As they walked out of the buffet to head home he saw Tallia and Ginger with their egg. He waved to them and after seeing them wave back he caught up to his group. During dinner, Dinky invited Grace to a before School sleepover with all the other fillies.

The sleepover was actually on his one-year anniversary party day so they decided to let her go, but Derpy had told him to talk to Cheerilee about it to get a permission slip signed for her. Though he didn't mind as he looked at the two fillies and gave a smile as Dinky managed to get past Grace's shyness a bit. Soon though, Derpy and Dinky went to their house with the promise to see them tomorrow while the rest of them went home.

"You looked like you were having fun Grace," Luna said and the filly gave a big but tired smile.

"Yeah, Dinky is so great! I can't wait for that sleepover!" Grace said.

"That's good to hear, I'll pick up the permission slip tomorrow and get it signed. I'm glad you two hit it off so well," He spoke up.

"Yeah, we'll be the bestest sisters ever!" Grace said making him get a little blush and soon after that, they were at the house.

"Alright little missy, time to take a bath and brush your teeth!" Lyra said as they walked in.

"Do I have to?" Grace groaned.

"Yup, sure do." He was the one who answered.

"Alright," Grace said heading to the bathroom with Lyra.

"She is a remarkable filly to be so happy like this after what happened to her," Luna said once they heard the water come on.

"Hmm, I think she hides it well but something like that sticks to you. But we'll see, and again thanks for bringing her." He said wrapping his arms around her in a tight hug, also giving her a kiss.

"No problem, but you should thank my sister. But that can wait, tell me about what happened yesterday?" Luna asked making his face go slightly red which made her raise an eyebrow.

They went to sit down on the couch and he started to tell her all that happened at the auction. As he told her the part with Applejack she told him that it was fair since he did begin to move on to take his time. He then went on to tell her about how many bits he had brought in and who the winner was, telling her about the date on Saturday.

"Hmm, well I'm glad to hear that you at least find her physically attractive. Maybe it could lead to a second date?" Luna asked making him roll his eyes. "Alright, let's just see where the first one goes. But something else happened last night didn't it?"

"N-no..." He looked at Luna before giving a sigh. "Fine, me and Derpy almost went all the way."

"Wait, almost?" Luna asked making him nod.

"Yeah, things started up and just before we committed the faucet exploded again." He said turning red.

"Ooohhh, so you guys got cooled off huh? That had to have been frustrating, I know Derpy was looking forward to letting you rut her." Luna gave a little laugh as he reddened even more.

"What you guys talking about?" Lyra came in though she couldn't help but stop and laugh when she saw him. "Never mind, I know what. To change the subject I got Grace in the tub, she'll be out in a little bit."

"Thanks, she didn't ask you about being my marefriend did she?" He couldn't help but ask remembering the story Lyra told him.

"Yeah, but I told her that we just decided to go ahead and be more than friends. Didn't go into detail if that's what you were worried about." Lyra said sitting down next to him.

"Nah, just curious is all. But man the last couple of days have really worn me out!" He said stretching purposely brushing his wing tips against both mares flanks making both of them blush. "I think I'm going to the bathroom in the bedroom and cleaning up a bit."

"Alright, just don't take too long," Luna said as he went to the bedroom.

After taking a quick shower and brushing his own teeth he went out to see Grace with a small towel on her head, and Luna seemed to be the one in the bathroom now. He went to sit next to Grace as Lyra excused herself to go to the bedroom bath. He looked at Grace who seemed to be focused on trying to play the lyre, and soon both mares came back.

"Alright, who's ready for bed?" He asked.

"Not... *Yawns*... me!" Grace said as her eyelids seemed to droop down.

"Are you sure?" He asked picking her up.

"M-maybe a little tired..." She gave another yawn. "W-would you tuck me in?"

"No problem," He rubbed her head as he carried her to her room.

He laid the already half-asleep pegasus down on her bed quickly covering her up and making sure she was comfortable. After she asked for a bedtime story, not just any story but a story from his world. Quickly thinking of one he began telling the filly.

"... I guess I'll finish it up tomorrow night then." He looked down at the sleeping filly gently giving her a pat on the head before he left the room.

"You're a good storyteller you know that?" Lyra whispered as he came out of the room.

"Thanks, but it took me a minute to remember the story." He told her giving her a smile. "Would you like me to tell a bedtime story?"

"Nah, I just need your arms around me," Lyra said giving him a quick peck before heading into the bedroom and he soon followed.

Grace screamed in fear and panic making him jolt right up and before he knew it he was in her room wrapping her in a hug. Though she was still asleep kicking and screaming for a second as he comforted her getting her to wake up and calm down. He knew what had happened and knew something like it was going to happen.

