It has been a few weeks since Daniel had first gone shopping and bought a few different kinds of foods for Annabelle to try. The hard part was cooking them for her as he still needed to know what the foods tasted like to recreate it. Unfortunately, he never really liked cooking. He managed to use some carrots in a vegetable soup which Annabelle said was quite good. He had always been told that his cooking was good whenever he brought some home that he made at school but he always hated working with food.

Nature and Daniel were supposed to be going on a date but she mentioned about a incident appearing and she was needed elsewhere, so their date had been postponed. After a good amount of time and arranging they managed to get a time to have their date, and it was today at nighttime.

Aperture has expanded quite a bit and was now almost 4 miles wide. The diamond dog's language skills were improving and they even managed to dig a tunnel from their base all the way to the Timberwolves citadel, which was impressive to say the least. Some Timberwolves started staying around the diamond dog's den and some of the diamond dogs were starting to stay around the citadel. There were trade carts going back and forth between the two nations carrying everything from cloth, tough fur and metal. Most of the metal came from Daniel's matter generator. The Timberwolves were expanding their citadel with wood that had metal infused into it along with some improvements in their dens that were located around the Everfree. The metal was used to make armor for the diamond dogs so they had some defence if they got attacked. The diamond dog's English was coming along nicely but they would often stop mid-sentence for a moment before continuing so it was clear that more lessons were needed.

Alpha had been talking with Daniel about further upgrades for the normal bots and for his kids. While most of the upgrades sounded nice, the amount of materials would cut too much into the amount of materials going to help the Covenant Alliance.

Daniel carried out the thought he got a while ago and asked Annabelle what she wanted to have the pocket dimension called and she ended up calling it Terabithia.

Along with all of this Daniel had also been using his powers more often and felt happy to know that he could still be considered human despite his powers, but every now and then he would not use them and remember moments later that he should be using them to train in adapting. He is still very careful when training and tries to keep his powers hidden when out and about in Ponyville.

He had recently asked Alpha if it was possible to remove the little amount of nuclear radiation that he had as he wanted to start blending into pony society more to avoid being discovered too early. He was also thankful that his friends haven't questioned him about magic so far but when he listened into a conversation his friends were having yesterday. He heard Twilight mention that perhaps the reason he is so strong is that he enhances himself with his magic. He let them believe that was the case and so far it was working at removing suspicion.

The upgrades that his kids agreed to were complete and left them much faster than they were previously. Daniel had to use his super speed a little just to keep up with them. When he was running as fast as he could without the help of his powers his kids were slightly faster than him.

Barry was getting very good with playing the piano. His kids all gathered around to listen to a tune he was working on and when Daniel heard it he couldn't get it out of his head. Freddy was still mostly the main leader of the group and did a few pranks every now and then. Caroline was becoming a good artist and assisted Annabelle in her art along with making a few of her own. Her first drawing was of Daniel, Brago and Thag standing on a hill looking out over a land with the sun rising on the right side.

Daniel had asked her if she would draw something for the Covenant flag and she created a picture that was a set of golden scales and on each side was a different DNA structure and each one was in a different color but the differences in sizes didn't show as the scales remained in perfect balance and there was a night sky in the background. She said it was to represent equality between the species that were united and the background was of stars, because of Daniel and Annabelle not originally being from this world and somewhere among the stars. When Daniel showed this to Brago and Thag and told them of the meaning behind it they agreed on it to be the flag for the Covenant.

Daniel was in his living room waiting for Nature to arrive and as he waited he trained with his powers. He placed a portal in front of him at one end of the living room and another right behind him, so he was able to see himself through either one. He fired a ball of cosmic energy at one portal, turned around and put up a shield to block it before it hit him from the other side and his shield held up. The first few times his shield had shattered when it impacted, but recently he's been able to hold it up.

"Ok, that's seven times it has held up, let's see if I can go for eight." Daniel fired another ball of cosmic energy at a portal and turned around and put up his shield. Just before it hit his shield he heard an alarm go off from his phone which distracted him and caused the cosmic ball to burst through the shield and send him flying against the wall. After a few moments he picked himself up and walked over to the couch, picked up his phone and then turn the alarm off. He saw the time on his phone was 8:00 PM which means that Annabelle should be going to bed soon.

Daniel was currently making clothes appear and disappear, trying to find a set that he thought would be good for a date. He has never been on a date before so he had no clue what he should wear but after a few moments he decided to go with a casual black and white suit.

"This is what wearing one feels like?"

"Well I think you look quite nice." Daniel heard Nature speak and turned around to see her...wearing a green dress and she was in her pony form. He was a little surprised to see her wearing that dress and it caught his attention thanks to how much it suited her.

"T-thanks. You look lovely to...I mean eh, nice." She laughed when she saw how nervous he was. She walked up to him and stood beside him. "What happened before to make you change your mind about the time of our date?"

"Oh that? Just someone who got too much power and tried to consume the universe they lived in. But they won't be trying it again. I stayed behind to help the citizens rebuild. So where are we going? Or do you want me to choose?" Daniel thought about it and he had no idea where to go.

"You chose." She smiled.

"Let's head to ponyville. It's been awhile since I just walked among a civilization and just relaxed." Daniel changed into his pony form and put the fake mark over his real one before he put his suit trousers back on. "Oh and 1 more thing. You might not know this, but to the ponies mating season will start soon and all the mares go into heat. With how dashing you look you might have to run from a crowd tomorrow or perhaps later on during the week. It won't last long however and with your powers it should be no difficulty at all." Daniel covered his face when he realized he was blushing and she just laughed.

"Wait. What if Annabelle want's to go out tomorrow? Will she be effected?" Nature shacked her head.

"No, while the body shape is a pony the anatomy is still human. She won't feel any different." He breathed a sigh of relief and spoke again.

"So...where in ponyville do you want to go?" She smiled at him.

"Let's go for a wonder and when the sun rises we will go to Café des cheval." This got his attention

"Café des what?"

"It's close to puddinghead Street. Follow me and I'll show you." She started to walk into his basement. "Oh and if you are wondering how I know of this. Remember I work with Tractus and Father time. Knowing where a space anomaly starts and ends is easy." She said with a smile before going into his basement and he followed.

When he arrived at his front door he found Nature waiting on him and both of them decided to head to the park for a walk. Daniel passes a sign that said the name of the street he lived on, it was called 'Sugarsquare street'. Daniel and Nature walked down and through south street then down carousel circuit. Passing Rarity's boutique and ended up in the park.

When they were there Daniel and Nature sat down on the bench and both of them decided to talk for a while and Nature spoke first.

"So Daniel...what do you remember about your fight with Tractus? It wouldn't be very good if you didn't learn anything from it." Daniel was a little surprised she would ask about that but he told her what he remembered.

"Well besides me managing to get a few hits in, I lost...really badly." She looked at him questionably. "I remember getting hit and feeling so angry, then...I guess I fell asleep and dreamt I fought and defeated Tractus. After my dream I woke up in my house and you know the rest."

"Daniel...do you know how strong Tractus is?" He shacked his head. "He is Multiversal level." Daniel chuckled.

"Guess that explains how he beat me so badly." Nature realized now that he had no clue that his 'Dream' was real.

"Daniel. When Tractus mentioned about your parents you went into a rage. Well from what he told me a small rage and you actually gave him a tough time. It takes a universal level attack to hurt Tractus and you did manage to hurt him after getting angry." Daniel looked at her, his head turning slowly.

"So...that wasn't a dream?" She shacked her head.

"No. You actually did some good damage to him before you collapsed from your self inflicted injuries and exhaustion." She then remembered that his power increased when he entered his angered state. The theory that his powers are linked with his emotions seemed to be a good one and she planned to have a friendly battle with him sometime to see for herself. She then heard Daniel chuckle but it wasn't the kind that would be heard from a joke, it was the kind that you do when you're confused.

"I must have misheard. It sounded like you told me I was a universal level power." He looked at her and she just looked back at him and didn't speak. "You...really meant it?" She nodded. He didn't know how to take this and she saw he was shocked.

"Come on, let's walk along the river." He got up and followed her.

As they walked along the river Daniel realized just how nice it was to be out at night. The cold air, the quiet of the land and the stars that sparkled overhead.

"It's a lovely night out. Luna has really outdone herself tonight." Nature said looking at the sky. When she looked at Daniel he was looking at the sky and Nature got a idea for a joke. She levitated some water from the river and dropped it on Daniel's back, causing him to tense up from the cold and she laughed.

Daniel recovered after a few moments and looked back at her with a smirk. He levitated some water over her but she teleported it and it fell all over his face.

"Gotta do better than that Daniel." Daniel smirked and tackled her into the river only for her to teleport behind him and dunk his face in the river for a second. Daniel and Nature spend a while running around the park. Daniel kept trying to catch her and she easily avoided most of what he tried.

It was a little while later that they chose to stop and Nature used her powers to dry both of them off. This made Daniel's mark appear as the water washed the fake one off but he left it. It would be under his clothes so it wouldn't matter that much

"Keep trying my apprentice. I'm sure you'll get there." She told him in a joking way and he just chuckled. "Hey, want to play a game like chess but with a...twist?" He nodded and she teleported them. Daniel looked around and found himself in space but he didn't know where. In front of him was a chess board with all the standard pieces and set up for 2 to start playing.

"So what's the twist?" He asked.

"This is cosmic chess and you will see how that is different when you play." They both sat down and Nature took the first turn. She moved a pawn forward and Daniel did the same. Next she move her knight over and Daniel moved a second pawn.

The part that got him by surprise was when she took one of his pawns. He heard an explosion and almost jumped out of his seat. Looking up over him he saw planets. They were rocky and void of life but when he looked at the position they were in and at the chessboard he saw the chess pieces matched where the planets were. Daniel moved his bishop and took one of Nature's pawns. Looking overhead he saw a planet on his side move diagonally and smash into one on her side, destroying it in a lovely explosion of fiery red and yellow.

"Wow. This is a little much for a simple game of chess."

They kept playing their chess game. Each one of them kept the other on their heels the entire time and by the end of it Nature won by the skin of her teeth. All she had left was a Queen and a king but she managed to trap Daniel's king despite having less pieces.

"Good match. You really had me on the ropes, but you didn't check your base and focused to much on your front." Daniel looked up and all he saw was an asteroid field that was made by the destroyed planets. When Nature saw him looking at the asteroids she changed the view around them to a view of underwater. "You really like exploring? I saw it in your eyes. You want to explore more? Tell you what. Next time we meet after our date. We will train in different places each time, I think you would like that."

"You can really tell a lot just by looking at someone? How strong are you?" She smiled.

