I was sleeping harder than I’ve slept in years. Guess traversing dimensions really takes a lot out of you. Of course, anything you're not used to will usually take a lot out of anybody. My dreams were odd. Dancing cards and Grimories felled my head all night long. Safe to say a had plenty of company. Most of the animals that were in the cottage were very friendly, except for the demon of a rabbit named Angel. I got lucky when he decided to play Security Guard and patrol the upstairs outside Fluttershy’s room. Little bastard thought I’d try and sneak in after she told me I could sleep on the couch. She gave me an ice pack for my head and told me to lay down until morning so I did.

I guess a few hours had passed or whatever amount of time it was. I just know that I was awoken by the light of the sun coming through the window across the room. I cracked open my eyes and moved them around the room to see that the interior of the cottage. It was quite homey looking as I moved my eyes around the room the cam to rest on Nero who was perched on my stomach staring at me as if she was expecting something.

“Morning Nero. Ruh,” I yawned. She hopped off me on to the floor as I got to my feet and stretched to get read of my stiffness. “Still Asta. ” I rubbed the back of my head. The knot was gone along with most of the pain.

‘Man I can’t tell if this sucks, is a chance to live a peaceful life, or a chance to play a hero or villain. Guess I’ll play it by hearsay for now. The Gambler did say it was up to me what I do.’

I thought as I pulled out my Grimorie. “Hm. He said I won everything he had in his stall but not even he knew what his total inventory was. I’ll have to find someplace to do training in order to figure it out where I won’t bother the locals. I may have Asta body and skills but that also means I’m still human and can get hurt if I push myself too hard. Guess it’s a good thing I didn’t get the personality because my intelligence would've gone down if I had.”

I heard someone messing around in the house. I closed my Grimorie and placed back in my pouch and went to see what was making the noise. I came into what looked like the kitchen to see Fluttershy in a pair of black shorts a forest green t-shirt and daisy sandals. She was fixing several bowls of various foods.

“Good Morning Fluttershy,” I murmured trying my best not to startle her. She turned her head and smiled softly at me.

“Morning Asta. I hope I didn’t wake you with all this noise,” She looked to the bowls of food a little discouraged.

“No worries Fluttershy. I woke up with the sun this morning,” I explained looking over the various bowls. “Feeding the critters? Would ya like some help?”

“Yes, and absolutely, that is... if you don’t mind,” She smiled shyly.

“I’d love to. I haven’t help with feeding animals since I was a kid with my grandpa,” I picked up the trey. “My grandparents had a farm and when my grandpa was still alive my brother and I would go and stay with my grandparents in the summer.” I followed Fluttershy through her cottage. Nero flew on to my head as we headed out the front door to the back of the property.

“Really,” Fluttershy perked up at the mention of the farm. Nero flew off my head and perched herself in a tree close to the forest. She seemed to have had her eye on something. “She must see something she wants to eat. Nero is from the forest so she’s a wild owl. Most of the animals here are like that actually. They come so I can doctor them and when they’re ready, they return to the forest on their own.”

“Cool and you’re right. Nero actually led me here last night,” I smiled looking at the owl in the distance. “I was confused and she came out of nowhere and stayed with me. Probably would’ve freaked if she hadn’t,” I handed Fluttershy the next dish. Salmon for her bear. He was a big fluff ball of love. Even let me rub his tummy.

“Asta, I’ve been meaning to ask you,” she threw some feed out from a nearby sack to some chickens. “What kind of magic can you do? “

“Um. Normal Humans can't use magic Fluttershy,” I was a little dumbfounded she’d asked this. I remembered from the TV show that there was magic here so I’m not surprised she’d ask but I wasn’t expecting it this second. She was even more shocked by my answer “No, sorry to tell you Fluttershy but humans are born without magic where I’m from. Now, apparently there are ways we can gain magic but I still don’t know how we do this. When I was sent here I was changed and gained some form of magic but again, I have no idea how to use or access it except for one way or actually one thing.” I used one hand to hold the trey and the other to pull out my Grimorie. “I just use this. Thus my Grimorie or spell book but it’s more like a storage area for my stuff. A lot of stuff is in here but I don't have access to them yet. I do have my swords but I’m not going to use those unless I have to.” I smiled goofily at the shy girl in front of me.

“What are you gonna do after we’re done with the animals?” Fluttershy asked with a little bit of reserve.

