NFA: Hello again everybody. This NFA will be quick as I have a few things to say so everyone remembers the basics: This story does NOT necessarily follow fanon or maybe even cannon analogy. I do my best to please everyone but I have to stress this out because of things I have planed and that will happen that do NOT stick to what is believed by fans or assured by the creators of the show as this is, after all, a fanfiction. Why do I tell you this? You all will see in this chapter… also I should warn you of the next beforehand, but you will know what it is about in due time.

Now onto the reviews :3

Solrac III: You will have to wait at least one or maybe two chapters for the next insight in Celestia’s story, but it is going to happen soon I assure you :3 Now, I began to write at the age of 10 after eating most the books my father and my grandfather had at that point, one of my favorites being TLOTR. My first published story in the whole net was one in AGNPH… so not telling much about that. Now I haven’t had anything published for a few reasons:
1º And most important is that I do not finish anything because I get bored if no one reads it but me, it is depressing to see the work you want others to enjoy but that you have to keep for yourself.
2º I don’t have any kind of title, I may be a good writer to some extent but I suck at Spanish and it is required (I am Spanish so…). Also I am a lazy bum and dropped out of college because when I was younger I had both problems and was pretty stupid, so no one would, for now, even think about publishing anything I make.
3º Do you think what I make could sell :p? I am not a normal writer in the sense that I do not mind porn or other ‘weird’ things in my stories. I find sex normal and something that would happen in most situations given the right circumstances, as well as that I try to be unconventional if I can and for the past few years (I would guess around 11 or so :p) people have been drawn to a boring self repetitive and replicant life (I mean in books, movies, series). Imagination, the one that sells, seems to be dead to me so I am all but sure that I wouldn’t sell :p.
It is my opinion though, doesn’t have to be yours or anyone else.

Nobodyreallyimportant: There is always more to say until The End >:3 And I wouldn’t even get Twilight dehydrated ^^ not yet and not by crying at least :3.

Jiropracter: I do my best on taking those little mistakes away, but I am used to some words making sense in my head. My friend, a grammar nazi of the best quality ;3, usually helps me out with it :3 But I cannot push him anytime I finish a chapter as it is a load of work, luckily he is a brony and for now he likes my story so he does take a peek when he can.

Also as a side note: I may need someone to read the chapters after I finish them and then correct any spelling errors I may have overlooked as well as for the accent of some characters. Reason? As I said I do my best with grammar, but my job and only job is to create this story and make it enjoyable. It includes good writing, but while I try to make it the best I fail miserably since I am used to say some words in a way it makes sense to me and the stupid Word doesn’t want to put those big ‘FUCK ME LIGHTS’ (As Spoony says) where the big mistake that may make this crumble is located.

If anyone wants to volunteer, please, send me an email or a private message and make sure that you CAN do it because when it is about writing I am as serious as I can be even if I am as silly as Pinkie Pie whenever I can afford such a thing.

Mini note: I write Apple Jack simply for the diminutive AJ, I know it is Applejack ok?

After the past events it had been a surprise for Twilight to wake up and find that the birds outside were singing at her like every day. She had indeed thought that this day would be rainy and depressing, not to see some of the damned cute animals out of her window happy as if nothing had happened. Twilight didn’t want to, but she had to take a look nearby to see most of the usual morning birds by her window with Owlowiscious perched on one of the tallest and better covered as so to sleep. At that Twilight couldn’t help but feel a pang of sadness as she had left her little pet owl out of her home yesterday, though when she came back she was all but thinking of anyone else.

*Snore*

The poor mare went wide eyed when she remembered that yesterday she has shared her bed with someone, in fact she was a bit ashamed to say that she hadn’t even feel his arms and chest against her back, but J had been with her the whole night. In fact as she turned she had to admit that he probably had slept little to nothing: He had bags under his eyes and seemed to have a couple of bruises, pretty new if you want to know, over his chest. She couldn’t help but give a little smile at the thought that during her sleep full of unrest she had kicked her newest friend, yet he had remained with her as she had asked him to.

She didn’t feel like she had the heart to break free from him, besides she felt warm and comfortable, even if a bit embarrassed, between his arms and being pinned against his chest. This was the first time someone had spent a night with her and she hadn’t seen her bed empty the next morning except when it was a very close friend, of course she had never suffered like yesterday and she could tell that J had felt as bad as her, at least o an extent. She had to be thankful, but she also wanted to be alone right now no matter how good she felt to have someone close to her.

Gently, so as to not wake him, she pushed away and stared at her now huge bed ‘Princess Celestia said the effect of that powder would do whatever I desired… Stargaze Powder maybe?’. She shook her head; she had to stop thinking so much and stay sharp, moreso now that all she wanted was some morning coffee, to eat something and… solitude? Twilight wasn’t sure, but she was right on track: She wanted to NOT think anymore, not for a while at least.

Before she got off the bed she turned, gave her friend a little kiss on the forehead and thanked him for being there with her. Afterwards she took off towards the kitchen, only to stop midway and sit, alone, in the main room of her house where all her books were located.

‘So many books… The first time I don’t feel like reading any of them, or caring for them’ She thought as she looked around.

Books now made her think of her aunt, a memory that she didn’t want to have within the limits of her mind, that was the reason why she didn’t want to think at all, yet as a bright mind that is what it made this endeavor quite difficult: She was thinking, all the time. For Twilight using her mind was the equivalent as most writers or artists as they were always forming new ideas no matter what while Twilight was always thinking of new things to do, new ways to play with her friends and solutions to end her social awkward position as an egghead or assure no one had a hard or bad time. It is not that it was bad, but she knew that not all her friends (Or all ponies in general) liked how she rambled on things sometimes.

Now though, she couldn’t care less.

*Knock, knock*

She sighed and, with an apathetic voice, she said “Come in”

From her position she could see perfectly who had knocked and who came in, but she didn’t even care to get up and open the door for her. The Mayor of Ponyville came in without her usual bright smile that she sported around this beautiful town, thanks to her position in such a secluded place the mature mare had more reasons than not to smile everyday at how well and how nice the place was, as well as its inhabitants. Today, though, she was followed by two fillies that could only but look down with sadness.

“I am sorry to come at you after such a horrible day you had yesterday my dear” The Mayor spoke with that gentle grandmother like tone she had “But Princess Luna came to tell me and the young girls about what had happened and… well… She thought you would hate to break the news to the fillies, about everything” She added with a shy look towards the young librarian.

“Then… I suppose I don’t have to be the one telling?” Twilight had to let a sigh of relief escape her lips “That is… a comfort, somewhat”

“I know I talk for everypony in Ponyville, dear Twilight, when we say we all feel for you in this. I have told the messengers to tell everypony to leave you be for a few days, they all will only know that you lost your aunt and uncle in an accident recently so no one will ask many questions” With her tail she nudged gently at the two fillies “However we still have this little problem”

Both young ones gave a few steps forward, practically sitting under Twilight’s tired gaze even if they didn’t take a look to see eye to eye. The young girls were obviously distraught and, if they knew everything, hateful to some extent. Twilight could see the tired and red eyes from the young girls, guessing pretty easily that yesterday they had cried themselves to sleep, probably more than once too, and that the news had been hell on them. Still she had to tell Princess Luna how grateful she was as the young mare didn’t believe herself capable of telling the girls.

“Are… are you going to be our new mommy?” Rain gave her a shy and saddened look “Are you, aunt Twilight?”

A sudden realization came down over Twilight. Like the coldest shower of her life she felt the fact that she had to take care of these young fillies all by herself now, if anything else just by the fact that she had been the one to help to try and bring their ‘parents’ back. It was simple too, as Trixie was for the young girls little more than their aunt, if they felt that she deserved to be their ‘aunt’ at least that is.

Trixie, whom Twilight had discovered to be the only daughter of her uncle and aunt, had left the circus where she had been born when her ‘mate’ knew of her pregnancy, something that seemed to break Trixie apart. Twilight couldn’t understand how someone would abandon their young ones to their parents and flee to never be seen again. Then she came back to her family, unable to tell her young ones who was their mother, the mother that abandoned them, was now back with them.

‘Not that it mattered after yesterday though’ Twilight thought with a grunt, knowing that the harm was done already and it had only been aggravated.

It was then when Twilight understood that, while she had lost her uncle and aunt, something that would pain her for a long time, the fillies had lost their ‘parents’ and their ‘family’; the whole circus and the ponies that worked in there. How could Twilight make up for that? It wasn’t her fault that it happened even if she knew that it did happen because her aunt had gone out of her way to go and see her to her new home, only to find her demise. The thought was a bittersweet memory she would probably never forget for the rest of her life.

“I… I don’t… I don’t know what to say” Twilight, breathing hastily, tried to do her best in a situation that could only make her lose the bit of cool that she had gained during a night of unrest “I-I am no mother, I don’t even know how to be a normal pony sometimes” Ashamed, Twilight looked down while it was now the fillies that looked up “I am a egghead, I have spent most my life with books. How could I be a good mother? Wouldn’t you want Trix…?”

“No!”

Twilight was startled at the young pegasi’s response. Final was not crying and seemed as tired as her sister, but she was obviously also angry and had hate in her eyes, one that no young filly should have.

“She abandoned us when we were born because our ‘father’ left her” The young pegasi practically spat the word ‘father’ “If she didn’t want to be our mother she should have NEVER returned. I don’t CARE what she wants and I DO NOT want her as my mom. You at least had the guts to fight until the end” Final had a spark of hope and respect when she said that “Every one in our family did, Trixie only tried to hide all the time! I don’t want to see her again”

Rain took a step back at her sister’s outburst. The young ponies were mentally more capable than humans one year after they had been born; sometimes earlier thanks to something they had in common from the animal kingdom with their fast development. So at seven years of age both girls were probably at the same level than the ones that lived here, such as Apple Bloom (Whom was also around that age as far as Twilight knew). It was perfectly ok for Final to give her opinion quite vocally, it still stung though.

“I understand that you don’t like your real mother like that after what happened” Final growled something about ‘Real mother my flank…’, but Twilight continued “However I do not know how to care for you two, I would do a horrid job at this, I am not prepared to be a mother” She sniffled a bit, not about to cry again but sad about this situation as well as about to get a headache from all this shi…

“I can help you”

The Mayor had to take a step back as J came to the same room as them. While she had been told about the human she had not seen him, though she had made preparations so everypony knew that a ‘creature’ was going to stay within Ponyville and to not fear him (Not that she thought some of the girls wouldn’t do the usual when he was seen the first time). The fillies on the other hand had seen him earlier, and even if it wasn’t the case they were cured from fear for life by now, they wouldn’t care much if they saw a Manticore in front of them, roaring and looking at them like food. At least the young man had the clothes on or the results could have been a bit different and for the worse.

“Jo…” Twilight turned to tell him something, but he stopped her.

“I am not proposing anything Twilight” He cleared, remembering the talk they had yesterday, giving her a knowing look “But I told you that I would be here for anything you wanted. I have four spare rooms in the basement so they can sleep there and I can help you take care of them. I grew up with both a younger and an older sister, I know how this goes” J tried to give her a little smile “If you want my help in this too that is”

She had to give a smile. Twilight was sure that all her friends would offer her the same help and she would be glad, maybe feeling bad for accepting such a thing was stupid, but she hated to depend on someone, no rely as friends do in some cases, but depend. Maybe her mother could help her here, but both her father and mother hadn’t had enough time to go out of Canterlot in so long… She definitely couldn’t count on them, not because Twilight didn’t want to, but because by now her mother would know about what happened to her sister and she… she would be in a worse state than her.

“I appreciate the help Jonathan, I really do” Twilight smiled at her friend “You have been a great help these past two days…”

“It is what I am for” He smiled back and gave a little bow before looking at the young ones “Would you like me to help too?”

