The Ultimate Friendship

by MegaCartmanX

Rating: mature
Tags: Gore, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark, Alternate Universe, Other, Princess Luna, Original Character, Adventure, Violence, Princess Celestia, Death, Human, Main 6
Length: 117963

When a young man pushes away friendship due to a dark past, he is warned about an eternal damnation coming upon him if he chooses to continue his selfish ways. With one chance to fix his mistakes, he must go to Equestria to learn about friendship.

A 22 year old man, by the simple name of Carter, has not had the easiest life during his adult years. As many dark memories haunt his mind, he isolates himself from society, hoping that his absence in their lives will prevent any future horrors.

One day, a spirit appears to Carter and warns him about an eternal damnation that will soon come upon him if he continues his selfish ways. With little time to act, Carter is sent away to the magical world of Equestria in hopes to prove himself worthy to be freed from such a dark future.

As a new journey unfolds, Carter must understand the true magic of friendship if he wishes to return to Earth, safe and sound. Though reaching his goal appears to be easy to achieve from first glance, not everything turns out to be what they seem, and it would appear that it's not only Carter's life that hangs on the edge of death and damnation. As the story unfolds, it is presented to Carter that maybe his main enemy is himself, and that he may need friends to help him realize this before it is too late.

(This takes place one year after the events of Season 9, between "The Ending of The End - Part 2" and "The Last Problem," sometime after Twilight's coronation and becoming the new leader of Equestria, along with the Royal Sisters' retirement.)

Published 2020-06-22 19:30:01 UTC
Last updated 2020-08-25 19:53:05 UTC

Chapter 2: Welcome to Equestria

Carter awoke from what felt like a nice, peaceful slumber. He shut his eyes and stretched his arms out in front of him. They felt a little more stiff than he last remembered, but decided to just let it slide. It was the beginning of a brand new day for him; no longer would he be the shy, selfish man he once was. No, starting this day he’d become a man who is accountable and dependable.

As he continued pouring positivity into his soul, Carter noticed something was not right. He looked around at his surroundings. There were nothing but trees as far as the eye could see.

A forest?

“What the heck? Where am I?” He said to himself. He tried to get up on his feet, but felt it unusually difficult to stand up straight. He wobbled around for a bit before inevitably falling onto his stomach.

Ah! Sweet lord. What is going on? Do I have a disability now or something?

Carter got himself off of the ground with his forearms and was in a position where he was on all fours. Something did not sit right in his mind. It felt too comfortable and natural to stand in this position. He was beginning to feel really agitated. He demanded answers. He looked up at the sky.

“Alright, spirit! Haha, very funny. What did you do to me!?” He shouted, waving his fist back and forth. But something was not right about that, either. He did not feel any fingers on his hand, and his arm did not even feel like it came parallel with his chin.

Wait… am I naked!?

“Oh no.” He said to himself. “I am having one of those naked dreams everyone talks about. I just have to close my eyes and everything will go back to normal. Well, that is what I said during my last phenomenon, but this one should work.” Carter shut his eyes and rocked himself back and forth. “Come on, Carter. Any time now.” He placed his hands over his ears and began to yell really loud to himself. There was yet another disturbance. His hands did not feel like hands, but rather flat stumps, and his ears felt like what he’d imagine a furry elf would feel like. He looked down at his right arm.

Oh… my… God.

Carter noticed that at the end of his right arm was a hoof. He checked his left arm. Another hoof. He checked his legs. Hooves on the ends of them, too. He analyzed his entire being, noticing that everything about him resembled something like a horse. However, he was oddly colored a soft red with a dark black mane.

“Oh, God! No! I am a furry!!!” He shook his head. “Of all the things you could have done, you chose to put me in the body of a horse. You sick freaks!” He shouted at the spirit from before, but knew that it would probably just ignore him.

Carter wobbled around for a bit, trying to figure out how to move around in his new body. It took some time but he finally figured it out and began to look for a way out of the tree infested terran that he awoke to. He managed to find a tilled path that seemed like a way out, leading to civilization.

“I mean, if I do find someone else then I hope they are able to help me, ‘cause I am not having this.” Carter muttered to himself.

He continued down the trail, looking around at the extraordinary natural elements that surrounded him. The sky was a fine blue and the tree’s green leaves created a nice complementary color, ultimately making the seemingly dark and creepy forest much more lively and colorful (at least during the day). He was never one for nature, but there were those moments in his life where he’d feel obligated to admire the scenery.

The trail soon split into two different pathways. Luckily for Carter, there was a wooden sign that had labels for where each path led. He felt relieved to have found some sign of hope (pun not intended). Carter walked up to the sign and leaned in closer to read its small, engraved font.

Left is Canterlot… I assume that is saying that I am somewhere in Europe or something. Probably England.

Carter thought that this ‘Canterlot’ place seemed like the right way to go, but still gave the other direction a chance.

Right is… wait. What?

He rubbed his eyes with his hoof to try and see if he read it wrong. To his unfortunates that was not the case, as he saw the same thing when he looked again.

Right is Ponyville. Oh great, a plot of land designated for damned souls like myself. Well, ain’t that just great.

He rolled his eyes and shook his head.

“I guess I will have to go left to Canterlot. Perhaps I will find someone who could actually help me. Then again, if I do look like this then maybe Ponyville is the better choice. No, what am I talking about? Canterlot is the one to go to, no more questions. Let’s go, Carter.” Carter could not stop feeling so confused and overwhelmed over the entirety of the situation.

Ah, and I am talking to myself. So unorthodox.

Carter just shrugged it off and continued down the path towards Canterlot.

Later down the road, Carter felt something itchy on his side. He tried to reach it with his hoof, but it proved to be ineffective. He looked to his side to see if there was a bug, but there was instead found to be a pair of wings on his sides. He was shocked, his jaw dropping ever so slightly; his eyes dilated a fraction larger. He tried to move them to subdue the itching feeling, but could not find the muscles that corresponded with the movement of his wings. It was beginning to drive him mad, so he just walked over to a tree and used the bark to itch himself.

Carter shook himself down, freeing himself from any bark residue. It was then when Carter noticed a figure near the top of his vision. It looked like something fleshy just ejecting itself from his forehead. He placed his right hoof in it, gently tapping the strange appendage. It was a horn. It sent waves of feelings through his head once his hoof came in contact with his 'horn,' making it feel as though any more applied force would hurt like no other pain Carter had ever felt before.

Ok, so I have wings and a horn. What is that called? Pegasus? No. Unicorn? Closer… ah, Alicorn. Right? Ah, why do I care!?

Carter continued walking up the path. The trail eventually led to a giant climb up a snowy mountain. However, from where he was currently standing, he saw a giant city that looked like what he considered a mix of russian and aztec art. He looked back at the path, not wanting to go through the snow. He tried again to use his wings to fly, but he could not even get them moving a little bit. He sighed, but decided to keep on pushing forward.

Carter was about halfway through the snowy path when he tripped over something that was sticking out of the snow. He fell face first into the snow and a sheer feeling of coldness took over his body.

Good Lord, that is some cold climate!

Carter felt his lips crack and split apart as they started to get chapped. He looked down at the ground to try and find whatever it was that he tripped over. He saw something discolored sticking out from under a mound of snow. He brushed the snow away with his hoof and found what appeared to be a little brown bag. Carter picked up the bag with his hoof, noticing that it was much heavier than it appeared to be. He opened up the bag to look at the contents. Inside the bag there was a handful of gold coins.

Yo, jackpot!

He had never taken into account that wherever he was going most likely had a different currency system, (not like he had any cash currently with him) so finding this was a blessing to him. He hung it over his neck by the cinch string and tightened it up with his teeth since he had no fingers. It took more time than he was willing to spend due to the harsh snow falling ever more upon his fur coat, but he accomplished his goal with a bit of perseverance.

Near the end of the path, Carter could see a giant bridge that led into the main part of the city. Carter ran over as quickly as he could (partly to warm himself up after being in the snowy mountains for what felt like a good chunk of time) and made his way into the town square of the so-called ‘Canterlot.’

Right off the bat, Carter noticed that all of the creatures looked a lot like him. He was so confused. Surely he was in some sort of ranch or something. But then again, why was there a city for them to walk in? Was some deranged farmer thinking that it would boost their morale?

Why are there so many horses here?

Carter thought long and hard on his current location based on the circumstances, but it didn’t take long to finally click in his mind.

Wait… oddly colored bodies, very anime-like appearance, strange tattoos on their butt.

He finally gasped in relief.

It’s the land of My Little Pony. Oh! Thank God, I thought for sure I was some crazy lab experiment!

Carter was relieved to figure out what at least seemed like the truth.

Wait… then that means I am a brony! Oh, for crying out loud!

Carter continued looking around the town, trying to figure out something that he could possibly do in order to acquire information of any kind. He knew in his mind that he did not just walk up a mountain for nothing. He looked up and saw a giant castle in front of him, blocked off by a pair of pale pegasi knights clad in golden armor. Right off the bat he knew that there was no going in that area of the city, at least from what he was aware of.

He continued around the town square, looking at all the vendors. Carter suddenly got a strange feeling in his body, but it felt familiar. He was hungry. It never occurred to him that he had not eaten for who knows how long, so it was only fitting for his stomach to respond accordingly. He looked around for somewhere to grab a quick bite, but the places around were either too expensive compared to the money he had in his pouch, or it was just unappetizing. The sight of a hay sandwich on the daily special menu was not what he was in the mood for (as if he had ever enjoyed eating hay in general as a human). It made sense pony-wise, but to an experienced omnivore he was happily gonna take a pass. Carter did eventually hear something that caught his ear.

“Apples! Nice juicy apples! Come and get yerself some nice, ripe apples!”

Now there was something that Carter was familiar with eating. He turned around to find an orange, southern looking mare with a cream colored mane and cowboy (or cowpony in this sense) hat upon her head. He walked up to the vendor.

“Well, hello there.” Carter said, doing his best to at least seem like he fits in with the rest of society.

“Well howdy do, partner.” The orange mare replied. “What can I do you’n for?”

“Yeah, I’d like to buy an apple, please.” Carter said.

“Just one?” She asked, a smile coming over her face, almost as if she had not had a sale in a while.

“You know what, let’s make that a two piece.” Carter said.

“Yeehaw! Can do, sir.” She said, whipping her hair back. “That’ll be 2 pieces.”

“Alrighty.” Carter reached into his little baggy and pulled out two gold coins. The orange mare took it from him and placed the gold under the countertop and into a little jar behind sight.

While Carter was waiting for his apples, he tried to get his wings to move. At one point he actually got them to move a bit and eventually spread out.

Hey, there we go. Now I am starting to get the hang of it.

Carter continued to mess around with his new appendages. The orange mare peaked over the counter when she saw his wings. She previously noticed his horn.

“Woah, wait. You’re an alicorn?” She asked him.

“Um… yes! Yes, that is right.” Carter replied. His posture changed to a defiant stance, as if the title was something of royalty.

“Wow. Haven’t seen many of your kind around.”

“Really?” Carter lost his stoic composure. If there weren't really many alicorns in the area, then Carter thought he'd surely be gutted for the truth in mere seconds.

“Where ya from, stranger?”

“Uh…” Carter had to figure out how to answer this question. He had no time to think of some complex backstory. “I-i live in, uh, a far away place from here.”

“What place?” She inquired.

“You probably have never heard of it.” Carter insisted.

“Try me.” The mare replied, smirking a bit.

“Ah… America. *cough* Sorry about that stammer.” Carter said, trying to act like he knew what he was talking about (which he did for the most part).

“America, huh? Nope. I cannot say I have heard of it. Ya got me there.” She said. Carter sighed in relief. “Anywho, here are yer two apples, partner.” She handed Carter the apples and he put one of them in the pouch, holding the other in his right hoof.

“I appreciate it… partner.” Carter said, smiling back at her to return the gesture. The orange mare smiled back, giggling a bit under her hoof.

Carter was about to walk away until he eyed a tip jar with about three gold pieces in it. There was some parchment across the front side with some ink writing on it saying, 'tips, please donate.' Carter wondered.

“Hey, miss. What is this for?” He asked, hoping it wasn't for anything too private.

“Oh, that?” The orange mare's entire mood dropped. “Yeah. That there is for mah Granny Smith.”

“Oh, I see.” Carter said. He pieced together her words to understand the reasoning for the tip jar. “Is she doing ok these days?”

“Yeah, I mean, she sure makes it seem like it, but I do fear her days are numbered.” She began to tear up, but quickly took off her hat and hid her face behind it. “I’m hoping that these here donations will give us somewhat of a life boost fer Granny Smith. Ya know, make it last.”

“Right.” Carter said. He felt bad for her and knew that he had to do something, especially after she told him the story behind it all so openly. He reached into his bag and placed ten gold pieces into the jar. “I know it is not much, but it’s sure to get things started.” Carter said, trying to make his tiny donation seem like the Lord himself came and loaded the jar to its maximum.

“Oh my… sir, I… I don’t know what to say.” The mare said, flustered by his gracious donation.

“Then don’t say anything. Just take it for what it is.” Carter said.

“Well, I at least have to say thank ya kindly, partner.” She came out from behind the stand and gave him a big hug. “You’re fine with hugs, right?”

“Of course.” Carter said, returning the act. The two embraced each other and let their feelings flow through. After a moment it two, they let go and walked back a bit.

“Thank ya so much, sir. If there is anything I can do fer ya just let me know.” She said.

“Thanks. I will remember that.” Carter said.

Immediately following the conversation, Carter began having a big headache. He placed his hoof on his head and groaned in pain. He began to have flashes of images in his head. A purple mare covered in fancy jewelry and a crown atop her head passed by, along with a family consisting of a pink mare, a white stallion, and a little foal. Suddenly, lightning strikes the carriage that the family is on and the floor beneath them is cracked and a giant hole appears. The filly falls down, and the purple mare tries to save it, but misses and hits the broken carriage. Carter then snapped back to reality.

“Uh… ya doing okay, mister?” The orange mare asked Carter.

“Grr. Yeah, I think so.” Carter replied. “I’ve just been having some strange headaches, recently.”

“Headaches?” She asked.

“Yeah.”

“Well, I don't know if it will help, but I have a homemade tonic that my family has made for generations. Helps deal with pain. I could give that to you in return for your donation if you want.”

Huh. Convenient tonic to help me with my headaches. How serendipitous.

“Yeah. Actually yeah, I’ll take that. Worth a shot.” Carter said.

“Alright, then. Just wait there.” She said, running over and grabbing a small vial of apple scented chemicals. “Here ya are, partner. Take this once a day whenever ya feel a headache a comin', and it should help.”

“Thanks, miss. This should be very helpful.” Carter said. He placed the vial in his baggy, tightening the string once he was done. A sudden thought appeared in his head, and he glanced up at the mare. “I never did get your name.”

“Oh, the name’s Applejack.” She said, holding out her hoof.

“Mine is Carter. A pleasure to make your acquaintance.” He shook her hoof in return.

Carter turned around and began walking a bit more into the city until he heard trumpets go off in the distance. The loud noise coming from the brass instruments were then soon followed with a loud booming voice.

“Fillies and gentlecolts, please clear the streets and put your hooves together for the leader of Equestria herself, Princess Twilight Sparkle!”

Carter looked to his right to find a small, purple dragon flying about town, announcing his words to the citizens with a little microphone. Right behind the dragon was a chariot that was slowly rolling down the street. Upon it sat a purple pony, covered in golden shoes around her hooves, beautiful jewellery upon her body, and a crown that rested atop her head. Carter suddenly shook a bit. It was the same one in his vision. Could it have been warning him about something? Carter watched the princess roll down the way as the ponies all bowed before her. He didn’t want to look rude, so he just copied whatever the other ponies were doing. He then heard the voice of the little dragon again.

“And now, all the way from the Crystal Empire, give a round of applause for Princess Cadence, Prince Shining Armor, and their most beloved foal, Flurry Heart!”

Carter was then in a state of staggered breathing. All three of the ponies that followed were also from his vision. The pink mother, the white stallion, and a foal. He remembered that the sight of lightning would appear moments later, and that that was when chaos would begin. He looked around for anything that would even spark the sky. A cloud, a metal rod, even a fork. But nothing was in sight that could possess such a power. Carter just shrugged it off and continued to watch the parade, anxiety still coursing through his veins. He looked at the little foal who rested in the crook of the mother’s foreleg. She was indeed a cute little one, with eyes that looked like they came straight out of a manga. Above the entirety of the city, there was a sudden noise that sounded like fighter jets passing by. Carter looked up and saw a little group of pegasi in blue suits flying in formation with each other.

“What! What is this? Is it… oh my, it is! The Wonderbolts!” The dragon shouted out as the pegasi group flew over all the other ponies with extreme speeds. Carter was astounded by the little show that came about. His first day here and he was already treated to something he felt like he’d only find on a cruise or something.

Carter watched as the so-called 'Wonderbolts' gathered together and began spinning around each other, creating a colorful tornado-looking formation of clouds. He was intrigued with how they were able to pull off such a stunt. He didn’t want to get into the science behind it, so he just sat down and watched it all go down. That is, until he saw one of the pegasus ponies starting to create a static force into the tornado.

Carter shot up onto his legs and stared. The tornado began to create a giant electrical force around itself, shooting little streaks of lightning across the sky. He was beginning to feel anxious. If this was foreshadowing something like his vision had shown, then he should do something. He just watched, biting down on his tongue.

“Uh, I don’t think this is intentional.” The purple mare said to the dragon; the sound was heard through the microphone.

“Yeah, well maybe it is.” The dragon replied, holding his hand over the microphone, yet their discussion was still audible to every pony around them.

“That is not a good thing to hear.” Carter said, feeling as if ready to leap out at any moment. It was a good thing he did, too. The tornado suddenly lost control and began sweeping through the city’s streets. Carter was nervous out of his mind. There is no way that a stupid dream could possibly warn him of what was to come… could it?

The moment came. Lightning escaped the tornado’s windy forces and struck the ground just in front of the carriage that the Crystal Empire ponies sat upon. The mare and the stallion both rolled off and landed on the floor. The mare dropped the little foal and it began rolling down towards the giant hole in the ground. The purple mare saw this and flew over as fast as she could to save the foal, but Carter knew that she was not going to make it. He too began to run over there to try and save the foal. The princess barely missed the little pony and found herself smashing into the broken carriage, knocking herself unconscious. Carter hated to think about it, but knew that there was no other choice. He jumped down the hole. Just as his body fell into the shadows, the floor closed itself shut and trapped the two down there.

Above the ground, the citizens all began to aid the royal ponies the best they could. The orange mare from before ran over to the purple one and helped her get back into reality.

“Twilight? Twilight, are you okay?” Applejack asked, trying to get her to open her eyes. The white stallion got up and looked over his shoulder after first helping his mate. He too saw the unconscious purple mare.

“Uh oh. Twilight! Sis, you ok?” He said softly.

“Ugh. That was a doozy.” The purple mare finally said.

“Oh, thank goodness. I thought you was a goner.” Applejack said.

“Heh. Sure feels like it.” Twilight said. “You ok, Shining Armor?” The white stallion nodded.

“Hey, where is Flurry Heart?” The pink mare asked, her breathing becoming more rapid with every passing second.

“Uh, Cadence… I thought Twilight got her.” Shining Armor said.

“What! No, I missed! Didn’t you just see me crash into your chariot!?” Twilight shouted.

“What!? You mean my little foal is somewhere down there? She is probably dead!” Cadence shouted, her face was turning pale and her eyes began to shut closed at a rapid rate.

“Oh no.” Shining Armor said to himself.

“Wait, ya mean that Flurry Heart is stuck under all this here rubble!?” Applejack inquired.

“I’m so sorry, Cadence. I didn’t mean to… oh gosh.” Twilight Sparkle began to tear up, thinking that Flurry Heart was dead because of her.

“Quick, everypony try and get these here rocks out of the way so we can save her majesty’s baby!” Applejack shouted to the citizens as they all piled in to help.

“Oh, Twilight. I am so sorry.” One of the wonderbolts said, flying down to Princess Twilight's eye level.

“Rainbow Dash?” Twilight asked. The blue mare took off her mask and nodded, revealing her multicolored mane. “It’s ok, just start helping out.” She got down and began helping them with moving the debris.

~

Underneath the rubble and chaos above, Carter grabbed the little foal and held her tightly against his chest. He knew that, unfortunately, he did not know how to use his wings to fly, so he would have to take all of the impact for the little pony on the way down. He held her tightly in his grasp and soon hit the rocky surface below. Carter’s body was loaded with an extreme ‘shock,’ which flowed through every vein in his being, resulting in an insufferable amount of pain filling his entire figure. Every bit of air was knocked out of him, along with some cracking sounds once he hit the ground. He could do nothing but stay immobile as he waited for the pain to decrease enough so that he could effortlessly get back up.

Grrr! Son of a damned… gah!

Carter rolled around a bit, still holding the little foal close to him. Eventually he got up and examined his wounds. A couple massive bruises began to swell up, but nothing too big or catastrophic appeared out of the ordinary. He let out a breath of relief and picked up Flurry Heart, placing her on his back.

Hold on tight, little one. We both need to find a way out of here.

“Mama?” The foal mumbled.

“No. Mama is not here.” Carter said. He kept his stoic face as he looked back at the little pony, knowing very well that nothing he was saying would be understood by her small mind.

“Mama?” Flurry Heart began crying.

Oh brother.

Carter rolled his eyes and began eyeing out an escape plan. He found a couple rocks that he could possibly climb that would get him and the foal up to a little crack in the top of the ground, where he saw light seep into the caves.

“Alright. I hope that you are ready, little one. We have a ways to go.” Carter rolled his shoulders back and began the climb.

He placed one of his hooves on the first rock and tried pushing himself up to the next one. Though he was ultimately successful for the first jump up, the situation did prove to be extremely difficult without fingers at his aid. He however mustered enough strength to hold himself in place (which was the easy part). He continued up the wall, looking for rocks that would support his body weight. He found one in particular that looked like a bit of a stretch, but saw no other rocks in the vicinity. He jumped to it and grabbed on, but was immediately sent downward after it snapped off of the wall. He fell down a bit, looking desperately for another rock to grab, as he was way too high to survive a fall by this point. He grabbed hold of a much bigger rock and saved himself, biting down on Flurry Heart’s tail to save her from the fall as well.

Let’s… never do that… ever again!

He was hyperventilating a bit before looking back up at his destination and continuing the climb. He was getting closer and closer to his goal, occasionally making sure that the little foal was safely beside him. At one point their eyes met and Flurry Heart gave Carter a funny look.

“Just checking in on you, kiddo.” Carter said, knowing that most of what he was saying would go off not understood. “I didn’t risk my life just to fail with trying to save yours.” Flurry Heart just made bubble noises with her mouth in response, releasing a bit of froth from her lips. “Great motivation, kiddo. Keep it going.”

If you so much as drool on me once, I’ll… do something...

Just above him was the crack in the ground above him. Carter smiled to himself, knowing that the journey was almost over. He looked over his shoulder and reached out towards the light. There was a problem, however: The crack was too small for even Flurry Heart to fit through.

“Just my luck.” Carter muttered. He started to hear some ponies above him moving the rocks away. He had an idea. “Hey! Can anyo-, anypony hear me?” He shouted. Nothing came back his way. He tried again, then waited.

“Carter? Is that you?” A familiar voice answered back.

“Applejack?” Carter inquired.

“Yeah, it’s me. What y’all doing down there?” She asked.

“Yeah, uh… kinda busy saving this little foal.”

“Foal? Wait! Guys, he has Flurry Heart. She is still alive!” Applejack yelled to the other ponies. A couple shouts of praise were heard before things continued.

“Applejack, we need a way out.” Carter stated.

“Right, on it.” She said, placing her hind hooves on the rocks near the crack. “You underneath me?”

“No, go for it!” Applejack lifted her back legs and kicked the rocks away from the crack. Soon following, the rocks fell to the ground, and Carter, with only a split second to react, pushed himself and the foal against the wall to avoid the falling debris. Soon enough the hole was bigger, but it was too far for Carter to jump through. Applejack looked down and saw the problem herself.

“Carter, give me your hoof.” Applejack shouted.

“I don’t think I can make it!” Carter said, holding Flurry Heart, who was beginning to get impatient. “Stupid baby, hold on.” He muttered under his breath.

“Yes, you can. Trust me.”

“Can I actually trust you?” Carter asked. His nervousness began to multiply. On one side of things, he could make the jump and hope to God that Applejack actually carries out her side of the work and catches them both. The other: impending death for the both of them.

“Yes, and you kinda have to trust me. The wall is about to break.” She said, which made Carter look over his shoulder to find that the rock wall was in pieces by this point, ready to collapse at any moment. Carter was hesitant, but ultimately agreed. He readied up and jumped from the rocks just as the wall crumbled to the floor below. He reached for Applejack’s hoof, letting out a loud yell. Applejack reached down and caught the alicorn by the hoof with hers. Applejack grabbed tightly onto his foreleg and slowly but surely pulled both him and Flurry Heart out of the ravine. Eventually they were safely pulled up. Carter shook himself to get the rubble out of his hairs (also to calm himself from the dangers beforehand) and set Flurry Heart down on the ground, making sure that she was nowhere near the ravine to fall back in.

“Oh my gosh, my sweet little Flurry. Are you ok?” Cadence asked, the little foal giving off nothing but frothy bubbles from her lips in return. “Oh, thank goodness, you are still alive.”

“Well I’ll be, Carter. Ya actually up and saved the princess’ baby.” Applejack said, surprised that both of them were alive and barely injured, compared to what she had expected.

“Yeah… she sure is a troublemaker, it would seem.” Carter said, rolling his shoulders to try and ease the pain that came from the bruises.

“Uh, not to be a let down or anything, but why didn’t you just fly up to the top?” Rainbow Dash asked, crossing her arms.

“Yeah, why didn’t you use your wings?” Applejack added.

“It’s hard to believe, but I have never really learned to fly.” Carter admitted.

I mean, it’s not like I’ve only had wings for an hour or so.

“What!? You can’t even fly?” Rainbow Dash shouted.

“Well, I think everyone has their flaws.” Carter said, furrowing his brow in annoyance. He knew very well that if he could only fly with his new wings, then this task of his would’ve been accomplished much sooner than the time it had currently proven to take. They were right, and he was ashamed of it.

“Ha, not me. I am perfect.” Rainbow Dash said. Applejack gave her an off look. “Ok, maybe you are right.” She said, rubbing her right foreleg in embarrassment. "But seriously, you don't know how to fly?"

"Cross my heart." Carter said. Even through all of the backtalk he was receiving, he was getting quite a good laugh from her reaction.

"You didn't even get help from your friends or family?" Rainbow Dash insisted.

"Nope." Carter said.

"Alright, that's enough, Rainbow! Let the stallion get a breather. Wings or no wings, flying or no flying, he still got out of the ravine, alive and in one piece." Applejack shouted in annoyance, striking the ground with her right forehoof to stop the argument before it dragged out.

"Oh thank you so much, mister." The pink mare princess said. "I cannot express how grateful I am to you for saving my little Flurry Heart."

"Think nothing of it, your highness. These things do happen, after all." Carter said, bowing down as to not look rude in front of the princess. The purple mare came up behind her, the white stallion following closely behind.

"Hey, thanks for that, sir. But you know, using your wings would've made things easier." The purple coated mare said, staring almost dumbfounded at Carter.

Is everyone going to ask this?

"Carter already said that he can't fly, Twilight." Applejack said.

"Oh, haha. Sorry to ask." Twilight said.

"Ha! That makes two of us." The white stallion shouted jokingly.

"Forgive me, but I do not believe I have met any of you. Besides, Applejack." Carter stated.

"Yeah, Carter is not from here. So he says." Applejack added.

"Well, I do believe a proper introduction is in order, then." The purple mare began. "My name is Twilight Sparkle. Those two, the parents of Flurry Heart, are Shining Armor, my brother, and Mi Amore Cadenza, or Cadence for short. Over there you can see my dragon pal, Spike. Then you have Rainbow Dash: the most supreme, amazing, incredible, spectacular, and overall best Wonderbolt there is, or so she likes to call herself, in that order."

"Yes, she even remembered the order." Rainbow Dash shouted, doing a little arm pump. Twilight just rolled her eyes.

What an amazing title to be known by… yet that same pony almost killed an innocent foal. Might want to change it...

"How do you two know each other, Applejack? I've never heard of you talk about a stallion friend." Twilight said.

"Me and Carter just met today. Haven't known each other for long." Applejack answered.

"I see. Well, I happily welcome you to Equestria. It's a pleasure seeing that ponies outside of these lands have come here. Are you here just to visit?" Twilight asked.

"I'll be quite honest with you, Twilight. I do not know why I am here." Carter admitted, looking down at the ground.

"Whatever do you mean?" Cadence inquired.

"I woke up in the forest down below the city. I don't remember how I got here, nor how I'll ever get back home. It's strange to think about, but I do not believe I was put here by some means of pure coincidence or something alike."

"Wait! You were unconscious in the Everfree Forest!?" Rainbow Dash shouted.

"You say that like it's one bad place." Carter said.

"Let's just say that we are surprised that you weren't attacked or anything." Shining Armor replied.

"Ah, that's great to hear. Makes me want to go back." Carter said sarcastically , the entire group picking up on it and soon chuckling.

"Well, Carter, do you have any plans on what to do during your time in Equestria?" Twilight asked.

"Negative. I have absolutely no clue. I don't know where to stay, what to do to get home… I'm feeling kinda hopeless now that I think about it." Carter said. His eyebrows slumped down, making his face look distressed.

"That's no good." Applejack said.

"Well, I am sure that we could help. How about you come with us to the castle. You can get cleaned up and then we can talk about helping you get squared away." Twilight offered.

"You mean it?" Carter asked, his face beaming with a slight glimmer of positivity and hope after hearing her offer. "I mean, if it isn't too much to ask for, I'd be glad to accept."

"Not at all, Carter. It would be a privilege to help you. It's not everyday we get ponies like you."

"Then sure. I'd be most gracious to accept your offer, your highness." Carter said happily.

"Great. Spike, fly over to the castle and make preparations for a plus one." Twilight ordered.

"Of course, Twilight. Your faithful dragon pal Spike can handle this."

"And this time, make sure that there aren't any gems lying around the throne room."

"Aha. Right." Spike said, flying away.

"Now then, let's all head over to the castle, ourselves. I'm sure the others are already there waiting for our arrival." Twilight said.

"Besides, I'm dying for something to do." Rainbow Dash declared.

"You're just loving the attention, aren't you?" Applejack said, giving her an odd look.

"What can I say? The crowd loves me." Rainbow Dash said, flying around the area, crossing her legs and placing her forelegs behind her head. Everypony laughed and then began to go to the castle.

Author's Note

And so the human has found his way into Equestria, and with quite an entrance. There are some ponies that Carter has yet to meet; don't worry, they will be present in due time.

Chapter 3: The Answers Must be Found

Moments passed and conversations were discussed between the group of ponies before they finally made their way to the castle doors. Twilight gave the guards a simple nod and they opened the gates, announcing the return of their princess. Twilight led the others across the pale-stoned bridge and into the regal castle, soon finding themselves in the throne room. There were two other ponies waiting in front of Twilight’s throne, both mares. One was a cream colored pegasus with a pink mane, and did not exactly look like the most outgoing. The other was a white colored unicorn with purple mane, looking to be Equestria’s next top model.

“There you are, darling. Honestly, could you not be so late next time? I get you are the princess now, but I know the real Twilight Sparkle would never truly enjoy being late to things that she says to do.” said the white mare in a very charismatic yet deeva-like tone.

“Yes, well hello, Rarity. We had some… unexpected events happen to Flurry Heart, but we are here in one piece. That’s what really counts.” Twilight said, giving off a cheeky smile to try and livin the mood. “It’s good to see you too, Fluttershy.” The yellow pegasus knelt down very timidly.

“Why… Flurry Heart? Whatever could have happened?” Rarity asked.

“She, uh, almost left us and never came back. I think that is the easiest way to say it.” Shining Armor said, still shaken up from the past events.

“Oh, goodness. I am so sorry to hear that.” said Fluttershy with a soft, breathy tone in her voice. “I am glad that you are all ok.”

“Who or what could’ve done that?” Rarity inquired.

“Well, somepony didn’t do their job correctly.” Applejack said, rolling her eyes over to Rainbow Dash.

“But it wasn’t my fault. Also, shut up! I don’t need this amount of guilt today, or any day, quite frankly.” Rainbow Dash said, hiding her face behind her forehooves.

“Right, well now that that is cleared up, we should…” Twilight stopped in her words. “Wait, we are missing one pony.”

“What? I could have sworn that she was with us on the way here.” Fluttershy stated.

“Oh, she probably saw a cotton candy vendor and left us.” Rarity said, shaking her head. “You know how she could be.

Carter let out a very subtle laugh, wondering who this other pony was that would have her friends think so little of her. However, he stopped dead in his tracks after his mind began to present himself with more visions. There was a pink pony with a crazy light pink mane that came crashing through the doors to the throne room with a giant bag of cotton candy between her forelegs. She came in with joy swept over her face, but it was immediately retracted after she tripped and spilled every last bit of the fluffy substance, resulting in a giant mess in the castle and all the others looking at her with a bit of anger in their eyes. Carter snapped back into reality, finding his right forehoof against his forehead. Applejack turned to him and placed her forehoof on his side.

“You doing okay there, partner?” Applejack asked, softly. She tried to get Carter to calm down, noticing that his breathing pattern had become faster and more sporadic. Carter turned around and looked at the giant, bronze door, which remained closed. He saw two guards guarding the door.

Carter reached into his satchel and pulled out Applejack’s tonic. He opened the vial and downed about half of its contents, swishing the liquid around in his mouth before swallowing it. Though he didn't visually express it, the tonic tasted extremely sour. He was hoping that this tonic really would help him at least cope with his headaches… but something didn’t sit right in his mind.

Carter remembered the vision he had that warned him about Flurry Heart’s impending death. If that one proved to be true, then how could he just ignore this one? He hadn’t had any foretelling powers, not any he knew about at least, but he figured that, perhaps, being in Equestria gave him this ability… somehow.

“I feel a disturbance.” Carter said. “A sticky one, at best. You there, open the door, or this room is going to get a lot more pink.” The guard refused to do so, not giving Carter any signs of acknowledgement, and the other ponies gave Carter an awkward look, wondering what on Earth (or Equestria in this sense) he was doing.

“Applejack, you have to trust me. Get your friends to back up.” Carter said, gesturing with his hooves.

“Why? What do ya see that we so clearly don’t?” Applejack asked.

“Cotton candy.” Carter stated, never changing the seriousness in his face. Applejack’s eyes widened and she looked at her friends.

“Do as he says, y’all.” Applejack ordered.

“Are we under attack?” Cadence asked.

“Yes… and no.” Carter said, raising his eyebrow toward the pink princess.

A pink pony with a crazy mane came crashing through the door to the throne room with a giant bag of cotton candy between her forelegs. She came in with joy swept over her face, but it was immediately retracted after she tripped and dropped her cotton candy. Carter saw it coming and jumped to catch the cotton candy bag. He grabbed it and pulled it close to his chest before landing hard on the ground.

“Oh no! Twilight I am so sorry. I… I-” The pink pony looked at Carter with a confused look. “Who is this pony?”

“Pinkie Pie, so happy to see you!” Twilight said, giving the pink mare a hug. Applejack and Fluttershy ran over to Carter to help him back on his hooves while Rarity used her magic to lift the bag of cotton candy off of his body.

“Thanks, you guys, or uh… girls, rather.” Carter said.

“Of course, sir.” Fluttershy said. A small but noticeable smile ran across her face.

"Uh, not to seem odd or anything, but how did you see that coming?" Rainbow Dash asked. Carter knew that he had to think of something, as he thought there was no way they'd believe the truth.

"I… smelled it from here." Carter said, his words almost sounding more like a question than a statement.

"Smelled it? Ok… but how did you know that Pinkie Pie was going to trip and spill it?" Rarity questioned.

"Just a guess. I could sense the enormous size of the bag, so I figured something was gonna go down. Can't say I'm wrong for thinking so. After all, I do believe that this room would be a lot more… pink we're it not for a bit of caution." Carter said. He knew damn well that this fib of his was fooling nopony, but still chose to continue through with it.

"I suppose you’re right." Fluttershy said, looking around the room and imagining a cotton candy covered castle. Her eyes dilated after getting a clear image in her head.

"Not like it wouldn't be cool or anything!" Pinkie Pie shouted. "Now that I think about it, that was a missed opportunity. I mean, just imagine how much fun we'd have cleaning up this mess! Nom nom nom, delicious!" Carter simply stared at the overly-excited pony go about her ways as he shook his head in embarrassment.

"You know what, by the time we get about half way done eating all of that, I do believe we'd be cleaning up more than cotton candy." Carter said. Applejack, Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle got a good laugh out of Carter's joke, whereas Fluttershy and Rarity felt a bit nauseous at the thought.

"Wow… talk about a party pooper." Pinkie Pie said, rolling her eyes half jokingly.

"I think he has a point." Twilight said. "Oh, which by the way, I know that not all of you have met him, but this is Carter."

"I noticed that you are an alicorn." Fluttershy stated. "That's a very cool thing to see. I don't believe we have seen a male alicorn in quite some time, if ever."

"I appreciate the compliment. At least, I took it as such." Carter said.

"Do what you want with her words, but do not feel like you must now woah the crowd." Rainbow Dash said. "Leave that stuff to me."

"Well, Carter, I must say that it is an honor to meet you." Rarity said, nodding her head slowly, resembling something like a bow of respect.

"Nice to meet you, too." Carter said, doing the same in return.

“So why are you here, Carter?” Pinkie Pie started. "Did you just come to snack on my cotton candy, is that it? *Gasp* That's how you knew that I would trip and spill my cotton candy. You just wanted it for yourself, which would explain why you caught it with your own hooves instead of something as simple as magic! Well I've exposed you now, Mr. alicorn. Or should I say, faker!" Her face flared up and her cheery voice dropped to somewhat of an angry tone.

Carter was left speechless. Of all his years on Earth he had never met a person quite as “thrilling.” Yet with being in Equestria for about a couple hours or so he felt as though he just hit the crack-head jackpot. He eyed Twilight for her assistance, and she was already on the move to help him out of this predicament.

"I am so glad you guys met, but Carter is actually here because he has lost his way home. I offered him help to locate his homeland and return safely.” Twilight said. Carter looked at her and mouthed the words, “thank you.”

"Wherever do you live, Carter? There is no such place that we know of where ponies live besides Equestria." Rarity asked.

"He says it's called America." Applejack informed. "Right?" Carter nodded.

"America? That has never been mentioned in any of the books that I've read." Twilight said. "Nor on the map."

"And she reads like every book out there." Spike said, scratching the back of his head and hiding his words behind sporadic coughs. Twilight heard his words easily through Spike's arguably poor cover and eyed him down with a stern look of betrayal.

"I don't believe we have ever heard of it before, either." Shining Armor added.

"Do you by any means have a slight clue or direction where this place is?" Cadence asked.

"No." Carter said. “Believe me, there is no way that I’d be wanting to make this up. In fact, I am quite a terrible liar.”

“Yeah, you are.” Pinkie Pie said. “I see it all over your face, you wanted to steal my cotton candy!!!” She jumped into the air; her mane somehow jetted out in different directions, like how a cartoon character would express its mood if they were beyond angry.

“Oh for crying out loud, Pinkie Pie! Enough with the cotton candy talk!” Rainbow Dash shouted. “The main focus here is to help Carter get back home, no ifs, buts or whys. Capiche?” Pinkie Pie glared over at Carter.

“You win this round, mister. But I’ve got my pinkie pie eye on you. So… watch out!” Pinkie Pie said, trying to threaten him. Carter, however, was just loving the wacky and crazy expressions and banter that she was throwing out.

“Don’t let it get to you, dear. She is always like this.” Rarity whispered in his ear while Pinkie Pie wasn’t looking. Carter followed up with a nod to show that he heard her.

“So… what could we do to help?” Fluttershy asked. Carter sat down and pondered at that question. What on Earth… or rather, what in Equestria could they do to help him get back to the world of humans and non-talking ponies. He crossed his forelegs and stared at the ground. He knew that he was put there for a reason, but how to get out and return home was beyond his comprehension.

“Fluttershy might be onto something.” Carter said.

“What do you mean?” Twilight asked.

“What could you do to get me back? Nothing, that’s what.” Carter got up on his hooves. “None of us have any clue on how to find my home. No one here has any idea what I am talking about. Perhaps I just bumped my head a little harder than I thought. The point is, I do not believe I will ever return home.”

“I fear he has a point, Twilight.” Applejack said. “I reckon we truly can’t do anything with the knowledge that we currently have about his homeworld. I’m afraid he might be stuck in Equestria… forever.”

“That’s horrible!” Rarity shouted.

“But it’s probably for the best. I would hate to know that I’d just left my home, but I would make sure to not dwell on my past and start working with what I’ve got.” Spike said. “That’s not to say that I wish to move away from Equestria and never return.”

“Well, since you put it that way,” Twilight said, looking maliciously at Spike. The poor dragon felt uneasy about this, even though he knew it was merely a joke.

“Don’t even tease about that, Twilight. You know how I feel about that subject.” Spike pouted, crossing his arms and giving her a stern look.

“Oh, cheer up.” Twilight said.

“I must say that even though this seems very hard to accept, this is not at all my first time moving. It should be no trouble for me to figure out how to live in this place.” Carter said.

“You’re really just gonna accept it like that?” Applejack questioned.

“I’m… afraid I have no choice. At least, not from what I have just learned. I’m quite positive that you’d be making the same choice that I am if you were in my hooves.”

“You’re right.” Applejack stared at the floor. Carter knew that she was upset. The distressed look on her face showed just how much she wanted to help him, but ultimately knew that there was nothing that she could do.

“Look on the bright side, Carter. At least it will be like a brand new start. Sure you miss out on all of the good things you had, but any bad ones you may have had will be gone to counter them.” Rarity said, trying very hard to ease his pain, which was quite evident through his face.

“That is true.” Carter said, raising his brow. “It’s whatever by this point. I will just have to accept this new life and make sure I do the best that I can with it. I should be glad that I am not dead, instead.”

“Yeah, that’s always good.” Shining Armor said, looking over at Flurry Heart with a paranoid look in his eyes.

“Now then… I guess that I should start getting to know you guys if I am going to be living here from now on.” Carter said, trying to subdue the distress building in his heart.

“That is a great idea.” Twilight said. She raised her hoof and ordered everypony to sit down while they chatted. “I should start, as I don’t believe that my introduction was at all formal. Ahem. My name is Twilight Sparkle, the ruler of Equestria and Princess of Friendship. As a member of the Mane 6, I represent the essence of magic.”

Well I’ll be… she sure has her work cut out for her.

“Do tell me, your highness. What is the Mane 6?” Carter inquired.

“Excellent question. The Mane 6 consists of myself, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Fluttershy.” Twilight informed, pointing to each one as she named them off.

“I’m Applejack, as you already know. I work on Sweet Apple Acres and sell apples. I represent the essence of honesty.”

“I’m Rarity. Representing the essence of generosity, I work in the Carousel Boutique, selling elegant fashion clothing across Equestria."

“I’m Rainbow Dash, Wonderbolt extraordinaire and top notch flyer overall. I represent loyalty.”

“I’m Pinkie Pie! I share my laughter with everypony! It’s something between my hobby and my job, but I don’t mind, either way.”

“I guess that leaves me, huh.” The cream colored mare said behind her long, delicate mane. “I’m Fluttershy. I-i-i represent the essence of kindness. I enjoy t-t-taking care of animals.”

Okay… so laughter, generosity, loyalty, honesty, kindness, and magic. Quite an interesting world they live in. To think I live with leaders that represent power, wealth, and supremacy.

“Then you have us.” Shining armor began. “Me and my wife are the leaders of the Crystal Empire. We protect it with the aid of the Crystal Heart: an ancient artifact that expels any and all evils from entering our land.”

“Ok. I see.” Carter said, taking mental notes as each pony talked. “I assume you work with Twilight?” He pointed to the purple dragon.

“Yes, I do. I’m kinda like Twilight’s vice leader.” Spike said.

“I see.” Carter nodded, giving off a slight grin to the dragon. “You must feel so gracious being under the care and protection of the leader, herself.”

“Indeed. Without her, I don’t know where I’d be in life.”

Pinkie Pie was about to say something, holding her hoof up and taking a deep breath into her lungs. She was quickly silenced, however, as Applejack swiftly placed her left front hoof over her mouth.

“Do not say anything.” Applejack whispered.

“I must confess, knowing this much already gives me hope.” Carter admitted. “I only need to figure out the rest before I completely feel accepted in Equestria.”

“So what will you do?” Fluttershy asked.

“I figure that I should first look around the land and find a place to call home that best fits my tastes.” Carter said. “Any ideas?”

“Well, Ponyville is a pretty good place. Small town with great ponies of all kinds to complement it.” Applejack said. “All of us besides Twilight live there. I think ya’d enjoy it, too.”

“Hmm.” Carter stared at the ground while thinking about where he might permanently settle down. His mind was on Ponyville, but remembering his previous thoughts about that place were making him second guess himself. “I think Ponyville might be the play.”

“Really!” Rarity shouted in excitement. “Just like that?”

“I think that is the place that best suits me, based on the description you gave me. Besides, if there are five of you already there, then I am sure you can take advantage of my skills. As life has told me beforehand, I am always looking for work, and I know very well that I will need to find somewhere to work if I want a good income to stay alive.”

“Well I thank you for your offer, but do not ever feel like ya owe us anything.” Applejack said. “We are only doing this to help you, nothing more.

“You are quite alright, Carter.” Rarity said.

“Welp, if this is how it is going to be, then I guess I should thank you guys for helping me with my future plans.” Carter said with a smile on his face.

“It was great making a new friend.” Fluttershy said.

“Friend?” Carter asked. The word sounded foriegn to him, as if it was manually taken away from his mind.

“Yes, ya've proven to be a good friend to us.” Applejack said.

“You ok, dear?” Rarity asked.

“Yeah… it’s just that I haven’t heard that word in a while.” Carter admitted.

“You haven’t had friends before?” Twilight asked.

“No… well, not recently.”

“That’s awful.” Fluttershy said.

“I have had notable trust issues when it comes to that kind of a relationship. If you really think I am a friend to you guys, then I am not opposed to that. I just want to make sure that you feel sure about calling me that. It’s not something I take too kindly to.” Carter said.

“Why not?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“It’s a long story, and one that I do not wish to spill out quite yet. Let’s just say that, to me, a friend is someone you trust full heartedly. A friend is someone you can fully count on for being by your side, as long as you do the same for them. I haven’t had someone like that in my life for a while. I am not afraid to converse with others, but friendship is something that I don't mess with. Not recently, at least.”

“That is the same way we see a friend, Carter.” Applejack said. “Ya've proven to us that you are accountable and dependable, and so we full heartedly consider ya a friend.”

“Not to mention the fact that you are an amazing foalsitter when it comes to saving little ponies like Flurry Heart.” Cadence said.

“Don’t make us take it back, though.” Rarity said jokingly. Everypony laughed together.

“Then I guess it’s time I go scout around for a new home in Ponyville.” Carter said.

“I guess so.” Twilight said. “Applejack, Fluttershy, can you go with Carter and help him find a suitable home?”

“Can do, Twi.” Applejack said.

“Shouldn’t be too hard.” Fluttershy added.

Carter got up and smiled, shaking everypony’s hoof before leaving the castle with Applejack and Fluttershy towards Ponyville while the rest of the gang stayed with Twilight.

“I’ll be sure to meet up with the rest of you ponies in the future. Thank you so much for your help.” Carter shouted, looking back at the others.

“Take care, Carter.” Twilight said.

With that, a new adventure began for Carter. Though still unable to understand why he was put in such a strange scenario in order to prove himself worthy, he stood strong and kept his head held high as he stared his future in the face, no signs of fear appearing to anyone near him. He didn’t know what he had to do to get back to Earth, but he knew what he must do in order to survive.

Author's Note

This was a chapter that I couldn't wait to write, as the plot now begins to unfold!

As always, comment and ask me any questions if you have some.

Chapter 4: A Change of Scenery is Always Nice

Carter arrived with his new ‘friends’ in the little town of Ponyville. Based on the descriptions that Applejack gave him, he expected nothing but exactly what he saw before him; it was a suburban place with lots of farmland, along with a couple houses located near the middle of the town. He knew he had picked the right choice, as he wasn’t really one for big cities. Places like Las Vegas appeared in his head, making him remember all of the hustle and bustle that cities like that had to offer, and not in a good way.

“Here we are, fellers. Good ol’ Ponyville.” Applejack said.

“You nailed the description to a T, Applejack.” Carter stated, nodding his head to her in admiration.

“Well, after living here for all my life I figure I should indeed know my hometown inside and out.”

“Yeah, I guess that would make sense.” Carter said.

“So, Carter… what kind of place are you looking to find?” Fluttershy asked.

“Are there any houses up for grabs? I was honestly thinking that I would have to build mine from the ground up.” Carter said.

“Oh no, silly. There are plenty of houses for you to choose from here in Ponyville.” Fluttershy said, letting a breathy giggle escape from her mouth.

“Yeah, we have gotten quite an increase in population ever since Twilight had to move to Canterlot. Lots of carpenters have been hard at work making suitable shelters for the new ponies coming to Ponyville.” Applejack explained.

“Is that so.” Carter said. “How much do they usually go up for?”

“What do you mean?” Fluttershy asked.

“I mean, how much money does it usually take to purchase a house?” Carter clarified himself. The other two ponies looked at each other before laughing. “What did I say?”

“Oh, Carter. You don’t have to pay anything.” Fluttershy said.

“Wait… really?” Carter asked.

“Nope. Twilight ordered that we give away these houses for free to make sure the new ponies coming in will feel happy moving here.” Applejack said.

“Wow, that’s great to hear.” Carter said, relieved to hear such wonderful news. He was just beginning to think of how he could possibly pay off a house debt.

“Yeah, Twilight has quite a soft spot when it comes to Ponyville.” Applejack said.

“Does she now? Well, that is just better for me, all things considered.” Carter said. “Now about what kind of place I’d prefer, that is a question I have yet to think upon.”

“Um, what kind of places do you enjoy living in?” Fluttershy asked. “Assuming you have experience in more than one household.”

“I do, actually.” Carter said. “I have lived in a one-story house, two-story house, an apartment complex, in a room with twenty-some odd other soldiers. I have quite an experience, indeed.”

“Soldiers? Like real soldiers? Like the ones you’d find in battle?” Fluttershy wondered. Her tone got a little higher in pitch, and her eyes got progressively larger.

“Yes. I was a young private during my beginnings in the forces.” Carter explained, telling the others a bit of his back story. “Before I came here, I was actually finishing up my last year of service.”

“How long was your term?” Fluttershy inquired. The fear on her face slowly faded away, as she found herself wanting to know more about his past. Applejack simply nodded occasionally as Carter continued talking.

“4 years, give or take.”

“I’ll be. That is quite remarkable, Carter. Fighting for your homeland, wow. Not a lot of ponies would do such a thing.” Applejack said.

“Took a lot of nerve to muster the courage to sign up, but it was for the best. Felt like it would make me a better man. Er… pony.” Carter said, trying to remember to use the correct pronouns.

“I’d bet.” Applejack added.

“I take it that you were timid as well?” Fluttershy asked.

“Yes… I was very shy. Couldn’t do anything productive for my life. It wasn’t until I truly understood what ‘hard work’ was when I finally got myself together and stopped acting like an idiot.”

“Interesting.” Applejack had a confused look on her face as she processed Carter’s words. “If it makes ya feel any better, you seem like a very straight forward stallion. I believe that your attempts at bettering yourself have paid off a mighty fine bit.”

It’s going to be hard letting people call me pony names. I’m so used to ‘man.’

“Ya know what, I do believe that I’d find myself most comfortable in a smaller house. One big enough for a small company, but nothing like a mansion or castle.” Carter said.

“Ok, then. I think I know just the place for you.” Fluttershy said, signaling for the other two ponies to follow her. She began to use her wings to fly over to her chosen location to get there faster, but remembered that Carter could not fly. “Oops, I guess I forgot that we will have to travel on the ground.”

Damn. She may be shy, but she surely isn’t afraid to get things done on time.

“Forgive me, Fluttershy. I should be able to fly in no time, granted I practice correctly.” Carter said apologetically. “Don’t think it at all intentional that I make your life any harder than it needs to be.”

“Oh, it’s fine, really. I’m just so used to flying, that’s all.” Fluttershy said. “Besides, Applejack can’t fly, even if she really wants to.”

“You don’t owe anyone an apology, Carter. Better knowing how to walk of all things, anyway. Right?” Applejack said jokingly.

“You are right about that one.” Carter said, playfully laughing along with the other two ponies. “Now then, where do you plan for me to find suitable housing?”

“It’s right across from Mr. and Mrs. Cake’s bakery. It’s one I very much believe you will find to be just what you are looking for.” Fluttershy explained.

“Wait! Are you talking about that one beige house in the middle of Ponyville?” Applejack asked.

“Yes, actually. That is exactly what I am talking about.” Fluttershy said. “Are you ok with beige, Carter?”

“Quite honestly, I could care less about the color of a house. I just don’t want it looking like some asylum or murder house.” Carter said.

“Yeah, I think that most ponies can agree with you on that last part.” Applejack said, laughing to herself while getting chills through her spine after imagining such a structure in her head.

“I’d hope so.” Fluttershy said, hiding her face behind her hooves and shivering.

Is she scared of everything? My dad would’ve flipped if he saw me act like this.

“Didn’t mean to scare you, Fluttershy. Guess that’s just my messed up way of saying that I have some standards, but nothing too out of the ordinary.” Carter said.

“No, I understand that completely.” Fluttershy replied, shaking off her nerves.”

“Now with that out of the way, let’s actually begin heading our walk over there and figuring out if that there house is the right one for him.” Applejack said to Fluttershy.

“Right. Carter, Applejack, do follow me.”

Calm down, Carter. Treat it like you would in any new scenario; just let it slide.

As the three made their way over to the center of Ponyville to take a look at the house, Carter began to ponder about what his main goal was in order to return to his world. During his meditation, something clicked in his head. He had yet to tell them that he wasn’t actually a pony like the rest of them. He knew that he would have to tell them at some point, but would they accept him for what he truly was? He thought that it was not likely. Carter decided to just keep that information to himself until he felt that he and the others were ready for the truth.

“Ladada,” Fluttershy sang to herself. A small group of birds flew above her, harmonizing to the song that she sang. Carter decided to chime in, figuring out a beat to the song. He heard that it was in d major and just laid a standard 4 beat pattern of d notes. The song began to sound pretty good, and nearby ponies began to look over at the group while lightly bobbing their heads along to the beat.

“Wow, Carter. I never imagined that somepony like you could sing so well.” Fluttershy said, complimenting him on his skills.

“I took choir class for 7 years of my youth. I’d like to think that I know a thing or two about music and why we love it so much.” Carter said. “Why I personally enjoy it, I will probably never know. But even then, that never stopped me from being a successful choir singer.”

“What part were you?” Applejack asked.

“Well he is obviously a bass. Maybe baritone.” Fluttershy said, basing her guess off of Carter’s normal talking voice.

“Actually, I was a high tenor for the whole duration.” Carter answered.

“What!?” The other two ponies shouted in synchronization.

“Yeah, and that still hasn’t changed. Sometimes I’d do fill-ins for local choir events during my free time away from the military. They never really had a lot of high tenor singers, so I’d usually get paired with maybe one or two other tenors. But hey, that isn’t to say it sounds bad with just a minority.”

“If you are telling the truth, then why don’t you sing us a song right now?” Applejack asked, wanting him to prove himself and make sure that he wasn’t just fibbing to make himself look cooler.

“You know… I’d love to, but I have never been one to sing in front of people in an open environment. With that said, put me on a stage and you’ve got yourself one high set of pipes at the ready.” Carter said.

“Mhm, okay then.” Applejack said, grinning to herself.

“Would you look at that! We are here!” Fluttershy shouted in excitement, pointing to a small, beige house. Carter looked at the exterior of the structure, wanting to see if it would meet his conditions. He mainly focused on things such as leaks, cracks, chips and the like. “Well, Carter. What do you think about it so far?”

“It definitely seems to be well constructed, although looking at it from only an outside perspective will not be enough for me to come up with a clear answer.” Carter said.

“I do think that that is my que.” The three ponies turned to find a tan colored pony with a silver colored mane calmly trotting towards them. “I take it that you’re new here. I am the mayor of Ponyville: Mayor Mare.”

“I am Carter.” He replied, trying hard not to laugh after hearing yet another cliche name that ties in with their life in some way. “A pleasure to meet you.”

“If you are looking for somewhere to live, then I am the pony to talk to.” She said.

“You didn’t think of telling us that, Fluttershy?” Applejack said, raising an eyebrow towards the timid pony.

“I forgot! Don’t look at me like that, you know how I get when people look at me like that.” Fluttershy said, covering her face with her wings.

“Yes, actually. I was looking at this house right here. Just wanted to see the inside if that is at all possible.” Carter said.

“Of course. Follow me and I will give you a tour of the house. There you can browse around the interior.” Mayor Mare said. Carter nodded and went inside the house, following closely behind Mayor Mare. The rest followed closely behind him.

Once inside, Carter was quite intrigued by all of the things that he found inside the house. He was expecting to find just a bunch of open rooms, which wouldn’t have been a problem, as he had past experience moving into a completely empty household beforehand. Instead he found that the house was already filled with minimal items that fit each room, like a small table in the dining room, and a countertop for chopping food in the kitchen.

“Woah. I was not expecting anything quite like this.” Carter said.

“Yes, here at Ponyville we do our best to meet the needs of our citizens.” Mayor Mare said.

“You blew all my expectations. Or at least, it looks better than basic training. I got a bed and that was it.” Carter added.

“So I take it that this house might suit your fancy?” Applejack asked, almost knowing his answer.

“Hold on, now. I have to check the entirety of this house out before I make my decision.” Carter stated. “I am not wanting to glance over any faults or things that I would find to be unnecessary or unwanted.”

“Very well. Take all the time you need. I will wait here until you have made up your mind.” Mayor Mare said.

“Thank you. I appreciate your help. I will make sure that I don’t take too long.” Carter replied. He turned around and walked off to go look at the rest of the rooms, checking to see if it was truly where he wanted to live. His gut feeling was telling him to definitely get the house, but his cognisant mind wanted to really make sure this was the one. He examined as much as he could without feeling like the others were waiting too long for him to get done. He finished his observations with the bedroom before going back to Mayor Mare.

“Yep, this is the one.” Carter said.

“So you for sure want to pick this house to be your own?” Mayor Mare asked, trying to expose any second thoughts that Carter might have about his decision.

“I am very sure. I feel like it will suit me well and could definitely be something that I am proud of owning in the near future.” Carter said defiantly.

“Ok then. If that is your final choice then I am happy to declare you the happy owner of this house.” Mayor Mare said with a smile on her face.

“Yeehaw!” Applejack shouted, tossing her hat into the air.

“That’s wonderful, Carter.” Fluttershy said.

“I couldn’t have done it so fast without your help. Thank you so much.” Carter replied. Fluttershy blushed and looked down at the ground.

“With that said, your new house label should be coming in anytime tomorrow. It will have your name on it and you can slap it right on your front door when it arrives to show everypony that you have ownership of this property.” Mayor Mare explained. “I guess with all that out of the way I take my leave.”

“Thank you so much for your help, Mayor Mare.” Carter said.

“As mayor of Ponyville it is my job, but I thank you for your kindness nonetheless.” She said. “Don’t forget to ask me about any questions that you may have.”

“Can do, Mayor.” Carter said, nodding after finishing his sentence.

Mayor Mare shook Carter’s hoof, along with the others’, before walking out of Carter’s new house and across the street, disappearing behind the front door once it closed.

Carter looked around at his new ‘home,’ feeling like a successful man (or pony in this case).

You’d be proud of me, Dad. Maybe not about being banished to this world, but for buying my first house like a grown man.

“Okay, so now that you have your home situation figured out, what are you going to do now, Carter?” Applejack asked.

“You know, that is a good question.” Carter said, placing his hoof under his chin. He eyed his little pouch of gold coins that he found earlier that day. “I guess I don’t have to be in such a hurry to figure that out just yet. I do have enough money to last me quite a bit before it runs out. I suppose I can travel around Equestria in the meantime. Maybe I can find myself a suitable means of income during my travels.”

“That isn’t a bad idea, actually. You might come to like the place a lot more.” Fluttershy said, prancing in place.

“And do visit us from time to time. We’d enjoy your company.” Applejack said.

“If you insist.” Carter said, smiling to himself.

“Oh, I do more than insist.” Applejack grinned at Carter, raising her brow.

The three ponies kept their discussion going on for a moment longer until they all heard the front door open up from the outside. They turned to find a familiar white pony burst into the room. Rarity was in a state of panic. She was sweating profusely and her mascara was smeared all over her face.

“What ‘n tarnation is up with ya?” Applejack inquired, taking a step back after she noticed that Rarity was walking up to her. She was eventually grabbed by Rarity by the scruff of her neck.

“Me!? I think you meant to ask yourself that question, Applejack!? Both of you, actually!” Rarity shouted, her eyes twitching every few seconds.

“What ‘n Equestria are ya talking about?” Applejack asked, pushing Rarity off of her.

“Did we forget something?” Fluttershy asked, the expression on her face was beginning to look like straight up fear. For all she knew, they had just forgotten the most important thing of all time.

“Oh no, darlings. Nothing at all.” Everyone else could tell that she had sarcasm written all over her tone. “You merely missed the fact that Celestia and Luna are coming back, tonight!” Rarity’s voice shot up an octave after a major voice crack swept over her vocal chords. “You know… the whole reason we showed up at the castle in the first place!”

“Oh no! That really is today!” Applejack shouted once she remembered all the events leading up this moment. “Fluttershy, we need to hurry!”

“What do we do!?” Fluttershy said in a pitchy tone. Her pupils shrunk and her legs began to shudder.

“There is a chariot right outside those doors. If we hurry then we should have just enough time to prepare before the two sisters arrive.” Rarity informed. “But we haven’t any time to lose, so get up and move now!”

“Oh boy, this is not what I was expecting today to be like at all.” Applejack said, running outside with the other two mares. She quickly turned around once she got to the door. “I am really sorry to leave you like this, Carter. I am afraid that we have some very important needs to attend to.”

“Don’t worry about it, Applejack. Go now!” Carter shouted, waving her off with his forehoof. He knew the severity of the dilemma just as much as she did.

“I’ll see you later.” Applejack said before running off and hopping into the chariot just as it was lifted off the ground. Carter ran to the door and watched the mares go off into the sunset. He shook his head, knowing very well what it was like to be late to things from his past experiences in the military.

I know that this isn’t entirely my fault, but it still sucks to know that I might have saved them that torment if I just hurried up.

Carter turned around to go inside his new house and get accustomed to his new lifestyle. Something caught his eye, however, when he flicked his head back to the patio. It was a small gift of some sort wrapped up in white and blue striped wrapping paper. He picked it up and examined it. There was a name tag on the top left corner of the wrapping. He put it up to his eye and read it. He immediately knew that Rarity dropped it after reading the tag.

To: Celestia and Luna.

“Oh no. This is not going to be good.” Carter said to himself, looking off into the distance to find the shadows casted by the Canterlot castle. He knew he had to get there as fast as he could, maybe even beating Rarity and the others, but how he’d make such a fast travel was beyond his knowledge. “I have got to think of something!” He thought about any possible thing he could do, but there was nothing.

If only I could fly, or even use a magic spell to teleport me there, or at least something helpful.

Carter turned to his right and found a white pegasus stallion clad in shiny gold armor under a sign that said ‘Canterlot Transportation.’ He knew he had found his ticket to Canterlot and took immediate action. He tried to pick up the gift with his hooves, forgetting that they weren’t hands. He sighed, picking the gift up with his teeth and running over to the golden armored stallion. He jumped in the chariot and tossed him the money equal to the amount listed on the booth.

“Make it snappy! I am afraid there has been a bit of a dilemma.” Carter said to the stallion.

“What is going on?” The stallion asked.

“Rarity dropped something for Celstia and Luna, at least… I think those are their names.” Carter informed.

“Ah, Rarity. Always in a rush.” The stallion said, laughing to himself and shaking his head.

“Nevermind that, now. We need to go!” Carter shouted.

“On it!” The stallion let his wings out and began getting a running start before flying off into the air towards Canterlot. He made great speeds towards Carter’s destination.

I can only hope that I get there in time.

“So… why are you in such a hurry, kid?” He asked.

“Rarity dropped some kind of present or something. I assume that because they were in such a hurry to get there that this might also be part of it.” Carter said.

“Ok, understandable.” The stallion said, looking back at Carter. “Wait, you’re an alicorn!? Why don’t you just fly there yourself?”

“I was late with flying compared to every other pony. Nothing that I’m happy about, but it is what it is.” Carter said, rolling his eyes.

“Alrighty then.” The stallion just looked forward and continued towards Canterlot.

The rest of the ride was quiet, with only a few coughs between the two ponies. Carter got a good look at the horizon from the altitude that he found himself to be at. He had been on plenty of planes beforehand, but being able to get a 360 degree view from the skies was a new experience to him. The feeling of wind pressing against his face was enough to put a small smile on his face.

The stallion eventually came to a slow stop and landed down just in front of the castle doors. Carter thanked the stallion and quickly hopped out of the chariot. He made his way to the castle entrance, only to be blocked off from a couple guards with spears pointed right at him.

“Halt! Who are you and what do you want?” The right guard shouted.

“Let him in, guys. He has something for the old princess’ that Rarity dropped.” The stallion said.

“Wait, Rarity? Again!?” The left guard chuckled. “Yo, she's always forgetting things these days.”

“I am guessing that she has quite the reputation for losing things on occasion.” Carter said, raising his eyebrow.

“Ha! Does she!” The right guard said, wiping a tear from his eye. “You may enter, but do not cause any problems. If you do then this will be your only chance getting even this close to the castle.”

“Yes, sir.” Carter said, rushing through the castle doors once the guards withdrew their weapons.

Carter ran as fast as he could with the package in his mouth towards the throne room to try and give the gift over to Rarity before it was too late. He knew it would be close, as he already saw the others’ chariot in front of the one that he was on when he landed. He began to pick up some sweat in his mane, but kept on running, knowing very well what was on the line. Actually… he had no clue what was a stake. He didn’t even know if this was really worth the hassle. At any rate, Carter just continued running.

