"SECURITY!"

As Rarity screamed at the top of her lungs, I could feel my heart pounding in my throat. My arms shook with fear as I had come to the realization of what I had done. No... I was well aware of what I was doing. I was scared because I was caught doing something I had no business doing.

"Rarity, please-"

Giving me a swift kick to the groin, she screamed at me. "I don't want to hear another word from you!"

I held myself as I screamed out in pain. My voice sounded throughout the halls of the hotel. As I tried to relieve the pain, I felt more than the impact of her hoof against my manhood, but also the crushing weight of guilt. "Please just listen to me."

"I don't care for what you say, you... you... VILE PIG!" She hollered back at me, crying and throwing some of the pillows at me in disgust.

I wanted to feel sorry for her, but it was all my fault. I couldn't believe that I had actually thought to go so far as to find some sort of relief from my sexual deprivation. She didn't deserve what I had did to her. "I'm sorry!"

"I don't accept half-hearted apologies, especially from rapist ruffians!"

"Listen, I wasn't myse-"

Next, she threw the lamp that stood on top of the night stand. As the room gotten dark, I had felt something significantly painful strike my chest. As the lamp hit the ground, Rarity cut on the light switch on the other side of the room. As soon as the lights came back on, I had saw the streaks of tears pouring down from her face. "Do you think words can just simply undo what you've already done?"

"I WASN'T MYSELF!!!"

"WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH YOUR ABILITY TO RESPECT ME AS I AM!?! I AM NOT SOME TOY FOR YOU TO PLAY WITH! I AM A LADY AND A MARE! YOU DON'T DO THAT TO ANOTHER PONY!"

I dropped to my knees, trying my best to plead to her. She needed to understand that what had happened was something that wouldn't normally happen under any other circumstances. "Look... Can we calm down and talk about this?"

"Or maybe it's because you're not a pony is why you would seek to take advantage of a defenseless-

Before she could finish, there was a knock sounding at the door. In seconds, I felt my entire body temperature drop as Spike called for her through the door. "Rarity, what's going on!?"

I tried to get up and answer the door, but I found myself being yanked back. Rarity stood over me, defiant and angry. "Spike, gather your things! We are leaving this place immediately!"

I reached out to grab her hoof. "Please just hear me-"

To which she cruelly swatted away. "Don't you dare touch me." She hissed, scorning me for attempting to even come into contact with her.

"Rarity... I-"

She backed away from me, wearing a distraught smile. The tears still poured from her eyes. "I let you into my home, I feed you, I clothe you, give you all that you could desire from a friend... and you take advantage of me?"

I rapidly shook my head to deny her. I understood that what I did was beyond wrong, it was illegal and disrespectful. "Please... I didn't mean to-"

"Get caught? Oh I'm sure that you didn't!"

I wasn't thinking right. I wasn't being who I was. Why am I coming up with this long list of excuses? I know I'm guilty... but I can't stop lying. I just don't want to lose my friends. I don't want to lose everything that I've built up, the relationships, the accomplishments I've done. My entire life here has been a complete overhaul of what everything had occurred on Earth. I've done too much to let it all go up in flames. I needed to convince her that I wasn't myself.

"Look, I was thinking about something else entirely!"

"JUST SHUT UP!"

I fell on my face, trying to hide the shame that I bore on my face. "Rarity. I'm... so... sorry."

"Lies, that's all I see coming from you!"

I honestly didn't know if I could plant my face any deeper into the carpet. But I had hoped that if I did, then it would make up for the mistakes I've made. But sadly, that wasn't how reality worked.

"Rarity! Are you okay?" Spike called out from behind the door.

As soon as I leapt at the door, Rarity shoved me back down while making a break for the door. As soon as the door opened, she tossed out all of the bags one by one. "Spike lets go. Grab the bags and let's get moving."

"What happened?" He asked with concern. But as soon as he saw me, he started to get suspicious. "What did he do to you?

"Spike, please. You gotta hear me out." I begged, but not before Rarity tugged him along with the other bags she carried.

"Let's go!"

"Right behind you." He said, running right behind her.

I finally got off of the ground, running after her. Before I could blink, I found myself in the hotel lobby, surrounded by guards. She stopped just in front of an officer clad in armor. "Rarity, wait up! Please, I have to speak with you!"

"Stop that fiend. He tried to violate me as I slept!" She yelled at one of the guards, pointing at me as I ran towards her. "I woke up to you sexually assaulting me! You even tried to move my tail for easy access!"

As soon as her testimony left her lips, I felt a strong set of hooves press me from behind and drive my shoulder into the ground. I fell, helplessly staring at the mare I betrayed as Spike offered to comfort her. "He did what!?!" The dragon questioned.

Instantly, I started hearing the responses of many other ponies in the area. I struggled to get off the ground, still feeling one of the guards pressing my shoulder into the floor.

"I thought you were better than this."

I turned my head to the direction where the first voice came from, and my expression went from showing the strain of attempting to escape my captor to one of abject horror. Twilight stood there, not even wanting to look at me. I tried to reach out for her, but another guard pulled my arm down.

