The door swung open and I found myself staring into utter darkness. “Aww crap...” I muttered. I flicked the light switch, only to find it didn't work. “Nugh... bulb's blown,” I grumbled as I walked into the library.

AJ stuck close to my side as we wandered into the darkness that quickly consumed us. The only light that proved true, was that of the moon, shining through the windows and front door. Suddenly the door slammed shut and the curtains closed, shutting out all forms of light.

I spun with a gasp. “GUH! WHO'S THERE-” I was suddenly cut off, blinded by all the lights flashing on. I heard a canon go off...

“SURPRISE!” I jolted, nearly jumping out of my skin as confetti sprinkled down on me. I rubbed my eye and quickly focused it, still startled. My heart was racing but I soon found myself calm as I was surrounded by friends and family.

“Ohh... oh sweet Celestia... whew... for a minute there...” I panted through deep breaths. Pinkie came bouncing over.

“Did we getcha?! WE GOTCHA DIDN'T WE?! WE GOT HIM EVERYPONY!” She screamed in her regular bubbly voice. Fluttershy spoke up in her timid as ever voice.

“Oh, I hope we didn't scare you too much. We're ever so sorry,” she apologized. I was still a little thrown off and spoke in a somewhat dazed voice.

“Uhm... Applejack nee-needs a book,” I stammered but she just chuckled and bumped into me.

“Nah... well ah do, but ah can pick it up tomorrow. Ain't no big deal. Had tah make sure yah came in through the front doors,” she mentioned and I rose a brow.

“What is this?” I asked, still baffled by the random surprise. Twilight came up with a smile, hopped to her hind legs and planted a kiss on my lips.

“Happy birthday, silly,” she giggled in my arms. It took me a moment to clue in but then I realized, after several long thoughts, that she was right.

“Oh snap... oh yeah, it's my birthday,” I commented and AJ just chuckled.

“Yah fergot yer own birthday. Heck silly, that's the whole reason we came back early... oh, an uhh, that vest from Brae was partly an early present as well,” she made mention. I rubbed the velvety smooth fabric of the vest Braeburn had given me. It was fantastically well crafted and beautiful to look at as well.

I smiled brightly. “Thanks you guys... and gals. Everypony... just... wow,” I said, a tear coming to my eye. Pinkie Pie giggled uncontrollably.

“Well of course silly. Who doesn't love birthday surprises on... well their birthday of course!” She sounded overjoyed, like she usually did... so maybe she was just happy...

There were ponies from all over town, even my dentist was here. After several minutes of fanfare, the ponies started playing games, dancing and communing. I sat down for a moment, still shocked by all of this. It was so much to take in. Everypony, or nearly everypony, in town had come to surprise me?

Lassie, Spike, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo and Applebloom came over with some kinda scroll that was wrapped with ribbon. Lassie also came up with an envelope. Spike spoke for the group. “Here, we uhh... we made you this,” he said. I chuckled.

“Oh come on guys... you didn't need to get me anything,” I told them but still they persisted. I smiled as I took hold of envelope and scroll. Opening up the envelope, there was some scribbles that read 'Happy birthday Even, hope your day is totally awesome. Love Lassie, Spike, Sweetie Belle, Applebloom and Scootaloo'. There was also some hearts colored nearby. I smiled, they had misspelled my name and for whatever reason that made it all the better.

There was also a blue lipstick kiss mark near the bottom to which I rose a brow, only to have Lassie speak up. “You better keep that man. You know how hard lipstick is to put on?” she asked jokingly and I gave her a smirking look.

“Somehow I can't picture you with blue lipstick,” I commented with a chuckle. She just laughed back.

“Oh trust me, it works,” she said, then mouthed a few extra words so Spike and the fillies wouldn't hear. 'I'm dead sexy! Look at muh sexy body!' I just face palmed with a chuckle before turning my attention to the scroll.

Undoing the ribbon, I open up the scroll, only to find it was actually a large picture. It was fairly well drawn... err... well, I won't lie, it was kind of crudely drawn and by the looks of it with crayons but...

The picture took my breath away. There was a picture of Spike, Lassie, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, Applebloom, Ms. Cheerilee and myself during that school day Lassie was performing magic tricks.

My jaw dropped as I was left speechless. “I... I uhh... thank you...” I managed to close my mouth and swallow as they group took me into a hug, all telling me to have a happy birthday before departing, Lassie telling them she would sniff out the best food.

I shook my head at the thought of Lassie wearing lipstick. Just as I was thinking to myself, Trixie came over and plopped herself down beside me, nudging into my side. “Hey Trixie. How's it going?” I asked before she could say anything.

“The Great and Powerul Trixie is... well, I've been doing pretty well lately. Happy birthday,” she said and I just rolled my eye and nudged my body into hers.

“Thanks. So how's things with you, yah know... the magic act and stuff?” I asked and she shrugged with a 'so-so' look. I nodded. “Yeah I guess. Any plans?” I asked and she sighed.

“I might get a job,” she commented. “At the Tim Horseton's in town.” She smiled and I nodded. “Just to pick up the bills while I get my act back on the road.”

“Yeah, the cashier there is really nice,” I informed her and she nodded with a giggle.

“And a little dopey,” she mentioned and I rolled my eye.

“Yeah, but she's new. Give her some slack,” I told her and she nodded. We sat for a good while and talked, avoiding the topic of her brother and speaking of better times. After a short while longer she left to mingle with new found friends.

I sighed to myself, a little tired and exhausted now that I had settled down. Before I could really settle with myself however, Rainbow Dash came over with another present. “Hey,” she greeted and I looked to her as she sat beside me. “Twilight said it was okay not to get you a present... heck she told just about everypony not to get you one. Said we should just bring things for the party and just be here, and that'd be more than enough. I don't even know what she was thinking. Presents are totally awesome so... here.” She offered me a wrapped rectangular shaped object.

I opened it up and found myself looking and a flashy hardcover storybook. Dash spoke up over my thoughts. “I'm not an egghead just so you know but... well, seeing as how you somehow got Twilight the latest edition WAYYYY early... I figured you must be a fan to so... it's Daring Do, issue twenty-three collector's edition,” she commented and I rose a brow.

“Thanks Dash, but really... you didn't have to-” she cut me off.

“Oh don't give me that! Everypony needs a totally awesome present. Hey, have a happy birthday okay,” she told me before giving me a hug and departing. I looked at the story with a sigh. I didn't even read Daring Do books... but I guess I'd read this one tomorrow... err, later today, that way I didn't waste the thoughtful gift.

I leaned my head back to rest my eyes... eye, for a moment. In the back of my mind, as I rested, I heard a faint and timid voice. “Oh... well, maybe we shouldn't wake him. We already startled him once,” said a very familiar voice.

I cracked my eye open, only to hear Fluttershy gasp. “Oh my. I didn't wake you did I? I'm so sorry,” she whimpered and I chuckled as I saw Rarity and Applejack at her sides with a box that was wrapped in ribbon.

“Oh no... you gals didn't?” I asked with a faint smile.

Fluttershy peeped. “Oh no. I'm so sorry. I thought-” I cut her off before she panicked.

“No, Fluttershy that's not what I... I should've said something different. What I meant to say was you didn't have to go to the trouble for me,” I said with a faint inwards chuckle. This was all too much for me, it made me want to just break down and cry.

Rarity scoffed. “Well of course we did darling. It's your birthday. We MUST do something for you... so we all pitched together to create you something very special. Applejack designed them while Fluttershy and I crafted them with some of my special fabrics,” she told me, levitating over the box.

With a smile on my face I opened up the box, finding myself again slack jawed. This time due to the sight of some wonderfully crafted cowboy boots with finely polished spurs. I held a hand over my mouth.

“You... I uhh... uhm...” I stammered and Fluttershy spoke up.

“Do you like them. Oh I hope he likes them...” she whispered timidly.

