This morning, I allow myself to sleep in a bit, since I'm not required to be at the farm at like, eight in the morning. It's glorious. So much shit has happened since I got here, I really need this extra sleep.

That being said, when the smell of cooking eggs reaches my nostrils, I lurch up in bed in an instant, my mouth already watering. “Sweet baby Jesus, what is this gloriousness I'm smelling?” I utter to myself, leaping to my feet, reaching for my money bags. Adding yesterday's pay, I have a total of fifteen bits. I could go to the spa this morning...pfft, like hell. Nah, I'm probably going to spend a few bits having some of whatever it is my landpony is cooking downstairs, set aside the rent payment, and save the rest so that I can eventually get a place of my own.

I slip on the clothes I was wearing two days ago, which are the jeans and the dark violet shirt. They still smell all right, so I can still wear them. Of course, that will probably change by the end of the day, but that's future me's problem. Then I toss open my door with gusto and bound down the stairs, the smell only getting better the closer I get to it.

“The hell are you making, Vinyl?” I demand, walking into the kitchen, taking my host by surprise. Vinyl nearly drops the pan she's holding, but she doesn't, because that would have been a tragedy. The yellow mess in the pan means I was right in suspecting that she's making some form of eggs.

“Oh wow, morning bro. Didn't expect you to sound so energetic this early in the morning,” Vinyl greets me once she sets the pan back on the stove to cook. She notices me staring at her expectantly, and then she fucking realizes that I asked a question that I want answered. “Oh right. Well I'm making omelets. Want some?”

“Damn straight I do. Seems like the most normal thing I've seen to eat so far,” I state like it was the most obvious thing in the world. I fish out a bit from my sack and flip it towards Vinyl, who grabs it with her magic and sets it aside with a resigned sigh.

“Awright, I'll serve you up then. What do ya like on your omelets?” she asks, folding the newly forming omelet over a bunch of mushrooms that she levitates in there.

“Well, I'd ask for bacon, but you ponies don't eat meat. So mushrooms, peppers, and olives if you have them,” I supply helpfully, lamenting the loss of one of mankind's greatest invention. I don't really care what I eat, but bacon...that's a rather hefty loss there.

“I don't have olives, but the rest I got. That cool with you?” Vinyl checks with me, looking back at me with those magenta eyes of hers. I shrug uncaringly. So what if I don't get olives? All they do is add a bit of extra flavor. I'm just happy to be getting some eggs.

I lay back on the chair, shutting my eyes and letting that glorious egg smell fill my nose. I start dozing off, not even caring since it's still relatively early. It's only when a plate of hot omelet is slid on the table in front of me that I wake up again.

“By the way, this came for you in the mail,” Vinyl says causally, levitating an envelope over to me. This gets my full attention.

“Who the fuck would send me a letter?” I demand rhetorically, since I doubt Vinyl has any clue. I look at the envelope, noting how ornate and embellished it is.

“Not a clue, bro. Looks pretty flashy though,” Vinyl remarks, referring to how fancy it looks. I scoff and turn the letter over, looking for some sign of identification. When I look at the front of it, glowing letters form one by one before my eyes, spelled in a fancy cursive font.

“From Princess Celestia. Canterlot Royal Suites,” I read off the letters aloud just to make sure I'm not imagining this. “Holy shit.”

“Wow, dude, that's from Princess Celestia? That's one heck of an honor. Only Twilight gets private correspondence from her,” Vinyl marvels, peering over the table to see the writing herself.

“Yeah, she must be nuts. Well, let's see what miss mind reader has to say this time,” I remark, callously ripping open the top of the envelope.

Then a beam of yellow light hits me and sends me back to my time like nothing had happened. Pfft. Wouldn't that be nice. Nope, I pull out the letter inside as normal and unfold it....only to realize that I can't read a word of it. I pass it to Vinyl, who takes it, confused.

"I can't read, Vinyl. Tell me what it says." At that, Vinyl gets the picture, and starts to read Celestia's letter aloud.

“Dear Seth,

It's been a while since we last spoke. I wanted to check up on you, and see how you are acclimatizing to life in Ponyville. It's a quiet and charming town, well removed from the bustle of Canterlot. It saddens me that I am unable to put aside more time for me to visit it.

Have you made any progress towards making friends? I'd love to hear about it, if you don't mind me prying. In fact, I'd like to extend an invitation for you to come visit me in Canterlot for a weekend. I can take care of any and all expenses involved, if you're interested.

Your loving friend,

Celestia.”

I take the letter back, my mouth stretched into a thin line. Whelp, I just got invited to the capitol of Equestria by the Royal fucking Princess of the Sun. For free no less. Yeah...right. “That's not happening,” I declare flatly.

“What? Why not?” Vinyl questions cocking her head.

“She pretty much invited me to go to Canterlot. For free. Fuck that, there's no way I'm going to be in debt to royalty.”

“Wait, and you're not doing it? But...”

“It's like saying, 'my head on a chopping block? Yes please!' Fucking...yeah right! How stupid does she think I am?” I rant, throwing my hands up in the air. “Oh look at me, I'm this benevolent ruler, I want to earn your trust..blah blah blah, by the way, would you like to be in my debt? I promise I won't abuse it too much!”

“Dude...”

“Nope. I'm burning this shit. Mind keeping that burner on a bit longer?” I cut her off, my rage growing. Vinyl promptly shuts off the stove with her magic, looking exasperated. With that avenue removed, I try to tear the paper to shreds, but Vinyl again uses her magic to take it from me.