"I am the 2nd strongest entity there is. Ranked at High Complex Multiversal Level. I'm only surpassed by Archie who is our leader and he is ranked somewhere at low Hyperversal." Daniel got curious and decided to learn more about her and the other entities.

"So...how did you become...Nature and the others?" She took a moment to think.

"To answer how I became the me I am now...my mother was a great magician and her primary study was life magic and my dad was a master in alchemy. He had a large garden that branched off into different sections, each one specially made to help plants from other worlds, and some from higher dimensions, grow into health ingredients. My mother knew how to extend someone's life, shorten it and even transfer it, but she could never learn how to revive the dead." Nature sighed and looked off to the side when she mentioned that.

"She trained me in the art of life magic. I became almost as good as her. One day she left as she was asked by another entity to assist in an attack on the dark multiverse...and she never came back." Nature was struggling a little, Daniel saw she was changing but she quickly caught herself. "Sorry, looking back to that day I still get angry. I used what she taught me and found her life signature and followed it with my dad. We found her brutally beaten and unconscious." She slammed the chess table and it broke into pieces so small they were like sand.

"We tried to revive her. But all we could do was delay her death. Not long after she passed away I was contacted by Archie. My mother and the life entity were destroyed and with me being skilled in life magic at such a young age, I was offered to replace the lost one. So I accepted, trained and prepared myself to complete what she failed to do." Daniel didn't know if he should wait because she had more to say or if she was done so he decided to just ask the question he had.

"Did you? Did you finish what she started?"

"No...I can't...none of us can. The dark multiverse...it's...I don't know how to explain it but it's like it has a concept to it, a code, a meaning...something. It's like the very concept of existence and beyond are all trying to kill you if you're good the moment you step in there. Because in the dark multiverse evil always wins. There is no buts, ifs or how's. They always win. I tried and I could barely injure a single grunt. I barely managed to escape with my life. But thankfully this is only in the dark multiverse. The same grunt followed me and tried to kill me...the moment he left that realm he was finished with a pinky finger slap."

Daniel remained silent as he let that sink into his head. There is a place out there where evil always wins. He got more interested in how these universes and dimensions were laid out, what was what and how much there was.

"I'll tell you about the rest of the entities you know of some other time. I need to ask them if they are ok with me telling you their story." Daniel smiled and she did too.

"Nature. I have something i want to know. Who was the previous bearer? Like 'Who' was she?" Nature's head jumped in surprise.

"She kept her identity a secret." She said rather quickly.

"Nature, are you ok? You look a little startled." She looked a little nervous.

"I need to get the rest together. The time of our break period is almost here and they need to know" She thought in her mind before she spoke to Daniel again. "Do you have any more questions?" Daniel saw she was avoiding the talk about the previous bearer so he thought it was a painful topic for her and let is slide.

"Why can't Archie deal with King N?" He asked.

"He can but...he failed to stop him." Daniel raised an eyebrow.

"The guy is hyperversal level which is higher than multiversal and he failed? How strong is King N?" Daniel was worried. If Nature is stronger than Tractus who beat him and Archie who is stronger than her failed to stop this guy, then what hope does he have?

"Well he didn't fail in the sense he was defeated. But more along the lines of...as he said...'It's like I wasn't fighting King N but his shadow'. I think what Archie meant was he was beating him in power but he didn't see himself getting any closer to beating him."

"Seriously? What happened for him to be that strong?" He asked.

"None of us know. King N became this strong when he became evil...and we have looked over records and even tried time travel. It's like...the time before he became evil didn't exist. He wasn't always bad. We remember a time he was a good guy but then...he just became evil as a few days flew by." Daniel was getting more worried the more he heard about King N. It sounded like he would have no chance at beating him so to get his mind off of it for now he tried to change the subject. He remembered what she said before.

"Weren't we supposed to go to a café or something?"

"Oh. Café des cheval. Yeah. It should be opening soon. I think it's almost morning in ponyville." She stood up and teleported them to ponyville where they were soon standing outside a café and a few moments later the door opened and the sign switched to 'Open'

Nature went inside and Daniel followed. He had never been to this place before, which he counted as another point to get out of the house more.

"A Hot chocolate please." She ordered and Daniel looked over the menu. He was never a fan of coffee so he too ordered the hot chocolate. Both of them took their drinks outside so they could speak without much worry of being overheard. "So...are you going to stay hidden?" She asked.

"No...probably not much longer. I just need to see how they react to my other forms. If they act in a good way then I might do it soon." He took a sip of his drink and it was a pleasant temperature.

"Well I wish you the best of luck. I hope they will understand why you did it."

They talked for a little while longer and Daniel got to know Nature a bit more. Mostly her favorite foods and drinks so Daniel told her his in return. It was almost 10 in the morning and Nature said she had to go. As she was leaving she stopped and turned back to Daniel. She enjoyed their time together in this date so she wanted to ask him if he was up for another.

"I quite liked our date. We should have another one." Daniel liked the sound of that so he nodded. "How about another one in 2 to 3 months?"

"Sure. I'll see you then, if you're not busy." She smiled and walked up to him.

"This is for the great time I had." She kissed him on the cheek and his face turned as red as a rose. Nature laughed and teleported away.

"Wha-wha- oh that cheeky..." Daniel decided to let it drop. He lifted his hoof up to the cheek he was kissed on and rubbed it. "That...just happened." Daniel shook his head to clear it and started to walk home. When he got back home the first thing he did was check on Annabelle. On his way there he remembered that he should make her some breakfast so he turned around and did just that before he continued on his way.

As he was walking to Terabithia he took a moment to stop and look at the cereal he was holding. It was the same kind of cereal that she had on the day that all of this madness started for him and as he looked at it he started thinking back over everything that had happened. He stood still for a few moments as his mind wandered and eventually he was brought back to reality and continued his walk to Terabithia. The memories of all that have happened flashed in his mind; when he first met his kids, naming them and figuring out what they liked doing. Then meeting his friends and the adventures they've had. While he was lost in his memories the tune Barry played on the piano started playing in his head. Daniel smiled as he continued his walk.

He ended up bouncing his head up and down to the tune as he thought about it, but his attention was grabbed by a voice that he recognized as Selene's voice.

"Daddy, What are you doing?" Daniel stopped and looked at her.

"Eh," He looked around the room, trying to think of an answer but he could not think of one so he just chuckled embarrassingly. "Sorry about that." As he continued to walk away she followed him and asked another question.

"Daddy, when will we be able to go outside?" Daniel was at the door to Terabithia but stopped and turned to look at her.

"When a tracker is installed so you can find your way back and I know where you are from within the forest, but if you get that soon you must promise me to stay away from anything that is not a diamond dog or a Timberwolf, ok?" Selene just nodded in agreement. Daniel wanted to be careful so his kids were not seen by any of the ponies or others that lived in the forest. He continued to talk to Selene and opened the front door to Terabithia. He saw Annabelle talking to Freddy while lying on the flat stone rocks

"Hey Annabelle, I brought you some breakfast." He handed the bowl to her and she took it.

"Thanks." She said as she sat up and then Daniel's head jumped up in realization. He snapped his fingers which caused a spoon to appear in the bowl. As Annabelle started to eat her breakfast, Daniel sat down on one of the rocks next to her.

"Annabelle do you want to come to ponyville today?"

"What needs done?"

"Well if you feel up for it you can head to the school tommorow. But other than that I thought that perhaps you might want to see our friends again." She stopped eating for a moment and looked at the sky. Daniel did the same. 'I need to make the sky in here look better. If I make it look like there is a planet close to this place then would she think it would look cool or scary?' He was snapped out of his thoughts when Annabelle spoke again.

"I want to see my friends again."

"So....you want to go out today?" Daniel asked and Annabelle nodded. "Fine. I will be in the living room for a while." She went back to eating her cereal.

"Ok, I will wait for you there then." Daniel made his way out of Terabithia but turned around and looked at Freddy and Selene who were talking, He cleared his throat. "You two coming?" They both turned around and looked at him but then Freddy looked at Selene and spoke once more.

"We will continue this back at Aperture." Selene nodded in agreement and they both walked over to where Daniel was standing and out of Terabithia. Daniel looked at Annabelle once more before he closed the door and went to the living room to wait on her.

He waited in the living room for a few minutes and he was starting to get bored so he took out his IPhone and searched through the pictures that he had in it and he soon got to a picture of him, Annabelle and their mom and dad all together last Christmas and smiling. When he saw that he felt a single tear going down his cheek but he quickly cleaned it off himself before turning off the IPhone and placing it back in his pocket. Daniel stood up and tried to get his mind off of the picture he saw. He heard someone walking from behind him and turned around to see Annabelle about to start walking up the stairs but she stopped before she did and looked at Daniel.

"I will be down after I get changed."

"Ok." She started to walk up the stairs and Daniel waited for a few more minutes, the picture still annoying him in his mind. He closed his eyes and thought about his kids and Annabelle smiling and it helped ease him slightly but after a few seconds he saw his mother and father with them and he felt his heart tighten up, he felt like his tears were starting to come back. "Stay Focused. You can still keep Annabelle safe, it's what they would have wanted." He said to himself and he then patiently waited for her to come back down and she did after a few moments, wearing her regular outdoor clothes.

"What are we doing today?"

"I actually don't know. Just out meeting our friends I guess."

"Fine. But I will be looking out for you to tell them a bit more" Daniel used his powers on both of them and changed them into their pony forms, he then put the fake tattoo back on and turned to leave when he heard Annabelle ask something else. "Where are my clothes?"

"I used my powers to make our clothes part of our forms but not quite. So when we turn into ponies they disappear but reappear when we turn back." Annabelle just shrugged her shoulders and followed Daniel down into the basement and then through the door and into their ponyville house's basement. They then went up the stairs and into the living room of the house. "Where do you want to go first? To the park?" Annabelle shrugged her front legs.

"I honestly don't mind. Perhaps for a wonder."

"Ok then, let's head to the park." Daniel decided that they should go to the park so they both exited the door and started walking to the park. Annabelle was beside Daniel the whole time they were walking through Ponyville and along the way to the park Daniel and Annabelle met Twilight with Spike on her back and when she saw him she walked up and greeted him.

"Hi Cosmos...Strawberry." She paused and looked at his sister with a surprised look.

"Hi Twilight." She said with a smile. Twilight looked at Daniel, who took a note that by the way Twilight was acting, the season mustn't have started today.

"She still hasn't gotten over it yet."

"Over the issue?" Twilight asked and Daniel just nodded his head.

"What are you two doing?" He asked Twilight.

"We are heading to Applejack's, she wanted to tell us something. Would you two like to come along?" Daniel looked at Annabelle who was looking at him.

