Regression: Isekai of Equestria

Chapters

Prologue Chapter 2 (Last Edited: 3/17/2022)
Prologue Chapter 3 (Last Edited: 3/17/2022)
Prologue Chapter 4 (Last Edited: 3/17/2021)
Prologue Chapter 5 (Last Edited: (4/27/2022)
Prologue Chapter 6 (Last Edited: 4/27/2022)
Chapter 2: Learning about Humans (Last Edited: 4/27/2022)
Chapter 3: Applebuck Season (Last Edited: 5/18/2022)
Chapter 4: The Fan-Filly (Last Edited: 5/18/2022)
Chapter 5: Griffon the Brush Off (Last Edited: 5/18/2022)
Chapter 6: Timberwolf (Last Edited: 5/19/2022)
Chapter 7: Boast Busters (Last Edited: 6/17/2022)
Chapter 8: Stare (Last Edited: 6/17/2022)
Chapter 9: Dragonshy (Last Edited: 6/17/2022)
Chapter 10: You're NOT my Mother (Last Edited: 6/17//2022)
Chapter 11: Look Before You Sleep (Last Edited: 6/30/2022)
Chapter 12: The Hardest Person to Forgive is Yourself (Last Edited 6/30/2022)
Chapter 13: Bridle Gossip (Last Edited 6/30/2022)
Chapter 14: Elements of Chaos (Last Edited: 7/1/2022)
Chapter 15: Swarm of the Century (Last Edited: 7/16/2022)
Chapter 16: Oni-Hime (Last Edited: 7/17/2022)
Chapter 17: The Royal Court (Last Edited: 7/17/2022)
Chapter 20: The E.U.P (Last Edited 7/29/2022)
Chapter 21: Training (Last Edited: 7/29/2022)
Chapter 22: The Chaos of Nature (Last Edited: 7/30/2022)
Chapter 23: Suited for Success (Last Edited: 8/11/2022)
Twilight's Diary #1 (Last Edited: 2/22/2021)
Chapter 24: Everypony Needs a Home (Last Edited: 8/11/2022)
Chapter 25: Feeling Pinkie Keen (Last Edited: 8/12/2022)
Chapter 26: All Ponies Attack (Last Edited 8/12/2022)
Chapter 27: Sonic Rainboom (Last Edited: 9/6/2022)
Chapter 28: The Order of the Yellow Rose (Last Edited: 9/10/2022)
Chapter 29: Seeds of History (Last Edited: 9/11/2022)
Chapter 30: Stare Master (Last Edited: 9/12/2022)
Chapter 31: Unwanted Affection (Last Edited: 9/30/2022)
Chapter 32: The Show Stoppers (Last Edited: 9/30/2022)
Chapter 33: What the Oppressed see as Equality the Privileged see as Tyranny (Last Edited: 10/2/2022)
Chapter 34: A Dog and Pony Show (Last Edited 10/3/2022)
Chapter 35: Jaded Hellfire (Last Edited: 11/11/2022)
Chapter 36: Aftermath (Last Edited: 11/12/2022)
Chapter 37: Green isn't your Color (Last Edited: 11/13/2022)
Chapter 38: Secret Revealed (Last Edited: 11/14/2022)
Chapter 39 Over a Barrel (Last Edited: 1/17/2023)
Chapter 40: Political Parties (Last Edited: 1/17/2023)
Chapter 41: A Bird in the Hoof (Last Edited: 1/23/2023)
Chapter 42: You Have to Believe Me! (Last Edited: 1/24/2023)
Chapter 43: The Cutie Mark Chronicles (Last Edited: 3/21/2023)
Chapter 44: Evil Plan (Last Edited: 3/21/2023)
Chapter 45: Owl's Well that ends Well (Last Edited: 3/22/2023)
Chapter 46: Recap (Last Edited: 3/23/2023)
Chapter 47: Luna Eclipsed (Last Edited: 4/4/2023)
Chapter 48: Party of One (Last Edited: 4/5/2023)
Chapter 49: Election Day (Last Edited: 5/17/2022)
Chapter 50: The Best Night Ever (Or is it?) (Last Edited 6/16/2022)
Chapter 51: Battle of Canterlot Part 1 (Last Edited 1/1/2025)
Chapter 52: The Battle of Canterlot Part 2 (Last Edited: 7/16/2022)
Prologue Chapter 1 (Last Edited: 3/17/2022)
Chapter 1: The Ticket Master (Last Edited: 4/27/2022)
Chapter 18: Call of the Cutie (Last Edited: 7/17/2022)
Chapter 19: The First Crusade (Last Edited: 7/28/2022)
Fluttershy's Diary #1 (Last Edited: 2/9/2021)
Chapter 53: In the End (Last Edited 7/27/2022)

Prologue Chapter 2 (Last Edited: 3/17/2022)

June 3, 2020
Canterlot

A week had passed since the Nightmare Moon incident, and Princess Celestia was pleased to have her little sister back. She had just finished raising the sun for the day and was wishing her sister a pleasant sleep.

“Sleep well, Luna,” Celestia said as the dark blue alicorn exited the throne room.

"Thank you, sister, thou art too kind," Luna replied, feeling grateful to be allowed back into the royal family.

As Luna left, a royal messenger pony galloped into the throne room.

"Princess Celestia, I have an urgent message from the Celestial Sea!” panted the messenger.

“Speak, my little pony,” asked Celestia.

"The Second Fleet reports that they have encountered a mysterious landmass off about a hundred miles offshore from the Hayseed Swamps," the messenger informed.

"How large is this landmass?" asked Celestia.

"According to preliminary reconnaissance estimates, roughly 10,000 square miles," the messenger replied.

"Your report is most appreciated," Celestia replied. "Please inform Commodore Sea Salt that I'm sending a team in to investigate."

"Right away, Princess," the messenger said as he rushed out of the room.

“This could be a great friendship-building opportunity for Twilight Sparkle. I'll send her and her friends to investigate this landmass," Celestia thought. "Still it's quite troubling that a landmass of that size hasn't been charted yet.

Using her magic, she grabbed a quill and began writing a letter to her pupil.

“Dear Twilight,
I hope your studies on the magic of friendship are going well. I have an assignment to help you and your friends get closer. An uncharted landmass has been sighted off the coast of the Hayseed Swamps. I’d like you and your friends to investigate.
Good luck,
Princess Celestia.”

Golden Oak Library

As Spike slowly rose from his slumber he could feel a gassy pressure rising in his throat. With a stream of green flame, a scroll appeared from his mouth. “Twilight!” he yelled.

"What is it, Spike?!" Twilight asked rushing into the room.

"Princess Celestia sent you a letter. It looks important," he answered.

Twilight levitated the letter over to her and began to read. Upon finishing, she told Spike to pack her bags for a short trip. She then went to find the rest of the Mane Six. As Sugarcube Corner was the closest to the library Twilight decided it would be best to get Pinkie Pie first.

Sugarcube Corner

“How ya doing, Twilight? Here to eat some delicious sweets?” Pinkie asked from behind the counter as the purple unicorn walked in.

"Not today, Pinkie. I've just received a letter from Princess Celestia, saying that we need to investigate an uncharted landmass,” Twilight replied

“Sounds fun! I’ll go tell the Cakes that I’m leaving!” Pinkie said in excitement.

As Pinkie Pie went to tell the Cakes where she was going, Twilight decided to get Applejack next. As soon as Pinkie got back, they headed to Sweet Apple Acres.

Sweet Apple Acres

When the two friends arrived at the Apple Family farm, they found Granny Smith dozing on the porch.

“Granny Smith, could you tell us where Applejack is at the moment?” asked Twilight.

The elderly mare was in a deep sleep and didn’t hear Twilight’s question.

"I don't think she heard me," said Twilight to Pinkie Pie.

"Don't worry, I got this," Pinkie said.

“What are you go…” Twilight said before being cut off by Pinkie.

"WAKE UP!!!!," shouted Pinkie.

“Soup’s on!” exclaimed Granny Smith as she woke up.

Seeing Pinkies methods as a possible health hazard to the old mare, Twilight began to scold her. “Pinkie, you can't treat the elderly like that. You could have given her a heart attack!"

“Who are ya calling elderly, young mare? Ah’ll have ya know Ah’m in mah prime!" Granny Smith exclaimed in offense.

"I'm so sorry, Granny Smith!" exclaimed Twilight.

"Well, don't let it happen again!" Granny Smith snapped. “What brings the two of ya tuh Sweet Apple Acres tuhday?”

"Princess Celestia sent me a letter about a strange landmass she wants us to investigate. We came here to find Applejack," Twilight explained.

“Applejack's out buckin' the East Orchard with Big Macintosh right now. Ah'm sure she'll be happy to help ya," said Granny Smith.

Twilight and Pinkie then departed for the East Orchard. They soon found Applejack and Big Macintosh in the middle of their apple bucking.

“Applejack!” shouted Twilight.

Noticing her friends, Applejack took a break from her work to talk to them. “Howdy, Twilight! Howdy, Pinkie! What brings Y’all here today?”

“Princess Celestia has given us a really really really important mission and when we're done I'm going to throw a big mission success party and it's going to be AMAZING!" Pinkie said rapidly in excitement.

“Slow down there, Pinkie! Twilight, Ah don’t suppose ya could make sense out of what Pinkie was sayin'?” Applejack asked.

"Princess Celestia sent me a letter asking us to investigate a strange landmass off the coast near the Hayseed Swamps," Twilight explained.

“Ah don’t know Twi. Ah have an awful lot of work tuh do today," Applejack replied with a frown.

Overhearing the conversation, Big Macintosh walked over to the mares, “Sis, why don’t you let me do yer work fer today while you go hang out with yer friends?”

“Ya sure that's ok, Big Mac?" asked Applejack.

“Eyup!” Big Mac answered.

"Alrighty then, Ah suppose we should be gettin' on our way," said Applejack.

"We need to get the others first, since Carousel Boutique is the closest, I think we should get Rarity next," explained Twilight.

“If’n ya say so Twilight," replied Applejack.

Carousel Boutique

When they arrived at the boutique, Twilight knocked on the door.

"Yes, yes, I'm on my way darling," said a posh voice from inside.

After about thirty seconds, the door opened, and out came Rarity in an elegant dress. “What a pleasant surprise!" She exclaimed. "I was just about to model some of my newest dresses. It will be much easier with the three of you here!"

“We don’t have time fer yer fru fru dresses right now, Rarity," Applejack scoffed. "Twilight says the Princess has summoned us fer an important job!”

“Really? What could the princess possibly want me for?” asked Rarity.

"Princess Celestia says she wants us to investigate a strange landmass off the coast of the Hayseed Swamps," Twilight answered.

“Nopony's ever seen it before just think of the possibilities it could be the lost kingdom of Saddleantis or it could be the work of aliens or…!" Pinkie said before being cut off by Twilight.

“Pinkie, Saddleantis, and aliens aren't real," Twilight groaned.

“That’s just what they want you to think!” exclaimed Pinkie.

"Ugh, let's just go get Rainbow Dash," sighed Twilight.

Rainbow Dash's Cloud House

They soon arrived at Rainbow Dash’s cloud house on the outskirts of Ponyville.

“RAINBOW DASH!” Twilight shouted up at the house.

Two minutes went by before Rainbow Dash finally flew down. "S'up?" she greeted.

“What took you so long?” asked Twilight.

"NOTHING!" shouted Rainbow Dash, avoiding eye contact with the others.

“Okaaaay?” said Twilight in confusion.

"Anyway, what are you all doing at my house?" asked Rainbow Dash, trying to change the subject.

“Princess Celestia has a task for us to complete,” Twilight answered.

"You mean like a quest! That's got to be at least twenty percent cooler than what I was doing. I'm in!" exclaimed Rainbow Dash. “So, what are we doing? Slaying a dragon, infiltrating an enemy country, fighting another mega-powerful villain threatening Equestria?”

“Slow down there, Rainbow! Twilight says the Princess wants us to explore a strange island off the coast," Applejack explained.

"Well, what are we waiting for then? Let's go!" said Rainbow Dash.

“We still have one more pony to get," said Twilight.

“Who else could the Princess possibly want?” asked Rainbow Dash.

“Fluttershy of course," replied Twilight.

Fluttershy’s Cottage

The five ponies arrived at Fluttershy’s cottage, and Rarity politely knocked on the door. “Fluttershy, come out please, we need to speak with you!"

The door swung open slowly. “Um, y-yes?” Fluttershy asked timidly.

“Fluttershy, Princess Celestia has requested that the six of us investigate an uncharted island that was just spotted in the Celestial Sea," Twilight explained.

"U-uncharted? You mean like n-nopony has ever seen it? I don't know, Twilight, that sounds s-scary," Fluttershy stuttered, hiding her face behind her mane.

"But this is a request from Princess Celestia. You can't just refuse," said Twilight.

“I’ve got this!” said Pinkie. "Think of all the animals that nopony has ever seen before! You could be the first pony ever to make friends with them!”

"W-well, when you put it that way…" Fluttershy started.

"Great, let's go!" shouted Rainbow Dash as she grabbed Fluttershy and headed for Twilight’s Balloon.

Unknown Landmass

June 4, 2020, Human Time

The Mane Six had been floating over the strange landmass for about 3 hours. Much to the surprise of Twilight, it wasn't barren, as would be expected from the seafloor rising, but instead had forests and settlements scattered throughout.

"So much for my theory that the landmass was the result of geological activity," stated Twilight. "But how else could an island this big go undetected?"

"Enough with the egghead theories, Twilight!" exclaimed Rainbow Dash. "Let's get down there and explore!"

“Alright, I think we should split up," said Twilight. "I've charted out six points of interest, one in the large settlement to the North, three in the larger urban area in the center, one in the smaller urban area to the south, and one in the rural area to the west. I'll take the target to the North, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity will take the targets to the center, Pinkie will take the target to the south, and Fluttershy will take the target to the west. If anypony finds anything, just say I found something, and everypony will be teleported to you," she explained.

Twilight then teleported each pony to their respective targets.

Twilight Sparkle’s Target

When Twilight Sparkle arrived at her target, the first thing she noticed were dozens of strange metal vehicles crashed along a large pathway made of an unknown stonelike material. She quickly jotted her findings down into a notebook. Upon looking at the complex of buildings she came to investigate, she saw a sign which read Coastal Carolina University. “Excellent! A university will have a library where I can read up on this civilization."

As Twilight searched for the library, she noticed strangely shaped clothes scattered around the campus. “What happened here?”

Soon Twilight arrived at a building labeled Kimbel Library."Good, I'm here."

Rainbow Dash’s Target

Rainbow Dash was teleported in front of a large gate. Like Twilight, she noticed the crashed vehicles and scattered clothing. However, unlike Twilight, these things did not interest her. Her attention was on the sign by the gate, which read Joint Base Charleston: Authorized Vehicles Only. Thinking this looked promising, she flew up into the air to get a view of the entire base. What she saw was jaw-dropping, it was the biggest landing strip she had ever seen, even the one at the Wonderbolt's headquarters wasn’t a quarter the size. “Wow!” she exclaimed, her mouth agape in awe.

It was then that Rainbow Dash noticed seventeen large gray vehicles and decided to investigate. As she got closer, she noticed the vehicles had large angular wings as if they were designed for flight. She soon reached the nearest one and found a large opening in the back. As she ventured inside, she noticed several uniforms and picked up the nearest one. United States Air Force.

Applejack’s Target

Applejack was teleported to a wooded area along a road made of the same strange rock as where Twilight and Rainbow Dash were transported. Unlike her friends, she only saw a few crashed vehicles. She looked over to the side of the road where she saw a gate and a sign reading Middleton Place. Upon reading further, she discovered it was a plantation."Plantations are like fancy farms, and where there's a farm, there's got to be a farmer."

As Applejack walked through the plantation, she noticed a flock of sheep. "Pardon me, but could any of ya point me in the direction of the owner of this here plantation?" she asked politely.

“Meh,” was the only answer she received.

“What in tarnation!?” exclaimed Applejack.

Soon she noticed some horses attached to a carriage. “Sirs, could one of ya point me tuh the owner, please?"

The two Stallions gave no response.

“Now Ah don’t know why everypony here is so rude, but Ah asked a question, and Ah reckon a yes or no ain’t too much tuh ask fer," she stated with an irritated glare.

Staring into the nearest stallion's dark brown eyes, Applejack was struck with a stunning realization. “Ya can' understand me, can ya?” she said to herself. “What’s goin' on here?”

Rarity’s Target

Rarity teleported in front of a large building. The ground she stood on was made of the same strange stone material as the roads the other ponies encountered, and parked all around her were more of the peculiar vehicles the others had encountered. She looked up at the building and noticed a sign saying Northwoods Mall.

"Well, I suppose this will be a good place to start," she thought to herself.

As she entered the building, she was amazed at what she saw… Clothing stores as far as the eye could see.

“Oh, what a wonderful place this is! However will I decide which store to pick first?” Rarity said out loud.

Eventually, she settled on a store called Hot Topic.

“Hmm, the clothes in here are a little creepy, but I simply adore how they’ve put all these pictures of strange creatures on them,” she thought.

Pinkie Pie’s Target

Pinkie's target was a small building. Unlike the other ponies, she didn't pay much attention to the surroundings of the building and went straight inside. What she found inside the building filled her with delight. The front of the room was filled with kazoos and other toy instruments.

“THIS PLACE HAS KAZOOS OUT THE WAZOO!” she yelled in excitement.

After grabbing more instruments than should be physically possible, Pinkie left some bits on a counter and ventured further inside. To her delight, there was even a small exhibit dedicated to the history of kazoos.

“THIS IS THE BEST PLACE EVER!!!” she shouted with glee. “Wait a minute!” she said as her eyes narrowed. “Why does this exhibit say the kazoo was invented in Georgia? Everypony knows the kazoo was invented in Saddleanta!” she wondered out loud.

Fluttershy’s Target

When Fluttershy arrived at her target, she noticed the same stone pathway as the other ponies and the same vehicles (although the ones she saw were in far worse crashes than any of the other ponies had seen.) However, what caught her attention was a sign that said Santee National Wildlife Refuge. “A wildlife refuge! I wonder what adorable animals I’ll find here!”

As Fluttershy wandered through the wildlife refuge, she came across a white-tailed deer. "Excuse me, Mrs. Deer! Could you tell me where I am?" she asked.

"You are in the forest," the deer answered.

"I know I'm in a forest. I meant what is this island called," Fluttershy responded.

"What are you talking about?" the deer asked. "This isn't an island. Islands are in the lake."

Fluttershy was about to ask more when she noticed smoke rising over the tree line. “Oh no!" she exclaimed.

Without another word, Fluttershy rushed toward the smoke to try and save the animals in the path of the fire.

Author's Note

Next time: Fluttershy and the Main Six encounter a strange ape.

Prologue Chapter 3 (Last Edited: 3/17/2022)

June 4, 2020

Santee National Wildlife Refuge

Fluttershy rushed toward the smoke, thinking only about helping the animals escape the flames. When she arrived at the source, she was surprised to find that there was only a small fire held at bay by a circle of rocks. However, even more surprising was what was tending to the fire. A small ape-like creature with fur only at the top of its head, covered in clothes, was using the fire to cook fish.

“E-excuse me, what are you?” Fluttershy asked timidly.

The ape looked around in confusion. “Who said that? Is someone else here?”

"I d-did," Fluttershy answered.

The ape stared at her in horror and slowly backed away. “Y-you just talked! How can you talk?”

Fluttershy then gave the creature a look of confusion. “Why wouldn’t I be able to talk?”

“BECAUSE HORSES DON’T TALK!” it yelled. "THEY DON'T GOT NO GOD DAMN WINGS EITHER!"

Fluttershy flinched at this but tried to reason with it. “I-I’m a p-pegasus, and I've always been able to talk."

The ape took off running, yelling about how this was impossible. Fluttershy thought about running after it, but then she remembered what Twilight said.

"I found something," Fluttershy said quietly.

There was a flash, and the remainder of the Mane Six were teleported in front of her.

“What did you find, Fluttershy?” asked Twilight.

"After walking around the forest for a little while, I noticed smoke. I thought there must be a fire, so I went to save the animals, but when I arrived at the source of the smoke, I found that there wasn't any forest fire," explained Fluttershy.

"If there wasn't a fire, then what caused the smoke?" asked Twilight.

"Oh, well, there was a fire; it just wasn't a forest fire. When I arrived, I found a strange ape-like creature cooking fish over a campfire," Fluttershy elaborated.

“You called us here because of some stupid ape?” Rainbow Dash asked in irritation.

"Rainbow Dash, if this ape was using fire to cook, that would imply it's intelligent," said Twilight. "Fluttershy, is there anything else you can tell us about this ape?” she asked.

"Well, it was wearing clothes and could speak Equestrian," Fluttershy explained.

“Did you say it was wearing clothes?” asked Rarity.

“Why does that matter?” asked Rainbow Dash.

“While I was exploring, I came across several clothing stores with the most adorable outfits. However, I noticed that none of the clothes were designed to fit ponies and when Fluttershy mentioned that the ape was wearing clothes, I realized that the clothes I saw would fit perfectly on an ape," explained Rarity.

"I noticed several ape-shaped clothes as well when I was investigating my target," added Twilight. "Is there anything else you can tell us, Fluttershy?”

"Well, it seemed surprised that I could speak," Fluttershy replied.

"Why would that surprise it?" Pinkie Pie inquired. "You're a full-grown pony. Of course you can speak!"

"Hold up," Applejack interrupted. "Now, this could jus' be a coincidence, but when Ah was investigatin' mah target, Ah came across a couple of sheep an' horses, but none of 'em could talk. It was as if they were jus' animals."

"I have a theory about what's happening here, but I'll need to talk to this ape to confirm it," said Twilight as she turned back to Fluttershy. "Do you think you could find it again?”

“WAIT A MINUTE!” shouted Rainbow Dash.

"What is it, Rainbow Dash?" asked Twilight.

“This thing could be dangerous! When I was exploring my target area, I found military uniforms. What if there's a whole army of these apes getting ready to invade Equestria?” asked Rainbow Dash.

Twilight thought about this for a moment."I think that if an army were getting ready to invade Equestria, we would have seen it by now. Still, you have a point about it possibly being dangerous, so I think it'd be best if you went after it."

“Radical! Just point me in the right direction, Fluttershy!” shouted Rainbow Dash.

"Um, he went that way," said Fluttershy, pointing west.

As soon as Fluttershy pointed, Rainbow Dash zoomed westward. It didn’t take her long to end up at a clearing with a plaque and a hill, and on that hill, she saw it. However, the element of surprise was not in her favor, and it didn't take the ape long to spot her from atop the hill.

“GO AWAY!” it shouted down to her.

Rainbow Dash was not about to take demands. “LISTEN APE, WE CAN EITHER DO THIS THE EASY WAY OR THE HARD WAY!” she shouted back.

"FUCK OFF!" it shouted, extending a middle finger to the sky.

"The hard way it is then," Rainbow Dash muttered to herself.

Rainbow Dash took to the sky and divebombed the ape, but it dodged before she could hit it. Undeterred, she went around for another divebomb. She failed to notice the ape reaching into its pocket and dove straight at it. This time the ape stood its ground.

“It looks like this thing's going to put up a fight this time," Rainbow Dash thought, grinning in delight.

As soon as she made contact, she felt an excruciating pain in her left wing.

“AHHHH!” she screamed in agony.

She turned to her wing and saw the ape's hand jabbing a bloody knife into her. Turning back to the ape, she could see she had it pinned. Bashing a hoof into its face, she knocked it out cold.

Several Minutes Later

As Jack slowly came to, he could hear six female voices arguing over something.

“This thing is dangerous! I say we call the Royal Guard and have it sent to the dungeons in Canterlot!” a tomboyish voice argued.

“You scared it! It only hurt you in self-defense!” argued a more feminine voice.

“Fluttershy, darling, you can't be serious! Did you see what it did to Rainbow Dash’s wing? It’s utterly barbaric!” argued a snobbish voice.

"Maybe we should listen to its side of the story before judgin'," suggested a voice with a southern accent.

"That's right, Fluttershy said it could talk after all!" said an overly excited, extremely annoying voice that made Jack want to barf.

“Um, Girls? It’s waking up!” said a voice that reminded Jack of Tara Strong.

Jack opened his eyes. Trying to move, he was met with little success. Looking down, he saw he was tied to a tree. When he looked up, he saw six multi-colored ponies staring at him.

“Let me go!” he shouted.

“Not on your life!” shouted the tomboyish pony who attacked him earlier.

"Rainbow Dash, let me handle this," said the Tara Strong sounding pony.

“My name is Twilight Sparkle. These are my friends Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie. We have no intention of hurting you, but I'd like to know why you stabbed Rainbow Dash," she said to Jack.

"She attacked me, so I defended myself," Jack replied, avoiding eye contact.

"I'm sorry to hear that. I promise she won't attack you again," Twilight said. “I have several more questions for you if that’s all right.”

“Sure, ask away," said Jack, still refusing to look his captor in the eye.

“What’s your name?” asked Twilight Sparkle.

"Jack Delano Jager, but most people just call me Jack," he replied.

"Ok, Jack! What exactly are you?" Twilight inquired.

“I'm a human,” Jack answered.

"Amazing, a mythical creature like a human would support my hypothesis that this land was brought from another dimension," thought Twilight.

"Are you a male or a female?" asked Twilight. "Or are your species hermaphrodites?"

"I'm male, and my species is almost entirely male or female," explained Jack. "Although in some cases hermaphrodites are born, so I guess that's a valid sex."

"One last question," said Twilight. "How old are you?"

"I'm 21 years old, a young adult by my species standards," said Jack.

"An adult? That can't be right. He sounds like a colt. I better verify this," Twilight thought as she cast a spell designed to determine the age of living things.

"According to the age verification spell I just cast, you are only 7 years old," said Twilight before being interrupted by Rainbow Dash.

"Why'd you lie, Jack, if that’s even your real name! Admit it! You’re a spy sent here to test our defenses!” Rainbow Dash accused, getting up in Jack’s face.

"RAINBOW DASH!" Twilight scolded. "Let him explain."

"It may be hard to believe, but yesterday I was a full-grown man. I drove through a strange light, and suddenly I was a kid again, and everyone else was gone," Jack explained.

“Why should we believe you?” asked Rainbow Dash.

"Because he's tellin' the truth," said Applejack.

"Are you sure, Applejack?" asked Twilight.

“Yes, Ah’m positive he’s bein' honest," Applejack confirmed.

"You've gotta be kidding me!" Rainbow Dash shouted in frustration. "He won't even look any of us in the eye! How can you possibly say he's telling the truth?"

"Because Ah can tell he ain't lyin'," Applejack answered, tilting her Stetson.

"I trust your judgment on this, Applejack," Twilight said. Placing a hoof to her chin, the unicorn thought about what to do next, "Alright girls, there's only one thing we can do. We need to bring him to Canterlot."

“What about the mission?” asked Pinkie.

"I doubt we'll be finding anything more important than Jack here; it's best we get him to the princess so she can figure out what to do next," answered Twilight.

With that, the Mane Six returned to Canterlot with Jack.

Author's Note

In all honesty, I'm in a bit of legal trouble right now so. It may be a while before I update this story. Nothing's certain at the moment, but I did something stupid while driving, and depending on how things go, I may end up in jail for a few months, or I'll just get fined. Either way, my insurance company is going to kill me.
Next time: Celestia decides what to do with Jack.

Prologue Chapter 4 (Last Edited: 3/17/2021)

June 5, 2020

Canterlot

After several hours of travel by hot air balloon, Jack and the Mane Six reached Canterlot. Jack was impressed by the colorful medieval buildings overshadowed by a massive castle, the likes of which he had never seen. The next thing he noticed was a chariot pulled by pegasi heading toward them. The pegasi, along with the regular pony (or earth pony as he had been told they were called) they were pulling, were wearing Roman Centurion armor. The chariot was brought alongside the balloon, and the earth pony introduced himself as Captain Three Arrows.

“Twilight Sparkle, Princess Celestia has requested you and your friends report your findings to her directly. I'm to escort you to the throne room," Three Arrows announced.

“Thank you, Captain,” said Twilight.

Three Arrows escorted the balloon to a field outside of the city. From there, the Mane Six and Jack were escorted through the streets. The ponies of Canterlot, who Jack noted were mostly unicorns, looked at him with cautious interest. He smiled and tried to act friendly, but if anything, the sight of his canines only seemed to make them even more warry. When they arrived at the castle, Jack's short legs were starting to ache.

The castle was even more magnificent up close. It seemed to resemble something out of a Disney cartoon more than it did any real-life architectural style. The halls of the castle were no less impressive. Jack was particularly fond of the stained glass windows, one of which he noticed depicted the six ponies who brought him there. Finally, they arrived at the throne room. Upon entering, Jack saw a much larger pony than the rest that had both wings and a horn.

“I wonder what that’s called. A unisus, a pegacorn?” he pondered.

“Welcome, everypony," the large pony warmly greeted. "I hope the journey wasn't too much trouble," she continued giving Jack a quick glance.

"It was no problem at all, Princess Celestia," Twilight replied as she and the other ponies bowed.

"I'm glad to hear that," Princess Celestia replied. "I trust you've brought back valuable information."

“Based on the evidence my friends and I have gathered, I believe the landmass may have been brought here from another dimension," explained Twilight Sparkle.

“What makes you think that, Twilight?” Celestia questioned.

“The landmass already had several ecosystems with diverse flora and fauna as well as many abandoned settlements. One such settlement I visited had a university with a library containing books about historical events not recorded in any Equestrian history book. The texts were about the history of a species known as humans,” explained Twilight.

“Interesting.," Celestia said as she brought a hoof to her chin. "And these settlements. What can you tell me about them?”

“When I was exploring, I found a huge military base. I think these humans may be a threat!” exclaimed Rainbow Dash.

“Didn’t Twilight say the settlements were abandoned?” asked Celestia as she glanced at Jack.

"That's right, princess, when we were exploring, we found no trace of the humans 'cept fer Jack over there," explained Applejack. "Ah did find some sheep and ponies, but none of 'em could talk. Ah know this will sound crazy, but it was almost like they were animals."

“I see. So other than the young one you have brought with you, there wasn't any trace of the inhabitants then?" asked Celestia.

“There were clothes scattered along the ground," said Rarity.

"Almost as of the ones wearing them vanished into thin air," added Pinkie.

“What about the human you brought back? Do you think he could be a threat?” asked Celestia.

"N-no princess, I don't think he would ever harm anypony," said Fluttershy.

“SPEAK FOR YOURSELF! HE’S THE REASON I CAN’T USE MY WING!” Rainbow Dash shouted angrily.

“Is this true?” Celestia asked.

"Y-yes, but…" Fluttershy said before Celestia cut her off.

"Why don't we let him explain," Celestia said giving Jack an intense stare. "Well, what do you have to say for yourself?”

"She attacked me first, and I fought back," Jack stated.

“He’s tellin' the truth, Princess," added Applejack.

Being the Element of Honesty, Applejack's word was enough to convince Celestia. However, she still needed to know a bit more about Jack before deciding what to do with him.

"Thank you, Applejack," Celestia said as she attempted to look Jack in the eye. "Tell me everything about how you got here, Jack."

As Celestia's eyes met his, Jack violently jerked his head away from her gaze. Celestia raised a brow at this but chose not to pry. Avoiding eye contact like the plague, he told her the full story from his driving through the portal to his arrival in Canterlot. After hearing his story, Celestia spent a few minutes thinking about what to do. When she finally came to a decision, she asked Jack to come closer.

"Although you are 21 mentally, you are biologically 7. As such, I will assign you a guardian, and they will enroll you in school. This will help you learn our way of life and integrate into our society," explained Celestia.

"The fuck?!" Jack asked. "I can't stay here! I have a family and friends. I still have a year left before graduation! You can't just treat me like a lost kid!"

"I understand your frustration, and I will do everything within my power to find you a way home," Celestia explained warmly. "However, in the meantime, you will have to obey our laws and customs, which means you will need to do as I ask."

"That's bullshit!" Jack shouted. It was only at that point that it struck Jack just how much larger than him Celestia was. Slowly but surely, his courage faded. "But um, if it gets me out of here faster, I guess I can deal with it," he sighed.

"Wonderful, that just leaves the question of whose care you should be placed under," said Celestia.

Twilight Sparkle stepped forward. "I've raised Spike since he hatched, plus having Jack at the library with me would be an excellent way for me to learn everything I can about humans."

“No way! He could still be dangerous! I’d do a 20% better job at keeping an eye on him than anypony else," asserted Rainbow Dash.

“Uh, Rainbow Dash, yer house is made of clouds. How do ya 'spect to keep an eye on him if he can’ even stay at yer house?” asked Applejack. “Ah’ve raised Apple Bloom ever since our ma disappeared. There’s plenty of room at Sweet Apple Acres, and we could always use another farmhoof.”

"Applejack, you can't be serious. He needs to learn proper manners, something you wouldn't know the first thing about," said Rarity.

“Jus' 'cause Ah don't act and talk all fancy the way you do, don't mean Ah have bad manners, Rarity. Besides, ya don't have any experience with foals."

“I take care of Sweetie Bell all the time. I doubt this will be any harder,” Rarity countered

"Maybe I should take him in," said Pinkie.

“NO!” the rest of the Mane Six apart from Fluttershy shouted at once

As the argument continued, Fluttershy decided to get a word in. “Umm…”

“What he needs is to learn the value of hard work," Applejack said.

“Manners are far more important for somepony his age to learn," Rarity argued.

“Did they forget that I’m actually an adult?” Jack wondered as he crossed his arms and scowled.

“I think…” Fluttershy continued

“HE’S DANGEROUS!” shouted Rainbow Dash, cutting Fluttershy off.

“Maybe…” Fluttershy started.

"He should be studied," said Twilight.

“LISTEN TO ME!” Fluttershy finally shouted.

The argument immediately ground to a halt as all eyes locked onto Fluttershy.

“I’ve taken care of primates in the past. They have very different dietary and health needs than ponies. I know you all mean well, but I don’t think you know what you’d be getting into. If anypony should take care of Jack, it should be me," she said before quietly adding, "If it's alright with you."

Seeing an opportunity to intervene without resorting to her Royal Caterlot Voice, Celestia made her opinion known.“I think it’d be best if Fluttershy were to take Jack in for the time being. I also think it would be best his true age and origin be kept between the ponies in this room for now."

"As you wish, Princess," Twilight agreed. "Will that be all?”

“I’d like to speak with Jack alone before you take him back to Ponyville," Celestia said.

Twilight and her friends exited the throne room.

Once they were alone, Celestia's warm smile converted to a tight glare, “You’re not the first of your kind to come to Equestria.”

His interest peaked, Jack's eyes locked onto Celestia's. “There are others? Where are they now?”

"I thought that might get your attention," Celestia responded. "Is there a reason you were going through such lengths to avoid eye contact?"

Celestia's gaze had the intensity of a solar flare. Intimidated, Jack turned his eyes elsewhere.

"Well?" Celestia asked impatiently.

"I-I just don't feel comfortable making eye contact for more than a few seconds," Jack answered. "As a child, I always had trouble looking people in the eye. I thought I had gotten over it when I was in Middle School, but I guess it came back when my body regressed." A lone tear fell from his right eye. "You... said there were other humans here, right? Where are they?"

Celestia's glare softened. "There's no need for tears, young human. I apologize if my demeanor has caused you any discomfort." Letting out a long sigh, she answered Jack's question. "I'm sorry to say this, but you seem to have misunderstood me. If you're hoping you might find your friends and family here, you'll be disappointed. It's been many years since humans last set foot in Equestria, almost 363."

A glimmer of hope flickered into Jack's mind. "Then there is a way for me to go back, right?" he asked.

"I'm afraid I don't know the answer to that," Celestia answered. "The humans that came before you lived the rest of their lives here in Equestria. I'll do my best to find you a way home, but admittedly I'm not yet sure of how to do that."

“Then why bother telling me this?” Jack asked bitterly.

“Because in the millennia I've been alive, I've learned to be very wary of your kind. Some were kind and helped Equestria prosper, but others were violent and proved to be dangerous enemies," Celestia explained. Rising from her throne, she purposefully walked to where Jack stood. "Tell me, Jack, what manner of magic do you use?"

“Magic?” Jack repeated. He was already well aware that magic existed in this world, but surely Celestia didn't think he could do it.

"Yes, magic, the humans who have come here in the past were all quite adept at it," Celestia explained. "Is magical ability not common among your people?"

"No, in my world, magic is nothing more than fiction."

"That can't be right, Celestia thought. With a glow of sparkling light from her horn, she took a peek into Jack's soul. “He isn’t lying. He clearly has no magic to speak of. However, there is a potential for magic within him greater than anypony I’ve tested apart from Twilight Sparkle and Sunset Shimmer. There's something else here, too. It's almost as if there are two entities sharing a single body. A second personality, perhaps? No, this is something else." She would have liked to investigate further, but she knew that further prying could cause damage. As the glow of her horn faded, she gave Jack a nod. "Very well, Jack. You may leave. However, I'd like you to keep this discussion between the two of us."

"What did you talk with the Princess about?" asked Twilight as Jack entered the hall.

"Nothing important," Jack lied. "Just some ground rules for living here."

With that, Jack and the ponies made their way back to the balloon and set course for Ponyville.

Author's Note

It looks like I'm in the clear with my legal issues. I haven't been charged with anything, and according to the detective I talked to, if they were going to charge me, they would have already done it.
My university has shut down for the rest of the semester due to the coronavirus, and as of tomorrow, all my classes will be moved online. This could either result in me having more time to write or less.
I'm not entirely satisfied with the way this chapter came out. The dialogue just seems kinda awkward to me. If anyone has any good suggestions on how certain parts could be written differently to make them better, I'll change them.
Next time: Pinkie Pie throws Jack a welcome to Ponyville party.

Prologue Chapter 5 (Last Edited: (4/27/2022)

June 5, 2020

Twilight Sparkle's Balloon

The events that had occurred in the past day had given Jack a lot to think about. He had been transported to another universe and transformed into a child. The inhabitants of the universe in question were colorful talking ponies with tattoos on their butts. There didn't seem to be any way back, and worst of all (at least in Jack's mind), he had been forcibly adopted and was going to have to go back to elementary school.

“I wonder what pony school is even like," he thought to himself, glumly watching the landscape of Equestria pass below him. “I bet Mom is worried sick about me, Dad’s probably just annoyed I’m taking so long, and Mark probably doesn’t care at all (not that I’d blame him.)”

"Are you alright, Jack?" Fluttershy asked, placing a hoof on his shoulder.

"I'm fine, Fluttershy," Jack lied.

"Well, if you ever need anything, just ask."

"Hey, Fluttershy! How about helping me pull!” yelled Rainbow Dash.

“C-coming!” Fluttershy replied.

As Fluttershy went to help Rainbow Dash, Applejack took the chance to start up a conversation, “Ah know yer nervous, but trust me, the ponies in Ponyville are the friendliest in Equestria."

“Are you deaf? I said I'm fine," Jack growled.

"Ah know what ya said, but it weren't the truth, now was it," Applejack said thoughtfully.

“What gave me away?” asked Jack.

“Yer not a half-bad liar, Jack, but it takes more than that to fool me," Applejack answered with a chuckle.

"I'll keep that in mind," Jack muttered.

They arrived in Ponyville just as the Sun was beginning to set. As soon as the balloon touched the ground, Pinkie raced off to God knows where the rest of the ponies made their way home.

"Are you ready, Jack?" asked Fluttershy.

"I guess so," Jack sighed.

After a few minutes of walking, they arrived at Fluttershy’s cottage. When Jack walked inside, he was amazed by just how many animals Fluttershy owned. Bunnies and mice were scurrying around the floor, birds flying around or perched on the rails of the top floor. There was even a bear scratching its back on the wall.

"Wow, you have a lot of pets!" Jack exclaimed, staring slack-jawed at the indoor zoo.

"That isn't going to be a problem, is it?" Fluttershy asked nervously.

"Not at all. I love animals!" Jack exclaimed, smiling for the first time since he arrived in Equestria.

"That's wonderful! I know you and all my furry friends are going to be the best of friends!" Fluttershy exclaimed.

Jack chuckled a bit before noticing a small bunny giving him the stink eye. "What's your problem, little guy?" he asked, picking up the small animal.

As Jack gazed into the bunny's beady black eyes, he was turned away by a sudden pressure in his forehead. This was the same feeling he'd get when making eye contact with another human or, more recently, ponies. To Jack, it was as if the person making eye contact was reading into his soul, and he hated it. This was largely a problem exclusive to his childhood and had been mitigated since he started taking medication. Unfortunately, he'd left that medicine in his car, and the eye contact problem had come back worse than ever before.

Avoiding the dreaded eye contact, Jack spoke to the bunny the same way he would a small dog. "It's alright, little guy. I'm just going to be living here for a whi... OWWW YOU LITTLE FUCK!" he exclaimed as the bunny's teeth sank into his hand.

“What happened?” asked Fluttershy with concern.

“This fucking bunny bit me!” Jack exclaimed.

Fluttershy shot the bunny with the most intense stare Jack had ever seen. It was enough to intimidate the little shit, who quickly fucked off.

"I'm so sorry about Angel Bunny," Fluttershy apologized. "He can be a little territorial sometimes. Let me show you to your room." Fluttershy directed him up a flight of stairs to a hallway with two doors. “You can take the room on the right if that's ok with you."

"Thank you, Fluttershy," Jack said before going into the room. Once Jack entered the room, he realized that he didn’t have any clean clothes to change into. “I better ask Fluttershy where I can go to buy some new clothes." He rushed down to the living room and found her sorting through various pet food items, “Hey Fluttershy, do you know where I might be able to get some new clothes?"

Fluttershy jumped a little upon hearing Jack’s voice, "Oh, Jack, you startled me. If you need clothes, you should talk to Rarity. Um, also, Twilight wanted me to bring you down to the library if that's ok."

“Ok, what time does she want us there?” Jack asked.

“As soon as you’re ready," Fluttershy answered.

"Well, let's go then," Jack said, opening the door.

Fluttershy led Jack toward the Library. As he walked through Ponyville, Jack couldn't help but notice how beautiful the small town looked in the sunset. It somewhat reminded him of Downtown Summerville and Charleston's Rainbow Row. After a few minutes of walking, they arrived at a large tree that seemed to have been hollowed out and turned into a house.

“Is this it?” asked Jack.

"uh-huh," Fluttershy nodded.

When Jack opened the door, he found the room pitch black and seemingly empty. “Are you sure she’s home?”

“Sh-she s-said she would be here," Fluttershy answered.

"Ok," said Jack as he flipped the light switch.

“SURPRISE!!!!”

“JESUS FUCKING CHRIST!” Jack yelled, his heart pounding like a drum.

"Were you surprised, Jackey? Were you? Were you?" asked Pinkie.

“WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU? ARE YOU TRYING TO GIVE ME A HEART ATTACK?” Jack yelled furiously.

Pinkie’s hair deflated at Jack's anger, “I-I was j-just trying to make you feel welcome in Ponyville."

Taking several deep breaths, Jack calmed himself down. "I'm sorry, Pinkie, I didn't mean to snap at you. Is this some kind of surprise party?"

Pinkie’s hair reinflated as she jumped up, “You bet it is! I throw one for every new arrival in Ponyville!"

“Thank you, Pinkie. Is Rarity here?” asked Jack.

“She’s right over there," Pinkie replied, pointing to the punch bowl.

“Thanks again, Pinkie,” said Jack as he walked toward Rarity.

Rarity was in the middle of a conversation with a small white unicorn who curiously lacked any kind of butt tattoo present in the older ponies.

"Excuse me, Rarity, can I talk with you?" asked Jack.

"Oh, Jack darling, I'm so glad to see you," Rarity greeted. "This is my little sister, Sweetie Belle. You'll be in the same class when you start school."

"Nice to meet you, Sweetie Belle. Mind if I talk to your sister for a bit?" Jack asked.

"N-nice to meet you too, Jack. Go right ahead," Sweetie Belle said quickly before running off.

"Well, she seems nice. I hope I didn't scare her," Jack said.

"You're fine, Jack. She's just shy," Rarity assured. "What do you need?"

“I don’t have any clothes to change into right now. Fluttershy said you could help me out with that," Jack explained.

"Of course. I'm a little busy at the moment, but when I have time, you should come by Carousel Boutique, and I'll take your measurements," Rarity agreed.

“I don’t really have any money right now. How much will this cost?” Jack asked.

"You don't need to worry about the price, darling. It's on me," Rarity said.

“That’s really generous, Rarity, but I insist you let me pay you something," Jack said.

"Being able to make such unique clothing will be payment enough," said Rarity with excitement. "You seem a lot more pleasant than before," she noted.

"Well it's not like being hostile to everyone is gonna get me home any faster," Jack sighed. “I just needed a little time to vent. Thank you, Rarity.”

His conversation with Rarity lasted a few more minutes before Jack said fair well and moved on. It wasn't long before he found his way to the snack bar and began to pig out. Just as he was about to eat his 7th cupcake, Jack heard a voice from behind him.

"Excuse me."

He turned around and found Fluttershy and a pale-amber mare with a scroll cutie mark and glasses staring at him.

“Hey, Fluttershy. Who’s this?” asked Jack.

The mare in question held out a clipboard before speaking.

"I am Mayor Mare, the Mayor of Ponyville," she said.

“Mayor Mare? Really? These names are ridiculous," thought Jack. "Pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Mayor. What can I help you with?"

“Now that you will be moving into Ponyville as Fluttershy’s dependent, I need to have you both sign this document," she said.

"Ok," Jack said as he took the clipboard and signed his name under dependent.

Fluttershy then signed her name under guardian, and Jack left.

"Why doesn't he make eye contact?" Mayor Mare asked.

"Looking ponies in the eye makes him uncomfortable," Fluttershy answered.

Noticing Rainbow Dash and Applejack talking by the snack bar, Jack went over to talk to them, “Applejack, Rainbow Dash! How are you two doing?”

"I'm fine, no thanks to you!" Rainbow Dash snapped before storming off.

“What’s her problem?” Jack asked Applejack.

“Don’t worry nothin' about it! She's never been good with new ponies, and that fight you two got into didn't help none either. Give it a little time, and she'll warm up to ya," Applejack replied.

"If you say so," Jack said, not so sure.

“You’ll be startin' school on Monday, right?” asked Applejack.

"I'd assume so," replied Jack.

"Good, you'll probably be in the same class as mah little sister, Apple Bloom," said Applejack. "You might want tuh go talk tuh the teacher, Cheerilee. She's right over there," she said, pointing to a purple pony with flowers for a cutie mark.

"Thank you, Applejack, I'll go do that," Jack said before making his way toward Cheerilee.

“Excuse me, miss Cheerilee, is it?” Jack asked the mare.

"Yes?" she asked, turning around. "Oh, you must be Jack."

"That's me," Jack said.

"Nice to meet you, Jack. I'm Cheerilee, Ponyville’s resident teacher.” Cheerilee introduced herself.

“Resident teacher? You mean you’re the only teacher in all of Ponyville?” Jack asked.

"That's right," answered Cheerilee.

"Seriously?" asked Jack. "How does one person teach an entire towns worth of children?!"

“That’s a bit of an odd question. I alternate between 1st to 5th-year students on Mondays and Tuesdays and 6th to 10th-year students Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, just like every other teacher in Equestria," Cheerilee explained.

“That’s insane," thought Jack.

“How do you manage to teach 5 classes a day?” asked Jack.

"It can be hard sometimes. I teach for 10 hours a day except for weekends and holidays, then I spend another 3 hours doing other work," Cheerilee said.

“That would mean each student is only taught for two hours each day!” noted Jack.

“Very good! I see you know division well for your age. Maybe you can help some of the other students who are struggling when you join us next week," said Cheerilee.

“Did I just get complimented on my math skills? There's a first time for everything, but that really wasn't all that impressive," Jack thought to himself before coming to a realization. “Of course, she thinks I’m a child.”

“I’m going to go find Fluttershy so she can sign your forms. It was nice speaking to you!” Cheerilee said cheerfully.

"I guess I'll see you on Monday then," Jack said as she walked off. "And I thought teachers had it bad in my world.”

After a few hours had passed, Jack found himself talking to Twilight and Pinkie Pie.

“So, you were a history major?” asked Twilight.

"Yes, and I was minoring in religion," answered Jack.

“What’s religion?” asked Twilight.

"That's actually a tough question to answer since there isn't a set definition," said Jack.

"That's ok. It's getting late anyway. How about you come back here in a few days and give me a detailed explanation of religion along with the history of your world," Twilight said with a yawn. "Hey, Pinkie, I need some shut-eye. Could you tell everypony to go home now?" she yawned, going up the Stairs.

"Ok, Twilight. HEY EVERYPONY, IT'S TIME TO GO HOME!" Pinkie shouted into a megaphone she had pulled out of her mane.

With that, everyone at the party began to clear out. As Jack and Fluttershy were on their way back to the cottage, Jack couldn’t help but admire the night sky.

"Hey, Jack," said Fluttershy.

“Yes?” asked Jack

"I've signed you up for classes. I'm sure you'll make plenty of friends," Fluttershy said.

“I’m sure I will, Fluttershy," Jack said.

Secretly, Jack’s thoughts still dwelt with his family, but the ponies of Equestria were beginning to grow on him all the same.

Author's Note

When I first started watching My Little Pony, I couldn't help noticing that Cheerilee seemed to be the only teacher in Ponyville. However, 16-year-old me didn't think too hard about it. Now that I've been in college for three years, I have a vague idea of how hard a job teaching is. When I started writing this chapter, I realized that Cheerilee must be working ridiculous hours to be teaching everyone and that the students probably don't spend all that much time in school. Although unplanned, the two hours, two days a week school thing works out pretty well for me as it gives me far more freedom to write non-school-related chapters on different days of the week.
Next time: Jack starts school in Equestria.

Prologue Chapter 6 (Last Edited: 4/27/2022)

June 8, 2020

Fluttershy’s Cottage

Nothingness, pitch-black nothingness. Jack was vaguely aware he was asleep, but this knowledge meant little to him. For most people, the concept of floating around in an empty abyss would be terrifying, but not to him. He rather enjoyed the dark and found it to be peaceful. However, while he couldn't see anything, he could hear plenty.

“It’s all your fault!” shouted a girl.

“Why weren’t you there for me?” asked a boy.

"I hate you, Jack! I wish Shawn was my brother instead of you!" shouted another boy.

"I lost everything because of you!" another boy yelled.

“The world is better off without you!” they all said in unison.

The voices were endless, they drowned out everything, and they pierced deep into Jacks's subconscious. They went on for what seemed like hours before stopping abruptly.

"Thine mind is quite troubled, young human," said a voice from behind him.

He turned around to find a dark blue alicorn staring at him. She was smaller than Celestia, with a flowing mane that seemed like a clear night sky.

“Who are you?” Jack asked.

"We are Princess Luna, co-ruler of Equestria,” stated the alicorn.

“Why are you here?” asked Jack. “And what’s with the royal we?”

“We are the Princess of the Night! The Dream Realm is our domain!" Luna shouted.

"So, you go around visiting people's dreams then?" asked Jack.

"That is a rather simplified way of putting it, but that is correct, young one," stated Luna.

“Oh, come on, I may look like a child, but I’m 21 years old,” Jack said, crossing his arms indignantly.

“We have been alive for almost 2,000 years. To us, 21 is still quite young," said Luna.

"Fair enough," Jack shrugged.

“Doth thou have these nightmares often?” asked Luna as she walked closer to Jack.

"More often than I'd like," he admitted, staring into the empty void.

"Thou can look into our eyes, young human," Luna instructed. "Thou shall find that thine afflictions from the waking world do not affect thou here."

"How did you know about that?" Jack questioned. As his eyes locked with hers, sure enough, there was no discomfort.

"Our sister informed us," Luna answered, placing a wing over his shoulder. “We understand having regrets, young human. If thou ever wish to discuss them with us, we shall be happy to listen." The void began to fill with bright light. "We shall take our leave now. It is time thou woke up."

"Wait, don't leave me…" Jack started as his eyes shot open.

The Sun was shining through his window, the birds were singing, and a most wonderful scent emanated from downstairs. Jack knew he had been having a nightmare, but he couldn’t remember exactly what it was about. What he did know was that today would be his first day of school in Ponyville. The past two days had been relatively uneventful. He hadn't gone out much, and Fluttershy had been doting on him nonstop (almost like an overly affectionate mother.) He slowly slipped out of bed and got dressed. Walking down the stairs, he found Fluttershy making an omelet.

"Good morning, Fluttershy," Jack said with a yawn.

Fluttershy jumped at the unexpected greeting and timidly turned her head towards the source. "Oh, Jack, good morning. Did you sleep well?"

"I slept fine, Fluttershy," Jack answered, popping his neck.

"I'm so glad to hear that," Fluttershy said while putting Jack's plate on the table. "Eat up. You'll need a full belly to do your best!"

Jack scarfed his meal down with gusto before noticing Angel, giving him the stink eye again. He flipped the bunny off, and it stormed out of the kitchen. "I guess I'll be leaving then."

“Do you know the way?” Fluttershy asked as Jack was about to walk out the door.

Jack let out a short cough. “Well, now that you mention it. No, I don’t know the way."

"Let me take you," said Fluttershy.

"Ok," Jack sighed, disappointed at his inability to have time for himself.

Jack and Fluttershy made their way to the schoolhouse, and the yellow pegasus constantly expressed her worries along the way. “What if the other foals are mean to you? What if Cheerilee asks you a question you can’t answer? You packed your lunch, right?”

"I'll ignore them, I'll admit I don't know the answer, and yes, I packed my lunch," Jack said as they arrived at the school building.

"You're sure you'll be ok? I can go in with you if it would help," Fluttershy offered.

"I'll be fine, Fluttershy. See you after class," Jack said, heading into the building.

“Ok, I’ll be here in two hours to pick you up! Don’t forget to tell me all about your first day!” Fluttershy called as Jack closed the door behind him.

As Jack entered the schoolhouse, he noticed every pony inside turn their attention to him. No one said a word for what felt like hours, despite it only being a few seconds. Finally, a pink earth pony filly wearing a tiara broke the silence, “Who let that thing in?”

“And why is it wearing that ugly outfit?” asked a silver earth pony filly.

Jack wasn’t the least bit amused, "This thing has a name! It's Jack, by the way. I'm your new classmate, and what should I call you two?"

The pink pony turned to the silver pony and complained loudly, "They're letting animals into Equestrian schools now?"

“My daddy said it was only a matter of time before this happened. First zebras and donkeys, now apes. What’s next?” the silver one continued.

"This is why my daddy has been trying to get a private school built here. That way, we won't have to study with the peasants and animals," said the pink one. "I mean, this thing clearly doesn't know anything of Equestrian manners. It didn't even look me in the eye when it talked to me."

Ignoring the two brats, Jack sighed and took his seat next to a yellow earth pony filly with a red mane.

“Don’ mind Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. They’re mean tuh everypony." The filly smiled and introduced herself, "Ah'm Apple Bloom, by the way!"

"Nice to meet you, Apple Bloom. I'm Jack," he introduced.

Soon after Jack introduced himself, the school bell rang, and Cheerilee walked into the classroom, "Good morning, class! As most of you have probably noticed, we have a new student today. Jack, would you please stand up and introduce yourself."

“Hello, everyone. My name is Jack Delano Jager," Jack introduced, "Fluttershy adopted me after I was trans…” Realizing he was about to reveal his secret, he blurted out the first lie that popped into his head, “after my country was ravaged by a plague that wiped out everyone except for me!”

Scanning the room, Jack could see that all the foals (Except for Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon) now had looks of sympathy on their faces.

Cheerilee was the first to speak, "I'm so sorry to hear that, Jack. Fluttershy never told me the circumstances of your adoption," she said soothingly before addressing the class. "I'd like each of you to introduce yourself and ask Jack a question. Please be mindful not to say anything that may make him uncomfortable.”

The first pony to ask a question was an orange pegasus filly. “My name is Scootaloo. What exactly are you?”

"I'm a human," answered Jack.

The next pony was Rarity's little sister, whose name Jack had already forgotten. “I’m Sweetie Belle, in case you’ve forgotten. Why do you wear all those clothes?”

"Humans don't have much hair apart from what's on our heads; we get cold very easily," Jack replied, rubbing his face for emphasis. "It's also considered rude to be naked in most human cultures."

A white earth pony with a frizzy red mane and blue glasses raised her hoof. "I'm Twist," she said with a nasally lisp. "You're a colt, right? It'th kind of hard to tell, ethpecially with your mane being all curly like that."

Normally ha would have been offended by such a question, but his 7-year-old body was admittedly quite a bit more androgynous than the foals in the classroom, and it didn't seem particularly common for colts to have hair quite as curly as his. "Yes, I'm a colt, well, a boy if you want to be more accurate. My hair just kinda naturally curls like this."

The next pony to raise their hoof was a fat grey unicorn colt, “I’m Snips. What exactly do Humans eat?”

“Vegetables, fruit, meat, pretty much anything, to be honest,” Jack replied

In a heartbeat, the fascinated looks on the foal's faces switched to that of an antelope that had spotted a lion in the grass.

“You don’t eat ponies, do you?” asked an amber unicorn colt. "Oh, I'm Snails, by the way."

"What? Ew, gross! I would never!" Jack answered, twisting his face in disgust.

There was a collective sigh of relief at that revelation.

A gray pegasus colt raised his hoof next. "I'm Rumble. What kind of games do humans play?"

"All kinds of games," Jack answered. "Hide and seek, tag, cops and robbers, video games..."

"What's a video game?" asked a skinny white pegasus colt. "I'm Featherweight."

Explaining the concept of video games took several minutes as the ponies didn't know what a TV was either. However, once he explained what a TV was, most of them figured it out.

"So it's like an arcade game that you keep in your house?" Rumble asked.

"That's right," Jack nodded.

Jack cringed when the next pony raised her hoof. "This is gonna suck.

"I'm Silver Spoon. How much money did your family make?" The filly asked before adding. "Not that it matters since you live in that hut with Fluttershy now."

"SILVER SPOON, THAT IS NOT APPROPRIATE!" shouted Cheerilee.

"It's fine, Miss Cheerilee. I'm more than happy to answer," Jack said calmly, but with a noticeable twitch in his eyes. “My parents made more than enough for us to live comfortably.”

As the next hoof rose, a sense of dread began to take over Jack's mind. "Not her.

“I’m Diamond Tiara. Have you been fixed and housetrained yet?" she asked with a shit-eating grin.

No one said a word for about thirty seconds. Jack glanced at Cheerilee. If looks could kill, Diamond Tiara would be dead. The teacher clearly wanted to say something but was holding herself back for some reason.

"Hey, ape!" Diamond Tiara sneered. "Look me in the eye and answer."

"Maybe if I just ignore her, she'll leave me alone. Jack hoped.

"What's wrong?" Diamond Tiara asked. "No answer? I guess you know your place at least."

The introductions and questions continued until only one pony remained. Apple Bloom slowly raised her hoof. “Ah’m Apple Bloom. Would you like to come over to Sweet Apple Acres and play sometime?”

Before Jack could answer, he was rudely interrupted by Diamond Tiara. “Oh my Gosh! Apple Bloom has a crush on the ape!” she shouted before adding. “I guess we shouldn’t be too surprised. I bet her whole family is into that kind of stuff!”

Apple Bloom's face flushed furiously as tears welled in her eyes. Everyone else just sat there in silence, but Something inside Jack snapped. Discomfort be damned, his eyes locked onto the rich brats, and he started to chew her out. "LISTEN HERE, YOU LITTLE BITCH! I DON'T KNOW WHY NOBODY ELSE IS SAYING ANYTHING, BUT YOU NEED TO SHUT THE FUCK UP! YOU THINK YOU’RE BETTER THAN EVERYONE ELSE BECAUSE YOU’RE RICH? FUCK YOU! NOW APOLOGISE BEFORE I COME OVER THERE AND MAKE YOU!”

Everypony was frozen in shock. Did this human honestly just stand up to Diamond Tiara. Jack, too was shocked by his actions. Meltdowns were a common occurrence in his childhood, but they had all but disappeared right alongside his eye contact problems when he started on his current prescription.

“Oh, shit! Did I really just do that? I need to get my medication before I say something worse!” Jack frantically thought.

After a moment of silence, Cheerilee began to speak."Everypony except for Jack is dismissed."

As the foals cleared out, Diamond Tiara stuck her tongue out and sneered at the human before rushing out the door with the rest.

Cheerilee sighed. "What you said was unacceptable. I don't know if those words are just tossed around casually in your culture, but in pony culture, they are taboo."

"Well, I didn't see you telling Diamond Tiara to stop," Jack scowled.

"I understand wanting to put Diamond Tiara in her place," Cheerilee said. "I find myself having to hold back on scolding her almost every class. Unfortunately, she's the daughter of Filthy Rich, a member of the Royal Court. If I punish her, he could have the school shut down in retaliation."

Jack had never come across anything more disgusting in his life. A wealthy family shutting down a town's only public school because their daughter was a spoiled brat. He had always thought of rich people as douchebags, but this was flat-out evil.

At this point, Fluttershy came bursting in the door, asking why Jack wasn't waiting for her outside. Cheerilee explained what had happened to Fluttershy, who began to scold the human meekly. “Wh-why would you d-do that, Jack? Is something b-bothering you?"

Jack answered her calmly and clearly. "I have a condition known as Asperger's. It causes me to have terrible social skills, makes me prone to meltdowns like what happened in class, and also is the cause of my eye contact issues. Normally I take medication for it, but I left the meds in my car a few miles from where you found me."

Cheerilee interjected, “Would it be possible to get this medication?”

“Someone would have to go and get it from I-95... er my homeland," answered Jack.

After discussing the issue with Cheerilee for about 15 minutes, Jack and Fluttershy left for Golden Oak Library to ask Twilight if they could borrow her balloon.

When they explained the situation to Twilight, she agreed, and the two set off for the mysterious landmass.

June 9, 2020

Sky above Lake Marion

It had taken them over half a day of travel, but finally, Fluttershy and Jack had arrived at the bridge where he had abandoned his CR-V.

"So, where is this car thing?" asked Fluttershy.

“It should be down there," Jack said, pointing at the I-95 Bridge.

When Jack had initially ended up in Equestria, he was too distressed to notice just what a mess the bridge was in. Some cars were little more than twisted heaps of metal, having crashed at 60+ miles per hour. The guard rail was smashed clean through in some areas. Only a few cars were intact, which made it relatively easy to spot the untouched CR-V.

"There it is," said Jack before he bolted off in the direction of the green SUV.

Reaching his car, Jack opened the door and was almost knocked out cold by the stench. It was almost as if something had died. He looked toward the back seat and noticed his turtle tank. The water was putrid, no surprise, considering it hadn't been cleaned for days. He took the tank out of the car and dumped it on the asphalt. The turtles were still alive and quickly retreated into their shells once the water had drained.

“So, is this the car thing you were telling me about?” Fluttershy asked before noticing the turtles. “Oh, my goodness! Who put those poor turtles into such a small container?”

"I did," answered Jack.

“Why would you do such a terrible thing?!” Fluttershy asked, noticeably unhappy.

"I normally keep them in a bigger tank, but there's only so much room inside the car," Jack explained defensively.

"Why didn't you take them with you when we went to Canterlot?" Fluttershy asked, still slightly irritated.

"We teleported to the balloon so quickly that I didn't have time to tell you," Jack answered.

Satisfied with his explanation, Fluttershy returned to her usual cheerful self. "I understand, just try not to let this happen again," she smiled. "Did you get the medication?"

"I'll go get it now," Jack said as he opened the door and grabbed a green backpack that was sitting right next to the tank.

He opened up the backpack and found a lighter, two notebooks, his laptop, and three pill bottles.

"They're in here," Jack said as he zipped the backpack up and slung it around his shoulders.

Grabbing the turtles, they headed back to the balloon.

It had been an eventful few days in Equestria. If only Jack knew what fate had in store for him.

Author's Note

With this chapter, the Prologue has come to an end. The next chapter covers the events of an episode and, as such, will have some copy and pasted dialogue from the transcripts. Every chapter based on an episode will have at least some copy-pasted dialogue, but some will have more than others.
Next time: Twilight receives two tickets to the Grand Galloping Gala and struggles to decide who to take with her.

Chapter 2: Learning about Humans (Last Edited: 4/27/2022)

June 11, 2020

Unknown

Jack was dreaming again. Unlike last time, however, he could see everything. He watched in horror as his bad memories passed in front of him. He was in his childhood home. Looking to the right, he saw a teen version of himself reading a text message from a girl his brother had a crush on.

Mark asked me out today. I want to say yes, but is there anything I should know about him first?

“Don’t respond," Jack pleaded with himself to no avail.

He's kind of perverted and a bit of a porn addict, to be honest, but other than that, nothing notable.

His dreamscape faded to black briefly as the scene changed. He saw a slightly younger version of himself about to let a dog off its leash.

"Stop!" Jack shouted, knowing what would happen next.

The dog bolted into the street and was hit by a car as Dream Jack looked on in horror. Once again, everything faded to black as the scene changed.

He was on the playground of his elementary school. A fifth-grade version of himself stood with three other boys. To Jack's right was a short, dirty-blond-haired fourth-grader with a face covered in freckles named Chase Carney. To his left stood a taller, dirty-blond-haired, fourth-grader named Shawn Habbers. The Three boys were facing a brown-haired fifth-grader named Bryce Durkheim. Together the four of them formed the Circle of Bros.

"So, what did you want to tell us, Bryce?" asked Dream Jack.

"My mom doesn't want us hanging out anymore," Bryce answered.

"What!?" asked Chase. "Why?"

"It's something to do with my stepdad," Bryce answered. "He's a Jernova's Witness."

"You mean a Jehova's Witness?" asked Shawn.

"Yeah," Bryce answered. "My mom says we need to be Jehova's Witnesses too. She says we can't celebrate holidays or birthdays anymore, I have to throw away all my comics and video games, and I can't be friends with anyone who isn't a Jehovah's Witness."

"That's some gap," Chase pouted.

"Some what?" asked Dream Jack.

"Gay crap," Chase answered.

"There's got to be something we can do," said Shawn.

"Don't get involved," Jack said quietly.

"Why not hang out with us anyway?" Jack asked. "If your mom doesn't know, what harm would it do?"

The scenery once again faded into the void. Now Jack was sitting in the front passenger seat of his car, parked in a lot outside of a Pet Supplies Plus. He turned to the driver’s seat and saw himself pick up his phone. He saw that he was looking at a text message from his mother.

Your friend Chase is in the hospital. Apparently, he was showing “stroke-like symptoms.”

“Please, no more!” Jack said aloud.

Everything faded to black again, but this time it stayed that way.

“Why dost thou continue to allow these nightmares to haunt thine dreams?”

"Oh, it's you again," said Jack. "Hello, Luna."

“We are Princess Luna to thou, young human," she replied.

"Why should I refer to you as princess?" asked Jack. "Technically, I'm not one of your subjects."

Princess Luna cast a stern glare at the human. It was easy to tell his logic did not amuse her. “Art thou going to answer our question?”

“I'm not allowing them to haunt me," Jack answered. "I just can't get rid of them," he muttered.

"Our offer to help still stands," said Luna.

"These dreams have been haunting me for months," Jack said quietly. "Some of them for years." Looking at Luna with wide eyes, he made a request. "Please help me."

"That will have to wait for next time, young human, thou art waking up," said Luna.

Jack opened his eyes to the sound of his phone alarm, blaring like a submarine about to dive. Digging the grit out of his eyes, he rolled over to see what the alarm was for.

Go to Golden Oak Library for Talk with Twilight!

Glancing at his phone’s battery, he found it was at 52%. He had been using his phone only sparingly to conserve the battery, but that didn’t stop it from draining far more quickly than he would have liked. “Perhaps Twilight could figure out a way to fix the battery problem. I'll take it with me when I visit her today.”

Looking over to his nightstand, he spotted three orange pill bottles next to a glass of water. “Fluttershy must’ve left them out for me," he thought as he swallowed the pills with a quick gulp.

Once he had finished his daily rituals, Jack rushed downstairs to find Fluttershy struggling to get Angel to eat a carrot.

"Hey, Fluttershy! I'm going to head over to the library," Jack said.

“Wait, let me take you," said Fluttershy, losing focus just long enough for Angel to sneak away.

"This shit again?" Jack cringed. Putting on a cheerful mask, he responded, “I can go on my own. You don’t need to trouble yourself."

"It's no trouble, really," Fluttershy responded with a bright smile.

Seeing no way to convince Fluttershy to let him out on his own, Jack decided against arguing with her. "Fine," he said with thinly veiled resentment.

The walk to the Library was pleasant enough. Jack could have done without Fluttershy constantly worrying over his safety, but he had no complaints other than that. When they arrived, Spike answered the door.

"Hey, Spike. Where's Twilight?" asked Jack.

"She's in her study. I'll go tell her you're here," Spike replied. "Come on in," he beckoned before scampering to a door across the room.

"I'll be fine now, Fluttershy," Jack said. "I'll come back home when Twilight's done asking me questions."

"I'll pick you up when you get done," insisted Fluttershy.

"This could take a while," Jack said. "What if I ask Twilight to take me home when we finish?"

"Well, I guess that's alright," Fluttershy agreed. "Tell Twilight you need to be home by 6:00, ok."

As Fluttershy left, Spike returned with Twilight.

“Good morning, Jack!” said Twilight. “How are you today?”

"I'm doing alright, Twilight," said Jack.

"That's good to hear," she responded. "Come on in."

Twilight led Jack to her study, where she had ten books about human history stacked up on a table. Spike was standing by the table, holding a quill and parchment.

"Take a seat," said Twilight. “Spike, how about you leave the quill and paper here and go take a break.”

"Ok," said Spike as he handed the quill and paper to Twilight.

As Jack sat down, Twilight levitated the book on the top of the pile over to her.

"Human history is fascinating! It's identical to pony history in many ways, and yet there are some events I don't recognize," said Twilight as she opened the book she was levitating. "For instance, this book makes several references to something called the Holocaust. Could you explain exactly what that was?"

“The Holocaust right from the start?” Jack gulped. “Um, well, The Holocaust was an attempt by a far-right political group known as the Nazis to wipe out the people they believed to be inferior to them," he answered.

“Wipe out?” questioned Twilight.

“It was genocide," Jack elaborated. "17 million people were killed because of the Nazi's beliefs."

“WHAT?” Twilight gasped. “Why would anypony do such a horrible thing?”

To a human like Jack, concepts such as genocide were nothing more than a terrible fact of life. A massacre in the Congo last week, a mass grave from the '70s found in Chile, new documents declassified revealing a previously unheard of CIA black op targeting civilians in Southeast Asia. These were just your typical headlines, which most Americans have grown accustomed to. But, to a pony like Twilight, these kinds of things were utterly alien and immensely distressing.

Had Jack noticed Twilight's discomfort, he might have tried a more comforting method of lecture, but alas, Asperger's didn't serve him well when deciphering his peer's emotions. He chose an academic approach to his explanation, not unlike how he would have given an oral report were he in class. “Well, it all goes back to a war that Germany (the country responsible) lost," explained Jack. "Toward the end of the war, the German Monarchy was abolished, and a new democratic government took over. The new government, naively believing they would receive fair treatment, chose to surrender rather than allowing the war to continue. Unfortunately, fairness was not on the agenda of Germany's enemies, and they punished the Germans severely. Germany was stripped of its military, forced to pay unreasonable reparations, and made to accept full blame for the war."

“Ok, but how does that result in 17 million being killed?” asked Twilight as she frantically jotted everything being said down.

"I'm getting to that," said Jack. "The new Leftist government set about enacting radical reforms such as giving women the right to vote. However, many were not happy with the new government. Some believed the loss of the war was due to traitors within Germany. They blamed Jews (a minority group with a history of being blamed when things go wrong), Roma (a nomadic group known for being unwilling to participate in wars), disabled people, and Leftists, among others.”

Twilight continued to write everything being said down. Her ears drooped downward as she listened in unease.

"The Nazi party was formed by those people. One man named Adolf Hitler quickly rose the ranks of this new party by giving fiery and passionate speeches about the traitors who'd lost the war. As time went on, the Nazis gained more and more power, and eventually, Hitler was appointed Chancellor of Germany."

“Why didn’t anypony see that the Nazis were dangerous?” asked Twilight.

"Many people did, but unfortunately, the German people were suffering through economic hardship and embarrassment due to the reparations and arms control imposed on them by the victors of the war," explained Jack. "Many Germans wanted solutions and someone to blame their problems on. The Leftists in charge of Germany offered neither. Hitler offered both. The two main groups who opposed Hitler were the center-left Social Democrats in charge of Germany before Hitler's rise and the far-left Communists. Unfortunately, the Social Democrats and Communists hated each other just as much they hated the Nazis. Communists would protest and even riot in the streets against the Social Democratic government, and the Social Democrats would sic the police on even the most peaceful Communist protests resulting in a massacre known as Bloody May."

“Ok, so what happened next?” said Twilight, indicating that she understood.

"Once Hitler came to power, he quickly turned Germany into a dictatorship and moved against his perceived enemies. He started by rounding up people with left-wing ideals into camps and sterilizing the disabled," explained Jack. "After several years, other groups the Nazis despised began to be sent to camps, especially the Jews."

“What was the purpose of these camps?” asked Twilight.

"Initially, the Nazis intended to deport unwanted people to far-off lands like the British Mandate of Palestine and French Colony of Madagascar. However, they later switched from deportation to extermination," explained Jack.

“What caused this change?” asked Twilight.

"The Nazis built most of the camps in territory they conquered from other countries. The conquest of that territory brought Germany into conflict with those nation's allies. On top of this, Germany and her allies had continued their own conquests, multiplying their enemies even further," Jack explained. "One such country was my homeland of America, which joined the war because Germany's ally, Japan, attacked us. Hitler blamed America's entry on American Jews and began exterminating the Jews of Europe along with the other groups the Nazis deemed to be enemies.”

Jack continued to explain how the Holocaust came to an end when the Nazis were defeated by the numerous enemies they had made. Twilight went on to inquire about numerous other topics such as the Space Race, nuclear weapons, slavery, segregation, the American Revolution, and the War on Terror. After about 45 minutes of explanation, the conversation moved to the Crusades, which Twilight had read were a response to Islamic aggression. Jack had other views as to the reasons for the Crusades and had spent the past 5 minutes explaining them.

“...And so, while it’s true that the Islamic Turks were attacking the Eastern Christian Byzantines, the fact that the Western Christian Crusaders attacked Jews, Pagans, and even the Byzantines themselves leads me to believe that the Crusaders didn't really care about helping the Byzantines fight off the Turks. This, combined with the fact that the Crusaders attacked and occupied the Holy Land, leads me to believe that they were really motivated by the prospect of gaining land and riches." finished Jack.

“You called Christianity and Islam religions earlier. I believe you mentioned the word religion at Pinkie Pie's party," said Twilight. "Could you explain what exactly a religion is?"

"As I said last time you asked, there is no set definition of religion," Jack started. "But I'd describe religion as a set of morals, ethics, and beliefs based on supernatural entities, more often than not one or more gods. These beliefs are justified by faith rather than evidence.”

“Why would anypony believe things without any evidence?” Twilight asked, tilting her head in confusion.

“Well, I can’t speak for all humans, but I’m a Christian because I was taught to be from a young age. Now, after 21 years of being told Christianity is the truth, I can't bring myself to believe otherwise," answered Jack.

"That seems irrational," said Twilight.

"That's because it is," Jack agreed.

Twilight raised her eyebrow at Jack's response but ultimately decided not to pry any further for now, "Well, I've read about plenty of conflicts throughout pony history, but never any as violent as the ones you've described. I've never even heard of concepts like genocide before this interview."

"I guess humans are just more prone to violence than ponies are," said Jack.

"Thank you for your time, Jack," Twilight said before a thought came to her mind. "I'm going to go on an expedition to the strange landmass later today. Since you're here, would you mind coming with me?"

"Sure," said Jack. "But why?"

"I'm planning on collecting artifacts, and who better to put human artifacts into context than a human," answered Twilight.

Jack thought about Twilight's request. His thought's soon turned to Fluttershy's curfew. “I'm not a child, and I'm certainly not her child. Just because she tells me to do something doesn't mean I need to do it," he resolved.

“Well?” asked Twilight.

"Sure," Jack answered.

"Alright, I'll get Spike, and then we can go," Twilight said with enthusiasm.

Jack and Twilight left the study and found Spike in the kitchen.

"Spike, it's time to go," said Twilight.

“Is Jack going with us?” Spike asked.

"Yes, I am," said Jack.

“Cool!” said Spike.

June 12, 2020

Sky above Lake Marion

The journey to Lake Marion had taken the rest of the day without any pegasi to pull the balloon. It was now 3:00 in the morning, and Spike was shaking Jack awake from a long nap.

"Fuck off, purple dinosaur," Jack muttered sleepily.

"I already told you, I'm a dragon," Spike wined.

"Yeah, yeah, grow some fucking wings, and then I'll believe you," said Jack, unhappy with being woken up so early.

“He is a dragon, Jack, and could you please refrain from using that word,” said Twilight.

"Fine," Jack sighed.

"Thank you," Twilight said, pointing at the I-95 bridge, which was illuminated by the moonlight. "Your vehicle is on that bridge, right?"

"Yes," Jack answered.

"Good, we'll start there," she said.

The balloon landed at the foot of the bridge, and its three occupants hopped out. Jack led Spike and Twilight to his Honda.

Upon their arrival, Twilight immediately began asking questions. “How does this vehicle work?”

"I'm no expert on cars, but I can tell you that it runs by burning gasoline," Jack answered.

“What’s gasoline?” asked Spike.

"It's a liquid fuel made from oil," Jack explained (as best he could with what little he knew.)

Spike scratched his head at Jack's explanation, but Twilight seemed to understand, as she simply wrote what he said down without further question.

Jack opened the back door of the CR-V, and Twilight began levitating suitcases out of the car. She teleported all the suitcases except for one to the balloon and opened the remaining one.

“Could you tell me what these are?” she said as she levitated a bunch of video games and DVDs out of the suitcase.

"Those are video games and movies," said Jack.

“What are they used for?” asked Twilight.

"Entertainment," Jack answered.

“How do they work?” asked Spike.

“Inside the cases are disks. For movies, you insert the disk into a DVD player, which is hooked into a TV. The TV then shows moving images of actors acting out a story. Video Games work the same way, except the disks are inserted into a console, and you use a controller to control different characters." Jack explained.

“So they're like arcade games that you can keep in your house?" asked Spike. "That sounds awesome!”

“Could you give us a demonstration?” asked Twilight.

“No, while I have a TV in the car and one of my suitcases has a few consoles and a DVD player, I'd need an electrical outlet to plug them into," Jack answered.

“Interesting. So, they run on electricity?” Twilight inquired.

“Yes. I've actually been meaning to ask you about that," Jack said as he pulled his phone and charger from his pocket. "My phone is running low on power, and I can't find anywhere to charge it. Could you help me with that?"

"Electricity has been experimented with as a method of powering technology, but with magic being able to power most objects, not much research has gone into it. I don’t think you’ll be able to find anything in Equestria to power your phone, but I’ll be happy to take a look," said Twilight. "What does it do anyway?"

"Phones are mostly used for long-distance communication, but they are also used for accessing the internet (a collection of much of humanities knowledge), playing games, taking pictures, and many other things I can’t remember off the top of my head,” explained Jack.

“Humans have a device that gives them access to the entirety of their species' collective knowledge whenever and wherever they want!? That’s amazing!” said Twilight excitedly.

"Not all of humanity's knowledge is available on the internet, just a significant portion of it," corrected Jack.

“But you can access that information, right?” asked Twilight.

"No, while I don't really understand how the internet works, I do know that it was shut down when I got here," answered Jack.

“What do you mean when you got here? I thought this was your homeland," said Spike in confusion.

"I meant to say that the internet shut down after the virus killed everyone," Jack said, sobbing heavily. "I guess whoever was maintaining it must've been killed as well."

"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to remind you of that," Spike said frantically, trying to comfort Jack.

"Don't worry about it, Spike. I'm fine," Jack sniffed. "Nailed it!”

Deciding to expand their search for artifacts, Twilight led them to the lake's Southwestern bank. Jack recognized the area as Santee State Park.

"I used to be a maintenance worker for the State Park Service," Jack whispered to Twilight as they entered the visitor's center.

Twilight nodded, and they continued looking around the center. She decided to take an arrowhead that was on display, which Jack explained was from an indigenous tribe that once inhabited the area. As they were leaving the park, Spike asked a question.

“So, what exactly was this island called?”

"The Lowcountry," Jack said, not entirely lying.

As the Sun began to rise, the three of them wandered into the town of Santee, where Twilight decided she wanted to see the inside of a human home. She selected a small one-story house with a black Ford F-150 in the driveway. The truck had a Confederate Flag attached to the left side of the cab and a Gadson flag attached to the other. When Jack, Spike, and Twilight made it to the front door, they found it unlocked.

The most noticeable feature of the living room (much to Spike and Twilight's discomfort) was the abundance of hunting trophies. Much of the furniture was made from deer antlers. The walls were lined with deer heads, stuffed fish, ducks, turkey, bobcats, and even owls.

"That is so illegal, Jack thought as he glared at the owls.

The three of them split up, each searching different rooms in the house. Jack entered the bedroom to find a pair of blue jeans, a camouflaged hunting jacket, and a red MAGA hat on the floor by the window.

“Figures," he thought as he opened a drawer and pulled out a slightly worn King James Bible.

“I’m sure Twilight will find this interesting," he thought as he continued to fish through the drawer.

The next thing Jack pulled out brought a mischievous grin to his face. It was a Glock 17.

“I’ve always wanted a gun," he said to himself as he picked up a box of bullets.

Jack pocketed the gun and bullets. Then he brought the Bible to Twilight. He found Twilight and Spike in the living room. Twilight had a bottle of beer with her, and Spike had found a can of Copenhagen. Trying not to snicker at their "artifacts," Jack asked where they wanted to go next. Twilight said they were done for now and teleported everyone back to the hot air balloon, and they took off. They arrived at Golden Oak Library at around 8:00 in the afternoon to find a very disappointed Fluttershy waiting for them.

Author's Note

I'll admit I wasn't happy with how I initially wrote this chapter, and I'm still less than satisfied with the result. There's just something about some of the dialogue that reads more like a paper I've written for one of my classes than it does something that would be said in a natural conversation. I changed it several times, but I couldn't really get anything that satisfied me.
Next time: Jack makes friends with Apple Bloom as Applejack stubbornly refuses help bucking the orchard.

Chapter 3: Applebuck Season (Last Edited: 5/18/2022)

June 15, 2020

Fluttershy’s Cottage

Jack glumly sat in Fluttershy's living room, waiting for his medication to kick in. He found himself contemplating the face Fluttershy had given upon his return. It was a face he was all too familiar with. One of a mother about to say, 'I'm not mad, I'm just disappointed.' There had been a disturbing lack of freedom since he returned. Disturbing not in how strictly it was enforced, but rather how loosely. Fluttershy hadn't said a word, but even still, Jack knew he wasn't allowed out.

"This is such bullshit," he sighed.

Having just finished cleaning the kitchen, Fluttershy poked her head into the living room. “Um, are you ready for class?” she asked.

"Yeah, I'm ready," Jack huffed, ripping his bag from the closet.

Ponyville Town Square

As they reached the Town Square, which was about two-thirds the way between Fluttershy's Cottage and the school, Jack was knocked off his feet by a violent jolt. “EARTHQUAKE!” he thought as he struggled to his feet through the constant shaking.

Having grown up on a fault line, Jack was no stranger to earthquakes. Although the earthquakes he was used to were not this strong, a light shake, occasionally a chandelier might move a little, otherwise barely noticeable. As far as Jack was concerned, what he felt now was practically apocalyptic.

“STAMPEDE!” yelled a voice from above.

Jack looked up to see Rainbow Dash pointing to something in the distance. Following her hoof, he spotted a cloud of dust approaching the town. The street erupted into chaos as ponies ran around in panic. One pony, Jack noticed, was not taking the stampede as seriously as the rest.

“Hey...!” Pinkie Pie laughed, letting the ground cause her to vibrate. “This makes my voice sound silly!”

“Goddammit, Pinkie!” thought Jack.

“Pinkie Pie, are you crazy?!” asked Twilight as she reared on her hind legs. “Run!”

Suddenly Jack found himself being lifted into the air.

“Put me down!” he yelled, flailing his arms to little effect.

"Calm down, it's me," said Fluttershy.

“Um, Fluttershy. Could you please let me down?” said Jack as he stopped struggling.

"Oh, um, sure," she responded, carrying him to the ground.

“What was that all about?” asked Jack.

"W-well, when I saw you just standing there while everypony else was panicking, I thought you might need help," said Fluttershy.

"Well, I didn't!" Jack snapped.

Fluttershy flinched at Jack's harsh tone and timidly changed the subject. "W-well, um, let's go ahead and get you to class."

They arrived at the schoolhouse with only 5 minutes left before class was scheduled to start. When Jack walked into class, he was met with every foal staring at him in either admiration or disdain. Specifically, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon looked at him with contempt while the others looked with respect.

“What?” asked Jack. “Is there something on my face?”

“You stood up to Diamond Tiara!” shouted Snips.

“Yeah, that makes you, like a hero, eh!” added Snails.

"Noponyth ever done that before," said Twist.

"Guys, the only reason I lashed out like that was because I was out of medication," Jack said, his cheeks burning in embarrassment. "It was a mistake, not something to be proud of."

"So, not only are you an animal, but you're a broken one too," sneered Diamond Tiara.

"Maybe you'd be better off at the asylum. That way, you'd never run out of your pills," laughed Silver Spoon.

"Whatever," sighed Jack as he sat down next to Apple Bloom.

As he began to unload his backpack, he noticed a piece of paper on his desk. Upon closer examination, he realized it was a note.

Thank you for last week. Do you want to play after school? Apple Bloom.

Sure. Jack wrote before passing the note to Apple Bloom.

Apple Bloom grinned when she saw his response and started to write another note. However, before she could finish, Cheerilee entered the classroom and walked up to the chalkboard. "Good morning, class!"

"Good morning, Miss Cheerilee," the class responded.

"Before we begin, I'd like to announce that next Monday's class will be canceled, so everypony can attend the town assembly thanking Applejack for saving Ponyville from this morning's stampede," Cheerilee stated. "In the meantime, we will continue learning the basics of division.”

The rest of the class was relatively uneventful. Cheerilee would ask a question, and whenever a student would get an answer wrong, they would be talked down to by Diamond Tiara. On the other hand, when Diamond Tiara answered a question, Cheerilee would reluctantly praise her for being correct, even when she clearly was wrong. Jack figured this must've been due to Cheerilee's fear of Diamond Tiara's father.

The class eventually came to an end, and Jack found Fluttershy waiting outside. "How was school today, Jack?" she asked.

"It was good," Jack answered. "Apple Bloom invited me to hang out with her after class."

"That's great!" Fluttershy quietly exclaimed. "I'm glad you've made a friend."

“I’m gonna go now. See you later!” said Jack as he ran off.

"Wait, um, I'll take you to Sweet Apple Acres," said Fluttershy.

“Where?” asked Jack.

"The Apple's farm, where Apple Bloom lives," Fluttershy answered.

"Oh, well, I guess you can go with me," Jack said, facepalming at the realization that he never bothered to ask where Apple Bloom lived.

Fluttershy led Jack to a large apple orchard. As they walked past the many apple trees, Jack wondered how many employees the Apples had working for them. It occurred to him that he didn't really have any money to speak of, at least not any that would be accepted in Equestria. “Maybe the Apples are hiring," he thought.

They soon made it to a red farmhouse, which Jack assumed must be the Apple's home. He knocked on the door, and a large red stallion wrapped in bandages answered.

"Hello, I'm Jack," he introduced. "Is Apple Bloom here?"

"Eyup," said the stallion.

"Big Mac, who's at the door?" asked an elderly mare from inside.

"Fluttershy is here with the human foal she adopted," answered the stallion, now identified as Big Mac.

The elderly mare walked outside. “Howdy, Fluttershy," she greeted. "Did ye come here for some apples fer yer animals?"

"Um, no, Granny Smith, I brought Jack over to play with Apple Bloom," Fluttershy answered.

“Who now?” asked Granny Smith confusedly.

“The Human foal I adopted," Fluttershy said, pointing to Jack.

"Well, ain't you a strange-looking feller," said Granny Smith, looking at Jack. “Apple Bloom, yer friend from school, is here!”

Apple Bloom rushed down the stairs. “Ah’m so glad you made it!” she said as she reached the door.

"I'm happy to be here," Jack responded, shifting awkwardly.

"You and yer friend have fun now," said Granny Smith as Jack and Apple Bloom ran off.

"I'll pick you up at 5:00," Fluttershy called after him.

South Orchard

“Ah wanna thank ya again fer stickin' up fer me last week," said Apple Bloom as they walked through a forest of golden delicious trees.

"It was nothing worthy of thanks," Jack sighed, waving his hand dismissively.

"It was somethin' to me," said Apple Bloom. "Diamond Tiara's mean tuh everypony, but she treats me the worst.”

"Why's that?" Jack asked.

“Ah think it's because of mah family. Most business-class ponies don't really like us," Apple Bloom answered, staring at the ground. “Is it true the only reason ya stood up for me was because of the medication?”

"Mostly. While the reason I lashed out was the lack of meds, that wasn't the reason for my anger," Jack said, stroking his chin where his beard used to be.

“Then why?” asked Apple Bloom.

“When I was your age, I was bullied because of my condition," Jack answered. "I guess you could say I saw a bit of myself in you."

“What do ya mean, 'when ya were my age?' We're the same age, ain't we?" Apple Bloom asked, tilting her head.

“Oh, um, I misspoke!” Jack said quickly. “What I meant to say was before I came to Equestria.”

"Ok, that makes much more sense," responded Apple Bloom. “Do ya miss 'em?”

“Who?” asked Jack.

"Yer parents," answered Apple Bloom.

"Oh, yes, I miss them a lot," Jack said, fake sobbing.

“Ah’m sorry, Ah didn’ mean tuh make ya sad," said Apple Bloom. "It’s just, Ah don’t remember mah parents."

“Why not?” asked Jack.

"Mah pa was killed before Ah was born, and mah ma disappeared when Ah was little," Apple Bloom responded.

"I'm sorry to hear that," said Jack, struggling to find a more appropriate response.

“Don’t be sorry. Like Ah said, Ah don't remember 'em," she said, looking to the sky. "Ya can't really miss what ya don't remember, can ya?"

Jack thought about what Apple Bloom said. It made sense, but at the same time, it was still sad. “So, I guess Applejack takes care of you then?"

"Yup, she's a great big sister," said Apple Bloom. "Even if she's a bit overprotective sometimes."

Jack chuckled.

“What’s so funny?” asked Apple Bloom.

"Nothing. It's just that Fluttershy is very overprotective too," he answered.

Jack and Apple Bloom hung out for the remainder of the day until Fluttershy came to pick him up. The two quickly became friends, and Jack found himself coming over to Sweet Apple Acres every day for the next week. The two friends did everything from hide and seek to building forts in the barn. All this almost made Jack feel like he really was a child again. However, there was always the voice in the back of his head, reminding him he wasn't.

June 22, 2020

Ponyville Town Square

A week had passed since Jack and Apple Bloom became friends. It was now the day Applejack was set to be rewarded for saving the town, and the two friends had decided to go together. Twilight walked onto the stage and shuffled a script.

“Welcome, everypony! Today we are here to honor a pony we can always count on to help in matters great and small. A pony whose contributions to…” Twilight started before Rainbow Dash cut her off.

“Did you see Applejack's slick moves out there? What an athlete. This week she's gonna help me with my new flying trick, and I know it's gonna be so awesome," she squeed.

“Seriously, Rainbow Dash? I’d have expected that from Pinkie Pie," thought Jack.

“Exactly. And...” Twilight started before being interrupted again.

“This week, I get to run Sugarcube Corner for the first time," said Pinkie Pie.

“Yep, there it is," thought Jack as he rolled his eyes.

“What does that have to do with Applejack?” asked Twilight.

Pinkie blinked her eyes a few times in confusion.

“Oh! Applejack, one of the best bakers ever, is gonna help me. Applejack makes everything great, so free samples for everypony!” she explained upon understanding the question.

Everyone cheered upon hearing this.

“Is your sister’s cooking really that good?” Jack asked Apple Bloom.

“Absolutely, mah sister’s the best baker in Ponyville!” Apple Bloom exclaimed.

“Oh-kay, that's great. Now, if I could just make a point without being inter…” Twilight began before being interrupted yet again.

“Twilight?” said Fluttershy as she made her way to the podium.

“rupted," Twilight finished with a glare.

“Twilight, I'm so sorry, but I just wanted to mention that Applejack is also helping me this week with the official bunny census, where we count up all the new baby bunnies that were born this season. She's gonna help gather them using her wonderful herding skills," Fluttershy said as Twilight glared.

“Anyone else? Anyone? No? Well then, as I was trying to say...” Twilight started before noticing Mayor Mare waiting for her to finish. “Urgh! Never mind!” she shouted as she dropped her notes and stormed off.

“Ah-ahem. And so, with no further ado, it is my privilege to give the prize, Pony of Ponyville Award, to our beloved guest of honor, a pony of the utmost trustworthiness, reliability, and integrity. Ponyville's most capable and dependable friend: Applejack!” announced the mayor as she opened the curtain to reveal Applejack wasn’t there.

“Cool! Way to go, Applejack, that was awesome!” said Spike before he noticed the lack of Applejack. “I mean—heh.”

“Is it normal for your sister to be late?” Jack asked Apple Bloom,

"No, she's never late fer anythin'," answered Apple Bloom.

An exhausted Applejack began walking through the crowd. “Ah'm here. Ah'm here. Sorry Ah'm late--whoa--Ah was just... whoa... Did Ah get yer tail?” she said as she made her way up to the stage. “Miss Mayor. Thank ya kindly fer this here... award thingy," she yawned. "It's so bright and shiny and, heh, heh heh, Ah sure do look funny heh,” she said, noticing her reflection in the trophy.

Applejack began bobbing her head toward the trophy while making noises and was quickly joined by Pinkie Pie.

“Is your sister alright?" asked Jack. "She seems tired."

“She’s been bucking the orchard all by herself since Big Macintosh hurt himself last week," answered Apple Bloom.

“Bucking the orchard?” asked Jack.

"Yeah, when the apples ripen, Applejack and Big Macintosh go out into the orchard and buck the trees tuh get the apples," answered Apple Bloom. "Everypony knows that."

“Ok. Well, thank you, Applejack, for saving us from that scary stampede and always being there for everypony," said Twilight.

“Yeah. Ah, like helping the ponyfolks and, and stuff," yawned Applejack before briefly falling asleep. "Oh, uh, yeah. Uh, thanks," she said before dragging her trophy off.

Sugarcube Corner

After the award ceremony, Fluttershy reluctantly permitted Jack to hang out with Apple Bloom for the rest of the day. After a while, the two stopped by Sugarcube Corner to try some of the muffins Applejack and Pinkie Pie made.

“Free muffin samples spectacular!" shouted Pinkie Pie.

“Yeah! Muffin spectacles! Get 'em while they're hot," said Applejack.

Jack brought two muffins to a table for him and Apple Bloom to share.

"These look delicious. Ah can't wait to try 'em," said Apple Bloom as Jack scarfed his down in a few seconds.

“I wouldn’t recommend it!” Jack said as he clutched his stomach.

“What’s wrong!?” Apple Bloom asked.

“BLEEEGH!!!!” Jack vomited violently.

“Oh no! what do Ah do?” Apple Bloom frantically asked. “Ah’ll go get help!” she told Jack before running off.

Ponyville General Hospital

“We came as soon as we heard," said Twilight with Spike by her side.

“Oh, thank you, Twilight. We need all the help we can get," said a nurse.

“Oh, no! What happened?” asked Twilight.

“It was a mishap with some of the baked goods," said the nurse. "It's just mild food poisoning. Most of the ponies will be fine, although the human foal has the worst case I’ve ever seen.”

"Can ya help him, Nurse Redheart?!” asked Apple Bloom. "Is he gonna be ok?"

"Normally, I'd prescribe antibiotics for a case this bad, but I don't know what drugs to use for humans," explained Redheart. "Your special somepony will just need to drink plenty of water and endure it.”

“It’s not like that!” shouted Apple Bloom, her face turning the same shade as her mane.

“Applejack!” realized Twilight as Spike ate one of the tainted muffins.

“Want one?” asked Spike as he held up one of the muffins.

Bunny Burrows near Fluttershy’s Cottage

"I'm sorry to leave you with so little instruction, but poor Jack has gotten sick, and I need to take care of him," Fluttershy explained to Applejack. "Will you be fine on your own?"

“Sure as sugar, Fluttershy!” Applejack yawned.

"Thank you so much, Applejack," Fluttershy said as she rushed off toward the hospital.

Ponyville

When Fluttershy arrived, Jack was feeling well enough to be discharged from the hospital. Redheart informed her that the bill would be sent within a week. As they walked home, Jack was still weakened by dehydration.

“Will you be all right?” asked Fluttershy with concern.

"I'm fine," Jack panted. "I do maintenance work on a beach in the Summer. This is nothing."

Jack wasn't lying. He often found himself dehydrated at work. However, his age regressed body was far less durable than the manual labor hardened one he was used to.

“STAMPEDE!” yelled Rainbow Dash from above.

"Not again," wailed Fluttershy.

The town was soon overrun with bunnies who devoured every plant in sight. Fluttershy rushed Jack out of there. When they arrived home, Jack guzzled a gallon of water. Twilight soon arrived and asked Fluttershy to help Applejack finish harvesting the orchard. Jack offered to help, but Fluttershy told him he needed to rest. Usually, he would have argued, but he knew she was right.

Author's Note

I think I did a much better job with this Chapter than I did with the last two. I'm done with school for the semester, although I do have a Maymester starting on the 16th. I'll also be going back to work in June.
Next time: Fluttershy leaves Jack in the care of Rainbow Dash, and Jack confronts a stalker.

Chapter 4: The Fan-Filly (Last Edited: 5/18/2022)

June 23, 2020

Unknown

Jack's mind had once again entered the dream realm. To most, this was a magical place where they could do impossible things. To Jack, it was nothing more than a prison where he was forced to watch his worst memories play out over and over again.

Mark barged into 16-year-old Dream Jack’s room, looking furious. "WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU!"

“What are you talking about?” Dream Jack asked.

“SHE THINKS I’M A GODDAMN PERVERT BECAUSE OF YOU!” Mark shouted.

"I mean... you kinda are," Dream Jack pointed out.

"THAT DOESN'T GIVE YOU THE RIGHT TO GO TELLING THAT TO ANY GIRL I ASK OUT!" Mark shouted. "FUCK YOU, JACK! STAY OUT OF MY LIFE!" he roared as he slammed the door and left.

The scene changed to that of a suburban front yard where 15-year-old Dream Jack was talking with a short-haired Asian girl. Jack recognized the girl as Yuri Fujioka, his crush since Middle School.

“I trusted you! How did this happen?” Yuri asked Dream Jack.

"I'm sorry, Yuri, it was an accident," said Dream Jack said glumly.

“An accident? My dog is dead, and you think I care if it was an accident?” she asked, sobbing. “Go away. I don’t want to be friends with you anymore!”

“But I…” Dream Jack started.

"I SAID, GO AWAY!" Yuri screamed.

Once again, the scene changed.

Now he was in the sunporch of his childhood home. Jack's mother had converted the porch into a game room when they moved in. There was an air hockey table, one of those foldable mini basketball games, a shelf full of board games, and there was the gaming center complete with both a Wii and Xbox 360. On the opposite side of the room from the gaming center was a door leading to the backyard.

Shawn and Chase sat with Dream Jack at the gaming center playing Halo 3. After a few seconds, there was a knock on the back door.

"Don't answer!" Jack pleaded.

"Door's unlocked!" Jack called. "No fair! I wasn't paying attention!" he wined as Shawn used the opportunity to sneak up on him with an energy sword.

"World's smallest violin, dude!" Shawn snickered.

"Hey, guys," Bryce said as he walked in. "I made it."

"What took you so long?" Chase asked.

"I had to convince my mom that I was spreading the word of Jehovah," Bryce answered. "You want some of these pamphlets?" he asked, holding up a pamphlet reading Watch Tower Society: Do you know the Truth about Jehovah?.

"Put all that cuff in the trash can and pick up a controller," Chase said.

"Cuff?" Bryce asked.

"Cult stuff," Chase answered.

Bryce looked at the pamphlets, at the unused controller on the air hockey table, back at the pamphlets, and threw them in the trash can. "I haven't played video games in weeks!" he gleefully exclaimed as he grabbed the controller.

As Bryce sat down next to the others, the world faded away again.

19-year-old Dream Jack pulled his CR-V into a massive parking lot.

Trident Medical Center

Dream Jack rushed into the hospital.

“Is there a Chase Carney here?” Dream Jack asked the lady at the front desk.

"Room 214," answered the woman.

Dream Jack went into the elevator and rushed to the room. He found Chase in a hospital bed with his family surrounding him.

“I came as soon as I heard!” exclaimed Dream Jack. "Are you alright, Chase?"

"It's just a brumor. I'll probably be fine," Chase chuckled.

“A what?” asked Dream Jack.

"A brain tumor," answered Chase.

“A BRAIN TUMOR!” Dream Jack shouted.

"Relax, the doctors say it's just a small one. It shouldn't be difficult to treat," said Chase's father.

"I'll be out of here in time to join you at Coastal," Chase smiled.

“NO MORE!” Jack finally shouted. “Please make it stop,” he sobbed.

The scene faded into darkness as Luna appeared in front of him. "Ask, and thou shalt receive!"

“Luna, thank God!” Jack said with a sigh of relief.

“'Tis time thou learnt how to control thine dreams," said Luna.

"I'm willing to do anything," said Jack.

"Thou must learn to forgive thineself of thine regrets," Luna firmly stated.

"Oh yes, I never thought of that," Jack replied, rolling his eyes snarkily.

"'Tis the only way for thou to end the nightmares," said Luna as she faded away.

Jack’s eyes shot open to the sight of Angel Bunny, jumping on his belly.

"Get off of me, you fucking bunny!" Jack snarled as he grabbed Angel by the ears and threw him into a basket with his freshly cleaned clothes.

Angel angrily chattered at Jack before hopping out of the room. Sliding his clothes on, Jack looked at his two baseball caps (the only articles of clothing recovered from his car that still fit him) and decided to wear his State Park Service hat. He walked downstairs to see that Fluttershy had prepared some fish for him. Fish had been a rare treat for Jack since he got to Equestria as most of Fluttershy’s stock went to feeding her animals.

“What’s the occasion?” Jack asked.

"No occasion," said Fluttershy as she scrubbed the dishes. "I'm going to be out of town for a few days, so I’ve asked Rainbow Dash to watch you while I’m gone. If that’s ok with you.”

"First of all, I don't need to be watched," Jack said as he opened one of his pill bottles. "Secondly, Rainbow Dash? She hates me! Why would you ask her to watch me?" he asked, popping one of the pills in his mouth.

"I know you two didn't start off on the right hoof, but I'm sure you'll get along just fine," said Fluttershy.

"Yeah, right," said Jack before taking his last pill.

As Jack finished off his fish, Fluttershy informed him it was time to go.

Ponyville School

"I'll be gone by the time class ends, so Rainbow Dash will be picking you up," said Fluttershy as Jack went inside.

“Jack!” shouted Apple Bloom, as the rest of the class cast strange looks in their direction.

"Hey, Bloom," greeted Jack with an awkward wave. "How ya doing?"

"Ah'm fine," Apple Bloom said as Jack sat down next to her. "Are you feelin' better?"

"Much better," said Jack. "Apparently, humans are more susceptible to food poisoning than ponies are," he said with a shrug.

The two spent the next three minutes talking until Cheerilee walked into the classroom.

"Good morning, class," greeted Cheerilee.

"Good morning, Miss Cheerilee,” the class responded.

"Today, we will be finishing our course on basic division and reviewing for your test next Monday," Cheerilee informed.

When class finally came to an end, Apple Bloom invited Jack over to Sweet Apple Acres to play like they normally did. However, as they were about to leave school together, they heard a voice.

“STOP RIGHT THERE!”

Jack and Apple Bloom turned to see a fuming Rainbow Dash staring at them.

"Oh, heeey, Rainbow Dash," said Jack, awkwardly shuffling his feet.

“YOU THINK YOU CAN JUST SNEAK OFF LIKE THAT?!” asked Rainbow Dash.

"I always play with Apple Bloom after class," responded Jack.

“NOT TODAY!” Rainbow Dash shouted as she flew up to them. "APPLE BLOOM, GO HOME!"

"See ya later," Apple Bloom said timidly as she left.

"Yeah, see ya," Jack said with an unenthusiastic wave.

“I don’t know what you’ve been doing with Apple Bloom for the past week, but you won’t be doing it on my watch!” said Rainbow Dash as she got up in Jack’s face. “While I’m in charge of you, you will remain where I can see you at all times!”

“Why do you hate me so much?” asked Jack.

“You may have fooled everypony else, but you're not fooling me!" said Rainbow Dash as she accusingly pointed at Jack. "You're either a spy or a scout. I don't know which, but I know the rest of your kind are going to attack Equestria!"

"Do you have any evidence to back that up?" asked Jack, knowing damn well she did not.

“I don't need evidence! It's obvious!” shouted Rainbow Dash with a tick mark on her forehead. "You haven't proven you're not!"

"That which can be claimed without evidence can also be dismissed without evidence," Jack said with a smug grin. "The burden of proof is on you, not me."

“Shut up!” shouted Rainbow Dash.

As the angry pegasus continued ranting about her crazy conspiracy theory, Jack's attention was caught by a flash of orange and purple ducking behind the school.

“What was that?” he wondered.

“ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING TO ME?!” asked Rainbow Dash.

“Huh?” asked Jack as he snapped out of his thinking trance. "Oh, yeah, sure, Rainbow Dash, whatever."

"Don't you, whatever me! I'm in charge, don't you forget it!" shouted Rainbow Dash. "I've got some clouds to clear near the town square. You're coming with me."

One block south of the Town Square

Jack hadn't ever seen the process of cloud clearing and assumed it would be a lengthy job. To his surprise, Rainbow Dash finished in precisely 20 seconds. The process itself was rather intriguing. While it wasn't in any sense complex, the way the blue pegasus moved from cloud to cloud, destroying them with physical force, made Jack wonder about the physics of the world he was in. However, that didn't last long as science was not one of his better subjects, too much math for his liking.

Once again, he noticed the flash of orange and purple, rushing behind a building as Rainbow Dash landed in front of him.

“What are you looking at?” asked Rainbow Dash with a brow raised in suspicion.

"I'm not really sure," Jack answered.

"Whatever, I'm going to go practice a new move, come on," she snapped.

Rainbow Dash brought Jack to a lake just outside of Ponyville, where she proceeded to fly as high as she could go and dive at full speed. Jack wasn't really sure how this was considered to be a move, but he didn’t really care either. He was far more interested in figuring out why he kept getting the feeling someone was watching him.

“Who’s there?” he asked.

No one answered, but Jack still couldn’t shake the feeling that someone else was there. He decided to take a look around to be sure. However, after five minutes of searching, he was on the verge of giving up. As he was about to go back to watching whatever Rainbow Dash was doing, he noticed a scooter next to a bush. He didn't think much of it until he saw the leaves in the bush rustle as if something were moving inside.

"I know you're in there," said Jack.

There wasn’t any response from the bush. Jack looked up at the sky to see if Rainbow Dash was watching him. She was still trying to do whatever trick she was practicing.

“Probably too busy practicing to pay attention to what I’m doing," he thought.

After deciding that Rainbow Dash was too busy to notice, Jack pushed his way into the bush. Once inside, he saw the stalker, an orange pegasus filly he recognized from class.

“Why are you stalking me?” asked Jack.

The filly didn’t answer.

"Well?" Jack asked, raising his voice.

“I wasn’t stalking you," the filly muttered under her breath.

“What was that?” Jack said in a stern tone that didn’t really work with his childish voice.

“I said I wasn’t stalking you," she said louder than before.

“Then why were you following me?” Jack asked with a raised brow.

"I was watching Rainbow Dash," said the filly.

“Why?” Jack asked.

The filly didn’t answer.

"Let's start over," said Jack before offering his hand. "I'm Jack; what's your name, kid?”

"We're in the same class," she stated in annoyance. "Don't you know my name already?"

"I'm terrible with names," said Jack as he shrugged his shoulders. "Took me a few weeks to remember my own best friend’s name back home.”

“Really?” she asked with a quiet giggle.

“I’m a bit better about it than I used to be, but yeah, really," Jack responded, extending his hand again.

"I'm Scootaloo," said the filly as she shook Jack's hand.

"Well, Scootaloo, why are you watching Rainbow Dash?" asked Jack.

“Because she’s so cool!” said Scootaloo.

"So, she's like your idol, then?" asked Jack.

“Yeah!” answered Scootaloo excitedly.

“You should just talk to her. There’s no need to stalk her," said Jack.

“What if she doesn’t like me?” asked Scootaloo.

“Well, then she isn't worth looking up to, but I somehow doubt you'll have that problem," answered Jack.

“You think so?” asked Scootaloo.

“Absolutely!” said Jack.

Sky above Ponyville

5 minutes prior

Rainbow Dash was about to make another attempt at a Sonic Rainboom. She knew she was capable of doing it. After all, she had done it before. However, as she was about to make another dive, she noticed Jack heading into a bush.

“What’s he up to?” she wondered.

She flew down to the bush to confront him.

“Why are you stalking me?” she heard Jack say from the bushes.

“Stalking? Who’s he talking to?” wondered Rainbow Dash.

“Well?” she heard Jack say.

“Maybe I should go in after him," thought Rainbow Dash.

“What was that?” Jack asked.

Rainbow Dash was about to go in when she finally heard the pony Jack was speaking to.

“I said I wasn’t stalking you."

“That’s one of the fillies from the school," realized Rainbow Dash.

She continued listening as Jack finally got the filly to answer.

"I was watching Rainbow Dash," said the filly.

“That makes sense," thought Rainbow Dash with pride.

Rainbow Dash heard Jack ask why the filly was watching her to no response. What she heard next surprised her.

"Let's start over. I'm Jack. What's your name, kid?"

“He’s gonna blow his cover," thought Rainbow Dash upon hearing Jack refer to the filly as "kid."

"We're in the same class," the filly pointed out before asking. "Don't you know my name already?"

“Good, she didn't catch on!” Rainbow Dash thought in relief.

Rainbow Dash heard Jack talk about how it took him a bit to learn his best friend's name. This seemed to have gained the filly's trust as she giggled upon hearing his explanation. The filly then introduced herself as Scootaloo and explained that Rainbow Dash was her idol, and she was watching her because she was afraid Dash wouldn't like her. Jack's response was not even remotely what Rainbow Dash was expecting.

"Well, then she isn't worth looking up to, but I somehow doubt you'll have that problem."

“Why is he being so nice to her? Is this some kind of trick?”wondered Rainbow Dash, completely unsure what to make of what she was hearing.

Taking a deep breath, Rainbow Dash chose now to make her presence known.

Bush by the pond

Present time

“Hey! I know you’re in there!” said Rainbow Dash from outside the bush. “It’s time to go!”

"Well, it was nice meeting you, Scootaloo," said Jack as he got up. "I gotta go now."

“Maybe we could hang out sometime?" asked Scootaloo hopefully.

“Sure thing!” said Jack.

As he stepped out of the bush, he saw Rainbow Dash waiting for him. Jack couldn't figure out exactly what, but there was something different about how she looked at him.

“What is it?” asked Jack.

"It's time to get you back home," answered Rainbow Dash.

Over the next 2 days, Rainbow Dash continued looking after him. No longer did she accuse Jack of being a foreign agent, much to his shock. It was almost as if she was beginning to trust him. By the end, he found that Rainbow Dash was allowing him more freedom than he had ever been allowed under Fluttershy's watch, and when Fluttershy came home, he actually found himself missing Rainbow Dash.

Author's Note

Not quite as good as the last one, in my opinion, but I still think I'm getting better with my writing.
Next time: An old friend of Rainbow Dash comes to Ponyville and causes trouble.

Chapter 5: Griffon the Brush Off (Last Edited: 5/18/2022)

June 26, 2020

Fluttershy’s Cottage

It was the day after Fluttershy returned home, and Jack was currently enjoying his breakfast in peace. Fluttershy had plans to play with her animals down by the pond, and Jack decided he would bring his turtles and join her.

Things had been a little weird lately. While Rainbow Dash had stopped treating Jack like a threat, now she seemed to be doing everything she could to avoid him. Applejack had found out about the incident at the school and was furious at the way Rainbow Dash had treated Apple Bloom.

2 days prior

Sweet Apple Acres

“What were ya thinkin', Rainbow?” Applejack asked her friend with a glare. “Ah know ya don’t trust Jack, but that don’t excuse ya fer yellin' at mah sister like that!”

“I know, I was wrong. I'm sorry," said Rainbow Dash, looking to the ground in shame.

"Ah don't really think Ah can forgive ya right now, Rainbow," Applejack said, shaking her head.

"I understand," Rainbow Dash said, sulking dejectedly.

"Good, then leave! Until Ah say otherwise, ya ain't welcome near me, mah family, or mah property," Applejack said, sternly pointing toward the gate.

“But, Applejack!” started Rainbow Dash as she looked up.

“Go on, GIT!” Applejack snapped as she continued to point at the gate.

Rainbow Dash slowly made her way to the gate, looking back only briefly to see that Applejack was already on her way inside.

Present Time

Fluttershy’s Cottage.

“Are you ready to go?” Fluttershy asked Jack with a smile.

"Just let me get my turtles," he responded.

Jack jogged down to the stream outside of the cottage. He was often surprised when he came down to feed his turtles. Had he let them out in a random body of water back home, they would almost certainly have been gone by the next day. Fluttershy seemed to have a way of communicating with the small reptiles. Apparently, they stayed in the stream out of respect for her.

He picked up the four turtles and placed them in a large basket. When he finished collecting them, Jack returned to the cottage. "Ok, Fluttershy, I'm ready to go now," Jack said.

"That's great," said Fluttershy as she picked up a bag of food.

A few minutes later, they arrived at an area downstream where the channel widened into a small river. Jack carefully placed each of his turtles onto the bank, and one by one, they scurried to the water. Fluttershy began sprinkling a hoof full of fish flakes into the water, and several carp came to the surface to gulp them up. As Fluttershy poured more flakes into the water, Jack's turtles joined in on the feeding frenzy, extending their long necks from their shells to grab the flakes in their beaks. Jack ripped his shirt off and leaped into the river with a clumsy cannonball.

After swimming for a few minutes, Jack noticed Fluttershy timidly poking at a strange-looking turtle. Upon further inspection, he saw it was attached to a thin tube. Determined to figure out what was up, he swam to the opposite bank of the river where the tube seemed to be coming from. He pulled himself out of the river and followed it over a small mound, where he found Pinkie Pie holding the tube and Rainbow Dash looking at Fluttershy through a telescope.

“What are you two doing?” he questioned.

“Ahh!” exclaimed Pinkie Pie as she jumped up and squeezed the tube.

"Oh, Jacky, you scared me!" said Pinkie Pie. "Me and Rainbow Dash were just pulling a prank."

"Oh, really?" Jack asked. "Hey, Rainbow Dash…" he started before noticing that Rainbow Dash was nowhere to be found. "Where'd she go?"

"Huh, I'm not sure," said Pinkie, rubbing her head. "What are you even doing here, Jack?"

"Fluttershy wanted to play with the animals in the river, so I decided to take a swim," answered Jack.

"Wait, Fluttershy!?" Pinkie Pie asked, frantically jumping into the air. "Please tell me that there was somepony else there. It wasn't just you and Fluttershy, right?" she asked nervously.

"Uh, no, just me and Fluttershy," said Jack as he scratched his head. "Why?"

"Oh no, this isn't good," said Pinkie as she slowly poked her head over the mound.

“What are you talking about?” asked Jack as he looked to see what Pinkie was so nervous about. “Oh.”

Across the river, Fluttershy sat soaked to the bone and wailing like a newborn.

“What did you do?!” asked Jack with a sharp glare.

“Me and Rainbow Dash were looking for somepony to prank, and Dashie said she knew just the pony," explained Pinkie. "I had no idea she was talking about Fluttershy. If I knew, I would have stopped her."

"Well, we better go comfort Fluttershy now," sighed Jack.

Jack and Pinkie swam back to Fluttershy, who was still sobbing.

"Hey, Fluttershy, Pinkie's here. I think she has something to say to you," said Jack as he placed his hand on her back comfortingly.

“I j-just d-don’t underst-stand why anyp-pony would d-do that," she sobbed.

"I'm so sorry, Fluttershy, it was a mistake," Pinkie Pie said with a grimace.

Jack and Pinkie spent the rest of the day calming Fluttershy down. Before leaving, Pinkie Pie promised to find Rainbow Dash and get her to apologize too.

June 27, 2020

Rainbow Dash’s House

Rainbow Dash had never been as stressed as she had been these past few days. She felt like a steel beam bending under the pressure of a poorly designed building. She had found out that she was wrong about Jack, but she was far too stubborn to admit that to anyone else. Far worse, her outburst at Jack and Apple Bloom had left Applejack refusing to speak with her. She needed a distraction, something, anything to take her mind off the stupid mistakes she had made. Luckily for her, that distraction came with the ring of her doorbell.

When Rainbow Dash answered the door, she was met with a familiar face. The Griffoness at her door was Gilda, her old friend from flight camp.

"Hey, Gilda. Long time no see!” said Rainbow Dash.

"Hey, Dash…" Gilda started. "Uh, you alright? You look like you just flew into a tornado."

"Oh, no, I'm fine, uh, I just got out of bed," answered Rainbow Dash.

“Good to hear! You want to hang out?” asked Gilda.

“You know it! I’ll race you to that cloud over there!” Rainbow Dash said as she took off.

“You’re on!” shouted Gilda as she raced after her.

Sweet Apple Acres

Jack was hanging out with Apple Bloom as he normally did on Saturdays. Today they were meant to be studying for their upcoming division test. However, at the moment, they were just goofing off.

“Wait, so she painted the entire orchard?” Jack asked, stifling a snicker.

"Yup, Applejack spent most of the day washin' 'em off," Apple Bloom giggled.

“Honestly, I doubt anyone other than Pinkie Pie could have done something like that," Jack sighed. "It’s certainly more impressive than anything I could pull off.”

“Like what?” asked Apple Bloom.

"Well, I used to do one prank at a summer camp where I would unscrew the showerhead in a cabin and put in a packet of red Kool-Aid before screwing it back in," Jack answered.

"What's Kool-Aid?" asked Apple Bloom.

"It's a powder that's used to flavor water," Jack answered.

“Wait, so, if it’s red, wouldn’ that make the water comin' out of the shower look like blood?” asked Apple Bloom uncomfortably.

"Exactly," Jack answered, completely oblivious to Apple Bloom's discomfort.

“Doncha think that’s kinda mean?” asked Apple Bloom.

"I guess, but it's still funny," Jack answered before changing the subject. "Anyway, we should get back to work.”

"So, do ya know the answer tuh this one?" asked Apple Bloom, pointing to the worksheet.

42/7=

"Six," Jack answered with a yawn.

“How are ya able to figure 'em out without doin' any of the work?” asked Apple Bloom as she rubbed her head.

"Oh, um, we already covered this stuff at my old school," Jack said. "It's pretty much just multiplication in reverse."

“Oh, wait, so that means this one must be eight!” said Apple Bloom as she answered the last problem on the worksheet.

"Yep," said Jack as he pulled out the answer sheet.

The two friends hung out for another 20 minutes before Applejack came to inform them it was time for Jack to leave. "Time tuh go, Jack, Fluttershy's here to pick ya up."

“See you later, Bloom," said Jack as he grabbed his bag.

"See ya, Jack," she said as he walked out the door.

Jack walked out of the Apple’s farmhouse to find Fluttershy waiting for him.

“Do you think you’re ready for the test?” she asked.

“Of course, I'm ready. I learned this stuff when I was still a child," Jack answered.

"Oh, um, right," said Fluttershy with a blush.

“You forgot I’m not really a child, didn’t you?” Jack asked with a sigh.

"N-no, of course not," Fluttershy said quickly.

“Sure you didn't," Jack said, rolling his eyes. "So, what are we going to do now?"

“There's a family of ducks I usually walk through town around this time," said Fluttershy.

"I'm assuming you want me to come with you," said Jack.

"Um, yes," Fluttershy answered.

"Ok then," said Jack.

Ponyville Marketplace

Fluttershy led the Duck family through the marketplace while Jack made the nearby ponies aware of their presence. As he walked through the town, Jack noticed Pinkie Pie sitting outside of a café and was about to say hello when he heard an angry voice.

“Hey!”

Turning around, he found Fluttershy being stared down by a griffon more than twice her size.

"Please excuse me," said Fluttershy.

"I'm walkin' here!" the griffon shouted angrily.

“Oh, um, I'm sorry. I-I-I was just trying to...” Fluttershy said as she slowly backed up.

“I'm sorry, I'm sorry," the griffon said mockingly. “Why don't you just watch where you're going, doofus?”

"Come on now, she said she was sorry," said Jack, stepping between Fluttershy and the griffon.

“Stay out of this, ape!” the griffon said as she raised a claw.

Almost instinctively, Jack pulled his pocketknife out. However, as he unfolded the blade, it was slapped out of his hand by the griffon. Staring him in the eye, it let out a deafening roar. Jack's eyes briefly flashed from greenish blue to emerald as a strange sensation overtook him. Before he even had time to think about it, the feeling was gone, and the griffon was flying away. Jack looked around to see Fluttershy gathering up the frightened ducks and Pinkie Pie running towards him.

"Are you alright, Jacky?" she asked.

"Yeah," Jack panted. "Who was that?”

"That's Gilda. She's a friend of Rainbow Dash," answered Pinkie Pie.

“What’s her damage?” Jack asked with a scowl.

"I don't know, but she's been a real jerk since she got here," Pinkie said.

“Why would Rainbow Dash want to hang out with someone like that?” asked Jack as he picked his knife out of the dust.

“I have no IDEA!” shouted Pinkie Pie. “But somepony needs to do something about it. Nopony treats Fluttershy like that!”

“I’m assuming you already have something in mind then?” Jack inquired.

“Yep!” Pinkie answered with a smile.

"Are you going to tell me?" Jack asked after a few seconds.

“Nope! Come by Sugarcube Corner in an hour, and you'll see!” she answered as she ran off.

Sugarcube Corner

"Are you sure you want to go?" Jack asked Fluttershy. "If you'd rather just go home, you don't have to be here."

"Oh, um, I'll be fine," said Fluttershy as she trembled.

"If you say so," Jack shrugged before opening the door.

"Welcome, Fluttershy, welcome, Jacky!" said Pinkie. "Come on in!"

"Uh, glad to be here, I guess," Jack said.

“Why don’t you two go mingle,” suggested Pinkie Pie.

"Alright then," Jack said as he and Fluttershy walked over to Twilight.

“Oh, Fluttershy, Jack, how are you two doing?” asked Twilight upon noticing them.

"I'm alright," Jack answered.

"I'm ok," said Fluttershy, avoiding eye contact.

The three of them talked for the next few minutes until Applejack and Rarity walked by.

“Who's this Gilda Ah've heard nothing about?” asked Applejack.

“I hear she's an old friend of Rainbow Dash," said Rarity before adding. “A griffon, so rare.”

“You've met Gilda, right?" Twilight asked. "What's she like?”

“Oh, um, well, I'll tell you later, Twilight," said Fluttershy as she looked to the ground.

"She's a bitch," Jack answered bluntly.

"Oh, I don't know if I'd go that far," said Fluttershy, squirming at Jack's language. “Uh, let’s go talk to Pinkie Pie.”

The two of them walked up to Pinkie Pie, who was still welcoming ponies.

“Um, Pinkie Pie, about this party for Gilda. Umm...” Fluttershy started. “Do you really think it's a good idea? I me….”

“Don't worry your pretty little head about mean old Gilda," Pinkie interrupted, invoking a glare from Fluttershy. “Your auntie Pinkie Pie's got it all taken care of.”

“I'm a year older than you," Fluttershy said, continuing to glare as Pinkie walked off.

Pinkie had left to speak with Gilda, who had just arrived with Rainbow Dash.

“Gilda! I'm so honored to throw you one of my signature Pinkie Pie parties, and I really, truly, sincerely, hope you feel welcome here amongst all us pony folk," said Pinkie as she extended a hoof.

Gilda decided to accept the hoof, only to be shocked by a joy buzzer, much to Jack’s amusement.

“Ha! Serves her right!” thought Jack as he watched Gilda glare at Pinkie.

“Oh Pinkie Pie, the old hoof-shake buzzer," said Rainbow Dash as she walked up. “You are a scream!”

“Yeah," Gilda said with a nervous chuckle. “Uh, good one, Pinkie Pie.”

“Come on, G, I'll introduce you to some of my other friends," said Rainbow Dash as she walked into the crowd.

“Right behind you, Dash!” said Gilda before she turned to Pinkie. “I know what you're up to," she said accusingly.

“Great!” said Pinkie cheerfully.

“I know what you're planning," Gilda growled.

“Well, I hope so," Pinkie giggled. “This wasn't supposed to be a surprise party.”

“I mean, I’ve got my eye on you," said Gilda with a glare.

“And I got my eye on you!” said Pinkie as she got in Gilda’s face. “Everyone, I'd like you all to meet Gilda, a long-time, dear friend of Rainbow Dash. Let's honor her and welcome her to Ponyville," she said as the other ponies cheered.

Throughout the party, Gilda fell for prank after prank while Jack and the ponies looked on with amusement. Meanwhile, Applejack spent her time avoiding Rainbow Dash.

"You seem to be going out of your way to avoid Rainbow Dash," Jack said as he walked up to the orange mare.

"Yeah, what of it," said Applejack with a huff.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

"You should know, you were there," she responded.

“Huh?” said Jack in confusion.

"She yelled at you and Apple Bloom fer no reason," she answered, raising her voice slightly. "She should know better than tuh treat foals like that."

"I'm not really a foal, you know," Jack said.

"But Apple Bloom is," said Applejack with a glare. "If you can't understand why Ah'm angry, maybe ya shouldn' be hangin' around mah sister."

Jack was about to respond when Gilda finally snapped with a loud roar.

“This is your idea of a good time? I've never met a lamer bunch of dweebs in all my life!” she yelled as she flew in the air. “And Pinkie Pie, you! You are queen lame-o with your weak little party pranks! Did you really think you could make me lose my cool?” she seethed inches from Pinkie's face.

"You have done that yourself!" Jack called.

Ignoring him, Gilda flew up to Rainbow Dash and wrapped her arm around the blue mare. “Well, Dash and I have ten times as much cool as the rest of you put together! Come on, Dash, we're bailing on this pathetic scene," she said as she started to walk away. “Come on, Rainbow Dash. I said, we're leaving," she yelled upon realizing Dash wasn't moving.

“You know, Gilda, I was the one who set up all those weak pranks at this party," said Rainbow Dash angrily.

“What?” Gilda asked in shock.

“So I guess I'm queen lame-o,” Rainbow Dash added with a glare.

“Come on, Dash, you're joshing me," Gilda squirmed.

“They weren't all meant for you specifically; it was just dumb luck that you set them all off," Dash explained in disappointment.

“I shoulda known, that dribble cup had Rainbow Dash written all over it," Pinkie Pie said to Spike.

“No way, i-it was Pinkie Pie! She set up this party to trip me up, to make a fool of me," Gilda said stubbornly.

“Me? I threw this party to improve your attitude. I thought a good party might turn that frown upside down," Pinkie responded, tilting her head for emphasis.

“And you sure didn't need any help making a fool of yourself. You know, this is not how I thought my old friends would treat my new friends. If being cool is all you care about, maybe you should go find some new cool friends someplace else.” Rainbow Dash added.

“Rrgh... yeah? Well, you, you... you are such a, a flip-flop, cool one minute and lame the next. When you decide not to be lame anymore, gimme a call.” Gilda said.

After the argument ended, Gilda slammed the door and left. Rainbow Dash apologized for bringing her into town, and Twilight apologized for accusing Pinkie of misjudging the cranky griffon. The party ended a few hours later, and Jack and Fluttershy headed back to the cottage.

“What do you plan on doing tomorrow?” Fluttershy asked.

"I'm going to hang out with Apple Bloom. Now that we've finished studying, we should have time to do something fun," Jack said as they walked inside.

Author's Note

Looking for an editor to improve my writing. While I think my plot is decent, I feel my delivery and writing style leave a lot to be desired.
As was pointed out by Deltorix in the comments. I originally had the party for Gilda take place at the library when it happened at Sugarcube Corner in the show. As much as I'd like to say this was a clever way of showing that Jack's affecting the timeline, the truth is it had been several years since I had watched the episode and only skimmed through it a bit before writing this chapter. As such, I have edited the chapter accordingly.
Next time: Jack gets a job doing maintenance at Sweet Apple Acres.

Chapter 6: Timberwolf (Last Edited: 5/19/2022)

June 28, 2020

Unknown

Jack's dreams had continued since his last meeting with Luna. The Night Princess's advice had been obvious but was easier said than done.

He watched as his Dream-Self argued with his younger brother.

"Get out of my room, Jack!" Mark yelled.

“You’ve barely come out of your room all month," Dream Jack responded pleadingly. "Just come outside man, you're as pale as a ghost."

“Why does it matter to you?” Mark spat.

"I just don't think it's good for you to stay in bed on your phone 24-7," answered Dream Jack.

"It's none of your business what I do!" Mark snapped. "Now get out!" he yelled, pushing dream Jack outside and slamming the door in his face.

The scene changed to the beginning of Jack’s sophomore year of high school.

“Did you and Yuri have a fight or something?” Bryce (who now wore glasses) asked Dream Jack.

“I don’t want to talk about it, Bryce,” Dream Jack growled.

"Come on, Jack, you can tell us," said Shawn, who now had a well-toned physique from his sports activities.

“Seriously, Shawn, I just said I don’t want to talk about it,” Dream Jack sighed.

“There are no secrets among the Circle of Bros," said Chase, who hadn't grown much taller since elementary school but had grown a bit wider. "Now tell us what happened!”

The scene changed again. 12-year-old Dream Jack was building a fort in the woods along with his Chase and Shawn.

Shawn held a 2x4 up to two trees as Jack and Chase nailed down their respective sides. They were just finishing driving their nails into the wood when Bryce appeared out of the brush.

"Hey, guys," Bryce said. "Sorry I took so long. I think my mom's starting to get suspicious."

"You've gone this long without any problems," Shawn said. "What did you tell her you were doing?"

"I said I was going to the pool to spread the word of Jehovah," Bryce answered.

"You've used that one like four times now," Chase said. "No wonder she's getting suspicious."

"I don't know if I can keep this up much longer," Bryce sighed. "It may just be time to call it quits."

"Just let him go," Jack pleaded.

"Absolutely not!" Dream Jack shouted. "We're the Circle of Bros, and our friendship is forever! You just need to be more careful."

The scene faded and was replaced with Jack's living room.

"Honey, I need to talk to you about something," Jack's mom softly said to 19-year-old Dream Jack.

“Ok, what about?” Dream Jack asked.

"It's about Chase," she answered softly. "I just got off the phone with Mrs. Carney. She says he's got a glioblastoma. It's a kind of brain cancer."

“Is he alright!?” asked Dream Jack, eyes wide with concern.

"I don't know, but she says he's going into surgery now," she answered.

"Luna, please help me!" Jack finally shouted.

Everything turned dark.

"As thou wish, young human," said Luna.

Turning around, Jack came face to face with the Night Princess.

“Why won’t they stop?” he sobbed.

“We can stop the dreams after they’ve already started, but as we have stated in the past, only thou are capable of preventing them," Luna responded.

“Oh yes, the whole 'thou must forgive thineself' bullshit," Jack said sarcastically.

"Thine insolence is astounding!" Luna exclaimed with a glare as intense as a blood moon. "We have been trying to help thou, and yet still thou mock us. Thou shalt not receive our help when next thou ask!" she declared as Jack slowly awakened.

Fluttershy’s Cottage

Upon opening his eyes, he was nearly blinded by a ray of sunlight shining through the open curtains. Gulping down his pills and throwing on his hat, he rushed downstairs to find Fluttershy making lunch with Angel. The white bunny gave him the usual spite-filled glare, which Jack ignored. Fluttershy, on the other hand, gave him a warm smile.

"I'm glad you're awake. I was starting to get a little worried," she said.

"Why?" Jack asked as he took a seat. "It's not exactly the first time I've slept in."

"I know, but it's already 12:00 in the afternoon. You never sleep this late," Fluttershy responded.

"I guess I just had trouble sleeping last night," Jack shrugged. "What's for lunch?"

“I made a salad for you and a daisy sandwich for me," said Fluttershy.

"Alright, that sounds good," Jack said as Fluttershy placed the food on the table.

"So um, you wanted to hang out with Apple Bloom later, right?" asked Fluttershy.

"Yeah, I was planning on going after lunch," Jack answered.

"Alright, well, I'm going to pick up a load of apples after lunch anyway, so I'll be happy to take you then," she said.

"Fine," Jack agreed, although he suspected Fluttershy had just come up with a random excuse to go with him.

Sweet Apple Acres

Jack and Fluttershy arrived at Sweet Apple Acres about 30 minutes later. When they reached the farmhouse Jack gave an enthusiastic knock.

"Ah'll be right there," said Applejack through the door.

After a few seconds, the door opened.

"Howdy, Fluttershy, howdy, Jack," she greeted. "What brings the two of you here tuhday?"

"Um, well, I uh, I came to pick up my order of apples and decided to bring Jack with me," she answered while avoiding eye contact.

“But, ya didn' order any apples," Applejack said, her brow raised in skepticism.

“I knew it!” thought Jack.

"Oh, um, I must have forgotten to order them," she said, slowly backing up. "Um, since Jack is already here, maybe he could stay for the day."

"Uh, sure, Ah don’t see why not," said Applejack, still eyeing her with suspicion.

"Great, um, I'll be back in a few hours," Fluttershy said before flying off.

"Let me guess," Applejack said, turning to Jack. "She made up that story, so she’d have an excuse to come here with ya?”

"That sounds about right," Jack nodded.

"Well, Apple Bloom is upstairs," Applejack said. "Ah'll be doin' some repairs to the barn if'n ya need me fer anythin'."

“What kind of repairs?” Jack asked.

"We have a bit of a dry rot problem at the moment, so Ah'm replacing a few boards," Applejack explained.

“Can I help?” Jack asked.

“What do you know about repair work?” she asked.

“I used to be a maintenance worker," Jack answered. "This hat was actually part of my uniform.”

“Ah don’t know, Jack,” Applejack said, rubbing her mane. "Sweet Apple Acres kind of a family business. We don’ tend to hire outside the family."

"You don't have to pay me. I just want to help," Jack responded.

“Why?” Applejack asked suspiciously.

"I just want something productive to do, to be honest," he replied. “Maybe if I do a good job, she’ll pay me anyway.”

Applejack suspected he wasn’t being entirely honest but was more concerned by what Fluttershy might think.

"Ah'm not sure Fluttershy would take too kindly to me lettin' you around mah tools," Applejack said.

"So? She's not my mother, and I'm not really a child," Jack snorted. "Why would it matter what she thinks?"

Applejack reluctantly conceded. "Alright, Ah can't really argue with that, but ya should tell Apple Bloom that yer here. She’s been expecting ya.”

“Sure thing,” Jack responded with a nod.

“Well, alrighty then, go on up there and tell Apple Bloom what yer doin',” Applejack said.

"Understood, you won't be disappointed," Jack said as he tipped his hat and ran up the stairs.

"Hey, Bloom, I'm here," Jack said as he knocked on her door.

"Come on in," Apple Bloom said from behind the door.

“How are you doing?” asked Jack as he walked into her room.

"Ah'm doing great," she responded before saying. "Ya know ya don' have tuh knock, right?”

"But, you could have been getting dress…" Jack started. "Oh, I guess that’s not really a problem with ponies," he realized with a facepalm.

“What do ya want tuh do tuhday?” asked Apple Bloom with a giggle.

"I've actually agreed to help Applejack out with some repair work on the barn," Jack answered.

“Really?” she asked. “But yer still a colt. Why would she let ya mess with her tools?”

"Well, uh, I have experience in repair work," Jack said.

“Oh, is that like yer special talent?” asked Apple Bloom.

"No, it's my job," he said without thinking. “I should not have said that.”

“Yer job? Yer the same age as me. How do ya have a job?” asked Apple Bloom, her head tilted in confusion.

“Shit!” Jack thought. "Um, humans get jobs when they turn six," he blurted out. "Please buy it, please buy it, please buy it!”

"That's amazin'! Mah sister barely lets me do anythin' to help out around here, and you already have a job!" she exclaimed.

"Well, I had a job back home, but I'm not really getting paid for this," Jack explained. "But maybe if I do a good job, Applejack might decide to hire me!” he thought with a grin.

