Deep within the mountains, Hundreds of miles from Equestria's border region, a high wind whipped across a snow covered summit. The air screamed as it clipped the mountains top, screeching down into the frosty forest below its peak. Frozen leaves shivered against their stiff branches, struggling to break away and flutter into the open skies pulling against them. The freed leaves joined others in the wind, swirling and swishing along towards their shared destination...an open field of white in the middle of the wood. The leaves swirled into the middle of the field, and settled upon the soft ground below, undisturbed before a small, two story, wooden house. The field itself was empty except for said house, nestled neatly in the exact center of the clearing.

Several meters from the front porch of the house, a large, oval shaped, tear in space erupted from nothingness. The tear expanded, outwards like a ripple, crackling and sparking with orange energy until it was the size of an average person. The swirling abyss lurched and churned, the snow near the mass melting to water in less than an instant as two figures emerged from within. With two loud Pops, Daybreak and Rainbow were spat from the swirling mass, rolling forth and falling flat on their faces! The wet, sticky grass beneath did not make their sudden chill much better, as the pair almost instantly began shivering in their underdressed state.

Daybreak was the first to his feet, jumping up into a wobbly fighting stance to stabilize himself as best he could in the snow. He stayed lower to the ground in his stance while attempting to gain his footing, and take in his new landscape. The surrounding area had been deliberately cleared of trees in a perfectly circular shape, one hundred meters from the center in every direction it seemed. Clearly it had done by human hands, nothing in nature was ever so precise.

It took a significant amount of restraint on his part not to immediately summon his enhanced vision and scout the area for danger. His instincts demanded he do so, for they were in unknown territory, with no way to understand where they might be and what dangers they might face. Still he tempered himself and resisted the urge. This whole journey would be utterly pointless if he gave them away right at the beginning of their exile. Sunset had brought them here, and he found it unlikely she had dropped them anywhere dangerous, considering their need for discretion. Rainbow was the next to her feet, and Daybreak watched as she too had to resist the urge to flood her skin with aura in an attempt to feel more comfortable in this foreign environment. Rainbows eyes clenched and her teeth gnawed at her lower lip, for a moment, Daybreak wondered if she might give in. The feeling passed like the fleeting breeze as Rainbow exhaled, then slowly opened her eyes.

“I'm good.” She uttered, still struggling to control her shivering.

“Good. Let's get you inside then.” He pointed towards the wooden house ahead of them.

As they approached the house, it became harder and harder to accept it as real. The house was like something out of a nature movie. A log cabin in the middle of the woods. The front door was unlocked, and there was a note attached to the inside doorway that Daybreak plucked off as they proceeded inside. After reading it quickly to himself, he smiled and turned to Rainbow, reading the note aloud while they both removed their shoes.

“Dear friends,

I lived here for several years after I ran away from Celestia's school. Now it belongs to you. Although it's modest in size, this house should be a comfortable fit for a family of three. If you're wondering where you are, there is a world map hanging on the wall in what used to be my room. The red thumb tack is your location. There are only basic enchantments placed on the house to keep you off maps and hidden from locator spells. So animals and nature could still pose a problem. Anyone and anything could just walk right up and knock. But the seclusion that comes with your locale should prevent any trouble. I hope this can become a home for you while we hold down the fort.

Your friend, Sunset"

Smiling as he set the note on a nearby table, Daybreak looked around, taking in his new abode for the unforeseeable future. This house was very much old fashioned, with only a few modern day additions thrown in here and there. The floor seemed to be made completely of wood, except in certain areas like the living room where carpet had been lain over it. Clearly Sunset had laid the carpet herself, because although its oak-ish color fit with the rest of the room, it didn't exactly even out in the corners. There were spots where it still stuck up or folded over on the floor. Still, though, it maintained a good appearance, she had clearly been taking care of this place over the years. Veering slightly to the left from the entrance was the living room, comprised only of one long, very comfy looking beige couch, (suitable for a group of four) and a pair of bean bags chairs off to its sides. Directly in front of the couch and the bean bags, was a fire place, right about where the t.v would have been in his other home. Daybreak had feeling before the day was out he'd be sent to fetch firewood for that. He hoped there was an axe somewhere around, or that was going to be quite difficult without magic.

Off to the right, about forty five degrees from the front entrance way, was the kitchen. Despite the rest of the houses old fashioned appearance, the kitchen was the one part that looked relatively modernized, or at least the fridge was. Sunset must not have faired well with the older ways of storing food, and had likely upgraded at some point. Although the floor was still comprised of wood, there was two or three spots were some crude holes had been cut in the floor to run wiring through to the outside. These wires connected to the fancy looking fridge sitting in the corner of the kitchen, he'd have to follow those later on to find out where they could possibly be drawing power from. The fridge really stood out against the rest of the house, its shiny silver polish clashed especially with the rustic and old looking gasoline stove to its immediate right. The stove had clearly been maintained, but not upgraded, so no electricity for that. They'd be using matches and whatever else they had for starting fires in that. That should be humbling experience for him.

Before he moved ahead to explore the rest of the house, Daybreak turned his attention back to Rainbow. She had taken to the couch and was lounging herself upon its fluffy cushions, curling up in a rough looking blanket that had been draped over its side. She waved her hand dismissively at him when she saw him look at her. “Don't mind me. Go explore, and tell me if there's anything interesting in this place. I'm just gonna lie here and nap for awhile...Could you take my bag to wherever we're gonna sleep? I'll unpack it later, thanks love you.” She fluttered her eyelashes at him in an attempt to seem cute. Her sudden bout of laziness was more humorous to see than it was adorable, but still he nodded regardless and took hold of her enormous baggage.

