I got back to Chrome's room in the infirmary at around nightfall.

"Oh, your back." Chrome said, in a very tired voice. Before yawning.

"Yep, sorry for being so long, but I kinda got a couple titles now." I said, closing the door behind me and my guards.

"No way, which ones?" God its like unwrapping a rare trading card or something to these guys.

"I am now 'SIR DANIEL MICHEALS, INSUBORDINATE HERO, DEFENDER AND MEDICAL SPECIALIST' sound pretty cool personally." I said, making a heroic pose while on my way to the chair beside Chrome.

"Dude, that's awesome. Is that 'Sir' real or not? I can't tell if that's you just adding things or not."

"Naw it's legit."

"Heh, that's awesome. Good for you dude."

"Thanks, it means I can basically ignore any orders I get, if I want, and the ability to order around almost everyone in Equestria." I continued at his questioning glance. "They said I was just below the authority of a Guard Captain." His eyes widened.

"Dude, your going to be famous, you know that?"

"Yeah, yeah I know." I sighed. As I sat on the chair next to him bed and closed my eyes.

***

I woke in a gasp from my dream, well, it was more akin to a nightmare. Morning light was streaming through the pale curtains.

"Dude." Chrome said, mid-way through eating some hospital food, which I guess was breakfast. "You okay?" I looked to him, he tilted his head questioningly and concerned.

"Nah man, just... when I found that body in your house..." His eyes widened understandingly. "And then I remembered about you... Chrome, I feared the worst."

He smiled. "It would have been 'the worst' If not for you, Dan. Remember that." I couldn't help but smile at that. I try my best to be humble, but sometimes I let it slip. This was not one of those times.

"Dude, your like, my best friend, man." I said, nudging his side with a fist. "I couldn't just... give up on you."

"Thanks for not letting go, Dan." This gaze turned serious. "Oh and by the way, once I am out of here, we are staying in a guest room, in the palace. My house is still being analysed. And as soon as I can, I'm selling it. I don't want to live in a place where... THAT happened." He gave a quick gaze downwards. I followed it and found the word 'NEVER' still scared on his side, the fur missing along the letters. It was slightly obscured by his wing, but you could tell what it said.

I gave a sad smile and looked down at mine. That's when I realized I had left my clothes on my bed in Chrome's house, and thrown my only other shirt off before dragging Chrome to the palace. I had had no shirt on for 2 and a half days. No wonder I was cold when I woke up yesterday.

"Aw man... I'm going to have to get new clothes again..." What little clothes I did have on were still encrusted with Chrome's dried blood. The healing spell only cleaned me, not my trousers. Chrome looked down at the stains, well, STAIN. The whole front of then was completely covered.

"Wow... I was that bad huh?" He lifted up the covers of his bed and peered at his stomach. His eyes bulged and his mouth dropped. I lifted my head to look, only to see the scars left by the grid-like cuts I had seen when I first picked him up. The fur refused to grow on the scared tissue, causing a strange repeating-square pattern on his stomach, with grossly mutilated skin separating them. He blinked, then looked away from the grisly sight. Dropping the sheets back down. "Who would do this?"

"Someone who wants their presence known, but their identity secret." Chrome gave me a confused look. "Think about it. Think about what was written on us and that poor girl. 'NEVER' 'FORGIVE' 'NEVER'. I bet they will find another victim soon with the words 'FORGET' written on them. This guy, whoever did this, is trying to convey a message to someone. They clearly have a vendetta against someone all three of us, the girl, you and me, know. Their target cannot be either of us, they would have killed us when they had the chance." He gave me a scared look, like he was staring at the killer himself.

"If the t-target was not us, then who was it?"

"I expect it, though seriously hope it not, to be Feather." He gasped.

"She wouldn't do anything to anypony Dan! Why would somepony do this to her?"

"Chrome, Feather has a very dark past." He gave me a shocked look. "I don't want to talk about it, it's private stuff." He nodded understanding his friends need for privacy. "But I recon, this psycho, whoever did this, is someone who either worked with or against Feather a long time ago, and as come back for revenge."