“Then why are ya doin' it?” she asked.

"Uh, I just felt like working. It gives me a sense of purpose," he lied. “Blegh! The fuck am I saying? I want money, dammit! I'm tired of relying on Fluttershy for everything.”

“Ah’ll come with ya then, mah sister won't let me touch any of the tools, but we can still hang out," Apple Bloom said.

"Sounds good. I work better with company," Jack responded.

The two ran off to the barn to find Applejack waiting for them.

"All right, Jack, Ah need these boards cut to the same length as that one over there," she said, pointing to a pile of boards, one of which was shorter than the rest.

“And how long is that exactly?” asked Jack.

“Ah don’t know, Big Mac usually does all that fancy math, and he's makin' a delivery to Fillydelphia right now," Applejack answered.

“You wouldn’t happen to have a tape measure, would you?” asked Jack.

"Ah think Big Mac left it the house somewhere," said Applejack.

“Can you tell me where, so I can go get it?” asked Jack.

“Why?” asked Applejack.

“So I can cut them all the same length," Jack responded. "Duh!”

“Can’t ya just line 'em up next to each other?” asked Applejack.

"I could, but why would I when it would be so much easier to just use the tape measure?" Jack asked.

"Alright, Ah think it's in the livin' room, if'n ya really think ya need it," said Applejack with a shrug.

“Ah’ll get it!” said Apple Bloom.

"Thanks, Bloom," said Jack as she left.

Hill between the Barn and the Farmhouse: Sweet Apple Acres

Apple Bloom ran to the house to get the tape measure. She couldn't put her hoof on it, but there was something about Jack she really liked. She didn't really have any other friends apart from Twist, and they rarely hung out. Jack, on the other hoof, played with her almost every day. He was different from the other foals in class, not just because he wasn't a pony. There was something else about him. She just couldn't figure out what. When Jack said he was going to help fix the barn, she wanted nothing more than to be of use.

Once she was about halfway between the house and the barn, she noticed something out of the corner of her eye. Turning her head to get a better look, she was stunned to see a massive jet-black timberwolf charging toward her. “A timberwolf! But they never come this far out of the forest!” she thought in a panic as the large timberwolf rapidly gained ground.

She was given no time to come up with a plan and bolted toward's the nearest shelter she could find, a lone apple tree whose branches were far out of the wolf's reach. As fast as her little legs could carry her, she shimmied up the trunk reaching the top branches just in time to avoid the wolf's jaws. Frustrated at the loss of its prey, the Timberwolf slowly circled the tree staring at Apple Bloom with its glowing yellow eyes.

“HELP!” Apple Bloom shrieked.

Sweet Apple Acres Barn

20 minutes later

"Apple Bloom's sure takin' her sweet time," said Applejack as she turned to Jack. "Ah'm startin' tuh get worried. Why don't ya go see what's goin' on?"

"Sure thing," replied Jack.

As soon as Jack exited the barn, he spotted the large beast circling the apple tree. As he got closer, he discovered it was a giant wolf made of wood. He initially thought it best to avoid the massive beast, but it didn't take him long to figure out why it was circling the tree. There in the top branches, hanging on for dear life, was Apple Bloom. At first, Jack was frozen. The wolf was the size of an elephant. Even if he acted, what could he possibly do?

He looked to where Apple Bloom was clinging to the tree for dear life. She wouldn’t be able to hold on for much longer. Finally, an idea popped into Jack’s head. “If I can get halfway between the house and the tree, I’ll be able to get that thing’s attention and make it to the house before it can reach me. Then Apple Bloom can run to the barn."

He quietly crept towards the house when the wolf turned its back to him. Once he had made it halfway between the tree and the house, he turned around and shouted at the top of his lungs. “HEY SPLINTERS, COME AND GET ME!!!!”

The wolf turned toward Jack making creaking sounds like a pine tree in the wind. With a rabid sounding bark, it lunged at its new prey.

“Oh shit!” Jack thought as he bolted for the house at full speed.

Jack only made it three-quarters of the way to the house before he tripped over a rock that was sticking out of the ground like a speed bump. By the time he got back to his feet, the wolf was already right on top of him. As the beast lunged, Jack put his arms up in a seemingly pointless defense. However, to his surprise, a familiar sensation engulfed his body, and his eyes turned emerald. The moment the wolf's jagged teeth made contact with him, a glowing green barrier surrounded Jack's body, and the wolf's head shattered.

Jack was stunned at what had just occurred. By any measure, he should have been killed. Was this some kind of divine intervention? If so, why now? Why couldn't God have interfered before he was sent to Equestria, to begin with? Unfortunately, there wasn't any time to dwell on it. The scattered splinters from the wolf's head were beginning to reform, and to make matters worse, Jack had lost all feeling in his body. As soon as the head finished reforming, the wolf lunged towards him, and Jack prepared for the sweet embrace of death, but it never came.

The sky above Sweet Apple Acres

Rainbow Dash had done everything within her power to avoid this section of sky. She had attempted to fake a wing injury, but this was thwarted by her inability to keep her story consistent as to which one was injured. She had asked Thunderlane and Cloud Chaser to cover for her, but they were already overworked as it was. She even started to forge a signature from the Princess before only to stop upon considering how much trouble that might get her in. She would just have to grin and bear it. Applejack may have banned her from Sweet Apple Acre's, but she had a job to do. As she started to clear out the clouds, she noticed Apple Bloom climbing down from a tree and running straight to a..." TIMBERWOLF!"

Upon closer inspection, she spotted Jack lying helplessly on the ground in front of the timberwolf. She would have to act quickly, or both he and Apple Bloom would die. Like a Ju-87, she dove full speed at her opponent, although her payload was body mass rather than bombs. With a CRACK, the timberwolf was reduced back to splinters as Rainbow Dash landed in front of Jack.

“Are you alright?” she asked.

"I... can't move," Jack answered weakly.

Looking back, she could see the wolf's body reassembling. Grabbing Jack, she zipped over to Apple Bloom.

"Applejacks in the barn. We can hide there!" Apple Bloom exclaimed.

“Climb up and hold on tight!” Rainbow Dash said as she beckoned Apple Bloom to her back.

Once the filly was secure, Rainbow Dash flew to the barn at the speed of a bullet train, slamming the door behind her upon entry.

"What do you think yer doin' here?" Applejack growled. "Ah thought Ah told ya, ya ain't welcome here anymore."

“Wait, you don’t understand!” said Rainbow Dash.

"Ah don't care, Ah told you not tuh come here anymore!" said Applejack.

Before she could continue, Jack intervened. "Applejack, Rainbow Dash just saved me and Apple Bloom's lives!"

“What?!” asked Applejack.

"It's true, sis! We were attacked by a timberwolf, and Rainbow Dash saved us!" shouted Apple Bloom.

As hard to believe as her sister's words were, Applejack could tell it was the truth. Even so, timberwolves never strayed this far from the Everfree Forest. Peering out the barn window, she spotted it. The black timberwolf was furiously searching for its lost prey, unaware that they were just a few hundred yards away.

“Alright, could one of ya explain exactly what happened here?” she asked.

Apple Bloom told her sister how the wolf had attacked her as she went to get the tape measure, how Jack had tried to save her, and how Rainbow Dash swooped in to save the day. After Apple Bloom finished explaining, Applejack and Rainbow Dash went to face the timberwolf, but it was nowhere to be found.

After half an hour of searching, the two determined it was safe.

“Well, Ah think it’s gone now," said Applejack as she looked to Rainbow Dash.

"Yeah," Rainbow Dash answered, avoiding eye contact. "Hey, Applejack?" she asked, finally turning to her friend.

“Yes, Rainbow?” asked Applejack.

"I just wanted to say I'm sorry for yelling at Apple Bloom the other day," said Rainbow Dash.

"Ah know ya are, and Ah forgive you," Applejack said.

"You mean it!?" asked Rainbow Dash, taking to the air in triumph.

"Ya saved my sister's life, of course Ah mean it," Applejack said with a smile. "But it's not me that ya really need tuh apologize tuh, is it?"

"Yeah, I know," said Rainbow Dash. "I'll apologize to Jack and Apple Bloom when we get back to the barn."

Barn

"Apple Bloom, Jack!" Applejack called as she and Rainbow Dash walked into the barn. "It's safe!"

Jack, who had managed to get back on his feet while the two ponies had been gone, walked over with Apple Bloom. "Thanks for saving us, Rainbow Dash."

"No need for thanks," Rainbow Dash said as she looked him in the eye. "But I really need to apologize to you, Jack. Ever since I met you, I treated you like a villain for no good reason. Even after I realized I was wrong, I still couldn't bring myself to apologize. So, for what it's worth, I'm sorry."

Jack chuckled. "I'll tell you what. How about we just call it even? Friends?" he asked as he held out a fist.

"Friends," the pegasus agreed as she gave a hoof/fist bump. "I need to apologize to you as well, Apple Bloom," she said, turning to the filly. "A few days ago, I got really mad at Jack and yelled at you both. As bad as it was for me to yell at him, it was even worse for me to yell at you."

"Aw shucks, don't worry nothin' about it," Apple Bloom replied.

"Hey, Rainbow?" asked Applejack.

"Yes?" the Rainbow Dash replied.

"Think ya could go get Fluttershy fer me?" Applejack asked. "It'd probably be best fer Jack tuh head on home."

"Sure thing, Applejack!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

Rainbow Dash left, and around ten minutes later, she returned with Fluttershy, who took Jack home. Before he left, Applejack told Jack that he could come back and help around the farm some other time if he'd like.

Fluttershy’s Cottage

3 Hours Later

Jack was staring out the window. His mind flooded with thoughts.

“I should be dead," he thought. "What was that energy? It wasn't God; at least I don't think it was.” Finally, it hit him. “Was that Magic?” he pondered. “I’ll ask Twilight about it tomorrow.”

Author's Note

I'm pretty sure that was the first actual action scene I've written since Jack's brief fight with Rainbow Dash. I think I did alright! Initially, I was just going to have this chapter be about Jack working, but I decided it was taking too long to get to any action and changed things up.
Next Time: A boastful Unicorn comes to town, Twilight refuses to show off, and Jack tries to learn magic.
Disclaimer 10/30/2020: I was watching Trevor Noah on YouTube, and in one of his jokes, he mentioned that the name Klu Klux Klan is based on the Ancient Greek word for circle and then clan, which means family. I looked it up, and he was right. Even as a History major, this piece of trivia has illuded me for all these years. I want to make it VERY clear that the Circle of Bros in my story is not in any way an allusion to the KKK.

Chapter 7: Boast Busters (Last Edited: 6/17/2022)

June 29, 2020

Ponyville School

The timberwolf attack had opened Jack's eyes to the dangers of Equestria. He had taken it upon himself to carry the gun he picked up in Santee at all times.

His views on guns were unusual as far as liberals went. He saw the need for some gun control, to be sure. Felons and insane people should never be allowed to own firearms, and there should be background checks with every purchase. Other than that, he thought of gun ownership as a good thing. As much as he disagreed with conservatives on other things, he certainly saw the benefit of responsible gun ownership. He'd never owned a gun himself as his parents vehemently despised the things and his apartment had a no firearms policy. However, he'd been to shooting ranges before and was confident in his ability. How much help the Glock would be against another timberwolf attack was another story entirely.

Fluttershy had been hysterical about the entire thing, but she eventually came down when she realized Jack hadn't been hurt.

Jack had told no one about the energy he felt during the battle. Having had time to think about it, he was certain it was magic. He had every intention to ask Twilight about it, but at the moment, he had more pressing matters to attend to.

"Ready for the test, Bloom?" he asked.

"Huh?" Apple Bloom asked, looking up from her worksheet. "Oh, Jack, how are ya doin'? Are you alright?" she asked with concern.

"I should be asking you that, considering what happened yesterday," Jack chuckled.

"Ah'm fine. It never even touched me," said Apple Bloom. "But Ah saw it bite ya! How did ya manage tuh get out without a scratch?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," Jack said, stretching a bit. "I hardly believe it myself.”

"You can tell me, Ah promise Ah'll believe ya," she said.

“Ok then, I’m not exactly sure how, but I think I used magic," he answered.

“Is that even possible?” asked Apple Bloom. “It’s not like ya have a horn or nothin'," she said, pointing to his head for emphasis.

“I don’t think…” he started before remembering what Celestia had told him.

"Yes, magic, the humans who have come here in the past were all quite adept at magic."

“Um, it’s not necessarily common, but yes, some humans can use magic. I was going to ask Twilight about it after class," he answered.

Before Apple Bloom could respond, Cheerilee entered the classroom.

"Good morning class, I hope everypony has completed the worksheet and is ready for the test," she said as she passed out test sheets.

As soon as he received his test sheet, Jack began filling the bubbles. Like a computer, he answered each question one by one with incredible speed. Less than two minutes after being handed the sheet, he was already turning it in.

“Are you sure you don’t want to check your work before you turn it in?” asked Cheerilee.

"I'm sure," said Jack as he walked back to his seat.

After half an hour, the last pony finished their test.

"Alright, everypony, I'll grade your tests tonight and hand them back in tomorrow," said Cheerilee. "I'll see you all tomorrow."

Freed from the confines of education, Jack rushed out of the building with the other students. There he found Fluttershy waiting for him.

“How did you do?” she asked.

“I’m certain I aced it!" Jack announced with a cocky grin.

"That's good to hear," said Fluttershy with a smile. "Are you going to play with Apple Bloom today?"

"Actually, I have a question for Twilight," Jack answered. "I was planning on going to the library."

“What question?” asked Fluttershy.

"I left some of my things with her so she could study them. I was planning to ask for them back," Jack lied.

"Oh, I'll be happy to take you then," said Fluttershy.

“She’s not going to give me a choice," Jack thought begrudgingly. "Thank you, Fluttershy."

Golden Oak Library

10 minutes later

“Come on, Twilight. You can do it!” Spike said excitedly.

“Ok, here goes," Twilight said as her horn was enveloped in a lavender aura.

With a pop, a mustache appeared on Spike's face.

“Haha! Ya did it!” Spike cheered as he checked off Spell # 25 on a poster. “Growing magic, that's number twenty-five. Twenty-five different types of tricks and counting," he said, causing Twilight to blush. "And I think this is the best trick so far," he continued, looking at himself in a mirror. “Hello, Rarity. What's that?" he asked as he stroked his new facial hair. "Aw, it's nothin', just my awesome mustache," he chuckled.

“Sorry, Romeo. As attractive and enticing as you look, it's just for practice, and it's gotta go," said Twilight as her horn began to glow again.

“Wait!” said Spike holding out his arms as the mustache disappeared with a poof. “Aw, rats!" he said, shrugging his shoulders, causing Twilight to giggle.

There was a knock on the door.

“Who is it?” asked Twilight.

"It's me," said Jack from the other side.

“Could you get the door, Spike?" asked Twilight.

“Sure thing, Twilight!" the dragon responded.

Spike quickly scampered over to the door and opened it. "Hey, Jack, Hey, Fluttershy! How are you guys doing today?"

"We're doing wonderful, Spike, "said Fluttershy. "Jack said he wanted to talk to Twilight."

"Come on in," said Spike.

“Oh, um, I need to get food for Angel," said Fluttershy. "Would it be alright for me to drop Jack off and pick him up later?"

"I don't have a problem with it, but you'll have to ask Twilight," answered Spike. "Hey, Twilight! Is it all right if Fluttershy drops Jack off for a little while?"

"That would be fine, Spike!" said Twilight from the other room.

"Ok, come on in, Jack," Spike said.

"I'll pick you up later," said Fluttershy as she left.

“So, what do you need to talk with Twilight about?” asked Spike.

“Oh, um, uh, it's a little personal," Jack said, uncertain if it would be a good idea to tell Spike about the magic.

"Oh, well, I guess I'll let you go ahead and talk to Twilight then," Spike said with a shrug. "She's in her study."

"Thank you, Spike," said Jack as he entered the study.

Twilight was levitating a poster onto a shelf when he arrived.

"Hey, Twilight, I need to talk to you about something," said Jack.

“About what?” she asked as she finished putting up the poster.

"Yesterday, me and Apple Bloom were attacked by a timberwolf," Jack answered.

"I heard about that," said Twilight. "What's really weird is that it was so far from the forest. Judging by how Applejack described it as black in color, I assume it must have been injured in a fire."

“That makes sense. If I remember correctly, predatory animals will often hunt humans when an injury prevents them from hunting their usual prey. I guess it works the same here," Jack thought. "Wait a minute; that's not what I came here to talk about. Mustn't get sidetracked.” He cleared his throat. "I should be dead."

“JACK! YOU SHOULDN’T SAY THINGS LIKE THAT!” Twilight shouted in shocked concern.

“What?" Jack asked before realizing what she meant. "Oh, no no no," Jack started waving his arms," I don’t mean I wish I had died. I mean, I only lived because of a fluke,” Jack explained.

“A fluke?”

“The timberwolf bit me…”

"Don't be ridiculous, Jack. If a timberwolf had bitten you, you wouldn't be here now," interrupted Twilight.

“I didn’t finish," Jack stopped her. “When the timberwolf bit me, there was a flash of green and a warm sensation. Then its head split into pieces," he continued. "I think, somehow, I used magic."

"REALLY?!!!" Twilight asked in excitement. “The stories about humans stated they were capable of magic, but since you don’t have a horn, I thought that was just part of the legend,” she said, practically bouncing off the walls in excitement. “Do you know how you did it?”

"No, I have no idea," Jack answered. "I was hoping you might be able to help me figure it out."

"Interesting, I'd be more than happy to help," said Twilight. "Has anything like this ever happened before?" she asked, levitating a quill and notebook.

Thinking back, Jack remembered his confrontation with Gilda. "Yeah, when Gilda came to town, she got into a bit of a confrontation with Fluttershy. When I intervened, she knocked my knife from my hand, and I remember feeling a similar sensation."

"Fascinating, I may have a hypothesis about your magic, but I'll need to do some tests," Twilight said. "Mind coming with me to…"

“TWILIGHT!” yelled Spike as he burst through the door.

"What is it, Spike?" asked Twilight in confusion.

"There's a new unicorn in town," the purple dragon informed. "They're saying she's the most powerful unicorn in Equestria!"

"That's really interesting, Spike, but I'm helping Jack with something right now," Twilight responded.

“But, Twilight, you can’t just let her say she’s the best!” Spike pleaded. “You’re the best unicorn ever!”

"Now, Spike, you know it doesn't matter who's the best," said Twilight.

"Um, Twilight, a demonstration could be useful," said Jack.

“Really?” asked Twilight.

"You were going to try to get me to use my magic, right?" asked Jack. "I'm more of a visual learner, so it might help if I saw you and this new unicorn use your magic."

"Well, if you think it will help," Twilight relented.

“Wait, Jack has magic?” asked Spike as he scratched his head.

"Um, yes?" Jack said, trying to make it sound like it should have been obvious.

“But how do you do it without a horn?” asked Spike.

"With my hands," Jack answered.

“That’s amazing!” Spike exclaimed.

Town Square

Jack, Spike, and Twilight arrived at the Town Square 10 minutes later to find many of Ponyville's residents, including the rest of the Mane Six, gathered around a wagon.

“Come one, come all! Come and witness the amazing magic of the Great and Powerful Trixie!” said a voice from the wagon. The wagon opened up into a stage, and the unicorn inside teleported out to the awe of the crowd. “Watch in awe as the Great and Powerful Trixie performs the most spectacular feats of magic ever witnessed by pony eyes!"

“My, my, my! What boasting!” said Rarity, very much unimpressed.

“Come on, nopony's as magical as Twi..." Spike started before noticing Rarity. "Twi-Twi, Oh!” he cleared his throat. “Hey, Rarity, I, uh… Mustache!" he said, running off.

"Smooth," Jack chuckled.

“There's nothing wrong with being talented, is there?” asked Twilight.

“Nothin' at all, cep'n when someone goes around showin it off like a school filly with fancy new ribbons," said Applejack as Trixie conjured a bouquet.

"Doesn't really look all that impressive to me," said Jack with his arms crossed.

“Just because one has the ability to perform lots of magic does not make one better than the rest of us," said Rarity.

“Especially when ya got me around being better than the rest of us," said Rainbow Dash before receiving a glare from Applejack. “Eh, I mean, yeah, uh, magic shmagic. Boo!”

“Well, well, well, it seems we have some neighsayers in the audience. Who is so ignorant as to challenge the magical ability of the Great and Powerful Trixie? Do they not know that they're in the presence of the most magical unicorn in all of Equestria?” Trixie boasted.

“PROVE IT!” shouted Jack.

"Um, Jack, I think, maybe, it might be better if you didn't provoke her," Fluttershy said quietly.

“Is that a challenge, strange ape-looking thing?” asked Trixie with a smirk.

“Yeah, Twilight’s the most powerful unicorn I know. If you’re truly the best, then you should have no problem against her," Jack said.

"You said it, Jack! Twilight's the greatest unicorn of all time!" added Spike.

“Spike! Jack! Shhh!” said Twilight as she pulled them away from the crowd.

“What? What's wrong?” asked Spike.

“You see the way they reacted to Trixie? I don't want anyone thinking I'm a show-off," said Twilight as she watched Trixie smugly display her magic.

"There's nothing wrong with being a show-off, so long as you don't make an ass of yourself," Jack said. "Now come on, you promised me a demonstration."

"Then maybe you should watch Trixie," Twilight said.

Jack was about to respond when Rainbow Dash decided to confront Trixie herself.

“So, 'Great and Powerful Trixie.' What makes you think you're so awesome, anyway?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“Heh, why, only the Great and Powerful Trixie has magic strong enough to vanquish the dreaded ursa major!” Trixie boasted dramatically.

“What?!" exclaimed a chubby grey unicorn from Jack's class.

“No way!” added a skinny orange unicorn who was also in Jack’s class.

“Are those two honestly buying this? What were their names again? Meh, doesn’t matter," thought Jack. "PROVE IT!"

"Very well, ape," Trixie responded. "When all hope was lost, the ponies of Hoofington had no one to turn to, but the Great and Powerful Trixie stepped in, and with her awesome magic, vanquished the ursa major and sent it back to its cave deep within the Everfree Forest!” she explained.

“Sawweet!” said the two unicorn foals at the same time.

"That settles it," said the grey unicorn.

“Trixie truly is the most talented, the most magical, the most awesome unicorn in Ponyville," added the orange unicorn.

“No, in all of Equestria!” said the grey one.

“How do you know? You didn't see it! And besides, Twi…” Spike said before Twilight literally zipped his mouth shut with magic. “Mmph!”

“It's true, my enthusiastic little admirers. Trixie is most certainly the best in Ponyville," Trixie cackled. "Don't believe the Great and Powerful Trixie?” she chuckled. “Well then, I hereby challenge you, Ponyvillians. Anything you can do, I can do better. Any takers? Anyone? Hmm? Or is Trixie destined to be the greatest equine who has ever lived!?” she smugly boasted before setting off more fireworks.

“Please! She's unbearable! Ya gotta show her! Ya just gotta!” Spike begged after unzipping his mouth.

“There's no way I'm going to use my magic now, Spike. Especially since…” Twilight whispered before being interrupted by Trixie.

“Hmm, how about, you?” said Trixie as she pointed to Twilight.

Twilight awkwardly refused Trixie's challenge, but the rest of the Mane Six decided they had had enough. First, Applejack tried her luck only to end up hogtied in her own rope. Next, Rainbow Dash tried only to crash and get electrocuted by Trixie's magic. Finally, Rarity gave it a try and found herself stricken with an ugly green mane.

“Well, Twilight, guess it's up to you. Come on, show her what you're made of," said Spike pointing to Trixie.

“What do you mean? I'm nothing special," Twilight said nervously.

“Yes, you are! You're better than her!” said Spike.

“I'm not better than anyone," said Twilight.

"I'd say you're probably better than her," Jack muttered.

“Who, me? I'm just your run-of-the-mill citizen of Ponyville. No powerful magic here. I, uh... I think I hear my laundry calling. Sorry, gotta go," Twilight said before running off.

Jack moved to follow, but Fluttershy stopped him.

"Let's go home, Jack," said Fluttershy.

Jack scanned the crowd looking for an excuse to follow Twilight. Noticing a familiar orange filly, a lightbulb lit above his head.

"Hey, Fluttershy, is it alright if I go hang out with my friend," Jack asked, pointing to Scootaloo.

"Oh, um, sure, just have your friend's parents bring you home by 6:00," said Fluttershy.

“Thanks, Fluttershy!” said Jack as he ran off.

"Hey, Scootaloo!" shouted Jack.

"Hey, Jack! How are you doing?" asked Scootaloo.

“I’m alright!” Jack said before noticing that Fluttershy was still watching him. "Play along," he whispered.

“Play along with what?” Scootaloo asked.

"Bye, Fluttershy, I'm going to play with Scootaloo now!" Jack shouted.

As Fluttershy left, Scootaloo raised a brow and turned to Jack. "What's going on, Jack?"

"Thanks for that," Jack said with a wide grin. "Fluttershy is way too overprotective, and I needed to get away from her."

“What for?” asked Scootaloo.

"I need to talk to Twilight," Jack said. "Thanks for your help!" he called as he ran off.

“Wait!” Scootaloo shouted after him.

“What is it?” Jack asked, stopping in his tracks.

"Can I come?" Scootaloo asked. "You did say we could hang out sometime."

“Oh, um, I need to talk to Twilight about a private matter," Jack said. "Maybe some other time?”

"It takes like ten minutes to get to the library from here," Scootaloo pointed out. "Can we hang out on the way?"

"Um, sure," Jack answered, unable to think of a valid reason to refuse.

“Great!” Scootaloo exclaimed.

Somewhere along the way to the library, the topic of Rainbow Dash was brought up.

“Did you ever talk to her?” Jack asked.

"Uh, not yet, but I'm working on it," answered Scootaloo.

"I could talk to her with you if you want," Jack offered.

“Really?! You’d do that?” Scootaloo asked.

"Yeah, I know her well enough," Jack shrugged. "I'm sure she wouldn't say no."

“Thanks!” Scootaloo exclaimed as she gave Jack a tight hug. Realizing how embarrassing this was, she quickly let go. "If you ever tell anypony about this, I'll kick your flank," she grumbled, blushing profusely.

"My lips are sealed," Jack said, pulling an imaginary zipper over his mouth.

Golden Oak Library

7 minutes later

Jack slammed his fist into the oak door. They had been there for three minutes, and he was getting frustrated.

"Maybe she isn't home," said Scootaloo.

"I don't think so. I'm pretty sure she went home," said Jack, knocking again. "Twilight, ya in there?"

After several more minutes passed, Jack finally gave in. With a final knock, he turned around and walked away with his shoulders slumped in defeat.

It was at that point that the two colts from Trixie's show ran past.

"Come on, Snails, I heard there's an ursa cave in the forest," said the grey one.

“I'm comin', Snips," said Snails.

“What are those two up to?” wondered Jack. “Hey Scootaloo, let's go see what they're doing."

“Sounds fun," Scootaloo agreed.

"Let's go then," said Jack.

Jack and Scootaloo tailed the two colts until they reached a massive forest.

"We can't go in there," said Scootaloo.

“Why not?” asked Jack.

“That’s the Everfree Forest!” Scootaloo answered.

“So?”

"It's not natural," Scootaloo answered. "The animals and plants live on their own, and the clouds move without pegasi."

“In other words, it’s the only normal place I’ve been to in Equestria," thought Jack.

"That sounds just like home," said Jack. "They went in. If you don't want to go, I won't make you, but I'm following them," Jack said, entering the forest.

“Wait!” Scootaloo called after him. "I'm coming with you."

They followed Snips and Snails for three hours until finally, they reached a cave.

"It's so dark in here!" Jack complained. "I can't see any... Oof!"

“Are you ok?” asked Scootaloo.

"I'm fine," Jack said. "Just tripped over a rock."

Before they could venture further into the cave, they heard an effeminate shriek.

“Ahhhh!”

Snips and Snails rushed past them, illuminating the cave just long enough for Jack and Scootaloo to notice a giant blue bear, covered in star patterns, charging at them like a bull at a rodeo clown.

“Run!” Jack shouted as he and Scootaloo followed the unicorns.

Looking behind him, Jack saw the massive bear making chase. He pulled out his Glock and emptied the magazine into the rampaging beast. Having only 10 9mm rounds to shoot at a target the size of a small house, Jack's efforts only served to anger the beast.

"Shit!" Jack shouted, pocketing the gun.

“What is that thing?!” Scootaloo screamed.

"I'll tell you later, right now, we need to focus on running!" shouted Jack as they caught up with Snips and Snails. “What the Hell were you guys thinking!?” he asked them.

"Spike said that the only way to prove Trixie can defeat an ursa major is to see it for ourselves," panted Snips.

"So, we decided to bring one to Ponyville so the entire town could watch her beat it," Snails dopily added.

If it were possible, steam would have been shooting out of Jack's ears. "ARE YOU BOTH FUCKING INSANE?!!"

Edge of the Everfree Forest

1 and a half hours later

The sun had sunken beneath the horizon, and Spike was glumly kicking a stone by the forest edge. He had tried everything he could think of to convince Twilight to prove she was better than Trixie, to no avail. As Spike kicked the stone again, Snips, Snails, Jack, and Scootaloo burst out of the undergrowth, screaming bloody murder.

“Hey, guys! Where ya goin'?” he asked.

"No time to talk, just RUN!" shouted Jack.

Spike scratched his head in confusion. His attention soon turned to the sound of trees snapping like twigs. He turned around to see the ursa stepping out of the trees. It let out an earsplitting roar, and Spike bolted to the library as fast as his legs could carry him.

Trixie's Wagon

“Trixie!” Snips and Snails shouted upon reaching the wagon.

Trixie opened the door and stepped out. “Trixie thought she said the Great and Powerful Trixie did not want to be disturbed!”

“We-We have a-a tiny problem," Snips said, laughing nervously nervous.

“Actually, it's a big one," Snails corrected.

“What is so important that you cannot wait until morning to disturb Trixie?”

The ursa charged down the street directly toward the wagon. Seeing the beast, Trixie let out a terrified scream and bolted in the opposite direction, closely followed by Jack and the school foals.

After a minute of running, they were approaching an intersection. "Let's split up!" Jack shouted. "When we reach that intersection, you all go right, and me and Scootaloo will go left!"

Big mistake. Jack and Scootaloo found themselves trapped in a dead-end alley, with no way for them to escape. The ursa slowly closed in on them, growling as its prey cowered in fear. Soon it was right on top of them, raising a paw to strike. A wave of energy washed over Jack as his eyes turned emerald.

“What’s going on?" asked Scootloo. "Why are your eyes glowing?”

The ursa swiped at them with the force of a freight train. With herculean strength, Jack caught the paw in his tiny arms and pushed it away. “RUN!” he shouted to Scootaloo.

As Scootaloo slipped past the ursa, Jack leaped into the air and smashed headfirst into the beast. The ursa staggard as Jack landed behind its back and went for another headbutt. Although it had been caught off guard at first, this time, the ursa was ready. With a quick swipe, Jack was sent flying toward where Trixie was cowering with Snips and Snails, leaving a small impact crater behind them. He tried to stand up, but unfortunately, his magic had run out alongside the feeling in his arms and legs.

“Great and Powerful, Trixie, you've got to vanquish the ursa,” said Snips.

“Yeah, vanquish so that we can watch,” added Snails.

“It took a lot of trouble to get that thing here," said Snips.

“Wait, you brought this here?” gasped Trixie. “Are you out of your little pony minds?

“But, you're the Great and Powerful Trixie," Snips pointed out.

“Yeah, remember? You defeated an ursa major," added Snails.

“Haven’t you guys figured it out yet?” Jack asked, coughing weakly. “She lied. It’s all part of her act.”

"Just you watch, Jack. The great and powerful Trixie will show you," said Snips.

“Watch as I the g-great and p-powerful Trixie defeat the ursa,” Trixie said nervously.

Levitating a rope from a basket, she carefully bound two of the ursa's claws together.

“Heh. Piece of cake," said Trixie.

The ursa snapped Trixie's rope like a piece of string.

“Aw, come on, Trixie," said Snips.

"Stop goofin' around and vanquish it, eh," added Snails.

Not one to back down from a challenge, Trixie summoned a black cloud that just floated above the ursa, doing nothing.

“Well, that was a dud," said Snails.

“Yeah, pfft, come on! Where's all the cool explosions and smoke and stuff like earlier? You know," added Snips.

Finally, the black cloud unleashed a bolt of lightning at the ursa, who shrugged it off as if nothing had happened.

“Uh-oh,” Trixie said as the massive bear roared.

Trixie, Snips, and Snails fled for their lives, leaving Jack to fend for himself.

Luckily for Jack, the ursa didn't notice him and started tearing apart nearby buildings. Unfortunately, he still didn't have the strength to stand. He laid on the ground, beaten and bruised, his clothes practically ripped to shreds. “I need to get out of here before it notices me."

"HEY, JACK!" someone shouted.

Turning his head, he spotted Scootaloo propelling her scooter toward him, her underdeveloped wings flapping like a hummingbird's.

“Grab my hoof!” she shouted.

Jack held out his hand and, with what little strength he had left, grasped her extended hoof.

“So, what was all that back there?” asked Scootaloo as she pulled him onto the scooter.

"Well... Urgh..." Jack grunted in pain. "That would be the private matter I mentioned earlier."

“So you can use magic?”

“A little, but I can't really control it," Jack answered, seething in pain.

“Awesome!” exclaimed Scootaloo, looking up. “Look!”

Jack turned to where she was staring and saw the ursa being levitated toward the forest while sucking a water tank as if it were a baby bottle.

"Must be Twilight's magic," Jack said with a pained grimace.

Scootaloo could see he was in pain. She didn't know how bad his injuries were, but she knew he needed help. “I’m gonna take you home now," she said firmly.

"Thanks," Jack responded weakly.

Fluttershy’s Cottage

5 minutes later

Arriving at the cottage, Scootaloo helped Jack to the door. With strained effort, Jack stood on his own as she banged on the door like a woodpecker.

The door opened, and Fluttershy let out a high pitch shriek.

“WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU!!!?” Fluttershy asked. “Did you do this!?” she asked Scootaloo with a glare that literally had the filly frozen in place.

"Fluttershy, wait!" said Jack, limping between them. "We were attacked by an ursa. She saved my life."

"Oh, my goodness!" Fluttershy gasped, releasing Scootaloo from her gaze. "I'm so sorry. Thank you so much for saving him."

"He saved me first," said Scootaloo. "That's..." she let out a sob. "That's how he got hurt."

"Come in,” Fluttershy said softly. "We need to treat those cuts."

“Don’t worry about me. I’m not hurt very bad," Scootaloo dismissed. "I need to get home now anyway. My aunts are probably getting worried."

“Oh, um, ok, goodbye," said Fluttershy as Scootaloo left. "Now, let's tend to those wounds," she said to Jack.

Author's Note

Damn, this is my longest chapter yet! I'm back at work now, so I may not be able to keep up my previous schedule of one chapter a week. Next Time: Jack goes to Rarity to replace his clothes and meets another filly from his class while Fluttershy takes it into her own hoofs to make sure Jack never gets hurt again by staying with him at all times.

Chapter 8: Stare (Last Edited: 6/17/2022)

June 30, 2020

Unknown

Once again, Jack had entered the prison of his nightmares.

“What the Hell, Mark!?” yelled Dream Jack as he held up a scratched copy of Halo: Reach.

“What do you want?” Mark sighed.

"How many times do I have to tell you to put my games back in the case when you take them out?!" Dream Jack asked angrily.

“Why does it matter? You’ve played that one a million times,” Mark pointed out.

"It matters because it's my game, and now you've all scratched up!" Dream Jack spat.

"Buy a new one then," Mark shrugged as if it wasn't any of his concern.

"You broke it! You buy a new one!" Dream Jack growled.

Mark glared and stuck up his middle finger. "No."

Dream Jack clenched his fists.

“Don’t do it!” the real Jack pleaded to no effect.

"Even if I had the money, I wouldn't buy your stupid game," said Mark. Shrugging and holding up a partially cupped hand, he continued, "maybe you shouldn't leave your games in the X-box, to begin with."

“WHO BOUGHT IT!?” Dream Jack roared as he planted his fist into his brother’s face.

Now he was in high school again.

"Did you hear the rumors?" asked a blond-haired girl.

"Yeah, like, Jack murdered Yuri's dog, right?" asked another girl.

"I don't know what she was expecting," said a buff dude. "That sperg and his weirdo friends are bad news."

Dream Jack sped walked through the hallway, barely able to hold back his tears from the mean-spirited rumors.

Again the scene changed. Now he was watching his 14-year-old self hanging out with Shawn and Chase.

A glassy-eyed boy with short, well-groomed hair approached them. "Hello, I'm Jeremy King, Jehovah's Witness," he introduced."

"Can we help you with something?" Shawn asked.

"Yes, actually," Jeremy answered with an artificial smile. "Bryce Durkheim hasn't been attending Kingdom Hall meetings lately. I have a feeling that you might know why."

"Bryce hasn't hung out with us in years," Chase denied.

"Really?" Jeremy asked, pulling out an iPhone. "Then who's this?" he asked, showing a picture of them and Bryce playing on their 3DS's behind a dumpster.

"How did you even get that?" Shawn asked.

"That's none of your concern," Jeremy replied, still maintaining his smile. "Now, why hasn't he been attending meetings?"

"We're not tellin'," Jack glared. "If Bryce don't want to attend yer cult meetin's, he don't have to!"

Jeremy's fake smiled faded and was replaced by a dark glare. "Very well."

The scene faded, and now 19-year-old Dream Jack stood at the door to Chase's house.

He rang the doorbell, and a petite, freckled girl with dirty-blond hair answered. This was Riley Carney, Chase's younger sister.

"Chase is in the living room," Riley said.

"Thanks, Riley," said Dream Jack as he walked inside.

When he reached the living room, he saw Chase on the couch, bald as a baby from chemotherapy.

"Hey, Jack!" said Chase. "How you doing, brother?"

"I'm alright," said Dream Jack, awkwardly averting his gaze from Chase's deformed visage.

“Want to play Pokémon GO?” asked Chase.

"Sure," Dream Jack said, smiling weakly.

"Awesome! Help me get up, please," Chase asked, holding out his hands. "I won't be able to walk around very well, but we can still hit all the Pokéstops and gyms by the road."

"That's fine," said Dream Jack.

"Don't worry, I'll be better in no time," said Chase with a bright smile.

Jack’s eyes shot open to find Angel smacking him in the face repeatedly.

“Get the fuck off of me!” Jack growled as he slid out of bed.

Angel pointed at the door and glared.

“What do you want from me?” Jack asked.

The bunny continued to point.

"Fine, I'm going," Jack grumbled as he pulled on the tattered remains of his outfit.

Fluttershy had stitched up his wounds as soon as Scootaloo left. Nevertheless, his body was still sore from last night's fight, and he really just wanted to stay in bed. However, he knew that ignoring Angel wouldn't get him anywhere and slowly made his way downstairs. He found Fluttershy waiting for him at the table. An omelet and a glass of cranberry juice were situated by his seat.

“What’s up, Fluttershy?” asked Jack.

"You need to get some new clothes before school today," Fluttershy said sweetly. "I've asked Rarity, and she says she can make something for you now."

"That's a relief," said Jack. "I can't exactly go walking around like this." He held out his arms, displaying how utterly ruined his clothes were.

"Eat up," Fluttershy said encouragingly. "You'll need a proper diet if you want those wounds to heal quickly."

When Jack finished eating, he and Fluttershy left for Carousel Boutique.

Carousel Boutique

15 minutes later

“Sweetie Belle, could you get the scarlet thread for me?” asked Rarity.

“Sure, Rarity!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed as she grabbed a red spool and scampered over to Rarity. "Here it is."

"That's crimson, Sweetie Belle," Rarity complained. "I said I needed scarlet."

“What’s the difference?” asked Sweetie Belle with a bewildered frown.

"Scarlet is much brighter," Rarity explained.

“Got it!” said Sweetie Belle as she left in search of the correct color.

As Sweetie Belle exited the room, there was a knock on the door.

“I’ll be right there!” said Rarity. When she opened the door and spotted Jack's shredded clothing, she let out a horrified gasp. “It’s worse than I thought! We must fix this immediately!”

She grabbed Jack and placed him in a changing room. Wasting no time, she levitated a measuring tape over to her and began taking his measurements.

“Hey, let go of me!” Jack demanded, squirming at every movement.

"Stop struggling, darling. This is for your own good," said Rarity as she rolled up the measuring tape. "Three feet eleven inches tall, 27-inch barrel, 28-inch croup, and 3 ½ inch shoulder," she listed before rushing to the back room.

"Rarity, I've got the scarlet thread," said Sweetie Belle as she entered the room. "Oh, hey, Jack!"

“Heey, uh Sugar Belle, right?” asked Jack, grinning awkwardly.

"No, it's Sweetie Belle," the filly sulked.

"My bad, I'm terrible with names," Jack said quickly. "I promise I'll remember from now on."

"That's ok. So why are you here today?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"Well, as you can see, I need some new clothes," answered Jack.

“Oh, so that means the customer Rarity has been talking about all morning must be you,” Sweetie Belle reasoned inductively.

"I would assume so," said Jack.

There was an awkward pause before Sweetie Belle asked, “Is it true that you were attacked by an ursa?"

“Where did you hear that?” asked Jack.

"According to Rarity, the entire town has been talking about it!" said Sweetie Belle. "They say you saved one of our classmates and knocked the ursa back faster than it takes to blink!"

"I'd say that story is largely exaggerated," chuckled Jack. "As you can see, I barely got out alive," he said, pointing out his wounds. "I just held the thing off long enough for Scootaloo to escape, and then it threw me across the Town Square. After that, Scootaloo had to save me because I couldn't move."

“That’s still really cool!” said Sweetie Belle.

They talked for another hour before Rarity came out with a scarlet T-shirt and cerulean pants. Realizing she still had the spool in her hoof Sweetie Belle quickly gave it to Rarity. "I'm so sorry, Rarity. I completely forgot to give you the spool you asked for."

"Sweetie Belle, that's vermillion. I asked for scarlet," Rarity scolded. "Don't worry too much about it. I found the correct color, and now look at this beautiful outfit!"

"It's kinda flashy," Jack said, looking at the bright outfit.

"You don't like it?" asked Rarity, her voice cracking a little.

“No, no, no, it’s fine. I didn’t mean to imply…” Jack started, waving his arms frantically.

“Wonderful!” Rarity beamed as she gave Jack the outfit.

Once Jack was dressed, Fluttershy said it was time to go.

"My goodness Fluttershy, you're absolutely right," said Rarity. "Sweetie Belle, it's time for you to go to school!"

“Bye, Rarity!” said Sweetie Belle as she rushed out the door.

"Come on, Jack," said Fluttershy.

"Got it," Jack responded.

Ponyville School

20 minutes later

When Jack and Sweetie Belle walked into the school building, the room went silent. One could hear a pin falling from a desk.

“Jack!” shouted Apple Bloom and Scootaloo at the same time.

"Why is it that every time I walk into class, someone always seems to yell my name?" Jack asked, feigning annoyance.

“Are ya alright?” asked Apple Bloom.

"You got hurt real bad last night," pointed out Scootaloo.

"I'm fine, you guys, really," said Jack.

It was at that point that the two fillies finally noticed each other.

“And just how do you know Jack?” Applebloom asked, squinting at Scootaloo.

“Uh, well…” Scootaloo gulped.

“The whole stalking Rainbow Dash thing must be pretty embarrassing for her," thought Jack. "She helped me get home after I got hurt last night.”

“Wha…” Scootaloo started before realizing. “Oh, um, yeah, that’s right, but he saved me first.”

"Oh, well, Ah'm glad yer both all right then," Applebloom said, blushing from her embarrassing outburst. “By the way, are those new clothes?” she asked Jack.

“That’s right!” Sweetie Belle chimed in. “My sister Rarity made them.”

“And Why is your sister making his clothes?" Applebloom and Scootaloo asked at the same time, narrowing their eyes at the unicorn filly.

"Because my only outfit was destroyed last night, duh," said Jack. "You guys are acting weird. I'm gonna go take a seat."

"Oh look, the ape has acquired another fan-filly," sneered Diamond Tiara.

“Yeah, like, they so like him," added Silver Spoon. "Gross!"

"A smelly farm peasant, a flightless pegasus, and now a magicless unicorn," Diamond Tiara snickered.

"Very funny, you two," Jack replied sarcastically as he took his seat.

Diamond Tiara was about to say something else when Cheerilee walked in.

"Hello, class," she said. "As most of you have probably heard, the town was attacked by an ursa minor last night. Two foals from your class were responsible for the incident and have been suspended for the next two weeks. So, I'll be needing one of you to bring Snips and Snails their test grades after class ends," she announced as she handed back the tests.

“100% as always," gloated Diamond Tiara.

“She only got that grade because Cheerilee is afraid of her father," thought Jack, rolling his eyes.

Silver Spoon received 90%, Sweetie Belle received 95%, Scootaloo received 70%, and Apple Bloom received 85%. Finally, Jack was handed his sheet. 100%.

“No surprise there, a 21-year-old taking a second-grade test, any less than 100% would just be embarrassing," thought Jack.

"Next week, we will begin reading Ponyville Fables and Stables. Class is dismissed. See you next Monday," said Cheerilee.

The class quickly cleared out, with Jack being among the first out of the building. As usual, Fluttershy was there waiting for him.

"Hey, Fluttershy. I'm going to go over to Apple Bloom's now," said Jack.

"I think it might be better if we just went home," Fluttershy said softly.

“Why?” asked Jack.

"W-well, I-I'd feel better if you were at home," Fluttershy said before quietly adding. "Where I can see you."

“Is this because of last night?" wondered Jack. "Whatever, I’m getting sick of all this overprotective bullshit," Jack decided before saying. "Listen, Fluttershy, I know you're worried about me after the ursa attack and all, but I'm not a child. You know that," said Jack. "I'll be fine," he said, dismissively waving as he starting to walk off.

"Wait," said Fluttershy.

"I'll be fine, Fluttershy!" Jack responded.

"Wait," Fluttershy said, slightly louder.

"I'll be home by 6:00," Jack said, holding up his hand.

“WAIT!” Fluttershy shouted as she flew in front of Jack.

Jack stopped dead in his tracks. Try as he might, he couldn’t move. All he could do was stare into Fluttershy’s eyes and obey.

"Let's go home," Fluttershy said firmly.

"Yes, ma'am," Jack said. "What the hell is this?”

When they arrived at the Cottage, Jack was sent to his room, his mind demanding resistance, his body unable to comply.

Author's Note

Honestly, I initially planned this chapter to just be about Jack getting new clothes, but I decided that would just be too boring, so I changed it.
Next Time: Worried about Jack’s safety Fluttershy locks him in his room while she and the rest of the Mane Six go to confront a dragon. Jack finds an unexpected ally helping him escape.

Chapter 9: Dragonshy (Last Edited: 6/17/2022)

July 1, 2020

Jack’s Room

With a loud yawn, Jack rose from his covers. His head was killing him. It almost felt like he had a hangover. Holding a hand over his forehead, he noticed several new sets of clothes folded on his dresser. Rarity must have sent them overnight. As he put on a blue shirt and some brown shorts and took his pills, which had been left out beside the clothes, one question drowned out all other thoughts.

“What did she do to me?" he wondered, recalling how, with a single glance, he had been completely enthralled to Fluttershy's will. "I had better go talk to her.”

He grabbed the doorknob and tried to turn it. "Is it jammed?" he wondered.

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a note taped to the door.

2 Hours Prior

Fluttershy was doing her morning rounds, feeding her animals. She was currently giving the otters under the bridge some fish, although something else was on her mind. “Maybe I’m being too overprotective with Jack. Sure, he wasn’t behaving, but using the stare on him may have been a bit much," she thought before remembering how beat up Jack had been when Scootaloo brought him home the night before. "No, it was for his own safety, the princess trusted me with being his mother, and if he keeps getting himself into danger like that, then I'm not doing my job," she resolved as she fed a hoof full of worms to a few nesting birds.

Noticing that Angel was eating his carrot too quickly, Fluttershy swooped down to confront him. Her scolding only caused the bunny to spit the carrot out and refuse to finish it. Fluttershy attempted to get him to finish his food, but after a long struggle, Angel kicked the carrot away and hopped off. Fluttershy let out a sigh of defeat. Not long after, Angel was overcome by a fit of coughing.

“Oh, goodness. Are you okay?" asked Fluttershy.

Angel coughed again.

“Are you coughing because there's a carrot stuck in your throat?” she asked.

He coughed again.

“Because you need some water?” she asked.

He coughed even louder before pointing to the sky. Fluttershy followed where the bunny was pointing and noticed a trail of black smoke.

“Because of that giant cloud of scary black smoke?" she gasped, prompting Angel to throw the carrot at her. “I'll take that as a... yes.”

Fluttershy ran into town and tried to warn the other ponies about the smoke. Unfortunately, no one would listen to her. Just as she was about to give up, Twilight got everyone's attention. To Fluttershy's relief, Twilight revealed that there was no fire. That relief, however, was short-lived as the true culprit was a dragon.

Golden Oak Library

5 minutes later

Fluttershy and the rest of the Mane Six were gathered in the library.

“What in the name of all things cinnamon swirled is a full-grown dragon doing here in Equestria?” asked Applejack.

“Sleeping," answered Twilight.

“Huh?” everyone asked.

“According to Princess Celestia, he's taking a nap. His snoring is what's causing all this smoke," Twilight explained.

“He should really see a doctor. That doesn't sound healthy at all," said Pinkie Pie.

“Well, at least he's not snoring fire. What are we meant to do about it?” asked Rarity.

“I'll tell you what we're meant to do. Give him the boot! Take that!" Rainbow Dash said as she kicked a wooden bust. “And that!" she said, going in for another attack but missing due to Twilight moving the statue out of the way.

“We need to encourage him to take a nap somewhere else. Princess Celestia has given us this mission, and we must not fail. If we do, Equestria will be covered in smoke for the next one hundred years," explained Twilight.

“Hmph. Talk about getting your beauty sleep," said Rarity.

“All right, everypony, I need you to gather supplies quickly. We've got a long journey ahead of us. Let's meet back here in less than an hour," said Twilight as she put her scrolls in a bag.

“Okay, girls, you heard her," said Rainbow Dash. “The fate of Equestria is in our hooves," she said as she wrapped hers around Pinkie and Rarity. “Do we have what it takes?”

The other ponies (except for Fluttershy) enthusiastically agreed and left to prepare.

“Um, actually...” she started. “I better go get ready."

Fluttershy’s Cottage

10 minutes later

Fluttershy had garbed herself in whatever she could find for armor and was about to leave when she realized Jack was still asleep. “I can’t take him with me, but if I leave him here, he might go off and get hurt."

An Idea popped into her head. She found a strip of paper and began writing Jack a note.

Dear Jack,
A dragon is taking a nap nearby, blanketing Ponyville in smoke. Princess Celestia has requested that my friends and I convince it to leave. I’m going to leave your meds on the dresser with the clothes Rarity sent over last night. There are some snacks in the drawer if you get hungry.
See you when I get back!
Fluttershy

When Fluttershy had finished leaving Jack's provisions, she tapped the note to his door and locked it behind her as Angel Bunny watched, arms crossed disapprovingly. "I'm leaving now, Angel," Fluttershy called as she flew down the stairs. "Make sure Jack doesn't get himself in trouble!"

Present Time

Jack slowly put the note down. The veins in his face pulsed violently, and his eyes began to twitch. “ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME! LET ME OUT RIGHT NOW, GOD DAMNIT!!!!!” he yelled as he viciously pounded the door. “She’s fucking lost it!" he thought, his hands starting to ache from their exertions.

After about 10 minutes, he marched up to the window and charged the door like an angry rhino. There was a quiet click unheard by Jack. Rather than hit the door, he found himself crashing into the hallway. “OWWWW!!!!” he yelled, the pain of hitting the wall amplified by the pain of his existing wounds. “Fuck!”

He painfully got to his feet and scanned the hallway for his savior, and after a few seconds, his eyes landed on a fuming Angel Bunny.

"Uh, thanks," Jack said, tilting his head in confusion. "Why did you help me?"

Angel pointed at the note.

“You want me to go after her?” Jack asked.

Angel nodded.

“Got it," Jack said, grabbing his gun and some ammo and rushing out the front door.

When he got outside, he found Spike lying down in the meadow, taking a bite out of a large ruby.

"Spike!" Jack shouted, causing the dragon to look up from his snack.

"Oh, hey, Jack!" Spike greeted with a friendly wave. "You all rested up?"

"Hey, Spike! When did you get here?" asked Jack.

"About an hour and a half ago," Spike explained. "Fluttershy said not to disturb you because you didn't sleep well last night."

“Where is she now?” asked Jack.

"She went with Twilight and the girls to that mountain over there," Spike explained, pointing to a large mountain with smoke pillaring out.

"Thanks, Spike," said Jack as he rushed off in the direction of the mountain.

“Where are you going!?” asked Spike.

“I need to talk to Fluttershy!” Jack shouted back.

“Wait!” Spike said as he ran after Jack. “There’s a full-grown dragon on that mountain!”

"I know. Fluttershy left a note saying what she was doing," Jack responded as Spike caught up.

“And you’re going anyway!? Are you insane!?” Spike asked incredulously.

“Yep."

"What could be so important that you need to go all the way to the mountains to tell her?”

“I want to ask why she locked me in my room and used that weird mind control shit on me," Jack replied bitterly.

"Wait, you mean, she used the stare on you?" asked Spike, eyes wide in shock.

“So that’s what it’s called," thought Jack. "Yeah, that's right.”

"Well, she must've had a reason," Spike rationalized. "I mean, she hates using the stare."

"Oh, she had a reason all right," Jack spat. "It just wasn't a good one."

"Come on," Spike said as he grabbed Jack's arms in an attempt to bring him back. “You can talk to her when she gets back.”

Jack's body had been significantly weakened by its regression into seven-year-old, and the punishment it had taken not even half a week prior didn't help either. Still, the baby dragon was unable to hold him back and was easily shoved aside.

"You're not gonna stop me, Spike," Jack said as the dragon got back to his feet. "Stay out of my way.”

“You’re right, I can’t stop you, but I can’t let you go on your own either," Spike resolved. "Besides, Twilight left me a map."

Unnamed Mountain

2 hours later

Jack and Spike arrived at the mountain in good time. Jack was still a little sore from his wounds, but he noticed that they had healed unusually quickly. Another thing he noticed was how rapidly his stamina recovered. Admittedly, it wasn't as quick as in his adult body, but he didn't need to take nearly as many breaks as he would have in his actual childhood. Perhaps his magic might be playing a role in his healing and stamina recovery.

“How long do you think it will take to get to the top?” panted Spike.

“Probably about as long as it took us to get this far," Jack answered, looking up to the peak. "Let me see the map."

"Here you go," Spike said, passing the map to Jack.

"It looks like there is a path over there," said Jack, pointing east.

Upon finding the path, Jack and Spike began their ascent. After about thirty minutes, they arrived at an area of level ground littered with games of tic tac toe (all of which seem to have been victories for the o's.)

"Well, I think it's safe to say we're on the right track," said Jack, noticing where the path continued up the side of the mountain. "Let's go, Spike."

“Just…. give… me…. a few… minutes,” Spike huffed.

"Fine," Jack sitting on a smooth slab of granite. He wouldn't admit it, but his legs were killing him too.

“So, what did you do, anyway?” asked Spike. “That got Fluttershy to punish you, I mean.”

"She's really overprotective," Jack sighed. "When she first started taking care of me, she wouldn’t let me outside by myself. She backed off a little when I started hanging out with Apple Bloom and Scootaloo, but I guess after the ursa attack, she decided that even that was too much freedom."

“What do you mean?” Spike asked.

"Yesterday, when I said I was going to hang out with Apple Bloom, Fluttershy tried to stop me, and I didn't listen to her. That's when she used the stare on me," Jack explained.

“I guess that’s a bit much," Spike said, placing a claw on his chin, "but she is like your mother now…"

"No, she ain't," Jack said, his voice raised and his southern accent becoming more pronounced. "You wouldn't understand," he said normally, slumping his shoulders.

“I do understand," Spike said, placing a scaly palm on Jack's right kneecap. "I'm an orphan too, or at least I think I am."

“What do you mean, at least you think you are?” asked Jack.

"Twilight's taken care of me since I hatched," Spike explained. "I'll never admit it to her, but she's like a mother to me. Isn't Fluttershy the same for you?"

“Not really..." Jack responded. “Anyway, we’ve rested long enough. Let’s get going.”

After another half hour of hiking, they found their path being blocked by a ravine.

“How will we get across?” asked Spike.

Jack scanned the other side. “It’s not far. We could just jump.”

“But what if we fall?” Spike asked.

"What was that?" Jack asked from the other side. "Come on. You're wasting time."

"Wait for me!” Spike yelled as he jumped to the other side.

When Spike's feet hit the ledge, he found himself slipping. “HELP!!”

"I've got you," said Jack, grabbing Spike's arm. "Now, let's go!"

After another thirty minutes, they came upon another obstruction.

"Looks like a landslide," said Jack.

The mass of rock and dirt seemed insurmountable in the eyes of Spike, who let out an audible gulp. “How the hay are we gonna get past this?”

"I guess we'll just have to climb," Jack said blankly.

The climb was treacherous. The ground gave way beneath them no less than five times, yet still, they persisted. Once the unstable landslide was overcome, they were home free and soon reached the peak, finding the Mane Six (except Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy) gathered around the cave's mouth.

“WHERE’S FLUTTERSHY?!” Jack roared.

“Jack? Spike?” asked Twilight.

“What in Equestria were you both thinking, coming here?” Rarity asked with a frown. “It’s dangerous.”

"Weren't you s'posed to be takin' care of Fluttershy's critters, Spike?" asked Applejack.

“Yeah, but Jack…” started Spike.

"Was locked in his room by Fluttershy due to her crazy overprotectiveness and decided to come here to give her a piece of his mind, and then you decided to come with him when you realized you couldn't stop him?" asked Pinkie Pie.

“How did you know that?” asked Jack, a little frightened by how on the money Pinkie was.

"Lucky guess," Pinkie replied with an innocent grin.

“Goddammit, Pinkie!” thought Jack.

Before anyone could say anything else, there was a deafening roar, and Rainbow Dash was flung from the cave like a ragdoll, knocking everyone over like bowling pins.

When Jack regained his senses, he saw a giant brick red dragon looming over him, and it looked pissed.

“Oh shit!” he yelled as he pulled out his gun and emptied the clip into the dragon's reptilian scales.

The dragon narrowed its eyes and roared again. The force of the air pining Jack to the ground.

“Why did I think that would work?” thought Jack with a gulp.

A stream of fire shot from the dragon's mouth, and just as it was about to hit, Jack heard a scream in the background. However, the cry didn't register as much as the tingling sensation. His eyes turned emerald, and a shield of the same hue surrounded him.

When the fire stream ended, the dragon was shocked to find its target hadn’t even been singed. “Human!” it gasped in realization before unleashing a more powerful blast of fire.

Jack countered with a beam of emerald magic, which exploded upon impact with the fire. The dragon lost track of him in the blast and was nearly taken by surprise when Jack came flying out of the cloud of smoke. But, unfortunately, nearly wasn’t good enough, and the dragon caught him in mid-air.

“Impressive, human, but not impressive enough. If you were the one in control and had enough training, you might have had a chance, but as it stands, the magic controls you, not the other way around," the dragon said, squeezing Jack in its muscular fingers. "It's almost a shame I have to kill you now. You would have made a worthy foe had you mastered your magic. Unfortunately, if you live then he will find you."

Jack screamed in pure agony as the dragon continued squeezing.

"You've lasted this long because the magic still has control. When it fades, you’ll be squashed like a bug!” the dragon growled.

“PUT HIM DOWN!”

Jack looked over his shoulder to see Fluttershy glaring at the dragon.

2 minutes prior

Fluttershy was cowering behind a rock when she heard the roar. She was terrified to her core and had no intention of moving from the boulder's safety, and she wouldn't have if it weren't for one thing. There were ten loud bangs, and then she heard him.

“Oh shit!”

“Jack? What’s he doing here?” wondered Fluttershy as she timidly peaked over the rock. “I thought I locked him in his room.”

She spotted Jack on the ground, pointing a strange object at the dragon, who responded with a terrifying roar. Before Fluttershy had time to think any further, the dragon unleashed its fiery breath upon him.

“JAAACK!!!” she screamed, tears pouring from her eyes as her heart rate skyrocketed.

As the dust cleared, Jack stood intact to her immense relief, surrounded by his emerald shield.

“Oh, thank goodness," she thought as her heart rate returned to normal. “But how did he do that?"

"Human!" she heard the dragon gasp before it fired another blast.

Upon witnessing the second blast, Fluttershy bolted into action without a thought but soon lost track of Jack when the fire blast exploded. When the smoke cleared, she spotted the dragon speaking to Jack as it slowly crushed him in its claws.

“PUT HIM DOWN!” she shouted as she flew toward it.

Landing on its snout, she quickly began to lecture the dragon. “Listen here, mister. Just because you're big doesn't mean you get to be a bully! You may have huge teeth and sharp scales, and snore smoke, and breathe fire. But you do not—I repeat—you do not! Hurt! My! Son!" she yelled, looking the dragon directly in one of its eyes. “You got that?" she added, causing the dragon to flinch.

“But you don’t understand, he’s a hum…” the dragon started.

“I know what he is. Whatever problems you have with humans, you're bigger than he is, and you should know better. You should also know better than to take a nap where your snoring can become a health hazard to other creatures," Fluttershy said sternly.

"But I…" the dragon started.

“Don't you 'but I' me, mister. Now, what do you have to say for yourself? I said, what do you have to say for yourself?” Fluttershy scolded.

The dragon broke out in tears and released Jack from its claws. Rainbow Dash swooped up the boy's limp form before he could hit the ground.

“There, there. No need to cry," Fluttershy said as she comfortingly rubbed the dragon's snout before beginning to fly down to her friends. “You're not a bad dragon. You just made a bad decision. Now go pack your things. You just need to find a new place to sleep. That's all.”

Spike and the Mane Six cheered as the dragon flew off.

“You did it! I knew you could do it," Twilight said to Fluttershy. “But what was that about your son? You didn’t mean Jack, did you?”

"Um, we really don't have time for this; we need to get Jack back to Ponyville," Fluttershy responded, pointing to where Rainbow Dash was carrying the unconscious human.

Sky Above Equestria

“Those ponies have no idea what they are dealing with," thought the red dragon as he searched for a new place to rest. "If there is a human in Equestria, it won't be long before he finds out, and I shudder to think what will happen then. What role will this human play, I wonder? Will he protect Equestria, or will he help destroy it?" The dragon then gave a long sigh. "I wonder if he’s anything like the Young Mistress.”

October 9, 1607 AD

Froggy Bottom Bog

A teenage red dragon fiercely fought his way past wave after wave of humans. Most of them were no match for a dragon of his skill, and after knocking out what he believed to be the last one with a well-timed tail swipe to the skull, he took the chance to catch his breath. But, unknown to him, he missed one. A muscular human with glowing red eyes slowly snuck up behind him. However, just as he was about to strike the dragon down, there was a loud bang, and the man fell to the ground with a thud.

The dragon turned to see a human girl in her late teens pointing a smoking wheellock pistol where the man stood.

"Mistress Dare, I was sloppy!" the dragon lamented, bowing his head in shame. "Had you not stepped in, I might have been killed," the dragon continued, clenching his fist. “Thank you!”

“You don’t need to thank me, Razer. You would have done the same thing for me if I were in your position," Dare responded. "And how many times must I tell you not to be so formal? Virginia is just fine,” she said as her eyes flashed white. “Now, let’s finish this fight!”

Present Time

“If the boy is anything like Mistress Dare, I think he’ll be just fine," Razer finally decided as he flew toward the horizon.

Author's Note

Sorry this took longer than I expected! Something came up at work on Wednesday, and I had to work overtime, and then I had the idea for the dragon’s back story. By the way, anyone who knows who Virginia Dare was gets a cookie!
Next time: Jack finally confronts Fluttershy about her overprotectiveness.

Chapter 10: You're NOT my Mother (Last Edited: 6/17//2022)

July 1, 2020 AD

Fluttershy’s Cottage

Fluttershy brought Jack straight home when they returned to Ponyville. Several hours later, when he regained his senses, Fluttershy began her interrogation.

Fluttershy held up the Glock 17. “What is this thing?” she asked.

"A gun," Jack answered.

“What does it do?” Fluttershy asked with a brow raised high in suspicion.

“It’s a weapon that…”

“A WEAPON!” Fluttershy exclaimed hysterically.

“Uh, yeah. What’s the big deal?” Jack asked. “You never complained about the knife.”

"Clearly, I should have!" Fluttershy said. "From now on, both the knife and the gun will stay in my room at all times."

“That’s bullshit!”

"Watch your language, young colt!" Fluttershy snapped. “And what were you thinking following us to the mountain? You should know better.”

"The fuck!" Jack exclaimed, his bulging indignantly. "Ah should be asking what you were thinkin' lockin' me in mah room!” he yelled in a thick accent.

“Keeping you safe!" Fluttershy retorted. "Now go to your room. You're grounded for a week."

Jack had put up with Fluttershy for too long already. It was time to put his foot down. “No!”

"Please don't make me say it again," Fluttershy responded, narrowing her eyes. "If you don't go now, it will be two wee…"

“YOU'RE NOT MY MOTHER!!!!!” Jack roared.

There was a moment of silence. A single instance that felt like a lifetime before being broken by a sob. A waterfall of tears gushed from Fluttershy's eyes as she ran out the door into the dark of night.

“Seriously? What the fuck!” thought Jack. He sighed. “I better go after her.”

Stepping into the darkness, he found the crickets chirping, the treefrogs croaking, and the stars illuminating the landscape like a Van Gogh painting, but no Fluttershy. “Where would I even start looking?” he wondered. “Fluttershy! Where’d you go?”

He searched around the yard, unable to find even a clue of her whereabouts. “Maybe the others might have some idea where she could have gone," Jack thought. “Rainbow Dash’s house is the closest.”

Rainbow Dash’s Cloud House

3 minutes later

Jack was able to find Rainbow Dash’s house using a town map Fluttershy kept in her room.

“Wow, it’s really made out of clouds," Jack thought as he looked up at the extravagant greek styled house. “DASH! YA HOME!”

“SWEET CELESTIA, BE QUIET! IT’S 11:00 AT NIGHT!” shouted Rainbow Dash from her room.

“I KNOW, BUT I NEED YOUR HELP!” Jack shouted back.

“WITH WHAT?!”

"FLUTTERSHY RAN OFF, AND I CAN'T FIND HER!"

“WAIT RIGHT THERE!" Rainbow Dash shouted. "I'LL BE DOWN IN A MINUTE."

After a few minutes passed, Rainbow Dash flew down to meet Jack.

“What took you so long?” asked Jack.

“NOTHING! I WASN’T DOING ANYTHING!” Rainbow Dash shouted, blushing profusely.

"Um, ok," Jack said, noticing a strange fragrance. "Is that perfume? No, it can't be, can it?"

“So, what’s this about Fluttershy running off?” asked Rainbow Dash.

"I may have said something that offended her, and she ran off crying," Jack said, looking to the ground in shame.

“What did you say?” asked Rainbow Dash with a glare.

“Well…” Jack started.

He explained how Fluttershy had increasingly restricted his freedom and treated him like a child, specifically, her child.

“And that’s when I snapped and told her she wasn’t my mother, and she ran out of the house crying," he finished.

"I see," Rainbow Dash said, putting a hoof to her chin. "We better get the rest of the girls."

Carousel Boutique

"This is just awful!" Rarity exclaimed, "I'll go check the market, some of the shops stay open till midnight, and she could be there.”

Sweet Apple Acres

“This is serious! Ah’ll get Big Macintosh, and we'll search the orchard," said Applejack. "She sometimes visits the West Orchard tuh take care of the fruit bats."

Sugar Cube Corner

“Sometimes, she likes to hang out by the clock tower. I’ll check there!” said Pinkie Pie as she ran off.

Golden Oak Library

"Spike and I will check the windmill. I heard her talking about a family of badgers that live there," said Twilight.

"Right!" said Rainbow Dash. "I'll take Jack, and we'll check the forest!"

Sky over Ponyville

Jack flew toward the Everfree Forest on Rainbow Dash's back. In another situation, he might have marveled at the idea of flying on the back of an animal, but finding Fluttershy had to come first. As they neared the edge of the forest, Jack noticed the park beneath them. "Hey, Dash, drop me off at the park!"

“Good idea! she loves the park,” Rainbow Dash said as she landed by the gate. “I’ll come back in an hour. Wait here if you find her.”

"Got it," Jack said as he hopped off of the pegasus's back.

Rainbow Dash took off for the forest, and Jack began to look around the park.

Jack walked through the park, occasionally calling out, "Fluttershy, you here?!"

Eventually, he came across a gazebo. He was about to walk past when he heard sobbing.

"Is that you, Fluttershy?" Jack asked.

There was no response, but the sobbing continued.

“It's gotta be her," Jack thought as he stepped toward the gazebo.

When he reached the entrance, he found Fluttershy hunched over on a bench, eyes red from crying.

"Hey, Fluttershy, are you alright?" Jack asked softly.

"N-no," Fluttershy sniffed.

“Do you want to talk about it?” asked Jack.

"Y-yes," Fluttershy said.

Jack walked up to her. “Well then, I’m all ears.”

"I J-just want to keep you s-safe," she sniffed. "Princess Celestia asked me to act as y-your m-mother. If-if you keep getting hurt like this, then I'm n-not doing m-my job.”

“I’m not a child,” Jack placed a hand on her shoulder. “You know that, don’t you?”

"I know that. It's j-just that when I look at you, I see a small foal who can't look after himself," Fluttershy explained before quietly adding. "And I have wanted a family for a while now, but I'm too shy to find a special somepony."

“How old are you, Fluttershy?” Jack asked.

"T-twenty," Fluttershy stuttered.

"I'm a year older than you. I might look like a child on the outside, but on the inside, I'm anything but. Before I came here, I was a junior in college, I was renting an apartment, I was on the Dean's List at my university, and I was about to start my senior year. Those are just some of the good parts of my life." Jack cast a somber look. "I have many regrets too. The only girl I ever really liked hated me because of a mistake I made several years ago. My brother hated me too because I never considered his feelings for anything. I ruined one of my best friends' entire life because I meddled in things that weren't any of my business. I even watched another friend slowly die and was helpless to do anything about it. These are regrets that haunt my dreams, and I’m willing to bet I have more life experience than you do from them alone." Jack said, stretching. “You don’t need to be so overprotective. I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself.”

Fluttershy stopped crying and looked at Jack. “I understand, but could you maybe do just one thing for me?”

“Like what?” Jack asked.

“When we’re in public, could you call me mother?”

Jack thought about this for a minute and then smiled. "If that's what you want, then I'll be happy to do it. Now let's go wait for Rainbow Dash by the gate."

Rainbow Dash arrived about half an hour later and agreed to inform the rest of the Mane Six, while Jack and Fluttershy went home.

Author's Note

This was a pretty short chapter and a clear new record for quickest chapter I've ever written. Nevertheless, it covered an important part of the story, and I think it warranted its own chapter.
Next Time: Fluttershy goes out of town again and to keep the townsponies from getting suspicious as to why 7-year old Jack was home alone. Jack stays with Twilight Sparkle on the second day of Twilight's "babysitting" Applejack, and Rarity ends up staying overnight at the library to avoid the rain.

Chapter 11: Look Before You Sleep (Last Edited: 6/30/2022)

July 3, 2020

Fluttershy’s Cottage

It was 9:00 AM, and Jack was just waking up from the best sleep he had had since coming to Equestria. No dreams, no Angel waking him up early, and with his problems with Fluttershy having been resolved two days prior, no staying up fuming about how she had ruined his day.

He grabbed his pill bottles from the dresser and found he had only five days' worth of pills left. “This could end up being a problem,” he thought with a groan.

Popping the pills into his mouth and washing them down with a glass of water, he thought to himself, “I better talk to Twilight about this.”

Putting on his clothes, he walked down the stairs. Upon entering the living room, he found Fluttershy on the couch, face buried in a book.

"Good morning, Jack," she said, placing her book on the ottoman.

"Morning, Flutters," Jack greeted.

“Flutters?”

“Yeah, it’s a nickname,” Jack explained.

“A nickname?”

"Yeah, like how Apple Bloom is Bloom, Scootaloo is Scoots, Rainbow Dash is Dash, and Pinkie Pie is Hyperactive Abomination," explained Jack.

"I know what a nickname is, Jack. I just didn't expect you to give me one," Fluttershy said. "Also, your nickname for Pinkie Pie isn’t very nice.”

“It's not entirely inaccurate though," thought Jack. "That one was just a joke, and besides, you ponies have such long names. It's so much easier to use nicknames instead. That's why you call me Jack instead of Jackson Delano Jager Jr.”

“You were named after your father?” asked Fluttershy.

"Yep, that's why I go by Jack instead of Jackson. It keeps people from getting confused," Jack answered.

Noticing a suitcase packed by the door, Jack asked, “so, where are you going?”

"Oh, I was just about to tell you," said Fluttershy. "I'm going to be visiting parents in Cloudsdale for a couple of days. My brother's moving back in with them... again," she scowled. "I'd take you with me, but I'm pretty sure you can’t walk on clouds.”

"That would be a problem," agreed Jack. "I guess I can stay with Twilight while you're gone."

"You can stay here by yourself if you want. I won't try to stop you, you know," Fluttershy offered grabbing her suitcase.

“I know, but if ponies in town notice that you’ve suddenly gone from overprotective mother to super cool mother who lets her 7-year-old son stay home alone, they might get suspicious," Jack explained.

"That makes sense," said Fluttershy. "Um, I guess I'll see you when I get back."

“See you when you get back!” Jack called as she walked out the door.

Walking back to the couch, Jack noticed Angel gnawing on a carrot. "You think she'll notice if I take a few fish from the fridge before I go to the library?"

The bunny just stared at him with a look that said, you know damn well what I think.

"Oh, don't give me that look," Jack said as he opened the fridge. "Be glad I'm not eating you," he said, only half-joking.

After eating the fish, Jack said farewell to Angel and headed off to the library.

Golden Oak Library

"Spike, could you bring me the phone?" asked Twilight. "I think I figured out how to fix the battery problem."

"Ok, Twilight, I'll be right there," Spike said, grabbing the iPhone 6 from the table.

As Spike handed the phone to Twilight, there was a knock on the door.

“Spike, could you get that?” asked Twilight.

“Sure thing, Twilight!”

He opened the door to find Jack on the other side with a suitcase and a sleeping bag.

"Hey, I know this is short notice and all, but Fluttershy went to Cloudsdale, and I was wondering if I could stay here until she gets back," Jack explained.

"You'll have to ask Twilight," Spike said. "Come on in." He brought Jack to Twilight’s study. “Hey, Twilight, Jack wants to know if he ca…” he started. “Burrrp!”

A scroll appeared in a flash of green fire from Spike’s belch.

“Is that a letter from Princess Celestia?” Twilight asked as she exited her study.

"Yes," Spike answered. “Do you want me to read it now or wait until later?”

“It's probably important, so I think it'd be best to go ahead and read it now," Twilight responded.

“Dear Spike, your presence is requested at the Royal Court tomorrow at 6:00 AM. You are instructed to come alone. Enclosed is a two-way ticket for your journey to Canterlot and your return home. Please leave at your earliest convenience.” Spike read. "Why would the Royal Court summon me?"

"I don't know, but it must be important," Twilight answered.

“I better get going then," said Spike as he rushed to his room to pack.

“So, what brings you here, Jack?” asked Twilight.

"Fluttershy went out of town to visit her parents, and I was wondering if I could stay here until she gets back," Jack explained, pointing to his suitcase and sleeping bag.

“Can’t you just stay home alone?” asked Twilight.

"I could, but then the rest of the town might get suspicious," Jack answered.

"That makes sense," Twilight said, considering Jack's request. "You can stay here until Fluttershy gets back. In the meantime, I have a few things to show you. Oh, and later we can try practicing your magic!" Twilight said in excitement.

Spike walked down the stairs with a packed bag. “Bye, Twilight! Bye, Jack! See you when I get back!”

“Good luck, Spike!” Twilight called as the baby dragon walked out the door. As the door closed behind Spike, Twilight turned her attention back to Jack. “Come with me.”

Jack was led into Twilight's study, where he found the contents of his car carefully laid out on several tables and sorted neatly into groups. One table held his phone, TV, X-Box One, X-Box 360, Nintendo Switch, Wii U, 3DS, Game Boy Advanced, controllers, games, DVDs, CDs, and other electronics. There were other objects such as his recorder, Zippo lighter, spare pocketknives, lighter fluid, used flare gun, wallet, passport, confirmation cross, and car keys, while several more tables held various other items.

“What’s all my stuff doing out here?” Jack asked.

"I finished studying them and decided to give them back to you," Twilight responded, levitating the phone over to her. "I've even figured out how to fix the problem with your phone's battery… I think," she added as she levitated a glowing phone battery and gently placed it into the back of the phone. "By enchanting the battery, I've converted your phone from running on electricity to magic absorbed from the air. I still need to work on your other electronics, though.”

After Twilight levitated the phone over to him, Jack tapped in the passcode and looked through his photos. “It works great, Twilight.”

"I'm so glad to hear that," Twilight said gleefully before taking on a more professional tone. "On a more serious note, could you show me that gun you used the other day?”

“Um, sure," Jack said as he pulled the Glock out of his pocket.

"Mind if I take a look at it?"

Jack wasn't entirely comfortable with handing Twilight a loaded gun. As far as he could tell, the Glock didn't have any kind of safety switch, and the last thing he needed was for Twilight to shoot herself by accident. "Just let me unload it first," he reluctantly agreed.

Jack carefully unloaded the gun and handed it to Twilight, who spent the next few minutes examining it.

"I've read about guns in a few of the books I found in the Lowcountry," Twilight explained as she handed the gun back to Jack. "You wouldn't mind giving me a demonstration, would you?"

"I wouldn't mind at all, but we'll need to go somewhere else to do it," Jack said.

Edge of the Everfree Forest

Jack brought Twilight to the outskirts of town, an isolated area near the edge of the forest. Their only company being the crickets and tree frogs and their respective chirps and croaks.

“Why do we need to come all the way out here?” asked Twilight curiously.

“So I don't accidentally shoot someone," Jack explained as he loaded the Glock.

“That makes sense," noted Twilight.

Jack cocked the pistol and then turned to Twilight. "Stand back a bit."

Twilight stepped back a few yards and took out a notepad. “Carry on!”

“I’m going to aim for that tree over there!” shouted Jack as he pointed to a large pine about 6 yards away. "You might want to cover your ears."

Carefully aiming at the trunk, Jack pulled the trigger. With a thunderous bang, the bullet was unleashed upon the tree.

"Sweet Celestia, that was so loud!" Twilight exclaimed, ears ringing as she scribbled on her notepad. “Did you hit it?”

“Of course I hit it!" Jack exclaimed with a cocky grin. "Want to check it out?”

Twilight was already halfway to the tree when he asked.

"I'll take that as a yes," Jack chuckled as he ran after his fellow academic.

When she reached the tree, Twilight began meticulously jotting down her findings in her notebook. “The hole is quite small compared to an arrow. Can I see one of the bullets?”

"Sure," Jack answered as he unloaded the Glock and handed Twilight a bullet.

As she examined the 9x19 mm round, the purple unicorn continued scribbling in her notebook, "Did you really think this would do any damage to a dragon?"

“Huh?” Jack asked.

“The bullet, did you think it would do anything against the dragon?” Twilight asked again.

"Well, to be honest, I wasn't really thinking," Jack said. "I panicked and grabbed the only weapon I had on me."

“I see…” Twilight said. “Speaking of panic, I’m pretty sure I’ve figured out how your magic works.”

“Really? How?” Jack asked, eyes wide in excitement.

“Think about it. The first time you felt your magic was during your confrontation with Gilda. What happened immediately before you felt the sensation?” Twilight asked.

“Well…” Jack started thinking back. “She knocked my knife out of my hand and roared really loudly.”

"And then, during the Timberwolf incident, your magic came out when the Timberwolf tried to bite you, correct?" Twilight questioned.

"That's right," Jack answered.

"The magic also came out when you and Scootaloo were cornered by the Ursa and when the dragon shot its breath attack at you," Twilight continued. "Each incident has one thing in common.”

“And what would that be?” Jack asked.

"Your life was in danger," Twilight answered. "Do you remember what the dragon said while you were fighting him? The magic controls you, not the other way around. I believe it's a defense mechanism triggered when you are in life-threatening situations."

“That makes a ton of sense, but how would we test that theory?” Jack asked.

"We don't," Twilight answered.

“What?!” Jack asked. "I must have misheard you. It sounded like you said we shouldn't test it."

"The only way to test that theory properly would be to put you in a life-threatening situation. I'm not going to do that to a friend," Twilight explained.

Jack had to admit Twilight made a good point. That being said, he wouldn't be satisfied simply giving up. “Still, couldn’t you try to teach me how to use my magic without putting me in danger?”

"Absolutely! I was just about to recommend that," Twilight said.

After hours of trial and error, they were no closer to figuring things out than when they started. Out of ideas for the moment, they decided to return to the library.

Ponyville Park

By the time they reached the park, Ponyville had been engulfed in a thunderstorm. As they ran through the downpour, Twilight noticed Applejack and Rarity sheltering under a bench, hooves plastered in mud.

“Applejack! Rarity!” she shouted.

The two ponies looked up from their muddy cramped shelter.

"Twilight? Jack?" asked Applejack.

“What are you two doing out in this dreadful weather?” asked Rarity.

"I could ask you the same thing," Jack replied.

“We were out here takin' down loose branches tuh prepare for the storm, but since somepony decided tuh prettify everythin', we got caught in the storm before we could finish," Applejack said giving Rarity a sour look.

Rarity huffed in indignation.

"Well, you can't just stay out here," Twilight said. "Come back to the library with us, hurry.”

The library making for a much better shelter than their bench, Rarity and Applejack followed Jack and Twilight.

Golden Oak Library

Twilight, Jack, and Rarity ran inside as soon as they reached the library, but Applejack was a little more hesitant, “Whoa nelly. Is inside a tree really the best place to be in a lightnin' storm?”

"You know, Applejack actually has a good point," said Jack.

“It’s fine. The library has a magical lightning rod installed," Twilight explained. "Come on in!”

“We are most grateful for your invitation," Rarity said, bowing her head.

“Thank ya kindly fer yer hospitality," Applejack said, tracking mud into the doorway.

Rarity put up a hoof to block Applejack from going any further. "Uh, do be a polite house guest and go wash up, please, won't you?”

“If Ah gotta spend one more second with that fussbudget Rarity today, Ah can't be held responsible fer what Ah'm gonna do," Applejack grumbled as she walked outside to hose off.

“She doesn’t seem too happy," thought Jack as he shivered. "Hey, Twilight, where do you keep the towels?"

"Upstairs in my bedroom closet," Twilight replied. "Bottom shelf."

"Thanks," Jack said as he walked up the stairs.

Twilight turned to Rarity. “Some storm, huh? The Pegasus ponies sure have outdone themselves this time. I hope you and Applejack don't have any trouble getting home.”

“It may indeed be a problem," replied Rarity. "So, what's Jack doing here?"

"Fluttershy left to visit her family in Cloudsdale for a few days. Jack's staying with me to keep ponies from getting suspicious," Twilight explained.

"I suppose it would be a bit suspicious if Fluttershy left Jack home alone after all the time she spent being so overprotective," Rarity noted.

“Hey, if you and Applejack need a place to stay for the night, Spike's in Canterlot on Royal business, and Jack's set up his sleeping bag in my study." Twilight offered before gasping. “You and Applejack should totally sleepover! We'll have a slumber party! I've always wanted one of those.”

“Oh! Uh, goodness. Uh, I do believe I have another engagement scheduled for this evening that completely slipped my mind until just now," Rarity said with a nervous laugh. “Ah, silly me, I can't possibly stay here all night… with Applejack.”

Twilight ran to a bookshelf and used her magic to grab a book from the top shelf.

“Slumber 101: All You've Ever Wanted to Know About Slumber Parties But Were Afraid to Ask,” Rarity read.

“My own personal copy. It's a fantastic reference guide. You should see the table of contents. I've been waiting for a chance to use it, and today is the day! This is gonna be so great!” Twilight said, her face beaming with excitement.

“Yes, uh, great," Rarity said, nervously glancing out the window where Applejack was washing herself off with the hose.

2 minutes later

Jack walked down the stairs to find Rarity and Twilight, applying green mud masks to their faces. "What are you two doing?"

"They're mud masks, darling," replied Rarity. "Why don't you come join us?"

Jack glanced at the green mud and then at his phone, and then to Twilight’s study. “Nope!”

He walked into the study and grabbed his earbuds. With all outside sound completely drowned out, he made his way to the kitchen to raid Twilight's fridge.

"Well, that was rude," said Rarity.

Applejack then walked into the room and gasped. “What in tarnation... Now, wait just a goll-darn minute. Ya make me wash the mud off mah hooves, but it's ok for y'all tuh have mud all over yer faces?”

Kitchen

Jack rummaged through Twilight's refrigerator, trying to find something edible for him. Unfortunately, he wasn't having much luck.

“Daisies? No. Hay fries? No. Isn’t there anything worth eating in here?" Jack wondered before noticing something on the counter. "Chocolate chip cookies, jackpot!”

He entered the library room to find Rarity and Applejack arguing while Twilight looked gleefully stared into an open book. "This might be interesting, he thought, taking out his earbuds to see what they were saying.

“You know, there's fussy, 'n there's just plain gettin' on mah nerves," said Applejack.

“Fortunately, I can get along with anypony, no matter how difficult she may be," said Rarity.

“Oh yeah? Well, Ah'm the get-alongin-est pony yer ever gonna meet," said Applejack.

“That's not even a word," said Rarity.

“This is going to be the bestest slumber party ever! Yay!” Twilight exclaimed, hugging her friends.

"Yay," Rarity and Applejack said unenthusiastically.

“Did Twilight just say bestest?” wondered Jack as he bit into a cookie. "Blegh!" he spat out the cookie. "Raisins!"

"That's completely undignified," Rarity scowled.

"I know, I know. I'm cleaning it up," Jack muttered.

"If you don't like raisin cookies, I've got chocolate chip as well," said Twilight, leaving to retrieve the cookies.

Twilight returned with the chocolate chips and asked, "who's ready for makeovers?"

"Nope!" Jack promptly refused.

When the ponies finished with their makeovers, Twilight checked it off her list and moved on to ghost stories.

“I'd like to tell y'all the terrifyin' tale of the prissy ghost who drove everypony crazy with her unnecessary neatness. Oo-oo!” Applejack said before looking at Rarity. “I'm sure y'all are familiar with that one?”

“I wonder what's going on between those two," thought Jack as he munched on a cookie.

“Never heard of it, but I have a much better one. It's the horrifying story of the messy, inconsiderate ghost who irritated everypony within a hundred miles! Oo-oo!” said Rarity.

“All right, if nopony here can tell a good story, I will," said Jack. "Goddammit, I said nopony," he cringed as the lights went out. "It was a day like any day, and a boy was sent down to clean the basement. As he was cleaning, he heard a voice, "I am the ghost with the one black eye!" and he ran away screaming. Then his sister was sent down to clean the basement, and she heard the voice, "I am the ghost with the one black eye!" and she ran away screaming. Then the mother went down to clean the basement, and she heard the voice, "I am the ghost with the one black eye!" and she ran away screaming. Then the father went down to clean the basement, and he heard the voice, "I am the ghost with the one black eye!" and he ran away screaming. Finally, the baby went down to clean the basement, and the baby heard the voice, "I am the ghost with the one black eye!" and the baby said, "YOU BETTER SHUT UP, OR YOU'LL BE THE GHOST WITH THE TWO BLACK EYES!"

The ponies chuckled a bit at Jack’s story.

"Ok, it wasn't scary, but Ah'll admit it was pretty funny," said Applejack.

"I have one too," said Twilight. “This story is called The Legend of The Headless Horse. It was a dark and stormy night, just like this one. And three ponies were having a slumber party, just like this one...”

5 minutes later

“...and just when the last pony thought she was safe, there, standing right behind her, just inches away was--The Headless Horse!" Twilight finished as the lights went out again, and she put a sheet over her head, causing Rarity and Applejack to scream.

“Babies,” Jack said. “Jesus Christ, that was scary!”

“Ghost story, check. Now, who wants s'mores?" asked Twilight.

“I do!” exclaimed Jack.

“Jack, you’ve just finished an entire box of cookies. How could you possibly want more food?” asked Rarity.

“Probably 'cause he’s just a growin' boy!” said Applejack.

"How rude! He only looks that way," Rarity scolded. "You know he's older than we are, and you know that he gets offended when we forget."

“Um, Rarity, it’s true that I don’t like it when you guys treat me like a child, but she’s right. While I'm an adult mentally, I still have the body of a child," Jack said, scratching his head.

4 minutes later

Jack nervously watched as Applejack roasted her marshmallows in the fireplace. "Who the Hell puts a fireplace inside a tree?

Rarity and Twilight stood around a table using their magic to make their s'mores. “Then you place one marshmallow on the top of the chocolate and be sure it's centered--that's critical--and then carefully put another perfectly square graham cracker on the top. And done. Ta-da!” Rarity said as Applejack walked to the table with her roasted marshmallow.

“Ooo!” Twilight said in awe.

“Nah, ya just eat 'em," Applejack said before scarfing the s'more down and belching.

“You could at least say excuse me," sighed Rarity. "I mean, look at Jack. He's a colt, and he eats more politely than you do."

“Huh?” said Jack as he looked up with a face plastered in chocolate.

"If ya had just given me a few seconds, Ah was about tuh say pardon," Applejack retorted.

After they finished with the s'mores, Twilight decided Truth or dare would be the next activity. Rarity and Applejack quickly hijacked the game for their personal squabble, and Jack started to get fed up. The pillow fight apocalypse that came next was the last straw, and he went to bed. Twilight came to the same decision, and the three ponies headed up to her room soon after.

Just as Jack was about to close his eyes, he heard Applejack and Rarity begin to argue again from upstairs. “Seriously?”

The arguing went on for about three minutes before there was a loud crash.

“What the hell are they doing up there?” Jack wondered as he got out of his sleeping bag.

He ran up the stairs to find a large tree branch had crashed through the window into Twilight’s bedroom. “What happened here?”

"Applejack had the brilliant idea to lasso a tree branch through the window," huffed Rarity.

“Ah wouldn’t have needed tuh if somepony had stopped trying' to spiffy things up and helped me take 'em down tuh begin with!” Applejack retorted.

“Enough!” shouted Jack as he pointed to the branch. “Don’t you have more important things to worry about?”

“He’s right. The book doesn’t say anything about branches!” said Twilight as she flipped the pages of her slumber party book. “Although it does mention camping, is that what this is?”

“Well, Twilight’s broken," thought Jack. "Applejack, help me move this branch."

"Sure thing, you pull, and Ah'll push!" said Applejack, as she began to shove.

Jack grabbed the branch, but even with both him and Applejack working together, they still couldn't remove it.

"This isn't working," said Jack.

Applejack looked to where Rarity was trying to put books back on their shelf. “Rarity, stop fussin' about the small stuff and help us out!”

"Are you insane? I'll get all icky," Rarity responded in disgust.

“Are ya serious…” Applejack started as she realized what a jerk she’d been. "Look, Ah'm sorry. If Ah had listened to ya and not been so stubborn, this never would have happened. Ah know ya don't want tuh get dirty, but ah can't do this on mah own."

"Very well," Rarity said as she charged her horn.

In a snap, the massive branch was converted into several small topiaries.

“Impressive," thought Jack.

Applejack moved to buck a remaining chunk of branch out the window but was stopped by a glare from Rarity. Seeing that she was about to act without thinking, Applejack carefully picked the piece up and dropped it out the window, which she quickly closed.

“U-ugh. Oh, I look awful," said Rarity, upon noticing that she was covered in grime.

In an attempt to make up with her friend, Applejack put two cucumbers over Rarity's eyes, "Better?"

“Where did she even get those?” Jack wondered as he watched the two ponies hug.

“Oh, pretty! Where did these come from?” Twilight asked upon noticing the topiaries. “They're not in the book either.”

“Twilight, Ah’d like to give this slumber party another try," said Applejack.

“As would I,” agreed Rarity.

"Excellent, the next thing on the list is 20 questions," said Twilight.

Seeing that the commotion had died down, Jack decided to go back to bed, "Night Twi, night Rare, night AJ, I'm going to bed."

“Good night Jack!” they all said as he left.

Author's Note

Not bad, considering the scare I went through at the ER. Could still use some editing, but I'm pretty satisfied with how this turned out.
Next time: Jack wakes up from one of his nightmares to find Twilight Applejack and Rarity standing over him with looks of concern. When he explains about his nightmares, they decide to get Pinkie Pie involved, and in a weird therapy session, Jack reveals the full story behind his nightmares. Meanwhile, Spike is interviewed by the Equestrian Royal Court.

Chapter 12: The Hardest Person to Forgive is Yourself (Last Edited 6/30/2022)

July 4, 2020

Canterlot Castle: Royal Court Room

Spike sluggishly walked into a well-lit chamber. He was not acustomed to waking up so early and confused as to why he'd been summoned. The room was highly ornate, with busts of former representatives lining the walls. In the center of the room was a giant sculpture of four ponies of different sizes. The statues portrayed a farmer, a wealthy business pony, a soldier, and a princess from smallest to largest. At the far end of the room were four golden boxes, each containing four representatives. From left to right, they were labeled Peasants, Military, Royalty, and Business. The peasant box included representatives Lyra Heartstrings (an aquamarine unicorn mare with a lyre cutie mark), Apple Fritter (a yellow earth pony mare with a fritter cutie mark), Cherry Berry (a rose earth pony mare with a cherry cutie mark), and Time Turner (a brown earth pony stallion with an hourglass cutie mark.) The military box contained the heads of each branch of the E.U.P Guard, Shining Armor (Captain of the Royal family's personal guard), Three Arrows (Captain of the Army), Flash Sentry (Captain of the Navy), and Spitfire (Captain of the Wonderbolts.) The royalty box contained the four highest-ranking members of the Royal Family, Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, and Prince Blueblood. Finally, the business box contained Fancy Pants (owner of the Equestrian Trading Company), Filthy Rich (owner of Rich’s Barnyard Bargains), Cherry Jubilee (owner of Cherry Hill Ranch), and Hoity Toity (owner of the Equestrian Fashion show.)

"Welcome, Spike. Please make yourself comfortable," said Celestia from the Royalty box.

“Y-yes, princess!” said Spike as he sat in a chair to the center of the room facing the boxes. “I hope I’m not in trouble."

Thoughts of being punished for some misdeed had been plaguing his mind since he first got the letter.

“You seem troubled, Spike. What’s on your mind?” asked Celestia.

"W-well, it's just that I don't have any idea why I was summoned here," explained Spike. "I'm not in any trouble, am I?"

Celestia gave a warm smile. "You aren't in any trouble. In fact, I hear you've been doing a wonderful job as Twilight Sparkle's assistant."

“Then why have I been summoned?” asked Spike.

"We'd like you to tell us how young Jack is adjusting to life in Equestria," Celestia explained.

"Oh, well, I think he's adjusting pretty well. He was having trouble getting along with Fluttershy, but I think they've made up," Spike explained. "Speaking of Fluttershy. Wouldn't it make more sense to ask her since she's the one taking care of him?"

“Based on Twilight’s letters, Fluttershy has gotten too attached to the boy to give any objective answers," said Celestia.

“Has he overcome his foul temperament?” asked Luna.

“Nightmare Moon!” trembled Spike.

“FEAR NOT!"Luna shouted in the Royal Canterlot Voice. "WE HAVE NO INTENTION OF HARMING THOU! JUST ANSWER OUR QUESTION!”

"W-well," Spike started as he thought about the question.

“Fuck off, purple dinosaur.”

"Yeah, yeah, grow some fucking wings, and then I'll believe you.”

"You're not going to stop me, Spike. Stay out of my way."

"Not really," he sighed.

“Have you noticed anything strange about him?” asked Cadenza.

“Well... Come to think of it, yeah," Spike answered. "I know he’s seven years old, but he doesn't really act like it.”

“How so?” Blue Blood asked, yawning as if to say he'd rather be anywhere else.

"He goes to class with all the other foals, but he doesn't act like one. If I hadn't been told he was in second grade, I would think he was Twilight's age, maybe even older," Spike explained.

“You’ve been to his homeland, right?” asked Shining Armor.

"Yes, Twilight took me and Jack there to collect artifacts," explained Spike.

“What kind of artifacts?” asked Three Arrows.

"Mostly the contents of Jack's car. All sorts of gadgets that run on electricity, kind of like something out of a Power Ponies comic," Spike explained. "Twilight's spent the past few weeks converting them to magic."

"That definitely sounds like something Twily would do," chuckled Shining Armor.

Flash Sentry shot him a sharp glare. "You're speaking out of turn, Captain."

“My apologies. I was just happy to hear my sister hasn’t changed since she moved to Ponyville,” Shining Armor said with an apologetic bow.

"Whatever," Flash Sentry said, turning back to Spike. "Do you think he could be a threat?”

“Of course not!” Spike exclaimed. “He’s just a foal. How could he be?”

"That may be so, but according to the reports, he has powerful magic and has fought against a timberwolf, an ursa, and even a dragon," said Spitfire.

“Yeah, but he’s only used it in self-defense, and he doesn't have any control over it," Spike said.

“Do you believe this lack of control could be dangerous?” asked Fancy Pants.

“I…” Spike started, “don’t know.”

"Let's change the topic then," said Filthy Rich. "I've heard from my daughter that he's prone to outbursts of anger and requires medication to function in normal society. Do you think it would be appropriate to remove him from school for the sake of the other foals?”

"I don't really know much about his school life, but I assume he's doing just fine," Spike explained.

“Would you say he’s adjusting well to Equestrian Society outside of school?” asked Cherry Jubilee.

"I think so," said Spike. "There are times where he says things that aren't appropriate, but other than that. He's doing well."

“Has he made any friends?” asked Hoity Toity, indifferently messing with his sunglasses.

"He and Apple Bloom are close..." Spike said, scratching his chin as he thought about the question. "Oh, and I've also seen him hanging out with Scootaloo."

“That's great and all, but I can't believe nopony is asking any of the important questions," said Lyra Heartstrings. "What are his hands like!? Does he have five fingers, or was that just part of the myth!? Oh, and does he use his hands for magic, or some other part of his body, and…” she was practically climbing out the stands when the pony beside her put a hoof over her mouth.

"Lyra, Ah get that yer obsessed with humans but do ya really think those are important questions?" asked Apple Fritter.

“Of course, they’re important!” Lyra exclaimed as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Now that we know humans are real, it's important to learn everything about them!"

"He has five fingers, and I'm pretty sure he does use his hands for his magic," Spike said, baffled at Lyra's antics. She lived in Ponyville, and he knew of her obsession with human myths, but what he was witnessing now was offputting, to say the least.

"Back to more important questions," Apple Fritter sighed. "Do you believe that Apple Bloom or Scootaloo are in any danger around him?"

"No," Spike said earnestly. He didn't know much about Jack, but he did know that he didn't mean anyone any harm. "If anything, I'd say he's actually protected both of them from danger."

Cherry Berry was the next to speak, “and these “gadgets” you mentioned earlier. What do they do?”

"From what Jack said, they are mostly for entertainment. One of the gadgets that Twilight has been working on for a while, Jack called a phone," said Spike. "According to him, it's used for talking to other humans that are far away and accessing a library of human knowledge."

"This Library, where is it?" asked Time-Turner.

"I don't really understand it, but I think it's... on the phone somehow," Spike said, unsure how to explain it.

The questioning continued for a few hours. When Celestia determined they had collected enough information, she called an end to the meeting and sent Spike home.

Golden Oak Library

Twilight, Rarity, and Applejack were peacefully enjoying their breakfast. Jack hadn't gotten up yet, but none of them were worried. That is to say, no one was worried until he started screaming.

“No more p-please!”

The three mares burst into Jack's room to find him flailing on the floor, still very much asleep.

Twilight carefully shook him awake. “Jack, it’s just a dream. Wake up!”

Jack's eyes fluttered open.

“What in tarnation was that about, Sugarcube?” asked Applejack.

“I-I don’t want to talk about it," he responded, rubbing his eyes.

"Now, darling, you had a bad dream," said Rarity. "It sounded like quite the nightmare to me. Are you sure you don't want to talk about it?"

“YES, AH’M SURE!” Jack shouted, snatching his pill bottles off the floor.

“It looks like he might be running out of medicine," Twilight noticed as he took his pills. “I really think it would be better if you talked with somepony about it.”

"Just leave me alone for a bit, you guys. I'm going to go hang out with Scootaloo," said Jack as he got dressed. "I’m just gonna go to the park and be by myself.”

"Wait, Jack, come back!" Twilight shouted after him as he left.

“Should we follow him?” asked Rarity.

"No, I have a better idea," Twilight responded.

Ponyville Park

20 minutes later

Jack glumly sat down in the gazebo. He had gone a few nights with no dreams, but the night before, they returned with a vengeance.

“Why can’t I just get over it?” he wondered. “And why are they suddenly so frequent. I had them before I came to Equestria, but not nearl…”

“HEY, JACKEY!” shouted a voice from outside the gazebo.

“JESUS CHRIST!” shouted Jack, jumping from the bench like a frog in a frying pan. Looking around, he found Pinkie Pie staring at him from the gazebo's entrance. "Don't do that!"

“Sorry, Jackey, I didn’t mean to startle you,” Pinkie giggled.

"Well, you certainly managed," Jack spat.

"I'm sorry, it's just Twilight told me you were feeling down because of some bad dreams, so I wanted to cheer you up," Pinkie bubbly explained.

"And you're doing such a good job," Jack said, rolling his eyes.

Not sensing Jack's sarcasm, Pinkie continued trying to make him feel better. "Thanks! Now, why don't you tell Dr. Pinkie about these dreams?”

"Dr. Pinkie?" Jack questioned Pinkie, who was now wearing glasses and held a notepad that had seemingly manifested out of thin air.

“Come on!” said Pinkie.

“No,” Jack responded.

“Come on!”

“Nope!”

“Come ooooonnnnnn!”

“It ain’t happening!” shouted Jack as he got up and left.

As Jack off, Pinkie gave chase, and he soon found himself running. By the time he had reached the clock tower, Jack was exhausted. "At least… I… lost her!" he panted.

“Come on!” Pinkie shouted, popping out of the clock tower.

“Goddammit, all to Hell!” Jack shouted.

"Come on," said Pinkie.

"If I tell you about the dreams, will you leave me alone?" Jack sighed in defeat.

"Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye," said Pinkie, making motions for emphasis.

“Huh?” Jack asked with a blank stare.

"It's a Pinkie promise," said Pinkie Pie.

“What’s that?” asked Jack.

"It's a sacred contract that cannot be broken," Pinkie Pie responded in an unusually serious tone. "Now tell me about these dreams!" she added as she pulled her glasses and clipboard from her mane and a couch out from behind the clock tower.

“Where did those come from?” Jack nervously asked.

“I keep the glasses and notebooks in my mane, and Rarity stores fainting couches all over Ponyville," Pinkie Pie explained.

“So, the weirdness isn’t exclusive to Pinkie Pie then," Jack thought to himself.

“Let’s get started!” said Pinkie as she motioned for Jack to lay down on the couch. “What are these dreams about?”

“What is she, a therapist?” wondered Jack. “They’re about things in the past that I regret.”

“Things? As in plural?” asked Pinkie.

"Yes, as in plural," Jack responded.

“How many?” asked Pinkie.

"Four," Jack answered.

"Let's start with the one that's bothering you the least," Pinkie Pie decided.

"My brother and I never had a good relationship," Jack explained.

“Why is that?” asked Pinkie.

"Well, it all started when I unintentionally sabotaged his relationship with a girl he liked," Jack began. "I kinda told her he was a pervert."

"Go on," Pinkie encouraged.

"After that, we began to get into fights regularly stemming from (among other things) his decision to retreat into his room out of depression from the girl rejecting him and my desire to get him to forgive me," Jack explained. "These fights got physical sometimes, and by the time I left for college, he wouldn’t even talk to me anymore.”

October 5, 2017

Coastal Carolina University

Jack dialed Mark's number. After a single ring, Jack was sent to voice mail.

“Your call could not be completed at this time. Please leave a message after the beep.”

“He must’ve blocked me," thought Jack. "Maybe if I call mom…”

He dialed his mother’s number.

“Hey Jack, I’m so glad you called. How was class today?” asked his mother.

"Class was fine, mom. Can I speak to Mark?"

“Oh, well, I’ll ask, but he’ll probably say no.”

After about a minute, his mother explained that Mark had no intention of talking to him.

Present Time

Ponyville Clock Tower

"It's not like you'll be here forever," said Pinkie Pie. "When Celestia manages to send you home, you can just apologize to him."

“I’ve tried that already. He'll just refuse to speak to me," Jack lamented.

“Think about it. You’ve been here about a month, right?” asked Pinkie.

"Yeah," Jack responded, unsure of where Pinkie was coming from.

"So, you've probably been missing for the same time in your world," Pinkie said. "Unless there's some weird time delay between here and there. I'll bet he's worried sick about you. He's probably forgiven you already."

Jack hadn't ever thought about it that way, and as much as he hated to admit it, what Pinkie said made a lot of sense.

"Tell me about the thing that's bothering you the second most," Pinkie Pie asked.

“The one girl I ever loved hated me and got most of my high school to hate me as well," Jack explained.

“Why is that?” asked Pinkie.

“I did something stupid and…” Jack paused.

“And what?” asked Pinkie.

"And I accidentally killed her dog!" He shouted.

“WHAT!! HOW COULD YOU DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT!” Pinkie shouted before noticing that she had only made things worse. “I mean; what do you mean, 'accidentally?'”

"She asked me to take care of her dog for a few days while she was out of town. On the second day, I took the dog out for some exercise. I should have used a leash because it ran out into the road and got hit by a car," Jack explained. "Oh, a car is..."

"A big metal carriage that you don't have to pull?" Pinkie said.

Jack simply stared at her, slack-jawed. "How did..."

"It's a secret!" she exclaimed. "And after that, she got everypony to hate you?"

“Well, not everyone. The Circle of Bros stuck by me the whole time," Jack elaborated.

“The Circle of Bros?” Pinkie asked in confusion.

“It’s what me and my friends called ourselves," said Jack. “We’d all been thick as thieves since elementary school.”

March 7, 2007

Beech Hill Elementary School: Playground

It was recess, and while most kids were playing tag or some other game, Jack was walking in a circle around several trees. This was the typical punishment for unruly children at his school. He was far from alone; walking alongside him were Bryce, Shawn, and Chase.

“This sucks!” he complained.

“What were you expecting, dealing gum in front of the teachers like that?” asked Bryce.

“I didn’t even know there were teachers there," Jack responded.

“How could you not have seen them? They were like five feet away!” Bryce exclaimed.

“But I…” Jack started. “Shut up!”

“Both of you, shut up!” said Shawn.

"Yeah, we already have to miss recess because of you. The least you can do is let us walk without listening to your arguing," said Chase.

"You're the ones who told us to meet you by the door," said Jack.

"You guys could have waited for the teachers to leave before taking out the gum," Chase pointed out.

"Touché," said Bryce. "Hmm… I know, come by the park after school. Jack keeps extra gum in his backpack. We'll give you both a piece free of charge."

“What!?” Jack exclaimed. “Are you kidding me, Bryce? Do you have any idea how much this gum cost?”

“Just trust me on this one, Jack," said Bryce as he looked back to Shawn and Chase. “I’m Bryce. This is Jack. What are your names?”

"I'm Shawn."

"Chase."

"Nice to meet you both," said Bryce. "If you want the gum, we’ll be in Mayfield Park after class.”

"I don't know," Shawn said. "My mom says not to go places with strangers."

“She meant adults, you retard!” said Chase.

Present Time

"Shawn and Chase were a grade below me and Bryce and didn't have any reason to trust us, but ultimately decided to come to the park. In fact, they got there before me and Bryce and were playing a video game…” Jack started before realizing that there was no way Pinkie knew what a video game was. “Oh, um, a video game…”

“Is a game that’s played by controlling characters on a screen,” finished Pinkie Pie.

“This is the third time she’s figured out what I was going to say before I said it. The last time was sort of understandable, but there is no way she knew what a video game was.” thought Jack. “Pinkie, seriously, how do you know that?”

"I already told you. It's a secret," Pinkie pie responded. “What happened next?”

“So, they were playing a videogame called Pokémon Emerald," explained Jack. "Now, Pokémon is a game where you catch and train creatures with different powers. One thing you can do while playing is trade Pokémon with other people."

“Oh, that sounds like fun!” said Pinkie excitedly.

"Indeed, it was," said Jack. "Anyways, as it turned out, Chase had some very rare Pokémon that he was trading with Shawn. Me and Bryce ended up asking if they wanted to trade with us, and after that, we started to hang out. Bryce even had them join our gum dealing operation. Turns out that's what he was going for the whole time, but the four of us so became friends. We ended up referring to ourselves as the Circle of Bros because we were walking in a circle when we met."

“So, you’d say this Circle of Bros was supportive of you after the dog incident?” asked Pinkie.

“She's way too into this therapist thing," thought Jack. “Yes, they were very supportive,” he nodded.

"Ok, so the girl you liked got everyone to hate you, but your friends stuck up for you," Pinkie summarized as she scribbled in her notebook. "What happened next?"

“Well…” Jack began.

October 2, 2014

Ashley Ridge Parking Lot

“What do you mean, you’re switching to an online school?” asked Shawn.

“I just can’t take it anymore. Other than you guys, hardly anyone will even talk to me here and the ones who do call me a dog murderer," Jack explained.

“But, we’re here for you, brother, who cares what everyone else thinks. Yuri’s just a ditch!” said Chase.

“A what?” asked Jack.

“A dumb bitch,” replied Chase.

“I know, but I can't stand the way she and everyone else looks at me," Jack said.

“Oh, don’t be such a pussy!” Chase said. “I think you should jus…”

Bryce shot Chase a fiery glare, and the short boy shut his mouth. Turning toward Jack, he gave an understanding look. "If you really think that's what's best, then you should do it."

Present Time

"And so, I started schooling online. Unfortunately, it didn't really help all that much. Yuri and several other people who had heard about the incident from her lived in the same neighborhood as me, and the rumors were unavoidable," Jack finished.

“Did you ever think to tell the real story?” asked Pinkie.

“What?” asked Jack.

"I mean, if ponies started spreading nasty rumors about me, I would tell them the real story," said Pinkie. "So did ya?"

"Well, no, I uh…" Jack said, mentally hitting himself for not having thought of that himself. "Fucking Asperger's!

"Then, when you get back home, you should try and set the story straight. Then you should throw everypony an I forgive you party!” said Pinkie.

"That would be a sensible solution, but I haven't seen any of them since my parents moved," said Jack.

"Then why worry about it?" asked Pinkie.

Jack thought about Pinkie's question. "To be honest, I'm not really sure. I guess it's because while I didn't murder Yuri's dog, I am still responsible for it getting run over."

“You were just a foal, though. You made a dumb mistake. Maybe thinking about it like that would help?” said Pinkie. “Now come on, turn that frown upside down!”

The blond human couldn’t help but grin. Somehow, just talking about his problems with Pinkie made him feel better. However, there was worse still yet to come.

"What else has been bothering you?" asked Pinkie.

"I got one of my friends shunned by his family," Jack sighed.

"How did you do that?"

"Several years after we formed the Circle of Bros, Bryce's mother got remarried," Jack explained. "His stepfather was part of an organization called Jehovah's Witnesses. It's practically a cult, and his mother quickly joined the organization and forced him to join with her." Jack clenched his fist. "I shouldn't say practically. It is a cult! Bryce was forced to get rid of all his video games, go door to door with their stupid pamphlets, and he was forbidden to hang out with us since we weren't Jehovah's Witnesses."

"Did you lose your friendship?"

"If we stopped being friends then and there, you and I wouldn't be having this conversation," Jack shook his head. "For years, Bryce met with us in secret," A tear dropped from Jack's eyes, "but one day, a Jehovah's Witness named Jeremy confronted us as to why Bryce was skipping their cult meetings. We tried to deny that we were in contact with Bryce, but Jeremy had been stalking us. He showed us a picture of Bryce hanging out with us, and I snapped. I told him that Bryce didn't have to go to their cult meetings if he didn't want to." Another tear slipped from his eyes as his voice cracked. "If there's one thing Jehovah's Witnesses hate more than outsiders, it's openly hostile outsiders, apostates. Jeremy had proof we'd been hanging out, and that was all the organization needed.

July 12, 2013

Jack's house

Jack and Brian stood in Jack's backyard.

"Why'd you want to talk?" asked Jack.

"I've been excommunicated," Bryce answered.

"What?" Jack asked.

"The elders said that I've been associating with apostates," Bryce answered. It was as if a dam had broken in his eyes. "My family won't even talk to me anymore!"

Present Time

"Bryce's family never talked to him again," Jack sighed. "They took care of him for as long as it was legally required, but the moment he turned 18, they kicked him out. Me, Shawn, and Chase convinced our families to let him stay with us in rotation, but he was never really the same after that. "

"That's terrible!" Pinkie said, her face contorted in disgust. "It's not your fault Bryce had such awful parents!"

"But it's my fault they started shunning him," Jack retorted.

"If you ask me, he didn't lose much," said Pinkie. "What kind of family would do that to their child? The way I see it, you and your friends are his real family!"

Jack smiled. "Thanks, Pinkie."

"One more to go!" Pinkie cheered. "This one can't possibly be worse than the ones you've already talked about."

"You'd be surprised," Jack muttered. "I-I abandoned my best friend when he needed me the most,

“I thought you said you let Bryce live with you," Pinkie said.

"Well, no, although I met Bryce before we formed the Circle of Bros, we were just acquaintances who worked together to sell gum behind the teacher's backs in elementary school. When the Circle formed, I found myself hanging out with Chase more than Shawn or Bryce," Jack explained.

“So, what happened between you two then?” asked Pinkie.

"During the summer after my first year at college, Chase was hospitalized with stroke-like symptoms. The doctors found that he had a tumor in his brain, more specifically a glioblastoma." Jack explained.

“A glio what now?” asked Pinkie, cocking her head in confusion.

"A glioblastoma, it's a kind of cancer," Jack explained.

“He had a giant crab in his brain?” the pink pony asked incredulously. “How’d it get in there?”

“What? No, no, no, cancer is a deadly disease, not a crab," Jack quickly explained.

Pinkies hair deflated like a balloon. "Oh, I'm so sorry, I didn't know."

Jack sighed. "It's fine, Pinkie. Anyway, Chase was put on a treatment to shrink the tumor. However, the treatment made it hard for him to walk. At first, I would come over and take him wherever he wanted to go in my car."

"That doesn't sound like you abandoned him to me," said Pinkie.

"Notice how I said, 'at first.' As time went on, I found myself coming up with excuses to avoid visiting him. Eventually, when my junior year of college was about to start, I told Chase I would visit him on weekends when I didn’t have any schoolwork. However…”

September 14, 2019

Brooks Stadium, Coastal Carolina University

Jack was in the middle of watching a football game between the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers and the Norfolk State Spartans. It was the third quarter, and things were going unusually well for the Chanticleers.

“We're actually gonna win this one," Jack thought.

His phone began to ring. Seeing it was from his mother, he answered. "Hey, mom."

A few seconds later, the phone slipped out of his hands and slammed on the concrete.

“It can't be, no, I must've misheard her," he thought as he scooped his phone off the ground.

"That's not funny, mom!"

“It wasn’t a joke. Chase decided to stop taking his drugs. Mrs. Carney says he could pass at any time," his mother explained. "Listen, Honey. I want you to go home and get a goodnight's sleep. Then in the morning, you can drive down to Chase's house. Don't drive down here tonight. Give yourself some time to clear your mind and figure out what you’d like to say to him.”

September 15, 2019

Chase’s House

Jack stepped out of his CR-V and ran to Chase's door. Seconds after he rang the bell, the door opened to reveal Chase's mother.

"Thank you for c-coming, Jack. I know Chase will be glad to see you," she said as she wrapped her arms around him and sobbed into his chest. "Shawn and Bryce stopped by a few hours ago. It made him so happy."

"May I come in, Mrs. Carney?" asked Jack.

"Y-yes, of course. He's in his room." Mrs. Carney said as she pointed down the hall.

"Thank you," Jack said as he walked inside and ran to Chase's room.

Walking through the door, he found Riley sitting by his bed, her bright red from crying.

"Oh hi, Jack," she said weakly.

“Mind if I speak to him on my own?” Jack asked calmly.

“Of course not," she sniffed, slowly rising to her feet. "Oh, he can't really talk much right now, but he can hear you.”

"Thanks, Riley," said Jack as she closed the door behind her.

“Hey, Chase. How ya doin, Buddy?” Jack asked.

Chase turned his bald head toward Jack and groaned.

“I heard about…” Jack started before holding back a sob. “About what happened. I-I know that this was your choice and w-well…” he said as a tear dropped from his eyes. “I-I’m so sorry. There were so many times when I could have come to visit but chose not to! I-I know I’ve been a terrible friend,” he said as tears streamed from his eyes.

“J-a-c-k, d-on-t…” Chase muttered as the light left his eyes.

“Ch-Chase?” Jack whimpered. “CHASE!” he screamed.

Present Time

"He died right in front of me," Jack said. "His funeral happened a week later. I remember his family telling me what a wonderful friend I had been to him. How ironic, I wasn't a wonderful friend. I was awful. I don't know what he was trying to say to me, but I'm sure it wasn't anything nice. Whatever it was, I'm sure I deserved every word of it."

Finished with his story, he hopped off the couch only to land in about two feet of water. Looking around, he found that the source was a cartoonish stream of water coming from Pinkie's eyes.

“This shouldn’t be physically possible!” he thought with a sweatdrop. "Pinkie?"

Pinkie Pie Jack pulled Jack into a tight embrace. “That was the saddest story I’ve ever heard! You don’t need to keep blaming yourself. You didn’t know he was going to die.”

“Hey, Pinks?” asked Jack.

“Yes?” Pinkie responded.

"I've never really sat down and talked about this stuff with anyone before," he admitted.

“Do you feel any better?” she asked.

"A little," Jack said.

While Jack's dreams didn't go away entirely, they were much less frequent than before. Jack hadn't forgiven himself by any means, but at least now he had someone to talk to. It wasn't much, but for that time, it was enough.

Author's Note

Sorry this took so long. I had a busy week at work, and then I had to take my car to the shop to repair a rupture in the power steering line. Anyway, next time: A Zebra comes into Ponyville, and Jack is shocked by the bigoted way the seemingly tolerant ponies treat her.

Chapter 13: Bridle Gossip (Last Edited 6/30/2022)

July 7, 2020 AD

Ponyville School

Having been in Ponyville a little over a month, Jack had finally found himself settling down. He still held some hope that he may return home one day, but deep down, he was beginning to doubt that Celestia would figure out how to send him back. He hadn't had a nightmare since his talk with Pinkie, and he hadn't felt this good about himself since before Chase died.

He waved goodbye to Fluttershy as he walked into class. "See you when I get home, mother!”

"Good morning, Bloom," he said as he sat down next to her.

"Good mornin', Jack," Apple Bloom responded. "How are ya doin' today?"

“I’m doing great!” he beamed.

"Ah'm glad to hear that," the Apple Bloom giggled. "Ya seem… different lately. In a good way, though."

"I guess I'm finally adjusting to life here in Ponyville," Jack said as he cracked his knuckles.

"Ah'm happy fer ya," Apple Bloom said with a bright smile.

"Stop flirting with your pet ape, farm trash," Diamond Tiara sneered. "Your family might be into that, but the rest of us think it's gross!"

"Yeah, you're like making us gag!" Silver Spoon agreed.

"Bump bump, sugar lump, rump!" they chanted, doing their secret hoofshake.

Jack rolled his eyes and flipped them off. Though the gesture didn't mean much to his hoofed classmates.

Cheerilee walked into the class with a small pinto colt. "Good morning class, this is Pipsqueak. His family recently moved here from Trotingham."

The first 30 minutes of class were spent on the usual introductions. When they were done, Pipsqueak sat down, and Cheerilee opened up her copy of Ponyville Fables and Stables.

15 minutes later

Once Cheerilee finished with her reading, she began to question the class about the chapter. "So, what do you believe the moral of the story is?"

Nopony answered.

"Anypony?" asked Cheerilee. "What about you, Jack?"

"Treat others in a way that you'd like them to treat you," he answered.

Jack was on a college level, of course. Questions like these were child's play. That's why, outside of history classes, he wouldn't answer questions unless called on. It simply wouldn't be fair to the other students.

"Excellent!" said Cheerilee. "When we return on Monday, we will read the last chapter. See you all next week!”

Outside of Sugarcube Corner

5 Minutes Later

"Where is everypony?" asked Apple Bloom

Jack scanned the empty streets. “I’m not sure. Weird, these streets are usually bustling this time of day.” As he continued to scan the streets, he caught sight of a cloaked figure digging in the dirt. “Who’s that?”

“Who are you…” Apple Bloom started as her eyes locked on the cloaked figure. “We need tuh go.”

“Why?” asked Jack.

“Apple Bloom! Jack! Hurry inside!” Pinkie Pie shout-whispered from the doorway of Sugarcube Corner.

“Again, Why?” Jack asked as he and Apple Bloom were ushered inside by Pinkie.

When they got inside, Pinkie locked the door and cautiously peeked out the window.

Apart from Twilight, the rest of the Mane Six were in the shop with Pinkie. Applejack grabbed Apple Bloom and held her tight.

“What’s going on, and why is it so dark in here?” Jack asked impatiently.

"Zecora's come tuh town," said Applejack.

“Who?” asked Jack.

"The mare outside in that ghastly cloak," Rarity explained.

“And why does her coming to town mean we have to hide like escaped convicts?” Jack enquired.

"Let me explain," said Pinkie, breaking into song. "She's an evil enchantress. She does evil dances. And if you look deep into her eyes. She'll put you in trances. Then what will she do? She'll mix up an evil brew. Then she'll gobble you up in a big tasty stew. Soooo... Watch out!”

"Uh-huh..." Jack said, raising a raised brow. “That’s a lot of accusations. Got any evidence?”

“Well…” Pinkie started, glancing out the window again. “Oh my gosh, TWILIGHT!” she exclaimed, rushing to the door. Slowly creaking the door open, she attempted to get her friend's attention. “Psst! Twilight! Spike! Come here! Come! Here! Hurry! Before she gets you!”

Twilight wasn't sure what Pinkie wanted, but sensing the urgency in her friend's voice, she leaped into the building with Spike on her back. Once they were inside, Pinkie switched on a flashlight, causing Twilight to groan and cover her eyes.

“Who?! The zombie pony?” Spike asked nervously, glancing around the dark room.

“Z-Zombie pony?!” Pinkie shuddered as she shined the light on her face.

“Spike! There are no zombie ponies," Twilight said as the dragon clung to her. “Pinkie, Jack, what are you two doing here alone in the dark?” she asked as Spike climbed off her back.

"That's what I want to know," Jack snorted.

"But I already explained it to you, Jackey," Pinkie said in playful indignation.

"No, you really didn't," Jack emotionlessly retorted.

Ignoring Jack, Pinkie opened the blinds. “We’re not alone, Twilight.”

Noticing her other friends, Twilight gasped. "Ok, then, what are you all doing here in the dark?”

“We're hidin' from her!” Applejack said, pointing out the window.

Jack and the ponies looked out the window to see Zecora digging in the dirt before glancing in their direction. Most of the ponies gasped at the sight of the cloaked mare's eyes staring at them, but Jack and Twilight were less than intimidated.

“Did ya see her Twilight? Did ya see... Zecora?” asked Apple Bloom.

“Apple Bloom! Ah told ya never to say that name," Applejack scolded.

“Well, I saw her glance this way...” Twilight started.

“Glance evilly this way," Pinkie corrected.

“How could Pinks tell the glance was evil?” wondered Jack. “Zecora was all the way on the other side of the street.”

“And then a bunch of you flip out for no good reason," Twilight finished.

“No good reason?” Applejack asked as she protectively wrapped a hoof around Apple Bloom. “Ya call protectin' yer kin no good reason? It’s a good thing Jack brought Apple Bloom here. She was shakin' in her li'l horseshoes from fear.”

“Was not!” Apple Bloom said. “Ah’m not a baby, Applejack. Ah can take care of mahself.”

“Not from that creepy Zecora," Applejack retorted.

“She's mysterious," said Fluttershy.

“So?” wondered Jack.

“Sinister," added Rainbow Dash.

“In what way?” Jack scratched his head.

“And spoooooky!” exclaimed Pinkie.

Twilight looked out the window again, and the others rushed to look with her. They watched as Zecora pulled down her hood.

The other ponies gasped at Zecora's striped visage, but Twilight was less than impressed. “Will you cut that out?”

"Yeah, she just took her hood off. What's the big deal?" Jack asked.

“Just look at those stripes!" said Rarity. "So garish!”

“Wait a minute…” thought Jack as he put two and two together.

“She's a zebra," Twilight explained.

“Oh, God!" Jack cringed at the realization.

“A what!?” Spike and the other ponies asked.

“Fucking Karens!” Jack facepalmed.

“A zebra, and her stripes aren't a fashion choice Rarity, they're what she was born with," Twilight explained, causing Rarity to faint dramatically.

“Seriously?” Jack asked as his eyes narrowed. “You guys are scared because she looks different?”

“Why wouldn’ we be?” asked Applejack. “Ah've never seen a pony like that in these parts, 'cept... her!” Applejack shivered.

“Well, she's probably not from here, and she's not a pony. My books say that zebras come from a faraway land. But I've never seen her in Ponyville," Twilight explained as Spike snuck into the kitchen. “Where does she live?”

“That's just it, she lives in... the Everfree Forest!” said Applejack.

A thunderous crash from the kitchen caused the ponies to jump out of their skins.

“Spike!” yelled Twilight.

"Sorry!"

“The Everfree Forest just ain't natural," said Applejack. “The plants grow...”

“Animals care for themselves...” added Fluttershy.

“And the clouds move...” added Rainbow Dash.

“All on their own!" they all exclaimed at once, causing Rarity to faint again.

“So what?” Jack asked. “That’s exactly how things work where I’m from.”

"Yeah, but you're different, Jacky. That wicked enchantress Zecora lives there doing her evil... stuff!” said Pinkie. “Do you need to hear the song again?”

“So, I’m one of the good ones then," Jack rolled his eyes.

"Here we go," sighed Rainbow Dash as Pinkie began her song again.

As Pinkie sang her song Twilight looked on in confusion, Jack watched in with a contemptuous scowl, and Applejack shivered as Apple Bloom brushed her hoof off her back.

“Wow. Catchy," Twilight sarcastically commented as Pinkie finished her song, panting from her exertions.

“It's a work in progress," Pinkie said.

“This is all just a lot of gossip and rumors," said Twilight. “Now tell me; what exactly have you actually seen Zecora do?”

“Finally, a voice of reason!” Jack exclaimed with a relieved grin.

“Well...” Rainbow Dash said. “Once a month, she comes into Ponyville.”

“Oooooh," Twilight said sarcastically.

“She moves freely like a normal person. The horror!” Jack added as he rolled his eyes again.

“Then, she lurks by the stores," Rarity said.

“Oh my,” Twilight mocked.

"Loitering!" Jack exclaimed, clasping his hands over his cheeks like the Scream. "Someone call the FBI!"

“And then, she digs at the ground," said Fluttershy, scraping the floor for emphasis.

“Good gracious!” Twilight exclaimed sarcastically. “Ok, I'm sorry. But how is any of this bad? Maybe she comes to town to visit?”

“Yeah! Maybe she's just tryin' tuh be neighborly," said Apple Bloom.

“And maybe she's not lurking by the stores, maybe she's going to them, lurk free, to do some shopping?” said Twilight.

"But she's unable to shop because everyone runs away when she shows up," Jack added.

“Yeah! Everypony likes tuh shop," added Apple Bloom. “Yah know what Ah think?”

“Apple Bloom! Hush and let the big ponies talk," Applejack interrupted.

“Aham a big pony," Apple Bloom muttered as she walked off.

“W-what about digging at the ground? You've got to admit that's weird," said Rainbow Dash.

“What if she's digging for innocent creatures?” asked Fluttershy.

"Well, maybe she's just bored," Jack said as Pinkie started singing her song in the background.

“Exactly, I am sure there is an explanation for everything Zecora does," Twilight agreed. "And if anypony here were actually braveenough to approach her, she would find out the truth."

“Well, Ah'm brave enough; Ah'm gonna find out myself," Apple Bloom whispered, sneaking outside.

While the ponies were completely unaware of Apple Bloom's absence, Jack caught a glimpse of her red tail as she snuck out the door. Following her outside, he spotted her sneaking behind a lamppost. “Hey, Bloom!” he said, approaching from behind.

"Ahh!" Apple Bloom squealed, instinctively kicking behind her.

"Oof!" Jack exclaimed as a hoof slammed into his gut. "Why me?" he asked, collapsing into the dirt road.

"Oh mah gosh," Apple Bloom gasped, realizing what she'd done. "Ah'm so sorry!" she apologized, helping him to his feet.

"It's fine. I shouldn't have sneaked up on you," Jack said, clenching his gut like a stress ball. "Why'd you run off like that?"

"Twilight said that we just weren't brave enough to find out about Zecora," Apple Bloom pouted. Her face brightening, she answered, "so, Ah wanted tuh go see fer mahself!"

"Awesome!" Jack clapped his hands together approvingly. "But we better hurry. She's leaving," he said, pointing to where Zecora was walking away.

Edge of the Everfree Forrest

14 minutes later

Jack and Apple Bloom caught up with Zecora without any difficulty. However, rather than talk with her, they chose to stay at a safe distance. She was, after all, a stranger.

"Why ain't ya scared of Zecora?" asked Apple Bloom as they entered the forest.

“Because I have no reason to be. All I’ve heard about her are the rumors spread by Pinks and the others, and I have no reason to believe those are true," Jack explained. "Why do you ask?"

"Ya seemed a little mad in there, tuh be honest," Apple Bloom said.

"My country was founded on the idea that all men are created equal," Jack said, looking to the sky with a smile. As he brought his attention back to Apple Bloom, his smile contorted into a sneer. "Not that that ever meant anything. We kept people enslaved, forced people off their land, and refused access to our country based on little more than the idea that those of us with white skin were somehow better than those with black, brown, or red skin. Even after abolishing slavery, there were still laws in place to enforce a false sense of white supremacy" Jack sighed as his sneer faded. "Over the years, the laws were abolished, and by the time my parents were born, the last overtly legal remnants of those laws disappeared. Even so, the effects of these laws never truly went away, and some thought it would be better to bring them back."

"What does that have to do with Zecora?" AppleBloom asked.

"What I'm saying is, there's no good reason to treat people differently based on appearance," Jack answered. "My white skin doesn't make me better than someone with black skin; an Earth pony's strength doesn't make them superior to other ponies; neither does a unicorn's magic or a pegasus's wings. What about Zecora makes her worthy of fear? Her Stripes? Her clothes? Either way, it's a load of crud!”

Unknown to Jack and Apple Bloom, their conversation was no longer private.

“I think your words are quite wise. There's more to me than meets the eyes."

Jack and Apple Bloom jumped at the unexpected comment and looked up to see Zecora staring at them.

"Forgive me speaking out of the blue. I did not mean to frighten you," Zecora apologized.

"It's fine," Jack panted, as his heart rate slowly returned to normal. "I just didn't think you could hear us."

Zecora opened her mouth to respond but found herself interrupted.

“Apple Bloom?”

“Jack?”

Looking behind him, Jack found the Mane Six standing in a bed of blue flowers.

“You get back here right now!” shouted Applejack.

“Beware! Beware, you pony folk! Those leaves of blue are not a joke!” warned Zecora as she backed into the fog.

“Y-you keep yer creepy mumbo-jumbo tuh yerself, ya hear?” Applejack said, grabbing Apple Bloom.

Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity began yelling at Zecora as Twilight sighed, and Fluttershy rushed to Jack.

She didn’t hurt you, did she?” asked Fluttershy as she pulled him into a tight embrace.

"I'm fine, mother," Jack responded through gritted teeth. "I thought we had an agreement!" he hissed.

"I know," Fluttershy whispered. "But, um, with Apple Bloom here, I need to act like a mother."

“Beware! Beware!” shouted Zecora as she faded into the mist.

“Yeah, back at ya, Zecora! You and your lame curse are the ones who better beware!” shouted Rainbow Dash.

“And you!” Applejack said to Apple Bloom. “Why couldn't ya just listen tuh yer big sister?”

“Ah…Ah…” Apple Bloom pouted.

“Who knows what kind of nasty curse Zecora could have just put on ya?” Applejack lectured.

“Just like in my song!” Pinkie said before starting to sing again.

“You guys, there's no such thing as curses!” said Twilight.

“Well, that'sinteresting to hear coming from Miss Magic Pants herself," Rainbow Dash said, poking Twilight's horn.

“My magic, real magic, comes from within. It's a skill you're born with. Curses are artificial, fake magic. It's conjured with potions and incantations; all smoke and mirrors meant to scare. But curses have no real power; they're just an old pony tale," Twilight explained as Rainbow Dash ran her mouth mockingly.

“Just you wait, Twilight. Yer gonna learn that some pony tales really are true," said Applejack as she walked away.

Fluttershy’s Cottage

7 hours later

“I just don’t understand why you think it’s ok to treat Zecora like some kind of witch without any evidence," Jack glowered at Fluttershy.

"She's just not like us, Jack," Fluttershy answered as if it were obvious.

“Ah’m less like you than she is!" Jack pointed out, shaking his head in frustration.

"Well, I…" Fluttershy started.

"I'm going to bed, Fluttershy," Jack said through gritted teeth. "You really shouldn't make judgments about Zecora without getting to know her first!”

Still fuming, he stormed his way upstairs and slamming the door to his room behind him. As Jack undressed, he pulled a blue flower out of his pocket. "At least I managed to get this cool-looking flower out of this trip."

July 8, 2020

Jack’s Room

Jack was awakened by a loud masculine scream from across the hall. Realizing it was coming from Fluttershy's room, he grabbed his gun and, without even putting on his pants, ran to confront what he believed to be an intruder. When he arrived, he found Fluttershy crying in a corner as Angel rolled on the floor and laughing like a hyena.

“What’s wrong, Flutters?” Jack asked.

Rather than respond, Fluttershy chose to bury her face in her arms.

“Come on, what happened and who was shouting?”

Fluttershy responded in a deep voice that would have made Big Macintosh sound feminine in comparison, "I-I think Zecora put a curse on me."

"Are you sure about that?" Jack asked, holding back a laugh.

Fluttershy nodded.

"I still think that's a ridiculous assumption to make," Jack snickered as Angel began tapping his leg. "What do you want?" Jack asked the bunny.

Angel burst into a laughing fit, pointing toward Jack's groin.

"What are you..." Jack asked as he grabbed the area the bunny was pointing to and realized something was missing (something vital.) "WHAT THE FUCK!" she screamed.

"What's wrong?" Fluttershy asked.

"WE NEED TO GO TO TWILIGHT'S RIGHT NOW!"

Golden Oak Library

Jack and Fluttershy arrived at the library to find that Fluttershy wasn't the only pony having problems. Twilight's horn had become soft and floppy, Rainbow Dash could no longer fly without crashing, Rarity's hair had grown out of control, and Pinkie Pie's tongue had swollen up to the point she couldn't talk.

“It's a curse, I tells ya!” squeakily asserted Applejack, who had shrunk to the size of an action figure.

“But Fluttershy and Jack..." Twilight paused, "seem just fine!”

“Yes, there doesn't seem to be a thing wrong with them," said Rarity.

“Fluttershy? Are you ok?” asked Twilight as the shy pegasus looked away. “Is there something wrong with you?" she asked, prompting a nod from Fluttershy. “Would you care to tell us?" Twilight asked, causing Fluttershy to shake her head. “So... you're not going to tell us?” the unicorn asked, invoking a nod from the pegasus. “Yes, you're not, or yes, you will?” Twilight asked only for Fluttershy to shake her head again.

"For the love of God, just tell them!" said Jack. "Maybe if I get her to confess, they won't think to ask me. I mean, with this seven-year-old body, you can't really tell the difference just by looking."

“What’s wrong with ya?” asked Applejack.

"I don't want to talk about it," Fluttershy said in her masculine voice.

"It's just terrible, isn't it?" Jack holding a palm to his forehead. "Let's focus on finding a cure."

"What are you hidin', Jack?" asked Applejack, with a raised eyebrow.

"What do you mean?" Jack asked, putting on his strongest poker face. "Shit, I forgot she had that whole Toph lie detector power.

"Yer hidin' somethin', what is it?" Applejack pressed.

"I..." Jack started. "There's no way out of this, is there?"

