//------------------------------//
// 8: Sparring with a Princess Part 1... 
// Story: An Equestrian Witcher 
// by OblivionShadow 
//------------------------------//

Oblivion woke up and rolled out of bed.  His hooves hit the floor and he stretched. His claws extended and the great wings on his back did as well.  He pulled his baldric on, yawned and looked around the room for a moment before his eyes found the hair tie that Applejack had given him and he had enchanted.  He used it to bind his mane and looked back to find his wings and swords hidden from view.  He laid his cloak across his back and opened the bedroom door.  He picked up the book he had finished as well and laid it across his back as well.  He walked out of the room and started down the hall.  He balanced the items in his magic as he went down the stairs.  Applejack turned around in the kitchen and jumped at his presence.  The mare smiled and went back to cooking.

“I will drop Apple Bloom off at school on my way to visit Rarity and Twilight.”  He said to her.

The mare turned back and opened her mouth to speak until she saw the thick book on his back.  She nodded and turned back to her cooking.  Oblivion set the book on top of his cloak on the kitchen floor.  He looked back as Granny Smith came down the stairs.  He turned back to the table and waited.

“Boy howdy.  We need ta put meat on ya, sonny.”  The aged mare commented.

“Granny!”  Applejack turned to scold her grandmother.

Oblivion rolled his eyes to the ceiling.  “I’m aware that I am not a thick pony Granny Smith.  I’m not built to be.”  He commented before he startled as the old mare's hoof poked him in the ribs and lower back.

“Too skinny is what ye are!”  She said as she prodded the black stallion.

He looked at Applejack who shrugged.  “Granny some ponies are built ta be light.  Oblivion happens ta be one of ‘em.”  The farm mare replied, looking at her grandmother.

Oblivion turned his head to looked t the green mare once more. “I have always been a lean pony, Granny Smith.  Keeping weight on is very difficult due to my fast metabolism and active lifestyle.”  He told the aged mare.

She appeared thoughtful with a hoof to her mouth.  He looked past her as the rest of the family came downstairs.  Mac looked at him and blinked at the sight of the thin pony.  He seemed surprised but seemed to move past it quickly.  Apple Bloom was right behind him and she stopped in her tracks at the bottom of the stairs.  She walked up to his side as orange cat eyes regarded her.

“Wow, ya need to eat more.”  She said as she looked at the Unicorn.  She heard a snort and looked over to see Mac glaring  “But as long as ya are healthy then it's fine.”  She added as she went to her chair.  She hopped up into it and waited for breakfast.

Oblivion chuckled before he looked back to Applejack, who was now looking back to her cooking.  The black pony looked outside as he waited.  ‘I need to find out if this is indeed a healthy weight for me. Being seen as unhealthy is more troublesome and I can’t wear my cloak at all times.  Despite the heat of summer seems to have no effect on me.  Perhaps Applejack or Mac can give me some insight into this.  May have to change the enchant on my mane tie to hide how I appear.  Normally I care very little what others think of my appearance but these ponies seem to be far more caring[ of others than what I am used to.  While I appreciated their care this is becoming bothersome.’  His thought were interrupted by Applejack laying a plate of pancakes on the table.  Oblivion levitated two over to his plate, put a light amount of butter on them and ate them both.  He looked up as two more were put on his plate.  He looked to see Granny Smith looking at him expectantly.

“Granny! Ya can’t expect him ta eat more just cause ya want ‘im to.”  Applejack admonished the elder mare.

The mare simply looked back to her own food. Oblivion sighed and looked to the food and levitated his fork to eat another.  He got halfway through it before he set his fork down.  He was certainly full.  Apple Bloom reached for his plate and he pushed it to her with a hoof.  The filly finished off the remainder for his portion while he waited.  When she was done she dropped off the chair and ran upstairs.

“Be right back, ah need ta get my homework.”  The filly ran up the stairs and Oblivion moved the dishes to the counter by the sink.  He laid his cloak and the book on his back and waited by the door. She came down the stairs and stood by Oblivion's hooves.  “Ah’m ready ta go. Ya gonna take me ta school, Oblivion?”

The stallion nodded and started for the door.  Apple Bloom darted past him and pushed open the door for him,  He rolled his eyes and walked through it.  They walked out of the house and started down the dirt road for the schoolhouse.  Apple Bloom looked up at him.  “Hey, Oblivion?”

The stallion looked down for a moment, signaling that he had heard her.

“Ya think ya could come to into mah class and tell a story about where yer from? Applejack and Big Mac already came into class.  All the other foals really like ya so I think it would be fun.”  She said to him.

He looked down to her.  “Wouldn’t it be better for your family to go to this event?”  He replied.

“Well Granny is gonna come to another event and mah brother and sister already did.  So ah was thinking that it would be more fun to have ya come in.  Would be differen.”

He looked at her for a moment.  “I’ll think on it.”

The filly nodded and a wide smile went across her muzzle.  They walked the rest of the way in silence.  Once they reached the schoolhouse Oblivion watched as she joined the other foals.  He waited till their instructor called them inside.  He was glad to see that his presence stopped any teasing of the filly.  Once they were all inside, after being waved to by many of the students, he turned to go toward the library and Rarity's shop.  ‘What kind of story would I even tell?  Nothing about my world is very foal friendly.  Nothing but endless battles and hatred.  I’m not a member of the family so it makes no sense for me to attend.’  He put it in the back of his mind as he walked.  He allowed himself to take in his surroundings and looked up as the tree library loomed in front of him.  He walked silently up to the door and rapped his hoof against the thick oak door.

“Just a second,”  Twilight yelled from inside.

The door opened thirty seconds later.  “Oh hey, Oblivion.  Come in.”  The purple mare backed up to allow the stallion to walk in.

“Thanks, Twilight.”  Oblivion was surprised at how easily he fell into a more relaxed form in her presence.  He walked past her and waited for her to close the door and walk past him.

“How can I help you Oblivion?”  She asked as she came to stand in front of him.

“Just returning this to you.”  His magic lifted the book and held it in front of her.

She took the book and moved it back to its place on the shelf.  “Did you want to get another one to replace it?”

“No, it’s fine.  I’ll finish the other two that I have and then get a new one.  Thanks for the offer though.”

She smiled and turned away from him.  “Oh, would you like some coffee before you go?”  She looked over her shoulder to see his response.

He smiled and nodded to the mare.  “Thank for the offer.  I’ll take you up on that.”

The mare smiled and led him into the kitchen.  They walked into the kitchen and Twilight started brewing the coffee for them.  Oblivion's magic pulled out a chair for himself and he sat down in silence.    He laid his cloak over the other chair.  He waited as the smell of coffee filled the kitchen.  When she had finished she levitated a cup to him and he took it in his hooves. He was finding that he enjoyed holding some things with his hooves.  He could feel the warmth from the cup and he let the scent go over him.  He sipped his coffee as Twilight blew on her to cool it down.

“How can you drink it immediately?  It's steaming hot.”  She asked him as she also sat down.

He gave a small smile before answering.  “Temperatures don’t have much of an effect on me.  I can tell if something is hot or cold but it doesn’t stop me.”

Twilight looked thoughtful before sipping her coffee.  “So what are your plans for the day?”

“I simply needed to drop off that book and take my cloak to Rarity’s for cleaning.  After that, I have no plans.  You?”

She nodded.  “I need to reorganize the books.  Their order is not very helpful in finding the right genre.  So Spike and I will be doing that.”

Oblivion looked up from his cup to her.  “So how are you doing after the ticket debacle?”

She looked away then back to him.  “Better.  I should have sent them back to start with but I was also worried about upsetting the Princess.  Sounds foolish I know.  Also, I never fully thanked you for your help.  If not for you things could have been worse.  Your quick action saved me quite a bit of grief.”

Oblivion shook his head.  “I simply moved things along to the correct outcome.  They would have realized their error eventually.  I simply brought it to their attention sooner.”

Twilight smiled and gave a quiet laugh. “You're too modest.  It takes a brave pony to stand up for another that quickly, especially when it’s against a friend.”

Oblivion looked back to her from his coffee cup.  “I suppose that could be true.  Though I have never had friends before, as I have mentioned.  So I was simply correcting something that I saw as unnecessary.”

Twilight nodded at his explanation. “Still, thank you.”  She sipped her coffee as he nodded to her.

“Sure.”

They fell into a comfortable silence and drank their coffee.  Oblivion finished and his magic placed the cup in the sink.  He stood up and a gasp went through the air.  He looked over to Twilight who has her hooves over her mouth.  He looked back and immediately knew what she was shocked by.  He sighed and looked back at her.  “I am quite well Twilight, despite how I look.  This is why I wear my cloak at all times.  I have always been lean due to a fast metabolism and I am an active pony.  Though I am unsure of what a pony of my size and build should weigh.”

Twilight put her hooves down and jumped off her chair.  She walked up to him and looked at the black unicorns lean body.  His ribs showed under his fur, though they were not prominent.  His hips weren’t showing and neither was his spine.  Twilight hadn’t really paid attention before but standing by him she could see just how tall and lean he really was.  His legs were long and his body length was longer than most ponies.  She had been surprised by his ribs showing plainly under his fur.  “I think seeing a doctor will be easier.”

He shook his head.  “I think not.  I’m not a fan of doctors of any sort unless I have no choice. “

Twilight shook her head.  “It will be fine.  I’ll go with you, just in case.”  He shook his head again.  Twilight put a hoof over his mouth.  “We will go to Rarity's boutique and drop that off then we can go.”

He looked blankly at her for a moment.   He stepped back to get her hoof off his mouth.  “Again no.  Besides I have no way to pay for any services.  I have not been paid yet by the Apple family.  I will not take charity either.”  Twilight's jaw clicked shut.  “I have been on my own for a very long time and, while I do not let my pride get in the way of some things, I am capable of taking care of myself.  In time maybe I will go see a doctor but I am not in any position to need their aid.”  He stated to her.