~

“Princess Celestia, Princess Luna! So happy that you were able to come to the castle this evening.” Twilight said, bowing before her old leaders. The other ponies in the room did the same. The eldest, Celestia, was a tall, pale pony with a giant mane resembling a prismatic color spectrum. The younger sister, Luna, was a dark blue pony with a black mane resembling a dark void like space.

“Twilight, remember what I said.” Celestia said, allowing the ponies to return to their original positions. “We are not the princesses anymore. You may call us by our normal names and nothing more.”

“However, we must say that it is great to see you again.” Luna said, nodding her head in respect.

“So do tell, how is retirement going for you guys?” Pinkie Pie asked. “Is it as super duper fantastically fun as you thought it to be? Come on, details, details!”

“Pinkie Pie! This is no time for silly questions like that, especially considering the fact that they have just arrived.” Twilight shouted.

“It’s quite alright, Twilight.” Celestia said, laughing heavily at her reaction.

“I think that me and Celestia can agree that, while it isn’t anything like living in Canterlot as the princesses, it is still a very fun yet different experience.” Luna explained.

“Ah, that makes sense.” Pinkie Pie said with a cheery smile on her face.

“We are here!” Rarity shouted across the room. Her, along with Applejack and Fluttershy, followed closely behind as they all ran (except for Fluttershy, who instead flew) to meet up with the others. All three of them finally arrived, panting heavily and trying to regain their breath.

“Oh goody, everypony is here!” Celestia said, kicking her front hooves off the ground in delight.

“But of course, your majesty. We would never miss an opportunity to see you ponies!” Rarity said, looking angrily at Applejack and Fluttershy. “Right, girls?” She said, gritting her teeth and widening her eyes.

“But of course!” Applejack said, her eyes widening as well.

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world!” Fluttershy said, putting on a fake smile and shaking wildly.

“I am just going to assume that everything went according to plan.” Twilight said. “At any rate, do make yourselves at home. Not like you haven’t done that here for over a thousand moons.” She chuckled to herself.

“Yes, I don’t think that will be a problem.” Celestia said, laughing back at Twilight's comment.

“Wait, Celestia!” Rarity shouted. “Before you do anything, I would like to give you this as a gift in return for all that you and Luna have done for us during your time ruling over Equestria.”

“A gift for us?” Luna said.

“Yes, it is right here in my…” Rarity’s composure dropped. She felt around her satchel for her gift, but could not find it. “I could’ve sworn I put it in here!”

“Is everything ok, Rarity?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“Pinkie Pie, is this one of your pranks!?” Rarity shouted.

“No, silly. I didn’t even know that you had a gift for them.” Pinkie Pie said, placing her forehoof on her chest, feeling offended that she would ask such a seemingly outlandish question. “Although, that totally sounds like something that I would do.” Another cheeky smile wiped over her face.

“Oh no! I swear I put it in here!” Rarity frantically went through her satchel numerous times before falling to the ground. “How could I have lost it!?” She succumbed to a bawling mess, crying heavily with her front hooves covering her face.

“Is this part of the gift?” Celestia asked Twilight.

“Your guess is as good as mine.” Twilight replied, raising her brow in curiosity.

The doors leading to the throne room flew open as Carter jumped into the room with the gift still in his mouth. He ran over to Celestia and Luna, assuming it was them based on the fact that he had never seen them before. He stopped right in front of them and placed the gift on the floor. Carter stood up, trying desperately to regain his breath.

Oh boy. I need to work on my cardio.

“Forgive me for my intrusion. I do believe that this is for you.”

“Where in Equestria did you find that!?” Rarity shouted.

“You dropped it on my front patio. I came here as fast as I could, but it seems that I am still late.” Carter said. Rarity was dumbfounded and mad at herself for such insolence, but was ultimately relieved that the gift was still able to be given to Celestia and Luna.

“How interesting.” Celestia said, examining Carter.

“Um… hi, I am Carter.” Carter said, feeling a bit uncomfortable with the way Celestia and Luna were looking at him.

“You are an alicorn!” Luna said.

“Yes, I am! What is it about you guys and alicorns!?” Carter shouted. “Forgive me for my absurd reactions, but I just do not get what makes alicorns like me so special. Twilight is an alicorn. You two are alicorns yourself.”

“He woke up in the Everfree Forest, Celestia.” Twilight explained. "He has no memories of how he got here, and apparently has no experience in flight and magic."

"He doesn't even have a cutie mark!" Pinkie Pie added.

"A cootie what?" Carter inquired.

"You don't even know what a cutie mark is?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Alright, for everypony's sanity let's just say that I am very new to your ways of living. I don't know everything you know." Carter said, feeling pressured by the others to know everything about these ponies by now.

"Hey, Carter. It's quite alright, don't panic. It's not like you are breaking the law or anything." Twilight said.

"A cutie mark is a special and unique symbol that appears when a pony finds out their special talent." Celestia explained.

This seems like something I’d undergo during an LSD trip.

"So it just appears? No procedure or anything?" Carter asked, thinking of a cutie mark to be more like an honorary tattoo more than anything else.

"Nope. Just appears right on your rump." Luna said.

"A rump design. Great. Sure love having people know what I am good at just through staring at my a-... butt." Carter said, sarcastically, trying not to swear.

"That's just how it is, Carter." Applejack said. "As long as no pony's staring just to stare, it's fine with us."

"Now, about alicorns. Being an alicorn is something that is very rare. Usually one does some incredible feat in order to become an alicorn. Tell me, do you remember becoming an alicorn?" Celestia asked.

"No." Carter simply answered.

"Strange. But not unbelievable." Luna said.

"What do you mean?" Carter asked.

"Flurry Heart, that little foal you saved, she was born an alicorn." Twilight said.

"Alright, look I appreciate you guys trying to help me figure things out, but quite frankly I am not supposed to be here. From what I have gathered, tonight is mainly about these two ponies." Carter said, pointing at the two regal sisters. "I am going to leave before I screw up anything else, as I do believe that I have just wasted a good minute of your night... Ladies, please forgive me for my rude intrusion. I bid thee farewell."

"Carter, don't leave." Twilight said.

"Your majesty, with all do respect, I wasn't even invited." Carter said. “You must remember that I am only a peasant, or whatever the word is for lower class citizens.”

"I understand, and I am very grateful that you are so humble, but I don't want you to just leave right now, especially since you worked all this way to get here. Join us."

About time that I am commended for my good deeds.

"Are you sure?" Carter asked. “I just don’t want to ruin everything.”

"Come, dear. Join us. It is not everyday that we see a new face in the castle." Celestia said.

"The fact that Twilight let's you in the castle alone is a sign that you are welcome to join us." Rainbow Dash said.

"Alright. If it is ok with all of you ponies then I will join in the fun."

"Of course, dear. Do find fun when you ever get the chance." Rarity said.

"And this party is hosted by yours truly, which means that this party will be supery dupery funtastic fun!" Pinkie Pie shouted.

"Ok then, I am in." Carter said. The ponies all trotted in excitement and made their way to the dining hall, where a large banquet was to be served momentarily.

“Had I known that I’d be eating a big dinner I would have never eaten those apples when I did.” Carter said to Applejack.

“Haha, yeah that could be a problem.” Applejack teased. The two laughed at the jokes that were passed around and made their way to their seats.

As Carter began to prepare his stomach for a seriously large quantity of food that would soon enter his digestive system, he wondered to himself what it really was that made everyone so fascinated with why he was an alicorn. If it really was some big event that made him become one, then he could only wonder what he could have possibly done - at least in his pony form - that made him become what he was now. But he knew that those answers would have to wait, as he saw the chefs coming out with carts full of food. His mouth watered, wondering what could possibly be up for grabs.

Author's Note

It would seem that Carter has become quite a special person... or pony, to everyone else. Even the Royal Sisters fancy his presence.

As always, comment and ask any questions that you may have. Hope you are enjoying this so far, as things only get better off from here.

Chapter 5: A Night to Remember

The smell of the foods that rolled through the doors began to fill the dining room. Pinkie Pie placed her front hooves on the table and took a big sniff through her nose. Her eyes got much wider, and a giant smile swept over her face.

“Is that what I think it is?” Pinkie Pie said, her voice jumping up an octave with excitement seeping through her voice. She looked at each of the carts that passed by, until she finally spotted the one that she was looking for. “Hay Sandwiches!!!”

Carter was left curious. He was looking at all of the foods passing by, some of which he knew, but others were not at all what he expected. There were things like hay fries and hay sandwiches. Pretty much every entree had hay incorporated into the meal in some form. He didn’t think too much about it, until he remembered that he was an omnivore, at least in his human form. If there was no meat in his diet, then perhaps he would be heavily affected by it. He ultimately just hoped that, because he was a pony, then maybe, just maybe, his body would function like one.

The waiters walked over to each pony, asking them what they would like for starters. Carter listened closely to what everypony was ordering, trying to get an idea on what to get, as he had no clue about what was available. He heard a lot of them order a hay sandwich, which made him think that it was something worth getting. One of the waiters eventually walked up to Carter. He had to decide.

“I hear you are the new guy that these ponies are talking about.” The waiter said, sounding very high class.

“Yes I am.” Carter said.

“Very interesting. There have not been many new guests in the castle for quite some time.” He said, a small smile came over his face. “Now I am sure that you are eagerly awaiting for me to ask you what you would like to eat.”

“Don’t feel rushed, good sir. I’d rather the food be perfected. Quality over quantity, I believe.” Carter said.

“Ha. Wise, perhaps. But between you and I, that pink one flips the phrase.” The waiter said, pointing towards Pinkie Pie. Carter looked over and watched as she examined her sandwich before wrapping her tongue around the entire thing and swallowing it whole. Carter and the waiter had a small chill run through their body after witnessing this phenomenon, the latter hiding the unorthodox reaction as to not lose character.

“So it would seem.” Carter said, holding his hoof to his mouth as he tried not to laugh too loudly. “I guess I should eventually order. I will have the hay sandwich with a side of hay fries and a tall glass of water. I do find myself to have quite a dry throat.”

“A classic… alright, I will get that to you right away.” The waiter said, reaching over to the cart behind him and grabbing the correct food items.

Oh… ready from the start. Talk about high class. Reminds me of the cafeteria at Fort Lewis.

Carter was finding himself to be quite nervous. He had no clue if he would even enjoy hay products, as they naturally sounded appalling compared to his normal diet. He was determined not to spit it out, nor act like a baby over it, but even then the taste was ultimately what he was concerned about.

“Your food, sir.” The waiter placed the food down in front of Carter on the table. “I hope you enjoy it.” He said before walking over to Fluttershy.

Carter looked at the food in front of him. There was no doubt that it looked foreign compared to the foods that he was familiar with, but it was unusually appealing from a visual perspective. Perhaps it was his pony-like senses taking over. He smelled the bread, finding it to distribute quite a delicious aroma. He made sure that no other pony was looking at him while he was acting so unorthodox. Carter then mustered the courage to just pick it up and take a bite out of it. He chewed it for a while, letting the taste fill his mouth so that he could properly evaluate it. The taste was actually something that he didn’t just find to be acceptable, but even enjoyable.

“It would seem that you got the same thing as us.” Twilight said to Carter, who sat on his left.

“It was seeming to be quite the pick.” Carter replied. “Where are the others who I met previously this afternoon?”

“Well, Spike is doing some things for the dragon kingdom. As for Cadence and Shining Armor, they had to go back to the Crystal Empire, as it is their respected place to rule.” Twilight stated.

“I see.” Carter said.

“Quite an unfortunate turn of events. They missed out on such a great party.” Pinkie Pie said.

“Seriously. Of all the time they have to relax, you’d imagine that they’d actually use it during times like this!” Rarity said. “Makes me feel distraught knowing that they have such a busy life, yet never enough free time to enjoy the simplest joys.”

“I am sure that Twilight could relate to that.” Rainbow Dash said.

“Yes, I can. It isn’t always easy, but I do have time to myself.” Twilight said.

“So, besides Twilight Sparkle, what do you guys do?” Carter asked.

“We do quite a bit, Carter. But not nearly as much as we used to.” Rarity said.

“What do you mean?” Luna asked.

“Well, for Carter’s sake, we used to be teachers in Twilight’s school of friendship. But doing that along with our usual jobs was proving to be too much work for all of us.” Fluttershy said.

“So you don’t teach there anymore?” Celestia asked.

“We teach there on special occasions, but we ultimately found other teachers to take our spots.” Applejack said.

“Don’t get me wrong, that school was insanely fun! But at the end of the day, we were getting progressively more tired as days rolled by. We eventually just let Starlight Glimmer and Sunburst take over for us.” Rainbow Dash explained.

“And I do not have the slightest doubt in my mind that they are doing a great job with their new positions in the school.” Twilight added.

“Interesting.” Carter said. “Though I guess I should imagine that, considering you are the princess of friendship and all.”

“Yeah, life isn’t always cupcakes and rainbows.” Twilight admitted.

“Really? You’d think that Dash and Pinkie would make that become a reality for you.” Carter said sarcastically.

“Huh. That was actually a funny joke, Carter.” Applejack said, giving Carter a bright smile. Carter simply turned to the orange mare and winked in return.

“Try not to tire yourself out all the time, Twilight.” Celestia said.

“Me and my sister made that mistake when we first ruled over Equestria. Better you learn while you still can.” Luna added.

“I’ve made sure to monitor myself from time to time, as to avoid that from happening, Celestia.” Twilight said.

The discussion carried out for a few moments longer as each pony finished up their food. Carter felt good about his choices, as he felt that the portion sizes were just enough to make him not want to eat another bite, yet not walk away feeling as though he would expel all that he had eaten. He placed his plates in a small pile in hopes that it would make the clean up crew’s job much easier.

“What did you think, Carter?” Fluttershy asked, seeing that Carter was completely stuffed. Carter held up his hoof, thinking that he was giving a thumbs up. This, however, was not the case and he corrected himself immediately after.

“Let’s just say that I got the full experience.” Carter replied. Fluttershy laughed softly and placed her front hooves together.

“I guess that’s the best way to experience it.” She said.

“More or less.” Carter added.

“Oh, how the mighty have fallen.” Rainbow Dash said, looking over at Celestia and Luna, who also appeared to be in the same predicament as Carter.

“I have forgotten how to have fun without letting the fun take over.” Celestia said.

“Please, you girls just know how to party.” Carter said, laughing.

“Maybe a bit too much.” Luna said, placing her hooves over her stomach.

“Well I hope that doesn’t affect you too much, because I made a big cake for dessert.” Pinkie Pie announced. Coincidentally, a giant, pink cake came out into the room on a giant tray, carried by a multitude of ponies and placed in the middle of the table. “There it is! The giganticus-cakeicus!”

Luna and Celestia’s eyes widened, wondering if there was any possible way for them to gain enough room to eat even a small crumb of the cake. Carter sat up and placed his forehooves on the table.

“If there is one thing that I have learned through life, it is that there is always a pocket for dessert.” Carter said. His stomach made a growling sound, the feeling that followed reminded him that he was stuffed to the top from his previous meal. “A small one, at least.”

“That’s good! I almost thought that you ponies wouldn’t want my cake. What kind of strange things will you think of next, Pinkie?” Pinkie Pie said, continuing to babble on about how silly the thought was.

“Pinkie, if there is one thing I know about you, it’s got to be the fact that you never let me down with a good cake to top off a hearty meal.” Applejack said.

“Oh, so the bar is raised to quite a high and precarious level of expectancy, I see.” Carter said. “Looks like I will have to try this thing out for myself.”

“Challenge accepted!” Pinkie Pie said with pride. She hopped on top of the table and somehow pulled out a knife and a chef’s outfit from seemingly nowhere. “Now, how many slices would you like, Carter?”

“Just one, make it small. I will see where that goes once I am done.” Carter said.

“One super duper yummy slice of Pinkie’s giganticus-cakeicus coming right up!” Pinkie Pie said as she cut him a perfect slice of the pink cake. She carefully set it on a plate and passed it over to Carter. She dealt out the other ponies’ slices as Carter started on his.

Carter was a little hesitant to eat it, as he was not given a fork or any utensil like it. He decided not to care and just have fun while he could. He grabbed it between his forehooves and took a big bite out of it. He could taste a lot of strawberries, along with other assorted fruits in the cake itself, while the frosting was just a simple cream cheese layer. He enjoyed that bite, along with each one that followed soon after.

“Well, mister cake connoisseur, how does it taste?” Pinkie Pie asked, grinning intensely.

“It is not bad at all. I enjoyed it quite a bit, actually.” Carter admitted.

“So you admit that I make a mean cake!” Pinkie Pie shouted, mockingly.

“Hey now, I never said anything contrary to that. I just thought that Applejack’s description of her past experiences with your cakes set the bar pretty high. Don’t get me wrong, this one doesn’t disappoint.” Carter said, defending himself.

“I agree with him there, Pinkie. This is one mighty tasty cake.” Applejack said.

“Agreed.” Rainbow Dash said, kicking her hindlegs up onto the top of the table while finishing off her slice of cake.

“Rainbow Dash! Manners!” Rarity shouted. “Honestly, if you can’t even do the simplest of things then I am sure that you must live like a slob.”

“I do not!” Rainbow Dash shouted.

“I am not so sure that I believe you.” Rarity scoffed.

“You ponies are so interesting.” Carter said.

“Whatever do you mean, dear?”.

“You girls are so different from each other, yet I could totally tell that you’d all be perfect pals just by looking at you.”

“I guess you could say that.” Rainbow Dash said. She sunk deep into her chair and let out a satisfied belch that reverberated across the room.

“We are indeed different from each other, but that does not mean that our friendship is any less valuable.” Twilight said, fanning away the foul smells with her right hoof.

“I’d hope not.” Luna said. She herself also finished her slice of cake. “Ok, nope. I am all done with food. The ol’ tummy is telling me to stop.”

“Agreed, sister.” Celestia added, placing her left hoof over her stomach. “Do you have any other plans for the night, Twilight?”

“I do, actually. I was thinking that we could all sit around a campfire outside of the castle and tell ghost stories.” Twilight offered.

“That sounds like a lovely idea, Twilight!” Celestia said.

“What? G-g-ghost stories!?” Fluttershy screamed.

“Oh boy! Here comes the little whiny pony to ruin the fun.” Rainbow Dash said. “Nothing scares me.”

“Careful, Rainbow. You might one day eat those words.” Applejack said.

“Bah, words of a fool. Why, fear is the one thing in life that keeps you from reaching your full potential.” Rainbow Dash replied.

“Fluttershy,” Carter whispered as Applejack and Rainbow Dash continued arguing. “I’d be fine to sit next to you to keep at least somewhat sane. That is, assuming you don’t find that awkward.”

“I would like that very much, actually.” Fluttershy said. “Thanks for the offer.”

“Good, I will make sure no pony gets near you that isn’t one of us.” Carter said with a very over-the-top and heroic tone.

“My hero.” Rainbow Dash said sarcastically, over hearing their discussion. “Now come on, let’s get these spooky stories started!”

Without any warning, Rainbow Dash flew out of the room as fast as the wind. The other ponies shouted for her, but she was already long gone. Twilight simply shook her head before she got up and led the others out of the castle and into the area where they would begin sharing their spooky ghost stories. All the ponies sat down on the grassy ground in a circular formation as Applejack, Rainbow Dash and Carter went into the nearby woods to find some firewood.

“Just find some small branches won’t ya, Carter.” Applejack said. “Rainbow, you search up top and-”

“Yeah yeah, leave me to my work.” Rainbow Dash said before flying off to find some wood of her own.

Carter saw a nearby tree in the distance. The sun was nearly set, so he had to act fast before all of his vision was gone. He grabbed a hold of the branch and began jumping around in an attempt to break the branch off of the tree, only to find that it had little to no effect. He dropped down and looked at it with a puzzling expression. He knew that he was going about it wrong - like a human. He had to go about it from a different approach.

Alright, give me your wood you stupid tree.

Carter looked over at Applejack, who already had quite a number of branches in her possession. His jaw nearly dropped, as he did not expect anything like what he saw. He waited for her to break off another branch so that he could see how it was supposed to be done. He watched Applejack walk up to a tree and kick it so hard that all the loose branches fell right to her hooves. Carter had a dumbfounded look come over his face.

Oh ok, so we have the tree whisperer over here. That doesn’t explain how I am supposed to get wood.

Carter looked back at the tree that he previously attempted at and readied himself for a swift kick. The only problem was that he noticed that Applejack kicked with her two back legs, using her front two for balance. He got in position and attempted a kick just like hers. Simply put, it failed. He tripped over his own legs and fell right on his stomach.

“Ok, that is definitely the way to go.” Carter said, his voice sounding strained and raspy after getting the wind knocked out of him.

Carter stood up and stared at the tree with a bit of anger in his eyes. He was not about to lose to an inanimate object. He grabbed a hold of the branch and thrusted himself on top of it. He then raised his hoof and struck the branch with all of his might. A low rumble shook the tree soon after, leaving Carter with nothing but a cautious look. Every branch on the tree fell down to the ground, taking Carter with him.

And just like that, I have become the new tree whisperer.

“Carter, are you okay?” Applejack asked, pushing the sticks away so that Carter could get out. “You had one mighty fall on your way down.”

Oh, really? I couldn’t tell, I just saw my face shift itself down and meet the floor head on.

“Alas, the firewood is acquired!” Carter said, his vision swaying to the right every few seconds, making it quite difficult for him to continue standing.

“That’s good, I guess. I assume that ya need a bit of help carrying it back to the meeting spot.” Applejack said.

“Just help me load them on my back if you don’t mind. I should be good to go after that.” Carter said.

“If ya say so.” Applejack began grabbing a few branches at a time and placing it on top of Carter. Soon enough they were all safely on him. “You’re all set.”

“Sweet.” Carter said, beginning his return back to the meeting point.

Though the wood took a bit of energy out of the poor pony, Carter was determined to get it to the others without needing to take a single break. He saw the others in the distance and began running over to them.

“Carter! You have returned.” Twilight said with a cheerful tone.

“And with quite a number of branches.” Rarity added.

“The others are coming with more, so I assume that we could be out here for hours with the wood that we will have.” Carter said. “The sun has gone down, so we should start things pretty soon.”

“Remember when you used to raise the sun, sister?” Luna said to Celestia.

“Ah, the old days.” Celestia said, sighing to herself.

“I’m sorry, what!?” Carter shouted, making sure that he heard them correctly. “You raised the sun?”

“I used to, yes. But now that I am no longer in control I have passed that responsibility down to Twilight.” Celestia said.

“She raises the sun, along with the moon.” Luna explained.

“Huh… neat.” Carter said quietly. His jaw stayed dropped for a moment or two, as he now thought by now that he had heard and seen everything.

Is there some great wizard moving the sun and moon on Earth? Am I simply an idiot!?

“Sorry I’m late, fellers.” Applejack said, running towards the rest of the group with her share of wood.

“I am here, too.” Rainbow Dash said, flying just behind Applejack.

“Great, now we can get started!” Pinkie Pie shouted. “I have got quite a couple stories to tell you guys that will surely make you tremble in fear.”

“Being the pony of laughter, I certainly doubt that.” Rarity said.

“Hey!” Pinkie Pie shouted in embarrassment.

“Now then, if every pony can gather around the fire, we should be getting started.” Twilight said.

All of the ponies began to huddle around the campfire. Carter spotted Fluttershy and sat down to her right. She looked at him and thanked him for supporting her. He nodded to her with his stoic expression and awaited the telling of the first scary story.

“Who would like to go first?” Celestia asked.

“Ooh, me! Me!” Pinkie Pie shouted, raising her hoof in the air.

“Ok ok, Pinkie. Go ahead.” Applejack said.

“My story is called, Cupcakes!” Pinkie Pie said. Carter felt his body randomly tremble at the sound of the title. He wondered what he could possibly have thought of to draw out such a reaction, but just shook the feeling off of his conscience.

“Cupcakes? This should be good.” Rainbow Dash said, rolling her eyes.

“There he was… Mr. Baker, in his little bakery. He was doing his casual routine that he always did before closing his establishment until he heard the sound of a bell go off. He looked over the counter top towards the front door, seeing if anyone was in the room. He found nobody around him, so he went back to his work. But then there was another bell sound.

“Now he was sure that it wasn’t just him. He got up and searched all around his bakery, but couldn’t find anypony near him. He got irritated after hearing a third bell sound and decided to look for the source of the noise, instead. He looked and looked all over the place, failing to find anything that could point him in the right direction.

“Mr. Baker was about to give up, until he looked at his oven. What a silly pony he was, he only forgot to turn off his oven.”

“Oh, thank goodness. I thought for sure that there would be some creepy creature in his bakery.” Fluttershy said.

“That’s what you’d like to think, Fluttershy.” Pinkie Pie said. Fluttershy just swallowed and hid her face behind her mane.

“Oh boy, here comes the good part!” Rainbow Dash said.

“As Mr. Baker went to turn off the oven, he heard some noises coming from inside the oven. They sounded like the sounds of tiny creatures. He was hesitant to open the oven, as he didn’t know what could possibly be in there. His fears were soon gone, however, as he saw that the oven was at a very hot temperature, so there was no way that anything was alive in there, so he just thought that it was the sounds of some wires or something.

“He reached out for the oven knob to turn it off, but it was stuck. He wondered how it could’ve possibly gotten stuck, as he had just used it an hour ago. He heard the noises again, but it was louder this time. He opened up the oven to find a tray of cupcakes. He pulled them out and placed it on the table behind him. He then turned to look at what could possibly have been making that noise.

“His questions were soon answered, as he heard steps coming from behind. He slowly turned around only to find that the cupcakes were gone from the tray. He was scared by this point, looking both left and right. He felt something tap his hoof. He looked down to find the cupcakes. He was about to run, but the cupcakes jumped at him with high pitch screams coming from each one. They clawed at his face and pushed him into the oven. The oven closed behind him, leaving Mr. Baker trapped in the oven forever!”

Fluttershy screamed loudly, wrapping her arms around Carter. Her scream scared all the other ponies more than Pinkie Pie’s ending. Fluttershy regained her senses and immediately pulled her arms away from Carter, blushing in embarrassment. Carter laughed loudly after seeing a reaction such as that come out of Fluttershy.

“I knew I’d scare you guys.” Pinkie Pie said.

“Meh, it was ok.” Rainbow Dash said.

“What!? You should’ve seen your faces!” Pinkie Pie shouted.

“That was because of Fluttershy!” Applejack said. “No offense, but that story of yours was simply not enough.”

“Sorry, girls. I don’t know what got into me.” Fluttershy said. “I suppose I owe you a big sorry for my reaction, Carter.”

“You are fine, Fluttershy. If anything that made my day!” Carter said, laughing a bit to try and cheer her up. It did not work, though, as she just hid behind her pink mane yet again. Carter turned away from her, giving off a smug look at Rainbow Dash, who was staring at the two, shaking her head.

“Now then, you guys don’t know scary until you’ve heard mine.” Rainbow Dash said.

Many more stories were shared throughout the night, but none of them could really get any of the others in a scared state. One by one they tried their best to creep each other out of the skin, but to no avail. Celestia and Luna passed on telling their own stories and wanted to only listen to the others’ stories. They were just about to call it a night when they noticed that Carter had not gone.

“Carter, are you going to share a story?” Rarity asked.

“Do you girls even want me to tell one? You all look like a mix of tired and bored ponies.” Carter said.

“Of course we want to hear one. But make it actually scary!” Rainbow Dash shouted. “I’ve been intentionally trying to scare myself, but that isn’t even working.”

“Yes, dear. Do tell us a good story.” Rarity said.

“Ok, then. I think I have one.” Carter said. “This one is an old favorite from where I come from. It’s called the Screaming Tree.” The minute everypony heard this, they all shivered. Even Rainbow Dash felt a chill run through her body.

“What? No I didn’t just get scared!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

“No one asked.” Applejack said, the other ponies laughed at her reaction.

“Oh… right.” Rainbow Dash said, slouching in her spot.

“Now, our story begins on a peaceful night in the summer season. A young colt was getting ready to meet his friends in the nearby forest for a camping trip. He was just done packing his things and left the house at a decent hour so that by the time he met up with his friends they would still have time to enjoy themselves before they needed to sleep.

“He got to the borders that separated the colt’s hometown from the forest and took the paved road that was safe for travellers to walk on. He made sure that it was the same one that his friends told him to take so that he’d meet them at the right place. He did eventually find some tents set up out in the distance and began to run over, feeling ever so anxious to start the night off right. But when he got there, something wasn’t right. He looked around the campsite and couldn’t find any of his friends. He was beginning to feel scared, and for good reason, too, for when he looked on the backside of their tents he found nothing but blood streaks across the fabric.”

“This one is gonna be good.” Rainbow Dash said quietly over to Applejack, Pinkie Pie and Twilight.

“Not the fabric.” Rarity whispered to herself.

The royal sisters were beginning to look over at each other every so often and their faces had quite a nervous look upon them. Fluttershy was nothing but a mess, quivering against the grass with her rump sticking in the air and shaking possibly even more than the rest of her body.

“The young colt was beginning to breathe heavily, trying desperately to think of what could possibly be going on. A prank perhaps? Not likely. His fears went up a notch after he heard what was quite possibly the loudest scream he had ever heard. It pierced through the air and made the colt certain that every other creature in the forest could hear it, too. The only problem was that it did not sound like a normal scream, but rather one that sounded like it came from a monster of sorts, as it sounded low pitched and augmented.”

Carter eyed the other ponies, who were sitting on edge. Even Pinkie Pie was a bit frantic, and he thought nothing could affect that one.

“He looked over some trees and found an old watch tower in the distance. He figured that perhaps that would be a place to look for help. He ran over there as quickly as he could, never once thinking of resting his adrenaline filled body. He climbed the stairs to the top of the watchtower and frantically looked for somepony to help him. There were no other ponies in the area. He did find an old radio. He pressed a button on it and immediately regretted his decision.

“The radio pumped out a loud broadcast of a news station that erupted through the forest. The poor colt tried to turn off the radio or even lower the volume, but the technology proved to be too much for the colt to understand. The broadcast just kept going on.

“‘There have been reports about a murder that has taken place within the forest. If you or somepony you know is or has made their way into that place by now, please take evasive action and warn them. The police are on their way now to examine the crime scene for themselves. Repeat, get everypony out of there, now!’

“The colt gave up and threw the radio onto the ground, breaking the radio and causing a flame to ignite the entire watchtower. He freaked out and ran away from the watchtower, slowly watching it burn into flames. The colt tried to regain his breath, but got back into a state of panic after finding an abnormally tall tree out in the distance… except it was moving.”

Fluttershy let out a yelp before running away. Rainbow Dash noticed this and flew over to her and grabbed her by her tail. She placed Fluttershy back in her spot and Rainbow Dash sat down in hers.

“Come on, Fluttershy. Just listen to it and then you can run away, scared and all.” Rainbow Dash said. Throwing her forehooves into the air with an agitated look on her face.

“Ok… I think I can do that.” Fluttershy whispered in a high pitch. Her eyes were so big that Carter thought he should just stop there. But alas, the others wanted him to continue.

“Anyway… the tall tree was moving, and it looked over at the colt. He knew his time drew short, as the tree, no... creature, began to chase after him. Once out of the dense group of branches and leaves, the creature looked to be a giant tree with skinny arms made of wood, standing about fifty feet tall. The monster let out a loud screeching sound as it chased the colt. The young pony screamed for help as he got up and ran in the opposite direction of the creature.

"The chase continued for what felt like many minutes, as the colt began to lose his breath. The monster looked to be gaining on the colt, so he had to do something, and fast. He eyed a small pipe and turned his direction to go for it. He barely got ahead of the monster enough to slide into the small pipe and begin crawling through it. The monster reached inside, only its arm was able to fit inside. It grabbed a hold of the colt’s leg and began to pull it out. The colt screamed for his life as he kicked his leg free and crawled away. Though he was out of the horror, his leg was severely wounded by the monster’s sharp claws, so he knew that if he had to run again, it wouldn’t work out.

"The colt climbed through the pipe, and at the end of it was where he found his hometown. It was something he had never thought of seeing again, and he limped his way back to his parents. He used every bit of energy left in him in hopes to see his family and friends at least one more time. He shouted for his parents once he was close enough, and they ran out of the room. They saw the state that their young colt was in and ran over to him to bring comfort to his soul. The colt was in tears, crying so hard, knowing that it was over and that he was back in the arms of his loving parents.

"They asked him about what happened, and he explained the whole story to them, knowing very well that they wouldn’t believe him one bit. However, they all looked into the vast darkness that surrounded the forest, and what they saw was the silhouette of the creature, which they now call… the Screaming Tree.”

“Oh… my… gosh.” Rarity said, holding her forehoof to her mouth.

“And so,” Carter said, flicking his head towards Fluttershy. “with that said, I should add that there are still Screaming Tree sightings almost every night.” He turned to Rainbow Dash. “They say that it will walk up to your house at the dead of night and stare at you through the window, and if you wake up and spot him,” Carter then turned to face the two sisters. “it will grab you with its long claws and rip you apart… but not before blaring out an ear piercing screech. The end.”

“Shoot. Now that was a story.” Applejack said. “Why, I think I have more goosebumps than I have ever had in my life.”

“I’ll say. I d-d-don’t think I will b-b-be able to sleep after th-th-that one.” Fluttershy said, shaking so much that even while Carter tried to hold her still, he too was shaking.

“It was pretty good, but not enough to scare me.” Rainbow Dash said. “I mean, just thinking about it is ridiculous. A loud noise coming from a piece of wood? Please. You’re telling me that I am going to go to bed one day and look out my window, only to find this ‘Screaming Tree’ guy look at me and-”

All of a sudden, the most malicious shout came from behind Rainbow Dash, making her scream at the top of her little pegasus lungs and send her, quite literally, flying out of her seat and landing on the grass a few feet in front of her original position. The rest of the ponies, including Carter, also shouted at the sudden noise that swept over everypony’s ears.

“Where is he!? Fight me! I am not afraid of you!” Rainbow Dash shouted in a hoarse voice, holding up her forehooves in a fighting stance and frantically looking around for the source of the shout. Every other pony in the area went from scared straight to laughing and rolling around on the grass. “What!?”

“I didn’t think I was that scary, Dashie.” Rainbow Dash turned around and found Spike. He was crossing his arms and smiling with pride straight at her.

“You did that!?” Rainbow Dash shouted.

“Me? No, that was the monster. Obviously.” Spike said, his smug look never once leaving his face.

“No, that was you who shouted. I could tell it was you from any point in Equestria.” Rainbow Dash said defiantly.

“Why I’ll be, Dash.” Applejack started saying, as she wiped a tear from her eye after laughing so hard. “I think you have hit a new high in screams.”

“I did not… it was a set up.” Rainbow Dash said, trying to defend herself.

“Clearly.” Celestia said, looking over at Luna.

“Of course.” Luna said, trying to stop herself from laughing so much.

“Whatever, the story is over, so I guess the party's over.”

“Party! Over!?” Pinkie shouted, getting tears in her eyes at an astonishing pace. “I hate when parties are over.”

“You okay, Carter?” Twilight asked. She saw him fanning himself with his hoof while slowly petting the top of Fluttershy’s head, who was in the worst state of fear of her life.

“I was not expecting that, quite honestly. Not planned in any way, shape or form.” Carter admitted.

“I guess I am just the scariest creature in Equestria.” Spike said, looking deviously at Carter.

“Ha. It would definitely seem like that, wouldn’t it?” Carter said. He looked over at Fluttershy, who was trying desperately to get her breath back after hyperventilating for a solid minute. “Come on, Fluttershy. It’s over. Grow a spine and calm yourself."

Ok… maybe that was a bit harsh.

“Oh, I am so scared. I just, I can’t! I can’t! I…” Fluttershy fainted and fell to the ground.

“... Does she always do this?” Carter asked.

“Not always, but this isn’t at all the first time she has made herself faint.” Rarity said.

“Ok. Well isn’t that just great to know that I made her faint. I’ll remember to hold back next time we do this. If there ever is a next time.” Carter said, nervously laughing to himself.

“We must definitely do this again.” Celestia said as she stood up.

“Do you really have to go?” Twilight asked.

“I am afraid so.” Luna said. “But Twilight, thank you so much for inviting us to this. It has been so long since me and my sister have had any company.”

“Of course! Feel free to let us know if you would ever like to do anything like this in the future.” Twilight said.

“And you, boy.” Celestia said, looking over at Carter. “Thank you for joining us all. I sense greatness in you, which is not something I can truthfully say to everypony.”

“Thank you, your grace.” Carter said, bowing before the two sisters.

“We hope that you might one day find your way home.” Celestia said.

“But if that day never comes, don’t forget that you will always have friends in your life who will support you all the days of your life.” Luna added.

“I won’t, Luna.” Carter said.

“We are leaving, Twilight. Thanks again for such an amazing night.”

“Uh, you mean thank you, Pinkie Pie?” Pinkie Pie shouted.

“Yes, thank you, Pinkie Pie.” Celestia said, laughing to herself. Soon following, the two sisters used their magic to teleport back to their home. Twilight turned back to the rest of the gang.

“Alright, everypony. It is time we return to our homes and rest.” Twilight said.

“Easy for you to say, Twilight. It’s the dead of night. None of us will be able to get home by this hour.” Rainbow Dash said, pointing to the moon, which rested in the middle of the sky. “For the record, you put it there. Remember?”

“Yeah, that might be an issue, Twilight.” Applejack said.

“You are right, girls. I guess a royal sleepover is in order.” Twilight said cheerfully.

If I didn’t know any better, I’d say she planned this.

“Sleepover!!!” Pinkie Pie shouted.

“Yes, a sleepover, dear.” Rarity said, rolling her eyes at the prancing, pink pony.

“I will get rooms for you girls squared away. In the meantime feel free to chat in the foyer while that gets taken care of.” Twilight said.

Twilight gestured for everypony to follow her back into the castle, which they did. Carter looked over at Fluttershy, who was still passed out on the grass. He shook his head and walked over to her. He picked her up and carried her on his back back into the castle.

“You are one strange, sad, little pony.” Carter said to Fluttershy, knowing that she wouldn’t hear any of it.

When Carter got into the foyer, rooms were already being shown to each of the ponies. When they asked for Fluttershy, Carter raised his hoof. He walked up to the guard and told him that she was dead asleep and that he would take her to her room. The guard simply nodded and let him go to the room.

Once Carter arrived, he quietly opened the door and turned on the lights. He found the bed and pulled away the covers so that he could lay her down on the mattress. He did so and adjusted her position so that she would wake up in the morning without any sore muscles. He then pulled the covers over her and placed her head on the pillow.

“Ugh. What happened?” Fluttershy suddenly said, waking up to find herself in one of the castle bedrooms.

“You passed out.” Carter said, looking at her with a smile on his face. “I just took you and placed you in here. It’s like midnight or something.”

“I passed out? Oh, I am so embarrassed.” She said, shaking her head in denial.

“Nothing to be ashamed about. It happens.” Carter said, using his hoof to quickly brush her mane away from her face. Though his expression showed no emotions, the mare sensed a bit of a loving side to the stallion after realizing all that he had done for her. “It’s late. Why don’t you get some shuteye.”

“Yeah, I think that is best.” Fluttershy said.

‘I think so, too. Goodnight, Fluttershy.” Carter said, turning around to turn off the lights.

“Goodnight, Carter.” Fluttershy said, adjusting her head to make herself feel comfortable against the pillow.

Carter shut the door behind him and walked towards the room that he was designated to. He found it and opened the door, looking at what was there. He saw a giant bed all to himself, along with a large window that led to a balcony where a great view of the city was seen. He closed the door behind him and walked over to the window.

Carter was not feeling tired and just wanted some time to himself. He stared out into the window and smiled. He was never one to admire a scenery when he saw one, but there were times when he would find himself enjoying a simple view. He looked out at the city below him, also eyeing Ponyville way off in the distance.

While looking out of the window, Carter saw his reflection in the glass. Though he physically saw a pony, he mentally saw his real, human self. He let out a sigh. He was still eager as ever to return home and live his normal life, yet after rethinking about the past events he had previously taken place in just this last day, he wondered if it was really worth it. He thought about just how much he’d miss his new friends if he were to leave.

“No, Carter. They are ponies. They mean nothing to you.” He said to himself, affirming that it was ok that he would eventually have to leave. But even then he felt a hole in his heart just by the thought of leaving them. He felt like more and more questions were appearing in his head, but no answers were ever getting received. He decided to let his mind calm down from all of the intense thoughts and he laid down in the bed. He pulled the covers over his body and placed his head on the pillow.

He got comfortable and began to close his eyes. He stopped, however, after he heard a voice call his name. He bolted out of bed and searched for the voice, as he knew that it wasn’t coming from the room. He opened the door and heard the voice again, this time it was a little louder compared to the first time. He was determined to find the source and left the room to seek out the one responsible for such a strange way of calling for him.

Carter found himself a couple of floors lower than where he started, making him feel uncomfortable about the situation. He continued hearing the same voice call out for him, each time getting louder than the last, so he knew he was close. He continued down the hall, looking all around for the pony that was calling his name.

“Behind you!”

Carter swiftly turned around and saw nothing but a statue. It was quite an interesting statue, though. It had the shape of evil looking creatures that seemed to want freedom from their stone prisons. The first looked like an evil pony with holes in its legs, which he found himself calling the swiss cheese goddess. The one in the back was a weak looking minotaur, with small, frail horns on the top of his head. The last one was a unicorn filly that looked like she had seen better days. Carter looked at the statue, feeling nothing but admiration for whoever made it.

“What a cool looking statue.” Carter said to himself.

“Yes, Carter. Do appreciate what you see before you.”

Carter looked both left and right to try and finally find the source of the voice.

“What do you want?” Carter said. Demanding that whoever was talking to him would reveal themself.

You can free us from our bonds! You must free us!

“Why should I?”

“Because if you don’t, all of Equestria will become corrupt, and everything you see before you will fall.”

Carter looked back at the statue.

“Yes, that’s right. Free us.”

“You seem like very bad creatures. I do not trust you.” Carter said firmly.

“You must!!!”

Carter fell to the ground and placed his forehooves against his ears. He tried to get the voices out of his head, but nothing he did seemed to stop them from entering his mind.

“Free us, or you will fail to see the light of day!”

“Leave me alone, you damn heathens. Be gone!” Carter shouted as loud as he could without intentionally meaning to, but what followed shortly after was what truly surprised him. A beam of red light escaped his horn and exploded into a bright light across the entire hallway.

“Fool. Your arrogance will cost you greatly. When we break out of this, you will be the first to go.”

Carter tried to forget whatever it was that he had just experienced, but he knew that something wasn’t right.

“Carter?” He turned to find Twilight at the other side of the hallway.

“Your majesty, forgive me. I hope I didn’t wake you up.” Carter said, holding his hoof to his head.

“What happened? Why were you yelling?” Twilight asked.

“I could’ve sworn that I heard a voice. It was calling me, telling me to free them. I don’t even know who they are.” Carter explained. Twilight looked at him with a confused look, but soon understood what he said once she looked at the statue.

“Oh. You heard it from this, didn’t you?” Twilight asked.

“Yes. I did… at least, I think I did.” Carter admitted.

“Strange. Some of my guards have said the same thing. I don’t understand.”

“I think that’s for the best, Twilight. I wouldn’t mess around with anything that shouldn’t be messed with.”

“Maybe you are right. Let’s get you back to your bed.” The two ponies walked back to Carter’s bedroom. He looked back at the statue, staring at it with an angry look on his face.

Do not mess with me.

Twilight opened the door and led Carter into the bedroom. Carter said nothing and simply laid in the bed and rolled over. Twilight wasn’t sure what was going on inside of his mind, so she sat down on the edge of the bed and tried to talk to him.

“Carter. What is going on? Be honest with me.” She said softly.

“... I will be honest with you, Twilight. Ever since I have arrived here at Equestria, I have become less understanding about the truths in this world. I thought friendship was just something that everyone has to hide their weaknesses; something that we just find comfort in. But here… friendship seems like something much greater. But it isn’t just that… it’s something else. It’s something that I can’t explain. This thing I feel brings a sense of fear, as if something evil will come upon me.”

“Well, Carter, I can tell you that from experience that I know what it is like to live without friends in your life, and I will say that it is no farther from the wrong thing to do.” Twilight’s words grabbed his attention. “Friendship is much more than just something in this world. Friendship is much greater, and much more deserving for everypony, and not just ponies, but everyone.”

“If what you say is true, then how can I learn this for myself?” Carter asked.

“How old are you?” Twilight asked.

“22.” Carter replied.

“Ok, so a year older than me.” Twilight said.

“Wait, what!?” Carter exclaimed. “You are a flipp’n princess of an entire land and you are merely 21!?”

“Yes. I am not like Celestia and Luna who grow up to be thousands of years old, ya know.” Twilight said.

“Right. I guess that makes sense.” Carter said, still surprised by the princess of friendship’s young age.

“Well, I am afraid you are too old to take part in my school of friendship… but you can do what I did when I was Celestia’s pupil.” Twilight said.

“What is that?” Carter asked.

“Everyday I would write down something that I learned about friendship and its purpose. Perhaps if you did that every time you got the chance, then you too would understand it like me and my friends do.”

“I see. I guess that wouldn’t be too much of a hassle.” Carter said. Twilight’s horn illuminated the room with a pink aura, as she used her magic to make a notebook and pen come out of nowhere.

“Use this, Carter. It’s one of the many notebooks I have in this castle. Use it to record what you have learned, and when you are ready you can show me what you have.” Twilight said.

“Why are you doing this for me?” Carter asked.

“I believe that everyone should have the experience of friendship in their lives. You are included, Carter.”

“Thank you, princess. I will do my best to understand this powerful force that you so call friendship.” Carter said, trying to sound sophisticated.

“I don’t doubt that you will do great.” Twilight said, hopping off of the bed. She walked over to the door and opened it, but looked back at Carter and smiled.

“Sleep well, Carter, and thank you for everything that you have done for me and my friends. I want to tell you that it doesn’t go unnoticed.” Twilight said.

“The same for you, your majesty. You have helped me become a better pony and a better friend.” Carter replied. Twilight winked at him before leaving the bedroom.

Carter laid down in his bed and stared off into the starry night outside the window. He looked back at the notebook and wondered what to write in it.

“Better to start now.” He said to himself. He opened up the notebook to the first page and began to write down his first lesson about friendship.

Friendship log, #001

Today, I have learned that friendship is something that is not only a thing that we need in each of our lives, but also something that we must not take for granted. It is important to not just have friends, but to also be a friend to those around us. It is not easy to keep friends close to you, but take every chance that you can to be with them and make each one of them feel special, as that is one of the many things that makes friendship such a powerful magic: positivity. I missed many adventures in life because I was too afraid of making friends, but starting now, I won't be the same.

With that, Carter placed the notebook on the nightstand beside him and readied himself for a great slumber. He closed his eyes without hesitation and happily drifted off to sleep, leaving all of his questions for another day. He knew not what tomorrow would bring, but knew that whatever it was he would hold strong and tackle any and all obstacles that would come his way. He owed the others for their kindness and compassion, and he was determined to return the favor in some way.

Author's Note

Bit of a longer chapter, I know, but builds upon character development.

Still crazy to think that the series canonically ended with the Royal Sisters' retirement and Twilight becoming the new leader of Equestria, but it does make sense. We sometimes get so caught up in the present that we find it hard to accept change. Damn, I loved season 9... Except for Discord's plan to boost Twilight's confidence by becoming Grogar. What an A-hole, almost creating MLP season 10: Marefinity War.

But I digress. XD

As always, be sure to comment and feel free to ask about any questions.

Peace out! 😉

Chapter 7: Quite The Turn of Events

Just outside a small restaurant, called Stop n’ Go, on the corner of the street adjacent to Carter’s house was a grey pegasus mare, who was busy cleaning the windows of the establishment. She was using a rag and some spray to wipe all of the stains off of the glass. Carter came walking over to the front door of the restaurant. The mare looked over at him. She noticed how run-down and exhausted he looked.

“Hello, mister.” She said.

“Hello.” Carter replied, finding it troublesome to keep his focus on her because of how exhausted he was.

“You seem like you have seen better days.” She said, giggling to herself. Carter finally focused on who he was talking to. He noticed that the mare had eyes where the pupils were always crossed from each other.

“Yeah, let’s just say that the night shift hit hard.” Carter said, trying desperately to stay alive, as his body felt like it was using up the last bits of nutrients it had.

“That’s ok. We all have those moments.” She said, resuming her work.

“You know that spray there is cooking oil, right?” Carter said, pointing to the spray bottle near the mare’s hooves. She looked down at it, then looked at the window, which had more smears than it originally started with. She just looked down at the ground and blushed. “You are right, we all have those days.” He tried to present a smile to her to let her know that it was just a joke, but he looked more like some psychotic madman with his droopy eyes. Carter walked into the establishment and was immediately greeted by a dark brown stallion with a black beard and mane, dressed in work attire.

“Hello there, good sir!” He said to Carter with a most gleeful approach.

“Good morning.” Carter replied. “You work here?”

“Sure do. I am the owner of this joint. The name’s Flint Masters.”

“Nice to meet you, Flint.” Carter said.

“You look parched.”

“Is it that self evident?”

“Let me get you a seat at the bar. No little fillies or colts are allowed there, so no one usually sits there.”

“Sweet.” Carter said. Flint walked him over to the bar and gave him a seat right in the middle.

“Alrighty, so I assume you want a nice tall pint of water to start you off?” Flint asked.

“Yes. That would do me very well.” Carter said.

“Alright then. Do you want anything besides that?”

‘What would you recommend?” Carter asked.

“Ohoho. I would recommend my local hay burger. Grilled buns along with a special veggie patty. Easily everypony’s favorite one, here.” Flint said.

“Sounds enticing. What have you got for beverages?”

“We got a couple ciders on tap, but besides hard ciders I also have sodas and juices.”

“Hmm…” Carter thought to himself. “I guess I could treat myself. I think I’ll take a cinnamon cider, just a shot, along with the water, of course.”

“Can do, sir.” Flint said before walking towards the kitchen and beginning his food. “Alright, we need a chef’s special, let’s move.” He announced to the other chefs.

Carter was soon given his glass of water and he instantly drank it down. His body felt so much better and his concentration was beginning to come back in full. He laid back into his seat and sighed. He felt so relaxed compared to what he had been doing the day before.

Carter felt a sharp pain come into his head, sending him into a state of distress. He placed his hooves over his ears and groaned. His mind began giving him another vision. This time, a waitress was coming down with an order for a small family of four who were sitting at a booth in the corner of the restaurant. She passed by the front door and was hit by them as somepony came busting into the room. The waitress lost her balance and fell over, along with the food that she had on her tray. It left a mess and angered the ponies who were hit by all of the remnants.

Soon after, Carter snapped back into reality and looked around for the waitress. He spotted her just as she was about to walk in front of the front door. He jumped out of his seat and ran to her. He placed his hoof in front of her to stop her from moving any further.

“Sir, what are you doing?” She asked, curious as to what Carter was planning. The doors flew open and barely missed the waitress as Carter stopped it with his hoof. “Oh… thanks.”

“Sorry. I know that it must have seemed kind of creepy of me, but time was short.” Carter said.

“It’s fine. I was just wondering what was going on. It was so sudden.” She said, laughing as she continued towards the family, giving the food to them once she arrived. Carter wondered who knocked the door open. He looked outside the windows to try and find the culprit, but it was futile as the oil from the grey mare was still all over the glass. He assumed that it was just a blast of wind from God-knows-where and just walked back to his seat and sat down. He looked up to find Flint with his cider.

“Hoowee. I have never seen such a heroic move, bro. You sure you ain’t blessed with future predicting powers or something?” Flint asked.

“No. I just didn’t want your place looking like a failed art gallery.” Carter said, smiling back at him.

“Hahaha! That makes two of us.” Flint said, laughing aloud. “Anywho, here's your cider. Small shot, just like you said.

“I appreciate it, Flint.” Carter said, taking the shot of cider into his mouth. “Ick… strong.” His brain felt a little tingly after he swallowed the cider.

“Yep. But it tastes pretty good, huh?” Flint said.

“Sure does.” Carter agreed.

“Want another?”

“Nah, I’m good. Gotta have boundaries at times.”

“Wise words, good sir.” Flint walked off to finish up Carter’s food.

Carter got a refill of water from the waitress from before and he tipped her a gold coin. She thanked him before walking back into the kitchen. Carter took a sip of his water and left it in his mouth for a bit. Once it got warm, he swallowed the liquid.

“Man, I love water. Tasteless, yet satisfying.” Carter said. He took another sip then placed the glass back on the counter. He was quite intrigued with the theme of the restaurant. It was very antique, with old trinkets and knick-knacks hanging around the walls, giving off a very fun vibe. Though there weren’t a lot of customers compared to how many the establishment could hold, those that were there seemed to really enjoy everything about it.

“Your food should be up very shortly.” Flint said, coming over to Carter.

“Tell me, Flint. How many ponies usually come in each day?” Carter asked.

“Eh, probably about fifty or so, open to close. This is a pretty new place of mine, so word has yet to go around.” Flint said.

“How new?”

“About a week.”

“Oh, so this is really new.”

“Yep, saved up my money to renovate this place and started doing something with my life.”

“I see.” Carter said. “Always a good feeling when you feel like you are actually doing something with yourself.”

“Indeed.” Flint said. The waitress came over to Carter with a tray. He looked over and saw that it was his food that was on the tray.

“Your food, sir.” She said, handing him his meal.

“Thank you so much.” Carter said. She nodded and returned to the kitchen.

“I’ll let you eat while I continue on my end. Pleasure meeting you, Carter.” Flint said.

“You too, man.” Carter said.

As Carter ate his meal, he looked up and continued looking at all of the decorations in the room. He saw a wall full of antique clocks. What was really cool was that, somehow, all of the clocks were in perfect synchronization with each other. They all read eleven o’ clock. Carter smiled and took another bite of his veggie burger.

“Wait, eleven o’ clock!?” Carter shouted. He nearly forgot about his promise with Fluttershy. It all came back to him. Afternoon. He looked down at himself and saw that he was covered in dirt, charcoal and sweat. There was no way that he was going to go to her place looking the way he did. He thought about going home and taking a shower, but didn’t know if he even had a shower. He had no way of knowing if ponies actually had showers.

“Is that gonna be all for you, Carter?” Flint said, handing Carter his bill.

“Yeah, I need to leave! I made a big mistake and might be late to a party.” Carter said.

“Uh oh, that’s never good.” Flint said.

“Here,” Carter started, pulling out a number of gold coins and placing them on the counter. “keep the change.” He jumped out of his seat and ran out of the front doors, heading to his house. He had no clue what to do, but knew that he had to at least attempt something in some way.

“Carter!” He heard a familiar voice shout his name from behind his back. He turned around and found Applejack running towards him.

“Applejack! What’s up?” Carter said. He felt his entire body get pushed back a bit as Applejack got up to him and gave him a big, loving hug. “Woah, what’s the deal, Applejack?”

“Did you do all of that stuff on the farm?” She asked.

“That easy to figure out, huh?” He said, knowing that his cover was blown.

“So it’s true!” She pressed her head against his and nuzzled against his cheek. "Thank you so much! But why in Equestria would you do that for us?"

“I couldn’t help it. You guys were so distraught and despairing that I couldn’t think of anything to do but at least make your lives a bit easier.” Carter said.

“Carter, you don’t know how much that meant to me and my family. I… I can never thank you enough for your kindness and work ethic. It truly means so much.” Applejack said, letting go of Carter.

“That’s what friends are for, right? Gotta stay honest to my word, and I did say that I was gonna help you pick apples.” Carter said. Applejack leaned in and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before backing up to give him some space.

“I feel like I owe you that one after all that you have done.” She said. A small blush swept over her face.

“Hey, I know that this is a bad time and all, but here’s the rundown. I promised Fluttershy that I would come over to her house to have a tea party, don’t ask why, not even I know. I am sure that you have noticed by now, but I don’t exactly look cut out to arrive at such a formal event.” Carter said.

“Yeah, that’s a mighty reasonable problem.” Applejack said. “Lucky for ya, I know exactly the one who could help ya with this sort of thing.”

“Really, who?” Carter asked, wondering who it could possibly be. “Wait. You aren’t saying…” Applejack smirked. “Oh no.”

~

“Oh, so much to do, so little time.”

Rarity was running around her shop trying to get a batch of dresses done before noon for a client of hers in Manehattan, a largely populated place full of daily newfound trends. She was in quite a hurry to apply the finishing touches to her final dress and did so in the nick of time.

“There we go! The most perfect dress.” Rarity said, applauding herself. “I do say, Opal, I think that these dresses mark a new best in the world of Rarity’s fashion wardrobe.” Her cat, Opalescence, merely hissed at the dresses and walked away in a brudish form. “Your words mean nothing, Opal. You wouldn’t know fashion if it hit you in the face.”

Rarity boxed up her dresses and slapped a postal stamp onto the top of the box. She then ran outside of her shop and gave her package to a mailpony, telling them to send it off to the address labeled on the top of it. They nodded and headed off to Manehattan.

“Oh, sweet relief. Now I can relax for a moment.” Rarity said, jumping into a sofa and laying across it in a very dramatic fashion. Her time was cut short, however, after she heard the front door open.

“Rarity! We need your help!” Applejack shouted, running into the shop with Carter following closely behind her.

“What! At this time? How could I possibly help you?” Rarity said, annoyed by the timing of their arrival.

“Hey, don’t get mad at me! This was Applejack’s idea.” Carter said, pointing the blame away from himself.

“Hey now, you asked me what I thought you should do.” Applejack said at Carter.

“Ugh, I did ask, didn’t I.” Carter said, lowering his eyebrows in defeat.

“Ahhh!!! My goodness, Carter. What in Equestria happened to you!?” Rarity shouted, appalled by Carter’s appearance.

“Farm work. That’s what happened to me.” Carter muttered. He turned his head away from the others in shame.

“Rarity, you gotta help him. He has to be at Fluttershy’s house in just over an hour, and there is no way he can go there looking like that!” Applejack said.

“Wait, you aren’t just asking for my help… you are asking for my help in fashion?” Rarity said. A big smile came over her face.

“Yes.” Carter said. “I am.”

“Eee! This is amazing! I rarely work on stallions such as yourself, but this is going to be one of those moments that I will never forget.” Rarity shouted with glee.

“I’ll let you two go about it.” Applejack said, walking out of the room. She winked at Carter before exiting through the front door. Carter just stared down the farm pony with mild annoyance on his face.

“Fine by me. But mark my words, if you make me look like a girl, I swear I will write a terrible review about your handiwork.” Carter said.

“Oh, it is on!” Rarity said with a mischievous grin on her face. “Now to start off we are going to need to get your messy coat squared away.”

“How do you propose we do that?” Carter asked.

“A spa treatment!”

Now Carter felt like he had really messed up. First was the tea party, now a spa treatment? Everything felt like it was gonna go downhill from there. He chose to let it happen and willingly walked with Rarity over to the spa. Though he knew that he had never in his life planned to go to a spa before now, he took it as a chance - a small one at the least - to try something new.

They later arrived at a place called the Ponyville Day Spa. It seemed to be very welcoming, at least from the outside. Carter was not ready to walk in but knew that, because of Applejack, he had no choice. He walked in right behind Rarity and let her do all of the talking.

“Good morning, girls.” Rarity said. Behind the desk were two mares. The one on the left was a blue pony with a pink mane named Lotus, and the other was a pony with an opposite color scheme named Aloe.

These names are hilarious.

“Oh, Rarity! So nice of you to drop by.” Aloe said.

“And I see that you have brought a friend.” Lotus added.

“Eh, I wouldn’t really call him a friend, per say.” Rarity said deviously.

“Hey!” Carter said, feeling betrayed by her mean words.

“I am only kidding, Carter. Grow a sense of humor for once.” Rarity said, lightly elbowing Carter in his side.

“So what can I do you two in for?” Aloe asked.

“This stallion here has to be somewhere really soon for a fancy occasion and he needs some help looking his very best before he arrives.” Rarity explained.

“Ah, I see.” Lotus said.

“Well luckily for you two, business has been kind of slow so you can get situated right away.” Aloe said, leading Carter and Rarity into the hallway. Lotus separated Carter from her since her appointment was just for a hooficure, which was perfect for her since she was already here. He was brought into a room with a steamed bath waiting for him at the end of it.

“I’ll let you take your time in the bath. Clean yourself off and then let us know when you are ready for the next part.” Aloe said.

“Thank you.” Carter said.

“Enjoy your time.” She said as she walked out of the room to give Carter his privacy.

Looking at the bubbling mass of water in the hot tub was enough to get him quite excited for his spa treatment. Like other people he knew before coming to Canterlot, he always dreamed of owning his own hot tub. If going to a spa included this then he felt like maybe Rarity did have the right idea.

Carter slowly walked into the hot tub and sat down at the base of it. The water was just low enough to keep his head above the water as he sat down. The heat of the water, albeit feeling very intense near the beginning, was actually very relaxing to Carter. He watched all of the dirt and other particles fall off of his coat and drift away and float in the water.

Carter decided to hurry so that he wouldn't have a chance at being late to Fluttershy’s tea party. He dunked his mane under the water and scrubbed all of the gunk out of it until it felt smooth and silky. He liked that his mane was a lot like his hair when he was a human rather than being like the other ponies’ where it was down to the bottom of their necks.

He got out and dried himself off with one of the fresh towels that hung from the rack beside the hot tub. He got all of the moisture off of his body and rang a bell to let Aloe know that he was done. She soon came in through the door to check on him.

"Oh, you're all done. This is good! Now follow me so that we cane adjust your mane." Aloe said, leading him to the next room.

Once inside, Carter was instructed to sit down in a seat and lay back. He did so and Aloe then pulled out a jar. She used a smooth stick to get some of the green goop from inside the jar and carefully smeared the substance onto Carter's face.

"Don't you worry, I know that this is your first time. This is just to moisturize your face while I do your mane." Aloe said, trying to calm Carter's nerves. She could tell that he was not a fan at first.

"Forgive me for my rude manners. I'm just used to feeling ashamed for smearing something on my face, like applesauce or the like." Carter said, trying to lighten the mood.

"Fair enough. Just leave this stuff on your face and try not to scrunch or move your face, ok?"

"Can do." Carter said.

Aloe finished off by placing two cucumbers over his closed eyes and began working with Carter's mane. She got rid of all the knots in his hair and combed it out. Apparently even after a relaxing time in a hot tub wasn't enough to fully clean his mane. Carter let out a quiet yell as he felt something rub against his back hooves. It felt like a file.

"Don't mind that, dear. Lotus is just taking care of your hooves." Aloe said.
"Oh, ok. Startled me pretty good." Carter admitted.

Moments passed as the two spa ponies finished their work on Carter but soon enough they were done. Aloe held a mirror up to Carter's face so that he could see the results of their work. He was astounded to say the least. He looked amazing, but not like a girl like he thought he would turn out to be.

"Wow, girls. You have made me look like quite a fine gentlepony." Carter said.

"It's not everyday we get a stallion in here." Aloe said.

"But we always know how to please our guests." Lotus finished.

Carter was led back to the front desk and met up with Rarity. He was about to pay for his treatment but Rarity stopped him.

"Never you mind that, dear. I got it covered." Rarity said.

"You sure?" Carter inquired.

"I am quite sure." Rarity stated. She pulled out the money to pay for both her’s and Carter’s treatment and gave it to the spa ponies. "We may be done with this, but we are not done yet."

Carter didn't have the foggiest idea about what she was leading on about this time. She walked out of the spa. Carter thanked the girls before catching up with Rarity.

"What do you mean that we aren't done?" Carter asked.

"You want to look your best, don't you?" Rarity replied.

"Yes, of course." Carter said.

"Then you can't go and see Fluttershy like that. You must have a fancy suit to wear."

"A suit?" Carter snapped. "What do you think this is, my wedding day!?"

"Well excuse me, Carter. It's not like I'm getting anything out of this." Rarity said, offended by his tone.

"Ok, right. I am sorry." Carter said. “I will admit that I am very new to this sort of thing, but I just don’t want to seem like that one guy who goes overly intricate with the smallest things. Sure my goal is to look good, but not like the most gucci pony in Equestria.”

“Gucci?” Rarity inquired.

“I meant fancy.” Carter said.

"Just let me do my best to help you. This isn't my first time doing this sort of thing… actually, it's my job."

"Ha. That's about as good as any reason can get." Carter said.

"Do follow me back to my shop. I have a few suits that you may try on." Rarity said, walking back to her fashion boutique.

They arrived inside of the shop in little time and Rarity needed some basic questions answered to help Carter pick the suit that he’d not only look the best in, but also one that he would also enjoy.

“Now, dear. What is your favorite color?” Rarity asked.

“Mine? Red and purple. Not together, though.” Carter said.

“Oh, good. I was about to say that those two do not go together at all. At least, not easily.” Rarity said, shaking her head.

“I would like to say that something along the lines of a tuxedo does not look good in red or purple. Not in my eyes.” Carter added.

“Right. We will need to think of something that compliments both looks and feelings. But what could possibly pull that off?” Rarity said, thinking out loud.

As Rarity thought of something that she could give him, Carter eyed a suit that looked like something a middle class pony would wear. It was a nice collared suit with buttons that held it together. The color was green, which he knew to be a good compliment to red, which was what the color of his fur was.

“Hey, Rarity. What about that one?” Carter said, pointing towards the suit.

“That? Oh, that’s just something that I’ve been playing around with. That isn’t quite finished yet.” Rarity explained.

“How about I try it on?” Carter offered.

“Did you not just hear me? I said that it wasn’t finished.” Rarity repeated.

“Yes, but I do like the style of it as it is. I would like to try it.” Carter insisted.

“... Very well. You may try it on, but I will decide if it is the one for you, capiche?” Rarity said.

“Got it.” Carter replied.

Carter walked over to the suit and took it off of the pony shaped mannequin. He slipped it on and buttoned the suit so that it stayed on and looked somewhat fancy. He turned over to Rarity to let her see the results. Her jaw dropped. The way he fit the suit was unlike any pony she had ever seen before. His build made the suit look just right on him - not too tight, yet not too loose. It was almost seeming like destiny made these two inseparable.

“What do you think?” Carter asked, hoping that she would say good things about it, as he also thought it looked and fit pretty good on himself.

