I worked on the farm with Jack and Mac, but kept my armor off while working. I also helped Applebloom and her friends for their little C.M.C. clubhouse project builds. During dinners, I would listen to the wise, old Granny smith and her reflective memory stories of past times.

During her stories, there were times that she spoke about how my dad usually came to save the day, like when the Gryphon Kingdom tried to fight for more land, and she told me that Senior fought his way through waves of Gryphon champions. He managed to force them to retreat. The more I heard of his stories, I became more fascinated and thinking of questions about the old man. With just one man? Against an entire flying army? How?

A few days had passed since I first arrived, and I was switching between 'flight' training; magic training and working around the apple farm. Working for the acres has helped strengthen my shoulders and I can slightly move my wings, but haven't tried flying quite yet. I need to be in the best possible condition in physical, and mental strength, should anything happen. This kept me going and focused, but it was starting to take its toll on me. I was healing, but draining my own battery to build my endurance.

I laid underneath an apple tree catching some shut eye when I felt Big Mac nudge me,"Hey bud, workin' hard?" I slid my hood off my head and rested it against my shoulders as I continued to lay on the ground. I looked up at the quiet, red stallion and smiled.

"You know it, Mac. We all are. I'm just a little tired is all." I told him. I rubbed my eyes after stretching my muscles.

"It's alrigh'. Work is as work does, good buddy." He looked away from me, and to the acreage farmhouse,"Ee-yep." He slowly trudged towards me, and lightly placed his arm against the tree holding his balance. "I'm sorry for buggin' ya, but my sista says she wants you to see her at the house. You should get there quick. You know how she gets. She told me you should bring your armor with you." He looked over toward the porch. "I left your 'shoulder thing', and your gloves on the porch. Thought it'd help, so you don't have to go far to grab them." He nodded, and turned away given a large exhale when he looked back at the large cart halfway full of apples near the bare trees.

Seeing his dilemma, I decided to take the workload to drop it off. I offered some help. "Don't worry mac, I'll take it since I'm going that way. Thanks for the heads up, by the way." I got up from the ground and made my way over to the cart and held on to the holds. A cart you can pull, but it would be easiest with two ponies. Guaranteed it wasn't really made for ponies with wings, but I'd manage. The cart being half full wouldn't be too hard. Once I strapped on my wrists to the holder, I set out towards the house.

As I pulled the cart, I could feel it get a little heavier than it already was. I stopped moving and looked back. "Howdy Dark! Can you help us with something?" Asked the small, southern filly. I turned to face the little filly known as Applebloom, and recounted.

"You know I would, but I can't this time. First, I have to drop off these apples, then meet with your sister at the house and she wants me armored and ready. When I do come back, I will help with your projects." I really hate saying 'No' to this kid, not without making myself feel like shit.

"Ok! Just make sure you stay safe. We'll be helping at the Barber shop with their infestation of bunnies. Snippet said she had a bunch of hares everywhere. I already bagged ourselves the best carrots from the garden for the trap." She jumped off the cart, and ran towards the direction of her clubhouse. When I finally arrived at the barn, I unstrapped the cart grips from my palms and wrists. As I unstrapped myself from the heavy cart and removed the grip from my shoulders, it dropped with a sizeable 'thump' on the ground.

I rubbed the sweat away from the back of my neck with my hand, and took a quick deserved stretch. Finishing bettering my posture, I began my way to the house and pondered to myself,"So, why does Jack need me this time? Did the wolves come back?"

As soon as I set foot onto the porch, I grabbed my pauldron and gauntlets on the deck. After strapping them on, the front door burst open. Out came a concerned Applejack. She quickly clung to my hand and bolted right passed me, pulling me towards the exit of the farm. 'Why do they all do this? I like my arm!' I thought to myself, irritated.

"Come on, Dark! We have to meet the girls at the library. Celestia says it's important!" Applejack said, anxiously. I followed quickly in step, so I could keep my arm, and my hand.

"Did she say what it was all about? You're not giving me a whole lot to work off of, and you're looking pretty distraught." Her lack of answers was starting to confuse me.

"I know when we're called, but you know jus' as much as me, I'll tell ya." She exclaimed.

Before we had left the gate, I saw Applebloom looking out her clubhouse window. I put my hand to amplify my echo, and yelled,"I'm sorry kid! I think you're mistaking which 'Hare'!"