The purple Unicorn huffed for a moment before reaching out a hoof to touch his ribs.  “I understand that but still.  I know that you are healthy by your standards but looking at you.”  She paused and ran her hoof down his side.  her hoof tapped each rib easily.  “You look starved.”  She commented.  He looked back to her and snorted.  “Maybe they will let you pay later.”  She started but the stallions magic picked up the cloak and laid it over his back, hiding his ribs.  Twilight harrumphed and looked to him.  “End of conversation?”

“Yes.  While I appreciate the concern, it is unneeded.  If needed I will look into going at a later date.   But not today.”  He said as he turned to leave.

“Okay.  Sorry for trying to force it.”

“It’s fine.  I know that you were pressing out of concern.  But as Applejack has mentioned, I don’t respond well to being pushed.”  He said as he made for the door.  He heard Twilight following him and his magic opened the door.  He looked back as he started through it when he heard a giggle.

Twilight looked at him.  “Your gonna have a lot of ponies wanting to feed you.”

He suddenly started and groaned.  “Damn.  That is probably true.  But I will just keep going.  That is all I can do.”

Twilight looked to him.  “Maybe I have something you can use.”  She said as she sat down and started to try to think of some way to help him.

“Don’t worry too much over it Twilight.  A few questioning ponies won’t bother me too much.”  He amended to her.

The mare shook her head.  “Alright.  Arguing with you is pointless.  Please just know that I will help you any way I can.  Okay?”

Oblivion looked at her and his eyes showed more of a smile than crossed his muzzle as he turned away and Twilight stared after him.  He walked out and closed the door behind him.  He walked down the dirt roads of Ponyville and let his mind wander.  'While getting my body looked at is not a bad idea.  I simply do not like having another touch me.  The mares and Spike are able to because I choose to allow it.  Some strange pony is out of the question.’  

He was focused on his thoughts when a sound caught his ear and he looked up.  He had enough time to see a careening gray mare when she slammed into his right side.  He had enough time to turn his body and absorb the impact but it still sent him rolling.  He wrapped his forelegs around the mare and held her close as he rolled across the ground.  His body acted as a guard against her smaller body and the ground.  His body came to a stop when he struck what felt like a fence.

He growled as his body stopped when his back hit the fence.  He opened his eyes and looked down, between his forelegs.    The mare had her eyes tightly shut and was huddled into his chest.  “Are you all right?”  He asked her, hoping to get her attention.  The mare startled and looked up at him.  He was surprised to see yellow gold eyes that were looking in different directions.  One looked at him the other was askew.  She was a gray Pegasus mare.  She had a pair of saddlebags on her barrel.

“Wow.  I’m so sorry.  I’m fine.”  She got up when he released her from his forelegs.

Several ponies had come over and Oblivion pulled himself to his hooves.  He stifled a groan as his body complained about his movement.  He could feel that he had been injured but he kept it to himself.  He looked back the way he had slid and his cloak laid on the ground a few feet away.  The mare who had hit him looked sheepishly in his direction.

“Are you okay?  I know I hit you pretty hard.  I was flying and I am behind in my deliveries so I was trying to hurry.  But I forgot that I can’t fly fast and stay in control.  Especially since I can’t see straight.”  She scuffed the ground with a hoof and looked back to him.

“I’m fine, Miss..”

“Oh I’m Ditzy Doo, but everypony calls me Derpy.  You can call me that as well.”  She said with a smile.

Oblivion raised his head. “I am Oblivion Shadow.  It's nice to meet you Miss Ditzy.  Though I do wish the greeting had been less...bruising.”  He responded.

The mare giggled at him and nodded.  He looked up and saw several pieces of paper laying on the ground.  The Unicorn picked them up in his magic after seeing her groan at them.  He put them in front of her and she gave a delighted noise as she put them back in her bags.

“That was so nice of you.  Thank you for picking them up.  It would have taken a long time for me to get them.  Are you sure your okay?”  She asked as she lifted into the air.

“I’m fine.  Don’t worry about it.”  He replied and waved a hoof at her.  She took off into the air and he looked to the fence he had rolled into.  It was bent back and he sighed as he put a hoof on it and pulled it back into place.  For him, it required no effort to put back in place.  Though for any other pony it would have been difficult.  His magic put his cloak back over his back and he started to leave the crowd of ponies who were starting to disburse.  He winced as he stepped forward.  His right hind leg sent a bolt of pain through him.  He stopped and put his hoof down.  The pain went through him again.  He forced it down and walked on it anyway.   The last thing he wanted was the crowd to know that the little mare had indeed hurt him beyond a few bruises.  He had reason to believe that he had sprained his fetlock and the shooting pain told him he was most likely right.

He neared Rarity’s shop and it was becoming more and more difficult not to limp.  Pain tore at him and the black pony finally reached the boutique doors.  His magic pushed them open and he walked slowly inside.

“One moment, please.”

He heard Rarity’s voice in the other room.  He took the weight off his injured leg and waited.  The pain dulled as it rested.  He waited until he heard hooves coming from the doorway.  He looked over to see Rarity stop in the doorway.

“By the Goddess darling, what happened to you?”  She walked toward him with purpose.

He looked at himself and saw that he was covered in dirt.  He cringed at the state of his coat and looked back to her with a sigh.  “I was on my way here to see if I could wash my cloak here when I was bowled over by Ditzy Doo.  I was able to protect her from hitting the ground but I seem, to have taken the brunt of it.”  He replied.

“Oh, that was so kind of you dear.  Though your lovely black coat is now a light brown.  Of course, we can wash your cloak, darling.  Bring it over here and we shall get it in the washer.”  The white mare turned to lead him.

Oblivion cringed as he put his hoof down.  He gave a quiet hiss of pain but followed the mare anyway.  He gave her his cloak when she stopped in front of 2 metal boxes.  She opened one and after using a couple of the dials it growled to life and she put the cloth inside it.  The stallion stared at it before composing himself before she turned back to him.

“Now to get you cleaned up.  You can use my bath, darling.”  She said to him.

“It's fine Rarity.  I’ll clean up when I get back to the farmhouse.”  He shook his head and started to say more when she stared at him.  “I’m built lean.  I’m supped to look like this.”  He didn’t have to wait for her to say anything to know what she would say.

“Oh.  Well then never mind. But really darling, you should clean up.”  She tried to convince him with a wave of her hoof.

He inhaled then looked to the white Unicorn. “I do appreciate the consideration, Rarity.  But I don’t wish to get in the way of your business.  Thank you again for washing that.  When should I pick it up?”

“Oh.  Tomorrow morning is fine dear.  I’ll have it clean and pressed for you.”  She finally seemed to accept that he was not going to wash off there, but her smile returned after a moment.

“What do I owe you for the washing?”

She waved a hoof dismissively at his inquiry.  “Oh please darling.  As simple clean is nothing.  Although.”  She gazed at him for a moment.

‘Oh no.  I’m not liking that look.’  He thought about trying to bolt, but his hind leg chose that moment to remind him that running away was out of the question.

The mare had a light go off around her before she whirled around and trotted off.  “One-moment dear.”  She called out in a sing-song voice.

Oblivion couldn’t stop the groan that escaped his throat.  His body was bruised and his fetlock was starting to throb.  But this mare was doing him a favor so he was honor-bound to wait.  He stood silently with his right hind leg cocked to keep his weight off it.  He knew it needed to be elevated but he didn’t have that luxury.  It would not be the first time he had moved on an injured leg.  Rarity came back into the room with several rolls of fabric.

“Don’t look so unsure, darling.  I just need your help with some colors.  Your mane is the most wonderful silver, white I have ever seen.  I would like to put some colors next to it to see what complements it best.  Is that all right?”

He nodded after letting her finish speaking.  The Unicorn sat down slowly and waited for her to finish putting fabric by his mane.  He held still so as not to upset the mares concentration.  She put various blues, reds, purples, and even a few greens by his long mane.  Though she cringed at some of the ideas, most seemed to please her.  “Thank you so much, darling.  I now have just the right ideas for what goes well with that type of coloring.  You are a dear to hold so still for me.”  She smiled as she put the fabric back in the other room.

Oblivion stood up carefully while her back was turned.  She looked back to him and saw him pivot on his left hind leg to turn around.  “Thank you again for your aid, Rarity.  It is appreciated.”  He said as his magic opened the door.  He walked out the door as the mare followed him.

“Of course, darling.  You go back and enjoy a nice bath.  Being rolled across the ground would leave a few bruises I’m sure.”  She waved at him when he nodded and closed the door to the shop.

Oblivion walked slowly back to the farm.  His leg was beginning to threaten to go out from under him.  Once he was out of the immediate sight of ponies he allowed himself to limp heavily.  He could feel that his body had several other spots that he knew would bruise.  Those would heal in a few hours.  He was more concerned with his leg than the rest of his body.  The fact that the pain was not fading was concerning.  He got to the front gate of the farm and started walking normally on his leg, whether his body liked it or not.  He heard Applejack and Big Mac in the barn and curiosity made him walk over to poke his head inside.

“Big Mac, ah know she did ask im’.  Told me she would.  When he gets back we should find out.”  Applejack was saying to her elder brother.

Mac nodded and then looked over her shoulder.  His eyes connected with Oblivion's, who gave him a look that could only be described as full of mischief.  Mac looked back to Applejack so she wouldn’t get suspicious.

Oblivion walked slowly up behind him and when he was a couple of feet away from her he stopped.  He inhaled and let out a vicious snarl at the orange mare.

“Augh!”  Applejack screamed and jumped away.

She ended up behind her brother as he laughed, clutching his belly.  Oblivion straightened up and gave the mare a smug grin.  She blinked at him for a moment before she recovered.

“Oblivion Shadow!  How in tarnation could ya do that ta me?  Ah have heard ya growl before but, by Celestia, what was tha?”  She hollered at him.

The black stallion continued looking smug as he cocked one leg.  “That was a snarl.  A very loud one.”  He quipped back to her.

She glared as she kept hiding behind Big Mac.  The red stallion finally stopped laughing and smiled at the Black Unicorn.  “That was a sight ta behold.  Ah’ve never seen Applejack jump that high afore.”  He chuckled as he held up a hoof to the Unicorn.