"Land sakes! Ah can't believe ya! Rotten varmint!"

I soon felt a rotten fruit strike me directly on my left cheekbone. I looked out of the corner of my eye to see Applejack throwing more of the rotten fruit at me. And standing beside her were the others as they joined her.

"Somepony's gonna be in a world of hurt!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed as she took up a rock rather than a rotten piece of fruit. As the other ponies appeared around me, I could see Rarity crying against a straight-maned Pinkie Pie for comfort.

"Pinkie, please-"

She turned to me, wearing a disgusted scowl. Cheese held on to her with caution as he glared back to me. Pinkie angrily shouted at me. "You're no better than he was! Why did I even trust you?"

"No you gotta believe me!"

I could hear the angered voices transform into shouts of approval. I turned my head and saw Discord selling bushels of rotten fruit as he laughed maniacally. Meanwhile, Fluttershy turned away from me, sadness apparent in her eyes. "You should be ashamed of yourself!"

The ever-growing cries and jeers sounded in favor of my punishment. Each pony that bore witness had screamed for justice while my voice grew even more quiet. My body contorted as I tried to raise myself off of the ground. But despite my best efforts, I could still feel the weight of two stallions resting on top of me. I finally decided to scream to the top of my lungs, hoping that my words weren't lost in this sea of angry insults.

"FINE, I ADMIT IT! I MADE A MISTAKE! WHAT ELSE DO YOU WANT ME TO SAY!? I'M SORRY, REALLY!"

Beside me, I could see Shining Armor looking down upon me. He had a stoic expression, similar to the one he had when he had caught me with Twilight. "Oh you're in for it!" He muttered before walking off, dismissing me to be arrested.

This can't be happening.

"Get up!" One of the guards shouted from in front of me.

This really can't be happening. I don't do this. This isn't me. I don't just go around fucking ponies in their sleep. I'm not like this at all. I'm innocent.

"GET UP FROM THE GROUND!"

This can't be real. I'm not like this.

"GET UP, NOW!"

No. Please, I made a mistake! I know what I did was wrong. Please someone, anyone. Please...

"I will speak with you later." Shining said back to me, before disappearing behind the crowd of ponies.

Stop it.

"GET OFF OF THE FLOOR, NOW!"

Please let it all end.

"GET UP!"

"GAH!" I screamed loudly, breaking out of my hellish nightmare.

"Celestia bless! Don't scare me like that!" Rarity shouted as she took her hoof off of my shoulder.

I woke up in the hotel room, still resting on the small bed. "Where am I?"

"Why what's wrong with you, darling? You're in a sweat." Rarity asked with concern.

My eyes darted across the room. I saw the light in the windows, indicating that it was early in the morning. My heartbeat started to slow down a bit as I saw her standing over me. "Quick, what did I do last night?"

"Calm down. I think you were just merely a victim of a bad dream."

"And I thought I was a heavy sleeper." Joked Spike as he jumped off of my back.

Well that explains the weight I felt in my sleep. But still, I thought that I had set a palette on the floor. Everything I did and said outside of the unspeakable crime I performed, was just as real as anything. I had watched myself become the very bane of existence. "That shit was just a little too real for me. How do I know that this isn't a dream?" I asked, still feeling the imaginary restraints on my wrists.

Spike chuckled as he opened the drawer and pulled out a book. "One way to find out-"

"SPIKE!"

As soon as I was done looking at my wrists, I had noticed that the book he pulled out was well within his claws, hovering over my head. "Okay. I won't hit him."

Rarity smiled at me. "Dearest, you're fine."

That was all it took for me to break down. She still smiled at me. Instinctively, I wrapped my arms around her, mumbling to her as I held her close. "I'm so sorry. I'm so... sorry."

Taking the book from Spike's possession, she gave me a quick bonk on the head. "Nondis, snap out of it."

"What time is it?" I had asked, letting her go.

"It's a quarter after seven. You've gotten a full fifteen minutes of extra sleep. I tried to shake you awake, but you just kept sputtering nonsense in your sleep."

Spike scratched his head in confusion. "Yeah. What did you dream about that had you out so cold?"

Something that I really didn't want to think about. "...I think I just need some time to cool down. I've been really stressed out lately."

The young dragon gave me a comforting pat on the back. "Oh just stick it out! You only have up to a month left anyways."

"Spike! That was uncalled for!" Scolded the fashionista.

"What? He's leaving back to his world next month. With everything going on, I wouldn't want to stay around either. Besides, he's probably homesick."

He actually had a legitimate argument. I wasn't going to be here for very long. It's been close to seven months and the month after is the scheduled deadline for completion. That was the reality that I had long forgotten. I had grown so irritated of the current circumstances that I blinded myself of that.

So I've got a month left in this world.

"Spike, go check at the front desk to see if there's a breakfast buffet." Rarity requested, pointing towards the door.