“I love them... wow... you really didn't have to-” Applejack cut me short.

“Enough a that. Course we did. It was nothin' really,” she said as the three of them pulled me into a hug. I snuggled into the loving embrace for all it was worth before Pinkie's shouting cut it short.

“TIME FOR THE BIRTHDAY CAKE!” She screamed out, zipping around in a whirlwind motion. Mr. and Mrs. Cake wheeled out a large birthday cake. It wasn't any regular cake either. It was duped up with decorations and lots of icing.

'Wow...' I mouthed out in shock. The entire party stopped and began singing happy birthday, to which I blushed in slight embarrassment. I wasn't really one to like getting put in the center of attention, not one bit.

AJ nudged me over. “Come on birthday colt... err... whatever. It's only once a year, why not enjoy it a little,” she offered as she sat me down around everypony. The cake was wheeled in front of me, several dozen candles lit up as the lights were dimed.

I shook my head, on the verge of crying. This was... it was so wonderful yet... I don't know why I wanted to cry. There were friends, family... people I held so dearly. Even Derpy was here, whom I spotted mostly because of her crisscrossed eyes.

As everything quieted down, Twilight leaned down near my right side, whispering into my ear. “Make a wish, sweetheart,” she told me, while Lassie hopped up to my left side.

“Hey... psst, while you think of your wish, remember me okay?” she joked, Twilight giving her a glare. “What? I'm just sayin'...” she trailed off and placed a rather wet kiss on my cheek, leaving a blue lipstick kiss mark that I could feel.

I turned my head slightly to get a look at her. She had a dark shade of blue lipstick on, making her lips look a little more juicy and puffy. “Told yah I look sexy with lipstick,” she said with a wink, to which I rolled my eye with an exhale. “Now stop eyeing me up and make a wish already,” she whispered. I turned back to the cake and sighed.

I truly didn't know what to wish for. At this point I was happy, had a loving family, friends who cared... in the end I just wished that everything would always turn out alright, though it usually did anyways.

Before I could blow out the candles, I took notice of the big '56' candle at the top. “Fifty-six?” I asked and Pinkie nodded.

“Yeah, cause that's your age right?” she asked and I stifled a laugh while Twilight groaned. I spoke up to inform her of my real age.

“I'm turning eighteen,” I replied but Twilight cut in.

“Nineteen,” she commented. I did some quick thinking and realized my mother was correct.

Pinkie just giggled. “Oh come on, don't pull my leg. He's wayyyy older than that. Look, he's got gray hair and some wrinkles beneath his eyes,” she commented, reminding me of how fast I was aging lately. Twilight spoke up.

"Ugh... Pinkie, I told you he'd be nineteen," she grumbled.

I shook my head and waved it off. “Nevermind... it's fine... thank you... all of you,” I said, taking a deep breath but before I could attempt to blow out the candles, Lassie interjected.

“Remember if you don't blow out all the candles your wish won't come true.” I gasped and nearly fell forwards.

“Lassie!” I grumbled and she merely shrugged.

“What... I'm just saying... now hurry up and blow out those candles. I don't like melted wax on my cake,” she mentioned. I just grumbled to myself as I took in another deep breath. Thinking back on my wish, I blew out all the candles except for the big 56 candle that stood atop the cake.

I sat back with a smirk plastered across my face. 'Fifty six...' I thought to myself, rubbing my chin and cheek in thought. I guess I was looking pretty old, even though Pinkie probably had no idea what humans looked like when they aged.

The lights came on and I stood up, looking to my mother. “Can you slice the cake. I've always been horrible at that sort of thing...” I turned to look once more at the cake. It was kind of nice looking. Twilight's main group of friends, along with Lassie, Derpy, The Crusader's and a couple other friends came to my side.

“Say cake,” Mrs. Cake called out and I blinked.

“What...” was all I managed as a camera flash went off, burning a blur into my sight. Twilight hopped up to her hindlegs and gave me a peck on the cheek before levitating over a large knife to slice up the cake.

As Twilight handed out pieces of the cake, Lassie pointed to the part that read 'Happy 56th Birthday, Evan Burdick'. “Can I have the slice with the last letters of his name?” she asked, circling the word 'dick'.

I groaned, along with my mother but she cut Lassie her slice anyways. “I'll be thinking of you while I eat this, yah big lug,” Lassie teased as she nudged me while walking by. As I took a seat once again, Derpy mingled by with a small basket of muffins.

Taking a seat beside me, she handed me the basket. “Twilight said not to get you a present but I couldn't do that, especially on your birthday. So here, I baked you some delicious muffins.” I looked at the muffins which looked to be burnt all the way around.

Deciding to at least try one, for my friend's sake, I took one and chomped into it. Though the exterior was burnt, the inside was soft and smooth. Guess it's what's inside that counts. “Mmm, that's good... really good,” I said, finishing the muffin and taking another.

Derpy took me into a tender hug, which I embarrassed lovingly. Seperating after a few moments, I smiled to the friendly mail mare. “I really like you Derpy. You're a good friend... want one?” I offered her one of the muffins she had baked me but she shook her head.

“No thanks. I already ate. Besides, I baked them just for you. See yah later,” she said before getting up and trotting away.

At last finding some peace with myself, I let a few tears dribble down my face. I hadn't had a birthday party in a very long time... and even then, it was on my brother's birthday. Probably more of a way to get both our birthdays in one shot... like killing two birds with one stone...

Lassie came and plopped her rump beside me, licking some icing off her face. “Mmm, your dick cream tastes amazing,” she commented and I just groaned with a chuckle near the end.

“Laugh it up... yah tit,” I giggled slightly, thinking back on all our adventures together before taking her into a hug. “Thanks Lassie...” I gave her a pat on the head, and an affectionate scratch behind the ears, to which she leaned into.

We sat together and watch the party drag on, eventually dwindling apart as the morning continued into near daybreak. With a loud, extensive yawn that was accompanied by a stretch, Lassie snuggled up against me before curling her upper half across my lap. “Happy birthday... you deserve that much,” she whispered.

As she lay across my lap, I began to gently stroke her, starting from her head and ending halfway down her soft fur covered back. Despite being an English Rough Collie, whom are prone to getting matted fur if not properly groomed, Lassie seemed to somehow keep her fur nice and straight.

She didn't have extremely long hair, somewhat short for her breed... yet it was still soft and velvety to the touch. Silky smooth... I kinda just wanted to bury myself into her fur... but maybe that was my exhaustion speaking...

My mind drifted to and fro, and eventually I found myself stroking a very short furred dog. She was a mixed breed mutt, looking like a little bit of everything from a Tosa to a Pitbull, but with a bit longer and more narrow snout like something from a Labrador.

Somewhere in the back of my mind I knew it was just a dream, that these precious moments with my dog were not, and never would be, real. But I embraced them anyways. I missed her so much, though I tried not to think about her when I could. 'Oh Ally... how I miss you so,' I thought silently to myself, stroking her soft fur, starting at the top of her head and stopping halfway down her back.

A single, slow tempo, guitar note played in the background. It was a relaxing note, despite the deep tone...

My fingers swept through her short fur. I could feel her heartbeat against my lap as she lay there. Ever so often, she'd sluck with her cheeks, slopping up drool...

A gentle nudging startled me awake and Twilight jerked from my abrupt waking. “S-sorry... heh-heh. Figured you might want somewhere more comfortable to sleep,” she suggested and I realized the sun was just creeping up over the horizon. The orange haze of morning sunrise began to bask over the planet's surface.

The place was kind of a mess but nopony was around anymore, other than Twilight and myself. Even Lassie and Spike were missing from the scene. I felt groggy and still overly exhausted.

“Come on sleepy pants, let's get you to bed,” she whispered, helping me up and down the stairs, most of my attire coming off as she helped me down to my room. First was my socks, then was my my vest but I made note to hang it up nicely before tossing my shirt off.