Oblivion looked at his hoof then back to Mac, who seemed to understand.  “Hold up yer hoof like this.”  He instructed.  Oblivion did as instructed and Big Mac bumped his hoof against it.  “Th’s a hoof bump.  It's done between good friends when they are complimentin’ the other.”

Oblivion looked surprised before he nodded.  “Interesting.  So I’m going to assume you were speaking about me.”  He looked to find Mac nodded.  Oblivion waved a hoof as he waited.

Applejack came out from behind Big Mac.  “Apple Bloom was gonna ask ya bout talking to her class.”

Oblivion nodded.  “She did.  Though I am not sure why.  I’m not family and this seems to be something a family member should do.”  He said to the siblings and then waited for the response.

“Y'all are family, ya crazy Unicorn.”  They heard Granny Smith yell out from the rafter above them.

Oblivion had known she was there but still jumped at her yell.  Her accent had her drawing out syllables but she was still able to be understood.  He stared up at the rafters at her statement. “I’m not from this area nor am I an earth pony.”  He replied, loud enough for the other mare to hear.  “I also do not have an apple in my name.”

Big Mac laughed and walked up to Oblivion.  He patted the Unicorn on the shoulder.  “Don’t matter what ya are or what yer name is.  Ya'll’re family.  Which is why Apple Bloom asked ya.  Yer another older brother to her.”  The red farmer said to him through his laughter.

Oblivion stared at them.  ‘What?  That makes no sense.  How can they call me a part of their family when I have nothing to do with their lineage or anything of the sort.’  He looked to Applejack, who nodded.

“Well older brother.  He’s older than ya are Big Mac.”  Applejack tossed in.

Oblivion glared at her from the corner of his eye.  Big Mac looked a bit startled but didn’t say anything in question.  Oblivion simply looked at them  His mind swam.  He surprised himself when he backed up a step.  Applejack was the first to figure out that the Unicorn was about to bolt.

“Easy pardner.  Ah know its a lotta think of.”  She tried to soother him.

Mac was next to him when he realized that the black pony was not taking their comments well.  “It’s all righ’  Ya don’t need to worry.”

Their attempts at calming him fell on deaf ears.  Oblivion looked at them and backed up another step.  He was about to run when his right hind gave out on him.  With a yelp, he collapsed to the barn floor.   He tried to focus his vision on them, searching for any deception, he found none.  The colors coming from them held no deception.  He suddenly felt a sharp pain on the back of his head.

“Calm down now!”

He looked over to find that Granny Smith had hit him in the back of the head.  He looked at her for a moment before he forced himself to calm.  He forced the pain and all other emotions out of his mind and focused on what he had been told.  Granny Smith walked in front of him and regarded him before speaking again.

“Ah can tell that ya haven’t had family in yer life.”  His eyes snapped to her, giving her all the answers she had needed.  “Well, ya have one now.  Ah, don’t expect ya to change yer name or what ya are.  A family isn’t just blood, it’s the bonds ya make.  Ya became a part of this family when ya started ta help Apple Bloom ta become a better pony.  Ya also defended her when other foals made fun o’ her.  Only a family member goes oughta the way ta help.  Ya taught her many things.  She looks up ta ya.  Ah, don’t think she even knows she does.  So ya are a good pony, a strong Unicorn, and a good brother.”  The old mare wrapped her thin forelegs around his neck as she held him close.

Oblivion stiffened at the contact.  His eyes traveled to the orange and red ponies.  Big Mac put his hoof out and smiled at the Unicorn.  Oblivion blinked but then slumped against the old mare.  He raised his hoof and bumped it against Big Macs.  The red stallion smiled widely and watched his sister walk up to him next.  Oblivion let his hoof fall to the ground.  Applejack sat down and wrapped her hooves around him also.  Oblivion had let his head fall onto Granny Smith’s shoulder.  But as an afterthought, he raised it back up when he thought of how old the mare was.  They both let him go and Big Mac pulled him to his hooves.

“Ya understand now?”  Granny Smith said to him.

He looked at the old mare and nodded slowly to her.  His ears perked when he heard galloping.  “Somepony’s coming.”

Applejack nodded and walked out in front of the barn.  “Twilight?  What can I do ya for?”

“Is Oblivion here?”  The Unicorn asked.

“Yeah, he’s in the barn with the others.  Come on.”  Applejack led the purple mare inside.

She looked to Oblivion, clear concern in her eyes.  “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, why?”  He answered her.

“I heard that you got knocked off your hooves and into a fence.  I heard about it from Derpy.  She delivered a letter to me and mentioned that she ran into a stallion in the square.  That he held onto her to prevent her from getting hurt and was rolled into a metal fence.  You can’t be all right.”  The mare walked up to him.

“I’m a bit bruised, but nothing dire Twilight.  I barely hit the fence and I feel fine.”  He amended to the worried mare.

The mare narrowed her eyes.  “I asked about the fence.  You put it back in place after it nearly bent over.  Barely hit it?”

Oblivion looked at her and thought about it.  “Hmm, didn’t feel like I hit it very hard.  My back doesn’t hurt so I didn’t think of it. If I damage something I will fix it.”  He started to explain.

“It was an inch thick metal and you pulled it back into place like it was nothing.  No pony can do that.”  Twilight yelled at him.

Applejack stepped forward.  “Twilight.  Most ponies aren’t his size.  He has more strength than some ponies.”

Twilight looked at her and nodded. “Okay, that I can believe.”  She said and stepped back.  “But still, how can you be thrown off your hooves, roll across the plaza, and hit a fence without getting hurt?”

“I did get bruised up but other than that I’m fine.”  He told the mare.

Applejack looked at him.  “So that’s why yer all covered in dirt.”

He nodded.  “Yes.”

Applejack looked at them all before she stepped forward.  “Well, he says he’s okay and ah believe him.  Ah, need to go pick up Apple Bloom.  Oblivion, ya can rest up since ya took a heavy tumble.  Yer gonna be sore tomorrow.”  She said and patted him on the shoulder before leaving the barn.

Granny Smith and Big Mac also walked out of the barn.  Twilight looked back to him.  “I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean to sound angry.  I was just worried that you had been hurt.  I’m glad to see that you're okay.  A bit dirty and bruised, but otherwise okay.”  She smiled.

He shook his head.  “It’s fine.  You were concerned that's all.  I appreciate your concern.  Thank you for that.”  He assured her, even as his leg throbbed.

The mare smiled and turned to leave.  He watched her leave, when the Unicorn was certain that nopony would walk into the barn, only then did he allow himself to look back at the injured leg.  He could see that it was starting to swell a bit and he cursed under his breath before deciding to just lay down and let it sit.  He forced it to hold him as he walked over to the same tree that he liked to sit under and he slid to the ground.  He watched as Granny sat in her rocking chair on the porch and Big Mac went into one of the orchards.  He laid his head down on the ground and closed his eyes.  

‘Family huh?  Not even sure how to approach that subject.  I’ll just keep going as I normally do for now.  I need to start paying attention.  There is no way I would have been hit by that mare normally.  I need to refocus.  Perhaps I should start my swordsmanship again and use that to work off stress.  Used to have to do that but not recently.  Though my being there did stop that mare from being injured.  But I may have crippled myself for my sparring match with Luna.  Gods that's the day after tomorrow.  I need to let my leg heal or it won’t be much of a fight.  That brings up whether I should mention it to the others or not.  Maybe I’ll send Apple Bloom to get my cloak.  No, that's ridiculous.  She’s a filly, not a messenger.’  

He let his mind slip in a meditative state and listen to everything around him.   After a half-hour, he heard Apple Bloom come running through the front gate.  Her hooves drew nearer to him and he opened one eye a slit and saw her screech to a halt a few feet away and walk slowly up to him. When she stopped a foot away from and start to open her mouth he opened his eyes.  She startled but didn’t say anything for a moment.

“Applejack said ya got thrown around in town.  Are ya all right?”  She asked.  He raised his head from the ground and nodded to her.  “Ya'll are gonna be sore later. I’ll get a bath ready for ya.  Yer gonna need it.”  She said and turned and ran off before he could say anything.

He rolled his eyes and lowered his head back to the ground.  Applejack walked over to him and sat down by him.  She reached out and laid a hoof on his mane.  He managed not to cringe when she found a bruise.

“Ya'll haven’t answered her yet about talking to her class.”

“No, I haven’t.  What story would I tell a class of foals?  Nothing I have is very...kind to hear.  My homeland is not a nice place.  This place is very calm and quiet.  Mine is often covered in blood and war.  That’s not exactly a tale to pass on.”  He said to her from his place on the ground.

Applejack looked thoughtful for a moment before responding.  “What about that story ya told me?  Bout the troll ya helped.”

He looked up at her.  “The one I was paid to send on its way?”

“Maybe leave tha’ part out.”

He chuckled and looked ahead of him.  “Maybe.  I haven’t decided if it’s a good idea or not to even entertain the idea.”

“Those foals really like ya.  They were all out in front by the gate when ah got there, waiting.  I showed up, instead of ya'll, and they all left.  Ah, think they were waiting fer ya.”

“Why in the Hells, would they do that?  I have never picked her up in the afternoon.”  He raised his head to look at her.

“They like ya.  Ya stood up for ‘em.  Even though ah don’t think ya really meant to.”

“Yeah, it was not intentional.”  He agreed.

“Still ya are a good pony and they know that.  Ya have good judgment and solid character.  We can see it.  So can they.”  She stood up and patted his shoulder.  He winced and gave a low hiss.  “Sorry.”  She apologized before walking away from him.

He closed his eyes and laid in silence.  The door to the house swung open. “Oblivion!  It's ready!”  Apple Bloom yelled from the door.

He looked sideways at Applejack who hid a smile behind her hoof.  He pulled himself up to his hooves.  He managed not to use his right hind leg and was on his hooves in a moment.  The filly ran past him to Applejack and he could hear her asking about his chores.  The Witcher walked inside and got to the bottom of the stairs.  He looked up them and then looked around.  There was nopony else in the house so he went up the stairs on three legs.  He limped into the bathroom and closed the door.  He released his mane from the tie that held it and looked into the mirror.  He was even filthier than he had thought.  The dirt seemed to cake every piece of fur on his body.   His baldric was removed from his back and he let it lean against the counter. 

