C'mon, Justin! THINK! I was practically running in circles, dodging large amounts of debris from the now torn room, all of which was thrown from a massive Red-Furred, sleeveless Black Leather-wearing Diamond Dog known as General Rex, who's arm size would probably make an ape feel jealous. He kept taunting me with phrases that made me just want to stop right there, turn around, and slap the living daylights out of him, but I knew better than to blame HIM for the insults... it WAS, after all, the DIAMOND that was controlling him... at least, I HOPED it was!

"What's the matter?" Rex asked in a taunting manner. "Scared?!"

I couldn't really think of a response, so I just continued running, and dodging the things he threw at me, which started off as simple stuff like bricks and vases, but soon ended up being larger objects, like shelves and cabinets torn from the walls, statues, and even a few extra computers, which I KNEW would be a problem, since my armor, although considered the strongest around the Milky Way, was STILL made out of a metal that's naturally weak to Electricity, making those a SERIOUS problem! While I focused on making my armor FIRE-proof, I never really thought about needing it to be LIGHTNING-proof!

He laughed at me, then said, "Ooh! Sounds like you're scared SPEECHLESS!" He picked up a large stone table, and threw it towards me, while I did a quick roll, and dodged the table, only to find him swinging a large pillar towards my chest. When it made contact, I flew back, and left a crater on the wall near the metal door. The crater, however, revealed that behind that door was a large, metal room. While on the ground, my armor began speaking in a British Butler-type elderly man's voice through the built-in speakers.

"Warning! Deep rib-cage injuries detected! SHIELD now operating in Restoration Mode! Estimated recovery time: 5 minutes!" Yeah, THANKS for stating the OBVIOUS, jackass! "Just doing my job, you moron!" Ha! Glad to see YOU'RE still working, at least! "What can I say? YOU programmed me to be IN this armor, so what ELSE can I do, besides STATE the obvious?" You KNOW I was joking, though, right? "Indeed... and so was I!" So, just HOW long ago was it since we spoke, Jasper? "Oh, QUITE a while, Master Daniels! Oh, and by the way... WHEN will you actually program me into an ACTUAL body? You PROMISED me you would last week, sir!" I know... but now is REALLY not the time, Jasper! As you can probably tell... I'm in a battle! "I know... WHO do you think is taking the MAJORITY of the damage for you?!" Point taken, but look... WHENEVER I know that these new friends of mine actually TRUST me, I'll start working on a body for you, and THEN I'll introduce you to them... alright? I heard my armor sigh, and reply, "Very well, then, Master Daniels... I'll remain silent until then! I must say, though, there's SOMETHING odd about this place... it ALMOST reminds me of something I might've forgotten about long ago... perhaps around the time that I was addressed by my FORMER name..." Hmm... there MIGHT be a connection... who knows? Anyways, Jasper... I need you to scan the wall behind us, and tell me if you find anything useful... can you do that? "Negative, sir... the metal from behind the wall is BLOCKING my scanners! YOU will have to, as you would say, 'Play it by ear', if you know what I mean?" Eh, was worth a try, at least. Thanks for attempting though, my friend! "Any time, master!" You ALSO know you don't have to call me that, right? "I'm already USED to addressing you as that, so I shall STICK with it!" *sigh* Alright, then...

I slowly stood back up, placed my left ear closer to the door, and gasped when I heard the sound of quick movement inside it, followed by three voices coming from inside. Due to the metal barriers, however, I couldn't hear what they were saying. Jasper, did you hear that?! "Negative, sir... it would seem that the metal barriers are TOO thick for me to hear as well!" No worries... we'll figure something out!

"Don't worry!" I yelled through the hatch. "I'm here to help!" I looked around, then noticed a group of wires that were stretched through the wall. The wires led from the computer to the door, and the hatch. The wires WERE once behind the wall, but the combat caused the wall to crumble a good bit. Thankfully, though, the desk, computer, AND monitor were still in good condition.

I looked behind my back again, and noticed that Rex was charging towards me. From the way how he ran, I could tell that he would NOT be able to turn very far, and wasn't intending to, either. He wanted to ram me into the metal wall.

Suddenly, an idea struck! I can't get close to him while he's up... but MAYBE... if I can get him to run into something heavy, then it JUST MIGHT be able to daze him enough for me to get to that diamond!

Quickly, I tapped on the jetpack, so that it could fly me over Rex, but then ANOTHER realization hit me. Ah, CRAP! I forgot to REFUEL?! "Ah, I PROBABLY have mentioned that your fuel is low... right?" *sigh* Jasper! What the Hell?! "Well EXCUSE me, sir! I wasn't the one who set the armor to MANUAL-Fueling, was I?" Yeah, yeah... we'll fix that later... but you're right. MY mistake! Seeing no other option, I did a quick roll forward, and to the right, which made me BARELY dodge the rampaging behemoth by an inch. When I stood back up, I heard a loud *BING*, which, when I turned around, wound up being Rex bumping into the metal wall behind the, now COMPLETELY shattered, wooden wall.

He fell backwards, while I quickly rushed to the diamond, and grabbed it... but when I reached it, I couldn't find a spot to grab. Holy sh*t! This thing's PLANTED in him?! When he noticed me on top of him, he quickly grabbed my right arm, and threw me towards the other side of the room, on top of a pile of broken wood chippings, springs, pillows, and cushions from the now shattered sofa and loveseat.

I had to think even more now, because I knew, at THIS point, that he was aware of my plans. He slowly rushed towards me again, while I tapped on my monitor for anything I could use to my advantage. Then, I ran across the ONE thing that I hoped to find. Flash bombs! NICE! "Oh, my! I DO hope you aren't planning on THROWING that! It would be FAR too easy to dodge!" Don't worry, Jasper! I've got a plan! "Of course you do, sir, but MIGHT I ask if this plan involves getting UNDOUBTEDLY close to the creature that could EASILY rip our arms off, AND even use them against us? If so, I would MUCH RATHER reconsider my choices VERY carefully, if I were you!" Jasper... let's be honest. When, exactly, has ANY of your warnings EVER worked on me? "I... see your point... very well, then! Cheerio! It's been nice knowing you!" Don't worry! I've got it under control! Just MAKE SURE the lens is light-proof! "I have already tinted it enough for even the BRIGHTEST star to be visible!" Awesome! You're the man, Jasper! "Technically, I'm the ARMOR, and YOU'RE the man!" Yeah, yeah. Whatever! Anyways, LET'S DO THIS!

Without hesitation, I materialized three of them on my belt, and pulled one out. Then, I lifted it up, right as he charged towards me head-on, but his eyes were more open, so that he could see which way I try dodging (which only made my plan work more smoothly). When he was about ten meters away, I smashed the bomb with my right hand, and while the protective lens on my helmet kept it from blinding ME, I couldn't say the same for Rex, because when I ran to the right, he ended up stumbling into the debris, and even landed on the wall behind it, crumbling THAT one as well!

Using the possibly LONGER "stunning moment" to my advantage, I ran to the computer on the desk, and began quickly skimming through the files on it. Unfortunately, though, I couldn't understand a WORD that was on the screen. What the... they SPEAK English, yet they WRITE something DIFFERENT?! Seeing no other choice available, I decided to aim my right bracelet at the computer, and with the push of a button, I had the whole computer's data sent through my OWN computer, and wiped from HIS. Better that HE doesn't keep it, after all! I'll ask what's important later...

Then, I heard him get up, and turned around, only to find him halfway between where he WAS, and where I am, and closing in fast. "Master! Dodge QUICKLY! He's speeding up!" Alright, then! Let's go... THIS way!

As if on cue, I rolled out of the way, THIS time at the left, which caught him by surprise, since I usually dodged right. He even had HIS left arm out to catch me mid-roll, but seeing how I dodged left, he missed ENTIRELY this time, and crashed into the computer, while I threw the flash bomb behind my back, and saw it land right on top of the chandelier on the top of the room. Now HOW in the WORLD is that thing STILL hanging up there?! When the bomb went off, the whole room lit up, which made Rex close his eyes, and roar in even MORE pain, while I used it to my advantage, and rush up to him, then grab onto his chest, and give the diamond a few powerful punches, which seemed to be working slightly. It looked like the punching caused the thing to go deeper, which left a small gap in his chest that I could fit my fingers through, just BARELY enough to get a good grip on the diamond with. When I got a good grip on it, however, Rex grabbed my hand, and threw me towards the opposite side of the room again, only THIS time, I landed in the center, while he got up, and charged at me again. Jasper! Switch the gauntlets from 'Tech' mode to 'Titan' mode! "But sir! Aren't we supposed to be SAVING him, and not KILLING him?!" Who said I was KILLING him?! "*sigh* This MAY not end well, but... Titan Mode ACTIVATED!"

