Court Jester:

Chapter 5: Long Forgotten Sons

“He’s dead man.” The words hit me like a brick. Everyone shut up then it was quite we had only been out here one day. How was somebody already dead? It was weird we were never really close but it was like I had known the guy my entire life. “He ran out after a civi and was just cut down. I couldn’t even go help him he was just down in a snap they had an MG at the end of the block.” No one said anything No one COULD say anything what was there to say?

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“Your lucky Twilight isn’t much of a history buff.” Luna was in a crouched position ready to move if needed. She didn’t trust this pony in front of her no matter how large he smiled. She didn’t recognize him though he claimed to be her brother and acted like he had known her all his life. He was completely relaxed except for his huge smile that was across his face.

“Ah, you don’t recognize me do you? But, I bet you could recognize my magic didn’t you? You were always good at that my dear sister Luna.” Jes no longer had his northern accent he now had a deep elegant voice. “As you can see I am not in the same form as I last saw you in. Do not worry my dearest sister everything will become clear soon enough.” Luna suddenly felt very tired yet did not know why. She tried to fight it but knew it was pointless. If he really was who he claimed who he was he would have the best illusion magic in Equestria if not the universe.

“Why...? Why did you come back?” Luna could only fight this for another thirty seconds at tops and had already collapsed to her knees. Jes didn’t bother to answer as he approached her smile still glowing in the moon light.

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“Good start, try breathing more air across your tongue and aiming it that way.” Jes watched the tiny dragon do as he was told; he successfully puffed a larger flame at the rock he was aiming at. “Good now breathe harder, as hard as you possibly can, while you aim.” Spike tried his hardest but still only managed to get a spark that time.

“I can’t aim and blow a lot of fire at the same time can we just work at one at a time?” Spike complained.

“Normally I would say yes, however we don’t have time to train each separately so you need to practice both.” He was calm about this whole thing it was a little weird. Spike had no idea how he knew how a dragon was supposed to use flame.

“How do you know how a dragon is supposed to... work?” Spike finally asked.

“I used to kill them.” Jes said it like he was talking to somepony who hated dragons with every fiber of their being. He then looked down at the dragon then smiled warmly. “That was a long time ago.”

“Oh... Uh... That’s good.” Spike had turned a light pink color and couldn’t take his eyes of this Stallion. His eyes were as big as dinner plates when he asked: “And Twilight likes you why?”

His grin spread, “Oh yes she just LOVES me can’t you tell.” His grin was spread nearly ear to ear. “Besides whom better to teach you how to be a good dragon than somepony who had to kill them?” He had a point though Spike didn’t want to admit it. “I mean think about it I know what is the hardest to avoid and what is the best way to kill. I had to watch my buddies die and had to learn from their mistakes.”

“Uh... Yeah...” Spike was still on edge after learning this pony had killed his species years ago.

“Anyway, like I said as much air as you can and aim it with your tongue.” He moved on as if it was nothing for all Spike knew he killed his parents. This strange stallion seemed to either be oblivious or didn’t care how he sounded to anypony else. “You need to be ready you know just in case. It’s just soldier’s mentality. I mean you’re a dragon after all and we are awfully close to dragon territory.”

“Well I have a few years before any of them would consider me a threat.” Spike didn’t really fear any of the locals even though he had a run in with a few. “I am so small they would think it would be disgraceful to kill me. Wouldn’t they?”

“It’s only disgraceful if another dragon sees it.” Jes sounded like he had experience.

“You sound like you know everything there is to know about dragons.”

“I was hunted and hunted dragons for six years of my life. I have seen friends burnt to ash and then some. I watched as some of them were torn in half with the movement of a claw. I am missing part of my tail because of one of their teeth. The simple fact is I know what it means to be a dragon more than you do.” That got under Spikes skin.

“Like hay you do!” He was furious. How could somepony who barely knew him make such accusations?

Jes gave him a wicked smile. “Prove it.” Spike did just that as he turned to rock and gave it such a fire it melted the surface and charred the rest. When was finished the first thing he heard was laughter. It was booming and it seemed to echo across the clearing they were in.

“What’s so funny?” Spike now turned to the pony and considered setting HIM ablaze.

“YOU! You did it! Look at what you did to the rock.” Spike turned to see the rock was not only burnt but it had started to melt. It was still white hot and it would have burnt even him if he touched it. He just stared for a moment. “That always is the best way to get under a dragon’s skin. Insult his honor doesn’t even matter the age he will just off a cliff without wings to make a point. It would do you well to remember that.”

Spike was still stunned, “I... I... Uh... did that?”

“Yes, you did there is a reason you were given as a test. Though they have little resistant as an egg dragons grow a certain magical resistance. You were given as a test because you were deemed to be especially powerful. Twilight’s test was designed for her to fail. It wasn’t about whether she could pass or not it was about how close she came.”

“How do you know so much about that test?” Spike was confused as to why an earth pony would know so much about a magical test.

