Are You Ready?

Chapters

Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42 (See what I did there?)
Chapter 1
Chapter 6
Chapter 24

Chapter 2

Well, shoot...

Dr. Facilier thought he had her under her spell at first sight, but the zebra mare's blank stare was only replaced with a look of pure disdain upon his sight. She narrowed her eyes as she replied in a hostile tone.

"You, who have come across my home,
Should not be here. Go now, and roam..."

Her words practically dripped with venom with each spoken term, as if she knew he would come here and was ready to fight him off if necessary. The witch doctor couldn't let his guise falter, for he even broke Lawrence, a stout toady who doubted him at first, only to seek his services after speaking with his silver tongue. He decided he needed to try harder as he spoke to her again, trying to crush her iron will and make her help him out.

"C'mon, girl, don't be shy~.
Let me talk, I'm a reasonable guy."

Before he could speak more, he was interrupted by mare's next venom-induced verse.

"Your aura is as dark as this forest's soul!
To let you sway me with words, I'd be a foal!"

There she goes again with that hostile tone. While he kept a suave and cool demeanor on his face, on the inside, he was equally agitated with her words. Once again, it was as if she anticipated his arrival from the get-go. He dismissed her harsh words once again as he continued to attempt to win over her trust.

"Don't judge a book by it's cover, missy...
I come seeking guidance. No need to get pissy."

The zebra mare could only snort at his words, knowing that this stallion meant trouble. While she could relate to being judged as a type of witch, she was accepted in the end after showing kindness to her friends. But she could tell that the horned zebra standing in front of her wanted nothing more than to further his dark goals just by using charming banter to lure her under his spell. She could only reply to his next statement with another spiteful verse.

"You shall get nothing from me at all!
Go to the nearest cliff and fall!"

It was at times like this that he missed his shadow, for this verbal onslaught of her's was getting old to the Shadowman (Or in his current case, 'Colt'). She possessed a strong spirit, as if Madam Odie herself somehow made her way into this world and was standing right in front of him. Barring her spirit, it was as if he was forced to deal with this ever since he came here, having to deal with constant verse. Dr. Facilier only rhymes in song and times when he's in a good mood, but not 24/7. Looking past the defensive mare, he caught a glimpse of her hut's interior. He noticed more masks and potions around her room, and stopped his eyes to a bubbling cauldron, his eyes gleaming with temptation. It was a long time since he whipped up a good potion or two, along with some spells. But knowing his predicament, he thought it best to leave her alone, knowing she wasn't moving an inch or even GIVING him an inch further to her home. He thought it would be best to just wrap up his little reverie and ask for directions since she is adamant on wanting him gone.

"Since your not in the bests of moods today,
Do you know of any good places to stay?"

The angry mare couldn't take it anymore as she slammed a hoof on her doorstep with a loud thud, causing Dr. Facilier to flinch and take a step back. her eyes were narrow to slits as she uttered her next words with crushing ferocity.

"You've wasted time, now leave my abode!
Your sight will only make my anger EXLODE!"

She was ready for war, and the witch doctor could only sneer at her explosive anger, but quickly donned a fake smile. He turned and left after giving her one last smile and made his way along the clear path in front of him. After he was a few feet away from the hut, he heard a door slam, knowing she went inside with her more than bad mood. After she went inside, he replaced his smile with a look of dark anger. 'That girl jus' messed with the wrooong guy...If I had all my stuff, she'd be cooked like Louisiana shrimp!' He could only brood about his temporary loss as his thoughts darkened, and at that time that same faint rhythm came back to his ears, only growing in volume with each thought. He stopped and looked around again, wondering if he was hearing things, or if the zebra mare was performing some kind of haunting melody to spite him. He calmed down again to listen, only to have that melody fade once more. He rubbed his temples and wondered if his mind was playing tricks on him, but dismissed it as he continued on, finding a ray of light on the way.

After a good amount of walking, he was able to find himself out of the forest and into a beautiful meadow. He looked around and found the scenery to be remarkable. Almost every artist alive would want nothing more than to paint a picture of what the witch doctor saw: Beautiful skies, the breezing clouds, the bright sun, singing birds, and the blades of grass moving gracefully in the wind. It was as pristine as the clearing he woke up to in the forest. He took in the view, only to notice two things in the distance that lifted his spirits and made him forget about his past troubles.

What he noticed was a very distant castle hanging over a large mountain, looking every bit as it would in a children's book. Dismissing the childish nature the structure envoked, he was happy to know there was possibly royalty to dupe out of their money and resources were he to hold any useful items, but the second sight made him all the happier. A town! A town meant civilization, and civilization meant opportunity. He could use this moment to get back on his feet and start a whole new business with his profession in the dark arts. With renewed vigor after his long travel in the forest, he galloped ahead, only to stop and notice another landmark in his sights. He came across what appeared to be a peaceful cottage, like the one in 'Goldilocks and the three bears', only it was teeming with animals of different kinds. Most of them were merely small critters. Dr. Facilier wondered if it was a good idea to go over there to knock on the door and not be met with another seething zebra mare who could see through his charismatic ruse with relative ease. Dismissing the thought, he made his way over, only to notice the critters widening their eyes at the sight of the him and scurrying into their respective homes. When he reached the door, he put on his best gentlemen's face and knocked on the door, waiting patiently for whoever lived here. The door opened to reveal a beautiful yellow pony with a flowing pink mane and gentle eyes looking up at Dr. Facilier. This one was the antithesis of his last visit, and this made his attempt all the easier with knowing how timid she sounded when she spoke to him, shaking visibly "U-Um...Can I help you, sir??" She said in an quiet and cute voice. Antithesis indeed! This one didn't even rhyme at all, making Dr. Facilier want to use his signature charm on her to see if he can win her over easily as he flashed a grin towards the pony, then noticed she had wings. It was as if he went to a place where everyone was a horse with a visible gimmick on their bodies and a tattoo on their hindquarters. Dismissing the thought, his suave demeanor took over as he greeted the timid mare.

"Hey there cutie, how ya'll doin'?
You act as if there's trouble brewin'..."

His words made the mare shrink back into her mane, her face red as a cherry "O-Oh my...No, there's n-nothing wrong...I, um...just never saw you here before..." She could only take another step back, causing Dr. Facilier to chuckle at her actions. He spoke again, although he caught a faint glimpse of a pair of small black eyes glaring at him from inside her cottage.

"Don't worry, girl, I won't bite none.
I'm just here to have some fun..."

He paused on his words, thinking he was coming on too strong with his charm as he noticed the mare was all the way inside of her house with the door open. The doctor revised his words with haste.

"I didn't mean it like that, don't get me wrong,
I was just passing through, my trip was long..."

The mare slowly showed some of her face, but was still nervous "A-Are you lost? Because you're near Ponyville, if that's where you wanna go..." She shrunk again "That is, if that's okay with you..." The Shadowcolt could only shake his head and smile at this one, knowing her innocence was as clear as day. He decided to poke more fun by charming the mare with more words before he made his way to the place called 'Ponyville'.