“What do I think? I think it looks amazing on you!” Rarity exclaimed in disbelief. Carter was super relieved to hear her say those words.

“You really think so? You are the fashionista and all.” Carter said.

“It really does. I never thought that it’s current design would fit any pony, let alone you! But this really does change things, doesn’t it.”

With that, Rarity helped Carter with the finishing touches to give his look a bit of pizzazz and he soon enough looked ready to go to Fluttershy’s house in style. Though he felt a little uneasy about the results of Rarity’s work, Carter had no doubt in his mind that he did indeed look perfect.

“That is how you go to a tea party!” Rarity shouted.

“Nice job, Rarity. I can’t begin to thank you enough for all of your help.” Carter said.

“Please, darling. I am just doing my job.” Rarity said.

“And a good job at that.” Carter added.

“Yes, well I do believe that you have somewhere to be in a few minutes.”

“Already?”

Carter looked up at the clock to see that it was five minutes until two o’ clock. He was getting very anxious while thinking about arriving at Fluttershy’s house. He let out a slow, staggered breath to try and calm his nerves.

“You seem tense, dear.” Rarity said as she looked over at Carter.

“You think?” He replied.

“Don’t think over it too much. It’s just a tea party. I don’t get what you are so worked up over.” Rarity said.

“Look, I don’t know about you, Rarity, but where I come from, guys like me don’t exactly do tea parties on occasion, if ever!” Carter shouted.

“Look me in the eyes.” Rarity demanded. Her tone lowered a bit, as well as her facial expressions. “You will be fine out there. I know what you can really do, and you know that too. Now, you will go down to her cottage and show her just who you really are: a gentlepony!”

Carter knew that she was right. There was absolutely nothing to get worked up about and he knew it deep down. He stood up, tall and proud, and paced towards the exit. He looked back at Rarity before leaving.

“Go get ‘em.” Rarity shouted.

Friendship Log #003

I have learned that it is important to trust in your friends just as much as it is for them to be able to trust in you. Trust is an important attribute in any friendship, as it makes each other feel safe and included in their presence.

Author's Note

Bit of calmer chapter before more of the main story comes into play. This one was kinda tricky to write, as I didn't want this to just seem like some boring fill-in chapter. Don't worry, this is not the only time Flint Masters pops up. Quite the contrary.

Chapter 8: Want Some More Tea, Mister?

It was finally time. Carter was pacing towards Fluttershy’s house in his new suit. It was time that he confronted his anxiety and just enjoyed his time with her. One by one his fears began to slip away from him, and with each step he grew in confidence. This was merely something new, and while it wasn’t something he was fully looking forward to, he was planning on enjoying every minute of it nonetheless. He was determined to be on his best behavior for the occasion so that Fluttershy would feel happy to have had him over.

He arrived at the front door of the old cottage that Rarity described Fluttershy’s house to look like. He swallowed his spit and knocked on the door. He waited a while, but there was no answer. He proceeded to wait for a bit longer before knocking on the door another time, using a bit more strength on his second attempt.

“Carter? Is that you?” He heard a quiet, soft voice say on the other side of the door.

“Yes, it is me, Fluttershy. I am here for the… tea party.” Carter said, never imagining the day he would say those words in the same sentence.

“Oh, lovely. Give me just a moment. I’ll be with you momentarily.” She said.

Carter stood there for a while, rocking back and forth on his hooves while he waited for her to finish up with whatever she was doing.

“It’s okay, Carter.” He said, trying to boost his confidence before the event began. “She doesn’t expect perfection out of you, just play it cool and absolutely remember to be yourself. Nothing more, nothing less.”

The door opened up and the two were revealed to each other. Fluttershy was seen with a green dress that ran down into a skirt of sorts near her backside. She had shoe-like coverings over her forehooves, and a little hibiscus in her mane. Carter was relieved that he now knew that he wasn’t the only one who took things seriously.

“Wow, Fluttershy. You look absolutely beautiful.” Carter said, trying to pick out only the best and most high class adjectives he could think of to describe her so that he would seem in character for the occasion.

“Hello, Carter. You are looking very handsome, yourself.” Fluttershy said, returning the compliment. “Shall we begin?” She gestured for him to come inside.

“I’d be most honored.” Carter said, walking through the door.

It was nothing that he had imagined the inside of the cottage to look like. There were animals of many species all around the living room, with little structures for each of them respectively. He was astounded by the organization of it all. He looked into the dining room and saw a small wooden table with an elegant tablecloth laid over it that had many colors displayed in a pattern that looked perfectly refined in his eyes. Upon it was a small tray with the items appropriate to the event. He spotted a large kettle with steam coming out of it - presumably with the tea inside of it. He also saw two expensive looking tea cups, a small plate of cookies and a cup with sugar and a spoon.

“Wow, you really know how to have a tea party, don’t you.” Carter said, surprised by how prepared Fluttershy really was for the tea party.

“This isn’t my first tea party, Carter.” Flutteshy replied. “I know quite a bit about how to host a very entertaining tea party.”

“You have raised my outlook on the matter quite a bit. I am looking forward to testing your skills in this area of expertise.” Carter said, trying way too hard to sound super sophisticated that not even he himself understood what he just said.

“Um, right.” Fluttershy said. She was beginning to feel uncomfortable around him, as he seemed to expect so much from her. Carter could tell the moment she said those words. He felt awful, thinking that maybe he came across as some tea connoisseur with the correcting style equivalent to that of Gordon Ramsey.

“Okay, I can’t keep this up. I am so sorry, Fluttershy! This is not how I expected things to go.” Carter said, admitting his faults. “I want to act like I know what I am doing, I really do. The truth is that I have absolutely no clue what to do.”

“Hahaha.” Fluttershy slowly built up in laughter. Carter thought that he had said the wrong thing at the wrong time. She wiped the tears from her eyes and recollected herself.

“What?”

“Carter, you don’t have to know everything or act high class or anything like that.” Fluttershy said.

“What do you mean?” Carter inquired.

“I accepted you here because I wanted to have a peaceful time with you, not some high and mighty stallion from dreamland.” Fluttershy said. “Just be yourself, no one’s gonna judge you on anything. It’s like when we were at Twilight’s castle; you weren’t afraid to act like yourself then, so why not now?”

Those were the exact words that Carter needed to have a new look on things. She was right, why would he need to fake it to be an enjoyable guest? She invited him, no one else.

“Ok, you are right.” Carter admitted. “Before I possibly put a damper on anything else, shall we begin? For real this time.”

“I think that would be lovely.” Fluttershy said, leading him towards the table.

The two ponies sat down in their assigned seats and began. Fluttershy leaned over to grab the tea kettle. She poured the tea into her cup, feeling the hot liquid evaporate into the room, giving off a pleasant smell. Fluttershy’s face gleamed with happiness as she lifted her nose and took in the sweet aroma that the tea gave. She then asked Carter for his cup, and once he held it out to her, she poured him his share of tea. Once both of the cups were filled, Carter and Fluttershy touched them together, making the familiar sound of glass hitting itself, which gave them the que to drink.

Carter was not sure if there was a correct way of drinking the tea, so he waited for Fluttershy to take a sip of her’s so that he could get an idea. She noticed him looking at him and knew what he wanted. She held up her tea cup so that he could see it.

“You just place one hoof on the tea cup while the other one goes under and props the plate underneath the cup. Lift the cup and take a sip, then simply place it back down on the plate between sips.”

“Got it.”

Carter held his tea cup and put it to his lips. He sipped a bit more than he should have, getting a mouthful of hot tea trapped in his mouth. His eyes widened as he tried to swallow the tea instead of spit it out. His mouth burned like a hellish fire before he could get it down his throat, only moving the fiery heat from his mouth down to his stomach. He froze for a second as he let his body deal with the pain that he went through. Fluttershy was laughing to herself as she watched Carter struggle with his first sip of tea. He looked at her with an expression of shame over his face.

“Careful, it’s hot.” Fluttershy said, knowing very well that he knew that by now.

“It’s good, don’t get me wrong. But hot damn!” Carter froze. “I am very sorry about that. I will refrain from using such foul language.”

“It’s quite alright, just be careful.” Fluttershy said as she took another sip of her tea.

First time participating in a tea party and I am already looking like I don't know how to function as an adult. Come on, Carter… get your crap together.

Carter made a second attempt to drink his tea, this time blowing on it before consumption, and then sipping it ever so slowly. That seemed to do the trick. His taste buds got more of the taste than the heat. He found himself really enjoying the tea. He was the type of guy who would normally enjoy a glass of soda every now and then, but this tea (albeit not his favorite beverage by any means) was proving to be something that he liked that wasn’t just another pop.

“Don’t forget that there are cookies and sugar near you if you feel inclined to better your tea.” Fluttershy said, pointing her hoof towards the two tea complementaries.

“Tell me, Fluttershy. What does one usually talk about during a tea party?” Carter asked.

“In what sense? Like conversations or just in general?”

“From what I know, every tea time conversation starts with, ‘wonderful weather we’re having.’ But I can only assume that something like that only lasts like maybe one to three sentences at most.” Carter said.

“I’m not sure if there is a definitive topic to talk about.” Fluttershy admitted. “But I don’t mind what we talk about, as long as it doesn’t get too hectic. An example of a good conversation starter would be something like a past memory or event.”

“Ah, ok.” Carter took his last sip of tea before starting a conversation of his own. “What made you so interested in animals? I see that you are quite an animal lover.”

“That is a great question.” Fluttershy gently placed her tea cup and plate down on the table and cleared her throat. “Back before I got my cutie mark, I fell from Cloudsdale. Falling from way up in the clouds and all was quite a scary experience, and I had no clue how to fly at the time. I was nearly killed that day, but by some miraculous destiny I was instead saved by a group of butterflies.

“They saved me from my impending doom and I immediately fell in love with animals. I had never seen so many before then, as I had never physically seen the wonders of the world below Cloudsdale. It wasn’t long before I found my purpose and got my cutie mark. Ever since that day I have devoted my life to these creatures.”

“Interesting story, Fluttershy. Seems easy to get a cutie mark. I just wonder why I don’t have mine.” Carter said. He was legitimately wondering why he didn’t have one by now. Everypony he talked to described getting theirs as a filly. Even though he knew that he just became a pony not too long ago, his cutie mark should’ve been on him from the start. Although, personally, Carter was not into the name “cutie mark” all that much.

A small, white bunny came over to Fluttershy and began to whisper something into her ear. Carter was surprised when he heard it let out only a few squeaks. He thought for sure that if ponies could talk then everything else in this world should be able to as well. But alas his hypothesis was falsified. She listened to it for a second before she fully understood what it said.

“You can talk to bunnies?” Carter asked.

“Actually, I can talk to all animals.” Fluttershy stated.

“How?”

“I don’t know. I guess it’s just a special gift of mine.” Fluttershy got out of her seat. “Forgive me, Carter. I have something I must do really quickly.”

“No trouble, take your time.” Carter said. Fluttershy smiled as she turned to follow the bunny outside of the cottage.

Carter sat there with a cookie in his hoof. He took a bite of it, chewing it as loud crunches came with each bite. It wasn’t half bad, but he preferred the tea over the cookies. He was gonna pour some more tea into his cup but figured that it was only appropriate to wait for Fluttershy to return before he touched anything. He was wondering what she could possibly be doing that demanded her presence at a time like this.

That’s when Carter had another vision.

His head throbbed as foggy images began to fill his head. Carter began to see Fluttershy in what seemed to be her back yard. She was helping a wounded snake to health, the cause of its wounds were unknown to him. He then saw the bunny begin to panic, tugging on Fluttershy’s dress. She ignored it as she continued to help the snake, but the bunny would not stop. Finally, Fluttershy turned around and shamed the bunny. The punishment was short lived, however, as she looked up to see a pack of wooden-looking hounds, about five of them. They all snarled at Fluttershy, barking and growling almost rhythmically from each other. They circled around her as she desperately tried to calm them down. She knew that they were about to strike. They stopped in their tracks, staring her down. Carter knew what was to come. Each one leaped into the air and towards Fluttershy. The vision ended there.

Carter found himself back at the dining table and immediately hung his suit over his chair and jumped out of his seat to save Fluttershy. He ran out through the back door and saw her just as she was confronted by the wooden hounds. They came to a stop, which Carter knew meant that they would strike momentarily. He ran to her just as they leaped into the air, pushing her out of the way.

Carter had not thought of a plan past this point. He was in the middle of each creature, getting clawed by the wooden hounds. Each one of their attacks stung him and left bloody messes on his fur coat, though barely visible given the fact that he was naturally red. Carter tried to fight them off enough to get away from them, but none of his efforts were seeming even close to successful.

“Carter, get out of there!” Fluttershy screamed, beginning to tear up as she watched him get absolutely ripped apart.

No shit, Fluttershy!

Carter got up on his hooves when he saw a perfect timing between attacks and rolled between one’s legs. He ran until he was at the opposite end of Fluttershy, making sure that their attention was still on him.

“What are these things!?” Carter yelled.

“They are timberwolves!” Fluttershy answered, hiding behind a bush with the bunny in her arms, scared out of her mind.

“Can’t you just talk them out of this!?”

“I would, but once they have settled on a meal then there is no changing their minds.” She trembled in her spot.

I swear, if she faints again…

Carter watched as one of the timberwolves leapt at him, aiming for his head. He dashed to his right, evading its attack. The timberwolf fell to the ground head first, dazed after impact. Another one lifted its paw and slashed Carter right on his face, resulting in deep gashes appearing on the right side of his face. He yelled out in pain before lifting his back legs and releasing a painful kick across the timberwolf’s chin. It whimpered in pain before falling to the grassy floor.

The other two looked over at the fallen timberwolf before glaring down at Carter, growling viciously. One ran over to Carter’s right while the other took immediate action, swiping its paw out at him. He blocked it with his foreleg, but the claws still lacerated his flesh quite a bit. Carter shifted his weight onto his other foreleg and waited for a good time to strike. The other timberwolf dove out at Carter while his back was turned. He looked over his shoulder after hearing a growl coming from behind him. Carter squatted underneath the wolf as it sent itself through the air, resulting in the weight of the creature knocking the other timberwolf off of its feet.

Carter looked over at Fluttershy. One of the timberwolves had made their way to her position and began driving their teeth into her flesh. Her innocent screams of pain rang in his heart as he watched her body slowly rip apart. The blood from her wounds began to stain her mane. Carter ran at the timberwolf and used his weight to push it over onto his back. Once the timberwolf was on its back, Carter jumped onto its stomach and began delivering heavy punches to its face with his front hooves. He shouted in anger as each blow connected with the creature’s wooden face. Carter continued to wound the timberwolf, blood seeping out of the cracks in its wooden features.

"Leave. Her. Alone!!!" Carter’s conscience knew that he was acting out of anger yet again, and needed to stop himself before it was too late. He barely prevented his right hoof from striking the timberwolf’s face, which would have been enough to end its life. Its eyes stared into Carter’s with nothing but fear radiating from its pupils. Carter was breathing heavily, staring angrily at the creature. He recollected his thoughts and moved his hooves down. He hopped off of the timberwolf and turned back towards it.

The wolf was whimpering to itself, feeling absolutely wounded by Carter’s attacks. Blood continued to leak from the cracks between the timberwolf’s wooden features. Carter slowly walked over to the creature and lifted his right hoof. The wolf barked in panic, but ultimately watched Carter as he placed his hoof on its head. He began to softly pet the wolf, hoping it would come across as an apology.

“You guys didn’t deserve this. You were only doing what you were taught to do. You don’t deserve to die because of your instincts.” Carter said, continuing to calm the fearful wolf. He was fully aware that this was not something he'd usually do, but there was a certain part of him that took over. There was a strong sense of kindness in him. The other timberwolves all stared at Carter in confusion.

“Did he just say that to us?”

“Wait, you heard that, too?”

“I thought I was just going crazy.”

“Maybe we are crazy. I’ve seen this before, where an entire pack goes crazy after… ah, what was it.”

Carter stopped their conversation.

“You understood me?”

“I could say the same to you.”

“It would seem.” Carter said.

Fluttershy was wondering who Carter was talking to. She heard nothing but his voice mixed with those of the timberwolves. She carefully turned her head past the bushes and looked over her shoulders to find Carter conversing with the timberwolves. She couldn’t believe it. He was actually pulling it off, let alone talking to animals. She was met by the familiar stench of tree bark as she turned to find a timberwolf right in her face. She let out a soft shriek as she hid her face behind her mane. She stopped herself after finding it wounded, blood leaking from its wounds.

“You poor thing.” Fluttershy said, moving over to the injured timberwolf and proceeding to heal it. Carter looked over and found the cream colored mare with bite marks all over her body. She too was losing a bit of blood.

“Fluttershy, you are in no condition to move.” Carter shouted.

“I must help this poor creature. It’s just a part of my character.” Fluttershy said, insisting that she helped heal the timberwolf.

“Bah, if you are so determined to protect your marefriend over there, then why don’t you get up and help her, yourself.”

“I am not his marefriend!!!” Fluttershy shouted. She had had enough of these creature’s stupidity. The clouds above them began to darken as she slowly walked towards the wolf pack. They all cowered in fear as Fluttershy came over with a stare so menacing that even Carter’s mane was sticking straight up. He placed his hoof over his mane to try and comb it back in place, but it was stuck in its current position.

What on Earth?

“Now you listen here, fellas. I am not merely a chew toy, I am a pony! As such, you will not only treat me with respect, but also my friends.” Fluttershy pointed to Carter with her hoof. “That pony over there is my friend and nothing less, so you will treat him with just as much respect as me. Do I make myself clear!?”

“Wow.” One of the timberwolves leaned over to Carter’s ear. “Your marefriend has a way with words.” The poor wolf was about to wet himself due to the amount of fear he felt in his soul.

“What was that!?” Fluttershy growled.

“Friend! I said friend! Do not hurt me you sick freak!” The timberwolf shouted in a state of panic.

“Now, leave this place!” The injured timberwolf got up and grouped up with the others.

The timberwolves scurried away from the pegasus pony while she walked over to Carter, who was on the ground. His right hoof was placed over his wounds as he tried to stop the blood from coming out of his muscles.

“*gasp* Oh my gosh! Carter!” Fluttershy was horrified by what she saw before her.

“It’s ok. You couldn’t have done anything. Just let me rest here for a bit. I won’t let some simple wounds affect our tea party.” Carter said, insisting that he would finish the night off right. He tried to sit up but felt a sharp pain pass through his entire body, forcing himself to fall back on the ground.

“Carter, you cannot stay like this. There must be something I can do.” Fluttershy insisted. She then had an idea spark in her head. She quickly flew into her cottage and came out with a roll of bandages. “This will at least stop the bleeding.”

Fluttershy took Carter’s front legs and analyzed them. She saw several scratches near the base of each of his legs, which were most likely caused by the flurries of onslaughts coming in contact with them while he blocked the timberwolves attacks. Carter winced for a second as Fluttershy tightly wrapped the bandage around Carter’s wounds. Once she was done with his legs, she looked at his stomach. There weren’t many wounds, but the ones that were visible were deep, blood-clotted gashes. Fluttershy whined in sympathy for Carter and finished wrapping the last of the bandages around his wounds.

“There you go, Carter. That should make you feel much better.” Fluttershy said, helping Carter to a sitting position.

“Thank you so much, Fluttershy. I don’t know what I would do without you.” Carter said.

“Yeah… without me…” Fluttershy sighed, burying her face between her front hooves.

“Fluttershy? What’s going on?” Carter asked, noticing the mare going quiet. The peace that came was followed by the sounds of soft whimpers. Fluttershy began to cry to herself, hiding her face away from his view. Carter did not know what to do. He was in a mix of feelings as he watched her. She was sitting right next to him, yet felt so far away. "Fluttershy, please talk to me…"

“I am utterly embarrassed at myself. If I even did one small thing to try and save you like the way you saved me then none of this would have happened. No wounds would have come to you and no Timberwolves would have attacked us at my home.” Fluttershy cried out. Tears filled her eyes. Her soft whimpering increased to a loud cry.

“Fluttershy… I-”

“No! You are right. Things would have been better off if I wasn’t here. In fact, I am positive that you would have been better off with any of the others in this kind of scenario. I just made things harder for you.”

“Fluttershy, please. I didn’t-”

“I ruined your first ever tea party, no, your whole night, just because I was too afraid and too arrogant to do anything to protect you!” She lost it, falling apart and sobbing under the cover of her pink mane. She felt so bad for causing Carter so much pain and suffering when she knew that it could have all been avoided if she had just found the courage to stop the timberwolves by herself. “I am so sorry, Carter. I am sorry for everything.” Fluttershy wiped her tears as new ones filled her eyes. The bunny came over to her position and comforted the poor mare.

Carter couldn’t help himself. Normally he would roll his eyes and walk away... but some strong sense of kindness found its way into him, making him feel sympathetic for the poor pesasus. He knew that words were not going to get through to her, so he had to try an alternative, nerve-wrecking tactic. He looked over at Fluttershy and pulled back her pink mane so that he could see her soft face. Fluttershy paid no mind to him as she continued to cry her heart out. Carter was not ready for what he was about to do, nor did he think it was the best thing to do, but he had no other options. He had to be serious, but not intimidating.

“Sorry? Sorry!? You are sorry for everything!?” Carter shouted, questioning her true intentions with those words. “So you are saying that you are sorry for letting me participate in my first ever tea party? You are sorry for telling me your past stories? You are sorry for showing me your special gift? But most importantly, you are sorry for giving me the best night of my life!?”

Fluttershy froze. She couldn’t believe what Carter was saying. Best night ever? That couldn’t be. She ruined it for him… didn’t she? Her mind was puzzled and her body went cold. She was too confused to even try and make his words make even a lick of sense. All of her sadness faded away, as if they were never with her in the beginning.

“What do you mean?” She asked softly, wiping the tears from her eyes.

“Fluttershy, you have given me something that no pony has given me in a long time.” Carter said.

“What is that?”

“... Happiness.”

“What?”

“Yes, happiness. I know it must sound absolutely ludicrous to think that I have not had true happiness in my life for a while, but it’s true. I have lived my past couple years in fear and exile because I was too afraid to go out in the world and be myself. But you… you have shown me the happiness that I have been too stubborn to find for all of these years. This night has shown me that it sometimes takes somepony to get out of their comfort zone to find the joys in life. Thank you, Fluttershy. Thank you for bringing happiness back into my life.”

Fluttershy nearly broke into a fit of happy tears. She fell on Carter and gave him the biggest hug that he had ever received from anyone, let alone a pony of all things. She buried her face into his chest, spilling out her tears onto his fur. He paid no mind to the ever-increasing moisture caused by the salty liquids coming from her eyes. She had the brightest smile upon her face as she continued hugging Carter. The joy in her soul was felt by everything and everyone around her.

"I don't know why in Equestria you are so hard on yourself and so fearful about the things that you do. You are Fluttershy, no one else. I am glad to have a friend like you, don't ever change."

Carter placed her hoof on Fluttershy’s mane, slowly and softly stroking it back. He gave her all the time she needed to process her emotions as he continued to comfort her in her time of need. It felt good to have given someone a reason to cry with joy, something he hadn’t done in a long time. To Carter, crying was a way of expressing emotions that have been trapped away for ages upon.

“Carter… I don’t know what to say.” Fluttershy whispered through her trembling voice.

“Then don’t say anything. Just let the moment pass.” Carter said passionately. He looked into her eyes, which glistened in the night sky. Though his stoic look masked most of his feelings, she could tell that he had a soft heart deep inside of himself. He smiled at her as he held out his hoof and helped her off of the ground.

“Thank you so much for this amazing evening.” Carter said.

“Thank you for coming and making the night so much fun.” Fluttershy replied, continuing her blushing. The two ponies hugged once more before they went back inside to finish up the tea party.

Carter was in no condition to move around, so Fluttershy laid him down across a soft sofa and gave him his tea cup. Once he got a hold of it, she slowly poured the tea into the cup.

"I regretfully need to inform you that this is the last bit of tea. If you need anything at all, do let me know." Fluttershy said.

"You have done more than enough, Fluttershy. The only thing I want from you is to see yourself appropriately situated. Just like you did for me, I can't just lay here while you're standing over there looking like some zombie." Carter said.

“Yes, it would seem that I should get patched up.” Fluttershy said. She looked down at her blood covered body and immediately ran upstairs.

Working with animals and all, I feel like this isn’t the first that she has been this hurt by the wildlife.
Carter leaned over to take a sip of his tea, smelling the sweet aroma it offered before the liquid touched his lips. He hesitantly set the cup down on the floor after finding a long, slippery snake beneath him. Carter looked at it, as the snake’s eyes also stared back at him. In the middle of their staring contest of sorts, Carter noticed that the snake’s body was covered in bruises, as if beaten up by something recently.

“You lost?” Carter asked, talking with a calm tone in his voice. He wondered if the snake would understand him like the timberwolves did.

“Is-s-s Flutters-s-shy nearby?” The snake asked, sounding like a young boy. His tongue slithered out of its mouth after making the noise of an s.

“Yes she is. Fluttershy is currently applying first-aid on herself as a result of a recent timberwolf attack.” Carter explained, pointing his hoof upstairs. “What is it that you need from her?”

“S-s-she was-s-s in the middle of helping me with my injuries-s-s. I es-s-scaped before the timberwolves-s-s attacked. I am jus-s-st wondering if s-s-she could continue helping me now that things-s-s have s-s-seemed to eas-s-se up.”

“I am sure that she’d be happy to. For now, just stay there while she takes care of herself for the time being.”

“Excus-s-se me, s-s-sir.” The snake said, cocking his head to the side. An innocent look appeared over his face as he continued speaking. “Aren’t you afraid of me?”

“What, because you are a snake? No. I will admit that I am not usually talking to the likes of you, but snakes are personally my favorite type of animal.” Carter said, smiling to the creature in hopes to lighten his worries.

“Really? What kind?” The snake asked, almost anxious to know Carter’s reply.”

“Doesn’t matter. Big or small, I don’t really care. Snakes are snakes in my mind.”

“S-s-so… you aren’t afraid of me?”

“The only thing that I fear is something objectively scary, like a creature with the intention of trying to kill me.” Carter said.

“Yeah… I gues-s-ss that would be a reas-s-son to be s-s-scared.” The snake said, doing a motion similar to that of laughter.

“Do you want some of my tea?” Carter offered, pointing his hoof towards the glass cup. “I am not in the mood to drink this last bit.”

“S-s-sure.” The snake said, cautiously slithering over to the tea. He lifted his head up and used his tongue to sip the tea. “Not bad.”

“Yeah. Fluttershy made it, so you know that it is good.” Carter said. “What is your name? Assuming you have one and such.”

“Conda.” The snake said, as he continued to drink the tea from the cup. He was proving to be enjoying the beverage quite a lot.

“Ah, because you are an anaconda. Clever. Your parents must be worried sick.”

“Yeah…”

“Oh, Conda. I didn’t expect you to still be here.” Fluttershy made her way down the stairs on hoof (since her wings were wrapped up in bandages) and trotted over to be with the snake. She had a first-aid kit between her teeth.

“Flutters-s-shy! You’re back.” Conda shouted in excitement.

“I will help you with your wounds right now.” Fluttershy dropped the first-aid kit onto the floor and opened it. She took out an ice pack and told Conda to roll onto the floor and stretch himself out. He did as he was told and felt the cold mass push against his bruises. The poor snake contorted a bit once the freezing material made contact with his flesh.

“What happened to him?” Carter asked, hoping that Fluttershy knew more about the cause of Conda’s wounds.

“This poor thing came to my backyard after a massive attack was unleashed in the snake pit; that’s where they live. He barely made it to me, but only after his parents died.” Fluttershy spoke with sympathy for the anaconda.

“No.” Carter said, his heart dropping in emotions. “Conda, I am so sorry.”

“You know his name?” Fluttershy asked.

“He told me his name during our chat while you were upstairs.” Carter explained.

“You can talk to animals, too?”

“I guess so.” Carter and Fluttershy looked down at the snake. Massive amounts of tears filled its eyes, thinking about everything he had lost in the attack, trying to process all of it.

“I am so sorry, Conda.” Fluttershy said, petting his head with her hoof.

“It’s ok. At least I am still alive.” Conda said. The others could easily tell that he did not want to accept it.

“Just take this time to think of only the positives. It’s the least you could do to benefit yourself, right now.” Carter said.

“Right.” Conda said, nodding his head.

“The sun has set. We should probably get some rest.” Fluttershy said, looking outside at the moon, along with the stars that filled the night sky.

“Don’t worry, I will be heading back home, Fluttershy.” Carter began to get himself off of the sofa and proceed to the front door, but his body fell within his first step. Carter groaned in pain as the wooden floor met with his bandaged body.

“Carter, do not be so naive. I am more than willing to let you rest here until you are healed.” Fluttershy said, her voice sounding a bit more direct.

“You sure?” Carter inquired.

“Carter… you saved my life, today. Let me do the same for you.”

“Very well.” Carter was not one to admit defeat, but knew that there were no other options at the moment. With Fluttershy supporting his weight, she helped him walk back to the sofa and set him down, laying him across the soft pillows. The cream colored pegasus reached into a nearby basket and pulled out a soft, purple blanket. She unfolded it and draped it over Carter’s body.

“Here you go, Carter. Take this time to rest up; you have earned it.” Fluttershy said. “Conda, you may sleep in here, as well, or you can go back outside. Your wounds should be fully healed by daybreak.”

“Thank you.” Conda said, curling himself into a ball.

“I will let you two get some shut eye.” Fluttershy gave off a sweet smile before turning to go upstairs. Carter reached out and tapped her right back leg. “Yes?”

“Fluttershy, thank you. I really don’t know how I could ever repay you.” Carter said, a humble tone coming over him. Fluttershy smiled and turned back to him.

“Then don’t say anything. Just let the moment pass.”

You sly pony. Using my own tactics against me.

Carter gave the mare a playfully seductive wink before he turned over and began to close his eyes. Fluttershy sighed and retreated towards her bedroom. As the stallion was left by himself, he felt something move itself across his body. The feeling scared him to death, but after analyzing the source, he calmed his nerves.

“I am sorry, but I cannot sleep. Do you mind if I stay up here with you, at least for now?” Conda asked. His eyes became beady and dilated.

“Yeah, I don’t mind.” Carter replied. The anaconda moved to the other side of the sofa and wrapped himself into a tight coil to give the two of them enough space to rest without touching each other. Carter tossed some of his blanket over the snake as he fell into a deep slumber.

“Good night, Carter.”

“You too, Conda.”

The light of the moon gleamed over the two creatures as they both slept through the night. Nothing but an occasional snore was heard from either of them as the night continued to beam across the sky. Fluttershy leaned over the stairs to check on them. She found the two enjoying themselves during their slumber; Conda’s body was pressed tight against Carter’s chest. She had a big smile on her face as she returned to her room.

Friendship Log #004

Today has been a very eventful day. I have learned possibly one of the biggest and most heartfelt lessons about friendship. There are and always will be faults within each and every living creature’s personality, simple as that. There are times where we over analyze our faults or use them as an excuse to be worse than what we can potentially become. During the times in our lives where a friend is having issues coping with their troubles, it is our job and our pleasure to help them in their time of need. We act as a foundation, those who raise them up when they cannot do it alone. We do not do this expecting them to do the same for us, but rather because part of being a true friend includes being a major support for others so that they can be the best that they can. I never had the courage to do this in my youth, but I now truly understand the joys that are brought upon each and every one of us when we help somepony overcome fears and help them grow as a being. This is the power of kindness.

Author's Note

Tea parties... Wouldn't just be nice if you could do things by the book? Nope, instead some timberwolves gotta go and mess up everything.

This was honestly one of the more fun chapters to write. I really wanted to put Carter in a wacky situation that puts his stern, serious personality with something more slow and calm. I think that this did the job. More or less. :pinkiecrazy:

Conda... Not gonna lie, I am pretty bad at names. But you know what, I like it.:derpytongue2:

Don't forget to comment and/or ask me any questions.

Peace

-MCX

Chapter 9: Party Chores

Carter’s mind began to feed him happy dreams of himself with the others in a small circle, talking about who knows what. Carter found himself to be enjoying their company. He looked at himself from a third person perspective, analyzing his dream-self’s attitude and personality. He was almost another man in his eyes. He could see the positivity inside him spill out like a fountain of joy. It was different from what he used to be like… or rather, what he was currently. Carter wondered if this was telling him that he was indeed changing for the better.

Am I ready? Am I going home?

His whole mind began to violently fade in and out of bright flashes. His dream, though seen behind the lights, was beginning to go away. His conscious-self began to reach out towards his dream-self. He screamed for help as he was seemingly pulled away into the darkness of the dream world. He did everything in his power to go back, but whatever force held onto him proved to be much stronger.

Carter was flipped around and looked into a different, less happy dream. A nightmare? He was unsure at the moment. He stared into the void as it presented him with images of a dark, blood covered room. He found his dream-self in a state of sheer panic, horror swept over his entire being and his limbs were shaking violently. He saw himself yelling out for someone, but he couldn’t hear who exactly he was calling for. He ran through some stone hallways and tried full-heartedly to find the one he was looking for. His face looked like he was losing hope with each passing second.

The dream faded into nothing, then soon into a black room. There was nothing visible besides a pink and a blue blur. He stared at them, trying to focus in enough to see them clearly. Carter heard the sound of what seemed to be a mechanical saw in the distance. The blue blur began to move around, almost representing someone struggling to get away.

What the hell is going on?

Carter was beginning to freak out. This had to be another one of his visions. But he was asleep. Considering the fact that his past visions only warned him about things that would soon happen, he was struggling to even think about taking the things he was seeing into consideration. What could possibly happen in mere minutes that would even seem anything like this?

A loud, high-pitched scream pierced his eardrums. He tried to block out the sound with his hooves, but it proved to be futile. He fell to the ground and shouted out in agony. The pain he was feeling was too much for him to mentally bear.

“Ah!!! Get me out of this nightmare!!!” Carter tried to inflict physical pain on himself to wake up and escape the dream world, but nothing was working. He contorted in many ways as the screaming slowly increased in volume. He felt something wet fall from his eyes. It gradually built up in speed, eventually becoming a difficulty for him to see. He placed his hooves on his eyes and looked down upon them. He found nothing but blood across his hooves. His body trembled in fear, getting flashbacks of that horrible night yet again.

“Get out of my head!!!” He shouted, trying to damn these thoughts from entering his head any longer, but there was nothing he could do to stop it. Soon his eyes were covered in blood, making him unable to see his surroundings. Nothing but a splash of red color came through his pupils.

Carter looked over and began to see the outline of a small ghost. It looked exactly like the one he saw the night before his death. He could think of nothing to do besides continue to stare at the ghostly figure.

“What do you want!?” Carter screamed in frustration.

“You will be our’s! You will become one of us!”

Carter recognized the voice.

“In time, you will find your purpose in this world, or you will die along with the rest of these damned creatures.”

“Get out of my head!!!”

“You cannot do anything about it, Carter. It is your future, your destiny.”
“Go away!!!”

“Kneel before us!”

Carter watched the ghost’s shadow slowly transform into one that looked like the pony in the statue that he considered ‘swiss cheese goddess.’

“You will join us!”

“Never!”

“Then your life will end now…”

Carter watched as an army of evil shadow ponies lined up behind the ghostly shadow. It pointed its hoof towards Carter and they all ran after him. He tried to run away, but like a cliche dream, he was stuck in place, forced to await the attacks of the shadow ponies.

Something inside Carter changed in an instant. His fears were replaced with extreme rage. His body tightened and his horn began to glow. His eyes glowed in the dark void around him, releasing an aura of red colors around him.

“Go away!!!” His voice sounded lower than normal, and his horn produced a red beam of light that exploded across the void, killing off all of the shadow ponies. They disintegrated into nothing but air; the beam cut through them like a sickle in a field. Carter watched as the entire army of enemies were wiped out in a single second. What was this power?

“Yes… you are ready to join us. We just need to wait for the right time.”

“We?” Carter asked.

A glow came from the evil pony’s horn before shooting out a blast of energy towards Carter. All of it happened so fast that Carter flinched in anticipation.

“Ahhh!” Carter yelled out, finding himself back in the safety of his home.

He looked down to see that the covers and sheets of his bed were thrown about the room. He was breathing heavily, trying to process the vision he just had. It came and went all too quick for him to understand everything. What he did know was that something bad was going to happen, but he had no idea when it would occur.

Carter reorganized his bed and laid back into the comfort of the mattress. The blurs did not make sense to him. Never before had his visions ever limited his senses. If he was indeed being warned about future problems, then how was he supposed to know what to look for? It was just too much to take in, and the young stallion gave up on deciphering all of the information for the time being. He rested his head against his pillow and stared off into the morning sky outside his window as he waited for his mind to calm down enough to allow his body to wake up. It seemed to be a bit past noon. He wondered why he slept in for so long.

What is it exactly that you’re trying to tell me?

It has been a week since Carter’s tea party incident with Fluttershy, and he felt his wounds to be completely healed by this point. He had not seen any of the others since that day, and he was determined to meet up with them today.

Carter’s first instinct was to find the others and get caught up with their past. The only thing stopping him was trying to decide who he should start with. Fluttershy wasn’t too far away from his current location, but Applejack wasn’t that far, either. He had no clue where Pinkie Pie lived, Rarity was probably busy with work related issues, Twilight and Spike were way too far to be reached, and knowing that Rainbow Dash literally lived in the clouds proved to be impossible for him to reach her, especially since he still couldn’t fly.

He paced around Ponyville as he tried to come to a conclusion on who to see first. His answer was unknowingly revealed as Carter eyed the Cutie Mark Crusaders walking towards Sugarcube Corner, the local sweets store. Watching as they all entered at once, he figured he could at least pop in for a spell.

Carter opened the front doors of Sugarcube Corner and looked around for the little fillies. He found them eyeing a giant chocolate cake display behind a glass panel. It had about four layers of chocolate filling, with caramel drizzles on top of the frosting. He wondered why they were so focused on the cake, so he pretended to look over at the other side of the display as he eavesdropped on their conversation.

“This is the one! This is the cake that Applejack said we should get fer Carter!” Apple Bloom said.

“He’s been in his house for a while, now.” Scootaloo stated.

“I wonder if he even remembers us.” Sweetie Belle questioned.

“Of course he does.” Apple Bloom shouted. “He is just stuck in his house because of the timberwolves.”

Carter regretted listening to their conversation after hearing himself get brought up numerous times. He hoped to God that they wouldn’t see him on the other side of the shop. Didn’t work out in his favor. They one by one looked over at him and dropped their jaws in shock. Carter didn’t look at them and pretended not to notice them.

“Maybe he didn’t hear anything we said.” Sweetie Belle whispered.

“We should wait until he leaves.” Scootaloo instructed.

“Great idea, y’all.” Apple Bloom said.

They slowly backed up and watched him do his thing, waiting for the moment he left the shop. He took his sweet time looking at all of the desserts that were displayed. It looked like he wasn’t going to leave anytime soon.

Carter had an evil idea appear in his head. He walked over to the cake, still pretending not to notice the fillies. He stared at it like he was going to buy it. He knew that he wasn’t, but he wanted to see how they would react towards his actions.

“Excuse me, mrs.!” Carter shouted, grabbing the attention of Mrs. Cake, the co-owner of Sugarcube Corner, who was in the back of the shop.

“Oh, be with you in just a second.” She shouted. She was finishing up with some ingredient organizing. She grabbed the vanilla and placed it into the cupboard above her head before closing it shut and walking over to Carter. “Sorry about that. Pinkie Pie loves to make desserts and never cleans up after herself when she gets to work.”

“Oh yeah. Pinkie Pie works here, huh.” Carter said. It was time to put his prank into effect. “What is this cake for? Seems very intricate.”

The young fillies’ eyes all widened when they heard him ask about the cake.

“No. That’s meant for you in secret!” Scootaloo whispered. Apple Bloom stared angrily at her and pressed her hoof against Scootaloo’s lips.

“Don’t blow it!” Sweetie Belle demanded.

“Oh, that?” Mrs. Cake said. “Funny you should ask. That is actually the exact same dessert that I was talking about. The one Pinkie Pie made and never cleaned up her ingredients.”

“Ah, that would explain it now, wouldn’t it.” Carter said.

“Wait, Pinkie Pie made it?” Scootaloo asked.

“Yes, dummy. Pinkie Pie made it for Carter. I don’t know why it’s in the display cabinet, though.” Apple Bloom replied.

“I hope that you weren’t thinking about getting it. That cake is currently sold to some other pony.” Mrs. Cake said, looking at the fillies and knowing very well about their little secret. She winked at them and they sighed in relief.

“No, I was actually just here to get a doughnut. It would seem that it just caught my attention.” Carter said, determined to not get caught in the act.

“Ok then. You just want like a plain sugar doughnut or something else?” She asked.

“Just one of the former, please.”

“Alrighty. I will get you a napkin for that and hoof it over to you.”

Carter placed a gold coin on the display case for Mrs. Cake as she gave him the doughnut.

“Thank you, mrs.” Carter said.

“Of course. Do come again.”

“I will.” Carter left the shop, leaving the fillies and Mrs. Cake to themselves.

“You almost blew our cover!!!” Apple Bloom shouted at Scootaloo.

“What!?” A shout was heard from the back of the shop. “You almost told him!?” It was Pinkie Pie.

“It wasn’t my fault! Besides, it’s not like he heard anything.” Scootaloo said.

“Wait, you were here the whole time?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“Well duh, I work here!” Pinkie Pie said.

“Then why were you hiding from Carter?” Apple Bloom inquired.

“You know how I get when it comes to staying calm when I have a secret on my mind. I jitter and spiral out of control! That would’ve been a dead giveaway to Carter, telling him that something was going on.”

“Look just make sure the cake never leaves this place. We can’t afford another situation like this.” Mrs. Cake told Pinkie Pie. “As for you fillies, you all need to buy something or get out. No more cake talk from here on out. Understand?”

“Yes, Mrs. Cake.” The fillies said in unison.

“Good, now off you go.” The CMC’s walked out of Sugarcube Corner.

~

Carter was getting a little nervous, himself. He was worried that he stepped into deep waters and possibly gave away the fact that he knew their secret. He felt ashamed. Sure it wasn’t voluntary, but he still learned about it nonetheless.

“Hey, Carter.” Scootaloo’s voice was heard behind him. He turned around to find the three fillies standing in a line.

“Yes?”

“You didn’t hear anything weird, did you?” Sweetie Belle inquired.

“Suspicious?” Carter asked, trying to sound as oblivious as possible. “I don’t believe I have. Why? What’s up?”

“You know what, nevermind. Sorry for asking.” Apple Bloom said.

“It’s ok. Hope you girls are alright.” Carter said.

They nodded and turned to walk back to their clubhouse.

Thank God! They didn’t seem to catch on at all. Even then, I feel absolutely horrible for knowing about this secret, nonetheless.

“Carter!!!” The stallion swiftly rotated on his hooves, looking for the one that called his name. He saw Pinkie Pie running towards him in a hurry.

“Pinkie? What is it?” Carter shouted. The pink mare stopped herself just right in front of Carter and began to talk to him while she seamlessly unphased after all of the running that she had just done.

Her cardio is insane…

“Carter, I really need you to get these supplies.” She said, speaking faster than any other pony he had met, and handing him a small list of items. “It’s for a customer of mine, and I totally spaced out while I was baking in Mr. and Mrs. Cake’s bakery. If it wouldn’t be too much to ask, would you be so kind as to grab those things for me?”

Carter analyzed the items on the list that he was given. All of them correlated with party supplies, like balloons, candles and sugary drinks. He wondered what the strange occasion was, thinking of all the possible reasons why Pinkie Pie needed him specifically to retrieve these items at this time of the day.

“If you don’t mind me asking, why do you need these?” Carter inquired.

“It’s for a party that somepony who will not be named. I need these in my possession in an hour from now. Is that at all possible by your standards?” Pinkie Pie asked, jumping around in place as she spilled out her words almost faster than she could talk. Her teeth chattered as she landed on the ground after each hop.

“Sure. Gimme like half an hour and I should have all of this by then.” Carter said, simply nodding to the pink mare, as he had no idea how else he should reply.

“Thank you so much! This will give me just enough time to get started on the rest of the party plans!” Pinkie Pie shouted with glee.

“Glad I could help.” Carter said, but she was already far away from his position after the first word came out of his mouth.

She is the strangest pony I have ever seen. Not annoying, just strange.

Carter returned his focus towards the contents of the list once more. He figured that the best place to find something like this was at the supermarket near the center of Ponyville. He placed the parchment into his satchel and proceeded towards his destination.

My life has become all kinds of crazy! First I was fighting off terrorists, then invited to a princess’ party, then a tea party, and now I am going on a shopping spree for some party gifts. Either I need to grow a spine and stop these ponies from pushing me around, or I need to get a job.
During his walk towards the superstore, he found the grey pegasus mare from before, selling off some vegetables labeled ‘pickles.’ Carter looked over at her and noticed something quite off about her display.

“Derpy! Those are cucumbers!” He shouted the information to her from across the street. The mare looked down at her collection of greens and looked back at Carter, nodding as if she already knew. “You wrote pickles on your labels!” Her eyes widened as she took hold of the label and saw it for herself. She placed it back on the top of the stand and placed a hoof on her forehead. Derpy shook her head in denial.

“We all have those days.” Derpy said, staring back at Carter with a shameful grin.

“Easy fix, nothing you can’t handle!” Carter shouted back, making sure that she didn’t feel too stupid for making such a miniscule mistake.

Carter made his way through the entrance of the supermarket and began searching for the items found on the list of things that the party pony gave him. He looked around at all of the different aisles, trying to figure out where his first item would be located: balloons. The red stallion identified ‘party supplies’ on one of the aisle signs.

Bingo.

Carter made his way over to the party aisle. He figured that, if he was lucky enough, all of the items on the list would be found in this one spot, and not just the balloons. He surveyed the shelves to find the items that he was instructed to retrieve. Low and behold, there was a party bag with all of the listed items and then some. He pulled it off of its respected hanger and held it up to his face. The bag slid off of his hoof as he moved it closer to him, resulting in a loud crunch sound from the plastic once it hit the ground. He stared at the party pack with an insulted look.

I don’t get how they do it. I can’t seem to do anything without fingers.

He reached down and attempted to pick up the party bag once more, looking around to see if anypony was watching him during this subjectively embarrassing moment. To his luck, no one was around to witness it. Upon closer (and more careful) inspection, Carter found that each of the contents in the bag did not only match the things that Pinkie Pie was requesting, but also met the required quantities demanded of said items. He placed the party pack in his satchel and went to the cashier to pay for it.

As he waited for the clerk to add up the total, he noticed something occurring outside. He looked out of the windows and found Applejack helping the CMC’s carry a cake out of Sugarcube Corner. It was the exact same chocolate cake from before. He watched them slowly make their way out of the building before Pinkie Pie came out of nowhere and began to chat with Applejack. Their conversation seemed to be quiet, almost secretive. Carter had the fondest idea about what they were discussing over.

As the two older ponies chatted, Carter turned his focus to the little fillies. His eyebrows were raised a bit once he noticed that the cake was unusually lopsided. It was about to tip over. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle quickly ran to prop with up, while Scootaloo attempted to do the same from the top, flying to its high point. They all pushed the cake with all of their strength, trying to prevent it from falling over. Their actions were proven to be a grave mistake, as the frosting began to stain their hooves, leaving marks on the exterior of the cake. They immediately let go after seeing this for themselves, licking the frosting off of their hooves.

Carter’s stomach dropped as the cake slowly plummeted to the ground. The fillies all screamed as they witnessed the same. He squinted his eyes as he watched the chocolate dessert fall to its doom. It was game over for them… or so he thought. A blue aura encased the cake and positioned it back to its normal state. The marks on the frosting were smoothed out, almost like something smeared the frosting back into place.

Magic!

Carter turned his vision a little to his left and found Rarity yelling at the fillies. The look on their faces said everything; they were horrified. Carter shook his head as he recollected his thoughts and feelings. He was handed the party pack after paying for the item, walking out of the superstore and continuing to watch the cake epidemic unfold.

“You almost ruined everything!” Rarity shouted, humiliated by the fillies’ lack of responsibility. “And you two!” Her eyes moved over to Applejack and Pinkie Pie. “You are the older, more responsible mares right now. It is your job to keep an eye on things in case something like this happens!”

“I am so sorry, Rarity. This was my fault. I distracted Applejack.” Pinkie Pie admitted.

“Never mind that! We ain’t gonna get anywhere play’n ‘point the blame.’ Everypony needs to help make sure that this here cake gets to where it needs to be before something like that happens again.” Applejack stated.

“That’s quite right. Now let’s get moving; we do not have a lot of time on our hooves to mess around with.” Rarity announced, using her magic to keep the cake in place as the orange and pink earth ponies proceeded to move the cake. Carter just watched them do their thing until they were lost from view once they turned a corner.

There is something you don’t see everyday.

“Wait, that was Pinkie Pie!” Carter shouted to himself, feeling stupid for not dropping off the party pack to her right then and there. “Although, I don’t think that would have been a good time to do so.”

Carter turned to his right to find Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash together. They seemed to be heading the same direction as the others. But what caught him off guard was the fact that there was another pony with them.

Twilight?

Carter couldn’t wrap his mind around this. Knowing that she was the princess and all, he tried to figure out why she would leave Canterlot. He didn’t know of anything that would require the princess herself. They were long past his field of view before he stopped concentrating on such a meaningless thought.

No good in waiting around here. I have got to find Pinkie Pie.

The stallion leaped into the air before running over to Pinkie Pie’s last known location. He knew that she had little time before these customers of hers expected whatever it was that she promised them. He continued down the street until he found a giant tent on a plot of land that was usually found to be empty every other time he passed this part of town.

Carter proceeded into the massive tent, wondering if this was where Pinkie Pie was located. It was abnormally quiet, with nothing able to be heard besides a bit of chatter from the townsfolk outside of the structure. He figured that this was not what he was looking for, so he turned around to exit the tent and find another possible spot where Pinkie Pie could be located.

Surprise!!!

Carter spun on his hooves to find all of the Main 6, along with the CMC, holding their hooves out towards Carter. The entirety of the tent was filled with balloons and confetti; the latter was blasted out of a large party cannon, which was controlled by Pinkie Pie.

“What in Equestria is going on?” Carter asked, a bit of a growl heard in his voice. He was genuinely feeling confused about everything that had just taken place within the last few seconds of his day.

“We are throwing you a party!” Pinkie Pie shouted.

“A party?” Carter curiosity only grew by the second. “Why would you guys be throwing me a party?” His voice changed from that of agitation, and instead one with more concern.

“Well, if you know anything about Pinkie Pie, you’d know that she loves throwing random parties for ponies that she meets for the first time.” Rainbow Dash said. The envy in her voice was quite evident to the red stallion.

“And I didn’t get the chance to throw you a welcoming party due to all these crazy things that have happened in the last week. So I told myself that today would be the day that this party would officially go down!” Pinkie Pie’s iconic smile was ever so present upon her face.

“So you guys are throwing me a late welcoming party?” Carter guessed, based on the current information he was given.

“Yes, and no.” Applejack said.

“Applejack and Fluttershy told us all about the things that you have done for them. We thought that it would only be acceptable to celebrate you, not only for coming here to Ponyville, but also to commemorate you for your generous and kind deeds.” Twilight said, tilting her head and giving him a jovial smile. "The two just kinda blended together."

“You really threw me this party just for that?” Carter inquired. “That’s not to say that I am at all annoyed. No, quite the contrary.”

“Of course! You have proven to be a great friend to all of us.” Fluttershy said, gesturing towards the rest of the ponies with her hooves.

“Really?” Carter was feeling quite jolly with all the attention he was receiving. He felt like a hero to them.

“Carter, you have been a great, honest friend to all of us.” Applejack said.

“You have proven yourself to be one of the coolest ponies ever.” Rainbow Dash added, flying around the air in a circular figure.

Carter felt himself choke on his spit. He did not like how those words came out. It almost felt like an encrypted message was being sent to him that only he knew how to translate.

Honest… pony…

“Carter, are you feeling ok?” Rarity asked the fear-struck pony, staring him in his wide eyes. He was trembling beyond anything the others have ever seen. From what they could tell, something was on his mind, something that needed to be said.

“Do you need some fresh air?” Fluttershy asked, holding his left front hoof with her right one.

“Do tell us if you are sick or something. We could postpone this party if it comes down to it.” Pinkie Pie offered.

All of the ponies stared at Carter, who looked as if he was about to cry. His eyes were becoming bright red, and his teeth began to grit against each other. They could do nothing but sit there, watching him deal with whatever it was that he was struggling with.

“T-t-twilight.” Carter’s mouth finally opened up, words heard soon after.

“Yes?”

“I am afraid that I have not been honest with you girls. I fear that it is only fair that I tell you the truth, right here and right now.”

“Carter, what are you saying?” Applejack asked.

“Are you keeping something from us?” Rainbow Dash inquired.

Carter nodded in shame. He kept his head down, but looked at all of the other ponies in the eyes. He saw the same emotion radiate from each of their spirits: Betrayal. He knew it would eventually come down to this, but to wait so long before telling them was something he was ashamed of admitting.

“It is time I tell you everything. It’s time I tell you… the truth.”

Author's Note

Oh boy. Secrets are never a good thing to hide from your friends. From here on out, Carter will reveal the truth about himself to the Main 6. That, and his dark past, which still haunts him every night.

Chapter 10: No More Secrets

Twilight issued the others to sit down while Carter began to tell them the truth about his past. They all stared at him with an engaged look in their eyes. They wanted to know everything that he needed them to know.

“Do you want the little ones to leave for a moment?” Rarity asked, pointing to the three fillies.

“No, keep them here. They need to know the truth just as much as you do.” Carter said. He looked down at the ground and inhaled. With a deep sigh escaping his lungs, he was ready to tell them the truth. With a stoic look ever present upon his face, he began.

“Carter, do not feel like you owe us this. It’s okay to hide some things from your friends. We won’t judge you.” Applejack said, trying to calm the stallion's emotions.

“No. You must be informed on what I am going to tell you.” Carter insisted.

“Very well.” Twilight said.

“We are all ears.” Rarity said, nodding her head.

“First of all, you must know me. I am not a pony.”

“What are you saying?” Fluttershy inquired.

“You look like one to the rest of us?” Rainbow Dash rested her head on her front hooves.

“I know, and that is something that I cannot explain. But the real me is not a pony.” Carter took a nervous breath before continuing. “I am… I am a human.”

“What!?” Every pony in the room was shocked by what they just heard.

“That can’t be! Those are just legends!” Twilight shouted.

“Maybe in this world. But from where I come from, not so much.”

“This world?” Rarity couldn’t understand what he was trying to explain.

“Explain yourself.” Applejack insisted.

“I am from a place called Earth. I lived in the country of the United States of America. Before I came to Equestria, I was in the middle of a very important mission. It was my job to keep my squad safe and away from harm. But, without getting too detailed, I failed. They died because of my foolishness, and in the process, I lost my life as well.

During the brief moment that I was passing between life and death, I was met with a spirit that I had never seen before. It told me that if I were to die that day, I would be put in a place where I would receive nothing but never ending misery. This is because I left Earth as someone who pushed away friendships and lost all sense of what is morally good.”

“If what you say is true, then why did you become who you are?” Pinkie Pie asked.

“If you noticed during the short time that I have been here, you’d know that I have a tendency to go insane. I will become enraged very quickly, and resort to violence at its most extreme: pain and death.” Carter turned to look at Fluttershy. His body shivered intensely for a slight second. “I know that you saw it happen during the timberwolves’ attack. If it weren’t for your kind and forgiving nature rubbing off on me, then I fear that those wolves would have lost their lives.”

Fluttershy’s eyes widened in horror. Carter knew exactly what she felt the day she saw him almost take the life of the timberwolf. It was fear. It was a fear that one feels when they look upon the one thing that scares them more than anything else they have seen before. Carter raised his hooves and stared down upon them, disgusted by the man he knew that he became.

“But why?” Fluttershy asked. The tears in her eyes mixed with the fear in her voice was enough to make Carter lose his calm composure.

“That is another story.” Carter placed his hooves back on the ground. “The day before I was to leave my home and get stationed at my military base, I was getting packed. I heard a knock at the front door coming from downstairs. I was going to open it, but I heard my Mom do it instead.” Carter’s lips quivered, and his tears increased enough to where they would fall out of his eyes.

“What happened?” Pinkie Pie inquired. The others looked at Carter with anxious looks on their faces… all but Applejack. She sensed a familiar emotion arise in Carter’s spirit; it was one that she personally knew all too well.

“The thing that came next was a loud blast. I ran downstairs to check on my mom, but was instead greeted by a soldier with a gun, and my mom’s lifeless corpse laying across the floor.”

The ponies all gasped in horror, feeling sudden sympathy for the pony-looking human. Applejack stared at the ground in pain. Her heart was filled with nothing but dark memories and painful recollections of her past. She took off her hat and placed it over her chest. Tears poured from her eyes, though she managed to stay silent.

“My dad came running over with a knife in his hand, trying to take down the enemy. But in a futile effort, the next bullet left the chamber and drove itself directly through his head. As blood sprayed across the room, my father also lost his life in mere seconds. With an extreme desire for vengeance, I tackled the enemy to the ground, striking his body with punches of all sorts.

“I had never felt this feeling before that moment, and I was scared of it. It took me over like a caustic disease. Before I could take the man’s life, I jumped away from him, taking his gun with me so that he could in no way attack me from that distance. I was absolutely appalled by what I had just done to that man. It was to defend myself, sure, but I was horrified nonetheless.

“That’s when I realized that the mental pain was far from over. The man looked at me with a bloody grin and pressed a button on his jacket. It erupted into a fiery explosion, consuming my house within seconds.”

“No.” Rainbow Dash was beginning to tremble in her spot, feeling just as scared as the others.

“And to top it all off, I can still remember the screams that came from my siblings. They were burned alive in the explosion.”

The three fillies all silently cried their eyes out, trying desperately to not begin bawling. The tears that fell from their eyes were enough to make Carter aware of their uncomfort. Carter looked at them with his tear filled eyes, gesturing towards the exit. They nodded and began to leave the tent. While that took place, the others were in tears all the same. What seemed to be a simple truth telling friendship meeting instead proved to be more than what they were all ready for.

“It wasn’t until I made it to the military when I felt nearly ready to get back into the swing of things. I aimed towards becoming a medic, as I felt that saving lives would bring enough happiness to relinquish the fear and hate that I still kept in my soul. It was not to be. I was instead put into the front lines, forced to kill whoever the target was. I did things I still regret to this day. I killed people of all kinds... parents, adults, children, brothers, sisters, even infants. With each and every life I took, my fear for myself only grew, enlarging to massive proportions.

“With one last chance at redemption, I accepted a job to watch over the daughter of one of my friends. He was a great guy who changed his life from doing the dirty work of gangs to instead working as a provider for the needy. I loved him like a brother, and promised myself that I would protect him and his family like I was their guardian angel.

“I watched little Sophia for about two hours by then, until I heard the front door open. I watched two soldiers file in with both my friend, and his wife, at gunpoint. I told Sophia to run, but she refused to do so, yelling out their names as fear filled her innocent soul.

“In a flash, their lives were taken from them, right in front of their daughter, as the gun’s familiar blast echoed throughout the room. Their lifeless bodies fell to the floor as Sophia screamed out in fear. She ran over to one of the soldiers, punching him in the leg. I was careless and didn’t stop her, and the gun came right down to her face. There it was again; the familiar boom of a gun. I stood there, watching lives being taken from the innocent in nothing but a minute of my life.

“As the soldier pointed the gun to my head next, something filled my body. It was the same toxin that corrupted me the day of my family’s death: anger. I did not hold back this time, and I made it very clear that I would not let them live. Several minutes passed, and the two soldiers fell to the floor, void of life.

“The anger in my soul was venomous, seeping out like a plague. But it did not last forever, as I stared down at my hands, which were covered in the blood… the blood of another man.

“I couldn’t live with my sins, and I was too afraid to accept the things I did. I ran away, damning myself from ever having anymore friends in my life ever again, as I felt as though the IFRE were always ready to eliminate anyone and everyone I loved. I did not want to chance the possibility of their lives being snatched away by someone else… or worse, by my own hands, if my anger were to ever rise beyond uncontrollable levels. I hid myself from friendship and made a vow to never hurt another soul, so that I may one day become the man that I saw myself fit to be. But even after all that, my life has only spiraled downward.”

The mares looked at him with extreme distraught. Carter had nothing more to say, and merely drooped his head in shame. Everypony was trying to process everything that had just been discussed. Fluttershy looked over at Carter, who was in the middle of extreme depression. She stood up and slowly walked over to him. Carter noticed her presence and turned away from her.

“I am so sorry for lying to you, Fluttershy... to all of you. I was pretending to be someone that you’d considered a friend… but even that could not have stayed.” The cream colored pegasus looked down upon the saddened pony and sat down beside him. She placed her left hoof upon his shoulder. Carter did not respond in any way, continuing his self loathing.

“Carter.” Fluttershy’s soft tone rang in Carter’s ear. It went straight to his heart, filling his soul with a familiar feeling that he hadn’t felt in a long time. He looked up and into her eyes. “We all make mistakes. That’s just part of growing up.”

Carter looked around himself and found all the other ponies gathered around him. He wiped his tears with his hoof and looked each one in the eyes with an apologetic look.

“Fluttershy is right.” Twilight said. “I could never imagine how hard it has been for you to live by yourself and struggle through all of the hardships that you’ve faced. But this part of why friendship is so important.”

“It is important to have special ponies in your life to help you get through those hard times and lift your spirits.” Pinkie Pie explained, nuzzling against Carter’s right shoulder.

“Do not be afraid to accept your wrongs, but do not ever hide from friendships.” Rarity said, patting his back.

“Ya only hurt’n yerself.”

Carter could do nothing but get the last bit of emotions out of himself, crying out tears of compressed sadness out of his soul. The others knew that this built up emotion had stayed with him for years upon, and that it was important for him to finally have someone to talk to.

“Thank you, girls. It would appear that I am more emotionally destroyed than I admit to be.” Carter said, as a small laughter arose from the joy and happiness that their presence brought to him.

“We are always here for you, Carter. No matter how scary or how threatening things may get, we will be by your side during the whole journey.” Twilight said, nodding her head to him.

“Don’t ever think that you’re alone. We got your back.” Rainbow Dash said, wiping away the last bit of tears in her eyes.

“This is stupid. I was supposed to get a great ol’ party, but I instead turned it into some crazy therapy session.” Carter said, continuing to laugh to himself.

“No, silly. The party has yet to begin.” Pinkie Pie shouted.

“It’s not too late?” Carter inquired.

“Like hay it's too late!” Applejack said, putting her hat back over her head.

“What are we waiting for? Let’s get things started!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, flying around the air.

The ponies all began to finish the final touches to Carter’s party before things would begin. Carter looked over at Twilight, who was watching over the others with a list in her hand, making sure everything was going according to plan.

“Your majesty,” Carter began.

“Yes, Carter?” The lavender alicorn turned her focus towards him.

"Why are you here in Ponyville?"

"Oh, I took the day off for your party. Things got pretty hectic back in Canterlot, and it was apparently very evident that I was exhausted, so Spike gave me some time off, making sure that he would take over for me."

“I see. At any rate, thank you so much for helping me. I know that I have proven to be nothing more than an emotional rollercoaster, but I can assure you that I have matured very much since you and your friends have been teaching me about friendship. I just wanted to tell you that I am grateful for everything that you have done for me, and that none of it has been for nothing.”

“Carter, I am so glad that you feel that way. It is my pride and joy to help ponies like you learn the truth about friendship. Although, I guess you aren’t really a pony.” Twilight giggled to herself.

“You can call me pony for the time being, as I don't think that calling me a human is at all correct based on my current looks.”

“Yeah, it would seem that way.” Twilight looked down at her list and marked off another box. “You have taught me a lot about stuff, too, Carter.”

“Have I?”

“Yes. You have taught me the importance of forgiveness and acceptance with friends. Not everyone seems like they are the right ponies to befriend, but they only stay that way until we come together and make things right, through forgiveness and acceptance.”

“You really are learning. More than me, it would seem.”

“We all learn at our own pace, so it doesn’t really mean anything.”

“Thank you again, your majesty.” Carter said, bowing down to her.

“Of course. My pleasure.” Twilight bowed in return.

“What are you ponies waiting for? The party has started!” Pinkie Pie shouted, letting off another loud blast of confetti from her party cannon.

“Well, we shouldn't be late.” Twilight said.

“No, we shouldn’t.” Carter and the princess jumped down and began their fun as the party began.

~

Twilight’s horn glowed with her usual pink aura. The sun slowly fell below the horizon and replaced its position with the moon. The party was over and everypony began to make their way back to their homes. Carter, though quiet for most of the time, was having a fun time being part of his friends’ company.

“Thanks for the party, Pinkie Pie. I enjoyed that quite a bit.” Carter said, raising his eyebrow at the pink earth pony.

“I’m glad. I usually like to go all out, but I was so busy that I just had to throw something together before you arrived.” Pinkie Pie admitted.

“You're telling me that party was only a small bit of your usuals?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“Of course. You of all ponies would know that. One of these days, I should show you a real party.”

“At any rate, it was a pleasure to see you, Carter.” Twilight said, turning over her shoulder and winking at the red stallion.

“I once again apologize for the emotional evening. Yet, I must confess that getting all of those pent up emotions off my conscience was quite helpful.” Carter said.

“Think nothing of it, Carter. These things happen to all of us at some point, and more than once.” Applejack said, patting him on his back.

“I will be sure to record these lessons that I have learned in my journal, your majesty. I must say that I already feel more mature after just these couple days of studying. Never thought I’d legitimately feel smarter after studying.”

“That’s good. I hope that you report your learnings to me very soon.” Twilight said.

“I will.”

“So… you are a human?” Apple Bloom asked. “Is that like a changeling?”

“Pardon?” Carter asked. 'Changeling' did not click in his mind.

“It would make sense, considering you look like a pony.”

“Carter is not a changeling. A human is something much different than that.” Fluttershy explained.

“Then what is a human?” Sweetie Belle inquired.

“A human is a tall bipedal creature.” Twilight informed. “In Equestrian history, they're mentioned only once, and that is in the book of history before Celestia. It is said that an Earth pony saw a vision of a human, and nothing more. This is why humans are so overlooked."

"Then why are you a pony?" Scootaloo asked.