"Why would somepony who worked WITH her want revenge?"

"...She has done some things that haunt her to this day Chrome, I don't know the specifics but..." I stopped, feeling a presence in the room. I turned to the door and saw something very strange. The door was cracked open with Celestia and Luna's heads poking through, somehow, Luna's head was above Celestia's. They both stared at me with strange looks when i looked at them, shocked. "Erm... do you need something?" I said to them, they both gave silent gasps.

"Dan? Who are you talking to?" Chrome said from my side. Celestia and Luna shifted expectantly, I refused to take my eyes off of them, I knew if I turned to look at Chrome they would be gone by the time I looked back. From Chrome's angle, he should have definitely have been able to see them.

"Oh, just some eavesdroppers, you mind showing yourselves so my friend here can see you too. It's rather rude to hide about and listen to others speak, you know." They both gave me shocked looks, before looking to each other, then simultaneously glowing their horns. For me, nothing changed. For Chrome though...

"P-P-Princesses!? Why are you- Dan how did you- what?!" Chrome shuddered in surprise.

They both opened the door and walked in fully, practically filling the already small room. They both had shame on their faces. Though Celestia's was contaminated with something.

"Dan, I think we found one of your mystery 'powers'." She said.

"And whats that?" I gave a smug look to Chrome. "That my 'mares' can't get enough of me?" Chrome hid himself under his hooves, I laughed. Until I noticed that as he lifted his hooves he revealed his nasty scars. Reminding the Princesses how close he had been to death. They both blanched slightly.

Celestia tore her eyes from the pony's scars. "Dan, why must you insist on teasing my ponies so?"

I shrugged. "Cause its fun."

She mouthed the words 'It is, isn't it?' Before continuing. "No, it seems you have the ability to see through shape-shifting magic, or at least... invisibility." Both Luna and Celestia flinched slightly, though Celestia's was better hidden. Ebony, who was by the door still, just behind Celestia, looked to me with a mixture of shock, suspicion and a plea for help. Don't worry I ain't gonna sell you out.

"Yeah, okay, that can wait. But first," I looked at them both, Chrome had recovered from his embarisment. "How much of that conversation did you hear?"

The two looked to eachother. Luna spoke up. "All of it, we got here just as you woke up. And decided to... hang about."

I snorted. "Your lucky this isn't my world. I am pretty sure listening in on private conversations is a crime where I come from." Chrome became uneasy. "Oh? It is here too? Well, I guess your lucky that I'm such a FORGIVING person." I said with a dark smile. I indicated to the 'FORGIVE' scar on my chest. They both recoiled, Chrome just stared.

Celestia sighed. "I am sorry this had to happen to you. You too, Chrome Star." He bowed his head quickly. "A message has already been sent to the CSI team regarding your suspicions. It seems your...'dark'... mindset is better suited for this kind of thing."

I shrugged. "I've seen some stuff I never wanted to see." The internet will do that to you. "Plus, murder and death are common where I come from." Not exactly true, but messing with them a little was fun.

"Yes, we have heard such things from Feather." Oh yeah, the nukes. "But for now, Dan I believe we had an... event... to plan." Hm? Oh the music thing yeah.

"Yes, indeed we do. Welp, I gotta go Chrome, one of my mares I begging for attention. You know how it is." He pulled the sheet over his eyes. I laughed again. Celestia gave me a 'Your learning well' look while Luna gave me a disapproving look. Me and Celestia made for the door, me being the gentleman, I held the door open for her.

Once she and my guards had left the room I whispered loudly into the room. "Have fun with Luna, Chrome." Luna rolled her eyes, but didn't make to leave. Chrome groaned under his sheet. In the same voice I said, as I closed the door. "That's the spirit Chrome! A lot more of that where your heading pal!" The last thing I saw was Luna's look of rage and shared embarrassment. Priceless.

I closed the door, I heard Luna start to talk inside. I fist-pumped. Celestia seemed to notice what I said. "Dan, did you just do what I think you just did?"