I felt my body hit the comfy feel of my mattress but nothing else...

Third person,

Canterlot Castle...

Celestia peeked through her sister's chamber doors. “Sister... may we speak?” she asked, in a very hushed tone compared to her regular regal voice. Her sister, fur now darker than ever before, turned away from her elder sister.

“Leave us!” Luna shouted back, the tone of her voice making Celestia wince.

“Please sister, just let me speak to you. Let me reach out and comfort you,” she pleaded but Luna still kept her back turned to her sister.

“YOU CANNOT POSSIBLY COMFORT US!” She boomed before spinning to face her sister, tears flowing from her eyes. “You try to tell us... tell us it never happened. WE SAW IT! WE FELT IT! It cannot have been just a dream!” Luna boomed, her voice shaking the wall paintings, some falling to the ground.

Celestia took a bold stand. “ENOUGH SISTER! You must come to terms with yourself! It was just a dream! It never happened!” she ordered and Luna choked back a sob.

“If only you could have felt what we have felt. Bled like we have bled... only then would you truly understand the depths of it... NOW LEAVE US IN PEACE!” Luna boomed, slamming the door in her sister's face...

Evan's perspective...

I awoke somewhat peacefully, the feel of soft fur brushing up against my bare skin waking me. My backside felt a little chilly, as the sun's beams now shone past my bed and more to the center of the room.

I let out a morning yawn and Twilight giggled. “Morning sleepyhead, sleep well?” she asked and I just just mumbled something incoherently. She giggled again and nuzzled up against me. Her purple eyes seemed to sparkle and gleam as she looked into my own eye.

“Morning mum,” I replied and she exhaled.

“You know, it's okay to call me just Twilight,” she offered and I chuckled.

“Okay, Just Twilight,” I smiled as she rolled her eyes.

“Smarty pants,” she giggled. We laid like that for another few minutes before she kissed the side of my neck. “You know... I haven't given you a present yet,” she mentioned but I just shrugged.

“Sure yah did... yah gave me a birthday party,” I mentioned but she just kept giggling.

“Well... I may have made mention to do it... and maybe organized it... but Pinkie really made the party happen. But...” she trailed off and rubbed a hoof between my legs, stopping at my morning erection.

My body shivered as my erection throbbed. “Ugh!” was all I managed as she giggled further.

“Hmm... I think I may have something you'd like to unwrap,” she suggested, pulling the blankets off her body and revealing herself to me. She was dressed quite nicely in a dress that looked like it was probably made by Rarity. Though simple in style, it was very well crafted.

Without my command of thought, my hands began to wander down her sides, her hooves doing the same to me. I found myself undoing the buttons and weaved ribbons that kept the dress clung to her body, quickly tossing it to the side and unveiling her magnificent body. My breath stuttered as my hands stroked down her soft fur sides.

My pants and underwear were yanked off my body by her magic, releasing my morning wood from its confines. “Miss me while you were gone?” she asked, giving my erection a slight stroke with her hoof.

Truth be told, the whole time I was away at the Apple farm, I had only thought of her at night when I got a bit homesick, but during the day my thoughts were pressed to work. I nodded and she smiled. “I can tell, you seem a bit tense... maybe we can both relieve some tension. I've missed you a lot.” She took hold of my hand with her hoof and guided it down to her soaking wet nether region, her slit twitching from my very touch, a moan escaping her mouth.

As I felt the softness of her warm sex, my erection surged and my hips bucked a little in anticipation. At this point I was glad I didn't miss her too much during the last week, because if I did I wouldn't be sure that I could've worked effectively.

My breathing was deep and a little shaky. Her hoof stroked up and down my length, driving me wild in thoughts of what was to come. My index finger ran loops around her lower lips, stopping from time to time so I could rub her fun button, which only made her moan loudly.

Taking both my index and middle finger, I slid myself inside of her, getting a feel of her warm depths that squeezed down around my protrusions that invaded her. “You... you're such a tease,” my mother moaned.

It didn't take long for the feel of her wet pussy squeezing on my fingers to drive me wild with anticipation, so wild that I rolled her to her back in an instant and aligned myself atop of her. She exhaled a deep throaty moan of anticipation, her hindlegs wrapping around my lower back and pulling our bodies together.

I rocked my hips and found my mark. My rock hard tip made contact with her slimy entrance, causing another moan from Twilight. I slowly slid myself into her, savoring every inch of her insides that slowly enveloped my rod.

Her slimy juices quickly covered my groin area as I began to slide myself in and out of her, our motions quickly synchronizing with the other's. She held me tight, nibbling at my ear and neck as I impaled her with my cock.

Her hot breath on my neck drove me wild with natural instinct, letting my more primal side take over as I began to rut her. Every so often, as I'd thrust into her, she'd pull me tight with her hindlegs and give her hips a little wiggle, grinding herself against my hips.

If it was what she wanted, than that's what she'd get. I hilted myself into her and ground my hips into hers, only making her moans get a little more intense. Our lips met and our tongues began to do battle for dominance over the other.

The slopping sound of our hips colliding filled the room, barely ever interrupted by the sounds of our moaning. Her insides squeezed and twitched against my shaft, seeming to pull me deeper inside of her with each thrust.

Before I could really react, her hindlegs dangled down and yanked against my legs, flipping our bodies so that she was on top. Placing her front hooves against my chest for suport, she began to ride me like I was some kind of rocking horse, moaning out sweet notes of love.

My shaky hands found a place at her sides, helping to guide her motions. Her juices began to slime and ooze down my hips and the inside of my thighs, her pussy now leaking like a sieve.

“Mmm... yes, rut me like a wild stallion,” she whined out, thrusting harder and faster against me. “Hold me down and pluder yourself into me!” she squealed wildly. She must've been reading some of Lassie's dirty magazines because I never remembered her having a mouth like this. “Hilt yourself inside me and claim my pussy!” she cried out.

All this dirty talk was getting me going. I felt a hot burning sensation start in my groin and the feeling of a rippling orgasm began to simmer inside of me. I huffed and moaned, grunting deeply as she continued to ride me, moaning out lewd things about what I should do to her.

Feeling my limit start to peak, I rolled our bodies once more, pinning her to the bed and driving myself wildly into her. “Mmm, yes. Finish inside of me. Fill me with your hot sticky seed,” she moaned like a dirty filly.

It was a little strange to hear her talk like this, regardless if we were having sex. It just didn't sound like her. Uusually when we did this she sounded more scientific about it, saying things like 'ejaculate' or 'genitalia'... just things that sounded more like you were in a classroom that in the proverbial bedroom.

Her hindlegs wrapped tightly around my back as I kept driving myself into her. There was loud and rather lewd squelching noises that echoed off the walls as I kept humping her like a wild bull.

She let out a loud climaxing moan as her insides squeezed tightly against me. Her even tighter hole pulled me into my own orgasm. I felt myself erupt inside of her as I hilted myself into her deepest depths, plastering the insides of her pony pussy with my creamy spooge.

She let out notes of love as her rear wiggled and twitched against my hips, keeping me driven inside of her. Her orgasming slit milked my cock for everything it had. Soon enough my cum began to leak out of her along with her own female juices, spliced together in a passionate cocktail.

After a few moments, I pulled out of her with an audible 'schluck' that echoed through the room. Laying down beside her, she turned away from me and nestled her back up to my chest. She took hold of my free hand that wasn't trapped beneath her and held it to her belly.

I wasn't quite sure why, but I found myself rubbing circles around her stomach area... maybe it was because it felt warmer there than the rest of her body. 'Why is her belly warmer?' my conscious asked and I simply replied with 'Ah dunno'.

I was too fixated in the afterglow of our moment together to give a crap about anything. My mother spoke up and whispered to me. “Happy birthday,” she mentioned and I nestled my head against her neck and sighed.

