> Warped Paths
>  by Morikain
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> Strange Beginnings
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	This is my first actual serious attempt at writing a fanfic so any advice is welcome. I know my initial pages suck, but usually pick up fairly quickly and smooth out... I was also a little frustrated with a few parts so I rushed over them to just get past it and onto the actual story rather than go into details everyone should already know. 
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Sitting in my guild’s hall, I tap my foot impatiently as I wait for my friend to show up. We had agreed to do a quick run through of an area that I had been tipped had an undiscovered dungeon somewhere in it. Unfortunately, my friend had decided to run a little late as we were a half hour past the time we agreed to have left by. Luckily it wasn’t much longer before the doors to the guild hall opened and a large red scaled lizard like humanoid stepped through.

Seeing him I couldn’t help but laugh yet again as I saw what he was wearing. As a Shadow Knight, he was expected to be wearing plate armor and wielding a sword and shield. Instead, he was wearing a pale pink robe with a black cape and a top hat. “You know, it’s kind of surprising you are still around with the lack of protection you wear. A shield will only save you from so much, Lutano.”

Lutano bares his teeth in a grin at me and snorts. “You know I prefer this over the bulky armor, besides, I am still around aren’t I?” 

I chuckle slightly and nod. “You are, and you do pretty well at keeping anything from getting to me for the most part. Though I think half your battles were won because your opponent was laughing too hard to properly fight.”

Lutano’s eyes narrow slightly. “There is nothing wrong with what I wear.”

I shrug slightly while a smirk appears on my face. “I’m not going judge either way, anyways, lets get this show on the road. I wanted to have left the guild hall a little while ago.” Slashing a hand through the air, a glowing green oval appears floating an inch above the floor and showing a snow covered trail. “We are going to be heading to the northern part of the Kylong Plains, that’s where the place is supposedly located.”

Deciding to let the earlier comment go, Lutano steps up beside me and nods. “Ok, anything specific I should know about this?”

I shake my head as I step forward. “I know just as much as you do about this place, that’s part of the reason I asked you along.” Stepping through the portal together, there was a sharp tugging sensation before the portal suddenly rippled and the tug turned into a falling sensation.  Cursing as I realize a shockwave of unknown magic had disrupted the portal and thrown our destination off, I have just enough time to slide a glowing green shield with a skull in it’s center off my back before we are deposited in a room that looked like it belonged in ruins.

Beside me, Lutano drops to a knee as he lands and smoothly slides his shield off his back and onto his arm as he recovers. “What the hell was that, Sarik?”

I shake my head slightly as I scan the room. “I have no idea, as we entered the portal I felt some kind of blast of magical energy. It was large enough to disrupt my portal and threw our destination to apparently a random location… though this place must have a strong connection to nature if a Druid’s portal was able to open here.”

A loud pop makes both of us jump and we whirl towards the sound as we draw our swords. Standing on a raised platform with a throne just behind it was a dark blue armored unicorn… scratch that, the wings folded against it’s side makes it an alicorn. A second pop forces us back to back as a lavender unicorn with a purple mane that had a pink stripe through it appeared on our other side.

Before it realizes we are there, the unicorn yells at the alicorn. “You won’t win, Nightmare Moon!”

The alicorn laughs in response. “Do you truly think you can stop me? Without the Elements of Harmony you don’t have near the strength you would need.”

In response, the unicorn merely lowers her head as her horn starts to glow and she charges. When the alicorn responds in kind, I quickly sheath my sword and raise the now free hand as a brown glow surrounds it. “Hold!” As the word echo’s around the room, large roots burst from the ground beneath the two equine and bind them to the floor. Letting the glow fade from my hand I frown. Turning to Lutano, I notice out of the corner of my eye that there are five orbs where the alicorn had teleported in with symbols etched into the center of them. Gesturing for Lutano to watch the equine, I make my way to the orbs and pick one up.

Hearing a gasp behind me, I look over my shoulder at the unicorn who is staring at me wide eyed in horror. “What is so important about these orbs? I can sense a dormant magic in them but nothing worth fighting over.”

The unicorn blinks as she regains her bearings. “They are the Elements of Harmony, extremely powerful magical artifacts that are used to keep balance in Equestria. Please, let me go so that I can release  them and stop Nightmare Moon, if I don’t she will put the world in eternal night!”

I stare at the unicorn for a second before chuckling. “I’ve heard and seen a lot of things in my adventures, but eternal night? That’s not possible. It would take god like reserves of magic to be able to do anything even close to that and I can sense that I have just as much if not more magic than this… Nightmare Moon.”

Both equine blinked in shock before Nightmare Moon let loose a snarl and in a flash of dark blue light she was free from the roots. “You think you can match me in magic? I am the goddess of the night, you are nothing before me!”

I chuckle slightly and raise my free hand, sparks of electricity beginning to arc around it. “I am more than a match for you, Oh mighty goddess.” The last words spoken with sarcasm, I then raise my hand with my palm facing the alicorn. “For example, can you block this?” A second later there is an earth shattering boom as a bolt of lightning shoots from my hand and slams into Nightmare Moon.

With a short scream, Nightmare Moon is slammed into the wall behind her, causing cracks to spider web out from where she impacted. For a second she lays still before slowly pushing herself up. “You will pay dearly for that, Elf!.” Charging her horn with magical energy, I raise my shield to block in case I cant dodge the attack, but it was a pointless gesture as a second later an ethereal green clawed hand slams into her, sending her back into the wall and very nearly through it.

Staring in slightly surprise at the unexpected attack, I glance over my shoulder at a grinning Lutano. He just shrugs and his grin widens. “Can’t let you have all the fun, can I?”

I shake my head and chuckle before turning back to Nightmare Moon. “Thanks for the save at least. She may not have as much magic but she can still cause a lot of damage. And with the distorted portal, it drained a good amount of my own.” 

When Nightmare Moon manages to stand again, there is a slight sway in her stance and she glares at us. “You’ve caught me by surprise for the last time, you will not be getting another shot.” Her horn began to glow but a second later her eyes widen in fear and the glow fades. “NO! You can not succeed!” 

I blink in surprise at the sudden change in attitude before looking over my shoulder to see what had caused it. Standing in a floating ring of the Elements, the unicorn was push magic into the relics. For a few seconds nothing happened, then the magic faded and the Elements fell to the ground with no change. “Like I said, not enough magic in them to be worth fighting over.” 

A sudden shout from the doors at the other end of the room draws my attention and I spot an orange pony with a blonde mane standing in the doorway.  This causes me to miss the sudden smile that the unicorn gets at the same moment. 

Sighing, I glance at Lutano. “Keep them back, the last thing we need is-” A loud pop interrupts me as the unicorn appears by the others with the Elements and after a speech about how her friends are the embodiments of the Elements that ends with each of the orbs turning into a necklace for the respective pony she smiles. 

Nightmare Moon grins in response to the speech. “The spark still did not work, you are still missing the sixth Element.”

The unicorn’s smile just widens before she answers. “Actually it did, the spark ignited inside me when I saw my friends.” At that moment there was a flash of light above her and an orb with a star at it’s center appeared floating in the air, slowly lowering to hover just above her head. “When the other Elements are ignited, it creates the sixth Element, the Element of Magic.” In a second flash of light, the orb turns into a crown before lowering onto the unicorn’s head and a second later the six Elements shoot a rainbow colored beam of light that washes over Nightmare Moon. 

When the light clears, the armor that she had been wearing is now scattered around a smaller alicorn who had it’s head bowed as it lay on the floor. Before I can move forward to see what happened, a glowing golden ball of light floats in through a broken window before fading to reveal a pure white alicorn with a rainbow mane. “It is good to see you again, sister.”

We all jump at the voice and the ponies all gasp in shock, though the reason escaped me. Shaking my head and sliding my shield onto my back, I turn to the door and walk away. “Lets get out of here before this gets any more confusing.” Hearing Lutano fall in step beside me, I glance over at him. “You seemed rather relaxed for winding up in the middle of a battle.”

Lutano shrugs. “Already blasted the blue one and I was expecting a fight afterwards. It’s kind of hard to surprise someone who is expecting to be attacked, and I am always more relaxed in a fight… though you didn’t give me the chance to do much this time.”

I chuckle slightly. “Sorry, it was a magic based fight so I figured I would be more suited for it.” As we reach the doorway, a golden transparent wall shoots up from the floor to block us and I frown slightly. Turning around to face the source, I found the white alicorn had moved to stand a few feet from us and was staring at me with narrowed eyes. “Who and what are you? I have never seen your kind before.”

I stare at her with a deadpan expression. “My friend is a second generation Sarnak and I am a Wood Elf. I am Sarikasin and he is Lutano, now can we leave? I need to get a look at the area so I can figure out where we are and how to get back home.”

Silence was my only reply as the alicorn stared at me and after a minute I sigh. “Look, I am a Druid, we don’t look to start fights and we generally have a passive role in them even if we are a part of one. I myself don’t really care for fighting, even when compared to other Druids but if you don’t lower this wall and let us leave, I will put every last drop I have of my mana into taking you out.” 

Beside me, Lutano lifts a hand slightly and a green mist begins flowing from his palm. “Or you could ignore my friend here. He took all my fun in the last fight and now I’m kind of itching for another so I can work out some of this stress.”

I blink a couple of times before looking at him. “Really? Can we not go somewhere just once without you trying to pick a fight with whoever I am trying to avoid fighting?” Shaking my head before he can reply, I sigh and turn back to the alicorn to wait for her reply.

The look of confusion she gives is amusing but before I can take full enjoyment out of it, she responds to my question. “I will let you go for now, but I will be sending a messenger to you in a few days to summon you to Canterlot. I don’t know what either of you are and I won’t trust the safety of my ponies to chance.”

I chuckle slightly as the barrier fades. “Don’t worry too much on that, I refuse to harm animals that do not attack me first, and you very closely resemble the equine from Norrath… though they couldn’t talk. As for the messenger… good luck finding us.” With a slight gesture, the shadows at our feet rise up and swallow us, hiding us from sight. 

Turning quickly to the door, we leave before the alicorn has the chance to try and sense us with her magic.
> Introductions
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	After several hours of walking, Lutano and I finally reached the edge of the forest and stopped to scan our surroundings. The majority of the land around us was flat with trees dotting the landscape and in the distance the top half of houses could be seen. Looking up at Lutano, I shrug. "No idea where this would be so I am going to say we have discovered a new Plane. Though what this one would represent I have no idea... at least with the Plane of Sky it was obvious what it was centered on."

Lutano stares at the distant town for a second before shaking his head. "We'll just have to wait until we talk to the alicorns to get our answers. For now, let's just figure out where we are going to be staying because unlike you I would rather not sleep in or against a tree."

I chuckle slightly at the thought and nod. "It would be pretty funny to see a Sarnak in a tree though." Setting off towards the towards the town, I call on my magic and a white aura surrounds me before a wall of leaves spirals up, blocking me from view. Clearing a second later, a snow white wolf with an icy mist flowing from it's fur is in my place. "Hopefully they won't worry too much about this form. This is probably the one time I wish I had something that wasn't combat oriented."

Lutano chuckles at me and moves to mockingly pat my head but a quick snap of my teeth an inch from his fingers stops him. "You could always use Tree Form."

I snort and shake my head. "A walking, talking and magical tree... I can already see the looks of horror on their faces." Watching the town grow closer, I realize that it wasn't as far as it had initially appeared and in another couple of minutes we would be standing at its edge. "Well, looks like we will find out how welcomed we will be in a second." Picking my pace up to a trot, I force Lutano to match it or be left behind. 

As we reach the edge of the town, I slow to a walk and begin scanning the crowds and buildings for any signs of a place we could rent a room at. While we walked, I was waiting for the first sounds that would signal we had been spotted... which surprisingly took much longer than I was expecting. Nearly five minutes into walking through the town, one of the ponies finally spotted us and screamed.

Chuckling slightly at the sound, I turn my attention to the ponies around us while keeping an eye out for any that seemed aggressive. I start to open my mouth to calm them, but a second scream of monster sent everyone in view scattering into their houses to hide. Blinking a couple of times, I look at Lutano. "I think they are scared of you."

Shooting me an indignant look, Lutano frowns. "And why do you think it's just me? They could have been running from you as well. Maybe they don't have wolves here and it was you."

I start to respond but the realization that he may be right stops me and I frown. "I hate when you're right." Turning my attention back to the ponies who had now for the most part disappeared, I notice a single one remained standing in place and was watching the two of us. After a second I recognize her as the unicorn from the castle ruins and I sigh. "What do you want?"

The unicorn shakes her head. "I think the real question is what do you want? What are you doing in Ponyville?"

Lutano and I chuckle slightly at the name and Lutano replies before I can. "We are looking for somewhere to rent a room. I don't feel like sleeping in a forest when there is a town only a short distance away."

The unicorn blinks at him before shaking her head. "We don't have anywhere like that in Ponyville. If you need a place to stay though, I am sure somepony will give you a room if you do some work for them."

Lutano shrugs slightly. "I'm no stranger to taking a request to get something I want, just point me in the direction I need to go."

She nods and thinks for a second. "Well... my friend Applejack may be able to use some help. It's just her and her brother on their farm so it has to be difficult to keep up with the demand on their own." A sudden realization strikes the mare and her eyes widen. "Oh! I completely forgot to introduce myself, I am Twilight Sparkle."

Lutano and I glance at each other before bowing our heads slightly to Twilight and Lutano speaks up. "I'm Lutano, and the wolf is Sarikasin, though he isn't actually a wolf."

I growl slightly and shake my head. "Don't go around just casually mentioning I'm not really a wolf. It destroys the whole reason I am in this form."

Twilight frowns slightly. "Why would you need to hide what you are? And how did you change what you look like?"

I smirk slightly and revert back to my original form in a swirl of leaves. "Because unlike you ponies, I don't have any animalistic traits which would leave me as an oddity. Never having seen my kind before would likely lead to a panic, so I hoped that by shape shifting I could avoid that. As for how I do it, I have such a strong connection to nature as a Druid that I can turn into most animals with the use of a little magic." Blinking, I look at Lutano. "Now that I think about it, don't you have a couple of illusion forms yourself? I know it's not like mine but I think I remember a couple."

Lutano nods and pulls a small gem with an image of a doll etched into it's surface. "Mystic Moppet and Turkey, just a couple of enchantments for fun."

I notice the look of curiosity Twilight is giving the gem and chuckle. "Don't bother even asking, he wouldn't give that thing up for the world." 

Lutano noticed the look she was giving the gem after the statement and quickly pocketed it while keeping a hand close to the pouch. "Anyway, can you show us the way to where I can stay? I would like to get used to the place before I have to sleep."

Twilight nods slightly and turns down a road that leads to the edge of the town. "We should be able to get there in just a couple of minutes."

As we start walking, I shape shift back into the wolf and follow silently beside Lutano as he falls in step beside the mare. After a couple minutes of silence though, I get tired of it and speak to Twilight. "You were in the ruins when Nightmare Moon was defeated, but you didn't have the strength to fight her. So why were you there?"

Twilight smiles slightly, thinking back on it. "Because I knew my friends were there to help me and that with the Elements of Harmony we would be able to win against her. You actually played a large part in helping us though when you teleported into the middle of the room and fought with her."

I chuckle slightly. "We had no intention at all of being in the area so don't thank us. If a wave of magic hadn't interfered with the destination of my portal as we were stepping through than we never would have wound up there." Glancing ahead of us, I spot a fence with a line of apple trees on the other side. "Is that Sweet Apple Acres?"

Twilight nods. "Yea, Applejack and her brother Big Macintosh run it by themselves and have a large number of products they sell."

Lutano frowns slightly as we pass through the gate. "Do you have any idea what I will be doing here? I can't see how my skills can be put to use on an apple farm." When Twilight gives him a confused look, Lutano sighs. "I'm a mercenary in a way. Me and Sarik's guild do the odd jobs like taking out a group of creatures that are invading into someone's territory when we aren't going out and doing dungeons."

I chuckle slightly as Twilight's confusion only grows. "We don't really do jobs like helping around a farm. The majority of what the Merciful Ones do is killing off invading animals and such. Though we do take the occasional gathering and delivery mission."

Twilight stares at us in shock and stops dead in her tracks. "You kill other living beings?! What did they do that could possibly make you think they deserved that?!"