"Fine." They both followed Twilight to sweet Apple Acres where they found Rainbow Dash trying to touch the ground with her front legs while sitting up on her back legs and all the while Applejack was standing a little away from her and watching her exercise. Twilight walked up to Applejack, who greeted them when she saw them.

"Hi Twi. Cosmos...Strawberry? Nice to see ya out 'n about again." She said with a bigger smile when she saw Annabelle. "Twi, i'm glad ya could come along." Twilight and Daniel were both looking at Rainbow Dash.

"So, You two are doing what now?" Twilight asked.

"Ahn Iron-" Applejack was cut off by Rainbow Dash.

"Iron Pony Competition." She then went back to her exercise and Applejack continued to explain.

"See we set up a bunch of events that decide which one of us-" She was cut off by Rainbow Dash again.

"Is the most athletic pony ever." Applejack just stood there with a disappointed look on her face.

"-and I'm here to?" She put a hoof out and by the sound of her voice she was wondering why she was here, Rainbow Dash looked confused too.

"Eh, I don't know. Why is she here?" She asked Applejack who still had the same expression on her face.

"To be our judge and keep score." Now Dash understood and grinned.

"Right, Somepony's got to recorded my awesomeness for the history books." She went back to her exercising and both Applejack and Twilight looked at each other. Applejack's expression was back while she was looking at Twilight. "Hey Cosmos. How would you like to join us?" Daniel was taken by surprise by this and quickly looked at Dash.

"Why?" Dash laughed.

"You have insane speed and strength. You would be a perfect challenge." They all looked at Daniel for an answer.

"No thanks. I am staying with strawberry until she feels back to her good old self so...sorry." He heard Dash groan in disappointment.

"Well then, let's get this started." Applejack said and they started to walk away. Daniel and Annabelle followed them to Applejack's barn where they retrieved barrels that had flowers in them. "Cosmos, Can you help?" Applejack nudged her head to another barrel at the side.

"Sure." He walked over to it and put his head to the side of it then pushed, causing it to tip towards him and he then stood up with it on his back. While it was not a challenge to keep it up, it was annoying trying to balance it to keep it from falling off of his back.

"Careful." He looked to the side and saw Twilight was helping him keep it up.

"Thanks." Daniel continued to follow Applejack and Dash until he saw what looked like a obstacle course.

"Put it here Cosmos." Applejack called out from a line of barrels, Daniel went down and dropped the barrel on the ground and linked it up with the rest of them.

"Hello Everypony, and welcome to the first annual iron pony competition." Spike shouted out while holding a stick and standing on Twilight's back.

"Eh, Spike, Who are you talking to?" Twilight asked him?

"Um, Them." He pointed to the side and when Daniel looked in that direction he saw that Pinkie pie, Fluttershy and Rarity were walking, flying and hopping towards them. "Let the games begin!" Spike shouted after he jumped on Twilight's head and the rest all cheered but Twilight didn't look amused.

"Strawberry?" They heard Pinkie Pie say and she then dashed up to Annabelle. "Itsgreattoseeyouagainwhathappenedwhywereyougoneforsolongandwh - "She talked very fast but was silenced by Daniel who put a hoof on her mouth.

"Pinkie, she is still recovering the last little bit. So don't be up in her face so much." Daniel told her.

"It's great to see you again, we were worried about you." Fluttershy told Annabelle.

"Well I for one can't wait to see Rainbow and Applejack go at it in the competition." Daniel said while looking over the course.

"Will you join in too Cosmos?" He looked over at Rarity who asked that question.

"No, I won't be Rarity. I am planning to stay with my sister until she feels like her old self again." Dash spoke next.

"You just don't want to join in because you can't use your magic. Is that it Cosmos?" Daniel turned to Rainbow Dash.

"What?"

"Twilight told us that Magic can be used to enhance somepony physically. Is the real reason you don't want to take part is because you know that without magic you will lose?" Dash asked.

"No, I don't want to join because, as I said, I want to stay beside Strawberry." Dash let It go.

"Fine, but one day you, me and Applejack will have a competition." Daniel was confused as to why she wanted to challenge him.

"Why do you want to have a competition with me? Without my enhancements I am easy to beat." Daniel made sure to say enhancements so he was not lying to his friends. He was not magically enhanced but cosmically so by saying just the one word it could mean by any kind. Dash just laughed at what he said.

"You are likely both strong and fast from living in the everfree with your little sister. So I don't think you are as weak as you say you are without your magic." Daniel could see what she was trying to do but he still refused.

"Sometime, Perhaps. But not today." Dash scoffed it off.

"Hey Cosmos, You ever think of entering a magic competition?" He heard Twilight ask him.

"A what?" He asked back.

"A magic competition, where unicorns get together and preform the best magic spells they can do. You can do physical enchantments with your magic and that kind of magic is quite a hard one to learn." Daniel smacked himself on the inside.

"Great going idiot. Now they think you're great at magic. I need to remove the radiation from within me soon so I can start practicing." While he was hating himself on the inside his expression on the outside was unchanged.

"I don't know. I might think on it for a while." Twilight smiled.

"If you don't then it's fine." Rainbow Dash was getting impatient.

"Are we ready to get this competition started?" She asked.

"Right now." Applejack said to her and they both glared at each other.

"Spike, did you bring the stopwatch?" Twilight asked.

"It's right here." Spike said as he held up a stopwatch.

"Alright then, Applejack, You're up first." Applejack took her place at the front of the barrels and both Daniel and Annabelle stood and watched.

"Ready, set, go!" As Twilight said go Spike pressed the button on the watch and Applejack zoomed off. She went between all the barrels greatly but she hit the last one she passed.

"Dag namit." She said as she crossed the finish line.

"Time Spike?" Twilight asked as Spike stopped the stopwatch.

"17 seconds." Applejack zoomed up to them.

"You're kiddin, That breaks mah record from last years rodeo."

"But, You get a 5 second penalty for nudging the barrel." Spike reminded her and she looked disappointed.

"Nuts and shoes. That's 22 seconds. Not too shabby." Dash was now sweating and Applejack saw this. "Hey, Don't be nervous. Remember, it's all in good fun. Now get on up there." Rainbow Dash flew to the same spot that Applejack was at before and readied herself.

"Ready, set, go." Twilight said and Spike pressed the button. As soon as she did Rainbow zoomed off and passed all the barrels almost effortlessly and crossed the finish line.

"That was some fancy hoof work there Rainbow." Rainbow Dash flew back to the group.

"Thanks, But I couldn't have been as fast as you." She was still sweating.

"What was the time on that Spike?" Applejack asked.

"18 seconds." They both looked surprised.

"18 seconds. Rainbow are you sure you're not a rodeo pony?" Twilight walked up to Dash and held up her hoof.

"Rainbow Dash wins the barrel leap." They looked over at the scoreboard and saw Fluttershy place an Apple with the letter 1 on it next to a chalk picture of Rainbow Dash.

"I can't believe I won." Dash was flying slightly off of the ground when she said that but was pulled to the ground by Applejack.

"Yeah well, Don't you go getting use to it." Applejack did not look happy when she pulled Dash to the ground and said that. Annabelle got a smile on her face when she saw the competitive spirit between the 2 of them and Daniel saw this.

"Those 2 are going to go all out. Why don't you join them Bro?" Daniel smiled.

"Really? You and I both know it won't be fair." Daniel could feel her heartbeat through the vibrations on the ground after he focused on what he could feel and her raised heart rate combined with the smile on her face from the competition showed she was starting to get a rush from watching the 2 compete.

"Let's go, on to the next part." Twilight said and walked off and they all followed her but Applejack went off to the side to rest at a nearby tree. They arrived at one of those 'test your strength' games you would see at a carnival, there were some other ponies around it that probably were here to try it out, and Rainbow Dash flew to the front of it and kicked it with enough strength to ring the bell. When the bell was rung everyone cheered. Dash then flew over to Applejack with a grin on her face.

"Mighty respectable but...let me show ya how it's really done." Applejack walked over to the machine with a confident look on her face and when she was in front of the target she kicked it which caused it to shatter and the bell to burst off of the top. While all the other ponies cheered Applejack walked over to Dash who was now sitting on the ground and very shocked. "Years of Apple buckin." Applejack kicked the tree which caused Apples to fall on Dash but she was still staring at the machine with an unchanged expression. Fluttershy put a Apple with the number 1 next to a chalk drawing of Applejack.

"Aww. I wanted to try it." Annabelle said and Daniel chuckled.

"On to the next part!" Twilight called out and they started to move again, Daniel and Annabelle got up and started to walk in the direction they were going.

"What do you think of them?" When he asked that Annabelle turned her head and looked at Daniel.

"About Rainbow and Applejack?" She asked.

"Yes."

"They are like friends who argue to show each other that they care." Daniel glanced back and saw that both Dash and Applejack were glaring at each other.

"I hope they don't care about me that much." Daniel said sarcastically.

They continued to follow the others to the next bit of the competition. They arrived at a boxed pen and Twilight opened the gate with her magic and Applejack entered. Twilight then looked at Spike and spoke.

"Spike, I am going to need you to help with this next part."

"Sure, what do I need to do?" Twilight walked up to him and whispered something in his ear. "What?" She then picked him up with her magic and placed him on Applejack's back. "Do I have to do this?" Twilight just nodded. "Why me?"

"Go!" Twilight shouted and then Applejack started to jump up and down multiple time and Spike was having trouble holding on. Soon Spike lost his grip and flew up in the air and landed in a haystack that was next to Applejack. Spike's head appeared out of the haystack after a few seconds.

"Ready for another pony ride?" The haystack fell apart to reveal Rainbow Dash who's back Spike was now clearly unhappily sitting on.

"No." Rainbow ran into the centre and waited on Twilight's word. Daniel chuckled at what Dash said.

'Spike is a dragon which means when he grows up he will be much bigger than ponies and if he remembers this, he will ask you if you're ready for a dragon ride. You will look back at this point Dash and feel the fear that he does right now. Same goes for you Applejack.' Daniel thought and laughed at the image that appeared in his head.

"Go!" Twilight shouted and Dash started to jump very fast, like a jackhammer, and in no time spike was sent flying into the air. "Rainbow Dash wins the bronco buck." Twilight called out. Spike landed on the scoreboard just as Fluttershy finished fixing the score. "Spike, we need you again for this one." Spike had a look of fear on his face when Twilight picked him up and levitated him towards her.

"Twilight, I don't want to do this." He said to her.

"Don't worry Spike, this is not as bad as that last one." He seemed to calm down a little.

"Really?" He asked with a little smile.

