Okay, I'll be perfectly honest… After the incident with the Gala dresses, my inner fanboy took control of my head in what I imagine to be "Inside Out" fashion… Wow, being around these two so long their habit of puns have started to rub off on me.

Anyhow, I've been bouncing off the wall practically for the last two days, monitoring every detail of Ponyville I could without drawing attention. And I can feel it getting closer. Twilight's gotten much deeper into her magical studies, Derpy got a new part-time job, and Fluttershy's been having trouble keeping all her frogs fed.

"Won't be long now," I cheer quietly as I hover over Ponyville with a grin, keeping my eyes peeled at every hilltop in town. Then I spot her… Pinkie zipping for cover all over town wearing a rainbow umbrella hat. Smiling wide I fly back for home as quick as I can to get the others. I don't want them to miss this!

Mykee walks into the living room with a tray with mugs of hot chocolate on it. "Come and get it! With or without marshmallows!"

"It's summer time, who the hell drinks hot chocolate?" Sav says and sets down her journal with a raised brow.

"People who have leftover chocolate and marshmallows." Mykee replies simply. "Want it or not? If not, I'll freeze yours into a popsicle."

"Not right now, but thank you." Sav replies and leans back into her recliner.

He nods and sits, picking up his mug.

I pop into the room, and look around. "Guys! It's starting! Come on, I don't want to miss a Celestia damned thing!"

"Aw, I just made these… Hot chocolate?" He offers me one.

"To go," I say quickly, hopping from foot to foot. "C'mon guys, I don't know how much time we have until Twilight spots her…"

"Fine, fine… Marsha Mallows, or Martian Mallows?" Mykee holds up a tray of marshmallows shaped like pony heads and aliens.

"Both! Now come on!"

Mykee pours our chocolate beverages into to go cups with marshmallows, putting Savanna's into a popsicle mold and stashing it in the freezer before performing a quick change with his light. "Alright, let's go."

Savanna walks up to me and hugs me around the neck as she jumps into my arms.

"I'm not speedy like you two are…."

"...Hi, I'm Mykee. Have we met?" Mykee asks amusedly.

"You can fly though…." She responds.

"So can you." He offers his gauntlet to her. "Wanna try?"

"Later."

He shrugs and slips it back on, heading for the door.

I groan impatiently as I grab them both with my magic, and pull them both out the door, headed upwards to take to the sky.

Mykee shares his energy to make lifting them easier. I make sure to keep Savanna close since this is probably her first time flying.

She's clinging to me for dear life, and hides her face in my chest as she closes her eyes tightly. With a sigh I look around quickly, and then spot Twilight on a small hill near the park. I smile widely, and dive for it, gently setting her on her feet nearby.

Twilight looks up in surprise, "Oh! Hey you three!" She smiles, offering us a wave.

"Hi!" Mykee waves and lets go of me, landing on his own.

I look over to where Spike stands nearby with a necklace of leaves, a stick in his claws, and a rock balanced on his head. "What's going on here," I ask, as if i don't already have some idea.

"An exercise in transfiguration," she replies. "You see, after seeing all our outfits Spike wanted one for himself, but doesn't want to trouble Rarity until he knows exactly what he wants. So I did some reading,and found a spell that will allow me to change matter into what he imagines through a miniscule mental bond. All this spell will do though is loan my energy to his will, and we'll see how well it works!"

Mykee raises an eyebrow. "Just the perv in me, but that sounds like that could go south real fast…"

Savanna sighs and rubs her head, "Mykee, just don't…."

"I can't be the only one to think of that. I'm sure there's fanart somewhere." He shrugs and backs up.

I roll my eyes, and ask, "Mind if we watch? I'd love to see a new spell in action."

"Sure, make yourselves comfy," Twilight replies.

"Kay." Sav plops to the ground with her legs out and leans back as she watches.

Mykee creates a comfy couch for us. "This ring was the best idea we ever had…" He sits with a content sigh.

I just sit beside Sav, opting for the softer looking grass. With a nod to Twilight I state, "Alrighty then!"

She smiles, and closes her eyes as her horn glitters as she screws her face up in concentration… which is actually kinda adorable on the short muzzle of a pony. Spike closes his eyes, and seconds later his necklace of leaves turns into a dapper tuxedo top half. The stick in his grip turns into a fancy looking cane a second later, both of which he looks over with a smile.

"Eyes over here Spike," she reminds him.

"Uh, sorry," Spike replies as he faces her again.

"For this to work it's crucial that we keep our concentration totally on the-"

"Ooo!"

The new voice distracts Spike the second the rock on his head levitated up into a top hat, but the second he loses focus it turns back to a rock the size of a softball, and drops right on his head. As he hits the ground all his other new valuables change back too.

"Spike!" Twilight frowns at him. "This magic needs our full attention to make it work, there's no other way!"

Spike picks himself up into a sitting position, "I can't help it, look!"

He waves Twilight over to look, and I too turn my head with a smile. Off down the hill in town is Pinkie Pie still dashing around for cover, stopping in some places that would only make sense for Pinkie. Hiding perfectly behind a tree obviously too thin to hide a pony of her size, under the porch of a resident citizen, and my personal favorite, under a rock that sits perfectly flat to the ground without without disturbing its rest. All the while she keeps stealing glances upwards around these shelters.

Twilight sighs, "Never mind her, she's just being Pinkie Pie."

"Super extra Pinkie Pie today," Spike comments, scratching his head in confusion.

Mykee glances at me. "...Who are we focusing on again?"

I lean closer to whisper, "Both these ponies… Just watch the magic unfold..." Then I give a wide grin.

He raises an eyebrow and leans back.

Sav watches and leans her head on my shoulder as she grabs my hand and watches. I glance to her with a raised eyebrow, "Hey, you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine...Just enjoying the moment…."

Mykee glances over, frowning softly before returning to the spectacle. Me too, levitating us onto Mykee's couch so we can follow as Twilight, and Spike head towards Pinkie.

Pinkie meanwhile tip-toes into the open, and sits, looking up. Suddenly her tail starts to vibrate, and she grabs it with a forehoof. "Hm… Twitchy twitch-a-twitch-a-twitch!"

Twilight raises an eyebrow as we approach. "Pinkie Pie, what in the wide, wide world of Equestria are you up to?"

Pinkie perks up, and turns, shoving her tail in Twilight's face, "Oh! It's my tail! It's my tail! It's a-twitch-a-twitchin'! You know what that means!"

Twilight pushes the tail out of her face, her expression suggesting she's used to Pinkie acting… Well, like Pinkie. "Actually, Pinkie, I haven't the slightest idea."

Without missing a beat Pinkie explains, "The twitching means my Pinkie Sense is telling me that stuff's gonna start falling!" She jumps in he air, and flails before dropping to the ground, curled in on herself. "You five better duck for cover!"

Twilight smiles with a giggle, and replies, "Oh Pinkie, it's not gonna rain." She tilts her head back to look up, "Why there's barely even a cloud in the-UGH!"

Twilight is cut off as a frog drops from the air, and lands on her face. It blinks, and then sits itself on her muzzle with a ribbit. Pinkie hope up, and leans in to inform her, "He just said 'nice catch' in frog."

Dropping my voice as low as I can I declare, "Headshot!"

Mykee blinks amusedly, waving his hand and making umbrellas open over us. "Let's dodge the froggy rain."

I chuckle, and then peek up around mine to see the source. Up above I spot Fluttershy with a wagon floating behind her, wearing saddlebags, and a basket in her forehooves. All of which are filled with frogs.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," she says in her natural hush whisper of a voice. "It's just I hated seeing the frog pond so overpopulated, so I'm taking as many as I can to Froggy Bottom Bog. There's just so many, and I hate to see them hopping into each other."

"Of course you did," Twilight replies dryly, eyeing the frog on her in disgust as it climbs up her head, then down the left side of her face.

"Take care," Fluttershy says softly, and waves before flying off.

Pinkie waves in return, and looks to Twilight. "Um, Twilight, you got a little something there on your face…"

"Really? Did your Pinkie Sense tell you that too?" She smiles a bit condescendingly at her pal.

"Nope, I can just see it," Pinkie giggles, and starts trotting off. "La la-la la-la la-la~!"

Twilight frowns, and then the frog jumps off her, making her head shake like a springboard for a second.

Mykee snickers, making the umbrellas disappear.

"Wow…...That was….That was….a thing….." Savanna says with a extremely puzzled look.

"That's Pinkie," I chuckle. "By the way, just a question for reference later, but are either of you guys Pokemon fans?"

"Of course. I have like a hundred pounds of Pokemon cards." Mykee smirks.

"Fuck yeah." Sav says, "Why though?"

"You'll see," I chuckle. "You'll see…"

Mykee nods slowly. "Alright then…."

"Kinda creepy when you phrase it that way Har…." Sav say and looks at me suspiciously.

Twilight rubs the side of her head with a sigh, "Come on guys, let's continue the practice session where there's a little less commotion…"

As we walk Spike yanks on Twilight's tail to pull himself onto her back, neither of which she seems to mind. "Whoa! Did you see that Twilight! Pinkie predicted something was going to fall, and it did!"

