The Delta dropped onto the streets of the Empire. Ash slammed his foot on the brakes, barely managing to avoid hitting any pony as he skidded to a stop in front of the castle. He took a moment to breath in relief before he unfastened his seatbelt and exited the Delta. Twilight barely stepped out of the car after him before two flashes of light blinded them both. Before they knew it, the princess was enveloped by the arms of Shining Armor and Princess Cadence.

“Twily...” Shining whispered, holding back tears. His wife had no such hesitations, and was openly crying.

“You have no idea how happy we are to see you again,” Cadence bawled. “You guys have been gone for days!”

“I’m sorry we worried you guys,” Twilight apologized, bowing her head.

Shining looked past Twilight, and his gaze hardened as he noticed the Half-Deadite exiting the car. “What is ‘she’ Doing here?” Shining asked, venom lacing his voice as he clenched his fists

“Just ignore her Armor,” Ash ordered, taking Twilight’s hand and walking past them.

Samantha looked down, before Celestia teleported in front of Ash.

“Hand Twilight over, Williams” Celestia boomed.

Ash narrowed his eyes at the Princess of the Sun, his eyes shifting to the Sharingan.

“Since you’ve failed several times to keep Twilight safe from your kind,” Celestia continued, “I’ll be personally keeping watch over her.”

“Not gonna happen,” Ash said, moving Twilight behind him. “If you want to take her, then you’ll have to kill me”

Celestia and Ash glared at each other for what felt like eternity, like at any moment a fight would break out. Fortunately, before anything turned violent, Cadence put herself in between the two.

“That’s enough,” Cadence said. “Celestia, I’m asking you out of respect as my aunt go back to Equestria.”

Celestia and Ash continued to glare before Ash backed off, going back to his car and grabbing the gauntlet. Fitting it over his stump, he flexed the fingers a bit before looking towards Twilight, who had followed him.

“Any chance you can send us somewhere where we don’t have to deal with the royal Sun-butt?” Ash asked.

Twilight nodded before placing a hand on the Delta and his chest. Her horn glowed before a bright flash flooded Ash’s vision. Once the light faded, he found his small group right in front of Twilight’s castle.

“Homesick?” Ash asked.

“Sorta,” Twilight admitted, slouching slightly. “We’ve had a rough couple of weeks as of late. Tirek attacking the Gala, Chrysalis nearly sending me to what I can only assume is hell, and this whole ordeal with the other Equestria…” Twilight closed her eyes and let out a heavy sigh. “I just want to go to bed.”

“I second that” Ash agreed, following the princess into the castle.

Twilight pushed the door open. Immediately a purple dragon wearing a pair of black baggy pants shot out, trying to give Twilight a hug.

Twilight, however, caught him in the purple glow of her magic, setting him to the side with a tired groan.

“Spike… I love you,” Twilight said, stumbling past him. “But please let me sleep first.”

“But Twilight what about…” Spike began, pointing at Ash, before the human was covered by the Princess’s magic.

“He’s my bodyguard Spike,” Twilight assured the dragon. “He’s fine.”

Ash smirked, leaning back in a relaxed pose as Twilight carried him. However, upon reaching her bedroom, the princess dropped her bodyguard unceremoniously at the foot of the bed, before plopping face first onto the mattress.

Pushing himself to his feet, Ash tucked the princess in, before leaning against the bed. As the day’s events caught up to him, his mind began to drift off to sleep. Just before he lost consciousness, he felt something lift his hand, before a soft palm grabbed it.

A portal opened in the Dragon Lands. A figure hit the ground, pain filled pants wheezing from their mouth. She clenched her chest, dropping several parchments of purple fur and dark red Sumerian text. Chrysalis struggled to lift herself as her remaining children emerged from the portal.

“Cuŕs̨͠e̷̢ t̡hem!” Chrysalis hissed through her panting. “I͘'̶l͏l ͞us̀ȩ ̡thȩi̛ŗ şki̶n͘s fo̡r c̡l͠ot̵h̢e̷s!”