"Well?" asked Applejack.

"My err, parts have changed," Jack admitted as he pointed to his groin.

Spike burst out laughing. “This is hilarious! Look at all of you! We got: Jacklin, Hairity, Rainbow Crash, Spitty Pie, Apple Teeny, Flutterguy. And...” he paused upon pointing at Twilight. “Uh... I got nothin'... Twilight Sparkle. I mean, seriously, I can't even work with that.”

Twilight laughed sarcastically. “This is no joke, Spike. Now start looking for more books so I can find a cure!”

"Yeah, we need to fix this NOW!" Jack yelled

Rainbow Dash pulled her head out of the latter she had crashed into. “I think we'll find a cure to this curse at Zecora's place!” she said before crashing again.

While most of the ponies argued, Jack noticed Apple Bloom sneaking out. "Where are you going, Bloom?" he asked, running up beside her.

"This is all mah fault. If ah hadn't followed Zecora, none of this would have happened," Apple Bloom explained once they were safely outside.

"It's not your fault. I followed her too," said Jack as they rushed to the forest. "And now I'm a trans woman. Or a trans man? Dear God, I'm having an identity crisis!"

"Trans what now?" Apple Bloom asked.

"Never mind that, let's just find Zecora!"

“Stop right there!” Applejack shouted as she popped out of her sister’s mane. “Turn around right now, both of yah!”

"She must have hidden in Bloom's mane before we left," Jack realized.

Seeing a clear advantage over her sister, Apple Bloom refused. "No!"

“No?! You can't ignore a direct order from yer big sister!” Applejack snapped.

Apple Bloom responded by knocking her sister off her head and placing her on a lamppost. “Hehehe. Sorry, Applejack, but Ah'm the big sister now.”

With Applejack out of the way, Jack and Apple Bloom continued to Zecora's as Applejack angrily called after them.

“You bring mah sister back here this instant, Jack!”

Zecora’s Hut

Zecora's home was made of baked mud and scraps of wood. Combined with the swampy location, it somewhat reminded Jack of Yoda's hut on Dagobah.

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Apple Bloom asked as they walked up to the hut.

"We'll be fine, Bloom," said Jack as he knocked. "I'm not sure this was the best decision. Sure, all the accusations Pinks and them have thrown at her are probably bunk, but Zecora is still a stranger," he looked at his groin. "Still, if there's any chance she might know how to fix this, I have to take it!"

After a few seconds, Zecora opened the door. "It seems you've gone a while to roam. What brings you to my home?"

“That’s an odd way to ask why we’re here," Jack thought.

"Mah sister and her friends have been cursed!" Apple Bloom explained. "They think yer the one tuh blame, and they're comin' tuh make you turn 'em back."

“They should be careful who they accuse, for what they say just is not true," said Zecora. "I duly warned you pony folk, those leaves of blue were not a joke."

“The flowers!” Jack realized, smashing a fist into his palm.

“I'm glad to see that came to mind. I'd expect no less from humankind," Zecora said, beckoning them inside.

“Does everything she says have to rhyme?” wondered Jack. “Wait a minute, did she just say, human?”

“Is there a cure?” asked Apple Bloom.

"Yeah, please tell me you can fix this!" Jack urgently demanded.

"A cure is something I have found, but for the ingredients, you must look around," explained Zecora.

“Huh?” Jack asked.

"What I've said, it seems you've missed. Just bring me what's on this list," Zecora said, handing him a sheet of paper.

"Oh, thank God," Jack sighed. "I was seriously getting worried I might end up a man trapped in a woman's body for the rest of my life.

10 Minutes Later

Having collected everything on Zecora's list, Jack and Apple Bloom walked back to the hut, where they heard several loud crashes from within. Stepping inside, they found smashed bottles, scattered tribal masks, spilled liquids, and in the center of the room, the Mane Six angrily confronting Zecora.

“What happened here?” asked Jack.

“Jack, you’re ok?” asked a relieved Fluttershy.

"I'm fine, mother," Jack answered.

"Where's Apple Bloom?" asked Applejack.

"Ah'm right here," Apple Bloom said, stepping out from behind Jack.

“Thank Celestia yer ok, Apple Bloom, Ah was worried sick!”

“Why wouldn’t Ah be?” asked Apple Bloom.

“Because Zecora is an evil enchantress who cursed us and was gonna cook you up into soup!” Twilight said, jumping between them and Zecora.

Jack, Apple Bloom, and Zecora broke out in a fit of giggles.

"Don't tell me they actually got to you, Twilight," Jack sighed. "I thought you valued evidence."

"Come on, Jack, you can't just stand there and tell me this isn't a curse," Twilight said as she pointed to the other ponies.

"This isn't a curse," Apple Bloom said as she walked past with the ingredients she and Jack had gathered.

“If you will remember back, the words I spoke were quite exact," Zecora said.

"The blue flowers you guys were wallowing in are what caused our…" Jack fished for the right word, "problems."

“It's called Poison Joke," added Apple Bloom.

“That plant is much like poison oak. But its results are like a joke,” Zecora explained.

“What in the hay does that mean?” asked Applejack from atop Zecora’s head.

“It means this plant does not breed wrath. Instead, this plant just wants a laugh," the Zebra elaborated.

“Will somepony, please talk normally?” asked Applejack.

“She’s saying that the blue flowers you stepped in affected your body in the same manner of poison oak, except instead of making you itch, it played littlepranks on you," Jack said.

"But you didn't step in the flowers," Twilight pointed out. "How did you get affected?"

"I saw the flowers and thought they looked pretty so..." Jack blushed.

"Are you telling me you picked up a strange plant and brought it home with you?" Twilight asked incredulously.

"Yeah, I did," Jack quietly admitted.

Zecora explained how she attempted to brew a cure for them and handed Twilight a book with the recipe. Realizing her mistake, Twilight asked Zecora to whip up another batch.

“Mix it up. I certainly will. Yet I am missing an herb from Ponyville,” Zecora agreed.

“But whenever Zecora comes to town, all the shops are mysteriously closed," Apple Bloom added.

Hearing this, the Mane Six agreed to bring Zecora to town. Although the citizens were timid around her initially, they began to warm up to Zecora after Twilight explained what had happened. Within a few hours, the remedy was ready, and the Mane Six and Jack were soaking in it at the spa.

Feeling his groin, the human let out a sigh of relief. As he got out of the tub, he noticed Zecora standing by the door. Slipping on his clothes, he walked over to her. "So, what do you know about humans?"

“Tales of your kind exist in all nations. Most have been passed for generations,” said Zecora, giving Jack a serious look. “It's best you leave this location. If he finds you, there'll be devastation.”

“What do you mean?” Jack asked Zecora as she opened the door.

"Based on the events of the past, you'll find your answer rather fast," she answered cryptically.

Author's Note

Surprisingly writing for Zecora wasn't as hard as I initially expected.
Next time: A dark force discusses some unusual Magic signatures coming from Ponyville, which they believe may be the results of an experiment they had initially thought to have failed.

Chapter 14: Elements of Chaos (Last Edited: 7/1/2022)

July 8, 2020

Uncharted Land to the East

Far to the east of Equestria, beyond even Griffonstone, was a desolate land where few ponies ever ventured. Wild beasts, harsh mountainous terrain, and rumors of a curse kept all but the truly desperate from even considering stepping foot in the area. Apart from a narrow trade route between Stalliongrad and Neighpon, notorious for bandit attacks, even Celestia knew little of the land. A perfect place for those not wishing to be found.

Somewhere in this land lay a fortress which, to the untrained eye, appeared to be part of the rugged terrain. Apart from its cave-like entrance, the bulk of the stronghold was underground carved into the granite mountainside.

Deep within the fortress, two ponies walked down a dimly lit hall. The first pony was a small pink filly with a purple mane and a cutie mark depicting a bright red heart engulfed in flames. At first glance, one might mistake her for a pegasus; however, she had the wings of a bat and a long whip-like tail tipped with a spike. Her companion was a thin white unicorn stallion with a black tail and no mane. His cutie mark was a pony's skull. His eyes were pure white and seemingly lifeless; in fact, his entire body gave off the appearance of a walking corpse.

“It’s unusual per Blutknochen to call everypony at once," the unicorn said in a dry Italian accent. “Oni-Hime, perhaps you could shed some luce on your padre’s plan?”

“Otō-san doesn’t tell me any more than he tells you, Morte-san," the filly replied in a Japanese accent.

"His last plan was of no value whatsoever," Morte said with disdain.

"Chūi shite, that sounds like treason," Oni-Hime glared. “We wouldn’t be summoned like this if there wasn’t a big plan.”

The two entered a large chamber with a large circular table in the center. The table was surrounded by six chairs, each with a different word written in different languages. The nearest chair going left was written, Yokubō, Avidità, Fluch, Wrath, Bedrag, and Trahison. Oni-Hime sat down at the chair labeled Yokubō, and Morte sat at the chair labeled Avidità.

"The others are late," noted Morte.

“I'm sure they will be here soon," said Oni-Hime.

The door slammed open, and an angry, red pegasus stallion barged in. The stallion had a black mane, a braided tail, and a flaming pentagram cutie mark. Yanking the wrath chair out from the table, a geyser of embers shot from his mane.

"Anata no mondai wa nandesuka, Damned-baka!!!!??" Oni-Hime shouted indignantly as an ember singed her mane.

“I was about to turn this sickeningly peaceful town to rubble…” Damned hissed, ignoring his comrade's anger. “AND THEN BUCKING BLUTKNOCHEN DECIDES TO CALL ME HERE!" he shouted, blasting his rump in the seat. "Where is Blutknochen anyway?”

"Nowhere to be found," said Morte. "Whatever he has planned had better be profitable."

"That's just TYPICAL now, isn't it!?" Damned yelled as he kicked the underside of the table with a loud bang.

"I get that your element is wrath, but your violent outbursts are annoying," Oni-Hime complained. "You could have seriously damaged my mane."

“You rarely live up to your element at all!” growled Damned. “Don’t bitch at me about mine!”

"It's not my fault none of you are attractive enough for me," Oni-Hime replied smugly.

“I see you're all getting along," said a skinny green earth pony stallion, with a blond mane, goatee, a cutie mark of a pair of crossed hooves, and a Norwegian accent. "Hvor fantastisk."

“Oh buck off, Løgner!” Damned spat.

"You don't need to be so hostile," Løgner said as he sat in the Bedrag seat. “I assume Blutknochen knows about your little excursion, ja?”

“How did you find out about that?” asked Damned.

"You just told me," Løgner answered.

"Bucking prick," Damned muttered under his breath.

“Est Damned whining like un enfant again?” asked a green pegasus mare with a red mane, bacteria cutie mark, and French accent.

"Oh great, first I have to deal with Løgner, now this bitch,” Damned groaned.

"I cannot imagine why you are so hostile toward moi," the pegasus said in mock indignation as she sat in the chair labeled Trahison.

“YOU KNOW WHAT YOU DID, MALADE!” roared Damned.

“I don’t see why it still bothers you so much. You got out of prison, non?” Malade retorted

“I WOULDN’T HAVE BEEN CAUGHT IF YOU HADN’T ABANDONED ME!” Dammned shouted as his body ignited.

An icy chill took over the room, halting any further arguments. Even Dammned, whose powers made all but immune to cold, felt as if his blood were about to freeze solid.

"Always arguing over nothing," said a deep voice in a German accent.

A large black alicorn stallion with a cutie mark depicting a ruby red rosary materialized out of the darkness. “I am sure you all are wondering why I've summoned you.”

“Sì.”

“Hai, Otōsan!”

“NO SHIT!”

“Ja.”

“Oui.”

“Gut! We previously thought mein last experiment was ein failure. While we managed to drag ein großes chunk of land through the portal, the only human we found was comatose from direct exposure to the void between our worlds," Blutknochen explained. "However, recently, I have been sensing ein interesting magic signature. Eine unique to Discord und humans. Seeing as Discord is still trapped in stone, this only leaves us with eine possibility."

“You mean there is un secondo human?” asked Morte.

"Exactly," Blutknochen said as he sat in the Fluch chair.

“This signature, where est it?” asked Malade.

"In Equestria," Blutknochen answered. "From was I can tell, somewhere in the Everfree Region."

“You don’t think it may have fallen into Celestia's hooves?" asked Løgner.

"I'm afraid das may be exactly was has happened," Blutknochen sighed.

“If Celestia has control over l'humain, then it is a threat. We should neutralize it before she has a chance to harness its power against us," Malade suggested.

“After all that work vi put into bringing it here?” asked Løgner.

"Indeed, acquiring the spell books off the black market was quite expensive. Are you suggesting we let it all go to waste?" asked Morte.

"As much as I HATE Malade. I have to agree. We should get rid of it," said Damned. With a demented grin, he added, "let me do it! My Hellfire won't even leave his bones behind!"

"I think you are all forgetting your place," said Oni-Hime. "What do you think we should do, Otō-san?”

“The human ist ein essential component to meine plans," said Blutknochen. “If we play our cards right, we can still use it.” He teleported a map of Equestria onto the table. “The only settlement in the region i have sensed the signatures, ist here," he said, pointing at the map "Ponyville.”

"Can I blow it up?" Damned asked eagerly.

“Dummkopf," Blutknochen muttered. "Nein, we need the human intact. I have something more subtle in mind," he said as he turned to his daughter. "Oni-Hime, I'd like you to infiltrate Ponyville, find the human, und report back to me."

"Hai!" the filly responded. "I will leave immediately."

"Excellent," said Blutknochen, as he turned to the corpse-like unicorn to his right. "I have ein task for you as well, Morte. There are many graves for you to plunder in the human settlements we summoned."

"Sì signore," Morte said as he got out of his seat.

“What about us?” asked Damned. “You can’t tell us to do nothing while the slut and the thief get all the fun!”

“Your time will come, Damned. I promise there will be plenty for you to destroy in the coming months.”

“Fine!” Damned spat. “I’ll wait.”

“Wunderbar! Meeting adjourned,” said Blutknochen.

Once the other ponies left, Blutknochen pulled out a crown with a gem in the center shaped like his cutie mark, "You've stopped me time und time again, Celestia. This time Harmony will fall und Chaos will reign. Then I can finally achieve mein goal."

Author's Note

Ok, so this is my first time writing for villains, so I'd like some honest feedback here. Did I do well? Did I do poorly? If I didn't do well, what could I change to make it good? If I did, what could I do to make it better? As for the accents, honestly, at first, I tried to write the accents in, but they ended up sounding racist as fuck to me (The European accents, too, not just the Japanese.) I guess the Apple family accent seems fine to me because I have a similar accent myself. Instead, I chose to have the characters use a mixture of English and words from their native language similar to their English counterparts.
Next Time: Ponyville faces an infestation during preparations for Princess Celestia's arrival while Jack suffers from the effects of being off his meds for several days.
Edit: I've edited a large number of foreign words back to their English counterparts for readability purposes. I intend to do so for all my chapters involving the Elements of Chaos but it will be a slow process.

Chapter 15: Swarm of the Century (Last Edited: 7/16/2022)

July 10, 2020

Edge of the Everfree Forest

It had been three days since the poison joke incident and Zecora's ominous warning weighed heavily on Jack's mind. To make matters worse, he was missing his Asperger's meds, and Princess Celestia was scheduled to visit tomorrow. At present, he and Fluttershy were gathering flowers for the Princess's arrival.

“Who was she talking about? Should I take her advice and leave?” he wondered.

“Are you alright, Jack?” asked Fluttershy as she picked a flower from a bush.

“I’m fine!” Jack said defensively.

“Are you sure?” Fluttershy asked in concern. “You’ve been acting off since yesterday.”

"It's nothing," Jack said. "I could ask them to check the Lowcountry for my prescriptions. I'm sure if they look through a few pharmacies, they'll find the right ones… No, it'll take too long to get there and back. Celestia will be here tomorrow. I should have taken care of this earlier."

"If you're sure," said Fluttershy as a squirrel holding a dandelion tapped her leg. "Oh, thank you, little squirrel, but these flowers are meant for the Princess. Only the prettiest will do.”

A calm breeze blew the seeds from the dandelion, and the squirrel rushed off.

"I think we have enough flowers, Jack," Said Fluttershy as she picked up her basket. "We should go ahead and bring them back to town."

"Uh, yeah, sure," Jack said, awkwardly avoiding eye contact.

The pain he felt from looking people in the eye had come back soon after his last dosage of medication wore off.

As the two of them walked toward a bucket of apples they had brought to share with the local wildlife, Fluttershy was startled by a chirping noise and jumped behind the bucket for cover.

Looking around, Jack discovered the source of the noise to be a small insect. "It's just a bug, you cry… er, I mean it’s just a fly, Flutters," he facepalmed. His poor attitude had come back too. "That was close!”

The shy pegasus peaked out from behind the apple bucket and noticed the bug. “Oh my goodness!” she said, moving to get a better look. “Hello, Little guy. I’ve never seen anything like you before.”

The bug responded by flying over to an apple and giving a small chirp.

“Oh, are you hungry?” Fluttershy asked before crushing the apple. “Here you go.”

The insect showed no interest in the crushed apple and instead began to devour the apples in the bucket rapidly.

“What the fuck? It shouldn’t even be able to eat one apple. How is it…” Jack thought as the fly finished. “Dear God, I can’t take anymore weird right now.”

“I guess you were hungry," Fluttershy said as the fly settled in her mane.

“Oh, come on! You can’t be serious!” Jack yelled.

“What are you talking about?” asked Fluttershy in concern.

"That thing just swallowed like ten times its body mass in only a few seconds, and yer just lettin' it rest in yer hair?!" Jack asked.

“Why wouldn’t I?”

“How do ya know it ain’t gonna eat you next?”

"Don't be silly, Jack," Fluttershy said as the fly rubbed against her face. "Does this look like the face of a pony eater?" she asked as it stared at him with puppy dog eyes.

"No," Jack relented.

"Good, then let's go show this adorable little thing to our friends," Fluttershy said as she walked toward the town.

"Alright," Jack sighed.

Outside Sugarcube Corner

“Do we really need to show it to Pinkie first?” Jack groaned.

“What’s wrong with that?” asked Fluttershy.

"N-nothing," Jack replied. "I really can’t deal with Pinkie Pie right now.”

"Good, and Twilight should be here too," Fluttershy said as they entered Sugar Cube Corner. “Twilight, Pinkie, you won't believe...” Fluttershy began before noticing that her two friends seemed to be in the middle of an argument. “Oh, I'm sorry. Uh, am I interrupting?”

“No, not at all. Come on in and make yourself at home," Pinkie said. She then rolled out her tongue and dragged a cake from the counter into her throat, like a chameleon catching a fly.

“Well, that's the last thing I expected to see today, or ever," Jack shuddered. “I knew I should have stayed home today.”

“What’s up, you guys?” asked Pinkie.

“You won't believe what we found at the edge of the Everfree Forest," Fluttershy said, glancing at her mane. "Come on out, little guy. It's okay.”

To both Fluttershy and Jack's surprise, not one, not two, but three little bugs flew out.

“Three?” they questioned at the same time.

"What are they, Gremlins?" Jack nervously joked to himself.

“They're amazing," said Twilight as she walked over. “What are they?”

“I'm not sure," Fluttershy answered. “I'm also not sure where these other two came from.”

“I'll take one off your hooves. I've never seen anything so... adorable," Twilight offered as she cuddled the insect. “Besides, it'll be nice to have a companion for Spike, so he won't bother me so much while I'm studying.”

Jack's jaw hit the floor. “Ya wanna keep 'em!?” he asked. “We have no idea what the fuck these things are!”

"They're parasprites," said Pinkie.

“Para-what-now?” Jack asked.

"No time to explain," Pinkie said as she walked out the door. "I need to find a trombone now!"

"Well, that was random," Jack noted once Pinkie was gone.

"That's Pinkie for you," Twilight sighed. "I should get going. There's still a ton of planning to do."

"Good luck, Twilight," Fluttershy called as the unicorn left. "I think we should get these little guys back to the cottage now," she told Jack, snuggling the two remaining parasprites in her mane.

Ponyville Town Square

On his way home with Fluttershy, Jack noticed Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, Diamond Tiara, and Silver Spoon gathered around Town Hall.

"Check out my new cutie mark, blank-flanks!" Silver Spoon boasted, proudly displaying the fancy spoon icon on her flank.

"Oh, look, Jack, it's your friends," Fluttershy pointed out. "Why don't you go play with them?"

"I'm not sure that's a good idea right now, mother," Jack said, nervously fidgeting.

"You've been avoiding your friends for two days now," Fluttershy pointed out. "I'm starting to get worried. Please do it for me," Fluttershy said with puppy dog eyes.

"Ugh, fine," Jack sighed. "This isn’t going to go well.”

"Wonderful, enjoy your playdate," Fluttershy said as she continued to the cottage.

"Yeah, sure," Jack said as he looked over to the fillies.

“Diamond Tiara doesn’t have hers yet either," Scootaloo pointed out. "Why don’t you go pick on her?”

“This coming from the pegasus who can’t even fly yet," Diamond Tiara sneered.

“So what?” asked Sweetie Belle.

"So, I'd say a pegasus that can't fly is about as useless as a unicorn that can't use magic," Diamond Tiara answered.

“I…” Sweetie Belle started, unable to muster a retort.

"That's what I thought," Diamond Tiara said in satisfaction.

“HEY!” Jack shouted, running toward the fillies.

"Oh great, it's the ape," said Silver Spoon.

“What’s going on here?” Jack asked once he reached his classmates.

"We're just putting these blank-flanks in their place," Silver Spoon responded.

“Blank-flanks?” Jack questioned as he noticed her new cutie mark. “Oh, you got your butt tattoo, congratulations!”

"Butt tattoo? It's called a cutie mark, you disgusting ape!" Diamond Tiara snapped.

“Tomato, Tomato, who cares," Jack said playfully. “Hopefully, since I'm not stressed out right now, I won't have another meltdown.”

"I guess a dumb ape like you wouldn't understand the importance of having a cutie mark," Diamond Tiara responded.

"Fair enough, but it doesn't look like you have one either," Jack pointed out.

Diamond Tiara wasn’t happy with being talked down to, but she didn’t really have a comeback either. “Whatever, let’s get out of here, Silver Spoon.”

“Good idea, we should like get ready for my cute-ceañera,” Silver Spoon agreed as they left.

"Thank you, Jack," Sweetie Belle said, bowing her head.

“Yeah, you really showed them!” Scootaloo exclaimed.

"Don't mention it, you guys," Jack said. "Maybe I can act normally even without the meds.”

“Me and Sweetie Belle were going to hang out at my house," Scootaloo explained. "Miss Cheerilee is taking care of me tonight and said we could have a sleepover!"

“I thought she lived with her aunts. Is Cheerilee like her sister or something?” Jack wondered. “Are you related to Miss Cheerilee or something?”

"No, she just takes care of me sometimes when my aunts can't," Scootaloo responded.

Scootaloo explained that her parents were adventurers and were never home. Her aunts took care of her when they could, but most of the time, the adults in Ponyville took turns taking care of her.

Jack tried to pay attention, but he found himself zoning out after the first few words, "That's nice," he said when she was done talking.

“What do you mean nice!!?” Scootaloo snapped. “I just said that my parents never have any time to take care of me.”

“Shit!" Jack thought. "I… well, I mean, uh, look at it from my perspective. My parents are dead. At least you still get to see yours sometimes."

"I guess that makes sense," Scootaloo said.

Scootaloo’s House

They arrived at Scootaloo's house five minutes later. The house was pretty much the same as most houses in Ponyville's residential districts. Two stories and made almost entirely of brightly colored wood, except for the roof, which was made of thatched straw. The thatching was done for insulation, most likely as there was no shortage of timber to construct something more sturdy.

“Welcome home, Scootaloo," Cheerilee said as they walked inside. "I see you've brought Jack with you as well. Will he be staying over?"

“Can he?” asked Scootaloo, with a wide grin.

"If Fluttershy says it's fine, then sure," Cheerilee responded.

"I didn't really get the chance to ask her," Jack admitted hoping to avoid any chance of spending the night without meds.

"I see," Cheerilee responded. "Oh well, you can at least stay for dinner. The three of you can hang out in the living room until it's ready."

"If you don't mind me asking, what were your family like?" Scootaloo asked as they got settled on a short couch.

"I can do better than that. I'll show them to you," Jack said, fishing his phone out of his pocket.

"But I thought they were… you know," said Sweetie Belle.

"They are," said Jack, pulling up a photo of him and his family. "The blond lady to the left is my mother, the large man to the right is my father, and my brother is the skinny guy beside my dad."

"Oh, wow, your mom is so pretty!" Sweetie Belle complimented.

"Who's the long-maned guy beside your mom?" asked Scootaloo.

"That's me… Err, my cousin," Jack said.

"He looks like he hasn't taken a bath in weeks," Sweetie Belle said.

"Hey, give him a break. He had just gotten home from work when this was taken," Jack said.

"My family would never let me get my picture taken like that," Sweetie Belle said. "In fact…"

"Yeah, that's nice," Jack interrupted. "But my cousin worked outside all day, so I really don't think there is any need to criticize him for his hygiene."

From that point forward, the conversation turned to nothing more than a monologue from Jack in which the two fillies could not manage to get more than a few sentences without being interrupted. After about ten minutes into the conversation, Cheerilee informed them that dinner was ready.

While the others dug into their meal, Jack was somewhat reluctant. Something Cheerilee was quick to pick up on. “You haven’t touched your salad, Jack. Is something wrong?”

"Humans don't really eat grass," he admitted.

"I'm so sorry. I'll find something else for you right away," Cheerilee said as she got up.

"Thanks," Jack said. "Wait a minute. I can't just let her make a whole new meal for me! I shouldn't have even come here, to begin with.”

“So, we have…” Cheerilee began.

“Wait, Miss Cheerilee?” Jack asked.

"Yes, Jack?”

“Can I talk to you… privately?”

“Sure," Cheerilee said, twitching her head toward the hallway.

Jack followed her into the hall.

“What do you need to talk about?” Cheerilee asked.

“Well… You remember that outburst I had on my first day?”

"I do," Cheerilee acknowledged. "You said it was because of a condition, and you had run out of meds, right?"

"Yeah, here's the thing," Jack started, rubbing his head awkwardly. "I kinda ran out of my meds again."

“Why don’t you tell Fluttershy?” asked Cheerilee.

"I'll do it tomorrow, but I realize that I've probably been a bit rude since I got here so, you don't need to make me any more food. I'll just go home now," Jack explained.

"I understand," Cheerilee explained. "Do you need me to take you home?"

"No, I'll be fine," Jack dismissed. "Thanks anyway."

Outside Fluttershy’s Cottage

5 minutes later

“I’ll tell Fluttershy tomorrow," thought Jack. "I've been lucky, so far, I've just been a little awkward." He let out a sigh, "Look on the bright side, Jack. How stressful can things get between now and tomorrow morning?"

"Hey, Flutters. How are you…" Jack said as he opened the door. "What the fuck?"

The two parasprites Fluttershy had brought home with her had increased in number to eighteen.

“Where did all these things come from!?” Jack asked Fluttershy, who was sorting through her animal food.

"I'm not really sure," Fluttershy admitted.

"Well, you had better figure it out! They're multiplying like fucking guppies!” Jack exclaimed.

"I know, but it's not like they're hurting anything," Fluttershy said.

Jack put his left hand over his face and sighed. "Whatever, I'm going to bed."

July 11, 2020

Jack’s Room

It was almost noon when Jack woke up. He quickly slipped on his clothes and headed for the door. To his surprise, upon opening it, his room was flooded by a tsunami of little bugs.

"Well, this is just typical now, ain't it?" he said to himself.

He headed to the pantry for a late breakfast. Empty. The cabinets, fridge, and freezer, all fully stocked the night before, were picked clean.

There was no sign of Fluttershy other than an empty plate and glass on the kitchen table just barely visible through the swarm of insects. Upon further investigation, Jack found a note next to the plate.

Dear Jack

When I woke up this morning, I found that the parasprites had multiplied to the point they were swarming the cottage. Twilight, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash are all having the same problem. As much as it pains me to do it, we all agreed to release them all back into the Everfree forest, but I did decide to keep one. I’ve left some eggs for you on the table.

See you when I get back.

Fluttershy.

By the time Jack finished reading, the hand he held the note in was shaking violently. “FUCKIN' BULLSHIT!” he shouted, slamming his hand onto the table.

Outside

Having disposed of their parasprites in the Everfree Forest, Twilight and friends were on their way back to Fluttershy's Cottage. With the infestation over, they could now focus on preparations for Celestia's arrival.

“Okay, everyone knows what to do, right?” asked Twilight as they arrived. “We gotta work extra hard to make up for lost time.”

Fluttershy opened the door, and the group was pelted by a swarm of insects from inside. When the wave subsided, a fuming Jack walked out.

“Where did they come from?” Twilight asked.

“AH’LL TELL YA EXACTLY WHERE THEY CAME FROM!” Jack shouted, pointing accusingly at Fluttershy. “THIS GENIOUS DECIDED TUH KEEP ONE!”

"I couldn't help m-myself," Fluttershy defended. "They were just so cute."

“YOU KNEW THAT THE ONES YA JUST GOT RID OF ALL CAME FROM THE SAME BUG, AND YOU STILL KEPT ONE!”

“I-I just…” Fluttershy stuttered.

“Come on, Jack! Sure, Fluttershy messed up, but don’t you think you're being a little harsh on her?” asked Rainbow Dash.

"Whatever," Jack sighed.

“We don't have time to keep rounding up these things," Twilight said as the parasprites swarmed around them. “What do we do now?”

“We call in the weather patrol!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, putting on a pair of goggles and taking off. Surveying the chaos, she quipped, “time to take out the adorable trash!" With that, she dove. “YAAAAAA!”

As Dash rapidly flew in a circle until a tornado formed, sucking the insects inside.

“Way to go, Rainbow Dash!” Twilight said as the last bug got sucked into the twister.

“Looks like our problems are solved," Applejack agreed.

Unfortunately, things are seldom so easy. At that moment, Pinkie Pie came by with some cymbals that were sucked into the tornado, throwing Rainbow Dash off balance. The blue pegasus crashed, and her twister broke apart, releasing the swarm into Ponyville.

“Pinkie Pie, what have you done?” Twilight asked with a glare.

“I've lost a brand-new pair of cymbals; that's what I've done," Pinkie lamented.

“Will you forget about your silly instruments for one second?” Twilight asked. “You're ruining our efforts to save Ponyville.”

“Me? Ruin?” Pinkie asked indignantly. “I'm not the ruiner. I'm the ruin-ee! Or is it ruiness? Ruinette?”

“Come on, girls, there's no reasoning with that one. She's a few apples short of a bushel," Applejack said as she and the other ponies departed for town.

“Hey! I'm trying to tell you all that the ruining is on the other hoof. If you'd just slow down and listen to me!” Pinkie called after them.

"Alright, Pinks. What are you trying to say?" Jack asked after the other ponies had left.

“You’ll really listen?” asked Pinkie.

“Just spit it out already!” Jack snapped.

"Okey-doke, Loki!" Pinkie giggled. "The only way to stop parasprites is with music. I've been trying to gather instruments to lead them out of town."

"That sounds like a load of shit to me," Jack said.

"I'm serious!" Pinkie argued. "You have a recorder, right? It would be so much help if you could lend it to me."

“Bull…” Jack stopped himself. “Wait, the musical instrument idea is stupid, but I think I do have something that could help.”

“Jackey?” Pinkie questioned.

"Alright, Pinks. Let's go get my recorder," Jack said.

Jack’s Room

4 minutes later

Jack dug through his junk drawer, looking through the items Twilight had returned to him. "Cross neckless from confirmation? Nope! Wallet? Nope! Passport? Nope! Keys? Nope! Lighter and bug spray? There we go!"

Jack grabbed the items and started to close the drawer.

“Where’s the recorder?” asked Pinkie.

"Oh yeah," Jack pulled out a green plastic recorder with multicolored strings tied around the foot. "Here you go!"

“Thanks, Jackeygottagobye!”

“Clean the damn thing before you bring it back!” Jack called after her before looking at his redneck flamethrower. “Well, this is smart."

Ponyville Residential District

15 minutes later

Due to a botched attempt by Twilight Sparkle at curbing the swarm's hunger, the bugs had switched from eating the town's food to eating the town itself. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle were on their way to the market when it began and ducked into an alley for safety. Unfortunately for them, the buildings around them were rapidly consumed.

“Hurry up, Sweetie Belle!” shouted Scootaloo. “We need to get to my scooter.”

The two made a break for the scooter but were beaten to the punch by one of the bugs.

“Get the hay away from my scooter!” Scootaloo shouted.

The bug paid her no mind and was about to devour the small vehicle when a stream of fire shot it down.

“Take that, you flying trash compactor!” Jack shouted.

“Jack!” the fillies shouted.

"You girls alright?" he asked.

Scootaloo waved dismissively. “Psht, of course, I had everything under control."

“How did you find us?” asked Sweetie Belle.

"I heard Scootaloo yelling," he answered. "I'm on my way to the town square. Don’t suppose I could get a lift?”

“Sure thing!” Scootaloo said as she hopped onto the scooter. “Grab on!”

“You got it, Scoots!” Jack said as he and Sweetie Belle got behind her.

Scootaloo's wings beat like a hummingbird's, propelling the scooter forward as Sweetie Belle held onto her, and Jack shot down any parasprites who dared to come near them. They arrived in the town square to find the place in chaos. Rainbow Dash struggled to fend off a swarm as she flew between buildings. Rarity franticly tried to wrestle a dress away from another swarm, only to break into tears when the swarm eventually won. Fluttershy desperately tried to reason with them, and Applejack tried sicking her dog, Wynona, on them.

Jack hopped off the scooter and went to work with his flamethrower. However, there was a flaw in his plan.

"Ah, need a little help over here!" Applejack said as she was pushed back by a swarm attempting to get at a lamppost.

“On it!” Jack said as he aimed his can at them. He pressed the cap down to no result. “What the?”

Pressing it a few more times, he realized he had run out of bug spray.

“What’s wrong?” asked Applejack.

“I’m out!”

"Well, what are we s'posed tuh do now?"

"To Hell, if I know," Jack shrugged.

As the chaos continued, Twilight returned to town, having consulted Zecira on the parasprites. "Okay, here's the plan. Rainbow Dash, you distract them.”

Rainbow Dash flew past, trying to evade a swarm. "YAAA!"

“Good. Everyone else, we need to build an exact copy of Ponyville right over there. We've got less than a minute!” Twilight exclaimed maniacally. “Zecora was right. We're doomed.”

The chaos was interrupted by the sound of parade music in the distance.

“Oh no, the Princess's procession is here. It's all over!” Twilight exclaimed.

"What… the fuuuck?” Jack questioned when he saw the origin of the music.

Pinkie Pie marched down the street, playing a massive conglomeration of instruments she had collected from town.

“Pinks! What the Hell is this!!?” Jack shouted. “Now is not the time for your weirdness!”

Much to Jack's surprise, the music seemed to calm the bugs, who stopped their swarming and began to bob up and down in time with the song. “She was telling the truth?!” he exclaimed as the parasprites fell in line and followed the pink pony out of town.

As Jack and the ponies followed their friend in shock, Twilight noticed the Princesses chariot landing nearby. "Look!" she said as she pointed toward the landing site.

Everyone except for Pinkie made their way to welcome the Princess. The ponies bowed as Jack stared at the Princess with indifference.

“Twilight Sparkle, my prized pupil," Celestia greeted.

“Hello, Princess," Twilight said as she sat up.

“So lovely to see you again, as well as your friends," Celestia said.

There was a crash of cymbals, and the other ponies cringed as Pinkie marched by with the parasprites.

“So... how was the trip? Hit much traffic?” Twilight asked awkwardly.

“Ah, what is this?” Celestia asked as a parasprite landed on her wing. “Oh ho ho, these creatures are adorable.”

Celestia continued to converse with Twilight while Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle questioned Jack as to why he had been acting so weird.

"You seem… different lately," said Scootaloo.

"No offense, but you were kind of rude yesterday," Sweetie Belle added.

Jack sighed. "Well, you see… I kinda…Well…" Jack started. "I'm off my meds. I have been since Thursday.”

“Why don’t you just ask Fluttershy to get more?” asked Sweetie Belle.

"I don't think they have my particular prescription in Equestria," Jack explained. "She'd probably have to search through the Lowcountry to find the right ones."

“Perhaps I can be of assistance?” Celestia said, having overheard the conversation.

“And how do you plan on doing that?” Jack asked before mockingly bowing and adding. “You’re highness.”

"I could send a few soldiers in to find the right meds," Celestia said. "All I'd need to know is what you need and where to look."

“You’d do that for me?” Jack asked.

"Of course, it's the least I could do for somepony who's worked so hard to protect my little ponies," Celestia replied.

"In that case, any building with a sign saying Walgreens, CVS, or Publix could have them," Jack said. "And you'll be looking for Risperdal, Atomexitine, and Ritalin.”

"You'll have them by tomorrow," Celestia said.

"Thank you, Celestia," Jack said. "If there's anything I can do in return, just let me know."

"Well, there is one thing," Celestia said. "The Royal Court will convene in 5 days' time. As you are the subject of the meeting, I would very much appreciate it if you were to attend. The court has been made aware of your secret and would very much like your honest responses to our questions."

"Sure thing," Jack responded.

"Wonderful," Celestia said. "Well, as much as I would like to stick around, there's a bit of an infestation in Fillydelphia that needs my attention."

Princess Celestia got back on her chariot and departed for Fillydelphia. This departure went unnoticed by a certain pink pony.

“Hey, what happened to the princess?” asked Pinkie.

"Emergency in Fillydelphia," Twilight responded.

“Some sort of infestation," Rainbow Dash added.

“Oh no! Have they got parasprites too? Well, have tuba, will travel," Pinkie said before giving her tuba a toot.

“I think the princess can handle it," Twilight said.

“So you knew what those critters were all along, huh Pinkie Pie?” asked Applejack.

“Well, duh!” Pinkie exclaimed. “Why do you think I was so frantic to get my hooves on all these instruments? I tried to tell you.”

“We know, Pinkie Pie, and we're sorry we didn't listen," Twilight said.

The other ponies added their own apologies as well, and finally, Jack reluctantly gave his own apology.

"Hey, Pinks?"

"Yes, Jackey?"

“I’m sorry I said your idea was full of… you know.”

"Don't worry about it," Pinkie said. "I can hardly fault you, considering you weren’t on your meds.”

“How did you…”

“Still a secret!”

Twilight cleared her throat. "In any case, thank you, Pinkie. You saved my reputation with Princess Celestia, and more importantly, you saved Ponyville.”

Town Square

15 minutes later

"Or not," Twilight said as they stood in the ruined town square.

Grabbing a trombone, Pinkie played a sad tune.

Author's Note

Not really sure how I feel about how this one turned out. There are parts of it I really like, but also parts I didn't think were very good.
Next Time: Oni-Hime arrives in Ponyville and quickly takes a liking to her target. Meanwhile, Jack and Spike team up to help each other out with chores.

Chapter 16: Oni-Hime (Last Edited: 7/17/2022)

July 13, 2020

Friendship Express: On route between Manehatten and Ponyville

Oni-Hime watched the landscape of Equestria pass her by with an exuberant smile. The trip from the Eastern Continent to Equestria had been the most fun she'd had in decades. While her fellow elements were of little appeal to her, she had already met several outsiders that had caught her interest. From the sexy Griffoness in Griffonstone to the macho earth pony stallion in Manehatten, it was becoming very hard to focus on her mission. She very well might have abandoned her mission entirely if it weren't for two things.

For one, despite being 415 years old, she didn't look any older than a school filly. This childish appearance was off-putting to anypony she would try flirting with, to say the least. A few decades ago, her size wouldn't have been a problem, but it would seem that tastes among the outsiders had changed since she last visited civilization. As it stood, her Yūwaku, no Noroi (Seduction Curse), only worked on those who already had some attraction to her, even if it was only on the subconscious level. Then there was her father. Blutknochen was the only family she had left. As such, she was fiercely loyal to him and would sooner die than disobey his wishes.

“I wonder what this human will be like," she thought to herself.

Apart from Morte, Blutknochen hadn't allowed any of the Elements to see the comatose human that had been recovered from the experiment. She knew from the stories she'd heard that humans were a kind of ape with powerful magic, but she knew little else. She was still with her mother during Blutknochen's last successful experiment and had only ever seen objects pulled from his less successful ones. Bizarre objects indeed, many like nothing she'd ever seen, and over time they only got stranger. Blutknochen claimed this was due to the humans being unable to use their magic in their home world. The lack of magic meant they had to get creative with their technology.

Golden Oak Library

Jack was pleasantly surprised at how quickly the town had recovered from the parasprite attack. Sure, there was still a ton of repair work left to do, but for the most part, everyone seemed to be going about their day as if the attack never happened. He couldn't help but compare this to how America responded to disasters. Puerto Rico still hadn't fully recovered from Hurricane Maria, and it had taken years to rebuild New Orleans after Katrina.

A guard unit had dropped off his prescription earlier that morning, and currently, he was on his way to return a book on common animal diseases that Fluttershy had checked out weeks earlier. This was one of several errands he had agreed to run for his adoptive mother by the end of the day. As he walked up to the library's entrance, he couldn’t help wondering what strange thing would happen next.

Knocking on the door, he heard Spike answer from the other side.

“Just give me a few seconds! I’ll be right there!”

After almost two minutes, the door opened, and Spike walked out. "Oh, hey, Jack. What brings you here today?"

"Just returning this," Jack answered, handing the book to Spike.

"Thanks, I'll tell Twilight you dropped by to return it when she gets back," Spike said as he snatched the book.

“What’s got you in such a hurry?” Jack asked before Spike could close the door.

"Twilight left me with a ton of chores to do," Spike explained. "I wish I had time to hang out, but I really need to get back to work."

"I get it. I'm doing some chores for mother as well," Jack replied as a thought occurred. "Hey, why don't we help each other out. That way, we can do our chores and hang out."

“That’s a great idea!” Spike exclaimed with a grin. He then took on a quizzical look. "I've been meaning to ask. You've been calling Fluttershy mother for almost two weeks, right?"

"Yeah," Jack answered. "Why?"

"What changed?" Spike asked. "I mean, back on the mountain, you said you didn't see her that way."

Jack carefully considered the question. He couldn't tell Spike about his agreement, could he? No, there wasn't really any convenient way to avoid the topic of his origin. Then it clicked. "I guess I gave our conversation a bit more thought," he lied. "I mean, she took me in when I had nowhere else to go. She provides me with food, clothes, and shelter. What else would I call her?"

Ponyville Station

The Friendship Express slowly entered the station. Once the train came to a stop, the passengers flooded onto the platform. Among them was Oni-Hime. As she got out of the coach, she immediately set eyes on a porter moving a crate of cider toward a freight train.

“Kon'nichiwa, Oji-san!” she called, running up to the porter.

"I'm in the middle of something right now," he grunted. "Go bother somepony else."

Oni-Hime moved to where she was almost rubbing against the stallion. “Come on. Surely you can spare some time for me?” she pouted.

"Listen, kid, I don't have time to help you!" the porter said, looking her in the eye. "Beat it!"

“Kanpekina!” Oni-Hime thought as her eyes glowed hot pink. “I’m a little lost. Could you please help me?”

"I just told you I'm busy!" the porter growled. "If you need help, go to the visitor center across the street.”

“I don't understand why this isn't working. I used to be able to control any stallion I want. I could even get some of the mares to do things for me," Oni-Hime thought. “It can’t be that I’m not attractive, can it? My body hasn’t noticeably aged in almost rokuju-nen.”

“Come on, kid, leave me alone," the porter said.

Oni-Hime bowed. “Gomen'nasai."

Golden Oak Library

“So, what do we need to do first?” asked Jack as Spike returned the book to its shelf.

"Twilight wants me to catalog all the book returns and put everything back on the shelves," Spike explained. “Let’s see here, Common Diseases in Animal Companions, checked out by Fluttershy June 23 at 1:34 PM. Returned July 13 at 11:28 AM.”

“Where are the others?” Jack asked.

"In that bin by the door," Spike said, pointing to a green bin.

"All right, let's see here," Jack said as he walked to the bin. "Obscure Legends Volume 7: Humans, checked out by Lyra Heartstrings June 13at 8:51 AM. Returned July 13 at 10:47 AM.”

“Lyra?" Spike asked. "That's unusual. She usually rechecks that book out right after returning it."

"It doesn't really look all that long," Jack noted.

"She's read it at least a hundred times now," Spike explained. "She's obsessed with human myths."

“That's a little unsettling," Jack said.

"I'm surprised you haven't met her," Spike said as he pulled out the next book. “I’d have thought she would have jumped at the chance of meeting you.”

“Maybe she’s been busy?” Jack offered.

"Well, she is on the Royal Court," Spike agreed. "Let's see here, The Best Party Ever, checked out by Pinkie Pie June 17, at 4:20 PM. Returned July 13, at 4:20 AM.”

After 15 minutes of cataloging, Jack and Spike chose to do Fluttershy's shopping next.

Outside of Ponyville Station

Oni-Hime walked out of the station, feeling annoyed that her power wasn't working. The visitor's center was right across the street from the station, so that would be her next stop. Walking inside, she spotted the receptionist at the desk. “Sumimasen, Ojō-San?"

"Hello there, young filly," said the receptionist. “How may I assist you?”

"I'm looking for somepony," Oni-Hime said.

“Is it somepony who works here?” asked the receptionist.

"I don't think so," Oni-Hime admitted.

"I can't help you find an individual pony, but you might have more luck checking the registry at the Town Hall," the receptionist explained.

“Where’s that?” Oni-Hime asked.

"It's in the center of town," the receptionist said, reaching into her desk. "Would you like a town map?”

Oni-Hime nodded and took the map. “Arigatou," she said with a bow.

Ponyville Market Place

Jack and Spike were bartering with a middle-aged shopkeeper for five large bags of birdseed. The keeper in question had grown used to taking advantage of Fluttershy's kindness and ripping her off.

"Well, I'm not Fluttershy, and I say fifty bits per bag is a rip-off," Jack fumed.

"Twenty bits per bag, that's fair," Spike added.

“What if I knock it down to forty-five?” the shopkeeper offered.

“Do I look like knocking the price down by five bits will get me to buy it?” asked Jack indignantly.

"All right, all right," the shopkeeper said. "Thirty-Five bits, final offer."

“Deal!” Jack said as he forked over the bits.

"Pleasure doing business with you!" the shopkeeper called as Jack and Spike left. "Foals these days," he muttered when he was sure they were out of earshot. "They're becoming even harder to rip off than their parents."

“What should we do next?” Jack asked Spike.

"Twilight needs some more quills," Spike said. "Quills and Sofas is just across the street from here."

Ponyville Town Hall

Oni-Hime had arrived at the town hall and was now searching for the town registry.

"Where are you going, young filly?" asked a blue mare.

"To the registry," Oni-Hime responded.

“Do you have permission?”

“Permission?”

"Yes," the mare confirmed. "You'll need to tell the mayor who you're looking for and get permission to enter the registry."

"I did not know that," Oni-Hime admitted.

"Don't worry about it," the mare said warmly. "Would you like me to take you to the mayor's office?"

"Hai," Oni-Hime said, bowing her head. "That would be a lot of help."

The mare led Oni-Hime down the hall to the Mayor's office.

The mare knocked on the door. "Miss Mayor, there's somepony here to see you."

"Come in," Mayor Mare said from behind the door. "Thank you, Diamond Mint," she said once they were inside. "I'll take it from here."

"What can I help you with?" the Mayor asked as Diamond Mint left.

"I would like to enter the registry," Oni-Hime answered.

"Who are you looking for?" Mayor Mare asked.

"The human," Oni-Hime answered.

Mayor Mare gave her a skeptical look. “And what is your relationship with him?”

"He's an old friend of mine," Oni-Hime lied.

The Mayor narrowed her eyes. "Really? Well, I can't just let you in to go look for 'the human.' What's his name?"

“Well, I… his name… his name is…” Oni-Hime stuttered.

"If you don't know who you're looking for, I can't help you," Mayor Mare sighed.

"Oh, come on," Oni Hime said as her eyes began glowing. "Surely, you can make an exception."

Mayor Mare looked at her, completely unfazed. "The answer is no."

"Wakarimasu," Oni-Hime said, glumly walking out the door. "What’s going on here? I know my power doesn’t usually work on mares, but I haven’t been able to get it to work on anypony here.”

Quills and Sofas

“So, this store exclusively sells quills and sofas?” Jack asked Spike as they browsed through the store’s selection of quills.

“Yeah, why?” asked Spike.

"No reason particularly. It just seems like an oddly specific combination," Jack replied as he looked at a quill made from an egret feather.

"Yeah, but it seems to work for them," Spike said.

"I can see that," Jack said as he looked around at all the ponies in the store.

"That should be enough," Spike said as he grabbed a few quills. "Now, I just need to buy some groceries, and I'll be done!"

"That's great," Jack said. "But why don't we go do Fluttershy's gardening first. That way, we don't have to worry about anything spoiling."

"Good idea," Spike chirped.

Ponyville Town Square

Oni-Hime walked out of the Town Hall. “I don't understand. Am I doing the spell wrong, or am I just not attractive to these ponies?” she thought in melancholy.

Feeling a little hungry, she made her way across the street to Sugar Cube Corner, where she ordered a blueberry cupcake. While she was waiting, she saw five colts sitting around a table.

"I'm telling you, Jack is the reason why none of the fillies in our class will give us the time of day," said Snips.

"I don't get it," said Snails. "How could Jack be stopping them from paying attention to us?"

"It makes perfect sense to me," said Rumble. "My brother is always talking about how mares are more interested in foreign stallions.”

"Is that really how it works, Rumble?" asked Pipsqueak. "I mean, I'm from Trottingham, and I'm not really all that popular either."

“Maybe it's because they think he's cooler, Pip," said Featherweight. "I mean, I can't be the only one who'd never even heard of a human before he showed up."

"Exactly my point, Featherweight!" agreed Snips.

“Human?” thought Oni-Hime.

“What exactly are we supposed to do about it?” asked Pip. “If they like…”

"Sumimasen?" Oni-Hime interrupted. "I couldn't help noticing you were talking about the human."

"Even more proof," Snips said bitterly. "The only time fillies want to talk to us is to ask about Jack."

“Gomen'nasai,” Oni-Hime fake sobbed. “I didn’t mean to make you angry.”

"Look what you did, Snips!" exclaimed Rumble.

Once she had their full attention, Oni-Hime unleashed her curse. "I don't suppose you strong, handsome, colts, would be willing to help a poor lost filly out?"

“I’d love to!” all the colts said at once.

“Subarashī!” Oni-Hime exclaimed. “So, my power works on foals, but not on adults.”

“What do you want us to do?” asked Featherweight.

"First, I'd like your names," Oni-Hime said.

"I'm Snips!"

"Snails!"

"Rumble!"

"Featherweight!"

"Pip!"

"Could one of you explain why none of the older stallions seem to have any interest in me?" Oni-Hime asked once the colts were finished with their introductions.

“Because that would be…” Pip started.

"It would be ille…” Rumble interrupted.

The five colts all tried to answer her question, only to wind up interrupting each other. The endless stream of interruptions inevitably led to a fight, and the bakery was engulfed in chaos.

“I’m trying to talk here, eh!” Snails shouted, shoving Snips away from the table.

“Quit interrupting!" Featherweight cried as he tried to do the same to Rumble and Pip, only to end up falling out of his chair.

“You colts should be ashamed of yourselves fighting like that!" Cup Cake shouted from behind the counter. "Your parents will hear about this!"

“Colts!” Oni-Hime called, standing in the doorway. “Maybe we should take this somewhere else?”

“Right away, err…” started Snips.

"Sakura Blossom," Oni-Hime lied. She led the colts outside. "This time, answer my questions one at a time," she instructed, pointing to Pip. "Pip-Chan, why aren't the older sutarion showing me any interest in me?”

"Because it's a crime for adults to be special-someponies with foals," Pip answered.

“That would explain why my power doesn’t work on them," Oni-Hime realized. “My childish body is making them fear arrest. The law must have been passed several decades ago for it to be enough to prevent my spell from working.”

"You should be careful," said Rumble. "My parents are always telling me that it's dangerous to talk to adults I don't know.”

“Why?” asked Oni-Hime.

"Because they might be foal-fiddlers," Rumble answered.

“I see…” Oni-Hime replied. “This could be useful," she thought. "Arigato, Rumble-Chan!" she exclaimed with a smile.

“Oh…um… your welcome," Rumble blushed.

"Alright then," Oni-Hime said as she pointed to Featherweight. “What can you tell me about the Human, Featherweight-Chan?”

“You mean Jack?” Featherweight asked.

"Hai, I do," Oni-Hime nodded.

"He moved to Ponyville about a month ago," Featherweight answered. "He says he's the only human left, and the rest of his kind were wiped out by a plague. He also takes some kind of medication. I don’t really know anything else about him, though.”

“Interesting," Oni-Hime said. "What about you, Snails-Chan?"

"Well, I know he doesn't eat ponies, eh," Snails dopily answered."

“I guess I'll have to be more direct," Oni-Hime thought. “Do you know where he lives, Snips-Chan?”

"Well yeah, he lives with Fluttershy in the cottage by the forest," Snips answered.

“Dōmo arigatōgozaimashita!” Oni-Hime exclaimed, blowing Snips a kiss. Rushing off, she left him a blushing mess as the other colts gave Snips jealous glares and muttered about how it should have been them.

Fluttershy’s Cottage

20 minutes later

Oni-Hime made her way up to the isolated cottage. There didn't seem to be anyone home, but just to be sure, she gave the door a few knocks. After waiting for thirty seconds, nobody answered. "Shikata ga nai," she said to herself. At least she knew where to find him now.

She was about to leave when she heard voices from behind the house.

“I never knew weeding was so easy.”

"That's because you're doing it wrong. You're supposed to pull up the roots, not just the stem."

Oni-Hime slowly crept to the backyard and hid in a bush. Peering through the branches, she spotted a baby dragon holding up a piece of sedge being lectured by a strange creature she'd never seen before.

"If you don't pull out the roots, it will grow back in a day," the creature scolded.

"That must be the human.” Oni-Hime deduced. As she continued to watch, one thought came to her mind. "He will be mine!”

Author's Note

I had a bit of writer's block for a while, but I managed to get it out on time.
Note: Winter Wrap Up will not be the focus of the next chapter as that would require a significant time skip. Instead, I will be doing another original chapter, and Winter Wrap up will be moved to season 2.
Next Time: Jack travels to Canterlot at Princess Celestia's request, where the council comes to a final decision about how to integrate him into Equestrian Society.

Chapter 17: The Royal Court (Last Edited: 7/17/2022)

July 16, 2020

Fluttershy’s Cottage

It was the day Jack was meant to be interviewed by the Royal Court, and he was busily preparing for the meeting. It was only 7:00 AM, so he had some time before the train for Canterlot was set to leave for his meeting at 9:00 PM. The ponies had spent the past few days instructing him on how to behave during his meeting. From what Jack understood, while Princess Celestia had allowed him to stay, the decision was only hers to make temporarily. As of now, the Court would decide his fate.

“I don’t think I’ve done anything too offensive while I’ve been here. This shouldn’t be too tough," Jack thought to himself as he buttoned up a suit Rarity had prepared for him. "Then again, Cheerilee did say that Diamond Tiara's father is on the Court. I can't imagine he'll be very fond of me."

“Jack, are you ready?” Fluttershy called from the hall.

“Yeah, I’ll be right out!” he shouted as he finished with the last button.

Washing down his pills with a gulp of water, he stepped into the hall. “Good morning, Flutters. What’s for breakfast?”

Fluttershy didn’t answer and just stared in at nothing, in particular, clearly lost in thought.

“Flutters?” asked Jack. “You ok?”

“Hmm?” Fluttershy asked, snapping back to reality.

“What’s for breakfast?” Jack asked again.

“Oh, I made toast," Fluttershy said.

“That sounds great!” Jack chirped as they started down the stairs. He frowned. “On another note, you seem troubled. Is there something you want to talk about?”

"I-I'll tell you at the table," Fluttershy responded.

When they sat down, Jack questioned Fluttershy a second time. "So, what's wrong?"

"Well, I'm a little worried about the Royal Court," Fluttershy admitted as Jack took a bite out of his toast.

Without even swallowing, Jack asked, “why?”

"Please don't talk with your mouth full," Fluttershy requested. "I mean, if you don't mind."

With an audible gulp, Jack downed the toast. "Sorry about that. Why are you worried about the court?"

“It’s just some of them aren’t… well."

“Aren’t what?” Jack questioned before taking another bite of toast.

"Very fond of foreigners," Fluttershy answered quietly.

Swallowing his toast, Jack thoughtfully clasped his chin. "Oh... I see."

Ponyville Station

47 minutes later

Although she knew she wouldn’t be able to accompany Jack into the courtroom, Twilight had agreed to escort Jack as far as the castle. As they settled onto their coach, he took the chance to pick her brain as to the predicament he was in. She was, after all, Celestia's star pupil. It would only make sense that she'd be knowledgeable on the matter. “So, Twilight, what can you tell me about the Royal Court?”

"Let's see here…" Twilight started. "Princess Celestia and Princess Luna founded the Court two years after the defeat of Discord. The goal was to restore and maintain order in Equestria after Discord's chaotic reign. It's made up of four representatives from each class. The four highest-ranking members of the Royal Family, the heads of each branch of the military, the four richest ponies in Equestria, and four ponies elected to represent the peasants. The representatives usually only meet a few times a year and are responsible for declarations of war, controlling immigration, international trade deals, major trials, levying taxes, and setting the annual budget."

"I see," Jack replied. " What else can you tell me?"

“Princess Celestia has been talking about abolishing the court for some time now," Twilight said. "She and a few others have suggested the court is outdated, that it's unfair that the peasants only get a quarter of the representatives when they make up ninety-four percent of the population."

“What can you tell me about the representatives?” Jack asked. “Fluttershy mentioned that some of them might not be too fond of me.”

"Oh," Twilight said in realization. "There's Princess Celestia, of course, and then there's her sister Princess Luna…"

“Luna, huh? I hope she's not butthurt about the last time we talked," Jack thought to himself.

"Princess Mi Amore Cadenza is the newest princess, but unfortunately, I don't know much more about her. Prince Blueblood is Celestia's nephew and a purist. He is a strict believer in the system of classes and has even advocated for banning interclass marriage," Twilight continued. "Though, that hasn't stopped him from chasing the flanks of any mare he thinks he has a chance with."

"Well, he sounds pleasant," Jack scowled. "Probably won't be very fond of me."

"I'd say that's a safe assumption," Twilight agreed. "My brother Shining Armor is the Captain of the Princess's Personal Guard. You shouldn't have any problems with him."

“Wait, your brother is on the Court!?”

“That’s right!” Twilight gleefully confirmed. “Shining Armor is my BBBFF!”

“BBBFF?”

“My Big Brother Best Friend Forever!”

"Oh," Jack said. "I wish I had that kind of relationship with my brother," he thought with a brief melancholy expression. Perking up, he asked, “anyway, what about the others?”

"Where was I?" Twilight asked herself. "Oh, Flash Sentry is the Captain of the Navy and the newest member of the Court, apart from Princess Luna, of course. I don’t really know anything else about him. Three Arrows is the Captain of the Army and a highly decorated war hero. He's also known for being one of the most outspoken critics of the class system, advocating granting full citizenship to non-ponies, and decreasing the E.U.P budget."

"Sounds like the kind of guy I could get along with," Jack said hopefully.

"I don't know if I'd go that far," Twilight said. "There are rumors that he can be hard to work with and has no regard for the well-being of those he commands. That being said, him voting in your favor is almost guaranteed."

"Well, that's a relief," Jack commented. "Continue, please."

"Spitfire is the Captain of the Wonderbolts," Twilight explained. "She's generally seen as more moderate among the representatives. Fancy Pants is the owner of the Equestrian Trading Company and probably the only business class pony who will look on you favorably. Filthy Rich is the owner of Rich's Barnyard Bargains and your classmate, Diamond Tiara's father. He's also a prominent pony supremacist, a leading figure in the Equish only movement, a proponent of banning public education, and an advocate for raising tariffs on foreign goods."

"If he's against public school, then why does he send his daughter to one?" Jack asked in confusion.

"There isn't a private school in Ponyville," Twilight explained. "From what I've heard, he's been trying to have one built-in Ponyville for a while, but nopony is willing to sell him the land he needs."

“Um-hmm," Jack said. "What about the other six?"

“Cherry Jubilee is the head of the Cherry Clan and owner of Cherry Hill Ranch, the second largest agricultural business in Equestria," Twilight continued.

“Second largest?” Jack questioned.

"Technically, the Sweet Apple Acres is larger, but the Apples renounced their business status over a decade ago," Twilight replied.

“Why would they do that?” Jack asked, tilting his head.

"Nopony knows for certain, except perhaps the Apples, but rumor has it that they did it because they thought the concept of class was unfair to the peasants," Twilight explained.

“I don’t think I’ve ever had this much respect for a rich family in my life," Jack said.

"Well, the Apples aren't really rich anymore," Twilight explained. "Equestrian tax law doesn't treat peasant class businesses kindly. A small shop in Ponyville's marketplace would be taxed 30%, Carousel Boutique and Sugar Cube Corner are taxed 45%, and Sweet Apple Acres is taxed 60%. Business-class ponies don't have to pay taxes for their businesses."

At this point, Jack had extremely mixed feelings about Equestrian society. In many ways, it was better than America with competent disaster relief, no concept of genocide, and from what he'd seen so far, the ponies had accepted homosexuality, and males and females had been treated as equals for as long as they'd been civilized. In other ways, it was about the same, if not worse. There was an almost caste system like the concept of class and a clear presence of racism and xenophobia throughout all levels of society. As bad as those things were, this was the first time he'd felt his blood start to boil at Equestria's system. He was no road-hating libertarian and understood the absolute necessity of taxation. Even so, taxing the common people this much while allowing the richest in society to pay nothing? There was no excuse!

He took in a deep breath in through the nose and out through the mouth. As bad as this was, there was nothing he could do about it. "Continue," Jack said.

“Hoity Toity is the owner of the Equestrian Fashion show," Twilight continued. "He tends to vote in line with the other business-class representatives, which brings us to the peasant class representatives. Lyra Heartstrings is a mythology expert obsessed with obscure myths." Twilight explained before adding. "Especially humans. She's also a talented lyrist, but she doesn't play very often."

Jack recognized the name Lyra Heartstrings. "I think Spike mentioned her the other day. I assume I don't have anything to worry about with her?"

"I'd say she's a sure thing to vote in your favor," Twilight answered. "As for the other three. Apple Fritter is a member of the Apple Family from Fillydelphia. Cherry Berry is an inventor specializing in aviation, and Time Turner is a scientist.”

“So, it sounds like the ones I need to worry about most are Blue Blood, Filthy Rich, Cherry Jubilee, and Hoity Toity," Jack noted. "And maybe Princess Luna as well.”

Outside the Royal Courtroom

5 hours later

"Good luck," Twilight called as Jack entered the chamber.

"Thanks, Twi," he said as the doors closed behind him. "I'll need it," he thought with a gulp.

Walking past the sculpture in the room's center, he nervously walked up to the four boxes containing representatives and sat down.

"Welcome, Mister Jager," Celestia greeted. "Please make yourself comfortable."

“Thank you, ma’am,” Jack said.

“As you know, the Royal Court has been made aware of your circumstances, so there is no need for you to hide anything from us," Celestia informed. "For the Court’s records, your full name is Jack Delano Jager. Is this correct?"

"Um, technically, my full name is Jackson Delano Jager Jr.," Jack corrected.

"Noted," Celestia said as she and the other representatives scribbled on their scrolls. “I assume you have some idea as to why you’ve been summoned?”

“You’re making a final decision of what to do with me, right?” Jack asked.

"That is correct," Celestia confirmed. "Based on reports of your magical prowess, the Court has come to three possible decisions. You can either be granted citizenship on the condition of military service as proposed by Flash Sentry, regular citizenship as proposed by Princess Cadenza, or Banishment as proposed by Filthy Rich. Each representative who has given a proposal shall be given a chance to argue its merit. Then each representative will ask you a question to help them reach their decision. After the questions, the representatives shall cast their votes, and we shall reach our decision," Celestia informed. "Do you have any objections, Mister Jager?”

“Yeah…” Jack started. “Come on, Jack, play it cool. Do you really think an objection is going to help you?”

“What was that?” Celestia asked.

"No, ma'am, I do not." Jack sighed.

"Then let's begin," Celestia stated. "Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, would you care to get us started?”

"Yes, Princess Celestia," Cadenza said. "Fellow representatives, here before us today, we have somepony who needs our help. We have no reason to feel threatened by him, as some would have us believe," she started, prompting a scoff from Filthy Rich. "In fact, he has shown himself more than willing to put his life on the line to protect our citizens. While he has proved skilled in combat, the idea of forced service is ridiculous," she continued as Flash Sentry rolled his eyes. "Why should he be forced to risk his own life for us when he still has family back home? Equestria is a nation founded on the idea of harmony, on helping out those in need. As such, I believe it is our duty to offer Mr. Jager refuge until such time as he can be sent home."

"Thank you, Princess," Celestia said. "Captain Flash Sentry, state your case, please."

“Of course, Your Highness," Flash Sentry replied. "Based on numerous reports, we have learned that the human is in possession of a powerful magic. Using this power, he has briefly held his own against a timberwolf, an ursa minor, and even a dragon. While it is true that he was unable to defeat them, I believe that given the proper training, he would be a valuable asset to Equestria’s military might.”

"Thank you, Captain," Celestia said. "Mr. Rich, it’s your turn.”

"Ahem, I have said time and time again that Equestria is a nation of ponies and should remain as such," Filthy Rich began. "Something that isn't a pony can never understand our culture and, as such, can never be loyal to Equestria. Nonponies bring nothing but crime to the communities they inhabit. It's only natural, after all. Ponies are an inherently peaceful and civilized species, while other species are inherently violent and primitive. This is why non ponies have never been eligible for full citizenship. The ape in front of us is no different than any other non-pony. On his first day of school, he violently lashed out at my daughter, leaving her emotionally scarred. I implore my fellow representatives to do the right thing and banish him to somewhere he can no longer cause harm to us ponies."

"Thank you, Mr. Rich," Celestia said. "Now that the opening arguments are out of the way, I will begin the questioning. Are you ready, Mr. Jager?”

"Yes, ma'am," Jack nodded.

“How are you adjusting to Equestria?” Celestia asked.

Jack pondered the question for a few seconds. "Had you asked me that three weeks ago, I would have said terribly, but now I'm actually starting to like it here."

“Art thou still plagued by thine nightmares?” asked Luna.

"Somewhat, but they aren't nearly as bad as they used to be," Jack answered. "I would have expected you to know that already. After all, isn't the dream realm 'your domain,'” he added mockingly.

"We see thine attitude hasn't improved in the slightest," Luna glared. "We haven't been paying attention to thine dreams as of late."

"Are you in love with anypony?" asked Cadenza.

"Erm, when you say anypony, do you mean people from back home or people in Equestria?" Jack asked.

"Both," Cadenza answered.

"I hope you don't take any offense at this, but I don't think I could ever fall in love with anyone who isn't human," Jack replied. "As for back home, not for a long time."

“Tell me about your heritage," Blueblood pompously demanded.

“Pardon?” asked Jack.

"Your class," Blueblood elaborated. "Your status in society."

"I'm just a student from a working-class family," Jack admitted.

"In other words, you're just a peasant," Blue Blood said, holding up his nose.

“Has Twilight been giving you any training to help you control your power?” asked Shining Armor.

"Very little," Jack admitted. "She determined that my magic is a defense mechanism triggered whenever I'm in danger. Since she wasn't willing to put me into any dangerous situations, we've mostly been trying to find a way to activate my power without any danger."

"That's my LSBFF for you," Shining Armor said with pride.

“Do you have any combat experience?” asked Spitfire.

“No, I do not," Jack answered.

“Do you have any training in combat or other skills relating to survival?” asked Flash Sentry.

“I did a lot of target practice at the shooting range near my apartment. I’ve also gone to a camp where I learned how to sail, was a scout for a couple of years, and had to learn to use a tourniquet for my job.” Jack answered.

“Tell us about your world view,” instructed Three Arrows.

"Well, I consider myself to be a Liberal," Jack explained. "I believe that the job of a government is to protect its citizens' rights, that all of those citizens should be treated equally, and that there should be a strong social safety net to protect people from poverty.”

“We’ve all heard Mr. Rich's side of the story," Fancy Pants said. "Care to give us your side of the incident with Diamond Tiara?"

"I was out of meds and had a bit of a meltdown," Jack admitted. "However, unlike what Filthy said, there was nothing violent about it. All I did was yell at her."

"What exactly did you do in human society?" asked Cherry Jubilee. "What skills do you have to make yourself useful?"

"I was a maintenance worker," Jack said. "I mostly cleaned bathrooms, mowed lawns, and emptied trash, but from time to time, I'd do construction, repair, and ditch digging."

"It is my understanding that you eat meat," Filthy Rich said. "Could you elaborate as to the kind of animals you eat?"

“Sure, but first, I'd like to point out that many species that are sapient in this world aren't in mine," Jack said carefully. "I eat cow, pig, chicken, turkey, deer, alligator, frog, fish, and shellfish, among other things."

“Did you say cow!?” Hoity Toity gasped.

“Yes, but as I said, they aren't sapient in my world," Jack said. "I would never eat a cow in Equestria."

After a few seconds of awkward silence, Lyra Heartstrings blurted, “CAN I TOUCH YOUR HANDS?!!”

"I'm sorry, what now?" Jack asked with his head tilted. "I knew she was obsessed with humans, but I wasn’t expecting this.”

“Can I touch your hands?” Lyra asked again.

"No!"

“But I…”

"He's answered yer question, Lyra. It's mah turn now," Apple Fritter said. "What kind of agricultural products is yer homeland known for?"

"I don't know much about agriculture," Jack admitted. "But I would assume wheat and corn are the primary agricultural products of my country."

“What kind of education did you receive?” asked Cherry Berry.

"I finished high school and three years of college," Jack answered. "I had just finished my third year of university when I came here."

"Final question," said Time Turner. "What would you say were your best and worst subjects?”

“My best subject would have to be history since it’s my major," Jack answered. “As for my worst subject, I’d have to say math.”

For the next fifteen minutes, the representatives quietly compared notes as Jack nervously pondered what they might decide.

"I hope everypony has had time to take everything into consideration," Celestia finally said. "I would like all those in favor of regular citizenship to raise your hooves."

Cadenza and all the peasant delegates raised their hooves.

"That's five in favor," Celestia noted, "Those in favor of Banishment raise your hooves."

Only Blueblood, Hoity Toity, and Filthy Rich raised their hooves.

"That's three in favor," Celestia noted. "Those in favor of citizenship on the condition of military service raise your hooves," she said as she raised hers.

The remainder of the ponies raised their hooves.

"We have a clear majority for citizenship on condition of military service," Celestia said. "Motion passed."

Outside the Courtroom

30 minutes later

Once the decision was made, the representatives cleared the room faster than Jack's family after he ate fiber gummies. Shining Armor went to speak with Twilight, who was still waiting outside while Jack marched up to where Celestia had begun a conversation with Three Arrows.

"I have the utmost respect for you, Princess," Three Arrows said. "But I can't help but feel like the Royal Court isn’t fair to the peasants.”

"We have discussed this before, Captain," Celestia said. "I agree that it is unfair for ninety-four percent of the population to have fewer representatives than the other six, but what would you have me do about it?"

"Maybe the human might have some idea," offered Three Arrows. "Perhaps we should ask how his government operates?"

“Hey, Celestia!” Jack shouted as he walked over. “Why did you vote for me having to join your military!!? What gives any of you the right to force me into your army!!?”

Celestia gave him a look of understanding. "I'm sorry, Jack. Believe me. I don't want to force you into service."

"Then why did you?" Jack snapped.

"Because you need training," Celestia answered, looking him in the eye. "Those who aren't used to magic have a tendency to lose control. Twilight is right not to put you in danger to activate your magic, but can you imagine what would happen if a false alarm set off your magic? An innocent pony could get hurt. The humans I met in the past could control their magic at will, and I have no doubt that with the proper training, so can you."

As much as he hated the idea of military service, Jack had to admit Celestia's logic was sound. "I see," he said reluctantly.

"We do have a question for you," said Celestia. "If it's not too much trouble."

"Ask away," Jack said.

"Me and the princess believe the current system to be unfair to the peasants," said Three Arrows. "We were wondering how your government operates?"

"Oh, well, I'd be happy to explain," Jack said.

Jack spent the next 15 minutes explaining the three branches of the American Government, their checks and balances, and the Constitution. Celestia and Three Arrows seemed intrigued by the concept and thanked Jack as he headed back to the train with Twilight.

"This could be a good starting point," Three Arrows said once Jack was out of sight.

"I agree, but it would need some modifications to work here," Celestia said.

Everfree Forest

Having observed Jack for several days, Oni-Hime was ready to report to her father. Without cell phones or the internet, long-distance communication was hard for those in the world of Equestria. Luckily for Oni-Hime, she had several other spells besides her Seduction Curse. Unfortunately for her, the spell she planned to use required a body of stagnant water. Seeing as there wasn't anywhere inconspicuous, she could cast it in town. She found herself searching the forest. Fortunately for her, there was a small pool in the forest far enough from town that she wouldn't be bothered, but not so far as to be an inconvenience. She stepped up to the water's edge and dipped a hoof inside. "Mizu setsuzoku.”

"Ja? Oni-Hime, ist das you?" asked a voice from the pool.

“Hai, Otō-san, it's me," Oni-Hime answered.

“have you found the human?” Blutknochen asked.

“Hai! His namae is Jack.”

“Ich verstehe," Blutknochen replied. "Was else have you learned about him?”

"He's been adopted by a pegasasu namae Fluttershy and currently attends the local school."

"Wunderbar," said Blutknochen. "Ich want you to get closer to Herr Jack."

“How should I do that?”

“Enroll in the School," Blutknochen instructed. "That way, you won't have to hide in the shadows to observe him."

“Kashikomarimashita, Otō-san!”

Author's Note

Not my best work, but not my worst work either.
Next Time: Oni-Hime shows up as a new student at Ponyville's School. She quickly makes 'friends' with Diamond Tiara, who has recently got her cutie mark and is bullying all the students who haven't. Meanwhile, Jack tries to help Apple Bloom, who is determined to get her cutie mark before Diamond Tiara's Cuteceneara. However, his efforts to help are constantly thwarted by the Oni-Hime and the colts from his class.
Ps. I'm still looking for an editor.

Chapter 20: The E.U.P (Last Edited 7/29/2022)

August 2, 2020

Baltimare Harbor

The voyage to Baltimare could not have ended soon enough. The ES Chimera was an older vessel even by Equestrian standards. Its medical accommodations were sufficient to keep Twilight alive, but not for much longer. As a survey vessel, the Chimera had an almost entirely civilian peasant class crew, which of course, meant that the crew accommodations were subpar. Commander Ballast Hoof had done his best to make their trip as comfortable as possible, even giving up his cabin so the Crusaders wouldn't have to sleep on the floor with the rest of the crew. Although the same could not be said for Jack, who found himself sleeping in a damp corner in the cargo hold.

As the Chimera sailed into the harbor, Jack and the Crusaders made walked out onto the deck to get a view of the city. While Twilight had survived, she had lost the use of her hind legs due to the muscle rotting away and had only regained consciousness the night before. Although, Jack and the Crusaders had yet to visit her. Her injuries were far beyond what the ship medics could remedy. As such, arrangements had already been made for her to be taken directly to the Royal Hospital in Canterlot's magical injuries ward. Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy, and Scootaloo's aunts had all been informed of the incident and were already waiting at the docks.

"Ahgh, my back is killing me," Jack complained, popping his spine. "I can't wait 'till we get off this ship! I'm sure everyone else is worried sick!"

“You don’t think they’ll be mad, do you?” Scootaloo asked, nervously touching the tips of her hooves together.

“Why would they be?” Jack asked. “It’s not like we did anything wrong.”

“Do you think Twilight will be ok?” asked Sweetie Belle.

"I don't know," Jack sighed. "I think she'll live, but her legs looked pretty bad. I don't really know much about magic, so maybe it'll be an easy fix. But then again, this could end up being fatal for all I know.”

“Ya think, maybe we should check on her before we get tuh the docks?” asked Apple Bloom.

"Sounds good to me," Jack agreed. "I think we'll have time before we leave the ship."

ES Chimera Sick Bay

Twilight cringed as Nurse Red Cross cast a freezing spell on her dead flesh. She felt cold but knew that it was a trick of the mind. Her nervous system, after all, had been fully dissolved by Morte's curse.

"Just relax," Red Cross said. "We need to keep your legs frozen to prevent further decomposition."

"I know," Twilight sighed. “What was that magic?” she wondered for about the 20th time since regaining consciousness. “I've never heard of a spell that can raise the dead or one that can cause a pony to decompose while still alive.”

There was a knock on the door.

"Come in," Red Cross said.

“You alright, Twi?” Jack asked as he and the Crusaders walked in.

"Do I look alright?" Twilight asked irritably.

"Right, stupid question," Jack admitted, awkwardly rubbing his right cheek.

"I assume we'll be disembarking soon," Twilight deduced.

"Yeah, but I think the girls have something they'd like to say to you first," Jack said. Looking down at the Crusaders, he added, "isn't that right?"

"Thanks, fer savin' us, Twilight," Apple Bloom said, bowing her head.

“Yeah, you were almost as awesome as Rainbow Dash!” Scootaloo exclaimed.

“You’re going to be ok, right?” Sweetie Belle asked in concern.

“I'm going to be alright, Sweetie," said Twilight. "They're going to send me to the Royal Hospital. I'll be gone for a bit, but when I come back to Ponyville, I'll be good as new."

"I'm glad to see you're awake, Miss Sparkle," said a voice from behind them.

"Commander Ballast Hoof," Jack greeted. "I didn't notice you coming in."

“You’re not all that observant, are you?” Ballast Hoof sighed.

"I am when I try to be," Jack said indignantly.

"I'm sure you are, son, I'm sure you are," Ballast Hoof said before turning back to Twilight. "You'll be disembarking in five minutes. I'm told that the fillies' guardians will be waiting at the docks. Some of my crew will escort you to a chariot Princess Celestia has waiting for you." Turning back to Jack, he pulled a letter out from his uniform. "This was sent by Captain Shining Armor via carrier phoenix, for your eyes only, Mr. Jager," he said softly.

"Thank you," Jack said.

“I’d suggest you be reading that now," Ballast Hoof whispered. "You should be able to get some privacy in the head.”

"Yes, sir."

ES Chimera: Head

Using his pocket knife as a letter opener, Jack unsealed the envelope and read it in the light from the room's only porthole.

Dear Mr. Jager,

I hope this letter finds you well, given your recent encounter. I won't reveal everything due to security concerns, but Princess Celestia has determined it is time to begin your training. You are to report to the Western Canterlot Outpost immediately for boot camp.

I won't lie. What we have in store for you is pretty intense, but given the circumstance, we have no time to waste. Miss Fluttershy has been informed of your summon and has been instructed to inform your teacher that you have come down with a human disease and will be missing classes until further notice. A chariot will be waiting for you outside the docks. Please note that the proper method of disposing of confidential letters is by burning.

With Respect,

Captain Shining Armor, E.U.P, Royal Guard.

P.S. Is Twily alright? I heard she got hurt. I expect a full report when you reach the outpost.

“Well, Jack, you've officially been drafted," Jack thought as he pulled out his Zippo. “I always thought I’d end up getting forced to the Middle East during the next oil crusade. Never thought I’d end up being forced to serve in an army of magical cartoon ponies.” Opening the porthole, he lit the message on fire and dropped it into the sea.

There were two knocks on the door. “Hey, Jack, you in there?” asked Scootaloo.

“Yeah!” Jack answered. "I'll be right out!"

After securing the porthole, Jack opened the door and exited the head. “Is it time to go?”

"Yeah, they're carrying Twilight out now," Scootaloo responded.

"All right, then let's go," Jack said.

Jack and Scootaloo met up with the other Crusaders on the main deck and walked down the gangplank where Rarity, Applejack, and two mares Jack had never met were waiting.

“Sweetie Belle!” Rarity exclaimed as she ran toward them. “I was so worried!" she exclaimed, constricting her sister in a protective embrace. "You weren’t hurt, were you?”

"I'm fine, Rarity," Sweetie Belle said, struggling to escape her sister's grasp.

“Ah was more worried than a cat in a doghouse, Apple Bloom," Applejack said, pulling her sister into a bearhug.

Apple Bloom felt a jolt of pain as her sister put pressure on her wound. "OW!"

"What's wrong?" Applejack asked, letting her sister go. "Apple Bloom, yer all bruised up!"

"Ah'm fine, sis'," Apple Bloom said.

One of the other two mares (a blue-maned pegasus with a spool and needle cutie mark) called out to Scootaloo furiously. "We were worried sick, Scootaloo! When we get home, you’re grounded!”

"Yes, Auntie Lofty," Scootaloo said with her head down.

"And you have a black eye too!!!" Lofty exclaimed. "What the hay were you thinking!"

“So they’re Scootaloo’s aunt’s," Jack realized before turning to the other mare, an equally furious earth pony with a sailboat cutie mark. "Why's Scootaloo in trouble? She didn't do anything wrong."

“And just who are you?” the mare asked.

"Jack Delano Jager, ma'am."

“So, you're the colt Scootaloo ran off with," she deduced with a cold glare.

“Ran off with?” Jack questioned.

“She told us she was sleeping over with Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom,” the mare explained. "When she didn't come home on Thursday, we got worried and asked Applejack where she was. Can you guess what Applejack told us?" she asked rhetorically. "There was no sleepover, and the girls had gone off to some country I've never even heard of with the town librarian and a colt from their class named Jack. Then we receive a letter saying that there was an attack and that the Navy wanted us to come to Baltimare to pick her up.”

“Listen, Mrs…”

"Holiday."

"Mrs. Holiday, I had no idea Scootaloo hadn't gotten permission to come with us," Jack explained. "If I had known, I would have told her to stay home. Twilight didn't know either. If she had, she wouldn't have let her come."

Holiday’s glare softened slightly. “You seem like a nice enough colt. I can see why Scootaloo talks about you so much,” she sighed. “While I certainly want to discuss my niece with you in the future, at the moment, Miss Sparkle is the one I should be talking with now. Where is she?”

"She got hurt during the attack," Jack explained darkly. "If it weren't for her, I don't think the girls would have made it. They're taking her to a hospital in Canterlot right now, so I don't think you'll have much luck."

"I see," Holiday said. "I think Lofty and I will be taking Scootaloo home now. Do you need a ride back to Ponyville? I don't see your guardian here."

"My mother will be here soon," Jack said. "Thanks for the offer."

Holiday nodded. “We’ll continue this discussion some other time then. Say goodbye to your little friend Scootaloo. We’re leaving now.”

"Bye, Jack," Scotaloo said as her aunts led her off.

“You say goodbye to Jack too now, Sweetie Belle," Rarity said.

“See you tomorrow, Jack," Sweetie Belle said as she and Rarity left.

"We're leavin' too, Apple Bloom," Applejack informed. "Say goodbye to Jack."

"Bye, Jack. See ya soon," called Apple Bloom as she and her sister walked away."

Jack waited for a few minutes after the Crusaders and their families left to be safe before looking for the chariot. His search didn’t last long as it was parked just outside of the docks and surrounded by several guards.

“Are you Jackson Delano Jager?” a brown pegasus mare asked as he approached.

"Yes, ma'am," Jack nodded. "That's me."

The mare simply nodded and pointed to the chariot with her wing.

Following the mare's gesture, Jack hopped into the chariot and took his seat. Seeing their passenger was settled, the pegasi in front of him lifted off and pulled him North West toward Canterlot.

Western Canterlot Outpost

As the chariot approached its final destination, the Sun was already sinking behind the Unicorn Range. The base was massive. A Rectangular rampart surrounded what appeared to be a 20th-century-styled army base. There were at least four dozen Quonset huts surrounding a reinforced concrete command center. An extensive training course was situated around the perimeter. They set down in a small field just 100 yards from the rampart.

As Jack hopped down from the chariot, he was met by an armored mare with dark-colored fur and bat wings. "Lunar Guard Unit 1, Lieutenant Dusk Glare, reporting ma'am," the mare reported with a salute. “I have orders to escort the human to the command center.”

"He's all yours," said the brown mare in charge of the squad that escorted him there.

The squad that escorted Jack took off, and Dusk Glare pointed Jack toward the base. "Princess Luna will be awaiting your arrival."

"Luna?" Jack asked. "Great."

Western Canterlot Outpost: Command Center

Stopping outside of the command center, Dusk Glare motioned for Jack to enter alone.

"I hope she's not still sore about before," Jack thought, gulping as he stepped inside to where Luna and the captains were waiting around a table.

Luna was the type to hold a grudge, unfortunately, and with a piercing glare, she shouted, "Come forward, young human!" The volume of her voice had the four captains around her desperately covering their ears.

"Heeeey, Luna," Jack said as he awkwardly shuffled to the table.

“Thou are to refer to us as Princess Luna!” Luna howled.

“I already told you, I’m not…”

“But thou are an Equestrian citizen now, and as thine princess, we shall be referred to as such!" Luna boomed, causing the room to shake.

“Well, shit," Jack thought to himself. “Excuse me, Princess,” he said sarcastically.

Not picking up on the human's sarcasm, Luna decided to get to the point. "We have heard about thine encounter with the necromancer, and our sister hast determined that the time to begin thine training is now. As such, the four captains have created a weeklong training regimen to get thou started. However, before we hoof thou over to them, we would like to hear thou recount the events that led to young Twilight Sparkle’s injury.”

Jack began to explain what had happened. "After spending the day touring Charleston, we decided to make one last stop before turning in for the night. Twilight and I agreed on Magnolia cemetery, and while she and the girls explored the tombs, I went off to deal with some…" he paused, thinking of what to say. "Personal issues. A few minutes after I left, corpses began to rise from the grave, which, now that I think about it, shouldn't be physically possible since most of them had died over 100 years ago. They should have rotted away to almost nothing by now, but apart from their dark grey skin, they looked like they had only just died.”

"A skilled necromancer would be able to restore a body from a single tooth, even ashes, if they are sufficiently gathered," Luna explained. "But to restore so many at once and so quickly, 'tis only one pony who could have done that,” Luna thought to herself. “Please continue.”

"So, after that, I fought my way through the zombies until they just stopped and stood still. When I made it back to Twilight, I found a strange-looking unicorn casting some kind of spell on her," Jack explained. "I did the first thing that came to my mind and shot him in the leg. After that, he released Twilight from the spell and started shouting in Italian. I think he was saying I would regret shooting him. My Italian is abysmal, though, so he could have been saying just about anything." Jack paused briefly. "Then he just stopped. It looked like he was arguing with someone, and in the end, he just kind of disintegrated and blew away in the breeze."

“This unicorn, can thou describe him to us?” asked Luna.

"Yeah," Jack answered. "He was real skinny, no mane, had white fur, a skull cutie mark, and his eyes... they seemed almost... dead.”

“This is bad! We must inform our sister immediately!” Luna thought. “We are most grateful for the information, young human. We’ll leave you in the capable hooves of the captains now!” she shouted before teleporting away in a flash.

Shining Armor cleared his throat. “Before we get started, I have something I need to ask you.”

"Sure," Jack agreed.

As someone with Asperger's, Jack was utterly incapable of reading faces. One of the perks of living in Cartoon Pony World was that most ponies' facial expressions were so exaggerated that it made that part of his condition irrelevant. The look on Shining Armor's face at that moment had lost all cartoonish features. Even so, Jack knew this face. It was the same face that he'd often seen on Bryce and Shawn early into Chase's Cancer. It was the face of someone concerned for a loved one.

"Is Twilight alright?" Shining Armor asked.

“I honestly don't know," Jack admitted. "I don't think she's in any danger of dying, but her legs are in bad shape. Other than that, I don't really know what to say."

“I understand. I’m grateful for your honesty,” Shining Armor said, bowing his head. “Back to the task at hand. The four of us have created a weeklong course to begin your training. Captain Three Arrows has created an obstacle course to test your strength and problem-solving skills.”

"Don't think I'll make it easy for you just because you're a green hoof," Three Arrows grunted.

“When you finish with that, Captain Spitfire has prepared a course to test your speed and stamina," Shining Armor continued.

“I’ll get you into shape, Wonderbolts style!” Spitfire exclaimed with a grin.

“Captain Flash Sentry will be in charge of your weapons training," Shining Armor said.

“I’ll have you fighting like a professional in no time!” Flash Sentry gloated.

“Finally, I’ll oversee your magic training,” Shining Armor finished. “You'll start training at 4:00 tomorrow, so I'd recommend getting up at 3:30. If I were you, I'd go ahead and hit the sack."

"Alright," Jack nodded. "Just one question."

“Yes, Cadet Jager?” Shining Armor asked.

“Where will I be sleeping, exactly?” Jack asked.

"In the barracks," Shining Armor informed, hopping out of his chair. “Come on, I’ll show you," he offered, pushing his chair under the table and trotting to the door. "Oh, and Cadet...”

“Yeah?” Jack asked as he stood up.

"While you're here, you'll refer to us as either sir or captain."

“Yes, sir!” Jack responded with a salute.

Shining Armor nodded and disappeared through the door. As Jack was about to follow, he felt a hoof on his shoulder and turned to see Spitfire glaring at him.

“Hey, cadet,” she said sternly.

“Yes?” Jack asked nervously.

"If you ever call me, sir, I'll kick you in the gut," Spitfire said.

"Y-yes, ma'am," Jack acknowledged with an awkward salute. "I can't tell if she's joking!

"Dismissed," Spitfire yawned. "You better hurry. Shining Armor won't wait forever."

"Yes, ma'am!" Jack exclaimed, scurrying outside where Shining Armor was thankfully still waiting.

“What took you, cadet?” Shining Armor asked.

"Spitfire just wanted to remind me what pronouns to use, sir," Jack answered.

“Ah,” Shining Armor acknowledged. "That makes sense."

Western Canterlot Outpost: Barracks

Shining Armor led him to a Quonset hut with the number 26 painted in bold white letters.

"You'll sleep here, cadet," Shining Armor said as he opened the door. Switching on the light, he said, “the unit that normally uses these barracks is currently deployed to the Yakyakistan border right now, so you’ll have the place to yourself.”

"Yes, sir," Jack said as he hopped into the nearest cot.

"I'll be leaving for Canterlot to visit my sister tonight," Shining Armor said as he turned to leave. "I'll be back in a few days for your magic training." Before leaving, he added, "since your diet is a little different from ours, we had some more suitable ingredients imported from Griffonstone. Breakfast is at 6:00, lunch is at 12:00, and dinner is at 18:00."

“Thank you, sir,” Jack called as Shining Armor left.

A few seconds later, he flipped the light off and drifted to sleep.

Author's Note

It was taking forever to get this chapter out. After three weeks, I was 5,000 words in and still not at a clear endpoint. So, I decided to split this one in half.
Next Time: Jack reluctantly begins his training.

Chapter 21: Training (Last Edited: 7/29/2022)

August 3, 2020

Western Canterlot Outpost: Barracks

Captain Three Arrows quietly entered the Quonset hut where Jack was sleeping.

Jack was supposed to have begun training five minutes prior, and Three Arrows was fuming. "Lazy green-hoof!" he internally screamed upon seeing Jack's resting form.

Jack was sprawled out on his stomach, fully concealed by his covers except for his head and his right arm, which dangled down from the side of the cot. He wasn't snoring, but there was a line of drool leaking out of his mouth into a pool beneath his lips.

“GET YOUR SORRY HINDQUARTERS UP ON THE DOUBLE, CADET!” Three Arrows shouted.

“AH WILL STRANGLE YOU WITH A FUCKIN' GARDEN HOSE!” Jack roared as he woke abruptly.

“Is that so?” Three Arrows chuckled before giving Jack's cot a strong buck.

The impact flung Jack from his bed like a rag doll, landing him with a thud on the wood floor. "Urgh," he groaned as he slowly got to his feet.

"Oh good, you're awake," Three Arrows said with a smug grin.

Jack slowly made his way to the closet, where he found several human-shaped outfits hanging up. Muttering to no one in particular, he got dressed. "Fuckin' inconsiderate horse people. Why Ah outa turn every one of 'em into glue."

Still muttering, Jack snatched his pill bottles off of a desk and angrily gulped his medication down before following the captain outside.

“Are you ready, sunshine?” Three Arrows asked.

“Wakin' me up in the middle of the night. What do you think?” Jack muttered under his breath.

"What do you think, sir," Three Arrows corrected. "I'm not deaf, you know."

"Yes, sir," Jack said, taking in a deep breath to calm himself down.

"Excellent!" Three Arrows exclaimed. "Now that you're ready let's make our way down to the obstacle course. Right this way, green-hoof!”

Three Arrows led Jack about a mile from the outpost to a large field covered in just about every kind of obstacle one would imagine. The course had barbed wire, climbing walls, tight ropes, etc., all leading to a small mountain.

"Magnificent, isn't it?" Three Arrows asked. "The princesses had it specially designed for primates rather than equines. Finished day before you arrived."

Jack gazed at the size of the obstacle course, and his heart sank. "You want me to do all that?"

Three Arrows ignored him and continued staring at the course.

“You want me to do all that, sir?” Jack sighed.

"That is correct, green-hoof," Three Arrows confirmed. "Once you complete the obstacle course, you are to climb the mountain, pick one of the flowers that grow at the peak, and using the map in your bag, find your way back to the outpost," he explained before placing an uncomfortably heavy backpack around Jack's tiny shoulders. "You'll find some food and medical supplies in here as well, but eat sparingly. This will take you at least a couple of days."

“When do you want me to start, sir?” Jack asked.

"Now," Three Arrows answered.

“I’m not gonna get out of this," Jack thought as he began walking to the course.

“DOUBLE TIME, GREEN-HOOF!” Three Arrows shouted.

Bursting into a sprint, Jack soon reached the first obstacle; a muddy pit blanketed in barbed wire raised just high enough for someone of Jack's size to crawl through.

“I went to college to avoid this kind of bullshit!” Jack shouted, getting down on his hands and knees and entering the mud pit.

About halfway through the first obstacle, Jack felt an itch on his leg. As he reached behind himself to scratch, he felt a sharp pain in his arm as it got caught in the barbed wire. “FUUUUCKK!” he roared.

Jack's first instinct was to rip his arm out, but after a few seconds of trying, he found that was not the best plan. As blood dripped from his tangled limb, he thought of what else he could try. Remembering that his pocketknife had some crappy wire cutters, he reached his free arm into his pants and fished the tool out. “Jesus Christ, this hurts!” he thought as he struggled to open the knife with one hand.

Once he managed to maneuver the wire cutters out, he began his struggle to cut wire. Half a minute later, he was free, and after pulling out the small pieces of wire stuck in his arms, he slowly crawled to the end of the pit.

Opening up his bag, he wasted no time finding the first aid kit inside. Equestria's level of scientific progress was weird, to be sure. While most of their tools, weapons, and buildings seemed to be from the Middle Ages or earlier, there were also hot air balloons, steam locomotives, arcade games, and many other kinds of tech that just seemed out of place. Luckily for Jack, Equestrian medicine was consistently at around the level of 20th century America, and along with gauze, there was also a bottle of hydrogen peroxide.

“My last tetanus shot was just before my freshman year, so at least I don’t have to worry about the damn needle. Then again, turning back into a seven-year-old means that my last tetanus shot was... damnit, I have no fucking idea," Jack shuddered, trying not to think about shots. "Welp, let's get this over with," he said aloud as he poured the hydrogen peroxide on his wound. He grimaced at the stinging sensation from the fizzy reaction the chemical had with his blood.

Once his wound was thoroughly cleaned, Jack bandaged his arm and sighed. As he began to stand up, he felt a rumble in his stomach. “Better go see what there is to eat," he thought as he dug through the bag again.
Inside, he found a canteen of water and 12 small cans, half labeled Canned Apples: Product of Appleoosa and the other half labeled Squirrel Jerky: Product of Griffonstone. “Squirrel jerky?”

Using the can opener in his pocketknife, he opened one of each and placed the rest back in the bag. He made quick work of the food and even took a liking to the squirrel jerky.

Now it was time to do the next obstacle. Looking in front of him, he could see a small ravine with monkey bars going from one side to the other. “God damnit.”

He only made it a quarter of the way through before the pain in his arm forced him to let go landing him in a creek at the bottom. Unharmed but dripping head to toe, Jack found a latter on the side he came from and tried again. He lost count of how many times he failed, but eventually, he made it across.

Western Canterlot Outpost: Mess Hall

Three Arrows brought his tray to a table where Spitfire and Flash Sentry were enjoying hayburgers.

“How’s the newbie doing?” asked Spitfire as Three Arrows took his seat.

"Better than expected," Three Arrows said. "Honestly, I'd say the Jager's biggest issue is his attitude." With a sneer, he added, "I've dealt with his type before. His acceptance of authority only extends so far as he benefits from it."

"I'd be more worried about his body giving out," Spitfire said. "He may have the mind of a scholar in training, but he still has the body of a 7-year-old. You can only get so far on smarts alone."

"He's no good to us dead," Flash Sentry agreed. "I don't see why we can't just let Shining Armor handle his training entirely. His magic is what makes him an asset. Why bother with anything else?"

"He'll be fine," Three Arrows dismissed. "Princess Celestia had the course designed based on his medical data from Ponyville General. All the obstacles are tiny compared to what we use on normal cadets. Even the mountain is more of a large hill. It'll take him a while, but nothing there should be out of his ability."

Western Canterlot Outpost: Obstacle Course

Jack struggled up a 10-foot climbing wall, grunting with each peg he grasped. His hands were covered in cuts and blisters from how long he'd been it, but he persisted non the less. "Al… most… there," he panted as he grabbed a peg near the top. As soon as his fingers wrapped around it, he felt his hand slipping. “SHIIIT!” he yelled as he fell to the ground with a thump. The surface below the climbing wall was made of a rubbery material similar to the kind that had replaced woodchips in playgrounds on Earth. Luckily for Jack, this meant there wouldn't be any damage from the fall. Unfortunately for him, this still meant he had the wind knocked out of him.

By the time Jack finished the obstacle course and reached the foot of the mountain, the Sun had long set. He didn't have a bed or even a sleeping bag, but he was so exhausted that he didn't really care. He ate his dinner and went straight to sleep.

August 4, 2020

Western Canterlot Outpost: Obstacle Course

Jack's slumber was interrupted by a ray of sunshine hitting his face. His eyes fluttering open, he grabbed his phone from his pocket. Typing in the code, he saw it was 6:13 AM. Bones aching and muscles sore, he slowly got to his feet. “Better get started," he thought, changing his bandages.

After eating his breakfast, he took a gulp out of the canteen, washing down his pills. With a sigh, he then began his trek up the mountain.

Canterlot Royal Hospital

The Royal Hospital was the pride of Equestria's medical industry. Not only did they have the highest quality doctors in all of Equus, but the research facilities produced more advancements than the rest of the world combined. These facts meant little to Shining Armor, who was impatiently waiting outside one of the many operating rooms for any news about his sister.

He had arrived yesterday, but the doctors had yet to let him see Twilight. He had been told that it was essential that the doctors not be distracted and to come back the next day. He was anxious, and the doctors had been less than forthcoming about Twilight's condition.

Finally, the door to the operating room opened, and two doctors came out, a blue stallion with a stethoscope cutie mark and a red mare with a scalpal cutie mark.

"You can see her now," the stallion said.

"Don't get too comfortable, though," said the mare. "She'll need the next surgery soon if we want to restore her legs properly."

"Thank you," Shining Armor said gratefully. "Twily!" he exclaimed, rushing inside.

“Shining Armor!” Twilight exclaimed, dropping the book she had been reading.

"I came as soon as I could," Shining Armor said as he walked up to Twilight's bed. "Are you all right?"

"I'm gonna be fine," Twilight answered. "It could be a lot worse," she sighed. "When they first brought me in, the doctors had no idea what was happening. They were about to cut my legs off when Princess Luna brought them a book from the Star Swirl the Bearded Section of the Royal Library. Apparently, the spell that was cast on me is an ancient magic that was outlawed a few centuries before she was banished to the moon."

"Thank Celestia, Princess Luna arrived when she did," Shining Armor said with a sigh of relief. "So, how long are you gonna be stuck in here, Twily?"

"The doctors say they'll need three days to restore my legs and another day for observation," Twilight explained.

"That's not bad," Shining Armor noted. "How about I take some time off when you get out? I'll set up a scavenger hunt for you, just like when we were foals!"

Twilight smiled and said, "I'd love that." Frowning a little, she added, "although a scavenger hunt might not be a good idea. The doctors say I should avoid any strenuous activity for the next month."

"I'll make it an easy one then," Shining Armor chuckled.

"That sounds..." Twilight stated as the door opened.

"You'll need to leave now, sir," said the blue doctor.

"I understand," Shining Armor nodded as he made his way to the door. Before exiting the room, he looked back at his sister. "See you when you get out, Twily!"

“I’m looking forward to it!” Twilight called as he left.

Unnamed Mountain

3 Hours Later

After hours of climbing and tripping over loose rocks, Jack had finally reached the mountain's summit. He felt like a hummingbird about to enter a state of torpor, but he knew he couldn't rest yet. He still had a flower to retrieve.

They weren't hard to find. Bright red in color and heavily resembling camellias, they were prominently displayed on a gargantuan tree. "Rather late in the year for camellias," Jack thought. "I wonder if this has anything to do with Celestia's control over the sun. That might explain why the Apple's seem to be harvesting year-round too. He thought about grabbing the flower and heading straight down the mountain but was stopped by a gurgle in his belly. “Won’t get anywhere on an empty stomach.”

After his meal, he grabbed the flower and began the long track back down the mountain.

Western Canterlot Outpost: Front Gate

When Jack finally reached the outpost, he felt as if his muscles were committing suicide. "Here's... your damn... flower," he panted, holding the flower out in front of him.

"Took you long enough," Three Arrows chuckled as he snagged the flower.

“Fuck…” Jack panted. “You.”

“Now now," Three Arrows said, "You didn't do that badly, green-hoof. You'll have plenty of opportunities to improve your time."

“God in Heaven, please, no!” Jack prayed. "Just tell me where I can get tested for tetanus, and fuck off!"

"Medical tent is to the right of the mess hall," Thre Arrows answered. "You can get looked at there and then report to the gate for Captain Spitfire. You really should keep your shots up to date, you know."

"It's not my fault that I don't know if my shots are up to date!" Jack said defensively. "I was turned back into a child when I got here. How am I supposed to know what shots I was up to date on when I was seven?"

"Clocks ticking, green-hoof," Three Arrows tisked. "Spitfire won't wait forever."

Medical Tent

"Excuse me?" Jack called as he entered the tent.

It was a small tent, but it had a decent stock of needles, bandages, pill bottles, and other medical supplies.

"Yes?" asked a white unicorn with a syringe cutie mark.

"I may have had an accident involving barbed wire," Jack said.

"You'll be needing a shot then," the unicorn said as he opened a cabinet full of needles.

Jack was already on his way out the door when the medic pulled out a clean needle.

"Don't even think about it," the medic said as his horn began to glow. "If there's a chance you could have tetanus, we need to give you a shot."

Realizing there wasn't any way out, Jack begrudgingly sat down, cringing as the needle punctured his arm like a giant mosquito sucking his blood.

When it was over, he bolted out the door.

Western Canterlot Outpost: Front Gate

Jack had been waiting at the gate for several minutes, but Spitfire was nowhere to be found. "Where is she?" he wondered.

“ATTENTION!”

“JESUS!” Jack shouted, Jumping backward and landing on his ass.

Looking up, Jack saw Spitfire dressed in a blue flight suit, which vaguely resembled the ones used by the Blue Angels. In her hooves was an orange megaphone.

“WE HAVE ABOUT FIVE HOURS BEFORE DINNER!” Spitfire shouted. “IN THAT TIME, YOU WILL RUN LAPS AROUND THE OUTPOST UNTIL I SAY YOU CAN REST!”

Poor Jack was led quite unwillingly to the start of a track course that circled the outpost. “Please, Spitfire, ma’am…” he pleaded.

"What is it, cadet?" Spitfire asked.

“Can I rest for like fifteen minutes?” Jack requested. “I’m exhausted.”

Spitfire put a hoof to her chin in thought. “It wouldn’t do any good to time you if you can’t even run.” She put her hoof down. “You can have ten.”

"Thank you," Jack said before taking out his canteen and chugging the remaining water.

After the ten minutes were up, Spitfire blew a whistle and ordered Jack to the track. It took precisely forty-seven minutes and twenty-three seconds for Jack to complete a lap, and Spitfire was far from pleased with the time.“What was that!!?” she asked.

"The best I could do," Jack panted.

"Two miles per hour? That's your best?" Spitfire asked, stamping her foot in annoyance. "Most ponies can do thirty, and that's without any training. Even a foal should be able to do at least twelve."

"Humans aren't particularly fast," Jack explained. "Most adults can only run between ten and fifteen miles per hour, and the fastest on record isn't even thirty. I'm stuck in a seven-year-old body, and I'm not even an athlete. Two miles per hour is the best I can do."

"That's going to be a problem," Spitfire said. As she thought about what to do, a lightbulb switched on in her head. "Well, you may not be able to go fast, but you were able to maintain your pace for a good bit longer than most ponies. That could be useful in combat. How about we aim to increase that speed to three miles per hour by the end of tomorrow? Once you do that, I'll give whatever's left of the day off.”

“That would be great!” Jack exclaimed, bowing his head in reverence. “Thank you so much!”

Spitfire raised an eyebrow at his exaggerated response.

"Uh, I mean, yes, ma'am!" Jack corrected with a salute.

By the end of the day, he had only managed to increase his speed to 2.3 miles per hour, but Spitfire seemed satisfied with his progress anyway.

Western Canterlot Outpost: Mess Hall

Shining Armor had arrived back at the outpost just in time for dinner. He was sad that Twilight had been put in the hospital but incredibly grateful that she would be alright. As he got his trey, he noticed Jack choosing between Griffonstone meals that had been added to the mess hall. “Cadet Jager, how goes the training?” he asked.

"Captain Shining Armor, Sir," Jack said with a salute.

"At ease," Shining Armor chuckled.

"I didn't know you were back, sir," Jack said as he scooped a portion of chicken and steamed carrots onto his tray. "How's Twi?"

"Twily's doing just fine," Shining Armor answered eagerly. "The doctors say she'll make a full recovery."

"That's a relief."

“You don’t have to tell me," Shining Armor agreed. "So, how has your training been going? Three Arrows and Spitfire been giving you the works?"

"That's one way to describe it," Jack replied disdainfully.

“You... don’t sound all that enthusiastic,” Shining Armor noted. "I know Spitfire can be a little pushy, and I certainly would never want the Iron Front to be in charge of my training, but you've been granted a privilege most colts can only dream of."

“Permission to speak freely, Sir?”

“Granted.”

"I never wanted to be in the military," Jack admitted. "The only reason I'm here is because I have to be."

This revelation hit Shining Armor like a freight train. “What!? How could you possibly not want the honor of being in the E.U.P?”

"Because I don't think of military service as an honor," Jack replied. "To me, it's just a job some people choose to have. Is that really a foreign concept here?”

"Yes!" Shining Armor answered as if it should have been the most obvious thing in the world. "When I was a foal, I wanted nothing more than to be a soldier. Most peasant class colts would like nothing more than the chance to join when they grow up. If you have a talent that Catches the E.U.P's interest, you're pretty much set for life. You and your entire family become Military Class. That means no taxes, access to military benefits, higher pay, and discounts at every store.”

“Things are different where I come from," Jack said. "The military isn't treated like some separate class of people, although there are plenty of benefits to those who serve. There is certainly an annoyingly loud minority in my country that sees military service the way you do, but most of us would rather do other things with our lives.”

Shining Armor looked at Jack like he was some kind of alien life form, and to be fair, he kind of was. Struggling to put his thoughts into words, he finally said, "I... don't understand."

"I didn't really expect you to," Jack responded darkly.

Western Canterlot Outpost: Barracks

The rest of the night passed by without incident. The other Captains asked Shining Armor about his sister. Spitfire and Three Arrows exchanged thoughts about Jack's training, and Jack quietly retired to the barracks once he was done eating.

Having trouble sleeping, Jack flipped through his photo album while listening to Green Day in the Background. “I'll only be here until Celestia finds me a way home," he thought as he swiped to a picture of him and the Circle of Bros on a fishing trip shortly before Chase got sick. Bryce and Shawn were holding up a massive catfish while Chase stuck his hand in its mouth, and Jack made a peace sign with one hand while holding up the selfie stick in the other.
“Shawn's probably getting ready for his Junior year at Clemson right now," Jack thought longingly. “I’ll bet Bryce is still working for Boeing. Really sucks how he couldn't go to college. That damned cult ruined his life. Lot good college did me, though, trapped in another dimension.”

He continued swiping through the photos until he came across a picture of him and Chase fishing by the lake in their neighborhood. Chase was bald and heavily bloated from the Chemo. “Hard to believe it’s almost been a year," he thought somberly. Remembering how the Carneys had asked him to stay in touch after the funeral, he added, “I really should call Riley when I get home.”

Swiping even further, he found a picture of himself and his family after Mark's graduation. Mark wore his cap and gown and held up his diploma like Rafiki held Simba in the Lion King. Everyone was smiling, but of course, looks can be deceiving. The only ones who were really happy in the photo were their mom and dad. Mark had made it quite clear that he didn't want Jack at his graduation, but their parents brought him along anyway. On the other hand, Jack had been more than happy to attend and had used the opportunity to make an attempt at mending fences. However, the attempt had gone about as well as Brexit, and the only reason either son was smiling in the picture was for their parents’ sake. “I was a terrible brother," he thought to himself. He remembered what Pinkie had said. “When Princess Celestia manages to send you home, you can apologize.”

Swiping further, he came across a picture of himself posing in front of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. “Mom wanted me to tell her all about my trip," he thought. Clenching his fist in determination, he said aloud, "when I finish training, I’m going to ask to be escorted to Canterlot, and I'll ask Celestia how much longer it will take to send me back."

The next photo he swiped to was of him and Apple Bloom. They were both covered head to toe in hay. He chuckled as he remembered what had happened. About two days into their friendship, they were playing hide and seek. Jack had found her partially buried in a pile of hay but tripped over an empty bucket and fell in with her before he could announce his victory.

Another photo showed him and Fluttershy taking care of Rarity’s cat, Opal. His face was covered in scratches from when he tried to give the cat a bath. Nevertheless, both he and Fluttershy had smiles on their faces.

He continued to swipe through several more photos. He and Scootaloo bruised up after a scooter crash smiling as he holds up a tooth that got knocked out. He and Sweetie Belle covered in paint after an accident involving the renovation of Carousel Boutique and an incredibly clumsy mail mare whom Jack refuses to believe is named Derpy. Him and Spike weeding in Fluttershy’s yard. Him and Applejack working on the barn. Him wearing a new suit with Rarity made for him while she beams with pride. Him trying not to laugh as Twilight studies the beer and dip she recovered from the redneck's house in Santee. Him and Pinkie Pie giggling after a prank on Rainbow Dash. Him and Rainbow Dash relaxing by the pond. Finally, he made it to the last picture. Him and the Crusaders making silly salutes under the flag they raised at Fort Sumter. "I've sure made a lot of friends here," he said to himself. "Friends. At that moment, Jack had an epiphany. "I have more friends here than I ever had back home. When Celestia sends me back, I'll never see them again.

With that thought on his mind, he slowly drifted to sleep.

Author's Note

This Chapter was still taking forever to complete so, I had to split it into three parts because I refuse to write a 5000-word chapter.
Next Time Jack finishes his week of training and questions Celestia about returning home.

Chapter 22: The Chaos of Nature (Last Edited: 7/30/2022)

August 5, 2020

Western Canterlot Outpost: Track

Jack had been training for hours, and it was paying off. He had managed to increase his speed to 2.9 mph in that time. Such an improvement didn't seem possible to him, not in so little time at least. Perhaps it had to do with his magic. He'd noticed that he healed and recovered stamina abnormally fast too.

He crossed the finish line for the 7th time that day and immediately ran to Spitfire. "What's... my time?" Jack panted.

"Your time was thirty-one minutes and fifty-three seconds. That's still an average of 2.9 mph," Spitfire answered. "You're almost there, cadet."

“Thank God!” Jack thought to himself.

“But almost isn't good enough!" Spitfire added. “Take a short break and then get back to it.”

"Yes, ma'am," Jack saluted before running over to a table full of water canteens.

Spitfire took out a clipboard and began jotting down notes about Jack’s training. "All things considered, he's doing alright. That being said, there isn't really much of a point in training him if he can't even match a school filly's speed. Perhaps his magic could give him a boost, but that would be more Shining...

“How’s the green-hoof doing?”

Spitfire looked up from her notes to see Three Arrows standing in front of her. "Oh, hey, Arrows," she greeted. "He's doing fine."

“Not giving you any trouble, is he?” Three Arrows asked with a chuckle.

"Not at all," Spitfire replied. "It's like you said. He respects authority when it benefits him. All I had to do was offer him the rest of the day off if he can reach 3 mph."

Three Arrows' mouth hung open in disbelief. “You’re going easy on him?”

"He's not all that impressive physically, and I don't think any amount of training is going to fix that," Spitfire said with a frown. "I don't see the point in working him beyond his breaking point, especially when we're only after his magic."

"But, but surely, you can't be serious," Three Arrows sputtered. “You know how important it is for every soldier to be ready to do their job to the best of their ability. You need to treat him like any other recruit!”

Spitfire stamped her front hoof and looked into her colleague’s eyes with a defiant glare. “This part of his training is my responsibility, not yours! I will decide how best to train him!” With a snort, she said, "I saw the injuries he got on your training course. That is not acceptable!" Her glare softened. “I have great respect for you, Arrows. Your leadership of the 53rd Infantry in the Trotingham War earned you the nickname Iron Front and your advocacy for the peasant class is admirable. But, you need to understand that we are soldiers, not tools. I understand your resentment of the class system, but that doesn’t mean that you have to treat every non-peasant you meet like dirt.”

Three Arrows opened his mouth to respond but was quickly interrupted.

“Let's make a bet," Spitfire said. "If Cadet Jager can't meet my goal in his next lap, I’ll hand him over to you.”

“And if you win?” Three Arrows asked with a raised brow.

"You do my paperwork for the rest of the week," Spitfire answered with a cocky smirk.

"Very well, I'll take that bet."

"Excellent," Spitfire agreed before turning to where Jack was resting. “Alright, cadet, get off your rump! It’s time to get back to work!”

"Yes, ma'am!" Jack shouted as he rushed to the starting line.

Jack got off to a great start. By the time he had reached halfway around the track, it looked like he might make it with a full minute to spare.

"Alright, Jager!" she shouted. "I hope you enjoy acquisition forms, Arrows!" she yelled to her colleague, sticking out her tongue.

Unfortunately, things seemed to turn south when about 100 yards from the finish line, Jack tripped and fell face-first into the ground.

"Get up, Jager," Spitfire whispered to herself as Jack slowly got to his feet.

Once Jack was back on his feet, he ran as fast as his legs could carry him to the finish line.

Spitfire was afraid to even look at the stopwatch, and when Jack crossed the finish line, and she stopped the watch, a feeling of dread washed over her. "I've lost.

“How did I do?” Jack asked.

Spitfire glanced down at the stopwatch, mentally bracing herself. "31 minutes 34 seconds," she read. As she did the math in her head, a wave of relief washed over her. "You did it, Jager!"

“YES!” Jack shouted, jumping into the air with his fist raised. “Welp, I’ll be in the barracks if you need me!” he called as he rushed off.

Once Jack was out of sight, Spitfire turned to Three Arrows. "Well, what do you think?"

"I think I have some paperwork to do," Three Arrows responded blankly.

August 6, 2020

Western Canterlot Outpost: Barracks

Jack Had gone to sleep early the night before. This had paid off as it was now 3:30 in the morning, and he was already stirring from his slumber. His eyes slowly fluttered open, and he let out a long yawn. Rolling out of bed, he stretched and headed to the closet to get dressed.

Getting up early had given Jack an unusual treat. Usually, he would have to wait in line for the showers at the end of the day. Even though most of the troops normally stationed at the outpost were deployed at the moment, the skeleton force remaining was still enough to leave him with cold water when he made it to the showers. He quickly slipped on his clothes, grabbed a towel, his toothbrush, and some toothpaste, and slipped outside.

Western Canterlot Outpost: Showers

Jack felt the warm stream of water impact his skin. It was a pleasant feeling, and he could feel the tension in his back melt away. He stayed in there for a full 15 minutes before the warm water finally shut off. Hopping out of the shower, he began drying himself.

Unfortunately, he wasn't the only one with the idea to shower early in the morning. As he finished drying himself off, he could hear the sound of hooves on the tiles outside. He franticly tried to dress before the pony arrived. However, he only managed to get his underwear on before the pony entered the room.

“Cadet Jager?”

Jack’s face turned bright red. The pony that had walked in was Spitfire. Sure, she was a horse, but she was still a girl, and it was still embarrassing as Hell. "C-Captain Spitfire, ma'am," he greeted with an awkward salute.

"You're up early, cadet," Spitfire stated as if nothing was wrong. "Normally, we have to drag you out of bed," she joked.

"Well, I um, just woke up earlier than usual t-today and thought I'd get a warm shower," Jack stuttered. "I-I'll just be going now, ma'am," he said as he pulled his pants up and got to his feet.

"Wait a minute, cadet," Spitfire said.

"Y-yes, ma'am?" Jack asked as he pulled his shirt over his shoulders.

“Flash Sentry will be waiting for you at the archery range," Spitfire explained. "You ran off before I got the chance to tell you yesterday."

"Th-thank you, ma'am," Jack said before rushing out.

Western Canterlot Outpost: Archery Range

Jack arrived at the Archery range to find Flash Sentry waiting with an assortment of medieval weaponry and a line of straw-stuffed pony-shaped targets.

"I was just about to come get you, cadet," Flash Sentry said. "Today, we will begin with your weapons training," he said as he pulled out a dagger. "Every soldier in the E.U.P, be they a wing-pony in the Wonderbolts or even a maintenance worker on a Navy battleship, carries at least one. Choosing a proper weapon is important for any recruit's training, so I will be assessing your skills with a wide variety to determine what's best suited for you.”

“Can’t I just use my own weapons?” Jack asked.

"Of course not!" Flash Sentry snapped. "That would be a violation of E.U.P regulations. Only top-quality weapons are acceptable." He then passed the dagger to the human. "Now, show me what you can do."

Jack clutched the knife in his tiny hands. Running as quickly as he could, he thrust the blade into the neck of the nearest dummy.

“No, no, no," Flash Sentry said, snatching the knife from Jack's hand. "No soldier with proper training is going to fall for that," he sighed. “Let’s try something else.”

"Um, aren't you going to show me how to do it, right?" Jack asked.

“Unfortunately, we don't have time for that," Flash Sentry sighed. "Including today, We only have 3 more days to finish your basics, and you still need to learn to control your magic." He pulled a longbow and quiver from the pile of weapons. "Try this."

The bow was more than twice Jack's height, and he struggled to hold it up. When he tried to fire an arrow, he found himself unable to pull the string back even a few inches.

This string of failures would continue as he collapsed under the weight of a spear and could not even lift most of the other weapons. As time went on, he became more and more irritable until he snapped. Pulling the Glock out of his pocket, he blew the straw-stuffed heads off of four targets in rapid succession. Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! “Are we done here?” he asked as he pocketed the gun.

Flash Sentry stood speechless for a good minute before asking, “What was that?!”

"That'd be a gun," Jack grunted.

“And where did you get this gun?”

"From the Lowcountry. Found it in a house me I Twilight were exploring," Jack explained. "Can I go now, sir?”

"Yes, cadet, you're dismissed. Tell Shining Armor you're ready. He'll be in the command center," Flash Sentry instructed. "If we could equip just a few units with these guns, no country on Equus could stand up to us,” he thought as Jack ran off.

Western Canterlot Outpost: Command Center

Shining Armor sat at his desk, contemplating ways to activate Jack's magic. "If fear is the trigger, perhaps I could trick him into thinking he’s in danger."

“Sir?”

“No, that won't work. We want to get him to control his magic, not just activate it.”

“Sir?”

“But what if I…”

“Sir!”

“Huh?” Shining Armor grunted, snapping out of his train of thought.

Standing on the other side of Shining Armor’s desk was his assistant, a magenta unicorn mare named Sunrise Glow.

“Yes, Lieutenant?” Shining Armor asked.

"Cadet Jager is ready for you, sir," Sunrise reported.

“Thank you, lieutenant," Shining Armor nodded. "Tell, Jager. I'll be right out."

"Yes, sir," Sunrise said with a salute.

Command Center: Exterior

Jack sat on a bench by the door to the command center, swinging his legs excitedly, thinking about what he could do with magic. "Maybe I can turn invisible, or shapeshift, or read minds, ooh that teleporting thing Twi does is pretty cool!”

His thoughts were interrupted when Sunrise walked out the door. “Captain Shining Armor will be out shortly.”

“Thank you, ma'am," Jack responded.

After about 10 minutes, Shining Armor finally stepped outside. “Alright, Cadet Jager, it’s time to begin your magic training.”

“What are we going to do?” Jack asked with a wide grin. "Sir," he added as an afterthought.

"Follow me, and I'll show you, cadet," Shining Armor said as he began walking toward the gate.

Western Canterlot Outpost: Northern Rampart

“Why’d we come out here?” Jack asked.

"To avoid distractions," Shining Armor answered. "Magic requires focus."

“Focus on what, sir?”

“Your magic is triggered by fear, correct?” Shining Armor enquired.

Jack nodded. "Yes, sir."

"I want you to concentrate on the thing you fear most," Shining Armor instructed. "I’ll cast a spell to help cancel out all other thoughts.”

"Yes, sir," Jack said as he closed his eyes.

Jack sat quietly in the doctor's office. He felt a cold, wet sensation on his arm as the doctor sterilized it. He knew what was coming, of course, but for some reason, Jack chose to look anyway. When he turned his head, he could see the needle the doctor was holding. It wasn't a normal needle either. In fact, it was cartoonishly oversized. As the doctor was about to give his shot, Jack’s eyes shot open. “NOPE!!”

“What did you see?” Shining Armor asked.

"Needles," Jack squeaked. "So big. So sharp."

“That’s not the kind of fear I was talking about, cadet," Shining Armor said with a loud sigh. “I meant to picture a situation where your life is in danger.

“Oh… Oh," Jack facepalmed as he closed his eyes again.

It was a clear night and the stars shined brightly over the icy water. Jack could hear shouting around him as he stared out at the numerous small rowboats in the water. He could hear Nearer my God to Thee being played quite professionally in the background. It was clear he was on a ship's deck, but something was off. It was as if the deck was tilted somehow.

"Please, sir, take me to a lifeboat," a woman cried to an officer. "I have children!”

“I’m sorry, miss, all the boats have launched," the officer replied calmly. "You'll simply have to wait for the rescue ship."

As the minutes passed, it became harder and harder to stand as the deck tilted further and further. The lights flickered off, and with a deafening crack, the deck leveled, throwing Jack on his ass. With a series of loud creaks and the sound of terrified screams, the ship was dragged to the depths and him along with it.

Jack opened his eyes, having felt nothing. “I don’t think that worked, sir.”

“Try again.”

Closing his eyes again, Jack was now in an industrial city by a river. The people around him were dejected and morbidly underfed. Jack couldn’t make out what the people around him were saying but recognized the language as Japanese. One word repeatedly came up in their Conversation, Yahata. Above him, he could hear the sound of a large aircraft. Looking up, he could barely see a B29 Superfortress passing above the clouds. There was a flash, everything turned white, and he opened his eyes again.

“Still nothing, sir.”

“Again.”

Jack stood on a beach. He was surrounded by tourists speaking a large assortment of languages. He was able to pick up Dutch, French, German, and some were even speaking English. Looking behind him, it was clear he was in a resort of some kind, probably in Southeast Asia, judging by the staff. He could see several people around him, pointing toward the ocean. The water had receded severely since he had looked away, and there was a massive white wall of water in the distance.

“Was ist das?” asked a German guy to Jack’s left.

"Tsunami," one of the Asian resort staff answered morbidly.

Upon hearing the word tsunami, Jack burst into a full sprint away from the beach. Looking behind him, he could see the wave crashing on the shore. His heart beating like a drum, he ran as fast as he could until he was stopped dead in his tracks by a horrific sight. Another massive wave of water was rushing right at him from the other direction. Before he could even bother praying, he was swallowed by the dark water.

"Nothing, sir," Jack panted.

Jack and Shining Armor tried, again and again, all day as Jack imagined himself on the Hindenburg, at Pearl Harbor, in the Twin Towers on 9/11, in the middle of Hurricane Katrina, and even on the Challenger, all with no results.

August 7, 2020

Western Canterlot Outpost: Northern Rampart

7 hours nonstop. That's how long Jack and Shining Armor had been training since he woke up, and still no progress.

"Let's try something different this time," Shining Armor said. "I want you to imagine the times you activated it in the past."

"Yes, sir," Jack said, closing his eyes.

He stood in the field between the Sweet Apple Acres Barn and the Apple Family home. It was a bright sunny day. Pleasant in all respects, save for one thing. A large blackened timberwolf was circling a tree in the middle of the field, and hanging on to the top branches for dear life was Apple Bloom.

Following his plan from before, Jack got halfway between the beast and the house and shouted at the top of his lungs. The timberwolf quickly bared down on him, and as he tripped, the world was engulfed in an emerald glow.

Shining Armor watched in elation as the human’s eyes shot open, glowing green. This was replaced with mild irritation when Jack returned to normal two seconds later.

"You did it, cadet," Shining Armor said. "Sort of."

“R-really?” Jack asked, his eyes wide in excitement.

"Yes, really," Shining Armor answered with a chuckle. “I want you to think of another time where you activated it.”

"Yes, sir," Jack responded, closing his eyes again.

He was in a dark alley. Standing beside him, trembling in terror, was Scootaloo. He heard a loud roar and looked up to see the ursa minor raising its paw for a deadly swipe. As the blow neared, there was a flash of green, and he opened his eyes.

Once again, Shining Armor watched intently as Jack’s eyes glowed for a few seconds before fading. “We’re clearly on to something here, but clearly we're missing something. What could it be?” Shining Armor wondered. “Try again, Jager.”

Jack nodded and closed his eyes once more. Now he was in front of a cave at the top of a mountain. Rainbow Dash was thrown from the mouth and was closely followed by a towering dragon. Jack unloaded his pistol into the dragon's hide, to no effect. With a roar, the dragon unleashed its fiery breath, and the green glow took over.

When the glow faded, Shining Armor pondered on how to proceed. "Perhaps he could figure out what’s wrong." He cleared his throat, "Cadet Jager."

“Yes, sir?”

"I think there might be more to your magic than just fear for your life," Shining Armor explained. "Are there any other common factors between the times you activated it?"

Jack stroked his chin as he thought about the Shining Armor's question. "The first time he activated it was at Sweet Apple Acres when he led the timberwolf away from Apple Bloom. The second time was when he was trapped in the alley with Scootaloo, and the final time was when he and the Mane Six were being attacked by the dragon." He gasped in realization, “I know what I need to do, sir.”

“Then do it.”

Jack closed his eyes one last time. Now he was in Magnolia Cemetery. In front of him, the strange unicorn slowly approached Twilight, who had collapsed onto the ground. Jack reached for his Glock but found his pocket empty. There was a loud yell. Both Jack and the unicorn turned to see Scootaloo standing defiantly as Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle cowered behind her.

"No witnesses," the unicorn said in his dry voice.

Jack felt a warm glow in his body, and his eyes fluttered open, revealing two glowing emerald orbs in his hands. “I did it!” he gleefully exclaimed. “What now?”

"Now…" Shining Armor said as his horn glowed purple. "We move onto the next stage," he finished as seven purple targets appeared in the sky. “I want you to hit each target, as close to the center as you can.”

"Yes, sir," Jack said as he pointed his palms at the nearest target. "Erm, how do I do that?"

"When a unicorn uses magic, there is a tingling sensation around their horn." Shining Armor informed. "Do you feel tingly anywhere?"

There was a buzzing sensation in his hands, "Yes, sir."

“I want you to focus on the sensation,” Shining Armor said. “Let it build and release.”

Jack focused on his hands, and sure enough, he could feel the energy building up. After a few seconds, he could feel something burst, and a blast of green energy fired from his hands, narrowly missing the nearest target.

"Very good, for a first attempt," Shining Armor complimented. "Let's try that again."

They spent the rest of the day improving his aim. In that time, Jack managed to hit the target about 30% of the time. Plenty of room for improvement, but at least he'd learned to use his magic.

August 8, 2020

Western Canterlot Outpost: Command Center

The time had finally come for Jack to leave. He had gathered his belongings and was awaiting his escort to the command center. Apart from Flash Sentry, who had gone to take care of some urgent business with the Northern Fleet, the captains all sat around the table with him.

“I assume you won’t start slacking off just because you’re on leave,” said Three Arrows.

"No, sir," Jack responded.

"Come on, Arrows. Take it easy on him," Spitfire said. "Just do regular workouts and keep in shape, and you'll be fine, cadet."

“Thank you, ma’am,” Jack said.

“If you need any tips for your magic training, be sure to ask Twily for help," Shining Armor said. "She may not be in the guard, but she's the most talented unicorn I know."

“Understood, sir.”

There was a knock on the door.

"That's probably your escort, Jager," noted Spitfire. "Go check to make sure."

"Yes, ma'am," Jack said, hopping up and walking to the door. When he opened it he found Celestia there waiting for him.

“I assume you’re training has gone well?” Celestia asked warmly.

“Oh, hey, Celestia… Err, I mean, Princess," Jack said with an awkward bow. "Yeah, it’s gone great. Check it out!"

He held out his palms and two orbs of emerald energy materialized.

"I'm glad to see your training has paid off," Celestia said with a smile. "And if you'd rather call me Celestia instead of Princess, you're free to do so."

"Thank you, Celestia," Jack said as the orbs faded.

“To what do we owe the honor, Princess?” asked Spitfire.

“I’m here to escort Jack back to Ponyville," Celestia answered.

“With all due respect, Princess, surely you have more important things to attend to," Three Arrows said.

"I've found myself with some time away from my Royal Duties today, and besides, there's something I need to discuss with Jack," Celestia responded. "Is that a problem, captain?"

“No, Princess," Three Arrows said hastily. "It is not my place to question what you do on your own time. My apologies," he said with a bow.

"There's no need to apologize, captain," Celestia responded. "Aren't we forgetting something?"

"Of course, princess," Three Arrows bowed before rushing over to a shelf and bringing back an ornate blue box.

"Cadet Jager," Princess Celestia said firmly. "You have completed your basic training and are prepared to begin your career in the E.U.P. Army."

Three Arrows opened the box to reveal a blue pin shaped like a horseshoe. "Jackson Delano Jager Jr., you are hereby granted the rank of private," he said, pining the horseshoe to Jack's shirt.

"Excellent," said Princess Celestia. "I believe that concludes our business here. Oh, and Shining Armor...”

“Yes, Princess?”

"Your request for leave has been granted," Celestia informed. "I'm sure having her brother around will do wonders for Twilight's recovery."

“Thank you, princess," Shining Armor bowed. "It means a lot to me."

"I know it does, Captain," Celestia said warmly. "You work hard protecting my sister and me, so feel free to take as much time as you need." She turned to Jack. "Are you ready to go?"

“Yes, ma’am," Jack nodded. "Just let me go get my bags.”

Western Canterlot Outpost: Outskirts

“Mind if I ask you something?” Jack asked as he sat down in the golden seats of Celestia’s Chariot.

"Of course not," Celestia chuckled as she sat across from him. "I've all but forced you into military service. The least I can do is listen to your questions."

“Have you made any progress finding me a way home?” Jack asked hopefully.

Celestia sighed. "Unfortunately, no. It would be a simple task if I knew where you came from, but without that knowledge, it's like finding a needle in a haystack."

"I understand," Jack glumly replied. "Mind if I ask you another question?"

“Of course,” Celestia responded as the chariot lifted off.

“Who was that unicorn from the cemetery?” Jack asked. “Luna didn’t say it out loud, but even I could tell she recognized him.”

“His name is Morte," Celestia answered. "He's a powerful necromancer involved with a dangerous group known as the Elements of Chaos. I assume you know about the Elements of Harmony?”

"Yeah, they're mystical gemstones that hold the power of harmony, right?" Jack answered, balling his hands into fists. "They each choose a bearer that represents their virtue, Flutters being kindness, Pinks being laughter, Rare being generosity, AJ being honesty, Dash being loyalty, and Twi being magic," he continued lifting a finger for each element he listed. "Are you saying these Elements of Chaos are similar?"

"I am," Celestia replied. "There are six elements in total, wrath, lust, greed, dishonesty, betrayal, and curses. Morte is the element of greed.”

“And the others?”

“Apart from Morte, I only know the name of one," Celestia explained. "Their leader's name is Blutknochen, the element of curses. He’s an ancient Alicorn who’s been alive longer than any other pony. My sister and I’ve faced him many times in the past, and each time he has a new set of element bearers."

"Wait, wait, wait," Jack said, holding out his hand in a stop motion. "If there are different bearers each time, then how do you know about Morte?”

“Most of Blutknochen’s minion's age and die like any other pony,” Celestia’s calm demeanor shifted into a hostile glare. “However, Morte has managed a feat that even the most powerful unicorns seldom dream of, immortality.”

“How… did he do that?” Jack asked nervously.

“Using his necromancy, Morte is able to commit one of the greatest taboos of magic," Celestia said without dropping her glare. "He drains years from other ponies’ lives and adds them to his own," her glare softened to a look of pity. "As a result, his body has deteriorated to a point where he could hardly be called alive. Down to his core, there's nothing left of him but a walking corpse driven by greed and hatred of those in his way."

There were a few seconds of awkward silence before Jack broke it with a final question. “And what exactly are these Elements of Chaos after?”

Celestia looked directly into Jack’s eyes. “You.”

“M-me?”

“Every time humans have come to Equestria in the past has been the direct and intentional result of Blutknochen’s actions," Celestia explained.

“And why would he do that?” Jack asked with visible confusion.

"Your magic," Celestia answered. “Apart from Discord, the Spirit of Disharmony, who is currently sealed in stone in the castle gardens, humans are the only known users of chaos magic," she explained. "I don't know exactly what his plan is, but I believe he requires chaos magic to succeed," she said before returning to her usual warm demeanor. “There are several different forms of chaos magic based on each fundamental aspect of our universe. Each different form has a distinctly colored aura. The emerald glow of your aura would imply that yours is the Chaos of Nature.”

Author's Note

Goddamn, that took a long time. For those of you who don't know, I had to write this chapter twice because the school computer I was renting wiped itself, and I lost the original. This training thing kinda turned into a bit of a mini-arc, didn't it? Dear God, could you imagine if I had tried to put this all into one chapter like I originally planned?
As a history buff, I decided It would be interesting to have Jack imagine himself during historical disasters. Apart from the Titanic (That one is obvious) points for figuring out what disasters he was in (don't just say Atomic bombings, tell me which city. Same goes for the other disaster.)
Next Time: Jack arrives back in Ponyville to find Rarity fretting over designing dresses for the Grand Galloping Gala. Meanwhile, Shining Armor enjoys his time off with his LSBFF.

Chapter 23: Suited for Success (Last Edited: 8/11/2022)

August 8, 2020

Sky above Ponyville

The royal chariot slowly descended as it drew closer to Ponyville. Jack grinned as he watched the town grow larger and larger. He was so looking forward to sleeping on a mattress that didn't feel like a rock. Before long, he could see six figures standing near their LZ. He soon recognized them as Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Spike.

“Should I tell them about the Elements of Chaos?” he asked Celestia.

"As their target, you have a right to know about them," Celestia said. "I have already informed the Royal Court of their existence and their goals, and I was planning on informing Twilight and her friends upon her recovery. If you wish to tell them beforehand, that is up to you.” she gave Jack a stern glare. "That being said, you are not to discuss this with anypony else.”

The moment they landed, Jack was almost knocked off his feet by a yellow blur. "OOF!" he grunted.

“I was so worried!” Fluttershy sobbed, tightly hugging her adoptive son.

"I'm fine, mother," Jack said as he attempted to pull away. “Come on, let go. This is embarrassing!”

“Mother?” Celestia questioned, with a brow raised in amusement.

“I only call her that because she asked me to!” Jack yelled, his face as red as Apple Bloom’s mane.

“As fun as teasing Jack is….” Rainbow Dash started.

“Oh, come on, Dash! I thought we were cool!” Jack shouted.

Rainbow Dash stifled a snicker. "As fun as teasing him is, I think I speak for everypony here when I say I’d rather hear how Twilight’s doing.”

Spike and the other ponies nodded in agreement.