"Yes, all you have to do is stand in the middle and wear this." Twilight placed what looked like a Viking hat on Spike's head and then lifted him up and place him in the pen. Dash and Applejack were both in there and they both had ropes but while Applejack was having fun jumping through hers, Dash was having difficulty with her own. Applejack threw her rope around spike and easily hogtied the poor dragon.

"How do I get roped into these things?" Daniel felt sorry for Spike as he has had it rough in just the past few minutes. As he looked over to Dash he almost busted out laughing, because she had somehow managed to hogtie herself to a tree and was struggling to get out.

"Does this count?" Fluttershy sorted the score and Applejack untied Spike and Dash.

"What do you think?" Daniel asked Annabelle, who was jumping in place as she watched the competition.

"I hope they stay friends when this is all over." Daniel had to agree with her.

There was a few more events such as; keep the ball bouncing on your head, Haystack throwing, hoof wrestling, and rugby. The last one surprised Daniel as it was something that was in his world and while it did make him feel a bit better that this world might be like Earth it also made him a bit upset as it reminded him of what happened to it. After a while Spike made an announcement.

"Mares and Gentlecolts, at the halfway point our competitors are tied at 5 and 5." Spike called out. Twilight was reading a letter while he spoke to double check that everything was on schedule.

"Spike, Who are you talking to?" Spike pointed around the place.

"Them." As Twilight looked around she saw that lots of other ponies had arrived to watch Dash and Applejack compete.

"Ok, well on to the next one. Push ups." When Twilight said that both Dash and Applejack got into position. "Go!" She called and they started doing push ups and as this happened Daniel's mind started to wonder again.

"How should I approach them on the topic that me and Annabelle are humans when humans are supposed to be just myths? I could just invite them for a sleepover and tell them the truth that night, explain why we were hiding and other things. But do I trust Twilight enough to not tell Celestia? I already met Luna and it ended in a fight so could it be worse if Celestia was told about me? Now that I think about it, When I met Luna in my Dream she was not hostile or rude but it might just have been an act. I might tell the princesses after a few weeks if my friends accept up. Applejack is the element of honesty so if she promises not to tell then she likely won't go back on it. What do I do?"

"95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100." Twilight was keeping count of the push ups and on the 100th push up Dash used her wings to assist her.

"Yes!" Dash cheered and when Applejack tried to do a final push up she fell flat on the ground.

The Games continued, but it was sometimes unfair on Applejack as Dash used her wings to get ahead of her in the long jump and used them to shield chicks from mud, when she was actually letting them ride on her wings. While Daniel did think that the long jump one was unfair, he wasn't sure about the chick one as it didn't seem to be cheating. She was just letting the chicks sit on her wings. If she put her wings around them then he would say it was cheating, but they were just sitting on them and mud could still get them.

The two competitors were glaring at each other across a wide mud hole with a rope stretched across. The final event to decide the victor was a tug-of-war. Each pony held the rope in their mouths, getting excited at the thought of pulling the other into the pit and winning the games.

"This is the final event. Give it all you got." Twilight said and the two of them started pulling with all their might.

"Looks like the work horse might come out ahead in this one." Spike called out as Dash was pulled closer and closer to the edge. At the last moment she used her wings to fly and pick Applejack up. Applejack complained that Dash can't use her wings and Daniel agreed with her for this event, but eventually Applejack shouted and let go of the rope and fell into the mud.

"I win by a landslide, or mudslide in your case." Dash said to Applejack who was sitting in the mud and wasm't looking happy. Dash then flew up in the air and shouted out. "I am the IronPony!"

"Only cause ya cheated." Applejack called out and Dash looked angry with her.

"What?" She zoomed up into her face.

"You used yer wing power ta help ya win half those contests."

"Sounds like sour Apples to me."

"Are you sayin ya didn't use your wings?"

"Well no, But you never said I could use my wings."

"I didn't think I needed ta tell ya ta play fair."

"I would have still won even without my wings." Applejack laughed a little at that.

"Prove it." Dash folded her hoofs.

"Gladly, How?"

"Tomorrows the annual Running of the Leaves. I dare you to race me." Dash started to slowly fly upwards.

"Easy smeasy."

"Now hold on." Applejack grabbed her tail and pulled her to the ground then stood on her tail. "There is one condition. The point is to run. So no wings allowed."

"No Wings." Dash knocked Applejack off of her. "No problem." Both of them spat on their hoofs and connected them, looking at each other in the eye, each one knowing they were going to win.

"Well then, I guess we will see this finished tomorrow then." Twilight said. Daniel looked up to the sky and saw it was almost evening, he then looked to Annabelle who was cheering.

"Shall we head back home." Annabelle stopped cheering and nodded.

"I am a bit hungry."

"I will make you something when we are back." Daniel stood up and so did Annabelle, they both turned around and started to walk home but Daniel stopped when he heard Twilight.

"Cosmos, Strawberry. Where are you going?" He turned around and saw all of his friends looking at them.

"We're heading back home, I'll come along to the Running of the Leaves tomorrow, hopefully Strawberry will too."

"Oh, Ok. Bye then."

"See you tomorrow girls." Daniel and Annabelle started to walk back home and the walk back was uneventful. When he entered his Ponyville house he locked it's door, they both went into their basement and into their Everfree home. When they were standing in the living room Daniel changed them both back to their normal forms and they still had their clothes on. Annabelle started to walk up the stairs but stopped a little bit up the way.

"I will be back down after I get changed." She started to walk up the stairs again.

"Ok Annabelle. What would you like to eat." She stopped in her tracks and thought and eventually turned around with a smile on her face.

"Something with chocolate in it."

"Fine." He said with a smile and a shake of his head. She continued walking again until she got to her room and when she was in her room Daniel thought about what he should make for her. After a few moments he made a chocolate cake with mint icing and rainbow sprinkles appear and placed it on the table for her.

He then walked into the living room and waited for her to return. Annabelle returned after a few moments and sat down at the table he placed the cake for her on and started to eat it, and while she was doing that Daniel got up to put on a DVD but as he got up a stain on his clothes caught his eye. He snapped his fingers and his cloths were stainless once more but something clicked in his mind and he wanted to know the answer to it so he asked PIA.

"Do I need to clean myself like I did before? Does all that stuff about 'You will sweat the older you get' still apply to me now?"

"Yes and No. You don't sweat unless you are having difficulty with something and temperature does not make you sweat, but you can still get dirty from things like mud." Daniel remembered about the events today and about the last time he washed up, while PIA did say he did not need to Daniel still found a bath to be quite relaxing so he continued what he was doing. He put on a random DVD he found and turned to Annabelle.

"Hey Annabelle, I am heading for a bath, I will be back out in a while."

"Ok." She barely managed to say with cake stuffed in her mouth. Daniel walked to the bathroom and turned the bath on and locking the door. With nothing to do but wait for the bath to finish filling he sat on toilet lid and waited, as he waited he decided that he should think about how he should approach his friends on the matter of what he and his sister are.

"They might freak out so I need to make sure they are somewhere where other ponies can't hear or see them so if they do freak out others won't hear. But where? I could tell Applejack first and see how she reacts, she is the element of honesty so if she promises me she won't tell then she is most likely to do that. But what is to stop Twilight from telling Celestia and if she does then it's likely I will have to fight both her and Luna, because of our last encounter. But then...will my friends stay by the princess and attack me if I ended up attacking them in self defence?" Daniel sighed, he didn't like the idea of something like that happening. If it did happen then how would Annabelle react, How would she feel? And while his powers seem to be limited to his imagination and with a few acceptations such as no reviving the dead and a few others he will likely discover in the coming years, he still can't fully control them. So if they reacted bad and he tried to erase their memories that would be him using a unfamiliar power on their brain, which could be irreversible.

The more Daniel thought about it the more he was unsure if they should reveal themselves at all. He revealed himself to the Timberwolves because they recognized he wasn't from the Everfree so there was no way around it and he did the same for the Diamond Dogs as it was needed to end the conflict between them and the wolves without death."I guess I could try and learn about the mind, if they freak out I can remove the memory from them, but how do I learn such a thing?" Daniel remembered he had a bath running and looked at it to see it was almost done so he decided to think more on the subject later.

He folded his cloths and place them on a radiator close by and laid down in the bath and washed himself up. While he did this he decided to play around with his powers to take his mind off of the worries. He changed his powers to be used by his mind rather than his will and then he placed his hand in the water and imagined it turning blue and it did so with no side effects. He then thought about lifting all the water out and as the water was floating out of the bath he made it go into different shapes.

"This is...actually quite fun. I think I could get use to it. Why didn't I try it before?" He moved the water and put it back in the bath. He then got a crazy idea but decided to try it. He imagined the water turning to ice and his body tenses up from the shock of the sudden cold. He quickly imagined something hot to heat him up and he then felt his body start burning as he turned the ice into lava.

Within a moment he changed it again into something harmless. When he saw the lava he though of water then his mind went to water and lava make steam and before he knew it he was in a empty and burned bathtub with steam covering the whole room. Daniel sat in the tub, a little shaken up from all that just happened but he soon snapped out of it when he felt a pain in his legs. With his vision he saw through the steam easily and saw his legs had just finished healing and were back to normal. He quickly turned his powers back to will instead of imagination and got out after fixing the burnt bathtub.

"That...hurt." He decided to try one more thing to see if it could be used to quickly dry him off thanks to the steam. He closed his eyes and willed his body temperature to increase and after a moment he started to hear sizzling and he then looked at his arm to see the little water that was on his arm clear away. He was happy to feel no negative side effects as he could now do this in the winter if it gets cold for Annabelle. He reached for his shirt but it burst into flames when he touched it so he lowered his body temperature before remaking the same shirt that was destroyed and put it on along with the rest of his clothes.

"I need to be careful, that can be very bad if I don't take care while using it." He thought. He look at his clothes and figured he might as well change them as he isn't going anywhere else today. After a moment he snapped his fingers and he was wearing the old PJs he wore back home. He also teleported the clothes he was wearing to the living room couch. "I missed these, they are so comfy, Why do they feel more better than last time?" He remembered the last time he wore them was at his house before he got his powers, but now that he had his powers and he remembered than PIA said about his enhancements and one was increased sensitivity, he figure that was the reason they felt so much more cosy and he started to walk to the door.

When he walked back to the living room and Annabelle saw him wearing his PJs, she looked somewhat surprised.

"Why are you wearing them? You normally wear those all the time." She said the second part pointing at the clothes he place on the couch.

"I like my PJ's, they're cozy. Anyway, how was the cake?"

"It was nice, thanks." Annabelle got up and made her way to Aperture while Daniel sat down on the couch and watched the TV, there was nothing that required his attention and he knew that his kids and the robots would keep Annabelle safe when she was in Aperture so he decided to sit down and rest for a while before training some more.