"Your voice is so soft, it makes me wanna fly...
What's your name there, cutie pie?"

Upon the request, she could only utter "Um...I'm Fluttershy..." This caused Dr. Facilier to raise an eyebrow at her and ask again

"You're not speaking loud enough, my dear.
Mind layin' some emphasis onto my ear?"

She spoke again "M...My name is Fluttershy..." This began to agitate the witch doctor, thinking that she was toying with him. He asked once more with what was left of his patience.

"Didn't quite catch that, speak up please.
Try sayin' your name with relative ease..."

He hoped that that would help her speak up, but it only succeeded in making her give off an inaudible squeak at a high pitch. He only paused and stared at how shy this mare can be. Normally, he's used to dealing with fraidy cats or nervous wrecks of all sorts coming to his shop for guidance, but this was just ridiculous. He almost missed the zebra's ire with how this winged mare was talking. He just sighed as he trotted off.

"I'm just gonna go to that there town.
If ya feel like followin', come on down..."

He doubt that she would, given her audience with him, until he heard a "Wait!" causing him to turn to see the yellow mare fluttering into the air from her home, landing next to his side. She kicked at the ground, looking away "I-I'm sorry...I get nervous around new ponies...and you seem like you need help" She turned to Dr. Facilier with a warm smile "My name is Fluttershy...What's yours?" The Shadowcolt paused and stared, only to slowly break into a grin as he thought he found himself a valuable pawn for the first time in a long while. They walked along the trail to Ponyville, trading introductions and small stories on the way.

End of Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Pony Swag

Dr. Facilier, with the company of Fluttershy, finally reached the surnamed town of Ponyville, and couldn't believe the sight of what the very town had to offer.

The town certainly lived up to its name, as the witch doctor spotted all sorts of ponies left and right living like humans back in his world. What surpised him was that the town was mostly populated with mares, barely finding hide or hair of any stallions so far. He also noticed that they, too, sported horns and wings of their very own, and was surprised to notice that there were certain ponies that had nothing on them but their bright pastel color, different mane and tail styles, and of course, pictures on their hindquarters. He couldn't bear the thought about ignoring why exactly those existed other than the logical conclusion of being branded by their possible owners (If humans even existed here...), and could only turn to ask Fluttershy:

"Could you please tell me what I want to hear?
About them pictures on each pony's rear?"

He shuddered at the way he spoke. It was bad enough he was rhyming, but with each passing words, he knew his rhymes grew more stale. The doctor honestly missed rhyming properly in song, but before he could go further into loathing his new self, Fluttershy perked up and responded to his question "Y-You mean their cutie marks? They depict a pony's special talent in their life, l-like a mark of destiny...Um...I'd figure you would know about them yourself, Mr. Facilier..." She tilted her head in confusion as she spotted the Shadowcolt widening his eyes at what he heard. Apparantly, in the world he was in, the picture on a pony's rear meant their sealed fate and should stick by it no matter what. This place grew more screwy by the second. He decided to gaze upon Fluttershy's cutie mark and noticed what were three butterflies. How cute. Upon double-checking himself, he remembered that his cutie mark was a doll with a pin, a tarot card, and a potion flask with a green liquid all bunched up behind a cartoonish skull. Fluttershy decided to look as well, not catching a glimpse of his cutie mark when they first met, and could only cringe at the sight of the skull "U-U-Um...Mr. Facilier? What exactly d-does your cutie mark mean, if you don't mind me asking?" She shook as she stared at the skull, staring back at her with its hollow eyes. Dr. Facilier, while happy with realizing he wasn't entirely given a new fate, could not let this one know of his true colors, and quickly thought up a lie to throw her off.

"It's nothing big, no need to be scared...
This kinda thing just leaves me impaired..."

He was telling some truth, remembering how antisocial he was around others back in Louisiana, despite his amazing charm and prowess, and was happy to know that Fluttershy bought it without hesitation, looking at him with a worried expression "O-Oh! I'm sorry...I shouldn't press on you like that, that was wrong of me..." She looked away, ashamed, and the Shadowcolt could only be surprised at how well she could throw around her innocence like that. It was as if he were speaking to a curious child who wanted to live a sunny life. He chuckled to reassure her from her guilt as he spoke again.

"Don't worry none, dear, it ain't your fault.
Jus' grind your curiousity to a halt..."

The Shadowcolt was pleased to know that Fluttershy heeded to his words and nodded in agreement. This one could prove beneficial to whatever dark deed he could think of in his sick little head, unless he were met with what he dubbed 'The song' coursing through his ears when thinking evilly. He shook his head to himself as they passed through town, and the doctor noticed all the looks he was getting. Mares left and right had all sorts of expressions when watching the Shadowcolt trot along a path with Fluttershy. Some were surprise to notice that a zebra unicorn even existed, watching him with intrigue as he passed by. Only a miniscule amount shook at his sight, showing that some of Ponyville had not gotten over their fear of zebras throughout their time. But finally, a majority were looking at him with welcoming eyes and smiles that say 'Come over here for a second...'. The witch doctor could only grin his gapped teeth at that majority, knowing that even when not talking, his charm can be spotted a woman just a few feet away from him 'Hehehe~....The Shadowman's still got it here...' . Fluttershy watched him after looking around "They seem to recognize your appearance completely, Mr. Facilier...Um...I hope they aren't bothering you..." The doctor only turned to Fluttershy with a smile on his face.

"It's Doctor, my dear, and I wouldn't worry.
At least these girls don't run and scur-"

Before he could finish, a blur passed many ponies and stopped in front of Fluttershy and Dr. Facilier, causing the two to flinch and take a step back. The blur revealed itself to be what appeared to be a pink pony with a mane and tail crazier than his. He raised an eyebrow at the pair of blue eyes that stared at him with an anticipating grin, and as he went to speak to her, he was interrupted by what would have been a verbal storm strong enough to give him a migraine that not even medicine could cure. "Hi! I'm Pinkie Pie, and I just noticed you walk by with my friend Fluttershy here! I was looking for her, actually, but then I noticed her walking with you! How funny is THAT? Anyways, I didn't know zebra unicorns exist! What kind of magic do you perform? Are you an herbalist like Zeco-" Before she could continue, the Shadowcolt interrupted to save himself from another flurry of words.

"Hang on now, dear! Slow it down!
You're giving me a headache! ...Not to make you frown..."

He didn't want to make enemies the moment he got here, he had so much to do, but he counted his blessings as Pinkie stopped with a smile on her face "It's okay!" She gasped "HEY! Can you play that song again!?" The doctor raised his eyebrow at her, thinking they've met somewhere before. The only company he had was himself, his shadow, an angry zebra mare, and Fluttershy. Noticing the doctor's pause, Pinkie repeated herself "You know! That song! The one that goes Bum-bum-bum-bum-bum-bum-bum-bum-" She began to enact what he had been hearing for a good amount of time to where he grew sick of it, twitching an eye as he placed a hoof to her mouth.

