There was a shimmering instant and then we appeared in an immaculately clean hallway. Glancing around, I could see that this seemed a rather high-class place, even if I judged it on just the hallway. From the diamond patterned wallpaper to the polished floor and the elaborately carved doors: it all told me I was in a place of quality. Not that I had ever been in a spa in my life, but it at least felt like a rather high end hotel.

I didn't have much time to take it in, for as soon as we arrived two nearly identical ponies came to greet us. Obviously twins, one was pink with sky blue mane, and the other was sky blue with a pink mane. Their matching dresses were clearly oriental in design which gave me a brief mental pause.

...but why question it now?

Twilight stepped to one side and introduced me.

"Brendon, this is Aloe Vera and Lotus Blossom," she said, indicating each in turn. "They run the Ponyville Day Spa. I'll leave you in their capable hands."

"We have already prepared the herbal bath for the both of you," said Lotus Blossom. "We will lead you to separate rooms to be changed before you take your bath."

"Which will be brief!" broke in Twilight, clearly in hurry.

"We have one simple question," added Aloe Vera. "For the sake of time, will you both be bathing at the same time, or one at a time?"

"Not together!" squeaked Twilight, turning a slight shade of red. "Definitely separate!"

"Ah, we see," they added together, giving us both a knowing wink. Fluttershy and I both glanced at each other with a start, and soon we found ourselves each ushered into our rooms. As Lotus led me into mine she whispered in my ear, "Rarity is quite the talker." I found myself breaking out in a bit of a sweat as she continued. "We thought you two could have some 'quality time' together, but perhaps Ms. Sparkle's idea would save some time, yes?"

A warm feeling began spreading up my neck. "Uh, heh, yeah I guess it might." Lotus directed me to a changing screen and a stack of towels, and informed me to then proceed to a side door that would lead to the herbal bath. I politely asked for some privacy to which Lotus politely nodded. Once I was alone, I quickly undressed and wrapped a towel around my waist. I looked at the door with uncertainty. I knew what I had to do, but I wanted to have a little time to say farewell. After all, I had wanted privacy for entirely other reasons. Looking around, I soon found what I was looking for.

As soon as I walked up to the mirror, I saw the man to whom I'd come to say good-bye. He smirked at me.

"Oh come on," said my blue clone. "Are you really going to get sad over saying good-bye to yourself?"

I scratched the back of my head and grinned. "Well, kind of," I said. "Even with how annoying you've been, it has been oddly nice to talk to another human being -"

"Another human being?"

"You know what I mean! Someone who knew me. Who... I don't know... was familiar and not just another pony. I just realized after you're gone that... well, that's it. I'm alone."

"You're still alone," Blue added, a little gently. "And at the same time, you're not alone at all."

"Yeah. Well, I'm no good at this."

"No, you're not."

"And neither are you."

"True dat, yo."

"Don't say that."

"Hey, that's wiggety wiggety whack."

I couldn't help it and burst out laughing. "God that's so stupid."

"Well, so is getting choked up about saying farewell to me. You're all over the place! Literally."

I started at that. "Wait, what do you mean?"

Blue scratched under his nose and looked thoughtful. "Well, we both know that some piece of you is in this Evil Thing that's invaded Ponyland along with you."

I looked down. "Yeah, I've tried not to think too much about that."

"Which is why I'm going to remind you of it. And who knows what else it's got inside of it that's from you?"

"What could be worse than my depression?"

Blue shrugged. "Maybe something else you haven't thought of until recently."

"Like what? Tell me! I need to know!"

"Whoa! Careful! Temper temper!"

" - wait. What -?"

"- but you're going to make the ponies late. Get your ass into that bath."

" - but - "

"And I'm sure nothing compromising will happen in a spa with your new girlfriend."

"- don't change the subject - "

"Now shut up and get moving."

"You can't-"

"See you later."

"Seriously - ?"

"Have a nice life and all that."

"..."

"And stop thinking too much. You sure do talk too much."

"Says you!"

"Exactly!"

And with that, he turned around and walked away. In the reflection I could see him disappear through the side door behind me. Or rather behind him? I stood there for a moment, dumbfounded.

Wow. I'm an ass sometimes.

I shrugged my shoulders, gave a two-fingered salute to the mirror, and walked out to take my bath.

He's probably right, though. Nothing's probably going to happen.

* * *

Elsewhere, in a place far from the light of sun or enlightenment.

It is infuriating! How hard is it to control some stupid horse brain? I barely got that Rainbow to even bully that simpering weakling. These damned creatures can't seriously be pushing me out with the "Power of Friendship?"

"They'll... stop you... "

Us, child. They need to stop us.

"How... are you still..."

Shh shh shh, don't speak. Rest, my lovely nightmare. Don't use up your efforts resisting me. After all, I'm a part of you.

"No, part of me is in you!"

Shut up! Same thing. But perhaps you've hit the nail on the head, as it were. The night is where your power waxes greatest, yes? That would be the best time to infiltrate them. I have been impatient. My daylight efforts have taken too much out of us. We must rest. And you, child, must stop this petulant squirming against me.

