He couldn't believe that worked. Orion had wanted to hit himself the moment she flew into a rage.

He had no idea what came over him when he corrected her. It was like his mouth had gone on autopilot determined to get his ass killed. When her hair lit up and that wave of heat had washed over him, he near shit himself right then and there. She had become an entirely different person. And that was no illusion magic. "Where the fuck did the sharp teeth come from?"

The testicular fortitude apparently didn't end there. He stood by his decision. Hell he challenged her on it. "The fuck is wrong with me?" At this point he should have been panicking.

When she suddenly powered down what was likely to his up close and personal conversation with the sun, he had almost sagged in relief. Blueballs and his son were still passed out. The chair the kid had been wheeled in on had melted a little.

The rest, had honestly been a blur. Before to long he was being escorted out the throne room. The guards were nervously looking at Celestia and back to the massive double doors. He could only guess what was going on in their minds. Hell, he was still trying to figure out what was going on in his own mind.

The moment those doors shut every single guard in his escort detail, started running their mouths like there was a race to be won. Fortunately they seemed to be focused on talking to each other then him. His thoughts were still a jumble from all this.

He just shook his head.

Twilight walked sedately behind Princess Celestia as they left the throne room. Her mind a jumble of what she had seen. She was terrified. First, Orion with the beating of those colts. Then, her mentor turning into a whole other pony right in front of her. She had never seen her like that.

They were heading to the royal apartment wing, where their rooms were located. The Princess had wanted to change her dress before meeting any petitioners, as the white and blue trimmed clothes she had donned this morning were black and soot stained.

"I am sorry you had to see me like that, Twilight. Truly I do not know how or why my emotions got away from me today. I am so sorry to have frightened you so." She had not turned her head nor slowed her pace, the tone being one of sorrow.

She couldn't really respond. She made an affirmative noise and kept following behind. Her mind on the moment everything calmed down.

They were both laughing. It was so surreal. Her teacher had gone from this fiery monarch, then right back to the calm motherly figure she had first met. Orion had never even seemed concerned! He stood there arguing back with her. Then with just a few jokes, he had the Princess almost back to her usual jovial self. "What the buck happened?"

While Twilight had been caught in her own mind, her teacher had stopped and turned around to look at her. She simply walked right into her. Before she even attempted to stammer out an apology, she was wrapped in a hug. A tear had fallen on her face.

"I am so sorry, my student. I am so so sorry. You should never have seen me like that. I can only imagine what is going through your mind." She brushed her hand over her mane, quietly sobbing. "I do not truly know what came over me in there. That colt is so frustrating. He was right. Completely. And now all I keep thinking as how I could act so foalish. I was like a foal lashing out." She held Twilight tightly. "Please forgive me."

Smiling softly, and feeling a little better herself, she wrapped her arms about her teacher, hugging her tightly. "I-it's okay Princess. I won't pretend to understand what exactly happened in there, but you have been under a lot of stress lately. Maybe, maybe this was a sign. Maybe you need to relax today?" She wasn't sure what she was exactly suggesting but it seemed right. Her teacher was carrying the burden of ruling a nation, overseeing a school, and teaching her. Not to mention the stress of the earlier events.

"That sounds like a very good idea, Twilight. Come. To our rooms, and then to the royal spa. We will have our cares washed away!" There were still tears, but her Princess held a smiling face.

She knew one thing, she realized that she could never tell her about Orion's hidden talent. She was beginning to see why he wanted to stay hidden. Whatever was happening, he must be kept secret.

To say Mrs Evergarden was upset would be like saying the sky was blue. When he was escorted back in by two royal guards and told that he had been suspend from school for fighting, she had went off like Mt Saint Helens.

Orion thought if she had not been informed about his punishment almost immediately she would likely have devised something to ruin his whole year. He sat in the library as she paced back in forth in a fury. Her pregnancy proceeding her steps. If she was inconvenienced by the bulk she certainly didn't show it.

"You promised me! YOU PROMISED! Why did you fight like that?! Look at you you're a mess. Where is your vest? Do you know how expensive those shirts are!?" She had been going on for the better part of twenty mins. The one royal guard, a Lieutenant named Errant Strikes, sat in a corner looking concerned.

Finally when it seemed to be a break in tirade that was pouring out of the irate short mare, he spoke up. When had he started to call them mares in his own head?

"First, I told you I would not go out of my way to start a fight. I didn't. Second I only told you I would try not to hurt anyone. NO guarantees were made. Given how long this took you'd think you could commend me on my own self control." Nothing he was saying was mollifying her. She was heated.

He looked pleadingly to the Lieutenant.

"While its true that he was involved in the altercation, and largely responsible for both damages to the school and students involved, he did not begin that fight. He was accosted..."

By the time Errant Strikes was done the head mistress of the orphanage was looking at Orion in horror. "You rebuked the Princess...." Fat lot of help the officer was.

"To be fair, I was actually right Celestia even said so." Still more horror. If anything the mention of her name without the royal title seemed to make it worse. She sat there gaping at him like a fish. "Hey she even said so! Anyway, I am suspended from school for a month, oh and the student population knows of my need now."

She blinked at him, "They know of your need...oh. Well, it was only a matter of time. Shame you couldn't keep that under wraps a little more. Still, young colt I cannot believe you. The fact that you not only bested six students, but that you struck royalty, I think I should cancel your gym membership."

"Oh come on! They started it! I only defend myself, besides it was a six on one. What was I supposed to do? Take my beating? Cower and beg them to stop? Fuck. That." It was at that point that Errant had to ask.

"You have said that word twice now. What does 'fuck' mean?" Orion just grinned at her, realization had dawned into her eyes. "You're saying buck. You are swearing constantly with just slight differences in words."