We arrived at the library, and found the other elements surrounding a table farthest corner of the library. Twilight turned towards me addressing me at our arrival,"Dark, I have an assignment given to me by Celestia, and it's for you, and you alone. You will be going to the Hive near the Mystic Mountains to meet with the Queen of the Changlings, Chrysalis. Word has spread that she's been planning on expanding the Hive, and bringing further pain upon the surrounding areas. You will be going there, and be putting a stop to those plans. If it can be stopped peacefully, that would be the best option. Should she decline the offer to surrender peacefully, and decide to attack in any way, then you know what to do."

I pulled the hood over my head, and nodded; Celestia continued,"The training in magic I've given you so far should help just a bit, but you're still new to the ways of magic. Don't strain yourself, as I've already explained to you in your first lesson. Should your magic reserves empty, you'll be in a weakened, and in a drained state. Now, you should be off. The Element's, and I have another assignment of our own to attend to; there is word that someone has been leading ponies into the Everfree forest, and they seem to never be seen again. Should you return before we do, then I'd ask you to meet with us to help in the Everfree forest." I accepted the invitation, and bowed to the lavender Alicorn.

I turned to face the door. I looked back slightly, and spoke,"It'll be done." I closed the door behind me, and made my way to the market finding a specific small stand. The stall keeper was a well known grey pegasus named 'Ditzy Do'. She was a little clumsy, but that was one of the many reasons I loved seeing her around town. Her bubbly personality always cheered me up. I strode up to her stall, and waved to her,"Afternoon, Sweety Ditzy. You wouldn't happen to have a..." I was quickly interrupted by the lazy-eyed mare.

"I sure do!" She reached underneath her booth, and started rummaging through her storage. She shortly returned back to the countertop with a smile, and a map in her hands,"Here you go, Dark! I knew you'd need one for your travels." She snorted quickly, as she laughed at the 'New Guy'. "So, I got one for you as an early birthday present! Happy Birthday, by the way, you knucklehead."

"Thanks Ditzy, you always know just what I need. Gonna take some charting, but now at least I know where I'm going." She smiled at me leaving me with a wink. She then turned to help the next customer.

I just remembered that my birthday was about five days away, I hope nobody else besides Ditzy knows. I thanked the grey mare once more before trudging off, and turned my attention to the map beginning examining it while I walked. "Ok, Twilight said, that the Hive was near the Mystic Mountains." I looked long at the map, humming to myself. I found that the mountains were about a couple of days to walk to. It was just beside the border leading into Dragon territory. Since I still haven't done a whole flight tutorial, or even the strength in my wings to open them, walking was going to be the easiest way to travel. I turned to leave, when I felt something tug on my pant leg. I looked down to find it was Shadow had tugged it with his jaw. "Wanna come along?" I asked my counterpart.

'Well, you do require a guide, and I'm far more versed with the ponies, and to the lands, rather than just you going by yourself. A 'You and you alone mission', sounds like something is missing from the equation. If that's missing, then I also qualify to come being, 'Just' like you, too. So, let's make our way. We're burning daylight." The little fox was correct. He was a little too self confident, but he wasn't wrong.

Shadow, and I had been walking for a good few hours, and figured it was time we set up camp. The sky was slowly being covered in the shroud of night, so I got a small campfire made with some wood lying around. I rolled a couple logs over, and set them around the fire for a seat, and bed. We sat on the logs, and warmed ourselves up with the fire.

Shadow, and I chatted for a while, he asked me questions like,'What I thought about the place?', and,'Was I taking a fancy to any of the girls so far?' I did like this new realm, and it gave me a lot of things to do with a whole new meaning on the word 'Freedom'. As for the question on if i liked any of the elements, or any other pony, I really don't see them that way. I was lucky, with Zecora. To me, they're nice as friends, but nothing more.

As we chatted, I heard something rustling in the nearby forest line. I grabbed my sword, and held tightly to the sword hilt waiting scoping the area in our dim light. I didn't have my armor on while we sat resting, and without it i was quicker in the draw, but...I was leaving myself open. I slowly made my way towards the woods with my blade on hand, but was quickly stopped, and told to back up by Shadow. In his current form, he seemed useless but with his keen senses, he could see something I could not. I followed his suggestion, and stayed closer to the fire still keeping the hilt within grasp.

"Sheath your blade, and we may let you live."

(Version 1.3(2022))
Minor fixes and error corrections. More fluent with storyline. Cracking the whip, but that's sadistic... Drinking black coffee on a night, yeah. That's better.
As always. Keep it cool, xXCondemnedSoulXx.