The stallion started to look away when his eyes widened.  He looked back to find that his left-wing had been torn.  The tear was close to the joint he could see that the feathers had been pulled away and the skin had ripped as well.  He stared at it and moved the wing itself.  He moved it slowly but that didn’t stop the pain from tearing through the extremity.  His teeth clenched and he bit back a yell.  He looked at it as blood slowly seeped from the wound.  His horn lit up and his saddlebags appeared on the counter beside him.  He opened the right one and his magic found his wound kit.  He opened the small container and laid the items on the counter.  He looked back to the bath and decided to clean it out with hot water then tend to it further.

He stepped carefully into the water and let his right hind sit in the water for a moment before he lowered himself into the hot water.  His wing stayed above the water till he was ready to lower it in.  After a few minutes, he slowly lowered the extremity into the water and hissed when it began to sting.  It stayed submerged and then he laid his head down as well.  He kept the wing under the water and the water slowly turned a light brown and had a tinge of red as well.  The wing was brought out of the water for him to look at and possibly see the extent of the damage.  The gash in it was around two to three inches long and one inch deep.  He figured that he had landed on it and it had scraped across the ground which had resulted in the injury.  

He carefully removed the broken feathers and incinerated them in his flame.  He lowered it back into the water and let it soak.  He turned his attention to his right hind leg and looked at it to make sure that it had no weight on it and was soaking as well.  The Unicorn laid his head back down and let his body relax.  ‘One nice thing about this world is that I can relax without being concerned about where I am and if I'm going to be ambushed.  Well, I might still be ambushed by a certain pink pony but that I can deal with.’  He amended, a small smile played across his muzzle.  He shook his head and picked up the soap with magic.  He cleaned his mane and the fur that he was able to reach above the water.  He would worry about the rest in a few minutes.  His head lowered again and he put himself into a meditative state while his bruised body relaxed.

“Oblivion!  Did ya fall asleep?”

The Unicorn startled out of his trance and looked to the door.  He recognized Applejack's voice as the one outside the door.  He stood up slowly while keeping his leg up and his wing against him.  The water was still warm but he could tell that it was cooling.  ‘Did I fall asleep?’  There was no further pounding on the door and he heard AJ chuckle as she walked away.  He used the soap to wash the rest of his fur and tail.  He washed off his right-wing and then looked to the left.  It was no longer bleeding so he chose not to use soap on it.  He dried himself off and hopped out of the tub.  His flames finished drying him completely.  He drained it and used his magic to clean the dirt from it.  His magic picked up a potion that he knew would clean the wound and burn the vessels inside of it closed to prevent bleeding.  He held the vial over the wound and inhaled.  He held his breath as he poured the contents of the vial into the wound.  His head went to his chest as he cringed.  He could hear the wound hissing as the contents cleaned and burned the wound.  When it finished he released the breath he had been holding and put the vial back into his saddlebag.  He looked back to the wound and found it to be clean and ready to be bandaged.  He pulled a short strip of fabric out of the bag and packed it into the wound to protect and keep it clean.  He finished that, then pulled a long strip from his bag and wrapped it around the wing to prevent it from being stretched out and another strip tied the injured wing to his barrel and prevented it from moving entirely.  Any movement could pull open the wound.  

Once he had finished tending to his wound he put the kit back into his bag and sent it back to its place in his room.  The vial of medicine would replenish on its own.  He hoped.  It did in his world but he wasn’t so sure about this one.  His magic held the tie in its hold and he replaced it to hide his wings.  He looked down at his baldric and then to his back.  The swords would be sitting a bit awkwardly on his back due to the binding on his wing.  He sighed and laid them across his back without wearing it.  He opened the door and, to avoid walking on his leg, teleported to his room.

The Unicorn set his swords under the blanket by the window but kept his hair tied back.  ‘Should I go down for dinner with them?’  After a moment he shook his head.  ‘No.  I am not hungry and walking on an injured leg will only make the injury worse and cause it to last longer.  I will simply stay up here, elevate it as best I can and read.  This way I can relax both that leg and my wing as well.’  His magic pulled the blanket back and he slid underneath it.  He used the pillow to elevate his leg slightly and his wing hung in its sling against his side.  He picked up one of the books he had and started reading about Equestria’s history as he tried to let himself heal.  He opened the door once he was certain that he was situated.  He opened the book and propped it on a corner of the blanket.

“Oblivion!”  Applejack yelled up the stairs.

A deep sigh escaped him.  “Yes?”

He heard hooves coming up the stairs, so he waited.  Applejack peeked past his door and regarded him.  “Y'all alright?”

He nodded to her and looked down to his book.  He didn’t hear her leave so he looked back up to the mares green eyes.

“Ya sure?  Ya were in the bath for a while.”

“Just soaking.  I figured that would help with any soreness.”

She nodded as she listened.  “That makes sense.  Ah’ll take Apple Bloom ta school in the mornin.  Ya just take it easy… What?”

“I’m fine AJ.  I’ll uphold what I said to her and walk her there.”

“Have ya decided ta talk to her class yet?”  She waited for his response.  He looked away in reply.  “Ah thought not.  Ya need to figure it out fer her.  Since yer all settled into yer bed ah assume yer staying up here.”

“That is my plan, yes.”  He answered.  He shifted slightly, making sure his wing was not moved.

“All right.  Enjoy yer quiet afternoon.  Oh, wait a minute.”  She kicked the door closed behind her.  “Did ya hurt yerself in that fall today?  Ya rolled over the ground.  How are yer wings?”

Oblivion looked at her.  He shrugged and used his magic to lift the blanket.  Applejack stared at the bandage around the left wing and how it was held against his side by another bandage.

“It's a slight cut.  Nothing extreme.  If any of my past injuries are to compare it should heal in two to four days.”  He said to her and covered the wing up once more.

“Is that why ya took longer in the bath?  Getting that cleaned up?”  The stallion nodded in response.  “Well ah’m glad it will heal but are ya sure ya can’t get it looked at?”

Oblivion barked out a laugh.  “Like who?”

Applejack balked at the question.  “Um.  Well, what about Princess Luna?  Yer gonna be meetin’ with her day after tomorrow.  She’s an Alicorn as well so she could help.”

Oblivion shook his head.  “It will be fine, AJ.  Just give it a couple of days to close up and it will be fine.  As long as I don’t extend the wing for a couple of days it will be fine.  The cut is minor.”  Applejack looked unsure as she regarded him.  “I can remove the bandage for you to check on it if you wish.”

Applejack started and then thought about it.  “If it won’t hurt ya then ah would like to check on it.  If ya don’t mind it too much.”

Oblivion shifted and his magic removed the wrap around his girth and laid on the bed beside him.  The Unicorn unwrapped the bandage holding the wing bunched together.  He laid it to the side as well.  Applejack leaned forward and pulled the gauze gently from the wound.  She hissed at the wound and looked to him.

“That's not a small cut pardner.”

“It is to me.  I’m used to much worse.”  The Witcher informed her.  He left the packed bandage out and instead wrapped the wing tight enough to prevent it from moving but not enough to restrict blood flow.  He wrapped the girth bandage around the wing once to hold it in place.  He tied it back around his girth and kept it in place.  He settled back onto the bed and pulled the quilt back up over himself.  Applejack regarded him still.  “Yes?”

“What kinda place are ya from where injuries like that are normal?”

“Normal is the wrong word, AJ.  I mean that it's not abnormal for injuries from a fight to be worse if I am careless enough to let them happen.  Normally, I can come out of a fight unscathed aside from being tired.”  The Witcher amended.  “Does not mean I like them just means I don’t give them  much thought unless they are dire.”

Applejack looked to him for a moment before she walked back to the door.  “Ah understand.  But ya are here now and have ponies that care bout ya.  Try not to get yerself hurt, but if ya do, it’s not bad ta say somethin.” She opened the door and walked out of it.  She left the door open behind her.

‘Its not that I don’t think you all care.  It’s more that I don’t like to have a fuss made over me.’  He looked back to his book and pushed thoughts of telling them he was injured from his mind.  He listened to them downstairs with one ear while he read the history book in front of him with interest.  History had always been of interest to him.  So reading about the history of the world he found himself in was a good way to use his time.

“Ah’m gonna go talk to ‘im.”  He heard Apple Bloom say as she started across the floor.  He could hear her small hooves on the kitchen floor and onto the stairs.

She came down the hall and walked up to his room.  She rapped her hoof on the door jam and waited.

“Yes, Apple Bloom?”

“Can ah come in?”  She asked.  Her voice sounded quieter than normal to his ears.

“Of course.”  The Unicorn replied and looked up from his book, waiting for the filly.

She walked in and looked to him.  “Ya got hurt in town.  Are ya okay?”

“I’m fine.”

“Are ya sure?”

He looked to her, as she swirled a forehoof on the rug.

“I’m certain.  Why?”

“Just, it sounded like it really hurt.”  She didn't look up at him.

Oblivion gave a quiet sigh and reached down to the filly.  He put a hoof under her chin and forced her to look up at him.  “Its nothing, little one.  Nothing that won’t fade in time.  Why are you so insistent?”

She looked at him and put her hoof on his.  “Can I get up on yer bed for a sec?”

He gave her a strange look and used his magic to pick her up and set her onto the bed.  She walked across the quilt until she was in front of him.  She sat down and reached out to his fur.  “Ah was just worried.  Ya don’t say anything if yer tired or anything.  So Ah, was afraid ya weren’t telling us if ya were hurt.”  She wasn’t looking up at him or she would have seen surprise go across his face.

“You're very perceptive for a little filly.”  He said to her and used his hoof to raise her head again.

She looked at him then pulled away from him.  “So ah’m right.”  She looked up at him, he could see that she was hurt, but there was also anger.  “Ya don’t like us.”  She had tears in her eyes as Oblivion started.