"Well hell and tartarus are not exactly the same sounding there chief. But yes. I am. And you can't stop me, no body can!" He laughed to himself while he just got womanly looks.

"So, do you know where you will be serving your community service?" Mrs Evergarden asked.

"Nope, no ones told me anything yet."

Errant Strikes coughed and spoke up, "I do. Ponyville. More specifically Ponyville's School."

"Ponyville?"

The month of torture sucked. At least at the beginning.

Orion was not lazy enough to use magic for everything. But not being able to practice his burgeoning craft seemed to make the month last all the longer. Though he did managed to compensate some by doing actual planning for the devices he planned to create. If he was being honest with himself, he should have been doing this from the very beginning. The material he wasted could have been saved this way. He was kicking himself for not thinking of it sooner.

He would like to say at least the month of his community service was not too bad, but it seems Celestia had a hand in what he was going to be doing to serve out his term.

She thought it an excellent idea to send him outside the city for the time he was suspended. With that in mind she dropped him in the town of Ponyville. What the fuck kinda name is that?! It's like naming a town back in his world Peopleville. It made no sense. The puns were killing him slowly he was sure.

The hotel he stayed in, if it could honestly be called that. Was a five room affair. He had the one on the end. Furthest from the continental breakfast. The room wasn't bad itself. It consisted of 2 rooms and a bathroom. The entryway opened up into the kitchen and a mini living room with a full set of furniture. The second room had the bedroom, that held a desk as well as the bed itself, and the bathroom was connected to it.

Really it was more like an apartment. Not bad at all.

The place he was serving out his sentence? Ponyville Schoolhouse. So imaginative. Be careful naming the fountain. Wouldn't want to strain anything. Troglodytes.

What he figured was gonna be a simple babysitting job of children started out as hell. The moment Mrs Buttontop left the room, for any reason, the children would turn into little tornadoes of terror. They reminded him of the Tasmanian Devil.

Oh things started out okay when he first arrived. The students seemed well behaved. The set up reminded him of those old western movies where the school Marm taught multiple grades of kids at the same time. Seemed to be the very same set up here. Some small kids no older then 5 or 6 coupled with kids nearly as old as he. Or older as two were the case.

What at first seemed like a well behaved class, turned into little hellions the moment the teacher left. Oh they didn't destroy anything thankfully. They just ran about the room and screamed at the top of their lungs like someone had shot speed directly into their veins. Throwing paper and knocking over things. The two older students were of NO help at all. Brats.

A white furred girl with a deep purple mane, Rarity if he remembered her name right, instantly buried her face in some fashion mag. The other a blonde maned girl with a sun kissed orange fur wearing a flannel shirt and overalls, began her own reading, if you could believe it, of agricultural tips. No help. When asked for help, Rarity straight up ignored him, and Applejack just glared at him telling him to handle his punishment himself. Apparently the locals knew why he was here if not the reason for it. Bitch.

The second week he had had enough of the circus.

The shout of outrage could be heard from the train station. Filthy Rich had just stepped off the train, when the sound had reached his ears. He looked about in panic expecting himself to be under attack. But the attack never came.

Orion stood in the middle of the class glaring at Rarity and Applejack. Silence reigned in the room. Rarity had dropped her magazine, in shock. Applejack glared back. He could see the wheels in her head turning. By her posture she was planning to square up.

He was at his wits end. Giving one more glare he turned back to the mob of children around him.

He pointed to a filly, she looked to be ten or twelve, she was hiding behind her red mane. "Is this what you do for Mrs Buttontop? Acting like you have no two brain cells to stick together?"

"No...." She quietly spoke out.

"Then why oh why do it with me. You're supposed to be good little fillies and colts. Your teacher told me you were some of the best behaved foals she had ever had when I met her. Why act like such little monsters?" He had been softening the tone of his voice the longer he talked. Trying to coax the truth from her.

She didn't say anything, just looked away. He grunted in frustration.

Trying a new tactic, "Whats your name kiddo?"

The little filly finally spoke, giggling. " I'm no goat, I'm Roseluck!"

"Roseluck? That's a cute name. Kiddo is slang for foal." He ruffled her mane getting another giggle from the filly. "I am just trying to be of help to Mrs Buttontop, but I can't do my job if I have to constantly corral you lot. So please, tell me why are you all acting like this." That last he spoke to the entire class.

Roseluck still wouldn't respond, but a colt, Mirror if he remembered correctly, spoke up. "Applejack said you were a bad pony, and that we shouldn't listen to you because you were a bad pony."

Orion's head slowly turned. Applejack had the good graces to look ashamed. "And the truth, shall set you free. You and I, WILL have words later." Turning back to the small crowd of children he smiled.

"Thank you for telling me the truth Mirror. I really appreciate it. I will admit I made a mistake. I am being punished for that mistake by helping you. This is my way of showing I can be a good pony too. But I need all of your help. I can't do this on my own. So please? Help me, help Mrs Buttontop."

Speaking in such a childish way and calling himself a pony was grating as hell. But he needed to get these kids on his side. Then deal with the ramble rouser. Rarity didn't seem to have a hand in this as she seemed to be as shocked as he was. Still, she could have tried to be helpful.

He got a collective nod from the class, and for the first time since his arrival, the kids behaved. It had finally become tolerable. He was so happy, he showed them how to make a baking soda volcanoes. The kids enjoyed making up their own little mountains of fury. Rarity nor Applejack participated. The former shrugging and going back to her magazine, the later glaring daggers at him.

"So let me get this straight. You thought it was okay to whip the foals up in a frenzy because I am, and I quote, ' a low down rotten varmint that ain't gonna change for nopony'. Correct?

A glaring nod was his only confirmation.

"Do you have any idea what I did?"