Twilight rolls her eyes, "Oh please Spike. Pinkie said something was going to fall, and a frog just happened to fall right around the same time. A coincidence, nothing more to it."

Suddenly Pinkie zips back over to us, standing on her front hooves. "My tail, my tail! Twitch-a-twitch! Twitch-a-twitch! Something else is gonna fall!" Spike looks to the sky while Twilight just looks annoyed with her pink friend.

Mykee immediately puts a barrier over us, looking up as well.

Sav also looks to the sky and sighs. "Frogs, then what?"

Twilight sighs as she starts walking, "Oh Pinkie please, nothing else is going to fa-AAH!"

Spike is tossed into the air, and lands on his behind as Twilight lands face-first in a nearby ditch. Spike looks down at her in worry, "Oh no, Twilight fell!" He looks back at Pinkie, "Is it… safe to help her?"

"It's okay, my tail stopped twitching," Pinkie replies as she tosses off her hat, and starts to trot away with her whimsical la-la's.

Mykee snickers amusedly. "Alright, that was pretty good." He waves his hand, making the barriers disappear.

"Well, it was something." Sav shrugs and stretches.

Spike laughs, "That was amazing!"

"Oh please," Twilight groans as she gets to her hooves.

"Uh, Twilight?" I look over my shoulder, spotting Applejack who had managed to sneak up on us. "Why are ya hanging out in a ditch," she asks.

"Because Pinkie Pie predicted it," Spike replies.

"Oh honestly she did not," Twilight argues, starting to climb out of the ditch. "Two coincidences in a row like this might be unlikely, but it's still easier to believe than twitchy tails that predict the future!"

Applejack gasps with the hint of a whinny. "Twitchy tail?! Pinkie Sense?!" The farm pony dives under the nearest cart, hugging her hat to her head as she peeks out at the sky in terror.

"So is the twitchy tail an actual thing?" Mykee raises an eyebrow.

"I think it's pretty obvious it is." Sav replies as she stares at Applejack.

Spike walks over to her, "It's okay, prediction already happened."

Twilight frowns, and pulls herself out of the ditch completely now. "Oh wait, please don't tell me you believe this nonsense too!"

Applejack offers an almost apologetic smile as she pulls herself out from under the cart, "I know it don't make a lick a sense, but those of us who've lived in Ponyville a while have learned over time that if Pinkie's a-twitchn' ya better listen."

Before any of us can comment Pinkie's back declaring, "My ears are flopping! My ears are flopping!" Sure enough er ears are starting to flop one after the other down over her eyes.

Spike cringes back, "Ah! What does that mean?!"

Pinkie glances around, and then looks at Twilight. "I'll… Start a bath for you…"

"A bath?" Mykee tilts his head.

Twilight gives him a smile as Spike, and Applejack back away from her. I signal for him to back our floating couch away as well. Twilight rolls her eyes, "This is getting more ridiculous by the min-!"

She's cut off as a small wave of mud washes over her, courtesy of an old pony pulling a hay cart through a puddle at top speed. Twilight stands there in shock for a second, and then sits hard on the ground with a growl looking pissed off.

"So this is a comedy episode involving Pinkie pissing off Twilight?" Mykee snickers.

"Wow," Sav laughs," That was a...Dirty trick! HA!"

I actually laugh at that one, to be fair it wasn't that bad, and I'm already a bit giddy as it is so I'm easily amused. Then clearing my throat, I ask, "Hey, mind if we follow you back to your place Pinkie? For some reason fans went nuts about wet-maned ponies, but I never got it…"

The mares share a confused look with one another, and then shrug… Apparently none of them caring much if males of a different species are present while one of them bathes.

Applejack heads off to help Rarity move some stuff, and Spike decides the safest place for him is back at the library. The three of us meanwhile follow Pinkie with a grumpy Twilight back to Sugarcube Corner where Pinkie starts Twilight a bubble-bath. I meanwhile am looking around curiously in the bathroom as the tub fills with suds, nearly hiding Twilight from view as she scrubs herself free of muck.

Pinkie sets down her bottle of bubble bath, and says, "You see, my Pinkie Sense is a bunch of niggly-wiggly little feelings that all mean different things! Like if my back is itchy it means it's my lucky day! And if my knee gets pinchy it means something scary is about to happen!"

Twilight raises an eyebrow at the way Pinkie favored her front leg to demonstrate, and asks, "Is your knee pinchy now?"

"No," Pinkie replies slowly, giving herself an assessment. "But my shoulder's achey… That means there's an alligator in the tub!"

Mykee laughs before blinking. "...She's serious, isn't she?" He immediately brings up his phone to start recording.

Pinkie darts up to the side of the tub, and dives her face into the soapy water. A second later she comes up with a lime-green baby alligator in her mouth, holding him by the back of his neck. Twilight blinks, and then jumps clean out of the water, no pun intended, standing on the edge of the tub with her mane, and tail clinging to her as she stares at the gator in terror.

"Why didn't your knee pinch," she demands, pointing a hoof. "That's not just scary, that's downright dangerous!"

"No it's not," Pinkie says in amusement as she sets the gator down. "This is my pet alligator Gummy! I call him that cuz he's got no teeth, see?" She giggles as she holds out a hoof towards the gator. Gummy looks back at her, and gets to chomping. Once on her leg, then twice in her mane, and then finally securing himself on her tail.

"Okay, I get it," Twilight says testily.

"Cranky, that's a wittle one it is." Sav whispers to us in an Australian accent.

"It's Crikey," I reply. "What I wanna know is why he doesn't have teeth, and how he got into that tub."

Sav shrugs " You asking the wrong person."

"I'm wondering how she isn't getting hurt by that thing. Even though it has no teeth, alligators have like the strongest chomp in the world. They can break bones by clamping if they don't have teeth." Mykee muses.

"I think there's one definite answer to all this," I state while nodding sagely. "...It's Pinkie Pie, don't question it." Apparently today is the wrong day to say that because Twilight shoots me a scowl as she hops out of the tub so she can rinse herself off, and towel down. Then as we prepare to leave the bakery I spot a bag of marshmallows, and with a knowing grin I grab them for… later...

As we head out of the bakery Twilight declares, "Well, I still don't believe all this special powers stuff. It's just a bunch of mumbo-jumbo."

Pinkie raises an eyebrow, "What's not to believe? You do magic, what's the difference?"

Twilight's jaw drops, and she frowns as she quickens her pace to get ahead of us.

"Huge. For one thing…" She pauses, and then climbs onto a nearby box of soap to meet us humans at eye level. After clearing her throat she says, "...Magic is something you study,and practice. It only happens when you decide to do it, and it's meant to do something specific that you choose to happen happen. With you… It makes no sense at all!"

Pinkie looks mildly offended, and replies, "That's so not true Twilight." Then her perky attitude returns as she continues, "Sometimes it's a bunch of random things happening to my body at random times that supposedly predict the future! I call them Combos!"

Twilight rolls her eyes as she hops off the box, but Pinkie keeps talking. "Like ear-flop, then knee-twitch, then eye-flutter! That means the sky is about to be graced with a beautiful rainbow!"

"Yeah, sure," Twilight replies dryly as we approach the library.

" Well, she hasn't been wrong yet, just fyi." Sav says with a shrug, " So….."

"Plus, human magic makes Pinkie look like a sage. Or a crazy fortune-teller, one or the other. Her magic is just channeled differently." Mykee points out.

"Oh, so you've been in Equestria for at most two weeks, and suddenly you're an expert," Twilight says, stopping to look at us.

"Hey, don't be a jerk," I defend. "Fans have tried coming up with theories for how the Pinkie Sense works, but we can't figure it out either. And we've had four to five years."

I sense some deception in your emotions Harley.

Yeah, I'm lying like a rug, we figured it out ages ago. But if Twilight doesn't try to figure it out for herself then the episode is thrown off track.

Fortunately Pinkie offers a distraction with another Pinkie Sense demonstration. "Hold on… I feel another combo coming on… Ear flop… eye-flutter...knee-twitch…"

Twilight is watching her over her shoulder as she approaches the library door, which promptly swings out to slam into her, making her splat to the wood hard enough to go nearly flat. Spike is backing out the doorway with a small stack of books in his arms, and then carries them off down the street towards Carousel Boutique.

Sav snorts a laugh and clamps a hand to her mouth before saying, " Well, I guess that really….knocked her out."

"You know what," I say with a smile as I cross my arms. "I forgive all puns this episode. Twilight deserves the punishment this time."

"Hah, so punny." Mykee smirks. "Think Twilight needs to leaf logic out of this?"

"Oh she'll be pine," I reply, jerking a thumb at the Golden Oaks library. I know the library wasn't hollowed out of a pine tree, but if we're making bad puns then all bets are off.

