Sixby TryingToActProfessionalChaptersSix: Ch.1Six: Ch.2Six: Ch.3Six: Ch.4Six: Ch.5Six: Ch.7Six: Ch.8Six: Ch.9Six: Ch.10Six: Ch.11Six: Ch.12Six: Ch.13Six: Ch.14Six: Ch.15Six: Ch.16Six: Ch.17Six: Ch.18Six: Ch.19Six: Ch.20Six: Ch.21Six: Ch.22Six: Ch.23Six: Ch.24Six: Ch.25Six: Ch.26Six: Ch.27Six: Ch.28Six: Ch.6Six: Ch.1“Twilight, you’re overreacting.” Spike says calmly. Twilight scurries around the library. “Spike, you don’t understand! Princess Celestia entrusted me with a new student to teach about friendship! And she didn’t tell me ahead of time! What am I supposed to do!? I’m not ready for him!” Spike grabbed her shoulders and shook her. “Twilight, calm down! He’s just another guy. Just talk to him like you would me.” She sighs and smiles nervously. “Okay...Thanks, Spike.” There was a knock at the door, and Twilight squeals. “He’s here! Spike, quick. Stall him! I need to clean up! My hair’s a mess!” She rushes upstairs, her bare feet scrambling to her room and slamming the door. The tall drake sighs and chuckles before going over to the front door and opening it. “Good morning. Is this, uh...Princess Twilight’s castle?” I ask, rather dumbly. Stupid! No kidding it’s her castle. I try my best to fix my messy black hair as the drake looks in my grey eyes. “You’re Sixth Sense, right? Twilight’s new student?” I nod. “Y-Yes. But call me Six, please...Everyone does.” The dragon smiles and shakes my hand. “Well, she’s getting ready. You came last second, so you’re free to wait in the library until she’s done.” I nod and step inside. And my heart suddenly flutters and my head throbs. “Woah, are you okay? You look kinda pale…” I clear my throat. None of that. I was sent to make friends, not weird everyone out. “Y-yeah, just fine. Heh.” I chuckle and grab my duffel bag, shuffling through the long, narrow crystal hallway, the walls glistening like a pink and purple mirror. The dragon leads me to a large set of double doors and throws them open. My jaw literally drops as I’m met with an enormous array of hundreds of thousands of books! “This….is a princess’ library?” “Yup! Feel free to read whatever. Oh, and I’m Spike, by the way.” “You….the savior of the Crystal Empire, Spike?” He chuckles and rubs the back of his neck with his claws. “Yes, that one. But just treat me like any other friend, alright?” My eyes widen in shock. Friend?! “F-friend?” He looks at me solemnly. “Yeah. Don’t you have any friends?” I shake my head slowly, my eyes glued to my feet. He puts a clawed hand on my shoulder, and I look up at him. “Consider me friend number one.” I smile brightly. We both jump a little as a door upstairs slams open, and Princess Twilight scrambles downstairs, her hair in a towel. She was wearing a short, purple skirt and a white, button up blouse. Her curves were hugged tightly by her blouse, her cleavage exposed. “Oh! You must be Sixth Sense! It’s nice to meet you!” She smiles warmly. I gulp softly, tugging on my black shirt collar. “P-please….S-Six….” “Oh. Okay! Well, Princess Celestia sent you here to learn about friendship, right?” I nod frantically, my eyes glued on the bridge of her nose. “That must’ve been quite an experience. I remember when I met the princesses, too. I was terrified that I’d say or do something to offend them. But she met me with a warm smile…” She smiles at the memory. After a moment, she shakes her head. “Anyway, after I finish getting ready, why don’t I take you around town? You just got here by train, right?” I nod. “Excellent! I’ll be back!” She goes into the next room and shuts the door. I slump down into a chair and sigh. “Oh, wow….She’s so nice…..and pretty….” Spike clears his throat. “I’ll just, uh...go make some food. Hungry?” I shake my head. I barely hear him leave before I’m hit with that intense dizziness and weightless feeling again. Not here...It’s not possible. “You can hear me, can’t you?” I sigh, hearing a soft woman’s voice behind me. I turn around to see a mare just younger than Twilight standing there, her white hair floating freely around her translucent body. “Yes, I can.” Her entire body from her clothes to her hair were a pale, transparent white and looked like it was being blown in a soft breeze. She had an older-style dress and flat-shoes. She looks like she’d been around when the town was made. “Why can nobody see me?” She asks. “I’m sorry to say, but you’ve passed away. Quite a while ago, judging by your clothes.” Her eyes fill with tears as she starts to sob. I hate it when they cry. “Why can you see me? If no one else can?” She manages to say. I sigh and scratch my head. “It’s why I’m here….My special talent is that I can sense and talk to spirits, and even see them. I try to help them move on to their next life…. What’s your name? I’m Six.” “I’m Maple Star….” I smile warmly. “Well, Maple. Did you have unfinished business before you….you know.” “I….I was shy in...life. I just wanted a friend…..” “I know how you feel….Nobody wants to talk to me. They think I’m crazy or something...I’ll be your friend, Maple.” Her demeanor suddenly brightens as her color returns. Her hair turns a soft amber color, and her skin becomes a soft tan. Her eyes shine green, and her white clothes deepen as tears stream down her cheeks. “Wh-what’s happening?” I smile. “This is what it feels like to ascend to heaven. Rest now, Maple. I’ll visit you as often as I can, friend.” She smiles brightly, and vanishes. I take a deep breath as the feeling disappears from my head. “Who were you talking to?” I yelp as Princess Twilight’s voice suddenly appears. I flip around, and she was standing in the doorway with her short hair in a neat bun. “J-Just to myself! Hahahaha…..” I hope she didn’t hear any of that… “Six….Princess Celestia told me. You don’t have to lie. Who was it?” I look up at her in surprise. “You...knew she was here? What did the Princess tell you…?” “She...well, she said that you’re suffering from delusions and think you can talk to ghosts.” I clench my fists angrily, but sigh. It wasn’t their faults. No one believes me. “Believe what you want. I won’t lie to you. Her name was Maple star. She looked like she was around when the town was founded. But she’s gone now.” She looks at me, clearly skeptical. “Maple Star….It sounds familiar. Well, let’s just drop it for now. Ready to meet my friends?” I nod reluctantly, and follow her out of the castle into the sun-lit street. There were so many vast colors and shapes that my brain could barely comprehend what I was seeing. She leads me towards what looked like a gingerbread house, and I smile softly. It looks like a storybook house. And it smells amazing. “This is Sugarcube Corner! My friend Pinkie lives here and works as a baker! I’m sure you’ll love to meet her.” “O-Okay, Princess…” “Call me Twilight. Please.” I blush and nod. When we step inside, it feels fairly normal. No flutters. Good. “Ooh, hi Twi Twi!” I hear a bubbly voice ring out. I look over to the counter, and I feel a sharp pain in my chest. I gasp shakily and clench my heart, wincing slightly. Twilight looks back and holds my shoulder. “Hey, are you okay?” “Y-Yeah...Just….it’s nothing.” I look back at Pinkie, who had a pleasant smile on her face. That pain in my heart can only mean one thing: She’s suffering. The way my talent works is that spirits naturally cling to my energy, and can manifest for me to hear and see. It makes me dizzy and lightheaded. But it only does that for the dead. But if someone living expends all of their energy into their environment, it starts draining from me. And if all their energy is expended into their surroundings, that usually means the person at the center of it is burdened by something in their past that’s haunting them, like a demon. “Well, anyway...Pinkie, this is Sixth Sense. He’ll be staying here in town at the castle.” Pinkie squees and hops over the counter, her slight chub jiggling as she runs over and hugs me. Her candy-sweet scent overwhelms my nose as my face gets buried in her apron-clad chest. “You don’t need to suffer alone anymore, Pinkie….Let me take your burden…” I whisper. Her grip tenses slightly. As we seperate, she looks at me in shock. I can’t help but smile as the feeling in the room brightens as her despair leaves her mind. “H-How did…” She starts. “It’s very nice to meet you, Pinkie. Please, call me Six.” I interrupt. She smiles. “Okie dokie, Sixie!” She hugs me again. “Thank you…” She whispers. I nod and we separate again. Twilight clears her throat. “Well, uh...we were gonna grab a cupcake or two, if you have any lying around….” “That’s okay, Princess…..I-I’d rather not. I don’t handle sugar well…” I say plainly. She looks at me, a little surprised. “Well, um...if you say so. Just one, I guess.” She says. Pinkie nods with a smile as she hops behind the counter. I sigh softly, my body already feeling the extra weight. When I consoled Pinkie, I took her burden from her. It weighs on me greatly until I can dispel it, which I’ve never successfully done. I sit at the counter, and Princ- Twilight puts her hand on my shoulder. “Are you okay, Six? You look a bit tired…” “I’m fine….I just need a minute.” Pinkie comes back from the kitchen with a box of cupcakes. “Pinkie, I only wanted one…” “On the house! And I hope you’ll come to your ‘Welcome to Ponyville’ Party, Sixie!” “I-I don’t know….So many people….It might not be a good idea…” “Awe, please? Sixie, you gotta have a party! They’re super splenderific!” I sigh in defeat. How can I argue with her? “Alright….But not too many people, okay? I…can’t handle it.” “Yay!” She hugs me tightly, her chest squishing my face. My face burns brightly and I stumble back, blushing softly. “Easy on the hugs….” She pouts playfully before disappearing into the kitchen again. What was burdening her? I’ll have to ask one of these days….or weeks….or years…. “So, um...Let’s try Rarity next, okay?” She says, clearly uncomfortable being around me. Just like everyone else. She can sense something off about me, everyone can. Like I’m some sort of demon in disguise, or a murderer. But it’s just...all the burdens I’ve taken on in my life are starting to affect those around me, like I’m toxic to them, making them uncomfortable or sad. “This was a bad idea….I don’t want you to be uncomfortable around me…” I clench my fists, my eyes stinging with forced-back tears. “Six, I…..I don’t mean to hurt your feelings. And you’re not a burden. You’re my student.” I look up at her, and she smiles back pleasantly. I nod slowly, and she takes my hand, making me blush as she pulls me along. Why...do I feel this way? What is it? We eventually get to what I assume is a clothing shop, but looks like a carousel of some kind. Twilight knocks on the door. “Just a minute~!” I hear a sing-song voice ring out. Moments later, the door opens to a very pretty woman with a long, elegant blue skirt and white blouse with long sleeves. Her long, purple, curly hair ran down her back nearly to her hips. She even had a perfect hourglass shape, not too big, not too small. She must be a model or something. “Oh, Twilight darling! How good it is to see you!” She hugs Twilight, then looks at me. I jump a little as our eyes briefly meet before mine glue themselves to a particularly fascinating rock. “And who’s this young man with you?” She asks. I wonder if it’s sedimentary… I get a hard elbow in the ribs and look up to Twilight, who’s looking at me expectantly. “I-I-I’m Sixth Sense….O-Or Six….” She smiles warmly. “How wonderful to meet you! I’m Rarity! Oh, good heavens, you must come inside! Your outfit makes you look dreadfully dull!” I look down at my black shirt and pants. “Dreadful….? I always wear all black….” She grabs my arm and pulls me along with her. Her free hand glows and various sewing tools and measuring tapes fly about the room, zipping around me like some kind of acrobatic display. “Those colors make you blend in too much! I would love to design your wardrobe! Something simple, I think...Possibly in red. Yes, red it is! That should alleviate some of your paleness!” “Pale….ness?” I look down at my hands. I am rather pale I guess. This girl’s making me feel self-conscious… “Darling, when was the last time you ate? You’re so frail-looking! Like you’re a living skeleton! You must take care of your diet from now on!” She puts on small, half-moon glasses as various materials zip around her hands into sewing machines. I can’t help but stare in awe as she makes a red dress shirt and jeans right before my eyes. “Marvelous! This should do. The black shoes can stay, but this black-on-black look has to go. Now, go change. Off with you!” She pushes me behind some curtains and draws them behind me. I look at a full body mirror on the wall and my eyes widen in shock. I was really thin-looking, and my clothes hung off me loosely. I guess I really do need to eat better… I quickly take my shirt off, and I look myself in the mirror again. I could see most of my ribs, but that wasn’t what I was looking at. Right across my torso from right shoulder to left hip was a wide, nasty-looking scar. The look of it alone makes me tense, so i quickly put on my red shirt. I fix the collar and switch to the jeans before looking at myself again. I wasn’t much to look at in the color department, but the red really brings out my eyes. My creepy, grey eyes. As I step back into the room, Twilight and Rarity were whispering to each other. When Rarity sees me, she turns to me with a forced smile. They were talking about me. “You look fabulous, darling!” She beams. “You don’t have to lie to me. I look like a corpse ready to be put in the ground… And you can talk about me all you want behind my back. I’m used to it already.” It was a mistake coming here. To this town. I should’ve stayed in Canterlot, in my little cabin outside of town. They both look upset. “We...we didn’t mean to upset you, Six…” I hold up my hand. “Don’t. I’ve spent my life as someone everybody fears, and it’s typical that you would too. Thank you for having me, Twilight. But I can’t stay here anymore. This was a mistake.” I start to walk out, but feel a magic grip on my waist. When I look back, Twilight was standing there, her glowing hand extended. She was crying. “Six, please….I-I don’t want you to leave. I want you to be happy here…” My hand glows grey and her grip disappears. “I want to be happy, too!” I yell. I need to stop. “Do you think I like taking everyone’s suffering from them!?” Six, calm down… “I basically kill myself every day so people around me won’t suffer, and all I get is fear and disgust aimed at me!” Six, stop! You’re gonna say something rash! “My life has been nothing but a curse and a burden to everyone around me, and I just want to die!!” That did it… I stand there, panting with rage. I hadn’t blown up like that in a long time. When I calm down enough, both of them look extremely distraught, with tears down their cheeks. Twilight slowly approaches me, and I step back. “No….” She moves closer, and I step further back, tearing up. “Twilight, stop it!” She grabs me and pulls me into a hug. My heart swoons and I can’t hold back anymore. I burst into tears, clinging to her tightly as I wail into her chest. “You don’t have to take the burden on your own anymore….You have friends now…” I grip her shirt tightly, years of pent-up tears streaming down my face, staining her shirt. I feel a second set of arms hug me from the side as Rarity hugs me, too. I sob harder. This...this is what love feels like…. Six: Ch.2I felt like I was in their embrace for days, but I didn’t move an inch. All I wanted in that very moment was to just let loose twenty-five years of anger and pain from my mind. “Six, we weren’t saying anything mean about you behind your back. We were talking about getting you a present for the party tonight.” Twilight states plainly. “P-Present? I….I don’t deserve-” “Oh, hush with that now, darling! You’re a fine young man that deserves anything anyone else in the world gets. You shouldn’t belittle yourself.” I blush softly, feeling some ease in my mind. She’s lying. I wince softly, shaking my head as my inner thoughts fill my consciousness. She’s my friend. They both are. They’re just pitying you for their own sake. Why would anyone care for a freak like you who’s even less than a man? Y-you’re right. “Six, why don’t we go back home, okay? We can get ready for the party.” Twilight smiles at me. Look at her eyes. You can see I’m telling the truth. She thinks you’re a broken toy needing of a good fix. Princess….even you…. “Six? Hellooo?” She waves her hand in front of my face, and I snap out of my stupor. “Y-Yeah, sorry…. Let’s go…” They both release their grip on me. I feel cold again… Twilight takes my hand and pulls me along behind her. “Thanks, Rarity! See you tonight!” Twilight calls back. You’re just worthless. They’ve even thrown a pity party for you. To show you off like some new child’s toy, or a freak at a circus! I’m n-not a freak… Oh, really? You think you can just live as one of them? Do they even know you? What you do in your hours alone…? Shut up…. That’ll never happen. They won’t ever see…. I rub my arms through my long sleeves sadly. Twilight stops us just outside the castle doors. “Go ahead. You first.” I nod and follow her orders, walking up the few steps and pushing the door open. “SURPRISE!” I nearly jump out of my skin as the main hall lights up. It was full of balloons, streamers, and all sorts of food and presents. And it looked like the whole town made it. I clutch my chest and gasp, my head swimming. My vision starts to go black, and the last thing I see is a cluster of darkness all through the room. “N-no...more…..” I fall with a heavy thud. [Twilight’s POV] I gasp as Six drops to the floor, his body starting to writhe and squirm on the ground, shaking violently. The crowd screams. “He’s having a seizure! Doctors!? Are there any doctors here?! Hurry, please!” Doctor Whooves rushes to the front and kneels at his side. “Princess, help me hold him down. We need to wait till he gets past this!” I nod and quickly hop to the other side of him. We both press down on his chest as he shakes and writhes, his mouth foaming up. I can’t help but sob at the horrifying sight. “D-Doctor, what happened?! Why did this happen?!” Pinkie asks, shaking slightly. The whole crowd had gone silent. “I...I’m not sure. It wasn’t a normal seizure. It happened after the lights had come on, not during….” I sigh as he finally stops shaking. “Doctor, please accompany me to the hospital.” He nods. I lift him with my magic and sprint full speed towards the hospital. I can’t risk teleporting him… We finally get there, and I burst through the doors. “We need a nurse now! We have someone who just had a seizure!” The nurses scramble around, wheeling over a bed. They take him to the back of the hospital, and I quickly follow. Once the bed is in place, one of the nurses unbuttons his shirt as the others frantically gather their equipment. As she takes it off, I gasp. Across his entire chest was a massive, deep cut that looked years old, but somehow still fresh. It was an inch deep and nearly covered his entire chest. She takes the rest of his shirt off and….Oh, Celestia… His arms were covered in cuts, from his shoulder down to his wrists. They were all horizontal, save for two. Two long, vertical cuts on both of his forearms. I cover my mouth to keep my sobs quiet. He….He’s tried to kill himself…. They quickly hook him up to various equipment, and start checking his vitals once they’ve stabilized him. “We...still don’t know what caused the seizure, and our healing magic can’t heal his scars.” One of the nurses says. “Thank you for trying, Nurse…” I sit at the bedside, watching him sleep. No wonder he looks so frail….He’s suicidal… Now that i think of it, he hasn’t eaten anything at all today. I touch my hand gently to his head. “I’m going to ease your sadness, Six…A simple mindmeld spell, and I can coax him out of this…” My hand glows, and I shut my eyes. DON’T. I shriek and clutch my head in pain as my magic backlashes. What was that demonic voice!? “P-Princess, are you okay!?” Nurse Redheart asks worriedly. I shake my head a little, but nod. “Yeah...Nurse, can you sent a request from Canterlot? I’d like Six’s medical records. All of them.” She nods and leaves the room, leaving me alone with him. “Six….You….You’re suffering so much….what happened to you…?” I hold his hand gently. His grip slightly tightens, and I gasp. “P-Prin...cess?” He asks, his eyes opening slightly. “Yes, it’s me! Are you okay!?” “Y-Yeah...I’m fine….N-Nothing to worry about.” “I was so worried about you! You j-just collapsed out of nowhere!” I can’t help but cry a little. She can’t stand that her toy broke before her eyes. I gasp and look around the room. “Who...who said that?” I look down at him, and he looks at me with sadness on his face, and he didn’t look all there. Just like the walk over… Why would anyone care about a freak like you? Your own parents even gave you up. And why wouldn’t they? What kind of mother wants to look at a sad, pathetic excuse of a man like you? His grip on my hand goes slack. Tears stream down his cheeks again. Oh, not talking now, are we? Pathetic. You should’ve cut deeper…You were close last time... I gasp in shock, finally understanding. That voice...is his own split personality! It has to be! “S-Six, don’t...listen to him...He’s lying to you…” Oh? She can hear me? Good. Then hear this. He is a worthless waste of breath, and every attempt to save him is worthless. Don’t waste your time with him. “Six, you’re not worthless! You’re my friend!” You’re just another broken toy for her to piece back together and you know it. I start crying softly. He fell asleep again. “Y-You listen to me, whatever you are. I’m not going anywhere. He’s my friend, and you won’t-” You talk too much. Don’t speak to me again. The voice falls silent. “H-hey, I wasn’t done talking to you! Get back here, you c-coward!” I stutter a bit at the last words as Six’s eyes open, staring right at me. They were completely black. “What kind of friend can you be if you couldn’t even make one of them happy? You’re a princess, and of Friendship. And you failed.” His last word rings around in my head. I clench my fists tightly. “No! I haven’t failed! I will save him! You just watch!” He laughs a long, creepy laugh. “Go ahead and play with your broken toy, Princess. It’s a fruitless effort. In the end, it’ll be him, all alone six feet under by his own hand. And that I will see to personally.” His eyes brighten back to grey and he passes out again. I wipe the tears out of my eyes. “I won’t fail you, Six. No matter what! Because you’re my friend!” [Six POV] I start to wake up some unknown amount of time later, my head throbbing in pain. It was daylight out, so I must've been out all night at least. I sit up slightly and look over, seeing Twilight asleep on one of the chairs. I look down and yelp, covering myself with the blanket. “Sh-she didn’t see...Oh, Celestia...please tell me she didn’t see…” I look back over, and I see a stack of files and papers next to her. The words “Sixth Sense” are written in red on the top of the biggest file. She...was studying me? I levitate one of the folders over to my hand and open them, glancing through it. These are my medical records...and my personal papers from the hospital. “S-Six, I’m...so sorry….” I gasp, looking over at her. She was sitting up now, tears in her eyes. “For what? You...didn’t do anything.” “I failed you! But, I won’t again. I’m going to do my best to make you truly believe I’m your friend! No matter what!” My eyes widen. “O-Okay….” We sit in silence for a long time before she finally talks again. “S-Six...I….I talked to that voice in your head…” “WHAT!?” “It’s okay….I know you don’t trust us completely yet, but we’ll convince you. In the meantime, ignore every word that thing says to you!” I look down at my lap. “I….I can’t….” I jump a little as I feel her sit beside me. “Yes, you can….I believe in you. And I’ll find a way to get rid of that side of you forever. I swear it!” She hugs me closely, her embrace warming me up inside. The door opens, and a nurse walks in. “Princess, I have news. He’s free to leave any time.” “Thank you, nurse…” She replied calmly. The nurse bows slightly and leaves again. “We can get you home now, Six.” She gets up and gathers the papers from the chair, even the folder from my lap “Why...do you have my medical records?” “I was reading through them to try and understand your condition better. You’ve been through Tartarus and back….” I get up and grab my folded shirt from the nightstand, throwing it on. “You have no idea….” Six: Ch.3We spend the walk back to the castle in silence. By the time we get back, it’s dark outside. As we stop at the doors, I stop abruptly. Twilight looks back. “Six, aren’t you coming in?” She asks, sounding genuinely worried. “Is...is the party gone?” “Yes...they all left after the incident yesterday. Hey, speaking of...what happened? Why did you suddenly seize up like that?” “It’s….you won’t believe me even if I told you…” She puts her hand on my shoulder, making me jump a little. “Try me...I’ve heard all sorts of crazy stuff.” I take a deep breath, and sigh. “I...well, I can….I really can see ghosts….and talk to them….” Her grip on my shoulder tenses a little. “Six, I already know about that...The Princess-” “Didn’t tell you everything.” I interrupt. “If I’m around too many people who’re suffering, it creates a demon, and when my body takes it in, It damages my soul and gives me a seizure….Same thing with sugary foods and drinks, too. That one, I don’t understand.” “So...that’s why you lived alone? Six, I’m...so sorry…” She doesn’t believe you. I know. “Twilight, where is the cemetary? I have a promise to keep.” “Oh, um...It’s at the end of town behind Town Hall…” I nod with a forced smile and walk away, in the direction of town. “L-Let me come with you! I don’t want you alone for a while.” I stop and look back at her, probably looking surprised. “I...Okay.” She quickly follows me, and I walk again towards town. “Who...was the promise for?” “For Maple Star. I promised I’d visit her all the time, so that’s where I’m going.” “Oh…” Send her away. She’s only trying to fix you. “Princess...You don’t need to follow me. Just go back. I know you don’t believe any of this anyway.” She stops for a moment, but I keep walking. “I-I’m trying to believe you! But this all sounds so…” “Crazy. The word you’re trying to avoid calling me is Crazy. And think what you want…” I reach the far end of town and look around. “Wow….a lot of colors….makes my eyes hurt…” I keep my head down as I walk through town, meeting nobody’s gaze. If they don’t touch me or look in my eyes, I’ll be okay… “Six, why are you walking like that?” She asks, at my side again. “No sense in lying now. If I touch or look into the eyes of anyone suffering a burden, I take it as my own…” “Oh, Celestia….That’s awful….” She still thinks you’re a liar. I’m not lying to her again. Maybe she can help me get rid of you. And what will you do then? You’ll still be a worthless degenerate, worth less than a common sow. “I-I know….And I can’t make it stop….And I can’t dispel it… So, now I spend all my time being walking depression…” “We’ll figure this out together.” We eventually reach a gate, and I walk through. When I do peek up, it’s empty save for the graves. I stand up straight again. “You don’t have to stay.” “Yes, I do...You’re my friend.” She puts her hand on my back for a moment. She can’t muster the courage to hug you. She must be afraid of us now. I shake my head and look back up. “Maple, I’m here. Can you show me where you are?” I look around the empty cemetery until I see a soft, glowing yellow orb of light a few yards away from me, hovering above a gravestone. “There.” I make my way over to it. “How can you possibly know that it’s her….” She stops as we approach. I kneel by the headstone, pressing my forehead to it. “I made it, Maple. I told you I would come…” I sit down, facing the stone. “How...how did you…” “How did I know it was here? Maple showed me.” I feel my body warm up a little, and I look up. Sitting on the headstone was Maple, a smile on her face and tears in her eyes. “Hello, Six…” “Maple...How are you?” I ask. I love these conversations...makes me feel normal again… “I’m wonderful. Heaven is lovely. But you’re not well, are you?” “Don’t worry about me. I’m here to see you.” “Six, your soul….Oh, Celestia…” “I know….Just focus on me. Just me.” “Six, who are you talking to?” Twilight suddenly asks, making me jump. I forgot she was there. “It’s Maple, Twilight. She came down from heaven to talk to me.” “Ah…” I look back to Maple, who is looking at Twilight. “This is who lives where I died, hmm? I could always sense her, but I could never see her.” “Maple….how….how did you...you know…” She looks back at me and sighs softly. “I...It was the first winter here. None of us were prepared for the blizzard that year. I was out gathering branches from the Oak tree by the edge of town when a branch from the top broke off and hit me….Next thing I know, I’m in complete darkness…” “M-Maple...I’m so sorry….” “Six, don’t be….I’m free because of you….But you need to take care of yourself. You’re brimming with burden, I can see it...If you don’t learn how to dispel it soon…” “I know… I’ll figure it out. Could….could you say hello to my...my….” “Your sister wishes you her best, Six. She’s happy where she is, and she’s watching over you.” I start to tear up, and I feel Maple’s heavenly glow wash over me as she hugs me. “It’s okay...You should see her. She wishes you’d visit her. But you already know that, don’t you...You just can’t stand the thought of accepting her death…” “It….it...it was my fault….” “No, it wasn’t….I have to go back now. Come back soon, okay? And go see her. She wants to see you.” I cry softly as the warmth vanishes. “Six….are you okay?” Twilight asks, kneeling at my side. “I-I’m fine….She’s gone now…” “What did you two talk about?” “Nothing. Just...let’s go back, okay?” She stands up. “Six, please….just...talk to me….What ….what was your fault?” “No.” I stand up. “No?” “No. I won’t say. I can’t.” I leave the cemetery, and she follows. “Where are you going? Six, talk to me! Please. I want to understand!” She yells, and I stop, looking back at her with tears streaming down my cheeks. “If I tell you, I have to accept it, and I-I can't….” She looks at me in shock, and she quickly hugs me. “You’re not alone….You can talk to me...Please, you have to trust me…” I don’t return the hug. “Let’s go back…” I step out of her hug and walk back through town. She suddenly grabs my arm and pulls me along towards what looks like an Apple Farm. “Hey, let go!” “Not a chance. I want to understand your problem, so we’re going somewhere to see if you’re serious.” She drags me through a wooden archway and up to the front door of the farm house. My chest flutters and I look over, seeing an old mare sitting in a rocking chair. Only, she wasn’t actually there. Not completely, anyway. She looked like she passed away recently. The door to the house opens, breaking my gaze from the old mare to the mare at the door. She was tall, had on a stetson hat, and wore blue jeans and a tied checkered shirt. “Howdy, Twilight! How are ya?” “Just fine, Applejack. This is Six.” She pulls me in between the two, and I look up at the aix and a half foot mare. “Uuuh...H-hi…” “Yer the feller that seized up at the party yesterday, right? Hope yer feelin alright.” “J-Just fine….” “Applejack, I know it’s a bit of an odd question, but can we see where Granny...you know…” Her expression goes from happy to solemn and grim. “Yeah...Ah...ah suppose.” She steps out and walks around the side of the house, where a small gravestone sat. It read: Here lies Granny Smith. May she rest in Peace. “She passed a year and a half ago...Age finally caught up…” AJ explains sadly. “She….she wasn't about five feet, sat in that rocking chair?” I point at the one on the porch. “Whut kind of sick stunt are ya tryin ta pull!?’ She asks, angrily. She grabs my shirt collar and slams me into the side of the house, tears of anger on her face. “N-Not a s-stunt….Sh-she’s still here….” “Applejack, put him down and let him do his thing!” Twilight yells at her. She growls in frustration before dropping me. “Fine. Ah’d beat yer ass if ya wasn’t sickly.” I scramble away and over to the porch. “Granny Smith?” I ask, looking at the transparent mare sitting on the chair. She looks up at me with a smile. “That’s me, alright. How the heck can ya even see me? Been dark this whole time!” “I know….I just...I just can. Why are you still here?” “Ah...Ah can’t jus leave mah kin all alone here. They need me. Since their Ma and Pa passed, ah...ah have ta be here.” “Granny, Applejack is here. Did….you wanna say anything to her? I know you can’t see her yet, but she’s right here.” “Could...could ya tell her that ah miss her deeply? Applebloom and Mac, too.” “Who?” “Her siblins. Older brother and little sis.” “Of course. But you need to move on...They can’t move on until you do…” “How? Ah can’t...Ah love em too much ta just leave!” “You can watch over them at anytime. And I’m sure they’ll talk to you every day. Just trust me...I know a thing or two about this sort of stuff.” She nods and her body color turns to a vivid green with her hair staying white. She vanishes. I look back at Applejack and Twilight. Twilight just stands there waiting, and AJ looks both sad and furious. “What did she say ta you, huh?” AJ asks, clearly not believing me. “She said that she misses you, Applebloom, and Mac very much. And she’ll be watching over you now…” Her look of sadness changes to shock. And so does Twilight’s. “How...did ya know mah brother n sister’s names?! Ya never even met em before!” I look over at Twilight, who’s pacing a bit. “How is this possible? It doesn’t make any logical sense…” “I’m sorry for your loss, Applejack...But take comfort in knowing that she’s in heaven now with your parents.” That got both of their attention. “How did ya know about them!?” “I already told you...your Granny told me. She said that she needed to be here to help.” AJ sniffles and wipes her eyes. “Ah don’t know how yer doin all that, but yer doin it...That’s Granny fer sure.” “You can talk to her anytime. Even if she can’t talk back, she’ll be with you.” She runs up and hugs me painfully tight. “Th-thank ya, Six….” “I-It’s f-fine...c-crushing me…” She lets go and chuckles. I look back at Twilight, who looks frazzled and a little crazed. “You...can talk to ghosts….it’s all true….every word you’ve said….That means….Heaven exists...and Hell….Oh, Celestia, I’m gonna be sick…” “Twilight, calm down! It’ll be fine.” I yell. “This is impossible….there has to be some sort if trick! Or a spell that can do this….Something i’m mi-” I interrupt her meltdown with a firm slap across the face. She looks up at me, holding her red cheek. “Calm. Down. Sorry for slapping you, but you need to get a damn grip. It makes no sense, and you need to accept that. Now, pull yourself together.” She clears her throat and fixes her frazzled hair. “Y-you’re right….Sorry….” I look over at Applejack, and I force a smile. “You and your family will be just fine.” “Can...can ya come back sometime? So we can talk ta her again? Please….” “I….Once. I know it’s not fair, but you can’t let this bother you. I will come back and be a messenger once. For you and your siblings to find closure. After that, you’ll have to do with the one-sided. Okay?” “A-Alright… Twi, bring him back tomorrow, alright? And protect him with yer life if ya have to. Ah know ah will. He got somethin special. Yer a good friend, Six.” “You...just met me….and you’re calling me friend?” She smiles. “Eeyup!” I smile the best I can back. “Thank you…” Twilight and I leave. As soon as we get out of earshot, she looks at me. “Heaven’s real?” “Very.” “And Hell?” “Yes.” “What about purgatory?” “It’s called the In-Between, and yes. It’s here. We live in the In-Between.” “Do you know what this means? You’re living proof that the afterlife is real! This’ll change everyth-” “No! People cannot know about all this. If everyone knew, the world would fall into mass hysteria! And I can’t deal with being a messenger for everyone. If a room full of people could make me seize up, what do you think a city or country full of people could do?” She looks at the ground. “Oh...you’re right….I don’t want to lose you…” She’s finally interested in her lab rat, hmm? “You won’t lose me. I’m right here.” I take the initiative and hug her close. She gasps softly, but eventually returns the hug. After a long time, we finally separate. She looks up at me. “That voice in your head...I can’t hear it anymore…” “Whatever you did before must’ve worn off. He’s still there.” “What is it?” “The way my ability works is if I touch or look into the eyes of anyone suffering a burden, or as you’d say an ‘Inner demon’, I take it from them and absorb it into my own body. After doing that for my whole life, I eventually had so many burdens in me that they manifested into a demon, and that demon lives inside me. In my soul.” “Oh, Celestia….That….that’s not good for your soul, is it?” “Anyway, so that’s who the voice is. A demon.” I avoid talking about my soul, and she catches on and drops it. We make the walk back to the castle in silence. Once we get back, she smiles the best she can. “You must be hungry. Want me to make you some food? I can make a great Grilled Cheese.” I chuckle softly. “I suppose so. Do I have a room somewhere?” “Oh! Of course. I never actually took you, did I?” She levitates my unmoved duffel bag and leads me upstairs to a large room with a queen-sized bed, and my own bathroom. “Thank you...I’ll be right down, okay?” She nods and leaves, shutting the door behind her. I open my bag and pull out all my clothes and toiletries, neatly putting them away. She’ll just throw you away like trash once she’s done with you. “Not listening…” You’re just as worthless now as you were back then. You couldn’t save your sister, and you can’t save yourself. I tear up and clutch tightly to a shaving cream can. “Sh-shut up…” You should just kill yourself already. It’ll make all that pain and sadness go away. I look down at a box of razors at the bottom of my bag. Come on. Do it. You won’t be missed anyway. She won’t even come looking for you. I grab the box and go into the bathroom, opening it and grabbing one. “I-I won’t let you win…” I roll up my sleeve and slash across my forearm several times, wincing in pain. The voice finally stops and I drop the blood-soaked razor into the sink, my wrist bleeding. Six new horizontal cuts run up my arm. I wash off the blood with a paper towel and throw it in the trash before discarding the razor and pulling my sleeve down. “Are you okay, Six?” Twilight calls from outside the bathroom. “Y-yeah! I’ll be out in a second!” I clutch the sink and look into the mirror. The entire room around me is shrouded in a black fog, and two red eyes peer back at me. It’s him. “I can’t lose...not yet.” The demon roars, rattling my brain. I rush out of the bathroom and down the stairs. That should keep him out for a.little while. “Hey, I made you a sandwich.” Twilight says kindly. She smiles softly and hands me a little plate with a grilled cheese on it. I smile and take it. “Thanks….” She smiles and pulls me over to the table, and I sit across from her. “I hope you understand that I have to report today’s events to the princess. But I’ll be sure to explain why she can’t tell anyone anything.” “I can’t stop you….” I take a bite of the sandwich. It tastes like everything else: ash. We eat in relative silence until she finally breaks it. “So, um….What...happened to your parents?” I tense up a little. “My...my parents gave me and….just me. They gave me up to an orphanage when I started showing signs of my special talent. I don’t know where they are, and I don’t care.” “I’m...so sorry….I can’t imagine how hard it must’ve been for you. But, at least your adopted parents did alright….right?” I look at her glumly. “N-no….Nobody adopted you, did they…?” “No. I lived in the orphanage until I turned 15 and ran away to Canterlot. I did odd jobs here and there to pay for a place, and there I stayed, away from everyone until the day I got a letter.” “From the Princess…” “Yes. She found out about me from the orphanage, and found me living there. They had been trying to find me. But, she decided to send me here instead to try to make friends.” “Well, at least you made some friends, right? And Rainbow and Fluttershy will be by tomorrow to meet you.” “Alright….” “Hey, I meant to ask you something. About that necklace…” I tense up, looking down at it. I forget that I even wear it… “It’s nothing…” It was a red string with a small, pink heart on a gold pendant. “It is something. Or someone’s.” I stand abruptly, making her jump. “Don’t ask.” I go upstairs and slam the door behind me, leaving her alone. Six: Ch.4[Twilight POV] I sit there at the now empty table, holding my sandwich a little too tightly. “What...did I say?” I stand up and clean off the table. “Spike! Are you here?” I call out. He walks in from the library. “Yeah, what’s up?” He asks. That’s my number one assistant… “Could you send a letter to the Princess for me?” “Sure!” He pulls out a scroll and quill. “Dear Princess Celestia, I’d like to report that the delusions Six suffers from aren’t delusions at all. They are very much real. He had a minor incident yesterday, but he’s here now. If you wouldn’t mind, I would like to politely request you to come here to meet with him. Something seems to be really troubling him, and I can’t figure out what. Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle. Did you get all that. Spike?” “Yeah...What delusions does he have?” “I’ll explain later. Right now, send that letter and read me the response as soon as you get it, okay?” He nods, and with a plume of green fire, it’s gone. I nod and finish up the dishes. Not ten seconds later, and Spike burps up a scroll. “Already? That was fast… What’s it say?” Spike unrolls the scroll. “Dear Twilight, I’m outside. Princess Celestia. She’s here?!” Spike jumps up. “The Princess is already here?! Go answer the door!” Spike rushes to the door, and I quickly fix my hair and clothes to look a little more presentable. When Spike returns, princess Celestia is with him. She’s in her usual alabaster dress, tiara and all. Her complexion is perfect, just like always, and she walks with a motherly regalness about her. “Princess, I-I wasn’t expecting you so suddenly….” I stutter. “I’m sorry for the intrusion, but I had to speak to you in person. It would be easier than a letter.” She walks right up to me and hugs me. I blush softly and hug her right back. She’s warm, like a sunny morning. “Where is he?” She asks suddenly. “He’s up in the guest bedroom.” I look up at her eyes, and they were wide. “Twilight, is anyone with him?” We seperate the hug. “N-No. I thought he could use some privacy…” She runs to the stairs, and I quickly follow. “Princess, slow down! What’s happening?!” I call out, hearing Spike behind me. “You should never leave him alone!” She shouts back. We get to his room and she knocks. “Six, this is Princess Celestia! Open the door! Twilight, was he wearing his necklace? Did you bring it up at all?! Please, tell me you didn’t…” “I….I just wanted to know what it was…” Her hand glows brightly and the door explodes off its hinges. She rushes in, looking around for him frantically. I help her, but I don’t see him. “G-guys….” Spike says, sounding shaky. He backs out of the doorway of the bathroom. Celestia pushes him aside and gasps. I look past her, and I cover my mouth. He was lying shirtless in the bathtub, his wrists and chest bleeding heavily. A bloody razor was lying in a small pool of blood on the ground. He was breathing, but barely. The word “Rose” was written in blood on the wall. “P-P-Princess, I….I….” “Twilight, get Spike out of here.” Celestia says emotionlessly. I don’t dare to argue and take him out of the room, tears streaming down my cheeks. [Celestia POV] “Six...what did you do….” I touch his head gently and pulse healing magic into him. His cuts scar over, and his blood pulls back into his body. He gasps and coughs, looking up at me. His expression goes from surprise to anger. “WHY!? Why did you do that?!” “Six...you can’t do this to yourself….You almost died this time…” “I WANTED TO DIE!” I gasp. “I can’t live on like this!! I spend every waking moment in HELL! Just let me diiie!” He screams in my face. I grab him and hug him close to me. He tries to push me away, but he eventually caves in, crying openly and loudly into my chest. “It’s okay….Just let it out…” He squeezes the back of my dress. “Why...why couldn’t it have been me….? Why did she….why!?” “I know it’s hard, Six….But she made her choice. She saved your life, and you’re wasting it trying to end it. What would she say if she saw you now?” He cries even harder, and I hold him closer. “It should’ve been me….IT SHOULD’VE BEEN ME!!” “Rest now, Six…” I press my glowing hand to his head, and he falls slack in my arms, fast asleep. I levitate him over to his bed and lay him down. “You can come in, Twilight…You too, Spike.” The door opens, and they both walk kn, fresh tears in their eyes. “P-Princess….what...happened?” I sigh and sit at Six’s side, gently caressing his head as he sleeps. “It’s a long story, Twilight. And not a pleasant one. Are you sure you want to hear it?” She nods. “Well, it was years ago, when he was just a young boy. He was only six…His mother and father had dropped him and his sister off at the Manehattan orphanage.” “Sister? He never mentioned having a sister…” “Yes, Twilight. Her name was Rose Mint. And he loved her with every fiber of his being. She was older than him. She was fifteen when they were left at the orphanage. She cared for him like a mother would, ever since he was born.” “One day, he wanted to go to the nearby forest to pick flowers for his sister. So, he snuck out that afternoon and made his way in. But, he was attacked by a manticore. His sister heard his screams and rushed to his aid, but…” “She...didn’t make it...did she, Princess?” I shake my head sadly. “Ever since that day, he blames himself for her death. He spent years of his life trying to talk to her spirit. When the dean of the orphanage had found out about his delusions, he was locked in a mental ward until he broke out and ran when he was fifteen. He got to Canterlot, where he stayed in an abandoned home on the outskirts of town, away from everyone, taking every single burden along the way. Or, so he had said. But your letter today was evidence enough for me to believe that he can do all the things he has ever said and done. Twilight, have you ever noticed that there isn’t very much sadness in Canterlot?” “....Yeah...Now that I think about it. I never really saw anyone sad the multitude of times I’ve gone.” “Why do you think that is?” Her eyes widen, and she looks at Six. “He….took all their sadness….and made it his own...Why?” “He’s punishing himself...He still blames himself. And if everything he’s said is true, he has a demon in him. A powerful one.” “P-Princess, what do we do? How can we help him?” “We need Luna for this one…” “Wh-Luna? But, why?” “She’s, well….Before she was defeated by the Elements of Harmony, she, too, was possessed by a demon. You know her well.” “N-Nightmare Moon….” “Precisely. I’ll bring her here. She may be able to help him dispel all this...burden he’s taken on…” “Please...he’s my friend….I-I can’t stand to see him like that...ever again….” I nod and shut my eyes. Luna, if you can hear me, come to Friendship Castle immediately. It’s an emergency. Right away, dear sister! I open them again, and Luna was standing behind Twilight in her black dress. “Sister, why did you call me? What’s happened?” She asks worriedly. I look down at Six, and she gasps. “S-Sister, his….oh, you….His soul is corrupted….” “I know, sister. Can you help him dispel all of this?” “I-I can try….But, sister. I don’t know the extent of this...Who knows what could happen if all of that was released…” “That’s why I’m here. Twilight, hold him down. Just in case.” She nods and sits at his side, her hands on his chest. Luna walks over slowly, her hand glowing blue. She gently presses it to his forehead, and his eyes snap open, completely black. “AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” He screams at the top of his lungs, a massive pillar of black, tar-like energy spewing from his mouth. It blasts through the ceiling and strait into the sky. “PRINCESS, WHAT IS THIIIS?!” Twilight yells. “I DON’T KNOW!” I take a step away, shaking slightly. I look over to Luna, who hasn’t moved. “LUNA! LET GO OF HIM!” I yell. “SISTER! HE’S IN SO MUCH PAIN! I HAVE TO SAVE HIM!” She looks back at me, her eyes slitted. Nightmare… My hand glows and I yank her away from him. He instantly stops and blacks out again. I grab Nightmare with my magic. “How are you back?!” “S-siter, you’re hurting me….” Her eyes return to normal. I gasp and let her go. “Why did you do that!? I almost had it!” Luna yells. “Sister...you had Nightmare’s eyes...He was….Oh, me….He was trying to take your burden…” She blushes. “My what?” “Sister, he can absorb the sadness and burdens of others into his own body at the cost of his soul. That’s why he’s like this. He was trying to take the remnants of Nightmare from you.” She looks up at the massive hole in the ceiling. “He...did that?” “I think it best if you two kept seperate. Who knows what would happen if…” I see movement from the corner of my eye, and see him staring at me with soulless black eyes. “You.” He jumps out of bed, knocking twilight over, and he rushes at me. But, before I can grab him with my magic, he has a hand around my throat. I wince and try to summon my magic, but nothing happens. He grins evilly. “I must thank you for releasing me. His pitiful mind couldn’t handle the sheer volume of my power.” “Let her go, Demon!” Luna shouts at him. “Ah, the corrupt one finally speaks.” “C-corrupt one?” “You heard me, Luna. I took some of your burden from you, and look at me now! I really must-” He suddenly stops, dropping me. I gasp and cough. “Not...possible!” He shouts. “I-I won’t let you h-hurt m-my friends, y-you demon!” His hand glows and he aims it at the sky, a huge blast of black fire three times wider than him blasts the roof completely off the castle. His eyes shift back to grey and he collapses, his nose bleeding heavily. Twilight stares at the blown-off roof of her home in shock. “What...what just happened!?” Luna yells. “I think...I think he fought back and won. Luna, what does his soul look like?’ She looks at him. “It’s still dark, but less than before. He dispersed most of the demon out of himself!” I sigh and rub my neck. “Luna, never let him do that again. That could’ve been a lot worse. Twilight, I think it would be best if he was blindfolded from now on. If he were to take in that much negativity again, we could be dealing with another Nightmare Moon.” “Princess, that..that’s a bit of a rash thing to do...How could he live without being able to see?” I hum in thought, tapping my chin gently. “Do you think you could make a spell that filters out negative energy? Or possibly reflects it?” “I...I could try…” “Good. Luna and I will work on a blindfold that he can see through while you work on that spell. With any luck, we can make a blindfold he can still see with, but he won’t take in any burdens.” “Can’t we just enchant his eyes with the same spell?” “Twilight, you and I both know that you can’t do such complex enchantments on the human body. It could make him permanently blind, or worse!” “R-Right, Princess. Right away.” She gets up and scurries downstairs. I look back at Luna. “Sister, go home. Until he wakes up, I want you far from him. Can you manage that?” “Y-Yes, sister.” She vanishes. I gently pick him up and lay him back in bed, my magic repairing the roof at the same time. I grab a piece of a shredded pillow and rip the case off into a strip, gently tying it around his eyes. “Just until we have your special one, we can’t risk it...Sleep now.” I sit back at his side, rubbing his head gently. Six: Ch.5[Six POV] I groan softly as I come to, not sure what happened… Last thing I remember was….AM I DEAD!? I sit up abruptly. No, not dead. Just...blindfolded? The hell? “Don’t take that off, Six.” I hear a familiar voice say plainly. “Who...Who’s there?” “What do you remember?” She asks. “I….I remember the bathroom, and now I’m here. What happened to me?” “You sent the demon away, for now.” “What!? How!? Did I hurt anyone!? Oh, Celestia, not again!” “No no no! Nobody was hurt. You did give us quite the scare, though. But the blindfold is for your safety and ours. You looked into Luna’s eyes and tried to absorb Nightmare Moon.” “Oh, sweet Celestia….” “That brought the demon out, but you fought back and expelled the negative energy from your magic. Your soul is still damaged, but it’s better than it was.” “I….I’m so sorry….I didn’t mean to…” “I know, little one. It wasn’t your fault.” “P-Princess?” She giggles softly. “You found out…” I leap out of bed and drop to my knees. “Princess, I’m so sorry you had to see all of that! I hope I didn’t say anything harsh or hurt you at all!” She laughs. “Not at all. Though, you do show promise with magic cancellation spells. I couldn’t even levitate you.” “I-Really? You think so?” “Indeed. But, don’t let it get to your head. It may have just been the demon that made your magic so powerful against me.” “I understand.” I feel a warm glow lift me off my knees and stand me up. “You may go see Twilight if you can manage to make your way out of the room. I won’t help you.” I nod determinedly, walking towards something, but I trip and fall onto the bed. “Ow…” “It’s okay. Try again.” I nod and stand, shuffling slowly sideways until I find the wall. I move very slowly along the wall, feeling it all over until I eventually find the door. “I-I did it!” “Yes, you did. Wonderful job. Now, go on. We’ll speak again soon.” I nod and shuffle down the hallway, pressing my ear to every door I find. It takes me nearly half an hour to find the right door. When I open it, I hear Twilight gasp. “Six, you’re awake! I was so worried!” She tackle-hugs me, and I wince. “I-I’m okay, Twilight...I-” I freeze, feeling her tears run down my bare chest. “Don’t...don’t ever do that again…” She sobs. “I….I won’t Twilight. I promise…” I pat her back gently. “Did Princess Celestia put the blindfold on you?” “Yeah. She said that it would be a good idea to have it on. So I’ll keep it on.” She takes my hand gently and pulls me along slowly, and she sits me on a couch. “Stay there. I’ll make you some food.” I hear her clatter some dishes. Wait… “Weren’t we just in the library?” “No, we were in the kitchen…” I didn’t even find the right door!? “O-Oh…” She giggles, and I smell food cooking. “We need to get your strength back up, and you need to put on some weight. At least fifty pounds.” “Wh-that much?!” “Yup! And I’m gonna be sure to get you back to full health. I’m not leaving your side until we get your enchanted blindfold made.” “U-Um….I-I can’t ask you to do that…” “No arguing.” Her voice is suddenly right in my face, making me jump. “Now, open up.” I blush and open my mouth slightly. I must look like an idiot. She puts a spoon of soup in my mouth, and I eat it. “That’s really good, Twilight.” She giggles cutely, and I feel my face flush. WHY AM I BLUSHING!? “Are you okay? Is the soup too hot?” “I-It’s fine…” She feeds me another spoonful. We stay like that for a long time, with me just eating soup, and her keeping pleasant conversation. By the time I finish it, over an hour had passed. “Oh yeah! Fluttershy and Dash are supposed to be over today. We need to get you a shirt to put on. But first, I want to try to heal you. Is...that okay?” “You can try, but they won’t heal anymore. I don’t think the demon let them.” I feel her hand on my chest, and my blood pressure skyrockets as I feel her soft lips against mine, just for a moment. The best moment of my entire life. “There. Much...better…” She feels over my chest, which feels foreign. “Twilight, I feel heavier…” “You...got more than healed….You gained back your muscle. That demon really suppressed you badly…” “What do you mean?!” I feel over my body. I had toned muscles, and even abs! HOW?! I haven’t worked out in years! “Wow….It...really suits you…” She says. “You...think so?” “Yeah….And I thought you were cute before…” “C-Cute!?” “Well, yeah. I wouldn’t kiss you if I didn’t like you dummy.” I blush hotly, and she laughs. “You’re turning red! Did I embarrass you?” The doorbell rings, and I sigh with relief. “Stay put, Six. And keep that blindfold on.” I hear her leave. My hands wander over my arms and chest. I still had my scars, but they weren’t as deep anymore. I stand up, and blush as my pants end at my mid-shin. “I got taller?! What the Hell happened!?” “Six, we have g-Oooh, wooow.” Twilight says, entering the room again. “Wh-what?” I feel her hands on my chest. “You have to be close to Six and a half feet now. You were just barely peaking at five nine before. That demon stunted your growth! I would kill it now if I could!” “Didn’t the doorbell ring?” I ask. “O-Oh, right. Hehehehehe….Six, I know you can’t see them, but my friends Rainbow and Fluttershy are here.” I feel a second set of hands on my arm. “Woah, he looks like a Wonderbolt after training! Awesome!” “Uh...th-thanks?” “Yup! Name’s Dash! Nice ta meetcha!” “Likewise….” I feel her fingers trace along my scars, then they pull away after a slap. “Ow! Hey, what was that for?!” “Don’t touch those, Rainbow. That’s rude!” “I was just feeling them….Jeez.” “And that over there is Fluttershy.” I look around dumbly. “H-Hello…” I hear a soft voice say. I look in the direction where the voice came from, and hear a squeak. “Nice to, um...m-meet you too. I don’t bite. Uh, Twilight. Please stop touching my chest…” The hands leave my chest. “Sorry…” “Hey, Is it true you can talk to ghosts and stuff?” Rainbow asks. “Uh, yeah….How did you know that?” “Well, uh...I-I can’t tell you….I made a Pinkie Promise not to.” “A what now?” I ask. “She can’t tell you because our friend Pinkie’ll be very upset with her if she does. Which means that Applejack told you. Right?” Silence. “That’s what I figured. But he can’t right now. Not until we get him a new blindfold.” “Wh-what’s wrong with his eyes?” Fluttershy asks, a little closer this time. “Nothing. He just...Fluttershy, can you touch him please?” Fluttershy squeaks. “Wh-why?” She asks, sounding really nervous. “Twilight, no. Fluttershy, look at the floor. Do not look me in the eyes unless I say.” “O-Okay.” I grab the blindfold and move it up a little, looking in her direction. She had her eyes glued to the floor, but no burden. And Dash and Twi don’t either or else I’d have felt it. “I think it’s safe for me to take this off for now. Nobody here has a burden.” I take it off and keep it around my neck. I look over myself. I don’t even recognise this body, but the scars are the same. I looked more like one of the guards to the castle. “Woah…” I look down at twilight, who only came up to my shoulder now. She blushes and looks away. I shrug and look at Dash, who was very slim and toned, and was wearing a tracksuit and sneakers. Her hair was multi-colored, and looked like she had a pixie cut. “Rainbow, I assume?” I ask jokingly. She smirks with half-lidded eyes. “Call me Dash~” “Uuuh...Okay?” I look over to where Fluttershy was, but don’t see her. I do, however, see pink strands of hair and a green sweater peeking out from behind a bookshelf. “Fluttershy, I won’t hurt you. I just want to see you.” I say calmly. She steps into the open, looking at me through her long hair. She was in a pink skirt and a green sweater, and she was definitely top-heavy, the exact opposite of the bottom heavy Applejack an-Why am i pointing this out now? Has my mind become perverted!? Fluttershy squeaks and zips behind the shelf again. That’s when I notice all three of them had wings on their backs. “How did I not notice any of your wings before….” “Not very observant, are you?” “Guess not...heh…” I rub the back of my neck, making Dash blush hard. I raise an eyebrow and look at my lifted arm. My bicep was bulging, flexed tightly. “Oh, jeez…” i put my arm back at my side. “I miss my other body…” “You had another body!? What did that one look like!?” Dash asks excitedly. “It was thin and frail, Dash.” She looks disappointed. “And Six, why do you want that one back? One way or another, this is you! Can’t you learn to get used to it?” “If all girls act like Dash, then no. I can’t handle that kind of attention…” “You won’t have to look at them. Not directly, at least. You’ll have your new blindfold soon.” “I’ll be his blindfold…” Dash whispers a little too loudly, making me blush this time. “Well, look at the time! Wow, I should really get to bed!” “Bed? It’s only two…” Twilight says. “That late already? Woo, alright. Goodnight!” I step through them and quickly leave before Twilight could stop me. I go right to my room and shut the door. [Dash POV] “Dangit, I spooked him! Twilight, where has he been all my life?! He’s so hot!” I huff, crossing my arms. “Rainbow, you were being really rude! Six! Come back!” She rushes out after him. I sit on the counter and huff. Flutters comes up next to me and smiles softly. “H-He was kinda cute…” “YOU TOO!?” She yelps, hiding behind her hair. I groan. “Why do all the cute ones have to be so….close to another girl! I bet Twilight’s already slept with him!” “I have not!” I yelp as she appears behind me. “He decided to shower, so I had to hide all the sharp objects in the house.” I look at her, confused. “Huh? Why? You two have a baby already?” “No, Dash! He’s….well, those cuts on his body were self-inflicted.” My heart nearly stops. “H-He….did that….to himself?” “O-oh my…” Shy adds. “Yes...It was worse before Princess Celestia healed him, then I healed him again. He….almost succeeded earlier…” “Almost succeeded at what?” I ask softly. She looks at the ground glumly. My heart throbs painfully hard as I realize. “O-Oh….” “That’s awful….” Shy says. “It is...And until I can trust him, I’ve destroyed anything sharp in the house, and dulled every sharp edge and nail.” “Do...you know why he’s like that?” Twilight nods, and spends the next hour explaining his entire story. After she finishes, both Shy and I are in tears. “I-I couldn’t even imagine losing someone like that….” I say finally. Shy just sobs silently. The door opens to the Kitchen, and Six walks in, wearing jeans and an open-faced shirt. “I, uh...think I need new clothes...Whaat happened in here? Did I miss something?” I jump up and zip into a tight hug around him. “I’m so sorry! I didn’t know!” I cry into his chest. He smells like vanilla… “It’s...Dash, it’s okay. Don’t worry about it. Just..let go, eh? You’re kinda crushing my spine…” I gasp and let go. “Sorry!” She flies behind him and hugs around his neck from behind, and he blushes beet red. Shy, you cheater! “It’s okay now...You have us now…” Her breasts are eating his head! I grab his arm and pull him away, hugging it tightly. “Hey, uh...c-can you let go now please?” I blush and let him go quickly. He clears his throat. “Twilight, I need to see Rarity again. Can you help me walk over there?” He grabs the blindfold from his pocket and puts it back on. “Hey, let me take him!” I shout. “I can take him, too…” Shy whispers. You too! “Girls! I will take him. He’s in my care by order of the princess.” “But you can see him anytime! He lives here! It’s no fair!” “Rainbow, you can still come with us, but stay out of his way.” “Don’t I get a say in this…?” “No!” Twi and I yell at him. He seems to shrink a little as he cowers. “L-loud…” Twilight pulls him through the castle with me and Fluttershy close behind him. Six: Ch.7[Six POV] We end up sitting on the couch for quite a while. She kept to the far left of the couch, and I kept to the right Eventually, she stands abruptly. “Ah’m gonna go cook now!” She blurts out, zipping into the kitchen. “Uh...okay? I’ll just, uh...wait here...alone...unable to see…” I tap my feet on the floor and sigh. “Bored...bored bored booored….Hey, Applejack! Didn’t you say you had clothes for me to wear?” “Oh, uh..r-right! Gimme a sec!” I hear her footsteps leave the kitchen and go back upstairs. “I can’t wait to get my other blindfold….I miss vision…” The footsteps return and I feel a set of clothes and a pair of boots plop on the couch next to me. “Thanks, Applejack. Really, you’re really kind.” “Ain’t nothin! Git yerself changed.” Her footsteps leave the room, and I stand up, feeling over the clothes. Denim overalls and an undershirt. Short Sleeved. “Uuh, Applejack? Do you have any long sleeve shirts?” “Sorry, but no. Mac gits hot easy, so ah got short sleeves er no sleeves.” I silently curse to myself before pulling the shirt over my head. As I take of my pants to put the overalls on, I hear a soft clatter from somewhere in the room. “Hello? Applejack, is that you?” Silence. “Huh, guess not.” [Applejack POV] Why the hay am ah doin this!? I’m standing just inside of the living room doorway, watching him change. I can’t help but blush as he puts on Mac’s old red shirt. I lean forward a little as he takes his pants off, and I end up dropping the spoon I had in my hand. I cover my mouth as he looks in my direction. “Hello? Applejack, is that you?” I stay completely silent. “Huh, guess not.” He pulls his pants completely off, and I blush bright red, his bulge straining his underwear. “U-uh, Six? Ah was just wonderin. Do ya need underwear?” “I’m okay!” He calls out. Thank Celestia, he thinks I’m still in the kitchen. He grabs the overalls and pulls them on, but struggles to hook up the buckles in the front. “Damn it….Come on….” He groans, clearly frustrated. “Do ya, uh...need a hand there?” He jumps. “Y-yeah. Please?” I walk up, quickly grabbing the spoon and putting it in my pocket. I grab the straps and hook them up, my hands gently feeling up his chest. I look up at his face, and he was bright red. My eyes widen and I practically leap back in embarrassment. “S-sorry! Ah-ah just...ah mean, ah….” I rush back to the kitchen, beet red and completely flustered. “Whut the hay’s gotten into me?” [Six POV) I blush softly, hearing Applejack run back to the kitchen. “Did...she just feel me up? Noo, it was probably an accident or something.” I sit down and feel around until I find the socks, pulling them on before putting the boots on. “Wow. Perfect fit. What’re the odds…” I shrug and lean back again. The front door to my right suddenly slams open, and I hear three distinct sets of footsteps rush into the house. “Let’s go play upstairs!” “Yeah! I wanna be the sergeant!” “Ah’m the Captain!” “Uuuh, Applebloom? Who’s that?” “Hey, Six! Ya found some of Mac’s old clothes! Girls, this is Six. Six, these are Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo!” “Nice to, uh...hear you, I guess.” I chuckle. “Mister, what happened to your arms?” A little, squeaky voice asks. I feel a touch on my arm, and I tense up a bit. But nothing happens. “Thank Celestia….” “Oh, wow. He’s real buff too! Not as big as Mac, though.” “Lemme feel!” I gasp as my heart tenses hard, my head pounding heavily. Who i assume is Scootaloo gasps too, her hand pulling away. “Whut the hay was that?” I groan and shudder. “Ngh….Ow….” “Mister, what….what happened?” Scootaloo asks. “I...I feel...happy….” “Ngh, damn it….Sorry. I hope I didn’t scare you… I-I just took the burden from you…” I feel tears form in my eyes. Damn it. I hope hers weren’t too much… “Six, whut does that mean? That ya took Scoots’ burden?” I sigh and sit up. “Well, it means something happened to her in her past that was so scarring that it damaged her soul. And my special talent is to take those burdens so they don’t feel sad about them anymore. And don’t even think about asking her about it. Let her say in her own time.” I jump as I’m suddenly hugged by a single one. A pegasus, judging by the wings. “Thank you…” It was Scootaloo. I hug back gently. “It’s okay. It’ll be better now. Now, off you go. Applejack’s making dinner.” Scootaloo lets go, and I hear them all run upstairs. As soon as I hear the upstairs door shut, I rhetch and cover my mouth. “Ngh...Applejack, where’s the bathroom!?” “Down the hall on the right!” She calls back. I rip the blindfold off and rush to the bathroom, slamming the door after me. I drop to my knees and vomit loudly into the toilet, my whole body lurching as my stomach heaves. When i look finally, I don’t know how to react. The toilet was full of a thick, tar-looking fluid that smelled strongly of rot. I gag and flush quickly. “What...the Hell was that?” I groan and stand back up. I open the medicine cabinet and grab a bottle of mouthwash, gargling a mouthful and spitting it into the sink. “Uugh...that was horrible….What the Hell was that?!” There was a knock at the door. “Six? Ya alright in there?” It was Applejack. “Y-yeah...just...I just felt a bit sick. It’s fine now.” “Alright. Well, uh...dinner’s about done. Could ya grab the girls?” “Uh, sure?” I hear her leave. I grab the blindfold off the bathroom floor and put it back on before leaving the room. But, when I step into the hallway, something odd happens. I could see the basic outlines of the hallway, and even the doors. “What…” I lift my hand in front of my face, and I can see the outline of it. Everything was black, but the outlines of the walls were a dark grey. Just visible. “Woah…Applejack, I, uh...I think you need to call Twilight.” “Whut? Why?” “I’m wearing the blindfold….” I see her step into the hallway, her outline very familiar. “Well, yeah. Ah can see that.” I walk a few steps and grab the brim of her hat. “So can i.” “Wh-what the…” When I’m up this close, I can even see her face partially. I can see her eyes, and her nose, and her lips…. CALM DOWN, BRAIN! “Ah-ah’ll call Twilight.” I can see her bashful expression as she quickly leaves. “Right. The girls.” I walk down the hall, and back to the living room. I can see the front door, the couch, and the outlines of several chairs and tables. I look around me, and I see a staircase going up. “There we go.” I follow them up to a set of doors. Three of them. “Uuh, crap. Hang on. Let’s see…” I go to the far right one and open it. Inside was a basic bedroom with a queen-sized bed, a dresser, and either a picture frame or a mirror. There was a large window in the back of the room with curtains. “Nope. Not this room.” I shut the door and move to the middle door. But when I try to open it, the door doesn’t budge. I knock softly. “Applebloom? It’s time for dinner.” “Alright! Be right out!” I hear her call back. I look over at the left door. “So where do you lead?” I go over and open it. It was almost the same as the first room, but the bed was a King bed, I think. It was longer than most King sized beds. “Huh...Mac’s room. Which means the first one was…” I blush gently. “Nope. Out, dirty thoughts. None of that.” I shut the door and go back downstairs. I decide to go over to the left doorway and follow it, and it leads to a dining room, judging by a long table surrounded by chairs. When I look to the back of the room, I see Applejack standing in the kitchen, but I can’t tell if she’s facing me or not. My eyes happen to drift down to her wide hips. By Luna’s hair, it’s beautif- PERV! STOP LOOKING AT HER BUTT!!!!! I look up at the ceiling. “Uuuh, Six?” “I WASN’T LOOKING!!!!” “Whut? No, ah was gunna say twi’s on her way here. Ya weren’t lookin at whut?” “N-nothing!” I chuckle nervously and shuffle over to a chair. “S-So, uh...How did dinner go?” I try to change the subject.” “Six...Ah ain’t mad…” “Hehehehehe…..Mad for what? I did nothing!” “Six, ah saw ya starin. And yer a worse liar than ah am.” I look up at her, and she was quite close to me. I could see her face very clearly. “I-I just...I was...I mean, I….” She presses a finger to my lips. “Look, ah...ah never had a boyfriend before. Mostly cuz ah ain’t never thought about it before. But….ah feel somethin strange when ah look at ya...and ah think ah like how it feels…” I gulp softly, a huge lump in my throat. “A-Applejack?” “Call me AJ, Six. Please.” I nod slowly. “A-Alright...AJ…” She leans closer, her eyes closing. Sh-SHE’S GONNA KISS ME!? “Applejack, whut’s fer d-” Applebloom suddenly bursts in. “Uuuh, did ah interrupt somethin?” “N-Nothin!” AJ jumps away and goes back to the kitchen, looking extremely embarrassed. I clutch my chest tightly, my heart beating a mile a minute. “Ah don’t mind ya datin mah sister, Six. But ya gotta git Mac’s approval first.” Applebloom whispers. “APPLEBLOOM!” AJ chases after her as she giggles. “AJ’s got a boyfriiiend!” Applebloom sings, running around the house. “Git back here, ya varmit!” AJ yells, chasing her upstairs. So that’s what cock blocking’s like…. Six: Ch.8By the time AJ and her sister had settled down, both were out of breath, flopped over on each other on the floor. “You two gonna be okay?” I ask, still sitting at the table. “Yeah…*pant* just fine…” AJ huffs. Applebloom giggles. “Ah win.” Just before AJ has time to retaliate, the front door opens abruptly and Twilight dashes in. “What’s wrong? What happened?! Is he hurt!?” She asks frantically. “Hey, Twi...heh. No, he ain’t hurt er nothin. He’s at the table.” Twilight walks right up to me. “Why did you run off?! And...why are you wearing Big Mac’s clothes?” “Well, I needed some clothes to help AJ do some apple bucking earlier, so she lent me these.” “Eeyup. That’s a fact.” AJ adds. Twilight leans in really close to my face, and I back up a little. “Are you sure that isn’t loose or something?” “No, it’s not. I checked. I literally don’t know what’s happening.” She waves her hand in my face. “Can you see any colors through it?” “No, and will you put your hand down? Jeez...a bit close, too.” She backs up a bit, looking flustered. “W-well, what happened right before this started? Did you do anything different?” “Well, uh...I ended up accidentally...taking Scootaloo’s burden, and I immediately felt sick and ran to the bathroom to puke. But I puked up this thick, black sludge…. When I put the blindfold back on after that, this happened!” “Wait….black sludge...You puked up a bunch of that the other day! Before the demon came out and attacked Princess Celestia!” “HE DID WHUT?!” AJ shouts, shocked. “I-It wasn’t me! I don’t remember any of that!” “Don’t worry, Applejack. The Princess wasn’t blaming him. It wasn’t him in control at the time. That demon was scary….” “Wait, so….yer tellin me that Hell and demons exist?!” AJ asks. “Well, yeah. But demons aren’t exactly like the books say they are…” That gets Twilight’s attention. “Ooooh! You have to tell me everything! I want to know everything you know about the afterlife! Every single detail!” She grabs the straps of my overalls and shakes me violently. “Tell meeeee! I have to know!” “Easy, easy!” I grab her wrists and pull her off. “Jeez, you’re loud…. It’s not a good idea for everyone to know what the afterlife is. If they did, necromancy could be a real threat. Nowadays, it’s all hoax and myth.” “B-but….but…” She groans loudly and drops to her knees. “The biggest breakthrough in Equestria’s history and I can’t know about it!? No faaaair!” I sigh and get up. “I’ll go get Mac for dinner.” I walk outside and look around, seeing the outlines of thousands of apple trees. “Oh, my Celestia…...That’s a lot of trees. Oi! Mac! You around?!” I call out. “Eeyup!” He calls back from the barn. Probably should’ve guessed… “Dinner’s ready when you’re done!” “Eeyup!” I nod and start going back to the house, but I feel my stomach lurch. I dash over to an empty barrel nearby and rhetch hard. The front door bursts open. “Six, hold onto that! I need to record it!” “Twi, not a good time fer that! Six, ya alright?” I shake my head. I gag hard and empty my already emptied stomach, and the familiar horrible smelling gunk erupts from my mouth, splattering like glue at the bottom of the barrel. This continues for several seconds before I feel that it’s all gone. My face is soaked in sweat, and my stomach hurts from all the flexing. “Uugh….ow….” I fall back onto the porch, panting heavily. “Six!” AJ rushes next to me. “Hey...I’m alright. That just...whew, took a lot out of me…..what the…..” Her dark outline starts to brighten until I can see her as she would be without the blindfold on. I sit up and look around. I can see perfectly fine, but my eyes aren’t open…. “What…..the…..hell?” Twilight stops prodding my vomit with a stick and looks over at me. “Wait, I think I understand now. Six, I think that you had so little negativity in you that your immune system rejected the rest of it.” Her hand lights up softly and she hovers it over me. “Your soul looks perfectly clean. There’s not a single bit of black in there.” “Uuh, Twilight….I….I think my eyes are broken….” “Whaat?! What do you mean?!” She grabs the blindfold and yanks it off. I wince slightly from the tug, but I look around once my eyes adjust. Everything looks….odd. I can clearly see Twilight in front of me, but I can see a weird glow around her body. It’s a soft gold color, and it’s moving a second out of sync with her movements. “What in Equestria….?” The glow around her moves in the shape of a hand, and her actual hand follows suit as she touches my forehead. “Are you feeling feverish?” “Twilight, I think….I think I can see something….but I don’t get it...It’s like you have a gold shadow that moves before you do...What the Hell is this?” Her shadow suddenly takes a swing at my head, and I duck a whole second before her actual hand swings at my head. “Woah! How’d ya do that!?” “I….I don’t know….It’s a little straining on my eyes, though…” I take the blindfold from Twilight and put it back on. The gold outline vanishes. “And I can see perfectly even though I shouldn’t see at all… Do you think I could do this before the demon took over?” “Well, yer name is Sixth Sense, so it’d fit yer name. But ah dunno about the eyes in yer brain er whatever it is.” “I’ve read about this in a book once. Normally, people have some small levels of darkness or sin in their souls to keep them ‘Impure’, but I think you can actually scrub your soul so clean that you’ve gained second sight from it.” “How the Hell does that work?!” “There’s a story about monks in the mountains of Neighpal that were all blinded at birth, but remained so pure in life that they were able to see in their mind’s eye.” I nod, understanding a little bit. “I need to learn how to control this….That weird prediction sight is nauseating to see.” “I’m reporting this breakthrough to Princess Celestia. I’ll see you back at the castle, Six.” “Actually, ah was gunna invite ya ta stay here….if ya wanted to…” AJ says. I look at her, and her face is completely red, almost obscuring her freckles. “I-I, uh...lemme think about it, okay?” They both nod, and Twilight vanishes. I gotta learn to teleport…. AJ helps me up. “Well, not sure if ya still wanna eat now…” “I will! I just need to destroy the contents of this barrel….and brush my teeth….thoroughly.” I grab the barrel and close the top. “Do you have a, uh...furnace anywhere?” “Yeah, in the barn. Why?” “I need to burn this.” I carry the barrel into the barn. “....Sweet Celestia….” I hear AJ whisper. I smirk. “What