I laid there just staring at that book. As that thought echoed in my head over and over. Why page twenty eight? Why did that cryptic shit always peak my curiosity? I floated the book and my prosthetic hoof back to me. I looked over to see Twilight snuggled deeper into my chest with the blanket over her head. A flick of magic later I had a flickering light over my head as I opened the book back to the page I was at. The last entry spoke of Rose Whip, part of me wondered about it but I needed to focus. I was nineteen pages in, I still had another nine to go. I made sure the magic light was close as I began to read.

May 28th
Sadly Rose Whip passed again, not from the spell but from intervention on a more divine level. Celestia had found her after she was being chased by her old friend. I guess she wasn't ready for her to return. I had to watch her be destroyed. Her soul luckily was allowed to pass shortly after. Celestia had asked me if I knew anything about it. I told her about my research into necromancy. She told me to drop my research and destroy all of my notes pertaining to it. I tried to tell her about how much ponies could learn from it, that ponies could live longer with it. But she told me it wasn't the natural way of things. She sent a guard to watch me burn all my work. Thankfully, something I didn't expect happened, unknown to Celestia, a changeling had replaced the guard. I had always wondered what would happen if I tried to revive something other than a pony. With a bit of magic my test subject was ready.

So Celestia knew about his study at that point. Too bad she didn't realize about the changeling but I guess she didn't quite know about that yet. I was also glad that this Rose Whip was allowed to pass on. I flipped to the next entry in the journal.

June 13th
Finally I got the changeling’s body to finally agree with the magic. It seems a changeling’s magic works differently than a pony’s. I revived it and much to my surprise, it acted just like the zombie ponies, but was able to change it's form into any pony I wanted. So I took out my frustration on Celestia through this thing. Silver Star watched me and asked if I could make her a body. I stopped for a moment before turning to the little soul. She wanted a body? That shouldn’t be a hard, until she asked if she could have changelings parts in it. I needed more supplies and I need to move my lab. Celestia sent another guard after the first one failed to report back to duty. Lucky for me, I still had the changeling's body under my control. Poor old Sand Script, never saw it coming.

A cold shiver ran down my spine as I read that. The changeling I understood but he just killed a guard to hide his secret. My distaste for this stallion grew more and more as I read. I had a feeling he was leaving out much more details than what he put in. Maybe to hide it from Celestia but why even do this in the first place? Why write in a journal if you didn't want anypony to find it. Something felt off about this journal, almost a subtle creepiness given off by this book.

June 15th
I had been found out. Celestia herself came and started to destroy my work. I took the day before to move all the important documents and the book I got from the zebra home land to my cart. I found a place in a small settlement called Ponyville. With luck I will be able to get everything ready for me there. After Celestia's rampage in my lab I was told that if I ever conduct any more experiments and research in this subject, I will be punished.

That sneaky prick, even after getting a warning and Celestia, he wanted to continue? My teeth started to grind as I thought about it more. He continued to learn more of the dark arts. I took a deep breath and calmed down before I went to the next entry.

July 18th
I've got my new lab set up. No pony will expect it to be under the newly built asylum. I also made sure that their plans compensated for the new lab. I still had some pull after Celestia went through my lab. I told her I wanted to make sure this place was nice and secure. I even gave her a doctored version of the plans. Only enough to hide the tunnels I had put in so I could come in and out freely. Plus it gave me direct access to the morgue, gathering bodies would be easier now. Silver Star got on me again about a body. Chance, the undead changeling was the perfect tool for the job. With a few orders I got him to bring a few other changelings from the hive. This queen Chrysalis must not really care about her subjects. Tomorrow I will start to prepare the parts for the masterpiece to come.

What I with this sick pony? He not only killed ten more changeling which at this point I started to feel bad for them. Since she caused the problem at the royal wedding and attacked my marefriend, she was fifty fifty on the feel bad or hate scale. Twilight gave a small shift in the blanket which caused me to look at her. She was still asleep, only closer. Her hooves hugging around me felt great. I gently brought Twilight closer with my left hoof as I flipped to the next entry.

July 19th
I did it. After several hours of cutting, slicing, and sewing I finally did it. I had to get a fresh body but I did it. Standing before me is a being made of both changeling and pony. I even made sure to give her a set of pegasi wings. So in a way I just created an alicorn. Silver Star was going to be the soul for it. It worked, the first thing Silver did was kiss me. It felt good and creepy at the same time. I did a few tests to make sure she wouldn't end up like some of the other souls. So far she was able to control it with ease. Even her cutie mark, I had to make sure was correct. A circle with a question mark and a fedora on the top.

My eyes widened when I read that last part. No, just no way. No fucking way that was possible. All this fucking time I was fighting an undead necromantic zombie that Grim Wand knew and even created. It had to be a coincidence right?

She requested for her coat to be a dark blue with a sliver white mane. The eyes were the only thing I didn't have control over. The left one was blue as the right one was brown. But as soon as Sliver Star entered it both of them turned into the nicest shade of red that I could have seen. Her wings, bony as they were, were able to hold her aloft. Even better she was able to use the magic of both a unicorn and the changelings. The only odd thing was Silver Star asked me for a new name. This got my curiosity to ask her why. “Because if some pony knows who Sliver Star was either by being old enough or just being related there could be big trouble.” She answered. I had to agree with her on this. I told her that I would come up with one for her in a few days. I just wanted to make sure I could get the proper paperwork filled out just in case.

My blood ran cold after reading all that. So Vermom was Silver Star. Well then I have to face her again maybe I can get more details. But the more important information was that one of Grim Wand's labs was under the asylum in Ponyville. I'll have to get the plans for the asylum. I noticed I was getting close to the page.

July 28th
Vermom was the name I suggested and she adored it. Much to my enjoyment to watch the mare dance about like a little filly getting the gift she wanted for her birthday. During her little dance she knocked over a few books which included the book I got from Zamos. Right there sat a spell I never thought I would find. If Star Swirl could have found this book I bet he would be greater than he already is. Right there was a spell to travel to another world. The spelled seemed to be complex. Why is there a world traveling spell in this book?

There was a spell to... how is that even possible? Okay now I needed to get my hooves on that book. Not only to get rid of it, but I wanted that spell. There was always something at the edge of my mind that bugged me. What ever happened back home? Maybe with that spell I could find out. Finally I got to the page.

August 3rd
Finally I got the spell to work. I found that this takes me to a word with humans on it and I became sort of human. I still retained my horn but another problem arose. Apparently these humans have an issue being without clothes. Though I had thought ahead and had Vermom come with me. She also changed but was able to use her changeling abilities here too. This place was fascinating, they had these things called cars and TVs. It was oh so fascinating. We also gathered a lot of data, this place holds a lot of similarities to Equestria in some of the technology we share. On top of that the local graveyard told me that they too had souls that I could interact with. There names on the other hoof was weird. I had talked to this Jessica.

The feeling of an icy dagger stabbed right into my heart just seeing her name there. No, just no. He couldn't have- If he did anything with her soul... I continued on as I could not tell my mane was on fire since the light increased to bath the room in its glow.

She was a nice mare or should I say woman? The lexicon here is a little confusing but I made do. She talked about a guy she fell in love with and in the end sacrificed herself to save. She also told me he was still hurting for her. It must have been hard for him to go on after that. Much to my surprise she passed on a little after our chat wishing me the best of luck. A thought crossed my mind, if I could control the dead back home. Could I do it here? This required more investigation. But It's best to start at home and prepare. Just to make sure I could return here being a small looking town it was. I wrote the precise spell in the back of my journal. Maybe with luck I could return to this moment. I hear that a festival was going to happen soon. The two of us returned back. We had much to prepare for.

I sat there reading over that entry again and again. My brain not fully able to process all that. He talked to Jessica. My Jessica and she told this vile thing about me. No it could have been another Jessica right? I mean there had to be a lot of humans with that name that just so happened to have sacrificed herself to save a guy. Who was I kidding? There was no way that could be somepony else. With that I flipped to the last page. Screw the rest of the entries I needed to see this spell. As the entry said. Right there was the spell it looked simple and from what I could make from it I needed an object to be the portal. I looked around the room for a moment until my eyes rested on the reflection from the mirror. That will do nicely a full body mirror should be big enough for me to go through. So I don't have to worry about the whole pony dissecting problem then it should be safe for me to go back and find out what happened. With that my mind was made up. Tomorrow I was going back to earth to find the truth. With that I put the journal back on the table and held Twilight close. I gave her a small kiss on the top of her head. She giggled a little in her sleep before snuggling in closer. I smiled and looked out into the sky from the window.

***---***

Breakfast that day was a little uneventful. Every ponies’ family went home. The girls were still here as well as the C.M.C., they got me with a diabetes level of cuteness that I couldn't say no to. Twilight's parents also stayed much to my dismay. Nothing against them, but Velvet creeps me out and Night Light outright hates me, if his scowl means anything. Once again I sat here eating my salad with Twilight looking at me a little worried. Understandable I suppose if she knew what I had planned to do I would be too.

“Storm can I talk to you in private?” She asked and I nodded. We excused ourselves from the table. Celestia, Luna and even Rarity eyed the two of us. We got into the hall before Twilight turned to me. “What's wrong?” She asked.

“Nothings wrong.” I answered.

“Something wrong and you're not telling me. You've seemed distant since we got up.” She said and I rolled my eyes at this.

“I just have a lot on my mind is all.” I kept playing through those journal entries in my head not liking it more and more.

“Then tell me what's on your mind. It can't be good if you're spacing out like that.”

“That's the thing Twilight, I can't tell if it's good or not.”

“Then tell me.” She said now looking a little annoyed with me.

“I... I don't know Twilight.” I said looking away. How was I going to tell her that I was planning to return home? Knowing her she’ll probably think I was an idiot for pulling that stunt. Maybe even get the princesses in on it and prevent me from going.

“Tell me. Tell me, tell me, tell me.” She said jumping in place trying to get it out of me.

“I'm not ready to talk about it.” I said before turning away. She then grabbed me in her magic and spun me back towards her.

“You will tell me what is wrong right now Firestorm or I’ll-.” she got out before my demeanor shifted and I growled back.

“Or you'll what Twilight Sparkle?” I said. I wasn’t really angry just upset. My eyes narrowed towards her as I could see her angry look shift to one of surprise. With everything on my mind I just wasn't in the mood for much today. She let me go before she ran off tears in her eyes. Once again I had fucked up but at the time it didn't register with me. I went back to my room and grabbed the book. Looking over the spell again I focused my magic onto the mirror before me. The burning aura of my magic took hold and I saw the normal flat surface of the mirror ripple. I stepped closer to it and tried to place a hoof on it. It passed right through it. Suddenly the door busted open with a very angry Applejack and Rainbow Dash looking at me. Behind them was a upset looking Twilight. That all quickly ended when they saw my hoof in the mirror. I turned my gaze from them and walked in without giving them a chance to say anything. Upon entering the portal I felt weird. This agonizing, burning feeling was felt throughout my entire body. Like if someone dropped my human body into a volcano that's heat was times six fold. Take that and then stretch and pull my body in one of those medieval racks but not just hooves but pulled everything. I do mean everything. I could hear the sounds of breaking bones and ripping flesh as I traveled through this whirlpool of colors. You would have to better time listing the colors that weren't there compared to the ones that were. Within moments it all stopped and I found myself launched out of lake on the other side right into a gazebo. Several minutes passed while I tried to gather my head together. That's when I noticed I wasn't quite human, well not as I expected to be. I was different I looked sort of like... what was that mythical creature called again? A satyr?. My lower half was pony but my hooves had the little claws on them when I was in my dragon form. My right arm was prosthetic but instead of the hoof at the end, it had metal claws. My left arm from the middle of the forearm to the hand was scaled. I even had claws I ran over to the lake to notice my eyes where the familiar reptile look and glowing red. The whites were thankfully white but my mane- hair was long, fire red, and slightly moving. I also noticed that I still had my horn, well horns. My two from my draconic state was there too but curved back like my hair was. I should be able to hide those horns well enough. My normal horn was still a bright orange that just gradient in from my tan skin. The last part I noticed with my large red wings. Those may be a little harder to hide, great so if some religious nut found me I could bet they would call me the devil.

“Demon!” Or that. I heard the cry of a woman who was looking right at me. She then proceeded to pull out a rather large looking case and beat me with it.

“Ow, hey. What are you.” I got out before a very good back swing knocked me to the ground. From there she continued to stomp at me. I reached out with my magic to stop her. I even wrapped her mouth up in magic too. I didn't need her screaming at me. I got up before turning to her. “Listen carefully.” I said then noticed the name tag. “Jenny. Contrary to my current look. I'm not a demon. I am just a little lost and need a bit of help. If I let your mouth go. Do you promise not to scream and answer my very simple questions?” I asked calmly. She nodded and as soon as I dropped the magic she tried to scream.

“Hel-”

With that I sighed quietly and wrapped her up again before speaking to her.

“Jenny, I'm trying to be nice here. I just need to know where I am right now.” I asked and she agreed. “Now lets try this again. Tell me where I am and I will let you go with no harm. Do you understand?” I asked and she nodded. “Good.”