The response was now a hesitant shake of her head. Uncertainty in her eyes.

So Orion told her, the whole story. No pointing in hiding anything. As he carried on her eyes got bigger and bigger. At the end she was kicking the ground with a hoof. Looking away in shame from his very righteously angry eyes.

"So, you think maybe, just maybe, that I might not be the low down 'varmint' you think I am?" Talking like these people was killing him. It sounded so childish to his ears. This month couldn't end soon enough.

"I'm awful sorry, I jest thought ya was a bad pony. Not werth the effort ta give a chance."

"Okay, two things. Is that honestly how you lot treat others? With suspicion without having the context of the truth? And two, how did you think this, causing the kids to run amok, made you any better then me?"

She blushed, her ears turning red and looking at everything but him. "That's right, squirm." He was enjoying this a little too much.

"I thot ya was jest some criminal out on parole." He blinked. How old did she think he was?

"You do realize I'm like, a year younger then you right?"

He eyes jerked back to his eyes wide in shock. Apparently she didn't. Then again he did tower over her. Looks could be deceiving. "No way! Ya way bigger than I am. How are ya younger then me?"

"Well how, is that I was born after you." A lie but only in the sense he was essentially reborn in this word. "The size is just good eating and clean living. Oh and plenty of exercise."

He had regretted saying that shortly after.

"You hated me. Tell me why and how you convinced me that helping you with your chores was a good idea?" He was tired, sweaty. And still trying to figure out how he got here. "Why in the hell did I make that bet?"

Applejack, looked back with a happy grin, "Well, ya said you were strong, I bet you ta prove it, and you rose ta the challange. That's why yer here!" Well don't feel too pleased with yourself. Wouldn't want to break off being too smug. "Why did I make that bet?"

It was Saturday. Three days after Orion had finally gotten the class to cooperate. There was still the occasional wad of paper thrown, but it was way more manageable then the week before. He was supposed to be sleeping in. But nope, Applejack showed up at the asscrack of dawn to rouse him from his well earned sleep. He should have left the door shut and ignored her. The challenge would never have been issued nor accepted if he had just gotten more sleep.

There she was dressed in the same outfit she wore to school grinning from ear to ear. He knew he should have just slammed the door in her face. But he heard her out, mistake number one.

His second mistake was allowing her to goad him. His vanity on his physical form and it's abilities seemed to have only grown since he started to go to the gym, he was rather proud of what he achieved. Vanity you bitch.

Having a second chance at life starting out really made him appreciate the idea of his own health. His life as a human was spent wasting money on things he didn't need. Food that was of no real help. And women, that he knew was using him as an atm only. So this turn around of his life style really was derived from his past experience.

He achieved nothing. His stamina was shot to shit when it came to the long haul, and now he knew it. He was sweating and had long ago shucked his shirt. He snorted. He felt like an actual damn horse. He had been pulling this cart for the better part of four hours. He had been thinking about new and very crude names for the cart since this morning.

The farm, Sweet Apple Acres, was massive. It had to have covered at least five hundred acres if not more of land. The apple trees seemed to be the main production crop of the farm. But they also supplied the local town with various vegetables; corn and tomatoes taking up the bulk of that.

They had cows. And Orion dashed away any hope of tasting steak again. They talked. Every fucking one of them talked. They stood upright too. And he had finally accepted walking talking horses. He wanted to cry.

They had pigs too. Fortunately they were just pigs. No walking and talking for them. But they were just for getting rid of excess food and making fertilizer. Smart really. Waste of bacon though.

Finally they had loaded it up enough to haul back to the barn. Fuck was the thing heavy. And because it was his ego being put out to the test, it was all for him. Joy.

Rolling the cart into the barn, Applejack and he started to unload the cart. The baskets seemed like feathers after the cart so for him it was done, thankfully, quickly. She stood back admiring the stacks of apple baskets. He knew it was this apple bucking season thing, but couldn't they hire temp workers for this shit.

"Hooo weee that there is a lot of apples. Thank ya kindly, Orion. Never woulda got my chores done today if not fer you." She grinned at him. He stared back incredulous.

"This bitch. Used me. The fuck?!" He was just trying to breathe at this point. No weakness was the mantra he was saying for the last 20 mins. He felt like he would have puked. "Don't let this shithead user see you collapse. You will win this bet."

"Hey you foals its lunch time!" The deep baritone of her father erupted from the front of the barn, causing him to jump out of his skin and her to giggle and ye haw. Seriously, who does that unironically?

The Apples, as a family, seemed like a nice bunch.

He had met her brother, who made him nervous. For all Orion's gains in the gym, this dude was still somehow bigger then him. If this was the NFL someone would have been chomping at the bit to sign him, trained or not.

The man was a muscle. There was no better way to describe it. The fact that him and his dad seemed to drink from the same miracle grow did not surprise him. He stood tall and had rather kind eyes for someone that could bend you into shapes you shouldn't be. Red furred with a dirty blond mane he was the largest of the clan. They called him Big Mac, Big Macintosh in full. He just called him Diesel. Didn't expect them to understand the reference. Still fit.

Mr Macintosh, known as Bright Mac, was much like his red furred son. But shorter. But built much the same. His fur was a soft lemon color, with a red mane that he could spot from miles away. Orion wanted to know who their protein provider was. Likely a man named Genetics, first name You-don't-have-them.

Applejack was built more like her mother. Smaller then her older sibling, but that didn't fool Orion none. The girl was strong. He could see it in the way she hit the trees like it was going out of style. He couldn't really figure out an easier way of getting those apples other than magic, which was still denied to him. So watching her work was a bit fear inspiring.