“You really need to chill out, bro,” Vinyl scolds me, and then she glances over the letter again. She then gives me a look that clearly says, really? “Dude, she's being friendly, that's all. You really shouldn't read too far into these things. What if I lived in Canterlot and asked you to come hang?”

“If you were offering to pay all my expenses, I'd call bullshit on you too. Nobody spends that kind of money on someone they only met once,” I answer her without hesitation. Vinyl groans, letting her head fall to the table's surface. I proceed to dig into my omelet, which is just as good as I expected.

We eat our breakfast in silence. Vinyl's clearly mad at me for saying the things I did about the princess, but I could care less what she thinks. Once I finish eating, I glance up at the clock. “Time for me to get going. I'll get back when I get back.”

Vinyl remains quiet as I shoulder my rifle and open the front door. The moment I step outside...I regret it. A blast of frigid air and snow greets me, stinging my skin. I walk back inside immediately, shutting the door. “Right. The snows happen today. I'm getting changed.” I deadpan.

I step back outside again a few minutes later, dressed in the winter outfit Rarity made for me. It's really warm, keeping out most of the cold, so now it's only my face, hands, and feet that are cold. Yeah, going barefoot in the snow is a terrible idea, so I was wearing my shoes, which are falling apart.

Nothing of note really happens on my trip to Sweet Apple Acres, at least until I'm walking through the square. I spot Filthy Rich, and I freeze. He's not looking at me though. He's wandering from pony to pony, talking to them for maybe a minute or so each, before moving on to the next. I step closer to him until I can hear his conversation.

“...what you know about my daughter,” Filthy Rich says in a demanding tone to Carrot Top, who is his latest victim.

“Well...” Carrot Top stammers, taken off guard by Filthy Rich's confrontational stance.

“Let me remind you that if any of your words are discovered to be false, I can and will prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law,” Filthy Rich adds threateningly. What the fu...wow, he really took me seriously, didn't he? A little too seriously, if you ask me.

Unfortunately, as I move to leave, he notices me, and the two of us lock eyes, staring intensely at one another. He narrows his eyes, and then he gives me a terse nod before going back to his interrogations. Well, that had the potential to go very wrong. I'm glad that didn't happen.

“Seth!” Lyra is coming from the other direction, looking sympathetic. “Did Filthy accost you too?”

“No, why?” I play dumb, even though I know full well why he's doing what he's doing.

“According to Bon Bon, he had a blow out with his daughter or something, so now he's going around asking everypony their opinion of her, under pain of legal action,” Lyra explains, falling in step with me. I sigh, realizing that I'm not going to get rid of her. But, I am feeling slightly mollified, knowing that he took my advice to heart. I suppose he saw the true side of his daughter for once.

“Huh, how about that?” My voice is slightly sarcastic, causing Lyra to look at me suspiciously.

“You didn't have anything to do with that, did you?” she says accusingly, though not in an angry manner.

“I don't know what you're talking about,” I say, equally sarcastically. Lyra pauses, and then she grins, batting my side with a hoof.

“I don't believe it. You cheeky human, you actually told him about her actually being a brat?” It sounds like she's actually praising me. “That takes guts, Seth. I'm envious.”

“Why couldn't anypony else do it?” I demand, actually curious. Lyra looks both directions before answering in a lower voice.

“Because Filthy Rich is the head of one of the wealthiest businesses in Equestria. His family is partly responsible for Ponyville's founding, and even now he is responsible for most of the town's upkeep,” Lyra explains. Okay, that part I didn't know. So what, I essentially chose to go against one of the most influential ponies around. Good job Seth, you sure know how to pick your enemies. “One word from him could ruin any of our lives. That's why nopony said anything, in case he got offended.”

“Good thing I did it then. I don't have a life to ruin,” I quip darkly. Lyra's face falls, and then she gives me a hug, irritating me further. “Get off me. You ponies are way too touchy-feely.”

“Eeeeh, you know you like it,” Lyra jokes. I immediately push her off, disgusted.

“And stop flirting with me! I'm not interested!”

“I know. I'm just doing it because it annoys you.” Lyra sticks her tongue out at me immaturely.

“You....frustrating pony!” Lyra's laughter tells me I'm not dissuading her at all. Thankfully, I'm almost to Sweet Apple Acres. I wonder what Applejack's going to have to me do now that the apples are all bucked or whatever.

“It's so much fun messing with you,” Lyra tells me with a grin.

“Uh-huh.” I deadpan. “Now if you don't mind, I have to get to work.”

“Okay. I'll see you later then,” Lyra says, and then she stops following me. “You should come check out Bon Bon's store when you're done. I'll be there too!”

“Right...” I reply, making a mental note to avoid Bon Bon's shop like the plague. Now that I'm rid of her, I make my way into Sweet Apple Acres through the snow drifts that have formed. I guess the pegasi really went all out into this snowfall today. Still feels weird that weather needs their help to work.

I'm on my way to the barn when something cold and wet smacks me right in the face without warning. Spluttering, I reach a hand up to my face to discover that I'd been hit with a snowball. Who the fuck...is this supposed to be a joke? I'm not laughing. I'm about to tear the culprit a new asshole...or at least I was until I hear Apple Bloom's giggling. Instead, I settle with a sigh. Had it been anypony else, I'd be killing them right now. Instead...I know the best way to retaliate.

“Gotcha Seth!” Apple Bloom declares, walking out from behind a snow drift. She looks awfully pleased with herself. “Hehe, you should see yer face raht now! Ya look so...ah mean...um...”

The filly trails off when she notices the head sized snowball I'm holding in my right hand. I raise an eyebrow at her surprised face. “Yep. Payback's a bitch, isn't it?” I remark, and then I throw the snowball directly into her face, just like she had me. Apple Bloom's squeak of dismay gets me laughing. “Think twice before challenging a guy with thumbs.”