“You're on Earth.” She got out and I deadpanned.

“I know I’m on Earth. I mean where on earth am I?” I asked and she gulped for a moment, before letting me know. I was in the right town just further away then I wanted to be. I thanked her and sat her down. Of course she tried to pepper spray me, but I saw the can beforehand. I pulled it from me and held it. “Jenny, I played fair it's only right from you to do the same.” I said before I crushed the can in my prosthetic claw. I dripped it's contents in my claw before I dropped it to the ground. “Now please run off before you do something you'll regret.” I suggested. I wiped off my claw and headed towards home, well my old home. I had to remain in the shadows for the most part. Mainly to avoid everypony er... every body. Damn it I just had the new lexicon down and now I have to switch back. Thank you universe, you jerk. I found myself walking down a familiar street, it was nice to see everything again. Though I was still ducking into every dark area I could find. Finally I got to see my old house but... I noticed my old room's light was on. So what did I do? I climbed the side of the building, since my claws could dig into the aluminum siding. I peeked into my window which was up two floor to find... me. I was sitting there in an orange shirt and blue sweatpants surfing the web. “What the hell?” I covered my mouth realizing I just said that out loud. But the idiot that I was I forgot I was using my hands to hold on to the building. I hit the ground rather hard. I had to quickly scramble as I saw my window open up and my head pop out of it.

“Who's out there?” The other me asked. I was able go around the side to hide. How was I there? I mean I figured I was going to be gone in Equestria at least but no. I was right here. Wait... I pulled out the book again and right there. “Return to this moment.” Shit, it did work. He not only traveled to another world but through time itself. So I was here before I left. The cold breeze reminded me that I was pretty much standing in the nude and being a freak of nature right now was not helping me. I went to the window first and looked in. It was dark and the only thing there was the nightlights for the cats. If memory serves me right then there should be some dirty clothes downstairs. With that I focused my magic and blinked inside. I slowly made my way to the basement and opened the drier to find it empty. Damn it, I wasn't lucky to find some clean ones. So I reached into the dirty clothes and found a pair of jeans and a gray shirt. Stereotypical clothing, but it was better than nothing. The hard part was getting my wings to stay in the shirt, uncomfortable but doable. I had my wings pinned to my side The hardest thing, was I still had a tail. Not equine but draconic so I had to rip a hole in the jeans so I could put in through. I would have grabbed a coat but right about then the sound of someone coming down the stairs caught my attention.

“Damn cats.” I heard myself say. Double damn it, why did I have to be the one to come down here now? I quickly went off into the side room where we kept all the Christmas decorations. Oh the irony was not lost on me.

“Universe do you just hate me or something?” I whispered and that was a big mistake.

“Who's there?” The other me asked. Shit! I remained quiet hoping that I would be really stupid at this moment. At the time I felt my heart beat faster and faster. Step, step, step, and another step. I could hear my old self getting closer. You know being a fat guy I was not sneaky when it comes to looking from someone. Lucky for me the sound of a cat getting their tail stepped on was enough to get the other me to go off to see if the one of my cats were alright. “Oh, sorry Ace. I didn't see your tail there.” I heard in the distance. I quickly got to a window and blinked out of there. I ran a few streets away into a dark alleyway. Breathing a little hard I finally got my heart to calm down. Of course I went from one pain in the ass to another.

“Well Lookie here boys. We got ourselves a costumed freak to join us.” Said a rather annoying fake gangster deep tone. I turned to see three guys standing before me and I swear that I could just see the greasy gel in his black hair. It was all slicked back and everything as he started to play with the knife in his hand. It didn't help he wore a white shirt under a black leather jacket with a pair of blue jeans on. Next to him was a darker skinned man with so little hair it almost looked like he was bald. He wore a gray trench coat with a black shirt and brown pants. He also had a pair of knuckle dusters on. The last guy was a spry looking thug in a denim vest with a white shirt under it and yet again blue jeans.

“Oh yeah, Shouldn't have come to play dress up with us boy.” The trench coat looking guy said.

“What should we do with his boss?” The last one said.

“I don't know boys. Maybe we should ask him why he wanted to come here?” The boss asked. Honestly I completely forgot that we had some of these idiots running around thinking they were all bad asses here. For the most part they were easy pickings for the cops, well when they did their jobs. Unfortunately for them they’re dealing with some pony that isn't from here anymore. “So why are you here?”

“None of your business and if you were smart you would leave me alone.” I said looking at them.

“Ah but we just want to help.” The second one, Thug one, said.

“Yeah and maybe get something out of it.” The last one, Thug two, said.

“Trust me, you don't want to do this.” I said.

“Sounds like a challenge” Their boss said before throwing the knife at me. Of course I grabbed it in my telekinesis and floated it over to me. “Neat trick bet you can't do it again.” He said. Thug one ran at me and started to swing. Oh I got hit but so did he. With on right hook I sent him flying back. It was only fair he did hit me first.

“Go on moron get him.” Their boss said as the last one grabbed a pipe and swung it at me. I put my right arm up and blocked it before my left one reached out to grab him, he got away. That was when I heard a very familiar click. I looked over to see their boss brandish a pistol. Unfortunately for him I had magic so without him noticing I flipped the safety back on. I stepped closer with the knife still in my hand. “Stand back.” He said before pulling the trigger. Nothing happened, well concerning his shot anyway. I reached up and crushed the barrel, the look on his face was priceless. “Please don't hurt me. You can do whatever you want with these two, just don't-” He got out before I grabbed him by the collar.

“Shut up.” I said and he did just that.

“Here's what's going to happen. Your friend there is going to give me his coat and the three of you will turn yourselves in.” I said before tossing their boss to the ground. I completely crushed the gun and tossed it to his feet. That was enough to score me a trench coat that I put on. It did hide my tail better even had a pair of shades that were left in the pocket. I left the three of them alone as I walk off into the night. I wanted to get back to my old house and keep an eye on myself, that was completely weird to even think about. The night passed while I sat in a tree and watched myself go to work which was kind of hard until I remembered the speed spell that I learned in Max's universe. Though how did a spell from another universe work here too? That got me thinking about how I left without a note or even really telling them goodbye. Damn it, Twilight was just worried about me and I threw it in her face and left without a word.

“So you'll be here in a few days?” I heard my other self say on the phone. “Alright good, I'll see you then Ghost. Tell Knives and Viper I'll see them too, later.” With a small beep the other me got off the phone. I was going to go on a little trip with three of my four closest friends. I started to wonder a little bit if I ever did get to. I watched myself hop into the car and drive off. I tried to follow but I got caught on a branch, which then decided snap underneath me. With that I laid on the ground... on my head. Now with a splitting headache I had to find another place to hide. The tree wouldn't do since I broke the only available branch. That was when my stomach gave a protest since I hadn't eaten all that time. The worse part was that I didn't have any money. Wait... maybe I did. If this was the old me then I should still have my little stash. I climbed back up there and blinked back into my old room. I saw everything there. My old bed, old photos, everything that I use to have. It was nice seeing it all again. I pulled out my backup stash of cash from my hiding spot, I only took a few bills before putting the rest back. I stopped for a moment as I saw one of the photos. It was a group of my old friends. I never really thought I wasn't going to get to see them again when this photo was taken. Right there it was the four of us just crowded around a table eating at a fast food joint. With my big mouth in a large burger. Ghost had a surprised look on his face with Knives right next to him. She was in mid shake of her head with Viper giving a smug grin. I took the picture frame and all with me before I blinked outside. Note to self make sure you have something to grab on to if you plan to blink outside a window two floors up. I hit the ground for a second time this time how ever I was on my rump. I went to the local school just to clear my head a bit. I knew no kids would be there it was summer time after all. Of course my luck was just as shitty here as it was back in Equestria. Right as I sat down two kids just so happened to appear out of freaking no where.

“Mister, what's with those things on you head?” Two young kids asked. I turned to see the two ten year old blond haired kids. Both of them wore a simple blue shirt with black shorts.

“Oh um. Hello.” I said a little nervous and kind of surprised they didn't run off screaming at the sight of me. The two of them looked curiously at me. “Sorry what did you ask again?”

“Whats with the those things on your head mister?” The one to the left asked.

“Oh you mean my horns?” I asked just more for clarity. The both nodded of course it took me a moment to realize I was talking to twins. “There, well, horns.” I answered.

“How did ya get them?” The right one asked.

“Well kind of grew in like that.” I again answered.

“Cool!” They both proclaimed and I smiled.

“Can they do something awesome?” The left one asked. I looked around for a few moments noticing no one else was around. Making sure the cost was clear I turned to them.

“I'll tell you if you keep it a secret just between the three of us.” I said with a smile. Of course both of their eyes lit up and nodded vigorously as I said that. I smiled and let my horn light up. Within moments I was floating both kids a foot off the ground. The looked at me then down. That began to giggle a bit as I flew the kids around making sure to keep them not to far off the ground. After a while I put them back down. They smiled and ran back over to me.

“That was so awesome mister. Do you think you could do that again some other time?” One of them asked I couldn't tell if it was the same one as before.

“Maybe some day. I can't promise anything but I will try. As long as you remember.” I said giving them a playful warning.

“That it stays between us, we know.” They said in unison. I smiled and ruffled their hair a bit. They ran off and I smiled watching them, nice kids. I got up and dusted myself off before walking down one of the streets. It was nice seeing all this again, the multitude of house all lined up with different decorations, fake witches, skeletons, and pumpkins... wait. Oh that's what festival he was talking about. I left close to Halloween here then. “If I only knew.” I said followed by a light chuckle. Through out my walk I didn't realize until I was close that I was on my way to the graveyard. My mood slowly went from it's chipper tone to more depressed as I walked up to Jessica's gravestone. I softly smiled at it before I brushed off the leafs from the top of it. “Hello Jessica.” I said to the wind. I knew at this point she wasn't there. “It's been a while hasn't it. I hope your having fun up there.” I said looking up to the sky. I knew she was watching me, she had helped me in Equestria. “I have to thank you again dear... I miss you.” I said as a light tears came from my head.

“You're not the only one that misses her.” I heard from a very familiar voice. My eyes widened to see my older self standing next to me. He or well I sat a white lotus on her gravestone and stood back up. “I haven't seen you around here before. How do you know Jessica?” I looked at myself before turning to the gravestone.

“She helped me through a rather tough time.” I answered making my voice a little deeper.

“Jessica was always kind like that.” My other self said as I could see the tears in his eyes. There was a level of surrealism to all this. There were two mes standing in front of my ex-girlfriend’s gravestone remembering her. I felt a little detached from the world there, like I was the outsider.

“Sorry where's my manners the name is Ryhn.” He said turning to me holding his hand out. I hesitated for a moment before reaching out with my prosthetic claw.

“Hello Ryhn, you can call me Storm. Most of my friends do.” I said as we shook hands. Well sort of. This was beyond weird, you would think some space time disturbance would have happened with two mes touched each other.

“Sounds awesome if you ask me. So what's with the.. get up?” The other me asked. Shit didn't think of that... wait. A smile crossed my face.

“This is my costume for Halloween.” I answered he eyed me for a moment.

“You know that's not for another two weeks right?” Shit...

“Oh well I plan to hit up one of my friends costume parties later. One of the requirements is to be in costume.” I said thinking fast. The other me raised an eyebrow then shrugged. Oh thank you god for me buying that.

“Look man you don't have to lie. If you didn't want to answer. All you had to say you didn't want to.” The other me said with a smirk. No way in hell was I that clever back on earth, dumber than a box of rocks sometimes.

“You got me, part of this is stuck on.” I said smiling. Which was true. I couldn't remove my wings, tail, or horns. Honestly I didn't want to either I got use to having them.

“That sucks man, but hey I've got to run. It was a pleasure to meet you Storm. I hope you enjoy the 'party' tonight.” he said with a light chuckle. I was a bit of a smart ass wasn't I?

“It was nice talking to you Ryhn, have a good day.” I said as I watched my larger old self walk to his black car. So Ryhn was my name? Hmm not bad considering names but I wouldn't trade my new name for anything. I lightly laughed at that thought. I watched him drive off and I followed keeping out of sight. I watched myself pull up to a restaurant and get something to eat. Lucky for me a small gas station was close by so I could get myself a bite to eat too. Much to my annoyance, my gut wouldn't quit giving me a titanic amount of protest until I fed it. Keeping with my pony appetite I got myself a cheapo salad and a soda. I came out and leaned against the wall to eat as I watched my other self eat something with a lot more meat. I did miss the taste of meat but I did say I wouldn't eat any more of it. If I only knew I would end up back here. I kind of laughed at that thought before a woman came up to me.

“Um mister?” She asked and I looked down at the blond haired emerald green eyed beauty before me in nothing more then a orange shirt with brown jean shorts.

“Yes Miss?” I asked after finishing my bite.

“What's with the horns?” She asked leaning against the wall next to me.