“We would?” Rain Berry gave her sister a quizzical look. Final Test simply nodded with a bit of a stoic face “I suppose we would…”

“You almost died; Princess Luna said so” Final lowered her head a bit “She said you were protecting aunt Twilight until you couldn’t even lift a finger and that you were crying as they buried our family. You tried to help mom and dad so you are ok with me” The filly looked away, probably overly proud to show any other feeling.

“Thank you girls” J went to the secret door and opened it to show the now bright and beautifully crafted stairs “Down there you will find a door, behind it, a room. Pick any of the four rooms in there except the one with my name, if you want you can share one to be together”

The fillies nodded and walked downstairs, leaving the adults alone for a while. The Mayor was unsure of what to say in this situation and an awkward silence came as J got close to Twilight, sitting by her side to gently rub at the still sad mare. At that The Mayor had to suppress a smile as, even after such bad things had happened, she couldn’t help but think hat something good came out of it, as it always does.

“Where is Spike?”

The question from Twilight got The Mayor out of her little fantasy as she stopped seeing things and focused in what was in front of her.

“Well dear, Spike took care of the girls even when I couldn’t anymore” The Mayor said with a light smile “He is a very diligent young boy, I don’t understand how it is that he doesn’t have any more friends. Anyways, when I couldn’t keep my eyes open anymore thanks to my work and the girls, he stayed up. I suppose he didn’t go to bed until the sun was almost up, so I left him sleeping… I hope you don’t mind?”

“He has learned from a good mom, if you could say that” J gave Twilight a smile, whom simply blushed a bit “You can say whatever you want Twilight, but you can do a great job. Not only I but your friends too will help you with this”

“And I thank you all, I know they will offer whenever they get to know of my situation” The young mare sighed “But Spike was something else: A dragon is born much more intelligent and they hunger for more knowledge as well as for gems even if Spike does grow bored from time to time. Rain and Final are a pair of fillies that grew in a circus and are accustomed to large crowds of people and a large ‘family’. How will I be able to provide them with that with how I am?”

“Dear, you could do easily” The Mayor chimed in with a big smile “I know by personal experience that kids feel much worse with these kinds of events, but at the same time venting their fear, anger or sadness lets them come back stronger and faster than an adult” She got closer to the young librarian “I know you will take at least a few days, if you are strong enough to recover so fast, but the girls will recover much faster. I am not saying that any of us is insensitive my dear, but it has never been in the nature of anypony to wallow in sorrow with these kind of events, it is just how life goes, and it always gives something in return, you only have to seek it out” Even with her words Twilight didn’t seem to change much at all “Dear, you have a lot of friends and everypony in Ponyville, I promise you that these young fillies will be cared and loved here as much as they were in the circus. They will not have the kind of family they once knew, but they will certainly never be alone. The only thing you have to do is to take care that they don’t wander too close to Diamond Tiara or Silver Spoon” The Mayor cringed at the names “I don’t know why those girls never learn that what they do are going to cost them if they don’t change”

At least that made Twilight snicker wholeheartedly. The pair of young fillies she had known and they were the most superficial and prissy ponies she had ever known, not counting Prince Blueblood that is. If she had to raise the two young girls she would make sure that those two didn’t bother her again, however it was not only that problem the one nagging at her.

“I thank you Mayor, but I am also worried about Trixie now. What will happen to her when she knows about this?” She sighed in defeat, knowing that no matter how many good things came out of this she was not going to allow any good feelings to make her feel good for that long “I lost something dear to me, but she lost more. I don’t know how I will make this family stay together”

“You should not worry about that now Twilight, you should worry about returning to happiness before it harms you and those around you” J took her friend close to embrace her gently “You know I hate my friends sad for any reason, and I do know how bad it can hurt someone to lose their family”

“I know, thanks for worrying” Twilight gave him a little nuzzle, sighing happily as she cuddled with him.

Much like with Spike, Twilight felt confident and comfortable near J. However with Spike it had been obvious, at least to her, that it was motherly love that she felt toward her assistant and, for a long time, only friend. She had raised Spike and she felt proud that, while a different species entirely, he was growing to be a proper and friendly dragon.

With J it was mostly the fact that he seemed to be more than willing to please her friends to a fault: He was willing to get in harm’s way, it was impossible for him to lie and he wanted no sadness befitting one of his friends no matter what. It was obvious that if he got friendly with any other pony he would be like that with them as well and that made Twilight feel comfortable whenever she had him nearby. Unlike with Spike, though, she had to admit she was worried of him too…

“But I would like to be alone for a while…” She pushed him away with a little pang of regret, however she did thought it was for the best. Twilight simply wanted to be a lone now; she did not feel able to turn her mood.

Hearing that seemed to sour J’s mood quite a bit, but he did recover quite quickly, if not because he understood that Twilight needed some alone time simply because it would probably help her to talk with the young fillies once they came back from the basement. It was not all that bad also, J had to talk with the other Elements and with some luck they would all be in Ponyville.

“That is not advisable my dear” The Mayor retorted to Twilight’s little plea “I will stay with you and we will talk with the young girls once they come back. Your friends came back first hour in the morning after they delivered what they had to the palace in Canterlot and Rarity is housing a guest. I was going to ask him to leave us to talk already, if that was not a bother, but I am by no means leaving you alone knowing the mood Trixie was when she woke up”

“Uh? What mood? I thought Trixie wouldn’t wake up in days” Twilight was, indeed, confused. She thought that the magic from Princess Celestia, even being as powerful as it is, would take more to bring back Trixie.

“She hasn’t changed her attitude much I am sorry to say” The Mayor gave a tired groan “Or so says Fluttershy whom had been caring for her all night long, only to get yelled at when Trixie woke up. She was in tears when she found Rarity, her guest and I walking towards her shop before I took the girls to come here. I doubt Fluttershy would leave someone unattended even if she was hurt very badly, so I suppose Trixie is in a good physical condition…”

“But?”

J had gotten up already, letting Twilight talk with the Mayor as he fetched himself something to eat. Whatever was going to be said was a family matter now and as much of a friend that he wanted to consider himself to Twilight, he had been with her three days now and had no rights to give his opinion in this. It was better to let her talk alone.

He never said anything about not paying attention to what they said though. It was his duty to be alert he supposed.

“While her character seems to be only bitter and more egomaniac than before, Fluttershy is sure that since your last encounter with her she has grown spiteful beyond belief towards you. As far as she told us Fluttershy thinks that she may calm in a few days, but right now it seems that Trixie would prefer to bite anyone that got close enough instead of simply talking… if you can consider the yells needed to make Fluttershy cry, talking that is”

“It is only normal” Twilight’s voice sounded, again, sad “She lost her parents, the ones she once called family until she escaped and she, I am sure, knows that her own daughters don’t want much to do with her, if anything at all. I am not sure what Trixie had to do to back then, but Final Test seems to hate her and I doubt Rain Berry is much better in that regard” A loud enough sigh made J shudder as he took a few apples for himself “I am surprise she is still sane, or at least as sane as she can with all that happened to her recently. Yet I don’t know why you worry about me so much Mayor, I am… perfectly fine”

“Dear, have you looked yourself in the mirror?” A flash like sound (Much like the ones used in movies or cartoons) was heard before Twilight gave out a little yelp “A few meters away and you look fine, up close you seem to have had the worst night of slept possible, your eyes also seem to be a little bloodshot and with everyone knowing what happened it will be easy to link all that and your messy hair so they will ask questions I am sure you don’t want to answer. I can couple this with the fact that you do not plan in doing anything, at all, until you feel better, which will not come if you sit on your flank for a few days” J heard a gentle petting, probably The Mayor trying to cheer Twilight up “Trust me dear, I have a lot of experience in these matters, for good or bad, so I am not going to let you down. Princess Celestia would have my flank if that happened” The Mayor let out a bit of a nervous giggle.

“I suppose there isn’t a way to convince you against this?” Twilight gave such a loud sigh that J thought books would fall from their places.

“Sorry dear, but I need to help you, if not for the Princess’ orders because you have done much for us and are a very nice and great pony yourself. You do not deserve to be in such a sorrowful state and if there is something I CAN do it is talking people to change their minds for the better of everypony, including themselves” By that time J took a bite of an apple, happy to hear that Twilight was going to get some help and that The Mayor was headstrong enough to convince her “When someone in special LEAVES to meet the rest of the elements, of course”

*COUGH!* Oh fudgecakes…

‘Get out there and meet the others! You need to smile again too young man’ “What a mare” J growled with a little smile as he walked down the street.

He had to admit that his mood had brightened considerably after he saw Twilight smiling at The Mayor like she was some kind of grandma that was trying to cheer the youngsters of her household. It didn’t help at all to his seriousness the fact that once he had stepped out of the tree house the first pony he had meet almost eye to eye was Lily. There is no need to describe the ruckus that fallowed afterwards.

Of course the place was deserted and everypony was looking at him through windows before closing them with a loud slam, or taking their foals inside while giving him glares that would scream murder (If the ponies were evil enough to do so). All in all he was about to laugh his ass off as compared to the second day of his new life this one was being the happiest one so far, it even included an unconscious Lily in front of him right now.

J couldn’t help but pick her up with a little groan, making a lot of ponies gasp dramatically as he rolled his eyes, took his earphones and got the music going as he approached one of the houses with the mare he recognized as Bon Bon looking at him with fear but, luckily, with her door open even as he got close enough to grab her (if that had been his purpose that is).

“You know where she lives?” He asked, though Bon Bon did not reply, only stared with her mouth open “Would you mind if I left her with you then?” Bon Bon nodded at that, maybe quite too fast “Good then. I’ll leave her to your care; also do me a favor” J couldn’t help but smile “Tell her to stop fainting so much, it is a running gag but come on…”

With that he left Bon Bon wide eyed as they all looked at her, then at Lily and then at the human again. It was true that The Mayor had sent word that ‘something’ was going to be living in the city now, but they didn’t know what this thing was and why it was hearing music so strange to them. The only pony to ever pay some kind of attention that was not of shock, fear or a kind of strange curiosity was one specific white unicorn that was already running towards him.

Vinyl Scratch, on all her glory (Which meant with her unkempt mane and huge smile) kept on trotting behind the human, using her developed ears (For music that is) to hear the beautifully strange songs that the creature in front of her had in that device. While she was curious about the human she was even more curious about the device that was playing that music as the creature in front of her looked around, seemingly looking for a way to reach a certain boutique a bit faster.

“Hey you!” The voice of Vinyl was happy and vivid, much like the one you would expect from maybe Rainbow Dash or Pinkie Pie but with a melodic touch to the mix “Hey! Pay attention!”

J hadn’t noticed the mare, not until she had shoved his legs with both hooves. Luckily Vinyl was very light and as an unicorn she was all but strong, so it only came as a shove to J whom turned back to see the mare smiling at him triumphantly.

J arched an eyebrow as he looked down at the mar who, to him, seemed about to pounce him for something “Yea?”

“Can I have that device?” She chirped “I want to hear that music; I NEED that music, please? I haven’t heard that ANYWHERE and I WANT it” Vinyl took her glasses away with her horn and showed the cutest puppy eyes she could, something that was an utter FAIL when one of her lentils fell down to reveal a brown eye that she squinted at the felling “ACK! Hay! Not now!”

J couldn’t help but chuckle “I am sorry but I am not going to give you this” Only in case he did hide it as he knew that magic wasn’t to be trifled with, even though he was sure Vinyl wasn’t going to steal from him “I have things to do and I also need distraction for a few reasons…”

“Is this about what happened to Twilight?” Vinyl seemed to have a casual tone as she took her lentil back with her magic “What are you doing? If I help can I have that for a while, please?”

His face turned sour and serious “You are quite insensitive, you know?”

Silence reigned. Vinyl obviously had ‘heard’ about what had happened, just like The Mayor said, but she didn’t seem to take it as seriously as any other pony would.

