Throbbing pain is what greeted Twilight this morning as she began to wake from her deep sleep. Her head pounded as though Pinkie Pie were dancing in and out of her thoughts making certain to hit each step with resounding strength and accuracy, knocking everything she touched fly through a wall. It made her feel as though her horn were going to pop off of her skull at any moment and embed itself into the ceiling..

“Spiiiiike....Spike? Where are you? Ugh...”

She tried to call out to her assistant, her voice sounding weak and tired, to get her some water but then she remembered that he was helping Rarity in Canterlot. She was on her own for the time being. She tried to open her eyes only to feel more pain wash over her as soon as she saw the light filtering through the window forcing her to shut them quickly with a groan. She tried once more keeping her eyes squinted and after a moment the pain seemed to fade a bit and she began to force herself to shakily stand on her hooves. It took her several seconds to find her balance and push down an urge to be sick before she could slowly make her way down stairs.

Once in the main room she managed to concentrate enough through the headache to first levitate a glass of water from the kitchen and drink it down in a few greedy gulps and then float over a small red book from a nearby table. “Its a good thing I planned ahead and had this spell book left out.” Upon closer inspection the book was entitled 'A Guide to parties – A compilation of what to expect and spells on how to handle the aftermath.'

After reading a few pages she quickly found the spell she needed and closed her eyes once more as her horn began to glow. Moments later she felt a wave of comfort wash through her purging the headache from her skull, the nausea from her stomach and even the blurriness from her vision. She reopened her eyes and took a deep refreshing breath of relief. “Ah...much better.”

She returned the book from whence it came and trotted back up stairs to prepare herself for another day. Making her way back into her room she levitated her mane brush and took her usual place in front of her dresser. As she straightened out her mane she allowed her thoughts to go back to the party the night before trying to remember every detail. She smiled thinking about how they had been so elaborate in their plans and the look on Grevin's face when they turned on the lights and shouted surprise...well, they couldn't see his face, but his body language spoke well enough. He had no idea it was coming, and thankfully they were able to convince him to trust everyone enough to get him to relax his guard.

She set her brush down and made her way back over to the bed laying down on her stomach while levitating a scroll, quill and a small vial of ink from the desk across the room. She felt she should document her experience from the party and perhaps avoid a hangover in the future. As she sat there writing a faint smell wafted to her nostrils that caught her attention. She paused writing her thoughts down and took another sniff, this time catching more of the smell. She looked around for a moment confusing showing in her eyes until she leaned her head down to the edge of the bed and took another small sniff.

The smell was subtle and if she had to describe it, it was earthy with a subtle hint of sweat and apple smell to it. Why this smell would be here and yet be so familiar confused her. She buried her nose into the cloth once more and took a deep breath when it suddenly hit her, the party...more specifically what happened after the party.

She blushed as the memories rushed back to her. She had gotten him to dance and after talking on the dance floor she couldn't help but think it was nice how he held onto her while they talked. She smiled as she remembered how he caught her when she fell and even helped her up to her bed room. Her eyes widened as the final memories hit her. He helped her to bed...she let her inhibitions loose a bit and tried to pull him down with her and even...nuzzled him...tried to seduce him. Her stomach filled with dread as she recalled how he had politely declined and let himself out of her home...had she upset him?

She frowned and scowled as she mentally berated herself. How could she do that? She wasn't that kind of pony! He must think she is some kind of tramp who would welcome anyone into her bedroom. She groaned in frustration closing her eyes as she rested her head on her forehooves. “What was I thinking?”

She paused on that note and thought back once more to what had transpired. He had been so strong yet gentle when he had caught her as she fell...and he felt so warm when he held her as he carried her up those stairs. On top of that he was so very kind and polite, a true gentleman despite his guarded nature. She blushed once more as she recalled how handsome he looked as he towered over her. She lifted a hoof to her cheek remembering how it felt when she nuzzled him...his skin against her coat...the feel of his skin touching her lips as she brushed them over his neck. It was unlike anything she had ever felt before.

She quickly shook her head pushing those thoughts away her ears drooping somewhat. “No...I need to be level headed and logical. I was under the influence of the cider and I lost my head...I should go apologize to him...but...he did say that he would just forget the whole thing happened.” She looked down a moment and sighed as a simple but strong thought popped forward to the front of her thoughts. “But...do I want to forget the whole thing happened...do I want him to forget it too?”