Now that he had two heavy bags to lug around, he made his next stop the master bedroom. From the front entrance he proceeded straight down a hallway towards the farthest door. He passed a stairwell leading up to the second story on his left, but ignored it for now, whatever was in those rooms could wait until he ditched Rainbows enormous luggage. He peered in each of the other doors as he passed them by, just to be sure he did not pass the largest of the bedrooms. But it seemed he was correct in his assumption. The door at the end of the hallway was indeed the master bedroom. The other two doors left in the hallway were a bathroom and a miniature library. He knew he'd have a grand adventure in that library at a later time, since this was the place Sunset had used to plan her vendetta against Twilight, it likely contained alot of, not so friendly magical knowledge that could prove useful. But for now, the luggage.

Practically kicking open the door to the master bedroom, he swung and flung Rainbows luggage into a corner, hoping he would never touch it again. Then he proceeded to unpack his own. The room itself was mostly free of dust, thankfully, and well kept. The bed was more than large enough for two and, although the frame appeared to be made of the same kind of wood as the house, it did not creak or moan when he sat upon it. It was well maintained, just like everything else here. What had Sunset planned to use this place for? It was way too spacious for just her.

Turning his mind from such thoughts, he looked for, and quickly found, a closet in which to store his things. It looked to be more like a large walk in wardrobe than a closet, but it would do. Surprise, surprise it was made of the same kind of wood as everything else in the place. Not that it was annoying, Daybreak just had to wonder where Sunset got all this wood in the first place. Unless that's why the clearing around the house was so big? Had all the trees in the area been used to craft this little safehouse? How long had this taken to build? If Sunset had used magic, likely not as long as it would by hand, but still that was a lot of hard work for just a little hideaway.

Daybreak quickly hung up what clothes he could and more or less arranged the rest of his items how he would prefer them about the room. There was no doubt in his mind that they would shift positions two or three times once Rainbow came to stake her claim as well, but he was just going for “unpacked” at the moment, not “settled in”. The only thing he would prefer not get moved, were his drawings. He hung them along the wall surrounding their bedside window. Since most of them were pictures or drawings of the sunrise, it made the most sense to him, to hang them along the first window one would see when waking up. That way even if the day started out with bad weather, they could look at the drawings at least. It was a silly thing, he knew, but it was something he'd always done since creating them.

With the unpacking (mostly) done, Daybreak returned to the living room to fetch his succubus. Rainbow was right where he'd left her, spread out on the couch, encompassing it with her being. There was barely enough room at the end cushion for him to squeeze in, if he didn't mind her feet poking his sides. The blanket that she was under was clearly made from some kind of orange animal fur, as it was coarse to his touch and untainted by any magic, so at least he knew it was real. It must be very warm to snuggle with, so he could understand if she was asleep already. He stood overtop her and looked down at her closed eyes. She had stated she wanted to nap, and other than pure pleasure, he saw no reason to bother her. Instead of acting on the many sinister thoughts twisting themselves around his brain at the sight of her so defenseless, he simply knelt down and planted a soft kiss on her forehead.

“I'll be back soon Skittles.” After he found out where those wires from the fridge led to at least. The fact that she did not respond to his kiss told him that she really was already out cold, which would make the temporary departure easier.

With a quick trot into the kitchen, Daybreak scavenged the dusty cabinets until he found a small pen and sticky notepad. He hurriedly scribbled down a note to Rainbow for when she got up, telling her where he was going, then stuck the note to the fridge. One thick fur jacket, a pair of thick sweat pants, boots, and two layers of shirts later, Daybreak was making his way out the front door. The moment his feet crunched into the snow, he silently thanked his own forward planning for packing some thick mountain boots. The boots were tan and thick with manticore hide, he hadn't broken them out since he'd traveled the dragon lands a few years before coming to Ponyville. Nevertheless he was glad he had them now, it made traversing the crunchy snow beneath much easier.

The wind blew against his face, and Daybreak pulled the fur of his jacket up against his mouth. The coat was made from the same Manticore hide as his boots, and therefore also tan in color. Although they were not indigenous to snowy areas, their hides and fur still provided good protection from most elements, the mane especially. Its fur tickled against his neck as he pressed his face down into it, shielding all but his eyes from the painful wind. Once he'd taken a moment to adjust himself to the frigid breeze, Daybreak continued onward. He circled the house, in search of the wires, or a comfortable way under the house to inspect it. The whole place was raised slightly off the ground on wooden stilts, about two to three feet by his guess, making this easier. The raise was likely to prevent large pileups of snow from boxing the front porch's door in. Unless there was a blizzard though, he doubted the snow would ever raise past the three steps leading up to the porch.

Once he made his way all the way around to the back, he spotted something he'd missed on their arrival. Tucked away, just behind the house, was a small wooden shed, and the set of wires he been seeking, leading to it. From the master bedroom window the shed must have just barely hidden from their sight. Daybreak wondered what could be inside of it, perhaps tools...or maybe an axe for chopping all this wood? He approached closer to find out, but as he did, he noticed a thick metal padlock blocking his path inside. The padlock was large, and clearly had some age to it, as rust had built around it significantly. Still, without magic, getting through would be difficult. With enough effort he could likely kick down the wooden door and get in, but then he'd have to fix the door...without magic. He'd have to come back later, it wasn't worth the effort right now. For now, just locating where wires powering the fridge led, was enough.

Daybreak was about to head back inside, when a chill traveled down his neck. Not from the cold, but something else. Even without magic he could feel it, a pair of eyes on him. His instincts screamed threat, but he had to hope otherwise. It had been years since he trained to fight unaided by magic, and that was in a temperate climate. If those eyes belonged to anything bigger than a person, he doubted he stood much chance. He wanted to move, but at the chance it was some wild animal, he couldn't. If he ran, it might give chase. For now, staying more or less still was the better choice. Slowly, without making too many jerky moves, he sunk his body down. To his knees first, then on his elbows. Best to keep whatever was looking at him able to see as little as possible of his body. The snow wouldn't hide much, but at least he could strike at legs easier from the ground. While he lowered himself into the most appropriate position for a ground attack, his eyes darted. The trees to his right were closer than anywhere else. The rest of the clearing was too far away, if something was going to attack him, it wouldn't run across a whole field to do so. So that meant whatever was creating this feeling, was to his right. But how to look without alerting it that he knew it was there? With his head low, he could partially hide some movement, and if he kept his head moving, it would create the illusion that he was simply looking around to locate, but was unaware of, which direction the danger was. Meanwhile, while his head moved, his eyes started to track the bushes to right with as much focus as he could muster without magic. It was hard to focus clearly with his head constantly in motion, and he often had to rely on peripheral vision to scan.

