The Castle of Friendship (aka Twilight's place)

Looking up to the huge castle, Jason was a little taken aback at the sight.

It seemed to be a mixture of building, tree and some sort of strong looking crystals.

Jason had never seen anything like this before and was at a bit of a loss.

He even stopped and just stared at the castle for a while, just to try and wrap his mind around it.

A voice however cut into his train of thought.

One that was in no way a bother.

"It's quite awe-inspiring isn't it, Jason?" Fluttershy spoke in a warm tone of voice. "I was rather surprised the first time I saw it too."

He glanced down to her as she had a look of remembrance on her face.

"It was a very long day, to say the least." Fluttershy looked up to him with a weak smile.

That smile caused Jason's chest to tighten up ever so slightly.

Bending down somewhat, Jason rested a hand on Fluttershy's withers giving them a gentle caress. "Are you okay?"

Fluttershy placed a hoof on his forearm then smiled a much brighter smile. "Yes, I'm fine."

Jason gazed down upon her for a while, feeling there was something more, but he didn't want to press the issue.

He patted her a few times and peered into her eye's. "Alright, just know I'm here if you need to talk."

Her smile turned to one of appreciation. "Thank You."

After a nod and a few more pets, Jason righted himself then rejoined the others with Fluttershy at his side.

As they rejoined the group, Rarity floated the workout clothes that she had prepared for him with her magic.

"Please change into those and we'll get started." Twilight instructed as she brought a clipboard close to herself.

Jason placed a hand to the first few buttons of his shirt and undone them when Twilight stopped him.

"Wait!" Twilight cleared her throat and blushed slightly. "Spike, could you show Jason to an empty room so he can change, please?"

Spike gave a small salute and said, "Right." before he then turned to Jason with a "This way please." to lead the way into the castle.

As the two depart from the group and enter the crystalline castle, Jason looked over his shoulder to the remaining 7 mares.

They smiled warmly while waving them off.

After the pair had disappeared, the ones who were left behind let out a collective sigh of relief.

"Phew. I don't know why, but when he takes off his clothes, it seems lewder than the average stallion, who are almost always naked." Twilight breathed heavily while also fanning herself with a wing.

Rarity agreed with her friends comment and added in with her own. "Plus, those muscles. I'd bet he could carry two or three of us on his back without any trouble."

Starlight asked a more pressing question. "Why did it seem like he had no qualms of stripping down right here out in the open, in front of us."

Fluttershy leaned in and answered loud enough for every one present. "I think that it's because it was only ever Jason and his mother, so he doesn't know the 'normal' social graces."

The group had an epiphany at her statement, to which they responded with a collective "Ahh...".

"That makes a lot of sense. We should gently guide him through those kinds of things as time goes on." Rarity stated to the agreement of the others.

As the mare's talks had concluded, Spike exited his home with Jason in tow.

Jason carried the shed, folded attire in his arms, bringing them to Fluttershy.

"Would you mind watching over these for me. The book is inside the pile, and I don't want it to be too far from me."

"I'd be glad to." She said as she turned to let him place the garments on her back. She balanced them atop her back using her wings.

After relinquishing the items to his yellow benefactor, he cupped the side of her face in his palm, and gently caressed her cheek with his thumb. "Thank you."

This gesture caused her to blush and lean into the touch. "No problem."

A few more gentle rubs, then Jason turned to Twilight and clasped his hands together. "Alright, where do we start. You said you wanted to run a few tests, yes?"

Twilight nodded to his question. "Indeed. Now then, we had already seen your 'Morph' ability and you have told us a little about your 'Sense' ability. Are there any other abilities you haven't shown us yet?"

Crossing his arms over his chest, resting his elbow in the palm of his left hand, the knuckle of his right hand resting on his chin, he tilted his head in thought. "Well, apart from the new one, there is my 'Shift' and 'Regeneration' abilities. Other than that, I'm a lot stronger than most other people I have met and much sturdier as well."

"What is this 'Shift' ability ya mentioned?" Applejack asked one of many questions on everyponies mind.

"It's like 'Morph' but instead of moving from one place to another in an instant, it moves my cognition at a high rate of speed. It's kind of hard to just explain in words."