Her mother, Pear Butter, was likely his favorite of the group. She was warm and kind, didn't tolerate lying none but that's okay. Her mane was a dark peach while her fur was a lighter colored version of a peach. He had made the joke that she was peachy king but no one got it. Oh well. She had a dedication to the job at hand that he didn't see much of in many others. Applejack shared that with her.

Unlike the rest of the family, that wore overalls, she wore a flannel yellow dress. In his opinion she was a true southern belle. Only ever heard of em, never really got to meet one himself. But she fit the bill if there ever had.

The last child of the family was little Applebloom, but she couldn't walk or do anything yet. She did however look so much like her daddy it was a little scary. Though her mane was a little more pink. Cute as a button though.

The last one he had to grin at. Granny Smith was an old mare. Honestly, a mummy looked less dry. But the old bat had fire and spirit. She was the matriarch of the family and Orion could see why. Standing shorter then Applejack, she still commanded the farm like a foreman. Not unkind but firm in what needed to be done.

Her green fur was a far cry from the others. Same with the white mane done up in a bun. however, she did dress much like the others. Only she seemed to have made her overalls into a skirt. Practical if he was being honest.

The announcement of lunch meant the winning of the bet. Though he had no idea what to demand from Applejack as of yet. Still, he won. Ha take that bitch. He stumbled but straightened out immediately, no weakness. He would die when he got back to the hotel. Show no weakness to the enemy. "Oh God, why the fuck did I take that bet?"

The enemy in question, looked upset. But then again she did just lose. Serves her right for waking him up so early. He was beginning to feel this victory was rather hollow.

They all marched into the house, well he shambled like the walking dead. He still won. "Ow."

The two story wooden farm house was rather large, and it was beautiful. The entire home was made of applewood, fitting because you know, apple farm. The inside was all warm and inviting, the outside had the family's history carved in little pictograms on the door and window frames. It was a neat idea honestly.

Latter Granny told him the story of how they came to be, how they, the apples, founded Ponyville. He did not make any jokes. When she began to recite the family tree, he realized just how big the Apple family actually was. Holy Fuck. Did they not know what a condom was? The way she told it, the Apples made up half of Equestria's population on their own.

The table had a spread he didn't think he would see outside of those made for family movies. His mouth watered. Corn, potatoes fried, eggs. Wait, was that, bacon? A closer look reveled that it was actually bacon. He slowly glanced around the table. The family just smiled at him. No. Way.

"Um, is that...bacon?" He had to ask. Surely he was seeing things.

"Why yes it is sonny. AJ told us about ya need ta have a proper diet and all." Granny was smiling. This was okay? he glanced around at the others.

Only the red giant seemed a little uncomfortable at the idea, but he nodded all the same.

"Annnd, this is okay with all of you. An animal had to die for this you know?" More nods. Well shit. "I thank you then, Thought I was going to have to spend a month being a vegetarian down here." He dug in. The bacon was like sex, and there was an orgy in his mouth. He did his best not to moan.

That meal had to be the most satisfying thing he had ever eaten. The nobles could have their, whatever they called that slop. This was the food Orion was sure he would eat till he died if he had the chance.

"Granny I need to raid your cookbook for your recipes. This was, whew, delicious thank you." He had been elbow deep in soap water washing out the dishes the family had used. He offered. He was feeling to good.

Chuckling, Granny wiped down another plate he handed her, "Sorry youngin'. Ya need ta be apart of the family to get access fer that." But she had turned her head to smile at Applejack. He did not miss the meaning of that look.

Thinking quickly, "Then you will be seeing me for Christmas. Oh wait its called Hearth's Warming. You'll be seeing me for Hearth's Warming." She cackled at that.

"You'd come down from that big ol' fancy town jest ta see us?"

"Between you and me Granny, Canterlot can suck a frozen over lemon. Folks up there have their noses so far up into the air, it's buried in their ass." A sudden wack had him yelping. Granny didn't like swearing. And she had quickly picked up what the words he used actually meant. Still she was nodding in agreement about them anyway. A smile on her face.

"Next time I get the soap, a colt your age shouldn't be using such rough language."

"Granny, a colt my age would never have lived on the street before they were six." Granny nodded soberly to that. He had told her. Not about where he really came from but about life growing up in the Orphanage. And the streets of Stalliongrad. It seemed natural to tell the mare. He could tell it tore her up hearing it. But she bore the tale without breaking down like the one therapist did in Manehatten. Seriously how did that dude have a license. Give it to Granny.

All in all it was a good time. He told Applejack that he would think about what to ask for. Since he was coming back in December, apparently Granny was expecting him. He said he would likely have an idea what to ask for then. Truthfully he had no idea.

Orion had only one dealing with the only other student near his age in the class he was helping, no scratched that, serving out his time. Stupid sun horse.

At first Rarity seemed way more self absorbed then anyone one person had any right to be. The dresses she wore seemed to be top of the line and he suspected she came from a very well off family. Turns out he was dead wrong, about the dresses, the family was very well off.

Oh she was a bit pretentious. And that accent she was trying to cultivate, sounded North Atlantic, couldn't be sure. Was absolutely awful. But what caused him to reevaluate her, was that he had found out she was making clothes for the orphanage in town.

Seriously, why is there an orphanage in almost every town? Do kids just sprout from the ground in horse world? Do they rain from the sky?

Rarity had cornered him in the hall going out to the playground. At first, he thought he was going to be assaulted.

"I need your help this afternoon. Dear Applejack said you were strong and more then willing to help out if the reward was good enough." At first he just blinked. He had been thinking of throwing a punch. AJ sold him out. The bitch.

He did not want to do anything with or for the pretentious little shit. But because he had seen AJ regularly hanging out with her, he thought better of telling her to simply fuck off. Oh but it would be so satisfying.

"Ugh fine what the hell do you want oh lady of means?" That got a funny look from her, "Keep in mind I am not cleaning your house. You want a house cleaned you call Consuela."