Daybreak squinted hard, struggling to see even the slightest hint of movement within the brush. He thought perhaps he made out one shape, possibly crouched just near the bushes edge, but with the snow, and his inability to fully focus, he couldn't be sure. Regardless, the shape that he thought he saw looked smaller than him, which was reassuring. If it was a predator, than he stood a better chance, though he suddenly wished he'd left the house with a weapon. Venturing out into unknown territory with nothing but his hands to defend himself, how stupid. He'd become so accustomed to relying on magic he'd become complacent in his own self defense. Hopefully it wasn't about to get him killed by some creature looking for an easy meal.

Movement to his left caught his attention! A shape darted behind the shed. He looked, and realized his mistake too late! A distraction! The shape from the bushes leapt forth the moment his eyes and head left it. It had known he was watching it the whole time! The shape moved from the brush and leapt for his lowered body. Luckily, despite his mistake, he was still able to defend himself, having already prepared a basic counterattack in his head while lying in the snow. It happened too fast for him to focus on the creature, but he certainly felt it. As the large body of fur leapt from the cover of the brush, Daybreak quickly rolled himself onto his back! The creatures body slammed into him, attempting to pin him in the snow, just as he prepared to push back. With a surge of strength, aided by the slickness of the snow and the creatures own momentum, Daybreak pushed the still partially airborne beast up and over his body before it could exert its full weight onto him. Whilst he pushed the animal away, he also lifted his own weight allowing him to use the effort of pushing the creature to slide underneath the airborne beast and gain some minor distance in the snow.

He rolled over and scrambled to his feet just as he heard the beast land against the side of the shed, and do the same. He turned swiftly, and with his eyes now full affixed on the target, found himself face to face with an enormous white wolf! Large was the understatement of his life, this thing was the size of a moose! The beast must have been crouched very low in the brush, and so he had underestimated its size significantly. This thing was as tall as he was, and it was only standing on four legs! As he stared in awe of its magnificence, another appeared from behind the shed, this one was significantly smaller and with a slicker snout, but still monstrously large for a wolf, and it was flanked by several regular sized wolves, all bearing their canines and low growls. A pack of regular size would have been a problem, but that, plus these two behemoths...he was screwed. No if ands or buts about it. Maybe he'd get lucky and they weren't hungry...At least they weren't the shadow beasts he'd met with Jackie. So his cover wasn't blown, he was just random lunch.

The pack circled him, trapping him within the center. The only thing between him and being totally surrounded was the shed which, unfortunately for him, the two largest wolves were standing near. His eyes darted, he was basically surrounded. No way to run, since the shed was blocked. No way to fight, not without surely getting ripped apart, or resorting to magic. But if he did that...then this was all pointless. Silver lining, at least if he died Famines plans were fucked. Though he didn't really feel like dying today. So there was only one thing he could do. Swallowing to himself, he pushed his pride down, deep within his gut. He shuffled his feet to get a good grip, and the largest wolf growled, but did not attack. He moved slower. Slow as he could manage, he dropped back to his knees, and lowered his head towards the largest of the pack, presumably the alpha...as though he were bowing to it. He pushed his head so low it rested against the snow, he had to appear as unchallenging as possible if he had even the slightest chance. He had to hope this wasn't about food, but territory.

The largest beast stepped forward, it took less than a second for it to close the distance between them. Its large paw found the ground directly beside to his face, and Daybreak was able to see that just the beasts paw alone was nearly the size of his head. It could crush him like a melon if it so desired. Beads of sweat formed along his neck despite the chilling temperatures, as he felt warm breath against the back of his head. He could almost feel the beasts nose twitching above his nape, sampling his scent, and possibly deciding his fate. This close, and at that angle, if it decided he was dinner it could snap his neck before he had any chance to resist. Fear gripped his lungs at the thought. Helplessness. A feeling he hated, was beginning to strangle him. Fear. Fear that he very well might die. Die alone in this empty field, leaving Rainbow to fend for herself. Would she even know what happened? That thought pushed a surge of emotion through him, and he struggled not to clench his hands in anger. How pathetic he felt. Angry, afraid and helpless before this massive beast.

He had no choice, he had to use magic. He couldn't leave Rainbow alone even if it meant blowing their cover. Sunset might be furious with them, but they could always come up with another plan. Still, would he be able to cast any spells in time? It would take a moment for his power to come back. Would the wolf sense that and regard it as hostile? A low growl in his ear broke his concentration. The beasts head had lowered, now its eyes nearly lined up with his. All his survival training told him not to look, not to make eye contact, but he couldn't help himself. His head remained still, but his eyes darted to the side, and met the beasts gaze. Instantly he felt himself frozen by its stare, his blood running cold. Like it knew what he was thinking, somehow, someway it knew. “Don't” The stare of this creature bore that word deep into his soul, almost as though it was speaking to him. In that moment, he realized he was truly helpless before this things might. A feeling like this had not seized him since he'd come face to face with one of the Four Horsemen, this freezing of his soul in absolute terror. It had defeated him with just a gaze, and the fight flowed out of him like water down a riverbed. His whole body shook, as his eyes returned to the ground. Somewhere inside of him, he felt totally humiliated. The wolf gave a low grunt, and lifted its face away. He heard it step back, turn and leave. Then moments later, the rest followed its example. After a full two minutes of shivering in the snow he finally dared to raise his head. No more eyes on him, they were gone. He was safe.

