#18

I surfed around the town greeting everyone happily getting smiles and kind gestures, everything was at ease in this small town. My mind drifted at times to Applejack, the joy she brought me and her the comfort she provides is everything I could ask for. "Nice…"

So many things have happened so fast that it was chilling to think of something being different. I continued my way to Rarity's Bo- well I haven't really gotten used to the name but it was apparently a place I could get clothes, wearing these clothes anyone could easily mistake me for K even if they were comfortable.

I managed to get myself in front of this fancy tower-like building, it looked like the fanciest thing around so it must have been Rarity's Bo-whatever. The structure of such a building was impressive and difficult but made the place stand out. I walked up to the entrance of this place and raised my hand to knock but all I managed to knock was the air as the door swung wide open revealing Rarity introducing herself.

"Welcome to Rar-oh, Hello Darling," She greeted realizing it's me, I greeted back and gained entrance to her Bou-ti-que. I was a little surprised in the beginning with how easy it was to get in here, nothing but saying "hi" got me in here, strange? Maybe.

I looked around for a few seconds exploring the bright environment I had entered, it was shades of pink and violet with mannequins everywhere, well, Ponyquines and fabrics all over, busy pony. I admired the smooth looking fabrics and highly-decorated outfits for ponies.

"Wow, you're a busy pony ain't ya?" I asked turning to her as she shut the doors and trotted over to a desk and picked up a notebook with her magic and ferociously jotted something down. I stared at her as she ran about the room getting down notes as she studied the ponyquines, my mind was telling me to slowly walk out while she wasn't looking but I could leave when she invited me in like that.

I stood there, staring at her until she finally finished about three minutes later.

"Phew, that's over and done…" She said throwing herself on a comfortable looking mattress, I could've sworn she nearly passed out on it but instantly sprang up when she glimpsed at me. I waved my hand at her, "Hi."

"Sorry about that, I finally finished these orders so… did you need something darling?" She asked being incredibly calm about it. I couldn't bear to ask her to do anymore, she probably worked her flank off trying to just finish this and I wasn't about to be rude and add more to her agenda.

"I just wanted…to…" I began trying to think of an excuse for coming here, but I couldn't come up with anything smart or logical for that matter.

"-Get something to new to wear?" She interrupted picking up the notebook she left beside her, her tone of voice let me know she knew what I came for. I scratched the back of my head feeling a little guilty as I nodded my head shamefully. She smiled lightly and opened her notebook to a new page, I managed to get a peek at what she wrote down, my full name with a heart over the J and I in "Benjamin." I shrugged it off believing she wrote it like she usually does.

"Alright, then darlin' this way,"

She led me into a room that had, even more, ponyquines, a fashion show stand, and a fancy seat. I still felt shame but not as much as before, if she offered it then I must take it. She ordered me to take a seat on a small chair but it was too small for me so I sat on the next thing I saw, a stool. She giggled a little when I stared awkwardly at the small seat from the stool before pulling out a line of measuring tape and scissors. I didn't like the way she snipped them with a grin, it might have triggered my PTSD from scoots playing with scissors.

"What are the scissors for?" I asked cautiously but all I could get out of her was a malicious giggle, "You'll see…"

I allowed her to get up close and study my physical build as she pulled on my sleeves and tugged on my pants. She continued doing so while asking me questions about my old fashion, I answered to the best of my abilities but she probably would be better off guessing.

"Hmm…so jeans, shirt, boxers, and socks?"

"Yeah, can you handle that?"

She placed her hoof over mouth to hold back her laughter, she silently let it escape with a few giggles, "Oh darling you don't know me at all."

I smirked a little but it was true, I didn't really know much about anyone besides the obvious and all I was told and inferred. "True, but I wouldn't say I don't know you at all,"

She thought about it for a few seconds before agreeing and continuing on the studying of my build. As of now, she hadn't used the tape or scissors, which heightened my curiously. I asked about it again but she just gave me the same answer.