Apple Bloom shakes herself clean, and then she tries to look indignant, but she doesn't really know how, so she just screws up her face and starts laughing as well. Then she leaps up at me. This time I'm ready for her, so I catch her in my arms, bringing her to my face so she can nuzzle me like she's grown so fond of doing. “Ah'll getchu next time,” she whispers to me ominously, and then she giggles again.

“Right. What are you doing out of school anyway? Isn't it a Friday?” I ask, wondering if their school system works the same as ours.

“Yup! We get out early on Fridays,” Apple Bloom answers happily, snuggling in my arms as I start walking towards the barn again. Fucking...wow, she's so damn cute. She's like a cat that can talk.

“How's Diamond Tiara?” I ask hesitantly. I don't really care how she is, but part of me is morbidly curious as to how she acted after I hurt her.

“Ah actually didn't see her at school today. It's really weird; she never misses school,” Apple Bloom responds. “Ya think she's all right?”

“I could care less. Just wondered if she took my advice, is all,” I grunt, scratching Apple Bloom behind the ears absentmindedly.

Applejack comes out to meet us once we near the barn. Once she sees me holding Apple Bloom, her eyebrows shoot up, and I hastily put Apple Bloom down, and then avert my eyes, hoping Applejack doesn't say anything. “Awww,” Apple Bloom complains, but I ignore her.

“Mornin' Seth. Yer a bit early,” Applejack greets me after an awkward moment. Thank god she didn't confront me about her sister. I don't know why I care. It's not my fault she crawls over me all the time...yeah. “Like ah said, it'll be a short work day today. Jus' need ya to come in an' help prep the barn fer the winter season. Might take a few hours, but that's it.”

“Whatever. Just point me to where you need me,” I respond apathetically. Applejack smiles and guides me inside, along with her sister.

By prepping the barn, she meant doing all sorts of chores around the place, from things as inane as doing laundry to things as intensive as repairing notches in the roof or chopping firewood. Yeah, so let me tell you how awkward it is to do pony laundry. Especially in a family of mostly females. It's inevitable that I come across a set of lingerie, which can only be Applejack's. Or at least I hope they are.

Why the fuck does she even have them? Ponies don't wear clothes...so what exactly is the importance of lingerie? Unless...she...I'm going to stop this line of questioning right here. I'm just gonna...put these in the wash...yeah. I don't really want to know.

What takes me the longest is the firewood, since I'm weak as shit. I know I can hear Applejack stealthily snickering behind my back every time I miss the log and hit the block, the vibrations making me drop the axe. My arms start to ache after only a few minutes of that job. Maybe that means I'll eventually get muscle from this.

The work day ends with me fixing a hole in the roof, which is a miserable job, especially in the wind and snow. I never thought I'd be thanking Rarity this much for these glorious clothes.

When I'm done, I meet Applejack, Big Mac, and Apple Bloom in the living room, which is gloriously warm. “Good job up there, sug...uh...ah mean Seth,” Applejack praises, holding out my pay for that day.

“Hang on, there's another ten bits in here. I didn't work ten hours,” I observe, looking at her suspiciously. Applejack is smiling, which is really suspicious.

“Different work means different pay rates,” she explains. Huh...that's probably the only explanation I'll accept. Especially since I have heard of some employers giving out bonuses for those dedicated enough to come to work even in icy conditions. So this gives me 23 bits. Yeesh, my saving up is really working out for me. I have a decent surplus right now, so I won't be hurting for food or rent for a while. “Care to stay for dinner?”

“No,” I reply immediately, having accepted that she's going to ask me every time. Once more, she simply acknowledges me with a nod of her head. This pony is infuriating. Just as I'm turning to leave, something impacts with the window with a loud thud, making everyone in the room jump, including me. “What the fuck?”

Applejack opens the window, which is thankfully facing downwind, so no snow comes in. “Dash, did you mess up another trick?” the farmer pony questions wryly. Wait, Rainbow's here?

“Nah...just forgot to compensate for those wind currents.” Rainbow's brightly colored head sticks up rather comically, and then she slides inside the room from outside. She shakes the snow off her coat like a dog, much to Applejack's disapproval. “They get strong really fast before you notice and...oh hey, Seth!”

Rainbow sidles over to me with a smile. She raises her hoof, like she's asking for a high five, but then she remembers who she's dealing with, and instead settles with nudging me. “How's it hanging?” she asks conversationally.

“Cold and sore,” is my eloquent response. Seriously, what the fuck do you expect me to say? Man, I hate those kinds of questions. How are you? Did you sleep well? My response of choice is usually shut the hell up to people I don't know.

“Heh, tough it out, dude! Maybe you'll get as strong as me one day,” Rainbow retorts, and then she starts peeking at my muscles. “So scrawny.”

“Can you stop?” I snap at her, waving her off. “You asked, so I told. No need to rub your superiority in my face.”

“Just telling it like it is! Anyhow, you finished here? I kinda want to go for a run, if you wanna join me,” Rainbow doesn't seem fazed by my rude attitude at all. Oh right, my legs, the only part of me that doesn't ache. Pft, might as well fix that.

“Yeah, I'm done. I'll tag along, but only if you don't leave me in the damn dust,” I tell her, causing her grin to get wider.

“All right! We'll get you tougher in no time!” she declares, wrapping a hoof around my shoulders.

“Thank you, personal trainer Dash,” I deadpan, the sarcasm practically dripping from my tone. “Now if we're gonna go, let's go.”