She allowed her gaze to move to the window letting the sight of the leaves just outside her home being ever so slightly caressed by the wind outside help her refocus her thoughts. She did have a thing for strong stallions...especially one's that were in the military, which wasn't all the surprising to her considering she had spent so much time around the guards in Canterlot when she was younger. They were always polite, and kind to her...and Grevin was very similar in those respects. He tended to be polite and kind hearted, he was strong, and he had an air about him that drew ponies to like him. So why shouldn't she like him as something other than a friend? She paused a moment and frowned as another idea hit her. What if it was against the law for her to like him in that manner?

She quickly levitated the scroll, ink and quill once more as a small smirk of determination washed over her face. She knew that when she had a problem like this she could always turn to her mentor Princess Celestia. She would know exactly what to do in this kind of situation. “Dear Princess Celestia,” She began, “As you know we had planned a welcoming party for our newest friend Mr. Hades for this week and I have to admit that it was a great event that went off without a hitch. A majority of the town came out to greet him and the party lasted for many hours. Grevin was nervous to be around all of us at first but after a few moments he began to relax and enjoy himself. Later towards the end of the evening he was beginning to return to his habit of hiding in the shadows but I, with some liquid courage, convinced him to dance for a few songs. I soon discovered though that as we danced, I found myself feeling something beyond the usual warmth of friendship around him.”

Her writing paused and she lightly tapped the quill against her cheek as she tried to choose her next words carefully. “At the end of the party, he volunteered to help me back to my home and actually ended up carrying me part of the way due to my carelessness. As he helped me I found myself doing something which could of put our very friendship at risk. I tried to convince him to stay the night with me...and I may have tried to kiss him. Needless to say things did not quite work out and while he told me that he forgave me and that he would forget all about it, I find myself thinking more and more about it. Princess, I understand that relationships in Equestria are free and open for everypony so stallions, mares, griffons even donkeys can be with whoever they wish...but what about in this case due to him not even being from Equestria? Any advice you may have would be greatly appreciated. In the meantime I will do all I can to keep my friendship alive and well no matter what. Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle.”

She smiled as she put the finishing touches on the letter and rolled it up. With Spike gone she was going to have to try a new spell that she learned a few months back. This teleportation spell would allow her to send things to her mentor instantly allowing the two to be in contact no matter how far apart they were. She closed her eyes and began to concentrate as a small ball of light began to glow at the tip of her horn. A deep purple glow enveloped the scroll and in a bright flash of light it was gone leaving a small bit of fading glitter in it's wake.

Satisfied, Twilight returned her ink and quill and jumped to her hooves stretching some before making her way downstairs, a look of determination coming across her face. While she knew that her mentor would be able to answer her questions she wanted to double check her Equestrian history and law books for any sign for humans. She was one of the best research specialists in all of Equestria after all, and she had a library full of books that could help her. She recalled that there were even two shelves full of law books ranging from ancient to current laws. She was going to read them all, and in the meantime she would just follow Grevin's suggestion and pretend the whole thing never happened. After all she may have a crush on him, but she was still his friend and wanted to make sure he was comfortable around her.

-Early Morning: Sweet Apple Acres-

Grevin made his way through the orchard, the early morning rays from the sun just beginning to shine through the bright green leaves of the trees. He shifted his shoulders adjusting his load, the armor and sword he carried seeming to weigh heavier than usual today. For several minutes he walked just enjoying the simple view of the tree's, the sound of fallen leaves crunching in a steady rhythm under his boots somewhat comforting, but as time went on something continued to feel off.

He paused mid step as a small realization hit him. He should have been at the clearing by now...and it was quiet...far too quiet. There was no wind, no birds chirping...nothing. Looking up to the sky he saw that there were no Pegasus ponies flying about on weather duty and the clouds seemed to be growing in size becoming more and more ominous as every second passed. He positioned himself so his feet were just a little bit apart so he could shift and move quickly if need be while his hand unconsciously began to move to his side to unsheathe one of his blades, that sky was looking similar to the kind he would see in his nightmares.

A small and sudden cough from his right jerked him into a well rehearsed movement in which he turned himself to face whoever made the sound and in the same motion pulled the blade from his waist and held it at their eye level. He blinked a moment as he realized that he now held a blade in the face of the cream colored Pegasus just in front of her soft, gentle cyan eyes.

Fluttershy didn't move for a total of four seconds before letting out a frightened squeak and jumping back nearly tripping over her own hooves her wings pushing her up into the cover of one of the trees. Grevin quickly sheathed his blade and held his hands out to his sides. “Fluttershy, I am so sorry, are you alright?”

She took a few moments to catch her breath but nodded as she peaked her head out from the foilage. “Yes, I'm alright. You frightened me for a moment though...are..um...are you alright?” She quickly jumped down from the branches that held her and walked over to stand before him once more, her face showing a look of worry.

