After the fiasco with the Poison Joke had been cleared up, Kamina put his hoof down, and forced AJ, Rarity, Twilight, Trixie and Spike to sit down and talk. He declared that what they did, while hot, while totally awesome, while beyond attractive, was just outright wrong and immoral for several reasons.

Firstly: Twilight, Trixie and AJ had broken the Bro Code by sleeping with Rarity, when obviously Spike was already interested in her, and he was in the next room over, and he HEARD them too! That was just wrong. When asked how the Bro Code applied to them, he explained that Twilight was a sibling/mother figure to him, so that made it worst and at the top of the list, plus she and Trixie are both Kamina's marefriends, so that puts him at fault by default to their protest but his firm stance on the matter. AJ was at fault merely by the fact that she knew the situation, and still went along with it.

Secondly: Rarity was at fault for hurting Spike, in spite of Spike protesting that it was fine, Rarity agreed and apologized deeply to him, promising to make it up to him.

Finally: THEY DID IT WITHOUT HIM! Sure, he'd be breaking the Bro Code, but not if he could have gotten the okay from Spike first, and put up a silencing charm to keep them from making a ruckus. If Spike wasn't going to be okay with it, he could have pulled Rarity aside at least, and told her why he couldn't let her join in the fun, aside from the fact that it would've been unbecoming of her to spontaneously engage in sexual acts with her friends. Then again, Kamina was all for a lady who knew when to let her hair down, and he knew Spike would love that even more.

In the end, apologies were exchanged, forgiveness given, and rifts in friendships mended, and reinforced. Nowadays, Spike actually spent most of his time with Rarity at the boutique, helping her there as her assistant like how he helped Twilight, who said that she had Trixie to work with as a partner now, so she only ever needed Spike's help with sending messages to Celestia.

Kamina was actually focused more on spending time with everyone besides Twilight and Trixie, saying it was unfair to not hang out with their other friends when he wasn't busy and they still were. So Kamina ended up working out a schedule to try and spend time with their friends as much as possible. Twilight thought of it, and since Kamina knew he was the perfect one for the role of Everyone's Friend, what with him being so great and all, that he decided to go along with it.

Of course, starting on the weekend he hangs out/helps Big Mac and AJ at SAA on Saturdays and Sundays as usual, get together with Blitz, Gilda and Pinkie if they're available on Mondays, visit Fluttershy on Tuesdays, check in with Rarity on Wednesdays, head out to visit Zecora on Thursdays, which is when Zecora usually stays home to make her recipes and rest, and Fridays were a toss-up. He spent the morning and end of each day with Twilight and Trixie, and often saw Spike at the same time as well as usually at Rarity's.

He always checked in with Vinyl now and then, but she was often out of town on gigs when she wasn't playing for the local nightclub, and Octavia was often too busy practicing when she was home to see about getting to know him better, but she did say she'd have to eventually, beings he's her marefriend's brother.

Today however, Kamina was visiting Zecora since it was Thursday, and they were sitting next to each other reading a book. Or rather, Zecora was teaching him to read and speak Zebrican. [And this here, means to move, force, or otherwise disrupt.] It had been a few weeks into autumn, the Running of the Leaves had already occurred, but his friends were all too busy to attend this year, and so was Kamina by extension.

Nightmare Night was the last day of October, which wasn't for a few weeks, and Kamina had to hope he could talk to his aunt about that, see if he could cheer her up about a holiday inspired by her evil corrupted form. [F, f, fo~rce....] “Did I get it?” Kamina was a fairly quick study, it came from Twilight drilling as much as she could into him for the first three months of his being in Equestria. So he could already speak broken Zebrican, but he couldn't get more complicated words or catch on when it was spoken fast yet, and he was still far more comfortable speaking Equestrian beings it was the same as English, which Celestia had imprinted in his mind when she rebirthed him so he could adjust easier, she couldn't do that for someone alive and aware though, so he had to learn everything else the hard way.

He could also still speak fluent Neighponese apparently, beings it was his old world's primary language, and he couldn't remember what it was called in his previous life. Twilight had a field day when she learned about that soon after he'd arrived, and ended up using him as a translator for some Neighponese texts she was interested in, but she didn't know a translation spell yet. That was a fun~ week, running his voice hoarse.

[Yes, but try to let it roll off your tongue.] “You are improving quite fast, soon enough, this rhyming won't last.” Zecora was also trying to learn Equestrian too, but she spent most of their sessions speaking Zebrican so he can adjust to it faster. [Now, let's go.] Zecora then gently bit his ear, and playfully licked it, making Kamina squirm as he gasped in surprise.

