Between Heaven and Hell

by Radiant Dawn

Chapter 4: Sunrise

Chapter 4: Sunrise

Like every morning since I arrived on this planet, I sent a silent prayer of goodwill for my charges to my Lord, just as the sun was rising and the “music” was at its apex. The sun, bright and radiant, rose into the sky by the magic and divine power of Princess Celestia, the goddess of the sun itself.

I was still coming to grips with magic and how much it changed the physics of this pocket universe that was Equis, but it was exciting to be learning something new for a change.

With the day started in earnest, I busied myself with removing and checking over my armor, clothing, and weaponry for any weaknesses or damages. To my relief, only minor damage was accrued, and so I set about retrieving a cloth I always kept within the small pack on my waist, and began polishing and cleaning my armor and armaments.

It was mindless work that allowed me to think about what was to come for this world, and for me. By what the princess had explained to me, I may very well be on this world quite a bit longer than I originally believed, and while I was no stranger to isolation in my duties, it worried me a bit that I had encountered demons so soon. Luckily, I could not sense them anywhere near Ponyville or the surrounding areas, which meant that at least for the moment, my charges were safe.

However, I would be remiss to say I did not worry.

Nonetheless, it was my duty to protect all six of them, and by extension, their home...with all of my power, if needed. With that self-promise in mind, I continued tending to my armor and arms.

---

Nearly two hours later, my equipment was cleaned and mended, and so I set about waiting downstairs for my rainbow-maned charge to awaken.

I could not help but elicit a small chuckle as I noticed her trudging tiredly towards the living area of her home before veering off to her kitchen, preparing a morning meal and coffee. Truth be told, I had become somewhat partial to the drink after spending so much time around mortals. The plant, or at least some derivative of it, was grown and used on nearly every planet I’d been to so far.

With that being the case, I helped myself to a bit of the steamy dark-colored beverage, keeping well out of the way of the groggy pegasus.

“Good morning, Rainbow Dash.” I spoke softly as I poured some of the morning drink into a small blue ceramic mug.

“Morning, Chris.” the mare replied sleepily. “Hope you don’t think I was being rude last night or anything. I was just tired is all.”

I shook my head with a smile. “Not at all. I appreciate you inviting me into your home, and understand well enough how exhaustion can affect one’s mood.”

The pony smiled and began sizzling some apple slices in a frying pan, sprinkling some sugar over them. “Thanks for not taking it personally.”

“We archangels are known for many things, patience being one of them.” I explained as I leaned against the countertop, watching the pony cook our breakfast. “Truth be told, I cannot think of anything that would hurt my feelings.”

Rainbow Dash shrugged her shoulders as she rolled the skillet around on the burner. “I just wanted to be sure is all. Some ponies can be pretty sensitive, and I just wanted to make sure I didn’t make you think I was a jerk or something.”

I shook my head with a smile. “A jerk would not invite me in her home and cook me breakfast.”

She pursed her lips before nodding. “Good point.” The mare then used the edges of her wings to serve up the food, manipulating them dexterously as I would my own hands. “Alright, food’s ready. Take a seat.”

I made my way to the dining area and sat down across from the mare, crossing my legs as I did so in order to fit at the table. “So, I’ve always been curious as to how exactly pegasi coordinate with each other for the weather.”

The mare shrugged as she munched on her food. “Not really sure, to be honest. I mean, I make sure all my weatherponies are where they should be, doing what they should, but I don’t set up the weather. The princesses and the Weather Factory does that. I just follow orders, for the most part.”

“Still, controlled weather is something fairly new to me.” I admitted with a smile as I sampled some of the apples, finding the meal delectable. “It’s...fascinating, to say the least.”

The mare shrugged as she continued eating, thankfully swallowing before speaking. “Eh, I guess for someone like you who hasn’t seen it before, it’s probably pretty cool. For ponies though, it’s common knowledge. We’ve been doing it this way for as long as anypony can remember, save for the princesses.” She finished off the last of her meal before standing and taking her dish to the kitchen, along with my own. “Twi told me a pegasus’ ability to control clouds and such comes from the magic we have inside of us.” She then reentered the room and pointed at me. “The fact that you’re sitting on my clouds like you are proves that you’re experiencing that magic right now, without even knowing it.” I turned my eyes to the clouded ground as she added, “If I’m right, you should be able to scoop some off with your hands, and hold it like I can.”

I cupped one of my hands and scooped it into the floor, and sure enough, a small puff of the cloud was in my hand as I brought it up. It felt slightly cool and moist to the touch, and while it gave when I squeezed it, I could feel it also resist the pressure. I brought the small bit of cloud back down and gently pressed it back to the floor, mending the spot I had damaged.

“Cool,” the mare quipped, obviously pleased with my newfound ability, “I figured you’d be able to do that, what with you being able to fly and all.”

I shrugged as I graciously stood and nodded. “There are many things in this world I am still coming to understand, and that is one of the most interesting thus far.”