After another hour, give or take, we both realized it was getting late in the day and that we should probably clean up and have something to eat for lunch. Twilight made herself decent and turned to me. “Care to take a shower with me?” she asked but I shook my head as I ruffled a pair of fresh jeans on.

“Nah, I'll wash up after you... might get a little frisky if I shower with you,” I said with a smile. She giggled and gave me a nod before heading off to shower up. I put on some casual attire before heading upstairs myself, only to be greeted at the top of the stairs by my oh so knowing dog, who had a smug look on her face, having no doubt peeped on us.

“Not one word,” I muttered and she just kept smiling that damn smile.

“Can we go for a walk in the fields and play fetch?!” she asked joyfully and I was about to speak up before her question registered in my mind and threw me off guard.

“You know... the only thing predictable about you is that you'll be unpredictable,” I said. She closed her eyes, tilted her head to one side and smiled brilliantly.

“Were you expecting something else?” she asked rhetorically, knowing damn well I expected something else. I chuckled to myself and nodded.

“Yeah, okay. We'll go for a walk. Just let me get something to eat-” I said and Lassie zoomed off before returning with some of last night's... this morning's, birthday cake. “Ha-ha... ahhh, okay.”

I took the cake and downed it. It was pretty good, I will say that. We stood for a few minutes as Twilight washed, then waited a little longer after that while she got something proper to eat for lunch... which annoyed Lassie somewhat.

As we waited, I also slipped on the new vest and boots I had gotten as gifts. Though Braeburn had made mention that dusters make me look intimidating, I slipped on my duster and cowboy hat as well.

Before we left, I picked up that Daring Do book that Dash had given me, figuring I'd at least give it a try for Dash's sake. Stuffing the book into one of the inside hidden pockets of the duster, the three of us walked along the streets of Ponyville and were quickly joined by Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo and Spike.

Lassie spoke up. “Oh yeah, they're coming too... and uhh... uhm...” she began looking around but before we knew it, a fume of sparkling dust erupted in front of us. As the pixie dust settled, we were beheld by Trixie.

“The Great and Powerful Trixie requests to come with you!” She took a very regal stance then smiled. Lassie chuckled.

“I invited Trixie too,” she said and we all smiled and moved on together. Passing through town, Lassie bummed some money off me to buy us some food, which Pinkie loaded into a picnic basket.

Walking out into the pasture, Trixie, Twilight and myself settled down on the picnic blanket while Lassie and the youngsters all went out to play. Soon enough however, they had taken my shirt to use as a kite again.

I leaned over to Trixie. “Hopefully they don't get it stuck in a tree again,” I laughed, which she quickly joined into. It wasn't necassarily windy today and they had a little trouble getting the kite to stay in the air.

Dangling my hand slightly forwards, I concentrated and used what my mother had taught me to perform a wind spell. The wind in their area kicked up and began gusting along, keeping the kite airborne.

I leaned back and sat with myself as Trixie and Twilight began conversing. Taking out the Daring Do book, I began reading through it. To my amazement it was pretty good. Daring was paired with what seemed to be some just out of school nitwit who couldn't fight his way out of a paper bag who in the end turned out to be a double agent and just as Daring was gonna beat Rufus he turned the tables on her, resulting in her being locked in a dungeon that was beginning to flood.

As I neared the end of the story I smirked to myself, wondering how much of this was falsified in Daring Do's favor, just like she had done to me. The day pressed on and I finished the book near late afternoon, the book itself a good read.

As the sun began to set I joined in with the kite flying and even played fetch with Lassie, who was getting exhausted from the long day of playing. As the day drew to a close, we all enjoyed a picnic which I suppose would also be our dinner.

Trixie boasted about her great adventures and accomplishments, while Lassie performed mild magic tricks with cards for the three crusader's and Spike. Twilight would, from time to time, correct Trixie on a few things, like the size of certain creatures and how they wouldn't grow as large as Trixie depicted they were, to which she'd say they must've been super mutant versions.

I leaned back and looked to the sky, the setting sun basking an orange haze over the world. Twilight laid beside me. “Good day?” she asked and I nodded, leaning into her for a kiss.

“The best...”

Derreck's perspective,

Hours later...

I crept through the dense forest foliage, stalking my prey who probably figured they were actually the hunter. From time to time I'd take to the trees, avoiding the brittle fallen brush that would likely give away my position if I tried to pass through it.

My prey scanned the area with her weapon, letting it lead her way. “Not so clever girl,” I whispered to myself. Creeping down from the trees I swept through the dark forest like a shadow.

She must've knew I was near, because she swung her weapon around, pointing it in all different directions, shouting out for me to come at her. Creeping along at a silent pace that was quieter than the very wind itself, I snuck up behind her, tapping her on the shoulder.

The woman spun, trying to get a bead on me with her M16 rifle. With my left, I grabbed the barrel before she could bring it all the way around. “Surprise!” I hissed. She tried to drive a knee into my gut but her strike was caught by my right hand right before I delivered a headbutt to her.

I released the rifle and let her stagger back but as she regained her posture I was already out of sight, my speed now ascending to limits I never thought possible. My figure was like a ghostly shadow. The woman peppered the area with blind fire, bullets whizzing in all different directions.

Stopping for a brief moment to reload, I chose that moment to strike. Leaping out of a tree, I hit the ground in a roll before rushing forwards like a wild beast. The woman quickly tried to load her rifle but I tackled her into a tree.

In a blur of motion I tapped against one side of the rear locking pin on her rifle, pulling on the other side of the pin to free the upper receiver of the gun. The whole gun nearly fell in half, dangling by the front pivot pin alone.

Reefing out her firing block assembly, I tossed it away into the forest, rendering her firearm nearly unusable, save for the grenade launcher attachment. She gave me a quick kick to the groin, staggering me back before looking to her gun and tossing it aside.

Tapping on my tippy toes, I kept my arms in a defensive position, ready for hand to hand combat. Instead, she reached for her gun, giving herself away too early. Her draw wasn't nearly fast enough and I was on her in a split second.

As she pulled her S&W 629 Performance Center from its holster, I chopped at her exposed wrist with the side of my palm. Her nerves spasmed and her grip on the revolver was lost.

The gun falling away to the ground, I drove a quick jab to her face, staggering her back. “Come on missy... you're getting slow on me!” I teased and she drew out a combat knife. “Oooooh... you really don't like playing fair huh?” I asked as she charged me.

Swinging the knife with great talent, it was all I could do but dodge her slashes by mere millimeters. As he kept swinging at me I kept moving backwards, bringing us even deeper into the forest's jungles.

Finally having enough of her failed slashing, I grabbed her wrist as she tried a stab. Twisting her arm, I brought her to a knee before slamming a fist into her chest and knocking her to the ground, the knife falling at her side.

I kicked her blade away, circling her while she gagged on the ground. “Come on kid... I ain't even drew my blade yet,” I taunted. Either she was getting slow, or I had gotten a lot faster.

“Didn't your mother ever tell you...” she trailed off and spun herself on the ground, kicking me feet out from under me. I fell and slammed to the ground as she hopped into the air and brought her heels slamming down into my chest. “NOT TO HIT A WOMAN?!” She yelled, figuring she had finally trumped me.

I forced myself into a roll, kicking myself up into a flip and landing square on my feet. “Don't think it's over just yet!” I snarled and she smirked.

“This was over before it began,” she replied, quarreling around me. Charging me wildly, I leapt into the air and drove her to the ground with an airborne roundhouse kick. Grabbing the collar of her shirt, I slammed her into a tree trunk and pinned her.

“It's over!” I snarled. Coughing painfully, she laughed at me.

“Yeah... for you.” The hairs on the back of my neck prickled up and I noticed a laser dot on my chest. Looking to the distance, my vision seemed to zoom and I caught glimpse of a stallion wielding a large scoped rifle.