"What? Put your sister in a small room with my best friend then place them in a situation that could either end in an awkward silence, a mutual feeling of embarrassment OR a very special kind of friendship? Yeah, yeah I just did that." After I finished talking I heard Chrome talk, then Luna laughed. "Oh my god..." I whispered. "Yes! Get in there Chrome!" I made sure the ponies inside Chrome's room could not hear me. But Celestia did. She rolled her eyes. "Hey! It could work!" I said, as we began to walk, my guards followed.

"I know someone who would be proud of you Dan."

"Let me guess, Cadence."

She paused. "Yes, I forget you... know things. It's rather unnerving sometimes." Ebony gave me a strange look. I responded by thinking of the most explicit things I could think of. Ebony's eyes widened and stared at me, his eyes narrowed when he saw my smug grin. I love watching them squirm.

Celestia picked up on our act. "What are you two doing?"

"ERR-" Ebony started. But I cut him off.

"Nothing really. Just an... inside joke. Nothing you would understand." I said, waving hand dismissively.

Celestia raised an eyebrow. "I see." She said, suspiciously. Ebony was visibly sweating but Celestia didn't comment further.

Once we got to where Celestia was taking me, she told the guards to wait outside the door, which they did. It was room 271 again. It was set up the same way as before, two seats facing each other. Except this time there was a desk in front of one, with a quill and paper. I let Celestia in first, she took her seat, and I took mine behind the desk. I looked at her confused.

"You are going to play your music at a small Canterlot bar. You will play one song, choose your song then write the lyrics onto this paper, I will check over them to make sure they are suitable. Then you can take the paper with you to the bar's stage, where you will perform for a small crowd, are you okay with this arrangement?" She sounded as if she had practiced those lines in her head all day.

"Yeah sure, what kind of bar is it?"

"Its popular with the older stallions, though there are still a range of customers there."

"It a lively place?"

"No, rather low-key. A place to relax and reminisce."

"Okay, I can work with that. Now, let me think..." For some reason, Feather came to mind, I knew then a suitable song. "You got like, a memory spell or something? I am not sure if I can get all of the lyrics right." She nodded, her horn glowed and I felt enlightened. "Wait, how does that even work and how long does it last?"

"It works, as you like to put it, 'because magic'. And it will last for about 5 minutes."

"Hm, okay." I wrote down the lyrics as they came to the for-front of my mind one by one. I then handed it to Celestia. "Here's what I've got, hows that?"

She read through it carefully. "Something tells me you changed it a little." She said, with a smile.

"Yes, it's doubling as an apology. A more permanent one, since if any song is going to go down in history because I become famous, it's going to be my first one."

"That's sweet of you Dan. I will make sure to send an invitation to Feather Flame for you."

"Thanks Celestia, see you there?" I asked.

She shook her head. "I won't be able to make it unfortunately, but Luna was planning to go to the bar tonight, but that was before I told her about your performance." She's a drinker too? Her and Chrome are going to get along just swell.

"Oh, okay. When and where will it start?"

"In about..." Her horn glowed. "In about 3 or 4 hours time. Its a small bar called 'The Shadey'."

"Hm, I better get there early. Any advice?"

"Just concentrate and it will be fine. And pick up your clothes, they were moved from your room at Chrome's house to his infirmary room while you were here."

"Thanks Celestia." I said, lifting myself from the chair and taking the paper with me.

"This is you doing this, not me. Thank yourself." She said, I waved to her as I exited the room.

I took myself and my guards over to Chrome's room, to check on things. There was no sound coming from the room. I knocked. Nothing. I opened the door. No-one was in the room. "Chrome, you sly dog." I said to myself as I put on my shirt and left for the bar. It took a while, but I found it. Luckily, my guard Steel frequents that bar, so he was able to direct me there once he noticed I had no idea where I was going.