“Oh these?” I asked running my claw against them. She nodded and I looked forward. “There a medical condition where my skull grows thicker in spots. I use to get them grinded down but I stopped since it's a part of me. So why show it right?” I answered and took another bite. She came up to me while I was eating. I was nice enough to answer the question. Granted with a lie but she didn't need to really know I was a dimensional traveler here to spy on my old body to find out what happened. She eyed me like she didn't believe it. I looked down at her from behind the shades I had on.

“I have a feeling you're lying.” She said and that's when I noticed the three little red apples on her shoulder. I raised an eyebrow at that.

“What makes you say that?” I asked before she smirked at me. What is with everyone smirking at me?

“Just a gut feeling. But I can take a hint. You want to be left alone there partner. I hope you have a good day mister.” She said running off up to another guy that our right reminded me of a farmer hands down. He wore a red flannel shirt with blue jeans. He had orange hair and a lighter shade of green to the women that I just talked to. I noticed the women in question had her hair done in a pony tail and both of them had freckles. Did I just find the human versions of Applejack and Big Mac? I blinked a few times as a smaller girl came out of the truck they were standing by. She wore a yellow shirt and blue coveralls. She had bright red hair and an even brighter red bow in her hair. I didn't quite see her eyes but I could bet that she was a dead set match for Apple Bloom. Thank you universe you're making this even more awkward for me. So not only did I just talk to myself I just found three ponies I knew on Equestria here on earth as humans. Are you going to toss any more surprises my way? Of course if I knew the universe was just as much as a jerk as it was I wouldn't have been surprised to bump into next after I finished my salad. I cracked opened my pop and began to move so I wouldn't be spotted. That's when I bumped into her. In doing so I mistakenly knocked the books from her arms. I capped my drink and reached down to help pick them up.

“Sorry about that.” She said and my eye's widened. This purple haired women just sounded like... no, just no freaking way. I lifted up the stack of books.

“It's quite alright. I should be the one sorry. I didn't see where I was going.” I said giving her back her books and I saw a lovely set of lavender eyes. Which was impossible here. She looked up at me and smiled as she stood there in a purple hoodie with the hood down and a pair of blue pants. Hanging out of her pockets was a key chain with a large purple star.

“No I shouldn't have been nose deep in a book.”

“I guess we're both at fault here.” I said gently scratching the back of my head. Standing before me was a human version of my marefriend. The levels of surrealism was just astounding. How the hell was this even possibility? Not only did I see Applejack, Big Mac, and Apple Bloom. I just ran into a version of Twilight Sparkle. It's official the universe is now screwing with me big time. She then looked up and looked at the horns on my head. I gulped a bit if this Twilight was just as smart as my Twilight. She may see right through all this.

“What's with the horns?” She asked and I cursed myself internally. She just had to ask and that's when I noticed the books she had with her. Most of them medical books. Then an idea crossed my head.

“It's a very unique case of Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva.” I answered looking at her. She tilted her head for a moment.

“Stone Man Syndrome?” She asked. “I've never heard of a case where it created such profound horn like growths.” She said eying me. I smiled just as smart as I thought.

“Well it is a unique case of it. I had cracked my skull a few times where these bumps started to form. After having a doctor look at it, it was found out that some of the fragments when closer to my brain to very dangerous. So he removed it and that’s when this started. My body regrew the bone around the spot and it was thicker than normal. Lucky for me the larger spot of it was towards the outside of it. The doctor went back in to grind it away and it grew thicker. After some time it became horn like as it is now. Well back then it was a smaller horn. At this point I just accepted that a freak and rolled with the punches as they came.” I said with a light chuckle. The finally part of all that was it was pliable.

“It must have been hard for you?” Twilight asked.

“Give or take, you learn quickly to stick up for yourself.” I answered before taking a swig. She smiled and we talked for a while before she noticed the time. She ran off saying she was running behind schedule. I couldn't help but laugh when she was out of earshot. Much to the weirdness of this was it was nice talking to a Twilight, but it got me wondering about the Twilight back in Equestria. I sighed quietly as I continued to watch myself literally. He sat there and ate. I guess I did enjoy eating a lot. It was kind of funny now. I didn't eat as much on Equestria but I guess here made a lot more sense. The other me finally got up and paid before heading down the street. Everything felt oddly familiar now, like I've seen this before. I don't mean from his point of view but my current one. Everyone was walking around like it was all fine, the other me walked right into a small convenience store. This world’s me walked in and into the back to grab himself a pop. I stood across the street to watch. When things were the calmest is when the world gets tipped over. A fairly buff guy walked in with large, untamed, dirty brown hair, wearing nothing but a dark coat with baggy black sweatpants. He pulled out a revolver and pointed at the cashier.

“Give me all your money.” He said in a gruff voice. My eyes widened as I froze there watching this. It all played out like I dreamed it. The girl screaming, him telling her to shut up, and even me standing in front of it. “Tell that bitch to shut up!” he yelled. The other me nodded and turned to the girl crying on the floor.

“I'm sorry.” the other person mouthed and I only knew that because it was me. Then in moments I saw my other self turn and tackle the guy forcing him to the ground. The gun slid as I watched both me and this guy fight. My left hook, his kick between my legs, my head butt, and then he finally kicked me off. Just enough time for him to grab the gun. Within moments he turned and fired. It took a few moments for the other me to realize where he hit. Time just slowed down as I watched everyone run away and the other me slowly drop to the ground.

“Shouldn't have gotten in the way boy.” He said before grabbing the money and running out. I stood there shaking my world started to slowly break around me. Within moments I found myself grabbing the guy, slamming him into the wall. I held him there by the neck. “What is a freak like you going to do to me?” He said hitting me with the gun knocking the shades from my face. I looked him directly eye to eye. He looked a little unnerved but he went for another strike. I grabbed that hand and with a loud crack I broke it without a thought. It just happened almost like I was just watching all this transpire in front of me. “You fucker! I will get you for this.” He said pointing the gun at me. That was the second mistake as I broke his other hand piercing his hand with the gun barrel itself. I bent it so it was a permanent piercing.

“You killed me.” I growled. He looked at me between anger and fear.

“Impossible.” He yelled back. Whack, I kicked him into another wall.

“Impossible? You just shot me less then a few minutes ago. All because he wanted to protect that women.” The anger ever present in that voice. It was mine but at the same sense distant.

“You can't be that fat.” He got out before I picked him up, slamming him into the wall again. I noticed the blood coming from his mouth. Good, this bastard deserves what ever he gets. He shot me and now he's going to hurt for it. I threw him again deeper into the alley I had pulled him into. He slowly tried to get up as I started to breathe harder, flames started to come out of my mouth. The fear from his look told me volumes. “Monster!” he yelled and I grinned.

“You think? Please, you should have figured that out when I shoved a gun barrel through your hand.” I said in a snide comment. I started to have a sadistic glee to this. “Run.” I said flatly. His eyes shrank.

“What?” he asked fear in his voice.

“Run!” I roared with my draconic tone. He got up and started to run down the alley. But unfortunately for him, I was faster. I got past him and grabbed him by the face.

“Please man, I... I didn't mean to do it. I just wanted the cash.” he pleaded. I lifted him up by his face as my right claws started to slowly dig in.

“Oh you meant to. If you didn't mean to, you wouldn't have shot me.” I said added pressure as he screamed in pain.

“Hold it right there!” Another voice said behind me. I turned to look at the two officers behind me. The two of them held their pistols at me. I looked at them and threw the bastard at them before walking off. “I said hold it. Don't make us fire.” They said and I did stop.

“I don't think so.” I said before I cast the blink spell and appeared above them on the fire escape. The one officer looked at the prick that shot me. They called for an ambulance. Lucky for them I died just around the corner. They dragged the guy around the corner before everything was figured out. The guy was arrested right there, I followed the morgue's van all the way there. My family came in and identified my old body. They were crying for me, then they told my friends when they showed up to pick me up. I watched all of them break down. There was no color to me anymore. The world was in a tone of gray almost if it was a movie and I was the person that had to watch it. I watched my own funeral. They even buried me next to Jessica. I watched everyone's kind words about me from a tree, the one that shaded both gravestones. If they only knew that I was in... Equestria. Was that even real? I was dead. So what was it heaven? I followed my friends back to the motel room they rented in the rain. I guess even the weather wanted to make this feel as horrible as it could. My friends sat there in the room among a deaf silence. I sat there outside watching them just slowly break down and cry. Ghost slowly wrapped his arms around Knives. Viper just got angry and punched the wall putting a sizable hole in it.

“How, how could he be gone!” Viper yelled.

“Calm down man.” Ghost said before Viper turned on him and slugged him sending him across the bed.

“Don't you dare tell me to calm down. Ryhn is dead Ghost.” He said tears streaming from his eyes.

“Don't you fucking think I know that?” Ghost said back.

“Both of you stop this.” Knives yelled.

“Shut up Knives.” Viper shouted at her.

“Don't tell her to shut up Viper.” Ghost said with venom in his voice. Then the fight broke out. To Ghost’s credit, he put up a good fight but there wasn't much he could do to Viper who was bigger then him. Knives jumped in between the two of them and Viper stopped mid punch before he whirled around and left. I dived behind a car as I watched him leave then snuck around to get a better view, he left on foot until he found a bar. I slowly watched from the window as he began to drink. I frowned quietly as I left him there and went back to check on Ghost and Knives. Knives was helping him with his cuts and bruises. I sighed quietly before heading back to my old home one last time. At least they missed me. Though even when I wasn't around they continued to fight. Upon getting home I found my family sitting in the living room laughing quietly. I... I guess they aren't going to miss me much after all. I sighed quietly and climbed back to my room and grabbed a few things. I pulled out one of the old duffel bags and filled it with a the photo I grabbed earlier of me and my friends. One of my family, the little figurines that Twilight had played with in my dream and a few other odds and ends. Finally I grabbed my large red blanket and pillow. I would have grabbed my laptop but it wasn't there. I left and finally returned to the lake with a flick of magic the lake lit up and I dived in.

***---***

Celestia stood by the mirror she was told that Firestorm had left from. She could feel the magic still in it from his spell but for some reason she couldn't recast and follow him. She made sure to not have left the spot in the two days he'd been gone. The mirror lit up as she watched Firestorm get launched out of the mirror and collide with the wall. Laid there with a coat and set of pants on. On his back sat some kind of duffel bag. He only got up without a word and took it all as he began leaving the room.

“Firestorm, what happened?” Celestia asked but he didn't say anything. He just left closing the door behind him, she went after him.

“What happened to cause this? Twilight only said she confronted him about something then left.” Celestia thought as she exited to find a very confused Rainbow Dash and Applejack.

“What's his deal?” Dash said getting up off the ground.

“What happened?” The princess of the sun asked.

“Princess, he just walked by and when we asked what’s wrong he just remained quiet, like he didn't see us. We tried to stop him but he grabbed both of us and set us down behind him.” Applejack said. “Something is seriously wrong with that stallion.” The sound of some pony hitting the ground could be heard around the corner. All of them rushed off to see Pinkie looking rather confused. She hopped up and turned around getting ready to pounce on Firestorm who was walking further down the hall. With a leap and flash of magic she landed on her belly again with him a few feet away.

“Meanie.” Pinkie huffed before she looked rather sad at this. Both Rarity and Fluttershy stepped out of his way. Not sure what he will do at this point, Celestia caught up to him and tried to put a hoof on him but a small swath of magic caused her to pull her hoof back.

“Did he just?” Celestia questioned. Twilight came out of a room in front of him and turned to see him. “Twilight don't-” Celestia got out but even Twilight wasn't avoidable. She tried to teleport pounce on him but he blinked right in time and she missed. She blinked a few moments before whirling around trying again. Like before she missed, she started to shake as her friends ran up to comfort the shivering mare.

“Princess, what's wrong with Storm?” Fluttershy asked as she turned to look at her.

“I don't know Fluttershy. But I am going to find out.” She said walking past. She continued to follow the stallion in silence, not even Luna crossed his path. He got to a door and blinked right through it. She raised an eyebrow and blinked into the dark room. He stopped and sat down by a window looking out at the night sky. She slowly walked over. Then she heard the door open behind her. She quickly shifted into the shadows as she saw herself walk in. Some pony was impersonating her and she didn't know why.

“Are you alright Storm?” That Celestia asked and since he reappeared Storm started to lightly chuckle. Not a good hearted one but one that had that creepy tone that got to the princess.

“You ask- Heh heh heh, oh that is rich.” He said between bits of laughter before he whipped around looking at this other and saw that crazed look on his face. His left pupil was smaller then his right almost like his sanity snapped. “Please drop the charade Silver Star. I know it's you.” Storm said between bits of laughter.

“Silver Star?” The other Celestia asked with a nervousness that even the royal alicorn can tell.

“Oh, forgot your own name. Fine then, Vermom you can drop the disguise. You forgot to check if the real one was in the room, right Celestia?” he said turning to the princess in the room. His eyes focused directly into hers. The other Celestia looked to see the real one in the room. Both Celestias turned to the dralicorn as his wings unfurled and attacked the fake one sending it into the hall. The fake one slide down the hall.

“Princess!” the sounds of Twilight and her friends where said. Firestorm stood up and walked over the crazed look in his face getting even more twisted.