“I... Uh read a lot?” He seemed to be guessing more than telling him. “Anyway let’s work on it again.” Jes moved on quickly but Spike dropped it.

“Well I can’t use this rock for target practice again.” Spike looked for another of proper size but found none.

“That’s fine I want to see how large you can make your flame. How did you even get to be part of that test anyway?”

“I don’t know I never met my parents after all I just seemed to come out of nowhere.”

“I see, unwanted.” Spike again turned to the pony.

“Do you want me to burn you?” Spike swelled his chest up and got ready.

“Go for it.” Jes challenged him with a cocky grin.

Spike let the flame go right after Jes had closed his mouth he blew flame all the way across the field. It almost burned some of the trees across the way it would have made Applejack very angry. He stopped the flame only to discover Jes wasn’t in the path of the flame at all he was behind him. He had even been able to get a stick and was now holding it roughly around the dragon’s neck.

“Nish.” He tried to complement them with the stick in mouth still.

“H-how did you get behind me?!” Spike was surprised and angry he had let the pony move so quickly.

“Oh, don’t feel bad about that you will never be as fast as me but, you have to make up for that. You are a dragon after all.” He had spat out the stick and walked around the front of Spike. “You’re a dragon you have a lot of force and I have speed the goal is to find a median for you. You will have a lot of brute force especially till your two hundredth year or so but, you will be able to start moving faster after that.”

“How did you learn all this from fighting dragons?” Spike knew a lot less than this pony and that frustrated him.

“I learn a lot quickly. It’s one of the things I am good at though I wouldn’t call it my talent.” Jes seemed to know a lot for his age.

Spike looked down at the stallion’s mark. He looked back up at Jes he was confused. The four mask mark had nothing to do with the stallion it seemed. “What is your talent?”

“I’m a performer, tightrope, I love it and it just kind of grew on me.” Jes’s grin grew more crooked it seemed every time he spoke. “Especially when they let me go without the net.”

“Are you sure you’re not suicidal? I remember Twilight mumbling about that last night.”

He was suddenly interested. “Ooh, what else did she say?” He looked him in the eye and seemed to just be sucking the information out of his brain. “So?”

“Uh, not a lot else I could understand though the girls where giggling to themselves as they left her room...” Spike felt awkward telling him this. “What did you do to her last night anyway? I have never seen her like that before she seemed like a lot more fun. If she had been able to stand that is.”

He laughed a loud and seemed to boom across the clearing. “I introduced her to something that I discovered after the war. It’s called alcohol I’ll give you some when you are older... maybe it will probably be expensive you will have a huge tolerance.”

“Um... Okay?” Spike had no idea what the pony was talking about.

He laughed again not a loudly. “And... if you tell Twilight she’ll kill me so don’t tell her.” He gave him a wink. “Now back to work I have a nice little test for your ability.”

“What do you mean? I have a bad feeling about this...”

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“Alright here is the plan: you stay out in the field and when I say when you are going to burn this.” He held a stick up. “I’m going to throw it and if you can get it to be lit before it hits the ground we are on track. Ready?” He waited for spike to nod before throwing it into the air. It flew faster than Spike expected and he flailed with his fire as he tried to hit it.

“Hey! That’s not fair you have to throw it at least a little slower!” Spike was caught off guard then angry.

“An enemy is not going to wait for anything! GO!” He threw another but; Spike was ready for this one and got the tip of it in the flame. “Closer! GO!” He threw again and Spike hit the stick but it did not ignite.

“Dang it! I was so close.” He braced himself for the next.

“GO!” Another flew and was hit with a more concentrated burst and it burst into flames. “Good.” Jes was already out of the woods around him and in front of Spike.

“You move quickly.” Spike observed.

“Yes, well I needed to a long time from now. Your... species have good hearing one of our friends learned the hard way.”

Spike cringed as he heard Jes refer the dragons as ‘his species.’ “Look I am sorry for what those dragons did to you!”

He laughed again, “Spike I do not blame you for them I don’t even blame them for them. They were defending their land and species so were we. We saw one another as the bad guy and it took me a long time to come to terms with that. We will always see those who we are fighting as the bad guy because we want to be the good guy. If you asked me now I would say we were more of the bad guys than they were. They killed hundreds for every one of them but we killed every last male, female, and child we found.”

Spike cringed again, “E-every last one?”

He looked down at the young dragon who stared at him. “Not all of them. Some of them survived after they surrender of course. We just had so many more than them it was brutal for both sides.”

“I... I see.” Spike considered asking a question and followed through. “D-did you ever kill any green and purple dragons?”

“No, I heard there were a few of them on the more eastern front than where I was. They were never killed as far as I knew. I tried to keep track of them they had kill rates in the thousands.” Jes gave him a sad smile. “Looks like you got power in your blood kid.”

Spike managed a smile. “Oh, you know it!”

Jes laughed, “Let’s get back to work kid.”