“Yes, I'm alright, I was just a little jumpy that's all. Um...does anything seem off to you about today? The weather...the clouds, the lack of birds?”

She looked around a moment and shook her head, her pink mane flipping in front of her eyes hiding them from view as she lowered her gaze. “Um...no...should there be? I can say there is if you want.”

He sighed and began to walk once more hoping to find his practicing area soon. “No, that's alright...maybe I'm just feeling a little paranoid. After all, this is the longest amount of time I've gone without having a real fight on my hands so I'm probably getting jumpy.” He reached up and ran his fingers through his hair a moment. “Maybe I should talk to Applejack, Twilight...heck anyon-pony about what other jobs I could do besides farm work.”

He was about to continue his thoughts when a soft, dark chuckle reached his ears from behind, but oddly it sounded female. He paused mid-step and glanced over his shoulder back at Fluttershy who remained still with her head down and eyes hidden. “Fluttershy? You disagree with me finding other work?” He glanced around noticing how the sky continued to darken causing the orchard to take on a very dark ominous feeling. Slowly he allowed his hand to slide back to the handle of his sword while turning to face the now silent mare. “Fluttershy?”

She slowly shook her head while still keeping her eyes hidden from his sight. “Grevin, Grevin, Grevin, you can't go and talk to the others about finding some new work.” Her voice had begun to change. It still sounded like Fluttershy, but something was off...it was as though she were herself becoming darker...evil.

He frowned as he began to cautiously step closer to her. “What do you mean? Why can't I see the others?”

A small, sly smirk formed over her lips as she raised her head to look at him, her eyes closed. She tilted her head to the side as the smirk grew into a sick smile her eyebrows raising. “Because...They're dead...”

He paused mid step and narrowed his eyes as he began to slide a foot back, a subtle move to allow him time to get away from her if need be. “What? Dead? What are you saying? What have you done?”

A dark evil laugh resonated from her throat as she began to sway slightly from side to side. Her mane began to change in color it's beautiful pink darkening and in some places becoming a blood red color. Her coat seemed to shift as well more splotches of blood appearing on her, some even on her lips giving her the look of something demonic. “I killed them...All of them.”

He growled as he took a single step back preparing himself to move away if she were to move towards him. He narrowed his eyes and slowly began to draw his weapon once more. “What? What the hell are you talking about? It's clear you're not Fluttershy, or at least not the Fluttershy I know, so cut the crap and get to the point.”

She licked her lips, tasting some of the crimson her smile growing revealing slightly pointed teeth as she began to move into a light trot, circling around him in a steady calculated pace. “Oh, I'm me Grevin. I've been thinking about you even since you saved me...I realized that accidents like the one that nearly killed me would continue to occur as long as you're alive. I went to the girls and told them my thoughts...but none of them listened. So I had to do something...”

She slowly opened her eyes revealing to him that instead of her beautiful cyan eyes, she now had deep red eyes outlined with a trace of black. She grinned now seeing the look of his face enjoying the way he ground his teeth, the sweat forming on his brow, the anger and worry in his eyes. “I did the only thing I could do.” She stopped herself in front of him and began to move forward, forcing him to step back as he tried to distance himself from her. “I killed them.”

Grevin felt himself back up against a tree and an invisible force quickly wrap around his arms pulling them back causing his shoulders to bend to the point that they almost snapped under the pressure forcing him to drop his weapon. “W..what!?” His mind raced as she moved closer and closer. This wasn't right...Fluttershy was a holder of an Element of Harmony, she would never attack her friends. On top of that, she resembled a strange mixture of demon and pony...it made no sense. She had to be an imposter.

His thoughts were interrupted when he felt a pair of bloodied hooves land on his shoulders. Glancing back forward he found Fluttershy was now pressed close her eyes mere inches from his, her breath smelled as though her very lungs were rotted, nearly making him vomit on the spot. “I had to kill them, they would of tried to keep me from killing you, but don't worry I took good care of the bodies. Would you like to see them? They're all here you know.” She turned her head drawing his attention to something in the tree's near them. Turning his gaze that direction he felt a wave of disgust and nausea wash through him nearly making him empty the contents of his stomach once more.

The rest of the mane six were hung up on five different trees most clearly dead. Their coats were paled and bloody, each one seemed to have been given a unique end. Twilight was nailed to a tree by her hooves, her eyes were wide in fear, tears of blood dried on her cheeks, her horn broken with the piece taken from her head now lodged in her chest, blood dripping from it's jagged edges.