Luna had been thinking about how she would approach Daniel and about how she would find him so she has been writing everything she knew about him on blue notes, things she speculates on yellow ones and what she would say and how she would deal with his reaction on green ones. She had just finished putting her last green note on her desk and she was now looking over what she knew about him.

'He has a little sister, that much is certain and from what I can remember by the sound of his voice he is a male. He wears clothes, black and blue, and his eyes are light blue.'

Luna was a bit disappointed that she had so little confirmed information but she reassured herself when she thought it was better to have some than none. She turned over to look at her yellow notes. "He might be the Shadow which could mean he can shapeshift and by both how long he has been around for and the fact that he and his sister might still need food means that it's likely they've interacted with pony society. But if he is also the pink cat creature then he can change reality and just make her food so until I know for sure, both of these possibilities still stand." Luna thought back to the dream where she first saw him and what he discussed with the other giant creature. "What Heart were they talking about? I remember it being called a Heart, but what kind?"

Luna looked over another one of her notes and when she read it she almost had a change in her determination to find Daniel. "He...He couldn't protect his parents. Does that mean they are...dead?" She put that note down on her table and looked out of the window. "Is it a good idea for me to continue to try and find them? They are likely going through some tough times if they lost their parents." Luna looked back at her notes, not as determined to find him as before.

With a sigh Luna now looked over her green notes. "If I meet him I won't be like I was 1000 years ago and I will tell him it was my fault and if we could start our greeting over again. All it is now is a matter of finding him." Luna was wondering if she should tell Celestia about what she had found as she might be able to help her when the time comes and she does met Daniel. She heard a knock on her door and quickly used her magic to hide the notes under her desk. "You may enter." She called out and the door opened to reveal a royal guard.

"Princess, your sister wishes to talk with you." Luna wondered what Celestia was wanted to talk to her about.

"Tell our...my sister that I will be right there." Luna was going to get up and walk but the guard spoke again.

"Actually she's on her way to you right now. She sent me ahead of her to inform you." Luna sighed.

"Ok then, I will wait for her. Thank you for informing me." The guard saluted and left the room, Luna didn't have to wait long as Celestia arrived shortly after the guard did.

"Hello Luna."

"Hello Tia. What did you want to speak to me about?"

"It's about tomorrow." Celestia turned her head and looked out of Luna's window. "Tomorrow is the Running of the Leaves, an event that I enjoy quite a lot and I was wondering if you would like to come along." Luna knew what the Running of the Leaves was, but she wanted to stay inside the castle, not only to study more about today's culture, but also to see if she could find out any more possibilities of what Daniel might be.

"I would love to sister, but I wish to stay and continue my studies." Celestia chuckled.

"You have studied a lot already. I got word from the staff that work at the royal library that you have read almost all the books based on past history and culture. You might want to think about choosing a student soon, like I did." Luna sighed.

"That can wait for another time, I still don't feel ready for that." Celestia got up and started to walk to the door but stopped at the door and turned to face Luna.

"You will get the hang of it eventually, also don't forget you need to raise the moon." Luna looked outside and saw the sun was setting. She knew she was going to have to rise it soon.

"Ok Tia. Good night." Celestia left the room and Luna raised the moon shortly after. She got the notes back out from under her desk and looked at them while they were still a pile, she then yawned. "I should get some rest." She placed the notes back under her desk and went to bed for the night.

It was now morning time and Daniel was happy it was as he had been training all night. He knew that today was the day that Dash and Applejack would compete in the race and he was actually looking forward to seeing that happen, but he was currently waiting for Annabelle to wake up. Last night he was training in how to control his body temperature and now he could be a living radiator if he wanted to and he felt no side effects from doing so. After he learned how to control heat he then tried to learn to control cold but he ended up turning himself into an unmoving ice sculpture for about 2 hours so he gave up on it for now.

As he waited for Annabelle his mind started to wonder about who would win the race as both Dash and Applejack were very athletic, but he was unsure if one of them was better than the other.

"Are we going to the race today?" Daniel turned to the side and saw that Annabelle was already fully dressed. While he was happy to see that she was willing to go he still had to make her breakfast.

"Yes, but you need to eat something first. What do you want for breakfast?"

"The same as yesterday." Daniel made a bowl appear and filled it with cereal and then handed it to Annabelle. "Thanks." Annabelle sat down at the table and Daniel joined her.

"So who do you think's going to win?" She spoke before she started to eat.

"Whoever wins, there will likely be an argument. More competition." Daniel had a feeling that this race would end like that but he still wanted to watch it.

"Well, let me know when you're ready to leave." He sat back down on the couch and pulled out his Phone. He noticed that the battery was at 17% so he pressed his finger against it which caused electricity to go through it and recharge it to full. He then went through the music on his Phone, but decided to not play any as he had already heard them more than enough times before.

Despite how often he thought about it, he started to wonder again about how he would approach his friends on the topic that he and his sister were humans, but then he remembered that doing this would take a good amount of time to think about and he was just waiting for Annabelle to finish her breakfast and then go and watch the race.

He waited for a few moments until he heard dishes getting put in the sink. He turned to look at Annabelle who was waiting.

"I'm done." Annabelle said standing at the door.

"So are you ready to go?" She nodded and Daniel stood up.

"Ok then, Let's go." Daniel and Annabelle headed to the door that lead to their ponyville house's basement and entered it. When they were in the basement of the other house Daniel changed them into their pony forms and their clothes disappeared. He stopped, went back, put on his fake mark and went back to Annabelle who was waiting patiently. They then headed up to the living room of the house and towards the front door but before they went out Daniel stopped and turned around to look at the living room, it felt so alien to know that this house was his but he never used it when he uses his other one all the time. This house was just sitting around doing nothing so Daniel made a mental note to think about how or if there was a way that this place could be useful. He turned back around and saw Annabelle waiting on him so he continued out of the house and closed the door after she got out.

"Did Twilight say where this race was?" Daniel froze up.

"No she didn't. But we'll likely find it if we just look around. Just look for a large crowd." There was no need to look for a crowd because they heard Pinkie's voice in the distance.

"Fillies and Gentlecolts, welcome to the annual running of the leaves. This is Pinkie Pie your official eye in the sky announcer." Daniel looked in the direction of the sound and saw a hot air balloon raising up to the sky. Daniel looked at Annabelle who was looking at the balloon with a smile.

"Come on, let's go." They walked over to where Pinkie was and they heard her start speaking again.

"As everypony knows, the race is a very important tradition, without it, the autumn leaves of Equestria would never fall. So get ready ponies because the running of the leaves will begin in 5 minutes." Daniel walked up to the starting line where he saw Applejack warming up, he was wondering where Dash was but he soon heard her voice.

"Excuse me. Make way for the IronPony." Dash said while walking up to the line like she owned the place but Applejack was not amused.

"The Iron phony you mean." It didn't change Dash's mood as she still smiled happily but it quickly changed to a grin.

"So Applejack, you ready to win...second place?" She asked as she started flying.

"Ah'm ready to win a good clean race." Dash stopped flying and now stood next to Applejack.

"Yeah Yeah." She still had a grin on her face.

"You're not allowed to use your wings." She reminded Dash who still smiled.

"I could win this race with both wings tied behind my back." Dash was confident in what she said but Applejack grinned.

"Let's see if yer word is true." Applejack walked away from the starting line leaving Dash a bit confused. Dash saw Daniel and walked up to him.

"Come on Cosmos, Will you please race." Dash asked with a smile but Daniel still held by his decision.

"No Dash, for the same reason and also, because I don't want to." She just groaned in disappointment.

"Aww Come on. Please." Daniel wanted to stay with Annabelle but he knew that Dash wouldn't let this go if he kept on refusing.

"Fine. But I need to find somewhere Strawberry will be safe." Dash thought for a moment and then got an idea.

"Why not ask Pinkie Pie if she can ride the balloon with her?"

"Do it Do it!" She shouted in excitement when she heard she would get to be on the balloon and he thought that sounded like a good idea. She would get to watch the race and Daniel could take part by walking.

"Fine. Where is she?"

"I can go and ask her if you want."

"Please do." Dash flew off and Daniel was left alone with Annabelle. "Are you sure you'll be ok in that balloon?"

"You worry too much. You know that?" Daniel chuckled.

"I am your brother, it's my duty in life to worry about you."

"I can take care of myself. I'm not a baby anymore" Pinkie appeared in front of Daniel and Annabelle.

"Hey, is it true do you want to ride the balloon with me?" Annabelle's smile got bigger.

"Yes I do." Pinkie grabbed her hoof.

"Well then let's go." Daniel watched them zoom off and get into the balloon in the distance. When it was up in the air Annabelle waved to Daniel and he waved back. Dash arrived a moment later.

"Has Pinkie been here?" She asked.

"Yes, In fact her and Strawberry just left and got on the balloon." Dash looked shocked.

"How does she do that?" Daniel looked to the side and saw Applejack walking back, carrying some rope. She walked up to Dash and placed it on the ground.

"If yer so sure you can win, then you won't mind provin it, would you?" Dash laughed.

"Go ahead." Dash stood still and folded her wings. Applejack picked up the rope and started to tie her wings to her sides. When she was done she pulled on it one more time to tighten it.

"Dressed up like a turkey." She walked beside Dash at the starting line. "Well a turkey who can't fly that is." Now Dash was looking a bit angry.

"Very funny." Applejack just smiled.

"Least we now know we're racing fair n square." Trumpets were heard and Pinkie spoke again. Daniel didn't know if this race was something he had to sign up for so he decided to ask Applejack.

"Hey Applejack, How do I take part in this race?"

"Ya just say your racin and ya get a number. Why? You competing?" Dash spoke next.

"Yeah, he decided to take part, but he doesn't know where to get a number." Applejack giggled.

"Well you just wait right there partner. I will get you yers soon." Applejack walked off again. Dash spoke to Daniel while she was away getting him a number for the race.

"You know that Applejack will likely say no magic, right?" Daniel turned to Dash.

"Yeah, but I won't be needing it." Daniel was planning on not using his powers or winning, he just wanted to see how the race goes. Applejack came back holding a piece of paper with a number on it, the number was 49.

"Yer all set and here's your number Cosmos." She handed Daniel the paper and Daniel place it on his side.

"Thanks Applejack." They all heard Pinkie.

"Racers. Please take your positions." Spike ran across the line and to the balloon where he called out to Pinkie.

"Pinkie Pie." She saw him and called back to him.

"Hey Spike, what's up? Oh wait, it's me. I'm up." She laughed at her own joke.