The place was a pretty big building, the inside was dimly lit and ponies filled the seats, I got quite a lot of looks as I walked in, they flinched at the setting sun's light the door let in. I quickly made my way to the side of the stage and reviewed my slightly edited lyrics. My guards left my side and found an empty table near the stage to sit at. They didn't order anything. A while later, I saw Feather walk in, flanked by her two guards. She sat at a table near the front of the stage, luckily she didn't spot me lurking in the darkness next to the stage.

Then, a longer while later I saw something I was both expecting and not expecting: Chrome walked in with Luna. I could not help but stare in wonder at my handy-work. It seemed that Luna came to this bar often, as none of it's residents even reacted to her presence other than a quick glance and a smile, before they returned to talking or drinking. The whole place was buzzing with a light chatter and I was feeling that it might be time. The mare behind the bar pulled up a mic out of the back of the bar. Nifty.

"Sir Dan Micheals, Insubordinate Hero, Defender and Medical specialist. To the stage please. Begin when ready." I saw Feather gawk at my titles slightly, before looking to the stage expectantly. A spotlight appeared in the center of the stage. I took a breath and walked into it, looking over the Bar's inhabitants. They were silent, all looking at me. I froze. I can't do this.

That's when Chrome yelled over the crowd "WOOOO, YEAH DAN!!" I looked to him he smiled at me, clearly already slightly drunk. Luna giggled loudly at his antics.

Chrome's outburst gave me the confidence to continue. I placed the paper on the floor, in case I forgot the lyrics. Then began.

I concentrated, closing my eyes. I heard the acoustic guitar start its slow melody. Once my cue was reached, I began.

I had called this song 'My Feather'. It was another sad song. Obviously I had changed it's title and some of the words, but it worked. Despite that title, to someone who didn't know Feather, the song meant something completely different.

As the final violins faded into the silence of the bar, I opened my eyes. Finding them wet. The entire room was staring at me, sparkling eyes all around the room. The silence continued as I stared into the crowd. Until a clop sounded, I looked to see that Feather had placed her front hooves together, he pulled them apart then again hit then together.

The clopping spread to the next pony, who joined in, the sound sped up and reverberated as more and more ponies joined in and their intensity increased. Soon the whole room, including Luna was aplauding my performance. I gave a slight bow, and walked off the stage, as the ponies settled down, I walked over to Feather, she noticed me and waved her guards away. She looked to me with a large, sad smile as I sat down.

"Dan, that was... that was beautiful, you really didn't have to..." She trailed off and hung her head.

"It's okay Feather." I said lifting her head back up by her chin. "I did this, as a reminder for you. I'm from another world, so chances are this will be somewhat popular, I made that my first song, so that's the message people remember. I might not be around forever, but this song sure will." She leaped over the table and tackled me into a hug. My clean shirt instantly saturated in tears.

"Thank you! So much Dan!" she cried into my shoulder. I returned the hug.

"Its okay Feather, I did this for you, not for your thanks." Her hug relented and she sat back in her chair. "Now, how about we move over there and have a night at the bar with Chrome and Luna." I suggested, pointing over to the other side of the room, where they were sitting, as soon as I mentioned Chrome her head whipped around to follow my hand.

She accepted my offer by running over to him and embracing him. He quickly returned it. I made my way over to their table at a more sedate pace, receiving compliments and praise as I walked past the other tables. Me and Feather sat next to each other, Chrome across from me and Luna across from Feather. Feather and Luna shared a weird look, which ended when Feather subtly shook her head. One day I will figure out what she did in her past. Maybe I can get it out of Luna? No... that would be kinda mean...

"So." Chrome said, placing his almost empty glass back down on the table after taking a lengthy swig. "You decided to make this into a DOUBLE date?" Feather rolled her eyes, stopped half way then stared at him and Luna. I think I did the same.

"Was it ever a REGULAR date?" I said, smirking at the two across from us. Chrome realised what he had implied and his eyes widened and he blushed, hiding his face.

"Yes." Luna said in a serious tone. Chrome sat up completely straight, his wings flared, then he turned catatomic and fell to the table completely limp. Luna laughed before setting him up on his chair again with her magic. "I wasn't planning on telling him, but that was my intent." I think Feather was about to follow in Chrome's footsteps, by the look on her face.