Rainbow Dash was hung in a similar manner except along with her hooves being nailed to the tree her wings were as well...except they were severed at her back and made to hang above her head making her look like a sick form of an angel. Her eyes were closed and her throat was cut and dried blood covered her torso running all the way down to her dulled tail. Pinkie Pie's hair was straightened and her bright eyes were gone...cut away leaving nothing more than dark empty sockets with smudges of crimson surrounding them. Her belly was cut open causing her entrails to hang out in a grotesque sight and a single stake was holding her to the tree, shoved through the center of her chest.

Rarity was nearly unrecognizable, her entire form was burned nearly to a crisp, her hair all but gone her horn the only recognizable thing on her. To make matters worse her entire form was hanging upside down on a rope tied to her rear hooves. He followed the rope up into the trees, over a large thick branch and then down to the last pony in the group, Applejack. The orange farm pony hung with the rope tied around her clearly broken neck, her tongue sticking out swollen and blue. The one think he was thankful for was that her famous stetson hat covered her eyes so he wouldn't have to look at them.

Despite the gruesome scene before him Grevin had begun to realize just what was going on and as much as he wished to speak he felt it would be best to stay silent despite her taunting. “What do you think of my work? Don't you like it? Do you have a favorite? I could end your life in that manner if you like.”

He waited for the right moment and as those words left her lips he slammed his head forward striking her face in a brutal headbutt. His vision faded for a moment as he heard the familiar snap of bone and then the sound of her hitting the dirt while crying out in pain. He growled as he struggled to pull his hands back from behind him his anger growing. “Enough! I know this isn't real! Show yourself and be done with this pathetic charade!”

The dark Fluttershy laughed as she brought a hoof to her bloodied nose her voice filled with an arrogant tone. “You don't like me using this form? Very well then.”

She suddenly faded into an all black, oily, tar like substance which then melted into the earth leaving him alone for a few moments before another sultry voice sounded to his left. “Well, if ya don't like her partner, how about me?”

He growled and turned his head to see what he could only describe as a twisted form of Applejack. Her neck was still broken a piece of rope still tied around it making it sit at a twisted angle as she stood there. Her coat was duller and also blood spattered, her hat was missing and her mane was loose and flowing. She even had eyes similar to the imposter Fluttershy and a matching set of fangs. He turned away from her ignoring her very presence. “That is enough! I'm not going to play your game! Who or what are you, and why am I here?”

The dark Applejack disappeared as quickly as she came and soon Grevin found himself surrounded in darkness on all sides to the point that he couldn't see more than a foot in front of himself. After a few moments of silence the earth began to rumble and quake nearly throwing him off his feet. The loud booming voice from his previous nightmares began laughing in it's familiar twisted manner. “Did you enjoy my take on your new friends? I can pretend to be any of them if you like. I think they are much more interesting that way though. Not nearly so goody goody as the originals, and far more fun.”

He clenched his fists as he felt his temper begin to grow. “I don't know who...or what you are and I don't care if what you have against me...but you leave my friends out of it. They have been nothing but kind towards me and done nothing to you.”

The voice laughed once more “And what will you do to stop it fool! You can do nothing! You're so weak! Try as you might, you cannot win against me. You think you have found your place here? In this world? You're an imposter, someone who doesn't belong. You have no purpose despite all you think! You should just do what you did in the past and end it...here and now. Take your life!”

Grevin's attention was drawn to his feet when he felt the ground give way under his weight forcing him to sink into the very earth. “No! Never!” He grunted as he felt the suction pull at his feet forcing him deeper into the dank murky earth.

The voice laughed once more as the ground began to swallow him up to his chest the pressure making it difficult for him to breath, his arms pinned to his sides limiting his movement making his struggling that much more difficult. “You stand no chance! Accept what fate has given you!”

Grevin took a gasping breath struggling to breath as the he continued to be swallowed up to his neck. His vision began to fade as his anger and desperation grew. He felt his anger swell as he took one final defiant breath and cried out one final time before he was pulled below. “NO!”

-Sweet Apple Acres-

Applejack was going about her usual routine preparing herself for another day of work in the orchard a spring in her step and a smile on her face. The party the night before had been a great hit and Grevin had been mostly welcomed into the town. Now she got to go back to her favorite kind of work, Apple Bucking, due to her brother escorting Granny Smith to visit family in Manehattan. They had left earlier leaving her to send Applebloom off to school and, after letting him sleep in a bit, go with Grevin to harvest more of the crops.

She made her way out to the porch and turned her gaze to the barn, a soft smile coming to her lips. She allowed her thoughts to take her back to the night before when she watched Twilight pull the tall man out to the dance floor for several slow dances. She had to admit, she was jealous of her friends willingness to go up to him and convince him to go out there...even though it did take several mugs of cider for her to work up the courage to do it. Part of her even wondered why she didn't think of doing it before Twilight, wasn't she supposed to be the bravest pony around?