"You got it!" The young drake cheered as he skipped across the room and out the door. Rarity sat next to me, shaking her head.

"I swear, he's been acting out a little too much lately. Now back to you, what did you dream about?"

I held on to my hands, playing with my fingers as I thought about the lustful dream that ended up going entirely too far. I could still feel the binds on my wrists. "I don't wanna talk about it."

"Nondis, you can trust me. Now tell me what's wrong." She asked again, this time leaning against me.

I paused for a moment to think about how I could word my question without seeming like a total creep. The last thing I need to do was say 'hey, I had a dream that I molested you in your sleep, you caught me in the act and I was arrested for it'. Then it would really be a major issue. Closing my eyes, I pieced together a response. "Hypothetically speaking, what would you do if you found out that you did something completely abhorrent and distasteful?"

"Like what?" She questioned as she rose off of me, already putting me at unease.

"Say you..." I couldn't even put it nicely. There was no other way to say it. "Nevermind. It was just a bad dream."

The fashionista grabbed my hand and took it in her hoof. "I think you need a nit of food in you. The stress of your situation with Twilight, Pinkie Pie and the long travel might've gotten to you. You're completely worked up. That's not healthy at all, in fact I recommend you to take the day off from assisting me with anything I may need to carry."

"Nah, I can do it." I said as I rose from my bed.

"No, I won't let you." She insisted, tugging me down with her magic.

"I'm fine." I reiterated, attempting to escape her telekinetic pull, but failing to do so.

"No you're not! Just look at those circles under your eyes!"

I quirked an eyebrow and placed a hand on my face. "I have circles?"

"You obviously haven't taken a good look at yourself in the mirror, have you?"

I looked at the bathroom across the room. Just through a narrow crack, I could see the hint of darkness around the lower areas of my eyes. I looked like I had been through some tough times. But then again, I did have a bad case of bed hair to sell the look. "...Maybe not."

She sighed as she tried to sit on the opposite side of me. I turned away, not wanting her to see me like this anymore. "Darling, look at me."

"Okay." I said dismissively, looking towards the desk.

"Look at me." She demanded, placing her hoof on my cheek to guide me.

"Okay. I'm looking." I argued childishly.

"I care for you. And I know that our time is growing short, but that doesn't give me an excuse to not care about you. I want to send you off on a high note, not when your health has taken a downturn. Help me help you so that both of us can enjoy the time we have left together."

I understood her desire to let me do as I please, but there was still the guilt of letting the little guy take all of the burdens of the trip. "But I don't think it would be fair if-"

"Spike can handle it. You just take the day off and keep up with me." She said, following up her statement with a quick peck on the cheek. "Capiche?"

I think for the first time in recent days, I felt at ease. "Okay. You win."

"AHEM!"

Our moment together was suddenly interrupted by a familiar dragon standing at the front door. I smiled nervously as he tapped his fingers on the door frame. "Oh, Spike... hiya."

"The breakfast is downstairs." He notified to the both of us happily.

"Ooh! Well that's good news. I suppose we can refresh ourselves before taking the day head on." She declared as she rose from the bed and trotted out the room.

"Yeah! Twilight always said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day." Spike added.

"Well let's get marching!" Rarity sang-sung while merrily making her way towards the dining area.

"Right behind you." Spike said as I was about to exit the room. "Hold on a sec."

He held an arm across the doorway, preventing me from leaving the room. "Yeah?"

"I don't like how close you and Rarity are getting. I know that she likes you, and that you like Twilight. And I can understand all of that. But I already warned you about leading Rarity on. You keep stringing her along like this, you're gonna get what's coming to you."

It's the same warning that he gave me before. Only this time, he didn't weld any mannequins together. "I read you loud and clear, dragon boy."

"You're forgetting that this dragon can also melt metal." He reminded me.

"I haven't forgotten."

As I started to make my way down the hall, he walked beside me to speak. "You know, you act so calm and collected when you're faced with danger, but I just can't happen to think about how you've manage to become a danger to yourself. You should really let off the stress of being here and just take it back home when the portal's done."

While he kept walking as if he had said virtually nothing, my feet became glued to the carpet. "What?"

With a smirk, he shrugged his shoulders and counted off his fingers. "Look, your life has been in peril like, what, twice now? You're stressing out over a relationship that shouldn't even exist and you're stressing Rarity out by being here. Pinkie's love life was perfectly fine before you had gotten here. Granted you did some good by standing up for her but you still put yourself in a great risk. You can't defend yourself, you don't know how to function in this world, and you're being a burden on everypony else here."

Honestly, I felt very offended that he would say something like that. "That's kind of rude for you to say, don't you think?" I asked, trying my best not to explode in anger.

"I'm just speaking truth. I may fantasize over Rarity all day, but that doesn't mean that I don't see the reality of every situation I come across. And the truth of it all is that you don't belong here."