As the door closes Twilight groans, "Oh… I thought you said that combo meant beautiful rainbows…"

"Oh no," Pinkie replies. "You're thinking of Like ear-flop, then knee-twitch, then eye-flutter! This was an ear-flop, then eye-flutter, then knee-twitch! That usually means to watch out for opening doors! Are you okay?"

Twilight gives a frustrated grunt as she gets to her hooves. "I don't believe this…"

Pinkie hops up right in her face, "You don't believe because you don't understand!"

"And with that the church-goers started a controversy flame-war on the internet that rages to this day," I mutter to my friends.

"Which is why the only religions I bring up are Halloween and Christmas. And sometimes Easter, for candy." Mykee shrugs.

I roll my eyes, and then spot Twilight's thoughtful look. She smiles, and heads into the library, "Everyone, follow me…"

She leads us into the library, then downstairs to a laboratory. There she wheels out a machine that to me looks like an old-world polygraph tester. She hooks a blue, and red wire to a small terminal looking thing that sports cuffs on top, and has Pinkie secure herself to it. Then she gets a headpiece that looks like that mind-reading thing from Back to the Future, and puts it on Pinkie before hooking a green wire to it.

"Alright," Twilight says confidently. "The next time you have a twitch we'll have all kinds of scientific data."

"Okey-dokey-loki!" Pinkie does her best to try looking serious as Twilight monitors the machine.

"I was gonna question how does magic science, but I have forgotten that magic does indeed science here usually." Mykee muses.

Sav stares at him with a blink," You could've worded that so much better…."

I smirk, and shrug, "I dunno, I think it was pretty clear. Now let's see what the expert of sweet sciencey magic lays down as a verdict."

"Yeah… in about an hour, give or take." Mykee glances at his watch. "Realistically, waiting for Pinkie to get another reaction could take hours."

"Down here where almost nothing can trigger it?" I raise an eyebrow at him, then glance to Twilight who is clearly trying to block us out. "Don't worry, give it about… two minutes."

"Like I said, a realistic amount of time." He shrugs.

Twilight checks with her twice for any sign of anything, but after receiving two negatives Twilight quickly grows frustrated. "Are you kidding me?! After a whole day of non stop twitching… Nothing?!"

Pinkie shrugs, "I can't control it, they just come and go!"

Twilight stomps, and declares, "That makes no sense!"

Pinkie smiles, and replies, "Sometimes you just have to believe in things, even when you can't figure them out."

Twilight stomps over, and stubbornly states, "I will not believe in anything I cannot explain."

Mykee leans over to me and whispers, "Is there a Santa and stuff here? Because that falls under the 'believing is seeing' category."

"Actually no," I reply. "Christmas is replaced with Hearthswarming here to celebrate the magic of friendship staving off an ice-age…"

"You'd think the whole Santa thing would bring these guys a lot of fun though." Mykee smiles.

"Nah, Hearthswarming is a very… well, warming holiday. It's just like Christmas, only you know the real place the presents are coming from. Nopony has actually seen a Windigo in a long time so there's your seeing-is-believing thing."

"Ah… okay." He turns back to the action. Just in time because Pinkie perks up.

"Oh! I'm feeling something…"

Twilight gasps, and goes back to her machine, "Oh my gosh! What?! What is it?!"

A low pitched gurgle comes from the pink pony. "My tummy's rumbling, that usually means I'm hungry," she giggles. "Let's eat!"

Mykee snickers. "I guess I'll make lunch then."

I'm suppressing my laughter as much as I can, hugging Savanna close to keep myself steady.

Savanna shakes her head with a grin and chuckles as she locks her fingers with mine. " Tell it how it is sister."

Twilight gives an infuriated growl, "You know what?!" She yanks the wires free of the machine, and scowls, "Just forget it! I don't need to know if this is real or not, I don't need to understand it. I don't even care!"

As she turns to walk away Pinkie looks down at the restraints on her hoofs. Then she slips right out of them like Bugs Bunny, and tosses off the headpiece. "Okie-dokie-Loki!" Then she bounces for the stairs, making Twilight raise an eyebrow.

As we approach the door to the lab Pinkie stops with a gasp. She takes a few steps back before her ears flop, her eyes flutter, and her knees twitch. Twilight watches with a raised eyebrow before the door to the lab slams open, squishing her to the wall behind it. Spike walks through, and asks, "Hey, has anyone seen Twilight?"

"Uh-huh," Pinkie replies as she hops through the door.

Spike frowns, and then peers down into the lab hoping to spot Twilight as the door drifts closed again with Twilight plastered to the side. He looks back, and blinks at her. "Twilight? What are you doing back there?"

In reply she groans, "Did you two plan this?"

"Plan what?" Spike shrugs as Twilight pulls herself off the door.

As she picks herself off the ground she stomps a hoof. "This is ridiculous! This can't be happening, it makes no sense! I have to figure this out…"

"It's like sleight of hand magic. You kind of have to suspend your beliefs in order to understand the magic." Mykee tilts his head.

"Yeah! Like that one movie with Morgan Freeman!" Sav pips with a snap of her fingers.

"Now You See Me?" Mykee supplies.

"Bruce Almighty?" I tilt my head. "Whatever, let's talk this out over lunch, we're done here for now."

Mykee smiles and leads them home, making them some grilled cheese sandwiches. A lunch made to go, since we're not sure how long Twilight's going to take to put together her research materials. A notepad, and safari hat shouldn't take long, but that mobile bush probably would. At the very least we know one place Pinkie should be, the playground at Cheerilee's school.

Mykee hums, polishing off his sandwiches. "Ah… just how I love them… would be better with bacon though…"

"I can't think of much that wouldn't be better with bacon," I reply, and I hear the doorbell ring. "Sav, wanna grab that? I'm currently trying to remember every detail of this episode."

"Sure." Sav peels off the couch and swings the door open, "Hello?"

On the other side of the door is none other than Doc. He perks up when he sees Savanna, and smiles as he adjusts the wrapped box on his back. "Ah, just who I was looking for!"

"Me?" She blinks in mild surprise," You sure you don't mean Harley?"

He shakes his head, "Nope, I came to see you Savanna. I made you a little something based on a list of equipment ideas that Harley left with me. May I come in?"

"Sure, I guess…" She opens the door wider for him and steps to the side.

Doc trots on inside, and rests the box on the coffee table. "It occurred to me that you lacked substance in the form of ranged weaponry, and so I put together this for you. I would have delivered it sooner, but then I was drafted by Hoity Toity…"

"It's okay. Did he at least pay you to do it?" She asks and sits at the table.

"Thankfully yes, and rather handsomely. Regardless, I hope you like it…" He sits back, tapping his hooves together softly.

Sav shrugs and grabs the box, ripping the paper off and peeling the tape away, pulling out what's inside.

It's a crossbow, but a rather light one, like it's made of plastic or something. The bow part is thin, and pointed in such a way the U faces away from her. The butt of it is replaced with a sleek air tank, and it has a drum of bolts secured to the bottom for an automatic reload.

"It's a legal weapon with the largest impact force in Equestria," Doc informs her. "Accurate up to about 100 yards, and the drum carries about 50 bolts. Gas propelled for a bit of extra power, these bolts can pierce steel."

"Sounds dangerous." Mykee comments in the background.

"Hell yeah it does! This is badass!" Sav cheers and carefully picks it up to test the weight and feel of it.

I give it my own look of approval. "Interesting. And here I was expecting a carbon copy of the one that Jackman used in Van Helsing, but it looks like you've made some serious improvements!"

Doc smiles at the praise, "Thank you! Sadly I wouldn't recommend walking around town with it…"

I wave a dismissive hand, "Don't worry, if we need it I can just slip off my ring, and run here to get it. Does it have an automatic setting, or is it just semi-auto?"

"Oh it has the automatic setting," he replies, walking over to point the switch out to Savanna. "But it's still a prototype for it. You'll only get two or three shots a second."

"I thought the idea of having swords was so that we don't accidentally hurt anyone." Mykee walks over.

Savanna turns to him," What? You implying that I can't handle it?"

"Don't turn this into an argument, please." Mykee deadpans. "I'm saying if it can pierce steel, it's already more dangerous by itself than we are."

"Personally I take this as a good sign," I inform them. "To me this means ponies trust us, despite our violent natures. I mean I'm Wolverine crossed with the Flash, you've got what amounts to a miniature nuke battery on your arm, and Savanna is shaping up to be a Spartan. Yet despite this we have made some excellent friends, and here friendship is everything."

Doc smiles, "Quite right I Suppose."

I clear my throat, and scratch the back of my neck, "On that note, Savanna I want you to find a blanket or something for that crossbow… For today at least I think you'll be wanting that thing on hand."

"Why?" She turns to me and blinks as she straps it to her back, and looks around for something to wear to cover it.

I lick my lips, and sigh. "...This episode isn't all shits, and giggles… There's going to be a monster attack. But when that happens we need to focus on just running, and getting everyone to safety." Truly, this time the prospect of knowing what lies ahead frightens me. Part of me wants to stay as far from it as possible, but… I have a mission, and friends to protect.

"Noted… I'm gonna charge my ring." Mykee heads upstairs.