“FU-” I pulled myself to the side as I tried to swear, but a heavy slug slammed into my shoulder and yanked me to the ground with great force. 'Musta been a .338!' I thought to myself as my right arm went limp, a gaping exit hole in the back of my shoulder.

I was lucky to be alive, let alone still have my arm intact. The woman walked towards me, chuckling to herself as she retrieved her revolver and leveled its sights on me, still walking towards me. “It pays to have friends.”

She stopped just in front of me, figuring I was down for the count and that I'd just call it quites and let her finish me. Instead I booted up hard, kicking the revolver clean from her hands then drove my heels into her chest and bucked her back.

A sniper shot blasted up some dirt just beside my head. 'Christ he's a good shot!' I thought to myself as I flipped myself up and to my feet. The gaping wound in my shoulder began to seal shut and I managed to scoop up her revolver as I ran past it.

Without aiming properly, I fired wildly in the direction of her sniper, trying to pin him down for now. I think it worked, if it didn't than he was either reloading or somehow out of ammo after just two shots.

I came once again to confront Kianna. Leveling her own gun against her I smirked. “Game over, for you,” I mentioned but she just laughed.

“You wish, chump.” Just as she said that, a loud racket of automatic fire ripped through the jungle as a pony in heavy clad armor charged forwards, two American WWII era .30 caliber machine guns mounted on his side, a large box on his back that no doubt fed the gun.

Bullets chewed up the dirt around my feet. I quickly fled to cover, cursing madly to myself. 'She really doesn't fight fair!' I thought as I tried to cap off a shot at the heavy hitter, only to find the revolver empty. “A lot good that'll do!” I roared as I tossed the gun away.

At first I figured myself to be relatively safe against the machine gun totting pony, until an explosion rattled my cover and sent me airborne, slamming my body into a tree and ringing my ears.

My vision was blurry but I caught glimpse of yet another heavy trooper now walking alongside his machine gun wielding buddy. This guy however, had two RPG-7s mounted at his side, both of them smoking from having just launched their payload at me.

“Mother of fucks...” I grumbled out painfully, blood leaking out my mouth. The pony with the machine guns laid down a suppressing fire that forced me into cover once again as his buddy undoubtedly loaded his launchers for a second payload.

In seconds my assumptions were proved true, unfortunately that meant the explosions that ripped apart my cover also tossed me airborne yet again. But, somewhat fortunately, I found myself tumbling across the ground rather than slamming into another tree like before.

Blood oozed down my sides and face, staining my once clean apparel. Kianna walked forwards, now accompanied by four ponies. The sniper, the two heavy hitters and some ninja looking pony who was dressed in all black spandex, or a fabric similar, with two ninja looking swords sheathed at his... or her, side.

I kept crawling backwards, now at my limit. I found myself dragging my body into an open clearing, my aggressors following me. I kept huffing for breath. I think one of my lungs were collapsed. The sniper looked to Kianna. “Just finish him already. If you don't he might pull off some fancy stunt and get away again,” he commented but Kianna held up her index finger, motioning him to shush.

“How? We're in an open field, guns all directed in his direction... he's mincemeat... speaking of which... cut his head off,” she ordered and the ninja pulled one of his swords from it's sheath. I'm going to call him a him just because.

I flopped back, spent, exhausted and felling defeated. 'Ha! At least it took a well skilled team to take me down!' I thought to myself in my dying moments.

As the sword wielding pony stepped over me to finish the job, the clouds above dissipated. The full moon shone across the lands, illuminating it as brightly as the day sun... well, maybe not quite.

The full moon reflected off her sword and I tilted my head back to see the full moon in all its glory. The ninja pony spoke. “Exposing your neck for me huh? So nice of you to make my job easier,” the pony spoke in a feminine voice. So he was a she.

I could feel something churning in my insides. I felt sick to my stomach yet more powerful than ever before. The moon reflecting into the pupil of my eye made me feelt it... the surge.

The mare swung her sword for my neck but my hand shot up and stopped her swing, catching the sharp blade between my thumb and palm. The swing was stopped instantly and her body lurched forwards slightly from the abrupt halt. “UGH! IMPOSSIBLE!” she gasped, choked in shock.

With a great surge of strength, my feet came between our bodies and kicked her several dozen feet into the air, launching her flailing body into the forest that surrounded the clearing. I felt my insides twisting and churning, my body taking new form.

I went to let out a wail of pain, but found it was more like a howl. I could feel my teeth, my canines in particular, growing obscenely large. The claws that resided inside my arms sprang out just as I came to all fours.

My shoulders hunched low as they broadened out. My fingers reshaped, growing thicker yet shortening. I realized my hands turned into more of a paw like structure, my claws becoming actual claws to grip the ground. The base of my hands and feet grew thick skin pads. My body lurched and stretched out, my mouth opening and letting out another howl.

Hair grew thick around my forearms and other parts of my body but a lot of my human skin remained. Standing up again... uhh... standing to my hindlegs, I let out a growl, the group standing in shock.

The sniper leaned towards his boss. “Told yah so,” he whispered just before the machine gunner opened up. Bullets tore through me and ripped out gaping holes in my back, enraging me further beyond my limits.

I charged forwards at blinding speeds, a red dust fuming at my feet... paws. The heavy with the launchers fired both shots but my speed was so incredible I found myself able to zigzag through them, as if the rockets were traveling so slow that I passed them like they were standing still.

Reaching the launcher pony, I hammered a powerful fist into his chest, sending him tumbling back several dozen yards, the force of my hit denting his armor. As he tumbled along, parts of his armor and his weapons flung off his body.

The machine gun pony lit me up, trying to shred me apart. I turned to face him and walked straight up to him, his guns blasting into my gut and spewing crimson out my backside. I grabbed hold of the scorching barrels and bent them to a ninety degree angle, rending the weapons useless. His eyes went wide as all my grave wounds sealed shut in seconds.

“Didn't your mother ever tell you not to play with guns?” I asked as I headbutted him into the ground. Though such a short distance, the force of my headbutt caused his body to crater the ground beneath him. He was lucky to be wearing that damn helmet.

Bullets ripped into my thick hide and made me flinch angrily. I turned to see Kianna and her sniper backpedaling to the forest, yelling for the others to retreat.

I charged after them wildly, snarling like the feral beast I had become. Kianna and her sniper split up, and I chose to follow the woman. She was the leader so it's best to take out the commander.

My speed had further increased, red dust and smoke fuming from my hindlegs as I ran. From time to time I'd hope into the trees and leap treetop to treetop. Kianna roared at me, firing into the shadows of the forest. She yelled as thought a fierce and courageous warrior, but I could hear it in her voice. She was truly petrified.

Getting close, I launched myself off a tree and tackled her into the ground, our bodies rolling before I finally pinned myself atop her body. I snarled, my mouth now starting to form out into more of a snout and drooling slightly.

I snarled and growled, barely able to speak anything intelligible. “Game...” I snarled before managing the last part. “Over!” Before I could strike however, a heavy slug tore my body off her's, the force of the shot dragging me across the ground.

I looked and saw her sniper friend. “Gotcha covered!” he said proudly. I growled but before I could get my footing, a bundle of dynamite sticks landed just two feet from my body and I looked to see the launcher pony give me a departing salute.

I realized that in my feral animalistic state, I hadn't caught onto the sense I was being surrounded. The sniper tossed Kianna her revolver which she pointed to the dynamite. “Lights out puppy dog.”

The gun seemed to shoot in slow motion, my eyes watching the bullet slam into the dynamite which in turn erupted viciously.

My body was nearly torn apart as I was launched over the side of a cliff edge I had no idea was there. I let out a roaring howl as I fell to the depths below and slammed into the surface of the river below, being dragged away by the rapids...

Evan's perspective...