Daybreak rolled onto his back almost immediately. Relief was not the feeling that came to him. Just utter shame. He should be happy, nothing had happened, and yet everything had. He knew, and so did the wolf. He'd surrendered without a fight and so he'd been spared, no need to kill what was already defeated. He wasn't worth it. That had been the goal, and he'd succeeded, but then why did he feel so ashamed? Perhaps it was because he knew the beast had practically mocked him, and how he had crumpled so easily when its savage gaze had met his. He was so afraid to leave Rainbow alone, he'd surrendered his pride like a coward. He may have survived, but that beast had no respect for him. He couldn't tell if that actually hurt more than if it had bitten him.

Eventually the freezing cold in the back of his neck reminded him that he should return home. As he stood, dusting snow off his coat and pants while picking up the shattered pieces of his pride from the floor, he took a passive glance in the direction the pack had retreated, noticing something interesting as he did. The lock on the shed was now lying on the ground, broken at the handle. Curious, Daybreak approached the shed, and examined the broken lock. The door had also been heavily dented, and was splintering inwards. Even if the lock had still been on, one good kick could cave it right in. This must have happened when he repelled the wolves initial attack and thrown it at the shed. At least something good had come out of him prostrating himself before that beast. Though the wind was slowly picking up, and the cold nipped at his nose in an uncomfortable way, his curiosity pushed him forward. Slowly reaching out, Daybreak turned the handle of the shed, and peeked inside.

The room within lit up as the outside light met its darkened interior, causing Daybreaks eyes to go white for just a moment as they attempted to adjust to the new setting. After a few rapid blinks, the room came into focus, and a small smile curved up his lips. “Sunset, you clever devil.” Within the room was an enormous white crystal, the likes of which he had never seen. Its jagged surface seemed to suck the light out of the room and radiate out its own when Daybreak stepped forward and closed the door behind him. As the lighting ceased, the rock began emit a low glow, just barely illuminating the room enough for him to see. Several wires adorned the crystals surface, attached by crude methods such as duck tape and some other sticky substances Daybreak was hesitant to try and identify. Clearly it was magic of some kind, but it must been a natural source of energy if Sunset had figured out how to rig it to power her fridge. Though the fact that the fridge was the only thing she had it powering told him either it only held enough juice for one thing, or perhaps that was the only thing she really desired magic for. Either way, the thought of Sunset being too frustrated to learn to preserve her food the hard way, was humorous to picture.

The table upon which the crystal sat was lined with drawings and sketches and notes Sunset had clearly hand written herself on the object. They were messy and chaotic, but in an organized way only he and his father might appreciate. Even as Daybreak picked up the nearest sheet of paper and ran his eyes over it, he was able to discern with relative ease, the path in which her notes took as they jumped about the pages in a seemingly random order. Clearly she had been obsessing over this thing whenever she found it, enough so to chaotically organize her notes so that no one except like minded people might follow them. How fortunate for him. The notes dictated she had attempted multiple energy experiments on it to see what its capabilities were. It was almost hard to believe she had just left this thing here all this time, with its only protection being an overly large, rusty lock...and a pack of ridiculously large wolves, but he wasn't sure they counted....not for certain. Closer inspection of the table revealed a note Sunset had written most recently...and it was directed to him alone.

It read “Dear Daybreak,

Knowing you I'm pretty certain you'll find a way inside this little workshop eventually. If you're like me you won't be able to resist being intrigued by this crystal and how it's powering your fridge. It's amazing! It's coordinates are something I discovered in the forbidden book I stole from Princess Celestia just before I fled the capital, that's what led me to choose this place to hide. The power inside this rock is beyond anything you can dream of, and if you could use magic right now, you'd sense it too. The aura it can create is intoxicating and addicting. Trust me, I know. I locked myself in here for the better part of a couple winters trying to crack its secrets once I felt even a taste of its power, so be careful. That's the real reason I left Equestria for so long, and why I came back to try and ruin Twilights life. Despite my years of research on this thing, I could only ever draw out enough energy to power my fridge. But I know for certain, this crystal has enough energy within to power a city, maybe a country! When I left Celestia, I never intended to return, but I eventually came to theorize that with the power of the Elements, I might be able to draw out this rocks full power...Obviously things didn't turn out how I planned, and after my encounter with Twilight I decided to abandon my research and help her with her vision instead. But maybe you can succeed where I failed. I tried every magical method I could image on this thing, but perhaps the answer was never magical. Since you are now here, without magic, and won't have much to do for these next few months, this is my gift to help you pass the time. Go ahead, I guarantee after just one touch, you'll feel the same way I did about it! Have fun...for science!

P.S. I know you won't want to hide this from Rainbow, so feel free to show it to her, but do me a small favor and shred this note before you do. I prefer to leave my past in the past. It's not who I am today. I'd rather my friends not know some of the things I intended to use this for when I played for the wrong side. So before you show Rainbow this place, show my notes some...Spring Cleaning, if you catch my meaning. This place is yours now.”

As he lowered the note back to the table, Daybreak felt a warming sense of kinship for Sunset well up within him. It was comforting to know that she was aware of their similarities, and wasn't afraid to share her secrets with him. This also gave him a distinct advantage for the future, should he ever need it. It also made him realize something, that if he'd taken more time to get to know Sunset, he might have ended up with her instead of Rainbow. But he'd keep that to himself for now, buried deep down. Taking note of the rest of room, without the crystal and the desk full of notes, the rest of the place was just an ordinary shed. Shelves of tools and supplies lined either side of the wall, many of which he'd probably need to use before the day was out. A quick inspection of the shelves led him to exactly what he sought, an axe! At least now he could guarantee he and Rainbow remained warm. There was also some lighter fluid, and flint, so there were multiple paths open to them for fire making. Now the only problem he faced was how to secure the shed again? He doubted Sunset had a spare lock lying around, and he couldn't just leave the thing unlocked...could he? There didn't seem to be any civilization around, and since Sunset had noted they were outside Equestria...maybe it was safe? Still if he couldn't lock it, he had to build some kind of alarm system, just in case. There was no way he was taking any risks, if the crystal was as valuable as Sunset claimed.