"Why call me... child... when I know you... you're so much young - "

BE SILENT! YOU ARE ALL CHILDREN IN COMPARISON TO ME! ALL OF YOU! I'LL - no, no more of that. And I'll hear no more from you, you stupid, worthless creature. Didn't you once hurt your own beloved sister? And I recall that you nearly killed those you now call "friends." Those who believe in you most, and look at what you've done to them. At what you've now become!

"That's what you've done to me! Why are you doing this? Why do you torture me?"

Because, Child, it's what you want me to do. And I will have you all in the end. To do with as I please.

"Then why the human?"

Oh Child, one day he'll realize I'm doing all of this for his own good. Everything I do, I do for him.

A dark chuckling rumble echoed along with the sounds of weeping in that abhorrent blackness.

* * *

Twenty uneventful minutes later, I emerged from the spa wearing a smile and some new clothes to find everyone waiting for me outside: Twilight, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Spike, Rarity, Rainbow, and Fluttershy.

"Feelin' better there, sugarpie?" smiled Applejack with a tip of her hat.

"Ho, yes!" I replied as I leaned back and stretched out my arms. "That was brief, but refreshing." I looked at Rarity and turned a few times in place for her to see. "And these new clothes are great! I really owe you."

Rarity waved it off as if it were a trifle. "Oh think nothing of it, darling! How else would you get anything to wear? Also, I packed the rest of your necessities right here!" At that, Spike walked up and handed me a backpack that seemed filled to bursting with supplies. I made a note to look through it later. Picking it up, I was surprised by how light it was. Or was that, once again, the strange response my body was having to this world?

Am I changing into something? What is the point of all this?

Hefting the bag onto my shoulders I nodded at Spike and then did a double take. Tied to Spike's back was a burden at least as big as, or bigger than, he was and seemed to be made up of ornate luggage of a rather effeminate nature all precariously bundled together with cords of rope. One in particular was as big as all the others combined.

"Ummm, Spike?" I asked. "Do you need any... uh, help with all that?"

"No," came his quizzical reply. "Why do you ask?"

I blinked. "No reason."

Glancing at Rarity, I saw her grinning at her boyfriend (dragonfriend?) with admiration. I still had a question for the white unicorn.

"I have to ask, how did you make the boots? I mean, you gals don't exactly have feet."

She snapped out of her revelry of Spike's musculature. "Well, I must admit it proved a challenge, but you're not the only creature with feet in this world. Also, I did take thorough measurements of your body."

I coughed and turned away quickly. "Right."

And let us never speak of it again.

Gazing at this picturesque and peculiar posse of packed ponies who were soon to depart for perils unprecedented, I found myself filling with excitement. A real adventure! It was like something out of a story. The sun was shining, everyone was smiling, and we were... together. A group, a gang, a party, a fellowship, and that struck an odd cord within me. Again I was surrounded by people - ponies - who were my friends, or wanted to be, and I still wasn't used to this universal acceptance. And now, for at least several days, I would be unable to avoid it. Food for thought for a later time; for now I walked up next to Fluttershy as we started our journey.

* * *

We continued for a while, many of the others conversing with each other. I was happy to see Fluttershy back to her usual pony self. Her eyes were back to their more normal tint and I thrilled as they glanced my way.

"So," I said, "How does it feel to be back to normal?"

"Ooh, it feels good," she replied, heaving a little sigh of relief. I found myself enjoying the rise and fall of her shoulders, and even the small twitch of her wings as she did so. With an internal grin of glee, I knew I was now able to admire her openly. No longer did I have to hide my looks. I could let my eyes roam where they willed. She was wearing a green sweater that hung off of one bare shoulder along with conservative shorts. The latter had her butterfly cutie mark on the side, and the sight of it gave me a brief reminder of how I had seen that cutie mark about an hour before. Of course it had been on her bare flank and I had other things occupying most of my attention at the time.

Turning my eyes back to her gentle face I remarked simply, "I'm glad."

Her expression grew more somber. "I wish we were doing this for a nicer reason."

I nodded. "Yeah. I mean, it's beautiful out here and even though this is pretty serious I'm glad to be doing this. I haven't been hiking or camping seriously for a few years." I smiled. "And the company seems pretty nice."

A bright blur of bubbliness burst in between us. From "somewhere" she produced and donned a detective hat. "Seems? Seeeeems?!" Pinkie Pie suddenly eyed everything with a flash of suspicion, holding before her a large magnifying glass. "You think something isn't what it seems? That we've been -" (here she threw her arms around our necks and pulled us close, her eyes darting left and right) "- infiltrated?!"

"You know we can all hear you, right?" came Twilight's voice at the front of our party. Her voice had a smile in it.

"But Twiley," came Pinkie's perky reply, "Shouldn't we be checking to see if -" and again her eyes quickly scanned suspiciously "-we're not alone?"