"Let's not sing our diddys now, deary...
This trek of mine left me tired and weary..."

Pinkie moved back and looked concerned "Awww~! That's not good at all! Are you hungry? Are you lost? Are you ne-" She stopped herself, realizing something important.

...Dr. Facilier was new in Ponyville...

With amazing effort, she lifted herself in the air and let out a loud audible gasp as she zipped away from the two, not even telling as to why she was looking for Fluttershy. Needless to say, the Shadowcolt was more than surprised as he watched her breeze by, and could only turn to Fluttershy, who responded with a sheepish smile "Um...Pinkie tends to act like that around new ponies like you...She knows everypony in Ponyville. So for each new pony, she...throws a party..." She looks away "I, um...I hope you feel welcome here..." Dr. Facilier responded with a smile, but before he could speak to her, his stomach growled with the ferocity of a manticore as Fluttershy gave a soft gasp and a look of concern "Oh my! You haven't eaten yet, have you? I can get you something to eat...if that's okay with you..." Dr. Facilier himself was amazed as to how he went out for so long without food ever since coming into this world, and decided to oblige to Fluttershy's offer of free food. A rule of thumb in his world is to never turn down a good opportunity when presented, food or not.

"Lead the way, my little pet.
Maybe later I'll repay my debt..."

Fluttershy shook her head as she led him to a cafe "Oh nonononono! You don't need to pay me anything! We just need to get your tummy full of food! You do seem rather thin...s-sorry for pointing that out..." This mare could possibly be the only thing that could keep Dr. Facilier from doing all sorts of bad were she to hang around him at all times. At one point, he admires her eminent kindness and innocence, but on the other hand (Or hoof), he couldn't deal with this sort of company entirely. Knowing how timid she was, it couldn't be real at all. Nopony in this place could be THAT timid (Although her name IS Fluttershy...), she could be possibly faking it and waiting to pull a fast one on him. It's always the quiet ones. But those thoughts soon faded when they reached a vacant table for two. As they sat, the docotr noticed he was getting the same looks from neighboring tables holding mares. They were still allured by his otherworldly charm as he sat down and noticed a moustached pony, who he figured was the waiter, approach him and Fluttershy with an accent "May I take your order, monsieur and madam?" Fluttershy smiled at the waiter as she spoke "A daisy salad for me, please..." The waiter turned to the doctor "And you?" Dr. Facilier could only hope they had dishes he was familiar with. He was a good fan of the cajun variety, favoring gumbo and jambalaya, but then remembered that he was trapped in the body of a horse, and realize he'll need to lower his standards in order to get a good meal and blend into the small society of Ponyville.

"I'll have what she's havin', if that's okay.
I'm in a healthy mood today..."

He said, grinning his teeth to the waiter, who only sneered at him as he left. When he was a good distance, he only sneered back at him with more force. When the waiter sneered, it was more along the lines of arrogant posture or indifference in terms of social class, but when the Shadowcolt sneered, it was with hate and a vibe that said 'You cross me and I'll buck you up hard...' He dismissed the thought as he noticed Fluttershy looking at him in confusion "Um...I-Is something wrong M-I mean, Dr. Facilier?" She hoped she didn't offend him or hurt his feelings, but the doctor looked back and recovered from his little staring contest.

"Oh, my mind's just wandering from place to place
It moves too far, and then I have to give chase..."

Fluttershy gave a cute giggle at his statement, thinking he was joking for a minute. Dr. Facilier was surprised that she could be so easily fooled. Then again, deception is the curse of the whimsical female gender. He didn't want to question good fortune as he decided to break the ice about the here-and-now of Ponyville. He needed to move his agenda in good stride, and he needed all the information to do so.

"So tell me, Flutters, what goes on here?
Do these ponies also give you fear?"

Fluttershy responded "Oh no, not at all. Like I said, I only act that way around new ponies, but almost everypony here I've known for a while..." She smiled as she looked around "Also, I've met many good friends along the way, Pinkie being one of them..." She then turns to the doctor "Maybe I can introduce them to you...if that's okay..." she shrank and looked away "Y-You don't have to..." she mumbled, but this only served Dr. Facilier to chuckle and oblige on another good opportunity of getting to know the peo-er ponies that he'll scam later on, but not before he learns what tasteful knowledge that they have waiting for him. But before he could dwell on the issue further, the waiter returned with the two plates of salad, presenting them to the two as they got ready to eat "Bon appetit..." he turned to Dr. Facilier and gave a silent scoff before turning his snout to the air and leaving as if he were a fatcat. This only caused him to wonder what would happen if he ever put his horn to use and stabbed the waiter with it, but he remembered how hungry he was and hesitantly tasted the salad.

...It was SPECTACULAR!

He had heard of a dandelion salad, and those only tasted decent unless met with proper seasoning, but the daisy salad to him was so scrumptious that he almost forgot his manners and sat up in a dignified manner and ate properly, trying to hold back the ravenous tenacity he held within after so much fasting. It was as if he was relieved from a long and arduous hunger strike. With a satisfied sigh, he watched to see that Fluttershy was only half done with her salad, and watched to her surprise to notice that Dr. Facilier's plate was as clean as a whistle, not a single sight of petals or leaves "Oh my, you must have been so hungry..." she smiled "You remind of my pet Angel Bunny..." Angel Bunny? Really? This one was too innocent for the Shadowcolt's standards, but he paid it no mind. He got a free meal, and a ticket to what could be either an epic comeback, or something else. He waited for Fluttershy to finish as they made their way to the next destination...

...A tree??

End of Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Meeting the six

Dr. Facilier never thought he'd seen the day where not only there was another house made from a tree, but this one was hollowed out only to be filled to the brim with books and furniture. What made things more intriguing was how healthy the tree itself was. But his intrigue faded as he followed Fluttershy inside to find her second friend to introduce to him. Upon entering, he noticed a pile of books , some of which were floating in the ai-wait- Floating?? He couldn't believe his eyes as he noticed a couple of books being levitated in the air by some mysterious force. The only lead to this force was that it was a purplish pink color. Fluttershy then spoke "Twilight??" she was too quiet as there was no response. Fluttershy tried speaking again, but a little (emphasis on little) louder "Umm...Twilight??" Dr. Facilier was merely staring at his shadow and making movements to confirm that he lost his real friend while Fluttershy made futile attempts to call to the one named 'Twilight'.