I awoke with a gasp, the fading nightmare blurring off into the depths of my mind. I coughed violently before settling. My breathing slowed as I found myself in the safety of my own room, though it was rather dark.

I came to the conclusion it was still late night or early morning. I clucked my tongue, finding myself parched and just a little thirsty. I stepped out of bed and hopped along, the concrete floor a little chilly on my bare feet.

“I need a pair of slippers.” I ascended the stairs in a mere two strides, finding myself somewhat flexible and agile. I walked into the kitchen and poured myself a fresh glass of water from the taps.

Sighing to myself contently, I found that I wasn't really tired, despite how late it was. I wondered to myself just what time it really was and looked to the clock, my eye going wide with shock. “EIGHT THIRTY!” I gasped, realizing it was pretty late in the morning for it to still be this dark.

I rushed to a window and realized the full moon was still high in the sky. “Huh... maybe the royal sisters are being lazy...” I commented, remembering that in this world the regal sisters controlled the sun and moon cycles.

Settling with that thought I began to stroll back towards my room and saw the television on, the test pattern on the screen, blaring away. I also noticed a figure on the couch. I chuckled. “Enjoying the test pattern Lassie?” I joked but didn't get a reply.

I walked over but gasped as I found my friend cased in stone with a horrified look on her face. “GAH! LASSIE!” I screamed. My heart began to race. 'Wait... wait, I remember a story about this!' I thought to myself, remembering my mother once telling me a story about a funny looking chicken turning ponies to stone.

“Okay... relax... relax... she can fix this!” I told myself as I rushed up to my mother's room. As I entered however, I tripped over something hard and slammed face first into the floor. “OUCH! Dammi-” I cut myself off abruptly as I was jolted in fear by the stone formed Spike, a terrified look on his face also.

“GUH! AHHHH! FUCK!” I roared as I scrambled backwards, trying to find my footing. Twisting and leaping up, I came to my mother's bedside, only to be mortified as I found her too encased in stone.

Her face wasn't as horrified as Lassie's and Spike's... more of a heart broken look. “OH... OH FUCK ME... SHIT!” I yelled, beginning to curse wildly to myself. “Okay... okay calm... be calm... how'd the story go?” I asked myself, trying painfully to remember what Twilight had said about their encounter with the stone chicken thing.

“FLUTTERSHY!” I snapped. “Just... hold tight guys, I'll be back!” I assured them, though they probably couldn't hear me. I rushed downstairs and slipped on some clothes that I grabbed quickly.

Rushing out to Cadance, I didn't even bother playing naughty with her. This was a serious problem. I started the truck and raced at dangerous speeds out to Fluttershy's cottage. As I reached her little bridge I came to a stop in the truck. More shivers went down my back. All her forest friends had been turned to stone in her yard.

My jaw dropped open. This was bad... really bad... really, really, REALLY bad. I reached into the back seat and fished out the black box, quickly retrieving Belladonna and loading her up. Something was off... maybe not off as much as really disturbing.

I stepped out of my truck, leaving it running. I don't know why, but I figured I might need a quick getaway if things went south... further south. I kept my hand cannon drawn, letting the big barrel lead my way.

I came up to Fluttershy's door and knocked but got no answer. Knocking again, I became suspicious. I beat on the door, nearly to the point if I hit it any harder it would fall off the hinges.

I stepped back to boot it down but stopped abruptly. Re-posturing myself, I reached for the handle and opened the door. “Fluttershy? Fluttershy it's me Burdy. I'm not... not here to hurt you...” the last part of my assuring statement was more of a whisper as I looked around her home. It was dark and gloomy and on the floor lay a couple of her animals, turned to stone.

“Oh... oh no... no... NONONONO!” I roared as I raced up the stairs and to her room, only to find her too completely turned to stone. “FUCK!” I boomed and rushed back outside, closing the gap between myself and my truck in just seconds.

I hopped into the driver seat, feeling a sense of semi-safety wash over me. My mind drifted off slightly and began to wander about my options. No sooner had I drifted off in thought, a screeching hiss startled me and I turned to look in my passenger seat.

A dinosaur opened it's mouth, revealing sharp fangs as it continued to screech at me horrifyingly. Flaps on the sides of its head winged out as it lurched for the kill...

I jumped in my seat. I had drifted off in thought of what to do. I swung my cannon's barrel to the passenger and rear seat just to be sure. “TOO MANY FUCKING MOVIES!” I roared and quickly locked my doors. “Okay... okay... there has to be a book about this back at the library,” I assured myself, pulling away in Cadance and heading back to Ponyville.

Despite the time, nopony was out and about. “Oh goddess... oh goddess... oh sweet Celestia tell me everypony isn't a stone fucking statue!” I yelled. My truck screeched through the streets, the sky now full of rain clouds and pouring down relentlessly. My headlights pierced the darkness as the truck's tires splashed through the streets at mediocre speeds.

The street lamps were out. I prayed to myself they were on a timer or something and not out due to electricity outage. Cadance came to a screeching stop not far from the library's entrance. I shut the truck down and rushed inside the dark library, quickly fumbling through the vast quantity of books. I had no idea where to start.

The moon was still up, ponies had been turned to stone... the chicken thing. “What's that chicken thing called?” I asked myself, quickly fumbling through the books.

“Cockatrice... it's a Cockatrice...” I fumbled and found the book, quickly sifting through the pages. It spoke of things like it's feared stare that turned ponies to stone and it's appearance. It also spoke of how the Cockatrice, and the Cockatrice alone, was the only thing that could reverse the stone imprisonment it put ponies into.

However, it never once spoke about mass genocide... or whatever this could be referred as. It also never spoke of the moon still being in the sky.

An eerie giggling echoed through the library. I snatched Belladonna and swung her sights to the door, only to be greeted by the looming shadow of the doorway. I now accepted the fact that the electricity had gone out, though that didn't mean I liked it.

I stood idle for a moment before calling out. “Hello... hell... hello?” I asked worriedly. The giggle echoed again and I pointed my hand cannon in several directions before aiming back to the doorway. “Pinkie! If that's you this isn't funny!” I roared.

A maniacal voice replied, unfamiliar and it's owner not known to me. “Come out and play, hero,” it said in a feminine voice.

“Pinkie... FUCK OFF!” I boomed, hoping this was just some out of character, sick joke of hers.

“No pink here... just blue,” it giggled in a foalish voice.

“I'M FUCKING WARNING YOU... I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU, I SWEAR TO FUCKING GODDESS!” I roared out my warning but got no reply. I kept my finger just barely touching the hair sensitive trigger. I won't lie... I was scared shitless at this point.

Taking my finger off the trigger for now, I set it just outside the trigger guard and crept towards the doorway, peeking outside but seeing nopony around... at least I hope it was a pony calling me.

The moon still shone brightly down upon the world. It was the only source of light now that the power was out. I snuck out onto the street, trying to be as sneaky as I could be. “Dammit... I need a cardboard box,” I hissed to myself.

Now in the streets, I heard a laughing that seemed to echo from all around me. I began pivoting in circles, and soon the world seemed to be spinning around me. I stopped abruptly and staggered a bit before finding myself confronted by a group of five pegasi dressed in dark uniforms similar to that of The Wonderbolts.

“GUH! AHH... oh goddess... what the hell is going on?” I asked, figuring them to be friendly.

One of them was crackling with lightning, its constant aura around her was fascinating. “I want him! OoooOOOOoooh, I want this one so badly!” she said, jumping around finatically. A gray furred stallion stepped up.

“No, he's mine,” he grumbled. I noticed this one had a goat patch style beard that made him look almost as terrifying as the other stallion in the group. The white stallion, who was by far the most terrifying in the group, had a deep scar on his snout that ran over his lips, though thankfully he stayed silent.

The blue electric one pouted. “AWWWW! No fair Charger, you gots the last one!” she cried and he just grunted. I got a weirded out feeling from these ponies. A feeling that said they weren't necessarily evil but still sent uneasy shivers down my back.