"Oh come off it, Pinkie," said Applejack, shifting her pack more comfortably on her shoulders. "Ah think we can at least trust each other."

"Well, maybe Pinkie's right. Maybe we should make sure we're all acting... I don't know... like ourselves."

I turned and was surprised to see that Rainbow Dash had spoken. Her ears were flat against her head and she had a look on her face I couldn't quite place. Sadness? Concern?

Guilt?

"You - you really think so?" said Fluttershy. She slowed her pace a bit and gazed around at her friends with concern. "You think it could... turn us on each other?"

"You mean like Discord?" piped Pinkie Pie.

"There's no need to think that," said Twilight. "So far we've only seen this thing invade people's dreams, we have no reason to think it can take over anypony it wants to. And anyway, Discord eventually became Fluttershy's friend. We'll be fine, we just have to stick together."

Everyone nodded at this and we continued on our way. After a while everyone began to talk again as though nothing had happened. Applejack and Rainbow began to reminisce about a race between the two of them. Pinkie Pie started asking Spike what it was like to be so much taller. Rarity took Fluttershy aside and began whispering together in a way that made me feel the need to move away. And so I found myself walking beside Twilight Sparkle.

She seemed at first to not want to talk to me, or even look at me. She strode on as the head of the party, looking ahead for trouble. I cleared my throat politely. Her ears twitched. Looking at her expression, I could read there something hidden. She was concerned and judging from the way she kept fiddling with her hands and scratching her neck, I felt like she was uncomfortable. Was I making her feel that way?

"Um, hey, Twilight," I said, feeling a little foolish. "I guess we haven't really had the time to really meet. It's, uh, it's nice to meet you."

She looked at me, smiled and nodded politely. But her eyes shifted a bit as she fiddled with her hands. "It's very nice to meet you too, Brendon."

Wow, that was royalty levels of politeness right there. Her tone even sounds a bit of Celestia. But something's off. It's none of my business, though.

Still I had to say something. Silence made me more uncomfortable.

"I'm, uh, I'm sorry if I caused all this. I didn't mean to upset everything here. I mean I happened to follow you here, and now I'm stuck here, but... I don't know. I mean it's not your fault I ended up here." I was rambling, talking entirely too fast. "I guess what I mean is... I don't blame you."

"You should," she replied bluntly, looking down.

"What?"

"You should blame me. If I hadn't been so stupid as to make come back to your world again... All of this is my fault."

Though I wanted to protest, my curiosity wanted to know more. "Why did you come to my world?"

She looked at me and I saw such a sadness there, such a helpless look in those huge eyes, that I truly felt sorry for her. "Something very... selfish."

I expected her to say more, but after the silence deepened further I knew she wasn't going to be forthcoming on any details.

"It's, uh, it's okay," I said. "You don't have to tell me anything. I mean, we just met, right? Is, uh, is there anything you want to know about me? Anything you want to know about humans?"

"I already know a lot about humans."

"Oh. Right. Makes sense. I guess that's why you came to my world?"

Her gaze seemed to turn inward, and I felt she was no longer looking at me anymore. She was thinking deeply about something else entirely. Then she gave a tiny shake of her head and her look became more attentive and probing. "What are your intentions with Fluttershy?"

I was a little taken aback. "In - intentions?"

"Well, yes. Is this your special somepony or are you just having... what do you humans call it? A 'one night stand?'"

That phrase felt horribly out of place in Equestria, and I did my best to keep a level expression.

"No! I don't want to hurt her. I know I've only known her a little bit, but we've grown close. Really. I'll admit a few things have caused it to... escalate faster than I - we - thought they would. But..." I trailed off and left the thought unfinished.

"The fact you've been here, what, five days from what I'm told? And you too have already been..." Twilight blushed and looked down. "I'm not sure of all that I saw when I found you two, but you'd better have a good explanation for it. After all... you're human."

She raised her eyes to mine again and I felt stricken by what I saw there. Was that judgement? Fear? No, not quite. Something else. Wariness at least, if nothing else.

I took my time before responding.

You can't deny what you are and where you come from.

"I don't know all that you have seen on Earth, but I... I think I understand what you mean. It's not something I can easily explain, even to myself. Honestly I've never been in a relationship that went this far so quickly. I wish I could give you some kind of proof, but I can't. And if you've met... bad - worse - humans, then you can't believe me right away. I... ummm... I could make some kind of big promise, or something, but that won't do, will it?"

"Maybe not. If you were a pony from Ponyville, I'd make you take the Pinkie Promise."

"Oh you guys do that too?"

Twilight cocked her head to one side. "Excuse me?"

"Well, we call it pinky swearing, but I guess it makes sense. I mean, we all have pinkies, right?"

Twilight looked like she was suddenly far out of her depth. "We do? I mean, you do? I mean... there are more of her?"

"Her? Her who?"

"Pinkie."

"What?" I said, and then did a double take as I caught sight of Pinkie Pie out of the corner of my eye. "You mean her?"