“Hm. Well, I was thinking about heading into the nearest town to see if there were any places I could find a Job so I could support myself. I know that I can’t live in this world without the native currency and I need a steady source if I’m to survive here,” I set the trey down on the chicken coop. “First off I need to find a place to stay while I’m here. Preferably one that that will let me stay while I don’t have to pay for it for a bit. I more than capable of surviving off the land for a bit.”

Just then Nero flew by hooting at Fluttershy. I saw the owl whiz by but before I could process what she was hoot Fluttershy ran over and pushed me over. What I saw next as I fell to the ground were to beams of what I’m guessing were magic. The beams were colored one blue and one gold. I looked to Fluttershy who was on the ground unconscious. I rushed over to her and checked her pulse. It was steady but I was mad and wanted to know who was responsible for hurt the first person in the world. Other than Nero, to help me out of the kindness of her heart.

Out of the sky appeared to heavily armored figures with wings and a single horn on their heads. One had rainbow hair and wore gold full plate armor. The other had midnight blur sparkling hair and wore blue steel full plate armor. If I wasn’t pissed I’d ask for a picture with both of them. They seemed hesitant to approach me. I then noticed my Grimorie was float and open by my side. The one in gold spoke to me.

“Release the Element of Kindness from your mind control now creature and we will be lenient on you,” She glared at me but I could see there was fear in those eyes. Then the blue one spoke to me but with a kinder tone maybe even friendly.

“Please creature. Release the young girl in your charge and relinquish the magic absorbing item to us and we’ll allow you to come with us. We mean you no harm,” she almost pleaded it seemed. I didn’t care they hurt my friend and I wanted to know why.

“No harm. " They looked to me, shocked at my ability to speak. "You try to blast me and you hurt my friend. Why should I believe anything you two say,” I threw my hand out to the side. Many of the animals were backing me.

“Sister, we didn’t think it could communicate. It’s intelligent,” The gold one remarked.

“I told you it was most likely intelligent Celestia. We shouldn’t have shot those beams and now Fluttershy is unconscious,” the blue shot back remorseful. I think she’s the reasonable one.

“HEY!” That got their attention back on me. My Grimoire at my side was giving off reddish black anti-magic. The two women standing in front of me seemed to back up a bit as the Hilt of the Demon-Slayer showed itself from inside my book. I took the sword in my hand and pulled it from the Grimorie. I placed my other hand on the hilt of the sword glare at the armor women while pointing the sword at them. Nero flew by and then land on my shoulder also staring daggers of her own at the offenders. “I’ll ask again. Why did you try and blast me and why’d you hurt my friend? She has been nothing but kind to me since I came to this place. Both she and this owl are my friends, my only friends in this world. I thought this place was supposed to be the land of friendship.” I gritted my teethed and raised the sword high “URAH!” I thrust the Demon-Slayer Sword into the ground halfway. “This is what you came for, isn’t it? Well, you can have if you don’t bother me. I won’t be pulled into your messes. So far, you’ve proven that I can’t trust you so I won’t be bothered with you. Now leave. I have an injured friend to help.” I walked over to Fluttershy and picked her bridal style. The two women, I suspect they're the Princesses of Night and Day if I remembered correctly, were trying to take the sword. I smirked because I knew they wouldn’t even be able to lift it from its spot due to their strength not being purely physical but mainly magical.

I made my way into the house and laid Fluttershy down on the couch. Nero stayed by her side while I went and fetched some cool water and dish rags to lay on her forehead.

I few hours passed and Fluttershy was still lying unconscious on the couch, Nero was keeping a close eye on her and so was that asshole of a rabbit. He would occasionally give me the evil-eye along with a foul-mouthed squeak. He was within his right to but I still didn’t like it. I then saw Fluttershy stir and little.

‘At least she’s okay.’ I thought as I laid another damp rag on her forehead. I heard a knock at the door. ‘I completely forgot about those two full-plate armored chicks.’ I made my way to the expecting to so see those two from earlier but instead, it was another chick roughly around Fluttershy’s height may be a little taller. She had blonde hair and a blonde tail. She was wearing a red plaid long short sleeve button down shirt with a pair of worn blue jeans with a slight rip about three-fourths of the way down on the right leg and a pair of cowboy boots.

‘Man you scream cowpony or ranch hand.’