While the two were distracted with their actions, what looked like a purple lizard on two legs walked in, munching on what appeared to be a good chunk of jade as if it were an apple, then noticed Fluttershy and the doctor "Hey Fluttershy-WHOA!" He almost dropped his half-eatened jade as he gazed upon the Shadowcolt, who turned to him the moment he yelled in surprise, only to flinch with widened eyes at the sight of the lizard, then the jade in his claws. What kind of messed up world is this? This also triggered the floating books to fall, and a lavender pony hopped from out of the pile "Spike!? What's wrong??" This was Dr. Facilier's first time seeing another pony who had a horn like him, and her cutie mark was a large star, with six smaller stars encircling it. His luck keeps getting better as he thought of what he could learn from this one in terms of using said horn. She turned to see Fluttershy smiling sheepishly at her "H-Hello, Twilight...I wanted you to meet someone...if that's okay with you..." The one called Spike could only watch in surprise "Wow! I never seen a zebra like this guy before!" The Shadowcolt responded to his comment in kind.

"The feeling's mutual with your sight!
What are you, man? This jus' ain't right!"

Spike, feeling offended that somepony didn't know about dragons, looked a little annoyed "Duh~! I'm a dragon!" He looked up at his horn and hat "I'm digging the hat! Although, I think Rarity could make a better one..." he then looked lovestruck as he was lost in thought, ignoring the Shadowcolt as quick as he acknowledged him. Dr. Facilier could not believe his eyes at the sight of a dragon, yet he expected more from this one. Perhaps he is just a hatchling, but he didn't want to mess with Spike either way, reading up on how dragons are quite the ferocious creatures no matter what their age. The one called Twilight could only sigh and shake her head at Spike's foolishness, but then perked up and acted polite as she trotted towards the doctor and introduced herself "Hello there! My name is Twilight Sparkle. Welcome to Ponyville!" Each name became more wierd to him by the minute, but he learned to live with it, knowing how much strange activity he had witnessed since coming here. It was better for him to go with the flow and waited for the right moment to set his developing plot into motion. He smiled at Twilight and introduced himself.

"The name's Dr. Facilier, and let me say
It's nice to meet you this fine day..."

Twilight smiled at him, then noticed his horn and gasped "Oh my gosh! A Zebracorn! This is amazing!" The doctor could only raise his eyebrow at the term she uttered. Zebracorn. It sounded as messed up as her name. He shook it off as she continued talking "Do you know any magic at all? What kind of magic are you most skilled in? Can you make potions?" Fearing she could possibly sound like the pink one earlier, he cut in with an idea.

"Actually, I've been travelin' an awful lot
Is it okay if I read some books or not?"

This only caused Twilight to beam at the Shadowcolt as if he were the most interesting pony in the world. She then took some steps back and welcomed him further into the library "I've never thought I'd see another pony who'd want to read any of these books! Help yourself to whatever piece of literature you feel like reading!" The Doctor nodded in approval as he looked around. He goes to pick out a book with his hooves, only to remember he had no fingers, causing him to grunt in defeat. Twilight could only tilt her head at his actions as he stared at the shelf of books and wondering how to get one of them down "Uhhh, everything alright there, Dr. Facilier?" He looked at Twilight and decided to ask for assistance after remembering the incredible levitation he had witnessed earlier.

"If it's not too much trouble, can you tell
If there's a book on levitation spells?"

Twilight nodded with a warm smile "Of course! Under the L section!" He nodded in gratitude and trotted over to the L section, only to be met with the trouble of trying to get it out. He never thought he would deal with a problem like this in his new life. Twilight rubbed the back of her head as she watched him, then turned to Spike, who was amazingly still in dreamland, thinking of the one called Rarity "Spike! Could you help Dr. Facilier with finding a book on Levitation spells while I take care of my mess?" Spike snapped out of his daydream and responded to Twilight with a mock salute "I'm on it!" he ran over to a wheeled ladder and slid across the shelves to the desired book he was looking for, pulling it out for him "Here you go!" Dr. Facilier could only stare at how he could be able to take the book, but gained confidence when having a thought 'If I can grab the hat on my head, I can damn well grab a book from a dragon.' he reached out a hoof, and was lucky enough to arch his limbs to hold the book in his grasp. He trotted to the desk with his three free legs as he had a hard time keeping the book still in his foreleg. He reached the counter and placed the book on the desk for Twilight to stamp. And, wouldn't he know it, he noticed her horn began to glow, and a stamp began to be coated in the same purplish pink glow he noticed earlier with the floating books. he could only stare at the horn, dumbfounded on the outside, but jittering with excitement on the inside 'So THAT'S how it works! Oh~, I'm beginning to like it here...' he grinned as he stared, only to have Twilight look at him in confusion "Ummm, Doctor? Your book?" He snapped out of his trance and then gladly took the book, ecstatic to read it and take the first step on his quest for power.

"Uh, yes, thank you, sorry 'bout that...
I'm more for thinking over simple chat."

He grinned sheepishly, but Twilight asked another question "Dr. Facilier, you, as a zebracorn could possibly use magic as well as me or my friends. Why haven't you used it earlier?" The doctor flinched, coming to the conclusion that using magic was the norm for unicorns and zebracorns alike. He thought up a lie and thought it up quick.

"I just needed a refresher to open my mind
My travel's left my head in a bind..."

Twilight felt sympathy for the Shadowcolt after hearing his words "I see...It must've been rough for you to cope for so long without knowledge. How long was your trip? Did you come all the way from Zebrica?" He was cornered. Any lie at this point could be as bad as his first encounter with life in this world. He could say his trip lasted for a very long time, but that's it. He didn't even know a place called Zebrica even existed. When he began to sweat, Fluttershy jumped in and saved him "Umm, Twilight, it probably isn't best to ask him so many questions like this...He HAS traveled a long way, and he only had a daisy salad..." He turned to the Shadowcolt with a smile "He just needs more time to collect himself..." He never thought he'd see the day where the most innocent lifeform he laid eyes upon would save him from his own set of lies. Twilight gave Fluttershy a determined glance, but then remembered Dr. Facilier's words and sighed "Sorry, I get too curious sometimes..." She gave an embarrassed smile. Fluttershy nods "Sometimes it's best to grind it to a halt." Twilight turned to Fluttershy "Huh?" She then looked away, blushing in embarrassment "W-Well...That's what Dr. Facilier said..." The doctor flinched, as Twilight showed an expression of faint suspicion at him. He felt like he was back to Square one with his words, until another visitor came to the door. "Hello~? Twilight?" A voice called, sounding as if the daughter of a corporate bigwig decided to stumble upon the library out of boredom. Whatever it was, it saved him from Twilight's thoughts about him as she turned and acknowledged the one who called "Rarity? Nice to see you again." She said with a smile, making Dr. Facilier want to turn and see who exactly spoke.

It was another unicorn, only this one had a coat of pure ivory. She had a purple and curly, yet stylish mane, and her cutie mark was three diamonds. She trotted over and levitated a book onto Twilight's check desk "Oh, the feeling's mutual, darling! I just wanted to return this book so I won't forget while placing my orde-WAHAHA~!" She trotted back a bit, startled as she spotted Dr. Facilier, who could only chuckle at her. He wasn't aware that Spike was staring lovingly at her and waving at her "Hey, Rarity!" He had the feeling that this particulat pony might be a rich one, and decided to make his move at charming her. Forgetting the book he rented, he trotted over and gave a small bow.