"I need to do my research on monsters," I mutter. Then I remember I might have to.

Hey Nightmare? On Earth we have legends about monsters that exist here…

Maybe five minutes later we're headed out for the school. Mykee has our lunch in a bag, Sav holds the blanket, and I have her as we fly over the town. On our way there I keep my eyes peeled for Pinkie. I spot her on the road there as she pauses to sniff a flower, and point her out before we dive in to meet up with her.

Mykee lands. "Hi Pinkie!"

Pinkie looks up at us, "Oh hi guys! What's new?"

"Oh we're just waiting for Twilight to start stalking you," I reply casually.

"Cool," she replies without missing a beat. "I was gonna go revisit some memories at the school! Wanna come get stalked with me?"

"Oh, boy, been there done that...Being stalked is extremely creepy…." Sav shivers and hugs herself.

"I'm glad I was homeschooled…" Mykee comments. "I keep thinking public school is cool, but really it's not."

"It's not…..It's filled with creepy 7ft guys that think all because they're nice to you they deserve something in return." Sav says bitterly and huffs.

"Yup, glad I wasn't public-schooled… Or might have turned into one of those people." Mykee nods.

"Mykee, you were most likely one of those people." Sav slowly blinks at him, " If I remember correctly, you're the one who kept asking for me to walk around the house naked.

He sweatdrops. "I never said that… Harley said that. But, I'm a guy… if I was in public school, I probably would have done that, but I'm not."

"For good reason," I remark darkly as we walk. "Not sure if I've told you guys this, but there are two ways to piss me off in half a second, my hair-triggers… Mistreat a woman in front of me, or even mention Meth…" Even saying that last word makes me clench my fists, my magic flaring up around me for a second.

Pinkie tilts her head, "Huh? What's that?"

"A poison," I reply, staring straight ahead as we walk. "A drug, one that drives addicts into such a frenzy for more they'll even eat their own skin to get it… Took the woman that should have mattered most to me out of my life all my childhood. If I ever had kids, and caught them with the stuff I'd have burned them alive Salem style…"

Pinkie pointedly drifts away from me as we walk, her ears back. "Okay… Happy thoughts folks! Four leaf clovers, the first snow of winter, fluffy little bunnies!"

That last one reminds me of a certain scene in Season 5, the comeuppance of a rabbit in this world that belongs in a stew pot, but is enough karma it makes me smile. "...Thanks Pinkie, I needed that."

"It's what I do," she says modestly, and then starts bouncing on her hooves as we walk.

Before long we arrive at the school, and Pinkie bounces for the playground, humming cheerfully to herself.

Sav watches her with a raised brow and hums, "That looks like a lot of fun guys…."

I smirk, "No doubt…"

Pinkie sighs happily as she stops by the swings. "Yeah… I had so much fun here when I was an itty-bitty, teenie-weenie, twinkie-Pinkie…"

"Were you more, or less excitable than now?" Mykee asks amusedly.

"About the same," she replies as she she drops to the ground, and starts to roll around without a care in the world.

"Heh, looks like Hunter right after I give him a bath…" Sav mutters and leans on playground fence.

"Is he one of those bullies?" Mykee questions.

"Uh, what?" Sav swings her head to him with a raised brow.

"One of the self-entitled people?" Mykee corrects himself.

Savanna looks even more puzzled now, "No…..Hunter is my…" She pauses to look around, and lowers her voice," He's one of my horses back home."

"Oh. Noted." Mykee rubs his neck.

Pinkie sits up, and rubs her nose with a hoof. Then suddenly she gasps, looking around at the sky, and dashes for a small horseshoe shaped archway for cover. My eyebrows go up, and I hurry to join her. Sav catches on, and bolts after us. Mykee is right after us, shielding us additionally.

"Itchy nose," Pinkie whimpers. "That means a swarm of angry bees…"

"...Nope, fuck that noise." Mykee extends the shield to three per each of us.

"Oh man I love bees!...Just not when they're angry…" Sav says sadly and crosses her arms.

"Then you can love them." Mykee gets rid of them from Sav.

Up above we hear the bees swarm. Then suddenly they dive for a bush off away from us,and as they swarm through it, and around it we hear Twilight's pained cries as the bush hops around.

Mykee cringes, shuddering. "I dislike nature…"

Sav rolls her eyes and shakes her head at him, but keeps her mouth shut.

Mykee ignores her, waiting out the bee storm.

"Let's get out of here," I advise. "Memory serves, the next scene is at… Sweet Apple Acres."

"Hey, breaking the fourth wall is my shtick," Pinkie pouts up at me.

"It's also Deadpool's." Mykee says. "...Are the bees gone?"

Pinkie nods as we head out, her bouncing, "Yup! Nose is done itching!"

I float in the air, and then for giggles I levitate Sav up, then sit her on my belly. "Guess we're having lunch at Sweet Apple Acres then!"

Mykee raises an eyebrow at us, and nods. "I have the food right here." He holds up our picnic basket.

Savanna raises a brow at me and then looks to Mykee, "Wow, actually came prepared eh?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" I glance between them. "Did I miss something?"

"I dunno… hey Harley, can I speak to you in private for a moment? Here Sav, you can set up the picnic for us." Mykee offers the basket to her.

"Yeah, okay." She sighs and snatches the basket, walking over to a shady spot under a tree

Looking around in surprise I realize we've arrived at the orchard already. So with a shrug I drop to my feet, and follow Mykee curiously.

Once we're far enough away, Mykee turns to me. "So… are you and Sav dating...?"

I blink, "What? No, no of course not."

Here we go again…

I frown, and facepalm, "Please just… Don't. We've been over this, she can do so much better than me. I'm just… I'm not a good guy at heart…"

I live in your head, and share your emotions-

"I know," I mutter testily. "But I don't have the mental fortitude, or attention span to belabor the point with both of you."

"Alright, look dude. She is literally in your personal space, hugging you and shit." He raises an eyebrow. "If you're not looking for a relationship, you need to tell her before you hurt her."

I frown at him, "I'm not treating her any different than I would my sisters."

The undergarment agreement?

"Except that," I admit with a nod. "But still I… She…" I facepalm, "Mykee, as my best friend you of all people need to know this… One of the reasons I despise humanity so much is because every day I fight to take the darkness in my chest. If it got loose I'd become the next Stalin, or Hitler. Hell, the only reason I'm doing this with the Watchers is because if I didn't… Who would? I mean, survival too, but…"

I sigh, and lean on a tree, "Getting off track… Buddy, she's so sweet, and sassy… I'd love to be able to call her mine. But that's part of it, part of me wouldn't be able to help objectifying her, possessing her… She'd just get more hurt with me than anything."

"I just want to know where I stand here." Mykee sighs softly. "She really seems interested in you, and I'm just… here to rub ideals with you, make sure you know the consequences of your actions. Plus, you two were friends long before I even met you. I get it, you have rage issues. But do you really think you're subjecting them to her? She's dealt with it now as a friend, do you really think she'd be your friend still if she couldn't handle it?"

I shake my head, "Rage is only part of it man. I think of it like… Fire. Rage is fire. In me there's that… Then there's the ever-growing shadows just barely kept away by it. That's what I'm afraid of. You've seen me angry, you've probably seen me hateful, and at my most expressive then… But neither have seen that side of me. My dark side. Believe it or not, I've accepted my temperament as part of my Light Side."

"Alright, don't go after her." He rolls his eyes. "She really likes you though, you need to discuss shit with her before she goes yandere on you."

I nod, and then feel my mood darken a bit as I look him in the eye. "Yes… And a word of warning between friends… If you decide to make a pass at her you best make sure you're the guy she deserves. Because if you just do it for a grab at some tits… Well, I know this world like the back of my hand almost. I can ditch the body in a few holes, and tell ponies you just vanished, probably sucked back to the human world. No one would be the wiser…"

"Okay, first off, stop assuming you can just kill me, we both know who would win in a straight up unarmed fight. Second, if I can make Midnight, the largest pervert we know, become civil to fit into a normal life, I would hope I can do it to myself too. And at most, I would at least like to try, I'm not gonna force her to like me." Mykee states.

I smirk, and slip my hands in my pockets, "Noted… Just don't assume I'd fight if you're lying to me. I know magic better, and with home-field advantage that's all I'd need… Besides, we might both agree on one simple fact… That being me being smarter than you."

Arrogant, Harley?

I shrug, "Maybe a little cocky, but given how most people around me are, tends to be a safe assumption."

"I remind you, I'm the guy that gave this world internet, and I literally remind you of everything we need to do." Mykee deadpans.

"And I'm the guy who tipped folks around me into making the gear we use. I'm a manipulator, Mykee, working people is what I do in my day-to-day life. So despite your military training, your martial arts skills, and everything else… You'd never see me coming."

Harley, enough! You're threatening your best friend, you realize this correct?!