“Pl͡e͏ase ̡do̡ ́n͏o͠t ͞pu͠sh ͜y̡ourse͝lf,̛ M̵y͢ Que̕e͠n̴” one of the changelings said helping Chrysalis to her feet.

But Chrysalis barely noticed her children’s efforts to help. Her fangs glittered, no longer hidden by the flesh of her jaw.

“Ẃę’ve suffere̢d ̕a͏ ͠m͢ajor ͢d͢e͝fe͠a̢t ͞a͝t̴ th̨e̡ hand̴s͞ ͢of Wil̷l̷ia̴ms̶ ̨and Ale̛xi̡s͏,” Chrysalis muttered, glaring down at her ripped up hand. “She w̶il͢l ̸suff̨er wh̸en͘ ͢I͠ g̀et̵ ̢my͝ ̢h̵a̢n̨ds ͠on m̛y͡ Boo̧k.”

Chrysalis looked around at the red rock fixtures before turning to her children. “W̷her̕e̷͟ a̕͢r͢e w̨e,̴ ̴͠m͘͞y͏͟ c̸͏h̷i͘l͠d̵͏r̡̡e͏́n̛?”

“F͞͏r̶̡o͡m ̛́t̀͟h̴̡e҉̧ ̛͝ĺook͠s ͜͝o͏f̶͠ t̨he͠ ͢s̶u̴r̸͟rǫų̕nd͝in̛̕g̵ ̴̡ar͟ea̡͜” one of the Changeling Mavericks said,. “W̶e s͢e͜e̷m ̨to̴̕ ͡b̸̨e ̧in̨͟ ̀t̸͢h͘e D͢r̵̶ag͘͏o͟͏n͝ L̡̧à̸n̨͠d̛͜s.” He looked back to his Queen. “Y̵o̧u̧r̀ ̶or͏ḑ͜e͞rs ͟͡My̶ Qu̵͝e͏̛é͏n̨?”

Chrysalis gazed upwards to the dragons flying ahead. Her ruined mouth split into a cunning grin. “W͜e ń̨ee͡͠d̡ ͜t̴o͞ ̨r̵̛ega̸i̴͞n ̷wh̶a͘͡t ̷we̶͢’v̸͟e͢ ̡l̶̕o͡s̴t̡,” Chrysalis said, before looking at her children. “Wȩ́͝ ņ̧͠eed̕ a̡ ͡n̸e͟w hive ánd͟ ̴t͡o c͟a̛p̕t͡ùr̵e any͢ ̨dra͡g̷on w͞e c͡a͠n ̀get̶.”

“Ą͟s҉̛ ̕yo̶͜u͘ ́c̵om̛m̨̕á̴n̸̷d̷͢,̧̧ ͠͠M͟y̷̨ ̛͡Qu̧e͜en,” the changelings said in unison

“Ma̕͞n̶t͏̨is͞,” Chrysalis said, getting the attention of the Maverick. “K̶eep̀͡ yoų͜r ̴͠s̡ib̸͡l̢͘ing̨͢ś ̡sàfe̷̡.”

“I̷̸ ̀͞w̕įll..̸̡.̕M̵o̷̴t̨h̸͘e̷r…”

The Princess of Friendship slept with a pure smile, holding Ash’s hand in hers. However, her slumber was interrupted by a constant vibrating sound going off every two seconds.

“Ashley…” Twilight giggled. “Not… there…”

However, the noise was not Ash. And as the grating vibration began to annoy her, Twilight let go of her bodyguard’s hand, and slammed her hand on the book by her bedside. The book tumbled from the table and collided with Ash’s head, waking him immediately.

“OW! SON OF A BITCH!!” Ash yelled.

Twilight jolted awake, quickly realizing what she did. “Ashley! Oh, I’m so sorry…”

“Not your fault,” Ash assured, rubbing the lump on his head before lifting the vibrating book. “You got a book to read, Princess?”

Twilight took the book from Ash. Cracking it open, the two found a message writing itself.

'Twilight I believe we may have found something relating to that book you mentioned, we found an old cemetery that had a type of bizarre markings across the entrance.’