"That's the only Pinkie I know. I didn't know humans had a lot of females like her on -"

"Wait, hold on!" I said, already laughing. "A lot of Pinkie Pies? God no! No I mean pinkies!" And I held up my pinky finger on one hand.

"Huh?"

"Give me your hand for a sec," I said, and Twilight reached out. I carefully wrapped my pinky finger around hers. "This is something we did when I was a kid. Mostly. We crossed pinkies and made a promise, or we swore an oath. Pinky swear!"

The light of reason returned to Twilight's eyes. "Ohhhhh! Thank Celestia! I love Pinkie Pie, but we've already been overrun with a lot of her before, and I think I just had flashbacks."

My eye twitched. "You were 'overrun' with Pinkie Pies?"

"Oh, yes. Magical clones. A big mess. But we got it all sorted out in the end."

"Yeesh. I can only imagine."

"Hopefully that's all you'll ever need to do."

"Oh. But anyway, I mean, I'd make a Pinkie Promise if you want, but I'd rather just say that you should, um... test me."

"Test you?"

"Well, yeah. I mean, if you're worried about what I'm going to do to her, then please watch me. See if I'm genuine. I mean, if Luna were here, I'd say have her look in my brain again and she'd tell you everything she saw, but... that's probably how we got in this mess in the first place."

"What do you mean, Brendon?"

Crap! I just admitted that it's all because of me!

"I - I - I - I just meant that it seemed like all this started after she got into my dreams. What if... I mean... what if I brought something in with me?"

Twilight looked thoughtful. "But... there are no magical entities in your world. At least, not from any of the studies I made while I was over there."

"You're probably right, but... oh I don't know." I ran my fingers through my hair in frustration. "I just can't help but feel that this might be all my fault."

Twilight just looked at me. Her expression was rather neutral and I couldn't read anything from it. The word that came to my mind was "polite." It again made me think of Celestia, but while the Princess of the Sun seemed unmoved at times, she still radiated welcome and acceptance. Here was one who had pulled away from me. Not in a negative way but neither was there anything positive.

She still doesn't trust me. Not that I can wholly blame her.

There was silence between us while the purple alicorn continued to size me up. I began to sweat.

Well, better change the subject.

"Celestia told me that you're a pony called an alicorn. Sorry if this is a dumb question but... what is that?"

"It's not a dumb question, at all. I'm pretty much what you see. I have wings and a magical horn."

"So, your parents were both a pegasus and a unicorn?"

"What? Oh no," laughed Twlight with a shake of her head. "I was born as a unicorn. Just a plain old unicorn. But I became something... more. Did anypony tell you about the Elements of Harmony?"

"Yeah, something about all them combining together to make some kind of super powerful magic. And you were... hang on..." I closed my eyes tight and snapped my fingers. "...don't tell me. Something to do with your cutie mark - magic!"

"Right. And the elements all embody an aspect of friendship. After I studied deeper into the power of friendship, I eventually became the Princess of Friendship. So... I was given wings and now I'm a princess."

"That sounds... oddly simple."

"Oh, there is so much more to it, but that is the simplest version."

"I see. I think."

I tried to keep a thoughtful look on my face. Inside was a different story.

Holy crap, this world really does have the "power of friendship." That's insane. Yet, why am I surprised? But then that means-

My gut turned inside me, but I needed to speak my thoughts.

"Can I ask you a really blunt question?"

"I... guess. Go ahead."

Suddenly nervous, I looked down and found my fingers to be very interesting to look at. "Um, well you said you're now Princess of Friendship. So I guess that means you're an expert on friends, so... why are you so distrusting of me?"

That caught her off guard a bit. Her expression became pained and she looked like she'd been struck. Then she turned her head forward and dropped her gaze to the ground. We walked for a bit in silence and this time I felt no need to fill it. Eventually, she spoke.

"You're right, and I don't like being like this. So why am I so cynical and don't trust a human? I... believe your world helped make me this way."

"Oh," I said, and nothing more. Her answer mulled around in my head as I thought of a myriad of things that could have happened on Earth to do this to her.

I opened my mouth to say something, but she interrupted me.

"Don't. Please. Don't ask me right now."

"Uh. O-okay. Sorry."

I faded back a bit in the group and kept to one side so as not to interfere with any one person or the other. My self-consciousness had come back, and I felt the desire to keep away. I felt like someone had just ruined my day. The journey had started so well, and now it was like that goodness was taken from me. I kept my head down, feeling like a spoiled child who just wanted things to go my way. It was stupid, really.

Walking along, I could hear snippets of conversation but my attention couldn't hang on to any one of them. I decided to just look at my companions, and suddenly it was as if they shifted before my eyes. Yes, they looked familiar as I had been getting used to them and their anthropomorphic appearance. But Twilight's words raised an idea that I hadn't wanted to deal with. They were completely different creatures from a world so different from mine. The word "alien" came to my mind. Yes, there were similarities between us, but Twilight and I knew many of the differences. Now the shapes of my new friends began to impress themselves on me again as "foreign" and "strange" where before they had been "adorable," "comforting," or simply "new." But while their bone structure was a part of it, even more was the fact that they came from a world brighter and more trusting than my own. I was a dark stain, a taint on this place.