I blink, and then groan as I turn, and bang my head into the tree once. "Dammit, this is what I mean! Dark side! A side of me that will act without regards to morals, and no emotion. I could kill you one day with a straight face, then cry over your picture the next day Mykee… I'm insane, and I know it…"

"Yeah, alright Loki, master manipulator." Mykee deadpans. "Don't assume, it makes an ass out of you. You hold a dark side, I hold back. We both talk big, but it boils down to us. This dark side I feel is who I'm fighting more than you."

I shake my head, "Can we please stop talking about it? We're in a world of candy-colored talking ponies for crying out loud, I don't want to be feeling this…"

"Then keep your opinions of who's better to yourself, and I'll do the same." Mykee says simply. "So yes or no: Are you okay with me dating Sav, if I get the chance?"

"Do what the hell you want! I'm not your keeper," I snap, and turn to stomp away.

Didn't you say you were earlier?

In regards to this world, yes. Towards each other… I don't own her. If he wants a shot then he gets one, I'm not going to stand in the way of my two favorite people in my life being happy.

I can't tell if that's noble, or you playing a martyr. Your emotions are equal part self-pity, and compassion.

Yeah, confuses me too, you little…

I trail off, and groan as I rub my face with both hands. I can't start fighting with everyone… If I did then I'd have no one left in my life. And to be honest I'm only afraid of two things… Maybe three; falling to my death, the deep ocean, and loneliness.

"She's your friend first, bud." Mykee reminds me, patting my back and trying to get me to calm down. "I don't want to lose a friend to gain a lover. I just want you to know that."

"Just…" I stop, and clear my mind, taking a slow breath. "Just… Think carefully before you do anything. Remember that we're probably going to be stuck with each other the rest of our lives regardless of what you do, or how it plays out."

"Noted… you too though." He nudges my shoulder, and heads for the picnic.

Sav looks up as he approaches," So like….What? Was that a guy talk or something?"

"Yup! We cleared up some things, and at some point, we'll probably have some private discussions with you." Mykee comments. "Harley first."

I just keep my mouth shut as I levitate my sandwich to me. I glance around, and spot Pinkie sniffing a flower nearby, chuckling at a memory.

"Well….That a good thing or a bad thing?" Sav questions and leans back on the tree with her arms behind her head.

"Depends." Mykee starts eating.

"On what?" She cracks an eye open and nudges Mykee with a foot.

"Friendship." He hedges, stuffing his mouth.

Pinkie perks up, "Huh?" Her ears flop around then her eyes flutter, and her front knees start twitching. "Uh-oh, opening doors…"

"Out here?" Mykee blinks, creating a shield.

I tap his shoulder, and point to the barn at the heart of the farm. From here we can see Twilight walking away from it… Then a door opening from the ground, and we actually can hear Twilight cry out in surprise before she tumbles down some stairs.

I clear my throat, and in my best Applejack impression go, "Twilight! You came to visit mah new Apple cellar, how nice! ...Uh, Twilight? You okay? Twi?" Then I snicker at myself.

Mykee snickers amusedly. Savanna shakes her head with a chuckle. I sigh, and finish my sandwich before commenting, "You know… Ponies can take a lot of punishment, as proven by this upcoming scene."

Pinkie sniffs her flower again before she gobbles it up happily, and swallows. "Yeah?"

I nod, "Oh yeah… The following contains animal brutality, and adult violence not recommended for minors. Viewer discretion is advised."

"What were we watching before? Slapstick humor?" Mykee muses.

"Precisely," I reply. "Shall we get a move on?"

"I guess so." Sav shrugs and stands with a stretch.

And so we walk away from the orchard, chatting casually as Pinkie leads us to the park. Apparently she promised Fluttershy to count the fish, and birds in the area. Nothing really happens for a good thirty minutes… Until her tail starts twitching.

I smirk, "Direct all eyes towards the screaming dragon."

"TWITCHY TAIL!"

I look behind me to where Twilight is trying to hide behind a bench somehow while in a wheelchair rig that holds up her front hooves with some binoculars. We see Spike acting frantically before he darts away from her to hide under a tree.

Once again, Mykee protects us with a shield. Though while I can't blame him he needn't worry. Most times than not the safest place during a Pinkie Sense episode is right next to Pinkie Pie herself. So we have a safe place to watch for the following events.

Namely how a flowerpot falls from the sky, landing on Twilight's head… Then a Blacksmithing anvil… Then a hay cart… And finally a piano.

Mykee cringes. "...That's some Toontown Online type shit right there…"

"Owie….." Sav also cringes and rubs her head with a whimper.

"She'll be fine," I assure them, and look upwards to the culprit. The ever-beloved Derpy getting scolding looks from a group of Mover pegasi with flying wagon.

"Still." Sav says.

I rub my chin, "Well… Next scene was kinda weird… It had Applejack taking stuff to her new cellar, but it didn't look like they were in Sweet Apple Acres.."

"Ooooo, spook." Sav says sarcastically and puts a hand on her hip with a grin.

"So… what, she has a different cellar?" Mykee raises an eyebrow.

"Nope," Pinkie pipes up. "Applejack has her stand in the market square, she's probably bringing leftovers from it to her home."

I blink, "...Hadn't considered that."

"Well let's go!" Pinkie starts to hum whimsically as she bounces down the road.

"Fun…." Sav says and follows after us.

Mykee trails behind, finishing the last sandwich. We walk until Pinkie steps on a rock funny, and sits to inspect her hoof. Then she flicks her tongue out, running it rapidly over it like she might be blowing a Rasberry. Applejack joins us a second later, a basket of apples balanced on her back.

"Hey y'all!"

Pinkie perks, "Oh hey Applejack! Whatcha doin'?"

"I'm taking some apples to my new Apple cellar! How 'bout you?"

"Oh we're letting Twilight follow us around all day without us knowing," Pinkie giggles.

"You mean you knew the whole time?!" Twilight hobbles around us, looking exceptionally worse for wear with her front legs wrapped in bandages. "Why didn't you say anything?!"

"Silly, that would have spoiled the secret," Pinkie giggles again while Twilight looks on with a total expression of "WUT?" trying to make sense of Pinkie.

"Don't worry, we won't tell." Mykee smirks.

I look to Pinkie, "So… Any more twitches?"

"All done," she replies. "Nothing but clear skies as far as I can tell." Then she abruptly breaks into a fit of shivers that has her practically vibrating on the ground for a second or two.

Spike shouts in surprise, "What does that mean?!"

"I dunno," Pinkie replies, looking distressed. "I've never felt anything like it! But whatever it is, it's a doozy!"

Mykee creates a shield. "This feels like a running theme I'm doing…"

"Wasting energy more like it," I mutter, the humor seeping out of me as I remember what comes next. I glance at Sav to make sure to make sure she still has her crossbow, flexing my hands anxiously.

"Hey, I have learned it's better to be over prepared than under." Mykee says simply.

Just like condoms.

Like what?

...You're joking.

I am not.

" So then what happens?..." Sav whispers to me and nudges my arm.

I'm about to answer when Pinkie pipes up, "And it's gonna happen… At Froggy Bottom Bog!"

Applejack gasps, "That's where Fluttershy is!"

"Move it or lose it," I announce, and start running with AJ, and Pinkie in the lead.

Mykee starts flying, levitating Sav with him to keep up with me. I sigh, and once we're high enough the ponies can't hear us I quickly tell them, "Guys… Be ready… It's a hydra."

"Hydra… the mythical agency that opposes SHIELD?" Mykee smirks, but mentally prepares himself.

"No, think the thing that tried to eat Hercules, only… A bit goofier. Maybe," I reply.

"Goofier? ...Okay." He leans in with me. "No seriously, an actual fucking Hydra?! Those are fucking scary!"

"I know," I sigh. "I should've told you guys sooner… But if a bunch of little ponies can avoid it then I'm sure three well-equipped human's can evade it… In the show it had four heads, one of which kinda stupid. Froggy Bottom Bog is thick with trees, and mud so stay out of the water if you can manage it."

"So that's why you wanted me to carry my cross bow?" Sav asks, her voice a bit shaky

"Bingo," I reply. "We all know the legends about Hydras, so no cutting off heads."

"Right…..So like, do I have special arrowheads to help slow that thing down or?..."

"Doc didn't say anything about it," I reply. "And they don't fight it, they run."

"But do we fight it, or run?" Mykee asks.

"Run," I reply. "No way to know if we can take it-"

You can't. I already explained that Hydras are magically resistant, and have amazing healing abilities. The decapitation legend hasn't been put to the test, but i can tell you even as a whole you don't have a chance of bringing it down.

I sigh, "We run, we focus only on getting the herd out of the bog. Attack the Hydra only with intent to slow it down, and only if there's no choice. We don't need heroic grandstanding."

"Right…..So, we follow your lead then?" Sav asks.

"Yeah," I nod, and float back towards the ground as we see the ponies slowing down. "We must be getting close to the bog…"

We land in time to see Pinkie shuddering again, and Twilight mockingly asks, "Cold? Need a jacket?"

"No thanks," Pinkie replies happily. "I'm good!" Then she breaks into another fit of shudders.

"Well, clearly this is gonna turn sideways…" Sav say with a sigh.