My eyes narrow slightly but I brush off her shock. "Too many things to name, and over half of them would give you nightmares for the rest of your life. You act like it was such a bad thing, but I guarantee that Lutano and I alone have saved thousands of lives on our travels." Shaking my head, I let out a sigh. "Anyways, lets just get this situation dealt with and you can ask questions later."

With a hesitant nod, Twilight leads the way through the orchard though she throws the occasional worried glance back at Lutano and I. When we reach the house, Twilight knocks on the door and a minute later an orange mare with a blonde mane opens it.

Smiling at Twilight, she steps aside to let her through the door. "Hey Twi, ah wasn't expectin to see ya so soon."

Twilight smiles slightly in return but gestures with her head back at us. "Well, I wasn't originally planning on stopping by just yet but I found these two in town and they were looking for a place to stay. Since we don't have any places with rooms to rent I told them they may be able to find a place if they did some work and suggested they see if you need any help."

Applejack nods and looks at Lutano and I. "Ah might be able to place 'em. Though if they can stay depends on how they work."

I chuckle slightly. "I'm not in on this, Lutano is the only one needing a place to stay because I will be staying in the forest just outside of the town. I try to avoid staying in any kind of town or city for any length of time. Can't stand the lack of nature that most have, and while this one is better, it's only slightly."

Applejack nods and looks to Lutano. "So what can ya do? Workin on mah farm is hard work."

Lutano smirks and glances around, spotting a small wagon a beside a barn. "How about I give a demonstration instead of telling you." Walking over to the wagon, he crawls underneath it and after a few moments of shuffling, the wagon slowly begin lifting into the air.

Staring in shock at the display of strength, Applejack sits down heavily. "Well ah'll be, fer such a slender creature you sure do have some muscle."

Lowering the wagon back to the ground, Lutano gets out from underneath it with a smug smile. "Few years of warfare and adventuring will do that. Though enchanted armor helps when it increases your strength."

I chuckle slightly and can't help but make a jab at his pride. "And yet despite your impressive strength you still lost our duel."

Growling, Lutano points a clawed finger at me. "You only won because you have so many freaking heals. If you couldn't heal as fast and as often as you did I would have wiped the floor with you."

I smirk slightly and nod. "That's true, but you didn't."

Stepping between us with a laugh, Applejack cuts off our argument. "Alright you two, Lutano has a spot in the farm if he can keep up with our pace, though after that little display ah don't think that'll be a problem." Turning to me, she arches an eyebrow. "But are you sure about sleepin in the Everfree? There's some pretty nasty critters in there."

I chuckle slightly and nod. "I think if I can fight wurms and the like, than I can survive in the forest. I haven't heard or sensed anything out there yet that would be a threat to me."

Applejack and Twilight blink before the latter speaks. "Worm? How would one of those be a threat, they're only a couple inches long."

Snorting in amusement, I have to hold back my laughter. "Not worm, wurm. Think of a dragon without it's wings and you have a decent idea of what a wurm is. Lutano and I have killed a few dozen of them while out doing quests so I unless you have dragons hiding out there I don't think I will be in any danger."

Not waiting for a response, I turn to Lutano. "If you need me, just shoot off one of your fireworks. I should be able to hear it since I won't be going too deep into the forest. I need to meditate before I go to sleep anyways to get back the mana I used today."

Lutano nods and reaches into a pouch before tossing me a small cylinder with a fuse at one end and paper covering the opening on the other end. "If you need any help, do the same. I don't want to have to go searching for your body to revive you if you die, especially since right now you are the only one with any possible way of getting us back home."

I chuckle slightly and nod, again finding the horrified looks at the mention of death funny. "I'd be more concerned about you to be honest, I'm fairly good at lying low... you on the other hand like to draw attention to yourself. Anyway, I'll let you get settled."

Before I could leave though, I was stopped by Applejack. "Wait, why don't ya just stay in the orchard? It's not quite the same as a forest but it's a safer. Ah know you say there's nothin that would be a threat but ah would feel better knowing you were sleeping surrounded by manticores and the type."

My head tilts slightly to the side as I think before shrugging as best I can as a wolf. "It should work, but I don't have much I can offer as payment like Lutano. I'm not that strong physically and the majority of my skills lay in magic."

Twilights eyes widen in realization. "Oh yea! I have so many questions I want to ask you about your type of magic, I've never heard of a type of magic that allows the caster to turn into another creature permanently."

Applejack and I stare at her in surprise before Applejack laughs. "Ah think helpin Twi with her research will be plenty. Ah just hope you can take her questions."

I shrug slightly. "Sure, why not? I'll talk to you about your questions tomorrow though, right now I would like to find a good place to settle in for the night." Trotting into the trees, I vanish quickly despite my white fur, though I keep an ear on the others as they lead Lutano to the barn to get him set up with a spot for the night. After a few minutes of wandering, I finally get tired of looking and sit against the closest tree with my eyes closed. Within seconds of sitting down, I force my mind to clear and my body to relax as I let my consciousness sink into the trees around me.
> Summons
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	When I finally returned to awareness in my own body, I was curled up at the tree's base with a beam of sunlight striking directly in my eyes. Cursing at the fact that I had to wake up every morning with a painful lance of light as my wake up call, I push myself up to my paws and stretch out my muscles before giving myself a good shake to clear the dirt and leaves from my fur. Trotting silently through the orchard, I pass Applejack and her brother without them noticing and head for Ponyville. Slowing to a walk once I pass the first houses, I head towards the center of the town in the hopes of finding something that would interest me.

Rounding a corner, I find myself staring at a large tree with windows and a door in the side facing me as well as a balcony about half way up. Staring at the tree for a second in surprise, I finally shake my head. "And I thought Kelethin was bad about tree houses. At least their homes were separate from the tree." Walking up to the door, I debate on how I am going to knock since paws were a little too soft to do the job and I didn't want to shape shift in plain sight. Thankfully my debate was cut short when someone cleared their throat behind me and I turned to find Twilight was standing there. "Yes?"

Twilight frowns slightly before looking between me and the door. "What are you doing standing at the door of my home? For that matter, why aren't you over at Sweet Apple Acres with your friend."

I shrug slightly and smirk. "I saw a tree and wanted to take a look since not too many places have anything to do with nature inside towns or a city, and I left the orchard before I got drug into helping with whatever chores they are going to ask of Lutano." Stepping aside to let Twilight get to the door. "Though you didn't strike me as the kind of... pony... to live in a tree."

Twilight smiles and opens the door with her magic. "It's the Ponyville library actually. Princess Celestia put me here when I was checking the preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration."

I arch an eyebrow in confusion. "Princess Celestia?"

Twilight nods. "The white alicorn you met as you were leaving yesterday, she is also my mentor in magic."

I nod slightly as I recall the alicorn. "That reminds me, Lutano and I will need to be leaving soon. Celestia mentioned sending a summons for us and I don't really feel like dealing with royalty while I try to find a way to open a portal back home." 

Blinking in surprise, Twilight frowns. "Why do you want to avoid her? She may be able to help you in getting back home."

I shake my head quickly and chuckle. "I'm not putting my trust in a being that I know nothing about. Not to mention our first meeting was less than impressive." Stepping away from the tree house and onto the road. "I will be content to experiment with my portal until I figure it out, since if this is just another Plane like I suspect it to be than I can just open up a portal and go home. I just need to find a place with a strong enough connection to nature or a druid's relic."

Twilight's head tilts slightly to the side but before she can say anything, the door to the library opens and a small purple lizard steps out holding a scroll. "Twi, you got a letter from the princess." Handing the letter to her, he heads back into the building and closes the door. 

I stare at the door for a second before shaking my head and deciding not to ask then turn to leave. Before I made it three steps though, Twilight appears in front of me with a pop and flash of purple light. Seeing the smile, I had a bad feeling about the letter she just received and sigh. "Let me guess, the letter is about me and Lutano?"

Twilight nods. "You are expected to be at the castle tomorrow by noon, apparently you are being watched so they know exactly where you are and if you are a threat to Equestria."

I blink a couple of times before frowning. "They are watching me, everywhere I go?" When Twilight nods, I curse. "Just great, that means that I can't just ignore them and hide... Fine, send her a reply telling her we will be there." Shaking my head, I turn and head back to the orchard. "Only my luck would have us go from dungeon delving to trying to escape a new world."

As I reach the gate to the orchard a few minutes later, I leap the gate and hit the ground at a fast trot. Thankfully, I could hear the loud crack of hooves meeting wood so I knew where to go to find either Applejack or Macintosh. As I near the source, I spot Lutano with a basket of apples on each shoulder and walking back towards the barn. Falling in step beside him, I stare straight ahead. "We have our summons already. Apparently the royalty have a way of keeping an eye on us without having to actually have us followed."

Lutano snorts slightly. "I'm not surprised." Aiming a smirk my way, he continues. "You did threaten one of them after all. Even if I added to it, you made the first aggressive move."

Shrugging slightly, I let myself revert back to my true form. "That may be, but I don't like the idea that they can keep an eye at us from a distance. Anyways, since we can't escape them we will be heading to meet them tomorrow in Canterlot. Which means you will need to put something other than that pink robe on." When his eyes narrow at me, I chuckle. "Not permanently, just for the meeting for appearances sake."

Lutano sighs and sets the baskets by the door of the barn. "You aren't going to let me out of this one, are you?" When I shake my head, he grumbles before nodding. "Fine, but what about you?"

I arch an eyebrow at him. "What about me? My normal robes are close enough to dressing up so I will be fine." Looking over my shoulder at the trees, I spot Applejack coming and continue quickly. "I'm not sure how this meeting is going to go so be prepared for anything, that means weapons are coming with us."

Lutano stares at me for a second before shaking his head. "You do realize royalty usually have their guards confiscate weapons?"

I shrug slightly. "And I can tie them up with roots and just walk by. These ponies don't seem to have any experience fighting at all so we should have no problems forcing our way past if we need to. Even if we give the idea we are preparing for a fight, they at least are aware that we won't be pushed around."

Applejack finally noticed me and walked up to stare me in the eyes. "Who are you and what are you doin on mah farm?"

I smirk slightly and in a swirl of leaves take on my wolf form. "You already know me, and I am here to inform Lutano of our upcoming meeting with the princesses. Twilight just got a summons from them for us."

Eyes wide, Applejack shakes her head in disbelief. "Why are tha princesses callin for ya? Did ya do somethin?"

I shake my head. "No, we were just in the wrong place at the wrong time and we are a possible threat at the moment... Well, Lutano is at least. I'm usually the one trying to avoid fights while he rushes head long into them if he gets bored." I pause to think for a second before continuing. "Speaking of bored, I have no idea of what I am going to be doing today, do you have anything you could use help with? I may not be able to do things that require heavy lifting but there are other things I can do."

Applejack puts a hoof to her chin as she thinks before smiling. "You said that yer a druid and work with nature, right?" At my nod, he smile widens. "Well, ah have a sick tree that ah haven't figured out what's wrong with it. Do ya think ya could do somethin fer it?"

I nod and gesture for her to lead the way. "Sure, don't know if I will be able to cure it but I will do my best."

Trotting ahead, Applejack takes only a second to make sure I am following before leading the way to the farthest spot in the back of the farm. As soon as she stops though, she whirls and glares at me. "Now what are ya really? Ah've never heard of somepony who can change what they are without bein a unicorn."

I blink a couple of times in surprise before laughing. "Just what I said, I am a wood elf druid. While we can shape shift, it's very limited in options unlike what you are probably thinking of. We were allowed the forms under the terms that we protect nature."

For a second, Applejack stared me in the eyes to search for any signs of a lie but when she didn't find any she finally sighed in relief and gave a slight smile. "Good, ah really didn't want ta have ta run ya off. Anyways, the tree is right over here." Gesturing to a tree behind her with brown leaves and blackened bark.

I frown slightly at the sight and shift back to my original form to lay a glowing green hand on the trunk of the tree. After a few seconds my frown deepens and I pull my hand back. "Your tree was poisoned by something, though I can't tell what exactly it is." Kneeling down I dig my fingers into the dirt at the base of the tree and my eyes and arms take on a dark green glow. After a few seconds the glow fades and I cough a couple times before spitting out a black gel like substance. "Ugh, no matter how many times I purify something like that I will never get used to that."

Appearing at my side, Applejack eyes the substance with disgust. "What exactly did ya do?"

Pulling a water skin from a pouch, I take a long pull before responding. "I took the toxins from the earth and tree, purified it and expelled it. In order for me to remove the toxins though, I had to first take them into myself. It's not the most commonly practiced method of healing the land but it is the fastest."

Applejack frowns slight after a second. "But if ya take the stuff into yerself... doesn't that put you at risk as well?"

I nod once and cough again, spitting out another but considerably smaller amount of the black gel. "It does, but I have a few spells to clear poisons from my body which is a lot easier to do than curing nature. Your tree will make a full recovery though, is there anything else you need?"

Applejack shakes her head. "Not really, with yer friend we should be finished a lot sooner than normal." 

I nod slightly and chuckle. "He hasn't caused any problems for you, has he? He gets a little strange sometimes if he gets bored."

Applejack shakes her head. "Nah, he grumbled a little bit at the start but he took a bit of a liking to hauling the baskets and wagon around fer us. Said somethin about it bein good trainin or somethin."

I chuckle slightly and shake my head. "That doesn't surprise me at all. If you don't need anymore help, I am going to find a quiet place to meditate. Cleansing things takes quite a bit out of me and I never fully recovered all of my mana as it is."

Applejack nods slightly though I can see the confusion in her eyes. "Well... if ya want, the house is pretty quiet about this time. If ya want to rest there while we finish the work, ah can let you know when we're done and ya can figure out what yer doin."

I shake my head slightly. "I'll pass on that but thank you. Lutano already knows that we are leaving tomorrow so I will be going to the Everfree. Hopefully I can regain my full mana as well as relax if only for a few hours before I have to deal with Celestia."

Applejack frowns slightly at me as she starts back towards where she left Lutano. "You sound like you are expecting a fight, or starting a fight."

I shrug slightly and look around at the trees as I fall in step beside her. "Back home, even someone you thought was a friend could stab you in the back so I learned very quickly to always be prepared for betrayal. Add on to that with the fact that I don't know your princess and she has already made a threatening move against me and it just makes sense." I chuckle slightly before continuing. "It's kind of funny really, in the two hundred years before I entered the Merciful Ones, I was a very calm person that had never once been in any kind of a fight. Now, five years later I am in fights constantly and have more distrust for other people than I ever though possible."

Applejack's eyes widen to comedic proportions. "Yer two hundred and five years old?!"

I shake my head quickly and laugh. "Nope, three hundred and fifty actually. I didn't leave my home in Kelethin until I was a hundred and forty five. And before you ask, I am still fairly young for a Wood Elf, we can live well past six or seven hundred years."

Applejack shakes her head with a stunned expression. "And ah thought that only alicorn's could live that long, them bein immortal and all."

I nod slightly in understanding. "It always comes as a shock when the other races find out just how long the elven races live." Stopping as I hear Lutano curse about something, I turn away from Applejack and towards the direction of the edge of town. "I am sorry to cut this conversation short, but I am going to take my leave."

Applejack nods and gives a short wave. "Stop by again if ya are ever in the area. I'm interested in hearin more about yer world."

I smile slightly and nod in agreement. "I have plenty of stories to tell if I ever am, farewell." Turning towards the gate, I take off at a slow jog towards the distant forest once I clear town's edge. Shifting into my wolf form once I leave sight of the town, I notice there is something slightly off about the feel of it before shrugging off the feeling as I pass into the forest.
> Second Impressions?
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

A/N	I will just say that this chapter was a PAIN to write and I actually cut it a bit short because it was taking too long to write completely. So cut into two chapters and probably a fail of epic proportions on Luna's Old English, I hope it's better than what I think it is to everyone who reads this.

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

Morning caught me lying in the middle of a clearing ringed with blue flowers and blessed darkness instead of light. Standing and stretching out the stiffness in my limbs, I then scan my surroundings. I had noticed the day before that the blue flowers seemed to deter anything from passing by them, so with a quick return to human form and climbing over the ring, I had found a safe place to sleep. Unfortunately, that didn't keep creatures from walking the edge of the clearing in an attempt to scare me out so I was awoken several times by the growls and roars of various creatures.