"I-what? Who is Consuela? No, wait never mind. I think it would be a headache I don't need to add onto my already busy day. Just be here at 3. And please don't be late darling I am really counting on you."

Darling? "....You haven't even bought me dinner yet and your giving me a pet name already?"

What he was expecting was not this. He was loading another box of clothes off the cart and into the orphanage. Turns out, the reason she had her head buried in that fashion mag, was because it had a 'excellent article' on making clothes in masse. She had spent the next three days afterward mass producing a wide array of children's clothes. It was in advance of Hearth's Warming.

Orion was oddly touched. He had never seen this done in the big cities like Canterlot and Manehatten. When he made it big with his pen sales he might just follow suit. Might hire her to coordinate.

The clothes themselves were amazingly well made. Slightly stretchy but with soft durable fabric. She even put in her own business tag on each article. He had to chuckle at that. Seems she was looking to her own future business.

All of this, watching her interact with the headmistress, a Mrs Dollop, and engaging the children with candy and kind words, had cast her in a new light. He still thought she was pretentious. But, he had to admit, she had a generous heart.

When they were done they waved goodbye to the kids, and he grabbed the cart to start pulling it back towards her home. The sun was getting low in the sky so he figured it was closing in on seven in the evening. He looked at her and opened his mouth to ask what was next, and a sour apple sucker was shoved into his mouth. She gave him a dazzling smile, she was looking rather pleased with herself. Then she hugged onto his arm. Now it was awkward.

Getting to her house was no issue. Three stories in the design of one of those Victorian homes he had seen in pictures. Back when he had dreams of owning his own home. It was in various purples. All he could see was she being the one who picked the colors. Her family must be rich hippies.

They were out of town he found out. Which made him extremely nervous when she asked him to come inside. Flashbacks from the mares in Canterlot, and Twilight too, coming to his mind unbidden. When she asked him to strip to his small clothes he tried to leave.

"I am not getting naked for no girl I have known for all of a week." A deep purple aura was wrapped around his waste. But he was making headway to the door pulling her along.

"Darling please stop I only want to get your measurements! I promise there will be no impropriety to be hand tonight!" She was sweating with the effort of trying to stop him from leaving. She had actually held onto the door frame of the living room.

Looking back at her suspiciously, "No funny stuff?"

She grunted with exertion. "No funny stuff I promise, now please, would you come back in and let me measure you."

Orion stopped trying to use her as a pony plow. "Fine fine. Though why do you want my measurements so bad anyway?" He had begun stripping off his clothes leaving only the briefs on. Maybe he could get her to make boxers.

"So I can repay you for your help darling. Now that your un-" She stopped.

Looking up he saw her ears and face flushed red. Oh great another one.

"Applejack certainly wasn't lying, you are....well built for a unicorn. I don't think I have seen another colt like you..." She stood away and used her magic to start taking the measurements she wanted, she did his chest twice. And paused by his bands. "Those look....fetching on you. Gold seems to really suit you."

"Oh? Gold does it for me eh? And do you go undressing all of the guys you meet as well?" He was grinning as her blushed deepened.

"You are very uncouth, you know that?" She was writing everything down on a note pad. But that blush remained.

"Well excuse the orphan for not getting one of them fancy educmacations and what not like all them rich ponies who has that there money they always be slinging about." He was glad AJ wasn't here. He had utterly butchered her accent.

For Rarity's part she just blinked at him, blush gone. "You're an....Orphan?"

"Uh yeah. Though AJ would have told you. She didn't? I didn't exactly keep it a secret."

"I....I am so sorry....what happened? If I may ask I know its not polite..."A finger on her lips silenced her. A-ha! Blush back in full swing. So he told her a rough summary of his life while he got dressed again. The blush had gone away again, but tears seemed to become the new mainstay on her face. Great. Another girl he made cry.

"That is....so...s-o.....sadddddd" She wailed. She really wailed. Full waterworks and falling on the couch and everything. Holy shit she was dramatic. "Y-y-yyyyyyou been all alone since you were five...."She broke down again.

"Jesus Christ lady, this shit didn't even happen to you why are you so worked up?" That didn't slow her tears, not a wit. "Come on Rarity. I'm okay. I may not have a family but I had an excellent opportunity to go to one of the best rated schools in the nation. I'm top of my class. I even know Princess Celestia. Which is bizarre for me, but still I have a good life."

The water works were starting to come to a finality. Then stopped altogether. "You know the Princess?" Her eyes sparkled, then darkened. "And let me guess you see her in your usual garb." It was a statement. His usual garb being a random collared T-shirt and slacks.

"Uh, at least twice now. Though my shirt was pretty ripped up on my second meeting. I was pretty much topless." He looked at her, noticing her aghast expression. He pushed it. "The way she was looking at me I think she has a thing for colts if you know what I'm saying." He winked, and she sputtered and fainted.

Chuckling to himself he draped a blanket over her and left the home, locking the door. Too easy.

The month long torture had finally, come to an end. A guard had been assigned to remove the null ring at the station. Thank God. He was wearing his bands so he levitated the whole family for shits and giggles. Applebloom seemed to be the only one having a grand old time with it.

Granny had whacked him again.

Rarity was there as well. She handed him a package with a smile and a smack. She hadn't forgotten his prank on her that night. Opening the gift he found a full black suit. Gold trim on the cuffs, the right lapel was decorated in a gold swirl pattern that he recognized as his own horn. Intermingled with the swirls were several shades of green as well as some purple. the pants had gold pipping along the seams. With a white under shirt and a black tie that had a similar look to the lapel. "Jesus, she went all out."

"Holy shit she even added diamond cufflinks? Where the hell did she get diamonds from?" He didn't ask.