"No one knows. One thing is for sure, though, these things don't just happen. There must be some answers out there." Applejack said.

“Carter, if you don’t mind me asking,-” Rainbow Dash began. “-why don’t you and the IFRE exactly get along in your world?”

“That’s because…” Carter thought that the answer would appear in his head seamlessly, but that was not the case. While searching for the answer to the sky blue mare’s question, Carter felt as if there was a part of him that was taken. It was as if part of his memories were gone. “I don’t actually know. Perhaps it is all just coincidence.”

“I must say, darling. While I can safely say that letting your emotions take control of you is asking for nothing but trouble, I would probably be in the same mess as you if I found myself under the same circumstances.” Rarity said. Her words comforted the red stallion. They could all tell that Carter was still a little shaken up after confronting his past.

“Indeed. I don’t think that I could ever forgive myself if I became that.” Fluttershy said. Carter shifted his focus over to her.

“Yet you would forgive me.” Carter’s eyes darted towards the ground. His mind raced around as a question appeared in his mind. “All of you were really quick to befriend me. I understand that it is your job to spread the ‘magic of friendship,’ but why me? Why so quick to choose?”

“We could all tell that ya were not exactly in the right mind.” Applejack said.

“You were very timid and cautious around us.” Twilight added. “It was easy to see that you were hiding something from us, but we had no clue what it could’ve been.”

"We don't judge ponies by the cover, we judge them based on character." Rarity said.

"We knew that under all of that uncertainty and timidness that a very nice pony was hiding behind it all, just waiting to be revealed." Fluttershy said.

“Hah! Yeah. Took enough time to bring me back to myself, but I appreciate your help nonetheless.” Carter said.

The mares all looked at Carter and nodded. The stallion felt glad to have ponies he could talk to when things were tough. He was glad to have friends. Their travels lasted a couple moments longer before the pink party pony looked over her shoulder.

“Is this your house, Carter?” Pinkie Pie pointed her front hoof towards the familiar beige structure.

"That is indeed my house. Good eye, Pinkie. I can't believe that I almost missed it." Carter shook his head as he parted ways from the others. He made his way down the concrete path, waiving to the others before he came to the front door. The other ponies waved back, Fluttershy winking at him and Rainbow Dash holding out her hoof. Carter lifted his front hoof and jabbed at the air, gesturing a distant hoof bump in return for the prismatic mane'd Pegasus.

Once the others went out of his sight, Carter entered his house and immediately made his way to his bed. He was tired after all the recent events and decided that it was only right to calm his mind with a long slumber. Carter laid back and fell into the soft sheets behind him. He had no care to get positioned correctly in his bed, so he just closed his eyes and let his body shut down for the time being. It was maybe a minute or two before his mind left him and traveled to the dream world.

~

Carter found himself once again floating in the middle of nothing. Empty mass surrounded the stallion as a familiar vision appeared before him. The blue blur from before was in the middle of his focus, while the pink blur stayed in his peripheral. Unlike the last time he had this dream, the splotches of color appeared to be less blurry than before; it wasn’t enough for Carter to get a clear look at them, however.

The red stallion tried to walk over to the almost visible creatures, but the dream held him in place once more, forcing him to do nothing but watch as the scene took place. He knew it was futile to try and fight it, so he put all of his focus on the images presented before him, trying to find any hints or clues that could help him with deciphering this malevolent vision.

The familiar sound of a buzzsaw powering itself came into the area, piercing Carter’s ears. He wanted to cover his ears to prevent the screams that followed from entering his mind, but he kept his hooves down and tried his best to keep on listening. He gritted his teeth and endured through the sharp pain.

As the sound of metal cutting through flesh filled the empty void, Carter’s face began to grow pale. He was still unsure as to what the vision was trying to fully present to him, but it was the screams that came from it that caused the stallion to be filled with fear. As he focused his hearing on the bloodcurdling cries, he quickly recognized its source. His eyes looked upon the blue splotch of color that loomed in the distance, nervously shaking as the screams faded into sporadic grunts and moans. Carter knew not what would happen, but he now knew the victim.

Rainbow Dash!

Author's Note

The truth is out. Done and done. One thing is for sure, though, something big is coming.

For all of you pony fans out there, a special reference may or may not appear in the next chapters to come.

Chapter 11: Fear v.s. Tension

“Twelve. Twelve new cases. Twelve new batches of victims have rolled in just today. That adds up to over thirty recorded casualties within the last week.”

In the skies looming above the surface of Equestria was the cloud-made city of Cloudsdale. Things were unusually quiet and abnormally silent. The inhabitants were in a state of panic and fear based isolation within the confines of their homes. No pony dared to step one single hoof outside with the current events taking place.

An unknown evil had taken the lives of many innocent ponies within two weeks from the current date, and it was not limited to one type. Earth ponies, pegasi and unicorns alike, from all over Equestria, were found dead within the boundaries of the Everfree Forest. The known casualties were only accounted for those who were found dead. Yet still, others have claimed that they have lost someone who had yet to be pronounced dead.

Fear began to erupt within the once peaceful world of Equestria, as evil was thought to be ultimately vanquished with the Princess of Friendship now in power. Even then, the Equestrian Council met to find a way to keep their citizens safe. Princess Twilight Sparkle, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, Prince Shining Armor, Star Swirl the Bearded, and the Canterlot Royal Adviser: Spike, were tasked with finding a way to stop this threat before it spiraled out of control.

Within the Wonderbolt base near the center of Cloudsdale was a fiery haired mare. She was in the confines of her office; her combed mane and dark shades rested upon her stoic face, staring down at the photographs of the fallen ponies. While her expression did not represent the feelings that arose in her soul, she felt sympathy and sadness for those who had lost a loved one.

The mare looked up from her desk and stared at the door across her office. A knock was heard coming from the otherside of the door. She felt good to know that she was about to have company at this time.

“Come in.”

The door was opened.

“Captain Spitfire, ma’am.”

The fiery haired mare looked upon the silhouette of the pony that stood across from her. She nodded to her, motioning for her to step into the light. The sky blue pegasus became visible to the captain.

“Private Dash. You are a sight for sore eyes.” Spitfire looked back down at the pictures of the deceased victims. “This cannot be. What could possibly do this much damage and go unnoticed by even the princess?”

“That is actually why I am here, ma’am.” Rainbow Dash straightened her stance before she continued speaking. “With your permission, I want to go to the Everfree Forest and find the source of these casualties.”

Captain Spitfire was quite shocked to hear such a statement come out of the private’s mouth. She looked up at the prismatic maned pony and shook her head. Her brow furrowed behind the cover of her shades.

“I cannot allow that, Private. I will not risk the possibility of losing one of my best just for the sake of something so small.” The yellow mare turned her head and looked over her shoulder. She pointed her hoof at the Wonderbolt logo. “We are the only source of protection for those in Equestria, besides the Royal Guards. But considering that not even she herself has taken any action makes us the only ones keeping that thing away from the others.”

"That’s exactly why I am choosing to go alone, ma’am. If we were to go in there as a group, you are risking the chance of the whole platoon getting killed off just as much as if I went there by myself and not come back.” Rainbow Dash lowered her head and furrowed her brow. “I want to go there and find the threat. Unless you find it best that I destroy it, I will simply locate the one responsible for these casualties and report back to you once I have the necessary information.”

Spitfire spun a pencil around with her teeth for a moment as she contemplated her final decision. Dash had a point, but was it ultimately worth putting her life on the line?

“Very well. Private Dash, you have my permission. You will go down to the Everfree Forest and only locate the threat. Once done, report back to Wonderbolts HQ and relay all the information you have to your superiors. Understand, soldier?”

“Affirmative, ma’am.”

“Your mission will take place in the Castle of The Two Sisters. That is where all of the attacks have reportedly taken place.”

“Understood, ma’am.”

“Then you may go. I will let the council know of your departure. Take great care out there, as you are the only Private Dash I have.”

“Yes ma’am.”

Rainbow Dash made her way out of the office once the discussion ended. Spitfire looked back at the pictures, staring at each one with disgust. She focused on each one, looking for any details about consistency between each death, but nothing was found. Nothing… except for the fact that each victim was torn apart beyond healing, gutted and all.

On the other side of the door, Rainbow Dash was greeted by Fluttershy. The cream colored pegasus looked at the other with distress in her eyes. Something was not right.

“Fluttershy? What’s wrong?” Rainbow Dash asked. She was hesitant to inquire the mare on her strange behavior, but figured that she was here for a good reason.

“It’s Carter! He was seen going into the Everfree Forest!” Fluttershy replied.

“Why? Doesn’t he know that it’s not safe to go there?”

“Yes, I told him myself. I’m just worried about him.”

“What is he doing?”

“I assume that he is going to find the one responsible. You know how he gets when there is injustice among others. What I don’t get is why he didn’t ask for any other pony’s help.”

Rainbow Dash was left curious. If Carter really went in the forest by himself, then that would lead many to believe that he was the one responsible for all of the murders, considering the fact that said casualties were located in that area. The sky blue pegasus pondered on the thought.

“Fluttershy, make sure you let the others know if he returns. Also, let him know never to go in there again until we have taken care of the matter ourselves, if you are able to speak with him before I do. I am going there to scan the perimeter.”

“Rainbow Dash, do be very careful.”

“You know me, Fluttershy. I can’t promise that.”

~

Carter found himself in the depths of the Everfree Forest, under the lush leaves and vegetation found all around him. He travelled along a dirt path, heading towards the Castle of The Two Sisters. He had heard about the many sightings of an odd creature roaming around the catacombs in the castle interior, under the surface of Equestria. It had gotten to the point where some of the Ponyville citizens had started to converse about the topic.

The first attack came upon a stallion from Manehattan. It was not until recently when inhabitants from neighboring cities reported their losses. One thing was constant throughout each attack; it was always in the Everfree Forest.

Carter was not ordered by anypony to find the threat, but he decided to pursue it nonetheless. His reason to enter the forest was because one of the ponies in Ponyville told everypony else about the creature that they saw that night. It caught his attention when they mentioned that the murderer looked a lot like somepony that lived in Ponyville, though the culprit could not be confirmed. At any rate, Carter knew that he had to find the one responsible for these crimes and make them pay. Though he knew that he was trying to control his emotions, vengeance was just a part of him.

Even then, the rate at which his visions would appear began to increase, presenting itself to Carter every night. With this in mind, and considering the fact that his visions were never wrong, he felt that it was time to take matters into his own hands… or hooves, rather.

The red stallion came upon a split in the path where the dirt merged with polished stones. He knew he was close. He looked up and spotted the destroyed castle way off in the distance. He began running towards his destination with quick haste, determined to find the murderer before any more deaths appeared.

About halfway in his travels, he heard the nearby trees shake. The friction from the leaves gave Carter the idea that he was being followed. He looked over his shoulder with his stoic look and found a familiar creature behind the shrub. It was the same timberwolf he fought while he was with Fluttershy. The scars on its face provided enough evidence to support his claim.

“Do you know the way to the castle catacombs?” Carter inquired, hoping that he was still able to speak with their kind.

“There is a crystalic sculpture within its walls, known as the Treehouse of Harmony. Through the cracks beneath it, you should find what you are looking for.”

“Thank you for the help.” Carter nodded to the timberwolf in appreciation; the creature did the same in return. Carter turned back to continue his journey, but another question entered his mind. He looked back at the timberwolf. “Why are you following me?”

“I was going to warn you about the creature that lurks within the castle’s walls… but I see that you are intentionally searching for the monster.”

“Have you seen it for yourself?”

“No, not personally. I only know it through rumors.”

“Have any of your kind fallen to it?”

“No. It appears to only pursue ponies, such as yourself.”

Carter nodded once more to the timberwolf before advancing towards the decrepit castle. He felt as though he was lacking enough knowledge to feel fully prepared to fight the creature should the need arise, but he continued his way towards the structure, pushing away all the ‘what-if’s.’

Upon arrival, he stared up at the castle entrance. Standing along the top of the entryway was a stone engraving of the two sisters, their horns meeting with each other as their bodies spiraled around one another. Carter noticed the moss growing along the cracks between each stone, giving off an ancient vibe. No one had lived here for a while.

Carter entered through the open gates of the castle walls and looked around for a structure like the one that the timberwolf had described. That didn’t prove to be an issue, as the crystal-made treehouse stood visible above the castle walls.

That is where I start.

Carter advanced toward the large structure, taking a few moments to admire its unique design. The style of its construction wasn’t like anything he had seen. It looked rather… natural. Carter moved his focus back on the mission, looking for the cracks in the ground that the roots created. Upon further inspection, he found them, but they had seemed to be filled in by dirt. Carter found this to be very abnormal, as the dirt looked to be placed in its current spot, and not naturally moved. The other odd detail that sparked concern was that the dirt was still wet. It was moved by somepony, and it was moved there recently. With no way of accessing the underground portion of the castle interior from there, Carter was forced to find other means of reaching the catacombs.

The stallion turned to look at the crystalic treehouse. He noticed that the front door was wide open. His mind changed from curious to cautious. He leaned his head closer to the ground and proceeded inside of the treehouse. He looked around the vicinity in search of any potential threats, but could not spot any other forms of life. For now, (at least in his mind) he was alone.

Carter’s attention was snatched from him when he spotted a picture frame. It did not look nearly as old as the rest of the castle, and this raised some concerns. He walked closer to examine the picture in its frame. It was a snapshot of six creatures, each different from the rest. There was a signature that was located near the bottom right of the image that read, “Friends Forever.”

This picture alone made Carter realize that this treehouse, along with the contents inside of it, coincided with the fall of the castle. This was all quite recent. Carter thought that perhaps the princess would have the answers he was looking for. With that all thought out, Carter knew that those questions of his would have to wait for a different time. There was still a murderer nearby, and he needed to find it.

A sudden thought appeared in his mind. With all of the talk and commotion arising across Equestria, he thought that maybe the killer would've switched locations by now, which would mean that his current attempts to bring justice would be all for nothing. He wondered if it was worth continuing his mission.

The sound of a snapping root echoed throughout the treehouse. Carter held his breath and focused his hearing underneath him. There were hoofsteps coming from below. They echoed from the underground, as if a giant cave system loomed just beneath him. His initial reaction was to try and break through the floor and find the one responsible for the sounds, but many things prohibited that. He was mainly concerned with the thought that perhaps this creature knew that it was being followed, or perhaps it was armed. Maybe it was just a rat or something. Carter stayed quiet as he waited for the hoofsteps to fade into nothing.

Silence fell over the area. Nothing but an occasional gust of wind was audible to the red stallion. He stared down at the ground, making sure that the creature was far enough from him so that he could move once more without bringing attention to his current position. He took a small step and gently placed his forehoof on the crystal ground. The sound that emitted was barely audible, so he knew that he was safe for now.

Carter searched for an alternate route to reach the catacombs, looking for anything that would lead him even a few feet lower. There was a wooden hatch found in the far corner of the bottom floor. He ran over to it and lifted it up with his teeth. Dust flung up into his face, some even making its way into his lungs. A couple strugglesome coughs came out of the stallion before he looked down upon the entrance of the hatch. He was not expecting the things he saw.

The hatch led to a large cave illuminated by pre-lit torches lined up along the right side of the walls. This placed an eerie feeling in Carter’s conscience. He was not the only one here. Something or someone else had been here way before him. The appearance of the cave itself was to give him the chills. He now knew that the killer was down there, and he needed to find out who.

Whatever this thing is, it does not want to be seen.

Carter heard a gasp come from behind him. He spun around on his hooves in haste, expecting to find the culprit. To his luck, he found only a familiar uniform clad pegasus. The mare lifted her goggles and stared at Carter with a stern look.

“What are you doing here?” The tone of her voice came across as angry, as if she was trying to interrogate Carter.

“I am looking for the killer.” Carter returned the look and tone of the pegasus pony, staring her down with the same stern expression. “I take it that you are doing the same?”

“I am only here to find the threat and report my findings to Captain Spitfire.” Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes and looked away from the stallion. “Though I take it that you are looking to eliminate the threat right now.”

“If the situation calls for it.” The two ponies loosened their stern composers and switched to a more calmer alternative, now knowing that the other didn’t pose a threat.

“Fluttershy told me that you came alone. Why?”

“I can’t risk their lives for this. No pony, not even you, has nearly as much experience in combat as I do. No offense, but I figure that I may be enough to take on this threat.”

“Why not bring Twilight or something?” Rainbow Dash was confused. She understood Carter’s reasoning to go alone, and she did the same. Yet, the latter half of his explanation didn’t make sense.

“That is suicide. Even if she could muster enough power to overcome this evil, you are putting the princess’ life at stake of all ponies. That is not something I would even consider.”

“Very well, I guess that makes sense. Still, never go out on a mission by yourself. There is a reason Twilight tries to teach the importance of friendship to everypony.”

“Right. I promise, Rainbow Dash. I promise that I won’t go solo next time.”

“Alright.” Rainbow Dash nodded to the stallion after she heard what she wanted. “What have you found so far?”

“I’ve been trying to find a way into the catacombs. The only thing I could find to get me even part of the way there is this hatch. It leads to a cave system. I heard the creature walk right underneath me, and the cave has torches that have already been lit.”

“The threat is right underneath the treehouse!” Rainbow Dash shook at the thought. “I hope none of the students got hurt.”

“Students?” Carter was not happy to hear such a word escape her mouth.

“This place belongs to a small group of students that go to Twilight’s school. If they have been here recently, then… I hope they have fled this place.”

“I have faith that they are ok. However, as much as it pains me to say this, we do not have time to think of those who have been hurt. We must prevent any future casualties.”

“You are right, Carter.” The blue pegasus looked over at the open hatch. “I guess that we should begin our search in the caves. We could find the catacombs from there. If what you said about the creature being just beneath us at one point, then I am sure that we will find it sooner than later.”

Carter nodded before leading the way. He was the first one to jump down the hatch and into the caves. He checked his surroundings for any potential threats. Nothing. He waved to Rainbow Dash, who flew down to meet up with him shortly after.

Rainbow Dash followed closely behind Carter as he led them both in the direction of where the creature was last heard heading towards. The rocky walls of the cave merged with stone slabs. The scent of moss and dirt took over their senses as they found the castle hallways in the distance.

“You don’t happen to know a spell that can illuminate the area, do you?” Rainbow Dash was hesitant to continue forward along with Carter, as the caves began to grow ever more dimmer.

“I know of no magic, Dash. We will have to work with what we have. It would be no different if you were here by yourself, as you don’t know any magic that you could pull off.” The pegasus shook her head with a distressed look on her face. “Do not lose that courage that I know you have. Don’t grow cocky, but do not be fearful, either.”

“I know. I am not scared at all.”

“I won’t argue with that. Not now.”

The sound of their hooves coming in contact with the stone floor echoed throughout the cave walls, reverberating the clopping noises all around them. While Dash tried to stay calm, even Carter worried that the volume of their steps would attract some unneeded attention.

They continued down the caves until it was nothing but stone slabs. They knew that they were closer to the catacombs, but just how close they really were was still unknown to the two of them.

Carter spotted some strange writing along the cave walls. While he continued to walk with Rainbow Dash, he examined the strange marks. The writing along the stone architecture seemed to illustrate an event that took place in the early moons of Equestria. There was an illustration of a pale alicorn foal, resembling a young Celestia. The foal was staring at what could only be interpreted as her parents. The eldest of the ponies looked upon a black rock that laid embedded in the ground.

Wait…

Rainbow Dash turned her head as she noticed Carter walking up to the writings. Carter was fascinated by the strange rock found in the illustration. In the image, all the ponies had exaggerated expressions of fear on their faces. The mother held out a hoof in front the foal as a form of protection, while the father simply stared at the rock with curiosity.

To Carter’s surprise, there was a fourth pony across from the former three. He wondered if it was Luna, but the details engraved in the walls pointed to something else. The pony was an alicorn, but colored grey, and its mane was an intense black. The look on its face while staring at the rock did not match the others’. While the other three looked at it with fear, the latter had a malicious expression presented through the writings.

To Carter, it was explaining some historical past event. But it was not the story in itself that grabbed his attention, but rather the illustration of the rock. A dark entity grew inside him, like he was looking back upon a past memory. The rock felt all too familiar to him, but he was left unsure as to why he was having these feelings. He could’ve sworn his vision pulsated with a green tint multiple times while he analyzed the rock drawing.

“Carter, we need to go.” The pegasus grew impatient, ordering for the stallion to continue their mission without any more distractions.

“Right…” Carter walked with Rainbow Dash, looking back at the writings for a moment longer before turning his head back in front of him. They came across a split in the path; the caves lead to two distinct paths. Upon further inspection, there was no way to tell where either of them lead.

“Which way do we go?” Rainbow Dash asked. She knew that the stallion would not have the answers that she was looking for, but said it nonetheless.

“We will try the left side, first. Get behind me, Dash.” Carter lightly pushed her to his side before proceeding into the hallway. He had a bad feeling about the path he had chosen, feeling as though he should turn back immediately. The sounds of chains caught their attention as Carter looked down at his hooves. He had stepped on a pressure plate.

A trap!

Carter turned around and tried to regroup with Rainbow Dash, but an iron gate fell down from the ceiling, separating the two. The pegasus placed her front hooves against the cold metal, shaking it back and forth to free the stallion. Her attempts were useless, and they both knew it.

“Carter! Are you ok!?” She peered through the gate’s opening, trying to spot him. It was so dark that only her mane could be seen clearly.

“I am ok, Rainbow Dash! Do not fret!” Carter stepped into the limited light that was around him so that the pegasus could see him. Once visible, she let out a sigh of relief.

“How are we gonna get you out of there?”

“I will have to find a way out, myself. I fear that I may have triggered a trap.”

Carter looked around for a switch of some sorts to open the gates, but there was nothing that looked remotely close to it. In an instant, torches sprawled across the nearby area lit up almost magically. Their light revealed to Carter that he was in the middle of some arena. His stomach turned, however, once he looked at the ground.

The surface of the arena was covered in fresh meat and bones from recently deceased ponies of all kinds. The smell of rotting flesh and blood along with other bodily fluids put Carter in a state of distress. He could not have anticipated this, yet it felt almost expected at the same time. Even then, the fact that all of these deaths were recent was something else to fear.

The poor mare behind the cage was able to see everything he was, and she wasn’t taking it in any better. She placed a hoof to her mouth as a bit of vomit escaped her mouth, spilling out onto the stone floor beneath her. Recollecting her sanity somewhat, she continued to look for a way to free Carter.

The two of them turned their heads as they heard the sound of a large door open up. In front of Carter was a large corridor, wide open to him. He anticipated an evil to show itself to him. Carter looked into the dark hall, readying himself in a battle stance. To him and Dash, there was a reason that these ponies were dead. A loud stomp was heard coming from the end of the hall. Then another, this time louder. By the third, the ground shook beneath his hooves.

“Carter!” Rainbow Dash was in a state of panic, frantically trying to come up with ways to break the gate and free him. The sounds of the approaching creature continued to grow. Carter was unaware of what he would be met with face to face, but didn’t lose his readied composure.

Out came a large bear-like monster. Its body seemed to be made of a cosmic mass similar to that of Luna’s mane. It came bursting through the subjectively small corridor that it found itself in beforehand. The monster let out a loud roar in defiance as it stared at Carter with a menacing expression upon its face.

Oh shit!

“Carter, run! It’s an ursa major!”

The creature lifted its paw and swung it at Carter. The stallion barely rolled out of its way before getting back on his hooves and properly analyzing the situation. His heart rate was exponentially higher than normal, and his adrenaline was flowing through him like he just got done chugging a sports drink.

The monster lifted it's foot into the air and struck the ground with enormous force, shaking Carter off of his hooves. Carter had little time to think as it's fist came in pursuit shortly after. The stallion dove to his left, barely escaping a rather messy death.

The size of the beast is too big for me to even have a small chance at damaging it. What to do?

Carter looked over to his right after finding a glimmer of light reflect off of some metal. He spotted a chain that seemed to control the gate that separated him from Rainbow Dash. He figured if he could somehow get it to stay in a position that opens the gate, then he could get out without having to fight the monster.

He ran with haste over to the chain, grabbing onto the cold metal with his front hooves and beginning to tug at it. The chains, though proving to be quite difficult to move due to rust from the castle’s age, were pulled into its coil, slowly opening the gate. The creature caught on to Carter’s plan of escape and threw its paw out at the chain.

The claws from the monster’s paw came in contact with the chain. Pieces of metal flew across the air, forcing Carter to use his hooves to cover his face. The chain jerked away from him violently, but stopped before it could settle back in its original position. It was caught on itself.

Carter looked over at the gate, but the amount of slack that chain had was still not enough to open it. He gritted his teeth in annoyance and mind anger as he looked back at the ursa major. He eyed the chain once more, devising another plan to get himself free of the monster’s grasp.

Carter freed the part of the chain that kept it from recoiling and grabbed it with his teeth. With little planning, Carter ran full throttle at the creature. It let out another defiant roar, lifting its paw once more. He stopped in his tracks and waited for the ursa major to attack. He watched as its arm slowly got closer to him. He waited for the moment just before its claws would strike him.

Now!

Carter jumped into the air, dodging the monster’s attack. He landed on its arm as it retreated and kept himself on by holding tightly onto it by its fur. The ursa major saw him climbing along its arm and used its other paw to try and squish him. Carter saw the telegraphed attack and took a step back, watching the second paw fall down in front of him. He jumped onto the secondary appendage, and with all of his might, leapt towards the creature’s face.

With the chain moved from between his teeth to his hooves, Carter took the chain’s hook and drove it into the ursa major’s right eye. The metal went straight through the fleshy substance without trouble. The creature let out a roar of pain as it shot up onto its feet.

The chain reached its maximum length, snapping with a loud, metallic sound as it prevented the ursa major from moving any farther back. Carter saw that the gate was now open. He hopped onto the chain and slid down its metal parts before touching down on the ground. He ran over to the now open gate and leapt through the entryway, just as the gate fell back down to the ground.

Carter, lacking enough oxygen for his body to catch up, looked back at the ursa major. It placed its paws over its injured eye, roaring in pain as blood ran down the right side of its face. He looked away, thinking only of how lucky he was to escape the creature’s clutches.

“That wasn’t too bad, was it?” Carter looked around for Rainbow Dash, but couldn’t find her anywhere near him. His smile of relief changed into an expression of extreme concern. He continued searching for the pegasus mare, running down the right hallway in hopes that she went there to try and find a way to free him.

“Dash! Dashie! Where are you, Rainbow Dash!” Carter’s yells echoed throughout the halls of the castle caves, but no other voices returned to him. He continued to shout for his friend, hoping that he’d find her standing in front of him around every corner he turned.

He soon found himself in the castle catacombs. While this was the intended place for him to be in, he was determined to find her before he continued pursuing the murderer.

A loud scream came over his ears, echoing throughout the entirety of the cave’s walls. Carter fell to the ground, shaken by the sudden disturbance. His body was filled with fear and trepidation. Though the screams faded to nothing but minor reverberations from the rather elongated echoes, it rang in his ears all the louder. It was the same one from his vision.

Carter lifted his head and sprinted towards the direction of the screams. Another was heard, but it didn’t sound like he was getting any closer. He came across a four-way split in the tunnels. With no time to waste, he chose to continue forward. His heart sank in his gut once he hit a dead end later along the path. He was forced to turn around. This time, he chose the right path. Yet another scream echoed through the tunnel. It was louder this time, which gave Carter a sense of hope.

He turned the corner and stopped dead in his tracks, skidding to a pause. He found it rather difficult to keep his sanity after laying eyes upon a most foul scene.

Across from where he stood, three large vials of green liquids contained the bodies of dead fillies within each of them. Their intestines were ripped from the inside of their bodies, with nothing but incisions along their abdomens revealing the emptiness within their lifeless flesh.

The stallion found it troublesome to stand up, not expecting to ever see something like this. Along the walls of the room hung shelves of varying body parts, capsulated in jars that were filled with the same green fluids, ranging from intestines, to hearts, and even lungs.

Blood splatter was commonly found along the floor, walls and shelving. The smell of dying flesh overwhelmed Carter’s sense of smell, forcing the stallion to cover his nose with his right hoof. He thought that he understood what to expect from a creature that killed ponies repeatedly, but it wasn’t until now when he completely understood the severity of the task at hand.

Carter recollected his thoughts and slowly proceeded forward, shying away from the unsightly horrors that presented itself around him. He felt his hoof rest in the body of a grotesque liquid. He lowered his head and examined the substance for himself.

Blood… it’s new, too. Rainbow Dash!

The blood puddles lead straight into the corridor in front of him. Carter knew by then that he was very close to finding the truth, but time was running thin after another scream erupted through the tunnel. It was time to get down to the bottom of this mystery before a particular pegasus fell victim to the murderer.

Don’t worry, Dash. You will not die. Not today.

Author's Note

Plot thickens!:pinkiegasp:

Chapter 12: Pinkamena

As her vision slowly came back to her, Rainbow Dash swayed her head around. She tried to remember the recent events that led up to this point, but the last thing she could recall was when she watched Carter fighting against the ursa major. She tried to figure out her current location. The room she found herself in was dark, void of any source of light.

Instinctually, Rainbow Dash attempted to get herself off of the floor, but something prevented her from doing so. She tried to pull her left arm closer to her side, but it was held in place. She tried moving the rest of her limbs, but they too proved to be restrained.

A strong sense of fear fell over the mare, as she couldn’t even make her wings do anything besides shift them around about an inch or two. She tugged against the restraints, but they were too tough for the pegasus to break free. Rainbow Dash looked down at the rest of her body, analyzing the situation. She was locked in place, hanging from a fairly large wooden table.

The fur along her right front leg came in contact with some foul smelling liquids. She turned her head and found dried blood resting under her appendage, clinging to the wood beneath her. Her breathing intensified, and her sanity was already leaving her. She began to scream out for help, violently shaking in her restraints in a futile attempt to free herself.

The sounds of distance hoofsteps echoed through the dark room. Rainbow Dash went still, silently praying to Celestia that somepony would come to her rescue and free her from this cursed place. What instead followed was something she could never expect. The creaking sounds of a wooden door opening across the room rang through the pegasus’ ears.

“Oh boy, you’re awake! No, we can get started!”

Rainbow Dash's eyes shot open after hearing the voice. There was no way that she was to believe that the killer was her own friend, but there was no denying that this was farther from any dream she could possibly have.

“Pinkie Pie?” The words slipped out of the blue mare’s mouth with an ultimate fear seeping through her tone. Still in denial, she held onto the little faith she had.

“In the flesh!” Her faith faded in an instant. Rainbow Dash searched for the source of the voice, but the lack of light was making it too hard for her to identify even a faded silhouette of sorts.

“Pinkie Pie, I can’t move!”

“Well duh. You can’t move because you’re held in place. I don’t think I need to tell you that.”

“Pinkie, I don’t like this at all. What’s going on?”

“Oh Dashie, always getting to the point.” The cheery sound from the other pony moved to the left of the room. “I have run out of the secret ingredient for my specialty cupcakes, and I need you to get more of it.”

“Special ingredient? W-w-what special ingredient?” Rainbow Dash was confused. If all she needed was some more ingredients for some cupcakes, then why was she placed in such a strange and malicious location.

“You, silly!”

The pegasus’ eyes grew wide within seconds. She pulled in her stomach and swallowed heavily. This was not the Pinkie Pie that she knew, and something wasn’t right. But knowing the pink party pony, did the creation of a cupcake require so much? Rainbow Dash laughed to herself, calming her fears and loosening her muscles.

“Oh, Pinkie Pie. You and your outrageous pranks. Thinking that you would turn me into a cupcake? Ridiculous. This has to be your best prank, yet!” Silence filled the room for a few moments before the other pony’s voice was heard once more.

“Oh, Rainbow Dash. I thank you for saying that, but this is not one of those pranks of mine.”

“W-w-what?” The once-gone fear returned to the sky blue mare. “Pinkie Pie, this isn't funny anymore. If what you’re saying is true, then you won’t get away with this. My friends will come for me once they notice how long I’ve been gone, and when they see what you’ve done with me, they will never forgive you.”

“I know, but they haven’t yet, have they?”

“What are you saying?”

“I have been doing this for a while now. I mean, how do you think I have been making cupcakes for this long?”

A lever was heard moving in position. Shortly following the sound of the metal crank, a bright light illuminated the stone room, revealing everything inside. The sudden burst of light momentarily blinded Rainbow Dash, making her shy her head away and squint. She opened her eyes once her eyes adjusted to the new level of brightness, but it was by that point when she fully understood just how serious Pinkie Pie was about this.

Rainbow Dash looked all across the room, finding the bones and flesh of ponies strewn across the vicinity. Pinkie Pie’s face could finally be seen, and it looked creepier than any other time the pegasus laid eyes on it. The pink mare was in some unorthodox attire, colored with many different pigmentations, with minor blood splatter along the bottom rim of the dress.

“Pinkie Pie, please. You don’t have to do this!”

“But I do. This is all part of the process.”

Rainbow Dash began to tear up. The severity and level of violence and gore that the situation brought upon her innocent mind was just too much for her to bear. The pegasus pony broke into a soft cry.

“Pinkie Pie, you will not get away with this!” The fear in the pegasus’ voice grew exponentially by the minute. It was evident that Pinkie Pie was intending to begin dissecting Rainbow Dash very soon.

“Quit your whining, Dashie. Now, let’s begin the operation.” Pinkie Pie leaned down and looked upon a set of surgical tools. She grinned as she picked up a scalpel, turning to Rainbow Dash and slowly walking up to her, never once losing her gleeful expression.

“Hold still, Dashie!”

“No! Pinkie, please! Don’t do this, I am your friend!”

Pinkie Pie walked over to the right side of the pegasus and lifted the scalpel. Without any more words, the sharp blade penetrated Rainbow Dash’s flesh, cutting deep into her skin. Rainbow Dash let out a sharp cry as she felt the tool violently enter through her body. She dared not move nor say another word, as she thought it would only make the pain worse.

The scalpel traveled down the length of her side, slowly cutting away at the pegasus’ skin. Blood leaked from the wound, spilling out onto the table and even the blade. When Pinkie Pie got about half way down, she quickly and painfully pulled the scalpel out of the mare’s flesh. Another quick scream escaped from Rainbow Dash’s lungs.

Staring directly at her adversary, Rainbow Dash watched Pinkie Pie lift the scalpel to her mouth. She stuck out her tongue and licked the bodily fluids off of the blade. Her mind was in complete shock, and a most appalled expression swept over her face. With all of her sanity gone from her conscience, she vigorously shook herself in her bindings.

“Help me! Somepony, anypony, save me!”

“Oh, Dashie. Now one is coming to save you.” The pink mare stuck out her scalpel at Rainbow Dash once more, but the blade’s path was interrupted by her wings, which she flailed about in a futile attempt to keep the weapon away from her wounded body. This action proved to be a terrible idea, as the blade simply stabbed through her wing, embedding itself in the cartilage.

“Get away from me, you sick freak!”

“No no no, this can’t happen.” Pinkie Pie walked back to her table of tools and placed the scalpel back in its original position. She swapped it out with a menacingly large hoof saw. Rainbow Dash continued to struggle in her bonds, trying everything she could think of to escape her impending doom.

“Rainbow Dash, I cannot allow you to continually interrupt my procedure with your annoying ways. I am very sorry, but I have no choice but to cut off your wings.

“What!?” Rainbow Dash froze in place as she watched the saw lower to the part of her where her wings joined the rest of her body. “No! Stop it! Please!”

With a swift and sturdy pull of her hoof, Pinkie Pie began to cut through Rainbow Dash’s flesh once more. Unlike the last time, massive amounts of blood poured from her injuries, spilling out onto the cold, stone floor. Rainbow Dash could do nothing but watch the party pony’s tool cut through her means of flying. It was about half way through the limb.

“Carter! Help me!”

Pinkie Pie stopped her movements, staring angrily at the pegasus. She dropped her saw and drove her two front hooves around Rainbow Dash’s neck. The sky blue mare gagged, trying desperately to inhale.

“There is another pony here!?” Rainbow Dash could not reply due to the lack of space in her throat. “Where? Where is this other pony!?”

“I’ll never tell you.” The sky blue pony’s voice fought through the pain, taunting the enemy in a rather intimidating tone.

Pinkie Pie pulled her hooves away from Rainbow Dash, placing them back on the floor. She picked up the saw and threw it at the pegasus. The sharp blade embedded itself into Rainbow Dash’s unharmed wing. While the saw didn’t land in such a way that the blade separated the wing from the rest of her body, her appendage lowered to the ground, dangling by only a few layers of skin left to hold it.

“Why is it that you are being such a troublemaker!” Pinkie Pie stormed across the stone room, walking towards another level on the other side. She struck the ground with her hoof in frustration while she glared back at Rainbow Dash with a menacing expression on her face.

“Pinkie Pie… stop this.” Rainbow Dash was beginning to feel cold due to the blood loss she was experiencing.

“No! I have tried to cope with your irritating ways, but I have drawn the pinkie line here.” She lifted her hoof, flipping the switch in the process. An immense amount of electricity traveled through Rainbow Dash, forcing her to twitch with extreme force. Not even a scream could escape her as the level of voltage consumed her being.

Once the electricity died down, Rainbow Dash lowered her head in pain and exhaustion. Tears fell from her eyes, blood dripped from her wounds, and the sound of crying echoed around the stone walls of the room.

“Where is this other pony!?”

Rainbow Dash stayed silent, more because of her current state rather than keeping the stallion free from the same fate. Pinkie Pie growled in anger and flipped the switch another time. The same painful shock swept over the poor pegasus, resulting in more twitching and contorting from her out-of-control body.

“I will say this again. Where is this other pony?” Pinkie Pie furrowed her brow and gritted her teeth. Nothing was said from Rainbow Dash, which resulted in yet another wave of electricity travelling through her body. The pain that came over her was beyond anything she had previously experienced, and even then, she endured through every second of the torture. The lever was pulled down, shutting off the electricity. Pinkie Pie stared at Rainbow Dash, waiting for an answer.

“I hope… I hope that my friends… put you in Tartarus for your crimes.”

The pink mare lost all control (or at least, what was left to control). Pinkie Pie picked up the bloodied scalpel and ran over to Rainbow Dash. With little time between each of her actions, Pinkie Pie took the weapon and continually drove the blade into Rainbow Dash’s abdomen, each strike landing in a different yet still effective spot. Rainbow Dash screamed out in agony. Blood flung out of her mouth as the blade made quick incisions in her stomach.

“This is your last chance, Dashie!” Pinkie Pie’s normally gleeful attitude was overthrown by an immeasurable amount of rage expelling out of the pink mare’s voice. She pulled the scalpel out and stabbed the pegasus’ neck. Rainbow Dash cried out in pain as Pinkie Pie grabbed her by the throat, forcing her eyes to meet with hers. “Where is he!?”

Rainbow Dash could not focus on anything, as the blood loss had taken too much of a toll on her. The only thing she could visually comprehend was Pinkie Pie, and a small shadow of another pony running at her.

“Carter…”

“Yes, I know! Where is he!?”

“Wait… Carter!” Rainbow Dash realized the silhouette in the distance. Her eyes widened and a small smile of relief came over her face. Pinkie Pie was tackled to the ground by some other pony. She turned her head towards the figure once she hit the ground, and saw a familiar red stallion on top of her.

“Carter!”

The enraged stallion lifted his hooves and threw them down upon the pink mare’s face. Repeated blows followed suit, the mare unable to block his immeasurable strength. Pinkie Pie picked up the scalpel with her hoof between strikes and stabbed Carter in his right side. He growled at the pain before using his right hoof to punch the weapon out of him, dislodging the embedded blade inside him and destroying it in the process. He continued delivering heavy blows to the party pony’s head.

With a mighty war cry, Carter lifted his hooves above his head and smashed the mare with all of his might. The force of the concussive attack resulted in the stone floor beneath them crumbling, sending the three ponies falling into a darkened void. As they fell, Carter punched Pinkie Pie one more time, sending her hurling towards the walls, while he fell towards Rainbow Dash, who was still stuck in her bonds. Carter used his strength to break apart the wooden table and free the pegasus. Due to her injuries, Rainbow Dash could not use her wings to save herself from falling. Carter, still unable to fly in his own right, had no choice but to wrap his front legs around the pegasus and take the impact. With a violent landing, Carter’s back met with the ground. He shouted in pain, letting go of Rainbow Dash and rolling her off to the side of him.

Carter gritted his teeth, bearing through the seemingly insurmountable pain that shot through his spine. After rolling his shoulders to check for any broken bones, which he had none to his surprise, Carter got up on his hooves and came over to Rainbow Dash. He sat down beside her, placing his right hoof under her head for her to rest on, while his left pulled her closer to him.

“Rainbow Dash.” Carter could not think of any soothing words to calm the poor, injured mare. Rainbow Dash was shaking in place, due to a mix of insanity and low blood levels. Carter just sat there, holding her tightly against his chest. “Are you feeling ok, Dash?” The pegasus did not respond. The only thing that came from her voice were random, sporadic groans.

Carter felt horrible. If it wasn’t for the fact that he had no knowledge of any magic spells, nor the ability to fly, then the situation would’ve had a better chance of turning out to be less gruesome in the aftermath.

“C-c-carter.” A familiar call was heard coming from Rainbow Dash.

“Dashie! It’s me, Carter. I’m right here.” The stallion tried to bring the mare back into reality, but he could tell by the look in her eyes that there was nothing he could do to successfully fulfill that task. “Hang in there, Dashie. I will find you help, just you wait.”

A loud crash from nearby rocks came behind Carter’s back. Returning Rainbow Dash softly on the ground, he turned his head over his shoulder. A bright light illuminated the caves, lighting up the area. Carter looked up towards the skies, finding that part of the castle had collapsed in on itself, resulting in a giant hole in the surface above them. The sun was visible, shining its light ever so graciously upon his fur coat. Carter spotted a large vine that was wrapped around a stone pillar that precariously hung over the edge of the cave opening, which hung down near the bottom of the caves. With hopes that it could support their body weight, the stallion looked at the vine as a means of escape.

“Rainbow Dash, I think that I have found a way out of here.” Carter turned back to find the mare, but was instead greeted with a sledgehammer coming directly towards his face. The impact of the weapon was enough to send Carter to the ground. Carter swore aloud as he felt his nose fracture. He looked up at the weapon’s wielder, unhappy to find a familiar face.

“You took my only means of cupcakes, and that makes me angry!” Carter, though still dazed by the effect of the sledgehammer attack, was able to spot Pinkie Pie in his field of view. He watched the psychotic mare lift the weapon above her head once more. The same painful force grew on his back as the hammer came crashing down onto his spine. The stallion yelled out in anger as the pain traveled through his veins.

Do not lose yourself, Carter. Get up, but do not fight out of anger.

“You just love ruining things, huh? Well, let me ruin something of yours.” The hammer once again made violent contact with his body, this time on his right hind hoof, splitting the hard outside and moderately squishing the inside tissues. Another dark and explosive shout of pain escaped Carter’s lungs as another wave of pain came over him. He tried to get up to fight the mare, but he felt his unyielding anger rise in his body.

Come on, Carter. Get up. Do not lose this battle, but do not act out of anger! Your friends wouldn’t want that. Rainbow Dash wouldn’t want that!

“Friendship is nothing but a lie! You only think that you are happy because of it. Truth is, nothing about friendship is magical. Nothing!!!” Another forceful blow came to Carter’ skull, putting the stallion in a state of extreme dizziness. After that, Carter was feeling unable to do anything. His mind was no longer in his control. As the pink mare once again held the weapon above her head, a blue appendage wrapped itself around Pinkie Pie’s throat, choking the pony.

“Leave him alone!” Rainbow Dash used all of her strength to force the murderous mare into a blackout, blocking air from flowing through her windpipe. Even through all the pain and damage that the pegasus endured, she was determined to save Carter and end the mare’s reign of terror and bloodlust. Pinkie Pie shouted in anger and reached behind her back. Her hooves got a hold of the pegasus and threw her across the way. Rainbow Dash went flying into the cave walls, hitting them with an intense force of impact. The rocky wall behind her split, enlarging itself in a web of cracks.

Screw it!

Carter shot up to his hooves from where he laid. He eyed Pinkie Pie and reached out with his hooves towards her throat. Once he got a hold, he slowly lifted her off the ground. As the earth pony kicked around in the air, Carter merely stared into her eyes with a most malevolent and vindictive expression upon his face.

“Let me go, you animal!” Pinkie Pie screamed in anger, trying to get out of his grasp.

“I. Warned. You!” The red stallion shouted as loud as he could while lifting the psychotic earth pony above his head and throwing her onto the stone floor, head first. A sharp cry of anguish came out of Pinkie Pie as her nerves pulsed with immense pain upon contact. Shortly following, Carter bit down on her mane and threw her across the way. The pink mare hit the wall with a loud crash before falling to the floor.

Carter ran over to Rainbow Dash. She was still alive, and still just as much ready to fight. He held out his hoof for her to hold. She got a good grip around it with her hoof as she got up from the ground. The two turned to Pinkie Pie, who was already back on her hooves, eagerly wanting revenge. Carter and Rainbow Dash furrowed their brow and stared straight into her eyes.

“What do we do, Carter?”

“We have no choice, Rainbow Dash. She is quite determined to kill us. Make her death short and painless; we mustn’t let her escape.”

“I am right behind you, Carter.”

With that, the three charged at each other, shouting and sweating in defiance. Carter watched as Pinkie Pie swung the sledgehammer at Rainbow Dash, knocking her to the ground after hitting her jaw. Carter grabbed a hold of the weapon and forced it out of her hooves. He thrusted the front of the weapon against her stomach like a spear and followed up with a quick haymaker to her face. While she was dazed, Carter went to strike her back legs from behind with a heavy kick, trying to break them. Pinkie Pie dodged the attack with astonishing speed, countering the stallion with a swift jab to his jaw.

Rainbow Dash got back on her hooves and noticed Carter whipping his head back after getting hit. She rushed herself back into the action and jumped onto Pinkie Pie’s back. She wrapped her front legs around hers, restricting Pinkie Pie from movement and forcing the pink mare onto her back hooves. The pegasus nodded at Carter, who got up and took the opportunity to deliver three consecutive cross punches toward her gut. The second hit echoed with the sound of a broken rib.

Pinkie Pie was not having any enjoyment come out of this fight, and knew that she must end it sooner rather than later. She put her mouth over Rainbow Dash’s front right hoof and bit down on it, sinking her teeth into the flesh beneath its boney exterior. Though it was difficult to do so, the brave pegasus kept herself wrapped around her adversary, screaming in pain in order to cope with its intense discomfort.

Carter saw this and immediately reacted by grabbing onto Pinkie Pie by her jaw and lifting her whole body into the air. As swift as her ascent was, she was forced to the ground all the more forceful. The stallion went to strike her with another cross punch, but she was quicker, delivering multiple jabs to his face before he pulled his head back, using his front legs to block the rest of her punches.

Rainbow Dash ran over to Carter’s aid to try and free him from the onslaught of attacks, but her attention was pulled towards her left. She saw the sledgehammer lying by itself on the ground. She ran over to retrieve it, holding the weapon between her teeth. She rushed over to Pinkie Pie, lifting the sledgehammer over her head and dropping it towards her head.

Though it seemed the fight would end there, Pinkie Pie swiftly moved her head just before the weapon came in contact with her face. She kicked Carter off of her body with her hind hooves and grabbed Rainbow Dash by her head. Pinkie Pie took the wooden end of the sledgehammer and forced the pegasus’ face directly against it with much strength. A loud snapping of bones was heard and her teeth spewed much blood before Rainbow Dash’s eyes went cross. The sky blue mare fell to the ground, unable to stand after all of the pain she had just experienced.

“Rainbow Dash!” Carter felt something inside him grow in his spirit. It was the familiar sense of extreme anger. However, unlike all of the other times it came to him, this one felt different. It felt more concealed, more tame, and ultimately more controlled.

Carter threw his front hoof at Pinkie Pie, forcing the bloodthirsty mare onto the ground. He picked her up and ran towards the wall where the vine hung from it. With a loud war cry, Carter rammed her head into the stone wall, shattering all of the surrounding rock. While she was stuck in place, the stallion looked up and saw the massive stone pillar that the vine was wrapped around.

That is it! The end is near!

With no time to waste, Carter grabbed onto the vine with his teeth. He pulled against it, using all of his strength to force the stone pillar out of the ground that it embedded itself in and make it fall onto Pinkie Pie. There was no other way to kill her, as she felt too quick and too crafty for the two to fight her up close and personal any longer. They would eventually fall to her.

While Carter continued to pull against the weight of the stone pillar, Pinkie Pie freed herself from the stone wall. She growled at Carter with immense anger visible in her eyes. Carter saw this and his eyes dilated. He pulled harder, trying to get the pillar to fall on her before it was too late. Pinkie Pie pulled out a large knife from the inside of her dress. She ran towards Carter with haste, holding the blade in her teeth as she charged at him.

Just before the weapon could penetrate Carter’s flesh, Rainbow Dash delivered a mighty wind-up kick with both of her hind legs, similar to Applejack. The pink mare fell to the ground, but quickly got up to avoid Carter’s plan of attack. Rainbow Dash mounted herself on top of her, forcing Pinkie Pie to stay in place.

As tiny rocks fell onto Carter’s head, the pillar began to move. He grinned to himself, knowing that his efforts were working in his favor. Rainbow Dash continued to keep the psychotic mare still through constant punches across her adversary’s face. Blood began to seep out of Pinkie Pie’s nose as each punch connected.

Carter looked down to warn Rainbow Dash to move out of the way, but he was distracted by something he did not expect, yet knew all too well. The look on Rainbow Dash’s face presented anger in its truest form. It was all too similar to what he went through when he got in the heat of battle. She showed no mercy towards the pink mare, and while he knew that killing her was the goal, he also knew that Rainbow Dash would destroy herself mentally if she continued to act out of anger, like what he did in his past. She was lost in her mind, not dealing with her actions correctly.

“Rainbow Dash! Rainbow Dash!” Nothing he said could get the pegasus to stop. He was beginning to feel anxious, wanting to intervene with her attacks. That would have to happen, as Carter looked up to find that the stone pillar was already dislodged from the dirt it clanged to, closing in on its target by the second. With little time to react, Carter dropped the vine from his mouth and ran towards Rainbow Dash. He used his shoulder to push her off of Pinkie Pie, but it was too late.

As a large cloud of dust filled the area around her, Rainbow Dash looked towards Pinkie Pie’s location. What she instead found was the remnants of a stone pillar that fell from the surface. As her emotions continued to come back to her, she noticed that Carter was nowhere to be found. She began to panic, tears filling her eyes. She began calling out for her ally. Nothing was heard until after her third call.

“Rainbow Dash! Over here!” A red hoof raised itself in the air behind the stone pillar, notifying Rainbow Dash that Carter was still alive. She ran over to the stallion’s aid, looking down at her friend. His hind legs were stuck underneath the massive weight of the stone. She gasped in horror thinking that she saw them flattened underneath.

“Carter, what did you do!?” Rainbow Dash screamed in utter horror.

“It’s fine, they still work. Grab my front hooves and pull.” Rainbow Dash did as he said and pulled his legs out from under the stone pillars.

“Carter, I am so sorry. I didn't mean to-”

“Rainbow Dash,” Carter stared at her with anger in his eyes, disappointed with her actions. He realized that he came off with too much emotion, so he took a quick breath to calm himself. He propped himself back on his hooves. “You must not act out on your emotions. You will lose control, just like what you presented right now. You must be better than this, Rainbow Dash.”

“But… I-”

“I know that you wanted revenge. But this path you choose, it is not right. I know. You must be better. Anger is a weapon, and one that we must learn to control. Leave this path and go back to being the sweet, loyal Dashie that I know you are.”

Rainbow Dash stared at Carter for a moment. Within a few seconds, all of the anger she previously felt faded to tears and mental pain. She dropped her head toward the ground and cried softly.

“I am sorry, Carter.”

“Do not be sorry, Dash. Be better, and be the mare you want to be.”

Rainbow Dash looked down at her blood covered hooves, shaking violently.

“What happened to me?”

“You lost control. I can tell that you have never had to do anything like this in your past, which is ok, but you must not let the guilt of taking one's life overcome your mind. Killing is something that we can never imagine until we do it, and our mind fills itself with dozens of thoughts and emotions that we have never felt before. It is during this moment that we must calm down and not act out on all of the adrenaline and emotion that we carry afterward. Do not let this affect you, Dashie. Merely take this as a lesson to be better.”

The sound of a moan came from behind their backs. They both turned their heads to find Pinkie Pie’s head sticking out from underneath all of the rubble. She smiled with a maniacal laugh forcing itself behind her bloodied teeth. The two injured ponies walked over to her location. While Rainbow Dash stared at her with an expression of betrayal and hurt, Carter looked down upon the nearly deceased mare with one of disappointment and disgust.

“You are too late.” Pinkie Pie said, her voice sounding breathy and forced out.

“What do you mean to tell us?” Carter asked.

“The end is coming.”

“The end?” Rainbow Dash shouted at the pink mare, tears dripping from her eyes. “Pinkie Pie, I have officially lost my ability to understand you, especially after these events.”

“Friendship will not save you, this time. The wrath of the true leaders of Equestria will rise up and claim their rightful kingdom for themselves. It is only a matter of time before all of you fall to their mighty forces, and friendship will be wiped out from every being once and for all.”

“You listen here, Pinkie Pie.” Carter lowered his head towards the psychotic mare’s and stared her in the eyes with his stoic look. “Whatever you are trying to tell us, I won’t let that happen. With my friends by my side, and my unyielding determination carrying me through even the hardest of trials, you’d better be damn sure that I will not let a single soul harm any creature in Equestria.”

“You idiot.” Pinkie Pie went back to her mindless laughter, staring up at the sky. “You should’ve joined them while you had the chance. But now, you will be the first to fall.”

As the sun fell behind the tree’s leaves from above the cave opening, Pinkie Pie’s body slowly morphed from a mass of flesh and blood to an alternative pool of black liquids. Carter and Rainbow Dash took a couple of steps back, analyzing the mysterious substance. This event alone opened up many questions for Carter to think over.

The true leaders? The end? A matter of time? God, is this even Pinkie Pie?

Carter and Rainbow Dash watched as the black pool of liquids evaporated into thin air, blowing away like wind in the sky. The stallion looked over to see if the pegasus had any answers, but her mind was just as unknowing as he was. Something was not right, but what that could’ve been was beyond their knowledge.

Carter looked up to the giant hole in the surface, trying to figure out an alternative route upwards since their only method of escaping was destroyed in the fight. He looked for any possible means of travel, but lost focus after the sound of rushing water quickly grew in volume from behind his back.

Oh no!

Through the cracks in the stone walls where Pinkie Pie was hit when she was thrown, water poured through them at an insane pace. Nothing could’ve warned the two ponies about this, and they were soon sucked under the ever growing body of water.

Carter spun out of control once the water was high enough to send him upward. He flailed his hooves around, trying desperately to reach the surface. He opened his eyes and noticed the top of the water was just above his head. With one swift stroke, his head pierced through the watery surface, giving the stallion ample time to regain some much needed oxygen.

Once his head rested above the water, he looked around for Rainbow Dash. He had yet to see her come out herself, and he was beginning to worry. He spun around, trying to find the pegasus. With panic growing within him, he dunked his head under the water, hoping to find her under the mass of liquid. The blood from her wounds created a cloud of red mist that surrounded her.

As a worried expression came over him, Carter swam to the bottom of the water, where he found an unconscious Rainbow Dash laying at the bottom. He continued paddling over to her, reaching his hoof out in front of him so that he could grab a hold of her and pull her up to the surface the first chance he got.

Carter wrapped his hooves under Rainbow Dash’s front legs and began swimming to the surface. The remaining air inside of his lungs began to take a toll on him, yielding him from using any more of his strength. He kicked his legs with haste, hurrying towards his destination before he’d blackout.

With only seconds of strength left in him, the red stallion broke through the surface of the water, once again gasping for air. Pulling Rainbow Dash’s head above the water, he noticed that they had reached the top of the caves and back to the surface of the Everfree Forest. He swam to shore, holding the unconscious pegasus close to his side as he continued swimming towards safety.

The energy in his body and the mental stability he had before entering the castle left him once he successfully crawled onto the dirt. He pulled himself and Rainbow Dash onto the land and laid on his back. He could not go on, not like this. He had to find help, and fast. He looked over at the sky blue pony, hoping that she was still ok. No signs of life came from her body, and her face turned pale over time. Her blood, along with his, slowly poured out onto the grass beneath them.

“Rainbow Dash… no.” Carter felt horrible. The pain of watching her slowly die before him was not something he ever wished to see, yet it was inevitably presenting itself before him. “I have failed you.”

With the little energy left in him, he rolled over onto his stomach and crawled over to her. He placed his hoof over her body and buried his face onto her side. His faith for their survival brought itself back to him, like a light at the end of a tunnel. He felt something in a small zipper pouch along Rainbow Dash’s suit. He opened it up and sighed in relief. There was still hope.

A flare! Perhaps I haven't failed just yet.

Carter raised the red stick into the air and used his bloodied teeth to trigger the effect. With a loud fizzle, a bright red light shot up into the air, floating around for a moment before leaving a trail of smoke as it fell back to the ground. He laughed to himself, knowing that there was still a chance that both of them would live through this.

“Don’t worry, Dashie. There’s still hope.” Carter looked over at her with a fatigued look of joy on his face. He reached out for her front hoof and held it with his. “There is still… hope.”

As his eyes slowly shut themselves, Carter was left unconscious, along with Rainbow Dash, in the middle of the Everfree Forest. Their only hope of survival was the hope that somepony would come to their rescue and bring them to a means of safety. Until that moment would come, their lifeless bodies laid against the grass, cold and pale.

The wind that passed through the Everfree Forest was the only thing giving off any kind of sound as the land laid quiet for many moments. The two unconscious ponies' bloodied, lacerated bodies laid along the grassy surface, tainting the natural green colors of the forest floor with their blood; the bright sun shining down upon their coats, drying up the water that clang to their tainted fur.

“We have two visuals, Captain!” The sounds of wings flapping through the air filled the nearby area as the rest of the Wonderbolts came to the location where the flare was shot.

“Who is it, Private?”

“One is a ponyville citizen, the other is Private Rainbow Dash.”

“Private Dash? Damn, I knew it was unsafe for her to come here. Quickly, everypony start getting these two to the Canterlot hospital. If we are lucky and they live, they might have some answers for the princess.”

Captain Spitfire came over to Carter’s body and aided another Wonderbolt member in putting Carter on a transportable hospital bed. She placed him along the top and nodded to the Private to begin their move to Canterlot. Carter opened his eyes for a brief moment, looking at the Wonderbolt member as they took him to the hospital.

“Hang in there, sir. You will be okay, we have you in our safety.”

“Make sure… make…” Carter mumbled out random gibberish as his eyes began to close themselves once more.

“Just stay calm, sir. We will get you the help you need very shortly.”

“Please… make sure… she lives.”

Author's Note

It would seem an unlikely threat has been purged at last. But with Equestria taking the victory, Carter and Rainbow Dash now seem to be hanging onto life by a thrrad. It is up to the Wonderbolts to save these two before it is too late .

I was so ready to write this chapter, and I sure hope you all enjoyed reading it as much I did writing it. I'm glad that the villains of this story are finally starting to be revealed.:pinkiecrazy:

Chapter 13: Threat Terminated

Visions of the black rock he saw transcribed along the walls of the castle tunnels flashed in front of him like an old film-based movie projector. Carter’s focus was pulled towards the rock and the rock alone. It was like he was looking at it after years of its absence. Just simply laying his eyes upon it filled him with the feeling of an unsettling disliking, as if he and this lifeless piece of mass had a dark history.

Let me go!

In a quick turn of events, Carter found himself in a medical bed. His mind was foggy, which he figured was probably due to the fact that he was out for God knows how long. He spotted several different tubes injected into his front legs, sending various fluids into his nerves. Along the wall behind him stood numerous monitors, each of which displayed different status checks within Carter's body.

“Are you feeling ok, sir?” A nurse appeared to his right, coming over to the heart rate monitor and writing down the status displayed on the screen, taking note of Carter’s current health levels.

“Yeah, I am ok.” Carter’s voice came out a bit grumbly, but a simple cough shot a nasty ball of phlegm, which he was forced to swallow before speaking again. “I assume that I just yelled across the room?”

“No. You simply woke up, nothing out of the ordinary occurred prior to that. Besides an occasional moan here and there, you seemed to deal with the healing process quite well.”

“That’s good to know. I was afraid I was having a seizure or something, considering the fact that I am held to this bed with the help of zip ties.” The nurse laughed to herself. She was surprised to hear such an assumption about what he did while he was unconscious, but not by his observations.

“No, not at all. We do tie patients down while they are unconscious to prevent such violent reactions while the process takes place, but you did not do anything close to that. It’s only standard procedure.” She walked over to each of his hooves and undid each of the bindings.

Carter nodded to the nurse in appreciation. She had him lay his head down and rest for a bit before any further decisions concerning his health would be made. He obeyed her without any verbal objections and laid his head against the soft pillow found at the end of the bed.

The red stallion found it rather difficult to sleep, and as time passed by, Carter just stared at each individual monitor, observing what each one recorded. Though he took many courses regarding anatomy and the science of modern medicine back on Earth, he had a very limited idea as to what each abbreviation presented on the monitors represented. It was ironic in a sense.

“That was ‘Livin’ up to It!’ Coming up next, we have ‘Celestial Complex’ by our very own DJ Pon-3!”

The speakers that were found around the hospital announced the next song in rotation. Carter had nothing better to do at the moment, so he just perked his ears up and listened for the melody to start kicking in. The sound of the tune was rather techy and bass heavy. It had a very intense beat and guitar lead. Carter couldn’t help but sway with the rhythm. He found the song to be rather enjoyable, as it sounded like it was ripped right out of one of Mick Gordan’s albums, which he would listen to in his free time during training hours back in the military.

Carter noticed the nurse talking to some other pony just out of view behind the door frame. With a naturally curious personality, he didn’t think it rude to eavesdrop on their discussion, so he focused his hearing in their general direction.

“You can go inside and see him, but he has not fully recovered. Be very slow and gentle around him, as even small amounts of pressure put upon him could create another blood clot.”

Who would want to see me at this time? Hell, who even knows that I’ve been away from Ponyville?

Carter peered around the corner of the outside area as best as he could from where he laid, but it wasn’t enough to get even a glimpse of the other pony. He gave up and just laid back against the pillow. He turned his head to the left and stared out the window. The sun was at its highest, not a single cloud in the distance.

Still evening. Does that mean I have been out for less than an hour, or about a day? Ha. All I know is that once this blows over, I am going straight to Flint Masters to get something to eat.

“Sir, you have company.” The nurse said, looking over at Carter as she waited for a response.

“Company?” Carter was quite baffled by the announcement. “Let them in, I guess.”

The nurse looked over her shoulder and nodded. Carter tried to figure out who could be trying to see him at a time like this. His first thought was that it was somepony who wanted to see him in order to get some answers about all of the events that had taken place. As Carter perked up at the door, he saw a familiar color pattern of orange and cream.

“Carter!” Fluttershy flew over to the stallion as fast as she could. Once by his side, she wrapped her front hooves around him, giving him a big hug. She nuzzled against his cheek, affectionately caressing him. Though it hurt like hell, Carter kept the pain to himself, letting out nothing more than a grunt or two.

“I was so worried about you! I heard that you were attacked, and then I heard that you were being taken here, and then… oh, Carter! Never scare me like that ever again!”

“Erm… can do, Fluttershy.” Carter said, processing her words while letting out another painful grunt.

“Fluttershy, did ya not hear a single thing the nurse said?” Carter turned his head and found Applejack, shaking her head at the cream colored pegasus in shame. “Carter still needs to heal. I’m sure he appreciates your kind gesture, but hugging him at a time like this just ain’t helping at all.”

“Uh… haha.” Fluttershy pulled her hooves back and giggled, blushing to herself as she stared at the ground. “Yeah, I think you’re right, Applejack.”

“It’s fine, Fluttershy. I am very glad to see you. Both of you.” Carter said, attempting to cheer up the timid pegasus.

“Are ya ok, buttercup?” Applejack inquired, observing Carter’s various injuries.

“I am fine, thanks. Feels like I took one heck of a beating, though.”

“Well, I wouldn’t say you look completely normal.” Fluttershy said, pointing to his wounds with her hoof.

“Fluttershy is right. Ya don’t exactly look like yourself.” Applejack walked over to his side and handed him a vial of her apple tonic. “Don’t know if ya want this right now, but this could help with any pain that you're dealing with. Before ya ask, yes, the nurse said that it was fine if ya take this right now.”

“I appreciate it, Applejack. I think I will drink this.” Carter popped the lid out of place and chugged the entire mass of liquid down his throat. His eyebrow twitched, giving off a sign that he found the contents to be quite sour.

“Ya can fight off a beast, but ya can’t take a little bit of tart?” Applejack laughed at the stallion when she saw him react to the tonic. Fluttershy let out a shy giggle of her own, placing her right hoof in front of her mouth.

“I can’t be perfect, Applejack. I know that you ain’t.” Carter tried to throw banter back at the farm pony, but she took no offense to the comment and simply rolled her eyes.

"What happened, Carter? Who did this to you?" Fluttershy inquired.

"A lot of things, actually. It started with…" Carter's eyes widened. The two mares looked over at the heart rate monitor, which began beeping a lot more frequently. "Where is she!?"
Applejack knee exactly who he was talking about, running over to be with him and calm his nerves. Fluttershy did the same, holding his hoof with her own and softly shushing the stallion.

"She's ok, buttercup. Rainbow Dash is asleep in the room next to you." Applejack said.

"Please tell me that she'll live." Carter was hoping that actions were not for nothing.

"It's ok, Carter. Rainbow Dash will be fine, she just needs a bit more time than you did before she wakes up." Fluttershy leaned towards his face and grazed his cheek with her hoof. "We were able to speak with her before she went through with her treatment. She told us about what you did to save her, and she wanted us to tell you that she's so happy to have such a loyal friend such as yourself, and thanks you for everything you did to save her life."

"Thanks, girls. That's just what I needed to hear." Carter sighed, looking over at Applejack. "You know from my past that I do not enjoy failing when other's lives are on the line. As long as I know that she’s ok, then I can rest here peacefully."

"It's ok, Carter. She is alive and well. Ya played yer role the best ya could, and succeeded in doing such."

