Oh BOY are there a lot of songs in this one.... but I'll put a complete list down at the bottom. This chapter took a DAMN long while to get just right... But I think I did it....

I do not own the character Cascade... my friend, Ryuzaki does. Thank you for being a constant inspiration and an awesome friend, Ryuzaki.
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As she trekked her pudgy tummy across Ponyville on her way to the boutique, Rainbow Dash couldn't help but let her face break out in a smile, one that could easily put Pinkie Pie's normally exuberant expression to shame. She'd never seen Josh so happy since he'd gotten that report that the article about him had been found to be a lie thanks to some anonymous pony delivering that security tape to the Rutherford Times headquarters. She had a feeling she knew who it was and, if her suspicions were correct, she was gonna treat them to all the muffins they could stomach for the rest of their lives. It was thanks to them that she was not only getting another round of special training with her sweetie, but she was going on her first date!

She'd heard so much about dating from Rarity and, as much as she hated to admit it, and she REALLY hated to admit it considering her disdain of all that fancy-shmancy cutie-wutie stuff that made her want to retch, she could see now the special side of the concept, getting to spend a private night out with her other half. A chance for her and Josh to connect while she enjoyed a nice meal, even if she did have to barf it up afterwards. She hadn't told Josh or anypony else her plans, since she had the feeling they'd commit her to a looney bin or something, but she had the feeling maybe on a one-and-one date, she could let her teenage lover know.

As she entered Rarity's boutique though, a pungent smell entered her snout, one she was all too familiar with... the smell that came after someone's lunch made a return appearance. Covering her snout with her hoof, she looked around for the fashionestra unicorn and quickly found her hovered over her design table, hard at work. But she looked FAR from her normal posh self.

Her mane hung down as frazzled as it had been after their encounter with Poison Joke, a trash can was resting by the table covered in paper towels stained with shades of green and red, and even her cutie mark diamonds seemed a little less shiny than usual. Immediately, Dash had a sinking feeling she knew what was responsible for the smell...

"Rarity?", she quivered, her voice nasally from her nostrils being clamped shut, "Did you...."

The unicorn raised a hoof, cutting her off. "Harder than when I had to dunk my head in the garbage can to protect Pinkie Pie's party.... urgh.... I don't want to see a jar of fruity spreadable preserves for a long time...."

Rainbow Dash couldn't help but let out a snicker at hearing Rarity's description of jam as she strolled over to the unicorn. "Fruity spreadable preserves? You're starting to so-"

A glare from Rarity, her face paled in a mix of exhaustion and anger, cut her off. "Dashie, don't tempt me.... I'm trying to put something together for Josh while fighting off throes of nausea. I can't believe I threw up on the bathroom floor! Something so unrefined... "

"Rarity, I'--", Rainbow Dash started to reassure her, but caught herself knowing exactly where trying to comfort her by telling her she'd done it lots of times would lead and not eager to remind Rarity of when she barfed on her, "I actually came to ask something similar... something for me and Josh's date tonight. Something co---"

"Cool and not too fancy, I know...", the unicorn muttered irritably.

"Geez, Rarity, just because you threw up doesn't mean you have to be so grouchy! What led to it anyways???"

Rarity sighed before she replied to the pegasus. "Derpy Hooves... she showed me.. urgh.."

Just the thought of what Derpy had done made Rarity's belly churn and she had to cover her mouth until she could swallow the vile substance that wanted to erupt from within. "I don't even want to think about it, Dash... but you said you needed something cool for your date? Where do you think you two'll go anyways?"

"I dunno.", Rainbow Dash shrugged, "Probably something simple. Heck, I wouldn't even mind just going out for noodles and chow mein!"

"Chow mein?? Darling, listen... something as plain as that... for a first date, I'm sure Josh wants to take you somewhere special! Maybe to one of the fine eateries in Canterlot so you two can smooze with the elite!"

"Um, Rarity? Smoozing isn't exactly something I do. Unless it's with the Wonderbolts... but I'd still be a little sheepish meeting them with this flab.", Dash blushed, patting her pudge gently, "I don't think many aerial flyers could do Buccaneer Blazes in my condition."

"Your condition?", Rarity scoffed, "Darling, you're not pregnant... you're just fat!"

At this Dash couldn't help but let a scarlet blush cover her cheeks as the unicorn continued.

"Go on, get some rest at Sweet Apple Acres... I'll have Sweetie Belle bring over something in a few hours."

"So you're gonna try putting together a brand new dress AND one of your rare MALE outfits together, all while struggling not to puke?"

As horrible as it sounded, Rarity couldn't help but let out a haughty laugh. "Oh-ho-ho, Rainbow Dash! You make it sound like it'll be hard!"

"Rarity, you said the same thing about the Gala outfits and you nearly drove yourself ragged trying to put up with all our demands!"

"Dashie Dash... Just have faith in me. Rarity Allison Unicorn knows a thing or two about fashion!", she boasted.

"Allison? That's your middle name?", Rainbow Dash asked, scratching her head with a forehoof, "I always thought it was just The."

"C'mon, who would name their daughter The? Now go on and get some rest. Josh'll be likely picking you up soon as he gets reservations and after Derpy helped that article get retracted, I'm sure any restaurant will be clamoring to feed you to get back at that Champagne creep. Honestly, he's making BLUEBLOOD look like a perfect Gentlecolt!"

At this, they both shuddered before Rainbow Dash nodded and left the boutique on her way back to her temporary home of Applejack's farm. She knew Applejack was still likely sleeping off that poison that had been slipped into the cider, the remainder of which had been dumped into the grass after Granny Smith had been able to clean up the last of Applejack's breakfast off the side of the house. She also knew Josh was likely back up in their cloud castle, his wings and thin frame still allowing him to travel back and forth to her proper home... although one thing Rarity said puzzled her.

"How'd she know Derpy was the one who fed the station the security tape... and HOW'D she get it?!"
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As he slipped on his shorts and a plain black T to wear on his way down to the Boutique, Josh's mind was still aflutter with what he'd discovered in Rainbow Dash's diary. All her secrets and desires had been exposed and poured out to him... some of them downright shocking. But he was determined to help her with as many of them as he could, slowly realizing he had another reason to be in Equestria. To help unlock the secrets of Rainbow Dash's soul.

"Dash... My darling... What have I uncovered and what has yet to be yielded to me.... only the fates know...."

Slipping on his white tennies, Josh walked out the front door and took a graceful leap off of the clouds, letting his wings fly open and do their magic as they allowed him to soar through the sky until his feet hit the ground, his legs a lot stronger thanks to all the rest and some of Fluttershy's herbs... as well as those potions that Gilda had gotten from that Zecora or whoever she had said. He had the feeling his outfit for dinner that night would be all ready by the time he got to the boutique, it having taken him over an hour to read through the journal, get in a deep shower, get dried off, make a reservation for him and Dash, and get himself dressed. He knew that Rarity was known for her speed and style in making fantastic outfits.

"Well... time to see what Rarity whipped up for little ol' me.", he thought to himself as he retracted his wings and strolled on his way to Rarity's house. But on his stroll, his eye caught something flat and rectangular laying by one of the nearby fruit stands... and curiosity got the best of him. Walking over and kneeling down by the two ponies chatting over the price of some shiny apples, he found himself staring at the back of what appeared to be some sort of playing card... the swirl design on the back a familiar sight to him, yet not one he expected to find in Equestria.

"It... it can't be...", he thought to himself as he picked up the card and turned it over. As the front of the card revealed itself, he found himself looking at the image of a cartoonish looking dragon, its scales nearly the same color as Rainbow Dash's fur. A set of numbers on the bottom read 3000 and 2500. He knew immediately what the card was...

"Blues Eyes Toon Dragon...", he whispered to himself as he turned to walk away from the stand, "But that's impossible.... how can they have--- Oof!!"

His attention was so focused on the card that he failed to notice himself walking into a cloaked creature strolling in front of him and the two of them collided and tumbled to the ground. Slowly, the two of them got up, Josh dusting himself off and blushing sheepishly.

"Sorry about that, I got distracted by---", he started to say, but the other creature stopped him, speaking in a foreign-sounding tone smooth and sagely.

"Do not worry, my little friend. No damage that a wash cannot mend."

"Uhh... I wouldn't consider myself LITTLE. Nice rhyme though!", Josh admitted, rubbing the back of his head shyly and brushing off the dirt from the tuft of hair he'd gelled to hang out like a rooster comb.

"I appreciate your kind word. A compliment is always nice to be heard. I suppose I should give you my name. They call me Zecora...."

Immediately, the creature slipped down the black cloak to reveal her to be a gray and white zebra, a set of gold bracelets seemingly elongating her neckline and a mohawk of gray and white giving her a somewhat mysterious, yet warm appearance. But when he heard her name, he immediatedly remembered what Gilda had told him back in the hospital...

"Zecora?!? The one who gave Gilda Clawden that magic water she used on me?!?", Josh sputtered in shock.

"The one... and the same.", Zecora smiled as she finished her rhyme. "I just came to visit Ponyville. But instead of shopping, it seems we took a spill."

"Yeah, you're telling me... I never got to th---"

"Don't worry, Josh. Gilda told me all. How you defended Rainbow Dash and Champagne caused your fall."

"Yeah...", he muttered. He didn't even bother trying to question how Zecora knew his name, figuring Gilda had told her that as well. "She said you and someone named Cascade were the makers of that holy water or whatever she used to bring me back to life.... How... how'd you make that?! That could be used to end death itself!"

"I'm afraid it's not as easy as said. We're still not sure if this can truly bring back the dead. You were on the verge of an awful fate. We were lucky we weren't too late."

The rhymes were almost hypnotic and coded, but yet Josh could understand them clearly. But he knew he had to take off to get to the boutique for his date. "Listen, again thank you... but I really need to be going."

The zebra nodded, but when she went to pick up her cloak, she noticed a small section of it had lit up, in one of its pockets she usually kept potions in... yet it was one she hadn't touched in many years.

"Can it be..... is he the one??", she thought, turning back to the teen, who was turning to walk away, "Josh, I have a favor to ask of you. Reach into my cloak... see if my suspicions are true."

As he saw Zecora nudge the glowing pocket of the cloak towards him, he raised a trembling hand inside and felt his fingers clasp around what felt like a necklace. Withdrawing it, he found himself looking at a large gold necklace, an odd-looking gold and black eye in the center. It looked similar to one of the symbols he'd seen in his studies back home and even one he'd seen on a few trading cards.

"What the fuck....", he muttered, tossing the necklace gently in his palm and recatching it before offering it back to her, "Um... Zecora... why'd you want me to take this out?"

"You're the only one it's allowed to take. Everypony else, it's left a sharp burn in it's wake. My homeland said this belonged to the One... Years upon years we all searched.... and it seems the search is done."

"Ok....", Josh grinned nervously, "This is getting into some very very creepy sh-- I mean stuff.... I mean..."

"Relax, Josh. It's all been foretold. But for now, my new friend... it is time I go. Farewell...", Zecora bowed before using her forehooves to slip the cloak back over her head and take off past Josh, leaving him holding both the card and the necklace in his palms and just looking around, as if expecting to find some sort of hidden camera.

"This town.... it just gets weirder and weirder...", he muttered to himself, placing both the card and jewelry in his pocket and watching Zecora disappear out of sight, "Twilight will get such a kick out of this... But for now, I gotta get to Rarity... and hope the outfits ready."

It took him only a few minutes to make it back to the boutique and he didn't waste any time on knocking on the front door, calling out to the unicorn inside.

"Rarity? Rarity? You ok???"

It took only a few moments for her voice to reply, "Yeah! Come on in, darling!", leaving Josh to mutter to himself.

"Even after throwing up, she STILL has that posh tone.", he chuckled as he opened the door and immediately spotted the unicorn working at her dress table, her magic hard at work in getting the measurements on her latest project, "Rarity! Whacha workin' on?"

"Just a little something for a friend of mine.", the unicorn coyly replied. She had the feeling Rainbow Dash would want her own outfit to be a surprise and she wasn't about to spoil it.

"Ok...", Josh shrugged, "What about mine?"

"It's in my bedroom! Just go and change!"

"But what if Sweetie Belle sees me... well... without my coverings?"

At this, Rarity couldn't help but blush a deep red. "S-she's out playing with Apple Bloom and Scootaloo. Since Applejack's resting up from.... whatever it was that happened to her last night and Gilda's teaching Granny Smith some exercises---"

"WHOA!", Josh exclaimed in shock at hearing that last part, "She's teaching Granny Smith!? What about Twilight??? She wants to turn her into roast Gryffin! Hell, she already almost roasted my chestnuts!"

Rarity couldn't help but let out a snort at trying to suppress her laughter at the pun, "Granny Smith covered for her and the exercises are her way of thanking her... I'm not too clear on all the details... I'm just letting you know what I heard from Spike and Meowth."

"Wait, how'd they hear about what happened with Twilight?"

"Josh, you heard how loud Twilight was cursing.... I think ponies in CANTERLOT could hear her!"

Joshua had to admit that truth... although he was still trying to block out how much pain he was left in after Twilight Sparkle used her magic to nearly make his testicles explode.

"So lemme make sure I have this all clear... Spike and Meowth told you that Granny Smith helped calm Twilight Sparkle down and prevent her from slaughtering Gilda and now Gilda is helping her work out and that's allowing the Cutie Mark Crusaders to play and go for their cutie marks?"

"That's about it.", Rarity nodded, "But how'd you know they were going for their cutie marks?"

"Heh... Call it a hunch....", Josh smirked as he went towards the door leading into the living area, leaving Rarity alone in the dressing studio.

The unicorn couldn't help but hope her designs were to Josh's pleasing. Even battling her queasy stomach, she knew her reputation as Equestria's premier fashionestra was on the line, having never designed a complete getup for a human before from scratch. Even back when he'd first come to Ponyville, she had his mud-covered clothes to work from... but those had since been damaged by the Equestrian Pony Alliance's attempt to cremate him, an incident that still gave her the creeps. Now she had to try to remember what his measurements were from the small amount of measuring she'd been able to do before Twilight and Derpy had interrupted them. She thought her work was pretty good in the short time she had, but then again she was known for not just her quality, but her speed. Soon enough, she heard the doorknob rattle from the door seperating the studio from her home and watched as the door swung open. It was the first time Rarity had ever felt nervous about an outfit and now was the moment of truth.... But what she saw when Joshua James Rocket stepped through the threshold....

Was beyond anything she could have ever imagined.

"Give it to me straight....", Josh asked, "How do I look?"

Rarity struggled to speak, but found no words to express what she was looking at... and simply collapsed against her dressing table, leaving Josh to look at her in puzzlement... and somewhere... Josh could swear.....

He heard tribal drums playing.........

Yeah,
I am not a pattern to be followed
The pill that I'm on
Is a tough one to swallow

As he stepped outside the boutique doors, immediately he could hear all the chatter, all the noise, all the normal hubbub around Ponyvilles shops....

All come to a standstill as everyone stared at him and his new threads, jaws agape and eyes wide.

I'm not a criminal
Not a role model
Not a born leader
I'm a tough act to follow

"Jeez, everypony's acting like they're looking at something supernatural.... other than a human in a land of ponies...." He thought to himself as he began his trek to Sweet Apple Acres to pick up Rainbow Dash, "And I thought we'd gotten PAST all that!"

I am not the fortune and the fame
Nor the same person telling you to forfeit the game
I came in the ring like a dog on a chain
And I found out the underbelly is sicker than it seems
And it's seems ugly, but it can get worse,
Cos' even a blueprint is a gift and a curse
Cos' once you got the theory of how the thing works
Everybody wants the next thing to be just like the first

Everypony he passed couldn't help but stare in shock at the human walking by them. Their reactions all varied from simple shock... to in the case of BonBon, just plain out fainting and leaving her sky blue unicorn friend to try and wake her back up.

And I'm not a robot
I'm not a monkey
I will not dance even if the beat's funky
Opposite of lazy, far from a punk
Y'all ought to stop talking, start tryin' to catch up mother fucker

"Hello!!! Earth to Bonbon!", she yelled, trying to snap her back to her senses... at least until she saw Josh walking by them and immediately her words seemed to become trapped in her throat.

And all the people say
Aaaaaaaaaaah aaaaaaaah aaaaaaah

Try to catch up mother fucker
Aaaaaaaaaaah aaaaaaaaah aaaaaaah

"Ok, THIS is starting to really creep me out...", Josh muttered to himself as he approached where Twilight's library rested. If anyone could give him an explanation for why all the ponies were now staring at him speechless as if he'd grown a third head, it was the brainiac. Walking up to the front door, he get it a sharp knock and immediately watched it open to reveal the frazzled unicorn, still missing half her mane from whatever had happened to her back in Gryffindale and still looking pretty pissed off.

Lauryn said money change a situation
Big said it increases the complication
Kane said don't stab, I ain't the one
Chuck said that UZI weigh a mother fucking ton
And I'm just a student of the game that they taught me
Rock in every stage in every place that they brought me
I'm awfully underrated. But came here to correct it
And so it ain't mistakin' imma state it for the record

"What? What is it n.....", she muttered before seeing Josh staring before her and, at seeing his new look, immediately the bookworm found herself struggling to speak. What was standing before her was something indescribable in Equestrian standards.... At seeing Twilight looking at him speechless, Josh just smacked his face and left, not even noticing her whispering for him to call her.

I am the opposite of wack
Opposite of weak
Opposite of slack
Synonym of heat
Synonym of crack
Closest to a peak
Far from a punk

Y'all ought to stop talking, start tryin' to catch up mother fucker

"Everypony in this town has gone crazy! Hell, I don't even know what I look like now! Do I look good? Do I look bad?", he growled to himself, "I swear, if Rainbow Dash can't give me some sort of answer, I'm going to that dinner fucking NAKED! Why did her bathroom mirror have to be so damn foggy... and why was that floor all wet?? I couldn't even make my way to the mirror to wipe it off.... Wait... I COULDA looked in her studio mirror.... Celestia, I'm an idiot!!!!

And all the people say
Aaaaaaaaaaah aaaaaaaah aaaaaaah

Looking up, he found his trek had led him to the entrance of Sweet Apple Acres and he knew that in only a few minutes, he'd be face to face with Rainbow Dash... and maybe THEN he could find out how bad his outfit was, his stupidity and haste to meet up with Rainbow Dash leaving him in the dark

Try to catch up mother fucker
Aaaaaaaaaaah aaaaaaaaah aaaaaaah
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Back in the living room of Sweet Apple Acres, Gilda was busy teaching Granny Smith a few light moves to help loosen her athritic hip, having learned quite a few tricks from her fights.

"Ok, listen Gran... Next, you're gonna want to lean way back, until you feel like your spine is gonna break! That's normal, it's your bones getting stronger!"

"Gggguuhhh!!!", the wizened pony growled as she did what the gryffin suggested, "I still think you're nuts! When I asked you to help me get my bones better, I didn't think you meant like THIS!"

"Well what'd you think I was gonna suggest?", Gilda groused, crossing her arms on her feathered chest, "A hot tea and a bowl of soup?! It takes a lot to get in my shape!"

Granny Smith just groaned as she stretched back, listening to her back crackle. It sounded as if someone had been playing with bubble wrap and the noise alone bothered her! "You're CRAZY, Clawden! Why did I come to you?!"

"You tell me! I asked you what I could do to repay you for calming Twilight down when she wanted to kill me and you asked me how I could get you in better shape so you didn't need a walker! I'm STILL trying to figure out why the heck my medal didn't help her!!!"

"If I knew that, maybe I coulda stopped Twilight before her mane got shaved! But if all this wakes up Applejack, I'LL be the one frying you! My granddaughter had a HOOF of a night thanks to your practi---"

"Look...", Gilda cut her off, raising her claw and turning her head so Granny Smith wouldn't see the pained look in her eyes, "I don't know what happened... I'm gonna be leaving soon to try to find out... I swear I would never try to poison her or ANY of her friends... I'm not that sick..."

"You better be telling me the truth!", Granny Smith warned, "Speaking of which, where's Rainbow Dash anyways? Shouldn't she be resting for her date? I know she went to that boutique, but why didn't she come back??"

"Actually, I think she did amidst all the commotion of you trying to prevent Twilight from ripping my wings off....", Gilda admitted before tapping a claw to her non-existant chin in thought, "last I remember, she was headed upstairs."

---------------------------------------------------------

"Grrrrrr... Ugh....."

Sitting on the toilet was a very cramped and very fat pegasus trying to clear out some room for the big dinner she was sharing with her lover tonight. It was hard for her to let out some of the brown cargo resting in her flanks, almost making her feel like she was constipated.

"Ugh..... Come out of my rump already! I.. rrrgghhh... I need to make some room!"

Groaning and grabbing the porcelain bowl she was sitting on, Rainbow Dash strained and grunted as she tried to get what was in her rump to drop into the toilet. Taking a few deep breaths, she grunted until finally she felt her hole open up and the brown rocks resting in her colon begin to come out, slowly dropping into the water as the cyan pegasus sighed with relief, feeling her belly shrink a little with each release.

"Yeah.... that's the stuff... Eat up, porcelain.. Rainbow Dash is gonna feed ya.", she muttered to herself as she continued to push out the smelly contents of her colon, making sure to get as little of it on her rainbow tail as possible.
---------------------------------------------------------
"Well I just hope she doesn't wake up my Apple sweetie. She needs her rest!", Granny Smith said.

"I'm sure she won't! But can we get back to me helping you with your freakin' hip?!", Gilda groused again, "I swear I haven't heard ANYONE complain so much!"

"You'd complain too if you were having to do this at the age of----", Granny Smith started to shoot back, but a sharp knock at the door cut her short, "That's gonna be Joshua, I bet. Think you can get upstairs and get Rainbow Dash?"

Gilda nodded as she went up the stairs, leaving Granny Smith to get the door, the knocks growing faster. "Hold yer dunkies, I'm a comin'!", she muttered, slowly heading to the door. At her age, even the trek to the door could be a bit of a problem. "I'm a comin' already!"

Finally, she placed her hoof on the doorknob and opened it, grumbling. "Ya don't have to knock so m----"

Then she saw the human in front of her and her jawbone, arthritic as it was.... dropped to the floor.

"Ok, WHAT DID RARITY DO TO ME?!", Josh asked in frustration, "I'm getting stares and fainting everywhere! It's like everypony's never seen me before!!!! I thought after that ne----"

"J-Josh... sweetie.......", Granny Smith struggled to speak, awestruck by the sight in front of her, "D-do you want a drink or something?"

The teen merely groaned and nodded. "Sure... why not?", muttered before letting Granny Smith lead him into the living room.
--------------------------------------------
"Rainbow Dash, will you hurry UP in there?! Your lovers here!!", Gilda growled, thumping on the closed bathroom door, trying her best not to wake up the sleeping cowpony in the nearby room.

"Urg...... just a minute...", Rainbow Dash groaned, trying desperately to get one last big boulder out of her rump. She could feel it beginning to come out and it hurt like hell. She didn't even know she COULD clench her hooves as tight as she was right now in trying to push out that last rock. Groaning and flaring her nostrils from the effort of trying to evacuate the last of her waste out of her system, she grabbed onto the porcelain and pushed with all of her might, feeling the huge turd beginning to pass through.

"For Celestia's sake, it sounds like you're trying to pass a kidney stone in there!", Gilda smirked with a slight chuckle to herself.

"Not funny, Gilda! Ooooogh!", The pegasus groaned as she felt the biggest part of the rock erupt out of her flanks. "Come on... Just a little more..... Aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh..", She sighed with relief as the big boulder came out and splashed into the water below, allowing her to pat her belly in pleasure. "Ahhh, now I've got plenty of room..."

"I.... did NOT want to hear that.", Gilda remarked from the other side side of the door as Rainbow Dash took a sheet of toilet paper and cleaned herself off before discarding it and flushing the waste down, washing her hooves and spraying a little air freshener in the bathroom to get rid of the smell. She had the feeling Applejack would NOT want to walk into a bathroom that smelled like a sewer and she waited until the smell had vanished, even sniffing the air to make sure it was fresh, before she opened the door and found Gilda looking at her in disgust.

"What?", she said, "You never had to poop before??? Every pony does!"

"You know, I could have gone my whole entire life without the mental images you just placed in my head!", Gilda muttered, "Anyway your boytoys here. Follow me!"

Nodding, Rainbow Dash let the gryffin lead her down the stairs, the gryffin still shuddering at the images of Rainbow Dash taking a dump... at least until she spotted Josh sitting in the living room and immediately.... her mind went black, her words coming out as a sputter.

"Uh.... bluh..... uh....", she struggled to speak, but found all coherency had abandoned her vocal chords.

"Gilda? What's wrong?", Rainbow Dash asked, looking in alarm at the avian. The only response she got was a tap on her shoulder and when she turned towards Gilda's point of view....

She felt her own jaw almost come right out of her mouth to the floor of the stairwell....

"Oh..... my...... Celestia....."

It was all she could say as she stepped down onto the ground floor and walked to where the teen sat, sipping a mug of tea and wincing at the taste...

"Joshua....", she managed to squeak out

Hearing Rainbow Dash in front of him, Josh set down the mug and set his arms in his lap before looking at his lover with concentration.

"Dash, tell me the truth.... how bad is it???? Everypony here is acting strange! Please tell me what is going on! How do I look?!?!"

The rainbow-maned pegasus, a pegasus who never found herself short of words or smart remarks, who was known as the brash one of the group.... found only one word wanted to escape from her mouth now.....

"...Beautiful...."

"Huh?? What are ya saying??", Josh asked, the pegasus' words so muffled it would have made Fluttershy seem loud. Rainbow Dash merely turned and motioned with a hoof for Josh to follow her to the closet, opening it to reveal a full-length mirror, one that she knew Applejack used for making sure her hat and lasso were put to perfection.... and as soon as Joshua finally got a glimpse of himself in the mirror.... all he could say was....

"Oh.... my..... god....."

Oh when they come for me
Come for me
I'll be gone

Where a black t-shirt had once rested was now a dark black leather sleeveless shirt, its shine sparkling all the way down to his midsection. The necklace that Zecora had given him, the one he'd put on for a laugh, now hung in front of him, dangling like a prized heirloom. Slipped on over his shirt was a red and white sportsjacket, the collar turned up and giving him a slightly futuristic look. A pair of diamond studded bracelets rested on his wrists, shimmering even in the sparse light of the closet. Slowly, Josh tilted his head down and saw what now rested over his legs, legs that had once borne scars and shredded scorched flesh.

Oh when they come for me
Come for me
I'll be gone

Gone were his black shorts and ravaged legs, now a pair of dark leather jeans covering every bit of flesh, clinging to his skin so tight it was as if they were made only for him. A pair of black sneakers, golden laces adorning the fronts, covered his feet and rounded out his appearance. Altogether, he looked like nothing short of a model.

Oh when they come for me
Come for me
I'll be gone

"I.... I..... I look....", Josh struggled to speak, feeling the leather binding to his skin, like they were made to be together, "I... look.... awesome!!!!!"

"You look better than awesome!", Gilda remarked, "You look... badass!"

Hearing such a straight compliment from Gilda was a shock to Rainbow Dash in many ways, since she knew the bird RARELY offered praise without being forced. "Dude, you look cool as ice!"

"Well I should hope so.", Josh smirked, "Especially if we're going to Hardshells Neighican Cabana up in Canterlot."

"H-hardshells?", Rainbow Dash sputtered, "You mean that fancy Neighican joint with tacos as big as your head?"

"Not to mention all the margaritas!"

At hearing this from Granny Smith, Josh just ran his hand on his face with a light chuckle. "I never took you for a drinker, ma'am."

"Well... I dabble from time to time.", the elderly pony admitted.

"But c'mon, Dash. We gotta get going, I booked us a reservation for about an hour from now... plus now I see WHY all the ponies got so spellbound by me....."

Rainbow Dash nodded at first, but placed a hoof on Josh's thigh as she remembered what Rarity had told her earlier.

"Actually, before we go, I'm expecting a package fro----"

A knock on the front door interrupted the pegasus and, with a grin, she opened it up, having a strong feeling she knew who was there. Sure enough....

"Cutie Mark Crusaders and Co. Delivery Service!!"

At seeing the 3 young fillies standing before her, Rainbow Dash couldn't help but smile. Try as she might, she couldn't help but find it cute how determined the three were to find out what would give them their cutie marks. But what surprised her more was that they had a fourth crusader with them...

"Um... why is Meowth with you girls?", she could resist asking.

"Aw, I just wanted ta get outta da house. Bein' around all dose chickens peckin' at me was getting painful!", Meowth replied with a wave of his three-fingered paw, "Plus I... uh..."

Meowth's face took a soft expression as the words seemed to get caught in his throat, Scootaloo speaking up for the cat-pokemon.

"Meowth hasn't gotten to spend much time with Josh and he wanted to make sure the teen still remembered him."

"Ya didn' hafta put it so bluntly...", Meowth muttered before looking up at the cyan mare, "But yeah.... I miss him..."

"Aw, why didn't ya say so?", Dash remarked, turning towards the teen, "Josh! Meowth's here! He wants to see you!"

It took less than 10 seconds for Josh to get up and make himself visible to the four at the door.... but when Scootaloo, Meowth, Apple Bloom, and Sweetie Belle saw his new getup, they all felt their jaws drop to their hooves and (in Meowth's case) footpaws.

"Holy Guacamole....", Meowth remarked.

"Mr. Josh.... ya look so fancy!", Apple Bloom sputtered out.

"Well you can thank Sweetie Belle's sister for this. She does amazing work, even when nauseated!", Josh smiled, coolly brushing along the leather of the red and white sportsjacket

"So it WAS her that threw up on the bathroom floor!", Sweetie Belle remarked, "I thought it was, but I couldn't imagine my big sis doing that!"

"Yeah, well blame Derpy Hooves for that.", Rainbow Dash replied, "But don't you have a delivery or something for me?"

"Oh yeah!", Sweetie Belle chirped up, reaching into her saddle back and pulling out a wrapped up garment, using her mouth to hand it (or hoof it in her case) over to the cyan mare who took it eagerly and trotted (or waddled with how big she'd been getting from all her training) into the downstairs bathroom, making sure the door wasn't stuck this time. All the while Josh just sat on the couch, drumming his fingers in excitement and gesturing for the 4 at the door to come in.

"You excited, Mr. Josh?"

The teen just chuckled, still finding it cute that Apple Bloom called him Mr. Josh, like he was her teacher. "Of course I am, Apple Bloom! My first date ever.... with the pony I love. Boy that's a sentence I never imagined myself saying.... Sure had a lotta those lately. But Meowth.... c'mere."

Trembling, the cat-pokemon did as he was asked, walking up to where the teen was sitting. Immediately, Josh picked him up and hugged him tight, making him coo in bliss.

"Meowth, no matter what happens, know that you're my friend... and you will always be my dear sweet friend."

Meowth couldn't help but sniffle at this, a lump in his throat. "Ya mean it?"

"Of course I mean it.", Josh chuckled, "Besides you never know what kind of shenanigans a human and a cat-pokemon can get into in a town of ponies!"

At this, they all had a big laugh before Granny Smith spoke up. "So Josh, how do you plan to get Rainbow Dash to that Neighican cabana? I can't imagine that pegasus is in good enough shape now to fly there."

"Yeah, if she did, she'd probably drop a load on several unsuspecting ponies, heh heh.", Gilda smirked. Immediately, she found six sets of eyes staring daggers at her and she shirked back. "What? Weren't we ALL thinking that?"

"Not even remotely cool, dude.", Scootaloo remarked, Josh just shaking his head in disgust.

"Gilda, that was horrible.", he replied before turning to Granny Smith while still keeping his attention to the gryffin, "For your information, I actually got permission from Celestia to use one of her chariots to take us to Hardshell's. It's funny.... I've probably gotten more favors from her in my short time than one would think... it's getting kind of embarrassing...."

"Josh, honey... you got electrocuted and DIED on national TV.... I think you've earned your favors." Granny Smith remarked.

"Yeah.... thanks.", he muttered as they all heard the door open and soon found themselves looking at a newly-dressed pegasus, "Whoa! Dashie! You look..... amazing!!!!"

Rainbow Dash merely blushed as she looked down at her outfit. Her blue fur was covered by a rainbow cloak, each color shimmering from their diamond representative; from Ruby Red to Amtheyst Violet, all seven colors of the rainbow were sparkling like stars in the night. A set of golden wings, similar to what she'd been wearing at the Gala, rested gently around her rainbow mane. On her forehooves lay a pair of golden heel-shoes, the shine flashing into Scootaloo's eye and making her wince.

"Well, I told her I wanted it 20% cooler and she delivered!", she smiled proudly.

"I didn't even KNOW they made horseshoes like that!", Josh remarked, getting a few laughs.

"Oh I see, when I make a joke I'm awful, but when Josh does you all bust a gut??", Gilda huffed, "Typical ponies, can't take mature humor."

"So Josh, how exactly are we getting to Canterlot??", Rainbow Dash couldn't help but ask, "I can't exactly fly there with how big I am right now."

"I know... that's why I called in a favor to Princess Celestia.."

As if on cue, another sharp knock rang through the room and, opening the door, Josh and the group found themselves looking at one of the snow-white royal guardian pegasi.

"Royal Guard here for Miss Dash and Mr. Rocket. Your chariot awaits.", he spoke in a voice brimming to the top with well-deserved authority and respect.

Sharing a smile, the two lovers left the farmhouse and began the short trek to where the large white chariot was resting, waiting for its two passengers.

"Wait!", Apple Bloom called behind them, "You'll be sure to show my big sister your outfits when she wakes up, right?"

"Of course!", Josh called back as he helped the chubby pegasus into the coach.

"No question!", Rainbow Dash agreed, "But for now.... it's time for me and my flying friend to get some grub! Shall we?"

Josh nodded and gave the signal for the two pegasi powering the chariot to start their flight. As the carriage flew throughout the skies above Ponyville, nearly every pony and creature found themselves looking up at the beautiful sight.

And all the people say
Aaaaaaaaaaah aaaaaaaah aaaaaaah

Try to catch up mother fucker
Aaaaaaaaaaah aaaaaaaaah aaaaaaah

And all the people say
Aaaaaaaaaaah aaaaaaaah aaaaaaah

Try to catch up mother fucker
Aaaaaaaaaaah aaaaaaaaah aaaaaaah

As they watched the carriage slowly disappear out of view, Meowth couldn't help but sniffle, wiping a tear away from his large blue eyes.

"What's with you, fuzzball?", Gilda asked, looking in curiosity at the cat-pokemon.

"It's just so beautiful... They really hit it off... Who knows...", Meowth whispered, his voice choked with emotion, "Dey may even get married someday!"

"Please.... I know how determined Dash is to get into the Wonderbolts.", Gilda murmured, "They have a better chance of being roped into a summer camp run by a sadistic TV host! We know it ain't gonna happen!"

"I wouldn't say that...", Granny Smith remarked as she gazed into the night sky, "Love can do very strange things...."

Hey hey hey hey
Hey hey hey hey
Hey hey hey hey
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Woah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

That was all Josh and Rainbow Dash could say as they gazed around the interior of Hardshells. It was like they had stepped into a slice of Mexico... or as Rainbow Dash had informed him Neigheco. A large gathering of pristine and festive tables covered the floor, many of them with other ponies already chowing down on dishes of giant tacos and refried beans among other Neighican delights, mugs of soda, wine, horchata, and margaritas being swigged down. At the center of the restaurant was what appeared to be a dance floor and along one of the walls was a fully decked band like Rainbow Dash had seen back at the Grand Galloping Gala, although to both their puzzlements there was rock music playing over the sound system. In fact, Josh could immediately tell what song was playing over their heads.

"Mexican Radio...", he wondered, scratching his head in bewilderment, "When did Equestria get music from my world??"

His answer immediately came not from Rainbow Dash, but from the sienna-colored pony wearing the Neighican shall nodding to them. "Ever since you came to Equestria, we've been picking up this odd music from your world and to our amazement, everypony likes it! But c'mon senor and senorita! Our manager's got a booth near the dance floor all set for you."

Josh could only shrug as they let the pony lead them to a booth decked with not just multi-colored tablecloths and seasonings, but a lit candle and a bouquet of roses at the middle. The whole thing was just breathtaking.

"It's beautiful...", Josh whispered, "But... um...", he started to ask, looking at the big booth seat. Immediately the pony got his drift and, with a kind smile, moved one of the cloths next to the other as they both scooted into the large red booth.

"My name's Margata, by the way.", the pony smiled, "Your waiter should be here shortly. I hope you two have a great time here!"

"We will, don't worry!", Rainbow Dash beamed as she watched the pony trot off before turning to the teen next to her, "This place is amazing! How'd you get us seats here???"

"It's funny...", Josh shrugged again, "They said they had a long list of reservations at first... but as soon as I mentioned wanting to take you somewhere special... they immediately asked if I was referring to you. When I said I was, they said they suddenly had an opening. It was the damndest thing."

"Well after what Champagne did to us both, trying to drag us through the mud and trying to------"

At this, Rainbow Dash stopped and turned away, her words getting caught in her throat.

"Dash? Dashie, you ok?"

The pegasus shook her head and Josh could see she was shuddering, as if reliving that horrible image again. Immediately, her boyfriend wrapped his arm around her and brushed her mane.

"You're thinking about when you saw me on TV, huh?"

"Yeah...", she croaked out, trying to hold back the fright that wanted to come out through her tearducts, "I.... I thought I'd lost you.... I know you were still recovering from Phelps... and.... to see you like that...."

"Dash, I know it hurts... but now we have a chance to make him pay.... and save Ponyvile...."

"Can we really?", Rainbow Dash asked, looking up into his eyes with hope.

But as much as Joshua wanted to be able to tell her flat out that they could.... he couldn't bring himself to say the words. He knew the truth and he was scared to tell her....

He knew even if they beat Champagne that there was a lot more to overcome in order to be able not just to save Ponyville... but to find his parents and clear his name back in his world. The nightmares and visions that had stemmed from his dance with death had made him unable to sleep for over a week to where he could feel his mind shut down. He even had the sinking feeling that it could have been what led to him snapping at Rainbow Dash the day before and abandoning her.

It was impossible for him to be able to truly tell the pegasus they could save Ponyville just by beating Champagne. Josh had the dark and hollow feeling Champagne was only one of Black Thorns agents.... and he knew if he wanted to destroy them... he had to find their leader and take him out, spilling his blood and ending his life.

As he looked into the wide magenta orbs of his lover and ran his hand through her mane, he struggled to be able to find the words needed to tell the truth to his sweetie. But mercifully, the appearance of their waiter, a brown-coated pony wearing a multicolored Neighican style outfit and holding a notepad in his saddlebag, saved him.

"Hola! My name is Guaca, I will be your server! Is there anything you two would like to start off with in terms of drinks?"

Breating an inward sigh of relief, Josh nodded replied just for a soda. But what Rainbow Dash ordered couldn't help but surprise him.

"One Flash-fire margarita, please!"

Nodding and trotting off to fetch their beverages, Josh turned to his lover with a look of shock on his face.

"Dash, I never knew you liked drinking stuff like that."

"What?", the pegasus scoffed, "Ya thought I just liked soda and that creamy luscious.... mouth-watering... cider?"

"Um... Dashie, you're drooling a little in my lap."

Looking down, Rainbow Dash noticed a small puddle of saliva had formed in her sweethearts lap and she couldn't help but blush, using a napkin to wipe off his leather pants. "Sorry about that, heh heh. But yeah, I've always wanted to try a margarita. Maybe you'd like to try one?"

"Nah.", Josh declined, "I'll stick with the soda..."

As if on cue, Guaca returned holding both their drinks and a set of menus. Smiling, the earth pony set the tray down on the table and allowed the two to pick up their beverages and menus before trotting off, assuring them he'd be back in a few minutes to take their orders. Watching as Dash took the margarita glass and looked at the salt on the rim in bewilderment, Josh slipped off his jacket and necklace, setting them on the ground beneath his feet and getting a slack-jawed look from the pegasus.

"Holy Wonderbolts.... Josh you look sick!"

Knowing she meant it as to say he looked cool and impressed she knew the slang meaning for the word, Josh just picked up his soda and took a drink from it, licking the excess foam off his lip before letting out a small sigh.

"Even here, the sodas always flowing and sugary.... What about your Margarita?"

But when he turned towards his pegasus friend, he saw here looking over the table at something, her mouth slightly agape and a wide-eyed expression on her face.

"No... it CAN'T be...."

Climbing on top of the table, the cyan pegasus called out across the restaurant at seeing a familiar face and waved her forehooves, standing on her hindlegs.

"Soarin'! Spitfire! Is that you??"

"Soarin'? Spitfire?", Josh thought as he heard the sound of a blaringguitar signifying the next song, "Where have I heard those names???"

Almost immediately, the two found themselves in the presence of two wild-looking pegasi, both with nearly-identical matching sky blue-and-yellow flightsuits and goggles, the only difference being the cutie marks on the sides, the right depicting a lightning bolt and the left depicting a symbol that reminded Josh of something he'd see at a hospital. The one on the right let her orange eyes help express her impression at seeing her friend in Canterlot again and a look of puzzlement at the human before her. The pairs of her fur that weren't covered up by the suit looked to be a yellow hue almost identical to Fluttershy, her mane a firey orange and immediately Josh had the feeling he was looking at Spitfire. Turning to his left, he quickly realized he was looking into the face of Soarin'.

The male pegasus just gave them a goofy, but friendly grin and looked aside, his green eyes facing the ground and giving him an expression as if he was just flattered to be mentioned. Unlike the female, his exposed fur was almost the same as Rainbow Dash's, if not a little bit lighter. Pair of his dark blue mane hung over his eye, giving him a slight teenager-appearance. Altogether the two looked more akin to ponies and people he'd more imagine to seeing at an Arcade or a concert.

"Dash! Nice to see ya!", Spitfire grinned, "I didn't know you ate here too!"

"Yeah! I'm... well.. I'm on a date with someone special and he got us a booth here."

"Would that be the human looking at Soarin' with a weird expression?", Spitfire smirked, the two females sharing a chuckle while Josh and Soarin' just blushed.

"Way to point me out.", Soarin' grinned, "I'm just suprised more ponies aren't here clamoring for autographs!"

Spitfire just sighed and shook her head. "Soarin', I don't think we're THAT famous! We're just Wonderbolts, it's not like we're royalty or movie stars!"

It was then it all clicked together in Joshs head and immediately he remembered EXACTLY where those names were from.

"Wonderbolts... Holy cow, YOU two are part of the Wonderbolts?!", Josh spat out in shock, "Rainbow Dash.... she loves you gu---"

"Relax, dude.", Spitfire grinned, putting her hoof up to quiet the human, "We know she adores us, she's saved our butts several times! We still remember that Sonic Rainboom back at the flight show."

Rainbow Dash couldn't help but let out a squeal of delight at getting praise from her idol. "C'mon, it's nothing!"

"I wouldn't say it's nothin'." Soarin' remarked, "If it wasn't for you, we'd both have been turned into splatters on the ground!"

At this, Josh let out a small whistle. "Musta been one heck of a drop!"

"You're telling me.", Spitfire nodded, looking directly at the human with an expression of curiosity, "You... you're Joshua Rocket, aren't ya?"

"Um... How'd you know?", Josh asked, puzzled.

"I read about you in that newspaper. That creep Champagne, he tried to kill you, then set you up as some kind o---"

"Um, yeah he did.", Josh looked away, all three of them easily being able to tell he was uncomfortable at the mention of the article, "Please can we not talk about it?"

Sensing her date was eager to change the discussion, Rainbow Dash spoke up. "So what are you guys doing here anyways?"

"Well it's actually simple... My partner Soarin's registered in that eating competition at the festival in a few days and we've been going from restaurant to restaurant to help him expand his belly. Not like he really needs it!"

"Do I really eat THAT much, Spitfire?", Soarin' asked, an embarrassed expression on his face.

At this, Josh couldn't help but let out a small chuckle as he watched the pegasus blush sheepishly, but very quickly, his chuckle turned into a sad sigh. "I'd say you getting as much practice as possible would be a good idea... Heck, Dash's friends and I are doing the same. Especially after....."

Spitfire and Soarin' bowed their heads sadly, knowing all too well what he referred to. Even though they'd mentioned it earlier, they still could remember watching the horrifying scene before their practice, leading to their session being cancelled. Spitfire had even cried a little at the horrible sight.

"It hurts, doesn't it?", Spitfire whispered.

"I haven't slept since then.... But when we win this competition and save Ponyville... all of us... maybe.... maybe I'll be able to find peace again and continue what Celestia brought me here for.... However long it takes and however many trials I have to go through."

At this, Spitfire just gave him a smile and a slight pat on the side. "You're a good kid, Josh... but don't take life so seriously..... you'll never get out alive."

Josh couldn't help but shiver violently. "Please don't say that....", he whispered, remembering all too well how he'd been in Death's embrace twice since his arrival.

The Wonderbolt nodded and gave both of them a hug of reassurance, Soarin' doing the same. "You're gonna do great, Dash. You've got a great friend helping you and I know you'll go far."

"Don't count yourselves out!", Rainbow Dash grinned, "I remember seeing Soarin' scarf down that pie! It was all, "NOM NOM NOM!" She flailed her forehooves around, emphasizing the NOM NOM and making the three of them laugh, a relieved sigh escaping from the human.

"Well, I think we'd better get to our table.", Spitfire nodded to Soarin', "I think our waiter's been their for almost five minutes!" She turned to Josh and Dash and gave them both a grin. "It's been awesome seeing you two and Dash... great luck in the contest!"

"Right back at ya!", Rainbow Dash smiled, giving Spitfire and Soarin' both high-hooves before the four of them went back to their boothes, Dash looking the menu and unable to hide a deep blush on her chubby cheeks.

"Feels good to know your idols have faith in you, huh?", Josh smiled as he opened his menu, listening to the guitar beat above revealing the next track and looking at the pegasus smiling and nodding as she skimmed through the menu. Josh had revealed to her a small bag of bits now resting in his pocket, so cost wasn't much of a worry. What she was more concerned about was what looked the tastiest.

"I can't decide between the Neighican Bonzana Platter or the Taco Grande Supreme!", she thought to herself, looking at the pictures of the two jumbo combo platters, both of them looking tantalizing with their offerings of refried beans, tacos, carne asada meats, and other Neighican delights, "Of course, this Carne Carnival looks great too! What do you think?"

The teen just hummed to himself as he skimmed as well before finding something that caught his eye and turned towards his sweetie. "I'd say get them all! Don't worry about money, I can ask Celestia if need be, but I can probably get a deal or something..."

"You sure?!", the pegasus asked, looking up at her lover with drool pouring from her lips. Just the thought of all that juicy nommable food had her saliva glands on overdrive and Josh couldn't help but chuckle and rub his hand through her mane.

"Of course. Remember... you're here to build up your stomach even you have to vomit it all up afterwards... an' I'll be there to hold your mane back."

All Rainbow Dash could do was blush.... unaware that the two of them were being watched...
-------------------------------------------------
"No... it can't be...."

Holding a bottle of beer was a gray pony with a very ragged looking mane, looking in horror at Josh and Rainbow Dash. Ever since he saw them meet up with Soarin' and Spitfire, his body had gone numb.... and for one very good reason....

"Joshua.... He's supposed to be gone!!!"

Scrambling into the torn black coat, he pulled out a small phone and dialed into it. Almost instantly he heard the other end answer, Champagne's posh voice ringing out.

"What is it, Dev? Did Soarin' leave already? What's his strategy?"

"It's Joshua! That human! He's here right now!!"

"...WHAT?!? That's impossible! I thought you sent out that interview to the papers!"

"I did!!! I heard a rumor it got retracted, but I thought it was horseshit! I didn't think he'd still be here!"

"...kill him..."

At this, Dev did a massive double take. "WHAT?!"

"That wretched human is like a cancer. No matter what I do, I can't get rid of him! He NEEDS to be destroyed to send the message to that bitch Dash.... to quit this contest and surrender like the wench she should be! I don't care HOW you do it... but kill him... I don't want him to leave that restaurant alive! HE MUST DIE!!!! DO YOU HEAR ME!?!?!?! HE MUST DIE!!!!!!"

Before Dev could say another word, the ugly sound of the dialtone signified Champagne having disconnected the call and Dev's reaction was simple...

He left the table and went on his way to the colt's room, fiddling with something in his coat pocket and brandishing it in his teeth....

Something very shiny... and very sharp.
---------------------------------------------------------
Back at the table, Josh and Dash had put in their orders; Josh getting a triple stack quesdilla with steak and cheese and Dash getting the biggest meal they carried; Hardshell's Heaven on Equestria. It was a jumbo platter containing portions of tacos, beans, shrimp, potatoes, chicken, all just to name a few. Just ordering the dish made a river of drool run down her chin and made both Guaca and Josh laugh, the former even admitting nearly everypony who ordered it had the same reaction and promising to be back within a few minutes with their food. As he watched Guaca trot off, he turned back to his sweetie and tickled under her chin, making her laugh.

"Who likes being tickled? Does my Dashie like being tickled?"

The pegasus just laughed and snorted, loving the feeling of being tickled by her intimate one. "Ok! Ok! Dashie likes being tickled!"

"C'mon, ya can say it louder!", he grinned. He was actually feeling a little more relaxed after ordering the giant quesadilla, his own stomach growling in hunger and he was eager to have a little fun with his sweetie.

"Dashie likes it! Dashie likes it! Hee hee hee!", she squealed, trying futily to push the teen away to let herself breathe.

Josh was so busy tickling he didn't even notice the gray pony leaving his table... or the cloaked pony heading towards them.

"Um.... excuse me...."

Hearing a voice so shy and soft it could have made Fluttershy sound loud, both Dash and Josh turned and found themselves looking at a cloaked pony standing in front of them, a kind expression on what they could see of her shadowy aquamarine face. Her deep purple eyes gazed at the human in particular with a look of surprise and intrigue, one that made Josh feel a little uneasy.

"Um, can we help you?"

"You're Joshua Rocket, the human student of Celestia... right?", she asked timidly.

"Yeah... how'd you kn---", Josh started to say before realizing two different things. That a new song had started and the fact that he was the ONLY human in Equestria would be a dead giveaway to his identity, especially after all the reports that had been given about him. "Yeah, that's me. Can I help you?"

"Um... my friend Zecora... she told me to look for you..... that you'd be here."

Reaching up, the pony took off her blue cloak and let it fall to the ground to reveal her full form to the two shocked pegasi. She was a beautiful aquamarine-coated unicorn, a wave of lavender hair flowing like the waves of the ocean from her head and her tail, matching that of her sparkling eyes. Looking to her side, they could faintly make out her cutie mark; a roaring waterfall. Looking back into her eyes, they could see her smiling.

"My... my name's Cascade..."

"Cascade???", Rainbow Dash blurted out, immediately remembering where she'd heard that name, "The same one that helped create that life water?"

Cascade merely nodded. "It's part of my magic...", she smiled, gesturing to her horn, "I can enchant the properties of normal water to do amazing things... Zecora and Gilda... we all created that special water. I'm glad to see it worked on your friend."

Josh just nodded in wide-eyed shock. "S-so...", he stammered, trying to grasp that he was looking at a unicorn with the power to potentially permanently halt death, "Y-you can make water that restores life???"

The unicorn gave a sad shake of her head, her mane flowing from side to side. "It was only pure fortune that one batch worked. I cannot gaurantee it'll be that powerful again.... it takes a lot of magic, a lot of ingredients, and a lot of time to get it potent enough to be able to stop death itself.... I've been using ingredients from my side job to help out.. I actually run a tiki bar down by Saddleside beach."

"An' now, I learn Equestria has tiki bars... What next? PORNOGRAPHY SHOPS?!"

"Um... actually...", Rainbow Dash patted her lover on the shoulder and the blush on her face said it all to the human...

"No... no way...", he shook his head in utter shock, "You cannot be telling me...."

"There's one right nearby my bar. It's to help those ponies that need a little more spice.", Cascade blushed, as if mentioning it embarrassed her, "But other than that, it's actually a really nice beach! You guys should stop by!"

Josh could only look at her blankly before giving a soft nod, scooting over to let Rainbow Dash shake her hoof. "We'll do just that! Name's Rainbow Dash!"

Cascade shook Dash's hoof and began to turn away. "I... I need to be going... I need to get back to the forest... Zecora and I... we're supposed to help her friend Gilda prepare some foods for tomorrow... She won't tell us why... But I trust her..."

The unicorn frowned before she gave them both a small smile and began to trot off. But she only got a few steps before Josh called out to her.

"Cascade! Wait!"

Turning to Dash and telling her he would be right back, he climbed out of the booth and walked over to Cascade. Kneeling down, he took the unicorn in his arms and hugged her.

"Thank you Cascade... Dash and I.... we owe you, Zecora, and Gilda... we all owe you a great debt..."

Cascade merely smiled and returned the hug. "It was nothing... really... Just helping a friend."

"You helped us in more ways than you'll ever know.... but perhaps you could help me and Dash with one more thing for this date?"

"Of course, Joshua... name it."

At this, Josh just leaned into Cascade's ear and whispered. His voice was so soft Rainbow Dash couldn't make out anything, although she did see him gesture to the band playing at one point. Cascade nodded and trotted off towards where the band was at the same time Josh got up and sat back next to his sweetheart.

"What was that about?", the cyan pegasus asked curiously.

"You'll see...", was all Josh would say as he heard the song end and the radio click off before a voice echoed throughout the restaurant.

"WOULD SENOR JOSHUA ROCKET PLEASE REPORT TO THE BANDSTAND?"

With a grin to the shocked pegasus next to him, Joshua got up and made his way to the small stage where the band sat, the large group of ponies decked in matching black outfits and carrying instruments from trombones to saxophones to even the black-maned Earth pony standing on her hind legs and holding a violin. Before Josh could say anything, she spoke up for the band with a tone laced with poshness and regality.

"What would you like us to play? It'll be nice to hear something other than the rock music! It hurts poor Octavia's ears so!"

Josh couldn't help but give Octavia a sour look at that. "Watch it, I happen to like it. But I'm wondering you guys know..."

The human whispered into Octavia's ear and earned a smile from the coy pony. "Ahhhh, an Bitalian classic. Excellent choice."

"Actually, they call it Ital-- ah, it's cool.", Josh blushed before picking up the microphone and holding his hand up. Immediately the entirety of the restaurant's chatter and hubbub grew to a standstill as they watched Octavia and several of the other ponies gather around the human. Josh waited until everyone was quiet and the band was in position before he opened his mouth.

"Funny. Only Neighican song we've really heard tonight so far is Mexican Radio... Anything else get played before I got here?"

At this, a lone pony in the restaurant yelled, "No! It all sucked!", and the whole crowd laughed, Josh and Dash included.

"Ok, I think somepony's had enough to drink. But anyways... this is a special song... to a special someone. Someone who I consider to be not just the best flyer in Ponyville... but also the best friend and lover... Rainbow Dash. Would you please stand, Dashie?"

Immediately, the audience cheered as the cyan pegasus got up on her hind legs and looked around the restaurant, seeing everyone cheering for her and clapping their hooves. She felt a lump of emotion enter her throat and all she could do to keep from crying was bite her lip and wave. The human waited until she'd gotten reseated and the noise had died down again before he continued.

"I heard this song a few months back before I came to Equestria... and well... I think it's a pretty cool tune. If anypony wants to dance, go right ahead. But for now.... here we go..."

Josh took a deep breath and nodded to the red pony standing on his right, trumpet in hooves, giving him the signal to go. Immediately, the band started to play a jazzy tune as Josh twirled the microphone in his hands a little, waiting for a few ponies to get up before he began to sing, his voice echoing out through the restaurant

Meglio stasera
Baby go go go
Or as we natives say
"Fa subito!"

As soon as he began to sing, cheers rang out through the restaurant as the ponies began to dance, some of them even slow-dancing into each others hooves as Josh watched with a grin before he continued.

If you're ever gonna kiss me
It had better be tonight
While the mandolins are playing
And staaaaaaaaaaars are bright

If you've anything to tell me
It had better be tonight
Or somebody else may tell me
And whisper the words just right

Meglio stasera
Baby go go go
Or as we natives say
"Fa subito!"

Half the restaurant had gotten onto the dance floor by now and even Rainbow Dash was heading towards the stage, an entranced look on her face as she watched her sweetie croon and swing the mic like a lasso, thrusting his hips to the beat.

If you're ever gonna hold me
It had better be tonight
Or somebody else may hold me
They might make me feel just right

Josh noticed Dash watching him and calmly gestured with his free hand for the chubby pegasus to come closer, an act she obeyed without hesitation before he continued his ballad

Meglio stasera
Baby go go go
Or as we natives say
"Fa subito!"

It was then all hell broke loose as Josh placed the microphone in his teeth and grabbed the pegasus, twirling her onto the dance floor and spinning her, turning the unprepared pegasus a little green. But when she looked back, wobbling, into her lovers eyes, she found him spitting out the microphone and herself being given a giant kiss from him as the crowd cheered and whooped before he continued to sing from the dance floor, his voice now booming throughout the restaurant and even towards the heavens.

For this poor Americano
Who knows little of your speech
Be a nice Italiana
And start to teach

Show me how in old Milano
Lovers hold each other, oh, so tight
But I want you sweet paesana
It had better be tonight

In an act even Rainbow Dash couldn't even figure out the secret to, Josh gave her a tight kiss and propelled himself with a backflip onto the stage before he sang the last few lines as loud as he could

Meglio stasera
Baby go go go
Or as we natives say
"FAAAAAAAAAA SUUUUBIIIIITOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Tossing the microphone towards the ceiling and performing a spin, he managed to catch the microphone and spin onto his knees, holding his arms outstretched with a wild grin on his face, right as the band stopped playing. Immediately, the crowd went NUTS!

Ponies were whistling and clapping as if Celestia herself was up there. Rainbow Dash held onto her lover tightly, beaming with pride and joy and even Soarin' and Spitfire were standing atop their table and whistling for the teens song. The crowd was cheering so much the staff didn't even attempt to turn back on their soundsystem after the song ended. All Josh's reaction was was merely a nod as he went back through the throng of ponies towards their table right as Guaca appeared with their dish, a wide grin on his face.

"That was AMAZING!!!!! How'd you learn moves like that!?", Rainbow Dash asked, her voice giddy and wild after seeing such a performance.

"That my Dash... that is a secret for another time... But for now, it's time to dine. Great service, Guaca!", Josh remarked as he took the plates of food and placed them onto the table, Rainbow Dash taking a giant sniff of her large plate of food and feeling her stomach roar in hunger as the heavenly aroma filled her nostrils.

"No problem, man!", Guaca smiled, "By the way, Hardshell's paying for your meals... after a performance like that, he said it's the least he can do!"

Watching as Guaca trotted off, the applause and whistles finally starting to die down, Josh grinned as he looked at the giant sandwich in front of him and slowly got up. "Just wanna get myself freshened first. Worked up quite a sweat, heh heh. Feel free to st---"

Josh didn't even get to finish the sentence before Rainbow Dash had started chowing down on the gigantic meal, scarfing the food like there was no tomorrow. All Josh did was pat her on the back and kiss her before he got up and went to the washroom....
--------------------------------------------------------
As he finished washing his hands, Josh could hear the next song began to play, a set of guitar strings twanging, and he hummed to himself before walking over to the urinal, another sight that amused him being in a place like he was, unzipped himself, and let some of the liquid in his bladder out, placing a hand on the wall and looking at a long scrawl of graffiti above the toilet.

"Hmm... Primus stoves rule.", he read, "Didn't even know they HAD Primus here."

As he reached to flush the urinal after the last of the excess chemicals had come out, he heard the sound of the toilet stall behind him opening and a voice call out.

"Hey, human!"

Josh had barely turned before a hoof was thrust deep into the middle of his face with a loud grisly crack and knocking him back into the yellow water. Stunned and feeling blood pouring out his nose, he looked up weakly and found himself looking at a pissed of gray pony, twirling a knife somehow in his hoof. The expression on his face read only one thing.... Death.

"Why can't you just bucking DIE?!?!", he screamed, slugging the teen on the side of the head again with another grisly crack, caving in a small part of his skull. "Do you have ANY idea how much trouble you're causing?! Can't you just leave us alone?!?!"

The pony thrust his knife down, aiming for the teens eye, only to miss the scurrying teen by a matter of inches and growling.

"You mean by EXPOSING you ponies for your vile deeds?!", Josh shot back, ducking to avoid the slashes from the pony.

"It is none of your bucking BUSINESS what Champagne and Black Thorn do!", he roared, "You are nothing but a thorn and I will be the one who cuts you off the plant of life!"

As Josh struggled to avoid the pony's blade, he could hear the song starting, its weird lyrics a frightening contrast to the fight going on in the bathroom.

My name is Mud
Not to be confused with Bill
Or Jack or Pete or Dennis
My name is mud and it's always been
'Cause I'm the most boring sons-a-bitch you've ever seen
I dress in blue-yes navy blue
From head to toe I'm rather drab except my patent shoes
I make 'em shine, well most the time
'Cept today my feet are troddin' on by this friend of mine
Six foot two and rude as hell
I got to get him in the ground before he starts to smell
My name is Mud

As the song played, Josh did all he could to avoid having the knife jabbed into his body. He'd already been cut by the EPA and he didn't want to feel his flesh carved like a turkey again.

"You.. sick fuck!", he seethed, reaching back and slugging the pony right in the gut, making him drop his knife, "You flaw... thinking Champagne has the right to destroy Ponyville.. to destroy innocent lives?!"

"I'll kill you! I'll gut you like a fish!!!", the pony roared, reaching for the knife, only to have it kicked to the other end of the bathroom by the teen. At the same time that he scrambled to get it, the teen snuck into the restroom stall and grabbed the heaviest thing he could find, thinking only on instinct and fear for his life with blood loss making him woozy. Right as the pony charged for him, the knife clutched in the cleft of his hoof, Josh swung forward.....

And cracked the pony with the heavy toilet tank lid he'd picked up, knocking the equine down with a thud.

Before he could even get up, Josh was upon him, bashing him over and over with the lid as hard as he could, hearing each thud crack his skull, all the while the guitar music acting as if a soundtrack to his assault. He was blind to all but the sense of survival ebbing through his body. He didn't stop until he felt the toilet lid break into pieces at the same time as the ponies skull and looking down, he could see the pony staring up at him.... or at least one eye was.

Half the ponies face lay crushed into a pulpy mess on the tile bathroom floor, a bloody puddle coating the pieces of the lid and allowing a small part of his brain to ooze out. The remaining eye just looked up blankly at him, his mouth open in a small yell.

Josh knew the pony was dead and as he collapsed to his hands and knees, he found himself grabbing the ponys stuck out wallet from his coat, eager to have a name for the cops and sure he would have been found in some database. Flipping open the wallet and feeling himself grow delirious from the amount of blood leaving his head from the cracks in his skull and his destroyed nose, he found himself singing woozily to the song, using his own words to warp the tune.

His name was Mud, but born Alowishus Devadander Abercrombie
That's long for Mud so I've been told
Found out from this sonsabitch that lies before me bloated blue and cold
I've got my pride, I drink my wine
I'd drink the finest except I haven't earned a dime in several months
Or were it years
The breath on that fat bastard could bring any boy to tears
He came for me, a lonely kid
So I kissed him upside the cranium with a porcelain toilet lid
His name was mud.

Feeling himself grow weaker as the song continued, Josh vomited a throatful of blood and sat back underneath the sink soaked in his red liquids, trying to comprehend where he was, his senses cracked by the attack, all the while deliriously repeating the last four words....

"His name was mud..."

He was still repeating them as he heard a voice speak above him.

"Where you goin'. city boy?"

With a grin, Josh gave a sharp reply.

"Going nowhere.... heh......"

That was all he could say before the last of his energy left him in a pool of blood next to the ponies body....
----------------------------------------------
As the song continued, Rainbow Dash finished wolfing down the gigantic meal, ready to order a second. But at the same time, she was worried about the teen having been gone so long and feeling his quesadilla grow cold.

"Does it take him THAT long to freshen up... I know Rarity takes a while... but... I just hope he's alright.."

Slowly, the fat pegasus got up and wandered over to the divider between the bathrooms and opened the colts room door....

The song ended right as she screamed.
------------------------------------------------------
"Josh.... Josh can ya'll hear me?"

"Darling, wake up!"

All Josh could feel was a throbbing pain in his head as his vision began to return to him and looking up, he found himself back in a familiar and unpleasant place with monitors and ponies surrounding him.

"Oh.... crap...", he muttered as he struggled to sit up, "I'm in Urgent Care again... aren't I?"

Looking around, he found himself staring at the mane 6, Meowth, Granny Smith, Gilda, and Dr. Whooves, all looking at him in shock and sadness, all of them nodding. Rainbow Dash in particular had her hooves on his bandaged head, her eyes red from all her tears. Even Twilight Sparkle looked horrified, even with her mane restored back to its natural state, thanks to a visit to the Aloe Beauty Spa.

"We've officially named this room the Joshua James Rocket room. You should feel proud!", Dr. Whooves joked, only to get a fierce slap to his cheek from Gilda.

"Not funny, doc... Another joke like that and YOU'LL be the one in bandages!", she growled before turning to the human, "You are one tough fighter, Joshua...."

Josh just gave her a toothy grin, some of his teeth having been knocked out by the ponies first punch. "All I remember is picking up that lid..... then it all went red and black..."

"We're just lucky that pony you killed, he had a criminal record a mile long on him...", Gilda remarked, "So it's being called self-defense. They even got a security video of the incident, so there's no way Champagne can say the attack was unprovoked."

Another grin escaped from Josh's lips as Twilight Sparkle turned to the avian with hope in her eyes. "You've got more of that magic water in case Dr. Whooves can't repair all the damage?"

Gilda nodded before she walked over to Josh and looked at his fractured nose.

"It looks like a bad break, but I did learn a small trick to repairing snouts manually to where a simple spell can do the rest... although Josh may want to keep his necklace in his mouth.... This is gonna hurt."

At seeing Gilda reach her talons out, Josh shirked back in fear of what the avian had planned and Applejack pulled her hat down over her still nauseated looking face. Her stomach still felt awful from the last of the poison leaving her body.

"If I hear or see her do what I think she's gonna do.... I'm gonna throw up."

"That may be wise...", Gilda admitted before she turned to Rainbow Dash, "Dash, just take a hold of his hand... and hold on tight... he's going to need a hoof to clench onto."

Sniffling, the pegasus took Josh's hand in her hooves and cooed to him. "Just look at me, Josh. Look at me."

Watching as the teen did so, Gilda picked up the necklace, with the help of a handkerchief, and placed it bundled up into his mouth before she took ahold of the ravaged mess of his snout and nodding to him.

"You ready?"

Weakly, Josh nodded and kept his attention to his lover, focusing directly on her as Gilda grunted and clenched the fractured bones in her claw....

Before twisting them sharply and not stopping until she'd realigned the pieces of bone and cartilege into the shape of a normal human nose.

The whimpers coming from Josh as he bit down on the necklace were painful and the ponies could only watch in horror at Gilda reshaping the appendage, Meowth looking very close to throwing up and having to cover his bulging cheeks to keep from launching his lunch all over the hospital room floor. Fluttershy didn't look any better, her face pale green and her hoof placed over her mouth in disgust. All the while, Rainbow Dash just kept holding onto Josh's hand, not even flinching when he gripped onto her hoof with the strength of a vice. It only took a minute for Gilda to get the bone repositioned, but to Josh and every other pony and cat-pokemon in that room, it felt like hours.

"Ok, Twilight, you've got some sort of freezing magic, right?", Gilda asked, still clenching the nose in position.

"Urgh... yeah...", the lavender unicorn replied, "But I don't think it'll work for resetting bone!"

"It don't have to... Just numb it until the doctor and use his hospital know-how to permanently reset it! Hurry!"

Hearing all this made Josh quiver even more and Twilight didn't look any better, but the unicorn nodded and trotted slowly over to the human, looking at him in fright.

"Forgive me...", she whispered as she prepared her magic.

Josh nodded in reply before he opened his mouth and spat out the necklace. "It's cool... heh.... Fire away..."

In an instant, a blue blast had shot from the unicorns horn and landed onto Josh's appendage, immediately sending a cold chill throughout his whole body. But when it subsided, he realized the pain from the fracture was gone... as well as some of the feeling around his snout.

"That.... actually feels better!", Josh replied, his voice a little strained from the numbness, but still pretty understandable, "But.... Dr. Whooves, why didn't you just fix my nose when you bandaged my skull?"

Dr. Whooves sighed before he gave a response. "Let's just say, to spare everyone the gruesome details and so I don't have ponies throwing up on the floor again, that your snout wasn't exactly on our priorities as much as healing the other wounds... But we should be able to get another doctor in here soon to finish what your avian friend started."

Josh just gave a weak smile before he turned to Rainbow Dash and saw her still clutching his hand and struggling not to cry, realizing she needed to just be alone with him. "Um, can you all just leave me and Dash alone for a little bit.... I... think we need to have a talk. Besides, Pinkie Pie... didn't you mention wanting to try some of that cafeteria jello?"

At this, the party pony blushed. "I didn't think you heard me saying that!"

"Pinkie Pie, trust me... I may have been knocked out from Champagne... but I could still hear you joking. Go on, get outta here."

Hearing Josh say the last part with a soft and friendly tone, the ponies and Meowth turned and left the hospital room, all the while Pinkie Pie was going on about wondering what kind of gelatins they had and if they had marshmallows or peaches or bananas in them. Josh tried to laugh, but when he turned to his sweetie, he saw her face crumpled as if she wanted more than anything to just cry, the shame of seeing her lover going through so much breaking her heart. He knew she needed to cry.

"Go ahead, Dash.", he whispered, pattering her hoof, "Just let it all out. It's just us..."

The pegasus just let all her fear, all her sadness pour out in quivering sobs as she held onto the human, Josh returning her embrace and rubbing her back with his free hand, the other connected to the IV. Dash hated to be crying so much, even more than throwing up. Josh could sense how scared she was and he just kept whispering to her, just like he had when she'd had the nightmares.

"Just let out your tears, it's ok.", Josh cooed.

"I-I-I... I thought... I thought you... I thought you had died b-b-back there....", the pegasus wept, her words squeaked and shaky, "You're going through so much Hell... you don't deserve this!!!"

"Heh... All part of living in this world..", Josh replied, watching Rainbow Dash sniffle back some of the mucus starting to run from her snout, the emotions going through her like a freight train. It was a relief for her to just be able to weep and let her tears flow, but it hurt so much at the same time...

"I'm scared... I'm scared of being alone.... All that blood... All that carnage.... I... I'm just so scared...."

Hearing the normally confident Rainbow Dash pouring his heart out to him, Josh just shook his head and used his hand to wipe the tears off her face.

"It's ok, Dash. I was scared too... But at least now... We know I can defend myself... Who else can say they killed someone with a toilet lid?"

At this, Dash couldn't help but let out a small laugh, even through her tears. With a sigh, Josh propped himself up against the hospital bed and let his hands rest on his blanket.

"Dash listen...", he waited until the tearful pegasus was looking directly at him before he continued, "I was gonna say something back at the restaurant... before the attack.... Dash...."

Josh sighed and focused his gaze directly into Rainbow Dashs magenta orbs.

"I... I know everything now... I read your journal.... Cover to cover... I know your desires..."

Rainbow Dash felt her throat close up at hearing this. She hadn't imagined anyone would ever find out her secrets and immediately she felt ashamed. But when she lowered her head in shame, she heard something she wasn't expecting.

"I want to help you with them... Help make them happen..."

The pegasus did a double-take, looking at the teen in complete shock. "Wha?! You... wanna HELP me with them?! Even knowing how disgusting and repulsive some of them are!?"

Josh simply gave the pegasus a nod. "Dashie, I've been there when you barfed, when you wet your bed, when you picked your boogers... You really think I can be fazed? I have been put through a war in my world AND in this one, been clinically DEAD, seen what the bones in my feet LOOK like through charred flesh... and you really think anything else can really bother me? Dash, if anything... I'd be honored to help you live out some of your fantasies.... even...."

Josh leaned in and whispered into the pegasus' ear, making her eyes open wide in amazement.

"You wanna help me with that?!?! But---"

"Dash, it's all part of being a lover and being your sweetie pie.... but... right now... there's one other being I want to see... Can you send Meowth in here? I want him to see I'm gonna be ok... Plus I think you should get some jello to finish off all that spicy Neighican food."

Rainbow Dash laughed and gave the teen a kiss before wiping her eyes and trotting out of the room. Not even 2 minutes passed before the door swung open again and Josh found himself looking at his cat-pokemon friend.

"Josh?", Meowth trembled, scared of the condition his friend was in, "Ya... ya feelin' ok?"

The human just sighed and patted the blanket for Meowth to sit upon, an action the cat-pokemon obeyed instantly. As soon as he'd gotten his own chubby butt seated on the teen's stomach, Josh took his hand and rubbed Meowth's cheek softly.

"It's funny, Meowth.. My first date... it almost ended up being my last day of existence..."

"Josh... I'm sorry about laughing at you earlier... I couldn't help it. Please f--"

Josh just gave a weak chuckle and rubbed Meowth's tummy, making him coo. "I woulda probably done the same. When someone gets hit in the nuts, it's usually hilarious... ya just don't expect it to be you. But Meowth... no matter what happens... You know I love you, right?"

Meowth could only nod as he crawled up close to the human and rested his head on Josh's shoulder. "I love you too, Josh.... Best friends always do... But... do you think Rainbow Dash and Applejack... do you think they'll be able to win this.... That they're not too shaken...."

"Meowth...", Josh sighed, "At this point I don't know... But I know they're no quitters... and I have a feeling I know what Gilda's planning to train them on... if that conversation we overheard is anything to go by..."

"Ya..", Meowth winced as he realized what Josh was getting at, "Ya don't mean...."

"I do, Meowth...", Josh whispered as he held Meowth close, "At this point, I know.... It's no longer about exposure... Gilda... Dash.... AJ... Everyone.... I know.... They're in this to show that not just them... but all of Ponyville... Won't bow down to Champagne any more... and Black Thorn.."

Josh and Meowth just shared a knowing glance before the teen spoke what they were both thinking.

"They will fall.... like the demonic dominoes they are... and that gray pony and Champagne... they will be the first to topple.... I've got a new reason for being here, Meowth..."

"What's dat?", the cat-pokemon asked, his voice ebbed with worry.

"To be able to help expose them... and to erase them from Equestria's underbelly once and for all..."
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The songs in the chapter are as follows in the order played and linked

When They Come For Me by Linkin Park from the album A Thousand Suns
Mexican Radio by Wall of Voodoo from the album Call of the West
Hero by Skillet from the album Awake
Savory by Jawbox from the album For Your Own Special Sweetheart
Water by Breaking Benjamin from the album Saturate
It Had Better Be Tonight by Michael Buble from the album Call Me Irresponsible
My Name Is Mud by Primus from the album Pork Soda