"So, it makes you go faster?" Rainbow Dash asked intrigued.

"Correct."

"Well then, let's start with a hundred-meter run. Once normally, then once using shift." Twilight suggested.

Using her magic, she measured out then marked a hundred meters with a start and finish line.

"Now, stand over there and when I say go, run as fast as you can to the other line."

"Alright. Just be forewarned, I haven't run since I died for the second time. That was a very long time ago so I may be a bit rusty." Jason spoke while stretching and walking to the starting line.

"Noted." Twilight said while actually writing that down. She then moved to the finish line with every pony else, then gave Spike a stopwatch.

Jason, after reaching his position, turned toward the finish line shaking out his limbs and cracking his neck. He hopped in place for a moment then got in a readied stance.

"Okay. Ready-!"

Jason leaned forward while bringing a leg behind him, readying for the push off.

"Set-!"

His muscles tensed as he ground his toes into the dirt, lifting is arms up, preparing to run.

"GO!"

Jason Launched himself forward and pumped his arms and legs as fast as he could in a sprint.

The surroundings were a complete blur as he ran.

Soon however, the finish line was just a step away.

As soon as he passed the line, he put on the breaks.

Spike also pressed the button to stop the timer.

Turning to the on lookers, who were in a stunned surprise state at his rate of speed, he asked.

"Well?" Jason cocked an eyebrow.

Spike, snapping back into reality, looked to the stopwatch.

His eyes widen upon seeing the time.

He then turned the watch so twilight could also see it, who's eyes widen in kind.

"Nine point five eight seconds...." She whispered and wrote down while not even looking at the clipboard.

The others like wise share a look of surprise.

"Is that good?"

"Well, Let's just say you move faster than I thought you would." Twilight answered.

"I see."

Rainbow Dash was shaking as she stood next to everypony else, then leaped into the air. "That was so cool. Hey Twilight, mind if I have a go at this? Just to see how fast I can go?"

Twilight was about to speak, when Jason spoke first.

"I don't mind. It could be fun."

"Yes!" Rainbow Dash cheered as she went to the starting line.

She shook herself loose to get ready to run.

Twilight sighed, then called out. "Alright, Ready!"

Rainbow Dash hunkered down slightly and spread her wings.

"Set!"

She raised her flank in the air, swishing her tail excitedly.

"GO!"

A flash of Rainbow colors crossed the finish line in what seemed like an instant.

Spike hit the stopper and looked at the time.

"Zero point three seven seconds!"

"Wooo! Ah yeah! I think I beat my old time with that one!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

Jason clapped his hands in amazement. "That was outstandingly done. Nice job." He was genuinely amazed by her rate of speed.

Rainbow bowed at the praise. "Thank you."

"Okay Jason. Now let's time you, while you use your 'Shift' ability." Twilight said while looking over her notes.

He moved back to the starting line and readied himself once more.

"Ready!"

He steeled himself.

"Set!"

Jason closed his eyes and prepared to activate 'Shift'.

"GO!"

Upon activating 'Shift', time seemed to come to a standstill.

Jason's cognition rocketed forward to the finish line.

As he passed, He notice the only one who seemed to be following his movement with their eyes was Pinkie Pie.

Everypony else almost seemed like they were frozen in place.

After crossing the finish line, Jason deactivated 'Shift' and stopped.

Pinkie pressed the stopper on the watch this time, much to Spikes surprise.

"Pinkie, what are you doing? How are we supposed to time him if you..."

That's when he saw that Jason was no longer at the starting line, along with everypony present.

They then turned as one to the finish line, only to see Jason standing there.

One by one, their jaws fell open.

Spike then looked at the time.

"Eighty-eight point three four.... Milliseconds...."

If their jaws could fall any further, they would have hit the ground.

Rainbow Dash was dumbstruck at the utterance of his time.

Twilight wrote down the time, then worked on the math. Her eyes went wide, then spoke. "Jason, mathematically speaking, you just moved at speeds up to Mach three point three."

Jason nodded to her statement in thought. "Hmm. I definitely seemed to be moving faster than normal. it was quite odd."

Rainbow Dash then cut into the conversation. "Did you, perhaps, use 'Morph' instead of 'Shift' cause even I couldn't keep track."