I bit my tongue, abstaining myself from cursing the little bastard out. My blood seemed to boil over but I had to keep in mind that this was probably him trying to convince me to take my leave. But really, he had no room to speak on how I didn't fit in. So I decided to bring that back to him. "Okay. But let me ask you a question. Since we're on the subject of living life amongst a species not our own, how do you go about living with a pony, being that you're a dragon?"

"I was hatched by Twilight, not birthed. But even as a hatchling, I still understand that I want to protect Twilight, being that she is my surrogate mother, as much as I do Rarity. And the truth of it all is that she's in just as much pain as you are."

I didn't know what to say. I wanted to call him a liar, but I know that there is more than one side to the situation between me and Twilight. If anything, there were facets of perspectives, each one different from the rest. Yet they all were of the same jewel. I couldn't dismiss that.

"Nondis, Spike, are you two coming?"

As Rarity interrupted my thoughts, I quickly walked down the hall, past Spike and towards the elevator.

"We're on our way."

After breakfast, the three of us headed out to carry out the laundry list of tasks we had to complete. Spike seemed very much in his element as he held a checklist and a backpack full of boxes and bags. Though his stare showed a great disdain for what I was doing, which was nothing but keep the conversation rolling.

But as our conversation carried on, I couldn't help but to let my mind wander back to last night, early this morning. I couldn't fathom why I had such a dream. Was it because of my lustful urges or the frustrations getting me to take it out on the nearest pony or was it that I had a breakdown in restraint? Granted, I was a bit of a porn junkie in the human world, but did common decency really become so back-burner that I had actually started to think these things? Was I actually becoming another Caramel?

Fuck no! I would never be what he was. I don't have the willpower to actually go forward with striking a mare. Nor do I have the mentality to force a mare or woman into any situation that goes against consent. I hated what he was and I swore to myself that he would be the example of what I would not become.

So why did I feel like scum?

"Rarity, ol gal, is that you!?"

I broke out of my thoughts, looking up to see a unicorn stallion with blue hair and a white coat. Instinctively, I backed away, thinking it was Shining Armor. But then I remembered that his mane was dual-toned and this character was the exact opposite. In fact, I don't remember him wearing an monocle or growing a mustache. Not only that but Shining wears armor most of the time, not a black tux with a purple bowtie.

"Fancy Pants! Fleur! Why it's been so long!"

Spike seemed to get a little more disgruntled, though his face showed the exact opposite reaction. As Rarity ran over to him, giving him kisses on either cheek and performing the same gesture with another mare beside him, I could see Spike cooling his jets. Obviously, he was already with mate.

"I cannot even recall the last time we met? How have you been?" The tall, albino unicorn with pale-pink hair returned a hug to Rarity.

"I've been magnificent! Fleur, how has the modeling business been for you? I want to hear nothing but good news!"

"Well, I had actually gotten an engagement with Photo Finish, but unfortunately, all she ever talks about is how she had one model who was even more graceful than I was."

"Oh balderdash! You're performing just splendidly, dear." By process of elimination, I could simply assume that this fellow's name is Fancy Pants.

"Between you and me, I think she might have the mare-hots for that filly." Fleur snickered as she nudged Rarity.

Giving the taller mare a playful hit, Rarity giggled to herself. "Oh don't be silly, Fleur. You know that gossip stays at the cafe."

Suddenly, Fleur grew shifty and quiet, cupping her hoof beside her mouth. "In speaking of gossip, it seems that your latest line is a big hit since your break with Sapphire Shores."

Rarity scoffed nonchalantly. "It is but a trivial thing. Those kinds of things are to happen when you have a celebrity showing off your stuff."

"You don't seem too excited to hear the news." Fancy Pants noted.

"No... Maybe... YESSSS! Oh I'm so excited! This is simply exhilarating! I can't believe that my business has been blowing up so much! I am completely humbled by this experience!"

I don't think I've ever seen Rarity so damn excited. She seems to really like where her business has gone. And I can understand why. I could only imagine how a small-time boutique would sponsor someone of the likes of either Lady Gaga or Janet Jackson. If I had worked with them, I'd be jumping like a schoolchild high on sugar, just like Rarity was doing just now.

"That, and your breakout tour with the Ponytones have been nothing but hits. I can't believe that you've had a talent for singing as well." Fancy added.

And then she's breaking out with her own singing group to top it all off. Add the benefit of having one of her clients being a celebrity and that group's hooves are in the door.

"Get an agent darling, because your schedule is going to get a lot more busy." Fleur recommended.

"I believe that she's already started, just look at those two." Fancy pointed towards me and Spike, who was just watching the conversation unfold. Before I could even introduce myself, Fleur darted up to me and wore what could've been her largest smile.

"Hey Fleur, how's it been?" Spike said as Fleur just simply ignored him and made her way to me.

"Oh my word, you're that human from Ponyville! I can't believe that you're actually here!" She said, extending a hoof for me to shake.

"I can't believe that I'm actually here." I joked, returning the greeting.

"Tell me, did you happen to get any of my younger sister's letters?"

