After Luna's warning I began preparing myself and my base for magical scans. Luckily the Everfree Forest helped in that regards, as well as the slight magical substance in my blood, the same substance that stopped my blood body from drying out, essentially blocking all kinds of magical scans.

As the days turned to weeks I began training again, the fight with the Timberwolves proved how out of shape I was, I started honing my skills with my daggers and I prepared my mind. The nights consisted of creating traps and catching food. I was preparing myself for the hunt. The hunt I knew was coming. She had not given me any room to breath before she stoned me, I didn't expect her to do so now.

I am Blood.

I am merciless.

I am death.

I am the monster in the dark.

I may be a dark protector at times, but I am no hero.

The world will learn to fear me again, as it once did.

That time closes in. If she wanted me to be a monster in the darkness, the foul creature to hunt…

…

So be it.

I stared up through the canopy of the Everfree, four weeks had passed since Luna's visit to my Dreamscape and I was beginning to feel something I hadn't felt for a long time.

Peace.

I felt at peace. It was strange, I hadn't felt like this for hundreds of years and yet...I felt off. As if something in my plan was wrong. No. That's not it...maybe I'm just nervous. I took in a deep breath. "Calm. The calm before the storm." That must be it. I wasn't the type of person to wait around for the fight to begin. I was the type to take up arms and charge to the gates of my enemy and beat the drums of war. But that would just get me killed.

I sighed, staring at the filtered light streaming through the treetops. I wonder...is there a world out there...a dimension, a multiverse...where I live in peace? With these ponies? I shook my head, "Get your head out of the gutter, boy. Peace isn't my path. Not anymore." I stood up and walked over to the Preserving Cupboard. There was one last bag to empty. I pulled the bag out and opened it. ...Oh, hell yes. This'll do nicely.

An hour later I headed to Zecora's hut, it was about time for our biweekly talk. As I walked along the path the wind swept over me, making my, newly found, dark purple leather jacket billow. After I arrived at Zecora's hut and knocked on the door I hummed to myself until the door swung open.

Zecora stared at me for a second before speaking, "<That's...an interesting look.>"

I chuckled, slipping my aviators off my head and into a pocket. "<It's my old stuff. They hold a close place in my heart.>"

She sighed, "<My friend...you have chosen a bad time to come. There are ponies here.>"

I froze. Ponies? Damn it all. I'll just have to slip away. "Zecora? Who is it?" The voice of a mare asked. I winced. Damn it.

"<I will help you get away. Run.>" Zecora whispered.

Yeah, I've got to...run? Flee?! I am no coward! This...do I fear ponies? No. Then why do I hide in the dark? I shook my head. "<No. I will speak to them.>" I stepped forwards. "<I refuse to cower like an animal any longer.>"

Zecora smiled. "<Good. It's about time!>" She turned. "A friend of mine has come along, please do not treat him wrong." Again with the rhyming. Ugh.

I entered her home and saw four ponies. The first thing I noticed was that they were all female. The second was that Apple Bloom was one of them. The third? A blue pony with a rainbow mane was glaring at me.

"Zecora...who, or what, is that?" The sole unicorn asked.

"Yeah, is it a hairless ape or something?" Rainbow Mane said arrogantly. I don't like her. Reminds me...too much of a certain someone from the past. A past best left forgotten.

"<Can I punch her?>" I asked Zecora.

"<No.>" Came her immediate reply.

"Rainbow!" Purple scolded. "She's obviously intelligent! She...he...is obviously a friend from another country. Um...right?" She directed the last part at me. I nodded. "See she-" I shook my head. "Sorry. He isn't an ape!"

"<At least she's got her head on straight.>" I complimented.

Rainbow Mane groaned, "Hey! Do. You. Speak. Equish?!" Definitely reminds me too much of him.

Purple groaned, "Rainbow!"

"What?!" Rainbow asked.

"<Tell her I find that racist.>" I told Zecora, who rolled her eyes.

"My friend may be quite abrasive, but he happens to find that quite racist."

"I...racist? I...sorry." Rainbow muttered, her ears flopping down. "Didn't...mean it like that."

I raised an eyebrow, "<Maybe you're not as bad as I thought.>"

"Ahem. " Purple cleared her throat. "I'm sorry about that. My name is Twilight Sparkle. Do you...not know speak Equish?"

I snorted, "I know how to speak it."

"Then why are you ignoring me?" Rainbow asked. I replied with silence.

"Rainbow, we need to talk about more important things. First Contact can either create peace between two species...or start a war." Purple stated. Yay! A pony who knows her stuff! Two in the same time period, that's got to be a new record! Rainbow grumbled quietly. "Sorry, but this is important."

"Fine." Rainbow cut in. Again. "I'll let you talk, Egghead. After he tells me why he's ignoring me."

I turned to Purple. "I'm sorry, but can you tell your friend that I don't speak 'Blithering Idiot'?"