The pegasus smiled and nodded. “Yeah, I guess it is pretty cool.” She then fluttered over to her door and looked pointedly at me. “Anyway, I gotta head off to work now. I mean I guess you could stay here, but something tells me that you’re not gonna.”

I nodded. “You understand well enough. My task is to watch over the Element-bearers, so it does me no good to sit alone in your home. Besides, it would make for a rather bland day, even by my standards.”

Rainbow Dash barked a laugh and nodded. “Yeah, I don’t know if I could do that, so I’m right there with you. I guess you could always go hang out with Princess Celestia then. Twilight would kill me if I told you this, but she says that the princesses can get pretty bored sometimes, what with their royal cabinet handling most things nowadays. The only thing the princesses have to do is raise and lower the sun and the moon. There’s probably more to it than that, but that’s the way it sounds.” The pegasus then turned her gaze towards the ceiling as she thought. “Or, you could always visit with Rarity. With how proper you are and stuff, I’m sure the two of you would get along pretty good. Twilight too, but then you’d have to be ready to answer a whole bunch of questions. I wouldn’t recommend Applejack, because she has a lot of work to do, and you’d be lucky to get Fluttershy to even talk to you this soon, let alone hold a conversation.”

I thought for a moment before eyeing the cyan pegasus with suspicion. “What of your other friend? Pinkie Pie, I believe...what of her?”

She chuckled and shook her head. “I know you said you’re some kinda awesome-warrior-dude-thing, but you’re not ready to deal with her. Just trust me on this. She’s very touchy-feely, always wanting to hug, or nuzzle, or any kind of touch really. I don’t want either of you to get into a fight over it. You’d just get really uncomfortable around her, and she’d be sad that she made you feel that way.”

I nodded solemnly. “I understand. I do hope all of you can help me through this. It is debilitating in many ways.”

“I can’t even imagine it.” Rainbow Dash replied thoughtfully. “I mean, I’m not the most huggy mare, but even I like to be able to hug a friend once in awhile, or feel Fluttershy next to me when I’m nervous.” She sighed as she turned her eyes to mine again. “You really are alone, and that sucks.”

I nodded. “Yes, I am isolated. Your group will only make the twentieth charge I have made myself known to out of billions.”

She nodded. “Well, I’m pretty sure we can help you, if you’ll let us.”

I shrugged, patting the pommel of Cassandra for comfort. “I am always open to a new practice to rid me of this unnatural fear. If you and the others can find a way, I am more than open to give it a try.”

She nodded again. “Cool. Well, I’m off. You have fun, I guess. I’ll see you later.”

I smiled as the pegasus dashed into the open air, leaving a large burst of wind in her wake. I took a quick look around before cloaking myself from sight and springing off of the cloud towards the mountain in the distance.

---

I allowed myself to fly lazily in the sky for an unknown amount of time, simply taking in the sights of the town of Ponyville as I made my way to Canterlot, the cosmopolitan mountain city that was Equestria’s capital, and also the seat of power for the kingdom. No matter the world, I was always pleased with just how beautiful the different styles of architecture were among the mortal races, and even with the countless races across reality, very few were exactly alike.

The mountain city was no exception, with its buildings and towers seeming to mirror the grace and beauty of its two princesses.

The jewel of the city itself was the Celestial Palace, which was in the heart of the city. Its golden spires shined brightly in the morning sun, and the solid white marble columns were flawlessly crafted.

It was far from the first time a god or goddess had chosen to live among their people, but these two princesses demanded not sacrifices or prayers. Instead, they only wished for the continued peace and goodwill of their people, and set an example in life.

It was humbling.

I landed within the throne room of the palace itself some time later, noticing the sun princess, Celestia, signing documents alone. As Rainbow Dash had suggested, she did look rather bored by the work, and as I continued to watch, she would occasionally sigh and rub between her eyes before getting back to work.

In honesty, I did try not to stare, but it was a new experience for me. What I saw before me was not what I had expected from a goddess. Much like a mortal would be, she looked tired, and frustrated even, though she was clearly determined to do the work she was given.

A groan from one of the side corridors caught my attention, and I turned my eyes to it in time to see Princess Luna stumbling towards the throne platform.

“Tiaaaaaaa! Make it stop!” the lunar princess whined as she trotted over, her wings covering her head.

Princess Celestia laughed softly and commented, “I told you to go easy on the cider, didn’t I?”

The younger Princess Luna groaned as she sat on the floor beside her sister’s throne, leaning against the reassuring bulk of her sister. “But I must show the ambassadors a good time, sister. It is my duty to-”

“It is your duty to be good company for our visitors and show them of the many wonders of Canterlot.” Princess Celestia corrected gently. “It is not, however, your job to get plastered when you do so. They would notice only that you were partaking with them, not how much. You could very well have nursed the same drink the entire night.”