“Of course not, I feel for her” Vinyl seemed genuinely hurt “But she still has her parents, unlike me who had to grow alone after I escaped from mine” She said with a bit of a scowl “I live to be happy and to best my talent every day of my life. I don’t have time to be sad, I never want to be sad, that is the reason I am friends with Pinkie” She gave a little smile “We both know that the best remedy is a smile, no matter how much you want to cry. We both know about this by personal experience”

“I see…” J had to look at Vinyl with more care. It was obvious that from the cartoon to the real world there were a lot of differences. He had to wonder how many there would be yet “But I won’t part ways with this, not until I get something from someone though”

“Then come to my home when you are done?” Vinyl pleaded.

“What?!”

“Come to my home? I will accompany you until you finish whatever you are doing. I REALLY want that music; I can take it from your device to my disks quickly. Pleeeeeeeease?” Her huge smile and cute red eyes finally won over the supposedly much tougher human.

*Sigh* “Fiiiine…” He groaned “But you better don’t break it, and so as to avoid you touching it in any way you aren’t allowed to use your magic until we are in your house. So don’t prod in my pockets!”

“Promised!” She smiled, saluting happily “And since you seem to want to reach Rarity we should go this way” Vinyl chuckled gently “That you are big enough to look towards it is such a giveaway”

Vinyl trotted down the pat quite fast for most ponies, J had to suppose it was because if she was friends with Pinkie Pie the two of them had to have shared a few secrets (As to how could a Earth pony teleport?!). At least Vinyl did help since not even two minutes after they got together the boutique of Rarity was in front of them.

“Well, I must admit you did help me out” J kneeled a bit to ruffle Vinyl’s mane, making her laugh a bit “Tha…”

“GET OUT OF MY SIGHT!”

“…nks?”

“I know that voice…” Vinyl lost her smile as both J and her own attention went towards the boutique.

The yell came from within, the voice though; J couldn’t make out, much like Vinyl’s own if it wasn’t because he had seen her. The only thing he could make out was that, unsurprisingly, it was female (As it seemed at least 80% or so of the population was female), but also quite gentle even when the anger and hate, if he had measured it right thanks to his experience, were dripping from it like if it had been drenched for that exact moment.

If by instinct or something else J didn’t know, but he ran towards the boutique with his arms stretched as if to catch something, only to see the words open and a flying pink blur being thrown at him. It stung, well, it did hurt right away, but when he crashed down, letting out a loud yelp as his ass connected with the ground, he had to admit that the laughter from Pinkie Pie made it all the better.

“Honk!” She smiled, poking his nose with her hoof.

“Pinkie! What happened in there?!” J blurted out as best as he could with his mouth half full with that hoof, something that seemed to make Pinkie giggle even more “Seriously please, what happened?”

“Oh it is nothing; my sister was acting up” She said with a little smile “Hello Vinyl!”

“Hello Pinkie” Vinyl sat right besides them like if this was normal “What is the occasion? How is that she is here today?”

“Dunno” Pinkie shrugged “She still doesn’t want to talk to me, so I didn’t pay attention to her if she was going to be a mean meanie pants again, like you told me” The pink mare smiled “So I went to talk with rarity, but it seems that my sis thought I was doing it to bother her, so when she tried to get me I dodged her for a while until I saw J here” She gesticulated as if she had been in a bar fight much to J and Vinyl’s amusement “When my sis charged at me I jumped out of Rarity’s boutique all dramatic like so J would get me!” She gave her usual carefree smile, making J roll his eyes as he tried to suppress a laugh.

“The nerve that mare has” Vinyl laughed “You should ask her to relax a bit you know? She will live longer”

“Don’t you dare talk about living, you wretched caricature of a musician!”

Everypony (and J) turned their heads to see the serious face of Octavia whom was in front of Rarity. The musical pony seemed to not notice the look of displeasure, the worst she could feel towards anypony, that the dress maker was giving her. With her gaze fixed on Pinkie Pie Octavia moved forward, not caring for those around her and seemingly not even minding the human that she should have noticed as he was as blatant and out of the norm as the sun touching the ground before her, then again… Pinkie was over him and she had been on top of weirder things and toys.

“You know what happened and you don’t share that knowledge, I respect the Princess’ orders much like anypony else but this is a family matter and YOU are in the middle of it all” Octavia threw daggers at Vinyl with her eyes before turning to Pinkie “And YOU! I shall remain here by order of the Princess, but I do not want you near me EVER, understand me? I.Do.Not.Want.You.Close!”

*Cough*

“And what do you…!” Octavia turned and finally noticed, to her dismay and surprise, that there was something under Pinkie that was all but a pony “Want?...”

“I do not know of the story behind this” J began, taking Pinkie gently off him with a giggle coming from the pink pony as she was placed on the ground “But if I hear you yelling at Pinkie Pie AGAIN for whatever reason” The sword appeared in his hand, much to his surprise and to the ponies, though he fought back the surprise and gave more emphasis to the effect by lining the sword against Octavia’s face. The only one not so surprised was Pinkie as she said ‘Oh! Dangerous!’ “We will have a problem that neither one of us wants, got it?”

Confusion, anger, fury and sadness flashed across Octavia’s eyes and face as she started at the sword and then at the creature in front of her. She looked ready to do something too brash, something that would probably meant a sad ending for somepony more than someone, but she soon calmed down to an extent, regaining her composure with a serious and cold face that seemed to have been perfected during many years in a way no pony would want to if they had the chance to chose.

For a moment everypony had to back down as J seemed like he was going to plunge the sword against Octavia or that, in the more probable chance, that she was going to lunge at him. When she calmed down it was time to look at J in different ways.

Rarity was horrified at what someone she thought was serious and classy had said and tried to do to Pinkie (which in fact wasn’t much, but such outburst were beyond her in most normal terms). Now though she feared for whatever this creature could do to her friend’s sister, no matter how harsh and brash she had been a moment ago. It was in her nature to think of others and she felt frustrated at not knowing what to do.

Pinkie simply chuckled gently as she knew her sister wouldn’t do anything towards J. She was a very angry mare when it meant Pinkie, but the pink mare was more than sure that this would calm her down in a way. Of course she had to offer a half serious face at this! Not that Pinkie got it right of course, as always she knew, more or less, how things would turn out and it was going to be good for her big sis.

Vinyl said nothing. She simply sat there and watched things unfold. Much like Pinkie she knew that Octavia wouldn’t do a thing and, for what she had seen, J wouldn’t do anything either. She was the calmest of the group after Pinkie, simply looking and taking mental notes in regard of something no other pony present knew.

J, unbeknown to the ponies, was in a dilemma. How did the sword materialize if he wasn’t in danger? That was a question that he wanted to get answered quickly, in fact he felt himself about to lose it as he shuddered at the thought of what could have happened. It was simply not what he had wanted to do! He just felt angry, angry at the pony that seemed to want nothing but to see Pinkie disappear, yes, but it was just anger and he knew how to manage it. However there was a hunch, something that told him that either he could stop this and ensure that Octavia did not berate at Pinkie anymore or that something was going to happen.

At that realization he had to hold a shudder as he took the weapon away from Octavia, letting everyone sigh in relief.

He did not.

The last time J had a ‘hunch’ that he had to act this way it ended badly… like the one before that and on an uncountable number of occasions that he couldn’t let go. Why was it happening now though? Why did he felt it was necessary to intimidate such a cute pony? Why did he mingle in family affairs when he wanted none to get in his? It was not like him, it was not like how he did things, this made no sense in his mind and the more he thought about it the more he wanted to find an excuse.

He didn’t know that Octavia was Pinkie’s sister, not until now at least, nor had he thought that if he got to know her family it would be like this: With one of them giving glares at pinkie that would freeze hell. Was there any reason beyond that to prompt the sword forth? He still didn’t know how this magic worked but there had to be a reason... a reason that didn’t involve the violence his mind was prodding forward, wanting him to implement drastic measures in this. The only thing it gave him was a pang of guilt and sadness as he saw that, even with what had happened the other day, he had changed nothing.

Or maybe it did change something…

“Sorry” He began, still with a serious face and with regret slowly overtaking not only his voice but his features “I do not know what came over me…”

“Oh I do” Octavia blurted out with her composure still as intact as it could be, serious face giving away nothing now and dry tone staying as neutral as it could “It doesn’t matter if you are a different species, you just love the laughter and love the parties, you love a life where seriousness and hard work are paired with a little smile and with the fact that you can slack off to enjoy ‘the little things’” She looked coldly at Pinkie “You think that life is a laugh Pinkamena, but I still think you are a murderer. It was because of YOU and your parties that mother and father agreed to go to the ‘lively forest’ and it was because of YOU that our sister had that accident”

“Octavia, you don’t kno…” Vinyl tried to stop her but she lifted a hoof with a bit of a scowl.

“That Princess Celestia told you to not tell anypony I may believe Vinyl, we have known each other since I began practicing with my talent and you are a nice pony I trust and am friends with because you have never let me down” She sounded calm and almost ashamed for what she had said before, but only to an extent as she looked at Vinyl “However I will not believe that my sister is alive until I don’t see her in front of me. As far as I know she died in the forest and I won’t believe otherwise until I see her in front of me again” With a look of disgust towards Pinkie she continued “For me it is not our sister that is dead, but you too, Pikamena, I do not want to see you ever again. If it wasn’t because of what Princess Celestia asked me to do I wouldn’t even be here, in fact if I had to set a hoof in here it would be to deliver the message and then get out” Octavia gave a loud grunt and turned “Speaking of which, don’t go anywhere, creature, I have a message for you”

Leaving in a fuss, Octavia went back to Rarity’s boutique, leaving everypony outside looking at her as she trotted with the head raised high in distaste for what she had seen and how everyone rose to defend her sister when she knew perfectly well what was behind that smile. She did not care about their explanations or reasons, she had her own and that is the only thing she cared for. She couldn’t let go of the memory, it taunted her every day of her life, and so did Pinkie. She couldn’t…

“Let go” J let go of the air in him with those words, looking down with a sad frown.

“Are you ok darling?” Rarity trotted towards the pink mare, a concerned look over her face “This has been… quite different”

“Oh I am ok silly, why wouldn’t I?” The characteristic giggle from Pinkie was there, even though those that knew her enough (in this case everyone around said pink pony) felt something different about it “But I wish my sis would let it go, she is too serious”

Rarity didn’t say anything about that, she just turned towards J “And you! You…” Rarity wasn’t really all that sure of what to say to him as J turned to face the white unicorn mare “Why did you took that sword” She pointed her hoof at the weapon “And placed it against Octavia? If you are friends with Pinkie I would have at least expected some kind of respect towards other ponies, not a brute”

The looks that Rarity threw at J hurt, he was feeling kind of sad again as well as ashamed. The weapon, for whatever reason, took that as a sign and banished in a bright light leaving behind the silver ring as J looked away.

“I don’t know” He said truthfully “It-the weapons is supposed to appear when I am in any kind of danger. I do not know how it got out, nor do I know why I felt compelled to intimidate Octavia”

J gulped down, something inside of him just told him how much he had messed it up and it made him want to cry. He had changed nothing; in fact he probably had just blown one of his chances away with what he had done in front of Rarity. The feeling simply made him sake in place as he thought what could happen if he were to do such a thing again, or in fact, if he could control what he felt when he did so.

“Well at least you seem to be sincere” Rarity made sure to be in front of him so he would look at her “But don’t do that ever again, a gentlecolt should be more than a brawler like you seemed back then. However I must admit my displeasure at such a brutish accusation towards my friend. Pinkie is a random and maybe… special individual” Pinkie only giggled at Rarity’s nervous grin “But she is no murderer, it is against her personality. I may not like what you did but I do feel compelled to show that awful mare to spread lies about my friends. If it wasn’t because I have left Fluttershy at the spa to accompany Octavia to my home I would give her a piece of my mind right now”

“You don’t need to; I already know what you think”

That was fast. At least that is what everyone thought as they saw Octavia came back with her cello strapped on her back and a note in her mouth that she promptly delivered to J.