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Spike was exhausted he was tired Jes had been pushing him the last hour without any breaks. He had a lot of energy for his age apparently but, he was still running low. Each flame didn’t take a lot of energy from him although they were all adding up quickly. “You done yet kid?”

Spike huffed and managed to get ready again. “G-go for it!” Again the stick flew through the air. Spike blew as hard as he could and it immediately burst into flames. As soon as it hit the ground he collapsed.

“Now I guess you’re done?” Jes smirked at the baby dragon at his feet.

“What did you do to my baby dragon?” The vaguely annoyed and worried voice of Twilight Sparkle burst into the clearing. “You also said you would be at Sweet Apple Acers!”

“Well, technically we ARE at Sweet Apple Acers can’t you see the apple trees? And we were ‘training’ I guess you could call it I’m helping him with his flame.” He replied still examining the unmoving blob of purple before him.

“Why is a pony helping him with his flame?” Twilight was confused as to why he would apparently know more than Spike.

“Well, I spent around six years killing them so I know what is good and bad. The good survive and the bad died so I guess I would know a little better than all the dragons around here, huh?” Jes gave her a grin finally turning to her.

“I guess you have a point.” Twilight now examined the dragon before them. “What did you do to him I have never seen him so tired.”

“Well, that would be a few hours of making him use his flame. He is a strong one especially at this age he did come from a strong family if I am correct.”

“You killed his family?!” Twilight glared at the earth pony.

“I didn’t say that! I heard about them on the further eastern front they were both strong and had kills in the thousands from what I could tell. I tried to keep track of the other ends of the war and I could gather they were having a really tough time on those two. They are still out there to the best of my knowledge though I don’t know if they are or not for sure.”

Twilight didn’t drop her glare from him. “I don’t know if I believe you or not.”

“You were a lot more fun when you were drunk.” Jes chucked and Twilight’s glare got even sharper. He stuck out his tongue and Twilight couldn’t help but giggle a little.

“I think you still owe me a few more answers!” Twilight said defiantly.

“Such as?” Jes just rolled his eyes.

“How old are you?” Twilight wasn’t going to let him get away easily this time.

He looked her right in the eye. “I’ll tell you if you will learn from a friend of mine.”

“No! You said you would give me answers and I want to know.”

“Hm, that was last night I am not bound anymore I don’t think.” He grinned again. “But, if you let one of my friends give you some teaching when he gets here I will tell you.”

“Fine.” She growled.

“Oh, don’t be like that!” Jes rolled his eyes again. “I’ve got to go help get some stuff set up. We should be giving our first performance tomorrow if you’re interested I got you a few free tickets.”

Twilight gave him a confused look. “You are giving me things when I’m mad at you?”

“Yep, got a problem with that?” He gave her another grin. He pulled seven tickets out of a pair of saddle bags he had near Spike. “There you go I will more than likely be busy for the next two days so you won’t get to see me. However will you go on?” He gave her a sarcastic grin.

“Um, thanks I guess.” She levitated the tickets from the stallion over to her and put them in some saddle bags of her own.

“Did you bring me that stuff I asked for?” Jes walked back over to her.

“Uh, ya here let me get them.” She levitated him a small box she had to get from one of the circus members and a bottle of vodka. He grabbed the bottle with his hooves and gently got the box with his teeth. He put them into his bags and then threw them on his back.

“Well, I have to go... It was good to see you comrade.” He turned to walk away.

“Ya see you later Jes.” He turned his head and nodded to Twilight and she could have sworn she saw his green eye change blue for a moment.

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Twilight walked into Sugar Cube Corner trying to find any of her friends. She had already dropped Spike off at home. She then went to Carousel Boutique to find none of her friends there. She walked into the small sweet shop and discovered all her friends seemed to be waiting for something. “Oh, hello girls...”

“Welcome back Twilight, how have you been?” Rarity was the first to speak.

“Fine, what is all this?” Twilight felt awkward.

“Uh, we just wanted to make sure everything was okay with you.” Fluttershy said quietly.

“Well then let’s hear that from Applejack.” She turned to her orange friend.

“Look sugar cube we’ve had somethin’ mighty strange goin’ on ‘round here. We are jus’ tryin’ tah get tah the bottom of it.” Applejack then told her the story of what had happened the night before to her. Slowly the group of friends all shared their story with the rest of the group.

“Hm, I had a similar thing I was trapped in my head and had to get this thing that was in there out.” Twilight would have explained in more detail if she felt she wouldn’t have confused them.

“I think it’s got something to do with your coltfriend!” Rainbow Dash accused.

“Okay two flaws with that plan one: he is not my coltfriend. And two: he’s an earth pony you know no magic.” Twilight defended the pony she barely knew.

Rarity rolled her eyes. “Rainbow he obviously isn’t a direct cause of this whole thing.”

“Well maybe he is like acting like a sort of beacon or something!” Pinkie suggested

“I doubt that, it waters down the magic a lot if you try to do that.” Twilight objected.