Jason shook his head. "No, it was most definitely 'Shift'. Just ask Pinkie Pie. She was watching me the whole time."

Everypony turned to Pinkie as she nodded with a big smile on her face. "Yeppers. He was moving super-duper fast, but I kept my eyes on him the whole time. I promise."

Rainbow sighed and looked to the ground. "Well, if Pinkie says so. Sorry I doubted you,"

Jason turned to the Rainbow maned flyer and shrugged. "I'm Just as surprised as you. Like I said, this never happened before now."

She nodded, not looking up.

"At least you can fly. Always wanted to when I was younger. I'm pretty envious of you."

This finally caused her to look up.

"Really?"

"Absolutely."

Jason reached out a hand and patted her on the head.

She smiled for a bit, then gently pushed his hand away. "Okay, okay."

The exuberant mare made a rebound in record time.

"Alright, Next let's test your strength." Twilight said while summoning multiple weights.

"Let's start with one hundred pounds and work our way up."

One Thousand Pounds Later

"Okay, now for one thousand one hundred pounds."

Twilight was wiping the sweat from her brow as she added the weights to the bar.

Jason didn't have even a single bead of sweat on his face, even under his mask.

After they were locked in place Jason stepped up to the weights, put his hands on each side of the bar, then with little effort, lifted it over his head.

"All right let's do a bit of a leap in weight." Twilight looked up to Jason as he put down the weight bar. "A metric ton."

Using her magic, she made the weights disappear and brought in an old timey bar bell a turn of the century strong man might use.

'One metric ton' was written on each of the giant cast iron balls.

Even in its state of rest, the bar bell sank into the earth ever so slightly.

The sight of this archaic piece of work out equipment, made Jason want to say. "Gadzooks."

Stepping close to the bar bell, Jason crouched down then gripped it.

With a bit of a wiggle and a grunt, he stood up bringing the heavy load up with him in a 'clean and jerk' fashion.

With the bar resting just under his chin, he expelled a little air from his lungs.

"Come on Jason. You can do this." Fluttershy cheered her support in her typical small voice.

With a final 'Harrumph' from Jason, he lifted the bar over his head.

The Group cheered and clopped their hooves at his success.

This caused Jason to exclaim. "Bully!"

After making sure nobody was right by him, he dropped the weight, causing a massive indent in the ground to form with a mighty *THUMP*.

He huffed, then raised an arm in victory.

"Nicely done. I think we'll call it good on the weightlifting for today." Twilight spoke, while she marked down a few more notes.

"That should also be a good demonstration of your durability as well. Anypony else would have most likely been crushed under the weight. The only ability left to test is your 'Regeneration' but that would mean purposely causing you harm, so we are not going to do that."

With a collective, "Agreed." The group nodded to Twilight's point of 'non harm to a friend'.

"Well, you could always just look into my memories again if need be. I was, for the most part, a walking corpse before waking up here." Jason pointed out.

"There is that too." Twilight conceded. "Anyway, let's call it a day with what data we have so far. We can always do more tests later if need be."

"Alright."

At this, Spike chimed in. "So, does that mean he can hang out with Starlight and I? I'd like to get to know him a little better."

Looking to the little dragon Jason inclined his head. "I don't mind. I'd like to learn more about the two of you as well."

The pair in question grinned in glee.

"Why don't we go inside. I can show you my kite collection if you'd like." Starlight giddily said as she headed toward the castle.

Jason followed behind her with Spike at his side. "I'd love to see your collection."

And Now for Something Completely Different.

Night Stocker walked home late at night after working at 'Big Deal's Warehouse and Emporium'.

He recently had to take a second shift job because of the company deciding to get rid of the third shift positions across the board.

Much to his dismay.

"This is bullshit! Telling me 'You have to watch the way you talk in front of other ponies'. I wasn't the one who wanted to work during the day in the first place. I liked working night's because I could just come in, do my job and go home. But NOOOO! They just had to cut that job for no good reason and force me to work with other ponies. Luna Dammit!"

As he said this, he kicked a can down the mostly empty street.

He had been working nights for the majority of his life and he liked it that way.

He didn't have many friends and the only times he was 'out and about' during the day was because he needed to be.