“Ah'll see ya tomorrow then!” Applejack calls after us as we open the door and step outside. Guess I'm working tomorrow. Who knows what they'll have me do.

“Bye, Seth!” Apple Bloom adds. I wave my hand in response, and then the door shuts behind us.

“Fuck, it's cold,” I complain, my teeth already starting to chatter. Rainbow immediately breaks into a run, taking me by surprise. I start to run after her. “Hey! Give me some warning first!”

“If you're cold, get moving! We're gonna lap around Ponyville twice!” Rainbow declares, causing me to groan.

“What the hell?! Wasn't this just going to be a casual run?” I demand.

“This is a casual run for the Dash!” Of fucking course it is. Damn Herculean pony. My lungs almost immediately start to burn, and then freeze as I breathe in the frigid air. This is going to dehydrate me pretty fast, probably. On the bright side, I'll get warmer if I do this. I heard joggers love it when it's cold for that very reason.

We're only running for a few minutes before an unexpected occurrence stops us in our tracks. We're just about to break away from the path when we notice a very familiar business pony approaching us at a run. Is that Filthy Rich? What is he doing here?

“Mr. Rogers! Wait, please!” I can hear desperation in his voice. What the hell could have happened to make such a proud pony take a tone like that? It's curious enough for me to slow to a stop, much to Rainbow's frustration.

“What are you doing, Seth? We've got a long way to go!” Rainbow demands. I point to Filthy Rich, who has just reached us. “Oh...uh...hi there, Mr. Rich.”

“The hell do you want?” I snap venomously. Yeah, I'm don't like him one bit. Filthy Rich doesn't look at all angry at the tone I took with him. Instead, he takes a moment to collect his breath, and then he grabs my shirt with a hoof.

“You have to help my daughter! She can't...you were right, she can't handle herself on her own!” Filthy Rich cries. I'm struck speechless. I have no words for what he just said to me. Just yesterday, he'd been ready to beat me within an inch of my life, and now he's asking for my help? Are you fucking kidding me?

“Yeah, no. There's no way I'm helping that bitch. Or you, for that matter,” I deny vehemently. Rainbow, however, shoots me a glare and steps closer.

“What's the matter? Something up with Diamond Tiara?” Rainbow asks seriously. She clearly recognizes that something is wrong, since Filthy Rich isn't really the kind to act like this.

“Yes! She...well, we fought, and while I was out, she went...oh Celestia...she went into the Everfree Forest!” Filthy Rich's words cause my eyebrow to shoot up, and Rainbow to gasp in horror.

“Whelp, she's dead,” I remark callously. Rainbow nudges me hard at that one. I look at her bitterly. I'm just telling it like it is.

“Why would she do that?!” Rainbow asks in shock. Filthy Rich lets his head rest into his hooves, as if ashamed.

“The note she left...she said she felt useless, because all she can do is make jewelry, and relies on me to get the materials she needed.” Filthy Rich begins. “One of the most vital materials she needs is only found in the Everfree. I usually pay the guard to retrieve it for her, but she wants to prove she can do things on her own, without me.”

“Dumb bitch,” I remark. That only earns me another glare from Rainbow for my insensitivity. “Looks like she's gonna get herself killed.”

“Mr. Rogers, please. There's monsters in that forest, some of which are too strong for even unicorns like Miss Sparkle to fight,” Filthy Rich pleads. He looks at my rifle. “If you can use your human weapon, you could save my daughter easily.”

“That's not happening,” I tell him flatly. There's the part where it's out of ammo, but I'd rather he think I'm just an asshole. His face quickly becomes distraught.

“Please! She means the world to me!” Wow, Filthy Rich is actually begging me. Yeah well, there's no fucking way I'm going in that forest again.

“That's not my problem. If she's dumb enough to get herself killed, that's her fault,” I rebuff him coldly. This time, Rainbow gets in my face.

“Seth! That's enough. This is a pony's life we're talking about! It doesn't matter what you think of them. All life is precious!” she snaps at me.

“Like I care! Diamond Tiara is scum, a waste of space. There's no way I'm risking my life for somepony like that!” I yell back at her. Rainbow doesn't back off either, staying true to her brash nature.

“I didn't like you all that much when I first met you, but I saved you anyway! Whether they're a good pony or not, they don't deserve to die. Not when we can do something about it!”

“I'm NOT going back in that fucking forest, you hear me?! There's nothing short of a damn miracle that'll make me even consider it! You can shove your self righteous bullshit up your ass and quit thinking I have any obligation to help you!” I roar at her. Suddenly, Rainbow's hoof slams into my face, causing me to recoil and hold the affected spot. “What the...”

“Fine! I don't like Diamond Tiara either, and yet I'm going to go save her. You just stand there and be the kind of monster who'll let a young filly die!” Rainbow shouts, utterly furious with me. Then, she looks down at Filthy Rich, who looks frightened by our argument. “Come on, Mr. Rich. I'll save your daughter, since the only thing my friend here cares about is himself.”

“Thank you so much, Miss Dash. You truly are a hero!” Filthy Rich says gratefully, and then the two of them speed away, heading directly towards the Everfree Forest.

I'm left alone, watching them go, still angry and incredulous. Like I was really going to go out of my way to save a bitch like his daughter, especially after what you tried to do to me. “Fuck this...I'm going home,” I grumble, walking back into the town.

I walk into the house, noticing Vinyl sitting at the couch and a fire roaring in the fireplace, filling the room up with warmth. She looks up as I dust the snow off of myself, and then remove my jacket and hang it on a hook next to the door. “Welcome back, bro. You're back pretty early.”