"What?! Blithering..." She caught sight of my smirk and started chuckling. "You're all right. Hey, you look kinda tough, want to spar later? Tell you what, I'll even go easy on you." She's arrogant but all right.

"Rainbow! No fighting! We need to talk to him!" Purple insisted.

"Aw, come on, Twilight! Loosen up!"

As they bickered I turned to Apple Bloom and the other Earth pony. The unknown mare was snickering into her hoof while Apple Bloom stared at me occasionally rubbing her head. I winced as I noticed the three large scars covering the right side of her body. The older mare sobered up when she followed my line of sight.

"Howdy, I'm Applejack and this is my sister Apple Bloom." The mare said cheerfully as I approached. "Pleasure to meet you!"

I smiled, "Nice to meet you too."

Apple Bloom gasped. "You!" Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at her. "You're...my head..." She groaned. Her eyes suddenly snapped open. "I remember you! You...you saved me from the Timberwolves!" Crap.

Applejack frowned softly. "Apple Bloom. That was Zecora. Remember?"

Apple Bloom shook her head, "No! There...there was a shout. It was a stallion's voice! Like I told you! I..I don't what he yelled...but he stood like him! And he didn't have hooves! I told you! It was him!"

"Apple Bloom...the doctor said that...the blood loss made you see things that weren't there, remember?"

"No! No, it was him! I know it! I know it." I couldn't take it anymore. The pleading of her voice stabbing into my heart better than any blade ever could.

"She's right. It was me. I asked Zecora to take the credit, I don't want to be known. Not yet. I want to be left alone, I don't want to be flooded to by hundreds because I'm a new species. And I don't want your Princess Celestia to know about me yet. I...am not ready to meet her. If she knows she will insist on meeting me and then...well, I'm not ready to meet her or for her to know of me at any rate." They all stared, except for Zecora, who merely smiled as if she was waiting for this.

"Z...Zecora...is it true?" Applejack asked. Zecora simply nodded. "Thank you so much!" She wrapped her hooves around me. "Thank you! Mr...uh..."

Shit, shit, shit! Can't let them know my name! I might still be know by name if not appearence! "Wesker. Albert Wesker." WHAT THE HELL?!?! WHY DID I CHOSE THAT NAME?!?! Ugh...fuck it. It's stuck now. Though...I can't help but admit...it is kind of fitting.

After the ponies had calmed down and agreed, no, promised, not to tell anyone about me they left with me, Apple Bloom sticking to my side like glue. Then they asked me to do something extremly stupid.

"No." I said.

"Oh, come on!" Twilight whined. "Please come to town! I could help you find a room so you won't have to live away from other ponies anymore!"

"I prefer to live in solitude."

"Please, Albert!"

I scoffed, "It's Wesker. Not Albert." Hey, if I’m living under a fake name it’s going to sound cool.

"Please, Mister Wesker! Please come to town!" Apple Bloom begged, her eyes widening and pleading with me. Ugk! Damn it...she's...weaponised...cuteness!

"I...uh..."I sighed in defeat. "Fine. But I'm not staying for long." This is stupid! I could get seen, which makes it more likely good old Tia will hear about me sooner! But...I guess this way I can check if Apple Bloom is safe in the town. I glanced down at the Incredible Cute. ...STOP LOOKING SO CUTE, YOU'LL GIVE ME A HEART ATTACK!!!

"Yes!" Twilight cheered.

"Stop. I'll only spend a maximum of an hour there, got it?" I growled. Fucking ponies.

Twilight coughed, embarrassed. "Um...right. Anyway Ponyville should be coming up now." Ponyville. Fucking hate these pony obsessed names.

Her words were true, as we turned the corner I saw an idyllic town. Though...the villagers seemed riled. They were shouting and gathered near the entrance of the town. Unfortunately it was the same entrance we were heading to.

"What the?!" Applejack gasped. "What's going on over there?! Come on!" She dashed ahead, leaving the rest of us to follow in her wake.

As we entered the town the yelling got louder. The ponies seemed genuinely angry and scared. Fun times. "What is happening here?!" Twilight yelled, gathering the attention of all the fuckwits, I mean ponies.

"We found this Changeling coming into town! It was disguising itself as a pony!" An Earth pony stallion with a orange coat yelled, kicking a Changeling into the ground in front of us. "All I'm saying is that the freak should burn!"

"Eenope." Another Earth pony stallion, but this one was red and large.

"Big Mac!" Applejack yelled, running up to him. She know him?

I looked down at the Changeling. Bloody, bruised, beaten, horn chipped, exoskeleton cracked. I tightened my fist, the blood threatening to cut off circulation to my fingers. This...they'll pay for this! "You! Who did this to the Changeling?!" I yelled at the stallion who'd kicked the Changeling to the ground.

He grinned proudly, "That would be me! Name's Brick Beater."

I nodded. "Now I know who's legs to break." That shut everyone up.

"W-what?! It's a Changeling! Why do you care?!" He took a closer look at me. "What are you anyway?!"