Up ahead Spike is making conversation with Applejack. "So… What do you think happened to Fluttershy?

"Hopefully nothing," Applejack replies.

"Yeah, but what do you think happened," he presses.

"I'm trying not to think about it," Applejack replies nervously.

"Me too," Spike agrees, trying to sound firm, but wilts a second later. "Um… But, I'm thinking about it anyways. I mean, what if she… E-exploded?!"

Applejack raises an eyebrow, "Just exploded? For no reason?"

"Yeah, like… Boom!" Spike throws his arms up to emphasize.

"Whoa," Pinkie folds her ears back with wide eyes.

"I know," Spike agrees with a tone creeping into panic.

Pinkie gulps, and says, "What if she exploded, and… And exploded again?!"

Spike looks horrified, "Can you do that?! Can you explode twice?!"

"Then that'd be a pretty...Boomin death." Sav says with a wag of her brows and elbows us gently.

"Explosions! Truly a problem solver!" Mykee says amusedly.

I raise an eyebrow at them as the ponies give us disapproving looks which I ignore. "Seriously? No joke about Segata Sanshiro?"

"No one knows if he died." Mykee points out.

I fold my hands behind my head to help me breathe easier as we walk. "The guy he threw that exploded twice in his Bomberman commercial? Pretty sure you don't get much more dead than that…"

"He didn't blow himself up though." Mykee says.

"You're talking about the missile he rode into space," I clarify. "I'm talking about something else entirely. Everyone who's ever watched him go against Chuck Norris in Death Battle knows Segata survived, is immortal, and is exempt from laws of physics."

"No one is exempt from physics," Twilight shouts, glaring at us.

"Magic in general is exempt from physics." Mykee calls back amusedly.

"IT IS NOT! WE WENT OVER THIS ABOUT AN HOUR AGO!"

"Mmhm." Mykee glances at me. "Chuck Norris is exempt too, you know."

Twilight looks ready to pounce on one of us when Applejack distracts us, "Look y'all!" She pulls aside some bushes to show us a big swampy area.

I gulp as I watch the murky water warily, "Alright y'all… We… Are… Spartans!" I pop my wrist blades, and slice us a wider path through the bushes, pumping myself up in case there's a fight to be had after all.

Sav follows suit, swings her crossbow out and setting her finger aside on the trigger.

Mykee's ring glows, and he activates battle armor, drawing eskrima sticks made of green energy.

The six of us look around frantically, leaving no lily pad unturned, and Spike is the one to find her first, jumping on her back to hug her. "Fluttershy! You're okay!"

"Of course," she replies in confusion.

I can't help feeling a bit relieved that she's still in one piece, seems the Hyrda hasn't found her yet. Then Twilight speaks up saying, "Now, I know it's not polite to gloat, but… Ah-HA!" She points dramatically at Pinkie, startling Spike into the swamp water.

I roll my eyes, and freeze as I hear sloshing water behind us. Looking slowly over my shoulder I spot murky scales disappear beneath the water, and my blood runs cold. "Oh crud…" Then the smell of rotting flesh greets our noses, making me sheathe my class just to cover my breathing holes with my hands.

Mykee gags, creating rebreathers and putting one on. "Oh, that's not a smell I wanna smell again…"

Sav cringes and and looks around," What the hell is that smell coming from?!"

Her answer comes seconds later while Twilight is launching a lecture on her high horse. An answer in the form of an image that made me really glad I hadn't had much to drink, otherwise I would have made a scene.

A reptilian head the size of a semi truck on a neck as thick around as a sewer access tunnel, rising from the murky swamp water until it towers over us by at least forty feet. The tan scales, the pure lime green eyes with reptile pupils, and the paralyzing gaze it shines on us. Not paralyzing in the "Cockatrice turn you to stone" way, more like the, "oh shit that thing is gonna eat me" kind of way.

As if that wasn't bad enough another head rises from the water by it… Then another… And another… Four heads staring hungrily at us like an all you can eat buffet… Three choices what's on the menu, and the first two don't count.

All the while Twilight hasn't even noticed them.

"Hey lady, shut your mouth for a sec and look behind you." Sav snaps/ squeaks with wide eyes and swallows heavily.

Twilight looks back, and tilts her head back to look almost straight up at the monster. "Oh… Sweet Celestia…" She slowly backs up towards the rest of us as the Hydra opens its mouths, and roars, making the ground under our feet tremble.

"RUN!" On impulse I grab Savanna in my magic, and take off flying to the front of the herd as the ponies break into a gallop through the muddy water. All except Pinkie who is frozen to the spot in terror.

Mykee flies after us, "Nope! Fuck this!" Thankfully Twilight had seen Pinkie's plight, and ran back, yanking her out of the way in the nick of time as one of the hydra heads lunges. She tosses Pinkie who pedals her legs in the air as if trying to fly faster, which works somehow.

Fluttershy runs with her wings beating, too afraid to take flight, yet her survival instinct going in full force. "Oh, I'm so sorry," she says to a frog as she runs past it.

The Hydra claims the speed advantage as we have to make our way over deeper waters, the ponies climbing obstacles to keep moving. Three of the heads lunge, and miss; one going into the mud, one slamming into the bottom of a tree, and one chomping down on a large Boulder. The last head watches, and then laughs at the other injured heads in a deep, throaty voice.

"Fucking fuck! Do these things talk?!" Sav asks and parkours over a fallen tree

I shout in reply, "You really wanna stick around to ask it?!"

"HELP!"

Looking back we see Spike stuck in the mud, the hydra closing in.

"I'm coming Spike," Twilight calls as she runs back to him, and diving her head under the mud to pull him out. When she does she takes off again, a hydra head missing her by inches.

Lucky for us one of the hydra's feet gets caught in mud, giving us a chance to put a little distance. We finally get out of the marshy mud areas, and start up a steep hill. "It's okay," I call to them. "It's almost over!"

"But Pinkie is still shaking," Spike points out, pointing to where Pinkie is still bouncing in place almost with shudders.

The shudders stop, and Pinkie looks herself over, "Oh, all done." Then the shudders pick up with a vengeance, and she corrects herself, "O-o-o-o-o-h-h-h th-th-th-e-e-e-e-r-r-r-r-r-e-e-e-e-e i-i-i-i-i-t-t-t-t-t i-i-i-i-i-s-s-s!" Spike pushes her from behind since Pinkie is having trouble moving on her own.

Then finally we find our salvation. A deep ravine promising almost certain death with bubbling big water at the bottom. At the other side is a mountain trail, and between there and us are six narrow columns of earth spaced just far enough that we can hop across. No way the Hydra could cross it, even if it tried, and the fall didn't kill it then the ravine is too deep for us to be reached.

I release Savanna from my magic, "Go! Go! Women, and children first!" I look back to where the Hydra is reaching the end of the bog, getting ready to start up the long steep hill after us.

Mykee creates a bridge for all of us, guiding us all through.

Savanna bolts across it and helps the others off when she gets to the end.

Not even close to how it happened in the episode, but who cares?!

I start to run across the bridge, but stop with a shout of pain. It's got me! The Hydra got a lucky snap in this time, and caught me by my ponytail, lifting me into the air by my scalp. I flail, and try to think as I grab my hair in an attempt to lessen the pain, but all I can think about is either getting swallowed whole, or quartered by the four heads. "HELP!"

Mykee whirls around with a frown, creating Amy Rose's hammer with the head the size of an RV. He hurls it at a head. "Let him go!" The head it flies at grunts, and it's the ground with a noticeable lump growing, but gets up a second later looking more pissed than anything.

An Arrow zips by us and lodges itself between the eyes of the one holding me up, followed by another, and another. Sav runs up beside Mykee with a pissed off expression with her weapon raised. I feel it release me, and I honestly forget I can fly.

Then something catches me from behind, and jerks me sideways to avoid another Hydra head as it lowers me to my friends. I don't see any green light so it's not Mykee, leaving me very confused.

"Borrowing this, thanks," a familiar voice says, and Savanna's crossbow is pulled from her hands, vanishing from sight a half second later. "Run."

"Don't have to tell me twice," I whimper in a panic, and start shoving my friends over Mykee's bridge. Behind us I can hear that monster roaring, and snarling in time to shots from the crossbow.

Once we're all across, Mykee drops the bridge, making it disappear. I flop against the rock wall, breathing hard with my heart trying to punch a hole in my ribcage. "...I almost died…"

The ponies hurry over, looking ready to give me a hug. Applejack stops them though, and points a hoof, her muzzle slightly wrinkled, "Uh, Sugarcube?"

I look down where she's pointing, and note a large wet spot between my legs… Guess I had some fluids in my system after all. "I… Am not even ashamed," I state breathlessly as I look up at them. "I almost died… That certainly didn't happen in the episode."

"Well Duh," Spike comments. "None of you were in that show, right?"