“No fair! I wasn't ready.” Kamina managed to get out as she delved into his ear with her tongue, cleaning it while also working him over. Kamina's ears were very sensitive. “S-stop~!” Kamina was panting as he began to get a raging boner under the cushion when she started sucking on his ear. “Ah, ah~!”

She released him from her cruel lips, and she smirked without shame at him as he gave her a light glare. “I will not apologize, and don't say you didn't like it, I see through your lies.” Zecora moved a forehoof under him, and he hissed at her touching him. [I see the serpent is out to play~.] Before they could continue though, a knock sounded at her door, making Zecora surprised and slightly annoyed. [Really? Now?] She looked to Kamina, and gestured at the cushion he was laying on. [Stay.]

[No problem.] Kamina responded, as he tried to calm down. 'Damn, that mare knows her stuff. Not even Twilight or Trixie know about my ears. Is it universal for equines or is it just for a few like me?' Kamina decided to try and read back through some of the words Zecora showed him today, reciting them quietly and devoting them to memory. Zecora came back in a few minutes shaking her head. [What was it?]

[Your first mare came here, asking for aid with an unknown pest. I am unfamiliar with the creature, and so I had to let them down.] Zecora explained slowly, and Kamina nodded as she laid down next to him again. [I am sorry Kamina, but now I am not in the mood. Being given a mystery always draws my attention.]

[That is fine. I was also not ready for such a thing yet. We do not know much about each other's cultures for me to be...com-for-table, with it right now.] Zecora was also teaching him of her culture, but he didn't know just what sort of mating rituals her people practiced yet. He knew she was completely comfortable with him having Twilight and Trixie already, but he didn't know if they got married, or just slept with whomever they pleased as a regular thing.

Zecora was visibly saddened at his response, making Kamina worry he'd said something wrong, and she looked pensive for a moment. “I am sorry Kamina. I was not thinking clearly.” Zecora slowly forced out, without using her translating torc to do the work for her. “I was simply...horny, then, but I have calmed now.” Zecora nuzzled his cheek with hers, and Kamina gladly returned it, making Zecora smile. [At least some things are universal between cultures.]

[I know, right?] Kamina kissed her cheek, making Zecora giggle with a gentle blush.

[Yes, a saving grace. Now then, this word means erase.] Zecora paused, and giggled when she realized her words would have translated into a rhyme.

===//////>

It was mid-afternoon, and Zecora bid Kamina farewell since it would get dark soon, and she didn't want him to walk through the Everfree in the evening. 'Wow, I can't believe she just about jumped my bones out of the blue like that. Zecora obviously hasn't had a stallion in a long time, I hope soon enough I can get to know of her people's mating customs so I know what I'm getting into before I dive headfirst into a sexual relationship with her.' Kamina paused to watch a line of ball-shaped winged bugs literally bounce across the trail. 'What the hell?'

Kamina watched the very long procession of bouncing bugs for a minute before he got bored of it, and walked over them. He continued his trot home, but he had to pause and gape in shock at what he saw upon leaving the forest. “WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON?!” Kamina screamed in anger and worry at the sight of a nearly completely demolished Ponyville. Entire houses seemed to have disappeared from their lots, others had only the framework left, some only had a few holes in them, while very little of the town was untouched at all.

Ponies were frantically running about, trying to help each other in the aftermath of whatever had happened as Kamina bolted through town towards the library, which he was beyond relieved to see was still intact. 'Please be okay, please be okay, please be okay!' Kamina burst through the door. “Twilight! Trixie! Spike!”

“Kamina?!” Twilight whirled around from a chalkboard she was working at, writing out what seemed to be an action plan of sorts. “Where were...oh, right, Thursday. I should've picked you up earlier, you might've been able to help us before I got everypony into this mess.” Twilight bemoaned as she face-hoofed. “Way to go Twilight, forget what your coltfriend was doing while in a state of panic why don't you?”

“What happened? Why is half the town gone?” Kamina calmed down slightly at seeing his loved ones were okay when Trixie ran down the stairs soon after he burst in.

“We had an...infestation.” Trixie tried to ease in gently, making Kamina raise an eyebrow as he closed the door behind him with a kick of a hind leg.