"Shhh, you're okay nothing is on fire. That's it, let it out," He said as Grace fully woke up as tears filled her eyes that still shined with fear, and she wrapped her hooves around his neck crying into it.

They sat there for a good minute as both Lyra and Luna both soon came in looking at the scene, he locked eyes with Luna who gave a nod of understanding of what happened. It took about an hour before the filly stopped her crying, which he knew by the way she was breathing she had cried herself to sleep. He looked over at Luna and she gave a nod as she pulled Lyra out of the room.

This time when the filly woke up it wasn't from a nightmare it was because it was now morning. As Grace looked over she saw Brandon sitting in a chair half hunched over in her bed. Grace quickly got out from under the covers and nudged him a little making him wake up.

"Hmm, morning Grace how are you?" He asked as he stretched feeling a bit sore from how he had slept.

"I feel better and rested!" Grace replied though he could see that the nightmare still lingered in her eyes as he looked but decided not to press.

"That's good because I smell pancakes!" He said making the fillies eyes go a little wide in excitement. "I'll race you to the kitchen!"

"I win!" Grace said soon after.

"That's because you shut the door on me," He said giving the filly a pat on the head. "Now did you guys leave any for us?"

"What, you guys wanted some?" Lyra said teasing them, though it made Grace give a sad look. "I guess I'll have to give you some of mine!"

Soon the four of them were sitting at the table eating their breakfast not really talking about Grace's nightmare, but he did make a few jokes that got them to laugh. After they finished and put their plates in the trash they heard the door open and hooves running across the floor. Dinky popped in followed by Derpy soon after.

"Hi Grace, you want to come to hang out?" Dinky asked making Grace look at him for permission.

"Go ahead, and Dinky she hasn't been back in town in a minute so keep an eye on her for me okay?" He asked making Dinky give a little eye roll along with Grace.

"I promise! Now let's go!" Dinky said pushing Grace out the front door.

"She can be a hoof-full sometimes. So did the plumber come by yet?" Derpy asked making him shake his head.

"Grace had a nightmare last night, though before me or Luna could even wake up Brandon was already in her room comforting her!" Lyra belched out making Derpy give a little surprised look before giving him a smile.

"Aww, but do any of you know what it was about?" Derpy asked making him and Luna look at each other.

"It was about what happened with her parents," Luna answered and he nodded.

"Wait, you two already knew? I mean Luna I can understand, but how did you figure it out?" Lyra asked as he rolled his eyes at the obvious.

"Because it's hard to get over something like that, especially when extended family won't help." At that, he gave a shiver remembering his own nightmare. "It's been difficult for me, and I only remember bits and pieces I can't imagine what that poor filly is going through."

"I agree, and if we press her right now she may just shut herself off from us. Let's give her time, and if she doesn't bring it up herself eventually then after she's been here for a minute then ask her to talk about it." Luna suggested.

"Derpy, what do you think since you're the only one who dealt with adopting a foal?" He asked making the mare think.

"This is a bit different, I got Sparkler because her mother couldn't afford to take care of her. She still has the right to visit and everything, as for Grace both of her parents are gone. Not only that but she lost a wing which is traumatic in of itself." Derpy answered. "But if she doesn't want to talk about it then like Luna said, forcing the subject could make her shut down."

"I-I get it," Lyra said nodding her head though before any of them could say anything else there was a knock at the door.

"Coming!" He called out getting out of his chair, to his surprise as he answered the door it was three Royal Guards standing there.

"Brandon Jenkins, may we come in to ask a few questions?" The one in the middle asked this stallion was an earth pony.

"Uh, no problem but what is this about?" He asked and couldn't help but feel a little nervous, the three of them came in and sat down as the guards came in.

"This is about the pony who attacked you during your last visit to Canterlot." The earth pony answered walking in the door, as he shut it he himself went to sit between Lyra and Derpy. "We are sorry if this inconveniences you any at all."

"If it's about his attacker then it's fine, but what's this about questions?" Luna asked. "And does this mean you found the stallion?"

"Yes, as for the questions it's because we matched the hooves to a stallion who was found strangled by a creature with the same kind of paws as Brandon." The one earth pony replied making all four of them go silent in shock.

"You can't seriously think that he did that out of revenge! None of us knew who it was that even attacked Brandon!" Luna yelled a bit.

"We read the report, but we have to make sure of something first. Which leads me to my first question, how many of those long things are on his paw?" The stallion asked.

"First, they're called hands not paws and these are fingers. Not trying to be rude here, but you come in here making it sound like I actually had something to do with this!" He let out a bit of a frustrated grunt as he lifted up his hand to show them. "Satisfied?"