“Sunset thinks she found the location of the Necronomicon,” Twilight whispered, gleefully jumping from her bed. “Come on, Ashley; we need to get to the human world!”

“You don’t want to straighten your appearance first?” Ash asked, grinning as Twilight looked up at her rat’s nest of a mane.

She rolled her eyes, before going to her door. “Spike?!” The purple dragon was there in a second. “Is Rarity in Ponyville?”

Spike chuckled. “Yeah, she returned about two days ago.”

“Good,” Twilight breathed. “Take Ashley over to her to give him some new clothes.”

“What’s wrong with this?” Ash pointed to the clothes and armor Shining gave him.

Twilight cocked an eyebrow before pointing at the demon blood. “Humans in Sunset’s world don’t walk around spattered in blood.” She gave the armor plate a nervous look. “Or armor for that matter.”

Ash grimaced, before rolling his eyes. “Alright, probably a good idea to get changed anyway.” Rising to his feet, he followed the purple dragon out of the castle and into Ponyville.

“I take it you’ll be joining us to the human world?” Ash asked the dragon as the walked.

“Naturally,” Spike said as the ponies of Ponyville made the extra mile to avoid the human. “Doesn’t seem like you’re the most trustworthy guy,” he added, nodding at how the ponies were avoiding him.

“Trust is earned,” Ash replied with a nod. “And until I earn yours, you have every right to not trust me.”

Spike nodded, relaxing by a fraction as they approached the Carousel Boutique. As Spike opened the door, a bell rung, though Rarity was busy with another pony.

“Welcome to Carousel Boutique,” Rarity said, oblivious to her client spotting Ash. “I’ll be with you in just a second.”

Her client did her one better, vanishing in a flash of light. Rarity blinked at her client’s sudden disappearance, before setting down her sewing needles with a sigh of frustration.

“Jacob, I presume?” Rarity grumbled, turning to the human… before her eyes alighted on Spike, who puffed his chest out and grinned at her smile. “Oh, hello, Spikey Wikey. What can I do for you two?”

“Twilight is going to the human world,” Spike explained.

“Your human counterparts may have found the book to rid your world of these demons” Ash added. “However, I need clothes to blend in.”

Rarity grimaced, but before she could speak...

“And don’t worry,” Ash added. “I won’t ask you to make it red and black. Just a simple blue shirt and khaki pants.”

Rarity sighed in relief. “So long as we understand each other on that,” Rarity agreed. She smiled at Spike. “Care to assist me, Spikey Wikey?”

Within seconds, Spike was by her side. “I’d love to.”

“Please tell me we don’t have to measure again?” Ash asked.

“That won’t be necessary,” Rarity assured him. “I still have your measurements from when I made that… horrid tux of yours.” Rarity gagged as she got to work with a series of fabrics.

As Ash patiently waited for Rarity, his gaze was drawn to a white unicorn girl – around 14 or 16 – who descended the stairs. She was wearing a tank top and a pair of shorts, her hair was knotted and utterly messed up, and she rubbed her eyes with a moan. Rarity gave the girl a side glance.

“I see you’ve finally pulled yourself from your bed,” Rarity noted dryly.

“Sorry Rarity,” Sweetie Belle yawned. “The other Crusaders and I were playing Equestria Legends Online last night and by the time we cleared our quest it was nearly dawn.”

Rarity rolled her eyes, pulling a pin from the pincushion Spike was holding for her. “Thank you, Spikey” Rarity said, putting the finishing touches on Ash new shirt.

“Wait? Spike is here?!”

Rarity and Ash rolled their eyes, but the knowledge of the dragon being there was better than coffee for the young teen.

Quick as a flash, Sweetie disappeared back upstairs. When she returned, her hair was neat and tidy, and her clothes were much more fitting for catching eyes.

“H-Hi Spike,” Sweetie greeted, striking a pose.

“Hey Sweetie,” Spike said nonchalantly, not even glancing at her.

Sweetie growled in anger, before stomping back upstairs.

“Lord help that child” Ash said, shaking his head at her failed attempt before glancing at the dragon. “Out of curiosity, how old are you Spike?”