Her parents were no longer hippies to him. No, she was part of a crime family and he had better watch his step. No concrete wading boots for him thank you.

He thanked her, got a hug from her before he left. Applejack and her whole family mobbed him. It was nice. The town of Ponyville maybe unimaginative. But it was home to some decent people.

He was finally on his way home. Back to classes.Back to honing his hidden craft.

Orion had arrived back inside the orphanage with little fanfare other then a smiling Mrs Evergarden to greet him. Giving her a hug and asking how the baby was. He had found it odd that she was having another kid, considering her last two had graduated last year. Turns out ponies lived to be a 180 on average. Who knew the vegan diet extended life. Not giving up bacon. Nope. Early death for him.

He unpacked and settled into his room. He had wanted to go immediately back down into the basement to start working. But, he didn't. He laid down to reflect on his conversations with AppleJack, and Granny. He really was too angry. Thats what Granny had told him.

He never really allowed the therapists to help him. He just confused them on purpose so they stayed outta his head. His time spent in that sleepy town slowed him down. Made him open up a bit. He felt, good actually. Maybe Celestia sent him down more to relax then as a punishment. He would have to ask her the next time he saw her. But please don't let it be anytime soon.

He had been expecting this. His arrival at school heralded a silence he remembered from the school yard brawl a month prior. He chose to ignore it entirely, his teachers had not bothered to treat him any differently, so he ignored the student body. They knew what he was after all. Some good news came in the form of a lack of guard presence at the school. Though it did beg him to ask were they where when he got jumped.

News had gotten to him that Blueblood and his son had returned to Trottingham. Hoped they rotted there.

The bad news, was he saw Twilight. And Twilight had seen him. Her eyes held terror when she looked at him. "Ah shit." They had looked at each other for what seemed like hours to him, but seconds in reality. She swiftly turned around all but fled down the other hall. She had gotten to see him at his worst. And blinked. Still no guards to scoop him up. So she hadn't said anything about his other more hidden talents. He took it as a win, but it was a hollow one.

Twilight never did come talk to him. He couldn't blame her. He would have likely done the same in her shoes.

For the most part his classes went on. He was excited for the elective of combat magic that was coming next year when he got into high school. Apparently after elementary and jr. high, general education stopped and schools for unicorns seemed to focus exclusively on magical education. No more boring ass lectures on things he already knew. Woo hoo.

A few weeks later, Orion found out his file had another request, from one Baroness Smith. He had an idea who it was. But to find out she was a noble kinda made him pause. Nothing further happened. Mrs Evergarden's hopes were dashed that he might have finally gotten a home. He felt bad for her.

Winter arrived with all the control a society that manipulated the weather on a whim could do. He helped shovel the side walk in front of the orphanage being the only one above ten he figured it was a good idea to do so. His thoughts were elsewhere. He was going to have a real Christmas dinner this year.

Normally he had whatever fare Mrs Evergarden supplied. Which was good, if a little boring day in and day out. This year however, he was headed back to Ponyville. To some good eating. He also had questions for Granny. So his trip was going to be a good one.

He bid Mrs Evergarden goodbye. She looked like she was about to pop. Eleven month gestation period for a child? Earth girls had it easy.

No one was there to greet him at the station, though he did come in a couple of days early. He wanted to help out and surprise them. Him. Volunteering to do labor. This town was rubbing off on him. Whatever.

He arrived at Sweet Apple Acres in the afternoon, and took notice of a black wreath swaying from the entrance gate. It was on the front door of the house. The barn too.

"What the hell?"

Walking up he knocked on the front door. What he expected, was not what he got. Applejack had answered the door. She was wearing black. And had been crying. Turns out Granny was just fine. It was her parents.

A timber wolf attack. That's what claimed them 2 weeks ago. They had been working together to put the last of the trees to bed before winter was scheduled to hit. It was late and hard to see. Applejack was the first to arrive after the screams. She held her mother as she bled out. Her father died protecting her. Orion just stared. The two nicest people he had ever met. Taken. Fuck.

He didn't know what to feel. His heart ached for Applejack and her siblings. For Applebloom, who would never know her parents. For Granny, who now had to carry the burden of raising three kids on her own. Big Mac hadn't been seen much outside of his room. AJ seemed to be the one carrying the chores with Granny.

That all too familiar rage was taking hold of him again. He made sure to show no outward signs. Nothing obvious at least. But not knowing what to feel gave way to the anger and hatred in him. Now with a new target.

Granny watched the young colt seethe in the chair at the dinning room. He was holding it in but she could see the tenseness of his body. She knew that look. Her husband had the same look when justice needed to be served. She sent everypony else to bed for the night, so that she could speak to him. Try to head it off before it consumed him. She hadn't realized how fast he got angry.

"Son, now I a see what ya are thinking. Well unthink it." He looked up at her. Cold gray eyes staring into her orange ones. The rage behind the ice. She had read his file. And of the recent incident on it. He was going to do something foalish and she knew it.

He didn't even give her a chance to argue. "You can't stop me Mrs Smith." Not a good sign, he hadn't called her that since she corrected him about it when they first met.

"You'll getcha self killed going out into them woods tonight. Its cold, and those blasted wolves know that forest better'n you." She realized she was pleading. She knew what was coming. "If ya go an do this, you ain't welcome back here." It was a hard sell. But she had to try something. Teras were beginning to form in her eyes.

"So be it Mrs Smith. It was a pleasure knowing you and your family." He spoke calmly, smiling gently, then teleported out. Granny wept.

Explosions rocked the farm that night. The screams of dying timber wolves rang out in the air. Granny went out once, and found Orion, slaughtering a pack he had lured out into a barren field. Even in the dark, the moon high, she could see blood down his chest, arms, back. It was everywhere. He didn't seem to notice. He was grinning, the teeth she had only glimpsed, on full display in the moonlight.