She felt a hint of mischievousness enter her thoughts as she continued to gaze at the barn. Grevin was still asleep...maybe she should go check on him, and if she happened to get a nice close up of his face while doing so, what harm could it do? She grinned as she trotted over to the barn entrance and made her way inside only to have the smile wiped from her face as she heard what sounded like Grevin grunting in what sounded like pain, something wasn't right. She threw caution to the wind and bolted up the stairs to the loft as fast as he hooves could take her. What greeted her made her heart begin to race in fear.

Grevin was laying in the hay pile still in the clothes he wore last night but instead of sleeping peacefully he had a look of pain on his face and sweat on his brow. She moved closer her worry growing as she watched him toss and turn a grimace coming over his lips as he began to mumble. “N...no...no!”

She frowned and moved to him placing a hoof on his shoulder and another on his chest giving him a small shake. “Shhh, Grevin, you gotta wake up sugar-cube. “ She shook him again “Grevin...” She could never prepare herself for what happened next.

His eyes suddenly snapped open as he bellowed “NO!” and sat up knocking Applejack back to the floor while his right hand reached to his back where his weapon would usually be, out of pure instinct. When his hand found nothing he allowed it to return to his side while he closed his eyes and tried to calm himself. For several moments there was no sound except for his staggered ragged breathing. Applejack's eyes were wide her ears drooped in worry as she tried to calm her nerves. “G...Grevin?”

He took one final breath before turning his head to look at her, his eyes open once more, this time they were calm and collected. He frowned seeing the look of worry in her eyes and he quickly moved to his knees getting closer to her. “Applejack...? Applejack! You're ok! Thank God.” He reached out and lightly ran his fingers over her cheek and down her neck checking to see if she was indeed unharmed.

She blushed at his touch and for a moment enjoyed the feeling of his fingers running over her coat, but then came to her senses. She placed a soft hoof on his chest and pushed him back some bringing him back to reality. “Whoa there sugar-cube. You want to do that you need to ask me out first.” She smirked and gave a small wink with a light laugh.

He blinked a moment at her words before his eyes widened in realization and he jerked back a few feet from her landing on his backside using his hands to scoot himself back some. “Oh no, I'm sorry. I...I did not mean to do that. I just had a very vivid nightmare...and...well...I'm just glad you and the others are alright.”

Her eyes softened and she rose to her hooves moving closer to him. “It's no problem...are you alright?”

He nodded slowly. “Yes...” He took a moment to gather himself and noticed that he felt uncomfortably cool. Looking down at himself to saw his shirt was soaked through with sweat. “...Mostly. It looks like I need to clean up.” He began to rise to his feet and brush the dust from his pant legs. “I'm going to go to the pond and wash up a little bit.”

She nodded smiling once more as she straightened her stetson on her head. “Alright...if you're sure. Would you like a little company while you walk out there?” She looked to the side and lightly swirled her hoof in front of her with a cute little smile forming on her lips doing a very good impression of Fluttershy.

He paused mid swipe and shifted his gaze to look at her his cheeks taking on a small hint of red. “Um...” He hopped he wasn't about to walk into another awkward situation like he just had the night before.

She laughed realizing how what she had said sounded. “Shoot ah didn't mean that I would watch you get clean,” Not that she would mind too terribly she thought, “I would walk out there with you and then keep my back turned while you wash up.”

He paused a moment and slowly nodded. “I suppose that would be alright...I'm...still sorry about earlier. I didn't mean to cause you any concern, nor did I mean to make you feel uncomfortable. “ He stood up to his full height and turned to a small pile of clothes in the corner taking just a few moments to pick up a new set to wear after his swim. He made a mental note to thank Rarity once again for providing him with new clothing so quickly...without her he would have most likely worn through his original garb within a few months...not to mention the smell.

Applejack shook her head once more as she trotted past him her blonde mane trailing behind her and began to make her way to the barn's ground level. “Shoot Grevin, Ah told you it's no trouble. Ah'm just glad you're alright, now lets go get you cleaned up. I can smell you from here.” She smirked as she made her way outside with him soon falling into step beside her.

For a few minutes they walked in silence with the two glancing at one another from time to time. Finally Applejack couldn't take it anymore and lightly cleared her throat. “So...uh...what was your nightmare about?”

He looked at her and for a brief moment a look of pain washed over his eyes and then it was gone. “Something quite terrible. I...I would prefer to not speak of it to be honest. I'm sorry.”