"You'll see…"

"Okay…"

After a few more questions she finally lifted the scissors and snipped them manically. I smiled unwillingly and let her pull my hand out with her magic, she blew on the scissor's blade making a whistle sound, they were extremely sharp. She placed the scissor's blades between my sleeve and bit down on her tongue as she adjusted the angle.

"Alright, darling I'll just snip a little of fabric off this sleeve and-"

She closed the blades...and left us both staring at each other wide-eyed, the chill of the room filled me as I felt way too exposed and Rarity blushed way too strongly. My shirt, pants, and gloves disappeared leaving me with only boots/socks and boxers and a sword thrown on the floor. We stared at each other for a few more seconds until she slowly closed the scissors with an embarrassed try-hard-smile.

"So tis the power of the mighty scissors, incredible…" I jokingly added ignoring the fact that I was exposed, not fully, but exposed. Rarity glanced at the scissors before looking at me and beginning to tremble with embarrassment as she began to apologize quickly.

"No-no-no this shouldn't happen, it's just scissors by Celestia's name," She said putting them down quickly before doing her best to avoid my visual contact. I also felt a bit embarrassed but not as much as her but I was in love with her reactions.

"Oh, then you caused this?" I teased but she quickly defended herself with the obvious response.

"No-no-no-no, this can't truly be my fault," She said swaying her head back and forth glancing looks at me, oh she wanted to look. I nodded sarcastically before lifting my hand up at her and aiming a finger at her.

"What were you thinking about?" I asked to tease even more, her face reddened as it became clear she was guilty of thinking something. She began to come up with some excuses that never really led anywhere.

"Well, you see…I didn't…really…"

This went on for a few glances until she finally stopped and actually stared at me, but not with embarrassment but with worry. I became a little more serious as well, it's not common for a conversation like this to become serious.

"Wha-what is that?!" She exclaimed clutching the measuring tape up to her eyes. I looked around me and studied myself using all my skills of observation to find out that…There is nothing wrong with me.

"What is it? Am not hurt, am I?" I asked about as seriously as I could get this conversation to be. She trembled a little before lifting her hoof with her eyes wide open.

I looked down at myself once more but again, I didn't find anything wrong besides the fact that I was missing my shirt and pants. I shrugged at her and signaled that I had no clue what she was trying to say, but she only blushed heavier and neared me with her eyes looking away and lifted her hoof once more.

I felt her heavily place her hoof over my crotch area that instantly made me grab her hoof and tighten my legs, even if it was a two-second touch it still sent a tingling sensation that stiffened my back into an arch and force closed my legs. Was I quivering? I sure was but just because of this…why? I looked back up at Rarity who was staring at me shivering like I was as we awkwardly stared at each other.

I allowed her hoof to slip out of my hand before she gave me a small embarrassed giggle, oh no, was I gonna get that karma shit? I stared at her expecting anything to come out of her mouth and hopefully be ready to answer.

"You're pretty sensitive," She pointed out making me feel a little more embarrassed, I could feel the red beginning to accumulate. I guess it's about time I start talkin' back. I lifted my head revealing my face to her making her giggle a little more before nearing me a little more, "Looks like I reddened a beast."

"Yeah, consider yourself lucky!" I exclaimed in a defensive tone but she wasn't done with me, she placed her hoof over her mouth and pondered it.

"If you haven't obliterated my clothes, this would have never happened!" I exclaimed again, but this time she got defensive and denied ever doing so. I wasn't gonna take this, she knew damn well she did this or somehow managed it.

"No, I didn't!"

"You did!"

"No!"

"You did!"

"Never!"

"You're lying to me!"

"I never lie!"

"You lied again!"

After a few minutes of arguing the conversation escalated to a point I never imagined to get to, this was starting to go in many directions. Amidst my come back, she raised her hoof and aimed it at me with grinning widely, I stared at her waiting to hear her proud comment.

"YOU CAME IN HER JUST FOR THAT, DIDN'T YOU?!"

"Wha- NO! I wouldn't come here for that!"