“In pony years? About 15, almost 16” Spike answered, glancing down sheepishly. “In dragon years? Barely 8.”

“So, you’re a teen” Ash nodded before moving closer. “And yet, your digging a women five to seven years older than you?”

“And?” Spike said

Ash smacked the dragon upside his head. “You’re an idiot! You have someone who has feelings for you, but you're too blind making goo-goo eyes are her?” Ash waved at Rarity. “So, see it clearly.”

Spike glowered, rubbing the back of his head before Rarity called him over and pulled another pin.

Soon enough, Rarity finished with the human clothes.

“Thanks,” Ash noted, grabbing the clothes and retreating into the changing room.

Once changed Ash thanked Rarity again before taking his old clothes and leaving the boutique with Spike following behind.

“So,” Spike noted. “Care to explain what you meant?”

Ash shook his head. “You are one dense mother fucker.” He pointed back, speaking slowly. “Someone. Close to you.. has a massive crush on you.”

Spike smiled in hope. “Rarity?”

Ash face palmed and turned away. “Oh, my fucking god, you’re utterly hopeless!”

“Wait, who then?!” Spike insisted, running to catch up. “A-Applejack?”

“You need Jesus, Dragon” Ash barked over his shoulder. “I’m not going to spell it out for you if you can’t see it!”

“Rainbow Dash” Spike insisted, as the two walked into the castle. “Is it Rainbow Dash?”

“Give me one more name and you will learn how hard my armored hand is,” Ash said, pushing the doors to the library open.

Inside the library, a mirror was hooked up to some sort of machine. Twilight stood in front of the mirror wearing a white long sleeved shirt, a pair of blue pants and purple shoes, placing the journal in the machine. The machine whirred to life as it siphoned off the magic of the book.

“We’re almost ready to depart,” Twilight reported as the pair joined her. She walked over to a table holding Ash’s weapons. “I can help hide your weapons in the human world, too. However, you’ll probably be limited to two.”

Ash hummed, looking over the weapons. He had a good number of options: the Heavy Shotgun and Bore Pistol that he received from Alexis, his Boomstick and Chainsaw, and the Gatling Gun the Merchant gave him. After a moment of thought…

“I think I’ll go old school” Ash said, grabbing his trusty Boomstick and Chainsaw.

Twilight nodded, grabbing the weapons up in her magic glow. In a flash of light the crate that held the Gatling appeared in Twilight’s magic, turning black and changing shape.

“She’s using a transfiguration spell” Spike explained before Ash could nod. His words were proven true as the crate shifted into a cello case.

Twilight placed both weapons into the case - the weapons fit perfectly – before sealing the case and handing it to Ash.

“Shall we?” Twilight asked as Ash slung the case across his back.

Ash nodded, and followed the alicorn and dragon into the mirror.

The experience of crossing worlds was much more pleasant than the last time. Unfortunately, Ash was not accustomed to the portal. And while Twilight and Spike smoothly stepped out to greet the friends awaiting them on the other side… Ash tripped and tumbled into the group with a less than ideal yelp.

Opening his eyes, Ash found himself face to face with two objects that Samantha’s father referred to as ‘Globes of Love.’ Closing his eyes Ash picked himself up and prayed that the owner of the ‘globes’ was not Rarity. Regrettably, his prayers fell on deaf ears, and the human was met with an open palm striking his cheek.

“Nice to meet you too, Rarity,” Ash growled, holding his reddening cheek.

Are you okay Ashley?” Twilight asked helping her friends off the ground.

“Besides being slapped?” Ash muttered. “Peachy.”

“I’m sorry Ashley,” Twilight stammered. “I forgot it was your first time using the mirror.”

Before Ash could respond, he heard a snicker. All eyes turned to Rainbow Dash, who was trying and failing to hold in her laughter.

“Wait-wait,” Rainbow snickered. “You’re name is ‘Ashley?’”

Ash’s glare was enough, and even as Twilight tried to silently warn her friend, her warnings went unheeded, and Rainbow Dash exploded into laughter.

“That’s a girl’s name, dude,” Rainbow Dash got out through her cackling.