“I expect nothing from those that seem to know my little sister so well” She said with venom dripping from her voice as she said ‘sister’ “So I will be on my merry way to any kind of residence I can afford with my bits” Octavia turned and began to walk away “Good day everypony”

“You wait there and stay put”

Everypony turned to look at J whom had opened the letter and had now three sheets of paper in his hands, all of them the usual size of Celestia’s letters and with a certain glow as they floated in front of J’s face.

“This thing says that I should read it out loud for everypony nearby, so no one moves”

J cleared his throat as Octavia sighed, turned and sat in front of him besides Rarity whom now had quite a hard blush on her face. She was a lady so being caught saying things of someone on their backs was quite embarrassing to say the least, though everypony else (included Octavia) didn’t seem to mind that much.

“Dear Jonathan” He began “If you are reading this then it means you survived yesterday’s endeavor and that you are a step closer to change. I am confident that this note you will read only in front of few ponies and that those that hear this will be important in the future, so they should know that the story given to the ponies in Ponyville was a lie so as to not spread fear and also to ensure no one but a selected few will know of the return of the Nightmares”

The girls all around him exchanged glances, well, except Pinkie who seemed to get surprised, yes, but also that seemed to know perfectly well what the Nightmares were. J thought it wasn’t only for what she saw when she ‘came along’ with that little vision Celestia had shared as Pinkie always seemed to have a perfect knowledge of everything, or at least of some obscure things other ponies didn’t know about.

“For that reason, and because you are now the only Knight of Equestria, I hereby name you the Lord Knight and give you the order to protect Ponyville as well as its inhabitants. By today, if not tomorrow if any problem arises, you will receive the first pay towards your cause. You have been granted powers to recruit others to your order and they will only respond to me or, if in a mission, to the Elements of Harmony. How these recruitments should be conducted and how it shall work is explained in the next two pages, pages that only you and Twilight Sparkle shall read”

With that finished J got to the next page, picking the first up and making it lose its magic as it stayed in his grasp willingly. Meanwhile the girls had turned into chatting, past confrontations or disagreement forgotten, mostly because the only that seemed to know was Pinkie Pie and after the Parasprite incident everyone had agreed that when something they didn’t know appeared (and they meant that Twilight didn’t know and hadn’t mentioned in her whole stay here), then they should hear Pinkie out if she had anything to say.

“I tell you guys! If there are Nightmares we are in deep, deep trouble! I mean a sea of trouble, well, if trouble was like water and if we could swim in it, but you got what I mean, right?!” She was greeted by stares from the three mares around her “Ugh! Nightmares are… dark thingies! Yea, that! Dark thingies that… umm… how was it? Oh yes! Dark thingies that are the ‘manifestation’” Pinkie gesticulated heavily at that “Of bad things like… fear!” She gave out a too realistic roar that probably would’ve made Fluttershy or Dash fall flat on their flanks “They try to corrupt ponies or other creatures and then use them to harm others, I swear!”

“Not that I don’t believe you, Pinkie” Rarity gave a weak smile, one that turned into a frown as Octavia whispered ‘I don’t’, to her friend “But it sounds too horrible to be true my dear, I haven’t heard of such a thing in all my life and we all know that I do risk my beautiful form greatly when I go hunting for gems to some of the most dangerous places in Equestria” Her melodrama was, as always, impressive if J had to give his opinion “So where else but in the rocky mountains and deep caves where I find such beautiful things could a beast like that hide? I doubt there is a place more fitting if we don’t count the wretched Everfree Forest”

“There are places” J let that lingering as he took the remaining pages and folded them all back inside the envelope to carry them easier “That is why I am here as Twilight had a ‘premonition’, you could say, of more dangerous creatures coming to cause havoc. Basically what we found yesterday in the forest was one of these”

There was an eerie silence for a second as the girls digested that information.

“Does… does that mean that it was that creature…?” Rarity asked, wide eyed and unable to finish her sentence as J simply nodded, knowing what she was going to ask “B-but then… why is Twilight alone?”

“For the same reason I was quite jumpy as I saw Octavia angry at Pinkie: She is shocked” There was no other way to put it, except to say that probably company was all but what Twilight wanted. Also he hoped that it was for that reason that he went, well, medieval on Octavia.

“But then shouldn’t we go with her?” Pinkie tilted her head. She didn’t seem sad at all because she either knew already of the truth once the Nightmares had been mentioned or because her nature was simply unable to get sad except with something extreme.

“Not really” J thought back at how shy and distant, to put it mildly, Twilight was even with The Mayor and him offering her some help and company “Since she is with The Mayor she already has someone, besides this morning she had another surprise, not bad, but quite a handful” He sighed, rubbing his temple in thought “Look girls I wouldn’t mind to go there and cheer her up, but the only reason I am telling you this is because I want you all to know so you don’t go there when all she wants is to be left in peace. None of you have the skills to talk her out of it, she doesn’t want help” He paused for a second and took some air, awaiting for the girls’ reaction once she said the last thing “So what she needs is someone to help her realize that she NEEDS it” The two friends looked up at him questioningly.

J understood that Pinkie was mostly acting; she always knew what was going on and, if she didn’t, it was because somehow she knew it was in her best interest (And in her friends’) to let it play out. If the pink mare had been in the dark about this then she would be depressed and with her hair down, J knew that much.

In Rarity’s case it was mostly that the Element of Generosity had within herself the need to simply give away to make others happy, to be unable to go and give the help that her friend needed was maybe too much for the white unicorn. She, however, waited patiently for J to make enough sense as to convince her OR to decide she had had enough and that she would go no matter what.

“You have to understand that Twilight, before meeting you two and the other Elements, had only her family, so unlike any of you” And with this he also got Vinyl and Octavia back in the conversation “She never talked with anyone if she could help it, in fact she only got Spike for most her life. You all had your family and/or, at some point, friends, no matter what had happened between any of you or within your own family” This made Octavia and Pinkie exchange and awkward stare “I do not know Twilight’s full story, I have been here only two days, but with how she cried yesterday and for the few words she said when I made sure she slept… I fear that the pain in her mind may be enough to maybe make her do something stupid if she doesn’t go slowly”

He felt weak, his body wanted to sit down and think of a way to help, but he knew that if it had been his mood the thing that had drawn the weapon and those thoughts and that hunch... Better not think about it, he could make a grave mistake and Twilight would hate him if he did so. Bringing worried friends to try and cheer her up could either make her happy again or stress her out too much. This was not a movie and it certainly wasn’t that friendly cartoon he had seen, here ponies could get harmed or worse, sad and depressed or maybe in a worse mental state.

Messing this world more would not only harm it, but it would also shatter the view he had of it in a definite and cruel way. He wanted all but that to ever happen.

“Then… should we give her some time?” Rarity had to ask and to attract the human’s attention. The look of sorrow in his face had showed her that he was, indeed, sincere and that he was as worried as everypony of the Mane six would be.

He shook his head a bit and nodded, trying to get his mind away from any kind of thoughts “Yes, yes, give her a few days. If things go alright she would be ok by the time Pinkie throws my welcome party” J turned to face Pinkie who had lit up again with a bright smile “If it is still on”

“Of course silly” She giggled as she jumped to poke him in the nose “I know Twilight will be happy soon enough. It is very rare that anypony grieves too long, we are not made to be grumpy” Pinkie couldn’t help but giggle, her sister simply sighed and rolled her eyes “I will make sure it is a simple party and also will make sure the Princess is there” She gave J a wink “If she is still not back to her old self Princess Celestia will surely help”

‘Yea, I hope so’ “I am sure that will help” J tried to smile but it didn’t come to pass this time “Forgive me though; I don’t want to think about it all that much right now. Yesterday had been maybe much more than I thought I could bite”

“With what you told us it is obvious it would’ve been a lot for anyone darling” Rarity was not in her usual serious but cheery mood, however she at least was as normal as it could get right now “If you want to relax at least a bit maybe you would like to come with me to the Spa? Fluttershy is still waiting for me and it is a good and quiet place if you want to share more of what you know. Celestia knows I would like to be prepared for when I see my poor friend again”

At least those words made him give out a smile. Rarity had seemed about to kick him off and he would then probably lose one of the six he had hoped to have as friends. Granted he had flunked up with his first impression and that he would not hate her if she had done, but this for him was a blessing.

‘Maybe I owe Celestia a praying or two?’ He chuckled inwardly. As a ‘soldier’ he believed in nothing else but training and being prepared, even after so long of hearing his mother’s preaching daily.

“Well it has been a nice and… very curious chat but it is my cue to leave” Octavia finally reared up and decided to go away. This was turning to be nothing like she had expected and it had much more drama than she cared for.

“Wait a second”

Octavia gritted her teeth, putting a straight face as she turned to face the human again. He was getting on her nerves by now and it was quite hard for anypony, except her sister, to do such a thing so quickly, if ever. However this time J was sporting a sincere regretful expression as he offered his hand to her.

“I am sorry for what I almost did Octavia, no matter why, there was no reason to try and intimidate you” He began “But I do mean that you should not yell at your sister, believe me when I say that family is something precious no matter how much it may hurt sometimes. You have to do your best with them before you find yourself they have grown distant to a point where you can’t relate to them or...” Looking up, Octavia could swear that J had his mind on another time and another scene that was taking his full attention for a few seconds “Or to find out that you don’t have them anymore”

A glare that could freeze the North Pole was exchanged, however Octavia sighed in defeat “I forgive you, if that is what you want”

“I don’t want you to forgive me, Octavia” That caught the mare by surprise to say the least. Why would he say those things but to get her to forgive him? “You are going to find only friends of Pinkie in this village, so no matter where you go to live until Celestia comes back you will have to deal with weird looks if they know the truth or if someone overhead your fight. I am offering you one of the rooms in the basement where Twilight lives as it is mine now and it is the quietest place you could get, as well as neutral ground if you will”

“Ooooh! Tavi you have to say yes and make up” Pinkie giggled at her sister’s surprised face.

“Don’t call me Tavi!” Octavia blurted out before offering her hoof to J whom did his best for a good shake “I gladly accept your offer, and I do mean that you are forgiven. I suppose I should not berate my sister such as I have” There was no need to say that those words were forced and pretty obvious, but the best one could get from Octavia right now.

Pinkie simply giggled as she jumped up and down with Vinyl and Rarity at least giving out a little smile. At least, if nothing else, Vinyl now would not need to worry about Pinkie getting into any problem with her sister and Rarity would only need to worry about Twilight when she came back.

“Well guys I’ll see you tomorrow” Pinkie chimed in with a grin “I need to go make preparations for the party already. I will make sure the party is GREAT, but I will tone it down so Twilight can be relaxed ok?” Vinyl and Rarity gave her a nod while J simply smiled offering thumbs up “Then see ya later alligator!” She chirped, bouncing away.

As everyone waved her away J got up “Vinyl, could you guide Octavia to Twilight’s house?” The DJ unicorn gave a little smile and nodded “Then do so please, but knock to make sure you two can go in. Tell Twilight to show you the secret entrance and that is it, I don’t know if she will react badly to that but I feel obligated” He got down and whispered “Because of my manners and because someone doesn’t have a single bit on her”

Octavia gulped down a bit, blushing as her angry and serious demeanor both banished. It was not that she had no money, it was that when she had found out that Rarity was offering a ‘famous musician’ a home during her stay as well as food as a favor for the Princess… well, would you want to bring money to someplace you don’t like if someone offers you a free stay? She wouldn’t, personally she felt bad about the idea of taking advantage of the generosity of somepony now that she had calmed down but what was done was done.

“I… thanks” She muttered with a sweet and gentle voice unlike what she had before.