“Is this a bad time?” The three ponies looked over towards the doorway and found Rarity and Twilight Sparkle poking their heads through the frame.

“No, not at all. Come in you guys.” Fluttershy said, waving her hoof towards the others.

“Twilight? How much time do you get off?” Carter was intrigued. He was very sceptical as to how the princess of Equestria was able to have so much free time. It seemed like every time something was happening between her friends, she was always ready to just jump into the action.

“I am not going to lie to you, Carter, being the princess and all may sound like quite an occupation, but there is really not a lot for me to do.” Princess Twilight lowered her brow and looked at the stallion. "With that said, I am only able to be here because of you and Rainbow Dash. I was stuck in the castle figuring out ways to end this, but I found no method that could work. Until you two went and did it."

Carter knew exactly why Twilight was incapable of devising a plan of action powerful enough to eliminate Pinkie Pie. They never had to kill anyone. Based on all of the stories of the equestrian past that he read about during his free time, there was never a recorded moment where the antagonist died. They were either banished or reformed; in other words, only magic eliminated the threat. It was obvious that fighting something that sought nothing but blood and pain head on for the first time would prove to be nothing but near impossible to overcome with their passive combat style.

“I assume that you killed it?” Twilight asked. She spoke like she knew the answer, and it was obvious that she was right once Carter lightly clenched his teeth. The others caught eye of this and waited for his response.

“I did.” Carter admitted. “I only did what I had to do. You saw what happened to Rainbow Dash, but if you only knew how it happened… there was no way that words would have any affect.”

“What are you talking about? What do you mean that there was no other way?” Rarity asked.

“I know that you are very new to this sort of thing, but there are creatures in this world that seek nothing but evil.” Carter looked back at the princess, furrowing his brow and staring at her with a stern look. He wanted to make sure that everypony understood the things that came out of his mouth. “This isn’t like your fights with Sombra, Chrysalis, or anything like that. These creatures want nothing more than to tear you apart, limb from limb. I know that you may have had to get your hooves dirty, but against these new threats, the only way to win is to kill. No amount of friendship can save you. I know.” He paused once he said this. Even if it was what he wanted to say, he never dared speak that way to the princess.

“Carter, why are you saying this?” Twilight was pissed. The princess took a few steps toward the stallion and lowered her head to him. “Friendship has never failed in the past. I cannot allow this.”

“Twilight… your highness, hear me out.”

“No, Carter. I will not let you do this any longer. These ponies are mine to protect and mine alone. I don’t need you to act like a superhero coming to save the day.” Carter snapped. Twilight did not seem like she would back down, and knowing Carter, neither would he.

“Twilight! I have tried to warn you. This is nothing like what you have fought back then. This is real life, and you had better wake up!” Carter attempted to refrain from speaking any further, but something took control over him like a hack.

“Carter, this is not how we live our lives! This may be how you humans settle things, but we ponies strive for friendship! We look for the goodness in others and use it to help them overcome their evil ways. I will not let you hurt another soul!”

“Damnit, your highness. I don’t indulge myself in these gruesome acts, but there are times where this must happen!” No matter how hard he fought back, Carter’s dark thoughts took over.

“Oh, and what? You defeat them by becoming the very thing that you fight against. That is not the right thing to do. You know it to be true, Carter!” Carter’s face turned bright red, and his veins pulsated through the skin along his neck.

“If it wasn’t for me, Rainbow Dash would’ve been dead! Your actions are a fucking hazard! You do not wish to protect your subjects, you only wish to keep the peace. But guess what, there is no fucking peace on a battlefield!”

The room fell quiet as the discussion stopped. Carter was returning to the angry self he tried to avoid, but he had no intention of stopping. As his chest retracted with every heavy breath he let loose, he glared at Twilight, watching her as her face drooped with a saddened expression. Carter knew deep down that what he just told her was not what he wanted to say, but his violent mind knew no other ways of dealing with this.

“Y-y-your majesty. I… I… holy shit, what have I done?” Carter was at a loss for words. After reevaluating the words that slipped from his mouth, he felt nothing but regret and embarrassment upon himself. He shivered from the adrenaline that flowed through him after calming his nerves. Though he knew that every word he spoke came from his mind, it felt like the words came out without his control. Twilight looked up at the stallion. The mild agitation on her face along with the tears in her eyes told Carter everything that he needed to know. He lost her respect.

“Carter. *sniff* I just want you to know that I trusted you. I trusted you to do the right thing, but you always resort to anger. You act like you are better than all of them, but you are nothing but the scum you fight away. You, *sniff* you will never learn friendship.”

Carter was hurt by her harmful words. He knew very well that he deserved all of it, all things considered, but it was not something he thought he’d ever hear come from her mouth. He looked at the others with a shocked expression, but they all looked back at him with fear and disgust. He looked down at his hooves. His eyes widened after he found blood dripping from them.

“You cannot hide from the truth. You are not a friend, but an enemy. You only seek things for your own benefit. You will never gain their friendship, and you will never forgive yourself for what you did that day!”

“No! No no no no no…! No! Get away from me!” Carter placed his hooves over his ears and shut his eyes. He shouted at the voice, forcing it away. “I refuse! I am better! I am changed! I am a friend, I know that now! I will never become you! Go away, now!!!”

Carter shot out from his slumber, gasping for air. His mind was foggy, and his vision spiraled around for a few moments. The image of the black rock transcribed along the walls of the castle flashed in his head once more, flowing through his mind dauntingly. He looked around for the others, but none of them were anywhere to be seen.

“Are you feeling ok, sir?” A nurse appeared to his right, coming over to the heart rate monitor and writing down the status displayed on the screen, taking note of Carter’s current health levels.

“Uh… pardon?” Carter was mesmerized. All of this felt like deja vu to the stallion.

“You just woke up. Did you have a bad dream? You woke up yelling and shaking.”

“Really…? I mean, at least I am held down by these zip ties.” Carter couldn’t comprehend any of this. The bindings holding him in place were around his hooves yet again, as if the nurse never took them off prior.

“We tie our patients down while they are unconscious to prevent such violent reactions while the process takes place. It’s only standard procedure.” The nurse walked over to each of his hooves and undid each of the bindings.

As she walked out the door after telling him to lay down and get some rest, Carter laid his head against the pillow behind him and stared at the ceiling. All of this was coming to him like a movie he’d watched a thousand times over, expecting the same thing every time.

What on Earth is going on? Was all of that really just a nightmare?

“Sir, you have company.” The nurse said, looking over at Carter as she waited for a response.

“Uh, let them in.” Carter was starting to question if any of this was real. All of it was so familiar.

Let me guess, Applejack and Fluttershy come running in.

“Carter!” Fluttershy flew over to the stallion as fast as she could. Once by his side, she wrapped her front hooves around him, giving him a big hug. She nuzzled against his cheek, affectionately caressing him. Though it hurt like hell, Carter kept the pain to himself, letting out nothing more than a grunt or two.

“I was so worried about you! I heard that you were attacked, and then I heard that you were being taken here, and then… oh, Carter! Never scare me like that ever again!”

“Ok, what is going on!?” Carter shouted, feeling overwhelmed by all of the similarities occurring at a time.

“What in the hay are you talking about?” Applejack asked.

“Oh, I’m so sorry, Carter. I was just wanting to check in with you. I understand if you don’t want to see us right now. I should’ve been more aware.” Fluttershy looked down at the ground with a gloomy look on her face. Her timid nature took over as she hid her face behind her mane. She held herself up along the edge of the medical bed, looking down at the confused stallion behind her pink mane.

“Ok, I am sorry. It’s just, everything seems oddly familiar.” Carter said.

“Carter, is everything ok?” Applejack inquired. She was beginning to feel very awkward around the stallion.

“You were just here, and then Twilight came, and then we… and then…” Carter stopped talking as he took his time deciphering all of the recent events. It was all deja vu, but he was beginning to feel like there was a reason behind it. Then it hit him.

It was a vision.

“It’s ok, Carter. I’ll let you be.” Fluttershy said, turning around to go walk out the door. She was stopped in her tracks as she felt somepony’s hooves wrap around her and pull her in. She looked over her shoulder to find Carter, hugging the pegasus closely to his chest, affectionately petting her mane.

“I thought I lost you as a friend.” Carter said, continuing his loving gesture. "Just gimme a moment, Fluttershy. I need this."

“What? Carter, I will never leave you. You are my best friend, and nothing could ever split us apart.” Fluttershy leaned down and nuzzled her cheek against his. “We are always here for you, no matter what happens.”

“Carter, ya have a lot of explaining to do.” Applejack said, looking over at the emotional mess that was the stallion.

“I am glad to see you, too. I appreciate you taking time out of your life to come see me, Applejack.” Carter let go of Fluttershy and allowed her to meet up with Applejack. "I believe I just had a bad dream. It made it seem like I did something horrible, and I watched you girls leave me. I couldn't forgive myself. Thankfully I don't think any of that actually happened."

"Boy, ain't that one devilish nightmare. Sorry to hear that you had to go through that, sugarcube." Applejack lightened her senses after understanding why Carter was in such a crazy mood. She sat down along with Fluttershy as they conversed some more.

"Is Rainbow Dash ok?" Carter asked, knowing the answer before he questioned the two mares.

"She is doing fine, she is just asleep in the other room. We were able to speak with her before she went through with her treatment. She told us about what you did to save her, and she wanted us to tell you that she's so happy to have such a loyal friend such as yourself, and thanks you for everything you did to save her life."

“How much did she tell you?” Carter inquired, wondering if they already knew about Pinkie Pie. He was expecting to see some mixed emotions, but nothing like that appeared.

"She told us about most of it, but she seemed very scared to tell us who exactly was the one responsible for killing all of those ponies." Fluttershy said. “I can’t blame her. I probably wouldn’t be able to deal with even half the stuff she did.”

"I can't blame her either. When I told her that Spitfire found Gilda without her head, Rainbow Dash lost it. I could only imagine what kind of cruel creature would do such a thing." Applejack added, scowling at the thought.

“So… that wasn’t just a prop.” Carter shuddered when he understood the severity of it all. Though he experienced it first hand, it was still somewhat unreal to imagine that this level of violence would just randomly occur in their peaceful-based society. “I was hoping that that wasn’t the case.”

“You saw her skull!?” Applejack shouted. Carter nodded in return. Fluttershy was starting to lose control, shaking where she stood.

“Oh my gosh, oh my gosh! W-w-why in Equestria would somepony do that!? I am so scared! I don’t want to be next!” Fluttershy was lost in a state of panic. The orange farm pony rushed over to her side and tried to calm the scared pegasus, whispering words of encouragement to her.

“Fluttershy.” Carter said with a stern look on his face. Fluttershy bolted her eyes up at him and stopped shaking. “There is no way we’d let something like that happen to you. Twilight would be ready to send in soldiers at the blink of an eye, and your friends and I are also here to make sure that nothing like that ever happens. Besides, it’s over now.”

“R-r-right. That’s right.” Fluttershy sat down on the ground and rested her front hooves behind her back.

“Carter, you are ok!” Twilight said, walking into the room with Rarity by her side, right on time.

“Your majesty.” Carter said, nodding her head to her since he couldn’t bow.

“It’s very nice to see you. How are you feeling?” The lavender mare inquired. She examined his wounds as he started talking.

“I am feeling fine, thank you.” Carter laid back in the bed and let out a small chuckle. “It’s been one crazy ride. I assume you know what has happened?”

“No, I do not. I have sent a scouting party to record information based on what they find in the castle, but they have yet to tell me anything.” Twilight informed.

“Carter,” Rarity began. “who did this to you?” All the other mares looked at him, waiting for the truth to finally be revealed to them. He was hesitant about telling them, worrying that they would not take the identity of the killer too kindly. It ultimately didn’t matter in the long run, and they needed to know who it was.

“I… regretfully have to inform you all that… the killer was none other than…” Before another word could slip from his mouth, he saw the familiar pink mare in the distance, jumping into the room with a smile on her face.

“Hiya, Carter! I didn’t know if you wanted anything, so I just got these cupcakes!” Pinkie Pie was now present, unscathed and lively as ever. Carter’s rage shot through him like lightning through the sky. He found himself forcing his body to not instinctually jump out at her.

How the hell is she still alive!?

While the others watched him react to the sight of the pink mare quite questionably, Carter tried to process any kind of possible explanation on her return. Nothing made sense… nothing, except the black goop. He paused for a moment, remembering that the Pinkie Pie that he and Rainbow Dash fought turned into some form of black matter once she was defeated. If that meant anything to him, it was that this was possibly (and he meant ever so possibly) the real Pinkie Pie, and that the one they destroyed in the castle was something else disguising itself as the pink party pony. It was the only reasonable explanation, and the only one he could go off of.

“Forgive me. I fear that it was something else.” Carter said, looking back at Pinkie Pie, this time revealing a more approachable, light-hearted expression on his face. “Thank you for the cupcakes, Pinkie Pie. However, I don’t think that I want any of those. Not right now.” Carter was feeling slightly nauseous, thinking back to pony flesh being the main ingredient in the last batch of cupcakes that he saw.

“No cupcakes? Are you sure?” Pinkie Pie held the tray of delicacies closer to the stallion, but it only increased his urge to vomit.

“Quite sure, Pinkie Pie.” Carter said, urging the mare to remove the cupcakes from his sight.

“Ok, then. I will go and see if Rainbow Dash wants any.” Pinkie Pie turned around as quick as she could and proceeded towards the room where Rainbow Dash was healing, jumping just like her usual means of getting around.

“Oh no! Pinkie Pie, please do not do that! Pinkie, please!” Carter panicked, rolling over his hospital bed. He fell to the floor, overestimating his current strength. The others tried to stop him from moving any more, but Carter was determined to stop her before it was too late. He got up on his hooves and limped over towards Pinkie Pie, hoping that he’d beat her to it.

“Hello, Dashie! I brought cupcakes!”

Oh shit.

A loud scream erupted throughout the hospital, the voice belonging to none other than Rainbow Dash. Carter had to act fast. He proceeded towards the pegasus at a faster rate, trying to get to her so that he could calm her down and inform her about the current findings. The other mares all rushed out to meet with Rainbow Dash as well, Fluttershy and Applejack sticking with Carter, each one of them holding him up so that he could walk faster. He turned the corner and saw the familiar face of the sky blue mare, who was scared out of her mind.

“Pinkie Pie, get back! I will destroy you yet again, I mean it!” Rainbow Dash threw the hurtful words from her mouth, forcing the mare to back up. Pinkie Pie had a very sorrowful look on her face, her eyes puffing up like she was about to cry. Carter finally made his way to Rainbow Dash’s side and pulled her closely to his chest. He petted her mane and frantically spoke with a soft tone in an attempt to calm the pegasus.

“Rainbow Dash, it is ok. That is not the evil Pinkie Pie that we fought. That is the real one, your friend.” Carter spoke to her with a mix of soft, light tones, and a more informative style. The confused pegasus shuddered in fear, grabbing onto Carter and looking into his eyes. Her sanity returned to her after she recognized the stallion.

“Carter?”

“Yes, it’s me. We are ok, you are ok.”

“Wait, did you just say ‘evil Pinkie Pie?’” Twilight shouted.

“What are ya exactly saying, Carter?” Applejack asked.

Carter turned and looked over at the other mares, who were all returning with looks of shock and denial. He knew that there was no easy way to tell them, but at least he knew that they’d believe him after watching how Rainbow Dash reacted.

“This is gonna sound like a ton of crap, but it’s the truth.”

Author's Note

Was Pinkie Pie really the one in charge, or was it something else? Something much... worse?

Chapter 14: The Evil Within

"So, you are telling me that this thing disguised itself as Pinkie Pie?" Twilight inquired, making sure that she heard the right thing from the red stallion standing before her.

Princess Twilight Sparkle sat in her castle, asking the two ponies responsible for the return of peace some questions concerning the attack with the unknown evil. The moon shone brightly across the exterior of the castle walls, illuminating the inside with it's bright glow. It had been roughly six hours since the nurse allowed Carter and Rainbow Dash to leave the hospital. With a couple bandages tightly wrapped around his wounds, Carter stood in front of the princess, who she herself sat upon her throne. Rainbow Dash meanwhile sat beside the others, her bandage clad body healing her wounds. The rest of the Mane 6 sat to the side of the red carpet that stretched from the princess’ throne to the doors leading outside the throne room. Rainbow Dash was tending to her injured wings, adjusting the uncomfortable cast that surrounded the appendage. The group was just finishing up their discussion about the killer.

"I swear upon my life, your majesty. I don't know what it really was, nor why it took Pinkie's form, but it is the honest truth." Carter said, speaking to Twilight with his serious expression.

"I just don't get it. What in Equestria could’ve done this?" Twilight could not come up with anything else to say or ask. The things that she had just learned baffled her too much. It was beyond her knowledge, and she didn't particularly enjoy not knowing things.

"Rainbow Dash," Pinkie Pie began, looking over at the pegasus. "you don't really think that I'd do anything like that, would you?" Her spirit was heartbroken. Even though everypony knew that she did nothing wrong, Pinkie Pie still felt like her trust with the others was near empty.

"Pinkie Pie, I could never think of you like that." Rainbow Dash took the mare between her front legs and hugged her. The pegasus lightly pulled the earth pony closer to her as to avoid any further damage to her bandaged wounds. She rested her head against Pinkie Pie's and let loose a couple tears from her eyes. "I realize that I was wrong about you. It was I who made a mistake, but I have learned from it, and I hope you'd still accept our friendship."

"Of course, Dashie. Nothing can separate us." Pinkie Pie said, pulling away from Rainbow Dash and smiling with a bright grin across her face.

Poor Dashie. Thinking that her best friend was a killer? Damn.

“Well, at any rate, it’s a good thing to know that all of this has blown over.” Twilight said. She felt good knowing that, because of Carter and Rainbow Dash’s heroic acts, Equestria was now back to the way it was.

“Let’s not put our guard down just yet, your highness. If there is even a small chance that something greater caused this to happen, then we mustn’t allow it to attack yet another time.” Carter spoke to the princess with content. He could tell that she agreed with what he spoke about once she looked down at the ground in thought.

“Perhaps. Nevertheless, we should be happy with the fact that ponies are now once again safe.”

“Very true. That’s a blessing all on its own.” Rarity said.

The other mares got up from where they stood and began to converse with each other, discussing their thoughts and opinions about the subject. Carter stood by himself, looking over at the princess, as if he thought that she’d have more to say. Princess Twilight stood up from her throne and proceeded to walk down the steps below her until she came to the same elevation as the others. She turned her head to the right, focusing her vision on the bright moon that rested in the sky.

“I understand that it is late. I am more than happy to offer Carter and Rainbow Dash the castle as a means of rest and healing, and anypony else who wants to stay here can definitely do so. If you wish to return home, there is a chariot waiting for you just outside the castle.” Twilight looked over at the rest of the Mane 6, awaiting their replies.

“I wish I could, Twilight. Alas, I have work to do bright and early in the morning.” Rarity said.

“Same here, Twi. I gotta get those apples packed n’ ready for sellin’.” Applejack informed. The orange mare looked over at Carter and smiled, holding back a laugh. “I’d ask for yer help, but I think ya’ve done quite enough for us the last time ya came to the farm. That n' the fact that ya need to heal up.”

“I said I’d be fine helping around the farm, Applejack.” Carter replied, giving off a small grin and a raised eyebrow in return. “But yeah, I need a bit of time to recover.”

“I don’t get you, Carter.” Rainbow Dash shook her head. “You just got done healing from the timberwolf attack, and yet you are back to square one!”

“Welcome to my world, Dash.” Carter said, pointing his hoof towards each of her wounds in a quick, flowing motion. She rolled her eyes and scoffed at him. They exchanged snarky glances at each other, the others simply watched them toss around their banter with smiles on their faces.

“So I take it that none of you will want to stay here?” Twilight inquired. The other mares shook their heads. “Ok then. You girls are free to leave. Thank you for your time and patience, it means a lot. The chariot is ready for your departure.”

With that all said and done, the four mares all walked out the door in a single file line, Pinkie Pie leading the group as she bounced around like she always does. The guards closed the doors behind them as the ponies exited the throne room. The large doors closed with a mighty shudder while the guards snapped back into their position.

“Now then. Rainbow Dash, Carter, you two can go get situated in your designated rooms. If you need to, I can send somepony to come and help you to your room if you wish.” Twilight said.

“Nah, I’ll be fine. I don’t need anypony’s help.” Rainbow Dash said with her signature cocky nature. She took one step forward, but nearly fell to the floor. She let out a small grunt before repositioning herself. “I do need some time to rest, that’s for sure.”

Carter and Princess Twilight laughed a bit to themselves as they watched the pegasus limp to her room. She nodded to the others before going out of their view, both of them doing the same in return. Once she was gone, Twilight looked over to Carter, who had yet to make his way to his room. She was puzzled by this, as she expected him to be right behind Rainbow Dash. There was something off about him. His eyes were slightly green and his head twitched every so often. He stared off into the distance. The princess waved her hoof in front of him, but no sign of conscious thought showed. It all happened in the blink of an eye.

“Carter, are you doing okay?” Twilight asked, feeling concerned about the stallion’s health. The princess of friendship was beginning to feel overwhelmed. This was not the first time she had seen this type of thing, as the guards, whom she banished to Tartarus, that came in contact with the statue of the Legion of Doom all had similar side-effects appear. Green eyes, strange and random freezing of the body. They seemed almost… corrupted.

Unbeknownst to her, Carter was lost in thought, watching images of his younger self flashing in his mind. It felt awkward, as it didn’t feel like a memory, but rather a vision. He then heard the same voice appear to him, but it felt stronger, like it took more control over his mind then any of the times prior.

“This is only the beginning. You will not come out of this alive… unless, you choose to join us.”

Never. I will never join you.

“You say that every time, but you know that this is who you really are.”

No. This is not who I am. I refuse to believe such vile nonsense!

“Tell yourself everything you wish to hear, but you know it. Deep down in your soul, you know very well that you cannot change.”

…

“I can feel your realizations of the truth coming back to you. Now one can stop you from becoming who you really are. Not anymore. Think about it… violence, blood, death. There must be a reason for all of this to happen to you. Right?”

…

“There is, dear boy. I know there is, and I know that you know it as well. All of those deaths, your family, your friends, they all point to one thing. You are a killer. Your only goal in life is to conquer and control. Anyone who tries to stop you shall not pose a threat, as it will be by your own hand that they are vanquished.”

I am… a killer?

“Yes. You feel it in your soul, yes? The urge to take the lives of those who seem fit.. The lust for blood and death. Knowing that every single being void of life was from no one else but yourself. This is how the world works, as I am sure you have noticed.”

“Oh no! Carter, please snap out of it!” Carter’s corrupted body slowly looked down at his hooves. Twilight found that he was in no control over what he did and started to panic. She charged up her horn and shot out a large beam of light that went through the castle walls and into the night sky, exploding into a bright ring of prismatic colors. “I hope that it’s not too late.”

“Violence is the only thing you know, boy. It is what you have dealt with for all these years, and it will be the one thing that ends it. Nothing bad will come to you if you control the ones who do it.

The ones.. Who do it? Control… of them?

“You will be an unstoppable force. Everyone everywhere will respect you, and no more harm will be brought upon you. Friendship is for the weak, as it forces your heart to feel for those who should not concern you. Your parents’ death was not something to grieve over, and your friends’ failure to protect their daughter was not a reason to doubt yourself. You are right from the beginning, friendship is bad, and nothing good will ever come from it.”

Nothing… good?

“That’s right. Push away friendship, once and for all!”

Push away… push… push… no.

“What?”

No… no, I won’t.

“You fool, it is not worth your time to be a part of these insipid beings’ lives. The only thing that matters in life is what you want. They won’t care about you, so why should you care about them?”

No, you are wrong!

“Watch it, boy. This is not what you want.”

Not what I want? Not what I want!? I wanted none of this! I never wanted my family and friends to die, but I never wanted to live a life of violence and death! This is not living, this is torture!

“Exactly. But that is how the world is. The IFRE made you a killing machine, and there is nothing you can do to change that! Accept it! Friendship over power? I don’t think so.”

What you say might be true…

“That’s right, it is.”

But I will not choose that path.

“What!?”

These ponies, my friends, have shown me the true power of friendship.

“And what ‘power’ is that?”

Friendship is the power of unity. It is the driving force in life that gives each and every living being a reason to live. It is the reason I fight for them, the reason I sleep at night knowing that I have others watching my back like I do for them, and the reason that I know that I am growing in a positive way thanks to them. Ultimate power is never the answer, it is an excuse. It’s an excuse to push away pain and force yourself to live in some corrupted world. But with friendship, you may have to fight through the pain, but you never have to do it alone. That is what friendship means to me, and that is why you will never win me over.

“Is that how you really feel?”

I never asked for a life of fighting. I just wanted to live my life the way I saw it fit to live by. But, if that is how things must be, then I will fight for them. I will lay down my life to fight evil and vanquish it from not only Earth, but all worlds. I will fight for my friends, I will fight for my family, and I will fight for peace. If you do so much as lay one finger on them, then you will never see the light of day.

“... very well. If this is what you want, then I have no choice.”

Carter’s body erupted with a large quantity of dark magic surrounding him. Screams and cries of pain came from the stallion as his body pulsated and contorted through all of the pain. Twilight could do nothing but stand in front of him, watching as his mind fought through whatever evil took control of him.

“We got your distress signal, Twilight. What is it?”

Rainbow Dash rushed into the room, limping over to aid the princess. The rest of the Mane 6 did the same, running into the throne room through the big doors. They were all greatly surprised by what they saw, each of them unable to speak. Carter’s eyes switched from green to black at a rapid rate, and his orifices spewed out elongated strands of black magic. The shouts continued to come out of the stallion’s mouth, his body violently reacting subconsciously.

“What in Equestria happened to him!?” Applejack shouted, worried sick about Carter’s current condition.

“This can’t be! We have only been gone for a few minutes, and he’s already like this!?” Pinkie Pie screamed, finding it troublesome to look upon the suffering stallion.

A bright flash of light appeared behind the mares. They all turned around to find a group of ponies standing alongside each other as one big shadow while the light dimmed down. Once it subsided, the Royal Sisters, the Crystal Empire leaders, along with Flurry Heart, Star Swirl the Bearded, Discord, Spike and Flint Masters all ran over to meet up with the others.

“Twilight, you better have a good reason to signal this level of emergency across Equestria.” Shining Armor said.

“It’s Carter. I don’t know what is going on with him, but something is taking over his mind, and soon his entire being!” Twilight explained.

“What is happening to him?” Luna inquired in a calm tone, picking up the pace of her steps as she comprehended the severity of the situation.

“I haven’t the fondest idea, sister. It appears that some source of dark magic is corrupting him, and quickly.” Celestia said.

“What can we do, Celestia?” Twilight asked, frantically searching for a way to free Carter from his torment.

“I… I do not know! This is beyond anything we have ever seen!” Celestia stated.

“I fear that the worst has come.” Star Swirl said, observing the black magic that emitted from the red stallion’s orifices. He furrowed his brow as he looked upon an old enemy.

“It’s the Darth Spawn!” Flint shouted. “He has come in contact with it, but the strength of its hold over him has me thinking that this event happened years in the past!”

“Darth Spawn? Like the substance that Father talked about?” Luna inquired.

“Yes, the same one.” Star Swirl said, charging up his horn with a bright magic. “Flint is right, this happened before he came to Equestria. They must have something like it on Earth.”

“How do we fight it?” Rarity asked.

“We must use our combined powers to fight it. The strength of one of us alone will not be enough, but together, we might be able to free him of this curse.” Flint said, digging his hooves into the ground and glowing with a bright brown color scheme.

“What can we do to help!?” Fluttershy asked. “Not all of us have magic!”

“Use the power of friendship!” Luna ordered, charging her horn along with her sister.

“We have no choice, dear. We must use help them.” Cadence said.

“I understand.” Shining Armor joined with her mate as the two of them charged their horns with each of their respective magic.

“Fluttershy, come on! We can’t let him die!” Discord said, pointing to the cream colored pegasus. “We must join as one and help vanquish this evil!”

“He is right, girls. Let’s do this.” Twilight said, holding her hooves out to the others. They nodded and held each other’s hooves. As the power of their friendship all rushed over to Twilight’s horn, her eyes became clear white, and her mane lit up with gold and purple colors.

“The time is now, attack!” Star Swirl shouted.

All at once, each of the surrounding ponies, and Discord, all unleashed their magic out at Carter, who was nearly enveloped by the dark magic. As each one of their magic beams made contact with the black substance, a high pitched shriek erupted from the stallion, giving off a sign that it was working.

“Friendship!”

“Love!”

“Family!”

“Chaos!”

“Earth!”

“Harmony!”

The power of the beams nearly eradicated the evil essence that nearly consumed the stallion, but it was not enough to completely destroy it. They all pushed their powers to the limit, desperate to bring Carter away from the vile magic. But alas, even with all of their combined efforts, the black magic continued to make its way through him.

While everypony aided in using their magic, young Flurry heart slowly made her way to the corrupted stallion, giggling to herself after she recognized him. Cadence noticed her walking towards the vile infested stallion, but she knew that she couldn’t stop her magic.

“Flurry Heart! Urgh… come to mama, now!” Cadence shouted in an attempt to pull the foal back to her side. It did not work, however, as Flurry Heart continued her way towards Carter’s position. Cadence and Shining Armor were in a state of panic, watching their baby walk towards her doom. They thought they had no choice but to stop their magic and rush to her to save her life. They soon stopped their thoughts and watched the foal begin to glow by her horn. The foal was terrified by the sight of the stallion, knowing even in her little foal mind that something wasn’t right. As she charged up her horn, the little bit of magic she had in her was shot out towards Carter.

In an instant, the entirety of the throne room erupted in a blast of intense light. The impact of their combined magic sent shockwaves of powerful forces away from the center, launching each one of the ponies away from Carter. They all piled onto each other once they were able to land, along with the light dimming down. They all got a hold of themselves and got off of the ground. Cadence and Shining Armor found Flurry Heart next to the mother’s wing, sucking on her forehoof. Cadence picked her up and held her closely to her chest, sighing in relief.

“Oh, Flurry Heart. You and I are going to have some serious words once we get back home.” Cadence said. The little foal said little in return, replying with nothing but baby noises.

The entirety of the group looked over at where Carter was last seen. They were all surprised to find that he was lying on the ground, unconscious, but completely free of the evil that engulfed his body.

“Did we do it? Did we free him?” Twilight inquired. She was really hoping that they did not have to do all of that again. The sweat that ran off of her mane and onto her forehead cumulated rather quickly due to the amount of energy needed to free the stallion from his impending doom.

“He is fine for now, but he still has the Darth Spawn inside of him.” Star Swirl shook his head free from the sweat that rested on his forehead. “We were not strong enough to destroy it, and I fear that he will live with it stuck in his body forever.”

“Then what do we do about him?” Rarity asked.

“Is there really no way to eliminate this threat from his body?” Fluttershy added.

“I am afraid not.” Flint said. “At least… not one we know of.”

“The only thing we can do is hope that he will grow enough strength to control it on his own.” Discord said.

“Is that even possible?” Applejack inquired.

“From what we know… it isn’t.” Star Swirl said.

~

Carter found himself in a very open world, the outer edges of it filled with waves and pulses of light of many different proportions. To him, he could only relate to something like a Playstation background scheme. In the midst of his strange interpretations of the world around him, he spotted a familiar apparition in the far ranges of his vision. He focused on the being, finding it to be the same one he saw the day he died.

“It appears that you have fully accepted friendship into your life once more.”

“Does that mean I am able to go back to Earth?” Carter inquired.

“Do you really want to go so badly?”

“No, not yet! I have so many questions that need answering!” Carter shouted.

“Haha. Good. You still have a long way to go before you are ready to return home.”

“What are you saying? I have learned friendship, right?”

“You have accepted friendship, but you have yet to learn about everything that friendship has to offer, and the power that it holds within.”

Carter was confused. His biggest question was wanting to know why he was in such a weird place. Was it another vision?

“You may be wondering why you have had so many dark thoughts. Ones including murder and violence.” The spirit chuckled. “It is nothing like puberty, that’s for sure.”

“Then… why? Why do I have such vile thoughts?” Carter asked.

“You would have no way of knowing, as they wiped your memory after you went through with the operation.”

“They? Operation? Please, just tell me what happened.”

“The day after your family died, you were taken to the IFRE headquarters. They had samples of a seriously evil rock specimen that came to Earth in the form of a meteor crash. They called it the Darth Spawn. Within this rock was the ability to corrupt one’s mind, using one's fears to turn them into nothing but complete savages bent on murder and bloodthirst, nothing else. You, my dear boy, were the first and only test subject to come in contact with the specimen during the IFRE's experiments.

“They strapped you into the testing facility and injected the substance into your veins. They were astounded by the results, as you appeared to fight the effects of this rock almost subconsciously. In other words, it had little to no effect on you. That was not something they expected, so they went to extract it from you. However, that is where you awoke.

“You found yourself in their base and broke free. The rock had somehow gifted you super strength, speed, and reaction time, basically turning you into a super soldier. They wanted to extract your new DNA and use it to clone an entire army of super soldiers. But before they could do that, you escaped their clutches and freed yourself from their grasp. The only thing that could be done was track you down.”

Carter was amazed to hear all of this information. Though it all started out new to him, the memories of the event slowly came back to him, seemingly filling in the gaps in his mind. It all made sense from that point onward.

“That’s how… that’s how they knew where I was. That’s how they knew who I was in close contact with.” Carter looked up at the spirit. “What does that mean for me? Will I become evil?”

“Every day that progresses in your lifetime, you will become more susceptible to the rock’s evil nature. It is your job to learn to control this and keep yourself sane. Without proper precautions, you will fall victim to this evil and become the one thing you fear.”

“What do I do to stop this?”

“That is something you must learn to do yourself.” Carter rolled his eyes, feeling betrayed by the spirit for receiving such crummy advice. “The only thing I will tell you is to keep your friends close. They can help you in your journeys, as nothing you do has to be done alone.”

“So… is that everything you have to tell me?” Carter asked.

“Wow… aren’t you just eager to move on with life.” The spirit said. It shook its head as it held out its hand. A beam of light escaped its palm and sent Carter back to the real world.

So many questions, such little knowledge. When will I know the things I need to know? Better yet, when will that spirit actually be of any help to my cause. That thing is the reason I am here, by the way.

~

Carter snapped back to reality, gasping for air. He looked around as he saw lots of faces, old and new, surrounding him. They were all looking down upon him with bright smiles of relief on their faces.

“... What did I miss?” Carter asked.

“Do you… recall anything, Carter?” Rarity asked, looking around the stallion’s body for any signs of the Darth Spawn.

“It was the Darth Spawn, wasn’t it?”

“How do you know about that?” Star Swirl asked.

“Well, sir. Let’s just say that I had some time to rethink my past.” Carter said.

“How in Equestria did you come in contact with it?” Luna asked.

“It came to Earth as a meteor.” Carter informed.

“A meteor?” Celestia froze. “Are you quite positive?”

“Yes, I am. I think…” Carter was curious as to why Celestia acted the way she did due to his response. “What are you not telling me?”

“Long story short, we had something similar happen here in Equestria, many thousands of moons ago.” Star Swirl said. “Before the birth of Luna, Celestia’s uncle came in contact with the Darth Spawn. He was corrupted by it, turning into a bloodthirsty monster. It was up to her parents to vanquish his evil. They succeeded, sealing off the Darth Spawn and sending it back into space via a meteor, far away from Equestria so that no other pony could ever be corrupted again.”

“Why is everypony here?” Carter inquired. “Am I part of this?”

“Twilight sent out a nationwide emergency, informing all of us that something was happening. It’s a good thing she did, too. You were about to be consumed by the Darth Spawn.” Luna explained. “If it weren’t for Twilight and her beacon, you might have become something else entirely, and Equestria might have had another problem to deal with.” The lunar mare looked down upon Carter with a stoic look. It reminded Carter of himself, shielding emotions that were hidden inside.

Carter looked over to the Princess of Friendship and nodded his head with an exhausted expression on his face.

“I don’t get it. It seems like everything I do has some terrible side effects paired with it. I take two steps in the castle and, boom, I turn evil.” Carter said.

“That’s ok, Carter. You are fine, for now.” Twilight said.

“Guys, give the lad some space.” Discord said, pushing everypony away to give Carter some space. “Hi, how are you? My name is Discord. I must apologize, these ponies can just be so rude and inconsiderate. Except for Fluttershy, who is perfect in every way.”

“Thanks, Discord.” Fluttershy said, giving off a small blush.

“Anything for you, dearest Fluttershy.”

“Carter, do you feel any different?” Flint asked.

“Flint? I didn’t expect to see you here.” Carter said in surprise.

“Yes, I am the leader of the Order of Harmony. My group is made up of me, the Royal Sisters, and Discord. We make sure peace is kept in Equestria.”

“Then where the hell were you during the dozens of murders happening in the Everfree Forest?” Carter asked, slightly pissed off that he hadn’t known about this until now.

“We were there. We helped evacuate cities during the attacks.” Carter could do nothing but give off a smug look. He was irritated at the fact that no one else would dare fight up close and personal, but then again, they never had to beforehand.

“Carter, do you understand the severity of this event?” Celestia asked, staring down upon Carter with the help of her tall size.

“I do… I think I do. I know now that I must learn to control this force before it permanently corrupts me. I will do whatever it takes to do so, believe me.”

“Good.” Celestia smiled.

“Oh boy. Guys, I am really sorry about all of this.” Carter said, feeling genuinely guilty for forcing them to save his sorry ass.

“It is perfectly fine, boy. At least we now know the threat responsible for your actions. We just need to act accordingly.” Star Swirl said.

"We work as rulers of Equestria knowing very well the tasks that are required of us to do." Shining Armor said.

"If anything like that happens again, do let us know. Ok?" Luna said.

"Yes, Luna. I make that promise to all of you." Carter replied.

“I am sure that you have many questions,” Flint spoke. “but alas, the moon is high. We must be getting back to our means of rest. In time, do meet up with me again, Carter. I will fill you in on everything you need to know. You are now ready to know the truth.”

With that, the Royal Sisters, Discord, Flint Masters, Star Swirl, and the Crystal Empire leaders all teleported out and away from the castle. The rest of them were left speechless.

“Ok, now I should really get some rest before something like that happens again.” Carter said.

“Don’t be so hard on yourself, dear.” Rarity said. “We have all been seen worse.”

“It’s a good thing that we dealt with it now, rather than later.” Applejack said.

“They are right, though. Get some sleep before you dare open your eyes any longer.” Pinkie Pie ordered. “If this happens again, I don’t think I’d have enough pinkie energy to save you.”

“We wouldn’t want that.” Carter replied, letting out a quick chuckle.

“Goodbye, Carter.” Fluttershy said.

“Goodbye, girls.”

With that, the rest of the Mane 6, once again made their way outside the castle. Rainbow Dash headed back to her room, and Carter was left by himself to travel to his room. His mind was filled with all kinds of thoughts, and he felt as though sleep was a problem that would have to be dealt with much later. As Twilight watched him walk away, Carter headed down the hall and entered his room. It was the same one he slept in the last time he stayed at the castle, so he knew the layout of the room quite well. He couldn’t find it in himself to sleep, so he opened up the window and walked outside onto the balcony, staring out towards the familiar night sky of Equestria.

The peaceful breeze that passed through his mane brought his thoughts to an ease. He never quite understood what it was about nature that calmed him as much as it did, but he never took it for granted. He propped his front hooves against the railing in front of him and closed his eyes. Nothing but peace and quiet filled the stallion's mind as he stood there by himself, basking in the light of the moon. To him, it was moments like this where he felt like himself, as opposed to being what the world wanted him to be.

That fight… the black goop from the evil Pinkie Pie. Did that correlate with what I just went through? It seems as though Celestia knew about the Darth Spawn all too well. Is that a hint to something much more dangerous approaching?

“Are you feeling alright, Carter?” Twilight Sparkle walked up behind the stallion, sitting down next to him along the edge of the balcony.

“Your majesty.” Carter spoke. “Yes, I am doing quite fine as of right now. I just… needed some time to cool off.”

“I can’t blame you there. It would seem that you are a man of mystery.” Twilight said. She looked over at the stallion, staring into his narrow eyes. She could sense something putting stress on his mind, and she wanted to help rid him of it. “Carter,”

“Yes, Twilight?” Carter replied.

“Tell me about Earth. What is it like there?”

“Earth…” Carter had a plethora of memories fill his mind, replacing all of his previous thoughts with those of his home. “Earth is something special. It isn’t anything like Equestria. There are lots of destroyed, broken places all around. But at the same time, there are many places with gorgeous sceneries, just like here.”

“Really? Why so divided?”

“Wars. Lots of them.”

“War?”

“Unlike your kind, us humans have never been on the same team. We are divided into nations, and we use this as a means of excuses to be separated from each other. At times, conflict so great arises between one or more nations that we are forced to fight to protect ourselves.”

“That’s horrible.” Twilight looked away for a moment. She imagined what a broken place Equestria would be if there was no unity between the many races of ponies. “I couldn’t imagine what it is like for you.”

“It’s because we don’t have anyone doing anything.” Carter looked over at the princess. “There is no one like you, spreading the power of friendship. We humans just seek power and utter control, feeding off of success like a bunch of mindless beings. If only there was somebody who could teach us about the untold greatness we could accomplish if we were to be united. Maybe… maybe then we could live to our full potential.”

“Is everyone like that?” Twilight asked.

“No. Not everyone. Every so often you will find people who care about nothing but the welfare and health of those around them.” Carter explained. He stared into the mare’s beautiful eyes, which reflected the light of the moon. “You have done a great job with keeping your nation safe and at peace. Not only that, but you have taught me more than I could’ve ever hoped to gain knowledge of. It is because of you that I have a second chance at a life worth living. Not a day goes by where I don’t think of where I might be if it weren’t for you.”

“Carter, I don’t know what to say.” Twilight briskly looked away, hiding her blush. “I am just doing what I am supposed to do. I thank you for the compliment, though.”

“I know. I am just saying that I thank you for what you do. I doubt that I would be anything close to the level of awesome that you are.” Carter said.

“Eh, I’m sure anypony could pull off my job if they treated it with as much respect as I do.”

“That’s just it, no one does. Celestia was wise with picking you as the next leader of Equestria.”

“You really think so?” Twilight asked, looking back upon Carter.

“I sincerely do.” He nodded as he spoke. “You are wise with your decisions. That and the fact that you push friendship onto ponies the way you do must make them feel safe and secure.”

Twilight and Carter had a moment of silence. They looked away from each other and shifted focus towards the moon. They both felt the need to keep the conversation going, but couldn’t find anything worth each other’s time to discuss over. Carter eventually returned his attention to the princess and said the first thing that came to mind.

“It’s odd. I remember seeing my parents while I was in the middle of my strange corruption phase. I felt it rather difficult to fight back, and yet… the moment they appeared, I was able to find the strength to fight the Darth Spawn. I know that you guys helped and all, but it was strange to feel a sudden surge of power and strength wash over me the way it did."

"You saw them?" Twilight inquired.

"Only as a shadow. Even then, I feel like I understand things about myself better than I did before." Carter stared back at the moon. "Even as a small child, I always felt like I wanted to fight evil and protect the ones I loved. It has been a part of me to fight, but I never found purpose after doing so."

"You never had a reason to fight." Twilight said. She moved in closer to the red alicorn.

"No, I didn't. Even as I fought the IFRE after my family and friends died, I thought I wanted vengeance. But… in the midst of battle, I found no reason to win. The deaths of my loved ones made me feel empty inside. It felt meaningless. Yet, after all that time, after arriving here in Equestria and meeting you guys, I feel like I found that purpose. Protecting Fluttershy from the timberwolves, fighting alongside Rainbow Dash against the evil Pinkie Pie, I found purpose in protecting them. Unlike all the other times, I found a reason to fight. I found a reason to pursue my calling."

"I am glad you feel this way, Carter." Twilight smiled at the stallion as he looked back at her. "I understand where you are coming from. I never found a reason to pursue friendship once upon a moon. It wasn't until after I met my friends when I found my purpose. My calling."

"Twilight, I was just wondering if you…" Carter caught himself trailing off as he lost his thoughts while staring into Twilight's eyes. "If you… if you ever feel overwhelmed at times? I understand that it is part of being the leader and all, but do you ever feel that way sometimes?”

“I do, actually. I love my friends and know that they will always have my back just as I would for them… but it can get pretty overwhelming at times, yes.” Twilight admitted.

“How do you cope with it?” Carter asked.

“I think of the positives. Back when Discord summoned the Legion of Doom, I was absolutely overwhelmed by all of the pressure that I had to deal with. But even through all of that, I just thought of the positives. I was still alive, I still had allies, and I still had a reason to fight.”

“I see… it would seem that you have had to deal with those feelings more than once, I presume.”

“I have. Not afraid to admit it.”

“It’s getting dark.” Carter said, looking over at the moon one last time. “I’m sure that you want me to shut up and let you rest, huh?”

“No, you don't have to… but yeah, that would be the best thing to do.” Twilight said. She walked over to Carter and gave him a big hug. “If you ever want to talk, I am always here for you. I will see you in the morning, Carter.” Twilight escorted herself out of the bedroom, closing the door behind her.

“See you tomorrow, Twilight.”

With that, the room was left to no one except Carter. With all of his energy depleted, along with the pain from his wounds beginning to kick back into effect, he resorted to the comforts of the bed. He laid his back against the soft mattress and rested his head against the plushy pillow. His mind was out within seconds once he let his body rest, and though he wouldn’t like to admit, this was the best sleep he had in awhile; no dreams, visions, nightmares, anything.

Friendship Log #005

Today I have learned that the things that happen in life aren’t always what they seem, nor are they the things you want in life. Truth be told, shit happens. However, it is what we do about these things that define who we are. We can’t ask for things in life, but we can act upon the things that we are given. Friendship is like this. We don’t exactly choose who we befriend, but it is important to hold friends close to you.

Author's Note

And so... The threat behind Carter's evil thoughts have been revealed. It's strange, though. Celestia seemed to know more than she let on. Perhaps something is still being kept a secret.

Chapter 15: The Vile Lord

It was bright and early in the new morning of Equestria. Near the center of Ponyville, Carter was in the middle of eating a delicious hay sandwich with a side of coffee inside of Stop ‘n Go. The winter snow had begun to accumulate in large quantities all over Equestria, making it difficult for its citizens to do much work. Carter stared at the steamy liquid inside of his mug, swirling it around with a small spoon and watching the bubbles rise to the top while they spun around like a whirlpool.

Many days had passed since the attack from the evil Pinkie Pie. His wounds had completely healed by now, but Carter was not exactly in the greatest of moods, and it was very evident through his expressions. Flint Masters took note of this by the time he saw the red stallion walk into the restaurant. Flint decided it was time to talk with Carter about the night of his corruption and figure out what was causing him such distress. He proceeded towards Carter, taking off his apron and throwing it over a nearby chair.

“Hey, man. You don’t exactly look too happy.” Flint said, raising the corner of his lip as he talked with Carter.

“I am worried, Flint.” Carter said, not once taking his eyes off of his coffee mug. “I am worried, but I don’t know why.”

“That’s never good. Do talk about it with me, man.” Flint said. “It’s Hearth’s Warming Eve, you shouldn’t be like this.”

“Nah… you wouldn’t believe me.” Carter stated.

“What, about your visions?” Carter perked his head up towards the brown stallion. He was surprised to hear Flint admit to knowing about his strange foretelling powers.

“You know?”

“Man, you don’t think that you're the only one that can do that, do you?” Flint said, raising his eyebrow at the red stallion. “I have been able to do it my whole life.”

“But… how?” Carter inquired.

“The ground beneath us carries the past memories of those who came before us, and the air surrounding our world stores the memories of those to come. It is by this nature that we earth ponies can see glimpses of the past, or future.”

“But, I am not an earth pony. I am an alicorn.” Carter said.

“Ah, but that is all the more reason you are like me. An alicorn is merely a mix of all three types of ponies, combined into one powerful force. You have the magic of unicorns, the flight of pegasi, and the power of earth ponies. It stands to reason that you can read the future.”

Carter was surprised to hear all of this information. Though he found it very difficult to believe, he knew this wasn’t anything like Earth, so perhaps this information that he was receiving was indeed true. Carter turned his head back down to his coffee, picking up the mug with his right hoof and taking a sip of the hot contents.

“Then… maybe you actually can help me with my situation.”

Flint nodded and took a seat next to Carter. He placed his hooves on top of the countertop and made eye contact with the red stallion. The feeling of uncertainty rang in Carter’s eyes, and there was surely an unnerving level of it.

“I want you to tell me what it is exactly that troubles you.” Flint said, lowering his face to a more stern look.

“Well, ever since I came to Equestria, I have been getting random visions of future events in my head. They are always visions of something bad about to happen, big or small. It was what warned me about the threat that me and Rainbow Dash fought off, though not very clearly. These have all happened each day that passes… until yesterday. That was when I got my first glimpse of the past.”

“What about that troubles you?” Flint inquired.

“Usually, I feel very confident to combat whatever threat my visions warn me of. But… when I saw the past, I was filled with fear, as I saw something much greater, much more powerful.”

“What did you see? What was it that scares you?”

“Well, Flint… in order to understand that, I must first tell you about everything that happened yesterday.”

~

“It was bright and early in the morning. I was summoned to the castle to meet up with the rest of the Mane 6 to participate in the special holiday, Hearth’s Warming. At the time, I had no idea what we’d be doing there, but I arrived there and met up with the others, nonetheless. It was by this time that things would get stranger from here…”

Carter walked down the red carpet that stretched across the entire length of the throne room. From there he heard voices coming from the right hallway. He proceeded towards it, knowing that the others were somewhere in that direction. When he turned the corner, he found the Mane 6, along with Spike, sitting in a circle around a somewhat big table. The mares looked to him and welcomed him with loving words.

“Carter, I am so glad you were able to make it!” Twilight shouted.

“Yeah, here I am.” Carter said with a very inexpressive tone. He nodded to each of the mares before pulling out a chair of his own and sitting down to join in with the others. “Though, based on the fact that you are the princess and all, this invitation of yours seemed less like that and more of a mandatory order.”

“Oh, nevermind him, Twi. He is just excited and all.” Applejack said, waving her hoof at the stallion as a sign to tell him to shut up. Carter nodded to the farm pony and proceeded to keep his mouth shut, focusing his attention on what the others had to say.

“Carter, I understand that you have no idea what Hearth’s Warming day is, right?” Rarity asked.

“No, not a clue.” Carter replied.

“Hearth’s Warming is the day we celebrate the unity of earth ponies, pegasi unicorns.” Fluttershy said. “We like to celebrate by having each of us randomly pull out a name for us to go and get a present for. We thought that perhaps you’d like to join us.”

“Sounds intriguing. I am listening.” Carter said.

“We all write our names down and place it in this.” Twilight reached behind her chair and pulled out a small blue bowl. “From there, I will have each of you, one at a time, come up and grab one single name from the bowl. Without showing anypony, your job is to find them a present before Hearth’s Warming, which is in two days. Is everypony clear?”

“Yeah yeah, your highness. Let’s just get on with this thing.” Rainbow Dash said, leaning back in her chair as she faked a bored yawn.

“Geez, Rainbow Dash. Don’t seem too excited.” Spike said, rolling his eyes.

“I am very excited. I just want to get this thing started. I want to know who my special pony is.”

Twilight proceeded to hand out little pieces of parchment paper, along with quills to each of the others, using her magic to speed the process. They all took it from her and wrote each of their names down on their respective parchment. Carter raised his eyes towards Pinkie Pie, who seemed to be making a masterpiece on her paper. He let out a silent laugh, hiding its sound from the pink mare with his hoof in front of his mouth.

As Carter wrote his name, he wondered who he would be getting. It was clear to him that the one he chooses would be random, but that didn’t stop him from making observations. He thought about Fluttershy, but figured that perhaps she would be too obvious. He looked around at the others, who were still finishing their names, except Rainbow Dash, who was kicked back in her chair, waiting for the others to take their sweet time.

The time finally came. Carter, along with the others, placed their parchment paper into the bowl. Twilight placed her hoof over the top opening and spun the contents, randomizing the names. After a couple rotations, she placed it down in the middle of the table and proceeded to pull out the first name.

“As the leader of Equestria, I shall go first.” Twilight said. Rainbow Dash made a mean face, imitating the words of the princess. Rarity jabbed the pegasus in her side after seeing what she was doing. Rainbow Dash immediately stopped her actions and resumed her laid back posture. Twilight pulled out her chosen parchment and opened it up, revealing the name hidden inside. “Hmm… interesting.”

Twilight pointed her hoof towards Applejack, letting her know that she was next. The farm pony reached over and grabbed her parchment. She too revealed the hidden name and read the contents, raising her eyebrow shortly afterward.

One by one, the rest of them pulled out names of their own, many of them giving off different reactions from each other. At the very end of it all, Carter was left with the last piece of parchment left in the bowl. He took a deep breath before reaching his front hoof into the bowl and pulling out the last name. With a deep swallow before revealing the name, he held the parchment close to his face.

Applejack.

He was surprised by this. Applejack seemed to him as the least likely to be picked by him, but he had no choice in the end of it all, considering that he had to pick the last name left in the bowl. He gave off no expressions of any kind, sticking with his stoic face the whole time. Carter did not dare look up at the farm pony, worried that it would give off enough of a hint to ruin the secret. He simply refolded the paper and placed it in his satchel, zipping the bag up before looking back at Twilight.

“Alrighty then, that settles that.” Twilight took the bowl from the table and placed it on the floor to her side. “Your mission is to now find a present for your special pony before tomorrow. We will all meet up at Sweet Apple Acres for the big Hearth’s Warming party once nightfall hits the next day. I hope to see you all there.”

“With that, we were all released to go and scout out for a present. I could not think of anything that Applejack would like while I made my way out of the castle. I tried to think of something, but nothing came to mind. But aside from that, things started to get weird right when I walked out of the door.”

“Carter.”

A whispery voice spoke his name through his ear. The red stallion flicked his head over his shoulder as he made his way across the front bridge with the others in the rear. He was confused, thinking that somepony called for him.

“Did someone call my name?” Carter asked.

“I didn’t hear your name spoken.” Fluttershy said. She looked to the others, who each gave a head shake, denying anything related to that.

“Erm… must just be my imagination.” Carter said, discarding the thought.

“Who did you get, Carter?” Pinkie Pie inquired.

“Pinkie, we musn’t tell others about who we got for our special pony!” Rarity shouted, scoffing at the idiocy that spilled out of the pink mare’s mouth.

“I know, I was just testing him.” Pinkie Pie replied.

“Good, because there was absolutely no way that I would tell you.” Carter said.

“That’s right.” Applejack added.

Carter and the others made their way into the carriage, Princess Twilight and Spike waving to them as it took off. On their journey back to Ponyville, the stallion sat alone, thinking to himself. While the others chatted to each other, Carter spent this time to think about the perfect present for Applejack. His thoughts however proved to be futile, as he couldn’t think of a single present in general for the orange farm pony.

“Carter.”

The whispery voice returned, alerting Carter once again. He looked around at the others, trying to figure out who it was that was calling his name. To his disappointment, all of them seemed genuinely joined in with their conversation, providing no evidence that any of them called his name.

I swear, if any of them are toying with me, I will figure it out sooner or later.

“It wasn’t until I reached the ground when I started looking for the right gift. I headed straight towards the Ponyville Supermarket, hoping that I could just browse through the aisles and find something that would catch my eye. Though I searched and searched, I just couldn’t find anything that I thought she’d enjoy. I was beginning to lose hope, so I decided to head over to Sweet Apple Acres and find some clues towards what Applejack wanted.”

Carter entered through the white gates that guarded the perimeter of the farm. He walked up to the worn down house that the Apple family lived in, approaching the door and raising his hoof to knock on the door. He paused for a moment after hearing some conversations coming from the inside. He placed his ear against the door and listened in on their discussion.

“Granny, are ya feeling any better?” Applejack’s voice was heard at first. Her tone sounded saddened and disheartened, as if something tragic was taking place.

“I am fine, ya whimper-snapper. Let me just lay here for a bit. I’ll be up n’ runnin’ in no time.” Granny Smith said.

“No, Granny. You are in no condition to do anything like that. You will stay here until we see it fit for you to get back on your hooves.”

“Applejack, you are sounding just like I did with my mother. Let me have my fun while I’m still alive.”

“Granny, I will not allow this. I don’t want to lose ya any sooner than I must.” Applejack’s voice seemed to go up an octave, giving off an audible sign that she was on the verge of tears.

“Please, I am not going anytime soon.”

“Granny!” Applejack snapped. A moment of silence fell over the area before Applejacks’ voice was heard again. She said no words, only giving off a couple cries. “Granny, I can’t bear the thought of living without ya. You have been with me longer than I can remember, and I am not ready for ya to go just yet.” A few more sniffles and cries came from the farm pony while Granny processed the young mare’s words.

“Applejack, I ain’t ready to leave anymore than you are, but this is how the world works. I have been very happy to be with you all of these years, but it is soon time for me to leave this world.”

“Granny, I don’t know if I can truly accept it.”

“Ya must, buttercup. I will not rest peacefully until I know that I have yer word that I can die in peace.”

“I… I…”

“Applejack. Promise me. Promise me that you will let me go.”

“*sniff* I promise, Granny.”

“I was left standing on the other side of the door, and I admit that a few tears escaped my tear ducts. I felt like running inside and comforting Applejack in her time of trouble, but I also knew that Granny Smith was right. Applejack had to accept her granny's passing, and it was only a matter of time before that moment came. It hurt me, as I felt as though I too was going through this emotional journey with Applejack, as I became so close to her and her family.
“With nothing left to do, I walked down the numerous rows of leafless apple trees, going through my growing quantity of mixed emotions. It was there when I felt something strong pull me towards a destiny of sorts. I was unaware of what it was beforehand, but once I figured it out, I knew that something… or someone, was calling me.”

“Carter!”

The same voice from before echoed around Carter’s eardrums, calling for the stallion. He looked around the area, searching for somepony in the distance. The voice was heard again, this time louder. It sounded like it came from behind his current position. He turned around and stood in place, waiting for the voice to call out to him once more.

He heard it another time, and he proceeded in the direction of the voice. He was very curious as to what was calling out to him, anxiously wanting to find answers. It was now very clear that it was something otherworldly that called his name. The voice appeared again, this time louder. He was getting closer.

Carter soon found himself in the middle of a large group of apple trees. He searched around for the source of the voice, but could not find any living creature. However, what he did notice stole his attention in a flash. The creation of a large tree stood in front of him, though its fruit was strange. The tree was an amalgamation of both an apple and a pear tree. Their trunks wrapped around each other in a way that made it wear both of their respective fruits grew from the same bunch of leaves.

Carter found himself rather perplexed by the sight of this amazing creation. But things began to increase in strangeness once he first laid eyes on it. The voice called out for him once again, but it was paired by loud shouts in the background. While the original voice called out for Carter at random intervals, the violent screams and shouts remained constant in his ears.

The red stallion flinched at the unnerving voices that filled his head, and they only grew in volume and intensity with each step he took towards the tree. He wanted to turn around and run away, but something felt compelling to Carter, making him continue his way towards the natural wonder. He began to squint and lower his ears after hearing the screams at an almost ear piercing volume. He was so close to the tree, but the intensity of the voices halted him from proceeding any further.

What in the world is going on!

With no other reasonable options, Carter held his hoof up and placed it against the bark of the tree’s trunk. In the blink of an eye, the once painful intensity of the screams coming from all around the stallion faded into nothing. He recovered his normal breathing, keeping his hoof on the tree.

Is that it? Was this all it wanted me to do?

Carter’s body pulsated violently and shook with extreme force. His eyes went pale as another vision pierced through his mind. His screams of pure fear echoed throughout the farm, alerting the nearby ponies.

In his mind, Carter watched as a pony couple were torn apart by a pack of bloodthirsty timberwolves. The mother, a cream colored earth pony with a bright orange mane, screamed out in agony as the wooden creatures ripped her apart. The father, a yellow earth pony with a red mane, tried to fight the timberwolves as much as he could, reaching out for his mate. The two ponies were forced to endure the pain and await their timely deaths.

All of the sudden, the timberwolves turned towards the same direction, retreating into the Everfree Forest after letting out a few whimpers. The two ponies laid on the ground, bloodied and beaten. Another creature appeared from the shadows where the timberwolves looked to, approaching the injured ponies. Though its entire figure couldn’t be completely recognized, Carter could tell that it did not look anything like a pony. A devious grin came over the creature’s face.

From there, the vision changed to a different location. It showed glimpses of hundreds of near-dead ponies of all kinds locked up in cages. Some strange force appeared to suck the energy out of all of them, leaving each and everyone of them to sit in their cages and endure the pain. The outskirts of the landscape looked to be that of hellish brimstone and crystalic exterior.

“Go, now! You must go!”

“From there, my vision faded away, leaving me on the dirt floor of the farm. By the time I awoke, I heard Applejack come running towards my location, probably curious as to who trespassed into her home. I fled the scene, left with nothing but questions.”

~

“I know very little about what that vision told me, but I do believe it was a call for help. I can’t be sure, but I fear as though something evil is still lurking within Equestria. I believe that, perhaps, I need to go there.” Carter said.

“Where? Where do you feel like you need to go?” Flint asked, intrigued by all of the information that Carter offered. “Where do the visions want you to go?

“I don’t know where exactly, but the vision did speak of one word that stuck in my head like glue.”

“And that is…?”

“Tartarus.” Carter said, feeling almost intimidated by the word alone.

“Tartarus!?” Flint was perplexed, raising his eyebrow as high as it could. “Carter, you can’t be serious! Do you have any idea what that place is!?”

“Only from legends in my world. I know it isn’t exactly the best place to go for something like this, but then again, where else would this happen?” Carter moved his head closer to Flint’s, staring at him with a serious expression present on his face. “Think about it, Flint. If there really is something bad happening in Equestria, then Tartarus would be the best place to hide.”

“Carter, this is madness!” Flint shouted. “Tartarus is highly protected. There is no way that anyone could’ve gotten in there without being noticed.”

“Do you have anything wise to say in order to stop my actions? Have you ever had a vision lie to you, Flint?”

“I… I…” Flint knew that he was beaten. He didn’t want to accept it, but knew that there was nothing he could do or say to stop Carter. “Damnit, Carter. I can’t allow this.”

“Flint, hear me out.” Carter lowered his voice and waited for Flint to calm down. The dark brown stallion sat back in his chair and crossed his forelegs, nodding to the red alicorn. “Those two ponies I saw in my vision, I don’t know how, but I feel like I recognize them. I don’t know why I feel like this, but I feel as though all of the previous events happening to me correlate with this threat. I feel like there was a reason I got Applejack, which is the reason that I went to the strange tree, which is the reason I got that strange vision. I feel… I feel like it’s destiny.”

“Carter, do you even know what you are going to do down there?”

“I don’t. My only hope of succeeding with this unplanned mission of mine is praying that my visions lead me down the right path. I must find whatever that creature was. If not, it will all be worth nothing.” Carter said. “I don’t understand this anymore than you do, and quite frankly, I am unsure about this. But I am determined to follow through with this, nonetheless."

Flint Masters looked down with his bushy eyebrows furrowed above his eyes. With a moment of silence given for thought, the brown stallion looked up at Carter and nodded.

“Very well. I will not stop you, but I must advise you to take extreme caution. Tartarus is not a place that will take kindly to your arrival. They will not let you enter unless you have a good reason to be there. So, unless you get a direct order from Princess Twilight, there is no way that you’re going anywhere near Tartarus.”

“I understand that, Flint. I agree with you on that. If I am to go there, then I must find a way to enter… but how?” Carter said, raising his eyebrow and placing his hoof against his chin.

“Another word of caution, Carter.” Flint started. “I would strongly suggest that you find some allies. I know that you prefer to do things solo, but if you truly come across something evil down in Tartarus, then it is more than likely something of extreme power.”

“You may be right, Flint. I will take your words in with warning.” Carter said. The red stallion got off of his seat and laid the gold coins for the food on the countertop. He turned around and headed towards the doors. He was stopped after Flint grabbed his foreleg.

“Carter,” The red stallion turned his head just slightly towards the brown alternative. “Whatever the spirits want you to do, please be careful. I know what it is like to want only the best for others, but there was a time I too lost someone I loved because of it. Though some things might look just from first glance, you must see the whole picture before you act upon your decisions.”

“You do not know my past.” Carter said. “I will do what is right, no matter the consequences.” He looked back at the door. He tried to step closer to it, but Flint’s grip tightened around his Carter’s leg.

“If there are consequences, then is it really the right thing?” Flint said. “I know what you have lost and I know the pain you felt when you watched them die, but you cannot let it corrupt you. If you let it, you will never recover.”

“What do you know about my pain, Flint?” Carter turned his head towards the stallion, staring him in the eyes with his stoic look.

“I will show you.” Flint Masters placed his hoof atop Carter’s forehead and applied some force through it. His hoof began to glow blue, charging up a massive amount of magical energy.

“What are you doing?” Carter inquired, feeling almost nervous thinking about Flint’s intentions.

“I am showing you what truly happens if you give in to your anger.”

In an instant, Carter’s mind was filled with images of Flint’s past, which presented itself in full to the red stallion. The pain and emotional struggles felt throughout his life poured into Carter’s soul, making the apathetic human feel something he never wanted to feel again. The pain of losing a lost one. The visions flew by in an instant, yet it felt so long.

A young Flint Masters appeared beside a mare, who’s fur glistened with yellow and her mane a nice orange. The two of them were enjoying a peaceful afternoon in their home, drinking from a glass of wine which rested in their hooves. The couple laughed and showed signs of happiness with each other's company, giving Carter familiar feelings like the ones he felt when he was with his family.

Unforeseen to anyone, a dark black stallion stormed into their home, busting the door down to the floor and trampling its wooden features with his hooves. The young Flint Masters got up from the seat which he sat upon and stood in front of the mare, protecting her from the evil stallion in standing in front of them.

A great battle went underway, Flint and the dark stallion clashing with violent punches and kicks. Blood flung around the room as the dark stallion seemed to be winning the battle. The mare began to panic and fight alongside Flint, but the brown stallion pushed her aside and sent her flying across the room. The dark stallion grinned and took the time to charge up dark magic within his horn.