was that?” “U-Uh, nothin! Didn’t say nothin…” I chuckle and head into the barn, where a furnace was burning. I open the hatch and toss the barrel inside, slamming it shut afterwards. “There. Now, back to the house. I’m starving….” As I leave the barn, I notice movement in the treeline. “Hello? Is someone there?” I call out. No answer. “Huh…” I shrug and head towards the house. “Ah!” I feel a pinch in my neck. “Damn bugs…” I go back into the house and sit at the table. “Applebloom got Mac already, so we’ll just wait fer everybody and we’ll eat.” I nod and rest my head on the table. My mind starts to wander… What the Hell is happening to me? Why are all of these weird things happening now? And what was in the trees…? Six: Ch.9Dinner that night went by fairly smoothly. I had to spend the whole thing avoiding Twilight’s pleading eyes as she tried to pry the knowledge of the afterlife from me. By the time we had all finished eating, Twilight seemed to have finally given up. I smile as Applejack and Twilight talk about their various adventures in Equestria over the last few years. “Wait, so you guys went up against the God of Chaos...and won? How is that even possible!?” I ask, stunned. “Well, we all had the Elements of Harmony, so it makes sense that we could beat him. It did take us a bit to get past his magic, though. He had us pinned against each other for a little bit there. But, we pulled through and turned him to stone again. Now, he’s reformed and lives with Fluttershy at her cottage or in his little pocket dimension thing.” Twilight explains. “Wow….That’s….pretty far fetched….and that’s coming from me….” “Six, it all happened! Every word is true.” “I know, AJ. I’m just teasing. You don’t think I hadn’t heard of all of you before I came here? I knew about your adventures. You’re all famous!” “Then why didn’t you say so before?” Twilight interjects. “I liked listening to them from first hand. It’s much more interesting.” AJ chuckles and starts to get up, but I get up first. “I’ll take care of the dishes.” I gather up the plates with my magic and head to the kitchen. I manage to get about three steps before I feel Twilight’s magic grab me. “Six, something’s off with your magic signature. Don’t move.” I freeze as her magic scans over me. “Six, did you come into contact with any unicorns today? Any at all?” “Well, you and Rarity. But other than you two, no. Why?” “Someone put a tracking spell in your head.” “What? Twilight, how could that’ve happened? I wasn’t around any unicorns today other than you and Rarity.” “Are you positive? You would have noticed if the spell was put on you. It feels like a pinch or bug bite around the back of the neck.” “Wait….Just before I came back inside I felt that after seeing something moving around in the trees outside. You don’t think it could’ve been a person I heard, do you?” “It’s possible. But, until I know for sure, you two need to stay together tonight. Applebloom, stay over at Sweetie’s house. And Mac, you can go visit Sugar Belle for the night. I don’t want anyone here in this house. Applejack, you and Six will stay at my place until we find out who was trying to track Six.” “Wh-Twilight, isn’t that a bit rash? It could’ve been a misfire, or an accident!” “Six, trust me. Okay?” I sigh and nod. “Good. I’ll wait here while we finish cleaning up, then we’ll go back to the castle. Applebloom, Mac’ll take you to Sweetie Belle’s on his way to Sugar’s. I’ll escort Six with Applejack.” “Twilight...I can take care of myself…” I sigh. “Six, whoever put that spell in your head could’ve taken you right from under our noses. And, even though you may deny it, you’d be a very powerful weapon if you fell in the wrong hands. Imagine if someone put so much negativity in you that you become the demon again, but they find a way to control it.” “I apparently beat it before. I expelled it.” “But what if you can’t? My magic would be useless against it, and so would the Princess’. That demon was too powerful to fight. Equestria could’ve been lost! So, until further notice, at least two Element Bearers will be at your side at all times.” I nod reluctantly, knowing she was right. Besides, I don’t want someone to learn of the afterlife in its entirety. This world couldn’t handle necromancy… After we clean up the kitchen, Mac takes Applebloom to Sweetie’s house, and Twilight teleports AJ and myself back to her castle and up to my room. “I guess I need a shower...Can you two just wait outside the bathroom door?” “Absolutely not! We’ll wait inside the bathroom.” “But….You can’t see me naked!” I blush furiously. “We’ll just cover our eyes. Simple!” “We’ll be blindfolded. Don’t need ta even risk it. Right, Twilight?” She huffs. “Fiine….” I nod and take off my blindfold, setting it on the dresser as I grab my clothes. As I lift my pajamas, I notice that there’s no gold outline around them. “Huh...Twilight, I think I can only see living things with this weird outline.” “Outline? Wait….Six, does the outline happen to be a gold color?” “Yeah, it is.” “Six, you’re seeing a soul while the host is still alive.” “But why is it moving before there’s any movement?” “What do you mean?” “Watch. Throw a punch at me.” She shrugs and I see her “soul” throw a punch. I dodge out of the way, then her real hand moves. “What the….you predicted my punch before it happened!?” “I guess…..your soul moved first, so I just moved out of the way of where it was aiming.” “I must study you.” “Twilight, no.” “Twilight, yes?” I sigh. “Fine...But no afterlife questions…” She pouts. “Okay….” I chuckle and go into the bathroom. They both follow me in, sitting on the floor facing the shower. “Okay, uh...blindfolds on, please.” AJ grabs a towel from the rack on the wall and ties it around her eyes. Twilight does the same. “Go ahead, Six. No peeking.” “Good.” I reluctantly take my clothes off and turn the shower on, the warm water fogging up the room a little. I step inside and draw the curtains. I peek out of the shower to see Twilight holding my shirt to her face. “TWILIGHT!” She yelps and throws it back onto the floor, blushing deeply. “No touching my clothes, okay? Jeez…” I take my quick shower and step out. I dry off and get dressed as fast as I can. “Alright, you can look now.” They both take off their towels, and they both have soft blushes on their faces. “.....you both looked, didn’t you?” AJ shakes her head, looking at the floor. Twilight just stares straight ahead, unblinking. “H-huge….” “Alright, get out.” I leave the bathroom, blushing softly. “From now on, you two stay outside. Can’t even trust you to keep a blindfold on…” They blush deeply, their eyes glued to the floor. I shake my head and get into bed. After a minute, I feel someone climb in next to me. I look back, seeing Applejack in a bra and panties. My eyes widen and I quickly look at the wall in front of me, my whole upper body beet red. “Six? Ya asleep?” She asks. I stay still and silent. After a second, I feel her arms snake around my waist as she spoons me from behind. I tense up, but don’t move at all, pretending to be asleep. “Applejack, share with me!” Twilight whispers. “He likes me more than you. We were close ta kissin when Applebloom came in.” AJ whispers back. “I already kissed him. Now, scootch! I wanna spoon with him!” Twi says back, still quiet. “Git yer own. Ah’ll share lots with ya, Twi. But a boyfriend, ah won’t. B-BOYFRIEND?! I see Twilight’s soul approach my face and I snap my eyes shut. I feel the covers lift up, and Twilight climbs in bed in front of me, her butt pressing against my bulge. “H-hey, no fair!” AJ whispers loudly. “Oooh, his cock feels so nice against my butt~” Twilight teases back. Okay, nope. I sit up and climb out of bed, making them both yelp. “Absolutely NO molesting me in my sleep! You two stay up there. I’m sleeping on the floor.” I grab a blanket from the end of the bed and lay on the ground, curling up under it. “Look whut ya gone and done now….Ya spooked him off!” AJ whisper-yells at Twilight. “Me? You spooned him first!” Twilight whispers back. “Yer the one who rubbed up on him!” AJ retorts. “Both of you shut up and go to bed.” I intervene, making them both fall silent. I lay there for what feels like an hour before I hear their snores. I stand up and sigh, walking over to the balcony and leaning against the rails, looking out into the moonlit town. It was stunning to see all the houses lit up by the moon. “This place is starting to grow on me. But the people here may need to learn more personal space….” I look down through the candle-lit streets, and I briefly see a soul vanish behind a building. “Huh. Odd….Guess there are nocturnal ponies around.” I shrug and go back inside. AJ and Twilight were laying on the bed, covered in blankets. It looks like AJ managed to wrap herself around Twilight in a tight hug from behind, and Twilight’s hands were under the covers. “No...dirty thoughts, away with you. None of that crap.” I sit at the foot of the bed and lean against the footboard. “Yeah...this place may be a bit much, but I think it’s growing on me…” Six: Ch.10I sit up and groan, rubbing the back of my neck. “Aah...my neck….Stupid wooden frame….” I get up and stretch, my back snapping and cracking. “Gotta get myself a cot or something….Can’t sleep on the floor again…” I shuffle into the bathroom and yawn, brushing my teeth and washing my face. When I look at the mirror, AJ is standing right behind me. “Gaaah!” I spin around. “AJ, what the Hell are you doing?! You scared the crap out of me!” She chuckles, still half asleep. “Sorry ‘bout that. But had ta be sure yer not alone.” I sigh, setting the towel down. “Not gonna give me any privacy, are you?” “Nnope.” I chuckle. “Well, I’ll make breakfast. You wanna help me?” “Alright. Just gimme a sec.” She pushes me out of the bathroom and shuts the door. I chuckle and go back to the bed. I sit down and wait, listening to Twilight snore softly behind me. “Jeez...she’s a heavy sleeper…” I get up. “No sense in waiting around. A few minutes in the kitchen can’t be that bad for me…” I put my blindfold on and head downstairs, following the familiar hallway until I find the kitchen. When I walk inside, there was a mare standing by the stovetop. Her hair looked like fire, and she was dressed like a maid. She turns around and smiles, her eyes like smouldering embers. “Good morning, Sir!” She smiles, bowing slightly. As she faces me, I notice her forearms and part of her face had burn scars of them, but it didn’t distract from her perfect hourglass fig- GO AWAY, PERV MIND! “Would you like breakfast this morning? I’ll prepare pancakes!” She grins. Her...her teeth look oddly plastic...and they’re too perfect…. “Hey, do you have a name? I’m Six.” I chuckle. “I’m Cinder Belle!” Of course she is….Poor girl must’ve gotten in an accident… “Nice to meet you. And that’s okay. I can cook alright.” “How can you cook with that blindfold on? Take it off, silly!” She grabs it with her magic and yanks it off my face before I get a chance to stop her. When I look around her, she’s shrouded in a massive, black fire that howls like wolves. “Wh-what….what is this….?!” “What’s what? Are you scared, Six~?” She asks, her tone deepening to a more sinister voice. I keep my eyes out of her line of sight, and she laughs evilly. “So that’s how it works, hmm? You have to make eye contact? Or can I….touch you?” Oh, fuck! I turn tail and sprint through the kitchen doors, dashing down the hallway. “Don’t run from me, my love!” I hear her chase after me, laughing sinisterly. “Leave me alone!” I turn into the library and shut the door, locking it and bolting it. I gasp and pant, and jump as she starts pounding on the door. “I want you, lover! Let me in!” I yelp and grab the iron stoker to the fire, holding it like a bat. “Stay away from me, you crazy woman!” The pounding suddenly stops. “I’m not crazy…..” I hear her whisper. I tense up. The voice was behind me…. I take a swing at her, but she catches it with her magic. I can’t stop myself from shaking, looking down at the shorter woman. Her eyes were hidden by her hair, and she was unmoving. “Do you really think you can keep me away forever? I’ll have you, lover. You’re flawed, just like me….YOU’RE MINE!” She grabs my arm, and my heart nearly stops as I can feel a searing pain shoot through me. “GAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGHHHHH!!!!” I drop to my knees as my soul fills with embers. She laughs, throwing me onto the ground. I scream and writhe, my whole body feeling like I was actually on fire. “Silly lover, you’ll lose every time….I will have you….And Master will love me…” Tears stream down my cheeks, and I see her “teeth” drop out of her mouth, revealing that she had a lot of sharp teeth. She kneels down, my voice too damaged from screaming to fight back. “Maybe a little for the road~” She bites down on my left arm and swings her head away. My vision turns red as I scream silently, seeing my arm being ripped and torn from the shoulder, blood splattering all over the floor and her clothes. I shake violently, barely conscious. She holds my now severed arm in her hand and smiles, hugging it. “See you again soon, lover~” She snaps, and my body bursts into flames. “AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHAAAAAAAAGGGHHH!!!!!!!!!!” She winks, and vanishes. [Twilight POV, two minutes earlier] “SIX?! WHERE ARE YOU?!” I call out, rushing through the upstairs. “Twilight, do ya see him!?” AJ calls, kicking open doors. “No! I d-” “GAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGHHHHH!!!!” My heart sinks, hearing him scream. “HURRY!” I rush downstairs to the source of the noise, and I see movement under the library door. “SIX?! SIX, OPEN THE DOOR!! I CAN’T TELEPORT IN!” I start hyperventilating. “Move!” AJ rushes past me and kicks the door open. I briefly see a woman in a maid outfit with fiery orange hair wink at me before vanishing with a snap. “AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHAAAAAAAAGGGHHH!!!!!!!!!!” Six screeches, suddenly engulfed in flames. “SWEET CELESTIA!!” I cast an extinguishing spell on him, just as his screams stop. “Oh, no...nonono….NO!” AJ rushes to his side, but I’m frozen, shaking. “TWILIGHT! GIT US TO THE HOSPITAL NOW! HE’S BLEEDIN OUT!” She screams. I snap out of it and teleport us to the hospital. “DOCTORS! GET HELP NOW!” AJ yells, making doctors and nurses rush to her aid. They quickly rush Six back to a surgery center and wire him up. “He’s not breathing! HE’S NOT BREATHING!” AJ yells. Doctors get her out of the room. “We’ll take care of him. You need to stay here and remain calm…” The doctor shuts the door. I hug AJ tightly, dragging her to the lobby with every ounce of strength left. “Applejack, calm down! They’re good Doctors. They can save him.” Alarms start blaring around the hospital, and nurses rush into the back of the hospital. “WHO THE HELL WAS THAT WOMAN!? AH’LL RIP HER APART!” AJ yells, punching a hole in the hospital wall. “AJ, easy! We’ll find her! You just need to calm down. Six’ll be just fine…” She huffs and sits down, shaking angrily. “Why’d he have ta go off on his own...WHY?! He’s just an idiot!” AJ yells, gripping her shorts angrily, tears streaming down her cheeks. I sit next to her, holding her hand. “It’s okay….Just breathe…” The door to the back opens, and a doctor walks out. “Doctor, what’s happening?’ I ask, holding back tears. “He’s alive, but we can’t wake him up. His entire body is covered in third degree burns, and something tore his left arm off… To be honest, I don’t know if he’ll pull through this. But, have hope. He’s stable.” Tears stream down my cheeks. “H-he’s...in a coma?” The doctor nods. “Please, stay out here until we’ve properly bandaged him. His state right now is….jarring…” He leaves. Oh, Celestia…..Six….. Six: Ch.11[Six POV] “What’s happening?” I ask no one in particular. Everything is dark, and I can’t feel anything. “It ain’t fair! Why can’t ah help?!” I hear AJ yell. “Applejack? Can you hear me? What’s happening?” “AJ, you’re too close to this. I need someone to watch him while the Princesses and I figure out who did this to him and who that woman was.” Oh, right...That girl….Cinder, right? Am I dead? No, I can’t be dead. I can still hear them. I must be in a coma…. “Which means I can make myself known….APPLEJACK!!” I shout. I gasp, nearly blinded as my vision suddenly returns. Once my eyes adjust, I notice I’m looking down at my own body, wrapped in bandages. My left arm was missing, and my heart monitor was beating slowly. “Git some of the guards to watch him! Ah need ta find who did this!” AJ storms out, and I feel myself get dragged out with her. “Woah!” I see my body, and I’m colorless and transparent. Not much of a change, other than the floating and transparent bit… AJ stops just inside the front doors of the hospital and looks back. “Ah’ll save ya, Six….ah love ya….Even if ya can’t hear me say it.” She leaves. “I...Love you, too….Guess I’m stuck here in the w-aagh!” I get dragged along with her. I notice my necklace in her hand. “I have to be in a vegetative state….And I’m tied to my necklace!” I force my new form to move closer to her. “Hey! AJ! Over here!” I wave in her face, but she keeps walking. “Damn it….She can’t see me….Of course she wouldn’t….” I follow her back to her farm, where she kneels next to Granny smith’s grave. “Ah...ah’m so sorry, Granny….Ah couldn’t help him…..And he could die cuz of me….Ah wish ya’ll were here….ah need help….” She cries softly, clutching my necklace tightly. I feel my body warm up all over. “Wooah….That’s a new one…” She gasps and looks right at me. “S-Six? How….whut in the….” “Wait….you...can see me?” I look at my body, and it hasn’t changed. “Yer...b-back at the hospital….in a coma! How….are ya here?” She wipes her eyes. “I think my soul bonded to my necklace. And you’ve got it.” She looks at the necklace and stands. She tries to hug me, but her arms go right through me. “Ya...yer really a g-ghost…” “Yeah...This is new for me, too…” She sniffles and cries, clutching the necklace tightly. “It’s mah fault….If ah hadn’t kicked ya out of the bathroom, you’d be okay…” “Hey, don’t blame yourself. That crazy girl was in the castle either way. Who knows what would’ve happened if she kept around. She would have hurt you and Twilight.” “Y-yer right….What’re we gunna do? We can’t just let her get away with this!” “Easy, easy...I want to find her, too. But we need to think rationally. And judging by the lack of screams from people on the way here, no one else can see me.” “Alright….We can ask Twilight fer help. Maybe she’d listen!” She runs back to the hospital, and I’m dragged along behind. I manage to get myself to float alongside her. “Slow down, AJ. You’re dragging me around, you know. And please don’t lose that necklace. It means a lot to me…” She puts it in her hat and nods. When she gets to the hospital, there was a royal carriage outside. Twilight was talking to Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. “Twilight! Twilight! Six is a ghost and he’s talkin ta me!” Oh, boy… “Applejack...I know you’re having a hard time with this, but he’s still in the hospital.” “Listen ta me! He’s possessin his necklace, and ah got it right here!” She pulls it out of her hat and hands it to Twilight. She holds it, her hand shaking. “Applejack….Why do you have this?” “He...Ah….” “Don’t take this from him. Just...go home. Get some sleep….” She pockets the necklace. “Gimme that back!” AJ yells. “It’s not yours, Applejack! It’s his, and it’ll go right back on him and it’ll stay there.” “No, ah need it ta keep him with me!” Twilight goes back inside the hospital, while the Princesses talk amongst themselves. I expected to be dragged back inside the hospital, but I stay right there at AJ’s side. She looks at me, a soft blush on her face and tears in her eyes. “What’re you making that face for?” I ask, confused as to why I wasn’t trapped in the hospital. “Yer not attached to the necklace. Yer attached ta me...Ya...ya really do love me….” If I could blush, I would be. Very hard. “I-I, uh...h-heheeh.....I think it's because you're my best friend! That must be it!" She smiles with tears in her eyes. "Six....ya big dummy....Yer so sweet...." I don't deserve love... Princess Celestia puts her hand on AJ’s shoulder, sighing. “Applejack, you should go home. You’re starting to get delusional….” “No, ah ain’t….He’s right here, and none of ya’ll can see him cuz his soul’s attached ta me!” Celestia shakes her head and sighs. “It’s alright, Applejack. Get some rest…” “No! Damn it, Princess, I’m right here!” I shout, swinging my arm at her tiara. All three of them gasp as it’s knocked off her head and clatters to the floor. “Sister, did you do that?” Luna asks. “No, I didn’t…” Celestia answers. AJ beams. “See? He’s the one who did that! Six, do somethin else!” She asks. “How? I….I didn’t think it would do anything…” “Come on, try! Please!” She pleads. I clench my fists tightly, digging into my heart to find something that makes me angry. “APPLEJACK IS NPT A LIAR!!” I grab AJ’s hat, and I feel it. I lift it off her head and drop it to the floor. They all look stunned. “Ah ha! I did it! That’s how I do it!” “S-sister….How is...this possible?!” Luna asks. “It’s not….I don’t understand….” “APPLEJACK IS MY FRIEND!! HOW DARE YOU CALL HER A LIAR!!” I scream, grabbing Celestia’s arm. She shrieks and jumps. “I-I felt a hand on my arm! Applejack, what sorcery is this?!” Celestia asks, terrified. “That’s just Six…” She says, chuckling. She looks around, her hand glowing softly. Her hand glows brighter as it waves in front of me, and her eyes widen. “Six...it is you….How...is he here?! He’s alive, isn’t he?” Celestia asks. “Yeah, I’m alive. But I’m apparently dead enough to be a ghost.” “He says he’s dead enough ta be a ghost.” They both look at her, shocked. “This is...impossible…” Luna says plainly. Twilight walks out, and looks at the shocked Princesses. “Applejack, what’d I miss?” Celestia grabs Twilight’s shoulder. “Twilight, Applejack wasn’t lying to you. Six is a ghost, and she can see him. And hear him…” Twilight looks floored. “Wh-whaat?! That’s impossible! I mean, I know his powers are impossible, but him being a ghost is impossible!” “AJ, tell her that her soup needed salt.” AJ chuckles. “He says yer soup needs salt.” Her eyes widen. “H-how do...you know about that….? Only Six and I were….H-He’s really there?” AJ nods. “Finally, she gets it…” I sigh. “Ah know, right?” AJ laughs. Twilight grabs her shoulders and shakes her. “What’re you laughing at?! What’d he say!? Why can only you see him!?” I grab Twilight’s hair and tug, and she yelps. “Ow! Hey! No hair pulling, AJ!” “Ah didn’t pull yer hair! It was Six.” AJ holds up her hands. I smirk. Twilight huffs and blows her hair out of her eyes. “You know, her butt did feel kinda nice...but she could stand to put on a little more weight…” I say to myself, chuckling. “Whut did ya say!?” AJ yells. “N-nothing! Hehehe….” I chuckle. “What’d he say?” Twilight asks. “He said yer butt felt kinda nice, but you could put on some weight.” Twilight swings her arms in the air, yelling swears at me. “Yer missin him, Twi. He can’t even feel ya.” Twilight huffs and feels her hips. “Not thin….” She pouts. I feel an odd warmth in my chest. I look over at AJ, and she’s blushing madly. “Whut...do ya think about mah butt?” She asks out of nowhere. “I...I, uh….Oh, gosh, uh….Is that a ghost leaf?” I look over at a pile of leaves. She huffs. Twilight pouts. "It's no fair that he's bound just to you.... I-I wanna see him, too..." I laugh, holding my midsection. “Oh, Twilight’s jealous of you, AJ.” “Course she is. She loves ya as much as ah do.” “.....beg your pardon?” Twilight’s blush spreads all over. “D-don’t just tell him that!” “Yeah, she’s got a crush on ya, too! Ain’t that right, Twilight?” Twilight curls up and blushes. “M-meep….” My eyes widen. “She….you….both….WHAT?!” “Ya mean ya never even noticed that we was fightin over ya? Ya must be real oblivious…” “I am not! I just...didn’t think it was possible….I figured I’d be alone all my life, and I never thought I’d get a girl who likes me, let alone two!” AJ chuckles. “Alright, enough teasin Twilight. We need ta git back to the castle and figure out who that girl was…” “Oh, that’s easy. She said her name was Cinder Belle.” “Wait, she jus told ya her name? Just like that?” Twilight jumps up. “He has her name?! What is it?” That got the Princess’ attention too. Forgot they were even there…. “He said her name’s Cinder Belle….” “Oh, dear….That’s not good. Luna, get Shining Armor and a dozen elite guards down here immediately. Twilight, get back to the castle and make sure there’s no one there. Then seal yourselves inside. If she’s after him, he, and the two of you, are in grave danger.” Twilight looks at her worriedly. “Who...is she?” “She’s a prisoner from Manehattan Penitentiary. She was locked up a few years ago for trying to burn down a school. She has an obsession with broken people. She...well, she’s a pyromaniac...and, last time she was seen, a cannibal….” “Oh, mah gosh….So...y-ya mean she...she….ate his arm!?” “It’s very likely…” AJ ducks into a nearby bush, unloading her stomach contents. “Why...does she have such an affiliation with Six, then!?” “They were raised in the same orphanage….” All the memories came flooding back. I remember a little girl when I was there that used to follow me around all the time. She had burns on her, and she always clung to me. Then she disappeared when I was eleven. A scroll appears in Luna’s hand, and she unravels it. “Oh...Oh, this isn’t good….Sister, the Petitentary says she escaped six months ago, and hasn’t been seen since. And the police in both Manehattan and Canterlot say that several people have gone missing since she’s escaped…” “Y-you don’t think she...ate all them people….right?!” I tense up, clenching my fists tightly. “We have to stop her….” “It gets worse. She’s set on getting to Six, no matter what.” Celestia says. “How...do you know?” Twilight asks, almost seeming afraid. Celestia holds up a photograph of a 9x9 concrete prison cell. The number 6 was etched into the walls, floor, and ceiling of the cell. Twilight grabs AJ’s arm and teleports her away, yanking me clear across town back to the castle. I shudder as I reappear in the library. Twilight’s hand glows brightly, and a wave of magic flows over the entire castle. Once it passes, a bubble forms around it. “There. We’ll be safe here. And my brother’ll watch over him. But, if what Princess Celestia says is true, that means she’ll come after us too…” Six: Ch.12I sigh and cross my legs, looking down at AJ and Twilight. “Twi, ah still think that it’d be safer fer us if we was with Six. We could help protect him if we was there next to him! Whut if the guards fail? Six could die fer real! And ah….we’d be devastated!” I chuckle softly to myself. They’d miss me… Hardly. You’re just their eye-candy. “Oh, no...not now….” AJ looks up at me. “What’s wrong?” Twilight looks at her, equally worried. “It’s uh...n-nothing….Just, uh...can’t remember. a joke...heh.” Good choice. They’re afraid of us like this. Leave me alone...I expelled you! You may have pushed me away, but you can’t expel yourself. I will always be here. Why won’t you demons leave me alone?! Now, what fun would that be? Hehehehehe….Ooh, looks like that Cinder did a marvelous job replenishing my strength. I’m very proud of her. Wait….YOU’RE HER MASTER?! Oh, Heavens no! We are! Haven’t you gotten it yet, you dull boy!? I’m not a demon! I’m you! No….That’s not it…. You’re just the collective evils of everyone I’ve taken the burdens from….Nothing else… Is that a fact? Then how could I possess your body and control you like a puppet? And why can you hear me now? You and I both know demons can’t do more than influence actions. Sorry, dumbass. You’ve got a split personality, so you’re stuck with me! NO! After I expelled all that negativity, I didn’t hear you for days! I was able to heal back to my real self! Only a demon could do that! Did you forget suppression magic is the main spell you know? Now, what were to happen if a young boy decided to suppress himself so he could die easier? Don’t pull that crap with me! You’re the one that suppressed me! Even so, demons aren’t tied to this world enough to directly influence anyone here. You know that. This…..this isn’t true….it can’t be…. Oooh, but it is~ That’s what makes this fun! I’m the side of you that you’ve only been able to see in mirrors. I’m the better version of you. You’re nothing but a confused demon….I took so much of Cinder’s burden that it drove the demon crazy...Yeah, that’s all it is… You’re so dense! I could take control right now, and you couldn’t fight me. I could kill both of your little friends and you’d be helpless to do anything. No. No? Ha! Have you forgotten? I’m stronger than you! I can do whatever I want! I may be you, but my limits are few compared to yours. As a matter of fact, why don’t I just hop in the driver’s seat and kill them? D-Don’t you dare hurt my friends, you bastard! There he is! The good Six! Finally, you grow a pair! You know, I ought to have my own name, don’t you think? I mean, I am the improvement of you. You want a name? I’ll give you a name. Oh? You think if you name me that I’ll magically vanish? I’m not a djinn, Six. But, if you wish, then name me. I won’t stop you. Hell, I may even decide to spare you and your friends if I like it enough. Why? What would a name help you gain? It means that you’ve finally accepted me as a part of you! I may one day accept you, but if we’re to coexist, I have a ground rule to set. You want to set rules? You have no power over me! Oh? Then why haven’t you been trying to control me this whole time? All you’ve done is threatened the Princess, and that was after being fueled by Nightmare Moon. You have no power unless I let you. Isn’t that right? Tch...You think you’re so clever? You bastard….Fine. i’ll abide by your rules...if I make rules of my own. So, let’s make a deal, hmm? Fine. One ground rule: Do not hurt, torment, kill, or torture anyone friendly towards me. Towards US, Six. Whatever. What’s your terms? One: Cinder lives. Wait, what? Why?! She ripped my...OUR arm off! She was our friend before I pushed her too far… Are you...showing sympathy? What? Of course not! But that girl...She just doesn’t deserve the life she has. You...you love her, don’t you? I find her fascinating! That’s it! Now, do we have a deal? Do you have any further rules? Ah, yes. Of course. One more rule: I want to take control from time to time. What!? Are you nuts?! Why would I let you do that!? It’s simple. I may be just another personality in your broken mind, but I have power that you couldn’t use if you tried. And if a threat comes up, you can’t fight. Hmm….You’re right….I’m no fighter. But, if you so much as think about breaking the rules, I will bury you. My word is my bond. Do we have a deal? Name me, and we’ll call it a deal. Alright. Hmm...What do I call my evil twin? I’m not evil! Just….charismatic! Right….Well….ah ha! I know. I’ll call you...Shade. Aaah, a good choice. Alright, Six. It’s a deal. “Six?! SIX!” AJ yells. I blink a few times and look down at her. “H-huh?” “Ah’ve been callin ya fer an hour! Are ya alright?” “Uuh, yeah. I’ve just been, uh….” Should I tell her about you, Shade? Ooh, it feels good to be named. Shade?! Right. No, not yet. Last think we need is for her to be afraid of us. Good point. “Thinking about Cinder. I remember her being so nice back then….” “Hey, her bein the way she is ain’t yer fault.” “Thanks, AJ.” If I may, I think I know how we can make ourself visible to everyone. It may be a long shot, but it’s possible. Well, since you can’t be too far off, let’s hear it. If Twinkle Sprinkle over there charges the room with enough electricity, we may be able to absorb enough to manifest. Why didn’t I think of that? You did. Well, we did. “Hey, AJ. I think I know a way to be able to manifest. If I’m a ghost, it should work. Ask Twilight to pulse an electrical charge through the room.” “Uuh...alright. Hey, uh...Twi?” Twilight looks up from a book she was reading. “Hmm?” “Six says he might know how ta be able ta manifest. Can ya pulse some electricity through the room?” “Of course! There’s a book I read that says that ghosts feed off of electrical charges to manifest! Let me try.” Her hand glows, and small bolts of electricity fire around the room, hitting the floors and walls. I shudder, feeling an odd pulsing through my body. [Twilight POV] “...light…..Twi...light?” My eyes widen, hearing his voice. “Six?! Can you hear me? Of course you can...Duh…” “...ore….power…..Twi….” “Oh! Yeah!” I push the spell harder, bolts of lightning firing around tge room. AJ’s hair starts to stand up from all the energy in the room, and I bet mine is too. I see the air above AJ start to warp and grow thick until it takes the form of Six, clear as day. But armless. “Six, I can see you! But...your arm is still missing! Shouldn’t it be back?” He looks to his left. “..ouls don’t work like that. They’re only as complete as the body.” “I can hear you! It worked!” I drop the spell, and he starts to dissipate. I quickly cast it again, keeping him there. “I have to maintain the energy to keep you here! Six, this won’t work forever.” He stares off into space for a moment before looking back at me. “Can you enchant an object to create a constant flow of energy?” “I suppose so...It would take some time.” “That’s fine. For now, AJ will be my messenger. Drop the spell.” I drop it, and he vanishes again. “He’s really a ghost….” “Eeyup….And if he gits mad, he can move things.” “Really? Ooh, I wish I could study him….” AJ looks up to where he was floating, then back to me. “He says ya can, but ya need ta focus on the energy source first.” I beam. Finally, he’ll let me study him! “I’ll get right on it! And I think I know just what to do!” I levitate a book from one of the shelves and flip through it until I find the right section. “Ah ha! Right here. I can imbue energy into a piece of quartz that works as a battery! Wait, no….That won’t be a permanent fix….” I gasp as the pages of the book rapidly turn themselves until it stops on a section about alchemy. “Alchemy? Hmm…..I suppose this could work. But, what do I use? I have to make a sacrifice of something to the cast or it won’t work…” AJ looks at the air next to me. “He says that you don’t need to destroy the object to imbue it. You just need a host for the cast.” I blush softly. “Just a host?” I reach in my pocket, pulling out his necklace. “Ya kept it!? Twilight, no fair!” “Well, I….you two were so close, I wanted to be close to him too!” The necklace suddenly gets lifted out of my hand into the air. “He says if we can’t git along, he might as well keep it himself.” “Six, it’s not fair that you’re only visible to Applejack!” “He says that he didn’t pick to possess me, it just happened cuz….” “Because what?” “He...he thinks he’s only visible to me because I touched him as his soul left his body. And that’s why he’s bound ta me. So, it ain’t cuz yer closer ta me….” “Applejack, we barely even know him! Besides, he hasn’t picked which of us to date yet anyway…” “He says that we’re getting off topic. Dangit, Six. Ya gotta pick at some point…” The necklace drops back into my hand, and I take it. I spend the next hour setting up the ritual and finally complete the setup. “Are we ready, AJ?” I ask, looking back at her? I was standing outside of a circle on the floor, filled with runes. At the center was the necklace. “Yeah...So, ah just need ta touch it when it starts floatin, right?” “That should bind him to it so he can get its energy, yes.” She nods, and I hold out my hand. My hand starts to glow brightly, and the once black runes start to glow a bright red, slowly shifting around as lightning leaps out of them, striking the necklace repeatedly. As soon as it’s struck, it begins to slowly float and spin. “Now, AJ!” She reaches in and touches it. It starts spinning rapidly, throwing off bright red sparks as it spins, going too fast to see its shape. Then, everything stops, and the room is quiet, all except for a soft humming coming from the necklace that quickly silences. “Did...did it work? Ah...Ah can’t see him!! Twilight!?” I hold up my hand. “Hang on...give it a second.” “....think it’s working. Twilight?” I hear him say, seeing his form appear, no longer floating. He was standing on the other side of the alchemy circle, his body a ghostly white, but not completely transparent anymore. It was like looking through a foggy window. “I can see you! AJ, you see him too?” She nods. “Yes! Finally! I can talk for myself. Sorry, AJ. But this is a lot easier. Now, i think….” He reaches down and picks up the necklace. “Ah ha! Yes! Okay, I should be able to wear this now.” He puts it on. I can’t help but pout. “So...I bound the necklace...to you?” “Mhm! Which means I can interact with it. No need for you two to argue about it.” I huff. “Can I study you now?” He chuckles. “I guess so….I might be able to do what I want, but I can’t leave you guys anyway.” “What? But, the spell says that-” “It’s not the spell. I can’t leave you because I won’t. You two are my best friends, and I won’t let anyone hurt you. So I’m staying with you.” “No offense, Six, but yer not much of a fighter. And ya don’t even know magic too much. Heck, ya can’t even do magic how ya are!” He looks off into space for a moment before he shuts his eyes and rolls his shoulders, stretching. “Oooh, how good it feels to be let out...He won’t need to fight. I’ll be doing the fighting.” I growl. “You...What’re you doing here, you demon?!” “Oh, calm down, Tinkle.” “Twilight…” “Whatever. And I am not a demon. I’m still him, but I’m his...other half, shall we say. Hmm?” “You...of course….Six has a split personality!” “Precisely! Finally, someone with common sense. Yes, demons can’t do things like this can they? No, you wouldn’t know that...Well, you do now.” “Well, what now?” I ask. “Didn’t you say you wanted to study me? Well, study away.” “Couldn’t we study Six? Not...you?” He holds his hand to his chest. “How rude! He’s permitted me to be the subject since I know more about the spirit world than he does.” “How does that work?” “It’s simple. I was in the driver’s seat when we kicked the bucket the first time. Yes, I may have gone a tad too far...But, that’s all behind us.” I grumble and huff. “Well, do you have a name? It feels wrong to call you Six…” “Of course. You may call me...Shade.” Six: Ch.13[Shade POV] “So, do ghosts know they’re dead?” Twilight asks. “Not at first, no. But they’re quick to figure it out.” “What’s death like?” “Simpler than falling asleep. You bore me, Tweezer.” “Twilight!” “Whatever. These questions bore me. I want to find Cinder. Let’s go find her, hmm?” “Does The Creator exist?” “Yes, and he’s an asshole. Can we go now?” “A what?” “Nevermind. Twilight, don’t you and Applejack here have an arm to find and a boyfriend to avenge? Why wait here?” They both blush. Ooh, how cute these two are. He’s screwed if he has to pick one. “He’s not our boyfriend! Well, he’s our friend….and a boy...but that’s not what I meant!” “If you insist. But that bovine you call a princess is no ruler of mine.” That struck a chord. “Princess Celestia is not a bovine!” “Temper temper. But, that’s besides the point. I believe Applejack wants to avenge him, too.” She looks at AJ. “Applejack?” “W-well…..we ought ta be helpin them find her!” “Finally, someone with a shred of common sense! Yes! And I may know where to find her. If I’m not mistaken, there’s a forest that you all fear closeby, isn’t there?” “Yeah...The Everfree. Ya think she’s in there?” “Oh, both of you are so adorably nieve. Of course she is! She’d hide in the one place where no one would dare go.” Twilight sighs. “It’s against my better judgement, but even the Princesses would avoid that place unless they had to go in….Rrrgh, fine! But you’re taking the fall if we’re caught, Shade.” “Fine by me. Six may not understand how to be a ghost, but I do. And I can just...poof!” I make myself become invisible, save for the necklace. “Woah! Yer gone! Jus a floatin necklace!” I reappear and chuckle. “Just as blunt as always. Now, shall we?” Twilight nods and her hand glows again as the barrier disappears. I smile and float down the steps towards the front door. “Uuh…, shouldn’t one of us wear that so ya’ll can hide if ya need to?” AJ asks. “Hmm...you may be right.” I take it off and toss it to Twilight. She beams. “Haha!” She puts it on, making AJ pout. “No fair! Why’d ya pick her?” “Unlike Six, I prefer my women to be fiery on the inside.” That makes both of them blush. “That means that….Six likes me….but Shade likes you?” “I...I guess so….” “Are we all going to gawk at my ghostly ass or are we going to locate a killer?” “R-right!” They quickly follow me through the castle doors into the street. I turn myself invisible again, just to be safe. “Shade? Ya didn’t run off, didja?” AJ asks. I float back behind them and grab both of their asses, making them both jump. “Hardly. Now, come along.” I float through the street, chuckling to myself. Why did you do that!? Oh, like you wouldn’t if you had the balls. ……. Exactly. We all end up at the edge of the Everfree forest before I make myself visible again. “Now, if I know my geography, there should be a castle in here somewhere, yes?” “The Princess’ old castle? Yeah. It’s near the center.” “Then let’s start there. It’s a good chance that she’s there, as is my arm…” Twilight leads the way, and I float along behind both of them. The further we get into the forest, the darker everything becomes. It becomes so dark that Twilight has to light her magic so we can all see. “This is a pleasant walk. We should do this more often.” “This ain’t fun….this is spooky…” “Oh, come now. You’re not enjoying an evening stroll with me? I’m hurt…” “Ya sound more and more like Discord every minute….” “I’m offended! I’m thrice the man that...beast is!” “Ya know him?” “Well, not personally. But, his methods of evil are so...childish! I mean, chocolate rain? And candy streets! By God, he must be five!” “Yer one ta talk.” “Don’t tempt fate, Applejack. I’m not a fun person to toy with. I know many spells that would make your life very difficult.” I said no threats! I’m not. Come now, you remember that book. What was it again? Kinks Through the Ages? You promised never to bring that up again! Hehehe. “Ah doubt Six’d let ya hurt me.” “Who said anything about hurting you? Not those kinds of spells, Applejack. The, how you say….dirtier ones.” She blushes hotly. As does Twilight. I can’t help but laugh. “You two are such fun to tease! You ought to see your faces!” “We’re here…” Twilight says quietly. AJ kneels next to her behind a fallen tree, looking over at the cobblestone ruins. There was a small light flickering in one of the windows. “It seems someone’s home. Let’s have a look, shall we?” I turn invisible and float inside, phasing through the walls. I look around, and even I’m shocked by what I see. There were thousands of pictures of Six strewn all over the small bedroom space, covering every square inch of the room. And I noticed a closet. “Hmm…” I slowly open the door, and I’m absolutely floored by what I see. There was a glass box lying on the ground, surrounded by more candles and photographs. And inside the box was my arm, preserved by magic inside. “Cinder, what happened to you…” What in Equestria!? She kept my arm...in a shrine!? She must really be obsessed with us… What gave that away? Well, I’m not touching that. As much as I despise your monarchy, we should go get Suntits. It’s Princess Suntits to you. Whatever. I shut the closet door and turn around, and I would shit myself if I had a body. Cinder was standing centimeters from my face, grinning widely. “I know someone’s there. I can’t see you, but I can sense you~ Show yourself~” She coos, giggling. She was in the same blood-soaked maid outfit from yesterday. I reveal myself, and she gasps. “Six? Oh, no….I overdid it…” “I’m not dead, you dolt. I’m comatose. And it seems that….energy source has a wider range than I thought…” “M-master? Master, he let you in!” She cries happily. “Cinder, it is wonderful to see you, but you’ve been a naughty girl. You took our arm. And please tell me you haven’t done anything odd with it…” She blushes, biting her lip. “God damn it….Cinder, you disgust me.” “I know! Doesn’t this make you happy?” “Cinder, you were once such a simple pyro, but murder? That’s so...unlike you. You need to promise me you won’t harm the girls I travel with.” She frowns. “Master...Why? They’re common filth compared to you! I’d die for you! Why can’t I just kill them! We can be together!” “Cinder, you and I both know that’s not possible. I may be the bad half, but even I think you’ve gone overboard.” She looks down at the ground. “Is that what Master thinks?” “It is.” She clenches her fists. “I won’t kill them….But I’ll be with you forever!” She cries out, vanishing in a flash. “Oh, shit. I may have made things worse…” I rush back out to the two. “What happened? Was she there?” Twilight asks. “Yes, but I fear she may do something drastic. We need to get back to my body now!” Twilight nods, and we run/float back to town. When we get closer, the smell of smoke fills the air. “Oh, God….” We speed up. When we finally reach the town, everything’s on fire. And at the center was Cinder, making her way towards the hospital. “IF I CAN’T HAVE YOU, NO ONE CAN!!” I hear Cinder scream as she lights Sugarcube Corner on fire, laughing crazily. “S-Sweet Celestia….What do we do!?” Twilight screams. “We gotta git to the hospital before she does! Come on!” AJ rushes out, with myself and Twilight in pursuit. We get close to the town square before the guards stop us. “You can’t go any further! The Princesses ordered an evacuation of the town!” “Get out of our way!” I grab them both and hurl them across the road with strength I didn’t even know I had. I keep going, hearing them behind me. When we finally reach the hospital, it was too late. It was already on fire. “She may not have us yet! I float as fast as I can up to the room where they were keeping me, and I see her hovering a sword over her chest. She was lying on my body. “We’ll both die! Together forever, Master!” I quickly grab the sword from her hands, and she screams. “Master! Do you hate me so much?!” She screeches. “You’re being irrational! How can we be together forever if you’re in Hell and I’m in Heaven!?” She falls silent. “You’re right….” She grabs my body and grabs the sword with her magic, swinging it around. There was a loud snapping crunch as it cleaves straight through her neck, spewing blood all over the room as her head lands with a thud in my body’s lap. I watch as the life leaves her eyes, like lights going out. Her body collapses to the floor, twitching and spewing blood everywhere. “What have you done, Cinder….” Six: Ch.14It had taken firefighters an hour and a half to put out all the fires. By the time everyone was accounted for, several people were injured, but there was only one casualty. Twilight was giving a report to the Princesses, leaving me sitting on top of the charred hospital. They had moved my body to Canterlot, under constant surveillance. I look over, hearing Applejack climb up onto the roof. “What do you want?” I ask coldly. “That girl….was yer friend, wasn’t she?” “Yes….and it’s my fault that she’s...she….” I feel tears fill my eyes. “Hey….It ain’t yer fault….” “I drove her mad….I filled her mind with darkness. This was my doing.” “Hey, ya listen ta me. Ya might’ve said all that, but she had a screw er two loose ta begin with.” I chuckle. “It’s true. In a sick, twisted sort of way, I loved her like a sister. She replaced his for a while.” She sits next to me and chuckles. “What’s so funny?” “Ya sound just like Discord.” “Don’t insult me…” “Ya ought ta meet him. Think he’s stayin at Shy’s place.” “I’d like to get my body back first, if you don’t mind. I’m not in the mood to have visitors.” “Alright. Well, Princess Celestia says that they ought ta have ya out of yer coma soon, so that’s a plus.” “She was so obsessed with me...that she cleaved off her head right from her shoulders….She….” I sigh sadly. “Hey. None of that. You’ll get through this. We all will. So, chin up Mister.” I chuckle. “You know, you really do have a nice ass.” She blushes madly, and I laugh. Not cool, man…. Better me say it than you do nothing. “S-scuse me…” She climbs down. I laugh harder. “Oh, she’s flustered!” I chuckle, calming down a bit. I spend the rest of the day staring up at the sky. “I know you’re up there, old man. And I know you can hear me. So hear this: Cinder was a good, smart, and very caring girl...She didn’t deserve what she got. So, you’d better not send her to Hell….or I’ll come up there and kick your celestial ass myself! And that’s a promise!” I sigh, glad I got that out of my system. I start to climb off the roof when I feel a tug on my soul. “Gaah! What the…?” I suddenly snap my eyes open, back in my body. The princesses over me, their hands glowing. “Sister, I think he’s awake! Six, can you hear us?” Luna asks. Back to you, big guy. I’m sorry for your loss, Shade… Don’t pity the Devil. “Uugh...yeah...Everything tastes like ash…” “You did just survive a fire...But you already knew that. Twilight told us everything. Is Shade still around?” Celestia asks. “He’s mourning right now.” “Ah...Well, give him time. He saved your life today.” “Yeah...I guess he did.” Jackass. I chuckle, sitting up. I look over myself, the bandages removed. My body had a few burn scars on it left, and there was a hand-shaped burn scar on my right forearm. “This….is where She grabbed me before she….” “It is...We also searched for your arm in the castle in the forest. We found it, but whatever spells she used on the box incinerated it when she died…” Luna explains bluntly. I look at my shoulder, which was the only part of me still bandaged. “Is there nothing we can do? I’ll just be...armless?” “Sadly...There’s no magic to regrow limbs. I’m sorry..” Celestia says sadly. “It’s….It’s alright. I’ll learn to live without it. Hell, it might be even easier. Who knows?” I shakily stand up, and Celestia grabs onto me. “Easy. You haven’t gotten used to your balance yet.” I nod and take a few steps, my body wanting to lean right. “This is gonna be annoying for a while….Can...I go home now?” They both nod. “We’ll be keeping an eye on you. Keep out of trouble, alright?” I nod, and suddenly appear back in Ponyville square with a snap. I sigh, looking at the stump of an arm again. Is there anything you can do to help this? No. If Suntits and her fatass sister couldn’t do it, why would I be able to? Good point...And she’s not a fatass… Did you even see that thing? Shit, she could crush a skull with that thing! You looked?! We both did. We share eyes, moron. Right. Well, where do you want to go? I want to see her. Shade….You know I can’t… Six. You’ve avoided her for nearly fifteen years. Go get your blindfold back, then go see her. I sigh and shut my eyes, using my third sight to walk back to the castle. When I eventually get there, I’m charge-tackled by two incredibly dense girls. “Six, you’re back!” “Or are ya Shade?” “ow….it’s me….” They both hug me tightly. I chuckle. “Nice to see you too. Can you help me up now?” They get up, both blushing hotly. They pull me to my feet, and I dust myself off. “Oh, Princess Celestia wanted me to give you this when you came back.” She pulls a black blindfold out of her back pocket. “Is that the new blindfold?” “Fully enchanted and everything. Hang on.” She walks behind me and ties it around my eyes. My third vision shimmers for a moment before returning to normal. “Thanks...Twilight, I’m going to go visit someone….I don’t want you two following me, okay? This is….” I sigh. “This is gonna be tough for me…” They both nod. I turn around, and head to the cemetery. I look to the back left of the lot and make my way through the headstones until I find the one I’m looking for: Rose… I kneel down in front of it and rest my forehead against it, tears streaming down my face already. “Hey, sis….” I feel a warm hand on my shoulder, and I look up. Rose smiles down at me, standing to my right. She was a soft pink with green hair and deep green eyes. She was still wearing the little dress she wore when she…. I sob, and she chuckles. “You got big, baby brother. No crying, okay?” “I’m….I’m so sorry….It’s my fault that you died….” “Sixie, don’t say that. I’m glad it wasn’t you. You have something great now. I’ve been watching you, Sixie. You’ve made so many friends. I’m proud of you.” I cry openly, and she pats my back. “You’re an adult now, Sixie. No crying.” I sniffle and wipe my eyes. “I miss you….so much….I’ve needed you here so badly….But I was so afraid that you’d hate me that I…..I never talked to you….” “Why would I hate you, Sixie? You’re my baby brother! It’s my job to watch over you! And I’ll keep doing it. Nothing will stop me!” “Heh….Just as stubborn as always….” I chuckle softly. “You know it! So, does this mean you’ll come to see me now?” “Yeah...I’ll come to see you...And can you tell Maple that I’ll visit her when I can, too.” Rose chuckles, tearing up herself. “Of course. You know, all the people you saved are up here. You’ve done so much good, Six. Keep it up. The Big Guy’s proud of ya.” “I could care less what he thinks...I care about what you think.” “I think you should keep saving people. You’ve done so much good. And don’t ever hurt yourself again! Promise me, Sixth Sense!” She grabs my ear. “Owowowow! Okay, I won’t!” “Good!” She lets go. “I’ve gotta go...Come see me anytime, okay?” “I will…” Her warmth disappears, and I sob softly, hugging her gravestone. “I will…….” I stand and wipe the tears from my eyes again. Six, we have a problem. What is it now? Hello, Lover! WHAT THE HELL!? CINDER?! Not quite….Uh….I think we took her burden before she...died….and we’ve somehow adapted her personality into ourself. What?! You mean to tell me I have a third personality...and it’s a psychotic killer woman?! Sounds right to me…. No one asked you! Master, he’s mean! Make him stop! Oh, God…would you please stop calling me that? And for Heaven’s sake, what do we call this one!? This is too weird….it sounds like me….but it has Cinder’s tone…. We can call him Pyre? Ooh, I like it! Can I kill someone now? No! Awe...You’re no fun…. I need to talk to Twilight….This is really bad… I rush out of the cemetery, back towards the castle. I burst through the double doors and head straight to the library. “Twilight!!” Twilight appears in the room, looking frantic. “Six, what’s going on?!” “We have a problem! A huge problem!” Six: Ch.15“SHE WHAT?!” Twilight yells, making the crystal walls shake. “I already told you eight times!” “Tell me again, but slower.” “Oh, for fuck’s sake! Cinder’s burden was imprinted into his soul!” I yell, my black eyes flashing at her. “Shade, did you do this?!” She asks angrily. “Why the Hell would I have done this!? I’m a neutral party!” She groans and frizzles her hair with her hands. “I don’t know enough about this stuff to fix this! We need to ask Princess Celestia.” “Not a good idea. She doesn’t understand souls well. We need Luna.” “What?! Are you crazy!? If she touches you, you could erupt again!” “Then we simply keep her from touching me.” Twilight groans. “Fine! I’ll send her a letter. But bring Six back. And what did you name this….Cinder personality?” “Pyre.” “Clever…” She huffs and grabs a scroll, jotting down a letter. Are you sure this is a good idea? Yes. Just keep the blindfold on and stay ten feet away at all times. Who knows how Pyre would react with Nightmare Moon’s power… What’re you talking about? Don’t worry about it! “Alright, I sent the letter. We should expect her-” “TWILIGHT SPARKLE, I HAVE ARRIVED!” “-right now…” She shuffles out to her front door. Pyre really wants out… Can you keep him back? For now, yes. But he’s very strong. Great… Luna walks into the room, with Twilight in tow. Luna takes one look at me before gasping. “Six! Your soul! It’s sectioned!” “It’s what?” “Your soul is split into three distinct souls merged into one body. Fascinating…..” Luna leans close. “Princess, we don’t have time to be studied. We need a solution to this Pyre problem!” “Right. Of course. Well, I….I don’t know how to separate a soul…” “What!?” Twilight and I both yell. “It’s a very delicate task! It could kill the host easily! So, for now, try to keep him confined in your subconscious mind until we find a way to get him out.” Maybe we can reason with him? We can try, I guess. “I’m going to talk to him. You two stay here in case something happens. Uh, p-please...Princess?” She nods. “Very well.” I sit on the couch and close my eyes. When I open them again, I’m sitting under a spotlight on a metal chair. I looked perfectly normal, but I had a small halo above my head and white wings on my back. To my left was also me, but that me was wearing a black suit with a red tie, his eyes pure black. And to my right was another me, but this one was completely made of fire and wore only black pants. “Shade.” I nod slightly to my left. He bows back. “Six. Nice to see you face to face again.” “Likewise, though I wish it were better circumstances.” I turn to my right. “And you must be Pyre.” “Yup! That’s me. Can I kill now?” “No. Look, we want you to reason with us here. So, let us cut a deal with you, so we can settle this reasonably.” “Fine. But I’m not happy about it.” “Look, if you want to stay, you need to understand that you can’t just kill everyone and everything whenever you want.” “Exactly. So, if you can follow my ground rules, you can stay. Firstly: Don’t hurt, torture, threaten, or kill anyone nice to me. ME. Not you. Secondly: Don’t force yourself into control. If you ask nicely, we’ll let you. You may even be trusted enough to change whenever you want. And Third: No Cannibalism. Ever. Can you do that?” “Uuugh, fine. But I wanna kill something once in a while. Anything!” “We could go to the Everfree And let him at some of the monsters. Better them than the people in town.” “Agreed. Do we have a deal?” “Yup! I won’t break the rules! I’ll be a good pyro!” “Good...Would you like to introduce yourself?” “Uh huh!” My body heats up all over and I open my eyes, looking down at myself. My whole body was made of fire. “Oooh, it feels so nice to exist!” I hug myself, smiling. I look over at Twilight, who was staring at my burning body in shock. “Y-you’re on fire!?” “Mhm! Why? Does it bother you, Twix?” “Why do both of you have a hard time with my name…” I giggle, putting my body out enough to sit back down. I hadn’t even realized I stood up. Now only my hair and eyes were on fire. When I looked at Luna, she seemed nervous. “Do I frighten you, Moony?” I giggle. She huffs, turning red. “M-moony?!” “Do you prefer Moonbutt? Or maybe Full Moon?” “I dislike this personality…” Luna huffs, steaming. “Calm down, Princess. Pyre, do you remember Cinder at all?” “Well, duh! She was just like me! But she chopped her own head off, and now I’m with Master!” “Six….is your master?” “Uh huh! And I’m very happy I get to be him!” “Oh...kay, then…..I’m getting oddly Pinkie Pie vibes from her...but less party and more...stabby….” “I’m gunna go away now. I don’t like either of you. Never make me angry…” I growl. I feel myself go out as my eyes return to normal. “Uuuh...well, then…..That was….terrifying….” Luna says bluntly. Twilight shudders. “I hope he doesn’t want to kill me….or AJ….” “I doubt it. Besides, he wants to be away for a while. He’ll be a rarity for sure.” I chuckle, getting up. The library door opens, and I feel Shade take over as Discord himself struts in with a three piece suit on. “Hello, all! Your God of Chaos has arrived! I felt drawn here by a rather fiery chaos here.” “Leave, Discord.” He looks at me and smiles. “Aah, so this is who’s been wreaking havoc on the town? Lovely work.” “Thank you!” “Stay out of this.” He raises an eyebrow. “What was that?” He asks, sounding intrigued. “Discord, now isn’t a good time to be here.” Twilight says plainly. He clutched his chest. “E tu, Twilight? I just wanted to meet the little ghost whisperer in person. Is that so much to-” He couldn’t even finish as I grab his throat, my hand shrouded in a thick, black smoke. My eyes burrow into his head from how hard I glare at him, and he gulps softly. “I could care less of your pathetic introductions. You’ve done nothing but insult me since the moment you walked in! Your very existence is an insult to evil, and you disgrace the title of God of Chaos with your childish ways. So hear me well, whelp.” I squeeze, making him gag, his body starting to turn grey. “I expect you to treat me with respect or so help me I will tear your beating heart out and make you eat it while your daughter watches. Do I make myself perfectly clear, you pathetic excuse of a god?” His body completely greys, and he nods, tears in his eyes. I drop him to the floor. “Get out of my sight.” He scrambles to his feet and runs out. “What in Tartarus was that?!” Twilight yells, chasing after him. Fuck, Shade….Wasn’t that a bit much? Was it? Hmm...I didn’t notice. Ooh, I really hate him. His presence is an insult to chaos. Shade, dude...You need to calm the Hell down. I think you actually pumped depression into him… Oh, boy….Woops….Well, maybe he’ll drop the “God of Chaos” bullshit and actually learn from this. He’s never known chaos. He’s a fraud and a child. Even I thought that was a bit much… Even y- Uuugh! Fine. If I see him again, I’ll apologize. But he insults me just by existing… Why do you hate him so much? Chaos means to wreak havoc everywhere you go. I am the embodiment of your inner chaos. He says he rules over me, yet flaunts around parlor tricks and childs play. I see what you mean… You’re like a knight with a cowardly king… Exactly. Now, if he learns, he’ll either become a real God of Chaos, or he’ll drop the title completely. “Six…. Are...you still mad at me?” Luna asks, snapping me out of my thoughts. “What? Of course not. I wasn’t mad at you before...Why would I be?” “I...I almost killed you!” Luna cries. “I thought I could save you, but I nearly destroyed your mortal soul with my immortal burden.” “Princess, if I could take your burden, I would. And it’s not your fault. You need to forgive yourself…” Six, I may have an idea… What were you thinking? May I talk to her? Sure… “Princess, do you have a mirror in the castle that you could have hidden away?” She sniffles. “Y-yes….Why?” “I may be able to help after all. Can you take me there?” She nods, confused. Her hand glows, and we reappear in her bedchambers. “Six is a smart man, but I know a few things he doesn’t.” Six, keep Pyre under control while I do this. What’re you planning? I’m going to trap Nightmare Moon in The Reverse. That’s risky….can you do it? I can. And I will. Trust me. Alright. Do it. I look around, seeing a mirror with a black, wooden frame. “Where will you put this when I’m done. It must not break.” “Um...th-the Royal Sister’s vault! It’ll be lost there forever!” “Good.” I take a deep breath and grab Luna’s arm. My whole body screams in pain as I take the burden from her. I open my mouth as wide as I can and expel the negativity straight into the mirror, the black ooze flowing into the reflective surface as if it wasn’t there at all. Luna herself tenses up, absolutely terrified as the room fills with the screams of the damned. “WHAT’S HAPPENING?!” She yells. I tighten my grip, my gaze never breaking from the mirror. I feel my body start to shrivel bit by bit as the burden weighs on me. She tries to pull her arm out of my grip, but I don’t let her go. I finally stop and drop to the ground, the blackness vanishing into the mirror’s surface. The reflection darkens to black, no longer reflecting light. Luna gasps and grabs me as I cough. “S-Shade?! Shade, are you okay!? Six?!” “I….I’m fine….He’s resting….Is...is it all gone?” I ask weakly. She tears up, nodding with a smile. “Y-yes….She’s gone!” “Good….Could you heal me, please….” I black out. Six: Ch.16I’m not sure how long I was out, but it was dark out when I came to. I groan and sit up, stretching and cracking my back as I get out of bed….Wait, bed? I look, and notice I’m still in Princess Luna’s room, and I was sleeping in her bed… I’ll be hung for sure…. “Six? Are you awake?” I hear Luna call through the closed door. “U-uh, yeah!” I call out. The doors slowly open, and Luna steps inside, shutting the door behind her. She seemed different. Like her body had grown a little bit. She matched Princess Celestia in stature now. “Luna? What...happened to you?” “When you purged the Nightmare from me, I was able to retain my full form again. Six, why….why did you do that for me?!” She squeaks. I can hear her crying softly in the pitch black room. “Princess…?” “You...you could’ve died….The Nightmare could’ve killed you! Why did you risk your life to save mine?!” “Your life is more precious than mine. If I had died, I would’ve been forgotten eventually. But you, you and your sister are eternal. And if I hadn’t purged her from you, you may have died, or worse.” She sniffles, and suddenly wraps me in a tight hug. “Thank you….I owe you my gratitude!” “You don’t need to...Anyone would’ve if they could. I just happened to have the ability to.” Six, I have news. Right now? I’m talking to the Princess! No, you need to listen. Pyre’s escaped. When I purged Nightmare Moon, he hitched a ride and flew out of the room. I watched him do it! This is bad….At least he won’t last long...and he isn’t able to possess anyone...right? Let’s hope for everyone’s sake that he can’t. “Six, what’s wrong?” Luna asks. “O-Oh, uh..nothing. Just thinking.” Let me talk to her. Shade, you’re still weak from the purge. You should rest. Let. Me. Talk. To. Her. Fine. “Hello, Princess.” I say casually. She lets go of me and looks up into my eyes. “Shade….You….you should be resting….” “I can’t rest...I’ve come to tell you that Pyre has escaped our body.” “He what? When? How?” “The purge must have torn him out of our body, but we think he won’t last long without our body to host him.” “Thank you….” “I felt you needed to know.” “Not that, Shade….Thank you for saving me.” She kisses my cheek softly, and I blush slightly. “It was nothing. Your life is precious, and I would gladly have been erased to save you.” “Aren’t you...Six’s demon?” “Truthfully, n-Ggrn, not now, Six! Let m-me...Aah, jeez...Sorry, Princess. He, uh...passed out. Heh….” Why did you do that?! We should tell her! Did you forget what happened last time you told someone!? The hospital? The shock therapy? Huh?! I….haven’t forgotten…. Then do you see why we can’t say? ….yes…. “Six? Is everything okay?” “Huh? Oh, yeah. Just a little, uh...meeting of sorts. All done, though. So, um….I-I should probably get back to my room...Actually….Wait, am I gonna be killed for sleeping in your bed?” “Of course not! It was I that put you there!” I sigh with relief. “Thank you….” “Shall I….take you back home?” “Actually, Princess….I’d like to ask you a favor….If that’s alright.” “Of course! Anything!” “I would, uh….like to purchase some land in Ponyville to build a house….” “I could arrange it at once! There’s a large patch of land to the north of Ponyville just inside the town limits. Would that be acceptable?” “That would be great! But, just give me time to get the bits together…” “No need. You’ve saved us, and this is the least we can do. I’ll also personally take care of the building materials.” “You don’t have to do that, Princess….” “I must insist. I just ask one thing of you, Six. And this is personal to me.” “Anything.” “Keep the citizens of Ponyville happy. Practice your purging methods, and you could start a business. But you must learn to expel your own negativity in a healthy way.” “Okay….I will.” “Good. For now, I’ll send you back to your room at Princess Twilight’s castle. I’m sure she’ll have missed you. And young Applejack as well.” I blush hotly, making her giggle. With a flash of blue, I was back in the tower bedroom. It was dark, and I couldn't see a thing. “Damn it….I need to learn light magic….” I shuffle my feet slowly across the floor towards the bed. You know they’re afraid of you. I stop dead in my tracks, hearing a familiar, yet new voice. It was mine, but more….calm and sad. What are you talki- You’re just a burden to them. All of them. They only use you for your powers. You’re… USELESS I feel a twinge of pain in my chest as he says that. I-It’s not true….they all like me….they’re my friends...my family…. How can they be your friends if you’re a freak? They just pity you. It would be better if you’d just DISAPPEAR I feel another pain in my heart. I-It’s not true….Applejack, she- Only showed interest in you after you let her talk to her grandmother. And Twilight sees you as another lab rat to study. And even the Princesses….they just want your powers. If they found out how to replicate them, you’d be cast aside like garbage. That’s….that’s not true! I am useful! Name one thing useful that you did. Not your powers, you. I….. I couldn’t think of a single thing…. Exactly. You’re just a pathetic, cowardly wimp that can’t stand up for himself and is nothing but a burden to everyone. Th-that’s n- You bottom feed off of Twilight, you haven’t found a job, and your own parents loathe you. You were useless back then, and you’re useless now. What kind of man are you that your own sister had to stand up for you? I clench my fists tightly, tears streaming down my cheeks. It’s not true….they love me… You deserve to die. They want me around! You deserve to die. They’re my f-family…… You deserve to die. I….I…..I deserve to die…. They obviously hate you. I bet they only keep you because the Princesses ordered them to keep you around. If not for that, you’d be back in Canterlot, moping around. You couldn’t even get a job if you tried. You had to mooch off of the Princess for a place to stay. Pathetic. I-I deserve to die…. Besides, who would love a one-armed blindfolded freak like you? I bet your sister died just so she could get away from you! I……. Hmmmm? I want to die…. You what? I want….to die…. Then, let me take over. You won’t need to do anything. What the Hell?! Six, snap out if it! This...thing isn’t in control, you are!!! I deserve to die…. I feel my body walk on its own, towards the balcony of the tower. YOU DON’T DESERVE TO DIE, YOU IDIOT! Everyone needs you to live! I want...to die….. No, you don’t!! Why….why won’t everyone just LET ME DIE?! I suddenly feel weightless, my feet no longer on the floor as cool air rushes through my hair as I plummet to the floor. F-Finally…. But….release never comes…. When I open my eyes, I see Applejack holding me in her arms. She looked both furious and relieved. She sets me down, her fists clenched tightly. I can see tears streaming down her cheeks, and it makes my chest tighten. “WHAT THE HELL WERE YA THINKIN?!” She slaps me hard across the face, knocking me to the ground. “YER LUCKY AH SAW YA JUMP ER YOU’D BE….” She grits her teeth and kicks me square in the chest, knocking the wind out of me. She stays standing over me, breathing heavily and shaking. I cough and start to cry. “Why…..won’t you all just let me die…..” “Wh-whut…?” “WHY WON’T YOU ALL JUST LET ME DIE!?!?!?” I jump up, screaming at the top of my lungs. “Everything bad that’s happened since I’ve gotten here was my fault! MINE! And no matter what stupid or selfish thing I try, you all just won’t let me DIE! WHAT THE HELL DID I DO TO DESERVE SUCH KINDNESS?! I’VE DONE NOTHING BUT BE SELFISH THIS WHOLE TIME! I’VE USED ALL OF YOU TO GET A HOUSE, AND CLOTHES AND YOU ALL JUST KEEP….You keep saving me….” I drop to my knees, punching the ground the best I can. “Stupid! Stupid! Stupid people!!! I DON’T DESERVE YOUR KINDNESS! OR YOUR LOVE! OR YOUR FRIENDSHIP!! I JUST-” I knock myself off balance and fall to my left, landing with a heavy thud. I curl up and cry openly, not caring anymore about hiding it… “I’m just useless…..” I grip a handful of dirt tightly, my tears turning it to mud. There was a long moment of silence. When I eventually look back up at Applejack, her expression went from anger before to….sadness. “Y-ya really think….ya don’t….deserve ta live…?” “No….I don’t…..There’s nothing to live for…..I’m….alone….” She kneels down at my side and grabs my arm, yanking me up onto my knees. He has tears in her eyes, but a smile on her face. “Y-yer just n-not lookin in the right places. Six, ah…..” She tenses up briefly. She suddenly hugs me tightly, crying silently into my shoulder. “Y-y-yer not alone….ah-ah’m yer friend….Ah...ah need ya….” “You just want me so you can talk to your grandma…” She tenses up and backs up, looking me square in the eyes. “Y-yer not Six….He...he don’t think that….” “I’m his depression incarnate. And yes, he does. I can only relay what he already feels deep down.” “Y-yer lyin….A-ah know a liar when ah see one!” She shouts. “I’m not a liar. I tell the hard truth, and the truth is that he doesn’t want to live anymore.” “You….Ya bastard! Give him back!” “It’s a pity….He once thought you were pretty, but then he realized you used him for his power. You only took interest after he sent your Grandmother to Heaven.” “H-he thought a-ah was….That ain’t true! He’s mah friend!” “If that’s true, then why did you only start to show interest once he was useful to you? The orchard, then the grave? Face it. You and all the others have used him all this time. Everyone has.” “That ain’t true! Six, don’t listen ta this...liar! We do love ya! Yer one of our friends! We need ya! And ah ain’t gunna let ya do nothin dumb to yerself again!” She grabs her lasso from her hip, and before I can move, she ties me up tightly, binding me so fiercely that I can’t move a centimeter. “Do whatever you please, but he has decided that he no longer wants to suffer.” “Ah don’t care. Ah’m gunna make both of ya understand that yer loved!” “How pitiful. You still say you love him?” “Wh-ah-ah didn’t say ah loved him...h-he’s mah friend! But...ah-n-not love like that….” Now. I use my magic to teleport out of the restraints, appearing behind the castle. “It’ll be over soon. They’ll forget you in an instant…” I deserve to die…..I want to die….. I make my way towards the Everfree Forest, and I snag a piece of rope from Fluttershy’s cottage as I pass. Soon, Six. You’ll be free. You’ll be with her again. I deserve to die…...I want to die…..I w- I go into the trees, and go back through a clearing towards a path. It won’t be far now. I hear a flutter of wings above me, and I narrowly dodge Dash as she tries to grab me from behind me. “Waagh!” She slams into a tree as she zips past. “Too slow…” “Six! Snap out of it! Come on, this isn’t you!” “You don’t know anything about him, Dash. Don’t pretend to care…” I take the moment of hesitation she has as I say that to go further into the trees. I manage to find a tall tree and nod, throwing the rope up into a branch. I start tying a knot when I feel something around my wrists. When I look down, a set of handcuffs were attached to my wrists. “Gotcha, Sixie! No friend of mine is gonna be sad!” Pinkie chirps. “Your parties don’t make him happy….They make him more sad… You’re no friend of his.” I use magic to release the cuffs as her hair deflates like a balloon. “H-he...doesn’t think of me as a friend?” “No.” I say flatly. I deserve to die…...I want to die…...I won- Pinkie curls up under the tree, crying. Before I can get the noose around my neck, a purple aura yanks it all out of the tree and makes the rope disappear. Twilight, and the rest of her friends have found me. Pinkie joins them, still a bit defeated. “Six, I know you’re in there! You need to fight this guy! He’s lying to you!” Twilight yells. “Honestly, for the Princess of Friendship, you really don’t see that you...ALL OF YOU have been horrible “friends”? You’ve cared little about how he’s doing and what he’s feeling and more about what he can do and how he can benefit you. You all should be ashamed to even call yourselves his friends. He has no friends. He just has meddlesome people that pity him because he’s some new toy with a broken piece.” They all look stunned, especially Applejack and Pinkie Pie. “I’ve decided that you all are unable to speak the truth freely to him because you all know I’m right. So…” I snap, and I bind all of them to a tree with my magic, and I use dissipation magic on Twilight and Rarity to keep them. “I’ll be forcing each of you to tell him their honest opinions about him.” “That’s simple…” Twilight interrupts confidently. “Using a Truth Spell.” They all look shocked. I grin, tapping my chin. “What’s the matter? Afraid to confirm my truths? Hmm...I could just kill him while you all watch, but that would be too fast. So, I’ll do it at the same time.” I cast the spell on Rainbow first, while I get another rope woven from vines. “Go on, Dash. What do you think of Six, hmm?” She winces, biting her tongue. “I-I….I think his powers are scary….” “As I th-” “But he’s a really nice guy, and he’s kinda hot…” I nearly drop the rope. “Wh-wha….Did I cast this spell wrong?” They care…. No! I cast it on Fluttershy next. “You! Spill it!” “I..I...m-meep….” She blushes hotly. “Hmm...Resilient. What do you think of Six?” “H-He’s gentle and kind, and….I’m not scared of you or his powers! They help so many people!” I clench my teeth tightly. They want me…. “You! Rarity! What do you think of him!” I cast it on her. “W-well, I suppose that he is rather intimidating...but, I think he’s much too bashful to do anything to any of us! I….I even think his scars are sexy….” I look at her, extremely confused, then turn to Twilight, who was grinning. “You! You’re stopping the truth spell! How!?” I yell, pointing at her accusingly. She scoffs. “It’s obvious that you were wrong. Give up.” I cast the spell on her. “What do you think of Six? Be honest.” She bites her lip, her gaze not meeting mine. “Well, um….Okay, it’s true! In the beginning, he was mostly just someone for me to study from! But, as I got to know him better, I realized that I…..I…..I like him!” I think my heart stopped…. She...likes me? Shut up, you! “One of you has to hate him!” I cast the spell on Pinkie next. “You! What-” “I think he’d be great in bed! He’s just so big, and- Oopsie, did I say that out loud?” My nose is bleeding…. I look to Applejack last. She looks nervous. “Of course. After all the things I said to you earlier, you’ve grown to hate him.” I cast it on her. “What do you think of him?” She gulps, her eyes darting around. The others look at her nervously. “Ah...ah….ah…..” I raise a brow. She winces. “AH LIKE HIM A LOT, CONSARN IT! And it ain’t because he talked ta Granny! He talked ta me like ah was just a regular girl, not some slab of meat fer a griffon ta oggle. He made me feel like ah wasn’t just some dumb country bumpkin!” Not one….. You were wrong….They want me here…. “N-no! Nngh...N-no, yo-you’ll regret this! I will not let you torment my friends anymore!” I finally break free and gasp, finally able to breathe again. Being in my head’s a bit stuffy. They all collapse to the floor as his magic fails. I drop to my knees, tears in my eyes. They...they all really want me here….I actually have friends…. I won’t deny that you have friends now, Six. But I refuse to believe that this world is better for you than Heaven. Believe what you want. But, as far as I’m