"More than just that," I reply. "In the show most of you got across on those rocks, and Twilight charged the Hydra head on to buy time. She managed to make it trip over itself by running between the legs, and making it land on the stupid head. After that half the hopping rocks got destroyed in a lunge from that thing, so Twilight had to make a leap of faith…" I press my hands over my eyes, and claw at my forehead with my fingernails hard enough I feel a layer of skin come up, "We broke Canon, and someone almost died because of it… It could have been all of us, magic doesn't hurt Hydras…"

Mykee is silent, letting me think. Sav sits by me and sighs heavily.

"Well….Shit…"

I sigh softly, and put my forehead on my knees. I turn my head though to watch as Twilight speaks up.

"I don't know how you predicted it Pinkie," she says with a smile. "Coincidence, dumb luck, but you said there would be a doozy here at Froggy Bottom Bog, and that was one heck of a-"

But then suddenly Pinkie breaks into a fit of shudders. "Oh… That wasn't it."

"That wasn't it?!" Mykee looks at me worriedly. I just look up at him with a smile, and put a finger to my lips, starting to come out of my shock.

Twilight blinks, "What?"

"The Hydra wasn't the Doozy," Pinkie clarifies, pointing across the ravine at the Hydra that is headed back to the bog, one of the heads sticking it's tongue out at us.

Twilight's facial expressions shift quickly as she tries to wrap her head around that, before finally settling on anger at least. "WHAT?! The Hydra wasn't the doozy?! How could it not be the doozy?! What could be doozier than that?!"

"I dunno," Pinkie replies simply. "It just wasn't it."

"Pokéballs out folks," I mutter loud enough for my friends to hear as Twilight's face turns the angriest I've ever seen, and I swear I hear a whistling tea kettle from someplace.

"Well… what could it be?" Mykee looks around.

"Great, what other bullshit is there?!" Sav throws her hands up and groans as she lays on her side.

At that very moment a wave of heat rolls over us as Twilight's lavender coat turns bleach white, obscuring even her Cutie Mark from sheer heat. Her eyes burn red while her mane, and tail literally burst into flames. She growls loud at us in rage, and glares at Pinkie in particular.

"Go Ghost Rider!" Mykee takes a defensive stance.

"Oh shit son…." Sav blinks and slowly inches closer to me.

"Congratulations, your Twilight has evolved into a Rapidash," I chuckle.

But as quickly as the transformation comes, it fades, leaving Twilight with splotches of soot on herself. Then… She sighs in defeat, flopping onto a nearby rock. "...I give up."

"...Are we done?" Mykee glances at me.

"Eeyyyyy, that's what I said everyday in algebra." Sav say and stands, then pats herself down "Where's my bow?!"

That catches my attention, and I stand… That had been a pony voice we had heard. "...Right… Let's leave the ponies to this, they have it handled from this point, and I need a new pair of pants."

Mykee nods and creates a giant box on wheels. "I can drive."

Sav perks up," Wow wow wow…..Can I drive?" she gives Mykee a pleading look.

He considers. "...You sure? I'd need to give you the gauntlet, or a steering wheel and stuff."

"Yeah, whatever you need to do..."

He smiles and takes off his gauntlet, offering it to her. "Go for it."

Sav squeals happily and grabs Mykee in a hug before kissing his cheek, "Thank you!" She grabs the gauntlet and straps it on quickly.

He goes stiff for a few seconds. "...No problem..." He quickly recovers, perking. "Shotgun!"

"I'm seriously considering saying 'fuck the police' just to get one," I mutter. I fidget on the spot as I rub my arms, and then reach back to feel my scalp. It feels like it ought to be bleeding, but my fingers come away clean. "Twelve… Maybe eight gauge…"

" Who needs a shotgun when you have a suboobie?!" Sav says and raises her hand, making a green hatchback Subaru mold itself in front of us.

Mykee smirks and slides into the shotgun position. "Yeah… we can't have guns though. You know how hard it is to not create guns with that thing? Near impossible, I tell you."

I slip into the back, and lay across the back seat. "Your creations vanish when you stop thinking about them, so… No evidence we would be breaking any laws… Just wouldn't have worked against that hydra."

"It's the principle and morality of it." Mykee points out.

"So what would have worked to bring that hydra down? A special type of magic or something?" Sav asks and hums as she presses the gas.

Sadly no, Hydra's are all but immune. Nopony has ever slain one, they simply die of starvation when they're too large to keep themselves nourished.

Really? Then why is it in that bog scarfing down frogs instead of rampaging through town?

The monsters of Equestria have learned a healthy fear for ponykind, thanks to my… Thanks to Celestia, and Luna. After all, the divine might they wield is unmatched in modern Equestria.

Not for very long…

I sigh, and reply, "As far as I know, no. Thankfully that thing doesn't appear again in the show from what I know. We ought to stay on guard though, leave nothing to chance."

"Noted." Mykee nods. "Don't hit anyone, Sav. Cars aren't invented yet."

"Chill….I got this." Sav assures and jerks us in our seats when she takes a sharp left.

"I will take your driving privileges if you do that again." Mykee says through clenched teeth, clutching his seatbelt.

Sav slowly turns her head to him, staring at him as she presses harder on the gas with a twitchy eye," I will bite you."

He leans in, staring into her eyes, before stating, "My gauntlet, my rules. Also, watch out."

"Oh I'm well aware of the situation." Sav says and at the last second jerks the wheel so the car drifts harmlessly around a large tree.

"Stop jerking the wheel!" Mykee grits his teeth. "Drive better!"

" I drive just fine, it's called rally for a reason. Suboobies are rally cars, so hence!" Sav says calmly and smoothly slides the car around a large rock to the stretch home.

"Is this where the stereotype of women not being able to drive cars comes from? Because I'm starting to see it." Mykee grumbles.

"It's call rally driving!" Sav snaps grumpily and tightens her grip on the wheel.

"Give me a textbook definition of rally driving, and why you think it's a good idea." He states, gripping the dash for dear life.

"Relax Mykee, she used to race cars back home. We're in good hands," I comment, all the while grateful she had remembered to put functional seat belts in this thing, and digging my fingers into the seat.

"We're in a world of ponies that have never seen a car before, Savanna is taking it for a joyride, and I am not a fan of rollercoasters! I'm fucking seconds from screaming my head off like a child!" Mykee shouts crazily.

"Kinda like you're doing now," I ask dryly, trying to overcome my own misgivings with my personal taste of humor.

"You have not heard me scream. I promise, you will hear me scream bloody murder to the heavens." Mykee growls dangerously low.

"Alright, fine." Sav hisses and slams on the brakes, bashing Mykees head on the window as the car slides sideways to a stop in front of our home.

Mykee screams, clutching his bleeding forehead before glaring at Savanna. "You will never drive with my gauntlet again." He snatches it from her, stomping inside.

"Yeah, Whatever!" She snaps back and crosses her arms.

I groan on the ground, as the sudden removal of that gauntlet had made the car vanish in the blink of an eye. "You know what? I've had enough stress, and drama for one day. The next person who displays either in front of me is getting glued to a chair for time-out."

With that I head inside, and head up to my room. After a quick shower, and change of clothes I come back down to make some tea, and help myself to a peppermint stick.

Mykee comes down, having showered too, and silently makes dinner for us.

I hear Sav come down the stairs, but she doesn't come into the kitchen, instead she plops on the couch and sighs softly.

"Dinner." Mykee sits at the table, starting to eat.

Sav walks in shortly after….Wearing nothing but one of my t-shirts and black lacy panties.

The peppermint stick I am finishing off breaks in my teeth as I stare. "Holy cheese, and crackers…"

Mykee drops his jaw, and drops his plate. "...Wha…?"

"What? This is what you wanted isn't?" Sav asks as she throws her hands out to her sides a bit, "I can go put pants back on."

"N-no! You're fine!" Mykee recovers and tries not to ogle her too hard as he bends to pick up his plate.

"Yeah, what he said," I mumble. "Uh… So… What brought this on?"

"We had that deal...That and I just didn't wanna put on pants." Sav shrugs, then smirks as she bends down to help pick up Mykee's plate.

Mykee swallows, trying not to look down her shirt. He partially succeeds as he accepts the plate. "Thanks…" He says numbly, straightening.

" Yup, don't mention it." Sav also straightens and puts her hands on her hips.

"...Fine, I forgive you for the driving." He mutters, grabbing food while trying to not look at her too much.

I blink, "Deal…?"

You would drink Liquid Rainbow?

"Oh yeah, that… Can it not be tonight? I'd rather avoid risking my life twice in one day." I try to turn my attention to my dinner, but my eyes keep wandering to Savanna.

She waves it off with a shrug," Consider this another free pass."

Mykee tries to think up a conversation that wouldn't make Sav reconsider, finally saying, "So Harley, is that the episode? Or is there more?"

"I hope that was it, I don't think I handle seeing one of my friends almost dying again…" Sav says, reaching up into a cabinet on her tippy-toes to reach for a glass.