"Twilight Sparkle is recovering well," Celestia responded. "In fact, she should be returning to Ponyville with her brother tomorrow. So long as she avoids any strenuous activity for the next month, she'll be good as new. I trust the seven of you will help her through this?”

“You can count on us, Princess!” Rainbow Dash said with a salute.

"We won't let ya down," Applejack added.

“If we weren’t willing to help Twilight in her time of need, then what kind of friends would we be?” Rarity agreed.

“I’ll work extra hard! She won’t have to lift a hoof," Spike said with a salute. “Dragon’s honor!”

"Twilight's in good hooves with us, Princess," Fluttershy said as she let go of Jack.

“I’ll get started on her get-well party right away!” Pinkie exclaimed.

“I'll help Twilight in any way I can," Jack said. "Whatever she needs whenever she needs it. I swear!" he added, bringing a fist to his heart. "I won’t ignore a friend in need..." he thought to himself. "Not this time,” he muttered darkly.

"I'm so glad to see my student has made such wonderful friends," Celestia said. "I must return to Canterlot now. So, I’ll leave you all to catch up with young Jack here. I’m sure he has much to tell you.”

Once everyone said goodbye to Celestia, the chariot took off, and they began walking toward town.

“You gonna tell us about the training, or what?” Rainbow Dash asked as they walked past the Welcome to Ponyville sign.

"Yeah, tell us, Jacky!" Pinkie exclaimed.

“I’ll tell you guys when Twilight gets back," Jack said. "There's something you all need to hear.”

"Fine, but don't leave out anything cool," Rainbow Dash sighed.

After several seconds of silence, Rarity asked, “so, Jack, I was just wondering if you had anything decent to wear for the Gala?”

“What Gala?” Jack asked.

"The Grand Galloping Gala," Rarity said. "You know the most important social event in Equestria that we all have tickets to.”

With everything that had happened, Jack had forgotten all about the Gala.

"Ohhhh, that Gala," Jack said. "I was just going to use one of the outfits you made for me."

"WHAT?!" Rarity gasped, fainting dramatically. "You can't be serious, darling. The clothes I made for you are designed for casual occasions. You need something more formal."

“Really?” Jack asked. “They look like a World War I French Army uniform… or a peacock… not all that different when you think about it.”

“Are you comparing my work to tacky military garb?” Rarity asked indignantly. “Hmmpf. The nerve!”

"Relax," Jack said. "I just meant they look kinda showy."

"Oh… well, that doesn't make them formal," Rarity said, waving her hoof dismissively. "You simply must let me design something appropriate for the occasion."

"Ah honestly, don' see what the fuss about all dress nonsense is." Applejack said. "Ah’s jus' gonna wear mah work duds.”

"Yeah, I wasn't even planning on wearing a dress, to begin with," Rainbow Dash agreed. "I need to be as aerodynamic as possible if I want to impress the Wonderbolts!” she exclaimed, taking to the sky, doing 2 loop de loops, clearing 3 clouds, and landing in front of the group. “Can’t do that with a dress on.”

“It's a party, not a wedding," Pinkie Pie. "All I need is my cannon!" she said as she knocked Jack to the ground with a shot of confetti.

“WHERE DO YOU EVEN KEEP THAT THING!” Jack screamed angrily.

“I’ll never tell!” Pinkie exclaimed.

"You all simply must wear something formal to the Gala," Rarity insisted. "I'd be more than happy to make them for you, free of charge," she said before turning to Fluttershy. "What about you, Fluttershy? Would you like a new dress?"

"Oh no, I wouldn't want to be a bother," Fluttershy softly replied.

“It’s no trouble at all. In fact, I insist," Rarity said. "I'll make one for Twilight as well. Oh, this will be so fun! We can even throw a fashion show!” she declared before rushing off. “Come by Carousel Boutique tomorrow to pick them up!”

Carousel Boutique

“I’ll need a new plan of attack! Something that works with his back! Something for a new recruit. It’s Jack’s new suit.” Rarity sang.

August 9, 2020

Fluttershy’s Cottage

Jack had gone straight to bed when he got home and woke up bright and early the next day. Angel hadn’t been thrilled to see his return and was sitting in a corner, glaring at him as he and Fluttershy ate their breakfast.

"Twilight and her brother will be at the station in three hours," Fluttershy informed him. "She'll need a lot of rest, but she's walking at least."

"Thank God," Jack said.

"The girls and I were planning on meeting them at the station," Fluttershy said. "Rarity wants us to swing by the boutique afterward."

As the conversation continued, there was a knock on the door.

"I'll get it," Jack said as he got up from his seat.

When he opened the door, he found four fillies waiting outside. He had sort of been expecting the Crusaders, but the fourth filly was a bit of a surprise.

“Kon'nichiwa, Jack-sama!” Sakura Blossom greeted.

“What are you doing here?” Jack asked with a glare. “I was under the impression you didn’t like blank flanks.”

Sakura bowed her head apologetically. "Honto ni gomen ne. When I heard about what happened, I realized how terrible I had been to you and Apple Bloom-san. I hope you can forgive me, and we can all be friends.”

Jack’s glare softened. “Apology accepted. I assume you’ve already apologized to Bloom then?”

“She apologized tuh me last Monday after class," Apple Bloom confirmed. "Ah didn even know she had said anythin' mean 'bout me, but she seemed real sorry.”

"Well, I'm glad you were able to forgive her," Jack said with a smile. "By the way, what's with the looks? You'd think you guys hadn't seen me in months."

"We were worried," Sweetie Belle said.

"When Cheerilee said you had come down with some kind of human disease, we all tried to bring you a care package, but Fluttershy said you were too sick for us to come in!" Scootaloo explained.

"Well, I'm fine now," Jack smiled. "By the way, Scootaloo. You're not still grounded, are you? I wouldn't want you to get in any more trouble."

"My aunts let me off yesterday," Scootaloo said.

"They let her help us with the care package, though," Sweetie Belle said.

"That's great!" Jack said. "You guys want to go to the park and hang out?"

“Yeah!” the fillies exclaimed.

"Just remember to be at the station in time to meet Twilight," Fluttershy called from inside.

"Yes, Mother!"

Friendship Express

Shining Armor had gotten a private coach attached to the Ponyville Express. Perks of being an E.U.P. captain. It was made of mahogany with a silk lining and the Equestrian Coat of Arms was carved into every wall. The seats were lined with imported Kashmir and the windows were made of crystal.

The train was about a mile and a half out from Ponyville Station. Personally, he would have preferred to stay in Canterlot, but Twilight had insisted on returning to Ponyville to be with her friends.

"I can't wait to introduce you to my friends," Twilight said.

"I'm looking forward to it," Shining Armor replied. "You've written so much about them in your letters. I'm glad you've finally opened up."

Twilight sighed and frowned. "Before I met my friends in Ponyville, I never really understood the point of friendship." Her face lit up. "But now I don't know how I ever lived without it!"

“Your friends must be wonderful ponies, Twily," Shining Armor sighed.

“What’s wrong?” Twilight pried.

"I guess I was just expecting my first meeting with the Elements of Harmony to be more official....," Shining Armor said before quietly adding, "and sooner."

Twilight tilted her head in confusion. “What do you mean?”

"The Royal Guard's job is to protect the Royal family and other important members of Equestrian society," Shining Armor said. "When Princess Celestia explained her plan to recover the Elements and redeem Princess Luna, I assumed I'd be meeting with the Bearers shortly after. It’s been months, and the Princesses haven't even requested a guard detachment to protect you and your friends.”

"Maybe Princess Celestia thinks we can protect ourselves," Twilight offered. "I'm sure you just haven't met them because she's had more important things for you to do."

Shining Armor chuckled.

“What’s so funny?” Twilight asked.

"Not much," Shining Armor answered. "It's just I'm supposed to be the one making you feel better, and here you are, cheering me up."

Ponyville Station

Spike, Jack, and the Mane Six eagerly waited on the platform.

Spike, in particular, was having a hard time containing his excitement. “There it is!” he gleefully exclaimed when the locomotive appeared over the horizon.

When the train came to a complete stop, the station staff rushed toward an ornate coach with a large E.U.P. logo painted on the side. When its doors opened, Twilight stepped out onto the platform.

“Twilight!” everyone called at once as they rushed towards her.

Upon reaching her, everyone except for Jack practically tackled Twilight in a group hug.

"I missed you all," Twilight said with a smile.

"Come on, you guys, give her some breathing room," Jack chided.

As the ponies dispersed, Shining Armor walked out of the coach with a large cart full of luggage, and Jack immediately stood at attention.

“Everypony, this is my brother, Shining Armor," Twilight introduced.

"Twily's told me so much about all of you," Shining Armor said. Chuckling at Jack, he said, "there's no need for you to stand at attention, Jack. Neither of us is on duty."

“Oh…” Jack said, letting out an awkward laugh as he took on a more casual stance.

“Hey, Spike," Shining Armor said as his eyes locked onto the purple dragon. “I think you’ve grown a bit since the last time I saw you.”

“I knew those special gemstones I bought would pay off!” Spike said as he proudly flexed his flimsy arms.

“How about we all head to the Library and catch up?” asked Twilight.

“We’d love to, Twilight, but first, I have a surprise for you at the boutique," Rarity said.

“Spike and I will take our luggage back to the library, Twily," Shining Armor said. "You really should catch up with your friends."

Twilight pulled Shining Armor and Spike into a hug. “Thank you both so much.”

Carousel Boutique

When they arrived at the boutique, Rarity had everyone shut their eyes before going inside.

“That's it. Keep them closed. Don't look,” Rarity said until they stopped. “Okay, you can look now!”

Jack was secretly impressed with his suit, but the others were clearly underwhelmed.

Rarity went on about each outfit as her friends stared blankly. “Aren’t they all amazing?” she asked when she finished.

The ponies tried to come up with complements until Rainbow Dash finally announced her true feelings.

“Mine's just not as cool as I was imagining," Rainbow Dash blurted out, eliciting glares from the others. “She asked.”

"I really appreciate the effort, Rarity, but I already have a dress I was planning to wear to the Gala," Twilight said.

Jack coughed loudly, "Ungrateful fucks," he muttered before coughing again.

“Now now, Jack, there's no need for that language," Rarity said. "If my first attempt was unsatisfactory, I’m more than willing to redo them.”

The ponies made a few pathetic attempts at feigning satisfaction and telling Rarity they didn't want to impose, but the fashionista was having none of it.

“Oh, it's no imposition," Rarity laughed, barely hiding her annoyance. "Really, I insist.”

“Well, in that case... I look forward to seeing what you have in store for me, Rarity," Twilight said with a smile.

Rarity let off strained laughter as her friends left. “What have I gotten myself into?” she asked as the door slammed shut.

August 10, 2020

Ponyville School

When Jack returned to class for the first time since his trip, he received a hero's welcome. The Crusaders had thoroughly regaled their classmates with the tale of their journey to his homeland and even embellished a few points. Apparently, the story had gone from him shooting Morte while he wasn’t looking to him physically, ripping the immortal unicorn away from Twilight, and scaring him off with a single glance.

"Wath he really ten feet tall?" Twist asked.

"Scootaloo told me he was twenty!" Snips exclaimed.

Jack shot Scootaloo a look, "Really?" he asked. "None of that is true," he explained to the class. "He was five feet tall at most, and all I did was shoot him."

"Shoot him?" Pip enquired. "Like with an arrow?"

"Something like that," Jack nodded.

"I told you that blank flank made up all those stories," Diamond Tiara sneered.

"Yeah, I'll bet this stallion took one look at that ape and ran away from the ugly!" Silver Spoon agreed.

"Bump! Bump! Sugarlump! Rump!" the two bullies chanted.

Carousel Boutique

Once class ended, Jack went straight to Rarity's to try on his new suit.

"You really didn't need to do this, Rare," Jack said. "I actually liked the suit you made me yesterday."

“Oh pshh, it was no trouble at all,” Rarity dismissed.

“Hello?” Fluttershy asked as she walked into the room. “You wanted to see me, Rarity?”

“Excuse me, Jack," Rarity said as she trotted over to where Fluttershy was standing. "I'm so glad you came, Fluttershy. Your new-new gown's ready," she informed, leading the pegasus to the dressing room. “I completely revised it, and I know you're going to love it.”

Rarity wasted no time getting Fluttershy in her dress and bringing her to the mirror. “What do you think?”

Fluttershy attempted to avoid answering, but Rarity persistently pestered her until the shy pegasus finally snapped, telling Rarity that the stitching was wrong and that she would prefer Prench haute couture, among other things. As Rarity stood with her mouth, agape Jack burst through the door wearing his suit.

"Hey, Rare, I know I said the suit was good, but it's kinda itchy, and it feels like the pants are cutting into my ass."

“Oh, Opal. These are the ugliest dresses I've ever made," Rarity lamented to her cat.

"Meow," Opel replied.

"I know Jack's suit looks fine," Rarity said. "But I used almost every spool of silk in the boutique, making it comfortable, and now I'll have to buy more,” she sighed.

“Meow.”

"Yes, I suppose I had better tell them everything's ready."

Half an Hour Later

Jack stood with his mouth agape at the monstrosities in front of him. Twilight's dress was so long that it seemed like it would be impossible to where without tripping, and it was decorated like a planetarium, Applejack's looked like it belonged to a cowboy-themed gigolo, Fluttershy’s literally had a birds nest in it, Rainbow Dash’s looked like it belonged to a Spartan at a pride rally, and Pinkie’s looked like someone decided to splice the genes of a peacock and a cupcake.

“Okay. I did exactly what each of you asked for," Rarity said as Opel hissed and swiped at Twilight's dress. “Now, don't hold back. Let me know what you really think.”

“Oh my!” Twilight said excitedly.

“It's... perfect!” Fluttershy praised.

“It's cool!” Rainbow Dash agreed.

“Why they're the best duds I ever did see," Applejack said.

“It's exactly what I asked for!” the ponies said all at once.

“Seriously?” Jack thought.

Rarity let out a sigh of relief as her friends marveled at their dresses.

“Thank you, Rarity," Twilight said.

“Are you as happy with them as we are?” Pinkie asked as she got in Rarity’s face. “Huh? Huh? Huh?”

“Well, I'm... happy that all of you are happy," Rarity said. “I'm just relieved to finally be done.”

There was a slam, and everyone turned to see Spike panting in the doorway. "You are never gonna believe this!” he exclaimed. “You've heard of Hoity Toity?”

“You mean that guy on the Royal Court?” Jack asked.

"That's the one," Spike confirmed. "And the owner of the Equestrian Fashion Show too. He heard about your fashion show. Well, maybe I happened to mention it to him... he's coming here all the way from Canterlot to see your work, Rarity!”

“This could be bad," Jack thought as his eyes scanned the ugly dresses Rarity had made.

“Whoa, Nelly!” Applejack said as she turned to Rarity. “You could sell a ton o' dresses to this guy. Yer business will be boomin'!”

“Hoity Toity?” Rarity whimpered. “He's coming here? To see THESE dresses?”

“Yep! Get ready for all of your dreams to come true," Spike confirmed.

Rarity’s right eye twitched as she thought about how her reputation was about to be ruined.

Later that Night

Town Square

When Mayor Mare heard that Hoity Toity would be coming to town for a fashion show, she wasted no time converting the Town Hall into a stage. Jack and the Mane Six were currently behind the curtain, getting ready.

Rarity poked her head out from the curtain and gasped as she spotted Hoity Toity, making his way through the crowd, “there he is.”

The stuck-up fashion show owner in question made his way to the front row and clapped his hooves, signaling for a servant to lay a pillow where he planned to sit.

“Okay. Relax, Rarity. Your friends like their outfits, and so will he," Rarity rationalized. The lights switched off, and she let out a squeal, “what's wrong with the lights?! Oh, yes. That means the show's starting. Good.”

The D.J., an up-and-comer techno musician named Vinyl Scratch, put on the record, and the spotlight shined down on the stage.

Bringing the microphone up to his face, Spike announced the show was about to begin.

Jack and the Mane Six walked down the catwalk as the ponies watching murmured to themselves. Jack couldn’t bear to look cringing with his face in his right palm as his friends walked confidently alongside him.

“Why's everypony lookin' at us like that?” Applejack asked as they reached the end of the platform.

"Oh, gee, I wonder," Jack said, rolling his eyes.

Twilight looked down to her skirt and then up to her hat. “Oh, dear.”

“You think we overdid it?” Rainbow Dash whispered.

“Nah," Applejack dismissed before looking at her boots. “Okay, maybe a little.”

“Oh, those amateurish designs look like a piled-on mishmash of everything but a kitchen sink!” Hoity Toity complained. “It's a travesty, is what it is. Those outfits are the ugliest things I've ever seen, oh for shame! The only decent piece among them is that silk suit, but it’s wasted on that monkey! Who is responsible for subjecting our eyes to these horrors? Not to mention wasting my valuable time.”

“Come on out and take a bow, Rarity," Spike obliviously said from the stage. “You worked really hard for this.”

Rarity slowly made her way down the catwalk; her face dipped in shame. Jack and the rest of the Mane Six could only stand there cringing at what they’d done.

August 13, 2020

Golden Oak Library

It had been three days since the fashion show, and Rarity hadn’t left her home since. Everyone felt incredibly bad about what had happened, and after a failed attempt at getting her to come out, Twilight decided to call a meeting to discuss what could be done.

"We really messed up," Rainbow Dash sighed.

"She can't stay inside forever," Pinkie pointed out.

"No, but Ah reckon she'll be in there a while longer, all things considered," Applejack said.

“I think she might come out if we make it up to her,” Twilight said.

"And how do you plan on doing that?" Jack scoffed. "It's not like we can just do the fashion show over.”

“Actually, that's exactly what we're going to do," Twilight said matter of factly.

“How?” Jack asked.

"That would be where I come in," Shining Armor said.

“Shining Armor, sir," Jack saluted. "I didn't realize you were here."

"I already told you that you don't need to salute when we're off duty, Jack," Shining Armor said before clearing his throat. "Anyway, Twily already told me everything. It’s true that Hoity Toity probably wouldn’t listen to a word from any of you, but I’m pretty well respected on the Court. I think he’ll listen to me.”

Canterlot

After a relatively short ride on the Friendship Express, Jack and Shining Armor arrived in Canterlot. Presently they were making their way up to a large mansion several blocks east of the castle. The Captain knocked on the large blackwood door, which opened to reveal a sharply dressed earth pony butler.

“Yes?” the butler asked in a poshly.

“Is Hoity Toity here?” asked Jack.

"That depends," the butler said. "Who exactly is asking?”

"Tell Hoity that Captain Shining Armor is waiting for him," said Shining Armor ordered.

“Of course, captain," the butler bowed before beckoning them inside.

“Please, make yourselves at home while I inform Master Toity of your arrival," the butler said before leaving them in the foyer.

Hoity Toity’s Office

“These new policies the princesses have been advocating for are ridiculous," Hoity Toity thought to himself as he read the local paper. "First, they want us to decrease taxes on the peasants, and now they want to start taxing everypony else. It’s all that ruffian army captain’s fault planting ideas into Princess Celestia's mind like that. The nerve!”

He was snapped out of his thoughts by a knock on the door.

“Yes?”

"Captain Shining Armor is waiting for you in the foyer, sir," the butler said behind the door.

“Bring him up, please!” Hoity shouted.

Foyer

Jack impatiently tapped his left foot on the floor as he waited. It had been only ten minutes since the butler had asked them to wait, but he really didn’t want to be there to begin with.

"Master Toity has requested your presence in his office," the butler informed upon his return.

"Lead on then," Shining Armor said.

The butler led them through several halls decked with elegant tapestries from all over the world. Jack noted a resemblance in some pieces with Islamic, Chinese, and even Native American works from his own world. They stopped at a door decorated with ornate depictions of the many races present in this world. Jack noted that there was somewhat of a pattern on the door. At the top was a large alicorn. Below were an earth pony, a unicorn, and a pegasus. Below that were a zebra, a donkey, and a seahorse who themselves were above a cow, a yak, a buffalo, a sheep, and a goat, which, in turn, were above a griffon, a dragon, a minotaur, and several creatures he didn't recognize.

The butler knocked lightly.

"Come in," Hoity Toity called from inside.

“To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit, Captain?” Hoity asked as Shining Armor walked in. “And what is this monkey doing with you?” he asked with narrowed eyes as Jack followed.

"We came to ask you to give Rarity another chance," Jack said.

"And why would I do that?" the fashion pony scoffed. "That amateur wasted my time last night, and in case you haven't figured it out yet, I don’t like you.”

“Then perhaps you’d do it as a favor to me?” Shining Armor interjected.

“What’s got you so interested in this?” Hoity Toity asked.

"My sister is one of the models," Shining Armor answered.

“I could use this to my advantage.” Hoity Toity thought. “Very well, but you’ll owe me a favor.”

“What kind of favor?” Shining Armor asked.

“I’ll tell you when I need it.”

Shining Armor hesitated for a quarter of a minute. “Deal.”

Carousel Boutique

Rarity stood in her room dressed in a bathrobe, talking to her reflection in the mirror about going into exile. She continued on until she heard a meow from outside.

Opening her window, she spotted the cat hanging onto a branch for dear life. "Huh? Opal?”

The cat gave off another terrified meow as it continued to cling on for dear life.

“Opal, how did you get up there?” Rarity asked. “Hang on, you poor dear! Mama's coming!” she said as she frantically rushed downstairs.

When she got outside and reached the tree, she found Rainbow Dash perched on the branch next to Opel. “Rainbow Dash?! How dare you strand my poor Opal in a tree?” she asked with a glare.

“Well, how else were we gonna get you out here to show you this?" Rainbow Dash asked, pointing to where the rest of the Mane Six were standing with her completed dress.

“What is it? It's not... you...” Rarity gasped.

“We all finished your dress for you," Pinkie Pie said.

“Thanks tuh Fluttershy's freaky knowledge of sewin'," Applejack added.

“Do you like it?” Fluttershy asked with a blush.

“Like it?" Rarity asked, moving in for a closer look. “Like it?!”

“Uh-oh," Fluttershy dipped her head. “She doesn't like it.”

“No, I don't like it," Rarity answered.

“Awww," her friends said in disappointment.

“I love it!” Rarity exclaimed.

“Yay!” her friends shouted.

“You ponies did an amazing job. It's exactly the way I imagined it," Rarity said.

“We just followed your brilliant design," Fluttershy said.

“Like we should have let you do for our outfits,” Twilight said. “Those first dresses you designed were perfect.”

“We're so super sorry," Pinkie said.

“You worked really hard to make our dresses exactly the way we wanted them," Rainbow Dash said as she brought Opel down. “We all saw how well that turned out.”

“Oh, I forgive you," Rarity said as Opel hopped on her back.

“Well, that's mighty big of ya," Applejack said.

“But my whole career is still ruined!” Rarity said dramatically.

“Oh, right. That," Applejack said.

“Maybe not," Twilight said, looking over to where her brother and Jack were waiting with Hoity Toity.

“All right, I haven't got all day," Hoity Toity scoffed.

Carousel Boutique

A small stage had been set up inside the boutique. Rarity, Shining Armor, Jack, and Hoity Toity all stood around it as Opel played with Hoity’s mane.

“Take two," Hoity Toity sighed, pushing Opel out of the way.

Spike shut the curtains, and Rarity walked onto the stage. With a glow from her horn, purple illusionary stars covered the room as Twilight walked on stage with her dress.

“Hello...” Hoity pulled down his glasses. “Oh, this can't be the same designer.”

The stars were replaced with an apple orchard as Applejack took the stage in her dress.

“Simply magnificent! And I suddenly have a fierce craving for some Dutch apple pie, candied apples on a stick, apple turnovers, apple cobbler...”

The illusion changed to an assortment of candy raining down as Pinkie took the stage. As a finishing touch, several pieces landed on her dress, fusing with the fabric.

“Brilliant!”

There was a crash of thunder as the illusion turned to clouds, which Rainbow Dash burst through in her dress.

“Oh, spectacular!”

The illusion changed to vines and butterflies as Fluttershy took the stage. One of the insects settled in the pegasus's mane fusing with the outfit.

“Now, this is a fashion show!” Hoity Toity clapped. “All of these dresses are absolutely amazing. Who is responsible? Step forward, show yourself!”

The illusion stopped as Rarity walked out in her gown.

“Brava! Brava! Magnifico! Encore!” Hoity Toity cheered.

“Oh, thank you. Thank you! Oh, thank you so much!” Rarity exclaimed.

As Twilight began reciting her letter to Celestia, Jack turned to Shining Armor. “I think that went well.”

"Finally dropping the sir, are we?" Shining Armor smirked. "Yeah, I'd say this went well. Rarity's certainly got a bright future ahead of her with Hoity’s backing.” His face took on a more serious expression as he thought, “I just hope I don’t end up regretting agreeing to a favor.”

Hoity Toity walked over to Rarity. “Rarity, my congratulations to you on a most impressive fashion debut. Would you do me the great honor of allowing me to feature your couture in my Best of the Best Boutique in Canterlot?”

Rarity could only let out a gasp in response.

“Now, I'll need you to make a dozen of each dress for me by next Tuesday.”

Rarity laughed weakly as Hoity walked away.

“What’s wrong?” Jack asked.

"I don't have enough silk," Rarity answered quietly.

Jack looked at his suit and put two and two together. "I'll pay you back, I swear!"

"That much silk will cost at least 1000 bits, darling," Rarity said. "I don't think you have enough."

"1000 bits?" Shining Armor asked. "That's about a quarter paycheck. I could have the finance department take it out of Jack's paycheck and send it to you."

"I really wouldn't want to impose," Rarity said.

"I insist," Jack argued.

Rarity reluctantly agreed, and they spent the rest of the night celebrating her financial success.

Author's Note

Not sure how I feel about this chapter. I liked the way I wrote it, but it's just so long.
Next Time Oni-Hime rendezvous with Løgner in the Everfree Forrest to discuss Blutknochen's dissatisfaction with recent events. Meanwhile, Jack reveals the Truth about the Elements of Chaos to the Mane Six.

Twilight's Diary #1 (Last Edited: 2/22/2021)

Dear Diary,
Having my BBBFF in Ponyville with me has been great. Although he was a little nervous about meeting my friends at first, I think they're all becoming friends. I think he might still be a little put-down by the fact he's only meeting them now, though.

I'm so grateful to Rarity for making my new dress and can't even begin to express how sorry I am for taking her friendship for granted the way we did. However, I somehow think that our friendships have actually grown stronger from the incident. Rarity now has a stable connection with Hoity Toity, and she won't be having any trouble getting business for a while.

Jack never got a chance to tell us about his training yesterday, but he says he'll be willing to tell us all tomorrow. I've never been particularly interested in Military work myself, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little curious.

Twilight Sparkle

Author's Note

No chapter today, but here's a little bonus content that I put together in about five minutes.

Chapter 24: Everypony Needs a Home (Last Edited: 8/11/2022)

April 16, 1723

Unknown

It was a clear morning in a mountainous Neighponese village. Oni-Hime happily strolled through the streets past the wooden buildings carrying a bucket of water. Her mother had requested she fetch the water, and on a beautiful morning like this, Oni-Hime had no complaints. She breathed in the pleasant scents of spring as she listened to the bush warblers sing their morning songs and watched the barn swallows dart between the blooming plum and cherry trees. As she drew closer to her home, she could see smoke rising from in the distance. She picked up her pace until she could see her house lit up like a spruce tree.

Angry villagers surrounded the flames chanting in Neighponese, "akuma o issō seyo! Mura o jōka seyo!"

“Okaasan!” Oni-Hime shrieked.

August 14, 2020

Everfree Forest

Oni-Hime slowly opened her eyes. She wasn’t in her village anymore. Getting up from her makeshift futon, she fished a scroll out of her bag, unrolling it and revealing a portrait of an older Neighponese mare with the same bat wings and devil tail as her. Reaching back into the bag, she pulled out two sticks and two pieces of quartz. She stuck the two sticks into the ground and began striking the quartz pieces together until the tips of the sticks had lit, releasing a fragrant smoke. Carefully, she then placed the portrait between the two pieces of incense and put her hooves together in prayer. Once her prayer was finished, she disassembled her shrine and poked her head out of her shelter.

Blutknochen was not the least bit happy with what had happened in the human cemetery and rather than speak with her directly via the water pool. He had chosen to send Løgner to discuss his grievances with her.

Looking around the camp, she let out a sigh. “What is Otōsan thinking?” she wondered. “Why would he send Løgner of all ponies? He’s just going to lie about my explanation and make me sound incompetent.”

Oni-Hime let out another sigh as she began the preparations for her breakfast.

Half an Hour Later

As Oni-Hime was finishing her breakfast, Løgner emerged from the brush.

“Hallo, Oni-Hime,” he said.

“Ohayō Gozaimasu, Løgner,” Oni-Hime sighed.

“You know why I’m here, ja?” Løgner asked.

“Hai.”

“Must be difficult having your father so disappointed in you…”

“Damare! Get to the point!” Oni-Hime snapped. “And none of your lies!”

“Ah, ok, Blutknochen isn’t too pleased with your recent bungelen,” Løgner answered. “Was that honest enough for you?”

“And why couldn’t Otō-san tell me this himself?” Oni-Hime asked. "Surely he knows I can't control his every action."

“He’s angry,” Løgner answered. “Part of your job is to keep tabs on Jager. You should have at least warned Morte. Thanks to you, vi have been exposed. Now he has to alter his plans,” he explained with a smirk. “If you don’t find a way to make up for your failure, I doubt you’ll be alive much longer.”

“That’s a lie! Otō-san would never do that!” Oni-Hime shouted angrily.

“How can you tell?” Løgner asked with a smirk. “Maybe I’m lying, and maybe I’m not.”

True to his element, Løgner was probably the best liar in all of Equus. Only Blutknochen could ever truly see through his facade. Nevertheless, Oni-Hime would not let herself believe what her colleague was saying. Her father was the only family she had. He might be cold and stern with her, but Oni-Hime truly believed her father cared for her deep down. Her mother had described Blutknochen as a kind and caring soul, and the demon pony refused to allow that image to be shattered.

“There is en other thing.”

“Nani?”

“Have you gained his trust?” Løgner asked. “The human, I mean.”

“Hai, I believe I have.”

“Vel then, I believe that vil be all,” Løgner said. “Adjø, Oni-Hime,” he said, disappearing into the woods.

Golden Oak Library

Jack hadn't found the time to discuss his training with friends the day before but had promised to go into detail today. As such, Spike and the Mane Six eagerly gathered at the library to hear his story.

“This story is going to be awesome!” Spike exclaimed excitedly.

“About that…” Jack started. “I’m going to need you to leave, Spike.”

"What!?" Spike asked in protest. "Why!?"

“Some of what Jack plans to say is classified,” Shining Armor said officially. “The Elements of Harmony have clearance. You do not. The only reason you even know about Jack being a soldier is because you’re a secure liaison.”

“Aww, that’s no fair!” Spike complained.

“Don’t worry. I’m sure Jack will totally be willing to give you the non-classified version later,” Shining Armor said with a smile.

“Fine,” Spike huffed as he walked out of the room.

Once Spike was out of the room, Jack cleared his throat. “Ok, where should I start?”

“The entire town's already heard the Crusader’s version of what happened in the Lowcountry,” Rainbow Dash said.

“Although, it’s rather obvious that they’ve exaggerated quite a bit,” Rarity added. “Twilights filled us in on part of the story so, we’d certainly appreciate you filling us in on the rest of it.”

“That’s something I’d like to hear as well,” Twilight agreed. “You went off on your own shortly before the revenants showed up.”

Of all the things that had happened, this was the thing Jack was least interested in discussing. He knew mentioning his emotional breakdown at Svan Jager’s grave would bring unwanted questions from his friends. Questions about home...
questions about his family. Pinkie’s intervention had almost put a stop to the dreams, but his guilt hadn’t gone away. To make matters worse, he had a strange feeling that there was something he was overlooking, something big that would prevent him from ever getting the chance to make things right even if he did return home. He just couldn’t, or to be more accurate, he refused to think of what it was, and any line of questioning that might have led him there was unwelcome.

“I was, uh, honoring my ancestors,” Jack answered with a weak smile. “I was visiting the grave of my great great great grandfather when he and all the others around him rose from their graves.”

Jack explained how he fought through the graveyard to reach Twilight and the Crusaders. “When I arrived, I found that Twilight had already collapsed, and the necromancer was moving in for the final blow.”

“What did you do?” Pinkie asked nervously, biting her hooves.

“Apple Bloom said ya wrestled that varmint tuh the ground,” Applejack said.

“Sweetie Belle told me you made him disintegrate with a glare,” said Rarity. “She has quite the imagination.”

“I pulled my gun out and shot him in the leg,” Jack answered plainly.

After some initial confusion, Twilight explained the concept of firearms to the other ponies.

“Ohhhh, it’s that thingy you tried to use on the dragon!” Pinkie realized.

From there, Jack regaled his friends to the best of his ability as to what had occurred, from the terrifying truck drive to him learning to control his magic.

“Mind giving us a little demonstration of this Chaos of Nature?” Rarity asked.

“Sure thing,” Jack said. “But there’s something you need to hear first.”

“Something we need to hear?” Twilight asked, suspecting this might be why Spike was asked to leave.

“On our way back to Ponyville, Celestia told me about the pony who attacked us,” Jack explained. “He’s a powerful necromancer named Morte who works for an organization called the Elements of Chaos.”

Jack explained how the Elements of Chaos wanted to use his magic for an unknown purpose and that they were essentially the opposite of the Elements of Harmony.

“You don’t suppose they could end up attacking Ponyille, do you?” Rarity nervously asked.

“It’s possible,” Shining Armor admitted.

Upon hearing this, Rarity dramatically fainted onto a nearby couch.

"That's why we must be vigilant from now on," Shining Armor said. "We have no idea what they want, what they're capable of, or how to stop them."

“For an organization to be this old, I can’t believe I’ve never read about them,” Twilight said.

“The Princesses have worked hard to keep knowledge of their existence from the general public,” Shining Armor explained. “It’s not that surprising they aren’t in any of your books.”

“Still, there must be some way for us to find more information,” Twilight pondered.

“I think…” Jack began as he remembered the poison joke incident. “I think Zecora might know something. After giving us the antidote for poison joke, she said something about there being devastation if someone found out about me. I think she may have been referring to Blutknochen.”

“We should ask her now!” Rainbow Dash shouted. “If she knows something about the Elements of Chaos, we need to find out!”

“Ah agree!” Applejack said. “If there’s a chance we can learn somethin' from Zecora, we need tuh take it.”

“You’re absolutely right,” Twilight nodded. “I think we should give Zecora a visit.”

Everfree Forest

Upon learning that Zecora lived in the forest, Shining Armor insisted that Twilight stay home to not strain her legs. She reluctantly agreed to this, and Jack left the library with the rest of the Mane Six.

As they trudged through the woods, they didn't notice that Pinkie was falling behind.

She had found her attention being caught by a familiar shudder. “Ooohhh, that’s a doozy!” she thought, looking into trees. Something was calling to her in that direction, and she intended to find out what.

Zecora’s Hut

By the time the rest of the Mane Six and Jack arrived at Zecora's hut, Pinkie was long gone, and they were none the wiser. Jack knocked on the door, and Zecora let them in.

“This meeting is long overdue. Come in. I’ve been expecting you," greeted Zecora.

Everfree Forest

Pinkie Pie continued on through the brush as her shudders gradually increased in intensity.“This is the biggest doozy I’ve ever felt!”

As Pinkie stepped into a clearing, the shudders abruptly stopped. Lookin around, she could see a well-built lean-to and a fire pit, still billowing smoke from its last use. “Why would anypony want to go camping in the Everfree Forest?” she wondered as she moved to investigate the shelter.

As she looked into the shelter, she was shocked to come face to face with a young filly, no older than Apple Bloom.

“Anatahadare?” the filly asked.

“Watashi wa, Pinkie Pie.”

“You speak Neighponies?”

“A little,” Pinkie Pie confirmed. “You’re that new student, right?”

“Hai, I started a couple of weeks ago.”

“Where are your parents?” Pinkie asked. “They really should know better than to bring a filly your age camping in the forest.”

“They’re, um..." the filly paused, thinking up a lie, "haikingu.”

“How long do you think they’ll be gone?”

“They should be back in a few minutes.”

"Guess I'll just have to wait here until they get back," Pinkie decided. “What’s your name, little filly?”

“Sakura Blossom.”

“Nice to meet ya, Sakura!” Pinkie said, extending a hoof. "I'll stay here with you until your parents get back."

“Th-that won’t be necessary,” Sakura Blossom stuttered.

“I can’t just leave a little filly alone in the forest,” Pinkie insisted. “That would just be irresponsible.”

“Listen, Pinkie Pie...” Sakura requested.

“Yes?” Pinkie asked.

“I can take care of myself,” Sakura said as her eyes flashed hot pink.

“Nope,” Pinkie stated simply.

Zecora’s Hut

“An ancient evil that has plagued all races, the Elements of Chaos are known to zebras of all faces,” Zecora said to Jack and the Mane Six.

“If they’re so well known, then why haven’t any of us heard about them until now?” asked Rainbow Dash.

“The blame lies on the sisters two, for they have chosen to keep it from you,” Zecora answered.

“You don’t mean?” gasped Rarity.

“The Princesses have been keeping knowledge of the Elements of Chaos from the Equestrian population,” Jack confirmed. “Just like they kept the knowledge of humanity from you. Didn’t you figure that out from what Shining Armor told us earlier?”

“Ah, suppose this is jus' a little hard to swallow,” Applejack said. “Princess Celestia has always been a kind and caring ruler. Ah know yer tellin' the truth and Ah still find it hard to believe.”

“Push that way of thinking aside,” Zecora requested. “I have more knowledge to provide.”

“We’re all ears then,” Jack said.

“While I cannot recite each pony’s name, I can reveal their claims to fame,” Zecora said.

“So, you’re saying you don’t know their names, but you can tell us what they're good at?” Jack asked, unsure who to interpret what had just been said.

Zecora nodded. “When it comes to evil, he’s among the worst, for he’s responsible for all things cursed.”

“She must be talking about Blutknochen,” Jack noted.

Zecora continued. “Her comrades without remorse she'll betray. Her illness is her mainstay.”

“She doesn’t sound all that tough,” Rainbow Dash stated cockily.

“Of lies and deceit, he is the king. Your mind to him is a puppet’s string.”

“This one sounds like a real troublemaker,” Applejack said to herself.

“Greed’s turned his blood to green from red, and now he’s master of the dead.”

“That must be that Morte ruffian who attacked Twilight and the girls,” Rarity said with disgust.

“Easily roused his wrathful ire, be extra wary of his hellfire.”

“He, um, sounds kind of scary,” Fluttershy said quietly.

“On the heart, she’ll take a toll. Love and lust are hers to control.”

Oni-Hime’s Campsite

It had been almost 15 minutes, and Sakura Blossom’s parents had yet to show up. Pinkie Pie was beginning to worry. She couldn’t very well leave the young filly there, but her friends were no doubt starting to notice her disappearance.

While Pinkie weighed her options, Sakura frustratingly thought of ways to get rid of the nosy earth pony. Not paying attention, she bumped into the wall of her shelter, overturning her bag, revealing her mother's portrait and several sticks of incense.

Pinkie had done some research for a Neighponese-themed party and knew exactly what she was looking at when she saw the portrait. That’s when it finally dawned on her. “This isn’t a campsite. She’s been living here on her own!”

Sakura stared wide-eyed like a deer in a headlight.

“Your parents aren’t coming, are they?” Pinkie asked.

“Of course they are!” Sakura bluffed.

“That’s your mother, right?” Pinkie asked, pointing to the portrait.

Realizing there was no getting out of it, Sakura Blossom sighed. “Hai.”

“Have you been living here on your own?” Pinkie asked.

“Hai,” Sakura admitted.

Pinkie Pie put a hoof up to her chin and closed her eyes in deep thought. “EUREKA!” she shouted as Sakura watched with a large sweat drop on her head.

“You could come live with the Cakes!” Pinkie exclaimed. “They have a couple of empty rooms, and I’m sure they wouldn’t turn you down if you agree to help out around the shop.”

Everfree Forest

Having gotten what little information they could from Zecora, Jack and the Mane Six were on their way back to town.

“That wasn’t much help,” Rainbow Dash huffed.

“Oh, I don’t think that’s true,” Fluttershy said quietly. “Zecora gave us all the information she could, and we should be grateful.”

“Besides, Ah’d say the information Zecora gave us was plenty valuable,” Applejack agreed.

“Indeed, cryptic as she may be, I’m sure she was revealing their abilities,” Rarity said.

“I wrote everything she said down,” Jack said. “I’m betting Twilight could make more sense of it.”

“It seems a bit quiet, doesn’t it?” asked Rarity.

“Yeah,” Jack said. “I haven’t heard an annoying question, pun, or song the entire trip, and there’s been a pleasant lack of confetti projectiles being launched at me. Wonderful, ain’t it?”

“PINKIE!” the Mane Six shouted at once.

“She went off into the woods like two hours ago,” Jack said. “You’re just now noticing she’s gone?”

“You saw her leave, and you didn’t tell us?” asked Rarity with a glare.

“Pinks’ an adult, and you didn’t ask,” Jack responded. “She’ll be fine.”

Oni-Hime’s Campsite

“You have all your stuff, Sakura?” Pinkie Pie asked.

“Hai.”

Sakura had given up trying to weasel her way out of this. Pinkie Pie wasn’t falling for her curse, and she couldn’t very well kill her as that would undoubtedly draw a search party into the forest. Besides, an actual bed would be a nice change.

“Then let’s go!” Pinkie cheerfully shouted.

A few minutes later, the two reached the trail and could hear Pinkie’s friends calling out for her.

“I’M HERE EVERYPONY!” Pinkie shouted.

Rainbow Dash was the first to the scene. “Are you alright, Pinkie?” she asked as she burst through the trees.

“I’m fine, Dashie,” Pinkie replied.

“I told you she’d be fine,” Jack said as he and the other ponies caught up.

“Pinkie?” Rarity asked upon seeing Sakura. “Who’s this?”

“What are you doing out here, Sakura?” Jack asked.

“Ā, Konnichiwa, Jack-Sama,” Sakura greeted.

“Everypony, I want you to meet Sakura Blossom,” Pinkie Pie introduced. “She’s been living alone in the forest.”

“WHAT!” everyone, including Jack, exclaimed.

“That’s awful!” Rarity gasped.

“You poor thing, that must’ve been terrifying,” Fluttershy agreed.

“What about her parents?” Applejack asked.

“I don’t have any,” Sakura admitted sadly.

Jack and the Mane Six offered words of sympathy, and they headed back to Ponyville. Once they reached town, they parted ways as Pinkie took Sakura to the town hall to get all the adoption paperwork handled.

Author's Note

Well, this took me long enough.
Next Time: The day after taking Sakura Blossom, Pinkie Pie begins exhibiting behaviors that defy logic and reason, and despite her injuries, Twilight decides she must get to the bottom of it.

Chapter 25: Feeling Pinkie Keen (Last Edited: 8/12/2022)

August 15, 2020

Sugar Cube Corner

When Pinkie Pie brought Oni-Hime back to Ponyville, it had taken a lot of explaining to get her settled. First, her records had to be squared away at the Town Hall with Cheerilee and Mayor Mare. Needless to say, she had gotten a stern talking to from both about forgery and going into the forest without supervision.

The Cakes had been surprisingly open to the idea of allowing her to stay. The more hooves, the merrier Carrot Cake had said. It wasn't too hard for Oni-Hime to tell why he was eager to have another pony to help around the shop. She could sense two life forces coming from his wife, Cup Cake. She estimated the foal was about 7 months along and would be due sometime next January.

Today was a Sunday, so she didn't have to worry about classes. In fact, she could have slept in if she wanted. However, she had work to do. She now had Jack's trust, but she would need more than that to please her father. Plus, simple friendship with the human wasn't good enough for her.

Stretching out her wings, she hopped out of her bed and scurried down to the kitchen where Pinkie Pie was making breakfast.

"Good morning, Sakura," Pinkie cheerfully greeted. "Wanna Pop-Tart?"

"Nani?" asked Oni-Hime.

"Pop-Tarts," Pinkie said with her mouth full. Gulping the toaster pastry down, she said, "it's one of the human foods the Navy brought back from their last expedition to the Lowcountry. It's strawberry flavored!"

"That sounds good," Oni-Hime answered.

Grabbing one of the pastries, Oni-Hime sat down at the counter. "Itadakimasu!"

"Good, right?" Pinkie asked as the Oni-Hime took a bite.

Oni-Hime swallowed the Pop-Tart and smiled cutely, "hai!"

"Great!" Pinkie exclaimed. "There are a few things I need to do today. You're welcome to tag along, though."

"Ok," Oni-Hime agreed.

Fluttershy's Cottage

"So, what's on tap for today, Flutters?" Jack asked as he peeled a banana.

"The frogs in the pond have gotten overpopulated," Fluttershy said. "I was thinking about taking some of them down to Froggy Bottom Bog. There, they'll have plenty of space to hop and swim to their heart's content."

"All right, sounds good," Jack said with a shrug.

Hill near Ponyville Town Square

Shining Armor watched as his sister practiced her magic on Spike. The dragon in question stood with his arms resting on a walking stick and a rock balanced on his head. Twilight grunted as her horn glowed, and a suit appeared on Spike, and the walking stick transformed into a cane. Spike briefly looked down to admire his outfit.

"Eyes over here, Spike!" Twilight complained.

"Uh, sorry," Spike replied.

"For this to work..." Twilight started as she transformed the rock into a top hat. "It's crucial we keep our concentration totally on the…"

"Ooh!" said a voice, distracting Spike long enough to break the spell, turning the hat back into a rock.

"Nyuh!" Spike said as the rock slammed into his head, and he collapsed.

"Spike!" Twilight complained again. "This magic needs our full attention to make it happen. There's no other way!"

"I can't help it. Look!" Spike said, pointing to where Pinkie Pie was wearing an umbrella hat and noisily ducking behind any object she could find as she made her way through town, Sakura Blossom closely following an embarrassed blush.

"That is pretty distracting," Shining Armor noted. "I feel kinda bad for that filly."

"Ugh, never mind her," Twilight said as the Pinkie got out from under a rock. "She's just being Pinkie Pie."

"Super-extra Pinkie Pie today," Spike said, scratching his head.

Pinkie's tail began to shake like a cheerleader's palm palm. "Hmm... Twitchy twitcha twitcha twitch," she said as Sakura hid her face.

"This is embarrassing," Sakura thought. "What if Jack-sama or some other foal from class sees me?"

"Pinkie Pie?" Twilight asked as she, Spike, and Shining Armor walked over. "What in the wide, wide world of Equestria are you up to?"

"Jibun o bakanisuru," Sakura Blossom muttered.

"Oh! It's my tail! It's my tail!" Pinkie said, lifting her fluffy pink tail. "It's a-twitch a-twitchin'! And you know what that means!"

"You have fleas?" asked Shining Armor.

"No, silly, it means my Pinkie Sense is telling me something's about to fall!" Pinkie exclaimed, jumping in the air. "You guy's should take cover."

"She's crazy," Sakura said, moving her left hoof in circular motions next to her ear.

"Oh, Pinkie, it's not gonna rain. Why there's barely even a cloud in the-ugh!" Twilight said as a frog landed on her face.

"Ribbit."

"He just said, "nice catch" in frog," Pinkie giggled.

"You all right, Twi?" chuckled Jack as he pulled up on a bicycle, pulling a small wagon full of frogs.

"Oh, I'm so, so sorry. You ok, Twilight Sparkle?" asked Fluttershy, who was flying above them with her own cart of frogs and several baskets. "I just couldn't stand to see the pond getting so over-populated, what with the frogs all hopping into each other and all, so I decided to fly as many as I can on over to Froggy Bottom Bog," she explained to Twilight, who continued to glare as the frog crawled down her neck.

"Of course you did," Twilight muttered.

"Bye-bye!" Fluttershy said as she flew off.

"See you later," Jack said as he followed.

"Um... Twilight? You gotta little something on your face there," Pinkie pointed out.

"Oh, really? Did your Pinkie Sense tell you that, too?" Twilight asked sarcastically.

"Nah! I could just see it," Pinkie said before leaving with Sakura. "La-la-la-la-la..."

"This Pinkie sense could be problematic," Sakura thought to herself as she and Pinkie walked down the street. "If it's even real. But how would I test this?"

"Twitchy Tail!" Pinkie exclaimed before running back to where Twilight, Spike, and Shining Armor were.

"My tail! My tail!" Pinkie shouted upon reaching Twilight. "Twitch-a-twitch! Twitch-a-twitch! Somethin else is gonna fall!"

"I suppose if she ends up being correct this time, it may be worth looking into," Sakura thought.

"Oh, Pinkie, please," Twilight said, continuing on her way. "Nothing else is gonna fa-aaah!" Twilight screamed as she fell into a ditch.

"Twilight!" Shining Armor shouted, running over to the ditch. "Are you all right?"

"Is it safe to go help her?" Spike nervously asked Pinkie.

"It's ok. My tail stopped twitching," Pinkie said before walking away. "La-la-la-la-la, la-la-la..."

"You didn't hurt your legs, did you?" Shining Armor asked as he helped his sister up.

"I'm fine," Twilight said as she got up.

"Pinkie-sama?" asked Sakura once the pink pony returned.

"Yes?"

"Would it be ok if I played with some friends from school?" Sakura asked.

"Absolutely!" Pinkie said as her ears started to flop. "FLOPPY EARS! I HAVE TO WARN TWILIGHT!" Pinkie shouted before rushing off.

Town Square

Oni-Hime wasted no time gathering up her cronies and enquiring about her guardian's strange abilities.

"You didn't know about Pinkie Sense?" asked Rumble.

"What's Pinkie Sense?" asked Pip.

"Hey!" Snips angrily exclaimed. "It's not Sakura's fault she doesn't know!"

"That's right, she only got here a month ago," Featherweight agreed.

"What's Pinkie Sense?" Pip asked again.

"How does it work?" Sakura asked.

"Nopony knows," Snips answered.

"We just don't question it, eh" Snails added.

"Seriously guys, what the hay is Pinkie Sense?" Pip asked louder than before.

"You know that pink mare that works at Sugarcube Corner?" Rumble asked.

Pip nodded.

"She has some kind of weird psychic power that warns her when bad things are about to happen," Rumble explained.

"That's so cool!" Pip shouted in excitement. "Like a superhero!"

"Alright," Sakura sighed. "If none of you know how it works, then I can still count on you all to help me find out!" she exclaimed with a wink. "Follow me and do exactly as I say."

"You bet!" the five colts agreed with gusto.

Outside Sugarcube Corner

Pinkie Pie had arrived just in time to warn Twilight of the danger. Unfortunately, Twilight was unwilling to listen and wound up covered with mud after a carriage rolled through a nearby puddle. Shining Armor and Spike went back to the Library, and Pinkie offered to let Twilight use her bath.

As Twilight washed off, Pinkie explained how she got various ticks when certain things were about to happen, which Twilight was extremely skeptical of.

Once Twilight was clean, they left the shop and began discussing the pink mare's powers further.

"Well, I still don't believe all this... 'special power" stuff,'" Twilight said, shaking her head. "It's just a bunch of mumbo-jumbo."

"What's not to believe?" Pinkie asked with a raised brow. "You do magic; what's the difference?"

"Huge! For one thing…" Twilight cleared her throat. "Magic is something you study and practice. It only happens when you decide to do it, and it's meant to make something specific that you choose to happen, happen. With you, uh, it makes no sense at all!"

Pinkie glared. "That's sonot true, Twilight!" her face brightened into a smile. "Sometimes it's a bunch of random things happening to my body at random times that supposedly predict the future. I call 'em combos."

"Combos?" Twilight asked as she approached the library.

"Sure!" Pinkie answered, skipping after Twilight. "You know, like, ear flop, then knee twitch, then eye flutter," she exclaimed, making the motions for emphasis. "That means the sky is about to be graced with a beautiful rainbow!"

"Yeah, sure," Twilight said sarcastically.

"Uh-oh, I feel a combo coming on," Pinkie noted as her body began to shudder. "Ear flop, eye flutter, knee twitch!"

There was a crash as Spike slammed the door open, pinning Twilight to the library wall.

"Ugh!" Twilight exclaimed.

"Ughhh... You said that combo meant 'beautiful rainbow,'" Twilight complained dizzily.

"Oh, no-no-no-no-no," Pinkie said. "You're thinking of an ear flop, then knee twitch, then eye flutter. This was an ear flop, then eye flutter, then knee twitch," she explained, making the motions. "That usually means lookout for opening doors. You ok?"

"I don't believe this," Twilight muttered.

"You don't believe because you don't understand," Pinkie said, getting up in Twilight's face.

"Hmm..." Twilight pondered Pinkie's statement.

Twilight's Lab

Twilight strapped Pinkie to a machine as Shining Armor watched with skepticism.

"Are you sure this is a good idea, Twily?" Shining Armor asked.

"Everything in my lab is perfectly safe," Twilight assured. "Besides, this way, when she starts to twitch again, I can measure her brain waves."

"If you say so," Shining Armor shrugged before walking upstairs to make himself a snack.

"Okie-dokie-lokie!" Pinkie said as the machine began taking readings.

"Any twitches yet?" Twilight asked after a few seconds.

"Nopey-dopey!" Pinky answered.

Twilight continued her readings with no results until she got fed up, and they both went upstairs. Just as they reached the top of the stairs, Pinkie had another combo, and the door slammed open, squishing Twilight against the wall as Spike walked through. In a daze, Twilight asked if Spike and Pinkie had planned this, which the two promptly denied.

"Urgh! This is ridiculous," Twilight said angrily. "This can't be happening. This makes no sense. I have to figure this out."

Froggy Bottom Bog

As Jack followed Fluttershy on his bike, he noticed the ground beneath his wheels becoming increasingly soggy as he approached a tree line. The air was thick with swamp gas and the sounds of insects and birds resonated between the trees.

"This is it!" Fluttershy called, pointing ahead.

Jack gave her a thumbs up, indicating he understood.

Ponyville

Twilight had made good on her vow and had been observing Pinkie for the better part of the morning. First, she witnessed Pinkies tail twitching before the pink mare skillfully avoided being drenched in paint. The ponies responsible were Snips and Snails, who were, strangely enough, painting the sign on a new shop. Later at the park, she saw Pinkies' ears flop before narrowly avoiding getting covered in mud when Rumble came by on a scooter. At the school, Twilight thought for a moment that she had found proof that Pinkie Sense was a fraud. Pinkie Pie had gotten an itchy nose and then hid under a bench as if something were about to fall. Remembering that it was a twitching tail that meant something falling, Twilight cockily declared victory. Unfortunately, she soon found herself under attack from a swarm of angry bees. At Sweet Apple Acres, she and Spike observed Pinkie give an ear flop, an eye flutter, and then a knee Twitch, and soon after, she found herself falling into Applejack's cellar. (Luckily, the front half of her body took the brunt of the fall and her injured muscle and tissue were unharmed.) Her observations finally lead her back to the park, where another twitchy tail from Pinkie was followed by an entire mail shipment being dumped on her.

Twilight continued watching Pinkie's strange behavior as Applejack walked by with a shipment of apples on her back.

"Hey, Applejack. Whatcha doin'?" Pinkie asked.

"Takin' more apples to mah new apple cellar," Applejack answered. "How 'bout you, Pinkie? Whatchu doin'?"

"Oh, letting Twilight and Sakura secretly follow me all day without me knowing," Pinkie answered.

"You mean you knew all along?!" both Twilight and Sakura asked as they emerged from separate bushes.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Twilight (who was covered in bruises and had a black eye) asked.

"Silly, that would've spoiled the secret!" Pinkie giggled.

"Urgh!" Twilight glared and gritted her teeth.

"I better call off Rumble-chan and the others," Sakura thought. "The risk of Pinkie-san figuring me out is too great."

"Tail... still twitching?" Spike cautiously asked, hiding behind Twilight.

"All done, clear skies from here on in, as far as I can tell…" Pinkie began before her entire body started shaking. "Hu-bu-bu-bu-bu-bu!"

"Oh, no! What does that one mean?" Spike asked worriedly.

"Dunno, the only time I've ever gotten anything like this was before I found Sakura, but whatever that shudder's about, it's a doozy," Pinkie explained as Twilight gave a skeptical look. "Something you'd never expect to happen is gonna happen!" she began to shake violently again. "Hu-bu-bu-bu-bu hu-bu-bu-bu! And it's gonna happen... at Froggy Bottom Bogg!"

"That's where Fluttershy and Jack are headed!" Applejack gasped.

"Oh, no! Is it about them?" Spike asked.

"Uh, I'm not sure," Pinkie admitted.

"We better go and make sure they're ok!" Applejack said, rushing off.

"Calm down, everypony," Twilight said as the others followed Applejack. "All we know right now is that Pinkie Pie just got a case of the shivers. That's all."

Seeing that her friends had already left, Twilight rushed after them.

"Twilight!?" Spike asked when the unicorn caught up. "Are you sure it's alright for you to be running so fast? What about your legs?"

"I'll be fine, Spike," Twilight said, with a pained grunt. "This Pinkie Sense stuff is nonsense, and I'm going to be there to prove it."

Froggy Bottom Bog

Jack looked out at the bubbling green water in front of him. "This it?" he asked Fluttershy.

"That's right," Fluttershy answered as she opened her wagon. "Don't you think this is the perfect place for these little guys to live? Plenty of bugs, plenty of space, and plenty of places to hide from predators too."

"I guess," Jack said as he nervously glanced around. "But I can't shake the feeling that we're being watched."

Elsewhere in the Bog, Twilight, Applejack, Pinkie, Spike, and Sakura ran as fast as they could down a trail they hoped Jack and Fluttershy had taken.

"Hu-bu-bu-bu-bu-bu!" Pinkie shuddered.

"Cold?" Twilight asked smugly. "Need a jacket or something?"

"No thanks, I'm fine," Pinkie said before shuddering again.

"So... Whaddaya think happened to them?" Spike asked Applejack.

"I hope nothin'," Applejack answered.

"I know, but, whaddya think happened?" Spike asked.

"I think they'll be fine," Sakura said. "Jack-sama is very strong. I'm sure he'll protect Fluttershy if something happens."

"Besides, this Pinkie Sense business is nothing more than a bunch of coincidences," Twilight said. "There's no reason for any of us to believe they're in danger."

"Ah hope yer right, fer Fluttershy and Jack's sake," Applejack said as they approached their destination. "Look! There's Froggy Bottom Bog!"

As they walked further into the bog, they began calling out for their friends.

"Fluttershy!?" Applejack called.

"Jack-sama?!" called Sakura Blossom.

They continued looking for a few minutes until they spotted Jack taking a picture of an alligator with his phone.

"Jack!" they shouted.

As the alligator slid into the murky water, Jack looked up to see who was calling for him.

"Oh, hey guys," Jack said, scratching his head. "What are you doing here?"

"Where's Fluttershy?" asked Pinkie.

"Over there on that rock," Jack said, pointing to where Fluttershy was letting a few frogs out of a basket. "She said she wanted to spread them out so they wouldn't fight over territory."

"Fluttershy!" Spike exclaimed in relief. "You're ok!"

"Of course," Fluttershy said, uncertain why Spike thought she might not be.

"Phew, what a relief," Applejack sighed.

"I'm so glad everything's all right," Pinkie said.

"Sorry, I know it's not nice to gloat, but... Aha! I told you there was nothing to worry about, and I was right," Twilight said smugly.

As Twilight continued gloating, the others backed up in horror as four snake-like creatures, each the size of a tree, rose from the murky water behind her, and bubbles of foul gas were released from the detritus at the bottom of the bog.

"Um... Twilight?" Applejack called softly.

"Pinkie's made a lot of predictions today, but…" Twilight coughed after inhaling some of the gas. "Ugh, what is that smell? But what we've shown here is that there's no point in believing…" she coughed again. "In anything you can't see for yourself."

"W-Well t-then, s-see what's b-b-behind you, Twilight!" Spike stammered.

Twilight turned to see the four snakes which were attached to a single body behind her. The four heads each let out a low growl.

"I see it... but I don't believe it!" Twilight explained before they each gave a deafening roar.

"Is that a hydra?!" Pinkie asked in shock.

"Who cares? Run!" Applejack said as she took off in the opposite direction.

As the others ran away, Pinkie only backed up a few paces before stopping to stare in shock.

"Pinkie! Come on!" Twilight shouted to no effect.

Seeing Pinkie wasn't moving anywhere, Twilight rushed in and grabbed her friend by the tail. The two just barely escaped one of the hydra's heads. The ponies and Jack ran for about two minutes before disaster struck. After a full day of abuse, Twilight's hind legs could take no more. As her muscles failed, she collapsed onto the ground.

"Twilight!" everyone yelled.

To his companions' shock, Jack ran straight toward the hydra with his hands glowing emerald, shouting, "I'm ready this time!"

Getting between Twilight and the beast, he unleashed a bright beam of emerald magic at the nearest head as it prepared for a strike. Pinkie and Applejack rushed to Twilight's side, helping her to safety. Once they had completed their task, they turned to see Jack still holding off the head with his magic. However, much to their horror, one of the other four heads was positioning itself to strike from behind him.

"LOOK OUT!!!" they screamed.

Too late. The head lunged and swallowed Jack whole as Spike and the ponies stared in horror.

"He's… gone," Fluttershy barely managed to choke out.

"This is all my fault," Twilight sobbed.

"I have to do something," Sakura thought. "If I don't, he'll die. That would ruin Otō-san's plans. But if I use mahō now…", she looked at the others around her.

"Look!" Spike shouted, pointing at the hydra.

The ponies looked to where Spike was pointing. A bright emerald glow emanated from one of the hydra's necks.

"What in tarnation?" asked Applejack.

The glow grew brighter and brighter until, in a gory explosion, the neck ripped apart, launching the head half a mile into the swamp.

"It's Jack!" shouted Pinkie.

Sure, enough where the hydra's neck once stood tall, Jack was floating in the sky, covered in hydra blood, his eyes glowing emerald.

"Thank Celestia!" Fluttershy joyfully sobbed.

Glaring fiercely, Jack launched several green volleys at the hydra's remaining heads. Initially caught off guard, the hydra slowly regained its composure and waited for an opening. Soon it found one. In a lightning flash movement, it grabbed Jack in one of its jaws and flung him to the bog like a ragdoll.

After a few seconds, Jack burst from the water to find two new heads rapidly growing from the neck he'd severed.

"Why ain't he runnin away?" asked Applejack as Jack rushed in for another attack.

Jack's Mind

Everything around Jack was dark apart from two eye-shaped windows and an emerald figure beside him. "Who are you?" Jack called.

The figure turned, and Jack got a look at its face. To his shock, the face he was looking at was his own.

"Ah, you can see me now," the figure said. "You're starting to gain control then." It cleared its throat. "Well, I guess some introductions are in order. Hello, I'm you. Or, to be more accurate, I'm a combination of your ego and your conscience."

When Jack had first arrived in Equestria, an answer like this would only have served to bring up more questions, but at this point, he'd accepted weirder.

"Where are we?" Jack asked.

"In your mind," Emerald Jack answered.

"I never thought it'd be so empty," Jack said, looking around.

"This is just one compartment," Emerald Jack chuckled. "I need it to be empty, so I can do my job."

"You're job?" Jack questioned.

"Yes, my job," Emerald Jack repeated. "I control your body when you enter chaos mode. if it weren't for me, you'd go insane."

"How long have you been here?" Jack asked.

"Since you were born," Emerald Jack answered as if born. "I was a gift, given to your species as part of your evolution."

"Given?" Jack questioned. "By who?"

"I think you'll find it's whom," Emerald Jack smirked.

Jack stared blankly, not really in the mood for his counterpart's wit.

"You'll find out eventually, I'm sure," Emerald Jack sighed. "Your kind are far too clever for your own good after all."

Realizing he wouldn't be getting any real answer to that particular question Jack changed the subject. "Those are my eyes, right?" he asked, pointing to the two windows.

"That's right," Emerald Jack answered. "Figure that out all by yourself?" he smirked again.

"I don' see us gettin' along," Jack glared.

"Your kind never do," Emerald Jack shrugged. "Wanna take a look?" he asked, gesturing to the eyes.

Jack was already walking toward them. Upon arriving, he was taken aback by the view. There below him was the hydra he was fighting earlier, angrily snapping at the air, trying to reach him.

"Why aren't I moving?" Jack asked.

"Because you're distracting me," Emerald Jack said.

With a lurch, they zipped toward the beast.

Froggy Bottom Bog

"Is he?" Applejack asked as she watched Jack rushing the beast.

"He is!" Pinkie exclaimed.

"IS HE INSANE?!" Twilight asked.

The moment Jack was in range, the hydra grabbed him in one of its mouths and flung him face-first into a tree, which was reduced to mulch on impact cushioning his fall.

Jack's Mind

"Wait, did you do that?" Jack asked his counterpart as the tree shattered.

"Yeah," Emerald Jack said as if it was obvious. "Hello, Chaos of Nature! We can control plants, duh!"

"Can you do anything else with the trees?"

"Obviously," Emerald Jack scoffed. "Why? Have something in mind?"

"Yeah," Jack said before whispering into his emerald counterpart's ears.

"Oh, that's a good idea," Emerald Jack said. "But you do know we're the only ones here, right? You don't have to whisper."

"Touché." Jack blushed.

Froggy Bottom Bog

Jack jumped back a few yards before touching the ground with his palms. Five nearby trees exploded into splinters, forming a giant chakram. The hydra roared before lunging at the human. However, it was caught off guard by the wooden death wheel lobbing off three of its five heads.

Jack's Mind

"Moron!" Jack shouted at his green counterpart. "Ya only got three of 'em! Now we have to deal with eight heads!"

"It was your dumb idea, smartass!" Emerald Jack spat.

Jack breathed in and out slowly. "It's not a bad idea. We're just going to need a lot more wood and a little help."

"You're right," Emerald Jack said. "We have an entire forest at our disposal. We can do this!"

Froggy Bottom Bog

"Wow!" Spike said as he watched the three heads go flying.

"So, this is the power of the Chaos of Nature," Twilight gasped as she looked on in awe.

"Twilight!" Jack shouted. "I need you to cast a binding spell! When I say now, hold the hydra's necks in place so I can deliver the final blow!"

"Is he going to kill it?" Fluttershy asked in dismay.

"Ah reckon he don't have much of a choice," Applejack said. "We can't exactly outrun it, 'specially with Twilight's leg how it is."

Once the hydra's heads had fully regenerated, it spat a green substance at its human opponent. Narrowly avoiding it by jumping to the side, Jack looked back to see several rocks dissolving into nothing.

Jack's Mind

"It's spittin' acid!" Jack warned his green counterpart.

"I can see that!" Emerald Jack responded.

"The fuck do ya plan on doin' about it?!" Jack asked.

"Avoid getting hit," Emerald Jack grunted. "Don't distract me. I'm starting to lose control!"

Froggy Bottom Bog

Jack hopped from tree to tree, shattering each as he leaped to the next and narrowly avoided streams of acid. When he had enough for three chakrams shouted, "NOW, TWILIGHT!"

"Alright, I can do this," Twilight said to herself as she charged her horn.

A giant rope of purple glowing energy materialized out of Twilight's horn, tightly restraining seven of the necks. Still, the eighth remained free and continued to spit acid at Jack, who was rapidly running out of energy.

"I'm not gonna make it!" Jack shouted.

"Hold on, partner!" Applejack shouted, taking out her lasso and tossing it hard as she could, nabbing the last neck and holding it down. "Hurry up," she grunted. "Ah can' do this fer long."

Feeling his strength fading, Jack flung the wooden chakrams with what remained of his power. The first one lobbed off three heads to the left, the second took the two in the center, and the third took the final three to the right. The fully decapitate hydra fell into the murky water creating cartoonishly massive, tsunami-like ripples.

Jack's eyes flickered from emerald back to blue as he fell from the air. Before he could hit the ground, Fluttershy swooped in and carried him to safety.

Jack's Mind

"Before you go, let me ask you something," Jack asked his green counterpart.

"Ok, hit me," Emerald Jack agreed.

"When I was about to knock over Svan's grave, a voice stopped me," Jack remembered. "Was that you?"

"As I said, I'm a combination of your ego and your conscience," Emerald Jack answered. "That answer your question?"

"Yeah, I'd say it does," Jack said before he came to.

Froggy Bottom Bog

Fluttershy flew above her friends, Jack resting peacefully on her back. Realizing the bog may be home to more than one hydra, the ponies had chosen to return to Ponyville as soon as possible.

"You know, Pinkie," Twilight sighed as Applejack and Pinkie helped her walk. "I'm not sure if this was a coincident or what, but you said there would be a doozy at Froggy Bottom Bog, and that was definitely a…"

Pinkie interrupted her with a shudder.

"That wasn't it," Pinkie said.

"What wasn't what?" asked Spike.

"What are you talking about, Pink?" asked Applejack.

"The hydra wasn't the doozy," Pinkie answered.

"Nani?" asked Sakura Blossom. "You can't be serious!"

"I'm still getting the shudders," Pinkie said. "Oo-o-oh, oo-o-oh! You see? There it is again. Whatever the doozy was at Froggy Bottom Bogg, my Pinkie Sense says it still hasn't happened."

Twilight was not happy with that response. "Huh? But I— WHAT?! The hydra wasn't the doozy?! How could it not be the doozy?! What could be doozier than that?!"

"Dunno, but it just wasn't it," Pinkie said.

There was a sound like a kettle as Twilight gritted her teeth. Her mane and tail briefly ignited with bright yellow flames that that soon died out. "Ooh... I give up..."

"Give what up, Twi?" asked Spike.

"The fight," Twilight answered. "I can't fight it anymore. I don't understand how, why, or what, but Pinkie Sense somehow... makes sense. I don't see how it does, but it just does. Just because I don't understand doesn't mean it's not true."

"Y-Y-Y-You m-m-mean you b-b-b-believe?" Pinkie asked as she continued to shudder.

"Yup, I guess I do," Twilight answered.

Pinkie continued to shake like a truck with shot suspension, before finally stopping with a gasp. "That was it! That's the doozy!"

"What? What is?" Twilight asked.

"You believing!" Pinkie answered. "I never expected that to happen! That was the doozy, oh and, oh what a doozy of a doozy it was!"

Meanwhile, deeper in the bog.

The fallen hydra lay still. The water around its fallen form had settled to a calm flat. However, dead as it may have seemed, there was activity around the neck. Cell by cell molecule by molecule, sixteen growths sprouted from the eight nubs left from the decapitation.

Author's Note

With the Semester over, I should have a lot more time to write, at least until January.
I'm not entirely satisfied with the first half of this chapter. Between writing papers and studying for exams, I ended up doing a lot more copy-pasting and a lot less focusing on Oni-Hime/Sakura Blossom than I initially intended. I'll probably rewrite the first half later, but I'm more than satisfied with how the last half turned out.
Next Time: Blutknochen demands to see a demonstration of Jack's powers, and with the help of her cronies, Oni-Hime happily obliges. What will she do? Will Ponyville survive? Will Shining Armor have a more important role? Find out on the next thrilling episode of Dragon Ball Z... er, I mean Regression: Isekai of Equestria.

Chapter 26: All Ponies Attack (Last Edited 8/12/2022)

August 16, 2020

Scootaloo’s House

Scootaloo’s aunts returned home early when they learned that Jack had recovered from his illness. They, of course, had no clue as to the real reason for his weeklong disappearance. The moment they returned home, they made arrangements with Fluttershy for a playdate between Scootaloo and Jack.

Jack had arrived a few minutes ago, and Mrs. Lofty was making tea while he and Scootaloo sat in the living room with Mrs. Holiday.

“Scootaloo says you're a pretty good student," Holiday noted. “Top of the class even. 100s on every test. That’s impressive.”

“It’s not that impressive,” Jack blushed. “Or at least it wouldn’t be if she knew the truth.”

"Modest too," Holiday chuckled. "You know Scootaloo hasn't really been doing all that well in school. If it’s not too much trouble, I’d really appreciate it if you could help her out.”

“Aunt Holiday!” Scootaloo complained.

"You'll thank me later, honey," Holiday said to her niece.

"Tea's ready," Lofty said, walking in with the refreshments. "You wanted yours sweetened, right, Jack?"

"Yes, thank you," Jack nodded. "If Scoots is having trouble studying, I'd be more than willing to help," he said to Holiday.

Everfree Forest

It had taken a great deal of effort for Oni-Hime to slip into the forest without being noticed. Especially with Pinkie popping up at random times and locations. She had seen more than enough to convince her that Pinkie Pie had some kind of supernatural power. However, from what she could tell, Pinkie wasn't capable of reading minds or doing anything else that would compromise her mission. Still, she felt it best to act with extra care whenever the unpredictable mare was around.

“Mizu Setsuzoku," she chanted, dipping a hoof into the water.

“Hallo, Oni-Hime,” Blutknochen said.

“Moshi moshi, Otōsan," Oni-Hime greeted.

“Was have you to report?”

“There have been some…” Oni-Hime paused to think of the right word. “Complications.”

“Was kind of complications?”

Oni-Hime explained how she had been taken in by Pinkie Pie and found out about her strange powers.

“The Element of Laughter will only be ein problem if you allow her to be," Blutknochen dismissed. “Was have you to report on Herr Jack?"

“His mahō power is sugoi!" Oni-Hime replied. “Yesterday, he even defeated a hydra!”

“He killed eine hydra?” Blutknochen asked. “He’s progressing faster than expected.”

"Well, he didn't actually kill it," Oni-Hime said. “Jack-sama cut off all the heads, but he forgot to burn the stubs. The beast is probably wandering the bog with…” she paused to do the math. “Jūroku heads right now.”

“Eine sechzehn-headed hydra?” asked Blutknochen.

"Hai," Oni-Hime nodded.

“Lure it to Ponyville,” Blutknochen instructed. “I wish to see his power for mein self.”

“Hai, Otō-san,” Oni-Hime bowed.

Scootaloo’s House

"Well, it was wonderful getting to know you both, but I really should be getting to Sweet Apple Acres," Jack said to his hosts. "I agreed to help Applejack out with the barn."

"It was nice meeting you too, Jack," Lofty said. "Just make sure to double-check with us next time Scootaloo says we agreed to let her go somewhere.”

“Yes, ma'am," Jack nodded. “I promise that won’t happen again.”

"If you ever need anything, feel free to come over," Holiday said as Jack walked to the door. "You're welcome here any time."

"Thanks, Mrs. Holiday," Jack called from the doorway. "I'll keep that in mind."

Once Jack was gone, Holiday turned to her niece and smiled. "He seems nice. I can see why you like him so much.”

“It’s not like that!” Scootaloo said quickly.

“Not like what?” Holiday chuckled. “I wasn’t implying anything.”

Sugarcube Corner

Upon her return to Ponyville, Oni-Hime immediately invited Snips and Snails to Sugar Cube Corner. Leaving the two by the counter, she retreated to her room to finalize her plan.

“Why do you think Sakura only invited us?” asked Snips as they waited for her to come back.

“Maybe she wants to confess her love to me, eh,” Snails offered.

"Don't be ridiculous," Snips said with a glare. "If she was confessing to you, she wouldn't have invited me."

"Oh, yeah, I guess that makes sense," Snails agreed.

“Obviously, she’s decided to confess her love to me instead," Snips said, rubbing a hoof through his mane to straighten it out.

As the two colts continued their discussion, Sakura Blossom finally came down from her room.

“Gomen'nasai” Sakura bowed her head. “I didn’t mean to make you wait.”

"Don't worry about it," Snips said.

"You can make us wait as long as you want," Snails agreed.

“I called you both here to ask for a favor," Sakura announced before pulling out a month-old newspaper article.

Local Colts Bring Destruction to Ponyville!

“Is it true that you brought an ursa minor into town?”

“Well, there’s um, a funny story behind that…” Snips nervously began.

"We were tricked by a phony magician named Trixie," Snails said matter-of-factly.

“SNAILS!” the Snips complained. “Don’t tell her that. She’s going to think we’re stupid!”

The sudden outburst caused several ponies, including Mayor Mare, Derpy, and Sweetie Belle, to look up from their tables to see the commotion.

"Perhaps we should take this somewhere more private," Sakura said quietly. "Let's continue this conversation upstairs."

Sakura’s Room

“So, it’s true?” Sakura asked.

"Yeah, but we learned our lesson!" Snips exclaimed, desperate to save his reputation.

"Never again," Snails confirmed.

"You both must be very brave," Sakura said, running a hoof along Snips’s right leg.

Snips' face flushed bright red. “Y-you think?” he asked.

“Mochiron," Sakura affirmed, running a hoof along Snails' chin and giving him puppy dog eyes. "Ē to, I dropped something rather important to me at Froggy Bottom Bog yesterday. It would mean so much to me if you’d help me find it.”

“But, isn’t there a hydra there?” Snips asked nervously.

"I figured two brave colts like yourselves wouldn't be scared," Sakura pouted. "Besides, Jack-sama killed it yesterday."

"I don't know, eh," Snails said.

“Of course, we'll help you!" Snips shouted.

Sweet Apple Acres: Barn

Upon his departure from Scootaloo's house, Jack went straight to Sweet Apple Acres to see what work the Apples had in store for him.

“So, what was it you needed my help with?" Jack asked, noticing a saw, measuring tape, a hammer, some nails, and a piece of plywood.

“A few days ago, Apple Bloom was in the barn, and it started rainin'," Applejack said. "Acordin' tuh her there’s a leak right over there," she informed, pointing to a section of the barn with a small storage crevice."

“I’m guessing none of you can fit in there?” Jack deduced.

“Eyup," Big Macintosh confirmed.

“Ah offered tuh do it mahself, but Applejack and Big Mac won't let me," Apple Bloom pouted.

“Yer too young tuh be messin' with mah tools," Applejack said.

“Eyup," Big Mac agreed.

“But yer lettin' Jack do it," Apple Bloom complained. "He's the same age as me!"

"Jack's different," Applejack said. "Unlike you, he's experienced with tools and ain’t gonna get himself hurt.”

"Eyup," Big Mac agreed with a hesitant nod that betrayed his uncertainty.

Froggy Bottom Bog

“So, you dropped it around here?” asked Snips.

“Zattsuraito," Sakura answered as she scanned the bog for any signs of the hydra.

“What did she say?” asked Snails.

"It kinda sounded like that's right," answered Snips.

Continuing to scan the water, Sakura soon spotted what she was looking for. Her eyes locked onto a massive line of bubbles forming in the middle of the water, where there was presumably a large channel. It was as if something large was disturbing the detritus along the bottom.

“Oh, co-ol-ts," Sakura called as she threw a shiny Neighponies coin to the opposite bank.

“What is it?” Snips asked eagerly.

"I found it," Sakura answered. "See that shiny coin on the bank?"

Snips and Snails looked where she was pointing and nodded.

"Go get it," she instructed. "Kudasai," she added with puppy dog eyes.

“You bet!” Snips and Snails exclaimed at the same time as they jumped in.

They were only halfway across when two reptilian eyes peered out from the murk. Slowly but surely, one of the hydra's serpentine necks rose from the depths.

Snails was the first to notice. “Uh, Snips?” he gulped.

"What is it, Snails?"

“You might want to look at this, eh.”

“What are you tal…” Snips asked before noticing what his friend was looking at. “AAAAAAHHHHHH!”

The two unicorns turned around and swam to shore as quickly as possible as the sixteen-headed hydra stepped out of the bog after them. "RUUUUN!" they shouted when they reached Sakura.

Sweet Apple Acres: Barn

It had taken five and a half hours, but Jack had finally found the leak. A section of plywood had rotted through and had to be replaced, exactly as he'd suspected. Although Jack fit into the crevice maneuvering the saw was easier said than done. After forty grueling minutes, he was finished.

"Well, I patched it up for now, but if you keep having problems, it might be better just to tear the whole thing down and build a new one," Jack reported.

"Thank ya kindly, Jack," Applejack replied.

Jack took off his park service hat to wipe the sweat off his forehead. Just as he was about to head back to Fluttershy's, he heard a familiar roar from the south. Turning to see what was making the noise Jack and the Apples could see the sixteen-headed hydra smashing its way through the orchard. To make matters worse, it was in pursuit of three foals.

Applejack wasted no time barking orders. "Big Mac, get Granny Smith an' take her 'n Apple Bloom to the cellar! Jack, tell Twilight what’s happenin'!

“What about you?” Jack asked.

“Ah’m gonna go get those foals," Applejack answered.

"You got it, AJ!" Jack shouted as he ran off.

South Orchard

“If we can just make it to Apple Bloom-san’s house, we’ll be fine!” shouted Sakura Blossom.

“I… don’t… know… how… much… longer… I… can… keep… running!” panted Snips before he collapsed from exhaustion.

Sakura and Snails continued running, unaware of their fallen friend. Unfortunately, the hydra was aware of Snips' predicament and moved in for the kill. Just as it was about to snap Snips up in one of its jaws, the plump colt was yanked to safety in an expert lasso.

"Come on now, let's get ya tuh the cellar!" Applejack shouted.

Applejack soon caught up to Snails, who was still unaware of his friend's brush with death.

“WHAT THE HAY, SNAILS!?” Snips angrily asked. “WERE YOU AND SAKURA JUST GOING TO LET ME DIE!?”

“What are you talkin' about, eh?" Snails asked. "I thought you were right behind me, eh."

“I FELL OVER, AND YOU AND SAKURA KEPT…” Snips noticed their neighponies friend was missing mid-sentence. “Wait, where is Sakura?”

"I thought she was with you," Snails replied.

"Don' worry about that right now," Applejack said. "Once Ah get ya both tuh the cellar, Ah’ll go find yer friend.”

Golden Oak Library

“TWILIGHT!” Jack shouted as he franticly banged on the door.

The door swung open, and a furious Shining Armor stood at the threshold. “What the buck are you shouting about!” he glared. “Twily is resting. That fight with the hydra tore open a tendon.”

“Hydra… not dead… Sweet Apple Acres… Where’s Spike?” Jack panted.

Recognizing the severity of the situation, Shining Armor acted quickly. "Spike!" he called.

“What is it?!” Spike asked as he rushed down the stairs.

"I need you to take a letter," Shining Armor answered.

"Ok," Spike said, pulling a quill and parchment from a basket by the stairs.

“Hydra attacking Sweet Apple Acres. Need Reinforcements.” Shining Armor dictated.

Featherweight’s House

Oni-Hime didn’t have any direct way to show Blutknochen the fight. However, she remembered Featherweight saying his parents had bought him a new camera. After slipping away from Snips and Snails, she went directly to Featherweight's house to make use of this.

"My parents spent 2000 bits on this camera," Featherweight bragged. "It's the latest model."

“Do you know how to use it?” Sakura asked.

“Of course,” Featherweight nodded.

“Subarashī! Come with me and bring the camera!" Sakura exclaimed, beckoning for Featherweight to follow as she left.

Town Square

Upon hearing the news, Mayor Mare immediately called an emergency assembly outside the town hall. One of the benefits of being the mayor was the power to make such meetings mandatory for all residents. As such, the entire town was gathered within fifteen minutes.

Seeing the crowd of about nine hundred gathered the square, Mayor Mare nervously turned to Shining Armor, who was standing to her right, and then back to the crowd. "Attention, everypony," she calmly said into the microphone. "Captain Shining Armor has informed me that a hydra has been spotted at Sweet Apple Acres."

The crowd let out a collective gasp, and the ponies began murmuring uncertainly to themselves.

"There is a possibility it may pose a danger to Ponyville," Mayor Mare said. "As such, I am ordering you, in a calm and orderly fashion, return to your homes and shelter in your basements until we are sure the danger has passed."

Unfortunately, there was never any chance of the crowd listening, and within half a minute, the crowd had turned into a panicked stampede. The hydra hadn’t even reached the town proper, and there were already dozens of injuries from ponies trampling each other.

“Everypony, calm down!” Shining Armor called.

Sweet Apple Acres

Once Snips and Snails were safely in the cellar with her family, Applejack rushed out to search for Sakura Blossom. The hydra noticed her leaving, and she spent half an hour avoiding its heads as she searched.

To her surprise, after a while, the hydra stopped chasing her. Turning back to see what was happening, her heart sank at what she saw. Its heads now gazed hungrily in the direction of town. With tremendous speed, it lurched forward towards its abundant prey.

Town Square

As Shining Armor continued helplessly attempting to calm the residents down, Rainbow Dash flew in from the direction of Sweet Apple Acres.

“Bad news!” she shouted. “It’s coming this way!”

“Gather everypony capable of fighting and intercept it!” Shining Armor ordered.

South Residential District

The hydra trampled its way through Ponyville's southern residential district, reducing houses to rubble under its feet. Luckily no one had been eaten so far, but it didn’t appear this would last much longer. Scootaloo and her aunts had been among the few to heed the Mayor's advice but found themselves trapped behind a chunk of house wreckage before they could reach their basement. One of the hydra's heads spotted them and rushed in for a kill, only to be stopped by a massive blast of confetti.

“Come on!” Pinkie Pie shouted from where she had her party cannon perched on the wreckage.

Scootaloo and her aunts made a break for it as the hydra sneezed furiously from the confetti lodged in its nose. However, their path was blocked again when another head spat a line of acid in their path. Having trapped its prey, the head lunged only to be blinded by a white flash of magic.

"Leave them alone, you big brute!" Rarity shouted.

While the head was distracted, Fluttershy landed in front of Scootaloo and her aunts. “Come on, while it's distracted."

"I can't get past the acid!" Holiday said. "Don't worry about me! Just get Scootaloo out of here!"

“But what about you?”

"I already said not to worry about me!" Holiday snapped. “Her life is more important!”

Reluctantly Fluttershy grabbed Scootaloo and flew off.

Turning to Loftey, Holiday said, "I may not be able to fly out of here, but there's no need for you to die with me."

"I've been with you more than half my life, darling. I'm more than content to end it with you," Loftey replied.

"You need to go!" Holiday shouted. "Somepony needs to look after Scootaloo!"

Loftey opened her mouth to argue but realized her wife was right. With a nod, she took to the sky and followed Fluttershy.

Another one of the heads noticed Loftey's take-off and moved to grab her before being kicked in the face by an angry Rainbow Dash.

“Hurry up and get her out of here!” the Rainbow Dash shouted.

As Loftey flew off, another head lunged at Holiday but smashed into a magenta barrier. Holiday screamed at the sight of its knife-like teeth. The barrier flickered a bit and then vanished as Shining Armor teleported next to her.

“Grab on!” Shining Armor instructed.

Holiday did as she was told, and just as the hydra was making another lunge, Shining Armor teleported them out of the way, leaving the head with a mouthful of dirt.

As the battle continued, Applejack arrived just in time to see two heads get tangled in a knot chasing Rainbow Dash.

“How are we supposed tuh beat this thing?!” Applejack asked as Rainbow Dash landed beside her.

“We’re not!” Rainbow Dash shouted. “Shining Armor said to hold it off until Princess Celestia can send reinforcements!”

Golden Oak Library

Shining Armor had ordered Jack to stay put. Jack had objected, of course, but Shining Armor would have none of it. As such, he was spending his time sorting human books with Spike. Well, to be accurate, Spike sorted, and Jack loudly tapped his fingers on the table.

"This is bullshit," Jack muttered under his breath.

"You really want to be out there, don't you?" Spike asked.

“Yeah, but Captain Shining Armor told me to stay here,” Jack grumbled.

"Not much you can do about that," Spike said. "You want to read some of these comics with me? Twilight had them brought in from a library in the human world."

“Really?” Jack asked, his interest piqued. “What do you have?”

Spike laid out several different comics on the table. There were issues of Superman, Spider-man, Batman, and X-men, but what caught Jack's eyes was a manga.

Fairy Tail 1

This was a work he was familiar with. For all its story flaws, Fairy Tail was one of the first anime he had watched. The main character Natsu Dragneel was your typical shonen protagonist, cocky, eats like a human garbage disposal, powers amplified by the strength of his friendship. Still, Jack couldn’t help wondering what he’d do in this situation.

“Jack?” Spike asked.

“What?”

“You’ve been staring at that comic for three minutes," Spike pointed out. "Are you gonna read it or…"

"I'm gonna go help!" Jack declared, hopping from his seat.

“But Shining Armor said to stay here!” Spike protested, dropping the Spider-Man comic he was reading.

“I know, but I can’t just let my friends finish the job I started!" Jack shouted as he rushed outside.

South Residential District

Sakura Blossom and Featherweight hid in an abandoned house facing where Shining Armor and the Elements of Harmony were fighting the hydra. It had been at least ten years since the building had been inhabited, and rusty nails stuck out from all sides.

“Are you sure this is safe?” Featherweight asked, sweating nervously and flinching at every creek of the floorboards.

"So long as we stay out of sight, we'll be fine," Sakura reassured. "Think of how much these pictures will be worth."

North Residential District

“So, you're gonna disobey orders because of a mediocre shonen protagonist?” Emerald Jack asked Jack as he ran through town.

“That a problem?” Jack asked.

“No, I’m just a little put off that a fictional character took my job,” Emerald Jack chuckled. "You have trash taste in anime, by the way."

“You’ll get over it," Jack chuckled. "And I'm well aware that my tastes are trash."

South Residential District

“We can’t hold this thing off fer much longer!” Applejack shouted, narrowly dodging a stream of acid.

“Fall Back!” Shining Armor ordered.

"What do we do now, sir!?" Rainbow Dash asked as they fled toward the town square.

“I asked the mayor to put together a volunteer force of unicorns and pegasi!" Shining Armor answered. "There should be a line of defense in the town square we can use to hold it off until reinforcements arrive!"

Town Square

Vinyl Scratch stood alongside twenty other unicorns in a trench that had been hastily dug by some of the town's Earth Ponies. Above her, the town's weather ponies were carefully moving storm clouds into defensive positions above the line of unicorns. The Southern residential district had been fully evacuated. Everyone who wasn’t in the hastily formed militia had been evacuated to the northern district.

"I'm just a DJ," Vinyl quietly lamented. "Why do I have to do this?"

Ponyville was a mostly earth pony town, so there, unfortunately, weren’t that many unicorns or pegasi to volunteer for Shining Armor’s plan. Vinyl knew this, of course. That's why she'd volunteered. Still, that knowledge did nothing to subdue the anxious pounding in her chest.

She heard a thunderous crash, then another, three, four, five... It was getting closer. Timidly peaking over the trench, Vinyl spotted it. The hydra was storming down the street in pursuit of Shining Armor and the Mane Six. The sound of enraged serpentine hissing grew louder with every yard it moved closer.

“Now!” Shining Armor shouted as he and the Mane Six approached the trench.

On Shining Armor's command, the unicorns in the trench simultaneously let out blasts from their horns as the pegasi unleashed a barrage of lightning from their clouds. As the hydra came under fire, Shining Armor and the Mane Six safely ducked into the trench. The hydra was caught off guard by this level of resistance, having expected an easy path to its prey. However, the ponies' desperate defense was only a minor inconvenience in the end, and it slowly advanced in spite of their efforts.

Jack arrived at the scene to see the line of unicorns and pegasi launching their volley at the hydra. It was like in a '90s Godzilla film when the Japanese try to stop Godzilla with maser tanks with similar results. As the unicorns began to run out of energy and the pegasi out of lightning bolts, all sixteen of the hydra's heads let out streams of acid at the nearly helpless ponies. Acting fast, Shining Armor cast one of his signature barriers around the worn-out militia.

"Well, now's as good a time as any," Jack said to himself as his hands were enveloped by an emerald glow. As Jack got within range, he let out his usual pointless blitz. Although his magic was an upgrade from the Glock, he still wasn’t much use outside of Chaos Mode.

“Careful, you entered Chaos Mode yesterday, ," Emerald Jack cautioned. “It won't last as long today. You'll have two and a half minutes, tops!”

Nearby

When the hydra advanced further into the town, Sakura dragged Featherweight in pursuit.

“Haven’t we gotten enough pictures!?” Featherweight cried in abject terror. “This thing could kill us!”

"Dame da!" Sakura shouted angrily. "If you want to make lots of bits out of this, we need to get as many as possible!" She soon spotted Jack pointlessly casting beams of magic at the hydra. "Get some shots of Jack-sama!" she ordered Featherweight.

Jack was in luck. Hydra acid seemed to work similarly to snake venom. The monster only had so much acid available before it had to produce more, and it would appear that limit had been reached. Hopefully, it would be a good while before he had to worry about the acid.

“WHAT THE HAY ARE YOU DOING HERE, PRIVATE?!!” Shining Armor shouted. “I ORDERED YOU TO STAY AT THE LIBRARY!”

“I know!” Jack replied. “But I couldn’t just let you guys finish my fight for me!”

“I SHOULD HAVE YOU COURT-MARTIALLED!” Shining Armor barked.

“But you won’t!” Jack retorted, Narrowly dodging a lunge from one of the heads, which smashed into a nearby house, reducing it to splinters. Another head attempted to snap at Jack while he was distracted, but Shining Armor stopped it with a barrier in the nick of time.

“Alright!” Shining Armor shouted. “It shouldn't be much longer before reinforcements arrive! Rarity and Fluttershy, I want you to lead anypony who can longer fight to safety! Everypony else, follow my lead!” he shouted before galloping out of the trench.

Rainbow Dash and Applejack, along with a few pegasi and unicorns who had recovered their energy, followed Shining Armor's lead. Simultaneously, Pinkie Pie pulled out a party cannon and stood by in the trench while Fluttershy and Rarity lead the rest of the militia to safety.

The fight drew on for a few minutes as Pinkie shot volleys from her canon, Applejack used her lasso to trip the hydra up, Rainbow Dash used her speed to keep its heads distracted, Shining armor put up barriers to prevent his comrades from being harmed, Jack fired blasts of magic from his hands. The remaining militia threw whatever they could at the towering beast.

“Why ain’t you doin' that glowy thing with yer eyes?" Applejack asked Jack as they dodged a powerful bite.

“I can’t do it unless I think me and someone I care about is about to die!” Jack answered.

"Well then, let's fix that!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed, scooping Jack's childlike body up with ease. With her living payload in tow, she soared like a missile toward one of the hydra's open jaws.

"Dash!" Jack let out a startled shout as they got closer. "Come on, pull up, Dash!" he shouted again as they neared the rows of saw-like teeth. "PULL UP!"

Jack’s Mind

"Your friend is fucking insane!" Emerald Jack screamed in rage. "She could have gotten herself, and us killed!"

"You won't hear any arguments from me on that," Jack grumbled. "Same plan as last time?" he asked with a sigh.

"No," Emerald Jack answered. "The plan worked last time because of all the trees at Froggy Bottom Bog. Now that we’re in the middle of town, the only way to get the wood we'd need is to bust up houses. I doubt you’d want that. Even if we had the wood, how would you restrain it? Twilight and Applejack could barely hold it down with eight heads. Now it has sixteen. On top of all that, I'd say we have about three or four minutes before you run out of energy."

“Then what do you propose we do?” Jack asked.

“Hold out for as long as we can and hope whatever reinforcements Celestia sends arrive in time to save us?” Emerald Jack shrugged.

"We're totally boned," Jack sighed, burying his face in his hands.

Town Square

Jack stood inside the hydra's mouth, the strength granted by his magic, allowing him to hold the jaw open. “DASH, YOU FUCKING MORON!” he shouted in rage.

Looking around for anything useful in his escape. His eyes finally set on a dangling piece of flesh several feet behind him. "A uvula!" he realized. This gave him an idea. He removed his left hand from the roof of the mouth. There was a lurch, and he could feel the hydra slowly forcing its mouth shut. He'd need to act quickly. Charging his free hand, he launched an emerald bolt at the flap of flesh, making impact just as the mouth slammed shut around him.

Shining Armor, Rainbow Dash, and Apple Jack hastily retreated to where Pinkie Pie had set up her cannon.

"What happened to Private Jager?" Shining Armor asked Rainbow Dash.

"He's over there!" Rainbow Dash answered, pointing to one of the hydra's heads that was strangely still.

"There's nopony there!" Shining Armor shouted.

The head they were looking at lurched forward, gagged as if it were choking.

"Look's like it ate somethin' that disagreed with it," Applejack noted.

"INCOMING!" Pinkie screamed as the head launched a blob of green goo at them.

Ducking into the trench, the four ponies narrowly avoided the rain of green slime.

"That was close!" Pinkie gasped as she and the others appeared over the wall of the trench.

To her's and the others' surprise, none of the rubble around where they had been standing was dissolved. Instead, the ground had been blanketed in sticky, foul-smelling slime. In the center of it, all Jack was struggling to his feet.

Seeing that Jack was slipping every time he got upright, Rainbow Dash rushed to his aid. Pulling him into the sky, they returned to the fight.

2 minutes later

“I’m running out of energy!” Jack shouted, unleashing a blast of magic.

“Already?” Rainbow Dash panted. “You… just started…” Rainbow Dash collapsed from exhaustion before she could finish.

“Rainbow!” Applejack shouted as she rushed to her fallen friend’s side.

“I’m out of confetti!” Pinkie reported from the trench.

The hydra shot a stream of acid from one of its mouths, and Jack used what was left of his magic to pull some wooden rubble over to block it. Soon after, his magic faded, and he collapsed. As the hydra prepared another acid blast, Shining Armor set up a magic barrier around his fallen comrades. As the acid bombarded his shield, he could feel his magic fading. He'd overexerted himself. As powerful as he was, he couldn't keep going alone. The stream ended within seconds, but so did Shining's shield.

"So this is where it ends?" Shining Armor thought as the hydra loomed over him. "I'm sorry, Cadance. I never gave you an answer.

The battlefield was overcome with intense light. It was warm, the kind of warm that makes your injuries fade away. Shining Armor knew this warmth and knew what it meant. Reinforcements had arrived.

Celestia hovered over the battlefield, her wings effortlessly holding her in place. She glared at the hydra with the intensity of a solar flare. "I WILL ONLY ASK THIS ONCE, CREATURE!!!!!!" she howled in the royal Canterlot voice. "LEAVE MY LITTLE PONIES ALONE OR FACE YOUR DOOM!!!!!!"

The hydra had used far too much energy in its attack to leave with an empty stomach and responded to Celestia's demands with a firehose of acid.

Celestia teleported out of the way of the stream and reemerged behind the hydra. "I WARNED YOU!!" she shouted.

The bright light that had enveloped the battlefield began channeling into Celestia's horn. With a golden flash, sixteen longswords, ten feet tall and made of hard light, were conjured. All at once, they cut clean through the hydra's necks. As the decapitated beast collapsed, Celestia sent a beam of light into the Sun. A few seconds later, a blinding beam of light shined down on the hydra's body, and it lit up like a Christmas tree.

Landing next to the collapsed fighters, Celestia offered Shining Armor a hoof.

"You never fail to amaze me, princess," Shining Armor said as Celestia helped him to his hooves. "I'm not worthy."

"Don't talk like that, Shining Armor," Celestia said. "Your quick thinking has saved hundreds of lives. If you hadn't been here to organize a militia, Ponyville would have been defenseless."

5 Hours Later

When it was clear the town had been saved, Mayor Mare called another mandatory assembly in the Square. Miraculously the only casualties were a few broken legs. Those who risked their lives against the hydra were presented with medals while Snips, Snails, and Sakura were made to explain their actions before the town.

"When I was at Froggy Bottom Bog yesterday, I dropped something important to me," Sakura explained. "I asked Snips and Snails to help me find it, but unfortunately, the hydra found us before we could get it," she bowed her head. "Moushiwake gozaimasen deshita.”

Most of the town was convinced by Sakura's apology; however, one filly was uncertain.

“Why did she ask Snips and Snails about the ursa minor?” Sweetie Belle wondered.

Author's Note

This was by far the longest action scene I've written. How'd I do? I'll admit I rushed the ending a bit, but I'll edit in a better one later. I've got some things going on in my family right now that may interfere with my writing (see blogs for details.)
Next Time: Jack and the Mane Six accompany Rainbow Dash to a flight competition in Cloudsdale.

Chapter 27: Sonic Rainboom (Last Edited: 9/6/2022)

August 18, 2020

Fluttershy's Cottage

It had been two days since the hydra attack. Sakura Blossom, Snips, and Snails had been sentenced to community service and spent the time doing whatever they were capable of to aid in rebuilding the Southern Residential District. The rebuilding process was going quicker than expected, but many of the town's residents would still be homeless for the next few weeks. As such, Mayor Mare had opened a shelter in the Town Hall.

Jack had been devoid of energy since the attack. His muscles were sore, and he was incredibly irritable to boot. He had felt similarly immediately after his training, although not nearly to this extent. Yesterday, Nurse Red Heart had informed him that these were the symptoms of overtraining. The constant physical and magical exertions since his training session were far more than his 7-year-old body was designed to handle. It wasn't anything serious at the moment, but Red Heart's orders were clear. He was not to do any kind of fighting or training for at least three days.

Most ponies had escaped the hydra attack uninjured, and those whose homes were unharmed had returned to their normal day-to-day activities. Rainbow Dash, for one, was looking forward to the Best Young Flyers Competition being held in Cloudsdale the next day. She had been training for months and hoped that the members of the Wonderbolts Command judging the competition would take notice of her skills.

Fluttershy had agreed to cheer her on since she was the only other pegasus in her friend group and Cloudsdale was practically inaccessible to those without wings.

"You want to come watch Rainbow Dash train?" she asked Jack, who was lying on the couch, giving Angel the stink eye.

The damn rabbit had attempted to dip his hand in a bowl of hot water as he was napping earlier.

"Alright," Jack groaned as he peeled himself off of the couch.

He'd been bored out of his mind since yesterday. Twilight had told him she had been working on his 3DS battery during her recovery, but he needed entertainment now.

Ponyville Park

Upon their arrival at the park, Rainbow Dash got straight to the point and instructed Fluttershy exactly how to cheer for her. She was meticulous down to exactly how loud Fluttershy should be.

"Wouldn't it be more authentic just to let her cheer in her own way?" Jack asked from under the tree he was using for shade.

"I didn't ask for your opinion, Jack!" Rainbow Dash called. "Everything needs to be perfect for the Wonderbolts to notice me!"

Jack simply shrugged and continued to observe.

"Now, what have we learned?" the blue pegasus asked Fluttershy as she flew in a circle around her.

"Loss of control," Fluttershy answered.

"Good," Rainbow Dash agreed.

"Screaming and hollering."

"Yes, and most importantly?"

"Passion!" Fluttershy quietly exclaimed.

"Right!" Rainbow Dash confirmed landing in front of the shy pegasus. "So now that you know the elements of a good cheer, let's hear one."

"This’ll be good,” Jack thought to himself.

Fluttershy inhaled deeply before letting out a barely audible, “yay.”

“Ugh,” Rainbow Dash brought a hoof up to her face. “You're gonna cheer for me like that? Louder.”

“Yay,” Fluttershy cheered, only slightly louder.

“Louder!” Rainbow Dash yelled.

“Yay,” Fluttershy said at normal volume.

“Louder!” Rainbow Dash screamed.

Fluttershy reared and took another deep breath. “Yaaay,” she cheered at the same volume.

“Ugh,” Rainbow Dash cringed before collapsing in frustration.

“Too loud?” Fluttershy asked.

“Come on, Dash, you can’t seriously think you’ll get her to cheer any louder than that,” Jack lectured.

“Yeah yeah, whatever, Jack,” Rainbo Dash scoffed. “She just needs the proper motivation!”

Rainbow Dash zoomed up to a large cloud and peered down at her entourage. “Get ready for the most awesome moves you’ve ever seen!”

“Yay,” Fluttershy said.

Jack watched as the Rainbow Dash stretched a bit and dove at high speed, pulling up mere feet from the ground. He watched in awe as she weaved between a line of trees and rushed past Fluttershy creating a strong gust. From there, she flew straight up and rapidly circled a trio of clouds, leaving them spinning like tops.

“Way to go,” Fluttershy softly complimented.

From there, Rainbow Dash flew straight up, doing a couple loop de loops before diving at full speed. A thick air membrane formed around her as she approached the sound barrier. However, before she could break it, the membrane pushed back like a trampoline sending her flying toward town.

“And there she goes,” Jack commented with a sigh.

“You should probably hurry up and get to school,” Fluttershy told him.

“Yeah, probably,” Jack replied, nodding in agreement.

Ponyville School

Snips, Snails, and Sakura were absent that day, not surprising considering the damage their little stunt had caused. Featherweight had made a big stir about having pictures of the fight, although he promptly shut up after being questioned about where he got them.

The Crusaders had gone back to their old shenanigans, although they had taken to less strenuous activities to accommodate Jack’s exhaustion. Thinking of their attempt at a makeover cutie mark made Jack shudder. He had no problem with drag queens, but that didn’t mean he had any interest in being dolled up like one.

Sweetie Belle had been acting off since the attack. She was unusually quiet and often lost in thought. Although, these changes went unnoticed by Jack, who had some trouble reading people on his best days.

“With this lesson, we will wrap up our section on the pre-Celestian era of our history,” Cheerilee announced as class began. “Up until the year 671 BYP when Princess Celestia and Luna were crowned by Star Swirl the bearded, it is tough to tell what’s history and what’s legend. Rockhoof, Mistmane, Flash Magnus, Somnambula, Mage Meadowbrook, and Equestrian founders were all historical figures, to be sure, but how much of their stories are true is currently unknown.”

The lesson was mostly a summary of what had been taught the past few weeks in preparation for the test. Jack was very grateful for this as he had missed a week’s worth of lessons during his training. When the lecture was over, Jack and the Crusaders met outside the building to discuss what to try today.

“We can’t do anything involving exercise,” Jack said. “My muscles are still pretty sore.”

“Maybe next time you’ll think twice before you try fightin’ a hydra!” Apple Bloom huffed. “Magic or not yer still jus’ a colt.”

Scootaloo nodded affirmatively at Apple Bloom’s words.

For reasons beyond Jack’s understanding, the Crusaders had been particularly critical of his participation in the hydra fight. They weren’t the only ones, of course. Shining Armor had been immensely displeased with his insubordination, and pretty much everyone who wasn’t aware of his military status thought he had no business being there. However, there was something different about the Crusader’s disapproval.

“I know, I know,” Jack sighed. “It was very stupid of me, and I should leave the fighting to the adults. You’ve told me a million times now. Can we please just go back to figuring out what to do today?”

“Well, we tried makeovers yesterday,” Apple Bloom started.

“We could always try bungee jumping,” Scootaloo suggested.

“Definitely not!” Jack denied, his muscles burning at the mere thought. “What do you think, Sweets?”

“Huh?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“I asked what you think we should do,” Jack answered.

“You’ve been actin’ strange lately, Sweetie Belle,” said Apple Bloom. “Is somethin’ wrong?”

"She's always acting strange," Diamond Tiara sneered as she walked past. "How else would she fit in with you freaks?"

"Shove it, Diamond!" Jack shouted.

"Seriously you have been acting weird lately," Scootaloo said. "Are you alright?"

“E-everything’s fine,” Sweetie Belle stuttered. “I can’t just say that I think Sakura brought the hydra to town on purpose. Nopony would believe me.”

“If you say so,” Apple Bloom said uncertainly.

“We could try helping Twilight out in the library,” Sweetie Belle said, trying to change the subject.

“Great idea!” Apple Bloom exclaimed. “We could get Librarian cutie marks!”

“Cutie Mark Crusaders Librarians, yay!” she and Scootaloo exclaimed.

Golden Oak Library

When they arrived at the library, Jack gave three firm knocks on the door. When it opened, he and the Crusaders were in for a shock. “Rarity/Rare?!”

Rarity proudly displayed a pair of butterfly-like wings protruding from her sides. The wings had all the colors of the rainbow and glistened like morning dew.

“Sweetie Belle, Jack, darlings!” Rarity called. “Don’t these new wings look exquisite!”

“But how?” Jack asked.

“Twilight made them for me,” Rarity answered. “Now I can go to Cloudsdale and give Rainbow Dash the moral support she needs during the competition tomorrow.”

“Are Twilight and the others going?” Jack asked.

“Of course,” Rarity answered. “Rainbow Dash needs all the support she can get.”

“Cool!” Scootaloo said in excitement. “You think we can go?”

“You’ll have to ask Twilight,” Rarity answered. “She’s the one with the spell. Now I need to go home and prepare.”

As Rarity left, Jack and the Crusaders entered the library where Spike was indexing books.

“Oh, hey, guys!” Spike cheerfully greeted. “Can I help you with something?”

“The girls wanted to try their hands at getting librarian cutie marks,” Jack answered.

“But, they don’t have hands,” Spike pointed out, scratching his head confusedly as the Crusaders spread out around the library.

“It’s a figure of speech,” Jack sighed.

“Oh,” Spike said. “You’ll have to ask Twilight about volunteering. I’m not really sure what there is for you guys to do. With me around, Twilight doesn't really need any more help!” he said smugly as Jack walked into the study.

“Oh, hey, Jack,” Twilight said as she walked into the room.

“Hey, Twi,” Jack responded. “The Crusaders wanted to know if they could help out around here to see if they can get librarian cutie marks.”

“I don’t have all that much I need help with,” Twilight said. “Ever since Shining Armor got here, he’s been insisting on doing most of the work.”

“Where is Shining Armor anyway?” asked Jack.

“He had to go to Canterlot to give his report on the hydra attack,” Twilight answered. “He should be back on Thursday.”

“He isn’t mad still, is he?” Jack asked.

“He was when he left, but I’m sure he’ll be over it when he gets back.”

“Hey Twilight,” Scootaloo said upon noticing the lavender mare. “Is it true you’ll be going to the Best Young Flyers Competition?”

“Yes, I actually learned a spell that…”

“Can we go?” Scootaloo asked eagerly.

“Well…” Twilight started. “I guess, but only if your aunts agree.”

“Awesome!” Scootaloo cheered.

“This time, I want to speak with your aunts directly,” Twilight said sternly.

“Yes, ma’am,” Scootaloo agreed, lowering her head in shame.

Twilight’s face brightened up. “In the meantime, I do have something you can help me with.” Turning to Jack, she asked. “You’ve heard of Dewey Decimal Classification, correct?”

“The Dewy Decimal System?” Jack asked. “I’ve heard of it, but I’m not that clear on the particulars.”

“That’s fine,” Twilight said, teleporting a scroll above Jack, who caught it in his hands. “I’ve written instructions for what I want done on this scroll.”

Jack and the Crusaders spent the rest of the day reorganizing the library based on Twilight’s instructions. When they finished, the Crusaders eagerly checked their flanks for marks, but unfortunately, librarian was not any of their special talents.

Before they went their separate ways Jack called out to Scootaloo. "Hey, Scoots?!"

"Yeah?" Scootaloo asked in confusion.

"If your aunts agree to let you go, I promise I'll introduce you to Dash while we're there," Jack said.

"Y-you mean it?" Scootaloo asked, barely holding back her excitement.

"Well I did promise, I'd do it eventually," Jack said, giving a thumbs up. "Wouldn't be much of a friend if I didn't make good on it."

"Thanks, Jack!" Scootaloo exclaimed, before running home.

Fluttershy’s Cottage

Twilight had asked Jack not to tell Fluttershy about the spell. She wanted it to be a surprise for Rainbow Dash and didn’t exactly trust the shy pegasus's ability to keep it a secret.

“So, what did you and the Crusaders do today?” Fluttershy asked as they sat down for dinner.

“We helped Twilight in the library,” Jack answered, cutting his carrots into circles. “The girls wanted to try and get librarian cutie marks.”

“How’d that go?”

“About as well as you’d expect,” Jack sighed. “Honestly, I don’t see why they feel the need to try everything. I can’t imagine Scootaloo being happy as a librarian, I doubt Apple Bloom would be interested in giving makeovers for the rest of her life, and I don’t think Sweetie Bell would be happy as a spy. But that certainly doesn’t stop any of them from trying.”

“They’ll figure it all out eventually,” Fluttershy giggled. “I’m sure you didn’t find your special talent on your first try.”

“Fair enough,” Jack agreed, thinking back to his freshman year of college. He'd started as a biology major and was shocked by just how much math that entailed. Needless to say, he switched to history in his second semester.

When they finished eating, both Fluttershy and Jack went to bed early to prepare for the next day.

August 19, 2020 AD:

Fluttershy’s Cottage

Jack woke up to the sound of the alarm he'd set. To avoid waking Fluttershy, he’d set it up with the quieter guitar alarm rather than the blaring warship-like default he normally used. Twilight had informed him that they’d need to leave a few hours before Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash if they wanted it to be a surprise.

Once dressed and groomed, he quietly tip-toed down the stairs and made his way to the kitchen. Careful to avoid waking Angel, he slowly opened the fridge and fished out a banana.

Golden Oak Library

Twilight’s balloon had been recovered from the Lowcountry a few days before she was released from Canterlot Royal Hospital. There were a few tears from exposure to the elements, and Spike was working hard to patch it up before it was time for liftoff.

“Good morning Spike!” Pinkie Pie cheerfully greeted as she skipped up to the balloon.

“Good Morning, Pinkie,” Spike greeted as he finished his last patch. “Twilight will be out in a minute. You here to help cheer on Rainbow Dash?”

“Absotivley posolutely!” Pinkie exclaimed. “You comin’ with us, Spike?”

“No,” Spike sighed. “Someone has to look after the library while Twilight’s gone. You bringing Sakura with you?”

“No, she still has some cleanup work to do before she can do anything fun,” Pinkie sighed.

“Hey, guys!” called Jack as he walked over.

“Hey, Jackey!” Pinkie greeted. “Feeling any better?”

“Yeah,” Jack nodded. “I woke up, and all the pain was gone,” He said, stretching a bit and popping his neck.

Rarity showed up soon after with Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo arrived with her aunts shortly afterward. Scootaloo’s aunts had a short conversation with Twilight before leaving their niece in her care.

“What in Equestria is taking Applejack so long?” wondered Rarity.

“She probably had a bunch of chores to finish,” Twilight offered.

“I’ll bet she has a bunch of work to do in the orchard now,” Pinkie. “I heard the hydra did a lot of damage to the Apple’s trees.”

Applejack arrived with Apple Bloom a couple of minutes later.

“Howdy, y’all,” Applejack said, her tone devoid of enthusiasm.

“What’s wrong?” Jack asked.

“The hydra did a number on our trees,” Applejack answered. “Ah really need tuh stay an’ help Big Mac with the cleanup. Ah’m jus’ here tuh drop off Apple Bloom.”

“Called it,” Pinkie said to no one in particular.

“Sorry to hear that, AJ,” Jack said.

“It’s fine,” Applejack smiled. “Jus’ be sure to cheer extra hard fer Rainbow.”

With that, Applejack went home. Spike used his dragon’s breath to blow up the balloon, and once everyone was on board, they departed.

Cloudsdale

Twilight’s balloon reached Cloudsdale 2 hours later.

“We’ve still got about an hour before Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy get here, so what do you all want to do?” Twilight asked.

“We could always partake in some fine dining,” Rarity offered. “I’m certain Cloudsdale must have some wonderful cuisine.”

While everyone else got out of the balloon without trouble, Jack looked out at the cloudy ground and froze.

“What’s wrong?” Scootaloo asked.

“Nothing,” Jack answered, sweating nervously.

“Well then, come on,” Twilight said.

Jack looked down at the clouds again, then shook his head. “Nuh-uh.”

“Are you scared?” Pinkie asked with a giggle.

“No!” Jack exclaimed, crossing his arms indignantly.

“Then why ain’t ya gettin out of the balloon?” Apple Bloom asked.

1 Hour Later

When Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy arrived in Cloudsdale, they were confronted by several bullies from their youth. The trio of stallions wasted no time reminding Rainbow that she had been kicked out of flight school and calling her by her old nickname, Rainbow Crash. To make matters worse, Fluttershy chose then to get a little assertive. The normally shy mare told the bullies about Rainbow's plans to pull off a sonic rainboom at the competition. The bullies scoffed at the concept but said they'd be there.

“Did you see that?” Fluttershy asked once the bullies had left. “I was so assertive!”

Rainbow Dash sighed. “Those guys are right. I'll never be able to do it.”

“But Rainbow Dash, just because you've failed the sonic rainboom a hundred thousand times in practice doesn't mean you won't be able to do it in front of an entire stadium, full of impatient, super-critical sports fan ponies,” Fluttershy said, trying to comfort Rainbow Dash.

Rainbow Dash was not comforted in the least and started to freak out about how badly her performance could go.

Fluttershy wanted to help, but something else caught her attention.“Rare...” she gasped, unable to believe what she was seeing.

“Rare?!” Rainbow Dash questioned. “The sonic rainboom is way more than rare!”

“Rarity?” Fluttershy asked, pointing to where the unicorn was hovering with her new wings.

“Rarity!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed. “Are you... flying?!”

“I most certainly am!” Rarity bragged. “Aren't my wings smashing?! Twilight made them for me. I just adore them!” she explained as her friends stared with their mouths agape. “Why so shocked? We couldn't leave our favorite flyer without a big cheering section!”

“We?” Rainbow Dash questioned.

Twilight’s balloon burst through the clouds like a submarine surfacing at the North Pole.

“I... I can't believe it!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

“It's incredible!” Fluttershy agreed.

“This is so cool! You guys made it!” Rainbow Dash said excitedly as the balloon touched down.

“Sure did!” Pinkie said as she hopped out of the basket.

“Wait!” Rainbow Dash shouted.

Pinkie Pie landed safely on the cloud. She was soon followed by the other ponies, with Jack timidly trailing behind.

“How'd you do that?” Rainbow Dash asked with a relieved smile. “Only Pegasus ponies can walk on clouds.”

“Haha. Pretty cool, huh?” Pinkie said, doing cartwheels across the clouds.

“I found a spell that makes temporary wings, but it was too difficult to do more than once,” Twilight explained. “So I found an easier spell that lets the rest of us walk on clouds.”

Seeing now as a good a time as any to make good on his promise to Scootaloo, Jack got Rainbow Dash’s attention. “Hey, Dash!”

“Hey, Jack,” Rainbow Dash greeted cheerfully. “You come to cheer me on too?”

“Yeah,” Jack answered. “And I brought somepony with me I want you to meet.” Pointing to his orange friend, he said. “This is Scootaloo. I think she has something to say to you.”

Scootaloo was initially at a loss for words, but when she found them, she exclaimed, “I’m your biggest fan! When I found out you were participating in the contest, I just had to watch. I want to be just like you when I grow up!”

“Thanks, Squirt,” Rainbow Dash grinned. “To be honest, I was starting to get just the teeniest, tiniest bit nervous. But I feel a lot better now that you guys are here,” she admitted. “Hey, we've got some time before the competition. Why don't Fluttershy and I show you around Cloudsdale?”

“Yes!” everyone agreed.

As they walked through the streets of Cloudsdale, Jack marveled at the city’s buildings. There was a clear parallel with Greco-Roman-styled architecture back on Earth. Had the town been built from stone and timber rather than rainbows and clouds, he might have thought he was in Ancient Rome or Athens.

“I can’t believe we missed you on our way up here,” Fluttershy said.

“We got here about an hour ago,” Twilight explained. “We wanted it to be a surprise.”

“Oh really?” asked Fluttershy. “What have you been doing while you were waiting for us?”

15 Minutes Prior

Jack clung to the balloon's basket for dear life as his friends furiously tried to pull him out. Digging his fingers as far into the basket wall as he could he had no intention of letting go.

“C’mon, Jack!” Apple Bloom grunted as she tugged at his leg.

“Don’t be such a scaredy-pony,” Scootaloo nagged as she tugged on his other leg.

“Screw that!” Jack screamed in abject terror.

“Oh, for the love of…” Twilight groaned as a lavender aura enveloped her horn.

With a flash, Jack was teleported 20 feet away from the balloon. Removed from the balloon's safety, Jack screamed bloody murder as he hit the clouds with a thud. Unaware that he was safe, he continued screaming and flailing as if he was falling.

“Seriously?” Apple Bloom said blankly.

Sweetie Belle softly tapped Jack on the back a few times. “It’s fine. You’re not falling.”

Stopping his flailing, Jack slowly got to his feet and crossed his arms. “I knew that.”

Present Time

Rainbow Dash burst into laughter. “That’s hilarious! I wish I could have seen his face!”

“I’m right here, you know,” Jack muttered.

“That’s what make’s it funny!” Rainbow Dash chuckled.

Rarity made a point of flying through the town with her new wings. Her showy movements invoked many stares from impressed pegasi, just as she intended.

“Be careful with those wings, Rarity,” Twilight warned as the white unicorn did a loop-de-loop. “They're made from gossamer and morning dew, and they're incredibly delicate.”

“Don't worry, Twilight,” Rarity dismissed. “I'm sure they can't get worn out from too much attention.”

“Can we please get something to eat?” Pinkie wined. “We spent all that time getting Jack out of the Balloon and never got anything for lunch!”

“I’ll take you to my favorite restaurant!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

The Cloud Bar

“This was my favorite place to eat as a filly!” Rainbow Dash said excitedly.

“You went to a bar as a child?” Jack asked with a raised brow.

“It’s just a name,” Rainbow Dash corrected.

The restaurant looked quite plain to Jack. Although, this was likely due to its construction from clouds. Apart from a few rainbow fountains, there was little that could be done décor-wise.

“Are you all together?” asked a waiter.

“That’s right,” answered Twilight.

“Will there be a single bill, or are you each paying separately?” the waiter questioned.

“I think we’ll just pay separately,” Twilight said.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Twilight,” Rarity said. “I’ll be more than happy to pay the bill for all of us.” As Rarity spread her butterfly wings, they glistened in the rays of light coming through the windows, creating a rainbow effect much like that of a prism.

“Sweet Celestia!” the waiter gasped. “Those wings are gorgeous! You must be competing today. Please take advantage of our Best Young Flyers Discount. Everything on the menu is half off.”

“But Rarity’s not…” Rainbow Dash started.

“Of course, I’ll be competing,” Rarity said. “It would be a crime to keep such beauty hidden from the world,” she added dramatically.

As they sat down for their meal, Rainbow Dash was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. How was she meant to impress the Wonderbolts with Rarity flaunting her new wings?

Cloudiseum

Once they had finished their meal, Rainbow Dash took her friends on a tour of Cloudsdale. To her dismay, everyone they met complimented Rarity on her wings. By the time they reached the Cloudiseum, she was desperate for a way out as she and Rarity went off with the other competitors, and Jack and the others, to their seats in the bleachers.

The roar of the crowd was deafening, and, were it not for Jack’s medication, meltdown-inducing. While he could ignore the noise, something else was breaking his brain. “How the FUCK!” he thought, looking at the foam pointing hand Pinkie was holding.

Jack had learned to accept how Equestria operated. Talking ponies, magic, weather control, and godlike princesses responsible for raising the Celestial Bodies were different than what he was used to on Earth, but at least they were logically consistent. Pinkie Pie, on the other hand, had no rhyme or reason to how she operated. Pinkie Sense alone made no sense as earth ponies weren’t supposed to have any magic beyond their strength. Yet somehow, she had precognition and interdimensional warping abilities that not even unicorns could do. At times it almost seemed as if she could read minds.

“Where did you get that?” Jack asked, pointing to the foam hand.

Pinkie shrugged. “I don’t know.”

“God damnit, Pinks,” Jack thought.

Before Jack could open his mouth to respond, the announcer landed on a small cloud in the stadium's center. “Fillies and gentlecolts! Please rise and join me in welcoming our beloved Princess Celestia!”

Celestia slowly descended to the royal stands with her guards, waving as the crowd roared their approval.

“Please welcome our celebrity judges for the Best Young Flyer Competition: the Wonderbolts!” the announcer exclaimed as six Wonderbolts flew in formation overhead.

The Wonderbolts did a few loop de loops as fireworks were set off nearby. When they finished their demonstration, half of the squadron broke off and landed in the judge's stand while the other half left the Cloudiseum.

“And now, let's find out who will take the prize as this year's best young flyer!” the announcer said. “Our first competitor is a local mare. Put your hooves together for Orange Swirl!”

A pale amber mare with a cutie mark of three tornados flew into the Cloudiseum.

“Ah wonder what, she’ll do,” Apple Bloom said.

Orange swirl bolted to the center of the Cloudiseum and began to circle around at the speed of a prop plane.

“Ooh! Look at that speed!” said Pinkie Pie.

“That’s nothing!” Scootaloo scoffed. “Just wait 'til Rainbow Dash gets out there!”

As Orange Swirl continued spinning, a small twister formed in her wake.

“Still think that’s nothin’?” Apple Bloom asked.

“Rainbow Dash could’ve made a tornado ten times that size,” Scootaloo scoffed. “That was so cool! I can’t let the others know what I think that, though.”

“What a thrilling start to this year’s competition!” the announcer exclaimed as Orange Swirl exited the stadium. “Our next competitor is a young mare hailing from Ponyville. Give it up for Rainbow Dash!”

To everyone’s surprise, instead of Rainbow Dash, a tan Stallion who almost resembled Time Turner entered the arena.

“Where’s Rainbow Dash?” asked Scootaloo.

“I don’t know,” Twilight said. “I hope everything’s alright.”

The announcer cleared his throat. “My mistake! Our second contestant is a native of Trottingham. Please welcome Swift Whooves!”

“That’s a strange mistake,” Pinkie noted.

“Yeah,” Jack agreed, grabbing his chin firmly.

The third competitor was a blue mare appropriately named Cloud Kicker. Her turn came and went, and the announcer called out the next pony. “Next, straight from Ponyville, put it together for the lovely Rarity!”

Instead of Rarity, a brown stallion with a guitar cutie mark swooped into the stadium.

“Again?” Twilight asked incredulously.

“I hope Rarity and Rainbow aren’t in any trouble,” Fluttershy said.

“Due to unforeseen circumstances, Rarity is temporarily unavailable and will be replaced by our number 7 competitor Meadow Song of Baltimare!” the announcer said at last.

“Unforeseen circumstances?” Jack questioned.

As time went on, more and more contestants showed off their skills, but Rainbow Dash and Rarity were nowhere to be found.

“I loved number seven,” Twilight said. “Doing fifteen barrel rolls in a row can't be easy.”

“My favorite is number ten,” said Fluttershy. “She just looked like such a nice pony.”

“Where’s Rainbow Dash?!” Scootaloo asked grumpily. “The competition’s almost over!”

“Rarity too, for that matter,” Jack agreed.

“And now, for our final competitor of the day, contestant number fifteen!” the announcer exclaimed as Rainbow Dash and Rarity entered the arena. “Uhh... And apparently contestant number four...”

Rarity appeared to say something to Rainbow Dash (who looked to be a nervous wreck) before starting her elegant ballet routine through the sky.

Finally getting her act together, Rainbow Dash began to swerve between several cloud obstacles as her friends cheered.

“GO, RAINBOW DASH!” shouted Scootaloo. “You’re the best!”

Unfortunately, luck was not on Dash’s side today, and she wound up crashing into the side of the stadium, much to the amusement of a group of stallions in the stands above her.

“That had to hurt,” Jack commented.

As Rarity continued to dance around the stadium, Rainbow Dash recovered from her crash. In a mad dash, she bolted past a line of clouds, leaving them spinning in her wake.

“Look! Phase two is working,” Fluttershy said as the other ponies cheered.

Unfortunately, Dash lost control, and one of the clouds was sent flying toward the stands, narrowly missing Princess Celestia.

“Ooh, that can’t be good for her score,” Jack cringed.

With their allotted time almost up, Rarity and Rainbow Dash soared high above the Cloudiseum. Rarity flew directly into the Sun’s rays and flashed her wings, shining a vibrant array of colors across the stadium.

Much like Icarus, flying too close to the Sun proved to be a mistake for poor Rarity, whose delicate wings incinerated in the sunlight. With nothing left holding her in the sky, she plummeted towards the ground below.

“Oh no!” exclaimed Twilight. “Her wings evaporated into thin air!”

“Rarity!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed, snapping out of her train of thought.

Jack almost jumped out of his seat. “Oww!” he shouted as he pulled a muscle in his back.

“Not a good idea, man,” Emerald Jack said. “What’s your plan, jump out of the stands and trigger chaos mode? Your body still hasn’t recovered from the last two times you used it. You’d probably just fall to your death, and even if you did trigger it, the damage to your body would be irreparable.”

“Then what should I do?” Jack asked.

“Let them handle it,” Emerald Jack answered as the three Wonderbolt judges dove into action.

The rescue was made impossible for the Wonderbolts as they were knocked unconscious on approach by Rarity’s flailing hooves.

As far as Jack was concerned, the time for thinking was over. Despite muscle pain and loud protests from his emerald counterpart, he found himself climbing over the cloud safety rail and jumping into the stadium.

The wind blew Jack’s hair against his back as he plummeted headfirst toward Rarity. His skin stung as the cold air penetrated through every article of clothing on his body. Every second that passed, he expected to enter Chaos Mode, but it never happened.

“I WARNED YOU!” Emerald Jack screamed.

Above the Cloudiseum

Rainbow Dash knew she’d lost. The Wonderbolts would never want her to join now. Still, even if she was a loser, that didn’t make her a quitter. As she gained altitude, she became all the more determined to attempt the sonic rainboom. That is until she looked down.

Seeing Jack, Rarity, and the Wonderbolts plummeting to the ground snapped her out of her funk. “Hold on, guys! I'm coming!”

Turning around, Rainbow Dash shot like a missile toward her friends. As she drew closer, a membrane of air formed around her body as her lips flapped in the breeze. The membrane grew thicker and thicker as her speed increased until it burst in an explosion of color. Having broken the sound barrier, Rainbow Dash scooped the Wonderbolts and her friends up with only seconds to spare. Leaving a rainbow in her wake, she lifted them back up to the stadium.

Upon reaching the platform, a group of pegasi grabbed Rarity as Jack and the Wonderbolts were placed on the cloudy platform. The crowd in the stands roared their approval as Fluttershy and the Crusaders rushed to check on Jack.

“Thank you so much!” Fluttershy exclaimed to Rainbow Dash as she wrapped her arms around Jack. “What in Equestria were you thinking!” she scolded him.

“I wasn’t,” Jack coughed.

“That was amazing, Rainbow Dash!” Scootaloo exclaimed. “That Sonic Rainboom was the most awesome thing I’ve ever seen!”

Tears welled in Rainbow Dash’s eyes as a wave of relief washed over her. “I did it.”

“You sure did,” Rarity said with a sigh of relief. “Oh, thank you, Rainbow Dash. You saved my life!”

Once Rarity was safely in the balloon, she apologized for showing off. The Wonderbolts thanked Rainbow Dash for saving them, and Celestia presented her with the grand prize. The Princess then asked Twilight what she had learned about friendship from the experience, and Rainbow went to hang out with the Wonderbolts. When she was done with Twilight, Celestia pulled Jack aside for a private discussion.

“That was incredibly reckless,” Celestia said as they entered a secluded hall.

“I know,” Jack sighed, grimacing from his sore muscles.

“You could have been killed!” she sternly snapped.

“I know,” Jack said, slumping his shoulders.

“It’s abundantly clear you need more training immediately,” Celestia said as her horn lit and Jack’s body began to glow. “This spell will help you recover your magic quicker. Take a day to rest. I want you to report to Canterlot the day after tomorrow.”

Cloudsdale Outskirts

Sweetie Belle’s lack of focus had not gone unnoticed by the other Crusaders.

“What’s the matter, Sweetie Belle?” Apple Bloom asked.

“You’ve been quiet all day,” Scootaloo added.

Having kept it to herself for three days, Sweetie Belle couldn’t hold it in any longer. “Well…”

Meanwhile in the Everfree Forest

Oni-Hime had barely slipped out of town unnoticed after her community service hours. She retrieved the photographs from Featherweight as soon as they were developed. Featherweight, much like the rest of the colts under her thrall, was incredibly naïve. He truly believed she was going to sell the photos for a fortune. She’d give him a couple hundred bits, and he’d be none the wiser.

She was deep into the forest now, deeper than anypony else from town would have dared to venture, but she wasn’t alone by any means. Standing in the clearing in front of her were Damned and Malade. “What are you doing here, Damned-san?” asked Oni-Hime. She had only been expecting Malade.

Damned smirked. “Blutknochen’s orders, slut! I finally get to have fun!”

“Jodan ja naiyo!!” Oni-Hime protested. “I haven’t finished my mission yet! You can’t just burn everything down!”

“Relax,” Damned said. “Blutknochen says I’m not allowed to set foot in Ponyville or Canterlot. Anywhere else, on the other hoof…” his face contorted into a demented grin as his mane and tail ignited. “I have free reign to do whatever I want.”

“As-tu les photos?” asked Malade.

“Hai!” Oni-Hime responded, pulling the pictures from her bag.

“Merveilleuse,” Malade said with a grin.

Author's Note

I'm so sorry this took so long. In December, I decided to give the story a read, and I just couldn't finish it due to how badly it was written. I spent the last three months making edits, and I think it's actually good now. If you haven't already, you should really give it a reread because it's so much better now. This chapter, on the other hand, still has problems. I wrote it at the same time as I was editing, and I just kinda find it a little boring. And it's so long! I'll try to fix it at some point, but don't worry, I promise this is the only time I'll go back and edit the entire thing at once. I won't promise to keep up a one to two-week upload schedule, but it won't ever take this long.
Next Time: Jack departs for Canterlot to continues his training, but he encounters Representative Lyra Heartstrings on the train ride over. What does she want?

Chapter 28: The Order of the Yellow Rose (Last Edited: 9/10/2022)

August 21, 2020

Friendship Express: On Route from Ponyville to Canterlot

Jack felt like a new man. The aches and pains which had been plaguing him for days were like a distant memory. As per Celestia’s request, he was on his way to Canterlot for further training. Shining Armor had returned to Ponyville the day before, so he could safely assume that someone else would be responsible for his training this go-round.

“We’ll be arriving at Canterlot Station in five minutes,” the train’s conductor informed.

“I wonder what kind of training they have in store for me?” Jack pondered. “Nothing too…”

“Hello, mister human!”

“Ahhh!” Jack gasped, hopping out of his seat.

Standing in the aisle staring at him was an aquamarine unicorn mare with a lyre cutie mark.

“Representative Lyra Heartstrings, right?” Jack asked as his heart rate went down to normal levels.

“Don’t be so formal, mister human,” Lyra requested. “Just call me Lyra.”

“Alright, Lyra, what can I do for you?”

“Princess Celestia asked me to bring you to the meeting room since we both live in Ponyville,” Lyra said excitedly. “Well, I mean technically, she asked me, Cherry Berry, and Time Turner to escort you, but I insisted they let me do it myself.”

“Why’s that?” Jack asked.

“Because I wanted to meet you,” Lyra answered. “You’ve been in Equestria for almost three months, and I’ve never gotten the chance to properly introduce myself.” Practically drooling, she added, “I have so many questions!”

“Like what?” Jack asked with a nervous chuckle.

Canterlot Slums

When Jack and Lyra departed from their train, Lyra led him to a more desolate area of Canterlot than what he’d seen before. The shops were rundown, and many of them boarded over. The residents seemed sickly and underfed. Lyra had been questioning him nonstop since they met with everything from how much he eats in a day to how well endowed he was. Needless to say, he was somewhat indignant toward the latter question. Now it was time for him to ask a question. “Lyra?”

“Yes?”

“What is this place?”

“Oh,” Lyra said somberly. “This is the Outer District, but I suppose it’s better known as the Canterlot Slums. Many of the poorest peasant class ponies come to Canterlot in hope of working for the Royal Family or one of the larger businesses.” She let out an audible sigh. “Most of those jobs require an extensive criminal background check that can take years to complete, and ponies are required to live in the capital during the check so they can be monitored. Officially, this district was set up to provide housing for those in waiting, but in reality, it's just used to corral the riffraff away from Canterlot high society. There's no work available for ponies who haven't been checked, so most ponies here have turned to smuggling, theft, and prostitution.”

“Why would anyone willingly go through that?” Jack asked.

“Not all peasants are on equal standing,” Lyra answered. “Sure, most of us leave comfortable lives, albeit with more restrictions than those in the other classes, but some who are less fortunate live in severe poverty. To them, there are only two options, employment in Canterlot or enlistment in the E.U.P and the E.U.P only accepts those whose special talents they deem useful in combat.” They stopped outside of a small wooden shack with a speakeasy on the front door. “We’re here.”

“Why would Celestia be here?” Jack asked incredulously as Lyra knocked nine times.

The speakeasy slid open, and a pair of eyes peered out at them. “Password?”

“Sugar Cube,” Lyra answered.

The speakeasy slid shut, and after a series of clicks, the door was pulled open to reveal Fancy Pants. “You weren’t followed, were you?” he asked.

“No,” Lyra answered, ushering Jack inside. “I cast a spell to disguise us from outsiders.”

“Disguise?” Jack asked. “What the Hell is goin’ on here!?”

“Those are questions best left for Princess Celestia,” Fancy Pants said.

“Well, where is she then?” Jack asked.

“Our sister is waiting for thee in the back,” Luna said, creeping out of the shadows. “Come.”

The room in the back was of modest size. Devoid of any decorations or furniture beyond a worn-down table in the center and a tapestry depicting two ponies linking hooves in front of a large yellow rose. Situated around the table were Time Turner, Apple Fritter, Cherry Berry, Spitfire, Three Arrows, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, and Princess Celestia.

“Welcome, Jack,” Celestia greeted.