concerned…. I look around at the girls, who were helping each other up, smiling nervously. This is Heaven... Six: Ch.17After the whole fiasco had calmed down, and I had apologised profusely for my actions, they all finally leave. All except Applejack, who refused to leave my side as I walked back towards the castle. “Uuuh...AJ. I’m okay, now….You don’t have to follow me around.” “Nnope. Ah’m stickin to ya like a stain on white clothes.” “Weird analogy, but okay….. Hey, uh….since you’re around, would you like to, uh...hang out tomorrow?” She goes completely pale. “U-uuuh, ah can’t. Ah’ve, uuuh...got some stuff ta do! Yeah...See ya later!” She zips off towards her farm. Weird reaction…. A simple no would’ve been fine… She’s hiding something. I say we follow her. What?! Why!? Aren’t you curious? No!........a little……. Okay, so tomorrow, we’ll follow her. She won’t even notice we’re there. It is rather strange…..she did say she was going to stay with me….But she ran off….She has to be hiding something….Maybe I shouldn’t… You should. If you are her friend, maybe this will bring you closer. Yeah…..You’re right. If something is bothering her, maybe I can help. I did promise Luna… I nod and head back to the castle. By the next morning, I woke up giddy, feeling excited to finally be doing something productive. As I head downstairs, fully clothed again with blindfold and all, Twilight stops me at the doorway. “Six, there you are! I’ve been looking everywhere for you! I’ve made a breakthrough on how I can regrow your arm and-” “Sorry, Twilight. But I gotta go. Can this wait?” “I-uh...I-I guess so….” She sounds a little hurt. I bite my lip. “Alright, fine. But quick, though. I have some errands to run today.” She beams and pulls me along into the library. There were papers strewn all over the floor. Countless books were scattered and thrown all around, and Twilight looked rather frazzled. “Are you alright? Were you...up all night?” “Yes! Well, um….It...it was my fault that you lost your arm….and it’s only fitting that I try to make you a new one…” “Make? I thought you were going to try and regrow it?” “Well, it’s a bit of both! But it’s still in its trial stage right now. Basically, I did a thorough study on regeneration magic for plants and objects, and I found there was a case back around Ponyville’s founding where Princess Celestia used the Elements of Harmony to cure an old man of blindness! I think that they may have some sort of regenerative properties, as well as their purifying properties. That would explain why the girls and I weren’t scraped or bruised after we used the Elements during a fight. They must’ve healed us! So, I think that if I can use their energy properly, I could regrow your arm.” I shake my head, blinking a few times. “Was that english?” She groans and facepalms. “I’m going to regrow your arm with the Elements of Harmony.” “What!? Wouldn’t there be some kind of repercussion for using that?” “That’s why it’s a trial. But, I needed to get a mold of your other arm for dimensions so the new one won’t be lopsided.” I sigh. “Alright. Go ahead, Twilight.” I sit on the couch as she gathers plaster and newspaper with her magic, quickly wrapping my fully extended arm in the cold, wet gunk. “How long will this take?” Her hand glows softly, and she waves it over the plaster cast. It instantly hardens. “That long. Now, slowly pull your arm out.” I nod and very carefully remove my arm from the mold. “Perfect! I’ll get to work straight away!” “Uuh...okay…” She was already rummaging through papers. I shrug and leave, heading out towards the farm. The sun just begins to rise as I get to the farm. I hide behind a nearby tree and wait, seeing Applejack’s bedroom light was still on. Good, I haven’t missed her yet. It takes almost another hour until her light turns off and she comes out the front door. She waves back at someone, probably Big mac or Applebloom, and heads not towards town, but towards Fluttershy’s cottage. “Huh?” I carefully follow her, being sure I can barely see her. I had made sure to wear more Ponyville-esque colors so I would fit in rather than my normal black. I had to borrow one of Spike’s t-shirts, which was a bright green. It fit rather snugly. As she approaches the cottage, she looks around. I quickly dive into a bush, hoping she hadn’t seen me. When i can see the coast is clear, I peer out. She was standing outside of Fluttershy’s cottage, talking to the shy mare very sternly. Something must be serious. Fluttershy nods and slips AJ a little bag, then hugs her as AJ leaves, going into the Everfree treeline. “Just where the Hell are you going?” I sneak along behind her, matching my footsteps to hers at a 50 yard distance to avoid detection. She walks quite a ways in, but eventually reaches what looks like an old, beat up hut of some kind that had masks and cauldrons everywhere. She knocks on the door, and I watch silently from a nearby tree. The door opens to a dark-skinned woman with a black and white mohawk. She had a figure very similar to AJ’s bottom heavy one, but this woman was just slightly smaller in both height and width. Pervert. Eat my entire ass. The mare smiled and gestured AJ into the hut. She steps in, and the door closes. I carefully approach the hut and peer in the window. AJ was sitting on a wicker chair, fidgeting nervously, while the mystery woman grabbed various bottles and relics from her littered walls. I manage to catch the dark mare’s name is “Zecora”, but not much else. As Zecora throws various things into a cauldron, it starts to bubble and glow. I look around briefly, noticing that it was already sundown. The day had passed so quickly… When I look back at the two, Zecora had thrown what I could assume was the last piece of the potion she must’ve been brewing. It glows brightly before firing a beam of light into the sky. As it reaches the treetops, a magic dome slowly spreads across the sky above me. “Crap!” I make a run for the edge of the dome, but it hits the ground before I get close. I slam into it hard, being knocked back into a tree. “Gaah, damn it! Trapped….Did AJ notice I followed her, so she trapped me here to punish me? No...She said we’re friends….Maybe it’s something else…” I start to head back towards the hut just as sunset approaches, and the moon slowly rises. It was a full one tonight. Wow, one of seven this week...Luna, great job ag- My thoughts are interrupted by a loud howl in the distance. It sounded like a timber wolf, but...not wood-like enough. It sounded too natural. “Oh, crap….Applejack!” I sprint full speed towards the hut, but I only get about three feet from the door before I slam into another barrier, falling over. “I need to invent a new swear word….So, this is a doughnut shaped barrier?” I feel around the inside barrier, and sure enough, it was a doughnut shape. A big dome outside with a small dome around the hut. “What the Hell is this for?” I hear the loud howl again, this time a bit closer. “Let’s see, um….This looks like ten square miles….And there’s either something outside this dome….or something inside…” I quickly try to teleport, but my magic fizzles out. “Gngh...heh….fizzled under confounded karma. Heh. This is what I get for being nosy….Hey, that could be a new curse word….F.U.C.K.” I tense up hard as I hear breathing nearby me. I look around, and I see a set of glowing, green eyes staring at me from the treeline. “Applejack? Hey, look. I’m sorry for following you. I just...I was worried about you. You’re my friend, and I was worried that something was bothering...you….” I back up slowly as I see not Applejack, but a towering, bipedal wolf step into the moonlight. Its fur was a burnt orange color, and it had a mouth full of sharp teeth. And it was glaring at me, growling. My heart sinks. “U-u-uuh...I-I, uh...I’ll just…….go!” I make a mad sprint away from the beast, my heart racing as I make a mad rush towards the hut. “HELP! SOMEONE HELP!!” I holler out, but to no avail. It seems the Zecora woman sound-proofed her hut. I leap up into a tree, clinging to the trunk as I climb as high as I can, really wishing I had my other arm. The beast sniffs around the trees beneath me. Now that I can get a good look at it, it looks rather well build. And it’s oddly human….And, judging by the, uh...bits and bobs visible, it was clearly a “she”. And she had very wide hips….familiarly wide hips. No….fuck…..way…...No, that won’t work….Would fucking work? Yeah. Lemme try that again. No….fucking…..way…… Yeah that works. “A-Applejack?” The beast’s tail flicks around and its-her ears twitch as her head turns up to look at me. It only takes a moment of direct eye contact to finally tell. “Oh, Celestia...It is you….Y-you’re a…...a werewolf?! H-how is this possible?! They don’t exist!!” Well, objectively speaking, neither should demons or ghosts… SHUT UP YOU FUCKING ASS! God, I’m glad I made that word. Maybe it’ll catch on. Applejack, or Applewolf, growls and digs her claws into the tree trunk, her long, dog-like legs pushing her to full height. She had to be nearly Luna’s height like this...I wish i had my notebook of the paranormal… “This may not be the best time, but could I study you if I survive this?” I call down. She roars and slashes at me, slashing a fairly deep gash in my thigh. “Gaaah! Fuck! Ngh...Guess not….Wow, that word caught on fast….” I try to pull myself up the tree a bit further, but I can't hold onto the trunk as well with my leg damaged. I slip off the trunk and lad with a heavy crunch on the hard forest floor. I scream in agony as my thigh bone snaps, stabbing through the gash in my leg. “FUUUUUUCK!!!! AAAAAAH!” I scream in pain, clutching my leg. I look up, my heart plummeting as Applewolf snarls down at me, sniffing at my wounded leg. “Y-you wouldn’t…..” She gets close to my face, sniffing me closely. Then, out of nowhere, she leaves. “Wh-what the...aagh...fucking leg….” I take my shirt off and bite into it. This is really gonna hurt….. Shall I take over and fix it for you? You don’t need to do that… I insist. I won’t kill you. Fine. I grab the stuck-out bone and shove it hard back into place. I scream in agony before blacking out. When I eventually come to, it’s still very dark out. I couldn’t see much of anything. I shakily sit up, feeling a bit light-headed. I take the shirt out of my mouth and make a makeshift bandage out of it [sorry, Spike], and I tie it around my leg. “Ngh...A-at least Applej-wolf left me alone...She has so much explaining to do if I don't bleed out…” I take off my blindfold, tying it around my upper thigh to stop the bleeding. When I look around, I can see small gold figures scurrying around the thick brush. “Mm...must be animals….” I look around closely, before I see a much larger golden glow approaching me from behind. It was Applewolf. I wince as I try to back away from her. But she gets right in front of me and stops, dropping something onto the ground. I groan. Still don’t have night vision, but I’m guessing by the sound the drop made, it’s probably a dead animal of some kind. It must’ve gotten stuck with the others...but why was she giving this to me…. AW, as I’ll call her when she’s like this, scoots the carcass over to me with her snout. “H-heh….th-thanks….” I carefully pick it up. Oh, God….It was a little raccoon. She walks around between me and the tree behind me and she lays down, huffing. “Wait...is...is this an apology?” I look back. She just grunts. “Guess so….” I stay completely still, just focusing on my thoughts. But, I start to feel dizzy again. Oh...I’m gonna faint from blood loss… When I come to again, I’m blinded by a bright, white room. I was in the hospital again. I look around groggily, my stomach groaning at me angrily. Applejack was back to normal and clothed, laying on the couch in the room. I look at my leg, and it was wrapped in a cast and thick bandages. “Gaah...damn it…..that was all real….” I sit up a little and wince, my head throbbing. I notice an I.V. bag in my arm, and a blood bag. I must’ve bled out a bit… I look outside. It must be about midday. “Hey...Applejack. Wake up.” I poke her nose. “Gaaah….Maac….five more minutes….” “It’s not Mac, AJ.” She jolts awake, nearly head-butting me in the face. “Six! Yer awake! Oh, Celestia, ah’m so sorry!” “For what? AJ, it wasn’t your fault…” She starts to cry, squeezing the blankets at my feet hard. “Ah...ah just can’t control it….” “When….does iit happen? Just the full moon?” “Not just that….it also happens when ah’m real mad….but ah only change at night.” I nod understandingly. “Ya probably hate me….” “What? Why would I hate you?” “AH GORED YER LEG!” “.......and?” “Ya don’t care?!” “Why would I? It was an accident. You had no control of yourself. And besides, now I get to study you!” She laughs. “Not a chance.” “But...Applewolf promised…” “Who Now?” “Applewolf! That’s what I’m calling her!” She facepalms and sighs. “Alright, alright...Well, guess ah can’t be breakin promises.” I smile and lay back down. “You know...once you get passed the “maul you apart with your teeth” thing, your wolf form’s kinda h-huuuah….” I slur hard, stopping myself. “It’s kinda whut?” “Huuueh...h-hoooooouuagh…..For fuck’s sake, he thinks it’s hot!” Thanks…. Jackass. Up yours. AJ chuckles. “Ya really think that? Hehe. Don’t go takin it the wrong way er nothin, but yer a little off yer rocker.” “What gave you that idea, Applejack?” I say, Shade and...Sombre. Good name. Shade and Sombre adding. She laughs. “That’s a new one. Ya sound like one of them voice boxes ya see in theatre that plays sounds when ya push a button, but ya can’t made up yer mind.” “I aim to entertain.” Suck up. Kiss ass. You both suck. I groan and smack myself upside the head. They can’t feel it, but it makes me feel better. Fuckers. Hey, a new use! And Shade had one too! AJ laughs. “Well, guess the secret’s out now. But ya can’t go followin me around like that no more. Ah could’ve killed ya!” “I know...I was just….I was worried about you...You’re my friend, and I thought you were upset or something…” She swats my good leg with her hat. “Ah guess that’s fair. But yer gonna be bedridden fer a while now. And no gettin up.” “Wait, can’t the doctors just fix it with magic?” “Well, no. See, ah found out that werewolf attacks are magic, like a spell. So it takes time ta heal.” Damn it…. “Well, shit… How long am I jammed in this bed? Oh, and thanks for putting my old blindfold back on.” “Eeyup. Yer stuck here ‘bout two weeks.” I huff. “Gonna be sooo bored….” “Hey, ah’ll come visit ya! Oh, and don’t go tellin this ta nobody. Only you, Shy, and Zecora knows. Got it?” “Awe...I thought Pinkie could throw an “AJ’s a puppy now!” party!” I tease. AJ growls, her eyes briefly glowing green. “N-nevermind...j-just teasing….” I gulp softly. She laughs, making my heart skip a few thousand beats. “Ah’m just yankin yer chain. See ya tomorrow!” She leaves. As soon as she shuts the door, I let out a heavy sigh. “That girl is scary…..it’s kind-of attractive….” “You just want a piece of that ass.” “And you don’t?” “I have more, eh….refined tastes…” “I ought to slap you for even saying that girl isn’t refined Did you even see dat ass!?” “I have. And it’s not my style.” “He has the hots for Luna.” “Shade, you sly dog!” “Damn you, Sombre! Stop reading my thoughts!” “I have no way to stop that function.” “Damn it!” “It’s like a soap opera in here….” I close my eyes, going into my mind. All was dark briefly before the bedroom of the tower appears around me. To my left was who I assumed was Sombre. He wore all black clothes and a blank expression. He even looked black and white. Shade was to my right, suit, tie, and fedora as usual. “Shade….Sombre.” I say plainly. “Why are we here this time?” “You have nothing better to do but sleep and complain.” “Do we have to keep him around?” “Unless you can find a way to kick him out, then no. Now, about this Pyre business….” “His essense most likely bonded to one of the guards, but there’s a chance it bonded to one of the Princesses.” “That would be very bad….” “You’re telling me.” I sigh and rub my temples, turning to Sombre. “You need to learn not to force me to kill myself. Ever. If I die, you die.” “I make no promises, but I will attempt.” “Great...I go from the ‘I wanna kill everyone’ to ‘Kill yourself’ in one fell swoop. Damn it….” “At least you have me?” “You….yeah, at least I have you. You’ve always been that guardian Devil.” “Rude. I only keep my eye on you because you and I made a deal. You reap demons for me, and you go to Heaven when you eventually die.” “I remember. Sorry about the crude nickname, but it was the best I could do on short notice.” “It’s fine for now, but I got a bit cocky back there the other day. They already fear me as it is. They would all have a fit if they found out I was Satan.” That’s right. Shade was indeed the Lord of Darkness himself. When I had died the first time, my soul went to hell for all the burdens I carried. When I got there, he made a deal with me: Gather demons and send them to Hell through him, and I get to go to heaven when I eventually die. I agreed, and was brought back. Now, I have a little devil on my shoulder. As I refocus my mind, I look around the hospital room. It was nighttime now, and I swear I could hear a soft howl in the distance. Why does she have to be so painfully THICC….. Six: Ch.18I don’t know why, but I couldn’t sleep that night. I felt absolutely restless laying in that bed. And I had a month of this?! “I need to get out of here….” That may be a bad idea. You can’t walk. Shut up, I can get a wheelchair. Hell, there’s one in the corner right there! Hm….That may work. You really do fascinate me, Six. Yeah, yeah. Shut up… I carefully take the tubes and wires out and off my body before carefully standing up, being sure to keep no weight on it at all. I hold onto the side of the bed and hobble my way over to the wheelchair, sitting down. It’s only 8pm. There may be guards waiting outside. In a hospital? Since when? You’re a high-priority target now, since you’ve become the Purge of Darkness. The what of whonow? Do you not read? There was a newspaper on the nightstand with your picture and a headline “Local Citizen Sixth Sense knighted by Princess Luna for the banishment of Nightmare Moon” It said that?! I-I wasn’t knighted! Apparently you don’t need to be present for that. I groan and carefully peek out the door. There was a Lunar guard standing at the end of the hallway. My only escape. “Son of a bitch….” Where did that come from? I dunno. It just felt right. Gotta use that one…. I look around the small room for any means of escape, and I see a window. “Hmm….Do you think that I could fit through that?” Unlikely with the wheelchair. Six, do you still remember your hypnosis class from magic school? “Of course I do. I carry the pocket watch on me all the time.” Let me take over for a minute. I can get you outside. Alright. I crack my neck and back before grabbing whatever clothes I could gather of mine and try to put them on. I manage to get fully dressed, since my pant leg was shredded from the attack the night before. “Feels good to be dressed again. Those rags you call a gown are too thin and disgusting for my tastes.” I wheel him out the door and I pull the watch from the inside pocket of his jacket. I am very glad that you took this class. How many people took this outside of you? It was me and Twilight. No one else wanted to take it. But I doubt Twilight even remembers me in her class. As I approach the guard, he turns to face me and steps in my path. “Sir, you musn’t be out of bed yet. Princess Luna’s orders.” She won’t mind a little outing… I pull out the watch and smile. “Would you like to see my watch? Look closely at it.” The guard, rather dumbly, leans down and stares at it while I start to gently swing it. “It would be easier if...you didn’t….swing….it…..” His eyes swirl over and he stands motionless. “Good. Now, hear me. You will believe that S-that I am in bed, sleeping. No matter who or what says otherwise, I am sleeping in that bed. When I snap my fingers, you will fall asleep for exactly thirty seconds, then you will resume your post.” He nods slowly. I put the watch away and snap my fingers. He instantly clatters to the floor, asleep. “Sleep well, imbecile…” I wheel myself down the hall and out the door, glad it was nighttime. As I finally get back into the street, I give Six control back. I smile and stretch, loving the night air. “Alright. To the Everfree.” What?! Why? To see Applewolf again. Are you trying to kill yourself?! No, he isn’t. He’s going to study her. ALL of her. Stop insinuating things! I’m just...curious… Pervert. I am not! Fucking dick… I wheel myself through the empty streets and right into the forest. Surprised there aren’t more people out… People are afraid of the beast of Everfree during the full moon week. Is that what they call her….? Indeed. And you called her a beast, too. I DIDN’T KNOW IT WAS APPLEJACK! I sigh and make my way through the trees, really hating this wheelchair more and more as it sticks to branches and twigs every six millimeters. But, I do eventually reach the barrier. But, oddly enough, I couldn’t touch it. When I reached my hand through, it passed straight through it. “What the Hell….?” It may be a one-way barrier to keep things inside, but also let things freely move inside. Perhaps for hunting purposes… I’m just glad that no one’s brave enough to try and hunt her, not that they could do much to her like this. Why not? I read that werewolves are virtually unkillable in their beast-state, but are vulnerable to silver. But you can’t truely kil lthem unless they’re out of beast form. And you’d have to behead them. Way to lighten the mood, asshat. I am not wearing a donkey on my head… NOT WHAT I MEANT! We all fall silent as a soft growl approaches the barrier. I push myself back with my good leg. Out of a thicket peered out those glowing eyes again. And she was looking right at me. “Hey, AW. I came to see you. Did you miss me? You did quite a number on me last night.” I chuckle. And now you’re talking to her…. Oh, eat shit and die! …..Dick. I smile at her warmly, hoping she doesn’t find me threatening. And it seems to be working. She sits just inside the barrier and looks right at me, as if she was studying me like I was studying her. “Incredible….She acts so...wolf-like in this state, but has some higher form of consciousness compared to them. This is incredible.” I grab my notebook from my jacket pocket as well as a pen, and I start to sketch her as she is. Bet you’re glad I can draw. Yeah, I am…. I sketch a full-body image of her, standing in a hunting pose, slightly crouched over with her claws out to her sides. It was thrilling. When I look back up at her, she was leaned as close as she could get to the barrier. She didn’t look at all threatening like this. She almost looked...upset. I notice that her eyes’ glow was illuminating my leg. Oh, now I understand. “I’m not upset with you about that, AW. Neither of you. You didn’t know better.” She whines and pushes her forehead against the barrier. Oh, my God...that is so fucking cute. New use of the word! Yes! “I’m gonna trust you here, AW. Just...relax, okay?” I very slowly wheel myself through the barrier, and I face her. She quietly approaches me and sits at my feet, looking me square in the eye. Well, what would be my eyes if mine weren’t covered. “See? I’m a friend.” I raise my hand in a show of passiveness. That seems to work. She rests her large head on my lap and huffs. She’s just like a dog. A huge, seven foot dog… I carefully lower my hand down and feel her fur. It was very thick, and it felt similar to felt or wool. It was very pleasant to the touch. I slowly pet her head and neck, being extra careful not to make any rapid or sudden movements. “Not gonna hurt you...You’re okay here.” She suddenly sits up and leans extremely close to my face. I gulp and chuckle nervously. “H-hey.” She licks my face, making me shudder. Her tongue felt like rough sandpaper. “Does that mean you like me now? Heh…” She howls loudly, making my ears ring, before she dashes back into the trees. As soon as she’s out of sight, I grip my chest to stop my heart from bursting out in fear. That was possibly the dumbest thing you’ve ever done! I figured she would recognise me and let me go. I didn’t expect her to actually know who I was… How could you possibly tell she knew who you were? Didn’t you see? She was looking at my leg. She remembered that she hurt me. She knew who I was, which meant that AJ is still in some semblance of control in there. So I trusted her. And it payed off. Well, now you’re stuck in here with her until morning. I don’t mind. It’s nice in here. Very peaceful… PEACEFUL?! You have a seven foot monster in here with you! SHE’S NOT A MONSTER! SHE’S JUST MISUNDERSTOOD! SHE DIDN’T ASK FOR THIS! He falls silent. She’s not a monster…. I’m sorry, alright? I...overstepped a line there. It’s fine. Just...just take it easy tonight. I’ll keep an eye on her. I’m not sure when I dozed off, but I wake up to the sound of a pained whimper. I snap awake and wheel myself as fast as I can in the direction. Applejack’s hurt! But, when I get to the scene, AW was there, looking up at the rising sun. She howls and whines as her back and legs snap sickeningly, reforming into a smaller shape. She writhes on the ground as her spine condenses and straightens, and her muzzle shatters and reforms a flat face. All of her hair falls off, and her claws retract into her fingers, leaving a completely naked Applejack lying on the forest floor, panting heavily. It took only a minute, and my stomach is doing flips from the sickening sounds her breaking bones made. I take my jacket off and toss it over her, my cheeks bright red from embarrassment. She jumps a little as it covers her, and she looks back at me, just as her glowing eyes return to normal. “S-six? Aah….What’re ya doin here? Ya ought...ta be in the hospital.” “I came to see you. Well, both of you. And I’m glad I did. She trusts me.” Her eyes widen. “That thing actually trusts ya?” “Rude. It’s a she, not an it. And she trusts me as much as you do. She even let me pet her.” Her cheeks turn beet red. “Ya ought ta be restin...How’d ya git passed the guard?” “Magic. But the point here is that she trusts me enough for me to be in her hunting space. And she actually felt guilt and remorse! This was an amazing discovery!” “Six...Ya can’t be doin this again. You could git hurt...er worse!” She.covers herself with my jacket and goes towards Zecora’s hut, just as the barrier disappears. I turn away, hearing her change back into her clothes. Before I can turn back, I feel her grab the handlebars on my wheelchair as she pushes me back towards town. “Ya should’ve stayed in the hospital, Six. Yer not well enough ta be out and about yet.” “I can handle myself…” “With whut? Ya don’t know much magic, and ah doubt ya’ll could spook off a hydra er a chimera if they decided to attack ya! Didja forget yer in the Everfree?” “....kinda…..” “Ah’m takin ya to Twilight and havin ya put under house arrest till yer better.” “....you wouldn’t….” “Ah would...and ah am.” I bring the back of my hand to my forehead dramatically. “E tu, Applejack?” She laughs. “Yer not changin mah mind.” I huff and pout. “That usually works….” “Not on me it ain’t….” “Damn it….Why can’t I study her? I even sketched her last night.” “Ya draw?” “Well….Shade can. I can’t…” “....ah gotta talk to ya about all that one of these days….But, uh...can ah see? Whut she looks like?” “You...don’t know?” “Nope. Ah don’t remember nothin when ah’m like that.” “Oh...well, uh...sure. My sketchbook is in my jacket pocket.” I hear her reach in and pull it out. I wheel myself along so she has both hands. “Oh, mah God….Ah’m….ah’m that big?” “Yeah...It’s really fascinating…” “......ah ought ta wear slimmin jeans, then….” Wait, what? OH FUCK! I snag the book out of her hand and turn to the Applewolf page. She laughs. “Ya could’ve asked if ya wanted ta draw me, Six.” “I-I was doing it for studying!” “Uh huh…” I hand her the book, open to the right page this time. “Sweet Celestia….Ah’m ferocious lookin….And ah didn’t lose much size wise when ah change, ah guess. And ya just walked right up ta her? Ya got some pair on ya ah guess.” I chuckle and take the book back, hiding it out of sight. We get back to the edge of the forest, and she leans close to my ear. “Ya know, yer drawin of me ain’t bad. Why don’tcha come by the farm after yer better and ah’ll let ya draw me again.” A heavy blush covers my face and my heart flutters. “O-o-okay…” “But if ah find out ya went runnin off after me again, ah’m not gunna talk to ya ever.” “But...but…..but….” “Butts are fer ash trays. Now, git goin. Ah need ta git home and sleep. Ah’m tuckered out. Ah’ll visit ya in the mornin!” I wave to her as she runs off. With my jacket….Aaah, she can keep it. Suits her better anyway… You really want her, don’t you? You have no idea. And it was even before she told me how she felt back….Ooh, I’m a hopeless romantic. You’re just hopeless. Fuck off! Six: Ch.19This week was probably the longest and most boring weeks in my life. Of course, AJ told Twilight that I was in the forest, looking for the Everfree Beast, which made her flip her shit. She locked me in the library for the rest of that week, and only let me out to use the bathroom or eat. But, on the plus side, I’ve been learning new spells with my pass time. “Come on….” I focus my magic on a potted plant. My hand glows a soft grey and the plant starts to grow out of its pot, spreading over the table. “Yes! I did it! Fucking finally! That took soooo looong!” I groan, burying my head in my hands. The door to the library opens and Twilight walks in with a tray of food, and AJ behind her. “What does that mean, anyway? Fuck?” Twilight asks. “Ooh, I made it when i was, uuh...trying to catch the beast. It stands for: fizzled under confounded karma. The spell failed, and I shouted Fuck! It made me feel better.” Twilight chuckles and sets my tray on my lap. “I see you got the overgrowth spell to work.” “Yeah, finally! It took so long! And I killed so many plants….” Twilight chuckles. “But, hey. You got a visitor.” AJ hugs me tightly, and I hug her back. “It’s been a while, AJ. No visitors at all.” “Sorry bout that. Been apple buckin real hard fer the new season.” I nod and smile. I knew she had been sleeping in. That wolf form must take a lot out of her. At least she looks healthy. “Well, the Doctor says you should be able to walk soon. And I can take off your cast. But you still have to be kept under watch for another three weeks. So, I’ve asked the girls to rotate nursing shifts here with you.” “Uuuuh….Why?” “I have to go up to Canterlot to teach a seminar about transformative magic. It’s in two weeks.” “Then….why aren’t you staying here until then?” “I have to study! And practice!” “Cuz yer a distraction, Six.” Twilight blushes deeply, making me blush. “He is not….” She pouts, making AJ laugh. “Well, let’s get this cast off, then I’ll go pack.” Twilight’s hand glows softly and the cast splits open. She carefully takes it off. My leg looks fairly normal, save for four long, deep scars across my thigh and a long stitch scar from my knee to my hip. It looks worse than it feels. AJ winces a little as she sees it. “I have no idea what that beast is, but I’m glad it stays out there. If it can do damage like this that even I can’t heal, it must be really dangerous. Fluttershy says it’s friendly, though...Why did it attack you?” “I think I invaded its hunting grounds without realizing, and it felt threatened. So it was my fault, not its.” Twilight shrugs. “It’d be interesting to get a look at it, but so far, I’d rather keep my distance.” I look to AJ for approval, pulling out my sketchbook. She shrugs. “Well, uh...I was able to draw it….” “You did!? Let me see!” I hand her the book. And I made sure to keep only monster sketches in there. The personal ones I hid somewhere where no one would find them… Let me guess….It’s in your room, under your mattress. DAMN YOU, SHADE! Twilight flips the book open, and her eyes go wide. “Are….you sure this was it?” “Uuh, yeah. I sat there and drew it before AJ found me and wheeled me over here.” She examines the image closely. “It’s obviously a she….it looks like a wolf, but it’s bipedal….Hmm….It looks very well toned, so it must be a lone hunter. There most likely aren’t more of them. Mind if I borrow this?” I shrug. “Go ahead. I’d like it back, though. I’m writing a book on supernatural creatures and monsters.” She nods and heads upstairs, leaving me with AJ. “Yer a pretty good liar, Six. Ya almost had me convinced.” “Lots of practice.” I smile and eat my sandwich. PB and J. Blegh….5 times in a row…. AJ sits on the arm of my wheelchair, her hip pressed against my upper arm. S-soft! Pervert. Let me have this one, asshole! “Have ya been keepin yer promise and stayin here?” “I-I told you I would…” I say softly. Ooh, a piece of candy! “Well, ah did promise ta let ya draw me again. So ah asked Twilight fer the first week. And since Spike’s goin with her, it’ll just be you and me.” She leans against me a little harder. Sweet Celestia’s nipple she’s soft! I blush deeply, sipping my water. “Didja name yer depressin side yet?” She asks. “U-uh, yeah….Sombre.” “Hmm...And ah’m guessin Sombre told ya how we all feel?” I choke on my water, coughing and sputtering. “N-no! Of course not! Hahahahahahaaaa! Not at all! Ooh, a piece of candy!” I scream, panicked. AJ laughs. “So, he did?” “..........yes………” She grins. “Ya know, we all told ya how we felt. But ya never told us. How do ya feel about us? Ah know how ya feel about me~” She rests her arms on my shoulder, her breasts pressed against my ear. My nose starts bleeding. The door to the library suddenly bursts open, and Twilight marches in. She looked furious. I’m saved! I thought you liked Applejack. I do! Just….I-I dunno if I feel like that about her...you know….love? …..you’re serious? They all like me! I can’t break any of their hearts! It would kill me! Or they would kill me! Especially Applejack! ….good point. “Applejaaack….” Twilight says angrily. AJ chuckles and quickly gets up. “A-ah...Twi, it ain’t what ya think...agh!” Twilight grabs her ear and drags her out of the room, literally kicking and screaming. As the doors shut after them, I sigh softly, looking down at my leg. I won’t be a hindrance anymore… I grab the sides of the wheelchair and push myself up. I put a little weight onto it. It hurts a little, but it’s manageable. “Good start...I just need a cane or something….” I look around for a moment before seeing a long, wooden pole in the corner of the room. It seemed rather out of place, but at least it would do. I levitate it over and hold it, putting my weight into it. This thing has to be six or seven feet tall….What’s it for? I shrug and use the stick as a makeshift crutch, limping lamely around the room until i finally get the hang of it. I lean against the staff and look around the books. They looked like every single one had been moved. “Guess she alphabetized them again…” As I scan through the various books, I see one I wasn’t expecting to see. I grab it and pull it down. “Guide to Supernatural Myths and Monsters, a Theory. Weird title.” I hobble over to the couch and lean against it as I open it, skimming through the various pages. There were all sorts of creatures from mythology from all around the world and all throughout time! It was fantastically well-written. “But mine’ll be better….” I flip through the letters until i find the one I wanted: Werewolves. “Mm...Let’s see….Large, hunt in packs….carnivores when in beast form….That explains the raccoon.” I skim through the book, finding quite a lot of things accurate, save for one section… “Werewolves are notorious killers and won’t hesitate to take down prey, whether or not the host knows the hunted person. Now, that’s inaccurate….” I put the book in my pocket just before Twilight comes back in, beaming proudly. AJ was behind her, looking glum. “Well, I’m all packed up an-” She freezes, seeing me leaned against the couch. “S-Six….” Her hair starts floating on its own as I feel her rage fill the room. “I-I was just, uh...T-take it easy!” “You’re supposed to be resting!” She grabs a book from her coffee table and lobs it at my head. It hits me square on the forehead and I fall over. “Gaah! What was that for?!” I shout, rubbing my head. “Why are you out of your chair! Your leg could’ve been too weak to hold you up!” “I had this pole…” I hold it out. She snags it and puts it back in the corner before aggressively throwing me back in the wheelchair. “Do I have to tie you up or something?!” I blush deeply. “Wh-what kind of weird stuff are you into?!” She blushes back hard, crossing her arm across her chest. “Not like that, you pervert!” I told you. Fuck off! I look to AJ for help, but she was grinning at me, a lasso in her hands. “Tied up, ya say?” “WHYYYY?!” “Hey, he’s not your toy to play around with, Applejack!” “He ain’t yers neither!” “He’s living under my roof, so i make the rules!” “Well, he likes me!” “No, he likes me!” “C-can’t I have a say in this…?” “STAY OUT OF IT!” They both shout. I back up a bit. As I back up, I feel something soft press against my head. When I look up, all I can see is light green. “Eh?” “O-oh...H-hello, Six….Glad you’re feeling better…” My whole body runs cold as I realize where my head is… “Waaagh!” I leap out of the chair, stumbling into a grand piano. When I look back at her, she was smiling softly, a light blush on her face. She was wearing a green sweater and a short, pink skirt. “I-I didn’t mean to scare you...Are you okay?” She asks, helping me up. “Y-yeah...When did you…,” “Six...C-could we….have lunch together today? I-in the park, I mean…” “W-well, uh...I-I don’t see why not…” She smiles happily and hugs me from behind, her large breasts squishing against my lower back. My whole head turns beet red. “This’ll be so much fun! C-can you walk? Or...should I carry you?” What? “What?” “U-um, I mean wheel you! Should I wheel you out in the chair?” She chuckles nervously. I just shrug it off. “I’d probably be better in the chair…” She smiles warmly and helps me back into it before pushing me out of the library, leaving Twilight and Applejack to argue. Once we get out of the castle, she leads me through the streets of Ponyville, and her overly big breasts were squished against my shoulders. “S-so, uh….Fluttershy….Wh-what, uh...do you do for a living?” I ask nervously, ignoring the fact that she was clearly not wearing a bra. Couldn’t fit into one anyway… Something feels off about her….Her energy is all odd. It’s probably because she’s an Element of Harmony. Relax… Yeah...you’re probably right. “Well, I’m the town’s veterinarian….I take care of all the animals and pets in town, as well as any critters from the forest.” “You must have an affinity with animals. How do you get them to come out of the forest?” “That’s simple.” She giggles. “I ask them nicely.” How does that work…? No idea…. “Oh, we’re here!” She chirrups, parking my chair next to a park bench facing a bench. “Oooh! It’s beautiful, Fluttershy!” I exclaim, taking in the beauty of the fall trees over the mirror-like lake. “U-um…S-Six? C-could you call me...S-Shy from now on?” She asks, looking at the floor nervously. What was she nervous about? Wait, does she think this is a date?! Just shut up and do it. Do what?! Finish the date. Coward. I am not! “U-Um...s-sure. If you’d like that, Shy…” She gasps very softly, almost too quiet to hear. “So, um...Didn’t you mention lunch?” She suddenly sits bolt upright. “R-right!” She digs into her bag, one I didn’t see her with earlier. Weird… She pulls out a little box and opens it. Inside was a row of perfectly symmetrical half-sandwiches, crustless, lined up in a row. “Oh, wow….This must’ve taken you a while…” She blushes deeply, hiding half her face behind her hair. “I-it didn’t take that long…” I carefully take one and take a bite. “It’s great!” It was peanut butter and jelly, but it was way better than the ones Twilight had made. It tasted so...fresh! “Th-thank you...I-I made everything myself…” “That’s incredible! You gotta show me how to cook!” She blushes hotly, nodding. “O-okay!” We sit quietly, eating the sandwiches in peace for a while. After what felt like hours, I noticed that she had scooted closer to me, practically pressed against the chair’s armrest. “S-Shy?” I ask, looking at her. “You...you know, right….?” She asks. “Eh? About what?” “A-About Applejack….” “Oh….uh, yeah. I do.” “And...y-you’re not afraid?” “No. Why would I be? She’s my friend! And so are you.” She squeezes the edge of her sweater. “S-Six, I-” “There you are! We’ve been looking everywhere for you!” Twilight exclaims, approaching from the trees nearby. “O-oh, hey Twilight! I, uh...I’m just having lunch with Shy…” She grabs my shoulder, leaning close to my face. “Shy?” She asks, sounding annoyed. I gulp and chuckle. “T-Twilight? Why...why are you mad?” She huffs and whines. “I want a nickname, too! No fair, Fluttershy! I’ve known him longer! And he’s my friendship student!” I actually forgot about that…. So did I… “J-Just calm down, Twilight….C-Can’t I just call you Twi?” She beams and hugs me tight, my face buried in her cleavage. “Yay! I got a nickname!” “Mmmpnnf….” I blush deeply, pushing against her. “O-Oh, heh….Sorry…” She lets go and chuckles nervously. I cross my arm across my chest and huff. “I need to send a letter to Luna about my place….You’re all too much….” I say quietly. Luckily, none of them seems to have heard me. They were all talking. I sigh and look up at the darkening sky, seeing a single cloud with Rainbow Dash on it. She had her eyes closed, and….is she licking a carrot? “Six, we have a question!” Twilight blurts out. I look at her, and she and Shy were looking at me expectedly. “Uuuh….Go ahead, Twi…” “Who do you think is cuter of the two of us?” “Now, Twi. You know that’s a loaded question…” “Come on, Six! Just answer the question!” Is that a seashell I see? “Hey, guys!” I hear Dash exclaim, landing next to me. I’m saved! “Hey, Dash! Glad you’re here!” I smile, thankful she’ll help me out of this. “Hey, what’re you two arguing about?” “Dash, we’re trying to get Six to tell us which of us is prettier, but he won’t say!” “Now, Twi. You know that’s a loaded question…” “Stop saying that and just answer the question!” “Actually, yeah...I wanna know that too! Which of us is prettier?” Would you mind if I talk them down? Good luck, bucko…. “You three are being very inconsiderate.” “Yes! Shade, thank goodness. Maybe you can- Wait, what?” “You three are being inconsiderate. Did you ever consider that you’re backing him into a corner? You should be ashamed of yourselves for even asking that. Besides, It’s like picking a goddess out of goddesses…..ooooh, fuck….” “Y-you think we’re that pretty?” Twi asks. “Dude, really?” “R-really?” “God damn it…” Whyyyy!? It just slipped out…. I thought you liked Luna! I do...But she’s equally as pretty as them. When I get back to Hell, I need to figure out why the Hell God made them all so gorgeous. I’m snapped out of my stupor by Twilight sitting on my lap, making my whole body blush and my stomach do backflips. Her skirt had ridden up a little, and her panty-clad butt was pressed right against my thigh. S-soft…. You’re royally fucked, Six. You think? I feel another hug around my neck. The heavy squish against my head tells me exactly who it was. “Y-you too, Shy?” I ask, my nose dripping blood. “M-mhm.” She hums. “Hey, lemme straddle him, too!” Dash shouts. Shade, get me out of here! Are you sure? This seems rather nice...Is that sloshing I hear? NOW! Fine… I teleport back to the castle bedroom, leaned against the wall. “What the Hell got into everyone?!” “I think their confessions the other day started a feud for your love.” “.....WHY MEEE!?” I groan and slump to the ground, burying my head in my hands. I’m stirred from my thoughts by tapping at the window. When i look up, it was Luna! “C-come in!” Uh huh...Look who’s nervous now. Fuck off. The window slides open with a blue light and Luna flies in, landing softly at my feet. “Glad to see you’re well. I heard about the accident.” “Tis but a scratch…” “A scratch? You nearly lost your leg!” “No I didn’t. Twas a flesh wound.” She sighs and sits beside me. I blush heavily. “I heard your calls for me earlier. About your home. The preparations have been made, but...Celestia has made a few….alterations to it. For the safety of everyone.” “It’s a prison cell, isn’t it?” “No no no! We’ve both decided to make it out of mood stones.” “What now?” “Mood stones. You can see people in town wearing rings made of them.” “Aren’t those for children?” “Not always. Your home will be built of the stone, and linked to your emotions so that any of the Elements, myself, or my sister can tell when you need to release your burdens. It would be quite bad to have a repeat of the Nightmare incident without anyone around.” “Hmm….I suppose that’s fair. Thank you, Luna.” “Now, what did you call me in your dreams the other day? ‘Moonbutt’ I think?” She giggles. My whole body turns red. “Y-you saw that? Oh, God….” “Don’t be upset. I’m actually flattered.” “By being called Moonbutt?” It's her turn to blush. “Not that. That you dreamt of us in such an intimate way.” “Well, it was me dreaming that. Not Six.” “Ah...I see. If you don’t mind me asking, how is it possible for you and Six to be completely separate entities in the same body? I noticed Sombre, as you call him, is linked to Six emotionally. But you...you’re nothing like Six.” If you think you can trust her to know, tell her. “I….Princess, what I’m about to tell you is very important. And please don’t have us killed for this. Okay?” She raises an eyebrow at me. I tell her everything. About Six’s deal, and who and what I actually was. When I finish my story, she looked slightly shocked, but that’s it. “If you want to banish me now, go ahead…” “I’m not going to do that. I’ve gotten to know the real you since we met, and I’m not afraid.” “No offence, but you were literally told that I’m the Devil.” “I believed him to be misunderstood by God, not evil.” F-finally…..someone who understands…. What about me!? You don’t count. Dick…. “You...really aren’t afraid of me?” “Of course not….But, what do I call you now?” “Same as always. Just Shade. It’s grown on me.” She smiles and rests her head on my shoulder. I tense up immensely. “You do know I can read your thoughts, right? Both of yours?” “Oh.” Crap… She could hear us this whole time!? And I can still hear you. Whaaagh! Luna giggles. “You are such an oddity, Shade.” I pout, huffing. “Why did you come down here, Luna? Just to tell me about the house? You could’ve sent a letter…” “W-Well, I...Um….” She likes you…. “I-I-I wha...Six!” She exclaims. “Y-yes, princess!?” She blushes hard and hides her face in her hair, vanishing with a pop. Nice going, asshole! Now she hates us! I think she was just embarrassed. I need to get my own body one of these days… Yeah...I do not want to get hung for bedding the princess…. I can still hear you! WAAAGH! Six: Ch.20That night was full of restlessness. I couldn’t get my thoughts to calm down. I kept remembering their confessions, and I felt...ashamed. Like I didn’t think I was worth their love. And, before I knew it, it was morning. “Mmm...stupid brain…” I groan and sit up. I levitate the staff from yesterday and hobble out of bed towards the bathroom. I wash myself up and look in the mirror. I hadn’t slept with my blindfold on, but I noticed my eyes had a gold hoop around the grey part of my eyes. Like a halo. “Uuh...is this normal?” I ask no one in particular, opening my eyes as wide as I can to look closer at them. The halo was only a quarter inch wide, but it seemed to shimmer and move, like it was fluid. This is very bizarre. Wait, I have a theory. Would you mind if I took over for a moment? Sure, go ahead. As I took control, I saw the halo vanish. His iris turned a burnt amber color, and his pupils widened into a horizontal disc. “What the Hell?! These...are my eyes!” I examine them closely. They matched a goat’s perfectly! hmm….His body carries no burdens...Is this his purity? Why do I have your eyes?! Would you mind if I tried, too. I’d like to see my eyes, too. Uuh...Sure...Honestly forgot you were there… I took over now, and the goat’s eyes shifted to Six’s normal eyes before the pupil completely vanished, as well as the halo. My eye was only pure grey with a white eyeball. “This is disappointing…” Be glad you even have eyes! We should bring this up with Twilight. The longer I looked myself in the eyes, the more unsettled I felt by them. I think my eyes may cause discomfort to onlookers. I’m going to sleep now. Uh, okay? My eyes return to the gold-surrounded grey like normal as I take over again. “This is strange…” I put my blindfold back on and rush downstairs as fast as I can with a pole still in my hand. “Twilight?! Are you here?” I call out, looking through the kitchen and the dining room. “I’m in the library.” I hear her reply, barely loud enough to hear. I hobble over to the library door and throw it open. Twilight was on the couch, wearing only...Is that my night shirt? I look down and blush heavily. I was only wearing my pajama pants! “How did you get my shirt?!” I yell, still very red. “I got cold last night, so I borrowed it. Why are you walking around?” “I left the wheelchair in the park…” She giggles. “Oh yeah. I forgot. Would you like this back?” She starts to lift it up. I turn away, shaking my head aggressively. “J-just keep it! And leave it on!” I blush even harder. “Oooh, you’re no fun…” She huffs. I hear her walk up behind me. I face her again. “Twilight, I-” “Call me Twi…” She pouts. “Ugh, fine. Twi, I think something new happened.” “What do you mean?” She asks, leaning closer to me, her cleavage… Fucking brain!!! Not bad, though… Shut up! “I-I noticed my eyes look strange today…” I barely manage to whisper, my eyes glued to one of her hairs that were standing straight up on her head. “Really? Let me see.” She reaches up and takes off my blindfold. I open my eyes and look down at her. She gasps, nearly tripping on the floor-length shirt. “Y-your eyes…” “I know. They’ve got this weird halo around the grey parts…” “Wh-what grey parts?” “Huh?” I look at a nearby wall mirror. My iris and pupil were completely gold now. They were shimmering and moving like fluid, just like the ring. “They...they had mostly grey earlier…” I look back at Twilight, who was crying softly. “Twilight? What’s wrong?” She wipes her eyes, smiling. “I-I just feel so happy when I look at them...Like how I felt when I met all my friends…” So my eyes induce happiness? Why didn’t it work on me? Probably because you were looking through a filter. The mirror. Do you think...Maybe that mirror had an issue? I quickly teleport up to the bathroom and look at the mirror. For a split section, I see mostly grey in my eyes, then it turns back to gold. Something is wrong with this mirror...Can either of you see what spells may have been cast on it? No need for that. Look behind you. I look back, seeing Twilight standing there bashfully. “Twilight?” “I-I’m sorry! I-I just….wanted to see you how you really are…” “You...were spying on me?” “I-I just….I’m sorry….” I walk right up to her as she starts to cry. I flick her forehead, making her jump. “Wh-why did you do that?” She asks, rubbing her head. “For spying.” I smile softly. “You’re not mad?” “No. This isn’t something that would make me mad. It was a little rude, yes. But you were probably thinking of watching me to be sure I wasn’t going to hurt myself anymore.” “R-right...yeah. Hehehehe…” I chuckle. “Well, at least I can tell if I’m being watched. My eyes can see it, even if I don’t.” She chuckles and rubs the back of her neck. “Oh, yeah. This isn’t the only change either.” I let Shade take over, and she screeches in fear. “G-Goat eyes?!” Oh, shit. She doesn’t know about Shade. “Isn’t this cool? I have goat eyes!” I smirk, playing it off. She holds her chest, gasping softly. “Th-that scared me…” I let Sombre take over, and she just stares in awe. “It's like your most expressful part of your body is just...blank.” “Indeed. My emotions are very verbal. Can’t you tell how excited I am about having my own eyes?” I ask flatly. Twilight chuckles. “U-uh...not really, no…” I take over again and put the blindfold back on. “This is so odd. It’s been almost two weeks since I had a burden in me, so maybe this is what I’d normally look like?” “Possibly. I need to run more tests…” “Hey, how’s that magic arm working out?” “O-oh, I thought you forgot...It’s in its first trial stage, but…” “But?” “It would be very painful, since this would basically regrow your arm from scratch.” “Oh…” “You don’t have to if you don’t want to.” “No no, I do! Do you already have the spell?” “Y-yes…” “Then hit me with your best shot! It would be great to have it back!” She nods. “You may want to bite the staff….and sit down.” Oh, boy… I sit down and bite the bar. Her hand glows as she gently touches the spot where my arm once was. I suddenly scream out in pain, biting hard on the bar as I feel the flesh and bone rip and break. I look over, my vision blurred through tears, seeing the flesh and bone stretching and morphing, filling the space where my arm once was. But, something was off. Instead of the arm filling and growing normally, the bone was surrounded by a glowing gold aura, one I wasn’t expecting to see: That’s Heaven Magic. The muscle and tendons hide the gold-covered bone, then skin over that, until my arm is completely restored, but without scars. I drop the bar and collapse, sweating and breathing heavily. My jaw was sore, and my arm hurt like Hell….my arm… I lift up my new arm and flex it a few times. It felt almost foreign to me now. “Twilight...Where did you learn that spell?” “I-I don’t really know...I just stumbled across it the other day when I was working.” I stand up and look her dead in the eyes, ripping the blindfold from my face as I do. “Where. Did you learn. That spell?” Her whole face turns red and she squirms under my stare. “I-I-I...What is this gaze?!” “Tell me the truth, Twilight. I know Heaven Magic when I see it.” “H-Heaven Magic?” “Are you an angel? Did God send you!? Answer me!” “I-I….I can’t! You’ll hate me!” “DID GOD SEND YOU?!” “NO!” I tense up, glaring down at her harder. I don’t know why I think this’ll work, but it feels right. “Then what are you!?” She bites her lip. “I-I’m a….I’M A HAKUTAKU!” “A what?” I look at her, confused. “A-A hakutaku….I-It’s a species of Minotaur….that lives on gaining knowledge…” “Bullshit. You look normal to me.” “I-I use disguise magic…” I cross my arms, looking deeper into her eyes. I feel like she’s telling the truth, so I sigh. “Show me.” “Wh-what?” “I said...Show me.” She gulps softly and waves her hand over herself. Her normal figure starts to change. Her legs seem to curve back a little and shift, her feet turning to black hooves. Two thick, off-white horns grow from the sides of her head, and she grows a long, curly purple tail that looks like silky waves. She pulls a set of glasses from her pocket and puts them on, blushing madly. “Wh….How in the….How did I not notice sooner? It fits perfectly!” “Huh?” “The hunger for knowledge, your friendly demeanor! All of it makes sense!” She chuckles softly, hugging herself bashfully. “Y-you’re not scared?” “Why would I be scared? I’ve seen things 100 times scarier than you.” She gasps softly. I blush. “U-uh...I mean….n-nevermind. You don’t have to hide yourself around me, okay? I don’t mind.” She gasps softly before wrapping me in a lung-crushing hug, her breasts smothering me. “Thank you thank you thank you!” “C-can’p breave!” She yelps and drops me. “S-sorry...I forget my own strength sometimes….” “It’s fine…” I lay back on the couch, grabbing my sketchbook. “Do you mind if I draw you?” She blushes bright red. “Wh-whaaa?” “N-not like that! Just...as you are.” She looks down at her f-hooves for a moment before nodding. I watch as my hand moves on its own, quickly sketching out her basic form, then the smaller details. I feel her reach out to me, but I move away from her grasp. “I know what Hakutakus can do, Twilight. If you want to know more about me, ask. Don’t try to sap it from me.” “Wh-I-I wasn’t...Uuugh, but that’s so inefficient!” “I couldn’t care less! I do not want my memories probed through.” “M-maybe I wanted to share some of my knowledge…” “You and I both know that all you want to know is about the Afterlife. Heaven, Hell, God, Satan, excetera. And I cannot indulge you in that information for three major reasons. A: You would give it to Princess Celestia immediately. B: You would probably go insane from the knowledge of things you shouldn’t. And C: You are incapable of keeping secrets.” “I-I can too keep a secret!” “Uh huh….Twilight, you have to share your knowledge with those who seek it, because it’s your nature. I didn’t understand before, but now I do.” “B-but….Can I at least study you?” I groan softly. “I will let you, but I refuse to let you probe my mind. If you do, and I’ll know if you do, I will never speak to you again.” “N-never?” “Not for the rest of eternity.” She huffs and pouts. “F-fine…” “Good. Now, what do you want to know?” “Hmmm…” She sits next to me on the couch and taps her chin. “Where did that scar on your chest come from?” “I….I cut myself a lot on purpose….” “You said that before. But, it’s not true, Is it?” I sigh and curl up a little. “No...It’s not…” “Then, what is it?” “My…..” I tear up, hugging my knees to my chest. “My mother did it….” Six: Ch.21[Flashback to 17 years prior] I skip happily down the halls, as a boy of five should be expected to. I was wearing a blue sun shirt and shorts. As I skip through the halls of the Family manor, I stop when I see a familiar, old face in the parlor door. “Grandpa!” I smile, waving at the old man. He smiles wearily back at me, his long beard covered in small patches of ash. “Hello, Six my boy! Glad to see you dressed so well today. What’s the occasion?” “Big sister is taking me on a picnic today!” I beam, holding up a wicker basket. “I even made cookies!” “Ah, wonderful! I wish I could have one. I loved your cookies.” He said sadly. “Don’t be sad, Grandpa...I’ll bring you some!” He chuckles and fixes his glasses. “Does your mother and father know you still talk to me? I do get quite lonely, but you know how they get. That daughter of mine particularly…” “Uh uh! Mommy and Daddy don’t know! Sister and I are good at playing ‘Secrets’ with each other!” He sighs and rubs his temples. “Grandpa, how come you’re always so dirty when I see you? And how come Mommy doesn’t say hi?” “Well….It’s hard to explain…” “Sixth Sense, what are you doing in there?!” I jump, hearing my mother yell. I look over to her. She had a stern scowl on her face; her leary green eyes burrowing into my soul. Her arms were crossed, ruffling her dark burgundy dress that rested elegantly on the floor at her toes. Her hair was a pale red, and went down to her shoulders. “N-nothing, Mommy! Just looking for my basket! I found it, see?” I hold it up. She walks up to me and snatches it from my grasp. “And why was it in the Parlor? You know you’re not allowed in this part of the house!” “I-I…” “Oh, leave the boy alone, Alice! He’s just a child! Let him be.” Grandpa yells. “I will not tolerate any of your confounded excuses to play your make believe!” “It’s not make believe….” “What did you just say to me?” She asks, stunned. “I-I said it’s not make believe...They’re real! They’re my friends! And Grandpa thinks you’re being mean!” She stands there, expressionless. “Grandpa….Six, it’s not fair to use Grandpa like that…” “He’s right here, Mommy! Why can’t you talk to him?!” I yell back, tears in my eyes. “HE’S DEAD, SIX!” She shrieks, knocking me over from the volume alone. “M-mommy?” “Your grandfather died two years ago in a fire, Six! He’s dead! And you should know better than to use him as an excuse to get away with your mischief!” “Alice, you watch your tongue! What would your mother think if she saw you treating him like this?! Or your sister!” “M-Mommy has a sister?” I ask grandpa, looking up at him. She stares down at me, tears streaming down her cheeks, but a crazed look in her eyes. “Six...How do you know about that…” She asks, shaking. “Grandpa just said to think about how your mommy and sister would think if they saw you treating me like this…” She grabs my arm and drags me down the hall. “If you refuse to believe he’s dead, then I’ll prove it!” “Ow, Mommy! You’re hurting me!” I shriek. “I don’t care! A little pain never hurt anyone!” “ROSIE!” I call out loudly. I’m answered with a slap to the face from my mommy. “Your sister is a good and pure girl! Don’t taint her with your devilish lies!” “I-I’m not lying!” She drags me out the backdoor towards a patch of land with several tall, rock-looking things...Headstones. “Mommy, stop it! You’re scaring me! ROSIE!!” *Slap* “Stop saying her name! She’s doing laundry and won’t be here!” She drags me over to one of the headstones and throws me in front of it. I shakily look up, my knees and palms scraped up from rocks. The headstone read: Here lies Crescent Star. Beloved Father, Husband, and Grandfather. June 14th, 1916 - May 3rd, 2016. “See?! He’s dead! He’s been buried here for two years! Right alongside my mother, and my sister.” She says, starting to cry. She stumbles a little and grabs a shovel, balancing against the handle. “N-no….But...he’s been talking to me every day since I can remember….He’s always in the parlor, all dusty! He has grey hair and a beard! He wears big glasses, and loves my cookies! He said that when he went away, he’d give me the house, an-” I’m cut short as she swings the shovel down at me. It slices through my shirt and chest from right shoulder to left hip. I screech in agony and collapse, crying loudly as I bled all over the floor. “You….you’re a demon….You were sent from Hell to torment me! I HATE YOU!” She smacks me upside the head hard, knocking me down into the dirt. I wail and scream, my head starting to bleed. I can’t even speak, my head screeching in so much pain that I can’t focus on anything else. “I SHOULDN’T HAVE GIVEN BIRTH TO YOU!” She screams. I brace for another hit, but none comes. When I look up, shaking and crying, Rose was there with her hand raised. She was holding the shovel, making Mommy shake. “R-Rose!? What are you doing?!” “LOOK WHAT YOU DID TO HIM!” Rose screams back. My consciousness starts to slip from blood loss, but I briefly think I see a gold flash before I pass out. The next time I open my eyes, I was in a hospital bed. Rose was sitting in a chair nearby, clutching a metal pipe in her hand tightly, her eyes glued to the room’s door. I sniffle a little as I try to sit up, my chest burning and my head pounding in pain. “Six, you should rest…” Rose says calmly. “R-R-Rosie….” I start to cry, shaking. She looks back at me, and I cry loudly. “Mommy hates me!!” I wail in despair., burying my head in my hands. I feel her warm embrace surround me as she hugs me carefully. “Sixie….You don’t have to worry about her anymore. That...woman isn’t gonna hurt you, or anyone, ever again.” I wipe my eyes and sniffle. “R-Really?” She smiles as she lets go. “That’s right. We’re gonna go to a new home soon! You and I are gonna have a new family that’ll love us more than she ever did.” “B-but...what about Daddy… Won’t he be home soon?” She bows her head slightly. “No, Six...Daddy’s not coming home. He’s with another woman…” “I-I don’t understand…” “It’s okay. You’ll get it when you’re older. But, right now, you need to relax, okay?” She smiles. I can see little tears in her eyes. “O-Okay…” I lay back down. “C-Can you sleep here with me? P-Please?” I ask pleadingly. “Of course…” She climbs onto the bed and lays down next to me, hugging me close to her. “Things’ll be better now. You’ll see.” [Present Day] Twilight rubs the tears from her eyes, and I sigh heavily. “That’s awful….To think your m-to think that woman could do that to you…” She says, practically spitting it out. “It’s fine. I found out a while later that she was in the Manehattan Mental Institution. She had become completely unresponsive. And my Dad, well….He’s here in Ponyville last I heard. Made a name for himself in business with his whore. I even hear they have a daughter together…” “Wait….Your father..? He’s here?!” “Why do you think I was so adamant on not being here? Because he’s the richest asshole in this town.” “No…..You’re telling me….that your Dad is Filthy Rich!?” Six: Ch.22“Wait, wait, wait...You’re saying that your Dad is the richest man in Ponyville? And you DON’T want to see him?!” Twilight exclaims. “No, I don’t want to see that son of a bitch. As far as he knows, I don’t exist. He left when I was two years old, and he never came back. He probably doesn’t even remember my name.” “But, how would you know if you didn’t ask?” “I don’t care if he does or doesn’t. He left me and Rose with that psycho woman for three years, and we suffered for it. As far as I’m concerned, he’s dead to me. Now, since you have your information, I’m going to bed for a while.” I get up and march up to my room, slamming the door a little harder than I meant to. [Twilight’s P.O.V.] I disguise my true self again and get up, a determined look on my face. “I can’t let him keep suffering like this...He needs to find closure. And if he won’t talk to Filthy, then I will.” I teleport to the Elementary school, and I instantly get tackled by Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo. “Twilight! Yer here! Quick, hide us! Diamond and Silver are teasin us again!” Applebloom exclaims, hiding behind me with the other two. “Actually, I’m here to talk to Diamond. Could you three go inside please?” They look up at me, confused. But they nod and go inside. I head into the playground of the small school and approach Diamond and Silver, who were both giggling about something. “Diamond Tiara.” I say sternly. They both gasp and bow slightly. “P-Princess? Wh-what’re you doing here?” “Diamond, I’m here to talk to you. Silver...please?” Silver yelps and scurries off. Diamond had a pink dress on, a gold necklace, and her silver tiara embedded with diamonds. Her purple and white hair was swirled a little as it hung to her shoulder blades. “I-Is something wrong, Princess?” She asks. I know better than to trust that innocent facade. Diamond is a bully under it all. I’ve heard so from Spike and the girls. “I need to speak to your father. Is he picking you up today?” “Y-Yes, Princess….My mother’s busy at the Scholl Board meeting…” She almost slips into her condescending tone. “Good. I’ll wait with you until he comes, then.” I sit on a bench nearby. “Wh-Princess, couldn’t you just meet him at the house?” “I suppose I could, but I know how you are around the Crusaders, and I’m going to be sure that you don’t mistreat them. Two birds, one stone.” She huffs and scuttles over to the snack table with Silver and the other kids. The Crusaders run up to me and hug me. “You got her off our backs!?” Scoots asks excitedly. “For today, yes. But I doubt it would stick. She’s a little stubborn.” “And she’s mean.” Sweetie adds. I giggle. “That, too. But, I don’t think it’s her fault she’s like this. I think it was her upbringing.” “Her whut?” Bloom asks. “Applebloom, would you ever act like Diamond?” “Never ever!” She exclaims. “And would Applejack?” “Heck no!” “That’s what I mean. The way you act was influenced by who raised you.” “So...it ain’t Diamond’s fault she’s mean...it’s Filthy Rich’s fault?” “Well, not just him. But partially, yes.” They nod understandingly. “Well, why’d ya need ta talk to her?” Bloom asks. “Well, a friend of mine knows Filthy very closely, but hasn’t seen him in a long time. I’m going to try to reintroduce them.” “Ooooh, who is it?!” They ask collectively. “I’d rather not say, girls. Now, run along. You’re missing snack time.” They runs off to the table, talking amongst themselves. I smile and lean back, relaxing a bit. Poor Six….It’s not fair that he’s had to suffer all these years….Why couldn’t I have known him back then? I...I could’ve helped him...I would’ve been his friend…. The bell rings loudly, bringing me out of my thoughts. I stand up and go towards the front of the school, seeing the kids get picked up or they walk or fly home. I scan through the crowd until I see a tall, dark-eyed man with slicked back black and grey hair. He had on a full, three piece suit and a red tie with a gold bit symbol on it. I know that look anywhere. “Filthy Rich.” I announce, approaching him. He gasps and bows. I really wish the wouldn’t… “Princess Twilight! What, uh...brings you here?” He asks in his pleasant demeanor. He seemed like a good man, always has. He just seemed dedicated to his work. “I’ve come to talk to you. How’s Spoiled?” I ask. “M-My wife? She’s well...She’s being herself. But, I’m sure you didn't come all this way to talk about Spoiled…” “No. I came to talk about your other family, Filthy.” His face pales a bit. “I...I’m not sure I understand. I don’t have another family.” My blood is already starting to boil. “Filthy, we should speak more privately.” He nods and quickly takes Diamond back to their mansion with me in tow. When we get back to their mansion, Diamond runs upstairs, and Filthy clears his throat as he steps into the living room. “Would you, eh...like a drink?” “Filthy….” “Yes, okay! I...I had another wife before Spoiled….Her name is Alice White. And I have nothing to do with her anymore. She was a rotten woman, through and through. So I left.” “And you left your kids behind…” “Princess...How do you know about that?” He asks, sounding very distraught. “You left both of your kids, a daughter and a son, with that….that witch! Why?” I ask, getting angry at him. “I-I didn’t want to! When I met Spoiled, she said she wanted a daughter of her own and….I couldn’t tell her about Rosie and Sixth….She’d have never talked to me again.” “You were being selfish.” I say accusingly. “W-Well, I can’t do anything about that now….They’re gone….Alice is in Manehattan, and the kids are….” He starts to break down into tears. I look down at the sobbing man, surprised. “You...think they’re both dead?” He sniffles and nods. “I got a coroner’s report….Rosie was...r-ripped apart, and Sixth was gone….Presumed dead….” Oh, Sweet Celestia, won’t he be surprised. “Filthy, did you love those kids?” “More than anything! I loved those two like I love Diamond! And I’m so hard on Diamond because I don’t want her to end up like Rosie and Sixth….” “Filthy….Sixth Sense isn’t dead…” He drops his glass on the floor, shattering it. Water spills everywhere. “Wh...what did you say?” He asks, unbelieving. “Six is alive. He’s been in town for the last month or so...He was put through several orphanages, and he’s been through Tartarus….But he’s alive.” He clenches his fists tightly, starting to shake. “Th-that’s not true….It can’t be….M-My baby boy’s alive?” “Yes. But, he thinks you hate him, and you don’t want him…” “Oh, Celestia...what have I done….Where is he? I have to see him!” “Filthy, calm down. Breathe…” He takes a deep breath and calms down. “Filthy, I have to warn you that he’s not...in the best mental or physical health like he was when you last saw him…” “He’s still grey, right? And has my hair?” He asks, sounding like a proud father. “Yes...But, he’s also very scarred, both emotionally and physically.” He tenses up, his eyes widening. “Oh, God….What….what happened?” I tell Filthy everything that’s happened. From the scar on Six’s chest to the many cuts on his body and the characteristics of his eyes. When I finish, he has a confusing expression on his face. Like a mix of anger and pride. “That woman...hurt my boy like that…? And he….oh, God….But he still has his happy eyes, hm? I’m glad…” “His what?” I ask. “He was born with gold eyes that could make anyone he sees eye to eye with happy. All except Alice. Alice loathed having a son. She only wanted daughters, so she hated Sixth from the beginning...But, I had no idea that she would…” He starts to break down again. “It’s okay, Filthy...If you want, we can go see him. He’s at the Castle.” He looks up at me, and nods. “I have to keep my composure. For him. He needs me now more than ever.” “I agree. Until then, I’ll watch Diamond here.” He nods and leaves quickly. [Six. P.O.V.] I curl up in bed, hugging close a picture of my sister that I always kept with me, as well as her necklace. “I can’t keep doing this to myself….I have to just forget...I-” My thoughts are interrupted by a knock at the door. It wasn’t Twilight. The knocks were too heavy. I sit up and wipe my eyes, setting the picture and necklace on the nightstand. “Come in…” I call out. When the door opens, a man in a three piece suit walks in, and he has a soft smile on his crying face. He looks a little familiar, but I don’t know why… “Oh, my God….” He says, looking me over. “Uuh...may I help you?” I ask, not liking him look over my scars. “Six, what...what did she do to you….” That’s not the answer I was expecting… Six, look at his hair. And his eyes. No…. “What do you want?” I ask flatly. He looks hurt. Good. “I...I came to see you…” He stutters through tears. “Why? Oh...Twilight….I told her to leave it be…” “I-I’m glad she told me! Sixth, I….I thought you were dead!” “Wait, what?” “Yes! When….when your sister….the report said you were presumed dead because you were never found...but you just went somewhere to hide….You...went to Grandpa, didn’t you?” I clench my jaw. “Filthy….Stop. Just...just stop. I know what you’re trying to do. And I can’t….I won’t forgive you for abandoning us…” “I-I know….I….I was being selfish….I didn’t think about how you and Rosie would feel….I’m sorry….” “Sorry!? Sorry doesn’t excuse nineteen years of agony and suffering!” He jumps and stumbles over, looking up at me in fear. “Wh...what the….your v-voice is…” “I know it is! This is what you did to him! He died, Filthy Rich! He killed himself, and he came to me!” Tears stream down his face. “Y-you’re….Sh-Shade?” “I possessed your son’s body when I made a deal with him! Children should never have to be sent to Hell, yet he was! At eight years old! And it’s your fault!” He starts shaking, cowering away. “I-I’m s-s-sorry…” “Do better than sorry! Be a God damned father! You were so selfish all this time that your son killed himself! And almost died a second time! Every scar on his body is a product of your selfishness! EVERY! SINGLE! ONE! And you think that a simple sorry would make up for all this!?” I take off my shirt, exposing the horrible scars across my body and chest. He rhetches. “Y-your mother….did that….to you?” “You don’t deserve to be his father! You’ve been a shitty excuse of a person! Let alone a father! So, you tell me, Filthy Rich. Can you even try to be his father again? Will you ever forgive yourself?” He shakily stands up. “No...I-I can’t forgive myself for this….It's...it’s my fault you’re like this….A-and...I want to do better. I’ll try my damndest to be a better father to you, son!” He suddenly rushes up to me and hugs me tightly. “I’ve failed you….I’m so sorry…..” He sobs into my shoulder. I tense up, squirming a little in his grasp, but he won’t let go. “L-Let go of me….” I say, pushing against him. “Not this time, Six…” He says back stubbornly. I try to push him away, but my arms won’t do as I say. I start to break down and cry, hugging him tightly. “I-I missed you….” I sob, clinging to him as we both cry. “I missed you, too.” He responds shakily. You’re welcome. Thanks…. “Six...Why...are you wearing a blindfold?” He asks, finally letting the hug go. “My...my special talent got more hectic when I got older…” “You still see ghosts?” He asks. “Yeah...But, now I can do other things...things that don’t make sense...I can force the truth from someone just by staring at them. And my touch or my gaze can take away people’s burdens….” “That’s incredible, son…” “Filthy...Just call me Six for now, okay? I don’t think we’ve gotten to the point where I can acknowledge you as my father ...At least, not yet.” He nods understandingly. “Well, I understand that. And...I hope to earn that title back one day. But, would...you like to meet your Step-Mother and half-sister?” “I...i don’t know, Filthy. I doubt they’d like me at all.” “Nonsense! I must insist. Please. I want us to be a family again…” He wipes his eyes. “Mmm….fine. You’re in the big house out in the center of town, right? I’ll meet you there…” “Okay, Six...At Eight okay?” “Alright…” He smiles and leaves, seeming to be in much brighter spirits. I sigh and sit down on the bed, groaning softly. “That was something else….” I groan. “I expected to just beat the ever loving fuck out of him, but...I couldn’t. Seeing him after all these years, and he looked happy to see me….I just...couldn’t…” That’s the start of forgiveness, bucko. You really blew up at him. Would it be better if you did? Nah...I’m glad you did. [Filthy’s P.O.V.] “Spoiled, honey! I’m home!” I call out as I enter the house. Princess Twilight must’ve left a moment ago. “Daddy!” Diamond rushes up to me. I smile and pick her up, holding her close. “Hello, my little Diamond. Did you have fun with the Princess?” “Daddy, she scares me….Can I have another dress?” “Sweetheart, I just bought you one. Now, go run along now and play with your little friend. And be back by seven, okay? We’re having a special guest over tonight.” “Okay…” She scuttles off to meet her friend, and I smile. “I’m glad she and I get along. And I’m proud that she and her mother finally made peace. But...how will they take it? A new family member is a big change…” The front door opens, and my beloved wife walks in, her usual haughty personality obvious. I love her very much, but she should lighten up a little… “Hello, Spoiled darling!” I beam happily, taking her coat. “Filthy, dear, why in Equestria are you in such a good mood?” She asks. “Well, we’re having company for dinner this evening.” “Really? My, we haven’t had guests in quite some time. Who’s visiting?” “Well, um...Do you remember, when we met, that I was married once before? And had two children with that woman?” She huffs angrily. “Yes, I do. The one that you’ve said was dreadful. Why?” “Well, I...I just found out that my son, the one I thought was dead, is alive!” She looks at me in disbelief. “You’re joking! Are you quite sure it’s him?” “I’m positive! And he’s been here in town for a month! Right under my nose!” “Oh, how lovely! I hope he’s a charmer like yourself!” “Well, yes. But, here’s the thing...He’s, well...rather peculiar. And he isn’t like myself. He’s…” I clear the sadness from my throat. “Well, his mother had apparently scarred him rather badly, and he’s scarred himself all over. I hate his mother even more every time I think about it…” “Wait, is he the oddball in the blindfold that’s been running around?” “Well, I suppose he is rather odd, but yes. That’s my son.” “I’ve heard that he’s befriended Princess Luna, and gained her favor.” “Is that so? He must not like to talk about it much. Six was never one to be talkative, even as a baby. He’d never even cry. He’d just stare, blankly. As if he was somehow reading your mind.” “He’s also a renowned hero in town!” “He is? He didn’t mention that...and I surely didn’t hear. What did he do?” “He sealed Nightmare Moon away from Princess Luna! Oh, Filthy! He’ll be a marvelous addition to the family!” She smiles warmly. “Spoiled...have you hit your head or something? You’re acting rather...unusual.” “Am I? Well, I’ve been trying to become more friendly since Diamond and I had our little fight a while back...It tore me apart hearing how badly I made her feel…” “You’re doing wonders to improve, darling. I’ve had to change too. But...I wonder how Diamond will take this news…” “Hopefully better than the time she found out she wasn’t getting an island for Hearth’s Warming…” We both shudder. “Well, when is he scheduled to come?” Spoiled asks. “At around eight o’clock.” She suddenly zips through the house, ordering every maid to clean the house spotless for her guest. “I hope he isn’t overwhelmed by all this...I can’t let him slip away again…I won’t fail him this time.” Six: Ch.23[Six’s P.O.V.