“Well, Ah still don’ like it.” Applejack was angry she wanted to find out who was messing with her head.

“Neither do I but, we need some evidence before we go around accusing everypony for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.” Twilight again rejected the argument. “Besides he was nice enough to invite us to his act for free.” She gave them all a sheepish smile. “Maybe whoever it was will be there, who knows.”

“You may have a point Twilight, that is good idea I suppose.” Rarity agreed with her.

“It’s settled then; tomorrow we will go to that and find who is doing this.” Rainbow agreed.

“Uh... Okay.” Fluttershy agreed a little nervously. That gave everypony a little shock usually Fluttershy wouldn’t have been up for something like this. They all stared at her for a moment. “I’m uh, trying to be a little braver.” She mumbled.

“Then, if you don’t mind I have a little something I want to get some research done on some things. So I will see everypony tomorrow.”

She then returned to the library to find Spike still asleep. Jes must have really worn him out. She then turned her attention to her collection of books that were on the shelves all around her. She searched for a history book that would have something to do with history around the dragon war. She had never really studied history and she wanted to learn what made Jes tick. She searched though every book on history was checked out. She didn’t have that many to begin with but, the school fillies must had a history assignment.

She checked the records and she was right, every single history book had been checked out. Though she found something weird, they were not checked out by school fillies. They had been checked out by different ponies she had never heard of including one that wasn’t even translated. She looked down the list at all ten of the history books that would have to deal with anything like that were gone. “That’s strange.” She wondered why ponies had a sudden fascination in history.

She grabbed another book off the shelf and started to read it. It dealt with illusion magic she decided to try and find something out about this whole thing. It took an hour for her to get through the book. She found nothing in the entire book that was even close to the illusion she had lived and her friends described. She found a book that had the most advanced spells she could and discovered that wasn’t even as close. All the illusions had to deal with making a single sound or sight happening not a whole world.

She was amazed that all of these spells were so tiny compared to how powerful the one she had on her was. She searched through another few books and found the same result in all of them nothing nearly as powerful. She finally gave up after it started to get late and she decided it would be a good idea to go to bed. She lay awake for another hour lost in thought over this. She finally slipped slowly into a sleep with a dream where she was lost in the Everfree Forest. She was being chased by something even though she didn’t know what she only knew she was being chased.

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She woke up to the smell of coffee from downstairs. Spike was up before her as he usually was. She rose slowly and used her magic to brush her hair; then went down stairs. “Good morning Spike!” She greeted the baby dragon cheerfully.

“Morning Twilight.” Spike greeted his sister. “Your friend came by a little earlier today he had a note for you.”

“Jes?” Twilight asked. “What did it say?”

“I didn’t open it.” Spike replied, “It’s over there on the counter. I have some more chores I have to take care of, then are we going to the circus today?”

“Yes, we are, we even got free tickets. A plus of knowing the act.” Twilight levitated the letter and opened it.

Dear Twilight,

It is my pleasure to tell you I am getting to do my act without the net. I had to pull a few strings, hehehe, in order to get it done so I do hope you manage to make it.

-Jes

Twilight reread the letter and then sighed. “He’s going to get himself killed.” She took the cup of coffee from the table and continued to look through books on illusion magic. After an hour she knew she had to get ready to gather her friends and head out. She made sure she had the tickets and went to find Spike. “Spike!”

“Yes, Twilight?” Spike called back down as he walked down the stairs.

“It’s time to get going if we are going to get everypony and be there when it opens.” Twilight levitated the dragon onto her back and started to walk out of the library. She opened the door with her magic to fin all five of her friends waiting.

“Let's go, Twilight we are going to be late!” Rainbow flew in and pulled her out of her house.

“Wow, I didn’t even expect you to be awake yet Rainbow.” Twilight chuckled to herself. “I planned to have enough time to come and get you all.”

“Yes, but I thought it would be better if we were to get there early and see if we can discover anything.” Rarity was more serious than Twilight had seen her in a long time. “I don’t know if this pony would try a second attack but, I am more worried about him or her going after our friends and family.”

“Well, whoever they are they must be very tired considering I didn’t even have a spell that powerful in the entire library. I checked almost every single one except the one for the young ponies.” Twilight explained.

“I’m still worried.” Fluttershy sounded firm and again drew stares.

“Well, let’s get going then.” Twilight led the small group toward the big tent now on the outskirts of town. “They sure got it up quickly.” Twilight observed.

Everypony else was too busy looking for anything out of place. They had a lot to look through ponies on stilts, ponies performing other random acts, huge rides, food stands, and various other vendors. They slowly approached the tent that was at the heart of the madness. It was still early in the day so everypony wasn’t there yet but it was still full of all sorts of ponies.

They went to the large opening at the front of the tent. There was a pony with a ridiculous wig and a painted face out front taking tickets. As they got the front of the line the clown grinned wildly and yelled. “HEY IT’S JES’S FRIENDS!” Immediately they received a huge yell from inside the tent. It was one voice in particular trying to avoid using as much colorful language as possible.

