To think in just a few short moments, something could turn into a complete nightmare.  The girls were petrified as Applejack thrashed in Jasper’s grasp, the chains of his shackles wrapped around her wind pipe.  Twilight couldn’t react; she was frozen in fear and was afraid to make a move.

Jasper leaned forward and whispered in Applejack’s ear, “You know, I’ve dreamt of this moment for a long time,” his voice like ice, “Me strangling the sickeningly sweetness out of one of you,” his grip slackened and he threw her to the floor roughly, “But unfortunately for me, that time has LONG since passed,” he grumbled under his breath, “Lucky for you.”

Applejack coughed and glared daggers at the human who glanced around at the interior of his new surroundings.  He pursed his lips as he inspected the walls of the castle in interest.  The girls, having regained themselves stared at Twilight who now felt SEVERAL inches shorter.  Rainbow Dash landed in front of her and glared straight into her soul.

“How long,” she stated with an even glare.

“What?”

Rainbow jabbed a hoof in Jasper’s direction, “HOW BUCKING LONG DID YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS AND DECIDE NOT TO TELL US?!”

Twilight looked down at the ground, “I received the letter a few days ago, after the incident with the griffons.”

Rarity shook her head, “You should have told us, withholding this kind of information from us all was most uncalled for.”

shook her head as Jasper snickered, “What’s this?  Disharmony amongst the elements of harmony, not good,” he shook his head and tsked, “Not good at all.”

Rainbow reeled on him, “Cram it Jasper,” she raised a threatening hoof, “Unless you want me to scramble that brain of yours!”

Jasper snorted, “If you so much as touch me, horse, I’ll snap your neck.”

“Oh really,” she flew up to him and shoved him into a table, “Oh look, I touched you!”

Jasper turned his head and grasped a nearby chair.

Twilight stared at the two, her friends rushing toward the fray yelling at the human.  In a split second, something in her snapped.  She narrowed her eyes and grit her teeth in annoyance.

“STOP THIS STUPIDITY NOW,” she yelled in a loud booming voice reeking of a commanding tone.

In that instance, an onyx aura wave flared from her horn and blasted everypony present to the ground.  Everypony was winded and stared in shock and mild fear at Twilight.  Even Jasper was taken off guard by the outburst.

Twilight glared at them all as Rarity slowly stood and calmingly spoke, “Darling, stop channeling your magic,” she gave a shaky smile, “We’re all friends here.”

Twilight caught her reflection out of the corner of her eye in the crystal wall.  Her eyes widened.  Though she was staring at her reflection, what stared back was not Twilight Sparkle.  This Alicorn’s horn was alight with dark onyx colored magic.  The eyes, which burned with anger, were onyx in color with slits for pupils.  She stumbled backwards, her magic fading and her eyes returning to normal.  She looked around at her friends, her lower lip trembling as tears welled up in her eyes.

“I’m….I’m sorry, I didn’t mean,” she ran off into the castle as the girls gave chase in an attempt to talk to her.  

Jasper shakily stood and looked down at his shackles, the chains of which were damaged; he smirked as he gave then a sharp yank.  A satisfying snap was heard as the two chain ends dangled freely.  He glanced around, curiosity leading him from the room.  As the human wandered, he started to take note of the layout, as he passed a closed door however.

“Hey.”

Jasper sighed, “You’re here….”

Tony nodded, “Yeah, of course I am, I’m your friend dude.

Jasper turned to fully face Tony, “No, you’re not,” he pointed a finger at him, “you’re dead….,” Jasper looked away in shame but then regained himself and mumbled, “Either you’re a ghost….or…”

“You’ve actually lost your mind and I’m a hallucination?  Well,” Tony shrugged, “Who knows, but most doors, like the mind.  Have to be opened.”

Jasper shook his head and looked up, and he titled his head.  He had failed to notice Tony had been standing in front of a half opened door.  Tony of course was nowhere to be seen, but the human’s curiosity had been peaked.  Walking to the door he eased it open and raised an eyebrow.  Sitting in the room before him was a familiar object he had never thought to see again.

“Ah, hello again old friend,” he approached the Crystal Mirror which seemed to be hooked up to a machine of some form, “Interesting, so this is the contraption Twilight told me about.”

He looked down at the shackles on his wrists and removed the metal rods keeping them sealed, the bracelets falling to the ground with a clatter.  He rubbed the flesh that had been covered and stared up at the glass surface, scratching his chin stubble he approached.  

“Well, I really don’t want to walk around in these forever,” he glanced down at his attire, “And I don’t want to ask garment horse to make me anything….though I’m curious….”

He glanced behind him and quickly placed his palm against the glass.  For a moment he thought nothing would happen, but then it gave and his hand sunk through.  He smirked in satisfaction.

“Well,” he stated calmly, “at least that little failsafe I installed still works.”

Glancing around once more, he passed through the glass.

*

In moments, he emerged into light.  He gazed up at the familiar school and took note of the fact that it didn’t seem as active as it usually was for that time of day.  Shrugging, he approached the doors and eased them open.  The school’s halls were deserted, though he heard murmurs occasionally as he silently meandered through the halls, all with the purpose of finding what he was looking for.  Eventually he came just outside the office and saw a large box with a hanger rack marked ‘lost and found’.  He shuddered slightly as he started digging through the box.  Eventually, after close to twenty minutes of digging and avoiding some close calls, he emerged with a green t shirt just his size, a pair of dark blue jeans that were a little large for him.  Thankfully he found a belt that had a flower buckle; he took a mental note to deal with that later.  He then found a pair of black runners that was one size big for his feet, but they would have to do.  Making haste to the bathroom, he swapped his clothes, minus the prison pants which he modified to be undergarments before donning the jeans.  

Slipping on the shoes, he took note of himself in the mirror.  Shaking his head, he went back toward the office and noted the receptionist wasn’t even looking up at him when he entered.  Noting a pair of scissors, he quickly swiped them and went back to the bathroom.

*

After a couple of minutes of trimming his hair and beard, though the latter involved him angling ONE of the blades, he emerged cleaner looking than when he went in.  He had also taken the liberty of washing his hands and face.  His hair was still long, but more manageable looking now.  Shrugging, he made his way back toward the statue, but on his way out, he heard muffled arguing from outside.

“This is stupid, why do we have to resort to throwing trash.”

“Because we can’t do ANYTHING else, we’re out of options.  We lost our magic in case you’ve forgotten,” one voice grumbled.

“I think its fun, it’s like making modern art,” one voice paused, “I think…”

Jasper had emerged from the front doors, and he stared straight at the three girls before him.  One with this really puffy hair stared back at him.

“What’re you staring at,” she growled.

Jasper shrugged, “Nothing, just a trio of depowered sirens.”

All three girls stared after him in disbelief but he halted, “I have to say though,” he turned to them, “I might see the three of you again soon.  Just in case…”

He then exited the human world.