- 8:15pm] I’ve been standing outside the Rich’s home for the last fifteen minutes, my body refusing to move to knock on the door. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t move. “Damn it, body….Move already!” I grunt and struggle. You a bit nervous, Six? I can take over for the night if you want. No! I want to do this myself. Why won’t my body move?! That would be my fault. I can’t let you become damaged again. Please, re-apply your blindfold. Then I will release you. Oh...I forgot I took it off…. I had changed into a simple black dress shirt and pants with a red bowtie. Always been a sucker for bowties. I reach into my pocket, finally free to move, and I tie the blindfold back over my eyes. You may now proceed. Best of luck. Thanks, I guess…. I shakily reach up and knock on the door. At least I won’t have to make eye contact… The door slowly opens, and a man dressed in a full tuxedo opens the door. He was a bit older than Filthy, and had grey hair. He was clean shaven, and I think they’re called butlers… “You must be our guest for the evening. Please, come in.” He bows and steps out of the doorway. “Th-thanks….You, uh...don’t need to bow….it makes me a bit uncomfortable….” He looks at me curiously. He must be wondering how I can see with the blindfold on. I decide not to humor him. “Um...where am I going?” I ask politely. “Right this way.” He leads me down a long, grand hallway with family portraits and candelabras. The newest one was of Filthy, a woman I didn’t know, and a little girl around Applebloom’s age. The butler opens a large set of double doors, and I’m nearly blinded by the vast array of golds and silvers adorning the grand dining hall table. It was lined with all sorts of foods, some of which I wasn’t going to touch: meat. The mere sight of it makes me gag. The butler escorts me to a seat near the center of the table, and I sit down. “Thanks...Uh…” “Prim, sir.” “Right. Thanks, Prim. I’ll try to remember that.” He nods and leaves. Glad he didn’t bow… I take this time to look around the large room. There was a massive, crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling, adorned with hundreds of little lights. The ceiling was painted to look like Prance. It must’ve cost a fortune… The walls each had a tapestry with a piece of Equestrian history sewn into its fabric. I feel poor just by breathing in here…. The double doors open again, and Filthy walks in, joined by the purple-haired mare from the portrait, as well as the little girl. He was wearing a three piece suit, as usual. The woman was wearing a black evening gown and long, sleek gloves that went up to her elbows, and the little girl was wearing a frilly, pink dress with a white trim. She had a small tiara on her head. I stand as they enter, and Filthy smiles. “Glad to see you’ve found the place.” He jokes. “Yeah...Heh. Little hard to miss it…” He nods and gestures to the older woman. “Six, this is my wife, Spoiled.” She smiles and bows slightly. “Charmed.” “And this is Diamond Tiara.” He gestures to the little girl. She nods, clearly frightened of me. “Nice to meet you both. Please, call me Six.” “Indeed. Well, shall we have dinner served? We have quite a bit to talk about.” Filthy says, smiling. Shade, do me a favor, would you? What’s that? When I decide to take this blindfold off, can you keep the burdens from going into me? He can’t, but I can. And I will. Thanks. We all take our seats, with Filthy and Spoiled at the heads of the table, and Diamond and myself facing each other near the center. It’s hard to see past the centerpiece, but I can tell she’s still scared. “Well then, let’s begin. Proper?” Filthy calls to the maid standing outside another door I hadn’t seen before. She nervously bows and leaves into the room. “So, Six. I hear you’ve made quite a name for yourself recently.” Spoiled says stick-up-the-assily. God, her voice is grating… “N-not really….It’s no big deal…” “No big deal? You sealed away Nightmare Moon and gained Princess Luna’s favor, as well as Princess Twilight’s affections I’ve heard!” I blush. Crap, the rumors spread…. “W-well, I guess….” Filthy chuckles. “So, why don’t you tell me what’s happened since you’ve come to town?” “Well, eh...I don’t know if a lot of it’s appropriate for Diamond to hear…” I rub the back of my neck, chuckling. “Mm, I see. Well, I’m glad we’re having this meal together.” Filthy says with a smile. The first course was a simple salad, which was brought out from the kitchen. By the second, Prim and Proper served each of us a plate of food from the spread on the table. But, when they came around with the meats, I politely declined. That got Filthy’s attention. “Not a meat eater, eh?” Filthy asks. “No. I haven’t touched the stuff since I was eight. Can’t stand it. But you go ahead and enjoy.” I eat my rotini in silence. We all sat in relative silence for a while before Filthy and Spoiled start talking amongst themselves about work. I hear a little *psst* sound from across the table, and I peek around the massive centerpiece. Diamond was leaned in close. “C-can...I ask you something?” She asks nervously. “Sure. Go ahead. No promises I’ll answer, though.” “Why do you have a blindfold on?” “Diamond!” Spoiled exclaims suddenly, making her and I both snap back into our seats. “That’s quite a rude question.” “No no, it’s fine. I’ll be seeing you more often, hopefully, so you may as well know.” I stand up and take the blindfold off slowly. When I put it away and look down at Diamond, she’s staring in awe at me yes, her eyes filling with tears. “W-wow….so pretty….” She manages to say, wiping her eyes. I look over to Spoiled, who is also tearing up. “I see now what Filthy meant by Happy eyes… I’ve not felt this happy since Diamond was born…” Spoiled gently dabs the tears from her eyes. I look to Filthy, and I see him smiling happily, holding back tears, too. But, he had a large, black mass surrounding him. He’s suffering a burden...And it’s a big one. Oooh, boy….I didn’t expect to see him with a burden...I thought I’d see him without one, and I’d just have an excuse to leave. But… His is huge…. You and I both know that a burden like that only means one kind of sin: Abandonment. He….actually does feel sorry for leaving us…. It would seem so. I nod at him, smiling. He smiles back. “Daddy, can I ask a question?” Diamond asks. Filthy clears his throat as I sit again. “Of course, darling.” “How come Mr. Six is visiting us?” “Diamond, that’s rude to ask!” Spoiled retorts. “No, she should know. She’s almost in High school now. Diamond, before Mommy and I met, I was married before.” She gasps. “You were?” “I was. But, I learned how wicked she was, and I made the biggest mistake of my life. I left my old family behind. My ex-wife, my other daughter…” He gestures to me. “And my son.” Diamond looks at me, absolutely floored. “What...what happened to your ex-wife and daughter?” I tense up a little. “Well, my...ex-wife was a bad woman, so she was put into a hospital for a very long time. And my daughter….Six’s sister….She’s….she passed away quite some time ago…” I feel Diamond’s foot on mine. When I look around the centerpiece again(Really fucking hate this thing), she was smiling at me like my sister used to smile at me. “I’m sorry...about your sister, Mr. Six…” She wipes her eyes again. “It’s okay. I may not have forgiven your father yet, but I’m going to protect you now, like my sister did for me. I owe her that much. So, you can call me Six from now on, okay?” She nods and smiles. She seemed like a sweet girl. But, I can’t help but feel like there’s something off about her… As the second course comes to a close, they start passing around desserts. Again, I politely decline. “Would you care for a parfait, Six? Perhaps a crepe?” Spoiled asks. “I, um...N-No thanks...I’m okay. Sugars don’t sit with me well…” “Why not? Do they make you sick?” Diamond asks. “Well, in a way. Yes. How old are you now, Diamond?” She holds her head up proudly. “I’m thirteen!” “Hm...I suppose I can tell you since you’re old enough. Sugars can’t filter through my digestive system properly, so my body turns it into energy instantly, which sends me into a seizure.” I explain. She covers her mouth in shock. “N-no sweets? That’s awful!” “Well, I can have sugar-free things, or low sugar foods. But high-sugar foods like desserts are really bad.” I look over, seeing Proper scribbling down notes. I look back at Filthy, who was eating a piece of chocolate cake. “Well, I hope that you’d stay with us, Six. I understand if you aren’t comfortable with that just yet, but I thought we would offer one of the guest rooms for you to stay in until your home is built.” “My...how do you know about that?” “Oh, one of my businesses is construction work here in town. My company is building it to the Princess’ specifications. I even made a call earlier this evening to have it built by the forest closer to here. I hope you don’t mind.” “Not really. I’m just...surprised that you’re getting involved with my hectic life…And I suppose I could stay for a few days or so. Just till the house is done.” “Splendid! I’ll have Prim prepare the room for you! And Proper has just gone to retrieve your belongings from the Castle.” “Wow...efficient.” I stand and smile. “Well, um...If you’d be alright, I’d like to take a walk in the backyard.” “The garden? Of course, go right ahead.” Filthy smiles warmly. I excuse myself from the table and walk through the double doors and out through a set of glass doors that lead to the enormous flower garden in the back. The yard alone could house four of Applejack’s barns, and it was surrounded by a tall hedge. The flowers varied from small, dull colored ones to large, brightly colored ones. It was truly a marvelous sight. “Wow…..” I walk down the small, marble steps and out into the paths leading through the gardens. I had never seen so many vibrantly colored flowers before. I follow a path leading to the furthest point of the garden, and I eventually approach a small pond full of koi fish. I find a nearby bench and sit, staring at the many fish as they swim and swirl around. As I sit, I notice them start to swim closer to me until they were all swimming just at the edge of the pond by my feet. I chuckle and kneel down at the edge of the pond, reaching my hand in slowly. A particularly large koi, which was a vibrant orange with a yellow head, pushed its way through the others until his head touched my hand. “Hehe. Eager, aren’t you?” I gently rub along the length of its back. It’s cold and wet, and feels like rubbing along the flesh of an apple. “I’ve never pet a fish before...You’re all very friendly. Hmm...I think I’ll call this big one Goliath.” The big one does a quick spin. Guess he likes it. I sit back at the end of the pond and watch them as they continue to swim normally all around the pond. Goliath stays as close to me as he can. I suddenly hear a small gasp from behind me. When I look back, it was Diamond. “How are you doing that with the big one?” She asks. “I’m not. He just came up to me.” I chuckle, patting the floor next to me. “Have a seat.” “On the ground? I can’t sit on the ground! It’s so dirty!” Ah. That’s what was off. She’s spoiled rotten. “Alright. Then you can sit here.” I pat my knee. “Are you sure?” She asks. “Yeah. It’s fine. You won’t fall in. I’m a unicorn.” She slowly sits on my knee, resting her hands on my shoulder as she watches the fish. “It seems your big guy likes being petted. Did you train him?” “H-He likes being petted?” She asks, confused. I reach down, and Goliath swims up to meet my hand. Diamond gasps. “That’s so cool!” “Do you wanna pet him?” “Uh huh!” I carefully take her hand and guide it down to Goliath’s head. Her hand touches his head, and she gags a little. “He’s so slimy!” I laugh. “It’s not slime. It’s mucus to keep him insulated. And I’ve named him Goliath.” “Goliath…” She rubs his head a little. Goliath spits a bit of water at me, then dives down. “Aah...I got sprayed...Guess he was tired.” I laugh. Diamond giggles. “H-Hey, um….Six?” “Yes, Diamond?” I ask, looking up at her. “Can...Can i call you Big Brother?” My heart leaps. “Of course! You don’t have to call me Six all the time. And can I call you Little Sis?” “I-If you want to…” I smile warmly, my heart fluttering a bit. I felt really happy. “B-Big Brother?” “Hmm?” “Could...you take me to school tomorrow?” “I don’t see why not. You’re at that school in the edge of town, right?” “Mhm…” “Alright. I’ll take you in the morning.” You two are not allowed to come out around her unless it’s an emergency. Understand? She’s too innocent to taint with your evils. Fine. Dick. As you wish, asshole. Fuckin cunts… “Oh! Daddy sent me out to show you to your room!” “Oh, alright. That sounds good. Lead the way.” She stands and tugs at my hand excitedly. She looked like a kid with a new toy. I laugh and follow her back into the house and up the stairs. She lead me down a long, wide hallway with doors on either side. There had to be twenty rooms up here alone… She lead me to a door with the name “Sixth Sense” etched onto a metal plate by the doorknob. “Come on!” She giggles and pulls me inside. The room was absolutely massive. There was a king-sized bed with a grey curtain around it, a large balcony door with black curtains, a huge dresser, a floor to ceiling mirror, and a door that lead to my own restroom and private bath. “This….Wow, this is a bit much….I’ve never had such a nice place to call my own…” Diamond pokes my arm. “And my room is right next door! Daddy and I agreed this room should be yours!” “Alright. Well, why don’t you head to bed now. You can wake me up in the morning, okay?” She beams and starts ro leave, but I take her hand and kneel down so we meet eye to eye. “Diamond, I know I’m new to this family and all, but don’t be afraid to ask for help. I’d do anything for you if I can. I want to protect you for the rest of my life, even though we just met. Because you’re my Little Sister. I promise to protect you. Just like my Big Sister did for me.” She tears up and hugs me tightly around my neck. I smile, tearing up too as I hug back. “Thank you, Big Brother….I love you…” This child will never be harmed with me around. I’d disembowel a dragon if it even blinked at her wrong. I agree. Six, your happiness is already limited, but this girl seems to have filled a gap in your heart. I will tear a hydra limb from limb to keep her and you happy. Thanks, Guys… “Love you too, Little Sis. Now, go on off to bed. You have school tomorrow.” “Can we go play in town this weekend! I wanna introduce you to my friend Silver Spoon!” “Only if you’re a good girl in school and stay out of trouble. I might even treat you and your friend to ice cream.” She squees adorably before rushing out. I laugh and shut the door as she leaves. I yawn loudly and strip off my shirt and tie. I was about to take my pants off when there was a heavy knock at the door. “Six, it’s Filthy. May I come in?” “Yeah, sure. Come in.” The door opens, and he steps in wearing an evening robe with red silk pajamas underneath. “How are you liking the new room?” He asks, trying not to stare at my scars. “It’s bigger than I expected...You sure I’m okay to be here?” “Of course! Diamond adores you already, and Spoiled thinks you’re lovely company to have around. I insist!” “Alright, alright. Filthy, I wanted to tell you right now that I’m going to be your daughter’s guardian from now on.” “Really? That’s wonderful! I, well...I came here to tell you about Diamond. She, well….She doesn’t get along with the other kids at the school.” “Really? She just seems a little spoiled to me.” “That’s because she’s an angel normally. But she gets jealous of the other kids and can be...rather rude. I’ve heard from Applejack and Big Macintosh that Diamond’s bullied Applebloom and her little friends. But I can’t get through to her.” “Well, I’ll try talking to her. If there’s anything I’m good at, it’s fixing broken people. Diamond may just need a little shove onto the right path.” “Thank you, Six. Good Night.” He starts to leave, but I catch him with my magic. “Filthy….Dad, look. I’m trying to forgive you, and I think the first step is to talk as if we’re not strangers. Alright?” He turns back to me, smiling proudly. “Alright, Son...I’ll do my best to earn your forgiveness.” He quickly leaves, shutting the door after him. I sigh and take my pants off, peeking into the bathroom. “Hmm...Maybe a little bath wouldn’t hurt….” I step into the restroom and shut the door behind me. The bathroom has natural stone floors and bamboo walls lining the perimeter. There was a shower head on the wall above a stool, and a single drain in the middle of the room. The bath was one solid piece of carved stone, perfectly smooth. “Wow….This is really expensive looking…” I go over to the edge of the bath and turn the water on from the bamboo fountains. Steaming water starts to pour into the bath, filling it quickly before turning itself off just before it was full. I step into the bath, and shudder from how warm it was. It felt like slipping into a pile of blankets after a whole day in the cold. “Aaah, this is nice…” I recline my head back. “I see you’ve finally came.” I yelp, looking around. I see Luna standing in the corner just out of sight of the bathroom door. She was wrapped in a black towel, exposing quite a bit of cleavage. And her lower end was just covered enough to not expose anything. “L-L-L-Luna!? What’re you doing in here? How did you even get in here?!” “I teleported, dummy.” Oh right. “Princess, you shouldn’t be out of the castle at night. Don’t you have duties in Night Court? And you have to do the whole dream thing.” “I am. I don’t have to be asleep for that. And as for the court, no one ever comes anyway. I came here to see you.” “This is very irregular, Luna. And you’re so...inappropriately dressed, too.” Alright, ask her about your own body. I am not taking the fall for you. “Luna, I actually have a question.” She raises an eyebrow. “Ask away, Shade.” “Is there a way...to get myself my own body?” She taps her chin, seeming deep in thought. “There may be a way….But it would take time.” “Please try. Because Six loves another woman, and I can’t love you physically like this.” Her face burns red, and her head steams. “P-P-Physically?! Y-you mean like sex?!” “Well, yes….” “I must go! I have work to do!” She suddenly vanishes. Oooh, boy...She wants the D. You think? Six: Ch.24I wake up abruptly at tiny hands pushing against my arm. “Mmmm….five more minutes…..” I groan. “Big Brother, wake up!” Diamond shouts in my ear. I yelp and abruptly sit up, looking over at her. She was fully dressed in a bright pink dress and a wide hat. The hat even had her tiara on it. “You were gonna walk me to school today!” “Oh! Right!” I hop out of bed, and I hear her gasp. Damn it, I didn’t wear a shirt again… “B-Big Brother….Y-your chest….” Diamond stutters. “Sorry you had to see it, Diamond…” I grab a shirt and pull it on. It’s a black, long-sleeve shirt. I switch to my jeans and smile. “Alright, could you help me with my blindfold?” I kneel down, looking her in the eyes. She nods rapidly, grinning widely. I hand it to her, and she hops behind me, tying it around my head, over my eyes. “How come you wear this all the time?” She asks as I stand. “I’m just learning how to use my special talent, so I wear this so I don’t use it accidentally.” “What does it do?” “What does what do?” I pick her up and sit her on my shoulder. She hugs my head tightly. “Well, I can make sad people feel happy. But, some sad people are so sad that in order for them to be happy, I’d become sad. And it hurts me.” “That’s awful...Big Brother, can you keep it off when we’re home?” “I suppose I could do that. But just because you asked.” I laugh. She giggles. “You’re gonna get me after school, right?” She asks as I leave my room and head downstairs and out the front door. “I don’t see why not. But, doesn’t Fi-Dad usually get you?” “Uh huh...But, he’s busy with work today...And Mom’s at the school early to help the committee.” “Ah. Alright. Well, I don’t mind picking you up. I’ll grab you some cupcakes from Sugarcube Corner on the way, okay?” “Ooh, I like strawberry!” She exclaims. “You got it.” As we start to approach the school, I notice the other kids gawking up at her. I glance up, seeing her grin smugly. “Diamond...Don’t be smug. It’s not befitting of you.” I sigh. She blushes and nods, going back to a happy smile. When we get to the front, I gently set her down. She hugs my chest tightly, and I hug her back. “Love you, Big Brother.” “Love you too, Little Sis. See you after school, okay?” I pat her head and head to town, waving back at her as I go. I smile brightly as I head through town. Everyone seemed pretty normal today. A lot more smiles than I’m used to, and only a few eyes were on me. I’m glad that they’re used to me. Before I get too far, I feel hands try to cover my eyes through the blindfold. “Guess who?” I hear Pinkie ask. “Pinkie, you know that my eyes don’t need light for me to see, right? I see with magic.” “Aaawe, you guessed! No fair!” She hops around to my front, leaning close to me. She was just as bubbly as she was when we met before, and just as chubby. It was really cute. She had a baby blue blouse on with a white miniskirt. “Well, you couldn’t have just shouted something behind me? I don’t think I can see behind me.” “I’ll getcha next time!” She beams. I chuckle. “Alright, alright. Well, what’s up?” “I dunno. My Pinkie Sense told me I should come see you today!” “Uuuh...okay? Well, uh...I was going over to Sugarcube Corner...Guess this is a coincidence.” “Ooooh! Were you gonna get strawberry cupcakes?!” “How di-” “Come on! I got a batch ready in the back!” She grabs my hand and pulls me along behind her. *He’s holding my hand~ Pervert~* I barely hear her mumble, a wide grin on her face. I yank my hand from hers. “I assure you I’m not a pervert, thank you.” “Huh? What do you mean?” She asks, looking at me confused. “Pinkie, don’t lie to me. I heard you call me a pervert. I have ears, you know.” She looks surprised and grabs my hand again, tighter this time. *Can you hear me?* She asks. “Yes, I can hear you. You’re talking loudly.” *Look at my mouth when I talk.* I groan. “Pinkie, what game are you playing?” I look at her mouth. *You can….*She says. Wait, did she say it? Her mouth didn’t move… “What...the fuck?” *Sixie! You’re reading my m-* She lets go of my hands, and her voice falls abruptly silent. “What the….what was the end of that?” I ask. “You can read my mind!!” She exclaims. “But you gotta touch me, huh?” I look down at my hands. “What the Hell is going on with me…? First the eyes, now this…” “I dunno! But it’s cool!” She squeals, hugging me. *His muscles are so hard~* I push her off me. “Get your dirty thoughts out of my head!” “What? You don’t think I’m cute?” She asks, leaning against my chest, her breasts squishing against me. I blush deeply. “I-I-I…” *Nyahahaha~* “Nya? What the f-” She giggles and starts walking again. I shake the lewd shit from my head before following her. Something is off about that girl. I noticed that, too. Yeah….Who the fuck says nya? Like, da fuq is nya? I don’t know, but her energy isn’t human...Be cautious. Not human? What, like a demon or something? Something like that… We go into Sugarcube Corner, and she leads me back behind the counter into the kitchen. She pats a box that was sitting on the counter, and she smiles. “These are yours! No charge this time!” “Pinkie….” “Hm?” She asks, raising an eyebrow. “What are you?” I ask bluntly. Idiot. Why wouldn’t I ask!? She may be something that can kill you! My eyes widen and I step back a little. She smiles smugly, her grin wide. “You figured it out, huh? Hehehe. You’re pretty smart! I can smell something off about you, too. Something evil~” She coos, leaning close. Her demeanor has gone from bubbly to a bit creepy. “P-Pinkie?” She suddenly vanishes, only briefly leaving her wide smile and eyes before she disappears. I yelp and turn to run, but she’s suddenly behind me. She shuts the kitchen door and locks it. “Mhm~ You found me out, Sixie~ I loooove a smart man~” She licks her lips. Wh-what’s this aura coming from her!? Her what!? Why are you scared?! This is most unfortunate. Shall I take over? Now, please! I relax my stance, my expression vanishing. She tilts her head. “Huh? Not scared of me anymore? Are you gonna be a good boy n-” “I don’t care for your aura. Show your true form or die.” What?! I can’t do that! I don’t have that kind of power! You may not, but I know every destruction spell known to unicorns. “Sixiiie, why do you sound funny?” My hand glows a bright grey. “Now.” Her eyes widen and her form changes. Her hands shift to big, purple and black paws with fur going up to her shoulders, and she grows cat ears: one purple and one white. Little upside-down purple hearts appear on her cheeks. A long, thin, purple and black tail sprouts from under her skirt. “Nyahaha! I’m a Cheshire Cat!” “Why…” “Hey, don’t be a meanie to my face!” “What do you intend on doing to h-me?” I ask. “We’re gonna have a little fun!” She giggles mischievously. “Unlikely. Not the kind of pussy I like.” She laughs. “That’s a good one!” “I try. Ha. Ha. Ha.” “But you don’t have a say in what Six does...Sombre.” I tense up a little. How does she know!? “Explain yourself, cat.” “I wanna talk to Sixie, not you meanie!” She sticks her tongue out. I’m keeping control of your arms. I don’t like this cat… “Wh-what the Hell, Pinkie!? You’re a cat!?” “Cheshire Cat!” “Who cares?! Why do the odd ones flock to me….” “Hey! I’m not odd!” “You’re literally a cat from a book I read as a kid that can teleport and isn’t very nice to people.” “But I’m nice! To everyone!” “Then why did you corner me in here and lock me in?” “I wanted to tease you a little before I stole your virginity.” My heart skips a beat. “You were gonna rape me!?” “Who says I’m not gonna anymore~?” She giggles. My hands raise, and fire erupts from my palms. “Eeh, not likely...Not doing this….” She pouts. “Meanie….” “Me!? You were gonna rape me! You have no say in that!” She giggles and turns to normal, unlocking the door. “I’m still gonna get it, Sixie~” “It’s Six. And stay away from me.” I take the box and leave. That could’ve been bad… You’re telling me...She was scary! Can’t I just kill her? No! That would be extremely bad! No killing! Awe… I head back towards the school, but I notice class wasn’t even an hour in yet. I was too excited to see her again, I guess. Sombre sends the box to the castle fridge, and I go through town to the Apple Farm. When I get close, I see Applejack bucking apples outside. God above, she’s hot…. I’m starting to see why...Mr. Legs over here. IT’S NOT THE LEGS! “Howdy, Six!” AJ calls, waving to me. I wave back and jog over to her. “Hey, AJ. How’s it going?” “Alright. Just been workin round h-” She suddenly stops and sniffs the air, then sniffs at my clothes. “When didja get a cat?” “A what? Your nose is that good?” “Eeyup. Ya smell like a cat. Yer not a cat, are ya?” “Hardly! I’m a dog person…” She grins deviously. “Are ya now?” “Not like that, you perv! Jeez….” She growls playfully, running her finger down my chest as it grows a long claw. “Ah can hear yer heartbeat pickin up. Ya gettin nervous?” “N-n-not at all! Hahahahaha! Is that a leaf?!” She laughs. “Yer real funny, Six. Yer all hot and bothered, ain’tcha?” “Not even remotely.” “Not askin ya, Sombre.” I huff. “Worth a try.” She hugs around my waist with a stronger grip than I thought she had. “Ya know, ah’m just about yer age, Six. Ah wouldn’t mind settlin down with a nice, strong guy~” “W-Well, wh...I-I’m not that strong…” I blush hotly. She grins, her teeth all sharp. “Somethin about ya just gits me all riled up~” “Ahahahaha….R-really?” Somebody get me wolfsbane or silver right now! Nah. You need to do this yourself. ASSHOLE!! She lets go of me suddenly and smirks. “Yer so much fun ta tease!” She laughs. I huff. “That’s not funny!” “Ya should’ve seen yer face!” “IT’S NOT FUNNY!!!” Six: Ch.25I spent a few hours talking with AJ while she bucked her apple trees. She told me about how the girls all met, and a few of the crazy adventures they went on. “Wait, wait. So, Spike is only the savior of the Crystal Empire because this Princess Cadance threw him at that heart basically?” She rubs the back of her neck. “Guess so. But, he still saved the Crystal Heart. Say, ain’t you two friends? Ya haven’t really talked much.” My heart sinks. “I, uh...Spend so much time with so many people that I don’t have time to see him…” “Well, why don’t ya send him a letter?” I blush softly, very upset on the inside. “I….can’t….” “Whut? Why not?” I sigh. “I…..never learned how….” “What?! How the hay not?” “My mother, she...never let me go to school because I was an embarrassment to her. So I was kept home with my sister.” “Didn’t yer sister know?” I shrug. “She wrote somethings, but I didn’t understand the language...I’m thankful she taught me to read, though.” “Well, then go see Spike! He’s probably over at the Boutique.” “What? Why?” “Spike’s got a thing fer Rarity, but she can’t tell him that she ain’t interested. Spike’s a gentle drake, but….Rares ain’t into dragons.” “Oh….jeez, that sucks…” I bet there’s something wrong with her. Eh? I think that something might be upsetting her. Why do you think that? Because she hasn’t talked to us since the Sombre incident. Not that, idiot. About the dragon thing. I know that. But, I figure she doesn’t like dragons because it’s crossbreeding, and she’s the pure, uppity type. Oh… And I think she’s upset at us because we forced her to tell her feelings in front of everyone against her will. Oh...right…. “Hey, Six?” AJ says. “Hm?” I look over at her. “Do ya...love...me?” I gasp, turning bright red. “E-Eeeeh?!” “Ya never told any of us how ya felt about us...And ah wanted ta know if ya even felt the same way.” “You’re cornering him, Applejack.” She jumps as my voice deepens. “Shade, ah didn’t ask you.” She huffs. “But I’m telling you. Six spend a majority of his life cut off from everyone. And for you all to back him into a corner like that is unforgivable. He hardly knows any of you, and you suddenly expect him to just love you? Just like that? He doesn't work that way. I found that out over the last fourteen years that he expresses his emotions differently, if at all. If you want him to love you, then just get to know him first. You two haven’t really talked outside of today, so talk to him. Oh, and be assertive. He may be stubborn, but he’s not a fighter.” She nods. “Alright….Thanks, Shade.” “Wait, what just happened? Did one of them just….Damn it! I told them not to take over without telling me first!” “It’s alright, Six.” I look back at her, and she had her head down slightly. “Applejack? Are you okay? What did they say?” “Go on a date with me, Six.” My heart just exploded. “Wh-what?” I ask. She looks up at me and grabs my shirt collar, pushing me against a tree. “Yer goin on a date with me!” “B-b-but, it’s so sudden. I-I don’t know…” “Ah wasn’t askin. Meet me here tonight. Eight. Don’t be late, er ah’ll come fer ya mahself.” She drops me and smiles. “Now, git.” I nod and rush back towards town, just as the tower bell sounds that school is out. I run the whole way back to the school, where Diamond and a little girl with glasses and grey hair were sitting on a bench. Sombre teleports the cupcakes back to my hands as I approach. “Hey, Sis. How was school?” I ask, smiling. “Yaaay!” She hops off the bench and nearly tackles me to the ground. “Hey! Haha! Nice to see you too!” I hope she’s not something, too… I doubt it. Her energy signature is similar to yours. Oh, so normal? Good. “Didja bring the cupcakes?” She asks excitedly. I smile and kneel down, handing her the box. “Of course I did. Who’s your friend? Is this Silver?” I ask her. The girl blushes and cowers away a little. Diamond takes her hand and pulls her over. She had a grey dress on. She must be wealthy, too. “Silver, this is my brother, Six!” “H-Hi…” She says bashfully. “Hello. It’s nice to meet you. Diamond, why don’t we bring Silver with us to the house to have cupcakes, too?” “I was gonna share! I wasn’t gonna eat a dozen on my own!” I laugh. “I know. I’m teasing you.” I rub her head. She pouts with puffed up cheeks. “Big Brother, can we go to the park?” “Ah don’t see why not. And we can b-” “Six! What’re ya doin here?” I hear Applebloom shout. I look over, seeing the three girls standing together a few feet away, under a tree. “Just picking up my little sis from school. AJ not come yet?” “Little sister?! Diamond Tiara’s your little sister?!” “That’s right! Jealous?” Diamond says smugly. I bop her a little on the back of the head. “None of that. Don’t bully them anymore, or no happy eyes for you. Got it?” She whines and rubs the back of her head. “Diamond Tiara, I will not tolerate my little sister being a bully.” I say sternly. She looks up at me with tears in her eyes. “O-okay…” “Good. You too, Silver. I may not be your brother, but I won’t tolerate bullying at all.” I lift my blindfold just enough so her eyes meet my gold ones. She gasps and stumbles back a little, tearing up. She nods. “Good.” I put it back on. “Applebloom, why don’t you and the other girls come with us? We have enough for everyone.” “Alright!” She smiles, tugging along Sweetie and Scootaloo. Diamond tugs on my shirt, and I look down at her. “What’s up?” “I’m sorry…” “Don’t apologize to me. Apologize to them.” She gives me the box of cupcakes and walks up a little, bowing slightly. “S-Sorry for bullying you so much…” The girls look shocked. “I-It ain’t that big a deal… Ah want us ta be friends!” Diamond stands back up straight. “R-Really? You do?” “Yeah! We saw you standing up to your mom! That was awesome!” Scootaloo exclaims. “Yeah! You were really brave!” Sweetie adds. “You...think so?” “Yeah!” They all hug Diamond and Silver, and they hug back. I smile. “Well, come on, girls.” I chuckle and start going towards the park, and I smile as they rush up to keep up with me. As we get into the park, I notice Fluttershy over by a dead tree, seemingly talking to a flock of various birds. I chuckle and sit down under a tree, leaning back. I hand Diamond the cupcakes and smile. “Careful not to spoil dinner, sis.” They sit around me and open the box, chittering amongst themselves as they eat. This is very peaceful. I could get used to this. I agree. It’s very pleasant. “Mr. Six?” Silver asks. I sit up and look at her. “Hmm?” “How can you see me with that blindfold on?” “He’s got funky magic powers!” Applebloom exclaims. I laugh. “Yeah. Something like that.” “And he can see and talk to ghosts!” Scootaloo adds. Diamond and Silver both look at me, surprised. “You can!?” I rub the back of my neck. “Yeah...It’s not that big of a deal…” Diamond grabs my face and squishes it. “Are you kidding?! That’s so cool!” “Yoo fink sho?” I ask. “Yeah! Do you see them all the time?” “Cam yoo wet go of my fafe?” “O-Oh. Sorry.” She lets go. “Not all the time. I usually have to be in the place where they died. Or where they’re buried if they died peacefully or were put to rest.” “Oooh!” They all say unanimously. “Mr. Six…” Scootaloo starts. “Just Six, please. Mr. Six makes me sound old.” “R-Right. Six, is it scary?” “To see them? Not anymore. I used to be terrified if I saw one that died violently. They look how they did as they died, so you can imagine how twisted and mangled some ghosts have been.” They all look scared. “But, I help them get closure, and they can ascend to Heaven.” “Wait...Do ya believe in Heaven?” Applebloom asks. “Yeah…” I should keep these kids as innocent as I can. Six, it would be better to be honest with them about it. They might avoid poor decisions in the future. You’re right. “...because I’ve been to Hell.” They jump a little as I say that. “Y-Ya mean Tartarus, right?” “No. I mean Hell.” I say solemnly. They all look scared. “I-It’s real?” “Very. And it’s worse than you can ever imagine…” They cuddle together, shaking a little. “H-How did you get there?” Sweetie squeaks. “.....” I roll up my sleeve, showing them the deep gash running from wrist to elbow. “The Express way…” They tear up. “Y….You d-d-d….” “I died.” I finish flatly. “Why?!” Diamond shouts. “.....I couldn’t take life anymore. I was completely alone. My father left when I was young, my mother was gone, and my sister….was dead.” Diamond reels back a little. “When I got there, the Devil himself met me there. And he took pity on me, saying I was too young to deserve to be in Hell. But, I was sent there for all the burdens I had taken from everyone.” “Th-The Devil?!” “Yes. So, he made a deal with me. He knew about my ability, so he said to me that if he could possess me and use me to send demons back to Hell, I could live again and earn my way to Heaven. And I agreed.” They look really scared, except Diamond. Diamond looks really sad. “S-So, you’re possessed by the Devil?” Scootaloo squeaks. I slowly take the blindfold off, letting Shade take over. They squeak when they see my red, goat eyes. “Yes. He is. It’s not ideal, but I’m here.” They back away a little. “Don’t be afraid. I’m not evil. I only punish the guilty. And none of you are guilty.” Diamond shakily walks up to me, and I look up at her. She suddenly slaps me hard across the face. Everyone gasps, but she cries. “WHY DID YOU TAKE HIM!? HE’S SO NICE! AND YOU TOOK HIM TO...to...HE DIDN’T DESERVE IT!” I rub my cheek. It didn’t hurt my face, but it hurt my heart. “I didn’t want to. I have no control over who goes where. But, I sent him back here because I agree with you. He doesn’t deserve to be in Hell.” “....I’m not thanking you…” “I wasn’t expecting you to.” My eyes turn to normal and I grab her, hugging her close. “I’m not going anywhere ever again.” She sobs into my shoulder, squeezing me tightly. “I won’t forgive you if you do…” “It’s a promise.” I smile. Six: Ch.26[Canterlot: Celestia’s P.O.V.] “A witch? Why would a witch be in Ponyville?” I ask myself, reading a recently received scroll. “Sister! I have good news!” Luna exclaims, barging into my bedchamber. “What is it, Luna?” I ask, hiding the scroll. “I’ve found a fitting body for Shade to possess!” “Have you now? How did you do it?” “I was doing research in the library, and I found a book about forging familiars and golems! And I think I can make a body strong enough to host him!” “This truly is wonderful news! Sister, why don’t you visit him in his dreams? I have something I must attend to.” She nods and leaves. I hold up the scroll again, reading it slowly: “I’m coming for your nephilim. Don’t bother to hide it. Signed, The Witch Brothel Head: M.” [Meanwhile: Shade’s P.O.V.] I chuckle to myself as I sit on my throne of the damned, their agony music to my ears. This is truly a pleasant dream. “It’s rude to intrude on others, Luna.” I say flatly, seeing her hair flowing gently in the non-existent breeze. “This is what you look like? Normally?” She asks, sounding a bit flustered. I stand and grin proudly, my jet-black hair tied in a single ponytail behind my head, and my piercing red eyes look over to her. My body was flawless and tanned, unlike my counterpart. And not a scratch was on me. On my back sat the tattered, burned, and frayed remains of my wings. “It is. Are you scared?” “N-No….Quite the opposite, actually.” “You’re quite forward for a princess in the villain’s castle.” I smirk, turning to face her. I fixed my suit jacket and tightened my tie a little. “I hardly think you a villain, Shade.” “In my domain, I go by Kane.” “Kane? Wasn’t he…?” “Yes. THAT Kane. That’s me.” “But, what about…” “Lucifer? He was killed by archangels millenia ago. I took the throne.” “That’s horrible…” “It was befitting of the King. But, now I hold the title of ‘The Devil’ as you all love to say.” “I’ve come to talk to you about your own body.” “Have you? What news?” “I think I can make you one, but it’s highly advanced magic…” “Why did you really come here, Luna.” She gasps softly. “Let me guess. You think I could assist you with this spell, correct? Unfortunately, my own magic is limited in his body, but i could always cut a deal.” “A-A deal? What kind of deal?” “It’s simple. I’ll give you some of my Hell Magic, but…” “But? But what?” I grab her shoulders and pull her close, ignoring how beautiful she looked in the dim candle light. “You have to promise me that you will exorcise me if I ever do anything unnecessarily evil.” “E-exorcise?! B-But, won’t that…” “Express ticket to Hell. I know. And I can’t ask anyone else. Because if you take this deal, you’ll be strong enough to do it. Six, he….doesn’t know the full extent of his powers yet. He’s too weak. Promise me, Luna.” She tears up a little and nods. “Good. One fair caution for you. Do not try to bring back the dead. Any other magic you learn you can try, but don’t resurrect the dead. That’s a sin directly against God.” She nods. I touch her forehead. “Wake up.” [Canterlot: Luna’s P.O.V.] I gasp and sit up abruptly, coated in sweat and breathing heavily. My whole body felt hot, like I was just in an oven. And my head was pounding in my ears, the pain dull but constant. “Did...it work?” I get up to stand, and notice I feel a bit off-balance. “What the…” I look myself over. I seem perfectly normal...wait…. I rush over to my vanity and look in the mirror. My nightgown looked almost painted onto my body, as if I had grown since I had fallen asleep! And my breasts are…. I look down and yelp, crossing my arms over my chest. They bulge around them. They got bigger…. “Damn it, Shade!!” I shout. [Ponyville: Six’s P.O.V.] That’s Kane to you… Huh? Nothing. Wake up. My eyes snap open and I sit up, looking around. It looked to be about midnight…...midnight…. I FORGOT ABOUT THE DATE!!! I tense up hard as I hear a low growl from the corner of the room. I shakily look over, only to meet those glowing, green eyes again. But, something was different. They were lower than before. I grab my candle and light it, looking back in the corner. Nothing was there. “What the f-” “You forgot.” “WAAGH!” I shriek, hearing the voice behind me suddenly. I fall off the bed in a heap of blankets. “Wh-wh-wh-Applejack?! H-How did you get in here? M-My room’s on the second floor!” I throw the blankets off, only to see those eyes inches from mine. She seems to have only done a partial change. Her figure was the same, but she had pawed hands, canine legs and pawed feet, wolf ears, and her many, many, many sharp teeth. Teeth, of which, were bared at me. “L-Listen, I-I just got caught up with D-Diamond an-” She grabs my shirt and pushes me into the ground, growling deeply in my ear as she leans down. Her chest was pressed firmly against mine. “No excuses.” She suddenly rips my nightshirt off my body and nuzzles into my bare chest hard. All I can do is stare down at her, shaking slightly. “A-A-A-Applejack?” Her gaze snaps up to meet mine and she growls. “Shut up.” I gulp and nod. She grabs the hem of my pants and starts to tug, but I grab them quickly. “H-Hey! Don’t do that!” She growls and yanks hard, ripping them apart. I take that chance to crawl back a few feet, but my back meets a wall. Her gaze bares down on me as she crawls over on all fours, her tail swishing like a predator stalking prey. Shade!? Sombre!? Do something!! I-I can’t. Our minds are blocked out! Her gaze! You need to cover your eyes! I-I...I can’t! My body won't move! She gets centimeters from my face, her teeth bared at me. I stare back at her, shaking. I can barely see her with the blindfold on! Blindfold… Blindfold! Sombre, teleport my blindfold off! He snaps my fingers, and it vanishes from my face. One shot at this. Please work on you… I stare dead into her eyes, keeping mine as wide as possible. She steps back a little, her body trembling a bit. It’s working! I shakily start to stand, my stare never breaking from hers. She backs up slowly before finally sitting down, looking at the floor. She whines softly. “No fair…” I sigh and cough, rubbing my eyes. I tie the blindfold back on and look back at her. “What the Hell was that about?!” I shout. She grumbles. “I admit that I forgot the date, and I’m sorry. But what the fuck were you about to do to me?!” “Mate you.” My face burns bright red. That was unexpected. “What!?” “Mate you.” “Y-y-you said that! And where’s your accent!?” “Don’t know.” I groan and gather the tatters of my clothes. “At least you backed down. Sorry for doing that to you, but i couldn’t think of anything else to do.” “M-Master…” I stop abruptly, that word ringing in my head. I look back at her again. “Wh-what did you say?” “Master!” She looks up at me, her demeanor more like a happy dog as her tail wags. “..........I’m gonna go take a bath now…” I throw away the remnants of my clothes and go into the bathroom, shutting the door. I strip what’s left of me off and I get into the bath, sighing softly from the warm water. Guess I forgot to drain it earlier… I hear shuffling and look over, seeing her with her face buried in my laundry hamper. “H-Hey! What’re you doing in there?!” She pulls her head out. A sock was sitting on her head. “Master’s smell.” “Why aren’t you saying more than two words!?” “Don’t know.” I think her brain in this stage can’t form coherent sentences. So she’s still Applejack, but not all Applejack. Ah… “Applejack, I’m sorry I missed our date last night. But, why don’t we do it today? I’ll swing by the farm after dropping off Diamond, and we’ll spend the whole day together. Okay?” “Sleep here.” “Eh?” “Sleep. Here.” She leaves the bathroom back to the bedroom, and I hear my mattress squeak. I sigh and lean back a little. “Why do I get the weird ones…” “Heard you.” I sigh and facepalm. “Crap…” I finish up my bath and throw on my clean clothes. When I step back into the bedroom, AJ was still half-wolf. But, she was also wearing one of my nightshirts. “Damn it…” I gather her jeans and blouse and I fold them up, setting them on my dresser before I grab a blanket from the footchest and lay on the floor. This is twice I’ve been on the floor… Better than the alternative. I yawn and curl up under the blanket, dozing off to sleep. [Somewhere on the Outskirts of Ponyville: Unknown’s P.O.V.] “Do we have the rest of the preparations made, sisters?” The mysterious hooded woman asks her group. The three others nod. One stirs the contents of a chauldron while another two chant something in a foreign language. “Finally, after so many years, we’ve found it. And it won’t be able to escape this time…” Six: Ch.27I yawn and grunt, sitting up from the floor. I rub my eyes and lean back a little, but my hands rest on something soft. “What the…” I gently squeeze it, and hear a moan in return. I yelp and look down, seeing my hand on AJ’s breast. She was curled up next to where I was, thankfully normal again. I leap up from the floor and scramble over to the dresser, blushing like a madman. I grab my clothes, and I hear a yawn behind me. “Mm….mornin, Six.” “.....mhm…..” I blush even harder, my eyes glued to my choice of clothes for the day. I hear her get up and walk into the bathroom, shutting the door. I quickly check myself over. I’m clean. Did she do anything last night? No. After you went to bed, she just came down next to you and went to sleep. Oh, thank God… I assure you he has nothing to do with this… I throw on my clothes for the day: a pair of jeans and a long-sleeve grey shirt. I yawn again. “Big Brother!” I hear Diamond call from the hallway. “Aren’t you gonna walk with me to school?” “Uh, yeah! Gimme a sec!” I call back. I throw on my shoes and socks and start to leave when a hand grabs my shoulder firmly. “Where do ya think yer goin?” “T-To take Diamond to school?” “Ah’m goin with ya. No runnin off today.” I look back behind me, seeing AJ already fully clothed, hat and all. “A-alright. But, uh...I-I don’t think it’s a good idea to be in my room right now...Maybe you could meet us out front?” “Why? Ah’m yer girlfriend.” “My g-We haven’t even started dating yet!” I whisper-yell. “We just slept together. Don’t that count fer somethin?” I groan. “AJ, you got on the floor with me after I slept down there. That doesn’t count. It was against my will. So, go wait out front for me.” She huffs and goes over to the balcony, jumping down to the ground without a word. “Thank God…” I open the bedroom door, smiling down at Diamond. “Sorry for the wait. Needed a sec.” She looks around behind me. “Did you sleep on the ground?” “Uuuh, yeah! The, uh...the bed was a bit too warm last night. So I took the blanket down to the floor.” She hums to herself for a moment. “Alright! Then let’s go!” She grabs my arm and pulls me along the hallway and down the stairs. As we head outside, I see Applejack waiting patiently at the front gate. “Huh? Isn’t that Applejack? Why is she here?” “I guess she’s just here to see me. She is my friend, you know.” We approach her, and I smile. “Morning, Applej-” I’m cut off as she grabs my shirt collar and yanks me close, kissing me out of nowhere. I tense up, unable to do anything. Then, just as fast as it happens, she drops me and chuckles. “Mornin.” I look at her, touching my lips a little. “What the…” “Is she your girlfriend, Big Brother?!” Diamond yells, yanking on my shirt. I remain silent, getting up from the floor and dust myself off. “Let’s get you to school, eh?” I pick Diamond up onto my shoulder and start off towards town. I can hear AJ following me close behind, and I can feel her eyes burrowing into my skull. “Big Brother, when were you gonna tell me you had a girlfriend?” “....She’s not. We have a date today. She just felt like doing that, I guess.” “Oh…” I look over, seeing AJ right beside me. She grabs my arm and hugs it to her chest, her breasts squishing around it. I blush hard. I try to pull my arm away, but her supernatural strength trumps mine easily. I sigh and just try to ignore how soft she was….No! Bad brain! We finally get to the school, and I set Diamond down, hugging her close. “Have a good day, okay? Dad’s picking you up today, right?” She nods. “Alright. Say hi to Silver for me, would you?” “Okay, Big Brother.” I smile as she heads back into the school. Before I can even have a second thought, I’m yanked over to AJ’s side. “Where are we goin, sugarcube?” “I-I, uh...I dunno….” *He’s gonna be mine tonight. Ah ain’t sharin him with none of the girls.* Let go of me, damn it! I don’t want to read her mind! I try to tug my arm away, but she refuses to let go. “Let’s go have breakfast, then. Sugarcube Corner should be open.” AJ suggests. “O-Okay…” I say as she drags me along behind her. *Why won’t he treat me like his girlfriend? Am ah just not good enough for him?* “AJ….” I gather every ounce of willpower I have and wrap my arm around her waist. She lets out a little gasp, looking up at me. “I’m buying you breakfast, you know.” I smile warmly. “A-Alright…” She replies, blushing. This is so bizarre… Touch the butt… What? No! My hand is staying right where it is! We finally approach Sugarcube Corner. Wait...Oh, fuck my life… “Hi! Welcome t-” Pinkie starts, but instantly falls silent upon seeing AJ and I together, and my arm around her waist. “Howdy, Pinks! Ya mind gettin us a table please?” She smiles. *That dang cat ain’t takin him from me again...Ah knew she tried when ah smelled her on him.* Pinkie nods with a smile, leading us to a table. I sit down, and AJ sits to my left. Pinkie sits to my right and grabs my other arm, hugging it. She’s even softer than AJ… *I’m not sharing him, Applejack...Does he know what she is? I bet he’d leave if he knew.* Pinkie thinks. Woah...That’s a bit harsh… *Ah wonder if he knows whut she is? Ah bet he’d leave if he knew* AJ thinks. What the fuck is this?! Why are they fighting?! They’re friends! “Six, I gotta tell you something!” They both say at the same time. I grab both of their hands and get up, pulling them back behind the counter into the kitchen and shutting the door. “Sixie, why are we back here?” Pinkie asks. “Yeah. Ain’t supposed ta be back here!” “What. The fuck. Do you two want from me?” I ask, trying to stay calm. “What do ya mean?” “You both are fighting over me for some fucking reason, and I want to know why. And, for the record, I know what both of you are.” They look at each other. “Ya told him?!” “Me? You did it too!” “Enough!” I yell, the lights suddenly going out. They both squeak. “You two need to learn that I am not some kind of object to be won. I’m a person. And neither of you can have me. Because both of you seem to just want me, nothing more. And I won’t tolerate that.” I walk out of the kitchen and slam the door behind me, leaving them in darkness. I huff angrily and storm out, going back through town towards the Everfree. I sit just inside the forest under a tree, leaning back a bit. Those damn girls aren’t going to give up, are they? Unlikely. “U-Um….Excuse me...sir?” I hear a soft voice ask. I look behind the tree, seeing a girl with yellow and red hair standing there. She was thin, and her red dress was dirty and tattered. “Oh, my God!” I jump up and rush to her side. “Are you okay? What happened?! Are you hurt?” “I-I don’t think so...C-Could you hold something for me?” She asks weakly. I nod. “Of course. Take it easy.” I hold up her arm as she holds out what looks like a very old coin. *He has no idea that I’m tricking him. Hehehe~ As soon as he takes it, he’ll be rendered unconscious! Oh, the sisters will be so happy to hear I caught it!* I let go of her and back away. “Who are you? And who are your sisters?” She looks at me, wide eyed. “Y-you...read my mind?” “Why did you call me an it?! I’m a he, thank you!” She raises her hand to me. Wait, she’s not a unicorn. She’s an earth pony. Why the Hell is she- A red glyph appears in front of her raised hand, and it was covered in runic symbols. Six, run. What? RUN! I make a mad dash back towards town, narrowly missing a bold of red lightning that strikes the ground to my right. What the Hell is that!? She’s using Hell Magic! Either she’s a demon, or a witch! Fuck my life! I sprint straight into the castle and slam the doors shut. “TWILIGHT!!! WE HAVE A PROBLEM!!” She suddenly appears in the entryway, and I rush up to her and grab her, running down the hall. “Hey! Six, what’s going on!?” “I’m being chased by an Earth Pony using Hell Magic!” We both jump as we hear the castle doors explode open. Twilight whistles loudly. “SPIIIIKE!!!” I hear a loud roar from up ahead, and duck just in time as a huge, green and purple dragon flies overhead and lands between us and the crazy woman chasing me. “HOW DID YOU GET A DRAGON IN HERE!?” “No time to explain!” She shakes my grip off her. “Get down to the dungeon and hide. I’ll come down once I’ve taken care of this one.” Her form changes to her demihuman form, and I rush down the hall and down into the basement. [Twilight’s P.O.V.] I raise my hand, my palms igniting in green fire. I hear a laugh as I walk to the side of Spike. There, a few meters away, was a yellow and red haired woman wearing a red cloak and pointed cap with little horns on it. “You honestly think you can beat me, Twilight? You may be a Princess, but I have Hell on my side.” She laughs arrogantly. I pat Spike’s tail, his normal form towering above me. “Spike, would you please?” He growls with a grin. “With pleasure.” He take s a teed breath and spews a massive plume of green fire out of his mouth at her. She quickly raises her hand and summons a magic shield to block it. I knew she would. I teleport behind her and grab the back of her neck. “Paralyze!” She yelps as my hand glows. I drop her, and she flops to the ground, twitching a little. Spike changes back to his humanoid form and goes over to me. “Are you alright, Twilight?” “Just fine. This was too easy...I don’t like this. Go check on Six.” He nods and flies down into the dungeon. I grab the witch by her neck and pin her to the castle wall. “Why were you going after Six?!” She laughs. “Don’t you get it? He isn’t human! And my sisters will have him, and we'll all live forever!” “What are you talking about? He’s just a human! He just has the ability to-” “See the dead. And demons. And he can read minds with a touch and see without any light. He can even see souls. Do the math, Princess.” My grip falters a little as I think. “No….It’s not possible. They don’t exist!” “Not they. Just one. And you’ve just made him target number one.” With a burst of smoke, she vanishes. I cough and wave the smoke out of my face. It’s not possible….That’s impossible! He can’t be a…. “Twilight, he’s okay! Is it safe to bring him back up?” “Y-Yes!” It explains so much...Why he can see the dead, and demons….why he can force happy thoughts with his golden eyes...why he can see without his eyes...It all fits...but, does he even know it? “Twi! Are you okay? Who was that?!” Six calls, rushing to my side. “That was a witch...She was coming after you because…” Can I really tell him what he is? If he doesn’t know, he could become exponentially more dangerous. No, I can’t tell him. “...of your ability to see the dead. They were trying to use you for some kind of necromancy. And now, you’re in danger.” Spike looks at me, confused. I shake my head, and he nods. “Six, I’m writing to the Princesses. Spike will escort you home. I’ll be there afterwards.” He nods and Spike leads him out. I go into the library and shut the door. I summon a scroll and Quill, and I start to write. “Dear Princess Celestia. We have a massive problem. I believe that Six…..may be a nephilim...” Six: Ch.28[Canterlot: Celestia’s P.O.V.] I drop the scroll in my hand, a shocked look on my face. “G-Guards!” I shout. Three guards burst in, spears drawn. “What is it, Princess?” “Bring me Sixth Sense and the Elements of Harmony right now! It’s an emergency!” They rush out without another word. Luna bursts in, and...woah… “Sister, what’s happening?!” “L-Luna….something’s….different about you…” She was slightly taller than me now, and her bust was almost my size. She was wearing a corset under her dress, and she looked much more attractive than I’ve seen her before. I couldn’t stop from blushing. “Indeed. I, well...um….I spoke with Shade...He may have, uh….shared his magic with me.” “H-His magic did th-this?” She raises an eyebrow. “Sister, are you alright? You’re awfully red…” “Sister, what magic is this? I...Can’t draw my gaze from you…” She quickly grabs a blanket and covers herself, and I feel my body calm. “What...was that?” “Well, I….I don’t…” “Luna, what did Shade do to you!?” “A-Actually….he’s called Kane.” “Wait...as in Kane and Able!?” She nods slowly. “And you trusted him!?” “H-He and I love each other! And he shared his magic with me!” “Sister, he made you a succubus! This is bad! You need to hide your body until we can reverse this!” “I...may have made a deal with him…” “WHAT!?” [Six’s P.O.V.] I yawn and rub my eyes, looking around the library. I must’ve dozed off. But it wasn't just me and Twilight anymore. All the girls were there, sitting around me. “Six, are you okay?” Twilight asks. “Mm….Yeah...I just was tired, I guess. Why are all of you here?” “We got a letter of summons from the Princess. She’s sending a carriage to get us.” Twi answers, sounding nervous. I reach to take her hand, but she backs away a little. I sigh and cross my arms. “Why are we being summoned in the middle of the night? Does it have to do with the witch?” “Witch!? What witch, darling?” Rarity asks, sounding scared. “The one that chased me down and tried to kidnap me. Twilight didn’t tell any of you?” Pinkie and AJ cling to my arms, glaring daggers at each other. *I won’t let let any witch take Six away.* They both think. Fuck… “Well, since I figure I’m going to be put on lockdown for a while, I should tell you all that you’re all my friends. But you shouldn’t try to fight over me. I’m talking to you two, AJ. Pinkie. I’m entrusting my life to you. And we’re sure that Diamond and my family are okay?” “Yes. I sent Spike to watch them. They’ll be fine.” Twilight reassures me. “Okay. So, what is Spike exactly?” I ask. Twilight’s eyes widen, and she shakes her head. No more fucking lies. “No. What is he? I saw him as some huge-ass dragon! Is that normal?” “Twilight! You let Six see him like that?” Twilight cringes a bit. “I...may have...a little…” The rest of the group groans. I look around at them, super confused. “Twilight, yer not supposed ta show anybody his form!” “I know….” “Hey, take it easy!” I shout. “Applejack, you have no room to talk. Or you, Pinkie. Hell, not even Twilight.” Rarity, Dash, and Fluttershy look at them, concerned. “Y-You showed him your forms?” Shy stutters. “It weren’t on purpose! It was durin full moon week! Ah didn’t smell him followin me, and...his leg was mah fault…” “AJ, I don’t blame you for...wait, you all know!? And you didn’t tell me this beforehand?!” “Six….We’re all...well….less than human.” Twilight says. Excuse me, whaaaat? That’s what I was thinking… “Then...What are the rest of you!? I know Twilight’s a hakutaku, I know Pinkie’s a rapist…” Pinkie pouts. “I mean, a Cheshire Cat, and AJ’s a werewolf. But, ALL OF YOU!?” Rarity sighs. “Indeed, we are. We were sent here to assure no innocent souls were hurt or killed.” “By who!?” By me….Oh, fuck. I forgot about them… WHAT?! They’re Hell Knights, each a different species of demon. None of them wish harm on the innocent, so I sent them here to protect this place. Why this place?! Because you were here. They were all sent to locations surrounding your childhood home to prevent other forces from trying to attack you. Why would they!? I’m just a psychic! That’s it! That’s...not entirely true. What are you talking about!? It’s best not to know for now. Ugh...whatever… “You six have done a wonderful job protecting him, but don’t tell him what he is. It may put the world at risk.” “Shade, what are you talkin about?” AJ asks. “Ego sum magister vester.” They all gasp and quickly kneel at my feet. “Lift your heads. No one must know it’s me in here. Only Luna knows, and she is one of you now.” “She is?” Twilight asks, getting up. “I’ve granted her the soul of a succubus.” “Master, you always loved a girl with power.” Rarity giggles. “You all must protect Six with your lives. His power mustn't fall into the hands of those witches, or anyone.” They all nod. AJ raises her hand a little. “This isn’t a classroom, Applejack. Speak.” “M-Master...is it okay….if ah serve Six now?” The others agree. I look at them, frankly a bit shocked. “Why the sudden change of heart?” “He’s a good man...And he deserves happiness, and we’ve agreed that we can provide it for him. But...we can’t decide which of us it should be…” “Applejack...Listen well. All of you. His love must be earned. And none of you have done more than molest him. I have seen all he has, and I’m ashamed of you. You should know he isn’t like that. Earn his love through experiences. Understand that?” They nod. “Celestia has sent guards to bring us all to Canterlot. You six will be questioned by your Princess. Meanwhile, Luna will be giving me a new body, and I won’t be with Six anymore. I’ll stay by Luna’s side, and I’ll be visiting rarely. If he dies on your watch, I will be sure to make you suffer in ways that not even you can imagine.” They gasp and gulp. Fluttershy looks like she’s on the verge of tears. “Now, excuse me. You have guests.” I blink a few times and look around. “What just happened?” “N-Nothing, Six…” Twi says. “Just talking with an old friend.” The library doors open, and several dozen guards burst in. “Come with us. All of you.” One of them orders. I stand and follow them outside, where I’m bound in chains and thrown into the back of the carriage. When I come to, I was chained to the wall in what looks like a dungeon. “Damn it….Why am I here?!” The door of the cell opens, and Luna walks in, shrouded in a cloak. “Kane…” “Is it ready?” “Yes. But, I warn you. This is going to be painful for both of you.” “I’m well aware of that.” She nods and sets down a little clay doll at my feet. She walks over to my side and touches my bare chest. A black ring with Hellish Runes appear, swirling rapidly. “Venit domum ad me dominus meus.” She chants slowly, touching the chest of the short, beige doll. I scream in agony as I feel my soul being ripped apart. I tug and writhe around in the chains, screaming so loudly that my voice cuts off. My eyes start bleeding, dripping down my cheeks to my chest. A ball of black energy is slowly pulled from my chest, and I black out as soon as it’s out. [Luna’s P.O.V.] “Venit domum ad me dominus meus.” I chant again, touching the doll’s chest again. The orb floats down and disappears into the doll. After several seconds, it starts growing taller, it's form shifting and changing to match his appearance in his dreams. Our dreams. As he grows to full size, he gasps and stretches his new limbs. He stretches a bit and kneels down in front of Six, who was crying and drooling blood. He presses his forehead to Six’s and the blood is pulled back into his body. I grab my cloak and throw it over Six, and he chuckles. “Fourteen years in this body...It feels bizarre to have my own again…” His voice is much deeper, almost sinister. “Kane….How do you feel?” He turns to me and grins, his eyes his own. “Fantastic.” With a snap, we both vanish into my bedchambers. [Six’s P.O.V. three hours later] I scream myself to consciousness, looking around frantically. I was still in the dungeon, alone. What the fuck happened? Shade is no longer here. It’s just me. What?! He...is he dead? No. In a new body. He decided that you would be killed of you were found to have evil magic in you. So, he gained a new form, and I eradicated the remaining evil. You are pure again. I sigh and look up above me. It was sundown. “How long have I been out?” “Three hours, eighteen minutes.” “Ah. Thanks…” The cell door opens, and a guard steps in. “We’ll be going to see the Princess. Don’t try anything funny.” “I won’t…” He unlocks my chains and grabs my hair, pulling me along with him up several flights of stairs. When we do get to the throne room, I’m knocked to my knees with spears to my neck. “Welcome back, Six.” Celestia smiles warmly. “Guards, I told you to go easy on him. He’s a guest.” They raise their spears and leave. I get up and dust myself off, hugging the cloak to my body. “I see you’re looking...well. I’ve heard some interesting things about you, and your eyes. May I see them?” She asks, standing to her full height. I back up a little as she approaches me, her elegant grace very intimidating. I shakily take the blindfold off and look up into her eyes. She smiles. “I can see the rumors are true. I feel true happiness in this gaze. Six, do you know what you are?” “No, I d-I wouldn’t if I was you, Celestia.” “Aah, Sombre I assume. You’re the one who almost killed him before, yes?” “I won’t deny that. But I have no interest in that anymore.” “Is that so? That means you live to do what exactly?” “Protect Six.” [Celestia’s P.O.V.] “I see…..and, what if I were to, say...kill him. What would you d-” Before I can finish, he was right in front of me with his glowing hand millimeters from my chest. His eyes were emotionless; expressionless. Grey. “I would tear your heart out before you could even blink.” I stumble back onto my throne. I can’t help but laugh. “It was all hypothetical, of course. I just wanted to see if I could trust you. Because, you know what he is, don’t you?” “Of course. He and I are one. I’m his angelic side. Rational, fierce, unemotional. Born to kill.” “I see….Why didn’t you fight against this...witch?” “He was told to hide, so we hid.” “You listen to me, and listen well. If he falls into their hands, it could mean catastrophe for us. Do you get that?” “Of course.” He relaxes, standing at my feet. “Good. Until we can deal with these witches, you and the Elements will be kept here, under close watch. You will no longer be allowed to be alone at any moment in time. In that time, I ask one thing of you.” “Name it.” “Can you merge your consciousnesses?” “It is possible. But unsafe.” “Keep vigilance. Don’t let your guard down at any moment in time. And take over if you must to save him or my Elements.” “I do not follow your laws, for you are not my ruler. But, I will obey.” “Good. Thank you. You may go.” He bows slightly and leaves. As the palace doors shut, I clutch my chest, trying to slow my frantically beating heart. He really is dangerous…. Six: Ch.6[Six POV] “Twilight, I can walk on my own, just let go of my arm…” I groan, my shoulder sore. “No can do! Until you can see by yourself, I’m taking you everywhere.” I groan and huff, defeated. I can hear the soft wingbeats of Dash and Shy behind me, and all the murmurs of the people in town. “Who’s he?” “That looks a bit like that guy from the party the other day…” “No way, that guy was tiny! He’s hunky~” “Lyra!” “Bon Booon, let me touch him!” “Absolutely not! Do not touch Six at any point unless I say so!” Twilight shouts over the crowd. “Yes, Princess.” They reply. “Awe….” I hear the now named Lyra whine. “Twilight...How...many people can see me?” “Don’t worry about it! Hehehehe….” THAT MANY!? We finally stop walking outside the boutique, and Twilight knocks. “Just a minute~!” That’s Rarity. I hear the door open, and Rarity gasps loudly. “Oh, my! Twilight, who’s this you’ve found~?” “Hey...Rarity.” “Six?! Is that you, darling? What happened?” She asks, sounding mostly concerned, but there’s a hint of something else in her voice… “We can explain later. Rarity, he needs new clothes. His-” “Are clearly too small for him now. Oh, and they were such fun to make, too.” I can actually hear her pouting… “Well, come in!” Twilight leads me inside, and I take the blindfold off finally. “My, my….You’ve grown all over, haven’t you?” Rarity grins. Oh, look, a piece of thread on the floor! “Twilight, what happened to his...well, body? And not just his size. The poor dear’s scarred all over!” Twilight explains everything to her, and I can feel Rarity’s eyes glued on me the whole time. “Oh...oh, my….I couldn’t imagine what Sweetie Belle would do if I was gone… I’m so sorry…” “It’s okay, Rarity. Not your fault…” “Well, enough of the sad talk. Let’s get you fitted! But for this new outfit, you can’t have your shirt on. They'll interfere with my measurements.” “Hey! You just wanna see him naked, don’t you!” Dash yells. I forgot they were there! “Wh-oh, heavens no! No, darling. You have the wrong idea...hahaha….maybe a little bit?” “YOU TOO!?” Dash and Twilight shout at her. I sigh and shrug my shirt off. “Just..hurry up, okay? This is embarrassing….” She beams and grabs her tape measure, going up under my arms, around my waist, and across my chest. She does it by hand, though. “Wouldn’t it be easier to use magic?” I ask. “Well, yes. I suppose so, but this is more precise.” I shrug. She smiles after she measures my legs and thighs. “You’ll have to spread your legs a bit, darling. Can’t get this wrong.” I blush hotly. “C-can’t you use magic for this one…?” “Oh, no no. Hands on is much easier…” I blush even harder and widen my stance a bit. She presses the tape measure from my ankle up to my groin, and I look away as her hand hits my package. “H-huge….” The other three gasp. I back away and chuckle. “Alright, done with that….I’m gonna go outside. You four stay. Please…” I put my blindfold back on and walk outside, sighing with relief. “Guess this body gets more girls than my other one….But is that better, or worse? I want my girlfriend one day to like me for me, not what I can do…” I feel around the building and sit when I think I reach the back of the building. “I want my old body back… This one draws too much attention…” “Like yer other one didn’t?” I scream unintentionally and jump up. “Wh-wh-wh-wh-APPLEJACK? You scared the Hell out of me!” “Awe, shucks. Didn’t mean ta. But whut happened ta you? Ya got all buff n tall. Damn near look like Mac.” “Not you too….” “Whut?” I explain everything to her. “Gosh, ah’m real sorry ta hear bout yer sis. Applebloom’d be crushed if ah… Anyway, so the others are crushin on ya?” “Yeah….And it’s not that I don’t appreciate it. It’s just...I want someone who’ll like me for me, not just this...weird new body…” “Six, it ain’t weird. If whut ya said is true, this is what yer supposed ta look like. That damned demon probably kept ya small so he could control ya easier.” “I….never thought of it that way…” “Hey, ya never said what the blindfold’s fer. Ya beatin up a pinata?” “No, nothing like that. Princess Celestia told me to wear this so I don’t accidentally take in anymore burdens from eye contact. And I’d take it off now, but we may not be completely alone.” “Uh, nope. Yer sittin just outside the door.” I’ve been in plain view this whole time?! “Hey, Six. If ya got some time today, why don’tcha join me at the farm? Ah could teach ya how ta Apple buck!” “Uuh...okay? I guess I can. But I need my clothes from Rarity, first…” “Ya’ll can borrow some of Mac’s clothes. Come on!” She helps me up, and she leads me to the farm. Finally, I’m not being dragged anywhere….I was worried that Applejack’d pull my arm out of place…. “Hey, Applejack? Aren’t I about your height?” “Yeah, just above actually. Why?” “Is Mac my height?” “Oh, Mac’s taller. But we kept some of his older clothes. They ought ta fit.” How tall is he?! I know we’re close when I start to smell apples. “Applejack! Yer home!” I hear a tiny voice squeak, and AJ laughs. “Applebloom! Ain’t ya supposed ta be helpin Mac in the barn?” “Well, ah mean….Who’s that?” She asks. “Applebloom, this is Six. He’s helpin me apple buck today.” Applebloom gasps loudly. “He’s the guy that talked ta Granny?! But, you said he was shorter…” “Well, he grew. Now, git goin. Ya’ll can meet him when ya get yer chores done.” I hear her run, and I peek under the blindfold. She was small, maybe in her late teens, and she was wearing a yellow dress with a big red bow in her hair. No burden. “Thank Celestia… She’s burdenless. Most children are.” Applejack chuckles. “Well, since ya kinda met her already, why don’t ah introduce ya to Mac?” “Well, uh...I guess so…” She pats my back and leads me to what I can assume is a barn by the smell of hay. “Big Mac, ya in here?” AJ calls. “Eeyup.” A deep, soul-shaking voice responds. “Come out and meet Six.” I hear approaching footsteps, then they stop. “Six, this is Mac. Mac, Six.” “H-Hi there…” “Eeyup…” “Uuh...He’s the one ah told ya about...that talked ta Granny.” “Eeyup.” I chuckle. “Is...is he staring at me?” “He don’t talk much. But he’s tryin ta say that it’s nice ta meet ya. Ain’t that right, Mac?” “Eeyup.” I chuckle. “Nice to, uh..m-meet you too.” I feel a huge hand on my shoulder. No burdens again. Thank you, Celestia… The footsteps leave, and I sigh heavily. “He sounded huge...And he’s burdenless. If we can go somewhere away from prying eyes, I can take this stupid thing off…” “A-Ah can take ya to the west orchard. Only Mac and Ah go back there.” “Alright. Lead the way, then.” She leads me along, but I have to follow her footsteps. She’s not talking. “Did...I say something?” “Eh? No, nono! Just, ah’m a little hungry. And ah think we’re far enough away now.” I nod and take the blindfold off, looking at AJ. She indeed was slightly shorter than me, and had a slight blush on her face. “Well, ah’ll show ya how ta do it. Here, can ya stand like this?” She gets into a fighting stance. I mimic her. “Now, whut ya gotta do is kick the tree as hard as ya can. Ha!” She slams her foot into it, rattling every apple out of it. “Now, yer turn.” I look down at my shoes, which I just now noticed I had a lack of. “I-I don’t have my shoes! I must’ve left them at the hospital. I-I guess I can try without them.” I get in front of another tree and get into a fighting stance. “Ha!” I kick the tree as hard as I can. With a loud crack, I drop to the ground. “Ooow! Damn it, my ankle!” “Are ya alright?!” “I think I sprained it…” “Sprained!? The hay was that crack, then?!” She looks at the tree, which part of the bark had cracked. “Oh...Well, ah need ta wrap it up till we can get ya inside. Gimme yer shirt.” “Eh?! My shirt?!” “Just give it here!” I blush and take it off, giving it to her. She wraps it tightly around my ankle and ties it tightly, making me wince in pain. “Alright. That should do fer now. Can ya stand?” I nod and manage to hop up. She takes my arm and wraps it around her shoulders and hers goes around my waist as she helps me back to the farm. Both of us are blushing. “Th-thanks…” “Don’t mention it. Ain’t nothin…” We get to about halfway in silence before I trip, knocking both of us over. I land on my hands and knees When I open my eyes, I blush madly as AJ was under me, my knees on either side of her right leg, and my hands on the ground on either side of her head. She was blushing even harder than me. I jump up and fall onto my back. “S-sorry! I didn’t watch where I was going!” She sits up and dusts off her hat, putting it back on. “It’s alright…” She helps me back up, and she holds me against her again, and I swear it’s just a little tighter. [Applejack POV] Why am ah blushin so dang hard? He just fell on top of me. It ain’t like it’s the first time somebody fell on me. But, it’d usually be Applebloom….Why was him doin it makin me embarrassed?! I finally get him back to the farm, and I get him inside, sitting him down on the couch. “Ah’ll get ya some bandages. Gimme a sec.” I manage to blurt out before rushing into the bathroom and locking the door. “Whut the hay’s gotten into you, Applejack? Yer actin all twitchy around him! He’s just another guy...right?” I shake my head and grab the first aid kit from the cabinet and I bring it back out to him. He was in the same place, but he had his blindfold on again. “How’s it feelin?” “It still hurts, but I think that the wrap helped alleviate it some. Thanks again…” “Ain’t nothin, still. Now, don’t move.” I untie the shirt from his ankle and carefully unwrap it. His ankle was bruised and swollen slightly. “That’s one nasty sprain ya got there. Lemme clean it up, then ah’ll wrap it with some gauze.” I grab the alcohol pads from the first aid kit and carefully wipe around his ankle before I tightly wrap it from mid shin to mid foot with gauze and tape. “There. Ought ta do it. Wait, ain’t ya a unicorn? Can’t ya just heal it yerself?” “I, uh...I don’t know any spells besides magic cancellation and levitation...Sorry…” “It’s alright. Well, since yer here, would ya like ta….stay fer dinner? Ah’m makin spaghetti.” “I’d...I’d like that a lot. Thank you.” HE SAID YES! “Ah’ll get started!” I jump up and rush into the kitchen. “Hey...Isn’t it only mid-day?” Fiddlesticks….