Speaking of the crystal...Daybreak turned his attention back to the jagged thing. It truly did give off some kind of presence. Unlike anything he could recall seeing in his travels. The only thing that came close was the crystal cave he and Sunset had found underneath Canterlot...but this was beyond that. Those crystals seemed to absorb and dispel magic while this...He could feel it. Even cut off from his own aura, he could feel the crystal pulling at him as he looked at it. Like the thing had its own gravitational pull, he felt himself drawn to it. It's call felt even stronger than the crystal crib within the cavern. It wanted him to touch it, and he wanted to touch it. In fact, it was like he had to touch it! Not because it was calling to him, but because he wanted to know. What could this thing really make him see that would drive someone like Sunset to obsess over it as she had? These notes scattered around him were clearly written frantically, as though she had been pressed for time. Yet her message stated she'd been here for years...so what was the rush? Slowly, without really feeling aware of his actions, his fingers began to stretch out. Sure, he watched his hand move, and saw his fingers twitching in anticipation...but it didn't really feel like it was him. Almost like he was watching someone else move through his eyes. In his head, Sunsets warning stood out to him. Intoxicating...Addicting...He had to control himself.

Shaking his head, he withdrew and stepped back, slapping his palms to his cheeks to wake himself from the stupor. If he was going to do this, he had to be careful. For now, just a finger, he'd touch the very tip of the crystals jagged top, and see what came of it.

Once more, slowly Daybreak extended his arm out, forming a fist except for his index finger. He reached out, and hovered his hand over top the crystals alluring surface. Gently, delicately, he lowered his exposed appendage until it was less than a centimeter away. Something inside him tugged, pulled at his body, a yearning to grab the rock with his full grip, but he resisted. He kept cool. Hesitantly, he came down, and swiftly scrapped the slimmest amount of skin he could manage across the surface of its tip.

For a moment, he was underwhelmed, as nothing appeared to be happening. But then it hit him. Like a freight car made of light, his eyes went wide and his vision was obscured by white! Pure, blinding white hotness, swam across his brain burning and pleasuring every sense he had! A scream echoed through his mind in a voice he did not recognize, and he felt every inch of his body being lured forward, so that he might grasp hold of it more! Learn more! See more! Experience more of this power that now encompassed his vision in blissful light!

One violent shake, and a loud cry of pain, Daybreak ripped himself back from the object, and crashed into the nearest shelf. The contents of the shelf spilled out onto his head, luckily it was just a box of nails and not any of the heavier equipment. Shaking his head in pain, Daybreak looked down at his hand, now shaking, with a small stream of warm red running down his finger. He'd pushed against the things tip so hard he'd practically impaled himself with it. The pain must have broken the stupor, how lucky for him that he'd been so cautious.

That feeling was still fresh in his brain, bliss and agony together in one indescribable experiences...and that was just one finger. The thought of more of him touching that thing...was tempting to be certain, but also terrifying. Sunset had been here for years...with that? He could only imagine what she might have seen. Well, he would not be going through that too. Though the temptation licked at his mind, promising him a pleasure better than sex and a pain worse than hell fire, he now knew now how dangerous this thing was. It made perfect sense that the book containing this things location had been locked away. Celestia wasn't bold enough to risk something this powerful, even if it could power her entire country. But he wasn't his mother. This thing held secrets and power...and he was going to uncover them both. This was why Sunset had sent him here, he was certain of it. To learn this things secrets. With power like this, controlled, he might actually be able to fight Famine. He was going to need Rainbows help though, both to keep himself and the newfound desire in his gut under control, and to make sure he did not become obsessive as Sunset had.

With all that in mind, he decided that he'd been away long enough and it was time to head back to Rainbow. He had many things to tell her, and he would also need to start a fire if they hoped to have a decent meal that night. As he exited the shed he felt the crystal tug at his mind one last time, stronger than before, but he resisted and shut the door behind him. The tugging ceased almost the moment the door shut, making him wonder if there wasn't some kind of containment spell on the shed to keep the energy from seeping out.

As he made his way back towards the cabin, he felt a familiar feeling creep up his spine. Sure enough, as he glanced back towards the woods, there he was. The large wolf stood just behind the tree line, eyeing him up as he left the shed. It was alone now, or at least he appeared to be, and Daybreak was more than far enough away to make a run for it if he chose to. Probably. Instead, he slowly kept walking, using his peripheral vison to keep him headed towards the door, while keeping his attention locked on the wolf. It never broke the tree line, but it stared at him all the way until he stepped upon his porch, right until the moment he opened the door and went inside. Clearly this wolf was not finished with him yet.

Stepping inside, Daybreak was greeted with a warm sensation washing over his entire body, along with the most pleasing aroma of cooking food flowing into his nostrils. Warmth flooded him, and he nearly forgot everything he'd just done as the comfort made him shiver. He stepped into the living room to discover the source of this feeling, and found a fire already burning, along with a mysterious plant sitting next to the fireplace that looked like a Venus Fly Trap crossed with a pink rose. Before he could discover the meaning behind this, Rainbows voice grabbed him by the ear. “Well you sure took your sweet time out there. I was beginning to think you fell in a lake or something.”

He turned, and the smart ass reply he prepared died in his throat. Rainbow stood there in the kitchen, stark nude except for a large apron that covered her front, barely. His expression was not well hidden as Rainbow loosed a satisfied giggle. “Yeah, I thought you'd like it. Found it while rummaging through the areas upstairs, along with that weird plant and some firewood. Sunset left this place prepared for at least a few days, but don't think that means you'll get away with not chopping wood.”

The ability to speak found him again after a few moments of staring, and he shook his head “Well, actually I just went to the shed and found an axe out there...along with some others things of...a more hard to describe nature. Also, apparently we have neighbors...in the form of some wolves the size of a moose.”

Rainbows snarky smiled faded “Really?...Is that why you took so long out there?” At that moment, she spied the fresh stream of red dripping off his hand. “Holy fuck dude! You're bleeding, did you get bit?!