“What do you think you're doing?” Applejack said. Her question was left unanswered as Storm floated up into the air grabbing the fake Celestia in the face and flew forward with her. He then slammed her into the window flying out into the stormy night sky. His laughter was heard as it went into the distance.

“Rainbow go after-” Twilight started to say before Celestia came out of the room.

“No.” The real Celestia ordered as a stern look came from her. The six of them looked over to her.

“What's going on?” Rainbow said.

“I... I think he finally lost it.” Celestia said. “I don't know what happened but I think he finally broke down.”

“Then how do we help him?” Applejack asked.

“How did you help me?” Luna said coming around the corner.

“The Elements of Harmony.” Twilight said and they all rushed off. Celestia watched them run off. Luna went to her sister.

“Whats bothering you Tia?” Luna asked noting the look of sadness in her sister's eyes.

“Something about him just scares me. I don't think I've seen something so...” She said before a shudder ran through her body.

“Do you have any idea what caused him to snap?” Luna asked looking out of the window to see the after images of two ponies fighting in the sky.

“Not the foggiest, something happened when he left to break him down. Once we have him subdued we will get the answers from him.” She said before following the rest of them. Outside Firestorm fought against the fake Celestia, spell for spell crashing against each other.

“Oh please do you really think your going to hurt me with those attacks. Here let me show you a real attack.” Firestorm said raising his metallic hoof to the sky as his horn lit. Within moments a crack of lightning came forth and struck the hoof. He then pointed at the fake princess in front of him and fired it. She dived out of the way. Grinning like the devil he flew at her and kicked her in the head sending her to the ground he then called forth another bolt of electricity to him. With that he discharged the bolt at the pony. With a flap of his wings he flew after the pony pounding it into the ground. Grabbing at the frayed strands of her tail the crazed Firestorm started to spin around swinging the thunderstruck mare in a circle.

“What are you doing?” A guard said running.

With in a bit of laughter “teaching this imposter a lesson” He said throwing her into the sky before flying over to the guard disarming him of his sword. Before flying towards the tossed pony. “Incoming!” he yelled before the pony came to and stopped herself in midair. That of course was what he wanted, in that moment of flight he impaled her with the sword. A loud wham could be heard as the stallion was knocked back to the ground. The fake Celestia pulled the sword out and flew at Firestorm.

“You bastard, you’ll pay for that.” She said before turning into her guard pony from before. He grinned looking back at her. He stopped himself in midair and flew back breathing fire at her. This caused her to dodge out of the way. This gave him time to fly towards the castle. The fake guard hot on his tail. He flew right through the window of the main throne room. Standing there was Cadence and Shining Armor. Before they had the time to react Storm grabbed one of the guard ponies spears and ready himself. Right then the pursuing pony landing and held the sword in his hoof.

“What's going on here? Guard stand down.” Shining said as Firestorm grinned more.

“No can do sure. I'm under orders to stop the prince.” The fake guard said.

“By who, your mother?” The prince shoot back before flying at him cracking him with the staff end of the spear sending him into the air. Cadence and Shining was at a loss. That was until Storm stabbed the guard with the spear right in the same hole as before.

“Guards stop the Prince.” Shining orders and the rest of them jumped into action. Well they would have before.

“Belay that order.” Luna said running in.

“Princess Luna!” Shining said looking over.

“Which one is he currently fighting?” she said and they all pointed but the downed guard, Firestorm, and Cadence. “Subdue that pony at once.” She ordered. That would have happened if said pony didn't get up and flew after Storm with the spear still in it's chest. He grinned grabbing the spear and flipping the pony into the wall. The horns of both Shining Armor and Luna shined as a midnight blue aura grabbed Storm and a light pink grabbed the guard. This caused Storm to start laughing crazily.

“Oh please do you really think your telekinesis is going to hold Vermom like that?” He said before breaking out of the alicorns magic. He then flew right at the contained fake guard pinning him to the ground as a sadistic grin crossed his face before he proceeded to smash his prosthetic hoof into his face repeatedly. All of the ponies there looked shocked, the normally nice prince was now beating a defenseless captive senseless, for no apparent reason. Worse yet he was enjoying it immensely. That was until his mane and tail started to move on it's own in a style not of fire but of the clouds themselves. But black and storm like. “Come on Vermom I know you've got more fight in you then that.” Storm said as his voice took a strange duality with another voice. That was when the captives hoof shot out of the magic and struck the prince sending him into the wall. “There's the fight I was looking for.” He said getting up, his left eye turning from it's red reptilian style to a very familiar teal. It kept it's reptilian style but something about it reminded her of a darker time. He growled with a grin as his teeth became fangs.

“You won't win Storm” The guard said flying at Storm. He grinned, rolled back, and used his hind legs to kick the fake guard through another window before taking off with spear in hoof after him.

“Luna what's going on?” Shining asked after letting everything process.

“I do not know for sure Shining Armor. But he is fighting Vermom and she came at the worse possible time. Right when Storm finally snapped.” She said then shuddered remembering that eye of his. Something about that eye reminded her something from her past. “Shining I want you to get the guards out of his way. There is no telling what he's capable of right now and I rather keep everypony safe.” Luna ordered. With that Shining saluted and ran off, the other guards in the room following. The room had a deafening silence until Twilight and the her friends entered all wearing their respective Elements of Harmony.

“Where is he?” Twilight said breathing hard.

“You just missed him by a few minutes at most.” Luna said taking to the air.

“Luna where are you going?” Celestia said coming into the room.

“I'm going after him. There's something else at play here sister and I need to know what.” The midnight blue alicorn said before taking off after the insane dralicorn. The stormy night didn't do much but hinder her flight as she raced into the night's sky. The crack of thunder lit up the sky and within that moment two beings could be seen. From the look of it one was dodging bolts of magic from the other. The second crack of lightning told her it was in fact bolts of lightning being thrown.

“Oh come on Vermom I thought you wanted to rip my soul out again?” Storm said flying after the other figure in the night.

“Storm!” Luna yelled flying after. He had stopped and turned to her. The flash of lightning revealed his face in the storm. That look froze her cold. That wasn't a look of a pony that snapped, no. That was a look of something darker. He grinned, showing off his razor sharp teeth before he flew back after his target spear still in hoof. It only took a moment to shake the fear from her before she followed. She grabbed him using her magic to prevent him from flying. This only got him to laugh as his horn started to glow. She didn't have much time to react before the bolt of electricity struck both of them sending her falling to the ground. He watched her fall for a moment.

“I guess she couldn't take the spark of inspiration.” He said before getting tackled by one of the night guards. “Look who came to play? Long time no see Nightling.” He said to the bat pony holding him.

“You will not be hurting anymore ponies Firestorm.” She said trying to get him to the ground.

“Oh? Who's going to stop me?” He said before a flap of his wings allowed him to slip under her legs and point his hoof at her. Firing a bolt at her before she screamed out in pain. “Who know. Lightning does strike the same place twice.” He said before taking back up into the air to scan for his target again. “Now where did that necromantic pony head off to?” he asked.

“Right here.” He said before two hooves landing on the back of his head sent him down to the ground. “Should have looked out behind you.” She said before flying after him. The impact with the ground left a sizable crater in the hedge maze. With that he dived behind one of the bushes as she landed down where he crashed. “Oh I thought you wanted to face me? What? Are you scared?” Vermom asked as she looked around. “Maybe I should go get your precious Twilight Sparkle and get her to help drag you out?” She said changing into her form. Of course she didn't expect to see him when she turned right back around with a hoof flying at her. Which was followed by him latching onto her face. He then started to fly through the maze grinding her face into the ground alongside him. He grinned as he got so close he could slide her ahead of him before landing on top of her. He used her as a surfboard before she stopped, running into a larger stone. He jumped up and hovered into the air waiting for her to get up.

“Your dead.” Vermom growled.

“Oh I know, so are you Silver Star.” He said waiting for her to get up with a grin on his face. She got up shooting the dralicorn a glare. Who was grinning back. “So going to call your friends?” He mocked. That was before he got nailed with a bolder sending him back into the maze.

“Looks like somepony needs a hoof.” The shadowed figured said.

“Geez you took forever to get here Shadow.” She said getting into the air.

“Show some appreciation for saving your flank Star.” He shot back with a smirk.

“I told you it's Vermom.” She yelled back.

“You know you two bicker more than a married couple?” A voice said behind them. They both turned around to see a deranged Storm grinning at the two of them spear in hand with the tip in the ground and leaning against it.

“Oh please, like you would know what that would be like. It's not like you've really had a chance with any woman or mare.” Shadow shot back and Storm shrugged.

“Doesn't matter.” He smirked. Shadow blinked for a moment.

“What?” He asked confused.

“Doesn't matter. Oh I'm sorry I must be using too big of words again. Let me try again, don't care.” Storm mocked before pulling the spear out and pointing it at Vermom and Shadow. “But you know what. I'm bored of this game. So let's play a new one.” He said grinning more than a pony’s head should allow. Almost like his head was distorting as his normal bright orange coat slowly darkens. “Follow the leader. Ready? Go!” With that he flew off into the sky taking the spear with him. The two of them looked at each other before taking off after him. The storm around them intensified as they continued flying after that drony.

“Are you getting the feeling something else is pulling the strings?” Vermom asked as she flew close to Shadow Storm.

“So I wasn't the only one think that.” Shadow replied as the rain pounded on them like bullets. “Odd thing is it seems familiar but I can't place it.” From ahead, Storm dived down into the woods below, a very odd and dangerous forest. They followed as well touching down onto the moss covered earth. The fog slowly rolled in as the thundering of the storm could be heard with the rain barely breaking through the tree top canopy.

“Welcome to the game field ponies.” Echoed from the darkness followed by a dark chuckle. A cheshire grin was within the darkness with two floating eyes one red and one teal. Both of them reptilian in nature. “Let's see if you can hit the broad side of a barn. I'm betting you can't.” With that the face disappeared within the darkness and the fog started to rise up between the trees creating literal fog curtains.

“Quit playing around and show yourself.” Vermom shouted.

“Can't quit, just started.” He said behind them. They both whirled around and fired a magical bolt in that direction. Of course they missed as a small laugh echoed in the fog.

“Damn it.” Vermom growled before she ran off into the fog only to come back from another direction. Shadow tried to stifle a laugh. “Laugh and I blast you.”

“Oh come on, you've got to admit that was funny.” He shot back with a grin. Before a laugh next to him caught his attention. He turned to see Firestorm leaning against him.

“That was funny.” He said before disappearing in a flash of light.

“What is with this stallion. It's almost like he's acting like.” Vermom started.

“Pinkie Pie?” Shadow asked.

“Exactly.” She said.

“How do you even know how she acts like?” He asked.

“You try spying on this idiot and not run into Pinkie once?” She shot back before a bolt of magic fired out of the fog striking her.

“Come on, it's not as fun if you sit there and squabble all night.” Storm said stepping out of the fog. “But I guess you want to fight. Well I might as well, right?” He gave his wings a flap lifting him into the air. With that he fired a fireball sending Shadow Storm into the air. He then flew after them. Shadow recovered in the air and returned fire with a shadow ball. It sent Storm back laughing. This was followed by an explosion of light and a black scaled dralicorn appeared in the sky and it was grinning. “Did you miss me?” He said before sending a stream of black fire at Shadow who barely dodged most of his left hind leg fur getting singe off.

“What the hell?” Shadow thought before attempting to transform himself. But to his dismay he couldn't. It just wasn't there anymore. “What did you do to me?” He roared at the thing before him.

“Oh nothing, just made sure you couldn't transform was all. You know simple binding magic, real basic stuff, like this.” He said before a bolt of magic stuck Shadow trapping his wings to his side causing him to fall to the ground. “Oh right you needed those to fly. Silly me.” The thing before spoke with that same duality tone as Storm. The dark dralicorn flew up into the sky towards the clouds filling the storming night sky.

Inside Canterlot castle the bearers of the Elements of Harmony continued to watch as Princess Celestia had conjured a magical screen to show everypony what was going on. Medical ponies were sent off to help both Princess Luna and Nightling after they saw their fall.

“I can't believe he would do all this.” Applejack said the disbelief present in her voice.

“I don't think he is really doing all this.” Twilight added her heart aching from watching all this. She knew somewhere deep in her heart that the Storm she knew wouldn't do all that. Especially to Luna and Nightling. Shadow Storm and Vermom not so much but all that disregard to other ponies safety just didn't sit well with her. She wanted to be out there right now to help him. To save him from whatever has a hold on him. Dash on the other hoof was looking quite angry about all this.

“I wish I could be out there helping buck their teeth in.” She growled her wings unfurled in her anger. Fluttershy just couldn't watch any of this out of both fear and worry. She didn't think she could stomach any of this.

“What do we do Twilight?” Pinkie asked with worry on her face too. Her whole body was shaking from her Pinkie sense telling her one doozie was still to come but she couldn't tell where. It almost felt everywhere to her.

“I don't know Pinkie. I really just don't know.” Twilight answered watching, tears still streaming from before. Something had to happen to cause all this.

“Was there any clues how this happened in what he brought with him?” Celestia asked turning to Twilight.