"Uh yeh. I know you're doing the announcing today and...I'm sure you're going to do a great job and all but...I was just wondering.." Pinkie cut him off.

"What!?" Spike groaned in disappointment and waved his hand.

"Forget it." He started to walk away but stopped when he heard Pinkie again.

"Spike, Would you like to be my co-reporter? We could comment on the action together." This cheered Spike up as he now had a smile on his face.

"We could?" Pinkie lowered a rope down to him.

"Climb on up." Spike grabbed the rope and Pinkie pulled it and him up to the balloon. Daniel turned his attention to the starting line and walked over and took his place beside Applejack, he also saw Twilight was beside Dash on the line up. Both of them looked surprised when they saw her.

"Twilight? What in tarnation are you doing up here?" Applejack asked Twilight who made a letter she was reading vanish.

"I'm racing." Rainbow Dash jumped back laughing before speaking.

"What you?"

"I'm not joking." She told them and Dash was surprised.

""What? You're not an athlete your an...your an egghead." Applejack was grinning when Dash said that.

"I am not a egghead. I am well read." They both snickered.

"But...have you ever run a race?" Applejack asked.

"Well, no. But I do know a lot about running." The two of them were trying to hold in their laughter.

"And you know this from?"

"Books. I read several on the subject." Dash couldn't hold in her laughter and jumped up in the air laughing before falling down to the ground. Daniel smacked his hoof on his face.

"Books. If she looks at books to try and find the answer to everything then what will happen when she discovers what I truly am. Her books won't be able to tell her about my powers so will her brain melt or malfunction when that happens?" Daniel had a image in his head of a cross-eyed Twilight with smoke and visible sparks coming out her ears. "I hope that doesn't happen."

"What did you read? The egghead's guide to running? Did you stretch out your eye muscles to warm up." Dash was laughing almost the full time she asked these things.

"Scoff if you must Rainbow, but the running of the leafs is a ponyville tradition, and since I am here to learn I decided I should experience it myself." Dash was still on the ground but Applejack seemed to understand.

"Well ah think that is just dandy Twilight, good luck." After she said that she started to snicker again and Dash got up.

"Yeah, see you at the finish line...tomorrow." They started to laugh again. Pinkie pie was heard announcing.

"Alright Ponies, are you ready?" She let Spike take over.

"Get set." They all got ready to run and then a bell was heard and they all ran as fast as they could but Daniel did not run, instead he started to walk.

"And their off. Welcome to the official coverage of the running of the leafs. You know Spike despite it's name the leaves don't do any of the actual running. No. That's left to my little ponies." Daniel wondered why Pinkie said that as she sounded like she was talking like she was royalty.

"Why...yes Pinkie, it's the running of the ponies that causes the leaves to fall." Daniel looked forward and indeed the leaves only fell off after the ponies had ran passed them.

"Those lazy, lazy leafs." As Daniel continued to walk he heard a voice behind him.

"Hey Cosmos." He turned around to see Twilight not far behind him.

"Twilight? Why are you here and not further ahead?" She tilted her head at his question.

"I could ask you the same thing." He sighed.

"I am not planning on winning this race, I am just taking part because Dash wouldn't stop asking me." She laughed when he mention Dash.

"She never turns down a good challenge. Hey Cosmos want to walk together." Daniel didn't see anything wrong with her request, he could have someone to talk to while he walked.

"Ok then." The two of them started to walk together but after just a few seconds they heard Pinkie and Spike talk through the microphone a good bit away again.

"But this year the run is about more than the weather, it's about a race to the finish and the two runners who want to win it. Applejack and Rainbow Dash." Spike continued to announce after Pinkie.

"You know, these two ponies have a bit of a grudge match their trying to settle, trying to prove who is the most athletic."

"Yes, and grudge rhymes with fudge."

"Yes it...does. What?" Spike was confused. Daniel was also wondering what Pinkie was talking about.

"I like fudge but if I eat too much I get a pudge and I can't budge." Daniel almost stopped in his tracks when he heard Pinkie say that, he wondered if she says this randomly or if she somehow has all of those sayings planned out but he soon chose to forget about it and continued walking.

"Does she have all of those sayings planned out or something?" He looked at Twilight who looked just as confused as he did.

"So...no fudge?" They heard Spike ask.

"No thanks. I had a big breakfast." Daniel and Twilight were walking together and she was the first one to start up a conversation.

"It's nice to see Strawberry up and about again." Daniel looked at the balloon and smiled.

"It sure is. By the way, what are you doing? Walking instead of running?"

"I am following what one of my books said. Stay back and wait until the other racers have tired out before sprinting to the finish." He thought that sounded like a good plan.

"Who do you think will win?" He asked her.

"The race?" Daniel nodded. "Well between Applejack and Rainbow Dash, it's hard to say."

"I just hope they still remain friends after this is over." As they continued to walk and talk they could hear Pinkie's voice not far off in the distance.

"Let's check in with our two competitive ponies, Applejack and Rainbow Dash. Having come fast out of the gate Applejack and Rainbow Dash are evenly matched running neck and neck. But what's this? Applejack is making a move, she is now ahead by a nose. But Rainbow Dash who won't have that takes the lead. She is ahead by half a nose, or maybe three quarters of a nose. No about 63.7 percent of a nose. roughly speaking." Daniel looked up to the balloon and at Pinkie, thoughts going through his head when he heard her say that.

"She's a few nuggets short of a happy meal...no, in fact she is a full extra large happy meal."

"Hey Cosmos, If you don't mind me asking, why do you spend so long inside your house?" Twilight asked Daniel.

"I spend my time playing with Strawberry and sometimes read. Remember how she has been feeling? I was there for her the whole time." Twilight's attention was caught when he mentioned he spent some time reading.

"What books do you read? Besides ones based on mythical creatures which you have read at my library." Daniel thought back to some books he has read before.

"I sometimes read books based on made up things that came from somepony's imagination. In face there was this one book that I loved back at home. It was call The Lord Of The Rings and it was by far one of the best stories I have ever read. I sometimes read other books based on Science, Animals or Plants." They continued walking the whole time while talking.

"Was that 'Lord of the Rings' thing you mentioned that good?" Daniel thought back to when he read it.

"Yes it is, it's a shame I lost it, it was 1008 pages of awesome storytelling and imagination." Twilight's jaw dropped when Daniel mentioned the amount of pages it had in it.

"1008?" Daniel laughed when he saw her face. "Well it's nice to see I am not the only one in my group of friends when it comes to books." Twilight mentioned.

"I don't rely on books for everything. There are some things out there that books can't teach." Pinkie was heard in the distance again

"Applejack sees this move and plunges forth with her stronger legs streaking ahead by 350 noses." Daniel was certain that Pinkie had no clue what she was talking about now. Applejack said something and then they started to try and overtake one another and Spike made another announcement.

"Hold your horses Pinkie, Rainbow Dash is catching up to front runner Applejack." Dash was slowly starting to overtake Applejack.

"What an upset, I thought Applejack had this in the bag." In the distance Daniel could see that Applejack had tripped up and was then trampled on and covered in leafs. Daniel and Twilight stopped where Applejack fell and tripped over a rock.

"I don't believe it."

"I know, it's beautiful, isn't it?" Twilight said while looking around at all the fallen leafs.

"Not the scenery, Twilight. Rainbow Dash just tripped me." Daniel was starting to think this race was a bad idea as those two will likely think everything bad that happens to them is caused by the other.

"She did not." Twilight said to Applejack.

"She did too." He sighed.

"Applejack, Seriously, You tripped on a rock." He pointed at a rock that was not far from where she fell. "Next time perhaps you could watch where you are going." Twilight nodded in agreement.

"Wh-What?" Applejack looked at the rock in surprise.

"Cosmos is right, if you did stop and looked where you were going like us you would see you tripped on a rock."

"Aww Hayseeds. now I got a lot a ground to make up ta catch Rainbow." Applejack ran off.

"Just be careful!" Twilight shouted to Applejack and then continued to walk and look at the scenery with Daniel. A few moments later they heard Spike talk.

"I don't believe it, after a major setback Applejack is back to front of the pack." Pinkie spoke next.

"She's the head of the pack alright, the pick of the litter, the cat's pyjamas. Oh wait. why would Applejack take some poor kitty's PJs? That's not very sporting of her." Spike looked confused and was silent for a moment and Daniel almost chuckled.

"Ok. Let's get back to the race." Daniel was still walking with Twilight.

"Hey Cosmos, if it's ok to ask, Who were your parents?" Daniel stopped when Twilight mentioned that as it caused a image to flash in his mind, a picture of him, Annabelle and his mother and father and it caused his heart to tighten. After a moment he shook his head and answered.

"I'll tell you about them some other time. But not soon." Twilight saw his face, it was almost like a sad frown. She decided to not ask about his parents as it seemed to upset him.

"I'm sorry if I upset you." He saw she was feeling guilty and decided to reassure her he didn't mind.

"Don't be Twilight, it's something we all have to deal with eventually." The last thing he said caught her attention.

"The sad frown when I asked about his parents. Strawberry being upset for so long, the family issues and the 'We all have to deal with it eventually'. Did Cosmos and Strawberry lose their parents?" Twilight thought about the points of evidence and it seemed to match the answer. "He had protected his sister while going through everfree and he is still protective of her. His silence of his past. His reaction to the question. It makes scenes." Twilight thought that she had discovered something about him that could be critical to understanding him as a whole.

"Twilight, When exactly did your book say you should sprint?"

"It shouldn't be too long now. Hey Cosmos, what do you think of those two creatures?" Daniel had a feeling he knew what Twilight was talking about.

"You mean the pink cat and Shadow thing?" Twilight nodded. "Well, I don't know what to think of about the Shadow but the pink cat seems very friendly. The Shadow appeared when Nightmare moon was around and when an ursa attacked, perhaps it likes to fight?" Twilight thought for a moment.

"I have to agree with you, the Shadow only attacked Nightmare Moon and the ursa, it seemed to scared fluttershy but it didn't harm her or us. I wonder why that is?"

"Could it be it does not see us as decent pray?"

"Perhaps." They both heard Pinkie announce again.

"Welcome back Ponyvillians, it's me Pinkie Pie."

"And Spike. Looks like Rainbow's doing her best to catch up." Pinkie spoke next.

"I'm not sure how ketchup is going to help her in this contest. Now in a hotdog eating contest it can make the dog's nice and slippery but personally I prefer mustard. How about you Spike." Daniel heard Annabelle chuckle at what Pinkie said and he got a smile on his face. Hearing her laugh again after so long of not laughing was a nice change.

"Eh. I like pickles."