Suddenly, my gauntlets' plating opened up, and shifted into a MUCH more thicker shape. While the left one's knuckles resembled a hammer-like shape, the right one's fingers shaped up into claws that stretched out just an inch further than the way they USED to stretch, meaning the fingers on my right hand were almost six inches, but maybe seven. I didn't really have time for measurements, though, as Rex was still rushing towards me.

When he was close enough, I quickly unclipped the flash bomb from behind my belt with my SHARP hand, and pierced it open, which DIDN'T cause the effects to take place, yet Rex thought it WOULD, so he stopped for a quick moment, and closed his eyes for a couple seconds, before opening them while I used my HAMMER hand to punch the now exposed core of the bomb.

Then, when he was stunned AGAIN, I rushed towards his chest while he was still standing, and used the bladed hand to claw my way to the BACK of the diamond, and my hammer hand to deflect any attacks Rex threw at me. Jasper! How's the BACK look? "Unbelievable, sir! It would seem that there is a one inch THICK pole on the other side of this diamond that APPEARS to be connected to his heart! If we remove the diamond, we will MOST CERTAINLY end up taking his heart WITH it!" Then can you make him a PROSTHETIC one? "Ah, I THINK I know what you're planning, now! Indeed, I can! In fact, I just did!" Great... then get ready to deliver it on my mark! "Ready when YOU are, Master!"

With my feet on the left and right of Rex's chest, and my left hand gripping his paws tightly, I tightened my grip on the diamond with my right claw-hand, and began the countdown for the final pull.

"One..." I tightened my grip on BOTH hands, while Rex roared at me.

"Two..." I grinned beneath my helmet, and could see the Anti Matter beam going through Rex's chest. Heart in place, Jasper?

"Ready for materialization!" Alright, good. Then in THAT case... THREE!

In one massive pull, I heard the sound of cracking, roaring, and spattering, as I ripped the diamond clean off, along with it's unwanted attachment, which I quickly removed, while Rex fell to his back, choking badly for breath, and slowing down his breathing at an alarming rate.

Quickly, I pulled out a SHIELD Generator, and rushed to his aid, while Jasper said, "The heart is in place now, Master! It's NOW, or NEVER!" Understood, Jasper! Thanks! When the SHIELD Generator was materialized, I placed it over the hole in Rex's chest, while his eyes stopped glowing red, and in the matter of seconds, his eyes were back to normal-looking eyes... even though they were YELLOW, and his pupils were red. I sure hope THAT's normal...

"It SHOULD be, Master. I've searched his body for anything that could POSSIBLY be life-threatening, and have removed it, and sent it into your inventory, for examination!" Awesome, thanks! Perhaps we can use that to make something GOOD out of this stuff... Magic Armor, perhaps? "I... WOULDN'T bet my money on it, sir." Joking! Anyways, how's Rex doing? "His heart rate is normalizing now, and his chest wound is completely healed, now! All that there is to do is explain to him-"

"W-what's going on?! Where AM I?!" Rex asked, staring at me wide-eyed, while I smiled behind my helmet.

"Don't worry, General... you're safe, now." I replied, stretching my hand out to help him up. When he was up, he looked around confusedly, until he spotted the heart lying on the ground behind me.

"W-what the?! W-who's HEART is that?!" He pointed at it with his right paw, with his left paw covering his mouth. Obviously, he didn't know ANYTHING about what all has happened.

"It is... well... was... YOUR heart, sir." I pointed at the SHIELD Generator on his chest, which his gaze followed, and stopped at.

His eyes widened at the foreign object on his chest, and he couldn't help but tap on it, confused. "I-is... is THIS my new heart?!"

"No, sir," I replied, "it's just a device I made that could help you recover, since the diamond left a REALLY bad hole in your chest."

He looked at me worriedly, then asked, "D-DIAMOND?! You mean the... the GREEN one?!" I nodded, then picked it up, showing it to him. When I lifted it, he quickly backed away, and yelled, "G-GET IT AWAY FROM ME! PLEASE, DON'T BRING IT ANY CLOSER!" His sudden outburst caused me to realize the level of danger this thing could be, so I quickly turned around, and threw it across the room.

I sighed, then said, "Don't worry... that thing is NOT going to be a burden to you... I can ASSURE you that!" Then, I turned back towards him, and asked, "So... what all do you remember, BEFORE you put that thing on?" While asking my question, I had my helmet lower back into the neckpiece, which resulted in Rex staring at me wide-eyed. "I'll explain more later... please explain YOUR part first, and I'll answer your questions right after!"

"I... I don't remember much, I'm afraid. I WAS invited to a conference with Princess Celestia... perhaps a few weeks ago now, until I received a mysterious package from a person who addressed himself, or herself, as 'Chris'. Not sure WHO that was, but I felt that I should AT LEAST open the package. If it was one of my faithful workers, I would show my gratitude with him, or her... but when I opened it, I saw that it was a necklace with a HUGE green diamond on it! It looked... BEAUTIFUL, actually! I felt that this must've been a lady who sent it, and that she was probably interested in me, so I took it from the box, and placed it around my neck... BIG mistake, that was..." He gripped onto his chest. "The... MONSTROUS thing... it felt like a DAGGER was piercing me through the chest... no... a GROUP of daggers! The pain was numbing... it almost felt like everything was going cold... but instead, everything just went dark, almost like I haven't slept in a week, or so... and the next thing I know, I'm woken up, and gasping for breath, but not finding it, until you placed this... device... on my chest." He pointed at the SHIELD Generator. "By the way... if MY heart is there," he pointed at the heart on the ground, "then HOW am I alive right now?!"

"I shall be the one to answer that!" Japser's voice replied, while my watch glowed with his words, which caused Rex to jump up. I WOULD say that it nearly gave him a 'Heart Attack', but I doubted THAT would be a good thing to say at this time...

"D-did your ARMOR just talk?!" Rex asked, pointing at my watch. I nodded, then lifted my watch, while a hologram of a spherical light lifted from it. In a way, it could be described as a microscopic star, with a light that stretched out as far and wide as a baseball. It hovered over my watch, and continued to speak, revealing that it WAS Jasper.

"Please, allow me an introduction. My name is Jasper S. Princeton, and I am ACTUALLY a spirit, caught up into Justin's armor, and WHOLE system, for that matter! No worries, I am NOT a slave to him, for he treats me well, and even apologized about getting me caught up! He didn't NEED to, though, for I wasn't necessarily IN the 'Afterlife' as of that time! In fact, I was TRAPPED in the world, alone for MANY years! If ANYTHING, I OWED him my life in servitude, whether HE liked it or not! So, we BOTH decided I would help HIM with his work, and HE would help ME get a new body! Don't worry, he HAS been trying to make a stable body for me for a VERY long time, but just a few weeks ago, we both agreed it would be a ROBOTIC body that he would have to make for me. Until then, he carries me around in his Database, and speaks to me whenever needed!" While Jasper spoke, I could tell that MOST of what he said didn't make sense to Rex, so I summed it all up for them both.

"He's a helpful spirit who's STUCK in my armor." THAT made Rex nod his head, while Jasper grunted.

"That's EXACTLY what I said!" Well, APPARENTLY you lost his interest there, bud! No hard feelings, though? "Eh, I'd suppose you're right... I DID sense his interest rating plummeting... then again, THAT'S why I chose to be a SERVANT, since words aren't necessarily... MY specialty." Me, neither... but I guess SOME of us have it worse than others, huh? "Indeed."

While Jasper and I were talking, Rex looked behind me, and gasped. His eyes widened, while he pointed at the thing behind me, and yelled, "LOOK OUT!!!" Before I could turn around completely, though, I felt a sharp pain in the right side of my neck, that felt like a snake crawling inside my skin, and lowering towards my heart. Before it could get more than two inches inside, however, I quickly grabbed the foreign object, and, while screaming my lungs out, managed to rip it off of my neck, and throw it back, while I turned around, with my left hand now covering my now bleeding neck, and my right hand pulling the pistol from the holster, and shooting rapidly at the diamond, which now grew six black legs, and crawled on top of the wall, not getting harmed from ANY of my shots. Then, it crawled through a hole in the wall, and disappeared.

Gah! F*CK, THIS HURTS! Jasper! I need- "A Medical Serum? I'm on it, Master! Move your hand, please!" I did as he asked, while my neck, now pierced with a one-inch gaping hole in it, began to glow cyan which caused Rex's eyes to widen. Then, in the matter of seconds, the hole was sewn back up with a new layer of skin. "Health is back to normal, sir!" Thanks, Jasper... I owe you one... "Oh, nonsense! We BOTH know that-" Just... take the damn compliment! "Very well, sir! I'm flattered!" Not THAT kind of... eh, forget it... "Unfortunately, I'm unable to erase my database, due to-" CAN WE JUST CHANGE THE SUBJECT, PLEASE?! "Of course!"

"Are you alright, friend?! Did it do anything to your heart?!" Rex rushed up to me with a worried look on his eyes.