"How's it goin'? Rarity, right?
I must say that you're quite the sight..."

Rarity could only giggle at the compliment she had been met with as she looked at the doctor. She looked into his eyes, that were as purple as her mane, then looked upon his hat and gasp in distaste "My stars!" The doctor raised an eyebrow at her, only to hear her continue "Your hat! It's so...tacky!" He could only pause as he couldn't find a way to dignify what she just said with a response. The Shadowcolt doesn't take kindly to those who would just simply insult his attire, but he had to hold off his anger if he were to make it in this town (And escape a certain haunting melody). She continued debunking his hat "Who in Equestria would want to go around wearing a tophat with a skull and crossbones on it!? Other than donning it as a festivity on Nightmare Night, it's not right at all! Did you make this yourself??" Every word only agitated Dr. Facilier even further, only to hear a familiar voice at his side "Rarity...You shouldn't really insult him so much like that...I mean...umm, look at his cutie mark..." Rarity, upon hearing Fluttershy's words, did exactly that, and noticed how it matched his hat "Hm...Yes, well, it does match his hat indeed..." She turns to face the doctor and took a bow with a smile "My apologies, darling. I was caught off-guard with how you wore that hat! Appearance is everything, yes? Oh, where are my manners? Hello. Yes, my name is Rarity. And you are??" She held out her hoof for a possible hoofshake as Dr. Facilier dismissed all previous thoughts of anger and grinned as he made his introduction.

"The name you want is Dr. Facilier...
And to you, girl...Enchanté."

He gently took Rarity's hoof, but instead of shaking it, he gave the tip of her hoof a small peck of his lips, causing Rarity to draw it back in surprise and captivation "My, my~! Aren't you a gentlecolt!" She said with a giggle as she smiled at him and batted her eyelashes at him. Unbeknownst to the doctor while he grinned at her, Spike was glaring daggers as he snorted smoke from his nostrils. But then something hit his head as he noticed Twilight staring down at him with a stern expression that warned him not to get jealous again. Spike sighed as he watched the two unicorns exchange banter, but could only feel jealousy for how Dr. Facilier could get her to look at him like that. Fluttershy could only wonder why he would act that way around mares and enjoy it, but could only dismiss the thought as she remembered their mission "Umm, Dr. Facilier? Why don't we go meet my other friends?" Twilight turned to Fluttershy with a deadpan expression "Did he run into Pinkie?" She looked down "Yes..." Twilight sighed, but then smiled "Well, you might want to introduce him to everypony else quick. You know how Pinkie doesn't like the guest of honor at one of her parties showing up late!" Fluttershy perked up and nodded as she trotted to the doctor with a smile "Dr. Facilier, we should introduce you to Applejack. I'm sure she'll like you." The Shadowcolt, after his little reverie with Rarity, turned to Fluttershy and nodded.

"I've done my business, so lead the way
This place is not too bad, I say..."

The two said their goodbyes as they trotted out of the library, but Dr. Facilier could be seen struggling to carrying the book while maintaining balance, only for Fluttershy to carry the book for him. Twilight could only watch him leave "He's a very strange pony, but he's nice nonetheless." Rarity watched as well with a smile "Oh, I'll say! If only he could model for me if I had new ideas for clothes. He really is quite the gentlecolt!" Spike could only grumble quietly as he went upstairs and slammed the door. The two looked up "What's with Spikey?" Rarity said, while Twilight responded "Oh, you know how he is..." She turned to Rarity and asked "I wonder...Has that stallion met Zecora yet?"

End of Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Apples to Apples

Fluttershy and the Shadowcolt made it to a path that lead to a house and barn surrounded by acres of farmland, a majority of the land covered in apple trees of different kinds. The doctor couldn't remember the last time he had himself a good apple, but focused on the matter at hand as Fluttershy led him to the one she called 'Applejack'. They reached the house, Fluttershy giving the door a small knock as they waited patiently for the door to open. While they waited, Dr. Facilier continued to stare at his shadow, and Fluttershy took notice to it and wanting to ask him why, only to remember his words from earlier:

"Don't worry dear, it ain't your fault.
Jus' grind your curiousity to a halt..."

Why he said something like that, Fluttershy could only wonder if he were hiding something from him, not wanting to open up to her just yet. Perhaps after meeting all of her friends, he could be more open to all of them, and even be a different pony on the inside. Before she could ponder the thought further, the door opened to reveal a small yellow filly with red hair and a bow, looking up at Fluttershy with a smile "Howdy there, Fluttershy!" She then notices Dr. Facilier staring at his shadow, not acknowledging both the mare and filly "Who's your friend?? Is he new here??" The doctor could only turn to Applebloom and was tempted to give her a look that said 'No shit, Sherlock', but smiled as he looked down at her with his purple eyes.

"Well, aren't you just the cutest gal!
Are you supposed to be Fluttershy's pal?"

Applebloom smiled "Well, yeah! Mah name's Applebloom! What's yours?" Fluttershy giggled at the look of bemusement on Dr. Facilier's upon hearing her name. Apparantly, he jumped the gun into thinking the little filly was 'Applejack', only to realize it wasn't. It was kind of his fault after hearing that the two were friends, but then wondered if everypony in Ponyville happened to be friends with everypony else. It's a possibility, given how messed-up this place was to him. The timid mare trotted a couple steps forward and smiled down at Applebloom "Do you know where your sister is, Applebloom? We need to see her." Applebloom replied inquisitively "Ya wanna see Applejack? Ya'll should've just checked the trees! Ya know how hard mah sis works!" Fluttershy blushed in embarrassment and bowed in gratitude "Thank you..." She turned to the doctor
"Dr. Facilier? Shall we?" The doctor snapped out of his train of thought and turned to Fluttershy.

"Looks like I've got a lot to learn,
Or else I'm bound to crash and burn."

Fluttershy looked panicked as she examined the Shadowcolt frantically "Oh no! You aren't burning yet are you!?" Applebloom could only laugh at what was going on, and soon enough, two more fillies came up to the door to see what was going on. One of them was an orange pegasus filly, with a fuschia mane and purple eyes, who only stared down at Applebloom in confusion "Applebloom, why are you laughing?" She asked, then looked to see Fluttershy and Dr. Facilier together "Wow! Cool hat!" She said with a smile as she looked at the doctor's tophat. The other filly was a white unicorn like Rarity, only her mane was curly and colored two shades of light purple. She looked at Fluttershy and the doctor with her curious green eyes after seeing Dr. Facilier calm Fluttershy down and reassuring what he said was a figure of speech "Hi, Fluttershy! Is this zebra your coltfriend?" This only served for Fluttershy to hide in her mane with her face as red as a cherry, while the doctor gave a good chuckle at the child's question.