Six: Ch.1“Twilight, you’re overreacting.” Spike says calmly. Twilight scurries around the library. “Spike, you don’t understand! Princess Celestia entrusted me with a new student to teach about friendship! And she didn’t tell me ahead of time! What am I supposed to do!? I’m not ready for him!” Spike grabbed her shoulders and shook her. “Twilight, calm down! He’s just another guy. Just talk to him like you would me.” She sighs and smiles nervously. “Okay...Thanks, Spike.” There was a knock at the door, and Twilight squeals. “He’s here! Spike, quick. Stall him! I need to clean up! My hair’s a mess!” She rushes upstairs, her bare feet scrambling to her room and slamming the door. The tall drake sighs and chuckles before going over to the front door and opening it. “Good morning. Is this, uh...Princess Twilight’s castle?” I ask, rather dumbly. Stupid! No kidding it’s her castle. I try my best to fix my messy black hair as the drake looks in my grey eyes. “You’re Sixth Sense, right? Twilight’s new student?” I nod. “Y-Yes. But call me Six, please...Everyone does.” The dragon smiles and shakes my hand. “Well, she’s getting ready. You came last second, so you’re free to wait in the library until she’s done.” I nod and step inside. And my heart suddenly flutters and my head throbs. “Woah, are you okay? You look kinda pale…” I clear my throat. None of that. I was sent to make friends, not weird everyone out. “Y-yeah, just fine. Heh.” I chuckle and grab my duffel bag, shuffling through the long, narrow crystal hallway, the walls glistening like a pink and purple mirror. The dragon leads me to a large set of double doors and throws them open. My jaw literally drops as I’m met with an enormous array of hundreds of thousands of books! “This….is a princess’ library?” “Yup! Feel free to read whatever. Oh, and I’m Spike, by the way.” “You….the savior of the Crystal Empire, Spike?” He chuckles and rubs the back of his neck with his claws. “Yes, that one. But just treat me like any other friend, alright?” My eyes widen in shock. Friend?! “F-friend?” He looks at me solemnly. “Yeah. Don’t you have any friends?” I shake my head slowly, my eyes glued to my feet. He puts a clawed hand on my shoulder, and I look up at him. “Consider me friend number one.” I smile brightly. We both jump a little as a door upstairs slams open, and Princess Twilight scrambles downstairs, her hair in a towel. She was wearing a short, purple skirt and a white, button up blouse. Her curves were hugged tightly by her blouse, her cleavage exposed. “Oh! You must be Sixth Sense! It’s nice to meet you!” She smiles warmly. I gulp softly, tugging on my black shirt collar. “P-please….S-Six….” “Oh. Okay! Well, Princess Celestia sent you here to learn about friendship, right?” I nod frantically, my eyes glued on the bridge of her nose. “That must’ve been quite an experience. I remember when I met the princesses, too. I was terrified that I’d say or do something to offend them. But she met me with a warm smile…” She smiles at the memory. After a moment, she shakes her head. “Anyway, after I finish getting ready, why don’t I take you around town? You just got here by train, right?” I nod. “Excellent! I’ll be back!” She goes into the next room and shuts the door. I slump down into a chair and sigh. “Oh, wow….She’s so nice…..and pretty….” Spike clears his throat. “I’ll just, uh...go make some food. Hungry?” I shake my head. I barely hear him leave before I’m hit with that intense dizziness and weightless feeling again. Not here...It’s not possible. “You can hear me, can’t you?” I sigh, hearing a soft woman’s voice behind me. I turn around to see a mare just younger than Twilight standing there, her white hair floating freely around her translucent body. “Yes, I can.” Her entire body from her clothes to her hair were a pale, transparent white and looked like it was being blown in a soft breeze. She had an older-style dress and flat-shoes. She looks like she’d been around when the town was made. “Why can nobody see me?” She asks. “I’m sorry to say, but you’ve passed away. Quite a while ago, judging by your clothes.” Her eyes fill with tears as she starts to sob. I hate it when they cry. “Why can you see me? If no one else can?” She manages to say. I sigh and scratch my head. “It’s why I’m here….My special talent is that I can sense and talk to spirits, and even see them. I try to help them move on to their next life…. What’s your name? I’m Six.” “I’m Maple Star….” I smile warmly. “Well, Maple. Did you have unfinished business before you….you know.” “I….I was shy in...life. I just wanted a friend…..” “I know how you feel….Nobody wants to talk to me. They think I’m crazy or something...I’ll be your friend, Maple.” Her demeanor suddenly brightens as her color returns. Her hair turns a soft amber color, and her skin becomes a soft tan. Her eyes shine green, and her white clothes deepen as tears stream down her cheeks. “Wh-what’s happening?” I smile. “This is what it feels like to ascend to heaven. Rest now, Maple. I’ll visit you as often as I can, friend.” She smiles brightly, and vanishes. I take a deep breath as the feeling disappears from my head. “Who were you talking to?” I yelp as Princess Twilight’s voice suddenly appears. I flip around, and she was standing in the doorway with her short hair in a neat bun. “J-Just to myself! Hahahaha…..” I hope she didn’t hear any of that… “Six….Princess Celestia told me. You don’t have to lie. Who was it?” I look up at her in surprise. “You...knew she was here? What did the Princess tell you…?” “She...well, she said that you’re suffering from delusions and think you can talk to ghosts.” I clench my fists angrily, but sigh. It wasn’t their faults. No one believes me. “Believe what you want. I won’t lie to you. Her name was Maple star. She looked like she was around when the town was founded. But she’s gone now.” She looks at me, clearly skeptical. “Maple Star….It sounds familiar. Well, let’s just drop it for now. Ready to meet my friends?” I nod reluctantly, and follow her out of the castle into the sun-lit street. There were so many vast colors and shapes that my brain could barely comprehend what I was seeing. She leads me towards what looked like a gingerbread house, and I smile softly. It looks like a storybook house. And it smells amazing. “This is Sugarcube Corner! My friend Pinkie lives here and works as a baker! I’m sure you’ll love to meet her.” “O-Okay, Princess…” “Call me Twilight. Please.” I blush and nod. When we step inside, it feels fairly normal. No flutters. Good. “Ooh, hi Twi Twi!” I hear a bubbly voice ring out. I look over to the counter, and I feel a sharp pain in my chest. I gasp shakily and clench my heart, wincing slightly. Twilight looks back and holds my shoulder. “Hey, are you okay?” “Y-Yeah...Just….it’s nothing.” I look back at Pinkie, who had a pleasant smile on her face. That pain in my heart can only mean one thing: She’s suffering. The way my talent works is that spirits naturally cling to my energy, and can manifest for me to hear and see. It makes me dizzy and lightheaded. But it only does that for the dead. But if someone living expends all of their energy into their environment, it starts draining from me. And if all their energy is expended into their surroundings, that usually means the person at the center of it is burdened by something in their past that’s haunting them, like a demon. “Well, anyway...Pinkie, this is Sixth Sense. He’ll be staying here in town at the castle.” Pinkie squees and hops over the counter, her slight chub jiggling as she runs over and hugs me. Her candy-sweet scent overwhelms my nose as my face gets buried in her apron-clad chest. “You don’t need to suffer alone anymore, Pinkie….Let me take your burden…” I whisper. Her grip tenses slightly. As we seperate, she looks at me in shock. I can’t help but smile as the feeling in the room brightens as her despair leaves her mind. “H-How did…” She starts. “It’s very nice to meet you, Pinkie. Please, call me Six.” I interrupt. She smiles. “Okie dokie, Sixie!” She hugs me again. “Thank you…” She whispers. I nod and we separate again. Twilight clears her throat. “Well, uh...we were gonna grab a cupcake or two, if you have any lying around….” “That’s okay, Princess…..I-I’d rather not. I don’t handle sugar well…” I say plainly. She looks at me, a little surprised. “Well, um...if you say so. Just one, I guess.” She says. Pinkie nods with a smile as she hops behind the counter. I sigh softly, my body already feeling the extra weight. When I consoled Pinkie, I took her burden from her. It weighs on me greatly until I can dispel it, which I’ve never successfully done. I sit at the counter, and Princ- Twilight puts her hand on my shoulder. “Are you okay, Six? You look a bit tired…” “I’m fine….I just need a minute.” Pinkie comes back from the kitchen with a box of cupcakes. “Pinkie, I only wanted one…” “On the house! And I hope you’ll come to your ‘Welcome to Ponyville’ Party, Sixie!” “I-I don’t know….So many people….It might not be a good idea…” “Awe, please? Sixie, you gotta have a party! They’re super splenderific!” I sigh in defeat. How can I argue with her? “Alright….But not too many people, okay? I…can’t handle it.” “Yay!” She hugs me tightly, her chest squishing my face. My face burns brightly and I stumble back, blushing softly. “Easy on the hugs….” She pouts playfully before disappearing into the kitchen again. What was burdening her? I’ll have to ask one of these days….or weeks….or years…. “So, um...Let’s try Rarity next, okay?” She says, clearly uncomfortable being around me. Just like everyone else. She can sense something off about me, everyone can. Like I’m some sort of demon in disguise, or a murderer. But it’s just...all the burdens I’ve taken on in my life are starting to affect those around me, like I’m toxic to them, making them uncomfortable or sad. “This was a bad idea….I don’t want you to be uncomfortable around me…” I clench my fists, my eyes stinging with forced-back tears. “Six, I…..I don’t mean to hurt your feelings. And you’re not a burden. You’re my student.” I look up at her, and she smiles back pleasantly. I nod slowly, and she takes my hand, making me blush as she pulls me along. Why...do I feel this way? What is it? We eventually get to what I assume is a clothing shop, but looks like a carousel of some kind. Twilight knocks on the door. “Just a minute~!” I hear a sing-song voice ring out. Moments later, the door opens to a very pretty woman with a long, elegant blue skirt and white blouse with long sleeves. Her long, purple, curly hair ran down her back nearly to her hips. She even had a perfect hourglass shape, not too big, not too small. She must be a model or something. “Oh, Twilight darling! How good it is to see you!” She hugs Twilight, then looks at me. I jump a little as our eyes briefly meet before mine glue themselves to a particularly fascinating rock. “And who’s this young man with you?” She asks. I wonder if it’s sedimentary… I get a hard elbow in the ribs and look up to Twilight, who’s looking at me expectantly. “I-I-I’m Sixth Sense….O-Or Six….” She smiles warmly. “How wonderful to meet you! I’m Rarity! Oh, good heavens, you must come inside! Your outfit makes you look dreadfully dull!” I look down at my black shirt and pants. “Dreadful….? I always wear all black….” She grabs my arm and pulls me along with her. Her free hand glows and various sewing tools and measuring tapes fly about the room, zipping around me like some kind of acrobatic display. “Those colors make you blend in too much! I would love to design your wardrobe! Something simple, I think...Possibly in red. Yes, red it is! That should alleviate some of your paleness!” “Pale….ness?” I look down at my hands. I am rather pale I guess. This girl’s making me feel self-conscious… “Darling, when was the last time you ate? You’re so frail-looking! Like you’re a living skeleton! You must take care of your diet from now on!” She puts on small, half-moon glasses as various materials zip around her hands into sewing machines. I can’t help but stare in awe as she makes a red dress shirt and jeans right before my eyes. “Marvelous! This should do. The black shoes can stay, but this black-on-black look has to go. Now, go change. Off with you!” She pushes me behind some curtains and draws them behind me. I look at a full body mirror on the wall and my eyes widen in shock. I was really thin-looking, and my clothes hung off me loosely. I guess I really do need to eat better… I quickly take my shirt off, and I look myself in the mirror again. I could see most of my ribs, but that wasn’t what I was looking at. Right across my torso from right shoulder to left hip was a wide, nasty-looking scar. The look of it alone makes me tense, so i quickly put on my red shirt. I fix the collar and switch to the jeans before looking at myself again. I wasn’t much to look at in the color department, but the red really brings out my eyes. My creepy, grey eyes. As I step back into the room, Twilight and Rarity were whispering to each other. When Rarity sees me, she turns to me with a forced smile. They were talking about me. “You look fabulous, darling!” She beams. “You don’t have to lie to me. I look like a corpse ready to be put in the ground… And you can talk about me all you want behind my back. I’m used to it already.” It was a mistake coming here. To this town. I should’ve stayed in Canterlot, in my little cabin outside of town. They both look upset. “We...we didn’t mean to upset you, Six…” I hold up my hand. “Don’t. I’ve spent my life as someone everybody fears, and it’s typical that you would too. Thank you for having me, Twilight. But I can’t stay here anymore. This was a mistake.” I start to walk out, but feel a magic grip on my waist. When I look back, Twilight was standing there, her glowing hand extended. She was crying. “Six, please….I-I don’t want you to leave. I want you to be happy here…” My hand glows grey and her grip disappears. “I want to be happy, too!” I yell. I need to stop. “Do you think I like taking everyone’s suffering from them!?” Six, calm down… “I basically kill myself every day so people around me won’t suffer, and all I get is fear and disgust aimed at me!” Six, stop! You’re gonna say something rash! “My life has been nothing but a curse and a burden to everyone around me, and I just want to die!!” That did it… I stand there, panting with rage. I hadn’t blown up like that in a long time. When I calm down enough, both of them look extremely distraught, with tears down their cheeks. Twilight slowly approaches me, and I step back. “No….” She moves closer, and I step further back, tearing up. “Twilight, stop it!” She grabs me and pulls me into a hug. My heart swoons and I can’t hold back anymore. I burst into tears, clinging to her tightly as I wail into her chest. “You don’t have to take the burden on your own anymore….You have friends now…” I grip her shirt tightly, years of pent-up tears streaming down my face, staining her shirt. I feel a second set of arms hug me from the side as Rarity hugs me, too. I sob harder. This...this is what love feels like….
Six: Ch.2I felt like I was in their embrace for days, but I didn’t move an inch. All I wanted in that very moment was to just let loose twenty-five years of anger and pain from my mind. “Six, we weren’t saying anything mean about you behind your back. We were talking about getting you a present for the party tonight.” Twilight states plainly. “P-Present? I….I don’t deserve-” “Oh, hush with that now, darling! You’re a fine young man that deserves anything anyone else in the world gets. You shouldn’t belittle yourself.” I blush softly, feeling some ease in my mind. She’s lying. I wince softly, shaking my head as my inner thoughts fill my consciousness. She’s my friend. They both are. They’re just pitying you for their own sake. Why would anyone care for a freak like you who’s even less than a man? Y-you’re right. “Six, why don’t we go back home, okay? We can get ready for the party.” Twilight smiles at me. Look at her eyes. You can see I’m telling the truth. She thinks you’re a broken toy needing of a good fix. Princess….even you…. “Six? Hellooo?” She waves her hand in front of my face, and I snap out of my stupor. “Y-Yeah, sorry…. Let’s go…” They both release their grip on me. I feel cold again… Twilight takes my hand and pulls me along behind her. “Thanks, Rarity! See you tonight!” Twilight calls back. You’re just worthless. They’ve even thrown a pity party for you. To show you off like some new child’s toy, or a freak at a circus! I’m n-not a freak… Oh, really? You think you can just live as one of them? Do they even know you? What you do in your hours alone…? Shut up…. That’ll never happen. They won’t ever see…. I rub my arms through my long sleeves sadly. Twilight stops us just outside the castle doors. “Go ahead. You first.” I nod and follow her orders, walking up the few steps and pushing the door open. “SURPRISE!” I nearly jump out of my skin as the main hall lights up. It was full of balloons, streamers, and all sorts of food and presents. And it looked like the whole town made it. I clutch my chest and gasp, my head swimming. My vision starts to go black, and the last thing I see is a cluster of darkness all through the room. “N-no...more…..” I fall with a heavy thud. [Twilight’s POV] I gasp as Six drops to the floor, his body starting to writhe and squirm on the ground, shaking violently. The crowd screams. “He’s having a seizure! Doctors!? Are there any doctors here?! Hurry, please!” Doctor Whooves rushes to the front and kneels at his side. “Princess, help me hold him down. We need to wait till he gets past this!” I nod and quickly hop to the other side of him. We both press down on his chest as he shakes and writhes, his mouth foaming up. I can’t help but sob at the horrifying sight. “D-Doctor, what happened?! Why did this happen?!” Pinkie asks, shaking slightly. The whole crowd had gone silent. “I...I’m not sure. It wasn’t a normal seizure. It happened after the lights had come on, not during….” I sigh as he finally stops shaking. “Doctor, please accompany me to the hospital.” He nods. I lift him with my magic and sprint full speed towards the hospital. I can’t risk teleporting him… We finally get there, and I burst through the doors. “We need a nurse now! We have someone who just had a seizure!” The nurses scramble around, wheeling over a bed. They take him to the back of the hospital, and I quickly follow. Once the bed is in place, one of the nurses unbuttons his shirt as the others frantically gather their equipment. As she takes it off, I gasp. Across his entire chest was a massive, deep cut that looked years old, but somehow still fresh. It was an inch deep and nearly covered his entire chest. She takes the rest of his shirt off and….Oh, Celestia… His arms were covered in cuts, from his shoulder down to his wrists. They were all horizontal, save for two. Two long, vertical cuts on both of his forearms. I cover my mouth to keep my sobs quiet. He….He’s tried to kill himself…. They quickly hook him up to various equipment, and start checking his vitals once they’ve stabilized him. “We...still don’t know what caused the seizure, and our healing magic can’t heal his scars.” One of the nurses says. “Thank you for trying, Nurse…” I sit at the bedside, watching him sleep. No wonder he looks so frail….He’s suicidal… Now that i think of it, he hasn’t eaten anything at all today. I touch my hand gently to his head. “I’m going to ease your sadness, Six…A simple mindmeld spell, and I can coax him out of this…” My hand glows, and I shut my eyes. DON’T. I shriek and clutch my head in pain as my magic backlashes. What was that demonic voice!? “P-Princess, are you okay!?” Nurse Redheart asks worriedly. I shake my head a little, but nod. “Yeah...Nurse, can you sent a request from Canterlot? I’d like Six’s medical records. All of them.” She nods and leaves the room, leaving me alone with him. “Six….You….You’re suffering so much….what happened to you…?” I hold his hand gently. His grip slightly tightens, and I gasp. “P-Prin...cess?” He asks, his eyes opening slightly. “Yes, it’s me! Are you okay!?” “Y-Yeah...I’m fine….N-Nothing to worry about.” “I was so worried about you! You j-just collapsed out of nowhere!” I can’t help but cry a little. She can’t stand that her toy broke before her eyes. I gasp and look around the room. “Who...who said that?” I look down at him, and he looks at me with sadness on his face, and he didn’t look all there. Just like the walk over… Why would anyone care about a freak like you? Your own parents even gave you up. And why wouldn’t they? What kind of mother wants to look at a sad, pathetic excuse of a man like you? His grip on my hand goes slack. Tears stream down his cheeks again. Oh, not talking now, are we? Pathetic. You should’ve cut deeper…You were close last time... I gasp in shock, finally understanding. That voice...is his own split personality! It has to be! “S-Six, don’t...listen to him...He’s lying to you…” Oh? She can hear me? Good. Then hear this. He is a worthless waste of breath, and every attempt to save him is worthless. Don’t waste your time with him. “Six, you’re not worthless! You’re my friend!” You’re just another broken toy for her to piece back together and you know it. I start crying softly. He fell asleep again. “Y-You listen to me, whatever you are. I’m not going anywhere. He’s my friend, and you won’t-” You talk too much. Don’t speak to me again. The voice falls silent. “H-hey, I wasn’t done talking to you! Get back here, you c-coward!” I stutter a bit at the last words as Six’s eyes open, staring right at me. They were completely black. “What kind of friend can you be if you couldn’t even make one of them happy? You’re a princess, and of Friendship. And you failed.” His last word rings around in my head. I clench my fists tightly. “No! I haven’t failed! I will save him! You just watch!” He laughs a long, creepy laugh. “Go ahead and play with your broken toy, Princess. It’s a fruitless effort. In the end, it’ll be him, all alone six feet under by his own hand. And that I will see to personally.” His eyes brighten back to grey and he passes out again. I wipe the tears out of my eyes. “I won’t fail you, Six. No matter what! Because you’re my friend!” [Six POV] I start to wake up some unknown amount of time later, my head throbbing in pain. It was daylight out, so I must've been out all night at least. I sit up slightly and look over, seeing Twilight asleep on one of the chairs. I look down and yelp, covering myself with the blanket. “Sh-she didn’t see...Oh, Celestia...please tell me she didn’t see…” I look back over, and I see a stack of files and papers next to her. The words “Sixth Sense” are written in red on the top of the biggest file. She...was studying me? I levitate one of the folders over to my hand and open them, glancing through it. These are my medical records...and my personal papers from the hospital. “S-Six, I’m...so sorry….” I gasp, looking over at her. She was sitting up now, tears in her eyes. “For what? You...didn’t do anything.” “I failed you! But, I won’t again. I’m going to do my best to make you truly believe I’m your friend! No matter what!” My eyes widen. “O-Okay….” We sit in silence for a long time before she finally talks again. “S-Six...I….I talked to that voice in your head…” “WHAT!?” “It’s okay….I know you don’t trust us completely yet, but we’ll convince you. In the meantime, ignore every word that thing says to you!” I look down at my lap. “I….I can’t….” I jump a little as I feel her sit beside me. “Yes, you can….I believe in you. And I’ll find a way to get rid of that side of you forever. I swear it!” She hugs me closely, her embrace warming me up inside. The door opens, and a nurse walks in. “Princess, I have news. He’s free to leave any time.” “Thank you, nurse…” She replied calmly. The nurse bows slightly and leaves again. “We can get you home now, Six.” She gets up and gathers the papers from the chair, even the folder from my lap “Why...do you have my medical records?” “I was reading through them to try and understand your condition better. You’ve been through Tartarus and back….” I get up and grab my folded shirt from the nightstand, throwing it on. “You have no idea….”
Six: Ch.3We spend the walk back to the castle in silence. By the time we get back, it’s dark outside. As we stop at the doors, I stop abruptly. Twilight looks back. “Six, aren’t you coming in?” She asks, sounding genuinely worried. “Is...is the party gone?” “Yes...they all left after the incident yesterday. Hey, speaking of...what happened? Why did you suddenly seize up like that?” “It’s….you won’t believe me even if I told you…” She puts her hand on my shoulder, making me jump a little. “Try me...I’ve heard all sorts of crazy stuff.” I take a deep breath, and sigh. “I...well, I can….I really can see ghosts….and talk to them….” Her grip on my shoulder tenses a little. “Six, I already know about that...The Princess-” “Didn’t tell you everything.” I interrupt. “If I’m around too many people who’re suffering, it creates a demon, and when my body takes it in, It damages my soul and gives me a seizure….Same thing with sugary foods and drinks, too. That one, I don’t understand.” “So...that’s why you lived alone? Six, I’m...so sorry…” She doesn’t believe you. I know. “Twilight, where is the cemetary? I have a promise to keep.” “Oh, um...It’s at the end of town behind Town Hall…” I nod with a forced smile and walk away, in the direction of town. “L-Let me come with you! I don’t want you alone for a while.” I stop and look back at her, probably looking surprised. “I...Okay.” She quickly follows me, and I walk again towards town. “Who...was the promise for?” “For Maple Star. I promised I’d visit her all the time, so that’s where I’m going.” “Oh…” Send her away. She’s only trying to fix you. “Princess...You don’t need to follow me. Just go back. I know you don’t believe any of this anyway.” She stops for a moment, but I keep walking. “I-I’m trying to believe you! But this all sounds so…” “Crazy. The word you’re trying to avoid calling me is Crazy. And think what you want…” I reach the far end of town and look around. “Wow….a lot of colors….makes my eyes hurt…” I keep my head down as I walk through town, meeting nobody’s gaze. If they don’t touch me or look in my eyes, I’ll be okay… “Six, why are you walking like that?” She asks, at my side again. “No sense in lying now. If I touch or look into the eyes of anyone suffering a burden, I take it as my own…” “Oh, Celestia….That’s awful….” She still thinks you’re a liar. I’m not lying to her again. Maybe she can help me get rid of you. And what will you do then? You’ll still be a worthless degenerate, worth less than a common sow. “I-I know….And I can’t make it stop….And I can’t dispel it… So, now I spend all my time being walking depression…” “We’ll figure this out together.” We eventually reach a gate, and I walk through. When I do peek up, it’s empty save for the graves. I stand up straight again. “You don’t have to stay.” “Yes, I do...You’re my friend.” She puts her hand on my back for a moment. She can’t muster the courage to hug you. She must be afraid of us now. I shake my head and look back up. “Maple, I’m here. Can you show me where you are?” I look around the empty cemetery until I see a soft, glowing yellow orb of light a few yards away from me, hovering above a gravestone. “There.” I make my way over to it. “How can you possibly know that it’s her….” She stops as we approach. I kneel by the headstone, pressing my forehead to it. “I made it, Maple. I told you I would come…” I sit down, facing the stone. “How...how did you…” “How did I know it was here? Maple showed me.” I feel my body warm up a little, and I look up. Sitting on the headstone was Maple, a smile on her face and tears in her eyes. “Hello, Six…” “Maple...How are you?” I ask. I love these conversations...makes me feel normal again… “I’m wonderful. Heaven is lovely. But you’re not well, are you?” “Don’t worry about me. I’m here to see you.” “Six, your soul….Oh, Celestia…” “I know….Just focus on me. Just me.” “Six, who are you talking to?” Twilight suddenly asks, making me jump. I forgot she was there. “It’s Maple, Twilight. She came down from heaven to talk to me.” “Ah…” I look back to Maple, who is looking at Twilight. “This is who lives where I died, hmm? I could always sense her, but I could never see her.” “Maple….how….how did you...you know…” She looks back at me and sighs softly. “I...It was the first winter here. None of us were prepared for the blizzard that year. I was out gathering branches from the Oak tree by the edge of town when a branch from the top broke off and hit me….Next thing I know, I’m in complete darkness…” “M-Maple...I’m so sorry….” “Six, don’t be….I’m free because of you….But you need to take care of yourself. You’re brimming with burden, I can see it...If you don’t learn how to dispel it soon…” “I know… I’ll figure it out. Could….could you say hello to my...my….” “Your sister wishes you her best, Six. She’s happy where she is, and she’s watching over you.” I start to tear up, and I feel Maple’s heavenly glow wash over me as she hugs me. “It’s okay...You should see her. She wishes you’d visit her. But you already know that, don’t you...You just can’t stand the thought of accepting her death…” “It….it...it was my fault….” “No, it wasn’t….I have to go back now. Come back soon, okay? And go see her. She wants to see you.” I cry softly as the warmth vanishes. “Six….are you okay?” Twilight asks, kneeling at my side. “I-I’m fine….She’s gone now…” “What did you two talk about?” “Nothing. Just...let’s go back, okay?” She stands up. “Six, please….just...talk to me….What ….what was your fault?” “No.” I stand up. “No?” “No. I won’t say. I can’t.” I leave the cemetery, and she follows. “Where are you going? Six, talk to me! Please. I want to understand!” She yells, and I stop, looking back at her with tears streaming down my cheeks. “If I tell you, I have to accept it, and I-I can't….” She looks at me in shock, and she quickly hugs me. “You’re not alone….You can talk to me...Please, you have to trust me…” I don’t return the hug. “Let’s go back…” I step out of her hug and walk back through town. She suddenly grabs my arm and pulls me along towards what looks like an Apple Farm. “Hey, let go!” “Not a chance. I want to understand your problem, so we’re going somewhere to see if you’re serious.” She drags me through a wooden archway and up to the front door of the farm house. My chest flutters and I look over, seeing an old mare sitting in a rocking chair. Only, she wasn’t actually there. Not completely, anyway. She looked like she passed away recently. The door to the house opens, breaking my gaze from the old mare to the mare at the door. She was tall, had on a stetson hat, and wore blue jeans and a tied checkered shirt. “Howdy, Twilight! How are ya?” “Just fine, Applejack. This is Six.” She pulls me in between the two, and I look up at the aix and a half foot mare. “Uuuh...H-hi…” “Yer the feller that seized up at the party yesterday, right? Hope yer feelin alright.” “J-Just fine….” “Applejack, I know it’s a bit of an odd question, but can we see where Granny...you know…” Her expression goes from happy to solemn and grim. “Yeah...Ah...ah suppose.” She steps out and walks around the side of the house, where a small gravestone sat. It read: Here lies Granny Smith. May she rest in Peace. “She passed a year and a half ago...Age finally caught up…” AJ explains sadly. “She….she wasn't about five feet, sat in that rocking chair?” I point at the one on the porch. “Whut kind of sick stunt are ya tryin ta pull!?’ She asks, angrily. She grabs my shirt collar and slams me into the side of the house, tears of anger on her face. “N-Not a s-stunt….Sh-she’s still here….” “Applejack, put him down and let him do his thing!” Twilight yells at her. She growls in frustration before dropping me. “Fine. Ah’d beat yer ass if ya wasn’t sickly.” I scramble away and over to the porch. “Granny Smith?” I ask, looking at the transparent mare sitting on the chair. She looks up at me with a smile. “That’s me, alright. How the heck can ya even see me? Been dark this whole time!” “I know….I just...I just can. Why are you still here?” “Ah...Ah can’t jus leave mah kin all alone here. They need me. Since their Ma and Pa passed, ah...ah have ta be here.” “Granny, Applejack is here. Did….you wanna say anything to her? I know you can’t see her yet, but she’s right here.” “Could...could ya tell her that ah miss her deeply? Applebloom and Mac, too.” “Who?” “Her siblins. Older brother and little sis.” “Of course. But you need to move on...They can’t move on until you do…” “How? Ah can’t...Ah love em too much ta just leave!” “You can watch over them at anytime. And I’m sure they’ll talk to you every day. Just trust me...I know a thing or two about this sort of stuff.” She nods and her body color turns to a vivid green with her hair staying white. She vanishes. I look back at Applejack and Twilight. Twilight just stands there waiting, and AJ looks both sad and furious. “What did she say ta you, huh?” AJ asks, clearly not believing me. “She said that she misses you, Applebloom, and Mac very much. And she’ll be watching over you now…” Her look of sadness changes to shock. And so does Twilight’s. “How...did ya know mah brother n sister’s names?! Ya never even met em before!” I look over at Twilight, who’s pacing a bit. “How is this possible? It doesn’t make any logical sense…” “I’m sorry for your loss, Applejack...But take comfort in knowing that she’s in heaven now with your parents.” That got both of their attention. “How did ya know about them!?” “I already told you...your Granny told me. She said that she needed to be here to help.” AJ sniffles and wipes her eyes. “Ah don’t know how yer doin all that, but yer doin it...That’s Granny fer sure.” “You can talk to her anytime. Even if she can’t talk back, she’ll be with you.” She runs up and hugs me painfully tight. “Th-thank ya, Six….” “I-It’s f-fine...c-crushing me…” She lets go and chuckles. I look back at Twilight, who looks frazzled and a little crazed. “You...can talk to ghosts….it’s all true….every word you’ve said….That means….Heaven exists...and Hell….Oh, Celestia, I’m gonna be sick…” “Twilight, calm down! It’ll be fine.” I yell. “This is impossible….there has to be some sort if trick! Or a spell that can do this….Something i’m mi-” I interrupt her meltdown with a firm slap across the face. She looks up at me, holding her red cheek. “Calm. Down. Sorry for slapping you, but you need to get a damn grip. It makes no sense, and you need to accept that. Now, pull yourself together.” She clears her throat and fixes her frazzled hair. “Y-you’re right….Sorry….” I look over at Applejack, and I force a smile. “You and your family will be just fine.” “Can...can ya come back sometime? So we can talk ta her again? Please….” “I….Once. I know it’s not fair, but you can’t let this bother you. I will come back and be a messenger once. For you and your siblings to find closure. After that, you’ll have to do with the one-sided. Okay?” “A-Alright… Twi, bring him back tomorrow, alright? And protect him with yer life if ya have to. Ah know ah will. He got somethin special. Yer a good friend, Six.” “You...just met me….and you’re calling me friend?” She smiles. “Eeyup!” I smile the best I can back. “Thank you…” Twilight and I leave. As soon as we get out of earshot, she looks at me. “Heaven’s real?” “Very.” “And Hell?” “Yes.” “What about purgatory?” “It’s called the In-Between, and yes. It’s here. We live in the In-Between.” “Do you know what this means? You’re living proof that the afterlife is real! This’ll change everyth-” “No! People cannot know about all this. If everyone knew, the world would fall into mass hysteria! And I can’t deal with being a messenger for everyone. If a room full of people could make me seize up, what do you think a city or country full of people could do?” She looks at the ground. “Oh...you’re right….I don’t want to lose you…” She’s finally interested in her lab rat, hmm? “You won’t lose me. I’m right here.” I take the initiative and hug her close. She gasps softly, but eventually returns the hug. After a long time, we finally separate. She looks up at me. “That voice in your head...I can’t hear it anymore…” “Whatever you did before must’ve worn off. He’s still there.” “What is it?” “The way my ability works is if I touch or look into the eyes of anyone suffering a burden, or as you’d say an ‘Inner demon’, I take it from them and absorb it into my own body. After doing that for my whole life, I eventually had so many burdens in me that they manifested into a demon, and that demon lives inside me. In my soul.” “Oh, Celestia….That….that’s not good for your soul, is it?” “Anyway, so that’s who the voice is. A demon.” I avoid talking about my soul, and she catches on and drops it. We make the walk back to the castle in silence. Once we get back, she smiles the best she can. “You must be hungry. Want me to make you some food? I can make a great Grilled Cheese.” I chuckle softly. “I suppose so. Do I have a room somewhere?” “Oh! Of course. I never actually took you, did I?” She levitates my unmoved duffel bag and leads me upstairs to a large room with a queen-sized bed, and my own bathroom. “Thank you...I’ll be right down, okay?” She nods and leaves, shutting the door behind her. I open my bag and pull out all my clothes and toiletries, neatly putting them away. She’ll just throw you away like trash once she’s done with you. “Not listening…” You’re just as worthless now as you were back then. You couldn’t save your sister, and you can’t save yourself. I tear up and clutch tightly to a shaving cream can. “Sh-shut up…” You should just kill yourself already. It’ll make all that pain and sadness go away. I look down at a box of razors at the bottom of my bag. Come on. Do it. You won’t be missed anyway. She won’t even come looking for you. I grab the box and go into the bathroom, opening it and grabbing one. “I-I won’t let you win…” I roll up my sleeve and slash across my forearm several times, wincing in pain. The voice finally stops and I drop the blood-soaked razor into the sink, my wrist bleeding. Six new horizontal cuts run up my arm. I wash off the blood with a paper towel and throw it in the trash before discarding the razor and pulling my sleeve down. “Are you okay, Six?” Twilight calls from outside the bathroom. “Y-yeah! I’ll be out in a second!” I clutch the sink and look into the mirror. The entire room around me is shrouded in a black fog, and two red eyes peer back at me. It’s him. “I can’t lose...not yet.” The demon roars, rattling my brain. I rush out of the bathroom and down the stairs. That should keep him out for a.little while. “Hey, I made you a sandwich.” Twilight says kindly. She smiles softly and hands me a little plate with a grilled cheese on it. I smile and take it. “Thanks….” She smiles and pulls me over to the table, and I sit across from her. “I hope you understand that I have to report today’s events to the princess. But I’ll be sure to explain why she can’t tell anyone anything.” “I can’t stop you….” I take a bite of the sandwich. It tastes like everything else: ash. We eat in relative silence until she finally breaks it. “So, um….What...happened to your parents?” I tense up a little. “My...my parents gave me and….just me. They gave me up to an orphanage when I started showing signs of my special talent. I don’t know where they are, and I don’t care.” “I’m...so sorry….I can’t imagine how hard it must’ve been for you. But, at least your adopted parents did alright….right?” I look at her glumly. “N-no….Nobody adopted you, did they…?” “No. I lived in the orphanage until I turned 15 and ran away to Canterlot. I did odd jobs here and there to pay for a place, and there I stayed, away from everyone until the day I got a letter.” “From the Princess…” “Yes. She found out about me from the orphanage, and found me living there. They had been trying to find me. But, she decided to send me here instead to try to make friends.” “Well, at least you made some friends, right? And Rainbow and Fluttershy will be by tomorrow to meet you.” “Alright….” “Hey, I meant to ask you something. About that necklace…” I tense up, looking down at it. I forget that I even wear it… “It’s nothing…” It was a red string with a small, pink heart on a gold pendant. “It is something. Or someone’s.” I stand abruptly, making her jump. “Don’t ask.” I go upstairs and slam the door behind me, leaving her alone.
Six: Ch.4[Twilight POV] I sit there at the now empty table, holding my sandwich a little too tightly. “What...did I say?” I stand up and clean off the table. “Spike! Are you here?” I call out. He walks in from the library. “Yeah, what’s up?” He asks. That’s my number one assistant… “Could you send a letter to the Princess for me?” “Sure!” He pulls out a scroll and quill. “Dear Princess Celestia, I’d like to report that the delusions Six suffers from aren’t delusions at all. They are very much real. He had a minor incident yesterday, but he’s here now. If you wouldn’t mind, I would like to politely request you to come here to meet with him. Something seems to be really troubling him, and I can’t figure out what. Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle. Did you get all that. Spike?” “Yeah...What delusions does he have?” “I’ll explain later. Right now, send that letter and read me the response as soon as you get it, okay?” He nods, and with a plume of green fire, it’s gone. I nod and finish up the dishes. Not ten seconds later, and Spike burps up a scroll. “Already? That was fast… What’s it say?” Spike unrolls the scroll. “Dear Twilight, I’m outside. Princess Celestia. She’s here?!” Spike jumps up. “The Princess is already here?! Go answer the door!” Spike rushes to the door, and I quickly fix my hair and clothes to look a little more presentable. When Spike returns, princess Celestia is with him. She’s in her usual alabaster dress, tiara and all. Her complexion is perfect, just like always, and she walks with a motherly regalness about her. “Princess, I-I wasn’t expecting you so suddenly….” I stutter. “I’m sorry for the intrusion, but I had to speak to you in person. It would be easier than a letter.” She walks right up to me and hugs me. I blush softly and hug her right back. She’s warm, like a sunny morning. “Where is he?” She asks suddenly. “He’s up in the guest bedroom.” I look up at her eyes, and they were wide. “Twilight, is anyone with him?” We seperate the hug. “N-No. I thought he could use some privacy…” She runs to the stairs, and I quickly follow. “Princess, slow down! What’s happening?!” I call out, hearing Spike behind me. “You should never leave him alone!” She shouts back. We get to his room and she knocks. “Six, this is Princess Celestia! Open the door! Twilight, was he wearing his necklace? Did you bring it up at all?! Please, tell me you didn’t…” “I….I just wanted to know what it was…” Her hand glows brightly and the door explodes off its hinges. She rushes in, looking around for him frantically. I help her, but I don’t see him. “G-guys….” Spike says, sounding shaky. He backs out of the doorway of the bathroom. Celestia pushes him aside and gasps. I look past her, and I cover my mouth. He was lying shirtless in the bathtub, his wrists and chest bleeding heavily. A bloody razor was lying in a small pool of blood on the ground. He was breathing, but barely. The word “Rose” was written in blood on the wall. “P-P-Princess, I….I….” “Twilight, get Spike out of here.” Celestia says emotionlessly. I don’t dare to argue and take him out of the room, tears streaming down my cheeks. [Celestia POV] “Six...what did you do….” I touch his head gently and pulse healing magic into him. His cuts scar over, and his blood pulls back into his body. He gasps and coughs, looking up at me. His expression goes from surprise to anger. “WHY!? Why did you do that?!” “Six...you can’t do this to yourself….You almost died this time…” “I WANTED TO DIE!” I gasp. “I can’t live on like this!! I spend every waking moment in HELL! Just let me diiie!” He screams in my face. I grab him and hug him close to me. He tries to push me away, but he eventually caves in, crying openly and loudly into my chest. “It’s okay….Just let it out…” He squeezes the back of my dress. “Why...why couldn’t it have been me….? Why did she….why!?” “I know it’s hard, Six….But she made her choice. She saved your life, and you’re wasting it trying to end it. What would she say if she saw you now?” He cries even harder, and I hold him closer. “It should’ve been me….IT SHOULD’VE BEEN ME!!” “Rest now, Six…” I press my glowing hand to his head, and he falls slack in my arms, fast asleep. I levitate him over to his bed and lay him down. “You can come in, Twilight…You too, Spike.” The door opens, and they both walk kn, fresh tears in their eyes. “P-Princess….what...happened?” I sigh and sit at Six’s side, gently caressing his head as he sleeps. “It’s a long story, Twilight. And not a pleasant one. Are you sure you want to hear it?” She nods. “Well, it was years ago, when he was just a young boy. He was only six…His mother and father had dropped him and his sister off at the Manehattan orphanage.” “Sister? He never mentioned having a sister…” “Yes, Twilight. Her name was Rose Mint. And he loved her with every fiber of his being. She was older than him. She was fifteen when they were left at the orphanage. She cared for him like a mother would, ever since he was born.” “One day, he wanted to go to the nearby forest to pick flowers for his sister. So, he snuck out that afternoon and made his way in. But, he was attacked by a manticore. His sister heard his screams and rushed to his aid, but…” “She...didn’t make it...did she, Princess?” I shake my head sadly. “Ever since that day, he blames himself for her death. He spent years of his life trying to talk to her spirit. When the dean of the orphanage had found out about his delusions, he was locked in a mental ward until he broke out and ran when he was fifteen. He got to Canterlot, where he stayed in an abandoned home on the outskirts of town, away from everyone, taking every single burden along the way. Or, so he had said. But your letter today was evidence enough for me to believe that he can do all the things he has ever said and done. Twilight, have you ever noticed that there isn’t very much sadness in Canterlot?” “....Yeah...Now that I think about it. I never really saw anyone sad the multitude of times I’ve gone.” “Why do you think that is?” Her eyes widen, and she looks at Six. “He….took all their sadness….and made it his own...Why?” “He’s punishing himself...He still blames himself. And if everything he’s said is true, he has a demon in him. A powerful one.” “P-Princess, what do we do? How can we help him?” “We need Luna for this one…” “Wh-Luna? But, why?” “She’s, well….Before she was defeated by the Elements of Harmony, she, too, was possessed by a demon. You know her well.” “N-Nightmare Moon….” “Precisely. I’ll bring her here. She may be able to help him dispel all this...burden he’s taken on…” “Please...he’s my friend….I-I can’t stand to see him like that...ever again….” I nod and shut my eyes. Luna, if you can hear me, come to Friendship Castle immediately. It’s an emergency. Right away, dear sister! I open them again, and Luna was standing behind Twilight in her black dress. “Sister, why did you call me? What’s happened?” She asks worriedly. I look down at Six, and she gasps. “S-Sister, his….oh, you….His soul is corrupted….” “I know, sister. Can you help him dispel all of this?” “I-I can try….But, sister. I don’t know the extent of this...Who knows what could happen if all of that was released…” “That’s why I’m here. Twilight, hold him down. Just in case.” She nods and sits at his side, her hands on his chest. Luna walks over slowly, her hand glowing blue. She gently presses it to his forehead, and his eyes snap open, completely black. “AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” He screams at the top of his lungs, a massive pillar of black, tar-like energy spewing from his mouth. It blasts through the ceiling and strait into the sky. “PRINCESS, WHAT IS THIIIS?!” Twilight yells. “I DON’T KNOW!” I take a step away, shaking slightly. I look over to Luna, who hasn’t moved. “LUNA! LET GO OF HIM!” I yell. “SISTER! HE’S IN SO MUCH PAIN! I HAVE TO SAVE HIM!” She looks back at me, her eyes slitted. Nightmare… My hand glows and I yank her away from him. He instantly stops and blacks out again. I grab Nightmare with my magic. “How are you back?!” “S-siter, you’re hurting me….” Her eyes return to normal. I gasp and let her go. “Why did you do that!? I almost had it!” Luna yells. “Sister...you had Nightmare’s eyes...He was….Oh, me….He was trying to take your burden…” She blushes. “My what?” “Sister, he can absorb the sadness and burdens of others into his own body at the cost of his soul. That’s why he’s like this. He was trying to take the remnants of Nightmare from you.” She looks up at the massive hole in the ceiling. “He...did that?” “I think it best if you two kept seperate. Who knows what would happen if…” I see movement from the corner of my eye, and see him staring at me with soulless black eyes. “You.” He jumps out of bed, knocking twilight over, and he rushes at me. But, before I can grab him with my magic, he has a hand around my throat. I wince and try to summon my magic, but nothing happens. He grins evilly. “I must thank you for releasing me. His pitiful mind couldn’t handle the sheer volume of my power.” “Let her go, Demon!” Luna shouts at him. “Ah, the corrupt one finally speaks.” “C-corrupt one?” “You heard me, Luna. I took some of your burden from you, and look at me now! I really must-” He suddenly stops, dropping me. I gasp and cough. “Not...possible!” He shouts. “I-I won’t let you h-hurt m-my friends, y-you demon!” His hand glows and he aims it at the sky, a huge blast of black fire three times wider than him blasts the roof completely off the castle. His eyes shift back to grey and he collapses, his nose bleeding heavily. Twilight stares at the blown-off roof of her home in shock. “What...what just happened!?” Luna yells. “I think...I think he fought back and won. Luna, what does his soul look like?’ She looks at him. “It’s still dark, but less than before. He dispersed most of the demon out of himself!” I sigh and rub my neck. “Luna, never let him do that again. That could’ve been a lot worse. Twilight, I think it would be best if he was blindfolded from now on. If he were to take in that much negativity again, we could be dealing with another Nightmare Moon.” “Princess, that..that’s a bit of a rash thing to do...How could he live without being able to see?” I hum in thought, tapping my chin gently. “Do you think you could make a spell that filters out negative energy? Or possibly reflects it?” “I...I could try…” “Good. Luna and I will work on a blindfold that he can see through while you work on that spell. With any luck, we can make a blindfold he can still see with, but he won’t take in any burdens.” “Can’t we just enchant his eyes with the same spell?” “Twilight, you and I both know that you can’t do such complex enchantments on the human body. It could make him permanently blind, or worse!” “R-Right, Princess. Right away.” She gets up and scurries downstairs. I look back at Luna. “Sister, go home. Until he wakes up, I want you far from him. Can you manage that?” “Y-Yes, sister.” She vanishes. I gently pick him up and lay him back in bed, my magic repairing the roof at the same time. I grab a piece of a shredded pillow and rip the case off into a strip, gently tying it around his eyes. “Just until we have your special one, we can’t risk it...Sleep now.” I sit back at his side, rubbing his head gently.
Six: Ch.5[Six POV] I groan softly as I come to, not sure what happened… Last thing I remember was….AM I DEAD!? I sit up abruptly. No, not dead. Just...blindfolded? The hell? “Don’t take that off, Six.” I hear a familiar voice say plainly. “Who...Who’s there?” “What do you remember?” She asks. “I….I remember the bathroom, and now I’m here. What happened to me?” “You sent the demon away, for now.” “What!? How!? Did I hurt anyone!? Oh, Celestia, not again!” “No no no! Nobody was hurt. You did give us quite the scare, though. But the blindfold is for your safety and ours. You looked into Luna’s eyes and tried to absorb Nightmare Moon.” “Oh, sweet Celestia….” “That brought the demon out, but you fought back and expelled the negative energy from your magic. Your soul is still damaged, but it’s better than it was.” “I….I’m so sorry….I didn’t mean to…” “I know, little one. It wasn’t your fault.” “P-Princess?” She giggles softly. “You found out…” I leap out of bed and drop to my knees. “Princess, I’m so sorry you had to see all of that! I hope I didn’t say anything harsh or hurt you at all!” She laughs. “Not at all. Though, you do show promise with magic cancellation spells. I couldn’t even levitate you.” “I-Really? You think so?” “Indeed. But, don’t let it get to your head. It may have just been the demon that made your magic so powerful against me.” “I understand.” I feel a warm glow lift me off my knees and stand me up. “You may go see Twilight if you can manage to make your way out of the room. I won’t help you.” I nod determinedly, walking towards something, but I trip and fall onto the bed. “Ow…” “It’s okay. Try again.” I nod and stand, shuffling slowly sideways until I find the wall. I move very slowly along the wall, feeling it all over until I eventually find the door. “I-I did it!” “Yes, you did. Wonderful job. Now, go on. We’ll speak again soon.” I nod and shuffle down the hallway, pressing my ear to every door I find. It takes me nearly half an hour to find the right door. When I open it, I hear Twilight gasp. “Six, you’re awake! I was so worried!” She tackle-hugs me, and I wince. “I-I’m okay, Twilight...I-” I freeze, feeling her tears run down my bare chest. “Don’t...don’t ever do that again…” She sobs. “I….I won’t Twilight. I promise…” I pat her back gently. “Did Princess Celestia put the blindfold on you?” “Yeah. She said that it would be a good idea to have it on. So I’ll keep it on.” She takes my hand gently and pulls me along slowly, and she sits me on a couch. “Stay there. I’ll make you some food.” I hear her clatter some dishes. Wait… “Weren’t we just in the library?” “No, we were in the kitchen…” I didn’t even find the right door!? “O-Oh…” She giggles, and I smell food cooking. “We need to get your strength back up, and you need to put on some weight. At least fifty pounds.” “Wh-that much?!” “Yup! And I’m gonna be sure to get you back to full health. I’m not leaving your side until we get your enchanted blindfold made.” “U-Um….I-I can’t ask you to do that…” “No arguing.” Her voice is suddenly right in my face, making me jump. “Now, open up.” I blush and open my mouth slightly. I must look like an idiot. She puts a spoon of soup in my mouth, and I eat it. “That’s really good, Twilight.” She giggles cutely, and I feel my face flush. WHY AM I BLUSHING!? “Are you okay? Is the soup too hot?” “I-It’s fine…” She feeds me another spoonful. We stay like that for a long time, with me just eating soup, and her keeping pleasant conversation. By the time I finish it, over an hour had passed. “Oh yeah! Fluttershy and Dash are supposed to be over today. We need to get you a shirt to put on. But first, I want to try to heal you. Is...that okay?” “You can try, but they won’t heal anymore. I don’t think the demon let them.” I feel her hand on my chest, and my blood pressure skyrockets as I feel her soft lips against mine, just for a moment. The best moment of my entire life. “There. Much...better…” She feels over my chest, which feels foreign. “Twilight, I feel heavier…” “You...got more than healed….You gained back your muscle. That demon really suppressed you badly…” “What do you mean?!” I feel over my body. I had toned muscles, and even abs! HOW?! I haven’t worked out in years! “Wow….It...really suits you…” She says. “You...think so?” “Yeah….And I thought you were cute before…” “C-Cute!?” “Well, yeah. I wouldn’t kiss you if I didn’t like you dummy.” I blush hotly, and she laughs. “You’re turning red! Did I embarrass you?” The doorbell rings, and I sigh with relief. “Stay put, Six. And keep that blindfold on.” I hear her leave. My hands wander over my arms and chest. I still had my scars, but they weren’t as deep anymore. I stand up, and blush as my pants end at my mid-shin. “I got taller?! What the Hell happened!?” “Six, we have g-Oooh, wooow.” Twilight says, entering the room again. “Wh-what?” I feel her hands on my chest. “You have to be close to Six and a half feet now. You were just barely peaking at five nine before. That demon stunted your growth! I would kill it now if I could!” “Didn’t the doorbell ring?” I ask. “O-Oh, right. Hehehehehe….Six, I know you can’t see them, but my friends Rainbow and Fluttershy are here.” I feel a second set of hands on my arm. “Woah, he looks like a Wonderbolt after training! Awesome!” “Uh...th-thanks?” “Yup! Name’s Dash! Nice ta meetcha!” “Likewise….” I feel her fingers trace along my scars, then they pull away after a slap. “Ow! Hey, what was that for?!” “Don’t touch those, Rainbow. That’s rude!” “I was just feeling them….Jeez.” “And that over there is Fluttershy.” I look around dumbly. “H-Hello…” I hear a soft voice say. I look in the direction where the voice came from, and hear a squeak. “Nice to, um...m-meet you too. I don’t bite. Uh, Twilight. Please stop touching my chest…” The hands leave my chest. “Sorry…” “Hey, Is it true you can talk to ghosts and stuff?” Rainbow asks. “Uh, yeah….How did you know that?” “Well, uh...I-I can’t tell you….I made a Pinkie Promise not to.” “A what now?” I ask. “She can’t tell you because our friend Pinkie’ll be very upset with her if she does. Which means that Applejack told you. Right?” Silence. “That’s what I figured. But he can’t right now. Not until we get him a new blindfold.” “Wh-what’s wrong with his eyes?” Fluttershy asks, a little closer this time. “Nothing. He just...Fluttershy, can you touch him please?” Fluttershy squeaks. “Wh-why?” She asks, sounding really nervous. “Twilight, no. Fluttershy, look at the floor. Do not look me in the eyes unless I say.” “O-Okay.” I grab the blindfold and move it up a little, looking in her direction. She had her eyes glued to the floor, but no burden. And Dash and Twi don’t either or else I’d have felt it. “I think it’s safe for me to take this off for now. Nobody here has a burden.” I take it off and keep it around my neck. I look over myself. I don’t even recognise this body, but the scars are the same. I looked more like one of the guards to the castle. “Woah…” I look down at twilight, who only came up to my shoulder now. She blushes and looks away. I shrug and look at Dash, who was very slim and toned, and was wearing a tracksuit and sneakers. Her hair was multi-colored, and looked like she had a pixie cut. “Rainbow, I assume?” I ask jokingly. She smirks with half-lidded eyes. “Call me Dash~” “Uuuh...Okay?” I look over to where Fluttershy was, but don’t see her. I do, however, see pink strands of hair and a green sweater peeking out from behind a bookshelf. “Fluttershy, I won’t hurt you. I just want to see you.” I say calmly. She steps into the open, looking at me through her long hair. She was in a pink skirt and a green sweater, and she was definitely top-heavy, the exact opposite of the bottom heavy Applejack an-Why am i pointing this out now? Has my mind become perverted!? Fluttershy squeaks and zips behind the shelf again. That’s when I notice all three of them had wings on their backs. “How did I not notice any of your wings before….” “Not very observant, are you?” “Guess not...heh…” I rub the back of my neck, making Dash blush hard. I raise an eyebrow and look at my lifted arm. My bicep was bulging, flexed tightly. “Oh, jeez…” i put my arm back at my side. “I miss my other body…” “You had another body!? What did that one look like!?” Dash asks excitedly. “It was thin and frail, Dash.” She looks disappointed. “And Six, why do you want that one back? One way or another, this is you! Can’t you learn to get used to it?” “If all girls act like Dash, then no. I can’t handle that kind of attention…” “You won’t have to look at them. Not directly, at least. You’ll have your new blindfold soon.” “I’ll be his blindfold…” Dash whispers a little too loudly, making me blush this time. “Well, look at the time! Wow, I should really get to bed!” “Bed? It’s only two…” Twilight says. “That late already? Woo, alright. Goodnight!” I step through them and quickly leave before Twilight could stop me. I go right to my room and shut the door. [Dash POV] “Dangit, I spooked him! Twilight, where has he been all my life?! He’s so hot!” I huff, crossing my arms. “Rainbow, you were being really rude! Six! Come back!” She rushes out after him. I sit on the counter and huff. Flutters comes up next to me and smiles softly. “H-He was kinda cute…” “YOU TOO!?” She yelps, hiding behind her hair. I groan. “Why do all the cute ones have to be so….close to another girl! I bet Twilight’s already slept with him!” “I have not!” I yelp as she appears behind me. “He decided to shower, so I had to hide all the sharp objects in the house.” I look at her, confused. “Huh? Why? You two have a baby already?” “No, Dash! He’s….well, those cuts on his body were self-inflicted.” My heart nearly stops. “H-He….did that….to himself?” “O-oh my…” Shy adds. “Yes...It was worse before Princess Celestia healed him, then I healed him again. He….almost succeeded earlier…” “Almost succeeded at what?” I ask softly. She looks at the ground glumly. My heart throbs painfully hard as I realize. “O-Oh….” “That’s awful….” Shy says. “It is...And until I can trust him, I’ve destroyed anything sharp in the house, and dulled every sharp edge and nail.” “Do...you know why he’s like that?” Twilight nods, and spends the next hour explaining his entire story. After she finishes, both Shy and I are in tears. “I-I couldn’t even imagine losing someone like that….” I say finally. Shy just sobs silently. The door opens to the Kitchen, and Six walks in, wearing jeans and an open-faced shirt. “I, uh...think I need new clothes...Whaat happened in here? Did I miss something?” I jump up and zip into a tight hug around him. “I’m so sorry! I didn’t know!” I cry into his chest. He smells like vanilla… “It’s...Dash, it’s okay. Don’t worry about it. Just..let go, eh? You’re kinda crushing my spine…” I gasp and let go. “Sorry!” She flies behind him and hugs around his neck from behind, and he blushes beet red. Shy, you cheater! “It’s okay now...You have us now…” Her breasts are eating his head! I grab his arm and pull him away, hugging it tightly. “Hey, uh...c-can you let go now please?” I blush and let him go quickly. He clears his throat. “Twilight, I need to see Rarity again. Can you help me walk over there?” He grabs the blindfold from his pocket and puts it back on. “Hey, let me take him!” I shout. “I can take him, too…” Shy whispers. You too! “Girls! I will take him. He’s in my care by order of the princess.” “But you can see him anytime! He lives here! It’s no fair!” “Rainbow, you can still come with us, but stay out of his way.” “Don’t I get a say in this…?” “No!” Twi and I yell at him. He seems to shrink a little as he cowers. “L-loud…” Twilight pulls him through the castle with me and Fluttershy close behind him.
Six: Ch.7[Six POV] We end up sitting on the couch for quite a while. She kept to the far left of the couch, and I kept to the right Eventually, she stands abruptly. “Ah’m gonna go cook now!” She blurts out, zipping into the kitchen. “Uh...okay? I’ll just, uh...wait here...alone...unable to see…” I tap my feet on the floor and sigh. “Bored...bored bored booored….Hey, Applejack! Didn’t you say you had clothes for me to wear?” “Oh, uh..r-right! Gimme a sec!” I hear her footsteps leave the kitchen and go back upstairs. “I can’t wait to get my other blindfold….I miss vision…” The footsteps return and I feel a set of clothes and a pair of boots plop on the couch next to me. “Thanks, Applejack. Really, you’re really kind.” “Ain’t nothin! Git yerself changed.” Her footsteps leave the room, and I stand up, feeling over the clothes. Denim overalls and an undershirt. Short Sleeved. “Uuh, Applejack? Do you have any long sleeve shirts?” “Sorry, but no. Mac gits hot easy, so ah got short sleeves er no sleeves.” I silently curse to myself before pulling the shirt over my head. As I take of my pants to put the overalls on, I hear a soft clatter from somewhere in the room. “Hello? Applejack, is that you?” Silence. “Huh, guess not.” [Applejack POV] Why the hay am ah doin this!? I’m standing just inside of the living room doorway, watching him change. I can’t help but blush as he puts on Mac’s old red shirt. I lean forward a little as he takes his pants off, and I end up dropping the spoon I had in my hand. I cover my mouth as he looks in my direction. “Hello? Applejack, is that you?” I stay completely silent. “Huh, guess not.” He pulls his pants completely off, and I blush bright red, his bulge straining his underwear. “U-uh, Six? Ah was just wonderin. Do ya need underwear?” “I’m okay!” He calls out. Thank Celestia, he thinks I’m still in the kitchen. He grabs the overalls and pulls them on, but struggles to hook up the buckles in the front. “Damn it….Come on….” He groans, clearly frustrated. “Do ya, uh...need a hand there?” He jumps. “Y-yeah. Please?” I walk up, quickly grabbing the spoon and putting it in my pocket. I grab the straps and hook them up, my hands gently feeling up his chest. I look up at his face, and he was bright red. My eyes widen and I practically leap back in embarrassment. “S-sorry! Ah-ah just...ah mean, ah….” I rush back to the kitchen, beet red and completely flustered. “Whut the hay’s gotten into me?” [Six POV) I blush softly, hearing Applejack run back to the kitchen. “Did...she just feel me up? Noo, it was probably an accident or something.” I sit down and feel around until I find the socks, pulling them on before putting the boots on. “Wow. Perfect fit. What’re the odds…” I shrug and lean back again. The front door to my right suddenly slams open, and I hear three distinct sets of footsteps rush into the house. “Let’s go play upstairs!” “Yeah! I wanna be the sergeant!” “Ah’m the Captain!” “Uuuh, Applebloom? Who’s that?” “Hey, Six! Ya found some of Mac’s old clothes! Girls, this is Six. Six, these are Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo!” “Nice to, uh...hear you, I guess.” I chuckle. “Mister, what happened to your arms?” A little, squeaky voice asks. I feel a touch on my arm, and I tense up a bit. But nothing happens. “Thank Celestia….” “Oh, wow. He’s real buff too! Not as big as Mac, though.” “Lemme feel!” I gasp as my heart tenses hard, my head pounding heavily. Who i assume is Scootaloo gasps too, her hand pulling away. “Whut the hay was that?” I groan and shudder. “Ngh….Ow….” “Mister, what….what happened?” Scootaloo asks. “I...I feel...happy….” “Ngh, damn it….Sorry. I hope I didn’t scare you… I-I just took the burden from you…” I feel tears form in my eyes. Damn it. I hope hers weren’t too much… “Six, whut does that mean? That ya took Scoots’ burden?” I sigh and sit up. “Well, it means something happened to her in her past that was so scarring that it damaged her soul. And my special talent is to take those burdens so they don’t feel sad about them anymore. And don’t even think about asking her about it. Let her say in her own time.” I jump as I’m suddenly hugged by a single one. A pegasus, judging by the wings. “Thank you…” It was Scootaloo. I hug back gently. “It’s okay. It’ll be better now. Now, off you go. Applejack’s making dinner.” Scootaloo lets go, and I hear them all run upstairs. As soon as I hear the upstairs door shut, I rhetch and cover my mouth. “Ngh...Applejack, where’s the bathroom!?” “Down the hall on the right!” She calls back. I rip the blindfold off and rush to the bathroom, slamming the door after me. I drop to my knees and vomit loudly into the toilet, my whole body lurching as my stomach heaves. When i look finally, I don’t know how to react. The toilet was full of a thick, tar-looking fluid that smelled strongly of rot. I gag and flush quickly. “What...the Hell was that?” I groan and stand back up. I open the medicine cabinet and grab a bottle of mouthwash, gargling a mouthful and spitting it into the sink. “Uugh...that was horrible….What the Hell was that?!” There was a knock at the door. “Six? Ya alright in there?” It was Applejack. “Y-yeah...just...I just felt a bit sick. It’s fine now.” “Alright. Well, uh...dinner’s about done. Could ya grab the girls?” “Uh, sure?” I hear her leave. I grab the blindfold off the bathroom floor and put it back on before leaving the room. But, when I step into the hallway, something odd happens. I could see the basic outlines of the hallway, and even the doors. “What…” I lift my hand in front of my face, and I can see the outline of it. Everything was black, but the outlines of the walls were a dark grey. Just visible. “Woah…Applejack, I, uh...I think you need to call Twilight.” “Whut? Why?” “I’m wearing the blindfold….” I see her step into the hallway, her outline very familiar. “Well, yeah. Ah can see that.” I walk a few steps and grab the brim of her hat. “So can i.” “Wh-what the…” When I’m up this close, I can even see her face partially. I can see her eyes, and her nose, and her lips…. CALM DOWN, BRAIN! “Ah-ah’ll call Twilight.” I can see her bashful expression as she quickly leaves. “Right. The girls.” I walk down the hall, and back to the living room. I can see the front door, the couch, and the outlines of several chairs and tables. I look around me, and I see a staircase going up. “There we go.” I follow them up to a set of doors. Three of them. “Uuh, crap. Hang on. Let’s see…” I go to the far right one and open it. Inside was a basic bedroom with a queen-sized bed, a dresser, and either a picture frame or a mirror. There was a large window in the back of the room with curtains. “Nope. Not this room.” I shut the door and move to the middle door. But when I try to open it, the door doesn’t budge. I knock softly. “Applebloom? It’s time for dinner.” “Alright! Be right out!” I hear her call back. I look over at the left door. “So where do you lead?” I go over and open it. It was almost the same as the first room, but the bed was a King bed, I think. It was longer than most King sized beds. “Huh...Mac’s room. Which means the first one was…” I blush gently. “Nope. Out, dirty thoughts. None of that.” I shut the door and go back downstairs. I decide to go over to the left doorway and follow it, and it leads to a dining room, judging by a long table surrounded by chairs. When I look to the back of the room, I see Applejack standing in the kitchen, but I can’t tell if she’s facing me or not. My eyes happen to drift down to her wide hips. By Luna’s hair, it’s beautif- PERV! STOP LOOKING AT HER BUTT!!!!! I look up at the ceiling. “Uuuh, Six?” “I WASN’T LOOKING!!!!” “Whut? No, ah was gunna say twi’s on her way here. Ya weren’t lookin at whut?” “N-nothing!” I chuckle nervously and shuffle over to a chair. “S-So, uh...How did dinner go?” I try to change the subject.” “Six...Ah ain’t mad…” “Hehehehehe…..Mad for what? I did nothing!” “Six, ah saw ya starin. And yer a worse liar than ah am.” I look up at her, and she was quite close to me. I could see her face very clearly. “I-I just...I was...I mean, I….” She presses a finger to my lips. “Look, ah...ah never had a boyfriend before. Mostly cuz ah ain’t never thought about it before. But….ah feel somethin strange when ah look at ya...and ah think ah like how it feels…” I gulp softly, a huge lump in my throat. “A-Applejack?” “Call me AJ, Six. Please.” I nod slowly. “A-Alright...AJ…” She leans closer, her eyes closing. Sh-SHE’S GONNA KISS ME!? “Applejack, whut’s fer d-” Applebloom suddenly bursts in. “Uuuh, did ah interrupt somethin?” “N-Nothin!” AJ jumps away and goes back to the kitchen, looking extremely embarrassed. I clutch my chest tightly, my heart beating a mile a minute. “Ah don’t mind ya datin mah sister, Six. But ya gotta git Mac’s approval first.” Applebloom whispers. “APPLEBLOOM!” AJ chases after her as she giggles. “AJ’s got a boyfriiiend!” Applebloom sings, running around the house. “Git back here, ya varmit!” AJ yells, chasing her upstairs. So that’s what cock blocking’s like….
Six: Ch.8By the time AJ and her sister had settled down, both were out of breath, flopped over on each other on the floor. “You two gonna be okay?” I ask, still sitting at the table. “Yeah…*pant* just fine…” AJ huffs. Applebloom giggles. “Ah win.” Just before AJ has time to retaliate, the front door opens abruptly and Twilight dashes in. “What’s wrong? What happened?! Is he hurt!?” She asks frantically. “Hey, Twi...heh. No, he ain’t hurt er nothin. He’s at the table.” Twilight walks right up to me. “Why did you run off?! And...why are you wearing Big Mac’s clothes?” “Well, I needed some clothes to help AJ do some apple bucking earlier, so she lent me these.” “Eeyup. That’s a fact.” AJ adds. Twilight leans in really close to my face, and I back up a little. “Are you sure that isn’t loose or something?” “No, it’s not. I checked. I literally don’t know what’s happening.” She waves her hand in my face. “Can you see any colors through it?” “No, and will you put your hand down? Jeez...a bit close, too.” She backs up a bit, looking flustered. “W-well, what happened right before this started? Did you do anything different?” “Well, uh...I ended up accidentally...taking Scootaloo’s burden, and I immediately felt sick and ran to the bathroom to puke. But I puked up this thick, black sludge…. When I put the blindfold back on after that, this happened!” “Wait….black sludge...You puked up a bunch of that the other day! Before the demon came out and attacked Princess Celestia!” “HE DID WHUT?!” AJ shouts, shocked. “I-It wasn’t me! I don’t remember any of that!” “Don’t worry, Applejack. The Princess wasn’t blaming him. It wasn’t him in control at the time. That demon was scary….” “Wait, so….yer tellin me that Hell and demons exist?!” AJ asks. “Well, yeah. But demons aren’t exactly like the books say they are…” That gets Twilight’s attention. “Ooooh! You have to tell me everything! I want to know everything you know about the afterlife! Every single detail!” She grabs the straps of my overalls and shakes me violently. “Tell meeeee! I have to know!” “Easy, easy!” I grab her wrists and pull her off. “Jeez, you’re loud…. It’s not a good idea for everyone to know what the afterlife is. If they did, necromancy could be a real threat. Nowadays, it’s all hoax and myth.” “B-but….but…” She groans loudly and drops to her knees. “The biggest breakthrough in Equestria’s history and I can’t know about it!? No faaaair!” I sigh and get up. “I’ll go get Mac for dinner.” I walk outside and look around, seeing the outlines of thousands of apple trees. “Oh, my Celestia…...That’s a lot of trees. Oi! Mac! You around?!” I call out. “Eeyup!” He calls back from the barn. Probably should’ve guessed… “Dinner’s ready when you’re done!” “Eeyup!” I nod and start going back to the house, but I feel my stomach lurch. I dash over to an empty barrel nearby and rhetch hard. The front door bursts open. “Six, hold onto that! I need to record it!” “Twi, not a good time fer that! Six, ya alright?” I shake my head. I gag hard and empty my already emptied stomach, and the familiar horrible smelling gunk erupts from my mouth, splattering like glue at the bottom of the barrel. This continues for several seconds before I feel that it’s all gone. My face is soaked in sweat, and my stomach hurts from all the flexing. “Uugh….ow….” I fall back onto the porch, panting heavily. “Six!” AJ rushes next to me. “Hey...I’m alright. That just...whew, took a lot out of me…..what the…..” Her dark outline starts to brighten until I can see her as she would be without the blindfold on. I sit up and look around. I can see perfectly fine, but my eyes aren’t open…. “What…..the…..hell?” Twilight stops prodding my vomit with a stick and looks over at me. “Wait, I think I understand now. Six, I think that you had so little negativity in you that your immune system rejected the rest of it.” Her hand lights up softly and she hovers it over me. “Your soul looks perfectly clean. There’s not a single bit of black in there.” “Uuh, Twilight….I….I think my eyes are broken….” “Whaat?! What do you mean?!” She grabs the blindfold and yanks it off. I wince slightly from the tug, but I look around once my eyes adjust. Everything looks….odd. I can clearly see Twilight in front of me, but I can see a weird glow around her body. It’s a soft gold color, and it’s moving a second out of sync with her movements. “What in Equestria….?” The glow around her moves in the shape of a hand, and her actual hand follows suit as she touches my forehead. “Are you feeling feverish?” “Twilight, I think….I think I can see something….but I don’t get it...It’s like you have a gold shadow that moves before you do...What the Hell is this?” Her shadow suddenly takes a swing at my head, and I duck a whole second before her actual hand swings at my head. “Woah! How’d ya do that!?” “I….I don’t know….It’s a little straining on my eyes, though…” I take the blindfold from Twilight and put it back on. The gold outline vanishes. “And I can see perfectly even though I shouldn’t see at all… Do you think I could do this before the demon took over?” “Well, yer name is Sixth Sense, so it’d fit yer name. But ah dunno about the eyes in yer brain er whatever it is.” “I’ve read about this in a book once. Normally, people have some small levels of darkness or sin in their souls to keep them ‘Impure’, but I think you can actually scrub your soul so clean that you’ve gained second sight from it.” “How the Hell does that work?!” “There’s a story about monks in the mountains of Neighpal that were all blinded at birth, but remained so pure in life that they were able to see in their mind’s eye.” I nod, understanding a little bit. “I need to learn how to control this….That weird prediction sight is nauseating to see.” “I’m reporting this breakthrough to Princess Celestia. I’ll see you back at the castle, Six.” “Actually, ah was gunna invite ya ta stay here….if ya wanted to…” AJ says. I look at her, and her face is completely red, almost obscuring her freckles. “I-I, uh...lemme think about it, okay?” They both nod, and Twilight vanishes. I gotta learn to teleport…. AJ helps me up. “Well, not sure if ya still wanna eat now…” “I will! I just need to destroy the contents of this barrel….and brush my teeth….thoroughly.” I grab the barrel and close the top. “Do you have a, uh...furnace anywhere?” “Yeah, in the barn. Why?” “I need to burn this.” I carry the barrel into the barn. “....Sweet Celestia….” I hear AJ whisper. I smirk. “What was that?” “U-Uh, nothin! Didn’t say nothin…” I chuckle and head into the barn, where a furnace was burning. I open the hatch and toss the barrel inside, slamming it shut afterwards. “There. Now, back to the house. I’m starving….” As I leave the barn, I notice movement in the treeline. “Hello? Is someone there?” I call out. No answer. “Huh…” I shrug and head towards the house. “Ah!” I feel a pinch in my neck. “Damn bugs…” I go back into the house and sit at the table. “Applebloom got Mac already, so we’ll just wait fer everybody and we’ll eat.” I nod and rest my head on the table. My mind starts to wander… What the Hell is happening to me? Why are all of these weird things happening now? And what was in the trees…?