I smiled, then shook my head. "I'm fine, Rex! Oh, and by the way," I extended my right hand to shake his paw, "My name's Justin Daniels... as you can probably tell, I'm not a Diamond Dog, Pony, Gryphon, Dragon, or ANYTHING you might've seen before. I'm a human, from perhaps a WHOLE different Universe... maybe a Parallel one? Not sure, yet. Anyways..." I paused for a moment, then asked, "You said you got that diamond about a few weeks ago?"

Rex nodded his head. "At least, that's what I'd ASSUME, right?"

I shook my head, and my smile dropped to a stern, saddened one. "Rex... you were under the control of Queen Chrysalis."

The mentioning of that name caused Rex's eyes to widen even more. He backed away, and looked around, now managing to put the pieces of this puzzle together. "W-wait... you mean..."

I nodded my head, then replied, "Queen Chrysalis took over your mind, AND body, then sent a group of Changelings to Canterlot in your Generals' place, which resulted in them TRYING to attack Princess Celestia, and her student."

He turned around, then asked, "T-TWILIGHT?!"

I raised an eyebrow. "You know her?" He nodded.

"When she was a little filly, I was hired by her parents to be a fillysitter... but THAT was when she still wore diapers!" He smirked. "While I haven't seen her in a while, I STILL heard GREAT things about her! How she became Princess Celestia's GREATEST student! How she managed to hatch the egg of a DRAGON! THAT power of magic, I must admit, even took Celestia HERSELF a great while to master... and TWILIGHT succeeded as a FILLY!" Then, his paws clenched into fists. "Please... TELL me she's okay! Did... did ANYONE get hurt?!"

I nodded my head slowly. "None of the ponies were hurt, thankfully, but..." He walked closer to me, now looking more worried about the dramatic pause. "The thing is... the attack was four YEARS ago, I'm afraid..." He gasped, and backed up again. "And after that failed attack, the Diamond Dogs, and Ponies have been at war ever since... and the Diamond Dogs have taken a MAJOR loss in numbers... so far, only a few remain that I'm aware of!"

Then, we heard loud banging coming from the metal door. Quickly, Rex and I ran up to it, only for him to curse beneath his breath. "Grr... Damn it! This thing has a NUMBER lock! I can't breach through it!"

I pulled my pistol from my holster again, and said, "Here, allow me." He backed away, while I aimed the pistol, and shot the lock off of the metal door. Then, in the matter of seconds, the three original captains ran out of the room, gasping for breath. Then, Rex's eyes widened when he saw the condition they were in.

"Rover, Fido, Spot?! Is that REALLY you?!" Rex rushed to their aid, while all three of them looked up at him, and widened THEIR eyes.

"G-General Rex?! Is... is it... over, at last?!" Then, the four them embraced in a group hug, while I just stood there, and watched. I could've sworn I heard the sound of sniffling.

Jasper? Are you CRYING? "N-no, sir... I just... I just have a loose molecule of an electrical current in my eyes!" Ha! I don't even NEED a translator to tell me you're lying, you know? "Oh... right... just... oh, shut up, already!" I laughed at Jasper's playful outburst. Don't worry... I won't say anything... crybaby! Suddenly, I felt a jolt of electricity go through my body. It wasn't lethal, but it DID cause me to jolt. OW! Hey! What was THAT for?! "Don't forget just WHO it is that you are wearing!" Alright, already! Sheesh!

When I looked back at the group, the three captains slowly walked up to me, each with FRIENDLY-looking smiles on their faces, which was a MAJOR improvement from their CLONES' smiles. Rover was the one who spoke for the three, while the other two remained mostly silent.

"I-is it true? Were YOU the one who saved us?!" I nodded, which ended with me being in the center of a group hug between the three of them. "Th-THANK YOU, Mr. Daniels! You have NO idea how much this MEANS to us!"

I didn't really want to risk crushing their malnourished bones, so I just patted them on their heads, and replied, "Of course! Anytime! I'm just glad to see that y'all aren't dead, so we can ALL discuss the events to Princess Celestia, and get all of your names cleared up!"

General Rex added to that in a hopeful tone, "And this war can, AT LAST, be over!"

I smiled, then nodded my head. "Exactly! I only hope that she can understand the situation BEFORE we get there..."

"There's no need... I have heard ENOUGH to believe them... well done, Justin!" I heard Celestia's voice through my earpiece, which I lifted my left hand to listen through.

PRINCESS?! How did... wait, WHEN did you start listening in on this?! "Just a few minutes, unfortunately. You DID tell me that you didn't feel comfortable with me listening to your mind, so I did what a good ruler would do, which is listen MORE to their subjects' REQUESTS, rather than their MINDS!" Ah, okay... well, after THIS situation, you can feel free to stick around, then... I just MIGHT need your help next time! By the way, how did you know to call me THIS time?! "I've received a letter from Twilight Sparkle... and began listening to your conversation with General Rex."

I nodded. I understand... so how are the Diamond Dogs that escaped doing? "They're fine! They've ALREADY made peace in Ponyville, and are even receiving a tour from Twilight as we speak... they've ALSO wanted me to inform you that Twilight will be in Sugarcube Corner when you return. She doesn't want you to be late for YOUR tour, after all. Oh, but I would like to speak with you BEFORE that... and you may tell the General and Captains to join you as well, for we ALL have much to discuss."

I nodded my head. I agree. We'll see you when we get there! "One more thing, though!" Anything for you, Your Highness.

I could've sworn I just heard her giggle. "Please, Justin! I SAID no formalities!" Yeah, but I COULDN'T resist hearing you laugh! I gotta say... THAT kind of image suits you! A Kind and Benevolent ruler WITH personality is ALWAYS a good one to have! "Why, thank you! Anyways... I just wanted to say how much I appreciate you saving my Faithful Subjects... ESPECIALLY Twilight Sparkle... she's... DIFFERENT from all of the students I've ever had." Really? How so? "I'll explain it to you when you get here... how long should it take you, by the way?" Not sure... in fact, where exactly IS your castle, if you don't mind me asking? "In the northern distance from Ponyville, on top of the mountains, have you seen the city up there?" Yes, ma'am... didn't think that was a CITY, though! I thought it was more of a large Watchtower! "Indeed! It is the City of Canterlot... which is the Capital of Equestria. The building on the HIGHEST point of the city is our castle." Our? "Well, my sister's, and mine."

I placed my right hand over my chin. Hmm... I wasn't even aware you HAD a sister! "You'll meet her when you arrive! I MUST warn you, though... she MAY seem a bit... MORE different than anypony ELSE you know... even Twilight Sparkle! WAY MUCH more, in fact, that her speech is STILL... slightly outdated... I'll have to explain that later, as well. For now, though, I'll just teleport the five of you to the main room, since you're new here, after all. THAT should save you enough time to meet with Twilight! Please hold still, and let the others know what I'm about to do!" Alright... see you in a bit! "What? What do you mean 'A bit'?" Ah, right... that's the currency here. I meant see you in a LITTLE while! She giggled. "Alright, then! Let me know when you're all ready!"

I looked at the four of the Diamond Dogs, who just stared at me confused, while I seemed to just be standing there with my hand on my ear, not saying a word. Then, I smiled, and said, "Good news! I just spoke with Princess Celestia, and already, your names have been cleared! Also, she wants to meet us in her castle, so hold still. She's gonna teleport us there!" They smiled, and cheered, while we were all beginning to get engulfed in a white light. Alright, Celestia! We're ready! Then, in the matter of five seconds, we were all standing in the center of a large palace, directly in front of the entrance.

There, I saw a dark blue Alicorn that could almost be described as "The midnight sky in a pony's body". Her mane didn't seem to have a clear shape, and waved even without the SLIGHTEST breeze, just like Princess Celestia's. The thing that caught me off guard the MOST, however, was the fact that THIS one's mane had echoed movement, meaning that it faded when it moved. Wow... now THAT'S quite an interesting mane!

She giggled, then practically yelled, "AH, WE THANK THEE! THINE MANNERS SURELY ART QUITE PLEASING, COMING FROM ONE SUCH AS THYSELF!" While she spoke, my eyes closed, and my hands went over my ears, while I tried to hold my brain in place. Ouch! And here I thought my NECK was in danger!

She looked at me puzzled. "WHY DOST THOU BEAREST A LOOK OF PAIN, AND UNCERTAINTY?! I AM PRINCESS LUNA, AND WE HATH CONVERTED TO THE SIDE OF HARMONY! THERE SHAN'T BE ANYMORE PROBLEMS FROM US!"

After rubbing my ears with my fingers, I said, "Yeah, yeah... I'm right HERE, you know?!" Then, I paused, and remembered what Princess Celestia told me about her. Well, her speech IS a little- I stopped myself from thinking about it, because I just remembered. Ah, crap... Alicorns and Unicorns can READ minds!

