The street that The Forgemaster had chosen for the race just happened to be Ponyville's main street. This was good because that means that it was a long street, which was perfect for what he was doing. Rainbow Dash hesitated for just a moment before she took off after him. His head-start kept him ahead of her for the first half of going up the street, but she then passed him. The racers hadn't been racing down an empty street, however; it was rush-hour in Ponyville and the street was as clogged full of pedestrians as it could get. The pair dodged and weaved around stalls, ponies, and wagons in their mad dash down the street.

He managed to stay just behind her after she had passed him. No matter how fast she went, he was immediately behind her. Which led her to believe that he was letting her win, after all; if he is able to keep up with her so well, why couldn't he pass her?

Rainbow Dash reached the end of the street first, and quickly turned around. He was so close behind her that she didn't even see him when she had turned. She immediately accelerated down the street, not wasting time to look behind her at her opponent. Dodging and weaving about the very same things she had dodged and weaved about on the way down the street, she raced down the home-stretch to victory. She crossed the point where they had previously stood, and then slowed down and turned back to gloat over the loser. Before she had even turned her head, she started taunting him.

"I win again! Yet more proof that I am the Fastest flyer in Equest-", her voice trailed off as she realized something.

Crimson Hammer wasn't behind her!

wWwWwWw

Unbeknownst to her, The Forgemaster hadn't turned around at the end of the street. He had made up the race as an excuse to flee from Rainbow Dash. He had even held back so that she wouldn't notice when he flew away. He decided to flee from the unusually aggressive pegasus and came up with the race idea because he knew that she couldn't resist the challenge. He flew, much faster than he had during the race, to the Everfree forest, and to Zecora.

Thankfully, no monster decided to attack him. However, The Forgemaster would have welcomed any attack by a monster; anything to relieve him of his boredom. Even though he has a plan and a job now, he still wanted to do something exciting. Battle, fighting, and war just happen to be some of the most exciting things an individual could do. He landed at Zecora's hut without any interruptions.

(A/N- writing for Zecora is hard, no dialogue for her!)

He knocked on the door to be greeted warmly by the relatively mature zebra. He explained his situation, and what exactly changed him, to Zecora. She told him that the plant was a flower called Poison Joke, and that it takes what one values the most, and messes with it. She said that there was a cure, but that she didn't have the herb. She was happy to help him, and would make the necessary bath as soon as she found the herb. He thanked her, reminded her not to tall anypony who he was, and then left.

He left thinking about what the enigmatic zebra had told him. Especially the part where she had told him exactly what the flower did. He was surprised that the plant had taken his memories and human form; they weren't exactly what he would all his most valued traits. But then again, perhaps he had subconsciously started to value his human form more from being around ponies. And his memories weren't exactly something he valued, but perhaps since coming to this pony infested land had made him value his past experiences with other humans more.

'Ugh, I need a drink.' He thought.

He made it back to Ponyville in no time at all. Fortunately, he did not see Rainbow Dash yet. Unfortunately, her house is right next to his. He had a feeling that she would be interrupting his sleep later that day. He managed to stealthily make his way through the town, until a loud crash echoed through the town. The crash came from the library; apparently Twilight Sparkle was up to something… again. He made his way over to the library, and was infuriated by what he saw.

Twilight had some of 'The Forgemaster's' things scattered throughout the main room of the library. While he was 'gone', she had raided his home for things to study! She had many things from his house, his clothes (AGAIN!), his armor, his clawed gauntlets, and his sword! By far the most infuriating thing he had ever seen in his life caused by the 2nd most infuriating person/pony he had ever made.

Twilight had yet to notice his entry, he had snuck in, after all. So he decided to punish Twilight for her transgressions.

"TWILIGHT SPARKLE! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!" he yelled at her, louder than sin.

She was shocked, obviously. She dropped the item she had been holding with her magic, and jumped into the air. She spun around, mid-flight, and saw him, with the angriest expression anypony could ever have. She was too shocked to respond, so he continued his side of the conversation.

"IF THE FORGEMASTER WAS HERE, HE WOULD HAVE TO FORCEFULLY RESTRAIN HIMSELF FROM MANGLING YOU! THIS IS BY FAR THE STUPIDEST THING THAT I'VE EVER SEEN!"

He quickly walked around the room and piled his, erm, The Forgemaster's things on his back. Twilight had been so startled by his sudden appearance and shouting, that he managed to gather most of the stolen things before she could react. He however, spoke before she could.

"Twilight Sparkle, before you object to me taking back the things you stole, think about what you've done. You've stolen from the deadliest being in this world, twice, and he has yet to murder you. You should count yourself lucky. Don't even say a word; nothing you could say could fix this." He said in a low, threatening voice.

He gathered all of the stolen items, and walked out of the library. Twilight had wisely taken his advice and not said a word. She now realized what exactly she had done and was quite literally shaking in her boots. She was also feeling very guilty, but her fear overwhelmed that emotion. She couldn't even move.

He turned back once he was outside the doorway, saying in a cold, dry voice, "Twilight Sparkle, you will be the end of yourself if you don't learn to respect boundaries. Be thankful that you aren't dead."

wWwWwWw

Crimson Hammer was walking back to The Forgemaster's house. It had been left undisturbed by the residents of Ponyville. Except, of course, Twilight Sparkle. He sighed and shook his head at her curiosity. Every word he had spoken at the library was true, he did have to forcibly keep himself from beating her senseless with her own hooves, and she should count herself lucky that he hadn't.

He groaned; he really was going to need that drink.