“Um. Hi. My names Applejack. Ah came by to see if Fluttershy wanted to come with me and our friends for a picnic but I felt something wrong when Ah saw all the critters at her window,” She said with a concerned look. “Ah saw a big sword sticken out of the ground out back. What happened? And who you?”

“Yea some stuff went down, the sword belongs to me. Fluttershy is on the couch,” I let Aj into the house and she rushed over to her friend’s side. Nero flew out of the way and onto my head.
“My names Asta and she let me spend the night after I was lead here by this girl here on my head,” I point to the horned owl who was carefully watching the new pony. “I was helping feed the animals this morning and talking to Fluttershy when Nero flew up and tried to warn me about someone attacking but Fluttershy understood her a lot first and pushed me out of the way. She got hit by two beams from a pair of winged-horned ponies in blue and golden armor.” As I said this she turned to in anger.

“Shy’s like this because of you,” Applejack balled her fist and walked over to me. “And the Princesses were here and didn't take you in? What do you want with Fluttershy? What are you?”

‘Crap, they were the Princesses?”

“Look, I’m just a wanderer. I just wound up in the forest, don’t know how, and then Nero,” I pointed to the owl. “Showed me the way here. Fluttershy was scared of at first. She saw was hurt and went to get some stuff to doctor the knot on my head.” She moved closer. “Then that little bastard over there,” I point to the evil-eye bunny. “Bit my finger. Fluttershy bandaged it and brought me inside and set me up on the couch with an ice pack and I went to sleep. I woke up and the rest happened.”

“What about that sword out there?” Applejack was now fairly close to punching my face.

“I stuck it in the ground for the others to take with them, Honest. I just wanted to help Fluttershy,” I crossed my arms and was hit hard with a monster right hook but I stood my ground and oddly I wasn’t sent flying back like I thought I had.

“By Celestia,” I peered for behind my arm and saw Applejack quickly waving her hand. “What are ya made of? Iron? That was my rage fuel punch. It would put any stallion as strong as my brother halfway cross a field.” She was blowing on her hand now. “Sory but that was for puttin Shy in danger and I know you were tellin the truth. I just had to punish ya for lettin Shy get hurt. Although. It looks like she’s under some sorta spell.”

“Like a sleep spell” I tilted my head. ‘They did aim at me. Maybe they were trying to knock me out so they could question me at another place and time? Wait, it’s the magic keep Fluttershy asleep!’ “I’ll be right back Applejack.” I ran outside and pulled the Demon-Slayer Sword from the ground.

‘I know they left spies.’ I looked at the tree line of the forest and saw a glint coming back to the front of the cottage. I came in with my sword and made my way to Fluttershy.

Applejack looked to me in horror as I brought the sword to bear over the sleeping pegasus.

“What are ya doin? You’re gonna kill her,” She tried to stop me be the bear got a hold of her. “Let me go Harry!” She flailed. “We have to stop um!”

Harry on shook his head no.

“Watch this,” I said tapped Fluttershy with the pommel of the sword. Suddenly wisps of gold and blue magic flew from her head. “I thought so. We were both right Applejack. It was a spell. a Sleep spell, after all.” I pulled out my Grimore and placed the Demon-Slayer Sword back inside it for safe keeping. Fluttershy began to stir as she opened her eyes. She suddenly sprang to life and wrapped her arms around my neck.

“Asta, watch out, Nero said that some one’s shooting magic at you!” she cried out nearly choking me to death. ‘Oh if I wasn’t so worried for her sake I embrace death as a happy man. But no time for that.’

“It’s… okay … Fluttershy,” I managed to tap her shoulder causing her to let go. Tears were running down her face. “You literally took a bullet for me Fluttershy. For that, I’m indebted to you but even more so, I’m grateful you’re okay.” I smiled at her and she blushed back. Then my warm heartfelt moment was interrupted by Nero peck at my head. “Oh, come on.”

“Um, Why is Harry hugging Applejack,” Fluttershy muttered out still red-faced.

The bear let go of the farm pony and she made her way over to us, “We ‘ll tell ya what happened after ya got hit with that spell and who shot ya. The hug is apart of that.” She eyeballed me but I merrily whistle as she did. “Them Asta can tell us how he pulled ya out of that there spell. Agreed.” She held out her hand.

“Agreed,” We shook hands. Applejack and I recounted the events of the last few minutes to Fluttershy.

Next Chapter: Meeting new ponies Estimated time remaining: 48 Hours, 55 Minutes