Taking a running leap, I clear the flowers and stop next to a tree. Normally I would take the long way and walk, but I wasn't sure of the time so I turned to a tree and gathered mana for a spell than was rarely put to use anymore. As I walk up to the closest tree, a faint green glow surrounds me and I step into the trunk of the tree. Continuing the motion, my next step lands me at the edge of the forest an facing Ponyville and I smile. "It has been a long time since I traveled that way... Good to know I can still use trees to travel short distances." Padding silently towards Ponyville, I was just starting to think that the day was going to be boring when a chorus of howls stops my train of thought.

I was going to ignore it, seeing as I was already near town so it was unlikely the wolves would cause problems, but screams from what sounded like three little girls had me sprinting in the direction and reaching into a pouch at my side. Grabbing the firework Lutano had given me, I arc electricity between fingers to light the fuse and launch it as I run in the hopes that Lutano was awake and close enough to see or hear the explosion. Breaking into a field at the edge of the town, I spot three fillies running from what looked like six wolves made of wood. 

Cursing as I watch the wolves close in, I lift a hand and immediately large arcs of electricity begin racing from fingertip to elbow before a bolt of electricity shoots out and slams into the lead wolf, shattering it before arcing to the next though it lacked the power to do more than slow it down. Drawing my sword as I pass the fillies, I behead the wolf that was slowed down by the electricity and slide my shield onto my arm as another lunges at me. Despite having been in hundreds of battles as support for Lutano, four wolves were too many for me to take on even as brittle as they were but I refused to let them by me to get to the fillies.

As they neared me, two branched off to either side to surround me and I smirk. 'Maybe this will work out after all.' Focusing for a second, a small ring of fire appeared around my feet barely an inch tall. At first, the wolves paused, thinking the fire was about to be set upon them but when all it did was flicker along the ground, they let out what sounded like a laughing growl and circled closer. As soon as they were within six feet, I smirked and a second later the flames at my feet explode outwards in every direction, catching three of the wolves who were too slow to jump away. 'Thank Karana for my good luck' The fourth wolf though, leapt away and when the flames faded it lunged straight for me to keep me from having time to cast another possibly fatal spell at it. 

Raising my shield, I was just barely able to get it up in time to keep it from getting to me but I was slammed into the ground in the process. I knew with m current position it would be impossible for me to recover and fight back, but yet again luck was on my side and an ethereal green clawed hand slammed into the side of the wolf, immediately rotting it's wooden body to the point it practically exploded into dust when it hit the ground beside me. 

Letting my head fall back to rest in the grass, I let my arms relax on either side of me and sigh in relief. "I've seen some amazing timing in my life but you couldn't possibly have chosen a better time to show up, Lutano."

Lutano's voice came from behind me after a laugh. "Wasn't one of your quotes you used to use that the hero usually shows up at the last second?"

I chuckle slightly as I sit up and set my shield and sword beside me. "Yea, but I would have appreciated an earlier intervention. Luckily these wolves weren't very intelligent so I was able to get five of the six with surprise tactics. Though I am surprised there was only si-" Several howls cut me off and I face palm. "Stupid, you know not to make comments about luck in a battle." Quickly rising to my feet, I strap my shield back to my arm and grab my sword. "Looks like you get the fight you've been wanting after all, up close and personal too."

Lutano rolls his eyes as he slips his shield onto his arm and his right hand glows a sickly green. "You make it sound like I am always craving a fight." As the first wolf broke from the forest, Lutano hits it with a ball of green mist that explodes on contact with it and leaves a small but growing spot of rot along the side of its head.

I arch an eyebrow at him as he draws his sword and moves to stand between me and the trees just as ten more wolves charge out of the trees. "And how often do you get side tracked on quests by killing something?"

Smirking, Lutano glances over his shoulder. "Just about as often as you do with 'shinies' and random pieces of paper lying around." Turning back around before I can reply, Lutano dashes into the middle of the wolves and a wave of black smoke pours from his armor, further poisoning the wolves as he begins slashing away at the closest ones.

I chuckle slightly and shake my head. "Always with the disease abilities." Charging electricity to my arm, I wait for any openings before blasting the occasional bolt of lightning at the wolves that were trying to keep their distance to catch Lutano by surprise. Watching the fight, I frown slightly. Normally wolves or wildlife in general would avoid places like towns, so chasing down the fillies into the town was surprising. 

Thankfully, they were rather brittle and within just a few minutes there were Timberwolf remains scattered around the field with a slightly panting Sarnak at its center. Turning to me as the last of the electricity fades from my hand, Lutano chuckles. "If this is the best that this land has to offer, I am going to be very disappointed. Norrath was far worse, even on the common trash we would run into just traveling."

Sheathing my sword and hanging the shield on my back, I chuckle slightly. "I have to agree, they are fairly easy to kill if just a single solid blow can destroy them. Though it annoys me that they are still strong enough to take me down with just six of them." Shaking my head, I turn in the direction the fillies had run only to find empty space. Sighing, I turn back to Lutano. "Anyways, we need to get going now that the fillies they were after are safe. The last thing we need is an angry alicorn after us."

Lutano chuckles and leads the way into and through the town. "What happened to the threat you gave Celestia in the castle?"

I glance at Lutano and snort. "I had less than a quarter of my mana left and we were both off balance from the sudden shift in the destination of the portal, that threat was purely a bluff. I was lucky enough just to get a decent enough Thunderbolt off when Nightmare Moon took a stand against me." Spotting the growing smirk on Lutano's face, I knew a taunt was coming and cut him off with the crackling of electricity charging. 

Walking through the town, I was just about to ask Lutano if he knew where we were going when something told me to duck. A second later a pink blur shot past me and slammed Lutano face first into the ground and a second later there was a cheerful voice rattling off something faster than I could understand. Before either of us could figure out what was going on, the pink shape was gone again. Shaking my head, I help Lutano to his feet. "That trumps everything I have seen... Any idea what that was?"

Rubbing his nose, Lutano shakes his head. "Not a clue but that hurt, lets just hope we don't run into that thing again." 

Turning to get back to walking, we were stopped again though this time it was by the familiar face of Applejack. "Hey, glad ah caught y'all before ya left. Ah was wantin to know if ya were gonna be comin back to Ponyville."

Shaking my head, I give a half-hearted smile. "If things go well, we probably will be leaving Canterlot by portal so we can get back home. Though knowing my luck, things won't be so simple... If we are unable to find a return portal, we will come back here." Throwing an amused glance at Lutano, I chuckle. "I'm sure Lutano would enjoy the relaxing work you have."

Applejack laughed. "Ya can make fun of him, but he does some amazin work. Besides, if ya are stayin around here ya will need some bits to buy what ya need."

I shake my head slightly. "We are far more self sufficient than you might think. We usually gather our own food from nature." Looking to the sky, I notice the sun's position and frown. "We need to hurry, what's the fastest way to get to Canterlot?"

Applejack frowns slightly in thought. "Well, the fastest way ah can think of for a non-Pegasus would be the train."

I nod slightly. "Can you show us where it is? I already don't think we will make it to the castle by noon so I don't want to go wandering around."

Applejack nods with a smile and trots quickly down the street. "Ah got to thinkin yesterday and wanted to know, what's yer world like?"

Glancing at Lutano for a second, I shake my head before answering. "It's not really all the different other than the fact that the races that seem to be intelligent here, aren't nearly as intelligent in Norrath. We also tend to have a lot more fighting and such than it appears you do."

Blinking in surprise, Applejack's head turns to look at us. "Ya fight a lot? Why would ya need to do that?"

I sigh and pinch the bridge of my nose. "There is too much that goes into it, but the short version is that if people like Lutano and I didn't go out and fight out some of the creatures near our homes than our cities would quickly be burnt to the ground and our familes killed. You ponies appear to have a fairly peaceful world so I wouldn't expect you to understand what is going on in ours." 

Lutano chuckles slightly before adding his own comment. "Peaceful is an understatement for this place, even the animals can be reasoned with if the stories of her friend Fluttershy are anything to go by." 

I stare at Lutano for a second with a deadpan expression. "Are you forgetting that you are traveling with a Druid? I can just about talk with any animal out there and most of the time they will listen." At Lutano's expression I can't help but smirk. "You did forget. How do you forget that about the person that has brought you back from the dead half a dozen times?"

Lutano shrugs slightly but doesn't say anything, instead turning his attention to the large platform next to a set of rails that just came into view. "Is that the place?"

Applejack nods. "Yep, that's the train station which should have the train arriving soon if the Princesses want you there by noon."

Glancing at the position of the sun, I shake my head. "We only have an hour to get there, I can't see how we could..." Face palming, I turn to Lutano. "We can use our gliders. Save us waiting and we won't have to follow these tracks." Reaching into a pocket hidden in my sleeve, I pull out a small whistle and Lutano does the same. "You may want to step back by the  way, our mounts aren't very small."

Giving us a confused look, Applejack still took a few steps back to watch us. Lifting the whistle to my lips, I sound off a single long note before letting it fade and slipping the whistle back into the concealed pocket. A second later blue sparks start floating up from the ground and forming into a large slightly hunched over form. With a flash of light, there was now a large squirrel that stood nearly a foot taller than me with long fangs and the tip of it's tail flattened into a disc like shape. Smiling to myself, I walk to its side and scratch behind one of it's ears. After a second, I swing up into the saddle on it's back and use the straps on the side to tie myself onto it.

Hearing Lutano use his own whistle, I turn just in time to see a green lizard with three horns on it's head and tail appear and I chuckle. "No variety with you, is there?"

Cut off by a clearing throat, we both look at Applejack who is staring at us with narrowed eyes. "And just what in tarnation are you doing using those critters like that?"

I blink slightly before looking at my Tree Glider. "We are going to travel, Keth-ae has been with me for years and I don't think there has been a time I have traveled without him." A slight huff from the over sized squirrel makes me laugh. "Ok, there have been a few times but only in dungeons where he wouldn't be able to move freely." Rubbing the squirrels head, I continue. "I know to you this seems like we are abusing them but I can assure you that this is far from it." I glance at Lutano who is now strapped into his own saddle and waiting. "Though sometimes I wonder about Lutano. His komodo likes to drop out of the sky with him a lot."

Shaking my head to get back on track, I look to Applejack. "Which way is Canterlot from here?"

Taking a second to look at the distant mountain, Applejack points toward the peak. "Canterlot sits near the peak of that mountain there. It's fairly easy to reach and ya should see it well before ya reach it."

I nod slightly, and with a mental command Keth'ae leaps forward, putting us nearly eighty feet in the air before stretching his limbs out so the skin  between his hind and forelegs catches the air allowing him to glide. Looking over my shoulder, I spot Lutano following closely, three flaps of skin acting in a similar way as Keth-ae's. Satisfied that we wouldn't have problems sticking together, I turn my attention back to the mountains and begin scanning the peak for a castle.

Just as Applejack had said, I soon spotted the castle and angled our flight path for the mountain just off to the side of the castle. It took us a lot of jumping to get there but in the end we made it to the city in just under forty five minutes. After landing outside the city, we jump off our mounts and dismiss them in a swirl of blue sparks and I scan the buildings. "Well... this is going to be fun..."

Lutano glances at me for a second then looks at the city before chuckling. "Oh yea, you don't like cities do you?'

I shake my head but start walking towards the castle. "Most cities feel like an empty void to me and it interferes with my magic. I can still cast spells but it requires a lot more magic as well as concentration." 

Lutano chuckles slightly. "I can't imagine just having my surroundings effect my magic. Glad I'm not a druid now."

I smirk at the comment. "So am I, the thought of you being the one behind me and keeping me alive is a little scary."

Lutano snorts in amusement. "You're too soft to go charging into a fight anyway. You'd probably drop no matter who it was behind you."

I shrug slightly, not really able to argue since I wasn't very skilled at melee fighting and most of my skills were in healing." As we walk, I glance around and notice that the streets were clearing quickly, with most of the ponies that spotted us screaming something about monsters. Shaking my head slightly, I glance at Lutano. "Kind of strange that we are the ones being called monsters after all the time we have spent killing actual monsters. It's an interesting twist."

Lutano nods a couple of times, watching the ponies with narrowed eyes. "Yea, but these things don't even know what we are and they are calling us monsters. Either they have little to no interaction with other species or they are just scared of everything they see that is unfamiliar."

Turning onto another street, the castle gates loom over us just a short ways ahead of us. "Maybe, but we are in a world that appears to have nothing remotely humanoid."

Stopping at the gates, a pair of white ponies in golden armor stopped us with spears crossed between them. After staring at us for a second, the one on the right spoke. "I don't know what you two are but you can turn around and leave right now."

I roll my eyes and gesture to the castle. "Princess Celestia sent us a letter summoning us to meet her today, so I cam afraid we can't leave. Now why don't you let us through so we can get this whole thing over with sooner because I really don't like being in cities."

The guards eyes narrowed and the spears were brought around to face us. Sighing, I lift a hand and roots shoot from the ground and lift the guardsponies a couple feet of the ground while binding their legs together. "Lets get to Celestia before I have to do more of this, I don't want to have to wrap up the entire palace guard."

Lutano chuckles and leads the way into the castle with me directing him towards where I sensed the most powerful source of magic. Several times I had to wrap a squad of guards in roots with Lutano knocking out the ones I couldn't get fast enough and after a few minutes we stepped into a large throne room. 

Sitting on a golden throne was the white alicorn we had seen at the castle and after a second I bow my head slightly. "I'll apologize before you say anything about your guards. The two at the gate made a move to attack if we didn't leave and we stirred up a bit of trouble with them on the way here."

Celestia smiles slightly, though there is a look of annoyance in her eyes. "Why could you not just tell them I summoned you? It would have avoided the need to harm my guards."

I arch an eyebrow at her. "That was the first thing I did, have you forgotten what I said about my dislike for fighting at the ruins? Your guards were under the impression we were here with the intent to harm you and took our reason for being here as a way to get to you."

Celestia frowns slightly, and glances to the door. "I can't imagine my ponies doing that to a stranger, though my guards can get a little too serious with their duties. On to what I called you here for, I want to know what you are doing in Equestria and what your intentions are. I know you said that you just wanted to get a portal opened back to your home but I have to be sure."

I nod slightly before answering. "Lutano and I were on our way to look into rumors about a dungeon in Norrath but a blast of magic warped our transport midway through so that we landed in the castle with Nightmare Moon. We were initially just going to look into what happened as best we can and see about finding a way to open another portal but we were pulled into the fight between the Elements and Nightmare. We were actually just going to leave once it was over until you put up the barrier."

Celestia smiles slightly at us and looks to Lutano. "And what about you? I noticed you working on Applejack's farm."

Lutano shrugs slightly in response. "It was something to do and it got me a room for the night."

I chuckle slightly at the short response. "Lutano isn't one for long term planning, he just kind of goes along with whatever is happening." Glancing at the door as I catch the sound of running, I wave a hand and a wall of roots block the entire entrance. Turning my attention back to Celestia I frown slightly. "So now that you know our plans, what are you going to do? I'd rather the first interaction we have, not be a fight."

Celestia laughs and nods. "I agree whole heartedly, violence has been gone for far too long in Equestria for me to welcome it back. From what you have shown so far, I don't believe you would be a threat unless provoked so I have no problems letting you be. Though my student and her friends may bother you."

I shrug slightly. "We've traveled over several continents, Planes, and several other places that I can't think of the name of at the moment and dealt with every type of person you can think of as well as some you can't... I don't think a few ponies are going to be a problem."

A knock at the blocked door stops our conversation and I glance at it as a female voice calls through it. "Celestia? Is everything well?"

Celestia smiles slightly and looks to me. "Lower the roots please, that is my sister."

I nod and with a quick gesture the roots sink back into the floor, the last to disappear also flicking the door open to reveal a dark blue alicorn with a mane that looks like the night sky. As soon as the alicorn caught site of us though, her eyes narrowed. "What are these two doing here, sister?"

I raise an eyebrow at the hostility before chuckling. "Not exactly the reaction I was expecting, but not entirely unexpected." I bow slightly before continuing. "I don't know if you heard anything from when we were at the castle ruins but I am Sarikasin, and my friend is Lutano."

For a second the alicorn looks between us before nodding. "We are Princess Luna." Walking past us and to her sisters side, she frowns slightly at us. "What exactly are thou?"