"AND JUST WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?! DOST THOU NOT FIND OUR ROYAL CANTERLOT VOICE NORMAL?! IT IS TRADITION THAT THE FORMAL WE IS SPOKEN, AND MINE VOICE BE AT THIS TONE!" She looked confused at me, which I'll admit, did NOT match her tone. CLEARLY, she needs to learn how to tone it down a notch... and by notch, I mean remove the AMPLIFIER that the radio's connected to, AND turn it down at least 75% of the way!

I decided, though, since she isn't necessarily part of THIS era, to try to speak HER language, at least to make her feel more welcome, since apparently, she's ALSO new here.

"PLEASE FORGIVE MY RUDENESS, YOUR HIGHNESS! I MEANT WELL WHEN I THOUGHT OF YOUR LANGUAGE! YOU HAVE A LOVELY VOICE, BUT WE DON'T NECESSARILY SPEAK THIS LOUD ANYMORE!" Good lord, I think I hurt my lungs...

She seemed to get the picture, and placed her right hoof over her mouth, while clearing her throat. "WHAT ABOUT... This?" I shook my head, which resulted in her clearing her throat again. "How about... This?" I gave her a thumbs-up, which only made her look at me confused.

"Definitely MUCH better than it was!" I replied. She smiled, then nodded her head. Afterwards, she reached her right hoof, and gave me a hug, which I did NOT expect her to do. Then, it all changed with her voice slipping back to HER type of "Normal".

"WE THANK THEE FOR THY AID IN OUR LEARNING PROCESS! OH, AND WE BELIEVE THAT OUR SISTER IS WAITING FOR THEE IN THE THRONE ROOM!" Princess Luna... VOLUME, please! "AH... sorry... I'll have to get used to that change..."

I laughed, ignoring the ringing in my ears, while I replied, "It's okay! I'm sure your sister enjoys it! At least we'll be able to hear what you say LOUD and CLEAR!" She nodded with a smile. "Anyways, it's a pleasure to meet you, Princess Luna! I'm sure we'll be seeing each other again shortly, if you're ever to swing by Ponyville!"

"I WOULD BE... *ahem* I would be... honored!" She said, while motioning for us to follow her. Before I moved, however, I looked behind my back, and noticed that the Diamond Dogs weren't there... at least, not in clear sight. Now, WHERE in the world did THEY go?

"Rex? Rover? Fido? Spot? Where'd y'all go?" I looked around, and noticed that they were hiding behind a large pillar. "Guys? What's wrong?!"

They seemed UNBELIEVABLY shaky about something, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. I ALREADY mentioned that their names were cleared, so THAT couldn't be the cause of their fear.

Then, they pointed towards the entrance that Princess Luna just walked through, and replied, "W-was THAT... NIGHTMARE MOON?!"

I scratched the back of my head, and said, "Who? No, I don't THINK so... THAT was Princess Luna, Celestia's sister! Perhaps her younger sister, in fact, considering she seemed a little shorter." I paused for a moment, then asked, "Who's Nightmare Moon, exactly?"

The three Diamond Dog Generals gasped at that question. "YOU DON'T KNOW WHO NIGHTMARE MOON IS?!" I shook my head, while Rex filled them in on the fact that I wasn't even from this world.

"Well let ME tell you the story." Rex began. He cleared his throat, and began. "About a thousand years ago, Princess Celestia had a sister. They both were in charge of raising and lowering the sun, and the moon. Celestia's sister grew envious of her, though, because the ponies were awake and lively during the daytime, yet at night, they were all sound asleep, causing her to feel useless. Finally, when Princess Celestia asked her sister to lower the moon, she refused... and her envy quickly grew to anger. With her anger, she attacked Princess Celestia, and at once, they both were drawn into a heated battle. After the battle, Princess Celestia had no other choice but to banish her sister, Nightmare Moon, to, ironically, the moon!"

I placed my right finger over my chin, and looked back where Princess Luna went. "Well... I guess THAT would explain what she meant by 'Converted'." Then, my eyes widened. "Wait, what do you MEAN, 'Banished to the moon'? There's no oxygen there!"

Rex shrugged, then replied, "I'm GUESSING she was frozen in a barrier that caused her to BREATHE in space? A magic barrier?"

I sighed, then shrugged, deciding not to stress over trying to figure out THIS kind of logic. Dammit! Why does magic HAVE to be so complicated to understand?!

Through my mind, Princess Celestia's voice suddenly said, "Justin? Are you coming?"

I smirked, then replied through my mind, Oh, right! Sorry, got lost in conversation with Rex and his friends. She giggled again. "Very well, then! Take your time! Just please come in when you have a chance!" Actually, we just wrapped things up, now! We'll see you in a second!

"Hey guys!" I said, now facing the Diamond Dogs, who stared at me blankly. "Let's head on inside. The princess is waiting for us!"

With no other distractions, all five of us began walking up the stairs, and in the matter of seconds, we ran into a couple guards, who said that they were sent to escort us to the Princess of the Sun. Princess of the Sun? You're probably gonna have to tell me ALL your titles there, Princess Celestia! "I will when you get here." Alright, then!

There it was... the doorway to the Throne Room. Here I thought we wouldn't even make it up these stairs! Five minutes of non-stop walking is something I'm used to... but walking UPWARDS not only affects my body, but seeing outside the windows, I couldn't help but notice that it also affects my SANITY. Truth-be-told, while I WAS in Outer Space for about a few months, I could NEVER overcome one of my most BASIC fears of all... heights.

"Within THESE doors is the Throne Room, where you all shall be greeted by Her Majesty, Princess Celestia! I must warn you all to abide by the laws, as any form of insult, or threat, whether LARGE, or SMALL, will result in an immediate banishment from Canterlot, and it's surrounding cities, towns, AND allies! With that said, I hope you all enjoy your stay here in Canterlot Castle!" After the guard on our left finished speaking for us, I smiled, and nodded my head.

"Duly noted, sir! Thank you for the heads-up!" He seemed to be taken aback by my positive manners, and smiled back at me.

"So long as you remain lawful, we'll get along JUST fine!" He said, while they both motioned us to go on in. Rex and his friends took that as their cue to head on, while I stayed for a little longer to converse with this guard.

"You seem a bit more POSITIVE than the others... that's a good sign! The princess, I'm certain, could surely USE that kind of commitment!" I said, while patting him on the shoulder.

His eyes widened, and he asked, "Th-that obvious, huh?" Then, he shook his head, and said, "No, no, NO! The Princess requires STRONG guards! Not EMOTIONAL ones!" He sighed, while I patted his shoulder again.

"Hey, who said that being a NICE guard ISN'T being strong?! If you ask ME, I'd say it takes MUCH MORE strength to remain cheerful, than it takes to get angry!" He seemed to be surprised by my words, and sure enough, he agreed with that.

"Well... that IS quite true, isn't it? It's more common for guards to react to insults with a frown, and a kick in the flank, than it is for a guard to remain civil, and NOT react to negative influence that's sent to themselves!" He paused for a moment. "You seem quite wise for someone new! Tell me... what's your name?"

I stretched my right hand out, and said, "Justin Daniels. I'm a 'Human', which would probably be the equivalent of a 'Pony' here, at least where I'm from."

He accepted the hand-hoof shake, while replying, "Nice to meet you, Mr. Daniels! I'm Flash Sentry! While I may SEEM like a skilled guard, I'm actually more of a new recruit... but thank you for the words of encouragement! Perhaps we'll see each other around! Maybe I can buy you a drink sometime! I hear Applejack was planning on releasing some of her Apple Cider next month! That stuff is to DIE for!"

I smiled, then replied, "As long as it's non-alcoholic, I'm up for it!" Then, we both gave each other a respectable salute, while I walked inside the throne room, greeted by a smiling Princess Celestia, who was sitting on top of the throne that rose high above the room's ground level. I took that as my chance to show my respects, and began to bow my head, until she told me to stop.

"Please, Justin! You've ALREADY proven yourself to be a valuable friend! Besides, I didn't summon you here for a FORMAL meeting! Think of it more of a... friendly conversation!" I nodded my head, while I straightened my posture, and walked up to her.

"Of course, Celly! Is... it okay if I call you that?" She seemed a bit saddened by that statement, so I shook my head. "Nevermind! I'll just address you as Celestia, or Princess Celestia! Please forgive my previous statement!"

She gasped, and shook her hooves defensively, replying, "Hmm? Oh, no! It wasn't YOU, Justin! It's just... my FIRST friend I've ever had called my that... and he isn't around anymore, unfortunately..."

I noticed the pain in her eyes, and realized that this friend of hers must've been MORE to her... and the fact she said "he" only ADDS to that theory of mine. "I'm sorry for your loss... I'm sure it wasn't easy seeing him for the last time... was it?" She closed her eyes, while a tear dropped. Then, she shook her head.

I looked around, and realized that the Diamond Dogs were already gone. "Um... where'd Rex and his friends go, Princess?"

She smiled again, and replied, "Oh, I've already spoken with them! They seemed VERY thankful about what you did for them! They even told me THEIR side of the story!"