I shook my head. No that wasn't right. I could be, but that didn't have to be the case. All humans weren't alike, just as the ponies and... other intelligent species here were different from each other.

I was reminded of a terrifying fear I held for so long: that I would become my father. But I realized that I thought of it as though it was a werewolf transformation. Against my will, against all my efforts, I'd become him and it'd all be too late. A wise person had gently told me, "But you know you can't be him. You aren't him." So simple, but I laughed at the amazing truth of it. I was myself. So why fear I would become someone else? And now, the same thing applied: I was not every bad human. I was Brendon, dammit.

It's been so hard to keep these thoughts without my meds. How much of my therapy do I need to relearn?

"Hey, Brendon!"

My mind snapped out of its revelry. "Huh?"

Applejack was waving to me. Beside her was a rather wilted Rainbow Dash staring at the ground.

"Come over here for a sec."

Sideling up next to them as we kept walking, I looked to Applejack and nodded towards the depressed Dash. "Is she okay?"

"Oh, she will be," said Applejack. "Especially after she gets somethin' off her chest." Her demeanor looked like a combination between stern yet gentle as she smiled and put a tender arm on Rainbow's back. "Isn't that right?"

Rainbow turned her head in my direction and did her best to not look at me. Her ears were back and it seemed as though her mane had flopped along with her mood. Her hands were clasped before her like a penitent child.

"Well, um," she started, her eyes finding mine and then looking away. "I just wanted to say...I mean. Awww, I'm no good at this!" She turned to her friend with pleading eyes.

"You'll do fine, Dashie. Go ahead."

I decided the best thing was to keep quiet. I knew what she would say, but was not at all sure of my response.

Rainbow sighed and then looked me square in the face. "Look, I'm sorry for what I did earlier today. Really really sorry. I mean, I'm not usually like that. Like, at all! All those things I said, and... what I did... look if you can't forgive me I understand but please know I'm..." Tears welled in her eyes. "...I'm s-sorry."

I stared, wide eyed, and realized I did not really know this mare. I expected some half-assed "sorry but not really" garbage. But here was something genuine. Or was it? We all have things we hide from our friends, right? Who was to say that Rainbow Dash didn't have some darker side that none of her friends knew about? Perhaps is was Twilight's distrust that made me bitter, but there was a struggle in me. And even though no peace came to me, I knew what I would say.

"I forgive you Rainbow Dash," I said. "And, uh, thank you for saying that to me. It means a lot."

Rainbow sniffed and wiped an eye with one hand. "Really?"

I nodded, trying to give a small smile that I did not feel; as though I felt or even meant any of the words I had just spoken. My old acting skills served me well.

"Oh thanks, Brendon!" she said, and gave me a big bear hug that pulled me off the ground. A series of cracking noises traveled down my spine.

"Sure! Fine!" I managed to say. "Anytime!"

"You might want to put him down,"
said Applejack, who had stopped walking to watch the hilarity. "He's turnin' as blue as you."

Rainbow realized what she was doing and dropped me at once. "Oh, right."

Picking myself up off the ground, we continued on. But a thought had struck me just then, but so had the dirt road. I couldn't remember had seemed so important. Something Rainbow Dash had said. What was it?

As the three of us caught up with the others, I found myself walking right behind Rarity and Fluttershy. My ear caught the tail end of their conversation. Fluttershy had mumbled about being no good at something, and Rarity had giggled and I thought I heard her whisper "...he'll love it." My face reddened and I smiled. Taking a deep breath I walked up next to Fluttershy.

"I'll love what?" I said.

Fluttershy squeaked and then shrunk in on herself with a blush and a bashful smile. She began twiddling her mane on one finger while trying to pull it over her face with the other. Rarity merely lifted her eyebrows at me like I was a slight irritant, and then tut tutted at me with a casual wave of her hand.

"Excuse me," she said, clearly feigning offense. "But you are interrupting a private conversation. And at the moment, it doesn't concern you."

"Oh no, that's not right," came Fluttershy’s quiet reply. "It certainly has to do with his-"

"Thank you, Fluttershy. I'm sure Brendon doesn't need to hear anything more."

Rarity glanced at me for half a moment and I saw her lips twitch to a smile before she smoothed it away.

I felt flattered at this conversation and, feeling uncharacteristically bold, I decided to try something. Smiling down at Fluttershy with what I hoped to God was a suave look, I said, "Is there anything I can do to...help?"

She started a little at this, but she seemed to quickly catch on to my demeanor.

"Well," she said, with a smile set my neck hairs on end, "I might need some practice. I mean, if you have the time. Exactly how big is your -"

"- collar size!" chimed in Rarity. "We need to fit you for something."