I blink a couple of times before I sigh. "I'm going to hate having to repeatedly explain what we are and what we do... I am a Wood Elf and Lutano is a Sarnak. I have a fairly decent idea what you are going to ask so I will just cover everything. I am a druid and he is a shadow knight, we are from Norrath which is a different world and we are adventurers. My name is also Sarikasin." I shook my head at the fact that giving my name was a last minute thought before turning my attention back to the princesses. "Anyways, is there anything you need from us?"

Celestia shakes her head but Luna nods. "We would like to ask thou to explain a few things. What is a... Druid? And shadow knight."

I sigh slightly. "A druid is someone who has devoted themselves to nature and it's protection. I'm actually a rarity among druids since I have chosen not only to leave the forests but I have also joined a guild and travel with a race that would normally be killed or run off if it set foot in a true forest."

Lutano blinks and looks at me in surprise. "Really? I didn't know that..."

I shrug slightly and smirk. "Never saw fit to mention it and it's really not that important. Back to the question though, a shadow knight is basically a warrior with poison and disease magic with a minor control of the undead depending on the god followed. If you know what a Paladin is, just reverse the roles."

Luna nods slightly with a look of half horror and half awe. "Thou hast control over undead?"

Lutano shakes his head. "No, I just have several toxic based spells that I can use. My deity doesn't use the undead."

Luna seems to sigh in relief before nodding. "Good." 

The uneasiness that I have been feeling from being in city starts to grow past my ability to ignore so I turn my attention to Celestia. "I am going to head back towards the Everfree. It has the strongest connection to nature I can feel so it will be the most likely place of being able to get back home."

Celestia nods once with a smile. "I am thankful you came to meet with me, our first meeting wasn't under the best of circumstances."

I smirk slightly. "I think that's a bit of an understatement but I agree, I was a little worried we would have to fight off an alicorn while trying to figure out how to leave, and at the time I was almost completely out of mana so I would have lost a battle of magic had you tried to stop us." Turning to the door, I start to walk with Lutano close behind. "If you need anything from one of us before we leave, just send a letter to Twilight. I will be letting her know where we will be in case you do." 

Celestia nods but before she can say anything a cloud of green mist bursts up around me and my body falls limp to the ground with Lutano snickering above me. Letting out a growl, I look out of the corner of my eye at him and start to charge magic in my entire body. As the magic built, electricity began to race across my body with short cracks. After a few seconds I let it discharge and bolts of electricity filled the room around me, since without control of my limbs I also couldn't point the energy in a specific direction.

Luckily with Lutano being so close and taller, the electricity arced to him several times before the spell faded and a couple seconds later I was able to regain mobility. Looking up at the sudden silence, my eyes widen when I realize that the discharge had filled the room with static and the princesses manes were standing straight up almost looking like afros. "Oh... crap." Seeing Lutano still stunned on the floor, I decided this is one time I would leave him since he also had nothing to do with the current problem. Looking up, I lunge for the door in the hopes that it would just be made out of a special wood and not stone... unfortunately I never made it that far as a dark blue aura surrounded me and I froze mid air.

Cursing mentally, I look to the princesses to see Luna with her horn glowing and narrowed eyes. At first I think she is going to take a sort of revenge for making her look the way she did but I was lifted to the ceiling before I could fully process the thought. Set on a rafter, I look down at the smug smile Luna had with confusion. "This is it? Setting me on a rafter about sixty feet up? I didn't mean for you to get caught in the discharge but still... I wasn't expecting this."

Luna shrugs slightly. "We realize it wasn't intentional but we also believe that thou needs to learn. So we will leave thou up there until we believe payment has been served."

Chuckling, I move to the center of the beam and grin at Luna. "There is one thing you should know about druids than and that is the fact that we can travel through trees and wood." With that I sank into the beam and step out into a garden at the side of the castle. Smiling to myself, I move further into the garden and look over the plants. For being in the middle of a large city, the gardens were well taken care of and it gave me a bit of hope that the residents of the world would be easier to deal with than Norrath's. Once again cutting my thoughts short, there is a dark blue flash of light an Luna appears in front of me with narrowed eyes.

Staring at her for a second, I finally sigh when she doesn't say anything. "Let me guess, you don't appreciate the exit I made?" Again silence and I frown slightly. "Are you just going to stare at me or speak what you want to say?"

Luna finally sighs and an almost sad look takes the place of the glare. "We don't understand, the ponies we are here to protect fear us but thou dost not and we have nothing compelling us to keep from harming thou."

I shrug slightly. "I have faced off against dragons, machines as tall as the castle walls and various other creatures of varying sizes and strengths. I know nothing about your magic and you may be stronger than me but I also know that I could at least hold my own. Besides that, I have faced death hundreds of times and actually have died at least a few dozen times so why would I fear you?"

Blinking a couple of times, Luna's eyes narrow slightly in confusion. "How can thou have died if thou are standing before us?"

I grin and gesture back towards the castle. "Lutano has been my saving grace. I can summon a crystal feather that can be used to bring someone back from the dead but only if you use it on them within ten minutes. As long as I keep him supplied with a feather than I don't really have to worry."

Luna shakes her head. "Thou uses such dark magic as to meddle with the dead?"

I snort in amusement and shake my head. "Trust me, we are all still alive. The ten minutes is a sort of limbo period where the soul is caught between life and death. If you can bring it back in that time frame than the body never truly dies. If that time is passed though, there is no way of reviving the person and they are left as is."

Luna shakes her head and sighs. "The magic thou dost claim to have is strange to us... We think that it will take some thought but until then let us return to the throne room." 

Nodding, I fall in step beside her as we walk back towards the castle.
> Settling In
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Returning to the throne room was perhaps one of the weirdest experiences, because the second I walked in I noticed a now normal looking Celestia smiling while Lutano sat against a pillar with his tail beating a steady rhythm on the ground, appearing to sulk. Blinking at the unusual expression, I look to Celestia. "What has him so upset? I've never seen him sulk before."

Celestia laughed. "I told him I wanted to keep an eye on you both so I would be sending a letter for the Elements to meet you at the train station when you return. This is after a trial stay here in Canterlot though."

I stare at Celestia for a while with a blank expression before speaking in a deadpan tone. "You want us to stay here... in a city? Cut off from any forests?"

With a slightly confused look, Celestia nods. "Yes, though the closest forest is the Everfree and I don't know why you would want to go there. Why is that important?"

I face palm and sigh. "I cannot go for long periods of time away from a forest or a strong source of nature magic. Cities like Canterlot, while still having a wide variety of plants and trees are still like a void to me. Prolonged separation from nature makes a druid uneasy and if a druid continues to stay cut off from nature, they run the possibility of losing their magic on top of going into a type of insanity where we attack everything around us." An example from a druid I had heard about came to mind and I quickly continue. "To give you an idea of what could possibly happen if you hold me here, there was an Elder Druid a few hundred years ago who pushed himself too far in his stay in a city and his magic forced him into the form a dragon while at the same time sending him into a blood rage. The city was leveled and turned to ash in under a day."

Celestia frowned slightly. "You do know that you are not instilling any confidence in me about your ability to be left to yourselves in Equestria."

I arch an eyebrow at her before chuckling. "So warning you ahead of time about what your actions could possibly bring about is seen as a threat? I'm just letting you know that the best place for me to be would be the Everfree. It would also serve as a constant source of mana which would speed up my search exponentially."

Surprisingly, Luna steps into the conversation in support of me. "We believe he speaks the truth, sister. Perhaps he could be allowed to stay in Ponyville with Twilight Sparkle so he can still be watched?"

Both Celestia and I blink in surprise at her before Celestia finally recovers her bearing. "That could possibly work, though I would want all of the Elements to be kept close by. It would probably be best to keep them separated anyway so that they cannot fight against us together."

I sigh slightly and look between Luna and Celestia. "However you plan on doing this, I don't care but I would really like to get back to the forest. I've never tested the length that I can stay in a city and I really don't want to push that limit. The last thing I need is to lose my mind to out of control magic."

While Lutano snorts in amusement, Luna and Celestia exchange a look before Celestia continued with what she was saying. "I will teleport you to Ponyville, I want you to inform Twilight of the situation as well and once you are settled you can begin your search. I want at least two of the Elements with you at all times when you leave for the Everfree."

I shrug slightly before nodding in agreement. "Sounds fine to me, as long as it gets me out of this city."

With that, Celestia's horn took on a golden glow and with a farewell from both princesses and a flash of light I found myself back in Ponyville in front of the library. Shaking my head to clear the sudden dizziness, I groan slightly. "Note to self, do not allow any of the ponies to teleport me. Nowhere near the same as the teleports back home." Turning to the library, I walk up to the door and knock a couple times. When there is no answer, I frown slightly and look around. For being as lively as it was before, the town was rather empty now. Shrugging slightly to myself, I pull a piece of parchment and quill from a backpack hidden under my cloak. Yet another bit of magic that I came to appreciate on my travels. Writing a short note about the situation and informing Twilight that I would be going to the edge of the Everfree, I stick it to the door using a small amount of magic to create a spike from the wood of the door. 

Stepping into the wood of the door, I step out of another at the edge of the town and head towards the Everfree. Chuckling to myself at the risk I am running, I sit down at the edge of the Everfree, facing into the Shadows the trees cast. Closing my eyes, I searched for the connection with the forest and once I find it I begin drawing in the mana that the trees naturally created in excess. As I soak in the magic, I let my mind travel through the connection and search through the forest. To my surprise, everything seemed identical to my home forest but it also gave me a sense of peace knowing that despite being on another world the forests had the same feel.

For what seemed like hours I drifted through the tree before a sudden jolt from my body snapped my mind back. Grunting slightly at the unexpected interruption, I open my eyes to find Twilight standing in front of me with a yellow mare with a pink mane beside her. Arching an eyebrow at Twilight, I frown slightly. "Did you really need to break my connection?"

Twilight blinked and tilted her head in confusion. "Break your connection? What do you mean?"

I sigh and pinch the bridge of my nose. "My connection with the forest. When I join my consciousness with a forest's, I can pull in the natural mana that is generated by the world and increase the rate at which my own regenerates. In an emergency we can pull it directly from the forest but it runs the risk of destroying our connection with nature as well as permanently burning out our magic. So to safely pull in mana we have to go into a type of meditation and meld our minds with nature."

Twilight's eyes widen and a spark appears. "Nature has a mind of its own? And you can connect to that mind?"

I chuckle slightly and nod. "The entire planet is a living being and while it isn't as complex as our own minds, it does have a will of its own. That's part of the reason Druid's exist. Since the world cannot act out on its own to protect itself, it chooses people that meet its requirements to protect it and keep the world in balance." Seeing Twilight about to continue, I cut her off. "You don't need to know the specifics of what I do or how it works. And isn't it a bit rude not to introduce your friend here?"

At the sudden switch of focus to her, the yellow mare lets out a soft eep and hides behind her mane. 

Chuckling to myself, I lift a hand with a pale blue glow and with a slow wave, the aura slowly arches over to spread over the mare and she visibly relaxes. "It has been a long time since I've had to use that spell, but back onto focus, what is your name?"

The mare slowly looked up at me and gave a slight smile. "My name is Fluttershy."

I bow my head slightly and smile. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Fluttershy. I am assuming you are another of the Elements that is going to be watching over me?"

Fluttershy nods slightly though seems a little hesitant. "Yes, I am supposed to make sure you aren't going to cause trouble... if that's ok?"

I blink slightly at the question and glance at Twilight. "Asking if it's ok to keep an eye on me despite the orders?"

Twilight shrugs. "She's the Element of Kindness and really shy."

I shrug slightly and just decide to accept the explanation since I really wasn't all that interested in the reason. Closing my eyes again, I reach out for the connection that was broken earlier but just as I am about to meld with the forest again, Twilight taps my shoulder. Eye twitching in annoyance, I look to Twilight. "Yes?"

With a sheepish smile, she holds up a quill and scroll. "Would you mind if I asked you some questions?"

I shake my head. "Later." Closing my eyes, I re-connect with nature but before I can do much more there is another tap on my shoulder. Mentally growling, I ignore the distraction but it comes again. Sending a small current of electricity through my body, I wait a second and there is another tap on my shoulder. This time though, there was a loud pop and a pained yelp as Twilight was shocked. Mentally grinning, I return to my exploration of the forest and gathering mana as I go. This time I was undisturbed as I finished and opened my eyes, releasing the electricity. "Now than, what did you find so important that you thought you needed to interrupt my meditation?"

Twilight frowned slightly, her mane still sticking up at odd angles. "I wanted to know if you had anything you were going to be bringing with you to the library."

My eyes narrow slightly and I grumble to myself. "I almost wish you were Lutano so I could zap you with significantly more power." Pushing myself to my feet, I glance at the two ponies. "Now would probably be a good time to see where I am staying since I have recovered all of my mana." 

Twilight nods slightly and starts leading the way back to Ponyville. "How long does it usually take you to recover all of your... mana?"

I shrug slightly. "It depends on how low I allow myself to get. If I run completely dry of mana than it takes me about an hour. otherwise I usually only take about fifteen minutes. Going through nearly the entire royal guard and blockading the throne room doors nearly ran me dry so I took a little longer than usual to recover."

Twilight and Fluttershy's eyes widen before Twilight whirls to face me, stopping dead in her tracks. "You fought the royal guard?!"

I shrug slightly and chuckle. "It wasn't that difficult to be honest, they were actually easier to incapacitate than most of the creatures back home were to kill. It was a little frustrating with their numbers though and took a heavy toll on my mana before I was able to find the princesses to answer their summons."

Both Fluttershy and Twilight stared at me in shock before Twilight finally shook her head. "I'm going to have to write Princess Celestia about this. I can't understand how one pony was able to get through the entire Royal Guard."

I smirk slightly. "Two people actually. Without Lutano I would have been taken out fairly quickly as I couldn't catch all of the guards. He knocked out the ones I couldn't wrap in roots." Continuing before Twilight could, I had to hold back a laugh at her expression. "Anyways, I need to get settled in so can we get to the library?"

Twilight blinks a couple of times before nodding and trotting towards Ponyville with Fluttershy and I close behind. Shifting into my wolf form again, I notice the feeling that something is wrong is back again and a little stronger than before. Shaking it off though, I glance over to Fluttershy. "So Twilight is the librarian and student of Celestia, what do you do around here?"

Fluttershy jumped slightly and gave a slight sheepish smile when she looked at me. "Well... I take care of animals around Ponyville and any I find injured. Some of them even come to me if they need help."

I pause in my steps and look at Fluttershy in surprise. "Do you do anything with plants or the forest as well?" When Fluttershy nods, I can't help the laugh that explodes from my mouth. "I can't believe it, an un-blessed druid. I never thought I would see the day where one existed." 

Fluttershy frowns slightly in thought. "An... un-blessed druid? What is that?"

I chuckle happily to myself. "It's someone that is extraordinarily gifted with nature, both plants and animals almost to the same point that a druid is. In essence you are a druid without the magic or the blessing from nature." Looking up, I notice we are at the edge of Ponyville and I give a slight smile to Fluttershy. "I will talk to you more about it later. I'm interested to see how you deal with the animals you take care of."

Fluttershy nods and a few minutes later we stop in front of the tree library. Taking a second to look it over as Twilight opens the door, I smile slightly and follow her in. Immediately upon stepping in, I was greeted by a small purple dragon and I freeze, eyes widening a fraction. To my surprise though, Twilight smiles at him. "Hey Spike, this is Sarikasin. He is going to be staying with us so I can keep an eye on him for the princess."

I shake my head and blink a couple of times. "You live with a dragon?!" In my surprise, I didn't notice that my hackles had risen, nor that the two ponies and dragon were now staring at my back in shock. Finally I notice that they were shocked themselves and staring at me and I frown slightly. "What are you staring at me for?"

Slowly lifting a hoof to point at my shoulder, Twilight answers. "Your neck... it wasn't like that before..."

Blinking, I walk over to a window and look at my reflection. Even with the see through image, I could see that golden flames were flickering from the back of my skull to just between my shoulder blades. "Well that's new... It also explains why my shape shift has been feeling off lately." Returning to my normal form, I gather mana for the shape shift but this time focus on the feeling that the form isn't right. Releasing the magic and using that feeling to guide the form, I found myself in the form of a white equine that stood twice the height of the ponies.