He looked, and nearly laughed “Oh this? No, no, this is nothing.” He quickly disrobed from the jacket and flung it towards the couch. Rolling his sleeves up, he showed Rainbow the small spot where he'd stabbed his hand on the crystal. Rainbow came over and grabbed it in her hands, causing the smallest of grunts to escape him. “How'd you manage this? It looks pretty deep, what did you stab yourself on a nail or something?”

Daybreak sucked in a deep breath, and began to explain everything that had occurred with him since he left the house. He tried to skimp on the details concerning the exact purpose on Sunsets work shed, for her sake, and instead focused on the wolf pack outside. As he explained what had occurred between them, Rainbow moved towards the kitchen window and peered out through it. To her shock, a much smaller wolf was standing right where the large one had been moments earlier. Daybreak quickly came over and confirmed it for himself. Although this one was regular sized, the fact that they now had some sort of wolf guard watching their house was less than assuring. Rainbow certainly didn't seem pleased.

“You certainly have a way with both people and animals, don't you? Couldn't even go one day without making enemies.” She spoke with certain touch of both amusement and annoyance in her words. Daybreak was not having it though, especially not while she was dressed like that. He just couldn't take her seriously.

“Oh screw off Skittles. You weren't the one that moose wolf made it's bitch. It probably thinks it owns me now or something...Plus, I'm not sure they're our enemies. Not just yet.”

Sensing his discomfort, Rainbow circled his body and came up behind him as he stared out the window. Her hands danced down his pants and rubbed around his crotch, she brought her lips to his ear and lightly whispered to him “If you're feeling that bothered by it, you could always relieve your stress on me. I'm certainly not dressed like this for my health you know.”

That was bait he couldn't resist taking. Especially after being mind fucked by that crystal, he could certainly use the relief. But there was still one or two things he wanted to know first. He spun on the spot, pulling Rainbow tight against his chest and grabbing a handful of her exposed rear as his hands snuck behind her. Their lips crushed together ravenously, and aggressively for just a moment, before Daybreak pulled away with a smirk. “Before this goes on, I do want to know a few more things.”

Rainbow groaned. “Fucking tease...fiiiiiine, what do ya want to know that can't possibly wait until after rutting my brains out?”

Withholding his chuckle, Daybreak motioned back towards the fireplace “I get the firewood, but what's that weird piranha plant knock off doing over there?”

Rainbow growled “That can't wait?”

Daybreak stuck out his tongue “Indulge my curiosity, and I'll indulge your lust.”

Rainbow sighed “Fine, fucking nerd. Keep your horny girlfriend waiting over a potted plant...I found the thing upstairs with a little note attached to its pot. Its called a Halfmoon Feast. Apparently it gives off this aroma that's extremely comforting to people. I guess it uses it to lure in small bugs for prey or something, but it only makes people feel more relaxed. As long as we leave it by an open window each night, it can basically feed itself on bugs...Although apparently the occasional watering makes it more 'friendly'. Not really sure what that part meant...Satisfied? Can we fuck now?”

Daybreak snorted aloud, running his hand underneath the apron, along her exposed belly. “Wow Dash...hope you aren't planning on teaching our little one that kind of language.”

Rainbow giggled at his ticklish touch, but kept up her snarky grin “You kidding? Once we get back I'm gonna have it swearing up a storm. Gonna have him/her crawl right up to Twilight and tell her to fuck off...or maybe Sunset...hmm I think Twilight would have a better reaction. Their first word shall be...Egghead in honor of Twilight. I decree it so!”

Daybreak gave her behind a firm swat, causing her to give a satisfying yip in pain “I seriously hope I'm not going to have to be the responsible one with our child here. I swear you are something else Dash.”

She stuck out her tongue in defiance “Oh you know you love it!”

Daybreak just shook his head “Well I am here aren't I. Despite basically everyone thinking I was probably gonna destroy the world or something, here we are-”

Dash silenced him with a finger on his lips “Don't jinx us hot shot. So what's the other thing you wanted to know, you said two things, and now that you've swatted my ass and I haven't pounced on you for it, I think that is a testament to my self control. So get on with it already!”

He honestly couldn't tell if she was genuinely annoyed, or just messing with him. Either way, it was ridiculously cute. “Alright alright, last thing I swear...Whatcha got cooking in the stove? I smelled it walking in and can't get it outta my head. I gotta know.”

“Oh...Umm...” Rainbows face suddenly changed a shade, little red blushes started to poking through her cheeks. Daybreak tilted his head, confused. “What's up Dashie, no need to be shy, it smells amazing!”

She shifted her feet against the floor, making the apron sway back and forth. She was becoming harder to resist by the second. “It's...nothing special...just cornbread for tomorrow morning really...I was gonna put it in the fridge after we get done having fun.”

There was no way. That smelled waaaaay too delicious to be just plain corn bread made from a standard recipe. Unless...

“Rainbow...” Daybreak grasped her by the shoulders, and looked her dead in the eyes, a look of the most serious intent upon his face “Are you telling me, that you actually know how to bake?!”

Rainbow shifted uncomfortably, nodding slowly “D-don't tell anyone! None of my friends know...but I'm actually a really good cook when it comes to sweets and bakery type stuff. Pinkie Pie has been showing me for years. She just doesn't think I ever paid any attention.”

Daybreaks hands shook with glee. Rainbow was surely confused, but inside his head, he was celebrating. “Thank all the merciful gods! Now we won't have to really on my mediocre cooking skills all the time! Praise the fucking moon for its mercy!”

Ok. Perhaps that was a little over dramatic, but the thought of cooking every meal they were ever going to eat all by himself was a haunting one indeed. At least now he could rely on some help.

After his internal celebration subsided, Daybreak took a huge whiff of the air, sampling what Rainbow was cooking with all the power his nose might allow him. Truly, if the smell was any indication of taste, Rainbow had paid veeeery close attention to Pinkie's instructions. His mouth watered at the thought, annoying Rainbow slightly as he asked his next question. “Sooooo...when might that be edible?”