"And it looks like Applejack has found herself in quite a pickle as Rainbow overtakes her." Dash did slightly overtake Applejack in the race.

"As the racers enter equestria's whitetail wood Rainbow Dash is back in the lead." Daniel and Twilight were still walking along side one another.

"Is it ok if I ask about where you grew up?" Daniel decided to tell her a short version of it.

"There's nothing Special about it, it was a town just like a normal one, I went to school and discovered the one of my hobbies was drawing but not to the same way Strawberry's is. I left it and looked around for further study. A few events happened like Strawberry being born and I moved to ponyville."

"You mentioned you read science books. What kind of Sciences do you like?" Daniel thought about it for a few moments before answering.

"I like chemicals but I am not good at remembering things about them, I like to discover how machines are built and how they function." Daniel chuckled at a memory that came to his mind. "In fact back home we had machines that cleaned out clothes for us. A washing machine it was called."

"They are quite expensive. It's usually only the rich that have them." Daniel was amazed to hear that as he hadn't seem any machines here in Equestria besides trains.

"Well, I ended up falling asleep against one when I was young, the vibrations felt like a back massage. Looking back I wonder what must have been going through my mind." Twilight giggled.

"I sometimes think that when I look back at questions I got asked." Daniel looked forward and saw a sign that Dash was standing at.

"Oh my, whitetail wood is just lovely." Dash panicked and quickly changed the sign back to normal. "Hey Rainbow, shouldn't you be up ahead?" Dash laughed at her question.

"I'm sure to win now."

"Except that all the other racers just passed you." She jumped in the air when Twilight said that.

"Oh horse apples. See ya." Daniel turned to Twilight.

"What was she doing there?"

"I don't know." They both continued walking and after a few moments they saw Pinkie's balloon and Applejack holding onto a rope.

"Wow, I wonder how this race has went for them, because I have never seen a race where somepony hangs from a balloon." Daniel said and Twilight nodded in agreement.

"Same here." They heard Pinkie make another announcement.

"I must say Spike, that this has been the most interesting running of the leaves in Equestrian history."

"With the most interesting announcing." Daniel did his best to hold in a laugh when Spike said that, he could not agree more with him.

"I have to agree with Spike, Pinkie makes one of the best announcers."

"She sure does." Twilight agreed with him.

"But it isn't the amount of running that has been fascinating. It's the lack of running." Twilight continued to talk with Daniel.

"Did you come from a rich family?" Daniel could be totally truthful with that question.

"I was not rich or poor, it was middle class, We got the washing machine by saving up." He said saving up to make it more believable. In the distance he saw a giant rock sliding down a mountain but it stopped at the bottom and thankfully nobody got hurt. He saw that both Dash and Applejack were on it and Twilight spoke to them as they approached.

"Forgive me girls. I know I'm not a athlete, but shouldn't the Running of the Leaves actually involve running?" Twilight asked as they both passed them. After they were a good bit ahead they continued talking. "Now. Now is the time my book mentioned. Sprint if you want to Cosmos." Twilight sprinted ahead and Daniel decided he might as well do the same thing. As he started to sprint he quickly overtook Twilight and crossed the finish line, he made second place and he saw that Ditzy managed to make first. Twilight walked up to Daniel.

"Congratulations on making 2nd place Cosmos!" A pony walked up to Daniel and gave him a medal that had the number 2 on it and Daniel laughed when he realized that neither Dash or Applejack made it to first place. "What are you laughing at?" She asked while also receiving her medal.

"I can't wait to see those two when they discover they are in last and second last place. After all the ' I'm going to win' stuff." Twilight giggled at the thought.

"That would be good to see." Daniel pointed at the finish line.

"Well then let's go." Both of them walked to the finish line and waited on Applejack and Rainbow Dash. They heard Pinkie announce again.

"Once again. Rainbow Dash and Applejack are neck and neck. Applejack inches ahead, Now it's Rainbow." Daniel and Annabelle watched as the two of them did whatever they could to surpass the other. The two of them started to bash into one another when they saw the finish line. The two of them were arguing but Daniel didn't listen in, all he wanted to see was their faces when they find out they are in last and second last place. They started to grab each others tail and pull on it causing them to fall behind. Applejack tried to grab Dash again but got the rope and it fell apart. Dash then took to the air but Applejack jumped up and managed to bring her to the ground and the two of them started to fight to the finish line. Eventually the fight stopped and they stood up.

"I-I won!" Dash shouted.

"No, ah won." Applejack said back to her.

"I WON!" Dash shouted but then Spike spoke.

"You tie." They both looked surprised.

"Tie!?" They both asked simultaneously.

"For first?" Applejack asked. Daniel was ready to see their faces now that they were about to find out.

"For last." Pinkie said.

"Last?" Their pupils were very small and they were in a state of shock. Daniel place a hoof on his mouth to hold in the laughter.

"Then who won?" As Dash asked that Twilight walked up to them wearing a medal and they both saw it.

"You?" They both asked at the same time.

"Oh No, but I did get 5th place. Which is rather good considering I never run a race before." Daniel walked beside Twilight. "Cosmos here finished 2nd." Their jaws hit the ground when Twilight said that.

"What? How's that even possible?" Applejack asked.

"You both ran so slow, and looked at the scenery." Dash pointed out.

"Exactly, We paced ourselves just like my book said. Then at the end when all the other ponies were worn out." She looked over to all the other racers who were on the ground and panting from exhaustion. "We sprinted to the finish."

"I don't believe it, Twilight...beat us." Rainbow said in disbelief.

"Well with all of your horsing around it was quite easy. Also I was with Cosmos the whole time and he didn't use any magic so he raced fairly." They both had guilty looks on their faces.

"You're right Twilight, our behaviour was just terrible."

"We weren't very good sports." Daniel was happy to see that they were still getting along.

"Sounds to me like an important lesson was learned." Daniel recognized that voice and turned his head to see all the other ponies bowing to Celestia but there were some that remained standing so Daniel stayed standing.

"Princess Celestia!?" They all said at the same time.

"What are you doing here?" As she approached Twilight, Rainbow Dash and Applejack they bowed.

"Fall is one of my favourite season so I came to celebrate the running of the leaves."

"I'm sorry ya had ta see us being such poor sports princess." Both Dash and Applejack had looks of sadness on their faces.

"That's alright Applejack. Anypony can get swept up in the excitement of competition." Twilight spoke next.

"It's important to remember that the friendship is always more important than the competition."

"Exactly Twilight. Now unfortunately because the two of you were busy tricking each other instead of shaking down leafs, many of the lovely trees in equestria are still covered." Daniel looked around and there was indeed still some trees that had all of their leafs on them.

"Why princess. Ah bet we can knock those leaves down for you lickidy split." Applejack turned to face Dash. "What do you say friend, want to go for another run?"

"I'd love to stretch my legs." Dash zoomed off and Applejack followed. Twilight and Celestia stood there and watched them run together and Daniel did the same until they were out of sight. When they were out of sight he turned back to Annabelle who had just gotten off the balloon.

"Well, I think we should head home now. How was it?" Annabelle had a small smile on her face.

"It was fun to watch for the most part, but the view up there was amazing." Daniel and Annabelle were about to start walking home when Celestia walked up to Daniel. When Daniel turned around to face her he jumped in surprise.

"Sorry to startle you Cosmos, I would just like to say congratulations on getting second place." Daniel looked at Twilight and then back at Celestia.

"Well it wasn't that hard thanks to Twilight's advice." Celestia looked to Twilight then back at Daniel.

"I knew you two would become good friends." She said with a warmly smile. But then she looked back at Daniel in what looked like surprise. "I see you're still not wearing those clothes. Have you decided to stop wearing them?" Daniel had to be careful with what he said, this was Celestia who was Luna's sister and she could end up letting his clothes slip and Luna could end up finding him out.

"I chose to stop wearing them because I feel like I fit in more without them." Celestia giggled.

"You can fit in with our society regardless of what you wear."

"Thanks, I'll remember that." Daniel turned back to Annabelle. "Ready to go home sis?"

"Yup." Daniel turned to Twilight.

"I'll see you some other time Twilight." The two of them started to walk away and as they did Daniel heard Twilight speak.

"Bye Cosmos, see you tomorrow, perhaps." Celestia saw her student was a bit uneasy so she decided to talk with her.

"My dear student, is something bothering you?" Twilight sighed.

"Princess, is it our place to make speculations about a friend to try and find out how to help them?"

"Whatever do you mean?" Twilight continued.

"Up until recently, for months Cosmos was noticeably stressed, always seeming to have something on his mind and I think I discovered the reason why that was in the race today." Twilight caught Celestia's attention as the few times she has seen Cosmos he has not seemed stressed.

"If it's only speculation and you're not actually invading his privacy I don't see anything wrong with it. Why, what have you come up with?"

"It's to do with his parents. I think that they died. By the way he reacts when we ask about them, recent events and other things make it a solid conclusion." Celestia looked in the direction where Daniel and Annabelle walked off to before looking back at Twilight.

"As I said. As long as you don't invade his privacy you should have nothing to worry about." A guard walked up to Celestia and whispered something into her ear, she sighed a moment later. "Sorry to cut this short but I have to get back to Canterlot, something about the stock exchange has come up." All of the ponies bowed to Celestia as she teleported away. Twilight looked in the direction Daniel and Annabelle walked down.

"To lose one's parent's, and at such a young age. No wonder she was not seen for so long." Twilight thought before her attention was caught by Dash and Applejack running back to the finish line. Twilight decided to call another meeting between her and the others, this new kind of information could help them understand the situation that Cosmo was in and perhaps how to help him through it. From what was shown at the race today seems to show he hasn't gotten over it yet.

"I honestly thought that one of them was going to win, not tie for last." Annabelle mention to Daniel on their way back to their home as they passed through the market.

"You and me both. What do you want for dinner?" Annabelle stopped and thought for a moment.

"Noodle soup. Like noodles but in hot flavoured water."

"What kind?" He asked.

"Ketchup. If you can." She whispered and Daniel smiled.

"Ok then." They kept walking until they were back home, Annabelle went right back to their everfree house and Daniel followed shortly after making sure the ponyville house's front door was locked. He then headed back to his everfree house and found Annabelle standing at the door in the basement.

"Bro. Our forms."

"I know Annabelle." Daniel changed them back into their normal forms and when they were back in their Everfree house he snapped his fingers which caused his PJs to appear on him and the cloths he was wearing to be folded in a pile on a nearby seat. "So, Ketchup?"

"If you can." Daniel snapped his fingers and a bowl of noodles and hot water appeared in front of her, he also added a fork for her to use.

"How's that?" Daniel asked hopefully. Annabelle took the fork and tried the Noodles, she got a smile on her face when she tasted them.

