then and there. John gave out a soft laugh at Dash's stutter.

"Yes, actually I do. Very much so." He said his own nerve's trying to get the better of him. Dash's muzzle went bright red as her smile returned with full force. She let out a small squeal of giddy laughter as she danced a little jig. She stopped however when she realized where she was. Her eyes quickly shot open and she was horrified to see the whole apple family eyeing her with grin's and smiles abound.

"What's got you so happy sugar cube?" AJ asked knowing full well the answer to her question was standing right next to the sky blue pegasus. John meanwhile shot his sister a deadpan glare which only made her laugh seeing his face turn bright red. Dash cleared her throat and looked over to see John red in the face.

"Oh um, I just realized I had something to do later on today. See ya!" She said speeding off into the sky leaving the family to watch as she did a few loop's, flip's, and corkscrew's in the air before she rocketed off in the direction of Cloudsdale. John once again shot his sister a glare as he walked past the family who had to hold in their laughter at seeing John's beat red face.

"Well look's like our dear Rainbow's got her eye set on our dear bother," AJ said as she pranced alongside John who failed to suppress a smile as the idea of him together with one of the best mare's he'd ever had the chance of knowing. Slowly his disappeared replaced instead with a frown.

"Why me though?" He wondered.

"What do I have that any other stallion doesn't?" His frown deepened.

"What make's me so special?" Just as his brain was about to dredge up something else to shoot himself with he stopped and took a deep breath. He felt a body next to him give him a soft bump and he looked over to see Big Mac give him a soft smile.

"Trust me little brother don't get all caught up in the why." He smiled.

"She picked you for a reason out of every stallion in town and beyond she picked you." He said as John just walked on autopilot. His smiled returned.

"She picked me!?" He said out loud. His face once more did an impression of a tomato as his doubt came flooding back. Shaking his head he shoved those thought's aside and focused on what was now before him. He looked over to Granny Smith and the rest of the family and smiled as he cleared his throat.

"So how exactly do I go about whooing a mare?" His question got a snicker from AJ who shook her head.

"Well bro we'd better get you over to Rarity's place pronto." She said as Granny just let out a soft chuckle.

"Sure took you long enough son," Granny said as she counted out the months.

"It'll be four month's this coming 21st day so congrats on holding out that long." She said as she stopped to give her grandson a soft nuzzle. John smiled as he gave Granny a soft hug.

"Yeah well, I kind of figured that if I was going to end up getting back home Twilight or I would have found a way by now." He looked off into the sky as he thought about his parents.

"Please be safe and happy where ever you guys are." He muttered as he smiled. A soft nudge to his leg made him look down. He saw Aion giving him a look of excitement.

"Come on big brother we don't want to waste any time lollygagging out here do we?" He asked as he ran up ahead to catch up with the rest of the family. John just chuckled as he held Granny close. Then in a truly impressive feat of strength, he bent down and picked the old mare up surprising her and causing her to let out a soft giggle as John hoisted her up and began to jog up to the rest of the family.

"Well, sonny you'll definitely catch the eye of every mare in town if you keep this up," Granny said as she laid her head down on John's shoulder and let herself be carried off down the road home. John just let a smile grace his face as he focused on not tripping with his grandmother in his arms.

1:27 P.M.

"Ok so are we good on just what the plan is?" Aion said as he looked to the other two present. Soarin looked over at Neighsay. He nodded as Soarin gave a nod to Aion.

"So we have to do this during the Grand Galloping Gala?" Soarin asked as Aion just glared.

"Yes. In the original timeline, he goes missing at the big event and is never seen again. So that would be the best time to strike." He said reiterating his plan. Neighsay gave him a nod.

"Leave that part to me." He smiled as he thought about finally ridding the land of this threat.

"I can have him detained and thrown in the dungeons and awaiting transport." Soarin smiled as he though his own prize at the end of all this.

"And I can finally get my hooves on Dash and release her from whatever spell he put her under." They both looked over at Aion.

"And what do you get out of all this?" Neighsay asked. Aion just gave an evil laugh as he thought of how well his plan was unfolding.

"Peace of mind that Equestria is safe and as an added bonus my body will slowly begin to fill back out." He looked at the other two.

"Great so were all set. We just have to be patient, play our cards right and everything will fall into place." Aion's horn began to glow as he opened up rift's in time.

"Take those back to the time we all left and I'll contact you with the next phase of our operation." He said. They both gave him a nod and trotted through the portal. Aion smiled as they left, his own body beginning to disintegrate as he thought of just one thing.

"I'll get you human." His smile never vanished as Aion slowly disappeared from this plane of existence.