“Yeah,” I respond shortly. Vinyl knows instantly that something is wrong, judging by that look she's giving me.

“Yo, come sit by the fire. I'll fix you some tea,” Vinyl invites, waving me over with a hoof. I shrug and sit on the couch next to her, enjoying the warmth coming from the fire.

“Tea sounds good,” I say softly, staring at the flame. I lay back and relax, feeling a lot better now that I can get warm. When Vinyl returns with the tea a few minutes later, I feel even better, since this tea is pretty good.

It doesn't last. For some reason, I start getting restless. I don't know what's wrong, but I just can't get settled. It's like that feeling you get when you're putting something off. Like you know there's something you have to do, but you're just not acknowledging it. That doesn't make sense to me though. I have nothing to do. This evening is mine to spend on my own.

I don't realize I'd zoned out until Vinyl waves a hoof in my face. “You okay there? What's up?”

“Nothing really. Just Rainbow being a dipshit,” I answer, drinking some more of the tea. “She went to the Everfree with Filthy Rich to save his bitchy daughter.”

Vinyl promptly spits out the tea she's drinking. “WHAT?! Into the Everfree?!” she exclaims in shock. “That's crazy! That place is really dangerous!”

“Trust me, I know. Those timberwolves really wanted to eat me,” I comment, remembering how I'd been chased by a whole pack. Vinyl shakes her head.

“Timberwolves? Nah, dude, that's the least of their worries. That place is suffused with dangerous magic, and that's not the worst. Then you got monsters like the Ursa Major and the Scorpios,” Vinyl corrects me. I blink.

“Those...are constellations. Are you trying to tell me that constellations attack ponies?”

“Not really. They're monsters that draw power from those constellations. They're too strong for any normal pony to handle,” she explains. Well, that sounds unbelievable. And dumb. Monsters drawing power from constellations. Those stars are millions of fucking light years away. How can they POSSIBLY gain energy from them? Let me guess: magic. Fucking magic. “I mean, I doubt Rainbow will run into the Ursa Major. It's generally docile unless provoked. The Scorpios, however, she's dead if she runs into that thing.”

A shudder involuntarily passes through me. I can't even imagine what monsters like that would even look like. My thoughts turn to Rainbow for some reason. I try to stop thinking about her, but it's hard not to. What's the big deal about her? So what if she dies? Then she'll get off my case forever. Maybe then I can live without being pestered every damn moment about being an asshole.

But...a part of me feels empty at the thought that Rainbow Dash might be dead by the end of the day. I mean, ever since she saved me from suicide, she's been by my side practically every moment of every day. She's been inviting me to go places, cheering me up when I needed it, and having little moments of banter with me that make me smile to think about. Am I really okay with losing all of that?

“Hello? Equestria to Seth!” Vinyl yells in my face. I jump in surprise, having zoned out again. “You keep getting lost in your thoughts. What's up?”

“Nothing, dammit!” I snap. I told her enough. There's no way I'm letting her in on these thoughts I'm having. I don't even really understand them. I feel anxious, and I don't know why. No matter what I do, I just can't relax. The fact that Rainbow could die doesn't bother me. It shouldn't bother me.

“Dude...go after her. You're clearly worried about her,” Vinyl urges me, seeing through my outburst for what it truly was, resting a hoof on my back reassuringly. I shrug her hoof away uncomfortably. Am I worrying about her?

“No way. I'm not going anywhere. It was her choice to go into that forest. It shouldn't concern me,” I refuse flatly. Vinyl sighs.

“Who are you trying to convince? You look like crap, bro. It's only going to get worse if you don't do something about it,” Vinyl points out. Damn, these ponies are more perceptive than they have any right to be.

I try to form a protest, but I have to admit, she's right. I should have gone with her. I'm ashamed to acknowledge this weakness I'm feeling. I have no reason to care about Rainbow, but I do anyway.

Vinyl steps back as I rise to my feet without warning. “You're right Vinyl. I won't feel right until she's back here being annoying again,” I express with determination in my voice. Vinyl finally smiles widely. “I'm leaving. Wish me luck.”

“You got it. You just go in, get her, and come back out. I'll contact the guard in the meantime,” she tells me. “No heroics, you hear me? That forest is not safe.”

With a nod, I put on my jacket and rush back out into the cold. Rainbow Dash saved my life once. It's time for me to save hers.

Because that's what friends do.

I run through the streets, earning curious looks from everypony that I pass. They're probably wondering why the human, who is always yelling and looking bored, is giving it his all to get through the town. I pass several ponies that I know, but I don't even spare them a glance as I continue on.

Yes, Rainbow Dash is my friend, as much as it pains me to admit it. As egotistical and annoying as she is, she kept true to her word. No matter how much I snapped at her, no matter how much I try to physically harm her, she never left me. It's time for me to return the favor.

But, if I admit that Rainbow is my friend, then I have to also say that Apple Bloom is also my friend. That childlike innocence of her reminds me of myself, so long ago. No matter what she sees from me, she's always being kind and happy, seeking me out on her own initiative just so that she could spend some time with me.

It's time for me to give back to these two what they've given to me. Yes, there's a possibility I can lose them too, just like Amaryllis and Adam, but there's a difference this time. I won't let it happen. I'll keep them safe with my own two hands. The pressure that I've been feeling in my chest returns with a vengeance, stronger than ever before.

I leave the town behind, pushing past whatever fatigue I'm starting to feel, until I finally reach the edge of the Everfree. I hesitate, staring at the ominous twisted branches of the forest. This is probably the least intelligent thing I've done since getting here. I take a breath, and then I plunge into the hellish forest. Darkness falls over me like a blanket, as the canopy is so thick with branches and foliage that hardly any light can pierce it.