"Hmm, yes that'll do thank you. I don't mean to sound like I'm accusing you, and forgive me for not knowing the proper terms for your anatomy. The reason for this is because we believe whoever killed your attacker was most likely a Minotaur since the bruising suggested the perpetrator had four fingers on each hand. But if you don't mind showing us if you were to strangle somepony what would it look like?" The stallion asked.

"Are you fucking kidding me? Why would I even pretend to do something like that?" He asked though he already knew the answer.

"To make sure there is no way for you to strangle somepony with just using four of your fingers sir. If they work similarly to Minotaurs then it shouldn't be possible." The guard said.

"Fine, but how do you want me to do this?" He asked.

"Brandon!" Lyra yelled a little though he turned to look at her giving her a smile to calm her down.

"Demonstrate it on Keys, the unicorn." The earth pony said making him turn to the unicorn guard who stood there.

"Alright, but after I do this I want to know more details." He said making the earth pony guard nod in agreement, and he put his hands around the unicorn's neck and gave a little squeeze as if he was going to strangle the guard.

"That is fine, you can stop." At that, he put his hands back to his side and went back to his seat.

'Alright, time to tell me what exactly is going on here." He said looking at the earth pony.

"Very well, there is no doubt you aren't the one who did it." The stallion said and then started to explain.

The stallion that had attacked him that night was just found in the early morning hours in an alley in Manehatten. After a medical examiner looked over the stallion that's when they noticed the bruising, it wasn't until they ran the stallion's hoofprint through a magical database and got a hit from an assault and attempted murder case.

As they looked at the case it had involved the victim being attacked in their sleep by strangulation. Which lead to them taking a closer look at the bruising and they noticed that it wasn't hooves around the stallions neck but fingers. They did jump to the conclusion that the victim, which of course was him, had tracked down the stallion somehow to get his revenge.

Though the examiner pointed out that whoever strangled the stallion only had four fingers and if he had remembered right then the victim from the assault case should have five. The doctor suggested with the pressure and finger structure that it had been a Minotaur. They had to make sure and rule out any other explanation.

"So you think somepony was trying to frame him then?" Luna was the one who asked.

"Either that or since the stallion didn't succeed in his attack that he had worked with somepony. We may even deal with some kind of secretive group, there have been rumors coming up recently now that I think about it." The earth pony guard said.

"What rumors?" He asked.

"Hmm, supposedly there is a group that is recruiting ponies and other creatures that may fear humans. Maybe enough fear that they would even kill the only human here, and if they don't succeed then they get killed themselves. This group supposedly knows all the myths surrounding humans and use them as recruitment material. But these are just rumors of course, but we're still looking into them." The stallion answered.

"That doesn't sound good at all, I mean what if it's true and they send somepony to attack him again?" Derpy spoke up.

"If there is any proof to that rumor then we'll send some men to keep guard. But until then keep an eye out and ears open. Now if that's all, we have to report our findings so far." At that, the three guards saluted Luna before walking out the door leaving them with some unanswered question.

'L-lucky Grace and Dinky went to go hang out somewhere else," Lyra said.

"I-I think I'm going to go pick up that permission slip now." He said though his tone made it clear he wanted to be alone for a minute as he walked out the door.

"Are we sure letting him go alone is a good thing right now?" Derpy asked.

"Hmm, yes he needs to clear his head. Besides, it's broad daylight right now and with how fast he moved last to comfort Grace I think he'll be fine." Luna answered.

"Not to change the subject, but how did he move that fast?" Lyra asked.

"I'm a little curious too," Derpy asked as both mares looked at Luna.

"Well, you know how a pegasus bone structure is like a bird?" Both mares nodded.

"Of course I know, our bones are hollow but yet we have stronger bones than most normal flying creatures," Derpy answered making Luna nod.

"You see where I'm going with this right? Because of his wings giving him flight, it also hollowed out his bones to make take off and flying easier. According to Dr. Hayseeds reports his bones may just be as strong as a pegasus bone. Which all of this adds up to him not only being able to move much faster than he used to. To him being able to take falling from a height or high speeds without breaking his bones." Luna explained making the other mares nod in understanding.

"Hmm, wonder if he could do a sonic rain-boom or something like it then?" Derpy asked as they completely distracted themselves from what they had learned about Brandon's attacker.

Author's Notes:

Hmm, so the group of ponies who hates humans is starting to pop up and coming a little out of the shadows now. Now is it really a good idea after you know what he knows to go out on his own? Does he not remember that is one of the core rules of horror movies? Anyways hope you all enjoyed and remember to smile, smile, smile!