I narrowed my eyes, deciding to ignore his question for now. "I have my reasons. But tell me...why did you find it necessary to attack an innocent? Was it for the pleasure? Did you want a rush? Or is it that you're just a sad, little, man?"

He spluttered. "I-you-why-SHUT UP!!! IT'S A CHANGELING!!! THEY ATTACKED US!!! THEY INVADED AT THE CANTERLOT WEDDING!!!"

I chuckled. "So. Just because one swarm attacks that means it's okay to condemn an entire species?" The crowd started mumbling in agreement of what I was saying.

"SHUT UP!!!" He swung his hoof down towards the Changeling's head, most likely intending on smashing it. I grabbed his hoof out of the air.

"Piss off." I growled before slamming a shoulder into him, sending him hurtling to the ground.

The Changeling coughed, "My...Lord? Is...is that...? My Lord! It is you, my Lord! We have prayed for your return! We prayed and prayed! We always had faith you would return! I always had faith!" The Changeling was practically vibrating with excitement, wings flickering with anticipation.

I gave a smile, "It's me." I turned to Brick Breaker and the crowd. "Let the Changeling go. Or else."

"Or else what?!" Brick Breaker snarled, getting back to his hooves.

"Or else you'll meet Roxy." I chuckled.

"...Who's Roxy?"

I grinned and pulled out the last item I had found in the Preserving Cupboard, my battle axe. "This Roxy. As you can see, she only has one bladed side and is short enough to be use as a single handed weapon, or a two handed weapon." I ran a finger down her blade. "She's been used to cut the heads from Hydras, Manticores and even a rampaging Dragon. So..." I glared at him darkly. "Imagine what she could do to you."

He shook in fear, "You...you wouldn't."

I grinned ferally, "Try me."

He gulped. "It...that thing isn't worth this stress!" He wandered off, the crowd dissipating not long afterwards.

I smirked as I placed Roxy back in her place against my back. "Well, that was fun." I laughed as I saw Twilight's petrified look. "I was lying Twilight. I haven't killed anything with Roxy. I just played the part they expected me to." I shrugged. "Okay, maybe there was a rampaging monster or ten I've put down, but it was life or death. In all those cases my death also meant the death of other people. It was the best choice."

"But...you...you haven't really...but the way you said it..." She muttered.

I shrugged, "The accent helps." The fact of an English accent sounding evil transcends dimentions. I looked down at the battered Changeling currently mutting praise for me. "Get up."

"Y-yes, my Lord!" He squeaked, slowly getting to his hooves.

"What's your name?" I asked.

"S-Scarab, my Lord."

I winced. I hated that title, but they wouldn't stop calling me that. "Return to your Hive. Tell no one I have returned until seven weeks today. Then your people shall celebrate like never before! Hope shall return to the Changelings! And you, young Scarab, shall be the cause." I smiled. "Go!" Scarab spread his wings and he was soon disappearing over the horizon.

"Wesker, we need to talk." Twilight said. I turned to her...damn, she's serious.

"What about?" I asked.

"What just happened. And your species."

"What just happened," I shrugged. "Was that. As for my species. They call us...Homo Sapien." Thankfully Celestia doesn't know that particular name.

"Right..." She muttered, scribbling something down on a pad she materialised from who knows where. "No! That won't do! What about that Changeling?! It called you a 'Lord' and why did you help it?!"

I sighed. "Listen. I'm not in the mood for story time so I'll keep it short. I was frozen in time until quite recently, back in the past the Changelings were dying out, I gave them some help and they ended up getting themselves back on their feet, started managing to survive again, since then they all started calling me 'My Lord', it gets a little annoying but I got used to it. Happy?" I growled. Twilight opened her mouth but I cut her off. "Good! Because I don't want to talk anymore!"

"But-!"

"Goodbye, Purple!" I snarled, heading over to the group of Apple Bloom, Applejack and the large, red, stallion that had defended Scarab.

"That was so cool, Mister Wesker!" Apple Bloom gushed. "You're like a superhero!"

I snickered. Me? A hero? Laughable. "No, Apple Bloom. I'm just a man. Nothing special." I turned to the stallion. "And you would be?"

"This here's Big Macintosh! My brother and an amazing Applebucker!" Applejack introduced. "In fact, I'd say he's the best Applebucker this side of Equestria!"

"Eenope." Big Macintosh shook his head.

"Aw, come on, Big Mac, I'm not that great."

"Eeyup." He nodded.

"A man of few words, I take it?" I asked. He gave me a strange look. "Oh, right. Stallion of few words." He simply nodded.

"Come on, Mister Wesker!" Apple Bloom tugged on my leg. "I'll introduce you to my friends! Hey, you think we can get our Cutie Marks in being tour guides?"

Author's Notes:

Yes, another chapter. And yes, I'm not doing the phonetic spelling of Applejack and Apple Bloom's accents. It's...just not worth it to me. Sorry.

S o o n t h e w a r b e g i n s . . . o n N i g h t m a r e N i g h t . . .

And another from Apex-Jarico!