“Rainbow!” I call out as I follow the path. I'm not fooling myself. The chances of me coming across them in this massive ass forest are slim to none. But if Diamond Tiara had even a lick of sense, she'd have stayed on the path. I'm going to bet on that, since if she strayed, she's as good as dead. It doesn't matter how long it takes me, though. I'm not leaving this forest without Rainbow. “Where the hell are you?!”

I skid to a stop, noticing a lone timberwolf in the middle of the path that is dragging the corpse of a deer off into the thick of the woods. My yelling attracts its attention. It lifts its wooden head and gazes at me with those ominous green eyes. Its hackles rise, and its eyes narrow. I bet it thinks its going to get two meals for the price of one. I stare back at it, determination stamped upon my face. I un-sling my rifle from my back. “You think you'll get between me and my friend?”

The wolf snarls, and then it lunges. Thankfully, I'm nowhere near as panicked as I was the first time I saw one. I'm not going to pussy out like I did that time. This thing is going down. Concentrate Seth. Watch its movement carefully. It's aiming for my left shoulder.

I sidestep its lunge to the right and bring my rifle down on its back with a double-handed strike, knocking it flat on the ground. Then, I finish it off by slamming my foot right down on the back of its neck, breaking through several layers of wood and decapitating it. “Think again,” I finish with a snarl.

I move on, confident in my ability to handle anything this damn forest can throw at me. I'm no longer worried about my own survival. There's something greater than me out there. Rainbow has managed to do the impossible: befriending me. Once that happens...on that rare occasion...there's nothing I won't do for you. Like Adam...or Amaryllis, I won't stop until you're safe and happy.

I even pass Zecora's house as I travel through the forest, but I don't stop to sight see. I continuously call out for Rainbow, hoping that she'll answer.

A few moments later, I become aware of a commotion occurring deeper in the forest. There's a cacophonous rustling and crashing coming from somewhere off of the path. And...was that a hiss? What the...whelp. This is probably a dumb idea, but I have to be sure.

“Rainbow?” I call, hoping that my voice won't piss off whatever it is making those noises. My gamble pays off, because I hear Rainbow answer me.

“Seth? What are you...? No, don't come any closer!” her voice cries out. Seconds later, I hear a horrendous screeching, like something you'd hear in an Alien movie.

Ignoring her warnings, I force my way through the thick trees until I emerge into a clearing, and I immediately spot Rainbow. However, it's what's with her that freaks me the fuck out. “What in the nine hells and the three mouths of Lucifer is that?!” I gasp as I look at one of the scariest fucking things I've ever seen in my life.

A large monster that's about twice my height and many times longer is menacing Rainbow from the center of the clearing. It looks to be a cross between a spider and a scorpion, in that it has eight eyes on its bulbous black head and two powerful looking pincers, and it has eight legs as well, but it also has a long segmented tail with a vicious looking stinger on the end that dripped with venom.

Rainbow is the only thing standing between it and a cowering Diamond Tiara, who is standing above the unconscious form of her father. Rainbow is covered with cuts and bruises, telling me that she'd been fighting this thing for who knows how long.

“Get back, Seth! This thing is a Scorpios! It's not to be taken lightly!” Rainbow shouts at me, taking her eyes off of the monster to look at me. Wait, a Scorpios? Isn't that the thing Vinyl said...shit. To my alarm, I see the monster raise one of its legs, taking advantage of her inattention.

“RAINBOW!” I try to warn her, but the leg swings down and smacks her aside like a rag doll. Rainbow hits the trunk of a tree painfully, and I wince when I see her wing bend at an awkward angle. “Dammit!”

“Seth...take them and run...” Rainbow tells me weakly as she crawls back towards the Scorpios as it moves to make a meal out of the filly and her father. She lifts herself back up and rams the monster's side, causing it to hiss and focus its attention on her. Okay, no, this stops now.

Rainbow watches the Scorpios lift its leg one more time, only this time it will probably mean the end for her. Except that's not happening. The monster shrieks as there's suddenly a human on its back. Yeah, that's right you fucker. Seth Rogers is here, and I'm going to make you pay.

I find a spot between the segmented plates on its back, and then I jam the tip of my rifle into it and twist. The monster screeches in pain, so I think I did something right. Or I irritated it. Probably the latter. Suddenly I realize I'm forgetting something. “OH SH-” I don't have enough time to complete my expletive before I'm forced to throw myself to the ground to avoid the Scorpios's stinger.

The monster wastes no time in taking advantage of my vulnerability. It skitters towards me and slams its leg down. I manage to dodge it by rolling out of the way. Retaliating with a smack of my rifle to its leg, I hope to do some real damage, but the Scorpios's leg doesn't even budge. “Seth!” Rainbow calls, and I have the presence of mind to dash aside, just as its stinger flies down.

It's too fast for me though. It intercepts me and grabs me with its two front legs. I struggle, but I can't break its grip. There's these barbed hair looking things on its legs that are hooked into my clothes and won't let me free. Oh shit....it's lowering me towards its mouth, isn't it. I'm about to get eaten alive by a damn scorpion thing.

Suddenly, the monster hurls me aside as Rainbow rams her head just beneath its jaws. I tumble end over end, accumulating many scrapes and cuts in the process. My body aches as I lift my head to see Rainbow being knocked aside like nothing once again. This time, the Scorpios goes in for the kill, and I'm just not close enough to stop it.