“What kind of infestation can destroy half a town? Is anyone hurt?” Kamina moved on to making sure his friends and the citizens under his charge were safe, he was a prince; it was his duty to guide, help, and protect these ponies and all other beings who dwell within their borders, and today he'd failed in protecting them with his preoccupation with Zecora. He didn't regret it, but he was irritated that these things tend to happen when he turns his back on things.

“A parasprite infestation. We don't know much about them, but they eat ravenously, and the more they eat, the faster they asexually reproduce. I managed to catch a rogue one for study and spirited it away while Fluttershy was occupied.” Twilight gestured to a small cage holding a simpering and otherwise pathetic little ball-shaped bug of vibrant hue that he recognized.

“Wait, I saw a whole line of these things bouncing across the path back from Zecora's. They didn't attack me, so can I assume nobody's been eaten by a vicious swarm?” Kamina asked hopefully, getting nods from both Twilight and Trixie. “Whew! Load off my back! Ok, so, what's the plan? Also...why aren’t Celestia and my aunt here? Weren't they going to visit?” Kamina knew the royal sisters were going to visit today, he'd ignored it to visit Zecora, but hoped he'd at least get to chat with his aunt before they left.

Twilight looked nervous, and fidgeted a bit. “Actually, I think the parasprites found there way to Trottingham on the east edge of the Everfree too, opposite us on the west edge. And, unlike us, they immediately sent for help. So Princess Celestia sent us a message that she had to cancel her visit.” Twilight then winked, making Kamina confused before he felt a warm body around his size leap onto his back and hug him. “But not Princess Luna's!”

“Nephew! I am pleased to see you!” Luna was on his back, hugging his ribs and nuzzling his cheek, making Kamina laugh at her antics as he nuzzled back.

“Aunty Luna! I haven't seen you in weeks!” Kamina tried to stay in contact with Luna, beings he knew it had to be hard to adjust to what was essentially a new world for her. He pranced about a bit, making Luna laugh with him. “Enjoying the ride madam?”

“Indeed good sir!” Luna treated him more like a sibling though, since unlike Celestia, she didn't have her 1000-year lead in maturity. She'd more or less been unaware during her possession, so she was 1000 years younger than Celestia in both mind and body once Nightmare was expunged. She was still several hundred years his senior though, so he had to wonder just how long alicorns lived, or if their being immortal was more than hearsay.

“So aunty, what are you going to do since you're here? I could order aid for Ponyville myself, but what do you plan to do?” Kamina lowered himself to the floor so Luna could simple step off of him, and lay next to him.

“I am told that visiting the common folk is good for public relations, and considering my thousand year hiatus, I am indeed in much need of it. Also, how could I possibly resist visiting my favorite nephew?” Luna brightly beamed at him as she kissed his brow, making Kamina blush.

“Oh~ you're just saying that!” He bashfully returned, he just loved his aunt, seriously, she was so cool he could hardly believe she was in any way old fashioned. She'd even gotten addicted to this era's forms of entertainment the world lacked 1000 years ago. The couple times he'd returned to Canterlot to visit her, he found her room filling more and more with video games, comics, and game consoles. Kamina was impressed that artificing and spellweaving in this world was advanced enough to imitate technology from his world on that level, let alone that something amazing called the leynet was being designed for massive free exchange of information by the archmages of Star Swirl Academy.

Not to mention that in the older cities, things like phones and whatnot were commonplace, and in other cities marvels of technology were everyday things. Ponyville was still a relatively new town, and progress of including the whole country, let alone the whole world in these amazing technologies was slow-going, as older forms of thinking held fast in the way of progress. However, with Luna and Kamina in the royal family absolutely adoring these things, that might change soon.

Kamina lost track of time chatting with his aunt, not even worried about the situation outside. Twilight and Trixie just smiled and went about organizing where relief efforts should be focused, they'd involve the royalty once they needed to, but for now, they could enjoy a moment of peace before getting to their duties.

===//////>

“Nephew.” Kamina gasped he suddenly became aware of his surroundings, his confusion was paramount as he found himself floating in a wavering abyss, filled with light blue clouds and wisps of light blue light waving around in webs. “Nephew, over here.” Kamina turned to Luna's voice, and saw his beloved aunt looking at the surroundings in intrigue. “Fascinating, your subconscious is formless, and powerful. This means you usually act on your thoughts rather than just let them remain idle.”

“Aunty Luna? What's going on? Where are we?” Kamina asked as he looked around them, marveling as a wisp of blue light passed through him, then he gasped as his horn's spiral flickered with Spiral Power, and he felt a sting in his back. “Ow.”