‘What makes her think that?’  “What in the Hells gave you that idea?”  He asked her, but she was about to jump off his bed when his magic held her.  “We are not done talking little filly.”  He said as he set her back down in front of him.  “I will ask again.  What makes you think that I do not like any of you?”

“Ya don’t talk to us.  Ah, know yer not fine after getting hit by Derpy.  Any other pony would have needed ta see a doctor.  But ya keep sayin’ yer okay.”

She stopped when he barked a laugh and chuckled.  He raised a hoof and ruffled the fillies mane.  “That has nothing to do with liking any of you.  I am fine with all of you.  I would not offer my help if I did not feel comfortable with you as a family.  All of you are very kind ponies and that is shown by all of you accepting a strange pony into your midst without questioning him.  That speaks of a very strong, giving family.  Just because I do not mention every bruise does not mean that I do not acknowledge all of you.  Do you understand?”

She nodded and looked at him.  He gave her a small smile and was about to put her down when he sighed.  “What time do I need to be at your school?”

Her face brightened and she jumped forward to hold onto the fur of his chest.  He looked at the ceiling before he rubbed the fillies back with his hoof.  “Thank ya so much Oblivion.  The other ponies will be so happy that yer coming to talk.  Ya can talk about anything from where ya are from.  Ah’ll tell Miss Cheerilee that ya are coming.  Its the end of the week.  Ah’ll find out what time fer ya.”  She said, her excitement was obvious.  Her spirit was bright and happy.

He nodded to her and set her down on the floor with his magic.  She ran out the door and headed for her siblings and grandmother at the kitchen table.  He sighed and looked back at his book.  ‘Blast, why do I always give in when children are involved?’  

He hung his head for a moment before going back to the paragraph he had left off.  The sun began to set and he set his book aside.  His fetlock had stopped throbbing and he moved the pillow back up to his head and he laid down on it.  His magic closed the door.  He knew that if he left it open Applejack would come up the stairs to gloat over him for caving in.  He laid in the growing darkness and looked to his right.  His swords poked out from under the blanket and he was suddenly very glad that they had been hidden behind him when the filly was on his bed.  Explaining that would possibly have been disastrous.  His eyes closed and he fell into a dreamless sleep.





A rooster crowed and Oblivion started in his bed.  He looked out the window and glared.  ‘That bird is going to end up as a side dish if he doesn’t shut it.’  His magic opened the door to prevent Applejack from using a pan to wake him.  She hadn’t done it yet but it was a matter of time.  He pulled his head up and moved his body to get off the bed.  His mane was still in the binding from the night before, he had forgotten to pull it out.  He pulled his swords on as he moved slowly.  The stallion stopped as the pulled muscles from the day before acted up.  He hissed and his head went down.  He paused and then got completely out of bed.  All four hooves hit the ground and he was unable to stop the cry of pain that tore from him.  His right hind fetlock pounded and he nearly buckled under it.  He looked back and saw that his fetlock was badly swollen and it throbbed.  He gave a low pant before looking up to find Apple Bloom in the doorway.  She stared at him before she inhaled.

“No Apple...”  He started to stop her.

“Applejack!”  She yelled.

“Damn.”  Was Oblivion's response.  He listened and he heard hooves trotting down the hall.

“Apple Bloom, what in tarnation has ya yelling this early..in the...morn?”  Applejack looked at him and she no doubt saw that he was three legged.  “What’s wrong?”

“It's nothing.  It's just..” He tried to explain.

“Ah heard him cry out and I checked in on ‘im and he can’t put that hoof down and it’s really swollen and I think it hurts and.”  Her mouth was clamped shut by a circle of azure flame from an annoyed Unicorn.

“It's not that bad.  I yelped out of surprise.”  He started once more.

“Whoa, Nelly.  Tha’ looks more painful than sitting on a beehive.”  Granny Smith walked up to the door.  “Ya’ll hurt yer leg yesterday, didn’t ya?  Probably got worse overnight.”

He sighed and looked away from them.  “It's fine.  I am still able to stand so there is no issue.”

Big Mac walked up and stood beside his grandmother.  “Y'all didn’t mention that last nigh’.  That's why ya fell on yer rump yesterday in the barn.”

Oblivion gave a loud snort to silence them.  “Yes, I did not mention it because it did not need to be spoken of.  I have walked on worse.  I am perfectly capable.”  He clamped all their mouths shut and continued.  “of doing things on my own.  There are plenty of things I can do by standing in one spot.  I do not need to be coddled like a newborn.  I appreciate the concern but I am fine.”  He said with finality.  As if to demonstrate he walked forward.  He couldn't stop himself from limping but he walked with it anyway.  He went down the stairs and outside.  The Unicorn went over to his preferred tree and stood under it.  He didn’t listen to the conversation inside.  He looked away and laid down under the tall tree.  His fetlock throbbed, he chose to ignore it.  His good sense told him that he had overreacted and he knew that he did.  He was unused to having overs lookout for him.  

‘I can understand their concern but they need to understand that I have never needed to be tended to.  It’s not in my nature to buckle under the requests of others.  Apple Bloom is the exception at this moment. But that is beside the point.’  His thought was interrupted by Applejack coming out the door.

She looked around and found him laying under the tree.  She walked over to him and sat down beside him.  “Sorry bout that.  Ah was surprised is all.  Ah, keep fergettin’ that where ya are from ya are alone.  Ah’m sorry about the fuss.  But we were all a bit shocked ta see that ya were in pain.  Ah, know ya are hiding it from us so we don’t worry.”  She looked at him.

He didn’t look back at her.  He looked straight ahead and said nothing in reply.

“But like granny said ya are family.  As yer adopted family it’s our job ta worry and fret over ya.  Ya would do the same over us right?”  He looked to the ground in a silent reply.  “Ah thought so.  Ya stepped in ta help Twilight when the rest o’ us were acting like fools, ya help Apple Bloom, Mac and I, and just yesterday ya protected Derpy from getting hurt.  Ya protected her so she didn't have a bit o’ dust on ‘er.  And here ya are the one that got hurt.  Ya tore yer wing and hurt yer leg, instead of her.”

Oblivion looked away from her as her words hit him.  He knew that she was speaking truthfully.  ‘Damned Element of Honesty."  “I simply do not wish to be at the center of a lot of fuss.  It’s unneeded.”

“It is needed.  Ya are hurt.  Don’t think ah didn’t see ya hurtin’ when ya went down the stairs.  Ya can’t put a lot o’ weight on it.  Ah’m not trying to argue wit’ ya.  But ya need ta realize that ya are apart o’ this family.  And this family is worried bout ya.”

He looked back to her for a moment before looking away again.  The Witcher looked over into the orchard and sighed.  “I am well aware that you care AJ.  It's simply not normal for me.  I spend a season at Kaer Morhen then I am away from the others.  Sometimes I don’t go back to the keep for the winter.  Occasionally I am alone for years on end.  As I have mentioned I’m not a young stallion despite my appearance.  Once again asking me to change a century worth of habits and thoughts are not going to help you.”

Applejack looked away from him.  “Ah know.  But ya need ta realize that we consider ya close to our hearts.  Ah know that's not how ya think o’ us and that’s fine.  But we can’t help but worry.  Especially when we know ya are hurtin’.  So ah am asking ya ta let us help, a little bit.”  She said to him and set a hoof gently on his mane.

“Very well.  But I am not going to be coddled.  I can still take her to school.”  He clamped her jaw shut again.  “and I can teleport back.”  She nodded and he let go of her mouth.  “I will lay quietly as a compromise, but I would prefer to be outside.  If I am asked to do something close by then I will do so.”  He kept the clamp in place when she shook her head.  “I will accomplish it with magic.  Therefore I will not have to stand up or move.”  He released the magic when she nodded in agreement.  “Argue without listening to me again and I will put that back on and leave it.”  She smiled at him.

“Okay, that sounds fair ta me.  But could ya teleport Apple Bloom ta school?”  She asked him.

“I haven’t teleported anyone before.  I would rather not test it out on a filly.”

“Good point.  Ah’ll let the others know the plan and when ya get back we will set ya up out under this tree ya seem ta like and will have an ice pack ready.”  She said as she stood up.  She patted his shoulder and then pulled away when he growled.  “Sorry.  Forgot ya bruised yer shoulder.”

“That's not a bruise.  I pulled it when I turned to catch that mare.  Same with my leg and a few other muscles.  I need to start practicing again so I can move easier.  I’ve gotten lax with it.  My instructors would tan my hide if they saw me now.”  He replied with a wry smile.

She patted his foreleg and walked inside.  Oblivion sat in silence as he laid his head on the ground.  He reached out with his sense and worked with that.  With his eyes closed, he was working on using his Spirit Sight to find specific ponies.  He could easily find the other Element bearers but another pony was proving more difficult.  His ears perked as time passed he could hear a dog panting by the barn, birds in one of the farther orchards, and a beaver by Fluttershy’s home.  His ears flicked in various directions as he listened.  He started when the house door slammed.  He looked up as Apple Bloom ran over to him.

“You shouldn’t slam the door, little one.”  He said as he got to his hooves.  The filly looked sheepish and shrugged.  “Ready to go?”

She nodded and walked with him.  He had a limp but, walked at his usual pace.  Apple Bloom tried to slow him down but he looked to her and she gave up.  “Are ya sure, ya can walk all the way?”

“Would you rather I teleported and left you to catch up?

“Well no but… oh.”

Oblivion gave a slight smile as he walked ahead of her.  She loped to catch up with the black stallion and pulled up next to him.  Even limping his stride was still fast enough to make her occasionally trot.  “Please slow down.  Ah, don’t want ya to hurt anymore.” She finally cried at him.

Oblivion stopped and turned to her.  The Unicorn sighed and nodded.  He slowed his stride and she noticed that his limp grew more pronounced.  They reached the school and he pulled up next to the gate and opened it for her to go through.  She hugged his leg and trotted inside.  She suddenly turned around and came trotting back.  “Wait here for a second after we go inside.  Ah’ll let Miss Cheerilee know that ya are gonna come to talk to tha class.”  He waited till they went inside and he saw her look outside and nod to him.  He waited as she came outside.