Oh boy. Now that I think about it, I did get a lot of letters. But most of those were from overly-obsessive, sex-crazed, fetish-fueled, creepy ponies who were looking to kidnap me, tie me up in a chair with a bag over my head and place nipple-claps on me as they poured hot candle wax on my balls, which was literally what one of those ravenous fans wrote out. But I don't think it could be that bad. "I... think I did?"

"Oh, she's one of your biggest fans! She never stopped talking about that one photo of you wearing a pair of shorts that revealed your long legs and that t-shirt that clutched against your torso, and let me tell you, she has that picture blown up and plastered to the wall, honey!"

Excuse me while I scream for a second in three... two... one... "I'm... flattered."

AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!

Appreciating the clothes I was wearing, Fleur walked circles around me, inspecting every detail of my appearance. "Even the things you're wearing now is quite stylish. It's hip, it's trendy, it'll go well with the younger generation. Who's your designer? To think that somepony could alter their designs to fit to anatomical proportions."

"That mare there." I pointed directly to Rarity, causing her to blush. Fleur took a double take between me and Rarity, finally looking at me slack-jawed.

"Shut up!"

"No really, look." I tuned around to pull out the tag from the collar of my shirt. After recognizing the signature and the emblem, Fleur turned back to the seamstress responsible for my outfit.

"Rarity, oh we have got to talk lingerie."

I nearly felt my legs give out from under me as soon as I thought about Rarity making intimate apparel. It goes without saying that she was just as red in the face as I was. "Oh heavens, I never really thought about doing anything in the 'risque' department."

Fleur walked over to her, placing a foreleg around her. "Honey, you'll sell. Your designs are to die for. Now let's head to the cafe. I have some pretty interesting rumors about Hoity Toity and his newest pillow stallion."

Instantly Rarity grew giddy once more, squeeing with delight. But her squees subsided as she looked back over to where me and Spike stood. "Oh. Well, I would love to babble on about those kinds of subjects... But you see..." She nodded her head towards the both of us, more towards Spike. "Those kinds of things aren't meant for young ears."

Fleur levitated the list Rarity carried and unraveled the parchment. "Just watch me work, sweetie." She whispered as she walked towards Spike, circling a few things out on the list.

"Hey, Needles?"

"Spike." He corrected in deadpan.

"Pike, right. Do you mind carrying out some of these orders for Rarity today? If you manage to finish this list in the hour, she'll give you a big surprise!"

Thought Spike seemed unconvinced by her original pitch, Fleur took it a step further and whispered in his ear. After a few words, he snatched the list and bolted down the street with nothing but parchment and dust following him. "Be back in a bit!"

While the dragon disappeared into the distance, Fleur gave off a devious smirk. Meanwhile, Rarity was busy tapping her chin, pondering on about what his reward would be. "Oh dear, I have no idea on what to give him."

"Hey, we'll worry about that bridge when we get to it. Now, who's up for some tea?" Fleur asked, pointing to a location just down the street from where we stood.

"I could go for some with a bit of milk." Rarity cheered.

"I can do for a lovely mint flavor." Fancy cosigned.

"Uhh... I'll see what they have first." I stated, still preferring coffee.

As we started to make our way towards the area, I had taken notice of two stallions walking out, followed by a party of five mares. Fleur still walked towards the establishment, ignoring the situation unfolding before us.

"Splendid! Then off we g-"

"Uh oh." Rarity muttered, tapping Fleur to get her attention.

"What?"

"Ooh! Looks like Blue's mad today." Fancy pointed out as the two stallions argued before us.

"What's going on?" I asked, whispering low so that I could still hear what was being said.

"See for yourself." Rarity whispered back as we watched the conflict unravel.

A chef walked stood in front of a white unicorn with a blond mane and blue eyes, stomping his hoof repeatedly. "I'm sorry sir, but I cannot serve those two together. To do so would compromise the integrity of the individual dishes."

"I don't care! I want what I demand and I demand service without question! If you are incapable of doing just that, then I shall take my business elsewhere!" The snobbish stallion replied.

"Fine! Then don't come back to my establishment until you can learn to appreciate each meal on their own!"

"Hmph! Come along ladies, we shall make our way to a more... respectful eatery."

And just as quickly as the situation grew, it diffused with the chef angrily marching inside and the stallion and his group of mares walking the opposite way.

"Who's the prick?" I asked.

Rarity seemed to shudder with disgust. "Prince Blueblood."

"So are all princes in this world assholes?" I shamelessly asked, much to Fleur's shock.

"Well I'd say that Sir Shining Armor has proven himself to be a fine royal, especially coming from a military background." Fancy tried to reassure me.

I begged to differ. "So what's with the entourage?"

Rarity seemed to be really upset about my question. It appeared that she had already known the answer. But I knew that it went way deeper than that. Fancy answered my question. "That is what many would call a herd, or a harem if you will."

"So this guy has more than one girlfriend?" I inquired, seeing that he walked with a crowd of groupies.

"No dear, those are his wives." Rarity spat venomously.

"Wives!?"