"Quite good. Thanks." Daniel smiled at her, he looked out the window and saw the sun was setting. He knew that it was almost Annabelle's bedtime. He waited until she was done with her noodle soup and it was placed in the sink before talking to her.

"It's almost your bedtime Annabelle." She sighed.

"I know. I'll be heading to bed in a moment." She walked up the stairs to go and get her PJs on and Daniel was left alone in the kitchen for now. As he looked at the bowl that Annabelle place in the sink, he realized that he hasn't had anything to eat for months but he didn't feel the least bit hungry. Daniel started to feel a bit sorry for Annabelle as unlike him she needed to eat, drink and sleep so he made a mental note to try and learn how to give her some powers that will keep her from dying if she went without those three things.

Annabelle walked back down the stairs and she too was wearing her PJs, she walked to Terabithia and closed the door over completely after she entered it. Daniel got up and went into the living room.

"Great. Now I have to do something until morning. I can't be bothered training right now." Daniel looked out the window and saw the moon glowing brightly and the stars shining like diamonds. He sat down on the floor, still looking out the window and at the night sky. While he did that Daniel got an idea to solve an error about something he wanted to do before. He knew he wanted to explore space but he was also aware that he might have difficulty finding his way back so he headed up the stairs and into the other room that was next to Annabelle's room and placed his hand against the wall which caused a circle to appeared on the wall and glow green. "A two way portal. I can just make another one appear and enter it to get back here if I get lost." With that in mind Daniel walked down the stairs then he headed out the front door and made sure to lock it, when he was outside he made himself invisible before taking off to the sky.

He stopped a moment to change his clothes so he was wearing his normal ones again before he continued to leave the atmosphere.

Bravacho and Dravia were just about to land on their home planet and Bravacho was still uneasy. He knew they had been traveling for a few days and with each passing hour he prayed that his friend didn't do anything stupid. His fiancée saw his stress and placed her hand on his shoulder.

"Try to calm down."

"I can't, They have no idea what they're getting themselves into." She sighed and sat down.

"Well, we're almost ready to land. You'll find out and stop them sooner or later. How do you intend to beat your father anyway? You don't like how he's ruling but you know you can't stop him."

"Yes, I know. I know. While we're here we can take a look through the palace. Hopefully it has something on him, a weakness or something." Dravia wrapped her arms around him.

"If you do find something that helps then I guess I'll have to start calling you King." Bravacho chuckled at that.

"We'll deal with that if it happens." A beep was heard and the light above the door turned green, this was a signal that they had landed. "Well, we should get going." The doors opened up to reveal a forest with trees about 20 feet tall that had no branches on them besides at the top and everywhere else on them was covered in sticky spike like hairs, the trees were a dark yellow color.

"I know where we are. Brastlewood forest." Bravacho looked at the navigator on his wrist and was amazed to see the palace was only a few minutes from where they currently were. "Brastlewood is south of Cogerstone city, so if we head this way we should arrive there soon." They both started to walk through the woods and Dravia was holding onto Bravacho's arm, hugging into him most of the way.

They continued to walk for a few minutes until they saw the edge of the town and then they started to sprint towards it. When Bravacho got to the gates of the town he chapped on it and after a few minutes it was answered by a guard wearing armor that was slightly withered and concealed him completely. He greeted the two of them.

"Welcome to Cogerstone city. Prince Bravacho and Lady Dravia." Bravacho didn't waste anytime.

"Where is Flong Menga?" The guard pointed to the palace.

"He's at a camp on the top of the hill. In the front yard of the palace." Bravacho took Dravia by the hand and rushed up the stairs towards the palace, he was hoping they didn't do anything stupid but his hopes were shattered when he saw the palace from the front yard. There was a giant hole blown on one of the sides, the palace guard were in cages and there were guards like the one at the gate going back and forth from the big tent in the camp and the palace, each time they appeared from the palace they were carrying some scrolls, books and other things like weapons and armors.

"Oh No." They ran to the tent and when the two guards at the entrance saw them they saluted. When Bravacho entered the tent he was greeted by a familiar voice.

"Oh my, Bravacho. I never thought you would look so...awful after so long." Bravacho saw his old friend Flong who was the same species as him but the only differences was his scale color, it was a grey color and his eyes were green. "I take it you got my message? Sorry that I couldn't just call you, I did not want to take a chance of the signal getting intercepted."

"What are you doing!?" This caught Flong by surprise.

"What do you mean?"

"What do I mean? You have attacked the palace. Raided it, do you have any idea what my father will do to you?" Flong just smiled.

"Whatever your father will do, we will beat it. We know how to deal with his military so all we have to do is take him down."

"You're a fool. You have seen what I was capable of when I was young, and now that I am an adult I am more powerful but I still can't match half of him." His friend just laughed.

"Nobody is that powerful normally. Speaking of powerful, I know how we can beat King N." Flong pulled out a scroll that had a goldish trim on it and was withered with age.

"Do you have any idea wha-" He stopped talking when the words got through to him "-Wait, there is a way to beat him?" Bravacho walked up to Flong who opened the scroll to reveal a bipedal creature in the center of a large multi-colored sphere.

"King N is not unbeatable. He had been beaten before by something called The Heart Bearer. According to the information on the scroll it's a creature that merged with one of the two hearts of creation. This made it more powerful than King N and when one of them ended up fighting your father he was the one that was defeated. Defeated, not destroyed." Bravacho looked at the sphere and the creature that was standing in it, he couldn't see what the creature looked like but he recognized the thing it was in.

"I've seen something like that before." Bravacho pointed to the sphere the creature was in. His friend Flong looked surprised.

"You have?" He asked almost jumping out of his seat.

"Yes, the colors are different but the shape and pattern are pretty much the same." Flong's eyes were wide like plates.

"Was it the same size as the one in the picture?" Bravacho shacked his head in a 'No' way and his friend looked relieved. "Then it's just a piece of it, not the full thing." Flong's head jumped up in realization and he looked to be in deep thought for a moment. "This might work."

"What might?" Flong walked to the door and indicated for Bravacho to follow with his hand. They walked outside and into the palace. When they were in the palace Bravacho saw a giant machine that had stairs going up it which lead to a circular platform that was held up by a magnetic field. Above it was multiple circles that were all different sizes but all within one another and connected to the machine generator that was under the magnetic platform. "What is that?"

"A Dimension, Space and Time Rift Maker." Flong walked up to it and stopped at the stairs. "Normally it can be used just by putting in coordinates but if something is put into the scanning slot below it can send you to anywhere that has the same or similar things that you put in. I hate to ask you this but...can you get the Heart piece from your father?" Bravacho took a moment to think.

"You want me to get the Heart piece and place it in the scanning slot?" Flong nodded.

"Yes. If you do that then we can use it to find the other Heart pieces or find the bearer. However, to stop your father from tracking it we will need to used a molecule disintegrator cannon on it when it's used." Bravacho was feeling some hope. There was a way to stop King N. "Oh and before I forget, take this." Flong handed him a machine that he put on his wrist. "That will let you take the form of any life form that's scanned. You'll need it if you end up on a alien planet and don't want attention attracted your way." Bravacho was now certain that things were going to go greatly, all he needed to do was go back and get the Heart piece.

"Flong, Sir." A guard burst into the Palace in a rush.

"At ease Soldier, What is it?" The troop caught his breath.

"King N is approaching, our scope had picked up his ship. His ship will be here in about 2 days." Bravacho felt like his heart was about to burst out of his chest in fear. He turned to his friend Flong who was just grinning.

"We can handle his troops." He turned to Bravacho. "We will keep the troops busy. You get in that ship and find the Heart piece." Bravacho turned to look at Dravia.

"What about her?" Flong looked at her and thought for a moment.

"She can stay in the palace, it will be the safest place for her." All around the troops move out, carrying their weapons. Bravacho turned to Dravia.

"Stay here, I'll be back." She looked uncertain at his word.

"Don't make a girl a promise, if you know you can't keep it." He held her hand.

"I will come back. I promise." Bravacho let go of her hand and walked out of the palace to help the troops for the upcoming battle.

All the Entities were gathered on the moon of Equestria as a request from Nature. She said she wanted to speak to them and that it was urgent.

"So we're all here? Tractus hasn't been sidetracked again?"

"Hey!" Tractus shouted out and Nature just chuckled.

"Well we are all here." Father time spoke next.

"Nature. Why did you want to talk to us. Normally you don't gather us like this unless it's serious." Nature frowned.

"It is serious. Listen...I need you guys to promise me something." They all looked at each other and then back at her. "I need you to not tell Archie about Daniel. Don't even let him see Daniel. Don't even say his name." All were stunned by this request. "I know we are approaching a time off period for us and we can go back to our base but when we do you can't tell Archie about Daniel or even say the name."

"Nature. Please tell us why." Tilbul asked and Nature knew he was one that needed a reason.

"Listen. I have a good reason to not tell Archie about Daniel. It's about...about..." Tilbul interjected.

"If I may Nature. King N has been on the rise and the previous bearer failed to stop him. Now we have a new bearer and you want to keep him a secret?"

"Yes I know it seems silly but I have my reasons."

"And what might they be?" Death asked.

"It's...a promise I made."

"A promise? To who? Is it really that dangerous if Archie meets Daniel." Death and the others weren't trusting her.

"It's a promise I made to the previous bearer." That caught their attention.

"Nature. We need to know the full story. What are you hiding from us. You know something we don't. Something important." She sighed.

"Alright then. You want the full story? Fine. You better sit down cause there's quite a bit to explain."

So Nature explained her reasons to them.

Author's Notes:

Author: My editor had some issues so this is not a fully edited version, that should come in a few days

Daniel: You are certainly taking your sweet time with making the chapters now

Author: Finally decided to come back have you?

Daniel: Well what would you do if your sister was miserable?

Author: Good point. Also I don't get the timeline on mlp, episode 10 was winter and now 13 is fall. that's some time gap, but I will try and make it work with your timeline.

Daniel: Do you plan everything out?

Author: No, not everything, most I just come up with on the spot. Like life, you can't predict how it all will go for you. Speaking of King N where is he?

King N: TO HECK WITH THIS! *Throws the IPad.* What kind of bird need someone to hit it to keep it flying? Do I need to stick my finger in its butt to send it to space?!

Author: King N calm down.

King N: Sorry about that.

Author: I don't know why, but whenever Daniel interacts with Annabelle or his kids, or if I am writing about Bravacho I feel more compelled to write rather than when I watch a episode. Also I am looking for at least 2 people to pre read my chapters before I publish them. Also what is it about my story that you all seem to like, I never expected to get 100 or so up votes.