“Seriously, what the fuck is goin’ on here!!?” Jack asked.

“Watch your tongue, private!” Three Arrows growled.

“KNOW THINE PLACE, HUMAN!!!” Luna roared.

Before anypony else could speak, Celestia interrupted. “Calm down, everypony!”

“Sister, thou can’t possibly let his insolence…” Luna argued.

“The ability to speak freely is one of the reasons we formed this society,” Celestia interrupted. “It defeats the purpose If we punish ponies simply for offending us.”

“Seriously, what in the name of God is going on here, Celestia!?” Jack asked. “I thought I was here for training.”

“This is a secret society for class equality,” Celestia explained. “For centuries, I’ve watched as the peasants were treated as third-class citizens and non-ponies were treated as lesser beings. It pained me, but I was unable to do anything about it.” With a heavy sigh, she continued, “The Royal Court, an institution I had set up to bring harmony back to Equestria after Luna's banishment, had long since turned into a tool by which Equestria’s elite could unfairly promote their interests over those of the common people. I watched helplessly as the nobles ganged up with the business class and military to keep everypony else down.” Celestia’s mouth curled into a smile. “However, in recent years, things have begun to change. Three Arrows and Fancy Pants began to advocate for peasant rights, and together we formed a secret society." Using her horn to shine a light on the tapestry, she said, "welcome to the Order of the Yellow Rose.”

“What does any of this have to do with me?” Jack asked.

“For several years now, Order membership has been more than enough to effectively oppose the others on the Court, but we’ve been hesitant to abolish the Court entirely,” Three Arrows said.

“And why is that?” Jack asked.

“For all our idealism, we have been unfortunately lacking in ideas for a sufficient replacement,” Fancy Pants admitted.

“That’s what makes you so valuable to us,” Three Arrows said bluntly. “You come from another world entirely, one with a system of government unlike anything on Equus.”

“Arrows!” Spitfire snapped. "We're asking for Jager's help. Don't treat him like a means to an end."

“It’s true, though,” Three Arrows shrugged.

“I thought you wanted me for my magic,” Jack said.

“The Equestrian Government wants you for your magic,” Time Turner corrected. “The Order of the Yellow Rose wants you for your knowledge.”

“That and we value you as an individual,” Cadenza said. With a sad sigh, she continued, “I truly believe you shouldn’t have been forced into service. Not being able to stop that is something I feel I should apologize for.”

“You don’t need to apologize, Princess Cadenza,” Jack said. “It means a lot to me that you tried to help.”

“Cadance,” Cadenza corrected.

“Huh?” Jack asked.

“I prefer to go by Cadance.”

"Oh, ok," Jack said. "You really don't need to apologize, Cadance. You did everything you could."

“Now that we’re done with introductions, Ah think it might be best to get tuh the point,” Apple Fritter interrupted.

“I agree,” said Cherry Berry. “We have a lot to discuss and not a lot of time to discuss it. Princess?” she asked, looking at Celestia.

“As important as the topic at hand is, we must remember that Jack came here for training,” Celestia nodded. “Keeping that in mind, I’ve asked Twilight Sparkle to send me the materials she’s collected on human government. We shall keep this meeting short and have him cover the basics.”

“The basics?” Jack enquired.

“You’re a practitioner of historical research, are you not?” asked Time Turner. “Explaining your homeland’s political system should be an easy task.”

“I was a history student,” Jack corrected.

“Then it should be easy for you,” Three Arrows insisted.

The Following is Basically a History Lecture: If you’d rather skip this part, you can.

“Where would I even begin?” Jack asked himself. “Oh, I know.” Clearing his throat, he began, “To understand the American Government, we need to go back about 2,500 years to a land called Greece. In those times, Greece was made of multiple independent city-states, most of which were ruled by kings. However, at least one of these city-states chose a different route, democracy.”

“Democracy?” Three Arrows mused.

“A democracy is a society where the common people vote on issues, or at least in the case of Athens, all free adult male citizens,” Jack explained.

“That can’t possibly have worked well for them,” Fancy Pants said. “I’m all for giving everypony equal rights, but not everypony has the knowledge to make informed decisions on every issue.”

“I don’t see how giving mares less rights than stallions would help either,” Spitfire added.

“That had more to do with the patriarchal nature of ancient human societies than democracy,” Jack said. “However, the point Fancy Pants made before is good. Having people vote directly on issues did pose problems—notably the trial and execution of the philosopher Socrates. Socrates was accused falsely of corrupting the youth and heretical religious practices. Or at least that’s how his disciples described it. As a result, he was tried and sentenced to death by jurors democratically chosen by lot.” With a sigh, Jack continued, “unfortunately, what we know about the incident comes from the writings of two of his students, Plato and Xenophon. Bit of a biased source of information, no?”

“That definitely sounds like a conflict of interest,” Lyra noted, having been furiously taking notes. “I assume there’s more to the story?”

“Yes,” Jack nodded. “The democracy practiced in Athens had the people vote directly on issues. A direct democracy, if you will. As flawed as this system likely was, it is not the same as the one used in America. Athenian democracy was wiped out when Athens along with the rest of Greece fell to the Macedonian Empire and their ruler Alexander the Great.”

“Then what’s the point of telling us?” Spitfire asked.

“Foundation,” Jack answered. “Although Athens fell, they were merely the first democracy. Not even a century after Athenian democracy was founded, another society called the Romans overthrew their monarchy. However, rather than have the citizens vote directly, representatives were elected to represent the people. A representative democracy or republic.”

“So, you have a selection of candidates that the common ponies are allowed to choose between?” Fancy Pants asked. “That could work.”

“What’s to stop these representatives from acting out of self-interest or taking power for themselves?” asked Three Arrows.

“An excellent question, corruption became a massive problem for the Roman Republic, especially in the later years,” Jack explained. “This was especially true of Rome's highest position of power, the consul. Consuls served a term of but one year. As a result, they were often desperate to make names of themselves through aggressive military campaigns such as the Punic wars against Carthage. However, the republic had a far worse problem that would be its downfall. In times of emergency, an unelected dictator would be appointed with absolute power. Normally such a dictator would give up his power when the emergency passed, but this was not the case for Julius Caesar. Caesar was a powerful general in the Roman Army, responsible for massive conquests and solidifying Rome as the most powerful nation of his time. He seized power by force and declared himself dictator for life. His rule ended with his assassination, leaving a power vacuum that plunged Rome into a period of civil war. When the wars were over, the republic had been replaced with an empire.”

“It sounds like this democracy idea is just one failure after another,” said Spitfire.

“It certainly might seem that way so far,” Jack admitted. “After Rome’s republic fell, the concept of democracy was largely abandoned for more than a thousand years apart from a few isolated examples such as the things in Scandinavia. The concept made a comeback in Northern Italy, with Republics being created in many states, such as Florence and Venice. Although these were largely aristocratic by nature, and the common people had little say. A far more significant event during those times would be the English Magna Carta. A document that didn’t create a democracy but did guarantee certain rights to the English people that could not be infringed upon by the king.”

“Art thou suggesting our sister and us give up power over a sheet of paper?” Luna asked incredulously. “We control the Moon and our sister the Sun. What document could hold more power than that?”

“Calm down, Luna,” Celestia said. “I think it’s a good idea. Like a contract between us and the citizens.” Looking back to Jack, she said, “please continue.”

“A couple hundred years after the Magna Carta was passed, a new land was discovered to the west of the known world,” Jack said. “Well, I guess discovered isn’t the right word. There was already a highly diverse native population, some of whom practiced democracy. However, most of these people hadn’t discovered writing, so their story is largely undocumented. Several powerful nations competed to colonize these new lands including, Spain, Portugal, France, and England. England’s colonies were given a great deal of autonomy, and many set up their own democratic governments. The crown jewel of these, I’d say, would be Virginia’s House of Burgesses, made up of, I think, twenty-two locally elected representatives.”

“They let their colonies govern themselves?” Fancy Pants asked.

“To a degree,” Jack answered. “A few decades after the colonies set up their democracies, the tyrannical actions of King Charles I back in England led to a Civil War between him and his elected parliament. The parliament won, and Charles I was executed. In the aftermath, a republic was briefly set up before a man named Oliver Cromwell took dictatorial-like control.”

“I’m afraid I’m going to have to agree with Spitfire’s earlier assessment,” Fancy Pants said. “These democracies seem prone to failure.”

“It would certainly seem that way at this point in the story,” Jack said. “The English monarchy would soon be restored, and King Charles II would sign the Habeas Corpus Act guaranteeing citizens the right not to be imprisoned without evidence. William III overthrew Charles II in the Glorious Revolution, and with his wife Mary II, he signed the English Bill of Rights into law guaranteeing free elections and free speech.”

“It sounds to me like there can be a democracy and a monarchy at the same time,” said Cadence.

“Huh?” Jack cocked his head.

“You said there was a monarch, but they also had free elections,” Cadence elaborated.

“Oh,” Jack said. “Well, while there were elected officials, the monarchy still held a great deal of power. Not quite a democracy. Although many modern states have formed democracies that keep monarchs as figureheads, but I am not very familiar with how this works. Anyway, back to the story. The freedom provided by the Bill of Rights allowed thinkers like John Locke to freely develop the last component needed for a successful democracy, liberalism. Locke held that all citizens had a right to life, liberty, and property, that government must act in accordance with the consent of the governed, and that citizens had the right to revolt against unjust government.”

“Revolt!?” Luna exclaimed. “ART THOU MAD!”

“Not in the slightest,” Jack said. “If a government is tyrannical, then the people have a right to replace it, and replace it they did. The United States of America, my homeland, was once a group of thirteen English colonies. As I stated, earlier English colonies were granted a great deal of autonomy. However, due to financial pressures, England was facing after a war with France, that autonomy was stripped. Taxes were levied by the English parliament in which the colonies had no representation. These taxes brought about violent protests, in which property was vandalized, and tax officials were assaulted. In response, the English sent troops which only enraged the colonists. Further protest turned to revolt and revolt to revolution. The Thirteen Colonies declared independence, and after years of war, with the help of England’s traditional enemies like France, independence was won, and a republic was formed. A republic which today, almost three hundred years later, is the undisputed most powerful country on Earth.”

“What’s different about American democracy from what came before?” Celestia asked.

“I’ll explain that now,” Jack said. “At America’s start, only white land-owning male citizens could vote, and we were governed loosely under a document called the Articles of Confederation. The different states had their own separate currencies on top of the federal currency. The individual states created their own laws and levied their own taxes, while the federal government didn’t have the power to do either without approval from at least 9 states. The only real power held by the federal government was the ability to maintain the post office and the military. There wasn’t really a standing military either, to be honest. Each state had a militia which could be called upon by the federal government in times of war.”

“That don’t sound like an improvement,” said Apple Fritter.

“It sounds like absolute chaos!” Fancy Pants agreed. “If the individual states were able to print their own currency, then efficient commerce between states would be nearly impossible. One state's currency could be worth far more than another’s. The exchange rate must have been a nightmare!”

“And the militia system sounds like a nightmare!” Spitfire added. “What happens when another country invades? Militia works great as a backup, but you can’t expect them to be able to take on a standing military and win by themselves.”

“Both excellent points,” Jack said. “The Articles of Confederation were a complete disaster, and most people knew it. That’s why not even a decade after they were implemented, a convention was called to replace them. The result was the United States Constitution. A document so successful that it has been used as a model for new democracies across Earth, even traditional monarchies have used it as a template for their transition to democracy.”

“Finally, we get to the point,” Three Arrows muttered.

“The Constitution created three branches of government,” Jack explained. “The legislative branch creates laws and is made up of the House of Representatives and the Senate. Each state gets two senators and a number of representatives based on population. The executive branch either passes or rejects laws from the legislative branch. This branch is led by the president, who is elected every four years in a nationwide vote. Finally, there is the Judicial Branch which settles disputes over the Constitution and is made up of a number of judges who are appointed by the president and serve for life.”

Rather than asking questions, the ponies were now either taking notes or expectantly waiting for him to continue.

“Along with the government's structure, the Constitution gave the Federal government the right to levy taxes and the sole right to print currency,” Jack continued. “But most importantly was the addition of ten amendments called the Bill of Rights. These rights included freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of the press, freedom to protest, the right to own weapons, the right to privacy, freedom from unreasonable investigation, the right to remain silent under questioning, the right to a fair and speedy trial, and numerous other rights. All powers not granted to the federal government through the Constitution were given to the states.”

The ponies continued taking notes as he went on.

“Within a few decades, the right to vote had been extended to all adult citizens who were white males. After a civil war, three amendments to the constitution were passed abolishing slavery, granting black people citizenship, and extending the right to vote to adult black males. However, the Southern states would largely ignore the latter. Many decades later, voting rights were extended to adult females. Later, several Civil Rights Acts would force the South to comply with the Constitution and outlaw refusal of service or employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, and national origin. As time went on, the voting age was lowered to 18, protections were granted for people with disabilities, and just a few years ago, same-sex marriage was legalized.”

History Lecture ends

“Wait, there were actually laws in place preventing ponies from marrying just because they were the same sex?” Lyra questioned. All fascination with humans seemed to have vanished as she gave an icy glare. “Why should we use your country as an example if you can’t even allow two ponies who love each other to be together.”

Jack sighed and gave a sad smile. “I won’t lie. Human society is traditionally bigoted. As a species, we spent thousands of years killing, raping, enslaving, and torturing each other over the most trivial differences, and some societies continue that tradition this very day. But it was democracy that allowed so many of us the chance to right those wrongs.” Slamming his fist on the table, he declared. “Democracy isn’t perfect! No system is! But it was democracy that allowed my country to realize that homosexuality causes no harm, that slavery is wrong, and that every man, woman, and child is of equal value regardless of biology, wealth, or beliefs!”

Three Arrows began stamping his front hooves on the ground.

“What’s he doing?” Jack wondered.

Celestia, Lyra, Cadence, and Fancy pants joined in, and soon every pony in the room was stamping their front hooves.

“Well said, Jack,” Celestia complimented. “I believe it is time to bring this meeting to a close. I’d like each of you to take one of the books stacked on the shelf home with you. Be sure not to be spotted on your way out.”

With a white glow from her horn, Celestia teleported herself and Jack out of the building.

Royal Canterlot Gardens

“What the fuck just happened!?” Jack asked in surprise.

“I teleported us to the gardens,” Celestia answered. “It’s time to continue your training.”

With an eager grin, Jack said, “Let’s do this!”

Author's Note

I know this one comes off like a history lecture, but hey, that's my major and what I'm interested in.
Next time: Princess Celestia encounters difficulty training Jack and must look to the past to find answers.

Chapter 29: Seeds of History (Last Edited: 9/11/2022)

August 21, 2020 AD

Royal Canterlot Gardens

"What are you going to teach me first?" Jack asked, grinning eagerly. "Teleportation? Telekinesis? Telepathy? Or am I only able to do plant-based magic? Do you think I could make, like, a giant Venus flytrap?"

"Hold out your hands," Celestia requested.

"Ok," Jack said as he complied.

Celestia plucked an acorn from a tree and levitated it into Jack's open palms.

"What's this for?" Jack asked.

"I want you to focus your magic on the seed until it sprouts."

"Seriously?" Jack pouted. "Should have known it'd be something boring like this."

"I know it's not glamorous, but if you truly want to master your magic, it's essential that you learn more control," Celestia said firmly.

"Alright," Jack sighed, his hands glowing emerald as he focused on the seed.

The acorn shook violently until it exploded with an echoing pop. Jack dove for cover while Celestia put up a shield to avoid the nutty shrapnel.

"You’re using too much energy at once,” Celestia calmly explained. “Think of yourself as a pump and the seed as a balloon. If you put in too much air at once, the balloon will pop.”

Jack tried again, but this time nothing happened at all.

“Now you’re putting in too little energy,” Celestia said.

As the day passed by, Jack failed over and over again. By the time Celestia allowed him to turn in for the night, he had obliterated at least five hundred acorns.

Celestia’s Bed Chambers

The day had been exhausting for Celestia. Immediately after she dismissed Jack, she found herself being thrust into a surprise meeting with Filthy Rich. She should have expected it at this point. Filthy Rich was one of those entitled 3rd generation business ponies. His grandfather had done all the work making the business, earning the fortune, and earning the status, and he’d simply inherited it all. He’d never worked for anything in his life and, as a result, was relentless and even childish when it came to getting what he wanted. He’d sent no less than sixty petitions to Mayor Mare requesting that Ponyville’s public park be torn down to make room for a private school. When that didn’t work, he turned to the highest power in the land. She’d already received and rejected seventy-five petitions, and now the arrogant billionaire had chosen to beg directly. She’d said no, of course, but this didn’t stop her from cursing the decision to retain the right of the Diarchy to mediate land disputes.

“The class system has been a thorn in my side for far too long.” Celestia thought to herself as she settled in her bed. “Even so, with Blutknochen on the move again, is now really the time to focus on this? If Jack doesn’t learn to control his magic soon, he’ll be susceptible to unwanted influence. It was so much easier with Virginia she took to her magic like a duck to water. Jack’s far more like the others from Roanoke. They all succumbed to the chaos. Why didn’t she? What saved her?”

December 25, 1588

Northern Hayseed Swamps

Celestia was on her way to investigate the site of a strange explosion. Typically she would have had an E.U.P. Army scout unit report back to her, but the team sent to investigate had simply sent a note saying she needed to see this for herself.

This region's humidity was usually unbearable, but the winter months meant that the climate was at a comfortable 65 degrees. The mosquitoes would be sluggish if at all active at this temperature.

As she entered the coordinates the investigation team sent her, she spotted a circle-shaped scar on the landscape. Trees had been incinerated entirely, and nothing was left of the area except for black soot. “That’s clearly the blast site, so why are they sending me further south?” she wondered.

A few minutes later, she arrived at the site and greeted the squad leader responsible for the expedition. “Sergeant Bronze Hoof, what is the meaning of this?” she asked sternly.

“Ma’am, we investigated the explosion as you asked, but we’ve encountered an anomaly,” Bronze Hoof answered with a salute.

“Anomaly?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Bronze Hoof nodded. “Corporal Sharp Blade, bring us the prisoner!” he called.

Sharp Blade nodded and disappeared into the swamp. He returned two minutes later with a pale blond-haired human boy, roughly nine years old, wearing a linen shirt, leather vest, linen pants, and leather shoes, all several sizes too large for him. He clearly hadn’t eaten a decent meal in a while, and his bones were outlined through every inch of visible skin.

“Human!” Celestia thought in alarm. Keeping a calm mask on her face, Celestia asked, “What’s your name, human?”

“Ananias Dare,” the boy answered.

“We found more than forty of these things,” Bronze Hoof said. “This one identified himself as their leader, so we took him hostage. Most of them were starving, so there wasn’t much resistance.” He nodded to Sharp Blade.

“Take Ananias and the rest of his group to Canterlot,” Celestia ordered. “I want him and the rest of his kind fed, sheltered, and fitted with clothing fitting of royal guests.”

“Y-yes, ma’am,” Bronze Hoof agreed, taken off guard by the order.

“Thank you, miss,” Ananias said. “’tis truly a Christmas miracle!” he sobbed joyfully.

January 2, 1589

Canterlot Castle: Dining Hall

The Humans had settled into Canterlot quite well, all things considered. Most of them had gained a healthy amount of weight, they had all washed up, and their clothes had been replaced with custom-made items from the royal tailor. Apparently, they were from a country called England and were part of a remote colony called Roanoke. Things hadn’t gone well as it would seem those initially in charge of the colony had fled back to the homeland, and supplies hadn’t arrived in over a year. The colonists had suffered famine, disease, and raids from a hostile tribe called the Croatan. This tribe was accused of cannibalism, rape, and murder, but Celestia had a feeling that these were largely exaggerations, if not outright falsehoods. One day there was a flash, and all the surviving colonists found themselves in the charred remains of a section of the Hay Seed Swamps their bodies having regressed to a third of their previous ages.

The residents of Canterlot had taken well to the new arrivals. They were suspicious initially, but all it took was Celestia vouching for the humans for most ponies to at least tolerate their presence.

She watched as the castle chefs set up a modest spread of food on the table in front of her. Today’s feast was of the utmost importance. Ananias would be bringing his wife and daughter to dine with her. She needed to make absolutely certain these humans would be on her side. If Blutknochen were to get his hooves on this many of them, it would be a disaster.

The grand doors to the dining hall swung open. “Master Dare and his family have arrived,” announced a servant.

Ananias walked inside dressed in a sharp suit. Beside him was a fair-skinned girl far younger than her husband at around the age of 6. She had blond hair and wore an elegant gown. In her arms, she held an infant less than a year old. These were only appearances, of course. All three of them were at least three times as old as they looked.

“Welcome, Mister Dare,” Celestia greeted. “I see you and your family are doing well.”

“Thank you for your kindness, Princess,” Ananias said with a mixture of a bow and a curtsey. “This is my wife, Eleanor.”

Eleanor mimicked her husband’s movements. “We are ever so grateful, your highness.”

“And this is our daughter, Virginia,” Ananias added as Elenore proudly held up her bundle of joy.

Once she had been formally introduced to Ananias’s family, she told him everything she knew about why he was here. She told them about Blutknochen, the Elements of Chaos, chaos magic, and the mysterious nature of their opponents’ goals.

“If you’d like to return to your world, I understand,” Celestia said. “I’ll be happy to find a way to send you back, but if you’d be willing, I’d very much appreciate your assistance.”

“We’d be honored to assist you,” said Ananias. “Governor White, Sir Raleigh, and Queen Elizabeth left my people and me to die. You’ve taken us in, fed us, and clothed us. It would be sinful not to return the favor.”

May 7, 1591

Canterlot Castle

Celestia watched in horror at the scene before her. Canterlot, the center of Equestrian society politically, culturally, and economically was on fire. The heat from the flames was so intense that it could be felt even from the safety of the castle’s highest towers. All this destruction, all this suffering… why now? “Who is responsible?” she wondered furiously.

“Princess Celestia!” called a lightly armed pegasus from above her.

“Admiral Fairweather, what’s going on?!!” Celestia asked.

“It’s the humans!” Fairweather shouted. “They’ve betrayed us!”

“What?!” Celestia asked in shock.

“We’ve been overwhelmed!” Fairweather shouted. “Please, you must stop them!”

Shouting could be heard from behind the door.

“I need to speak to Princess Celestia!”

“We’re not letting you anywhere near her traitor!”

“Please, I don’t have much time!”

Interested in the commotion, Celestia opened the door to investigate. “Elenore?” she asked.

Elenore Dare was struggling to get past Celestia’s personal guards as Virginia and an infant dragon clung to her side in abject terror, “Princess Celestia! Please!”

“Let her through,” Celestia commanded.

“Ma’am?” a guard questioned.

“Let her through,” Celestia repeated.

The guards hesitantly parted, allowing Elenore through.

“What’s happening?!!” Celestia asked sternly.

“There was this stallion,” Elenore explained. “Big, red, and muscular with a pocket watch cutie mark. He cast a spell on us, and everyone went insane!”

“And why wasn’t this unicorn’s spell effective on you?” Celestia asked.

“He wasn’t a unicorn,” Eleanor replied. “He was an earth pony.” Clinching her forehead tightly, she added. “And I was affected… thousands of voices in my head… telling me to destroy Canterlot… not sure how long I can resist. Please take Virginia and Razer!”

Celestia nodded to Fairweather, who ushered Virginia and Razer to the tower room, Virginia letting out a series of ear-splitting cries upon separation from her mother. No sooner were the children clear of the hall than could a booming crash be heard from the lower staircase, as an army of humans led by the red earth pony pushed their way to the top.

“Privyet, Celestia,” the red stallion introduced in Russian. “Menya zovut Obmanshchik.”

The guards formed a line between Obmanshchik and Celestia as Eleanor fell to the floor in agony.

“Join us, Eleanor,” said Ananias from the crowd of humans. His eyes flashed sapphire as two energy orbs of the same color materialized in his palms.

“Ananias, please,” Eleanor begged.

“If you won’t obey, then you are of no use,” Obmanshchik sighed. “Kill her,” he ordered Ananias.

Ananias hesitated. “I…. can’t.”

“I see…” Obmanshchik muttered as his eyes blackened.

The other humans began charging their magic.

“If you won’t do what I ask, then the other humans will,” Obmanshchik said, shaking his head.

The mob of humans launched a tidal wave of chaos magic at the guards and Eleanor. Bolts of lightning, torrents of pressurized water, streams of flame, gusts of wind and snow, volleys of stone, metal, and wood. Celestia moved to intervene, but it was already too late.

The hallway exploded into a cloud of dust that obscured everything. When the dust cleared, Celestia let out a sigh of relief. Neither the guards nor Eleanor had been harmed.

That relief turned to sorrow when she realized what had happened. Ananias lay on the ground in front of the guards, limp, mangled, and soaked to the bone.

When the other humans launched their attack, he broke free from Obmanshchik’s spell and used his power, the Chaos of the Ocean, to set up a barrier between them and his wife. The barrier did its job, but in his haste, he failed to protect himself.

As Eleanor stared at her husband’s body, she could feel the last of her resistance fading as the darkness in her heart grew. Now, Obmanshchik had complete control over her.

“YOU’VE MADE A TERRIBLE MISTAKE!!!” Celestia roared in the royal Canterlot voice.

Before she could act, the hallway was overcome with an eerie chill. “Ich think nicht, meine dear Celestia.”

“Blutknochen!” Celestia gasped. “I should have known!”

“As much as ich would enjoy catching up, ich have other matters to attend to,” Blutknochen said with a smirk. “It’s time to go!” he ordered to Obmanshchik and the humans.

Obmanshchik and the humans gathered around Blutknochen. Having completely submitted her will, Eleanor followed as Celestia tried in vain to snap her out of it.

“Eleanor! Think of Virginia!”

“Auf wiedersehen, Celestia,” Blutknochen said before teleporting himself, Obmanshchik, and all the humans around him far away.

Celestia stared silently at the destroyed tower hall. All was lost. Blutknochen had the humans. Whatever his plans were, he had all the chaos magic he needed.

“Ma’am!?” asked Fairweather.

“What can we do?” Celestia asked herself.

“What are your orders, ma’am?” Fairweather asked. “Should I send out a pursuit unit?”

“How can we stop a group if we don’t even know what they’re trying to do?”

“What should we do with the human foal?”

“Virginia!” Celestia realized. “I need to make sure the Dares’ daughter is taken care of first. Then I can figure out what to do about Blutknochen.” Clearing her throat, Celestia gave Fairweather his orders. “Take Virginia and Razer to the Lunar bedroom. Then contact the other captains. I want the entire E.U.P on full alert!”

“Yes, ma’am!” Fairweather agreed with a salute.

As Fairweather and the guards rushed to obey her orders, Celestia solemnly trotted to Ananias’ body. He was an adult, of course, practically elderly when one considers the conditions he lived under in Roanoke. Still, what she saw before her was the body of a child. Carefully she used her magic to shut his lifeless eyes. The least she could do was give him a dignified burial. As she levitated his corpse onto her back, she heard a thud from behind her.

Turning around, she found Ananias’ gun had fallen out of his pocket. It was a curious contraption. Once loaded and primed, Ananias simply had to aim at a target and pull a trigger turning a wheel within the weapon that, through friction, would ignite an explosive powder launching a metal ball at a deadly velocity. They were quite expensive, and Ananias had received it as a gift from his father-in-law, John White, who was the governor of Roanoke before he abandoned the colony and his people.

Teleporting the weapon to her room, Celestia carried Ananias down the ruined staircase.

August 24, 1602

Frozen North

It had been eleven years since the Attack on Canterlot. Despite having obtained dozens of humans, there was no indication that Blutknochen had achieved his goals, whatever they may be. In fact, he, the humans, and the Elements of Chaos seemed to have vanished off the face of Equus. The Royal Court had been talking about demobilizing the E.U.P. The business class ponies were citing a decrease in profits stemming from military interference in trade. Most of the representatives were of the opinion that if Blutknochen were going to attack again, he would have done so by now. Celestia knew better. Whatever plan Blutknochen needed chaos magic for had failed, but Blutknochen was no quitter. He’d stay in the shadows until he figured out what went wrong and when he found out, he’d try again.

Virginia had grown a lot in that time. She was technically 15, but, biologically speaking, she was only 14. She’d lived a comfortable life, and Celestia had treated her like her own daughter. A fact that had not gone unnoticed by Equestria's citizens who mockingly called her Princess Dare. It was well known that the humans were involved in the Burning of Canterlot, so she wasn’t well-received by most ponies, although most kept it to themselves out of respect for Celestia.

While the other ponies looked at Virginia with scorn, Celestia saw her as Equestria’s last hope. Whatever Blutknochen was trying to do, Celestia was convinced that Virginia would be vital in stopping it. As such, Celestia deemed now the time to train her to control her magic, the Chaos of Blizzards.

Virginia had only activated her magic three times before now. When she was seven, she lost her balance on one of the castle stairways and created a snowbank to break her fall. The second time, when she was thirteen, she’d gotten lost in the Canterlot slums and was attacked by a group of thugs looking to get a ransom. She’d left her attackers frozen like popsicles. Finally, a week prior, Celestia taught her how to activate her powers without chaos mode.

“Can’t we do this somewhere warmer?” complained a small wingless red dragon.

“That would defeat the purpose, Razer,” Celestia replied. “If Virginia is to learn how to control her magic, we need a proper environment.”

“Ok, but why do I have to be here?”

“You want to help Virginia, don’t you?”

“Of course!” Razer exclaimed. “Mistress Dare is my best friend!”

“Good, then let’s go see how she’s doing,” said Celestia.

The two walked into a thicket of spruce trees where Celestia had instructed Virginia to prevent a snowball from melting in her hand. They arrived to find Virginia holding a fully frozen snowball in her palm.

“I did it, mom!” Virginia cheered. “It took me three tries, but I did it!”

“Already?” Celestia asked. “How on Equus did you figure it out so quickly?”

“It was hard at first, but then I thought about everything you’ve done for me, and I could just do it,” Virginia explained.

August 22, 2020

Celestia’s Bed Chambers

Celestia woke at six in the morning, and she’d had about ten minutes before it was time to raise the Sun. While she had been having trouble figuring out how to help Jack with his magic, her dreams had given her an idea.

She rose from her bed and began her morning routine. Soon she was ready for the day and stepped into the hall where she found Luna waiting for her.

“Greetings, sister,” said Luna. “I trust thine dreams were of use?”

“I believe so,” Celestia answered. “If I’m right, I should be able to help Mr. Jager control his magic.”

“Glorius news!” Luna exclaimed. “Come, sister, let us begin the day!”

The two sisters stepped outside and charged their horns. As Luna’s Moon sank beneath the horizon, Celestia’s Sun rose in its place.

Royal Canterlot Gardens

Jack’s training session began three hours after sunrise. He had been frustrated by the lack of progress in the previous day's session, but he was still determined to improve.

Telikenetically dropping an acorn in Jack’s open palms, Celestia said, “I want you to picture the happiest memory you can think of.”

“Happy?” Jack asked.

“Yes,” Celestia confirmed with a nod.

Taking in a deep breath, Jack said, “ok.”

Celestia watched as Jack closed his eyes and focused on the acorn. Before long, it began to sprout.

University of South Carolina: Koger Center for the Arts

June 1, 2017

Jack proudly stood in line garbed in the traditional cap and gown of graduation. Having transferred to an online school, he’d, unfortunately, lost out on attending the same ceremony as any of his friends. Nevertheless, this was an important milestone, and nothing could ruin it.

“Jackson Delano Jager Jr.,” called the school director.

With a prideful grin, Jack stepped onto the stage to retrieve his diploma. After a firm handshake, the director handed him his diploma, and he was on his way. This was it, the first day of the rest of his life. He could be whatever he wanted now. A scientist, perhaps? Maybe a doctor or a teacher. A park ranger, an archeologist, a historian, even an astronaut! Nothing seemed out of his reach as he gazed at the document cementing his departure from secondary education.

Jack’s pride turned to horror as a pitch-black mist blanketed the scene.

Royal Canterlot Gardens

Present

Celestia watched in satisfaction as the acorn in Jack’s palm sprouted.

“It would seem my theory was correct,” Celestia thought.

Unfortunately, Celestia was too quick to congratulate herself, and the sapling in Jack’s hand began to wither and die.

Jack’s House

August 4, 2017

Jack’s mom had been adamant about sending him off to college with a bang and insisted on holding a party with all the Circle of Bros, nearby relatives, members of their church, and even a few of his old teachers that lived nearby. Mark, of course, had opted to barricade himself in his room rather than celebrate his brother’s graduation and was nowhere to be seen. The kitchen table was covered in a banquet of Jack’s favorite foods, his favorite songs played on the surround sound, and the living room had been filled with balloons.

“I remember when Jack was only three, he used to have me play this song over and over again on the way to preschool,” Jack’s mother said.

“Mom!” Jack complained.

Jack buried his face in his hands as the song began to play. “She’s so embarrassing!”

“At least she’ll talk to you.”

Jack turned to see Bryce standing behind him with Chase and Shawn. “Hey, guys!”

“Heard you’re going to coastal,” Bryce said. “It’s a party school, you know.”

“Yeah, man,” Jack confirmed. “What school are you going to?”

“I wanted to go to Trident, but I can’t afford it,” Bryce sighed.

“Why don’t you just ask your parents?” Jack asked.

Bryce raised an eyebrow and looked at Jack as if to say, ‘seriously?’.

Jack smacked his face with a loud pop. “I’m so sorry, Bryce! That was a dumb question!”

“It’s fine, Jack,” Bryce said. “I’ve found a job at Boeing. If they accept my application, I’ll make fifteen dollars an hour.”

“That’s… great,” Jack replied. “What about you, Chase? Still planning on coming to Coastal?”

“Yep, I’ll be right behind you, buddy,” Chase nodded. “One more year at Ashley Ridge, and then we can be roomies!”

“Nice!” Jack said. “And you’ll be going to Clemson next year, right, Shawn?”

“That’s right, you're lookin' at the next, Elon Musk,” Shawn said smugly.

"Honestly I still don't get why you're settling for Clemson," Jack sighed. "With your grades, you could get into MIT easily."

"Clemson's always been my dream school," Shawn chuckled. “I do feel a little bad, though.”

“Why?” Jack asked.

“It’s just that with you going all the way to Myrtle Beach and us staying here, I’m worried you might have…” Shawn paused, fishing for words.

“Might have what?” Jack asked

Shawn sighed. “You know how you are, man. You have us here in Summerville, but who will you hang out with at Coastal?”

“Oh,” Jack said with a frown. Weakly smiling, he said, “I’ll be fine, you guys may not be there to hang out, but Yuri and those jerks won’t be there to bother me either.”

“About, Yuri…” Shawn started with a nervous chuckle.

“You’re going out, right?” Jack asked emotionlessly.

“How did you?...” Shawn asked.

“I told him,” Bryce interrupted. “It wasn’t right for you to keep it from him, dude.”

“Oh…” Shawn said. “Well, um… You’re ok with that, right?” he asked Jack.

“Of course,” Jack said, masking his lie with an awkward smile.

Royal Canterlot Gardens

Present

Jack opened his eyes to see the dead sapling in his palms.

“What did you picture?” Celestia asked.

“My graduation,” Jack answered. “It was one of the happiest moments I could think of.”

“It looked like you had figured it out,” Celestia said. “What went wrong?”

“Thinking about graduation brought up another memory,” Jack answered. “A bad one.”

“I see,” Celestia said, placing a hoof under her chin thoughtfully. “Is there something else you can think of?”

“I think so,” Jack answered, closing his eyes again.

Beaufort, South Carolina

March 9, 2020

It was the start of Spring Break. Jack had driven down to his parent's new house in Beaufort as soon as he’d finished his last assignment, only stopping briefly in Summerville to visit Chase’s parents. He pulled into the driveway with a smile on his face. He had terrific news to share with his family.

Stepping out of the CR-V, he took a look at the house. It was a single-story home on stilts. The plastic sidings around the wall were painted blue, and a wooden staircase led up to a deck where the front door could be seen.

Jack rushed up the steps and rapidly tapped on the door until it opened.

“Welcome home, Jack!” Mrs. Jager exclaimed, hugging him as he walked in.

“Glad to be back,” Jack said, looking to the table where his father was answering emails, and Mark was reading 12 Rules For Life by Jordan Peterson.

“I have something to show you!” he exclaimed, gleefully pulling a folder from his backpack.

His mother gasped as Jack pulled out a certificate with the words Phi Alpha Theta in bold print at the top.

“Is that?...” she asked.

“I got accepted into an honor society!” Jack beamed.

“That’s wonderful, honey!” his mother congratulated.

“Awesome, Jack!” his Dad called from the table. Nudging the Mark, he added, “You see how successful your brother is? If you start applying yourself and get those grades up, you might get into an honor society too someday.”

Slamming his book onto the table, Mark pushed his chair aside and stormed off to his room, his footsteps so hard they shook the entire house.

Royal Canterlot Gardens

Present

Jack stared at the dried-up sapling in his hand and sighed. “I don’t think I’m going to be able to do this, Celestia.”

“You shouldn’t give up so easily, Jack,” Celestia said. “Nopony masters magic control immediately. You’re really doing quite well. What makes you think you can’t do it?”

“I’m sure Luna’s told you about my dream problem,” Jack said.

“She mentioned you were prone to nightmares when you first got here,” Celestia answered. “But she says they’ve become less common as of late.”

“Before I came here, I made a lot of mistakes,” Jack said, dipping his head in shame. “Mistakes that hurt other people. Ruined their lives in some cases. Until recently, they plagued my dreams, and I’ve only been able to stop them by not thinking about it.” Clinching his fist and holding back a flood of tears, he said, “For every good memory I have from before I got here, there’s another connected memory of someone I’ve hurt.”

“I see,” Celestia said thoughtfully. “What about something more recent?”

“More recent?” Jack asked.

“If your memories before coming here cause you pain, why not try some of your memories in Equestria?” Celestia asked. “I know you want to go home, but surely you must have some good memories here.”

“I… I guess I can try,” Jack said, closing his eyes as Celestia passed him another acorn.

A few seconds went by, and the acorn began to sprout.

Jack’s Mind

The scene before, Jack was one he often looked at fondly. It was Diamond Tiara’s cute-ceañera, and he, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Bell sat around a table in Sugar Cube Corner. They were about to form the Cutie Mark Crusaders.

In the back of his head, he heard a voice saying, “You’ll never be able to go home!”

The world faded to black, and a giant version of Morte’s head popped into view, “You will fulfill Blutknochen’s goals, umano!”

Several more figures emerged from the darkness.

“You don’t belong here, ape!” Diamond Tiara sneered as Silver Spoon giggled behind her.

“What gives you the right to interfere in our affairs?” Filthy Rich asked.

“The Princess is wrong to put her faith in you!” Three Arrows shouted.

As he was about to collapse on his knees, Jack felt a hand on his soldier. Turning around, he saw his emerald counterpart.

“None of that is true, you know,” Emerald Jack said. “You made mistakes before you came here—a lot of them, but since you’ve come to Equestria, you’ve done nothing but help people. I won’t tell you to forgive yourself for what happened to Bryce, Chase, or any of them. These are wounds only time will heal. Still, I won’t stand here, and you tare yourself apart over nonsense.” Pointing behind him, he said, “look at all the good you’ve done since you got here!”

Eleven figures popped up where he was pointing.

“Ya stood up fer me when nopony else would,” Apple Bloom said.

“You helped me talk to my idol!” exclaimed Scootaloo.

“You saved me and Scootloo from the parasprites,” said Sweetie Belle.

“As great as Twilight and the others are, I’ve always wanted another guy to hang out with,” said Spike.

“You saved my life,” said Twilight.

“You taught me that assuming the worst of strangers is uncool!” exclaimed Rainbow Dash.

“Ya’ve been a real help fixin’ up the barn,” said Applejack.

“You saved my career,” said Rarity.

“You were the only one who listened to me during the parasprite attack,” said Pinkie. “Even though you didn’t believe me, that’s more than my other friends.”

“I know you still don't see me as a mother,” said Fluttershy, "but it means so much to me that you let me see you as a son."

“You’ve provided us with the foundations for a more just and fair society,” said Celestia.

“Don’t you see?” Emerald Jack asked. “You’ve suppressed your ego to the point where you can’t even imagine someone having a favorable opinion of you. I’ve only been able to contact you as a conscience before now, but surely you can see what I’m showing you, what I’ve seen all along. These new friends of yours have nothing but positive thoughts of you. You understand that, right?”

Jack nodded, his face dripping with joyful tears as he felt his eyes open.

Royal Canterlot Gardens

The first thing Jack saw brought a prideful grin to his face. There in his palms was a healthy oak sapling.

“Well done, Jack,” Celestia congratulated with a warm smile.

Author's Note

Sorry this chapter took so long. My final semester is killing me! Hopefully, I'll have a more regular upload schedule after graduation.

Next Time: A broken promise on the part of Rarity results in the Cutie Mark Crusaders having a sleepover at Fluttershy's and Jack having to sleep on the couch.

Chapter 30: Stare Master (Last Edited: 9/12/2022)

August 24, 2020

Outside Fluttershy's Cottage

After learning to control his magic outside of Chaos mode, Jack had been tasked with developing his own spells. In order to keep up with his school schedule, he was sent home the day before. Eager to make use of his abilities, he had decided to wake up early to get some practice in before class.

He focused his energy on a clump of leaves from a nearby maple. Quickly, but tenderly he plucked them from the branches and launched them at the trunk with the force of a hailstorm. "Success!" he thought. The area of impact had been completely stripped of bark, as he had intended.

"Um… Jack?" Fluttershy called from behind him.

"Yes, mother?"

"It's great that you're improving with your magic and all, but um… could you maybe try and avoid tearing up my trees?" Fluttershy requested, meekly pointing to a nest of angry sparrows. "You're disturbing the animals."

"Sorry," Jack apologized with a bow.

"It's alright," Fluttershy said with a smile. "But I think it might be about time to get ready for school."

Pulling out his phone and checking the time, Jack said, "yeah, you're probably right."

As the two went inside for breakfast, Jack picked up a newspaper in front of the door. "That's strange," he said as he sat down.

"What is?" Fluttershy asked as she brought a plate of pancakes to the table.

"Apparently, one of the small towns near the southern border burned down," Jack explained. "There was nothing left of it but ash. No buildings, no survivors, nothing."

"That's horrible!" Fluttershy gasped.

"Princess Celestia has ordered a full investigation, but no further information is available," Jack read from the article.

Ponyville School

"Good morning, everypony," Cheerilee greeted the class. "Seeing as our History test had to be postponed last week due to the reconstruction of the town and how we are on a tight schedule as it is, I've decided to cancel the test and give you all 100s."

The classroom erupted into cheers from the foals. Jack, on the other hand, sat silently at his desk. He'd kind of been looking forward to the test.

"Quiet down everypony," Cheerilee chuckled. "We still have work to do."

"Awww," the class groaned.

Cheerilee spent the rest of class lecturing on the basics of chemistry. When the bell finally rang, even Jack was glad to be free. It's not that he had a hard time understanding the subject matter, but he had absolutely no interest in the subject. To him, chemistry was interesting when stuff exploded or dissolved; otherwise, meh. He was very much looking forward to hanging out with the Crusaders.

"Hey, guys," he cheerfully called to his friends once they were outside. "What are we going to do today?"

"Rarity said we could spend the night at Carousel Boutique,” said Scootaloo.

“Sounds fun!” Jack exclaimed cheerfully. “I haven’t had a sleepover in forever!”

Sweetie Belle looked down, avoiding eye contact. “About that…”

“What’s wrong?” Jack asked.

“Rarity says I’m not supposed to invite you,” said Sweetie Belle. “She doesn’t think it's proper for a colt to sleep over with fillies.”

“Oh…” Jack muttered, sighing disappointedly. “I guess that makes sense,” he chuckled. “Surely Rarity knows I don’t have any romantic interest in ponies or kids for that matter.”

"Is the pet sad he can't go home with his masters?" Diamond Tiara jeered.

"Shut up, Diamond!" Jack snapped.

"I think you mad it mad," Silver Spoon giggled as they walked outside.

Golden Oak Library

Deciding it best to let the Crusaders enjoy their sleepover without him, Jack decided to see if Spike wanted to hang out.

He knocked on the Library door, and after thirty minutes, it opened to reveal Twilight on the other side. “Hey Jack,” she cheerfully greeted. “What brings you here today?”

“I was just wondering if Spike might want to hang out,” Jack answered.

“Spike left with Shining Armor about an hour ago,” said Twilight. “I’m not sure when they’ll be back.” Her face brightened up. “OOH!” she exclaimed. “I have something I need to show you!”

“What is it?” Jack asked as Twilight dragged him inside.

Twilight eagerly brought him down to her lab and fished through a box until she pulled out Jack’s 3DS. “I managed to convert your portable console to magic energy,” she said, telekinetically passing the device to Jack.

Switching it on, Jack pulled on the stylus and tapped on the icon for the game inserted into the 3DS, Ocarina of Time 3D.

“The three-dimensional feature of this device is fascinating,” said Twilight. “How exactly does it work?”

“Not sure,” Jack answered. “But I know what I’ll be doing tonight.”

Fluttershy’s Cottage: Jack’s Room

Jack looked through his assortment of 3DS games. He had Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Mask 3D, A Link Between Worlds, Phantom Hour Glass, Spirit Tracks, Pokemon Black 2 and White 2, Super Street Fighter 4, Mario Kart 7, Super Mario 3D Land, Metroid Prime: Federation Force, and Lego Pirates of the Caribbean. Just as he was about to make his decision, he heard a knock on his door. “Come in,” he called.

The door swung open with a click, and Fluttershy walked in. “I’m going to bring Opal back to Rarity now,” she said. “Need anything while I'm out?”

“No, I’m good,” Jack answered. “Honestly, I’m just glad to be rid of that damn cat,” he thought, rubbing his back where Opal had scratched him earlier. “Angel is a sadist, but that cat is a fucking demon!”

Carousel Boutique

Fluttershy timidly rang the doorbell of the boutique.

“Oh, what now?!” Rarity wailed as Fluttershy walked in.

Rarity’s outburst hurt Fluttershy’s feelings. “Oh, sorry. I thought the "open" sign meant you were open, but I must have been mistaken,” she explained, backing up and leaving Opal’s basket on the floor.

“Fluttershy!” Rarity gasped. “Forgive me! I was so wrapped up in my work that I forgot you were bringing Opalescence back from her grooming!”

“No worries, Rarity. I've left her there in the basket,” Fluttershy said as Opal hopped out onto the floor.

“Oh, she looks great!” Rarity complemented as Opal began rubbing herself against Fluttershy’s legs. “I just don't understand how you're able to do it! I can't get near her without getting a swipe from her claws.”

As if to demonstrate Rarity’s point, Opal hissed and swiped at her owner.

“Ahh!” Rarity gasped. “Did you use... the Stare on her?”

“Oh, no! I wouldn't! I couldn't!” Fluttershy denied. “I-I don't really have any control over when that happens. I-It just happens. No, I'm just good with animals. It's my special gift, you know?” she explained as Opal continued rubbing against her legs.

“Well, you should have a picture of Opal as a cutie mark instead of those butterflies,” Rarity joked.

“Ooh, ooh, oh, oh, oh, oh!” Sweetie Bell exclaimed, rushing over to Opal. “Maybe I can be good with animals, too!”

Intent on nipping Sweetie Bell’s dreams in the bud, Opal swiped at the filly’s head, slicing off a clump of her mane. When the deed was done, the cat grinned smugly.

“Or not,” Sweetie Belle said, rushing to the other side of the room as Rarity and Fluttershy giggled.

“I'm sorry I can't invite you to stay and chat, Fluttershy,” Rarity apologized. “I've bitten off a bit more than I can chew with this order.”

“But you're not eating anything,” Sweetie Bell pointed out confusedly.

Rarity explained that it was a figure of speech before turning back to Fluttershy to discuss an order she was working on involving gold silk. Noting that Rarity was busy, Fluttershy turned to leave when a blur of yellow and orange burst through the doorway.

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo had arrived for the sleepover, and Sweetie Bell proudly displayed four capes she had put together with the same emblem and color scheme as the flag they’d planted at Fort Sumter.

“What does that patch on your cape mean?” Fluttershy asked curiously.

“The Cutie Mark Crusaders!” they exclaimed.“Yay!”

“We're on a crusade,” Scootaloo explained. “A mission!”

“Tuh find our cutie marks!” Apple Bloom elaborated.

“Yup,” Sweetie Belle said, lifting her cape. “And look. I lined them with this special gold silk. It took sooo long to make, but I think it adds just the right touch, don't you?”

Rarity squinted at the cape as the Crusaders ooohed. The color seemed familiar. Then it hit her, and her eyes started to twitch. “Sweetie Belle! What have you done?” she exclaimed, rushing to where she had kept the silk. Sure enough, four cape-shaped holes had been cut in her fabric. “That was the last of the gold silk! Oh, now I'll have to make more! Oh, I hope I can make more. I'm gonna have to work all night! Which means... Sorry, girls, I'm afraid the Crusaders’ sleepover is canceled.”

“What?!” Sweetie Bell asked.

“I just won't have any time to watch you if I want to get these robes delivered on time,” Rarity explained.

“But…” Sweetie Belle began to protest.

“No buts this time,” Rarity said. “I'm sorry, Sweetie Belle. It's just the way it has to be.”

“Awwww,” the Crusaders sighed.

“I, uh, I suppose I could take them for the night,” Fluttershy offered.

“I couldn't ask you to do that,” Rarity replied.

“Oh, it's no problem at all,” Fluttershy said confidently.

“Have you met my sister and her friends?” Rarity asked rhetorically. “A problem is all it would be.”

“Did I have a problem with Opal?” Fluttershy asked. “You've seen how well I handle small creatures!”

“I suppose that's true... and I do have a lot of work to do...” Rarity stomped her hoof, “No, absolutely not! You have Jack staying with you, and it wouldn’t be proper to send them to sleepover at a colt’s house!”

“Now, Rarity!” Fluttershy lectured with a glare. “You know perfectly well about Jack’s…” she glanced at the Crusaders. “Secret. It’s not right for you to assume he’d ever do something to any of them. Besides, I don’t think he’s interested in ponies that way to begin with.”

Rarity sighed… “I suppose you’re right, Fluttershy. It’d be wrong of me to assume that of him. Are you sure you can handle them? I assure you they can be quite the handful.”

“These sweet little angels?” asked as the Crusaders smiled with suspicious innocence.

“Well... all right,” Rarity agreed.

“Cutie Mark Crusader sleepover at Fluttershy's cottage!” the fillies exclaimed, rushing out the door.“Yay!”

As Fluttershy followed the Crusaders Back to her cottage, she bumped into Twilight, who explained that her hind legs were doing much better, and she was on her way to pick up her favorite tea from Zecora.

Fluttershy’s Cottage

“SHUT THE FUCK UP, NAVI!” Jack roared at the annoying fairy in his game. He’d been playing Ocarina of Time 3D for about half an hour now and was already fed up with Navi’s annoying advice. He’d just started the battle with Bongo Bongo in the Shadow Temple. As he shot an arrow at one of the boss’s massive disembodied hands, he heard the door open downstairs and the voices of four familiar ponies. “What are they doing here?” he wondered. “I thought they were staying over at Rarity’s.”

Closing and pocketing the 3DS, he ran down the stairs to find Fluttershy and the Crusaders with overnight bags. “What are the girls doing over here so late?” he asked Fluttershy.

“Cutie Mark Crusaders sleepover with Jack!” the girls shouted. “Yay!”

“But I thought Rarity didn’t want you sleeping over with me,” Jack pointed out. “What changed.”

“Rarity had some extra work to do and couldn’t look after them,” Fluttershy explained. “She didn’t want them coming over at first, but I reminded her that there’s no risk of you doing any…” she paused, blushing slightly. “Um, well, you know, because of your secret.”

“Awesome!” Jack said. “But where will they be sleeping?”

“Um… your room?” Fluttershy said as if it were a question.

“Annnnd, where will I sleep?” Jack asked.

“The couch?” Fluttershy said, again as if it were a question.

Jack looked to the couch where Angel was grinning at him with malicious intent. He looked back to Fluttershy, who was giving him puppy dog eyes, then back to Angel, back to Fluttershy. “Oh, Alright,” he sighed.

“Thank you, Jack,” Fluttershy smiled. “Ok, girls, uh, what should we do?”

“I'm gonna get my mark first!” Scootaloo exclaimed.

“Girls?” Fluttershy asked.

“Nuh-uh!” said Sweetie Belle.

“Should we…” Fluttershy started.

“Ah am!” said Apple Bloom.

“Girls, ok, now settle…” Fluttershy began.

“I'm staying up all night!” Scootaloo exclaimed.

“HEY, GUYS!” Jack shouted, pulling out his 3DS. “Check this out!”

The Crusaders stopped what they were doing and began to stare at the black, Zelda-themed gaming device.

“What is it?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“Any of you ever play an arcade game?” Jack asked.

The Crusades nodded.

“This is kinda like that, except you can hold it in your hooves, and it’s in 3D,” Jack explained.

“Cool!” Scootaloo exclaimed.

“Can we try?” asked Apple Bloom.

“Of course!” Jack nodded. When the Crusaders moved towards him, Jack held out his hand. “After you listen to Fluttershy.”

“Thank you,” Fluttershy mouthed to Jack. “Now, girls, I know you’re all looking forward to crusading, but it’s dark out. Don’t you think it’s time to settle down and do something relaxing before bed? Maybe we could have some tea or braid each other's tails or color?”

“Or… we could go adventuring in the Everfree Forest!” Scootaloo exclaimed.

“Oh, no!” Fluttershy exclaimed. “The Everfree Forest is much too dangerous. It's filled with far too many strange creatures.”

“But you could go with us, and we could catch those creatures,” Said Sweetie Bell. “We could be, umm... creature catchers!”

“Or we could take turns with my game,” Jack said, holding up the 3DS.

This seemed to satisfy the Crusaders, and they spent the next half an hour taking turns with Super Street Fighter 4.

“Thank you, Jack,” Fluttershy said as the fillies scurried up the stairs.

“Hadoken!” Scootaloo shouted from upstairs. The sound of a vase smashing on the floor soon followed.

“Umm… Maybe let them play something less violent next time?...” Fluttershy requested.

“They’re fine, Flutters,” Jack said. “They get up to far more dangerous stunts most days. Honestly, I’m surprised they’ve never gotten seriously hurt.”

“Still, I don’t think you should be encouraging them,” Fluttershy sighed.

“Hey, I kept them out of the forest, didn’t I?” Jack shrugged.

Having no retort, Fluttershy simply flew up the stairs to tuck the Crusaders in.

Jack’s Room

“How are we gonna find our special talent in our sleep?” asked Apple Bloom.

Blowing out the candle, Fluttershy responded, “Maybe you'll have a lovely little dream about your special talent.”

“But we're not even tired!” Scootaloo complained as Fluttershy tucked them in.

“How about I sing you a lullaby?” Fluttershy offered.

“Mm-hmm, yeah!” the Crusaders agreed.

Downstairs

“What on earth are they doing up there?” Jack wandered as he and Angel gave each other the stinkeye.

As Jack and Angel continued staring each other down, the Crusaders ran downstairs and burst out the front door.

“The fuck?” Jack questioned.

“Fluttershy, your chickens are on the loose!” Apple Bloom shouted from outside.

“I wonder what could have caused that...” Sweetie Belle said.

“Don't worry, Fluttershy, the Cutie Mark Crusaders will handle this!” Scootaloo exclaimed as Jack and Angel peered out the door to see what was going on.

“Cutie Mark Crusader chicken herders!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed as she and the other Crusaders rushed toward the chicken coup. “Yay!”

“No, I don't think that's a— ah, come back!” Fluttershy pleaded, flying out the upstairs window. “Please!”

“Need help?!!” Jack called after her.

“No, thank you!” Fluttershy called back.

It was pure chaos. All sound beyond panicked clucks had been drowned out, and a blizzard of feathers obscured visibility as the Crusaders chased the mortified hens.

Fluttershy attempted to get the Crusader’s attention over and over again to no avail until finally, “Girls!”

The Crusaders and the chickens stopped in their tracks, stunned by Fluttershy’s sternness.

Clicking her tongue Fluttershy managed to line the birds up by the henhouse. “Come on, in you go,” she instructed.

When the chickens did not immediately respond, Fluttershy cast an intimidating stare, and they backed up the ramp as the Crusaders watched in awe.

“There's some good chickens,” Fluttershy praised. Turning her attention back to the Crusaders, she said, “ok, you three. Isn't it about time you got into bed?”

“But…” the Crusaders protested.

“Please?”

Fluttershy’s Living Room

Jack watched as Fluttershy brought the Crusaders inside. “You handled that well,” he called as she escorted them up the stairs.

As Fluttershy tucked the girls in upstairs, Jack put his earbuds in and pulled his blanket over his head.

No sooner had he settled down to enjoy his music did he feel something bump into the couch. Pulling one earbud out, he could hear three familiar voices whispering to each other.

“Careful Sweetie Belle, you’ll wake him up,” said Scootaloo.

“Why don’t we just ask him to come with us?” asked Sweetie Belle.

“I should probably tell Fluttershy they’re sneaking out,” Jack thought.

“Rember what happened when we tried tuh get our weldin’ cutie marks?” Apple Bloom asked. “And our bear trainin’ cutie marks and our chemistry cutie marks?”

“Yeah, Jack’s almost as cool as Rainbow Dash, but he can be such a tattletale sometimes,” Scootaloo agreed.

“I am not,” Jack said indignantly. Tossing off his covers, he switched the flashlight on his phone to see the Crusaders staring at him like deer caught in a headlight. “Whatever you're up to, I’m in.”

With that, Jack and the Crusaders rushed into the night, their trek to the forest only slightly delayed by Scootaloo’s cape getting stuck in the fence.

Everfree Forest

The Crusaders had filled Jack in on the missing Chicken, and they quickly began their search.

“Here, chick-chick-chick-chick-chick!” Apple Bloom called as they walked the dark path through the trees. “Brawck, bawk-bawk-bawk, brawck!”

“What are you doing?” Scootaloo asked.

“Callin' for the chicken!” Apple Bloom answered.

“That is not how you call a chicken,” Scootaloo scoffed.

“Oh, and you know how tuh call a chicken?” Apple Bloom asked, rolling her eyes.

“I know that's not the way,” Scootaloo said.

“Then show me,” Apple Bloom huffed.

“I don't have to show you!” Scootaloo exclaimed.

“You're just chicken!” Apple Bloom teased.

“Am not!” Scootaloo shouted.

“Oh, wait, now I know how to call a chicken!” Apple Bloom exclaimed. “Scootaloo! Scoot-scootalooooo!” she teased, unknowingly waking up a flock of bats in a nearby cave.

Jack snorted at Apple Bloom’s joke.

“That's so funny I forgot to laugh,” Scootaloo said.

“Ok, seriously, Scootaloo, Apple Bloom lives on a farm,” Jack said. “I think she knows how to call a chicken.”

Apple Bloom smirked and blew a raspberry at Scootaloo.

“Why you…” Scootaloo started.

“Come on, guys, we're not gonna find the chicken or our cutie marks by arguing,” Sweetie Belle said as a hand-shaped branch blew past her in the wind.

“Maybe that's our special talent,” Apple Bloom said. “Arguin'!”

“Great, that means you all could have wonderful careers as lawyers, or politicians, or lobbyists,” Jack said. “And that’s just what the world needs,” he added sarcastically.

Before the arguing could continue, Jack and the Crusader’s attention was caught by a flash of pink light coming from the trees to their left.

“What do yah s’pose that is?” Apple Bloom asked.

“Don’t know,” Jack said. “But we probably shouldn’t…”

“Let’s check it out!” Scootaloo shouted, bursting into the trees.

“Wait!!!” Jack called to no avail.

The other two Crusaders bolted after Scootaloo, and Jack begrudgingly followed.

Elsewhere in the Forest

Fluttershy had woken up and discovered the Crusaders’ and Jack’s absence a few minutes after they left and wasted no time tracking them down. Her timid nature was proving to be a problem, though. Having startled herself by stepping on a twig, she was now running aimlessly through the forest. “What was Jack thinking?! He should know better than to let the girls go into the forest!” As she continued running, she spotted a familiar silhouette ahead of her. “Twilight? I-Is that you?” she asked as she got closer. “Oh, Twilight, it is you,” she sighed in relief when she reached her friend. Thank goodness you're here. I need your help. The girls are out here somewhere, and I'm afraid that they're…” When the moon shined down from behind the clouds, Fluttershy let out a gasp. Twilight Sparkle had been turned to stone. “Oh! What's happened to you?” Fluttershy asked, tapping her friend. The statue tipped over, and Fluttershy screamed. “Oh, no! If you've been turned to stone, it must mean… oh! Oh no, the girls!” Fluttershy exclaimed, taking off. “Don't move. I'll be back for you,” she called to Twilight before continuing her search. “Girls! Jack!”

Off the Trail in the Everfree Forest

About a quarter-mile into the woods, Jack and the Crusaders reached a pool where a familiar filly was seemingly talking to her reflection.

“Is that…” Scootaloo started.

“Sakura Blossom!” Sweetie Belle shouted.

The filly looked up from the pool and, for a brief moment, looked as if she were about to kill someone, that is until she noticed Jack. “J-Jack-Sama?” she asked. “What are you doing out here?”

“What are you doing here!?” asked Scootaloo.

“I asked first,” Sakura pointed out.

“One of Fluttershy’s chickens escaped,” Jack explained. “Me and the girls are trying to track it down.”

“At night?” Sakura asked.

“You’re out here too,” Jack pointed out. “Care to explain why?”

Sakura Blossom reached into her bag and pulled out a coin. “This is why. I dropped it at Froggy Bottom Bog.”

“You went all the way to Froggy Bottom Bog at night for a coin?!!” Sweetie Belle asked indignantly. “I don’t believe you. Why would anypony do that!?”

“My Oka-san gave this to me,” Sakura answered. “I asked Snips-chan and Snails-chan to help me find it, but we found the hydra instead.”

“It must be very important to you,” Jack said. “I have a neckless back home that I feel the same way about.”

“I had a flashlight, but I dropped it in the pool,” Sakura lied.

“So that’s why you were talking into the pool,” Jack reasoned. “That’d frustrate me as well.”

“Hai, Jack-Sama,” Sakura nodded.

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo seemed satisfied with that explanation, but Sweetie Bell remained suspicious.

“We should probably get back to looking for the chicken,” Jack said. “You want to look with us?”

“Hai, I would like that very much,” Sakura agreed.

They turned to go back to the path when they heard a rustle in a nearby bush.

“What was that?” asked Apple Bloom.

“Maybe it’s the chicken?” offered Scootaloo.

“I’ll go check it out,” Jack said. Creeping toward the bush, Jack called for the chicken. “Here, chic-chic-chicken. It’s time to go home. If you aren’t the missing chicken, please stay in the bush.”

To Jack’s relief, a chicken-like head popped out of the bushes. That relief lasted only a moment, and a chill ran down Jack’s spine as the chicken rose out of the bushes to reveal a serpentine body with dragon-like wings.

“Look away, Jack-sama!” Sakura cried. “That’s a kokatorisudesu!”

“A what?!” Jack asked, inadvertently making eye contact with the creature. Feeling a strange weight in his feet, he tried to look down but could not move his head.

“A cockatrice!” Sakura shouted more clearly.

“That’s another name for a basilisk, right?” Jack thought to himself. “Then that must mean my feet are…”he gulped. The weight soon made it up to his torso as he desperately looked for a way out.

“I need to stop this!” Sakura thought. She knew she couldn’t use her magic, but she had to do something, or Jack would be lost. “I could do that…” she thought to herself. “But that’s why they killed Oka-San.” The stone had reached up to Jack’s neck. “Chikushō!!” she shouted as her front hooves extended into long spikes and her wingspan doubled. Knifelike jaws replaced her flat pony teeth, and two demonic horns sprouted from her head.

“Sakura?!” asked Scootaloo.

“What the hay?!” asked Apple Bloom.

Sakura lunged at the cockatrice, ripping it away from Jack.

Released from the creature's gaze, Jack could see Sakura on the ground, her demonic form slowly being turned to stone by the cockatrice. As the stone receded down Jack’s body and his hands were released, he sprung into action. Using his magic, he plucked a couple dozen leaves from the bush and launched them at the beast.

The leaves left several large gashes in the cockatrices scales breaking its eye contact with Sakura and allowing her to escape.

“Alright, I got it!” Jack exclaimed.

The cockatrice’s gashes rapidly closed, and it let out a shrill cry.

“Aww, what?” Jack asked in disappointment.

“It can only be killed by a rooster’s crow!” explained Sakura, who had returned to normal.

“Then what do we do!?” asked Scootaloo.

“Run!” Sakura yelled.

Jack and the four fillies ran as fast as they could as the cockatrice gave chase.

“What was that back there?!” Sweetie Belle asked Sakura.

“Is now really the time for that?!” asked Sakura.

“I guess not,” Sweetie Belle conceded.

Elsewhere in the Forest

Fluttershy had heard the cry of the cockatrice and rushed towards it as fast as she could. She soon found Jack, Sakura, and the Crusaders running as fast as their legs could carry them. “Girls!” she shouted.

“Fluttershy!” they all cried at once.

“You need to listen to me…” Fluttershy requested as Jack and the girls continued to run aimlessly.

“There’s a cockatrice…” Fluttershy explained.

“We know!” they all responded as the cockatrice burst through the trees.

“Behind me, now!” Fluttershy demanded.

As Jack and the girls complied, Fluttershy jumped in front of the beast. “You!” Fluttershy shouted at the cockatrice, stopping it in its tracks. “Just who do you think you are, going around turning others into stone?”

The cockatrice squawked in confusion before glaring at Fluttershy, beginning the process of turning her to stone starting from her hind legs.

“You should be ashamed of yourself,” Fluttershy lectured. “I have a mind to find your mother and tell her what you've been up to, young man,” she continued.

Strangely this threat seemed to intimidate the cockatrice, and it briefly broke its gaze.

“Now you go over there and turn my friend Twilight back to normal,” Fluttershy said as the stone crept up her torso and sweat flowed down the beast’s neck, “and don't ever let me catch you doing this again!” she scolded as the stone around her crumbled away. “Do you understand me?”

The cockatrice late out a few uncomfortable clucks and ran off into the woods.

“Are you girls all right?” Fluttershy asked. “I was so worried!”

“Yeah, fine!” Scootaloo answered.

“Thanks to that stare of yours,” Sweetie Bell agreed.

“You're like the queen of stares,” Scootaloo said. “You're the…”

“Stare Master!” the Crusaders exclaimed at once as Jack tried to sneak away.

“And just where do you think you’re going, young man?” Fluttershy asked sternly.

“Oh, heeeey, mother…” Jack said, chuckling. “I had noticed the girls were missing and just thought I would go and get them. Seeing as everyone is safe, I think I’ll just go home now.”

“What are ya talkin’ about, Jack?” asked Apple Bloom. “You were with us the whole time.”

Jack could see there was no lie he could tell to get out of this. “I can explain…”

“We’ll talk about this later,” Fluttershy interrupted.

“Yes, ma’am,” Jack sighed.

“And what are you doing out so late, Sakura?” Fluttershy asked.

“She dropped something important to her at Froggy Bottom Bog,” Jack said. “If it weren’t for her, we wouldn’t have escaped from the cockatrice.”

“Well, then I’m glad you were there to help,” Fluttershy said thankfully. “But you should have asked Pinkie Pie to help you find it,” she added sternly.

“Gomen'nasai,” Sakura said, bowing her head.

“What... what happened?” asked Twilight, who had only just come to from her depetrafication.

“I’ll explain everything tomorrow morning,” Fluttershy said. “Right now, we need to get out of the forest.”

“So… what was that back there?” Apple Bloom asked Sakura as they made their way back.

“Nani?” asked Sakura.

“That thing you did with your wings and hooves,” Jack explained.

“Sore ka,” Sakura muttered. “Can we talk about this another time?”

Jack and the Crusaders agreed to Sakura’s request, and Twilight took her back to Sugar Cube Corner as soon as they arrived at the cottage.

Sugarcube Corner

The Cakes had been furious at Oni-Hime’s sneaking out. After lecturing her for half an hour, they promptly sent her to her room and grounded her for a week.

“Sasainakoto,” she thought, lying in her bed and staring a the ceiling.

As trivial as her grounding may have been, she knew that revealing her true form in front of Jack and the Crusaders could have severe repercussions if any of them told the adults. She had no choice, of course. While Jack’s life was in danger, she and the Crusaders could have easily escaped while he was being petrified. Since his Chaos mode wasn’t an option, and her curse would have had no effect, that only left her demon form. Luckily Jack was far too kind for his own good. She could count on him keeping this to himself, and with any luck, the Crusaders’ infatuations with him would keep their mouths shut too.

“What fools these fillies are,” Oni-Hime thought. “Longing for Jack-Sama, completely unaware of his circumstances.”

It was rather sad when Oni-Hime thought about it. The mind of a twenty-one year trapped in the body of a grade-schooler. Societal standards made it so nopony Jack’s actual age would show feelings for him while at the same time he’d be uncomfortable having feelings for anypony his apparent age. He might not have any interest in ponies now, but that wouldn’t last long. While some can do without romantic or sexual relationships, she’d have been able to sense it if he was one of them. Eventually, his biological need for a mate would outweigh his aversion to interspecies relationships, and when that happened, she’d be there. Two adults with the bodies of children? If she didn’t know better, she’d have called it destiny.

August 25, 2020

Outside Fluttershy’s Cottage

At Jack’s request, the Crusaders had agreed to keep Sakura’s transformation to themselves, and they were now playing in Fluttershy’s front yard, making sure to stay within sight of where she was filling Twilight in on the previous night’s affairs.

“And that's when it brought you back from stone,” Fluttershy said.

“This is gonna make quite a letter to the princess,” Twilight said, scribbling on a scroll she was holding up with her magic. “I was wrong about you. You certainly do know how to handle those girls,” Twilight complimented as Fluttershy blushed in embarrassment. “Speaking of the girls, why isn’t Jack out here playing with them? They’re usually inseparable.”

“THAT’S FUCKING DISGUSTING, ANGEL!!!” Jack yelled from inside the cottage.

“Since he chose to act like a child last night, I decided to treat him like one,” Fluttershy said. “He knew better than to let the girls go into the forest, so I’m having him clean up after my pets as punishment.”

“I guess that’s fair,” Twilight giggled. “He sure doesn’t sound happy.”

“Good morning, Fluttershy. Good Morning, Twilight,” Rarity greeted as she arrived to pick up the Crusaders.

“Good morning, Rarity,” Twilight greeted.

“Did you finish all those capes?” Fluttershy asked.

“Just delivered them,” Rarity answered with a sigh of relief. “I have to admit, if you hadn't come along, I might not have. Thanks again.”

“Won't you stay for some tea?” Fluttershy asked.

Rarity politely declined, saying she had to clean up her shop. With Fluttershy’s help, she rounded up the Crusaders. Surprised at how easily Fluttershy had gotten the girls to obey, she asked Fluttershy to help her out with Opel before leaving.

“Of course,” Fluttershy agreed. “How about later today?”

Rarity turned her flank to reveal the cat angrily digging its claws into her skin. “How about now?” she requested.

Author's Note

I feel like the fight scene could use a little work, but otherwise, I'm satisfied with this chapter. For those of you who don't read my blogs, I have a job interview for an assistant park ranger position next Tuesday, I'm finally getting my teeth fixed next Thursday, and I'm graduating from CCU next Friday.
Next Time: As Jack does a few odd jobs around Sweet Apple Acres, he is made aware of Apple Bloom's feelings for him and goes into full panic mode, trying to decide what to do about it.

Chapter 31: Unwanted Affection (Last Edited: 9/30/2022)

August 25, 2020

Sweet Apple Acres

Cheerilee had gone to visit her family, so class had been canceled for the day. That was most likely the reason the Crusaders had been allowed to have a sleepover on what usually would have been a school night, but Jack didn't really care about that. What he did care about was the fact this gave him plenty of free time once he finished cleaning up after all the animals. Seeing that Fluttershy was still sore about his irresponsible behavior, he decided it'd be better to hang out somewhere else for the time being, which is why he chose now to see if the Apples needed any help around the farm.

Before he even had a chance to knock on the Apples' front door, it swung open, and out came Apple Bloom. "Hey, Jack! What are ya doin' here tuhday?" she asked with an eager grin.

"I was gonna ask Applejack if she needed any help around the farm," Jack answered.

"Oh…" Apple Bloom said, slumping her shoulders in disappointment. "How long do ya reckon that'll take?"

"Dunno," Jack shrugged. "Why do you ask?"

"Well… I was jus' thinkin'," Apple Bloom started, blushing profusely. "Maybe ya might want tuh…"

"Want to what?" Jack asked after a few seconds.

Her face turning as red as her mane, Apple Bloom closed her eyes and shouted, "Would ya like tuh go see the Little Seapony with me?!!"

"That new movie playing at the theatre?" Jack asked. "Sure thing," he agreed, patting Apple Bloom's head. "How about we go tomorrow morning?"

"Really?!" Apple Bloom asked, her face bright with excitement.

"Yeah, sounds fun," Jack confirmed with a smile.

"Yes!" Apple Bloom cheered under her breath.

As Jack ventured inside, he was greeted by Granny Smith, who'd been knitting what looked to be a small hat, "Well now, if it ain't Apple Bloom's funny lookin' special somepony. Ya, here fer a little rendezvous?"

"Granny!" Apple Bloom objected.

"Now, back in my day, the colt would come to the head of the family and ask permission before taken' a filly out on a date, but I guess the youngins are doin' things differently nowadays," Granny Smith rambled.

"It's nothing like that, Mrs. Smith," Jack said. "Me and Bloom are just friends. I'm actually here to help Applejack on the farm. Where might I find her?"

"Applejack is out makin' a delivery," Granny Smith answered. "If'n yer wantin' to help out Ah think Big Macintosh is patchin' up the barn's roof."

"Thank you, ma'am," Jack said, bowing his head respectfully.

Sweet Apple Acres: Barn

Big Macintosh was in the middle of stripping off a patch of damaged shingles with a pry bar. Being an earth pony, he couldn't use magic to handle tools and was forced to use his teeth instead. He'd done this many times, of course, but that didn't change the fact that his equine form wasn't well suited for this kind of work.

He'd have liked to hire a unicorn or a griffon for that, but between how much they had to pay in taxes as peasants and how much it would cost to buy new shingles, to begin with, that wasn't an option. Not that he'd ever hire someone outside the family if he could. As convenient as that would be, hiring outside the family wasn't the Apple Clan way.

Then there was Jack. For reasons beyond Big Mac's understanding, Applejack had been paying a strange colt from Apple Bloom's class to help out around the farm. He could tell Apple Bloom had a crush on the human child, but that hardly made him family. As far as he could tell, Apple Bloom's feelings for him were in no way mutual. Still, Jack's hands made him an immense help with repairs, and Big Mac certainly wouldn't say no to his help right now.

"So, Jack, Ah was jus' wonderin' what ya think of Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle?"

Big Mac's ears perked up. "Speak of Discord, and he'll appear," he thought to himself, looking down to see Jack and Apple Bloom walking over to the barn.

"Sweetie Belle's smart and incredibly kind, and Scootaloo is one of the bravest, most determined ponies I know," Jack answered honestly.

"What about Sakura?" Apple Bloom asked.

"Honestly, I'm not sure," Jack said. "When I first talked to her, she came off as incredibly rude, but now that I've gotten to know her a little better, I feel like we have something in common. I'm not really sure what that something is, though."

Apple Bloom seemed disappointed by that answer. "And what about me?" she asked.

"You?" Jack asked, stroking his chin in thought. "You were the first pony in our class to be my friend, and our friendship helped me get used to life here in Ponyville. To be honest, I think our relationship is something special, and I treasure it more than just about anything else," Jack answered, pounding a fist over his heart."

Apple Bloom's heart raced as fast as lightning. She wanted to say she thought their relationship was special too, but instead, she just squealed and ran back to the house.

"Where are you going?!" Jack called after her.

Apple Bloom gave no response and simply ran inside, leaving Jack as confused as a cat trying to catch a laser pointer.

"You up there, Big Mac?!!" Jack called once he'd determined Apple Bloom wasn't coming back out.

"Eyup!" Big Macintosh answered.

"Need any help?!"

"Eyup!"

Jack climbed up the ladder and stepped out onto the roof. Once he'd seen the problem, he got to work helping Big Mac with the repairs. After a few minutes of removing damaged shingles, he tried to strike up a conversation with the reticent stallion. "Have you noticed Apple Bloom acting a little weird lately?"

"Nope," Big Macintosh answered bluntly.

"You sure?"

"Eyup."

"It's just; she's been asking a lot of weird questions lately," Jack elaborated. "I mean, I kinda understand asking me to go to that girly seapony movie with her since we're friends and all. But why would she be so interested in what I think about our other friends?"

Big Mac gave Jack a blank stare.

"What?"

"You seriously don' know?" Big Mac asked, breaking his habit of one-word responses.

"Know what?"

"Mah sister likes you."

“I never would have guessed that my best friend likes me!” Jack responded, rolling his eyes.

"No, Ah mean she has a crush on you," Big Mac corrected.

Jack's mind froze as if it were attempting to search for a response with Internet Explorer. A few seconds later, he burst out laughing. "Good one, Big Mac! I never took you as the funny type."

Big Mac simply stared as Jack continued cackling.

As he noticed Big Mac's silence, Jack's heart sank. "You… you're serious?"

"Eyup."

"But that would mean…" Jack started, thinking back to Apple Bloom's invitation to the movies. "She invited me on a d-da-dat… oh, God!"

Fluttershy’s Cottage

Upon learning the nature of Apple Bloom's feelings for him, Jack found himself unable to focus on the repair work and asked if he could go home. Now he was lying down on his bed, staring at the ceiling. "I can't go out on a date with Bloom! We're not even the same species, and she's like a third my age!" Biting his nails, he thought about when he'd walked into class with Sweetie Bell the day after the ursa minor attack. The way Apple Bloom had behaved, it should have been obvious she was jealous of Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle. How had he not made the connection at the time? “DAMN YOU ASPERGER’S!!!!" he shouted at the top of his lungs. "What if I tell her no? I could just say I'm not into her that way." He facepalmed at the thought. "That would hurt her feelings, though. I can't do that!"

August 26, 2020

Sweet Apple Acres

Jack hadn't gotten a wink of sleep last night. Every time he came close to nodding off, his mind was bombarded by thoughts of the Equestrian equivalent of the FBI swarming the cottage and hauling him off for agreeing to go on a date with Apple Bloom.

"I just have to tell her I don't feel the same way as she does," Jack thought, rubbing the shadows beneath his eyes as he waited outside the Apples' house.

The door swung open with a click, and Apple Bloom walked out. She'd clearly done a lot to prepare. Her coat glistened in the sunlight, her usual bow was nowhere to be found, and her red mane had been braided into a ponytail. Her actual tail had been done similarly. "Hey, Jack!" she greeted. "Ya ready for the movie?"

"About that," Jack said. "Bloom?"

"Yeah?"

"There's something I need to tell you…"

"What?"

"I think there's been a mis…" Jack paused, looking into his friend's eyes. "Why does she have to be so adorable?" He had no romantic interest in her, or any pony for that matter, but he couldn't deny there was something about his new friends. As disgusting as it felt to think this about another sapient being, looking into Apple Bloom's eyes gave him the same feeling as looking into the eyes of a puppy dog. He couldn't bring himself to say something that would make her sad. "Never mind, Bloom. We should go. If we don't hurry, we'll be late."

Ponyville Theatre

"What were you thinking, Jack?!" Emerald Jack screamed at Jack as he and Apple Bloom waited in line for the tickets. "You had one job! All you had to do was turn her down!”

"Easy for you tuh say!" Jack retorted. " Yer not the one who would have tuh deal with her crying!”

"You're going to be the one crying if Applejack finds out you took her underage sister on a date!”

Sweat poured down Jack's face.

"You didn't think of that, did you, moron?”

“Shit!”

"Welcome to the Ponyville Theatre," greeted a mare in the ticket stand. "How can I help you today?"

"Two foal tickets for the Little Seapony, please," Jack requested.

"An excellent choice, sir!" the mare said. "Your date is a lucky filly!"

"This isn't a date!" Jack denied loudly, drawing the attention of the ponies in line behind them. "I mean, me and Bloom are just friends."

"My apologies, sir. I hope you and your friend enjoy yourselves," the mare said with a wink.

"Just give me the tickets," Jack grumbled, dropping 12 bits on the counter.

Inside the theatre

The film had gone out for about an hour now. In order to avoid thinking about his date with Apple Bloom, Jack had decided to look for similarities between this movie and the Little Mermaid. Unfortunately, this hadn't provided much stimulation for his mind, as the two movies were pretty much exactly the same, as if someone had taken the film from his world and said, "what if this, but with ponies!"

The movie had now reached its equivalent of the song Kiss the Girl, which had underwhelmingly been renamed Kiss the Filly. As he tried to watch the film, he felt something warm in his hand. Slowly turning his head, he found Apple Bloom had placed a hoof in his open palm. "Bad touch! Bad Touch! I need an adult!" Jack mentally screamed.

“You are an adult,” Emerald Jack reminded him. "And she's just touching your hand, you big baby."

Outside the theatre

When the film was over, Jack walked out of the theatre, clenching his chest and sweating profusely. He had a sharp pain in his chest and felt like the world was spinning around him. All he could think about was that Applejack was probably going to kill him now.

"Ya wanna get sum ice cream?" Apple Bloom asked.

"I think I'll just go home now," Jack stated blankly.

"Ya sure?" Apple Bloom asked.

"I don't feel so well!" Jack shouted as he rushed toward Fluttershy's cottage.

Fluttershy’s Cottage

Fluttershy was in the middle of throwing out expired animal feed when Jack burst through the door.

"Oh, hey, Jack. How was your…" She began,

"Don't want to talk about it!" Jack shouted as he rushed up the stairs.

As soon as he was in his room, Jack retreated beneath his covers and tried to go to sleep. Thirty minutes later, and he hadn't had any luck.

There was a knock on the door. "Ya in there, Jack?!"

Jack's heart sank. It was Applejack.

"Ah'm comin' in!" Applejack declared, opening the door with a click. "You alright, sugarcube? Apple Bloom seemed mighty worried 'bout you when she came home."

"I'm sorry, please don't kill me!" Jack pleaded.

"Kill ya?" Applejack asked. "Why in Equestria would Ah ever do that?"

"Because…" Jack explained exactly what had happened starting from the moment Apple Bloom asked him out.

"Well, that is a problem," Applejack acknowledged when Jack finished. "Let me ask you somethin'."

"What?"

"Has Apple Bloom actually told ya her feelin's?" Applejack asked.

"Well, no, actually," Jack answered.

Applejack smiled. "If yer problem is that ya don' want tuh make her sad, then dontcha think you should at least wait 'till she has the courage tuh tell ya how she feels before ya turn her down?"

"But isn't it inappropriate for me to let her go on thinking about me like that?" Jack asked. "Since I'm not really a child."

"Ah won' lie tuh ya, Jack," Applejack responded. "This situation is more complicated than Ah'm equipped to handle. It's never appropriate for a foal to be with an adult, and usually, it would be necessary to nip this in the bud as soon as possible. But she can't know that yer not her age. Nopony in town, apart from the six of us who found ya, can know that. It's not like you can just tell her the truth." Apple Jack placed a hoof on Jack's shoulder. "Knowin' mah sister, Ah reckon it'll be a while longer before she gets it in her mind tuh confess. If ya turn her down before that without any explanation, it'll break her heart. Then Ah really would have tuh kill ya," she joked.

Sugarcube Corner

Sweetie Belle walked into the bakery, intent on talking to Sakura. She didn't care what the others thought. She still didn't trust her.

"Welcome to Sugarcube Corner," Carrot Cake greeted. "Oh, hello there, Sweetie Belle. You're not here for another try at a baking cutie mark, are you? I just fixed the ovens from the last time you Crusaders were here. Speaking of which, where are the other Crusaders? It's unusual to see you here by yourself."

"Just me today, Mr. Cake," Sweetie Belle said. "Is Sakura here?"

"She's in her room with her friends from class," Carrot Cake answered. "She's quite popular with those colts."

"Is it alright if I go see her?"

"Of course," Carrot Cake nodded. "Second room on the right."

"Thank you," Sweetie Belle said.

Sakura’s Room

Oni-Hime had made use of the enthralled colts from her class by having them act as spies around the town. She'd been having them meet up with her in her room every few days to give their reports. "What have you found out about Captain Shining Armor, Rumble-san?" she asked.

"Captain Shining Armor plans to return to Canterlot next week since Twilight Sparkle's almost made a full recovery," Rumble answered.

“Arigatō, Rumble-san,” Sakura said. "What about you, Pip-san?"

"The Mayor…" Pip began before being interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Could you get that, Pip-san?" Sakura asked.

"Of course," Pip agreed, opening the door.

"What are you up to?!!" Sweetie Belle asked accusingly once the door was open.

"That's an interesting way to say, kon'nichiwa," Sakura said with a smile. "Leave us, colts."

Once the colts had left, Sakura's smile was replaced with a glare. "It's rude to barge in uninvited, Sweetie Belle-san."

"I know you're up to something, Sakura," Sweetie Belle accused. "What were you really doing in the forest?"

"I told you I was getting my coin," Sakura said innocently. "It's very important to me."

"I don't believe you," Sweetie Belle glared.

"But the others do," Sakura said with a smirk. "What makes you think I'm lying?"

"I heard you talking to Snips and Snails about the ursa minor attack in Sugarcube Corner," Sweetie Belle explained. "That same day, the three of you led a hydra into town!"

"I already told you I was trying to get this," Sakura said, holding up her coin. "Unless… you have some evidence that says otherwise?"

Sweetie Belle didn't respond.

"That's what I thought," Sakura said with a smirk. "It's not nice to make accusations, Sweetie Belle-san. Somepony might take it personally."

Author's Note

That took longer than expected. As those of you who read my blogs know, I have graduated from college now and am working full-time as a pizza driver until I can land a job with my degree. I had an interview with a local state park a little while back, but unfortunately, I haven't heard back from them yet. Luckily the pizza job gets me really good tips, and I'm more than able to keep up with my rent, utilities, and groceries.
Next Time: Jack and the Crusaders enter the school talent show.

Chapter 32: The Show Stoppers (Last Edited: 9/30/2022)

August 29, 2020

Sweet Apple Acres

It had been almost a week since Jack had learned of Apple Bloom’s true feelings. The first couple days of being aware of his friend’s attempts to flirt with him had been awkward, to say the least, but he was starting to get the hang of ignoring them.

Today, Applejack insisted on showing him and the Crusaders something before they could get up to their usual mischief. They followed her through one of Sweet Apple Acres’ many orchards, not knowing what to expect.

“Where are you takin' us?” Apple Bloom asked.

“We're almost there, young'uns,” Applejack responded.

“That doesn’t really answer the question, AJ,” Jack pointed out.

“I've never been here before,” Sweetie Belle said, curiously glancing between the apple trees.

“It’s kinda overgrown,” Jack noted as they brushed through thick growths of ferns.

“Ouch!” Scootaloo exclaimed, having been slapped in the face by one such fern as she followed Apple Bloom.

“Oh. Sorry,” Apple Bloom apologized.

“Are we there yet?” Scootaloo asked.

“I would assume the answer tuh that question is the same as it was the last seventeen times ya asked,” Jack answered irritably.

“Here we are,” Applejack said.

“Or not,” Jack corrected himself.

“What are we lookin' at?” Apple Bloom asked.

“I have no idea,” Scootaloo answered.

“What is that thing?” Sweetie Belle asked.

Jack knew exactly what it was and had to resist squealing like a schoolgirl with all his might.

“Cutie Mark Crusaders, welcome tuh yer new clubhouse!” Applejack exclaimed.

As the Crusaders looked up at the worn-down treehouse, no one spoke a word.

“Well, don' thank me all at once,” Applejack said, leading Jack and the Crusaders up the rotting ramp. “This was mah clubhouse when Ah was yer age. Sure it hasn' been used in a while, but it's empty and on a secluded, private part of the farm. And it's all yours,” Applejack said as a small section of the roof caved in. “It just needs a little, uh... TLC.”

The Crusaders looked like they were about to complain, but Jack interrupted before any of them could let out a peep.

“This is awesome, AJ!” he exclaimed. “I haven’t built a fort since I was a… since before I came to Equestria!”

“Ah’m glad ya like it, Jack,” Applejack said, leaning a hoof onto the clubhouse wall. “Maybe ya’ll will get yer cutie marks fixin’ this place u- waaah!!” she cried as the wall she was leaning on collapsed.

August 30, 2020

Sweet Apple Acres

Despite their initial misgivings, the Crusaders had quickly grown fond of their new clubhouse, having spent the entire day prior rebuilding it to a usable condition. They’d grown so fond of it, in fact, that they went right back to working on it as soon as they woke up the following day.

“So, Jack. Ah was wonderin’ if ya might wanna go see another movie with me this Friday?” Apple Bloom asked as they worked on the tree house’s second coat of paint.

“This Friday?” Jack asked. “Um… I’m afraid I have plans.”

“What kinda plans?” Apple Bloom enquired.

“Um…” Jack started, thinking of an excuse.

Luckily for him, they were interrupted by a buzzing sound. As the noise grew closer, a flash of orange and blue burst through the bushes.

“Oh, hey, Scoots!” Jack exclaimed as the orange filly dismounted her scooter. “How’ve you been? Nice entrance, by the way!”

“Thanks!” Scootaloo exclaimed. “Wow, you two did all of this?” she asked, pointing to the clubhouse, which looked good as new.

“Yep!” Apple Bloom exclaimed. "We've fixed the broken shutters, sanded off the splinters, rebuilt the roof, painted....”

“That's so cool,” Scootaloo complimented. “What's Sweetie Belle up to?”

Apple Bloom showed Scootaloo through the brush to where Sweetie Belle had been working.

“There ya are, Sweetie Belle!” Apple Bloom exclaimed. “See? Ah told ya we could find her by following her totally awesome voice.”

“What's that sweet tune you're singing?” asked Scootaloo.

“Oh. I was just working on our new Cutie Mark Crusaders theme song,” Sweetie Belle answered, blushing bashfully.

“Cool!” Apple Bloom and Scootaloo said at the same time.

“Teach us?” Scootaloo asked.

“Well, I've only come up with one part... but okay!” Sweetie Belle agreed.

Cutie Mark Crusaders Clubhouse

Sweetie Belle spent the next few minutes teaching Jack and the other Crusaders the song she wrote.

Jack thought they sounded pretty good. Perhaps Scootaloo could use a little work, but otherwise, it seemed as if the girls had a natural talent for singing. Then again, most of the ponies Jack had heard singing seemed to have a knack for it.

It was at that point when Applejack chose to check on them. Complimenting them on how well the clubhouse had turned out, she then enquired as to what they would do next. The answer, of course, was crusading.

And that’s what they spent the next few hours doing. They started out trying to take care of Applejack’s pigs, but, despite all the slop they wound up slathered in, still no mark. Their next stop was taffy-making at Sugar Cube Corner, but they only wound up stuck in the machine having to be rescued by Pinkie Pie as Sweetie Belle gave Sakura the stink eye (The latter responding with an innocent wave). From there, they moved on to Carousel Boutique to try for hair-dressing cutie marks. Unfortunately, the clown afro hairdo they offered was not as big a hit as they’d hoped. Next, they moved back to Sweet Apple Acres to try their hooves at a card-guessing game which turned out as well as the rest of their attempts. They tried mountain climbing at a rocky outcropping just outside town limits, they tried snorkeling in the pond, but nothing worked.

Eventually, they found themselves in the library attempting to get research cutie marks (as they had tried librarian cutie marks already.) Unfortunately, their research had left Golden Oak Library an absolute mess with books and scrolls piled up on the floor, much to Jack’s dismay.

“I had nothing to do with this!” Spike denied as Cheerilee walked inside.

“I’m ashamed to say I did,” Jack sighed, lamenting the mistreatment of Twilight’s collection of primary historical sources.

“What is going on here?” Twilight asked, her voice raised.

“Hmm... well, we sure aren't gettin' our cutie marks for bein' researchers,” Apple Bloom said.

“No! No, you most certainly are not!” Jack shouted in anguish.

“Girls, I think you're going about this the wrong way,” Twilight explained. “Instead of trying to do things in areas you're not familiar with, why not try doing things in areas that you already like?”

“And I have the perfect place to start,” Cheerilee said, pulling a flyer from her bag.

“Showcase your talents...” Apple Bloom read.

“...for all to see,” Scootaloo continued.

“Perform in the Ponyville school talent show!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed.

“Hey, that should be perfect,” Jack noted. “Instead of constantly trying things that you don’t know, you can hone the skills you already have by being the best at the talents you already have.”

“There'll be all sorts of awards,” Cheerilee added. “Best dramatic performance, best comedy act, best magic act... surely you can find your talent.”

Instead of taking this advice to heart, the Crusaders began listing a slew of new talents, like juggling, that they could try.

“My little ponies!” Twilight exclaimed. “You're missing the point. Think about the things you already enjoy doing. Think about what you're already good at.”

“Sure! We can do that,” Scootaloo agreed.

“Yeah! Sure, we can,” Sweetie Belle nodded.

“Well, whatever we do, we'll do it as...” Apple Bloom started.

“...The Cutie Mark Crusaders!” The girls finished together.

Outside Golden Oak Library

The Crusaders rushed outside to prepare for the talent show. As Jack followed, he heard something from beside the doorway.

“Pst…”

Turning to the source of the noise, he saw Diamond Tiara, Silver Spoon, and Sakura Blossom standing next to the door.

“What do you want, bitch?” he asked, glaring at Diamond Tiara.

“Be careful how you speak to me, ape,” Diamond Tiara smeared. “My father…”

“I don’t give a shit about your father,” Jack interrupted. “What do you want?”

“I was just wondering why you hang out with those losers,” Diamond Tiara explained with a smirk. “I mean, it’s obvious they only hang out with you to make them feel better about their blank flanks.”

“I thought it was because they have a cru…” Silver Spoon tried to interject, only to be silenced by a glare from Diamond Tiara.

“Is that the best you have?” Jack asked. “You’re going to have to do a lot better than the whole your friends only hang out with you to feel better about themselves line. I heard that one and far worse growing up.”

“Growing up?” Silver Spoon asked. “But you’re our age?”

“Shit,” Jack thought realizing his slip up. “I meant at my old school,” he corrected. “Sometimes words just mess up in my mouth! Heh heh.”

“He’s broken, Silver Spoon,” said Diamond Tiara said. “Anypony who saw his outburst when he started class knows he belongs in an asylum.”

“Been a while since you made a slip up like that,” Emerald Jack said as Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon walked into the library. “You’re lucky these kids haven’t learned any critical thinking skills yet.”

“Shut up!” Jack said. “Why don’t you try to come up with more convincing lies?”

“Sumimasen, Jack-sama?” Sakura asked.

“Huh?” Jack asked, having forgotten she was there.

“I wanted to thank you for keeping my secret,” Sakura said. “I was worried you and the Crusaders would tell everypony.”

“Her secret? Oh, from the other night!” Jack realized. “Don’t mention it. If you aren’t comfortable with the rest of the class knowing, I understand. I know what it’s like getting bullied for being different,” Jack said with a sad sigh. “Speaking of which, why are you hanging out with Diamond Tiara?”

“She and Silver Spoon-san said Cheerilee-sensei would be taking applications for the school talent show in the library,” Sakura answered. “I came to sign up.”

“Oh, well, good luck with that,” Jack said. “I’m actually supposed to be helping the other Crusaders prepare for the talent show now. So, I’ll see you later, I guess.”

Cutie Mark Crusaders Clubhouse

Jack arrived at the clubhouse to find that the Crusaders hadn’t returned yet.

“Guess I can’t really do anything other than wait,” he thought.

The Crusaders arrived around 40 minutes later with six wooden planks, four-by-eight plywood, a box of nails, four cans of paint, four brushes, four pallets of fabric, a fan, and a copy of Ghosts, Goblins and Ghoulish Figures from the library.

“What’s all this stuff for?” Jack asked.

“A super awesome dramatic song for the talent show, of course!” Scootaloo answered.

“Right! With super-cool scenery and amazing costumes!” Sweetie Belle added.

“And mind-blowin' dance moves!” Apple Bloom said, standing upright and shaking a hoof.

“That sounds great!” Jack said encouragingly. “I assume Sweetie Belle will be the lead singer?”

“Well, actually, I was kinda hoping to design the costumes instead,” Sweetie Belle said. “Singing in front of a crowd doesn’t sound very fun to me, and I know a little bit about sewing from watching Rarity.”

“I’ll be the lead singer!” Scootaloo announced. “I’ll come up with a wicked rock ballad!”

“So, I guess that just leaves Apple Bloom with dancing and me with set design,” Jack said.

Jack did pretty well with the set design, all things considered. His experience with painting had mostly involved bathroom walls at the state park and never anything artsy. But for the most part, he’d managed to keep all the colors within the lines he’d drawn to plan the designs out.

The Crusaders, on the other hand, were wholly incompetent with their tasks. Scootaloo had no clue how to write lyrics and was forced to turn to Sweetie Belle for help. Sweetie Belle had no idea how to sew and had to turn to Apple Bloom. Finally, Apple Bloom couldn’t dance to save her own life and had to take pointers from Scootaloo. By the end of the day, it was not looking like they would be winning any prizes.

August 31, 2020

Cutie Mark Crusaders Clubhouse

It was the day of the talent show, and practice was not going well. The music and outfits were decent, but unfortunately, the girls weren’t able to dance without tripping over each other.

As they exited the clubhouse for a break, they noticed Applejack backing away from the clubhouse.

“Hey! Did you see us practicing?” Scootaloo asked.

“Uh... yeah,” Applejack answered awkwardly.

“Well? How'd we do? How'd we do?” Apple Bloom asked eagerly.

“Uh...” Applejack started, unable to think of a constructive response.

“Speechless!” Scootaloo exclaimed. “See, girls? I told you that's what we're gonna do. We're gonna leave them speechless.”

“Yay!” the Crusaders cheered.

“‘Speechless’ is right,” Applejack muttered as the Crusaders went back inside.

Once they were inside, the Crusaders put on their costumes. When Jack saw them, he couldn’t help but notice that Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle’s make-up vaguely resembled what glam rock bands like Kiss would wear.

Ponyville Schoolyard

The talent show began just as the sun started to set. The first act was performed by Twist and a few other fillies from Jack’s class and was basically a magic show using sweets that twist had made the day before—making a candy cane disappear and pulling a chocolate bunny from a hat and whatnot.

What followed was a fashion display by Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon and a wide variety of performances from the other students.

Presently Sakura Blossom was nearing the end of her performance. With the help of Snips, Snails, Rumble, Featherweight, and Pip, she put on a Noh play about a lonely Neighponese demon pony who went to live with her Germane father after angry villagers killed her mother.

It was done quite professionally. The props were minimalistic, allowing for greater emphasis on the characters. The masks were expertly carved from quality wood, the outfits were made of silk, and the performance was accompanied by chants and instruments courtesy of Snips, Snails, and Pip. Most importantly, the lines were few and far between, with the narrative being told more so through exaggerated movements.

The play ended with Sakura bowing to her father (Played by Rumble), showing her fealty.

“How about a round of applause for this highly imaginative work of theatre from Sakura Blossom?” Cheerilee requested as Sakura, and her lackey's exited the stage. “Now for our next act, we have Sunny Daze and Peachy Pie reciting their favorite poem... on roller skates!” she announced as the two fillies skated onto the stage.

Back Stage

Knowing they were next, the Crusaders were quietly preparing for their song.

“My little ponies! How are you doing?” Twilight asked, having come to check on them.

“Nervous...” the fillies admitted.

“Don't worry. You're gonna be amazing,” Twilight said confidently. “Remember, just stick to what you know best. I can't wait to hear you sing, Sweetie Belle.”

Sweetie Belle wasted no time explaining she wasn’t the lead singer. As Twilight learned that Scootaloo was the lead singer, Apple Bloom was in charge of choreography, and Sweetie Belle was in charge of costume design, she grew increasingly concerned.

“I won’t be going out on stage tonight,” Jack said. “Singing in front of other people just ain’t my thing.”

“Really, girls? Are you sure...?” Twilight asked the Crusaders.

“Cutie Mark Crusaders, you're on next,” Cheerilee called. “Break a leg!”

Jack had seen the entire disaster from the stands and cringed as the props came crashing down on his friends. He’d designed them to be sturdy, but there was never any accounting for how clumsy and destructive the Crusaders could be. As the Crusaders walked off the stage with their heads down, he could tell that things hadn’t gone how the girls expected.

Less than a minute later, Cheerilee and Spike came out from behind the curtains along with the Crusaders, who tried their best to hide behind the other contestants to avoid further embarrassment.

“Let's hear it for all our talented fillies and colts,” Cheerilee called.

The crowd in the stands began stomping their hooves on the ground as Jack awkwardly clapped.

“Our first award goes to... Twist, Toola Roola, and Coconut Cream for best magic act,” Cheerilee announced.

“Thith ith stho awethome!” Twist exclaimed as Spike placed the medal around her neck.

“The next award goes to... Sakura Blossom, Snips, Snails, Rumble, Featherweight, and Pip for best dramatic performance!” Cheerilee announced.

The crowd of foals moved to receive their medals, exposing the Crusaders, who quickly ducked behind Sunny Daze and Peachy Pie. As Sakura received her medal from Spike, she gave Jack a wink. However, this went right over the boy’s head.

“And finally, the last award of the night goes to... the Cutie Mark Crusaders!” Cheerilee announced. “For best comedy act!”

Jack smiled in relief as Spike handed the girls their medals. Everything seemed to have worked out. Wasting no time, he rushed backstage to find Twilight already there.

“You here to congratulate them too?” Twilight asked.

“Yep,” Jack nodded.

“Let’s go then.”

They found the Crusaders disappointedly staring at their flanks. Clearly, they had been hoping for cutie marks.

“Congratulations, ponies!” Twilight exclaimed. “Job well done.”

“All things considered, I’d say that went well,” Jack agreed.

“Thanks,” The Crusaders said sadly.

“Hey, you don't sound too excited,” Twilight noted.

“What’s the matter with you guys?” Jack asked. “You won a prize; you should be proud.”

“Yeah, but we didn’t get our cutie marks,” Scootaloo said sadly.

“Which is the prize we really wanted,” Sweetie Belle added glumly.

The Crusader’s melancholy didn’t last long. As Twilight was about to comfort them, Apple Bloom declared she knew why they didn’t get their marks. When Twilight asked them to elaborate for a friendship report, the Crusaders revealed they thought they were trying too hard and that they should embrace that their true talent is comedy.

Jack facepalmed. They had learned nothing!

Author's Note

I feel like I relied too heavily on the transcript for this one. Oh well, I can edit it more later.
Next Time: The Order of the Yellow Rose makes their move in the Royal Court with an immediate vote on reorganizing the Equestrian government. Taken by surprise, the more Conservative representatives of the court are approached by a mysterious foreigner who offers them support in exchange for a favor.

Chapter 33: What the Oppressed see as Equality the Privileged see as Tyranny (Last Edited: 10/2/2022)

September 2, 2020

Canterlot Castle: Royal Court Room

Blue Blood sighed as he entered the courtroom. "Why would Auntie Celestia call an emergency meeting now?" he wondered. "Sure, the arson attacks on the frontier are somewhat troubling, but the E.U.P. should be able to handle that on their own." Climbing up to the nobility box, he took his seat next to Princess Luna.

Once all representatives were seated, Celestia made her opening statement. "I know many of you are curious as to why we are gathering today. For nearly a millennia, this court has met exactly like this. The exact same procedures, the exact same powers, and the exact same structure. All of which I have come to see as outdated."

The normal silence from non-speaking representatives was broken as the room erupted into confused murmurs from those outside of the Order of the Yellow Rose.

"I recently came across an outline for a different form of government," Celestia continued once the murmurs had died down. "One made up of representatives elected by the population as a whole, where everypony has the exact same rights guaranteed to them, one where the concept of class would be eliminated from all matters of the state. With some modifications, I have used this concept to draft a proposal to reorganize our government. Each of you shall receive a copy of my proposal to go over in the next ten hours before we put this to a vote."

With a flash of Celestia's horn, 15 stacks of documents appeared in front of each of the other representatives.

As the hours past most representatives outside the order read the proposal with a mix of rage and dismay.

"She wants to allow nonponies full citizenship!?" Hoity Toityfumed.

"E.U.P. recruitment is to be open to all ponies, and all special status for soldiers is to be revoked," Flash Sentry read. "This is outrageous!"

"Schools will be open to all students regardless of species," Filthy Rich read. "I will not have my daughter studying alongside filthy cows and thuggish minitours!"

"All businesses will be taxed at the same rate regardless of the class status of the owner, and all employees must be paid a minimum wage of at least 20 bits," Cherry Jubilee read. "How am I meant to pay the additions to my plantation house now? And what's this about interclass marriage?" She cast a quick glare at Cherry Berry.

"The executive role of head of state and government shall be given to a president elected for no more than two terms of four years via popular vote among all adult Equestrian citizens choosing to cast ballots," Blue Blood read, gritting his teeth. "Legislative authority will be granted a body of two chambers, a lower House of Representatives elected from 87 districts whose boundaries are to be drawn to represent approximately 100,000 residents each, and an upper Senate drawing two senators from each province. Judicial authority will be granted two a Supreme Court of twelve judges appointed by the president for life. The role of the diarchy will be limited to ceremonial duties, including but not limited to the raising and lowering of the celestial bodies and diplomatic visits."

After ten hours of careful study, it came time for the vote. The more conservative candidates were frustrated at having their day wasted, but they were confident there was no chance of the proposal passing.

"Auntie Celestia's gone crazy!" Blue Blood thought. "Why else would she propose such a worthless idea as if it might pass?"

"This proposal reeks of Three Arrow's idealism," Flash Sentry thought. "The Iron Front may be a war hero, but he's gone soft. He should have retired years ago."

"What a waste of an afternoon," Filthy Rich thought.

"I'd rather be overseeing my production plants than dealing with this nonsense," Cheery Jubilee thought.

"I could call in my favor from Shining Armor," thought Hoity Toity. "But what would be the point? It's not like he'd ever go for this nonsense."

Shining Armor stared at the document in front of him intently. Usually, he would have rejected such a proposal without question. But something was bugging him.

"To me, it's just a job some people choose to have."

"I don't understand," Shining Armor muttered as Jack's words echoed in his head.

"I didn't really expect you to."

"Was he right?" Shining Armor asked himself. "Is soldier really no more than a job? This proposal goes against everything I grew up believing, so why am I so conflicted?"

Princess Celestia cleared her throat. "Would anypony like to make a statement before we vote?" she asked.

No one said a word.

"Excellent," Celestia said. "All those in favor of the proposal raise your hooves."

All three princesses, all four peasants, Fancy Pants, Spitfire, and Three Arrows raised their hooves.

"I do believe that we have a majority," Celestia said as the conservatives looked on in shock. "This meeting is adjourn…"

"THIS IS AN OUTRAGE!!!!" shouted Prince Blue Blood.

"Hold your tongue, Blueblood," Three Arrows sneered. "The matter has been decided."

"This is your doing!" Flash Sentry accused.

"I'm quite certain I don't know what you mean," Three Arrows denied.

"You've been spouting your ideals to the princesses for years now," Filthy Rich said. "I'm not sure what you did to trick them into supporting this nonsense, but I assure you it won't stand."

"Come on now, Y'all lost fair an' square," Apple Fritter said. "There's no sense in actin' like spoiled foals."

"How dare you speak to your betters like that!" Hoity Toity hissed. "Your family is a disgrace!"

"Why don't you leave her alone?!" Cherry Berry shouted. "What makes you so much better than the Apple Family?!"

"The same thing that makes you inferior to the rest of our family," Cherry Jubilee shouted. "Associating with peasants! Although I suppose you're far worse than she could ever be, considering you bucked one! A mare of your status, and you threw it all away for some lowlife!"

"SILENCE!!!!!!" Luna roared in the Royal Canterlot Voice.

All bickering came to an abrupt stop.

"As of this moment, there are no peasants, nor are there any nobles," Celestia stated. "Business ponies and members of the E.U.P. will no longer receive any special treatment. This court will exist as the governing body of Equestria until November 3 when we hold elections for the new government."

September 3, 2020

Ponyville Town Square

The Sun had only risen an hour ago, and yet every resident of Ponyville had been summoned to the town square. This was unusual outside emergencies, and the ponies nervously whispered to each other as they waited for the mayor to come out of the town hall.

"What do ya s'pose the mayor wants tuh tell us?" Apple Bloom questioned.

"Ah'm not sure, but Ah reckon it ain't anythin' good," Applejack answered.

"Eyup," Big Mac nodded.

"Ooh, my joints are stiff," Granny smith complained.

"Are we being attacked?" Sweetie Belle asked nervously.

"Of course not, darling," Rarity said. "If we were under attack, they'd have asked us to evacuate already."

"I can't see!" Scootaloo complained as she tried to look over the crowd in front of her.

"Let me help you with that, squirt," Rainbow Dash offered, letting Scootaloo climb on her back.

"Thanks, Rainbow Dash!"

The mayor finally walked outside and up to the podium. "I'd like to thank everypony for being here today," she said nervously. "This morning, I received a letter from Princess Celestia regarding yesterday's meeting of the Royal Court. I have been instructed to inform you that as of last night, the class system has been abolished. From now on, all peasants, soldiers, business ponies, and nobility will be treated as equals under the law."

A few in the crowd erupted into cheers, but most of the residents stayed silent. Ponyville was unusual as far as Equestria went. The only ponies in the town who weren't peasant class were the Riches and the Spoons, who were business ponies, and Twilight Sparkle, who was military class thanks to her brother's position in the E.U.P. As far as peasants went, the average Ponyvillian was wealthy and well-off. Sure, taxes were a pain, but no one had any real trouble paying them. There were no slums like in Canterlot, nor were there any sweatshops like in Manehatten or Cloudsdale. To most in the town, this information made little difference.

"Furthermore, the princesses will be stepping down as rulers of Equestria, and the Royal Court will be dissolved," Mayor Mare announced. "Elections will be held on November 3 for a new government. All Equestrian citizens above the age of 18 are encouraged to vote."

"No way," Spike gasped.

Twilight stood with her mouth agape.

"Oh my," Fluttershy said meekly.

"I didn't think the order would act so quickly," Jack thought. "I hope they know what they're doing."

"What do you think this will mean for the foal?" Cup Cake whispered to Carrot Cake.

"I'm not sure, honey," Carrot cake whispered back.

"I knew there would be a doozie today!" Pinkie exclaimed.

"Oto-san will want to hear about this," Oni-Hime thought to herself.

Apple Bloom looked up to her family. "Does this mean Ah don' have tuh suck up tuh Diamond Tiara every time the Riches come to us with a business deal?"

"Eyup," Big Mac nodded.

"Ah think we might have a bit more negotiatin' power now," Applejack said.

"We've been strugglin' to get by ever since we lost our business class status," Granny Smith said, a tear in her right eye. "Ah jus' wish Bright Mac an' Pear Butter could have seen this. It's what they always wanted."

As Celestia walked down from the stage she found Shining Armor waiting for her and greeted him with her usual warm smile. "It's good to see you, Captain. I hope you enjoyed your vacation. Do you have questions about the election?"

"I do, but that can wait," Shining Armor answered. "I'm worried about these arson attacks. I was thinking it might be a good idea to build a garrison here in Ponyville."

"I understand your concern, Captain, but these attacks have all been on the frontier," Celestia dismissed. "I think it would be better to increase security there."

"But..." Shining Armor objected before thinking better of it. "I understand."

September 4, 2020

Canterlot: Blue Blood's Estate

It had been two days since the vote. While the Order of the Yellow Rose had celebrated their victory, most of the remaining representatives were still sore. Blue Blood had taken it upon himself to invite the dissatisfied representatives to his estate, a 20,000-square-foot Tudor-style mansion. Once they were all gathered in the dining room, they began their discussion.

"This is ridiculous!" Filthy Rich shouted. "The commoners can't possibly govern themselves!"

"The Princesses have gone mad!" Hoity Toity agreed. "Not only do they intend to hand this country over to the peasants, but she intends to open our borders to griffons, dragons, zebras, and…" he shuddered, "minotaurs!"

"The taxes they're proposing are ridiculous!" Cherry Berry spat. "Fifty percent for anypony who makes more than 500,000 bits per year? Our businesses are the foundation of the Equestrian economy! And the peasants only have to pay between ten and thirty percent? Most of them will be taking more out in government hoof-outs than they give back. If anything, their taxes should be raised, not ours!"

"I never thought anypony would ever take Three Arrows nonsense seriously," Flash Sentry muttered. "We can't possibly let this stand!"

"Yes, Auntie Celestia has taken this too far!" Blue Blood agreed. "But what exactly can any of us do about it now?"

"Master Blue Blood, there's somepony waiting for you in the foyer," said a butler who had just walked in.

"Why in Tartarus are you telling me this?" Blue Blood seethed. "I told you there were to be no visitors today. And what in Celestia's name is wrong with your eyes?!"

There was indeed something off about the butler's eyes. They were glassy, not unlike those of someone who had spent their entire life in a cult compound. "I really must insist that you greet this guest, Master Blue Blood."

"You insist?!" Blue Blood repeated indignantly. "You are nothing but a servant! How dare you insist I do anything! Get out of my sight!!!" he shouted, pointing at the door. "You're fired!"

The butler didn't so much as flinch. He simply stood in place, staring blankly. It was almost as if he were possessed.

"Nå nå," said a skinny green stallion as he entered the room. "Don't be så harsh. He's not exactly in control over himself at the moment."

"Who in Tartarus do you think you are, barging into my home without permission?!" Blue Blood asked furiously.

"Call me Granlogg," the stallion introduced. "Please forgive my intrusion. I read about what happened with the Royal Court and thought you might be interested in a way to retain your power."

"How could you possibly help us with that?" Filthy Rich asked.

"My boss har a great deal of knowledge of what's been happening in dette landet, and many powerful friends," Granlogg answered. "Did you know that Prinsesse Celestia and Kaptein Three Arrows have conspired with the commoners for years? They even created a secret society they call the Order of the Yellow Rose."

"I've never heard of such an organization," Flash Sentry said. "How could you possibly have intel on Three Arrows that I don't?"

"I have my ways," Granlogg said, his eyes briefly changing from amber to yellow.

"Assuming we were to believe you, what's the catch?" Hoity Toity asked.

"No catch," Granlogg answered with a smirk. "Maintaining the status quo works out in my boss's favor. All he asks is you follow his plan."

Author's Note

Honestly, I'm not sure I did the best job building up to this chapter. I think I could do to add more to my previous chapters to show the conservative representatives' motivations better. On an unrelated note, I'm pretty sure I am going to need a root canal at this point, and I'm also going to have to get the struts and sway bars replaced on my CR-V because my suspension is shot. The root canal and the car repair together will cost me $3000 at least, so I'm working extra hours to pay for it. Needless to say, this is cutting into my writing time.
Next Time: When Rarity is kidnapped by Diamond Dogs, Jack and Spike must lead a mission to rescue her.

Chapter 34: A Dog and Pony Show (Last Edited 10/3/2022)

September 6, 2020

Gem Mines (ten miles east of Ponyville)

Rarity had received a special request from famous pop star Sapphire Shores for a set of five dresses. Unfortunately, these dresses called for gemstones that she didn't have in stock. Not one to turn down a customer's request, she had enlisted the help of Spike and Jack to obtain her material.

It wasn't hard. Spike was madly in love with her, and Jack was always eager to help out a friend in need.

"So, who exactly is this Sapphire Shores?" Jack asked.

"Only one of the most famous pop stars in the world!" Rarity exclaimed. "Her songs are consistently near the top of the charts. She's the most listened to pop artist in Equestria next to Countess Coloratura!"

"I don't know who this Countess Colorawhatsit is either, so that description wasn't very helpful," Jack said.

"Man, what rock did you crawl out of?" Spike asked jokingly.

"I think it'd be good for you to remember I'm not from Equestria," Jack huffed. "I'll bet you wouldn't know who Ariana Grande or Billie Eilish are if I asked."

"Who?" Spike asked.

"Case and point," Jack said.

"Boys!" Rarity called. "I believe you have some digging to do?" she requested, using her magic to highlight the Spot she wanted them to dig.

"Sure thing, Rarity!" Spike exclaimed. "Anything for you!"

Jack and Spike got to work and soon dug up a pile of already cut rubies. A few months ago, the fact that these gems had seemingly already been worked on would have bothered Jack, but now he simply noted the fact that they were cut gemstones instead of geodes and tossed them into the little red wagon he was pulling. Life in Equestria had done a number on his ability to question things that didn't make sense.

"You must be flipping out over this order, Rarity!" Spike exclaimed. "I mean, Sapphire Shores is so gorgeous and talented. Any dress designer would jump at the opportunity to make something for her!"

Rarity shot Spike a sour look.

"I mean, she's not even half as gorgeous and talented as you are," Spike replied with a nervous chuckle.

"Simp!" Jack shouted.

Spike and Rarity stared at Jack in confusion before returning to their conversation.

"Ladies do not 'flip out,' Spike," Rarity Dismissed. "However, I was quite in awe," she continued lighting up her gem-finding spell. "Oh, I need to find more jewels than ever before to decorate her costumes. Oh, aha!" she exclaimed, having located another cluster.

"Did you find some?" Spike asked.

"Yes, Spike!" Rarity exclaimed, pointing to a patch of dirt. "Right there!"

Spike clawed the dirt away with the speed of a jackhammer, revealing a cluster of cut gems. Rubies, sapphires, emeralds, amethyst, all lumped together with no regard to their separate physical properties.

"This is normal," Jack thought to himself.

"Ooooo!" Spike said, licking his licks. "You look so delicious..." he continued, mouth-watering at the sight of the gems.

"This is also normal," Jack thought, watching Spike grabbing a clawful of jewels.

"Spike!" Rarity scolded. "I promised I'd give you gems to snack on, but we need to collect more first, or I'll never be able to make these outfits for Sapphire."

"Hm... I will miss you, my sweets," Spike sighed, holding the gems over the wagon reluctantly.

"Come along, Spike," Rarity said, trotting across the arid landscape, "We have many jewels to find."

"At your service, milady," Spike said, bowing like an incel attempting to be a "nice guy."

"The fuck are you doing?" Jack asked, cringing intensely.

"Just trying to be polite," Spike answered.

Jack shook his head and placed a hand over his face. "Don't bow, man. That's completely pathetic."

"But I…"

"Oh, Boys!" Rarity called.

Jack and Spike spent the next few hours digging up gems in the dry heat for Rarity's project.

"You've been very patient today, Spike," Rarity said, patting Spike's head. "And for that, you get the finest reward," Rarity exclaimed, levitating an aquamarine from the wagon above Spike's open mouth. "This is from me to you."

Spike carefully clasped the gem and stared at Rarity.

"Is something wrong, Spike?" Rarity asked.

"No," Spike said, clutching the jewel to his chest. "It's perfect."

Jack rolled his eyes before feeling a strange sensation. As they continued their hunt for gems, the feeling became more and more pronounced. Something was stalking them.

Not knowing what it could be, Jack reached his free hand into his pocket and grasped his pistol. The area around them was completely devoid of plant life, so Jack had decided that the Glock would provide better protection than his magic. He didn't think he'd have to use it, of course, and he'd never had all that much success with it, but still better with than without. And if even if he did end up having to use it, how hard could it be?

After several hours of digging, the wagon was filled well beyond capacity.

"Well, Spike, I think that's all we can do for today," Rarity said as Spike placed a load of gems atop the already overflowing wagon. "And these will certainly get me well on my way with Sapphire's outfits. Why don't we start headi..." she found herself being cut off by her horn lighting up. "Oh! What's this? Another jewel. Oh... oh, strange," she noted, letting her horn lead her. "It's in the trees. Oooo— eww!"

Rarity had found the gem attached to a collar worn by a large bipedal dog.

As the dog stepped out of the Brush, Rarity found herself backing up. "Uh... uh... good day, gentle... uh, fellow. Uh, I am Rarity, and these are my friends Spike and Jack."

Spike waved nervously while Jack reached for his Glock.

"And you are…" Rarity inquired nervously.

"A Diamond Dog," the dog answered in a Gollum-Esq voice.

"Oh really?" Rarity asked, continuing to back away. "Oh well, that explains your fine taste in jewelry. I mean, I-I-I know that diamonds are a girl's best friend, and now I know that they're a dog's best friend too, hahaha. So, um…" she coughed, "you're out hunting for gems as well?"

"Yes," the dog answered. "We hunt."

Jack whipped his pistol out and pointed it at the approaching canine.

"Uh... we?" Rarity questioned.

"We hunt for gems," the Diamond Dog elaborated, holding up the jewel on his collar. "But you are a better hunter. So now we hunt..."

Hearing the sound of dirt being dislodged from the ground, and turned to see two patches of dirt erupting from the ground.

"For you!" the Diamond Dog exclaimed.

Two more Diamond Dogs leaped out from the shifting dirt and swiped at Rarity, who screamed in terror.

Spike jumped into action using his tail like a jackhammer on the nearest dog. "Run, Rarity! Run! Aaaah! Uh!" he shouted before being pinned to the ground by a Diamond Dog's index finger.

As Rarity fled, Spike tripped the dog that had been holding him down as it tried to pursue.

"Don't move!" Jack shouted at the other Diamond Dog, aiming his Glock at its chest.

"Why should I?" the Diamond Dog sneered. "You think I'm scared of your tiny stick?"

"You really should be," Jack said. "Don't make me use this!" he pleaded, not wanting to kill another sapient being if he could help it.

"I'm not scared of your stick ape," the Diamond Dog repeated. "And if I was, it wouldn't matter. Spot already has the pony!"

"What?!" Jack exclaimed, turning to see Rarity being dragged toward a large hole. Before he even had a chance to react, he was knocked face-first into the ground and could only watch as the other two Diamond Dogs joined Spot as he carried Rarity to the hole.

"Unhand me this instant, you ruffians!" Rarity shouted. "Stop! Put me down, you thugs! You brutes!"

"Rarity!" Spike and Jack called together.

Even running as fast as they could, they could only watch Rarity struggle and scream as she was dragged below the surface.

“Nooooooooooo!" Spike shouted, falling to his knees. "I never even got to tell her how I felt."

Feeling a hand on his shoulder, Spike looked up to see Jack staring at him.

"Go get Twilight and the others," Jack said.

"What about you?" Spike asked nervously.

Jack cocked his Glock. "I think it's time to take Old Yeller behind the barn," he said darkly.

Spike didn't know who Old Yeller was, but he knew Jack wasn't messing around. So with a quick nod, he ran back to town to get the other elements.

Once Spike was out of sight, Jack hopped into the hole.

Diamond Dog Mines

Jack hadn't any idea how deep underground he was. It had taken him a minute and a half to get to the bottom, though. Thankfully, the hole was dug at an angle rather than straight down.

The sound of water dripping from stalactites echoed throughout the tunnels. There was plenty of light in the labyrinth of tunnels, meaning that all Jack had to worry about was choosing the right path. Setting his eyes on the largest passageway, he assumed it must be the main shaft.

Gripping his gun, Jack ventured forth.

"Chill, man," Emerald Jack said. "I get that she's your friend, but I don't think this reaction is necessary. Why don't we just calm dow…"

"You know why!" Jack shouted.

"Shhh, they'll hear you!"

"I don't care!" Jack shouted again. "I won't let her down! I won't let any of them down! Not again."

"None of that was your fault," Emerald Jack said calmly. "And neither is this. Now calm down and think this out before you get us captur…"

"Intruder!"

"Too late," Emerald Jack sighed as three armored diamond dogs armed with spears flooded the tunnel.

"What is it?" one of the dogs asked as Jack brought its head into the Glock's iron sights.

"Some kind of hairless ape," another dog answered.

"Get it!" a third one, apparently their commander, ordered.

As the two lackeys made their move, Jack squeezed the trigger, and with a bang that echoed down the cave, the first dog dropped to the floor.

Seeing his comrade fall, the second one turned to check on him. "Buddy?" he asked. Seeing the blood pool from Buddy's head, the dog screamed. "He's dead! You-you killed him!" he shouted, pointing accusingly at Jack.

"Y-yeah," Jack confirmed, struggling to grip the Glock in his trembling hands. "I'll d-do it ag-gain if you don't take me to Ra-Rarity. T-to you, I mean." Needless to say, this was the first time he'd actually killed anyone. It felt awful.

The commander moved to assist his remaining packmate but stopped when Jack pointed his weapon at him.

“Y-you too,” Jack stammered.

Seeing no other option, the commander dropped his spear and nodded. "Come ape. Your friend is this way."

The two dogs led Jack down a tunnel. Five minutes passed by, and Jack couldn't stop thinking about what he'd done. "I had no choice, right? He was pointing a weapon at me. It was him or me.”

" That's right, it was you or him," Emerald Jack reassured. "Now isn't the time to think about it if you let your guard down…"

"She's in here, ape," the Diamond Dog Commander informed, pointing to a dimly lit crevasse.

"In-in here?" Jack asked.

"That's right."

Jack peered inside. "I don't see… AHHH!" he shouted. With an audible crunch, he could feel the bones in his pistol hand being crushed. It didn't take much thought to realize the other dog had just bitten him.

"Not so tough without that stick, huh?" the dog growled as the Glock fell to the floor with a thud. Pushing Jack to the floor and baring his fangs, he continued. "You'll pay for what you did to Buddy!"

Blood poured from Jack's hand, bone was visible in several locations, the pain was like nothing he'd ever felt, but he barely even noticed. "I killed his friend."

This was why Jack never had any interest in being a soldier. How could he be? How many Taliban and ISIS fighters were only fighting because their families had been killed by American bombs? How many Hamas fighters were only fighting because their families had been killed by Israeli bombs?

That didn't justify anything that true Islamic extremists were fighting for. Of course, Jack wasn't so delusional to think like that. But still, the fact that he'd never be able to tell if his opponent was a terrorist was fighting for Allah or simply some Afghani or Arab wanting a sense of justice for his dead family was enough to turn Jack completely away from enlisting. And now here he was, at this moment, he knew exactly why this dog was fighting, and he had no desire to stop him. "So, this is how it ends. I guess it's better this way.”

"What are you doing?!" Emerald Jack asked in a panic. "I thought we were past this!”

Unfortunately, Jack had far from gotten over his cycle of self-loathing. The nightmares were gone, he'd found happiness in his new friends, but the idea that he'd been responsible for so much misery in his past was still ingrained deep in his subconscious. It would not be destroyed so easily.

"If this keeps up, I'll have to…" Emerald Jack thought in a panic. "But if I do that, he could… I'll just have to risk it! What about Rarity?! She's still in danger, isn't she?! Are you just going to let your friend be kidnapped like this?!"

"Rarity!" Jack realized as his eyes lit emerald.

Before the diamond dog could decide how to get his revenge, he was blasted through the wall by a green beam of energy.

"I… understand why you're mad," Jack stated, energy swirling around his hands as he prepared another volley. "I don't blame you either, but so help me, God, I'm going to save my friend!" With his next beam, he blasted a hole in the next wall sidestepping the unconscious dog and his terrified commander to find Spike and the other elements.

"Jack!" shouted Spike.

"Oh, my goodness!" Fluttershy exclaimed. "What happened to your hand?!"

"No time!" Jack snapped. Thanks to his magic, his wounds were already starting to heal, but his hand was still a bloody mess. "We need to find Rarity!"

"What are we waiting for?!" asked Spike, who was perched on Twilight's back.

Using the same spell Rarity had used to mine gems, Twilight lit a path of gems down a corridor. "We're getting close," she said. "I can feel it."

As if on cue, the sound of Rarity crying could be heard echoing from the tunnel ahead of them.

"It's coming from down here!" Spike exclaimed, pointing ahead. "Come on!"

Reaching a large chamber, they could hear Rarity's cries growing louder.

"She must be in there," said Rainbow Dash, noting an iron gate. "Let's go!"

No sooner than Rainbow Dash had spoken, a squad of guard dogs jumped them. Hopping on the ponies' backs and tying ropes around their muzzles.

The dog who attempted to jump Jack quickly found himself slamming face-first into the wall after being hit by a blast of magic, and the dogs who mounted the girls soon found that hanging on to their new workhorses was easier said than done. Like a group of bucking broncos, one by one, the girls sent their riders flying.

"Yeehaw!" Applejack shouted. "Get along, little doggies!"

Hearing crashes from behind the gate, Spike grabbed a stalagmite from the roof and brandished it like a sword. "I'm coming for you, milady," he shouted, still perched on Twilight's back. "Hi-ho, Twilight! Away!"

“And just what do you think you're doing?” Twilight asked with a glare.

"Please, Twilight. Just give me this," Spike asked with a shrug.

"Eh... fine," Twilight sighed.

Rearing her legs, Twilight charged right through the gate.

"Lady Rarity, I'm here to save you!" Spike declared.

Fortunately, it didn't seem like Rarity was the one in need of saving.

"Save us!" the Diamond Dogs shouted. "Please, save us! Make it stop! Please!"

It seemed to be that Rarity's prissy nature had been too much for them, and her constant complaining had nearly driven them insane, and they were quite literally begging for them to take her back.

"Rarity! You're safe!" Spike exclaimed, hugging Rarity as she walked up with a cartload of gems.

"Why, yes," Rarity confirmed. "Hello, girls. You arrived just in time to assist me."

"Assist you with what?" Applejack asked.

"With those," Rarity answered, pointing to no less than seven carts full of gems.

Receiving no resistance from the Diamond Dogs, they grabbed the carts and left for the surface. However, they were far from home free just yet.

"What happened to your hand?" Fluttershy asked Jack.

Jack held up his injured hand. Thanks to his magic, the wound had dried up already, and the bones were beginning to heal. However, there was another wound Jack had to deal with. "I… killed…" he began.

Jack's confession was interrupted by a scream from Rarity. The Diamond dog commander Jack had defeated before had chosen now to make his move. Constraining Rarity to his chest with one paw, he held Jack's Glock to her head with the other. "You made a mistake leaving this on the floor, ape!" he growled. "Now I'm going to take away your friend just like you took mine!"

Spike and the other ponies gasped.

"He… he doesn't mean you…" Twilight stammered.

"No way," said Rainbow Dash.

"Jackie would never…" said Pinkie, her normally unruly mane deflating into straight locks.

"It's gotta be a lie!" shouted Spike. "I don't believe it!"

"Ah don' believe it either," said Applejack, "but he's tellin' the truth."

"No…" Fluttershy whispered. "He's mistaken, right Jack?"

Jack’s Mind

Emerald Jack stared in abject terror as the room around him filled with jade light. "This can't be happening!"

"Free at last!" shouted a maniacal voice.

Diamond Dog Caves

Jack's blue irises were soon filled with a jade glow as the ground beneath him shook violently. Lunging at the Diamond Dog commander, a bright red rose materialized in his now fully healed right hand.

Before the canine even had a chance to touch the trigger, he'd already dropped the weapon. As the dog's paw went limp, Rarity let out yet another scream. The rose had been lodged deep into the dog's jugular. Blood sprayed from his neck like a broken fire hydrant.

Eastern Continent: Unknown Location

Having sensed an intense concentration of chaos magic from the Everfree region, Blutknochen let out a sinister chuckle. "Looks like it's time for Phase Zwei."

Author's Note

I think I'm finally earning that dark tag now. My work schedule is making it incredibly hard to update as often as I'd like. I'm gonna try to go for a minimum of two chapters per month from this point forward. Luckily this may not be a problem for much longer. I have another job interview for an assistant ranger position at a different park this coming Wednesday. In other news, I'll be getting a root canal in August, and I'm trying to get out of my lease because my landlord is refusing to make repairs that South Carolina law says he's required to make.
Next Time: As Jack's chaos magic goes out of control, the Mane Six just barely manage to calm him down. But before anyone has a chance to recover, Captain Flash Sentry arrives and enlists Jack to help defend San Franciscolt from an attack by a particularly powerful pony.

Chapter 35: Jaded Hellfire (Last Edited: 11/11/2022)

September 6, 2020

Ponyville Gem Mines

Spike and the Mane Six stood in silent horror as Jack yanked the rose from the Diamond Dog Commander's throat, unleashing a gush of blood. The dog fell to the floor convulsing violently, and in less than two minutes, the light left his eyes as he lay still in a pool of his own blood.

"J-Jack?" Fluttershy called nervously.

Turning around and locking his jade eyes on his adoptive mother, the human said, "Jack's not here right now."

"Seriously?!" Twilight asked in astonishment. "Your joking?! Do you have any idea what you just did?!"

"What the hay were you thinking, Jack?!" Rainbow Dash asked. "I thought you were cool!"

Jack's eyes briefly switched to emerald. "Run! This isn't the Jack you know!" he shouted before his eyes flickered back to jade.

"Wh-What do you mean, Jackie?" Pinkie Pie stammered, trying not to look at the dead Diamond Dog. "We-we can see you right there."

Before anyone else could speak, they were interrupted by a rumbling sound. Stalactites began to rain from the ceiling as Jack's body was enveloped by a woody trunk growing from the floor. As the trunk rose, it pushed through the ground destabilizing the cave system.

"We need to get out of here!" Twilight shouted.

"What about Jack?" asked Spike.

Before Twilight could answer, a massive slab of stone fell between them and Jack.

"There's no time!"

As Spike and the girls turned to retreat to the surface, they noticed that Rarity wasn't moving. The shock of what she'd just witnessed had been too much for her, and she simply stood in place staring at the dead Diamond Dog, whose blood plastered her face.

"Come on, Rarity!" Spike shouted. "We need to go!"

Seeing that Rarity wasn't responding, the Mane Six rushed to her aid. With Rainbow Dashe's help, Applejack lifted Rarity onto her back, and they ran into the caves.

They retraced their steps as quickly as they could, narrowly avoiding terrified Diamond Dogs and falling chunks of stone. When they reached the surface, they found things weren't much better. Packs of Diamond Dogs poured from several holes in the ground, literally crawling over each other to escape the collapsing tunnels. Pillars of rock collapsed as the ground beneath them shook like a car with bad suspension. Roughly seven hundred yards from where they had emerged stood a two-hundred-foot-tall tree surrounded by a jade aura.

"Jack!" Fluttershy shouted, pushing off the ground in his direction.

Seeing her friend about to attempt something foolish, Applejack grabbed Fluttershy's tail in her teeth. "Whoa Nelly, Fluttershy! What in tarnation do ya think yer doin'?"

"We need to save Jack!" Fluttershy exclaimed.

"We need to get out of here!" Twilight said. "Didn't you see what he did? He murdered that Diamond Dog! What if he kills us too?"

"Why would he kill us?" Spike asked. "It looked like he was protecting Rarity to me."

"That's right!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed. "Jack's done nothing but help us since he got here. He saved you and the Crusaders from Morte, he helped us fight against the hydra when it attacked Ponyville, and even though I treated him like dirt when he first got here, he forgave me! Why would he do any of that if he were a bad guy?!"

"That's right, Jackie isn't a murderer!" Pinkie agreed.

"We all heard Applejack," Twilight continued. "That Diamond Dog was telling the truth when he said Jack killed his friend. Who was he protecting then?"

"Ah don' know Twi," said Applejack. "But Ah reckon we at least owe it tuh him tuh hear his side of the story. Ah know this is gonna sound strange, but whatever we saw in the cave wasn't Jack. When it said 'Jack ain't here,' that wasn't a lie."

"But that doesn't make any sense!" Twilight shouted. "Unless…"

"Unless what?" Spike asked.

"Some forms of magic are parasitic in nature," Twilight answered. "When used recklessly, these kinds of magic can take control over the user's mind, especially when the host is emotionally vulnerable."

"So then, what's the plan?" asked Rainbow Dash.

"If his mind has been corrupted by magic, we'll need to interrupt the spell," Twilight explained. "I think if Fluttershy could get close enough to use her stare, we might be able to snap him out of it."

"That's great and all, but…" Applejack said, pointing to where several long vines were bursting from Jack's tree. These vines whipped and weaved like the tentacles of some eldritch entity, plucking Diamond Dogs from the ground and flinging them into the sky. "Ah think it might be easier said than done."

"Right," Twilight murmured. "Here's the plan. Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and I will split up and try to keep the vines occupied. Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash will get Fluttershy close enough to use her stare."

"What about me?" asked Spike.

"Stay with Rarity!" called Twilight as she and the rest of the Mane Six charged toward Jack.

Halfway to Jack, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy split off from the others to maintain the element of surprise for as long as possible.

Hoping to gain Jack's attention Twilight unleashed a burst of magic at a small hole in the tree containing his body. This seemed to do the trick, and the vine burst forth like vipers striking at a rat.

"Scatter!" cried Twilight.

Applejack ducked under a rock while Pinkie danced between the vines as if it were a ballet. Twilight furiously teleported away each time a vine came close to snagging her.

Once Rainbow Dash was sure the vines were properly occupied, she sprung into action. Within seconds she was approaching the sound barrier. "You might want to cover your ears," she said to Fluttershy.