Rainbows lips puckered in frustration. “I said tomorrow morning...But you sir, better put that thought from your mind permanently if we are not on that bed in the next! Thirty! Seconds!”

Popping to a salute, Daybreak dipped down, swiped one hand behind Rainbows knees and the other behind her back, then scooped her up into his arms like a bride. “As you command my lady.”

Rainbow, momentarily surprised by his rapid response, recovered quickly and thrust her arm out in the direction of the hallway. “Now that's more like it. Onward noble steed. Carry your princess to her throne! She commands it!”

“Always knew she fantasized about that stuff” He thought to himself, as he expertly crab walked down the hallway, so as not to smack Rainbows head against the narrow passage.

Daybreak channeled his inner monkey, as he attempted to fiddle the door knob open with his right foot, while also not falling over, or dropping Rainbow. Rainbow giggled at his struggles, apparently deciding that instead of helping him to achieve their mutual goal, watching him suffer might be more enjoyable. Daybreak eventually managed to grip the knob with his toes, and force it to turn, just enough for him to press Rainbows dangling feet against the frame and push it open. As she was beside herself with laughter at his expense, Daybreak doubted Rainbow would mind being flung onto the bed, rather than placed gently. So he did just that. Her butt struck the mattress and she let out a soft “Oof!” as the mattress bounced her back up into the air ever so slightly.

Daybreak was already half undressed by the time Rainbow actually settled into a comfortable position on her back. She eyed him with hungry eyes as he went for his pants and undergarments first. His skin tight boxers barely hit the floor before he was attempting to crawl up on the bed after her, but Rainbow held out her leg, and pressed her cold foot against his chest. “Uh uh” She cooed at him softly. “Everything goes.” She licked her lips as he obliged her, pulling his two layers of shirts up and over his head, then simply tossing them to the floor at the bedside. He stood still for a moment, letting her take in the sight of him as she often did for him. Her eyes hovered over his abs, and crawled hungrily down to his crouch. She smiled a devils smile “Come and get it”.

That was all the confirmation he needed. Daybreak took hold of the foot she had laying on his chest and slowly ran his hands over her silk like skin. Pulling the leg up higher into the air so that he had a full view of her, Daybreak placed small kisses up her body, starting at her foot and slowly working up to her clit. He could tell the moment his tongue pressed against her wet sex, she was just as aroused as he was. The smell of her arousal flooded his nostrils and gave him an adrenal boost that blurred out everything else, he attacked her wet lips with his tongue like she was made of candy! A loud squeak escaped Rainbows mouth as Daybreaks nimble muscle flicked over her clit, back and forth, left then right, repeatedly! They'd done this so many times now, he knew exactly what she wanted, and was more than happy to give it!

Rainbows hands gripped and pulled at the sheets on the bed. Her hands crawled and pulled at the fabric of the apron as she tried to pinch at herself. Even for such a loose piece of cloth, it felt suffocating when all she wanted to do was touch herself. Without realizing it, she had already pulled apart the knot she'd tied behind her body and was flinging the pink thing off the bed to go where ever it may. Daybreak paused his oral attack to stare at her. Now she truly, was completely exposed, and he took in the sight like it was his first time seeing it. Every time he saw her naked, he stared as though it was the first, and every time it made her face redden. It was so embarrassing, yet so arousing to know that the only thing he had his mind on was her, and what he wanted to do to her.

Growing impatient, despite only a moment passing, Rainbow widened her legs a bit. “More.” She breathed heavily.

Smirking, Daybreak took a step back from the bed and motioned at his own throbbing muscle. “You first, sexy thing.”

Her lips puckered “Meanie” she pouted. But her response time showed otherwise. She rolled herself off the bed, and got to her knees in front of him. Taking her breasts in either hand, she cupped them together, and squished them around his dick softly. Gently she pushed them up and down along his skin, watching with an admitted satisfaction as his eyes rolled back a bit, and low moans escaped his throat. Leaning forward, Rainbow licked the very tip of his member as she worked her soft breasts up and down the shaft. A sharp moan crawled out that he tried to suppress, but she heard it anyways. Smiling to herself, she licked again, and got another moan. “My tongues too good huh?” She cooed at him teasingly.

“Yes.” He breathed back, no hesitation. “So good...”

It was like he was in a trance. “Well if that's the case...” She let her breasts bounce free and took hold of his dick with one hand. “Then I guess I know what you want.”

Slowly, she wrapped her tongue around the length of his shaft, and began to take him completely into her eager lips. She wrapped her tongue tight, squeezing and licking along his muscle with all her might. She let him linger there a moment, just completely absorbed by the feeling of her tongue and lips, then began to bob her head. She took as much of it as she could manage each time without gagging. But that didn't seem to be enough for Daybreak. After only a few moments, she felt his hands lay on the back of her head, and knew what was coming. He stopped letting her control things, and began to thrust into her mouth on his own. He held her head in place as he bucked forward into her throat, nearly tripping her gag reflex with each animalistic thrust. Despite him nearly choking her, she wasn't in any pain, and kept her tongue sloshing over his sensitive skin the whole time!

She felt his tip flare after a minute or two, and knew he was approaching his end. Even without him telling her, she could feel it as his thrusts increased in pace. So she picked things up as well. She flicked her tongue just underneath the head of his dick and rubbed around his most sensitive spots. Within seconds his breathing became heavy at her expert technique.

“R-Rainbow!” He struggled.

“I know, give it to me stud.” she'd have chuckled if her mouth wasn't full. She knew him so well.

His bucks became erratic, and for all of ten seconds he was choking her as he thrust the full length of his dick into her nearly unwillingly throat, and exploded his seed within her! He bucked once, twice, three times, before he was spent and the last drops of his orgasm dripped into her. Once he was done, he fell backwards onto the bed, and began sucking in deep breaths of air. Rainbow gave a large swallow, and licked the remaining fluid from her lips, before crawling up on the bed after him.