"Now you're the one lying!"

"Alright then! I came here to down and dirty with you and this is how you treat me!" I replied finally ending this crazy amount of back and forthness, she froze, with her eyes shaking and the hoof she held out was now over her mouth.

"Really?" She responded in probably the most cheerful voice she could make. I didn't react for a few seconds but I could tell something was not as I expected it, my mind was processing this one question, "Did she really just take that as a compliment?"

"I was just kidding, you know that, right?" I asked making her make a full 180 to her and look away with her head down with her hooves over her face, "He's lying…He-he"

I nodded my head and just accepted it, I wouldn't deny anything anymore. She turned to me and placed the measuring tape onto my chest pressing it onto my skin. I felt strange again, I couldn't move my body, my back was arched again with my legs attached to the floor.

"How about we get these measurements?" She said leaping onto my legs that were perfectly aligned with the each other as began to measure, was this really necessary? I allowed her to scale me and maybe it wasn't the best idea, she would rub and take these warm breaths of air against my back that made me shiver.

After the measurements were done and she finally jumped off and trotted off to a room, I let out my breath and looked down to my crotch. I was more terrified than embarrassed now, the damn thing nearly went off and then I would have really have had a problem. It couldn't blame it on him though when Rarity was breathing and rubbing up against me.

"Damn it, you're the first thing I have to worry about!" I said closing my eyes for a few minutes but instantly regretted it as my perverted imagination began to build me my own album of moans and groans. I snapped my eyes wide open as I began to feel movement down below me, the boner was taking over.

"Oh, hell no! you stay down!"

I began to rid my mind of any thoughts or emotions I was feeling but nothing would save me from the thing in my boxers. I never thought I would go down the strength of my own dick, oh well.

"Who are you talking to?"

"GAH! No one!" I quickly exclaimed placing my arms around my thighs to cover myself up. I didn't want to look her in the eyes for the sake of not being caught but she forced me around somehow. I looked the pair of blue jeans, white tank top, and gloves she held with her magic.

"Alright, then prepare to be amazed! Ta-da!" She proudly held out the clothes in front of me to study, I was amazed at how fast it happened that I probably forgot about my erection for a second. I lifted my one of my hands to grab them and placed them over my legs trying to cover up but there still was a hill on the clothes.

"You can change in-"

"THANKS, RARITY!" I thanked as I left in a blur to the room she pointed to.

"You're…welcome…"

I took about as much time as I needed to calm myself down before finally placing the clothes on. Everything fit perfectly like the clothes I had before the incident, I was surprised to actually discover that I could lift my leg over my head in these clothes and that I could move like before.

"Oh wow! This is awesome!" I said as I placed the gloves on my hand to see that everything fit perfectly.

I took deep breaths as I placed my hands on a wall before finally exiting the room hoping to not experience this again. I couldn't spot Rarity, my eyes looked around the room as I stood in place at the entrance of the door. She wasn't able to be seen, where is she?

"Rarity? Hello?!"

She didn't respond but it seemed there was a commotion going on outside, I could hear it. I picked up my sword and wrapped it around my waist and walked to the door being cautious about my steps, I managed to make it about half-way there before it swung open violently. I reacted quick and threw myself behind a huge mirror and peaked out the side of it as these strange ponies came in, in strange outfits.

"Do you see him Soarin?"

"No, but this is where they told us to look."

I hid closer behind the mirror and looked frantically around for a way out of the bouquet. This didn't seem like normal ponies and I'm sure they don't come for any good intensions. I stayed hidden for now waiting for them to leave but that didn't happen, instead, their voices arose and so did Rarity's.

"Rarity, have you seen, umm…B-e-n?" The stallion asked that made me lean my ear a little closer to the edge of the mirror. She didn't respond for a few seconds until questions arose again.

"He's new, have you seen him?" The one with the fire-like mane spoke next, this time Rarity did respond but it was obvious she was a little nervous.