"Cover my…?" Fluttershy began.

Before Fluttershy could finish her question, there was a burst of color, and they zoomed toward Jack trailing a rainbow behind them.

Jack’s Mind

Both Jack and his emerald counterpart were chained to a wall, helplessly watching through the eye-shaped windows.

"Let us go!" Emerald Jack shouted.

"I would, but I don't think that's what our host wants," Jade Jack said, running his fingers through Jack's curly blond locks. "Now, is it?" he asked.

Jack said nothing and simply continued staring.

"I can't say I blame you," Jade Jack laughed. "You killed Yuri's dog, ruined Mark's chances at love, broke Bryce's family apart, watched Chase die, and now… you've killed multiple people."

"Don't listen to him!" Emerald Jack shouted. "You've done so much good!"

"Such pointless words," Jade Jack scoffed. "He's practically mine already!" Lifting Jack's chin to stare him in the eye he said, "Just say the word, and I'll take full control. You'll be free of responsibility, free of guilt, even free of sin. Doesn't that sound nice?"

"He's lying!" Emerald Jack shouted.

"Why don't we let him think for himself?" Jade Jack asked. "He's a free thinker, after all. It's not like he needs to rely on others' advice to make decisions."

"Free thinking?!" Emerald Jack asked indignantly. "You're playing with his emotions. That's not free-thinking. That's manipulation! Come on, Jack, your ability to think critically has always been your best quality. This guy is selling more bullshit than a Nigerian prince!"

"What'll it be, Jack?" asked Jade Jack.

"I…" Jack started.

Ponyville Gem Mines

"We're coming in hot!" Rainbow Dash shouted as they approached Jack.

"Wh-what does that mean!" Fluttershy screamed.

"Brace for impact!" Rainbow Dash shouted as she slammed into the tree trunk beside Jack. "Oof, I'm gonna feel that in the morning!" she grunted.

"Are you alright?" Fluttershy asked in concern.

"I'll be fine," Rainbow Dash panted. "Hurry up and use the stare!"

Nodding, Fluttershy closed in until she was face to face with Jack. "Calm down," she soothingly said, unleashing her piercing gaze. "It's not your fault. Nopony's mad at you."

Jack’s Mind

"I…"

"Calm down."

"Fluttershy?" Jack asked.

"It's not your fault. Nopony's mad at you."

All at once, Jack's negative feelings were pushed to the back of his mind. Taking a deep breath, he looked his Jade counterpart in the eye with a stern glare. "I refuse," he said firmly.

"So be it," Jade Jack snarled. "You haven't heard the last of me," he said, fading away.

Ponyville Gem Mines

Fluttershy let out a sigh of relief as the jade left Jack's eyes. Unfortunately, the tree disappeared soon after, and she found herself and Jack in free fall.

"I've got you!" Rainbow Dash shouted, scooping her and Jack out of the sky.

"Thank you, Rainbow Dash," Fluttershy said.

"You know you can fly, right?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Oh…" Fluttershy chuckled in embarrassment. "Right."

When they reached the ground, they found Twilight and the others waiting for them.

"You did it!" Pinkie Pie shouted.

"That was right impressive, you two," Applejack complimented.

"Is he awake?" Twilight asked. "He has a lot to answer for."

"And answer he will…" announced a voice from behind them.

Turning, the Mane six found Captain Flash Sentry and a flight of Naval Air Ponies marching toward them.

"But for now, there are more important matters to attend to," Flash Sentry finished.

"More important?" Spike asked as he arrived with Rarity. "Rarity's dealing with shell shock, and you think there's something more important?!"

"Rest assured, your friend will receive the best care the E.U.P can offer, but it is urgent that Private Jager report to San Franciscolt immediately," Flash Sentry explained.

"He's in no condition to go anywhere!" Twilight argued. "Surely, you saw what happened. For all, we know it could start again any second. What could possibly be more important than studying this phenomenon?"

"San Franciscolt is under attack," Flash Sentry explained. "All reserve forces have been called up in defense of the city. Now hoof Private Jager over.”

Seeing no other option, Twilight nodded reluctantly and allowed Flash sentry's troops to take custody of Jack's unconscious body.

Sky on Route to San Franciscolt

Having been out of it for an hour and a half, Jack found himself waking to a pulsing headache. "Arrgh, what happened?" he groaned, rubbing his head. Opening his eyes and glancing around, he then asked, "And where am I?"

"To answer your second question, you're in Captain Flash Sentry's personal chariot en route to San Franciscolt," said a brown pegasus with a quiver and longbow strapped to his back. "As for the first question, I'd like to know that myself."

"And who are you?" Jack asked.

"Lieutenant Longbow," the pegasus answered. "I normally act as Captain Flash Sentry's secretary, but for this op, I'll be your CO."

"Op?" Jack asked. "What's going on here?"

"You mean you haven't been briefed?" Longbow asked, only just failing to suppress the look of surprise on his face.

Jack shook his head.

"Let's bring you up to speed then," Longbow said. "At approximately 15:12 this afternoon, a fire broke out in Downtown San Fransiscolt. As per protocol, the local fire brigade was called in almost immediately. However, the fireponies soon found that neither water nor sand had any effect on the flames. Shortly after, a deranged pony, calling himself Damned, was discovered using magic to set more flames. The local guard unit was sent to confront him, but they were almost completely wiped out."

"One unicorn did all that?" Jack asked.

“No, one earthpony did all that,” Longbow corrected. "By all known methods of magic, it should be impossible, but this one earthpony has spells so powerful that the Captains have agreed it warrants a joint operation by all four E.U.P branches."

"We'll be reaching the defensive perimeter in 5 minutes!" Flash Sentry called. "Captain Spitfire and a flight of Wonderbolts will be rendezvousing with us outside Shining Armor's dome!"

When the Captains had arrived with their elite teams, Shining Armor had set up a powerful barrier at the center of town. Three Arrows had been tasked with leading civilians into the safety of the dome, while Spitfire had been charged with patrolling the exterior of the dome. Initially, Spitfire was set to retrieve Jack, but Flash Sentry had insisted on being the one to do so.

Sure enough, Spitfire was there waiting for them when they reached the dome. "Took you long enough!" she shouted.

"Lay off me, Spitty," Flash Sentry scoffed. "I did the job, didn't I?"

"I thought I told you not to call me that!" Spitfire fumed.

"Oh, come on," Flash Sentry pouted. "Surely…"

"Incoming!!!!!" shouted Soarin, Spitfire's secretary.

Spitfire and Flash Sentry just barely dodged a massive fireball, but unfortunately, neither of them was the target. The fireball smashed into the chariot Jack and Longbow were in, knocking them out of the sky and into the redwood forest outside the city.

Once Spitfire regained her bearings, she asked Flash Sentry, "did you see where they landed?"

"No," Flash Sentry answered. "I'm afraid not."

"I'll send out a search flight!" Spitfire said frantically.

"No!" Flash Sentry said. "Let's find Shining Armor and Three Arrows. The Army and the Guard are better suited for the forest."

White Tail Woods

Longbow was the first to regain his senses. Spotting Jack in a pile of chariot wreckage, he moved to check on the human. "You ok, Jack?" he asked, shaking him lightly.

"I'm fine," Jack groaned. "Just had the wind knocked out of me."

"Good, I'm gonna find Captain Flash Sentry," Longbow said. "He should still be… ow!" he shouted as he attempted to open his wings.

"What's wrong?" Jack asked.

"I think I pulled a wing," Longbow winced. "You alright going on foot?"

"Sure…?" Jack said uncertainly. "Mind if I ask you something first?"

"Ask away."

"The other officers I've talked to tend to address me by my rank or my last name if I'm lucky," Jack noted. "Why are you so informal?"

"I may have overheard Captain Shining Armor and Captain Flash Sentry talking about you," Longbow answered. "You don't really want to be here, do you?"

"I don't, but why does that matter to you?"

"I never really wanted to join either," Longbow admitted. "My family have been Military Class for generations. I only signed on because my father kept pressuring me to follow the family tradition. I don't know exactly what was happening before Captain Flash Sentry picked you up, but it didn't look pleasant. I can see why the top brass are so interested in you, though. That was some serious power!"

"Honestly, I don't remember much about what happened today," Jack said. "I think I was supposed to help Rarity collect gemstones for a dress, but other than that, I'm drawing a blank."

San Fransicolt City Hall

The city center was crowded from all the ponies sheltering inside Shining Armor's dome. Scorch marks could be seen covering the buildings and streets from the battle between Damned and the Captains before securing the area for civilian shelter. The citizens murmured worriedly as Flash Sentry and Spitfire approached where Shining Armor was concentrating on his shield.

"Where's Private Jager?" Shining Armor asked.

"His chariot was shot down over the White Tail Woods," Spitfire reported. "We've come to request a search unit to find him."

"Lieutenant Sunrise Glow?" Shining armor requested.

"Sir!" Sunrise Glow exclaimed with a salute.

"I want you to find Captain Three Arrows and request his aid in searching for Private Jager," Shining Armor ordered.

"Yes, Sir!" Sunrise Glow shouted.

"How is this guy so powerful?" Shining Armor asked himself. "My magic ranks me in the top three unicorns of Equestria. I shouldn't need a joint operation for one earth pony. Smashing a hoof against the wall of a skyscraper whispered to himself, "No wonder Princess Celestia doesn't trust me with the Element's protection. What use am I, really?"

White Tail Woods

September 7, 2020

It was already getting dark when Jack and Longbow began their trek through the woods. As such, they soon set up camp for the night. When they woke up and continued their search for a way out, they found themselves in a far more intimate conversation than either had expected. While they had initially been discussing each other's military careers, they had now reached the topic of each other's family lives. Although Jack's origins were supposed to be privy, only to those on the Royal Court and the bearers of the Elements of Harmony, Jack's lips had gotten dangerously loose as the conversation went on.

"So, what will you tell them when it's time for you to go back home?" Longbow asked.

"I don't really know," Jack admitted. "Fluttershy sees me like a son, I'm pretty much the only guy who hangs out with Spike regularly, and Apple Bloom has a crush on me. I know I can't just leave without saying goodbye, but I have no idea how to go about doing it. Apple Bloom and Spike don't even know I'll be leaving one day. I can't just up and disappear without telling them. I don't see Apple Bloom the way she sees me, but I don't want to break her heart."

"Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, too, right?" Longbow asked.

"I suppose I'll have to explain things to them as well, but it's not like they feel the same way as Apple Bloom."

"I'm starting to see why you weren't able to figure out that poor filly's feelings on your own," Longbow chuckled. "The most obvious signs and they go right over your head."

"Oh, don't be ridiculous," Jack dismissed.

"You'll find out for yourself eventually," Longbow chuckled. "I'll have to visit Ponyville next time I'm on leave. The antics you and those Crusader fillies get up to sound more fun than anything I've done in years!"

"You know, I'd like that," Jack said. In the short time he'd known Longbow, he'd already started considering him a friend. "Huh, we should be there by now. Are you sure we're going the right way?"

"I was following you," Longbow admitted.

"So we're lost then?" Jack asked.

"Seems like it," Longbow confirmed.

"Well, that's just typical," Jack muttered. He fished around his pocket for his phone, but the device was nowhere to be found. Unfortunate, as his compass app could have come in handy. Strangely the only object he seemed to have on him was his knife. "Could have sworn I grabbed my phone and gun before I left Fluttershy's. Did I drop them?"

"Well, well, well…" said a voice from behind them. "I must be losing my touch because you should be a pile of ash, human!"

Whipping their heads around, Jack and Longbow discovered the source of the voice to be an earth pony stallion. He had a red coat, black mane, red eyes, and his cutie mark was a flaming pentagram.

"What are you supposed to be?" Jack asked. "Pony Satan?"

"The name's Damned," the pony sneered. "Now die knowing you're nothing compared to the Element of Wrath!" he shouted, launching a stream of flames at Jack and Longbow.

With no time to dodge, Jack used his magic to strip the surrounding trees of their leaves and form a ball between himself and Damned's flames. As planned, the leaf ball blocked the attack.

"Good thinking, Jack!" Longbow exclaimed as the flaming leaves fluttered to the ground. "Keep him busy while I find a good position to shoot from!" he ordered, taking off into the woods.

"I'm disappointed!" Damned shouted with an unhinged grin. "I'm not surprised your friend ran away but, I thought humans were supposed to be some of the best fighters Equus had ever seen. What's the fun in killing you if you're just gonna put up a shield?!"

"You're with them, right!?" Jack asked. "The Elements of Chaos!?"

“Less talking, more FIGHTING!!!!” Damned roared as his mane ignited. "Blutknochen thinks you're hot shit, but to me, your nothing! Put up a fight or let my Hellfire burn you with the rest!”

"Alright, then take this!" Jack shouted, gathering the remaining leaves in the air and launching them from above like sleet.

Damned unleashed a spear of flames around his body, reducing Jack's attack to cinders. “Is that the best you have, bitch!? You really think you can beat my Hellfire with plants!?"

"Not really," Jack admitted.

A twinkle of light could be seen from a distance. With a thwack, Longbow unleashed an arrow from his bow.

Unfortunately, Damned intercepted the arrow with a fireball, which incinerated it and continued onto the trunk Longbow was hiding behind, lighting all nearby trees in its path. Longbow rolled away from the tree just in the nick of time as it lit up like an oil rig.

"Fuck on out of here, sideliner!" Damned shouted. "This is between me and the human!" No sooner had Damned finished shouting was he blasted in the face by an emerald beam. "Taking fucking cheap shots, are we?!" he growled, completely unphased. Unleashing a torrent of flames from his mouth, Damned formed a ball the size of Fluttershy's cottage. "Let's see how you like this!" he exclaimed, launching the ball towards Jack.

"Oh shit!" Jack yelled, scampering away from the fireball like an antelope from a lion.

The fireball hit the floor and exploded, unleashing a shockwave that knocked Jack fifty feet away headfirst into the trunk of a massive redwood.

Jack’s Mind

Memories of the day before came flooding into Jack's mind, Rarity being kidnapped, shooting the Diamond Dog soldier, and even being possessed by Jade Jack.

"How's about that deal?" Jade Jack asked.

"Where's…?" Jack began.

"The emerald stick in the mud?" Jade Jack asked. "Not here right now. No interruptions today," he reported with a smug grin."

"My answer is still no," Jack said firmly.

"You sure?" Jade Jack asked. "At your level, the Chaos of Nature isn't particularly useful against fire magic. With me in control, though…"

"No!" Jack repeated. "After what you did to my friends, it'll take way more than that for me to trust you."

"Suit yourself," Jade Jack scowled as he faded into the darkness.

Almost as soon as Jade Jack had left, Emerald Jack popped up in his place.

"Where were you?" Jack asked.

"Sorry about that," Emerald Jack panted. "He's able to block us from communicating when he wants to. The only reason he's letting us talk now is because you rejected his help, and he needs you alive. You rejected him pretty quickly. Am I safe to assume this means you have a plan?"

"Yes," Jack answered. "Remember that environmental history course back in our sophomore year?"

October 5, 2018

Coastal Carolina University: Edwards College of Humanities and Fine Arts

"However, California's firefighting policies had some unwanted effects on the redwood population," the professor explained as Jack took notes. "Redwoods require the heat from forest fires to reproduce. The sudden lack of burning meant that no new saplings were sprouting."

Jack raised his hand.

"Yes, Mr. Jager?" asked the professor.

"How can a tree require fire to reproduce?" he asked. "It seems like that would be counterproductive since they are made of wood."

"An excellent question!" the professor said excitedly. "Unlike most plants, redwoods are incredibly fire-resistant. While other plants are burned away, the redwoods survive with nothing more than scars on their trunks while their saplings thrive in the rich soil created from the burn."

Present Time

White Tail Woods

"Looks like Blutknochen was wrong about you, human," Damned scowled at Jack. "You're weak!"

Jack's eyes shot open, glowing brilliant emerald. "I wouldn't be so sure about that!" he shouted, plunging a fist deep into the redwood's bark.

With a crack, chunks of bark began peeling off the tree and attaching to Jack's body, forming a thick armor.

"You think tree bark is going to protect you from my Hellfire?!" Damned asked incredulously. "Die!" he scowled, unleashing a torrent of flame. The surrounding vegetation was soon replaced by a sea of flame.

Thinking he'd just roasted Jack alive, Damned began laughing like a crazed hyena. "That was it?! That's all the Chaos of Nature can do?!!"

To his shock, Jack burst through the flames clad in his redwood armor, brandishing his knife. Caught completely off guard, he winced as Jack plunged the blade into his shoulder, yanking it clean out soon after.

"Ahh, you bitch!!!" Damned screamed.

"Surrender!" Jack shouted as the flames subsided.

"Great work, Jack!" Longbow congratulated, rushing out of his hiding spot.

“SHOULD HAVE GONE FOR THE NECK!!!!!” Damned shrieked, launching a stream of fire at Longbow.

"NO!!!" Jack shouted, watching helplessly as Longbow lit up like a Christmas tree.

“Aiiiiiiiiiiieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeerrrrgh!” Longbow cried, as his flush was consumed by the flames.

It was at that moment that Three Arrows and Sunrise Glow arrived with a platoon of soldiers.

"You're not as pathetic as I thought, human," Damned muttered before his body burst into flame and disappeared into the sky like a solar flare.

"Are you ok?" Sunrise Glow asked Jack.

"Lo..Longbow," Jack muttered, weakly pointing to the lieutenant's charred form.

"Medic!" Three Arrows called.

Unknown Location

Later that Night

"Distant Flare!" Damned shouted, releasing a wave of flames from his mouth.

The flames congregated in the sky, forming an image of an alicorn.

"How was he?" Blutknochen asked.

"I never even used a fifth of my power against him, but I'll admit I was impressed," Damned reported. "I can't wait to fight him again," he said, grinning maniacally.

Author's Note

I think this turned out alright. Fight scenes could use a bit more detail, but other than that, I'm quite proud.
Next Time: As Rarity recovers from the shock of what happened at the gem mines, she asks Fluttershy to help model some dresses for her. Meanwhile, Jack is having an even harder time recovering from the incidents, and Oni-Hime takes the chance to get to know him better.

Chapter 36: Aftermath (Last Edited: 11/12/2022)

September 7, 2020

Canterlot Castle

Once the Sanfranciscolt was secured, Jack was sent to Canterlot in chains to be brought before Celestia.

“What happened?” Celestia asked sternly.

Jack gripped his chains nervously. “Me and Lieutenant Longbow were shot down…”

“I’m not talking about San Franciscolt, Jack,” Celestia interrupted. “What happened with the Diamond Dogs?”

“Oh… that.”

Jack explained how Rarity had been kidnapped, how he had shot one of the Diamond Dog guards, and how one of the surviving dogs had taken his Glock and threatened to kill Rarity.

“After that, there was a Jade flash,” Jack explained. “I was vaguely aware of what I was doing, but I didn’t have any control over myself. Normally when I enter Chaos Mode, there’s an Emerald entity that helps me control it, but this time there was a Jade entity. He was the one in control. If it weren’t for Fluttershy, I don’t think I would have been able to snap out of it.”

A somber frown replaced Celestia’s stern glare. “I was afraid of this,” she said as she unlocked Jack’s chains. “Chaos magic is highly parasitic in nature. Those who use it must be emotionally stable. The more emotional turmoil the host has in their heart, the more susceptible they are to being possessed.”

“Why didn’t you tell me before?” Jack asked.

“I was afraid that informing you might cause you anxiety and make you more vulnerable,” Celestia answered. “In hindsight, that was a mistake. I’ll have a private coach readied to send you back to Ponyville. I’ve also requested that you be put on leave until further notice. I only ask that you use this time to sort out your issues as best you can.”

Part of Jack wanted to go straight to the station and head home, but there was one thing he needed to know first. “What happened to Longbow?”

Celestia grimaced. “I suppose there’s no hiding it at this point. Lieutenant Longbow suffered from fourth-degree burns. By the time he reached the hospital, it was already too late.”

A single tear fell from Jack’s left eye.

"Were the two of you close?" Celestia asked.

"Not exactly," Jack answered. "But while we were in the forest, I found the two of us had a bit in common. I think we would have been good friends if he was still here."

“I’m so sorry,” Celestia comforted. “Based on reports, it would seem the two of you faced one of the Elements of Chaos. You did all you could.”

September 14, 2020

Fluttershy's Cottage

Jack sighed as he got out of bed to brush his teeth. Longbow's death weighed heavily on his shoulders, as did his killing of the diamond dog. As he scrubbed his teeth with the toothbrush, he felt one tooth moving ever so slightly. Under different circumstances he'd have thought it amusing that he now had baby teeth again. He might have tried to get a few bits from Fluttershy by explaining the concept of the Tooth Fairy. But he wasn't in the mood to care.

Ponyville Spa

Fluttershy was waiting patiently in the spa’s lobby for Rarity. They met there weekly to hang out, but today Rarity was running late.

“Are you going to use zee spa, darling?” asked Lotus, a blue earth pony mare from Trotholm who operated the spa with her sister.

“Oh, um, yes,” Fluttershy answered. “I’m just waiting for my friend.”

The front door slowly opened, revealing a very disheveled Rarity. Her eyes were red and puffy, her mane looked as if it hadn’t been quaffed in days, her fur was matted, and her snow-white complexion had been so tainted with dirt that it had faded to a greyer color. “S-sorry, I’m l-late, Fluttershy. I haven’t b-been feeling well since… you know.”

“That’s oka…” Fluttershy started.

“Sweat Celestia!” Lotus cried upon seeing Rarity. “Aloe, we have an emergency!”

The two spa ponies rushed into the lobby and dragged Rarity into the sauna as Fluttershy nervously followed.

Once they were situated, Fluttershy timidly tried to make conversation. “We… um… haven’t seen much of you lately, Rarity. Is everything ok?”

“Well, to be honest…” Rarity began. “No. I’ve barely b-been able to walk out my door since the mines…” Rarity continued to ramble until it came time to apply mud masks. “I’ve been t-to nervous to talk to anypony. I even considered s-skipping our weekly get-together.”

Aloe and Lotus brought out a couple of cucumber slices and placed them over Rarity’s eyes as was the usual for her.

“EEEEEIIIIKKKK!” Rarity shrieked, throwing the vegetables away. “Get these disgusting plants off me!”

Although mildly shocked by Rarity’s response Aloe and Lotus decided to simply move on to the massages.

“So-o, a-any-y wa-ay…” Rarity said as her massage continued. “Wh-ile I-I wa-as o-on my-y w-ay he-ere I-I ra-an i-into-o Pho-oto-o Fi-ini-ishe-ed.”

“Photo Finish?” Fluttershy asked.

“She-e’s a-a fa-amou-us pho-ota-agra-aphe-er,” Rarity explained. “I-I Tri-ed to
sho-ow h-er my-y lat-est de-sign-s bu-ut she-e r-an a-way whe-en she-e sa-aw my-y ma-ane."
As the conversation continued, Lotus and Aloe led them to the mud baths, deciding to skip out of Rarity’s usual seaweed wrap for fear of another freakout.

"I j-just wish she would have given me a ch-chance," Rarity lamented as they began their hot towel wrap.

"Maybe there's still a chance?" Fluttershy asked.

"I doubt it," Rarity sighed.

Ponyville Elementary School

Jack silently watched the clock as Cheerilee went on with her lesson. He’d done this before back home. His first two years of elementary school were spent mainly staring at the clock, waiting to go home. Although that was due to his autism, this… this was something else. His autism made him socially awkward in school, but he was still plenty interested in his surroundings. Now he was just empty, numb to everything other than his own self-pity. He was no stranger to death, the first anniversary of Chase's death was only weeks away. A fact that only served to amplify the pain. The Crusader’s attempts to play with him, Diamond Tiara’s teasing, these things may as well have not existed. He’d drown it all out with his earbuds. Not a hard task considering most ponies had no clue what a phone or earbuds were.

He’d kept one earbud out so he could hear what was going on around him. Sakura Blossom had returned to class after a week-long absence. Her groupies had been ecstatic to see her return, but Jack couldn't have cared less.

Unable to get Jack’s attention, the Crusaders had all made separate plans for the afternoon. Sweetie Belle was going to learn how to cook from her parents. Scootaloo’s parents had just returned home for the first time in half a year after going on a safari in Tanzinzebra. Needless to say, the orange filly planned to spend as much time with them as possible before they departed for their next adventure. Finally, Apple Bloom had decided to reconnect with Twist seeing as they hadn’t really hung out since the Crusaders formed.

The bell rang, and Jack walked aimlessly outside with the rest of the class.

“Thith ith gonna be tho fun!” he could hear Twist say as she and Apple Bloom left for Sweet Apple Acres.

Jack sighed and marched over to a shady tree where he planned to sulk for the rest of the day.

“Hey, ape!” shouted Diamond Tiara.

Ignoring the bully, Jack put in the other earbud and turned the volume up to max.

After spending five minutes spitting insults at Jack, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon decided his lack of response meant they’d been successful. “Bump, bump, sugar lump, rump!” they shouted, doing their secret hoofshake before leaving.

“Ugh,” Jack sighed. “Why does everything I do result in other people’s misery?”

There was no answer, of course. His emerald counterpart was blocked out by his jade one.

He was vaguely aware of someone approaching him but chose to ignore it.

“What’s wrong, Jack-sama?” Sakura Blossom asked.

Jack sighed louder and turned his music up. He was about to go back to his sulking when he felt something wet on his right cheek. Snapping back to reality, he saw Sakura pulling her head back from his face. “Did you just…?” he asked, in a mixture of shock and irritation.

“Had to get your attention somehow, didn’t I?” Sakura giggled. “Dō shita no?”

Jack was by no means fluent in Japanese, or any other language besides English, but he'd picked up enough from anime to know what she said. “You wouldn’t understand,” he sighed.

“Oh?” Sakura asked. “I think you might be surprised.”

“I doubt that,” Jack scoffed. “What would you know about what I’m going through? We’re nothing alike.”

“You and I are more alike than you think, Jack-sama,” Sakura replied.

“Someone died because of me!” Jack shouted. “How could you understand that?! You’re just a kid.”

Sakura smiled sadly, “Remember when you saw my demon form?”

Jack nodded.

“There’s a reason I asked you not to tell anypony,” Sakura sighed. “In Neighpon us, demon ponies are seen as cursed. We were hunted ruthlessly by Neighponese of other races until we were driven to the northernmost islands. “Those of us who stayed behind were forced to disguise ourselves, to live in constant fear, because if we were ever found out…”

April 15, 1723

Kyotack, Neighpon

Oni-Hime smiled as she tied her yukata. She’d been looking forward to Sakuramatsuri for months. There was a certain colt from town she had her eyes on, and today she would make her move.

Next to Oni-Hime stood another mare who resembled her in every way except for age. “Be careful out there, Hime,” the mare said worriedly. “Whatever you do, don’t show your true form. If anypony asks about your wings or tail…”

“I tell them I’m part thestral,” Oni-Hime finished. “I’ll be fine, Okkasan!”

Later that evening

“Ē to, Tako-Kun?” Oni-Hime asked timidly.

“Huh?” asked a red colt in a blue yukata. “Oh, hey, Hime-senpai!”

“I, uh, wanted to ask you something,” Oni-Hime said shyly.

“Nani?” asked Tako.

“Would you…” Oni-Hime took a deep breath. “WOULD YOU LIKE TO WATCH THE FIREWORKS WITH ME?!!” she shouted, blushing furiously.

“Hai,” Tako answered with a wide grin. “I’d love to.”

As the sun set, they set out for a hill just outside town to get a good view of the display. Tako said he knew of a shortcut through several back alleys which he eagerly led Oni-Hime through.

“We’re halfway there!” Tako called.

“Um, maybe we should go back,” Oni-Hime responded, nervously staring at an unkempt stallion smoking a pipe. “This place seems shady.”

“Don’t worry. I come here all the…” Tako was stopped mid-sentence by a lanky stallion holding a Kaiken to his throat.

“You should listen to your special somepony,” the stallion said. “This is no place for foals.”

“Let me go!” Tako shouted.

“No, no, I’m afraid I can’t do that,” the stallion said. “There are plenty of daimyo who’d pay a good price for slaves of the… younger variety.” Looking at Oni-Hime, he said. “You’ll come quietly, I expect. If you don’t, I’ll have to slit his throat. That’d be such a waste, but I’m sure you understand. Fillies are far more valuable than colts.”

"B-but slavery is illegal," Tako whimpered.

"When you are a daimyo, you need not concern yourself with legality," the stallion sneered.

“Let us go,” Oni-Hime hissed with a glare.

“Nani?” asked the stallion. “I must have misheard you. It sounds…”

“LET US GO OR ELSE!” Oni-Hime shrieked.

“Calm down, or I slit…”

“Chikushō!!” Oni-Hime cried as she entered her demon form.

“Akuma!” the stallion gasped, dropping his knife in shock.

In the blink of an eye, Oni-Hime sank her spiked hooves into the stallion’s side, causing him to howl in pain. Sinking her razor-like fangs into his neck, she could taste the iron in his blood. When she let go, the stallion collapsed into a red pool.

“Are you ok, Tako-Kun?” Oni-Hime asked, her lips still stained with the stallion’s blood.

Tako didn’t answer her. Picking up the discarded knife, he stared at her as if she were a rabid dog.

“Is everything alright?” Oni-Hime asked. “We can still make it in time for the fireworks if we hurry!”

“Stay away from me!” Tako shouted. “You disgusting creature.”

At that moment, Oni-Hime’s heart shattered like glass.

Present Time

Ponyville Schoolyard

“After that, Tako-Kun told his parents about me,” Sakura said with a sad sigh. “The next day, my Oka-San sent me to fetch some water. When I came back, I found the town's ponies chanting about killing demons as they watched our house burn with my Oka-San inside.” A tear dropped from her right eye. “If I hadn’t shown my true form, if I’d just listened to her, she’d still be here.”

“So then, that’s why you were living in the forest,” Jack surmised. “You must’ve slipped aboard the first ship you found and wound up in Equestria. I’m sorry, my sulking brought back such horrible memories.”

“Don’t be sorry,” Sakura requested with a smile. “I think talking about it with somepony who understands is comforting. Don’t you?”

“Yeah,” Jack said with a weak smile. “I guess so.”

Fluttershy’s Cottage

“You look better,” Fluttershy said to Jack as they ate dinner. “You got back from school pretty late. Did something happen?”

“Not really,” Jack answered. “Just had a chat with Sakura. It’s funny out of all the ponies in my life, I’d have never guessed she’d be the one to understand.”

“Oh, I didn’t realize you’d found a special somepony,” Fluttershy murmured.

“Special what?!” Jack asked, almost choking on his vegetables. “I assure you there’s no chance of that! We just have similar experiences.”

“Oh, I’m sorry, I assumed,” Fluttershy responded. “Um, what kind of experiences?”

“Uh, being adopted and whatnot,” Jack answered, not wanting to discuss his friend’s business behind her back. “Enough about my day! How was the spa? Is Rarity doing any better?”

“Not really,” Fluttershy answered sadly. “She can’t even think about you without freaking out. Apparently, she ran into a famous photographer today."

"Oh that's good at least," Jack said.

"I didn't finish," Fluttershy sighed. "She hasn't been maintaining herself lately. I don't want to be rude, but with the way she looked when she showed up to our spa day, I... well I wasn't surprised to hear Photo Finish wasn't interested."

"Oh," Jack said softly. "Well then we'd better go talk to her!" he declared. "I'm sure if we just show this Photo Finish what Rarity has to offer, she'll be delighted to collaborate! What are friends for, after all?!"

“Who are you to talk?” Jade Jack asked. “This is your fault, to begin with, isn’t it?”

“I think you mean it was your fault!” Jack replied defensively.

“I am a part of you,” Jade Jack sneered. “Any control I had over you was thanks to your own mental weaknesses.”

“Weakness I no longer have!” Jack declared.

“Are you sure?” Jade Jack asked. “Your little demon girlfriend may have you in a good mood for now, but the mere fact that I’m the one speaking to you and that emerald pest is nowhere to be found is proof otherwise.”

“Shut up!” Jack shouted.

“I-I’m sorry,” Fluttershy whimpered.

Jack’s heart sank.

“I rest my case,” Jade Jack chuckled.

Author's Note

I had initially planned to release the entirety of the events Green isn't your Color in this chapter, but as the end of the month approached, it became abundantly clear that doing so would make keeping my deadline of two chapters per month impossible. Under normal circumstances, this wouldn't have been an issue. Unfortunately, my roommate moved out a few days ago and decided to spend the last few days here vehemently attempting to convince me of every Alex Jones conspiracy theory imaginable, and that took a lot of the time I could have been writing.
Next Time: As Fluttershy reluctantly acts as a model for Rarity's clothing, both Rarity and Jack must come to terms with what happened in the gem mines.

Chapter 37: Green isn't your Color (Last Edited: 11/13/2022)

September 15, 2020

Ponyville Station

Jack had made record time to the station upon learning Photo Finish was set to leave. He was out of breath, but he had to make things right. "Wait!!!!!!" he called after her as she stepped onto the platform.

Seeing Jack bolting toward her Photo Finish lowered her glasses and signaled her subordinates to get her equipment ready. "To what do I, Photo Finish, owe ze pleasure of speaking to Equestria's rarest creature?!!!" she asked dramatically.

"Give Rarity another chance," Jack panted. "Please."

"Who is this Rarity?" Photo Finish asked.

"Unicorn, white coat, gem cutie mark, kinda prissy," Jack described.

"Ze disheveled tramp who harassed me on ze streets?" Photo Finish asked. "Why should I do that?"

"Whatever you want, I'll do it," Jack panted.

"Hmmm, an offer I can't refuse," Photo Finish mused. "Get ze human ready for a shoot!" she barked at her subordinates.

"What?" Jack asked as Photo Finish's attendants surrounded him with make up brushes.

Carousel Boutique

Jack had been hesitant about visiting Rarity. At the cost of a three-hour-long photo shoot full of outfits and poses that would no doubt be held over his head for the rest of his life, Jack had secured Rarity a try from Photo Finish. Rarity was sure to have been ecstatic at the news. Nonetheless, there was no getting around the fact that he was responsible for her trauma, to begin with. There was no telling how she might react to him. Taking a deep breath, he slowly entered the boutique.

Although still a nervous wreck, it would seem Rarity had at least pulled it together enough to wash her fur and do her mane for the photoshoot. At that time, she frantically fitted a dark glittery dress with a feathered headdress to Fluttershy, who didn't seem the least bit enthusiastic. Twilight and Pinkie stood nearby and appeared to be arguing while Spike…

"Jesus Christ, Spike!" Jack shouted upon noticing the sewing pins sticking out of his back.

"What?" Spike asked.

"Doesn’t that hurt?”

“Oh, these?” Spike asked, pointing to the pins. “Not at all. I can’t feel a thing through my scales. Even if I could, it would be completely worth it to help the most beautiful creature in Equestria,” he explained with a swoon.

“Ok, man,” Jack sighed. “I get that you have a crush on Rarity. It’s so obvious that I’d be surprised if there were a single pony in town who doesn’t know…”

“Told you!” Twilight interrupted, only to receive a glare from Pinkie.

“But this level of simping isn’t healthy,” Jack said, ignoring Twilight’s outburst. “Either tell Rarity how you feel or I wi….” Jack didn’t finish his sentence. After all, he was in no position to make good on his threat.

One look at Rarity was enough to tell she still wasn’t comfortable with him. She’d been nervously glancing at him for the past few minutes.

“I, Photo Finish... have arrived!” shouted the eccentric mare as she and her two assistants burst through the door.

Photo Finish had a light blue coat covered by a black striped dress, while a pair of goggles obscured her eyes.

“W-welcome,” Rarity greeted nervously. “It’s such an h-honor to have you here.”

“We begin...” Photo Finish declared as one of her assistants pulled a massive camera from a suitcase. “Now!”

“Attitude and pizzazz!” Rarity instructed Fluttershy nervously.

As the photoshoot began, Rarity qued for Fluttershy to pose. However, Photo Finish seemed wholly uninterested in the poses and was quite vocal in her disapproval. She did, however, seem interested in the shy posses Fluttershy would make in response to her displeasure.

After a few shots, Photo Finish decided she was done. "Enough!" she shouted, packing her camera and moving toward the exit.

"She hardly took any pictures," Twilight whispered.

"What do you think went wrong?" Jack asked.

"I'm so sorry," Fluttershy lamented as Rarity removed the headdress. "I tried my best."

"Don't be sorry, Fluttershy," Rarity said dismissively. "I'm lucky she even gave me the time of day, considering the state I was in when we set this up."

Photo Finish rushed back inside. "It seems that I, Photo Finish, have found the next fashion star here in Ponyville."

"Really?" Rarity asked in astonishment.

"Yes. Really," Photo Finish answered. "And I, Photo Finish, am going to help her to shine all over Eqvestria. Tomorrow, a photo shoot in ze park," she announced, pausing eccentrically. "I go!"

"Congratulations, Rare," Jack said.

Still uncomfortable being around Jack, Rarity bid farewell to Fluttershy, and it was agreed that the two would meet up the following day to prepare for the shoot.

September 16, 2020

Fluttershy’s Cottage

Normally Jack would have slept in on his days off. At the moment, however, it felt far more important to make up with Rarity. True, he hadn't gotten over it himself, but the crippling weight of regret and self-loathing was something he'd grown used to. He would have good days and bad days, and that's just how things were. But Rarity wasn't accustomed to any such trauma. It simply wouldn't be right to leave things as they were.

“What time is the photoshoot?” Jack asked as he and Fluttershy ate breakfast.

“In about an hour,” Fluttershy answered. “I’ll be leaving as soon as I finish eating.”

“Good luck,” Jack said. A part of him wanted to go with Fluttershy, but he knew that without a plan, he’d only end up making Rarity feel worse.

Fluttershy left soon after, and Jack went to find the one pony who knew Rarity best.

Sugarcube Corner

As Jack walked into the bakery, he found Sweetie Belle was already waiting for him.

“Hey, Sweets,” Jack greeted.

“Hey, Jack,” Sweetie Belle greeted back. “How are you?”

“I’m doing alright,” Jack answered. “Sorry if I’ve been a little… moody lately.”

With a smile, Sweetie Belle said, “Don’t worry about it. I’m just happy you’re feeling better. You looked really sad before.”

“Yeah, I was,” Jack admitted. “If it weren’t for Sakura, I’d probably still be moping.”

Sweetie Belle scowled at the mention of Sakura, although Jack didn’t notice.

“So, what did you want to talk to me about?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“Your sister,” Jack answered.

“Why,” Sweetie Belle asked, tilting her head in confusion.

“Promise you won’t get mad,” Jack requested, grasping her front hooves in his hands.

“I-I promise,” Sweetie Belle stuttered, blushing from the sudden contact.

“When I was helping Rarity in the gem mines, I did something stupid, and she got hurt,” Jack confessed. “Now, she won’t even look at me. I was wondering if you might have some idea how I could make it up to her?”

“Now that you mention it, she has been acting strange lately,” Sweetie Belle murmured. “I’m not sure what you did, but whenever Rarity gets mad at me, I just apologize, and everything usually works out.”

Outside Fluttershy’s Cottage

“Well, that wasn’t much help,” Jack thought to himself as he walked over the bridge.

He looked down at the stream below and sighed. Staring at his reflection, he wondered how he’d even begin to mend his friendship with Rarity. His train of thought was soon interrupted by his reflection disappearing into a ripple. For whatever reason, he decided to investigate the cause.

Sliding down the bank, Jack found four reptilian heads peering from the water. “Oh, it’s you guys,” he said quietly.

With everything that had happened in the past few months, Jack had almost forgotten about his pets. Grabbing the nearest turtle by the carapace, he brought it up to his face. Back on earth, this would have resulted in a painful bite, but now the turtle just stared knowingly.

“I don’t suppose you’d be willing to listen to me,” Jack asked.

The turtle nodded understandingly. Jack couldn’t understand animals in the way Fluttershy did, but thanks to Equestrian magic, they sure could understand him. Not that the communication barrier had stopped him from talking to the turtles in the past. He’d done so often after Chase passed away. It was Chase who gave them to him after all.

5 Minutes Later

“I mean, it’s not like I can just go up to her and apologize,” Jack said to the turtle in his hand.

The turtle blinked and shook its head.

“You think I should?” Jack asked before feeling a tap on his foot.

Looking down, Jack found the smallest of his turtles had flipped over on its back. He reached to help the turtle only to receive a bite from the one he was holding.

“What was that for?!” Jack shouted in pain.

The turtle pointed downward with its head. As Jack followed its gaze, he saw that the flipped turtle had rotated its shell with its struggling and was now sticking its head out and using it as leverage. Soon enough, it had flipped itself back onto its plastron.

“You wanted me to see that?” Jack asked the turtle in his hand.

The turtle nodded.

“You’re saying I just need to wait for the right moment?”

The turtle nodded again.

“Thanks,” Jack said, smiling and rubbing the red spot by his turtles’ eyes.

Fluttershy’s Cottage

Once Fluttershy returned, she explained how the day had gone. Apparently, Photo Finished had lost interest in Rarity’s work and fired her as a dress designer, choosing instead to keep Fluttershy on as a model.

“I wanted to say no, but Rarity said that I must do this for her,” Fluttershy said sadly. “I’m scheduled to go on stage tomorrow.”

“That can’t be good for, Rare’s moral,” Jack thought.

And indeed, it wasn’t. Fluttershy’s debut was a massive success. Soon she was on tour across Equestria. She landed advertising deals and was pursued by paparazzi wherever she went. Her face was everywhere, from jars of zap apple jam to pegasus-pulled banners, much to Rarity’s chagrin.

September 22, 2020

Ponyville Spa

A week into Fluttershy’s tour, she was scheduled to appear in Ponyville. This mattered little to Sakura Blossom, who had agreed to accompany Twilight and Pinkie Pie to the spa. As Sakura and Twilight headed for the sauna, Pinkie Pie buried herself in a bucket of sponges.

“Furīku,” Sakura thought to herself.

They soon found Rarity in the sauna. She’d been waiting for Fluttershy.

“My hooves are getting positively pruney. I've been waiting here so long,” Rarity complained. “Obviously, Fluttershy's just too busy with her new career to spend time with her best friend.”

“Interesting,” Sakura thought to herself.

“I'm sure she just got tied up,” Twilight reassured.

“Of course, she did,” Rarity spat. “She's a big bright shining star! I wish that star would burn out.”

“This could be useful,” Sakura thought.

Rarity explained how she was jealous of Fluttershy’s success, making Twilight promise not to tell anyone.

Soon after Rarity left, Fluttershy arrived with a similar story.

After making Twilight promise not to tell Rarity, Fluttershy explained, “I don't like being a model. No, I hate being a model. All this attention is awful, just awful. And I'm only doing it because Rarity told me I must. I must! I must!” she sighed. “I must...”

Twilight tried to tell her the truth, but a stern look from Pinkie Pie was enough to remind her of her promise.

Sakura, on the other hand, was forming an idea. “Jack-sama has been having problems with Rarity-san, if I’m not mistaken,” she thought. “I’ve more than gained his trust. Perhaps Oto-san might be pleased if I helped speed his corruption and take out one of the Elements of Harmony in the process.”

After parting ways with Fluttershy, Twilight, Pinkie, and Sakura returned to Sugar Cube Corner, where Twilight discussed her plans to help Fluttershy out of her modeling career, and Sakura plotted how to use this to her advantage.

Ponyville Auditorium

Still unsure as to how or when to approach Rarity, Jack decided to catch Fluttershy’s show. He arrived to find the auditorium packed. Ponies from all over Equestria had gathered to watch Fluttershy perform.

One pony, in particular, caught Jack’s attention. On the other side of the room, in an elegant gown, stood Rarity. She seemed much less nervous than she had when he last saw her, but Jack still wasn’t sure she was ready to talk to him.

Soon it was time for the show to begin.

“Ladies und gentlecolts, I present to you, Fluttershy!” announced Photo Finish.

Fluttershy nervously backed onto the stage as the spotlight showed on her. However, Jack’s attention was elsewhere.

“Is that Twilight?” He thought, seeing the purple unicorn's head popping out from behind the curtains.

Twilight’s horn glowed a sparkly lavender, and Fluttershy began acting erratically. She flew around awkwardly, picked her nose, and started barking like a dog, much to the crowd’s displeasure.

Finally, Fluttershy let out a “He-haw!” and the crowd had enough.

“Get her off the stage!” shouted one mare.

“She's an embarrassment to all things fashion!” shouted another.

“I, Photo Finish, have made a terrible mistake!” Photo Finish lamented.

The crowd unleashed a chorus of boos.

“Bravo! I say bravo!” shouted one pony.

The crowd turned to see who was cheering, only to gasp in horror as a stage light came hurtling down on the pony responsible.

Jack had turned his head at the same time and quickly identified Rarity as the culprit, noticing the stage light just in time to leap into action. With an emerald burst from his palms, he smashed the stage light into dust and rushed to check Rarity for injuries.

“Are you alright?!” Jack asked as he reached her side.

“Y-you saved me,” Rarity gasped, flinching as debris scattered around her.

“You aren’t hurt, are you?” Jack asked.

“I’m f-fine,” Rarity answered.

Jack could see she was shaken. “I’ll just go then. I can see I’m making you uncomfortable. Sorry.”

“No, wait!” Rarity requested as Jack turned to leave. “You’re fine, darling. If anypony should apologize, it’s me. Ever since what happened in the gem mines, I’ve been too scared to even look at you. I-I treated you like a monster when all you did was try to protect me. Sure, you were brutish and terrifying, but that wasn’t your fault, was it.”

“Does that make us friends again?” Jack asked.

“Of course, darling,” Rarity said, hugging Jack.

As Spike and the rest of the Mane Six burst through the crowd to check on their friends, an unhappy filly watched from above.

“Kuso ̄!” Oni-Hime thought as she watched from the rafters. This hadn’t at all gone to plan. “I better retreat before I’m discovered.”

Fluttershy’s Cottage

Needless to say, the show was canceled. Once it was clear no one was hurt, the crowd was allowed to leave, and Fluttershy was whisked away by Photo Finish. When she returned, she explained that her contract had been revoked and she would no longer be modeling.

She apologized to Rarity for not living up to her expectations, but Rarity told her not to worry about it. Once Rarity had explained that she had been jealous the entire time, the two made up and agreed to meet at the spa the next day.

The falling stage light was ruled a freak accident, although the exact cause couldn’t be determined. However, Jack was more worried about something else.

“You can’t keep protecting your friends without Chaos Mode,” Jade Jack whispered. “Today, it was only a stage light, but who knows what will happen next. The longer you resist me, the more danger they’ll be in.”

“Shut up!” Jack mentally screamed. “I know what you did last time I let you take control. I’m never letting you take control again, so why don’t you fuck right on off!?”

“So long as you remain riddled with guilt, I will thrive in here,” Jade Jack replied. “You may resist me now, but you’ll have to give up eventually. I’m not letting that emerald goody-goody help you again!”

Author's Note

Honestly, I think this chapter could have been written a lot better. Unfortunately, I've just been way too stressed to give it my best effort. I got my root canal at the beginning of the month, and boy was that expensive, then I found out that my parents have caught the delta variant of the coronavirus, and finally, I had to deal with some serious false accusations at work (thank God for security cameras) All the while I've been locked out of my apartment three times this month because my electronic lock is broken and the cleaners, painters, and pest control people my complex hired to work on the apartment while I've been at work all decided to lock the door as they left. Even though I've practically begged the staff at the front desk to tell any workers they hire to leave my door unlocked until they fix it. I promise my next chapters will be better, and eventually, I will rewrite this one.

Next Time: Jack finds himself making trips to Canterlot on a daily basis as Celestia and the E.U.P Captains attempt to help him regain control over Chaos mode. However, a certain trio of fillies grows suspicious of his trips and decides to investigate. Will Jack be able to maintain his ruse?

Chapter 38: Secret Revealed (Last Edited: 11/14/2022)

September 24, 2020

Western Canterlot Outpost

"Focus on your happiest memories," Celestia instructed. "Block everything else out."

The incident at the gem mines hadn't slipped the minds of Celestia and the E.U.P anymore than it had Jack. Regaining control over Chaos Mode and purging Jade Jack was priority one for all involved in his training.

"Easier said than done!" Jack retorted. "I was struggling with regrets long before I came to Equestria. With that jade jerk stuck in there, it's almost impossible to focus on anything happy."

"Every human I've encountered has gone through more tragedy than almost anypony who's ever lived," Celestia sighed. "I’m not sure how you persist. It was almost a year after I banished Luna before I could perform my duties again. On the other hoof, you bottle your feelings inside until they overflow, never giving yourselves the time to heal the wounds in your heart. You go about your daily lives pretending as if nothing’s wrong, fooling all those around you, even fooling yourselves most of the time.”

“Are you going somewhere with this?” Jack asked with a frustrated grunt.

“Perhaps, we’ve been approaching this the wrong way,” Celestia mused. “Perhaps, rather than attempting to further block out the negativity, you should release it all instead.”

“What do you mean?” Jack asked.

“I mean, if you need to cry, then you should cry. If you need to talk with somepony, talk to them. If you need to break something, break it,” Celestia explained. “I’m going to have a section of the Everfree forest sectioned off for a joint E.U.P training exercise. I’d like you to spend at least two hours a day using the area to vent.”

Ponyville Station

Sakura Blossom and the Crusaders waited patiently on the platform. Jack had left for Canterlot unexpectedly the day before and was due back on the next train.

“Jack-sama sure seems to spend a lot of time in Cantertlot,” Sakura commented slyly.

“What do ya mean?” asked Apple Bloom.

“Well, don’t you think it’s odd that he spends so much time traveling to the capitol without Fluttershy?”

“You sure seem to spend a lot of time in the Everfree without Pinkie Pie,” Sweetie Belle pointed out.

“Most of that was before she adopted me,” Sakura countered. “And I only went in after that to find my coin,” she said, attempting to fish the coin from her bag.

To her surprise, it was missing.

“Are you looking for this?” Sweetie Belle asked, holding up the coin.

“Give me that!” Sakura shouted, snatching the coin from Sweetie Belle’s hoof. “I… cough… I mean… where did you find this?”

“Outside the auditorium,” Sweetie Belle answered. “I’m surprised we didn’t see each other at Fluttershy’s show.”

“Oh, I decided not to go,” Sakura lied. “I thought about it, but one look at the line to get in, and I decided to go home.”

“I knew it!” Sweetie Belle thought to herself.

September 22, 2020

Ponyville Auditorium

The crowd was still shocked by the accident. As Jack, Spike, and the Mane Six tended to Rarity, Sweetie Belle and the other Crusaders rushed to see what happened.

As Sweetie Belle moved by the wreckage of the stage light, a copper glint caught her eye. Stopping to sift through the shattered pieces, she pulled out a familiar copper coin.

Present Time

“She was the one who knocked over the stage light,” Sweetie Belle deduced. “I’ll bet her coin fell out while she did it. But why would she want to kill Rarity?... and how do I prove it?”

“Here comes the train!” exclaimed Scootaloo.

As Scootaloo said, the Friendship Express was pulling over the horizon and approaching the station. As it drew closer to the platform, it decreased its speed until it came to a halt right next to the fillies, who waited excitedly as the passengers flooded out of the coaches.

Soon enough, Jack stepped onto the platform himself. Without even being given enough time to retrieve his suitcase from the porters, his friends mobbed him.

“Welcome back, Jack!” the four fillies greeted.

“Hey, girls,” Jack greeted nervously.

In truth, he was quite confused. His trip to Canterlot was supposed to have been hidden from his classmates so as not to draw attention.

“What are you doing here?” he asked.

“Sakura said you had gone to Canterlot,” Scootaloo said.

“She did?” Jack asked in confusion. “How did…”

“I overheard Pinkie-sama mention it,” Sakura answered.

“That would explain it,” Jack thought to himself. “God, damn it, Pinkie.”

“What were ya doin’ in Canterlot, anyway?” Apple Bloom asked.

“Oh, I um, had to pick up a prescription,” Jack answered.

“Fluttershy let you go by yourself?” Scootaloo asked.

“She was busy with her animals and didn’t have enough time to come with me,” Jack lied.

“It must be nice havin’ her trust you enough tuh go tuh Canterlot by yerself,” Apple Bloom said enviously. “Ya ready tuh help us get our cutie marks?”

“Ooh, not today, girls,” Jack groaned. “I’m exhausted. Tomorrow maybe?”

“Sounds great!” Scootaloo agreed.

As Jack parted ways from the girls, Sakura turned to address the Crusaders. “Surely you can see something’s up with him?” she asked, feigning concern. “I may have failed to take out the Element of Generosity, but leaking Jack-sama's status as a soldier will cause plenty of chaos. All I have to do is lead these naive fillies to the right place at the right time, and all of Equestria will know about the Nana-year-old human soldier!”

“Even if there is, we should respect his privacy,” Sweetie Belle replied.

“What if he’s in some kind of trouble?” Sakura asked.

“What do you mean?” asked Scootaloo.

“Cannterlot isn’t exactly a peaceful place,” Sakura explained. “There are all sorts of bad crowds he may have come across. Doesn’t he seem off to you?”

“That’s ridi…” Sweetie Belle began.

“What should we do?” Apple Bloom and Scootaloo asked at the same time.

“Why don’t we try following him tomorrow and seeing if he does anything suspicious?” Sakura offered. “We can make sure nothing’s wrong, and you girls can try getting your detective cutie marks.”

Sweetie Belle was about to object, but the prospect of detective cutie marks was too much for the other two Crusaders to refuse.

“Cutie Mark Crusaders, detectives!” they cheered. “Yay!”

Soon after, Sakura parted ways with the Crusaders, and Sweetie Belle decided to have a heart-to-heart with her friends.

“You can’t seriously be trusting her?” she questioned.

“Why wouldn’t we?” Apple Bloom asked.

“That discussion she had with Snips and Snails about the ursa minor attack for one,” Sweetie Belle answered. “The one that happened right before the three of them led a hydra into town.”

“She was jus’ tryin’ tuh get her coin,” Apple Bloom retorted. “Remember?”

“And she saved us from the cockatrice,” Scootaloo pointed out.

“But she…” Sweetie Belle began. “I could tell them where I found the coin, but they might not believe me. Jack would say that it’s my word against hers.”

“But she what?” Scootaloo asked.

“Never mind,” Sweetie Belle sighed.

Everfree Forrest

Celestia had given Jack a partial map of the forest so he could find the training grounds. The location had been carefully chosen to be as far from Ponyville as possible without sacrificing ease of access. The site chosen was about two and a half miles southeast of Zecora’s hut, just north of an area labeled RESTRICTED SITE.

Jack briefly wondered about the off-limits location before pushing it to the back of his mind as he entered the training camp.

“Welcome, Private Jager,” greeted Captain Three Arrows, who had been stationed at the camp for the day. “I’ve been expecting you.”

“I’m sure you have,” Jack said, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. “What fresh torture awaits me today?” he asked through gritted teeth.

“Count yourself lucky, Princess Celestia requested I ignore your insubordination for today,” Three Arrows said. Pointing to a particularly dense section of the forest, he continued. “That area has been set aside for your use, private. Cry, blow shit up, do whatever you need to.”

Jack nodded, saying “yes, sir,” as he set off for the dense vegetation.

It was peaceful, to be sure. The Sun showed through holes in the canopy, bathing patches of earth in the warm glow of Celestia’s golden Sun. It was mostly silent, with the only sound being the infrequent banging of a woodpecker searching for a snack before sunset.

Clenching his fists into balls, Jack drove both his arms elbow-deep into the nearest trunk. Unleashing a jade blast from his still clenched fists, he blew a bowling ball-sized hole in the tree. He continued doing so for the next two hours before going home.

Fluttershy’s Cottage

Jack arrived home to find Fluttershy brushing Angel’s fur. The demon of a bunny didn’t seem the least bit thrilled with the grooming, but Fluttershy was either unaware or didn’t care.

“I’m going to bed, Flutters,” Jack yawned. “See you in the morning.”

“Goodnight, Jack,” Fluttershy called after him.

September 25, 2020

Jack slowly stirred from beneath his covers. He’d slept late, nothing unusual about that. However, he felt like some of his stress had melted away.

After an hour of playing Ocarina of Time 3D, he brushed his teeth, took his meds, threw on his clothes, and went to eat breakfast. Well, brunch at that point.

“Thanks for putting this all together for me,” Jack said, as Fluttershy brought him a plate of eggs, grits, and orange slices. “I know you have other things to do.”

“Not at all,” Fluttershy dismissed. “I’m just glad you’re eating properly.”

The conversation went on, as usual, Fluttershy worriedly enquiring into various aspects of Jack’s life, and Jack doing his best to dismiss those worries. Fluttershy had made good on her promise to allow Jack the freedom of an adult, but it was clear she still saw him as her own child.

“Welp, I’m gonna head out now,” Jack said once he’d finished his meal.

“Ok, be careful,” Fluttershy called after him.

Edge of the Everfree Forest

Thinking it’d be best to get his training out of the way as soon as possible, Jack hastily made his way toward the forest. Unknown to him, he was being followed.

“We should mind our own business,” Sweetie Belle hissed as she and the other Crusaders watched Jack enter the forest.

“Ah don’t know, Sweetie Belle,” Apple Bloom responded. “Ah was skeptical of what Sakura had tuh say at first, but goin’ into the Everfree Forest alone is jus’ askin’ fer trouble.”

“Which is why we should get Fluttershy and let her handle it,” Sweetie Belle countered.

As the other two Crusaders argued, Scootaloo wasted no time following Jack into the forest. “You guys coming!?” she called.

Knowing that attempting to stop their friend would be futile, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle reluctantly followed Scootaloo into the forest.

“Umm… did anypony see which way he went?” Scootaloo asked once the other two caught up.

“You were the one who followed him in,” Sweetie Belle pointed out.

“Maybe he went to see Zecora?” Apple Bloom offered.

Zecora’s Hut

Zecora had been in the middle of a meditation session when the Crusaders arrived.

“What brings you to my home, young Apple Bloom?” Zecora asked. “A matter of importance, I assume.”

“Ah, don’t s’pose Jack’s been here tuhday?” Apple Bloom asked.

“I haven’t seen young Jack today,” Zecora answered. “But, I’ll let you know if he comes my way.”

Everfree Training Grounds

Jack arrived to find that Shining Armor was the one waiting for him today.

“Captain Shining Armor, Sir!” Jack saluted.

“At ease, Private Jager,” Shining Armor said. “You have my permission to speak as freely as you wish while you are here.”

“Anything?” Jack asked.

“Yes, anything, your views on military service, what happened in San Fransiscolt, you can even insult me if you want,” Shining armor said. “Whatever you need to clear your mind.”

“I’d never insult you, sir,” Jack said. “I actually respect you.”

“Then how about we discuss your views on the military,” Shining Armor suggested. “I have to admit what you said during basic has stuck with me. If you’d rather discuss something else or have me leave you alone, I understand, though.”

“I’m fine with that,” Jack interjected, eyes lighting up at the chance to discuss history. “My nation has a long military history. In fact, it was founded over 200 years ago through a rebellion against the most powerful Empire of the time, the British. We fought for more than a hundred years to expand our borders and protect our interests. We took on native tribes, neighboring countries, rebellious states, and even a dying empire. We participated in two world wars, cementing us first as a great power and then as a superpower.”

“Sounds like your military has a lot to be proud of,” Shining Armor commented, satisfied with Jack’s enthusiasm.

“From a certain perspective, I suppose we do,” Jack halfheartedly agreed. “Although, from the Second World War to now, it’s been nothing but embarrassment after embarrassment. Having only one other superpower to contend with, America decided to set up puppet regimes to act as a buffer zone between us and our rival, the Soviet Union, and to be fair, the Soviets had a similar idea. Our first such embarrassment was in Korea, where we were fought to a stalemate and had to split the country in two, the South being our puppet and the North being the Soviet’s puppet. Next, there was Vietnam, where for perhaps the first time in history, my country was defeated. A contender for the most powerful country on earth, and we couldn’t even win against one of the least powerful. The Soviet Union collapsed from economic hardship less than a decade before I was born, but the legacy of our rivalry lives on to this day.”

“How so?” Shining Armor asked.

“When I was only two years old, America was attacked,” Jack explained. “The perpetrators of that attack were some of our old puppets. With the Soviet Union gone, we had largely neglected our old pawns. Many assumed they’d be grateful that we ‘liberated’ them from Soviet influence.” Jack scoffed at the word liberated. “In truth, they only saw us as the lesser of two evils. George Bush, the president at the time, launched an invasion of Afghanistan, where the attackers were hiding, but his real objective was Iraq. In order to justify an invasion, he lied to the nation, claiming Iraq had ties to our attackers when no such ties existed. All he really wanted was to secure our oil interests in the region. We’ve been at war for 20 years now. The man responsible for the attacks has been dead for almost a decade, and his organization is no longer a threat, but still, we fight. All the while, we create more and more enemies. People argue that we need to stay and stabilize the region, that if we leave, it will collapse into chaos in tyranny, but we’ve had 20 years to stabilize and have made no progress. The fact is the puppet state we set up in Afghanistan will collapse the moment we leave, whether it’s now or twenty years in the future, and we can’t stay forever.” Looking to the sky, Jack asked Shining Armor a question. “Can you guess the lesson I’ve learned from this?”

“I… I’m not sure,” Shining Armor admitted.

“Then let me explain it,” Jack continued. “The reason we can’t win in Afghanistan is the same reason we had to fight there in the first place, the same reason we lost Vietnam. When you treat a population as puppets, you aren’t creating allies; you’re creating resentment. While the Afghani politicians whose pockets we line with cash, the residents of the cities who enjoy new freedoms, and the warlords whose crimes we overlook love us, most Afghans do not. Why would they? The politicians we support are corrupt, the warlords keep children as sex slaves, and most Afghans live in villages that are constantly being bombed by American aircraft. The longer we stay there, the more the Afghan people will fight against us. When you look back on the history of American warfare, with only some exceptions, this has always been so. We only noticed in Vietnam because they beat us, and we only notice in Afghanistan because they will most likely beat us. But looking back in history, the Filipinos, Mexicans, and Natives we subjugated in the past felt the same way about us. They simply didn’t have the means to stop us. So many Americans go to war, seeing themselves as liberators. They’ve been raised up by militaristic families to view themselves that way, completely oblivious to how those they’re ‘liberating’ see them.” Jack sighed. “I guess that’s why it hit me so hard when Longbow died. He wasn’t like any other soldier I’d met. He didn’t see himself as a liberator or anything like that. He didn’t even want to be there, and…” holding back a tear, he said, “and because of me, he’ll never be anywhere else.”

"I see," Shining Armor said thoughtfully. "I still don't understand the resentment you feel for your home, but...."

"Resentment?" Jack scoffed. "Not quite. What my country has done is no worse than any other country in my world has done when given the motive. I don't resent America, I resent those Americans who think we're better than everything else. Those who see criticism as treason."

"Alright, fair enough," Shining Armor said. "But not the point I was getting at. I don't understand the way you talk down on your own people, but I understand feeling like you could be doing more. Ever since the Nightmare Moon incident I've felt like I haven't done enough to protect Twily and her friends. I've always felt that if I set up a guard outpost in Ponyville I could defend the Elements and protect them from danger. Ponyville is under constant threat, and while I have the power to defend it, it's not up to me."

"What are you trying to tell me?" Jack asked.

"It's not always up to you either," Shining Armor said. "You can't control what Blutknochen's minions do. Only he can do that. Even if he sends his minions after you that doesn't make you responsible. If some other human had been brought to this world in your stead Equestria would be protecting that person, and the Elements of Chaos would still come after them."

After that, Jack asked to be excused. Wondering off to the secluded patch of woods he had been in the day before, he spent the rest of his time crying.

September 29, 2020

Cutie Mark Crusaders Clubhouse

The next few days went much the same. Jack would go into the forest to deal with his issues, and the Crusaders would attempt to follow him only to wind up losing him. Today, however, the Crusaders had a plan.

“Ah swiped this potion frum Zecora’s yesterday,” Apple Bloom said, pulling a flask of blue liquid from beneath her podium.

“Isn’t stealing wrong?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“What does it do?” asked Scootaloo.

“Ah didn’t steal it, Ah borrowed it,” Apple Bloom replied. “One sip of this potion will turn us invisible fer one hour. After class, we’ll use it to follow Jack intuh the forest. Then Ah’ll put it back on Zecora’s shelf before she even knows it’s gone.”

“I don’t know about this,” Sweetie Belle said. “Why don’t we just mind our own business? We all know how strong Jack is. Don’t you think he can handle himself?”

In truth, Sweetie Belle wanted to investigate Sakura Blossom. Spying on Jack was only taking time away from her getting to the bottom of what Sakura was after.

“Don’t be ridiculous!” Scootaloo exclaimed. “Jack’s a Crusader, and that means we have his back no matter what!”

Outside Ponyville School

Three Hours Later

As soon as class ended, Jack made off for the forest. The Crusaders quickly ducked behind a bush, each taking a sip from the flask. Looking down, they held back gasps as they watched their hooves disappear from sight.

“Coo-ool!” Scootaloo remarked.

“Come on!” Apple Bloom said. “We need to get to the forest before Jack goes in!”

Edge of the Everfree Forest

By the time they reached the forest, the Crusaders had long since caught up with Jack. As he entered the forest, they plunged into the underbrush after him.

As they walked deeper into the forest, the Crusaders began speculating what Jack may be up to.

“Maybe he’s meeting up with bandits?” Scootaloo whispered.

“Scootaloo!” Apple Bloom hissed back. “How could you accuse him of somthin’ like that?!”

“I’m not saying I think he’s stealing anything!” Scootaloo said. “But maybe he owes them money? They could be dexsorting him!”

“I think you mean extorting,” Sweetie Belle corrected. “Whatever he’s up to, we need to figure it out soon. We passed Zecora’s half an hour ago, so there’s no way the potion will last much longer.”

“Wait!” Apple Bloom hissed. “Ah see somethin’!”

To their surprise, Jack was heading directly to a palisade wall. As they followed Jack inside, they were shocked to see a contingent of Wonderbolts doing low maneuverability training.

“No way!” gasped Scootaloo. “That’s Fire Streak,” She said, pointing to an orange-maned stallion doing wingups. “And there’s Fleetfoot!” she said, pointing to a white-maned mare weaving between the trees. “And that’s…” Scootaloo began, pointing to a mare walking up to Jack. “Captain Spitfire!”

“How are you today, Private Jager?” Spitfire asked.

“Private!!!” The Crusaders shouted at once before covering their mouths.

“Who’s there!!!” shouted Spitfire.

Too frightened to answer, the Crusaders took the chance to sneak out of the camp. Unfortunately for them, the effects of the potion were starting to wear off. Slowly but surely, their invisibility was lifted. First their hooves, then their legs, then their bodies, and finally their faces were revealed before they could even halfway reach the gate.

“You’re not supposed to be here!!!” shouted Fleetfoot as the Wonderbolts circled the Crusaders.

“We were just leaving,” Scootaloo chuckled nervously.

“I don’t think so,” said Spitfire as the line of Wonderbolts opened to let her through. “You three are in a restricted area. You’re not going anywhere until I know who you are and why you’re here!”

“Girls???!!!” Jack shouted once he saw them.

“You know them, private?” Spitfire asked.

“Of course, I know them!” Jack exclaimed. “They’re my best friends. We go to school together!”

“Then should I assume you followed Jager here from school?” Spitfire asked the trembling Crusaders.

“Y-Yes, ma’am,” Apple Bloom answered nervously.

“If they’re students at the school, I can’t detain them…” Spitfire thought to herself. “But I can’t just let them tell all of Ponyville what they saw here either.”

“Captain Spitfire?” Jack asked.

“Yes, Private Jager?” Spitfire asked.

“Let me handle this,” Jack requested. “I promise they won’t tell anyone what they saw here. I just need to talk to them.

“Very well, Jager,” Spitfire agreed. “It’s not like I have much of a choice.”

“Thank you,” Jack said with a salute. “Hey, girls,” Jack greeted with a nervous smile. “What are you all doing here?”

Without even acknowledging Jack’s question, the Crusaders launched a volley of their own. Even Sweetie Belle was interested at this point.

“What’s going on here!?” Apple Bloom asked.

“Why’d they call you private?” asked Sweetie Belle.

“You know, Captain Spitfire?” Scootaloo asked.

“I guess there’s no point in hiding it now,” Jack sighed. “I’m a member of the E.U.P,” he said bluntly.

“No way!” The Crusaders said at once.

“Yes way,” Jack said. “They want to use my magic as a secret weapon to defend Equestria.”

“Is that why you go to Canterlot so much?” Apple Bloom asked.

“Yes,” Jack answered.

“So when Fluttershy told us you were sick after what happened in Charleston,” Sweetie Belle asked.

“I was training,” Jack answered.

“This is so cool!” Scootaloo exclaimed. “Wait ‘till everypony in class hears about it!”

“About that…” Jack said, scratching behind his ear nervously. “Can I ask you girls to keep this to yourselves?”

“Why?” they all asked.

“Because it’s classified,” Jack explained. “My magic wouldn’t be a secret weapon if everybody knew about it.”

"We'll keep it a secret," Sweetie Belle promised. "Right, girls?"

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo nodded. "Cross my heart and hope to fly," they chanted. "Stick a cupcake in my eye."

Sweetie Belle was relieved to know nothing was wrong but she couldn't shake the feeling there was more to this situation than she, the other Crusaders, or even Jack realized. “Sakura sure seemed intent on having us look into this,” she thought. Eyes wide in realization, she asked herself, “Does that mean she knew all along?!”

Author's Note

I think this one was better than the past three or so, but it still needs work.
Next Time: Jack joins the Mane Six on a trip to Applelossa to find the town in conflict with the local buffalo tribe.

Chapter 39 Over a Barrel (Last Edited: 1/17/2023)

October 1, 2020

Friendship Express on route to Appleloosa

The Crusaders had kept their promise. Not a soul had been told about Jack's secret. Spitfire had been frantic about the whole thing but calmed down after Jack expressed his trust in the fillies' ability to keep secrets. His therapy sessions in the Everfree had worked wonders, and his magic aura had returned to its usual emerald. Although Emerald Jack was still very much MIA and he dared not enter Chaos Mode.

Now, Jack was helping Applejack deliver a tree to her cousin in Appleloosa. Applejack had gone nutters over this tree. She had rented out the entire caboose to hold it. Rather disturbing in of itself, considering that's where the workers are meant to sleep. She'd also ordered a bed for it to lay in, started reading stories to it, and even named the damn thing. Bloomberg, as it was called, had already gotten on everyone else's nerves, and none more so than Rarity.

"Honestly, I don't understand what the big deal about this tree is," Rarity whined. "She has thousands of them back at Sweet Apple Acres."

"Well, the Apples do rely on their trees," Twilight said. "It's not that surprising they'd treat them with extra care, considering the financial situation they're in."

"First of all, caring for her trees is one thing, but that…" Jack pointed to a baby bottle filled with sugar water, "that's just creepy. Second, what financial situation?"

"You remember what I told you about Equestria's tax system, right?" Twilight asked.

"The upper three classes aren't taxed, right?" Jack asked. "The peasants have to pay for everything."

"Exactly," Twilight answered. "But the Apples have even more going against them than that."

"Like what?" Jack asked.

"When they revoked their business class status, most business-class families cut ties with them," Twilight explained. "Only the Rich family maintains a business relationship with the Apples, and they only purchase zap apple jam. All other Apple Clan products must be sold directly by the family or through contracts with small peasant-owned shops."

"I see," Jack muttered, flashing back to when Apple Bloom told him about her parents.

"Diamond Tiara's mean tuh everypony, but she treats me the worst."

"Why's that?"

"Ah think it's because of mah family. Most business-class ponies don't really like us."

"So, that's what she meant," Jack thought to himself. "Poor Bloom. I didn't realize how bad you had it. Well, at least things should be looking up soon. With the class system abolished, they should be able to recover quickly.""

As the train rattled towards Appleloosa through the parched desert, day turned slowly to night, and Jack settled down for bed. Unfortunately, most of his friends were still wide awake. He was about to ask them to pipe down when…

"Do you guys mind?" Spike growled from his bunk. "I was up early fire-roasting those snacks you're all eating, and I'm pooped!"

"Uh, speaking of, some of these popcorn kernels didn't get popped," Rainbow Dash said, nudging her popcorn.

"Okay, fine..." Spike sighed as Rainbow Dash smiled smugly.

Dash's smug demeanor was quickly abandoned as she ducked a fiery blast. As she looked up, she found her popcorn had been reduced to ash, save for a single kernel that popped in her face.

"Good night!" Spike shouted, retreating under his sheets.

"Uhh... maybe it's time we all got a little shut-eye," Twilight decided. "We've got a big day ahead of us tomorrow," she said, shutting off the lamp.

As the light faded, Jack stuck in his earbuds and drifted to sleep.

Or at least he tried. Unfortunately, he could still hear the girls talking.

"Oh, for Pete's sake!" Spike eventually yelled.

A few seconds later, the door slammed, and Jack assumed Spike must've left. Without removing his earbuds, he slipped out of his covers and followed.

As he slid the door to Bloomberg's coach open, he heard a clearly irate Rarity screaming, "Would you all be quiet... NOW?!"

The thought of brushing against branches and leaves in his sleep would typically have been enough to make Jack reconsider, but seeing Spike resting soundly on one side of the tree was enough for Jack to decide it was worth it. Squeezing his way to the other side of the trunk, he crawled under the covers and slowly fell asleep.

October 2, 2020

Friendship Express: Two miles north of Appleloosa

Jack's slumber was cut short by a heavy clunk. Before he could even open an eye, he found himself being smashed against the wall and crushed by Bloomberg. With another thud, Bloomberg rolled off of him, and with a pained groan, he pealed himself from the wall. Opening his eyes, he slowly shifted out of bed and limped to the other side of the caboose.

His face felt as if it had been hit with a fastball. Touching his nose, Jack found it was bleeding profusely. Whipping out his phone, he used the camera to take a look at himself. Not only was his nose bleeding, but it was also noticeably crooked. Broken for sure. His right eye was swelling like frightened pufferfish. Most likely, he'd be dealing with a black eye for the next week or so.

Miraculously Spike was still asleep, so Jack was free to focus on other things. Namely the sound of hoof steps on the roof. Grabbing his knife, he climbed out the nearest window and clambered to the roof, where he found Rainbow Dash chasing what appeared to be a small bison with a Native American headband.

"Hey, Dash, what's going on!" Jack shouted.

"I'm not sure!" Dash answered. "Help me catch her!"

Still not entirely sure what was happening, Jack stood up and held his arms out to block the bison's escape. Unfortunately, he didn't account for the crack between the caboose and the other rail cars and had to drop to the floor to avoid Rainbow Dash as the bison escaped between them.

Jack soon recovered from the shock, but Rainbow Dash had crashed into a crossing sign and wasn't so fortunate. As he stood up, he nearly lost his balance as the caboose lurched free of its coupling and fell behind the rest of the train.

Seeing the bison leaping onto the roof in front of him, Jack flipped open his knife. "Ah don't know who ya are, but you made a big mistake pissing me off!"

"This doesn't concern you," the bison said with a glare.

"It does now," Jack spat.

With a lunge, Jack swiped down on her with his knife, narrowly missing as she rolled to the side. Turning for another swipe, Jack felt the wind leaving his lungs as the bison rammed her head into his gut. Before he could even catch his breath, he felt another hit to his side and dropped the knife as he fell face-first to the floor.

Thinking she'd won the bison turned her back on Jack. Unbeknownst to her, the human still had some fight left in him. Hands glowing emerald, Jack pushed himself to his feet, spitting out one of his baby teeth as he rose. "Ah s'pose Ah should thank ya," Jack growled. "That tooth had been loose for weeks. Ah've tried everything to get it out."

"I'll admit you're tougher than you look," the bison said resentfully. "But you don't understand what's going on!"

"Enlighten me," Jack spat, aiming his palm at the bison. "'cause it sure looks like yer robbin' this train to me."

"We're just trying to save our tribal stampeding trail from the ponies!" the bison said.

"We?" Jack asked.

"Little Strongheart, you still up there?" called a gruff voice from below. "We found somepony inside the caboose!"

Looking down, Jack could see ten full-grown bison surrounding the caboose.

"Help!" Spike screamed. "Twilight! Rainbow Dash! Applejack! Anypony!"

"I'll calm him down," Jack sighed. "But you've got a lot of explaining to do!"

Climbing back into the caboose, Jack had no trouble getting Spike's attention. Unfortunately, one look at the humans beaten in face, and Spike was even more terrified than before.

"God damnit, Spike, it's me," Jack groaned.

"Jack?" Spike asked.

"Know any other humans?" Jack asked sarcastically.

"No," Spike answered, slowly calming down. "What happened to your face?"

"Smashed into a wall, then the floor," Jack answered, not even lying.

"What happened?" Spike asked.

"Not sure," Jack answered, cracking open the door. "But I think it might help to ask them."

"Ask who… Ahhh!" Spike shrieked as the door opened to reveal the small bison herd.

"We're coming out!" Jack called, dragging Spike by the tail as he stepped out.

"Wait, seriously, are you crazy?!" Spike cried, clawing the floorboards as Jack dragged him out.

"We'll be fine," Jack said as Little Strongheart hopped down from the roof. "Now, I think someone owes us an explanation."

"My father will explain everything when we get back to the camp," Strongheart said. "Help me grab the tree."

"Alright, but he better have a good explanation for this," Jack agreed, turning to help her retrieve Bloomberg.

"You can't be serious!" Spike exclaimed, grabbing Jack's arms. "This could be a trap!"

"I think if they wanted to trap us, they would have already done so," Jack responded, nodding toward the towering bison.

Buffalo Camp

The bison's camp was about two miles to the west of the tracks. By the time they arrived, both Jack and Spike were parched.

"I'm fuckin' dyin' over here!" Jack groaned as they walked into the circle of teepees.

A bison, slightly larger than the others and wearing a Native American headdress, approached from the largest tent. "Bring our guests something to drink," he ordered before giving Jack and Spike a good look. "Bring salt for the ape and turquoise for the dragon as well."

"Salt?" Jack asked. "What fo… OWWW, THE FUCK'S WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE?!" Jack asked as Little Strongheart poured a bowl of salt over his still-bloody nose.

"You'll probably need a pony doctor to put your nose back in place, but this will keep it from getting infected," Strongheart explained.

"You could have warned me first!" Jack shouted.

"I'm so sorry!" Strongheart franticly apologized.

"You should be," Jack sighed. "I believe we're still owed an explanation. Isn't that right, Spike?"

"Mhm," Spike agreed, crunching into one of the gems he'd been given.

"You'll get your explanation soon," the giant bison said. "But first, introductions are in order. My name is Chief Thunderhooves of the buffalo tribe. Who and what are you?”

"My name is Jack Delano Jager," Jack introduced. "I'm a human, and my dragon friend over there is named Spike."

"Human?" Thunderhooves mused. "Legends speak of your kind's warrior spirit and great wisdom. We took you and the dragon by mistake, but perhaps you will be able to help us."

"Help you?" Jack asked. "With what?"

"We have a long and winding stampeding trail that we have run upon for many generations," Thuderhooves explained with a snort. "My father stampeded upon these grounds, and his father before him, and his father before him, and his father before him, and his father before him, and…"

"I think they get the idea, Chief," Strongheart interjected.

"Hmph," Thunderhooves grunted. "It is a sacred tradition to run the path every year. But this year, these... settler ponies, these..." with a loud snort, he spat," Appleloosans!"

"They planted apple trees all over it without asking our permission," Strongheart explained.

"So that's what this is about," Jack thought to himself. "That's why they were after Bloomberg."

It was undoubtedly a more PG version of events, but there was no mistaking things. Equus had many parallels with Earth. This was no doubt the equestrian version of the European colonization of the Americas.

"The ponies refused to move their trees, so we are stuck here, and it is not fair!" Strongheart lamented.

"You're right," Jack agreed. "It isn't fair. Nothing about this is fair!"

"Then you'll help us?" Thunderhooves asked.

"Yes," Jack nodded. "But first, there's someone we need to rescue."

Two Miles North of Appleloosa

Jack and Spike road towards the site of the hijacking on the backs of bison warriors.

"You sure she'll be out here?" asked one of the warriors.

"If I know Dash, she won't have given up so easily," Jack said. "Her rainbow mane should stick out like a…" Jack stopped spotting what appeared to be a tuft of cotton candy sticking out from a rock. "Pinkie Pie?" Pointing to the rock, he shouted, "over there!"

As the bison surrounded the rocks, Jack could hear Rainbow Dash and Pinkie arguing.

"And the more of us there are out here, the more chances of us getting..." Rainbow Dash finally noticed the buffalo warriors, "caught. Run, Pinkie, I'll hold 'em off. Save yourself!"

As the bison charged, Jack shouted, "STOP!" The bison parted to allow him and Spike through. "Attacking them is no way to ask for help," he sighed.

"Don't worry, they're cool," Spike said.

"If you say so," one of the bison replied. "See you guys back at the camp!" he called as the herd dispersed, leaving Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie staring in confusion.

Later that night

Buffalo Camp

"Seems they took us by mistake," Spike explained as they sat around a campfire. "And they feel awful about it too, poor guys. Fortunately, they totally respect dragons, so they treat me like an honored guest."

"Don't seem to have a problem with humans either," Jack added as the bison brought out two bowls of gruel for Dash and Pinkie.

Sniffing her bowl, Dash reared back in disgust.

"Still don't like ponies much, though..." Spike said. "But you're with us, so it's cool."

"Huh. Well, I still don't trust them," rainbow Dash as she got up to scout for an escape route. "I say we turn tail and bail while we still…"

Pinkie Pie lifted her face from her bowl, face still covered in gruel. "Before we finish eating?" she asked. "Are you loco in the coco?!"

Before Rainbow Dash could answer, Little Strongheart approached with a bowl of turquoise and leafy greens.

"Can I please have more of that mushy stuff, whatever it was?" Pinkie asked as Strongheart set the bowls down.

"Certainly," Strongheart smiled. "I'm not sure what humans eat, so I brought these. And, Mr. Spike, you like gemstones, yes?"

"That'll be fine," Jack said.

"Turquoise. Mmm!" Spike said, crunching down a handful. "Heh hah! This here is Little Strongheart, and these are our friends Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash."

Rainbow Dash turned with a skeptical look before glaring. "You!"

"You!" Little Strongheart gasped.

"That's it!" Rainbow Dash huffed, grabbing Pinkie by the tail. "We are outta here!"

"Wait!" Little Strongheart shouted, getting in front of Dash. "Please accept my apologies for what happened on the train. We didn't mean for anyone to be hurt."

"Yeah, right," Rainbow Dash scoffed, turning the other way.

"Hear her out, Dash," Jack said. “Didn’t you learn anything from when we met?”

"But she… look what they did to your face!" Dash protested.

Jack gave her a stern look.

"Fine," Rainbow Dash sighed.

"We only wanted the tree," Strongheart explained. "The settler ponies have overtaken the land and have planted an orchard all over it! Because of their thoughtlessness, we can no longer run over our traditional stampeding grounds."

"Huh?" Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie asked in confusion.

"I think it's time they met Chief Thunderhooves," Spike offered.

When the chief arrived, he told Dash and Pinkie the same story he'd told Jack and Spike. All the while, Rainbow Dash pouted with her back turned to him.

"See, Rainbow Dash?" Spike asked. "They had a good reason to…"

Dash shot up, eliciting a gasp from the bison. "Huh... Ah!" Stomping her hoof, she said, "I'll say they had a good reason! C'mon. We have some apple-pickin' Appleloosans to talk to!"

October 3, 2020

Outskirts of Appleloosa

Although Rainbow Dash had been eager to begin negotiations, Jack quickly vetoed the idea in favor of a good night's sleep. The following morning, they set out with Little Strongheart to Appleloosa, choosing to leave the other bison behind to avoid hostility.

As Jack, Spike, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie approached the town's outskirts, they made out the telltale sign of dust being kicked up by speeding ponies galloping across the desert. Sure enough, they were met with the rest of the Mane Six along with another pony they were unfamiliar with.

"Hi, guys!" Pinkie greeted cheerfully.

"Jack!" Fluttershy shouted, tackling her adoptive son to the ground in her embrace. "We're so glad you're safe," she said as the others greeted each other.

"Jeez, mother!" Jack exclaimed. "I'm fine!"

"How did you escape from the buffalo?" Twilight asked.

"We didn't!" Pinkie answered as Little Strongheart leaped out from the rock she'd been hiding behind.

The other ponies gasped as Strongheart shifted awkwardly.

"We promised the buffalo a chance to talk," Rainbow Dash explained.

"Oh, yeah?" Applejack asked skeptically. "'Bout what?"

"We brought our new pal Little Strongheart here to explain to the Appleloosans why they should move the apple trees off buffalo land," Rainbow Dash explained, pushing Strongheart over to the unfamiliar pony.

"That information would be quite help…" the pony began.

"That's weird," Applejack said, forcefully shoving the pony. "'Cause mah cousin Braeburn here wants tuh explain tuh the buffalo why they should let the apple trees stay."

"That would be a useful thing to…" Braeburn started.

"The land is theirs!" Rainbow Dash shouted. "You planted the trees not knowing that. Honest mistake. Now, you just gotta move 'em, that's all."

"Well... heh..." Braeburn stuttered.

"They busted their rumps here!" Applejack interrupted. "An' now they're supposed tuh bust their rumps again, just 'cause some buffalo won't stampede someplace else?"

And like clockwork, the negotiations turned into nothing more than a heated debate between Rainbow Dash and Applejack.

"They argue like an old married couple," Jack thought to himself.

"Look!" Twilight interrupted. "Both the settlers and the buffalo have good reasons to use this land. There must be something we can do."

"Hey!" Pinkie exclaimed, jumping in the air. "I've got an idea!"

"Nothing good can come of this!" Jack thought with a gulp.

Appleloosa Outdoor Theatre

Pinkie Pie had instructed Little Strongheart to gather the bison and Applejack to gather the Appleloosans, and they all met up around the town's outdoor theatre. The crowd of ponies and bison murmured confusedly as Spike played a few notes on the piano.

As the curtains parted to reveal Pinkie emerging from a clamshell in a ridiculous outfit, Jack knew he'd have to act fast. "God damnit, Pinkie! Abort, abort!" he mentally screamed as he used his magic to shatter the floorboards beneath her.

Once Pinkie Pie was out of the way, Jack stepped onto the stage. "I'm terribly sorry about that," he said once he reached the mike. "I'd like to tell you all a true story about my people. I think it might bring things into perspective."

Knowing he'd have to modify the events to maintain his cover Jack began his story. "Before the virus wiped most of us out, humans occupied an archipelago of 7 islands, America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, Antarctica, and the Lowcountry. The first humans came from Africa, but over the years, we spread out to the other islands, adapting to them in various ways resulting in minute differences between different societies. The most noticeable being skin color. Those who inhabited Europe had white skin like mine. The majority of human societies had some level of contact with each other. In fact, there was heavy trade between Europeans, Asians, and Africans. However, for much of history, we had no idea America and the Low Country even existed."

Several ponies and bison raised their hooves.

"Yes?" Jack asked.

"Where are you going with this?" Rarity asked.

"You'll see," Jack answered. "Over a thousand years ago, a group of Europeans known as the Vikings (my ancestors) discovered the Lowcountry, but they kept that discovery to themselves for hundreds of years before another group of Europeans led by Cristopher Columbus discovered the island. Columbus captured some of the red-skinned inhabitants of the Lowcountry and brought them back to Europe. Soon Europeans came in waves bringing with them diseases that wiped out large swaths of the native populations of both the Lowcountry and America. Many of the survivors were enslaved, although this didn't last long as they knew the land so well, they easily escaped. Nevertheless, land cleared out by the diseases was turned into European-run farmland, and violent conflicts between European settlers and the remaining Natives resulted in them being pushed into smaller and smaller territory. The Europeans would sign treaties with the Natives only to break them years and sometimes only months later. They'd even go so far as to send disease-ridden blankets to further wipe the natives out. Over time the Europeans and the Natives made peace allowing the small tracts of land the natives occupied to be turned into reservations. Still, injustices such as Native children being stolen from their families and raised by Europeans continued until about half a century ago. That being said, the Europeans…"

"Enough," Chief Thunderhooves bellowed. "I think I understand what you are saying."

"You do?" Jack asked.

"If we do not put our hooves down now, these Appleloosans will walk right over us. The time for action..." Thunderhooves snorted, "... is upon us! Our stampede will start at high noon tomorrow." Turning to the town's sheriff, he said, "And if the orchard is still there, we'll flatten it... and the whole town!"

The Mane Six and townsponies gasped.

"That's not what I was…" Jack said. "If you'd just let me finish…"

Unfortunately, no one was interested in what else Jack had to say.

"An' we Appleloosans say you'd better bring yer best, 'cause we'll be ready and waitin'," the sheriff retorted.

"But, Sheriff..." Braeburn protested.

"That's not what I was trying to say at all," Jack muttered to himself.

October 4, 2020

Appleloosan Medical Clinic

Jack's plan had failed miserably. Had he only finished his point, then maybe things could have gone differently, but now the townsponies were preparing their defenses.

He wanted to help, but what could he do? He'd already made things ten times worse. Now the best thing he could do was get his broken nose tended to.

"You'll need to wear this splint for at least a week," The doctor told him.

"Yes, sir," Jack nodded as it was applied to his face.

No sooner had the doctor finished did a bell ring across the town.

"Ah reckon, the fight'll be startin' now," the doctor said.

“This is my fault,” Jack thought glumly.

"Yes, it is, isn't it," Jade Jack jeered from within his head.

"Shut up!" Jack hissed mentally. " I'll find a way to fix this! Even if only to spite you!”

Jack rushed out of the clinic toward the battlefield as fast as he could. There wasn't much damage to the town beyond the clock tower having collapsed. Other than that, there was just a ton of apple pies smashed on the ground, having been used as ammo by the Appleloosans.

"If I can find Cheif Thuderhooves and the Sheriff I should be able to clear things up," he thought.

"You're with them now aren't you!?"

"Huh?" Jack turned to see a thousand-pound bison charging him.

"Sorry about this!" Jack cried launching a volley of emerald blasts.

"You will be!" the Bison snorted, launching Jack into the sky with a full forced headbutt.

Jack wasn't sure how far he'd gone but he could see the fighting was intensifying. Fortunately his eyes locked onto Chief Thunderhooves charging the sheriff, he used his magic to pluck the thorns from nearby cacti. "I'm only gonna get one shot at this," he thought.

"Now!" he shouted to himself, launching two volleys of cactus thorns at both the chief and sheriff.

The sheriff screamed in pain, and Thunderhooves veered off course, crashing into a wall. Having witnessed this, the ponies and bison ceased combat to check on their commanders.

"I assume I have your attention?" Jack asked as a pie fell from a window onto Chief Thunderhooves. He'd gotten no response, but he knew they were listening. "Good, I realize that the half of my story you heard yesterday gave you the wrong idea, so I think it's time for the other half. While the Natives were certainly oppressed by the Europeans, most of the settlers were themselves the victims of oppression. Europe was a feudal society, and many peasants saw the Lowcountry as an escape from such oppression. Some even agreed to seven years of voluntary servitude for a chance to go. Much like European peasants, the Apples are oppressed by Equestria's business class. Surely you can find some sense of camaraderie in your oppression. Perhaps you could find a compromise?"

Chief Thunderhooves looked to be considering Jack's words, after a piece of apple pie that had been plastered on his face from the battle dripped into his mouth he spoke, "I think that can be arranged."

And so, it was agreed that a path would be cut through the orchard for the bison to stampede, but the rest of the orchard would remain intact. In return, the Appleloosans would share a portion of their pies with the bison. Bloomberg was returned to the Apples and planted in the orchard, much to Applejack's relief.

Author's Note

I think that went well for the most part. A bit rushed at the end, thanks to my self-imposed deadline, but that can be fixed later with editing.
Next Time: As elections draw near, three political parties are formed, and they are willing to do whatever it takes to draw in new members. Even play dirty.

Chapter 40: Political Parties (Last Edited: 1/17/2023)

October 5, 2020

Canterlot Castle Courtyard

Not long after they had returned to Ponyville, Jack and the Mane Six received invites to an event in Canterlot. The details were vague, but it was apparent that this had to do with the restructuring of the government.

The crowd in the courtyard was massive. Ponies of all classes had traveled from all regions of Equestria to find out what they could about the regime change. There were even a few non-ponies in attendance.

As Celestia, Luna, and Cadance stepped out onto the castle balcony, the crowd erupted into a chaotic roar. The peasants let out gleeful cheers while nobles and business ponies responded with spiteful jeers. Only those in the E.U.P. remained silent out of respect for protocol.

"Settle down, my little ponies!" Celestia called to no avail.

“SILENCE!!!!!!” Luna roared.

While the ponies in the crowd didn't see eye to eye on the changes in government, they were all in agreement that Luna was terrifying. Needless to say, no one made a peep after that.

"With Equestria's first elections only a month away, some ponies have taken it upon themselves to form coalitions based on shared values," Celestia explained. "The leaders of these coalitions have requested the chance to announce their agendas."

The Princesses teleported to the ground, and in their place, from right to left, stood Prince Blue Blood, Fancy Pants, and Three Arrows.

"First of all, I would like to thank my dear Aunt Celestia for giving me the chance to speak," Blue Blood said. "However, I think it goes without saying that their decision to abolish the Diarchy and Royal Court is a ghastly mistake!"

"Figures he'd think so," Jack muttered, glaring through his black eye and snorting through his splint.

"As Leader of the Equestrian Nationalist Party, I promise the following if we win the election," Blue Blood continued. "In order to protect our culture, we shall impose a complete ban on immigration. Those who do not have Equestrian ancestry going back at least three generations will be required to obtain a stamp from the customs office and carry it on themselves at all times.

The non-ponies in the crowd gave each other nervous glances.

"To ensure the quality of our education system, our public school system will be abolished in favor of private institutions for business, noble, and military class students," Blue Blood continued. "By prioritizing students from the upper classes, we shall ensure Equestria's elite can compete with any other nation's. Peasant class foals shall gain skills through apprenticeships at workshops."

The peasants in the crowd erupted into cries of outrage.

Ignoring the pushback, Blueblood simply finished his speech. "Finally, we shall restore the Royal Court, and I shall be crowned King of Equestria!" he smugly exclaimed.

By this point, the peasants were booing so loudly that little else could be heard.

"Why that stuck up…" Applejack growled. "Wait 'til ah get mah hooves on…"

"Now now, Applejack," Rarity interrupted. "I'm sure he just doesn't understand what it's like to be a peasant."

"Once the booing had finally died down, Fancy Pants began his speech. "Equestria has always been a place of friendship and harmony. Our system of class is by nature incompatible with all our values. It is the opinion of the Equestrian Liberal Party that its abolishment will allow for everypony to compete in a free market. A system based entirely on one's merit where an individual will succeed or fail based on their own ability and not their bloodline."

"Fascinating," Twilight said to no one in particular. "By allowing everypony to compete on an even playing field, it's possible that they may spark a boom in technological and scientific innovation."

"All this egghead talk is hurting my head," Rainbow Dash muttered. "But I like the sound of competition!"

"It’s not really that kind of competition, Dash,” Jack said.

“We propose the following changes should we win the election,” Fancy Pants continued. “First and foremost, we must recognize the role the princesses have had in keeping Equestria safe. While they have agreed to turn over their power to the people, it is our belief that they should retain their positions in a more ceremonial role. Second, we shall ease travel restrictions and trade barriers between Equestria and the rest of the world. It is our belief that free trade will allow us to share our innovations with all of Equus, and in turn, they will share theirs with us. We also believe that by making travel to Equestria easier, we may be able to attract talented individuals from all lands to bring their skills to our nation.”

“Traitor!” cried a poshly dressed stallion to Jack’s right.

“We also see it necessary to provide a pathway to citizenship for all who reside within our borders legally,” Fancy Pants continued as the nobles and business ponies booed and hissed. “Furthermore, our goals include the insurance of free speech and press, a reduction of the E.U.P budget, and a complete reform to our justice system, for a more free society!” he exclaimed, ducking as a champagne glass smashed against the castle wall over his head. “I say! Can’t we be civilized about this?!”

“What’s the point in asking?” Three Arrows asked. “Nobles and business ponies are nothing more than spoiled foals used to getting whatever they want.”

“Well, let’s see you do better!” Fancy Pants scoffed.

“Be careful what you wish for,” Three Arrows muttered. “ATTENTION!!!” he bellowed, silencing the crowd like a drill sergeant. “Comrades! For centuries 6 percent of our society has oppressed the other 94! I have no doubt that most of us are thrilled to see the system which enabled this injustice go! Some of you may be asking yourselves, ‘what now?’ As you well should be. The two proposals we’ve seen so far are prime examples of why we shouldn’t leave this up to privileged elites. The Nationalists propose we willingly waltz right back into the chains we have just freed ourselves from, and the Liberals propose little more than newer shinier chains. I have spent the past month studying human political theory, and two authors, in particular, have caught my attention, Karl Marx and Peter Kropotkin. I do not expect anypony in this crowd to be familiar with these names. However, their ideology is what drives the Equestrian Labor Party.”

“Now there’s a surprise,” Jack thought. The subject of communism had never really been of much interest to him. He’d read of the horrors of Stalinist and Maoist dictatorships and knew Marx was the most influential of early communist thinkers. But, to him, the word existed as little more than a buzzword used against liberals by conservatives. He certainly never expected to hear someone seriously propose a communist government.

“From each according to his ability to each according to his need,” Three Arrows continued. “The abolishment of the royal court does not go far enough. The state itself must be abolished! The workers must receive the full value of their labor without fear of bosses and landlords extracting that value from them. What we propose is well-being for all! Pony, Cow, Dragon, Minotaur, Yak, Zebra, be they citizen or foreigner it matters little. All shall be treated the same!”

“That doesn’t sound so bad,” Fluttershy said quietly.

“This hurts my head,” Pinkie said, rubbing her scalp furiously.

“This doesn’t really sound like the Soviet Union, or China for that matter,” Jack thought. “Perhaps I should read up on communist theory.”

“The first problem we must deal with is that of bread,” Three arrows continued. “Equestria produces more than enough food to feed everypony living here and then some. Yet, many go hungry. Second, we must deal with the issue of housing. Equestria has the ability to build on mass scale homes both affordable and comfortable, and yet many of our citizens live in squalor. No clearer can either of these problems be seen than in the slums of Canterlot. Finally, we must do away with long stressful work hours. If labor is divided properly, workers should be able to make a living wage on five hours of work per day. After the worker’s five hours of efficient work are up, they should be able to spend the rest of their day pursuing their interests. Many workers will devote their free time toward advancement in academics, culture, and innovation, and all that is required is the abolishment of unjust hierarchy!”

Silence. Not a pony spoke a word. This was so radically different from what anyone in Equestria had ever heard of that many in the crowd weren’t sure it wasn’t a joke. That silence wasn’t broken until the princesses returned to the balcony.

“I hope you everypony here will take the time to consider what you want for the future,” Celestia said. “All three parties have set up offices outside the Royal Courtroom where you are free to register for the party of your choosing. Starting tomorrow, they will be hiring campaigners to set up registration drives in each of Equestria’s provinces. Anypony above the age of 17 will be allowed to vote in this coming election, although political clubs will be available for all ages.”

October 6, 2020

Fluttershy’s Cottage

Fluttershy had grabbed a Labor Party pamphlet before leaving Canterlot and had been surprisingly interested in the party’s platform.

“Just think of how much easier it would be for ponies to care for their animals if they all made a living wage,” Fluttershy said as she and Jack ate breakfast.

“Mhmm,” Jack grunted.

“What’s wrong?” Fluttershy asked. “Usually, you’re the talkative one.”

Jack certainly agreed with the idea of a living wage. He had been a Bernie supporter after all, but despite what the man called it, none of the policies Bernie Sanders advocated were really socialist. At least Jack not as understood the term. It was true he had been wrong about socialism exclusively meaning government ownership of industry as in the Soviet Union. Still, having skimmed through a copy of Das Kapital Celestia had loaned him, he still couldn’t call Bernie a socialist. Medicare for all, free college, and a living wage were still a far cry from worker ownership of the means of production.

“I’m just not sure Three Arrows knows what he’s doing,” Jack sighed. “Having a living wage is a great idea and all, but these other ideas… well, they don’t exactly have the best track record when humans have attempted to implement them.”

“What do you mean?” Fluttershy asked.

“The idea of a world without exploitation is great in theory,” Jack said with a sigh. “Human attempts at it have led to the deaths of tens of millions and the rise of some of the worst dictators in history. I’m just not convinced it can be done in practice.” Getting up from his chair and grabbing his backpack, he said, “I’ll be going to school now.”

Ponyville School

“Good morning, class,” Cheerilee said with a bright smile.

“Good morning, Miss Cheerilee,” the class responded.

“Today, we have a special exercise,” Cheerilee informed. “At the request of the newly formed Elections Commission, we will be holding a mock election.” Flipping the page on her easel, she revealed a sheet with the words Nationalist, Liberal, and Labor, written in brown, yellow, and red, respectively. “I’d like three volunteers to represent the political parties.”

“I’ll be representing the Nationalists,” Diamond Tiara said smugly.

“Ah can do the Liberals,” Apple Bloom offered.

“Would anypony like to represent Labor?” Cheerilee asked.

Word was only just starting to spread about the parties. Filthy Rich had no doubt instructed Diamond to represent the nationalists, and Apple Bloom had likely heard about them from her sister. While Sweetie Belle had probably heard the same from Rarity that. Labor was widely seen by those present as fringe and unviable. In other words, no one in class who had any idea what was going on had a high opinion of the party.

“I’ll do it,” Jack sighed.

“Excellent!” Cheerilee cheered. Passing each of them a flier, she instructed them to make a case for the points listed on them.

Once they were done reading, they each were given up to two minutes to make their case.

Diamond Tiara started. “I think it should be obvious who you should vote for. One of my opponents is a blank-flank from a disgraced family, and the other is a hairless ape that shouldn’t even be allowed on school grounds.”

“Bitch,” Jack muttered under his breath.

“If that isn’t enough to get your vote, you all know who my daddy is,” Diamond Tiara said with a devilish smirk. “It would be a shame if anypony were expelled.”

“You can’ threaten us like that anymore!” Apple Bloom shouted.

“Excuse me?!” Diamond Tiara asked indignantly.

“The Royal Court will be abolished next month,” Apple Bloom said. “When it’s gone, yer dad won’t be able tuh force the school tuh expel anypony. Don’t y’all see?” she asked the class. “With the Court gone, Diamond Tiara won’t be able tuh bully us anymore.”

Unsurprisingly Diamond Tiara and Apple Bloom spent their time on personal attacks. Jack, on the other hand, had different plans.

“The Royal Court is nothing more than a tool for the rich and powerful to exploit the rest of us,” Jack said. “Anyone who would deny this is a fool. The nationalists are openly in favor of this system, and the Liberals are not much better. Those who were ahead under the class system will still have a head start under a free market. Only by redistributing the nation's resources can we hope to end oppression.”

Once Jack had finished, Cheerilee asked the students to write their votes on a piece of paper and bring them to a basket she had upfront.

“I came up with that argument far too easily,” Jack thought to himself. “I know Capitalism is a necessary evil, but that sounded so right.” Pushing the thought to the back of his mind, Jack wrote Liberal on his paper and dropped it into the basket.

Cheerilee tallied up the votes and gave the results, “that’s Twelve for Liberals, Two for Nationalists, and one for Labor.”

“Who voted for me?” Jack wondered.

“They cheated!” Diamond Tiara shouted. “I demand a recount!”

“I just counted them in front of you,” Cheerilee said. “The results are final.”

“Recount the vote, or my father will have you fired!” Diamond Tiara demanded.

“I don’t think so,” Cheerilee said. “Like Apple Bloom pointed out, Filthy Rich won’t have the power to do so for much longer, and I have a feeling he’s too busy to bother in the meantime.”

The class burst into laughter as Diamond Tiara’s face contorted in rage. “You’ll all regret this!” she spat, storming out of class with Silver Spoon following like a squire after a knight.

“Shouldn’t you stop her?” Jack asked Cheerilee.

“I should, but class will be over in a few minutes anyway,” Cheerilee answered. “I’ll just give her detention next week. That was a pretty impressive argument, by the way. Sometimes it’s hard to believe you’re only a colt.”

“Oh, well, I guess we humans just mature faster,” Jack said with a nervous laugh. “Oh, look at the time, the bell should…”

BRIIIIIIING!

“Looks like we are out of time, everypony,” Cheerilee announced. “Since we didn’t have time to go over it today, I’m giving you all a week to finish last night’s homework, if you haven’t already.”

As the class stormed outside, Sakura Blossom walked over to Jack. “That was a good speech, Jack-sama,” she said with a wink. “Anypony could see why you’re top of the class!”

“Thanks,” Jack said. “You’re not all that far behind me, though, are you Saki?”

“Saki?” Sakura asked.

“It’s a nickname. I have one for all my other friends,” Jack explained. “You don’t like it?”

“Daisukidesu!” Sakura exclaimed. “I just wasn’t expecting it.”

“Glad you like it,” Jack chuckled. “I was thinking of helping the girls out with another one of their crusades today. Wanna come with?”

“Sure!” Sakura answered. “What time?”

As Jack was about to answer her, he noticed two familiar ponies watching him from across the street. “Right after I take care of something,” he said. “You can go ahead to the clubhouse. I’ll be there soon.”

Once Sakura had left, Jack jogged across the street to where Cherry Berry and Lyra Heartstrings were conversing with another pony he recognized from around town.

“Hey Lyra, hey Cherry Berry,” Jack greeted. “What are you two doing in town?”

“Well, we do live here,” Cherry Berry said. “I think I’m entitled to some time off after having to put up with Jubilee for so long.”

“And it’s been ages since I got to hang with my bestie!” Lyra added. “Speaking of which, Bon Bon, this is the human I keep telling you about.”

“Everypony knows about Jack, Lyra,” said the pale-yellow mare the two had been talking with.

“But have you felt his hands?!” Lyra asked. “They’re so soft and fleshy!”

“Annnnd, I’ll be leaving now,” Bon Bon said awkwardly. “You know I hate it when you get like this.”

“Oh, come on, Bon Bon, don’t go!” Lyra called after her.

“I have some things I need to take care of, Lyra," Bon Bon called back. “We can meet up at Sugar Cube Corner tonight.”

“Is she gone?” Cherry Berry asked.

“Yup,” Lyra answered.

“What are you…” Jack started.

“We need to show you something,” Lyra answered.

“Follow us,” Cherry Berry said.

Ponyville Marketplace

The scene in front of Jack was absolute chaos. The usual food stalls had all but been replaced by campaign workers, aggressively pushing pamphlets to anyone who’d take them, every square inch of the surrounding buildings had been plastered with propaganda posters, there was even a small stage where ponies furiously argued against each other’s views.

Scanning the posters, Jack was taken aback at how vile many of them were.

DON’T LET THEM FOOL YOU!

This was written over a stairway Fancy Pants and Three Arrows were walking up. In ascending order, the steps below them read, Inter-Class Relationships, Let in Outsiders, and Give outsiders Citizenship. They stood on another step reading Defund the E.U.P, and above them were Interspecies Marriage, Wealth Redistribution, and Foal Fiddling.

“The Liberal and Labor parties have set up elaborate systems to steal this election!” howled a stallion on stage. “They plan to use magic ink that will rearrange itself, once dry, to support their candidates.”

“Where’s your proof?” asked the pony he was debating.

“The Nationalist Party has obtained numerous affidavits attesting to it!”

“Why are you showing me this?” Jack asked Cherry Berry and Lyra.

“Officially speaking, you are minor and cannot vote in this election,” Cherry Berry answered.

“Unofficially, you are to be sent a ballot through the mail to fill out in secret,” Lyra whispered. “I was hoping I could recruit you for the Labor Party.”

“And I wanted to request your support for the Liberal Party,” Cherry Berry added.

“Which one will you choose?” Lyra asked.

This was an easy answer for Jack. As unnervingly sensible as Three Arrows had sounded to Jack, he could chalk that up to good rhetoric and having had little time to think of the consequences. He’d been a liberal for as long as he’d understood what politics were, and, at least for now, this hadn’t changed.

His thoughts were interrupted by a condescending plantation accent.

"If it isn't the tramp," Cherry Jubilee jeered. "Buckin' apes now, are we? And here Ah didn't think you could go lower than that peasant."

"It's nice to see you too cousin," Cherry Berry sighed.

"You're no cousin of mine," Cherry Jubilee scoffed. "And this little 'democracy' you and your friends have here won't last long. Mark my words."

Canterlot Slums

The slums of Canterlot were not a place one would normally wish to traverse after dark. Then again, Løgner wasn’t a normal pony, and there was a particular black market shop he had business with.

It was a dingy little hovel filled with various objects most would see as junk. In truth, everything in there was cursed.

“May I help you, traveler?” the shopkeeper asked. “Hmm, something drew you to my shop... something powerful.”

Løgner gestured to a ruby amulet with a carving of a black alicorn around the gem.

“Ah, you have a keen eye,” The shopkeeper noted. “The Alicorn Amulet is one of the most mysterious and powerful of all the known magical charms. Uh, ah— I'm afraid this is... far too dangerous.”

Løgner’s eyes turned black as they met with the shopkeeper’s which changed to the same color.

“You vil hove det over,” Løgner said.

In a trance, the shopkeeper passed the amulet to him.

As Løgner left with his prize, the shopkeeper slowly came too. “Wha-what happened?”

Author's Note

I think I did alright here. Man has it been hard to find time to write, though. Between my new kitten and my understaffed job, I have almost no free time. (Seriously, every time I sit down to write, that silly cat starts meowing and jumping on me.)
Next Time: As Princess Celestia visits Ponyville, Fluttershy takes notice of her sickly bird Philomena. Taking it upon herself to nurse the bird back to health, Fluttershy must return Celestia's pet before anyone realizes who stole it. Meanwhile, Sweetie Belle gets dangerously close to figuring out Sakura's secret.

Chapter 41: A Bird in the Hoof (Last Edited: 1/23/2023)

October 10, 2020

Sugarcube Corner

"Careful with that frosting, Sakura," Cup Cake said, sweating nervously. "This is for Princess Celestia, after all."

"Hai, Oba-san," Sakura replied, applying pink frosting to a sizable cake.

"You're doing great, Sakura," Carrot Cake said encouragingly. "If only Pinkie could… STOP!!!" he exclaimed as Pinkie attempted to sneak a bite out of one of the cakes.

"What??" Pinkie asked innocently. "I just wanted to taste test it!"

"How is it that Sakura acts more like an adult than you?" Carrot Cake sighed rhetorically.

Once she finished frosting the cake, Sakura quietly excused herself. There was no sense in risking an encounter with Celestia, so she had made plans with Rumble and his gang instead. However, there were other matters to attend to first.

Sweetie Belle's House

Although one might assume that Sweetie Belle lived with Rarity due to the frequency she stayed with her, in truth, she lived with her parents, Hondo Flanks and Cookie Crumbles.

"You planning on hanging out with your little friends today?" Hondo asked Sweetie Belle as he took a sip of an ashy black liquid his daughter had made.

Sweetie Belle's cooking was notoriously bad. That liquid her father was drinking was actually toast. How it wound up in liquid form, no one was really sure. She'd even managed to burn apple juice on occasion. Unsurprisingly, both her parents had lost their sense of taste entirely after a few years of eating their youngest daughter's cooking.

"I hear that Jack colt you've been playing with is pretty popular," Cookie Crumbles said. "Smart too. Better snatch him up before one of the other fillies gets to him."

"Mom!" Sweetie Belle squeaked. "It's not like that."

"You sure?" Cookie Crumbles asked with a playful grin.

"Yes, I'm sure!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed, hopping up from the table. "I’m going to the clubhouse. Important Cutie Mark Crusader business. See you tonight.”

Fluttershy’s Cottage

Jack watched bemusedly as Fluttershy tended to an injured rat. This wasn’t your standard veterinarian practice. She had not only bandaged the tiny rodent’s leg but even went so far as to craft a tiny wheelchair for her patient.

“There you go, Mr. Mousey,” Fluttershy said, nudging the rat to a hole in the wall. “Now, you stay off that leg and do everything I told you. And it will be just like new in no time at all.”

Thanks in no small part to Fluttershy's efforts, Jack's nose had healed earlier than expected, and he no longer needed the splint. His black eye was barely noticeable thanks to an ointment Fluttershy had been applying.

“You really are something else, Flutters,” Jack said as he watched the rat roll its wheelchair into the hole.

“What do you mean?” Fluttershy asked.

“Well…”

Before Jack could finish his answer, Angel slammed into Fluttershy, franticly shaking a silver pocket watch.

“You... found a watch?” Fluttershy asked.

Angel shook his head and moved his forelimbs to mimic clock hands.

“You... wanna be a watch?” Fluttershy asked.

As Angel shook his head again, Jack glanced at the clock. It was almost 4:00. “Flutters, we’re late!” he shouted.

“Late?” Fluttershy asked, looking at the clock. “Oh my goodness! The big brunch for Princess Celestia at Sugarcube Corner.”

“We can still make it if we leave now!” Jack said as the trumpets sounded, signaling Celestia’s arrival.

As Jack and Fluttershy rushed outside, Angel locked the door to prevent Fluttershy from coming back and wasting more time.

“That door better be unlocked when we get back, or I’m going to skin you alive!” Jack shouted from outside.

Angel let out a snicker, knowing Jack’s threat to be empty.

Cutie Mark Crusaders Clubhouse

It had been almost two weeks since the Crusaders had partially discovered Jack’s secret. They hadn’t had any difficulty keeping it, but Sweetie Belle was still insistent that Sakura had intentionally directed them toward the discovery, which was the topic of today’s meeting.

“Ah hereby call this meetin’ of the Cutie Mark Crusaders tuh order,” Apple Bloom said, smacking the podium with a wooden gavel. “As we all know, our fellow Crusader, Jack, who is not present at this meetin’ has been secretly trainin’ as part of the E.U.P. However, there are some concerns that our friend, Sakura Blossom, may know more about this than she initially led us to believe. Which is why she has been invited to this meetin’ as a guest.”

Nodding to Sakura, Apple Bloom backed away from the podium. As Sakura took to the stand, the Crusaders immediately began questioning her.

“When you convinced us to go after Jack, did ya know he was in the E.U.P.?” Apple Bloom asked.

“Hai,” Sakura answered, seeing no reason to hide this.

“How long have you known?” asked Scootaloo.

“Since before the Hydra attack,” Sakura answered. “I overheard Jack-sama talking with Captain Shining Armor.”

“Why didn’t you tell us?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“Would you have believed me?” Sakura asked rhetorically.

Outside Sugarcube Corner

As Jack and Fluttershy rushed toward the bakery, they could see Rainbow Dash heading inside.

“Phew,” Fluttershy sighed as they reached the door. “Made it.”

Unfortunately, Celestia’s guards Were not keen on letting them inside and extended their wings to block them.

“Halt!” shouted the first guard.

“Who goes there?” asked the second.

“Private Jager, reporting for duty, sir,” Jack answered.

“And who’s she?” asked the first guard.

“It's all right, sirs,” Twilight said. She had been passing by the door from inside when she spotted them. “They’re on the list.”

“Thanks, Twilight,” Fluttershy said as she and Jack walked inside.

“I'm so glad you both could make it,” Twilight said. “It wouldn't be the same without you.”

“You’ve gone all out,” Jack complimented.

Indeed, Twilight had seen to it that no expense was spared. Sugarcube Corner had been fully booked, and the Cakes had been instructed to make all their best recipes, soufflés, chocolate fountains, the works. Spike had been recruited to bake with his fire breath, freeing Mister and Misses Cake to act as servers.

“Sorry we’re late,” Fluttershy apologized. “I had to finish taking care of a patient first.”

“Oh, you and your tender loving care of little animals,” Twilight said with a nervous twitch. “I just know Princess Celestia is gonna love that about you.” Sweating, she added, “I mean, I hope she will... I mean, of course she will!”

“Well, that is why she sent me to live with her, right Twi?” Jack pointed out.

“Yes, I suppose you’re right,” Twilight sighed. “I just want the princess to approve of my friends.”

“Approve of us?” Jack asked. “She’s met us multiple times. I think we’d all know if she disapproved.”

“It's just a casual get-together, right?” Fluttershy asked with a smile.

“Don't touch me!” Shouted Rarity, who, as usual, had dressed in the most flashy outfit she could think of. “Watch the dress! Careful, you're gonna spill that on me!” she whined as cupcake brought over a tray of Apple flavored cupcakes. “Oh, oh, that looks delicious. What is it? Oh, does it stain?! Keep it away from me!” she shouted, curling up defensively.

“Doesn’t look all that casual to me,” Jack muttered.

While Rarity was practically fighting the other guests to keep her dress clean, Applejack was hovering around the dessert table, eying her options with the indecision of a cat.

“It's okay, Twilight,” Fluttershy said comfortingly. “So, our friends' manners aren't perfect. I doubt the princess will even notice.”

As if on cue, Pinkie showed up, darting across the room like a hyperactive 9-year-old on 12 cans of Coke. Consuming every dessert she came across with the grace of a pig, she eventually found herself at Celestia’s table. Or rather on top of Celestia’s table.

“You gonna eat that?!” Pinkie asked the princess, snatching a cupcake from her telekinetic grasp and gulping it down in less than a second.

“God damn it, Pinks,” Jack thought to himself.

Cup Cake’s gasp could be heard from the other side of the room. Bolting into action, she grabbed Pinkie by the tail and dragged her as far from Celestia as possible.

“Hey!” Pinkie protested as Carrot Cake swiftly brought Celestia another cupcake.

“A thousand pardons, Your Majesty,” Carrot Cake apologized.

“That's quite all right, thank you,” Celestia said, taking a bite out of her cupcake and sipping her teacup dry.

The Cakes spent the next minute or so obsessively refilling Celestia’s cup. An act that seemingly disturbed her more than Pinkie.

“And how have you been doing, young Jack?” Celestia asked.

“I’ve been alright,” Jack said. “Those sessions in the Everfree have been doing wonders, and it helps that I don’t have to hide it from the Crusaders anymore.”

Celestia had been informed about the Crusader’s discovery, and while such a breach had been disturbing, she trusted Jack when he said the fillies could keep a secret. “And what of, ‘Emerald Jack,’ was it? Have you been able to regain contact?”

“No,” Jack answered. “I haven’t.”

“That’s too bad,” Celestia said. “I take it you’ve at least been having fewer problems with the jade entity?”

“Much less than before,” Jack nodded.

“That’s good,” Celestia said with a smile. “I must say, you’ve made excellent progress adapting to our world.” Turning to Fluttershy, she said, “seems I was right to leave young Jack here in your care, Fluttershy. I doubt anypony else could have done so well.”

“Oh, well, I don’t know about that,” Fluttershy replied, shyly pressing her forehooves together. “Honestly, I don’t think I did anything other than hinder his progress until I took a more hooves-off approach.”

“Well, there’s the understatement of the year,” Jack said, half-jokingly. “She acted like a freaking psychopath, trying to keep me safe.”

“I’m s-sorry,” Fluttershy murmured.

“I didn’t choose you because I thought you’d do a perfect job,” Celestia said. “Out of all your friends, you were the best equipped for the task. The fact that you were able to take a hooves-off approach shows that you were able to adapt to the task at hand.”

“Don’t beat yourself up over it, mother,” Jack said, patting Fluttershy’s head. “Dash probably would have killed me, Twi would have used me as a test subject, A.J. would have me working the farm all day, Rarity would have made me try on clothes all day, and Pinks would have driven me insane. If you keep dwelling on the mistakes of your past, it’ll tear you apart.” So quietly that no one else heard, Jack added, “Trust me, I know.”

“You have a kind and nurturing personality, Fluttershy,” Celestia said. “That’s why you share my love of animals.”

Before Fluttershy could respond, she was interrupted by a sickly cough. The sound was coming from a birdcage Celestia had brought with her.

“As Princess, I care deeply about all creatures, great and small,” Celestia continued.

With another cough and a hack, a sickly bird hopped onto the cage's perch. Its feathers were a faded pink, and many were falling off.

“Ah, Philomena, my pet,” Celestia said. “You're awake. Do say hello to our gracious hosts.”

Philomena let out another cough.

“Oh... my,” Fluttershy murmured.

“She is quite a sight, isn't she?” Celestia asked.

“Y-eah,” Jack reluctantly agreed.

“I... I... I've never seen anything like it,” Fluttershy said as Philomena coughed up a few feathers.

A guard walked over and whispered into Celestia’s ear.

“Really?” Celestia asked. “Well, if I must... I'm sorry, everypony. I'm afraid I have to cut the party short. The mayor has requested an audience with me,” sitting up from the table, she added. “Elections are scheduled two days before the Gala, and there is much to be done in the meantime.”

“Phew!” Applejack sighed once the princess was gone. “Now Ah can eat someth'n! Ah'm starved!” Unfortunately for her, the Cakes were already cleaning the remaining food up. “Oh...” she muttered in disappointment.

Pinkie followed a line of guests out the door doing cartwheels while Rarity aggressively fought her way to the door keeping her dress safe.

“What are you doing?” Jack asked as Fluttershy walked over to Philomena’s cage.

“Poor Philomena clearly needs some medicine,” Fluttershy said. “I’m just going to give her the T.L.C. desperately she needs.”

“What happens when Celestia comes back and finds her pet missing?” Jack asked.

“Look at her,” Fluttershy said.

Philomena hacked up another clump of feathers.

“You can’t expect me to just leave her like this.”

Sweet Apple Acres

When the meeting was over, Sweetie Belle told her friends she didn’t feel well. In reality, she just wanted to follow Sakura. If she could just find some kind of proof that the demon filly was up to no good, she could show it to her friends, maybe even to one of the adults.

As she approached the gate to the main road, she could see that Sakura had stopped. Most likely to wait for Rumble and the other colts who follow her around.

“I know you're there,” Sakura growled irritably.

Thinking she’d been spotted, Sweetie Belle was about to answer. However…

“No fooling you, Oni-Hime,” said a voice in a Norwegian accent.

“Oni-Hime?” Sweetie Belle wondered. “Who is she talking to? I can’t see anypony.”

“Show yourself, Løgner,” Sakura spat.

“Nå nå,” Løgner chided. “I turned invisible for en reason. A little filly talking to en strange stallion like me would draw attention.”

“Invisible?”

“I’m almost shi centuries older than you,” Sakura sighed. “And if anypony were here, they could still hear you.”

“Centuries?” Sweetie Belle thought. None of this made any sense to her. She had wanted to find answers, but instead, she found even stranger questions. It’s not like ponies didn’t live to be centuries old. Granny Smith was around when Ponyville was founded, but Granny Smith had the wrinkles to show for it. Sakura, or Oni-Hime, looked to be her age.

“Godt point,” Løgner shrugged, seemingly popping into existence. “Perhaps we should go somewhere more private.”

Fluttershy’s Cottage

“I still can’t believe you took the bird, Flutters,” Jack said as he opened the door.

“I had to do something,” said Fluttershy, carrying said bird on her back.

“Well, I guess there’s no taking it back now,” Jack sighed, walking into the living room.

“Oh, you poor little thing,” Fluttershy said to the bird as she walked in. How did you ever get in such bad condition?” she asked, placing it on the coach. “Don't you worry, Philomena. I'll nurse you back to health. As a favor to the princess, who's obviously just far too busy to care for you properly.”

Philomena coughed out another feather and leaned over onto the cushion.

“I'm sure the princess will appreciate the help,” Fluttershy said, pushing her upright.

Philomena responded with a hiccup before slouching over again.

“Oh my,” Fluttershy said, picking the bird up in her forelegs. “We'd better get you to bed right away.”

Fluttershy tucked Philomena into a small crib and placed a thermometer in her beak. As if on cue, her feathers glowed bright red, and the mercury rose to the top of the thermometer. Fluttershy removed the sheets as quickly as she could and placed an ice pack over her head. The mercury retracted to the bottom, Philomena’s feathers returned to normal, and she began shivering like she’d been pulled from a frozen pond.

“She’s fucking with us!” Jack accused as Philomena froze over.

“That’s not nice, Jack,” Fluttershy said as she placed the blanket over the bird again to the exact same result. This process repeated several times before the thermometer finally burst into a splatter of mercury.

“This is far worse than I thought,” Fluttershy gasped. “What you need is some medicine. Stat!”

“She’s faking,” Jack scoffed.

Philomena let out another cough.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Jack,” Fluttershy said as she went to her medicine cabinet. “I just need to find the right pill.”

Jack looked back to Philomena to see her blowing him a raspberry, “This is gonna be my whole day, isn’t it?” he sighed.

He was right, of course. Philomena showed no interest in Fluttershy’s horse pill. Even after covering it in birdseed, she simply ate around it, similar to a dog with a hotdog-covered heartworm pill. Fluttershy then tried warm soup, which the bird ignored. She even tried coaxing her into singing, which only led to a stream of vomit all over both her and Jack. Fluttershy tried a dehumidifier, aromatherapy, a warm bath, and no result other than the loss of feathers. It wasn’t until she tried ointment that she found results. Unfortunately, those results were not what she wanted as, seemingly on command, Philomena broke out with pimples immediately after.

By this point, Fluttershy was trying more extreme measures. She and Angel had garbed themselves in antique (by Earth standards at least) surgeon’s caps. The ones with the reflective circles.

“Scalpel,” Fluttershy requested. As Angel passed the scalpel, she then asked for surgical tape and feathers.

To Jack’s surprise, Fluttershy had planned to simply tape the missing feathers back on.

“What did you even need the scalpel for, to begin with?” Jack asked.

“I don’t even know anymore,” Fluttershy admitted with a sigh as Philomena let out another cough. “Oh, Philomena. I thought it would be easy to nurse you back to health. I've tried everything I know. And look at you. You're worse than ever.”

Before Fluttershy could decide what to do next, there was a knock on the door. Rushing to answer, Jack found Twilight had come for a visit.

“Hi, Jack. Hi, Fluttershy!” Twilight greeted, letting herself in. “I just wanted to drop by and say thank you so very much for making such a good impression on the princess today...” locking eyes on Philomena, she gasped, “What is Celestia's pet doing here?!”

“I couldn't leave the poor thing there,” Fluttershy explained. “She needed my help.”

“Oh no,” Twilight said, facepalming in exasperation. “Nonononononono! This is bad.”

“How could I just walk away and not do anything?” Fluttershy asked.

“But... but... she doesn't belong to you!” Twilight exclaimed.

“That’s what I said,” Jack interjected as Philomena let out another cough.

“I know you had good intentions, but you have got to return the princess's pet!” Twilight exclaimed.

Philomena rolled off the table, pulling herself to her feet and taking a raspy breath.

“Ah’m like ninety percent certain this damn bird is fakin’ it,” Jack growled as Philomena let out another cough.

Shoving Philomena into a basket, Twilight ran to the door. “If we hurry, we can put her back before anypony even realizes she's missing.”

Twilight gasped at the sight of two guards waiting for her when she opened the door.

“We were told we could find Twilight Sparkle here,” the first guard announced.

“We regret to inform you, miss, that the royal pet has gone missing,” explained the second.

“Really? You don't say!” Twilight said, laughing nervously.

As if to spite them, Philomena chose that point to start coughing again. Thinking quickly, Twilight began faking her own cough, and Fluttershy joined soon after.

“It's that dry night air?” Twilight wheezed.

“It’s daytime, Twi,” Jack pointed out.

“Well... day air's even drier,” Twilight said, sweating profusely. “You guards better be on your way if you're gonna find the princess's missing pet. Philomena, was it?” she asked, pushing the guards out the door. “Thank you ever so much for keeping me in the loop. Bye!” she said as she shut the door behind her. Panting, she watched as the guards left. “Phew... What are you doing?!”

Fluttershy explained that she was bringing Philomena back to Celestia. Twilight blocked her exit, claiming that there was no way Fluttershy could return the bird now that Celestia knew she was missing. When asked why Twilight claimed Fluttershy would be punished. Banished or locked in a dungeon, perhaps both.

“That seems highly unlikely,” Jack said. “Flutters is the bearer of the Element of Kindness, right?”

“Yeah?” Twilight answered.

“Well, unless the Elements of Harmony can be used by anyone, I doubt Celestia would banish or imprison one of the bearers,” Jack reasoned.

“I’m sure if we can just get Philomena healthy, everything will be fine,” Fluttershy said.

Reluctantly Twilight agreed. Taking a more forceful approach, she forced the medicine from before down Philomena’s throat, forced her into a cone of shame to prevent further feather loss, and shut her in a cage with a tarp to encourage sleep.

While this seemed to do better than Fluttershy’s T.L.C., everything went south when Twilight tried forcing Fluttershy’s soup onto Philomena, who took off running as soon as Twilight opened the birdcage. Twilight, Jack, and Fluttershy gave chase, but Philomena had already made it out the door. What followed was nothing short of a Scooby Doo-type chase scene.

Abandoned Shack South of Ponyville

Sweetie Belle followed Løgner and Sakura for a few miles before they arrived at an old shack. Seeing the other two walk inside, Sweetie Belle looked around for a good place to listen in. Spotting an external latter leading to a loft, she scurried up.

The loft was well-lit, thanks to a large hole in the roof. The floor was adorned with rusty saws, other logging equipment, and a blanket of dust. In the far-right corner was a small hole in the floor where Sweetie could hear Sakura and Løgner talking. Sweetie Belle tiptoed over as silently as she could to listen to what was being said.

“Mine pawns are in place,” said Løgner. “Phase to vil begin at the gala.”

“What about Celestia, the E.U.P., and the Elements of Hāmonī?” asked Sakura. “I think this mission would be better served if all Roku of us attacked at once.”

“I have all those bases covered,” Løgner said. “All you need to worry about is capturing the human.”

“Jack!” Sweetie Belle gasped, jumping back into the handle of an ax that had been leaned against the wall.

The ax fell to the floor, impacting with a booming crash.

“Seems vi have en eavesdropper,” Løgner hissed.

Sweetie Belle’s heart skipped a beat. They knew she was there, and there was no telling what they might do. Her brain could barely process what she had overheard. All neurons were devoted to one thought and one thought alone. “Run!”

One Block West of the Town Square

After thirty minutes of chase, they had lost track of Philomena. With no leads, they chose to stop by a nearby fountain to make a plan.

Rainbow Dash had been flying nearby and swooped down to see what was up. “What are you two doing?” she asked. “Are you having a race? Oh, can I play? One, two, three, go!” she shouted, zooming off.

Rainbow Dash wasn’t the only one of their friends in the area. The rest of the Mane Six were gathered around the fountain.

“Excuse me!” Fluttershy said, crawling under Pinkie Pie.

“Hi!” Pinkie exclaimed casually, standing on Fluttershy’s back as if nothing had happened.

“Beg your pardon!” Twilight exclaimed, lifting Rarity into the air.

“Put me down!” Rarity demanded.

“What in tarnation?!” Applejack asked.

“Sorry, but we've gotta find...” Fluttershy began.

“The princess's pet bird!” a guard shouted.

Atop the fountain, still coughing, was Philomena.

“Philomena, come down from there! You'll hurt yourself!” Fluttershy exclaimed.

As her final tail feather fell off, Philomena burst out in a fit of coughing twitching before collapsing over the fountain like a corps.

“I know you’re fakin’ damnit!” Jack shouted.

In one final attempt at trolling, Philomena stood up and repeated her death performance, only this time she fell over the side of the fountain. Fluttershy attempted to catch her, but it was all in vain. In a fiery inferno, all that was left for Fluttershy to catch were ashes.

The crowd gasped, but Jack slapped himself in realization.

“So, Philomena’s a…” he began.

“Phoenix,” Celestia finished. “What is going on here? Twilight?”

Twilight and Fluttershy explained what had happened, and each attempted to take the blame. Celestia only smiled and said, “oh, stop fooling around, Philomena. You're scaring everypony.”

From the ashes rose brilliant raptor of Scarlett and gold. Philomena’s true form.

Celestia explained the rejuvenating abilities of the phoenix and that she would never have banished Fluttershy.

Seeing that all was well, Jack decided to ask Fluttershy a question. “Hey, mother?”

“Y-yes?” Fluttershy asked.

“Remember when we got my medicine from my car?” Jack asked. “We found my turtles swimming in their own filth, and you assumed I had been abusing them?”

“Yes,” Fluttershy admitted.

“Well, I think there’s a similar lesson to be learned here,” Jack chuckled.

“I know,” Fluttershy sighed. “I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions. Next time I'll ask before taking matters into my own hooves.”

“Should I write you a letter about that lesson, Princess?” asked Twilight.

“No, that's quite all right,” Celestia answered. “I think I can remember.”

Sweetie Belle’s House

Sweetie Belle had been running for more than half an hour. The sun was slowly sinking beneath the horizon. She didn’t know if she’d been spotted, but she was relieved to see the safety of her house.

Rushing inside, she slammed the door and locked it behind her. Heart racing a million beats a minute, she bolted right past her confused parents and into her room. “Sakura’s trying to kidnap Jack! She and that other pony are going to do something terrible at the Gala! I… I have to tell somepony.”

Author's Note

Holy shit, that took a long time! It couldn't be helped, though. I spilled water on my laptop at the beginning of the month and had to send it in for repairs. Then I had to drive all the way to Charleston to get the control stick on my 3DS fixed because nowhere in Myrtle Beach would fix it, and Nintendo no longer offers repair services for anything other than the Switch.
This is another chapter that will be getting heavily edited in the future, but there are some parts I'm fully satisfied with.
Next Time: As Jack helps Cherry Berry with a voter registration drive, Sweetie Belle struggles to convince Rarity of what she'd overheard from Sakura and Løgner.

Chapter 42: You Have to Believe Me! (Last Edited: 1/24/2023)

October 14, 2020

Fluttershy's Cottage

Jack's eyes shot open to the usual submarine alarm of his phone. 9:30 AM. That was the time. Rolling out of bed, he slowly got ready for his day.

He wouldn't normally get up so early, but he preferred to get his training out of the way by lunchtime. Things were getting intense in Equestria's political sphere, and you couldn't go five feet into town without your eyes being assaulted with attack ads. It was like an offline version of a 4chan board or r/The_Donald, and Jack despised every minute of it.

No sooner had Jack sat down for breakfast was there a knock on the door. With a grumble, he moved to answer. To his surprise, Cherry Berry was waiting for him.

"Hello, Jack!" Cherry Berry greeted.

"Uh, hey, Cherry Berry," Jack greeted. "What brings you here?"

"I was hoping you might be interested in joining the Liberal Party's canvassing campaign here in Ponyville," Cherry Berry answered.

"You mean like, going door to door?" Jack asked.

"That's right," Cherry Berry answered.

"I really should get my training out of the way," Jack thought. "Then again, this could be interesting."

"Well?" Cherry Berry asked.

"Oh, why the Hell not," Jack decided.

Carousel Boutique

Sweetie Belle hadn't come out of her room in days. Sakura, or rather Oni-Hime, had to have figured out that it was her. What would she do to her? She had already attempted to kill Rarity.

"Sweetie Belle, darling, I'm coming in!" The door creaked open, and Rarity slipped inside. "Mother and father are worried sick about you. You've been in here for almost a week. You've missed classes, the Crusaders have been by at least three times, and the ponies in town are starting to talk. You simply must tell me what's wrong."

Without warning, Sweetie Belle bolted out of her bed and practically tackled Rarity in a tearful embrace.

"There, There," Rarity cooed, gently rubbing her sister's head. "Your big sis is here for you."

"She-she's going to kill me," Sweetie Belle sobbed.

"What?" Rarity asked. "Who?"

"Sakura," Sweetie Belle answered.

"Why would Sakura want to kill you?" Rarity asked.

Rainbow Dash’s Cloud House

"Rainbow Dash!" Jack called for the tenth time.

"I don't think she's home," said Cherry Berry.

"I guess not," Jack agreed.

As they turned to leave, a Rainbow blur flashed down from the top floor of Dash's cloud house.

"S'up, Jack?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Not much, Dash," Jack answered. "Me and Cherry Berry were just doing a little canvassing."
"Huh?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"We're trying to convince ponies to vote Liberal," Cherry Berry elaborated.

"What were you doing up there, Dash?" Jack asked. "I've been calling for like five minutes."

"None of your business!" Rainbow Dash snapped, blushing profusely.

"Alright, alright," Jack said. "What you do in your own home is your business."

"So what issues would you say are most important to you, Miss Rainbow Dash?" asked Cherry Berry.

"Does me getting into the Wonderbolts count as an issue?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"No," Jack answered. "And neither does making everything 20% cooler."

"Horsefeathers," Rainbow Dash cursed. "Well, then what would count as an issue?"

"Well, for one, the tax rate on peasants has always been absurd," Cherry Berry said. "Even though the Class System is being abolished, it's still important to create a fair tax policy that doesn't bankrupt the average pony."

"Say what?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"She means you should pay less in taxes," Jack explained.

"Oh, radical!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed. "Count me in!"

Carousel Boutique

Sweetie Belle had explained everything from the Hydra incident to what she had overheard the other day to Rarity.

"And that's why we need to do something," Sweetie Belle said. "She's going to kidnap Jack at the Gala."