Taking a second to look myself over, I couldn't help but chuckle. "I guess the magic here chose to force my wolf form to change to something more appropriate for the world. Qeynosian Protector Pegasus, not the form I would have expected but I won't complain." Instead of the small flames, I had a mane and tail made from golden fire with the same flames around my hooves. Turning to Twilight and Fluttershy, I chuckle at their looks of shock but before I could take the time to enjoy my new form, there were several screams from outside.
> Complications
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Phasing through the floor of the library, I step out of the side of the tree where the screams had come from and mentally growl at the sight of a panther like creature stalking the streets, two tentacles coming from its shoulders with curved blades at the end of each. 

A second later Twilight appears at my side and gasps. "What is that, I've never seen anything like it?"

Trotting forward, I answer with a growl in my voice. "A creature from my world, it has several names depending on where you find it but we call the species Prowlers. Don't let the blades fool you either, they have a magic that lets them attack your mind so stay back."

Twilight blinks slightly in surprise. "Why are you heading for it if it's that dangerous?"

I chuckle slightly and glance over my shoulder just before I break into a gallop. "Someone has to stop it, and I am the only one here with the knowledge of how to face it." Turning my attention back to the Prowler, I couldn't help but curse my luck. No matter where I went, something always had to happen just as things were starting to calm down. Deciding to put my new wings to good use, I leapt into the air and sped forward, slamming my fore hooves into the side of the prowler and sending it tumbling down the street and away from the ponies it had been chasing. 

Landing lightly, I snort and a small jet of golden flames shoot from my nostrils. "I don't know how you got here, but I know how you're leaving." Charging again, I take the deepest breath I can before releasing it as I get within a few feet of the Prowler, letting loose a jet of golden flames that sends it back pedaling to try to avoid being burned. Pushing the advantage I had with it off balance, I breathe another small jet of flames to make it stumble and the second it fell I was over it and reared up. Before I could strike at the downed beast though, there was a sudden pain at the back of my skull and I jerked to the side in surprise. Realizing what had happened too late, I couldn't recover in time to fully avoid the tentacle that lashed out at me and cut into my left shoulder.

Grunting in pain, I use my wings to give me an extra few feet when I jump back. "So you aren't one of the common Prowlers, they wouldn't have been able to recover..." Letting healing magic flow to the wound on my shoulder, it quickly closes without leaving any sign of a wound having ever been there other than the blood on my fur. Flaring my wings, sparks began shooting off them before turning into arcs between them that gradually grew in size. 'If close quarters isn't going to work, than I will just fry you.' Releasing the magic, a massive bolt of electricity shoots from between my wing tips and slams into the Prowler, turning its body to ash in the blink of an eye.

Staggering slightly at the discharge, I take a second to regain my balance with a slight chuckle. "Not exactly mana intensive but man does that throw you for a loop." Turning back to Twilight, I pause when I notice every pony within sight staring at me in horror. "What?"

Twilight shakes her head and takes a step back from me. "You k-killed it!"

I blink slightly in confusion. "Yes, I did and it would have done the same to any of the ponies it caught had I let it live. You don't realize just how much of a problem a Prowler would become if left alone... and the thought of it breeding here is terrifying."

Twilight shakes her head. "You could've found a way to get it away from the town, I doubt it would have been a threat if you would have sent it into the Everfree."

I growl slightly, though my equine throat has trouble producing the sound. "You don't understand the rules of my world so don't go telling me what would have happened had I chosen another option. I have seen first hand what those creatures can do if you allow them to invade your lands. The last place I visited was a small city that had forests on one side an deserts on the other and the forests were filled with Prowlers that were slowly pushing towards and into the city. Lutano and I spent over a week there killing every Prowler we could find just to bring the population down to a point they wouldn't overrun the city."

Twilight's eyes widen as her face pales. "Y-you k-killed so m-many?"

I give a sharp nod. "That's how my world works, we fight for every inch of land we have and even then there are times where we lose whole villages because nobody was around to deter whatever was plaguing them. You may be able to just leave your monsters in the forest and ignore them but that doesn't work back home."

Taking a shaky breath, Twilight nods but her face is still pale. "I... I think I am going to have to send a letter to Princess Celestia about this..."

I shrug slightly and head back to the library. "Do what you want, I will just tell her the same thing that I told you." Taking to the air, I head towards Sweet Apple Acres in the hopes to get some time away from the ponies as well as get away from the town. Finding a small clearing in the trees, I land and shift back to my elven form before sitting against a tree. Reaching into a pouch, I pull out a wooden flute and after a second of thought, begin playing. It wasn't long though before my playing drew the attention of Applejack and she soon stepped into view listening to the music. 

When I finish playing, Applejack gives me a wide smile. "Well ah'll be, I didn't think you would be one to play an instrument."

I shrug slightly and chuckle. "I picked it up out of boredom really. Since I spent most of my time alone in a forest, I didn't have a lot to do and decided I would pick up an instrument that would be easy to make with just what I could find in the trees." Slipping the flute back into the pouch, I push myself to my feet. "Sorry if I disturbed your work."

Applejack shakes her head and chuckles. "Don't ya worry none about that, Big Mac and I just finished the work for the day so ya didn't disturb nothin. Ah just had to find out where that music was comin from since ah never heard anythin like it before."

Nodding slightly, I look to the sky. "I'm not entirely sure where I picked it up, just that it was a human tribe that taught me one of the rare times that they traveled through. Normally I would run them off but these ones showed a care for nature I hadn't seen in humans before."

Applejack's head tilts slightly to the side. "Ya would run people off? If ya were bored an' alone, why didn't ya let people stay?"

I snort slightly in contempt. "Let others stay in my forest? I would have to have lost my mind to allow beings that may destroy the balance into my forest. Very few actually pay attention to the impact their actions will have on nature and tend to set off a chain reaction that destroys the land where ever they go. I would rather have the forest inhabitants as my only company than allow my forest to be corrupted."

Applejack takes a step back at the venom in my voice. "Ah'm sorry, ah didn't mean to make ya mad. Ah just thought ya would want another pony to talk to."

I shake my head and sigh. "You didn't make me mad, I just have a large amount of disgust for the majority of Norrathian races." Shifting to my pegasus form, I let my wings unfurl half way. "I think I am going to get some flight time in, it has been a long time since I was last able to take to the air and now that I am calmed down after the argument with Twilight I can actually enjoy it."

Applejack blinks. "Ya argued with Twilight? What was it about?"

Shaking my head, I let out a sigh. "She doesn't agree with my killing the creature, but this one in particular can attack the mind directly with magic and none of you ponies have any way of fighting against that. It's far better that you don't have any Norrathian creatures here because I guarantee they would wipe you out." Spreading my wings, I let a ghost of a smile appear on my face. "But as long as I am here I can remove the threat... you ponies are actually kind of growing on me so I can't really leave you to fend for yourselves." Leaping into the air before Applejack could reply, I just barely hear a laugh as I head back towards Ponyville. Landing outside the library a few minutes later, I push the door open and step inside. 

At first glance the place appeared to be empty but there was still the upper floor. I didn't exactly feel like dealing with an angry Twilight so I walked to a corner of the room that was out of the way and grew a bed from the wooden floor with loose vines in place of a mattress so that it was more like a hammock. Shifting back to my true form, I lay in the makeshift bed, staring at the ceiling for a while before groaning and running a hand across my face. I was hoping to be able to sleep as easily as I did before but it seemed that with being in a new land, my mind refused to allow me to rest. Laying my arms at my side, I decide to go into a kind of meditation to calm my mind, but after several minutes I am still fully conscious. With a sigh, I roll to my feet and head for the door. "Looks like I will be up for a while longer."

Before I could make it to the door, there is a flash of light and when I regain my sight I find Twilight standing in front of me. Blinking a couple of times, I shrug it off despite the weary look she has and continue towards the door. Before I could open it though, Twilight blocks it with her magic. Turning back to look at her, I narrow my eyes. "Are you going to try to trap me in here?"

Twilight shakes her head and after a second speaks. "I just got a letter back from the Princess, she says to trust your judgment since you come from another world and only you and Lutano know how to deal with the threats... I still don't like the idea of killing something though."

I sigh slightly. "You don't have to like it, just accept that it is something I saw the need to do to protect the ponies here. This is something Lutano and I have done for a long time and I can assure you that none of the creatures we kill are innocents." Turning back to the door, I place a hand against it. "Now if you would let go of the door, I would like to find a place with enough nature for me to relax and sleep." Hearing a sigh, the aura finally disappears from around the door and I push it open, heading straight for the edge of town. Within just a couple of minutes, I leave the town and head for Sweet Apple Acres since I required an escort to go to the Everfree.

Chuckling to myself as I walk, I can't help but find my destination funny since I had just left there a little less than an hour ago and now I am returning for a place to rest. Vaulting the fence into the orchard, I start walking towards the back to get as far as possible from the town. I didn't make it far though before pain exploded in the side of my skull and the world went dark.
> Chapter 7
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Regaining consciousness, I sit up and heal my head to get rid of the headache from being knocked out. Looking around, I find that I am now in a cellar of some kind with my hands and feet bound together. Growling slightly at the fact someone was able to sneak up and kidnap me, I glance around the room for a door but only spot a set of stairs leading up and out of sight. Leaning against a wall on the opposite side of the stairs, I decide to wait and see who exactly put me here and why. Thankfully it wasn't long before I heard a door open and close and hoof beats coming down the stairs. Bending my legs so that I was able to charge electricity in my hands without it being seen. To my surprise, a red stallion with half a green apple on his flank came into view before stopping and staring at me.

For a couple of minutes we just stared at each other in silence before the stallion finally continued down and stopped a few feet in front of me and sat down. "So... What were ya doin on mah family's farm?"

I blink a couple of times before my expression goes blank. "You're part of the Apple family aren't you?" When the stallion nods I groan slightly and a short blast of electricity fries the ropes off my wrists. "Well this was completely stupid. You had my guild mate Lutano working here for a couple of days and Applejack herself has offered me a place to sleep among the trees."

The stallion frowns slightly. "Why haven't ah heard of ya than?"

I shrug slightly. "It was probably something that just slipped their minds since I didn't plan on actually staying around here. Thanks to the Princesses though, I'm not allowed to leave Ponyville without two of the Elements of Harmony with me at all times so I was forced to use the orchard for my source of nature." Noticing the stallions confused expression, I sigh at having to re-explain. "I'm a druid, we have to be around nature or we go into a blood frenzy and our magic turns us into some kind of creature where we then go around killing everything until our mana runs out and we turn to ash from the last of it burning out our bodies."

The stallion blinks a couple of times before shaking his head. "Ah don't understand the whole magic deal, but if ya already have Applejack's trust than I suppose I can give ya the same. Ah was comin down to check on ya just before dinner so why don't ya come up and join us?"

I go to shake my head but nod instead. While I wasn't happy about my situation or the fact that I was stuck in a world of ponies for the time, I couldn't bring myself to outright push them away and act rude. "I don't see why not, though I won't be going like this." Before the stallion could question what I meant, a swirl of leaves surrounds me and I step out as the white pegasus with golden flames. "Not exactly normal but will cause less problems than my elven form. By the way, what is your name?"

The stallion shrugs off my shape shifting before holding a hoof out. "Big Macintosh but everyone just calls me Big Mac."

Ignoring the laws of physics being broken, I shake his hoof before gesturing for him to lead the way. "Mine's Sarikasin, though most shorten it to Sarik." Following him up the stairs, I look around the barn we exit the cellar into. "You brought me to a cellar underneath your farm after finding me coming onto it... isn't that kind of counter productive to trying to stop me? Especially considering you don't know anything about what I can do."

Big Mac shrugs slightly. "Ah was sure ah could handle ya, ya didn't have a horn like the unicorns so ah figured it was a safe bet ya couldn't use magic."

I couldn't deny the logic so I let the subject drop and instead turned my attention to the orchard as we exit the barn and head  for the house nearby. Half way to the house, Applejack steps out the front door and blinks in surprise at Big Mac and I. "What are you two doin out here?"

I shrug and gesture to Big Mac with a hoof. "Big Mac here decided to knock me out and tie me up in your cellar to find out who I was and why I was 'sneaking' onto your orchard. Apparently you and Lutano failed to mention that I was around as well and it lead to a bit of a problem."

Applejack gave a sheepish smile and ducked her head so the brim of her hat hid her face. "Sorry about that, it kinda slipped mah mind with all the work we needed to get done 'round here."

I shrug slightly. "No worries, a bit of healing and a bit of electricity and I was free without injury. Though your brother nearly was beaten into one big bruise when he checked on me to see if I was awake." Stepping up onto the porch, I look to Applejack. "Speaking of, Big Mac invited me to have dinner with your family as an apology for the kidnapping, will that cause any problems?"

Applejack shakes her head and looks up at me with a grin. "Not at all, we'd be happy to have ya here. Though Granny might get a bit carried away with how different ya look."

I smile slightly and look at the door. "Understandable if you think about it though. How many flaming pegasi do you know of?"

Applejack laughs and nods before heading through the front door. "Ah guess ya have a point there, though Ponyville is full of strange ponies." Leading the way through the house and into the kitchen, she pauses beside the table and looks between me and it with a slight frown.

I look at her for a second before finally having to ask. "What is the problem?"

Applejack shakes her head. "Ah don't know how yer gonna sit at the table with it bein so much smaller. Yer twice the height of a normal pony so everythin is half the size ya need."

I think for a second before smirking. "I think I have a solution for that." Taking a moment to concentrate, there is a slight pop as a small blue gem appears on the ground in front of me with a doll etched into the surface. "Glad I bought this the last time I was in Qeynos." Placing a hoof on the gem, I feed a bit of magic into it and a second later shrink to the point I am just slightly smaller than Big Mac. "The joys of mixing shape shifts and illusion forms." Looking up at Big Mac and Applejack, I can't help but laugh at their shocked expressions. "The magic in Norrath is vastly different in uses than the magic you have here."

Shaking her head slightly, Applejack goes into another room mumbling something about strange magic. Returning the gem to my bags with a small amount of magic, I then turn to Big Mac. Being equines I would imagine you don't eat meat?" At Big Mac's horrified look I chuckle. "Being a druid, I don't eat meat so as long as there isn't a difference between your diets and the ones of the horses, pegasi and unicorns back home than we are good."

Big Mac sighs slightly. "Ah almost thought ya were gonna say ya ate it yerself."

I shake my head and smirk. "No, though I will have to find a way to get Lutano some. He can't survive off of just fruits, vegetables and plants like we can, his body won't allow it."

Big Mac frowns slightly. "What do ya mean?"

I place a hoof over the kitchen table and use excess wood that I grow from it to form the shapes of a lizard like humanoid and a dragon. "Sarnak's are the fusion of a dragon and Iksar, both of which are carnivorous in Norrath, though Iksar's can eat both meat and plants. So while they can go for a few days off of just plants they eventually have to resume eating meat or their body will shut down and die."

Big Mac shakes his head slightly. "Ah'm surprised he didn't tell us while he was here. We may not have liked it but if he had explained, we could have figured somethin out."

I frown slightly before summoning a portal that showed only a forest green disc at its center. "We weren't planning on staying long, I was planning on only staying here for the night before opening a portal back home but for some reason I can't connect to any of the druid rings back home as an anchor point. He probably assumed that we wouldn't be staying long enough for it to be a problem." Looking up as Applejack comes back into the room, my head tilts slightly to the side as an elderly green mare comes in behind her. Bowing my head slightly once the mare looks at me, I smile. "I assume you are Granny Smith, it is a pleasure to meet you."

The mare smiles at me before nudging Applejack with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Finally found yerself a stallion, AJ? It's about time."

I chuckle slightly as Applejack turns bright red, and had I not caught the look in her eyes I might have been in a somewhat similar state from what Granny Smith said. Moving my hoof over the dining table, the figures I had created sank back into the wood. "Unfortunately my profession stands in the way of forming a relationship with anyone, so even had I an interest in your granddaughter it wouldn't come to anything."

That made all three ponies blink and look at me before Granny Smith speaks. "Ya mean tah tell me that ya let a job stand in the way of makin' a family?"

I shrug as best I can. "I don't really have much of a choice to be honest. There are creatures trying to take over my home and if I don't stand on the front lines with my guilds there is a very high chance that my world will be over run and destroyed. It's a small sacrifice, especially since my guild can be called my family with how close we all are."