Princess Luna sighed as she shut her eyes from the painful light. “That would indeed help had I not absolutely loved the beverages presented, namely a brand of cider from Sweet Apple Acres.”

The sun princess looked up from her work at her sister, squinting at her in annoyance. “And you didn’t think to bring any back for me? How thoughtless, dear sister. You know it’s my favorite.” She then sighed wistfully to herself. “I have always heard ponies remark of a drink ‘sneaking up’ on them, though I could not appreciate that fact until I tried the Apple family’s Special Reserve cider. It is so sweet and smooth, and the only sign that there is alcohol in it is a faint warmth that accompanies it.”

Princess Luna squinted at her elder sister. “Was that what you were enjoying...?”

“On my birthday, yes.” Princess Celestia replied with a grin. “It was one of the few times in my life I have been confused. Who would have thought that my drunken stupor would be caused by my very own student?” She giggled softly as a young girl would before shaking her head. “Unfortunately for you dear sister, there is no spell that exists that cures a hangover. I recommend coffee to counteract the grogginess, and water to counter the dehydration. In fact,” she then turned to a servant, who was waiting in the wings, “please fetch said items, with plenty of sugar and some cream for the coffee.”

The young olive-green mare bowed her head before trotting away to tend to the princess’ needs.

Princess Celestia then perked her ear toward me before smiling. “And hello to you, Christopher.”

I froze as she greeted me, and then looked around the throne room before sighing and dropping my cloaking. “Hello, princesses. How did you know I was there?”

The sun princess smiled. “I heard you exhaling choppily in what I assume was a silent laugh at my sister’s expense.” Her expression then changed to curiousness as she levitated a scroll from a pillow beside her throne. “Twilight sent me a message early this morning detailing your first meeting with all of them, and she’s told me of something rather interesting.”

I stepped forward to stand beside her and asked, “And what would that be, my lady?”

Her brow furrowed as she held the scroll up to her eyes, reading, “‘It appears Archangel Christopher wears magical armor that has a secondary function. The function, when activated, multiplies his battle prowess many times, but has the odd side effect of compelling any nearby to adore him.’” Princess Celestia then turned her eyes back to me. “Is this true?”

I nodded without hesitation. “Yes.”

She tilted her head slightly in thought before asking, “Could you show us?”

I shrugged. “It uses divine energy to make the change, so I am unsure if it would affect you. Both you and your sibling have the same energy running through you at all times, so I guess it couldn’t hurt.” I focused on the dormant energy within me and brought it to the surface, and a faint humming issued forth from my armor as it changed and began to emit the light.

I opened my eyes when I was finished to see both princesses staring at me intently.

Princess Celestia recovered first before prodding her sister to “wake” her, then turned to me. “Well, that is certainly something. I can feel the influence working its way into my mind, as if calling to me in a way I cannot understand, but at the same time I am able to resist it...barely. A pony without the power that Luna and I wield would easily fall to its influence.”

I nodded as I let the energy fade, and my armor dulled until it became dark gray and black again. “I do hope I never have need of that power.”

“As do I, Christopher.” Princess Celestia agreed. Again her ears perked as the three of us heard the soft clopping of hooves. Before I could cloak myself again, Princess Celestia looked at me and waved her hoof in dismissal. “You do not need to hide, Christopher. Because you are to be around so often, I find it meaningless that you should need to slip into the shadows around my ponies.”

“Will they not worry about something such as me?” I asked her, my concern for the welfare of the denizens of this planet clear.

She shook her head. “I will show you.” The same young mare from before approached with a silver tray upon her back. As she approached she noticed me, but at her princess’ calm demeanor, made no discernable change in expression. “Thank you, dear.”

The pony allowed Princess Celestia’s magic to levitate the platter of coffee fare off of her back before turning to look inquisitively at me. “Greetings, stranger. Might I get you something?”

I was a little surprised by the young pony’s calm attitude, but simply offered a smile as I answered, “I am unsure what to ask for, in honesty.”

Princess Celestia saved the situation as she motioned to me and said, “Please fetch him a glass of crystalberry juice, Juniper.”

The named pony smiled gently and nodded. “Right away, your highness.”

As the pony again trotted away, Princess Celestia turned to me as she poured a mug of the steaming beverage. “You see? My ponies trust my judgement. If I am welcoming you as a respected friend, they will as well. I would not go so far as to formally announce you to the public, as it would cause too much of an uproar to do so. Instead, simply being in the company of either myself or my sister will be enough for my ponies to accept you. The same goes for the Elements of Harmony too.”

“Here’s your juice, sir!” called a voice from beside me.

I looked to my left to see the young olive pony, Juniper, carrying a tray with a single glass balanced on her back. I took the glass and nodded with a smile. “Thank you very much, Miss Juniper.”

The young pony blushed slightly and returned my smile. “You’re very welcome, sir. Enjoy.”