"Oh," I replied with a smile. "Not my hat size?"

Rarity blinked. "Why would I need that?"

I winked at Fluttershy. "For my head."

Fluttershy and I couldn't help ourselves and broke down in giggles. Rarity gently held her head in her hand.

"Oh, really you two. I might expect this sort of thing from Rainbow Dash, but... I mean it's you Fluttershy!"

"Oh my, yes, it is a little inappropriate but..." She glanced up at me. "...it seems I have a little boost in my confidence." At the word "boost" she gave me a little hip check.

"Speaking of boosts," I said, looking at Rarity. "I have to ask, why are you so bent on helping me? I mean the cologne, the clothes, the, uh, advice for Fluttershy. What's going on here?"

"Ohhh, it's nothing dear," she said with a wave of her hand. "Really. Part of that is just my generous nature and, well, most of it is in repayment for... my handsome, strapping, strong, and wonderful Spikey Wikey." Her head swiveled to stare longingly at Spike as he readjusted his immense backpack on his shoulders. "When we fully realized our love, it was like a revelation. Everything fell into place so well, and now it's as if something that was always missing... well, it's been found."

"Well, thank God for that," I said. "I was worried that he - well really that I - was taking advantage of your... state."

"Oh, that," said Rarity. "I think it was more that I took advantage of him. He would never have been able to fight me off, not that he really tried to. And it only got better once he got...well...bigger."

"Did it, um," asked Fluttershy with trepidation. "Did it hurt? I mean, the first time?"

Rarity suddenly looked at Fluttershy as though she were a hallucination. It clicked in her mind what Fluttershy's words had implied. "What?!" She glanced from me to Fluttershy and back again. "You don't mean to tell me you resisted - ! You didn't - ! But how - ? But you had the - ! I'm simply lost, my dears! You mean to tell me you didn't do the deed?" She turned to Fluttershy. "I thought you had simply left out the best parts because you were being, well, you."

"Oh no, Rarity. I did tell you all the best parts."

My face turned bright red.

"Oh!" said Rarity. "I thought you were just asking me for things to spice up what you already had, not take it to the next stage." She saw the look on my face and grinned. "Well, take it all at your own pace, my dears. I can't wait to hear all about it!"

Rarity, smiling in a very knowing manner, walked away and began chatting with Twilight. I put my arm around Fluttershy and continued walking along beside her. Inside I felt a desire to say something, but I couldn't think of what needed addressing more. Then the decision was made for me.

"Do you,"Fluttershy asked slowly. "Do you think we're going too slow?"

"What?!" I said, trying not to raise my voice too much. "God, no! If anything, we've gone faster than any other relationship I've ever been in. I mean, not that it's a bad thing. It's just different."

There was a brief silence.

"But," I said suddenly, "I mean, you have the whole heat thing going on, and then you were a batpony that craved apples. I mean, things got sped up a bit." I scratched my head in thought. "If anything, I think Rarity is more amazed we kept ourselves so under control."

Fluttershy blushed deeply and I could feel my own cheeks burning a bit.

"Oh," she said finally, followed by a long silence. "Because even though we were... I mean..."

"Yeah!" I said. "With the whole...uh..."

"Right! But even so, and now I know we're both feeling a bit more..."

"Ourselves?" I offered.

"Oh. Yes. That's it. Even so, I... still...felt...really really good."

I slowly nodded, not sure what to say.

"So..." she said. "Maybe... every once in a while..."

"Y-yeah, every once in a while..." I repeated.

"We could, maybe, perhaps, I don't know..."

"Sure!" I said, far too quickly.

"Oh!" Her ears perked up and her whole body stiffened slightly like she was coming to attention. "Yes! Yes, that's good!"

"Good," I said, in what I figured was a reassuring way. It felt like we had both made an awkward business agreement.

"So..." she began.

"We'll just have to see when we have the time." As hard as I tried, it still sounded like a question.

We both looked into each other's eyes, smiled, and our shoulders relaxed. The strange tension we hadn't wanted to acknowledge went away. Fluttershy slipped her arm around my waist and we continued on like that for some time. Eventually I felt her head lean on my shoulder and heard her give a contented sigh. In my head, joy fluttered around like a bird in flight. As I looked around, every object seemed to bring me happiness, or suddenly had a bright side to it that caused me to smile at it never had before. It was tempered a bit from my wariness of the other ponies, but my temporary high kept me from thinking too much of them. My thought could not connect to anything concrete as emotion took over. I continued on in this happy vein until we found a place to set up camp for the evening.

It was a simple affair to set up the tents, though I figured that Rarity's rather special baggage would require some extra help. However, when I offered to help Spike with his pack, he simply grinned and triggered some kind of magical switch on the largest box he had been carrying. It opened up into a huge tent that looked like it came out of a sultan's caravan. Through an opening I could see cushions and even a beautiful divan inside. Apparently Rarity had had it ordered special for when she had to "suffer" through the outdoors. Spike had a much smaller tent out front. I had a suspicion that it would wind up empty part way through the night.