"No, I haven't, what happened?" She asked them, they glanced at each other once before getting back at her.

"The princesses summon him…but he is nowhere to be found," The same one answered but this wasn't the full story, something was wrong, I could feel this feeling of hostility and placed my hand to my side and began to twitch my fingers as I waited for something to happen.

Rarity conversated with them, explaining how nothing had happened besides a few orders she took this morning. They didn't believe it, their expressions of frustration displayed over their faces said so, they questioned again but this time a little more aggressively.

"I haven't seen this whoever you're talking about!" Rarity responded as I prepared myself to face these three with my hand starting to close into fists. I watched closely as they took a step nearer to her and I lifted myself a little to finally confront these new ponies.

When sliding out my sword, I stopped as a shawdow manifested over the ponies. I stared at the outline of an alicorn as it took steps forward and stopped next to them.

"He's here, find him!"

"Luna?" I whispered as I got up enough to be considered standing and peaked around the mirror to see Luna looking around the area with an extremely serious look on her that made me question her motives.

I couldn't do anything but stay and wait it out. I waited as I heard somethings flip over and then a crash, what hell is going on? The last crash forced my hand grip tightly onto the sword and slightly pull out three more inches. I waited cautiously for a few seconds before Rarity yelled something out: "NO!"

My head picked up high and my sword fully came out but I kept it hidden from their sight. I listen closely as I could hear Rarity gag out something, was she being choked? I stood up even more when Luna cleared her throat to speak.

"Come out Ben before your friend is no more!"

My heart nearly stopped, this voice I was hearing wasn't Luna's and this way of being isn't hers neither. I clutched tightly onto my sword as more gaging as heard, my hand trembled at the sound. Without a moment to lose I emerged from the back of the mirror exposing myself with my sword gripped tight and my face representing pure disbelief. She was Luna but the way she looked at me wasn't her look, I quickly connected my eyes with Rarity who was levitated about six feet off the ground and struggling to get her breath with her eyes tightly closed.

"Luna…wha…what are you doing?!" I exclaimed as I looked at Rarity who opened an eye and reached her hoof out for me. Luna seemed to express no emotion but seriousness in her eyes, that were of something else, the eyes of a demon.

"Let her go! This isn't who you are!" I demanded as I switched my sword to a backhand wield as I prepared for something I didn't want to have to do. Luna didn't react but her grip on Rarity increased and my patience was tested. I clenched my teeth as I raised my sword across my face, seeing Luna on either side of the blade.

"Luna, please! Let…her…go…" I stated in a threatening manner and regretting having to do anything harming to her, even if she was hurting my friend.

She shook her head slowly making my breath cut off as I quickly swung my hand out in front of me, launching the sword spinning to her at a rapid speed but she quickly stopped it but it was worth it. I had Rarity in my hands and I was now hanging upside down the ceiling and continued to stare in disbelief as she began this evil like laughter.

"Luna…" I whispered to myself as I stared at her as she continued laughing asking myself if this was really Luna. I looked down at Rarity who had tears in her eyes as she also stared in disbelief.

"DAMN IT LUNA! WHAT THE HELL IS THIS!?" I yelled as I quickly appeared in front of her, not expecting her to do anything. She glanced a look at me before my sword quickly tried to hack the side of my head, my hand quickly sprung up and caught it between my thumb and index finger before I took it away from her and backhanded it again. Her eyes were enough to make me believe there was still hope for this not being Luna.

"You're not Luna, who are you!?" I asked clutching Rarity in my other arm and felt the pain in my chest harden. She closed her eyes before opening them again and revealing her normal eyes, I stared as the pain inside me squeezed out my lungs.

"I am Luna and you're something that shouldn't exist anymore…" She coldly responded and placed me between either exploding in fury or run away from here denying it all.

She changed slightly from before, she didn't look like the laughing maniac from before, but instead, now she was more serious. I made a new discovery, this Luna from before isn't the Luna from now: the other is more insane and merciless while this one is more serious and probably wouldn't attack us.

