Mystogan and Celestia both walked along the pathway through a park not too far from sugarcube corner. Once Celestia knew they couldn't be disturbed, she turned and looked down at Mystogan, who was looking up at her. Their eyes met for a moment, she spoke first.

"Raven...I know we parted on unsteady terms the other day. Did my sister apologize for her actions?"

Mystogan nodded.

"Good, I also want to apologize as well. It was very wrong of me to even think to do such a thing. But I was just worried about my subjects and all. But from what I saw tonight. I must confess, I am even more worried for you now. When I saw you...changing. I sensed no magict at all, but a physical change. Raven..what exactly are you?"

Raven lets out a sigh as he turns away from her, walking away a bit.

"I see your sister didn't fill you in did she?"

Celestia shook her head as an answer.

"To put it simply..I am a monster inside a human body and will burst forth should things go wrong. As you saw, should this thing on my arm overload and get destroyed, the results would be pretty bad. I know I told you about it at our first meeting. But I....also failed to let you know...as a god eater, I have the potential to become the very thing I hunted back home. an aragami. What you saw must have been the beginning of a transformation. Emotion, especially rage can trigger the oracle cells inside me to overwork and push, even destroy the limiter in this armlet. That's why god eaters are trained to remain cool under pressure. But because of what he did and the way he was egging me on...I just..blew up. Especially for someone I care about. You know?"

Celestia nodded again in response

"And I understand your frustration, Raven. But should you get out of control, we need to find a way to contain you. Preferably change you back to yourself if possible. Perhaps even allow you a way to change in and out at will. Which is why I ask you this. Please allow Twilight Sparkle to conduct experiments on you. The quicker we find out how to allow you complete control over your body without that device wrapped around your wrist, the safer I can keep both you and my subjects. Once again, I am begging you, let her help..."

"No offense princess. But how can I trust her? She may want to carve me open for all I know. I don't want to go through that..again."

"Raven, there will be no cutting or dismembering of your body. She simply wants to extract your blood and learn about the 'oracle cells' that inhabit your body. This could lead to something to help you and your fear of becoming an aragami. Not to mention, gaining better control. I ask of this, because ever since you got here. Whatever is inside of you now, its stirring, as I said before.Its something magical, yet it's not. And it's element is that of wind. And I believe that what we witnessed tonight is but a tiny piece of what is tocome, should we leave it unchecked. Do you understand?"

Mystogan thought on it for a moment, rubbing his chin in thought. He then turns around and walks back up to her, motioning for her to kneel down so that she was eye level with him. She complies.

"Look me in the eyes, princess. And tell me you will promise this won't be like the stun you and your sister pulled. This will be the beginning of bridging the broken trust you two destroyed. And ift things go right, I will consider trusting you. And maybe, just maybe mind you. It will bring us a friendship. I will tell you like I told her. I don't like being cold to others. But, because you both came to me and apologized wholeheartedly, I am willing to give you another chance. And I am willing to give Twilight a chance as well."

Celestia smiled warmly, offering a hand to him. He looks down at it, taking it and shaking hers firmly.

"You have a deal Raven. I shall keep my word."

She couldn't help but giggle lightly, Raven tilted his head a bit.

"Forgive me. But the way you carry yourself and conduct things. You are still so very young, And yet, you are so very confident and mature in the things you do. It's quite admirable."

"Well, I had to grow up quicker than most humans my age. Being a god eater, I didn't have the chance to act out as every teen does."

Celestia giggled again with a hand over her mouth.

"My my...so serious."

"Also, princess. How many rulers do you have in this world of yours?"

"Well,as you know, me and my sister are the two main rulers. Then there is Twilight, the princess of friendship and Cdence, the princess of love."

"Well,I am sure there are more princesses out there...somewhere."

Celestia smiled after she averted her eyes in another direction.

Ah,speaking of which, here is Twilight herself."

Mystogan arched a brow and looked behind himself, seeing the lavender alicorn walking up to them and waving to them both, smiling sheepishly at Mystogan

"Good evening Princess Celestia, Raven. Good to see you both."

"And you as well Twilight. I just got done speaking with our friend here. He has agreed to allow experimentation as soon as you are ready. BUT, he did make it clear that theren was to be no sharp objects in his flesh involved. Do you promise this?"

"Yes! I promise! Oooh this is sooo exciting! We should get started tonight!"

"Now Twilight, he still has a party he needs to return to. You can wait till morning."

"B-b-but..aaawwwww..."

Mystogan and Celestia both shake their heads.

"Sorry about her Raven..she has always been the scientific and researching type."

"As long as she isn't like the last woman who experimented on me. Its because of her that one of my former unit members nearly died."

Twilight frowned a bit and powered her ears., circling her hooves in the ground a bit.

"I promise I would never do such a thing Raven...wouldn't be very friend like of me now would it?"

Mystogan nodded again.

"Fair enough, we can begin tomorrow afternoon then. Agreed?"

Twilight bounces on her hooves excitedly, nodding rapidly.

"Agreed, now lets get back to that party!"

Mystogan was suddenly grabbed by her by the hands and dragged along. Leaving behind a giggling Celestia, mouthing something along the lines of "You are just stealing all the hearts of mares aren't you?', which only made him give a narrow eyed, unamused look at her. She only stuck her tongue out at him before teleporting.

Back at the party, Mystogan was even more uncomfortable as he was surrounded by mares and stallions alike. Trying to get his attention and as him many questions. His anxiety rising...and rising. He drops down and scrambles his way under the crowd and makes his way out of it. Leaping under one of the tables and hiding behind the table clothe.