Ash’s eyes narrowed and he walked up to her.

“Ash, please wait…” Twilight pleaded, before Ash pointed to Rainbow Dash’s shoes.

“You laugh at me when your shoe has dog shit on it?” Ash asked.

Rainbow’s laughter shut off like a switch. “Wait? What!” She looked down, but just as she realized Ash was lying, he flicked a metal finger at her nose causing blood to drip. The girl yelped in pain, clenching her face. “That hurt!” she started to shriek, only for Ash to fix her with a death glare.

“Never. Call me Ashley” Ash growled, before heading back to Twilight. “Ash or Jacob. Never Ashley.”

Rainbow Dash glared away, rubbing her nose, while Rarity continued to stare at him in awe.

“Twilight… darling,” the fashionista stammered. “Who… is this… ‘Ash?’”

Twilight glanced at Ash. “He’s my…”

She paused, pondering. Who was Ash to her. A friend? A bodyguard?

Or perhaps something more? He was kind to her, he was funny, the way he smiled at her made her heart skip a beat. And in her eyes he was quite handsome. Shaking her head, Twilight pushed the thoughts from her mind for later.

“He’s my bodyguard” Twilight decided, though she couldn’t stop a slight blush appearing on her cheeks. Applejack noticed, raising an eyebrow.

“Since when d’ya need a bodyguard, Twi?” the farm girl asked.

Twilight turned to Ash as her hand gripped her sleeve.

Ash nodded. “Better that they stay in the loop.”

Nodding herself, Twilight lifted her sleeve. Her friends gasped at the sight of the dark Sumerian text running up her arm like a tattoo.

“What… is that?” Fluttershy squeaked out in worry.

“Changelings are attempting to kill Twilight,” Ash explained. “And use her blood and flesh to create a book that will end the world.”

“Changelings?” Rainbow asked.

“They’re creatures that take the form of someone you love and feed off your love for them,” Sunset explained. “Our Chemistry teacher? Dr. Chrysalis? She’s a changeling in Equestria.”

“Normally,” Twilight admitted. “But the changelings have changed; they’re now more like demons.” Her voice grew more determined. “Which is why we’re here to find the Equestrian Book of the Dead. To send them back to where they belong.”

Sunset nodded. “If that’s the case then you’ll need a ride to the Cemetery.” She walked the mirror and towards an orange muscle car with a yin yang sun on the hood.

“Holy Shit!” Ash exclaimed, approaching the car with a missive smile on his face. “Is that a 1970 Dodge Charger?”

“Yeah it is,” Sunset said, before blinking in confusion. “How do you know that? Aren’t you from Equestria?”

“Yes and No” Ash answered, lifting the hood and gawking at the beautiful engine. “What’cha running in here? A 225 cubic-inch six cylinder or a 440 Magnum V8?”

Immediately Twilight’s friends began to groan hearing Ash’s question, Twilight looked at her friends with confusion in her eyes, before noticing the smile growing on Sunset’s face.

“Neither actually,” Sunset said walking next to Ash. “I put in a 440 Six pack engine. This beauty of mine can go from zero to sixty in six seconds flat.”

“Great…” Rarity groaned out, before glancing at Twilight. “Patience, darling; this is going to take awhile.”

“What may take awhile?” Twilight asked Rarity.

“Sunset’s rather… enthusiastic when it comes to cars,” Applejack explained. “Once someone starts talking about all that car and engine hullaballoo, Sunset will never stop.”

Applejack froze as she felt the pair of eyes glaring into her very soul

“Car and engine… what?!” Ash and Sunset growled, malice lacing their voices.

“Every man for themselves!” Pinkie Pie shouted, lifting several pink balls. She threw them at the ground, and they exploded in a rainbow of colored smoke and confetti.

Taking advantage, the rest of Twilight’s human friends scattered and ran.

Okay. so I'm almost done with the next chapter. however since I took so long to get started on writing it I had completely forgot that Spike was suppose to come with Ash and Twilight. so instead of rewriting the ENTIRE chapter. I'm just going to say Spike decided not to enter the human world