Six: Ch.9Dinner that night went by fairly smoothly. I had to spend the whole thing avoiding Twilight’s pleading eyes as she tried to pry the knowledge of the afterlife from me. By the time we had all finished eating, Twilight seemed to have finally given up. I smile as Applejack and Twilight talk about their various adventures in Equestria over the last few years. “Wait, so you guys went up against the God of Chaos...and won? How is that even possible!?” I ask, stunned. “Well, we all had the Elements of Harmony, so it makes sense that we could beat him. It did take us a bit to get past his magic, though. He had us pinned against each other for a little bit there. But, we pulled through and turned him to stone again. Now, he’s reformed and lives with Fluttershy at her cottage or in his little pocket dimension thing.” Twilight explains. “Wow….That’s….pretty far fetched….and that’s coming from me….” “Six, it all happened! Every word is true.” “I know, AJ. I’m just teasing. You don’t think I hadn’t heard of all of you before I came here? I knew about your adventures. You’re all famous!” “Then why didn’t you say so before?” Twilight interjects. “I liked listening to them from first hand. It’s much more interesting.” AJ chuckles and starts to get up, but I get up first. “I’ll take care of the dishes.” I gather up the plates with my magic and head to the kitchen. I manage to get about three steps before I feel Twilight’s magic grab me. “Six, something’s off with your magic signature. Don’t move.” I freeze as her magic scans over me. “Six, did you come into contact with any unicorns today? Any at all?” “Well, you and Rarity. But other than you two, no. Why?” “Someone put a tracking spell in your head.” “What? Twilight, how could that’ve happened? I wasn’t around any unicorns today other than you and Rarity.” “Are you positive? You would have noticed if the spell was put on you. It feels like a pinch or bug bite around the back of the neck.” “Wait….Just before I came back inside I felt that after seeing something moving around in the trees outside. You don’t think it could’ve been a person I heard, do you?” “It’s possible. But, until I know for sure, you two need to stay together tonight. Applebloom, stay over at Sweetie’s house. And Mac, you can go visit Sugar Belle for the night. I don’t want anyone here in this house. Applejack, you and Six will stay at my place until we find out who was trying to track Six.” “Wh-Twilight, isn’t that a bit rash? It could’ve been a misfire, or an accident!” “Six, trust me. Okay?” I sigh and nod. “Good. I’ll wait here while we finish cleaning up, then we’ll go back to the castle. Applebloom, Mac’ll take you to Sweetie Belle’s on his way to Sugar’s. I’ll escort Six with Applejack.” “Twilight...I can take care of myself…” I sigh. “Six, whoever put that spell in your head could’ve taken you right from under our noses. And, even though you may deny it, you’d be a very powerful weapon if you fell in the wrong hands. Imagine if someone put so much negativity in you that you become the demon again, but they find a way to control it.” “I apparently beat it before. I expelled it.” “But what if you can’t? My magic would be useless against it, and so would the Princess’. That demon was too powerful to fight. Equestria could’ve been lost! So, until further notice, at least two Element Bearers will be at your side at all times.” I nod reluctantly, knowing she was right. Besides, I don’t want someone to learn of the afterlife in its entirety. This world couldn’t handle necromancy… After we clean up the kitchen, Mac takes Applebloom to Sweetie’s house, and Twilight teleports AJ and myself back to her castle and up to my room. “I guess I need a shower...Can you two just wait outside the bathroom door?” “Absolutely not! We’ll wait inside the bathroom.” “But….You can’t see me naked!” I blush furiously. “We’ll just cover our eyes. Simple!” “We’ll be blindfolded. Don’t need ta even risk it. Right, Twilight?” She huffs. “Fiine….” I nod and take off my blindfold, setting it on the dresser as I grab my clothes. As I lift my pajamas, I notice that there’s no gold outline around them. “Huh...Twilight, I think I can only see living things with this weird outline.” “Outline? Wait….Six, does the outline happen to be a gold color?” “Yeah, it is.” “Six, you’re seeing a soul while the host is still alive.” “But why is it moving before there’s any movement?” “What do you mean?” “Watch. Throw a punch at me.” She shrugs and I see her “soul” throw a punch. I dodge out of the way, then her real hand moves. “What the….you predicted my punch before it happened!?” “I guess…..your soul moved first, so I just moved out of the way of where it was aiming.” “I must study you.” “Twilight, no.” “Twilight, yes?” I sigh. “Fine...But no afterlife questions…” She pouts. “Okay….” I chuckle and go into the bathroom. They both follow me in, sitting on the floor facing the shower. “Okay, uh...blindfolds on, please.” AJ grabs a towel from the rack on the wall and ties it around her eyes. Twilight does the same. “Go ahead, Six. No peeking.” “Good.” I reluctantly take my clothes off and turn the shower on, the warm water fogging up the room a little. I step inside and draw the curtains. I peek out of the shower to see Twilight holding my shirt to her face. “TWILIGHT!” She yelps and throws it back onto the floor, blushing deeply. “No touching my clothes, okay? Jeez…” I take my quick shower and step out. I dry off and get dressed as fast as I can. “Alright, you can look now.” They both take off their towels, and they both have soft blushes on their faces. “.....you both looked, didn’t you?” AJ shakes her head, looking at the floor. Twilight just stares straight ahead, unblinking. “H-huge….” “Alright, get out.” I leave the bathroom, blushing softly. “From now on, you two stay outside. Can’t even trust you to keep a blindfold on…” They blush deeply, their eyes glued to the floor. I shake my head and get into bed. After a minute, I feel someone climb in next to me. I look back, seeing Applejack in a bra and panties. My eyes widen and I quickly look at the wall in front of me, my whole upper body beet red. “Six? Ya asleep?” She asks. I stay still and silent. After a second, I feel her arms snake around my waist as she spoons me from behind. I tense up, but don’t move at all, pretending to be asleep. “Applejack, share with me!” Twilight whispers. “He likes me more than you. We were close ta kissin when Applebloom came in.” AJ whispers back. “I already kissed him. Now, scootch! I wanna spoon with him!” Twi says back, still quiet. “Git yer own. Ah’ll share lots with ya, Twi. But a boyfriend, ah won’t. B-BOYFRIEND?! I see Twilight’s soul approach my face and I snap my eyes shut. I feel the covers lift up, and Twilight climbs in bed in front of me, her butt pressing against my bulge. “H-hey, no fair!” AJ whispers loudly. “Oooh, his cock feels so nice against my butt~” Twilight teases back. Okay, nope. I sit up and climb out of bed, making them both yelp. “Absolutely NO molesting me in my sleep! You two stay up there. I’m sleeping on the floor.” I grab a blanket from the end of the bed and lay on the ground, curling up under it. “Look whut ya gone and done now….Ya spooked him off!” AJ whisper-yells at Twilight. “Me? You spooned him first!” Twilight whispers back. “Yer the one who rubbed up on him!” AJ retorts. “Both of you shut up and go to bed.” I intervene, making them both fall silent. I lay there for what feels like an hour before I hear their snores. I stand up and sigh, walking over to the balcony and leaning against the rails, looking out into the moonlit town. It was stunning to see all the houses lit up by the moon. “This place is starting to grow on me. But the people here may need to learn more personal space….” I look down through the candle-lit streets, and I briefly see a soul vanish behind a building. “Huh. Odd….Guess there are nocturnal ponies around.” I shrug and go back inside. AJ and Twilight were laying on the bed, covered in blankets. It looks like AJ managed to wrap herself around Twilight in a tight hug from behind, and Twilight’s hands were under the covers. “No...dirty thoughts, away with you. None of that crap.” I sit at the foot of the bed and lean against the footboard. “Yeah...this place may be a bit much, but I think it’s growing on me…”
Six: Ch.10I sit up and groan, rubbing the back of my neck. “Aah...my neck….Stupid wooden frame….” I get up and stretch, my back snapping and cracking. “Gotta get myself a cot or something….Can’t sleep on the floor again…” I shuffle into the bathroom and yawn, brushing my teeth and washing my face. When I look at the mirror, AJ is standing right behind me. “Gaaah!” I spin around. “AJ, what the Hell are you doing?! You scared the crap out of me!” She chuckles, still half asleep. “Sorry ‘bout that. But had ta be sure yer not alone.” I sigh, setting the towel down. “Not gonna give me any privacy, are you?” “Nnope.” I chuckle. “Well, I’ll make breakfast. You wanna help me?” “Alright. Just gimme a sec.” She pushes me out of the bathroom and shuts the door. I chuckle and go back to the bed. I sit down and wait, listening to Twilight snore softly behind me. “Jeez...she’s a heavy sleeper…” I get up. “No sense in waiting around. A few minutes in the kitchen can’t be that bad for me…” I put my blindfold on and head downstairs, following the familiar hallway until I find the kitchen. When I walk inside, there was a mare standing by the stovetop. Her hair looked like fire, and she was dressed like a maid. She turns around and smiles, her eyes like smouldering embers. “Good morning, Sir!” She smiles, bowing slightly. As she faces me, I notice her forearms and part of her face had burn scars of them, but it didn’t distract from her perfect hourglass fig- GO AWAY, PERV MIND! “Would you like breakfast this morning? I’ll prepare pancakes!” She grins. Her...her teeth look oddly plastic...and they’re too perfect…. “Hey, do you have a name? I’m Six.” I chuckle. “I’m Cinder Belle!” Of course she is….Poor girl must’ve gotten in an accident… “Nice to meet you. And that’s okay. I can cook alright.” “How can you cook with that blindfold on? Take it off, silly!” She grabs it with her magic and yanks it off my face before I get a chance to stop her. When I look around her, she’s shrouded in a massive, black fire that howls like wolves. “Wh-what….what is this….?!” “What’s what? Are you scared, Six~?” She asks, her tone deepening to a more sinister voice. I keep my eyes out of her line of sight, and she laughs evilly. “So that’s how it works, hmm? You have to make eye contact? Or can I….touch you?” Oh, fuck! I turn tail and sprint through the kitchen doors, dashing down the hallway. “Don’t run from me, my love!” I hear her chase after me, laughing sinisterly. “Leave me alone!” I turn into the library and shut the door, locking it and bolting it. I gasp and pant, and jump as she starts pounding on the door. “I want you, lover! Let me in!” I yelp and grab the iron stoker to the fire, holding it like a bat. “Stay away from me, you crazy woman!” The pounding suddenly stops. “I’m not crazy…..” I hear her whisper. I tense up. The voice was behind me…. I take a swing at her, but she catches it with her magic. I can’t stop myself from shaking, looking down at the shorter woman. Her eyes were hidden by her hair, and she was unmoving. “Do you really think you can keep me away forever? I’ll have you, lover. You’re flawed, just like me….YOU’RE MINE!” She grabs my arm, and my heart nearly stops as I can feel a searing pain shoot through me. “GAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGHHHHH!!!!” I drop to my knees as my soul fills with embers. She laughs, throwing me onto the ground. I scream and writhe, my whole body feeling like I was actually on fire. “Silly lover, you’ll lose every time….I will have you….And Master will love me…” Tears stream down my cheeks, and I see her “teeth” drop out of her mouth, revealing that she had a lot of sharp teeth. She kneels down, my voice too damaged from screaming to fight back. “Maybe a little for the road~” She bites down on my left arm and swings her head away. My vision turns red as I scream silently, seeing my arm being ripped and torn from the shoulder, blood splattering all over the floor and her clothes. I shake violently, barely conscious. She holds my now severed arm in her hand and smiles, hugging it. “See you again soon, lover~” She snaps, and my body bursts into flames. “AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHAAAAAAAAGGGHHH!!!!!!!!!!” She winks, and vanishes. [Twilight POV, two minutes earlier] “SIX?! WHERE ARE YOU?!” I call out, rushing through the upstairs. “Twilight, do ya see him!?” AJ calls, kicking open doors. “No! I d-” “GAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGHHHHH!!!!” My heart sinks, hearing him scream. “HURRY!” I rush downstairs to the source of the noise, and I see movement under the library door. “SIX?! SIX, OPEN THE DOOR!! I CAN’T TELEPORT IN!” I start hyperventilating. “Move!” AJ rushes past me and kicks the door open. I briefly see a woman in a maid outfit with fiery orange hair wink at me before vanishing with a snap. “AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHAAAAAAAAGGGHHH!!!!!!!!!!” Six screeches, suddenly engulfed in flames. “SWEET CELESTIA!!” I cast an extinguishing spell on him, just as his screams stop. “Oh, no...nonono….NO!” AJ rushes to his side, but I’m frozen, shaking. “TWILIGHT! GIT US TO THE HOSPITAL NOW! HE’S BLEEDIN OUT!” She screams. I snap out of it and teleport us to the hospital. “DOCTORS! GET HELP NOW!” AJ yells, making doctors and nurses rush to her aid. They quickly rush Six back to a surgery center and wire him up. “He’s not breathing! HE’S NOT BREATHING!” AJ yells. Doctors get her out of the room. “We’ll take care of him. You need to stay here and remain calm…” The doctor shuts the door. I hug AJ tightly, dragging her to the lobby with every ounce of strength left. “Applejack, calm down! They’re good Doctors. They can save him.” Alarms start blaring around the hospital, and nurses rush into the back of the hospital. “WHO THE HELL WAS THAT WOMAN!? AH’LL RIP HER APART!” AJ yells, punching a hole in the hospital wall. “AJ, easy! We’ll find her! You just need to calm down. Six’ll be just fine…” She huffs and sits down, shaking angrily. “Why’d he have ta go off on his own...WHY?! He’s just an idiot!” AJ yells, gripping her shorts angrily, tears streaming down her cheeks. I sit next to her, holding her hand. “It’s okay….Just breathe…” The door to the back opens, and a doctor walks out. “Doctor, what’s happening?’ I ask, holding back tears. “He’s alive, but we can’t wake him up. His entire body is covered in third degree burns, and something tore his left arm off… To be honest, I don’t know if he’ll pull through this. But, have hope. He’s stable.” Tears stream down my cheeks. “H-he’s...in a coma?” The doctor nods. “Please, stay out here until we’ve properly bandaged him. His state right now is….jarring…” He leaves. Oh, Celestia…..Six…..
Six: Ch.11[Six POV] “What’s happening?” I ask no one in particular. Everything is dark, and I can’t feel anything. “It ain’t fair! Why can’t ah help?!” I hear AJ yell. “Applejack? Can you hear me? What’s happening?” “AJ, you’re too close to this. I need someone to watch him while the Princesses and I figure out who did this to him and who that woman was.” Oh, right...That girl….Cinder, right? Am I dead? No, I can’t be dead. I can still hear them. I must be in a coma…. “Which means I can make myself known….APPLEJACK!!” I shout. I gasp, nearly blinded as my vision suddenly returns. Once my eyes adjust, I notice I’m looking down at my own body, wrapped in bandages. My left arm was missing, and my heart monitor was beating slowly. “Git some of the guards to watch him! Ah need ta find who did this!” AJ storms out, and I feel myself get dragged out with her. “Woah!” I see my body, and I’m colorless and transparent. Not much of a change, other than the floating and transparent bit… AJ stops just inside the front doors of the hospital and looks back. “Ah’ll save ya, Six….ah love ya….Even if ya can’t hear me say it.” She leaves. “I...Love you, too….Guess I’m stuck here in the w-aagh!” I get dragged along with her. I notice my necklace in her hand. “I have to be in a vegetative state….And I’m tied to my necklace!” I force my new form to move closer to her. “Hey! AJ! Over here!” I wave in her face, but she keeps walking. “Damn it….She can’t see me….Of course she wouldn’t….” I follow her back to her farm, where she kneels next to Granny smith’s grave. “Ah...ah’m so sorry, Granny….Ah couldn’t help him…..And he could die cuz of me….Ah wish ya’ll were here….ah need help….” She cries softly, clutching my necklace tightly. I feel my body warm up all over. “Wooah….That’s a new one…” She gasps and looks right at me. “S-Six? How….whut in the….” “Wait….you...can see me?” I look at my body, and it hasn’t changed. “Yer...b-back at the hospital….in a coma! How….are ya here?” She wipes her eyes. “I think my soul bonded to my necklace. And you’ve got it.” She looks at the necklace and stands. She tries to hug me, but her arms go right through me. “Ya...yer really a g-ghost…” “Yeah...This is new for me, too…” She sniffles and cries, clutching the necklace tightly. “It’s mah fault….If ah hadn’t kicked ya out of the bathroom, you’d be okay…” “Hey, don’t blame yourself. That crazy girl was in the castle either way. Who knows what would’ve happened if she kept around. She would have hurt you and Twilight.” “Y-yer right….What’re we gunna do? We can’t just let her get away with this!” “Easy, easy...I want to find her, too. But we need to think rationally. And judging by the lack of screams from people on the way here, no one else can see me.” “Alright….We can ask Twilight fer help. Maybe she’d listen!” She runs back to the hospital, and I’m dragged along behind. I manage to get myself to float alongside her. “Slow down, AJ. You’re dragging me around, you know. And please don’t lose that necklace. It means a lot to me…” She puts it in her hat and nods. When she gets to the hospital, there was a royal carriage outside. Twilight was talking to Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. “Twilight! Twilight! Six is a ghost and he’s talkin ta me!” Oh, boy… “Applejack...I know you’re having a hard time with this, but he’s still in the hospital.” “Listen ta me! He’s possessin his necklace, and ah got it right here!” She pulls it out of her hat and hands it to Twilight. She holds it, her hand shaking. “Applejack….Why do you have this?” “He...Ah….” “Don’t take this from him. Just...go home. Get some sleep….” She pockets the necklace. “Gimme that back!” AJ yells. “It’s not yours, Applejack! It’s his, and it’ll go right back on him and it’ll stay there.” “No, ah need it ta keep him with me!” Twilight goes back inside the hospital, while the Princesses talk amongst themselves. I expected to be dragged back inside the hospital, but I stay right there at AJ’s side. She looks at me, a soft blush on her face and tears in her eyes. “What’re you making that face for?” I ask, confused as to why I wasn’t trapped in the hospital. “Yer not attached to the necklace. Yer attached ta me...Ya...ya really do love me….” If I could blush, I would be. Very hard. “I-I, uh...h-heheeh.....I think it's because you're my best friend! That must be it!" She smiles with tears in her eyes. "Six....ya big dummy....Yer so sweet...." I don't deserve love... Princess Celestia puts her hand on AJ’s shoulder, sighing. “Applejack, you should go home. You’re starting to get delusional….” “No, ah ain’t….He’s right here, and none of ya’ll can see him cuz his soul’s attached ta me!” Celestia shakes her head and sighs. “It’s alright, Applejack. Get some rest…” “No! Damn it, Princess, I’m right here!” I shout, swinging my arm at her tiara. All three of them gasp as it’s knocked off her head and clatters to the floor. “Sister, did you do that?” Luna asks. “No, I didn’t…” Celestia answers. AJ beams. “See? He’s the one who did that! Six, do somethin else!” She asks. “How? I….I didn’t think it would do anything…” “Come on, try! Please!” She pleads. I clench my fists tightly, digging into my heart to find something that makes me angry. “APPLEJACK IS NPT A LIAR!!” I grab AJ’s hat, and I feel it. I lift it off her head and drop it to the floor. They all look stunned. “Ah ha! I did it! That’s how I do it!” “S-sister….How is...this possible?!” Luna asks. “It’s not….I don’t understand….” “APPLEJACK IS MY FRIEND!! HOW DARE YOU CALL HER A LIAR!!” I scream, grabbing Celestia’s arm. She shrieks and jumps. “I-I felt a hand on my arm! Applejack, what sorcery is this?!” Celestia asks, terrified. “That’s just Six…” She says, chuckling. She looks around, her hand glowing softly. Her hand glows brighter as it waves in front of me, and her eyes widen. “Six...it is you….How...is he here?! He’s alive, isn’t he?” Celestia asks. “Yeah, I’m alive. But I’m apparently dead enough to be a ghost.” “He says he’s dead enough ta be a ghost.” They both look at her, shocked. “This is...impossible…” Luna says plainly. Twilight walks out, and looks at the shocked Princesses. “Applejack, what’d I miss?” Celestia grabs Twilight’s shoulder. “Twilight, Applejack wasn’t lying to you. Six is a ghost, and she can see him. And hear him…” Twilight looks floored. “Wh-whaat?! That’s impossible! I mean, I know his powers are impossible, but him being a ghost is impossible!” “AJ, tell her that her soup needed salt.” AJ chuckles. “He says yer soup needs salt.” Her eyes widen. “H-how do...you know about that….? Only Six and I were….H-He’s really there?” AJ nods. “Finally, she gets it…” I sigh. “Ah know, right?” AJ laughs. Twilight grabs her shoulders and shakes her. “What’re you laughing at?! What’d he say!? Why can only you see him!?” I grab Twilight’s hair and tug, and she yelps. “Ow! Hey! No hair pulling, AJ!” “Ah didn’t pull yer hair! It was Six.” AJ holds up her hands. I smirk. Twilight huffs and blows her hair out of her eyes. “You know, her butt did feel kinda nice...but she could stand to put on a little more weight…” I say to myself, chuckling. “Whut did ya say!?” AJ yells. “N-nothing! Hehehe….” I chuckle. “What’d he say?” Twilight asks. “He said yer butt felt kinda nice, but you could put on some weight.” Twilight swings her arms in the air, yelling swears at me. “Yer missin him, Twi. He can’t even feel ya.” Twilight huffs and feels her hips. “Not thin….” She pouts. I feel an odd warmth in my chest. I look over at AJ, and she’s blushing madly. “Whut...do ya think about mah butt?” She asks out of nowhere. “I...I, uh….Oh, gosh, uh….Is that a ghost leaf?” I look over at a pile of leaves. She huffs. Twilight pouts. "It's no fair that he's bound just to you.... I-I wanna see him, too..." I laugh, holding my midsection. “Oh, Twilight’s jealous of you, AJ.” “Course she is. She loves ya as much as ah do.” “.....beg your pardon?” Twilight’s blush spreads all over. “D-don’t just tell him that!” “Yeah, she’s got a crush on ya, too! Ain’t that right, Twilight?” Twilight curls up and blushes. “M-meep….” My eyes widen. “She….you….both….WHAT?!” “Ya mean ya never even noticed that we was fightin over ya? Ya must be real oblivious…” “I am not! I just...didn’t think it was possible….I figured I’d be alone all my life, and I never thought I’d get a girl who likes me, let alone two!” AJ chuckles. “Alright, enough teasin Twilight. We need ta git back to the castle and figure out who that girl was…” “Oh, that’s easy. She said her name was Cinder Belle.” “Wait, she jus told ya her name? Just like that?” Twilight jumps up. “He has her name?! What is it?” That got the Princess’ attention too. Forgot they were even there…. “He said her name’s Cinder Belle….” “Oh, dear….That’s not good. Luna, get Shining Armor and a dozen elite guards down here immediately. Twilight, get back to the castle and make sure there’s no one there. Then seal yourselves inside. If she’s after him, he, and the two of you, are in grave danger.” Twilight looks at her worriedly. “Who...is she?” “She’s a prisoner from Manehattan Penitentiary. She was locked up a few years ago for trying to burn down a school. She has an obsession with broken people. She...well, she’s a pyromaniac...and, last time she was seen, a cannibal….” “Oh, mah gosh….So...y-ya mean she...she….ate his arm!?” “It’s very likely…” AJ ducks into a nearby bush, unloading her stomach contents. “Why...does she have such an affiliation with Six, then!?” “They were raised in the same orphanage….” All the memories came flooding back. I remember a little girl when I was there that used to follow me around all the time. She had burns on her, and she always clung to me. Then she disappeared when I was eleven. A scroll appears in Luna’s hand, and she unravels it. “Oh...Oh, this isn’t good….Sister, the Petitentary says she escaped six months ago, and hasn’t been seen since. And the police in both Manehattan and Canterlot say that several people have gone missing since she’s escaped…” “Y-you don’t think she...ate all them people….right?!” I tense up, clenching my fists tightly. “We have to stop her….” “It gets worse. She’s set on getting to Six, no matter what.” Celestia says. “How...do you know?” Twilight asks, almost seeming afraid. Celestia holds up a photograph of a 9x9 concrete prison cell. The number 6 was etched into the walls, floor, and ceiling of the cell. Twilight grabs AJ’s arm and teleports her away, yanking me clear across town back to the castle. I shudder as I reappear in the library. Twilight’s hand glows brightly, and a wave of magic flows over the entire castle. Once it passes, a bubble forms around it. “There. We’ll be safe here. And my brother’ll watch over him. But, if what Princess Celestia says is true, that means she’ll come after us too…”
Six: Ch.12I sigh and cross my legs, looking down at AJ and Twilight. “Twi, ah still think that it’d be safer fer us if we was with Six. We could help protect him if we was there next to him! Whut if the guards fail? Six could die fer real! And ah….we’d be devastated!” I chuckle softly to myself. They’d miss me… Hardly. You’re just their eye-candy. “Oh, no...not now….” AJ looks up at me. “What’s wrong?” Twilight looks at her, equally worried. “It’s uh...n-nothing….Just, uh...can’t remember. a joke...heh.” Good choice. They’re afraid of us like this. Leave me alone...I expelled you! You may have pushed me away, but you can’t expel yourself. I will always be here. Why won’t you demons leave me alone?! Now, what fun would that be? Hehehehehe….Ooh, looks like that Cinder did a marvelous job replenishing my strength. I’m very proud of her. Wait….YOU’RE HER MASTER?! Oh, Heavens no! We are! Haven’t you gotten it yet, you dull boy!? I’m not a demon! I’m you! No….That’s not it…. You’re just the collective evils of everyone I’ve taken the burdens from….Nothing else… Is that a fact? Then how could I possess your body and control you like a puppet? And why can you hear me now? You and I both know demons can’t do more than influence actions. Sorry, dumbass. You’ve got a split personality, so you’re stuck with me! NO! After I expelled all that negativity, I didn’t hear you for days! I was able to heal back to my real self! Only a demon could do that! Did you forget suppression magic is the main spell you know? Now, what were to happen if a young boy decided to suppress himself so he could die easier? Don’t pull that crap with me! You’re the one that suppressed me! Even so, demons aren’t tied to this world enough to directly influence anyone here. You know that. This…..this isn’t true….it can’t be…. Oooh, but it is~ That’s what makes this fun! I’m the side of you that you’ve only been able to see in mirrors. I’m the better version of you. You’re nothing but a confused demon….I took so much of Cinder’s burden that it drove the demon crazy...Yeah, that’s all it is… You’re so dense! I could take control right now, and you couldn’t fight me. I could kill both of your little friends and you’d be helpless to do anything. No. No? Ha! Have you forgotten? I’m stronger than you! I can do whatever I want! I may be you, but my limits are few compared to yours. As a matter of fact, why don’t I just hop in the driver’s seat and kill them? D-Don’t you dare hurt my friends, you bastard! There he is! The good Six! Finally, you grow a pair! You know, I ought to have my own name, don’t you think? I mean, I am the improvement of you. You want a name? I’ll give you a name. Oh? You think if you name me that I’ll magically vanish? I’m not a djinn, Six. But, if you wish, then name me. I won’t stop you. Hell, I may even decide to spare you and your friends if I like it enough. Why? What would a name help you gain? It means that you’ve finally accepted me as a part of you! I may one day accept you, but if we’re to coexist, I have a ground rule to set. You want to set rules? You have no power over me! Oh? Then why haven’t you been trying to control me this whole time? All you’ve done is threatened the Princess, and that was after being fueled by Nightmare Moon. You have no power unless I let you. Isn’t that right? Tch...You think you’re so clever? You bastard….Fine. i’ll abide by your rules...if I make rules of my own. So, let’s make a deal, hmm? Fine. One ground rule: Do not hurt, torment, kill, or torture anyone friendly towards me. Towards US, Six. Whatever. What’s your terms? One: Cinder lives. Wait, what? Why?! She ripped my...OUR arm off! She was our friend before I pushed her too far… Are you...showing sympathy? What? Of course not! But that girl...She just doesn’t deserve the life she has. You...you love her, don’t you? I find her fascinating! That’s it! Now, do we have a deal? Do you have any further rules? Ah, yes. Of course. One more rule: I want to take control from time to time. What!? Are you nuts?! Why would I let you do that!? It’s simple. I may be just another personality in your broken mind, but I have power that you couldn’t use if you tried. And if a threat comes up, you can’t fight. Hmm….You’re right….I’m no fighter. But, if you so much as think about breaking the rules, I will bury you. My word is my bond. Do we have a deal? Name me, and we’ll call it a deal. Alright. Hmm...What do I call my evil twin? I’m not evil! Just….charismatic! Right….Well….ah ha! I know. I’ll call you...Shade. Aaah, a good choice. Alright, Six. It’s a deal. “Six?! SIX!” AJ yells. I blink a few times and look down at her. “H-huh?” “Ah’ve been callin ya fer an hour! Are ya alright?” “Uuh, yeah. I’ve just been, uh….” Should I tell her about you, Shade? Ooh, it feels good to be named. Shade?! Right. No, not yet. Last think we need is for her to be afraid of us. Good point. “Thinking about Cinder. I remember her being so nice back then….” “Hey, her bein the way she is ain’t yer fault.” “Thanks, AJ.” If I may, I think I know how we can make ourself visible to everyone. It may be a long shot, but it’s possible. Well, since you can’t be too far off, let’s hear it. If Twinkle Sprinkle over there charges the room with enough electricity, we may be able to absorb enough to manifest. Why didn’t I think of that? You did. Well, we did. “Hey, AJ. I think I know a way to be able to manifest. If I’m a ghost, it should work. Ask Twilight to pulse an electrical charge through the room.” “Uuh...alright. Hey, uh...Twi?” Twilight looks up from a book she was reading. “Hmm?” “Six says he might know how ta be able ta manifest. Can ya pulse some electricity through the room?” “Of course! There’s a book I read that says that ghosts feed off of electrical charges to manifest! Let me try.” Her hand glows, and small bolts of electricity fire around the room, hitting the floors and walls. I shudder, feeling an odd pulsing through my body. [Twilight POV] “...light…..Twi...light?” My eyes widen, hearing his voice. “Six?! Can you hear me? Of course you can...Duh…” “...ore….power…..Twi….” “Oh! Yeah!” I push the spell harder, bolts of lightning firing around tge room. AJ’s hair starts to stand up from all the energy in the room, and I bet mine is too. I see the air above AJ start to warp and grow thick until it takes the form of Six, clear as day. But armless. “Six, I can see you! But...your arm is still missing! Shouldn’t it be back?” He looks to his left. “..ouls don’t work like that. They’re only as complete as the body.” “I can hear you! It worked!” I drop the spell, and he starts to dissipate. I quickly cast it again, keeping him there. “I have to maintain the energy to keep you here! Six, this won’t work forever.” He stares off into space for a moment before looking back at me. “Can you enchant an object to create a constant flow of energy?” “I suppose so...It would take some time.” “That’s fine. For now, AJ will be my messenger. Drop the spell.” I drop it, and he vanishes again. “He’s really a ghost….” “Eeyup….And if he gits mad, he can move things.” “Really? Ooh, I wish I could study him….” AJ looks up to where he was floating, then back to me. “He says ya can, but ya need ta focus on the energy source first.” I beam. Finally, he’ll let me study him! “I’ll get right on it! And I think I know just what to do!” I levitate a book from one of the shelves and flip through it until I find the right section. “Ah ha! Right here. I can imbue energy into a piece of quartz that works as a battery! Wait, no….That won’t be a permanent fix….” I gasp as the pages of the book rapidly turn themselves until it stops on a section about alchemy. “Alchemy? Hmm…..I suppose this could work. But, what do I use? I have to make a sacrifice of something to the cast or it won’t work…” AJ looks at the air next to me. “He says that you don’t need to destroy the object to imbue it. You just need a host for the cast.” I blush softly. “Just a host?” I reach in my pocket, pulling out his necklace. “Ya kept it!? Twilight, no fair!” “Well, I….you two were so close, I wanted to be close to him too!” The necklace suddenly gets lifted out of my hand into the air. “He says if we can’t git along, he might as well keep it himself.” “Six, it’s not fair that you’re only visible to Applejack!” “He says that he didn’t pick to possess me, it just happened cuz….” “Because what?” “He...he thinks he’s only visible to me because I touched him as his soul left his body. And that’s why he’s bound ta me. So, it ain’t cuz yer closer ta me….” “Applejack, we barely even know him! Besides, he hasn’t picked which of us to date yet anyway…” “He says that we’re getting off topic. Dangit, Six. Ya gotta pick at some point…” The necklace drops back into my hand, and I take it. I spend the next hour setting up the ritual and finally complete the setup. “Are we ready, AJ?” I ask, looking back at her? I was standing outside of a circle on the floor, filled with runes. At the center was the necklace. “Yeah...So, ah just need ta touch it when it starts floatin, right?” “That should bind him to it so he can get its energy, yes.” She nods, and I hold out my hand. My hand starts to glow brightly, and the once black runes start to glow a bright red, slowly shifting around as lightning leaps out of them, striking the necklace repeatedly. As soon as it’s struck, it begins to slowly float and spin. “Now, AJ!” She reaches in and touches it. It starts spinning rapidly, throwing off bright red sparks as it spins, going too fast to see its shape. Then, everything stops, and the room is quiet, all except for a soft humming coming from the necklace that quickly silences. “Did...did it work? Ah...Ah can’t see him!! Twilight!?” I hold up my hand. “Hang on...give it a second.” “....think it’s working. Twilight?” I hear him say, seeing his form appear, no longer floating. He was standing on the other side of the alchemy circle, his body a ghostly white, but not completely transparent anymore. It was like looking through a foggy window. “I can see you! AJ, you see him too?” She nods. “Yes! Finally! I can talk for myself. Sorry, AJ. But this is a lot easier. Now, i think….” He reaches down and picks up the necklace. “Ah ha! Yes! Okay, I should be able to wear this now.” He puts it on. I can’t help but pout. “So...I bound the necklace...to you?” “Mhm! Which means I can interact with it. No need for you two to argue about it.” I huff. “Can I study you now?” He chuckles. “I guess so….I might be able to do what I want, but I can’t leave you guys anyway.” “What? But, the spell says that-” “It’s not the spell. I can’t leave you because I won’t. You two are my best friends, and I won’t let anyone hurt you. So I’m staying with you.” “No offense, Six, but yer not much of a fighter. And ya don’t even know magic too much. Heck, ya can’t even do magic how ya are!” He looks off into space for a moment before he shuts his eyes and rolls his shoulders, stretching. “Oooh, how good it feels to be let out...He won’t need to fight. I’ll be doing the fighting.” I growl. “You...What’re you doing here, you demon?!” “Oh, calm down, Tinkle.” “Twilight…” “Whatever. And I am not a demon. I’m still him, but I’m his...other half, shall we say. Hmm?” “You...of course….Six has a split personality!” “Precisely! Finally, someone with common sense. Yes, demons can’t do things like this can they? No, you wouldn’t know that...Well, you do now.” “Well, what now?” I ask. “Didn’t you say you wanted to study me? Well, study away.” “Couldn’t we study Six? Not...you?” He holds his hand to his chest. “How rude! He’s permitted me to be the subject since I know more about the spirit world than he does.” “How does that work?” “It’s simple. I was in the driver’s seat when we kicked the bucket the first time. Yes, I may have gone a tad too far...But, that’s all behind us.” I grumble and huff. “Well, do you have a name? It feels wrong to call you Six…” “Of course. You may call me...Shade.”
Six: Ch.13[Shade POV] “So, do ghosts know they’re dead?” Twilight asks. “Not at first, no. But they’re quick to figure it out.” “What’s death like?” “Simpler than falling asleep. You bore me, Tweezer.” “Twilight!” “Whatever. These questions bore me. I want to find Cinder. Let’s go find her, hmm?” “Does The Creator exist?” “Yes, and he’s an asshole. Can we go now?” “A what?” “Nevermind. Twilight, don’t you and Applejack here have an arm to find and a boyfriend to avenge? Why wait here?” They both blush. Ooh, how cute these two are. He’s screwed if he has to pick one. “He’s not our boyfriend! Well, he’s our friend….and a boy...but that’s not what I meant!” “If you insist. But that bovine you call a princess is no ruler of mine.” That struck a chord. “Princess Celestia is not a bovine!” “Temper temper. But, that’s besides the point. I believe Applejack wants to avenge him, too.” She looks at AJ. “Applejack?” “W-well…..we ought ta be helpin them find her!” “Finally, someone with a shred of common sense! Yes! And I may know where to find her. If I’m not mistaken, there’s a forest that you all fear closeby, isn’t there?” “Yeah...The Everfree. Ya think she’s in there?” “Oh, both of you are so adorably nieve. Of course she is! She’d hide in the one place where no one would dare go.” Twilight sighs. “It’s against my better judgement, but even the Princesses would avoid that place unless they had to go in….Rrrgh, fine! But you’re taking the fall if we’re caught, Shade.” “Fine by me. Six may not understand how to be a ghost, but I do. And I can just...poof!” I make myself become invisible, save for the necklace. “Woah! Yer gone! Jus a floatin necklace!” I reappear and chuckle. “Just as blunt as always. Now, shall we?” Twilight nods and her hand glows again as the barrier disappears. I smile and float down the steps towards the front door. “Uuh…, shouldn’t one of us wear that so ya’ll can hide if ya need to?” AJ asks. “Hmm...you may be right.” I take it off and toss it to Twilight. She beams. “Haha!” She puts it on, making AJ pout. “No fair! Why’d ya pick her?” “Unlike Six, I prefer my women to be fiery on the inside.” That makes both of them blush. “That means that….Six likes me….but Shade likes you?” “I...I guess so….” “Are we all going to gawk at my ghostly ass or are we going to locate a killer?” “R-right!” They quickly follow me through the castle doors into the street. I turn myself invisible again, just to be safe. “Shade? Ya didn’t run off, didja?” AJ asks. I float back behind them and grab both of their asses, making them both jump. “Hardly. Now, come along.” I float through the street, chuckling to myself. Why did you do that!? Oh, like you wouldn’t if you had the balls. ……. Exactly. We all end up at the edge of the Everfree forest before I make myself visible again. “Now, if I know my geography, there should be a castle in here somewhere, yes?” “The Princess’ old castle? Yeah. It’s near the center.” “Then let’s start there. It’s a good chance that she’s there, as is my arm…” Twilight leads the way, and I float along behind both of them. The further we get into the forest, the darker everything becomes. It becomes so dark that Twilight has to light her magic so we can all see. “This is a pleasant walk. We should do this more often.” “This ain’t fun….this is spooky…” “Oh, come now. You’re not enjoying an evening stroll with me? I’m hurt…” “Ya sound more and more like Discord every minute….” “I’m offended! I’m thrice the man that...beast is!” “Ya know him?” “Well, not personally. But, his methods of evil are so...childish! I mean, chocolate rain? And candy streets! By God, he must be five!” “Yer one ta talk.” “Don’t tempt fate, Applejack. I’m not a fun person to toy with. I know many spells that would make your life very difficult.” I said no threats! I’m not. Come now, you remember that book. What was it again? Kinks Through the Ages? You promised never to bring that up again! Hehehe. “Ah doubt Six’d let ya hurt me.” “Who said anything about hurting you? Not those kinds of spells, Applejack. The, how you say….dirtier ones.” She blushes hotly. As does Twilight. I can’t help but laugh. “You two are such fun to tease! You ought to see your faces!” “We’re here…” Twilight says quietly. AJ kneels next to her behind a fallen tree, looking over at the cobblestone ruins. There was a small light flickering in one of the windows. “It seems someone’s home. Let’s have a look, shall we?” I turn invisible and float inside, phasing through the walls. I look around, and even I’m shocked by what I see. There were thousands of pictures of Six strewn all over the small bedroom space, covering every square inch of the room. And I noticed a closet. “Hmm…” I slowly open the door, and I’m absolutely floored by what I see. There was a glass box lying on the ground, surrounded by more candles and photographs. And inside the box was my arm, preserved by magic inside. “Cinder, what happened to you…” What in Equestria!? She kept my arm...in a shrine!? She must really be obsessed with us… What gave that away? Well, I’m not touching that. As much as I despise your monarchy, we should go get Suntits. It’s Princess Suntits to you. Whatever. I shut the closet door and turn around, and I would shit myself if I had a body. Cinder was standing centimeters from my face, grinning widely. “I know someone’s there. I can’t see you, but I can sense you~ Show yourself~” She coos, giggling. She was in the same blood-soaked maid outfit from yesterday. I reveal myself, and she gasps. “Six? Oh, no….I overdid it…” “I’m not dead, you dolt. I’m comatose. And it seems that….energy source has a wider range than I thought…” “M-master? Master, he let you in!” She cries happily. “Cinder, it is wonderful to see you, but you’ve been a naughty girl. You took our arm. And please tell me you haven’t done anything odd with it…” She blushes, biting her lip. “God damn it….Cinder, you disgust me.” “I know! Doesn’t this make you happy?” “Cinder, you were once such a simple pyro, but murder? That’s so...unlike you. You need to promise me you won’t harm the girls I travel with.” She frowns. “Master...Why? They’re common filth compared to you! I’d die for you! Why can’t I just kill them! We can be together!” “Cinder, you and I both know that’s not possible. I may be the bad half, but even I think you’ve gone overboard.” She looks down at the ground. “Is that what Master thinks?” “It is.” She clenches her fists. “I won’t kill them….But I’ll be with you forever!” She cries out, vanishing in a flash. “Oh, shit. I may have made things worse…” I rush back out to the two. “What happened? Was she there?” Twilight asks. “Yes, but I fear she may do something drastic. We need to get back to my body now!” Twilight nods, and we run/float back to town. When we get closer, the smell of smoke fills the air. “Oh, God….” We speed up. When we finally reach the town, everything’s on fire. And at the center was Cinder, making her way towards the hospital. “IF I CAN’T HAVE YOU, NO ONE CAN!!” I hear Cinder scream as she lights Sugarcube Corner on fire, laughing crazily. “S-Sweet Celestia….What do we do!?” Twilight screams. “We gotta git to the hospital before she does! Come on!” AJ rushes out, with myself and Twilight in pursuit. We get close to the town square before the guards stop us. “You can’t go any further! The Princesses ordered an evacuation of the town!” “Get out of our way!” I grab them both and hurl them across the road with strength I didn’t even know I had. I keep going, hearing them behind me. When we finally reach the hospital, it was too late. It was already on fire. “She may not have us yet! I float as fast as I can up to the room where they were keeping me, and I see her hovering a sword over her chest. She was lying on my body. “We’ll both die! Together forever, Master!” I quickly grab the sword from her hands, and she screams. “Master! Do you hate me so much?!” She screeches. “You’re being irrational! How can we be together forever if you’re in Hell and I’m in Heaven!?” She falls silent. “You’re right….” She grabs my body and grabs the sword with her magic, swinging it around. There was a loud snapping crunch as it cleaves straight through her neck, spewing blood all over the room as her head lands with a thud in my body’s lap. I watch as the life leaves her eyes, like lights going out. Her body collapses to the floor, twitching and spewing blood everywhere. “What have you done, Cinder….”
Six: Ch.14It had taken firefighters an hour and a half to put out all the fires. By the time everyone was accounted for, several people were injured, but there was only one casualty. Twilight was giving a report to the Princesses, leaving me sitting on top of the charred hospital. They had moved my body to Canterlot, under constant surveillance. I look over, hearing Applejack climb up onto the roof. “What do you want?” I ask coldly. “That girl….was yer friend, wasn’t she?” “Yes….and it’s my fault that she’s...she….” I feel tears fill my eyes. “Hey….It ain’t yer fault….” “I drove her mad….I filled her mind with darkness. This was my doing.” “Hey, ya listen ta me. Ya might’ve said all that, but she had a screw er two loose ta begin with.” I chuckle. “It’s true. In a sick, twisted sort of way, I loved her like a sister. She replaced his for a while.” She sits next to me and chuckles. “What’s so funny?” “Ya sound just like Discord.” “Don’t insult me…” “Ya ought ta meet him. Think he’s stayin at Shy’s place.” “I’d like to get my body back first, if you don’t mind. I’m not in the mood to have visitors.” “Alright. Well, Princess Celestia says that they ought ta have ya out of yer coma soon, so that’s a plus.” “She was so obsessed with me...that she cleaved off her head right from her shoulders….She….” I sigh sadly. “Hey. None of that. You’ll get through this. We all will. So, chin up Mister.” I chuckle. “You know, you really do have a nice ass.” She blushes madly, and I laugh. Not cool, man…. Better me say it than you do nothing. “S-scuse me…” She climbs down. I laugh harder. “Oh, she’s flustered!” I chuckle, calming down a bit. I spend the rest of the day staring up at the sky. “I know you’re up there, old man. And I know you can hear me. So hear this: Cinder was a good, smart, and very caring girl...She didn’t deserve what she got. So, you’d better not send her to Hell….or I’ll come up there and kick your celestial ass myself! And that’s a promise!” I sigh, glad I got that out of my system. I start to climb off the roof when I feel a tug on my soul. “Gaah! What the…?” I suddenly snap my eyes open, back in my body. The princesses over me, their hands glowing. “Sister, I think he’s awake! Six, can you hear us?” Luna asks. Back to you, big guy. I’m sorry for your loss, Shade… Don’t pity the Devil. “Uugh...yeah...Everything tastes like ash…” “You did just survive a fire...But you already knew that. Twilight told us everything. Is Shade still around?” Celestia asks. “He’s mourning right now.” “Ah...Well, give him time. He saved your life today.” “Yeah...I guess he did.” Jackass. I chuckle, sitting up. I look over myself, the bandages removed. My body had a few burn scars on it left, and there was a hand-shaped burn scar on my right forearm. “This….is where She grabbed me before she….” “It is...We also searched for your arm in the castle in the forest. We found it, but whatever spells she used on the box incinerated it when she died…” Luna explains bluntly. I look at my shoulder, which was the only part of me still bandaged. “Is there nothing we can do? I’ll just be...armless?” “Sadly...There’s no magic to regrow limbs. I’m sorry..” Celestia says sadly. “It’s….It’s alright. I’ll learn to live without it. Hell, it might be even easier. Who knows?” I shakily stand up, and Celestia grabs onto me. “Easy. You haven’t gotten used to your balance yet.” I nod and take a few steps, my body wanting to lean right. “This is gonna be annoying for a while….Can...I go home now?” They both nod. “We’ll be keeping an eye on you. Keep out of trouble, alright?” I nod, and suddenly appear back in Ponyville square with a snap. I sigh, looking at the stump of an arm again. Is there anything you can do to help this? No. If Suntits and her fatass sister couldn’t do it, why would I be able to? Good point...And she’s not a fatass… Did you even see that thing? Shit, she could crush a skull with that thing! You looked?! We both did. We share eyes, moron. Right. Well, where do you want to go? I want to see her. Shade….You know I can’t… Six. You’ve avoided her for nearly fifteen years. Go get your blindfold back, then go see her. I sigh and shut my eyes, using my third sight to walk back to the castle. When I eventually get there, I’m charge-tackled by two incredibly dense girls. “Six, you’re back!” “Or are ya Shade?” “ow….it’s me….” They both hug me tightly. I chuckle. “Nice to see you too. Can you help me up now?” They get up, both blushing hotly. They pull me to my feet, and I dust myself off. “Oh, Princess Celestia wanted me to give you this when you came back.” She pulls a black blindfold out of her back pocket. “Is that the new blindfold?” “Fully enchanted and everything. Hang on.” She walks behind me and ties it around my eyes. My third vision shimmers for a moment before returning to normal. “Thanks...Twilight, I’m going to go visit someone….I don’t want you two following me, okay? This is….” I sigh. “This is gonna be tough for me…” They both nod. I turn around, and head to the cemetery. I look to the back left of the lot and make my way through the headstones until I find the one I’m looking for: Rose… I kneel down in front of it and rest my forehead against it, tears streaming down my face already. “Hey, sis….” I feel a warm hand on my shoulder, and I look up. Rose smiles down at me, standing to my right. She was a soft pink with green hair and deep green eyes. She was still wearing the little dress she wore when she…. I sob, and she chuckles. “You got big, baby brother. No crying, okay?” “I’m….I’m so sorry….It’s my fault that you died….” “Sixie, don’t say that. I’m glad it wasn’t you. You have something great now. I’ve been watching you, Sixie. You’ve made so many friends. I’m proud of you.” I cry openly, and she pats my back. “You’re an adult now, Sixie. No crying.” I sniffle and wipe my eyes. “I miss you….so much….I’ve needed you here so badly….But I was so afraid that you’d hate me that I…..I never talked to you….” “Why would I hate you, Sixie? You’re my baby brother! It’s my job to watch over you! And I’ll keep doing it. Nothing will stop me!” “Heh….Just as stubborn as always….” I chuckle softly. “You know it! So, does this mean you’ll come to see me now?” “Yeah...I’ll come to see you...And can you tell Maple that I’ll visit her when I can, too.” Rose chuckles, tearing up herself. “Of course. You know, all the people you saved are up here. You’ve done so much good, Six. Keep it up. The Big Guy’s proud of ya.” “I could care less what he thinks...I care about what you think.” “I think you should keep saving people. You’ve done so much good. And don’t ever hurt yourself again! Promise me, Sixth Sense!” She grabs my ear. “Owowowow! Okay, I won’t!” “Good!” She lets go. “I’ve gotta go...Come see me anytime, okay?” “I will…” Her warmth disappears, and I sob softly, hugging her gravestone. “I will…….” I stand and wipe the tears from my eyes again. Six, we have a problem. What is it now? Hello, Lover! WHAT THE HELL!? CINDER?! Not quite….Uh….I think we took her burden before she...died….and we’ve somehow adapted her personality into ourself. What?! You mean to tell me I have a third personality...and it’s a psychotic killer woman?! Sounds right to me…. No one asked you! Master, he’s mean! Make him stop! Oh, God…would you please stop calling me that? And for Heaven’s sake, what do we call this one!? This is too weird….it sounds like me….but it has Cinder’s tone…. We can call him Pyre? Ooh, I like it! Can I kill someone now? No! Awe...You’re no fun…. I need to talk to Twilight….This is really bad… I rush out of the cemetery, back towards the castle. I burst through the double doors and head straight to the library. “Twilight!!” Twilight appears in the room, looking frantic. “Six, what’s going on?!” “We have a problem! A huge problem!”
Six: Ch.15“SHE WHAT?!” Twilight yells, making the crystal walls shake. “I already told you eight times!” “Tell me again, but slower.” “Oh, for fuck’s sake! Cinder’s burden was imprinted into his soul!” I yell, my black eyes flashing at her. “Shade, did you do this?!” She asks angrily. “Why the Hell would I have done this!? I’m a neutral party!” She groans and frizzles her hair with her hands. “I don’t know enough about this stuff to fix this! We need to ask Princess Celestia.” “Not a good idea. She doesn’t understand souls well. We need Luna.” “What?! Are you crazy!? If she touches you, you could erupt again!” “Then we simply keep her from touching me.” Twilight groans. “Fine! I’ll send her a letter. But bring Six back. And what did you name this….Cinder personality?” “Pyre.” “Clever…” She huffs and grabs a scroll, jotting down a letter. Are you sure this is a good idea? Yes. Just keep the blindfold on and stay ten feet away at all times. Who knows how Pyre would react with Nightmare Moon’s power… What’re you talking about? Don’t worry about it! “Alright, I sent the letter. We should expect her-” “TWILIGHT SPARKLE, I HAVE ARRIVED!” “-right now…” She shuffles out to her front door. Pyre really wants out… Can you keep him back? For now, yes. But he’s very strong. Great… Luna walks into the room, with Twilight in tow. Luna takes one look at me before gasping. “Six! Your soul! It’s sectioned!” “It’s what?” “Your soul is split into three distinct souls merged into one body. Fascinating…..” Luna leans close. “Princess, we don’t have time to be studied. We need a solution to this Pyre problem!” “Right. Of course. Well, I….I don’t know how to separate a soul…” “What!?” Twilight and I both yell. “It’s a very delicate task! It could kill the host easily! So, for now, try to keep him confined in your subconscious mind until we find a way to get him out.” Maybe we can reason with him? We can try, I guess. “I’m going to talk to him. You two stay here in case something happens. Uh, p-please...Princess?” She nods. “Very well.” I sit on the couch and close my eyes. When I open them again, I’m sitting under a spotlight on a metal chair. I looked perfectly normal, but I had a small halo above my head and white wings on my back. To my left was also me, but that me was wearing a black suit with a red tie, his eyes pure black. And to my right was another me, but this one was completely made of fire and wore only black pants. “Shade.” I nod slightly to my left. He bows back. “Six. Nice to see you face to face again.” “Likewise, though I wish it were better circumstances.” I turn to my right. “And you must be Pyre.” “Yup! That’s me. Can I kill now?” “No. Look, we want you to reason with us here. So, let us cut a deal with you, so we can settle this reasonably.” “Fine. But I’m not happy about it.” “Look, if you want to stay, you need to understand that you can’t just kill everyone and everything whenever you want.” “Exactly. So, if you can follow my ground rules, you can stay. Firstly: Don’t hurt, torture, threaten, or kill anyone nice to me. ME. Not you. Secondly: Don’t force yourself into control. If you ask nicely, we’ll let you. You may even be trusted enough to change whenever you want. And Third: No Cannibalism. Ever. Can you do that?” “Uuugh, fine. But I wanna kill something once in a while. Anything!” “We could go to the Everfree And let him at some of the monsters. Better them than the people in town.” “Agreed. Do we have a deal?” “Yup! I won’t break the rules! I’ll be a good pyro!” “Good...Would you like to introduce yourself?” “Uh huh!” My body heats up all over and I open my eyes, looking down at myself. My whole body was made of fire. “Oooh, it feels so nice to exist!” I hug myself, smiling. I look over at Twilight, who was staring at my burning body in shock. “Y-you’re on fire!?” “Mhm! Why? Does it bother you, Twix?” “Why do both of you have a hard time with my name…” I giggle, putting my body out enough to sit back down. I hadn’t even realized I stood up. Now only my hair and eyes were on fire. When I looked at Luna, she seemed nervous. “Do I frighten you, Moony?” I giggle. She huffs, turning red. “M-moony?!” “Do you prefer Moonbutt? Or maybe Full Moon?” “I dislike this personality…” Luna huffs, steaming. “Calm down, Princess. Pyre, do you remember Cinder at all?” “Well, duh! She was just like me! But she chopped her own head off, and now I’m with Master!” “Six….is your master?” “Uh huh! And I’m very happy I get to be him!” “Oh...kay, then…..I’m getting oddly Pinkie Pie vibes from her...but less party and more...stabby….” “I’m gunna go away now. I don’t like either of you. Never make me angry…” I growl. I feel myself go out as my eyes return to normal. “Uuuh...well, then…..That was….terrifying….” Luna says bluntly. Twilight shudders. “I hope he doesn’t want to kill me….or AJ….” “I doubt it. Besides, he wants to be away for a while. He’ll be a rarity for sure.” I chuckle, getting up. The library door opens, and I feel Shade take over as Discord himself struts in with a three piece suit on. “Hello, all! Your God of Chaos has arrived! I felt drawn here by a rather fiery chaos here.” “Leave, Discord.” He looks at me and smiles. “Aah, so this is who’s been wreaking havoc on the town? Lovely work.” “Thank you!” “Stay out of this.” He raises an eyebrow. “What was that?” He asks, sounding intrigued. “Discord, now isn’t a good time to be here.” Twilight says plainly. He clutched his chest. “E tu, Twilight? I just wanted to meet the little ghost whisperer in person. Is that so much to-” He couldn’t even finish as I grab his throat, my hand shrouded in a thick, black smoke. My eyes burrow into his head from how hard I glare at him, and he gulps softly. “I could care less of your pathetic introductions. You’ve done nothing but insult me since the moment you walked in! Your very existence is an insult to evil, and you disgrace the title of God of Chaos with your childish ways. So hear me well, whelp.” I squeeze, making him gag, his body starting to turn grey. “I expect you to treat me with respect or so help me I will tear your beating heart out and make you eat it while your daughter watches. Do I make myself perfectly clear, you pathetic excuse of a god?” His body completely greys, and he nods, tears in his eyes. I drop him to the floor. “Get out of my sight.” He scrambles to his feet and runs out. “What in Tartarus was that?!” Twilight yells, chasing after him. Fuck, Shade….Wasn’t that a bit much? Was it? Hmm...I didn’t notice. Ooh, I really hate him. His presence is an insult to chaos. Shade, dude...You need to calm the Hell down. I think you actually pumped depression into him… Oh, boy….Woops….Well, maybe he’ll drop the “God of Chaos” bullshit and actually learn from this. He’s never known chaos. He’s a fraud and a child. Even I thought that was a bit much… Even y- Uuugh! Fine. If I see him again, I’ll apologize. But he insults me just by existing… Why do you hate him so much? Chaos means to wreak havoc everywhere you go. I am the embodiment of your inner chaos. He says he rules over me, yet flaunts around parlor tricks and childs play. I see what you mean… You’re like a knight with a cowardly king… Exactly. Now, if he learns, he’ll either become a real God of Chaos, or he’ll drop the title completely. “Six…. Are...you still mad at me?” Luna asks, snapping me out of my thoughts. “What? Of course not. I wasn’t mad at you before...Why would I be?” “I...I almost killed you!” Luna cries. “I thought I could save you, but I nearly destroyed your mortal soul with my immortal burden.” “Princess, if I could take your burden, I would. And it’s not your fault. You need to forgive yourself…” Six, I may have an idea… What were you thinking? May I talk to her? Sure… “Princess, do you have a mirror in the castle that you could have hidden away?” She sniffles. “Y-yes….Why?” “I may be able to help after all. Can you take me there?” She nods, confused. Her hand glows, and we reappear in her bedchambers. “Six is a smart man, but I know a few things he doesn’t.” Six, keep Pyre under control while I do this. What’re you planning? I’m going to trap Nightmare Moon in The Reverse. That’s risky….can you do it? I can. And I will. Trust me. Alright. Do it. I look around, seeing a mirror with a black, wooden frame. “Where will you put this when I’m done. It must not break.” “Um...th-the Royal Sister’s vault! It’ll be lost there forever!” “Good.” I take a deep breath and grab Luna’s arm. My whole body screams in pain as I take the burden from her. I open my mouth as wide as I can and expel the negativity straight into the mirror, the black ooze flowing into the reflective surface as if it wasn’t there at all. Luna herself tenses up, absolutely terrified as the room fills with the screams of the damned. “WHAT’S HAPPENING?!” She yells. I tighten my grip, my gaze never breaking from the mirror. I feel my body start to shrivel bit by bit as the burden weighs on me. She tries to pull her arm out of my grip, but I don’t let her go. I finally stop and drop to the ground, the blackness vanishing into the mirror’s surface. The reflection darkens to black, no longer reflecting light. Luna gasps and grabs me as I cough. “S-Shade?! Shade, are you okay!? Six?!” “I….I’m fine….He’s resting….Is...is it all gone?” I ask weakly. She tears up, nodding with a smile. “Y-yes….She’s gone!” “Good….Could you heal me, please….” I black out.
Six: Ch.16I’m not sure how long I was out, but it was dark out when I came to. I groan and sit up, stretching and cracking my back as I get out of bed….Wait, bed? I look, and notice I’m still in Princess Luna’s room, and I was sleeping in her bed… I’ll be hung for sure…. “Six? Are you awake?” I hear Luna call through the closed door. “U-uh, yeah!” I call out. The doors slowly open, and Luna steps inside, shutting the door behind her. She seemed different. Like her body had grown a little bit. She matched Princess Celestia in stature now. “Luna? What...happened to you?” “When you purged the Nightmare from me, I was able to retain my full form again. Six, why….why did you do that for me?!” She squeaks. I can hear her crying softly in the pitch black room. “Princess…?” “You...you could’ve died….The Nightmare could’ve killed you! Why did you risk your life to save mine?!” “Your life is more precious than mine. If I had died, I would’ve been forgotten eventually. But you, you and your sister are eternal. And if I hadn’t purged her from you, you may have died, or worse.” She sniffles, and suddenly wraps me in a tight hug. “Thank you….I owe you my gratitude!” “You don’t need to...Anyone would’ve if they could. I just happened to have the ability to.” Six, I have news. Right now? I’m talking to the Princess! No, you need to listen. Pyre’s escaped. When I purged Nightmare Moon, he hitched a ride and flew out of the room. I watched him do it! This is bad….At least he won’t last long...and he isn’t able to possess anyone...right? Let’s hope for everyone’s sake that he can’t. “Six, what’s wrong?” Luna asks. “O-Oh, uh..nothing. Just thinking.” Let me talk to her. Shade, you’re still weak from the purge. You should rest. Let. Me. Talk. To. Her. Fine. “Hello, Princess.” I say casually. She lets go of me and looks up into my eyes. “Shade….You….you should be resting….” “I can’t rest...I’ve come to tell you that Pyre has escaped our body.” “He what? When? How?” “The purge must have torn him out of our body, but we think he won’t last long without our body to host him.” “Thank you….” “I felt you needed to know.” “Not that, Shade….Thank you for saving me.” She kisses my cheek softly, and I blush slightly. “It was nothing. Your life is precious, and I would gladly have been erased to save you.” “Aren’t you...Six’s demon?” “Truthfully, n-Ggrn, not now, Six! Let m-me...Aah, jeez...Sorry, Princess. He, uh...passed out. Heh….” Why did you do that?! We should tell her! Did you forget what happened last time you told someone!? The hospital? The shock therapy? Huh?! I….haven’t forgotten…. Then do you see why we can’t say? ….yes…. “Six? Is everything okay?” “Huh? Oh, yeah. Just a little, uh...meeting of sorts. All done, though. So, um….I-I should probably get back to my room...Actually….Wait, am I gonna be killed for sleeping in your bed?” “Of course not! It was I that put you there!” I sigh with relief. “Thank you….” “Shall I….take you back home?” “Actually, Princess….I’d like to ask you a favor….If that’s alright.” “Of course! Anything!” “I would, uh….like to purchase some land in Ponyville to build a house….” “I could arrange it at once! There’s a large patch of land to the north of Ponyville just inside the town limits. Would that be acceptable?” “That would be great! But, just give me time to get the bits together…” “No need. You’ve saved us, and this is the least we can do. I’ll also personally take care of the building materials.” “You don’t have to do that, Princess….” “I must insist. I just ask one thing of you, Six. And this is personal to me.” “Anything.” “Keep the citizens of Ponyville happy. Practice your purging methods, and you could start a business. But you must learn to expel your own negativity in a healthy way.” “Okay….I will.” “Good. For now, I’ll send you back to your room at Princess Twilight’s castle. I’m sure she’ll have missed you. And young Applejack as well.” I blush hotly, making her giggle. With a flash of blue, I was back in the tower bedroom. It was dark, and I couldn't see a thing. “Damn it….I need to learn light magic….” I shuffle my feet slowly across the floor towards the bed. You know they’re afraid of you. I stop dead in my tracks, hearing a familiar, yet new voice. It was mine, but more….calm and sad. What are you talki- You’re just a burden to them. All of them. They only use you for your powers. You’re… USELESS I feel a twinge of pain in my chest as he says that. I-It’s not true….they all like me….they’re my friends...my family…. How can they be your friends if you’re a freak? They just pity you. It would be better if you’d just DISAPPEAR I feel another pain in my heart. I-It’s not true….Applejack, she- Only showed interest in you after you let her talk to her grandmother. And Twilight sees you as another lab rat to study. And even the Princesses….they just want your powers. If they found out how to replicate them, you’d be cast aside like garbage. That’s….that’s not true! I am useful! Name one thing useful that you did. Not your powers, you. I….. I couldn’t think of a single thing…. Exactly. You’re just a pathetic, cowardly wimp that can’t stand up for himself and is nothing but a burden to everyone. Th-that’s n- You bottom feed off of Twilight, you haven’t found a job, and your own parents loathe you. You were useless back then, and you’re useless now. What kind of man are you that your own sister had to stand up for you? I clench my fists tightly, tears streaming down my cheeks. It’s not true….they love me… You deserve to die. They want me around! You deserve to die. They’re my f-family…… You deserve to die. I….I…..I deserve to die…. They obviously hate you. I bet they only keep you because the Princesses ordered them to keep you around. If not for that, you’d be back in Canterlot, moping around. You couldn’t even get a job if you tried. You had to mooch off of the Princess for a place to stay. Pathetic. I-I deserve to die…. Besides, who would love a one-armed blindfolded freak like you? I bet your sister died just so she could get away from you! I……. Hmmmm? I want to die…. You what? I want….to die…. Then, let me take over. You won’t need to do anything. What the Hell?! Six, snap out if it! This...thing isn’t in control, you are!!! I deserve to die…. I feel my body walk on its own, towards the balcony of the tower. YOU DON’T DESERVE TO DIE, YOU IDIOT! Everyone needs you to live! I want...to die….. No, you don’t!! Why….why won’t everyone just LET ME DIE?! I suddenly feel weightless, my feet no longer on the floor as cool air rushes through my hair as I plummet to the floor. F-Finally…. But….release never comes…. When I open my eyes, I see Applejack holding me in her arms. She looked both furious and relieved. She sets me down, her fists clenched tightly. I can see tears streaming down her cheeks, and it makes my chest tighten. “WHAT THE HELL WERE YA THINKIN?!” She slaps me hard across the face, knocking me to the ground. “YER LUCKY AH SAW YA JUMP ER YOU’D BE….” She grits her teeth and kicks me square in the chest, knocking the wind out of me. She stays standing over me, breathing heavily and shaking. I cough and start to cry. “Why…..won’t you all just let me die…..” “Wh-whut…?” “WHY WON’T YOU ALL JUST LET ME DIE!?!?!?” I jump up, screaming at the top of my lungs. “Everything bad that’s happened since I’ve gotten here was my fault! MINE! And no matter what stupid or selfish thing I try, you all just won’t let me DIE! WHAT THE HELL DID I DO TO DESERVE SUCH KINDNESS?! I’VE DONE NOTHING BUT BE SELFISH THIS WHOLE TIME! I’VE USED ALL OF YOU TO GET A HOUSE, AND CLOTHES AND YOU ALL JUST KEEP….You keep saving me….” I drop to my knees, punching the ground the best I can. “Stupid! Stupid! Stupid people!!! I DON’T DESERVE YOUR KINDNESS! OR YOUR LOVE! OR YOUR FRIENDSHIP!! I JUST-” I knock myself off balance and fall to my left, landing with a heavy thud. I curl up and cry openly, not caring anymore about hiding it… “I’m just useless…..” I grip a handful of dirt tightly, my tears turning it to mud. There was a long moment of silence. When I eventually look back up at Applejack, her expression went from anger before to….sadness. “Y-ya really think….ya don’t….deserve ta live…?” “No….I don’t…..There’s nothing to live for…..I’m….alone….” She kneels down at my side and grabs my arm, yanking me up onto my knees. He has tears in her eyes, but a smile on her face. “Y-yer just n-not lookin in the right places. Six, ah…..” She tenses up briefly. She suddenly hugs me tightly, crying silently into my shoulder. “Y-y-yer not alone….ah-ah’m yer friend….Ah...ah need ya….” “You just want me so you can talk to your grandma…” She tenses up and backs up, looking me square in the eyes. “Y-yer not Six….He...he don’t think that….” “I’m his depression incarnate. And yes, he does. I can only relay what he already feels deep down.” “Y-yer lyin….A-ah know a liar when ah see one!” She shouts. “I’m not a liar. I tell the hard truth, and the truth is that he doesn’t want to live anymore.” “You….Ya bastard! Give him back!” “It’s a pity….He once thought you were pretty, but then he realized you used him for his power. You only took interest after he sent your Grandmother to Heaven.” “H-he thought a-ah was….That ain’t true! He’s mah friend!” “If that’s true, then why did you only start to show interest once he was useful to you? The orchard, then the grave? Face it. You and all the others have used him all this time. Everyone has.” “That ain’t true! Six, don’t listen ta this...liar! We do love ya! Yer one of our friends! We need ya! And ah ain’t gunna let ya do nothin dumb to yerself again!” She grabs her lasso from her hip, and before I can move, she ties me up tightly, binding me so fiercely that I can’t move a centimeter. “Do whatever you please, but he has decided that he no longer wants to suffer.” “Ah don’t care. Ah’m gunna make both of ya understand that yer loved!” “How pitiful. You still say you love him?” “Wh-ah-ah didn’t say ah loved him...h-he’s mah friend! But...ah-n-not love like that….” Now. I use my magic to teleport out of the restraints, appearing behind the castle. “It’ll be over soon. They’ll forget you in an instant…” I deserve to die…..I want to die….. I make my way towards the Everfree Forest, and I snag a piece of rope from Fluttershy’s cottage as I pass. Soon, Six. You’ll be free. You’ll be with her again. I deserve to die…...I want to die…..I w- I go into the trees, and go back through a clearing towards a path. It won’t be far now. I hear a flutter of wings above me, and I narrowly dodge Dash as she tries to grab me from behind me. “Waagh!” She slams into a tree as she zips past. “Too slow…” “Six! Snap out of it! Come on, this isn’t you!” “You don’t know anything about him, Dash. Don’t pretend to care…” I take the moment of hesitation she has as I say that to go further into the trees. I manage to find a tall tree and nod, throwing the rope up into a branch. I start tying a knot when I feel something around my wrists. When I look down, a set of handcuffs were attached to my wrists. “Gotcha, Sixie! No friend of mine is gonna be sad!” Pinkie chirps. “Your parties don’t make him happy….They make him more sad… You’re no friend of his.” I use magic to release the cuffs as her hair deflates like a balloon. “H-he...doesn’t think of me as a friend?” “No.” I say flatly. I deserve to die…...I want to die…...I won- Pinkie curls up under the tree, crying. Before I can get the noose around my neck, a purple aura yanks it all out of the tree and makes the rope disappear. Twilight, and the rest of her friends have found me. Pinkie joins them, still a bit defeated. “Six, I know you’re in there! You need to fight this guy! He’s lying to you!” Twilight yells. “Honestly, for the Princess of Friendship, you really don’t see that you...ALL OF YOU have been horrible “friends”? You’ve cared little about how he’s doing and what he’s feeling and more about what he can do and how he can benefit you. You all should be ashamed to even call yourselves his friends. He has no friends. He just has meddlesome people that pity him because he’s some new toy with a broken piece.” They all look stunned, especially Applejack and Pinkie Pie. “I’ve decided that you all are unable to speak the truth freely to him because you all know I’m right. So…” I snap, and I bind all of them to a tree with my magic, and I use dissipation magic on Twilight and Rarity to keep them. “I’ll be forcing each of you to tell him their honest opinions about him.” “That’s simple…” Twilight interrupts confidently. “Using a Truth Spell.” They all look shocked. I grin, tapping my chin. “What’s the matter? Afraid to confirm my truths? Hmm...I could just kill him while you all watch, but that would be too fast. So, I’ll do it at the same time.” I cast the spell on Rainbow first, while I get another rope woven from vines. “Go on, Dash. What do you think of Six, hmm?” She winces, biting her tongue. “I-I….I think his powers are scary….” “As I th-” “But he’s a really nice guy, and he’s kinda hot…” I nearly drop the rope. “Wh-wha….Did I cast this spell wrong?” They care…. No! I cast it on Fluttershy next. “You! Spill it!” “I..I...m-meep….” She blushes hotly. “Hmm...Resilient. What do you think of Six?” “H-He’s gentle and kind, and….I’m not scared of you or his powers! They help so many people!” I clench my teeth tightly. They want me…. “You! Rarity! What do you think of him!” I cast it on her. “W-well, I suppose that he is rather intimidating...but, I think he’s much too bashful to do anything to any of us! I….I even think his scars are sexy….” I look at her, extremely confused, then turn to Twilight, who was grinning. “You! You’re stopping the truth spell! How!?” I yell, pointing at her accusingly. She scoffs. “It’s obvious that you were wrong. Give up.” I cast the spell on her. “What do you think of Six? Be honest.” She bites her lip, her gaze not meeting mine. “Well, um….Okay, it’s true! In the beginning, he was mostly just someone for me to study from! But, as I got to know him better, I realized that I…..I…..I like him!” I think my heart stopped…. She...likes me? Shut up, you! “One of you has to hate him!” I cast the spell on Pinkie next. “You! What-” “I think he’d be great in bed! He’s just so big, and- Oopsie, did I say that out loud?” My nose is bleeding…. I look to Applejack last. She looks nervous. “Of course. After all the things I said to you earlier, you’ve grown to hate him.” I cast it on her. “What do you think of him?” She gulps, her eyes darting around. The others look at her nervously. “Ah...ah….ah…..” I raise a brow. She winces. “AH LIKE HIM A LOT, CONSARN IT! And it ain’t because he talked ta Granny! He talked ta me like ah was just a regular girl, not some slab of meat fer a griffon ta oggle. He made me feel like ah wasn’t just some dumb country bumpkin!” Not one….. You were wrong….They want me here…. “N-no! Nngh...N-no, yo-you’ll regret this! I will not let you torment my friends anymore!” I finally break free and gasp, finally able to breathe again. Being in my head’s a bit stuffy. They all collapse to the floor as his magic fails. I drop to my knees, tears in my eyes. They...they all really want me here….I actually have friends…. I won’t deny that you have friends now, Six. But I refuse to believe that this world is better for you than Heaven. Believe what you want. But, as far as I’m concerned…. I look around at the girls, who were helping each other up, smiling nervously. This is Heaven...