My eyes widened. How the Hell did they manage THAT in, like, thirty seconds?! She seemed to hear me, because she smirked at my mental comment.

"Oh, silly me! I forgot to mention... within THIS room, time is slowed down outside... at least, while I have the spell in effect! Right now, if you look outside, you'll see that the citizens are like colorful statues, and they can NOT hear anything that is discussed within these walls... that's because what I'm about to tell you is important that only YOU, and you ALONE, must know!" I gulped, and nodded, not saying anything else at this point. Then, she slowly walked up to me, with a serious look in her eyes. "This world is destined to be destroyed in three months..."

My eyes widened even more, and I backed away slightly. "Wait... WHAT?!"

"I saw it in a vision last night... I was looking out the throne room, when I saw, what looked like, a star... but it wasn't made of flame. It was purple, black, and red... it came closer to Equestria, and in the matter of seconds... it crashed into the planet, destroying EVERYTHING... including the planets surrounding it. Eventually, it reached a planet that looked like ours... and when I saw the creatures in it, I knew what planet it was..." I slowly nodded when I realized where she was getting at.

"...It was YOUR planet..." I stopped nodding, now realizing why she wanted these things secret.

"So... three months, huh? Is there ANY way we can stop it?!" That was when she had a smile on her face.

"Unfortunately, I know there isn't a way I can stop it, as it is Equestria's fate... BUT!" She pointed her right hoof at me. "BEFORE you landed here, I had a DIFFERENT vision than what happened! I was going to send Twilight, and ONE of her friends, to a festival held here in the Canterlot Castle next week!" I tilted my head in confusion. She smirked, then continued. "I did NOT have a vision of YOUR arrival, though! That makes me wonder if maybe, just MAYBE, you have the capabilities to CHANGE our future!"

And NOW she lost me there. ME?! Change the future of a PLANET?! Not just that, but against a SUN?! No, not just a sun, but an EVIL-LOOKING DEMONIC SUN?! Okay, NOW I think I'm going crazy here!

Still, though... she DID mention that MY planet would be in danger, as well! If I turn back, then I'll only be DELAYING the inevitable... wait a minute! Maybe there IS something I can do!

"Princess... can you describe the planet's arrival in DETAIL, please? Like, did it just FALL from the sky, or did it APPEAR from a portal-type thing?" She placed her right hoof under her snout, and thought for a moment.

"Perhaps it would be best if I SHOWED you my dream..." She replied, leaving me confused. Wait... you can DO that?! She giggled. "But of course! Now, hold still, and REMEMBER! This is JUST a dream!" Slowly, she lowered her horn to my forehead, which didn't require MUCH lowering, since she was, technically, standing at my neck's height. Then, when her horn reached my forehead, my eyes closed instantly, and everything faded to darkness.

I stood there in my throne room, about to lower the sun, so that my sister could raise the moon, when I heard the sound of screaming coming from outside. When I rushed to the window, I saw a dark object in the sky. It was purple, and it swirled around, almost like a dark hurricane in the sky. When I looked closer at it, I saw a dark, shadowy star coming down from within that swirling vortex in the sky. I tried to cast magic to send the thing away, but it only deflected my spell, and continued falling. There was NO way I could destroy the thing!

With tears in my eyes, I screamed in agony and pain, as the thing landed in Ponyville, and erupted flames across the lands, stretching all around, and destroying all life on Earth... then, I saw it heading towards another planet afterwards... the planet seemed just LIKE ours, but when I landed in it in spiritual form, I could see the inhabitants of the planet. They looked almost EXACTLY like Justin! While there were different shapes, sizes, and colors of their hides, I could tell that they were, in fact, humans! That could only mean one thing... "This is HIS planet!"

Then, when they looked up, they screamed in fear, as the sun fell upon THEM as well, and engulfed THEIR Earth into flames. At THAT time, however, I woke up.

When I opened my eyes, I noticed I was actually CRYING over the sight I just saw! I wiped my eyes, and fell on my knees, breathing heavily, and taking in what I just saw.

"Holy sh*t... that WAS my home!" I took deep breaths, then slowly exhaled, again and again, until I breathed normal. Then, after a moment of silence, I sighed. "And if it destroys Equestria, then it takes the magic FROM it... and perhaps THAT'S how it would reach MY place! And if it reaches BOTH, then maybe it could destroy even MORE worlds with life in THEM, as well!" I looked at her worriedly. "THIS is more than a GLOBAL threat!" I looked her in the eyes, and continued. "In fact... it might be a UNIVERSAL threat!"

She looked at me worriedly, then asked, "S-so, WHAT do you plan to do?!"

I smiled, then replied, "Well, since it's just at a BASIC stage before it reaches Equestria, I'll just have to remove it's core, to avoid any unwanted Black Holes! THEN, when it's just a floating rock, I'll blow the thing up with an AMPN... an Anti-Matter Plasma Nuke! Without the Anti-Matter, the PLASMA would be a problem, but with the Anti-Matter, it'll clear itself up, and send it to my inventory automatically!"

Celestia seemed to like the sound of my idea. "Whatever it takes to stop this threat, I will accept it! Also, should you succeed in that, then I can assure you, your name will be remembered in history forever, not just as a hero to Equestria, but to the UNIVERSE!"

I smiled at the thought of that. "So, now that THAT'S out of the way, I'd like to ask you a few questions... if that's okay?"

She shrugged, then replied, "Time is frozen, so you may ask as MUCH as you need! We're in no hurry!"

I looked at the windows around the throne room, and pointed at the one that had a stone picture of both, Celestia, and Luna, flying around each other in a circle. "What happened to your sister a thousand years ago? Why did you have to banish her to the moon? I understand that she was envious, and that she fought you, but still... she's your SISTER! There MUST'VE been more to the story than 'She got mad, and tried to fight you'... right?"

She looked down, then nodded. "It... was the hardest decision I ever had to make... but it was the only way at that point... she fought me, not by an overnight thought, but rather, a jealousy that grew over time, until even I couldn't cheer her up... I would tell you more, but I... don't feel comfortable explaining THAT story... there IS, however, a book about it!" She levitated a book to me, called "The Elements of Harmony, a Reference Guide". When I opened it, however, I stared at it confusedly. The Hell does this even SAY?!

"With all due respect, Princess Celestia, I... don't know how to read or write Equestrian... do you happen to have a book on the Equestrian Alphabet, or how to read and write the letters?" She smiled, then levitated a large pile of books on the subject.

"I know it will take a LOT of practice, but I'm certain you'll be able to learn in the matter of-" While she was speaking, I covered the entire pile of books with Anti-Matter, and downloaded the books into my system, and smiled.

"Alright, thank you, Princess Celestia! Now that I have the Equestrian language downloaded, I can have it translated for me!"

She stared at me blankly, while I pulled out a holographic version of "The Elements of Harmony, a Reference Guide", and began reading it, all while Celestia stared at me blankly. I could tell she didn't expect me to pull THAT one off.

After what felt like an hour of reading, I looked up at her, and asked, "Did I leave anything out?" She only shook her head, still shocked at how I was able to get the WHOLE book translated in English.

"Th-that... THAT is a good sign, Justin!" She seemed even MORE cheerful about the situation, now. I couldn't blame her... if I could pull THAT kind of stunt off, then there's NO doubt, that I can destroy this Dark Sun, should it ever threaten us.

"Well, Celestia... I'd say that's just about ALL the questions I had, now! I'm sure the others can answer themselves through time! Just tell me, though, did you happen to catch the date when the Dark Sun would fall?"

She nodded her head, and replied, "It should appear in twelve weeks from today, and on the Saturday of that week. Saturday, Spring the Twenty-Eighth, 1 AC." I looked at her confused. "That means After-Conversion. It would mark the first year my sister has been converted to our side!" I nodded my head, NOW understanding what it meant.

"Then in THAT case, I'll have to take a trip to Outer Space on the Twenty-Fifth! It SHOULD give me time to prepare myself for the threat, and even MORE time to examine what I'm dealing with! Also, it should be enough time for me to find, and clear, a path for it's core!"

She nodded her head in agreement. I saluted her, then turned to leave, until she stopped me again.

"Wait, Justin!" I turned my head, and saw that she was holding a letter, and two golden-looking tickets, with her magic. She said, "You... remember about the celebration that I said I would send two tickets to Twilight for, right?" I nodded my head, and turned back around to face her. "Well... I was wondering if YOU would like to be the one she gives the other ticket to?"

I looked closer at the letter, and the tickets. Then, I realized she wanted me to READ the letter. When I finished, I looked at her confused. "What's a... 'Grand Galloping Gala'?"

"Think of it like more of a gathering... where the most Noble and Famous would meet together, and just enjoy the night, with dancing and food." Ah, crap... I think what she means is... a ROYAL BALL?!

I shook my head, then replied, "Um... sorry, Princess, but I REALLY think that THAT kind of thing would be for a... FEMALE... to go to with ANOTHER female, if you know what I mean?"

