The chorus of crickets and other forest sounds of the night was joined by two more sounds: the slow, regular breathing of Flight and Cotton Fluff as the two of them slumbered, lying on patches of grass on the ground. After Doc Zed had hung up, the light went out and all three of them settled into their spots, deciding to get some sleep until the others came back.

Yet Kevin lay there, eyes open to the darkness, fern leaves dangling dangerously close to his outstretched limbs. He just didn't feel sleepy; the ground was too uncomfortable and the other ponies' breathing was too loud and he had too much to think about, anyway. As he gazed through the shadowy branches of the treetops above, making out the few visible patches of the starry night sky as they peeked through.

Kevin turned his head. In the faint light that filtered down from above, he could see the slumbering form of the yellow filly not a metre away, her eyes closed and her muzzle open ever so slightly, allowing her to breathe.

Sighing, Kevin turned back and got to his hooves, taking care not to step on anything noisy as he stood. Then, step by step, he trotted away from Flight and Cotton Fluff.

It wasn't until he was a couple dozen metres away that he started to notice the sound of his own hoofsteps, making slight cracks and rustles as they stepped down on the dirt and parts of plants. They didn't bother him, though it wouldn't matter if they did; it was too dark to see where he was walking. It probably wasn't even a good idea to be walking without his horn lit up, because he could easily get lost—but Kevin pushed this thought away and merely tried to enjoy the cool night air around him.

Until he was interrupted, that is.

"When are you going to tell them?" It was a familiar, higher-pitched voice that asked this, quietly yet clear enough for Kevin to hear.

The colt spun around, curious what he would be met with this time; however, it was too dark to make out exactly what the shadowy figure in front of him was. "I thought I told you to leave me alone."

The creature laughed. "And I thought I told you to take me up on my offer. Looks like neither of us gets what we want, huh?"

"Ugh, can it. I'm not in the mood," Kevin grumbled.

"Are you ever in the mood, my little pony?"

"Yeah, when you screw off and leave me alone. Don't think I've forgotten what you did last time we ran into you..."

"Hmph. Whatever. The time will come, of course... the time will come. As will the time when you tell them. Which reminds me: when are you going to tell them?"

Kevin rolled his eyes. "Tell them what? You're already annoying enough—you don't need to be all cryptic on top of that."

Although he couldn't see the creature's face, Kevin could swear he could almost feel the smile plastered across its features. "Come now—you know exactly what I'm talking about, Kay."

Kevin froze. There was an odd moment in which his jaw was clenched shut, refusing to move, and his heart was beating so hard that he felt like he was going to puke it up then and there. Luckily, after a few moments and deep breaths, his jaw unclenched. "Oh. Yeah. That."

The creature nodded sagely. "Yes, that. Now, I know I'm not one for life advice—"

"Because you've never been anything but helpful," Kevin said, rolling his eyes. He wasn't as into it, though.

"Shush, you. All I'm trying to say is that it'll be better for you. You might think that I have ulterior motives—and damn, do I ever—but what I want most is for you to be happy."

"Ugh, seriously? You've been nothing but a hassle ever since I first saw you, and there's no way I can trust you at all."

"Don't trust me," the creature said, slinking to the left. "Trust you."

"Huh?"

"I must be off, Kay. But please know that some things are inevitable and some things are best done on your own terms than on somepony else's." With that, the creature vanished. There was hardly any difference with what Kevin could see—it was so dark that the creature had merely blended into the bush behind it—but, again, he could feel its presence in the air, popping away like a balloon in a knife store.

"Ugh... what does he think he's playing at?" Kevin mused aloud. "That dumb... thing can't manipulate me to do whatever he wants anymore."

Yet, in his heart of hearts, Kevin knew that the star-stickered creature wasn't wrong. And so, as he trudged back through the darkness towards the rhythmic breathing of Flight and Cotton Fluff, Kevin thought about what the creature had said and what that implied.

And, of course, he was able to fall asleep less than ever. His eyes felt glued open and he forgot completely about his need for sleep, instead content to lie awake and just think.