As Flint watched the stallion point his horn at his mate, he reached out with his hoof and broke the appendage. The dark stallion, though sent falling to the ground in pain, laughed maniacally as his magic shot out towards the green mare. The aftermath of the bright light that followed once the dark magic came in contact with the mare left nothing but dusty remains of Flint Master’s mate. Flint ran over to where his mate last stood, waving his hooves through the dust that laid before him.

The dark stallion teleported away from Flint’s location, nowhere to be seen. As Flint Masters stared down at his now disintegrated mate, an unnerving amount of rage and raw hatred seeped into his soul. The desire for vengeance overtook his mind, taking control of him like a parasite. He stood up from where he stood, wiping the blood from his mouth with his hoof and making his way out of the house.

The vision quickly shifted over to a future moment. Flint Masters set hoof in a small village. He saw the dark stallion off in the distance, sitting upon his throne and laughing maniacally. Flint walked up to him, a look of anger and a desire for vengeance swept over his face.

Once he came into view, the dark stallion laughed and looked down upon Flint. With no time wasted, Flint took a javelin from his side and threw it towards the dark stallion. He dodged the weapon before it could penetrate him. As the two prepared for battle, the dark stallion’s wife and daughter came out and stood in front of Flint, protecting the father from harm.

Flint, feeling nothing but vengeance, had no sympathy for the two innocent ponies and drove his blade straight through them, forcing his way towards the dark stallion. The blood that left their bodies spread itself across Flint’s fur coat, tainting it with its red colors. The dark stallion’s once maniacal and vicious behavior immediately changed, switching to one of fear and injustice.

The surrounding citizens of the village ran to his side to protect their leader. One by one, their numbers fell. Ponies, stallions, mares and foals alike fell to the blade the Flint wielded. Their blood spilling out onto the ground, soaking the soil with their bodily fluids.

As it came down to just him and the dark stallion, Flint held his blade to his enemy’s head. The dark stallion lost himself, crying out loud and begging for mercy. Flint stared down upon the dark stallion. Through his darkened eyes, there was no mercy. The blade struck the dark stallion, killing him once and for all. The vengeance, his vengeance, was now fulfilled.

As Flint stood in the blood-soaked battlefield, he regained his thoughts. He looked around at all of the dead bodies that laid before him. He was appalled by what he had done. Flint came to the realization that he had just murdered an entire civilization. By his own hooves, he killed the entirety of the village inhabitants.

He fell to his hindlegs and looked up at the sky. He saw his mate’s face, but her expression was one of disappointment and sadness. Flint couldn’t bear to see her anymore, staring at the ground and driving his hooves into the soil.

“My sweet Carrot Top... it was at this moment that I had realized that my desire for vengeance was not the right answer. He may have deserved his death, but the consequences were greater than anypony could have fathomed.” Flint looked straight at Carter. “After that, Princess Twilight took me in and placed me as Leader of the Order of Harmony, making me serve as protector of Equestria in order to pay for my crimes. I lost myself while I sought vengeance. You mustn’t act upon your anger. You will get lost in it.”

“I know, Flint. I have felt it, too.” Carter replied. “I understand the mental pain that falls upon me every time I take one’s life. I never wish to do it, but it fills me with anger and hatred everytime I do, nonetheless.”

“Carter… just, do your best to control yourself. We did not choose this path, but we must find our way past it. That is something you can never forget. That is why we show you friendship. There is good in this world, and there is bad. Stick with the good and you will never regret anything.”

“I understand, Flint. I will not fail you.” Carter was then allowed to head out of the restaurant. His mind was filled with many thoughts. Was it really worth fighting this creature? Flint was right about many things; everytime Carter fought, he felt himself lose control, and now that he knew about the Darth Spawn, then it was perhaps unwise to fight.

Carter thought about the situation at hand numerous times, devising many plans to eliminate the potential threat while also keeping himself sane in the aftermath of it all. He knew that he would have to fight, just not out of anger. But how he would accomplish both tasks was beyond him.

It suddenly hit him. The night of the evil Pinkie Pie’s attack was his answer. Unlike the times he fought, whether it was in war or after watching someone he loved die, his fight then was not out of vengeance or rage, but rather friendship. While he fought alongside Rainbow Dash, he found himself fighting to protect her rather than seeking the enemy's death simply for satisfaction. There was no need to resort to anger while he fought alongside somepony else. It was like he said with Twilight, it gave him a purpose to fight. But now he saw that it was more than that. It was the RIGHT reason to fight.

It was at this moment he knew he had to find allies that would be willing to fight alongside him. He thought about getting aid from the Mane 6, but he thought it unwise to do so, especially knowing that Hearth’s Warming was just around the corner. It would just be something added to their already full plate. He would need other means of allies.

… I know just the ones.

He stared off into the distance, his mane flowing through the wind. If he really was to fight, he would need aid from an unusual source.

Author's Note

Getting set up for yet another exciting part of the story. Expect an unusual threat to appear in the chapters to come.

As usual, comment if ya want.

Peace,

-MCX

Chapter 16: Unity Stone

Carter stood atop a tall, snowy mountain that peeked over Equestria’s horizon. His black cloak rested over the top of his body, his hood masking his face with a dark shadow.

The winter weather came in hard over the mountains, layering icy snow all around the top of the rocky mass. The might of the season had hit it's peak, making it difficult to traverse through the harsh climate. But even as each of the snowflakes fell on top of his clock, the stallion stood tall, determined to rid Equestria of this unknown evil.

As the red stallion peered across the vast lands in front of him with a content look in his eyes, he heard the sound of paws stepping through the thick snow behind him. Four timberwolves made their way atop the mountain’s peak. They all approached him with slow, cautious steps, each of them surrounding him and gathering in a circular formation. Carter turned to look at their leader. The familiar scar that ran along her eye gave him flashbacks of their attack at Fluttershy’s cottage. Carter and the alpha timberwolf looked upon each other, nodding to the other as a formal greeting. The alpha timberwolf gave off a low growl, getting closer to the ground as if she would attack. The others did the same, following the alpha with each of her movements.

“First things first. I apologize for what I did to all of you that night. I realize that it was wrong of me to try and kill you. You were only searching for a means of food.” Carter said, keeping his posture tall and orderly. "I understand that you are all primal creatures, which I now accept." The alpha wolf lowered her back towards the ground, now aware that he meant no harm. She gestured to the others to lower their guard, knowing that the two species were at a ease with each other, not seeking a battle.

“And you were only protecting your friends. We would have done the same. We were both just at the wrong ends of the relationship, but starting now, we are in union with you, dear stallion.” The alpha turned to her pack. “We all received your message from the one named Flint Masters. You seek aid in battle, do you not?”

“I do. I know it is rather rude of me to ask for your help with such a dangerous task, and I know that I have nothing to give you in return, but you are the best chance I have at beating this creature. I hear that your species has very excellent skills in hunting.” Carter stated, speaking with a calm tone and lively complements hoping to win over the timberwolves.

“We are known to have exceptional skills, yes. Once we find our prey, we do not lose it unless one of us is in jeopardy of dying.” The alpha said. Carter smirked, knowing that he had allies in this fight. “We know that you have nothing as payment, but we will fight with you nonetheless. As long as there is a threat to Equestria, it is our concern just as much as it is yours.”

“I appreciate this very much.” Carter said. To the right of the alpha, another timberwolf came and took a step closer to Carter. He looked at the alpha wolf, waiting for her to let him speak. She nodded towards her fellow timberwolf and he took a couple more steps towards the alicorn before speaking.

“There was another creature who wanted to aid you.” He said, a more grumbled voice revealing itself.

“Really? Who is it?” Carter inquired. The stallion hadn't the fondest idea, but was found rather excited, nonetheless.

“It was an anaconda. He found us traveling up the mountains in search of you. When we explained to him our reasoning for traveling, he was determined to come with us and help you on your quest.” The wolf held his right paw out towards Carter and revealed a green snake traveling up its back.

Conda?

“Hello, Carter.” The snake said.

“Conda, what are you doing here?” Carter asked. He stared at the anaconda with a raised eyebrow, perplexed by the uncanny series of events that led this snake to him.

“I am here to help you with your tas-s-sk.” Conda slithered off of the timberwolf’s back and came up right under Carter’s chin. The snake looked up to the alicorn, his black, beady eyes giving off a subjective cuteness to his presence. “You s-s-saved me and Flutters-s-shy from the wolves-s-s, s-s-so I only find it fair that I help protect you.” The snake smiled, flicking it's tail back and forth. "Cons-s-sider it my payment."

“I am owed nothing in return, Conda. But if you would still like to help out, that would be greatly appreciated.” Carter said, giving off a small smirk. "The choice is yours."

“I would be honored to aid you in battle. It would give me great joy knowing that my parent’s-s-s death was-s-s not in vain. I want to make them proud.” Conda spoke, nodding his head a few times in the middle of his speech.

“Very well.” Carter said, holding his hoof out towards the snake. “Welcome to the team, Conda.” The anaconda flicked its tongue in excitement and crawled up onto Carter’s body starting at his hoof. Conda mounted himself on Carter’s back and held his head high. “Alright. If it isn’t too much to ask, do you wolves have names?” The stallion looked to the timberwolves, awaiting some sort of reply. The alpha stepped forward, striking a heroic stance as she stood tall in front of her companions.

“I am Gaea, the leader of this pack. The one who revealed the snake to you is Cronus, my brother, and the other two wolves to my left are Theia and Hyperion." As she listed them off, they lowered their head to the ground, resembling a bow of sorts. "We are at your command, Carter. Anything you say or go shall be done.”

“What is it you plan on doing?” Theia asked.

“I don’t know exactly where this creature lurks within Tartarus, but I do know that it is somewhere there. It is our job to locate it and fight it.” Carter said. “Now, with that said, we mustn’t kill it unless the situation proves it to be absolutely necessary. Princess Twilight has made it clear that death will not be advised when it comes to vanquishing evil in Equestria. We must eliminate it as a threat, but not as a whole. Understood?”

“Understood, sir.” Gaea said. The other timberwolves nodded in agreement with their new leader. Carter turned towards the brimstone gate that stood in front of them. Their journey was close to beginning and the evil that laid just behind the doors felt evermore present the closer they got. As Carter peered over the mountain peek, he lifted his hoof and pulled his hood away from his face.

“We mustn’t fail. If we do, it may be the end of Equestria as we know it.”

The group made their way down the snow-covered mountain and proceeded towards the gate that contained Tartarus. The vicious weather proved to be a difficulty to overcome while they descended the steep terrain, but nothing they couldn't handle. While the red stallion resorted to finding rocks to step on in order to prevent a catastrophic fall to his death, the timberwolves had a rather easier time descending the mountain, using their sharp claws to keep themselves in place while they slid down.

Carter, leading the others down the path, looked off into the distance. He felt an unusual nervousness wipe over him, making him feel like something was wrong. The evil creature within the dark city may have proven to be more real than he would like to admit, as the feelings that overcame him radiating from the mere sight of the gates gave off an otherworldly vibe.

The troublesome journey down the mountain eventually came to a close once the group was able to completely see the gate of Tartarus. Its brimstone features laid across the doors, strange sketches engraved into the gate, resembling some sort of story. The picture resembled some sort of army fighting off a giant black mass that seemed to devourer all it touched. Unable to be deciphered, Carter still felt connected. The shape of the black mass felt almost familiar to him. He shook away the feeling, turning his attention back at the task at hand.

As they made their way closer to the gate, Carter realized that there were no guards protecting the entrance. This was rather unsettling, as he was sure that they’d have some means of defense while trying to enter. He knew that Twilight would've had them lined up in numbers on end. The timberwolves took note of this as well, sniffing out the area and trying to track down any other signs of nearby life. They expected to pick up a scent fairly quickly, but found themselves sniffing around for quite some time.

“We can’t pick up any scent.” Hyperion said, looking around for tracks, scents, anything. Nothing gave off any clues.

“No pony, or any creature for that matter, has made their way around this area for a while.” Cronus added, lifting his head and directing his comment more towards the alpha.

This is rather odd. I was sure that Twilight would have at least a couple soldiers scattered about to protect something as dangerous as this. If this isn't the case... Damn. How long has this been happening?

While the timberwolves continued sniffing around for any clues, Carter and Conda proceeded towards the door. He stepped closer to itz feeling an intense hear radiate from the gate. Once he was close enough to it, the red alicorn lifted his hoof out and pushed against the gates. A held back scream nearly erupted from Carter’s lungs as his hoof ignited into flames. Without a moment of hesitation, Carter drove his burning hoof into the snow beneath him in an attempt to cool the appendage. A heavy sigh came out of the stallion as he felt his hoof slowly lose the heat that damaged him greatly, steam escaping from the melting snow. He stomped on the ground with it, making sure that it was still usable. The pain in his hoof was a bit more than he hoped for, but was still a viable means of getting around.

“They really don’t want anyone even near this-s-s place.” Conda said. The timberwolf pack ran to Carter after hearing his cry of pain. They looked up at the brimstone gate that stood before them. They looked around for any signs of getting through, but found nothing resembling a lever or crank.

“How do we plan on getting through?” Theia inquired. She looked up and searched for anything that could open the gates. Carter focused his vision on a strange indent within the gates. Near the middle was a strange rune-like sketch within the brimstone exterior. Carter sighed to himself as it all made sense. He cursed to himself in silence.

“It’s a magical door. Only magic beings can open the door… at least, without getting hurt.” Carter said. He was ticked off, knowing that if he had known magic of any kind then perhaps he could get through. It felt as though one door would open yet another would appear, delaying the inevitable.

“I don’t suppose you know the spell to open the door, do you?” Gaea asked, keeping her eyes focused on the rune.

“I don’t know any magic.” Carter admitted. “However, it opens like any normal door. If we can find a way to open it physically without getting burned, then we might still have a chance.”

“But how?” Hyperion asked. “If what you’re saying is true, then how are we to open this? None of us are exactly fireproof.” Carter didn't want to admit it, but he figured that the timberwolves had a point. Perhaps this was a lost cause. To turn back no, so close to the start.

“No, not us. But we have our ways.” Carter said. He looked down at his satchel and grinned, an intelligent plan appearing in his brain. He threw it off of his body and held it out in front of him. A heavy breath of preparation escaped his mouth as he ran towards the gates of Tartarus. He pushed against the heavy doors with his hooves against his satchel, hearing the sizzling of burnt fabric coming from the other side of him.

Though his means of carrying items was burning rather quickly, the gate did prove to be opening with every step Carter took. The timberwolves noticed this and all lined up behind Carter. They lifted their front paws and pushed against the gates along with the red stallion. In a matter of seconds, Carter and the timberwolves were able to successfully open the gates, revealing the inner sanctums of Tartarus.

Carter looked down at his smouldering satchel. The side that absorbed all of the heat was left with only a thin layer of fabric keeping it together, a couple of small holes appeared around it like swiss cheese. He rubbed it around in the snow to cool it off before the whole thing fell apart.

Damn. I liked this thing. Maybe I can get Rarity to fix it? Either way, that'll have to wait.

“Good thinking, Carter.” Gaea said. “A nice way to save yourself from turning into a pile of coal.”

“We must keep moving. I still believe that the absence of any guards proves that something is wrong.” Carter stated.

“I agree.” Theia said. “I was thinking the same thing. It is unwise for the princess to leave this place unguarded.”

“Let’s get moving.” Carter ordered. The timberwolves followed closely behind the red alicorn, quickly making their way into the hellish landscape that was Tartarus. The world around them, though daunting at first glance, seemed almost too peaceful. No one was anywhere to be found. It felt empty. The atmosphere gave off the feeling of an evil presence watching them with every step they took. The intense hear that filled the area forced the creatures to sweat hard, sending beads of the salty liquids to the floor beneath them and evaporating on contact.

Many cages were found scattered around the place, looking as though they were once holding individual evils that once brought havoc upon Equestria and its citizens. They were all closed, not posing any concern to Carter that anything escaped.

“I am quite s-s-sus-s-specious-s-s, Carter.” Conda said, wiping the sweat from his brow with his tail.

“You said s like twelve times in that one word.” Carter said, laughing to himself.

“Carter, I am s-s-serious-s-s. I find it very dis-s-sturbing that there are no guards-s-s to be found anywhere.”

“I know, Conda. Just keep your eyes on a swivel. I don’t actually believe that we are the only ones here.” Carter keeped his focus behind him. “I can feel someone else. Someone… gah!” He fell to the ground, placing his hoof against his forehead.

“Carter, what is going on?” Gaea asked. “Are you feeling ok?”

“Just another… vision. Shouldn’t… take too long. Grr!” Carter said, fighting through the moderate pain that followed with every vision he endured. After a few moments the stallion was back on his hooves, looking to his right. Something was off.

“Carter, what did you see?” Gaea asked.

“I sense something unpleasant.” Carter replied. “It appears that whatever came into Tartarus did so long ago. Yet even then, it's presence stays within these walls without Twilight’s knowledge. I fear that this creature, whatever it is, has used Tartarus as a secret base of sorts.”

“What did your vision tell you?” Cronus inquired.

“We go right, down the hallway. If we do then it should give us the answers we seek.”

The group shifted directions, heading down a darkened tunnel, brightened by only a few torches along the walls. Carter and Conda surveyed the area in front of them while the timberwolves stayed in the rear, analyzing the surrounding areas in search of any clues. The extreme heat began to irritate the wolves, but Carter kept going without a hint of displeasement, having gone through this sort of thing multiple times back on Earth during various training regiments in extreme temperatures.

The hallway, though quite a bit longer than anyone could expect, eventually came to a dead end. Everyone was confused, especially Carter. If they were supposed to go this way then they should’ve expected to see something that would let them continue forward.

“Perhaps we missed something?” Theia questioned.

“Not likely. We would’ve noticed something if it was in our view.” Gaea said. “I wonder if it is hiding in secret.”

“How would this creature be hiding in Tartarus of all places without anyone knowing?” Hyperion inquired.

While the timberwolves questioned each other’s decisions, Carter and Conda proceeded towards the wall at the end of the hallway. Despite seeming like there was no way forward, Carter was sure that his vision was correct. He surveyed the wall, looking for anything that could help them. He placed his hooves against each individual brick, wondering if one of them would set off a chain reaction of machines that would reveal a secret entrance. To no avail, he continued searching.

Carter stopped himself after placing his hoof on one distinct portion of the bricks. The clopping sound that came from his hoof making contact with the brick wall echoed throughout what could only be interpreted as a giant open area on the other side of the wall. He smirked, knowing that he had figured out how to get past. He looked around for something big to help him break down the wall, but there was anything he could hold to aid him.

“Conda, get behind me.” Carter ordered.

“What are you planning to do?” The green snake inquired, making his way towards Carter’s backside. Carter said nothing more, balancing himself with his two back hooves and pulling his right forehoof back. The timberwolves looked at him, wondering if he had gone crazy. With much ferocity, Carter threw his hoof out at the wall. His hoof made contact, sending intense waves of pressure through his front arm. He pulled his hoof back, shaking it a few times to relieve the pain. He gritted his teeth, moderate irritation inflicted upon his hoof.

“What are you doing?” Conda inquired. The anaconda was in a loss for words. Nothing Carter was doing seemed even remotely necessary for the task at hand.

Not enough power. How can I get through?

Carter took a step back and placed his front hooves behind him. He moved his hind legs forward and took a stance. With the same energy as last time, he lifted both his hind hooves and threw them out in the style of a buck, similar to the one Applejack taught him. The boney appendages crashed into the wall, this time leaving an evident crack in the middle of the brick-made structure. Carter let his hooves fall back to the ground before turning towards the cracked wall.

The group took a step back, watching the cracks in the wall continuously grow in size, spidering outward. It eventually stopped once it enveloped the entirety of the dark bricks. Within a couple seconds the wall came crashing to the ground, crumbling itself into many smaller pieces of rock. Dust and dirt flew up into a cloud of smoke, surrounding the group and making it difficult to see the result of their efforts.

The dust cleared in time, revealing a giant hole in the wall that led into an entirely different, unexplored part of Tartarus. The new area looked rather worn down and destroyed compared to the ever hellish landscape seen beforehand. The look of the new area gave off an unwelcoming vibe, making Carter feel as though there was a reason that it was left blocked off. They could tell that no one stepped foot in this place for years... until recently.

“Well… that worked.” Hyperion said, staring at the gaping hole with a boggled expression. He let out a small chuckle, shaking his head after he fully processed Carter's actions. His ways of dealing with literal walls in his life, albeit unorthodox, seemed to work everytime.

“Let's continue forward.” Carter said, keeping his eyes focused on the surrounding area, looking for the creature. He dared not lower his guard, keeping himself occupied with the task.

The timberwolves followed Carter and Conda into the new Tartarus. Nothing, not even cells that held evil creatures were found from where they could see. They thought that it was strange that there were no guards or anything in the other room, but this place felt like the epitome of empty. It was what Carter considered to be the cliche “Quiet… too quiet.”

The red alicorn found himself turning his attention towards a giant stone sculpture of three alicorns. Their stoic stances gave off an image of high respect and authority. They seemed to be the early rulers of Equestria, striking a rather strong resemblance to Celestia and Luna.

The first one on the left was a darker stallion, clad in golden armor and with the cutie mark of the stars along his rump. The second, standing in the middle, was a bright mare, white as day while her outline resembled more of an orange color tone. She too was clad in golden armor, though instead had a galaxy like the milky way as her cutie mark. Finally, the stallion on the right was a much taller, skinnier creature. His green color scheme gave off a rather contrasting tone compared to the other two ponies, who they themselves seemed to complement each other. He looked as though he dressed himself with nature, woven leaves and twigs covering his body.

Carter looked down at an old piece of parchment resting atop a wooden post. The stallion walked towards it and focused his eyes upon the text written along faded lines. Perhaps it would give him the next clue he needed in order to find this creature.

Does thine proud leaders, triumphant and glorious as can be, stand tall over the vast outskirts of Tartarus. It is here that any and all evil shall be damned to an eternity of exile. Under thine proud and just leadership thou hast provided us with, our lords shall reign over all ye who pursue anything but unity.
King Cosmos, thou black master of the stars. Originating as a humble unicorn, he brings forth thine bright dots in the sky to represent images of things big and small in hopes that thou could enlighten his subjects in dire times. King Cosmos also controls the weather, keeping harsh environments far away from us.
Queen Galaxia, thou keeper of the void. Her interest with space as a young pegasus foal granted her the immeasurable power to keep away debris from space that would otherwise harm the very existence of our lands. It is by her hooves that we live each day in peace. She raises the sun and moon each day, gifting us with the beauty found in thine bright days and luminous nights.
Our most grand ruler, King Terra, commands thou soil of the lands. It is through his connection with the earth ever since his days as a humble earth pony that our crops grow and flourish. He aids the land by devising new ways of living, advancing our race further into the future with each day that goes by.
It is by the power of the Unity Stone that we unite thine three races and hopefully damn the wendigos from ever feeding upon our hatred and anger ever again. While our three species clash against one another, I seek hope. It is written that if the Unity Stone were to ever be wielded in the wrong hooves, all of Tartarus will be unleashed upon us. It is by this that we fight for our kind and our land, in hope that we will one day rise above our differences, banish evil, and unleash our true potential once and for all. Most have given up, but thine hope will never diminish.

Carter found himself rather intrigued by the message. His mind was filled with a vivid picture of an early Equestria. It was interesting to know that earth ponies, pegasi, and unicorns alike used to at one point separate themselves from each other. It reminded him of Earth; the human race found separated by their differences instead of accepting them and adapting to the situation.

“They were once split? The ponies?” Carter asked.

“Yes. It was many moons ago that three brave ponies overcame the evils of the wendigos through friendship and saved their entire species. Under the new rule of Celestia and Luna, the ponies have lived in harmony because of them.” Gaea explained.

“But now that evil has seemingly appeared to exact revenge upon them, it would seem that this so-called harmony might not stay.” Theia commented.

“What was this Unity Stone?”

“Don’t look at us. We have never heard of such a power.” Hyperion stated.

It's so interesting to see so many similarities between the ponies and the humans. Perhaps I have seen things through the eyes of an infant for far too long. Friendship of all things giving us power? Ha! I would've never guessed. Yet, even then, it makes sense.

Carter, lost in his own mind, simply shrugged it off and turned around, but not before taking the piece of parchment and placing it inside of his burnt up satchel, thinking that Twilight might want to read it when he returns. If she knew about the Unity Stone, then perhaps it could help him get back to Earth. But that would have to wait.

“Uh… Carter! You might want to see this!” Gaea said, pointing her paw out towards a giant structure made entirely out of iron bars that stood just beyond a giant lava river. Within said bars encapsulated thousands of near-dead ponies. The exhausted, dried out beings cried out for help, begging to be set free. The cries that reverberated within Tartarus sounded just like the ones Carter heard in his visions.

Carter knew he was close. Upon oberserving the area, there was a giant ball of black crystals that expelled numerous amounts of dark tentacles, each one leaching themselves onto different victims at random times, sucking the limited life out of their bodies. As each victim watched the tentacles search for a new target, they prayed to Celestia in hopes that it wouldn’t be them next in line.

“Is this what we are looking for?” Hyperion asked.

“That is the machine, yes. I cannot find the one responsible, though.” Carter stated. “Keep your eyes peeled. From this point on we are being watched. I have a strong feeling that it won't continue to be this easy.”

The group ran over to the cell, crossing over a tedious bridge that granted access over the lava river. The creaking from the wood that echoed throughout all of Tartarus with each step they took gave off an unnerving feeling of peril. With patience the group soon found themselves on the other side of the bridge, safe and sound. Sighs of relief escaped the different creatures as they proceeded towards the machine.

Carter walked over to the giant black crystal ball that loomed above him. He looked straight at it with content, searching it for a while, trying to identify any means of disabling its destructive capabilities. He found no means of turning the machine off, so he decided to go with Plan B: break it.

“You there, young stallion!” Carter turned his head over his shoulder, revealing an old grey mare, laying on the ground with her decrepit limbs out in front of her. “It has been a while since anyone has found us!” Her voice sounded needy, almost reaching out for help by itself. “Will you free us?”

Carter said nothing, looking up at the machine again. His heart wanted him to comfort her, but he assumed that they would be caught at any moment.

“Please, dear boy! We have been stuck here for moons on end. We just want to see our families again! Please… please let us out!!!”

The red alicorn found a vial of black energy located near the center of the machine. It had small notches that measured the amount of energy. However, to Carter’s surprise, it wasn’t measured in standard ounces or pounds, but rather years. The energy had just hit the fifteen year mark.

It suddenly hit him. All of it, in an instant, suddenly made sense to him. Looking back at all of the ponies held within their respective cages gave him enough information to work around. His eyes widened in horror, appalled by what the truth had revealed to him.

Fifteen years! It has really been fifteen years since they have been outside of Tartarus!? How the hell has nopony found out about this!?

Carter was at a loss for words, his jaw left agape. He tried to fathom an explanation as to how they have lived in agony for so long. Everyday he lived in Equestria felt like, in his words, shit got more intense.

“We must destroy this thing!!!” Carter shouted with an intense volume, startling the timberwolves and Conda. He took notice of this, shaking his head and trying to calm his sudden rage.

“Carter, your eyes! They are green!” Gaea shouted, pointing to the stallion’s iris’. Carter took a step back in shock. His eyes have always been normal, except for the time he was corrupted by the Darth Spawn.

Wait a minute!

Carter looked up at the blakc crystal again, analyzing its features. Without any warning, many images fogged his mind, filling his brain with visions yet again. This time, he saw the IFRE leader standing in front of him. Carter’s body was strapped onto a metal table.

“Damnit, Samuel! This is not you; the Samuel I know would never do something like this!”

“Something like this? Carter, my dear friend, this is the future. The Darth Spawn wants what it wants, and what it wants is what it shall receive. Now, if you could just stand still, I will now be injecting the Darth Spawn inside of you.”

“No, no. Fuck you, Samuel. Stop this right now!”

“Shut up and stand still, Carter. You may feel the need to kill people on sight, don’t worry, that is why we test things.”

“No! No no no no no… no! Fuck!”
Carter snapped back into reality. Looking back at the black crystal, it was evident that it was the one thing that Carter dreaded more than anything else. It was the Darth Spawn. Sitting atop the machine in its former glory, Carter could feel its dark energy slowly corrupt his mind. He was now determined to destroy the machine and the Darth Spawn, not just to free the ponies, but to stop himself from turning into a bloodthirsty beast like last time. He knew that if it were to happen to him yet again, the results would be exponentially worse.

Carter would hear the voice corrupt him yet again, feeding him vile thoughts and corrosive feelings. He pushed them all aside, focusing his full attention on the machine.

“Conda, I need you to group up with the timberwolves. I can’t let you stick with me.” Carter ordered.

“Why? Carter, I am nervous-s-s. What is-s-s happening?” Conda inquired timidly, pulling his head in closer to the rest of his body.

“This thing corrupts all who touch it. If anything happens to me... I can’t let the same thing happen to you.” Carter explained.

“Ok… if you in-s-ssis-s-st.” Conda slithered off of Carter’s body and traveled up Hyperion’s, climbing up his legs and resting on top of his back.

“What is it you are choosing to do to stop it, Carter?” Gaea asked.

“I have to destroy it. There is nothing I can do to stop it, not physically. I think I just have to destroy it.”

“Ok. Just, be careful.” Theia said.

Carter nodded to the timberwolves before turning towards the Darth Spawn and wrapping his hooves around it. He lifted with his hind legs, forcing the machine out of the ground. As the machine lost its power, the black tentacles that were sucking the energy out of the ponies no faded, restoring all of their strength. Carter continued to lift the machine out of the ground, and with no time wasted, it was completely in his grasp. He made his way over to the lava river, staring down upon it with a menacing look.

All right, you son of a bitch. Your reign of terror ends here.

Carter lifted the machine over his head and threw it over his body, watching it fall into the lava below. The machine exploded into a multitude of different pieces, sending them all towards different directions. Carter just stood on the edge, watching the havoc and destruction of the vile machine fade to nothing. He felt all of the dark energy leave his body, letting him know that the Darth Spawn was no more. Content with what he saw, he proceeded to turn back towards the others, knowing that victory was with him.

A sudden pain shot through him, rendering him immobile. Carter fell to the floor, shutting his eyes closed as he fought through the pain, shouting to the others for help. When he opened his eyes, he saw that Conda and the timberwolves were in a similar situation. A blue aura surrounded them all, the rays of the magic all pointing to a blue ram with a black bell of sorts connected to a golden chain which dangled from his neck.

“Grogar!” Carter shouted, knowing the name from Twilight’s stories of Equestrian past. His senses kicked into overdrive, understanding just how much of a threat Grogar proved to be during his reign of terror.

“You have been just a real pain, you know that?” The ram said, pulling the stallion closer to him with his magic. “What’s wrong, little colt? Did you think that unicorns were the only ones capable of wielding magical powers?”

“You bastard! I should’ve guessed.” Carter muttered under his breath, staring down at the blue ram with a vengeful look in his eyes. "You best be damn lucky that I am not looking for trouble, or else I'd have your head rest upon my fireplace."

“But how could you? I have the magic, not you! You are a mere fool if you think that you can take down the likes of me.” Grogar said, taunting the red alicorn.

Carter looked over at the others, watching as the timberwolves all whimpered in pain. He hated seeing them in distress, grunting to himself. With dark emotions filling his mind, the stallion erupted in a violent rage, forcing his hoof towards Grogar’s face. It connected with much force, putting the blue ram in a dazed state, breaking the spell that he had set around them.

The timberwolves all got up and growled at Grogar, who was still recovering from the painful punch that Carter dealt to him. They went in for the attack, but Carter stopped them before they could act. They turned their attention to him.

“You guys need to leave, his magic is too powerful.” Carter looked for a way out, but there was none in sight. “You four, go and protect the other ponies. Don’t let a single one of them die! Conda, you need to group up with me. I can't do this alone.” The timberwolves all nodded, running over to regroup near the cages. They turned their backs, protecting the ponies inside of their imprisonment.

Grogar saw this take place and shot out blue magic to stop them. Carter intervened before the spell could take full effect, jumping on top of Grogar, having Conda wrap around his neck and forcing him to the ground. Carter landed three successful hooks to his face before the ram used a shockwave of magic to push Carter and Conda off of him. Carter landed on his hooves and readied himself for another attack. Conda luckily landed on Carter's back, holding tightly onto the stallion as he awaited his next move.

It was all too much for the red alicorn to think about. On one hand, he knew that he stood no chance against his magic, but on the other hand, he knew that he had to win or else the ponies behind the iron bars would surely die by Grogar, especially now that he was exposed. He needed to think of a plan and fast.

Carter looked past his enemy and found a rock buried in the ground with steam forcing itself through the cracks. He analyzed it, revealing to him that the rock wanted to shoot itself into the air. It was his only hope of standing a chance against this creature.
If this works, this'll probably be the craziest thing I have ever done.

The moment when Grogar sent his magic out at Carter was the moment Carter made a mad dash towards the ram. The two forces connected, clashing against each other. Carter’s forceful pressure, though his fur was getting burned by the harmful magic beam, proved to be stronger, eradicating the beam all together with a massive blue explosion and forcing the stallion to push the ram onto his side with his shoulder.

Carter gritted his teeth through the pain and took this time to get Grogar right where he wanted him. He grabbed a hold of his hind hooves and flipped Grogar over his head and onto his stomach, landing right on the rock. The loud snap that came from the rock gave Carter the knowledge that it was just about ready to blow. He ran over and grabbed Grogar’s head. He lifted it up and forced it downward. Conda wrapped his body around Grogar's front legs, biding them behind him.

Grogar stopped himself from meeting the ground with his head and flicked his back legs out at Carter in an attempt to kick him away. Carter dodged swiftly away from the attack and wrapped his front legs around the ram. His actions proved to be poorly chosen, however, as Grogar took advantage of him by flipping his body over and forcing Carter onto the bottom position. Conda kept his hold on Grogar, never planning on letting go unless Carter ordered otherwise.

“Give up, boy! Ack! You stand no chance!” Grogar mocked. Conda moved up to his throat, blocking oxygen coming into his lungs.

“Are you sure about that!?” Carter shouted violently. He kicked the rock beneath him and watched his whole body get shot into the air. With Grogar in front of him, he avoided most of the impact that came with forcing his way through Tartarus.

The timberwolves could do nothing but watch as their leader was whisked away by some eruption. The giant hole in the ceiling that lead to the outside world shone upon the ponies, giving them all a sense of hope. The timberwolves were left clueless with what to do now.

“Do we go after them?” Hyperion asked.

“No, we have no way to know where they are!” Theia shouted.

“What do we do, Gaea?” Cronus inquired.

“We do what he says. Protect the ponies.” Gaea stated. “Until he returns, we do not move from this spot.” Though she tried hard to keep calm, there was no denying that this ram was much more than they expected.

Author's Note

Oh shoot. Grogar has arrived!

Epic boss battle coming in the next chapter. Unlike Pinkie Pie's, this one is gonna have a lot more action.

Small side note, this chapter in particular was the last one I revised as many times as I did since "Chapter 8: Want Some More Tea, Mister?" I hope it payed off, because damn, choosing to edit things yourself is difficult at times. I always have moments where I look back and tell myself, "really?"

But yeah, comment and like as always. Thanks for sticking with me through this story!

Peace,

-MCX

Chapter 17: At Doom's Gate

Carter and Conda flew through the air, hitting speeds so fast that it was able to throw off their equilibrium. The red alicorn held tightly onto Grogar, Conda aiding him by keeping his throat closed by wrapping his body around it. While they passed by high-raised clouds, Carter delivered multiple cross punches on Grogar’s face, pulling his forehoof back behind him as he charged each punch, putting the evil ram into a daze. He continued throwing out punches, preventing Grogar from using his magic. This helped the two feel like they had a fair chance of winning.

They soon felt themselves begin to lose altitude, descending towards the surface. In the far distance, Carter identified Cloudsdale coming in the way of their trajectory. It was gonna be a rough landing. Carter placed his hind hooves against Grogar’s stomach and pushed downward, sending the ram down towards the surface beneath them. Conda let go of the ram just before Carter kicked him, slithering up to Carter's backside. Grogar shouted, flailing his hooves around as he watched the grass below get increasingly closer to him.

Above the clouds, Carter looked for a way to make his impending landing at least a bit more survivable. He surveyed the area, trying to find anything soft to land on. He took note that he was heading towards the Wonderbolts base. Knowing from Rainbow Dash that new recruits would often come to train here, there was a high likelihood of finding-.

“Carter, there is-s-s a cras-s-sh pad.” Conda said, pointing his head towards a giant trampoline of sorts.

“Already on it.” Carter replied. He turned his body towards the crash pad, aligning himself with it so that he would have a chance at landing on it upon collision. However, it didn’t take him long to realize that they were losing altitude too quickly. He had to come up with something, but nothing came to mind.

Wait a minute. My wings!

Carter looked back at his feathered appendages. It came to his realization that they were his only hope of survival. With the little knowledge he had about flying and the feeling of sheer dread rushing through him, he let his wings spread out at opposite ends of his body. He felt the intense wind hit him with much force, which screwed up his path of travel, but he quickly corrected himself before it was too late to act. He felt his fall slow a bit, giving him a sense of hope. Though he couldn't gain altitude, he made sure that he wasn't losing any.

The red alicorn kept his eyes on the target area, keeping his wings as still as possible to prevent anything catastrophic even having the smallest chance of occurring. The distance between the two and the crash pad was closing gradually, the anxiety of the entire event growing within them both.

“I don’t s-s-suppos-s-se you can jus-s-st fly us-s-s down there, can you?” Conda inquired, feeling unsure about Carter’s desired method of landing.

“I am afraid I am incapable of doing so, Conda.” Carter said, bracing himself for a painful collision point. “Get ready, we are gonna crash!”

The two creatures smashed themselves into the trampoline-like crash pad, ramming their bodies into its air inflated rubber mass. To their misfortune, the force of their impact was too strong, resulting in the crash pad blowing up and releasing all of its once encapsulated air fairly quickly. Still, the now deflated crash pad did its work, lessening the pain of their landing.

Carter was left lying on the ground, a slight grunt of pain escaping his mouth. He rolled over on his back and onto his side, moving different body parts to see if there were any serious injuries, to which there were none. He heard a hiss come from behind him. He looked over his shoulder and found Conda squished underneath the stallion.

“Oh shoot, Conda!” Carter exclaimed, jumping to his hooves and letting the anaconda slither its way out of the small crater they created upon impact. Conda was in bad shape, many bruises appeared along his scaly body. Carter knelt down and held out his hoof to aid the snake. “You feeling okay?”

“I'm quite fine, I s-s-swear.” Conda said, sprawling his body out in front of him. “That was not the kind of thing I was expecting when I joined you. Albeit, I know we had no choice.” The snake let out a bit of laughter, a couple hisses pushed out in between breaths. Carter shook his head with a smirk on his face and grabbed the anaconda. He picked him up and placed him on his back.

“We should be lucky that we landed on this crash pad. If we were to land on clouds, I am pretty sure that we’d fall right through and meet our doom.” Carter said, pointing over towards the cloudy runway near them.

“Well, I would. You would be fine, considering that you are part pegasus.” Conda corrected.

“Oh yeah, huh…” Carter said. He forgot the fact that he could walk on clouds. Thinking about it, he wondered if it would've been a softer landing if he aimed for the clouds.

They required time to catch their breath, but that moment of peace was quickly snatched from them when they saw the shadow of an ominous figure hover above them. They turned around and found Grogar floating in the air. He looked different, this time having very bright wings along his back. They were similar to the ones Twilight spoke of; wings that could be made by means of magic. Grogar looked down upon them and laughed maniacally.

“You insipid fools! You really thought that you could take me out so easily? I am not some henchmen, dear boy… I am the almighty Grogar!” Grogar stared at them with a hellish fire almost literally visible in his eyes. “Your actions have doomed Equestria. I didn’t want to have to do this, but you leave me no choice! I am going straight towards Canterlot and destroying Twilight Sparkle and her friends once and for all!”

“No! I won’t allow this, Grogar!” Carter shouted, anger filling his fighting spirit. “Come down here and face me like a real man, or you will die a coward!”

“Um, how about you come up and here and get me… oh wait, you can’t!” Grogar let out another booming laugh. “To think that you are the one that is supposed to save Equestria? Oh my gosh, go ahead and try, dear boy. I will await the time you can even manage to fly! Ahahaha!”

With that, Grogar fled the scene, heading straight towards Canterlot. Carter began to feel panic overflow inside him. Twilight would not be prepared for the likes of him, and he didn’t want anything ruining their special holiday. He ran after Grogar, knowing deep down that there was no way that he could even dream of catching up to him at the pace he was traveling. He fell to the cloudy ground beneath him, jaw left agape as he thought about the destruction and devastation that would be brought upon Equestria because he let Grogar escape.

Think, Carter, think! How the hell can I reach Twilight before he arrives…?

Carter lifted his head and turned his attention towards the Wonderbolts base. He had an idea appear in his head. He could perhaps get one of the Wonderbolts to send an emergency message to the princess before Grogar arrived. It was what he could see as his only hope.

With haste, Carter ran over towards the base, not letting a single second go to waste. He had to do something, as this was the only thing he could think of. He walked up to the front doors and tried to open it. The doors were locked. He knocked on the door with force, pleading for somepony to come outside. Carter saw a most unfortunate sign below him, hanging from a chain that was bolted onto the door.

Closed! Damnit, no! No!

Carter banged his hoof against the door in anger and swore to himself. He growled as he continued pounding against the door. The one chance he had at saving Equestria from doom was now gone. It was a horrible feeling knowing that he potentially pushed this upon the inhabitants. What he originally thought was just a simple task from the visions now proved to be something much greater than he could even comprehend.

“Carter…” Conda started. “you like adventure, right?”

“Yeah? Why do you ask me that at a time like this?” Carter inquired, shaking his head in frustration.

“There may be another way to stop this.” He pointed his head towards a large contraption out in the distance called the Dizzytron. It was a ginormous circular machine with a smaller circle within it for pegasus ponies to practice regaining balance during training. Carter smiled. There was still hope yet.

“Do you know how dangerous that idea is?” Carter asked.

“Yes-s-s… but I do believe you know it too.” Conda replied, smiling back at the giddy stallion.

“You know damn well I understand. Let’s get moving.” Carter and Conda raced over towards the Dizzytron. Once nearby, Carter climbed up into the cockpit and readied himself for what would probably be the most stressful moment of his life. Conda slithered his way over to the lever, awaiting for Carter’s signal. “You pull the lever, Conda. Once I am launched, wait here until I return.”

“Ready when you are.” Conda shouted. Carter nodded to the snake, holding tightly onto the metal bar in front of him that held his body in place. With no time to lose, Conda used his tail to pull on the lever. After a few mechanical shafts clicked into position, the machine began to spin Carter in a circle, giving him a rather dizziness right on the spot. The two of them waited as the Dizzytron slowly built up speed, maxing out at a rapid rate.

“Pull the lever, Conda!” Carter shouted, hearing nothing but wind blast through his eardrums. Conda pulled back on the second lever and waited to see Carter fly into the skies above. Nothing of the like happened. Instead, the Dizzytron built up more speed. Conda panicked and looked at the monitor. The speedometer went up from tortoise to skulls. “Wrong lever, Conda!” Carter shouted, feeling his sickness grow within him.

“Ah! S-s-sorry!” Conda shouted, switching positions and pulling back on the last lever. In a flash, Carter’s entire being was sent flying out into the night sky, speeding past the clouds at an astonishing rate. Carter was long past Conda’s field of view within a few seconds. Conda began hyperventilating, collapsing to the ground almost instantly, yet still making sure that he wouldn’t fall through the clouds next to him. “Oh my gos-s-sh… what have I jus-s-st done to him!?” He said, breathing in and out rapidly.

Carter immediately regretted his decision. At the speeds he was traveling, he was sure that he’d be dead by the time he first hit the ground. Tears filled the outlines of his squinted eyes as the intensity of the winter winds pressed themselves against his face. He couldn’t find any signs of Grogar, which only made him more concerned. At least on Earth, Carter was never one to truly express his emotions, as he felt as though there were rarely times meant for that. But right now, he was not afraid to, as he shouted in panic as he continued zipping through the sky.

A familiar blue color scheme caught his attention. Carter turned his head towards it and focused his vision upon the splotch of color. It was Grogar. He furrowed his brow and grinned. Carter had the ram right where he wanted him, now it was just a matter of not missing his target. Even as his hope grew, he realized that he did not think this of his through. He saw Grogar, sure, but what exactly was he planning on doing was beyond his current understanding. He felt foolish, regretting his choices all the more.

I have no choice. Damnit, Carter… next time get a brain.

With Grogar right in front of him, Carter, shooting through the air like a bullet, aligned himself with the blue ram, forelegs out in front of him. The moment came and Carter grabbed onto Grogar from behind. Grogar looked back and scoffed at the stallion who piggy-backed on him.

“Fool! You just don’t know when to quit, do you?” Grogar shouted.

“It’s funny, really. You have been alive for quite a few centuries, and yet you dare ask me that question!?” Carter shouted. Carter lifted his hoof in the air to deliver a quick jab. Before it could connect, Grogar used his magic to push Carter off of himself, but the stallion stayed on, wrapping himself tightly around the blue ram’s body.

“You will wish you were dead by the time I am done with you!” Grogar exclaimed, feeling rather annoyed by Carter’s persistence.

“Better me than them!” Carter quickly took this time to get up and do something probably regretful, not unlike everything else he had done up to this point. He reached out and grabbed a hold of Grogar’s magical wings.

“Boy, what are you doing!?” Grogar shouted, realizing Carter’s intentions.

“Catch you on the rebound.” With that, Carter pulled Grogar’s wings right off of his body. They detached in an instant, resolving into nothing but magic particles that melted away in the air. The two soon found themselves beginning the fall towards the surface, just was Carter wanted.

“Incompetant fool. You think you have won? I can just make more wings with my-” Carter jumped off and roundhouse kicked the evil ram right under his chin, forcing Grogar towards the surface much faster. Now a few meters from each other, Carter narrowed his body to speed up to the ram. Freefalling their way downward, Carter kept eyes on his target the entire way down.

Nearing the snow beneath them with every passing second, Carter reached out to grab Grogar, but the blue ram used his magic to push him far away from him. Carter spun out of control, unable to recover due to his lack of flight knowledge. He saw nothing but the blurs of snow and grass appear beneath him, growing in size as he fell.

A loud puff of snow erupted from where Carter landed. To his surprise, nothing about him was off. He found himself at the bottom of a large mound of snow, unharmed, uninjured, and still alive. He exhaled a sigh of relief, pushing himself out of the snow and up to the surface.

Once above the thick layer of snow, Carter surveyed his surroundings, looking for Grogar. While he couldn’t find the ram, he did spot rocks put into large piles. He spotted a lot of rock piles. There were rocks as far as the eye could see.

A rock farm? What the hell?

Carter heard some noises coming from behind him. He turned around with haste, expecting to find Grogar coming out of the snow. He was instead met with a large beam of blue magic that was shot right towards him. The pain he felt was immeasurable, the feeling was unlike anything he had ever felt before. Dealing with magic was not something he ever thought he would fight, yet here he was, lying on the ground, seething with rage as he was forced to the dirt beneath him by an intense beam of magic.

“You cannot win this! I have told you for the last time.” Grogar said, pushing the beam upon Carter with even more force. The stallion shouted in pain as it filled his entire body. “You have proved to me that if I don’t take care of you now then you will just annoy me throughout my entire journey. Quite frankly, I can’t have that.”

The magic beam shot from Grogar’s bell shaped necklace slowly began to enfuse itself into Carter’ being, as if he was subconsciously absorbing it by choice. Grogar saw this happening, expecting nothing more. He laughed aloud as he continued torturing the stallion.

“They were right about you. It appears that you do indeed carry the Darth Spawn.” Grogar said. The more Grogar’s magic was infused into Carter’s body, the more Carter was being corrupted by the black rock within him. His eyes returned to a state of green and his voice dropped. “Funny, the very thing they tried to fight so long ago now finds its way back to Equestria through you. What kind of friend would do that?”

“Ahhhh!” Carter found it difficult to deal with the immense pain inflicted upon him at every given moment. He felt himself grow in anger and hatred as the magic took control of him. The malicious voice took over his conscience, delivering sinful and dishonorable thoughts into himself.

“Accept it, boy! Your time to join the cause is at hand. It will not be long from now when you will finally understand your place in the magical world you so call home.”

“Shut up! Shut up!” Carter’s color slowly began changing from red to a dark black. The Darth Spawn seemed to corrupt him faster than the last time, just as Star Swirl had said. Carter continued fighting the dark entity, but Grogar’s magic was making the process much more difficult. It felt pointless. Last time he underwent corruption, it took the entirety of the ponies to help him recover, but to do it by himself with the Darth Spawn itself along with Grogar’s magic doing this seemed damn near impossible.

“Well now,” Grogar started, a dark smile spreading across his face. “the mighty ‘hero’ falls. Such a shame, too. I was expecting so much more.” He spoke softly, as if he wasn’t even giving it his all. “Soon, Equestria will fall, and you will have no one to blame for it but yourself. Ironic, isn't it? You just wanted to protect them, but you've instead doomed them all.”

“No, no it won’t!” Carter shouted.

“Yep, and they will have no one to blame but yourself.”

“I will not fail them! I can’t!”

“Oh, but you already have. You feel it happening. The Darth Spawn’s powers are not to be misjudged. It will take control of you, or kill you if it can’t. Whichever one happens, I don’t care.” Grogar laughed, peeking his magic to its maximum. “What a shame… what a shame. What would the others think when they see Twilight Sparkle’s head on a platter."

“RRAAGGHH!!!” Carter shouted in anger with the most violent tone ever heard. Grogar stumbled back, keeping the magical beam shooting out at the stallion, yet still feeling rather startled by the alicorn's sudden outburst. Carter's black body now changed to white, shining across the landscape with a bright glow. Carter pushed himself off of the ground, yelling at the blue ram with extreme anger. Grogar was feeling nervous; Carter seemed to not only fight the Darth Spawn, but also use its powers to fight against Grogar's magic.

"What have you done!?" Grogar shouted, stepping away from the agitated alicorn at a faster speed while Carter continued closing in on him. Carter roared with a growl in his voice. In time, Carter, still shaking from the powers of the beam, lifted his front hoof and sent it straight out towards Grogar. The impact of this particular punch sent Grogar flying across the rock farm, smashing his body into a giant silo.

Carter, filled with rage, lifted his head up towards the sky, shouting as loud as he could into the night sky. Grogar, far across the other side of the area, got up to his hooves, shaking off all of the debris that fell on him after smashing into the metal silo behind him. He charged up a ball of energy and shot it out at Carter. With an ultimate fury residing within him, Carter yelled at the top of his lungs, releasing an unknown blast of magic surrounded by a red aura from his horn. The two forces collided, resulting in a concussive wave of magic exploding outwards, knocking the two off their hooves and away from each other.

Laying across the ground, Carter lifted his head, placing his hoof over his eye once he felt a sharp pain arise. He looked across the rock farm, finding Grogar in a state of shock and panic. Grogar was fumbling around in the dirt, going through what looked like pieces of metal. It took a few moments before Carter understood what was happening, but he let out a small laugh while he got up when it all made sense to him.

“How!? No pony could ever have the powers to do this!” Grogar shouted. The bell that gave him magical powers was now nothing but shards of the past, layered atop the dirt beneath them. “Unless… you are not a pony! Oh, Gods! What are you? What the heck are you!?”

“I don’t know what I am, but I will destroy you! I will have vengeance for what you have done to all of those ponies so long ago! You will not see the light of day ever again!” Carter shouted, his eyes changing from green to white.

“You cannot win, I will triumph. It is my destiny!” Grogar shouted.

“I don’t believe in what others have predicted, only what is fact.” Carter placed his hooves on the dirt floor, pushing them against the earth. “Your reign of terror ends here, Grogar! No pony, nor any creature, will fall to your hooves anymore!”

Grogar ran at the stallion, driven by fear to act without thinking. Carter, rage still felt within his soul, rolled under him as the ram attempted a jumping kick. With haste, Carter looked back and bucked him in the side, forcing him to the ground. Carter jumped on top of him and threw out a flurry of punches to his abdomen and face, blood spilling from the wounds that followed.

Grogar grabbed Carter by the neck and lifted him off the ground, spinning him around in a circle before throwing him away from his current position. Carter landed on his hooves, picking up a rock and throwing it straight at the blue ram with a mighty throw. It smacked him in the jaw, a loud crack echoing around the vicinity. Grogar let out a cry of pain, shaking it off and holding a stance.

Carter took this chance to get Grogar in a disadvantage. He leapt out at the ram and tackled him to the ground again, this time taking a nearby rock and smashing it against Grogar’s left foreleg. The impact forced his leg into the ground, keeping him immobile for the time being. Carter punched him across the face with two consecutive jabs before retreating. The rage infused alicorn headed towards the giant rock silo. Once there, he placed his hooves underneath the lip of the silo and lifted upward with his backegs.

Grogar watched as the silo slowly fell towards him. He struggled where he layed, shaking in place, trying desperately to get his leg out of the dirt. He pulled back with all his might, wanting to get away from the falling monstrosity. Carter, with a loud grunt, threw his hooves over his head and watched the silo fall to the ground.

The impact of the fallen silo created a loud boom across the area, sending dust and dirt flying all around it. Carter held his hooves up to his eyes, blocking the debris from hitting his face. He leaned into the direction of the silo, getting sent back a bit as the impact created a moderate shockwave. Once it died down, Carter looked around at his surroundings. He found no signs of Grogar. It would seem that the battle was over in his favor. He had won. He had beaten the likes of Grogar. Content with his victory, Carter turned back, heading towards Tartarus to free the encapsulated ponies.

“This is the last straw!!!” Carter turned around instantly, watching Grogar blast through the interior of the metal silo with ease. He rushed the stallion, holding his front hooves out in front of him. Carter reacted with the same thing, stopping the attack and pushing Grogar’s hooves with his own. The two met face to face, pushing against each other with extreme force. “I have allowed this insolence to last for too long!” Their combined forces began to split the land around them in two, leaving a crack in the earth where they stood.

Grogar lifted his hoof and punched Carter square in his horn. A most devastating pain shot through him, forcing him to falter backwards. Grogar led up with a mighty buck, sending his back hooves out towards his adversary. Carter dodged with ease, grabbing onto his hindlegs, flipping him over his head and onto the ground. Carter followed with a kick of his own, this one making contact with his intended target. The ram quickly got to his hooves and rammed the stallion with his horns. Carter fell onto the ground, Grogar stood over him in defiance.

“Give up, boy. That weak body of yours will give out, and I will-” Grogar shouted in pain as Carter placed a rock in his hoof and threw it out at him. “Errgh! Darn rocks!” Carter jumped up and kicked the villainous ram right under his chin, whipping his head back and sending him backward. The red alicorn swung his leg underneath Grogar, kicking him off of his hooves. Grogar quickly recovered before Carter could act, sending the two back to equal positions.

“You won’t get away with this.” Carter said, smiling to himself.

“How could you possibly hope to defeat me!?” Grogar shouted, feeling fatigued.

“I am not here to defeat you, just keep you in place.”

“What?” Carter kicked backwards, shifting himself away from Grogar’s current position. “What are you doing?” Grogar was feeling rather unsure about Carter’s choices, wondering if this was some sort of retreat. He soon felt something bite down on his shoulder. He cried in pain, flailing around in a futile attempt to rid himself of whatever it was that was biting him. He felt the jaws of the attacker release. Grogar turned around and found a group of timberwolves, along with an anaconda, standing right in front of him, snarling at him with their frothy teeth showing. "How did they get here?"

"Flint gave us special medallions. They used them in case we ever got split up."

"Ergh!"

"I know it sounds like a toon of bullshit, but there is a reason that friendship is so powerful. For example, we as a group will whoop your solo ass!" Carter taunted.

"Cute, but it will take more than this to defeat me!" Grogar exclaimed.

"You talk too much!"

Carter and Conda devised a well planned attack. Carter threw out a jab that didn't come nearly close enough to hit Grogar, but that part was planned. Conda took the chance to slither across Carter's foreleg and stretch out towards the ram. Conda's head rammed against Grogar's, forcing the ram back a bit.

The timberwolves followed up with many slashes from their clawed paws, Gaea leading the pack as they rained down a flurry of scratches upon him. Grogar, unable to use magic, felt overpowered by the advantages number of creatures around him. He tried to fight back, but his attempts proved futile.

Sensing a weakness rise within him, the timberwolves leapt into the air and violently bit down on each of Grogar's limbs. They tugged against them, stretching him outward. Conda slithered over to the ram and wrapped his body around him, constricting Grogar with his snake-like abilities. Carter, keeping his head low, slowly approached Grogar.

"You think this is over!?" Grogar shouted.

"What do you seek, Grogar?" Carter inquired. "Power? It will not satisfy you. If you win, you will never find true happiness; you will walk among Equestria, searching for a purpose to your madness, but there will be nothing left for you to live for. Stop this insolence and come clean. It is not too late."

"I will never give in." Grogar scowled. "Kill me if you must, but know that I will keep coming back. They always think I am gone, but I show up again every time!"

"I will not kill you, Gorgar. That is not my choice to make." Finishing the fight, Carter punched Groger square in his jaw, sending him straight into the ground, creating a small crater where the ram laid. A small dust cloud puffed im front of the creatures, keeping the suspense of the event high. Once cleared out, nothing but an unconscious ram laid quietly along the dirt. The fight was over, at least for now.

"What do we do now?" Gaea asked, staring down upon the unconscious ram. They all took a few seconds to catch their breath, checking each other for any serious wounds. Carter looked down at his body, finding the white markings along his fur. They slowly faded away, returning to its natural red color. He took note of this, reminding himself to talk to Twilight about this. Carter looked across the way, staring at the gates of Tartarus that glowed in the distance. He smirked to himself.

"We give him hell."

~

Carter threw Grogar into the closest cell, slamming the door shut behind him. A magical lock surrounded the bars, sealing the evil ram within its confines. Grogar shook the bars with vigor, demanding release.

"I demand that you release me at once!" Grogar shouted, pounding his hooves against the cell. Carter turned around and eyed him with his stoic look. He approached the cell with forceful steps, keeping his eyes locked on his adversary's.

"You listen to me, you son of a bitch. If I catch you doing so much as taking one step out of line, I will take my hooves and beat you until you are nothing but a bloody puddle, void of any and all life that you have once clung on to." Carter snarled before turning away.

"Ha! To think that Twilight and her friends actually considers you one of them. You don't seek friendship, you seek blood. You seek the destruction of your enemies for your own selfish gain. You don't really care about them, you only care for yourself. I know that you aren't a pony, but you are no better than them."

"I seek justice. It may not be done the same way they see it fit, but I go by their laws all the same. I didn't kill you, even though part of me wants to. Why not? Because I have friends, friends who keep me from doing something that I would regret. Friends that keep me accountable. But… being honest, killing you would be the least of my concerns. I'm not perfect, and I know that I make mistakes, but unlike you, at least I do things for the betterment of the ponies."

Carter walked back towards the secret area of Tartarus, the timberwolves and Conda following closely behind. Grogar knew he was defeated. He hung his head down in shame, getting accustomed to his new living space.

Heading back to free the tortured ponies, Grogar’s words stuck in Carter’s mind. He wondered if he could really say that he did the right thing. Would the others think of him as a hero, or just another killer seeking a made up justice?

“We did the right thing… correct?” Carter asked quietly, speaking to the timberwolves without giving them eye contact.

“What do you mean by that, Carter?” Gaea inquired. “Are you saying we did something wrong?”

“No… not exactly.” Carter turned his focus towards them, continuing his path down the dark hallway. “What I am asking is did we really do the right things in order to take down Grogar?”

“Ah… naive pony.” Gaea said, shaking her head. Carter perked his head up, intrigued by what she had to say to him. “You are so influenced by the ponies’ way of living that you think of it as the only way to live. You believe that their method of ‘friendship’ is the only way to find peace. It isn’t.”

“What do you mean?” Carter asked.

“Us timberwolves are very primal hunters, yet we still function well. We do what we must to survive. If there is a threat upon us, we kill it. We do so through closing our heart to them. We should not feel for them, as they would not feel for us. There is always more than one way to deal with problems. If you think it best to rid the enemy by taking their life, that’s fine. If you find a more passive approach better, then be our guest. The point of their teachings is to tell you to find the best way to deal with problems in life, not just act out of fear and lose control. It’s true, sometimes violence is the best answer, but not the only one. We did what we had to do; whether it was the best way to handle it or not is no one’s choice. There will always be those who see both halves of the story.”

“So you believe we did the right thing?” Carter inquired.

“I believe we did what was right, yes. But the right way to handle it? That's up to the majority to figure out.” Carter nodded. He understood the words that came from her mouth. She was right, the ‘right thing’ is subjective, and there will always be those who see a different side. Nothing can ever be truly done ‘right.’ As long as he did what he thought was best for everyone then he was content with his decisions. It was a difficult balance to handle, but one he was beginning to understand. It was ultimately decided based on if he could look back upon his choices without regret. But, what Gaea said. Fear. That would stick in his mind for the nights to come.

The group made their way across the bridge yet again, returning to the giant mass of cages. Carter walked up to where the machine stood, eyeing a lever. The freedom for the captured ponies was nigh. He grabbed hold of the lever and pulled downward. Mechanical sounds of varying volumes echoed throughout the volcanic land, Carter smiling to himself, knowing victory was imminent.

The cages flew open, revealing the ponies to the world. They all cheered in unison, rejoicing in their newly found freedom. They stepped outside of their cages and smiled, stretching out their exhausted bodies and basking in the light of the sun that pierced through the hole where Carter and Grogar were shot from.

Carter was happy. He was filled with joy knowing that he and his team were the ones who saved these creatures from possibly an eternal torment. He was happy knowing that they could live their lives in peace now that they were freed from their prisons. It was a good feeling, yet something still stuck in his mind. Why was it the apple/pear tree that showed him the visions? Why did he still feel like it linked up with what was shown in front of him?

“You there, young alicorn.” A frail, gold stallion with a blue mane said. “Are you the one who freed us?”

“Not just me.” Carter said, humbling himself. “If it weren’t for my timberwolf allies, I doubt you would see the light of day.”

“Is Grogar really stopped? Are we able to live in peace?” A mare asked.

“He is imprisoned in this very place. You will not have to fear living in the shadows of Tartarus any longer.” Carter jumped atop a large boulder, standing tall and defiant for all to see. Something impowering took hold of him, and he felt it necessary to share his words with the other ponies. The timberwolves stood next to him, circling around him like they would for the alpha of a wolf pack. They sensed his speech and stood beside him, feeling proud to have fought for such a great stallion. “For fifteen years you all have suffered by the hooves of Grogar. For over thousands of years he has proven to be more powerful than any of us could fathom. But no more! From this day forth, we will not hide in the shadows of fear, no, we will come out from our hiding and fight for what we live for. As the elder leaders have said before us, we are not divided, we are one! Earth ponies, pegasi and unicorns alike need to live in harmony, and likewise, fight alongside each other for the betterment of ponykind. Never again shall evil triumph over us and never again will any of us fall to them!”

The crowd cheered and applauded Carter for his speech, feeling proud knowing that they were all part of such a great species. They gathered around him, asking him all kinds of questions and comments. Carter, basking in the limelight, made sure to stay humble as to not make himself look like a fool. He tried his best to reply to each of them, yet still stay under control with all the attention he was getting. He felt like a hero, and it was an amazing feeling.

Carter smiled to everyone, feeling nothing but purpose and happiness. He loved every second of it, wanting it to last forever. It was such a great feeling to him knowing that his doings were finally recongnized and better yet accepted by the public. He was proud to have fought for them, but even more so, he felt as though he made his family proud, wherever they were. He enjoyed the attention he was receiving. That is, until two particular ponies caught his eye. One, a cream colored earth pony mare with a bright orange mane, and the other, a yellow earth pony stallion with a red mane. His jaw dropped, feeling as though he was dreaming. He pushed the others away, running over to them.

The two ponies saw his arrival, feeling rather timid with what he had to say. Carter came up to them and stared at them, jaw left agape and eyes as wide as they could be. There was a moment of silence, everypony in the area wondering, waiting for something to happen. Carter was at a loss for words, letting out nothing but sporadic breathing patterns. He mustered enough courage to finally talk to the two ponies.

“Are you…” Carter started, fumbling over his words while he stared at the two ponies. “Are y-y-you… Pear Butter and Bright Mac?”

“Why, yes we are.” The mare said, nodding her head towards Carter as a greeting. “Are you feeling ok, child?”

“Why do you look at us like that?” The stallion inquired, placing his hoof over his mate.

“Oh my gosh. They thought they’d lost you.” Carter said, a few tears running from his eyes.

“They? Who are they?” Pear Butter asked. A confused look swept over them both, but deep down, part of them knew the answer. The want for answers showed through their eyes, yearning for the one thing they wanted to hear.

“You all have serious catching up to do when we return.” Carter held his hoof out. The mare, hesitant at first, reached out and held it. “She will be happy to see you again…”

Author's Note

WTF. Pear Butter and Bright Mac? Where have we heard of those names?:ajsmug:

You guys must have a lot of questions, don't worry, all will be answered in due time. And if not, well, comment or PM me telling my stupid ass that I have some explaining to do. Either works. LMAO.

Chapter 18: Hello and Goodbye

The early sun had long risen above the horizons that peaked over Sweet Apple Acres. The Mane 6 were scattered about the many acres of the land, preparing for what would be the best Hearth’s Warming party yet. Pinkie Pie was going around ordering the other ponies to do different things, making sure that everything was in tip-top shape for the night.

“Come on, girls! We need this place to be nothing but pinkie-perfect before everypony arrives. I want to see you all on hyperdrive, running around and getting things done! Come on!” Pinkie Pie ordered, her mane wiggling atop her head as she shouted the words. The other mares rushed to their work stations, feeling pressured by the pink party pony’s outbursts.

“Pinkie, it’s not like we are hosting the party for everypony in Equestria.” Rainbow Dash muttered, flying up to the top of the barn to hang up banners.

“And what does that imply? That there should be flaws? That it is fine if things are just ok? Pinkie Pie mocked, raising her brow.

“No, Pinkie. That’s not what she means.” Twilight said. “We are just worried that you are working not only us, but also yourself, too hard.”

“Preposterous. Do you know who I am, Twily?” Pinkie Pie said, flipping her mane back with a pompous attitude. “I am Pinkamena Diane Pie, party planner extraordinaire. I will do anything and everything to make sure this party is nothing but one hundred percent perfect.”