She reached him and smiled.  “Apple Bloom tells me that her oldest brother is coming to speak to the class.  I have to admit I thought she meant Big Mac.  I asked her about that and she said that you are the oldest.  It's nice that you are coming to speak.  Many of the students are fond of you so I am glad that you will be coming to speak.  Please come by the day after tomorrow around noon.  Will that time be okay?”

“That's fine.  I have an appointment tomorrow, but I am free the day after.”  He turned around and gave a low hiss at the pain in his leg before he looked back at her.  “What stories are preferred?”

She smiled.  “Anything that you think will hold their attention.  Since you are not from around this area tales about the animals and other ponies will certainly keep their attention.”  She advised.

He nodded.  “I’ll keep that in mind.  Thank you for the advice.”  He said to her he walked away.

The mare stared at the limp in his gait.  “Wait!”  She hollered.

Oblivion looked back and saw her staring at him.  He looked back at her.  “It’s nothing.  I almost forgot I told Applejack I would teleport back.”  He said to her.  His horn was alight with the blue flame and he vanished a flash of fire.

He appeared by the front porch and looked around.

“By Equestria!  Ya weren’t kidding when ya said ya would just reappear back after helping the filly.”  The old mare yelped from her rocking chair.

Oblivion looked at her and nodded.  “I gave my word.”  He replied simply.  He limped around the porch and was about to keep going when a lasso was around his shoulders.  It didn’t pull taut due to him stopping in his tracks to stare at it.  He looked back to the holder of the lasso and found Applejack looking at him with a goofy smile at him.  He shook his head in exasperation and waited for the mare to reach him.

“Ya walk to that tree and we will take care ah the rest.”  Applejack looked back at her grandmother and motioned for him to lower his head to her.  “Ah’ll bring out a light blanket and ya can let yer wing rest as well.”  She whispered to him.  She pulled back and removed the lasso.

The black Unicorn nodded and limped slowly to the tree that he usually stayed under.  He had a strong feeling that he was going to be under that tree for the rest of the day.  He regretted not getting another book from Twilight.  He laid down and waited.  Applejack came outside with a blanket, a couple of pillows and both his books slung over her back.  She set his books down in front of his forelegs and then tapped the thigh of his injured leg and he lifted it for her.  She put the pillows under his leg and then laid the light quilt across him.  She reached up and pulled his hair tie out and he felt his wings relax from their position and he saw the faintest outline of his swords on his back.

“There ya are.  All set up for a rest under a good ol’ tree.  It's funny ya picked this tree.  It used to give us some o’ the best apples in Equestria.  But it doesn’t give us anything but shade now.”  He looked up at it, then back to the mare.  “Not sure what happened to it but back when Ah was a filly it stopped.  We considered pullin’ it down but none us could do it.”

Oblivion looked at the tree.  “It’s old.  That’s why you chose to leave it be.”  He looked to her to find her eyes wide in surprise.

“Did Ah tell ya about it?”

Oblivion shook his head.  “No.  Just a feeling.  I’m used to being in the forests so being around trees is not new to me.  The ones where I am from are ancient and seem to have a life and voice of their own.  You learn to listen after a while.”  He said as he regarded the old tree.

“Ya are right.  We couldn’t let it go.  After what ya jus’ said Ah’m glad we didn’t. Ah’ll get ya a glass lemonade.  Granny made some while ya were taking Bloom ta school.”  She walked away after putting the rope around her neck.

The Unicorn looked to the branches of the tree and reached out a clawed hoof to rest on the trunk.  He could see a light coming from the tree.  The others were fainter while this one showed a bright shade of green.  He put his hoof down and hid his claws.  He looked over to see Big Mac trying to balance several barrels across his back.  Oblivion’s magic gripped them, lifting them into the air.  Big Mac looked up in shock till he saw the color of the magic holding them.  He looked around and found Oblivion’s horn alight with magic and the stallion holding the barrels above the red pony.  Oblivion waited until Big Mac understood and he pointed to the barn.  Oblivion nodded and the barrels were stacked neatly at the back of the barn.

Oblivion let his magic fade as he used the second book to hold up the history book he had borrowed.  He opened it to the last page he had been on and only looked up when he heard the door open.  Applejack started toward him with a glass on her back.  She looked up and turned to the side.  Oblivion’s blue flame covered it and it floated to his side.  He looked down as she walked past him.

“Oh.  Ah almost forgot.  Apple Bloom decided ta go to Rarity’s after school ta get yer cloak.”

“Gods below, I forgot.”  He cursed and put his face into his hoof.  “She doesn’t need to do that.”

“Ah told her that as well.  That myself or Mac would go get it but she insisted.  So she and Ah will go pick it up later.”

The Witcher shook his head and sighed.  “Very well.  I’ll let this one go.”

“Besides ya need to rest up fer yer date with Princess Luna.”  The orange mare teased.

Oblivion looked to her with a tilt of his head.  “My what?”

Applejack sighed and looked back to him, realizing that teasing him was useless.  “Ah meant yer sparrin’ match.”

He nodded.  “True.  Hopefully, this doesn’t get in the way too much.”  He agreed.  He watched as Applejack walked away.  A small grin hit his muzzle as he watched her walk off.  ‘Nice try.  I don’t blush.  Embarrassment is an emotion I let go of a very long time ago.’  He looked back to his book and went back to reading.  He took a sip of his drink and looked at it after trying it.  

“Not bad.  I was concerned it would be sweet like everything else.  Thank the Gods it's more bitter.”  He commented to himself and set it back down.  After a couple of hours, he looked up from the book and gazed around him.  The tree continued to cover him.  He looked to the side of him and waited.  He could see Applejack's Spirit coming toward him.  She came out of the orchard and saw him looking at her.

“How are ya doin?”  She asked as she came to stand by him.

“I’m fine.”

“How is yer leg?”

“It throbs a bit at times, but for the most part it’s quiet.”  He informed her and moved it under the blanket.  He winced at the movement.

“Ah got an idea.”  The mare trotted to the house and went inside.  She was gone for a couple of minutes.  He saw her return carrying a couple of bags in her mouth.  She reached him and set them down on the blanket by side.  He could feel that they were cold, as it went through the blanket and into his fur.  She pulled back the blanket from his leg and tapped it gently.  He lifted that part of his leg and watched as she put one bag under it and waited for him to put it back down.  He jumped at the sudden cold on the injury.  But he laid it back down where it belonged.  She laid the other over the top of it and then put the blanket back over it.

“What are those?”  He couldn't stop himself from asking.

“Those are ice packs.  They're meant ta help with swelling.  If ya put them on and leave them fer a bit then they will help it not hurt so much.”  She advised him.

Oblivion sat still as the cold went through his leg and began to soothe the heated flesh between them.  “Interesting.”  Was his only reply.  He turned his head to the gate as he heard someone trotting.  The purple color told him it was Twilight and he could hear Spike talking to her.  He looked back at Applejack.

“I figured ya could use some company, so ah asked Twilight to come to sit with ya.  She said she had wanted ta work with ya on ‘er magic.”  The orange mare admitted.

“Could prove amusing.”  He admitted and waited.

Applejack waited for the other mare to reach them before speaking.  “All right.  Ah’ll leave him in yer hooves Twi.  Don’t have too much fun ya hear.’  Twilight blushed and looked away for a moment.

Spike jumped off her back and stood by Oblivion.  “So you saved Derpy from getting hurt?”

Oblivion shrugged.  “I suppose so.”

“That's awesome.  You're a hero.”

Oblivion laughed at that.  “Hah!  Hardly.”  The stallion gave a gruff laugh.

Spike looked at him.  “Then what are you?”

“Unfortunate.”  He replied.  That earned a laugh from Twilight as Spike looked at him.

Twilight set her saddlebags down and laid down off to the side of him.  “So you did get hurt.”  She stated and looked to the black stallion.

He started to shrug but stopped halfway through.  “A bit yes.”

“A bit?”  Spike yelled at him.  “You can’t walk!”

Twilight smacked him in the back of the head with a book and glared at him.  “He can too get up and move.  Just right now he is allowing it to heal.”  She quickly said.

Oblivion knew that she had complimented him to stop him from proving Spike wrong.  He looked at the baby dragon and snorted at him.  Spike sat down and smiled nervously.  Twilight used her magic to pull items out of her saddlebags.

“Okay, I was trying to decide what experiments we could do while sitting quietly.  So I decided to try some transmutation spells.  You’ve shown that you can fix items just by looking at them, so I hear.”  Oblivion nodded.  “And you are able to overpower another unicorns magic with your own.  So I  would like to try that out later but first, maybe we can try something simple.  So maybe turn this orange into an apple.  I’m not very good at this type of magic.  But I would like to see if you can.  Then maybe test your magical strength through weight.”  She paused as his look of mischief.

“I see, weight.  So that's why you brought Spike.”  He quipped and looked sideways at the dragon who was reading a thin book.

“Yeah, I’m here to...hey!”  The dragon looked to him to find Oblivion looking at him.

Twilight laughed at them and Oblivion looked nothing short of triumphant at the dragon's angry look.  “Never challenge what a Witcher can accomplish Spike.”  He said to the puffed up dragon.

The black Unicorn looked back to a laughing Twilight and gave a smug grin.  His magic held the orange and he held it at face level.  A flash of blue flame and an apple was in front of Spike’s nose.

The dragon grabbed it and popped it into his mouth.  “Oh no, Spike.  That probably doesn’t taste like a..”  Twilight yelped at him as he chewed.

“Wow.  This is the best apple I have ever eaten.  Hey Oblivion, if I get another orange can you do that again?”  The dragon said to him.

Twilight blinked at him as he shook his head.  She shook her head, pulled out a quill and scroll.  “Any fatigue?”  Oblivion shook his head.  “Disorientation?”

“No.”

She looked up and stared at him.    “A headache?”

“No.  Should there be?”  He asked.

“Well turning an item to look like something else is a simple transmute.  Making it taste and smell like it, is much more difficult.”  She said as she pulled another orange out of her bag.  “Okay, how did you do it?”  She asked.