The wolves died by the dozen that night. She saw it. The sight terrified her. In all her years she had never seen anypony work so violently to kill.

There was no colt there. It was a monster of flesh and hoof carving it's way through an ever growing pile of dead wood.

Granny went quickly back inside, and shut the door. Death was the only thing out there now.

Redheart was groggy as she sipped her cup of coffee. Early morning never agreed with her. Her schooling as a nurse was almost complete. She was doing all the practical work now and the staff in Ponyville General trusted her enough to do most of it by herself.

What greeted her when she walked into the lobby, was not something she was trained to handle. A broken leg or sprain yes. But this was a horror show.

Standing in the middle of the lobby was a stallion, no a colt though he was tall enough. His clothes were torn to shreds and he was covered in bruises, scratches, and bite marks. Blood was everywhere. A green goo seemed to be intermixed with his blood. "What in tartarus had happened?!"

The doctors and surgeons raced past her, getting him onto a stretcher he quickly soaked in more blood.

Those eyes, it was as if he was dead and hadn't realized it yet.

Applejack stared at what greeted her in the early morning light. The explosions last night had woken her and her brother up. But Granny wouldn't let them leave the house to find out what was going on. Orion was no where to be found in the home. Had he gone back to the hotel? Granny didn't answer her. She just shook as she blocked the door from the two siblings.

The morning dawned but nopony but Applebloom got any sleep that night. Her and Big Mac went out the moment the sun was up to find out what had happened. Granny protested but she was too tired to do much.

The killing field. No other term for it, was littered with wood. Wood limbs and body parts of timber wolves. A lot of timber wolves. The ground was pock marked with furrowed ground, craters, and even some of the ground looked to have been dug out and used to crush more wolves.

Big Mac, vomited. He was always a sensitive pony.

Granny refused to answer about what happened. But AJ was no dummy. She could reason it out. But was Orion okay? She headed for the hotel, but the clerk said he had never checked in. She went to Rarity to ask if she had seen him, and to relay the events of yesterday.

Rarity, and turns out half the town were awoken as well that night. But most were to terrified to go outside. The budding fashionista suggested they search the hospital. Aj's heart sank at the idea.

They found him in the ICUl. Her hand to her mouth. He was covered in bandages that had bled through in some places. She asked nurse Redheart what had happened, who had found him. He had apparently walked in without a sound. Covered in blood. She could tell the nurse was frightened. Nopony had ever seen anything like this. Not in Ponyville. He never spoke a word, passed out while still standing. He was listed as anonymous on the paper work. But they had changed it once they found out his name from Applejack.

Rarity just reached over and held his hand. The heart monitor was the only thing in the room that made a sound.

She had learned a message to the guard had been sent to the local garrison, and from there to Canterlot.

Princess Celestia with a retinue of guards and aids marched into the lobby. Applejack had been visiting for the past two days since she found him here with Rarity, was first to see her enter Orion's room. She bowed after a few seconds of stammering.

"Rise my little pony. I take it your name is Applejack?" A slow nod was all she could give. The princess was here. HERE. With her.

"Do you know what happened to this colt?" The Princess seemed to be in a no nonsense mood. Her face was dark and imposing.

She ended up relaying everything. From the moment she met Orion to the moment she found him lying on the bed, covered in bandages. She never could tell a short story. Or lie.

Celestia for her part remained calm. As calm as she could. This morning she had been tidying up, getting ready for another lonely Hearth's Warming Eve, Twilight was spending the season with her family and recently promoted brother, Shining Armor. He had earned the rank of Lieutenant. Though, she may have tipped the balance in his favor. Nothing wrong with a little nepotism.

Errant Strikes had come in after a polite knock and bow, and presented her with the morning news out of her cities. That is when she found out about Orion. She didn't stop to think. She mustered her guard, gathering what ponies that she could and raced over here in a fleet of carriages. Her first stop was the site of the incident on report.

It reminded her to closely of a battle field after the reunification wars. The ground was torn apart, pieces of timber wolves everywhere. Baroness Smith, though she insisted on being called Granny despite her royal titles, spoke of what she saw that night. Celestia could not believe it.

Orion's class was not set to learn basic combat spells till next year. So unless he is a natural, or she suspected more, he was reading what he shouldn't. The teleportation was something new as well. He wasn't supposed to know how to do that but she figured Twilight might have taught him. Though she should not have. Looking back to the land. She ordered the royal examiners to set field spells up to recreate that night. She needed to see, it. To know exactly what happened here.

After a tense but polite exchange with Granny, she left to the hospital. Along the way she had her guards go about asking questions to the local populace about the evening prior.

Now she sat there, in a seat too small for her, listening to Applejack relaying her tale of when she met Orion to now. All while looking at him, laying there unconscious. The doctors spoke to her in hushed tones about the numerous cuts and bruises he had received in his one pony war against the wolves.

His face bore a cut passing over his left eye just missing his horn and under his right eye. That was going to scar if he didn't get the proper treatment.

His fingers on his right hand were mangled, likely chewed buy one of his victims. There were slashes and bites peppering his torso, back and arms.

She couldn't see his legs but the doctors report had said his legs were slashed near to pieces. This was beyond reckless. She was furious at him. Why?

Then she listened as the young filly in the room, holding onto his hand, told of the death of her parents by the wolves. She understood now. Vengeance can consume a pony. She would know since it claimed her many times.

Right then and there she made a decision to not to yell at him. The family obviously meant a great deal to him. She wouldn't even punish him. The wolves did that plenty for her. No, she would do nothing but be grateful that such a promising young colt was alive.