“Nothing that I could tell Princess. He had a few things that I saw in his dreams and a few photos of some thing I couldn't tell what it was. They looked like diamond dogs but with different kind of faces to them and not as fur covered.” She answered. Celestia watched all this not sure if she should enter the fray of battle. She was worried she could be quickly overpowered like she was when Chrysalis had attacked during the wedding.

“Princess Celestia, is there anything we could do to help?” Rarity asked coming up next to the her.

“I don't know my little ponies, I could only think of trying to hit him with the Elements magic but... I worry that even that won't be enough to stop him. This... this seems.” She started to say before the doors behind her burst open with a bandaged up Luna coming in. Two ponies next to her with medical boxes in their mouths.

“Princess you need to lie down. There's no telling what that bolt did to you.” The larger earth stallion with a blue coat and black mane said. Said medical box with a red cross behind it on his flack for his cutie mark.

“This can not wait.” Luna said before turning to her sister.

“Luna please get some rest.” Celestia implored.

“What is happening with Storm at this moment?” Luna asked ignoring her sister's plea.

“He's flying up into the sky towards the clouds. For what I don't know quite yet. I can only guess that he's going to charge himself.” Celestia said turning back to see that said dralicorn was flying in circles in the clouds.

“What is he doing?” Dash said going around the other side to get a better look at it.

“Is it just me or is that cloud area he's circling around getting thicker?” Twilight pointed out. Indeed it was getting thicker. Unknown to them at the time he was sucking in all the storm clouds around into a condensed spot. Within moments all of the storm clouds were compacted into the spot. As the rain started to come down in sheets over the Everfree forest.

“Perfect.” He said with a grin before flying into it. As bolt after bolt of lightning went off within the mass of clouds. After a few minutes of that the cloud started to compress itself, almost as if it had started to collapse within itself like a white dwarf star in space. All of the cloud and rain was absorbed within the black dralicorn. His wings, mane, and tail all alive with pure electricity, almost looked like they were made of lightning itself. He opened his mouth as water started to come out and covered his hooves turning into pure Ice spikes. With those formed he looked around for his target. Right there in a clearing lay Shadow Storm slowly getting back to his hooves from his fall. The dralicorn grinned before diving down towards him. Both glacial spikes ready to be ran through their target. That would have happened if Vermom didn't fly in with a double hind leg drop kick sending the black figure into the ground away from Shadow. “Oh look who comes back to play.” He said standing on his back two legs.

“Oh I'm not here to play you bastard. I'm here to end you.” She growled her claws flexed in the newly revealed night sky.

“Ice spikes versus Dragon Claws. I wonder who's going to win?” He said grinning. With that they flew at each other. She aimed not for his throat but for his face. He thought ahead and turned one spike into a blade. With a clash the dark dralicorn Firestorm lost an eye and Vermom had lost her right foreleg.

“Bastard!” She yelled grabbing at the stump. Right around the stub was a layer of frozen ice. He turned around floating up her arm to him.

“Oh I'm the bastard? You went for my eye.” He said, the right side of his face held three large gashes through it with his eye laying on the ground at his feet. “I guess I have to hoof it to you.” He said waving her removed limb next to him. “You got me good.” He said before what was left of his right prosthetic leg fell to pieces. It wasn't able to completely block it and got destroyed in the attack. He disconnected it and looked over Vermom's leg. “I guess I should thank you for the new limb though.” He said followed by a dark laugh. He then jammed the leg into the socket. Surprising enough the limb started to work just like any other prosthetic limb he had before. But a green fire radiated around it before turning it to match the scaled body of the dark Firestorm.

“How did you do that?” She asked in surprise started to hover into the air a bit.

“Simple really. Your hoof had magic. I just used it like this.” he said before his body was engulfed in a green flame turning him into a dead on copy of Vermom voice and all. The right eye was there but dulled like it was blind. “Quite simple, almost foals play.” he grinned before flying at her. She flew back to dodge the swipe with the remaining ice covered hoof that was in the form of three large claws like blades.

“Do you really think you of all ponies can beat me? Please you've only got a lucky shot in.” Vermom said.

“Lucky shot? Oh you mean like this.” Storm said flying at her before blinking a few inches away.

“Wha?” She got out before a hoof came from the right bashing into her face sending her through a tree.

“Doesn't seem lucky to me. But hey at least I'm not hitting myself. Oh wait. I guess I am.” He said with a grin before turning back to his old self in a flash of green fire.

“Still a lucky shot.” Vermom said getting back out spitting a bit of black blood from her mouth.

“But there's one thing you can't do.” She said before her horn glowed a hideous black as the ground around the two of them turned just as deadly black. With a shake and a rumble hooves both of flesh and of bone shot out of the ground followed by the rest of the bodies. undead ponies of various ages, genders, and sizes raised from the ground and surrounded them both. “You remember my friends don't you?” She asked turning back to the Storm to find him completely gone just another zombie pony mare. “Damn it where did he go?” She said looking around.

“Right here.” Came from under her. She looked down in time to see a hoof fly out of the ground sending her up into the air. She recovered quick enough to avoid the stone spike that flew at her.

“Darn it. I knew I should have fired just a bit more to the left.” Came from behind her. She turned around to see Storm there giving her a little wave. “Yo.” He said round house kicking her back down to the ground grabbing the spike in his magic. A spin followed by a throw later the spike impaled Vermom effectively pinning her to the ground. To drive the point home he flew down slamming it further into her. “Oh look your friends are all left out. Here let me fix that.” He playfully said his horn glowing a stone like aura around orange as various spike of stone shot out piercing all of them and lifting them into the air. They continued to move, but their ability to go anywhere was taken from them.

“Don't forget about me.” Shadow said before tackling Storm, who grinned before his horn lit up teleporting both of them into a desert miles away from the Everfree and Canterlot. They landed in the sand burying them deep into the dune. Silence filled the desert for a few minutes until a dark furred pony flew out of the ground followed by a darker scaled beast behind.

“You won't get me Storm. I'm better then you and I'm willing to do-” He got out before he was knocked in the back of the head.

“Do what ever it takes to win? Please Shadow you're as predictable as ever. You talk this big game. You talk about wanting to win, killing me, getting everything you want. It's just an act, a grand performance. But you know what's not an act?” Storm said grabbing Shadow by the back of the head.

“What?” He shot back.

“How much pain you caused ponies.” He replied before throwing his captive to the ground. “For how much you messed with, how much you think you could win, here's the reality check Shadow: You're nothing more than a bit of shade to me.” He mocked followed by a knowing tone laugh. “You aren't even worth the time to fight anymore.” He landed back on all four hooves walking slowly up to Shadow Storm who was face up in the sand. “It would be so funny if it wasn't so sad. You aren't even a real pony and before you say so, neither am I. What I am is something that shouldn't be Shadow, which makes you a shadow of an abomination. Something worth even less then I, frankly I don't care about myself. But I'll tell you what I do care about Shadow. I care for the ponies that showed this freak of undead nature he could be something again.” He said becoming a bit more rational then has been since this all started. The fire around his right hoof flared up engulfing him slowly turning forms and his voice to follow each pony he talked about. “I care for Fluttershy, a pony who, not only is the embodiment of kindness itself, but is a great friend. I care for Applejack who, being the Element of Honesty, will tell me how it is. Even go along to prove it to me when I was being stubborn about it. I care for Pinkie Pie who always tried to make me smile, either from her parties or outright randomness. I care for Rarity who was always generous with me, even with the rocky moments. I care for Rainbow Dash who stuck with me, even got in my face to make me face my problems head on. But never alone because she was loyal to me and her friends. I care for Celestia and Luna who gave me a family when I had none. When I couldn't even remember them, even go out of their way to make my life just a little bit better. I care for Cadence who is a loving sister and was willing to put up with my crap when I doubted who I cared for the most. I care for Shining Armor who did much of the same. I care for my friends in Canterlot and Ponyville. But the one I care for the most is Twilight Sparkle. A pony that could show an abomination like me love. Not just kindness of being my first friend here in Equestria but that I could be loved. That I could have hope again when everything seemed lost or out in the dark.” He said before returning back to himself his darkened scales returning to a bright vibrant red. His teal eyes turning back red. “I am Firestorm and you Shadow Storm are nothing anymore.” He said looking directly at him his right hoof held out in a random direction that only made sense to the ponies watching from Celestia's magic screen as it was pointed directly at the ponies watching. That was until Twilight, Fluttershy, Dash, Applejack, Pinkie and Rarity's cutie marks, as well as the Elements of Harmony's gems started to glow brightly.

“What's going on?” Twilight asked before a beam of magic flew out of each gem into the screen.

“I think he's calling the elements to him.” Applejack said.

“It shouldn't be possible. Should it?” Twilight asked, looking up at Celestia who was just as confused and worried as the rest of them.

“I've never seen the Elements of Harmony act this way.” Celestia mused.

“Sister, could this be because of the Infinitely Torch?” Luna suggested.

“It's possible but there's no way of telling at the moment.” The princess of the sun replied. The six beams of magic dissipated as they appeared within the image itself flying to the ripped off hoof he used. It turned into a sphere of harmonious energy.

“What did you just do?” Shadow said in surprise and fear.

“I called the only thing to help Shadow. The only thing that I know will end this.” He said as he hold the ball of energy to the air. All the electricity in his wings, mane, and tail traveled up to his right hoof before going into the ball of magic expanding it ten fold. It was almost to size of the moon itself and was radiating prismatic sparks. “Good bye Shadow Storm.” Storm said before slamming the energy into the ground causing an explosion that blinded both of them and all the ponies watching from Celestia's screen. That was cut short how ever as a figure shot out of the screen and slammed into the wall cracking it. Once the glow disappeared both from the screen and around the figure it showed a unconscious Firestorm missing the acquired limb from Vermom as smoke came from his body. Everypony stopped as the smoke took the same shape of a very familiar pony. I took the shape of Nightmare Moon before it let out a ear piercing wail that shattered all the glass windows before disappearing completely. The ponies slowly walked over, all but Twilight Sparkle who ran to him and sat behind his head, bringing him closer to her chest. She began to hold him as tears just streamed from her eyes. It was too much for the little lavender unicorn and all she wanted to do was hold him and cry. This lasted throughout the night even after they got him into a hospital room. Twilight didn't leave his side the whole time. The only thing she requested was her pillow and the bag with the contents to be brought to the room. She wasn't going to leave him no matter what.

***---***

Memories. Memories are a funny thing aren't they? Normally you could remember something that's happened fairly recently, but from the portal on I don't remember anything until waking up to an upset Twilight.

“Twilight?” I asked my throat feeling a little sore.

“Storm?” She asked looking at me directly in the eye. I couldn't see out the other one and I didn't know why. “Storm!” She said before holding my head close to her chest again squeezing the life out of me. I slid my left foreleg around her and squeezed as best I could. “You had me so scared Storm. Please tell me you're alright?” She pleaded.

“I... I don't know... I just...” I got out before I shifted so I could sit up and lean against the headboard of the bed. I looked around to find myself in a forest green room with a darker blue edging, a hospital room. I brought up my left hoof and looked at it a moment.

“Storm I... I'm sorry.” She said. I brought her over and she broke down, the fur on my chest started to get wet was a slowly rubbed Twilight's back to get it all out. I was worried about her but for me I felt rather cold inside.

“It's alright Twilight. Everything is fine.” I tried to reassure. She shook her head and said something I didn't quite make out since she said it into my chest. I looked down at her before she looked up at me puffy, red eyes.

“Everything's not alright. Storm you're injured and... and...” She said before breaking into another fit of tears into my chest. I figured I got injured coming back but what hurt me? Was it just the spell being violent to my body or something else?

“Twilight... what happened?” I asked a little colder than I probably should have. She looked up at me with a face that showed sadness, curiosity, and surprise.

“You don't remember any of it do you?” She asked.

“No, I remember going into the portal to come back but beyond that it's blank.” I said looking up to the mirror on the wall to see my right side of my face including my eye was covered in bandages.

“You fought Vernom and Shadow. You... went insane.” She said timidly.

“Please tell me I didn't hurt anypony.” I said surprise and worry in my voice. Twilight fell silent as my ears flatten back. She wouldn't meet my gaze. “Who?” I asked a few moments later.

“Luna and Nightling.” She answered still not looking at me. I hurt not just a friend but my family too. I started to shake as tears slowly dripped from my eye and the area around my right dampened. “Its not your fault Storm, please don't-” She started.

“Don't what? Beat myself up for it? All because in my fit of insanity I hurt my friend and family? “ I said in an angry tone. I rested my head back on the pillow and turned my head away from her.

“But you weren't thinking properly.” She said and I would have said something a bit mean spirited before I heard.

“I don't blame you for it Firestorm. What happened, has happened and there's no changing it now.” Luna said her wings a little blacked but nothing worse for wear. She then looked past me to Twilight who shook her head a few moments later. They must have had a private ‘I'm talking to you with my eyes’ kind of conversation. “I see. So you're not aware of what happened two days ago.” Luna asked and my eyes widened again.

“Two days?” I asked timidly.