“No need to” J assured her “I did a stupid thing, no matter what happened yesterday and how much I want the ones I know to never cry like I saw Twilight do. I shouldn’t have done what I did, I owe you this much”

Octavia looked up and offered a smile. He had given her one of the worst impressions she had ever had from anypony, yet he had done her no harm and even when she had been a harpy (Even if her sister deserved it, at least so she though) he had been sorry and had offered her a place to stay. It had been much more than most ponies had done for her as only Vinyl or Celestia had ever been so attentive and had tried to correct mistakes they thought they had done.

Maybe it didn’t help that most the times she was depressed and that she tried to erase such an awful feeling with liquor when she had the chance. For that she was glad that she hadn’t brought any kind of money as, after this, a drink was looking to be so promising for tonight.

‘However I may not need it’ She thought with a little smile “Still, thanks for what you did. It means a lot to find someone that is willing to give you a second chance, no matter whatever they did to you or what they promised” Octavia looked up at him “I… I may be willing to consider things with my sister… maybe…”

That made him smile as they parted ways with him following Rarity and with Vinyl signaling her to get moving. Octavia had to smile too, it had been a bad day at some point but it now looked like it could end well. However Octavia wasn’t sure if she had been truthful with that last statement.

Pain went deep down in her mind; maybe it had been because she had been used to the cold shoulder treatment or because all her life it had been about being serious and her family only. Maybe it had been for that reason that when such a thing happened to her sister she had been…

Devastated? Horrified? She wasn’t sure. Unlike Pinkie both sisters felt at home in the rock farm. Octavia at least loved the hard work, the gentle love from her sis and their parents and the effort it took to get all running. She had never connected with Pinkie and she had been jealous when their sister had preferred to spend time with Pinkie when she found out her cutie mark.

Why had she betrayed her? Why did she turn to Pinkie? Octavia didn’t know the reason then and she didn’t know it now. She only felt enraged because she hated those parties; she hated to see a hard day’s work going down the drain only to have some laughs. It pained her to see that her parents only grew to like them less and less because Pinkie obviously was not going to go on her life as a rock farmer and to have a mate as well as kids as they had hoped for her.

In fact she hated what had happened that day.

When her parents had brought them all and their last load of rocks for Ponyville so long ago Pinkie left, looking for the liveliest place in town. There she found it: Sugarcube Corner. A young pair of ponies regented such a sweet place that even Octavia had liked, until she discovered that Mr. and Mrs. Cake had found out how good Pinkie was with sweets and how much her little sister loved that place.

Pinkie begged to her parents to move to Ponyville. She wanted to make sweets, to throw parties, to be happy all the time. It disgusted Octavia, it was a waste of time and it only angered her more when she overhead their sister voicing her opinion that it would be ‘nice’. Octavia had said her own opinion back then and there, already raising hostilities between Pinkie and herself. In retrospective it had been a bad move, but their parents refused to leave Pinkie there.

As they approached a big tree house (Literaly the tree being said house) she had to sigh and look down. It did take her sister some time, but she took any free time she got to trot back and forth between the farm and Ponyville. In a few years she finally had the age to tell their parents that she would be staying in Ponyville with Mr. and Mrs. Cake as her teachers in the art of sweets, yet she promised to visit anytime she could.

And so she did, until things went awry.

‘I should really stop thinking about this’ Octavia groaned as Vinyl knocked at the door ‘Let’s give a smile, if Princess Celestia’s prized student is here and in such a bad state… Well, I can sympathize for real, but I suppose I would only depress her more if I talked’ The door opened and Octavia turned back to her serious face in hopes to avoid any kind of conversation ‘Let’s keep the façade, it is better this way, it is better to not talk, to not think’ She moved again when Vinyl finished talking with The Mayor and Octavia had only to give a polite salute ‘If anything let’s wait and practice. Music is like a good drink as it takes my mind away. Let’s simply… think about music, let the mind fly. Work for your dreams as hard as you can, as you ever did’ Those last words in her mind weren’t for her, but for someone else.

For the first time in a long, long time Celestia was sick, well, it wasn’t really a sickness as the goddesses, even without immortality, could not get really sick. However she had the biggest migraine known to man after a night of sleep and a forceful and tiring sun rising in the morning. Even in the quietude of her private chambers she felt the pang of pain now and then.

‘Stupid duties’ She grumbled, sipping a light soup that her mother had taught her to make whenever her head gave away to the pressure ‘I wish I didn’t have to do this every day, for once in my life I want to definitely be a normal pony’

She had been crying the whole night as she had seen what J had been through, his thoughts, his nightmares and the pain he felt as he held Twilight close in an embrace she could hardly describe without giving out a warm but sad smile that only worsened her pain. Celestia had to admit she was not sure that J would, maybe, develop such a liking for Twilight as the princess was hoping for, in fact she had taken all into account and Twilight maybe was one of the least possible with Apple Jack, Pinkie and Rainbow Dash being the most probable choices if he ever found a partner.

‘Look at me, playing matchmaker in my head’ Celestia giggled; drinking some more with a little smile as the warmth of it made her feel better ‘It has been too long hasn’t it? I am getting old all of sudden and I want my little ponies to be happy’

“Sister?” The voice of Luna at least bought some comfort to her mind as she turned to see her entering her chambers quietly “I have feelt… something” Forget the comfort, Celestia was worried now and the migraine returned.

“What is it Luna? Has something happened?” Celestia tried to get up, but any kind of movement and effort simply made her groan and stay put.

“Don’t get up please” Luna got closer and nuzzled at her sister “It is… I think one of them is going to get a nightmare today. Jonathan will need to get in her mind, I am sure she will allow them without even knowing but…”

“You fear for his sanity and safety?” Celestia had to give a smile away even with the pain still tearing at her. Her sister nodded and cuddled so they would be together “You like Jonathan, don’t you?”

“It makes me remember someone” Luna said in a whisper.

“You only friend?” Luna nodded “Would you want me to ask him…”

“Not in that way, nor did my friendship ever go that way with him sis” Luna gave a bright blush “It is… I only had three friends back then sis. I now only have two, and one of them is new. I don’t want to lose anyone again, not like that”

Celestia couldn’t help but let out a giggle at that “I know dear, but I had to make sure. It seems he is already having some kind of effect on some ponies so I have to make sure where everyone stands. As for your worry… don’t” She gave her sister a reassuring smile “He has survived once, he will do so again. He is going to change, even though…”

“Sis?”

Celestia had a worried frown in her face as she thought back at something that had happened today. She had felt something, a feeling that was quickly replaced with over extensive thought into a matter that should have been clear for her to decipher.

“Nothing dear, I think he had an outburst today, probably from yesterday’s pressure. I know I shouldn’t worry but it was something traumatic” She shook the thoughts of her head and took a ship of her soup again “I suppose we shouldn’t worry if he doesn’t have another in a while”

Luna gave a little nod and rested her head against her sister “Then should I help him tonight?”

“Too dangerous” Celestia said maybe all too quickly. Luna knew in nightmares she was vulnerable and her sister was not up to lose her again, this time permanently “Send him some help, but do not get in the middle. I do not want either of them seeing you or you may not escape until he or she wakes up”

With a nod Luna tried to relax. She wasn’t sure whom but one of the Elements had seen or felt something that had made her… unstable. She wasn’t sure how to explain it but tonight she knew what J would see but would not remember: A chamber with six doors and the most horrid landscape ever.

The only thing the lunar goddess could do was to hope. She wasn’t sure how a human would react, but any pony would probably lose their soul inside the wretched traps of darkness. For now though, she knew that J was probably meeting the other Elements and, hopefully, making friends.

‘I hope someday I can make more myself’ She gave a sigh as Celestia took her under her wings ‘Tia wants me to be happy. Three months had been enough’

The walk had been nice, interesting if Rarity could say so, as well as J. She had asked questions and, while none had been too personal, they did get her to know how he had been drawn here and what he had to do as well as the story Celestia had told him. Since the Princess had not said at any time that it should be a secret from the Mane Six he didn’t feel bad for sharing and it did help Rarity comprehend a few things while also promising to share it with the others so as to not bother Twilight with details and so he would not need to tell it again.

“It had to be horrible to be there and have to fend off those… things” Rarity sounded disgusted beyond belief “I can only imagine what it had to be for poor Twilight, the poor dear”

“Things could have gone… better” J had to admit, as they approached the Spa to see the twins wide eyed at the company that the fashionista had today “But it could have gone worse, much, much worse” He saw Rarity shudder at the thought of such an eerie end.

“Don’t ever mention that again darling, it is a dark thought” She sighed as she got closer to one of the twins “Good day dears, is Fluttershy still in here? Has she calmed down a little?” Both sisters gave a nervous nod, making Rarity smile “Good then, many thanks dears. I will go then with my friend if that is not a problem”

The twins didn’t seem to want to give an answer or, well, do much more beyond staring at the human so Rarity simply shrugged and went in with J fallowing close by.

Usually Rarity would have taken her time doing quite a few things, but today she only wanted to go to the pool and find her friend to talk with her as she had also seen at least the end of what had happened and had taken care of the young fillies that were now in Twilight’s house.

When she looked back at J she saw him smiling a bit, probably thanks to the calming odor from the Spa and all the relaxing creams, herbs and other compounds used here. Fluttershy had told her that everything was natural and safe the first time they came here, not that she had any need of these things since her natural and careful lifestyle made her naturally appealing, soft and beautiful, but the pegasi loved to be with her and the Spa was the perfect excuse. Rarity had to admit that without her shy friend the group would have had quite a lot of fall outs, much like if Twilight wasn’t here.

As Rarity thought of that J had his mind wrapped around other matter altogether, even if he wanted all but to think about it.

How would the others react? Right now he was going to see Fluttershy and maybe have a nice chat, however the fact that he didn’t have, but wanted; to meet the others was making him nervous. He did manage out a smile and a calm face but inside he was squirming beyond belief.

What had happened before bothered him, even if he had been able to make it ‘right’. Well he had been able to because the pages Celestia sent him had a little extra in the form of ‘I assume Vinyl Scratch will be near Octavia when you receive this letter, so I would like to ask you to befriend them both and also to ensure that Octavia resides with you in your new house. I cannot explain as of yet why I need you to do this favor to me, but I am sure that if you as Pinkie you will know of her relationship with the musician and how… it goes’.

That hadn’t made his mind up; it was how she treated her own family. J wasn’t sure of how much truth her words had, but she did seem to hate Pinkie, her own sister. While he disliked his own mother’s soldier quirks he also loved her dearly, as well as his sisters and his father. It was much like with his friends, but in a deeper and probably more dangerous level if it was possible. Now that he thought about it…

“I did something stupid” He muttered as they reached the pools in the Spa.

“What do you mean J? Something happened?”

He noticed, maybe too late, where he was and where Fluttershy was resting: She was comfortably lying against the border of the little pool (Even after watching the series he wasn’t sure how to call it, was it a little Jacuzzi?) with her wings spread and her expression quite calm, even if she had small bags under her eyes and a glint of sadness that appeared from time to time.

“Hello Fluttershy” J got closer to the pegasi, kneeling in front of the little pool to give her a gentle pet that the pegasi seemed to need “I… I got angry today. I suppose after yesterday I was going to do something stupid, but I didn’t think it would be against someone”

“But you didn’t hurt anypony… right?” The shy mare gave a little pleading look.

“Of course not” He assured with a big smile, one that dropped quickly “But it was stupid, stupid and dangerous…”

“Relax darling”

Rarity had taken a little towel around her hair and was now joining her friend, enjoying the little show at how the human did seem as nice as he had tried to appear to Rarity. It was, thus, true that his outburst had been because of the pressure of such events in two days, events that took him away from home and threw him in another world that forced him to have a new life. If she had asked him further and some key things he would know all the truth, at least he hadn’t lied and Rarity knew that much.