His mane was cut very short to be almost as long as his fur. Under a black jacket was his pale white coat. To the point where many thought he would glow in the dark.

Because of this, as well as being a Batpony, he was very sensitive to the accursed day star.

So, he grew very accustomed to working at night.

"Ugh. The constant stream of questions from patrons are driving me up the wall. I just want to work!"

He huffed and kicked the can once more.

"Still, it's not all bad. You got to make a few new friends and you still work with one stallion from overnights. So, every cloud has a silver lining I guess." He chuckled to himself. "Plus, they get your morbid sense of humor, which is nice as well. You also get to spend more time with the kid because of the time change too."

His daughter, who was just like him in many ways, was the only real light in his life apart from the rest of his family.

He still remembered the sweet moments when she was a small filly. Holding her against his chest just to have her fall asleep soon after, while she listened to his heartbeat.

A small smile crept across his muzzle for the warm feelings and pride he felt from his now grown-up daughter as he walked.

"Screw it. As much as your complaining, it's not like you're going to do anything about it. Just do what you normally do. Keep your head down, work your flank off 'when you can', and live your life."

Coming up to the can, he crushed it under his hoof, picked it up and threw it into a nearby trash bin.

"Now that my shift is over, time to get a little food and head home."

As he continued down the street, he started to hum to himself to pass the time.

Unbeknownst to him however, he was never going to make it home this night.

For a pair of predatory eyes were watching him from the shadows and were looking for a midnight snack of its own.

After buying some food from the 'Produce Plaza Bonanza', Night Stocker was once again making his way home.

"All right! I'm glad they were having a sale on the stuff I had a hankering for. Lucky me."

He pulled out one of the radishes he had gotten for his late lunch and popped it into his mouth.

With a satisfying crunch, he chewed and swallowed his food of choice for the evening.

"Ah, That's the good stuff."

Walking along down the lonely street, he glanced up to the night sky.

Noticing that the starry sky he had expected to see was being blacked out and the full moon was becoming masked by clouds, Night Stocker could guess what this meant.

"Oh Buck. I forgot there was supposed to be a rainstorm tonight. I'd better hurry home."

Putting a little more pep in his giddy-up, he began to trot.

After a few blocks, he noticed something.

A Sound.

It wasn't just the sound from his hoof falls, or of the rumbling thunder from the storm up above either.

It was a sound that was coming from behind him.

Something big.

Now, normally this wouldn't have bothered him.

Amongst the other ponies, he stood head and withers taller than most.

But this, this sounded like it was even bigger than him.

He wanted to look back, but something in the back of his mind just told him to keep going.

This caused him to move a bit faster in hopes that maybe they were just headed in the same direction he was, not following him.

Now moving in a canter, he rotated one of his ears behind him to hear if 'whatever it was' was still following him.

It seemed like he was making some distance between him and the sound so far.

"It's fine. It's most likely just somepony on their way home as well. Nothing to freak out about bud." He whispered to himself, trying to calm his nerves.

Deciding to take a small, short cut that most ponies didn't use, he cut into a small alleyway, while not breaking his stride.

Keeping his ear turned back to listen intently.

For a while, he heard nothing.

He was about to breathe a sigh of relief, till he heard it again.

Following him into the alley.

And it was gaining on him.

His heart began to beat faster as he moved into a full gallop.

As he ran, Night Stocker knocked over some trash cans he came across to block its path.

After exiting the short cut, he fled as fast as he could.

Then to his horror, his ears picked up the sounds of crushing metal.

They just went right through the blockade like it was nothing. His thoughts raced as adrenaline pumped through his veins.

In addition, they were getting closer.

Shit, shit, shit. I take it all back. I won't complain anymore at work. I'll be a model employee. I'll do anything you want. Just please let me get home safe! Please Luna! PLEASE CELESTIA!

Tears of panic and fear leaked from his eyes as he ran, praying to even the sun goddess herself for his safety.

Just as the thing that was coming after him was almost upon him, and he could swear he felt its hot breath on the nape of his neck....

It stopped.

Dead in its tracks.

Galloping for about half a furlong, he finally took the chance to look behind him.

There, standing under a light post, with a big, warm, friendly grin plastered to his face, was none other than, Rico Suave.