The cracked eyelid. The colt had been awake. For how long. Knowing him since she got here. She might punish him for that. He noticed that she noticed, and gave a nod before closing his eyes. He would be alright.

Celestia thanked the young cow mare for her time and her story. She left the room and spoke to the doctors once more. She had told them he was awake but playing it quiet. To let the young filly leave before heading in with questions. She also left her assistant, Raven, behind to ask some pertinent ones.

Feeling that everything was covered she departed the hospital and flew herself back to the field.

The team had gotten the fields set up and running quickly. After a nod from her, the field activated. There was so much magic thrown about that night it was a clear picture. And she sat on the stump, jaw slowly going slack.

Orion's strategy seemed to boil down two things. Bait and slaughter. Not big in the brains department, but effective against these beasts. He burned them, shot them with magic arrows, ripped them apart barehanded. They fought back. Not gaining much ground.

But as the images, sped up so nopony had to sit in the cold all day, showed them slowly getting the occasional bite in. The claw here. Jumping on his back at one point. Though that ended poorly for the wolf. Instead of grabbing the wolf Orion simply ignited his body. That was a new one she hadn't seen before. The wolf burned to ash before it even had time to sink it's teeth in.

She noticed something then. Orion's range was short. Only ten or so meters. That is not usual for a unicorn. Was he just wanting it up close and personal? No. A fireball fell way short of its intended target. He just couldn't hold the magic long enough to go further out. Was it because he was distracted by the numerous targets? No again. Even when the last tried to run and he had trouble picking them off. A magic beam easily hit however. So maybe as long as its connected to him it can reach a normal distance. But he was stunted in range.

One hurdle beaten, another grew in its place. He wasn't going to have a future as a mobile artillery unit.

However, what he lacked in range was more then covered by sheer physical speed and strength. He crushed heads stomped in rib cages. He even kicked one into a tree. They found the impaled corpse later.

The one thing that kept coming back to her mind was the question: "This is a colt?"

Her guards were having a hard time watching. She really needed to turn the guard around. But nopony had attacked in centuries. As long as she was there they would continue to stagnate.

They played the final moments of the battle at a normal speed. The laughter set chills down her spine. Granny Smith was right. He had become a monster that night.

She thanked the examiners. Had them record the entire battle. She would watch it again later, and many times to come.

Seeing as there was nothing else she could do. Orion was still playing Mr Unconscious. So she posted her personal guards. And sent for her own Physician to start the recovery process. She would ask questions later. But she felt his pain. Losing what you consider family can break a pony. It had obviously done so for him.

But the consequences, there always the consequences.

That night, inside Ponyville General Hospital, Light Stitch was checking in on the pediatric unit. Not many foals were housed in there, but it was good to always keep an eye on them every hour or so. It was only midnight and it was already shaping up to be a drag. This was her third twelve hour shift, and she was beginning about thinking of a new career.

That new mare, Redheart, she could easily take her place.

The scream that tore through the halls from the ICU ward frightened her so badly she landed on her flank. "What in the buck was that?!" The only thing to answer her was more screams. She hit the alarm at the nurses workstation that called the orderlies. Taking off in a sprint she made her way to the ward. There was more then screams. There was shouting coming from room 314. That was the colt, Orion Falls.

The orderlies came in hot on her hooves as they all burst into his room to see the bed flipped over the IV pole ripped apart. The patient was holding one end like a sword screaming in terror. His eyes wild and unfocused, as if he was seeing demons that she could not. The frogs of his hooves were stepping into broken glass, the blood on them meant he had cut himself. It was then that she realized what he was shouting.

"I DIDN'T FUCKING DO IT! I ONLY MADE THE GODDAMN THING!" He took a swing at Torque nearly catching him in the face. In the seconds he swung and missed, Mortar managed to catch the colt around the waist. Just managing to catch the pole from him. The other orderly was quick to help to subdue the colt.

Light ran to the cabinet pulling out a syringe in her shaking hands. She nearly stabbed herself twice as she dipped the needle in the vial of Haloperidol. Tapping a finger against the glass syringe she squeezed to get the air out.

Meanwhile, Orion fought like a wild animal, he had actually managed to toss both orderlies off of him. And sent a straight punch right into Mortar's solar plexus. The stallion went down with a wheeze. He had turned his attention to Torque, who was looking like he was reconsidering his own career.

She took what she believed was her only chance, tackling the hysterical colt she jabbed the needle into his thigh, depressing the plunger into his blood stream. He tossed her the moment she had finished and scrambled back to his hooves.

He was staring wild eyed at her as he grabbed onto her nurse's uniform. "I didn't do it! I was framed, set up by those bastards sitting in those benches! I'M BEING FRAMED! CAN'T YOU ASSHOLES SEE THIS AT ALL?! CAN'T.....you...see...I'm being set...up..." He collapsed onto the ground. His stitches were definitely torn open.

The light was flicked on in the room for the first time since they entered. Blood was everywhere. It had seeped through the bandages, through the hospital gown. It was on the floor, the walls, he had even somehow managed to get some on the ceiling.

Light wanted to help, but she was terrified. She had fallen again on her flank. Though she seemed to miss the glass shattered on the ground. He was still staring at her. Pleading with her for, something. She had no idea what it was.

The two stallions just looked on in confusion. "What the buck was that!" Getting to her hooves she took stock of the room, the two orderlies, and the colt that had just now begun to shut his eyes.

"I need to change careers."

Author's Notes:

Since I am soooo far ahead. I see no reason not to post this one as a friday special. This is the longest chapter I have written to date. This one got a bit more dramatic then the last one.

As always if ya read it and liked it leave a like. If you really liked it leave a comment. If ya hated it or had corrections to my horrible grammer. Please leave a message as well.

Thanks for reading.

Peace