"You mean like a 'Mare's Night Out'?" I nodded. "I understand what you're saying, but I MUST tell you why I would choose YOU to take Twilight..." Wait, ME take TWILIGHT?! I thought it was the OTHER way around?! She smiled weakly. "The truth is... Twilight once lived here in Canterlot... and I've seen her grow into the Faithful Student that we all know. The thing is, though... she was NEVER able to get along with the stallions here, and was even teased in school BECAUSE of the fact that she preferred seclusion. Reading was, literally, her LIFE! With that came great knowledge... but with great knowledge came a price..." I nodded my head. "She wasn't ready for when a group of stallions... tried to get her attention..." I sighed. In a way... I kinda know how THAT feels...

In fact, my thoughts were MORE true! I spent MOST of my days alone, in a lab, or somewhere out of sight, working on my computers, my inventions, and lots of other stuff, that I never found the time to start a relationship with someone. Although, when I DID think I found the right girl, I only either ended up embarrassing myself, or SHE would end up embarrassing ME. Either way, MOST of the girls where I came from weren't necessarily the... GOOD kinds of girls that I would find over here. Granted, they ARE Ponies, but if at least ONE girl from where I'm from were like Twilight... err... ANYONE over here, then I would go on ahead and ask her out INSTANTLY!

"So you see... when I ended up breaking them apart from her, before they could do anything... worse... I decided to take her in as my own personal student, and allowed her to live in the castle for the rest of her school days. And then, just two weeks ago, she moved into Ponyville, and on the following night of her arrival, she, and her newly made friends, managed to save my sister from her own self... her anger was no longer there, and with the Elements of Harmony, we were finally reunited, after a thousand years of loneliness." I nodded even more. I knew that it must've been rough, banishing her own sister. After reading that book, I also knew that it was for the best. Thankfully, though, things turned out better than they seemed!

"Well... I don't know... I mean, she DOES seem like she can easily be taken advantage of, but... would she REALLY want to be seen around ME? I mean, won't that just make her feel WORSE, if they claim that she's... dating me, or something like that?!" I looked at Celestia confusedly while I asked those questions. Sure enough, it didn't seem that "TWILIGHT DATING AN ALIEN" would look good on a newspaper, if they even HAVE those!

"I know... which is why I would like you to go with her, not for a date, but instead, to protect her from any stallions that would even TRY something like that... in the background, of course!" I'll admit... I didn't really LIKE going to things like parties... at least, I didn't think I would enjoy a party like a BALL, at least! I'm certain that Twilight's friends would be better at keeping her covered than I would, though, since I'm not usually in large crowds.

"Tell you what..." I began. "How about this... YOU will send Twilight a letter, asking her to bring one of HER friends with her, and if SHE chooses to bring me, then I'll go! Otherwise, you can let the friend she chooses be her bodyguard!" I saw in her expression that she wasn't sure about that idea, so I backed it up. "Twilight's a smart Mare, Princess! I KNOW that she'll be able to make the right choice!"

Finally, Princess Celestia smiled, and nodded her head. "Very well, then! Expect Twilight to receive that letter tomorrow, at noon!" I stretched my hand out, which she shook, and the deal was OFFICIAL. If she chooses someone ELSE, then I will help out around the library, while she has her "girl time".

...But what if she chooses ME, though?! Ah, crap... I probably should've thought this through a little more! And they both COULD be communicating while I wouldn't even NOTICE! Damn magic... WAY too complicated for MY mind!

"So... what should I do at this time?" I asked.

She smiled, horn glowing, and replied, "Now, I would like you to simply enjoy the week! I'll let you know when I need you to start work on the defense against the Dark Sun! For now, though, I would like to ask that you give it no thought... oh, and ONE MORE THING!" I nodded. "You will NOT, under ANY circumstances, breathe a WORD about the Dark Sun!"

I gave her a salute, and replied, "My lips are SEALED, Princess Celestia! I will not even THINK about the events!"

She smiled, and replied, "Good... would you feel more comfortable if I... HID those memories from you, instead? To avoid any mistakes?" I gave it some thought, then nodded.

"That's a GREAT idea! As long as you don't take away any IMPORTANT memories... oh, and it's just TEMPORARY, right?" She nodded. "Awesome! Then in that case, I'm ready when you are!"

"I'll teleport you in front of Sugarcube Corner while I do so... it SHOULD save you even MORE time!" I nodded, while her horn glowed again, and at once, I saw the world around me going white... and when it did, I closed my eyes.

When I opened them, I saw that I was, indeed, in front of Sugarcube Corner. There was something odd about it, though... the lights were out! I looked up at the sky, and saw that the sun was STILL out, even though the sky was reddening, which meant it must've been getting close to night time. Still, though, I thought to myself, Hmm... aren't they supposed to STILL be open, even at THIS time?

When I stepped closer to the front door, I noticed that the sign, sure enough, read "OPEN" on it. Giving a light shrug, I knocked on the door, which resulted in no answer. I knocked again, and looked around, then sighed, and turned around. "Maybe I should check Rarity's shop first... I DO need to get some more clothes, after all... AND to see how her dresses are coming along..."

After just a minute of walking, I was already at the Carousel Boutique, and thankfully, the lights were still on. Giving the door a quick knock, I waited for about ten seconds. I was about to knock again, until I heard the sound of galloping inside the living room, and at once, the door swung open.

"Oh, hey, Rarity! Sorry if I'm interrupting anything, but I was just... wondering-" I looked down, and noticed that it wasn't Rarity who answered the door, but instead, a little white Unicorn Filly who stood to my knee-level. I just stared wide-eyed at her, while SHE stared wide-eyed at me. "Um... Hi?"

After I said that, she screamed, and slammed the door, and from what I could hear, she must've locked the door. I sighed, then said, "Well, okay then... have a nice day!"

Then, I turned around, and walked away, only to hear the door slam open, and a child's voice squealed, "Wait! WAIT!" I turned back around, and saw that she was staring nervously at me. "You aren't... here to EAT us, are you?!" I stared at her confusedly, and shook my head. Then, when I looked up, I noticed Apple Bloom stick HER head out, and smile widely. Then, she ran outside, and joined us.

"Well, howdy there, Mr. Daniels! It's nice ta see y'all again!" I couldn't help but smile back at the Western little Filly.

Giving my head a quick bow, I replied, "It's nice to see you again, too, Apple Bloom!" I looked around, then asked, "Have any of y'all seen Rarity anywhere?"

"Wait," the little white unicorn began, "you KNOW my sister?!" When she said the word "KNOW", I could've sworn my ears started screeching. OWIE! Suddenly, her cheeks turned red, and she said, "Oops... sorry! I'm TRYING to work on that!" Again, the screech.

I had no choice, but to put on a smile, and nod my head. "It's quite alright, my friend! And to answer your question, yes ma'am! My clothes, unfortunately, were torn pretty badly, and I was wondering if she was still gonna work on the new clothes for me?"

She smiled, then replied, "Well, there IS a new ponykin in there that looks EXACTLY like you, only it doesn't have all that armor on! By the way, are YOU a Space Pony?!"

I knelt down to her level, level, and said, "Not really... but I'm LIKE a Space Pony! I'm a Human... a creature from another world... perhaps even another UNIVERSE! My name's Justin Daniels! Nice to meet you!" She stared at me wide-eyed, with her jaw wide open.

"So you're like an alien? Like in those MOVIES?!" Movies? Wait, this place has MOVIES?!

I shrugged. "Depends on which aliens you're referring to. In MY world, I would be like another pony to y'all... the Dominant Species! Funny thing, though... in MY world, there are ponies as well, but they are NOTHING like the ponies here!"

Now I got BOTH of their attention. "Wait... there's PONIES in YOUR planet?! What're THEY like?!"

I sat down on the dirt for a moment, and cleared my throat. "Well, to be honest, the ponies from where I'M from are considered animals! Y'know... like horses, monkeys, birds, squirrels, rabbits, bears, lions, tigers, cheetahs, giraffes, the list goes on, and on, and on! They don't live in houses like y'all do, and they mostly eat grass and flowers STRAIGHT from the ground! Oh, and they didn't cook, clean, play games, or anything like that!" They stared at me in disbelief.

"That's so COOL! So they're like the Cave Ponies, right? The ones from the pre-historic times, before even the Old Kingdom, and LONG before Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were even BORN?!"

I held my hands defensively at their questions, and replied, "Whoa! Hold on! I'm not entirely sure about the history of this world, yet! I've only been here for, like, a day now!" They smiled, and nodded their heads.

"Well, if you EVER need help learning about the history, we'd HIGHLY recommend you visit Miss Cheerilee! She's our School Teacher, and she can DEFINITELY help you!"

I smiled, and nodded my head. "A teacher, huh? Then I can almost GUARANTEE that I'll be speaking with her often! Thank y'all for the info!" Then, I remembered my ORIGINAL question. "So... anypony seen Rarity anywhere?"