“You were under such pressure I am amazed it didn’t escalate into violence. Not that I think you would do such a thing as you have been a gentlecolt in our talk. I, however, don’t know how I would have reacted to such events, even more if I had seen Pinkie’s sister yelling at the only mare I have seen laughing and happy under all circumstances after such an ordeal” Rarity relaxed against the little pool and sighed “I must commend your control my dear, though you would indeed need to perfect it as I don’t know what could happen if this repeats in the future (Celestia prevent such a thing)” She offered him a sincere smile “I would hate to lose such a friendly new face”

“The good thing is that you didn’t harm anypony” Fluttershy sighed happily “That is nice”

He gave a weak smile and nodded, even though he still felt ashamed to the bone.

“You still seem tense darling” Rarity got closer to Fluttershy “J has told me all about what happened dear, but do you want to talk about it?”

“Not really…” Fluttershy went deeper under the water to hide her face a bit, yet she did resurface to talk after a quiet moment “But it is… it is simply that I feel bad” She looked down at the water, making it swirl with a hoof “I stayed back because I feared of what could be in there, because I didn’t want to see any creature harmed… I only was useful to carry Trixie and nothing else” The shy pegasi began to cry “And the only thing I did good was to make her angry and yell at me” She sniffled, pushing down until her eyes meet the water so as to not show her tears.

“Darling, darling… it wasn’t your fault” Rarity got closer to give a gentle embrace to her friend “You did all you could there, or do you really think you would have fared any better in there with such a monster?”

“I don’t know” She half cried in her high pitched tone “I never wanted to hurt anything… maybe I was wrong? That thing… that thing did something horrible. Those poor fillies…”

“Fluttershy” J took her chin and lifted her head so she would look both at Rarity and him “You did the right thing being out there. If you had been there…” He took the hand away and looked in any direction but theirs “You did the right thing, you got out of harm’s way. You took Trixie in and I know if there is someone capable of making her relax and calm things down it is you”

Fluttershy nodded but looked away quite fast, though she did meet Rarity’s gaze so to hide her embarrassment and obvious discomfort she would have to face away entirely, something she couldn’t do in fear of bothering her friends or raising more questions towards her.

“I will be fine, I promise” She said finally with an awkward smile “But… how are you?” The question seemed to make J retract some from where he had been by instinct “Do you feel alright?”

“No, no I don’t” He said with a loud groan “I told you it was important to me to be friends with you all, I wanted to be here and make myself change, to have everyone happy” Looking down he tried to hide how glassed his eyes were now as he finally let it go “Do you know how hard it is to let go of family? Twilight saved me as she summoned me here; it was a mistake on her side, but a miracle on mine. In exchange I lost my mother when she was feeling down for a discussion we had. I also lost my sisters and my father as I had little to no connection with the rest of my family and most my remaining friends were already out of town. Celestia is going to solve all of that somehow, but not for me. I will remain here with no one… only you girls, if you want to befriend me. That is why I told you it was important to me Fluttershy, it is because I will have no one else but those close to Twilight” ‘Those I think… that I think I know already’ He thought, fearful of saying the whole truth for the questions it would entail.

J didn’t feel like crying, not anymore. During his stay he had cried quite a lot already and, unlike some, he felt proud of it. Showing emotions was one thing most men tried not to do, it was the same with J during a time but he finally cracked and changed to what he was now. Crying was not funny and was not something he liked: His head ached, he felt impotent to do whatever he had tried before and, most of all, he felt a failure. However crying cleared the mind and he left the sorrow and anger behind after a good time spilling tears.

That he was happy for crying would be lying. The fact that he was proud of being able to, however, was true.

Yet this time was not for his tears “I cried” He lifted his gaze again and looked at both mares with a little sad smile “I cried yesterday after those events, you saw me Fluttershy” The shy pegasi gave a nod “However tonight I realized that I was not crying for the dead, but for Twilight” In a sad tone and with a pitiful attempt to smile he continued “Twilight asked me to sleep with her, she did not want to be alone and I didn’t want her to do something stupid nor be alone and in sorrow, so I complied” Looking back he found a mixture of happiness, rage and sadness in such a recent memory “She kicked in her sleep after the tears took her strength again. I was enraged to see her like that and so I found that I didn’t cry those that had died, but for the lost Twilight had sustained, for her pain and for the sadness that she would have more than those of Trixie and the fillies”

Silence dawned for a few minutes afterwards. J knew that what he said would probably sound like a certain topic or feeling to the mares, as well as to make him feel either insensitive like a monster would in the sense of those that had departed and the fate of Trixie and both Final and Rain or to see him as a compassionate man that feel for the one that saved his life and brought him here, treating him as an equal and a friend.

‘A good friend, one that didn’t throw him away once he messed up like yesterday’ He thought with bitterness.

“I don’t want to think it is what it is not” J broke the silence with a serious face “She befriended me almost after I got here, she had no complexes, and she didn’t even hate me after I… failed to save her aunt and uncle…” A light smile crossed his lips as he thought of the next “She has been the best friend I have ever had. Anyone else would have moved away or made sure to never see me again. I may feel for Trixie, the fillies or the deceased, but I do so all the more towards Twilight, towards my friends…”

To him such words gave away a pang of guilt. Did he think that the few friends he still had in… where he lived before were not so good friends? He was unable to decide what words to say. In that place not much happened as he knew, but the worst always seemed to go for those that didn’t want it and didn’t seem like they deserved it, which usually meant him and anyone around him.

J had to think ‘Would I have done differently if I was in their place?’. He had no answer right now, at least none that didn’t make him look like a total jerk to put it mildly.

“But it is beautiful, darling, at least in a way” Rarity caught his attention with a warm smile even in the dark of the conversation “Things were… harsh, to say something, but you stayed by her and made sure to comfort her. She may need time now and The Mayor may be able to help her better than any of us could, but you must make sure she IS well enough. I doubt any of us four can do the same as you can, dear”

“Us four? I know we talked with Pinkie and that Fluttershy is here, but that counts as three…”

*Poke, poke*

*Sigh* “I am going to turn and there will be two mares behind me, right?” He asked with an annoyed grunt. At least Fluttershy finally gave a little chuckle as she nodded alongside Rarity ‘God, why you hate me so?’ All his pleading to NOT be a cliché were for naught it seemed as when he turned he saw Apple Jack and Rainbow Dash sitting there “Allo ladies”

“Hello there partner” AJ gave a little smile, being the one of the pair that seemed to be open and outright warm to the human “Ah thought Rarity here would make this last longer than it did”

“Well, it is not polite to spy, even if in such a blunt way my dear” Rarity gave a huff and smiled gently “Besides I was curious as to why you two were in here, I thought both of you loathed this ‘girly’ place”

“Damn straight we do hate this” Dash blurted out “But we heard someone had made Fluttershy cry and that the little pushover was here” She stated with an angry scowl “I am sorry Fluttershy, but I have tried to tell you so many times: Not everypony is going to be friendly. Remember what happened with Gilda?” Though Dash seemed angry she did also seem hurt as she mentioned her ‘former’ friend.

“I am sorry…” The yellow pegasi looked down “I thought Trixie would be more… cooperative”

“Don’t need to say no more sugar cube” AJ gave her a sweet smile “After what we heard there is no need to excuse her, though ah am going to have a word with her after she calms down” That was said with a bit of an icy tone.

“Don’t, please” Fluttershy begged all of sudden “She had lost a lot… Just give her some time, ok?”

There was a group sigh as she said that. Everyone but J had joined in for it as each one of them had been on the receiving side of Trixie’s ego when she ‘made an example’ of them all so everypony knew how ‘great and powerful’ Trixie was when she came to Ponyville three months ago.

“If ya say so sugar cube” Apple Jack gave a little nod before turning her head to J “Now though, ah think we have a talk here” She gave a little smile and offered her hoof to him “Ah am Apple Jack, though ah think Twilight probably mentioned me and my partner here Rainbow Dash” Dash simply gave a little nod, still with a serious face “Ah want to say it is maybe not the best way to be greeted here if ah can say so, ah wasn’t there but for what ah heard it was hell so… If ya want a friend ah will be happy to be one”

“Yea, like, what she said” Dash offered her hoof too “But you better don’t make my friends cry and make SURE the egghead is back with her usual goofy smile and babbling in record time, got it?” Finally she gave a little smile, broken down in less than ten seconds “Wait, what are you…? ACK!”

‘Screw the hoof’ J had thought, much to Dash’s dismay as he embraced both ponies, making Apple Jack laugh loudly as Rainbow Dash tried to escape from the grasp of the ‘crazy guy’ as she shouted, squirming about until she gave up with a grumpy face, growling something about ‘Not cool’ and ‘This is so unfair’. At least it did cheer everyone’s mood considerably.

“Sorry, this does mean a lot to me” J had warmed up back to how things were before the events of yesterday, probably only for a while but it was better than nothing “Thank you”

“Ah think ya are all right if ya helped my friend back there as best as ya could” AJ smiled “Ah am sorry for not being there for her when ah could have helped, but better not think of things past, right? Just… make sure she is back soon ya hear?” Her voice obviously turned down to a sad tone, but even if it wasn’t so J did need no encouragement to nod.

After that the conversation turned away from sadness to simply a friendly chat where every mare asked J whatever they wanted to know. Luckily nothing REALLY bad or compromising came and their curiosity was satiated while J himself asked them some questions about things he was curious about.

First he asked Apple Jack about their parents and such. He made sure to be vague when he mentioned about her story and Apple Jack assumed Twilight had told him a bit about everyone, which made it easier for the rest too. As she told him her mum and dad were in their own plot of land and had sent Apple Bloom, Apple Jack and Big Mac here to keep Granny Smith as she had contracted a very rare disease that made her age at the same rate that a human would, meaning that she would probably not live past 80 or so which in human years meant to die around 40 or earlier.

She told him about the Grand Galloping Gala where she had hoped to get enough bits to pay for the first part of the rehabilitation to cure her and her most damaged part to regenerate; the hip. However when it blew Apple Jack had been depressed for a while. AJ tried to smile afterwards and said that she didn’t want any of her friends sad, though she had to admit it was partly because she didn’t want to see sadness, not to be sad herself. It was a bit egoistic, or so she said, but her friends did reassure her that it was normal and if it came to happen it would be much like what had happened to Twilight.

Speaking of family Rarity told everypony that her parents would probably visit from Fillydelphia in a week or two, as well as those of Rainbow and the others (Except for Pinkie’s and probably Twilight if her mother was as bad or worse than her daughter). It seemed that the girls had all their birthdays few days apart and since all families had been, or were, friends with each other they had decided to try and make of this a new tradition.

At that Rainbow tried to say nothing, but it seemed that, as far as J could hear from the little talk between her and Apple Jack, that there was some animosity between some of the parents.

“Ah only say to let them short it out Dash” Apple Jack had said “Ah reckon it is better that way”

“Yea, tell that to my mother, her hoof and Rarity’s dad” The rainbow manned mare said with a dejected sigh “I hope they don’t something foalish after so long”

“Ah know they won’t” AJ chuckled “All of them will be too occupied looking at Twilight’s new ‘assistant’ there to do something they may regret”

It went on smoothly after that with mostly some curiosities here and some there, hearing of their adventures from them was much more interesting than the cartoon and he didn’t have to feign surprise as there were some things different in their tales or at least more detail.

In truth he was having fun with friends for once in such a long time that he didn’t even notice that night was approaching so fast. Simply talking and sharing a few things had felt to him like the best drug, putting it bluntly; he had a high right now. The day had began as pure shit by his standards, had turned up to be a bit funny thanks to Lily and her overreacting, then went down again thanks to his outburst at Octavia…

‘And seems like it is going to end like this’ He chuckled as Dash told him of the ‘worst’ accident she ever had, which mostly included a lot of tree sap and following Apple Jack around the apple orchard because a little spat they had.