As she trotted away, I brought the glass up to my face and inspected it. The juice itself was semi-clear and seemed to shimmer, as if petroleum had been dropped in it. The color of the liquid somehow reminded me of the sunrise, with a warming shade of dark orange.

“An angel though you may be, you must still drink it to taste it.” Princess Celestia stated with an implied grin.

I squinted a bit at the beverage before shrugging and bringing the glass to my lips. I tilted it back and took a modest drink, and my mouth was instantly assaulted by a myriad of flavors. It was sweet in a way that reminded me of honey, but also had a cooling sensation that chilled my tongue and throat. This was followed by a warmth spreading throughout my entire body, relaxing muscles I didn’t even know were tense, and putting me completely at ease.

“Good, hm?” Princess Celestia’s voice commented smugly.

I swallowed the mouthful of juice before lowering the glass and nodding respectfully. “One of the most refreshing beverages I have ever tasted.”

The sun princess smiled gratefully. “I am pleased you enjoy it. This is the only world where you will find such a thing, along with so much else.”

I nodded with a furrowed brow, just realizing exactly how different this world was compared to every other I’d been to so far. “Yes. I must agree that your home is rather unique. The people are kind and respectful, the air is clean and clear, and the fare thus far has been very good.”

A gentle giggle was my response as she answered, “It is good you find it comfortable.”

I nodded again with a smile. “Very much so. Thank you for welcoming me so readily.”

“Of course, Christopher.” she assured with a warm smile. “You are here for quite some time. It would do neither of us any good to annoy or ignore each other. I feel that the stronger and more positive of a relationship we share, the easier your time here will be for the both of us.

At her explanation, I found myself oddly a little put off. “So it’s all business then?”

She breathed a soft murmur of a chuckle as she replied, “Can it not be both business and pleasure? Must everything be ‘black and white’?”

I raised my eyebrow skeptically. “So which is it then?”

The princess sighed and shook her head before focusing her eyes on me. “Something you must learn is that this world is far different than most. Here, I have fostered a place of peace and understanding, where friendship and love are far more valuable commodities than money.” Her eyes narrowed as she continued. “If I wish to form a positive relationship with you, it is because I find you interesting and see the potential for a powerful friendship between us. Such a relationship making your task here easier is simply a nice bonus.”

Confusion overtook me, which was a rarity in itself. Someone wishing to forge a bond “just because” was a new concept to me, as all across the universes, I had been sent to worlds that needed my strength and desire for justice. Never had I beheld such a place where the inhabitants sought positive bonds without an incentive to use the other person. While I was definitely my own person, being exposed to such situations for so long had caused me to perhaps become a bit cynical.

“Christopher?” Celestia ventured gently, getting my attention and breaking me from my own thoughts.

I turned my gaze to the solar princess beside me and offered a sheepish grin. “Sorry, princess. My mind was elsewhere.”

Princess Celestia offered me a smile. “About my explanation, no doubt. I simply ask you to try and see with innocent eyes again, the way you did before your ‘career’ jaded you.”

I coughed nervously and muttered, “I can’t even remember what that was like.”

Her smile morphed into one of slight sadness before she said, “I know. I aim to change that, Christopher.” She glanced at her sister for a moment before turning back to me. “So, how are the Element-bearers?”

I shrugged. “They are well, I believe. Yesterday was my first time speaking to them all, so I am just coming to know them. Miss Rainbow Dash forced me to stay in her home as her guest though, so I believe I will be coming to know her better before the others. From my initial observation, they all seem very kind and willing to accept me into their fold.”

“As I suspected.” she replied happily. “I am glad to hear that they have taken to you so quickly. It will make watching over them that much easier for you.”

I shrugged again. “Well...most of them did.”

Princess Celestia giggled lightly as she questioned, “Let me guess...Fluttershy?”

I nodded with a raised eyebrow. “Yes. How did you know?”

Again she giggled. “The young mare’s reputation as a timid pony precedes her. Twilight has written me quite a few times about all of her friends, and I have heard on many occasions about the young pony’s shy mannerisms. Do not take it personally, Christopher. She has had a rather rough upbringing, and because of that has grown to be very shy as a result. Give her time, and I guarantee she will open up.”

I smiled to the princess, glad that it hadn’t simply been me that had scared the poor mare. “She seems quite kind. I would like to know her better, if possible.”

Princess Celestia smiled gently at me. “And you will. I know it.” She then cleared her throat and motioned to the younger alicorn, who was watching us converse. “Now, I wish to officially introduce you to my dear younger sister, Lulu.”

The younger princess groaned in response and hid her face in her hooves in embarrassment. “Tiaaa! Don’t call me that in public!”

Princess Celestia giggled softly and smiled. “Come now, we’re hardly ‘in public’. Besides, Christopher has us outnumbered in years lived. I am sure he has seen far more embarrassing things than a simple affectionate nickname.”