"Wow, Celestia was right. Cadence WILL be proud of me." Luna looked at me strangely.

"What do you mean?" She asked, propping Chrome's chin up onto the table.

"You guys didn't notice? I purposely set you guys up." Luna thought for a second. Her eyes widened.

"THAT'S what you were doing... well... you succeeded, and look what you've done." She said indicated to the stirring Chrome. "Are you proud?"

"YES, VERY." I said. "So you guys are actually, you know, together?"

"Well, I was going to ask him tomorrow, depending on how tonight went. At this point, I think I will."

"Yeah go for it! I don't know you all that well, but from what I can tell, you and Chrome have a lot in common. You guys would make a good pair." Luna blushed. Where is my camera when I need it? Oh, yeah. On earth. "What are your thoughts Feather?"

She was still staring at the other side of the table. She shook herself when she heard her name. "Er- Yeah, I think you guys would be good together... It's just... Chrome is... wow...".

"Yeah, he's lucky ain't he?" I said, nudging Feather. Luna blushed again, but so did Feather for some reason. A silence ensued.

Luna recovered first and changed the subject to us, instead of them. "So, are you two... together too?" she said, pointing between me and Feather.

We looked at each other. I had never really thought about it, Feather was more like a Sister to me than anything. By the look on her face, I could tell she was thinking something over too. We looked at each other for a while longer, until things got to awkward for me to handle.

"Err, I..." I started. "I... don't... actually know... I've never thought about it..." I wanted no part in a relationship just yet, but I didn't want to deny anyone.

"Dan, tell me." Feather said, completely serious and calm.

I breathed deeply. "Okay. I always thought of you as the Sister I never had. You know, I love you, but in a sibling kind of way you know." She remained silent, so I quickly added. "But I'm open to change! I mean I don't really want a relationship just yet, but I won't deny anyone, if -if you get what i'm saying.... you know?" She stared at me. I gulped.

"Dan, I've only known you for a few days. But throughout that time, you've always been their for me. I understand that I feel like a sister to you, just as I always saw Chrome as my brother... But your... not what I'm looking for, if you catch my meaning... But, thanks for being honest, as I said, I fully understand."

I thought over what she said for a second. "Stop being so cryptic," Chrome said, at some point he had woken up and finished his drink. "She likes mares, Dan." Feather shot a glare at Chrome, but he didn't catch it through his glazed eyes. Then Feather looked to me, Luna did the same, they both seemed to flinch as I started to speak.

"Hm, fair enough." I shrugged. Luna and Feather stared at me. "What?"

"That's it?" Feather asked.

"Err, yeah? Why? Did you think I would have a problem with that? Because I don't." They both just stared at me.

After a long pause Luna spoke up. "Is... that... common where you come from?"

"I wouldn't say common, but it was accepted by most people. Why, is it not, here?" I asked, giving them curious glances.

"It's... rare. And generally looked upon with indifference, but those who do have an opinion usually have a bad one." Luna explained.

"Why don't you do what my world did and legalize same-gender marriage." The entire table gasped, drawing a couple looks from around the room. "What?"

"That's impossible!" Feather practically yelled.

"Why? I mean, Feather, I explained to you how monstrous humans can be. We even used to kill people who were attracted to the same gender, but we figured it out. I am sure if my world can do it, this one can." They all remained silent.

"That... is an interesting concept. But how would it work?" Luna asked.

"What do you mean? It would go like any other wedding, the two vow the rest of their lives to each other and boom, married." I slapped my hands together. They all blinked at the concept.

Luna hummed. "I will... have a talk with Celestia in a couple days, see what I can do. Doing this would increase the public's awareness and make it more accepted."

"Exactly." I said. there was another silence.

"Wait..." Chrome said out of nowhere, we all looked at him, he looked at Luna. "Did you say... yes?" He said, his eyes wide but blurry.