They placed their hooves under their snouts, and shortly after, the unicorn replied, "Well, she DID say that she had to visit Sugarcube Corner for a little bit... did you check there, yet?" I nodded.

"In fact," I began, "I actually just came FROM there. It didn't seem like anypony was even there to begin with..."

She sighed, then replied, "Knowing Rarity, I wouldn't be surprised if she was just trying to keep customers away, while she helps Pinkie Pie with something! Did you check INSIDE the place, yet?"

I shook my head, and said, "Not really... the LAST thing I would want to do is break some sort of laws I might be unaware of... would I even be ALLOWED to enter, if their lights are off?" The fillies looked at each other, and smirked. "What?"

"Oh, silly! OF COURSE you're allowed! Knowing Pinkie Pie, I wouldn't be surprised if she's attempting to throw somepony a party! You should check the place again, and see if their guest of honor has already showed up! If the lights are on, then that SHOULD be answer enough for you!" The unicorn said.

I smiled, and nodded my head. "Alright, then! I'll be on my way! Oh, and thank you Miss... um..."

"Sweetie Belle! Pleased to meet you, too, by the way!" The unicorn smiled, and stretched her right hoof out, which I shook with my pointing finger, and thumb.

"Well, Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, I'd like to thank the two of you for y'alls help! I'll be sure to let Rarity know what awesome manners y'all have!"

Then, we all said our good-byes, and I was off to Sugarcube Corner again.

Alright. Thank you for the heads-up, Sweetie Belle! I'm glad you told us this, because we weren't even sure if he would even come back at ALL! You're free to join in on the party, if you're interested, by the way! Rainbow Dash is here, so I'm almost CERTAIN that Scootaloo is gonna be here, as well! "REALLY?! AWESOME! We'll be there in a second!" Sweetie Belle's voice rang through my head.

Then, literally, the next second later, Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom appeared through a beam of light from Sweetie's teleport spell. They both looked around cheerfully, and hid behind the couch where Rainbow Dash was.

When I made it back, I noticed that the lights were on this time! Huh... I guess that guest of honor's there, now! Hmm... I wonder who it could be? Maybe another pony? Another dragon, perhaps? I decided to just give it a shrug, and walk up to the door. Then, I knocked on it, since I'm naturally polite. Unfortunately, though, I didn't get an answer, until a voice in the background yelled, "JUST COME ON IN, ALREADY!" Fine, sheesh! I could've SWORN that the voice belonged to Rainbow Dash, but I decided not to ask. It WAS, after all, a bakery!

When I opened the door, and stepped inside, the lights just suddenly flicked off, and the door slammed behind me, which startled me. Quickly, I put my helmet on, and turned on the night vision. When I looked around, I noticed that there were a few ponies ducking and covering behind furniture, almost like they were hiding from something. "Um... is everything-"

Suddenly, I felt a tap on my right shoulder, which caused me to look backwards. When I turned around, I couldn't see anything, so I turned back around, only to find a blue-screened pony through my night-vision lens with a puffed-up mane, jump up from out of nowhere, and in the matter of milliseconds after she jumped, the whole entire room lit up, and my ears were filled with a loudly screamed, "SURPRISE!"

"WHAT THE-" Of course, out of instinct, I jumped backwards, and reached for my pistol, only to stop myself mid-way, and sigh deeply, with a light chuckle.

"What's the meaning of this, exactly? I... don't understand..." I scratched the back of my head, shortly after lowering the helmet again, since the whole entire view of it's night-vision was obstructed with the light.

"Well, DUH, silly!" Pinkie Pie said in a playful tone, while pointing at the hanging sign that I could've SWORN wasn't there just a second ago. "It's your 'WELCOME TO PONYVILLE, AND EQUESTRIA FOR THAT MATTER, AND THANK YOU FOR SAVING OUR LIVES, AND ENDING OUR WAR WITH THE DIAMOND DOGS' party! Of course, I was the one who planned it out for you! Were you surprised? Huh? Were-You? Were-You? Were-You?!" Okay, within my armor is a built-in translation system, that can SUPPOSEDLY translate ANY language that I'm given... but APPARENTLY, there's actually ONE language that even IT can't comprehend... and I THINK I might've found that language... The Language of Pinkie Pie... WHATEVER it is...

"I... was VERY surprised!" I backed up, then said, "Well, thanks for the party! I'm sure it's REALLY awesome, and all that, but... I might need to step outside for a bit..." She nodded her head, but looked at me worriedly, while I just backed into the door, opened it, and walked outside, trying to take deep breaths. Okay, Justin... just act natural! It's JUST a friendly meeting, it's JUST A FRIENDLY MEETING!

"What's wrong?" I heard Twilight ask from behind me. What the-?! How'd YOU get here? Weren't you in the BACK of the... ah, right... Unicorns, Magic, all that... She sighed, then asked, "You don't really LIKE parties, do you?" I looked at her, then shook my head.

"I mean, it's NOT her! The place looks REALLY nice, and all that... it's just that I... don't like being in LARGE crowds, like that... y'know?" I didn't expect her to understand at all, but what I ESPECIALLY didn't expect was her next statement.

"I know what you mean... I was the EXACT same way just a couple weeks ago, in fact! Still am, slightly!" I looked at her wide-eyed. SHE was the same as ME?! That... doesn't quite add up, though! I walked with her across the town this morning, and could see that EVERYPONY actually knew her, as if she lived here all of her life! She seemed more open-minded than I am, as well! If anything, she might be the POLAR opposite of me! She's even got me beat in the "SERIOUS" department!

"Really?!" I asked her, unaware of the surprised tone in my voice.

She nodded her head, then replied, "Really! And I KNOW that she might seem a little... DIFFERENT from most ponies... but what I can GUARANTEE is this... she SOMEHOW manages to make the parties she throws suitable for ALL to enjoy! NO exceptions! If you don't enjoy it, then I'll explain to her that you just weren't feeling well... but I'd just like to ENCOURAGE you to give it a try, at least! I'll even keep the crowds AWAY from you, if you'd like!"

I smiled, and nodded my head. Wow... you'd REALLY do that for me?! Heck, I've only lived here for LESS than a day, and I'm ALREADY being treated like one of y'all?! "...Thanks, Twi. I... needed that pep-talk!"

She smiled back, and nodded her head. "That's what friends do! We look out for each other!" I nodded my head, while she gave me a quick hug, which I didn't see coming, but returned just as quickly. Then, we both headed inside the house, and as we did, I smiled at the group of ponies and Diamond Dogs inside, while they remained silent.

"Well, what're y'all waiting for? Let's PARTY!" I said enthusiastically, which resulted in a cheer, while music started playing.

During the rest of the night, we partied in Sugarcube Corner. Since all of the residents of Ponyville, if not MOST of them, were there, I was able to skip the rest of the tour, and just get introduced to everypony there, instead. I was even acquainted with the mayor of Ponyville, Mayor Mare, which, ironically, was her name! I decided not to ask about it, and instead, decided to just go with it. The party went on until the moon rose above the midnight sky, and once the party was over, Twilight and I decided to head back to the Golden Oak Library. Along the way, we spoke a good bit.

"Wow, Justin! For somepony who doesn't like to party, you SURELY did show us your 'Lively' side!" I stared at her, and smiled back at the cheerful mare.

"Well, I'd guess we ALL have our moments... thanks, by the way!" She stared at me confused.

"For what?" She asked, now stopping in her tracks.

"For treating me like an equal, even when I'm not a pony, of course! It... means a lot to me, you know?" I stopped in MY tracks, and looked back at her.

"Well, OF COURSE you're an equal to us! I mean, LOOK at you! You might not be a pony, but you most certainly ACT like one! You talk, you think, you smile, you laugh, I mean, what's NOT to like about you?!" I raised my right eyebrow. Hmm... "like" about me, huh? Her cheeks turned red, and she stuttered, "W-wait! I meant that in a CASUAL way!"

I chuckled, then continued walking. "Ha ha! SURE you did, Twilight!" She grunted behind me, perhaps playfully, but then I stopped again, sighed, then looked back at her, now with a serious expression. "But still... this is FAR more greater than the treatment I usually got in MY version of Earth, y'know?" She stopped in place again, and looked up at me wide-eyed.

"W-what do you mean by that?! Surely you had friends out there, who would spend time with you like up HERE, right?!"

I shook my head, and lowered my knees to the ground, looking her in the eyes. "I only had ONE friend out there... and he followed me into New Eden... his name's Michael. He... wasn't like me in many ways... he liked sports, and recreation... I liked computers, and learning new things. He was a soldier, built for battles with other people... I was a technician, built for battles with the mind. When I fell into this town, the last thing I could remember... was him trying to save me from a... well, knowing there's MAGIC, now, I'm GUESSING it was a portal. Whatever it was, it dragged ME in, while leaving New Eden there, so it DEFINITELY wasn't a Black Hole... still, though... I tried to grab a hold of his hand for him to pull me up, and he did the same, but the portal was too strong... so I just accepted my fate there. He must think I'm dead, right now, because Black Holes are, by far, EXTREMELY dangerous, and can kill anything that gets NEAR it! And the portal looked EXACTLY like one, so I'd doubt if he would follow me in."