I shrugged, deciding to follow along with the relaxed atmosphere. “That is true, but I will admit the name ‘Lulu’ is adorable.” Slowly, I noticed as the fur around the night princess’ cheeks changed to a faint purple as she blushed, and I smiled despite myself. Clearly if I overstepped my bounds as an angel, one of the princesses would correct me. They did not, so I allowed myself a bit of informality with two immortals.

Truthfully, I could only hope I was acting correctly. Throughout my long life, I had so little personal interaction with others that my social skills were somewhat lacking, but I relished the opportunity to learn. If nothing else, it could make my time in this world easier for both me and my charges. Thinking of the ponies themselves reminded me of something important, so I drained the last of the wonderful juice before focusing on the princesses.

“My ladies, I have dire news.” I began, preparing them for my report. “I am unsure if Twilight Sparkle advised the two of you about what we met in the Crystal Empire, but the darkness that threatened to destroy it was not simply this ‘Sombra’. Instead, it was an entire legion of demons, along with a Tiamat.”

Princess Celestia nodded solemnly, frowning a bit. “Twilight has told me of the monster you vanquished, as well as what you told her in regards to the sheer number you were forced to fight off to give them time to activate the Crystal Heart.” She then licked her lips and asked, “Exactly how worried are you that you came across them so soon?”

I shrugged. “Honestly, it’s difficult to say. Normally when I fight demons, they are immune to all energies but divine power. It seems that the magic of the Crystal Heart or other forces like it can combat them to a degree. Having never come across magic before, I am unsure of the degree of effectiveness, but the wave that burst forth from the Crystal Heart obliterated all but the Tiamat. It seems that they were targeting the Element-bearers directly, which leads me to believe that they’ll begin searching for a way to counter the magic that did them in before. I expect quiet for some time to come, but eventually they will rise again.”

Both princess’ expressions had changed to something I had been privy to before ‒ that of those who had seen war from the front lines. They calculated the possibilities and possible solutions before turning back to me.

“Keep a wary eye on the horizon, Christopher.” Princess Celestia warned with a grim expression. “I fear that these demons will not differentiate between their targets and innocent ponies, should they decide to come after the Element-bearers. Save any and all that you can should the worst happen.”

I tapped my head with a finger. “I can sense them when they are within range, so should they approach, I’ll know it before the ponies do. With luck, I can prevent any casualties from happening. However, if you have a way to form a sustainable barrier of magic around the town, it would be to our collective advantage. I have fought this filth all my life, and while they are my counter in many ways, they are still predictable in the way that they will seek and destroy their targets with single-minded intensity. This means that we can discount the possibility of your other settlements getting attacked, though Ponyville will be in danger of a full-out assault if and when they do decide to attack.” I then looked out over the landscape from a nearby window, knowing that my enemy was somewhere out there, biding its time. “Legions of them were slaughtered by our combined efforts in the Crystal Empire though. I don’t expect we’ll be hearing from them for quite some time while they muster their forces.”

The elder princess turner her face to the ceiling for a moment before nodding to me. “I believe we have a way to create the magic barrier you propose. We simply need an adequate array of focusing gems, along with a unicorn that knows how they work. I believe Twilight could help us with this. I shall send the information and supplies to her post-haste.”

I nodded. “Thank you, my lady.” I then looked over at the sky and noticed it was near noon. “Regrettably, I must depart. I must see to my charges, and I’m sure you have more important things to attend to as well.”

“Actually,” Princess Celestia countered, “I find your company most enjoyable. I would not mind having you around more often, should you find yourself without business to attend to.”

I thought about the offer. Truthfully, I did indeed find the princesses to be quite a bit more entertaining than I originally thought two on the Council would be, and found myself wishing to spend some more time with them.

I nodded with a grin. “Yes, that sounds like a good idea. When I have the time, I will come by again.”

Both princesses smiled as the elder replied, “I look forward to it. Have a good day, Christopher.”

I offered both a smile before cloaking myself and jumping out an open window, sailing into the air.

---

The remainder of the day was rather quiet, which I was fine with. Quiet meant no danger, and no worries for me. The calm atmosphere allowed me to circle Ponyville a few times before settling on a cloud overlooking the small town. I took in the sight of so many ponies going about their daily lives ‒ mares, stallions, colts, fillies, and foals ‒ all secure in the belief that all was well in the world. Said belief was the driving force for my orders, and I promised myself that I would see this world safe for as long as I am needed.

The approach of a familiar rainbow-maned pegasus caught my attention, and I offered a smile and a wave as she landed upon the cloud.

“Heya Chris,” she greeted jovially, shaking out her mane, “how was your day?”

I shrugged, glancing at the town again. “It was fine I suppose. I spent time with the princesses before patrolling the town. What of you; how was your day?”

She shrugged as well. “It was work, but it was easy. No storms until next week, and light cloud cover for the night. I spent most of the day training and napping, like I usually do. But I did see Twi, and she had an idea that I’d like to try.”

“I’m listening.” I replied, focusing on her.