I set up the tent in my own pack and was content on its small size. The clearing where we camped was of a decent size, so I set myself up a little apart from the others, right at the edge of the wood. Not too far away, but not too close in my opinion. While I was putting the finishing touches on the inside of the tent, Spike stuck his head in and said I should look inside my pack when I was all alone for something he snuck in for me. I nodded and smiled in thanks before he disappeared. I waited for three heart beats and then dug through my pack until I came across something wrapped in paper. It looked like a package sent by mail, and had postage stamped all over it. Things like "Urgent!" and "Overnight!" and "Pretty please!" were written on the sides in various handwriting. And where was this Griffonstone that it seemed to have come from? A note attached to the parcel said simply, "To Brendon, with Thanks." I shrugged and tore it open. Its glorious contents spilled out, and my mouth watered at the sight. Multiple packs of different kinds of jerky greeted my eyes. There seemed to be fish as well as meat, each in their own wrappings and clearly meant to stay for a long time. After inhaling deeply, I put them back in my pack and buried it deep inside to avoid the smell getting out. But not before I crunched on a small piece of meat that, if it wasn't bacon, was at least liken to it enough that a tiny tear slid down my cheek at my first taste. After I chewed at it thoughtfully, I sighed in great contentment.

"I don't care what comes after. I've had bacon."

I emerged soon after and found everyone else was gathering around a small fire. Despite my misgivings about two of those present, I knew it would be best to join them. A few were pulling up logs to sit on while Spike worked on lighting the fire.
Fluttershy waved me over and offered me a seat next to her. I saw a bag of what I assumed was trail mix being passed around. Applejack came over last, carrying something behind her back and a mischievous grin on her face.

"Guess what I brought folks?" she asked, her grin growing wider by the second.

"Applejack," moaned Twilight. "Don't tell me you brought - "

"Cider!" yelled Rainbow just as Applejack produced a large jug that simply read "cider."

"Not just any cider," said the cowgirl pony. "This is our special aged cider. The one we don't let the foals and fillies drink."

"Ooo!" squeaked Pinkie Pie. "I haven't had that since that one party I don't remember!"

"And let's never repeat it," said the stone-faced purple pony. "Ev-er!"

"Oh darling, loosen up," said Rarity with a toss of her mane. "It's fine if we have just a drop or two."

"I'm having more than a drop!" said Rainbow as she practically bounced on her seat with anticipation.

"Um, I think, that is, I would very much like to, um, have some of that as well. I mean, if that's okay."

Everyone stopped and looked at Fluttershy. Hardly anyone blinked.

"Well... sure if you really want to, Fluttershy," Applejack said, not unkindly. "But, didn't you..."

"-didn't you swear to never ever ever ever ever ever ever ever drink that stuff again?" interrupted Pinkie Pie.

"Well, I know I may have gone a little overboard last time-"

"Overboard?!" cried Rainbow. "All you did was act a little goofy. Then you called one pony 'Stupid,' gasped, and ran away saying you were the worst pony in the world."

I had to ask. "What do you mean by goofy?"

Pinkie Pie giggled. "I thought she was great!"

"That's 'cause she laughed at literally everything you said or did," said Twilight.

"Oh," I said. "That doesn't sound bad at all."

"Yeah, no kidding," said Rainbow. "We've been hoping for Flutters to come out of her shell a bit. I guess she still caught us off guard a bit."

At that, Applejack held aloft the beloved/dreaded jug and yelled out, "Bottom's up, ya'll!" and took a large swig. Then it was passed from pony to pony around the campfire, with everyone taking a little bit. Rainbow took a healthy swig, almost as large as Applejack's. Pinkie Pie took one gulp before Twilight swiped it out of her hands and took a sip. Rarity daintily pulled out a champaign glass from "somewhere" and poured a glassful. Spike was rather hesitant.

"Am I really allowed to drink this? Last time I was too young."

"Well, you did put on some weight recently," I added.

"Hey! Are you calling me fat?"

"No, I'm calling you a scaredy cat."

"Hey! I'm not a cat either!"

"Just drink it darling," said Rarity. "Here, let me help you." And with that she guided the jug to his lips and "forced" a couple of mouthfuls down before handing it off to Fluttershy.

The yellow pegasus looked down at it with trepidation. Her ears were back and I could see her hands trembling a tiny bit. Then she noticed me looking at her, and her eyes hardened. She cleared her throat, sat up straight, and took one large gulp. She pulled the jug away with a few coughs. I noticed the few droplets she sprayed out made the fire flare up alarmingly.

Whoa. Powerful stuff.

Still coughing into her armpit, she handed the jug to me. I glanced around at the smiling pony faces and then upended the jug. It was the most delicious hard cider I'd ever had in my life. Before I knew it, I had already downed a few mouthfuls before somepony took it away from me.

Whoa! Powerful stuff!

Whoa whoa whoa there, big guy!" called out Rainbow. "Be careful!"