“Yes, after what happened your mind sort of closed itself in, a sort of suspended animation.” she explained. I didn't want to think about what my body was doing during that time. My gaze went to the bed then over to the bag I had brought with me back from my world before I just sat there my eyes closed. Silence filled the room as the breathing of three ponies could be heard including myself.

“Finally you're up.” Dash said and my eyes opened to look at her hovering in with a grin. “Oh man that was awesome, you kicked major flank.” She said I deflated more.

“Dash, he-” Twilight started.

“Was awesome I know.” Dash interrupted. “When did you learn how to fly like that?”

“Dash...” I started before taking a small pause to take a deep breath. “I don't remember any of it.” I saw her deflate as her grin turned to confusion.

“How can you not remember how much flank you kicked. You showed Shadow and Vermom a good pounding.” she said.

“Yeah you showed them what for. I'm surprised you had it in you. Even when you're um... like that.” Applejack added walking in.

“I don't remember anything from reentering the portal to come back. From that up to a few moments ago is blank.” I said slowly floating over the large bag I brought back with me and sat it next to the bed.

“What's that?” Dash asked pointing to the duffel bag.

“It's a duffel bag Dash.” I answered.

“I know that, I mean what's in there?”

“Stuff.”

“What kind of stuff?”

“The things kind of stuff.” I answered being vague and blunt at the same time. Dash, of course scowled at me and honestly I didn't care about it at the moment. She could be cross with me all she wanted.

“Storm can you please tell me what is really in there?” Twilight asked and I let out a sigh before bringing the bag up to the bed. I reached over and unzipped it revealing a number of its contents. The first thing to come out was a figurine that Twilight lifted out in her magic. She brought the little swordsmen over to her. She flipped it over a few times in her magic examining it closely. “What is this?” She asked.

“Its a small figurine Twilight.” I answered.

“Of what?” She asked.

“It's called a swordsmen Twilight. What you would have that's close would be a swordspony.” I explained with her looking at me.

“Wait, isn't this what I saw in your-.” She got out and I nodded slowly.

“How did you get it out of your dreams?” She asked and I shook my head.

“Not out of my dream Twilight.” I said not looking at her.

“Then how did you get this?” She asked.

“I retrieved it Twilight.” With that she remained quiet for a moment.

“Retrieved from where?” Luna asked and I guess that was the million bit question. With no hesitation in my voice I answered with.

“Earth.” The room fell silent again. It took about a minute before any pony said anything. This time though it was Celestia entering the room.

“I see Firestorm is awake.” She said and most of us looked at her. I have however did not. I sat there my duffel bag over my hind legs. “Did I miss something?”

“Besides the bomb shell I just dropped on everypony here that this is from earth, nothing.” I said with a light shrug. That however was a stupid thing to say. Because right on time I got.

“Didn't you say you would never return there?” Twilight asked and I nodded.

“Yes I am aware of what I said. But something came up and I needed to. Not the way I expected but none the less needed to.” I answered still not looking at any pony, just the stuff in the bag. Sitting right on top was two overturned photos that I wasn't sure got ponified or not. Part of me was hopping it wasn't but another did. A side that said I should just keep quiet about what I had learned. That it was better for everypony here not to know what I had found out about myself. Just to hide behind the mask like I use to. I was tempted to do so, but I knew better than that. Sliding the photos over I pulled out a rather sizable red comforter and slowly wrapped it around myself. Then placed the little figurine that dropped from Twilight's magic back in it and zipped it shut. Placing it next to the bed on the floor I slowly brought up the comforter like a wall until only my nose and above peaked out from it. My eyes just staring out into nothingness.

“What came up?” Celestia asked her tone worried but authoritative.

“A truth.” I answered.

“About?”

“Me.” I said before taking a deep breath. “Can I please talk to the princesses alone?” I requested.

“Ah, sure.” Dash said worriedly but not disagreeably.

“Of course Storm.” Applejack said.

“No.” Twilight said. My gaze turned to her as she wore a worried but stern look on her face. “You went missing for two days, go through all that just to pass out for two more days. You had me worried to death Storm. I am not leaving. You got something important to say about yourself and I want to hear it.” She said getting a little angrier with me as she progressed. I knew she was being stubborn about this but I had to answer. Celestia I knew wouldn't drop it the same with Twilight. Luna most likely worried and it needed to be addressed since I was royalty here in Equestria. I smirked under the comforter wondering how long that will last after I tell them. Applejack and Rainbow Dash both left closing the door behind them. I waited a few moments before turning to Celestia and shifted my head to the door. She nodded and with a blast of magic the room was sound proofed so no pony could hear.

“Darn it.” was heard from Applejack outside the door. Celestia smirked before turning back to me.

“What did you find out?” She asked.

“Before I answer that, I'm going to state this: As of right now you all have a get out of knowing me card on the table. I won't blame any of you for using it whatsoever.” I started me not looking at any of them. Just out at the window as the stormy day. What a perfect setting for what I'm about to say.

“Storm you know we-” Twilight started.

“Twilight I know, but I am still laying it out for everypony. That includes those outside the room.” I said cutting her off.

“Twilight, I think we should let him speak before proceeding any further with this.” Celestia said and Twilight looked up at the princess. I did two for a moment before going back to just staring out the window.

“What did you find out Storm.” Luna asked and I took a long breath before I began. “I'm going to assume both of you know how it feels to lose someone close to you right?” I started with a question. Rather to use it as a hook to make sure they pay attraction to this.

“Of course.” Luna answered.

“Regrettably yes.” Celestia replied and Twilight nodded.

“Well let me ask you this. What would happen when you found out that the one closest to you that died was yourself?” This got both Luna and Twilight's eyes to widen. Celestia however closed her’s.

“So you found out that-” She started.

“Yes Celestia, I did.” I answered.

“Found out what?” Twilight said getting in front of me to stare directly into my eyes.

“I found out that I am dead Twilight Sparkle. I was dead before coming to Equestria. For all this time you were friends with a dead pony.” I answered each word made my heart feel like a chunk of arctic ice. She looked at me eyes widened. Mine felt like they dulled as I sank into the comforter a little more. Like it was the only thing to hide my shame. She started to shake a bit and cry. I slowly moved the blanket and reached up to brush the tears away. With a burst of magic she swatted the hoof way. That was enough to tell me she used the get out of knowing me card. She disappeared and I could hear the galloping hoof steps followed by even more as it disappeared into the distance. I guess I lost my marefriend, my first friend here in Equestria. I shifted the comforter around me more as I felt it all just crash in. Twilight didn't want to know me anymore and I wouldn't be surprised if the rest of them didn't either.

“Storm...” Luna started before just looking down.

“How long Celestia?” I asked looking up at her.

“Since I met you in the hospital.” She answered.

“Why didn't you tell me?” I asked.

“Honestly, It felt right not telling you, with everything you had to deal with. I didn't think finding out that you were already dead back home would have been wise. If I may ask, how did it happen?” She asked looking at me. Luna how ever looked up at her sister.

“You knew all this time and you didn't think I should have been informed?” She asked a little harsher than she probably wanted to say.

“I didn't think it would have mattered Luna. He seemed to have just wanted to be a normal pony. But as things went on I saw him be more than that. I'm not saying my choice was the best I had ever made but I did make it.” Celestia answered she then turned to me. “I do apologize for not telling you Firestorm. It was too cruel of me not to tell you.” She said.

“I don't blame you. What if I turned out to really be a monster like the papers had depicted me? You probably thought it was safer to keep it a secret.” I said as even my voice felt hollow. “As for your question. Luna would best know the answer to that.” This got the princess of the night to look at me. “The dream of me getting shot, that is how it happened. But I was human when it happened.” I answered.

“I see.” Celestia said.

“So, you died to protect some pony?” Luna asked and I nodded.

“I saw what my actions did. I saw the people I hurt both family and friends. I even watched my own funeral” I said as the world around me still held that tint of gray. The only thing with color was the princesses around me. I guess even my mind gives them the respect they deserve.

“Will they be alright?” The princess of the sun asked.

“I don't know. They fought over my death and I saw that I hurt them just doing what I thought was right. In the end I wasn't a monster that the papers saw me as. No... I'm far worse Celestia, Luna. I am an abomination to pony kind.” I said as I slowly closed my eyes. “If you wish to make sure I don't hurt anypony, I will understand.” I waiting for it but nothing came.

“No Firestorm, I will not do such an action. You are still a pony, a drony. You're still you. Yes, you are dead back on earth but here... You feel pain, you feel happiness, and you feel love. So why would I take that from you?” She asked and I opened my eyes to look at her.

“Because, I shouldn't be alive Celestia. By some cruel twist of fate, I became something I shouldn't have. The universe just wanted to screw me over once again...” I said before a depressed chuckle came from me. “Isn't that the story of my life, the universe screwing me at ever turn.” I asked. Celestia shook her head and came up. With her magic she brought me comforter and all over and held me close.

“Storm.” She said with a motherly warmth. It wasn't fair to have all my afterlife taken from me. Unable to be with her again. I couldn't take it anymore and just cried as Luna came over and held me too. We sat there for what felt like hours until I stopped crying. They placed me back on the bed and made sure I wasn't covered up in the comforter.

“How... how do I tell them?” I asked.

“That I can't say. But I think they will accept you no matter what. You're still the same pony you where just with more to your past.” Celestia answered.

“What about Twilight?” I asked feeling my heart freeze over again.

“I can't say for sure but I think she just needs a little time to let it sink in.” she answered.

“It must be hard to find out the pony you were dating was dead the whole time. I wouldn't blame her for never wanting to see me again.” I said with a small frown.

“It will be something to deal with when the time comes.” Celestia said and I nodded bringing the duffel bag back up to me and I finally pulled out the photos. “Are those photos you brought back with you?”

“Yeah, since I was dead I figured I might as well. They were mine after all, like everything I brought with me.” I said before slowly flipping over the photo of my friends. Their smiling human faces looked back at me and right there in the middle, me.

“Are those your friends?” Luna said coming around to look.

“Yeah well all but this one.” I said gently tapping at me.

“Who is he?”

“That's the old me.” I answered with a depressive tone to my voice.

“Well you look rather... um.” She tried not to make the obvious fat joke.

“Fat?” I said with a light smirk.

“No! No, I just mean your rather-” She started to backpedal.

“Husky, fluffy, over sized, two tons of fun, large, surprised that they could fit in the same photo as me?” I joked.

“No, I mean-” She started and I shook my head.

“Luna I don't mind the fat jokes. I didn't then and I don't mind it now. Well they don't rather apply anymore I guess.” I said pulling the comforter down and gently rubbing my belly a bit. “I've seemed to slim down quite a bit.” Celestia tried to stifle a laugh. Luna looked embarrassed a bit before shaking her head.

“How can you do that?” She asked.

“Do what?” I said with a small smile.

“Go from depressive to cracking jokes about yourself?” She asked.

“Because why not? I'm dead so why does it matter anymore?” I answered.

“You're not dead here Storm. Your living as much as either of us.” She tried to derail the train of thought that I was going on full tilt.

“Well technically you're both right.” Celestia explained. We both looked at her with the what ‘cha talkin’ about face. “It's true you're dead... on earth. Here in Equestria you're alive. Your flesh, blood, and fur. You have hopes and dreams just like any pony. If you really where dead then why would you be sitting here right now?” She asked.

“Because the universe wants to screw with me?” I quipped back.

“You can't blame the universe for your bad luck.” She said shaking her head.

“I know but it make me feel better.” I shot back. She rolled her eyes at me and shook her head.

“I guess every pony needs there little quirks.” She said to no pony particular.

“And I have a lot of them. But that's neither here nor there anymore.” I said before sliding the photos back into the bag.

“Aren't you going to look at the other one?” Luna asked.

“No, I just worried about this world pony-ifying the people in these photos to fit better. I'm glad that my... friends.” I was a little hesitant with that last part. Before I continued with. “Get to see my old friends. They'll never see get to meet them but at least they can see them.” I said before reaching over in my magic and opened the door to see Pinkie and Dash sitting outside the door in the chairs that this hospital had provided them. Then turned to me and flew in, Dash literally and Pinkie... Well... it was hard to say, I wouldn't put it past the mare to finding a way to do so.

“What did you say to Twilight to make her run off like that?” Dash said getting into my face.

“I will explain here in a moment.” I said shutting the door behind them. Both princesses took up two of the seats in the room as Dash continued to be in my face. “Um... Dash please back up.” I requested. She shot me a scowl but nodded doing so. She hovered in the air over the foot of the bed her forelegs crossed looking at me. Pinkie hopped up onto the bed and sat next to her. I took a breath and explained to them the same thing I did to both princesses. I keep the comforter up a little just in case I had to protect myself from them throwing something. Part way through my explanation Dash landed on the bed with a small thud that bounced both Pinkie and I. There was no way of telling what they were thinking. Well that was until Pinkie started to grin and Dash smirked.

“That's pretty cool man.” She said and I blinked at her confused.

“What?” I asked.

“It's cool to know man. I mean your friends with the coolest ponies in Equestria and I know the first undead human pony.” She said and I blinked slowly.