“GET IN!” Jes appeared at the front and dragged them inside. “I was hoping you might come around back I don’t know why but I can dream right? Suppose it was my fault for not telling anypony about how it works for a guy bringing friends. I will get it for weeks to come.”

“What makes you say that?” Twilight gave him a questioning glance.

“Well, after I left you home the other night I went back to the bar and then managed to stumble my way back here. I don’t remember what happened after that and they won’t tell me. Though they keep giving a grin every time I walk by which means something not good.”

Twilight blinked twice and then Jes burst out laughing. “What’s so funny?” Rainbow asked vaguely confused as to what the pony found so humorous.

“Twilight, I found her confusion funny. Is that a bad thing?” Jes gave her a grin over his shoulder.

“I say we move on with plan B this guy is crazy.” Rainbow lowered her voice a little.

That really got Jes laughing. “Good luck fillies. Anyway here are your seats; I will see you all after the show I only have two a day so I’ll see you all later.”

Before anypony could make another comment or ask a question Jes was already gone. They all took their seats and waited for the show to start. It took another twenty minutes before the lights dimmed. It was quite and music started to play it was a combination of many different types of things. First came out the clowns, then the miscellaneous acts, then the air stuns, then everything got quite again.

“Fillies and Gentlecolts we have a very special version of the following act coming up next. He is a veteran and is almost completely crazy in my book. Please give a warm welcome to our tightrope walker: Jes!” The crowd started to cheer. A spot light shown over a platform that was almost a hundred hooves above the ponies. Jes appeared over the ponies on a small platform. The rope could barely be seen from below.

“Today, he insisted in letting us do his stunt without any safety net. He is going across that from that platform to another across the way.” Another spotlight appeared over another platform almost a hundred yards from there. “The catch is that he decides how he’s going to get across. We don’t even know what he is going to do!” Everypony gasped as Jes started to balance on his forehooves.

Slowly he approached the rope sliding and taking tiny steps one after another. He moved slowly but he eventually got the rope and started to put his weight down. He balanced on his right leg first then leaped off his right and landed on his left. Everypony gasped and then started to cheer. He took another two leaps before he seemed to be getting ready to do something. He braced his whole body then did a cartwheel across the thin wire.

Everypony gasped in horror as he appeared to be falling backwards only to dip his rear legs. Leaping after this land again on his front legs after doing a back flip while simultaneously doing a cartwheel. Everypony went ecstatic Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Rarity were speechless. Spike, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie cheered loudly for the multi-colored pony. He grinned at hearing them he looked down at them and stared right at them for another ten seconds before continuing. He then did a flip, an actual cartwheel, and another spinning flip before reaching the end.

By the end of his act everypony in the place was on their feet stomping loudly. He gave a shallow bow on the other platform before disappearing again. The director came out again and even he seemed to be in shock. “I’ll be honest folks he’s always been impressive but, I have never seen him do something like that before. Give him another round of applause that was truly amazing.”

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“Well, that was very impressive to say the least.” Twilight was the first to speak after almost everypony except them had cleared out. Spike sat still awestruck on her back.

“I would have to agree, though it was not very artistic.” Rarity observed

Rainbow rolled her eyes, “That was awesome and you know it.”

Fluttershy nodded. “I have to agree with Rainbow, sorry Rarity.”

“Ah ain’t never seen somethin’ that impressive in a long time.” Applejack still looked up at the wire that was above them.

They all turned to watch Pinkie as she bounced around the whole place yelling. “OHMYGOSH OHMYGOSH OHMYGOSH OHMYGOSH DID YOU SEE THAT?!” She bounced around more before she skipped back over to her friends. She then began to bounce in place, “I haven’t seen anything that awesome since the Sonic Rainboom!”

“Hey!” Rainbow Dash started to argue when Jes walked up. “Hey you were awesome!”

“Ah, it was nothing too big. I just like how they let me go without the net. Though, next time I should probably tell him when I am going to do something that wild. He gets nervous about that stuff.” Jes rolled his eyes and snickered to himself. “Stupid stage managers. Never know how to have fun like anypony else.”

“I heard that you ungrateful little...” He censored himself.

“Ya, ya go back to killin’ the buzz boss.” They both chuckled for a little. “So, I only have a show a little later tonight do any of you want to do anything?”

“Ah got chores,” Applejack said a little glumly. “But, Ah’ll catch up with y’all later.”

“I have an order I have to get to as well so I will have to decline.” Rarity agreed.

“I have some animals that need my help...” Fluttershy sounded like she had offended somepony.

“I have some weather stuff I need to take care of.” Rainbow Dash sighed.

“The Cakes wanted me to help them with the baking stuff today.” Pinkie frowned.

“Well, that leaves just you and Jes it would appear.” Rarity gave Twilight a sly grin and received a glare in return. Rarity leaned over and whispered into Twilight’s ear. “Oh come on and lighten up I think he would be a good match for you.”