After giving her the brief run-down on what I went through BEFORE landing here, I could see that she was full of tears. If you HAVEN'T seen a pony cry like this, then I recommend you DON'T. I could see sympathy in her expression... literally, REAL sympathy! Not the simple "sorry for your loss" kind, but the kind you would see someone who just put themselves in YOUR shoes, and viewed YOUR situation the same way YOU did.

"S-so... you... DIDN'T have any other friends?! And the ONLY one you DID have... thinks you're DEAD, now?!" She stuttered through tears. I sighed, then nodded. "I... I'm TRULY sorry for your loss... I... I can't... IMAGINE what that must feel like, but I can tell... it-it doesn't even feel... REMOTELY good..."

I nodded my head again, and could feel tears of my OWN falling over my face, while she quickly rushed up to me, and gave me another heart-warming hug. The kind over the shoulders. Her head was buried in my chest, while I brushed her mane.

"I... I PROMISE... I will FIND a way to get you home, again! One friend, or not... NOPONY deserves to be alone, like him! And NOPONY deserves to hold the burden that YOU'RE going through!" She spoke through my chest, which meant her voice was mumbled up, but I could easily understand what she said, and smiled.

"Thanks, Twi... you are, without a doubt, the GREATEST friend anyone could ask for..." I said, which she gave a slight chuckle to. Then, we continued walking back to The Golden Oak Library, while our eyes just naturally dried themselves up. We decided to speak about other things that our worlds had in common, and what was different. Strangely enough, the COMMON things overpowered the DIFFERENT things! In fact, I learned that Ponyville is considered a VERY rural town, in comparison to the OTHER places, and that somewhere in this world, there actually IS television, computers, video games, and all that stuff! In fact, she also told me that a new family was moving in, and THEY had all of those things, and more! Then, we spoke about music, and THAT was where the differences came in... they didn't have any music genres that went by the name "Dubstep". While they DID have Bass, which is about the same, only ONE pony in Ponyville was actually skilled at that genre. Her name was Vinyl Scratch, but her stage name is DJ-PON3. There was, however, ANOTHER musician that lived in Ponyville... a CLASSICAL musician... and HER name's Octavia. Apparently, she and Vinyl Scratch are room-mates. I didn't see HOW it wouldn't occur to them to try combining their music... if they did THAT, then they would ALREADY have, at least, A form of Dubstep in Equestria! I might have to visit them, and give them some advice, actually! While I WAS a technician, I also had hobbies. I managed to throw in some time practicing the Holographic DJ Board, and was even able to play a few Dubstep songs from my favorite artists. Still, though... One would only HOPE that this world would be willing to ACCEPT Dubstep into their society. I wouldn't want to pull a Marty on them, after all!

Finally, after a few more moments of talking, we finally made it to The Golden Oak Library again. "Home, Sweet Home, huh?" I playfully asked Twilight, now looking in her direction.

She smiled, and replied, "There isn't a single place that could ever feel more BETTER than home, after all!" Then, when we got there, I held the door open for her, which caused her to giggle, and say, "Well, aren't YOU a gentlecolt! Why, thank you!" She gave a quick bow, and trotted inside, while I walked shortly after, and looked around. Spike must've been cleaning up all day, because when we walked inside, I nearly burst out laughing. I didn't even think it was possible, but Spike was asleep... STANDING UP! He also had a mop inside a bucket, and his claws were still holding onto the mop's handle.

Twilight gave a simple, quiet laugh, and lifted him with her magic. Then, she took him upstairs, while I removed the armor, and sighed at my torn clothes. At least I requested for more clothes at the party. Rarity DID say that she'll have them ready tomorrow. Not sure how, but at THIS point, I'll just have to go with it... I sighed, then sat down on the couch, which, while it wasn't necessarily MY size, it was still more comfortable than the cave floor.

Suddenly, I felt my feet get lifted from the floor, and at once, I looked around, only to notice Twilight pick me up with her levitation spell. I was about to object, until she shushed me, and said, "Not THIS time, silly filly! You are NOT gonna go to sleep on the FLOOR! YOU get the BED, this time!" She had a sly grin on her face, which made me return my OWN sly grin.

"Ah, I see... by the way, Twilight, quick question!"

Her expression turned from sly to confused. "Yes?" She asked.

I gave her a wink, and asked, "So what exactly WERE you thinking about in the Boutique? You know..." I gave a slight chuckle. "...when Rarity mentioned that she took my clothes off... were you thinking of me naked?"

Twilight's face? Priceless right there! I could've sworn I might've broken her JUST at that thought, because I felt her grip loosen, and at once, I was back on ground-level, standing up, and laughing hysterically. Her face was now more redder than a tomato, and her left eye started twitching.

Then, her face turned into a glare, which caused my laughing to cease at once. "Um... Twilight?"

"Twilight?! NO, WAIT! IT WAS JUST A JOKE- *POOF* OUCH! WAS THAT A PILLOW?!" Justin's voice was blocked from the surrounding walls of the treehouse, but anypony who would've been passing by could've heard it clear as daylight... which thankfully, considering the time, there wasn't.

Twilight's voice replied in an annoyed tone, "Oh, NO you don't! If you DON'T want to sleep in a bed, then I'll just have to MAKE you one! Now hold still, you're gonna need another PILLOW!"

Another *POOF* sound could be heard. "OW! NOT THE FACE! I was JUST JOKING! *POOF* OUCH! WHERE are you even GETTING these pillows from?! *POOF* UGH! MRR FMMKING MRRRPH!" Then there was a spitting noise. "Oh, so even the FEATHERS are a threat?!" *POOF* After a moment of silence, a trotting noise could be heard, signifying that Twilight was going upstairs, while Justin's voice said in a weak, and whiny voice, "I'm gonna die here!"

Author's Notes:

*SNEAK-PEEK*

Justin: Alright, so my FIRST day in Ponyville went smooth!

Twilight: *Clears her throat.*

Justin: *Chuckles weakly.* Even though I might've pissed Twilight off a LITTLE more than intended...

Twilight: A LITTLE?! Humph! I have NOTHING to say to you, Mister! You've got a LOT to make up for!

Justin: Oh, COME ON, TWILIGHT! I SAID I was sorry! What MORE do you want?!

Twilight: Well, I... *sigh* just need some time to myself, alright?!

Justin: Okay, okay! Sheesh! I'll spend tomorrow with Spike, then, if it'll make you feel better!

Spike: Really?! AWESOME! Don't worry, Justin! I'm MUCH more cooler to hang around with, anyways! *Sticks his tongue out at Twilight in a playful manner.*

Twilight: *Levitates a pillow behind her left shoulder, and gives Spike a playful glare.* Care to REPHRASE that, Spike?

Spike: *Gulps.* H-hey! I just remembered... I need to be going back to sleep now, so... GOOD NIGHT! *Runs back up the stairs, but first, he leans closer to Justin, and whispers in his ear.* "Good luck, Justin... you'll need it!" *Then, he runs back upstairs, while Justin looks nervously at Twilight, and smiles sheepishly.*

Twilight: *Gives Justin a playful glare.* Now, then... where WERE we?

Justin: *Gulps* Oh, Sweet Celestia, SAVE ME! Your student is OUT OF CONTROL!

Announcer: And so, the day has been saved, a war has been ended, and a HUGE threat has been discovered, ALL in Justin's first day in Equestria! But NOW the questions remain... just what exactly IS this new threat? And HOW, exactly, will Justin be able to HANDLE that threat? Will he even be able to make it through the night?

*POOF!*

Justin: SERIOUSLY! WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU EVEN GETTING ALL THESE PILLOWS?!

Announcer: *Clears his throat.* Tune in NEXT time, in "The Outsider: Tales of a Space Technician, Chapter 6: Double-Double Ticket Trouble!" See you then, My Little Bronies!

*NOTES FROM THE AUTHOR*

Finally! A chapter that DIDN'T take over a week to make! Expect even MORE upcoming chapters at THIS speed! (Perhaps even faster?)

Another quick note, in case nopony ever got the hints, the NEXT episode will be based in JUSTIN'S view of the episode, "Ticket Master". The differences will be that he and Spike walk around Ponyville, while Twilight goes her OWN way around town, leaving the two guys to befriend each other, since Spike didn't really have much friends of his own. (At least, friends who were ALSO male!) In other words, Spike hangs with Justin, instead of Twilight.

Another thing to note! Twilight wasn't ACTUALLY angry at him! In fact, she was, in a way, only annoyed, but in a playful way. Justin, however, decided to play along with it, so that the two of them can calm their nerves. (They DID spend MOST of the day in a CAVE, after all!)