Rarity giggled, taking on a sly grin. "Oh, Sweetie Belle, you have such an active imagination!"

"What?!" Sweetie Belle squeaked.

"I mean, I knew you had a thing for Jack, but to think you'd come up with such an elaborate story," Rarity said.

"That's not it at all!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed.

"Are you sure?" Rarity asked. "You're not the least bit jealous when you see Sakura and Jack together?"

"NO!" Sweetie Belle shouted. "I'm being serious, Rarity. Jacks in danger!"

"Don't be redi…"

Before Rarity could finish her sentence, there was a knock on the door.

"We'll finish this discussion later, Sweetie Belle," said Rarity.

Outside

"This is going well," Jack said, pleasantly surprised.

"We've only been to three houses, Jack," Cherry Berry said.

The door swung open. "Oh, Jack, what a pleasant surprise," said Rarity. "Are you here to see Sweetie Belle?"

"Not today, Rarity," Jack answered. "I and Cherry Berry are canvassing for the Liberal Party.

"Canvassing?" Rarity asked.

"We're explaining what our party will do for you," Cherry Berry said.

"Oh, well, that sounds delightful," Rarity said. "I'd be happy to listen."

"What issues do you find most important?" Cherry Berry asked.

"Well, I've always dreamed of opening a boutique in Canterlot," Rarity explained. "But preferential treatment for the business class has made it impossible."

"Excellent," Cherry Berry said. "As I'm sure you know, the class system has been abolished. However, the Nationalists desire to bring it back, and the Labor party wants to do away with private ventures such as yours altogether."

"Yes, that was the impression I got," Rarity said.

"It is the position of the Liberal Party that aspiring entrepreneurs such as yourself be allowed to do business with minimal interference," Cherry Berry said. "We are committed to upholding the abolishment of the class system. I think you'll find a Liberal-led government preferable."

The conversation went on another few minutes before Rarity decided it was time to check back in with Sweetie Belle. Pleasantly bidding Jack and Cherry Berry adieu, Rarity shut the door behind her and went upstairs.

"Sweetie Belle, darling?" Rarity called as she opened the door to her sister's room.

Sweetie Belle was nowhere to be seen, and her window was wide open.

"Where'd she go?!" Rarity gasped.

Sweet Apple Acres

If Rarity wouldn't hear her out, there was only one other pony in Ponyville Sweetie Belle could turn to. "If I can just tell Applejack!" she thought as she ran down the country lane toward the Apples' house. It made sense, of course. Being the Element of Honesty, Applejack would immediately know she was telling the truth.

"Heya, Sweetie Belle!" exclaimed Apple Bloom, who'd been working nearby. "Long time no see. How've ya been?"

"Oh, hi, Apple Bloom!" Sweetie Belle said, stopping to talk to her friend. "I've just been a little sick. Is Applejack here?"

"Ah think Applejack is helpin' Granny Smith with a pie," Apple Bloom answered. "Glad yer feelin' better. Ah should be done with my chores soon. Wanna go crusade…"

"Thanks, Apple Bloom!" Sweetie Belle called as she bolted toward the house.

Apple Household

"And that's how you make an award-winnin' Apple Pie!" Granny Smith exclaimed as she proudly pulled the steaming dish from the oven.

"You've always been proud of that recipe," Applejack chuckled.

"Darn tootin'!" Granny Smith agreed. "This here recipe beat Grand Pear's pear tart ten years in a row!"

The door swung open. "I need to talk to Applejack!" Sweetie Belle shouted.

"Whoa, Nelly!" Applejack exclaimed. "What's the matter, Sweetie Belle?!"

"Jacks in danger!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed.

"Excuse us, Granny," Apple Jack said, gesturing for Sweetie Belle to go upstairs.

Once they were safely upstairs, Applejack began her interrogation. "What's goin' on, Sweetie Belle? What do ya mean, 'Jack's in danger.'"

Sweetie Belle told Applejack exactly what she told Rarity. "Rarity didn't believe me, so I thought that if I went to you, and you'd know I wasn't lying."

"Ah can tell ya ain't lyin', Sweetie," Applejack said.

"That's great!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed. "Now you just have to tell the Princess…"

"Sweetie Belle," Applejack interrupted. "I said I can tell ya ain't lyin', but that don't necessarily mean I believe you."

"Huh?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"One time Apple Bloom tried tuh tell me she'd seen our ma come home," Applejack chuckled. "She weren't lyin' or nothin'. She really thought she'd seen her. We all have dreams. Sumtimes when a dream is particularly emotional, our minds an' even our hearts are tricked intuh think'n it's real, but it's not. No matter how much we want it tuh be."

"But I don't want this to be true!" Sweetie Belle protested. "Why would I want Jack's life to be in danger?"

"Maybe it's not that ya want Jack tuh be in danger," Applejack offered. "It could be that you just want a reason to believe Sakura ain't a good pony. Ah know how you an' the other girls feel about Jack. Ah can't imagine it feels good tuh see him spending time with her."

Utterly defeated, Sweetie Belle apologized for wasting Applejack's time and left. On her way out the door, she passed Jack and Cherry Berry.

"Oh, hey, Sweets, how are you doing?" Jack asked.

Sweetie Belle said nothing, simply walking down the lane to be by herself.

Jack wanted to see what was wrong, but he'd made an agreement with Cherry Berry already, and he wasn't the type to break his word.

Cherry Berry knocked on the door, and Applejack soon answered.

"Howdy, Jack," Applejack greeted. "Howdy, Cherry Berry. What brings the two of ya here tuhday?"

"We're here to tell you what the Liberal Party has to offer," Jack said. "Do you have maybe five minutes to hear us out?"

"Ah reckon five minutes ain't too much," Applejack agreed.

"Excellent!" Cherry Berry explained. "May I ask what issues are most important to you and your family at the moment?"

"Ah s'pose that wouldn't be too much trouble tuh answer," Applejack agreed. "Ever since our business class status was revoked, Sweet Apple Acres has struggled to make a profit. Ah hate tuh say it, but Ah don't really see how abolishing the class system will help much."

"It probably won't," Jack admitted. "The reason most farms have done so well in Equestria has been the privileges enjoyed by the business class families in charge. Outside of cash crops, the free market isn't typically all that kind to agriculture."

"Which is why the Liberal Party intends to introduce subsidies for agriculture," Cherry Berry interjected. "By investing in our agriculture, we will ensure that farmers such as yourself will be more than able to survive price changes, crop failure, or any other challenge that comes your way."

The conversation went on for a few more minutes before Jack, and Cherry Berry moved on.

Sugarcube Corner: Oni-Hime’s Room

At first, Oni-Hime was unsure who'd been watching her conversation with Løgner, but after a few days, it became clear. Sweetie Belle had already been suspicious of her, and the filly's sudden absence was a dead giveaway. She'd instructed Featherweight, Pip, and Rumble to keep an eye on Sweetie Belle's house, so it was only a matter of time before…

"She's on the move!" Rumble reported bursting through the door.

"Where?" Sakura asked.

"Featherweight said she was heading for Sweet Apple Acres," Rumble explained. "Pip's following her now."

"Arigatō, Rumble-san," Sakura thanked, kissing him on the cheek. "I think I'll pay her a visit."

Rushing past Rumble, who was a blushing mess, Sakura bolted downstairs, barely noticing Jack and Cherry Berry as she raced outside.

"Wonder what's got Saki in such a hurry?" Jack mused as he watched her run off.

He didn't have time to think much more about it as a certain pink pony answered the door.

"Hiya, Jackie!" Pinkie greeted. "Hiya, Cherry Berry! Whatcha doin' here?"

"We were just…" Jack began.

"About to try and convince me to vote for the Liberals?" Pinkie asked. "I know!"

"Then why did you ask?" Cherry Berry asked. “Wait, how did you know?”

"It's a…" Pinkie began.

"A secret, right?" Jack interrupted before muttering. "Sounds about typical."

"So, what issues would you say are most important to you, miss Pinkie Pie?" Cherry Berry asked.

"Wowie, there are so many I don't know where to start!" Pinkie exclaimed. "Ooh! Ooh! I know! I've had this itch on the back of my neck for hours, and I just can't reach it!"

"That's not what…" Cherry Berry started.

"Sometimes my party cannons get clogged up because I accidentally load them with cake, and sometimes my ovens catch on fire because I misplace my confetti!" Pinkie continued.

"Pinks…" Jack tried to interrupt.

"Sometimes I have dreams that there are alternate universes!" Pinkie continued. "But not like the one you came from, Jackie. More like parallel dimensions. There's one where I'm an alcoholic, drug and sex-addicted celebrity, one where I'm a gypsy orphan trying to resurrect my parents, and even one where I'm a human!"

"Those all sound like personal issues," Cherry Berry tried to point out.

"You ever wonder if we might just be characters in a story?" Pinkie asked.

"There's no point trying to have a normal conversation with Pinks," Jack said as Pinkie continued rambling. "We should move on to the next house on the list."

Cherry Berry agreed, and they moved on to the next house.

Golden Oak Library

By 4 PM, Jack and Cherry Berry had only one stop left.

Knocking lightly, they waited for Twilight to answer the door.

"It's nice to see you, Jack," Twilight greeted, "and Cherry Berry? What brings the two of you here?"

"We're canvassing for the Liberal Party," Jack answered. "Would you mind telling us what issues are most important to you?"

"I don't think that will be necessary," Twilight said. "I've already decided to vote Liberal. You wouldn't believe the amount of research I've done. On top of reading each party's manifesto, I've read Marx, Smith, Kropotkin, Keynes, Lenin, Mao, and even Hitler."

"I should have known you'd have already made an informed decision," Jack said. "Although, given the option, I would assume the choice wasn't that hard."

"Indeed," Twilight agreed. "The Nationalists want to restore the old order and crack down on anypony who would oppose them. Rule by iron hoof would only serve to bring disharmony to Equestria. Labor wants to eliminate hierarchy entirely. A noble goal, but one that would require an insane level of care and tact to implement. One wrong move, and Equestria would simply stumble into a new form of tyranny. Liberalism has its problems too, but the ideology provides a sense of stability missing in that of Labor, and protection for freedoms the Nationalists would strip us of."

With that, Jack and Cherry Berry bid Twilight farewell.

Ponyville Park

Sweetie Belle sat in the gazebo, ears drooped and shoulders slumped in resignation. Tears welled in her eyes as her chin trembled like the strings of a cello.

"Kon'nichiwa, Sweetie Belle-chan," Oni-Hime greeted from the gazebo entrance. Her demeanor was free of malice, contempt, or even frustration. She was calm. Eerily so.

"Are you here to kill me?" Sweetie Belle sobbed.

"The thought's crossed my mind," Oni-Hime admitted. "But, what would be the point? Nopony believes you," she jeered, closing into where she was only a nose length away. "Not even Applejack." Sliding one of her hooves under Sweetie Belle's chin and propping up her face for direct eye contact, she said, "There's nothing you can do to stop me. Jack-sama will be mine, Equestria will fall, and as for your sister and her friends... a bloody fate awaits those who bare the Elements of Harmony."

Author's Note

I think this one came out nicely. A bit repetitive at times, but overall I'm satisfied. Work's slowed down quite a bit, and my cat's settled in well, so I should have more time to write.
Next Time: As Sweetie Belle recovers from her encounter with Oni-Hime, the Crusaders go on a journey to learn about how Rainbow Dash earned her cutie mark, listening to the stories of the other Elements along the way. Later, Jack and Oni-Hime reflect on their own journeys to discover their talents.

Chapter 43: The Cutie Mark Chronicles (Last Edited: 3/21/2023)

October 19, 2020

Edge of the Everfree Forest

Having gone to school and finished his training for the day, Jack had decided to go crusading with the girls. The Crusaders had been excited to try getting ziplining cutie marks. Well, most of them were excited.

Sweetie Belle had been acting odd for a while, but for the past few days, she almost seemed depressed. She was only vaguely interested in whatever the other Crusaders decided to do and spent a great deal of her time staring at Jack as if he was terminally ill.

Jack had tried to ask what was bothering Sweetie Belle, but the filly would only look away. Even as she stood, hooked up and ready to zip line, she seemed uninterested.

“Alright!” Scootaloo exclaimed. “Let’s do this!”

Running forward, Jack and the Crusaders let their harnesses catch them as they zipped down the line. Unfortunately, the combination of their weight and the friction of their links was too much for the old rope, which snapped once they reached the middle, plummeting the four of them into the canopy.

They crashed against branches and needles but luckily reached the ground with only scrapes and bruises, as well as a layer of sticky pine sap.

“See anythin’?” Apple Bloom asked.

Turning her head to examine her sap-covered flank, Scootaloo said, “Tree sap and pine needles but no cutie mark.”

“Man, if I had a bit for every time our crusades ended with us covered in tree sap, I’d have at least five bits,” Jack groaned. “Which isn’t much, but it’s weird it happened more than once.”

Scootaloo and Apple Bloom chuckled at this observation. Sweetie Belle, on the other hand, didn’t react.

“What should we try now?” Apple Bloom asked.

“You know where we can find a cannon at this hour?” Scootaloo asked mysteriously.

“I know what you’re thinking, and the answer is no,” Jack answered sternly.

“This town is full of ponies who have their cutie marks,” Apple Bloom pointed out, washing her face with a nearby water bucket. “Why don't we ask them how they did it?”

“That sounds reasonable,” Jack agreed, rinsing his face with a bucket Apple Bloom had passed him. “What do you think, Sweets?” he asked, noticing Sweetie Belle’s seeming lack of interest.

“Sounds… good,” Sweetie Belle answered halfheartedly.

“Yeah!” Scootaloo exclaimed, wiping the sap from her face. “And we can start with the coolest pony in Ponyville!”

“Applejack!” Apple Bloom exclaimed.

Unlike Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle remained silent. Normally she would have suggested her own sister in response to such a statement.

“Come on, Apple Bloom, I said cool!” Scootaloo said, rolling her eyes. “You know who I'm talking about,” she said, using her flimsy wings to propel herself around the nearby trees. “She's fast. She's tough. She's not afraid of anything!”

“Pinkie Pie?” Apple Bloom asked in confusion.

“No!” Scootaloo answered with enthusiasm. “The greatest flyer ever to come out of Cloudsdale!”

“Fluttershy?” Apple Bloom asked, clearly trolling.

“No!” Scootaloo replied. “Rainbow Dash!”

“Oh!” Apple Bloom exclaimed, still pretending not to have understood to begin with. “Yeah, that makes much more sense.”

“Let's do it,” Scootaloo said. “Let's find out how Rainbow Dash earned her cutie mark!”

“Yeah!” Apple Bloom exclaimed, giving Scootaloo a hoofbump.

Watching in amusement as Apple Bloom and Scootaloo tried to pull apart their sap-covered hooves, Jack turned to Sweetie Belle. “What do you think, Sweets? Wanna find out how Dash got her cutie mark.”

“I guess,” Sweetie Belle responded weakly.

Jack could tell something was bothering her. Unfortunately, he had no idea if he should ask her about it. Shrugging it off, he and Sweetie Belle followed Apple Bloom into the cart attached to Scootaloo’s scooter, and they took off.

Road near Sweet Apple Acres

Scootaloo zipped down the road pulling her friends behind her. She was on a straight path to Rainbow Dash’s house with no plans of stopping. Unfortunately, she hadn’t accounted for obstacles. A trio of bunnies hopped out in front of her, and she came skidding to a halt.

“Get back here, you thievin' varmints!” shouted a voice from the side of the road.

“Thievin' what now?” Apple Bloom asked as Applejack leaped out of the bushes.

“Oh shit!” Jack shouted as Applejack crashed into the wagon, sending him, Apple Bloom, and Sweetie Belle flying.

Closing his eyes and bracing for impact, Jack’s back slammed into the ground with a thud, and he felt something slam into his chest. Feeling something wet on his nose, he blinked his eyes open to find himself nose-to-nose with Apple Bloom.

“Why her?” Jack thought to himself, cursing his luck. “You alright, Bloom?” he groaned.

“Eep!” Apple Bloom squeaked, scurrying away and hiding her face behind her tail.

“Is there somthin’ I should know about?” Applejack asked darkly.

“What?!” Jack asked franticly. “Of course not. You know I…!”

“Ah’m jus’ kiddin’,” Applejack said with a laugh. “Ah know ya wouldn’ pull somethin’ like that, Jack. Where are y’all headin’ off tuh in such a hurry?”

“We were going to ask Rainbow Dash how she got her cutie mark,” Jack answered.

Having gotten over her embarrassment, Apple Bloom got an idea. “Hey, sis! How'd ya get yer cutie mark?” she asked.

“Ah never told you that story?” Applejack asked.

“Hey!” Scootaloo called. “I thought we were gonna ask Rainbow Dash.”

“We need all the help we can get,” Apple Bloom argued.

“Ugh, Fine,” Scootaloo reluctantly agreed.

“Why, shoot,” Applejack said, beginning her tale. “I was just a little filly. Even littler than y'all.”

Applejack explained how she had left Sweet Apple Acres to move in with her aunt and uncle Orange in Manehatten. The Oranges were once a branch Apple clan, but they cut ties with the main family after Bright Mac and Pear Butter renounced the family’s business class status. As such, the Oranges maintained their class status and privileges, which is what attracted Applejack. Shortly into her stay, Applejack grew tired of business-class life. The fancy clothes, high-class mannerisms, and small portions simply weren’t to her taste. One day she was staring longingly out the window in the direction of Ponyville. As if out of nowhere, a rainbow shot across the sky, pointing her home. It was then that she realized what she was meant to do. She followed the rainbow all the way back to Sweet Apple Acres, where her cutie mark finally appeared.

“I've been happily workin' in the farm ever since,” Applejack explained.

It was at that point that the rabbits returned to mock Applejack.

“There they are!” Applejack exclaimed. “Get back here, ya thievin' varmints!” she yelled, chasing after them.

“Ugh, so sappy!” Scootaloo gagged, hopping onto her scooter. “Come on! Let’s find Rainbow Dash!”

As Jack followed Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom into the wagon, he couldn’t help but reflect on the start of his own journey to self-discovery.

August 19, 2017

Coastal Carolina University: Eaglin Hall

With his dad’s help, Jack hauled his turtle tank into his tiny dorm. Once it was securely placed on his desk, they walked out into the common room and slumped onto the couch where Jack’s mother was waiting for them.

“W-where’s Mark?” Jack panted.

“He went back to the car,” Jack’s mom sighed. “I asked him to stay for a family picture, but he refused.”

“Oh,” Jack said sadly.

“Oh, never mind him,” Jack’s mom dismissed. “Tell us about your schedule!”

“Oh, well, I have precalculus from 8 to 9 on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday, introduction to marine science Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 11 to 12, English on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 1 to 2, First Year Experience Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 5 to 6, and finally intro to marine science lab on Tuesday from 1 to 4.”

“Oooh, I’m so proud of you!” Jack’s mom cried, hugging him tightly.

“Marine biology is a fine career choice, Jack,” Jack’s dad said. “I know you’ll do the Jager name proud.”

September 24, 2017

A few weeks in, and things hadn’t been going quite to plan. When Jack had chosen marine science, he wasn’t expecting there to be so much math. His first tests of the semester had been disasters. English was going fine, his first paper had landed him a B. But he had a C in his marine science lab, a D in the lecture, and his precalculus grade was a flat-out F.

Turning on his phone, he clicked on the Discord app and opened up the private server he and the Circle of Bros had made.

“You guys there?” he typed.

A half-minute passed.

“I’m here, dude,” Chase replied. “How goes the tasing?”

“Do I even want to know what that means?” Jack asked.

“Tail chasing!” Chase replied. “You’re at Coastal. It’s fucking party school. You have to have gotten laid by now!”

“I haven’t really had much time for partying,” Jack confessed. “Honestly, I think I might just quit.”

“Hey guys,” Shawn typed. “Just finished with my honors homework. Need to keep my grades up to get into Clemson. What’s up?”

“LMAO! You could fail every test this semester, and your GPA would still be high enough to get in,” Bryce typed. “Loosen up!”

“Jack said he might quit Coastal,” Chase typed.

“Y?” Shawn asked.

“My grades are dogshit!” Jack answered. “All this math is killing me!”

“I warned you not to pick anything science-related,” Shawn typed. “You were never good at math.”

“Sorry guys, I gotta go,” Bryce typed. “My manager just texted me. I need to make more calls, or they’ll fire me. Y don’t you just change majors, Jack?”

“Where do you work again,” Chase asked.

“I think he said Cutco,” Jack answered.

“Pretty sure that’s a pyramid scheme,” Shawn typed. “Anyway, he’s right, Jack. You should change majors.”

Present Time

Road near Fluttershy’s Cottage

By the time Jack had finished reminiscing, they had already passed Rainbow Dash’s house. Apparently, she hadn’t been home.

As they passed by Fluttershy’s Cottage, the shy mare jumped out in front of them, causing Scootaloo to crash once again.

As Jack and the Crusaders pulled themselves to their feet/hooves, a line of ducks crossed the road in front of them.

“All right, little ones. This way. This way,” Fluttershy goaded. “You really should be more careful,” she scolded the Crusaders. “Somepony could get hurt. Why are you in such a hurry anyway?”

“We're trying to find Rainbow Dash, so we can hear how she earned her cutie mark,” Scootaloo explained.

“Oh, that would be interesting,” Fluttershy said. “You know, I wouldn't have gotten my cutie mark if it weren't for her.”

“Rainbow Dash?! Really?!” Scootaloo asked, rearing her legs excitedly.

“Oh yes,” Fluttershy answered. “It all started at Summer Flight Camp.”

Fluttershy explained how she was bullied at flight camp, but Rainbow Dash stuck up for her. Challenging the bullies to a race, Rainbow Dash chose to defend Fluttershy’s honor. However, in the process of the race, Fluttershy, who could not yet fly, was pushed off the cloud and landed in a meadow full of cute animals. She quickly bonded with the creatures, but they were frightened off by a colorful blast in the sky. As if on instinct, Fluttershy comforted the animals, and that was when her cutie mark appeared.

“Wait, wait, wait,” Scootaloo interrupted, already back on her scooter. “What happened to Rainbow Dash? What about the race?”

“Oh. Well, I wasn't there, so I don't really know what happened,” Fluttershy answered.

“Come on, Crusaders,” Scootaloo said, beckoning them to the wagon. “We've gotta find her. Besides, I can't take anymore singing.”

“We could ask Rarity where she is,” Jack said. “Carousel Boutique isn’t far from here. What do you think, Sweetie Belle?”

Without even looking at Jack, Sweetie Belle answered, “Yeah, Rarity might know.”

As they took off, Jack continued to reminisce.

December 25, 2017

Jack’s House

Jack had barely made it through his first semester. He’d dropped the precalculus course just in time to do so without negative consequences, replacing it with a sociology course he did quite well in. His marine science courses were another matter. He had a C in the lab enough to move on to the next level of courses. Or at least it would have been if he didn’t have a D in the lecture. If he wanted to continue with his degree, he would have to retake both the marine science lecture and precalculus, so he made a hard decision.

It was Christmas morning, and Jack had just finished unwrapping his final present. A copy of South Park: The Fractured but Whole for the Xbox One. Mark had already collected his gifts and stormed off to his room, but not before making a point of throwing Jack’s gift to him in the trash.

“Thanks, Mom. Thanks, Dad,” Jack said. “Uh, before we clean up the wrapping paper, I have something I need to tell you.”

“Of course, honey,” Jack’s mother agreed with a warm smile. “You can talk to us about anything.”

“I’m thinking of changing majors,” Jack admitted.

“What brought this on?” Jack’s dad asked.

“You saw my grades,” Jack answered glumly. “I just can’t do the math.”

“You know, I didn’t do well my semester of college either,” Jack’s dad admitted. “Are you sure you want to give up on your dream so easily? What would you change your major to? You don’t want to end up with a degree you aren’t interested in.”

“If I keep trying, I’ll have to do an extra semester, maybe even more,” Jack said. “I think I’ll try history. I’m almost as interested in that as I am in marine science. Doesn’t hurt that it’s been my best subject since middle school either.”

Present Time

Carousel Boutique

Upon their arrival at Carousel Boutique, Jack and the Crusaders found themselves being inducted as living mannequins for Rarity’s latest line.

“How did we get roped into this?” Scootaloo asked as Rarity finished the measurements for the cloth she was wearing. “Oh, we'll never hear Rainbow Dash's story.”

“Are you girls still obsessing over your cutie marks?” Rarity asked.

“They wouldn’t be the Cutie Mark Crusaders if they weren’t,” Jack answered. “We’ve been trying to find Rainbow Dash to hear how she got hers, but we keep getting distracted.”

“Oh, I could tell you a lovely story,” Rarity said. “For the longest time, I couldn't figure out why I didn't have mine.”

Rarity explained how she had always had a love for fashion. She would even make the costumes for school plays. However, she always felt something was missing. One day her horn began to glow uncontrollably, and she found herself being dragged far outside of Ponyville to a large rock. Having assumed she was being led to her destiny, she grew frustrated and turned to leave, but she was stopped by a burst of color in the sky, unleashing shockwaves that split the rock, revealing a geode of brilliant gems. Inspired, she gathered the jewels and used them on her costumes. During the next school play, as she saw her work in use, her cutie mark appeared.

“Ugh!” Scootaloo groaned. “These namby-pamby stories aren't getting us any closer to our cutie marks! They're all about finding who you really are and boring stuff like that.”

“Yes, Scootaloo, that's exactly...” Rarity tried to interject.

Scootaloo wasn’t listening and was already ushering her friends out the door.

As Jack walked out the door, a thought flashed in his mind before vanishing as he climbed into the wagon. “I would have thought Sweetie Belle would at least have been interested in her sister’s story.”

Indeed, Sweetie Belle had acted just as disinterested in Rarity’s story as she had with the others.

They had forgotten to ask Rarity if she knew where Rainbow Dash was, so jack had plenty of time to continue pondering on his own story.

March 28, 2018

Coastal Carolina University: Brittain Hall

Jack’s semester so far had been slightly disappointing. He’d enrolled in two history courses to see if he’d do better. His grades had improved, though not as much as he’d hoped.

Still, he’d made up his mind and was meeting with his advisor about changing his major.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” his advisor, a slightly wrinkled, middle-aged lady, asked. “Continuing with your current degree would only take you an extra semester.”

“I’m sure, ma’am,” Jack said. “I’ve lost my state scholarship already. I can’t afford to take any risks.”

“Very well,” the advisor nodded. “You’ll need to take this document to the Office of Registrar. They’ll send you an email within five days instructing you to meet with your new advisor regarding your schedule for next semester.”

“Thank you, ma’am,” Jack said.

May 10, 2018

Summerville SC: Herbert H. Jessen Public Boat Landing

Jack was surprisingly satisfied with his grades that semester. Sure, he hadn’t brought his GPA up enough to regain his state scholarship, but at least he knew he wouldn’t be facing academic probation. As such, he and the Circle of Bros had taken this as an opportunity to celebrate.

In celebration of Jack’s first year of college, his mom had handed down her 2004 Honda CR-V to him just a few days prior. Sure, it was a 14-year-old car, but it was a Honda, so it still worked. The green paint job didn’t hurt Jack’s fondness for the vehicle either.

As he pulled into a parking space, he and his friends rushed out of the vehicle and grabbed their fishing poles from the trunk along with a large cooler and tackle box. The plan was to gorge themselves on junk food and play Pokémon Go while they fished.

“So, how’s unife?” Chase asked as he and Jack dragged the cooler down to the docks.

“How’s what?” Jack asked.

“University life,” Chase elaborated.

“Oh, it’s going all right,” Jack said as they placed the cooler down on the planks.

“History, huh?” Chase asked. “Guess we won’t have many classes together.”

“Yeah, probably not,” Jack agreed. “But at least we’ll be going to the same school.”

“KILL IT WITH FIRE!!!!!!” they heard Bryce and Shawn shout from behind them, dropping the tackle box with a thud.

Turning around, Jack and Chase bust out laughing at the sight of their friends squirming over a spider whose web they’d walked into.

“It’s just banana spider, guys,” Jack laughed. “It’s fucking harmless.”

These words were of no use as Bryce and Shawn were both terrified of any kind of spider.

“Get it off!!” Bryce shouted.

“I can feel it crawling on my neck!” Shawn screamed.

By this point, Chase had already walked over to them and was brushing them off. Grabbing the spider with his bare hands, he chucked it over the dock’s railing.

Bryce and Shawn shuddered as they walked over the water to the bank.

“I hear you got into Clemson, Shawn,” Jack said, trying to change the topic. “What’s your major?”

“Triple majoring in physics, general engineering, and computer science,” Shawn answered. “Yuri’s majoring in criminal justice and minoring in military leadership.”

“I didn’t ask about Yuri,” Jack muttered to himself. “Wow! That’s a lot of majors. I know you’re a smart guy, but don’t you think that’s a bit much?”

“Not really,” Shawn answered with a shrug.

“What about you, Bryce?” Jack asked. “Heard you quit your job with Cutco.”

“Yeah, I wasn’t really making any money with that,” Bryce said darkly. “You guys were right. It’s a pyramid scheme. I’m working as a contractor for the Boeing plant by the airport.”

“That’s cool,” Jack said. “Any idea where you’ll go from there?”

“No clue,” Bryce admitted. “What about you? Planning on being a teacher or something?”

“God no!” Jack answered. “I’m not really sure what I want to do with my degree.”

Present Time

Ponyville Market

During their search, they came across Twilight in the marketplace. Upon hearing the Crusaders' plans, she decided to tell her own story.

She explained how she had been inspired to study magic after seeing Celestia raise the Sun at the Summer Sun Festival. Her parents had enrolled her in Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns, but she had to pass an entrance exam. She was given a dragon egg and asked to hatch it with her magic. Unfortunately, no matter how much she tried, she couldn’t muster enough magic to do it. Just as she was about to give up, she was startled by a loud burst of color in the sky, and her magic went haywire. Not only did she hatch the egg, she turned the dragon hatchling into a full-grown drake whose head smashed through the roof, transformed her parents into potted plants, and left the examiners helpless to stop her. Fortunately, Celestia was in the area to calm her down. Once everything was set right, Celestia offered to take Twilight on as her own personal protégé and pointed out the cutie mark which had appeared on her flanks.

Fully immersed in her story, Twilight began jumping around in circles, gleefully shouting, “Yes yes yes!” over and over again.

“Okay, okay,” Apple Bloom said awkwardly.

“I get that you’re excited, Twi, but you’re in public,” Jack said to no avail.

“Let's get out of here while we still can,” Scootaloo said.

Jack and the Crusaders left Twilight still jumping around, oblivious to the stares she was getting. As they walked, Jack continued thinking of his journey.

January 18, 2019

Brittain Hall

Jack had been doing quite well for himself as of late. He’d regained his state scholarship, and he was confident in his ability to keep it. Today he had decided to choose a minor and was visiting his advisor to choose between his options. He still didn’t know what he wanted to do with his degree, so he thought he might as well choose something he’d find easy.

“You did pretty well in the sociology class you took your first semester,” his advisor said. “Why not try that?”

“Maybe?” Jack mused.

“Perhaps a foreign language then?” his advisor asked. “You might find another language quite handy as a historian. I believe you’re taking a German class this semester, correct?”

“I am, but only to meet my foreign language requirement,” Jack said. “I’m barely sufficient at English so, I don’t see myself taking any more foreign language classes than I need to.”

“Very well, perhaps something more socially aware?” his advisor asked. “I understand you’re quite outspoken with your views. Maybe a social justice or gender studies minor?”

“No thanks,” Jack dismissed. “I don’t need to give people another reason to call me a commie, SJW, cultural Marxist, or whatever the buzzword of the day happens to be.”

And that’s when it hit Jack. “What about religious studies?”

Ever since Chase came down with cancer, Jack had found himself questioning his faith. How could a God that was supposedly all-good, all-knowing, and all-powerful let his friend suffer like that? If he was all-knowing, surely he knew of Chase’s suffering, if he was all-powerful, surely he could stop said suffering, and if he was also all good, surely he would put a stop to it. So why hadn’t he? Perhaps a more secular understanding could give him his answer.

“We could do that,” his advisor answered. “Is that your decision?”

“Yes, I think it is,” Jack nodded.

Present Time

Ponyville Marketplace

“Ugh!” Scootaloo groaned as she continued through the marketplace. “Why don't we ever smash into Rainbow Dash?!”

“You're looking for Rainbow Dash?” Pinkie Pie asked. She had apparently perched herself on the back of the wagon without anyone noticing. “If I was her, I'd be at Sugarcube Corner. Of course, if I was anyone, I'd be at Sugarcube Corner. Hey! I have an idea! Wanna go to Sugarcube Corner?”

“When… did you get here?” Jack asked, trying not to freak out.

“Just now,” Pinkie answered.

“Well, we’re trying to find out how Rainbow Dash got her cutie mark, so if you don’t mind,” Jack said, hoping Pinkie would leave.

“Cutie mark?” Pinkie asked. “Come with me, and I'll tell you how I got mine!”

“Why not?” Scootaloo sighed.

“Damnit!” Jack mentally screamed.

Pinkie Pie explained how she grew up on a rock farm with a family who never smiled. One day as she worked the fields, she witnessed an amazing air blast of color followed by a rainbow. This inspired her to throw a party for her family in the barn. When her party brought smiles to her emotionless family, she received her cutie mark.

“And that's how Equestria was made!” Pinkie said randomly, prompting Scootaloo to stop in her tracks.

“Wha... huh?” Scootaloo asked.

“Look!” Apple Bloom exclaimed. “We're here!”

“Maybe on the way home, I can tell you the story of how I got my cutie mark,” Pinkie Pie said as she skipped inside Sugar Cube Corner. “It's a gem!”

Scootaloo looked as if she was about to say something.

“Don’t even bother, Scoots,” Jack sighed. “No one understands her.”

“Ugh...” Scootaloo sighed, following them inside. Her attitude soon changed when she saw who was waiting for them. “Rainbow Dash! You're here!”

Indeed, she was, along with the rest of the Mane Six.

“I hear you're looking for my cutie mark story,” Rainbow Dash said smugly.

“You have no idea what I've been through today to hear that story,” Scootaloo sighed, slumping onto the floor.

Rainbow Dash explained how during her race to defend Fluttershy’s honor, she had to deal with her opponents’ dirty tricks. However, through sheer determination to win, she found herself going faster than anypony had ever gone before, culminating in her first sonic rainboom, after which her cutie mark appeared.

“And that, little ones, is how you earn a cutie mark,” Rainbow Dash finished.

“Whooooaaaa...” Apple Bloom and Scootaloo exclaimed.

“Wait a second,” Fluttershy said. “I heard that explosion. And I saw the rainbow too. Rainbow Dash, if you hadn't scared the animals, I never would have learned I could communicate with them and gotten my cutie mark.”

“I heard that boom!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed. “And right afterward, there was this amazing rainbow that taught me to smile.”

“When Ah got my cutie mark, Ah saw a rainbow that pointed me home,” Applejack said. “Ah bet it was your sonic rainboom!”

“There was an explosion I could never explain when I got my cutie mark,” Rarity added.

“This is uncanny!” Twilight exclaimed. “If that explosion didn't happen when it did, I would have blown my entrance exam. Rainbow Dash, I think you helped me earn my cutie mark too!”

As the Mane Six chattered excitedly about how it seemed to be fate they became friends, Jack continued thinking of his own story.

May 8, 2019

Hunting Island State Park

Over the course of Jack’s sophomore year, his family had moved to Beaufort, South Carolina. His mother had informed him there was a maintenance position available at the nearby state park. Since the State Park Service was known for hiring history majors, he could use the job to make connections for when he graduated.

After filling out his application and answering a few questions, he was given a document to fill out for a SLED criminal background check.

“There won’t be any evil twins showing up in our search, I assume,” the park director joked.

“Nothing of the sort, sir,” Jack answered.

“Excellent!” the park director exclaimed. “I need to get going now. The park rangers need help moving a beached whale for the biologists to dissect. If you do well at this job, we might hire you as a ranger one day.”

“You mean, history majors can be park rangers?” Jack asked.

“Of course,” the park director answered. “We have a historic lighthouse on the property. A background in history is absolutely a qualifying skillset.”

That was the moment Jack figured out what he wanted to do.

Present Time

Sugar Cube Corner

Oni-Hime watched as Jack and the Crusaders left. As Sweetie Belle was about to leave, she noticed Oni-Hime watching her and flinched. Oni-Hime responded with a malicious smile before retreating to her room. She remembered how she got her cutie mark and why her mission was so important.

November 18, 1726

Nurembit, Germaneigh

Oni-Hime stared at the beer hall in front of her with amazement. She had seen nothing like it in Neighpon. It had been two years since her mother was murdered, and she’d spent the past two years searching for her father, whom she’d learned was from Germaneigh. She’d arrived in the country a year ago, and thanks to surprisingly helpful stallions and some mares as well, she’d managed to track a lead down to this particular beer hall.

Scurrying inside, she made her way to the bartender. “I’m looking for this stallion,” she said, passing a wood print of a large stallion her mother had identified as her father.

“Ich know of ihn,” the bartender acknowledged, “but was in it for me?”

“I don’t have much money, misutā,” Oni-Hime said.

“Then was gut are…?” the bartender began. He couldn’t finish his sentence. One look in the filly’s eyes, and he wanted nothing more than to help her. “How can ich help you, Fräulein?”

“That stallion is my oto-san,” Oni-Hime explained. “Could you please take me to him?”

“Of course, Fräulein,” the bartender agreed.

“How could ich turn down such eine schön Stutfohlen?” he asked.

The bartender brought Oni-Hime to a room in the back, where a black alicorn was reading a large novel.

“Ich thought ich told you, nicht to bother me,” the alicorn grumbled.

“Ich kenne, Blutknochen, but your daughter is here to see you,” the bartender said.

“Daughter?” Blutknochen asked. “Ich habe nein daughter.”

“Oto-san!” Oni-Hime exclaimed, practically jumping on Blutknochen with her embrace. “I finally found you!”

“Ich bin nicht your father!” Blutknochen insisted. “Why are you here?”

“Okka-san was… Korosareta,” Oni-Hime answered. “So I came here to live with you.”

“Ich habe nein idea was are are talking about!” Blutknochen shouted, violently wrestling her off of him. “Get out of my sight!”

Oni-Hime did as she was told, but she was undeterred. She came back day after day until finally, after months had passed, Blutknochen relented.

“If you are mein daughter, then there is einen way to prove it!” Blutknochen said pulling a necklace with a black gem from his desk. “Put this on und prove yourself!”

Oni-Hime did as instructed and placed the necklace around her neck. She was overcome with a tingly sensation, and her eyes let out a pink glow.

“Tell the Barkeeper zu sterben,” Blutknochen instructed to the bartender’s horror.

Turning to the bartender who led her to her father, in a soft, smooth voice, she said, “Arigatō bartender-san, please shin.”

The look of horror on the bartender’s face was replaced with one of ecstasy as he grabbed a beer bottle from a nearby shelf, smashed it, and plunged the jagged glass into his neck.

As she watched him collapse on the floor, blood oozing from his neck, a Flaming Heart appeared on her flanks.

“It appears ich may habe been wrong about you,” Blutknochen said. “Congratulations on your cutie mark, meine daughter. You habe been chosen by the Element of Lust!”

Author's Note

I know this is a day late, but only by a few hours. In real-life news, I'm dealing with minor chemical burns on my knuckles because apparently, you are supposed to wear gloves when handling degreaser. I feel like I should have been informed of this when I started the job, but all I was told was to wash my hands after using it.
Next Time: The leaders of the Nationalist Party have a secret meeting with the Elements of Chaos where they discuss their plans for the Grand Galloping Gala. Meanwhile, in one last desperate attempt, Sweetie Belle tries to warn Jack directly.

Chapter 44: Evil Plan (Last Edited: 3/21/2023)

October 24, 2020

Badlands

Blue Blood, along with the other nationalist on the Royal Court, had been invited to meet with their mysterious benefactor. Granlogg being a mere underling, it was only natural that they meet with the true mastermind before going further in their plans. Still, that didn’t stop some from complaining about the location agreed upon.

“The absolute indignity of a prince coming to a place like this!” Blueblood whined as they followed Granlogg through the arid wasteland.

“Indeed,” Hoity Toity agreed. “This sand has ruined my silk cuffs!”

“I don’t see why this mysterious benefactor couldn’t come to us,” Filthy Rich snorted.

“You three are too soft,” Flash Sentry growled. “If you’d take a minute to think about it, you might realize that plotting a coup in the middle of Canterlot isn’t a good idea.”

“Ah agree,” said Cherry Jubilee. “This is jus’ like mah processin’ plant in Dodge Junction. Nothin’ tuh make a fuss about.”

“You can quit your bickering nå,” Granlogg said. “Vi are here.”

“Here?!” Blue Blood scoffed. “There’s nothing here but sand and sweltering heat!”

“Don’t be så sure,” Granlogg said. “Look over there.”

Following Granlogg's gaze Blue Blood and his companions could see a moderate-sized hole in a nearby rockface, just large enough for a pony to pass through.

“You can’t possibly want us to go into some dirty hole!” Blue Blood gasped.

“Then stay out here,” Granlogg replied. “I’m sure the jackals vil make great company.

“Jackals?” Blue Blood asked nervously.

“Ja, it’ll be dark by the time vi leave,” Granlogg said as the others descended into the hole. “They hunt at natt. You would look quite nice to en pack og dem.

“I’ve changed my mind,” Blue Blood gulped. “This hole will more than suffice for our meeting.”

The hole opened up to a spacious cavern. Stalactites and stalagmites littered the floor and ceiling, surrounding a small stream. It was well-lit, although not naturally so, judging by the eyeless cavefish swimming in the crystal-clear water.

“Følg meg,” Granlogg grunted, taking a damp streamside path further into the cavern.

“All this moisture is going to ruin my outfit!” Hoity Toity complained, reluctantly following along with his companions.

Five minutes of walking led them to a large pool where four ponies waited for them. Flash Sentry immediately recognized three of them. “YOU!” he shouted, pointing accusingly at the pony responsible for the San Franciscolt attacks.

“Me?” Damned asked.

“Don’t play dumb!” Flash Sentry spat, “You’re the terrorist responsible for the arson attacks!”

“Oh, yeah,” Damned chuckled. “That was fun!”

“And you’re the one responsible for attacking Shining Armor’s sister!” Flash Sentry spat. In truth, he had somewhat of a crush on miss Sparkle. “Morte!”

“It was just business,” Morte rasped. “Niente di personale. She just got in the way.”

“Ich seee introductions aren’t necessary,” Blutknochen said coldly.

“You’re Blutknochen,” Flash Sentry growled. “Leader of the Elements of Chaos!” Glaring directly at Blutknochen and pulling out a knife, he asked, “give me one good not to kill you.”

“Ein reason?” Blutknochen asked. “You are hopelessly outmatched.”

Looking around, Flash Sentry could see each of the Elements had their eyes trained on him. Apart from Blutknochen, they appeared to be frail, but he knew looks could be deceiving. Their eyes revealed trained killers waiting for an excuse to strike. Furthermore, of his group, he was the only one with any combat skills. Any altercation here would be a one-sided massacre in the Element’s favor.

“Furthermore, neither of our goals conflict,” Blutknochen continued. “Working together, Ich think we can both get was we want. Ich believe das makes zwei reasons.”

“And what exactly are your goals?” Flash Sentry asked cautiously.

“All ich desire ist Herr Jager,” Blutknochen answered. “So long as ich habe ihn, ich care nicht about Equestrian affairs. Haben wir einen Deal?”

“I don’t know,” Flash Sentry answered. “Can you at least tell me what your plan is?”

“Very well,” Blutknochen agreed. “The Nacht of the Grand Galloping Gala, you will lead ein Militärputsch und capture Canterlot. Meanwhile, einer meiner subordinates will use das chaos to capture Herr Jager.

“All three alicorn princesses will be in Canterlot that night, as will the Elements of Harmony,” Flash Sentry said. “No E.U.P force will be strong enough.”

“Luna will nicht be in Canterlot das Nacht, Ich can assure you,” Blutknochen responded. “As for Cadenza, Løgner has informed me dass Captain Shining Armor owes einem of you einen favor.”

“Ja,” Granlogg nodded. “If the captain were to ask Cadenza on en date that night, both could be dealt with.”

“You said your name was Granlogg!” Blue Blood said irritably.

“Ein codename for operations within Equestria,” Blutknochen said. “Ich bin revealing his true name now as ein sign of trust.”

“Even if you’re right and Princess Cadenza and Luna aren’t there, how do you expect us to take care of Auntie Celestia?” Blue Blood asked.

“With this,” Løgner answered, pulling the ruby amulet from his satchel.

“That’s…” Flash Sentry gasped.

“Das Alicorn’s Amulett ist ein old toy of mine,” Blutknochen said. “With it, even ein as pathetic as Prinz Blue Blood should be able to match, Celestia.”

“I’d still need a massive force,” Flash Sentry said. “The equipment necessary for such an attack won’t be easy to acquire either.”

“Ich bin sure you won’t haben much trouble finding recruits,” Blutknochen said. “As for supplies. Malade has set up a sale with some arms merchants in Griffonstone. Ich bin sure your freind's money will be more than acceptable tu them.”

“Je will be happy to take vous to mes contacts,” said Malade. “Je suis sure un shipment from Cherry Hill Ranch et Rich’s Barnyard Bargains to Griffonstone won’t raise any eyebrows.”

“Was ist your answer, Captain?” Blutknochen asked.

“I’m still not sure,” Flash Sentry answered. “May I consult with my companions?”

“Ich think they’ve already made up their minds,” Blutknochen smirked.

“I’ll have Captain Shining Armor and Princess Cadenza out of the way for the Gala,” Hoity Toity said.

“I’ll schedule a priority shipment to Griffonstone tomorrow,” Filthy Rich agreed.

“So will Ah,” said Cherry Jubilee.

“You’re absolutely sure this amulet will give me the power to stand against Auntie Celestia?” Blue Blood asked.

“Ja,” Blutknochen answered assuring. “Try it on for yourselbst

Blue Blood placed the amulet around his neck and was overcome with a tremendous surge of energy. Invigorated with his new power, he took on a new air of confidence, “I’ll handle auntie Celestia.”

“Your answer, Captain?” Blutknochen asked again.

Flash Sentry still didn’t trust Blutknochen, but his allies had made their support for the plan clear. Reluctantly he said, “I’ll have a sufficient army raised by the night of the Gala. However, I would at least request an audience with the pony you’ll be sending with me.”

The pool was illuminated with a hot pink glow.

“Das ist her now,” Blutknochen said.

To Flash Sentry’s surprise, the image of a small filly appeared in the glowing water.

“Reporting, Otōsan,” said Oni-Hime.

“Das ist Captain Flash Sentry,” Blutknochen said. “He will provide troops for the attack on Canterlot.”

“Hajimemashite, misutā Sentry,” Oni-Hime greeted with childlike cheer.

Her foal-like body and demeanor were off-putting to Flash Sentry, but he could tell this was no ordinary filly.

“Was ist die Situation in Ponyville?” Blutknochen asked.

“The only one who suspects anything is a filly, and noponī believes her,” Oni-Hime responded, dropping her cheerful smile for a malicious smirk. “It’s really quite pathetic.”

October 26, 2020

Ponyville School

After over a week of Sweetie Belle’s moping, Jack had decided it was time to step in and find what was bothering her.

As the bell rang and the other students rushed home, Jack made his move. “Heya, Sweets!” he called.

“Hey, Jack,” Sweetie Belle responded glumly.

“You wanna go get some ice cream?” Jack asked cheerfully.

“I’m not really in the mood right now,” Sweetie Belle sighed.

“You haven’t really seemed in the mood for anything lately,” Jack retorted. “What’s wrong?”

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you,” Sweetie Belle replied.

“I might, or I might not,” Jack admitted. “Why not explain it in a way that avoids the parts you think I won’t believe? Maybe even put it in the form of a hypothetical. That’s what I’d do if I were you.”

Sweetie Belle was still unsure, but it was worth a shot. “Ok, hypothetically, what would you do if you had a friend who was hanging out with somepony who wanted to hurt him? You know that pony is going to do something terrible to your friend. You know when and where she plans to do it, but if you confront her, she’ll hurt you, and nopony else believes you.”

Jack took a couple of minutes to think about the question. “Well, if I knew the time and the place where it was going to happen, I guess I’d bring the rest of my friends there to witness it. That way, they could see it happening for themselves, and we could stand up for our friend together.”

Sweetie Belle looked as if she were contemplating Jack’s advice.

“Does that help?” Jack asked.

“Yeah, I guess it does,” Sweetie Belle said, her eyes gleaming with determination.

Author's Note

Less than ten chapters remain before this first story comes to an end. There will be a sequel, though, so look forward to that.
Next Time: Spike grows jealous of Twilight's new assistant and enlists Jack to get rid of him.

Chapter 45: Owl's Well that ends Well (Last Edited: 3/22/2023)

October 26, 2020

Ponyville Park

It was a crisp Autumn night. Twilight had invited Fluttershy and Jack to view a meteor shower from the hill in Ponyville's park. They arrived at the same time as Pinkie Pie and Sakura finding Twilight, Spike, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Sweetie Belle waiting around the picnic Spike had set up.

"Do we have Spike to thank again for this amazing spread?" Rarity asked. "Isn't he simply amazing?"

"Oh, come on," Spike responded, pausing expectantly for continued praise. "I said come on."

"Little Spikey-wikey!" Pinkie responded dotingly. "Who knew that big ferocious dragon started off so cutesy wootsy?"

"Spike, you are such a little star that I had to make a little bow tie for you," Rarity said, placing a large jewel-bedazzled tie around Spike's neck.

"Gosh. You guys are embarrassing me," Spike said.

"I’d be embarrassed too if I was wearing that,” Jack chuckled, pointing at the Spike’s bow tie.

“Hey!” Spike protested.

“It does look ridiculous,” Sakura giggled.

“Hey, everypony!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed. “The show is starting!”

As everyone else clamored to watch the meteor shower, Jack smiled, thinking how much Sweetie Belle’s mood had improved since their talk. Though now something seemed wrong with Sakura, who he’d noticed glaring at Sweetie Belle more than a few times since they’d gathered.

The meteor shower left everyone present in awe of its beauty. As the night went on, they gorged themselves on the food Spike had prepared.

“Mmm,” Pinkie said, munching on some of the cookies. “Wow! These cookies are delish!”

“Spike made them,” Twilight said. “Speaking of, Spike, can you bring us some punch? Spike?”

Spike had worked so hard preparing the food that after drinking the entirety of the punch bowl, he passed out inside it.

“Oh, poor little thing,” Rarity cooed.

“Oh, this is hilarious!” Jack laughed, snapping a picture with his phone.

“Aww... He's worked himself to the bone,” Twilight said.

“And now the punch has been... spiked!” Pinkie joked.

As the ponies giggled at Pinkie’s joke, Jack groaned to himself, “God damn it, Pinks.”

Fluttershy’s Cottage

“Well, that was a nice night!” Jack exclaimed, collapsing backward into the couch.

“I agree,” Fluttershy said cheerfully. “Spike certainly knows how to make a picnic.”

“He’s definitely a hard worker,” Jack yawned. “Especially for such a little kid.”

“He does take his job as Twilight’s assistant seriously,” Fluttershy giggled.

“Did Sakura seem… off to you tonight?” Jack asked.

“Huh?” Fluttershy asked. “That seems kinda random. Not really though.”

“She seemed kinda angry to me,” Jack said. “Guess my autism must be playing tricks on me,” he chuckled.

October 27, 2020

Outside Golden Oak Library

The next day Twilight invited Jack and Fluttershy to the library, claiming she had something important to show them.

Pinkie, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack had already gathered outside the library by the time they arrived. After a few minutes of small talk, Twilight finally walked out of the library with, of all things, an owl flying behind her.

“What’s with the bird?” Jack asked.

“This is Owlowiscious,” Twilight said. “My new junior assistant.”

“Is something wrong with Spikey-Wikey?” Rarity asked in concern.

“What?” Twilight asked. “Oh… no, it’s nothing like that. I just thought it might be nice to give Spike some help. He does so much for me.”

Jack and the ponies quickly grew fond of Owlowiscious. The bird was quite handy, really. Over the course of three hours, he’d saved Opel from a tree, taken care of a rat infestation in Applejack’s barn, and removed a snake from Jack’s room.

Having gathered around the library again, they were excitedly discussing how great the owl was.

“Oh, what a fantastical, flufflicious feathery little friend!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed. “I'm... hooked!” her pun sending the rest of the Mane Six into a laughing fit.

“He's just wonderful,” Fluttershy agreed.

“He's just wonderful,” Spike said mockingly from the library’s window.

“Someone’s jealous,” Jack thought.

“Uh, yes. Wonderful,” Spike said normally, seeing he was getting stares. “He's quite... the charmer,” Spike growled the last part under his breath.

“And Owlowiscious is just such a star I just had to make this little bow for you,” Rarity said, placing another of her tacky bows on the owl.

Seeing this, Spike slammed the window shut, fuming at the perceived indignity.

“What's he all saddle sore about?” Applejack asked.

“He's probably just jealous of Owlowiscious,” Rainbow Dash said.

“Maybe Spike feels threatened or worried that Owlowiscious will replace him?” Fluttershy offered.

“Replace him?” Twilight asked incredulously. “Hah! That's crazy! Spike knows he can't be replaced.”

Fluttershy’s Cottage: Jack’s Room

When Jack returned home with Fluttershy, he immediately rushed up to his room to play his 3DS. He had just finished with Ocarina of Time 3D and was looking forward to replaying Majora’s Mask. Unfortunately, he couldn’t seem to find the 3DS.

“Fairly certain I placed it on the window seal,” he said to himself, walking to the open window. “It’s not like it could have gone….”

As he looked out the window, he stopped mid-sentence. On the ground, two feet from the wall, the 3DS was spread out in at least two pieces.

“How…?”

It didn’t take long for Jack to figure it out, “Owlowiscious!”

Owlowiscious had indeed knocked the device over while removing the snake. Under normal circumstances, Jack would have been able to reason it’d been an accident, but as it stood, he was already stressed out enough trying to keep Jade Jack at bay.

“The owl will pay!” Jack shouted.

October 28, 2020

Ponyville Marketplace

Jack had gone to sleep shortly after vowing revenge, but the night’s rest had done little for his anger. As such, he was already on his way to the library, albeit on the long route so as to come up with a plan.

As he was walking past Carousel Boutique, he noticed a peculiar sight. Spike, dressed as a mustachioed magician, was sneaking into the shop. Or at least it appeared he was attempting to be sneaky.

“The Hell are you up to?!” Jack called.

Spike froze like a deer caught in the headlights. “Oh… uh heeeey, Jack. I was just….”

“I don’t have time for this!” Jack interrupted. “The owl must pay!”

“Wait, you want to get rid of Owlowiscious too?” Spike asked.

“Yeah, what of it?” Jack asked.

“That’s what I’m trying to do,” Spike answered. “I don’t want him to replace me, so I thought I’d make it look like he did something awful.”

“Go on,” Jack said.

Spike explained how he planned to make it appear Owlowiscious had left a dead rat in the library. The idea was that Twilight would send him packing upon seeing the bloody mess. There was just one problem with the plan as far as Jack was concerned.

“You honestly think Twilight’s gonna fall for a fake rat?” Jack asked.

“Well, I…” Spike started. He hadn’t thought of that.

“Why not try something a little more… real?” Jack asked.

“What do you mean?” Spike asked with a nervous gulp.

Everfree Forest

“I don’t think this is a good idea,” Spike said as they trudged through the forest. “Wh-what would Fluttershy say about killing a mouse.”

“What, she doesn’t know won’t hurt her,” Jack said darkly. “Besides, I’ve seen her catching fish to feed her animals. What room does she have to judge?”

By this point, Spike had lost all interest in getting rid of Owlowiscious. “What’s going on, Jack?” he asked. “You’re not acting like yourself!”

Having been training in the forest, Jack had figured out how to tune his senses to detect animals moving in the underbrush. Soon enough, he’d found one. Using his magic h used his magic to pluck a leaf from a nearby tree, and in an instant, he’d sliced into his target’s neck. Tossing the bloody leaf aside, he picked up the dead mouse by its tail. “There are sides of me you don’t know about, Spike. Now, we have what we came for. Let’s go back… huurgh!”

Jack felt the wind being knocked out of him as he was sent flying into a large oak. Up until then, he’d almost felt like he was in a trance. He knew what he’d been doing, but he wasn’t entirely in control. It was as if someone had been planting thoughts in his head, and he’d just been going along with them. The impact had more than cleared up his mind.

“HELP!” he could hear Spike shout.

The small dragon was cowering in fear as the beast that had Struck Jack towered over him. Its head, limbs, and torso were that of a lion, though it had the wings and ears of a bat and the tail of a scorpion.

Jack launched a blast of jade energy at the beast, who let out a furious roar as it turned to face him.

“Shit, that didn’t do anything!” Jack gulped to himself.

As the beast barreled towards him, Jack desperately formed a barrier out of the surrounding leaves. To no use as the beast ripped straight through, narrowly missing Jack as he rolled out of the way.

“Give me control, or both you and your friend will die!” Jade Jack hissed.

Now things made sense. “You’re the one who put those thoughts in my head!” Jack accused as he continued dodging claw swipes and tail jabs. “No! You’re even more dangerous than this thing! You wanted this to happen, didn’t you!”

“Initially, I wanted to have you kill the owl,” Jade Jack admitted. “The ponies would have shunned you, and eventually, you’d set me free out of despair. But the dragon’s plan provided me with a quicker solution. It didn’t have to be a manticore. A chimera, a timber wolf, anything attracted by the smell of blood would have worked. You have no choice. I won’t let the emerald buzzkill interfere. Give me control, or all three of us die with your dragon friend!”

Fortunately, Jack didn’t have to make a decision just yet. Swooping silently through the branches, Owlowiscious went straight for the manticore’s exposed eyes. The manticore let out a roar of frustration as it batted at the owl with its paws. When that failed, the manticore turned to its stinger, jabbing at Owlowiscious, who dodged expertly. As if having both the wisdom and combat experience of Athena, Owlowiscious landed on the manticore’s head, taking off just in time for the manticore to give itself a paralyzing dose of venom.

“Hoo-hoo!” Owlowiscious cried in victory.

“Spike! Jack! Over here!” Twilight called through the tree line.

Not wanting to wait around for the manticore to wake up, both Jack and Spike followed Owlowiscious and Twilight out of the forest.

“What were you two thinking?” Twilight asked once they were safe.

“I thought you didn’t need me anymore,” Spike sighed. “I thought if I could frame Owlowiscious leaving a dead mouse in the library, I could be your number on assistant again.”

“Oh, Spike,” Twilight said with a sympathetic smile. “You’ll always be my number one assistant. It's just that sometimes I need some help at night. I can't ask you to stay up late. You're a baby dragon, and you need your rest. Owls are nocturnal. So I asked Owlowiscious to help. But not to take your place. No one could ever replace you, Spike.” Giving Spike an affectionate noogie, she added, “not even when you are being a jealous numbskull.”

“I'm sorry, Twilight,” Spike said, grabbing her in a tight hug. “I never should have been so jealous.”

“And I'm sorry too, Spike,” Twilight said. “I should have been more sensitive.”

Letting go of Twilight, Spike walked up to the tree Owlowiscious was perched in. “And Owlowiscious... I know now that you weren't out to take my job. Forgive me?”

“Hoo?” Owlowiscious hooted.

“Anyway, what are you doing here, Jack?” Twilight asked.

He was fully medicated, but even so, Jack couldn’t bear to make eye contact with Twilight. “Owlowiscious broke my 3DS. I wanted him gone as much as Spike,” he admitted.

“You mean this?” Twilight asked, telekinetically passing him the fully repaired gaming device. “Owlowiscious brought it to me last night. I hope you don’t have any hard feelings.”

Jack’s heart sank to the pits of his stomach. He could have very well ended up killing Owlowiscious if he hadn’t come across Spike. “I was consumed by rage. Spike wanted to fake the dead mouse. I… I convinced him he needed a real one. There was someone else in my head giving me directions.”

“Jade Jack?” Twilight asked.

“Yes,” Jack nodded. “I think he’s getting impatient trying to take over my mind. He wanted to force me to give him control, and he was willing to risk us both dying to do it.”

“So, he’s able to control your mind outside of Chaos Mode?” Twilight asked.

“No, it’s more like he took advantage of my rage and gave me suggestions when I wasn’t thinking straight,” Jack answered.

“I’ll have to report this to Princess Celestia,” Twilight said.

“I know,” Jack sighed, slumping his shoulders and staring at the ground.

Author's Note

Welp, that about wraps things up for this year. Expect this story to end early next year and the sequel to start soon after. I'll give this story a good read-through before starting the next chapter.

Next Time: Celestia and Shining Armor discuss events since Jack's arrival while Blutknochen and Oni-Hime do the same regarding her mission. That's right! It's an anime-styled recap episode.

Chapter 46: Recap (Last Edited: 3/23/2023)

Author's Note

It's been a while. We're coming close to the end of this first story so here's the thing all anime fans dread. The recap episode! After many complaints about readability, I've decided to change how the Elements of Chaos speak. I'll get around to editing the new speech patterns in old chapters at some point, but expect what you see in this chapter to be standard from this point forward. Now you may commence with the booing at the recap, but don't get too mad because...
Next Time: Ponyville Celebrates Nightmare Night and Princess Luna struggles to fit in.

Chapter 46: Recap (Last Edited: 3/23/2023)

October 29, 2020

Canterlot Castle: Throne Room

In light of recent events, Princess Celestia had called Shining Armor in for a private meeting. Such meetings weren’t unusual; however, they were typically attended by the entire Royal Court.

“May I ask why I was the only one you invited to this meeting?” Shining Armor asked.

“The other ponies on the Court have joined political parties, but you’ve remained neutral,” Celestia answered. “I believe your neutrality will be of use in this discussion.”

“How so?” Shining Armor asked.

“As you know, the parties have vastly different opinions of Mr. Jager,” Celestia answered. “And I think it’s clear to everypony on the Court that his troubles with Chaos Mode pose a potential threat. I need an unbiased opinion on the matter of keeping him in Ponyville. Or at least as close to unbiased as I can get from somepony in the know.”

“I’ll do my best, Princess,” Shining Armor agreed.

“So much has happened this year,” Celestia sighed. “It’s hard to believe it’s been only five months since Twilight and her friends found the Elements of Harmony and defeated Nightmare Moon.”

“It feels like it’s only been a few weeks,” Shining Armor agreed.

“Luna hadn’t even been back two weeks when the Lowcountry appeared,” Celestia continued. “And with it came Mr. Jager.”

“To my knowledge, Private Jager stated he had been on his way home from a study abroad when he drove his self-propelled vehicle through a strange light,” Shining Armor added. “He then found his body had regressed to that of a seven-year-old and everypony around him had vanished. He attempted to contact his friends and family with his long-ranged communication device and even attempted to contact the local guards to no result. I feel kinda bad for the guy now that I think about it. He must’ve thought the world was ending.”

“I know what it’s like to be separated from family,” Celestia said. “No doubt it hurts him even now. I sent Twilight and her friends to investigate the Lowcountry,” Celestia continued. “And it was Fluttershy who first encountered Jack.”

“Twily’s report indicates Jager responded to initial contact with confusion,” Shining Armor said. “He seemingly couldn’t believe a pony was talking to him. Applejack’s report indicates that in his world ponies are little more than domestic livestock. So, his initial shock is understandable.”

“After Jack fled from her, Fluttershy summoned Twilight and the others,” Celestia continued.

“It’s my understanding that there was a skirmish between Jager and Rainbow Dash,” Shining Armor said. “She managed to subdue him, but not before he disabled her wings with a lucky stab.”

“Yes,” Celestia agreed. “No doubt that altercation was the reason Rainbow Dash took so long to trust Jack. As well as Jack’s initial bitterness toward his situation. I remember when Twilight first brought him to me. Apart from his outrage at being put under Fluttershy’s care, he didn’t seem all that interested in what anypony had to say until I mentioned he wasn’t the first human I’d met.”

“After that, you sent him back to Ponyville with Twilight and her friends,” Shining Armor said. “Pinkie Pie organized a party at the library. If only the Royal Guard could assemble a unit as quickly as she gathers an entire town,” he said with a chuckle. “I believe he was able to both register as a Ponyville resident and sign up for classes at the local school during that party.”

“When he went to sleep that night, Luna discovered he was plagued with nightmares,” Celestia continued. “Eager to continue her duties as night Princess she set out to aid Jack in overcoming his bad dreams.”

“Not normal nightmares either from what I heard,” Shining Armor noted. “His brother hated his guts and refused to socialize, his first crush despised him thanks to a stupid mistake even going so far as to convince his entire class to hate him, one friend who lost everything to a cult, and another lost to a terminal illness. Feelings of guilt, like if one could have only done something different things would be better for everypony. These are hard enough for a battle-hardened soldier to deal with.”

“On top of the nightmares he’d also been missing his medication for a few days,” Celestia continued. “The stress from Filthy Rich’s daughter bullying young Apple Bloom on Jack’s first day of class caused him to lash out verbally.”

“Fortunately, that medication wasn’t too hard to find,” Shining Armor continued. “Twily lent out her balloon so Fluttershy and Jack could pick up a month’s supply from his vehicle in the Lowcountry.”

“Fluttershy quickly began to see young Jack as a son, despite him being in many ways more mature than her,” Celestia continued. “Fully medicated he was easily able to resolve the dispute over who Twilight would take with her to the Grand Galloping Gala.”

“He’s really intelligent too,” Shining Armor continued. “Twily told me Jager was almost like a professor the way he answered her questions about human history and society. Their trip to the Lowcountry brought us so many amazing pieces of technology. Without Jack to explain exactly what those objects do I doubt we’d be making much progress converting them to magic power. The gun Jack brought back with him will totally reinvent the way the E.U.P is structured.”

Celestia frowned at the thought of Equestria adopting human weapons, but she knew eventually other nations would get wind of the technology. Continuing the conversation she said, “Jack became quite popular with his classmates when he returned, none more so than with young Apple Bloom. The two of them became fast friends, although I believe the young filly wants more out of the relationship.”

“From what I’ve seen Jager’s caught the eye of several fillies in his class,” Shining armor added. “It isn’t an ideal situation. From what Twily’s said, he’s almost oblivious to flirting and too kindhearted to preemptively reject them. If we didn’t need to maintain his cover, he could explain his situation better.”

“Speaking of the other fillies,” Celestia continued. “Rainbow Dash was still bitter about her encounter with Jack and suspected he had a sinister motive for being in Equestria. It probably came as shock to her when Fluttershy requested she look after him as she visited her family. In a fortunate turn of events, it was Jack’s befriending of young Scootaloo while under her watch that changed her mind.”

“I’ve noticed Rainbow Dash can be quite stubborn,” Shining Armor said.

“Which is why she chose to avoid Jack rather than simply apologizing,” Celestia said. “Applejack and Rainbow Dash had a falling out soon after thanks to an altercation involving Jack and Apple Bloom. That’s likely why she so readily turned to her old friend Gilda.”

“If I recall correctly, it was during a confrontation with Gilda that Jager first felt his magic activate,” Shining Armor commented. “Albeit only briefly.”

“The next time was far more dramatic,” Celestia continued.

“Reports indicate Jager had agreed to do some work at Sweet Apple Acres,” Shining Armor said. “Apple Bloom found herself cornered by a rogue timberwolf. Jack intervened to rescue her, and his magic activated as the wolf was about to deliver him a killing blow.”

“Indeed, but it only lasted long enough to save Jack from one bite,” Celestia said. “If Rainbow Dash hadn’t shown up in time to save him, I doubt he would have made it. I think that’s what gave her the courage to apologize to both him and Applejack.”

“Twily told me she was the first pony Jager came to when he realized he had used magic,” Shining Armor said.

“Yes, that was on the same day that show mare, Trixie Lulamoon arrived in Ponyville,” Celestia said. “Jack sought out training, but Twilight found herself unnerved by her friends’ reactions to Trixie’s magic show.”

“And it was Trixie’s show that inspired two young colts to wander into the Everfree and bring back an Ursa Minor for the ‘Great’ and ‘Powerful’ Trixie to fight,” Shining Armor said somewhat mockingly.

“Snips and Snails are their names,” Celestia said. “Jack and Scootaloo followed the two into the forest and were with them when they brought the ursa into town. Miss Lulamoon fled at the sight of it, but Jack stood and fought, saving Scootaloo’s life. In turn, Scootaloo rescued him and brought him back to Fluttershy’s once his magic ran out.”

“It’s lucky Twily showed up in time to stop the Ursa from destroying Ponyville,” Shining Armor said. “Jager’s magic may be powerful, but without proper training, there wasn’t much he could have done.”

“And he was badly injured as a result,” Celestia added. “I somewhat understand Fluttershy’s reaction. When Scootaloo brought him home to her, his magic had yet to accelerate his healing. Still, to use her stare on him over slight disobedience was unnecessary.”

“That was the day before the dragon incident if I’m not mistaken,” Shining Armor said.

“Yes, Razer was once a close friend of mine,” Celestia said. “It’s unfortunate he chose Equestria for his nap. I sent Twilight and her friends to confront him, but Fluttershy wasn’t too keen on the idea.”

“According to Twily, she left Spike behind to watch Fluttershy’s animals,” Shining armor said. “While Fluttershy had claimed Jager was sleeping in the truth was she’d locked him in his room which he only escaped after one of Fluttershy’s pets had let him out. This seems to have been the final straw for Jager as he immediately set out to confront Fluttershy despite Spike warning him about Razer.”

“Jack arrived just as the confrontation was starting to heat up,” Celestia continued. “After firing his gun at Razer, he entered Chaos Mode and caught him off guard. Albeit only briefly as Razer was already more than aware of what humans were capable of thanks to his experience with Virginia Dare.”

“It was seeing Jager in trouble that gave Fluttershy the courage to confront Razer with her stare, correct?” Shining Armor asked.

Celestia nodded.

“She has an awesome gift,” Shining Armor said. “Given the right motivation intimidating a dragon even of Razer’s caliber was no problem for her.”

“Yes, in the time Jack had been under her charge, she’d come to see him as a son,” Celestia said. “Upon their return, she demanded Jack relinquish his weapons to keep him safe.”

“I can’t imagine that went well,” Shining Armor said.

“It most certainly did not,” Celestia agreed. “All that time being treated like a foal was too much for Jack and he snapped. After being told she wasn’t his mother Fluttershy ran off crying. With the help of the other elements, Jack found her at the park and the two came to an agreement. Fluttershy would stop treating him as if he were a foal and he would act like she was his mother, at least in public.”

“That would explain why Jager calls Fluttershy mother,” Shining Armor said. “It would seem they’ve both made good on their agreement so far.”

“Yes, although to maintain Jack’s cover, they both agreed it would be best to leave him in Twilight’s care when Fluttershy left to visit her family in Cloudsdale,” Celestia said. “Convenient timing all things considered. Twilight had just finished converting Jack’s phone to magic, and Spike had just received his summon to the Royal Court. Twilight took this as a perfect opportunity to try and figure out how Jack’s magic worked.”

“I wouldn’t expect any less from Twily,” Shining Armor beamed. “She figured out the link between Jager’s magic and fear for his life with no effort. Though, you already knew everything in that regard.”

“Well, it’s been a few centuries, but yes I had some idea,” Celestia answered. “That was part of the reason I made the Court aware and arranged for Spike to testify on his character.”

“I can understand that,” Shining Armor said. “But why Spike?”

“Considering Jack’s secret my options were limited,” Celestia explained. “The Court would have seen any of the elements as biased, so Spike was the logical choice.”

“I see,” Shining Armor said. “The little guy was knowledgeable enough to answer the questions at least.”

“Yes, although naturally there are things Spike hasn’t picked up on yet,” Celestia said. “For instance, Jack’s dreams of his past had been haunting him the entire time he’d been in Equestria. Having offended Luna, he was left to fend for himself. So, when Twilight and her friends found him whimpering in his sleep, they naturally sought to help him. Pinkie Pie’s therapy session was the first breakthrough in Jack’s long journey to self-acceptance. A journey that has, unfortunately, had many many setbacks.”

“Jager’s gone through more hardship than most of our soldiers,” Shining Armor sighed. “Yet he sticks to his beliefs no matter what,” he muttered to himself.

“It wasn’t long before Jack witnessed Ponyville’s reaction to Zecora,” Celestia said with a grimace. “Had I known how my little ponies were treating her I would have intervened.”

“It seems like a natural reaction to be suspicious of outsiders,” Shining Armor said. “I understand this Zecora has proven herself an ally, but for ponies who’d never seen a zebra…”

“That doesn’t excuse it, Shining,” Celestia interrupted. “I should have acknowledged this bigotry long ago. Jack saw right through this, as did Twilight and young Apple Bloom. Even when Zecora was accused of casting a curse on the Elements Jack and Apple Bloom sought to exonerate her and in return, she attempted to warn him about the danger he faced.”

Badlands: Elements of Chaos Hideout

“Vous summoned moi, Blutknochen?” Malade asked as she entered the cavern her leader had chosen for an office.

“Indeed Ich have, Malade,” Blutknochen answered. “Does it trouble you that you haven’t had as many roles as your cohorts?”

“Non,” Malde answered firmly. “Je suis grateful, to be honest. More time to nurture mes pets.”

“Gut,” Blutknochen said with a cold smile. “Ich would like to discuss the mission with you. It’s been several months since we discovered mein last experiment was eine success.”

“Oui,” Malade agreed. “As les éléments du chaos we exist to make your goals un reality. Moi, les Element of Betrayal, Løgner, Dishonesty, Damned, Wrath, Morte, Greed, and Oni-Hime, Lust, we all exist to serve vous, les Element of Curses.”

“Und you have served me well for the most part,” Blutchnochen confirmed. “Und you each will play your part.”

Canterlot Castle: Throne Room

“After a month Jack was running out of his medication and everypony around him could see the effects,” Celestia said. “It was during this time I had planned a visit to Ponyville that was cut short due to an infestation in Fillydelphia.”

“Based on reports, Ponyville also had quite the infestation,” Shining armor said. “Parasprites I believe. Jager was involved in the town’s defense, but ultimately it was Pinkie Pie who lured the swarm out of town with her musical instruments.”

“Yes, I arrived as she was leading them out,” Celestia said. “Before departing for Fillydelphia I agreed to have a E.U.P unit sent to the Lowcountry to retrieve more of Jack’s medication and requested he attend the Royal Court’s discussion of him.”

Badlands: Elements of Chaos Hideout

“Ich sent Oni-Hime to Ponyville to observe und if possible, capture der Mensch,” Blutknochen said.

“Je suis still unsure why vous chose la pute,” Malade snorted. “Damned et moi seldom agree on anything, but seducing stallions est all she’s bonne for, et with her petite body she can’t even do that anymore.”

“She remains useful for the time being,” Blutknochen said coldly. “Her devotion to me as her Vater makes her loyal to eine fault. Und her filly-like appearance allows her to stay close to der Mensch. Once Herr Jager was found she only needed to get close to him. Und she acquired fünf pawns to aid her.”

Canterlot Castle: Throne Room

“Eventually it came time for the Royal Court to decide what to do with Jack,” Celestia said. “Several proposals had been made to that extent. Cadence wanted him to be given all the rights of regular citizenship, Filthy Rich, using the incident with his daughter as an excuse, demanded his banishment, and Flash Sentry proposed we enlist him in the E.U.P. to exploit his magic. In the end, Flash Sentry won out.”

“If I’m not mistaken you and Three Arrows had a discussion with Jager after the meeting,” Shining Armor stated. “Is it safe to assume this prompted the sudden call for change in our government?”

“No, I’d been planning this with Three Arrows for a while,” Celestia admitted. “Jack simply gave us an outline to work with. Does this trouble you?”

In truth, Shining Armor was quite troubled by the way things had changed, but he was unwilling to express this to the princess. “No ma’am, I trust your judgment.”

Badlands: Elements of Chaos Hideout

“Ich ordered Oni-Hime to infiltrate the school, und she complied with enthusiasm,” Blutknochen said. “Once she started class, she sent her pawns to isolate Herr Jager from his friend.”

“Oui, but once she had him isolated, she failed to seduce l'humain,” Malade pointed out. “He was utterly repulsed at the way she behaved.”

“She does seem to be losing her edge,” Blutknochen agreed.

Canterlot Castle: Throne Room

“When Diamond Tiara got her cutie mark, young Apple Bloom became noticeably depressed,” Celestia said. “Jack did his best to comfort her but found himself unable to help.”

“Waiting for one’s cutie mark is a stressful time in any foal’s life,” Shining Armor agreed. “It’s unsurprising Jager couldn’t help.”

“Indeed,” Celestia agreed. “Fortunately, she doesn’t have to go it alone. Young Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle both have blank flanks and with Jack’s help those fillies formed the Cutie Mark Crusaders in a collective effort to find their special talents.”

“From my experience in Ponyville, I can say those four definitely have a talent for finding trouble,” Shining Armor chuckled.

“They certainly do,” Celestia giggled. “After their class on Equestria’s founding, they got it in their minds to start their own country. With Twilight’s help, they set out for the Lowcountry city of Charleston.” Celestia frowned, “Unfortunately the trip seems to have triggered a relapse in Jack’s self-loathing and he sought to take it out on the grave of a less-than-pleasant ancestor. He only stopped when a voice in his head prompted him to consider his actions.”

“And this was also when that Element of Chaos scumbag, Morte, attacked the Crusaders and Twily!” Shining Armor spat. “When I get my hooves on him….”

“I understand your anger, Shining, but we must stay focused,” Celestia interrupted. “As you said Morte attacked Twilight and the Crusaders. If Jack hadn’t intervened, he likely would have finished her off. It seems somepony called him off after Jack made contact. Most likely there was another Element in the area.”

“I guess that’s all the more reason to be grateful for Jager,” If he hadn’t brought Twily to the Chimera when he did I don’t know if she would have made it.”

“Yes it was very fortunate,” Celestia agreed. “Once I heard about the attack I ordered Jack to begin his training immediately and informed the Crusader’s guardians of the incident. Once the Chimera docked in Baltimare Twilight was escorted to the Royal Hospital and Jack to the Western Canterlot Outpost. Since you have more hooves on experience with his training I’d like your thoughts on the matter.”

“When Jager arrived at the outpost Princess Luna had him brief us on the incident with Morte,” Shining Armor explained. “She seemed disturbed by Jack’s description of him. I assume she’d been hoping somepony else was responsible. After she left Jager retired to his quarters and I left to visit Twily.”

“You weren’t present for his first day of training, but based on what the other captains have said, how would you assess young Jack?” Celestia asked.

“Three Arrows had the first crack at Jager’s training,” Shining Armor said. “What a way to start things off. While I was visiting Twily in the hospital, he was forced to endure an obstacle course of designed to push him to his biological limits. It took him a whole day and night and he was moderately injured, but he managed to complete his task.”

“And your evaluation?” Celestia asked.

“Three Arrows described him as insubordinate, having disdain for any authority he doesn’t benefit from,” Shining Armor said. “Though I can’t say I agree. The Iron Front has never been the greatest at reading other ponies.”

“Oh?” Celestia pressed.

“Spitfire was the next to take on Jager’s training,” Shining Armor explained. “She was underwhelmed with his physical performance, but the two came to an agreement. He needed only to improve his speed by one mile per hour, though he didn’t manage this on the first day. I returned that night and had a conversation with him.”

“I assume this conversation was significant in forming your opinion on him?” Celestia asked.

“Yes,” Shining Armor nodded. “Jager said something to me I still have a hard time understanding. He never wanted to be in the E.U.P. To him, it’s just a job. While the sentiment is still foreign to me it’s helped me understand the way he thinks. He doesn’t act out of a sense of duty towards his nation, but contrary to what Three Arrows says it isn’t self-interest that drives him either. He has his own sense of right and wrong that pushes him forward, he has a desire to redeem himself from some perceived wrong he’s committed, but most of all he has a strong desire to protect those he cares about.”

“You got all that from a single conversation?” Celestia asked.

“Not all of it,” Shining Armor admitted. “It was only a start, but the rest became clear to me as I saw him fighting to defend his friends.

“That is a reassuring assessment,” Celestia said. “Let us continue.”

“Spitfire continued his training the next day,” Shining Armor continued. “Though, Three Arrows was less than pleased with her methods. The two made a bet. If Jager couldn’t meet his goal in the next lap Three Arrows would take over. Fortunately, Spitfire ended up the victor. The next day Flash Sentry was in charge of Jager’s weapons training. I’m told Jager was unable to make use of any Equestrian weapons and pulled out his gun in frustration. Flash Sentry must’ve been impressed because he’s been talking about phasing out bows in favor of firearms nonstop since.”

“Which just leaves your portion of his training,” Celestia said.

“Jager’s magic training was a challenge,” Shining Armor admitted. “Unicorn cadets have already mastered the basics and moved on to advanced spells by the time they are scouted by the E.U.P. With Jager, I not only had to teach basic spellcasting, but I also had to figure out how to activate his magic, which for a unicorn would be something learned instinctually as a foal.”

“I wish I could have helped in that regard,” Celestia sighed. “I’ve taught humans magic in the past, but unfortunately not all memories stay fresh after centuries go by.”

“Don’t worry too much about it, princess,” Shining armor said. “Twily did half of the work for me. I knew fear for his own life was a factor, all that was left was finding the other common factor in past incidents. Once we figured out that he had somepony else to protect whenever his magic activated the rest was simple. By the time you came to bring Jager back to Ponyville, he could activate his magic at will.”

“Having passed through basic, Jack was promoted to private, and you were granted leave to be with Twilight,” Celestia said. “On our way to Ponyville, I informed him of the Elements of Chaos and their desire for his power, the Chaos of Nature.”

Badlands: Elements of Chaos Hideout

“Oni-Hime’s greatest failure was her inability to stop Herr Jager from discovering Morte’s operation, in der Menschenland,” Blutknochen growled. “Because of this, we had to accelerate our plans.”

“Pourquoi tu allowed her to continue her mission?” Malade asked.

“Ein failure ist nicht enough to discard eine valuable piece from der board,” Blutknochen answered. “While Herr Jager was developing his magic, Oni-Hime gained der trust of his Freundinnen. Und with this she was able to gain his trust upon his return.”

Canterlot Castle: Throne Room

“You accompanied Twilight back to Ponyville as soon as she was discharged from the hospital, correct?” Celestia asked.

“Of course,” Shining Armor nodded. “It was the first time I had met the other elements,” he added, a slight sense of inadequacy welling up as he remembered. “Miss Rarity had ordered some outfits made for Twily and her friends, so I offered to take her luggage while she caught up.”

“Ah, yes,” Celestia said. “I remember the letter Twilight sent me. “She and the others were ungrateful for the initial outfits and had Rarity redo them. Their tastes were unusual, to say the least. Unfortunate considering Spike’s decision to invite Hoity Toity to judge her work.”

“I had to agree to a favor to get Hoity Toity to agree to a redo,” Shining Armor said. “I’m glad he found Rarity’s original work impressive, but I do wish I didn’t have to spend time in that snob’s mansion. His taste in art is… unnerving.”

Celestia was all too familiar with the pony supremacist works that aligned Hoity Toity’s mansion as well as the questionably obtained tapestries from across Equus. “I’m not fond of his tastes either,” she agreed.

“Once the dress incident died down, Jager informed the Elements about Blutknochen and his cronies,” Shining Armor said. “They determined that Zecora might know something, based on her previous warning, and went to question her.”

“Zecora wasn’t able to give any names,” Celestia recalled, “but Twilight informed me she was able to describe their abilities.”

Badlands: Elements of Chaos Hideout

“Ich had sent Løgner to confront Oni-Hime on her failure at der Menschenland,” Blutknochen said. “Ich thought some motivation would do her well.”

“Surly vous know Løgner can’t be trusted to be honest with her?” Malade scoffed.

“Ich care nicht!” Blutknochen declared firmly. “Wasever Løgner said must’ve worked. When der Element des Lachens made contact with her, Oni-Hime turned was could have been a disastrous compromise in her mission into eine valuable opportunity.”

Canterlot Castle: Throne Room

“Twilight was doing well with her recovery, or at least she was until we found out about Pinkie Pie’s Pinkie Sense,” Shining Armor said. “Twily spent all day trying to figure out an explanation and only wound up injuring herself further in the process.”

“And this eventually led her to Froggy Bottom Bog?” Celestia asked.

“Yes,” Shining Armor answered. “She, Spike, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and the filly Pinkie picked up in the Everfree, Sakura Blossom I believe went to the bog after Pinkie Pie sensed something strange might happen there. Jager and Fluttershy had gone to release some frogs, so they were worried the two of them might be in danger.”

“And that was when they first encountered the hydra?” Celestia asked.

“Yes,” Shining Armor answered. “Based on Twily’s account they were about to escape when her leg gave out. Jager stepped in to protect her, but he was swallowed. Fortunately, his magic activated entering Chaos Mode.”

“And this was when he first made contact with the entity known as Emerald Jack?” Celestia asked.

“That’s right,” Shining Armor answered. “The increase in control granted him the ability to see Emerald Jack, a combination of his ego and conscious. Most likely the same voice he heard in the Lowcountry. With Emerald Jack’s help, Jager was able to subdue the hydra by using wooden shrapnel as chakram, though he failed to confirm the kill.”

Badlands: Elements of Chaos Hideout

“Once Oni-Hime informed me of die Hydra, ich ordered her to lure it to Ponyville,” Blutknochen said.

“Pourquoi?” Malade asked.

“Ich wanted to see Herr Jager demonstrate his power,” Blutknochen answered. “Oni-Himes pawns proved quite useful in this. Zwei of der colts from her class gladly lured die Hydra to Ponyville, thinking they were helping her find her Mütter’s coin und another provided ein camera.”

“Oui, but her plans were overheard,” Malade pointed out.

Canterlot Castle: Throne Room

“What happened on the day of the hydra attack?” Celestia asked.

“The Neighponese filly, Sakura Blossom lost something in Froggy Bottom Bog while escaping the hydra,” Shining Armor explained. “She enlisted the help of the colts Snips and Snails, but the three of them ran into the hydra while searching. In a panic, they ran back to Ponyville, and the hydra followed.”

“It was Jack who first reported the danger to you, correct?” Celestia asked.

“Yes,” Shining Armor answered. “Jager had been helping Apples with some repair work when the hydra arrived. Applejack went to assist the foals and he rushed to inform me. I instructed Jager to stay put and informed the mayor of the situation.”

“I must say I was impressed with how efficiently you organized Ponyville into a defensive militia,” Celestia complimented. “You managed to turn civilians with no combat experience into a defensive line capable of holding the hydra back while you and the elements fought it and rescued stranded civilians.”

“I was only doing my duty,” Shining Armor said modestly. “In all honesty, had Jager not disobeyed orders and joined the fight I doubt we would have held them off long enough for you to show up.”

“I’d rather have let it live,” Celestia lamented. “But, unfortunately, the hydra didn’t leave me with that option.”

“The three foals responsible were punished and the structural damage was severe,” Shining Armor said. “But thanks to you nopony was seriously hurt and things in Ponyville quickly went back to normal.”

“I’m just glad my little ponies recovered in time for the best young flyers competition,” Celestia said. “It was quite the performance.”

“I heard there was an accident with one of the competitors,” Shining Armor recalled.

“Yes,” Celestia confirmed. “Twilight fashioned a pair of magic wings for Rarity. Unfortunately, they proved quite fragile and burned in the sunlight. Jack attempted to save her but he couldn’t activate Chaos Mode due to his excessive use of it in the days before the competition. Rainbow Dash saved both of them by performing a Sonic Rainboom. An astonishing feat for one so young. I hadn’t seen anypony pull one off in almost a thousand years.”

“And that was when you decided it was time to teach Jager how to enter Chaos Mode of his own free will?” Shining Armor asked.

Badlands: Elements of Chaos Hideout

“Vous sent moi at Damned to retrieve les photos from Oni-Hime,” Malade recalled.

“Das ist correct,” Blutknochen said. “Und ich instructed Damned to begin attacking Equestria’s towns. Except for Canterlot und Ponyville.”

Canterlot Castle: Throne Room

“Princess, may I ask you something?” Shining Armor requested.

“Of course,” Celestia agreed.

“The vote for reform seemed far too organized to be a coincidence,” Shining Armor said. “I believe you and Three Arrows have been working behind the scenes.”

“I suppose there’s no hiding it at this point,” Celestia sighed. “Three Arrows and I have been running a secret society for many years now. The Order of the Yellow Rose’s goal has been to fight for the abolishment of the class system. Anypony on the court who expressed discontent with the system was invited to join. When Jack arrived in Equestria he brought with him knowledge of such systems. That’s why I had Lyra Heartstrings bring him to our secret headquarters before I began his training. We wanted to learn from him.” She frowned, “I understand if you feel betrayed by my secrecy.”

“Not at all!” Shining Armor quickly retorted. “What else doesn’t she trust me with?” he asked himself secretly.

“Good,” Celestia smiled. “When the interview was over, I began Jack’s training. At first, things didn’t work out well. I couldn’t figure out what was wrong, but with Luna’s help, that night I thought back to Virginia’s training. There is much danger of losing oneself when dealing with Chaos Magic, as is what happened with the other Roanoke settlers Virginia came with. While her parents and the others succumbed to the chaos and joined Blutknochen. Virginia mastered her magic and stayed herself. The secret was the abundance of happy memories she had to draw on.”

“That seems like a problem given Jager’s past,” Shining Armor mused.

“It was,” Celestia agreed, “but his happy memories here in Equestria were enough to counteract this.”

“Still, those memories from before pose a risk,” Shining Armor said.

“Not long after, Fluttershy was asked to watch the Crusaders for a night,” Celestia continued. “She had trouble keeping them under control, and the fillies and Jack snuck out into the Everfree to find one of her missing hens.”

Badlands: Elements of Chaos Hideout

“Eins Nacht, Oni-Hime was almost discovered while contacting me,” Blutknochen recalled. “Herr Jager und drei of his classmates were exploring der forest, Der eins known as Sweetie Belle was already suspicious from der Hydra incident.”

“She certainly has a tendency to risk exposure,” Malade commented.

“True, but thus far she hasn’t been caught,” Blutknochen said. “They ran into ein cockatrice on their way out. Herr Jager’s improvements in magic were nicht enough und she had to reveal her demon form to protect him.” He chuckled maliciously, “fortunately Herr Jager is too accepting for his own good. He convinced the others to keep it to themselves und found himself even more trusting of Oni-Hime.”

Canterlot Castle: Throne Room

“Unfortunately, Jack has found his share of stress here in Equestria as well,” Celestia said. “When he learned of Apple Bloom’s feelings for him he became torn between rejecting her and ignoring the problem.”

“It would be hard to explain without revealing his secret or offending her,” Shining Armor said.

“Fortunately Applejack was able to convince him to wait for the young filly to make a move before worrying about turning her down,” Celestia said. “It will be awkward, but at least he doesn’t have to worry too much.”

“Their friendship doesn’t seem to have taken a hit,” Shining Armor commented. “When Applejack handed down her old clubhouse for Crusader use and they participated in the talent show they all seemed as close as ever.”

“Hopefully things stay that way,” Celestia said. “Not long after that, it came time for us in the Order to make our move. We held a surprise vote and in the end, the system of class was abolished and the replacement of the Royal Court with a democratically elected government was set.”

“Many ponies aren’t happy with those results,” Shining Armor pointed out. “I’m sure you’ve anticipated the consequences. Though it does seem to be popular among the peasant class.”

Badlands: Elements of Chaos Hideout

“Celestia’s decision to abolish der class system provided us with ein unexpected opportunity,” Blutknochen said.

“For such un wise ruler, to make such un foolish decision,” Malade giggled. “Give les elites un reason to revolt et vous have un coup d'état in les future.”

“Which made it easy for Løgner to infiltrate ein meeting being held by Prinz Blueblood, und offer ein alliance,” Blutknochen agreed.

Canterlot Castle: Throne Room

“The incident at the gem mines has me more worried than anything else right now,” Celestia said.

“I read the report,” Shining Armor said. “Rarity was kidnapped by a trio of diamond dogs. In his pursuit into their lair, Jack killed one of the guards. The first kill is always the hardest. He broke down and only came back to his senses when Emerald Jack reminded him that Rarity was in trouble. Joining Spike and the other Elements he found Rarity had already freed herself when they reached her, but on their way out a comrade of the dog, he killed captured Rarity and threatened to kill her. What happened next was covered in black ink in the report, but I’ve been told Jager was possessed by something.”

“The chaos within him,” Celestia said. “Emerald Jack isn’t the only entity within him. Jade Jack represents his inner madness. It desires nothing but destruction, and Jack’s feelings of despair released it. If Fluttershy hadn’t freed him with her stair he could have destroyed the entire Everfree Province.”

“As if things weren’t bad enough, San Franciscolt came under attack by the Element of wrath almost simultaneously,” Shining armor said. “It’s hard to believe that was a coincidence.”

“It most certainly wasn’t,” Celestia said. “Blutknochen must’ve sensed the energy Jack released when he was under Jade Jack’s control and ordered the attack to lure him into combat.”

“And we fell right into his trap!” Shining Armor gasped. “Flash Sentry picked Jager up before he even had time to regain consciousness. He and Lieutenant Longbow were shot down over the White Tail Woods. Search parties were sent after them, but by the time we found them, they had already engaged Damned. Jager managed to defeat him but had trouble since Jade Jack was unwilling to allow him to enter Chaos Mode. It was only the need for self-preservation that made Jade Jack give in. Though Damned was defeated he escaped after mortally wounding Longbow.”

“I interrogated Jack afterward,” Celestia said somberly. “When he learned Longbow had passed he was devastated. I think the combined shock of the Battle of San Franciscolt and the preceding gem mine incident broke something in him.”

“He wasn’t the only one,” Shining Armor said. “Twily told me Rarity had a case of the shakes after what happened in the mines. The mere mention of Jager or even plants was enough to make her panic.”

“Yes,” Celestia agreed. “Though she was able to get a deal with Photo Finish.”

Badlands: Elements of Chaos Hideout

“Oni-Hime used Herr Jager’s depression to further gain his trust,” Blutknochen said.

“But wasn’t les point of les attack on San Franciscolt to push him over les edge?” Malade asked.

“We want him to be amicable to us nicht ein mindless animal,” Blutknochen said. “He needs to be on edge in ein condition we can use for mein purposes.”

“So by telling him her pathétique backstory she was gaining his trust to use against him later,” Malade realized.”

Canterlot Castle: Throne Room

“Things didn’t go as planned for Rarity,” Celestia said. “Photo Finish lost all interest in her dresses when she saw Fluttershy. Rather than display Rarity’s dresses in her shoots, Photo Finish decided to make Fluttershy a model. Something both elements were displeased with.”

“Though, Fluttershy’s modeling career came to an abrupt end after an accident involving a stage light,” shining Armor said. “It’s lucky Jager was there or Rarity would have been crushed.”

“Thank goodness for that,” Celestia agreed. “And the two of them were able to make up after that.”

Badlands: Elements of Chaos Hideout

“Das being said, Oni-Hime’s decision to attack ein of die Elemente der Harmonie was ein unacceptable risk!” Blutknochen growled.

“She left behind evidence et that filly Sweetie Belle figured her out,” Malade said.

Canterlot Castle: Throne Room

“Unfortunately, it seems Jade Jack has been persistently egging Jack toward his breaking point,” Celestia said. “I instructed him to spend time training at the Joint E.U.P base in the Everfree forest each day to help keep his chaos at bay.”

Badlands: Elements of Chaos Hideout

“But, Oni-Hime soon found ein opportunity to redeem herself,” Blutknochen said. “By convincing her classmates to follow Herr Jager to his training camp she thought she might out his secret. News of ein foal soldier would have harmed Celestia’s reputation to be sure.”

“But she failed,” Malade pointed out.

“Das she did,” Blutknochen muttered.

Canterlot Castle: Throne Room

“After several failed attempts the Cutie Mark Crusaders followed Jack to the Everfree base,” Shining Armor said. “Spitfire was going to detain them, but Jager vouched for their ability to keep a secret. Thus far he’s proven correct.”

“The next significant incident would be the Battle of Appleloosa,” Celestia continued. “To my knowledge hostilities began when Jack and the Elements of Harmony were escorting a new tree to the settlement.”

“Jager engaged a young cow named Strongheart, but he and Spike were kidnaped by a number of bulls.”

“They brought them back to their camp and explained the cause of their conflict was the theft of their stampeding grounds for agriculture purposes,” Celestia said. “When Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie arrived, they agreed to aid the Bison in reclaiming their land.”

“But any chance of peace was shattered by the stubbornness of Rainbow Dash and Applejack,” Shining Armor said. “Jager attempted to defuse the situation by making an analogy to his own people’s history, but this backfired and war broke out.”

“Though Jack did manage to stop the fighting through more forceful means,” Celestia said.

“This was around the time Arrows, Fancy Pants, and Blueblood formed their parties, right?” Shining Armor asked.

“That’s right,” Celestia said, “and soon after they announced their parties to the public. Blue Blood, the Nationalists, Fancy Pants, the Liberals, and Three Arrows, Labor. The vicious Propaganda campaign they’ve launched against each other has been a nonstop eyesore in every public setting. Jack was conflicted but ultimately he joined the Liberals.”

Badlands: Elements of Chaos Hideout

“While der Equestrians were distracted, ich had Løgner, pick up something in the Canterlot’s black market for us,” Blutknochen said.

“Les Alicorn’s Amulet,” Malade said.

Canterlot Castle: Throne Room

“There isn’t much to say about my trip to Ponyville,” Celestia said. “Philomena played a prank on poor Fluttershy, but other than that, nothing.”

Badlands: Elements of Chaos Hideout

“Der most egregious compromise in our plans was Sweetie Belle’s eavesdropping on Oni-Hime’s und Løgner’s discussion,” Blutknochen growled. “Das filly knows our entire plan now.”

“Pourquoi, hasn’t she just killed les filly?” Malade asked.

“Das would bring ein investigation,” Blutknochen said. “Und we can’t have das.”

“Les filly spent un whole day trying to convince ponies of what she heard et nopony believed her,” Malade said thoughtfully. “I guess we haven’t anything to worry about.”

Canterlot Castle: Throne Room

“Twilight sent me a letter about the Crusaders asking her and the other Elements how they got their cutie marks,” Celestia said. “She noted that young Sweetie Belle seemed to be depressed about something, but other than that it sounds like a beautiful experience.”

“It seems those fillies have a calming effect on Jager,” Shining Armor said. “He always seems happy around them.”

Badlands: Elements of Chaos Hideout

“When we finally brought der nationalists to our lair, only Flash Sentry had qualms about joining us,” Blutknochen said. “But in der end even he caved.”

Canterlot Castle: Throne Room

“Which brings us to our latest incident,” Celestia said. “After Twilight brought on Owlowiscious as a second assistant Spike grew jealous of him. Jack soon found his own bone to pick with the bird after he broke one of his devices. Jade Jack used his anger to convince Jack to kill the owl, but those plans were changed when he encountered Spike. The two left for the Everfree where Jack slaughtered a mouse to frame Owlowiscious with. This attracted a manticore and Jack would have succumbed to the chaos had Owlowiscious not intervened. Given what we’ve discussed how would you suggest we proceed?”

Shining Armor took a minute to think. “In my opinion, he needs to be monitored. Perhaps a special agent?”

Chapter 47: Luna Eclipsed (Last Edited: 4/4/2023)

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

Chapter 48: Party of One (Last Edited: 4/5/2023)

November 1, 2020

Bon Bon’s Confectionary

Apart from Sugarcube Corner, Bon Bon’s Confectionery was the most popular spot in Ponyville for those with a sweet tooth. Unknown to its patrons there was a secret room under the store that Bon Bon wouldn’t even let her best friends know about. Though, to be fair her friends didn’t know her real name either. This room was hidden behind a door that would only open in response to her unique hoofprint.

“Identification Special Agent Sweetie Drops,” stated a disembodied voice as the door scanned Bon Bon’s hoof.

The door opened and Sweetie Drops entered the room. She walked past shelf after shelf filled with various gadgets and disguises such as grappling hooks and sunglasses until she found a drawer labeled magical receivers. Sliding the drawer upon she pulled out a small, enchanted object resembling the chocolate balls she’d given Jack the day before. She’d been hoping to measure the intensity of his chaos magic.

Clicking a button on the device she watched as a holographic panel projected from within.

SUBJECT: JACKSON DELANO JAGER JR

MONSTER SIGNATURES DETECTED IN PROXIMITY: 3

DESEGNATE: DRACONEQUUS 9999 MI, DEMON PONY 567 MI, Dragon 124 MI

Draconequus and dragon signatures were of no surprise to Sweetie Drops. She’d been warned that Jack’s magic signature would be read as Draconequus owing to the lack of human signatures in the system and close similarities between the two species' magic. The dragon of course would have to be Spike. The MI of Jack’s power was off the charts. A worry to be sure, but Sweetie Drop’s attention was caught by the second signature on the list.

“That’s impossible!” Sweetie Drops exclaimed. “The last demon pony was supposed to have been killed in Kyotack almost three hundred years ago. How can one be here?”

Rushing to a dusty bookcase, Sweetie Drops tore down a monster encyclopedia labeled A-F on the spine. Flipping to the center she searched for the entry. “Cockatrice, Cragadile, Cu Sith, Cyclops, Dahu, Demon Pony.” Reading aloud she continued, “Demon Ponies were once abundant in Neighpon. Believed to live up to 3000 years, they were an all-female species who reproduced by seducing males from more civilized races. Neighponese folklore holds that once the mating ritual was completed the males would be left to die or sometimes eaten. In their true forms, they had sharp teeth, extended bat-like wings, spike-like protrusions from their front hooves, and a thin whip-like tail with a spike at the end. They were fairly capable of disguising themselves as thestrals however, with only their tail spikes visible to give them away. The last confirmed Demon Pony was killed in Kyotack on April 16, 703 AYP, but there have been rumors of a daughter surviving the attack. It is unknown if this daughter is alive or if she ever existed, to begin with.”

It may not be what she was assigned, but Sweetie Drop’s decided it was worth looking into. Besides for the MI readings to be so strong, there must’ve been physical contact between the two.

Fluttershy’s Cottage

As was tradition for Jack on the day after Halloween, he was now gorging himself on his sack of candy. While he was enjoying himself immensely, Fluttershy and Angel looked on with worry and disgust respectively.

Just as Jack was about to scarf down his eighth chocolate bar, there was a knock on the door. Fluttershy opened it to find an exhausted Pinkie, singing with her pet alligator Gummy on her head as Sakura irritably stood behind her.

“It won't be the same without you,” Pinkie panted, “So we hope that you say yes. So, please, oh please R.S.V.P., And come, and be our guest!” Exhausted she collapsed after the last line.

“Oh, my,” Fluttershy said. “Are you alright, Pinkie?”

“I-I’m fine,” Pinkie wheezed.

Fluttershy invited Pinkie and Sakura inside and went to grab them a snack.

“What’s all this about, Pinks?” Jack asked.

“It’s…” Pinkie panted. “It’s Gummy’s birthday today. I want you to come… to the party.”

“Your alligator?” Jack asked, glancing at the reptile on Pinkie’s head.

“That’s right,” Pinkie said with a nod.

“Oh, we’d be happy to go!” Fluttershy said as she arrived with a daisy sandwich and a glass of water.

Sugar Cube Corner

A few hours later Jack and the Mane Six converged on Sugar Cube Corner for the party. The bakery was decked out for the occasion. There were streamers, a tub for apple bobbing, a punch bowl, and a record player playing party tunes.

Rarity made her way over to the punch bowl, while Applejack and Rainbow Dash went to bob apples, and Twilight and Fluttershy jammed out by the record player. Jack on the other hand noticed Sakura in the corner looking glum.

Grabbing two cups of punch he went to talk to her “How’s it going, Saki?” Jack asked.

“I’m ok, Jack-sama,” Sakura answered half-heartedly. Ever since the night before she’d been conflicted about her orders. “Naze? I’ve never questioned Oto-san’s orders before. Kawaī stallions have always been a distraction, but something’s different about Jack-sama. Maybe it’s just that we both know what it’s like to be rejected by those around us. My element is Yokubō. I can’t possibly be Ren'ai-chū.”

Jack was confused. Sakura seemed to be hiding her face from him. It was strange, but he didn’t know whether to pry. Instead, he found himself staring at her, her purple mane, her pink fur, her cutie mark. Now that one was interesting, he’d never taken much time to think about those marks on the ponies' flanks before. He knew they were representations of a pony's special talents and that they magically appeared once a pony figured out their purpose in life, but he’d never really pondered on what any individual mark meant. Some were obvious of course, the Apple family all had apples in some form or another, but the mail mare had a bubble cutie mark. He’d not the foggiest clue what that meant, nor did he know what the flaming hearts on Sakura’s flanks represented.

He might have stared for another few minutes if he didn’t remember exactly what area of the body he was looking at. Whipping his head away he inhaled his punch in a single gulp, as his cheeks flushed the color of ripened bell pepper.

Desperate for anything else to pay attention to his eyes locked onto Rarity spitting her punch into a potted plant. “Now that’s unusually unladylike of her,” Jack thought. His gaze drifted to the table where Gummy had submerged himself in the punchbowl. “Pfffft!” he spat the punch out at once, wiping his tongue with his palms as if to remove the flavor. The small gator hadn’t been in the bowl when he got his cup, but there was no telling if this was the first time he’d been there.

“C'mon, everypony!” Pinkie shouted as she and the other ponies gathered around Gummy. “Gummy wants to dance! Go, Gummy! It's your birthday! Go, Gummy! It's your birthday!”

Not knowing what else to say to Sakura, Jack went to dance with the others for the next few hours. When the party was over the Sun had long since set.

“Hoo-wee!” Applejack exclaimed as they left the building. “Ah am beat! I haven't danced that much since... Well, since your last party. Thanks again for the invite!”

“See ya later, birthday alligator!” Rainbow called.

“Bravo for hosting yet another delightful soiree,” Rarity said.

“It's been lovely,” Fluttershy agreed.

“You sure you don't wanna stay?” Pinkie asked from the upstairs window. “There's still some cake left.”

“No thanks, Pinks!” Jack called. “I’m supposed to tutor Scootaloo tomorrow!”

“I think I'm gonna pass too,” Twilight said. “Great party though. We should do this again soon.”

Once they were far enough away Fluttershy asked Jack a question, “How could you agree to tutor Scootaloo tomorrow when we’re supposed to be throwing Pinkie’s surprise party?”

“I didn’t,” Jack answered. “I’m doing that on Tuesday after I vote. I just needed an excuse so she wouldn’t try to keep us there all night. We have a lot of prep for tomorrow and I’d like to get a decent sleep first.”

November 2, 2020

Sugarcube Corner

Pinkie’s party plans hadn’t come to fruition. Sakura hadn’t been in the mood for another party, Jack had agreed to tutor Scootaloo, Twilight had studying to do, Applejack had more work, Rarity had sullied her mane, while Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash had to cave sit for a bear.

“Something strange is definitely going on around here, Gummy,” Pinkie said. “Sure Jack had to tutor Scootaloo, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy had to house-sit for that vacationing bear, but what are the chances all my other friends would have plans this afternoon too? Rarity has to wash her hair? Applejack has to pick apples? Twilight is behind on her studies and has to hit the books? The more I think about it, the more those are starting to sound like...” staring out the window she gasped “excuses!”

Her suspicions seemed to be confirmed by the sight of Twilight tiptoeing past her window to meet with Jack. At the entrance to Sugar Cube Corner. “That doesn't look like studying... or hitting!” Pinkie exclaimed. “Doesn’t look like tutoring either!”

Pinkie rushed to the stairs and dangled a tin can tied to a string to listen in on the conversation.

“I don't want her to know anything about this,” she could hear Twilight say.

“That could ruin everything,” Jack agreed.

“But... we're friends. What wouldn't they want me to know anything about?” Pinkie asked herself. “She's coming back,” she gasped.

“There you go!” Cup Cake said.

“Thanks, and remember, not a word to Pinkie Pie,” Twilight said shortly before Pinkie gelfelttug on her listening device. “Hey! What's with the tin can?”

Downstairs Jack watched in mild amusement as the string snapped and the can slammed into Twilight’s face. “We better get going before Pinks catches on,” he chuckled.

South Ponyville Residential District

Having left Sugar Cube Corner, Jack and Twilight went to rendezvous with Rarity. Sneaking their way to Carousel Boutique they knocked on the door.

Rarity carefully stepped outside. “She didn't see you at the sweet shop, did she?” she asked.

“I don't think so,” Twilight answered.

“I’m pretty sure she heard some of it,” Jack added.

“What do you mean?” Twilight asked.

“Remember that can we saw hanging in Sugarcube Corner?” Jack asked.

“Yeah, why?” Twilight asked.

“What if there were another can tied to the other end of that string?” Jack asked.

Twilight gasped. “Then somepony could… we were right below her room. How much do you think she heard?”

“No clue, but I would think it’d be best if someone were to keep an eye on her,” Jack answered.

“I agree,” Twilight said.

Carousel Boutique

Suspecting Pinkie might be following them Jack went with Rarity to the boutique. His suspicions were confirmed by a strangely placed bale of hay with one of those gag disguise glasses and a certain alligator resting conspicuously atop. With a glow from his hand, the straw scattered revealing the pink mare. She’d just missed Rarity walking inside.

“What are you doing under there, Pinks?” Jack asked.

“Why aren’t you tutoring Scootaloo?” Pinkie asked accusingly.

“Turns out I was mistaken about the date,” Jack said only half lying. “I can come to your party if you’d like.”

“Were you now?” Pinkie asked suspiciously. “What about Twilight and Rarity?”

Jack had anticipated this line of questioning and already had an excuse. “Celestia sent asked us to do something sorta confidential, AJ, Flutters, and Dash don’t know about it either.”

“Then why did Twilight specifically say she didn’t want me to know about it?” Pinkie asked. “You said I’d ruin everything.”

“You know how you can be Pinks,” Jack said. “You pop out of nowhere at random times. I’m still finding confetti in places I didn’t know I had from the last time you ambushed me with your confetti canon.” Jack pulled a piece of colored paper from his lower regions for emphasis.

“Oh,” Pinkie said, seemingly thinking it over. “That makes so much sense! We can still make it to Gummy’s after-party if we hurry! Quickly!”

Thinking he’d successfully resolved the situation Jack followed Pinkie to keep her busy while their friends prepared the surprise. Unfortunately, things seldom go as planned and lies have a tendency to fall apart when evidence otherwise comes to light. That evidence came in the form of Rainbow Dash walking by nonchalantly

“Hi, Pinkie Pie!” Rainbow Dash said, before pausing in realization of her error. “Uh-oh!”

Dash rushed off and Pinkie shot Jack a ‘you lied to me’ glare before pursuing.

Knowing that trying to stop her would be futile, Jack retreated to the library to find Spike. Twilight had been working on enchanting 6 phones for the Elements to use, but the process had been slow, and Spike was still the only reliable way to get in contact with anyone.

Golden Oak Library

To Jack’s dismay Pinkie somehow managed to get to Spike first, in hindsight stopping to help Granny Smith cross the street was a poor decision. The old mare neither wanted nor needed the help and wound-up bashing Jack over the head with her bag resulting in the Crusaders who were nearby deciding now was the time to get their trauma surgeon cutie marks. Having spent a good half hour running and hiding from the girls to protect his precious brain matter he rushed to the library as soon as he gave them the slip.

Seeing Pinkie was taking Spike somewhere, Jack decided to cut them off at the most likely location.

Sugarcube Corner

Having put some distance between himself and Pinkie, Jack had some time to prepare. Seeing Sakura sitting at the counter.

“Hey, Saki!” Jack exclaimed, not noticing the glum look on her face as she looked up. “I don’t suppose you’d be willing to help me out with a little something?”

“Nani?” Sakura asked.

Jack explained about Pinkie’s surprise party and the misunderstanding they were having.

“So you think she’s bringing Spike-chan here to force the truth from him?” Sakura asked.

“Pretty much,” Jack nodded.

Just then Pinkie busted through the door with Spike.

“Pinks I can explain!” Jack shouted.

“Be quiet!” Pinkie snapped as she began gathering every gem she could find.

“Pinky-sama…” Sakura started.

“I should’ve known you’d side with this Quisling, Sakura!” Pinkie said accusingly.

At first, Jack thought about asking how Pinkie knew the phrase Quisling, the origin of that word as an insult came from Vidkun Quisling who ran the collaborationist government of Nazi-occupied Norway but given the circumstance he refrained. Besides even in a more amicable state Pinkie more than likely would have simply dismissed the question by calling it a secret.

“Wow! Nice spread!” Spike exclaimed starry-eyed as Pinkie laid the bowl of precious stones in front of him.

“It's all yours, Spike,” Pinkie said before she shined a lamp in his face and Gummy clamped down on Spike’s tail preventing his escape. “All you have to do is talk.”

Not understanding the implication Spike began discussing the weather as he reached for the gem bowl. Not having any of it Pinkie swiped the bowl out of reach.

“Isn’t this a little extreme?” Jack asked from the sideline.

“Shove it, Benedict Arnold!” Pinkie shouted, again referencing a human traitor.

“Kowai,” Sakura muttered.

“No, no, no,” Pinkie said pushing the light towered Spike’s face. “Talk about our friends.”

Again, Spike misunderstood and began listing how he felt about their friends.

“Grr!” Pinkie growled. “No! You're not understanding me! I want you to confess!”

“Confess?” Spike asked as Jack frantically motioned for him to zip his lips.

“Confess!” Pinkie shouted.

“I'm the one who spilled juice all over Twilight's copy of Magical Mysteries and Practical Potions!” Spike admitted.

“And?” Pinkie asked.

“And I'm the one who used up all the hot water in Ponyville yesterday when I took a seven-hour bubble bath!” Spike said.

“THAT WAS YOU!!!!!!!” Jack roared. “I outa turn you intuh a pair of boots!”

“Aaand!!!?” Pinkie asked.

“And sometimes... when no one's around... I do this,” Spike pulled over a mirror and began to flex. “Lookin' good, Spike! Lookin' real good!”

Jack snorted having pulled out his phone to film the moment he saw Spike reach for the mirror. “Oh, this’ll so serve you right for making me take a cold shower.”

“No! No! No! No!” Pinkie screamed.

Much like an innocent suspect back in the States the aggressive grilling Pinkie had subjected Spike to was enough to get him to admit to almost anything to make it stop. “W-What do you wanna hear? Tell me what you want me to say, and I'll say it!”

“Tell me that my friends are all lying to me and avoiding me because they don't like my parties and they don't want to be my friends anymore!” Pinkie screamed panting like she’d run a marathon.

Spike cracked and said just that, as Jack buried his face in his palms.

“Aha! I knew it!” Pinkie exclaimed. Her hair deflated like a balloon once it hit her what that meant. “Oh no, my friends don't like my parties and they don't want to be my friends anymore.”

“Pinks no that’s not…” Jack said as Pinkie slid the gems over to Spike and glumly walked into a corner, “not it.”

As Spike left with his prize Pinkie began gathering items from around the shop and started doing something, disturbing. She fashioned them into imaginary friends and began acting as if they were party guests, voicing them like a little girl playing tea party.

“ENOUGH OF THIS!” Jack shouted. “Pinks we aren’t trying to avoid you because we dislike you! Do you have any idea what today is?”

“The day after Gummy’s birthday,” Pinky answered angrily.

“It’s Your birthday, Pinks,” Jack sighed. “We just wanted to surprise you.”

Pinkie stared blankly at Jack for a few seconds before her lips began to twitch.

“Pinks?” Jack asked.

Pinkie’s mane poofed up as her face was engulfed in a smile. “OHMYGOSHICOMPLETELYFORGOTITWASMYBIRTHDAYI’MSOSORRYFORDOUBTINGYOULET’SGO!” she exclaimed bursting out the door.

Sweet Apple Acres

Pinkie had figured out where to go thanks to her following Rainbow Dash to the Apple’s barn earlier that day. When she, Jack, and Sakura arrived they explained what had happened. The girls were disappointed the surprise had been ruined but understood why Jack had to reveal the secret.

As the festivities began, Jack asked Sakura if she’d like to stay for the party, but was disappointed with her answer.

“I’m not in the mood right now, Jack-sama,” Sakura said. “I think I need to be alone for a while.”

“I…” Jack started as Sakura left. “I hope you get better soon. Maybe then you’d like to do something together,” Jack blushed, “just us? I hear there’s a new ice cream stand that opened up near the park.”

“Maybe,” Sakura said holding back a sob.

Sugarcube Corner

Oni-Hime buried her face in her pillow as the waterworks began. Two days that’s all that she had left. Tomorrow Equestria would go to the polls, and the day after was the Gala. She knew what she was expected to do and she was resolved to do it, but that didn’t change the fact Jack likely would hate her for the rest of his life once she’d done it.

Author's Note

Sorry this took so long. So much has happened since March. I moved to start my new job as an assistant park ranger, I had to get my power steering, tires, a wheel bearing, car battery, and brakes replaced, and I still have a bushing on one of my struts that needs work. I couldn't find a sublettor so I had to pay three months' rent to leave my old apartment, I started donating plasma because I spent all my savings moving and getting my car fixed, and my new apartment cut off the internet because some moron was illegally downloading movies without using a VPN. I'm only able to upload now because I paid to have internet installed for just my unit and am charging my roommates to use it.

Next Time: As it comes time to vote, Sakura struggles to justify her obedience to her father and Sweetie Drops closes in on her.

Chapter 49: Election Day (Last Edited: 5/17/2022)

November 3, 2020

Ponyville Town Hall

The turnout for the election was higher than anyone would have thought. In every town, city, and village ponies of all strides gathered in mass around the administrative buildings. Non-ponies too were eager to have their voice heard. Ponyville was no different and Mayor Mare was struggling to maintain order around where the booths had been set up.

“If everypony could please form into ten single file lines around the booths,” she said. “No shoving and no peaking, you’ll all get your turn and it’s nopony’s business who somepony else votes for!”

“Ooooh, isn’t this so exciting, girls?!!” Twilight squealed as she and the rest of the Mane Six stood formed into their lines.

“Not the word I’d use,” Rainbow Dash said, with a bored sigh.

“Don’t worry, Dashie!” Pinkie giggled. “We can throw an election day party later!”

“I guess that makes it worth it,” Rainbow Dash said. “I still don’t get what the big deal is. It can’t make that much of a difference who wins right?”

“You don’ know what yer sayin’, Rainbow,” Applejack said. “These farm subsidies the Liberals are goin’ on about could be a real game changer for mah family.”

“And can you imagine if Three Arrows were to abolish private industry?” Rarity asked. “My dream of opening a Boutique in Canterlot would be ruined! What do you think, Fluttershy?”

“Um well, I…” Fluttershy began. “Don’t you think it’s a little unfair?”

“Unfair?” Rarity asked.

“Well not all peasants were able to do as well as us in Ponyville,” Fluttershy said. “I mean you were able to run a successful business, but what if you lived in the slums of Canterlot?”

“Well, I suppose it would have been quite a bit more difficult dear, but I worked hard to get where I am,” Rarity answered. “I only recently paid off the loan I took out, would it be fair for somepony to take that from me because some ponies are worse off?”

Fluttershy’s Cottage

School had been canceled across Equestria for election day. The teachers had to vote too after all. As such Jack was lazing around the cottage. He briefly glanced at the ballot in front of him before going back to playing Majora’s Mask 3D. Since he was legally a minor he couldn’t very well go out and vote with everyone else. As such a ballot was mailed to him. He could fill it out and have Spike send it to Canterlot any time he wanted, so there was no point in rushing. Best to wait till everyone else had gone home anyway. Or at least that’s what he told himself.

In truth, he still couldn’t help but see some reason to Three Arrows' views. He knew those ideas had been tried and failed multiple times throughout human history, but the more he read up the more he thought the biggest factor to socialist failure was humanity’s tendency to abuse any power they have over others. Perhaps, just perhaps, the ponies could make it work. Celestia had ruled for well over a millennium without any manner of abuse, she’d even voluntarily given up much of her power to the Royal Court and now was poised to give up her remaining power in the name of Democracy. Then again Celestia was only one example, he’d seen others in Equestria abuse their power the same as humans. Jack sighed at the thought and redirected his focus to defeating Twinmold.

Bon Bon’s Confectionary

Sweetie Drops was casually sorting through her stock. She knew that today was the election day, but she figured it’d be best to go later when the crowds died down. Besides she had a lot to think about and tending to her shop had a clearing effect on her mind.

“If there is a demon pony still alive, why would it be here?” she asked herself. “More importantly why would it make contact with Jager?”

She was so focused on her thoughts she didn’t notice the bell signaling a customer entering the store.

“Sumimasen?”

“Huh?!” she gasped noticing the filly at the desk.

“Pinkie Pie-sama asked me to pick up her order,” the filly said.

“Oh yes, of course,” Sweetie Drops nodded, rushing to the back to wheel out a massive cart full of candy. “15 sugar sticks, 20 pounds of taffy, 70 chocolate bars, 30 pounds of sour balls, 5 pounds of candy corn, 90 lollipops, and 20 pounds of gummy worms. Did she send the bits with you or did she want this on her tab?”

“She opened a tab at a candy shop?” the filly questioned.

“Yes, she currently has a running tab of 2000 bits,” Sweetie Drops answered.

“I don’t have nearly enough bits for all this, so I’ll just add it to her tab,” the filly decided.

“Ok, Pinkie Pie’s tab is now 2650.71 bits,” Sweetie Drops calculated. “Will you need assistance transporting your purchase?”

“I have a wagon for it outside,” the filly said. “Mind bringing it out for me?”

“Of course,” Sweetie Drops nodded. “Just wait outside.”

As the filly walked out Sweetie Drops finally noticed how unique she looked. Bat wings, a spiked tail, like thestrall but not.

“Huh!” Sweetie Drops gasped. “It couldn’t be!”

As she wheeled her cart out to the filly’s wagon and began unloading, she couldn’t believe her luck.

“Is something wrong?” the filly asked, seeing Sweetie Drops staring.

“What’s your name?” Sweetie Drops asked.

“Sakura Blossom,” the filly answered.

“Well, Sakura Blossom, since you came here on Pinkie Pie’s behalf, I’ll need to accompany you to Sugar Cube Corner to make sure you aren’t pulling some kind of scam,” Sweetie Drops lied.

“I understand,” Sakura agreed.

Ponyville Town Square

It had only been an hour and things at the polls were already getting tense. A group of labor supporters and a group of nationalists had been bickering for the past half hour. Words turned to hooves, hooves to rocks, and rocks to blasts of magic.

“What brutes!” Rarity gasped.

“Somepony oughta stop ‘em!” Applejack shouted, reaching for her lasso. “They’ll wreck the town at this rate!”

“No need,” Twilight sighed as a squad of royal guards descended upon the crowd. “Princess Celestia suspected this kind of thing might happen. That’s why she tasked the Royal Guard with securing the polls.”

The Mane Six watched as the rioters were engulfed in a magic bubble and lifted away from the town square.

Stream outside Fluttershy’s Cottage

Jack dipped his toes into the water as he looked through the ballot. There was a total of three positions to fill out, President, Senator, and Representative.

For president Labor had put forth Three Arrows with a mare by the name of Starry Plough as his running mate. The Nationalists had put forth Prince Blue Blood with Hoity Toity as his running mate. Finally, much to their chagrin Princess Celestia and Princess Luna had been shoehorned into the Liberal ticket last minute. It was a good strategy. Princess Celestia in particular had almost universally high approval ratings throughout the nation, but at the same time, this ticket somewhat defeated the point of regime change.

For the Everfree Province, there were two seats in the senate open. Labor was running Lyra Heartstrings and Zecora. The Nationalists were running Filthy Rich and pegasus stallion named Gold Rush. Finally, the Liberals were running Time Turner and Mayor Mare.

Finally, Ponyville was the site of Everfree District One which along with all other districts would have a single representative. Labor had nominated a local gardener named Red Rose, the Nationalists had nominated Filthy Rich’s wife, Spoiled Rich, and the Liberals had nominated Cherry Berry.

Putting the ballot aside Jack gazed across the stream to where his turtles were basking on a log.

“Heya, Jack!” a voice from behind him said.

Leaning backward he could see the Crusaders had gathered behind him. “Oh, hey, girls,” he greeted. “Didn’t see y’all coming in.”

“We went to the front door first, but nopony answered,” Sweetie Belle said.

“They wanted to leave, but I said we should check here first,” Scootaloo said.

“Nuh-uh,” Apple Bloom said. “You were gunna leave too, ya jus’ saw him when we were goin’ over the bridge.”

“Was not!” Scootaloo exclaimed.

“Were so!” Apple Bloom countered.

“Enough!” Jack interrupted knowing they’d go on for a few minutes if no one intervened. “What’s on tap for today’s crusading?”

Sugarcube Corner

Once they arrived at Sugarcube Corner, Sakura and Sweetie Drops began unloading Pinkie’s candy.

“So, Mis Blossom,” Sweetie Drops began. “You’re from Neighpon, yes?”

“Hai,” Sakura affirmed.

“What brings you to Ponyville?”

“I’m an orphan,” Sakura answered. “Pinkie-san took me in.”

“That so?” Sweetie Drops asked. “It just seems weird that a Neighponese orphan would wind up in Equestria, let alone Ponyville of all places.”

“My oka-san died while we were on a trip to Manehatten,” Sakura lied. “I have no other family to go home to so I was left to fend for myself. Eventually, I ended up in the Everfee and that’s where Pinkie-san found me.”

“Did you get that tail and your wings from her?” Sweetie Drops asked. “Your mother, I mean.”

To say Sakura was like a dear in a headlight would be inaccurate. For only a moment, she seemed like a viper backed in a corner and poised to strike. Fortunately, she thought better of it.

“She-she was a thestral,” Sakura said. “I’m half thestral.”

Sweetie Drops left the store soon after, confident in her analysis. Sakura was a demon pony. The last of her kind. Her connection to Jack was unclear, but she was a major threat that must be dealt with.”

That Night

Once the voting was done Pinkie invited everyone in town for a post-election party. They wouldn’t know the results until tomorrow as they were to be announced at the Gala, but spirits were high.

Applejack and her family handed out samples of their famous cider, a rare treat out of season which Rainbow Dash took more than her fair share of as Scootaloo gleefully watched her take shot after shot. Twilight, Cheerilee, and Mayor Mare got into a heated discussion on politics. Pinkie Pie worked out a payment plan for her tab with Bon Bon, while Sakura unenthusiastically hung around with her peons. Sweetie Belle gave her a quick sour look, before turning her attention to the dress Rarity had been relentlessly showing off to anypony she could.

Jack and Spike were in the kitchen, out of sight of the crowd.

“Can we hurry this up?” Spike asked. “If I’m not careful some other guy might ask Rarity to dance!”

“This’ll only take a second,” Jack said pulling out an envelope. “Can you send this to Celestia?”

“Oh, uh, sure,” Spike agreed.

In a flash of green flames, the letter disappeared. Jack watched with lingering uncertainty as to if he made the right choice.

Author's Note

I think this one could still use some polishing, especially at the end. I'm certainly enjoying being a park ranger, though I wish the state of South Carolina would understand that a 30 cent per hour raise is nothing with prices the way they are. I'm not gonna push my luck by asking for 15 an hour (even though they asked for a degree to qualify for the position), but I don't think 12 is too much to ask for. Donating plasma gets me a few hundred extra per month, but my CR-V is having a rust problem on one of the doors. Probably gonna have a junkyard visit in the future. I think it will probably be cheapest to buy a new door entirely and then take it to a body shop so they can put it on. Just seems like the labor cost of cutting out the rust and welding in new metal would be too expensive.

Next Time: Celestia announces the election results at the Gala, where the Mane Six and Jack try their best to enjoy themselves. Unfortunately, the Nationalists choose now to make their move, as do the Elements of Chaos. The final arc of Regression: Isekai of Equestria begins!

Chapter 50: The Best Night Ever (Or is it?) (Last Edited 6/16/2022)

November 4, 2020

Manehatten Station

Shining Armor wasn’t sure what Hoity Toity’s goal was in asking him to take his vacation the week of the Gala, but he was grateful for the time he was now spending with Princess Cadence. He’d had his private train prepared to take both of them on a trip around Equestria. On Monday they’d departed Canterlot for Baltimare, on Tuesday they’d moved onto Fillydelphia, and now they’d arrived in Manehatten. Even still something was troubling him.

“Something wrong?” Cadence asked.

“I guess I’m just worried Flash Sentry might not have been the best replacement for gala security,” Shining Armor lied. “This is a strange favor. What could Hoity possibly hope to gain from me taking a vacation?”

“You worry too much,” Cadence giggled. “It’s not often we get time alone together. Let’s enjoy it.”

Shining Armor smiled. “Can’t argue with that logic.”

Outside Carousel Boutique

Jack and Fluttershy had been preparing for the Gala all morning. They were to meet with the others at Carousel Boutique, but they happened across Applejack and Rainbow Dash on their way there.

“Where are the others?” they could hear Rarity say as they approached. “It's getting late.”

Twilight, Spike, and Pinkie Pie had already arrived, and Rarity of course lived in the boutique.

“Hold yer horses, girl,” Applejack called. “We're here.”

“Perfect,” said Twilight, slamming shut the book she’d been reading. “I'm ready!”

“For what?” asked Rainbow Dash.

“All right, Spike,” Twilight said as the dragon placed an apple down in front of her.

“An apple!” Pinkie exclaimed. “Are we having pie?”

“Shh!” Spike replied. “Watch!”

Twilight's horn glowed with a pale lavender aura as the apple transformed into a carriage.

“Cool!” Jack exclaimed as the others gave their own praise.

“Thanks, but that's just the start,” Twilight said. “Fluttershy, did you bring your friends?”

“Yes,” Fluttershy affirmed as a few mice popped out of her mane. “Will they be safe, Twilight?”

“You have my word,” Twilight answered. And with a flash of her horn, the mice became white stallions, albeit with whiskers. “Ta-da!”

“I wondered why you brought the mice,” Jack said as the others gave skeptical looks.

“Neat, huh?” Twilight asked. “And don't worry, they'll be mice again at midnight.”

Unfortunately, whiskers weren’t the only features the mice retained and the scent of rodents was irresistible to Rarity’s cat.

“Opalescence, no!” Fluttershy cried as the cat pounced with predatory intent.

The mice horses were too large for Opal to handle, and she was promptly thrown aside. But the attack was sufficient to startle the mice horses who fled.

“Wait!” Twilight called “Come back! Those horses were supposed to pull our carriage. How will we get to the Gala?”

“Whatever shall we do?” Rarity asked with a dramatic sarcasm. She then waltzed over to where some stallions were talking. “Uh... ahem. Excuse me. Uh, would you boys mind pulling our carriage to the Gala?” she asked, blinking seductively.

“Simps,” Jack muttered as the stallions harnessed themselves to the carriage with dopy grins.

Inside Carousel Boutique

Jack and Spike waited in the front room as the girls got ready. Jack had already put his suit on and was playing his 3DS in the corner. Spike on the other hand was impatient to discuss his plans with the girls.

“Come on, you guys,” Spike said knocking on the door. “Let me in!”

“Sure thing, Spike,” Rainbow Dash said before Rarity intervened.

Jack could hear them argue about letting Spike in since he was a boy. Rainbow Dash must’ve won because the door soon opened, and Spike went inside. Jack was about to go back to his game, but there was another interruption.

“You look nice.”

Putting the handheld aside, he saw Sweetie Belle was the one who spoke.

“Thanks, Sweets,” he chuckled. “But I think Rarity is owed most of the credit.”

“It’s more than the suit,” Sweetie Belle said. “I like what you’ve done with your mane too.”

Jack’s usual curls had been painfully straightened out with a comb at Fluttershy’s insistence. How long that would last, Jack couldn’t say, but for now, his unruly locks were tamed.

“Don’t get used to it,” Jack chuckled. “Do the Crusaders have any plans for tonight?”

“We…” Sweetie Belle hesitated as if she were thinking of how to answer. “We’re going to go stargazing.”

“Is something bothering you?” Jack asked.

“N-no!” Sweetie Belle yelled. “Nothing’s bothering me.”

That was the moment when the others finally left the dressing room.

“Time to go, Jack,” Twilight said.

“Alright,” Jack said, hopping up. “Have a nice night, Sweets. Can’t wait to go crusading with you and the girls when I get back!” he called as he followed the others outside.

“I hope you will,” Sweetie Belle said too quiet for anyone else to hear.

Hill near Ponyville Train Station

“It was sure nice of Twilight tuh lend us her telescope fer the night,” said Apple Bloom as she and Scootaloo worked to set the instrument up.

“And it was a great idea to set up on this hill,” Scootaloo said. “Look how clear the sky is! Nice call, Sweetie Belle!”

Sweetie Belle didn’t respond; she was too busy focusing on the station. “The only way she could get to Canterlot in time for the Gala at this point is by train.”

“Sweetie Belle?” Scootaloo asked.

“I have to be right,” Sweetie Belle thought desperately scanning the station. Finally, she spotted something, “LOOK!” she shouted.

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo followed her gaze to see Sakura along with Rumple, Pip, Featherweight, Snips, and Snails slipping into the station.

“What are they doin’ gettin’ at the station this late?” Apple Bloom wondered.

“Let’s find out,” Sweetie Belle said, rushing down the hill.

“But we were gonna…” Apple Bloom was overruled before she could even object.

“Cutie Mark Crusaders instigators, yay!” Scootaloo declared following Sweetie Belle.

Ponyville Train Station

“Wait up, girls!” Apple Bloom called, finally catching up to the other Crusaders as they hid behind a column. “What….”

“Shhh!” Sweetie Belle said. “Look.”

Apple Bloom did as she was told and peered over to the ticket booth.

“Did you bring the bits?” Sakura asked.

“Yes, ma’am!” the foals exclaimed.

Snips, Snails, Rumble, and Pip all passed between ten and 20 bits each to Sakura.

“That’s not enough!” Sakura exclaimed.

“That’s my entire allowance for this month,” Rumble said.

“They hike up the prices during the Gala, baka!” Sakura shouted. “I need to get there!”

“I uh…” Featherweight started. “Here!” he said forking over 50 bits. “I sold my camera for…”

Sakura bought her ticket and was gone before Featherweight could even finish speaking.

“Why’s she acting so mean?” Apple Bloom asked.

“And why is she trying to get to Canterlot?” Scootaloo asked.

“Over here!” shouted Sweetie Belle. She’d opened up a massive suitcase on the Ponyville to Canterlot platform and climbed inside.

“What are you doin’ Sweetie Belle?” Apple Bloom asked as she rushed over with Scootaloo. “That’s somepony’s stuff!”

“I’ll explain everything later just get in!” Sweetie Belle pleaded.

“Ah’m not sure that’s a goo…” Apple Bloom froze at the look in Sweetie’s eyes. It was a mix of fiery determination and chilling fear.

“Trust me,” Sweetie Belle mouthed.

With an affirmative nod, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo followed their friend into the suitcase.

Canterlot Outskirts

“'Cause I planned out my insider's tour of Canterlot,” Spike explained as he and Jack sat in the driver’s seat together while the girls rode comfortably within the carriage. “I've gotta show Rarity the crown jewels, and Applejack the Princess's golden apple tree. And Pinkie, we gotta go to my favorite donut shop.”

“Sounds great, my guy,” Jack said, staring at the clear night sky.

“Then let's get moving!” Spike exclaimed, cracking the reigns with a “Hyah!”

“Excuse me?!” One of the stallions pulling them asked indignantly.

“Um... I...” Spike stutters.

“If you weren't friends with our neighbor Rarity...” the other stallion began shaking his hoof.

“You’d do what?” Jack asked darkly a brief shimmer of jade popping into his eyes.

“N-nothing,” the stallion stammered, focusing his attention back on the cart he was pulling.

“You’ll have to let me out eventually,” Jade Jack hissed.

“It will take a lot more than that.” Jack hissed back. “Even if something that small was enough, Spike deserved every bit of that.”

On Route Ponyville to Canterlot

“What’s all this about, Sweetie Belle?” asked Apple Bloom as she and the other Crusaders climbed out of the suitcase, they’d hidden in.

“Yeah, you act like Sakura’s about to commit a crime or something,” Scootaloo agreed.

“She is,” Sweetie Belle said.

“What?!” Apple Bloom and Scootaloo exclaimed.

“Shh!” Sweetie Belle hushed. “Keep it down. I’ve been suspicious of her since the hydra attack. I overheard her talking about the ursa minor attack with Snips and Snails right before the three of them led the hydra to town.”

“Why didn’t you tell us?” Scootaloo asked.

“Would you have believed me?” Sweetie Belle countered.

Scootaloo had no retort.

“Even if that’s true how do ya know she’s gonna do somethin’ now?” Apple Bloom asked.

“I overheard her talking with some foreign pony,” Sweetie Belle said. “They want to kidnap Jack at the Gala.”

“What would they want Jack for?” Scootaloo asked.

“Same reason the EUP wants him, I guess,” Sweetie Belle answered.