She shook he head. “That's alright. Um...Well, were you able to get Twilight home alright? She seemed pretty out of it when she left. That filly drank more than I thought she would. I guess she did more than just get book learnin in Canterlot.”

He visibly tensed a blush coming to his cheeks and then just like before he managed to push the emotion down away from the front of his thoughts hoping that the blush would leave his face quickly. “Well...yes we made it back to her home without trouble. She did almost have a hard fall but I caught her. I ended up helping her up to her room and left as soon as she laid down. I think she didn't quite realize just how strong that cider was.”

Applejack noticed his tension and how he pushed it down but decided to not ask questions despite the small concern she felt in her stomach. She smiled despite that and nodded her green eyes shining. “Yep, we Apples pride ourselves on all of our apple products. That special cider is a specialty of mine actually. I learned how to make it when I was just a little filly with Granny Smith and ever since then it's had a bit more kick than before.”

He smiled a bit “It reminds me of the various drinks back in Bastion. Except your cider is a bit sweeter and has more bite than a majority of the drinks there. If I were not careful while drinking those they'd easily sneak up on me and I'd end up waking up with one hell of a headache and no memory from the night before.”

She grinned and lightly bumped into him with her hip a small laugh escaping her lips. “Well now, it sounds like you might loosen up quite a bit then. Maybe we should have another party sometime and see what happens. You don't put lampshades on yer head do ya?”

He smirked and shook his head. “No, can't say that I do. I really don't know how I act under those circumstances. I've really never allowed myself to get to that point.”

She frowned a bit looking over at him while quirking an eyebrow. “You really try to keep yourself in check don't you sugar-cube? Don't tell that to Pinkie, she likes everypony to be totally relaxed. If she catches wind of that she might try to keep you full of drinks at parties. She means well enough but sometimes she can takes things a little to far.”

“I'll be certain to not say anything to her. As for me keeping myself in check...well, that comes from my past. After my mentor saved me I realized that I needed to be in better control of myself. So that's what I did.”

Applejack nodded completely understanding where he was coming from. Looking off to the distance she saw the pond come into view. “Looks like we're here. I'll take a seat behind a tree and give you some privacy.”

“Thank you.” He stepped on ahead letting her move herself behind a nearby tree. He waited till she was out of view for a few moments before quickly ridding himself of his foul smelling clothing and began to make his way into the cool but pleasant water.

Applejack had her back to the tree she sat behind with her eyes closed until she heard the familiar splash of water signaling that he had jumped in. She smiled as she opened her eyes and looked over her shoulder to talk to him while still keeping out of view. “How's the water partner?”

He dunked his head under the cool water for a moment before standing up once more pulling his hair back away from his eyes. “It's pretty good...feels nice and cool. I think I need to make this a regular thing.” He laid back and floated for a few seconds before dunking himself under once more trying to wash the sweat from his form before he would turn to wash his clothing.

Applejack chuckled hearing the splashing and she couldn't help but feel a small tug of curiosity in the back of her mind. She had seen him from her window before, but she never saw him with more than his face and forearms showing. She lightly pawed at the ground while biting her bottom lip. She wouldn't give into temptation...still...no she wouldn't....but...what harm could a little peak have?

She slowly turned herself around and leaned close to the tree she hid behind her breathing slow and nervous. Slowly she inched her face around the trunk bringing the lake into view. She noticed that the water was lapping up against the shore and as she lifted her gaze she felt her cheeks begin to heat up. There was Grevin completely visible from his stomach on up, with his back turned to her, and in his hands was the shirt he had just been wearing. She watched him lightly scrub the cloth in the water and decided that it was the perfect time to get a closer look.

Being mindful of her step she began to move out further from the tree stepping closer and closer until she stood right at the edge of the water. She continue to blush as she sat herself down and took a much closer look at him. Her eyes widened as she took in how his toned biceps flexed as he washed his shirt. Her gaze then shifted towards his triceps and shoulder muscles and finally his back. She was surprised to see how lean and toned he really was, her gaze sliding down until she couldn't see through the water. She put a hoof to her lips though when she began to see the scars.

They were hard to notice at first but they were there, in various locations throughout his back and arms were thin scars ranging in various sizes....clearly from blades. She remembered that he earned wounds from healing others and sometimes wounds can leave scars, and now she couldn't help but wonder what scars were from healing others. Her thoughts were interrupted when she saw his back tense ever so slightly before he tilted his head from side to side popping his neck. Applejack felt her smile return as a simple, but rather devious thought entered her mind, he did need to relax a bit, and if Twilight could get him to relax the night before then she could too.