Luna looked on calmly, but couldn't hide the worry in her eyes. “Do not worry nephew, it is normal for unicorns and alicorns to experience sudden surges in their magic when they sleep. The fact that you are my sister's son makes you naturally potent in magic. That power however, is rather interesting.” Luna looked at his horn as another wisp went through Kamina's body, making him wince as his horn unintentionally flared again. “Odd, it is focused on the horn's spiral rather than evenly being distributed, what is it?”

“It's my Spiral Power.” Kamina avoided another wisp, and began to sweat as it seemed the clouds of raw magic and wisps of Spiral Power were actually gravitating towards him. “Aunty, can we please leave?”

“Yes.” Luna simply stated, and tapped her hoof before the abyss gave way to blank whiteness. “What you saw before was the form of your subconscious. It is broad, potent, and trying to tell you something. The fact that merely being there granted you more power tells me that you're subconsciously holding yourself back.”

“My subconscious? In my sleep? I'm asleep?” Kamina gathered as he checked around them to see nothing.

“Yes, I am the Princess of the Night. Mistress of the Moon, Delver of Dreams. My power is slowly returning, and soon enough I shall be able to safeguard Our Little Ponies from nightmares once more. I decided to stay the night in the room next to yours where I could organize the relief efforts myself without disturbing anypony. I came here, because I could sense turmoil within you nephew, what is wrong?” Luna asked in worry, as Kamina looked at her in confusion.

“I'm not in turmoil, or at least I'm not aware of it. My subconscious is obviously trying to tell me something, but what I don't know. All I know is it's trying to give me more power from what just happened. Why would I need more power? I want to protect others, so it could be for that, but that's why I'm training physically at Sweet Apple Acres, and magically with Twilight and Trixie. I'm already powerful too.” Kamina was confused, why did the surges in power flare his spiral, and hurt his back?

“This is troubling. Your body is sensing something that I cannot, and neither can you. I will bring this up with your mother.” Kamina frowned at that, and Luna looked imperiously at her nephew. “Nephew, I cannot let you continue to distance yourself from my sister. You're hurting her. She's always wanted a foal, but was always unable to bring herself to love somepony because she'd outlive them.”

Kamina calmed down, and his ears were back in shame. “I know, but until she comes clean, I can't forgive her. We've talked about this, I've told you why what she did cannot be let go by me so easily.” Kamina then looked back to her. “So, off of me and my mom, what are you going to do next month? Nightmare Night specifically.”

Luna became uncomfortable, and sat down. “Well I don't know. I believe a holiday named after and inspired by my evil form is both frustrating and amusing. Nightmare Moon is made light of on said night, but is also made the subject of fear. This year I think I may just wallow in loneliness in my room, read some comics.”

“Well, okay, but you need to face it eventually aunty, it isn't going away, and don't outlaw it either, that would reflect badly on you.” Kamina told her, and then walked up to hug her around the neck with his neck. “Maybe next year?”

“Yes, next year.” Luna said as she returned the fond hug. “I shall let you rest nephew, but please, talk to Tia soon, she misses you.” Luna faded away, and soon the white nothingness left Kamina's awareness too.

===//////>

Luna opened her eyes, and looked at the wall between her room and the three lover's room. 'Nephew, I hope you follow your spirit's warnings. I did not, and that resulted in awful things.' Luna touched her royal peytral, and glared at the crescent moon diamond upon it. 'Vile being, wherever you have been banished to, something of your doing had best not be threatening my nephew, or Faust help me, I will bring you back from the abyss itself to smite you personally.'

Luna didn't want to admit that her nephew unnerved her. She loved him dearly, as from day one he'd been supportive and caring, but she could not ignore his sheer power. He'd fought Nightmare, even if it wasn't on even hoofing, he'd even tried to crash the moon into Equus to spite her from what he himself and others have told her. He somehow made the Nightmare care about him through her, simply by existing, when she was all but short of willing to utterly destroy her own sister.

And he was only getting stronger.

“Just what are you nephew? You are no mere pony, no mere unicorn.” Luna looked at the wall again, and sighed. 'Worrying over my nephew is pointless, he'll be fine...I hope.' Luna returned to writing out documents, signing requisition forms and such. 'If there's one thing I don't like about this new world, is all the paperwork! Back then, you just gave a missive and that was it, but now we have to jump through hoops to run our own country. Just what has Tia been DOING while I've been gone?'

Author's Notes:

Oh~ I teased you with some Lime didn't I? I'd better be careful, this almost turned into Clop.

Stupid, sexy zebra....