Granny Smith shakes her head. "There ain't nothin worth bein alone in life. Ya need to find yerself ah nice mare to settle down with."

Sighing to myself, I decide to let the subject drop because as much as I claimed it didn't bother me, it was a sore subject. Sitting down at the table instead, I look to the others. "You may be right.... but enough about my personal life, I heard you had dinner being prepared and I would hate to delay your meal."
> An Adventurer's Nightmare... and Druid's.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Several weeks had passed since my return to Ponyville and dinner with the Apples, most of it spent at the edge of the Everfree searching for any connection in the forest with Norrath. Sadly, there had been no signs of anything even close to being able to open a portal back home so I took to reading any and every book in Twilight's library in the hopes of finding out a way to send Lutano and I back. Speaking of, he had been allowed back to Ponyville after a week and we had set up a kind of routine to help with the apple orchard, where I would heal or grow trees and he would carry the baskets of apples. The present time found me sitting on a cloud over Ponyville in my pegasus form, watching the town go about it's normal business without a care in the world.

For a while I sat in peace, thankful that there was only one pegasus that there was even a chance of looking for me and she was busy for the day... or so she said. Unfortunately my peace wasn't meant to be as a few minutes later I heard shouting as well as a mass of hoof steps. Looking over the edge of the cloud, I spot Twilight running from a mob of ponies and I can't help but chuckle. Even without knowing the reason, the whole thing just struck me as funny since I knew that the Equestrians were extreme pacifists so there wasn't any actual threat.

To my surprise, Twilight was run into an alley but once cornered teleported herself and Spike who had been riding on her back. Sighing to myself, I stand and unfurl my wings. I knew this was going to ruin my rest but curiosity of what could rile up so many ponies just wouldn't let me be. Jumping from the cloud, I glide toward the library and again chuckle at the discovery I had made a few days ago. While I was from another world, the magic of this one gave my pegasus form the same abilities as the pegasi in Equestria. Being a druid that didn't mean a whole lot but it was amusing to sit on clouds when they shouldn't be able to hold me. Landing outside of the library, I push on the door but when it doesn't budge, I frown slightly. 'I guess being chased really got to her.' Rather than knock, I just walk into the door and step out into the library where I found Twilight surrounded by her friends.

Blinking at the sight, I notice two golden tickets held in a purple aura and Twilight looking at her friends with a nearly heartbroken expression. Before I could speak, Twilight broke down and said she couldn't choose who to give her second ticket to because she didn't want to hurt any of her other friends by not choosing them to go to the Gala with her. After seeing all of them begin to look regretful, I give a light cough. "I'm not exactly knowledgeable about this place yet but maybe I can help? What is the Gala?"

Twilight glances at me for a second and answers after recovering from the surprise of me appearing in the room. "It's an event held by the princesses in Canterlot, it's very hard to get into and only a select group of ponies are invited."

I frown slightly. "The event is held by the princesses, one of whom is your mentor.... correct?" When Twilight nods, I chuckle slightly. "Than ask for more tickets. If the princess can invite who she wants, I am sure that her student can get a few extra tickets for her friends."

Twilight shakes her head. "It would be rude to ask for more when she has already given me this much. I can't ask that of her... what would she think?"

Mentally groaning, I almost wished I was in my true form so I could face palm. "I'm sure she would understand that you would want to go with all your friends, not just one. Send a letter at least asking if it would be possible to get more, if she says no than send the two you have back and stay here with your friends because honestly, I can't see how anyone would enjoy going to an event in a large city like that. Especially if they are all royals like I believe them to be based off your description."

Twilight is silent for a second before sighing and nodding her head slightly. "Ok, I'll have Spike send her a letter." Before she could turn to ask Spike to write it down for her, there was a soft crackle from flames and we all looked at Spike who had a claw outstretched. 

Smiling sheepishly, Spike shrugs. "What? We all knew it was going to happen at some point so I wrote the letter earlier."

Chuckling to myself, I shake my head. "The baby dragon realized this before any of you... It's kind of funny that a child realized what none of you did almost immediately." Before anyone could retort, Spike belched fire and a scroll with the mark of Celestia on it materialized.

Opening the letter, Spike began to read aloud. "Dear Twilight, I am sorry for not sending all of the tickets the first time. A few had fallen out of the last letter as I was interrupted before I could send it. I hope to see all of you at the Gala as well as Lutano and Sarikasin who have tickets as well."

Blinking a couple of times, it took a minute for what was said to fully register. Shaking my head, I glare at the letter. "Wait a second, she wants me to attend the gala even after telling her how much I hate cities? She is just asking for some kind of disaster to happen." Turning back into my true form, I clench my hands into fists and the wood floor of the library begins to tremble. "It was bad enough being there just with the princesses but I refuse to go when there will be hundreds of others there as well."

Struggling to keep their feet, it was Applejack who finally gained enough balance to speak. "What in tarnation has ya so worked up about goin to Canterlot? Ah understand ya don't like cities but what could be so bad?"

Forcing myself to calm down and release my power, the floor smoothed out. "Druids as a whole dislike cities and avoid them because our magic is alive. If we spend too much time there, our magic will take over and kill us after destroying most if not all of whatever city we are in to make room for nature to fill the void caused by cities. Even if that wasn't the case, I don't like being around more people than I have to be."

Applejack frowns slightly. "Ah still don't get it. What is yer problem with crowds?"

I give her a deadpan look before sighing. "I lived in a forest alone for most of my life, I enjoy my quiet and lack of more than a few people at a time. I'm just more comfortable being on my own pretty much, though Lutano is the exception to that rule given how amusing he can be."

Applejack chuckles at that and nods. "Ah guess everypony likes a little peace and quiet from time to time. Still ah hope you go with us, it wouldn't be the same without ya."

I shake my head and smile slightly. "Sorry but I would rather work on a way home, the lack of a connection to Norrath is bothering me considering we came here through one of my own portals."

Twilight grins slightly. "Maybe that's the problem, your frustration could be messing with your magic and making you miss what you are looking for. You could also be overlooking a small detail that is crucial to the connection. If you relaxed and took a day to enjoy yourself you might realize what you have been missing."

I start to argue but the pleading looks from all six mares stops the words in my throat and I sigh. "Fine, but I would like to accompany Fluttershy. If I am going to be going to this place, I would like to at least be in the company of the closest thing to another druid as I can find here. That should hopefully keep me at least in control for the duration."

Suddenly sporting a grin, Rarity's eyes seem the shine. "Oh! I know just what to make to truly make you stand out!" With that, she dashes out of the library and toward her boutique leaving me groaning in despair.

I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that Rarity was going to give me a day of living nightmares and there was nothing I could do about it unless I wanted to hurt her so I was left resigned to my fate at the hands of someone I knew would dress me up many times before being satisfied. Shaking my head, I turn back to the others. "Well, now that this... horrible catastrophe has been resolved, what are your plans?"

The five mares look at each other before shrugging. After a second, Twilight speaks up. "I guess we just get ready for the gala and help Rarity if she needs anything since I know she is going to want to make all of us a dress."

I frown slightly. "Hopefully she will understand that a dress won't work for me. Lutano would have fun at my expense for weeks if she did." Shaking my head, I look to the others. "Anyway, I will let you get back to what you are doing to prepare and I will let Lutano know of this." Turning to the door, a sudden chill runs up my spine and I stop with a frown. 'That's not a good sign... Looks like I will have to warn Lutano of a coming fight as well.'

After walking out of the library, I shift into my pegasus form and take to the air. Flying back to Sweet Apple Acres, I shift back a few feet above the ground and hit the ground at a jog. It didn't take long to find Lutano and after a quick explanation of the gala and the warning that something was going to be happening soon, I turn around and head for the Everfree. Despite what Celestia wanted, I still made occasional visits alone to the forest so that I could focus solely on looking for a connection to create a portal through. Unfortunately I was stuck with bad luck and before I ever reached the edge of Ponyville I was stopped by a cyan blur slamming into the ground in front of me.

When the dust settled, Rainbow Dash was standing a little shakily in front of me. Shaking her head, she narrowed her eyes at me. "I want to have a race with you, since you have a larger set of wings I want to see if you can even come close to beating me since you should be able to go faster."

I blink a couple of times before shaking my head. "You forget that I am also twice the height of any pegasus here in that form. My size would make me slower than you since I would have more resistance from the wind."

Rainbow Dash snorts slightly. "Excuses, that's why you train so that you can remove that limitation by getting stronger. I wasn't able to do a Sonic Rainboom right off the bat, it took me years of practice."

I open my mouth to argue but end up sighing instead. "You aren't going to leave me alone until I agree to the race, are you?"

Rainbow Dash shakes her head and smirks. "Not a chance, I want to see what you can do with your wings or if they are just for show."

My eyes narrow slightly and I shift into the pegasus. "A druid learns the forms they can take on inside and out until it is just like the body they were born in. We have lived and fought in these forms and there is nothing 'For show' about them. So what is the finish line?"
> Nature's temptation?
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	It turns out that the race wasn't going to be the quick 'Point A to Point B' that I had originally assumed it would be. After being told to wait for a course to be set, I found that most of Ponyville had gathered to watch the event and there were votes being placed on who would win. Sighing at the amount of ponies that had gathered, I realized I should have known that it would be made into an event since Rainbow Dash apparently had a reputation for being unbeatable in speed. Sighing to myself, I walk onto the field we had set as a starting point at the edge of Ponyville and take my place beside Rainbow Dash. "Tell me again why you had to gather an audience? For just one small race this is a bit much."

Giving me an incredulous look, Rainbow Dash shakes her head. "Not a chance! When it comes to proving who is the fastest pegasus in Equestria, everyone has to see me keep my title."

Rolling my eyes, I look ahead of me. "If you say so, I still don't understand it though. Anyways, around Ponyville twice, correct?" At Rainbow's nod, I flex my wings a few times before leaving them half open and closing my eyes. Taking slow breaths, I force myself to relax completely until the start of the race is called. 

Off to the side on a stand, Pinkie appeared with a megaphone. "Ok everypony, the race is about to begin so get to your seats!" A few ponies scrambled to get to the stands that had somehow appeared between the time I closed my eyes and when I opened them, but I didn't have time to wonder as Pinkie began the countdown. "Three, two, one, GO!"

With a quick snap of wings, Rainbow Dash and I leapt into the air and soon turned into a white and cyan blur. To my surprise, I was keeping pace with Rainbow Dash and it seemed she was actually pushing herself pretty hard just to keep from falling behind... or so it seemed. As we reached the half way point of the first lap, Rainbow Dash looks over to me. "I forgot to mention that races with me generally include slams."

The random statement confused me for a second but my confusion was remedied quickly when a cyan blur slams into my side and sends me tumbling through the air. Quickly righting myself with a growl, I throw everything I have into my wing-beats and quickly catch up. Coming up beside her, I decide to use my larger wingspan to my advantage and instead of getting close to return the slam, I use a wing to hit her and send her tumbling towards the ground. Keeping an eye on her as I continue on the course, I quickly become thankful as she tries to hit me from below. Folding one wing half way, I use the other to send me into a roll to the side and avoid the hit.

Chuckling, I watch as Rainbow Dash comes back down to fly beside me. "If this is normal for a race with you, I don't think it can be called a race. It is more of a moving aerial fight."

Rainbow Dash smiles slightly. "I guess, it just makes it more fun and it shows who is the better flyer. If you can take a hit and still keep up you have to be pretty good."

Nodding slightly at the logic... in her mind at least, I look ahead of us and realize we had finished the first lap. "Well now that we have seen we can both recover from a hit, why don't we go for just speed this time around? Since that was the whole point of this race in the first place." Rainbow Dash nods and with a grin blasts ahead in a rainbow blur, leaving me sighing as I fall behind. Gathering my strength, I push myself to go faster until I start to feel the air form a kind of cone ahead of me and the resistance lessen. Before I can really think about the odd occurrence, I notice I am slowly gaining on Rainbow and smirk slightly. Before I could fully catch up though, we had completed our second lap and she had beaten me so I follow her to the ground. Landing lightly beside Rainbow Dash, I look over to her and chuckle when I notice her breathing heavily. "You have a good amount of speed but I would work on your endurance more. Had this track been any longer I would have beaten you just by out lasting you."

Snorting, Rainbow Dash puts on a cocky grin. "Please, nopony can beat me when it comes to flying."

I shrug slightly and stretch my wings to work out the muscles so I wouldn't be sore later. "If you say so, though I have to admit the race was an interesting change of pace from what I normally do. I don't think I've ever taken the time to do something that didn't have a larger purpose." Rainbow gives me a confused expression so I continue. "Most of my life has been about training for something specific, not racing or doing challenges just to see who is better. Though I guess the duel I had a while back with Lutano would count, though that was more to test how much he could do to me with his Harm Touch." I smirk slightly at the memory as I also came out of the fight as the victor despite most of my abilities being aimed towards healing.

Shaking my head, I look at Rainbow Dash. "Anyway, you got your race and you won so I am going to head to the Everfree. I plan on meditating up until the Gala whenever I have free time."

Rainbow Dash nods slightly. "It's almost a week away so you have plenty of time. Maybe you can find a clue on how to get home while you are there."

I shrug and shuffle my wings slightly. "I'm not so sure it will be that easy, there is a key piece missing from being able to open a portal back but I can't figure out what it is. I think for now I will settle for meditation and see if the answer will come to me."

Rainbow Dash shrugs and shakes her head. "I'd never be able to sit still, but I will let you get to it since I need to get some practice in before I go to meet the Wonderbolts." With that said, she quickly disappeared in a cyan blur and left me chuckling on the ground.

Taking to the air myself, I head to the edge of Ponyville and land outside Fluttershy's house. Moving to the door, I notice that many of the animals are watching me and beginning to gather closer to the house. Ignoring them for now, I knock on the door and take a step back. 

For nearly a minute there was silence before the door slowly opened and Fluttershy peeked out. "Oh, h-hello Sarikasin. I didn't expect to see you out here. What can I help you with?"

I smile slightly before gesturing with a hoof to the Everfree beyond her home. "I was going to the Everfree and was coming by to ask if you would come with me since I am required to have an escort." I kept a straight face at 'required' but my annoyance with the word was clear. Thankfully though it seemed that Fluttershy didn't notice as she nodded with a smile. "Of course, though I will have to get somepony else to come with as well."

I sigh slightly as I really didn't want any of the others to go since they all would be a distraction while I went through my meditation. Fluttershy was the exception since she was quiet by nature so I didn't have a hyper or talkative pony constantly making noise. I couldn't really ask them to go against their princesses though so I just nod and wait as she flies into the town to get one of her friends. Sighing again, I let myself shift back to my true form since all of the Elements know what I really am. 

Sitting against the door, I hold out a hand and draw a root from the ground a couple of feet in front of me and begin manipulating it into various shapes. Stopping when I form an outline of a tree with the root, I frown slightly as it reminds me that my symbol has been ignored for a long time. Each druid is given an image that represents them when they form a connection with nature and are expected to wear it in the company of others but I have gone so long with my guild that I ended up setting it aside with my armor being changed so often after raids and dungeons that the guild would go to.

Lowering my hand as I caught the sound of voices, the root sank back into the ground and I looked up to find Twilight walking beside Fluttershy. Suppressing a groan at the choice for the second escort, I could already feel the headache starting. Twilight had a hard time remaining quiet any time I went to the Everfree, always asking questions every couple of minutes and breaking my concentration. Unfortunately there was little I could do so I brushed off the annoyance and nodded to Twilight. "Hello Twilight, I hope you weren't pulled away from anything important."

Twilight smiles and shakes her head. "Not at all, besides, you have given me a lot of information about druids.... even if you don't answer any of my questions." At the last sentence she frowned slightly.

I chuckle slightly. "That's because you always choose to ask your questions when I am trying to meditate. I might be more inclined to answer you if you waited until I was back in Ponyville or at least not trying to connect with the forest."

Giving a sheepish smile, Twilight nods. "I guess that I do have a habit of asking questions at the wrong times. Though even just watching you gave me a lot of things to study. The fact that you can literally connect with and use nature is an amazing ability."

I shrug slightly and start walking toward the Everfree. "Not when you consider there are thousands of us back home on Norrath. It's not a rare ability and as far as I am aware, anyone can become a druid." Blinking a couple of times as I am hit by a sudden epiphany, I look at Fluttershy. "Maybe that means you can become a true druid... I didn't realize it but even people back home who had no magic were able to become one, so maybe you can as well."