"What does that mean? Please explain!" I demanded as I backed away one step and turned over to the ponies from earlier, they seemed to be as shocked as us.

Luna flinched back a little, she was feeling something, this is the real Luna.

"You wouldn't understand…" She said hanging her head low.

Those words again, why those words? I could feel my pain grow to a point I couldn't handle breathing. Those words will never appeal to me but they are always there…for me to take in with pain. I stared at her as I felt some of the pain begin to anonymously turn into anger.

"So…I shouldn't exist anymore huh?" I asked coldly, expecting to see her to not answer like I feared.

Luna hesitated when she nodded her head and twitched her eye as a shine came from it and dropped to the ground.

"So, you want to kill me, destroy me!?"

This time she looked down on this one and nodded her head slowly, I felt the soft part of me being touched and I couldn't be pissed at her but at whatever is forcing her to act this way.

I took a few deep breaths before growing a small grin, which caught Luna off guard and everyone else. She should know better than thinking I would allow myself to be eliminated, I will never give up on life no matter how bad it is.

I twirled my sword a few seconds before stopping it straight ahead of me with the blade parallel to my face, this was my sign of my promises, and I wasn't about to let myself break one of them. I sighed deeply and closed my eyes as I placed the face of the sword on my forehead and speaking my oath to her.

"Luna…I don't know why you think this…but…I will never die…not when there is so much to fight for! So, this is my oath to you, I will never die as long as I have you and everyone by my side…" I said grinning. Placing my anger aside, I opened my eyes to complete it, and to my expectation, Luna was shaking violently as she bit her lower lip tightly with tears around her eyes and nodded her head in agreement.

Something happened at that moment, it was what I was waiting for all along. Luna had given up and gone into tears, she sobbed and cried with as much passion that it was heart-wrenching. She trembled as she let herself fall to the floor and bury herself into her hooves.

"I'm sorry…I'm sorry Ben…I'm sorry Rarity…I'm so so sorry!" She sobbed, I knew something was responsible for her acting like this but what? I followed the trail of tears that led to Luna as she soaked the floor with tears, she was really regretting everything. I smiled at this, I was glad to know I was right about Luna, she was loyal and lighthearted.

Even if she did lose her mind for a few minutes, I still had the room in my heart to know that she needed someone to help her. I sat down next to her and placed Rarity down my side, she wasn't tearing up anymore but worried about her princess, she felt the same way I did. My hand found its way around to Luna's belly and grabbed onto her tightly, her eyes shot wide open with shock as I lifted her up to me. I let her lean on me as I comforted her using my words smooth talk.

"Luna…I don't know what made you do this but I will always forgive you no matter what..."

She sobbed a little more and kept her head low and staring at the ground, "But…why?"

"Because you're my friend Luna, and don't you ever forget that!" I exclaimed happily making her bury her head into my chest and cry her heart out. She sobbed like no one I've ever comforted before; her tears were tears of regret and thankfulness.

I held her there in my arms as Rarity also laid down next to me, all three of us just stood there comforting each other. I stared at the other three ponies in front of me they seemed to stare at me, observing me as I showed my true self to them, I let my actions introduce me to them.

After a few minutes of waiting there I felt something gently force down on my chest and my leg, they fell asleep, both of them. I smiled and sighed deeply as one of the three ponies in front of me spoke up.

"Who are you?" The male one asked I assumed he was this "Soarin" stallion and grinned at him. He lifted his head higher as I lifted a thumb up at him.

"I'm Ben, and don't forget it Soarin," I softly exclaimed making him smirk and nodded his head down at me.

"I won't, I promise you that," He said as he helped the rest drag out a cushioned stool that was big enough for me to sleep on it.

I slowly got up and gently picked up Luna and Rarity. They slightly twitched in discomfort but I managed to get them on the huge cushion and comfortably place them down. I moved aside Luna's mane to reveal her small smile before I looked to my side to see the three ponies there and holding a small bag in each of their hooves.