“Dammit, no!” I shout helplessly as the monster approaches the helpless Rainbow. It's going to kill her right in front of me. I'm about to lose another one of my friends, just after realizing that I had one. This isn't fucking fair! Why must this goddamn world take everything from me!? The pressure in my chest intensifies, and I can feel it shifting like when I'd confronted Diamond Tiara, like it's trying to get loose.

Why is this happening? If I had gone with her...maybe this wouldn't be happening. Maybe we'd have gotten to Diamond and gotten out before this fucker had showed up. But...now, I had to be stubborn, and get all hung up on the fact that it's Diamond we're trying to save. Because of that, Rainbow is going to die.

Am I really going to lie here and let this happen? My muscles...they won't listen to me. Move, body. Move! Your friend is going to die!

Slowly, I rise, a strange lethargic feeling passing over me. My vision wavers a bit, and I nearly unbalance, but I manage to stagger to my feet. “I won't let this happen,” I growl, the pressure in my chest almost unbearable. “Not now, not ever. I won't...”

The pressure shifts again, and this time...I stop subconsciously holding it back. I let go, and everything changes. Now, I don't remember much about what happens next. It was like the whole thing was a blur. However, I'm going to state as much as I can, with outside accounts piecing together what I don't remember.

Something roars around me, and it's not the monster. The air in front of me turns darker, and starts to shimmer and distort, almost as if I was viewing everything in front of me through a translucent dark flame. My eyes...my vision flashes lime green several times, and then it stays like that. I can even see every individual vein in my eyes as red jagged lines. The edges of my vision flare purple. I can't really explain it, but I can feel so much death. From the ground, I can feel places where living creatures have died, like another sense.

I look down at my hand, and for some reason, there's a dark energy surrounding it, with sparks of green lightning emanating from it. What is this? Heh, I don't care. I don't fucking care. All I know is that I feel powerful, and it feels good.

The Scorpios reaches Rainbow, and one of its legs rises up for the killing blow. My eyes snap to it, and it seems like it's happening in slow motion. I can feel several currents in the air, almost as if I'm standing in the middle of a calm hurricane. I don't even feel in control of my body as I pick one of them that's directed towards the Scorpios, and then I tug upon it.

The ground cracks and ruptures around my feet, and then my vision blurs as I'm suddenly transported at a ridiculous speed to directly in front of the Scorpios. Without flinching, I block the monster's leg with my forearm. The force of impact practically causes a shockwave to emanate from the collision. My eyes narrow. “I won't lose any more of my friends,” I tell it calmly, even though I know it can't understand me. I slowly reach up and grasp its leg with my free hand. “I'll be taking this.”

Without putting more than a paltry amount of effort into it, I rip away its leg entirely from its body. The monster's screech deafens me as it scuttles back, ichor spurting from the stump where its leg used to be.

I grab hold of another one of those odd currents so that I appear directly in front of it once more. “Did I say you could run, you insect?!” My voice rises in pitch slightly, becoming almost maniacal. I can't help but laugh crazily as the Scorpios attempts to defend itself. I duck another another of its legs with ease, knock another away with a hand, and then I punch it directly in the face, that dark energy rippling around that arm. All of that energy rushes forward upon impact, burning away the monster's face and rendering useless several of its eyes.

In retaliation the Scorpios brings its stinger to bear, the weapon shooting forward in an attempt to impale me through the middle. My right hand snaps up and grabs the tail just under the base of the stinger. “I'm going to make you suffer,” I promise it, a twisted grin forming on my face. My eyes grow wider and my pupils smaller, making me look truly crazed. My right hand closes tightly, crushing the creature's tail with my new power. The stinger falls to the ground, useless, as the monster screams out its pain, pulling the tail back and attempting to whip me with it.

A current takes me high above its head, and then another shoots me right back down, where I drive my dark flaming elbow into its back, cracking the carapace. I then grab the monster's tail when it tries to hit me with it again, hop off of it onto the ground, and then use my new strength to fling the monster clear across the clearing into a tree, like it weighed nothing.

I hear Diamond Tiara scream as the Scorpios hits the tree, but I could care less. I even ignore Rainbow as she stares at me in awe, my mind instead focusing on what degree of pain I can inflict upon this monster.

I don't know what comes over me, but it just feels right to grab my rifle. Just that simple action causes dark energy to arc down my arm and course through the weapon. I aim it steadily at the rising Scorpios, lining up a shot through the sights. I know it doesn't have any ammo, but the part of me that cares is far from being heard right now. It's so much easier just to let the darkness take over.

The monster sees me pointing the rifle at it. It gives one last defiant screech before I pull the trigger. With a sound like thunder, a thick beam of pure darkness ringed by green electricity fires from the muzzle of the gun and collides with the Scorpios. The energy explodes on impact, wreaking destruction on the landscape and sending up a cloud of dust to conceal the monster from view. I'm not done there.

I squeeze the trigger over and over again, firing more and more beams of destruction from the rifle, slamming into the Scorpios over and over again. The whole time I laugh like a madman, finding a sick pleasure in watching the creature that wronged me die painfully. “Get fucked, you son of a bitch!” I cry with elation, firing one last beam of darkness into the large dust cloud.

I sling the rifle on my back once more, and then I stride through the dust until I find the perforated corpse of the Scorpios. I look down at its scorched face. “Who said you could die!?” I scream at it insanely. I kneel down and slam a darkness covered fist into its face, cracking the ground and burning the skin almost to nothingness. I punch it over and over again, breaking what's left of its body into bloody bits. Still, even as the ground shatters beneath the force of every punch, not even this is enough for me.“I'm not satisfied!”