“No.” It was the only reply she really needed. Rarity rolled her eyes but didn’t push her any more.

“Well, are you free Miss Twilight?” He gave her a grin and Twilight grown. Jes then gave Rarity a sly wink. “Come Miss Twilight allow me to take you from his awful place. It is my dearest apology to try and make you like such a place. What was I thinking allowing you to be brought into such barbarianism?” He gently removed Spike from her back and placed him on the ground. He then flipped Twilight over using his back legs onto his back much to her protest.

He then turned and galloped away to Twilight’s friends’ amusement. When Jes looked over his shoulder back at them Pinkie was rolling and the rest were very nearly there. Twilight didn’t make the process easy as she flailed every appendage she had. He made the way out the back way after receiving a few relatively concerned looks. After he was out of the tent he let her off his back and then gave her a grin.

“Why did you feel it was necessary to do that?” Twilight asked in a very annoyed voice and glared at him as well.

“You’ve been doing a lot of glaring recently. And I know you wouldn’t have come peacefully if I had not.” Jes had a point though she didn’t necessarily agree with it.

“So what’s stopping me from turning around and leaving right now?” Twilight asked in a tone that was upset.

“Curiosity? I don’t know don’t you ever want to do something that isn’t reading a book? I mean come on? Don’t you want to have just a little bit of fun?”

She blinked he did have a point she had been studying especially because her friends had been busy. It was almost harvest time so everypony had been busy getting thing ready. “I-I hadn’t really thought of it that way but, ya I haven't had a whole lot of fun lately. Okay, Jes... Let’s go.”

He grinned, “There ya go!”

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They had spent the entire day at the circus. Jes had gotten them into things for free of course it seemed like every time he was seen there was a chuckle. He walked amongst the rides and acts and seemed to be known by every worker. He was obviously popular and liked by everypony that knew him. Twilight had to admit he was not hard to get along with though she had a feeling he was being secretive about something.

“Something on your mind?” Jes asked after Twilight had gone quite for a while.

“Um... Kinda how do you get everypony to like you so much?” Twilight decided to ask the source of her problem.

“I... Don’t know to be honest. I am not overly concerned with making friends so I just have them. I don’t make it my top priority I just have known a lot of these ponies a long time so we are sort of forced to as well.” Jes shrugged.

“So you... Don’t try?” Twilight sighed she didn’t understand this pony.

He laughed again, “Just treat them friendly and they should treat you friendly as well.”

“Hm, I guess that might work.” Twilight thought about it for a moment.

“If it doesn’t, you probably don’t want to be their friend anyway.”

“Your pretty smart, Jes.” Twilight noted.

“Ya, well I try you know how it is.” Twilight rolled her eyes and he laughed

“So now what do you want to do?”

“I have to go back to work again, sorry, I’ll see you later?”

“Sure, I’ll see you Jes.”

They parted ways and Twilight started to head home through the town. It was almost empty because everypony was out at the circus. It was kind of peaceful as she walked through the town though it was very quite in comparison to how it usually was. She sighed as she opened the door to the library. It was quite inside and she was grateful as the circus was so loud and she wanted to get caught up on studying.

“Welcome home my dear.” Rarity was in her kitchen.

“Who let you in?” Twilight asked though she already had a good guess.

“Who do you think my dear? That dragon is such a nice little guy.” Twilight held back a giggle.

“So, what did you need?” Twilight asked.

“I wanted to know how things went with your stallion.” Rarity stared intently at Twilight.

“I don’t own him.” Twilight rolled her eyes.

“I’ll take that as well. Good I knew you were perfect for one another.” Rarity had triumphant grin.

“We are not together Rarity! Nor do I plan on it we are friends that is it.” Twilight glared till Rarity reluctantly nodded.

“Fine, I can respect that I suppose Twilight. I am afraid I must get back to work though so I will see you later, okay?” Rarity trotted out the door and back toward the boutique.

Twilight sighed loudly after she was out of earshot and closed the door. She then checked to see if any of the history books had been returned none had been. She decided to grab a random book off the shelves and started to read. It was about some strange theory about how death was actually controlled by a pony. She rolled her eyes after she had finished it was relatively short only about two hundred pages. “Death being a pony? How ridiculous!”

______________________________________________________________________________

Spike had already gone to bed and Twilight was still awake reading. She had gone through another hoof full of book and was about to grab another. Suddenly she heard a familiar voice from outside singing in another language. She went to her window and looked outside to a drunken Jes stumbling down the road. It was very late for somepony to be singing as loud as he was. His voice boomed down the street and it was amazing somepony hadn’t already yelled at him. “Jes? What are you doing?” Twilight asked the drunken pony who was now in ponyville square.

“Chto? Da! I mean hello Twilight how are you tonight?” He laughed and tried to stand still but, couldn’t and decided to lay down instead. With another laugh he looked back up at Twilight his green eyes were know trying to hide something.

“What are you doing?” Twilight repeated.