“What?” I repeated.

“It's so awesome.” Pinkie said launching herself at me. She of course pinned me to the bed and was snout to snout with me. I've gotten an extremely uncomfortable look right into Pinkie's eyes and it was outright terrifying. It was almost like looking at a world of sugar.. So very possible she has a world like that in her blue eyes.

“Um... Pinkie can you please let me up?” I asked followed by a gulp.

“Oh yes. Sorry.” She said jumping back and bouncing back on the bed. “You know we should totally throw a party and invite everypony. Family, friends, and ponies so you can have so many... friends. What's wrong?” She asked noticing how smile dropped. I took a deep breath and pulled out the photos to show them.

“Who and what are these?” Dash asked.

“These are humans Dash. This one here is of me and my friends.” I said lifting the photo up. She grabbed it and looked it over. Even turned it a few times like she was trying to see another angle.

“I don't see you in here.” She asked I couldn't help but laugh.

“Because Dash it was before I came to Equestria. I'm the large one with orange on.” I explained and to looked back at it.

“Man you were fat.” She said.

“Yes Dash, I was fat. You could call me the two ton tuba of fun, the bowl full of jelly.” I said.

“Oh, jelly.” Pinkie said the gave the picture a big sloppy lick. Lucky for it and me that she only licked the glass and frame of it.

“Ah, Pinkie why did you do that?” Dash said as she tried to fling Pinkie's slobber off her hooves.

“Well he said jelly and I wanted to know what flavor it was. But it didn't taste like jelly at all.” She said smiling.

“Your so random Pinkie.” I said shaking my head.

“Hey that's my line.” Dash shot back.

“I know and I used it.” I said before we just sat there and talked. Not much really I told them about some more stuff from home, movies and so forth. To my surprise I didn't feel so cold anymore. When Applejack, Rarity, and Fluttershy came in they said they couldn't follow Twilight after she disappeared. For the third time I explained what happened and what I had found out. Rarity really didn't show her how she felt about it, Applejack showed pure horror, and of course Fluttershy passed out part way through it. Dash floated in the air and Pinkie was sitting around going through an oversized pink book.

“So your telling me that this whole time we've know ya, you've been dead?” Applejack asked after she had taken a few deep breaths.

“Yeah, I didn't find out myself until two days ago.” I said scratching the back of my head. “and just to be clear I am still letting you decide if you want to be friends with me or not.” I offered just to make sure.

“Darling you didn't know and to us you're still alive. You may not be this human.” Rarity said pointing to the photo in my lap. “But it doesn't change what we've come to know. You are still you either way.” She said with a light smile.

“Thanks” I said before taking a deep breath. I just wish Twilight was this understanding.

“Storm are you alright?” Fluttershy asked. She had came to shortly before Applejack started to talk.

“I guess.” I said.

“What do you think about all this?” She asked looking a little worried. I looked away and everypony was silent waiting for my answer.

“Do you want the honest answer?” I questioned and all of them including the princesses nodded. “To be honest, I don't know how to feel about this. In a way I feel like an abomination to all things natural. I mean I was a human that died then my soul got transported to a wonderful world of colorful ponies. I feel like just being here is spitting on a priceless painting. I also feel like it's a second chance. A chance to be the person that I really wanted to be, not to make the same mistakes. But... I also feel screwed over because I was suppose to see Jessica again and be with her for an eternity but I came here. I mean yes if I didn't come here I wouldn't have met all of you and I am truly glad that I have. You've been so wonderful to me.” I said before I let out a sigh. “There's just so much more to this that I can't describe it. To sum it all up I feel... out of place.” I finally answered.

“But you're not out of place. You're right there.” Pinkie said looking at me with a big old smile on her face.

“Not quite what I mean. I mean like an extra puzzle piece in a jigsaw puzzle kind of out of place.” I answered.

“Well then we just need to find the puzzle you belong to.” She said and my brain flat lined for a moment.

“What?” Applejack and I both said confused.

“You know find the right puzzle for the missing odd puzzle piece.” She answered. Oh, that makes sense... sort of. I looked around at everypony there. But there was one I really wished that was here. I laid back quietly in the bed looking out the window. Where do I go from here? Out of every pony most of them had no problem with this... all but Twilight. I let out another sigh as my mind drifted a bit just thinking about everything that had happened with Twilight. I thought back to when I first kissed her after being stuck in Canterlot's hospital for a few days, to us sitting at the look out and dancing to Fur Elise. I thought about that kiss on the way home from Applejack's and more. Just knowing all that was thrown away in mere moments started to crush my heart. But that left a question if I even deserved her after all this. Did I disgust her by being dead?

“What's wrong Storm?” I heard Fluttershy asked. I turned and looked at her. It wasn't just her that looked worried, even Pinkie did.

“Just a lot to think about.”I said sitting back up and scratching the back of my head. Of course the look of unease filled most of them. I said most because Fluttershy fainted again. This time not quite sure what caused it. “What is something I said?” I asked not sure.

“It's um nothing sugar cube.” She said followed by scrunching up her face and looking away. Okay so I knew Applejack was lying out her teeth. Dash face hoofed as both Celestia and Luna looked a little worried. I was still a little confused until that rapidly changed to shock followed by a heavy weighted feeling in my chest. My right eye was gone and I don't mean blind gone. I mean completely I see the empty eye socket gone. I started to shake a bit before I turned to all of them.

“How?” I simply asked. That's when the princesses launched into the story of how I jumped off the deep end. She told me of looking crazed, fighting both Vermom and Shadow Storm at the same time. Me cutting Vermom's foreleg off which didn't sit right with me and I had to grab a basket to lose what I had pumped into me when I was told I used said foreleg to beat her with it. But what really surprised me out of this was that some how I called the Elements of Harmony themselves to help me and not the ponies that are the embodiments of it. But the magical elements themselves plus I had some how boosted the power of it with the lightning I had absorbed from the storm cloud. This all sent my head spinning. I was dead, gone crazing hurting both Nightling and Luna, and beat the hell out of two sort of ponies that had made my life hell here in Equestria, in such state that I didn't remember coming out of it. To top it all off when I cut Vermom's foreleg off she slashed my eye out of its socket. The slash marks were already magically healed. But the eye was a different story. I was told that an eye was regrow-able as well was most limbs. Well not my right foreleg since the magic used on it made sure it couldn't be. The problem with an eye was it needed very advance spell to reform since it was close to the brain. So I was going to be stuck for a few days with only one eye. Pinkie being the physics breaking pony that she was produced an eye patch for me to wear. Which honestly I didn't mind too much. Dash started to snicker at it all this. The worse part... well sort of worse part was that I knew where her mind must have went. Because I couldn't help it I did the same thing.

“Not one joke out of you Dash or I'll make you walk the plank” I said picking up a pirate voice, this of course got both Pinkie and Dash to lose it and laugh like mad mares. I smiled quietly before looking out the window again. I watched some of the pegasi out there starting to clear the storm clouds away. Not as fast as Dash could I assumed but still pretty quickly. My mind went back to drifting around about everything that was when I noticed a flash of pink in my corner of my eye. I turned to see Twilight's pillow that I made. I gently brushed a hoof on it and it felt a little warm still. I had started to wonder what Twilight was doing before Celestia most likely figuring where my thoughts had gone down derailed it.

“How did you get back to the human world?” She asked. I blinked for a moment as I just had thought whiplash from the topic change.

“Oh well. Grim Wand's journal had a travel spell that he got from a book he came across.” I answered. Celestia's gaze turned cold as she gave me a straight stare. I gulped at this and winces as I had a flashback her to hatred face. “Sorry.” I squeaked

“It's not your fault but how did you find that spell in his journal.” She asked a moment later and that got every pony to look at me. I brought the book over and pulled out the journal once again and flipped it to the same entry I read before finding the spell. Floating it over to the princess of the sun she wrapped it in her magic and started to read the page. Her eyes widened before looking back at me and I nodded.

“Yes, he did talk to her.” I said curving her question ahead of time. She nodded and went back to reading.

“Talk to who?” Dash asked this time.

“Jessica.” I answered

“Jessica? Who's that?” She asked a moment later. I couldn't help but look away and sigh.

“She was an old... marefriend. Technically its called a girlfriend but for the sake of context it's marefriend. She... she sacrificed her life so I could keep on living and this Grim Wand talked to her spirit. Part of me is bothered but such a pony doing so but in a way I'm glad that she passed on... sort of.” I explained.

“What do you mean sort of?” Luna asked.

“Remember I technically did see her at one point. So I can't say she just didn't come to Equestria as a spirit or I temporarily passed on to see her.” I answered.

“I see.” Celestia said, causing everypony to look at her. “So he went to earth and talked to her. But I have to asked this: Why did you want to go?” She asked me closing the book and setting it next to her. Her gaze stern but motherly towards me.

“I wanted to know what happened to me and how everyone took it. I didn't expect really to see it happen in front of me like that. I guess the spell either had some time travel to it or the time differences between the two are just vastly different. It could be a little of both considering my arrival and the time Grim Wand was alive.” I speculated now it for the first time. A chill ran down my spine as I thought more about that pony. I really didn't like anything of his doing.

“Cold?” Applejack asked and I shook my head.

“No just a thought was all. I don't want to be rude or anything but I hope you don't mind I just need some time to think.” I requested, they all nodded. Most of them save for Celestia who came over to me.

“I understand this all must be overwhelming for you but you are still loved. Nether Luna nor I will ever stop loving you like that.” She said bringing me over for a hug. I smiled quietly and nuzzled into her chest a bit. Celestia being larger made this feel oddly nice, like a mother’s embrace.

“Thank you Celestia, it really does help knowing that ponies still care about me and...” I stopped before I could utter the world love. Being the idiot that I was my mind started to think about Twilight again and now she smacked my hoof away with magic.

“Alright Storm, I'm sure she will come back to her senses about this.” Celestia tried to reassure but at this point it only felt colder to me.

“Thanks.” I answered before she let me go. With that she left so I could sit in the room alone. Well for about an hour before a rather angry looking Nightling burst through my door, staring at me with her wings bandaged up. Within a blink she crossed the space between the door and the bed. Got up on the bed and stared daggers at me. I tried to open my mouth but was promptly shut up by her decking me in the face. My head jerked back at this and slammed into the head board.

“That's what you get for zapping me the other night.” She growled in my face. I however stared back at her for a moment. The small throb coming from the back of my head a present reminder of at much of an idiot I was. Of course she also hit me hard enough for my eye patch to come off. Her angry look turned to one of surprise.

“What happened to all of your anger Nightling? Did it just disappear like that?” I said snapping my hoof.

“Your... your eye, it's” She started to stutter out.

“Missing, gone, not there? I'm aware of that. You're not the only one that got hurt Nightling. Lucky for you, all that happened was you got the shock of your lifetime. I on the other hoof lost an eye that I won't get back for a few days. Now if you feel like hitting me again do it, otherwise get out.” I barked at her this time. My normally calm demeanor was gone for the moment. One thing I really did not like was getting hit in the face. In this case she swung on the side I couldn't see. So literally she blind sided me with that hit. Her shock quietly turned to anger and she decked me again. Followed by another and another. I guess she liked beating a dead horse. I felt the drips of blood from my nose as she hopped off and left. I closed my eyes and looked back out the window at the clear sky as the blood fell from my muzzle. That copper taste ever present as each drop hit my chest. I listened to it, a little rhythmic I suppose as it was enough to slowly drift off into sleep. That time the dreams where something I didn't quite expect. It was a nightmare of course but the subject matter was different. I was strapped to a table this time like I had been when I woke up from the first lightning incident. No tube in my mouth this time but standing above me was Twilight Sparkle in a scientist lab coat with black rimmed goggles on her head just below her horn. In her magic she held a bone saw, something that reminded me of hedge clippers, and a scalpel. Her mane and tail both looked messing, matching her crazed look on her face.

“Now hold still dear, I wouldn't want to make a mess.” She said slowly lowering the bladed tip of the scalpel to my chest.

“No!” I said flapping my wings knocking it away.

“Bad pony, I guess I'll have to do something about those nasty wings of yours.” She said with a predatory glee. Within her magic she out stretched my left wing and placed the razor tips of the bone saw to them. As she began to cut in them I let out a painful scream as I felt every push and pull of the saw as it dug into the flesh of my wings. She stopped part way through and went from the other side. She wanted to make sure I felt every last bit of this. When she got about the third of it she gave an impatient humph. “This is taking to long.” She said before she began to pull my wing out. I started to shake and thrash in my restraints as I screamed in pain. The sounds of wet meat being ripped echoed within the dark room followed by a thud as my wing hit the ground out of sight. She then went over to my right.

“No please, anything but that.” I begged hopping to at least spare having to go through that again.