“Seth?” Rainbow calls to me, her voice weak. I freeze, remembering why it was I'd given in to this power in the first place. As I walk towards her, I think...why should I give this up? I have the power to do anything I want now. I'll teach everypony here that's wronged me a lesson in pain. Filthy Rich? You're beyond dead. Diamond Tiara? You're going to join him. And...why...does it hurt?

I stumble out of the dust cloud and fall on my knees. My entire body is hurting...it's like the darkness swirling around me is eating me away on the inside. “Ow...fuck...stop...” I moan.

“Seth! Can you hear me?” Rainbow is crawling over to me, despite how hurt she is. “What's wrong?”

“Rainbow...this power...it really hurts,” I manage to get out. I was wrecking shit just a minute ago...so why is it so hard to even move now? Something catches in my throat, and I cough violently. To my horror, blood spatters from my mouth to the ground. Is this power going to kill me?

“Hang in there, Seth! You should be controlling that magic, not the other way around,” Rainbow assures me. She forces herself to her hooves and boldly approaches me. The darkness swirling around me doesn't hurt her, so she rests a hoof on my back. Her presence does wonders for my state of mind. Ignoring the pain, I try and find the source of this power. It doesn't take me long. It feels like there's a river passing through that area on the center of my chest, where the pressure had once been. “You saved us, Seth. You don't need to exert yourself any longer.”

She's right. It's over. With a great deal of effort, I manage to stop the flow of energy that's passing through my chest or whatever, and then the darkness around me fades away to nothing, and my vision returns to normal. My body still feels like it has been hit by a semi truck, but at least now I'm not coughing up blood.

Suddenly, it hits me. What the fuck just happened? I look between the relieved face of Rainbow, and then to the corpse of the Scorpios. Did I do that? How the fuck did I get the power to beat that monster? Where did that dark energy come from?

I start hyperventilating. This shouldn't be possible. Humans can't access that kind of power. Like, ever. No matter how strong you are, humans have limits that we can't bypass, and that's why we create guns, tanks, and planes. So how come I was able to toss aside human limits like they were nothing?

I open my hands, checking them for damage. They are in relatively good shape. Which is impossible. The laws of physics don't work that way. Hitting that monster with a punch strong enough to actually hurt it should have broken my hands from the reactive force, and yet my hands are fine. This world does have consistency, though, in that if something breaks the laws of physics, magic is involved. But that means...

“I just fucking used magic,” I say aloud in an incredulous tone. “How fucking surreal is that?”

I hear no response from Rainbow. Looking down in alarm, I see that she'd passed out. Fuck she's actually hurt. I need to get her back to the town, so she can get those wounds treated. I need to do the same. Who knows how much internal damage that magic inflicted on me?

“Come here,” I say to Rainbow, even though she can't hear me. I reach down and lift her up, draping her front hooves over my shoulder and standing up. She's heavy...but the lingering adrenaline gives me the strength to carry her. I move over to Diamond Tiara next. She looks up at me with wide, frightened eyes. “You too...get the fuck over here.”

“You...you were right. I can't do anything on my own,” Diamond laments, causing me to give her a scornful glance.

“Shut the fuck up,” I snap at her, not caring in the least about her mental state. I reach down with my free hand and lifting her by the scruff of her neck. She squeaks, thinking I'm going to hurt her, but instead I just place her on my other shoulder. “Hang on there. I got to deal with your pain in the ass father next.”

Diamond Tiara obediently wraps her hooves around my neck and lets herself hang down my back. That way I have enough space to lift Filthy Rich up as well, and carry him on my other shoulder like I am Rainbow. He's just as heavy, if not more so, than Rainbow, so it takes all of my strength and willpower not to fall over.

Now that I have all of them, I walk slowly back through the forest, leaving the dead Scorpios behind. The minutes blend together as I focus not on the path, but just on putting one foot in front of the other. I'm not sure if I'll be able to make it out, but there's no way I'm going to let Rainbow die in this godforsaken forest.

My strength soon starts to falter as the adrenaline leaves my system. It seems like the three on my back get exponentially heavier, and I almost collapse.

Finally, my legs give out, and I fall to the ground, my strength depleted. Just before I lose consciousness, I can see several armored ponies rushing towards us in the distance. One of them sees me, and he points a hoof at me, shouting something to the others. I wonder if they're real, or if I'm just delirious. Seeing as I can't possibly have magic, I wouldn't be surprised if this is all just some feverish dream.

Soon, they're surrounding us. My tired mind can't make out anything they're saying, so I stop trying. Instead, I feel myself slipping away into unconsciousness, my pain fading.

Did I succeed? Or am I once again going to lose that which I've only now discovered to be dear?

Author's Notes:

I took longer on this chapter mostly because of how much content had to go in it, plus after I finished it, I wasn't and I'm still not all that satisfied with it. Then again, this entire thing is literally just my first draft, since I'm doing this without a beta reader. I'll go back and edit all this once the story is over. Especially this one.

But, I've been planning this bit with Seth and magic since the beginning of the story. Some of you have expressed hopes that this wouldn't happen (in which case I'm sorry you're disappointed), while others have downright called it. You know who you are ;P

Arc 2 is not quite finished. I have maybe one last chapter for wrap up, and then we'll move on to Arc 3. Which will probably be more slice of life, but I doubt that'll be a problem, seeing as you came this far. But it won't be pointless, as it'll be setting the stage for Arc 4, which I'm hoping will be one of the best. After all, fight scenes are my specialty. This whole story is something completely different for me, as I'm focusing more on character development than fighting. Just look at my Golden Sun story on FanFiction.net. 7000 word fight scene. ^^

All right, I think I'm done ranting. Please leave a comment, since if any chapter needs feedback, it's this one.