Oblivion thought for a moment.  “I thought of what it should be, instead of what it is and focused on that image and what I knew of the item.  So what an apple, look like, smells like, tastes like, and then decided that, that is what it will be.  By focusing my mind on that image, my magic enabled it to become that.”  He explained to her the best he could.  “Not sure if that method will work for you but worth a try.”

Twilight's horn lit up with a magenta spark.  Her magic surrounded the orange and she closed her eyes to focus on it.  Oblivion saw Spike back up then hide on Oblivion's other side and then run behind him.  Oblivion looked back to Twilight and saw why Spike was hiding.  The orange in Twilight's grip was slowly growing in size.  Oblivion could see that unlike Pinkie Pie when her head had expanded, this item was going to explode.  Oblivion looked back to Spike, who looked nervous.  Oblivion’s horn lit up and a large shield was in front of them.  The shield was close to four feet wide and tapered on the edges.  Azure flame rippled across it.  Oblivion could see through it easily enough to watch Twilight.  He cast a quick glance behind him and watched as Spike hunkered down behind his flank.

BOOM!

Oblivion closed his eyes as the orange exploded and sent pieces all around them.  The shield he had made prevented himself and Spike from being covered in the pieces. It’s protection extended to the book in front of him and his glass to the other side.  The purple Unicorn that was with them, was not so fortunate.  Pieces of the orange covered her.  She looked at them and saw that they were untouched, both sitting behind a shield made of azure flame.  She blinked, then groaned as she looked around her to find orange bits all over.  Oblivion looked to the side as he heard hooves.  “Incoming.”

Applejack ran up to them from the left side of the orchard and Big Mac came from the right.  Both plunged to a stop and stared.   “Wha’ in Equestria happened?”  Applejack yelled.

“An attempt to change an orange into an apple.  Nothing more.”  He replied as the shield dissipated and his magic covered the area around them, incinerating the pieces on the ground and around them.  Even Twilight was now cleaned up.  She looked sheepishly at the Apple siblings.

“I’m so sorry.  I was trying to use Oblivion's method of transmutation and I couldn’t do it right.”  She said and hung her head a bit.

Big Mac came forward.  “Ya'll alright?”  He looked to Oblivion who nodded.  Spike came out from hiding behind the Unicorn and also nodded.  Twilight looked away but nodded.  “Then no harm was done.  Jus’ be careful.”  He said and started to go back to his work.  He pushed Applejack and she too nodded before leaving.

Oblivion watched them leave and looked back to Twilight, who sighed.  “What happened?”  He asked the mare.

She looked at him before giving a small grin.  “I’m not sure.  I think I may have over thought the process but I’m not certain.”  Twilight clapped her forehooves together.  “That reminds me Oblivion.  What time are you meeting with Princess Luna tomorrow?”

“I’m to meet her in Canterlot at eleven am.”  He replied.

“Okay, so you need to catch the train at around eight am.  I can walk you to the station if you don’t...What?”  She paused at the strange look he was giving her.

“I need to catch what?”  He asked her.  His head tilted slightly and his ears flicked to listen to her.

“The train.  It takes two to two and a half hours to get to Canterlot.  So you need to wake up early to get to the train.  You do know about the train right?”

“Clearly not.  What in the Realms is a train?”

Twilight looked at him before her horn lit and a book appeared in front of her.  She opened it and showed him a picture of what to him looked like a metal box, with smoke coming out of the top.

“And you sit on top of it?”

Twilight giggled.  “No, you sit inside it.”

Oblivion looked from the picture to Twilight.  “Oh, Hells no.  There is no way I am sitting inside of whatever that thing is.”  His horn flared and a scroll and quill appeared.  The Unicorn wrote out a note and it erupted in flame and was gone.

“What was that?”  Spike asked him from his place to the unicorns left.

“I asked Luna to give me a description of where she would like to meet me.  That way I can simply portal myself there rather than ride inside of that metal box.”  He replied.

Twilight stared at him.  “Oblivion, you do realize that teleporting that far is impossible.  I don't think even the Princess could do that.”  She started as a reply appeared in a flash of blue.

Oblivion gripped the scroll in his magic and opened it.  Oblivion looked at what was written.  “Perfect, with this diagram I can simply portal there.  She gave the details I needed.”  Oblivion turned it around and Twilight saw that the diagram inside the scroll was detailed and even had dimensions of the area.  “It appears to be the main courtyard.”

Twilight nodded.  “Its the courtyard that the military uses for practice and drills.  I’ve only been in it a couple of times.  I spent more time in my room or the library.”  She admitted to him.

Oblivion nodded and the scroll rolled back up and disappeared.  Twilight sent the book back to the library and went back to chatting with the other Unicorn.  As the afternoon went by Oblivion looked up and watched the front gate.  Applejack and Apple Bloom walked through the gate and the filly came running up to him with a parcel on her back.  Both unicorns waited for the filly to reach them.

“Oblivion!  Ah got yer cloak from Rarity.”  She beamed happily as she reached him.

“I can see that.  Thank you.”  He responded.

Apple Bloom looked at him before continuing.  “Rarity may have changed it a bit.”

Oblivion closed his eyes and unfurled the cloak.  The border was now covered in a deep blue cloth.  The inside had been covered in the same fabric just slightly lighter.  He looked to find that the marking on his flank was also on the right side by the bottom.  It was just the wolf emblem without the swords. He placed the cloak on his back above the blanket and sighed. “Should have known that this would happen.”

Twilight and the others laughed and nodded.  The Unicorn was glad to have the clothing back as he looked back at it.  The Witcher looked back to the other ponies and waited.

“Ah’m gonna go start a hot bath fer ya.  It will help yer leg.”  The filly said as she started to run for the house.

Twilight looked at it and smiled.  “It looks really nice Oblivion.  Goes well with your black coat.”

Oblivion laughed. “I’m just glad to have it back so it can hide that I’m a thin pony.”  He quipped.

Applejack brayed a laugh and nodded.  “Maybe now Granny will stop trying ta force ya ta eat more.”

Oblivion nodded.  “Gods, I hope so.  This morning's activity enabled me to skip breakfast.”

Spike looked at him.  “How can you skip a meal and not be starving?”  The dragon's eyes were large.

“Easily.”  Oblivion deadpanned at him.

Twilight stood up and moved items back into her saddlebags. “Come on Spike, its time for us to head home and start dinner.  Thank for your help and for letting me question you about your magic Oblivion.  I’ll work on my transmutation with you next time.”

Oblivion nodded.  “Anytime Twilight.”  He stayed where he was as Spike jumped over Oblivion's forelegs and onto Twilight’s back.  She put her saddlebags onto her back and left through the main gate.

Oblivion started to stand after Applejack removed the ice packs and stood up without putting any weight on his fetlock.  He laid the blanket over his back.  Applejack picked up the pillows and book she walked slowly behind him as he limped into the house.  He looked up and saw Apple Bloom starting down the stairs toward him.

“It's ready, Oblivion.”  The yellow filly said to him with a smile.

Oblivion looked at her and nodded.  “Thank you, Apple Bloom.  And you don’t need to do this again.  I forgive you for trying to break into my saddlebags and shattering two of the potions.”

She started and looked at him.  “Thanks.  But can ah still get a bath ready fer ya at night?”

“Why in the Gods name, would you want to keep doing that?”

“Cause ah want to.  Yer family and ya have taught me a lot.  Yer mah big brother.”  She said to him.  “Can ah still help ya?”

Oblivion stared at her for a moment before sighing.  “If that is what you wish then I won’t stop you.”

Apple Bloom cheered and hugged his foreleg before running out the door.  He shook his head and looked up the stairs.  Applejack kept going and he knew that she was putting the books in there for him.  He limped up the stairs on three legs and slowly went into the bathroom.  After shedding his cloak, swords, and unwrapping his injured wing he sank into the water and let his pulled muscles soak as well as his fetlock.  He laid his head down and closed his eyes once more.  His mind calmed and he let it fade out as he meditated.  The water warmed his fetlock due to it being cooled down by the ice packs. The Unicorn was silent.  He could hear the others downstairs at the table.  He was pleased to find that the wing had not bled and seemed to be healing on its own.  His injuries were healing well and they wouldn't hamper him by very much the next day.  After a half-hour, he stood up and used the soap on his fur, wing and then washed it off.  He decided to use his flame to dry off instead of the towel.  Once finished he put his cloak over his back and teleported to his room.  He laid his swords in their usual place and laid down in the bed.  His cloak laid over the desktop and he saw picked up one of the books to read for a bit.

“Ya gonna be okay ta spar with Luna tomorrow?”  Applejack asked him as she went past his room to her own.

“Should be fine.  If it starts to give out I’ll stop.  A sparring match isn't worth permanent injury.”  He said and glanced up at the mare.

Applejack nodded.  “Do ya need me ta walk ya to the train?”

“No, that won’t be needed.  I’ll just portal myself there.  I asked Luna for a detailed description of the location that she wanted me to meet her in and she provided a diagram of the area.”

Applejack stared at him.  “Ah never heard of a Unicorn that was able to go that far.”

“Twilight said the same thing.  Only she told me that it was impossible.  I suppose I will find out if I can or not tomorrow,”

“Are ya certain this is a good idea?  Ya are already hurting and pushing yourself too far could be even worse.”

“I know.  If I get partway through the spell and it feels like it will be too much I'll drop it and use several portals instead of one big one.”  Applejack started to speak.  “I am not riding in a metal box.”

“Ya have never seen a train?”

“There are no such things where I am from.  We walk or take a boat if needed.  Some use portals to cross great distances.  I am not sitting in a metal box that I have never seen before.  I refuse.”

Applejack chuckled. “Alrigh’.  That's yer choice.  But ya know yer gonna have ta go in one eventually.”

“Perhaps.  But by the time that happens, I will be more used to the idea.”  He said to her as he raised his head.

Applejack looked at him and smiled.  “Ya went hoof to hoof with Nightmare Moon and ya are a bit nervous bout a train?”