Fluttershy's eyes widen slightly and she looks at me. "I-I don't know... I a-am happy as I am."

I shrug slightly and force back the feeling of disappointment. "I didn't say you had to, it was just a suggestion since you already have such a strong connection with animals. It would just give you the magic to understand them as if they were speaking our language as well as heal injuries, though you already seem to understand them just fine without it."

From there we fell into a silence until we reached the Everfree and I sat against a tree at the edge of the forest. As I am about to close my eyes though, I hear a slight squeak from Fluttershy and look up at her. When she shrinks back and keeps quiet, I lean back against the tree and close my eyes. "You may want to head back home before nightfall. I won't be moving for a couple of days and will be returning immediately after I have gotten my fitting with Rarity done with. I don't want you wasting your time on watching an immobile druid."

Twilight shakes her head. "It's fine, we can trade out on watching over you so nothing will take advantage of your lack of awareness."

I stare at Twilight for a second with a deadpan expression. "You do realize that when I connect with nature I can literally sense everything almost in the entirety of the forest? Nothing can get within a thousand feet of me without me sensing them."

Twilight grins with a gleam in her eye but I cut her off. "I'll talk to you again when I leave the connection, and please don't poke or prod me to test my concentration this time." With that, I close my eyes and immediately fall into the connection with the forest and begin my roaming.
> At the Gala! 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Returning to my body at the edge of the Everfree, I can't help but sigh. Today was the day of the Gala and the preparations had been nothing short of a nightmare, especially with how obsessive Rarity had been over what I would be wearing to the event. I had adjusted to having to be fitted and measured a long time ago after meeting the guild, but the process that mare went through to get everything right was frustrating. It took nearly an hour just for her to decide on the colors, then another two for a design. Thankfully she was quick at her work and was able to complete the outfit in under half an hour and I was able to return to the Everfree where I am now. Opening my eyes, I yawn slightly before getting to my feet.

Taking a second to roll my shoulders, I decide to take a different route than my normal one since I got here and in a flurry of leaves I take the form of a tiger before breaking into a fast lope back towards the town. Slowing to a walk as I near the edge of Ponyville, I notice several of the Elements rushing around and stop the first one I get close to which happens to be Applejack. "What is going on with all of you? You look like there is some major emergency going on."

Sliding to a stop, Applejack let out a sigh of relief. "It's about time ya got here, we thought ya were gonna miss the train to Canterlot. Rarity's been havin' a fit at the thought of ya not wearin the outfit she made for ya since it's the first she's ever made."

I blink a couple times before face pawing. "Have you all forgotten that not only can I make it there faster in my Pegasus form, but I also have a mount that can get me there in the same amount of time? Instead of worrying about me, you should be worrying about yourselves... and where is Lutano?"

Applejack chuckled at the mention of my friend and guild mate. "He's been grumblin' at the station ever since we all gathered thinkin' that ya were gonna bail out since ya don't like cities. We all actually thought ya were gonna try to avoid it since ya mentioned the risk of losin' yer mind if ya stayed too long."

Eye twitching, I head for the train station with Applejack beside me. "Why is it that everyone thinks I will try to get out of something once I have agreed to go? Yes, there is a chance that I can go berserk if I stay in a city too long but as long as I keep some of my focus on my mana I should be able to tell well before hand when I need to get out and find a strong source of nature. I just don't know how long I have between feeling my mana fluctuate and when it corrupts me." 

Applejack chuckles at my annoyance before gaining a thoughtful look. "If ya can feel when yer magic might cause a problem, why don't ya just head out to the gardens before it becomes a problem? There should be more than enough plants there for ya to relax with."

I shake my head and look ahead to the train station as we round a corner. "The garden isn't naturally made so it won't work, by being tended by ponies it reduces the flow of mana in the area and my magic doesn't recognize it as a source of nature so it won't do anything to settle it. The only thing the gardens will do is relax me physically while in Canterlot so that I can maintain a better grasp on my mana so that it is less likely to lash out."

Applejack nods slightly and as we near the station, I spot Lutano with his arms crossed and in his armor that he wore when we went into raids. Chuckling, I slip off to the side since Applejack and I had yet to be spotted and gesture for Applejack to continue as if I wasn't there. Slipping into the shadows of the building, I sneak my way behind Lutano and prepare to surprise him. 

Before I could pounce though, he lifts his nose and after a couple of sniffs turns to face me with a smirk. "Nice try but the breeze wasn't working with you today."

Stepping into view, I smile slightly. "Or you are just getting more used to my attempts and are actually paying more attention to your surroundings. When I first started my ambushes you never knew I was coming until I was knocking you over."

Lutano shrugs slightly. "I'm the tank of our group, I'm meant to take hits and usually whatever hits me ends up healing me after I hit it with a couple of diseases. With that ability I really don't have to worry about getting hit first since I just recover almost instantly."

I chuckle slightly. "You forgot to mention having a druid behind you that can throw out heals quickly as well. Part of the reason we team up so much is the fact that we do so well together." Lutano nods but before we can continue the conversation there is a loud whistle that makes me cover my ears as the train pulls into the station. Growling slightly at the train, I turn to the others. "Lead the way, I've never been on one of these so I have no idea on what we are doing."

Taking the lead, Twilight led us onto the train and a few cars back from where we boarded before taking a seat and I jump onto the one across from her. "So how exactly is this Gala done? I'd like to learn a little about it before being dumped into the middle of something I am unprepared for."

Twilight puts a hoof to her chin in thought for a second before replying. "Well I haven't actually read up on what it is but it's basically a royal ball held in Canterlot by the princesses."

I sigh slightly and shake my head before shifting to my true form. "This is just like the raids back home, going into something with absolutely no idea how to get through it without injury." Reaching into a pouch at my side, I pull out the tunic and pants that Rarity had made for me. "Is there somewhere on the train I can change?"

Pointing to the back of the train car, Rarity speaks with a smile. "There is a small changing room at the back of each car for ponies to change in during long trips, you should be able to use that."

Nodding to her, I head to the back of the car and after closing the door to the small room I quickly change into my outfit for the Gala. It was similar to my original armor as it still had the cloak like tail for the tunic but it was a forest green with vine designs trimming the cloth. On the left side of the chest was a tree in the center of an oak leaf and a ring of thorns around the leaf. Stepping out of the room a couple of minutes later, I look myself over and nod slightly. Walking back to my seat, I bow slightly to Rarity. "I have to admit that I was a little skeptical that this would turn out well, but I may just keep this for future use when I return to Norrath."

Rarity smiles and begins digging through a bag that she had brought with her. "Well if you like that one, I came up with several different designs for your formal wear that you may like as well."

Shaking my head, I hold a hand up to stop her. "That's alright, I don't go to formal events nearly enough to warrant more than a single set of clothing for them." Sitting by the window, I look to the mountain Canterlot is on and frown slightly. Normally I wouldn't worry about it as I was only going to be spending a few hours in the city before returning to Ponyville, but the feeling I had gotten before wasn't helping. Something was going to happen at the Gala and I could only hope that it wasn't going to be too large of a problem.

After a little over an hour of travel time, we finally pull in to the Canterlot train station and get off the train. Without hesitating, Twilight headed straight for the castle with her friends close behind and Lutano and I taking up the back of the line. As we walk, I put a hand on Lutano's shoulder and a dark green glow surrounds it before spreading to encompass his entire body. After three more spells, I release my grip and Lutano finally looks to me. "What are the buffs for? We shouldn't run into anything that would warrant the extra protection."

I shake my head slightly. "Something just seems off, it feels like what I get when we are about to run a raid. I don't think there will be too much trouble considering how peaceful this world is but I would rather be safe than have to revive you."

Lutano nods slightly and rests a hand on the hilt of his sword at his side. "If you are getting that feeling I guess we can expect a decent fight at least. I've been itching to fight ever since the timberwolves, since you took out most of them and my Harm Touch took out the last one."

I chuckle slightly but remain silent and after nearly a half hour of walking we make it to the gates of the castle. When I went to follow the mares through the gate though, the guards blocked both Lutano and I. Arching an eyebrow I look at the guard to my right and notice he was also the guard that was here the first time we came through. "Are we really going to go through this again? We have already proven we can't be stopped by you and we were invited by the Princesses themselves."

The guard snorted as his eyes narrowed. "You caught us unprepared last time and I refuse to let a threat to the princesses through. I don't know what you or your friend are but I know you don't belong here with other ponies."

Sighing to myself, I flick my wrist and vines shoot up from the ground and wrap the guard up until it looked like he was in a cocoon. Turning to the other one, I raise a glowing hand. "Do I need to do the same to you or will you allow us through without any more trouble?"

The guard quickly shakes his head. "I don't want to get into an unnecessary fight, go right on ahead and go through. If the princesses really did invite you both than I don't want the trouble it will get me in to."

Nodding slightly, I catch up with Twilight quickly and let the magic fade from my hand. I could see Twilight wanted to say something about what I did to the guard but I cut her off with a shake of my head. "Some of the guards more than likely have a grudge against Lutano and I and will be trying to expel us from the castle grounds." Getting a nod in response, we make our way into the castle and towards the throne room. As we neared the massive doors, there was a large increase in the number ponies standing around and I noticed many were glaring at Lutano and I. 

Mentally growling, I consider shifting into my tiger form to scare them but after a few seconds I decide against it since it would only cause problems in the future. Thankfully I didn't have to tolerate it for long since we reached the throne room and passed through the doors in only a couple of minutes to be greeted by Princess Luna.

Bowing her head slightly, Luna smiled at us before turning and gesturing to the room. "We are glad to see you have all made it."
> Surprise!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	After nearly an hour of walking around with the Princess and having the Gala shown to us in its entirety, Lutano and I separate and find places in the Hall that wouldn't bother us with the crowds while still being able to observe the event. Surprisingly, it wasn't as difficult to remain calm since the ponies were too tense to relax so I was able to sit in peace for the most part. There had been the occasional pony that would wander by to ask a question or two about what and who I was or the reason for my being at the Gala but they were easily ignorable and sent on their way with a few short answers. The one that truly stuck out and annoyed me though, was a snow white stallion with a blonde mane styled carefully and an attitude that just screamed he thought the world of himself. While it seemed he was curious with the number of questions he had, they were all thinly veiled insults that I knew were meant to get a reaction out of me.

After finally excusing myself by saying I was going to get something to drink, I head straight for Lutano to give him a warning about the stallion. Catching him near the doors, I look over my shoulder to make sure the stallion hadn't followed me. Turning back to Lutano, I put a hand on his shoulder to get his attention and pull him down to my height so I wouldn't be overheard. "Be on the lookout for a white stallion with a blonde mane, he is going to try to get a rise out of you and cause a scene." Suddenly smirking, I take a quick glance around the room and spot the stallion talking to a group of nobles. "I have an idea on how to strike back if he pushes too far though... I just wanted to give you a heads up."

Lutano nods and chuckles. "So is he going to be charred or spikey when you are done with him?"

I pause for a second to think before shrugging. "We will just have to see what we have to work with if the time comes. Anyways, get back to whatever you were doing, I am going to head out to the gardens to get some fresh air."

Lutano nods slightly. "Just don't leave me in here by myself for too long, I really don't feel like dealing with any of these nobles if it starts getting in to politics."

I chuckle and nod before passing stepping into one of the doors and out of a tree in the gardens. To my surprise, I had stepped out in behind Fluttershy who appeared to be trying to talk to the animals that lived in the gardens but she was only getting them to run away. Sighing to myself, I walk to her side and put a hand on the top of her head. "You are trying to go to the animals when you should be letting the animals come to you. You have to remember that despite being intelligent they will still see you as a threat before they see you as a friend. Sit down and let them come to you."

Ruffling her mane, I take a seat beside her and smile. "I'm sure you would have gotten through to them your own way in time though, you have a way with animals that even a few druids don't have."

Sitting beside me, Fluttershy gives a slight sniff. "I don't understand why I can't befriend them though, it was so easy with the animals in Ponyville."

I think for a second before smiling slightly. "Maybe because you have spent enough time around the Everfree that even the animals you didn't know, knew that you were a friend. The animals here know nothing of you or any other pony most likely. Give it some time and I am sure that the animals will come around. I know the wolf pack in my home forest would run me off every time they saw me for nearly five years before I was finally able to gain their trust and become a part of the pack."

Fluttershy's eyes widen. "Y-you're f-friends with w-wolves?"

I nod slightly. "Part of being a druid is to know all animals. Some of us even take on one or two as a companion if we feel the desire. Though the time it takes to get a familiar is considerably longer than just to befriend the animal." 

Fluttershy seems to think for a second before speaking. "Do you have a... familiar?"

I nod slightly. "I do, though I haven't seen him in a long time. After I joined the Merciful Ones, I spent too much time in cities for his liking and we parted ways until I returned to the forests... Now that I think about it, I should probably summon him soon. He has to have noticed the near severing of our bond."

Fluttershy blinks a couple times. "What would cause your bond to sever?"

I gesture to the woods as I answer. "My bond with him was through nature, which while the forests here are nearly identical it is still different. When I left my world and came here, the difference strained our bond to the point of snapping but it held long enough to adjust thanks to the similarities." Looking back at the castle I sigh. "I need to get back into the celebration, no telling how things are going and I really don't want to leave much to chance. Lutano and I have never been ones for..." A sudden chill running up my spine stops me mid-sentence and I frown. 

Looking to me because of my sudden silence, Fluttershy tilts her head slightly. "Sarikasin? What's wrong?"

I shake my head and start to dismiss the feeling before it returned along with the feeling of corruption and malice. Cursing in both elven and common, I jump to my feet and sprint into a tree. Flying out of the main doors of the Hall, I send a fire ball into the air that explodes into sparks half way to the ceiling. "Clear the room! Lutano, we have a demon coming!"

No sooner had the words left my mouth than a ripping sound filled the room and a tear appeared in the center of the room. Stepping out of the portal was a Void demon that stood nearly as tall as the ceiling which had to be at least fifty feet. Cursing slightly, I look to the princesses. "Clear out your ponies, Lutano and I will try to take him down."

Drawing his sword and shield, Lutano steps between me and the demon and chuckles. "Try? What happened to laughing at the thought of something being able to take us down back on Norrath?"

I snort slightly. "Those weren't fifty foot demons with a mouth full of giant fangs and scorpion pincers in place of the hands. I think I would rather take on any of the dragons to be honest."  Summoning another fireball, I throw this one up where it then explodes into six smaller ones and converge on the Ravager's face, making it stumble back. "We need to get this thing to the other side of the room to give the ponies a clear shot to the door... any ideas? Because I don't think my fire is going to work well enough."

Lutano frowns slightly before grinning. "I've been wondering what my 'Dubstep' would do if I supercharged it... lets find out." 

As he sheathes his sword, I pull a root from the ground and wrap it around his waist. "Here's hoping... because I really don't want to have to revive you after fighting this thing alone. I don't even know if I could take him down fast enough." Pulling back with the root, I use it to throw him at the head of the demon.

Half way to the demon, a massive golden hammer appears in his hands with a head that looked nearly fifteen feet wide and thirty tall and as he nears the head of the demon a joy filled shout echoes through the room. "DUBSMACK!" Swinging the hammer around into the face of the demon, it is sent flying back by the explosive force of the spell and lands against the far wall, nearly collapsing the room when it breaks through it.

Chuckling to myself, I wrap the demon in roots while shaking my head. "It's sad how this doesn't even surprise me." Making my way across the room, I keep an eye on the demon while it struggles to escape my roots. I knew the spell wouldn't hold it for long but hopefully it would be enough to let the ponies escape and do a bit of damage before it freed itself. Before I could even make it half way, I hear a shout that has been the bane of several of my quests.

The portal that the demon had come through was still open, and as it started to tear through the roots holding it, a loud half sung shout rang through the room. "You spin me right round baby, right round!" At the end of the sentence an elf flies through the portal spinning like a top, twin short swords glowing with an orange aura.

Face palming, I can't help but growl. "What did I do to deserve running into him ACROSS WORLDS?!"

A second later a cat like humanoid drops silently to the ground beside me and chuckles. "I don't know, we seem to run into each other quite often. How has your questing and dungeon delving with Lutano gone?"