“Me? I am... I don’t know... I forgot.” Jes laughed again and started to shift to get on his feet. “But, I should get back to it because it was important.” He got on one foot then started to get on the others then fell again. He started to laugh wild and heartily then looked back up to Twilight.

“I don’t think you should be going anywhere this late at night, it can wait till morning. I’ll help you out tonight how about that?” He shrugged and she started down the stairs to help him. She opened the door and approached the stallion lying in the street. Looking down at him he was even drunker than she had thought. She could smell the booze on him from five steps away. She was amazed to see he wasn’t drenched in the stuff.

“And, how do you plan on helping me?” He was finally serious about something.

“I’ll help you back to your... residence? I don’t know what you call it in your line of work.” Twilight saw his grin fade and then seemed to grow even larger than before.

“Well, I would normally accept, except I’m no longer employed. So that would definitely be one of the major issues with that idea there.” Jes then got to his feet and seemed as though he just wanted to leave. “Can I just continue walking? Just till I remember what I’m walking toward?”

“No longer employed? You quit? I thought you liked your job?” Twilight was confused as to why this pony would just quit his job if he loved it like he said he had.

“Yep, yep, and yep.” He chuckled to himself. “I have... more important matters to attend to from now on. I have had some... other work turn up which is much more important. So, I had to quit I said goodbye to everypony and then left. So I have no ‘residence’ if you must know so I thought I would have a nice little walk... Somewhere. And now I’m here after stopping at the bar for a drink or two of course.” He chuckled again.

“Okay then where did you plan on staying the night?” Twilight knew he had no plan outside of wandering the streets.

“I would ah... Rent a room at the inn?” He was lying and Twilight could tell.

“You're a bad liar what did you plan on really doing?” Twilight glared at the pony that stood about a hoof taller than her.

“Well, if you really must know I was going to spend the night in one of the few places I really find as home. You call them trenches it was the place I really grew up so I figured it is home.” His smile was gone and he shifted to be able to leave quickly if needed though they both doubted he would go far.

“Well, I have another bed you can stay in.” She said sadly and tried to give him a smile.

His usually warm and joyful eyes had gone cold and he gave her a bad smile back. “I don’t want to impose.” He shifted a little more and was ready to make his well planned get away.

Twilight stepped to get in his way she then received a pleading glance. “I insist it’s no trouble really.” He begged with his eyes for another thirty seconds then reluctantly nodded. She then led him into the library and got him some tea. “I hope you like it this it’s a favorite or mine.”

“I’m sure it will be fine, thank you, Twilight.” He was still awkward and seemed to only want to leave.

“What is bothering you so badly?” She asked as she passed the tea to him.

“I... Uh... I’ll tell you later. Could you please not talk about it I’m a little... uncertain about it.” Jes gave her a weak smile. He down the entire mug of tea in twenty seconds flat. “So... where am I sleeping?” He was really ready to just get this whole day over with.

“Ya you are upstairs let me show you after I’m done with my tea. In the mean time do you need to talk about something I mean you seem pretty bothered by whatever it is.” Twilight looked at the earth pony over her mug as she started to drink her tea slowly.

“I said I would tell you later and that’s the plan. You done with your tea yet?” He asked as Twilight looked down to realize she was. She didn’t think she had been drinking that fast.

“Um, ya I guess so... Off to bed then?” Twilight led Jes upstairs to the bed across from her.

“Here you are.”

“Thank you, again Twilight... Though you really didn’t have to go through all the trouble. I like to be alone when I can just think. I have to travel with everypony and there is no time to think. But, thank you, again, and good night, Twilight.”

He got into the bed awkwardly like he had never been in one before and was quite. Twilight got into the one across from his and they fell asleep without another word.

______________________________________________________________________________

Twilight awoke and looked over to see Jes was gone she got out of bed and sighed. She was even up a little early today and he was already gone. She went down stairs to find Spike making breakfast for her. “Did you see Jes by any chance?”

“Not really, he woke me up when he left. He was gone so early the sun hadn’t even thought about coming up yet.” He huffed and passed her the plate with the salad in it. It wasn’t a grand salad but, it still looked good. “He left a note I didn’t open it.” He then also passed her the note.

Dear Twilight,

I have decided I am going to go for a walk I have some things I need to figure out. I will be in the Sweet Apple Acres clearing we were in the other day when you receive this. I do hope you will join me there are some things I have decided I have to share with you. I am sorry I have neglected to tell you these before.

Your friend, Jes

The writing was plain but it had the most beautiful hoof writing Twilight had ever seen. The message seemed cryptic and it confused her but, she finished eating and got ready to go. She went to open the door when Spike belched. “Hey Twi, I think this is for you.”

Twilight walked back to Spike who was not holding a letter from the princess. She took the crisp fresh letter from the dragon with her magic and opened it.

Dear Twilight,

I am sorry I have to be brief but, I am afraid my sister has gone missing. She was not here almost at all yesterday and she had not yet returned. I know it is unlikely you would have heard anything but, if anything turns up please tell me.