"Whew...they will never find me here..."

He said as he took a moment to collect himself. watching various hooves come and go from the table as he remained hidden, he noticed however, that he wasn't alone under that table, he looks behind him and notices that yellow colored pony with the pink mane.

"Um..Fluttershy was it?"

The pegasus lets out a small 'eep!' as she wasn't aware she had company. But she nods.

"You don't like crowds either huh?"

'N-bot really. I just felt too many eyes on me, so I retreated here."

"Well Fluttershy, you are rather pretty, and given your...shy nature, that is bound to attract some attention. Its the perfect level of adorableness and sexiness. Just saying."

Fluttershy couldn't help but smile,but was blushing rather fiercely. Bringing her knees up to her chest.

"You are very sweet to say so, mister Raven. It is a pleasure to meet you by the way."

She said as she offered out a rather timid hand to him, he takes it and grips it gently, but gives a firm shake.

"And you as well Fluttershy."

It went quiet for a moment between the two.

"So Fluttershy....you seem like the kind of pony who doesn't encourage violence. I...wanted to apologize for what happened earlier."

Fluttershy turned to him and shook her head.

"Oh no. I don't like violence at all. But in that stallion's case, I made an exception. I honestly think you gave that jerk what was coming to him. He has attacked both mares and fillies..me being one of his victims.."

Mystogan frowns a bit, he reaches up and pets her on the head..

"Then I gave you a bit of justice as well. Good."

Fluttershy hid herself behind her mane, but a small smile and a push into his hand indicated she loved the pettings.Mystogan couldn't help but find that even more adorable. Next thing he knew, she was scooting closer to him.

"You..must really like being petted huh?"

She could only nod to him, continuing to keep herself hidden under her mane.

"You have...such a gentle touch. It's hard to believe you are the same person you were earlier."

"Well, the person you see now is the one I wish to always be. But as you saw, that isn't the case. I can get very voilent,e specially when it involves someone hurting my friends."

"Well Raven...I was going to ask you..I mean, if you want to that is. Would you become my friend?"

"Even though you know what I could do, Fluttershy?"

"Believe it or not Raven, Rarity has told me a lot about you when we went on our last spa day together. It was when you watched the fillies when they went swimming. She said "He the most sweetest stallion ever. He can look a bit scary from time to time, but overall, he is a keeper.". I can see she wasn't kidding."

Mystogan shook his head and laughed softly.

"She makes it sound like I am some tall muscular handsome guy with blonde hair and blue eyes. Silly mare."

"Well, you do have the blue eyes, which I will admit, when I saw that glare..they went from pretty to...very scary.."

"Well, back were I am from,I have been told I always looked like I was upset because of my eyes. Like I am some kind of psycho. And when I smiled, well it looked like I was..a bit crazy. So while I do smile,it is only for a brief moment."

"Oh I am sure you are overreacting Raven."

Mystogan brings a hand up and slicks his hair back, offering a smile the shados covering his face just right to make him look like some kind of scary psychopath. Expecting her to back away from where she was, but she only got closer.

"O-oh my...you do look rather scary. But I can't...look away..."

Mystogan lets his hair fall back into place and blinks.

"I told you. But I am surprised you didn't back away. Not even a litle."

"Well...Its strange, its an..exciting kind of fear you give off. If that makes sense."

"I don't think I understand..but if you say so."

Mystogan noticed that it was becoming a bit more quieter now, seems that the party was dying down. He peeks out from his hiding spot and looks around. three-fourths of the party had left. This was a number he was more comfortable with. He looks over to Fluttershy and offers a hand to her.

"Come on, looks like the majority of the ponies have already left. And your friends are still part of the little bit that is left."

Fluttershy nodded and took his hand. Mystogan lead her out carefully and watched her walk over to her group of friends. He watched them all talk and laugh together. He began walking away to let them do what they do.

"Darling where are you going?"

Rarity called out to him.

"Oh just over here. I am sure you and your friends have a lot to talk about."

He suddenly felt himself being lifted off the ground and brought over by Twilight's magic, then sat in the middle of the group.

"You are our friend now to, Raven. There is no more solo flying for you!"

Dash said with a big smile.

"Thank right, from now on, you are sticking with us."

Twilight said with a nod.

"Well first off, this may be a bit awkward...considering you are a group of rather...attractive mares. I would imagine that hanging out with you all would raise some suspicions. And I think that is the last thing your and I need...right?"

Rarity giggled lightly.

"What's the matter? Don't like the idea of being surrounded by six pretty mares who just want to be your friends?"

She said while she batted her eyelashes at him

"Well..considering I never really had this kind of attention back home. hell really never had a girlfriend to begin with necause...well you know why, Just didn't have time for that kind of stuff. But if you really all want to be friends, I see no problem. Not really sure if we can find common ground though."

"Don't you worry, surgarcube. I am sure in no time, we will grow closer and closer, just like all of us have together. Besides, having a boy in the group might not be so bad..."

There were many ways Mystogan could have taken that comment, but he wasn'tgoing to think about it, nor did he have time. Next he knew he had multiple arms around his body and the feeling of warmth and softness overtook him.

"Not sure if this is going to be a good thing...or cause me loads of trouble.."

he thought to himself

Author's Notes:

Still not sure who the romantic interest will be. But I have narrowed it down. Either Tia, because she didn't get her solo spot in one of my current stories like I promised her...poor sunny rump. Or one of the other mane six..besides Rarity, already established her role. I did like the idea of giving Zecora a romance role, but I wouldn't be able to find a rhyme for everything she says.