“FINE!” The blue one griped. “Hoof, bite, wing!” she said in a challenging tone. The gray stallion just grunted and they faced off towards each other, shaking their hooves like it was some kinda game.

“Wait... wait, what do you mean 'get me'?” I asked in a stammering voice. I had a sickening feeling in my gut as my hands tightened around the grips of my hand cannon.

The one with pink hair, another mare, spoke up in an assuring tone. "Don't worry. They don't bite... much." She giggled which made me even more hesitant about these ponies.

The blue one smiled brightly as the stallion flapped his wings, the blue electric mare quickly cheering. “YEAHHHHH! Bite beats wing! I get this one!” she cheered and I blinked, feeling even more uneasy with myself.

On of the other ponies spoke up. “Just remember Blitz. Boss wants him alive,” she ordered and the blue mare, whom I presumed was Blitz, just nodded.

“Yeah, yeah Shady, stop trying to be a buzzkill. I gots this. Just you watch!” She giggled and turned to me. “Ready or not, here I-” she cut herself off and before I could blink, slammed into me, sending my body hurtling back. "COME!"

Where she had struck my chest resided a painful wound that crackled with electricity. I lay flat on the ground, groaning painfully but didn't get so much as a breather when she suddenly flew down from the sky and drove all four hooves into my chest, crushing my body into a crater.

It felt as though a bolt of lightning had struck me. She went to jump again but I managed to roll out of the way, just barely. Where she struck down was slammed into another crater, electricity spurting up.

“OoooOOOoooh, you're fun!” she laughed maniacally. I tried to get a bead on her but she was too damn fast and simply flew into me, plowing my body into a home, my body smashing through the wall.

She let my body go and I crashed out the backside of the building, coughing violently. I sat up but was met by the sight of her standing over me, her face right up to mine. “Give up yet?” she asked and I managed a gasp before she spoke again. “Too bad,” she laughed, booting my face so hard it sent me crashing into another building, this time though I stopped when I hit an inside wall stud.

I staggered, barely holding my balance as she charged in after me, just a blurring ball of blue lightning. I felt her hooves driving punches into my chest, each strike like that of lightning, sending waves of pain all over my body.

I gasped and cried out in pain as she twirled around, giving me a wink before bucking me with her hindlegs, catapulting me through the roof and onto the roof of a building across the street.

I caught a glimpse of her coming and rolled to the side. Her body came crashing down but she too fell into a roll. I didn't bother aiming, it took too long. If I was going to win this, it'd be by luck. I fired wildly, Belladonna roaring in testament to her power.

However, Blitz zipped and zoomed around all my shots, somehow traveling faster than the sonic bullets leaving my hand cannon. I gasped but that was all I managed as Blitz zoomed behind me and kicked me forwards, knocking my balance off kilter.

As I stumbled forwards, she rushed to my side and tripped my feet out from under me. I fellt to the ground, bringing my forearms up to catch myself. Blitz stomped on my exposed wrist and my nerves seared in pain, my hand wanting to let go of my only hope.

My lungs burned as though there was a fire inside me. With my free hand, I managed a hard punch to her throat which deterred her just enough to let me gain my footing. Bringing my gun up again, I fired off two more shots before I was once again relentlessly pummeled by the mare.

As I was kicked across the roof, I noticed the other ponies in the group watching, commenting about the royal ass kicking I was receiving...

My brows furrowed as a deep raging fury boiled over. I couldn't lose this fight... I had to win, because if I didn't, who would save the others? Blitz charged at me, swinging furiously and landing several breath taking blows.

Her hits staggered me towards the roof's edge, the buidling itself being at least four stories high. As she went for the final blow, I slammed the hilt of my hand cannon's grip into her snout, staggering her back.

With lightning fast precision, I gave her a roundhouse kick she wouldn't forget. Charging forwards and away from the roof, I plowed a heavy punch with my left that sent her twirling, but she quickly spun herself behind me at speeds I couldn't even see.

She drove several punches into my exposed back, making me howl in pain. I cocked my arm, ready to drive her with an elbow strike, but instead was stopped as she wrapped her forelegs around my biceps and slammed me to the ground.

Flipping herself into the air, she piled herself into me, striking me extra hard and putting a crater in the roof. Just as she went to hammer me again, I grabbed at her electric mane and pulled her down, headbutting her hard and sending her staggering back.

I rolled backwards and too my feet, realizing that the structural integrity of the roof had been compromised when she hammered me into it. I lifted my handgun and fired several times, not once landing a hit.

Belladonna's slide locked back, signaling she was empty. I managed a curse, but that was about it. She charged me again, a fury of lightning fast punches pummeling my chest. I gasped and wheezed as I was put on the defensive... if it could even be called that. I was more like a punching bag that offered mild resistance to her.

She jumped onto my shoulders, wrapping her hindlegs around my neck and squeezing, trying to choke me out. In another second there was a metal wire wrapped around my neck several times and she quickly constricted it.

I gasped as my throat was closed. Falling to my knees I began to fade out, only briefly hearing a voice. “Alive, Blitz,” said one of the mares.

'Oh... I'm gonna be alive alright... and you're all gonna be dead!' I thought to myself, reaching to the deepest depths of my power. As my mind faded out, I used what little strength I had to push myself up and ram our bodies into the roof access door.

Blitz yelped and the tension around my neck was relieved. I took a deep breath before reaching behind myself and grabbing the hide of her neck. Taking her off my back, I slammed her into the roof surface several times like she was a mere ragdoll. She didn't weigh much which only aided me in ruthlessly beating her body mass into the roof.

However, as I slammed her into the roof for a tenth... or eleventh time, the roof gave out and collapsed. We both fell down with a yelp as debris cluttered down with us, some heavier slabs slamming down too.

I was nearly crushed by a concrete slab that was used for the rooftop's surface. Pushing it off my body, I reloaded my handgun and looked around. Nearby under the hole in the roof, Blitz was squirming in pain, a heavy slab of concrete crushing her lower half.

My hand cannon began to glow brightly, the holy pearlized grips shining along with the golden inscriptions on the sides of the barrel. I struggled to my feet, a stone cold look on my face. My clothes were tattered and torn in several spots, blood leaking out of several wounds. Blitz looked to me with a terrified expression, squirming helplessly beneath the concrete slab. I held the gun with one hand, the bulky triangular barrel pointed her way. My eye squinted slightly, bits of skin and flesh missing from my face from our confrontation. A gleaming sparkle ran down the barrel of Belladonna, stopping to shine brightly just by the muzzle. My hand, several of the fingers bleeding, gripped the handgun tightly as my finger began to depress the trigger. “Hasta la vista... baby,” I quipped in my best Arnie voice as my finger firmly squeezed the trigger.

Time seemed to slow as I heard a loud roar coming at me from the side. Blitz's eyes went wide but within another moment they were gone, along with most of her head. Belladonna roared loudly, a brilliant flash erupting from the end of her muzzle in a circular ball of flame.

The slide slammed back, ejecting a spent casing before the slide slammed forwards, the firing block catching a fresh shell and loading it into the chamber. Before I could lower my sights, the gray stallion with a goat patch beard hammered me from the side, tackling me into another room and beating the living hell into me.

As he relentlessly pummeled my face, I finally caught wind of what was going on and hammered a shot into his kidneys. He grunted but kept hammering me. Another shot to the kidneys, followed by another and he stopped just for a fraction of a second to gasp in pain. It was all I needed.

Taking hold of Belladonna by her barrel, I pistol whipped him across the temple, knocking his body off my own. I stood up and found myself face to face with him. “For what you did to Blitz!” he growled before tackling me out a fourth story window. Lucky for him he had wings so he merely let me go and took flight.