“I can't do that Storm, don't worry I'll take extra care of this one.” She said as she gently ran a bloody hoof across my cheek. She held it there as her magic took the blood covered bone saw and went to work on my wing. This time however she jammed her hoof into my mouth. I let out muffled screams as the copper taste filled my mouth. Just like before she stopped part way through and went from the other side. Everything started to slowly go out of focus. “Oh I can't have you passing out halfway through this.” She said pulling out a syringe and stabbed me with a weird liquid. It sent a burning fire through me almost literally. It was as if I wasn't fireproof anymore and some pony was taking a blow torch to every inch of my body. Again I screamed into the blood covered hoof in my mouth. I couldn't take it anymore and bit down hard on it. The mad Twilight pulled her hoof back and rubbed it gingerly. “Ah, you little bastard. I guess I'm going to have to teach some pony a little lesson in not biting” She said pulling out needle nose pliers. My eye widened as he forced my mouth open with her magic and grabbed one of my teeth with said pliers. I looked at her, fear running through me. “Now lets see if memory serves me right I would only need to apply a little bit of pressure.” She said to herself as she started to crush my tooth with tremendous force. I heard the crunch followed by her pulling out what was once a tooth. What I could see was if some pony took a hammer to it on a table. It barely looked like a tooth at all as I tasted the metallic copper taste in my mouth. “Hmm... I think I'll even you out with this one.” She said going back in and repeating the process. The blood gurgled as I tried to scream through it. In my head I begged for somepony, anypony would come to help. A cold wetness ran down my cheeks as continued through the third and fourth tooth. She grinned looking me in the eyes. “Now is some pony going to behave and let me finish? Or will I have to teach you some more?” She questioned and I didn't give a response. She smiled and tapped her fore hooves together as she pulled out another scalpel. It slowly made it's way to my chest before it stopped in the air at the sound off two doors being burst open. It looked over to see Rainbow Dash and Rarity at the door. It only took them a few moments to catch on to what was happening before their shocked expressions turned into angry ones instead. Dash flew at Twilight pinning her to the ground. As the table I was attached to leaned forward at a forty five degree angle where I could see where she dropped my wings. Which where on the ground at my hind legs.

“What the hay is wrong with you Twi?” She yelled into her face.

“There's nothing wrong with me. I just wanted to examine a living dead pony.” She said before letting out a creepy laugh.

“Hold on Storm. I'll get you out.” Rarity said using her magic on the restraints. I tried to say something but blood just dripped from my muzzle.

“Get away from him Rarity.” Twilight said before blasting Dash of her into the wall.

“No! I will not do such thing.” She said getting my hind legs free. I could only watch as Twilight blasted Rarity over by Dash before walking into view.

“You will not screw up my experiments on this 'Thing.' Now if you excuse me I have some pony to cut open.” She said bring the scalpel back up to my chest.

“Damn it Twi. He's your friend. Hell, he's your coltfriend.” Dash said slowly walking up before she tripped on something. “Wah!” she got out before slamming into the ground. “No-no. You... his... wings.” She started to say as I could hear the sound of horror in her voice. I looked down as she was face to face with my removed wings. She rapidly backed away from my disembodied wings. Her gaze went to me then to Twilight as her horrified look turned into fury before she flew and tackled her. Dash started to punch Twilight as Rarity continued to work on getting me free. With a loud click my last restraint was unlocked and I slid to the ground. I felt woozy as she helped me to my hooves before coming over to Dash who was breathing hard. She stopped beating Twilight to the point her face was a massive bruise. I reached out a hoof and gently placed it on Dash's shoulder. She spun around and looked ready to punch me. Upon realizing it was me she stopped. “Are you alright man?” She asked as blood still poured out of what remained of my wings.

“I'm okay Rainbow, are you alright?” I asked breathing hard myself.

“You're not okay, look at what she did to you. I mean look at your wings, they're gone.” She yelled at me.

“I know Dash. This Twilight...” I stopped mid sentence as I felt my legs go out from under me. Causing my body to go limp from a sudden numb sensation.

“Dude what happened?” She said wrapping her hooves around me giving her own wings a flap to get into the air.

“I... I don't know. I can't feel my legs anymore.” I said as shadows started to creep around my vision.

“Oh dear. We should get him out of here fast before... That thing wakes up again.” Rarity added and I could feel Dash's nod against the back of my neck.

“Make sure you grab his wings.” Dash said taking off with me through a set of double doors. Her wings were beating so fast that it reminded me of a humming bird. Course that could be the blood loss talking. It wasn't long when we found ourselves outside to the oh so familiar hellscape Ponyville. We had came out of library close to the center of town. “What the hay happened to Ponyville it's all-” She got out.

“Hellish?” I offered.

“Yeah, is this the kind of stuff you normally deal with man?” She asked.

“More than anypony knows.” I answered as I got set down close to one of the non-burning trees.

“Geez, please tell me whatever that thing of Twi was it's the worse you dreams get.”

“Far from it.” I said and I watched her ears droop back. She let out a sigh running a hoof across her face.

“You really need to get some help man. It can't be good for you to deal with this all the time.” She said as Rarity returned with my wings wrapped in her magic.

“Oh dear.” Rarity said noticing the hellish version of Ponyville around her. She almost shrieked when she saw the Carousel Boutique the way it was, run down and boarded up.

“Rarity calm down it's a dream remember?” Dash said grabbing the white unicorn before she could take off.

“Right but I just can't sit by as some pony did that to my wonderful Carousel Boutique.” She said as she fought her inner turmoil for this.

“Trust me, you don't want to go in there. If it's still the same from last time. The only wonderful here is wonderfully horrid.” I said slumping against the tree more. “So why are you here anyway?” I asked. I didn't want any pony having to see all this, let alone walk through it. Was it good intentions when I didn't want my friends, family, or any pony to have to see any of this?

“Princess Luna felt out your dream and we offered to help you out since we were talking to her when she noticed it.” Rarity said.

“Yeah, so we figured we could go in and kick some major flank and help you out. Can't leave a friend hanging like that. You would do the same if you could, right?” Dash asked with a smirk and all I could do was slowly nod.

“Thank you, you two, but you didn't need to do this.” I said trying to get back to my hooves. Of course the pleasantries were cut off by the sound of four sets of hooves, wheels, and metallic flapping behind my friends. They both turned to see what I could already see. The nightmare versions of all my friends.

“Oh more test subjects.” The nightmare Twilight said grinning a smile that almost felt was too big for her mouth.

“More workers for the farm.” The larger nightmare Applejack said as I could see some of her muscles disgustedly ripple with each step.

“And more wonderfully pristine coats for my dresses.” The nightmare fashionista added. This got the real Rarity to pale a bit. The nightmare version of Dash who was currently wearing a large lion looking skull for a helmet with to black metallic spikes as horns with blood splattered all over it on her head unfurled her wings in a threatening style as she pawed at the ground.

“So it's Dash versus nightmare counterpart. Oh, I'm game because no pony can take on the original Dash.” Rainbow said grinning as she too unfurled her wings and pawed at the ground.

“Dash don't.” I get out but it was too late. The two of them took off into the sky. Which left both Rarity and I to face off against five other ponies. We were screwed and out numbered. Well that was until.

“Thou shall not hurt any pony anymore.” Was roared out behind them as a midnight blue field of magic covered the remaining nightmare elements and threw them in different directions. This gave Luna, Applejack, Pinkie, and Fluttershy room to gallop through and up to me. “Is everypony alright?” The princess of the night asked before turning to me seeing me wobble there, my wings on the ground next to me.

“I'm afraid not. Firestorm is bleeding profusely and Dash is off-” She got out before a loud crash was heard and the nightmare Dash flew between all of us her chest armor crushed in.

“That’s what some pony gets for thinking they can copy the real Rainbow Dash.” She said with a snort before coming down to us. “Princess I think you should end this dream fast before anything-” Dash got out.

“Anything else happens?” A very familiar voice said. I turned to see the very same stallion from before walking slowly up to us, five of the nightmare elements behind him. He still wore that atrocity of nature coat of his of both Luna's and Celestia's cutie marks on his shoulders, both of their horns still sticking out the center. “It's an honor to finally meet you Princess Luna or do you prefer Nightmare Moon?” He said in a very gentlecoltly tone which rubbed me the wrong way.

“Who are you?” Luna said getting in between them and us.

“Me? Well Luna I'm nopony in particular at the moment.” He said with a light hearted chuckle.

“Then why do you invade the prince's dreams like you do?” She asked narrowing her eyes to the point she was glaring at him. Invade? I thought he was a by product of my mind screwing with me.

“What do you mean invade Luna?” I asked.

“He is not one from the dreams. He's a real pony.” She growled while looking at the stallion.

“It seems I have been found out. I guess I'll take my leave then.” He said as a black tendril came out of his back in the shape of a hand.

“You will not do such a thing.” She said before it snapped and everything was gone.

***---***

I jumped out of bed, my heart beating fast. A cold sweat drenching my coat. I was sitting in a dark room. Well it was dark before a flash of light blinded me before turning back to darkness again. I looked around but saw nothing there. I started to shake before the door opened to see six ponies there. The elements of harmony minus Twilight Sparkle and Princess Luna all came in, worry on their faces.

“Did-” I started before Luna nodded. I started to shake a bit as I remembered that dream. My wings out of habit gave themselves a small flap as I could still feel the shooting pain of them being cut through and ripped off.

“I... I didn't know they were that bad.” Applejack said looking at me.

“That was... tame. Compared to some.” I elaborated and even she paled.

“Yer kiddin’ me?” She said looking at me with disbelief on her face and I shook mine. “No wonder you snapped like you did.” She said which sent another chill through me. I turned away not looking at any of them. I didn't like knowing that I snapped but now that I did know. I didn't want to be reminded. My left hoof gently rubbed at my right nub a bit. A nervous habit I had when I was placed in an very awkward spot. “Sugar cube... are you?” She started and I shook my head.

“No Applejack. I'm not alright. I just need to figure things out. About here, about Twilight, and especially about me. If you don't mind could I have a moment alone with Luna.” I requested and I didn't look at any of them. I heard a few sets of hooves leave the room, closing the door behind.

“What is it that you want to talk about Firestorm?” Luna asked and I turned to look at her.

“It's more a request, I know I'm not going back to sleep anytime soon so I was wondering if I could be a little selfish.” I said gently running my hoof in circles on the bed not looking at her.

“What do you mean?” She asked and I took a deep breath.

“I was wondering if you could get a specific pony to come and play for me. Like... music kind of play?” I said. I felt like a kid trying to dance about a subject with his parents. Luna smiled which did help ease this along.

“Sure Storm. Who would you like me to get for you?” She asked.

“Miss Octavia Melody please, only if she is free. I rather not bother her if she is busy with a prior engagement. I would like to hear her play in person... or is it in pony?” I wondered out loud.

“Technically both would be correct.” She answered.

“Oh thanks.” I said with a bit of a smile for once. It took several hours before the gray coated mare entered the room with her cello case on her back. She bowed to me and I smiled. “Miss Melody you don't need to bow to me.”

“But it's only proper to do Firestorm” She said.

I asked Applejack if she would like to join me listening to the music. Already knowing her secret love of the classical music I thought it would be nice. Of course I did disguise it as keeping a guard on me as everypony else went to talk to Twilight about what happened. Applejack wanted to go too but they thought it was better the have one of them keep an eye on me just in case of another nightmare or an attack. Logic wise I couldn't fault them but I did feel like I was being babysat again.

“Miss Octavia, I hope I didn't bother you at a bad time.” I asked and she smiled back shaking her head.

“Honestly I didn't have much to do tonight. I was just sitting at home practicing.” She said before flipping the clasps on her cello case and opening it. With a loving hoof she lifted up her instrument and stood on her hind legs placing a hoof at the neck. With a flick of her hoof she readied the bow and looked at me. “What piece would you like me to play?” She asked and I thought about it a moment.

“Applejack why don't you pick first?” I offered she looked at me with a raised eyebrow then nodded. A few moments passed before she smiled.

“If you would be so kind, play in the hall of the mountain king please.” She asked with a small blush. I couldn't help but smile as Octavia nodded and began to play. I smiled as her blow went back and forth as if her bow was floating through the ocean of notes. Each one rang out at each little saw motion across the cello's strings. Her hoof gently danced up and down the black wood neck of her cello as she masterfully pressed the strings so her notes where precise. I watched her motions as they started to slowly pick up at the increasing tempo of the song. The image of a filly running around Canterlot castle began to run in my mind as she continued to play. The little filly at each turn she made. Towering figures of guards watching her, intimidating but elegant at the same time. It finally reached its crescendo as her hoof made rapid but calculated motions before ending. I stomped lightly onto the bed as Applejack did it to the floor. Octavia blushed a bit but bowed.

“Thank you.” She said before getting ready for another piece.

“Um... could you do Midnight Sonata next?” I asked and she nodded before her bow began again. In the middle of this song how ever a small burst of emerald flames came out as something materialized in it. The feeling of a cold tendril wrapping itself around my heart before ripping it out with a yank ever present. Because right there before me in the middle of the bed was a very familiar star shaped amethyst gem.

-End of Chapter-

Author's Notes:

As you can tell we have returned to form and not a ridiculously long chapter like Holiday was. I also plan not to do another chapter like that and as of this I'm currently writing 29 which from this point on is long. But I'm curious so I want to ask everyone and everypony reading this. So far out of this story what are some of your favorite moments, and what do you think will happen next?