“Miss Rarity?” A sweet and calm voice caught the attention of everypony present towards Lotus and Aloe “I am sorry to interrupt but it is time to close… and Miss Vinyl is waiting outside for someone like if she was a statue”

“Oh, we probably stayed far too long my dears, I am sorry” Rarity blushed a bit, embarrassed at the fact that they had taken the bath and then simply stayed talking “I will make sure to repay you girls next time, just think of something I could do for you two and consider it granted”

The twins smiled and nodded “Thank you, Miss Rarity. We do need a few gems to renew some of the Spa’s decoration if you were so kind as to provide us next time you come here”

Rarity returned the smile and nodded, guiding everypony outside as they chatted a bit more. J had to admit that while everyone seemed easy around him, they did also seem a bit wary except for Fluttershy. While nothing too compromising had been said he had also been sincere with everything he had been told and, of course, not everything was good. Probably it was not any better that he put it a bit darker than it really was, in fact his opinion was still affected by self guilt from yesterday and thinking that what he said was the whole truth did not help.

Whatever it was though, the nature of the ponies was set to be friendly and forgiving most the time, so much like with Octavia everypony was happy to have someone new here. The only one that seemed really troubled was Dash for whatever reason, though Rarity was obviously worried sick for her friends and Apple Jack had been caught without her smile from time to time. Fluttershy was sad for obvious reasons and she was the only one J could say was ‘normal’ in this situation.

No matter how much fun it could be to have someone new or how open the girls seemed to him, it was obvious that with what had happened, what had been told and with one friend between a fine line between coming back ok or maybe never coming back the mares were in as high spirits as possible, just… not fully, not until Twilight was back and happy. They could, as much, play a bit of pretend and try to be as happy as they could.

‘Tomorrow will be a better day, I know it will be better’ J told himself, unaware if it was simply a self inflicted lie or hopes that it indeed was better than today.

“Well it has been nice but it is time for us all to go to our homes dears” Rarity brought J back to reality as they all got out of the Spa “I hope to see you again tomorrow J, and that you bring good news”

“Me too” J assured “Maybe tomorrow I can be with any of you girls? I would like to have more time and to know you all better”

“Ah have to pick some things up tomorrow so ah will not be available” Apple Jack rubbed her chin with a hove “Ah think ah will have ma sis running amok then, and after today ah swear you are going to cross paths with her in no time”

“I will be taking care of the weather, yesterday I took the day off so I have work to do” Dash flapped her wings and gave a little wave “In fact I have to go take a rest right now. See you next time!”

Everypony gave her a quick goodbye before Rainbow disappeared in the sky.

“I will be at my house taking care of Trixie” Fluttershy said with a meekly voice, more than usual I mean “Before she was so… grouchy I left her a lot of food and anything she may need so she didn’t have to move much. I doubt she even tried to get away so I am not that worried… I fear what she may say when I get back though”

“I’ll go with you dear, that is, if Apple Jack doesn’t mind taking care of Sweety Belle tonight” Rarity offered; glad to see her friend nod “Then it is settled darling. Though this changes the plans for tomorrow dear J, if you can’t visit Fluttershy’s cottage that is”

“I’ll go, I promise. I want to see how Trixie will be doing and… maybe get her to move with Twilight when she is recovered. For now I will see where…” He felt a thug on his jeans and looked back to see Vinyl’s smiling face “Oh, nothing then, found her”

The three mares nodded and waved their goodbyes between little smiles as they dispersed. At least J could say that, while not 100% perfect, it had been a more or less good day with new friends made and also the fact that he had the luck to know in person every single mare of the Mane Six. It was like a dream come true and for once in his life he was about to squeal like a girl.

*Thug, thug!*

Well, when there was nopony around that is.

“Ok, ok” He gave a little smile as he turned “I gather you have been here a lot” She nodded “How is Octavia? And Pinkie?”

“Octavia turned to her near mute self again after we got to Twilight’s place” Vinyl gave a little chuckle “She is only so open and talkative when her sister ‘drives her nuts’, the rest of the time you will have to be alone with her to get even what you could call a conversation” Vinyl couldn’t help but poke her tongue out “Pinkie is… a bit depressed, but give her a night of sleep and tomorrow she will be her usual random self again”

“I hope I didn’t cause her that little depression…” J began, but Vinyl did cut him in time.

“She is like this every time she tries to see her parents, receives her letters returned or when she sees her sister. When she came back from the Grand Galloping Gala she was the same because she thought she fudged her sister’s best chance at being famous” Vinyl shook her head with a little giggle “The little foal is always too worrisome for her own good. People don’t understand that she is so random because she doesn’t want to think all that much, though she is as smart as Derpy or Twilight”

Vinyl got up from where she was sitting and began a little trot towards her home after that. She seemed awfully eager and it did left J with his thoughs as he wanted them to be.

He had learned many things from the girls and had decided that what everyone had seen in his world was a toned down or child friendly adventure of what the Mane Six did here. They hadn’t spilled any spicy or sad details, but they had been implied. So he wondered: Why the Mane Six and why not the entire story? If they were real as this demonstrated, if this was no fantasy, why not showing the entire story?

‘Because it would be way too much for your people to accept that other worlds, other species, do exist’ He heard the voice of Celestia in his head ‘Very few can find these places, you are lucky. Probably no other human will ever place a foot in Equestria after you ever again’

‘But… how is it possible? Why do we see this? I mean…’

‘Lauren Faust IS an Alicorn you know?’ She said with a little chuckle ‘She is, in fact, a human, the only one with such an innocent mind that I could touch. When she slept or when she played with her Little Ponies when she was young I brought her here, at least her soul, her innocence. I shared my stories and she watched as this world grew, she even helped me in the last years.’ The alicorn princess smiled inwardly as she said that, as if bringing back a sweet memory that seemed so far away yet had been lived not so long ago ‘We shared our story during years, Jonathan, she was a magnificent artist and an equally magnificent person, a good friend. So when this all happened, when the Elements of Harmony’s final destiny finally came, she offered to share our story with your world in hopes that any of you could see the same marvels she enjoyed when she was young’

‘I guess it backfired a bit?’ J chuckled.

‘You could say that’ J didn’t have to see her to know she blushed ‘I mean, come on, Molestia? Trollestia? Your kind has a wicked sense of humor’ She gave out a warm hearted chuckle ‘However if they change maybe that about you being the ‘last human’ to ever get here could change too. As for now I only hope that you will change enough my friend, I still fear it may have been a mistake’

‘What? Why?’ Now J was nervous again ‘Why do you say that Celestia? I know I haven’t changed as fast as you had hoped but…’

‘Jonathan, I am unsure of what it is but there is something that has changed, and not for good’ She stated bluntly ‘There is… something weird going on, something that I had not foreseen. You are no innocent my dear, you are no Alicorn, not a pony of any kind. You came here corrupted and if someday you ever want me to change you, then you have to be as pure as Lauren, yet that will mean you will stop being yourself. Still, that is not what worries me’

‘Then what is it? Why are you scaring me like this now?’ J was about to scream the words, for once scared for his new friends, however not because someone or something else could do them harm.

It was because of what he could do if Celestia was openly saying she was worried.

‘I am not sure Jonathan, I wish I knew’ She sighed tiredly in defeat ‘But when you confronted Octavia I had hoped for talking, maybe yelling. The anger that rose within you and that made you use your now latent magic was… unpredicted. It was not in the ‘schedule of things’, as I like to put it’ A few seconds passed as Celestia remained pensive ‘I am not sure of what, but you didn’t get here, to this world, with what made you do that, however in my thousand years of age I haven’t seen nor felt such a thing’

‘What can I do then?’

‘Sleep, and don’t fear, but tonight you walk in the realm of nightmares’ Celestia sounded hurt as she said that ‘If it is something that is destined to engulf you, then I will know by tomorrow. Where you are going to go I cannot help, nor can my sister, not even Lauren can, and she has offered her help’ That made J feel warm for some reason, in a way Lauren was his little heroine for giving the bronies MLP FIM, to bring them the story of this beautiful world that she had experienced ‘However she never was seen by anypony, never in her whole stay. That cannot change, not even to help you, also Luna could be harmed in such a place so I can’t risk her getting in and helping you. If yesterday was harsh test, this will be even worse, something that will tax you in a way that would take away something that means much more to you than your own life’

There was silence for a few seconds as he and Vinyl approached one of the many houses in Ponyville. The only thing different in the outside was the big note that was exactly the same in Vinyl’s flank and that was adorning the entrance of her house.

‘Be careful Jonathan, I was too harsh with you and I still haven’t forgiven myself for that. I want you back, my sister wants you back. You are much like the only friend she ever had’ Celestia offered a warm smile that J could see even through this was telepathic, the goddess of the sun was simply that gentle and nice ‘I want all but to see any of my fellows sad ever again. Please, be careful and come back Jonathan. If Lauren made it possible for you to come here thanks to what she did, then I want to believe that there is enough good in you to remain here, to make someone happy’

“And this is my home! Watch out, it is sparkly”

The statement caught J too late as he refocused in the scene before him, only to find a wave of music and a bright flash blinding and deafening him for a few seconds.

Once he opened his eyes he found himself before the bright entrance of what seemed to be a huge disco, though in fact it was simply the main room of the building that had a few disco balls and an ample collection of stereos with music and lights dancing around thanks to both interesting decoration.

The floor was, literally, a dance floor that filled the whole main room except for the exact middle where a round table with four chairs lied comfortably. There was not much for the chairs or the table, in comparison to the rest of the room they were as normal as they could get.

Vinyl got in and switched something, letting the music die down and the lights becoming more like the normal white ones a ‘normal’ house would have. It didn’t change the fact that the multicolor floor and the disco balls were, alongside the walls, giving it a very specific look.

“Hey, my life is a rave” Vinyl gave a light chuckle “Come on in”

“I can see that” J smiled as he did his best to fit through the doorway “I had thought your house looked plain on the outside”

“Do you know how much it would take to change the exterior? I am not made of bits” She poked her tongue out “I wouldn’t mind though, it would be a lot of fun” She gave him a pleading look then.

“Oh, you want this, don’t you?” J gave the poor mare a mischievous grin as he brought his Ipod in plain view. Vinyl simply nodded as fast as she could “Ok, let’s see how much you take”

“Thanks!”

With her magic Vinyl took J’s Ipod and, before doing anything else, she examined it up and down. She bought the headset to her ears and with her nose she pushed a button, letting the music fill her mind as she smiled to herself before trotting towards one of the doors in the room.

J, wanting his music back when Vinyl was finished, fallowed the mare to the best of his capabilities. While the house was not big and only the main room seemed prepared to be one huge everlasting rave, the rest of the house was tidy and white as far as he could see. Of course the problem was that, while it was small, Vinyl was fast as heck.

“Stop running damn it!” J coughed after they had arrived to the 2º floor “Frak… you know… you are… pretty fast”

“Courtesy of Pinkie” Vinyl beamed “Now, it won’t take much” She said with a bright smile.

J hadn’t even notice that they had reached one room that had posters with many pony bands, a lot of albums with music and even some little trophies and pictures with Vinyl on them. One of such pictures was of Vinyl, Octavia and Pinkie in a happy hug, at least happy for Vinyl and Pinkie.

Once he was able to breathe normally J got up and checked the picture while Vinyl used her magic to do… something with one of her disks while holding the Ipod on the side.

“How long have you been friends with Octavia and Pinkie?” He asked, hoping that the white unicorn wouldn’t mind talking while she did her thing “You seem to know them very well”

“Since I got away from my parents, at least Pinkie” Vinyl commented with a little shrug “I meet Octavia two years later when she moved away from her parents as they sold the Rock Farm”

“They sold their way of life? Why?” He placed the photo down and got closer to Vinyl, sitting beside her on the mare’s bed “For what was said before I thought they couldn’t live without it”

“They couldn’t, but the guilt was pretty big as far as I know” She said nonchalantly, changing the disk and getting a new one quickly “I suppose that is what you get when you accidentally ‘murder’ your daughter”

“WHAT?!”