"We're only friends, and nothing more.
Though, only the future knows what's in store..."

The unicorn filly tilted her head at him "Are you a fortune teller?" Dr. Facilier felt a pang of familiarity with her question, and began a small wave of nostalgia in his mind, thinking back to all of his tarot readings, each one flawless in their readings.

...All up to that fateful day...

He gritted his teeth at the memory and growled audibly, but remembered that horrible song and the fact that he was back in this life, turning to Sweetie Belle and grinning at her

"Why yes, little girl, I read some hooves,
But not before I bust some moves..."

He forgot about his body, but his mind instinctively told his body to show how good of a dancer he was, performing a small set of dance moves before tipping his hat in a pose. The fillies and mare around him awed at the sight of his dancing, the orange filly speaking up "Wow! If your hat wasn't cool enough, your dancing's up there, too! Maybe Rainbow Dash might like your moves as well!" the white filly followed with a wide grin on her face "Maybe you'll dance well at Pinkie's party, since you're new here!" Applebloom got up, but instead of bringing out a sentence in an impressed tone, she tilted her head and asked "Say, are ya related to Zecora at all? Y'all look like you might be related!" Where he came from, that would've been considered an insult worthy of a beating, but he wondered at the name he heard and the term 'related'. Could this Zecora be the same mare he had a bad run-in with back at the forest he woke up in? He wanted to ask Applebloom some questions, but then Fluttershy came around "That small dance of yours was...nice...but maybe we should go find Applejack..." Though his current thought nagged at him, she was right. He had to get down to business somehow. The two made their way into the field of apple trees and searched for the workmare.

The search was thankfully short as they heard the sound of hooves to a tree. They caught an orange mare a few feet away from then bucking at a tree with her hind legs and sending every apple on it to the ground. She wore a Stetson hat, and both her mane and tail were blonde and tied. She noticed Fluttershy and Dr. Facilier with her emerald eyes and smiled at their company "Why howdy there, Fluttershy! And who's this stallion?" Fluttershy smiled warmly as she introduced the doctor to her "Applejack, this is Dr. Facilier...he's new here in Ponyville...I hope you can make him feel welcome here." Applejack looked over at him and took one of his hooves, and shaking it with strength and speed that shook the doctor all around his body other than his grabbed hoof "Howdy there, Dr. Fa-cee-lee-ae! Nice t'meet ya! The name's Applejack, and welcome to Sweet Apple Acres!" She stopped shaking, and sadly, Dr. Facilier couldn't stop shaking himself, and his hat fell from the extreme shaking. Fluttershy obviously gave a helping hoof and stopped his shaking and placed his hat on his head as his eyes moved in circles, giving a moan as he wobbled in dizziness. He shook it off and looked at Applejack, amazed at how one mare in this world could hold THAT much strength. He had hoped that the zebra mare he encountered wasn't this strong, otherwise furthering his plans could be harder. The Shadowcolt could only rub his hoof, feeling how warm and sore it was from the extreme hoofshake, then turned to Applejack and spoke:

"You're really strong for a grown mare!
I felt like I almost lost my hair!"

Applejack chuckled and tipped his hat to him "Sorry there, sugarcube. Ah jus' don't know mah own strength sometimes!" He looked back at Dr. Facilier "Y'know, Ah wonder if yer related to Zecora. Or maybe y'all are friends?" Friends was nothing more than a sick joke when it came to him and this Zecora. He never expected to be rejected so easily upon first contact, nor did he ever want to befriend her to begin with. The orange cowpony decided to look at his body and notice how slender he was "With a body like that, ya remind me of Carrot Cake back at Sugarcube Corner. Have ya ate anythin' since ya came here, Dr. Fa-cee-lee-ae?" The Shadowcolt could only grimace on the inside with how this pony was pronouncing his name with her drawl and how atrocious it had sounded. This pony reminded him of Charlotte, only with not enough money, but enough strength to wrestle some crocodiles.

"I jus' had a quick snack with Fluttershy,
But all these apples really catch my eye..."

It was true. A daisy salad wasn't enough to fully satisfy his hunger, and he could use more sustenance if he ever wanted to keep a properly focused mind. Applejack could only smile at this and held an apple to him "Y'all haven't lived til ya tried an apple from Sweet Apple Acres! This one's on the house, since you're new here an' all!" Being the new guy really had it's perks as he went to go grab the apple, only to have some blur shoot in between the two and snatch the apple from Applejack's hoof "Hay!" The doctor only wished it wasn't the pink mare from before, and got his wish as he looked up into the tree and spotted a blue pegasus munching on an apple while sitting on a tree branch. She had a rainbow colored mane and tail, and her cutie mark appeared to be a cloud shooting rainbow-colored lightning. Out out of all the messed up things Dr. Facilier had seen in this world, this pegasus takes the cake, especially with her remarkable speed. But he got angry when he noticed the apple in her hoof being eaten. As he went to speak, Applejack yelled up at her "Consarnit, Rainbow! That apple was for Dr. Fa-cee-lee-ae!" It was a good thing she didn't catch his visible grimace among her saying his name. The blue mare looked down and finished the apple, then noticed the displeased zebracorn, giggling in embarrassment "Sorry, dude. Got kinda hungry..." She looked at his hat and hopped down "I'm liking the hat! Way cool! But not as cool as me, of course." She said as she puffed out her chest. Dr. Facilier had half a mind to put her in his place, until Applejack stepped in "Do ya have to just waltz on in here jus' to pilfer mah apples? Did ya ever think to take it easy an' ASK for once?" the blue mare raised an eyebrow at Applejack "Geez, I said I was sorry. I gotta eat, too..." Fluttershy, who made an effort in being invisible to the scene, trotted up to the blue mare and smile "Hello, Rainbow Dash. I see you've already met Dr. Facilier..." The one called Rainbow Dash turned to the doctor and tilted her head at him "That's your name? Sounds kinda wierd..." Applejack added "More like fancy, once ya hear it a few times..." Dr. Facilier couldn't bare much more of this, as he remembered the book he rented from the library. The sooner he could get introductions out of the way, the sooner he could tap in the the possible magical secrets in this world and put them to use.

"Rainbow Dash? That's a nice name.
Though, a dead giveaway was your mane..."

Rainbow slicked back her unkempt mane and chuckled "Yeah, it can stick out sometimes! But maybe you heard of me? Fastest Flier in Equestria? Best weather pony in Ponyville?" He only had so much patience for braggarts like this one, but the only good side to this was realizing his new world's name. Equestria. Given the folks he met, it had a nice ring to it, and for the most part, why didn't he think of asking sooner? He spoke again.

"Sorry, but I never heard of you,
And I already got so much to do..."