"Yes. He's known for seeking young, attractive mares to join the ranks." Fleur added to Rarity's statement.

"Isn't bigamy illegal?" I asked scratching my head.

"Why of course not!" Fancy answered with a hearty laugh. "bigamy, illegal."

"Oh, nopony has ever told you about the marriage laws of the land?" Fleur asked me, seeming concerned for my ignorance on the matter.

"Well, I never had a reason or a desire to know. Guess I do now."

Fancy cleared his throat as he started to explain. "You see in larger cities such as this one, stallions and mares are often at a much better ratio because of the numerous youngsters seeking to live out their college days or their youth in the fantasy of being swooned by multiple mares at a time. Even some from lesser-known towns find themselves trying to live the dream."

"Chasing after false promises. It's disgusting, really." Rarity spat out, causing me to realize that my initial suspicions were correct.

"Disgusting as in how?" I questioned.

Fancy intervened. "Well, that's just it. It's a matter of opinion. Mares from the city don't mind being shared that often because they know that the population of mares far outnumber that of stallions. And the stallions being aware of that, tend to take advantage of young, naive mares, or the greedy ones, who are placed in a perpetual competition for one stallion's heart."

"Not realizing that there are risks to this dangerous little game. It's really a traders market out here. If she sees a more successful colt with a bigger bank roll, she's going to chase after him and leave the one she started off with behind." Fleur contributed to the explanation.

"So the only ones to take multiple wives are-"

"Politicians, royals, CEO's, new money, those of inherited fortune, and high-ranking military officials. I actually started off that way, but gradually grew out of it. Even as of now, I have only one wife, the one that stayed with me through thick and thin." Fancy said as he gave Fleur a light nuzzle.

"What about the ones that try and fail?"

"That's just it. If you try to play this game, then you're betting everything you've got. So if you lose..." Fancy allowed me to come up with my own aftermath.

"You go home broke."

"That's the least of your worries. Which is why mares from smaller towns, such as Ponyville, tend to look down upon the idea of being apart of a harem. It's a matter of self-worth and self-respect." Fleur stated.

"So has there ever been a small-town girl who was asked to be-"

"Ask the mare beside you." Fancy said as he looked towards Rarity.

"Rarity, you mean that you were asked to be in a harem?"

She nodded silently. "Blueblood asked me years ago. It was the night of the Grand Galloping Gala. I thought he would treat me better, but instead, he wanted me to cater to him, as if I was begging for his attention. I am not that desperate, nor will I ever be. I swear that I would never lose myself in a desire to chase after rich and plentiful suitors. Instead, I seek to create my own success and seek out one that my heart would grow to love."

I know in my world, there used to be these reality shows of who was considered the most elegant bachelor. Afterwards, there was this big competition of how a group of twenty women would all throw themselves at this guy in hopes of self-gain. As usual, they weeded out most of them, but kept the worst ones for dramatic purposes. After about a few episodes, it finally gets down to two girls, the woman that loved him and the woman that sold her story of emotions to him, but instead she loved his money. After cutting one of the women off, he'd propose to one remaining.

Granted, there was no competition, or a big corporate payoff to the girl that was sent home on the last day. Instead, they just simply clawed at each other's throats for the attention. And if the guy could afford it, then he'd have as many as he'd like. But still, I always knew that there was a trade-off to those kinds of competitions. And both Fancy and Fleur were a testament to that life.

I hate how I could stay here longer and see just how dark this world could get.

"So, the lesson for today is that harems are a no-go."

Fancy nodded in approval. "If you ask me, it's just too much commotion to try and keep more than one mare to yourself."

"Coming from a mare of experience, it's something that's never easy. You'd have to really sell away your dignity in order to make it to the more successful figures in society. And I've seen a lot of mares lose what made them special looking for just that." Fleur seemed to have grown silent after her testimony.

"That sounds... pretty depressing."

Rarity spoke up, finding her voice once more. "It is. Which is why-"

"Nondis P. Haines?"

The four of us turned around to see two guards standing at attention while a third walked up to me. Immediately, I felt my mind wander back to that realistic nightmare I had. I could still feel the guard pressing me against the ground as they tried to restrain me.

"Y-y-yes?" I stuttered nervously.

"Your presence has been requested at the royal palace."

"M-m-me? What did I do?" Still feeling a bit uneasy, I let my muscles tense up all over my body.

"You've done nothing wrong. The princess requests an audience with you."

I drew a sigh of relief, finally able to calm after being approached by the royal guard. Though I still held my suspicions being that I still heard that Shining was back in town. Was it a meeting on behalf of Twilight? Was it on behalf of Shining Armor? Is there a delay on the portal or something? There were various things they could summon me for. And honestly, I was starting to get comfortable with the others. "Do I have to?"

"Sir, I don't believe it's a matter of if but a matter of when." The guard answered sternly. It looks like I wasn't going to get out of it either. If anything, that 'when' was only applied to the minutes it took for me to get there. And I really doubt that I'm being arrested at this point. Besides, I could get some more info about Twilight. That always seems to be a bonus.