“Yes.  I have no problem admitting to that.  A fool is one who does not admit to their own faults.”  He responded.

Applejack was quiet and looked at him.  “Ya make a good point.  Knowing yourself is harder than it seems.”  Oblivion nodded in reply.  She turned and closed the door.  “So how is yer wing?”

Oblivion didn’t pull the wing out.  “It’s healing.  I cleaned it out already and now it's covered to keep it clean.  I’ll let it air a bit tomorrow.  I’ll take my saddlebags with me tomorrow just in case I need the potions inside them to tend to it.”

Applejack nodded and looked away from him.  She turned and opened the door.  “Just be careful.  Ah know ya are looking forward to sparring with Luna.  Just remember that yer body is still recovering from saving Derpy.”  She turned back to him with a sly look.  “Ya know the mayor heard bout ya helping ‘er.  She wants ta reward ya.”

“Hells no.”

“Hah!  Ah told her that would be yer reply.  Ah managed ta tell her that yer not out fer glory.  Ya did what ya had ta do.”

Oblivion sighed.  “That was nothing in the big picture. I act how I choose to.  Nothing more and nothing less.”

“That may be true.  But ya are still a hero ta some ponies.  Don’t ferget, yer talking to Apple Bloom’s class.”

“I know.  The day after tomorrow.”

“All right.  See ya in the mornin.”

The orange mare left and closed the door behind her.  He sighed and looked out the window at the sunset.  He closed his book and set it back on the desk.  His head lowered to the pillow and he thought about whether he should bring both his swords or just the steel.  Granted he was fairly certain that they would be using practice blades.  But as an afterthought, he chose to leave them in their usual place and take them both with him.  Oblivion closed his eyes and as he relaxed into sleep he could hear the others doing the same.





Oblivion opened his eyes and looked out the window.  The Unicorn was surprised to see Applejack and Big Mac outside.  He looked at the sun and found that they had let him sleep in.  He was a bit shocked that he had slept past them.  He was suddenly wondering where that damned rooster was that always woke him up earlier than he liked.  He slid out of the bed, pulled his swords on after getting up, he started to pull on his cloak, but thought better of it when he thought about sparring in it, so he pulled his mane up tightly in the binding Applejack had given him, after checking the bandage on his wing.  He was still in time to walk Apple Bloom to school, so he opened the door and went downstairs.  The kitchen was empty as he limped outside to see the others.  Apple Bloom spotted him first and ran over to him.

“Mornin’ Oblivion.”

“Good morning, little one.”  He greeted her and ruffled her mane.

“How’s yer leg?”  Applejack called out to him from the opening of the barn.

He walked over to her.  The limp was minor and his fetlock wasn’t throbbing like it had yesterday.  “It's getting there.  The throbbing seems to have faded and the pain is minor.”  He reported to the orange mare.

“Good ta hear.  Ah figured we could let ya sleep in a bit ta make sure ya had plenty ah energy for sparring with the Princess.”  She told him.

“Ah, so that is what happened.  I appreciate the consideration.”

Apple Bloom hopped forward and began circling around and under him.  “Everypony was really excited when ah told ‘em that ya were gonna talk to the class.  Ah, can’t wait for tomorrow.  Ya can tell us about sparring with the Princess or fightin’ Nightmare Moon!”  The filly shrilled as she circled his hooves.

Oblivion watched her as she ran around and under his belly.   “I was told that I needed to speak of where I am from.”  She stopped and looked at him.  “Don’t worry the tales will be interesting.”  He reassured her.  Her eyes lit back up and she went back to running around him.  He leveled a look at Applejack, who laughed at his expense.  “Are you ready to go to class?”  Apple Bloom stopped as a look of panic went over her face.  She took off running for the house door.  Oblivion followed her and looked at her through the door.  “Forget something?”

“Mah homework!  Ah, plum forgot.  Ah’m gonna get in trouble with Miss Cheerilee.”  The filly lamented and wailed as she pulled the paper from her saddlebags.  She was on her chair and looked at the paper.  “Ah don’t have enough time.  What do ah do, Oblivion?”  She looked to the Unicorn in a panic.

“Come on.  We will work on it on the way.”  He told her.  The filly put it back in her bag and ran to the door.  Oblivion backed up and she came out to stand by him.  His magic held the paper in front of her and they began to walk to school.  She started working on her homework as they walked.  He held the paper straight as she wrote in her answers.  She suddenly gasped and stopped.  He could see panic starting to surface once more.  “Yes?”

“Ah have ta draw in mah answer.  I can’t walk and draw.”  She wailed and sat down.  Oblivion stood by her and suddenly an idea came to him.  He picked her up with his flame and sat her on his back with her paper.

“Do this quickly.  You draw and I will walk.  I will try to keep my stride fluid so you can draw.”

The filly lunged forward and hugged his neck.  She backed up and held the paper down on his back.  He forced his leg to walk normally and his back barely moved as the filly drew on her paper.  He looked back to see how she was doing since the schoolhouse was coming into view.  She was finishing up as he stopped in front of the gate.  She sat up and held the paper aloft.

“Ah got it!”  She yelled.

Oblivion pinned his ears and cringed.  He took his weight off his leg and let it rest.  “Well done.  But, next time check your bag just in case.”

She nodded and lunged forward again.  “Yer the best big brother ever, Oblivion!”  She said to him as she nuzzled him.

He blinked and looked back at her.  “Sure.”  His magic picked her up and deposited her on the ground.  He set her saddlebags on her back and she buckled them in place.  He looked up and found several foals looking at him.

Apple Bloom noticed them as well.  She looked up to the black stallion and smiled.  “Ah told ya they were excited ta see ya.”  She said as she went into the gate.

Oblivion looked past her and to the others.  “I can see that.”  

He watched as she went into the schoolhouse with the others and he turned to walk back.  As he walked back he thought over being called a brother by anyone besides his brothers of the wolf.  ‘Suppose I should get used to that.  Doesn’t make it any less awkward though.’  He looked back and saw the door close.  ‘Perhaps its not..so bad.  I could at least try, I suppose.’  He looked back and walked down the street back to the farm.  As he limped back to the farm the Witcher looked around him and let his ears do the seeing for him.  He let his mind wander as he walked back.  He stopped and looked up at the sun.  He had some time before he needed to meet up with Luna.  He trotted for a moment before deciding that it was more painful than it was worth to move faster.  Soon he reached the farm gate and walked back inside.  The stallion walked up to Big Mac and waited to be noticed.  After a few seconds, he gave that up after remembering that they did not have his ears.

“Big Mac.”

The red stallion jumped and turned to the other. “Y'all need ta wear a bell.”

Oblivion snorted and looked to the farmer.  “I have some time before I am to meet with Luna.  Is there anything I can help with?  I can stand in one place and use magic by the way.”

Big Mac was about to tell him no when the black pony pointed out his horn. Big Mac stopped and looked over to the barrels and baskets.  “Y'all can put two of those baskets under each tree.  Its getting time for the apple-bucking season so we need ta prepare.”

Oblivion looked at him.  “Apple bucking?  What the Hells is that?”  The black Unicorn asked, even as he levitated the baskets as instructed.

“Its what the Apple family calls tha harvest.  Y'all will be helping out for that.  Starts next week.  So you'll be busy.  So y'all will probably be taking the baskets from the orchard to the barn.  Yer magic will make that easier.  But ah’ll try not to push ya since it’ll be yer first harvest.”  Big Mac explained to him.

Oblivion nodded as he placed the baskets under the trees.  “So this happens every year and you call it Apple bucking?”  The farmer nodded.  “Intriguing.  Well since I am here I will do what I can.  So shall I put as many of these out as I can?”

“So long as yer not walking on that there leg.”

Oblivion sighed.  “Very well.”

Big Mac nodded and walked away from him.  He went into the barn and worked on bringing more baskets out for Oblivion to move.  Oblivion moved the baskets into place as Applejack walked up to them.

“Big Mac.  Oblivion has to use a lot of magic in a bit to try ta teleport all the way ta Canterlot.”  His sister admonished him.

Big Mac looked to the black Unicorn who shook his head.  “I’m fine, AJ.  This is not taking any effort.  My magic is fine.  Plus I have plenty of time to recover before I leave if needed.”  The black Unicorn reminded her.

Applejack gave him a thin look before walking away.  Oblivion put as many baskets in place as he could see and then let his magic fade out.  “There.  I put out as many as I can see.”

Big Mac looked to him.  “Thanks pardner.  Y'all saved me a couple of hours.”

“My pleasure, Big Mac.”  He responded.

Big Mac looked to the Unicorn.  “Y'all are a pony of yer word.  Ah, respect that.  Thanks fer yer help.”  Oblivion nodded and then limped back to his normal tree and leaned against it.  His horn lit and his saddlebags appeared around his barrel.  Oblivion let himself doze for a half hour or so before he snapped awake and looked to the sky.  It was near the time he needed to meet Luna.  He pushed away from the tree and moved to stand close by the barn entrance.

“Hang on!”  A yell startled him and he turned to see Twilight running up through the gate.  “Sorry, I wanted to catch you before you tried to teleport all the way to Canterlot.  I’m serious Oblivion.  This could be a very bad idea.  It could completely drain you of your magic.”

Oblivion put a hoof up when he realized that she was just getting started.  “It’s my choice to try.”  He told her and pulled the diagram out of his saddlebag.  The stallion looked at it for a minute and then put it back. He looked up as Applejack and Big Mac had joined Twilight to watch.  “Your faith in my abilities is astonishing.”  His voice dripped sarcasm as he looked to the three ponies.  They looked sheepish for a moment.  Oblivion closed his eyes and focused on the location he wanted.  Magic gathered in his horn and he could feel the pressure from holding that magic back.  He released it and vanished in a flash of blue flame.   In his absence, Twilight looked to the others.





“I really hope it worked.”  She commentated to the other ponies.  As she was looking to them a scroll appeared in blue flame.  She caught it and read it aloud.  “I’m fine.”  She looked over it to the others.  Big Mac smiled and then started to laugh.  Applejack joined him as they held their sides.  Twilight shook her head and smiled.