Her hands crawled over his dick. Refusing to allow his arousal to fade, she began stroking him as she whispered in his ear. “You know big guy, you were choking me at the end there. You're not normally so aggressive. I hope you're planning on repeating that enthusiasm for round two.”

“Definitely.” He breathed slowly, then added “And round three, four, five, and six.”

A light hum of amusement echoed from Rainbow as she crawled up and straddled his chest, squishing his erection between her toned cheeks. “Oh? Wanna add more kids to the list huh? Or maybe...?” Rainbow tensed her cheeks, squeezing the life from his dick. “Maybe you want me here tonight? Make me scream a bit? Dominate me like a wild animal?”

There was a considerable amount of hopefulness in her voice. Made him wonder if she actually did get off on him dominating her. But that wasn't what he wanted right now. After everything that had happened, and everything that had occurred until now...He was finally ready to accept her, fully.

With the utmost tenderness, Daybreak reached his hands back and gripped Rainbows muscled cheeks. She loosed a lustful squeak at his touch, but then fell silent when he did not continue. Instead he pushed himself back upwards into a sitting position, resting his back against the head of the bed and lifted Rainbows ever so slightly off him. For just a moment he held her up while he positioned himself below, then once he was ready, lowered her back down. A sharp, but joyful moan escaped Rainbow as he lowered her down, and the head of his dick pushed her soaked lips apart. He brought her down gently, allowing her to feel every single inch he pushed inside. Her arms and legs wrapped around his back once he was fully hilted inside of her, pulling their bodies tightly together. Rainbow was still for a moment, reveling in the feeling of him filling her up completely. Daybreak couldn't help but adore the expression she wore now, eyes glazed over as she basked in her ecstasy. It was almost a crime to interrupt something so lovely. But interrupt he must, he had to speak now before he lost his nerve.

“Rainbow?”

“Hm?”

It took her a few seconds to register that he had spoken. In that time, Daybreaks hands crawled around to find Rainbows, wrapped tightly behind his back. He gently pulled her hands apart, then entangled her fingers in his own, pushing their fused palms out in front of them. This pushed Rainbow off of her comfy rest against his chest and allowed him to get a good full look at her body. Starting at pelvis, he took in the sight of her lips wrapped tightly around his muscle, then traveled upwards along her silk skin. His eyes passed over her sharply defined abs, then snaked upwards to her luscious breasts and perky nipples. Unable to resist the urge, Daybreak gave a quick thrust upwards, and watched Rainbows breasts bounce as she squeaked with pleasure. A grumpy moan followed after, as Daybreaks eyes finally moved up to meet Rainbows. She blushed when he stared at her, and averted her gaze. Funny how, after all this time, and all the times they'd shared a bed together, he could still make her blush. It always brought him a warm smile, no matter the circumstance.

“Rainbow, look at me”

She hesitated, her face growing a deeper red as she tried to form a grumpy expression. “N-No. Whenever you look at me like that...”

Her voice drifted off, but he knew what she meant. It was hard not to chuckle, but he wanted to see her face when he spoke next. “Look, and I'll start moving. The longer you wait, the longer we just sit here.”

Under her breath, he heard her mutter “That isn't such a bad thing”. But nevertheless, her eyes slowly drifted back to his. He stared into her, holding her gaze as he started to move his hips. Slowly, affectionately thrusting up into her, and drinking in her squeaks as he did. He held her gaze and listened to the sounds of their bodies for a full minute before he spoke again.

“Rainbow. I want you to know, after everything that's happened, between us, and your friends, everything...I don't ever want it to end. I don't ever want us to end. That's why...I want you to know something...”

He leaned close, so close he could feel the heat radiating from her face, her eyes shivered as he stared. He took a deep inhale of breath before he spoke.

“I love you Rainbow.”

Not letting her have a chance to reply, Daybreak dove in for the kill and crushed their lips together. The instant their lips met, Daybreak felt a sharp tightness squeezing at his dick and hands. Her whole body had tightened around him, almost to the point he couldn't move anymore. A sharp gasp escaped them both as her neither's gripped him for dear life, her muscle strength was incredible! He felt a wetness beginning to soak against his pelvis. Had she just cum from that? That thought. mixed her sudden tightness was too much for him! They'd just begun, but already he felt a climax slapping him in the face. Pulling out wasn't an option with how tightly she was gripping him, so he didn't even bother trying. He released his load into her welcoming womb with a loud gasp, breaking their kiss as he spasmed into her!

Rainbow rolled off him the moment she felt him finish blasting his load into her. She crawled to the edge of the bed and, with a wobbly sort of balance stood up facing away from him. After only a moment to steady herself, she bent over at the waist, reaching down to touch her toes and giving him a perfect view of his work. She spoke only one word “More”

For a moment he was confused, he'd expected a different reaction than this to his confession. Rainbow repeated herself, more firmly this time. “More...I want more. You can't just say something like that to me...and not expect repercussions. I want you to fuck me like nothing we've ever done before! I want you to make me cum so hard I forget where I am! And I want you to repeat those words to me every time you finish! Got it?”

This was unexpected. He'd thought she'd become much mushier, but perhaps this was the only way she knew how to react. Either way, he was not about to disappoint her now. Standing from the bed, he came behind her and gently pushed her to the sheets. “Lie on your belly and stick your rear into the air Dashie. By the time we are done, your wet dreams will be disappointing compared to this memory.”

With a shiver, she did as he commanded, spreading her cheeks for him as she barely uttered the words “I love you too Daybreak”.

The night was long and pleasure filled. Neither of the young lovers would likely get much sleep, but they did not care. They all the time in the world to themselves. And blissful ignorance was their great joy.

Author's Notes:

Yay. Another chapter down. As we approach the quote "climax" of the story (still many chapters away). I hope you all are still as interested in reading as I am writing. Give me your thoughts on this most recent of chapters down below.