Rainbow felt insulted to realize that some ponies didn't exactly remember her amazing feats, or the fact that she really WAS the fastest flier in Equestria, and then decided to question his motives "Like what exactly? Are you looking for a job at Ponyville clinic?" Applejack followed "Hay, yeah! Seein' as how ya'll are a doctor an' such, maybe the clinic's the best place to look for a job iffin' ya wanna settle here!" Not exactly what he was looking for, but it was something relatable to his talents. But he needed all the right materials for whatever he wanted to make, and this place called Equestria seemed a whole lot different than Earth. He turned to the three mares and nodded in consideration.

"It's a thought, my dears, and thanks for the tip.
But, my little ponies, it's time I skip."

As he went to go walk away he heard a familiar "Wait!" as he noticed Fluttershy follow him like a lost puppy. It almost moved his dark heart "You don't have a place to stay...and, umm..." She moved one of her wings to show Dr. Facilier's book resting on her back "You don't want to forget your book." He smiled at Fluttershy genuinely for the first time as he stated his gratitude.

"It's good to know you got my tail,
Cuz without that book, I'm bound to fail..."

Fluttershy tilted her head "Fail what exactly??" The doctor quickly recovered from his words with another verse.

"Fail to uphold the Library's code!
I don't wanna see Miss Sparkle in battle mode..."

Fluttershy stared, and nodded 'Yes, that's true...Twilight does tend to take her job seriously, be it librarian duty or sending a letter to the princess...Why, one time, she-" The Shadowcolt could only interrupt as he found a new topic.

"Tell me more about this princess, please...
Her info will put my mind to ease."

Fluttershy didn't think for him to interrupt her like that, but she decided to talk about the princess of Equestria as they walked back to her cottage. This left Applejack and Rainbow Dash to watch them go "I forgot to send 'im off with an apple! Shoot!" Rainbow waved a hoof dismissively at Applejack "Don't sweat it, AJ, this Dr. Fa-silly-a guy's got his hooves tied at the moment." he chuckled at them, thinking they were together. She turns to Applejack with a smile on his face "Say, wanna dance together at the party tonight? It'll probably be interesting with that pony around!" Applejack turned to Rainbow Dash and returned her smile with one of her own "Wouldn't have it any other way, sugarcube...Ya mind helpin' me with these here apples?" Rainbow gave a mock salute "You can count on me, girl!" the two went to harvesting more apples as time drew near for the party tonight.

End of Chapter 5

Chapter 7

Dancing in the Dark

It was exhausting. He crossed the sea of ponies and has seen neither hide nor hair of Fluttershy at all. A smart idea would be to let him come to her, seeing as how attached she was to him, and decided to stand in one spot motionless while everypony around him mingled about. A few minutes had passed and he felt like an idiot just wasting his time standing in one spot in the middle of a crowd like some kind of cheap statue. The doctor went to move until he heard a voice "Hey, Doc! Over here!" he turned to see a familiar rainbow colored pony standing with two of her other friends. Upon instinct, he trotted over to see Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Rarity anticipating his arrival. Rainbow was the first to speak up "How are you enjoying the party so far? I'll bet you're having a good time!" Dr. Facilier could only look away and reply with a halfhearted response.

"Yeah, it's nice, I won't disagree.
So what is it that you want from me?"

Rainbow raised an eyebrow to how he acted "I just wanted to know how you were is all." Rarity then came forward, a look of excitement on her face "Excuse me, Dr. Facilier! I heard you ran into my little sister at Applejack's farm. She told me that you could read fortunes??" She asked as she showed an ecstatic expression on her face. Something told him she wanted to be told some good news and nothing else.

"Yeah, I do that, and other stuff.
Though, I can't be responsible if the results are rough..."

Rarity nodded in agreement "Yes, that's true, the future isn't always bright. Oh, but it's so nice to meet such a mystical pony who is also a gentlecolt!" She said as she looked at him "I may have sounded different when we first met, but when I look at you, I could find possible inspiration for a new design of clothing!" Applejack chuckled at Rarity's train of thought, then turned to Dr. Facilier "Ah'm rather skeptical about fortune-tellin', doc. How can ya'll be sure if yer predictions come true for other ponies?" He wanted nothing more than to prove her wrong right here and now, but he didn't have any tarot cards with him. Instead, he simply spoke his mind.

"Feel free to believe what you want, my girl,
but there were many predictions that I've unfurled."

Applejack gave a friendly scoff of disbelief and smiled at Dr. Facilier "Well, I guess I shouldn't doubt ya too much. Hay, Pinkie has her Pinkie sense, which is pretty much like tellin' the future." The Shadowcolt could only wonder about how Pinkie can be so random, yet at the same time intriguing in the most mysterious ways possible. He nodded to Applejack, and then was met with Rainbow Dash wanting to talk "Say, Doc, you've been hangin' out with Fluttershy for a long time, and you two seem pretty close. Are you two together?" This kind of question didn't matter to him in the slightest, seeing as how he thought of Fluttershy as a pawn and nothing more, although, he couldn't help but admire how dedicated she was to helping him. Back in Louisiana, he had to rely only on himself and the magic he borrowed from his friends on the other side to work his way up to the top. He shook his head at Rainbow Dash.

"We're only friends, that's all there is to it.
No need for assumptions, you may as well quit."

Rainbow Dash put her hoofs up, as if accused "No need to get like that, it's just that she seems to like you a lot is all. I wouldn't mind if you actually WERE together, I mean, look at me and AJ over here!" Rainbow Dash and Applejack placed a hoof around their shoulders and smiled at each other, leaving the doctor to stare dumbfounded and somewhat irked at the sight of those two together. He wondered what they do in-NO! He blocked it out the moment he thought of it. Dr. Facilier might be a villain, but even HE had standards. He merely tipped his hat to the three as he went to go find Fluttershy.

"Y'all have been kind, it's been fun to talk,
But I gotta find Fluttershy, I have to walk.

Rainbow Dash grinned mischievously at him "Yeah, because you two are 'friends~'..." she said in a mocking tone as she then pointed him to her with her free hoof "She's over in the corner talking to Big Macintosh!" It was good to know where she was, as he went to trot over, leaving Rainbow Dash to call out "Good luck~!" giving a wink, leaving the doctor to get annoyed at the gesture. After reaching her destination, he noticed the two talking, and then the one called Big Macintosh stared right at him. He was a large red stallion with a harness over his neck and half of a green apple as his cutie mark, assuming that this stallion was related to Applejack and Applebloom. Big Macintosh didn't say a single word since Dr. Facilier arrived, staring with a bored expression as a blade of wheat stuck out of his mouth, whereas Fluttershy noticed, flinching a little "Oh! H-Hello, Dr. Facilier! Are you enjoying yourself?" She asked, then shrunk back and looked away "I-I'm sorry, of course you are...This is Pinkie's party after all..." Pinkie could be found flying across the room with a helmet, yelling "No it isn't! Wooohooo~!!" there was a loud crash, causing Fluttershy and the doctor to wince at the sound. What was that pony doing? Dr. Facilier tried to ignore the random action as he turned to Fluttershy.