"Lead the way."

As I walked through the halls of the castle, I couldn't help but to gawk in awe over how much larger this one was in comparison to the one in Ponyville. It seems that everything, from the halls to the windows, were twice as large as anything I've seen in Twilight's place. There were even five times as many guards here too. It's like I'd see one every ten steps forward, backwards, sideways, longways, shortways, in-ways, out-ways, everywhere.

I understand there's a need for security, but this is just ridiculous.

By the time our walk had come to an end, I stood outside of a room with a moon crest set on the door. The guard was about to knock, but stopped shy as we both heard a familiar voice. A voice that I did not like.

"What do you mean 'there's no threat?' I saw them mobilizing in the badlands, and they seemed to be preparing for a small offensive."

"Indeed. Which is why it is best to assume that they are conducting drills."

"Are you saying that we should let them do as they please?"

"I am saying that we should wait to see what their next move is, captain. My sister and I will not risk a conflict if there isn't a need for one. Our numbers are suitable, but that is no excuse to send them marching off into danger, especially against a demoralized foe."

"Demoralized? Then what do you call that large invasion of Canterlot almost two years back?"

"Their numbers have dwindled since then."

"They could be hiding in droves. They're still out there, waiting and watching our every move-"

"Just as we will do the same. Now please dismiss these foolish claims of invasion and leave that spectacle in the past."

"...Yes, your highness."

"You are dismissed."

As soon as I heard those words, I hid behind one of the large pillars beside the door. The guard that accompanied me looked at me oddly as the door opened, revealing a disgruntled Shining Armor.

"Dismiss these foolish claims of an invasion and leave that spectacle in the past. How are we to leave in the past something that still threatens us?"

Another guard who stood by the door, walked beside him. "Well, she does have a point. It's been two years."

"Yeah, a full two years to divide their forces and make it seem as if they've disappeared. I know what's going on."

"With all due respect, don't you think that you're being a bit personal with the situation?"

"It's a rightful grudge! Not only is it a threat to me personally, but one to all of Equestria. Let them kidnap one of our citizens, just one, and you will see that I will not rest until they surrender."

"I still think you're going a bit overboard with this."

As the two stallions disappeared into the hall, I felt a wave of relief wash over my body. At least I knew that I was safe... for now.

"Next!" The voice shouted out from the office, causing me to jump.

"Sir, the princess will see you now."

Finally calming down a bit, I came out of hiding and walked into the office. As I entered, I saw Princess Luna sitting at her desk, signing a series of papers. When she finished her next signature, she looked up to see me standing in front of her.

"Nondis, you're here."

"Good day, princess." I said, bowing before her as a sign of respect.

"Do not bow to me. This meeting is merely an informal one. Feel free to comfort yourself." She said, walking from behind her desk and towards the door. I looked back to see that she had whispered something. Just as she finished, the guards that stood by the door, as well as several others around the area, left me and her alone. Closing the door behind her, she walked back to her desk and dismissed the stacks of papers all over her desk into some unknown dimension.

"Might I ask, why have you summoned me, princess?"

"Luna. Let's begin with that." She said, as she stressed her earlier point.

Still feeling a little uncomfortable, I remained standing. "Luna, why did you call me here?"

She chuckled as she sat back down, folding her hooves. "I thought that I told you that we would be speaking later."

"What? Since when?"

"Since early this morning."

"We never met this morning." I can clearly say that I was nowhere near her or this castle earlier this morning. So how did she managed to notify me of a future meeting if we never spoke. Hell, the last time we saw each other was the castle anniversary in Ponyville four months back.

Her smirk disappeared and in it's place grew a stern frown. "You had a terrible nightmare about your personal desires growing out of hoof. At that point, you sought to take advantage of an innocent mare, who caught you in the midst of violating her. Shortly after, you were apprehended for your crime."

My heart started to race at speeds I didn't even know existed. My arms trembled and shook as she recalled my dream without as much as a word being spoken to her about it. A chill ran down my spine as I started to back away in fear. "How... did... the fuck?"

"I watched. And in that dream I spoke to you. I said to you that I would speak with you later."

I had to calm myself in order to think. Though I much rather not remind myself of what I dreamt of, my mind tried to recall any significant details about my dream. Where was I where she could've said that she wanted to speak with me later. I just remembered... that and the arrest soon after. I can remember the others berating me and throwing things at me. I could remember the guards pinning me to the ground, but that was a combination of Spike and Rarity trying to wake me up. I remembered how Shining Armor just instructed the guards to take me away and he mumbled that he would see me later...

No way... she was... "Shining Armor? You were-"

"Yes, I was him."

Speechless, I fumbled in my movements, waiving my arms and looking all over the room, hoping for an answer to fall from the sky. "But... how-"

"I am the Princess of the Night, thus it is my duty to come into your dreams." She stated as she unfolded her forelegs and walked away from her desk, circling around me.

Despite her answer, there was still the question that burned in my mind. "Then why? Why did I get that dream!?"