“Well,” she began, nervously rubbing her hoof along the back of her head, “we were talking about you. More specifically, we were talking about your problem with touch, and Twilight thinks she might know what’s wrong.” I was a bit surprised that the young unicorn had come up with something so quickly, but I nodded for Rainbow Dash to continue. “She thinks that your ‒ I think she called it ‘aversion to physical contact’ ‒ is rooted in your high sensitivity to touch in general. From what you’ve told us, the only ones you’ve ever had physical contact with have been your brothers and bad guys you’re trying to beat up. She thinks that because of this, you’ve become hypersensitive to physical contact, stemming from a lack of trust.” Rainbow Dash looked heavenward for a moment before mumbling, “I think that’s right…”

I nodded, not entirely sure what Twilight Sparkle had been hinting at. “So what does she suggest?”

Rainbow Dash looked back to me and smiled. “Well, she thinks that two things need to happen: first, we need to earn your trust somehow; not as your job either, but as your friends. Second, she thinks some controlled contact with us here and there would start to desensitize you to it...or something. I wasn’t really paying attention. What I picked up from it all is that she thinks we should have little touches here and there for as long as you can handle, and that you should try and see us as friends instead of just a job you were given. The second thing might take some time, but she said it would be better for us all if we could trust each other equally.”

I felt my heart begin to race as I envisioned the plan panning out, but my resolve was stronger than my fear, and I fought the growing worry away. Hesitantly, I nodded. “Very well. What do you suggest at the moment?”

Rainbow Dash jerked her head in the direction of her home before saying, “Well first, I’m gonna shower. As a common courtesy, I’m not gonna get close to anypony smelling like I just did the running of the leaves. After that, you and me are gonna take a seat on my couch and watch TV together.”

I raised my eyebrow at her statement. “TV? As in television? This world has television?”

She giggled and nodded. “Well yeah. Whose houses have you been to?”

I shook my head with a sigh. “None save for Twilight Sparkle’s, actually. After invading her home months ago while cloaked and catching sight of her bathing, I thought it better to give all of you your privacy, for both your sakes and mine. I can protect you all just fine from outside, after all.”

Rainbow Dash snorted with a grin. “I guess you could have seen something worse than her bathing. Just be thankful that she doesn’t mind being single, and even the thought of doing anything ‘dirty’ mortifies her.” She then shook her head, causing her messy mane to flap about in the breeze. “Anyway, I guess you wouldn’t see Twilight with a TV. She probably thinks it rots your brain or something crazy like that. To answer your question, most ponies have at least one TV. It’s a fairly new thing in Ponyville, but the technology’s been around for years. So with that explained,” she began, lowering her ears and widening her eyes in an entirely too adorable fashion, “can we have pony cuddles?”

When I felt the powerful desire to pick Rainbow Dash up like a small animal and rub her belly, I realized that she was too experienced in giving that face. Even with my phobia to touch, I had to fight to keep from smothering her in pets and scratches behind the ears.

Curious that my aversion to contact only presents with sapient creatures.

Knowing that the Element-bearers were only trying to help me, I sighed and nodded. “Very well, let us depart. I cannot promise anything, but I will try to do things as Twilight Sparkle has recommended.”

Rainbow Dash grinned and took a crouched stance before saying, “Race ya home! One...twothreego!”

---

A few minutes later, I found myself waiting patiently inside the cloud house of Rainbow Dash. When she had asked for a race, I momentarily considered being “fair” about it, but that just wouldn’t have been as much fun. Likely I was going to be accused of cheating or something similar, but I didn’t mind. Friends messed with each other after all, right?

The front door opened, revealing a panting pegasus with scowl on her face. “You cheated!”

Called it.

I chuckled and shook my head. “How did I cheat? Please, enlighten me. You proposed a race, so I chose to beat you. There were no rules given, and no disqualifications stated.” Rainbow Dash’s mouth opened to retort, but after a moment of silence, she snapped it shut again. I smirked in response. “Thought so.”

She slumped a bit before kicking the door closed behind her and climbing the stairs, presumably to shower. I simply watched her go before planting myself on her sofa (made of clouds, of course), electing to patiently wait for her to return. I noticed with surprise that a large flat-panel television was mounted upon the far wall, and realized that I had trodden right by it the previous day without even noticing.

I silently thanked my Lord that I was fighting demons and not TV’s.

As I waited for ten or so minutes, I began to feel anxiety creep upon me. I realized that I was voluntarily subjecting myself to endure something that terrified me, and with that realization came a shard of self-loathing at the fact that I had no reason to fear these ponies. When it came right down to it, they were rather cute by comparison to many of the other sapient beings governed by the Council. There was no possibility of any of them directly threatening me, nor could I claim to be startled or anything of the sort. It was then that I understood the plausibility of Twilight Sparkle’s theories, and her possible solutions given for my condition.