Thankfully, he past Ponyville's only liqueur store on the way back to The Forgemaster's home. He hadn't realized that Ponyville, or ponies, had any kind of alcohol at all. Except for that alcoholic punch at Pinkie's party, he hadn't seen any alcohol in the slightest. It wasn't served in restaurants, it couldn't be found at the market, and he couldn't even find the necessary ingredients to make it himself! So it surprised the hell out of him when he saw the liqueur store. He looked over and grinned at the name; Crazy Horse's Crazy Water. If that isn't something to make you giggle, than nothing ever could.

He entered the front door of the Forgemaster's house to see the interior slightly disturbed. Apparently, Twilight had to look around to find things to study.

'Thank the gods; she hasn't opened the armory.' He thought as he saw a steel door undisturbed.

He knew that had his magical wards not been in place, Twilight would have used her magic to get in there. After all, it was the only metal door in a large house; surely something that warrants that much security would be important? But, she didn't have access to her magic while in the house, thank gods.

He unlocked the door and put down the things Twilight had stolen inside, he then gathered up all the things he thought that Twilight would be interested in and put them in as well. He then shut the door and locked it once more. No sense in leaving things out where Twilight could see them, she would just take them!

Satisfied with his job, he left the house and locked the door behind him with a padlock. He still wasn't sure how he could do that with hooves, however. He made his way back to the liqueur store and entered. He was amazed at the variety, quantity, and most of all quality of the assembled liqueurs!

He walked down the aisles and felt like a kid in a candy store.

'I think adult in a liqueur store would have the exact same meaning.' He thought, and chuckled to himself.

He was happier than he had been in a long while; whoever owned this store was surely a pony after his own heart. He pulled down 3 bottles of the finest rum he could see, and went to the cash register. His purchases were quickly rung up and he was free to go with the bottles. The cashier had a question for him, however.

"Sir, why did you buy so much rum?" she asked.

He turned and as serious as he could manage said, "Yar Har, it's a pirate's life for me! YO HO!" and he ran out the door.

wWwWwWw

He wandered about Ponyville for a few minutes, not going home to drink the rum. Instead, he found a nice park bench. He lay down on it, and popped the cork on the first bottle. He took a sniff, and then a sip. He sighed appreciatively: it was some good rum.

'70 proof, cane sugar, 7 years old, don't miss whiskey anymore; I got rum.' He thought.

He was finished his first bottle and got to work on the 2nd. Many ponies were giving him odd looks, but he didn't care: he was drunk. He hadn't been drunk in so long that he didn't notice the effects of the alcohol on him. Apparently, this pony body didn't have his human one's legendary constitution. However, he was far from a light weight as he had downed a bottle and a half of another before being truly drunk. And these were hardly small, sampler bottles; these things looked like kegs with a tapered spout!

Before he knew it, he had started on his 3rd bottle, was severely drunk, and it was getting dark out. He hadn't passed out just yet, but was working on it. He would have succeeded had some-pony not interrupted him.

A female voice that he should remember, but didn't due to drunkenness said, "Why are you drinking out here on the park bench?"

Without looking up, he said, "Why can't any-pony keep to themselves? I think I've had everypony in this village talk to me, some twice. I swear, the next pony to come and talk to me will be Princess Celestia herself."

"Really? Have they been bothering you?"

He took another drink and continued, "Not a single pony in this place could ever leave another to lie in peace and drink, it's shameful, it is."

"May I sit down?" she asked.

He grunted and moved enough to make room for her.

"Would you like a drink?" He asked, offering his last bottle with a third of rum left.

She said, "No, thank you. Please have it, yourself."

He sniffled, "The best gift a drinkin' stallion can give; is a drink of the drink he's drinkin'. Please have a sip?"

She relented, "Oh fine, why not?"

She took the bottle from his hoof with magic and tilted back her head to drink. He took the opportunity to actually look at the mare that was gracing his park bench, and drinking his rum. His eyes had a flash of realization.

He said, "Oh, hi Tia!" to the most powerful alicorn in history, co-ruler of Equestria, the being he had made a blood-oath before the gods to, and current bench-mate.

She had still been drinking when he said that, and blew the rum across the street in her shock. He looked disappointed at the loss of good rum, and announced that with a childish, "Ah, man."

Then he looked closer; there was a squad of guards around a golden chariot near where she had spit the rum. And they looked absolutely, bat-shit surprised at what he had said. He turned back to Celestia who was looking at him with the same face.

He chuckled and said, "Or do you prefer Celly?"

She grabbed him about the shoulders and drew him in close, she hissed out, "Who are you, only my friends and relatives call me that, and I don't know you."

He looked sad, and wiped an imaginary tear from his eye, "I thought we were drinkin' buddies, doesn't that count for anything?"

She glared at him and said, "NO!"

He sighed and said, "I am The Ponified Forgemaster, also known as Crimson Hammer, I've been transformed by some thrice-damned flower into a pony but I found a way to turn back. Till then, I've been trolling around the 'Elements', still doing my job. Just in pony form now."

She couldn't have looked more shocked if the sun suddenly blew up.

She said, "How do I know that you're really him."

He sighed, "Your middle name is 'Jacqueline'."

Her eyes widened, "How did you know that?"

"I took your memories, Tia. I know everything about you, barring what's happened in the last few days. Don't tell the 'Elements' who I am, by the way, this has been really fun. Thoroughly depressing at the same time, but fun. And let me tell you something, those 'Elements' aren't exactly the sharpest blades in the bunch."

She sighed, "No mater your opinion of them, you are still obligated to protect them." She sighed, "I have to visit Twilight Sparkle, anyway, I won't tell them about you and you shouldn't be there if you want to remain incognito."

"Thanks Tia."

She said, "You can call me Tia, but not in front of other ponies, Royal Guards excluded. I have to go now, have a nice night."

"Thanks Tia, goodbye!" he waved to her as she walked over to the library. Unfortunately, Twilight was at the window of the library, and she caught him waving.

'Oh, shit.' He thought, before flying to his cloud-house.