While Vinyl continued with her task J had turned pale as if the blood had drained from his face. As he had thought before: The day had been pretty shity, then turned up good… but after the talk to Celestia and now this? God, what else did he miss? What did Lauren hold back if she had been here and saw all of this? There were many secrets.

“Pinkie’s parents had been fed up with her for a long while. It is not that they didn’t want their daughter to be happy and to do what she was born to do, but they wanted her to be serious about things, they wanted to show her that doing what she did all time could be very dangerous” Vinyl gagged as she was disgusted “They paid a young dragon a nice amount of gems to give her and her sister a good scare at the last party Pinkie did for them. It was supposed to go smoothly as far as her sister told me, since SHE did know of what would happen”

“Her sis… why don’t you tell me her name? Would be faster and I wouldn’t need to guess, it is not a time for secrets” J grumbled, this was simply something that he thought would annoy him further.

“Because, like me, she is not the same pony as she was” Vinyl gave him a predatory glare that he hadn’t seen in any pony ever “I was escaping from my home when I found her body going down a river that was in the forest. Pinkie and I didn’t live that far from each other as there was a village near her Rock Farm, the forest nearby was where they threw the party and where the dragon was attacked by… something, I don’t know. Being a young dragon some creatures could face him, but whatever attacked him only made him angry, chased Pinkie and her sister until they were near the river and then left Pinkie alone while her sister had distracted the monster to what almost was her demise”

She changed the disk again as J watched her wide eyed. She was treating this as if it was everyday’s business! Something smelt fishy here and if it was any more obvious it could be cut with a knife, literally.

“When I found her downstream Pinkie’s sister was between the path of being drowned or ending up with blood loss. I could do nothing, I was little more than a filly back then, but Celestia came to help” Vinyl’s eyes sparkled as she took her glasses away “She healed her and helped us with a wish for each. We wanted practically the same: To enjoy a free life. She gave me those lentils and a change of my whole color to be a new person, a new pony. I changed my name and so did my friend with Celestia’s blessing, though she left and asked me to tell her parents and her sisters that she would be back when the time was right. Haven’t heard much of her ever since, much less seen her”

“Why didn’t she go back right then?” J wondered of why she did it, where she went and how she was now. Maybe she could help bring the other two together.

“Are you kidding?” Vinyl couldn’t help but to give a weak smile “When I found out about Pinkie I came to Ponyville, not a day after the events. She had been cast down by her sister and her parents were in a depression, not able to look at her. The poor thing thought they hated her, but asides from Octavia they didn’t, they simply felt so guilty they didn’t even think they deserved her little girl for they mess-up” Vinyl sighed as she changed the disk again “I must admit I think their idea was pretty stupid, but if nothing had happened to the dragon then Pinkie probably would have been scared enough so they could ‘teach her a lesson’ and the other two would maybe remain in the Rock Farm with their parents as they wanted it to be. I am not sure, the only thing Pinkie’s sister told me was that they were desperate, they didn’t want to lose their little angels to the world”

“I know of stupid coming from parents to make their little ones do what they think they should, you don’t have to tell me” J shuddered at some of his memories.

“I must say I saw Pinkie’s sister again, but once I told her about how things were… she didn’t want to come back. She said she would when all of them could forgive either themselves or, in Octavia’s case, Pinkie” Finally Vinyl placed the disks down and gave the Ipod back to J “I know you were rough with Octavia, but when she is dealing with Pinkie the only thing you can do is scare her or she will go on and on until Pinkie leaves crying when she finally loses it or until Octavia’s mouth runs dry. I hope it doesn’t repeat itself while you are here, as well as to see them smiling together for once” Vinyl gave a bit of a sad smile “Now though, thanks for the music”

“No need to, what you told me was a nice payment for it, as well as the help this morning” She gave him a gentle smile “I hope to catch you again soon Vinyl, but I should be going. I think tonight it is going to be hell…”

“I am surprised that you will even try to sleep after what you told us” Vinyl said matter of fact “But I hope to see you soon too, and try to make Twilight smile again, ok?”

J nodded and gave him a little petting, making the mare chuckle as he got out, waving his hand at her. With a content sigh she got closer to the picture J had in his hands before.

“I wish he could make you smile too” She said, rubbing a hoof against Octavia’s figure in the photo “I have missed your smile so much, Tavi…”

Luckily from where Vinyl house was it only took a little trek to get to Twilight’s tree. The door was open and the place was quiet, only The Mayor was there, sitting and reading a book, though no one else had waited for him today.

“Oh, welcome back young man. I thought you would come here with the tail between your legs quite faster than this I must admit” She gave a sincere smile though the blushing was obvious “I am sorry for doubting you there, but you should know I had my reasons”

“If they include that I was worried for Twilight, I must admit I was entranced with the girls, Mayor” He admitted sheepishly.

“That is good” The Mayor giggled “For the record, call me Coral my dear, I know everyone call me The Mayor but the title wears you out after so many years”

“Alright Coral” For some reason the name didn’t quite fit to J.

“My real name is Golden Letter dear, but my friends called me Coral all the time back then” She gave a little smile “But enough chit chat, you should be tired and I am here to say that Twilight and Spike, as well as the twins and Miss Octavia are in their bedrooms. The little girls also told me that they chose to have one single room for them and that one of the closed doors opened to show a kitchen when they were hungry. I don’t know how that room of yours works my dear, but it still has one surprise left it seems”

“Thank you ma’am” The Mayor blushed at that as if to say she wasn’t ‘that old’ “Anything else you would like to tell me? I am tired, but, believe me, not so willing to go to sleep”

“Well yes, in fact something came down here” The Mayor took a little envelope from where she was and gave it to J “Derpy said it was very important. It does have the royal seal after all, so it should be”

J, wondering, opened the thing up. It had a little note and something else inside.

“This is the official decree where the order of the Knights in Ponyville is founded. Residence: Twilight Sparkle’s Library. Members: 1. Founder: Grey Knight Jonathan. Paladins: None. Squires: None. This magic note will stand by the Mayor’s residence and will be updated whenever it is needed” J read out loud before the paper banished in a blue light “Well, that is interesting” He chuckled, taking a look at a fine and delicate card that was also inside the envelope “Grey Knight’s card. Bit count: Five thou-WHAT?!”

“Five thousand bits?” The Mayor went wide eyed “I… eh… considering the news dear… I would ask you to come by the main hall tomorrow” The Mayor bitted her lower lip “I am ashamed to ask for something shellfish but I would like to ask you for a favor young man, would you at least hear me out?”

“Uh... yea… whatever” J couldn’t help but scratch the back of his neck, a bit nervous. He didn’t know how the economy worked but if a pie was four bits (from the series), then five thousand… why so much money? “I’ll go, I think after this I do need to sleep a bit”

“I understand dear, I hope you don’t mind if I take my leave to” The Mayor went straight for the door “I have some things to think about myself”

The Mayor closed the door behind her and J suddenly found himself alone. He gave a tired sigh and began his walk down the stairs and towards his room as he thought about all that happened today. He didn’t know what to make of it and, seeing the money he technically had in his hands now, found even less sense as to what to think of this day. Was it good? Was it bad? Was it the worst thing up to date? He was not sure of what to think, but between what almost happened to Octavia, meeting the Elements briefly, knowing of Pinkie’s story and some details of the girls he never knew of, as well as Lauren’s story here, he was overwhelmed.

Once he reached his bed it simply came to him, a sudden realization: The shock of a day could be his last one.

He thought ‘What if I survive? More days like this one? Is it any better than the life I had before? If I had any thought of this being a fantasy, being a lie, being a… a cartoon for children… it all was washed away with that Celestia told me. Now here I go, willingly walking down the path to the maw of one of those dark creatures, practically begging for it to devour me alive so I help to bring darkness to this world. Is this what I want?’

Lying on his bed, the light dimming slowly, he let out a tired grunt as he didn’t even want to take out his clothes. What would he do? What good was he? Messing things up in Earth, messing things up in Equestria, it was all the same but here it had been two people dead, two ponies, and one good friend harmed.

‘What good am I?’ He rubbed his eyes, not wanting more tears.

By then he was unable to feel the darkness embracing him, forcing his consciousness away, swallowing him to its depths as his room was all but a pitch black mess of glaring eyes within the shadows they formed around themselves.

‘And lo, he of weak mind and body, crowned knight lord of the weak, savior of the just, pawn of the light. Lo he as he walks willingly the path of darkness to find the demon of madness, to fight the sweetest pain there is to gain. How much further will this champion, champion between darkness and despair and that which opposes them all, walk under the unrelenting onslaught of the ever-changing beast? Such a harsh path for such a tired and weakened soul that is so afraid…’

J opened his eyes, startled at the vacuous voice that seemed to echo from all around him. He saw darkness, a small glimpse of light all around him and metal, nothing else. He was unsure of where he was, but he was sure that there was nothing good in here.

“Twinkle, twinkle little star”

A voice came from nowhere in particular, leaving a trail of giggles on its wake.

“I so wonder what you are”

Another fit of giggling, this time darker, came from just in front of his face. J blinked and, suddenly, he saw Pinkie’s right where nothing had been: Sitting before him

“Hello Jonathan, ready to play?” The predatory smile and the slit in her eyes made it obvious that this wasn’t Pinkie, not the one he knew at least, not what was real.

‘What the fuck is happening here?!’

I am going to go and say it: I am not all that happy with this chapter. Reason? Heat, 30 degrees to be precise. I am a person that enjoys COLD, sweet, merciful COLD. These weeks I have been making this chapter I have been suffering from this heat AND school so my creativity had been impaired quite a big deal.

I knew what I wanted to make, and I did make it, but I am NOT sure that it is how I envisioned it. I did change whole pages on the fly after a few re-reads so you can see where I am going. I did, however, think of Octavia as Pinkie’s sister practically from the beginning, though I wasn’t really sure to implement it in the story until last chapter came along… So… random :3?

There are also other things here, like the meeting with the Elements, that were heavily edited. I thought of making it larger, more detailed and warm, but after the fight with Octavia (If you can call it that) I was not so sure. The chapter was growing large (Right now it is around 21 pages, if not 22 pages in size EIGHT!) and there were many details implemented, with loads upon loads that will be implemented in fallowing chapters as time progresses.

The background with the story I gave to Octavia, Pinkie, her parents and her MIA sister will be important latter on, as well as other things that will happen and that have happened already, only saying. Thankfully the forgiving and warm nature of the ponies in Equestria made it possible to draw a sword towards someone and get forgiven, somewhat, though in the future this will have some repercussions, don’t think everyone is as nice as I make them appear.

I am sure there are questions about Lauren and other things, but those will be answered in due time, you, though, can guess as much as you like. The worry should come now from the fact that I am going to use the Dark Side of one of the girls, namely: Pinkie.

I haven’t read cupcakes; I won’t read cupcakes, I FUCKING DENY IT’S EXISTENCE (Sorry for the outburst). However I do see Pinkie’s inner fears as pure madness, anger, hatred… However more of this in the next chapter, if you have the stomach to read it that is. It is going to be dark, cruel and probably filled with gore. This is not Pinkie, it will NEVER be the Pinkie I love so much, it is simply her inner darkness, what she could become if there was something so brutal as to break her mind.

Yet such is the destiny of this story: To find the darkest fears of the girls, what they would hate to become, and to destroy such darkness… Or to fail, it may depend as the story progresses as I haven’t yet decided for a happy or a dark ending. Time, and you as well, will tell.

See you in the next chapter, if you have what it takes to continue reading this adventure.