My momentary lapse in attention was pushed away when I heard a door open from up the stairs, and beheld Rainbow Dash descending the stairway with a pair of brushes linked upon a rope hanging from her mouth. As she approached, I noticed the fact that she was still a bit damp from her bathing, and for some reason felt I shouldn’t be staring at her, so I averted my eyes nervously.

“Alright,” she announced, the sounds of her hoofsteps coming closer before she hopped upon the furniture beside me, “you’re gonna brush me.”

I swung my gaze back to her and raised my eyebrow in subtle defiance. “Excuse me?”

“Twilight’s idea.” Rainbow Dash explained as she hopped upon the cushion next to me. “She figured it would be more comfortable for you to be the one to initiate and control the contact between us, and there’s brushes, so you won’t be touching me barely at all. This way you can kind of ease into it all, and hopefully we can take this slow and easy so that you adjust better.”

“Forgive me,” I began, my skepticism practically bleeding out of my pores, “but ‘slow and easy’ doesn’t exactly seem like something you would suggest.”

She fixed me with a blank stare as she answered, “Which is why I said Twi came up with it.” My reluctance to engage the act must have been clear, since she nervously added, “Unless, y’know...you didn’t mean what you said when you told us you wanted to get over this no-touch issue you have.”

I thought about this “plan” that had been thought up without my knowledge, and have to admit it made a lot of sense. The trust issues, the desensitization…theoretically, it could work. So that just left one question:

Did I want it to work?

No sort of behavioral therapy would work unless the subject wished it to. While I didn’t consider my talents to be in diagnosing or treating mental disorders, even I knew that. In order for any issue of mine to be cured (and I had more than I could count; part of the territory of being exposed to the imperfect world so much), I had to want it.

And the more I thought about it, I realized I did.

Slowly, I nodded. “I meant it, Rainbow Dash. Twilight Sparkle seems like a smart pony, so I will trust her methods until or unless I see reason to distrust her.”

She smiled happily and motioned for me to sit closer. “Twilight has her crazy moments here and there, but I trust her to do what’s right. In the end, she always has our best interests at heart, and I don’t think she even knows how to do wrong to somepony on purpose. If she says this is the best idea, I believe her.”

Anxiety was already rising within me, but I had gotten to know the Elements of Harmony over my stay on this world, and they didn’t seem the type to joke around about something so serious. Of course, that was just speculation. Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie were known to be quite the pranksters.

I nodded again, letting out a sigh as I did so. “I suppose you’re right, Rainbow Dash. Just to warn you, I have no idea what I am doing. The gentlest thing I have done was…” Suddenly my words caught in my throat, and I coughed in embarrassment. “N-nevermind.”

“Woah, hold on!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, leaning a little closer to me. “You’re like Mr. Warrior most of the time, so if something embarrasses you, you can’t leave me hangin’! C’mon, I’m sure you have some embarrassing dirt about me by now, seeing as how you’ve been spying on us for a long time before we even knew you existed.”

I huffed indignantly. “I was observing, not spying.”

“You were watching us while hidden.” she corrected with a smirk. “Here in Equestria, that’s called spying.”

I prepared to fire back a retort, but found I had none available. So instead, I crossed my arms and snorted in mock offense. “You’re welcome for watching over you then, Rainbow Dash. Perhaps if some monstrosities had attacked your home and I had stopped them, you would not feel so smug.”

“But they didn’t, so you were just spying.” she shot back, still grinning triumphantly.

I grumbled to myself before replying, “Fine, you have a point.”

“Now,” she announced, pushing the tied brushes over to me, “the pronged one is for my mane and tail, and the short-bristle brush is for the rest of me. While you’re tending to a girl’s needs, you’re going to tell me just what is so embarrassing.”

I swallowed the lump in my throat and picked up the brushes. I slipped the bristled brush onto the palm of my hand, detaching it from the rope as I muttered, “Very well.” I held my hand above the pegasus for a moment as I mentally prepared myself, then thought back to a memory as I said, “D-don’t ask why, but I really need you not to talk while I do this, alright?” Thankfully she didn’t speak, but nodded her assent. With that, I lowered my hand to her cyan coat and began making long, sweeping strokes. Rainbow Dash let out a slight murmur of appreciation, but did not speak again, dutifully following my request. After a moment, I felt my nerves settling, and I began to speak again. “All of you were absolutely correct: I was and am very lonely. Such is my lot in life, but I do not begrudge my lord for this charge. He chose me for this because he knew I was best-suited for it. However, I had to take measures to be sure I kept my sanity, and so I would often speak to myself or would take a pet to keep me company.” Interestingly enough, as was in the past, the act of brushing the fur of a small warm body was cathartic in a way, and it calmed my heart and mind as a small smile found its way upon my lips. That was how I was allowing myself to touch a pony: by imagining she was an animal. True, it made me feel a little bad that I was pretending Rainbow Dash was a non-sapient creature, but it was a necessary evil, of sorts. “The most recent companion I took was a canine pet on Earth. Her name was Bailey, and she was the only friend I had in the world.” I sighed wistfully as I continued brushing Rainbow Dash’s legs and hooves, continually mentally reminding myself that it was just a cute little pony that couldn’t talk. “Unfortunately,” I continued sadly, “canines don’t live very long compared to humans, and practically no time at all compared to me. However, even though it hurt to lose her, I would not have traded the time I had with her for anything else in the world. That small speck of friendship, no matter how fleeting, was worth the pain brought by the loss.”