"What's that?" I asked as I turned my attention to them and studied the bags that were full of something heavy. The one with the fire-like mane bounced her bag and it made the *clink* coins make. I focused on them as they offered me their pouches of bits.

"Chose one…" Soarin said not explaining anything but just what he wants me to do. I looked at all the bags and something was strangely off, I could sense some form of energy from each. The energy molded into a mental image inside my head.

Soarin's felt like it contained a light/addictive energy, my mind made a mental word on it: Love. Next was the fire's, this one contained a pure and strong energy: Almost like a combo of heal and strength. Then the last one, this one had a darker energy that was sinister: a demonic power.

I glanced at them before looking at the pouches and pondering which one. After a few seconds, I lifted my hand to make my selection but my hand became heavy as all three bags attached to my hand like magnets. The three ponies in front of me became intruded and instantly question what I was doing.

"I don't know, they just did that," I answered back as I slowly let my arm go down as the bags started to become incredibly heavy.

"Choose one quickly!" The fire one exclaimed. I looked at my hand as it was becoming numb and quickly reached my other hand to grab the pure bag. I placed my hand on it and immediately the rest disappeared, I lifted my hand slowly, shaking it to get rid of the growing numbness.

"Okay, I got this one…now what?" I asked lifting it to feel it still felt like "bits" were inside but it was way lighter than before. I stared at the bag and the ponies in front of me as I jingled the bag to make a clinking noise.

"Phew… now you open it…" Soarin said as he took a step back along with everyone else, I placed my hand around the string that sealed the bag up and pulled it to undo the knot on the top. The three ponies grouped together and stared curiously as I placed my hand over the entrance of the bag and sighed deeply.

"Okay, here we go…" I said as I widened the bag and looked inside. There were bits, tons of them but a small gemstone was above them all, this stone was chiseled into the shape of a sun and shined brightly. The stone looked like Topaz, I might be wrong though.

I slowly used my hand to pull out the stone, the stone was smooth. I flipped it over to reveal the darker side of the stone, this side had a crescent moon that was glowing. My mind instantly connected this to the princesses as I looked back at the sleeping princess before studying the stone more closely.

"What does this do?" I asked as I continued flipping it from one side to another. The fire like pony stepped up and began to spit out some information that filled in the gaps. I nodded as I flipped it around to the lunar side to see it glowing a cool neon light.

"So, this thing tells me the feelings of the owners of the cutie mark, right?"

"Right, Celestia only told us to offer you them to you if we found you," Soarin responded.

"Alright then, I guess I'll keep this close to me," I answered as I placed it back in the bag and closed it up. They nodded back at me and spoke among themselves as I tied the bag to my sword holster.

I lifted my head up to look at the princess and Rarity sleeping, they somehow got their hooves around each other. But in my mind, I thought about a different subject and this will probably intrigue me for the rest of the day.

"If these cutie marks belong to Luna and Celestia, then…who does the demonic and loving one belong to?"

I pondered this too hard, what would have happened if I chose the others, who's feelings would I be observing? I shook it away as another thing came into mind and this will be my priority once Luna wakes up. "Who made Luna act like she did?"

I don't know but Celestia might have answers, I'll visit them once Luna wakes up and I'll make sure I get my answer."

Back with Celestia and Twilight, both still pondering what to do.

"You felt it, he chose correctly!" Twilight happily stated trying to comfort Celestia, who didn't seem as happy like Twilight but instead, she trembled slightly.

"That means, he will have to meet his challenger and I'm ready for him!" Celestia said as she got up from her throne and looked at Twilight. Twilight knew what would have happened if he chose any of the others, he would have had to fight the other two but Twilight felt too confident with the choice he made and didn't think about the consequences of fighting Celestia.

"Do you think he will pass?"

"We can only hope Twilight."

"Don't try to…you know…at least give him a chance to warm up."

"I know but that is up to him."

They both looked at each other before nodding in agreement to something.

"I want to see him again…"

"Me too Twilight…me too…"