Night Stocker slowed to a stop when he recognized his shift leader.

With that charming smile, perfect hair style, and overall suaveness that he just seemed to have pour out of him.

Panting, Night Stocker turned to face his boss.

"You son of a broodmare! What the buck are you trying to do?! Give me a Luna Damned Heart attack?! I almost pissed myself I was so scared, you Azteca bastard!"

At this, Rico just lifted an eyebrow and shrugged with the utmost nonchalance.

At this point, most other normal ponies would have blown a gasket, possibly beaten the offender half to death, then beaten him again just for good measure.

But.

"B-wa-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!"

Night Stocker was no normal pony.

"Sweet Celestia's marvelous teats, Rico. You bucking got me good with that one. Oh colt, my heart is still thumping like mad. Whoo buddy."

Night Stocker drew closer to the still smirking friend. Rico Suave was one of the few people he considered a friend at work. Him and the other stallion from the nightshift were as thick as thieves. Always finding ways to make each other laugh. Even when one of them was down or upset, the others would crack a joke and make their day just a little more tolerable.

Some said the three were in a bromance, which they kind of were.

Others said it was a love triangle, which they disputed.

In most love triangles somepony gets hurt.

So, they were in a love circle.

Nothing but pleasure, baby.

.....

Yeah.

Okay.

They were dumb, but they were dumb together.

So what'eva, they do what they want.

"Stallion, I should really beat your flank in but, I have to admit, you got me good."

As he got closer, he put a forehoof into his jacket pocket to get one of his radishes out for his friend.

Little did he know that what he was approaching was not his friend.

It was his executioner.

What he saw and what was really there were two very different things.

Not a changeling.

No, no.

This was something far more ancient.

Far more, evil.

Far more, ravenous.

After pulling out one of the radishes from his pocket, he breathed on it a few times, then rubbed it on his jacket.

"Here bud, a little something for your trouble." He stated as he came to rest in front of the being.

His attention was too occupied with cleaning the vegetable to notice Rico's mouth filling with razor sharp, jagged teeth.

As Stocker finished wiping off the radish, he noticed something.

The shadow on the ground around Rico was far too big for the little pony.

While knitting his eyebrows in confusion, he raised the hoof with the radish in it up absentmindedly.

*SNAP*

*Crunch*

*Crunch*

*Crunch*

*Crunch*

*Gulp*

That was when blood started to pool on the ground, entering Night Stocker's field of view.

He angled his head up to see where it was coming from.

Looking to his hoof he saw.

Nothing.

Nothing but a bloody stump where his hoof should have been.

Weirdly, He felt no pain at all.

That was because, mercifully, the adrenaline high was still in effect.

Shifting his gaze over to where Rico was, he was gone.

And in his place, was a wall of thick, coarse red-ish brown hair.

Night Stocker's eyes followed the wall upward till, all he saw was the gaping maw of the creature in front of him, ready to snap shut on his head.

Night Stocker's life flash before his eyes in an instant as a tear rolled down his cheek.

The last vision he saw, before the jaws of death closed to a world of darkness, was of his daughter when she was two years old. She nuzzled close to his chest and said in a sleepy voice. "Daddy, I love you."

*SNAP*

*Crunch*

*Crunch*

*Crunch*

*SNAP*

*Crunch*

Sometime Later....

The beast had finished his meal and moved on.

The only evidence of Night Stocker left, was a pool of fresh blood on the concrete sidewalk.

*Drip*

*Drip Drip Drip*

The rain began to fall.

Slowly at first, then going more and more into a down pour.

As the rain came down, harder and harder, it washed away the blood to the point that there was none left.

The water flowed down the curb, down the street and into the gutter system.

Written above the gutter, cast in the metal, it reads, 'Manehattan Public Sewer System.

And Now: The Larch

Author's Note

Before anybody ask's me. No, it is not the creature from IT. The beastie I'm included in this story is from my childhood. NO, not IT! I'll just say that the name of the pony he eats is the biggest hint in the world. episode 11. That's all I'm gonna say on that. Any who. If you made it this far, I thank you for reading my silly little story. I work on it little by little, by myself and hammering out the kinks takes me a while. But I digress. Thank You for reading, and look forward to more. (At Least, I hope you will. )