Six: Ch.17After the whole fiasco had calmed down, and I had apologised profusely for my actions, they all finally leave. All except Applejack, who refused to leave my side as I walked back towards the castle. “Uuuh...AJ. I’m okay, now….You don’t have to follow me around.” “Nnope. Ah’m stickin to ya like a stain on white clothes.” “Weird analogy, but okay….. Hey, uh….since you’re around, would you like to, uh...hang out tomorrow?” She goes completely pale. “U-uuuh, ah can’t. Ah’ve, uuuh...got some stuff ta do! Yeah...See ya later!” She zips off towards her farm. Weird reaction…. A simple no would’ve been fine… She’s hiding something. I say we follow her. What?! Why!? Aren’t you curious? No!........a little……. Okay, so tomorrow, we’ll follow her. She won’t even notice we’re there. It is rather strange…..she did say she was going to stay with me….But she ran off….She has to be hiding something….Maybe I shouldn’t… You should. If you are her friend, maybe this will bring you closer. Yeah…..You’re right. If something is bothering her, maybe I can help. I did promise Luna… I nod and head back to the castle. By the next morning, I woke up giddy, feeling excited to finally be doing something productive. As I head downstairs, fully clothed again with blindfold and all, Twilight stops me at the doorway. “Six, there you are! I’ve been looking everywhere for you! I’ve made a breakthrough on how I can regrow your arm and-” “Sorry, Twilight. But I gotta go. Can this wait?” “I-uh...I-I guess so….” She sounds a little hurt. I bite my lip. “Alright, fine. But quick, though. I have some errands to run today.” She beams and pulls me along into the library. There were papers strewn all over the floor. Countless books were scattered and thrown all around, and Twilight looked rather frazzled. “Are you alright? Were you...up all night?” “Yes! Well, um….It...it was my fault that you lost your arm….and it’s only fitting that I try to make you a new one…” “Make? I thought you were going to try and regrow it?” “Well, it’s a bit of both! But it’s still in its trial stage right now. Basically, I did a thorough study on regeneration magic for plants and objects, and I found there was a case back around Ponyville’s founding where Princess Celestia used the Elements of Harmony to cure an old man of blindness! I think that they may have some sort of regenerative properties, as well as their purifying properties. That would explain why the girls and I weren’t scraped or bruised after we used the Elements during a fight. They must’ve healed us! So, I think that if I can use their energy properly, I could regrow your arm.” I shake my head, blinking a few times. “Was that english?” She groans and facepalms. “I’m going to regrow your arm with the Elements of Harmony.” “What!? Wouldn’t there be some kind of repercussion for using that?” “That’s why it’s a trial. But, I needed to get a mold of your other arm for dimensions so the new one won’t be lopsided.” I sigh. “Alright. Go ahead, Twilight.” I sit on the couch as she gathers plaster and newspaper with her magic, quickly wrapping my fully extended arm in the cold, wet gunk. “How long will this take?” Her hand glows softly, and she waves it over the plaster cast. It instantly hardens. “That long. Now, slowly pull your arm out.” I nod and very carefully remove my arm from the mold. “Perfect! I’ll get to work straight away!” “Uuh...okay…” She was already rummaging through papers. I shrug and leave, heading out towards the farm. The sun just begins to rise as I get to the farm. I hide behind a nearby tree and wait, seeing Applejack’s bedroom light was still on. Good, I haven’t missed her yet. It takes almost another hour until her light turns off and she comes out the front door. She waves back at someone, probably Big mac or Applebloom, and heads not towards town, but towards Fluttershy’s cottage. “Huh?” I carefully follow her, being sure I can barely see her. I had made sure to wear more Ponyville-esque colors so I would fit in rather than my normal black. I had to borrow one of Spike’s t-shirts, which was a bright green. It fit rather snugly. As she approaches the cottage, she looks around. I quickly dive into a bush, hoping she hadn’t seen me. When i can see the coast is clear, I peer out. She was standing outside of Fluttershy’s cottage, talking to the shy mare very sternly. Something must be serious. Fluttershy nods and slips AJ a little bag, then hugs her as AJ leaves, going into the Everfree treeline. “Just where the Hell are you going?” I sneak along behind her, matching my footsteps to hers at a 50 yard distance to avoid detection. She walks quite a ways in, but eventually reaches what looks like an old, beat up hut of some kind that had masks and cauldrons everywhere. She knocks on the door, and I watch silently from a nearby tree. The door opens to a dark-skinned woman with a black and white mohawk. She had a figure very similar to AJ’s bottom heavy one, but this woman was just slightly smaller in both height and width. Pervert. Eat my entire ass. The mare smiled and gestured AJ into the hut. She steps in, and the door closes. I carefully approach the hut and peer in the window. AJ was sitting on a wicker chair, fidgeting nervously, while the mystery woman grabbed various bottles and relics from her littered walls. I manage to catch the dark mare’s name is “Zecora”, but not much else. As Zecora throws various things into a cauldron, it starts to bubble and glow. I look around briefly, noticing that it was already sundown. The day had passed so quickly… When I look back at the two, Zecora had thrown what I could assume was the last piece of the potion she must’ve been brewing. It glows brightly before firing a beam of light into the sky. As it reaches the treetops, a magic dome slowly spreads across the sky above me. “Crap!” I make a run for the edge of the dome, but it hits the ground before I get close. I slam into it hard, being knocked back into a tree. “Gaah, damn it! Trapped….Did AJ notice I followed her, so she trapped me here to punish me? No...She said we’re friends….Maybe it’s something else…” I start to head back towards the hut just as sunset approaches, and the moon slowly rises. It was a full one tonight. Wow, one of seven this week...Luna, great job ag- My thoughts are interrupted by a loud howl in the distance. It sounded like a timber wolf, but...not wood-like enough. It sounded too natural. “Oh, crap….Applejack!” I sprint full speed towards the hut, but I only get about three feet from the door before I slam into another barrier, falling over. “I need to invent a new swear word….So, this is a doughnut shaped barrier?” I feel around the inside barrier, and sure enough, it was a doughnut shape. A big dome outside with a small dome around the hut. “What the Hell is this for?” I hear the loud howl again, this time a bit closer. “Let’s see, um….This looks like ten square miles….And there’s either something outside this dome….or something inside…” I quickly try to teleport, but my magic fizzles out. “Gngh...heh….fizzled under confounded karma. Heh. This is what I get for being nosy….Hey, that could be a new curse word….F.U.C.K.” I tense up hard as I hear breathing nearby me. I look around, and I see a set of glowing, green eyes staring at me from the treeline. “Applejack? Hey, look. I’m sorry for following you. I just...I was worried about you. You’re my friend, and I was worried that something was bothering...you….” I back up slowly as I see not Applejack, but a towering, bipedal wolf step into the moonlight. Its fur was a burnt orange color, and it had a mouth full of sharp teeth. And it was glaring at me, growling. My heart sinks. “U-u-uuh...I-I, uh...I’ll just…….go!” I make a mad sprint away from the beast, my heart racing as I make a mad rush towards the hut. “HELP! SOMEONE HELP!!” I holler out, but to no avail. It seems the Zecora woman sound-proofed her hut. I leap up into a tree, clinging to the trunk as I climb as high as I can, really wishing I had my other arm. The beast sniffs around the trees beneath me. Now that I can get a good look at it, it looks rather well build. And it’s oddly human….And, judging by the, uh...bits and bobs visible, it was clearly a “she”. And she had very wide hips….familiarly wide hips. No….fuck…..way…...No, that won’t work….Would fucking work? Yeah. Lemme try that again. No….fucking…..way…… Yeah that works. “A-Applejack?” The beast’s tail flicks around and its-her ears twitch as her head turns up to look at me. It only takes a moment of direct eye contact to finally tell. “Oh, Celestia...It is you….Y-you’re a…...a werewolf?! H-how is this possible?! They don’t exist!!” Well, objectively speaking, neither should demons or ghosts… SHUT UP YOU FUCKING ASS! God, I’m glad I made that word. Maybe it’ll catch on. Applejack, or Applewolf, growls and digs her claws into the tree trunk, her long, dog-like legs pushing her to full height. She had to be nearly Luna’s height like this...I wish i had my notebook of the paranormal… “This may not be the best time, but could I study you if I survive this?” I call down. She roars and slashes at me, slashing a fairly deep gash in my thigh. “Gaaah! Fuck! Ngh...Guess not….Wow, that word caught on fast….” I try to pull myself up the tree a bit further, but I can't hold onto the trunk as well with my leg damaged. I slip off the trunk and lad with a heavy crunch on the hard forest floor. I scream in agony as my thigh bone snaps, stabbing through the gash in my leg. “FUUUUUUCK!!!! AAAAAAH!” I scream in pain, clutching my leg. I look up, my heart plummeting as Applewolf snarls down at me, sniffing at my wounded leg. “Y-you wouldn’t…..” She gets close to my face, sniffing me closely. Then, out of nowhere, she leaves. “Wh-what the...aagh...fucking leg….” I take my shirt off and bite into it. This is really gonna hurt….. Shall I take over and fix it for you? You don’t need to do that… I insist. I won’t kill you. Fine. I grab the stuck-out bone and shove it hard back into place. I scream in agony before blacking out. When I eventually come to, it’s still very dark out. I couldn’t see much of anything. I shakily sit up, feeling a bit light-headed. I take the shirt out of my mouth and make a makeshift bandage out of it [sorry, Spike], and I tie it around my leg. “Ngh...A-at least Applej-wolf left me alone...She has so much explaining to do if I don't bleed out…” I take off my blindfold, tying it around my upper thigh to stop the bleeding. When I look around, I can see small gold figures scurrying around the thick brush. “Mm...must be animals….” I look around closely, before I see a much larger golden glow approaching me from behind. It was Applewolf. I wince as I try to back away from her. But she gets right in front of me and stops, dropping something onto the ground. I groan. Still don’t have night vision, but I’m guessing by the sound the drop made, it’s probably a dead animal of some kind. It must’ve gotten stuck with the others...but why was she giving this to me…. AW, as I’ll call her when she’s like this, scoots the carcass over to me with her snout. “H-heh….th-thanks….” I carefully pick it up. Oh, God….It was a little raccoon. She walks around between me and the tree behind me and she lays down, huffing. “Wait...is...is this an apology?” I look back. She just grunts. “Guess so….” I stay completely still, just focusing on my thoughts. But, I start to feel dizzy again. Oh...I’m gonna faint from blood loss… When I come to again, I’m blinded by a bright, white room. I was in the hospital again. I look around groggily, my stomach groaning at me angrily. Applejack was back to normal and clothed, laying on the couch in the room. I look at my leg, and it was wrapped in a cast and thick bandages. “Gaah...damn it…..that was all real….” I sit up a little and wince, my head throbbing. I notice an I.V. bag in my arm, and a blood bag. I must’ve bled out a bit… I look outside. It must be about midday. “Hey...Applejack. Wake up.” I poke her nose. “Gaaah….Maac….five more minutes….” “It’s not Mac, AJ.” She jolts awake, nearly head-butting me in the face. “Six! Yer awake! Oh, Celestia, ah’m so sorry!” “For what? AJ, it wasn’t your fault…” She starts to cry, squeezing the blankets at my feet hard. “Ah...ah just can’t control it….” “When….does iit happen? Just the full moon?” “Not just that….it also happens when ah’m real mad….but ah only change at night.” I nod understandingly. “Ya probably hate me….” “What? Why would I hate you?” “AH GORED YER LEG!” “.......and?” “Ya don’t care?!” “Why would I? It was an accident. You had no control of yourself. And besides, now I get to study you!” She laughs. “Not a chance.” “But...Applewolf promised…” “Who Now?” “Applewolf! That’s what I’m calling her!” She facepalms and sighs. “Alright, alright...Well, guess ah can’t be breakin promises.” I smile and lay back down. “You know...once you get passed the “maul you apart with your teeth” thing, your wolf form’s kinda h-huuuah….” I slur hard, stopping myself. “It’s kinda whut?” “Huuueh...h-hoooooouuagh…..For fuck’s sake, he thinks it’s hot!” Thanks…. Jackass. Up yours. AJ chuckles. “Ya really think that? Hehe. Don’t go takin it the wrong way er nothin, but yer a little off yer rocker.” “What gave you that idea, Applejack?” I say, Shade and...Sombre. Good name. Shade and Sombre adding. She laughs. “That’s a new one. Ya sound like one of them voice boxes ya see in theatre that plays sounds when ya push a button, but ya can’t made up yer mind.” “I aim to entertain.” Suck up. Kiss ass. You both suck. I groan and smack myself upside the head. They can’t feel it, but it makes me feel better. Fuckers. Hey, a new use! And Shade had one too! AJ laughs. “Well, guess the secret’s out now. But ya can’t go followin me around like that no more. Ah could’ve killed ya!” “I know...I was just….I was worried about you...You’re my friend, and I thought you were upset or something…” She swats my good leg with her hat. “Ah guess that’s fair. But yer gonna be bedridden fer a while now. And no gettin up.” “Wait, can’t the doctors just fix it with magic?” “Well, no. See, ah found out that werewolf attacks are magic, like a spell. So it takes time ta heal.” Damn it…. “Well, shit… How long am I jammed in this bed? Oh, and thanks for putting my old blindfold back on.” “Eeyup. Yer stuck here ‘bout two weeks.” I huff. “Gonna be sooo bored….” “Hey, ah’ll come visit ya! Oh, and don’t go tellin this ta nobody. Only you, Shy, and Zecora knows. Got it?” “Awe...I thought Pinkie could throw an “AJ’s a puppy now!” party!” I tease. AJ growls, her eyes briefly glowing green. “N-nevermind...j-just teasing….” I gulp softly. She laughs, making my heart skip a few thousand beats. “Ah’m just yankin yer chain. See ya tomorrow!” She leaves. As soon as she shuts the door, I let out a heavy sigh. “That girl is scary…..it’s kind-of attractive….” “You just want a piece of that ass.” “And you don’t?” “I have more, eh….refined tastes…” “I ought to slap you for even saying that girl isn’t refined Did you even see dat ass!?” “I have. And it’s not my style.” “He has the hots for Luna.” “Shade, you sly dog!” “Damn you, Sombre! Stop reading my thoughts!” “I have no way to stop that function.” “Damn it!” “It’s like a soap opera in here….” I close my eyes, going into my mind. All was dark briefly before the bedroom of the tower appears around me. To my left was who I assumed was Sombre. He wore all black clothes and a blank expression. He even looked black and white. Shade was to my right, suit, tie, and fedora as usual. “Shade….Sombre.” I say plainly. “Why are we here this time?” “You have nothing better to do but sleep and complain.” “Do we have to keep him around?” “Unless you can find a way to kick him out, then no. Now, about this Pyre business….” “His essense most likely bonded to one of the guards, but there’s a chance it bonded to one of the Princesses.” “That would be very bad….” “You’re telling me.” I sigh and rub my temples, turning to Sombre. “You need to learn not to force me to kill myself. Ever. If I die, you die.” “I make no promises, but I will attempt.” “Great...I go from the ‘I wanna kill everyone’ to ‘Kill yourself’ in one fell swoop. Damn it….” “At least you have me?” “You….yeah, at least I have you. You’ve always been that guardian Devil.” “Rude. I only keep my eye on you because you and I made a deal. You reap demons for me, and you go to Heaven when you eventually die.” “I remember. Sorry about the crude nickname, but it was the best I could do on short notice.” “It’s fine for now, but I got a bit cocky back there the other day. They already fear me as it is. They would all have a fit if they found out I was Satan.” That’s right. Shade was indeed the Lord of Darkness himself. When I had died the first time, my soul went to hell for all the burdens I carried. When I got there, he made a deal with me: Gather demons and send them to Hell through him, and I get to go to heaven when I eventually die. I agreed, and was brought back. Now, I have a little devil on my shoulder. As I refocus my mind, I look around the hospital room. It was nighttime now, and I swear I could hear a soft howl in the distance. Why does she have to be so painfully THICC…..
Six: Ch.18I don’t know why, but I couldn’t sleep that night. I felt absolutely restless laying in that bed. And I had a month of this?! “I need to get out of here….” That may be a bad idea. You can’t walk. Shut up, I can get a wheelchair. Hell, there’s one in the corner right there! Hm….That may work. You really do fascinate me, Six. Yeah, yeah. Shut up… I carefully take the tubes and wires out and off my body before carefully standing up, being sure to keep no weight on it at all. I hold onto the side of the bed and hobble my way over to the wheelchair, sitting down. It’s only 8pm. There may be guards waiting outside. In a hospital? Since when? You’re a high-priority target now, since you’ve become the Purge of Darkness. The what of whonow? Do you not read? There was a newspaper on the nightstand with your picture and a headline “Local Citizen Sixth Sense knighted by Princess Luna for the banishment of Nightmare Moon” It said that?! I-I wasn’t knighted! Apparently you don’t need to be present for that. I groan and carefully peek out the door. There was a Lunar guard standing at the end of the hallway. My only escape. “Son of a bitch….” Where did that come from? I dunno. It just felt right. Gotta use that one…. I look around the small room for any means of escape, and I see a window. “Hmm….Do you think that I could fit through that?” Unlikely with the wheelchair. Six, do you still remember your hypnosis class from magic school? “Of course I do. I carry the pocket watch on me all the time.” Let me take over for a minute. I can get you outside. Alright. I crack my neck and back before grabbing whatever clothes I could gather of mine and try to put them on. I manage to get fully dressed, since my pant leg was shredded from the attack the night before. “Feels good to be dressed again. Those rags you call a gown are too thin and disgusting for my tastes.” I wheel him out the door and I pull the watch from the inside pocket of his jacket. I am very glad that you took this class. How many people took this outside of you? It was me and Twilight. No one else wanted to take it. But I doubt Twilight even remembers me in her class. As I approach the guard, he turns to face me and steps in my path. “Sir, you musn’t be out of bed yet. Princess Luna’s orders.” She won’t mind a little outing… I pull out the watch and smile. “Would you like to see my watch? Look closely at it.” The guard, rather dumbly, leans down and stares at it while I start to gently swing it. “It would be easier if...you didn’t….swing….it…..” His eyes swirl over and he stands motionless. “Good. Now, hear me. You will believe that S-that I am in bed, sleeping. No matter who or what says otherwise, I am sleeping in that bed. When I snap my fingers, you will fall asleep for exactly thirty seconds, then you will resume your post.” He nods slowly. I put the watch away and snap my fingers. He instantly clatters to the floor, asleep. “Sleep well, imbecile…” I wheel myself down the hall and out the door, glad it was nighttime. As I finally get back into the street, I give Six control back. I smile and stretch, loving the night air. “Alright. To the Everfree.” What?! Why? To see Applewolf again. Are you trying to kill yourself?! No, he isn’t. He’s going to study her. ALL of her. Stop insinuating things! I’m just...curious… Pervert. I am not! Fucking dick… I wheel myself through the empty streets and right into the forest. Surprised there aren’t more people out… People are afraid of the beast of Everfree during the full moon week. Is that what they call her….? Indeed. And you called her a beast, too. I DIDN’T KNOW IT WAS APPLEJACK! I sigh and make my way through the trees, really hating this wheelchair more and more as it sticks to branches and twigs every six millimeters. But, I do eventually reach the barrier. But, oddly enough, I couldn’t touch it. When I reached my hand through, it passed straight through it. “What the Hell….?” It may be a one-way barrier to keep things inside, but also let things freely move inside. Perhaps for hunting purposes… I’m just glad that no one’s brave enough to try and hunt her, not that they could do much to her like this. Why not? I read that werewolves are virtually unkillable in their beast-state, but are vulnerable to silver. But you can’t truely kil lthem unless they’re out of beast form. And you’d have to behead them. Way to lighten the mood, asshat. I am not wearing a donkey on my head… NOT WHAT I MEANT! We all fall silent as a soft growl approaches the barrier. I push myself back with my good leg. Out of a thicket peered out those glowing eyes again. And she was looking right at me. “Hey, AW. I came to see you. Did you miss me? You did quite a number on me last night.” I chuckle. And now you’re talking to her…. Oh, eat shit and die! …..Dick. I smile at her warmly, hoping she doesn’t find me threatening. And it seems to be working. She sits just inside the barrier and looks right at me, as if she was studying me like I was studying her. “Incredible….She acts so...wolf-like in this state, but has some higher form of consciousness compared to them. This is incredible.” I grab my notebook from my jacket pocket as well as a pen, and I start to sketch her as she is. Bet you’re glad I can draw. Yeah, I am…. I sketch a full-body image of her, standing in a hunting pose, slightly crouched over with her claws out to her sides. It was thrilling. When I look back up at her, she was leaned as close as she could get to the barrier. She didn’t look at all threatening like this. She almost looked...upset. I notice that her eyes’ glow was illuminating my leg. Oh, now I understand. “I’m not upset with you about that, AW. Neither of you. You didn’t know better.” She whines and pushes her forehead against the barrier. Oh, my God...that is so fucking cute. New use of the word! Yes! “I’m gonna trust you here, AW. Just...relax, okay?” I very slowly wheel myself through the barrier, and I face her. She quietly approaches me and sits at my feet, looking me square in the eye. Well, what would be my eyes if mine weren’t covered. “See? I’m a friend.” I raise my hand in a show of passiveness. That seems to work. She rests her large head on my lap and huffs. She’s just like a dog. A huge, seven foot dog… I carefully lower my hand down and feel her fur. It was very thick, and it felt similar to felt or wool. It was very pleasant to the touch. I slowly pet her head and neck, being extra careful not to make any rapid or sudden movements. “Not gonna hurt you...You’re okay here.” She suddenly sits up and leans extremely close to my face. I gulp and chuckle nervously. “H-hey.” She licks my face, making me shudder. Her tongue felt like rough sandpaper. “Does that mean you like me now? Heh…” She howls loudly, making my ears ring, before she dashes back into the trees. As soon as she’s out of sight, I grip my chest to stop my heart from bursting out in fear. That was possibly the dumbest thing you’ve ever done! I figured she would recognise me and let me go. I didn’t expect her to actually know who I was… How could you possibly tell she knew who you were? Didn’t you see? She was looking at my leg. She remembered that she hurt me. She knew who I was, which meant that AJ is still in some semblance of control in there. So I trusted her. And it payed off. Well, now you’re stuck in here with her until morning. I don’t mind. It’s nice in here. Very peaceful… PEACEFUL?! You have a seven foot monster in here with you! SHE’S NOT A MONSTER! SHE’S JUST MISUNDERSTOOD! SHE DIDN’T ASK FOR THIS! He falls silent. She’s not a monster…. I’m sorry, alright? I...overstepped a line there. It’s fine. Just...just take it easy tonight. I’ll keep an eye on her. I’m not sure when I dozed off, but I wake up to the sound of a pained whimper. I snap awake and wheel myself as fast as I can in the direction. Applejack’s hurt! But, when I get to the scene, AW was there, looking up at the rising sun. She howls and whines as her back and legs snap sickeningly, reforming into a smaller shape. She writhes on the ground as her spine condenses and straightens, and her muzzle shatters and reforms a flat face. All of her hair falls off, and her claws retract into her fingers, leaving a completely naked Applejack lying on the forest floor, panting heavily. It took only a minute, and my stomach is doing flips from the sickening sounds her breaking bones made. I take my jacket off and toss it over her, my cheeks bright red from embarrassment. She jumps a little as it covers her, and she looks back at me, just as her glowing eyes return to normal. “S-six? Aah….What’re ya doin here? Ya ought...ta be in the hospital.” “I came to see you. Well, both of you. And I’m glad I did. She trusts me.” Her eyes widen. “That thing actually trusts ya?” “Rude. It’s a she, not an it. And she trusts me as much as you do. She even let me pet her.” Her cheeks turn beet red. “Ya ought ta be restin...How’d ya git passed the guard?” “Magic. But the point here is that she trusts me enough for me to be in her hunting space. And she actually felt guilt and remorse! This was an amazing discovery!” “Six...Ya can’t be doin this again. You could git hurt...er worse!” She.covers herself with my jacket and goes towards Zecora’s hut, just as the barrier disappears. I turn away, hearing her change back into her clothes. Before I can turn back, I feel her grab the handlebars on my wheelchair as she pushes me back towards town. “Ya should’ve stayed in the hospital, Six. Yer not well enough ta be out and about yet.” “I can handle myself…” “With whut? Ya don’t know much magic, and ah doubt ya’ll could spook off a hydra er a chimera if they decided to attack ya! Didja forget yer in the Everfree?” “....kinda…..” “Ah’m takin ya to Twilight and havin ya put under house arrest till yer better.” “....you wouldn’t….” “Ah would...and ah am.” I bring the back of my hand to my forehead dramatically. “E tu, Applejack?” She laughs. “Yer not changin mah mind.” I huff and pout. “That usually works….” “Not on me it ain’t….” “Damn it….Why can’t I study her? I even sketched her last night.” “Ya draw?” “Well….Shade can. I can’t…” “....ah gotta talk to ya about all that one of these days….But, uh...can ah see? Whut she looks like?” “You...don’t know?” “Nope. Ah don’t remember nothin when ah’m like that.” “Oh...well, uh...sure. My sketchbook is in my jacket pocket.” I hear her reach in and pull it out. I wheel myself along so she has both hands. “Oh, mah God….Ah’m….ah’m that big?” “Yeah...It’s really fascinating…” “......ah ought ta wear slimmin jeans, then….” Wait, what? OH FUCK! I snag the book out of her hand and turn to the Applewolf page. She laughs. “Ya could’ve asked if ya wanted ta draw me, Six.” “I-I was doing it for studying!” “Uh huh…” I hand her the book, open to the right page this time. “Sweet Celestia….Ah’m ferocious lookin….And ah didn’t lose much size wise when ah change, ah guess. And ya just walked right up ta her? Ya got some pair on ya ah guess.” I chuckle and take the book back, hiding it out of sight. We get back to the edge of the forest, and she leans close to my ear. “Ya know, yer drawin of me ain’t bad. Why don’tcha come by the farm after yer better and ah’ll let ya draw me again.” A heavy blush covers my face and my heart flutters. “O-o-okay…” “But if ah find out ya went runnin off after me again, ah’m not gunna talk to ya ever.” “But...but…..but….” “Butts are fer ash trays. Now, git goin. Ah need ta git home and sleep. Ah’m tuckered out. Ah’ll visit ya in the mornin!” I wave to her as she runs off. With my jacket….Aaah, she can keep it. Suits her better anyway… You really want her, don’t you? You have no idea. And it was even before she told me how she felt back….Ooh, I’m a hopeless romantic. You’re just hopeless. Fuck off!
Six: Ch.19This week was probably the longest and most boring weeks in my life. Of course, AJ told Twilight that I was in the forest, looking for the Everfree Beast, which made her flip her shit. She locked me in the library for the rest of that week, and only let me out to use the bathroom or eat. But, on the plus side, I’ve been learning new spells with my pass time. “Come on….” I focus my magic on a potted plant. My hand glows a soft grey and the plant starts to grow out of its pot, spreading over the table. “Yes! I did it! Fucking finally! That took soooo looong!” I groan, burying my head in my hands. The door to the library opens and Twilight walks in with a tray of food, and AJ behind her. “What does that mean, anyway? Fuck?” Twilight asks. “Ooh, I made it when i was, uuh...trying to catch the beast. It stands for: fizzled under confounded karma. The spell failed, and I shouted Fuck! It made me feel better.” Twilight chuckles and sets my tray on my lap. “I see you got the overgrowth spell to work.” “Yeah, finally! It took so long! And I killed so many plants….” Twilight chuckles. “But, hey. You got a visitor.” AJ hugs me tightly, and I hug her back. “It’s been a while, AJ. No visitors at all.” “Sorry bout that. Been apple buckin real hard fer the new season.” I nod and smile. I knew she had been sleeping in. That wolf form must take a lot out of her. At least she looks healthy. “Well, the Doctor says you should be able to walk soon. And I can take off your cast. But you still have to be kept under watch for another three weeks. So, I’ve asked the girls to rotate nursing shifts here with you.” “Uuuuh….Why?” “I have to go up to Canterlot to teach a seminar about transformative magic. It’s in two weeks.” “Then….why aren’t you staying here until then?” “I have to study! And practice!” “Cuz yer a distraction, Six.” Twilight blushes deeply, making me blush. “He is not….” She pouts, making AJ laugh. “Well, let’s get this cast off, then I’ll go pack.” Twilight’s hand glows softly and the cast splits open. She carefully takes it off. My leg looks fairly normal, save for four long, deep scars across my thigh and a long stitch scar from my knee to my hip. It looks worse than it feels. AJ winces a little as she sees it. “I have no idea what that beast is, but I’m glad it stays out there. If it can do damage like this that even I can’t heal, it must be really dangerous. Fluttershy says it’s friendly, though...Why did it attack you?” “I think I invaded its hunting grounds without realizing, and it felt threatened. So it was my fault, not its.” Twilight shrugs. “It’d be interesting to get a look at it, but so far, I’d rather keep my distance.” I look to AJ for approval, pulling out my sketchbook. She shrugs. “Well, uh...I was able to draw it….” “You did!? Let me see!” I hand her the book. And I made sure to keep only monster sketches in there. The personal ones I hid somewhere where no one would find them… Let me guess….It’s in your room, under your mattress. DAMN YOU, SHADE! Twilight flips the book open, and her eyes go wide. “Are….you sure this was it?” “Uuh, yeah. I sat there and drew it before AJ found me and wheeled me over here.” She examines the image closely. “It’s obviously a she….it looks like a wolf, but it’s bipedal….Hmm….It looks very well toned, so it must be a lone hunter. There most likely aren’t more of them. Mind if I borrow this?” I shrug. “Go ahead. I’d like it back, though. I’m writing a book on supernatural creatures and monsters.” She nods and heads upstairs, leaving me with AJ. “Yer a pretty good liar, Six. Ya almost had me convinced.” “Lots of practice.” I smile and eat my sandwich. PB and J. Blegh….5 times in a row…. AJ sits on the arm of my wheelchair, her hip pressed against my upper arm. S-soft! Pervert. Let me have this one, asshole! “Have ya been keepin yer promise and stayin here?” “I-I told you I would…” I say softly. Ooh, a piece of candy! “Well, ah did promise ta let ya draw me again. So ah asked Twilight fer the first week. And since Spike’s goin with her, it’ll just be you and me.” She leans against me a little harder. Sweet Celestia’s nipple she’s soft! I blush deeply, sipping my water. “Didja name yer depressin side yet?” She asks. “U-uh, yeah….Sombre.” “Hmm...And ah’m guessin Sombre told ya how we all feel?” I choke on my water, coughing and sputtering. “N-no! Of course not! Hahahahahahaaaa! Not at all! Ooh, a piece of candy!” I scream, panicked. AJ laughs. “So, he did?” “..........yes………” She grins. “Ya know, we all told ya how we felt. But ya never told us. How do ya feel about us? Ah know how ya feel about me~” She rests her arms on my shoulder, her breasts pressed against my ear. My nose starts bleeding. The door to the library suddenly bursts open, and Twilight marches in. She looked furious. I’m saved! I thought you liked Applejack. I do! Just….I-I dunno if I feel like that about her...you know….love? …..you’re serious? They all like me! I can’t break any of their hearts! It would kill me! Or they would kill me! Especially Applejack! ….good point. “Applejaaack….” Twilight says angrily. AJ chuckles and quickly gets up. “A-ah...Twi, it ain’t what ya think...agh!” Twilight grabs her ear and drags her out of the room, literally kicking and screaming. As the doors shut after them, I sigh softly, looking down at my leg. I won’t be a hindrance anymore… I grab the sides of the wheelchair and push myself up. I put a little weight onto it. It hurts a little, but it’s manageable. “Good start...I just need a cane or something….” I look around for a moment before seeing a long, wooden pole in the corner of the room. It seemed rather out of place, but at least it would do. I levitate it over and hold it, putting my weight into it. This thing has to be six or seven feet tall….What’s it for? I shrug and use the stick as a makeshift crutch, limping lamely around the room until i finally get the hang of it. I lean against the staff and look around the books. They looked like every single one had been moved. “Guess she alphabetized them again…” As I scan through the various books, I see one I wasn’t expecting to see. I grab it and pull it down. “Guide to Supernatural Myths and Monsters, a Theory. Weird title.” I hobble over to the couch and lean against it as I open it, skimming through the various pages. There were all sorts of creatures from mythology from all around the world and all throughout time! It was fantastically well-written. “But mine’ll be better….” I flip through the letters until i find the one I wanted: Werewolves. “Mm...Let’s see….Large, hunt in packs….carnivores when in beast form….That explains the raccoon.” I skim through the book, finding quite a lot of things accurate, save for one section… “Werewolves are notorious killers and won’t hesitate to take down prey, whether or not the host knows the hunted person. Now, that’s inaccurate….” I put the book in my pocket just before Twilight comes back in, beaming proudly. AJ was behind her, looking glum. “Well, I’m all packed up an-” She freezes, seeing me leaned against the couch. “S-Six….” Her hair starts floating on its own as I feel her rage fill the room. “I-I was just, uh...T-take it easy!” “You’re supposed to be resting!” She grabs a book from her coffee table and lobs it at my head. It hits me square on the forehead and I fall over. “Gaah! What was that for?!” I shout, rubbing my head. “Why are you out of your chair! Your leg could’ve been too weak to hold you up!” “I had this pole…” I hold it out. She snags it and puts it back in the corner before aggressively throwing me back in the wheelchair. “Do I have to tie you up or something?!” I blush deeply. “Wh-what kind of weird stuff are you into?!” She blushes back hard, crossing her arm across her chest. “Not like that, you pervert!” I told you. Fuck off! I look to AJ for help, but she was grinning at me, a lasso in her hands. “Tied up, ya say?” “WHYYYY?!” “Hey, he’s not your toy to play around with, Applejack!” “He ain’t yers neither!” “He’s living under my roof, so i make the rules!” “Well, he likes me!” “No, he likes me!” “C-can’t I have a say in this…?” “STAY OUT OF IT!” They both shout. I back up a bit. As I back up, I feel something soft press against my head. When I look up, all I can see is light green. “Eh?” “O-oh...H-hello, Six….Glad you’re feeling better…” My whole body runs cold as I realize where my head is… “Waaagh!” I leap out of the chair, stumbling into a grand piano. When I look back at her, she was smiling softly, a light blush on her face. She was wearing a green sweater and a short, pink skirt. “I-I didn’t mean to scare you...Are you okay?” She asks, helping me up. “Y-yeah...When did you…,” “Six...C-could we….have lunch together today? I-in the park, I mean…” “W-well, uh...I-I don’t see why not…” She smiles happily and hugs me from behind, her large breasts squishing against my lower back. My whole head turns beet red. “This’ll be so much fun! C-can you walk? Or...should I carry you?” What? “What?” “U-um, I mean wheel you! Should I wheel you out in the chair?” She chuckles nervously. I just shrug it off. “I’d probably be better in the chair…” She smiles warmly and helps me back into it before pushing me out of the library, leaving Twilight and Applejack to argue. Once we get out of the castle, she leads me through the streets of Ponyville, and her overly big breasts were squished against my shoulders. “S-so, uh….Fluttershy….Wh-what, uh...do you do for a living?” I ask nervously, ignoring the fact that she was clearly not wearing a bra. Couldn’t fit into one anyway… Something feels off about her….Her energy is all odd. It’s probably because she’s an Element of Harmony. Relax… Yeah...you’re probably right. “Well, I’m the town’s veterinarian….I take care of all the animals and pets in town, as well as any critters from the forest.” “You must have an affinity with animals. How do you get them to come out of the forest?” “That’s simple.” She giggles. “I ask them nicely.” How does that work…? No idea…. “Oh, we’re here!” She chirrups, parking my chair next to a park bench facing a bench. “Oooh! It’s beautiful, Fluttershy!” I exclaim, taking in the beauty of the fall trees over the mirror-like lake. “U-um…S-Six? C-could you call me...S-Shy from now on?” She asks, looking at the floor nervously. What was she nervous about? Wait, does she think this is a date?! Just shut up and do it. Do what?! Finish the date. Coward. I am not! “U-Um...s-sure. If you’d like that, Shy…” She gasps very softly, almost too quiet to hear. “So, um...Didn’t you mention lunch?” She suddenly sits bolt upright. “R-right!” She digs into her bag, one I didn’t see her with earlier. Weird… She pulls out a little box and opens it. Inside was a row of perfectly symmetrical half-sandwiches, crustless, lined up in a row. “Oh, wow….This must’ve taken you a while…” She blushes deeply, hiding half her face behind her hair. “I-it didn’t take that long…” I carefully take one and take a bite. “It’s great!” It was peanut butter and jelly, but it was way better than the ones Twilight had made. It tasted so...fresh! “Th-thank you...I-I made everything myself…” “That’s incredible! You gotta show me how to cook!” She blushes hotly, nodding. “O-okay!” We sit quietly, eating the sandwiches in peace for a while. After what felt like hours, I noticed that she had scooted closer to me, practically pressed against the chair’s armrest. “S-Shy?” I ask, looking at her. “You...you know, right….?” She asks. “Eh? About what?” “A-About Applejack….” “Oh….uh, yeah. I do.” “And...y-you’re not afraid?” “No. Why would I be? She’s my friend! And so are you.” She squeezes the edge of her sweater. “S-Six, I-” “There you are! We’ve been looking everywhere for you!” Twilight exclaims, approaching from the trees nearby. “O-oh, hey Twilight! I, uh...I’m just having lunch with Shy…” She grabs my shoulder, leaning close to my face. “Shy?” She asks, sounding annoyed. I gulp and chuckle. “T-Twilight? Why...why are you mad?” She huffs and whines. “I want a nickname, too! No fair, Fluttershy! I’ve known him longer! And he’s my friendship student!” I actually forgot about that…. So did I… “J-Just calm down, Twilight….C-Can’t I just call you Twi?” She beams and hugs me tight, my face buried in her cleavage. “Yay! I got a nickname!” “Mmmpnnf….” I blush deeply, pushing against her. “O-Oh, heh….Sorry…” She lets go and chuckles nervously. I cross my arm across my chest and huff. “I need to send a letter to Luna about my place….You’re all too much….” I say quietly. Luckily, none of them seems to have heard me. They were all talking. I sigh and look up at the darkening sky, seeing a single cloud with Rainbow Dash on it. She had her eyes closed, and….is she licking a carrot? “Six, we have a question!” Twilight blurts out. I look at her, and she and Shy were looking at me expectedly. “Uuuh….Go ahead, Twi…” “Who do you think is cuter of the two of us?” “Now, Twi. You know that’s a loaded question…” “Come on, Six! Just answer the question!” Is that a seashell I see? “Hey, guys!” I hear Dash exclaim, landing next to me. I’m saved! “Hey, Dash! Glad you’re here!” I smile, thankful she’ll help me out of this. “Hey, what’re you two arguing about?” “Dash, we’re trying to get Six to tell us which of us is prettier, but he won’t say!” “Now, Twi. You know that’s a loaded question…” “Stop saying that and just answer the question!” “Actually, yeah...I wanna know that too! Which of us is prettier?” Would you mind if I talk them down? Good luck, bucko…. “You three are being very inconsiderate.” “Yes! Shade, thank goodness. Maybe you can- Wait, what?” “You three are being inconsiderate. Did you ever consider that you’re backing him into a corner? You should be ashamed of yourselves for even asking that. Besides, It’s like picking a goddess out of goddesses…..ooooh, fuck….” “Y-you think we’re that pretty?” Twi asks. “Dude, really?” “R-really?” “God damn it…” Whyyyy!? It just slipped out…. I thought you liked Luna! I do...But she’s equally as pretty as them. When I get back to Hell, I need to figure out why the Hell God made them all so gorgeous. I’m snapped out of my stupor by Twilight sitting on my lap, making my whole body blush and my stomach do backflips. Her skirt had ridden up a little, and her panty-clad butt was pressed right against my thigh. S-soft…. You’re royally fucked, Six. You think? I feel another hug around my neck. The heavy squish against my head tells me exactly who it was. “Y-you too, Shy?” I ask, my nose dripping blood. “M-mhm.” She hums. “Hey, lemme straddle him, too!” Dash shouts. Shade, get me out of here! Are you sure? This seems rather nice...Is that sloshing I hear? NOW! Fine… I teleport back to the castle bedroom, leaned against the wall. “What the Hell got into everyone?!” “I think their confessions the other day started a feud for your love.” “.....WHY MEEE!?” I groan and slump to the ground, burying my head in my hands. I’m stirred from my thoughts by tapping at the window. When i look up, it was Luna! “C-come in!” Uh huh...Look who’s nervous now. Fuck off. The window slides open with a blue light and Luna flies in, landing softly at my feet. “Glad to see you’re well. I heard about the accident.” “Tis but a scratch…” “A scratch? You nearly lost your leg!” “No I didn’t. Twas a flesh wound.” She sighs and sits beside me. I blush heavily. “I heard your calls for me earlier. About your home. The preparations have been made, but...Celestia has made a few….alterations to it. For the safety of everyone.” “It’s a prison cell, isn’t it?” “No no no! We’ve both decided to make it out of mood stones.” “What now?” “Mood stones. You can see people in town wearing rings made of them.” “Aren’t those for children?” “Not always. Your home will be built of the stone, and linked to your emotions so that any of the Elements, myself, or my sister can tell when you need to release your burdens. It would be quite bad to have a repeat of the Nightmare incident without anyone around.” “Hmm….I suppose that’s fair. Thank you, Luna.” “Now, what did you call me in your dreams the other day? ‘Moonbutt’ I think?” She giggles. My whole body turns red. “Y-you saw that? Oh, God….” “Don’t be upset. I’m actually flattered.” “By being called Moonbutt?” It's her turn to blush. “Not that. That you dreamt of us in such an intimate way.” “Well, it was me dreaming that. Not Six.” “Ah...I see. If you don’t mind me asking, how is it possible for you and Six to be completely separate entities in the same body? I noticed Sombre, as you call him, is linked to Six emotionally. But you...you’re nothing like Six.” If you think you can trust her to know, tell her. “I….Princess, what I’m about to tell you is very important. And please don’t have us killed for this. Okay?” She raises an eyebrow at me. I tell her everything. About Six’s deal, and who and what I actually was. When I finish my story, she looked slightly shocked, but that’s it. “If you want to banish me now, go ahead…” “I’m not going to do that. I’ve gotten to know the real you since we met, and I’m not afraid.” “No offence, but you were literally told that I’m the Devil.” “I believed him to be misunderstood by God, not evil.” F-finally…..someone who understands…. What about me!? You don’t count. Dick…. “You...really aren’t afraid of me?” “Of course not….But, what do I call you now?” “Same as always. Just Shade. It’s grown on me.” She smiles and rests her head on my shoulder. I tense up immensely. “You do know I can read your thoughts, right? Both of yours?” “Oh.” Crap… She could hear us this whole time!? And I can still hear you. Whaaagh! Luna giggles. “You are such an oddity, Shade.” I pout, huffing. “Why did you come down here, Luna? Just to tell me about the house? You could’ve sent a letter…” “W-Well, I...Um….” She likes you…. “I-I-I wha...Six!” She exclaims. “Y-yes, princess!?” She blushes hard and hides her face in her hair, vanishing with a pop. Nice going, asshole! Now she hates us! I think she was just embarrassed. I need to get my own body one of these days… Yeah...I do not want to get hung for bedding the princess…. I can still hear you! WAAAGH!
Six: Ch.20That night was full of restlessness. I couldn’t get my thoughts to calm down. I kept remembering their confessions, and I felt...ashamed. Like I didn’t think I was worth their love. And, before I knew it, it was morning. “Mmm...stupid brain…” I groan and sit up. I levitate the staff from yesterday and hobble out of bed towards the bathroom. I wash myself up and look in the mirror. I hadn’t slept with my blindfold on, but I noticed my eyes had a gold hoop around the grey part of my eyes. Like a halo. “Uuh...is this normal?” I ask no one in particular, opening my eyes as wide as I can to look closer at them. The halo was only a quarter inch wide, but it seemed to shimmer and move, like it was fluid. This is very bizarre. Wait, I have a theory. Would you mind if I took over for a moment? Sure, go ahead. As I took control, I saw the halo vanish. His iris turned a burnt amber color, and his pupils widened into a horizontal disc. “What the Hell?! These...are my eyes!” I examine them closely. They matched a goat’s perfectly! hmm….His body carries no burdens...Is this his purity? Why do I have your eyes?! Would you mind if I tried, too. I’d like to see my eyes, too. Uuh...Sure...Honestly forgot you were there… I took over now, and the goat’s eyes shifted to Six’s normal eyes before the pupil completely vanished, as well as the halo. My eye was only pure grey with a white eyeball. “This is disappointing…” Be glad you even have eyes! We should bring this up with Twilight. The longer I looked myself in the eyes, the more unsettled I felt by them. I think my eyes may cause discomfort to onlookers. I’m going to sleep now. Uh, okay? My eyes return to the gold-surrounded grey like normal as I take over again. “This is strange…” I put my blindfold back on and rush downstairs as fast as I can with a pole still in my hand. “Twilight?! Are you here?” I call out, looking through the kitchen and the dining room. “I’m in the library.” I hear her reply, barely loud enough to hear. I hobble over to the library door and throw it open. Twilight was on the couch, wearing only...Is that my night shirt? I look down and blush heavily. I was only wearing my pajama pants! “How did you get my shirt?!” I yell, still very red. “I got cold last night, so I borrowed it. Why are you walking around?” “I left the wheelchair in the park…” She giggles. “Oh yeah. I forgot. Would you like this back?” She starts to lift it up. I turn away, shaking my head aggressively. “J-just keep it! And leave it on!” I blush even harder. “Oooh, you’re no fun…” She huffs. I hear her walk up behind me. I face her again. “Twilight, I-” “Call me Twi…” She pouts. “Ugh, fine. Twi, I think something new happened.” “What do you mean?” She asks, leaning closer to me, her cleavage… Fucking brain!!! Not bad, though… Shut up! “I-I noticed my eyes look strange today…” I barely manage to whisper, my eyes glued to one of her hairs that were standing straight up on her head. “Really? Let me see.” She reaches up and takes off my blindfold. I open my eyes and look down at her. She gasps, nearly tripping on the floor-length shirt. “Y-your eyes…” “I know. They’ve got this weird halo around the grey parts…” “Wh-what grey parts?” “Huh?” I look at a nearby wall mirror. My iris and pupil were completely gold now. They were shimmering and moving like fluid, just like the ring. “They...they had mostly grey earlier…” I look back at Twilight, who was crying softly. “Twilight? What’s wrong?” She wipes her eyes, smiling. “I-I just feel so happy when I look at them...Like how I felt when I met all my friends…” So my eyes induce happiness? Why didn’t it work on me? Probably because you were looking through a filter. The mirror. Do you think...Maybe that mirror had an issue? I quickly teleport up to the bathroom and look at the mirror. For a split section, I see mostly grey in my eyes, then it turns back to gold. Something is wrong with this mirror...Can either of you see what spells may have been cast on it? No need for that. Look behind you. I look back, seeing Twilight standing there bashfully. “Twilight?” “I-I’m sorry! I-I just….wanted to see you how you really are…” “You...were spying on me?” “I-I just….I’m sorry….” I walk right up to her as she starts to cry. I flick her forehead, making her jump. “Wh-why did you do that?” She asks, rubbing her head. “For spying.” I smile softly. “You’re not mad?” “No. This isn’t something that would make me mad. It was a little rude, yes. But you were probably thinking of watching me to be sure I wasn’t going to hurt myself anymore.” “R-right...yeah. Hehehehe…” I chuckle. “Well, at least I can tell if I’m being watched. My eyes can see it, even if I don’t.” She chuckles and rubs the back of her neck. “Oh, yeah. This isn’t the only change either.” I let Shade take over, and she screeches in fear. “G-Goat eyes?!” Oh, shit. She doesn’t know about Shade. “Isn’t this cool? I have goat eyes!” I smirk, playing it off. She holds her chest, gasping softly. “Th-that scared me…” I let Sombre take over, and she just stares in awe. “It's like your most expressful part of your body is just...blank.” “Indeed. My emotions are very verbal. Can’t you tell how excited I am about having my own eyes?” I ask flatly. Twilight chuckles. “U-uh...not really, no…” I take over again and put the blindfold back on. “This is so odd. It’s been almost two weeks since I had a burden in me, so maybe this is what I’d normally look like?” “Possibly. I need to run more tests…” “Hey, how’s that magic arm working out?” “O-oh, I thought you forgot...It’s in its first trial stage, but…” “But?” “It would be very painful, since this would basically regrow your arm from scratch.” “Oh…” “You don’t have to if you don’t want to.” “No no, I do! Do you already have the spell?” “Y-yes…” “Then hit me with your best shot! It would be great to have it back!” She nods. “You may want to bite the staff….and sit down.” Oh, boy… I sit down and bite the bar. Her hand glows as she gently touches the spot where my arm once was. I suddenly scream out in pain, biting hard on the bar as I feel the flesh and bone rip and break. I look over, my vision blurred through tears, seeing the flesh and bone stretching and morphing, filling the space where my arm once was. But, something was off. Instead of the arm filling and growing normally, the bone was surrounded by a glowing gold aura, one I wasn’t expecting to see: That’s Heaven Magic. The muscle and tendons hide the gold-covered bone, then skin over that, until my arm is completely restored, but without scars. I drop the bar and collapse, sweating and breathing heavily. My jaw was sore, and my arm hurt like Hell….my arm… I lift up my new arm and flex it a few times. It felt almost foreign to me now. “Twilight...Where did you learn that spell?” “I-I don’t really know...I just stumbled across it the other day when I was working.” I stand up and look her dead in the eyes, ripping the blindfold from my face as I do. “Where. Did you learn. That spell?” Her whole face turns red and she squirms under my stare. “I-I-I...What is this gaze?!” “Tell me the truth, Twilight. I know Heaven Magic when I see it.” “H-Heaven Magic?” “Are you an angel? Did God send you!? Answer me!” “I-I….I can’t! You’ll hate me!” “DID GOD SEND YOU?!” “NO!” I tense up, glaring down at her harder. I don’t know why I think this’ll work, but it feels right. “Then what are you!?” She bites her lip. “I-I’m a….I’M A HAKUTAKU!” “A what?” I look at her, confused. “A-A hakutaku….I-It’s a species of Minotaur….that lives on gaining knowledge…” “Bullshit. You look normal to me.” “I-I use disguise magic…” I cross my arms, looking deeper into her eyes. I feel like she’s telling the truth, so I sigh. “Show me.” “Wh-what?” “I said...Show me.” She gulps softly and waves her hand over herself. Her normal figure starts to change. Her legs seem to curve back a little and shift, her feet turning to black hooves. Two thick, off-white horns grow from the sides of her head, and she grows a long, curly purple tail that looks like silky waves. She pulls a set of glasses from her pocket and puts them on, blushing madly. “Wh….How in the….How did I not notice sooner? It fits perfectly!” “Huh?” “The hunger for knowledge, your friendly demeanor! All of it makes sense!” She chuckles softly, hugging herself bashfully. “Y-you’re not scared?” “Why would I be scared? I’ve seen things 100 times scarier than you.” She gasps softly. I blush. “U-uh...I mean….n-nevermind. You don’t have to hide yourself around me, okay? I don’t mind.” She gasps softly before wrapping me in a lung-crushing hug, her breasts smothering me. “Thank you thank you thank you!” “C-can’p breave!” She yelps and drops me. “S-sorry...I forget my own strength sometimes….” “It’s fine…” I lay back on the couch, grabbing my sketchbook. “Do you mind if I draw you?” She blushes bright red. “Wh-whaaa?” “N-not like that! Just...as you are.” She looks down at her f-hooves for a moment before nodding. I watch as my hand moves on its own, quickly sketching out her basic form, then the smaller details. I feel her reach out to me, but I move away from her grasp. “I know what Hakutakus can do, Twilight. If you want to know more about me, ask. Don’t try to sap it from me.” “Wh-I-I wasn’t...Uuugh, but that’s so inefficient!” “I couldn’t care less! I do not want my memories probed through.” “M-maybe I wanted to share some of my knowledge…” “You and I both know that all you want to know is about the Afterlife. Heaven, Hell, God, Satan, excetera. And I cannot indulge you in that information for three major reasons. A: You would give it to Princess Celestia immediately. B: You would probably go insane from the knowledge of things you shouldn’t. And C: You are incapable of keeping secrets.” “I-I can too keep a secret!” “Uh huh….Twilight, you have to share your knowledge with those who seek it, because it’s your nature. I didn’t understand before, but now I do.” “B-but….Can I at least study you?” I groan softly. “I will let you, but I refuse to let you probe my mind. If you do, and I’ll know if you do, I will never speak to you again.” “N-never?” “Not for the rest of eternity.” She huffs and pouts. “F-fine…” “Good. Now, what do you want to know?” “Hmmm…” She sits next to me on the couch and taps her chin. “Where did that scar on your chest come from?” “I….I cut myself a lot on purpose….” “You said that before. But, it’s not true, Is it?” I sigh and curl up a little. “No...It’s not…” “Then, what is it?” “My…..” I tear up, hugging my knees to my chest. “My mother did it….”
Six: Ch.21[Flashback to 17 years prior] I skip happily down the halls, as a boy of five should be expected to. I was wearing a blue sun shirt and shorts. As I skip through the halls of the Family manor, I stop when I see a familiar, old face in the parlor door. “Grandpa!” I smile, waving at the old man. He smiles wearily back at me, his long beard covered in small patches of ash. “Hello, Six my boy! Glad to see you dressed so well today. What’s the occasion?” “Big sister is taking me on a picnic today!” I beam, holding up a wicker basket. “I even made cookies!” “Ah, wonderful! I wish I could have one. I loved your cookies.” He said sadly. “Don’t be sad, Grandpa...I’ll bring you some!” He chuckles and fixes his glasses. “Does your mother and father know you still talk to me? I do get quite lonely, but you know how they get. That daughter of mine particularly…” “Uh uh! Mommy and Daddy don’t know! Sister and I are good at playing ‘Secrets’ with each other!” He sighs and rubs his temples. “Grandpa, how come you’re always so dirty when I see you? And how come Mommy doesn’t say hi?” “Well….It’s hard to explain…” “Sixth Sense, what are you doing in there?!” I jump, hearing my mother yell. I look over to her. She had a stern scowl on her face; her leary green eyes burrowing into my soul. Her arms were crossed, ruffling her dark burgundy dress that rested elegantly on the floor at her toes. Her hair was a pale red, and went down to her shoulders. “N-nothing, Mommy! Just looking for my basket! I found it, see?” I hold it up. She walks up to me and snatches it from my grasp. “And why was it in the Parlor? You know you’re not allowed in this part of the house!” “I-I…” “Oh, leave the boy alone, Alice! He’s just a child! Let him be.” Grandpa yells. “I will not tolerate any of your confounded excuses to play your make believe!” “It’s not make believe….” “What did you just say to me?” She asks, stunned. “I-I said it’s not make believe...They’re real! They’re my friends! And Grandpa thinks you’re being mean!” She stands there, expressionless. “Grandpa….Six, it’s not fair to use Grandpa like that…” “He’s right here, Mommy! Why can’t you talk to him?!” I yell back, tears in my eyes. “HE’S DEAD, SIX!” She shrieks, knocking me over from the volume alone. “M-mommy?” “Your grandfather died two years ago in a fire, Six! He’s dead! And you should know better than to use him as an excuse to get away with your mischief!” “Alice, you watch your tongue! What would your mother think if she saw you treating him like this?! Or your sister!” “M-Mommy has a sister?” I ask grandpa, looking up at him. She stares down at me, tears streaming down her cheeks, but a crazed look in her eyes. “Six...How do you know about that…” She asks, shaking. “Grandpa just said to think about how your mommy and sister would think if they saw you treating me like this…” She grabs my arm and drags me down the hall. “If you refuse to believe he’s dead, then I’ll prove it!” “Ow, Mommy! You’re hurting me!” I shriek. “I don’t care! A little pain never hurt anyone!” “ROSIE!” I call out loudly. I’m answered with a slap to the face from my mommy. “Your sister is a good and pure girl! Don’t taint her with your devilish lies!” “I-I’m not lying!” She drags me out the backdoor towards a patch of land with several tall, rock-looking things...Headstones. “Mommy, stop it! You’re scaring me! ROSIE!!” *Slap* “Stop saying her name! She’s doing laundry and won’t be here!” She drags me over to one of the headstones and throws me in front of it. I shakily look up, my knees and palms scraped up from rocks. The headstone read: Here lies Crescent Star. Beloved Father, Husband, and Grandfather. June 14th, 1916 - May 3rd, 2016. “See?! He’s dead! He’s been buried here for two years! Right alongside my mother, and my sister.” She says, starting to cry. She stumbles a little and grabs a shovel, balancing against the handle. “N-no….But...he’s been talking to me every day since I can remember….He’s always in the parlor, all dusty! He has grey hair and a beard! He wears big glasses, and loves my cookies! He said that when he went away, he’d give me the house, an-” I’m cut short as she swings the shovel down at me. It slices through my shirt and chest from right shoulder to left hip. I screech in agony and collapse, crying loudly as I bled all over the floor. “You….you’re a demon….You were sent from Hell to torment me! I HATE YOU!” She smacks me upside the head hard, knocking me down into the dirt. I wail and scream, my head starting to bleed. I can’t even speak, my head screeching in so much pain that I can’t focus on anything else. “I SHOULDN’T HAVE GIVEN BIRTH TO YOU!” She screams. I brace for another hit, but none comes. When I look up, shaking and crying, Rose was there with her hand raised. She was holding the shovel, making Mommy shake. “R-Rose!? What are you doing?!” “LOOK WHAT YOU DID TO HIM!” Rose screams back. My consciousness starts to slip from blood loss, but I briefly think I see a gold flash before I pass out. The next time I open my eyes, I was in a hospital bed. Rose was sitting in a chair nearby, clutching a metal pipe in her hand tightly, her eyes glued to the room’s door. I sniffle a little as I try to sit up, my chest burning and my head pounding in pain. “Six, you should rest…” Rose says calmly. “R-R-Rosie….” I start to cry, shaking. She looks back at me, and I cry loudly. “Mommy hates me!!” I wail in despair., burying my head in my hands. I feel her warm embrace surround me as she hugs me carefully. “Sixie….You don’t have to worry about her anymore. That...woman isn’t gonna hurt you, or anyone, ever again.” I wipe my eyes and sniffle. “R-Really?” She smiles as she lets go. “That’s right. We’re gonna go to a new home soon! You and I are gonna have a new family that’ll love us more than she ever did.” “B-but...what about Daddy… Won’t he be home soon?” She bows her head slightly. “No, Six...Daddy’s not coming home. He’s with another woman…” “I-I don’t understand…” “It’s okay. You’ll get it when you’re older. But, right now, you need to relax, okay?” She smiles. I can see little tears in her eyes. “O-Okay…” I lay back down. “C-Can you sleep here with me? P-Please?” I ask pleadingly. “Of course…” She climbs onto the bed and lays down next to me, hugging me close to her. “Things’ll be better now. You’ll see.” [Present Day] Twilight rubs the tears from her eyes, and I sigh heavily. “That’s awful….To think your m-to think that woman could do that to you…” She says, practically spitting it out. “It’s fine. I found out a while later that she was in the Manehattan Mental Institution. She had become completely unresponsive. And my Dad, well….He’s here in Ponyville last I heard. Made a name for himself in business with his whore. I even hear they have a daughter together…” “Wait….Your father..? He’s here?!” “Why do you think I was so adamant on not being here? Because he’s the richest asshole in this town.” “No…..You’re telling me….that your Dad is Filthy Rich!?”
Six: Ch.22“Wait, wait, wait...You’re saying that your Dad is the richest man in Ponyville? And you DON’T want to see him?!” Twilight exclaims. “No, I don’t want to see that son of a bitch. As far as he knows, I don’t exist. He left when I was two years old, and he never came back. He probably doesn’t even remember my name.” “But, how would you know if you didn’t ask?” “I don’t care if he does or doesn’t. He left me and Rose with that psycho woman for three years, and we suffered for it. As far as I’m concerned, he’s dead to me. Now, since you have your information, I’m going to bed for a while.” I get up and march up to my room, slamming the door a little harder than I meant to. [Twilight’s P.O.V.] I disguise my true self again and get up, a determined look on my face. “I can’t let him keep suffering like this...He needs to find closure. And if he won’t talk to Filthy, then I will.” I teleport to the Elementary school, and I instantly get tackled by Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo. “Twilight! Yer here! Quick, hide us! Diamond and Silver are teasin us again!” Applebloom exclaims, hiding behind me with the other two. “Actually, I’m here to talk to Diamond. Could you three go inside please?” They look up at me, confused. But they nod and go inside. I head into the playground of the small school and approach Diamond and Silver, who were both giggling about something. “Diamond Tiara.” I say sternly. They both gasp and bow slightly. “P-Princess? Wh-what’re you doing here?” “Diamond, I’m here to talk to you. Silver...please?” Silver yelps and scurries off. Diamond had a pink dress on, a gold necklace, and her silver tiara embedded with diamonds. Her purple and white hair was swirled a little as it hung to her shoulder blades. “I-Is something wrong, Princess?” She asks. I know better than to trust that innocent facade. Diamond is a bully under it all. I’ve heard so from Spike and the girls. “I need to speak to your father. Is he picking you up today?” “Y-Yes, Princess….My mother’s busy at the Scholl Board meeting…” She almost slips into her condescending tone. “Good. I’ll wait with you until he comes, then.” I sit on a bench nearby. “Wh-Princess, couldn’t you just meet him at the house?” “I suppose I could, but I know how you are around the Crusaders, and I’m going to be sure that you don’t mistreat them. Two birds, one stone.” She huffs and scuttles over to the snack table with Silver and the other kids. The Crusaders run up to me and hug me. “You got her off our backs!?” Scoots asks excitedly. “For today, yes. But I doubt it would stick. She’s a little stubborn.” “And she’s mean.” Sweetie adds. I giggle. “That, too. But, I don’t think it’s her fault she’s like this. I think it was her upbringing.” “Her whut?” Bloom asks. “Applebloom, would you ever act like Diamond?” “Never ever!” She exclaims. “And would Applejack?” “Heck no!” “That’s what I mean. The way you act was influenced by who raised you.” “So...it ain’t Diamond’s fault she’s mean...it’s Filthy Rich’s fault?” “Well, not just him. But partially, yes.” They nod understandingly. “Well, why’d ya need ta talk to her?” Bloom asks. “Well, a friend of mine knows Filthy very closely, but hasn’t seen him in a long time. I’m going to try to reintroduce them.” “Ooooh, who is it?!” They ask collectively. “I’d rather not say, girls. Now, run along. You’re missing snack time.” They runs off to the table, talking amongst themselves. I smile and lean back, relaxing a bit. Poor Six….It’s not fair that he’s had to suffer all these years….Why couldn’t I have known him back then? I...I could’ve helped him...I would’ve been his friend…. The bell rings loudly, bringing me out of my thoughts. I stand up and go towards the front of the school, seeing the kids get picked up or they walk or fly home. I scan through the crowd until I see a tall, dark-eyed man with slicked back black and grey hair. He had on a full, three piece suit and a red tie with a gold bit symbol on it. I know that look anywhere. “Filthy Rich.” I announce, approaching him. He gasps and bows. I really wish the wouldn’t… “Princess Twilight! What, uh...brings you here?” He asks in his pleasant demeanor. He seemed like a good man, always has. He just seemed dedicated to his work. “I’ve come to talk to you. How’s Spoiled?” I ask. “M-My wife? She’s well...She’s being herself. But, I’m sure you didn't come all this way to talk about Spoiled…” “No. I came to talk about your other family, Filthy.” His face pales a bit. “I...I’m not sure I understand. I don’t have another family.” My blood is already starting to boil. “Filthy, we should speak more privately.” He nods and quickly takes Diamond back to their mansion with me in tow. When we get back to their mansion, Diamond runs upstairs, and Filthy clears his throat as he steps into the living room. “Would you, eh...like a drink?” “Filthy….” “Yes, okay! I...I had another wife before Spoiled….Her name is Alice White. And I have nothing to do with her anymore. She was a rotten woman, through and through. So I left.” “And you left your kids behind…” “Princess...How do you know about that?” He asks, sounding very distraught. “You left both of your kids, a daughter and a son, with that….that witch! Why?” I ask, getting angry at him. “I-I didn’t want to! When I met Spoiled, she said she wanted a daughter of her own and….I couldn’t tell her about Rosie and Sixth….She’d have never talked to me again.” “You were being selfish.” I say accusingly. “W-Well, I can’t do anything about that now….They’re gone….Alice is in Manehattan, and the kids are….” He starts to break down into tears. I look down at the sobbing man, surprised. “You...think they’re both dead?” He sniffles and nods. “I got a coroner’s report….Rosie was...r-ripped apart, and Sixth was gone….Presumed dead….” Oh, Sweet Celestia, won’t he be surprised. “Filthy, did you love those kids?” “More than anything! I loved those two like I love Diamond! And I’m so hard on Diamond because I don’t want her to end up like Rosie and Sixth….” “Filthy….Sixth Sense isn’t dead…” He drops his glass on the floor, shattering it. Water spills everywhere. “Wh...what did you say?” He asks, unbelieving. “Six is alive. He’s been in town for the last month or so...He was put through several orphanages, and he’s been through Tartarus….But he’s alive.” He clenches his fists tightly, starting to shake. “Th-that’s not true….It can’t be….M-My baby boy’s alive?” “Yes. But, he thinks you hate him, and you don’t want him…” “Oh, Celestia...what have I done….Where is he? I have to see him!” “Filthy, calm down. Breathe…” He takes a deep breath and calms down. “Filthy, I have to warn you that he’s not...in the best mental or physical health like he was when you last saw him…” “He’s still grey, right? And has my hair?” He asks, sounding like a proud father. “Yes...But, he’s also very scarred, both emotionally and physically.” He tenses up, his eyes widening. “Oh, God….What….what happened?” I tell Filthy everything that’s happened. From the scar on Six’s chest to the many cuts on his body and the characteristics of his eyes. When I finish, he has a confusing expression on his face. Like a mix of anger and pride. “That woman...hurt my boy like that…? And he….oh, God….But he still has his happy eyes, hm? I’m glad…” “His what?” I ask. “He was born with gold eyes that could make anyone he sees eye to eye with happy. All except Alice. Alice loathed having a son. She only wanted daughters, so she hated Sixth from the beginning...But, I had no idea that she would…” He starts to break down again. “It’s okay, Filthy...If you want, we can go see him. He’s at the Castle.” He looks up at me, and nods. “I have to keep my composure. For him. He needs me now more than ever.” “I agree. Until then, I’ll watch Diamond here.” He nods and leaves quickly. [Six. P.O.V.] I curl up in bed, hugging close a picture of my sister that I always kept with me, as well as her necklace. “I can’t keep doing this to myself….I have to just forget...I-” My thoughts are interrupted by a knock at the door. It wasn’t Twilight. The knocks were too heavy. I sit up and wipe my eyes, setting the picture and necklace on the nightstand. “Come in…” I call out. When the door opens, a man in a three piece suit walks in, and he has a soft smile on his crying face. He looks a little familiar, but I don’t know why… “Oh, my God….” He says, looking me over. “Uuh...may I help you?” I ask, not liking him look over my scars. “Six, what...what did she do to you….” That’s not the answer I was expecting… Six, look at his hair. And his eyes. No…. “What do you want?” I ask flatly. He looks hurt. Good. “I...I came to see you…” He stutters through tears. “Why? Oh...Twilight….I told her to leave it be…” “I-I’m glad she told me! Sixth, I….I thought you were dead!” “Wait, what?” “Yes! When….when your sister….the report said you were presumed dead because you were never found...but you just went somewhere to hide….You...went to Grandpa, didn’t you?” I clench my jaw. “Filthy….Stop. Just...just stop. I know what you’re trying to do. And I can’t….I won’t forgive you for abandoning us…” “I-I know….I….I was being selfish….I didn’t think about how you and Rosie would feel….I’m sorry….” “Sorry!? Sorry doesn’t excuse nineteen years of agony and suffering!” He jumps and stumbles over, looking up at me in fear. “Wh...what the….your v-voice is…” “I know it is! This is what you did to him! He died, Filthy Rich! He killed himself, and he came to me!” Tears stream down his face. “Y-you’re….Sh-Shade?” “I possessed your son’s body when I made a deal with him! Children should never have to be sent to Hell, yet he was! At eight years old! And it’s your fault!” He starts shaking, cowering away. “I-I’m s-s-sorry…” “Do better than sorry! Be a God damned father! You were so selfish all this time that your son killed himself! And almost died a second time! Every scar on his body is a product of your selfishness! EVERY! SINGLE! ONE! And you think that a simple sorry would make up for all this!?” I take off my shirt, exposing the horrible scars across my body and chest. He rhetches. “Y-your mother….did that….to you?” “You don’t deserve to be his father! You’ve been a shitty excuse of a person! Let alone a father! So, you tell me, Filthy Rich. Can you even try to be his father again? Will you ever forgive yourself?” He shakily stands up. “No...I-I can’t forgive myself for this….It's...it’s my fault you’re like this….A-and...I want to do better. I’ll try my damndest to be a better father to you, son!” He suddenly rushes up to me and hugs me tightly. “I’ve failed you….I’m so sorry…..” He sobs into my shoulder. I tense up, squirming a little in his grasp, but he won’t let go. “L-Let go of me….” I say, pushing against him. “Not this time, Six…” He says back stubbornly. I try to push him away, but my arms won’t do as I say. I start to break down and cry, hugging him tightly. “I-I missed you….” I sob, clinging to him as we both cry. “I missed you, too.” He responds shakily. You’re welcome. Thanks…. “Six...Why...are you wearing a blindfold?” He asks, finally letting the hug go. “My...my special talent got more hectic when I got older…” “You still see ghosts?” He asks. “Yeah...But, now I can do other things...things that don’t make sense...I can force the truth from someone just by staring at them. And my touch or my gaze can take away people’s burdens….” “That’s incredible, son…” “Filthy...Just call me Six for now, okay? I don’t think we’ve gotten to the point where I can acknowledge you as my father ...At least, not yet.” He nods understandingly. “Well, I understand that. And...I hope to earn that title back one day. But, would...you like to meet your Step-Mother and half-sister?” “I...i don’t know, Filthy. I doubt they’d like me at all.” “Nonsense! I must insist. Please. I want us to be a family again…” He wipes his eyes. “Mmm….fine. You’re in the big house out in the center of town, right? I’ll meet you there…” “Okay, Six...At Eight okay?” “Alright…” He smiles and leaves, seeming to be in much brighter spirits. I sigh and sit down on the bed, groaning softly. “That was something else….” I groan. “I expected to just beat the ever loving fuck out of him, but...I couldn’t. Seeing him after all these years, and he looked happy to see me….I just...couldn’t…” That’s the start of forgiveness, bucko. You really blew up at him. Would it be better if you did? Nah...I’m glad you did. [Filthy’s P.O.V.] “Spoiled, honey! I’m home!” I call out as I enter the house. Princess Twilight must’ve left a moment ago. “Daddy!” Diamond rushes up to me. I smile and pick her up, holding her close. “Hello, my little Diamond. Did you have fun with the Princess?” “Daddy, she scares me….Can I have another dress?” “Sweetheart, I just bought you one. Now, go run along now and play with your little friend. And be back by seven, okay? We’re having a special guest over tonight.” “Okay…” She scuttles off to meet her friend, and I smile. “I’m glad she and I get along. And I’m proud that she and her mother finally made peace. But...how will they take it? A new family member is a big change…” The front door opens, and my beloved wife walks in, her usual haughty personality obvious. I love her very much, but she should lighten up a little… “Hello, Spoiled darling!” I beam happily, taking her coat. “Filthy, dear, why in Equestria are you in such a good mood?” She asks. “Well, we’re having company for dinner this evening.” “Really? My, we haven’t had guests in quite some time. Who’s visiting?” “Well, um...Do you remember, when we met, that I was married once before? And had two children with that woman?” She huffs angrily. “Yes, I do. The one that you’ve said was dreadful. Why?” “Well, I...I just found out that my son, the one I thought was dead, is alive!” She looks at me in disbelief. “You’re joking! Are you quite sure it’s him?” “I’m positive! And he’s been here in town for a month! Right under my nose!” “Oh, how lovely! I hope he’s a charmer like yourself!” “Well, yes. But, here’s the thing...He’s, well...rather peculiar. And he isn’t like myself. He’s…” I clear the sadness from my throat. “Well, his mother had apparently scarred him rather badly, and he’s scarred himself all over. I hate his mother even more every time I think about it…” “Wait, is he the oddball in the blindfold that’s been running around?” “Well, I suppose he is rather odd, but yes. That’s my son.” “I’ve heard that he’s befriended Princess Luna, and gained her favor.” “Is that so? He must not like to talk about it much. Six was never one to be talkative, even as a baby. He’d never even cry. He’d just stare, blankly. As if he was somehow reading your mind.” “He’s also a renowned hero in town!” “He is? He didn’t mention that...and I surely didn’t hear. What did he do?” “He sealed Nightmare Moon away from Princess Luna! Oh, Filthy! He’ll be a marvelous addition to the family!” She smiles warmly. “Spoiled...have you hit your head or something? You’re acting rather...unusual.” “Am I? Well, I’ve been trying to become more friendly since Diamond and I had our little fight a while back...It tore me apart hearing how badly I made her feel…” “You’re doing wonders to improve, darling. I’ve had to change too. But...I wonder how Diamond will take this news…” “Hopefully better than the time she found out she wasn’t getting an island for Hearth’s Warming…” We both shudder. “Well, when is he scheduled to come?” Spoiled asks. “At around eight o’clock.” She suddenly zips through the house, ordering every maid to clean the house spotless for her guest. “I hope he isn’t overwhelmed by all this...I can’t let him slip away again…I won’t fail him this time.”