“That’s good n’ all, sugarcube. But let us take our time. Better we do things right than rushed.” Applejack said.

“Ok, you have a point.” Pinkie Pie said, lowering her head as she moped.

“Don’t fret, darling. Just do your part, we will do ours.” Rarity said, reaffirming the pink pony that the party would be nothing but elegant and magnificent.

The party planning, decorations and all, seemed to be going rather well and according to schedule. The sun was high above the land, notifying the mares that only a few more hours were left before guests would arrive. Twilight proceeded to organize the tables and the like when a thought appeared in her head.

“Hey, has anypony seen Carter?” Twilight asked.

“I don’t think so.” Rainbow Dash replied. “He is probably pretending to arrive late so he doesn’t have to do any of the hard work.”

“That doesn’t sound like him. I am sure that he has a good reason to be so behind schedule.” Fluttershy said. “Besides, I think we are doing just fine with just the six of us.”

“Oh, sure. Just forget about me as usual.” Spike said, rolling his eyes.

“We would never forget about you, Spikey-Wikey.” Rarity said, giving the purple dragon a quick kiss on his cheek.

“Good to know at least somepony cares.” Spike said, rubbing his hand over his blushing cheek.

“What’s going on over there?” Fluttershy wondered, pointing her hoof over towards an enormous crowd of ponies. The others stopped whatever it was they were doing and turned their full attention towards the crowd, intrigued by the number of ponies standing before them. They all looked completely beaten and bruised, covered in dirt and blood. Yet even with that in mind, they all had smiles upon their faces, as if they were happy with their current condition. The mares looked at each other in confusion, trying to figure out what was going on.

“Was there a rally of sorts that you ordered, Twilight?” Rarity asked.

“No. At least, I don’t remember a reason for ordering one.” Twilight said, rubbing her hoof against the back of her head as she thought. “Even then, why do all these ponies look like a bunch of zombies straight out of nightmare night?”

“Love how you ask us of all ponies.” Rainbow Dash said with a smug look on her face.

“Just thinking out loud, Dash!” Twilight shouted in mild irritation with a troubled look in her eyes.

As the mares stood there and watched the seemingly endless number of ponies pass by the farm, one distinct figure stood out to them. A familiar red stallion with a dark black mane. He too looked as though he was brutally beaten alive. He was surrounded by a pack of timberwolves, and upon his back rested what looked like a large snake.

“Carter!” Fluttershy shouted, waving her hoof around in the air to get his attention. The alicorn looked over and saw the others standing in a little clump. He smiled and turned to meet up with them, jumping the white fence that surrounded the acreage and running towards the others.

“You are late!” Pinkie Pie shouted, slightly irritated with the stallion’s performance. “We have been here since the break of dawn hanging up party things and you dare come here at this time. Shame on you.” Pinkie had a bit of a light hearted tone in her voice, but it was still quite evident that she was not entirely happy.

“Forgive me, girls. It would appear that I nearly dealt with more than I could endure. I am here, now, and that is what matters. Correct?” Carter said jokingly. A small amount of leftover blood from his wounds passed over his left eye, which he used a hoof to wipe off.

"Carter, what happened to your eye?" Twilight inquired, finding a scar in the shape of a lightning bolt across Carter's eye.

"A nasty scar, nothing too much." Carter said.

Fluttershy gasped in horror as she saw the group of timberwolves standing behind Carter. She also saw Conda sitting right on top of the stallion, staring at the mares with his tongue flicking in and out of his mouth rhythmically. She hid her face behind her mane and dove behind Rainbow Dash.

"I know what you are thinking, Fluttershy. These timberwolves, although the same ones from that one night, are now my friends. They helped me free these ponies from Tartarus. Well, them and Conda, who I know you have already met." Carter said, motioning to the timberwolves to introduce themselves.

Fluttershy, with a few moments to gain her courage, walked out into the open and timidly stood across from the pack of timberwolves, waiting for something along the lines of a friendly greeting. Gaea walked up to the fearful pegasus, bowing before her. Once she saw that the timberwolves meant no harm towards her, Fluttershy let out a shy sigh and bowed in return.

"I remember you." Fluttershy said, noticing the scar along Gaea's eye.

"I recognize you too, Fluttershy." Gaea stood up and smiled at the pegasus pony. "I haven't forgotten the kindness you showed me when you healed my wounds. Rest assured, I will repay you in full."

"Awe. I thank you for those kind words. But you really don't owe me anything." Fluttershy said.

Carter introduced the team to the others, listing off each of their names. While that was happening, Twilight was becoming rather impatient, demanding answers concerning Carter's previous whereabouts.

"Where were you, Carter?" Twilight asked, speaking with a passive aggressive tone, demanding a good and valid answer. "Where did you find all these ponies? What do you mean when you say, Tartarus?"

"I will tell you everything later, Twilight. Right now it's about friends. I am here to give Applejack her present." Carter said, looking over towards the farm pony.

"Woah now, Carter. We ain't that far into the night quite yet." Applejack said, surprised that he was the one who owed her a gift.

"I know, but this can't wait. Believe me, if we did, they wouldn't be too happy." Carter said.

"They? Waddya mean, they?" Applejack questioned.

"Actually… this is a present for your whole family." Carter said, shaking a bit as he continued speaking. His nerves were becoming quite evident to the others, each of them giving off different looks of confusion towards the stallion. "Sorry, I am just very anxious to see your reaction when you meet them. Go get the others and bring them outside, quickly."

"Carter, I ain't have the fondest idea about what yer talkin' about." Applejack said, rolling her eyes at the stallion. "However, if it really can't wait, then I guess that I will be right back with the others."

With that, Applejack ran back to her house searching for the other members of her family. While the small moment of peace and quiet fell upon the rest of them, Twilight noticed something rather odd about Carter. She could've sworn she saw a tear roll down his cheek as he watched Applejack go fetch her family. This was concerning, as Carter never really cried around them.

"Carter," Twilight said, slowly walking over to the red alicorn. She came up to him and placed a hoof on his shoulder, sympathetically grazing it across his back. "You aren't yourself. Do you want to talk about it?"

“No, Twilight. Believe me, I am fine.” Carter said, reaching behind him and placing his hoof softly atop hers. “I am just anxious, that’s all.”

“Anxious?” Twilight asked. “Anxious for wha-” The lavender mare’s words were immediately pulled from her mind once she looked behind the stallion. Standing just behind him were two very familiar ponies, both of which looked as if they too were brutally beaten. It took everypony less than a second to figure out who they were just by looking at their cutie mark.

“Wait… is that…” Fluttershy said, finding herself at a loss for words as well. The ability to process what the mares found standing before them was beyond their comprehension.

“Don’t say anything, girls. I want this to stay a surprise.” Carter said firmly, nodding to the others. They did the same gesture in return to affirm the stallion that he was heard. In the blink of an eye everypony was feeling giddy for the big reveal. Of course, out of all the ponies in the area, Pinkie Pie was by far the most hyper, jumping around the place as she held in her ever-growing excitement.

In time the rest of the Apple family came out to find out what the big deal was. Applejack led her family to the rest of the ponies, Apple Bloom was idly following behind her big sister, and Big Macintosh and Sugar Belle were helping Granny Smith while she tried walking around with her twig-like legs. The moment finally came upon them. Looking around at all the rest of the ponies, the Apple family felt a bit of excitement arise in themselves.

“Ok, Carter. Ya got our attention, now what do ya want to show us that is just so important?” Applejack inquired. Carter looked down at the ground, hiding a very big smile upon his face. He looked up at the Apple family and took a deep breath to control himself before speaking.

“Applejack and fam, I am very happy with the gift I got you. Actually, I don’t think I can even call it my gift, as it's more of their gift. Anywho, I… oh boy, this is gonna sound crazy.”

“Carter, ya ain’t make’n a lick of sense. Just show us the present already.” Applejack said, beginning to feel rather impatient.

“Ok, I understand. I will just show you.” Carter said. He turned his head behind his shoulder and motioned for the two ponies to come down from the bushes which they hid behind. They nodded to the stallion and proceeded towards the Apple family. It was by this moment that Applejack, Apple Bloom, Big Mac, Sugar Belle and Granny Smith all had looks of absolute shock upon their faces. By first glance, the entirety of the Apple family was in denial, finding it impossible that what they saw was real. Both the orange mare and the yellow stallion in front of them were in tears, barely holding back their emotions.

“I think you two need to go say hi to your family. It’s been a while.” Carter said. Applejack slowly approached the mare, shaking in place with each step she took. Soon in each other’s faces, it took a few seconds before any more words were spoken.

“M-M-Mom?” Applejack whispered, still unable to fully grasp the reality of the situation.

“Hi, sugarcube.” The mare said, looking down at her daughter. The tears began to accumulate within her eyes. “It’s really me, Applejack. It’s your mother, Pear Butter.”

“No… that can’t be. We all thought you were… how can this…?” Applejack began fumbling over her words, tears began filling her eyes as well.

“I know, I thought we would never see you again. But, if it weren’t for your friend here, I don’t think we would ever get this chance.” Pear Butter said, pointing her hoof at Carter. The yellow stallion eyed Big Mac, who was unable to do anything but stare at them, jaw left agape.

“Big Mac? Is that you?” The stallion asked. “It’s your pa, Bright Mac.” Big Mac could not say anything, only spill out tears of happiness.

"Oh my gosh, little Apple Bloom!" Pear Butter shouted with joy, running up to the little filly with open arms and hugging her with the most affection and love any parent could give off. "You are such a big girl. How old are you, sweetie?"

"I'm 16." Apple Bloom replied, her voice cracking up a bit as her emotions got the best of her.

The Apple family was left to regroup with their long lost relatives, spending every second they had to make sure the other was real. The amount of love and affection coming from the family reunion was more than enough, each of the family members unafraid to show their love towards each other.

Carter sat back with the others and watched the fruits of his labor spread joy and happiness before him. He felt genuine happiness bubble inside him as he observed the Apple family, feeling warmth inside him grow, knowing that he was able to do the impossible. Twilight placed her hoof on his shoulder and smiled at him.

“You did a great thing, Carter. I don’t know how you managed to pull it off, but you did.” Twilight said, wiping a tear away from her eye with her hoof.

“Yeah, you really did! Were you just trying to one-up us with gifts? Because if so, that isn’t what the holiday is about!” Rainbow Dash shouted.

“Quiet, Rainbow Dash. Let the family have their special moment.” Rarity demanded, waving her hoof towards the others. “This doesn’t happen everyday, you know.”

“It’s so great to see them so happy.” Fluttershy said. The cream colored pegasus, along with Pinkie Pie were nothing but emotional disasters, crying to themselves as they watched idly by.

Carter and Twilight held each other's hoof, enjoying the time spent watching Applejack and her siblings reunite with their long lost parents. Rarity was right, things like this didn't happen on a daily basis, and boy did it feel good.

A few more moments went on as they continued basking in the glorious moment. Eventually the family got control of themselves and calmed their emotions. Applejack looked over at Carter and blushed. She ran over to him and jumped into his forelegs, hugging the hell out of him. She squeezed the stallion to bits, using her mighty strength to show her most sincere appreciation. Without thinking, she leaned in and gave him a big kiss. Realizing what she had just done, she quickly pulled her head back, her blush was becoming even more intense. The stallion said nothing, allowing the farm pony to act however she pleased.

“I-I-I don’t know what to say, Carter. This is… oh my gosh, this is more than I could’ve asked for.” Applejack said, continuing to hug Carter. “I can’t begin to thank you for everything that you have done for me and my family. Words cannot describe my honest appreciation that I have for you.”

“Then don’t say anything, Applejack. Just let the moment pass.” Carter said, using his hoof to gently stroke her mane as she nuzzled against him. The two ponies seemed to make an inseparable bond, their love for each other surpassing all expectations of how friends should treat each other. As they continued their hug, one by one the rest of the ponies slowly joined in, soon creating a big group hug. The ponies wrapped their hooves around each other, giving off fuzzy feelings to everypony else. The happiness inside all of them hit a new high, not one of them wanting the moment to end.

It had to end eventually, but no one could ever guess how…

Carter’s smile immediately left him, changing into a look of dread and extreme fear. He pushed everypony away from him and ran away from the group. He got down on the ground and shouted in denial. The others looked at him, concerned for him and his strange reactions. But they were soon right alongside him once they found out his reasons for such outrageous reactions.

Lifting her from the ground, Applejack looked down upon Granny Smith. The moment had come, and everypony knew it. The elder pony’s decrepit body began to fail her, slowly killing her in the process. Her life was gradually fading from the others. What seemed like the best day in their lives quickly changed to one of most sadness.

“Granny! Granny, don’t leave us, not now! It’s Hearth’s Warming! Ma and Pa are here, Granny! Granny, don’t leave us!” Applejack cried.

“Ack… Applejack. I-I-Is that y-y-you?” Granny Smith said, nothing but a faint whisper coming from her mouth.

“Yes, Granny. It’s me. You remember me, don’t you?” Applejack said, trying to keep the elder pony’s life in her.

“I am afraid I have to go, child.” Granny Smith said, slowly closing her eyes. “It is time for me to go meet up with Gramps.”

“No, you can’t leave now.” Applejack cried out.

“I know this is hard for you, child. But I must go.”

“No, you can’t leave! I won’t allow this!”

“Applejack!” Granny suddenly shouted. Applejack stopped her crying and took the moment to listen to her grandmother. “You are the leader of this farm. I sense greatness in you.” Granny Smith took off her scarf and handed it to Applejack, who took it from her and placed it in her lap. “I know you will do the right thing.”

“I… I…” Applejack took a deep breath before continuing. “I will, Granny. You can count on me.”

“Good.” Granny Smith looked over at the rest of the Apple family, smiling as she slowly faded from the world. “You fellows look after each other.” Big Mac, Apple Bloom and Sugar Belle all nodded, slowly resorting back to tears. “It was such a blessing to see you two again.” Bright Mac and Pear Butter both walked over to their mother and held her hoof. Pear Butter leaned in and kissed Granny Smith’s cheek.

“We love you, Mom. More than you will ever know.” Bright Mac said, shying away his feelings.

“You girls better stay friends with my granddaughter. She is a special one, ya know.” She said to the Mane 6. Twilight nodded to Granny Smith, the others doing the same right behind her. “And you, dear boy.” Carter looked over at the elder pony. “You keep doing what yer doing. I want to leave this place knowing that my family is happy during every second.” She held her hoof out towards him. Carter without hesitation grabbed her hoof and smiled. “Never forget who you are, dear boy. Never… never… n-n-n…”

The presence of Granny Smith faded from the rest of Equestria, her soul felt leaving her body and going someplace right for her. As the life force of the elder pony left the rest of them, sadness arose within each of them. Silence fell over the area, each pony grieving over the death of their beloved Granny Smith. Carter, however, had a different kind of sadness arise within him. He thought back to the night of his parent's death. He was reminded of when he had to endure watching them die before him and the hardships that fell upon with doing so. Having felt this feeling before, he knew what Applejack and her family was going through.

Carter looked over at Applejack, who was wanting nothing more but some time to process all her emotions. He wanted to comfort her, but he didn't know if it was the right thing to do. However, this time he chose to do what he thought was right. He shifted himself closer to her and wrapped his foreleg around the back of her neck, softly rubbing her shoulder. Applejack broke out into a fit of tears and buried her face against Carter's chest, crying aloud as she submitted herself into such a vulnerable state.

As the fur on his body slowly dampened as a result of the many tears from the farm pony accumulating on him, Carter simply sat there, pondering on the situation. He didn't want Applejack to ever go through this, but at least she passed away on her own accord. The only thing they could do was be happy that Granny Smith had such a great life and that she died when it was her time to go.

As silence came over the ponies, many forms of mixed emotions made their way into each and every pony. Sadness, guilt, grief, anger, loss, just to name a few. The day had taken the most harsh of turns, going from supreme happiness to unprecedented depression. The worst came upon Pear Butter and Bright Mac, who only got to see a few minutes of their mother before she passed away. It wasn't anything that they could've stopped, but it hurt with a throbbing pain in their hearts, nonetheless.

~

As the cold rain continued to pour down along the many acres of land that Sweet Apple Acres had to offer, Applejack and the others gathered around a small memorial stone for their very own Granny Smith. They gave each other a moment of silence to honor the accomplishments and love that she had given them with each day while she walked among Equestria. With every head bowed and every I closed, the feeling of sympathy and joy came over each pony, filling them with hope that Granny Smith was in a better place.

With a few minutes to recover from their most emotional afternoon before turning their attention back to the party, Carter stood atop a small cliff that peaked over the land beneath him. He looked up at the sky, closing his eyes and feeling the wind press against his face. He needed a minute to recover, and now was his chance to do so. In the moment of it all, Carter felt the presence of his parents, as if they were watching over him at this very moment. Instead of pushing the feeling away, he instead let it happen, hoping that nothing but good would come from it.

Seeing their faces once more brought the once-human some much needed comfort, calming his testosterone affected mind. The smiles on their faces gave Carter hope, the hope that he was doing the right thing with every decision he made, the hope that he was really becoming a better man, the hope that he was truly becoming… a friend.

With his eyes closed towards the clouds above and his soul filled with the joy and happiness that he had lacked for so long, Carter's horn glowed its normal red color, illuminating the nearby area. With a smile upon his face, Carter subconsciously shot a beam of magic up into the sky, exploding into a burst of firework-like explosions. In time, the storm clouds slowly moved away, pushing back the rain and letting the sun above them reappear in the blue sky. He opened his eyes, nodding his head to his parents as the vision of those he loved slowly faded into the clouds.

Carter turned to Applejack and slowly approached her. He came up into her view and gave off a sympathetic smile to make her feel better. She looked up at him, putting her hat back on top of her head and standing up off the damp ground.

"You doing alright?" Carter asked.

"Yeah, I am doing quite fine." Applejack said, wiping away her tears. "Thank ya kindly for asking. It's good to see that the rain has cleared out. Wouldn't want something like that ruining the party."

"Oh, yeah. That's good, I guess." Carter said, looking at the clear sky above him, unaware that it was his own magic that cleared the skies of the unwanted clouds. "I suppose that it's a good thing that you are back to your normal self so quickly."

"Oh, Carter." Applejack said, turning her attention towards the gravestone, letting out a deep sigh. "I am really going to miss her, but she has done her part. It was her time to leave this world and it is our job to accept it." She looked over at Carter and smiled. "Carter, thank you so much for all that you have done. I know that the timing of all this is nothing but horrible, but I still appreciate you for everything. You have made my family so happy, something that hasn't happened for quite some time. My gratitude is immeasurable."

Applejack leaned in and gave Carter a passionate kiss on his lips. Her eyes shut and her right front hoof hung over his shoulder. Carter, surprised by the sudden action, simply stood there, allowing the mare to do her thing. After a few seconds, Applejack pulled her head back and smiled, Carter did the same in return.

"Thank you, Carter. Never stop being that brave, noble friend you prove to be." Applejack said, blushing behind the shade from her hat. Carter subtly nodded to her in respect, not blushing, but enjoying the after effects of the farm pony's gesture all the same. Applejack lowered her hoof and looked towards the others who were already back to work.

"I will miss her, too." Carter said. "But never forget that the girls and I are always here for you, thick and thin of it all."

"Thank you, Carter. But you deserve a break. You have done more than I could've ever asked for." Applejack smiled, hiding another oncoming blush. "By the way, where did you find my parents? Why were they gone for so long?"

"Grogar." Carter said, lightly gritting his teeth just thinking about the vile ram and their encounter.

Author's Note

And with that, the legacy of Sweet Apple Acres is passed down to Applejack, the new mare in charge of the farm. Rest in Peace, Granny Smith. You will be missed.:applecry::fluttercry::raritydespair:

We are nearing the end of the story. 2 more chapters before it comes to an end...?

As always, feel free to PM me or simply comment if ya have any questions or simply have something to say.

Chao.

Chapter 19: Happy Hearth's Warming

The festivities were now open to everypony! As the moon shone down upon the farm, families and friends from far and wide came to participate in the Hearth's Warming party, hosted by the Mane 6.

Carter was helping Princess Twilight Sparkle finish up with the last bits of party decorations, pulling up one last banner for the lavender alicorn to nail in place along the top of the barn. In time the Hearth's Warming party was set, ready for everypony to enjoy. Wiping the sweat from his brow, Carter and Twilight looked out over the crowd of ponies, watching them all enter the farm and find their friends.

“Wowee. Glad that the decorations are finally done with.” Twilight said, letting out a sigh of relief as she regained control of her breathing. “I think that we can finally start having some fun.” Carter smiled at the alicorn, locking his eyes with hers.

“Yeah, I am glad that the hard part is over.” Carter said.

“The hard part? Carter, you took down Grogar and freed all of those ponies from their imprisonment, giving each and every one of them a second chance at life, yet you call this the hard part?” Twilight scoffed, smacking her hoof against the stallion’s side.

“I would rather not get into that right now, your majesty. For now I honestly just want some time to relax and have fun for once.” Carter said, lowering his smile and changing it to a stoic look. "Doing all this hero work is taxing."

“Yeah, I can understand that. You have really filled your day with a lot of work. I can’t believe you are still wanting to participate in this party over something like a long slumber.” Twilight said, shaking her head at the stallion as she spoke.

“Well, first of all that is just considered rude manners. But secondly, I wouldn’t miss being with you for the world. You mean everything to me.” Carter said, his face returning with a smile. Twilight blushed to herself, hearing the wrong meaning of the stallion’s words. Carter caught on to this and raised his brow. “You know what I mean, jerk.” Carter threw his hoof through Twilight’s mane and pushed downward, forcing her purple hair in front of her eyes, blocking her vision.

“I am sorry, I didn’t mean that. I swear!” Twilight said, pulling her mane away from her face. "I was just accepting your complement."

“It’s fine, at least I know that at least one pony likes me.” Carter teased, acting all innocent and timid. He puckered his lips at the princess, taunting her with his devious ways.

“Would you cut it out? I said that I was sorry!” Twilight shouted, playfully laughing at the stallion’s abnormal gestures. Carter nodded to the princess, immediately stopping himself from acting any more like a fool. Calming himself with one final chuckle, he turned his attention towards the crowd of ponies that had made their way into the farm. “Is Applejack and her family doing ok?”

“They are rather quiet, but you and I both know their reasons.” Twilight said, looking out towards the crowd herself. “I can’t blame her. She has gone through so much.”

“Well, as long as she is happy, then I am happy, too.” Carter said. “Now, if you don’t have anything else for me to do, I think that I should go and get in on some of this party fun.” Twilight shook her head, laughing to herself after hearing his words.

“Yes, you are free to go, Carter. Go have fun.”

With that, Carter stepped out into the field, ready to get his party on. A strange sense of carelessness swept over him, giving him the feeling of freedom to let him be himself. With a rhythm between his steps he proceeded towards the rest of the ponies, narrowing his eyes and biting down on his lip with swagger emitting from his being. He rocked his body to the beat of the song going on from the east; DJ Pon-3 was laying down a mad beat, gaining the attention of many ponies, each of them standing around the stage as she did her thing.

Carter came across Fluttershy and Angel, her bunny companion. He walked up to them, turning around and approaching them with a Michael Jackson styled moon walk. Kicking his hooves back, he bobbed his head back and forth, staring at the mare with a captivating raise of his eyebrow. Fluttershy could find no words to say to the stallion, finding herself blown away by his sudden change of character.

“Wow, Carter. I have never seen you like this before.” Fluttershy said, timidly joining him in his dance, waving her tail around to the rhythm of the song. Angel simply stared at the stallion, disgusted by his absurd gestures.

“You see, Fluttershy, I am normally a very serious person. However, when I get the chance I am not afraid to show off my bad side!” Carter said, continuing through with his charming tone of voice. The cream colored pegasus began to feel awkward around Carter, pulling her head back towards the rest of her body. “Come on, I am just playing with you.” Carter stopped his alluring ways, noticing that it was beginning to creep out the timid pegasus.

“Oh, that’s a relief. I thought you were trying to flirt with me or something.” Fluttershy said, shying away her blush. Angel looked at Carter with a raised eyebrow.

“Please. If I were doing something like that then I would make sure to keep it to a low-profile.” Carter said, standing up straight and adjusting his posture. “No… in all seriousness, are you enjoying yourself?”

“Oh, absolutely. I must agree that this party is truly pressuring little ol’ me to get out on the dance floor and get my groove on, but you know me: timid Fluttershy.”

“Awe, that’s too bad. I was looking forward to seeing you sweep the competition.” Carter said, fooling around with the pegasus. Fluttershy laughed to herself in a whispery tone, holding her hoof up to her mouth. “You have a good time, Fluttershy.” Carter said, waving to the pegasus pony before turning to go find some others to talk to.

“You too, Carter.” Fluttershy waved back at the stallion.

As much as he wanted to continue chatting, Carter began to feel hungry. He figured that it didn't help that he hadn't eaten within the last eighteen hours. He ran over to the food table and grabbed a hay sandwich, shoving the whole thing in his mouth and rapidly chewing it up, swallowing the meal with one big gulp. He wanted another one, but figured that now wasn't exactly the best time to eat, especially considering that the guests were still continuing to come in.

Carter searched around for another group of ponies to chat with, trying to find someone that he had yet to meet. He found an oddly familiar group of various creatures sitting around a small campfire. There were six of them, reminding Carter of the Mane 6. The creatures all looked like they were still in their youth, talking and laughing with each other as they sat in a close group in an attempt to combat the harsh cold that the winter climate had to bring upon them with their own body heat, along with the warmth emitting from the flames.

Carter approached the group of friends and sat beside them. He kept his eyes off of them near the beginning of his visit so as to not look like some creep. He held his hooves out towards the campfire, feeling the heat of the flames hit his forelegs and fill him with some much needed warmth. He stared at the fire, listening to the sounds of the firewood crackling as the flames consumed each one, and the embers from said firewood floating around in the air, illuminating parts of the night sky that the fire could otherwise not reach.

A squeal of shock was heard resonating to Carter’s left. He turned his head, locking eyes with a rather large yak. Her head peered above the rest of the group’s faces, sticking out to him like gold in a mine. Her face had a giant smile and wide eyes across its entirety, notifying Carter that this particular creature indeed recognized him. Carter looked to both the left and right of himself, making sure that he was truly the one that the yak was staring at in amazement. Seeing no other pony in the vicinity, he looked back at the yak and gave her a nervous smile, waving his hoof around as a simple greeting.

“Oh my goodness! Yona finally found red pony!” The yak shouted, alerting the others to her point of interest. Carter stayed where he sat, unknowing about what to do from here. The yak seemed rather interested in him, so at least he knew that she meant no harm. An orange dragoness turned her head towards Carter, opening her mouth wide in excitement. The others did the same once they saw him for themselves. It appeared to Carter that he was somewhat of a popular pony to these creatures.

“Yo, you’re that crazy rad alicorn that everyone’s been talking about!” The orange dragoness said, crossing her arms and smiling with a smug look on her face. “I never thought the day would come when we’d actually get to meet you in person.”

“You know me?” Carter inquired, feeling pretty proud of himself with all the attention he was getting from this group of friends.

“Know you? Gosh, we are your biggest fans!” A pink hippogriff shouted, her entire being beaming with excitement. "It's an honor to meet you, sir!"

“I have fans?” Carter questioned. “But why? What have I done that is so cool to you guys and girls?”

“Don’t act so modest, we know that it was you who took down the evils that lurked within the Everfree Forest!” A green earth pony said, smiling with his white teeth showing to the world. “Your brave, courageous and heroic actions saved all of Equestria from certain doom. We respect you full heartedly, sir!”

“If it weren’t for you, we may never have gotten the chance to return to our treehouse.” A blue griffon added, speaking with a smug accent similar to that of the dragoness. "That would've sucked, too. I personally like that thing."

It suddenly clicked in Carter’s mind. He knew that they all looked vaguely familiar to him, but it wasn’t until now when he finally figured out exactly how he knew them. He smiled at the group of creatures, pointing his hoof at them while he spoke.

“Now I remember. You are the ones who live in that ginormous, crystalic treehouse in the middle of the Everfree right beside the Castle of the Two Sisters. I recognize you six from the picture I saw while I was inside.” Carter said.

"Well, we don't live there, but we do hang out in the treehouse from time to time." The hippogriff said.

“You know us?” A beady eyed creature said, shocked to hear the stallion reply with such an astonishing statement.

“Well, not directly. I only know you from outside appearances.” Carter admitted. "Again, I only saw a picture of you. I don't believe that we have ever met in person until now."

“Wow! Yona amazed! Yona pinch herself to check if Yona having dream.” The yak squealed.

“That won’t be necessary!” Carter quickly shouted, noticing that the yak was quite literally about to pinch herself. “I am all real, no doubt about that. Just please don’t do anything you might regret.” He let out a sigh, watching the yak’s hoof lower from her body.

"Oh my gosh, this is such a cool moment in my life!" The Earth pony said, holding his hooves up to his face. "Sorry, I am sure you don't get attention like this everyday."

"No, but it's cool to know that there are some out there who appreciate what I do for Equestria." Carter said, letting out a small laugh.

“That’s a sick scar, dude! Where did you get it?” The dragoness asked, pointing her finger at his eye. Carter placed his hoof up to his face, confused as to what the dragoness was talking about. He felt the indent that ran along his left eye. He smiled to himself, subconsciously checking his hoof for any residual blood.

“Funny you should ask, that was actually given to me by Grogar.” Carter said. He looked up at the group, each of them having the same shocked expressions.

“Ah, I see. So you are, like, as old as Celestia or something?” The griffon inquired.

“No, I am only 22.” Carter corrected, leaning his face closer towards the others. “I fought that bastard recently. He put up one hell of a fight, but me and my allies took him down.”

“What? You fought Grogar recently?” The dragoness shouted in denial, unable to believe such an outrageous statement. “There is no way! Grogar was destroyed many, many years ago!”

"Not to mention that he alone took on all three tribes of ponies at once." The griffon added.

“That’s what everyone thought, but apparently he got away, hiding himself away from all other forms of life until recently.” Carter said, narrowing his eyes, displaying a more serious look on his face. “I wouldn’t at all advise this, but that sucker is locked up in Tartarus as we speak. You can go check for yourselves if you find it that hard to believe. Again, I don’t encourage doing such an action, it's just my way of saying that I have proof.”

“Oh my gosh! You have defeated Grogar, too!?” The beady eyed creature shouted in amazement. “Dang! What else can you do?”

“Much more.” Carter said, making his words sound like they were something ready to be printed out as a quote on the front line of a newspaper. “What are your names?”

“My name Yona!” The yak said, raising her hoof to notify Carter that she would be the one to list off the names. Although to Carter, her dialect was so different from the rest of them that he didn’t need any sort of visual cue to tell him that she was the one talking. "Dragon friend is Smolder, hippogriff is Silverstream, griffon is Gallus, changeling is Ocellus, and pony friend is Sandbar."

"What is your name, hero?" Gallus asked, trying to look cool in front of his new idol.

"Carter. I come from Earth, a land far from Equestria."

"Earth? Never heard of it." Silverstream said, placing her hand up to her chin. "But it honestly makes sense. I don't think there has been a male alicorn for a long, long time! The fact that you are an alicorn and a guy still boggles my mind!"

"I am not actually a pony. I am a human." Carter stated.

"What!? But those are just a myth!" Ocellus shouted.

"Carter, you have said a lot of stuff that we have a hard time believing, but this is by far the hardest thing for us to find to be the truth." Smolder said, crossing her arms.

"It's the honest truth. I was sent here to learn about friendship. If I failed to do so then I would be sent someplace very unwelcoming to beings like me. I don't know why I have taken the form of an alicorn, but I promise that the real me is all human, no pony whatsoever."

"Erm, Yona believes that." The yak said, closing her eyes and nodding in defiance.

"What? You're telling me that you believe the stuff this guy says?" Gallus inquired.

"There is no way that he is telling the truth. Princess Twilight would've turned you back by now!" Smolder grumbled.

"Have Yona friends learned nothing in school?" Yona questioned her friends, staring each of them in the face. "Friendship involves honesty. If Carter is really friend to pony, then Carter must be honest to pony. Yona sense friend in Carter, so Yona believe Carter like friend should do."

"I'm with Yona." Sandbar said, moving himself to the yak's side. "Even if he is lying, what do we have to lose?"

"Can't you just change your forms like us?" Ocellus inquired.

"No. At least, not from what I know. Twilight can't reverse my effects, so I am stuck in the body of an alicorn until I prove to the spirit who sent me here that I have learned the true power of friendship. As much as I hate to say it, I may never go back home." Carter looked over to the Mane 6, who were having a wonderful time enjoying themselves in the company of each other. "But it's nothing I can't handle. I have great friends who have my back and a great life. It's just different, that's all. Simply something that I have needed to get used to."

"Yona sorry to hear that, Carter." The yak said, placing her hoof on his shoulder. "But no fear, Yona and friends have your back. Yona make sure Carter is happy."

"Thank you, Yona. Thank you everyone." Carter placed his hoof against Yona's and gently rubbed it. "I'll do the same for you. It's what friends are for, right?"

"Say, you haven't gone to the School of friendship, have you?" Silverstream asked. "You could surely learn about friendship much faster if you take the courses given by Headmare Starlight Glimmer."

"I have already thought about that, but I can't." Carter admitted. “Twilight said that I am too old to join, so she instead chose to mentor me about friendship by herself. She has taken the time to teach me about the power of friendship. She's like my tutor."

"What? You are being taught by the Princess of Friendship herself?" Sandbar shouted in surprise. "How'd you get so lucky?"

"We became good friends and I asked her." Carter said. "Didn't take much to do it, just needed to push away the fear of asking. She doesn't really do anything, either. She just leaves me to write down things that I learn, kinda like what she did while she was under the watchful eye of Celestia during her reign."

“Interesting. Yona note that.”

“So… what’s the hero of Equestria doing here at a time like this?” Gallus inquired, sitting down atop a small tree stump.

“I am taking a break from all the action. It may seem cool to do the things that I do, but it’s honestly quite taxing, not just on your body but on your mind as well. I have to be careful with what I do, or else my mind will crack, turning me into the same thing that I fight off to protect Equestria.” Carter said, pointing his hooves back to the campfire to get some warmth. “It’s a delicate balance, but easy to control once you get the hang of it.”

"What's so bad about what you do? Don't you just fight bad guys and keep the peace?" Silverstream inquired.

"Yes, but that's not the whole story." Carter said, lowering his voice. "The things I do involve me seeing and doing things that not everyone should experience. I see death, blood, gore, so many things that I sometimes wish I never had to see. That is the reason I must control my thoughts, or else it will corrupt me."

"Oh... I see." Gallus said, feeling rather ashamed for asking such a rude question.

"Do not fret, Gallus. You are fine with asking me about my work, just expect an honest answer."

“What’s it like being a human?” Ocellus asked, trying to change the subject. “Do you guys have some cool powers or something?”

“No. We are like earth ponies; we just use the simple things we are given like knowledge and strength. It is through things like that where humans strive, as we make some pretty badass inventions.” Carter said, listing off a few of them in his head.

“Like what?” Sandbar asked, wanting to know more about Carter’s homeworld.

“There is this cool thing called the smartphone. It’s a technological marvel that allows two or more people to contact each other from anywhere! Not only that, but it can also do things like do math, set alarms, mark dates and other cool things like that.”

“That’s so cool!” Yona shouted. “Yona wish she had smartphone. Yona think Earth sounds advanced.”

“It is, but is it more advanced than Equestria? That is beyond my knowledge.” Carter said, looking back at the group of friends. “If anything you guys just have different stuff than us humans. I don't think it wise to say one is better than the other."

“What else do you have on Earth?” Silverstream inquired, anxious for more knowledge.

“Umm, well I guess I could talk about…” Carter trailed off as he looked towards the table of food. He saw Gaea and her pack circle around the table, sniffing for something that would satisfy their carnivorous appetites. He saw Hyperion take a stance, ready to jump up and land on top of the table at any moment. “Give me just a second!” Carter said quickly, getting himself off of the ground and running over to the wolves before they did anything disastrous. "Uh... it was nice chatting with you!"

"What was that about?" Ocellus asked.

"It would appear that Carter has his own team of timberwolves by his side." Gallus said, surprised to see an entire pack of primal creatures in the farm.

"Wow! Carter so cool! Yona must learn from Carter, Carter must be good teacher." Yona said, staring at the stallion as he ran towards the timberwolves.

“Do you see anything up there, Cronus?” Gaea asked, checking their surroundings for any predators, their primal instincts kicking in due to their extreme need for food.

“No, Gaea. There is nothing but pony food in here. No meat or anything!” Cronus said, standing on his hind paws while his forepaws were stretched out along the table, his nose nearly touching all the food that he sniffed.

A small couple of older ponies wearing grand outfits came over to the table of hors d'oeuvres, wanting a small bite to eat before they did anymore party stuff. Before they could even begin to browse the choices of foods, they spotted the pack of timberwolves while they were searching for a meal. The mare let out a loud squeal, alerting the nearby ponies. The stallion beside her took off his top hat and waved it at them, shooing them away from the table.

“Be gone, foul beasts! Away with you!” The stallion said, speaking with force behind his voice. The mare hid behind her mate, shutting her eyes and shaking where she stood.

“Oi! Away from them, all of you!” Carter shouted, approaching the timberwolf pack. Carter stared at Gaea with a rather intense look in his eyes. Gaea looked into his eyes and cowered before him, laying down on the floor in submission and whimpering. The others followed suit, whimpering as they watched their alpha submit to the stallion.

“What is this?” The mare asked, demanding a logical explanation. She and her mate looked over to Carter, stomping their hooves against the snowy ground as they waited for his reply.

“They are just hungry. It was my fault and mine alone, I should’ve kept an eye on them and planned ahead accordingly.” Carter said, nodding to the pony couple with a sincere guilt in his presence. “My sincere apologies, though I must inform you that they mean no harm to you. They are tame. Well, as tame as wild timberwolves can get.” Carter turned his attention back towards Gaea, gesturing for her to arise from the ground. She did so without hesitation, feeling terrible for disrespecting her master. “It would appear that there are still some things that need to be adjusted.”

“I’ll say! There is no reason for animals such as these to be anywhere near us pony folk. You should just go and put them back in the Everfree where they belong.” The formal stallion said, pointing his top hat at Gaea. The timberwolf growled at the stallion, feeling attacked by his hurtful words. Carter held his hoof out, ordering the wolf to lower her guard.

“It is fine, sir. I will just keep them away from you ponies. You won't have to worry about them for the rest of the party. That is my promise.” Carter said, speaking with a stern look on his face and a voice of reason.

“... Very well. Just keep them away from us and I assume that we will accept that.” The mare said, adjusting her posture. “No good starting a fight on a day such as this.”

“Wise words, ma’am.” Carter said, retreating to a more casual expression. “Enjoy your night, you two.”

“To you as well, young stallion.” The pony couple nodded to Carter, proceeding towards the hors d'oeuvres. Carter let out a heavy exhale, glad that the conflict did not resort to violence. He turned to the wolf pack. He shook his head in disappointment, feeling betrayed that they would act so selfish around the ponies.

“We owe you our most sincere apologies, Carter. We were unaware that our actions came across as irregular.” Gaea knelt in front of Carter, the rest of the pack doing the same shortly following. “We will do better.”

“You owe me nothing, Gaea. Merely take this time to better yourself. You haven’t hurt anypony, so there is nothing for you to make up for.” Carter said, speaking to the timberwolves like a father-figure of sorts. “Now, I understand that you are all very hungry. If you would like for me to do so I could ask if there are any foods high in protein for you creatures to snack on.”

“Yes, Carter!” Hyperion said, frantically jumping around on his forepaws with his tongue hanging out of this mouth. The other timberwolves stared at him with discontent, snarling at him. Hyperion read the message they were giving off and stopped himself dead in his tracks. “Ahem… yes, we would all like that very much.” Hyperion said, this time standing tall with a respectful composure.

“Very well. I will go do just that.” Carter said, turning to go find somepony he knew to address the timberwolves’ aching stomachs. Without much time to react, Carter received another vision. This one was shorter than the others he previously had, revealing something about to happen very soon. He turned to the timberwolves. “Get down!”

Gaea nodded to her pack, ordering them to get down to the ground. Carter did the same, pressing his chest against the cold snow beneath him. A few seconds following their abnormal actions, a loud blast of confetti was shot out just above them, pressing against the cold, winter wind and slowly falling onto their bodies, sticking to them like stickers.

“What? I thought for sure I had you!” Pinkie Pie shouted, looking at the stallion with a smug look, feeling defeat. “You just love to ruin a good party, don’t you.”

“Pinkie Pie, you can’t just be shooting your party cannon all willy-nilly like that. You could’ve scared somepony to death.” Carter said, wiping the confetti off of his fur with his forehooves.

“I just wanted to spread some pinkie fun!” Pinkie Pie said, justifying herself and her bizarre actions.

“Well, mission complete. Either way, me and my timberwolf friends are covered in this confetti of yours.” Carter said, smiling at the pink party pony with a playfully agitated expression. “The hardest part about this is getting it out of my mane.”

“Just leave it in there, you look better when your mane is all shiny and colorful like that.” Pinkie Pie said, rubbing her hoof around in Carter’s short mane.

“Eh, why not. It’s not like this is some big party or something. Oh wait, it is.”

“There you go, Carter. Now you’re getting it!” Pinkie Pie reached behind her body and pulled out a tray of fish from seemingly nowhere. “I figured that your timberwolf companions were quite hungry, so I caught some fish for them to eat since pony food isn’t exactly what they enjoy snacking on.” Carter stared at her with his jaw slightly agape, baffled by her crazy methods of pulling things out of the air.

How the hell does she do it!?

“Thank you so much, Pinkie Pie. I am sure that they would enjoy that very much.”

“Absolutely! Happy to help!” With that, Carter was given the tray of fish while Pinkie Pie hopped over to the couple behind them. “Hiya, mom! Hey, Dad! Good party, huh?”

Carter looked over to the timberwolf pack and held the tray of fish in his hoof. The primal animals all leapt for it, begging for their master to let them eat. Carter hesitantly pulled the tray away from them due to a slight shake as a result of their quick actions. He shook away his nerves with haste, staring at the pack with a stern look on his face.

“Now, you will all act like civilized creatures.” Carter said, stomping his free hoof on the ground. “Sit.” He said firmly. The timberwolves, confused by the stallion's strange orders, complied with him nonetheless, placing themselves along the snow. As they waited for the fish, they wiggled around on the ground in anticipation, licking their lips as they watched Carter slowly approach each one of them.

He first approached Gaea, kneeling down to her and placing a fish on the ground in front of her. She kept her eyes locked with Carter’s waiting for him to give her a verbal cue that she was allowed to eat. The stallion nodded, giving her the allowance to eat her fish. She looked down at the delectable meal in front of her and drove her teeth into it, gaining the necessary nutrition that she so desperately needed. The other timberwolves eventually got their fair share of food, eating all the meat around the bones.

As they ate, Carter sat back against a tree stump, watching his pack fill themselves up with delicious fish. It was strange to him. He loved fish, yet for some reason the thought of eating some for himself felt unsatisfying to him. Perhaps it was just his pony appetite keeping him away from the consumption of meat, as he was living perfectly fine by simply eating things like hay and fruits.

The stallion got a good laugh while watching Hyperion kick his backleg against his body, using his hind paws to rid himself of the confetti that stuck to his wooden features. It was to no avail, leaving the poor timberwolf stuck with pink and white confetti trapped along his body.

Carter heard Pinkie Pie and her parents talk with each other, discussing their rock farm. He listened in on their conversation while he drank some fruit punch that he retrieved from the food tables. He took a sip of the liquid, swishing it around in his mouth.

“I swear, Pinkie. Some idiot came into our rock farm and completely destroyed it. The silo was seen laying across the ground with a giant hole in it. There was a giant crack in the land and some strange craters found scattered about.”

Carter spat his drink out of his mouth, widening his eyes after hearing them talk. He couldn’t believe his odds. His fight with Grogar was right in the Pie family’s rock farm.

“If I find the one responsible for the destruction of our rock farm, I will get Princess Twilight involved.”

Yeah, I wonder who did it…

“Carter, Pinkie Pie, you two need to come and meet up with the rest of us!” Rarity shouted, appearing behind the two ponies with her eyes wide open. “We are about to exchange gifts!”

“Oh boy! I can’t wait to see what I got!” Pinkie Pie said, jumping her way over towards the rest of the ponies.

“Coming, Rarity!” Carter said, throwing his empty cup away in a nearby trash can and jumping up to his hooves. He turned his head, looking over his shoulder towards the timberwolves. “You guys behave yourselves. I won’t be gone for too long.”

“Don’t worry about us, Carter. Go enjoy yourself.” Gaea said, waving her paw at him. Carter smiled and ran over towards the Mane 6, hoping that he wasn’t too late.

Everypony and their family were all gathered together around a larger fire, ready to begin giving each other their gifts. Carter caught up with them just in the nick of time and sat himself down next to Twilight and her family. The lavender alicorn smiled at the stallion, happy to be in his presence.

“Took your sweet time.” Twilight said, teasing the red alicorn.

“You know me, my plans change by the minute.” Carter replied sarcastically.

"Watch yourself, Carter. That's my sister you are talking to." Shining Armor said, acting like how a big brother should behave around his siblings.

"I speak with nothing but kindness, sir." Carter said.

“Well now, I think that we can begin giving our special pony their gifts.” Rarity said, eager to begin the holiday festivities.

“Alright, who wants to go first?” Twilight asked, looking around for any raised hooves. She noticed Rainbow Dash raising hers the second she was done talking. “Ok, Dash. You can give your gift first.”

Rainbow Dash sat up and handed her gift over to Pinkie Pie. The pink party pony squealed in joy, anxious to see what the pegasus had gotten her for the holidays. She quickly tore through the wrapping, pulling the item out of the box and holding it up in the air for all to see.

“No way!” Pinkie shouted, identifying the item within seconds of its reveal. “It’s a new cooking apron!” She held the pink accessory up into the air, watching it blow around in the wind.

“I heard you say that your old one was getting too messy, so I thought I’d get you a new one.” Rainbow Dash said, speaking as if Pinkie Pie’s reaction was obvious. Pinkie Pie ran over to her pegasus friend and gave her a big hug, squeezing her body with an immense amount of force. “Ack! Ok, Pinkie!” rainbow Dash shouted, trying to worm her way out of the pony’s hooves.

"How thoughtful of you, Rainbow Dash." Celestia said, commending the sky blue pegasus for her generous gift to the pink party pony.

“Seems like somepony liked their present.” Shining Armor said, laughing to himself. The Crystal Empire ponies sat just behind Twilight Sparkle, little Flurry Heart finding herself beside Carter. “Flurry Heart, you make sure that you don’t give Carter too much trouble.” The little foal gave off a cute baby noise, clapping her hooves together.

"Don't worry, sir. I am quite positive that your daughter is nothing but an angel." Carter said, looking down at the little foal and brushing his hoof through her miniature mane. "Ain't that right, Flurry?"

"Well, let's hope there aren't any cracks in the ground that we need to be aware of." Cadence said, feeding herself flashbacks of the first time they met.

"Geez, don't remind me, your grace." Carter said rolling his eyes back as a but of nervous anxiety swept over him.

"Alrighty, who wants to go next?"

The night went on and everypony gave their gifts to their respected recipient. The fun of the night carried on for hours, each pony loving the present they got. As for Carter, he was just enjoying the moments he shared with his friends. The warm and fuzzy feeling he felt inside his soul came upon him, making him remember the times he wasn’t afraid to be with his old friends. Simply looking at all the ponies around him, all of which laughing and enjoying each other's company, made him feel satisfaction with himself.

As the moon illuminated the area around the farmland, Carter looked around at all of the ponies that he had learned to love and appreciate. The emotional positivity they brought to him with each and every day came into his conscious, making him think about how much of a better person he truly became because of the time and energy these happy-go-lucky creatures spent with him. His stern and protective personality felt as though it was broken, shattering the steel barrier surrounding his heart and turning him into a man who he was proud of becoming. It then dawned on him: the true power of friendship. Somewhere deep down inside of his soul, something sparked. The newly found flame of hope residing within him filled the once empty hole in his heart with a newfound determination and will to be there for his friends. As the strange feeling filled his soul, Carter placed his hoof over his heart, getting himself accustomed to it. A small smile came over him, his breathing patterns speeding up along with his heart rate.

“Carter,” The stallion turned to find Twilight with a green and blue striped gift in her hoof. She held it out for him to take, surprising him at first. He reached out with his hooves and took it from her, holding it in his lap. “It’s for you, silly. My gift to you.”

"My gift?" Carter whispered, snapping back to reality. "Oh… my gift, right. Thank you very much, your majesty."

"Ooh! A present from the princess herself! Open it! Open it!" Pinkie Pie shouted, jumping in her seat.

Carter chuckled and began pulling away at the wrapping. The green and blue striped wrapping paper fell to the ground in shards as the stallion ripped into the present, awaiting the big reveal of what the contents of the gift really was. His heart beat rapidly with anticipation, expecting nothing too special but excited to find out the contents all the same.

The wrapping was all torn away, revealing the gift to the stallion. Carter's jaw was left agape, absolutely loving his gift from the princess. He looked up at Twilight with a bright smile, saying nothing to her, just processing his feelings.

"It's real. Go on, take a closer look." Twilight said, pointing toward the gift he held in his hooves. Carter looked back down at the item he received, further inspecting the contents of his gift.

Held between the stallion's hooves, Carter laid his eyes on a small bracelet with the symbols of each of the Mane 6's Elements embedded along the outside of the golden accessory. It was detachable, making it easier for him to fit it around his bulky hoof. Along the inside of the bracelet was a special message engraved into the gold material.

"Friends will always be there for you, never forget to do the same for them." - TS.

While the small bracelet would've seemed like nothing to him in any other scenario, Carter found himself seeing the golden accessory as a special relic from his past, as it reminded him of a similar bracelet gifted to him by his parents before he was to move out. Coincidence or not, the gift from the Princess of Friendship held a special place in his heart, giving him a reminder of his family and his new friends.

Placing the special gift around his hoof, Carter thought about all of the events that led up to this point. His journey towards becoming a better friend and partner had gone a long way. He had learned a lot of things during his time in Equestria, some of which he recalled.

Through this journey I have learned more about myself than I could ever imagine. I always thought that I would never regret the decisions I made, but I have come to accept the fact that the man I was before made me worse, turning me into a sinful being with no remorse for my terrible choices. But now I have learned the true power that comes with friendship and why it is so important for everyone to have other people in their lives.

I have done the impossible. I have saved myself from eternal damnation and I've also turned my life around for the better. I have learned kindness, generosity, honesty, laughter, loyalty, and above all, the magic of friendship. Through these strange creatures that I now consider my best friends, I have brought myself out of the very pits of hell and am now basking in the joy and happiness that comes from being a friend. From this day forward, I will never push myself away from friendship. No, this time, I will spread its message across the world in hopes that one day I can fulfill my calling to help others and fight for what's right.

In an instant, Carter's eyes gleamed with light, swiftly wiping the brightness across his soul. He had found his calling and had now learned what the spirit wanted him to know. For once in his life, Carter was at peace.

"Do you like your gift?" Twilight asked, hoping that the stallion's silence wasn't an indication of the contrary. Carter looked over to the lavender alicorn and gently hugged her, pulling her closely to him as he felt the warmth of her body pressed against his chest. Twilight was at a loss for words, doing nothing but hugging him back.

"I love it, Twilight. I cannot thank you enough. You could never understand what I feel, but this bracelet has a special place in my heart." Carter said, lifting his head and staring the princess straight in her eyes. "I know that I have said it time and time again, but I thank you and your friends for everything that you have done for me. Without you, I may not be where I am today. Without you, I may not be the man I want to be. Without you… I'd feel empty. You have brought me purpose in life, and rest assured, your words have inspired me to pursue friendship and better myself till the day I die." Carter turned towards the Mane 6, smiling and all. "I love you, girls. I love all of you."

The lavender alicorn's heart melted when she heard Carter's kind, poetic words. Her cheeks blushed with a surge of loving emotions filling her soul, leaving Twilight with a warm, fuzzy feeling within her. She leaned in and hugged the stallion, pulling his chest closer to her own with her hooves and slowly pressing her forehead against his. Her eyes closed and her body went limp, indulging herself in the stallion's touch. Carter smiled, pulling her closer to him and rubbing her mane with his hoof.

The rest of the Mane 6 fell to bits, touched by the normally stone-cold stallion's remarkable display of love and care. They all got up on their hooves, approaching the stallion and joining in on their hug, creating a giant clump of pony love.

"Yeah, I think it's safe to say that this was the best Hearth's Warming party ever!" Rainbow Dash said, cheering out loud. The sky blue pegasus burst out of excitement and flew into the air with surprising speeds, blasting through the dark sky and illuminating the area with a giant blast of prismatic colors. It was Dashie's very own Sonic Rainboom. Carter and Twilight turned their attention back towards each other, the red alicorn looking away with slight embarrassment.

"I am sorry. I did not mean to get so emotional." Carter said, defending himself for being so awkward around the others. "I loved your gift, though. That was an honest answer."

"You're ready, Carter." Twilight said, placing her hoof along his shoulder.

"Ready?" Carter questioned. "For what?"

"You are ready to finish your training. You have learned everything that I can teach you about friendship. It is time for you to finish your training and begin your own journey."

"But… does that mean I will have to leave you?" Carter asked, feeling hesitant as he thought about returning to Earth. It was what he wanted for the longest time, but by this point, Carter felt as if he didn't really want to leave Equestria. He didn't want to leave his friends.

"No, not exactly. It just means that the rest of your findings about friendship will be from your own journey. I can help you no more, but your job is far from over." Twilight leaned in and smiled at the stallion, the other mares listening in to their conversation. "It is time for you to become your own man. It is time for you to be who you want to be."

~

Carter laid against the back wall of the barn, wrapped up in a soft blanket made of thin strands of wool. He stared off into the dark sky through a window, watching the moon shine down upon the many acres of the farm. Life felt good for him. The party was over, Twilight announced that he would soon be taking his final steps under her mentorship, and him and his friends were now something much more.

Turning over onto his side, Carter spotted the timberwolves surrounding him, their wooden bodies pushed close to him to share their body heat and protect themselves from the cold weather outside the barn doors. Gaea was found resting right under Carter's chin, her light snores escaping her lungs every so often. Carter carefully laid his head on the ground and used his free hoof to pet the alpha's head. Gaea let a small smile present itself to him, notifying Carter that she was enjoying his loving gesture.

With his mission complete, Carter closed his eyes, feeling nothing but peace wash over him as he fell into a deep slumber. The night passed by quite quickly; never once did Carter get nightmares of his past or visions of future horrors. This time Carter was blessed with a peaceful slumber, nothing but silence filling his mind as he slept. With his mind at ease, Carter knew that he was done. His family looked down upon the sleeping pony, smiling in the clouds above. Their son had grown up and became a man, just like he knew they wanted him to be.

From here on out, Carter would leave this phase of life as a new chapter unfolds.

Author's Note

The time has finally come. With Carter finally fulfilling his goal, his return to Earth grows near. But does he really want to go back? Finding friends through the Mane 6 seemed to spark a new interest within him. Maybe he doesn't want to go back to Earth. But... does he even get a choice?

Chapter 20: A Warrior's Will

"Congratulations, Carter! You have successfully learned about all I could teach you about friendship! Your maturity has surpassed even my expectations and your journal entries are simply amazing!" Twilight said, commemorating the red alicorn for his achievements. The Mane 6, along with the Royal Advisor, Spike, were all gathered around in a circular formation as they watched Carter formally graduate from Princess Twilight's teachings about friendship and the powers that it possesses. While the Princess of Friendship gave her big speech, Carter and the others quietly watched, hearing what their leader had to say to the stallion.

It feels good to know that I have matured and grown over the course of these last few weeks. I hope you are happy with the man I have become, Mom and Dad. Rest assured, I probably wouldn't be where I am today if it weren't for your everlasting support.

"We are gathered here today to celebrate Carter and his recent achievements! Carter has done what only a few of my students have been able to accomplish so far: learning about friendship and the magic it brings to them. Carter, may your kind and loving personality grow ever brighter in the days that follow and let the magic of friendship flow through you and spread to everyone you meet."

“Thank you, your majesty.” Carter said, kneeling before the Princess of Friendship. “It brings me great joy knowing that I have grown a lot since I have started this. I cannot thank you and your friends enough for everything that you have taught me.”

“You learned mighty quickly, Carter. Makes me wonder if ya even needed help in the first place.” Applejack said.

“It wasn’t necessarily that he needed to learn about friendship, as he already knew what it was like to be a friend to others. Carter just needed somepony to remind him about the things he was missing out on.” Twilight said. Princess Twilight turned around and pulled out a wooden box from behind her desk, picking it up with her hooves and placing it beside her. “That is not actually everything I have to say to you, Carter.”

“Is there something else you wish to inform me about?” Carter inquired, intrigued by the princess’ words.

“Well, as we all know by now, Carter has done some absolutely astonishing things during his short time here in Equestria.” The mares standing beside the stallion all nodded to him in agreement. “Carter, you have done what most ponies would consider to be impossible to do by themselves, yet you have overcome these obstacles time and time again, proving yourself stronger than your adversaries.”

“I was just trying to do the right thing, your majesty.” Carter said, humbling himself.

“But that’s just it, Carter. You have done what others would never even attempt, let alone overcome. You alone saved Rainbow Dash from the evil creature that resided within the Everfree Forest and you two destroyed it, saving all of Equestria and restoring peace. Not only that, but you also stopped Grogar from possibly bringing Equestria back into a state of war and you also saved thousands of presumably dead ponies, freeing them from their prisons and giving them a second chance at living the lives they so desperately yearned for.” Princess Twilight turned to her left and opened the box. She reached in and pulled out a golden crown with a special, white gem in the shape of two sword crossing paths in front of a large shield. The mare held it out in front of her, showing the stallion all of its extravagant, lavish features. "Now without further ado, by the power invested in me, I award our new friend with the honor of becoming a new and valued member of the Council of Friendship!"

Carter was left surprised, jaw hanging agape and eyes wide with dilated pupils. He was absolutely baffled by the mare's statement. The Council of Friendship was only meant for the Mane 6, along with Spike, keeping the peace in Equestria and spreading friendship around the world. But knowing that he would now become a member of their group was something he just couldn't fathom.

"Twilight, erm… your majesty," Carter began saying, stumbling over his words as he spoke due to the information being processed in his mind. "Did you just make me a part of the Council?" The stallion inquired, making sure that he heard her words correctly.

"I did!" Twilight said, gleaming with a vibrant smile swept over her face, excitement beaming out of her. "The girls and I talked over it, but we came down to the decision that you should join us! Your determination and strength that you have displayed to us has shown us that you are more than capable and ready to join us and help spread the magic of friendship!"

"We also thought that it would be a great idea to invite you to join the Council since you are a guy." Fluttershy said, walking up to Carter and presenting herself to him. "Poor little Spike has been the only other guy in this group. It would be a shame to him knowing that it would have to stay that way."

"That isn't at all to say that your gender is the only reason we would even consider you a valid member of the Council." The purple dragon said, waving his hands in front of himself as he spoke.

"Not at all. You have shown us that you are one cool pony. Maybe even as cool as me!" Rainbow Dash said, throwing her head back and crossing her arms with a heroic expression.

“Ooh, wouldn’t that be something?” Carter said, laughing under his breath. “But… in all honesty, do you really think that I am worthy of filling in such a spot? I mean, I am not even a pony. I am not even from this world.”

“I do.” Twilight said, stepping down the stairs that led to her throne and approaching the stallion. “You are not from this world and I fully understand that. But because of that, you have knowledge and skills beyond our own. Together we can do amazing things!” Twilight stopped within a few inches of the red alicorn and held out his crown. “You are worthy of this title just as much as me and my friends are. You have done so much for us, let me do the same for you.”

Carter looked down at the golden crown resting upon the lavender mare’s hoof. He was hesitant with deciding whether or not he should take it and accept his new position amongst the others. He thought it was the perfect thing for him, as he always wanted to help others. But knowing that he was only placed in Equestria to learn about friendship, the spirit might come by at any point and return him to Earth. There were a lot of variables that came into play, all of which he had to look over and thoroughly evaluate.

“Carter, what do you say?” Twilight asked, noticing the silence from the silence. Carter turned his attention to the princess and smiled, nodding to her before taking the crown from her and placing it on top of his head.

“I accept this position, your majesty.” Carter said. The mares surrounding him all cheered in excitement. Pinkie Pie, who was quite literally bouncing off walls just a moment ago, pulled out her party cannon and shot a loud burst of confetti all across the throne room, coating each pony with lots of blue and pink paper particles.

“Please, Carter. I told you to just call me Twilight.” The lavender mare said, also finding herself rather excited that the stallion had accepted his new position.

“Well, Twilight, I will make sure that decision of yours does not give you any regrets.” Carter said, saluting the princess with his hoof.

“I doubt it will.” Twilight said.

“Wow… this is a lot to take in.” Carter said, noticing that his heart rate had spiked. “Can I go get some fresh air really quick?”

“Of course, Carter. Take your time, you have earned it.” Carter thanked the princess and ran outside of the castle walls.

Carter later found himself looking out over the land he had grown so accustomed to. He grew more depressed the longer he thought about having to leave these amazing creatures, but he knew that it was for the best. Humans were not ready to be a part of the ponies… and yet, even then, Carter found himself longing to stay with the ponies. He felt restless, wanting to talk with the spirit that did this to him and just tell him that he wanted to stay.

“So… you have completed your task.” Carter turned around and saw the spirit standing right behind him. His familiar cloak rested over his head, hiding his facial features. “Then it would appear that you are ready for the next step.”

“Sir, please listen to me, I just want to stay here and… did you just say ‘next step,’ sir?” Carter was confused by the spirit’s words.

“I am afraid I have hidden something far beyond your comprehension, boy. It is time I revealed the truth about myself and the dark future that awaits these creatures.”

“Sir, you are not making any sense.” Carter said, trying to understand what the spirit was trying to tell him. “My job was to learn about friendship, was it not?”

“I am afraid that is only half of it.” The spirit said, almost feeling anguish for saying such words.

“What? What do you mean?” Carter asked. The stallion began to feel betrayed by the spirit, causing him to rise in anger. He demanded answers. The spirit said nothing to him, only looking down at the ground. The spirit lifted his hands above his head and grabbed a hold of his hood. Slowly but surely, the spirit pulled the hood away from his face, revealing his true identity. Once completely off of his head and resting upon his shoulder, Carter was left with nothing but hurt and betrayal. The man standing before him was dark haired, with a big, bushy beard that hung from his chin. The man was around death, looking frail and scarred. Yet even with this limited information, Carter knew who the man truly was.

“This cannot be!” Carter said, denying his eyes with what they showed him. “You cannot be… no! I refuse to believe this!”

“Yes, boy. It is true.” The man said, standing still in his place, not a single muscle moving on his body besides his lips when he spoke. “I am you from the future.”

“But why? Why have you brought me here? What is your true intention for bringing me to this place? You said I was on the verge of death if I did not learn about friendship. That is what you told me!” Carter was furious, his body shaking with rage as he spoke.

“You were, boy. But it is time I came out with the truth.” The man let out a sigh before he continued. “There is a war coming, one that these creatures have never seen the likes of. If they are to fight by themselves, they will fall and they will surely perish. I had to go through the same thing as you are back when I was your age, but I failed. I refused to help them in their time of need and let them suffer because of my choices. I brought you here to hopefully change this for you and those you love.”

“But why? This is not my fight. They are not my species. I should’ve never come here!” Carter shouted.

“But you are here nonetheless aren’t you, boy?” The man shouted, he too built up in rage. “You know what it’s like to lose someone you love. I do too. I brought you here so that you may fix the things that I have done wrong and hopefully rewrite history with a different story.” The man looked down at his hands, shaking at the sight of his fingers. Carter knew that look all too well. He too would look at his hands from time to time, imagining the blood that once rested along his palms as the man he once was. “I only wanted what was best for both you and these creatures, boy. The Carter I know would never back down from a fight when it came down to protecting those he loved.”

“...” Carter could not find the words to say to his future self. He was distressed. He knew that the spirit’s intentions were only for the good of Equestria and its citizens, but to know that he was basically placed in this world as a weapon was something he could never have seen coming. “Why did you wait this long to tell me?” Carter asked.

“You would never have agreed. You would have backed away from this task, fearful of the man you’d become if you had to do so much as take one more soul.” The man looked up at Carter, furrowing his brow. “I know for a fact that even you could agree with that.” Carter could do nothing but nod in agreement.

“What happens? How can I fight this upcoming evil?” Carter inquired.

“I cannot tell you for sure, for each time this event happens the outcome is different from the last.” The man said. “My only advice is that I trust you to do the right thing.”

“But how? How can I…” Carter stopped talking, noticing that the spirit was no longer with him. Carter turned his head, trying to find the spirit, but he was no longer nearby.

Filled with an unnatural amount of rage and betrayal, Carter collapsed to the floor, slamming his hooves against the ground beneath him as he shouted out in rage. The recent events were all too much for him to comprehend so quickly, and he knew that he would just have to accept it, even if it wasn’t what he wanted. The truth of the matter stayed with him even through his emotions. He really did grow attached to these creatures, and he would absolutely risk his life to save them should the need arise.

Carter got up to his hooves and stood tall and defiant. If the spirit was telling the truth about this upcoming war, then he would need to be ready for anything. The stallion headed back to the others, wishing to warn them about the evils to come.

To think that it was never about me. I only came here to fight. Is that really what I am meant to be? Just a warrior? A man simply used to fight? Why don’t I ever get a chance. But… then again, the spirit was right. I do have a chance. I could walk away right now, or I could fight. They are my friends, and I do love them dearly. Damn… so many questions still left unanswered.

Carter opened the door and looked up, looking for the princess. He found her in the middle of the room, but something was far from normal about her. Every single one of them were encased in a green, slimy cocoon of sorts with nothing but their heads sticking out of it. Twilight’s eyes were wide beyond belief, sweat dripping from her mane and her body shaking violently. She mouthed the words, run, but by the time he could understand her, a blast of black magic surrounded him. The magical particles morphed into a long link of serrated chains, embedding themselves into Carter’s limbs. The stallion screamed in pain, trying to pull away from the painful bondage that locked him in place, only to feel his skin become even more lacerated with every pull he did.