I sigh slightly and let my hand drop, watching as the elven ranger meets with the demon, swords flashing across its flesh before jumping away when it takes a swing at him. "It hasn't been great but we have managed. I think we have started to hit our peak in abilities because the dungeons are starting to put us closer and closer to an actual death. What about you and Tragornis though, Moriak? Last I heard you were struggling just to get by."

Looking at the fight as Lutano joins Tragornis in keeping the demon back, Moriak shrugs slightly. "We've had our fair of trouble but with a mercenary hired to heal us we have been doing a lot better. As long as we can fight without having to worry about taking too much damage than we do well considering we have a long and close range fighter."

I nod slightly. "Makes sense, I know having Lutano to take the brunt of attacks has saved me a lot of pain. You never realize just how much a single person can help until you have to go without their skill set for a while. Anyways, back to the fight... I don't think Lutano will be too amused to fight this demon without us no matter how much he enjoys a challenge."

Moriak nods and when he charges into the fight with a pair of steel crescent blades that cover his knuckles, I gather magic in my hands causing a pale green aura to surround them before three strands stretch out and connect to Lutano, Moriak and Tragornis. Instantly the scrapes and cuts they had gotten from the few times they were hit begin to heal rapidly and I smirk slightly before adding another spell in that causes ethereal thorns to sprout from their bodies for a  second before disappearing. One of my favorite parts of being a druid in a fight was using spells that would inflict damage on whoever struck my group. There was just something entertaining about watching a creature nearly kill itself while my regeneration spells kept my team mates at the peak of health. Unfortunately with the size and power of the demon we are fighting, it wouldn't be a tremendous help because a single solid hit even from just a swipe could take out any of us.

Looking around quickly, I give a short sigh of relief when I notice the room was empty aside from us and call to the others. "We have some room to play with now so avoid head on attacks, the less I have to heal means the more I can restrain." All three nod in response and back off a bit, allowing me to release my healing spell and begin charging a lightning spell. "Treat this like one of our guild raids, avoid getting caught in front of it and let Lutano hold the attention. If it starts after you, get behind Lutano and let him piss it off..." I can't help but chuckle at that because he really did somehow manage to always make things mad at him in major battles and would be killed at least twice in a fight. No one in Merciful Ones knew how but he always managed to take a hit that downed him no matter how hard the rest of the  guild was hammering the monster. Shaking my head, I focus on the fight again and let the lightning blast from my right hand, slamming into the eyes of the demon and making it screech in pain.

Stumbling back a few steps, the demon shook its head and swept an arm out. While none of us were in reach, it was well within arms length of a couple of pillars and sent large chunks of them flying across the room and forcing us to dodge or use an ability to break apart the debris.

Dodging a large block of stone with just a hair's breadth of space, I whirl to look at Lutano. "Get in close, damn it! Just because I don't want you to get downed doesn't mean I want you to let it take pot shots at us like that!"

Grumbling to himself, Lutano blasts the demon with a Harm Touch before shouting back. "Just because I am the tank doesn't mean I want to take a hit from him! So shut up and let me do what I've been doing for the last two years for you!" 

Before I could retort, Lutano charges in with shield in front of him and a stream of arrows from Tragornis flying over his head.

Cursing slightly, I switch my readied spells back to heals and connect a strand to Lutano just in time for him to be hammered into the ground. Thankfully with his enhanced strength he was able to hold up but it was obvious to anyone that looked that the blow had caused a large amount of pain from the grimace on his face. Releasing a wave of energy, everyone takes on a soft green glow and their wounds close. "Tragornis aim for the eyes. If it can't see us, hopefully we won't have as much of a fight. Moriak, I want you to try to trip it up." I notice the expression of disbelief from Moriak and chuckle. "Yes, I know that tripping a fifty foot demon is near impossible. Hit the back of the knee and hope it has a pressure point like a human. If we can get him down, I can bind it long enough to finish it off."

Sighing, Moriak nods and begins to work his way around the demon while it continues to hammer away at Lutano's shield. Unfortunately, luck was not on our side as the demon noticed the attempt to sneak behind it and immediately swung one of it's pincers at him, landing a heavy blow to his chest and sending him flying across the hall and into a wall. Cursing, I immediately connect a strand of magic to him to see if the heal would take, and when it did I let out a quick sigh of relief before turning back to the fight and connecting a strand to Tragornis and Lutano after deciding it was my best bet at keeping them up rather than waiting for a blow  to land. "We have to end this fast, I'm not sure how much longer my mana will hold up in this fight!"

Lutano nods and  throws a Harm Touch into the demons face, the toxicity melting away at the flesh before leaping forward and summoning another light hammer and slamming it into the section of revealed bone. While the blow alone wouldn't do much more than crack the bone, a quick arrow from Tragornis sank into one of the cracks and I threw a bolt of lightning at it. Acting as a lightning rod, the arrow fed the electricity straight into the demons brain and with a roar it stumbles back for a second before collapsing. 

Slumping to the ground against one of the pieces of broken pillar that littered the room, I sight and let myself relax for a second before looking over to Moriak who was now conscious and getting back to his feet. "How are you feeling after that hit?"

Grunting in response, Moriak stands and rubs his chest. "A little sore still but your healing got rid of most of it. Glad you got that heal on me when you did because I could feel myself slipping. And while you guys can revive, I really don't like that feeling."

I chuckle slightly and force myself to my feet. "Believe me, I know the feeling from all the times I went into a dungeon Lutano and I were underprepared for. Anyways, lets make sure that this thing is actually down for the count because I really don't want to have it go on a rampage again later."

Moriak nods and we make our way towards Lutano and Tragornis who were each leaning against a pillar chuckling. Shaking my head, I walk past them to the head of the demon and lift an hand surrounded by flames to burn the head of the demon to ash to insure there was no getting back up but before I could, I felt a sharp pain as something slammed into me from behind before I was thrown and blacked out. The last thing I saw was the demon's glowing eyes as it rolled on to its side.
> Wakey Wakey
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

With the large Shadow beast out for the count, I had turned to joking around with Tragornis. After a small amount of banter, I heard a shout from behind me.

“SARIKASIN!” Moriak yelled.

I whipped my head towards where I had noticed my friend/savior had tread, and saw his body crumple to the ground. One of those weird as hell pincers, slick with blood, slid from Sari’s body. I stared at the body. Thoughts went through my mind, many thoughts of varied intensities but the one the resounded was….

'A bitch is going to die'

I tore my eyes away from Sari’s dead body, keeping in mind that what I needed to do needs to be accomplished within 8 minutes, and looked towards the vile beast that had slain my friend. It looked towards me, and I could barely tell that it had a ‘eat shit’ grin. Staring at the Shadow beast, I feel the rage start tinting my sight to red. I look towards Tragornis, and see that he has already raised his bow from Ro knows where, and then to my other side, only to see Moriak still staring at Sarikasin’s corpse.

I sigh, knowing that if this…this ‘thing’ isn’t removed, then all on this planet is forfeit, and to lose this fight would be worse than that one incident that caused Sari to turn into a female troll for a week. I still hear the ringing of explosions on some days. 

“If we don’t make it, I do want to say…” I turn to Tragornis, a frown appearing across my snout, “You still owe me for all that Ro besotted crap I got for your house.”

“Yea, yea love you too,” Trag said back to me. I looked back towards the Shadow beast, and a small smile crosses my face, my sight goes redder.

“You. Are. So. Fucking. Dead.” At that I charge at the beast. I hear a lions roar, and my speed increases. As I get half way towards the monster, I stab my sword forward, while lunging, and fly towards the beast. Upon contact the beast stumbles back, and I am upon his chest with a fury, my shield forgotten behind me, as I open up slashes from my claws. I hear noise from behind but don’t pay any heed to it as I focus on trying to dig into this vile beast. 

“YOU WILL BURN IN RO’S FORSAKEN BALLSACK, SHADOW-!” I shout but then got knocked off by a pincer. As I fly to the side of the room, I hear a large explosion and a VERY bright light blinds me, and I hear the Shadow beast bellow in pain. When I land, I hear some shouted commands, most coming from Celestia, and a large battle cry from what must have been close to 60 some individuals. What my eyes treated me was to see a large amount of Royal Guard, most of which looked to be mages, charging the beast. The Unicorn guards fired large volleys of spells that smashed upon the Shadow beast, leaving little bits here and there scorched, while the Pegasus looked to using themselves as weapons, slashing at the abominations face, legs, or arms with their wings. The regular ponies, for what they were, just stayed in front of the magi, their spears and shields (for how they wield them I’ll never get) ready to push the Shadow away, in case it got close. I noticed in that line that Moriak stood next to the guards; doing little dances here and there… Must be trying to inspire but I still say that looking fearsome is better for morale than skipping about like a small whelping. Behind them, with the magi, stood Tragornis, launching various colored arrows, and occasionally mouthing something, towards the abomination that had yet to be slain. 

Getting up, and wincing a little bit, I looked towards where Sari’s body had lain and noticed that some of the regular guards were dragging his body back towards the defensive line. Having that little bit of good news I looked towards the Shadow beast, just in time to get a small spray of blood across my face, looking towards which unlucky soul who had bit the dust and immediately got me infuriated. A mare had gotten stabbed and was being, and dragged towards the beasts’ maw. With a great roar, I charged forward, ignoring my wounds. The beast stopped, looked towards my location, and received an angry Sarnak to the face. I guess that he either killed, or released the poor guard, but now I had to deal with a stumbling Shadow beast that was now clearly intent on getting me off of its face. I started clawing at the creatures eyes, trying to go for the fastest way to incapacitate, and spotted something that made me almost shout in joy. It was the opening that had been opened earlier in the head, and it was still oozing lifeblood. I started to claw towards it, and felt my tail clip one of the pincers that had tried remove my presence from his face. 

‘I wonder if he’ll pop like a firework. ’ I think to myself, getting to the entrance of the wound. I take my claws and start working into the beasts skull. As I get in I am immediately assaulted by the smell of death, blood, and hatred made manifest. Getting into the skull, I looked to the hole and notice it is starting to close up.  ‘Heh, this will be more poppy than smashing all those apples with that war hammer I found.’ As the wound gets close to half way, I prepare myself for probably the stupidest thing I have possibly done… besides doing all of those running off cliff incidents… or trying to have a party with the Qeynosian guards… or the Freeport guards. Back to the matter, I looked back to the hole and noticed that it was about to close. I stabled myself, zoning into a state of calm. I opened my mouth and immediately tasted everything in this creatures head, and the taste was indescribable (and will remain so forever). I put off the sensation that what I had eaten was coming back up, and centered my power all into my claws. They started to glow golden, and a faint sensation of weight became present in both. I put my hands together and took a large breath, taking in the pollutants into my body. I opened my eyes and looked towards the now coalesced golden hammer in front of me. Raising the hammer I high I prepared to

“DUBSTEP!” I shouted with all my might, and swung the hammer down in front of me. The resulting burst could only be described as what those damnable gnomes made, called ‘Party poppers’ which worked more like a bomb than anything else. The sudden assault of light disoriented me but the dead Shadow Brute made everything better. As the body started to fall, I tumbled forward, only to feel a pair of hooves grab my arms on both sides. As we landed the sudden shaking of the large monsters body hitting the ground staggered some of the guards on the ground but other than a few small clouds of dust fell from the ceiling. I looked over to Sari’s body, noting that the ponies that were looking over him, plus Celestia, had a sorrow filled gaze, and as I walked over, Celestia looked up to me and motioned for me to follow but I ignored her. I reached into a pouch I had on behind me, hidden in a special fault in the armor I had on, and I pulled out a crystal feather, tinged blue and opaque. As I stopped walking and knelt down, all eyes were on me.

“Sari, I just wanted to say…” I adorned a sad face, to placate all in attendance. Silence drew on for a few moments. Then my face burst into a crazy grin, lifting the feather as if a dagger, and stabbed Sari’s chest. “WAKEY WAKEY!” As I looked at the crystal feather, I noticed that it started getting clearer, and lost its blue hue. “Knew I was in time,” A smug smile appeared on my face. Then I felt a weight smash into the back of my skull and I was out.

> Rude!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Waking up was as unpleasant as you would expect after being killed by a claw that nearly ripped you in half. Thankfully the fact that I was waking up in an extreme amount of pain was more of a comfort than a cause for concern this time and with a groan I sit up, only to be blind sided with a large mass after an explosion that sent me tumbling across the floor. Groaning in pain, I look in the direction the object rolled to find that it was Lutano that had slammed into me and was currently upside down and balanced on his shoulders against a pillar with a somewhat dazed expression. Pushing myself to my feet with a grunt, I walk over to Lutano and push him over with an annoyed sigh. "Can't you wait five seconds after my revival to go careening through me?"

Lutano gives a slight chuckle with a sheepish grin. "Sorry, the princesses didn't believe the feather would revive you. They gave it all of two minutes to work before trying to arrest me for.... mental instability I think they called it. So I've been running around the last 8 minutes fighting off the guard ponies and princesses. Which, you took your sweet ass time on."

I snort in amusement and push myself to my feet, giving Lutano a hand up as well. "Not my fault it took so long, maybe it takes longer because the magic here is different. You have to remember that while the forests here still hold druidic mana, no one here uses it so it may not be as easy to put to use without a mind to directly control it."

Hearing hoof steps behind me, I turn to find the room behind me had filled with guards and the princesses were standing in front of them with wide eyes, staring at me like I was a ghost.... which from what I had been told, may be exactly what they are thinking. Lifting a hand in a half wave, I smirk at the princesses. "I hear you didn't give my magic time to work. You should really trust our word a bit more when it comes to stuff we deal with daily back home."

Both princesses glanced between us for a couple of seconds before Celestia took a step forward. "We assumed the feather had failed to revive you after several minutes of waiting, and witnessing your friend stab a crystalline feather in to your corpse while screaming was not something we found to be normal... How long does it usually take for the revival to take effect, so we can avoid a misunderstanding in the future."

I shrug slightly and sigh. "I honestly don't know at this point. The feather obviously took effect immediately or I wouldn't be alive right now since according to Lutano you all were running laps around the castle for longer than the allowed time for a resurrection. The only thing I can assume is that the mana required to power the spell is harder to gather here since you seem to lack druids to use it. For now, I am going to say the time is about 12 minutes, to give a bit of room for error. Anyways, what has happened since I was killed?"

Both princesses turned to look at Lutano who gained a sheepish expression as he rubbed the back of his head. "Well.... I kinda blew up the demon's head and covered the Hall in hatred made manifest as slime...."

For a second I stare at Lutano, thinking that what he said was a joke but when he keeps his guilty expression, I sigh. "So you somehow got inside the head of the demon and created a large enough explosion to blow apart the skull and brain?.. Why am I not surprised by this?" Shaking my head, I start to turn to Celestia when I hear a faint whispering in the back of my mind. Freezing in place, my eyes narrow slightly. When I stop, the whispering fades and I start to brush it off but it returns again as I turn towards Celestia again. For a second I start to ignore it despite the oddity since I had run in to similar situations before while wandering forests but that was when it hit me, I was in a city so I shouldn't be hearing the voices of animals. 

Turning quickly to Lutano, I gather my magic for a shape shift. "I have to leave, if I stay any longer in Canterlot my magic is going to turn on me." Not waiting for a reply I open a glowing green portal in front of me and step through, stepping in to a clearing on the Apple family orchard. In the few seconds I had been moving, the voices I had been hearing were now a thunderous roar in my ear that gradually faded as I sank to the ground against one of the trees. Groaning, I grip the sides of my head in a vain attempt to dull the pain. "Karana curse your voices to the Void." Once the voices went silent and the splitting headache eased, I lean my head back against the tree. "I guess I can't stay away from nature..." I couldn't help the chuckle that escaped my mouth. "This will lead to an interesting discussion with the princesses." 

Letting myself relax against the tree, I let my eyes close so I could think back over what had happened at the gala. I had entered the void several times on raids with my guild but I had never seen one of them that size. The largest should have only gotten to roughly ten to twelve feet tall, so what was the cause of a void demon reaching that size?

Shaking my head, I push myself to my feet and head for the Everfree. 
> Chapter 14
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

So after looking back over the story, I have realized just how much I skipped over thanks to my friend mentioning it... I am going to go back an re-write it with the previous events included because as things stand I don't have enough to continue the story and keep it flowing while still keeping it as a decent read.