Six: Ch.23[Six’s P.O.V.- 8:15pm] I’ve been standing outside the Rich’s home for the last fifteen minutes, my body refusing to move to knock on the door. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t move. “Damn it, body….Move already!” I grunt and struggle. You a bit nervous, Six? I can take over for the night if you want. No! I want to do this myself. Why won’t my body move?! That would be my fault. I can’t let you become damaged again. Please, re-apply your blindfold. Then I will release you. Oh...I forgot I took it off…. I had changed into a simple black dress shirt and pants with a red bowtie. Always been a sucker for bowties. I reach into my pocket, finally free to move, and I tie the blindfold back over my eyes. You may now proceed. Best of luck. Thanks, I guess…. I shakily reach up and knock on the door. At least I won’t have to make eye contact… The door slowly opens, and a man dressed in a full tuxedo opens the door. He was a bit older than Filthy, and had grey hair. He was clean shaven, and I think they’re called butlers… “You must be our guest for the evening. Please, come in.” He bows and steps out of the doorway. “Th-thanks….You, uh...don’t need to bow….it makes me a bit uncomfortable….” He looks at me curiously. He must be wondering how I can see with the blindfold on. I decide not to humor him. “Um...where am I going?” I ask politely. “Right this way.” He leads me down a long, grand hallway with family portraits and candelabras. The newest one was of Filthy, a woman I didn’t know, and a little girl around Applebloom’s age. The butler opens a large set of double doors, and I’m nearly blinded by the vast array of golds and silvers adorning the grand dining hall table. It was lined with all sorts of foods, some of which I wasn’t going to touch: meat. The mere sight of it makes me gag. The butler escorts me to a seat near the center of the table, and I sit down. “Thanks...Uh…” “Prim, sir.” “Right. Thanks, Prim. I’ll try to remember that.” He nods and leaves. Glad he didn’t bow… I take this time to look around the large room. There was a massive, crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling, adorned with hundreds of little lights. The ceiling was painted to look like Prance. It must’ve cost a fortune… The walls each had a tapestry with a piece of Equestrian history sewn into its fabric. I feel poor just by breathing in here…. The double doors open again, and Filthy walks in, joined by the purple-haired mare from the portrait, as well as the little girl. He was wearing a three piece suit, as usual. The woman was wearing a black evening gown and long, sleek gloves that went up to her elbows, and the little girl was wearing a frilly, pink dress with a white trim. She had a small tiara on her head. I stand as they enter, and Filthy smiles. “Glad to see you’ve found the place.” He jokes. “Yeah...Heh. Little hard to miss it…” He nods and gestures to the older woman. “Six, this is my wife, Spoiled.” She smiles and bows slightly. “Charmed.” “And this is Diamond Tiara.” He gestures to the little girl. She nods, clearly frightened of me. “Nice to meet you both. Please, call me Six.” “Indeed. Well, shall we have dinner served? We have quite a bit to talk about.” Filthy says, smiling. Shade, do me a favor, would you? What’s that? When I decide to take this blindfold off, can you keep the burdens from going into me? He can’t, but I can. And I will. Thanks. We all take our seats, with Filthy and Spoiled at the heads of the table, and Diamond and myself facing each other near the center. It’s hard to see past the centerpiece, but I can tell she’s still scared. “Well then, let’s begin. Proper?” Filthy calls to the maid standing outside another door I hadn’t seen before. She nervously bows and leaves into the room. “So, Six. I hear you’ve made quite a name for yourself recently.” Spoiled says stick-up-the-assily. God, her voice is grating… “N-not really….It’s no big deal…” “No big deal? You sealed away Nightmare Moon and gained Princess Luna’s favor, as well as Princess Twilight’s affections I’ve heard!” I blush. Crap, the rumors spread…. “W-well, I guess….” Filthy chuckles. “So, why don’t you tell me what’s happened since you’ve come to town?” “Well, eh...I don’t know if a lot of it’s appropriate for Diamond to hear…” I rub the back of my neck, chuckling. “Mm, I see. Well, I’m glad we’re having this meal together.” Filthy says with a smile. The first course was a simple salad, which was brought out from the kitchen. By the second, Prim and Proper served each of us a plate of food from the spread on the table. But, when they came around with the meats, I politely declined. That got Filthy’s attention. “Not a meat eater, eh?” Filthy asks. “No. I haven’t touched the stuff since I was eight. Can’t stand it. But you go ahead and enjoy.” I eat my rotini in silence. We all sat in relative silence for a while before Filthy and Spoiled start talking amongst themselves about work. I hear a little *psst* sound from across the table, and I peek around the massive centerpiece. Diamond was leaned in close. “C-can...I ask you something?” She asks nervously. “Sure. Go ahead. No promises I’ll answer, though.” “Why do you have a blindfold on?” “Diamond!” Spoiled exclaims suddenly, making her and I both snap back into our seats. “That’s quite a rude question.” “No no, it’s fine. I’ll be seeing you more often, hopefully, so you may as well know.” I stand up and take the blindfold off slowly. When I put it away and look down at Diamond, she’s staring in awe at me yes, her eyes filling with tears. “W-wow….so pretty….” She manages to say, wiping her eyes. I look over to Spoiled, who is also tearing up. “I see now what Filthy meant by Happy eyes… I’ve not felt this happy since Diamond was born…” Spoiled gently dabs the tears from her eyes. I look to Filthy, and I see him smiling happily, holding back tears, too. But, he had a large, black mass surrounding him. He’s suffering a burden...And it’s a big one. Oooh, boy….I didn’t expect to see him with a burden...I thought I’d see him without one, and I’d just have an excuse to leave. But… His is huge…. You and I both know that a burden like that only means one kind of sin: Abandonment. He….actually does feel sorry for leaving us…. It would seem so. I nod at him, smiling. He smiles back. “Daddy, can I ask a question?” Diamond asks. Filthy clears his throat as I sit again. “Of course, darling.” “How come Mr. Six is visiting us?” “Diamond, that’s rude to ask!” Spoiled retorts. “No, she should know. She’s almost in High school now. Diamond, before Mommy and I met, I was married before.” She gasps. “You were?” “I was. But, I learned how wicked she was, and I made the biggest mistake of my life. I left my old family behind. My ex-wife, my other daughter…” He gestures to me. “And my son.” Diamond looks at me, absolutely floored. “What...what happened to your ex-wife and daughter?” I tense up a little. “Well, my...ex-wife was a bad woman, so she was put into a hospital for a very long time. And my daughter….Six’s sister….She’s….she passed away quite some time ago…” I feel Diamond’s foot on mine. When I look around the centerpiece again(Really fucking hate this thing), she was smiling at me like my sister used to smile at me. “I’m sorry...about your sister, Mr. Six…” She wipes her eyes again. “It’s okay. I may not have forgiven your father yet, but I’m going to protect you now, like my sister did for me. I owe her that much. So, you can call me Six from now on, okay?” She nods and smiles. She seemed like a sweet girl. But, I can’t help but feel like there’s something off about her… As the second course comes to a close, they start passing around desserts. Again, I politely decline. “Would you care for a parfait, Six? Perhaps a crepe?” Spoiled asks. “I, um...N-No thanks...I’m okay. Sugars don’t sit with me well…” “Why not? Do they make you sick?” Diamond asks. “Well, in a way. Yes. How old are you now, Diamond?” She holds her head up proudly. “I’m thirteen!” “Hm...I suppose I can tell you since you’re old enough. Sugars can’t filter through my digestive system properly, so my body turns it into energy instantly, which sends me into a seizure.” I explain. She covers her mouth in shock. “N-no sweets? That’s awful!” “Well, I can have sugar-free things, or low sugar foods. But high-sugar foods like desserts are really bad.” I look over, seeing Proper scribbling down notes. I look back at Filthy, who was eating a piece of chocolate cake. “Well, I hope that you’d stay with us, Six. I understand if you aren’t comfortable with that just yet, but I thought we would offer one of the guest rooms for you to stay in until your home is built.” “My...how do you know about that?” “Oh, one of my businesses is construction work here in town. My company is building it to the Princess’ specifications. I even made a call earlier this evening to have it built by the forest closer to here. I hope you don’t mind.” “Not really. I’m just...surprised that you’re getting involved with my hectic life…And I suppose I could stay for a few days or so. Just till the house is done.” “Splendid! I’ll have Prim prepare the room for you! And Proper has just gone to retrieve your belongings from the Castle.” “Wow...efficient.” I stand and smile. “Well, um...If you’d be alright, I’d like to take a walk in the backyard.” “The garden? Of course, go right ahead.” Filthy smiles warmly. I excuse myself from the table and walk through the double doors and out through a set of glass doors that lead to the enormous flower garden in the back. The yard alone could house four of Applejack’s barns, and it was surrounded by a tall hedge. The flowers varied from small, dull colored ones to large, brightly colored ones. It was truly a marvelous sight. “Wow…..” I walk down the small, marble steps and out into the paths leading through the gardens. I had never seen so many vibrantly colored flowers before. I follow a path leading to the furthest point of the garden, and I eventually approach a small pond full of koi fish. I find a nearby bench and sit, staring at the many fish as they swim and swirl around. As I sit, I notice them start to swim closer to me until they were all swimming just at the edge of the pond by my feet. I chuckle and kneel down at the edge of the pond, reaching my hand in slowly. A particularly large koi, which was a vibrant orange with a yellow head, pushed its way through the others until his head touched my hand. “Hehe. Eager, aren’t you?” I gently rub along the length of its back. It’s cold and wet, and feels like rubbing along the flesh of an apple. “I’ve never pet a fish before...You’re all very friendly. Hmm...I think I’ll call this big one Goliath.” The big one does a quick spin. Guess he likes it. I sit back at the end of the pond and watch them as they continue to swim normally all around the pond. Goliath stays as close to me as he can. I suddenly hear a small gasp from behind me. When I look back, it was Diamond. “How are you doing that with the big one?” She asks. “I’m not. He just came up to me.” I chuckle, patting the floor next to me. “Have a seat.” “On the ground? I can’t sit on the ground! It’s so dirty!” Ah. That’s what was off. She’s spoiled rotten. “Alright. Then you can sit here.” I pat my knee. “Are you sure?” She asks. “Yeah. It’s fine. You won’t fall in. I’m a unicorn.” She slowly sits on my knee, resting her hands on my shoulder as she watches the fish. “It seems your big guy likes being petted. Did you train him?” “H-He likes being petted?” She asks, confused. I reach down, and Goliath swims up to meet my hand. Diamond gasps. “That’s so cool!” “Do you wanna pet him?” “Uh huh!” I carefully take her hand and guide it down to Goliath’s head. Her hand touches his head, and she gags a little. “He’s so slimy!” I laugh. “It’s not slime. It’s mucus to keep him insulated. And I’ve named him Goliath.” “Goliath…” She rubs his head a little. Goliath spits a bit of water at me, then dives down. “Aah...I got sprayed...Guess he was tired.” I laugh. Diamond giggles. “H-Hey, um….Six?” “Yes, Diamond?” I ask, looking up at her. “Can...Can i call you Big Brother?” My heart leaps. “Of course! You don’t have to call me Six all the time. And can I call you Little Sis?” “I-If you want to…” I smile warmly, my heart fluttering a bit. I felt really happy. “B-Big Brother?” “Hmm?” “Could...you take me to school tomorrow?” “I don’t see why not. You’re at that school in the edge of town, right?” “Mhm…” “Alright. I’ll take you in the morning.” You two are not allowed to come out around her unless it’s an emergency. Understand? She’s too innocent to taint with your evils. Fine. Dick. As you wish, asshole. Fuckin cunts… “Oh! Daddy sent me out to show you to your room!” “Oh, alright. That sounds good. Lead the way.” She stands and tugs at my hand excitedly. She looked like a kid with a new toy. I laugh and follow her back into the house and up the stairs. She lead me down a long, wide hallway with doors on either side. There had to be twenty rooms up here alone… She lead me to a door with the name “Sixth Sense” etched onto a metal plate by the doorknob. “Come on!” She giggles and pulls me inside. The room was absolutely massive. There was a king-sized bed with a grey curtain around it, a large balcony door with black curtains, a huge dresser, a floor to ceiling mirror, and a door that lead to my own restroom and private bath. “This….Wow, this is a bit much….I’ve never had such a nice place to call my own…” Diamond pokes my arm. “And my room is right next door! Daddy and I agreed this room should be yours!” “Alright. Well, why don’t you head to bed now. You can wake me up in the morning, okay?” She beams and starts ro leave, but I take her hand and kneel down so we meet eye to eye. “Diamond, I know I’m new to this family and all, but don’t be afraid to ask for help. I’d do anything for you if I can. I want to protect you for the rest of my life, even though we just met. Because you’re my Little Sister. I promise to protect you. Just like my Big Sister did for me.” She tears up and hugs me tightly around my neck. I smile, tearing up too as I hug back. “Thank you, Big Brother….I love you…” This child will never be harmed with me around. I’d disembowel a dragon if it even blinked at her wrong. I agree. Six, your happiness is already limited, but this girl seems to have filled a gap in your heart. I will tear a hydra limb from limb to keep her and you happy. Thanks, Guys… “Love you too, Little Sis. Now, go on off to bed. You have school tomorrow.” “Can we go play in town this weekend! I wanna introduce you to my friend Silver Spoon!” “Only if you’re a good girl in school and stay out of trouble. I might even treat you and your friend to ice cream.” She squees adorably before rushing out. I laugh and shut the door as she leaves. I yawn loudly and strip off my shirt and tie. I was about to take my pants off when there was a heavy knock at the door. “Six, it’s Filthy. May I come in?” “Yeah, sure. Come in.” The door opens, and he steps in wearing an evening robe with red silk pajamas underneath. “How are you liking the new room?” He asks, trying not to stare at my scars. “It’s bigger than I expected...You sure I’m okay to be here?” “Of course! Diamond adores you already, and Spoiled thinks you’re lovely company to have around. I insist!” “Alright, alright. Filthy, I wanted to tell you right now that I’m going to be your daughter’s guardian from now on.” “Really? That’s wonderful! I, well...I came here to tell you about Diamond. She, well….She doesn’t get along with the other kids at the school.” “Really? She just seems a little spoiled to me.” “That’s because she’s an angel normally. But she gets jealous of the other kids and can be...rather rude. I’ve heard from Applejack and Big Macintosh that Diamond’s bullied Applebloom and her little friends. But I can’t get through to her.” “Well, I’ll try talking to her. If there’s anything I’m good at, it’s fixing broken people. Diamond may just need a little shove onto the right path.” “Thank you, Six. Good Night.” He starts to leave, but I catch him with my magic. “Filthy….Dad, look. I’m trying to forgive you, and I think the first step is to talk as if we’re not strangers. Alright?” He turns back to me, smiling proudly. “Alright, Son...I’ll do my best to earn your forgiveness.” He quickly leaves, shutting the door after him. I sigh and take my pants off, peeking into the bathroom. “Hmm...Maybe a little bath wouldn’t hurt….” I step into the restroom and shut the door behind me. The bathroom has natural stone floors and bamboo walls lining the perimeter. There was a shower head on the wall above a stool, and a single drain in the middle of the room. The bath was one solid piece of carved stone, perfectly smooth. “Wow….This is really expensive looking…” I go over to the edge of the bath and turn the water on from the bamboo fountains. Steaming water starts to pour into the bath, filling it quickly before turning itself off just before it was full. I step into the bath, and shudder from how warm it was. It felt like slipping into a pile of blankets after a whole day in the cold. “Aaah, this is nice…” I recline my head back. “I see you’ve finally came.” I yelp, looking around. I see Luna standing in the corner just out of sight of the bathroom door. She was wrapped in a black towel, exposing quite a bit of cleavage. And her lower end was just covered enough to not expose anything. “L-L-L-Luna!? What’re you doing in here? How did you even get in here?!” “I teleported, dummy.” Oh right. “Princess, you shouldn’t be out of the castle at night. Don’t you have duties in Night Court? And you have to do the whole dream thing.” “I am. I don’t have to be asleep for that. And as for the court, no one ever comes anyway. I came here to see you.” “This is very irregular, Luna. And you’re so...inappropriately dressed, too.” Alright, ask her about your own body. I am not taking the fall for you. “Luna, I actually have a question.” She raises an eyebrow. “Ask away, Shade.” “Is there a way...to get myself my own body?” She taps her chin, seeming deep in thought. “There may be a way….But it would take time.” “Please try. Because Six loves another woman, and I can’t love you physically like this.” Her face burns red, and her head steams. “P-P-Physically?! Y-you mean like sex?!” “Well, yes….” “I must go! I have work to do!” She suddenly vanishes. Oooh, boy...She wants the D. You think?
Six: Ch.24I wake up abruptly at tiny hands pushing against my arm. “Mmmm….five more minutes…..” I groan. “Big Brother, wake up!” Diamond shouts in my ear. I yelp and abruptly sit up, looking over at her. She was fully dressed in a bright pink dress and a wide hat. The hat even had her tiara on it. “You were gonna walk me to school today!” “Oh! Right!” I hop out of bed, and I hear her gasp. Damn it, I didn’t wear a shirt again… “B-Big Brother….Y-your chest….” Diamond stutters. “Sorry you had to see it, Diamond…” I grab a shirt and pull it on. It’s a black, long-sleeve shirt. I switch to my jeans and smile. “Alright, could you help me with my blindfold?” I kneel down, looking her in the eyes. She nods rapidly, grinning widely. I hand it to her, and she hops behind me, tying it around my head, over my eyes. “How come you wear this all the time?” She asks as I stand. “I’m just learning how to use my special talent, so I wear this so I don’t use it accidentally.” “What does it do?” “What does what do?” I pick her up and sit her on my shoulder. She hugs my head tightly. “Well, I can make sad people feel happy. But, some sad people are so sad that in order for them to be happy, I’d become sad. And it hurts me.” “That’s awful...Big Brother, can you keep it off when we’re home?” “I suppose I could do that. But just because you asked.” I laugh. She giggles. “You’re gonna get me after school, right?” She asks as I leave my room and head downstairs and out the front door. “I don’t see why not. But, doesn’t Fi-Dad usually get you?” “Uh huh...But, he’s busy with work today...And Mom’s at the school early to help the committee.” “Ah. Alright. Well, I don’t mind picking you up. I’ll grab you some cupcakes from Sugarcube Corner on the way, okay?” “Ooh, I like strawberry!” She exclaims. “You got it.” As we start to approach the school, I notice the other kids gawking up at her. I glance up, seeing her grin smugly. “Diamond...Don’t be smug. It’s not befitting of you.” I sigh. She blushes and nods, going back to a happy smile. When we get to the front, I gently set her down. She hugs my chest tightly, and I hug her back. “Love you, Big Brother.” “Love you too, Little Sis. See you after school, okay?” I pat her head and head to town, waving back at her as I go. I smile brightly as I head through town. Everyone seemed pretty normal today. A lot more smiles than I’m used to, and only a few eyes were on me. I’m glad that they’re used to me. Before I get too far, I feel hands try to cover my eyes through the blindfold. “Guess who?” I hear Pinkie ask. “Pinkie, you know that my eyes don’t need light for me to see, right? I see with magic.” “Aaawe, you guessed! No fair!” She hops around to my front, leaning close to me. She was just as bubbly as she was when we met before, and just as chubby. It was really cute. She had a baby blue blouse on with a white miniskirt. “Well, you couldn’t have just shouted something behind me? I don’t think I can see behind me.” “I’ll getcha next time!” She beams. I chuckle. “Alright, alright. Well, what’s up?” “I dunno. My Pinkie Sense told me I should come see you today!” “Uuuh...okay? Well, uh...I was going over to Sugarcube Corner...Guess this is a coincidence.” “Ooooh! Were you gonna get strawberry cupcakes?!” “How di-” “Come on! I got a batch ready in the back!” She grabs my hand and pulls me along behind her. *He’s holding my hand~ Pervert~* I barely hear her mumble, a wide grin on her face. I yank my hand from hers. “I assure you I’m not a pervert, thank you.” “Huh? What do you mean?” She asks, looking at me confused. “Pinkie, don’t lie to me. I heard you call me a pervert. I have ears, you know.” She looks surprised and grabs my hand again, tighter this time. *Can you hear me?* She asks. “Yes, I can hear you. You’re talking loudly.” *Look at my mouth when I talk.* I groan. “Pinkie, what game are you playing?” I look at her mouth. *You can….*She says. Wait, did she say it? Her mouth didn’t move… “What...the fuck?” *Sixie! You’re reading my m-* She lets go of my hands, and her voice falls abruptly silent. “What the….what was the end of that?” I ask. “You can read my mind!!” She exclaims. “But you gotta touch me, huh?” I look down at my hands. “What the Hell is going on with me…? First the eyes, now this…” “I dunno! But it’s cool!” She squeals, hugging me. *His muscles are so hard~* I push her off me. “Get your dirty thoughts out of my head!” “What? You don’t think I’m cute?” She asks, leaning against my chest, her breasts squishing against me. I blush deeply. “I-I-I…” *Nyahahaha~* “Nya? What the f-” She giggles and starts walking again. I shake the lewd shit from my head before following her. Something is off about that girl. I noticed that, too. Yeah….Who the fuck says nya? Like, da fuq is nya? I don’t know, but her energy isn’t human...Be cautious. Not human? What, like a demon or something? Something like that… We go into Sugarcube Corner, and she leads me back behind the counter into the kitchen. She pats a box that was sitting on the counter, and she smiles. “These are yours! No charge this time!” “Pinkie….” “Hm?” She asks, raising an eyebrow. “What are you?” I ask bluntly. Idiot. Why wouldn’t I ask!? She may be something that can kill you! My eyes widen and I step back a little. She smiles smugly, her grin wide. “You figured it out, huh? Hehehe. You’re pretty smart! I can smell something off about you, too. Something evil~” She coos, leaning close. Her demeanor has gone from bubbly to a bit creepy. “P-Pinkie?” She suddenly vanishes, only briefly leaving her wide smile and eyes before she disappears. I yelp and turn to run, but she’s suddenly behind me. She shuts the kitchen door and locks it. “Mhm~ You found me out, Sixie~ I loooove a smart man~” She licks her lips. Wh-what’s this aura coming from her!? Her what!? Why are you scared?! This is most unfortunate. Shall I take over? Now, please! I relax my stance, my expression vanishing. She tilts her head. “Huh? Not scared of me anymore? Are you gonna be a good boy n-” “I don’t care for your aura. Show your true form or die.” What?! I can’t do that! I don’t have that kind of power! You may not, but I know every destruction spell known to unicorns. “Sixiiie, why do you sound funny?” My hand glows a bright grey. “Now.” Her eyes widen and her form changes. Her hands shift to big, purple and black paws with fur going up to her shoulders, and she grows cat ears: one purple and one white. Little upside-down purple hearts appear on her cheeks. A long, thin, purple and black tail sprouts from under her skirt. “Nyahaha! I’m a Cheshire Cat!” “Why…” “Hey, don’t be a meanie to my face!” “What do you intend on doing to h-me?” I ask. “We’re gonna have a little fun!” She giggles mischievously. “Unlikely. Not the kind of pussy I like.” She laughs. “That’s a good one!” “I try. Ha. Ha. Ha.” “But you don’t have a say in what Six does...Sombre.” I tense up a little. How does she know!? “Explain yourself, cat.” “I wanna talk to Sixie, not you meanie!” She sticks her tongue out. I’m keeping control of your arms. I don’t like this cat… “Wh-what the Hell, Pinkie!? You’re a cat!?” “Cheshire Cat!” “Who cares?! Why do the odd ones flock to me….” “Hey! I’m not odd!” “You’re literally a cat from a book I read as a kid that can teleport and isn’t very nice to people.” “But I’m nice! To everyone!” “Then why did you corner me in here and lock me in?” “I wanted to tease you a little before I stole your virginity.” My heart skips a beat. “You were gonna rape me!?” “Who says I’m not gonna anymore~?” She giggles. My hands raise, and fire erupts from my palms. “Eeh, not likely...Not doing this….” She pouts. “Meanie….” “Me!? You were gonna rape me! You have no say in that!” She giggles and turns to normal, unlocking the door. “I’m still gonna get it, Sixie~” “It’s Six. And stay away from me.” I take the box and leave. That could’ve been bad… You’re telling me...She was scary! Can’t I just kill her? No! That would be extremely bad! No killing! Awe… I head back towards the school, but I notice class wasn’t even an hour in yet. I was too excited to see her again, I guess. Sombre sends the box to the castle fridge, and I go through town to the Apple Farm. When I get close, I see Applejack bucking apples outside. God above, she’s hot…. I’m starting to see why...Mr. Legs over here. IT’S NOT THE LEGS! “Howdy, Six!” AJ calls, waving to me. I wave back and jog over to her. “Hey, AJ. How’s it going?” “Alright. Just been workin round h-” She suddenly stops and sniffs the air, then sniffs at my clothes. “When didja get a cat?” “A what? Your nose is that good?” “Eeyup. Ya smell like a cat. Yer not a cat, are ya?” “Hardly! I’m a dog person…” She grins deviously. “Are ya now?” “Not like that, you perv! Jeez….” She growls playfully, running her finger down my chest as it grows a long claw. “Ah can hear yer heartbeat pickin up. Ya gettin nervous?” “N-n-not at all! Hahahahaha! Is that a leaf?!” She laughs. “Yer real funny, Six. Yer all hot and bothered, ain’tcha?” “Not even remotely.” “Not askin ya, Sombre.” I huff. “Worth a try.” She hugs around my waist with a stronger grip than I thought she had. “Ya know, ah’m just about yer age, Six. Ah wouldn’t mind settlin down with a nice, strong guy~” “W-Well, wh...I-I’m not that strong…” I blush hotly. She grins, her teeth all sharp. “Somethin about ya just gits me all riled up~” “Ahahahaha….R-really?” Somebody get me wolfsbane or silver right now! Nah. You need to do this yourself. ASSHOLE!! She lets go of me suddenly and smirks. “Yer so much fun ta tease!” She laughs. I huff. “That’s not funny!” “Ya should’ve seen yer face!” “IT’S NOT FUNNY!!!”
Six: Ch.25I spent a few hours talking with AJ while she bucked her apple trees. She told me about how the girls all met, and a few of the crazy adventures they went on. “Wait, wait. So, Spike is only the savior of the Crystal Empire because this Princess Cadance threw him at that heart basically?” She rubs the back of her neck. “Guess so. But, he still saved the Crystal Heart. Say, ain’t you two friends? Ya haven’t really talked much.” My heart sinks. “I, uh...Spend so much time with so many people that I don’t have time to see him…” “Well, why don’t ya send him a letter?” I blush softly, very upset on the inside. “I….can’t….” “Whut? Why not?” I sigh. “I…..never learned how….” “What?! How the hay not?” “My mother, she...never let me go to school because I was an embarrassment to her. So I was kept home with my sister.” “Didn’t yer sister know?” I shrug. “She wrote somethings, but I didn’t understand the language...I’m thankful she taught me to read, though.” “Well, then go see Spike! He’s probably over at the Boutique.” “What? Why?” “Spike’s got a thing fer Rarity, but she can’t tell him that she ain’t interested. Spike’s a gentle drake, but….Rares ain’t into dragons.” “Oh….jeez, that sucks…” I bet there’s something wrong with her. Eh? I think that something might be upsetting her. Why do you think that? Because she hasn’t talked to us since the Sombre incident. Not that, idiot. About the dragon thing. I know that. But, I figure she doesn’t like dragons because it’s crossbreeding, and she’s the pure, uppity type. Oh… And I think she’s upset at us because we forced her to tell her feelings in front of everyone against her will. Oh...right…. “Hey, Six?” AJ says. “Hm?” I look over at her. “Do ya...love...me?” I gasp, turning bright red. “E-Eeeeh?!” “Ya never told any of us how ya felt about us...And ah wanted ta know if ya even felt the same way.” “You’re cornering him, Applejack.” She jumps as my voice deepens. “Shade, ah didn’t ask you.” She huffs. “But I’m telling you. Six spend a majority of his life cut off from everyone. And for you all to back him into a corner like that is unforgivable. He hardly knows any of you, and you suddenly expect him to just love you? Just like that? He doesn't work that way. I found that out over the last fourteen years that he expresses his emotions differently, if at all. If you want him to love you, then just get to know him first. You two haven’t really talked outside of today, so talk to him. Oh, and be assertive. He may be stubborn, but he’s not a fighter.” She nods. “Alright….Thanks, Shade.” “Wait, what just happened? Did one of them just….Damn it! I told them not to take over without telling me first!” “It’s alright, Six.” I look back at her, and she had her head down slightly. “Applejack? Are you okay? What did they say?” “Go on a date with me, Six.” My heart just exploded. “Wh-what?” I ask. She looks up at me and grabs my shirt collar, pushing me against a tree. “Yer goin on a date with me!” “B-b-but, it’s so sudden. I-I don’t know…” “Ah wasn’t askin. Meet me here tonight. Eight. Don’t be late, er ah’ll come fer ya mahself.” She drops me and smiles. “Now, git.” I nod and rush back towards town, just as the tower bell sounds that school is out. I run the whole way back to the school, where Diamond and a little girl with glasses and grey hair were sitting on a bench. Sombre teleports the cupcakes back to my hands as I approach. “Hey, Sis. How was school?” I ask, smiling. “Yaaay!” She hops off the bench and nearly tackles me to the ground. “Hey! Haha! Nice to see you too!” I hope she’s not something, too… I doubt it. Her energy signature is similar to yours. Oh, so normal? Good. “Didja bring the cupcakes?” She asks excitedly. I smile and kneel down, handing her the box. “Of course I did. Who’s your friend? Is this Silver?” I ask her. The girl blushes and cowers away a little. Diamond takes her hand and pulls her over. She had a grey dress on. She must be wealthy, too. “Silver, this is my brother, Six!” “H-Hi…” She says bashfully. “Hello. It’s nice to meet you. Diamond, why don’t we bring Silver with us to the house to have cupcakes, too?” “I was gonna share! I wasn’t gonna eat a dozen on my own!” I laugh. “I know. I’m teasing you.” I rub her head. She pouts with puffed up cheeks. “Big Brother, can we go to the park?” “Ah don’t see why not. And we can b-” “Six! What’re ya doin here?” I hear Applebloom shout. I look over, seeing the three girls standing together a few feet away, under a tree. “Just picking up my little sis from school. AJ not come yet?” “Little sister?! Diamond Tiara’s your little sister?!” “That’s right! Jealous?” Diamond says smugly. I bop her a little on the back of the head. “None of that. Don’t bully them anymore, or no happy eyes for you. Got it?” She whines and rubs the back of her head. “Diamond Tiara, I will not tolerate my little sister being a bully.” I say sternly. She looks up at me with tears in her eyes. “O-okay…” “Good. You too, Silver. I may not be your brother, but I won’t tolerate bullying at all.” I lift my blindfold just enough so her eyes meet my gold ones. She gasps and stumbles back a little, tearing up. She nods. “Good.” I put it back on. “Applebloom, why don’t you and the other girls come with us? We have enough for everyone.” “Alright!” She smiles, tugging along Sweetie and Scootaloo. Diamond tugs on my shirt, and I look down at her. “What’s up?” “I’m sorry…” “Don’t apologize to me. Apologize to them.” She gives me the box of cupcakes and walks up a little, bowing slightly. “S-Sorry for bullying you so much…” The girls look shocked. “I-It ain’t that big a deal… Ah want us ta be friends!” Diamond stands back up straight. “R-Really? You do?” “Yeah! We saw you standing up to your mom! That was awesome!” Scootaloo exclaims. “Yeah! You were really brave!” Sweetie adds. “You...think so?” “Yeah!” They all hug Diamond and Silver, and they hug back. I smile. “Well, come on, girls.” I chuckle and start going towards the park, and I smile as they rush up to keep up with me. As we get into the park, I notice Fluttershy over by a dead tree, seemingly talking to a flock of various birds. I chuckle and sit down under a tree, leaning back. I hand Diamond the cupcakes and smile. “Careful not to spoil dinner, sis.” They sit around me and open the box, chittering amongst themselves as they eat. This is very peaceful. I could get used to this. I agree. It’s very pleasant. “Mr. Six?” Silver asks. I sit up and look at her. “Hmm?” “How can you see me with that blindfold on?” “He’s got funky magic powers!” Applebloom exclaims. I laugh. “Yeah. Something like that.” “And he can see and talk to ghosts!” Scootaloo adds. Diamond and Silver both look at me, surprised. “You can!?” I rub the back of my neck. “Yeah...It’s not that big of a deal…” Diamond grabs my face and squishes it. “Are you kidding?! That’s so cool!” “Yoo fink sho?” I ask. “Yeah! Do you see them all the time?” “Cam yoo wet go of my fafe?” “O-Oh. Sorry.” She lets go. “Not all the time. I usually have to be in the place where they died. Or where they’re buried if they died peacefully or were put to rest.” “Oooh!” They all say unanimously. “Mr. Six…” Scootaloo starts. “Just Six, please. Mr. Six makes me sound old.” “R-Right. Six, is it scary?” “To see them? Not anymore. I used to be terrified if I saw one that died violently. They look how they did as they died, so you can imagine how twisted and mangled some ghosts have been.” They all look scared. “But, I help them get closure, and they can ascend to Heaven.” “Wait...Do ya believe in Heaven?” Applebloom asks. “Yeah…” I should keep these kids as innocent as I can. Six, it would be better to be honest with them about it. They might avoid poor decisions in the future. You’re right. “...because I’ve been to Hell.” They jump a little as I say that. “Y-Ya mean Tartarus, right?” “No. I mean Hell.” I say solemnly. They all look scared. “I-It’s real?” “Very. And it’s worse than you can ever imagine…” They cuddle together, shaking a little. “H-How did you get there?” Sweetie squeaks. “.....” I roll up my sleeve, showing them the deep gash running from wrist to elbow. “The Express way…” They tear up. “Y….You d-d-d….” “I died.” I finish flatly. “Why?!” Diamond shouts. “.....I couldn’t take life anymore. I was completely alone. My father left when I was young, my mother was gone, and my sister….was dead.” Diamond reels back a little. “When I got there, the Devil himself met me there. And he took pity on me, saying I was too young to deserve to be in Hell. But, I was sent there for all the burdens I had taken from everyone.” “Th-The Devil?!” “Yes. So, he made a deal with me. He knew about my ability, so he said to me that if he could possess me and use me to send demons back to Hell, I could live again and earn my way to Heaven. And I agreed.” They look really scared, except Diamond. Diamond looks really sad. “S-So, you’re possessed by the Devil?” Scootaloo squeaks. I slowly take the blindfold off, letting Shade take over. They squeak when they see my red, goat eyes. “Yes. He is. It’s not ideal, but I’m here.” They back away a little. “Don’t be afraid. I’m not evil. I only punish the guilty. And none of you are guilty.” Diamond shakily walks up to me, and I look up at her. She suddenly slaps me hard across the face. Everyone gasps, but she cries. “WHY DID YOU TAKE HIM!? HE’S SO NICE! AND YOU TOOK HIM TO...to...HE DIDN’T DESERVE IT!” I rub my cheek. It didn’t hurt my face, but it hurt my heart. “I didn’t want to. I have no control over who goes where. But, I sent him back here because I agree with you. He doesn’t deserve to be in Hell.” “....I’m not thanking you…” “I wasn’t expecting you to.” My eyes turn to normal and I grab her, hugging her close. “I’m not going anywhere ever again.” She sobs into my shoulder, squeezing me tightly. “I won’t forgive you if you do…” “It’s a promise.” I smile.
Six: Ch.26[Canterlot: Celestia’s P.O.V.] “A witch? Why would a witch be in Ponyville?” I ask myself, reading a recently received scroll. “Sister! I have good news!” Luna exclaims, barging into my bedchamber. “What is it, Luna?” I ask, hiding the scroll. “I’ve found a fitting body for Shade to possess!” “Have you now? How did you do it?” “I was doing research in the library, and I found a book about forging familiars and golems! And I think I can make a body strong enough to host him!” “This truly is wonderful news! Sister, why don’t you visit him in his dreams? I have something I must attend to.” She nods and leaves. I hold up the scroll again, reading it slowly: “I’m coming for your nephilim. Don’t bother to hide it. Signed, The Witch Brothel Head: M.” [Meanwhile: Shade’s P.O.V.] I chuckle to myself as I sit on my throne of the damned, their agony music to my ears. This is truly a pleasant dream. “It’s rude to intrude on others, Luna.” I say flatly, seeing her hair flowing gently in the non-existent breeze. “This is what you look like? Normally?” She asks, sounding a bit flustered. I stand and grin proudly, my jet-black hair tied in a single ponytail behind my head, and my piercing red eyes look over to her. My body was flawless and tanned, unlike my counterpart. And not a scratch was on me. On my back sat the tattered, burned, and frayed remains of my wings. “It is. Are you scared?” “N-No….Quite the opposite, actually.” “You’re quite forward for a princess in the villain’s castle.” I smirk, turning to face her. I fixed my suit jacket and tightened my tie a little. “I hardly think you a villain, Shade.” “In my domain, I go by Kane.” “Kane? Wasn’t he…?” “Yes. THAT Kane. That’s me.” “But, what about…” “Lucifer? He was killed by archangels millenia ago. I took the throne.” “That’s horrible…” “It was befitting of the King. But, now I hold the title of ‘The Devil’ as you all love to say.” “I’ve come to talk to you about your own body.” “Have you? What news?” “I think I can make you one, but it’s highly advanced magic…” “Why did you really come here, Luna.” She gasps softly. “Let me guess. You think I could assist you with this spell, correct? Unfortunately, my own magic is limited in his body, but i could always cut a deal.” “A-A deal? What kind of deal?” “It’s simple. I’ll give you some of my Hell Magic, but…” “But? But what?” I grab her shoulders and pull her close, ignoring how beautiful she looked in the dim candle light. “You have to promise me that you will exorcise me if I ever do anything unnecessarily evil.” “E-exorcise?! B-But, won’t that…” “Express ticket to Hell. I know. And I can’t ask anyone else. Because if you take this deal, you’ll be strong enough to do it. Six, he….doesn’t know the full extent of his powers yet. He’s too weak. Promise me, Luna.” She tears up a little and nods. “Good. One fair caution for you. Do not try to bring back the dead. Any other magic you learn you can try, but don’t resurrect the dead. That’s a sin directly against God.” She nods. I touch her forehead. “Wake up.” [Canterlot: Luna’s P.O.V.] I gasp and sit up abruptly, coated in sweat and breathing heavily. My whole body felt hot, like I was just in an oven. And my head was pounding in my ears, the pain dull but constant. “Did...it work?” I get up to stand, and notice I feel a bit off-balance. “What the…” I look myself over. I seem perfectly normal...wait…. I rush over to my vanity and look in the mirror. My nightgown looked almost painted onto my body, as if I had grown since I had fallen asleep! And my breasts are…. I look down and yelp, crossing my arms over my chest. They bulge around them. They got bigger…. “Damn it, Shade!!” I shout. [Ponyville: Six’s P.O.V.] That’s Kane to you… Huh? Nothing. Wake up. My eyes snap open and I sit up, looking around. It looked to be about midnight…...midnight…. I FORGOT ABOUT THE DATE!!! I tense up hard as I hear a low growl from the corner of the room. I shakily look over, only to meet those glowing, green eyes again. But, something was different. They were lower than before. I grab my candle and light it, looking back in the corner. Nothing was there. “What the f-” “You forgot.” “WAAGH!” I shriek, hearing the voice behind me suddenly. I fall off the bed in a heap of blankets. “Wh-wh-wh-Applejack?! H-How did you get in here? M-My room’s on the second floor!” I throw the blankets off, only to see those eyes inches from mine. She seems to have only done a partial change. Her figure was the same, but she had pawed hands, canine legs and pawed feet, wolf ears, and her many, many, many sharp teeth. Teeth, of which, were bared at me. “L-Listen, I-I just got caught up with D-Diamond an-” She grabs my shirt and pushes me into the ground, growling deeply in my ear as she leans down. Her chest was pressed firmly against mine. “No excuses.” She suddenly rips my nightshirt off my body and nuzzles into my bare chest hard. All I can do is stare down at her, shaking slightly. “A-A-A-Applejack?” Her gaze snaps up to meet mine and she growls. “Shut up.” I gulp and nod. She grabs the hem of my pants and starts to tug, but I grab them quickly. “H-Hey! Don’t do that!” She growls and yanks hard, ripping them apart. I take that chance to crawl back a few feet, but my back meets a wall. Her gaze bares down on me as she crawls over on all fours, her tail swishing like a predator stalking prey. Shade!? Sombre!? Do something!! I-I can’t. Our minds are blocked out! Her gaze! You need to cover your eyes! I-I...I can’t! My body won't move! She gets centimeters from my face, her teeth bared at me. I stare back at her, shaking. I can barely see her with the blindfold on! Blindfold… Blindfold! Sombre, teleport my blindfold off! He snaps my fingers, and it vanishes from my face. One shot at this. Please work on you… I stare dead into her eyes, keeping mine as wide as possible. She steps back a little, her body trembling a bit. It’s working! I shakily start to stand, my stare never breaking from hers. She backs up slowly before finally sitting down, looking at the floor. She whines softly. “No fair…” I sigh and cough, rubbing my eyes. I tie the blindfold back on and look back at her. “What the Hell was that about?!” I shout. She grumbles. “I admit that I forgot the date, and I’m sorry. But what the fuck were you about to do to me?!” “Mate you.” My face burns bright red. That was unexpected. “What!?” “Mate you.” “Y-y-you said that! And where’s your accent!?” “Don’t know.” I groan and gather the tatters of my clothes. “At least you backed down. Sorry for doing that to you, but i couldn’t think of anything else to do.” “M-Master…” I stop abruptly, that word ringing in my head. I look back at her again. “Wh-what did you say?” “Master!” She looks up at me, her demeanor more like a happy dog as her tail wags. “..........I’m gonna go take a bath now…” I throw away the remnants of my clothes and go into the bathroom, shutting the door. I strip what’s left of me off and I get into the bath, sighing softly from the warm water. Guess I forgot to drain it earlier… I hear shuffling and look over, seeing her with her face buried in my laundry hamper. “H-Hey! What’re you doing in there?!” She pulls her head out. A sock was sitting on her head. “Master’s smell.” “Why aren’t you saying more than two words!?” “Don’t know.” I think her brain in this stage can’t form coherent sentences. So she’s still Applejack, but not all Applejack. Ah… “Applejack, I’m sorry I missed our date last night. But, why don’t we do it today? I’ll swing by the farm after dropping off Diamond, and we’ll spend the whole day together. Okay?” “Sleep here.” “Eh?” “Sleep. Here.” She leaves the bathroom back to the bedroom, and I hear my mattress squeak. I sigh and lean back a little. “Why do I get the weird ones…” “Heard you.” I sigh and facepalm. “Crap…” I finish up my bath and throw on my clean clothes. When I step back into the bedroom, AJ was still half-wolf. But, she was also wearing one of my nightshirts. “Damn it…” I gather her jeans and blouse and I fold them up, setting them on my dresser before I grab a blanket from the footchest and lay on the floor. This is twice I’ve been on the floor… Better than the alternative. I yawn and curl up under the blanket, dozing off to sleep. [Somewhere on the Outskirts of Ponyville: Unknown’s P.O.V.] “Do we have the rest of the preparations made, sisters?” The mysterious hooded woman asks her group. The three others nod. One stirs the contents of a chauldron while another two chant something in a foreign language. “Finally, after so many years, we’ve found it. And it won’t be able to escape this time…”
Six: Ch.27I yawn and grunt, sitting up from the floor. I rub my eyes and lean back a little, but my hands rest on something soft. “What the…” I gently squeeze it, and hear a moan in return. I yelp and look down, seeing my hand on AJ’s breast. She was curled up next to where I was, thankfully normal again. I leap up from the floor and scramble over to the dresser, blushing like a madman. I grab my clothes, and I hear a yawn behind me. “Mm….mornin, Six.” “.....mhm…..” I blush even harder, my eyes glued to my choice of clothes for the day. I hear her get up and walk into the bathroom, shutting the door. I quickly check myself over. I’m clean. Did she do anything last night? No. After you went to bed, she just came down next to you and went to sleep. Oh, thank God… I assure you he has nothing to do with this… I throw on my clothes for the day: a pair of jeans and a long-sleeve grey shirt. I yawn again. “Big Brother!” I hear Diamond call from the hallway. “Aren’t you gonna walk with me to school?” “Uh, yeah! Gimme a sec!” I call back. I throw on my shoes and socks and start to leave when a hand grabs my shoulder firmly. “Where do ya think yer goin?” “T-To take Diamond to school?” “Ah’m goin with ya. No runnin off today.” I look back behind me, seeing AJ already fully clothed, hat and all. “A-alright. But, uh...I-I don’t think it’s a good idea to be in my room right now...Maybe you could meet us out front?” “Why? Ah’m yer girlfriend.” “My g-We haven’t even started dating yet!” I whisper-yell. “We just slept together. Don’t that count fer somethin?” I groan. “AJ, you got on the floor with me after I slept down there. That doesn’t count. It was against my will. So, go wait out front for me.” She huffs and goes over to the balcony, jumping down to the ground without a word. “Thank God…” I open the bedroom door, smiling down at Diamond. “Sorry for the wait. Needed a sec.” She looks around behind me. “Did you sleep on the ground?” “Uuuh, yeah! The, uh...the bed was a bit too warm last night. So I took the blanket down to the floor.” She hums to herself for a moment. “Alright! Then let’s go!” She grabs my arm and pulls me along the hallway and down the stairs. As we head outside, I see Applejack waiting patiently at the front gate. “Huh? Isn’t that Applejack? Why is she here?” “I guess she’s just here to see me. She is my friend, you know.” We approach her, and I smile. “Morning, Applej-” I’m cut off as she grabs my shirt collar and yanks me close, kissing me out of nowhere. I tense up, unable to do anything. Then, just as fast as it happens, she drops me and chuckles. “Mornin.” I look at her, touching my lips a little. “What the…” “Is she your girlfriend, Big Brother?!” Diamond yells, yanking on my shirt. I remain silent, getting up from the floor and dust myself off. “Let’s get you to school, eh?” I pick Diamond up onto my shoulder and start off towards town. I can hear AJ following me close behind, and I can feel her eyes burrowing into my skull. “Big Brother, when were you gonna tell me you had a girlfriend?” “....She’s not. We have a date today. She just felt like doing that, I guess.” “Oh…” I look over, seeing AJ right beside me. She grabs my arm and hugs it to her chest, her breasts squishing around it. I blush hard. I try to pull my arm away, but her supernatural strength trumps mine easily. I sigh and just try to ignore how soft she was….No! Bad brain! We finally get to the school, and I set Diamond down, hugging her close. “Have a good day, okay? Dad’s picking you up today, right?” She nods. “Alright. Say hi to Silver for me, would you?” “Okay, Big Brother.” I smile as she heads back into the school. Before I can even have a second thought, I’m yanked over to AJ’s side. “Where are we goin, sugarcube?” “I-I, uh...I dunno….” *He’s gonna be mine tonight. Ah ain’t sharin him with none of the girls.* Let go of me, damn it! I don’t want to read her mind! I try to tug my arm away, but she refuses to let go. “Let’s go have breakfast, then. Sugarcube Corner should be open.” AJ suggests. “O-Okay…” I say as she drags me along behind her. *Why won’t he treat me like his girlfriend? Am ah just not good enough for him?* “AJ….” I gather every ounce of willpower I have and wrap my arm around her waist. She lets out a little gasp, looking up at me. “I’m buying you breakfast, you know.” I smile warmly. “A-Alright…” She replies, blushing. This is so bizarre… Touch the butt… What? No! My hand is staying right where it is! We finally approach Sugarcube Corner. Wait...Oh, fuck my life… “Hi! Welcome t-” Pinkie starts, but instantly falls silent upon seeing AJ and I together, and my arm around her waist. “Howdy, Pinks! Ya mind gettin us a table please?” She smiles. *That dang cat ain’t takin him from me again...Ah knew she tried when ah smelled her on him.* Pinkie nods with a smile, leading us to a table. I sit down, and AJ sits to my left. Pinkie sits to my right and grabs my other arm, hugging it. She’s even softer than AJ… *I’m not sharing him, Applejack...Does he know what she is? I bet he’d leave if he knew.* Pinkie thinks. Woah...That’s a bit harsh… *Ah wonder if he knows whut she is? Ah bet he’d leave if he knew* AJ thinks. What the fuck is this?! Why are they fighting?! They’re friends! “Six, I gotta tell you something!” They both say at the same time. I grab both of their hands and get up, pulling them back behind the counter into the kitchen and shutting the door. “Sixie, why are we back here?” Pinkie asks. “Yeah. Ain’t supposed ta be back here!” “What. The fuck. Do you two want from me?” I ask, trying to stay calm. “What do ya mean?” “You both are fighting over me for some fucking reason, and I want to know why. And, for the record, I know what both of you are.” They look at each other. “Ya told him?!” “Me? You did it too!” “Enough!” I yell, the lights suddenly going out. They both squeak. “You two need to learn that I am not some kind of object to be won. I’m a person. And neither of you can have me. Because both of you seem to just want me, nothing more. And I won’t tolerate that.” I walk out of the kitchen and slam the door behind me, leaving them in darkness. I huff angrily and storm out, going back through town towards the Everfree. I sit just inside the forest under a tree, leaning back a bit. Those damn girls aren’t going to give up, are they? Unlikely. “U-Um….Excuse me...sir?” I hear a soft voice ask. I look behind the tree, seeing a girl with yellow and red hair standing there. She was thin, and her red dress was dirty and tattered. “Oh, my God!” I jump up and rush to her side. “Are you okay? What happened?! Are you hurt?” “I-I don’t think so...C-Could you hold something for me?” She asks weakly. I nod. “Of course. Take it easy.” I hold up her arm as she holds out what looks like a very old coin. *He has no idea that I’m tricking him. Hehehe~ As soon as he takes it, he’ll be rendered unconscious! Oh, the sisters will be so happy to hear I caught it!* I let go of her and back away. “Who are you? And who are your sisters?” She looks at me, wide eyed. “Y-you...read my mind?” “Why did you call me an it?! I’m a he, thank you!” She raises her hand to me. Wait, she’s not a unicorn. She’s an earth pony. Why the Hell is she- A red glyph appears in front of her raised hand, and it was covered in runic symbols. Six, run. What? RUN! I make a mad dash back towards town, narrowly missing a bold of red lightning that strikes the ground to my right. What the Hell is that!? She’s using Hell Magic! Either she’s a demon, or a witch! Fuck my life! I sprint straight into the castle and slam the doors shut. “TWILIGHT!!! WE HAVE A PROBLEM!!” She suddenly appears in the entryway, and I rush up to her and grab her, running down the hall. “Hey! Six, what’s going on!?” “I’m being chased by an Earth Pony using Hell Magic!” We both jump as we hear the castle doors explode open. Twilight whistles loudly. “SPIIIIKE!!!” I hear a loud roar from up ahead, and duck just in time as a huge, green and purple dragon flies overhead and lands between us and the crazy woman chasing me. “HOW DID YOU GET A DRAGON IN HERE!?” “No time to explain!” She shakes my grip off her. “Get down to the dungeon and hide. I’ll come down once I’ve taken care of this one.” Her form changes to her demihuman form, and I rush down the hall and down into the basement. [Twilight’s P.O.V.] I raise my hand, my palms igniting in green fire. I hear a laugh as I walk to the side of Spike. There, a few meters away, was a yellow and red haired woman wearing a red cloak and pointed cap with little horns on it. “You honestly think you can beat me, Twilight? You may be a Princess, but I have Hell on my side.” She laughs arrogantly. I pat Spike’s tail, his normal form towering above me. “Spike, would you please?” He growls with a grin. “With pleasure.” He take s a teed breath and spews a massive plume of green fire out of his mouth at her. She quickly raises her hand and summons a magic shield to block it. I knew she would. I teleport behind her and grab the back of her neck. “Paralyze!” She yelps as my hand glows. I drop her, and she flops to the ground, twitching a little. Spike changes back to his humanoid form and goes over to me. “Are you alright, Twilight?” “Just fine. This was too easy...I don’t like this. Go check on Six.” He nods and flies down into the dungeon. I grab the witch by her neck and pin her to the castle wall. “Why were you going after Six?!” She laughs. “Don’t you get it? He isn’t human! And my sisters will have him, and we'll all live forever!” “What are you talking about? He’s just a human! He just has the ability to-” “See the dead. And demons. And he can read minds with a touch and see without any light. He can even see souls. Do the math, Princess.” My grip falters a little as I think. “No….It’s not possible. They don’t exist!” “Not they. Just one. And you’ve just made him target number one.” With a burst of smoke, she vanishes. I cough and wave the smoke out of my face. It’s not possible….That’s impossible! He can’t be a…. “Twilight, he’s okay! Is it safe to bring him back up?” “Y-Yes!” It explains so much...Why he can see the dead, and demons….why he can force happy thoughts with his golden eyes...why he can see without his eyes...It all fits...but, does he even know it? “Twi! Are you okay? Who was that?!” Six calls, rushing to my side. “That was a witch...She was coming after you because…” Can I really tell him what he is? If he doesn’t know, he could become exponentially more dangerous. No, I can’t tell him. “...of your ability to see the dead. They were trying to use you for some kind of necromancy. And now, you’re in danger.” Spike looks at me, confused. I shake my head, and he nods. “Six, I’m writing to the Princesses. Spike will escort you home. I’ll be there afterwards.” He nods and Spike leads him out. I go into the library and shut the door. I summon a scroll and Quill, and I start to write. “Dear Princess Celestia. We have a massive problem. I believe that Six…..may be a nephilim...”
Six: Ch.28[Canterlot: Celestia’s P.O.V.] I drop the scroll in my hand, a shocked look on my face. “G-Guards!” I shout. Three guards burst in, spears drawn. “What is it, Princess?” “Bring me Sixth Sense and the Elements of Harmony right now! It’s an emergency!” They rush out without another word. Luna bursts in, and...woah… “Sister, what’s happening?!” “L-Luna….something’s….different about you…” She was slightly taller than me now, and her bust was almost my size. She was wearing a corset under her dress, and she looked much more attractive than I’ve seen her before. I couldn’t stop from blushing. “Indeed. I, well...um….I spoke with Shade...He may have, uh….shared his magic with me.” “H-His magic did th-this?” She raises an eyebrow. “Sister, are you alright? You’re awfully red…” “Sister, what magic is this? I...Can’t draw my gaze from you…” She quickly grabs a blanket and covers herself, and I feel my body calm. “What...was that?” “Well, I….I don’t…” “Luna, what did Shade do to you!?” “A-Actually….he’s called Kane.” “Wait...as in Kane and Able!?” She nods slowly. “And you trusted him!?” “H-He and I love each other! And he shared his magic with me!” “Sister, he made you a succubus! This is bad! You need to hide your body until we can reverse this!” “I...may have made a deal with him…” “WHAT!?” [Six’s P.O.V.] I yawn and rub my eyes, looking around the library. I must’ve dozed off. But it wasn't just me and Twilight anymore. All the girls were there, sitting around me. “Six, are you okay?” Twilight asks. “Mm….Yeah...I just was tired, I guess. Why are all of you here?” “We got a letter of summons from the Princess. She’s sending a carriage to get us.” Twi answers, sounding nervous. I reach to take her hand, but she backs away a little. I sigh and cross my arms. “Why are we being summoned in the middle of the night? Does it have to do with the witch?” “Witch!? What witch, darling?” Rarity asks, sounding scared. “The one that chased me down and tried to kidnap me. Twilight didn’t tell any of you?” Pinkie and AJ cling to my arms, glaring daggers at each other. *I won’t let let any witch take Six away.* They both think. Fuck… “Well, since I figure I’m going to be put on lockdown for a while, I should tell you all that you’re all my friends. But you shouldn’t try to fight over me. I’m talking to you two, AJ. Pinkie. I’m entrusting my life to you. And we’re sure that Diamond and my family are okay?” “Yes. I sent Spike to watch them. They’ll be fine.” Twilight reassures me. “Okay. So, what is Spike exactly?” I ask. Twilight’s eyes widen, and she shakes her head. No more fucking lies. “No. What is he? I saw him as some huge-ass dragon! Is that normal?” “Twilight! You let Six see him like that?” Twilight cringes a bit. “I...may have...a little…” The rest of the group groans. I look around at them, super confused. “Twilight, yer not supposed ta show anybody his form!” “I know….” “Hey, take it easy!” I shout. “Applejack, you have no room to talk. Or you, Pinkie. Hell, not even Twilight.” Rarity, Dash, and Fluttershy look at them, concerned. “Y-You showed him your forms?” Shy stutters. “It weren’t on purpose! It was durin full moon week! Ah didn’t smell him followin me, and...his leg was mah fault…” “AJ, I don’t blame you for...wait, you all know!? And you didn’t tell me this beforehand?!” “Six….We’re all...well….less than human.” Twilight says. Excuse me, whaaaat? That’s what I was thinking… “Then...What are the rest of you!? I know Twilight’s a hakutaku, I know Pinkie’s a rapist…” Pinkie pouts. “I mean, a Cheshire Cat, and AJ’s a werewolf. But, ALL OF YOU!?” Rarity sighs. “Indeed, we are. We were sent here to assure no innocent souls were hurt or killed.” “By who!?” By me….Oh, fuck. I forgot about them… WHAT?! They’re Hell Knights, each a different species of demon. None of them wish harm on the innocent, so I sent them here to protect this place. Why this place?! Because you were here. They were all sent to locations surrounding your childhood home to prevent other forces from trying to attack you. Why would they!? I’m just a psychic! That’s it! That’s...not entirely true. What are you talking about!? It’s best not to know for now. Ugh...whatever… “You six have done a wonderful job protecting him, but don’t tell him what he is. It may put the world at risk.” “Shade, what are you talkin about?” AJ asks. “Ego sum magister vester.” They all gasp and quickly kneel at my feet. “Lift your heads. No one must know it’s me in here. Only Luna knows, and she is one of you now.” “She is?” Twilight asks, getting up. “I’ve granted her the soul of a succubus.” “Master, you always loved a girl with power.” Rarity giggles. “You all must protect Six with your lives. His power mustn't fall into the hands of those witches, or anyone.” They all nod. AJ raises her hand a little. “This isn’t a classroom, Applejack. Speak.” “M-Master...is it okay….if ah serve Six now?” The others agree. I look at them, frankly a bit shocked. “Why the sudden change of heart?” “He’s a good man...And he deserves happiness, and we’ve agreed that we can provide it for him. But...we can’t decide which of us it should be…” “Applejack...Listen well. All of you. His love must be earned. And none of you have done more than molest him. I have seen all he has, and I’m ashamed of you. You should know he isn’t like that. Earn his love through experiences. Understand that?” They nod. “Celestia has sent guards to bring us all to Canterlot. You six will be questioned by your Princess. Meanwhile, Luna will be giving me a new body, and I won’t be with Six anymore. I’ll stay by Luna’s side, and I’ll be visiting rarely. If he dies on your watch, I will be sure to make you suffer in ways that not even you can imagine.” They gasp and gulp. Fluttershy looks like she’s on the verge of tears. “Now, excuse me. You have guests.” I blink a few times and look around. “What just happened?” “N-Nothing, Six…” Twi says. “Just talking with an old friend.” The library doors open, and several dozen guards burst in. “Come with us. All of you.” One of them orders. I stand and follow them outside, where I’m bound in chains and thrown into the back of the carriage. When I come to, I was chained to the wall in what looks like a dungeon. “Damn it….Why am I here?!” The door of the cell opens, and Luna walks in, shrouded in a cloak. “Kane…” “Is it ready?” “Yes. But, I warn you. This is going to be painful for both of you.” “I’m well aware of that.” She nods and sets down a little clay doll at my feet. She walks over to my side and touches my bare chest. A black ring with Hellish Runes appear, swirling rapidly. “Venit domum ad me dominus meus.” She chants slowly, touching the chest of the short, beige doll. I scream in agony as I feel my soul being ripped apart. I tug and writhe around in the chains, screaming so loudly that my voice cuts off. My eyes start bleeding, dripping down my cheeks to my chest. A ball of black energy is slowly pulled from my chest, and I black out as soon as it’s out. [Luna’s P.O.V.] “Venit domum ad me dominus meus.” I chant again, touching the doll’s chest again. The orb floats down and disappears into the doll. After several seconds, it starts growing taller, it's form shifting and changing to match his appearance in his dreams. Our dreams. As he grows to full size, he gasps and stretches his new limbs. He stretches a bit and kneels down in front of Six, who was crying and drooling blood. He presses his forehead to Six’s and the blood is pulled back into his body. I grab my cloak and throw it over Six, and he chuckles. “Fourteen years in this body...It feels bizarre to have my own again…” His voice is much deeper, almost sinister. “Kane….How do you feel?” He turns to me and grins, his eyes his own. “Fantastic.” With a snap, we both vanish into my bedchambers. [Six’s P.O.V. three hours later] I scream myself to consciousness, looking around frantically. I was still in the dungeon, alone. What the fuck happened? Shade is no longer here. It’s just me. What?! He...is he dead? No. In a new body. He decided that you would be killed of you were found to have evil magic in you. So, he gained a new form, and I eradicated the remaining evil. You are pure again. I sigh and look up above me. It was sundown. “How long have I been out?” “Three hours, eighteen minutes.” “Ah. Thanks…” The cell door opens, and a guard steps in. “We’ll be going to see the Princess. Don’t try anything funny.” “I won’t…” He unlocks my chains and grabs my hair, pulling me along with him up several flights of stairs. When we do get to the throne room, I’m knocked to my knees with spears to my neck. “Welcome back, Six.” Celestia smiles warmly. “Guards, I told you to go easy on him. He’s a guest.” They raise their spears and leave. I get up and dust myself off, hugging the cloak to my body. “I see you’re looking...well. I’ve heard some interesting things about you, and your eyes. May I see them?” She asks, standing to her full height. I back up a little as she approaches me, her elegant grace very intimidating. I shakily take the blindfold off and look up into her eyes. She smiles. “I can see the rumors are true. I feel true happiness in this gaze. Six, do you know what you are?” “No, I d-I wouldn’t if I was you, Celestia.” “Aah, Sombre I assume. You’re the one who almost killed him before, yes?” “I won’t deny that. But I have no interest in that anymore.” “Is that so? That means you live to do what exactly?” “Protect Six.” [Celestia’s P.O.V.] “I see…..and, what if I were to, say...kill him. What would you d-” Before I can finish, he was right in front of me with his glowing hand millimeters from my chest. His eyes were emotionless; expressionless. Grey. “I would tear your heart out before you could even blink.” I stumble back onto my throne. I can’t help but laugh. “It was all hypothetical, of course. I just wanted to see if I could trust you. Because, you know what he is, don’t you?” “Of course. He and I are one. I’m his angelic side. Rational, fierce, unemotional. Born to kill.” “I see….Why didn’t you fight against this...witch?” “He was told to hide, so we hid.” “You listen to me, and listen well. If he falls into their hands, it could mean catastrophe for us. Do you get that?” “Of course.” He relaxes, standing at my feet. “Good. Until we can deal with these witches, you and the Elements will be kept here, under close watch. You will no longer be allowed to be alone at any moment in time. In that time, I ask one thing of you.” “Name it.” “Can you merge your consciousnesses?” “It is possible. But unsafe.” “Keep vigilance. Don’t let your guard down at any moment in time. And take over if you must to save him or my Elements.” “I do not follow your laws, for you are not my ruler. But, I will obey.” “Good. Thank you. You may go.” He bows slightly and leaves. As the palace doors shut, I clutch my chest, trying to slow my frantically beating heart. He really is dangerous….
Six: Ch.6[Six POV] “Twilight, I can walk on my own, just let go of my arm…” I groan, my shoulder sore. “No can do! Until you can see by yourself, I’m taking you everywhere.” I groan and huff, defeated. I can hear the soft wingbeats of Dash and Shy behind me, and all the murmurs of the people in town. “Who’s he?” “That looks a bit like that guy from the party the other day…” “No way, that guy was tiny! He’s hunky~” “Lyra!” “Bon Booon, let me touch him!” “Absolutely not! Do not touch Six at any point unless I say so!” Twilight shouts over the crowd. “Yes, Princess.” They reply. “Awe….” I hear the now named Lyra whine. “Twilight...How...many people can see me?” “Don’t worry about it! Hehehehe….” THAT MANY!? We finally stop walking outside the boutique, and Twilight knocks. “Just a minute~!” That’s Rarity. I hear the door open, and Rarity gasps loudly. “Oh, my! Twilight, who’s this you’ve found~?” “Hey...Rarity.” “Six?! Is that you, darling? What happened?” She asks, sounding mostly concerned, but there’s a hint of something else in her voice… “We can explain later. Rarity, he needs new clothes. His-” “Are clearly too small for him now. Oh, and they were such fun to make, too.” I can actually hear her pouting… “Well, come in!” Twilight leads me inside, and I take the blindfold off finally. “My, my….You’ve grown all over, haven’t you?” Rarity grins. Oh, look, a piece of thread on the floor! “Twilight, what happened to his...well, body? And not just his size. The poor dear’s scarred all over!” Twilight explains everything to her, and I can feel Rarity’s eyes glued on me the whole time. “Oh...oh, my….I couldn’t imagine what Sweetie Belle would do if I was gone… I’m so sorry…” “It’s okay, Rarity. Not your fault…” “Well, enough of the sad talk. Let’s get you fitted! But for this new outfit, you can’t have your shirt on. They'll interfere with my measurements.” “Hey! You just wanna see him naked, don’t you!” Dash yells. I forgot they were there! “Wh-oh, heavens no! No, darling. You have the wrong idea...hahaha….maybe a little bit?” “YOU TOO!?” Dash and Twilight shout at her. I sigh and shrug my shirt off. “Just..hurry up, okay? This is embarrassing….” She beams and grabs her tape measure, going up under my arms, around my waist, and across my chest. She does it by hand, though. “Wouldn’t it be easier to use magic?” I ask. “Well, yes. I suppose so, but this is more precise.” I shrug. She smiles after she measures my legs and thighs. “You’ll have to spread your legs a bit, darling. Can’t get this wrong.” I blush hotly. “C-can’t you use magic for this one…?” “Oh, no no. Hands on is much easier…” I blush even harder and widen my stance a bit. She presses the tape measure from my ankle up to my groin, and I look away as her hand hits my package. “H-huge….” The other three gasp. I back away and chuckle. “Alright, done with that….I’m gonna go outside. You four stay. Please…” I put my blindfold back on and walk outside, sighing with relief. “Guess this body gets more girls than my other one….But is that better, or worse? I want my girlfriend one day to like me for me, not what I can do…” I feel around the building and sit when I think I reach the back of the building. “I want my old body back… This one draws too much attention…” “Like yer other one didn’t?” I scream unintentionally and jump up. “Wh-wh-wh-wh-APPLEJACK? You scared the Hell out of me!” “Awe, shucks. Didn’t mean ta. But whut happened ta you? Ya got all buff n tall. Damn near look like Mac.” “Not you too….” “Whut?” I explain everything to her. “Gosh, ah’m real sorry ta hear bout yer sis. Applebloom’d be crushed if ah… Anyway, so the others are crushin on ya?” “Yeah….And it’s not that I don’t appreciate it. It’s just...I want someone who’ll like me for me, not just this...weird new body…” “Six, it ain’t weird. If whut ya said is true, this is what yer supposed ta look like. That damned demon probably kept ya small so he could control ya easier.” “I….never thought of it that way…” “Hey, ya never said what the blindfold’s fer. Ya beatin up a pinata?” “No, nothing like that. Princess Celestia told me to wear this so I don’t accidentally take in anymore burdens from eye contact. And I’d take it off now, but we may not be completely alone.” “Uh, nope. Yer sittin just outside the door.” I’ve been in plain view this whole time?! “Hey, Six. If ya got some time today, why don’tcha join me at the farm? Ah could teach ya how ta Apple buck!” “Uuh...okay? I guess I can. But I need my clothes from Rarity, first…” “Ya’ll can borrow some of Mac’s clothes. Come on!” She helps me up, and she leads me to the farm. Finally, I’m not being dragged anywhere….I was worried that Applejack’d pull my arm out of place…. “Hey, Applejack? Aren’t I about your height?” “Yeah, just above actually. Why?” “Is Mac my height?” “Oh, Mac’s taller. But we kept some of his older clothes. They ought ta fit.” How tall is he?! I know we’re close when I start to smell apples. “Applejack! Yer home!” I hear a tiny voice squeak, and AJ laughs. “Applebloom! Ain’t ya supposed ta be helpin Mac in the barn?” “Well, ah mean….Who’s that?” She asks. “Applebloom, this is Six. He’s helpin me apple buck today.” Applebloom gasps loudly. “He’s the guy that talked ta Granny?! But, you said he was shorter…” “Well, he grew. Now, git goin. Ya’ll can meet him when ya get yer chores done.” I hear her run, and I peek under the blindfold. She was small, maybe in her late teens, and she was wearing a yellow dress with a big red bow in her hair. No burden. “Thank Celestia… She’s burdenless. Most children are.” Applejack chuckles. “Well, since ya kinda met her already, why don’t ah introduce ya to Mac?” “Well, uh...I guess so…” She pats my back and leads me to what I can assume is a barn by the smell of hay. “Big Mac, ya in here?” AJ calls. “Eeyup.” A deep, soul-shaking voice responds. “Come out and meet Six.” I hear approaching footsteps, then they stop. “Six, this is Mac. Mac, Six.” “H-Hi there…” “Eeyup…” “Uuh...He’s the one ah told ya about...that talked ta Granny.” “Eeyup.” I chuckle. “Is...is he staring at me?” “He don’t talk much. But he’s tryin ta say that it’s nice ta meet ya. Ain’t that right, Mac?” “Eeyup.” I chuckle. “Nice to, uh..m-meet you too.” I feel a huge hand on my shoulder. No burdens again. Thank you, Celestia… The footsteps leave, and I sigh heavily. “He sounded huge...And he’s burdenless. If we can go somewhere away from prying eyes, I can take this stupid thing off…” “A-Ah can take ya to the west orchard. Only Mac and Ah go back there.” “Alright. Lead the way, then.” She leads me along, but I have to follow her footsteps. She’s not talking. “Did...I say something?” “Eh? No, nono! Just, ah’m a little hungry. And ah think we’re far enough away now.” I nod and take the blindfold off, looking at AJ. She indeed was slightly shorter than me, and had a slight blush on her face. “Well, ah’ll show ya how ta do it. Here, can ya stand like this?” She gets into a fighting stance. I mimic her. “Now, whut ya gotta do is kick the tree as hard as ya can. Ha!” She slams her foot into it, rattling every apple out of it. “Now, yer turn.” I look down at my shoes, which I just now noticed I had a lack of. “I-I don’t have my shoes! I must’ve left them at the hospital. I-I guess I can try without them.” I get in front of another tree and get into a fighting stance. “Ha!” I kick the tree as hard as I can. With a loud crack, I drop to the ground. “Ooow! Damn it, my ankle!” “Are ya alright?!” “I think I sprained it…” “Sprained!? The hay was that crack, then?!” She looks at the tree, which part of the bark had cracked. “Oh...Well, ah need ta wrap it up till we can get ya inside. Gimme yer shirt.” “Eh?! My shirt?!” “Just give it here!” I blush and take it off, giving it to her. She wraps it tightly around my ankle and ties it tightly, making me wince in pain. “Alright. That should do fer now. Can ya stand?” I nod and manage to hop up. She takes my arm and wraps it around her shoulders and hers goes around my waist as she helps me back to the farm. Both of us are blushing. “Th-thanks…” “Don’t mention it. Ain’t nothin…” We get to about halfway in silence before I trip, knocking both of us over. I land on my hands and knees When I open my eyes, I blush madly as AJ was under me, my knees on either side of her right leg, and my hands on the ground on either side of her head. She was blushing even harder than me. I jump up and fall onto my back. “S-sorry! I didn’t watch where I was going!” She sits up and dusts off her hat, putting it back on. “It’s alright…” She helps me back up, and she holds me against her again, and I swear it’s just a little tighter. [Applejack POV] Why am ah blushin so dang hard? He just fell on top of me. It ain’t like it’s the first time somebody fell on me. But, it’d usually be Applebloom….Why was him doin it makin me embarrassed?! I finally get him back to the farm, and I get him inside, sitting him down on the couch. “Ah’ll get ya some bandages. Gimme a sec.” I manage to blurt out before rushing into the bathroom and locking the door. “Whut the hay’s gotten into you, Applejack? Yer actin all twitchy around him! He’s just another guy...right?” I shake my head and grab the first aid kit from the cabinet and I bring it back out to him. He was in the same place, but he had his blindfold on again. “How’s it feelin?” “It still hurts, but I think that the wrap helped alleviate it some. Thanks again…” “Ain’t nothin, still. Now, don’t move.” I untie the shirt from his ankle and carefully unwrap it. His ankle was bruised and swollen slightly. “That’s one nasty sprain ya got there. Lemme clean it up, then ah’ll wrap it with some gauze.” I grab the alcohol pads from the first aid kit and carefully wipe around his ankle before I tightly wrap it from mid shin to mid foot with gauze and tape. “There. Ought ta do it. Wait, ain’t ya a unicorn? Can’t ya just heal it yerself?” “I, uh...I don’t know any spells besides magic cancellation and levitation...Sorry…” “It’s alright. Well, since yer here, would ya like ta….stay fer dinner? Ah’m makin spaghetti.” “I’d...I’d like that a lot. Thank you.” HE SAID YES! “Ah’ll get started!” I jump up and rush into the kitchen. “Hey...Isn’t it only mid-day?” Fiddlesticks….