Grevin had just finished cleaning his shirt when he heard a familiar voice shout out loud “YEEEE-HAAAAAWW!!!!!!” Oh no....

There was a large splash followed by a large wave of water washing over his back. She wouldn't....He heard Applejack laugh as she came to the surface flinging her mane back sending droplets of water into the air and he immediately dropped his shirt and shot his hands under the surface to cover himself while he sank down so the water came up to his neck all while his cheeks heated up and turned a nice shade of red. He glanced back over his shoulder and confirmed that the orange farm pony had indeed just jumped into the water with him and was now floating on her back, her loose mane spreading out in the water like a form of art.

Applejack smirked as she floated in the water and watched him sit neck deep in the pond, his blush so visible she could see it on his ears...she found it cute. “Sorry Grevin, Ah couldn't resist hoppin into the water and coolin off a bit. Ah know your kind finds clothing important, but we ponies aren't as squeamish about those kinda things. “ She splashed some water at him with a small laugh and winked. “Besides, you need to loosen up some.”

He blinked and slowly turned his head around glancing back at her his cheeks still a bit red. “Well...A.J. Not to be rude...but I'm not exactly comfortable with this. Where I come from it is very uh, improper to be nude in the presence of a member of the opposite sex...well anyone for that matter unless they are in love...or along those lines.”

Applejack laughed a bit as she allowed herself to sit up and tread in the water, her mane spreading out around her draping down her back somewhat. “Shoot, you sound as uptight as Rarity.” She glanced over at him and frowned a bit her smile fading as her ears drooped. Her conscious was beginning to get to her. Perhaps she had stepped just a little bit out of line. “Ah'm sorry sugar-cube. I didn't mean to upset you. We ponies tend to not think about things like that. I just wanted to help you relax. You seemed pretty tense after your nightmare so I thought you'd enjoy some silly fun...guess I'm not as good at it as Pinkie Pie though.”

He looked over at her and seeing the sad look in her normally bright green eyes made him feel rotten to the core. She had meant well and he had all but pushed her friendship away. He sighed a bit and lightly scratched the back of his head. Maybe he was over reacting. “L...look I appreciate the thought. I really do. Perhaps in the future I can plan to wear some shorts and we can try that again...how does that sound?”

She perked back up her smile returning once more as the light returned to her eyes and her ears returned to their normal state. “That sounds fair to me.” She rolled back onto her front and dunked her head under the water a moment only to pop her head up once more flinging her mane back and splashing Grevin across the face.

He sputtered and shook his head clearing his eyes and sighed a bit as he realized that by the time they reached the pond and he had cleaned up, an hour had already passed. They needed to get some work done but, there was a problem. “Um...Applejack. Shouldn't we be getting back to work? It's been an hour already.”

She smirked as she swam away from him a bit and nodded. “Yep, Ah think yer right. We should probably get out of here and start bustin our humps.”

He waited a moment watching her as she floated there waiting for her to move out of the water so he could do the same. After a few minutes he cleared his throat drawing her attention. “Applejack, you said we needed to get to work right?”

“Yep” She nodded while returning to a floating position on her back keeping one eye open watching him quietly, a sly grin playing on her lips.

“So...” He moved his eyes from her to the shore a few moments hoping she got the idea.

She chuckled again and gave him a wink as her green eyes took on a slightly wicked gleam. “Well shoot sugar-cube...I'm waitin on you to go first.”

His eyes widened as his cheeks reddened slightly while he clenched his teeth . “Son of a bi-”

-Ponyville: Town Library-

In the main room laid several books strewn across the floor and tables, all opened to various pages in some form of organized chaos. In the center of the room sat a purple unicorn with her head buried in another think, ancient book that was being held up by a light glowing purple glow.

Twilight groaned in defeat as she slammed the book shut and levitated it back to the shelf she pulled it from. Her mane was messy and unkempt and her eyes were looking slightly bloodshot. She had been at this for hours with no luck. She still had no idea how having feelings for someone like Grevin would be be interpreted in Equestrian law, there was literally nothing in her library to answer her question.

She closed her eyes as her horn lit up and the various books began to lift into the air and float all around her returning to their respective shelves. Once that was finished she rested her head on her forehoves and closed her eyes another sigh escaping her. “Nothing...there was nothing at all in all those books...now what will I do?”

She looked out the window and frowned seeing that the sun was already beginning its decent from the sky...she had spent nearly an entire day going through those books to no avail. She quickly got to her hooves and made her way into her kitchen. Perhaps a daisy sandwich and a fresh glass of water would help her clear her mind and get her to focus.