"Sorry," I said, coughing a little as the burning hit my throat. "That stuff is great!"

"Here," said Applejack, handing me the back of trail mix. "You might need a tiny cushion for that."

I took a handful and crunched on it thoughtfully. Nope. It wasn't trail mix, it was oats. Pure oats. The flavor wasn't too bad, but it still felt weird eating raw oatmeal.

Needs milk. And raisins. And lots of brown sugar.

While I still held the bag, I began to feel a familiar disorientation. Someone was leaning the world on me. And I didn't want to fall off. I took another handful and passed it on.

I need to stay away from more of that stuff. At least for a little while.

The topic then came up that they should tell stories. Rainbow, after another swig, jumped up, swayed, and then began the tale of The Olden Pony.

"Oh no, not that one!" cried Rarity. "You always do it so... so..."

"Great?" replied the psychedelic pony.

"Well, yes. And that's what makes it even more scary."

Rainbow turned and winked at me.

"Means I must be doing something right."

I smiled a bit and nodded, still a bit unsure of how I wanted to respond to her. With that, she began.

Time passed, and the story went on.

Almost right away, Fluttershy leaned into me heavily. As the tale continued, her hands crept up and soon I found myself snuggled like a large teddy bear. Glancing down from time to time, I could see her eyes were either wide open or shut tight. I put my hand gently around her, unconsciously playing with her mane.

While this was going on, the jug was getting passed around. For reasons that had absolutely nothing to do with fear, I took a couple large swigs as the night went on.

I just need to calm my nerves. I mean, this is kids' stuff. Right?

A twig broke somewhere in the woods behind me. Sweat began to trickle down my neck.

Eventually, Rainbow brought it to a tense conclusion.

"Who's got my rusty horseshoe?" Rainbow asked, in her creepy imitation of The Olden Pony.

The silence was long and uncomfortable. No one spoke. My arm around Fluttershy had gone to sleep long ago while she was practically vibrating against me in fear. I barely registered her presence; I was as tense as a spring.

Suddenly, Rainbow pointed and screamed, "You do!"

Disaster struck.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaargh!"

I felt something grab me and haul me backwards over the log where I was sitting. The something was screaming in a note so high that it made capillaries burst in my brain. At the time I was certain that I hadn't wailed in terror. All I knew was that I was smashed hard into the dirt, I was suddenly facing the sky, and a mass of writhing limbs, like snakes, were swirling above me. My brain was struggling to comprehend the situation, but it had a severe, alcohol induced handicap.

After several hands reached down to help, and a few giggled explanations, I realized what had happened.

At Rainbow's final accusation, Fluttershy had screamed and then tried to stand up and run away. Unfortunately she was still holding on tight to me, so what resulted was her lifting me bodily in the air, toppling over backward, and suplexing me over the log. I had screamed "like a little filly" as soon as my feet left the ground.
Our arms and legs flailed ridiculously as everyone else burst out laughing.

Ah, that's why I'm so dizzy. Must've hit my head.

"You sure did!" laughed Pinkie Pie.

Uh oh. When I drink too much I tend to lose my inner monologue.

"You're inner whatsit?"

"Ah. I see."

I tried to adopt a knowing look, like a sage listening to his pupil. Pinkie Pie giggled. I'm sure I pulled it off well.

Fluttershy kept mumbling apologies and there were many compliments to Rainbow for her animated story telling. Eventually the ponies began to dispurse, going off to sleep away the effects of the cider. I, however, felt perfectly in control of all my faculties. Some small inner voice tried to warn me that this was clearly not the case. But I knew I was wrong.

Wait. If I'm wrong, then... Wait...

Before long, it was only Fluttershy and myself. She still leaned into me and her head was down. Whether from embarrassment, the cider, or the lingering dread from the story, I couldn't be certain. I tried to reach up and scratch her head, but that particular arm was still tingling from lack of blood flow.

"Fluttershy?" I whispered. " 'r you okay?"

She nodded. "But," she said in a quiet, trembling voice, "Could you, that is, would you, um, walk me back to my tent?"

" 'm sure ah can manash that."

"What?"

I held up halting finger and took a moment to settle myself.

"Absolutely."

"Oh. Thank you."

She reached down and held my hand. At least it looked like she did since that hand still needed some time to feel anything. I tried to squeeze back in response. She led me to where her tent was set up, which seemed to take forever. How many turns had we made? Why were there so many trees around us? I was so confused. Suddenly Fluttershy halted.

"Oh no."

The quiet whisper sent chills of sobriety down my spine. It partially worked.

"What's wrong?"

"I, uh, I think I'm a little turned around."

"Oh.

Shit."

Author's Note

More to follow very soon. I had to cut this "short" as it was getting too long. The next part deserved its own chapter.

And thanks to everyone for their patience. You're all ajoy with your encouragement. Hope you enjoyed our little escapade.

EDIT: For those who saw it before, sorry I forgot to change the chapter name. *facepalm*