She stopped walking around me, stopping directly beside me as she eased into my ear. "Tell me, have you heard of the many theories that are involved with the dreamscape?"

I've heard a few things, but nothing outside of when dreams occur. "Not really. I just know that dreams are peculiar in nature and that they're formed in our brains when we sleep."

"It goes much deeper than that. Though I cannot get into specifics, I will introduce to you a possibility. Have you ever thought about what you would be like if you were the exact opposite of yourself?"

I remember watching a movie about how one guy looked at himself in the mirror and he saw his reflection at one point, but as soon as he turned away, the reflection turned back to him with a demonic grin. I suppose that my situation could be similar to that. "You mean one of those kooky mirror gags where you see a bizarre version of yourself?"

"Similar yes, but have you ever seen that side morph into your physical being, presiding over situations that are otherwise unfamiliar to you?"

The Exorcist, that movie is the vanquisher of sleep. "Like some sort of demon possessing your body."

"Precisely. We all have the darkness within us that we do not wish to see. You have seen just that."

So what she's implying is that I may actually have a demonic side that's capable of doing those cruel things to others. That doesn't make me feel the slightest bit of comfortable knowing that I was a monster inside. "Does that mean that I will become like that?"

"No. Not all all. It is a warning, however." Luna corrected.

"A warning to what?"

She walked away from me, making her way towards the desk once more. "You will end up in a situation where you will not know how to respond. Your desires will be a deciding factor."

But even then, would that mean that it would happen in the course of the next month, or would it happen much later from now? But by then, I would be long gone from Equestria. "That's when I leave to my world, right?"

"It will happen to you regardless of what you decide."

"So... I'm gonna be some sort of-?"

"No!" Luna reiterated, shouting at me before I could even finish my question. "Far from it. What I am saying is that you will make a decision that would cause not only you pain, but others that are involved."

Despite her constant reassurance of my not being a rapist, I was still feeling a bit insecure of myself. "And there's no way around this?" I asked, hoping that there would be one.

Luna shot down my answer. "It is an inevitable fact of life. Though the severity will not be as what was depicted in your dream."

I guess she's saying that I couldn't even avoid it. But even if I did make the mistake, what would I do to rectify that? How would I go about making things better? There were a lot of questions that surrounded the issue. And sadly I was fresh out of answers. "And what am I to learn from this?"

"That is up to you. I cannot give you any further information. The lesson is what you will make of it, just as you have been doing for the near-seven months you were here."

Although this meeting had left me with a few more questions than what I had coming in, I could take comfort in knowing that the largest concern I had was no longer something that troubled me. I felt safe and sound for the time being, but I knew that there was still more trials to come. At least I didn't have to worry about it for the time being. "Well, I feel a little better now. Thanks for clearing that up."

Luna smiled as she stood behind her desk. "Anytime, though our visit is not over yet. There is still one other matter that we would have to take care of."

"And that is-OUCH!"

I felt a painful jolt of electricity spark against the back of my neck. My entire body felt numb as I looked back to see what it was that sent the shock to me. Much to my surprise, it seemed that the one who sedated me was none other than the high ruler of the land. "Princess Celestia?"

"Excellent work, dear sister." The larger princess said to her younger sibling. Luna merely returned a head nod as my focus started to twist and contort. My equilibrium was thrown off while I stumbled forward and fell to the ground below. Princess Celestia eased my impact as she caught me with her magic.

"Nondis, when you wake up you will not be here in Canterlot, but rather in Ponyville." Luna said as she became a large blue blur in my vision. The world seemed to swirl into an invisible drain as I wobbled and wiggled, trying to escape from Princess Celestia.

"Why are you doing this?" I droned as the spell cast against me started to take it's toll on my consciousness.

"Because Twilight has failed to tell you." I think it was Celestia that spoke this time. I'm not too sure.

"What... are... you... sa...ying?" My eyes started to become heavier and heavier with each time I blinked. My lips almost felt like they weighed a ton when I spoke. As the seconds ticked away, the voices became hard to distinguish a difference between. Darkness was to take me very soon.

"Nondis, the reason why we have summoned you here is because we wish to inform you..."

"What?" I whispered weakly as the world started to fade from view. But there was one string of words that I had recognized before letting sleep take me.

"...the portal is ready..."

Due to recent controversy, I decided to release this chapter a day early. Next chapter will be due within a four day window as usual.

Well that was a bit of controversy. I guess it would've been right to finish that first scene in the previous chapter before causing all of this commotion. Wrong place for a cliffhanger And for that, I do apologize. I should've clarified that it was a dream to begin with so that I didn't offend some of the readers. I guess the next time I'll think about going dark, I'll send out a reader's warning so that some of the more sensitive readers would take into consideration that there would be parts that they would feel uncomfortable reading.

Now about the character. First off, no I never planned for the guy to become a criminal. He's still the same, as you can see. So whenever you see him act out of character, don't assume the worst because I never had that in mind. Thank you for your patience.