Gravity snared my body and yanked me down, slamming me into a wooden bench that shattered under my weight and momentum. In a way... it caught my fall I guess. I spotted my hand cannon, just out of reach.

I began to crawl towards her but was pinned to the ground as that bastardly gray stallion slammed into my back with all four hooves. I let out a howl of pain, blood spewing from my mouth.

“CHARGER!” Boomed a voice as the other three pegasi flew down. “Alive!” ordered a mare with a plain blue mane.

“AFTER WHAT HE DID TO BLITZ?!” The gray stallion challenged back.

“Those are our orders!” the mare yelled back. The gray stallion stomped his hoof into the ground, cracking the pavement near my head. My eye went wide. “I say we should kill him now!” he challenged back but in response the mare tackled him into the building's wall and began to berate him.

“HE'S GOING TO LIVE! THOSE ARE OUR ORDERS!” She screamed before stepping back. “I hate it as much as you... but orders are orders, and we follow through with them, especially for the boss,” she scorned him.

I took this moment to try and reach for my hand cannon but the other white stallion spotted me, charging over and booting me so hard it launched my body a couple of feet. Before I could even groan he was on me, picking me up by the collar of my shirt and hammering my face with several hard as stone punches.

“I might not be able to kill you, but I'll still kick the living buck outta yah!” the stallion roared as he beat me relentlessly and tossed me aside. I found myself crawling weakly towards the water fountain at the center of the street.

I leaned myself up against it and just sat there defenselessly as the group trotted up to me, all of them with furious glares. “Meh... fuck you... do your worst... buncha over confident bitches,” I laughed, blood running down my face.

The one with blue hair, the one Blitz had called Shady, trotted up and began pummeling my face. Goddess... I don't know how long that went on for... probably only a couple dozen seconds but it felt like hours. Every punch was just as mean and brutal as the last, and she didn't let up.

Finally she stopped with a deep exhale. There was a burning in my lungs from the blood that now threatened to drown me. Whipping her mane back, she looked to me with a snarly expression. I chuckled. “Is that all yah got, yah pussy!” I taunted, which was followed by a hard headbutt that sent stars into my vision.

Oh sweet Celestia... this was the beating of a lifetime. She held my head up high for the others to see. “Boss wants him alive... something personal. Probably wants him on display as a trophy, like some grand accomplishment... even if we had to fight and sacrifice for it... but regardless of circumstances, he needs to be alive... sort of,” she looked back to me and dunked my head into the water fountain.

I squirmed and frolicked as she began to drown me but would pull my head up every so often just to let me catch a quick breath before stuffing my head back into the water. It went on for a good hour, I knew that much, before she finally tossed me aside.

“Blitz's death has hit me just as hard as it has hit all of you... but she was foolish. She let her guard down too many times and treated combat like a game, always underestimating her opponent... let that be a lesson to all of you,” she warned the others.

“And you...” she snarled.

“Me... me?” I laughed, weakly pointing at myself. “I'm not the one who's got my panties in a knot,” I laughed but was complimented by a stomp to my chest that probably broke ribs. I gasped and wheezed, finding it hard to breath. Yep... she broke ribs.

“Ahhh... yeah, kee-keep it up. Feels as... as good as c-cumming... like busting a nut inside a mare,” I coughed painfully, though with a wide smile to accompany it. I was treated with a kick to my already busted ribs. I yelped and cried in pain and finally she let up, heaving me up and setting my back against the fountain well. I smirked as she glared at me. "Thought you'd be taller," I chuckled before spitting a glob of blood in her face. My teeth were covered with blood and my lip was split. I expected another beating, but instead she just wiped the blood from her uniform with a casual expression.

“My boss told me... when you were like this to ask you how it feels to let your family down?” she asked and I just spat more blood in her face. She again calmly wiped the blood from her face and sighed.

“How's it feel... to be the last hope of Equestria... and to fail so miserably? Look at you, an absolute disgrace. Something not even a mother could love,” she commented and the last words hit me hard.

“You let her down... she was counting on you... and now she'll spend eternity in stone because you weren't good enough... so, tell me... how's that feel?” she asked.

I felt my body start to stiffen as nightmarish images began to wash through my mind. My legs became rock hard, almost as if I were wearing lead boots.

My mouth gaped open as I whimpered. “You were their last hope... and you utterly failed them,” she told me. I realized that my legs were turning to stone, and that stone was creeping up my body. A horrified expression came across my face but in an instant, my world was encased in darkness...

Third person...

The group of four stood around the stone statue of the man, a look of true horror on his face. “I hope it was worth it,” Charger growled and Nightshade just looked away.

“Shut up... you know I wanted to kill this guy as much as you... but that's why I'm the commander...” she trailed off and looked back to the stone statue. She twitched her lips before spitting into the statue's face.

Turning to the others, she dipped her head, the death of their comrade on all their minds. “Go get a drink... all of you... in memory of Blitz... I'll go report this to the boss,” she ordered before taking off.

The others all looked to each other and took off, except for Charger who stayed behind. He glared at the statue, a burning desire inside of him to smash the stone statue to pieces. He knew he could do it. He was more than strong enough. But doing so would undoubtedly result in death from the boss. Deciding to take the next best option, he walked up beside the statue, lifted his hindleg like a dog and took a leak on the statue. It wasn't much, but it was something. With his business taken care of, he flew off to get some hard liquor.

With the group gone, the streets of Ponyville, most of Equestria for that matter, was left still. Statues and statuettes left in horrified states. The moon beamed it's light across all the lands, shining eerily to the planet's surface below.

Time past on and with the weather left unchecked, multiple storm clouds coasted over Ponyville. Wild lightning left untamed ripped across the lands, chewing trenches and craters with each and every strike. Rain continued to pour down, as it had the whole time

The statue of the man stood still near the water fountain. Soon enough, the moon shone upon his stone body, the light seeming to reflect of his stone body.

As seconds turned to minutes, and minutes to hours, the lands were left nearly unscathed. Perfectly preserved in a bliss of terror. As the moon shone down upon the man, a slight crack rippled across him. Then another, which quickly spider webbed.

The stone began to crumble and fall to pieces, the ground beneath the statue shaking like an earthquake. Smoke fumed off the body as it started to emerge from it's stone imprisonment. The hands suddenly clenched, bits of debris cluttering to the ground. The biceps flexed, bursting away the stone around his arms.

The whole body tensed in unison, the stone erupting off his body. A loud howl of anger echoed throughout the lands. The man's head swung back and he roared in pain to the sky as his body painfully began reshaping itself. His shoulders dislocated and broadened out before relocating. His muscles vastly expanded, veins rippling down nearly every major muscle.

His brows furrowed as a powerful aura surrounded him. It started off as white and he howled louder, the aura changing to dark hellish red.

Widening his stance, the man boomed out a mighty roar as his power surged beyond his limits. A crater formed beneath him from his massive energy output. His aura began to flash straight outwards and changed into midnight blue.

The eyepatch was torn from his face, now revealing his damaged eye that changed vibrantly. His pupil disappeared and his iris flashed into a dark blue that matched his aura. His canine teeth lengthened noticeably.

The skin on his face began to burn in several spots as a long scar was burned straight down the right side of his face. Another started near the top left of his forehead and came down on an angle, going over his previously damaged left eye, across the bridge of his nose, crossing paths with his other scar, around his neck and finally down his shoulder where it stopped.

A final scar burned itself into his left cheek, a scar that was shorter but deeper than the other two. He took deep raspy breaths, his aura fading away for the time being.

He fell to his knees, gasping for air. Looking around, he took in the sights of the haunted town. Looking to the sky, he basked for a few moments in the gleaming moonlight before looking back to the world.

Looking in no particular direction, his expression went blank and he spoke. “I'm back...”

Author's Notes:

Dick cream eh Lassie? Heh...
Cheers everyone... oh, and

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q73gUUr8Zlw