"Actually, I was lookin' for you.
I'm not really sure on what else to do."

Fluttershy quickly turned to the doctor, giving a faint blush at the thought of him searching for her "L-Looking for me? Wh-Why?" She was almost breathless, and the doctor sighed, wondering if what Rainbow Dash said was true. He enjoyed being adored by woman left and right, but he would never want to deal with being in a committed relationship with someone that liked him. All he wanted was money, mischief, and power. Dr. Facilier went to answer her question, but then the lights faded a little as a disco ball emerged from the center of the ceiling, spinning around. He was impressed at the display, but was then caught off-guard by a song that started playing. It sounded like nothing he ever heard before in his life, in fact it sounded horrible to him. It was nothing but beeps, boops, bumps, and wubs over and over, and everypony around him was found dancing to it with smiles on their faces, and even noticed Big Macintosh was dancing a little despite looking bored. He sneered at the music as he stood stock still at the abhorrent sight in front of him, and noticed Fluttershy looking concerned "Do you not like this kind of music, Dr. Facilier? I figured you would enjoy this piece." The doctor shook his head to her.

"This ain't my music, this ain't my jive.
Whoever made this shouldn't even be alive!"

Fluttershy shrunk back a bit at the mean response the doctor uttered "U-Um...this was a song made by Vinyl Scratch. She is a talented music pony who makes more songs like this." Even the name gave him more reason for hate. Vinyl Scratch? It's a crime to music in his case. The very thought of the atrocious cacophony of noises they called music was entertaining to them was maddening. He sighed as he trotted over and sat down on a chair on his haunches, looking like a depressed squid as he stared at the scene in front of him. Fluttershy looked sad at the fact that Dr. Facilier wasn't enjoying himself at the moment, and looked around, hoping Pinkie didn't catch him. She trotted over and sat next to the Shadowcolt "Umm, if it's not too much trouble, can I sit with you? P-Please?" She looked away, seeming embarrassed. The doctor looked up and gave a faint smile.

"I won't stop ya, come sit right here.
You don't seem like the dancin' type with your fear..."

Fluttershy hesitantly sat next to him and replied to his comment "Well, yes, it's true...I can't really bear everypony staring at me while I dance by myself." she cringed at the thought "I-It makes me nervous..." she shook a little, then flinched as she felt a hoof on her back. She turned to see Dr. Facilier give her a comforting smile, making her look away, but smiling a little "Th-Thank you, Dr. Facilier..." The doctor gave her back a good pat and went back to watching the dancing ponies.

While the song played, Pinkie noticed Fluttershy and the Shadowcolt sitting down and not dancing. She could only gasp in surprise as she sped on over and stopped in front of the two, making them jump "What are you two sillies doing? You shouldn't be sitting on your flanks like couch potatoes! You should be DANCING!" She said as she gave a comical dancing twirl, making the doctor groan.

"Sorry, Pinks, but this ain't my jam.
I'd dance to a different beat, if I can..."

Pinkie looked determined, and nodded as she gave a mock salute "Your wish is my command!" She said as she sped to the record player and switched the records. Everypony noticed it, some even groaning and jeering as it stopped, but when Pinkie changed the record, a new song played, and this one caused some ponies to murmur as the intro played out.

( For your listening pleasure...if you want to, that is... )

Dr. Facilier was tapping a hoof to the opening beat, and his ears perked up to the familiar sound of jazz instruments being used in a wonderful fashion. His eyes lit up with surprise and slowly growing determination as he looked for a vacant spot on the dance floor. When he found a spot ripe for picking, he quickly leapt off his chair and got himself situated for dancing to this new jazzy beat that had been produced. Everypony turned to see the Shadowcolt as he began breaking out some pretty good dance moves, some even better than his little demo he performed back at Sweet Apple Acres. Pinkie, Fluttershy, and their other friends watched in awe as he danced like there was no tomorrow. The doctor danced with his eyes closed, a smug smile on his face with each move he made. When the song was halfway finished, he looked around and spotted Fluttershy staring at him, smiling as an idea crafted into his head. He danced his way over to Fluttershy and used a free hoof to wave Fluttershy over to him, wanting her to come over to him. Fluttershy's eyes widened in shock as she pointed to herself, looking nervous, with Dr. Facilier nodding in response. Fluttershy noticed some ponies began looking at her, and she began to cringe and shake "B-B-B-B-But-but-but..." Rainbow Dash groaned behind her "Just go already!" She shoved Fluttershy onto the dance floor, earning a glare from Applejack, and defended herself "What? It had to be done! You know those two belong together!"

Tension was rising with poor Fluttershy as she stood stock still next to the dancing doctor, shifting her eyes to see expectant ponies left and right and whimpering cutely. The Shadowcolt saw this and decided to take matters into his own hooves as he shimmied near the timid pegasus and whispered in her ear.

"Follow my lead, girl, I got your tail...
With me at your side, you will not fail."

Fluttershy flinched as she heard those last words. Could this stallion really care for her? Not wasting a moment of the doctor's time, she hesitantly began to move her legs to the beat, paling horribly in comparison to Dr. Facilier's mad skills. She turned to see the doctor nodding in approval, and figured she should try more as she added more oomph to her dance moves for his sake. She began to smile as she felt a surge of excitement from dancing as her moves began to appear more graceful and appealing to the audience around her. She was able to ignore everypony around her as she looked at Dr. Facilier, who was grinning at her successful dancing. She could only grin back gratefully as the two danced side-by-side to the rest of the song. When the song ended, the two struck a good duet pose as everypony cheered and stomped their hooves in applause. Normally, this would cause Fluttershy to shrink into her mane at the magnitude of the noise and the amount of people producing it, but that didn't matter as she looked into the charming doctor's eyes as he grinned at her. She felt like she was walking on sunshine when staring at him, yet she was unaware it wasn't being returned in kind. Dr. Facilier was happy to feel that he had probably earned Fluttershy's unquestioning trust, and could not wait to exploit it at the right times if necessary. As the two stared, Pinkie was at the record player "Okie Dokie Loki! Time for another song change! It's a good thing I found this one!" She said as she switched the records, the new song starting up.

...He couldn't believe it...

It played...that very song played again...those drums...those piano keys...those voices provoking more paranoia in his ears. Upon hearing this song, his charming grin left in a flash as he stood still, his eyes widening and twitching as the song progressed. Fluttershy, along with the rest of the ponies watched in confusion, murmuring at the scene in front of them. The timid mare was the first to look worried as she trotted over to the doctor "Dr. Facilier?? Wh-What's wrong? Did something scare you??" The Shadowcolt couldn't hear the mare over the beat that was being produced. And if that wasn't bad enough, it even had those words going through his head like hammered nails: