This chapter is dedicated to the warm and cherished memory of Claude Henry Bedell Jr., who passed away on February 8th, 2013. I wanted to wait until a light-hearted chapter to dedicate to him. He was a wonderful friend, a mentor, and a guiding light to me in so many ways. I will always be grateful for the impact he had on my life and I will remember him until my dying day.

Claude...... this is for you.
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As morning finally arose on Ponyville and Sweet Apple Acres, Rainbow Dash let out a small yawn and opened her eyes. The memory of the night quickly ran through her head and looking around, she found herself alone again, another note resting by her flank. With a feeling of sheer dread, she picked it up and read it to herself.

Dashie, Couldn't sleep. The dreams... they're getting worse. Going to Canterlot to try and talk to Princess Celestia. Twilight Sparkle is going with me. I don't know if I'll be coming back, I'm hoping I do. But if not, know what I'm gonna tell her could put away Champagne for life... If it doesn't.. it's up to you and Applejack to feed him that humble pie that he so desperately needs to have stuffed down his throat.

Love, Joshua J. Rocket

P.S. If I do come back.. Please wait for me at our training grounds. I got something special for you.

P.P.S. Make sure you eat plenty before tonight. Trust me.

With a small chuckle, Dash got to her hooves and clamped the note in her teeth before trotting downstairs. She didn't know what it was about the note...

But she had a strong feeling it meant something good.
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*Canterlot*

As Twilight and Josh's train grew closer to where Canterlot lay, the unicorn couldn't shake off the silence ebbing from the teen. He hadn't said a word since they'd boarded the train leading to Canterlot and not even the excited discussions of the preparations for tomorrow's big eating contest could break him from his solemn mood. He'd asked her to go with him since he was genuinely terrified of what he was gonna talk to Celestia about and he knew she had the most personal relationship out of any of the ponies. Meowth was still fast asleep and the teen had been in no mood to fly up and try to awaken him, although with the last bits of construction going on in the cloud castle as he set up his special surprise for Dash he was amazed the cat-pokemon was able to sleep so soundly. But no matter what Twilight had tried to do, no matter what she tried to say, all Josh would do was look down at the necklace he held in his hand, almost like he was transfixed by the artifact. By now, she'd given up trying to get much conversation out of him and just settled on reading one of the spell books that she'd brought along for the long train ride. It wasn't until she'd approached the halfway mark that Josh finally broke his silence, his voice soft and icy.

"It was just supposed to be an eating contest......"

Setting the book down, Twilight turned and noticed the teen still looking at the necklace, not even looking at the unicorn staring at him.

"Joshua?", Twilight asked, placing a hoof gently on his arm.

"Twilight.... it was just supposed to be Applejack and Rainbow Dash training, eating, and beating a braggart at his own game.... nothing more..... Yet now... it's turned into something insane.... Something out of the realms of sanity."

Finally Josh looked at the unicorn, allowing her to see the few tears of frustration and exhaustion welling in his eyes.

"I've done things, Twilight.... horrible horrible things.... I thought I was just brought here to teach you guys..... Now....... I don't know WHAT I'm here for....."

The unicorn nodded and patted his hand gently. "It's ok... it's gotten crazy for everyone. I thought our biggest problem would be how much Dash and AJ would be throwing up...."

"Twi, you have no idea how much I would give for that just to be our only problem...", Josh chuckled in a mirthless tone, "I just... want this all to be over... I just want this all to end...."

It was then the train conductor came by and informed them they were only minutes away from Canterlot station and as Twilight put her book back in her saddlebag, she just looked at the human next to her, feeling horrible for the experience they were all going through. Whatever he'd seen the previous night had to have been horrific for him to want to go straight to Celestia and she even wondered if it was for her to send him back home. The princess had openly told him he was welcome to go back to his world permanently anytime he wished, for their worlds to be disconnected for good and the thought... wasn't one that she exactly could see as farfetched anymore. The look in his hazel-colored eyes was one of haunting and sadness, like he had been forced to do things he would regret for the rest of his life. Gently, she patted his hand and gave him a smile.

"Josh... You were brought here to teach us your wisdom.... You've just had the mistfortune of getting caught up in all sorts of unusual situations. You'll get the chance still to be our teacher...

"Twilight... after what I did, I don't think Celestia will let me NEAR you ever again....."

Finally the train came to a stop at Canterlot Station and Twilight and Josh got out with the rest of the passengers. Since they were only coming for the day, neither of them had brought any real luggage with them other than Twilights saddlebag and the unicorn had memorized shortcuts to the castle like the back of her hoof, so it only took them about 20 minutes to make to the front doors. But as Twilight raised her hoof to open the door, the guards having seen her so many times they didn't even bother asking Celestia for permission and knowing Josh was permitted to visit anytime he wanted as well, the teen still felt extremely uneasy, knowing what he was gonna be telling the Princess of Equestria.

"Twilight..... this is it.... this may be the hardest meeting with her we've ever had...."

"Relax, Josh, she's forgiving and loving.", Twilight replied, knocking on the doors, "It's not like you dug up a grave or something...."

Josh just swallowed, knowing that was exactly what he had done, and as the door opened, allowing them to enter and make their way to the throne room, the teen could swear all the guards were staring at him, their eyes piercing into his very soul. He had the feeling they all knew what he had done... what he had seen... and he just wished they could get his banishment over with. He knew once Celestia learned what he'd done, he'd be forbidden to ever go back to Ponyville.... and he knew he deserved it....

As they approached the large bronze doors, they both swallowed nervously as Josh reached out with a trembling hand and pulled the door open, only to see Princess Celestia standing before them... as if she'd been expecting them to show up.

"Twilight, Josh...", she grinned, "I didn't think my letter got there so fast!"

"Princess... what letter?", Twilight asked, scratching her head.

"The letter I sent Josh just an hour ago to report here for a little talk."

The human just blinked in shock. "You.... you know....."

The alicorn nodded solemnly and turned, heading towards her throne, gesturing for Josh and Twilight to follow her.

"Joshua.... I brought you here to teach my subjects new lessons... wisdom from your world... and you.... excavated the graves of a former mayor stallion and his family..... supposedly brought there by the ghost of their daughter...."

Twilight felt her heart leap into her throat and she turned towards Joshua in abject horror. "You... did.... WHAT?!"

The princess nodded sadly, turning around towards the two. "Earlier this morning.. He had Luna help him... My own sister...."

The unicorn felt like she was gonna pass out. The human... the same human they'd taken in as one of their own... the same human they'd considered a friend... had desecrated the graves of innocent ponies.... all on the advice of some phantom.... He'd snapped... he'd genuinely lost his mind. She was in the presence of a psycho! She didn't want to believe it... she COULDN'T believe it.....

"Joshua..... tell me it's not true... tell me it's not!", she pleaded, "PLEASE tell me you couldn't do something that horrible... that disgusting...."

Josh just looked at Celestia, then at Twilight, both equines looking at him intently. He began to sweat feverishly, struggling to speak, struggling to think. He didn't know what to say, to do, what he could possibly even BEGIN to rationalize what he did. He knew it was impossible....

"Josh.... you did it... didn't you...", Twilight trembled, backing away from him.

"Tell her.... tell her...", Celestia whispered.

The teen broke down and fell to his knees, tears streaming down his face and dripping onto the plush red carpet. He held himself, shaking and quivering with his surpressed sobs as all the images ran through his head. Champagne's mocking him, Dev's splattered head, the grisly tapes, the ghost, the digging.... it all ran through him like a perverse slideshow and he knew there was no way to shut it off. No way to escape what he'd done. He was trapped.... and all he could do was confess. He slowly turned towards Twilight Sparkle and nodded.

"I did..... I did everything...."

Twilight covered her mouth with her hooves in disgust and horror, aghast at what he'd just admitted to... and all she could get out was one single word.....

"Why?!?!?!?!?"

"I... I saw a ghost... a filly... she told me she lost something in her dad's casket..... I couldn't turn her away... I couldn't say no..... I'm gone, Twilight... my mind is gone..... I need to go home......"

It was then that Celestia spoke up and said something that caught them both by surprise.

"You saw Pedal.. didn't you?"

The two looked at her in amazement, Josh in sheer shock at how she knew who it was...

"How... How did you...."

Celestia shook her head sadly. "Josh..... Pedal's ghost has gone to countless ponies all over Equestria, led them all to the same grave. Ever since her death, she's tried desperately to have someone dig her father up.... trying to find something. No pony would listen to her, all of them refusing to do something so insane.... She even came to me... and I couldn't bring myself to do it.... not to one of my dearest friends."

"Celestia....", Twilight gasped in shock, "What are you saying???"

"Mayor Hareis was a great stallion and a constant companion to Canterlot. It was why I'd chosen Albeneigh to host EWREC.... when I found out what happened to his family... I cried for days. But as the Goddess of the Sun, I had to just continue with my duties, all along feeling like it was my fault... my fault he took his life. I did all I could to hide the memories, knowing it was unlikely there'd ever be justice done... even my most devoted guards couldn't find any evidence that would uncover who did such such a horrible act... an act not even Discord would try. But earlier this morning... Luna came back with a set of tapes.."

The princess took a deep breath before she continued.

"She said you had asked her to dig the graves up, that you had a theory.... Josh.... one of those tapes has the murder of Pedal Hareis on it. it's very likely the other two tapes were buried with Ace and Maria.... that was why Pedal had been trying to lead us there... she was trying to lead us to where they were... to help bring her family justice... and her soul the peace it deserved."

Josh just nodded and turned to Twilight, wiping his eyes. "The tape she led me to... was his video diary. It chronicled what led up to his suicide. Champagne drove him to it..... and no one believed he hadn't killed his family. He went mad...... and chose death. The tapes are likely the only evidence that will prove his innocence... and mentioned a note left by the killers that the tapes were left with his family to rot in eternity.... just like their bodies...."

The unicorn struggled to speak. She was absolutely stunned at this revelation, at this news..... She'd always said ghosts weren't real.... she'd always said there was good in everypony...... but now...... nothing made sense.... nothing seemed to make sense at all...

"Celestia...... Josh..... are... are you two serious???", she managed to eep out, "Josh... may have helped solve his murder..... a murder even your guards were unable to find an answer for?"

The Goddess just nodded and looked at Josh. "Josh... I can't say for sure that it was Champagne in the videos... but if it was.. he WILL be spending the rest of his life in Luna's dungeon.... and that Black Thorn company will be under serious investigation.... Thanks to you and Pedal... the Hareis family may finally be able to rest in peace."

The teen just blinked in disbelief as he got to his feet. He'd been expecting punishment, banishment, even death... instead... he was being commended. It felt completely unreal.

"I know they're looking down... at you all... happy a group finally managed to find out who ended their innocent lives. But now... I think you both have one more thing to do...."

"What's that, Princess Celestia?", Twilight asked.

"I'm supposed to be impartial to the contest, wishing good luck to all the competitors.... but I speak for the land of Equestria and all its subjects... when I say...."

The princess leaned in and looked them both in the eyes.

"Tomorrow... bring..... him...... down."

Josh nodded and sharply saluted the Princess, Twilight kneeling at her hooves. "We won't let you down, Celestia."

Celestia nodded and turned back towards her throne. "Before you go, Josh..... I have one last thing to give you."

The human tilted his head slightly as she walked over to her throne and fetched a long object from behind the large velvet chair before heading back to them and giving it to the teenager. Taking it from on her back, Josh realized he was looking at a silver metal baseball bat, similar to the ones he'd seen some of the ball players in Equestria and his world use in ball games. From what Twilight said next, it was quickly apparent that they were both thinking the same thing.

"Princess Celestia? What's this?"

She looked to her side sadly, her voice soft and solemn. "Twilight.... I fear the Elements of Harmony are going to need some extra protection from now on.... Whoever murdered the Hareis'... their heart is beyond redemption. If you all try to face them with just your magic, I don't know if you'd end up surviving. I never imagined I'd have to say this in 1,000 years of being the ruler of this wonderful, peaceful land..... but.... if you have to...... You may send them to the hereafter. I was given that bat by the Canterlot Crashers a few years ago as a token of appreciation for taking the time out of my duties to attend one of their games. Their coach said it is powerful enough to do some serious damage to an attacker, possibly even end their life. I never wanted to have it used... but now... they may be no choice....."

Twilight and Josh just looked at her and nodded in sad agreement, the human brushing his hands along the metal surface.

"I understand, Celestia...."

The Sun Goddess returned the nod. "I think it's time for you two to go now... you've both got a busy day tomorrow and I know the preparations are already underway. I can have a chariot give you both a ride back to Ponyville if you'd like."

"That would be wonderful!", Twilight gushed. But Josh was less enthusiastic.

"If it's all the same to you, Princess Celestia..... I'm gonna just take the train back... I just need to do some thinking... It was nice talking with you... and thanks for the bat... and for forgiving what I did..."

Before either of them could say another word, Josh turned on his heel and walked out, dragging the metal bat behind him sadly. The two equine just looked on at him in dismay before Twilight turned back to Celestia.

"Maybe I'll just go with him...", the unicorn remarked, "I'll let you know when we get back home."

"Take care, Twilight....", Celestia replied, "And be careful...."

Twilight nodded and trotted out after him, leaving Celestia alone in the throne room. With a sigh, she looked up at the ceiling as if towards the sky itself.

"Elbert.....I may have led to your death... but I can also help lead to your peace.....", she thought to herself before she lowered her head and noticed a set of tapes resting at her hooves. One of them was blank and the other had a label with three simple words.....

EVE OF ENDING

She felt a lump in her throat and as she used her magic to levitate the tapes in front of her, she knew these were the last keys to discovering what really happened the night the Hareis family was destroyed.
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It took only a half hour for Josh and Twilight to make it back to the train station and as the train they were on got ready to head back towards Ponyville, the lavender unicorn dug herself into the same spell book that she had been reading on the way there. Josh had taken a seat at the other end of the carriage, saying he just wanted to be alone with his thoughts as best he could on a train full of strangers. The sad look in his eyes had made her willingly agree and the teen was siting on one of the benches, rubbing the head of the bat softly and looking at his reflection in the shine. He'd given the necklace to Twilight to hold onto, saying he didn't want it near him if he went to see himself in another mirror on the way back, still unsure if it had led to him seeing that horrible face back at the fruit stand or if it was him starting to go insane. Altogether the teen just felt miserable and not even the hustle and bustle of the other ponies clamoring about the next days big event could break him from his melancholy.

"Look at yourself..", he whispered to his reflection, "You've gone through hell... You saw the Grim Reaper... you've seen demons... you've had yourself nearly broken into pieces physically and mentally..... how are you managing to stay alive? I know Rainbow Dash's love and the friendship of the other ponies and Meowth may be the only thing keeping my sanity for right now... but how long will that last.... How long before the final threads sever and.... I end up trying to hurt myself..... Just like before...."

"Talking to yourself, huh? I remember doing that in my youth."

Hearing somepony nearby, he looked up and found himself looking at the face of an elderly gray-colored stallion. His mane was missing, but his tail was a fine silver, his eyes were sparkling with a sense of wisdom and kindness, and the smile on his face was one of affection and understanding. The cutie mark on his flank was that of an old fashioned C.B. radio. Even his voice, as withered as it was from his elderly age, rang with a sense of sweetness and bravery, like he'd been all around Equestia and gathered lessons all his life... lessons akin to what Twilight Sparkle had been gathering and what he himself was brought to this strange land for.

"Mind if I take a seat? Not many spaces left and I could use a place to rest before my trip back home."

The teen just sighed and motioned for him to take the seat. "Can I ask who you are?", he gently asked the pony.

"My name's C.B.. I just got done with some work organizing the final preparations for the stage's electronics and structure. As an engineer, it's my job to make sure the contest runs nice and smooth."

"If only you knew...", the teen muttered to himself before speaking to C.B., "My name's Josh... The first human in Equestria... and lately... been caught up in way too much of the darkness. Forced into doing horrible things..."

"You mean like killing that attacker in Hardshell's bathroom?"

The teen blinked in mild shock. "Yeah.... how'd you know? I thought Celestia and Hardshell had that kept out of the papers."

"I was there when it happened. I was one of the ponies who helped review the security footage. Josh, you do know you were fully in the right when you did that."

"That's what everypony says...", Josh remarked sadly, "But even besides that.... I've been part of things that I'll be struggling to forget until my ending days."

C.B. just gave a small chuckle and put a wrinkled hoof on Josh's hand. "Josh, take it from a 101-year old stallion, life is gonna always be a struggle. But if you take it all head on with a brave heart... you may find yourself coming out on top."

"C.B., I've heard similar things back in my own world AND from some of the ponies here..... that every challenge just gives us a new bit of wisdom..... But there are times I wonder if it's not some plan to just make us miserable."

"Tell me this... if you HADN'T had some of the struggles in your world... do you think our Princess would have brought you here?"

Josh just rubbed his face in frustration. "C.B., the things I've been subject to in my own world.... have made it all but miraculous that I didn't take the same path Mayor Hareis did and dance on the end of a rope. It's true I may have been chosen because of my own struggles.... but if that was the case... why did Celestia say I was brought here to impart wisdom to you all?"

"Maybe the reason isn't just for you to help them..... but for you to be able to help yourself as well. She saw you were suffering, so maybe she brought you here to try and help yourself regain the peace and enlightenment you lost. I know someone as benevolent and selfless as her wouldn't bring a human here just as a plaything."

At this, Josh had to admit the elderly stallion had a point. Celestia didn't seem like the kind of royalty that would do something as cruel as bringing a new species to a world just as a toy.

"You ever think maybe.... she saw something else special inside you? Something no other human in your world had? How many humans ARE there where you lived?"

"Last count was over 10 billion.", Josh remarked, running his hand through his jet black hair.

"Exactly! And out of those 10 billion.... she chose YOU!"

Josh just looked at C.B. for a few minutes, speechless as he processed the truth he'd just heard. Princess Celestia could have chosen any other human to bring to Equestria.... yet out of every single one of them.... she chose him. He had to admit that being chosen out of all those people.... it had to mean that she saw something inside him that stood out... that was special..... Maybe... maybe.. there was a reason for him to be there.. a reason why they were so accepting... a reason.... why him doing something like following a ghost had ended up leading him and the princesses to possibly the answer to an unsolved crime and the information that could not only save Ponyville, but allow a murdered family to finally find the peace it deserved.

"How... How come you're telling me all this?", Josh asked, "I'm just a stranger on a train."

"Because if we can't help guide each other to the good side of life, then what kind of a species ARE we? You're a special kid, Josh... and I know great things await you."

The teen just gave a warm smile and hugged C.B. as tight as he could, the pony weakly returning it, before he got up and began to head down the aisle... but not before turning back to C.B. and giving him a look of gratitude.

"Thank you..... for everything, C.B.. Thank you...."

The elderly pony just smiled back and rested as Josh walked back over to where Twilight was sitting.

"Hey Twilight?"

The unicorn looked up at him curiously.

"Can you do me a favor? When we get back to Ponyville... can you make sure Rainbow Dash meets up with me at our training area. I got to do one last bit of "training" with her before we take that creep out!!"

Twilight just smiled. "It'd be my pleasure. But what about you? Why can-", but the teen cut her off as he sat back down.

"I need to make a special trip before tonight..... one.... to the Everfree forest."
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*Everfree forest*

It'd only been an hour since the train had arrived back at the Ponyville station and Twilight was already on her way back to the library to do some last minute tactic studying, looking for any advice she could bestow upon Dash and Applejack before the contest tomorrow... and Josh... was standing at the edge of the same woods where he'd been crucified. He was still extremely tentative heading into the same place where he'd nearly been cremated and as he took his first steps into the woods, even with his bat and his necklace, a strong feeling of apprehension filled him up.

"How is it dark here when it's barely past NOON!?", he thought to himself, listening to the crickets chirping and the wind blowing. He even swore he could hear the sound of wails ringing through the trees and even a loud shuddering cackle. The whole experience only served to make him more agitated, so he did the only thing he could think of to help settle his senses... he sang.

I ain't happy, I'm feeling glad
I got sunshine in a bag
I'm useless but not for long
The future is coming on
I ain't happy, I'm feeling glad
I got sunshine in a bag
I'm useless but not for long
The future is coming on
It's coming on
It's coming on
It's coming on

But as he sang, he swore... another voice was singing as well. He didn't know whether it was just the wind, somepony else overhearing his tune, or just his slowly cracking psyche..... All he knew what it was a deep booming voice, as if from a lord of the trees itself, ringing out as he walked amidst the soil and the fear.

Yeah... Ha Ha!
Finally someone let me out of my cage
Now, time for me is nothing cos I'm counting no age
Now I couldn't be there
Now you shouldn't be scared
I'm good at repairs
And I'm under each snare
Intangible
Bet you didn't think so I command you to
Panoramic view
Look I'll make it all manageable
Pick and choose
Sit and lose
All you different crews
Chicks and dudes
Who you think is really kickin' tunes?
Picture you gettin' down in a picture tube
Like you lit the fuse
You think it's fictional,
Mystical? Maybe.
Spiritual
Hero who appears in you to clear your view when you're too crazy
Lifeless
To those the definition for what life is
Priceless
To you because I put you on the high shit
You like it?
Gunsmokin' righteous with one toke
You're psychic among those
Possess you with one go

As the voice finished, he didn't know what it was... but something was compelling him to continue as he trekked his way through the dark and creepy forest.

I ain't happy, I'm feeling glad
I got sunshine in a bag
I'm useless but not for long
The future is coming on
I ain't happy, I'm feeling glad
I got sunshine in a bag
I'm useless but not for long
The future is coming on
It's coming on
It's coming on
It's coming on

He'd barely gotten the last words out before the booming voice continued its haunting rhymes, not even missing a beat.

The essence the basics
Without it you make it
Allow me to make this
Child-like in nature
Rhythm
You have it or you don't that's a fallacy
I'm in them
Every sprouting tree
Every child of peace
Every cloud and sea
You see with your eyes
I see destruction and demise
Corruption in disguise
From this fuckin' enterprise
Now I'm sucked into your lies
Through Russel, though not his muscles but the percussion he provides
For me as a guide
But y'all can see me now cos you don't see what you are
You perceive with your mind
That's the inner
So I'm gonna stick around with Russ and be a mentor
Bust a few rhymes so motherfuckers remember where the thought is
I brought all this
So you can survive when law is lawless
Feelings, sensations that you thought was dead
No squealing, remember....

Deathly silence rang throughout the forest, as if muteness had taken over the booming voice... but not before it whispered one last sentence.... one that struck Josh at his core.

That it's all in your head.

With that, all that Josh could hear was his heart, the insects, and the same wind as before.... he didn't know WHAT he had just heard or even if, like the voice had implied, that it'd all been in his head.. another sign that he was starting to go more and more nuts. It was mercifully that he saw the place he'd been looking for all along.....

The hut belonging to the same zebra who'd given him the necklace. Now.. he'd have a chance to maybe get some answers as to its history. As he approached the front door, he couldn't resist singing one last set of verses to himself with a slightly coy grin.

I ain't happy, I'm feeling glad
I got sunshine in a bag
I'm useless but not for long
The future is coming on
I ain't happy, I'm feeling glad
I got sunshine in a bag
I'm useless but not for long
My future is coming on
It's coming on
It's coming on
It's coming on
It's coming on
My future is coming on
It's coming on
It's coming on
My future is coming on
It's coming on
It's coming on

And as he knocked on the door, he whispered the last two words to himself...

"My future...." He couldn't help but shiver again, "Man this place is just freaky....."

It took only a few moments for the door to open and for Josh to find himself face to face with Zecora, the same zebra he'd bumped into back at the Ponyville market and the same one that had given him his gold necklace.

"Josh? What is it you are doing here?!", Zecora asked quizzically.

"Zecora.... I need to know everything... I need to know........ the story of this... this thing around my neck......."

The zebra looked down in thought before she replied. "If answers are what you seek young one, then come on in and let's get this done."

Nodding, Josh stepped into the small dwelling as Zecora pushed the door closed behind her and took a seat on the ground. He noticed the zebra's home was decorated rather eccentrically, from the large black pot in the center of the main room to the shelves of potions and herbs to even the creepy tribal masks hung on the walls. It almost felt to him like he was in the house of some sort of shaman, but he was a little embarassed to ask if she was and just watched as she took a seat on a stump and rested the bamboo walking stick she'd been holding across her lap.

"You're seeking the answers for the necklace's eye. I may not know them all, but I'll certainly try. I must first ask what brought you around. Did something happen that may seem unsound?

"You have no idea...", Josh groaned as he slipped off the chain, "Last night.. a LOT of really really freaky and unsettling stuff happening... culminating in one HELL of a nightmare... there was this spirit... it said the necklace was its home... that it was some sort of "last hope"... that without it, the Elements of Harmony would be destroyed... Zecora, is something WRONG with me!?!?"

Zecora just shook her head, placing a hoof under her chin in contemplation as thoughts swam in her mind. The silence embuing as she thought was pretty creepy and Josh was already on edge.

"Zecora? Please... just say SOMETHING!!"

Finally, she broke her silence, her voice soft and wary. "That eye you received, hanging by that golden chain, the story I was told about it I thought would never happen again."

"Zecora, what are you talking about!?"

"Remember what I said about you being the One? About how the millenia-long search was finally done? That necklace is called the Eye of the Darkness. It only can be worn by those it deems strong enough, no one less. An ancient spirit, as old as Father Time, is held inside it, the last of the bloodline. It is said whoever it chooses had the power ultimate. That whoever wields it may end up the reason for everyone's fate. Only you and I have been able to touch it, from what I've ascerned. Everypony else has been left in burns. I'm unable to wield its power, although I have tried. When I wore it, the visions it gave.... I very nearly died."

"The visions of that spirit and all those bodies? That bloody face..... the crimson?"

The zebra nodded as she continued. "The face was surreal, something satanic. Even its shadow drove me into a panic. The blood on its face, the reds of its eyes, everything about it, sanity defies. It seems only you have seen it whole, only you were chosen to help it with its goal. Now it's all on you, young little boy... With it you can help Equestria.... or in fact destroy."

Josh just blinked and looked down at the necklace stoically, tossing it up and catching it before his attention went back to the zebra in front of him. "Why didn't you tell me any of this before? Why did you let me SEE this monstrosity?!?"

"If I had just told you, you would never believe. Such an unusual tale I don't think anypony's mind would be able to conceive."

The human just sighed before he spoke again. "The last part of the nightmare... had it dissolving into this bloody puddle and seeping into my flesh.... That was it making itself at home in my body, wasn't it?"

"I'm afraid this is so. Such an experience I'll never want to know."

Josh just slipped the necklace back on before getting to his feet. "Well I hardly think this is one lesson I can exactly tell Ponyville... "Don't pick up strange items or something could corrupt your mind!" Out of millions of humans, seems like I'M the one getting chosen for these missions...."

"Whatever fate may have in store, we are helpless to argue, we can only explore."

The boy nodded, but gave a determined grin on his face. "Well if that's what led Celestia to choose me to come here... even if this whole thing sounds beyond messed up.... I might as well try to use it for good. But for now... I'm more concerned with helping AJ and Dash win this contest and.... changing the errors of the past. Thank you for your words, Zecora.. but for right now I've got somewhere I need to go....."

With that, he turned back on his sneaker and began to head out of the hut. But right as he reached the threshold, he turned back towards Zecora and spoke.

"You say it chose us? That we were able to wield its spell.... Yet to me it feels more like a tale out of Hell."

The two of them shared a knowing nod as Josh left the hut and began his trek back towards Ponyville... but as he watched Zecora begin to shut her door, he couldn't help but call out once more.

"Hey Zecora?"

The zebra stopped and looked at the teen curiously.

"Happy Sunshine? Useless Future? Guess it's up to all of us to determine for sure."

"That it is, Josh....", she thought as the teen went on his way..... "That it is..."
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As she paced around the hayloft, Rainbow Dash couldn't help but wonder, just like before, just what the teen had in mind for them to do. Tomorrow was the big day and Big Mac was giving Applejack one last heavy duty training session and something he called "Total Cleansin'". She didn't know what it was, but it sounded pretty painful. She remembered the note she'd gotten earlier that day from Josh had said he had a surprise waiting for her and Twilight had told her about an hour ago that he wanted her to wait for him inside their special sleeping area. She'd made sure to eat as much as she could as per the request on the note, to where, combined with all the eating she'd been doing over the past 2 weeks, she had gained a considerable amount of weight, but she couldn't figure out why Josh had mentioned specifically for her to do that before the night approached.

The other thing she couldn't figure out was why Hammerhead had been so willing to give Josh the time off of the Weather Patrol after his session with helping Derpy move the sun. The gruff pegasus had stopped by to check in on her and wish her good luck in tomorrow's competition, but when she asked why he hadn't gotten mad at Josh for not showing up to work, all he'd said was for her to figure it out for herself. She had a strong feeling that Derpy'd helped asked Hammerhead for the leniency, especially after the newspaper article. Either way, the big day was almost at hoof and soon her and Josh would be forced to go back onto Weather Patrol. But after all that had gone on in the past two weeks, she had to admit it would be nice to be back in charge of helping with the rain and the sun again.

She was so lost in thought that she didn't even notice the barn door opening... and it wasn't until a strong, calm voice entered her ears that she realized she wasn't alone.

"Dashie?"

Looking towards the voice, she saw Josh standing in the open threshold, the sunlight beaming down and coating him in half-shadow. As he approached, she noticed the teen looked stronger and more determined than he had in a long while, even without any sleep, almost like he'd begun to figure out the ultimate reason for Celestia selecting him to enter Equestria.

"Joshua... are you ok?"

The human just grinned and knelt down, cupping her chin gently. "As ok as one human stuck in a crazy world can be. You ready?"

"Ready?", Rainbow Dash raised an invisible eyebrow, "For what?"

"The final phase of your training... Tomorrow is the contest and since Gilda's back in Gryffindale... this is one session I'll have to do on my own with you. But I KNOW iit's one that's gonna make you very... very... happy."

"Are you sure?", Dash asked cautiously, "You've said similar things and you keep ending up getting injured horribly. You promise nothing bad will happen this time?"

Josh didn't reply with words or with a shrug, but by placing his lips onto Rainbow Dashs and pressing in tightly, wrapping his arm firm along her back. Instinctively, the pegasus did the same, sharing the kiss and pulling him in closer. In that one kiss, she felt all her worries and all her apprehension float away and when Josh broke the liplock, all she could do was look back at him blissfully.

"I promise.... C'mon... I already called for a chariot for us back home... it should be here in a few minutes."

The pegasus just nodded and let Josh lead her out into the setting sun. As they watched the large form of the elegant chariot approaching them from the sky, she grinned as a warm realization began to come over her.

"We can do this.... we WILL do this..... For Ponyville... for the Wonderbolts.... for EQUESTRIA.... we will win!!"

And as the chariot landed and the guards opened the door for them to get on, Rainbow Dash put her hoof on Josh's hand and let one more thought come over her as they got on board.....

"The note was right.... he DID come back."
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The song in the chapter is Clint Eastwood by Gorillaz from the album Gorillaz