I set the short brush down after finishing with the flanks of the pony before me, and picked up the multi-pronged one before I began tending to the beautiful multicolored mane. A small part of my mind registered as she gently kneaded her hooves into the leather-like material of the armor around my thigh, but I pushed the sensation away and focused on the task at hand. It was amazing how easy it was to see a pony as simply a cute pet-like animal, but I knew it would not be a permanent fix. It would help me with my issue though, and that was enough to start.

“So as you can see, I have mortal whims and desires as well.” I explained. I watched as the brushing of Rainbow Dash’s mane changed it from a sharply-separated prism of colors to a blended rainbow, the hues perfectly mixing from one color to the next. I then unthinkingly pulled her into my lap on her side, and began running the brush through her prismatic tail. Again she murmured happily and almost seemed to let out a squeak or chirp of happiness before falling silent again. “Truthfully, I used to wonder why my lord gave me a desire for companionship, along with emotions like anger, sadness,and loneliness. I cannot claim to understand the inner workings of his mind, but I believe he did so in order to give me the ability to understand how mortals felt and thought every day of their lives. If I can predict how my charges will feel or act, I can better understand the best course of action.” Last of all, I flipped Rainbow Dash on her back and pulled her tail toward her stomach ‒ so as to preserve her modesty ‒ and used the short-bristle brush to finish her chest, inside of her legs, and her stomach.

After thoroughly grooming the pony until her mane, tail, and coat shined brilliantly, I roped the brushes back together and gently nudged her off of me. I then sighed and said, “You can speak now.”

Interestingly enough, she didn’t; not right away, anyhow. After a minute or two of silence though, she asked, “So you really were lonely, hm?”

I nodded solemnly. “More than you could ever understand.”

Again, silence permeated the room of clouds. Rainbow Dash swallowed hard and opened her mouth a few times, only to shut it as she seemed to be unsure of what to say. Finally, she croaked out, “I know what it’s like to be surrounded by pon- erm, people, and feel lonely.” She sighed ruefully and said, “It was my own fault though. I was a jerk for a long time, and it’s hard to make friends with an attitude like mine was. I was the princess of jerks, and I was proud of it.” Her eyes then fell to the floor as she added, “Then Gilda left.”

I nodded. “Your gryffin friend you told off, yes?”

She nodded sadly, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. “She was my best and only friend for a long time, and I hoped that when she came to visit me, things would be the same between us. During her time away though, she changed. She wasn’t just a prankster or kinda bossy anymore, she was downright mean.” Rainbow Dash shook her head with a huff of frustration. “She told me to choose between her or my Ponyville friends...so I chose Ponyville.”

I nodded understandingly. “That must have been very difficult to do.”

“Harder than one thing had any right to be.” she replied with hurt evident in her voice. “I still miss her sometimes, but I miss the old Gilda ‒ the way she used to be.”

I swallowed thickly, feeling her pain as if it were my own, and for some reason longed to comfort her. I brought my hand up and held it over her head for a moment before taking a deep breath and lowering it to the soft brushed mane. I felt my heart rate jump as my panic began to rise, but with the will of a warrior who had seen true horrors in life, I fought it down. I knew that such a will would not work for all of the ponies, and not every time the same way, but I knew that I had something worth braving the panic for: a friend who needed to know she was among the company of one who understood her feelings of loneliness. I felt of needing to be strong for her, and my phobia was overridden by my need to protect and comfort.

“You cannot truly know someone until you know their pain.” I mused aloud, realizing I did indeed feel closer to Rainbow Dash after our exchange of past memories...and perhaps that was the secret behind “fixing” myself. I had no fear of contact with Michael and Gabriel because I knew them as people, and while it was unlikely I would ever know these six ponies as well as I know my brothers, perhaps I didn’t need to. Maybe, just knowing them and them knowing me would be enough...and maybe one day, I could be free of my chains.

Maybe one day, I could know the joy of hugging a dear friend without feeling terror.

Comments

[MuzaWaza]

It is alive again! Love the interaction between him and the princesses btw.

[Ghosty Pony]

Ugh. This storyyyyyyyy. It is great.

[TheHuntedOne]

why u no update?

[satnapillowpants]

8706334
Any reason that could cause rape would still fall under one of the seven.
If it was out of anger it would fall under wrath, by jealousy it would fall under envy, If someone felt that it was just owed to them it would fall under pride, etc etc.