I think, "Uh… No, that's about it. After Pinkie trots off saying what a doozy it was that Twilight believed in something she couldn't explain it changed to a scene at the library. Spike writes out Twilight's letter to Celestia on a friendship lesson, she heads out with Pinkie the both of them wearing umbrella hats…"

I tilt my head as I use my magic to float the desired glass out of the cupboard to Savanna. "Though now that I think about it there was something… Celestia herself literally drops out of the sky into the branches of the Golden Oaks library, and picks up the letter personally instead of it being sent by dragon mail. I always wondered what she was doing at the time to warrant that…"

"Maybe something in your report? You did send her a report a few weeks ago that she never responded to." Mykee points out.

I shake my head, "First of all my reports go to Luna, not Celestia. Second, I can't imagine writing anything that would make God-Horse freefall like that. In the episode she just asked Spike "Twitchy Tail" before taking the letter, flying off, and the episode fades to black for the credits."

"Spooky." Sav says and sits at the table with us, " I'm sure she'll tell us when the time comes."

Mykee nods and starts eating again. "Yah… mmbe she hath ofer buvness?"

"Talk with food in your mouth, you get it over your face," I say in a serious tone, but with a smile. "Still, a day at the library to meet her? Put a pretty bow on the end of this episode? That honestly sounds nice. All in favor?"

Sav gives a thumbs up and nods.

Mykee swallows. "Is that tomorrow, or today? Because I already showered, I'm not leaving the house anymore."

I glance out the window towards the setting sun, "Looks like tomorrow. It was midday at the time if I remember correctly."

Mykee smiles. "So how about a boardgame or something? Or…" He looks at me. "There's a conversation that needs to be had…"

"Agreed," I nod. "I can't be leading you guys blind into these episodes anymore. I'll have to review each episode carefully on my phone, and prepare a briefing for the Watchers."

Mykee stands, and places a hand on my shoulder. "No… there's a conversation you two need to have." He starts clearing empty dishes, heading to the sink to start washing.

Sav blinks, "Us? Did I do something wrong?"

"Not that I can think of," I reply in a flat tone. My mind drifts back to the conversation we had back at Sweet Apple Acres, and I know that's what he means. But… I'm a stubborn ass, I won't be pushed into anything. I'll take steps when/if I choose to so I'm prepared to fight Mykee on this tooth, and claw until he gets that.

Mykee gives me a look that clearly calls my attitude, but he says simply. "Oh, you don't remember? Whose turn it is to do laundry? I'm doing dishes, so it's you two. Draw straws or something."

"Okay...Well, I'll do it I guess…." Sav gives us a weirded out look and hops out of the kitchen quickly.

Subtle cop-out Mykee… Real slick.

But not unwarranted.

What?

Harley, this is all I will say on the matter this time… Today you almost died. Every time we step up to follow one of your episodes it's a risk to our life. But should the body we share perish then I don't want to share any lingering regrets.

...Is this about Savanna again?

It is. I'm just asking you to try, and see how she takes it. There's another male here now so she's not being forced to choose you, and with how he's pushing you I don't think you two becoming an item would push him away… So just please, by every star in the night… Try.

I swallow softly, and slowly exhale. Then without a word I finish my dinner, pass my dishes to Mykee with my magic, and start walking after Savanna.

I find her in the laundry room, humming softly as she pulls clothes from the washer, and into a basket to later hang outside.

"Hey Sav?" I lean in the doorway, and swallow before wetting my dry lips with my tongue..

She looks over her shoulder at me and smiles, "Hey Harley, what's up?"

I sigh, and feel my face heating up a bit. I can't hesitate much longer before I pussy out, so I just decide to charge on into it before I can backpedal. "Mykee thinks we ought to be an item, and ever since Sweet Apple Acres he's been pushing me to talk to you about it."

Well… There it goes… Time to see how that foot tastes…

Sav blinks in surprise and turns her head away with red cheeks," O-oh…...Well I….."

I breath heavily, and close my eyes, pressing my forehead to the door jam. "...The idea had crossed my mind a few times since you got here, but I've just… I've had my reasons for keeping my distance… At the orchard I told Mykee to make a move if he wants… I just… I just thought… Ngh, with everything that's happened today I had to get it off my chest. This land of sunshine, and rainbows isn't some game like the stories we used to write, so… I…" I claw at the wood softly, and press my head harder to the wood, "...If anything like that were to happen, you would have to be the one to make the first step… It's the only fair way I can think about it. I just can't, and won't lose both my friends to some asinine love triangle."

Sav stares at the ground for a long while before she looks up at me with a small grin.

"Alright….That clears things up, thanks for telling me…...And never in my life would I date Mykee, tease him maybe, but that's about it."

I open my eyes, and look up to her with an incredulous expression. "Ouch," I state simply, Nightmare echoing my thoughts in the back of my head.

"What? Too harsh?" Sav blinks at me again.

"Maybe a bit," I confess. "Sav, let me put it this way… We're in a world he did anything, and everything to avoid having anything to do with. He has no way home, and there's only one woman around… I'm worried about it sparking something off between him, and I. So at the very least don't just outright dismiss him. At least give him one chance, one that he can use to show you that he's more than some pervert… Please?"

Sav sighs and nods," Alright….."

I smile, and nod, backing out of the room to head back towards the living room.

That wasn't what I meant by trying.

I promised Mykee a chance… I'm a man of my word.

...Fair enough… I suppose it's our turn to do the pushing.

I chuckle, and with a nod I head upstairs for bed.

…

The next day the three of us are chilling out in the library, making a little game of taking turns reading Daring Do out loud.

Mykee is reading books he finds interesting, mainly magic and recipes he can try. I can't help but notice his clothes are starting to be baggy… well, baggier than when he first got them.

Sav seems to notice too, frequently looking up from her book to glance at Mykee.

Mykee eventually puts down his book, yawns, and stretches. "What time is it?"

I glance at my phone, "Eh… About noon. Hey Mykee, don't look now, but I think you've started losing some weight."

He smiles. "So it's starting to show? That's good… as much as I hate it, there isn't much to do around here… so I started waking up and working out before breakfast. I can finally run a mile and a half in a decent time. And a good amount of push-ups." He flexes his arm and squeezes his bicep with his other hand. "I'm surprised I'm doing so well, what with what we eat…"

Sav hums and rocks her chair, "Yeah, you do look a lot better…."

"Aw, a genuine compliment. Thanks Sav." He smiles at her.

She blinks, and then it clicks in her head what she said as her cheeks tint red, " Oh…"

"But yeah, when's the Mane 6 supposed to arrive?" He glances at me, apparently deciding to bide his time and wait for a better opportunity.

I glance over to where Twilight is glancing from a book to a scroll in which she writes down notes with a quill, "Shouldn't be long, and it's just Pinkie coming. Twilight only sent Spike out five minutes ago after all." I smile to my friends, "The danger has passed guys, don't worry."

"If that were true, we wouldn't be waiting for Princess Celestia to fall from the sky and land in front of them." Mykee smirks.

Twilight looks up, "What? The Princess is coming?"

I roll my eyes, "Yeah, she popped in at the end of the episode, but you guys just barely miss her as you head out with Pinkie."

Twilight taps her chin, "Oh, well then I suppose I'm supposed to go get things to prepare-"

Pinkie jumps into the room, "Twilight! Twitchy Tail!"

Twilight blinks, and looks up, "What? But what…?" She glances at Mykee, "...Oh, right, Princess Celestia drops in from the sky."

Pinkie pulls a pair of umbrella hats out of her fluffy tail, "Here, just in case." She puts one on, and Twilight smiles as she obliges, putting it on her head.

Sav sinks in her chair with a long sigh and straightens her legs out, but says nothing. It doesn't take that much longer for Spike to arrive, and take Twilight's letter before she heads out. Spike heads to a window, and opens it with a smile.

"Showtime," I state, and stand. As I head for the window Celestia drops onto some of the foliage on the outside of the tree.

"Twitchy tail," she asks, and Spike nods. She reaches for the letter with her mouth, but pauses when she sees me. Her smile dips a bit when I beckon her inside, and she teleports into the library. "Michael, Savanna, Harley… Is something the matter?"

"We found the Manifest user." Mykee says, keeping his voice low.

Celestia's expression turns serious. "Spike, please forget what you just heard. I'm sure Twilight needs help wherever she may be."

"Y-yes ma'am," he stutters, and hurries out of the library.

Celestia levitates over a large cushion, and takes a seat, sitting up straight. "Tell me what you can."

Pulling out my phone I access my iTunes for the episode list, "It's in a filly, Sweetie Belle, the younger sister to Rarity… From the look of things we have one episode between us, and a time when the Manifest would most likely show its power to her. We've been lucky so far, it hasn't done much than awaken her levitation spellwork."

Celestia nods slowly, "I understand, please continue."

Clearing my throat I find our place in the Season 1 list. "Alright… Next episode is 'Sonic Rainboom'. The setting is… the Young Fliers Competition, and…" My eyes go wide as a sudden memory hits me. "Crap in a hat…"

"What's up?" Mykee frowns.

Sav raises a brow and sits up straight to lean in to us," Yeah, what's wrong?"

I gulp, and look up at the three of them, "...Assemble the Watchers, at our place… We might already be out of time."