Your teacher, Princess Celestia

“Luna’s gone missing and I’m tired of this I am going to get some answers.” She stormed out of the library without another word. She ran to the clearing as fast as she could and received many strange looks from the few ponies out at that hour. She finally arrived in the clearing to find Jes calmly sitting in the very middle of it. He looked up as she ran into one of the few places on the farm that lacked trees. He grinned as she walked.

“I suppose you have just received a letter from the princess telling you Luna is missing am I? Correct and now you want answers?” Jes could read her like a book.

“What are you doing?” Twilight was now very angry and she was no longer asking for answers.

“That, you will need to force out of me if that is your intention I warn you though I know the area around these parts very well.” Jes got to his hooves and Twilight took a few steps closer.

“Your some kind of terrorist aren’t you going to try and kill Luna and Celestia aren't you?”

He laughed harder than she had ever seen anypony, including Pinkie Pie, laugh before. “Yes, you guessed it I am a violent terrorist that has turned against the country he died for.”

“W-what d-did you just say?” His grin grew crooked and he then started to run.

Twilight took off after him but, he was fast and was headed for the Everfree Forest. She knew he would get away from her for sure if he got into the forest. She cast spells throwing things at and in front of Jes with her magic. He didn’t even seem to flinch as she threw rocks and branches at him. He seemed to be slowed slightly whenever she put something like a branch in front of him. She would never be able to stop him before he reached the forest.

She tried to trip him repeatedly and each attempt failed more than the last. He finally made it to the dense tree time and went inside. Twilight knew it was useless but, chased him deep into the forest anyway. She followed him for ten minutes before he appeared to be starting to slow down. She could see he was suddenly scanning the skies. He was obviously looking for something. Suddenly he stopped and looked back at Twilight with eyes wide in fear.

“Twilight!” He was whispering and was hiding behind a tree. “You need to run... Run and don’t look back and don’t stop running till your back in Ponyville.”

“Good tr-” He suddenly grabbed her and held a hoof over her mouth and hid them under a tree.

“Listen to me; you need to get out of here. I heard something I have not heard in a very long time-” She heard a massive roar and suddenly a huge shadow drifted over them. “Horse apples I thought I had more time.” He spoke rapidly and nearly hissed the words. “You. Need. To. Run. I am going to hold him off, go now. I’ll be right behind you.” He gave her a wink.

He didn’t wait for a response as he shoved her back the direction they had come and started yelling. “Hey long time no see! You want to try again here I am come get me you big lizard!”

She heard another roar and started to run as fast as she could. She didn’t look back even though she wanted to. She made it about three hundred yards before she heard a gruesome scream. She couldn’t stop no matter what happened she had to keep going at all costs she had to get help. She heard another another roar and heavy beating of wings and then the fear really started to take her over.

She stopped as a massive dragon crashed through the tree tops and look at her with one of its orange eyes. It was crimson red with black spikes and spines. “Your little friend has killed my mate. I shall kill you in fair trade, goodbye little one.” The fire seemed to come into existence as he opened his mouth.

“So, this is where it ends.” Twilight thought to herself. “I suppose I have had a better life than many ponies like me.” She accepted it as the fire got closer and close and she stared death in the face. Suddenly there was a rush of gold, white, and black there was a pony in front of her. It wasn’t that which surprised her when she focused more on the creature. It was an alicorn the wings spread wide and the horn glowing. The flames could not penetrate the invisible shield in front of it. It looked back at her with a very familiar grin then turned back to the dragon.

When the flames stopped the dragons eyes grew wide as it realized who it was looking at. “I have killed you three times now little pony!” It leaped forward with jaws wide and got ready to devour the whole alicorn. It was suddenly stopped as a golden glow appeared around it roots from the ground and seemed to come alive. They then bound the massive dragon to the ground and it started to move slowly. It still struggled but it seemed to be giving up and finally stopped moving.

“W-who? Did you kill it?” Twilight was surprised she had even been able to get all that out.

“Well, Twilight it seems I have some things I need to explain don’t I?” The White haired alicorn turned to her his golden main flowing in the wind. The burnt flesh covering its front seemed like it was being consumed by more of the white coat that covered his body. His colors seemed to change as well as being an alicorn but, his mark was not changed. He chuckled, “What don’t you recognize the pony you just let sleep in your home last night?”

Author’s Note: I have had a lot of fun with this and thanks to all of those who faved and reviewed. I really appreciate it and I hope to do a lot of things with this though I don’t know how long it’s going to be. Right now all I know is I’m five chapters in and I don’t think it is going to stop anytime soon. I am going to throw a few twists in here and there so have some fun. I apologize for this chapter taking so long that was due to technical issues (I managed to lose my laptop power cord). Also a lot of editing to the first few chapters. They are not mine: My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic all characters and places belong to Hasbro. Also I would ask for the next thing they produce is some kind of big fourth wall drill machine kthxbye.