"I-" is all Luna could say before Chrome passed out again. This time landing on the floor. "Ah. It seems I am... overwhelming him."

"It's fine." Feather said, waving a dismissive hoof. "He gets faint-y when he's drunk." Luna picked him up with her magic, casting a pale blue light in the dimly lit room.

"Well, I will return him to his room then I will retire for an hour or so, this outing has destroyed my sleep schedule. Anyone care to join me?"

Both me and Feather followed Luna out of the bar, our guards all following. She led us into the palace and into the guest room area.

"This is where you and Chrome will be staying now, Dan. While we were out I had ponies move all of your belongings into this room." Luna said as we walked in and turned on the lights. It was set up much like Chrome's house, only smaller. My spare set of clothes, minus the shirt I tore off in Chromes house was folded on the table. "Where are the rest of your possessions? I told them to get everything!"

"That's... all I have." I said, pointing at the clothes.

"Oh...wait, why are these here? Surely they should still be out getting cleaned, blood is hard to wash ou-" She set her eyes on the clothes I was wearing, my t-shirt was clean, but everything else was caked in dried blood, I had not slept in a bed for a couple days, so it never occurred to me to take them off. So they never got replaced.

This was the first time Feather had seen me in the light, so the blood came as even more of a surprise to her. "Er, Dan? Who's blood is that?" She asked. I pointed to Chrome. Who was still passed out. Luna span him in her magical grasp to show Feather the 'NEVER' and grid-scars. Feather gasped. "I heard what had happened, but I never thought that... it would be this bad... how did he survive?" She asked Luna, Luna tilted her head towards me, Feather span back around and looked at me.

"What? You heard my titles at the bar today. How do you think I became a 'Insubordinate Hero', 'defender' or 'Medical specialist'?"

"How?" Feather asked.

I blinked. "That... was rhetorical, but okay. I basically dragged Chrome to the throne room from his house. Then it turns out he died on the way there-"

"Then how is he alive?"

"Let me finish." She nodded and visibly contained herself slightly. "He died on the way there, and the Princesses told me to let him go, that he was gone. My sadness for my loss turned to anger and I openly insulted them both, Luna left the room... Then Celestia offered healing magic, but said it would do nothing but heal his wounds. I said to do it, and she did, it healed me and him."

"But I noticed that the blood was washing off of me, turning thin and disappearing when it hit the floor, then I noticed the thin blood pouring from Chromes mouth, so I guessed he choked on his own blood on the way to the throne room. I remembered a revival method that works on humans and put it into practice; by getting Celestia to unwillingly shock his body with lightning at 300-500 volts then blowing into his lungs and emptying them by pushing on his chest. I repeated this process for about 10 minutes total, that's when he started to come back. We rushed him to the infirmary, and here he is."

Feather looked terrified, then angry. "Whoever did this needs to pay for what they have done to Chrome."

"Erm, Feather, you DO know they didn't just harm Chrome right?"

"What?"

I lifted my shirt. She gasped. "And there was a second pony in the house, strung up with wire hanging from the ceiling."

Luna nodded. "The authorities are still attempting to identify that pony."

Feather's gaze hardened and focused on me. "What. Did they look like." It wasn't a question, it was a demand.

I pulled out my journal, since I had forgot. "It says here... Cyan coat with a dark mane."

She ripped the journal out of my hand with a hoof and read the whole page. She dropped it.

She looked at the ground, she whispered "Never forgive... Never..." She lifted a hoof and turned it over. Scared on the bottom of it was the word 'FORGET'. Me and Luna both gasped, causing Luna to drop Chrome, I rushed to catch him but only succeeded in being half-crushed. At least I slowed his fall somewhat. "He's... he's... no..."

"When did that happen?!" Luna asked Feather, while I pulled myself out from under Chrome.

"15 years ago..." Feather answered.

And thus began her epic tale...

Updated: 07/11/15
-Fixed a little formatting
-Fixed some tense errors and stuff like that
-Made the conversations more coherent

This is one of my favorites.

But oh god the next one is going to be hell to edit.