Canterlot Outskirts

“I’m not singing,” Jack stated blankly as the song drew to a close. Truth be told he found the ponys’ tendency to spontaneously break out in song annoying.

Twilight dashed into the castle. “Princess Celestia!” she exclaimed rushing to where her mentor was standing at the top of the grand staircase.

“Twilight!” Celestia beamed. “It is so lovely to see my star student.”

“Oh, I'm so excited to be here!” Twilight exclaimed. “We have so much to catch up on.”

“Well, I want you right by my side the entire evening, so we'll have plenty of time together,” Celestia said.

“That's just what I was hoping you'd say,” Twilight said.

“Hey, Princess!” Jack greeted as he caught up. “What’s up?”

“Oh, not too much,” Celestia said. “I’ll be spending the Gala right here, greeting every single pony as they come in. Honestly, I can’t wait to announce the election results tonight.”

“It would be frustrating to stand in place for so long,” Jack chuckled.

“Speaking of frustration, how are things going with Jade Jack?” Celestia asked.

“Still trying to take every chance he can to take over my mind,” Jack admitted somberly. “Still keeping me from speaking to Emerald Jack.”

“You’ll find a way to beat him soon enough,” Celestia said.

“Heh, I just wish I had her level of confidence,” Jack chuckled nodding to where Rarity was pursuing Blue Blood with lustful intent.

“I just wish she had better taste,” Celestia responded. “You should go mingle. Though your EUP status is secret, you’ll find word of your heroics against the hydra has been difficult to suppress.”

“Oh, goody,” Jack sighed.

As Jack entered the crowd ponies did indeed acknowledge his feats during the hydra attack. Many even asked for autographs. In the end, it was Lyra Heartstrings who saved him from the crowd for better or worse.

“Something wrong,” Jack asked as Lyra led him through the hall. Jack was shit at reading body language, but the fact Lyra wasn’t bombarding him with questions was a hint enough something was up.

“I invited Bon Bon to the Gala as my plus one,” Lyra said with a bitter grimace. “She acted so eager, but she bailed last minute. Didn’t even give me an explanation.”

“You sure it wasn’t an emergency?” Jack asked.

“She would have told me if something came up,” Lyra answered glumly.

“Oh,” Jack said scanning the room for some distraction. “Look it's Fancy Pants and the others.”

“If it isn’t Mr. Jager,” Fancy Pants greeted upon seeing them. “Jolly good to see you chap! And Miss Heartstrings is here with you, I’d like both of you to meet my wife, Fleur de Lis.”

Fleur was a slender white unicorn who appropriately had a cutie mark depicting three fleur-de-lis symbols.

“A pleasure to meet you,” Fleur greeted with a graceful bow.

“It’s good to meet you too, ma’am,” Jack said awkwardly returning her bow.

“I do look forward to the election results tonight,” Fleur said. “Fancy has been working towards this for years. I was skeptical of his peasant’s rights stance when we first met but talking to these fine ponies,” she pointed to where Time Turner, Cherry Berry, and Apple Fritter were joking amongst themselves next to where Three Arrows sat with a scowl, “I think I finally understand my husband’s position.”

“That’s good to hear,” Jack said with a toothy grin.

“Oh my,” Fleur gasped. “Those teeth!”

“Now now, honey!” Fancy Pants responded. “Mr. Jager may have a less than herbivorous jawline, but that’s no reason to be frightened by him. He’s done nothing but protect Equestria since he got here!”

“And he’s done a piss pore job of it,” Three Arrows interjected. “I’ve been skeptical of your EUP membership since basic, Private, but after that disaster at San Franciscolt I’m surprised Celestia let you continue serving.”

“I know Longbow…” Jack started.

“I’m not talking about that!” Three Arrows interrupted. “Soldiers die all the time, it’s their job. You let that Damned character escape. Sloppiness at its finest!”

“You can’t be serious!” Time Turner interrupted. “An entire joint EUP taskforce with all four captains combined barely held together against that monster! Jack here was able to drive him off almost on his own.”

“Yeah, lay off him!” Cherry Berry agreed.

Jack was hit hard by Arrow's verbal abuse. Longbow’s death was only the most recent in a long line of tragedies he blamed himself for. The insinuation that the death of a comrade was insignificant compared to his inability to capture Damned was too much.

Fortunately, Apple Fritter picked up on this, “Ah heard mah cousin Applejack is here tonight. Ah’ll bet she’s set up a stand of sum sort knowin’ her. Why don’ we go see how she’s doin’?”

Canterlot Castle Courtyard

When they found Applejack, she was selling a pie to one of the Wonderbolts.

“Howdy cuz!” Apple Fritter greeted. “How’s sales tonight?”

“Oh hi, Apple Fritter,” Applejack said. “Long time no see. Ah jus’ set up a few minutes ago an’ Ah already made mah first sale!”

“Soarin right?” Jack asked the Wonderbolt who bought the pie.

“That’s right little dude,” Soarin said. “And you’re Jack, right? I heard about your heroics in San Franciscolt. None of us were even able to phase that guy, but you sent him packing.”

They talked for a while before Soarin left to meet up with the other Wonderbolts.

Elsewhere in the Courtyard

Blue Blood would be lying if he told himself he wasn’t worried. Which is exactly why he had told himself that over and over again. The first phase of the plan wouldn’t be hard for him all he had to do was signal the others while the crowd was distracted by the election results. The second phase however was another thing entirely.

“Is this amulet really enough to let me take on Auntie Celestia?” he asked himself, staring at the artifact with skepticism. He needed a distraction. Something to pass the time. His eyes locked on a young mare admiring a rose bush. She had a slender enough body, her fur and mane were well kept, and most importantly of all a flank with just the right shape to get his blood flowing. “I’ll bet if I play my cards right, I can persuade her into my chambers for a minute or two before it all goes down.” Most mares in Canterlot were wise to his game at this point, so it had been a while since he got any action. Suavely as he could he waltzed over to the mare and introduced himself. “Well, hello. I am Prince Blueblood.”

“I am... Rarity,” the mare introduced. “Oh my, what a lovely rose.”

Blue Blood plucked the rose with his mouth and held it out to Rarity as she grinned wildly. “You mean... this rose?” To Rarity’s shock, he shoved it into his vest. “Thank you. It goes with my eyes.”

Rarity let out a disappointed groan.

As the night went on Twilight attempted to hold a conversation with Celestia but found herself competing with the constant flow of arriving guests. Rainbow Dash tried to impress the Wonderbolts but was having similar luck to Twilight. Apart from her initial sale to Soarin Applejack didn’t make a single sale for the next half hour. Rarity was finding out more and more what an appalling stallion Blue Blood truly was. Fluttershy found her usual gift for animals had no power over the creatures in Celestia’s gardens. Finally, Pinkie Pie was finding that the party guests didn’t have the spirit she associated with party guests, but that didn’t stop her from trying to get them to get down.

“Young lady, this is not that kind of party!” A middle-aged mare said indignantly.

“Ohhhhhh... they don't want a party,” Pinkie Pie surmised. “These ponies want a paaartay!”

And from there all Hell broke loose.

First Rarity got Blue Blood a fritter from Applejack’s stand. Blue Blood freaked out upon realizing peasant food had violated his lips. Applejack was thus prompted to change her selection to a more refined pallet. Next, Fluttershy resorted to traps in order to gain the affection of the garden fauna. Then Pinkie Pie began assaulting partygoers to get them to get down, just as Applejack arrived with an elegant cake. Pinkie stage dived onto the cart sending the cake toward Blue Blood who in turn used Rarity to shield himself. This did not sit well with Rarity in the slightest and she began chewing Blue Blood out as he backed away to avoid getting any cake on him. Rarity was persistent however and shook a good bit of the mess on him as he fell back into a statue which came crashing down. Rainbow Dash caught the statue on her back but lost balance and fell back into a column which fell on another column creating a domino effect. Twilight arrived with Celestia and seeing the mess she jinxed everyone by stating it couldn’t get any worse. It did get worse as the door burst open with Fluttershy chasing a bunch of animals inside yelling about how they were going to love her. The animals began attacking the crowd as Jack looked on in horror. Celestia motioned for the six to make a break for it and Jack soon followed.

Pony Joe’s Doughnut Shop

Spike had been sulking ever since the party started. He’d wanted to show everypony his favorite spots in Canterlot, but they all abandoned him to do their own things.

“Hey, Pony Joe,” he grunted. “Another donut.”

“Don't you think you've had enough?” Pony Joe asked.

“Another donut!” Spike snapped. “Extra sprinkles!”

Before Pony Joe could fill the order, the bell rang, and in walked Jack and the Mane Six, battered and bruised.

“Twilight Sparkle, ha ha!” Pony Joe greeted. “Long time no see.”

“Hey, how was the Gala?” Spike asked. “How was your best night ever?”

As they gathered around the table, they explained everything to Spike.

“That sounds like the worst night ever!” Spike said.

“It was!” the Mane Six agreed in unison bursting into laughter.

“Eh, I’ve had worse,” Jack sighed.

“I just hope Princess Celestia isn't upset with us for ruining the Gala,” Twilight said somberly.

“That was the best Grand Galloping Gala ever!” Celestia exclaimed as she entered the building.

“Princess Celestia!” everyone exclaimed.

“Pardon me, Princess, but tonight was just awful,” Twilight said.

Celestia explained that the Gala was always awful, and she had invited them to liven it up. In the end, everyone agreed it was the best night ever.

“We should get back to the Gala now,” Celestia said. “It’s time to announce the election results.”

Canterlot Train Station

The CMCs watched from the window of the luggage car as Sakura got out on the platform.

“We need to get out of here,” Sweetie Belle whispered.

“We could get out through there,” Scootaloo said, pointing to a ventilation shaft.

The three of them scrambled up the shaft and onto the roof.

“She’s gettin’ away girls!” Apple Bloom exclaimed pointing to where Sakura was bolting through the ticket booths.

They shimmied down and began their pursuit but unbeknownst to them they were being watched.

“Mission Start,” Sweetie drops said flipping on her shades.

Canterlot Castle Ball Room

Celestia stood tall on the stage surrounded on either side by a line of Royal Guards. “Fillies and gentlecolts. I know many of you have been waiting with anticipation for these results. Today begins the peaceful transition of power from the elites to the citizens. A tradition I hope will last for many years to come.” Using her horn as a projector Celestia displayed a map of Equestria divided into 435 districts. “The House election results are as follows. Labor has won 57 seats, the Nationalists 159, and the Liberals 219.” The map changed to show Equestria’s 51 provinces. “Of the 102 Senate seats, Labor has 5, Nationalists 38, and liberals 59.” The image changed again. “I am humbled and somewhat disappointed to announce that with the most votes overall, I will be taking office as president and Princess Luna will act as Vice President.”

The room erupted into cheers and hoof stamps.

Canterlot Castle: North Tower

“I’ll get back at that horse, Rarity,” Blue Blood thought bitterly as he stared at the landscape through the moonlight. “When this is over, I’ll have her working a street corner, but not before I’ve had my way with her. This humiliation shall not stand!”

Charging his horn, he released a crimson flare into the night sky.

Western Canterlot Outpost

Flash Sentry overlooked the 40 ponies from various branches of the EUP who’d volunteered for the attack. He’d outfitted them with human firearms he’d been smuggling from the low country. He was just about to admire his 44. Magnum Colt Anaconda when he saw the flare.

“Show time,” he grinned.

Author's Note

I've been real busy with my job as a park ranger. I think I've found my calling. Only a few chapters to go before this first story is over.
Next Time: The Battle of Canterlot begins

Chapter 51: Battle of Canterlot Part 1 (Last Edited 1/1/2025)

November 4, 2020

Canterlot Gates

Sergeant Spearhead had been assigned to guard the gates for the night of the Gala. It was a boring position. Nothing ever happened the night of the Gala or any other night. To most guarding the gates was little more than a ceremonial duty and as such none really took it seriously. In fact, when an unauthorized army unit equipped with strange weaponry arrived, Spearhead was almost tempted to let them pass without so much as asking them to state their purpose. Almost. "I wasn't made aware of any units passing through tonight," he yawned. "Corporal Rapier will be down to check your papers in just a second."

Spearhead started to doze off but was awakened by an earsplitting bang. Peering over the gate he saw Rapier collapse on the ground blood streaming from a puncture wound into a red pool around him. Standing over the corporal was Captain Flash Sentry, holding a strange metal stick. "What the?" he never finished that question. A series of rocket blasts pulverized the gate, and him with it.

Canterlot Castle Ball Room

As the night went on the party guests got progressively tipsier. Apparently, Alcohol was a thing in this world, but most ponies tended to avoid it outside of special occasions. Jack was more than a little tempted to drink himself but thought better of it considering his current body mass. Even sober as he was, he was caught off guard by a magical force dragging him up on stage.

"Ladies and gentlecolts," Fancy Pants announced. "I present to you the last of his species, and the Hero of Ponyville, Jackson Delano Jager Jr.!"

"Speech, Speech, Speech!" the ponies cheered. They'd all been eager to hear his story. A mysterious immigrant granted citizenship and placed under the care of one of the Elements of Harmony. The last of a species nopony had ever heard of up until a few months ago. And most importantly someone able to wield enough magic to face a Hydra at the age of seven. How could anypony not be interested in his story?

"Uh well, I…" Jack was saved from the embarrassment of reiterating his line of lies by the interruption of a gravely injured guard bursting through the door.

"WE'RE UNDER ATTACK!" he shouted. "THEY'VE BREACHED THE GATE!"

The room went silent. One could almost hear the beat of their neighbor's heart. Then chaos. The guests ran around aimlessly screaming at the top of their lungs and knocking over whatever was left standing from the earlier festivities.

"SIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIILEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEENCE!!!!!" Celestia Roared.

The guests froze in their tracks.

"I'd like everypony who doesn't feel capable of defending this city to form three single file lines and follow my guards to the abandoned crystal mines beneath the city," Celestia calmly instructed. "Those of you who wish to stay and fight, meet me in the throne room."

Throne Room

As Celestia's personal guard saw to evacuating the party guests, Jack, Three Arrows, the Wonderbolts, and the Mane Six, met with Celestia in the Throne Room.

"What are your orders, Princess?" Spitfire asked.

"I want you and the Wonderbolts to assist the city guards in fighting off the attackers," Celestia ordered.

"Yes, Ma'am!" Spitfire shouted with a salute.

"Three Arrows!" Celestia shouted.

"Yes, Ma'am!" Three Arrows said with a salute.

As the two captains rushed to join the fray, Celestia turned to the Mane Six. "I need the six of you to go to the north tower and retrieve your elements. I fear there's more to this attack than meets the eye."

"You can count on us, Princess," Twilight said with firm resolve.

"What about me?" Jack asked as the Mane Six rushed to the North Tower.

"Take Spike and head to the South Tower," Celestia said. "There is a mirror there that will allow you to escape to a different dimension. It's not your dimension, but it is populated by humans. You'll be safe there until this blows over."

A part of Jack wanted to question why this was the first he'd heard of this other dimension and its human population, but he had a more pressing protest. "I can fight!"

"I know you can," Celestia said. "But an attack on Canterlot of all places. There's only one group powerful enough to orchestrate such a thing and I don't think I need to tell you what they're after. It's best you remain out of reach until the situation is under control."

"But I…" Jack stopped himself. "Yes, Ma'am."

"I'm surprised you backed down so easily," Spike said as they left for the tower. "A few months ago you were pushing me aside to confront Fluttershy over her rules."

"Yeah, what's the matter, Jack?" Jade Jack hissed. "You're not the type to bow down to authority. Together we'd have the power to do whatever we wanted!"

"It's better I listen this time, Spike," Jack sighed.

"Coward!" Jade Jack jeered. "This lack of resolve is what got Bryce kicked out of his home!"

"Keep my friends' names out of your mouth!" Jack mentally spat. "Bryce was disfellowshipped because I couldn't leave well enough alone, Yuri hates me because I killed her dog, Mark hates me because I'm a horrible brother, and Chase died because his best friend couldn't be bothered to visit him until he'd already given up. I have regrets, but I won't let you manipulate my memory to exploit them!"

"You'll have plenty more to regret if you don't give yourself over," Jade Jack vowed.

Canterlot Castle: Old Aqueduct

In ancient times Canterlot Castle was supplied water through a series of aqueducts. Over the years these had been replaced with underground pipes, but one was still standing, and with the Royal Guard focused on repelling invaders, it would be very much unsecured.

Oni-Hime smirked at the thought of how easy this would be.

"Where's she going?" Scootaloo asked as the Crusaders watched Sakura clamber into the ancient structure.

"Ah'm not sure," Apple Bloom said.

"She's trying to get to the castle," Sweetie Belle said. "Look."

The Crusaders followed their friend's hoof to see the Aqueduct lead directly under the South Tower.

"We need to follow her," Sweetie Belle whispered.

As Oni-Hime stepped into the structure, she was blinded by a white flash. This along with an earsplitting ringing left her dead in her tracks. As the path in front of her slowly came back into view she could see a yellow mare in sunglasses walking toward her with a strange device.

"Na-ni?" She slurred as the mare slammed the device into her knocking her back with an electrical jolt.

The Crusaders watched in shock as Sakura came flying out of the aqueduct and crashed into the ground.

"What happened!?" Scootaloo asked.

Oni-Hime's body twitched and spasmed as she struggled to her feet.

"I thought you might try this route," the mare said, stepping out from the aqueduct.

"And just who are you?!" Oni-Hime spat as she got to her feet.

"Drops," the mare answered. "Sweetie Drops."

"Alright then, Drops," Oni-Hime giggled, extending her wings and hoof spikes. "Shinu!"

Canterlot Slums

The entire peasants' district was like a tinderbox. Three Arrows and Spitfire looked on in horror at the dozens of former peasants who lay dying, blood pooling from puncture wounds throughout their bodies. What's worse were the guards falling left and right at the hooves of their own comrades. It seemed for every enemy who fell 5 guards went with them.

"Soarin! Fleetfoot!" Spitfire barked. "Circle around and… Ahhhh!" blood sprayed from her right flank as she fell from the sky, crashing into an alley below.

"Captain!!!!" Soarin cried.

"Spitfire!" Three Arrows shouted. Scanning the sky his vision turned red at the sight of the culprit. "I knew you were a troublemaker, but I never took you for a traitor, Flash Sentry!"

Flash Sentry holstered his sidearm and laughed maniacally. "The only traitor I see here is you, Arrows! A thousand years of tradition. A thousand years of nearly uninterrupted peace. A thousand years of uninterrupted economic growth. All because of that tradition. Thanks to you that tradition is lost. What a disgrace that this is how the story of the Iron Front ends!"

"Take Spitfire to safety," Three Arrows ordered the two Wonderbolts who'd been escorting his comrade.

"Yes, Sir!" they shouted rushing to their captain's aid.

"I never liked that name," Three Arrows scoffed. "But I'll be more than happy to demonstrate how I earned it!"

Canterlot Castle: North Tower

"I can't believe this is the first time we've used the elements since we beat Nightmare Moon!" Rainbow Dash. "I mean it's about time we got some real action!"

"I think we should be grateful there haven't been any circumstances we've needed them," Rarity said.

"Honestly, Ah'm not sure that's quite true," Applejack said. "Ah think there've been plenty of times our elements could have come in handy."

"Yeah!" Pinkie agreed. "It kinda seems like the Princesses have been having Jackie handle a lot of the big baddies lately!"

"I do wish they'd stop putting so much on him," Fluttershy sighed.

"The princesses aren't giving Jack any more than he can handle," Twilight dismissed as she opened the chest containing the elements. "Nopony ordered Jack to protect me and the Crusaders from Morte. He chose to protect us because that's the kind of person he is."

The chest slammed shut unexpectedly. "Ah yes, the heroic human," Blue Blood said rolling his eyes as he walked into the building. "Selflessly fighting to protect Equestria. What a lark!"

"Open the chest, Blue Blood," Twilight said.

"I don't think I will," Blue Blood responded. "In fact…" Twilight and the rest of the Mane Six were lifted in the air by a pale aura. "I don't think that chest will be opening any time soon."

Twilight was shocked by Blue Blood's magical prowess. He'd never seemed very powerful before. "When did he…" Twilight's eyes locked on the amulet around Blue Blood's neck. "Is that the…."

"Alicorn's Amulet?" Blue Blood finished. "Yes, yes it is."

"You brute!" Rarity cried as he walked down the hall leaving them suspended in the air.

"Oh, you'll find out just how much of a brute I can be in good time, whorse," Blue Blood chuckled.

Canterlot Castle: Old Aqueduct

The Crusaders watched in awe as the battle continued.

Sweetie Drops rapidly dogged fifteen blows from Oni-Hime's spikes before countering with her stun baton. Having learned what that particular weapon was capable of Oni-Hime swooped into the sky, just out of reach. Sweetie Drops wasn't out of tricks yet, pulling a grappling hook from her utility belt she grasped onto Oni-Hime and slammed her to the cobblestone ground.

"Bitchi!" Oni-Hime spat. "Why do you insist on getting in my way? Oto-san will be disappointed if I fail to retrieve Jack-Sama!"

"Jack is under the charge of the Equestrian government," Sweetie Drops said. "It would be a dereliction of duty to allow a monster like you to get her spiked hooves on him."

"I'LL SHOW YOU A MONSTER!!!!!!!" Oni-Hime shrieked.

Oni-Hime lunged at Sweetie Drops stabbing furiously at the mare as she dodged each strike with expert agility. One mistake was all it took for Sweetie Drops to smash her stun baton into Oni-Hime's side.

"I'm taking you in," Sweetie Drops said as Oni-Hime struggled to stand. "You won't be getting your hooves on…" Sweetie Drops focus shifted to a line of refugees held up outside the entrance to the crystal caverns. They seemed to be held up as the flames and sounds of combat from the slums drew closer and closer. One particular pony stuck out to her "Lyra?"

As Oni-Hime regained her bearings she followed Sweetie Drops eyes and struck a malicious grin. "Ara ara, you have some strong feelings for that mare."

"Wh-what?" Sweetie Drops asked cheeks flushed red. "I have no clue what you mean!"

"Ai no Kizuna!" Oni-Hime shouted.

Crystal Caverns: Entrance

The evacuations had ground almost to a halt. The entrance to the caverns was too narrow for mass entry at any significant speed. A fact not missed by those toward the rear of the line who could see the fighting draw ever near.

Lyra Heartstrings was already on the verge of a panic attack when she was overcome with searing pain throughout her body. Her skin and muscles stung as if they'd been repeatedly electrocuted, and several bones felt broken. Around her front right leg was a glowing hot pink web surrounding a heart shape on her hoof.

Her screams alerted several guards who came rushing to her aid.

Canterlot Castle: Old Aqueduct

Sweetie Drops winced at the sudden pain and examined the pattern on her hoof curiously. Looking at Oni-Hime she could see the demon pony proudly brandishing the same symbol on her hoof. "What did you do?" she asked.

"My magic exploits feelings of love and lust," Oni-Hime said with a sneer. "I can enhance other pony's lustful or romantic feelings toward me to get them to do my bidding, but I can also exploit the feelings ponies feel toward each other. "I've linked us together, you, me, and her. Our pain and our injuries are now shared. It was easy enough, the two of you definitely hold romantic feelings toward each other, and you're both sexy enough to get my attention. If either of us gets a scratch so does she, if either of us breaks a leg, so does she, if either of us were to shinu… you get my point? There is nothing you can do to hurt me that won't hurt her!"

"You really are a monster!" Sweetie Drops shouted as Oni-Hime walked past her. "She has nothing to do with this!"

"Kinishinai," Oni-Hime called as she disappeared into the aqueduct.

Canterlot Slums

Three Arrows had been poorly equipped for this battle. His dagger was useless in a ranged fight, so he had to scavenge from his fallen comrades. Armed with a composite bow, he hoped to put Flash Sentry in his place. He'd found a hiding spot amongst some fallen beams and set up his shot. Carefully he pulled back the bowstring, but just as he was about to release, he saw his opponent jolt locking eyes with him and pulling out his sidearm. Letting the arrow fly he ducked behind the rubble just in time to hear the bang and thump as the bullet dug into the wood.

He'd missed. That much was sure. It was almost impossible to line up an arrow before he was spotted, and it took little time at all for Flash Sentry to line up his own shot. Nevertheless, Three Arrows had made several observations about his opponent's weapon. Ammunition seemed to be fired from a cylinder that had to be revolved after each shot. Judging by the size of the cylinder and the amount it rotated each time, he estimated it contained six shots, the last of which had just been fired. He'd no clue how long it would take to reload, but he knew he'd have time to do something, even if that something was to retreat.

"Come out, Iron Front!" Flash Sentry taunted. "I thought you were going to show me how you earned your name! If it was by hiding and cowering, I must say I'm disappointed!"

Three Arrows wasn't listening, he'd spotted an open door to a stone warehouse across the street. Steeling his resolve, he leaped out from his hiding spot and made a mad dash for the other side of the street. Just as he reached the door he could hear the loud bang as he rushed inside. The bullet bounced harmlessly off the granite floor as he scrambled to the side.

He knew he had limited time before he was followed inside so he glanced around desperately for a strategy. The door opened inward so if he could block it that would buy time. "Bingo!" he thought spotting several heavy-looking crates next to the entryway.

Slamming the door shut he backed up to the nearest crate and heaved it into place. Safe for now he was free to come up with a strategy. The room was filled to the brim with crude daggers, outdated E.U.P weapons, and most importantly coils of iron wire and barrels of black powder. A black-market weapon cache.

Three Arrows grinned at his luck.

Canterlot Castle: Throne Room

Princess Celestia wanted to aid her guards in battle, but she knew nopony would dare attack Canterlot under her watch unless they had somepony capable of squaring off with her. She'd been expecting Blutknochen any minute but was annoyed to find the only pony who showed up was Blue Blood.

"I don't have time for your complaints right now," Celestia sighed. "It's too dangerous here, you need to evacuate."

"You never listened to me before, auntie!" Blue Blood shouted charging his horn. "But this time you will!"

Celestia was shocked by the raw power her nephew was exerting, he'd always been lackluster at the academy. Even more so, she was infuriated, by his display. "HOW DARE YOU!" she howled, seeing the amulet and realizing Blue Blood's treachery. "DO YOU HAVE ANY INKLING WHAT YOU'RE DOING!!!!"

"I'm taking what's rightfully mine!" Blue Blood declared, launching a pale beam at his aunt.

Celestia set up a bubble shield which held for a good fifteen seconds, before shattering as Blue Blood's beam dissipated. Teleporting behind Blue Blood, Celestia launched her own beam of golden sunlight.

It was Blue Blood's turn to teleport and the beam smashed into the throne, atomizing it along with large sections of the wall behind it. he reappeared where the throne once stood and launched another beam just as Celestia shot another volley. The two beams collided in a titanic explosion.

South Tower Entrance

Spike had already disappeared through the mirror and Jack was about to follow when he heard a familiar voice.

"Jack-Samma?"

"Sakura?" Jack asked as slowly turned around. "What are you doing here?"

"I came for you," Sakura said.

"I don't understand," Jack responded.

"Don't you?" Sakura asked. "We have so much in common, though. We lived lives of hardship, cast out by our peers because we were different. It must have been fate that you were the one Oto-san summoned to this world."

"Summoned?" Jack asked. "How did you know…" realization hit Jack like a bus. "Oto-san means father, right? You mean you're not an orphan? You're one of them! The Elements of Chaos!"

"You should join us, Jack-Sama" Oni-Hime offered.

"I WOULD NEVER BETRAY MY FRIENDS!" Jack shouted.

"Nazena no?" the demon pony asked. "We could give you anything you desire," she offered with a wink.

"Even if that's the kind of person I was, I'd still say no," Jack said firmly. "Celestia told me she can send me home, to my family and friends."

Oni-Hime burst into a maniacal laugh. "You still haven't figured it out, have you?"

"Figured what out?!" Jack snapped.

"Think about it," the pink filly said with a malicious smirk. "When the Lowcountry was brought to Equus, you were the only human brought with it." She began to circle the human like a shark around a castaway. "All that was left of the other humans was their clothes. What do you think happened when the ground was ripped from beneath their feet?"

A look of dread took over Jack's face as he clutched his stomach. "N-no!" he shouted thoughts he had been suppressing for months came burst through the mental seal they'd been trapped behind.

"That's right" Oni-Hime smeared. "They're dead. Anypony who survived the fall would have been crushed when the sea filled the crater Oto-San left behind."

Jack fell to his knees unable to respond.

"Jack!" the Crusaders shouted as they burst into the room.

"Ara ara!" Oni-Hime giggled. "If it isn't Sweetie Belle-chan and friends. You're too late to stop me, not that you ever had the power to, but there is something you can do for me!" she grinned psychotically as her wings and spikes extended. "Your deaths are the key that will unlock Jack-Sama's true potential!"

Jack's heart skipped a good five beats upon hearing this. Clenching his eyes shut and beating his fists on the floor, he let out a deafening screech, before his eyes shot open, glowing Jade

Author's Note

Things have been looking up for me lately. (Me personally. Overall the entire world is going to shit right now.) Apart from a minor fender bender involving a work truck I was driving, my job is going great. Thanks to the plasma donations, I've been able to rebuild my bank account too. I'll even be able to get my cat into my new apartment thanks to the emotional support animal letter my therapist wrote. (My parents have been looking after him since I moved to Augusta. I still have some back payments from SSI to pay back, but that won't be a problem for long.
Next Time: As the Battle of Canterlot rages on, Jade Jack finally gains control over his host body.

Chapter 52: The Battle of Canterlot Part 2 (Last Edited: 7/16/2022)

November 3, 2020

Everfree Forest

The day before the Gala, Oni-Hime contacted Blutknochen for a mission briefing.

“Something troubles you, ja?” Blutknochen asked.

“You’ve done everything for me, Oto-san,” Oni-Hime sighed. “I know that you’re trying to set the world back to its natural state, but….” she closed her eyes taking a deep breath. “It feels like what you’re asking me to do might hurt Jack-sama and… I don’t want that.”

His cold gaze not faltering for a second, Blutknochen let out a chuckle. “There ist something you don’t yet know about humans. The Herr Jager you know ist but ein shell of his true self. You know the outer personality, but within there are zwei inner personalities fighting amongst themselves. There ist das which fights to suppress his inner chaos, und das which seeks to unleash it. The latter being his true self. You’d like to meet the real Herr Jager, ja?”

November 4, 2020

Canterlot Castle: South Tower

The Crusaders watched in horror as Jack howled in agony, tears streaming from his glowing jade eyes.

“Hai, Jack-sama!” Oni-Hime cheered. “Be free! Be the real you! Join us and bring chaos to all!”

A series of earsplitting cracks echoed throughout the room as the tower’s wooden support beams were reduced to mulch. “We have nothing to talk about, Little Demon,” Jade Jack giggled. “I do thank you for releasing me, but I work alone. I’m a being of my word you see, and in exchange for my release I agreed to stop you.”

“Nani?” Oni-Hime squeaked as she was blasted with jade energy.

No sooner had she hit the wall, Jack body slammed her straight through the cobblestone blocks.

The Crusaders felt glued to the floor watching. If it weren’t for chunks of stone, plaster, and wood raining down from above them they wouldn’t have considered moving.

“We have to get out of here!” Sweetie Belle shouted as a chunk of wall crashed into the only door.

“How?!” Apple Bloom asked. “That was the exit!”

“We’re gonna die!” Scootaloo screamed before she saw the ground sink from beneath her hooves. Not knowing what was happening she screamed.

“Scootaloo you’re flyin’! Apple Bloom shouted.

“Well it’s more like your dangling,” Sweetie Belle said.

Indeed Scootaloo was dangling. A metal lasso-like rope held her up and at the end of that rope, Sweetie Drops stood on a ledge where parts of the wall had crumbled away.

“The tower is about to collapse!” she shouted. “Grab your friend and I’ll pull you out!”

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle did as they were told, and Sweetie Drops hoisted them up.

“Who are you?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“That’s not important right now,” Sweetie Drops said. “We need to get as far away from this tower as possible!”

The Crusaders nodded and Sweetie Drops led them away from the castle.

Canterlot Castle: North Tower

The Mane Six had a good view of the south tower from a window across from their magic prison.

“Is it just me or does that tower look a little tippy?” Pinkie asked.

“It’s not just you, Pinkie,” Twilight answered. “Something’s destabilized it.”

“You don’ s’pose this has somethin’ tuh do with the attack?” Applejack asked.

“I hope not,” Fluttershy said. “That’s where the Princess sent Jack.”

“Don’t worry, Fluttershy,” Rainbow Dash said. “If somepony’s attacking Jack, he’ll take care of them in thirty seconds flat!”

“SWEET CELESTIA!!!!” Rarity screamed as the tower crumbled into dust.

November 5, 2020

Canterlot Castle: Throne Room

“You can’t stop us, Auntie!” Blue Blood shouted as he blasted another hole in the wall attempting to hit Celestia.

“WHO IS THIS US?!!!” Celestia bellowed unleashing a miniaturized solar flare from her horn.

“None of your concern!” Blue Blood answered, dispersing the flames harmlessly around a bubble shield he’d created.

“WHAT DO YOU THINK BLUTKNOCHEN WILL DO WHEN YOU’VE OUTLIVED YOUR USE?!!!!” Celestia asked, intercepting a beam her nephew had launched.

“An alliance with Equestria,” Blue Blood spat as he attempted to force his beam past Celestia’s. “How could you even suggest such a thing is only of temporary use?!!”

“There are things in this world more powerful than anything our nation has to offer,” Celestia said calmly, as she continued holding Blue Blood’s beam at bay.

“Shut your traitorous mouth!” Blue Blood screamed.

Canterlot Slums

Three Arrows watched as the door separating him from Flash Sentry slowly gave way, having held for an hour and a half of abuse. He’d seen the South Tower collapse fifteen minutes prior.

“I wish I could have done more,” he sighed, noting the time on his pocket watch. “12:21 AM.”

He carefully examined his handiwork. Using some wire, flares, and almost a ton of gunpowder barrels he’d jerry-rigged a boobytrap. The moment Flash Sentry broke through the door he’d trip a wire igniting the flares and blowing the whole building to kingdom come and Flash Sentry with it.

It was risky. There was always a chance the shockwave would knock Sentry out of the blast zone and if that happened Three Arrows wouldn’t be around to fight. He wished he could have set the tripwire up further in, but Flash Sentry would see it if he did that. He’d just have to hope it works.

As the door came closer and closer to breaking and the crates holding it shut shook and rattled, Three Arrows felt a strange calm wash over him as he contemplated his career. His grueling weeks of basic, the pride after completing the training, the griffin raids which saw him rise from private to sergeant, the suppression of the Baltimare Peasant Uprising where he lost faith in the EUP, the war where he earned a commissioned rank and his nickname, the decades of peace where he reached the rank of captain, and finally now his last act as a soldier.

“A soldier’s job is to put the safety of country and citizen ahead of oneself,” he whispered. “We minimize civilian loss at our own expense.”

The door snapped in two as the crates were slowly pushed aside.

“I AM NOT AN ENFORCER FOR THE ELITE!” he shouted as Flash Sentry stepped inside. “I AM A SOL…”

The warehouse disappeared in a ball of flame. Debris was launched several blocks away and every piece of glass in a ten-block radius shattered. Half a block from where the building once stood lie the battered and bruised but still very much living body of Flash Sentry.

Canterlot Castle: Remains of North Tower

Oni-Hime was caught by surprise by Jack’s aggression. As she found herself wrapped in a mammoth vine growing up toward the sky she could only ask, “Nani? Oto-san said this was the real you. That you would help us plunge the world into chaos.” Sobbing she whispered, “I thought maybe we could be together.”

“Your daddy was right about that first thing,” Jack chuckled. “I am Jack’s true nature. The Darkness in the hearts of all of humanity. But, he must be a moron if he thinks I need anyone’s help spreading chaos, and you and I… There was no chance of that! I have no interest in love or lust. Should’ve tried your luck with the other me!”

“Watashi wa shippai shimashita,” Oni-Hime sobbed quietly.

“What’s that?” Jack sneered. “I didn’t hear you, but I think I can read the rubble. No need to lament your failure, when I’m done with you, I think I’ll give your precious father a visit. We’ll talk all about your failure before I turn him into fertilizer.”

“Yamero!” Oni-Hime shrieked slashing the vines with her spikes. “You’re not my, Jack-sama and you’re no match for Oto-san! I’ll make you pay for insulting both of them!”

“Will you now?” Jack chuckled. “Well then let’s see what you’ve got!”

“Bakudan ga daisuki!” Oni-Hime shouted.

Jack found himself engulfed in a hot pink heart-shaped aura. “Is this supposed to stop me?” he asked.

The heart exploded leaving a smoking crater. “Ara ara, not so tough now are we?!” Oni-Hime jeered.

Oni-Hime’s heart sank at the maniacal laughs coming from the blast zone. As the smoke cleared, she found Jack had but a few scratches on him.

“You tried,” Jack sneered. “You really did… but it wasn’t enough.” Jack lunged at Oni-Hime sinking his Jade glowing fist into her face. “But…” he knocked her into the sky with an uppercut, “it wasn’t…” a vine shot out of the ground and dragged her back, “ENOUGH!” Jack shouted flinging her into the castle wall.

Oni-Hime felt like she’d been hit by a freight train. She he’d a broken wing, nose, and shoulder, both her eyes were black as licorice, and she was coughing up blood. Her heart pounded as Jack approached her. For the first time since she’d earned her element, she felt truly helpless.

“Oh, don’t worry,” Jack chuckled. “I won’t kill you. I need you to send your dear father a message. “You Elements of Chaos don’t know the meaning of chaos! You, Celestia, it doesn’t make any difference to me. ALL I WANT IS DESTRUCTION!” he roared. “All that is made by sapience must crumble and give way to nature! The absence of institutions, of morals, of civilization itself! That is TRUE chaos!”

Oni-Hime could only watch as Jack was engulfed in a tower of jade energy. Vines covered his body and spread out as he rose into the sky.

Canterlot Slums

Flash Sentry struggled to is hooves gasping desperately for breath. Once he was up his jaw dropped at the inferno consuming the warehouse. “Crazy bastard blew himself up!” he broke out into a fit of psychotic laughter. “I guess that does it for the Iron Front!”

Sparks erupted from the fire as the structure collapsed, revealing a purple dome of magic.

“What the?!!!” Flash Sentry exclaimed.

The dome vanished and he heard a crack behind him. Flash Sentry’s eyes were shot with surprise at who he saw.

“I never took you for thy type, Flash,” said Shining Armor. “You always seemed so loyal.”

“H-how are you here?” Flash Sentry sputtered. “Hoity was supposed to….”

“I figured Hoity was up to no good when he asked me to take Cadance out for the week of the Gala,” Shining Armor interrupted. “But it wasn’t until I got a letter from Spike that I realized what that was.”

“Never thought I’d see the day you saved my flank,” Three Arrows grimaced. His fur was mostly gone, and he had several 2nd-degree burns.

“No, thank you?” Shining Armor asked.

“That’s the best you’re getting from me,” Three Arrows coughed.

“How could you do this?” Shining Armor asked, glaring daggers at Flash Sentry.

“How could you not?” Flash Sentry asked indignantly. “Weren’t you complaining just a few months ago about how Celestia wouldn’t send a Guard unit to Ponyville to protect the Elements? How it took months for you to officially meet the bearers even though one of them was your sister? The only reason you ever did end up meeting them was because your sister was injured, and you had to take care of her. Can’t you see they don’t appreciate you? They don’t appreciate ANY of us! That’s why they are putting us at the level of peasants.”

“I….” Shining Armor hesitated

“You know I’m right!” Flash Sentry shouted.

“You know who put him up to this don’t you?” Three Arrows coughed. “The same ponies who put your sister in the hospital.”

“Quiet you pest!” Flash Sentry shouted firing a round directly at Three Arrow’s head.

The bullet deflected harmlessly off a magic barrier. Shining Armor glared as the aura around his horn dissipated. You betray the Princesses, burn Canterlot, murder my soldiers, attack defenseless civilians, and expect me to join your cause?!” he spat. “I’ll never join you!”

Shining Armor shot unleashed a blast of magic which knocked Flash Sentry back toward the still burning warehouse. Flash Sentry used his wings as airbrakes and moved to counterattack, only making it a few feet before he felt himself being slammed to the ground.

“You will answer for what you’ve done tonight,” Shining Armor's horn glowing as he held his opponent down.

“We’ll see!” Flash Sentry shouted, whipping his gun out and shooting Three Arrows straight in the chest. “You can take me in or save his life, but you can’t do both.”

Shining Armor could see the blood pooling from Three Arrows' chest. “You’re a monster!” he shouted, releasing his hold on Sentry and Rushing to Three Arrow’s side.

“No,” Flash Sentry said as he took to the sky. “I’m a soldier.” Knowing he couldn’t defeat Shining Armor, he decided it best to retreat.

Canterlot Castle: Throne Room

“Where did I go wrong with you,” Celestia lamented her beam still locked with Blue Blood’s.

“I’m a prince!” Blue Blood shouted. “I’m supposed to get whatever I want! gold, jewels, spices, delicacies, land, mares, all Equestria has to offer should be MINE!”

Blue Blood’s ears twitched at the sound of hoof steps on the cobblestone behind him. “You sound a lot like I once did.”

“You?!” Blue Blood shouted extinguishing his beam and deploying a barrier as he turned to face the newcomer.

“Indeed,” Princess Luna answered.

“You have no right to be here!” Blue Blood exclaimed. “How dare you who betrayed Equestria, waltz back in here after a thousand years and retake the throne!”

“I did betray Equestria,” Luna acknowledged. “Just as you are now!”

Blue Blood snorted. “I’m not betraying anything, I’m only taking what’s rightfully mine! It’s bad enough I have to deal with that Cadenza peasant taking up a spot above me! That horn will never change the fact she’s just some lowly pegasus Auntie Celestia took in off the streets. I lived through that indignity thinking at least I’d be next. Who else could it be but me who’d be turned into an alicorn, but then you came back and I realized I’d never be given that power! Not that it matters. Now that I have this…” Blue Blood l flashed the amulet. “I have as much power as any one of you!”

“That’s right any one of us,” Luna agreed blasting a midnight blue beam from her horn. As Blue Blood intercepted it with his own beam Luna shouted, “NOW, SISTER!”

Celestia grabbed the amulet with a magical aura and ripped it off Blue Blood’s neck.

As Blue Blood felt the power draining from his body he nervously watched as his aunts closed in. “Now now, Auntie Celestia, I-I was only kidding. There’s no need to do anything cra-zy.” He dropped to the floor asleep as a bear in December.

“I thought you might rather we settle this without hurting him,” Luna said, “so I’ve cast a sleeping spell.”

“Thank you, Luna,” Celestia said wrapping a hoof around her sister’s shoulder. “How did you know what was happening?”

“The time is different in Saddle Arabia,” Luna explained. “The Al-Qamar ceremony was over 12 hours ago. I knew it was night here so I decided to conduct my usual nightly duties. I thought it odd there were so few dreams coming from Canterlot and when I visited a few of them I found they were all of the same thing, Canterlot being burned, pillaged, sacked. So, I cut my trip short.

“I’m glad you did,” Celestia chuckled. “But there’s no time for rejoicing! We must restore order!”

“I noticed a massive vineyard spreading from the ruins of the South Tower,” Luna said. “I can fend off the attackers if you wish to deal with that.”

Celestia nodded.

Canterlot Castle: North Tower

The Mane Six slammed into the floor as the magic prison holding them in place dissipated.

“What happened?” Pinkie Pie asked cracking her back as she got up.

“How would any of us know?” Rarity asked.

“Sure knocked the wind out of us,” Applejack said.

“It seems the effects of the spell have worn out,” Twilight said. “I’m not sure why though.”

“WHO CARES WHY!!!” Rainbow Dash shouted. “WE NEED TO STOP THAT BLUE BLOOD GUY!”

“But what about Jack?” Fluttershy asked. “Celestia sent him to the South Tower, he might have been inside when it collapsed!”

“Uh, girls?” Pinkie asked, pointing out the window. “Does that look familiar to anypony?”

The others looked outside to see the mass of vines spreading out from….

“Oh, no,” Fluttershy gasped, seeing Jack in the middle of it all.

Canterlot Castle: South Tower Ruins

The Mane Six arrived to see Jack was 50 feet in the sky and the vines had spread about halfway from the North Tower.

“Doesn’ it seem a bit slow?” Applejack asked.

“You’re right, Applejack!” Pinkie Pie agreed. “It was way faster last time!”

The Mane Six were caught off guard by a crack and bright flash. “That’s because it’s night,” said Celestia.

“Of course!” Twilight exclaimed. “Without sunlight plants can’t photosynthesize! No sunlight no energy!”

“Umm, Twilight?” Rarity asked.

“Yes?” Twilight asked. “Oh….”

As if having sensed potential prey, hundreds of mammoth-sized Venus flytraps rose from the vines.

“I don’t think they’ll be having any problem getting energy!” Rarity screamed as one of the plants lunged in her direction.

Celestia sliced the flytrap in half and put up a barrier. “Fluttershy!” she shouted.

“Y-yes?” Fluttershy squeaked.

“You’ll need to use the stare on him again,” Celestia said.

“But what about the flytraps?” Fluttershy asked.

“I can hold off some of them, but I’ll need to use my magic sparingly,” Celestia explained. “If I overuse my magic the sunlight will only give it more energy. Your friends can pick off any stragglers. Use these.”

The Elements of Harmony floated out from Celestia’s mane and landed around their respective bearer’s necks.

Fluttershy steeled her resolve. “You can count on us, princess!”

And with that, the Mane Six took off.

Author's Note

Hey guys! I hope you've enjoyed my story! There's only one chapter left, but there will be a sequel. I don't know how good a writer you guys think I am, but I think I've improved massively in the two and a half years I've been writing this story. Editing my old chapters has been somewhat of a relaxing pastime for me so if you'd like you might want to give the story a reread sometime. You'll likely find it better than the first time you read it.

Next Time: The Mane Six must fight their way past the Flytraps to get to Jack, so Fluttershy can fight through Jack's subconscious to free him from Jade Jack's grip and wake him up. However even once awake, Jack still must deal with the feelings of loss and betrayal. Oni-Hime has barely made it out alive and must limp back to her comrades in defeat.

Prologue Chapter 1 (Last Edited: 3/17/2022)

June 2, 2020

It was a hot Summer afternoon over the I-95 bridge across Lake Marion.

Jack Delano Jager was an average-looking college student. He had long curly blond hair that hadn't been cut since he was in high school. He kept it well-groomed, though, so rather than being mistaken for some homeless weirdo, people often assumed he was in a band or perhaps a surfer. His eyes were a greenish-blue, although you wouldn't know that with his glasses on. He wasn't overweight by any measure, but a decade of inactivity followed by four months of semi-regular workouts had left him a little flabby. He had just finished his junior year at Coastal Carolina University and was driving his Honda CR-V home for Summer Break after spending the month of May studying abroad in Italy.

"I can't wait to get home!" Jack thought, grinning excitedly as his favorite section of the song Jesus of Suburbia blared from his CD player. "Mom and Dad are going to be so proud to hear that I've made the Dean's List again. I hope they like the souvenirs I brought back from Italy! It'll be nice to see Shawn and Bryce too. I'm sure the Carney's will appreciate us visiting together. I just hope I don't have to see Yuri. Though dealing with her might be better than having Mark glare at me all Summer. Not that their hatred isn't deserved"

Sighing, he glanced out the window at the dark blue waters of Lake Marion. "God, I hate driving so close to the water," he thought, shuddering at the idea of his car plunging into the depths.

Looking back at the road, he was blinded by a bright light and slammed the brakes. The first thing he noticed when the light faded was that his vision had blurred. He took his glasses (which felt strangely large in his hands) off and was astonished to find that he could see with the same clarity as when he was a child. He was even more surprised to see everything was in technicolor. The next thing he noticed was the cars in front of him crashing into each other. Thinking quickly, he tried to break again, only to make a final realization; he couldn't reach the pedals. He looked down and was shocked to find that his legs had shrunk and immediately noticed his line of sight had lowered as well. Looking out the window, he saw his car was slowly turning toward the bridge's guard rail. He quickly turned the steering wheel, unbuckled his seatbelt, and jumped on the brake to avoid crashing. Once the CR-V stopped, he reached up, shifted the gear to park, and looked to the back seat. "Ok, my turtles are alright," he thought, upon spotting the 4 small reptiles shuffling around in their tank.

Feeling a strange sensation on his tongue, he spat out three pieces of resin and two pieces of silver. "Are those my fillings?"

"Wait a minute, I can see without my glasses, I've shrunk, I sound like a child, and everything looks like a cartoon. I know what's going on; this is a dream!" he said with a laugh.

Reaching into his pocket, he fished out a small pocket knife with his name engraved into the side. Flipping the blade out, he sliced open his left hand, hoping to wake himself up. "FUCK!" he shouted in pain.

Holding up his bleeding hand, Jack screamed, "Holy shit! That actually hurt."

As he watched the blood flowing from his hand, it finally hit him. "Wait, if I actually felt pain, then this isn't a dream!"

After a full minute of debating whether or not this could be real and wrapping his hand with gauze from his emergency kit, he finally hopped out of his car and tripped on the asphalt. "OW!" Jack shouted. "This tiny body is going to take some getting used to."

As he got to his feet, his clothes began to slip off. "I guess they are too big for me now," he thought, clenching his pants in his tiny fists.

Scanning his surroundings, he could see dozens of crashed vehicles and ran to the nearest one to check for survivors. When he made it to the first vehicle (a white Ford Transit), he found no trace of its owners other than two Santee Cooper uniforms in the front seats. Checking the back of the van, he found it locked. He examined several other wrecks finding no trace of the drivers apart from scattered clothes. "Where is everyone?"

"I should call mom and tell her I'm going to be late," he decided. She'll never believe this in a million years!"

He dialed her number, "The number you have dialed has been disconnected or is no longer in service. If you feel you have reached this message in error, please check the number and call again."

"Shit!" Jack exclaimed. "What about Dad?"

"The number you have dialed has been disconnected or is no longer in serv…"

"Mark?" He thought while dialing his little brother's number.

"The number…"

"DAMN IT!" Jack shouted.

This went on for several minutes as he tried to contact his Grandma, his Grandpa, and all his friends with the same result each time. Finally, it occurred to him to contact the police.

911

"The number you..."

"What the hell?" Jack asked himself.

Eventually, he decided to walk to the nearby town of Santee to find help. After about an hour of walking past crashed cars, he reached the town to find it too was deserted.

"What's happening? This can't be real!" he exclaimed in dismay. "IS ANYONE HERE!"

As he continued walking through the town, he began to ask himself. "Is this the rapture? Were those fundamentalist freaks right? Dear God, I'm sorry I chose the wrong denomination. I'll be a Baptist, a Pentecostal, whatever you want, just please don't leave me behind!" he prayed. "What the hell am I doing? There has to be a rational explanation for this."

In a last-ditch effort, he tried the police station only to find it empty. By this point, he was getting hungry. He made his way to a nearby Cracker Barrel and helped himself to some catfish filets.

Going into the bathroom, he couldn't help but get a look at himself in the mirror. Sure enough, he looked exactly how he did in second grade. His hair, while still curly, was as short as most boys kept their hair. His flabby body had shifted into the skinny, practically androgynous form of prepubescence. His teeth had shifted back to the positions they were in before he got braces too.

Afterward, Jack decided to gather some supplies and head back to his car. He found his way to a Family Dollar and stole a backpack, clothes that fit him, five bags of beef jerky, and a twelve-pack of root beer. As he was on his way back to his car, he noticed a kid-sized bike on the side of the road. "Oh, thank God, I'm not going to have to walk the whole way back!" he exclaimed in relief.

He arrived at his car twenty minutes later, completely exhausted. Turning on his old iPhone 6, he opened Safari. "Surely something about this will be in the news," thought Jack.

When he tried to check the news, he found that he was unable to access the internet. "That's strange. I'm getting plenty of cell service. The internet should be working fine,” he thought.

He tried again without any luck. "This doesn't make any sense. I haven't used much data this month, so it can't be that, plus I have unlimited data, not to mention my phone is showing that it has service. How is this possible?" Jack pondered

He looked up from his phone and saw it was getting dark. He checked the time, 8:17 PM. Realizing he wasn't going anywhere fast, Jack got back into his car and started to eat his beef jerky. At about 9:30, he decided to make one last attempt at getting rescued. He pulled a flare gun out of his emergency kit and shot it into the sky. Unfortunately, nobody seemed to see it.

He could feel the stress of the day starting to get to him. As the tears began to well up in his eyes, he was at least able to take comfort in the fact that no one was around to see his incoming meltdown.

Hours later, with all hope of rescue lost, he pulled the blanket out of his emergency kit and went to sleep.

Author's Note

This is my first attempt at fanfiction so please go easy on me. Constructive criticism welcome. I realize that my writing style is crap in this first chapter, but don't let that discourage you from reading the rest. I have improved significantly. (Although there may still be more spelling and grammar errors in my latest chapters as they aren’t fully edited when I first upload them.)
Next time: Princess Celestia sends the Mane Six to investigate a strange landmass that has appeared off the coast of the Hayseed Swamps.

Chapter 1: The Ticket Master (Last Edited: 4/27/2022)

June 10, 2020

Fluttershy’s Cottage

It was ten in the morning, and Jack was still in bed. The trip to Lake Marion and back had taken all day. When they finally returned to Fluttershy's Cottage, it was past midnight. Fluttershy had put his turtles in their new habitat, and Jack had gone straight to bed. He had been awake for an hour and a half, but he had no intention of getting up. Unfortunately, he wasn’t given much of a choice. His covers were ripped off of him, leaving him cold, confused, and pissed off. He scanned the room until he saw a certain white bunny dragging his comforter out of the room.

“ANGEL! COME BACK HERE, YOU LITTLE SHIT!” he shouted.

Jack threw on his clothes and gave chase. When he finally caught up with Angel, they were outside. He noticed Fluttershy struggling with a bag of laundry.

“Good morning, Fluttershy!” he cheerfully greeted. “Would you like me to get that for you?”

“Yes, please, that would be so much help," she answered.

“Where do you want to take these sheets?” asked Jack.

"There's a laundromat in town. I sent Angel Bunny to get your bedclothes. Now that we have your comforter, we just need to wait for him to bring down your sheets and pillowcase," Fluttershy said.

Jack was glad Fluttershy had gotten used to him so quickly. She no longer got startled by him popping up unexpectedly, the way she did when he arrived, less than a week before. Jack had made some improvements as well. Thanks to his medication, he no longer had to worry about avoiding eye contact.

However, something was bothering him. Fluttershy had clearly gotten attached to him. She treated him like a son. In Jack's mind, there was no doubt that this would prove problematic once Celestia figured out how to send him back. As he thought about how best to handle this, Angel hopped out the door with his sheets and pillowcase. The bunny threw the bedclothes in with the rest of the laundry, and Jack picked up the bag. Due to his size, the bag was a little heavier than he expected, but he managed to drag it to the laundromat.

The trip to the laundromat didn't take long. Fluttershy paid, and they dropped off the sheets. She then told Jack that she needed to go into town to get some food for the animals.

“I’ll just head back to the cottage then," Jack replied.

“Oh no, I don't think you should be walking out on your own like that," said Fluttershy.

"Why? I'm 21 years old. I'm perfectly capable of going home on my own," said Jack.

“I know, but um, the only ponies who know that are us, the Princess, and my friends," replied Fluttershy.

These conversations happened a lot between Jack and Fluttershy. Fluttershy's tendency to act like an overprotective mother around him was among the most annoying aspects of his time in Equestria. Still, he couldn't deny she had a point here. Everyone else thought he was seven. If Equestria's views on childcare were anything like America's, Fluttershy would probably get in trouble for letting him walk back to the cottage by himself.

"Fair enough. I guess I'll help you with your chores then," Jack said, gritting his teeth.

As they left the laundromat, Jack noticed Twilight, Pinkie, and Rarity out in the streets along with what appeared to be a small purple dinosaur. Angel noticed them as well and rushed up to the dinosaur, snatched a piece of paper, and brought it back to Fluttershy.

Upon seeing what Angel had brought her, Fluttershy gasped.

"Angel, these are perfect," she said excitedly.

"What are they?" Jack asked, examining the two golden tickets Angel was holding.

"These are tickets to the Grand Galloping Gala," replied Fluttershy as they walked toward Twilight.

“The Grand Galloping what now?” asked Jack.

“Oh, um, the Grand Galloping Gala is a formal party held by the Royal Family in the Canterlot Castle every year," answered Fluttershy.

Upon hearing the word "formal," all interest Jack had in the topic vanished. Fluttershy, on the other hand, was ecstatic at the thought of attending.

“Um, excuse me, Twilight?" Fluttershy timidly asked. "I would just like to ask, I mean if it would be all right if you haven't given it to someone else..."

Rarity, who had apparently been arguing with Pinkie Pie, seemed surprised by what Fluttershy said.

“You? You want to go to the Gala?” she asked with a raised brow.

“Oh, no. I mean, yes, or, actually, kind of. You see...” Fluttershy started.

She went on to explain that the party itself was of no interest to her and that she really just wanted to see the private gardens at the castle. The mention of private gardens caught Jack's attention. He'd quite enjoyed touring the private gardens of Charleston's historical plantations. A royal garden would certainly be a worthwhile use of his time.

“Gee, Fluttershy, it sounds... beautiful...?” Twilight said once Fluttershy finished.

"WAIT JUST A MINUTE!"

Jack turned to see Rainbow Dash perched on a wooden beam above them.

“Rainbow Dash! Were you following me?” asked Twilight as the rainbow-maned pegasus flew down.

"No. I mean, yes. I mean, maybe. Look, it doesn't matter. I couldn't risk a goody-four-shoes like you giving that ticket away to just anybody," Rainbow Dash answered.

"Wait just another minute," said Applejack as she walked up.

“Applejack, were you following me too?” asked Twilight.

“No. Ah was followin this one tuh make sure she didn't try any funny business," Applejack answered, pointing accusingly at Rainbow Dash. "Still trying tuh take mah ticket," she muttered.

“Your ticket?” asked Rainbow Dash angrily.

“But Twilight's taking me," Pinkie Pie interrupted.

The ponies soon began to drown each other out with their arguments.

“Are they seriously fighting over tickets?” Jack asked the purple dinosaur.

"Yep, Princess Celestia sent Twilight two tickets to the Gala, and now they're all fighting over who gets the extra," the dinosaur said, crossing his arms. "I don't really understand why they want to go to that girly gala anyway."

"Well, they are girls, after all," Jack chuckled. "I'm Jack, by the way."

"Nice to meet you, Jack. I'm Spike," the dinosaur introduced. "Wait, you're the foal Fluttershy adopted, right?"

"Yes," answered Jack. "Keep it together, Jack. Celestia will probably figure out a way to send you back soon. You just need to keep your story straight until then. God, I hope he doesn’t ask any questions. I can’t even remember what the story I came up with was!”

"Sorry to hear about what happened to your family. Twilight told me all about it," said Spike.

"That's right, Jack remembered. "I told the class the other humans were killed by a plague. The foals in class must've told their families. I'll bet Twilight picked up on the rumors and ran with it.

Before Jack could respond, Twilight shouted, “QUIET!”

“And then I said, "Oatmeal, are you craz…” Pinkie started before noticing the others had stopped. “Oh.”

“Oatmeal? What does oatmeal have to do with anything?” wondered Jack.

"Girls, there's no use in arguing," said Twilight.

“But Twilight…” Rarity whined.

“Eh! This is my decision, and I'm gonna make it on my own, and I certainly can't think straight with all this noise...” she said as her stomach grumbled. “Not to mention hunger. Now go on, shoo!”

The ponies all walked off in different directions. As Jack and Fluttershy walked off, the human said goodbye to Spike.

"It was nice to meet you, Spike. See you later," he said.

"See you later," said Spike.

Soon after they had parted ways with Spike, Jack noticed something.

“Where are we going?” he asked Fluttershy. “The market’s the other way.”

“Well, um, Angel thought it might be nice to go get some of our animal friends and clean up the library for Twilight," she answered.

“You’re just trying to do her favors, so she’ll give you the ticket, aren’t you?” Jack accused.

"N-No, I Just thought it'd be kind to do something for her," Fluttershy replied.

Jack raised a brow at this explanation.

“Ok, I admit it. I just want the ticket," said Fluttershy cracking under the minimal pressure Jack was putting on her.

"Alrighty then, let’s go get you that ticket," said Jack, satisfied with Fluttershy’s confession.

“R-really? You don’t think there’s anything wrong with that?” she asked.

"So long as you're honest about it, no, I don't see anything wrong with it," answered Jack.

After recruiting the help of Fluttershy’s animal friends, Jack, Angel, and Fluttershy made their way to Golden Oak Library. Angel and Jack began working on a salad, while Fluttershy and the rest of her animals began cleaning. They had been working for several minutes when Twilight walked in.

“Fluttershy, not you too?” Twilight gasped.

"Oh, well, hello, Twilight. I hope you don't mind, but Angel thought it might be a good idea to clean the Library up for you." Fluttershy answered.

“You're not doing this for the ticket, are you?” Twilight asked accusingly.

"Yes, we are just doing it for the ticket," said Fluttershy honestly as she flew down from where she was cleaning.

Angel brought the salad to Twilight, causing her stomach to growl.

“No, no, no! Well, this was all very nice of you guys, but I'm not accepting any extra favors until I've made my final decision, so I'm going to have to ask you to leave,” she said as she opened the door.

However, when she opened the door, she was surprised to find Pinkie Pie and a group of other ponies waiting for her.

“SURPRISE!” shouted Pinkie Pie.

Pinkie began singing a song about Twilight giving her the ticket while the lavender unicorn desperately tried to get her to stop.

“She’s not very subtle, is she?” asked a slightly annoyed Jack.

"But I thought you said it's ok so long as you're honest," Fluttershy pointed out.

"Well, there's honesty, and then there's that," said Jack pointing to where Pinkie and several ponies were tossing Twilight in the air as the pink pony sang.

“PIIINKIE!!!!," shouted Twilight.

“Yes, Twilight?” asked Pinkie.

“At least the other ponies tried to be subtle about the ticket,” said Twilight

“Wait, what ticket? What gala?” asked one pony of the other ponies.

“Oh, you didn't know?” asked Pinkie. “Twilight has an extra ticket to the Grand Galloping Gala!”

“The Grand Galloping Gala?!” shouted all the ponies present.

The ponies immediately began to swarm Twilight, offering her favors and causing her and Spike to flee.

"I'm going to go after her," said Pinkie Pie.

"Pinkie, wait," said Jack.

“What?” asked Pinkie Pie.

"Why do you want the ticket anyway?" Jack asked.

“Because the Grand Galloping Gala is the most amazing party in all of Equestria!” exclaimed Pinkie. “Why wouldn’t I want to go to that?”

“Is that really worth causing Twilight to be mobbed like that?” asked Jack.

"What do you mean, Jackey?" asked Pinkie.

"When you told all those ponies about the ticket to the Gala, they swarmed her," Jack explained. "Can't you see that what you are doing is causing Twilight stress?"

"Oh," she said as her hair deflated slightly. "I never thought of it like that."

Pinkie, Jack, and Fluttershy went back into the Library, and before long, there was a knock at the door. When Jack opened the door, he found Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack waiting outside.

"Jack, darling, where’s Twilight?” asked Rarity.

"She's not here right now," Jack answered.

“I KNEW IT! YOU’VE FINALLY SHOWN YOUR TRUE COLORS!” accused Rainbow Dash. “WHAT DID YOU DO WITH TWILIGHT?”

"I didn't do anything to her. You did," Jack said, staring her straight in the eyes.

"I thought you couldn't look ponies in the eye, Jack," Rainbow Dash growled.

"My medication helps with that quite a bit," Jack replied. "Back to the point. Your obsession with this ticket is going to drive Twilight insane."

“STOP LYING!” Rainbow Dash roared. “TELL ME THE TRUTH!”

"He is tellin' the truth, Rainbow," said Applejack, rubbing her head.

“But I haven’t done anything to Twilight!” Rainbow Dash said defensively.

"It's not just you, Rainbow Dash! All of you together have been collectively pestering her about this ticket. To an extent, even I am responsible since I encouraged Fluttershy to do it," explained Jack. "What do you think this constant harassment is doing to her?"

"Well, what do you think we should do?" asked Pinkie.

"How about instead of pestering Twilight about it, you explain to each other why you want to go and determine for yourselves who has the best reason for going," said Jack. "Pinkie Pie just wants to party, and Fluttershy wants to see the gardens. So, what do the rest of you want the ticket for?"

“I just want to be able to meet my true love," said Rarity.

"Ah want to set up a stand and sell Sweet Apple Acres pastries to the ponies at the gala," said Applejack.

“I want to meet the Wonderbolts!” said Rainbow Dash.

"Ok, so now we just need to decide who has the best reason to go," said Jack.

The ponies argued for several hours and came to an agreement just in time to see Twilight and Spike teleport into the Library.

“Ugh... Warn me next time you're gonna do that," said Spike.

“I didn't even know it was gonna happen. Now quick, lock the doors!” Twilight replied.

Spike quickly locked the doors while Twilight turned off all the lights, completely missing that Jack and the ponies were already inside. Thinking she was in the clear, she let out a sigh of relief. However, Jack switched the light back on, bringing Twilight's attention to them.

“Yaaaargh! I can't decide. I just can't decide! It's important to all of you, and I just can't stand to disappoint any of you, and giving me gifts and doing me favors won't make any difference, because you're all my friends and I wanna make you all happy and I can't, I just can't!” said Twilight in distress.

"We know Twilight, and we're sorry," said Fluttershy.

"We've put you through all this stress today and gave no consideration to your feelings," said Rarity.

"Ah wouldn't blame you if you decided not to take any of us," said Applejack.

"In fact, you probably shouldn't take any of us. We've all been terrible friends," said Pinkie Pie.

"Yes! Since you all give up, that means I get the ticket!" exclaimed Rainbow Dash.

"Really, Rainbow Dash? I thought we all had an agreement," said Jack.

"Fine, I don't want the ticket anymore," Rainbow Dash scowled.

"We're sorry, Twilight," they all said at once.

“Spike, take down a note," said Twilight. “Dear Princess Celestia, I've learned that one of the joys of friendship is sharing your blessings, but when there's not enough blessings to go around, having more than your friends can make you feel pretty awful. So, though I appreciate the invitation, I will be returning both tickets to the Grand Galloping Gala," she dictated as she wedged the tickets into the parchment.

“What?!” said everyone at once.

“If my friends can't all go, I don't wanna go either," finished Twilight.

"Are you sure about this, Twilight?" asked Jack.

“Yes, I'm sure," she answered. "Spike, you can send the letter now."

Spike opened the window and engulfed the letter in a green fire.

"Holy shit, Spike! She said send the letter, not burn it!" said Jack in surprise.

“I did send it!” said Spike.

"You just burnt it. We all saw you," Jack said in frustration.

"Uh, Jack, that's jus' how Twilight sends letters tuh the princess," said Applejack.

“Really?” asked Jack.

"Yup," Applejack confirmed.

"Oh," Jack said with a blush.

“Now, you won't get to go to the Gala either," said Fluttershy.

“It’s fine. I couldn't possibly enjoy myself without my best friends there with me...” Twilight started as the rest of the Mane Six hugged her. “So, I would rather not go at all.”

Spike began to gag.

"You ok, Spike?" asked Jack, mildly concerned.

“Well, wallop mah withers, Spike. Isn't that just like a boy? Can't handle the least bit of sentiment," said Applejack before the dragon burped out a letter. “Whoa Nelly!”

“A letter from the princess? That was fast," said Twilight.

“My faithful student Twilight,why didn't you just say so in the first place?" Spike read as six golden tickets popped out of the letter. “Six tickets to the Grand Galloping Gala!”

“Now, we can all go!” said Twilight.

And there was much rejoicing!

Twilight's stomach growled, and Rarity offered to treat her to dinner. As each of the Mane Six left, they took a ticket from Spike.

“How come I don’t get a ticket to the Gala?” Spike wondered before burping up another ticket. “And one for you Spike," he read before taking the ticket and running off.

“Glad I don't have to go, that gala sounds boring as Hell," thought Jack.

“Hey, Jack!” shouted Spike. “Celestia sent you a ticket too!”

"Well, fuck," Jack said aloud.

He ran after the ponies, and upon his catching up with them, Twilight decided to ask him something.

“I’ve been studying human history from some books I took out of a Library before Fluttershy found you. I understand most of it, but there are a few things I'd like you to explain to me," she said. "Could you come by tomorrow?"

"Sure, I don't have anything else to do," Jack said.

Author's Note

Yes, I know a lot of the dialogue was copied and pasted from the episode's transcript. Don't worry; most chapters will not be like this. More than half of them will be original chapters that are not based on any episode. Of the ones that do focus on the events of episodes, they will mostly focus on Jack and a few OCs. Portions of the episodes not relevant to my story will be cut out entirely and largely replaced with original scenes. Jack's presence will affect the dialogue in most of the remaining scenes. Next chapter, we will touch on a passion of mine, human history.

As a side note, the Coronavirus never happened in my story.
Next time: Twilight interviews Jack about humanity. (It's probably the most boring chapter in the story, so don't be dissuaded from reading on by how bad it is.)

Chapter 18: Call of the Cutie (Last Edited: 7/17/2022)

July 21, 2020

Ponyville School

It was a special day for the 2nd-grade class at Ponyville's school. Rather than their regular lesson plan, today's class was to focus on a special topic. With over half of the class having already found their special talents, the time had come for a lecture on cutie marks. Diamond Tiara had obtained hers the day before, leaving only Rumble, Featherweight, Pip, Twist, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, and of course, Jack without one.

The school bell rang as the students happily chattered, and Cheerilee walked to the front of the room. “Let's quiet down, please. We have a very important lesson to get to," she said, waiting for the class to settle down. "Thank you. Today we will be talking about cutie marks," she informed as she pulled up a picture of several marks.

“Bo-ring," Diamond Tiara sighed as Applebloom pulled out a pencil.

"But before we can begin our lesson, we have a new student joining us," Cheerilee said. “You can come in now!” she called.

“Arigatō, Cheerilee-sensei," a pink filly said as she stepped into the classroom.

The filly in question appeared to Jack to be a strange-looking pegasus. Instead of the normal bird wings, she had the wings of a bat, and her tail reminded him of the stereotypical depiction of the Devil. Her cutie mark was a flaming Heart.

“Kon'nichiwa, everypony," she said with a bow upon reaching Cheerilee's side. "My name is Sakura Blossom."

Cheerilee had the foals introduce themselves to the new student. Curiously a few of the colts in class seemed to recognize the new filly. The introductions lasted around fifteen minutes before it came time for Jack to introduce himself. "My name is Jack. Where are you from exactly?"

“I’m from Neighpon," Sakura answered. "It’s so lovely to be in Equestria, and it's even more lovely to meet you, Jack-Sama," she added with a wink.

“There's something off about her," Jack thought to himself. “Meh, it’s probably nothing.”

"Now that introductions are out of the way, we can begin with our lesson," Cheerilee said as she turned her right flank to the class. "You can all see my cutie mark, can't you?” she said, flipping her easel to a photo of herself as a filly. “Like all ponies, I wasn't born with a cutie mark. My flank was blank.”

“Aww...! Thee's tho prethious!” said Twist.

Cheerilee moved the picture aside to reveal one of her as a teenager with her cutie mark and an 80’s style haircut. “Then, one day, when I was about your age, I woke up to find that a cutie mark had appeared.”

“Look at her hair!" Silver Spoon exclaimed, causing the other foals to laugh.

“Yes, I know, but honestly, that's how everypony was wearing their mane back then,” Cheerilee said, slightly embarrassed. “I had decided to become a teacher, and the flowers symbolized my hope that I could help my future students bloom if I nurture them with knowledge,” she continued as Apple Bloom and Jack diligently took notes as Sakura stared intently at him. “The smiles represented the cheer I hope to bring to my little ponies while they were learning. Now, can anyone tell me when a pony gets his or her cutie mark?”

Jack raised his hand. “From my understanding, it’s when you find something you're good at.”

"You're very close," Cheerilee said. "A cutie mark will only appear when a pony finds that talent that makes them special. Discovering what makes you unique isn't something…”

As Cheerilee continued explaining the basics of cutie marks, Diamond Tiara began pestering Apple Bloom, who was still taking notes.

“What?!” Apple Bloom finally asked.

Diamond Tiara held out a note while Silver Spoon beckoned for Applebloom to pass it to her.

“Apple Bloom! Are you passing a note?” Cheerilee asked as Applebloom grabbed the paper with her teeth.

Apple Bloom dropped the note. "Uh, Ah... Um…”

Cheerilee walked over to Apple Bloom. “What could be so important that it couldn't wait until after class?” she let out a small gasp upon seeing the note. “It's blank.”

Diamond Tiara laughed. “Remind you of anypony?” she asked as Silver Spoon joined her in laughter.

Apple Bloom looked away, her face as red as the apples her family harvested.

24 minutes later

Soon after the school bell rang, most of Cheerilee's class stampeded out of the door. However, a few students stayed behind.

Apple Bloom glumly walked out of the school as Jack and Twist tried to comfort her.

“Want some sweetth?” Twist asked cheerfully. “I've got thome peppermint stickth. I made them mythelf.”

“Mm-mm," Apple Bloom declined.

“They'll make you thmi-i-le!” said Twist.

“No...” Apple Bloom replied quietly.

“I don't know why we had to sit through a lecture about getting a cutie mark. I mean, waiting for your cutie mark is sooo last week,” Diamond Tiara said as she and Silver Spoon walked by. “You got yours; I just got mine," she continued as Silver Spoon proudly showed hers off to Apple Bloom. “We all have them already. I mean, almost all of us have them already," she corrected, looking at Twist. “Don't worry, you two, you're still totally invited to my cute-ceañera this weekend," she said. Looking at Jack, she hissed, "you, on the other hand, are not welcome."

“It's going to be amazing," Silver Spoon said.

“It's a party celebrating me and my fantastic cutie mark,” Diamond Tiara said as she circled her victims. “How could it not be?” she asked as she walked back to Silver Spoon.

“Bump! Bump! Sugar-lump, rump!” the two bullies chanted as they did their secret hoofshake and giggled.

“Gimme a break,” Applebloom muttered as they walked ahead.

“See you this weekend...” Silver Spoon called before she and Diamond burst into laughter.

“Blank flanks!” they shouted as they left.

“Don’t let those bullies get to you, Bloom," Jack said. "I'm sure you'll get your mark soon enough.”

"But Ah want it now," Apple Bloom complained.

“Wanna go take a dip in the pond?” asked Jack. “Might take your mind off of it.”

"No thanks, Ah think Ah'll jus go home," Applebloom said dejectedly.

“Alright…” Jack said as his friend walked off. “See you tomorrow, I guess,” he added with an unenthusiastic wave.

Unbeknownst to Jack, he was being watched.

“Apple Bloom-San could be trouble,” said Sakura Blossom, as she watched from the playground.

“What do you want us to do?” asked Rumble.

"Keep Jack-Sama away from her," she answered.

July 25, 2020 AD

Ponyville Marketplace

Jack calmly strolled through the marketplace. He hadn't heard much from Apple Bloom since Tuesday and was starting to get worried. When Fluttershy told him that Apple Bloom would be helping Applejack in the marketplace, he offered to pick up an order of apples to get a chance to speak with her.

“Fluttershy said Apple Bloom would be helping with the stand today.” Jack thought to himself. “I hope she’s feeling better.”

He was nearly at the stand and could see Apple Bloom talking with her sister. It looked like they were having an argument. As he rushed towards the stand, he slammed right into a skinny pegasus colt from his class, scattering a pile of papers the colt had been carrying.

“You alright?” Jack asked the pegasus.

"I'm alright," the pegasus said as he got up and started gathering the papers.

"Let me help you with that, uh…" Jack offered, not remembering the colt's name.

"Featherweight," the colt said.

“Let me help you with that, Featherweight.”

"Thanks," Featherweight said as Jack gathered the scattered pages and handed them back.

“No need to thank me. It was my fault for not paying attention to where I was going," Jack said as he left for the apple stand. "See you around."

Applejack’s Stall

“How are you today, AJ?” Jack asked once he arrived at the stall.

"Ah'm doin' all right," said Applejack. "How 'bout you, Jack? Here tuh pick up Fluttershy’s order?”

"Yep, I heard you were letting Apple Bloom help you today," Jack said. "Where is she?"

“Apple Bloom went a little too far trying tuh bring in customers, so Ah had tuh send her away," Applejack answered.

"That's a shame. I guess I'll just pick up Fluttershy's order and be on my way then," Jack said, pulling out the pouch of bits Fluttershy gave him.

“About that...” Applejack chuckled, awkwardly avoiding eye contact.

“What's wrong?” Jack asked.

"Ah'm out of apples," Applejack admitted.

“Already? How did that happen?” Jack asked in astonishment.

Applejack explained how Apple Bloom had tried to sneak some apples into a pony’s bag to force her to buy them, and as an apology, she had given the pony all of her apples for free.

"That sucks," Jack said. "Do you know where she went? She seemed a little stressed out about the whole cutie mark thing yesterday."

"She went off tuh play with Twist," Applejack answered. "Ya jus' missed her."

"Thanks, AJ," Jack said as he handed her the bits. "I'll come back tomorrow to pick up the apples."

"Hey, Jack?" Applejack asked as the human turned to leave.

“Yeah?”

“Do you think ya could talk tuh her 'bout the whole cutie mark thing?”

“I guess I could, but I don’t know how much help I’d be, considering I’ve never had one.”

“Ya might not have a cutie mark, but ya’ve been around long enough tuh have found yer special talent, right?”

“I guess you could say that.”

"Then ya'd be the perfect one tuh talk tuh her," Applejack said. "Please, she trusts you enough to listen."

Jack pondered Applejack's request. Sure he was technically 21, at least mentally speaking, but it wasn't like he was some well of knowledge that could find the solution to any problem. He didn't know the first thing about what it was like to wait for a cutie mark. Then again, it couldn't be all that different than some other coming-of-age experience. He'd taken his sweet ass time getting a driver's license after all. Perhaps if he thought of it like that... "Sure thing, AJ," he agreed with a smile.

Down the street from Twist’s House

“I hope Bloom isn’t still worried about that whole cutie mark thing," Jack thought as he walked down the street. "Although, if she is that would explain…”

“Hey, Jack!” shouted a pegasus colt from across the street.

"Um… hi?" Jack responded, unsure as to why the colt was talking to him.

“Want to check out my Wonderbolts trading cards?” the colt asked.

“He's in my class too," Jack thought. "We've never really talked before, though. Why would he want to hang out now?”

"Check it out," the colt said as he held up a few cards. "I've got Fleetfoot, and Misty Fly, and Soarin…"

"That's cool, Randal, but I have somewhere to be right now," Jack said.

“Who’s Randal?”

“Damnit," Jack thought as he facepalmed. "What was your name again?"

"Rumble."

“Alright, Rumble, maybe some other time?” Jack offered.

"Ok," Rumble said as the human walked off.

Twist’s House

Jack arrived to find Twist already outside with a brand new cutie mark.

“Good morning, Twist," he greeted.

"Morning, Jack."

“Is Apple Bloom here?”

"No, thhe just left," answered Twist. "I think thhe'th a little down in the dumpth over not getting her cutie mark. Thhe athked me if I wanted to go to Diamond Tiara'th party with her thinthe we're both blank flankth, but…" she glanced at her cutie mark. "You know.”

“I see…” Jack said. “Do you know where she went?”

"I think thhe went back to the market."

"Thank you, Twist," Jack said. "Congrats on getting your cutie mark!"

"Thankth for notithing, Jack!" Twist said, pointing to her mark of two candy canes shaped like a heart. "I've alwayth been good at making delithiouth thweetth, but I never would have guethed that would be my talent."

"Well, I'm glad everything worked out for you," Jack said as he left.

Ponyville Market

After thirty minutes of searching the marketplace, Jack had found no trace of Apple Bloom. He was about to give up when he noticed Rainbow Dash by a tree.

"Hey, Da…!" He started

“Excuse me?” asked an English accented colt.

“What now?” Jack wondered as he gritted his teeth. “Yes?”

"I'm a little new here and don't know my way around," the colt explained. "Could you show me how to get to Sugar Cube Corner?"

“He’s that new student from Trottingham," Jack realized. "What’s with today? This is the third time in a row some kid from class I never talk to has interrupted me.” He sighed, “I’m in the middle of something right now. Why not ask someone else?”

"Well, it's just you're in my class and all, so I figured that you might be willing to help me."

“Ah don’t even know yer name,” Jack said in agitation.

"It's Pipsqueak," the colt responded. "But most ponies call me Pip."

"Listen, Pip, my friend Rainbow Dash is right over there," Jack said as he pointed across the street. "I need her help with something, so you're just going to have to ask someone else."

"But there's nopony there," Pip pointed out.

“What?” Jack asked. Looking to where he was pointing. Sure enough, Rainbow Dash was nowhere to be found. “Damnit.”

"Since your friend isn't here, do you think you might be able to help me out?" asked Pip.

“Oh, all right," Jack conceded. "It's not like I was all that likely to find her here to begin with. Besides, Diamond Tiara’s having her party at Sugarcube Corner. Bloom’s bound to show up eventually.”

Outside Sugarcube Corner

Pip had done a decent job distracting Jack, or at least he thought he had. He had prevented him from finding Apple Bloom in the market. Now he just had to keep him away.

"Here we are," Jack said as he pointed to the shop.

"Thank you, Jack," Pip said before he noticed Snips and Snails by the door. “Um, I’ll see you later!”

"See ya," Jack said as the Pinto Colt ran off.

Inside Sugarcube Corner

“Did you bring him here?” asked Snips.

"I did, but I don't really understand why Sakura wanted us to do this," Pip answered.

“Why question it, eh?” asked Snails. “If she wants something done, I say do it.”

“Where’d she go, anyway?” asked Pip.

Outside Sugarcube Corner

“The party should be starting soon," Jack thought as he looked at his phone. “She’ll probably show up soon.”

“Ano?” asked a voice from beside him.

Looking up from his phone, Jack saw the new student staring at him. "Oh, hey there. It's Sakura Blossom, right?"

“Hai!”

“YES!” Jack shouted, pumping his fist in joy. “I actually remembered someone’s name without having to ask!”

Several nearby ponies stopped what they were doing and gave him perplexed looks.

Jack's face flushed red as a tomato. "Sorry!"

"You're funny," Sakura Blossom giggled.

“You think so?” Jack asked with a nervous chuckle. “At least she doesn’t think I’m weird.”

"Hai, I do, Jack-Sama."

“What can I help you with?” Jack asked politely.

Sakura smiled. “I was just wondering if you might want to go swimming with me.”

"I'd love to, but I'm kinda waiting on someone right now," Jack explained.

“You mean that aka-maned filly from class?” Sakura Blossom asked.

"Yes," Jack confirmed. "Apple Bloom's a good friend of mine."

"I think I could be a good friend too, Jack-Sama," Sakura said, sliding a hoof down his side.

"Uh, why are you touching me?" Jack asked uncomfortably.

Sakura Blossom’s eyes began to glow. “Why don’t you forget about that blank flank and be mine instead?”

“What are you talking about?” Jack asked, face scrunched in indignation. “I don’t know much about how cutie marks work, but I don’t see any problem with not having one. So what if she hasn’t figured out what she wants to do with her life? Most humans don’t figure that out until their twenties." With a glare, he added, "and I’m not going to be yours. I'm not into ponies, and even if I was, I certainly wouldn’t date someone who makes fun of my friends.”

"We'll see about that, Jack-Sama," Sakura said as she walked away.

“Well, that was weird," Jack thought as he rechecked the time. "It looks like she’s not coming. Oh well, even if I can't hang out today, I can still crash Diamond's party. That'll be fun!"

Inside he found Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon conversing with Apple Bloom, who had a tablecloth wrapped around her flank.

“When did she get here?” Jack wondered.

“Nice outfit," Silver Spoon giggled.

“Just sumt'n Ah, uh, pulled together last minute," Apple Bloom replied.

“It really shows off your cutie mark. Oh wait, that's right; you don't have one," Diamond Tiara said smugly.

“Uh, Ah have a cutie mark," Apple Bloom said.

“What do you know, I guess there wasn’t any reason to worry after all,” Jack thought with a sigh of relief.

“Eh, what?” Silver Spoon asked in shock. “Since when?”

“Since... Um... Earlier today," Apple Bloom said as the bullies glared.

“Oh, really?” Diamond Tiara asked. “Let's see it.”

“Ah shouldn't. Ah couldn't. Mah cutie mark is so unbelievably amazing, Ah'm afraid that if I show it off, everyone will start paying attention tuh meinstead of you,” Apple Bloom explained as the bullies gave each other nervous glances. “Outshined at yer own cute-ceañera. Can you imagine how embarrassin' that would be?”

“Uh, forget it, I didn't really want to see it anyway," Diamond Tiara said.

“Ok, well, Ah'm gonna go mingle," Apple Bloom said as she walked off. “Enjoy yer party," she said with a sigh.

Unfortunately for Apple Bloom, a misplaced hoofstep resulted in her skirt ripping off as she crashed into a record player.

“Oh no," Jack cringed as he saw her now exposed to flank. The cutie mark Apple Bloom had been bragging about was nowhere to be found.

The bullies quickly honed into her predicament and closed in with smirks on their faces.

“Wow, that is an amazing cutie mark," Silver Spoon mocked.

“Nice try...” Diamond Tiara started.

“Blank flank!” they finished together, bursting into laughter.

“Hey!...” Jack started.

“You got a problem with blank flanks!?”

A couple fillies let out a gasp and moved to reveal Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle hiding under a table.

“I said, you got a problem with blank flanks?” Scootaloo asked as she and Sweetie Belle got out from under the table.

“The problem is, I mean, she's like, totally not special," Silver Spoon said.

“No, it means she's full of potential," Sweetie Belle argued as she and Scootaloo moved to Apple Bloom’s side.

“It means she could be great at anything,” said Scootaloo. “The possibilities are, like, endless," she continued mockingly.

“She could be a great scientist, or an amazing artist, or a famous writer," Sweetie Belle explained as the crowd listened intently, and the bullies glared. “She could even be mayor of Ponyville someday.”

“And she's not stuck being stuck-up like you two," Scootaloo added, eliciting laughter from the crowd.

“Hey, this is my party; why are you two on her side?” Diamond Tiara asked.

“Because...” Scootaloo said as she and Sweetie Belle turned their flanks to the bullies.

“You don't have yer cutie marks either?” Apple Bloom gasped. “Ah thought Ah was the only one.”

“She seriously never noticed she isn’t the only one in class without a cutie mark?” Jack wondered, with a sweatdrop.

“We thought we were the only two," Scootaloo said.

“I, for one, think you are three very lucky fillies," said Twilight as she walked through the cloud.

“Lucky? How can they be lucky?” asked Diamond Tiara.

“They still get to experience the thrill of discovering who they are and what they're meant to be," Twilight explained.

“And they got all the time in the world tuh figure it out, not just an afternoon," Applejack said.

The foals at the party crowded around Apple Bloom, talking about how lucky she was.

“Hey, what's everypony doing? This is my party; everypony is supposed to be paying attention to me," Diamond Tiara stated jealously.

“Maybe you shouldn’t have acted like such a bitch?” Jack offered, making his presence known.

“What are you doing here?” Diamond Tiara snapped. “I thought I told you. You aren’t welcome.”

"You did, but why should I care about that?" Jack asked as he walked towards his friends, leaving Diamond Tiara seething.

“Whatever. We still think you're a dirty ape, right, Diamond Tiara?” Silver Spoon asked before beginning their secret hoofshake. “Bump, bump, sugar... lump...”

“Shut up, Silver Spoon," Diamond Tiara hissed before she stormed off.

“Hey, Scoots, Sweets, Bloom," Jack greeted. "What's up?"

“Where’ve you been?” Apple Bloom asked. “Mah sister said ya went looking fer me hours ago.”

"It's a long story," Jack sighed. "But I'm here now, and I'm glad you're feeling better."

A few minutes later

Jack, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle sat around a table as the party continued.

“So Ah was thinking, now that we're all friends... Ah mean, we are all friends now, right?” asked Apple Bloom.

“How could we not be? We're totally alike. We don't have cutie marks, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon drive us crazy…” Scootaloo answered.

“Totally crazy!” Sweetie Belle agreed.

“Well, now that we're friends, what if the four of us work together tuh find out who we are and what we're supposed tuh be?” asked Apple Bloom.

“Ooh! Ooh! We could form our own secret society," Sweetie Belle agreed.

“I'm liking this idea," Scootaloo said.

"Yeah, it sounds like fun," Jack concurred.

“A secret society," Applebloom repeated. “Yeah. We need a name for it, though.”

“The Cutie Mark Four?” offered Scootaloo.

“The Cutastically Fantastics?” offered Sweetie Belle.

"The Fantastic Four?" Jack said jokingly as Pinkie Pie stood behind the counter furiously pointing to a sign with TM written in bold red letters.

“How about... The Cutie Mark Crusaders?” Apple Bloom offered.

“It's perfect!” Scootaloo agreed.

“This is gonna be so great!” said Sweetie Belle.

“We're gonna be unstoppable!” Apple Bloom exclaimed.

Jack chuckled at the fillies’ enthusiasm and grabbed a cupcake from a nearby counter. “Just like old times," he thought, remembering the Circle of Bros. He took a bite out of his cupcake, spitting it out almost immediately. “Ewww! These are burnt.”

"Sorry about that," Apple Bloom blushed. "Ah tried tuh get mah cutie mark makin' cupcakes with Pinkie Pie but…"

"It's fine," Jack said. "If there's anyone to blame, it's Pinkie Pie for putting them out. I just need something to get the taste out of my mouth."

“Why don’t we go see if there are any cookies?” asked Sweetie Belle.

"Great idea," Jack agreed.

Everfree Forest

Her spell having failed to enthrall Jack, Oni-Hime was now forced to inform her father of her lack of success. Returning to the pool in the forest, she cast the spell to contact Blutknochen. “I have run into a bit of a problem, Otō-San."

“Und was would das be?” Blutknochen asked impatiently.

"My Yūwaku no Noroi won't work on Jack-Sama."

"Das ist ein problem," Blutknochen agreed. "Keep watching him. I'm sure if you observe him enough, you’ll be able to win Herr Jager over without your curse. Und if nicht, we can always take him by force."

Oni-Hime bowed. “Hai, Otō-San.”

Author's Note

Sorry this took longer than usual. With the new semester starting up, I've had less time to write.
Next Time: After a lesson on the foundation of Equestria, the Cutie Mark Crusaders decide to get their cutie marks in founding a country. With permission from their legal guardians, Twilight agrees to take the crusaders to Charleston. Unknown to them, they aren't the only ponies in the Lowcountry.

Chapter 19: The First Crusade (Last Edited: 7/28/2022)

July 28, 2020

Ponyville School

Having finished Ponyville Fables and Stables on Monday with a quiz, today Jack's class was set to begin learning about Equestria's foundation. As a history buff, Jack had already taken the time to read several books on Equestrian history that Twilight had lent him. Quite fascinating really. Not nearly as gory and horrific as human history, but there were still plenty of conflicts to make for a fascinatingly complex narrative. Not nearly as being the key phrase, there were still a good deal of historical atrocities to study, if one knows where to read.

“Good morning, everypony," Cheerilee said.

"Good morning, Miss Cheerilee," the class responded.

"Today, we begin our studies of Equestrian history," Cheerilee began, flipping her easel to a diagram depicting an earth pony, a pegasus, and a unicorn situated at the points of an upside-down triangle. "Before Equestria's founding, there were three tribes of ponies." She pointed to the bottom point of the triangle depicting an earth pony tending the land. "The Earth Ponies were an agricultural tribe that tended to the land and grew all the food." She then pointed to the right point depicting a pegasus moving a cloud. "The Pegasi were a militaristic tribe that controlled the weather in exchange for a share of the Earth ponies' crops. They were not alone in their desire for the Earth Ponies' food," Cheerilee continued, pointing to the left point, which depicted a unicorn raising the sun. "In exchange for their own share, the unicorn tribe used its academic prowess and magic power to raise and lower the sun and moon."

Jack diligently took notes as Cheerilee continued.

"While the three tribes relied on each other to survive, their relationship was always tense. The Unicorns thought of their neighbors as dumb, the Pegasi thought of their neighbors to be weak, and the Earth Ponies felt the other two more prosperous tribes were exploiting them," Cheerilee explained. "This delicate peace was doomed to fall apart. Can anypony tell me what event eventually brought the tribes into conflict?"

Jack raised his hand alongside Sweetie Belle, Silver Spoon, and Sakura Blossom.

"Jack," Cheerilee called.

“A herd of windigos created a blizzard that covered the land in snow, preventing the Earth Ponies from growing any food," Jack answered.

"Correct," Cheerilee said with a smile as she flipped the easel to a picture of three windigos in the sky overlooking a dark snow-blanketed landscape. "Now, this wasn't just any blizzard. It was so intense that it blocked out the Sun, and the Pegasi found themselves unable to stop it. After a week of fighting, a summit was held between the tribe leaders. Can anypony name the leaders of the tribes?"

The same group of students as before volunteered to answer.

"Sakura Blossom," Cheerilee called.

“Chancellor Puddinghead was the leader of the Earth Pony Tribe, Commander Hurricane led the Pegasi Tribe, and Princess Platinum ruled over the Unicorn Tribe," Sakura answered.

"Excellent!" Cheerilee praised before continuing with her lecture. "Unfortunately, the summit was rather unproductive. Commander Hurricane accused the Earth Ponies of hoarding food, Chancellor Puddinghead accused the Pegasi of causing the blizzard, and Princess Platinum took offense when Commander Hurricane claimed the unicorns caused the blizzard with magic. With the blizzard showing no signs of stopping, the three tribes had no other choice than to move," Cheerilee continued, flipping to a map of prehistoric Equestria on her easel. "On December 25, 691 BYP, the three tribes arrived at their new home. However, they weren't keen on sharing and soon began fighting again. The hatred expressed by the tribes attracted the windigos, which unleashed the same blizzard onto the new land. As the land froze, the tribes' leaders retreated into a cave with their assistants," she continued. "Can anypony tell me the assistants' names?”

The same students raised their hand/hooves again.

"Silver Spoon," Cheerilee called.

"Commander Hurricane's assistant was Private Pansy. Chancellor Puddinghead's assistant was Smart Cookie, and Princess Platinum's assistant was Clover the Clever," Silver Spoon answered.

"Wonderful," Cheerilee beamed. "While in the cave, the leaders continued to argue with each other until they froze over. However, their assistants ended up making friends. Clover the Clever identified the windigos as the blizzard's source, and just as she and the other assistants were about to freeze over, something magical happened. The bonds of friendship that they had forged channeled through Clover's horn and drove the windigos away, thawing out the land in the process. The three tribes agreed to unify, and they named the new nation Equestria," Cheerilee finished. "Can anypony tell me what holiday commemorates this event?"

Again the same group of students volunteered to answer.

"Sweetie Belle," Cheerilee called.

"Hearths Warming," Sweetie Belle answered.

"Correct," Cheerilee said. “I’m glad to see you’ve all been paying attention to the textbook assignment.”

"Oh, please," Diamond Tiara scoffed. "Everypony knows the Hearths Warming story."

The rest of the day's class time was spent on small group readings of the textbook.

Hay Burger

2 hours later

Once class was over, Apple Bloom suggested that the Cutie Mark Crusaders meet at the Hay Burger to discuss ideas for getting the fillies their cutie marks.

The Hay Burger was one of the more popular restaurants in Ponyville. The layout was very much like an American fast food restaurant, except constructed with material from the Middle Ages. As was common in Ponyville, the roof was thatched from straw the walls were constructed from brightly painted wood. Jack and the Crusaders sat around one of the many round wooden tables inside.

“So, what do you guys think we should try next?” asked Scootaloo.

"Ah don't know, but Ah think we can safely say that spyin' ain't our special talent," Apple Bloom shuddered.

“I never want to see a balloon again!” Sweetie Belle agreed.

"What was Pinkie Pie even doing?" asked Scootaloo. "Hey, Jack, you knew what she was doing, right?"

“I thought we agreed to never speak of it again,” Jack replied, desperately trying to shut the conversation down.

“But…” Scootaloo started.

"No buts!" Jack exclaimed. "We're not talking about it."

“Ooh, I know!" Sweetie Belle said. "You know how we learned about the founding of Equestria today?”

“Yeah, but how will that help us get our cutie marks?” asked Scootaloo.

“Why don’t we start our own country?” Sweetie Belle suggested.

“A country startin' cutie mark?" Apple Bloom said thoughtfully. "That could work!”

"I can use Rarity's sewing equipment to make a flag," Sweetie Belle said.

“Oh, I’ll write the national anthem!” Scootaloo exclaimed excitedly.

“We can call it the Crusader Kingdom!” Apple Bloom said excitedly.

“That’s nice and all, but where do you intend to set up this country?” asked Jack. “It’s not like we can just plant a flag somewhere and claim it.”

The Crusaders gave him confused looks. “What do you/ya mean?”

"To create a country, you'd need some land that isn't owned by another country," Jack explained.

“Where would we find that?” asked Scootaloo.

“Well… I’m going on a trip to the Lowcountry with Twi tomorrow," Jack said thoughtfully. "If you get permission, she'll probably let y'all come with us."

“You mean we could actually go to your homeland?” Scootaloo asked.

"Yeah," Jack responded.

The Crusaders looked at each other and hopped out of their seats. "Cutie Mark Crusaders, country founders! Yay!" they exclaimed as they rushed out the door.

"Oh sure, leave me with the bill, why don't you," Jack muttered as they left.

Sitting at a table to the right of him, Rumble watched as Jack begrudgingly paid his bill.

July 29, 2020

Outside Golden Oak Library

Twilight watched as her balloon filled with hot air. She didn't usually handle the takeoff preparations, as Cherry Berry was in charge of Ponyville's balloon traffic. Being on the Royal Court, it wasn't unheard of for the aeronaut to neglect her job in Ponyville to attend meetings. However, in an average month, the court would only meet once or twice to discuss issues of the utmost importance. The record for most meetings a year was 84, during the height of the Pony-Changeling War. The past two weeks had been unprecedented in Equestrian History. The Royal Court had had no less than 12 meetings, and as a result, the representatives hadn't had any time for their other careers.

"Ok," Twilight panted. "I think it’s ready.”

"Great job, Twilight!" Spike complimented. "We better hurry up and pack. They'll be here any minute."

Ponyville Residential District

To Jack's surprise, all three of the Crusaders had gotten permission to go to the Lowcountry.

“So, what’s the Lowcountry like?” asked Scootaloo as they walked to the library.

"Humid," Jack responded.

“What kinda critters live there?” Apple Bloom asked.

"Mosquitos, alligators, deer, mosquitos..." Jack listed.

"You said mosquitos twice," Sweetie Belle pointed out.

"I know," Jack chuckled. “There are just that many of them.”

“It doesn't sound all that pleasant," Sweetie Belle noted.

"Come on, this is my home we're talking about," Jack replied with playful indignation.

"I'm so sorry I didn't mean to insult your home," Sweetie Belle quickly apologized.

Jack burst into laughter. "Don't worry about it, Sweets. No harm done. We're going to Charleston, one of the most beautiful cities in the world."

"Oh, really?" asked Scootaloo. "What's so great about it?"

“Where do I even begin? There’s Fort Sumter, where the Civil War began. Rainbow Row has the most beautiful houses. Some of the most influential people in the Lowcountry are buried at Magnolia Cemetary.”

"Wow, Charleston sounds pretty great." Apple Bloom said. "Ah can't wait tuh see it fer mahself."

Outside Golden Oak Library

3 minutes later

“Hey, Twilight, they're here!" Spike shouted as Jack and the Crusaders arrived.

“I’ll be right there!” Twilight shouted from inside the library. "Help them with their bags, please!"

"Got it!" Spike responded as he grabbed Jack's bag.

“Thanks, Spike," Jack said. "Let me help you get the girls' bags."

Once all the bags were neatly stacked in the basket. Twilight came out with several large notebooks. "Alright, everypony, let's go." She hopped in the balloon, and they lifted off as Spike waved goodbye.

Unknown to them, they were being watched. Seeing Twilight's balloon taking off, Oni-Hime took off in the direction of the hangar.

Sky over Charleston Harbor

5 Hours Later

Having read about the Earth’s jet streams in a book, Twilight had wondered if similar air currents existed on Equus. After a few weeks of experimentation, she discovered at least one such stream that could be used for fast balloon travel between Ponyville and the Lowcountry so long as a spell could be cast to allow ponies to breathe at those altitudes. As a result, the balloon trip that would typically take well over half a day, even with a skilled pegasus to pull, had been cut to a mere 5 hours.

As they floated over the harbor, Jack noted the Arthur Ravanel Jr. Bridge leading from Charleston to Mount Pleasant, USS Yorktown permanently anchored at Patriots Point along with the Laffey and Clamagore, the batteries of Fort Moultrie on Sullivans Island. A small Equestrian Navy survey shipped anchored at the harbor's mouth, and just a little ways into the harbor a small artificial island with a pentagon-shaped fort. "Take us down to that island near the mouth of the harbor," he instructed.

The balloon slowly descended before landing with a thud by the flag pole, which Twilight promptly tied it to.

"Welcome to Fort Sumter," Jack said as he hoisted himself out of the basket.

“Oh, cool!" Scootaloo said as she ran over to a massive cannon. "Check it out, girls!"

“So, what’s the history behind this place?” asked Twilight.

"About 160 years ago, America was on the verge of Civil War," Jack explained as Twilight began taking notes. "The northern half of the country was industrialized and relied heavily on poorly paid but free laborers. The South, on the other hand, was mostly agricultural and was dominated by plantations that used slave labor. In 1860, a man named Abraham Lincoln was elected president on the promise of preventing the spread of slavery. The southern states were suspicious of Lincoln's intentions, thinking he might ban slavery entirely. As a result, many seceded from the Union. My state, South Carolina, was the first. Even after secession, United States troops remained garrisoned at Fort Sumter, despite being told to leave by the southerners. Eventually, southern troops opened fire on the fort, beginning the Civil War."

"Fascinating," Twilight replied.

"Hey, Jack, come help us raise the flag!" shouted Apple Bloom.

“I’ll be right there!” Jack called. “There are plenty of bookstores in the city if you'd like to learn more," he told Twilight.

The flag Sweetie Belle had designed was red with a blue badge in the center containing a yellow outline of a caped foal.

"Wow, that's pretty good," Jack complimented.

"Thanks," Sweetie Belle said with a blush. "You really think it's good? I mean, it's nothing compared to what Rarity makes."

"It looks great, Sweets," Jack earnestly repeated. "If I didn't know you had made it, I would have assumed it was Rare's work." Patting her head, he said, "don't sell yourself short."

Sweetie Belle's snow-white face turned red as a ruby, as her heart pounded like a drum. "Th-thank y... I mean, I.... you really think..."

“All right, let’s raise the flag!” Scootaloo interrupted.

The Crusaders eagerly watched as Jack lowered the Stars and Stripes and raised their new banner in its place.

"Ah, now officially christen this here fort, Crusader Castle," Apple Bloom announced. "This castle will serve as our headquarters in the Crusaders Kingdom of the Lowcountry. In celebration, Scootaloo will now sing our national anthem."

Scootaloo nervously shuffled her hooves. “Well, uh, about that…”

“Did ya forget tuh write it?” asked Apple Bloom.

“No," Scootaloo said meekly as she pulled out a sheet of paper. “It’s just…”

“Just what?” asked Apple Bloom as she snatched the paper.

"Hey, give that back!" Scootaloo exclaimed.

“No way!” giggled Apple Bloom as she took off with the sheet.

For the next few minutes, Scootaloo chased Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle as they played a game of keep-away with Scootaloo's lyrics. After being passed back and forth between her friends, Scootaloo's lyrics wound in Jack's hands.

“We’re going to walk the walk like a celery stalk?” Jack questioned as he read the lyrics on the paper. “Maybe we should just skip the national anthem,” he said, handing the sheet back to Scootaloo.

“You didn’t read it, did you?” Scootaloo asked awkwardly.

“Of course not," Jack lied.

Soon after the commotion had stopped, Twilight joined Jack and the Crusaders at the flagpole. "We're going to be here for twenty more minutes, and then we're going to head into the city."

The Crusaders spent their time exploring every nook and cranny of the fort. When the twenty minutes were up, they got back into the balloon and flew into Charleston. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed their time in the city. Sweetie Belle adored the colorful houses of Rainbow Row, Scootaloo gawked at the sheer size of the ships at Patriots Point, Apple Bloom enjoyed exploring Charles Towne Landing, and Twilight eagerly absorbed all the knowledge she could from the Charleston Museum.

Magnolia Cemetery

By the time they reached the cemetery, there were only about two hours of daylight left. Twilight had found an empty house for the group to spend the night at, and they had dropped off their luggage.

As they toured the graveyard, I thought came to Jack's mind. He would never have even considered it if he hadn't been pulled into Equus, but now he had business here. "You guys wait here," Jack said as they stopped by a pyramid-shaped tomb. "There's something personal I need to take care of.”

"Ok," Twilight said confusedly as Jack ran off.

“What do you think he’s doing?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“Ah don't know, but he said it was personal," Apple Bloom noted.

"Who cares? Let's check out that tomb," Scootaloo said, eagerly pointing to a nearby mausoleum.

As the Crusaders rushed off to explore, Twilight sensed strange magic. "What is that?” She shivered as an uncomfortable chill ran down her spine. Before she had any time to think, she heard three terrified shrieks from the neighboring tomb.

Realizing the fillies could be in trouble, Twilight rushed to their aid. However, after only three steps, she felt something cold and moist clamp down on her rear left leg, stopping her in her tracks. Looking to see what was grabbing her, Twilight let out a horrified scream. Firmly gripping her leg was a slimy, skeletal hand.

Twilight teleported a few feet away and looked back to see a human skeleton bursting its way out of the ground as it slowly became enveloped by dark grey flesh. Looking around, she could see several other corpses rising from the dirt. She didn't know what was happening and had no time to figure it out as the Crusaders' screams could still be heard in the other tomb. “I’m coming, girls!” she shouted as the corpses surrounded her.

As the reanimated humans closed in, Twilight noticed there was only one between her and the tomb. Unleashing a purple blast from her horn, she felled the corpse and rushed to aid the terrified Crusaders. Entering the tomb, she found the fillies cowering inside a small crevice as several corpses tried to pry them out.

“TWILIGHT!” Sweetie Belle screamed, desperate for aid.

“Don’t worry, girls, I’ll be right there!” Twilight shouted.

Looking around for anything useful, her eyes locked on a loose slab of stone in the wall above the group of walking corpses. Her horn glowed again, and the slab broke from the wall, crushing the cadavers with an audible crunch. Grabbing the Crusaders, she turned to rush out of the mausoleum. "There's still a bunch of those things out there! she remembered. "I could teleport directly to the house but... her heart sank. "Jack's still out in the cemetery somewhere!

The corpses from outside were already swarming into the tomb and leaving Twilight with no choice but to make a quick decision. With a flash, she teleported herself and the Crusaders onto the mausoleum's roof, where she could see no less than fifty corpses had amassed around the structure.

She didn't know where Jack had gone off to, but it was clear to Twilight that the only way out was to fight. She let loose a volley of magic blasts at the crowd, taking out seven at once before teleporting down and telekinetically launching two more into a gravestone and teleporting again to avoid a swipe from another corpse.

Two Minutes Later

Twilight had managed to cut the zombie's numbers in half. Not without injury, unfortunately, a well-timed bite had her bleeding from her shoulder. Even so, she was prepared to fight on. Or she would be if it weren't for one thing. The corpses that had been attacking her were just standing there. “Why’d they stop?”

“Molto bene,” said a dry voice from behind her. “It’s quite clear my revenants are no match for you.”

Twilight turned around to see a skinny white unicorn stallion staring at her. Everything about him was off-putting, his lack of a mane, the patches of missing fur on his flank, his skull cutie mark, but most of all, his blank, lifeless eyes.

“Who… Who are you?” Twilight trembled.

“Mi chiamo, Morte," he introduced. "Twilight Sparkle, I presume. I wonder what Celestia's precious student's life is worth?" he questioned as his horn and eyes flashed dark grey.

“What are you…” Twilight started. She let out an agonized scream as she was overcome with a sensation on her flanks like her flesh was being dissolved in acid. Turning her neck to certain the source of the pain, she let out a cry of pure horror as she saw the flesh around her cutie marks slowly decompose.

"It's a shame you and I crossed paths today," Morte said. "You could have lived your remaining few years in peace, but unfortunately, I can't let you leave now that you've seen my little heresy," he continued before pausing to think. "Or perhaps you should thank me. If you're dead, you won't have to watch Blutknochen kill your amiche, uno per uno.”

Civil War Veterans Section: Magnolia Cemetery

8 minutes earlier

Jack stared at the grave in front of him, his expression dark with scorn.

Corporal

Svan Fredrik Jager

Battery Wagner

CSA

May 16, 1837

July 22, 1924

"No apologists to protect you now," Jack muttered disdainfully.

“Why are you here, Jack?” asked a voice in his head.

“Justice!" Jack spat. "This guy was a member of the KKK. He literally bragged to my great grandfather about lynching someone, and yet here he is, memorialized like some fucking war hero."

“He’s been dead for almost 100 years," the voice pointed out. "What are you going to do, knock over his grave?”

“Yes.”

“And what good will that do?" the voice asked. "It won’t undo what he did. Why does this even matter to you?”

"BECAUSE HE'S THE ONE PERSON IN MY FAMILY WHO WAS OBJECTIVELY WORSE THAN ME!"

“So that’s what this is about," The voice said. "Pinkie’s therapy session wasn’t as helpful as it seemed.”

“SO, WHAT!”

"The past is the past. No actions done in the present will change it," the voice answered. “This won’t make you feel better about yourself. Only time can do that.

Jack took a few deep breaths and thought about what he was doing. "The past is the past, huh? Maybe...

A skeletal arm burst from the ground below him.“HOLY SHIT!” Jack exclaimed, jumping back a good two feet.

The revenant of Svan Jager burst out in front of Jack and was soon enveloped in moist, dark grey flesh. Once it was fully enwrapped in skin, Svan's corpse lurched forward, prompting Jack to pull out his Glock.

"St-stay back," Jack stammered, shakily aiming at Svan's stomach. "I-I'm warning you!"

The reanimated Confederate lunged, and in a panic, Jack fired a single shot into its gut. Svan's corpse staggered from the impact. Looking down, it briefly examined the small slimy bullethole in its gut. With a dry hiss, it lunged a second time, mouth wide open showing its yellow teeth.

Jack just about threw up in his mouth. The smell was like that of an expired ham left to rot in a trashcan. “What is this?” he wondered. “It can’t be,” he thought, aiming for Svan’s head.

Jack pulled the trigger, and with a bang, Svan's corpse fell to the ground, never to move again. "A Confederate zombie?" Jack questioned. "Well, at least it wasn't a Nazi zombie. That would just be too cliché," he chuckled to himself.

He didn’t have much of a chance to enjoy his joke, as it wasn’t long before revenants began to pop out from the other graves. Realizing he didn’t have enough bullets to handle every Confederate veteran in the cemetery, Jack made a tactical decision to retreat to the mausoleums. As he pushed his way through, he found that the Confederates weren’t the only corpses to rise from the dead. Several zombies rapidly blocked his path. However, these corpses seemed uninterested in him and simply stood in place.

Magnolia Cemetery: Mausoleums

Twilight could barely stand anymore. She wanted more than anything to fight back, but the pain was so great that she couldn't use her magic. Her flesh and organs were slowly but surely degrading to mush.

“Don’t worry, Signorina Sparkle. It will all be over soon," Morte said emotionlessly. "If it's of any comfort, your life won't be wasted. The years you have left on your natural lifespan will be added to my own. In a certain sense, you might say you'll live on through me."

The Crusaders watched in horror from the mausoleum's roof as Twilight rotted alive.

“TWILIGHT!” Scootaloo shouted before Apple Bloom, and Sweetie Belle covered her mouth.

“Are you crazy!?” Sweetie Belle asked quietly.

“We need to help her!” Scootaloo exclaimed.

“How do ya 'spect us tuh do that?” asked Apple Bloom. “We’re jus' foals!”

“I… You’re right,” Scootaloo conceded.

While the Crusaders were having their argument, Twilight finally collapsed from the pain.

"I wish you un pleasant journey to the afterlife," Morte said as he crept toward's Twilight's defenseless form. "Say…"

There was a deafening bang, and Morte felt the bone in his front right leg shatter. The pain wasn't enough to stop him from moving, but it broke his concentration on Twilight. Looking down, he could see a hole in his leg that was leaking a putrid green substance he recognized as his own blood. Scanning the graveyard, his blank white eyes locked onto Jack pointing his Glock at him.

“Grande errore, umano!” Morte spat, showing emotion for the first time since this encounter began. "MORIRE!" he howled as he charged his horn.

“Yameru!" Oni-Hime telepathically screamed. "You know Otō-san wants Jack-sama alive."

“If I let them live, our plans will be exposed," Morte argued.

"Without Jack-Sama, there is no plan," Oni-Hime countered. "You've had plenty of time to raise your army. Stand down."

“Come vuoi," Morte conceded. "Considerati fortunato, umano!" he shouted as his body disintegrated into an ashy powder, which blew away in the breeze.

Once Morte had vanished, Jack rushed to where Twilight was lying on the ground. "Are you alright?" he asked.

"No," Twilight said weakly. "Get the girls. We need to get out of here."

Jack helped the Crusaders down from the mausoleum, and together they helped Twilight to her feet.

“She needs a doctor.” Jack thought. “I can’t exactly pilot the balloon, but what if I…”

“There was a survey vessel just outside the harbor,” Jack remembered aloud. “If we can find a boat, I can get us to the ship.”

Pershing Street

Jack and the Crusaders had escorted the injured Twilight to a nearby intersection where Jack hopped to find something useful. Parked neatly on the side of the road was a white Ford Ranger with its windows down. "Jackpot!" Jack thought. Shifting through a pair of pants in the driver's seat, he fished out a key and opened the truck’s doors.

"I'm going to need some help with this, girls," Jack said as he walked to the back of the truck. "Bloom, Scoots, help me lift Twilight into the back!" he requested as he opened the gate.

Once Twilight was safely in the back of the truck, Jack instructed Apple Bloom and Scootaloo to keep an eye on her. He then requested Sweetie Belle follow him to the front.

“You see those plastic things on the floor?” Jack asked.

"Yes," Sweetie Belle answered.

"When I say now, I need you to press down on the right one just a little bit."

"Ok," Sweetie Belle agreed, not entirely sure why she was being asked to do this.

Jack inserted the key into the ignition, and the truck sputtered to life. Shifting gear into reverse, he shouted, "Now!"

Sweetie Belle did as she was told, only she pressed a little too hard, and the truck shot out of the parking space.

In the back, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo were flung into the open utility box.

“PRESS THE LEFT ONE!” Jack shrieked.

Sweetie Belle did as instructed, and the Ranger stopped abruptly, and the utility box slammed shut.

"Ok," Jack sighed as he shifted gears to drive. "Let's try this again."

In what was without question the most terrifying drive of his life, Jack wove between the car crashes that littered Charleston's streets as Sweetie Belle did her best to follow his instructions on the pedals.

As terrifying as it was for him, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo had it far worse. Neither had been hurt beyond a massive bruise on Apple Bloom's right flank and a black eye on the part of Scootloo, but the utility box was pitch black, and every bump came as a complete surprise.

Twilight's size kept her from being flung around as easily as the crusaders, but the constant bumps and jolts were not helping her condition in the slightest.

"LEFT PEDAL, NOW!" Jack shouted in terror as they approached several crashed tractor-trailers.

The truck skidded to a stop, and with Jac's steering, they narrowly missed the crashed big rigs. Clasping his hands together he prayed, "dear God, thank you for delivering us in one piece. Looking down, he noticed they were missing a mirror. "Mostly."

Cooper River Marina

5 Minutes Later

Jack pulled the Ranger into the boat landing. There were plenty of boats to choose from, to Jack's relief. Including one that was already in the process of being loaded into a boat trailer. It would just need to be detached.

He and Sweetie Belle hopped out of the truck and went to help Scootaloo and Apple Bloom unload Twilight. To their shock, the other two Crusaders were nowhere to be found.

"Oh, God! Please tell me they didn't fall out! Jack pleaded internally as his heart began to race.

"Hello?" called a voice from the utility box. "Is anypony there?"

It was Apple Bloom. Jack wasted no time opening the box and freeing the two fillies. Once they had gotten over the shock, they all helped Twilight out of the truck and into the boat. Jack picked up a key from the boat's console while the girls detached the boat from the trailer, and they were off.

They reached the harbor's mouth 20 minutes later, and Jack used the boat's emergency air horn to signal the ship. Once they were aboard, they were greeted by the ship's commander, a burly earth pony with an anchor cutie mark named Ballast Hoof. Once Jack finished explaining what had happened, Ballast Hoof ordered his crew to make for Baltimare immediately.

“Get Miss Sparkle to the infirmary and send a letter to Princess Celestia explaining the situation!” Ballast Hoof ordered before turning to Jack. “It’ll take us three days to reach Baltimare at top speed, but It’s the closest port.”

Author's Note

Whew, that took a while. I'm not entirely sure how this chapter went. Do you guys think I should have split this chapter in two and had one focus on the Crusaders in Charleston and the other focusing on the Morte fight? I also feel like the ending was rushed, but that's something I'll probably just edit to my satisfaction at a later date.
Next Time: Upon their arrival in Baltimare, Twilight is rushed to a state-of-the-art medical facility in Canterlot while Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy, and Scootaloo's aunts arrive to take Jack and the Crusaders home. However, a guard stops Jack and Fluttershy as they leave Baltimare and informs them that Jack has been requested in the Capital.

Fluttershy's Diary #1 (Last Edited: 2/9/2021)

Author's Note

Since I won't be able to meet my usual 1-2 week deadline, I decided to do something a little different. The real chapter will be out by next Sunday. I hope.

Fluttershy's Diary #1 (Last Edited: 2/9/2021)

July 31, 2020

Dear Diary,

After we rescued Jack's turtles from his car, I noticed they seemed to be far more aggressive than most of the turtles I take care of. I know the poor darlings hadn't eaten for a while, and the water they had been swimming in was filthy, but the constant fighting was unacceptable.

After a few days, they calmed down, but recently two of them, Ruby and Emerald (who are both male red-eared sliders,) have begun to fight again. At first, I wasn't sure of the cause, but now it's become clear they are competing over Amber (Jack's female yellow-bellied slider.) I hope to resolve this issue soon because poor little Diamond (Jack's male map turtle) has been terrified for days. In the meantime, I plan on separating Ruby and Emerald until they're ready to work things out.

Earlier today, I received a letter that somepony attacked Twilight and Jack while they were in the Lowcountry. Jack's been summoned to begin military training. I know he can handle himself, but I can't help worrying. That being said, I'm even more worried about Twilight. She got hurt really bad, and they're sending her to a hospital in Canterlot. Thankfully, Jack and his school friends are fine. I'm sure Rarity and Applejack received a similar letter. I think I'll go see how they're doing.

Chapter 53: In the End (Last Edited 7/27/2022)

November 5, 2021

Jack’s Mind

Jack sat, drowning in a sea of betrayal, regret, and self-loathing. He was vaguely aware of Jade Jack manipulating his outside body, but he’d lost the will to care. Emerald Jack on the other hand was harder to ignore.

“So that’s it, huh?” Emerald Jack asked. “You’re just going to give up and let him destroy everything?”

“They lied to me,” Jack said blankly. “Celestia said she could get me home to my friends and family. Sakura said she was my friend. She just wanted to use me for Blutknochen’s plans. I don’t even think Sakura Blossom is her real name. All those things she told me about her past were… she was using me.”

“HE’S GOING TO KILL THE PEOPLE YOU CARE ABOUT!” Emerald Jack screamed.

“The people I care about are already dead,” Jack responded. “They died and I never got to tell them I was sorry. Just like Chase. Just like Longbow. They all had to die while I got to live.”

“Don’t….”

“Give it a rest!” Jade Jack sneered. “I won, you lost! Get over it!”

Canterlot Castle: South Tower Ruins

As the Mane Six rushed into battle Celestia let loose a volley of magic which shred most of the flytraps in their path.

“Thanks, Princess!” Twilight called back to her.

“Don’t thank her yet!” Applejack cried. “We got stragglers!”

A 20-foot-tall beast of a fly trap reared up and lunged at them. Just as it was opening its mouth to snap them up it inhaled a volley of confetti. Straightening up it wretched and gagged trying to dislodge the foreign objects from its throat.

“I’ll take care of this one, girls!” Pinkie cried, bravely brandishing one of her party cannons.

Nopony knew where the cannon came from, but even Twilight knew there were more important things to worry about and they pushed through.

“There are more ahead!” Rainbow Dash reported.

Indeed, one of the flytraps was already bearing down on them. However, when it tried to open its mouth, it found it had been sewn shut.

“I’ll handle this one!” Rarity declared.

The others rushed forward about 15 meters before another flytrap snapped at them. It would have taken off Twilight’s head had Applejack not caught it with her lasso.

“Ya’ll go on ahead!” Applejack hollered.

They were approaching the trunk when three flytraps came at them from all sides. They clamped onto the shield Twilight put up, leaving trails of green drool dripping down the sides. With a burst of magic, they were knocked back.

“Go!” Twilight shouted at Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy.

As Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy were only yards from their goal a final flytrap lunged from above them.

“Keep going!” Rainbow Dash shouted as she buzzed the flytrap.

Distracted by Rainbow Dash the flytrap didn’t even notice Fluttershy slip past. With no obstacles in her way, she was able to land unmolested next to Jack. Staring deep into his glowing Jade eyes Fluttershy could feel the power emanating from her element. As the other bearers fought, they could feel their own elements resonating with Fluttershy’s.

Jack’s Mind

Fluttershy’s heart pounded at the scene before her. It appeared she was in a small human settlement or rather a compact version of a medium one. There was a hospital, a school, a church, and a few houses, everything tinted in a Jade hue.

“So, you think you can take him back from me?” Jade Jack’s voice echoed. “He’s trapped in a prison of his own mind, you know. A prison you are free to share.”

“I-I’m not scared of you,” Fluttershy said.

“I doubt that,” Jade Jack chuckled, “but I’m not really the one you should be afraid of.”

“Who are you?”

Fluttershy turned to see seven figures behind her, five humans, and two ponies. The first was a brown-haired human male with glasses. The second was a bulky freckled human male with no hair to speak of. Next to him was a lanky blond human male with two devices around his ears. He was next to a muscular dirty blond-haired man. Next to him, Fluttershy assumed was a human female. She was short, slender, and had a slightly darker skin tone, and black hair. Next to her were two ponies Fluttershy recognized. Lieutenant Longbow was now famous for having given his life to save San Franciscolt, though Fluttershy knew he’d fought alongside Jack, and Sakura Blossom was one of Jack’s close friends.

“I’m Fluttershy,” the timid mare squeaked.

“What was that?” asked the human female.

“I’m Fl-Fluttershy,” she stuttered louder. “And y-you are?”

“Yuri Kagura Fujioka,” the girl answered. “March 5, 1998-June 2, 2020. Age at death 22.”

“Bryce Gunther Durkheim,” said the brown-haired man. “November 26, 1998-June 2, 2020. Age at death 21.”

“Chauncey Phelen Carney,” said the bald man. “May 11, 2000-September 21, 2019. Age at death 19.”

“Marcus Fitzgerald Jager,” said the man with devices around his ears. “January 23, 2001-June 2, 2001. Age at death 19”

“Shawn Gordon Habbers,” the muscular man answered. “April 5, 2000-June 2, 2020. Age at death 20.”

“Lieutenant Longbow,” Longbow answered. “Unknown-September 7, 2020. Age at death unknown.”

“Name unknown,” Sakura Blossom said. “Unknown-present. Age at death not applicable.”

Fluttershy was confused at all these answers, especially Sakura’s. She understood these were people from Jack’s life and it seemed odd most of them died on June the 2nd, the day he arrived in Equestria, but he should know Sakura’s age and certainly her name given how much time they spent together. “And w-what do you want?” she asked.

“Crimes of Jackson Delano Jager Jr.,” Yuri said. “Murdering my dog, thinking he had a chance with me, and outliving me.”

“Crimes of Jackson Delano Jager Jr.,” said Bryce. “Destroying my family and outliving me.”

“Crimes of Jackson Delano Jager Jr.,” said Chase “Abandoning me while I suffered with brain cancer and outliving me.”

“Crimes of Jackson Delano Jager Jr.,” said Mark. “Being a poor excuse for an older brother and outliving me.”

“Crimes of Jackson Delano Jager Jr.,” said Shawn. “Being a horrible person and outliving me.”

“Crimes of Jackson Delano Jager Jr.,” said Longbow. “Putting Equestria in the crosshairs of the Elements of Chaos and failing to save me.”

“Crimes of Jackson Delano Jager Jr.,” said Sakura. “Being a gullible simp who actually thought I might care about him.”

“GUILTY! GUILTY! GUILTY ON ALL CHARGES!” they chanted.

“Stop!” Fluttershy shouted. “You’re wrong about Jack! He’s kind, caring, smart, and would never harm a hair on anypony’s head if he could avoid it!”

“He’s guilty!” Bryce shouted.

“Guilty! Guilty!” the others chanted as they closed in on Fluttershy.

“S-stay back,” Fluttershy stammered backing into a corner.

“Guilty!” they groaned.

“I said STAY BACK!” Fluttershy said with a piercing glare. One by one the figures disintegrated. “I-I need to find him.”

“He’s over here!” said a voice in her head. One of the houses was illuminated in an emerald glow. “Hurry! There isn’t much time!”

There was something trustworthy about the voice. Fluttershy didn’t know what, but she could tell that much. She arrived at the house without any resistance, but when she reached for the doorknob….

“I won’t let you go in there.”

Turning over her shoulders she could see Jade Jack staring at her.

“And I won’t let you stop her!” the voice bellowed as a plum of emerald shot from the house knocking Jade Jack back. “Inside now!” it called to Fluttershy.

Gritting her teeth, Fluttershy burst inside. There in the center of the room, Jack stood gazing blankly at a wall.

“I’ve set up a barrier outside the house!” the voice called. “It won’t hold for long though. You’ll need to act fast!”

Fluttershy nodded. “Jack?” she asked.

No response.

“It’s time to go home now,” Fluttershy said soothingly. “If you just look me in the eyes we can leave.”

“I have no home,” Jack muttered.

“What do you mean?” Fluttershy asked. “You have my cottage, and when you get back to your world, you’ll have all your old friends and family waiting. You just need to give Celestia a bit more time.”

“Celestia, huh?” Jack asked. “You think she knew? I mean she had to know, right?”

“Know what?” Fluttershy asked.

“That when the Lowcountry was brought here everyone but me was left behind,” Jack answered. “The ground ripped from beneath their feet. I can’t believe it took Sakura explaining it to me for me to realize, they’re dead.”

“Sakura?” Fluttershy asked. “How…?”

“She’s with them,” Jack said. “The entire time she was one of the Elements of Chaos.”

Fluttershy’s eyes were as wide as saucers. “That can’t be right. She’s just a filly!”

“She does look it, doesn’t she,” Jack sighed. “I think she’s probably older than I am, how much I can’t say, but I assume demon ponies are long-lived.”

“If that’s true and she’s with them then maybe she was lying to you!” Fluttershy offered. “Messing with your head to get you in this state.”

“Oh, she was messing with my head alright,” Jack agreed. “But her logic was sound, there’s no way anyone could have survived such a thing. I guess this is my lot in life,” he sobbed. “All I’ve ever done is mess up the lives of everyone around me. For a while I thought coming here was a second chance. That maybe God wanted to give me an opportunity to be a better person in this world. To help you ponies out before I went home and apologized to those I’d wronged.”

A sound like that of cracking glass echoed throughout the house.

“The barrier is starting to fail!” Emerald Jack reported. “If he doesn’t snap out of it soon his negative energy will make short work of what’s left!”

“But now I see the truth,” Jack said. “If there is a God, he just has a twisted sense of humor. I was brought to this world because Blutknochen needs a human. He killed everyone I know just to bring me here at random. My being in Equestria has only served to bring him and his goons upon you. All the death and destruction they’ve caused was to get to me. It’s my fault.”

The cracking grew steadily louder.

“Hurry!” Emerald Jack called.

“But you’ve done so many wonderful things for us ponies,” Fluttershy said. “I mean you….”

“I’ve heard it before, Flutters,” Jack sighed. “Everything I’ve done for you ponies has either been fixing a problem that wouldn’t exist if I was somewhere else or helping accomplish something that could have been done without me.”

The barrier shattered and the house was bathed in Jade light.

“And what does this accomplish!” Fluttershy screamed with desperate frustration. “You’re a wonderful young man. I know you can’t see it right now, but if you are. We all care for you, and I know you care for us too! If you let Jade Jack take over, you’ll only make things worse for everypony. You know what he’ll do to us, right? If you blame yourself for putting us in the Elements of Chaos’s sights, then isn’t it on you to protect us?!”

“I….” Jack started.

“A valiant effort,” Jade Jack interrupted clapping slowly. “But all for naught. I wasn’t aware the Emerald pest had any fight left in him. If had known, I would have taken care of you sooner.” A scythe of Jade energy materialized in his hand. “I’m afraid this is the end for you.”

“NO!” Jack shouted as Jade Jack raised his weapon for a strike. “I won’t let you!” The scythe was mere inches from Fluttershy’s neck when it bounced harmlessly off an Emerald barrier. “I don’t know if I’ll ever forgive myself for the harm I’ve caused others and I know so long as I can’t you’ll be poised to take over again.”

“Then why fight it?” Jade Jack scowled pressing his scythe into the barrier as hard as he could.

“Because I have friends to fight for,” Jack declared. “I put them in danger by staying with them, but I’d be putting them in even more danger by giving in to you!”

As Jack looked down at Fluttershy his eyes locked with hers and the world faded to black.

Royal Canterlot Hospital

Jack’s eyes fluttered open. He felt as if he’d been covered in a million papercuts. He could tell he was in a hospital, but He’d no idea how long he’d been out. Looking to his side he could see that the Crusaders were curled up next to him fast asleep.

Not wanting to wake them he slipped out of the bed and snuck to the door. No sooner was he outside than he found himself in the tight embrace of a familiar yellow pegasus. “Hey, Flutters,” he greeted, brushing his fingers through her mane.

“I was so worried,” Fluttershy sobbed. “When I came too you were out cold.”

“How long was I out?” Jack asked.

“It’s been weeks, dude!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed from the other side of the room.

“What?!” Jack asked his heart skipping a beat.

“That’s not the least bit funny, Rainbow Dash!” Applejack scolded.

“Agreed,” Rarity huffed. “Now is hardly the time for jokes!”

“You’ve only been out for 12 hours,” Twilight said.

“Lucky you!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed grumpily. “The rest of us didn’t get any. After last night Anypony would be jealous at how much sleep you and the Crusaders got!”

“The girls,” Jack said, “Are they?”

“They’re fine, Jack,” Twilight said. “A mare dropped them off at the hospital 7 hours ago. She told us they’d snuck into the Gala with Sakura. She also told us about what happened between you two.”

“I can’t believe she was lying to us!” Pinkie exclaimed gritting her teeth in frustration. “The Cakes welcomed her into their home, and she was working for the bad guys the whole time! When I find her, I’ll…!”

“Do any of you know where Celestia is?” Jack interrupted.

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Fluttershy asked. “I mean you already know….”

“I need to hear it from her,” Jack said with firm resolve.

Canterlot Castle: Throne Room

“Spitfire and Three Arrows are in a stable position,” Shining Armor reported to Celestia.

“I’m grateful to hear it,” Celestia said. “I don’t know what we’d do if you hadn’t shown up when you did.”

“I only wish I’d figured out what was going on sooner,” Shining Armor said. “I should have known Hoity Toity was up to something the moment he requested I take my vacation the week of the Gala.”

“And I should have realized what my nephew was up to,” Celestia said.

Before the conversation could progress, any further there was a knock on the door.

“You may enter!” Celestia called. She wasn’t the least bit surprised to see Jack walk in. “It may be best to continue this conversation another time,” she said to Shining Armor.

“As you wish,” Shining Armor said with a bow before teleporting away.

“How long have you known?” Jack asked Celestia.

“Known what?” the alicorn inquired.

“HOW LONG HAVE YOU KNOWN THAT EVERYONE I KNEW IS DEAD!!!!?”

The princess gave Jack a sad smile. “I’ve known all along. I know it’s no excuse and I should have told you from the beginning, but I thought if you found out you might lose control or worse join Blutknochen.”

“FUCK YOU!” Jack roared. “YOU HAD NO RIGHT TO KEEP THIS FROM ME!”

As he turned toward the Princess her guards moved to intercept, but Celestia raised a hoof and they backed down.

“I’ll never see them again,” Jack said quietly.

“If you need some time to yourself, I understand,” Celestia said.

“I think that would be for the best,” Jack agreed breathing heavily. “I don’t know that I’ll ever forgive you, but everything I have left in my life is here in Equestria and I’m in no position right now to protect it from Blutknochen or even myself.”

Southern Shore of Lake Canterlot

Oni-Hime had been running for almost half a day. She was starving, out of breath, and most of all dehydrated. The cool waters of the massive lake were like a gift from above and she gleefully dragged herself to the bank and gulped down as much as she could with the tenacity of a wild animal.

“Well, well, well,” she heard a voice from behind her. “I must say it’s been a while since I’ve seen somepony fail so spectacularly! You must agree, Ja?”

Oni-Hime didn’t have the strength to argue with Løgner. For now, all she was interested in was sleep and a meal. She’d worry about the consequences of her failure later.

Canterlot Main Gate

The gates still bore the stains of the previous night’s battle and served as a grim reminder for those who’d gathered there.

As Jack made his way to the balloon Celestia had made ready for him he could see the Crusaders getting a stern talking too from their sisters.

“What were you thinking Sweetie Belle?” Rarity asked. “You could have been seriously hurt!”

“That was right stupid, Apple Bloom,” Applejack scolded.

“Do you have any idea how your aunts would feel if something happened to you, Squirt?” Rainbow Dash asked.

As he reached the balloon, he found Fluttershy and Spike waiting for him.

“Do you really have to go?” Fluttershy asked.

“I do, mother,” Jack said. “It’s too dangerous for me to stay if I don’t have a way to keep Jade Jack at bay.

“I know, but you’ll take care, right?” Fluttershy asked.

“Of course,” Jack nodded.

“Any idea how long you’ll be gone?” Spike asked.

“No clue,” Jack admitted, climbing into the basket. “You gonna miss me?”

“You’re the only guy friend I have,” Spike answered. “Of course, I’m gonna miss you!”

“I’ll be back eventually,” Jack said. “Maybe see if Big Macintosh wants to hang while I’m gone.”

“I guess, but it won’t be the same,” Spike said.

“I guess not,” Jack agreed, getting ready to light the burner.

“WAIT!”

Jack had hoped not to have to say goodbye to the Crusaders, but he wasn’t surprised they’d spotted him.

“You were just going to leave without sayin’ anythin’? Apple Bloom asked.

“I’m not a big fan of goodbyes,” Jack said. “But since you’re here, I do have some things to say to you guys.”

“Like what?” Scootaloo asked.

“Never stop trying to outdo yourself, Scoots,” Jack said. “If you keep doing your best there’s not a thing in this world that will stand in your way.”

“I, uh,” Scootaloo blushed. “Thanks.”

“Never stop using that brain, Sweets,” Jack said. “It seems you were able to pick up on things no one else was even willing to consider. We’d all do well to listen to you from now on.”

“I don’t know what to say,” Sweetie Belle said, attempting to hide her face.

“Bloom,” Jack said. “You were the first pony I ever considered a friend. You’ve always had a sense that everyone deserves to be treated as equals. Never change.”

“Ah won’t!” Apple Bloom gushed.

“If you girls keep looking, I know you’ll find your marks eventually,” Jack said. “Just try not to get into too much trouble while I’m gone.”

The Crusaders nodded as the burner lit and Jack took off.

Until last night Jack had been motivated by his drive to return home. He’d fought tooth and nail for Equestria under the understanding Celestia would get him home, but in the end, none of that mattered. But all was not lost. The pain of knowing he’d never see his friends and family again was a hard burden to bear, but he’d bare it. He had new friends and family now, and he needed to get stronger to protect them.

Author's Note

Well, this brings my first story to a close. I think I did alright though I'll still be editing regularly. In unrelated news finally got my park ranger badge and I'm going to apply for a full-time ranger position so wish me luck. I've also decided to learn how to use a soldering iron so I can repair my GBA switch.

This first story is over, but the tale is far from concluded. In the sequel, I have planned we find Jack returning to Equestria having found a rather unconventional way of expressing Jade Jack. Now he must deal with the Crusader's growing affection for him, his mixed feelings regarding Oni-Hime, and the return of an old friend he thought dead. I hope ya'll enjoyed this first story enough to continue reading in Ressurection: Isekia of Equestria.