A few moments later she was enjoying the wonderful feeling of having a full stomach and a clearer head. Perhaps she was over thinking things. Maybe she should just take things as they were and just accept that what she feels is a silly little crush on Grevin. He wanted to be her friend and she could accept that...after all it only made sense. He was new to this world and the only one of his kind, combine that with the stress he had with being taken from his world and it figured that romance was the last thing on his mind.

Her thoughts were interrupted when a bright flash of light came from the next room. Her smile returned as she peeked her head through the doorway and saw a scroll with a royal seal on it resting on the table. The princess had written her back!

She levitated the scroll over and quickly opened it reading the contents as fast as she could. “Dear Twilight Sparkle, From what you write, it sounds as though you have entered into a new area of learning regarding the magic of friendship and possibly love. While I could tell you exactly what to do in matters such as this, it really is best for everypony to make these discoveries on their own. As for your question about the legality of being able to date...well of course it is legal. I do not recall any laws that prohibit such things so our guest is free to follow the path his heart takes him on...as are you. I will give you one bit of advise my dear student. Whatever you do, you should follow the path your heart guides you too and don't allow yourself to be swayed to much by logic. Matters of the heart are not always logical.”

Twilight paused from her reading and sat back on her haunches her eyes wide. “I...I should follow my heart? But what if he gets angry with me...No Twilight, don't over think things...” She blinked seeing more writing further on down the letter.

“Now, my dear student, since the town has been introduced to Mr. Hades, I think it only right that my sister and I get to meet him as well. After all, he is a guest in our land and we would love to learn about him and the world he comes from. We would like you to accompany him by train to Canterlot at the beginning of next week. We also invite you to bring your friends along. It has been far to long since the holders of the Elements of Harmony have been to the castle for a relaxing visit.

You all will be given rooms in the castle and given a small stipend to spend at the markets in Canterlot. Think of it as a small vacation. I know that Shining Armor and Cadence are looking forward to your visit and send their best. I look forward to seeing you all very soon. Sincerely, Princess Celestia.”

Twilight slowly set the letter down and took a few moments to let it sink in. She, her friends, and Grevin were all invited to Canterlot by the Princess. This was tremendous. This was stupendous. This was...Great! She practically beamed at the thought of seeing her beloved teacher again, and on top of that her BBBFF and her new sister in law Cadence. She could show Grevin all around Canterlot...the Library, the Observatory, even the Historical Museum of Equestria. Then it hit her. She was going to have to take Grevin to Canterlot. While Ponyville had mostly welcomed him with open arms, Canterlot was a different story. The ponies there were very high class...and many were not accepting of anything different. This may be more of a challenge than she thought.

Authors notes: Hi everyone. This note is going to be a long one...brace yourselves. This has been a bit of a challenge to write simply because I don't want to rush any of the romance sections, nor do I want to leave them bland. I found myself reading and re-reading several pages, making several changes as I did in an attempt to get things just right. I hope I have pleased the masses.

So what will happen next? How will things go in Canterlot? Will Grevin ever get out of that pond with his dignity intact? What about those weird, and dark nightmares? All questions will be answered in time, I promise.

I feel I should make a small note here before I get into the thank you's. As I mentioned before, there has been a bit of a rough spot in my life, which hopefully, will resolve itself soon. A small bundle of joy will be making it's way home if we have our way. What does this mean for the story? Cancellation? Hiatus? Deletion? NO. Does it mean I will be a bit out of sorts and may take a bit longer to post/repost? Probably. But know that I have no intentions of letting this story go unfinished. I've already mapped out a general idea of where I want things to head in my mind and I just want to flesh it out on paper...text...something like that. So in short, it may take me a while but I'm going to finish these stories...yes stories...take that hint however you want to.

Onto my next to final note. Inspiration. I believe we all pull inspiration from the original series...I mean if we didn't then why is there so much art, music and comics being created? However, I, and I'm sure several others do this too, pull inspiration from music. Me, I love rock and roll of varying types and two CD's that has really hit home in getting me to write this series included the latest from Sixx AM: This is Gonna Hurt, and the other was Shinedown: Amaryllis...this one in particular. If you get a chance, pick up these CD's and give them a listen. You actually can already match up several scenes I've written to the music by these artists. One in particular is Skin by Sixx AM for the scene when Grevin reveals his face and tells his story.

As always please review and tell me what's going right, what's wrong, and what I need to correct in terms of continuity or spelling errors and the like. I love getting reviews and I'd love to see more...not that I'm not thankful for the ones who have been sending in regular reviews so please fire away. Also please hit the like button if you enjoy the story and again as always have yourselves a great day. Bro-hoof. /)*(\