“Hahaha! The mighty warrior falls to the hooves of yours truly.” Carter looked up and saw an unwelcoming face standing before him. The stallion gritted his teeth together and furrowed his brow.

Grogar!

“You didn’t think that you could get rid of me so easily, did you?” The ram said, pushing his nose up against Carter’s, taunting him with threats. “Haha! This young creature really thought that he alone could defeat the likes of me! It took armies to fight me the first time, and even then I gave them a bit of trouble. But you? Ha! Don’t make me laugh!”

“You fucking demon. I will-”

“What? You will do what? Oh, that’s right, nothing!” Grogar laughed aloud, his voice echoing around the throne room. Carter noticed a familiar bell hanging from Grogar’s neck. His eyes widened when he saw it. “Oh, this little thing? Yeah, you destroyed my decoy bell. But this one is the real deal, and let me make it very clear that it is exponentially more powerful than the one I fought you with last time we met.”

“But how?” Fluttershy asked, struggling in her bonds. “Discord was the one who hid the bell! Unless… I my gosh.” The cream colored mare fell to nothing but tears, thinking that her friend had perished by the hooves of Grogar.

“No, silly pony. Your friend Discord actually gave me the bell.” Grogar said, wiggling the bell out in front of himself.

“You liar! Discord would never even think of helping the likes of you!” Rainbow Dash shouted.

“Ha! You are all a bunch of idiots!” Grogar’s laugh grew to a new octave. “Think about it, he has his reasons for everything. All I had to do was give him one to hand over the bell.”

“What did you do to him?” Fluttershy inquired. The innocent, timid pegasus became restless within her bondage, vigorously shaking around in a futile attempt to escape.

“I will show you.” Grogar said menacingly. He slowly approached the pegasus and stopped right in front of her. Fluttershy looked up at the ram with the epitome of fear growing inside of her soul. He lifted his hoof and violently punched Fluttershy across the face. The wound that was inflicted upon her cheek left a streak of blood that spilled out of her and onto the floor. Fluttershy cried softly as the pain began to kick in. The others shouted at the ram, yelling at him for what he had just done, to which he replied with nothing but a roaring laughter. Carter stood still in his chains, growling under his breath.

“You monster! Leave the poor thing alone!” Rarity shouted.

“When I get mah hooves on ya, yer gonna be sorry for cross’n paths with us.” Applejack growled, she too trying to escape from the bondage she found herself in.

A sudden blast of light emerged from the southside of the throne room, revealing a familiar draconequus emerging from a portal. Fluttershy’s eyes widened with happiness, a spark of hope growing within her.

“Grogar! You said that you would leave Fluttershy alone!” Discord said, running over to Fluttershy’s aid. He however stopped dead in his tracks once Grogar’s bell began to glow with a yellow aura. The color of the magic quickly shifted over to Fluttershy, surrounding her head and staying stagnant for a moment.

“Now now, Discord. My deal was that I wouldn’t kill her. If you dare break that deal then I will be more than fine with pulling her head right off of her body!” Grogar said, shouting at the draconequus. “Now, kneel before your master, or else this poor mare gets what she deserves!”

Fluttershy was in tears, screaming in fear as she felt the magic slowly pull on her head. Discord was panicking, trying to think of something to do, but nothing he thought of had even the smallest chance of working out in his favor. With nothing else to lose, Discord knelt down before Grogar, surrendering himself to the ram.

“That’s what I thought.” Grogar said, releasing Fluttershy from the magic’s grasp and walking away from the pegasus and towards Carter. Fluttershy got control of herself and looked over at Discord, who was looking towards the ground with sadness in his soul.

“Is it true? Did you give Grogar the bell?” Rarity asked.

“It is true.” Discord admitted.

“But… why?” Fluttershy said, feeling betrayed by the draconequus decision.

“Grogar told me that Fluttershy would be the first to die in his battle for conquest… unless I was to give him back what was once rightfully his. I couldn’t bear the thought of her dying because of my selfish actions, so I did what had to be done.”

“But… Discord! Why would you do that?” Fluttershy said. “You didn’t have to do that!”

“Forgive me, Fluttershy, but I simply can’t even imagine the thought of your death. It would be too much for me to deal with.” Discord hung his head in shame, feeling disgraced by all the mares in the room.

“Now, for your turn.” Grogar said as he approached Carter. The ram looked down upon the weakened stallion with a vile smile, placing his hoof against his chest and pushing him backwards. The pressure pushed the serrated chains further into his skin, resulting in more blood being spilled from his limbs and onto the floor beneath him. Carter shouted in pain, never losing sight of the ram.

“You will never get away with this!” Carter muttered.

“Oh, but I already have!” Grogar pulled his hoof away from Carter and placed it back on the floor. “World domination is within my reach. Soon I will conquer Equestria and claim the throne for myself!”

“You and what army!?” Carter shouted, violently shaking around in chains, resulting in more blood spilling from his wounds.

“Uh oh… haven’t they taught you never to say that?” Grogar said, turning back towards the stallion.” Alright, guys. I think it’s about time we showed these fools who they're dealing with.”

In an instant, multiple creatures of all kinds appeared around the throne room, surrounding Grogar like he was their king. They all entered through different means of transportation and knelt before the ram. With a simple command, they arose, eyeing Carter. The stallion had no clue who most of them were. There was a giant red centaur, a small pink alicorn, a tall blue satyr, a black unicorn, and of course Grogar. However, there was one creature that Carter recognized immediately after his first glance. It was the very creature that haunted his visions near the beginning of his time in Equestria. A creature of pure black, insect-like features. The one he so sarcastically called, Swiss Cheese Goddess.

“Well well well, if it isn’t the one and only male alicorn that everypony is talking about. Such an honor to finally be able to meet you in person.” Standing in front of the captured stallion was a pure black creature who somewhat resembled a pony but was covered in holes near the base of each limb and the tip of her horn. She had wings, but they looked green and transparent. The beady eyes that looked upon him were all too familiar.

“Chrysalis!?” Twilight shouted, surprised to see the changeling queen once more. “How did you get out of your stone prisons?”

“Ah, yes. Grogar broke us out of that most barbaric imprisonment. Why, I would say that he freed us from something we could’ve never hoped to free ourselves from.” Chrysalis said, laughing with an evil tone in the back of her throat. “You have trapped us away for over a year now, but we have come to exact our revenge!"

"Do you know how hard it is to live like that!?" The centaur shouted angrily, grabbing Princess Twilight by her throat. "We have to stay there everyday, unable to move, unable to breathe, on the very edge of lifelessness! We are forced to watch time fly by as we rot like fruits left in a tree!" The small pink alicorn pushed herself in front of the centaur.

“You are always talking about friendship and how it is supposed to help everypony, yet you left us there like we were nothing! You never showed us friendship, you never showed us anything but rejection. Our lives as we knew it were stripped away from us, and you dare call that friendship!? You took everything away from us!!!”

“You all tried to destroy Equestria! You knew what would come upon you if you failed!” Carter shouted, struggling in his chains. Grogar looked back and smacked Carter across the face with his hoof. Carter merely grunted at the attack, not wanting to piss off the ram anymore than need be.

“You may talk when I give you permission, boy!” Grogar shouted, spitting on the stallion’s face.

“Leave him alone!” Twilight shouted, desperately trying to claw her way out of the green bondage surrounding her to save her friends. Grogar used his magic once more, this time surrounding the yellow aura around Carter.

“Alright, princess. You have two choices. You can continue to be an annoyance and this stallion gets beheaded, or you can surrender to us and this so-called friend of yours lives to breathe another day.” Grogar chuckled under his breath, staring down the distressed alicorn princess with a most frightening look in his eyes. “I don’t mind what you choose. I am just interested to see what you choose to do, considering the fact that you are the Princess of Friendship and all!”

“Yes, princess. Do help this poor soul!” The satyr prowled around the Princess of Friendship, taunting her with his vile words of negativity.

“Go ahead, Twilight. Give milord what he deserves.” The black unicorn said, his eyes turning green as he stared at the alicorn with a menacing expression.

“I… I won’t let you hurt him!” Twilight said, her voice cracking as her words tumbled out of her upon speaking. “Free him and I will surrender to you.”

“No! Damnit, Twilight. Don’t let them win!” Carter shouted, his voice growling in the back of his throat. “You must persevere! Think of what you will lose if you fail!”

“Ah, but the princess has already made her choice. Besides, I think I remember telling you that you may speak only when I give you permission.” Grogar looked over to the centaur. “Tirek, show this fool who’s in charge around here.”

“With pleasure, milord.” The centaur walked up to the stallion with loud, booming steps echoing from his hooves. Once up close and personal, the centaur pulled his gargantuan arm back and pushed forward with force. A fist of evil red color swung towards Carter’s face at blazing speeds, giving the stallion a vivid picture of what to expect before it even connected.

Silence fell over the throne room after the sound of breaking bones reverberated off the castle walls. The ponies looked over at the stallion’s position, which was blocked by the centaur’s massive body. As the monstrous creature stepped back, every single mare screamed in fear as they looked upon the image of their beloved friend with a now mutilated face from one single punch. Blood flowed out of him like a leaky faucet, spilling from his eyes, nose and mouth. Carter was unconscious, unable to aid the ponies.

“No!!! Carter!!!” Twilight screamed, tears erupting from her eyes. “Why are you doing this!? We did what had to be done to protect Equestria, nothing personal! Please, let us go!”

“No, you will get what’s coming to you!!!” The small alicorn shouted, furiously grabbing Twilight’s face with her hooves and shaking her back and forth.

“Now then, your majesty. I will ask you once more.” The pink alicorn stepped back as Grogar walked over to the Princess of Friendship and pressed his forehead against Twilight’s. “Will you submit?”

“I… I… you bastard!” The ram simply laughed at the princess’ reply, surprised that she actually swore at him.

“I want you to take one good look at me, Twilight. This will be the last time you see me as some subject of yours. From here on out, I am your superior. I will make the rules around here. Anyone who denies us will perish, and it will be because of you and your friends that Equestria trembles before me.”

“You will never win!” Twilight shouted.

“Oh… but I already have…”

~

Two weeks after the first appearance of the Ultimate Legion of Doom, the entirety of Equestria had fallen to the hands of these evil creatures. Every major city had been conquered, and every citizen within Equestria’s borders were either enslaved or dead. Banished within the confines of Canterlot's dungeons, many ponies of all kinds were bound to the very shackles that had once detained evil, now used to imprison those who fought for their homeland. Over half of the captured quadrupeds had already died off, whether it was because of malnourishment, death by torture, or even suicide. Those who were unfortunate enough to live through the pain were mostly insane, driven mad and unaware of their actions. Some would go as far as kill their own kind just to live another day. Of the limited numbers of ponies who were still somewhat sane, they kept themselves busy, thinking about their families or simply counting the days as they passed by.

Of all those who had wound up in the dungeon, a lone alicorn male of red and black hung in the air, chained by a most painful bondage. His life force barely resided inside of him, his head hanging down and the blood from his many wounds spilling off of his body and dripping onto the floor. His entire being, lacerated and tortured beyond belief, hung above the cold stone floor, quiet and still as could be. His limbs were held in place by a most cruel and vicious method, the ancient Chains of Tartarus: an old spell banned from usage due to the intense pain that it inflicts upon its victims, wrapping around one’s limbs and embedding itself into their flesh with its serrated thorns.

The alicorn said nothing, letting out nothing but staggered groans due to the pain that lingered within his body. He closed his eyes, trying to stay as still as he could so that the thorns that ran along the black chains holding him in place did not cut away at his flesh anymore than it needed to.

I have paid the ultimate price for what I have become. I have banished myself to a hell that I can never escape. I have damned myself to a torment far beyond anyone’s comprehension. I have punished myself with loneliness: a life without living. I… I have failed them. They looked up to me… they sought my help in their time of need, only to be betrayed by the one they considered a friend. I have brought nothing but havoc and destruction upon these innocent creatures. I… I have failed them. I have failed… her.

“Your mission is not yet done, for you are the only one. Your friends still need you, and you know what to do. The time to act is now, regain your strength and furrow your brow. Take your chance and avenge, for this is your chance for revenge!”
-To be continued...

Author's Note

And so the story of The Ultimate Friendship comes to a halt. With Equestria conquered by the newly found Ultimate Legion of Doom the ponies seem to be on the brink of extinction. And yet through all the losses, all the pain, all the failures, hope is still found.

Residing within Carter and all of the ponies sparks a flame of hope, a hope that will fight back against the evils that threaten the very existence of Equestria.

With this hope still with them, the ponies will rise again, evil will crumble, and Carter will have his revenge!

Chapter 1: A Man's Will

The being that is human: a very emotional, influential and innocent soul that lives within the boundaries of Earth. They are naturally found separated from each other; their power-hungry spirits prove detrimental to what their ultimate potential could entail. As a wise man once said, “the world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything.” Humans can and will fall short of their best, and yet it is the one thing that motivates the human race to become better than what they currently are, for better or worse. A single man or woman can make a difference, yes, but it is the power in numbers that proves to be the ultimate force. The force of honesty towards one’s comrades, generosity with one’s possessions, kindness to get them through the hard times, laughter to lift one’s spirits, loyalty with knowing that they can count on each other, and magic: that special essence found in each person's soul. With all these different things, order must be established. This is done through the essence of leadership: the figurehead for the bond that guides all the other essences into an order to create harmony. This is what can only be described as a bond, a relationship, or a group. It is what this species considers… the power of friendship.

“There is a time to stand down, and a time to fight. We were not given the urge to take a man’s life; we were given a moral compass, and as such, we must prove to be responsible with this power.”

11-5-2023

A young 22 year old man, by the name of Carter, was asleep on his bed in his small apartment next to Fort Lewis, where he was currently stationed. He was at peace, letting his body rest in preparation for the following day’s trials and allowing his mind to calm itself from all the stress that slipped its way into his head throughout his day. He had a smile on his face, relieved to know that there was always a time and place in his life where he wouldn’t have to deal with the pains that life brought upon him… or so he thought.

Carter began to become restless in his sleep. Letting out a couple of moans and angry grunts, his body began to twitch and fidget in his sleep, extreme hatred and guilt filling his conscience. He furrowed his brow in anger and his fists clenched tightly. His skin began to turn beat red; his scalp was releasing sweat in numbers. The images of his past presented themselves to him once again, forever torturing him by taking away any chance he got at peace. His mind began presenting images of himself in a room surrounded by the bodies of deceased gang members. The area around him looked like the climax of an intense war, as nothing seemed remotely normal. Blood was splattered all over the room, including the ceiling, dripping down to the floor almost rhythmically. His heart rate began to rise along with his breathing as he looked at his surroundings, horrified by what he was seeing. He looked down at his hands, which were covered in a familiar red liquid. He began to lose composure, unable to mentally grasp the situation that he found himself a part of. He was shaking violently and began swearing loudly. He looked over his shoulder almost instinctively and found a little girl, dead on the ground. Carter limped over to her, falling to his hands after feeling wounds scattered around his own body. He looked at the deceased, innocent girl’s corpse that laid in front of him. His eyes turned bright red and began tearing up with massive groups of the salty liquid. He buried his face into her bosom before shooting his face up to the sky.

“Why, God!? Why must she suffer because of my weakness!?” Carter shouted. The veins in his neck thickened as he released a fury of hate around him; the anger in his soul could’ve been felt by anyone in the vicinity. He looked back at the girl and placed his palm on her cheek, gently caressing it with his thumb. Carter felt a pain shoot up through his body as the last bit of blood began to escape through his wounds. By this point, his skin was completely pale and his body heat had dropped beyond the normal. He fell to the ground, lifeless, near dead, and just looked at a picture of the little girl with her parents. He gave up trying to stay alive and stopped moving.

Why? Why must she suffer? God, why her? Please spare her the same fate as mine.

Carter collapsed, nothing but blackness coming in his eyes. Blackness… and a small outline of a little ghost. The apparition filled his soul with nothing but fear. It wasn't like anything he had felt before, but rather a fear of the unknown, like those who are afraid of the dark.

“No, don’t haunt me. No more. I am sorry, stop!!!”

~

Carter shot out of bed with a heavy gasp escaping his lungs. He felt abnormally hot; his head was sweating profusely and an immense amount of tears culminated in his eyes. He placed his hands all around his body, checking himself for any wounds. He surveyed the room for any dead corpses or deceased little girls nearby. Nothing he was looking for was found. He tried to calm down, taking deep breaths and placing his hands against his head in order to try and expel all of the bad images still bouncing in and out of his head.

With his adrenaline still skyrocketing out of control, he got out of his bed and ran to the fridge, which was located at the other end of his apartment. He pulled out a bottle of water, twisted the cap off in mere seconds, and chugged the entire mass of liquid down his throat in an attempt to cool himself off. He did not want any more distractions keeping him too occupied to sleep. Carter waltzed over to his bed, after tossing the empty bottle into the trash can with a flashy flick of the wrist, and plopped down on the mattress. He looked over his shoulder and stared at the desk clock with a worn out expression over his face.

6:58

Carter’s face changed to one representing sheer displeasement. He knew that he would have to head down to meet up with his unit and begin instructing them on their basic training very soon, so he decided to just lay in his bed. With nothing productive to do until he was ordered to head down to the barracks, he turned on the television to entertain himself.

“Alright pinhead. Your time is u- chu, I choose you- are not the biggest lo- my little po-”

Carter was flipping through the channels to see if any of the content interested him. Nothing came close to bringing even the smallest bit of enjoyment into his day.

“Geez, and to think that my parents only had like... maybe five channels?” Carter said to himself. He got tired of looking for something enjoyable and just switched over to the local news channel to get himself informed on current events.

“Thank you, Paul. Now with our brand new story about two…” The news anchor began to lean over and talk into her earpiece. Carter was intrigued, as he knew from past experiences that it usually meant something big was about to be announced. He leaned closer to his television.

“This just in; the northwestern border of the country has just been invaded by the extremis group, the IFRE, which, based from what I’ve just been informed on, is now planning on bombing Joint Base Lewis. I repeat, the bombing is coming towards Fort Lewis.”

Carter jumped out of his bed. He was currently stationed there; hearing this was not something he was looking forward to. Carter was not into combat and knew that if they were coming for an attack then he would not have such an easy time defending himself. He ran to the window and began to slowly open the blinds.

*BLAM!!!*

Carter’s vision was filled with nothing but bright lights with orange tints. He was shot out of his apartment and sent into the air, making his body seem almost weightless and cold for a time. He was very disoriented after his body crashed through the drywall and wood upon collision with the apartment wall. He fell down onto the pavement below (which was only two stories down but still enough to seriously damage him.) Upon landing, the impact left wounds strewn across his body that hurt him enough to stop him from moving. After gaining enough time to evaluate the situation, he got up and let out a distressed groan as the pain began to kick in.

Shit! Talk about a wake up call…

He slowly rolled onto his stomach and propped himself up with his arms. He looked down at his body, finding nothing on him looking lacerated or severed, but the amount of smaller wounds like bruises and cuts were numerous. Thankfully, the blood loss he was experiencing was objectively small. He crawled to his feet and looked up at the apartment complex. To him, it was now nothing more than some rubble, looking like some historic ruins.

He stammered about, trying to find a weapon he could use to defend himself, just in case there were any ground troops nearby. He didn’t expect to find anything, but was still agitated when he couldn't find anything close to a defensive tool.

A deafening war cry was heard coming from behind Carter. He quickly rotated on his heels to find a man with a knife charging straight at him. Carter had little time to analyze the situation and just threw out a hefty right hook to the man’s head. A loud crack was heard as Carter's fist collided with the enemy's skull. Carter knew he dealt some damage, a satisfied grin appearing over his face. The man fell to the ground with a thud, cursing almost instinctively and violently grabbing the part of his head that had been struck by Carter’s fist.

This is not a good time to anger me.

The enemy tried to get up, but Carter took a piece of concrete from the apartment ruins and placed a firm grip over the corner of it before raising it in the air and working with gravity to throw the debris right on the man. Carter's mind was in full 'fight' over 'flight' by this point; the rage in his eyes visibly noticable. It didn’t take long after the concrete made contact with the enemy when Carter finally recollected his sanity. He was appalled by what he had just done.

I can’t say this is the first time I have taken another person’s life… bet dang, it still doesn’t feel right. I doubt it ever will...

Carter knew he had no time to feel bad about what he had just done, so he knelt down to examine the man. His body was cold and no pulse was felt. Carter knew that he wouldn’t be getting back up any time soon. He wore a military jacket with a symbol that resembled the IFRE. Carter was not happy to see that. He took the deceased soldier’s knife and pistol and proceeded over to the main building where he would hopefully meet up with the rest of his unit.

Carter continued down the road to find his team, looking over his shoulders almost rhythmically to make sure that he was not being watched or followed.

After about a mile or so, Carter finally found the building where his unit slept in and ran down to find them. He approached the door and tried to open it, but it was locked.

Locked? They must have followed protocol. Good for them, sure, but now I am gonna have to bust in sounding like the enemy.

He took a step back and put himself in a battle stance. Carter lifted his right leg and extended it with a violent speed out in front of him, kicking the entryway free. Slowly and cautiously walking to the bunker, Carter did a quick check to make sure there were no enemies nearby. A flash of light pulled Carter’s vision towards the east hallway. He found an IFRE soldier with his shoulder around the corner, ready to flick his gun to his side and fire at him. Carter held the pistol up to eye level and stared down its iron sights. Without second thoughts he pulled the trigger. The loud spark of light was followed by a concussive blast once the bullet left the chamber. It penetrated the drywall and impaled something else once it cut through. Carter peered over at the soldier once more, only to instead find him on the ground. The bullet had made contact in the most effective spot.

Headshot! Damn, that couldn’t have been any luckier.

Carter threw open the next door with his elbow, breaking the lock and forcing himself into the next room. He held his gun out in case of any IFRE soldiers in the area. What he instead found was his team with their backs against the wall, arms raised.

“At ease, soldiers. Just me.” Carter said. He found them all: Privates Jessica, Amber, Tiffany, Sophia, Watson, Bethany, and Markus.

“Well, you should’ve at least knocked or something before coming in like that. Nearly thought we were dead.” Watson said.

“Never mind that.” Amber said. “How ya feeling, Carter?”

“I’m fine. I will live.” Carter said.

“Oh no!” Bethany yelled.

“What’s the matter, Bethany?” Markus asked.

“My uniform is dirty, now! Our sergeant is not going to like this! I spent the entire day before to make sure it was nothing but tip top.”

“A shame.” Jessica said, rolling her eyes.

“Yes… how horrible.” Carter scoffed.

“Oh, I am so scared, like really scared, like are you seeing me? I am shaking so hard right now, I am in a state of panic. Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh. I can’t stop. I am so scared.” Tiffany mumbled loudly.

“Quiet!” Carter shouted, his stoic look changing into one of mild aggravation. After hearing Carter's sudden outburst his unit finally came together and began to devise a plan with their higher-up.

“Um, I-i-i think that we should stick together on this one, sir.” Sophia whispered.

“What was that?” Carter asked.

“I-i-i think that we should stick together. As a-a-a team.” She said, no louder than the first time.

Carter felt like nothing was getting better, and that (at this rate) they would all be the first to fall if he sent them out on their own. This put a lot of pressure on his mind, but it hidden by the anger in his soul, which was soon released upon his unit.

“Damnit, Sophia! I don't know how you are expecting to get through life, but get your mind together and start talking to me when you actually feel like doing so!”

The team looked at Carter, jaw-dropped expressions over all their faces. Sophia was on the verge of crying. Tiffany was comforting her, trying to stop her from possibly annoying him any further. Carter (though not willing to apologize for his temper) took a deep breath before continuing any further.

“It is clear that you guys will not last a single second out there. All of you need to go to the safety bunkers and hide there. I will fight off the enemy forces for your safety until you guys arrive there safely. Once you arrive, relay your location to me via radio, where I will then come to you. Got it?” They shook their heads in approval, each one of them staring at him with a bit of remorse in their eyes.

He flicked his hand and beckoned for his unit to follow him. They all came to his position and awaited further instructions from their higher-up. Once Carter confirmed that they were alone, he eyed each of them and silently moved his head right, signaling for them to begin their trek to the emergency bunkers.

Once the rookies turned the corner and fell out of sight, Carter knew that it was now his job to keep the enemy lines away from them so that they could get to their objective with little trouble.

Carter pulled out the pistol and held it to his side. He took guard behind a wall and turned to look out the door and into the nearby area outside the bunker. He was not prepared for what he saw.

A massive amount of soldiers began pouring into the vicinity. Carter pulled out his knife and holstered the pistol. He ran up to the soldiers and began throwing his knife around, driving it into the massive amounts of enemies. He could tell that they were nothing but rookies based on their rank symbols on their shoulders. The soldiers slowly fell, one by one. Though backup had yet to arrive, he killed off about five of them before he had a chance to catch his breath.

Carter fought them off for as long as he could, trying desperately to give his team enough time to get to their safety location. His mission was not seeming to be of any help on his side of things, as the swarm of enemies did not seem to stop piling themselves into the barracks.

I hope they all make it there soon. I can't keep this up for much longer.

Carter eventually ran out of ammo for the pistol. He gritted his teeth and violently threw it against the cold floor. He had to go in CQC style.

You want me so badly? Come get me.

Carter was enraged with fiery forces controlling his mind. Any and all foes he saw were decimated by their last breaths. His rage seemingly knew no bounds and did not hold back. In his head he felt like he knew what he was doing, (completing the mission) but his actions made it seem otherwise, as if his conscious and his flesh-covered body were two separate entities entirely. It wasn’t until his mind went back into a state of control when he snapped out of it, looking down at his hands. He was not happy with what he had just done. Carter fell to his knees as his mind began filling itself with flashbacks of the little girl, remembering that this was the same thing he saw that night. Carter rolled his fingers into fists and got back up. He knew that this wasn’t the time to cry about it. He had to fight.

Through the thick and thin of it all, Carter managed to get a moment of peace. Perhaps they were called off, or maybe they were just done with the attack and retreated. He didn’t know; there was no way to know for sure.

Carter got a call from his radio. He suspected it to be his unit reporting about their arrival in the safety bunkers. He picked it up and held it to his mouth.

“This is Private Carter, over.” He said into the radio.

“This is Private Jessica! We are safe in the bunker, over.” Carter was relieved. He was ultimately glad to hear that they successfully completed their objective. A small smile appeared over his face… until he analyzed the voice. It didn’t sound like Private Jessica.

“Who is this?” Carter inquired. Just then, a loud snap was heard, followed by blood jetting up into his face, and the heat of his body dropping to an icy cold. A sniper round had made its way through his neck, forcing him to his knees. Carter had never felt his life fade away so fast.

Damn! That hurt!

Through the skinny blurs of vision he still had left, Carter saw a man approaching him. The man looked down at him and laughed. He grabbed Carter by the throat and looked into his eyes. Carter saw nothing but green iris’ right up against his face, and smelt the odor of cigarette smoke. Carter began trying to desperately get a breath in his body so that he wouldn’t die, but he felt as though his body didn’t have the muscle power to inhale at all.

“Look at you. A disgrace to your people.” The man said. “You tried so hard to run from who you've become, but you know deep down that you can never change. You're just a little man. A little man that needs to learn his place.” The man snapped his fingers. He held up a personal monitor and showed Carter the footage that was recorded.

Carter saw each of the soldiers from his unit get killed off by an IFRE ambush attack. Carter watched as each one lost their life only to try and stay safe. He shyed his face away from the screen. He could not bare to look anymore. Carter felt horrible, feeling like he had failed them by not sticking with them.

“Ugh, you. You, guh… monster.” Carter muttered out, trying to stay alive with each word he spoke.

“Oh, that makes you mad, huh? Well that’s their fault.” The man said. “If they just cooperated with us, then I guess that they would’ve lived to tell the tale. However, I feel like you specifically told them to disobey our orders. Haha!" Carter snapped and thrusted his knife into the man's throat. “Ah! Damnit!!!”

“Die... you bitch.” Carter shouted, the essence of rage pouring out of his soul as he clenched his teeth with every word that came out. He felt his body going numb and falling to the floor. Carter knew he wasn’t going to live this one out, as he saw a light approach him. It was a light that seemed a lot like the one that people said someone would see when they die.

As the IFRE leader began to curse repetitively and flail about, Carter’s soul had already left his body and began ascending to the light that laid before him. It was unlike anything he had felt, and a pleasantly new experience at that. He felt free from the troubles that he faced back on Earth and was not fearful in the least to leave his once-was home.

The feeling did not last long, though, as Carter began to watch the light slowly fade away into nothing. He felt uneasy and was determined to find answers. Like a small child, Carter swam through the air in order to try and find that light. No dice. He swam faster, moving his hands in a stroking motion, faster and faster, but could not seem to catch up with the light above him.

Everything went dark, and Carter went from feeling like he was ascending to just floating in mid air… or in this case, nothingness. He looked and saw the silhouette of a person in the distance. He analyzed the figure before gasping and turning his face away from the being.

“This is just a dream. Don’t let it affect you. Just let it go by and wake up.” Carter muttered to himself. He looked back and the being was gone. Carter looked around the area, but could not find the figure. He let out a sigh of relief before closing his eyes again, hoping he’d wake up from the dream. He however did not stay like that long, as he saw a bright light appear past his eyelids. Carter opened his eyes to find the being in his face. He let out a yell and turned away. “Get away from me, you damned spirit. Away!”

“Carter, what are you telling me to do!?” The ghostly figure shouted. The voice sounded like it was augmented with a lower pitch from someone with an originally higher tone.

“What do you want from me, demon?” Carter shouted, still looking away from the figure.

“I, a demon?” The voice sounded angry. “ Ha, no way. Not me.”

“What are you saying?” Carter inquired, finally looking upon the figure in front of him. The face could not be seen, as it, along with the rest of its body, was cloaked behind a threaded, hooded attire. It was one that would be seen worn by the likes of the grim reaper himself.

“You have pushed away your feelings for far too long. You fear that feeling you had that one fateful night, and as such, have not only thrown away your life, but also the lives of those around you.” The voice said.

“What are you telling me? Speak clearly and with intent!” Carter said, beginning to be aware of the problem at hand.

“You have damned yourself from ever having people in your life, and because of your carelessness, have also made everyone you knew and loved, along with those around you, feel worthless in your presence.”

“No, you do not understand.” Carter began. “I have had many of my friends and family lose their lives because of my arrogance. I chose to push relationships away, not for my own self pity, but because I know that it will save the souls of the innocent from many more deaths if I were to let it continue. It is for their own good. Nothing bad could possibly come from this.”

“Liar!!!” The silhouette howled in a screechy anger. “You have impacted so many more people compared to the time before you changed your ways! Your choices always impact more than just yourself!” Carter looked at the figure.

“What are you saying!?” Carter yelled.

“Though your intentions may seem humble and only for the benefit of your comerades, you have destroyed yourself. I am quite certain that you have noticed yourself losing control of your temper quite easily, resulting in finding yourself doing and or saying things to others that you would otherwise find to be morally wrong in your heart. Not to mention the fact that you have become almost insensitive and unable to read people's emotions to help and guide them towards success. Your unit died because they had no one to count on, not even themselves. This was all because you didn’t show them the kindness and compassion that needed to be displayed for their safety and well being. Yet even with that said, you have still done similar things in your past because you chose to push away these feelings. Your choice to push away… friendships.”

“If anything, spirit, just let me know where I am and why?” Carter asked.

“I know that there is still good inside of you, Carter. There just has to be someone that can help you see it again.”

“Is that what you are here for, then?”

“That is for you to figure out.”

“I will take that as a yes.”

“You must become a friend yet again, or the path that you take leads to somewhere that you do not want to be in.”

“What? Do you mean… oh, no. No, I am not worthy of going there. If what you are saying is true, then there has got to be a way out of this mess.” Carter insisted.

“Well, luckily for you, I have found a way to give you a second chance.” The figure said. "You and I both know that somewhere in that violence-torn heart of yours, you still have a good side, with good morals."

“What do you want from me? Do I need to be a good boy and do things for charity? Do I need to donate my kidney? What do you want!?” Carter shouted, still flustered by the recent events.

“No. You must learn to find it in yourself to have friendships. Be a friend to those around you, even if they are not for your own well being.” The figure said.

“What? That’s it? Ok...”

“Do not let this deceive you, boy. For friendship is a powerful force, one that is made to exceed all other powers from a single person. It is by friendship that those who stand together are stronger than those who live separately.”

“Ok. I can do that. I will just go home and contact my family and friends. It’s been a while since I-” Carter was cut off.

“No. You will not be going home.” The figure said. “It is for your safety and well being that you truly understand the power of friendship.”

“Oh. Ok… so what does that mean? China? Mars!?” Carter guessed almost jokingly.

“You are going somewhere you have never seen before. A place that will truly help you on your journey.”

“Ok. Where is this place?” Carter inquired.

“That is all I can say.” The figure stated.

Moments after the apparition’s last words, Carter began to fly up into the air at a slow speed, and a glow of light followed suit. Carter had absolutely no clue what was going on, but did not care enough to ask what he was going through. The whole series of events had proven to be too much for his seemingly infantile brain to comprehend.

“Ok, I guess I am off?” Carter said, wanting an answer or at least some reply.

“May your will be as strong as you see it to be.” The figure said before disappearing behind the light that absorbed Carter’s soul.

With that, Carter was sent away to an unknown location. Where he was going was a place that would truly define himself worthy of forgiveness for his selfish ways if he was to pass the test. Carter was determined to prove himself worthy of this reward, but it would not come to him as simply as he had thought. Where he was going was truly a land of friendship, and it would be a while before he would feel accustomed to the events to come.

Author's Note

A start to a special story that I have been most excited to write! It is a great joy to be able to write stories that entertain others, as it has been a dream of mine to do so!

As for Carter and the rest of the story, things only grow in plot from here on out. New mysteries unfold, friendships grow and fade, and faces old and new alike come together to decide the fate of Equestria.

Feel free to comment! Any questions that you may have will be attempted to be answered ASAP! Thanks for joining me in this brand new adventure; this is gonna be a fun ride.

Chapter 6: The Apples and The Trees

The morning light swept over the land of Equestria, and the sky was illuminated with bright orange colors. The sun’s light pierced through the windows of the Canterlot castle, brightening every room.

Carter awoke at what seemed to be the break of dawn. He sat up and rubbed his eyes as he let his body slowly get back into gear. He slowly got out of the bed and stretched out his limbs, hearing a couple snaps within his bones as he did so. He looked back at the bed and saw that he slept quite restlessly, as the covers and sheets were thrown about. He didn’t know if some maids would come in and clean it, but he went over and decided to make the bed to make it seem like there was at least some formality.

Carter finished with tidying up the bedroom and exited it through the door. He closed the door behind him and proceeded down the stairs and into the foyer. He was the only one there at the moment, which made him wonder if the other ponies were even awake. He figured - based on what Celestia told him - that if Twilight really was the one who raised and lowered the sun, then she’d be awake by now if the sun was already risen. He waited for about half an hour near a window, keeping himself occupied by looking off into the clouds. There were sounds of steps coming from the top of the staircase. He looked up to find Applejack and Twilight walking down the stairs while having a discussion with each other.

“What do ya think about Carter?” Applejack asked the lavender mare. Her words were too quiet for Carter to eavesdrop on their discussion.

“I enjoy his company, but I feel as though he is hiding something.” Twilight replied.

“What do ya mean?”

“I sense something inside him. I don’t know what it is about him, but I feel as though there is a dark side to him.”

“What?”

“I saw him looking at the stone formation encasing the Legion of Doom. He says that he heard voices coming from it, which I can believe, as some of my knights have reported the same.” Twilight stared down at the floor, almost feeling regret for saying those words.

“What’s so bad about that?” Applejack inquired.

“Those same knights went crazy, trying to free them out of their stone prison. I had no choice to banish them to Tartarus until they proved to be sane once more. None of them have done so, almost like they are cursed until the Legion of Doom is freed.” As Twilight continued talking, Applejack pieced together her words. The orange mare’s eyes widened in horror after realizing where the princess was leading her words.

“Yer worried that Carter will become that way, too. Or worse.” Applejack shuddered at the thought.

“It may be unlikely, but his backstory and everything leading up to this seems almost too pieced together to be merely coincidence.”

“What are ya going to do?”

“Keep an eye on him, Applejack. If he does anything that seems even slightly suspicious, then please report back to me. We can not allow their freedom. You know the destruction that they will bring if they are freed.”

“Good morning.” Carter said.

“Oh! Good morning, Carter.” Twilight replied. She put a wide smile on her face so as to not look suspicious.

“Didn’t expect ya of all ponies to be up so early.” Applejack said.

“It’s funny, really. I don’t remember being a naturally early waker at all.” Carter said. “I guess all my time in the military put that on me. Funny, too… feels like yesterday when I’d sleep in until noon.”

“Not that there's anything wrong with waking up early. I am the same way.” Twilight said. “Although I kinda have to, considering I raise the sun and all.” Carter shook his head at her words, still having trouble believing such a statement.

“Where are the others?” Carter asked.

“They should be coming down here pretty soon. I did tell them that I have a chariot outside for their return to Ponyville, right now.” Twilight said.

“I need to get back, ASAP. I have so many chores to do back on the farm. I doubt that Big Macintosh and Apple Bloom can do it all by themselves.” Applejack said.

“You seem like you are quite busy.” Carter said. “How long do you usually work?”

“It usually takes only a couple hours, which gives me plenty of free time in the later half of the day for other farm associated tasks. However, I have quite a load of work to do, today. If I’m at all lucky then I am sure that me and my family could get things done before nightfall.” Applejack stated.

“That much?” Carter wondered.

“But yeah… why do you ask?”

“Do you need any help?” Carter offered.

“Oh, you are too kind, Carter. There is no need, though. I am sure we can do it if we just put our hooves to work.” Applejack said.

“You sure? I’d be happy to help.” Carter said, insisting that he helped her with her chores. “Besides, I legitimately have nothing better to do. I’d rather be doing something productive than sitting at my house, staring at the walls.”

“Well fine, you’ve twisted my hoof. I guess I could use some help with my chores, anyway.” Applejack finally said.

“There you go, Applejack. Never turn down some good help with work. You only have the chance of getting something good out of it.” Carter said. “Coming from my experience, at least.”

The rest of the gang came flying down the stairs (Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash quite literally flying down) while Pinkie Pie just slid down the staircase rails. They met up with each other and proceeded to walk outside of the castle walls and towards the chariot that awaited to take them home. They got in and sat down.

“Thank you girls so much for coming.” Twilight said. “You too, Carter.”

“Pfft. I was ‘bouta say!” Carter replied sarcastically. The others laughed at his response.

“I’m sorry,” Twilight said, also laughing. “I am too used to having only girl friends.”

“Girlfriends!? Woah now, Twilight. That’s kind of messed up.” Carter said. Twilight snapped and reached inside the chariot, trying to playfully slap Carter’s leg. “Woah! Don’t do that, your grace. This isn’t what I planned at all!” She got a few slaps in, but nothing too much.

“Don’t ever talk like that to me ever again. I am the princess.” Twilight said, the light tone in her voice made the nearby guards know that she was just teasing, as they almost jumped Carter.

I think I just watched my life flash before me...

“Ok, ok. I’ll stop.” Carter said.

“Yes, do watch yourself, dear. She may look delicate from the surface, but she is a fighter within.” Rarity said.

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Carter said, wiping the nervous sweat from his forehead. “Twilight, do tell Spike that I said goodbye.” The princess nodded to him, acknowledging his request.

With that, Twilight sent them off as she waived to the stallion to take them back. Her friends all said their goodbyes as they flew off towards Ponyville. The ride there was just like the last time; beautiful scenery, soft winds, and an overall fun experience. Carter looked over at Fluttershy, who was staring off into the distance while the others were having fun talking about girly stuff.

“Fluttershy. Are you doing okay?” Carter asked.

“Yes, I am fine. Thank you for asking.” She said, never turning her head to look at him. Carter thought that something was up with her, but he didn’t know what it was.

“Fluttershy,” Carter started. “I am very sorry for scaring you so much to the point where you passed out, last night. I should’ve listened to you more seriously.”

“Oh, that’s ok. I know I can be a bit of a whiny pony, but it is what it is. Can’t fix your past.” She said, finally turning towards him. Her face didn’t exactly show that she fully forgave Carter, as an aura of timidness was felt as she stared at him. “I hope you don’t think that I ruined the night by doing that.” Her eyes shifted focus to the ground.

“No, not at all. That’s the reason that I am apologizing.” Carter insisted.

“Well, I forgive you. But you really didn’t do anything wrong.” Fluttershy said. She began to perk a nervous smile at him.

“Listen, Fluttershy… I want to make it up to you.” Carter said.

“No, silly. You don’t have to do that.” She said.

“Ok... well if it isn’t to make up then I just want to hang out.” Carter began rambling on to try and not seem so weird, but it was doing him no good. “I hear that you host some pretty great tea parties. Though I can say that I have never been a part of one myself, I am intrigued by your tea skills, as I also hear that you make a pretty good tea.”

“You mean it?” She asked.

“Yes, I do.” Carter answered. He felt like his words were intentional, but immediately froze after thinking over what exactly he just told her. “Forgive me, I am not the best with my words…”

Did I really just invite myself to a tea party!?

“It’s ok. I am not the best with my words, either.” She said.

“D-d-do you accept?” Carter asked as sweat began to fall out of his mane. He was, by this moment, fully committed to sticking to his word, even though he completely regretted asking her. There was no going back. The only thing he could hope for is that she would say no.

“Well of course I do. I just need to think of a time that works for both of us.” Fluttershy said. “Would tomorrow work out?”

“Any day besides today would work, as I have already promised Applejack that I would help her around the farm.” Carter stated.

“Ok then. How about we plan for tomorrow in the afternoon?” Fluttershy offered.

“Tomorrow afternoon is a go.” Carter said. Fluttershy let out a soft cheer of excitement before looking back into the distance.

Carter was a nervous wreck. He felt so embarrassed and ashamed of himself for looking like such a fool. When in any man’s life would they invite themselves to a tea party? Besides being from Europe or something like that. He slouched in his seat and let out a small whimper of shame.

The rest of the ride was smooth and enjoyable, but eventually it had to end. The chariot came to a slow stop right in front of Carter’s house. Everypony got out and stretched their limbs. They thanked the chariot driver and went back to their respective households. Carter, meanwhile, went along with Applejack. They began their walk to Sweet Apple Acres, where Applejack lived.

“The farm is not too far from here. We should be able to make great time if we hurry.” Applejack said.

“Is that it over there?” Carter asked, pointing towards a big red barn out in the distance.

“Yep, that’s it.” Applejack answered. “Home sweet apple home.”

“You said hurry?” Carter got in a strange position. It was almost like he was getting ready for something.

“Yeah, but I don’t mean-” Applejack stopped talking as she watched Carter sprint towards the barn. “Oh, you are so on, partner!” She ran after him.

Carter was in a full sprint by the time he looked back to find Applejack. He was a bit slower than her, probably because he was still getting used to his pony-body, but it was definitely faster than what he could do as a human.

“Look out, Carter. Imma catchin’ up to ya!” Applejack shouted. Carter tried to go faster, which he managed to pull off, but not by much. He was about the same speed as Applejack by then, but knew that he hit his maximum speed.

Oh, if only I could fly. This would’ve been an easy win.

Carter began to feel completely exhausted. Still, he kept on going, trying to keep Applejack behind him. By the end of the run they were about the same distance from each other, going neck and neck. They both ran under the property sign and skidded to a stop.

“Yeehaw! I won!” Applejack cheered.

“Yeah… sure.” Carter said, panting heavily. “Oh… oh my gosh… *gasp* Oh my lungs!” He placed his right forehoof on a fence post and placed his other forehoof on his chest. “That was such a bad idea.”

“You started it.” Applejack said, prancing away from Carter and heading towards the barn.

How is she still able to run after that? She doesn’t even look remotely tired.

“I know… I just… ah my gosh!” He felt like he wanted to fall to the floor and just lay there, but knew he came here to work. He grabbed control of himself and followed her into the barn.

Applejack opened the barn doors and found three small fillies playing around in the hay. They seemed to have arranged the hay barrels into a fairly giant fort.

“Well what is going on here?” Applejack asked happily.

“Applejack, you’re back!” A yellow filly with a bright red mane and a pink bow announced with joy, running over to Applejack. “Me and the girls made a fort out of the hay. I hope ya don’t mind. We already planned on cleaning it up when we were done.”

“That’s fine and all, but did ya forget about how much work we have to do, today?” Applejack asked.

“Oh… right.” The filly said, looking down at the ground and frowning. Her friends did the same.

“But, Applejack! We just started playing! We can’t stop now!” A white unicorn filly with purple hair said, striking a very strong resemblance to Rarity.

“Yeah, we can’t quit now!” An orange pegasus filly added.

“I’m sorry, girls. But we are very busy. Though if we hurry then we might have time to relax and play later.” Applejack said. The yellow filly found Carter and stared him down.

“Can I help you?” She asked.

“Oh, right. Girls, this is my friend, Carter.” Applejack said. “Carter, this is the Cutie Mark Crusaders. The yellow one is my sister, Apple Bloom. The white one is Sweetie Belle, Rarity’s sister. And that orange pegasus there is Scootaloo.”

“Oh, so they have a special group name, do they?” Carter said, raising his eyebrow. “Well, it is an honor to be in the presence of the Cutie Mark Crusaders.” He bowed before them.

“Mmm. A stallion of respect.” Sweetie Belle said.

“Rise, faithful fan.” Apple Bloom said, playing along with Carter’s pompous behavior.

“Wait… is he an alicorn!?” Scootaloo shouted.

I swear. If another pony, or any creature for that matter, asks why I am an alicorn, I am going to snap.

“Nevermind that, girls. He just offered his aid to help us get done a little quicker, that’s all.” Applejack said. “Ain’t that right, Carter?”

“Yes… uh, yeah! Right.” Carter said, calming himself mid dialogue.

“That’s great, big sis! Then me and the girls can get back to playing in no time.” Apple Bloom said with a bright smile on her face.

“Yep. But it’s important that we all make sure that we each do our part.” Applejack said.

“Are you girls gonna help?” Apple Bloom asked her friends.

“Oh… you see, we’d love to… but…” Sweetie Belle started.

“We have… other things that we must do… right now, actually.” Scootaloo said.

“Oh… I see.” Apple Bloom said, distraught fell over her soul. Carter chuckled and shook his head, remembering the times he’d come up with cruddy excuses that usually failed or proved to be untrue in the end. “You girls will be back later, right?”

“Of course.” Sweetie Belle said.

“Just let us know when you’ll be done. Me and Sweetie Belle will be with Mr. and Mrs. Cake in their bakery.” Scootaloo said.

“Alrighty then. I will see you girls later.” The other two walked away as Apple Bloom turned around. “Alright, big sis. What am I to do?”

“Don’t ya remember? This is the season where we need to pick all the apples before the snow blows over the farm.” Applejack said, raising an eyebrow at the filly.

“What!? I can’t do all of that! Apple Bloom said, pouting on the floor. “That always takes days to finish!”

“Awe, cheer up, buttercup. The faster you get it done,”

“The more time I get in the end, I know.” Apple Bloom said, trotting out of the barn in a depressed manner. “Why do sisters always give the little one the most work.” She said, sure that no one could hear her.

“Siblings, ay?” Applejack said.

“Tell me about it.” Carter replied. “I’m sure that you’ve had to put up with this every year.”

“*sigh* Yes, I have.” Applejack said, taking her hat off and placing it against her chest with her hoof. “It’s almost winter. We need to get the last of the harvest before the trees die.” Applejack explained.

“Oh. That will do it.” Carter said.

“That snow ya passed through on your way to Canterlot, that isn’t there on any summer day.”

“Is that so?”

“Anywho, if ya want to, ya can join us right now. I’m gonna go and get started, myself.”

“Sure.”

“Ok, then.” Applejack began walking towards the apple orchard. “Thanks again for helping us, Carter. It means a lot.”

“Of course, Applejack. I think that Apple Bloom will get the most out of my labor.” Carter said.

“Alright then. Follow me and I’ll show you what to do.” Applejack said, leading him towards a massive field of trees. Carter just followed her down the path while he looked around at all of the trees. There were quite a multitude of them and he knew that he had his work cut out for him.

“You guys grow a whole lot of apples.” Carter said.

“Yep. We make sure that we get the most out of this land and its soil.” Applejack said.

“Huh, talk about it. A couple tens of acres at least.” Carter replied.

“Alright, this is where you will start.” Applejack said, pointing to the tree next to her. “Going down the row, make sure to get every apple in each tree into this here basket. You can use any method you choose, just make sure that you don’t kill the tree just yet, as we want them alive by the end of the harvest. Once the basket is full, just walk over to the barrels over by the barn and unload them.”

“Why not just chop it down and then pick them up?” Carter asked.

“The apples will be bruised on their way done, drastically decreasing the amount of apples that we can sell.” Applejack answered.

“Oh… duh!” Carter said, feeling stupid for asking a question with such an obvious answer.

“I know it might take quite a number of trips to get all the apples to the barrels and back, but I am afraid that a faster method has yet to be found.”

“All good. I am used to hard work. Or at least, I don’t mind it enough to get all emotionally overwhelmed over it.” Carter said.

“Welp, if ya understand the job then I’ll leave you to it.” Applejack said, heading back towards the barn. “I will be tending to the livestock. If ya need me just give me a holler.”

“Got it!” Carter said.

He looked at the apple tree in front of him, getting flashbacks of the previous night when he tried to get firewood from branches. He remembered Applejack’s style of getting things off of trees. He got down and began to try the kick again. He placed his forehooves on the ground and lifted his hindlegs to kick the tree at the base of the trunk. He managed to pull it off this time, but felt no power behind his kick. He got readied up and tried again, this time with a little more power and confidence. He hit the tree, this time sending one apple down and into the basket.

“There we go. Now we’ve got it, Carter.” He said to himself. He attempted another kick, using all his strength by this point. He struck the tree with all of his might and sent all of the apples down into the basket below. “Sweet! One down!” He cheered, picking up his basket and moving it to the next tree. He repeated the kick, and with one mighty strike, he got all of the apples off of their branches.

“Hah! At this rate I should be done by noon.” Carter said to himself before picking up his basket and looking for the next one. He saw all of the other trees far off in the distance. “Or you know, if I am lucky then perhaps I will be done before nightfall.” His smile turned into an exhausted frown. “Oh well… no help in wallowing.” He placed the basket down and proceeded to repeat the process with the trees that followed.

Every ten or so trees, Carter’s basket would fill to the top and he would make his way to the barn to unload the apples into a giant container for the harvest. He did this over and over again, and by the fourth trip he was bored. It was about noon, and he had only done one out of the seemingly endless rows of trees.

Good lord. This is no joke.

Carter sighed. He knew that he had to stay true to his word, but hated every minute that he spent doing the same work repeatedly. “It’s for a good cause.” He’d tell himself every minute or two. “It’s all for a good cause. It’s for a good cause. Heh… if this were a cartoon then I’m sure that I’d be singing a song out of nowhere.” He laughed at his own words, finding a little more enjoyment in his work and taking advantage of his mood to keep things moving.

Supper time came around and a loud bell was heard from the barn, along with the sound of Applejack’s yelling.

“Come on, everypony. Supper time!”

Thank God.

Carter was relieved to finally have some time to rest, let alone eat. He carried his basket over to the container and dumped the apples that he had into it before setting the basket down right beside the apple container. He made his way to the front porch of the house next to the barn.

“Am I allowed to come in?” Carter asked Applejack.

“Of course! Wouldn’t want ya working out there while you’re hungry.” She answered, gesturing him towards the door with her hoof. He nodded and walked inside the house. It smelled and looked like what he imagined a farm house to seem like. It had a rustic feel to it, reminding him of the parts of Earth that he was accustomed to living in. He wiped his hooves off on the doormat and made his way to the kitchen table. Carter pulled out a chair and sat down in it. The table was topped with plates of cornbread, mashed potatoes and grilled cheese sandwiches.

Alright! Something that actually looks appetizing!

Carter stared at the food that taunted his taste buds with every passing second. He looked around at all of the other ponies at the table. He recognized Applejack and Apple Bloom, but did not recognize a bright red stallion, a pink unicorn mare, and a much, much older green mare.

“Mind if you introduce me to these folks?” Carter whispered to Applejack as he leaned over to her ear.

“I got you.” She whispered back, winking at him to let him know that she heard him. “Hey, everypony. I’d like for y’all to meet Carter. He has been kind enough to help us get ready for winter.”

“Well I do say, it’s nice to see another face at the table.” The old mare said to Carter.

“This is Granny Smith.” Applejack said.

“Oh, so you are the owner of the farm.” Carter said. “Quite an honor to meet you.”

“Those two over there, the red one is my brother, Big Macintosh, and his wife, Sugar Belle.”

“I thank you guys for having me over for supper. It’s not easy working out there for so long. But I am sure that you guys and girls are used to that by now.” Carter said, trying to come across as someone always up for a conversation.

“Eeyep.” Big Macintosh said.

“Granny Smith is right. It is quite a joy to see another face in our home.” Sugar Belle said.

Don’t you dare say it.

“Well I’ll be, are ya a darn tootin’ alicorn?” Granny Smith asked.

Son of a-

“Yes, he is. Now if ya don’t mind, I am going to dish up. I am one hungry farm pony!” Applejack said.

“That makes two of us!” Granny Smith said.

“Eeyep.” Big Macintosh said.

Big Mac reminds me of myself when I used to be hella socially awkward… except he makes it seem, well, less awkward. Then again, his body proportions make me quiver at the very thought of telling him such words. One slip up and I’d be out for the count against him.

Big Macintosh passed around servings of food to each of the ponies as they got ready to eat. The food smelled absolutely amazing, like it was made by some great chef from some high class restaurant.

“Oh boy, I can’t wait to dig into this here meal!” Applejack shouted. She leaned over her plate and took a big bite of her mashed potatoes.

Carter took his first bite, starting with the cornbread. He immediately fell in love with it once it made contact with his taste buds and he knew that the rest of the food would taste just as good. He threw a small portion of each one in his mouth and savored the taste. He was in heaven by this point, thinking to himself that he had never tasted something as good as this. All of his work felt paid off after eating this.

“So tell us about yourself, Carter. Where are you from?” Sugar Belle asked, starting a conversation.

“I am not from Equestria, I can tell you that much.” Carter said.

“Really?” Granny Smith inquired.

“Yes. I am from a far away land. I am unaware about how exactly I found myself here, but Applejack and her friends have helped me find enjoyment here in Ponyville.” Carter said.

“Wow! So you are new to Equestria?” Apple Bloom asked.

“That’s right.” Carter said. “And before you ask, no, I don’t know how or why I am an alicorn.”

“Interesting. Such an intriguing backstory.” Sugar Belle said.

“Eeyep.” Big Macintosh said.

Eeyep. Eeyep. Eeyep. I simply cannot get annoyed by that.

“I too wish I could say more, but alas that is not the case. I am afraid I know very little about my past.” Carter said.

“Well, whatever it is that brought ya here, we are glad that ya found your way into our lives. I can’t begin to thank you for everything you have done for me and mah family during this short time that we’ve known ya for, Carter.” Applejack said. Carter felt very gracious for her kind words.

“Thank you for being so open.” Carter said, returning the compliment.

Supper passed by and everyone was cleaning up and getting ready to continue working. Everything was looking great, and it was just about time to head back outside to continue the apple picking. There was a loud crash that sounded like something fell onto the wooden floor.

“What was that?” Apple Bloom asked, thinking nothing of it.

A soft moan was heard. All of the Apple family’s eyes sprung open and rushed over to where the moaning was coming from.

Oh no!

“Granny Smith! Granny, are you ok?” Applejack shouted, running over to the elderly mare, trying to get her to answer. Granny Smith had fallen to the floor and was doing nothing but staggered breathing and moaning. Her health was not looking good, and they all knew it. They tried to help her back onto her hooves, but there was no energy left in her. That is until she got her conscious back in order.

“I’m ok, I’m ok. What happened? Why is everypony staring at me? Let me be!” She said, acting all cranky as if nothing happened.

“Granny, ya scared us.” Apple Bloom said.

“Yep.” Big Macintosh added, his voice sounding a lot more emotional.

“Y’all just a bunch of silly, millennial ponies. I will be fine. Just let me… *cough* *cough*” Granny Smith fell to the floor once more, coughing heavily as her throat sounded more and more hoarse after each one.

“Big Mac, help me get her back in bed.” Applejack said. “The rest of y’all, please just wait right where y’all at.” Her and Big Macintosh carefully picked up Granny Smith and carried the old mare away from the others and into her bedroom.

Carter was quite worried. He wanted to so desperately help them in any way he could, but knew that letting them take care of it was probably for the best. He got up on his hindlegs and propped himself against the wall, crossing his forelegs. He looked down at Apple Bloom, who he found to be on the verge of tears. She was so distraught, seeing her grandmother feeling so ill. It suddenly clicked into Carter’s mind. Grandmother? Where were the parents? Were they away for some harvest-associated occasion? He paid no mind to his unorthodox thoughts and shifted his focus on Sugar Belle.

“Is this becoming a regular event?” Carter asked her.

“No. This is the worst that it has ever been.” Sugar Belle answered, she too looking like she might cry.

“I see. How awful.” Carter said, not wanting to sound rude by asking too many questions.

After some time, Applejack walked out of the room and into the kitchen. She had a very gloomy look upon her face, and everypony in the area knew that something was wrong.

“Granny Smith ain’t feeling too well. We will have to continue work some other time.” Applejack said.

“What? But what about winter? We need to get prepared, still.” Apple Bloom said.

“We will worry about that later. Just go play with your friends in the meantime.”

“But… big sis.”

“Apple Bloom, do as you are told.” Applejack began to change moods from sad to anger.

“But-”

“Do not talk back to me!!!” Applejack snapped. The fury in her heart was unleashed upon her sister, and she knew immediately following her outburst that she had just made a grave mistake.

The room fell quiet. Apple Bloom nearly lost it, struggling to breathe normally as her emotions began to overwhelm her. With a large amount of tears in her eyes she ran to her room. Carter and Sugar Belle did nothing but stare at the floor as the events took place. Applejack felt an immense regret for how she had just acted. Tears began to fill her eyes, a couple of which fell out and onto the wooden floor. She stood there, softly crying. Everything was seeming to be against her at the moment.

Carter didn’t know what to do. He wanted to go up to her and give her a big hug to show her some sympathy, but figured that that was not the right thing to do in this situation. He just stayed where he was, leaning against the wall, not saying a single word.

“You can go, Carter. *sniff* Thank you for your help. *sniff*” Applejack said through her crying. Carter simply nodded and then left through the front door, closing it as he exited the house. He heard Applejack say something before the door fully shut.

“I can’t lose her, Sugar Belle. Not like I lost them.”

Those words rang in his head like a gong that had just been struck. He felt chills throughout his body, and his stomach dropped in horror. He had only the darkest of ideas about what that meant.

“Mom… *sniff* Dad.” The door shut.

Carter nearly lost his balance. His emotions made him feel like he was about to vomit, and his limbs trembled violently. He dropped to the floor, resting on his hindlegs. He looked down at his forehooves, getting flashbacks of that dark night of his. Though he physically saw hooves in front of him, he mentally saw hands. It was all too familiar to him. He trembled in fear, nearly losing his sanity. He fell to the ground.

Not her. She doesn’t deserve to have lost them.

Carter’s mind became mush, and his emotions were nothing but extreme fear and sadness. He breathed more quickly, trying to shake away the dark memories from his mind. He pounded his hoof against the dirt in anger. After a few moments to himself, his emotions were brought back to his control and he got up on his hooves, wiping the tears away from his eyes. He stared off into the distance with a stern look.

“Never… never again.” Carter said, pushing those words upon himself.

Carter was then put into a time where he didn't know what to do. He thought about going home, but the sun was still high in the sky. He knew that Applejack and her family still had work to do, but that they would not be able to get it done with Granny Smith’s current condition. He looked over at the barn, eyeing the container with the apples that he had delivered from the harvest.

“They are not going to be able to get this done. Not with their granny like that.” Carter said to himself. He then had a thought. He looked over at all of the trees. He eyed them down with a stern look on his face. “I must finish these, myself.”

He grabbed the apple basket and walked over to the next unpicked tree in the row. He placed the basket down with a bit of force. He said nothing and kicked the tree, making all of the apples fall into the basket. He then picked up the basket and continued down the line. Everytime the basket was full, he’d bring it over to the container and dump the apples. He did this for every tree, one by one, apple by apple.

Carter began to feel anger. It was an anger that he had rarely felt; one that was expressed for one's friends rather than their self. He felt horrible for Applejack and her family, and felt as though he didn’t do what he should’ve done to help them. His anger grew deep inside him. He was never one to accept defeat, but this was personal. He wanted to be the guy that people could count on, the one that people could depend on. He walked over to the next tree in line and stared at its trunk. With extreme anger still in his soul, Carter lifted his back legs and drove every bit of force he could into the tree.

Carter immediately felt pain shoot through his hooves. The tree absorbed his power and sent it back through his legs, resulting in an immense amount of suffering on his hooves. He merely grunted at the pain before taking his basket and placing the fallen apples inside it.

Carter caught himself in the act of displaying such anger. He was reminded of his actions on the day of his death by the IFRE. He remembered all of the horror and displeasement that he felt after seeing the things that he had done. He dropped the basket and took a deep breath. He gave himself some time to calm down, making sure that he wouldn’t do something that he would regret if he should choose to resort back to anger.

“It’s for a good cause.” He’d say with determination in his soul. “It’s for a good cause. It’s for a good cause.” He spent the entire night taking all of the apples and piling them up in the container. He kicked each tree with much force, never once letting up. The sweat that accumulated on his head was beginning to slow down after he felt parched, but he kept going at it, making sure that his work wasn’t done until every tree was free of apples.

Eventually, the time came when he finished piling up the last bit of apples into the container. The sun was just about to come up above the hills, and Carter was beyond tired.

Damn. I really just worked for about 24 hours on a farm, picking apples of all things. Talk about being honest with my word.

As the sun came up, Carter grabbed some of the animal food for each of the respected livestock. He filled the troughs with food and then moved on to the next one until each of the animals were fed.

Carter sat down on a small rock and wiped the sweat from his forehead. His job was finally done. He looked out at his work with a big smile on his face. Seeing the results of his labor and knowing that he himself accomplished something that would normally take days made him feel happy and proud of his hard work. His happiness, however, was immediately stripped away from him after he had a super dry cough. He began to see some fuzzy lights all around him.

Good gravy, I am thirsty, tired, and exhausted.

Carter got up and made his way back to Ponyville to find someplace to get a drink. He was not feeling too good, but knew that a simple drink of water should be enough to get his body back into shape. He made his way down the path, occasionally tripping over himself, nearly falling to the dirt floor beneath him.

One of these days you are going to kill yourself, Carter… again.

~

Back at the Apple family’s house, Applejack quietly came into Apple Bloom’s room. She saw the little filly in her bed with her pillow pressed against her face. The sound of soft sobbing was heard around the room, and Applejack knew why.

“Sugarcube?” Applejack whispered to her sister. The filly didn’t raise her head from the pillow. “I just wanted to say that I am so sorry about the way I lashed out at you. It’s just… I’m-”

“I’m scared, too.” Apple Bloom said, finally raising her head up to look back at Applejack. Her eyes were full of tears, some of which fell on the pillow. “I understand why you were how ya were, and I forgive you. But I don’t want her to go just as much as you don’t.”

“I know, Apple Bloom. We’re all scared, right now. But that doesn’t mean that we live in fear.” Applejack said. Apple Bloom looked at her big sister. “You are right, we still need to get ready for winter. It shouldn’t take too long, anyway. If we hurry then we can still have some free time. Big Mac is with Granny Smith, so it’ll just be me and you, today.”

“Ok.” Apple Bloom said.

“You go on ahead and get started. I’ll get ready and then join ya.” Applejack said. Apple Bloom nodded and headed outside.

Applejack went over to her room and found her cowpony hat. She took it from the hat stand and placed it on her head. She then opened up her dresser and pulled out a lasso. She placed it on her side and looked at herself through a mirror.

“I do this for you, Ma. You too, Pa.” Applejack walked over to the front door.

“Applejack! Come quick!” Apple Bloom shouted, bursting through the door before Applejack even had a chance to open it.

“Apple Bloom, what in the hay is going on!?” Applejack shouted, getting back on her hooves. “You better have a good reason for scaring me like that.”

“The trees have no more apples on them!” Apple Bloom shouted.

“What!?” Applejack was then with Apple Bloom. The two raced outside and looked at their farmland, which was empty from front to back. “Where in tarnation are our trees?”

“Where are all the apples!?” Apple Bloom said.

“Did something happen to them? Did timberwolves attack our farm?” Applejack asked, thinking out loud to herself.

“There aren’t any tracks anywhere.” Apple Bloom answered, pointing towards the soil.

“I can’t believe it.” Applejack said, chewing on her hoof. “*gasp* Did they steal the apples!?” She ran over to the apple container and opened the lid, trying to see if the suspect(s) stole the apples picked the day before.

“Well?” Apple Bloom inquired.

“Phew. They are still here. Full to the top.” Applejack said, letting out a sigh of relief after finding a container full of apples.

“Full?” Apple Bloom questioned. Applejack stopped in her tracks and swiftly flipped her head back. She opened the container again.

“It… it is full!” She shouted. Apple Bloom noticed something else out of the ordinary.

“Uh, sis. The animals are fed, too.”

“I don’t believe it. What could’ve possibly done this!?” Applejack said, trying to think of every possible explanation.

“You mean, who?” Apple Bloom said, correcting her sister’s words.

“Who? Whatever! How could this have possibly happened?” Applejack mumbled. She realized that perhaps somepony did do this. But who? “But… Big Mac is inside, and has been for the last couple hours. Sugar Belle couldn’t have done it, either.”

“I don’t get it, either, sis.” Apple Bloom said.

“What is going on?” Applejack was on the fence. She couldn’t figure it out. “... Wait!” Her brain then sparked with an idea. “Did… Carter?”

Friendship log #002

Today, I have learned that being a friend means more than just being there for someone. It also forces us to be honest with one another; the commitments we make, no matter how hard they may seem, must be followed through. Doing so boosts your trust between each other. This is what solidifies the difference between acquaintance and friend. Though it might not always be easy to be honest, it is important to remember that it isn’t always in your favor, but in favor of those you love.

Author's Note

Super fun and chill chapter!